Discover Morocco - a country of dizzying diversity, epic mountain ranges, ancient cities, Saharan dunes and mazes of medinas - on this 10-day luxury small group tour (maximum 16 travellers). Stay in luxurious style at some of Morocco's most opulent hotels like the Four Seasons, Sofitel and Riad Fes - a majestic Moorish palace that sits under the prestigious Relais & Chateaux Hotel group. Includes daily breakfasts and gourmet lunches, three unforgettable dinners including one night at the romantic and iconic Rick's Café in Casablanca, a traditional hammam experience, a hands-on cooking class, private transportation, expert local leaders plus insider experiences and more.
Discover exotic Morocco with this tailor-made, small-group luxury tour specifically designed for discerning travellers. Visit unique locations, immerse yourself in the Moroccan culture and take a sensory journey across this mystical land through the ancient, bustling cities of Casablanca,** Fes** and Marrakech and the spectacular Spanish Colony settlements along the coast of** Northern Morocco. Explore cities, sweeping deserts and Kasbahs while staying in the **most luxurious hotels in the country.
Your days will be filled with adventure, and your nights will be filled with luxurious comfort during this incredible tour.
Your five-star experience will start at the Four Seasons Casablanca, the city's largest luxury hotel. With magnificent Atlantic views, the hotel blends sand-coloured architecture with modern Moroccan elegance.
While travelling to Chefchaouen, one of the prettiest towns in Morocco, enjoy two nights at the Sofitel Tamuda Bay Beach Hotel & Spa. With its exclusive location, the Sofitel Tamuda Bay Beach and Spa hotel is the undisputed leader in luxury resorts in Tamuda Bay.
Your three nights at Riad Fes will amaze you. This majestic palace is an authentic example of Hispanic-Moorish architecture and is part of the opulent Relais & Chateaux group. Located in the heart of the ancient city it offers an outstanding combination of modern and traditional décor, reminiscent of the Arabian Nights, with marble bathrooms and mesmerising views. Relax on the beautiful panoramic terrace taking in the incredible scenery, take a dip in the pool or end your day with a visit to the relaxing hammam.
Last on the list of your five-star accommodation is the Sofitel Marrakech Palais Imperial, a remarkable palace offering elegance in a privileged location in the city. With a majestic Moorish facade and spectacular fountains, you will spend the last few days of the tour in a Junior suite, adding some extra charm and luxury to your Morocco tour. This five-star, unique hotel combines the French 'art de vivre' with the splendors of Marrakesh.
"Here's looking at you, kid!" – Get ready to roll out your best Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman impersonations as you start your tour in the fascinating city of Casablanca with a dinner at the famous Rick's Café, a restaurant and piano bar designed to recreate the bar made famous by the classic 1942 film 'Casablanca'. Casablanca is not just a heritage stop, it's a** forward-facing city** too, with glitzy new urban design and impressive architecture.
Leave the city behind and head out on an experience like no other at** Chefchaouen, an artsy, blue-coloured mountain village and one of the **most spectacular towns in Morocco. Indulge in an organic lunch *with a difference at *Dardara farm *where *Mediterranean flavours and Moroccan ingredients meet in this new concept of ecological cuisine, which uses only local produce.
Discover Meknes, also known as "the Moroccan Versailles", a city with monumental walls and gates. Wine connoisseurs will love this stop over, which includes a wine tasting at the ''Les Célliers de Meknes" – Morocco's** pioneer estate in wine making**.
Get lost in a seemingly endless maze of markets in the Marrakesh Medina where the souks comprise of tiny retail stalls situated down alleyway upon alleyway. The further you explore, the more interesting they become. Try bartering for everything from carpets and textiles; cooked snails and spices; cotton, clothing, kaftans and blankets.
After the blast of the bazaar soothe your stresses way with a visit to a traditional wood-burning furnace of a Moroccan hammam. Try a scrub with black soap using a traditional scrub glove (known as a 'kessak) which removes dead skin cells leaving your skin feeling smooth and silky soft.
Escape to the outskirts of Marrakech and take part in a hands-on farmhouse cooking class, exploring the traditions of Moroccan cuisine using aromatic local spices. Enjoy an afternoon of hand-made delicacies on a terrace surrounded by views of the** stunning Atlas Mountains. After sipping mint tea in the company of a **Berber family, you finish off this incredible tour with a caliche (horse-drawn carriage) to one of the city's best restaurants.
Nine nights *in luxury hotels including *one night in a Deluxe Room at the Four Seasons Casablanca, two nights in a Superior Room at Sofitel Tamuda Bay Beach Hotel & Spa, three nights in a Deluxe Room at Riad Fes, three nights in a Junior Suite at Sofitel Marrakech Palais Imperial.
A selection of gourmet experiences including breakfast daily, eight bespoke lunches *and *three memorable dinners. Dine at the famous Rick's Café in Casablanca , enjoy a Roman picnic lunch, a traditional lunch with a local family in Fes, a** hands-on cooking class** followed by lunch with views of the Atlas Mountains, a Moroccan tea experience with a local family and much more – plus you have the opportunity to explore the many traditional and modern eateries of Morocco during your leisure time.
Experience the unbelievable** Sahara desert** where you will stay in an ultra-luxe desert camp. Situated in the quiet and idyllic sand dunes of Erg Chebbi, take a camel ride along the sand dunes and reach the spectacular Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp, where you can relax like royalty and gaze at the ever-changing colours of the desert and the canopy of stars in the night sky. You'll also discover one of the most-famous filming locations in the world with a visit to Morocco's impressive UNESCO World-Heritage Site of Ait Bendaddou. Known as Ksar, the site is formed by a group of ancient earthen buildings, and has featured as a star location in many Hollywood movies, from 'Lawrence of Arabia' to 'Gladiator'.
This extension will also see you staying in sumptuous accommodation, with** one night at **Ksar El Kabbaba, a traditional Ksar surrounded by lush gardens where you can while away the hours in a hammock hanging between olive and pomegranate trees and soak up the ambience of Morocco's ancient culture.
The '7 day change of mind guarantee' does not apply for Tour bookings. Due to the high demand and limited departures any cancellation / refund requests must be made within 48 hours of purchase. Otherwise, the standard Luxury Escapes Refund Policy applies.
Accommodation is subject to availability and may be substituted for a hotel of a similar standard.
Please note that the tours departing on 09th of September, 23rd of September, 7th of October and 21st of October will be staying at Hotel Sahrai Fes in a Junior Suite (instead of Riad Fes).
Maximum tour capacity is 16 people, minimum tour capacity is two people.
Arrival and departure transfers are only available on the first and last day of the tour. Any arrivals and departures outside of these days will need to make their own arrangements to/from the airport.
The package is valid for ONE PERSON aged 18 years or older (based on twin share). If you are travelling with another person you must purchase TWO PACKAGES, otherwise if travelling alone, you must purchase the Single Traveller package option. See the package options for further details. Single travellers will get their own room throughout the tour.
All surcharges are payable directly to Luxury Escapes.
Additional expenses such as (but not limited to) international flights are not included with this package.
Please note: disability access is limited during the tour, please consider this when making your booking.
Before making a reservation, please ensure that the name on the reservation is the same as it appears on your passport. An error may result in a name change penalty or boarding being denied by the airline. Luxury Escapes accepts no responsibility for accuracy of name on the travel documents.
On arrival at Casablanca Mohamed V airport you will be met as you exit the plane and will enjoy Fast- track assistance through customs. Transfer to Casablanca Four Season Hotel where the rest of the day (depending on your arrival) is at your leisure.
This evening you meet your guide and the rest of your group for dinner at Rick's Café.
After breakfast at the hotel, visit Hassan II mosque for a guided tour. Afterwards depart for Asilah a fortified town on the northwest tip of the Atlantic coast of Morocco. Its ramparts and gateworks remain fully intact and it is known as being a 'hangout for the world's artists' because of the beautiful frescoes painted on the house walls and the various art exhibitions held in the city.
After a relaxing lunch on the beautiful waterfront, enjoy a tour of the city before continuing to Tangier. Located on the Maghreb coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel, Tangier is a fascinating Moroccan city. It has many of the things that travellers love, a sense of exotic mystery, interesting history, beautiful vistas, unspoiled beaches - an uncontrolled mix of North Africa, Spain, Portugal and France. After enjoying a tour of the city and taking in the whitewashed hillside medina, you will arrive at your hotel in Tetouan – the stunning Sofitel Tamuda Bay Beach Hotel & Spa - your home for the next two nights.
After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Chefchaouen, a beautiful blue and white-washed Andalucian town nestled in the Rif Mountains. Leather and weaving workshops line its steep cobbled lanes and the small winding alleyways and squares are a hub of activity where the women of the surrounding Rif Mountains come to sell their handmade products. Start your tour in the shady main square of Place Outa el Hammam where you will find the red-walled Kasbah, a 15th-century fortress and dungeon. The kasbah of Chefchaouen belongs to the early 18th century, and was built by the legendary ruler Moulay Ismail. It is fairly simple without architectural surprises however it is surrounded by gardens on the interior and exterior. Inside the Kasbah, you will find the ethnographic museum containing antique weapons, musical instruments, and photographs of the old town.
After a chance to explore this beautiful city, drive up in the Rif Mountains to the heart of the Jbala country. Here you will enjoy learning about this unique culture and its traditions as well as an organic lunch with a difference at Dardara farm. A blend of Mediterranean flavours and Moroccan ingredients this is a new concept of ecological cuisine with produce used from the garden and the surrounding villages.
Arrive back at the hotel in the late afternoon for an evening of leisure.
After breakfast at the hotel, depart for Fes via Meknes, also known as "the Moroccan Versailles". Meknes, with its monumental gates and city walls, was founded at the end of the 17th century by the Sultan Moulay Ismail. Here you will enjoy visiting the Bab el Mansour (perhaps the finest gateway in Africa), "Dar Jamai" Museum, the old Medina, Moulay Ismail Mausoleum, the old granaries and stables. Enjoy lunch and wine tasting at ''Les Célliers de Meknes" – Morocco's pioneer estate in wine making.
Arriving in Fes in the late afternoon – the rest of the day is at leisure.
After breakfast, the morning will be devoted to exploring the city of Fes, the spiritual capital of Morocco. Step back six centuries into the medieval Medina with its narrow and cobbled streets filled with ancient mosques, towering green glazed minarets and crumbling fondouks. Narrow openings into private worlds reveal architecture of peaceful courtyards filled with carved cedar, brilliantly colored mosaic tiles and delicately carved stucco ornaments. Today's lunch will be with a family in the medina. Here, you will enjoy a real Moroccan meal the "fassi" way.
The best way to end the afternoon is with a relaxing hammam before an evening at leisure.
After breakfast, depart for the UNESCO-listed Roman ruins of Volubilis. Located below Zerhoun mountain, these ruins overlook spectacular views of the valley and hills and out to the holy city of Moulay Idriss. Following your visit, enjoy a Roman picnic lunch (if weather allows) before some time to explore Moulay Idriss and its narrow streets and heading back to Fes.
Return to the hotel in the late afternoon before an evening at leisure.
After breakfast, depart for Marrakech with a stop en route in Rabat the capital of Morocco. Another incursion in time arises from the solitary and romantic Chellah, where the Merinide monarchs rest to the beautifully sculpted Hassan Tomb. Bab Er-Rouah, the gate of winds, is the most beautiful and magnificent monument giving direct access to the Hassan Tomb and the famous tomb of the late king Mohamed V, who fulfilled Morocco's independence. After lunch in the Marina of Rabat, continue to Marrakech - your home for the next 3 nights.
After check-in, the evening will be at your leisure and a good opportunity for an evening walk around the vibrant Djemaa El Fna square, a site for an endless parade of performers and entertainers at night.
After breakfast, join your guide and explore Marrakech like a local. An intimate and exclusive exploration of the Medina opens up the the social quarters of the city, where people live, cook their bread in the local bakeries, go for public hammams and send their kids to the local schools. Visit a traditional bakery where Moroccans have been baking their bread, tagines and pastille for centuries. Next visit a traditional Wood-burning furnace of a Moroccan hammam, it wasn't long ago that it was very uncommon for people to have their own shower or bath in their homes. Water, and especially hot water was a precious commodity before the era of hot water heaters. In Morocco a practical solution was created to get around this difficulty - the hammam. Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant which offers Moroccan cuisine with a modern twist.
This afternoon, visit the Bahia Palace and discover the city's renowned gardens of Menara and Koutoubia, finishing off at the beautiful Jardins de Majorelle and the new YSL (Yves Saint Laurent) museum. Returning to the hotel, the evening is at your leisure.
After breakfast, head to the Berber villages on the outskirts of Marrakech and take part in a hands on Farmhouse Cooking Class. Explore the flavours and traditions of Moroccan cuisine and learn to identify aromatic Moroccan spices, cook a full Moroccan meal with classic side dishes before enjoying the fruits of your labour on a terrace surrounded by views of the Atlas Mountains. You'll also get to visit a village souk to buy some of the ingredients needed for the class. After lunch, continue towards Amezmiz, for traditional tea with a berber family.
This evening, transfer to dinner by traditional caliche (horse drawn carriage), a fitting farewell to Morocco and your group.
Your tour ends after breakfast with a transfer to the airport for your onward journey.
This morning you will be collected from your hotel in Marrakech and set off east toward Ouarzazate via Tizi N'Tichka Pass through the High Atlas Mountains. The panoramic views and magnificent landscapes dotted by small Berber villages typical of the region, are perfect for photo stops along the way.
Visit the UNESCO World-Heritage Site of Ait Bendaddou. This Kasbah is perhaps the most impressive and well-preserved fortress cities in Morocco. Built on a hilltop, Ait Benhaddou inspired many movie makers and films such as Gladiator or Lawrence of Arabia. The view from the upper heights of the Kasbah is awe inspiring and worth the required climb through winding, narrow streets. You will continue to Ouarzazate where Morocco's version of Hollywood movie studios are found, also a good opportunity to stop for lunch (optional).
After a small break, continue through the Skoura, an extensive Oasis of palm groves - a beautiful mix of greens and reds and pinks - where you will see the beautiful Kasbah Amrhydil - dating from the 17th century. Reaching the hotel in the late afternoon - the rest of the evening will be at your leisure.
After breakfast you will explore the Rose Valley where Morocco's most celebrated roses are grown and are used for making the country's fine rosewater. Each May 3000-4000 tonnes of roses can be gathered in a single week from these valleys and when the harvest is over the town hosts a festival to celebrate with local music, dancing and exhibitions of local crafts.
Visit the Dades Gorges, taking the road of 1000 kasbahs through the colourful Berber villages of the Dades Valley. Stop at Tineghir to take in it's beautiful palm groves before continuing to the Gorge of Todra where you will enjoy an easy trek along the 300-metre canyons. Afterwards, head to Erg Chebbi dunes in Merzouga - in the middle of the Sahara Desert. Here you will take a camel ride while watching the sunset over the dunes.
Spend the night at a beautiful traditional luxury camp and enjoy the Sahara dunes under shooting stars by the campfire. Locals will entertain you with traditional music and songs.
Today you will enjoy a full day in the desert. After breakfast, your experienced cameleer will share the serenity and silence of the desert during you camel ride into the red dunes of Erg Chebbi. Around midday, enjoy four wheel driving through the desert before stopping for a picnic in the dunes.
This evening you can enjoy star gazing and the tranquility of the Sahara Desert.
This morning after breakfast you will transfer to the airport in Errachidia for your flight to Casblanca, where your tour ends on arrival.
The tour begins in Casablanca and ends in Marrakech (extended tour ends in Casablanca).
Your international flights are not included in your package. Flights to Casablanca from Australia will typically take a minimum of two stops and approximately 24 hours, departing from most major cities with Etihad, Emirates, Qatar Airways and various other airlines.
Book your flight through us. First, confirm your tour booking dates. Our Tours Concierge will then be in touch within 24 business hours to assist with additional arrangements, with no booking fee to you.
A visa may be required to the destination you are visiting. It is each travellers responsibility to ensure they are holding a current visa. Please take the time to visit our preferred vendor website Visa's Direct to assist you with any visa application requirements and processes. If you require any supporting documentation when applying for your visa please let us know and we would be more than happy to assist. Click here to visit the website.
Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp: We had a fantastic stay for 2 nights. The staff, the food and the landscape made for a special experience. The camel sunset ride is the best way to end your day . Make sure you pack a warm coat as the nights are cold.
Sofitel Tamuda Bay Beach Hotel & Spa: My new go to in Morocco, pleasantly surprised with the offerings. It was a spontaneous trip with a friend and the staff could not have been better at catering to all our needs, even getting the chef to come back to make us a meal. Can't wait to be back.
Four Seasons Casablanca: Our last stop on a trip through Morocco and a perfect end to the trip. Beautiful, peaceful, and well appointed. Great service, lovely room and views. Might be my favourite Four Seasons anywhere.
Riad Fes: We visited Riad Fes for the second time to take lunch. Lunch was served by the fountain which provided an exotic back drop. The service was attentive but not over bearing. The Relais et Chateaux branding was evident with the attention to guest needs at the forefront. The riad is conveniently placed but genuinely in the medina of Fes. I highly recommend.
Ksar El Kabbaba: Stunning hotel and gardens, lovely service, delicious dinner. Was so beautiful I wish we could have stayed another night! Highly recommend!
Sofitel Marrakech Palais Imperial: I'm a fan of the Sofitel brand, and the Marrakech edition was spectacular. The lobby was so inviting, as well the pool-side restaurant that was available for lunch. I even enjoyed the hotel's spa and hammam. Although I've stayed in a riad before, the Sofitel will always be the choice for this city. Also, it's located in the new city and for those visiting for the first time it would be a better choice since the medina might be overwhelming for some.
A very special introduction to Morocco. We will definitely come back. Luxury Escapes lived up to expectations and more. We will use you again. Special mention to Mustapha and Medi they are the best!
Exceptional guide with expert in depth knowledge. Will recommend this tour to our friends.
Tour guide was brilliant. Best tour we have been on. Hope to come back to Morocco one day because of tour.


Who places flags at Arlington National Cemetery for Memorial Day?
Across the country this weekend, packs, troops, crews and ships will take part in a solemn Memorial Day tradition: placing flags at the graves of men and women who died serving our country.
If your Scout unit will be a part of this patriotic ritual, read this list of tips from my colleague Michael Freeman before heading out.
Michael's post got me wondering. I know Scouts are an essential part of placing flags at local and national cemeteries, but who places all those flags at the hallowed Arlington National Cemetery?
The cemetery has more than 228,000 headstones, and each gets an American flag prior to Memorial Day weekend. Who does all that grueling, but important, work?
Sheldon Coffelt (back to camera) participated in the 2014 "Flags In" ceremony.
I got the answer from Bob Coffelt, a Class of 1977 Eagle Scout from Indiana.
He said it's the responsibility of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment — "The Old Guard." These men and women, best known for guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, place every flag in a period of about four hours, Coffelt says.
When you add in 7,000 flags at the bottom of the columbarium's niche rows, that means they place 235,000 flags at a rate of 58,750 flags per hour.
How does Coffelt know so much about this practice? His son, also an Eagle Scout, is a member of The Old Guard.
Sheldon Coffelt (right side, back) folded the American flag during a military burial.
Army Spc. Sheldon Coffelt was selected to join this elite team during basic training at Fort Benning, Ga.
To be selected, a person must meet height and weight requirements, pass an aptitude test, and receive presidential clearance. Of course, being an Eagle Scout helps.
Sheldon Coffelt received Scouting's highest honor on Dec. 27, 2007, as a member of Troop 730 of Warsaw, Ind., part of the Anthony Wayne Area Council.
During his time at Fort Myer, Va., he has been a member of the rifle team, carried caskets for fallen soldiers, assisted families in the chapel, participated in numerous wreath-laying ceremonies, performed special missions (sometimes at the Pentagon) and marched in the presidential inauguration parade.
This week, for the fifth time in his military career, Sheldon Coffelt will join his fellow Old Guard soldiers in the ceremony, known as "Flags In." The soldiers will place small American flags at each headstone and at the bottom of each niche row in the cemetery's Columbarium Courts.
All flags are removed after Memorial Day, before each cemetery opens to the public.


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Tacoma Broadway Center's 2018-19 Season features Wizard of Oz, Monty Python's Spamalot
Broadway Center for the Performing Arts in Tacoma's historic Theater District announces a full 2018-19 season of events with more Broadway musicals than ever before, plus a wide range of performance genres including modern circus and magic acts, music, film, acrobatics, lecture, dance, and theater.
Tacoma's Pantages Theater celebrates its 100th birthday this season with an extensive renovation! See the theater fully restored at its grand reopening this fall, premiering with The Hip Hop Nutcracker with MC Kurtis Blow on Nov. 15. Community members may contribute to the Pantages' Centennial renovation while leaving a lasting legacy by sponsoring a seat! Visit our BroadwayCenter.org for information.
Single tickets are on sale now for:
Indigo Girls: A Benefit for Arts Education on June 22
An Afternoon with Ira Glass on June 24
Lea DeLaria: A Man for All Seasons as part of Tacoma Pride Festival on July 13
Brew Five Three: Tacoma's Beer and Music Festival on Aug. 11
Sue's Tech Kitchen from Aug. 23-26
Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition from Sept. 21-Oct. 14
Subscription packages for three or more shows are on sale now; Broadway Center Members can access even more perks, discounts, and exclusive experiences while supporting Broadway Center's wide-reaching and impactful arts education programs. Find out more at BroadwayCenter.org.
Buy tickets now by calling the Box Office at 253.591.5894, in person at 901 Broadway, or at BroadwayCenter.org. Group discounts are available.
2018-19 Season At a Glance
22 Indigo Girls: A Benefit for Arts Education | Rialto Theater | Tickets start at $75
See this Grammy-Award winning duo, with special guest Lucy Wainwright Roche, in an intimate benefit concert for arts education at the historic Rialto Theater.
24 Seven Things I've Learned: An Afternoon with Ira Glass| Rialto Theater | Tickets start at $29
Ira Glass is the creator, producer & host of NPR's "This American Life," the iconic weekly public radio program with millions of listeners around the world. Using audio clips, music, and video, Ira Glass delivers a unique talk, sharing lessons from his life and career in storytelling
13 Lea DeLaria: A Man for All Seasons | Rialto Theater | Tickets start at $39
The actor, comic, and jazz musician, best known for her role as Big Boo on "Orange is the New Black," brings a no-holds-barred stand-up comedy performance to Tacoma's Rialto Theater for Tacoma Pride! Two dollars from each ticket sold will benefit the Tacoma Rainbow Center.
11 Brew Five Three: Tacoma's Beer and Music Festival| Tickets start at $25
Enjoy samples from 35+ Washington breweries and cideries, live music, and food trucks at the sixth annual festival, awarded the 2017 Public Places Award by the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce.
23 – 26 Sue's Tech Kitchen | Tacoma Armory| Tickets start at $12
Event Launch Party: Thursday, August 23, 2018 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Friday, August 24, 2018 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 25, 2018 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, August 26, 2018 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m
Timed sessions hourly on the hour.
Conceptualized by serial entrepreneur, producer, and bestselling author Randi Zuckerberg and designed by a team of tech, entertainment, and education veterans, SUE'S TECH KITCHEN is a STEM-fueled adventure for the mouth and mind that empowers kids to engage with tomorrow's tech and revolutionizes family dining in the process.
20 Chinese Warriors of Peking| Rialto Theater| Tickets start at $29
A culturally enriching experience filled with juggling, acrobatics, and live stage combat. Set during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), this is the tale of two rival martial arts disciplines competing in the ancient Chinese capital of Peking.
21 Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition | Tacoma Armory | Tickets start at $12
Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition recreates the awe and wonder of arguably one of mankind's greatest artistic achievements and will let you experience this art from a new perspective. See this nationally touring exhibit at the Tacoma Armory, its only Washington State venue!
12 We Banjo 3 & Skerryvore | Rialto Theater | Tickets start at $29
Irish band We Banjo 3 brings a lively "celtgrass" sound and Skerryvore, hailing from Scotland, fuse rock, folk, and Americana in a lively evening sure to get your boots stomping.
14 Film Focus: Hocus Pocus* | Theater on the Square | Tickets: $7
Loaded with bewitching laughs, this Disney Halloween classic is an outrageously wild comedy that's sure to entertain everyone!
8 – 25 Vanya & Sonia and Masha & Spike | Rialto Theater | Tickets start at $19
Christopher Durang's Chekhov-inspired family comedy about the relationships – and dysfunctions – among siblings. A poignant and raucous play that is pure joy from start to finish! This is a local, professional production.
15 The Hip Hop Nutcracker with MC Kurtis Blow | Pantages Theater | Tickets start at $29
Back by popular demand for opening night of the renovated Pantages Theater! A holiday mash-up for the entire family, The Hip Hop Nutcracker is a contemporary re-imagination of Tchaikovsky's timeless music, blending artistic styles to celebrate the original material – with a decidedly modern twist.
23 Jane Lynch "A Swingin' Little Christmas" | Pantages Theater | Tickets start at $29
Kate Flannery (The Office) joins stars of Glee Jane Lynch and Tim Davis in a classic holiday show featuring the Big Band sounds of The Tony Guerrero Quintet in a night of rich music, funny and touching moments, and Christmas whimsy.
24 73rd Annual Holiday Tree Lighting | Pantages Theater | A free community event
Since World War II, the South Sound community has gathered to celebrate at the corner of 9th & Broadway in downtown Tacoma. Gather for carols and photos with Santa at this free community event!
24 Imago Theatre's FROGZ | Pantages Theater | Tickets start at $22
Whimsical and inventive, this show is a clever intersection of vaudeville, cirque, and mime. Stick around after the Holiday Tree Lighting for an imaginative show the whole family will enjoy!
7 The 30th Anniversary of Windham Hill's Winter Solstice | Rialto Theater | Tickets start at $39
Celebrate the winter solstice and its warm traditions with an acoustic concert drawn from the multi-platinum selling Winter Solstice series and many solo releases of the featured artists.
8 Seattle Men's Chorus | Rialto Theater | Tickets start at $35
A concert of heartfelt holiday magic sprinkled with festive humor, beloved carols, soaring holiday classics, and the antics you expect from this local tradition!
8 Harry Potter & The Sacred Text | Theater on the Square | Tickets start at $22
Join the host of the hit podcast "Harry Potter & The Sacred Text" Vanessa Zoltan as she brings thought, reflection and laughter to Harry Potter; not just as novels, but as instructive and inspirational texts that teach us about our own lives.
16 Film Focus: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation* | Theater on the Square | Tickets: $7
A classic holiday with the Griswalds. Christmas chaos from extravagant lights to a wild squirrel and crazy cousin Eddie!
22 Take 6: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year | Pantages Theater | Tickets start at $19
Take 6 is the most awarded a cappella group in history, with ten Grammys, ten Dove Awards (Gospel Music Awards), two NAACP Image Award nominations among many other accolades. Enjoy a concert that blends R&B, pop, gospel and more into a joyful take on seasonal favorites including "Joy to the World" and "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing."
6 Film Focus: Disney's Bedknobs and Broomsticks*| Theater on the Square | Tickets: $7
The classic Disney movie on the big screen! An aspiring apprentice witch, her three grandchildren, and a cynical friend take a wild adventure through Portabello Road, a wild underwater animal kingdom, and back again.
12 Portland Cello Project plays Radiohead's OK Computer | Rialto Theater | Tickets start at $29
Portland Cello Project is a huge ensemble including cellos, winds, a full rhythm section of drums and bass, and guest vocalists. This concert highlights the entirety of Radiohead's chart- topping album "OK Computer."
13 Film Focus: Quest* | Theater on the Square |Tickets: $7
An intimate documentary that captures ten years in the life of a family living in North Philadelphia.
15 The Wizard of Oz | Pantages Theater | Tickets start at $55
A spectacular celebration of the iconic 1939 MGM film, this fully adapted Broadway musical will blow audiences away from the moment the tornado touches down and Dorothy is transported to a dazzling Oz, complete with munchkins and flying monkeys.
19 An Evening with Dan Rather | Pantages Theater | Tickets start at $49
Longtime "CBS Evening News" anchor and author of "What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism" Dan Rather shares a wealth of anecdotes and insightful commentary from a career unrivalled in the world of journalism.
20 Ruby Bridges: A Civil Rights Journey| Theater on the Square | Free with Registration
Broadway Center's Civil Rights Legacy Tour series brings American Civil Rights heroes to life for thousands of elementary and middle school students each year. On January 20, see the latest play in the series, telling the story of Ruby Bridges, the first African-American child to integrate into a white school in 1960 Missouri.
20 Across the Great Divide: A Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of The Band with The Dustbowl Revival and Hot Club of Cowtown | Rialto Theater | Tickets start at $29
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of The Band, two of today's defining American roots groups join in an evening of their own songs and a special tribute to "Music from Big Pink" and "The Band."
2 Jake Shimabukuro | Pantages Theater | Tickets start at $29
The ukulele virtuoso returns to Tacoma by popular demand.
9 Kaleidoscope: A Benefit for Arts Education | Tacoma Armory | Tickets: $200
Broadway Center's signature fundraising gala to benefit Arts Education.
17 Film Focus: Troop Beverly Hills*| Theater on the Square | Tickets: $7
A Beverly Hills socialite is determined to prove that she can follow through on a project by becoming a den mother to a troop of Beverly Hills Girl Scouts in this 80s comedy classic.
24 L.A. Theatreworks' Steel Magnolias | Pantages Theater | Tickets start at $19
Known for the popular film, this L.A. Theatre Works national tour of "Steel Magnolias" is a tour de force featuring an all-female cast in a commanding staged reading performance.
26 Kinky Boots | Pantages Theater | Tickets start at $55
With songs by Grammy® and Tony® winning pop icon Cyndi Lauper, this joyous musical celebration is about the friendships we discover, and the belief that you can change the world when you change your mind.
2 Ailey II| Pantages Theater | Tickets start at $19
Ailey II is universally renowned for merging the spirit and energy of the country's best young dance talent with the passion and creative vision of today's most outstanding emerging choreographers.
9 Monty Python's Spamalot | Pantages Theater | Tickets start at $55
This outrageous musical comedy is lovingly ripped off from the film classic "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" with a book by Eric Idle and music and lyrics by the Grammy-Award-winning team of Mr. Idle and John Du Prez.
16 Cirque Eloize Saloon| Pantages Theater | Tickets start at $29
An inspirational leader in contemporary circus from Quebec, Cirque Eloize thrills audiences with its rich sensory entertainment through its daring combination of circus disciplines and its highly imaginative use of visual arts and technologies.
20 Legally Blonde | Pantages Theater | Tickets start at $55
Based on the beloved movie, "Legally Blonde – The Musical" will take you from the sorority house to the halls of justice with Broadway's brightest new heroine and, of course, her Chihuahua, Bruiser.
31 John Pizzarelli Trio | Pantages Theater | Tickets start at $39
World-renowned jazz guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli in a concert that goes beyond the Great American Songbook with hits from Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Tom Waits, Antônio Carlos Jobim, and The Beatles.
13 Make Believe| Theater on the Square | Tickets start at $22
Spidey has been nominated Canadian Magician of the Year and was featured on Discovery Channel for his jaw-dropping, wild demonstrations.
20 6 Guitars | Theater on the Square | Tickets start at $19
In this one-man show, see six different guitar playing characters; each sharing their own style of music with breathtaking musicianship ranging from Blues and Jazz to Rock, Classical, Folk and Country.
28 Anoushka Shankar| Pantages Theater | Tickets start at $9
A world music superstar, Sitar player and composer Anoushka Shankar is a singular figure in the Indian classical and neotraditional genres.
2 – 19 ART | Theater on the Square | Tickets start at $19
A comedy about the intersection of art and friendship. This is a regional, professional production.
* Indicates special event; subscription discounts do not apply.
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Santa Maria delle Grazie sqr. 748 sqm. Entire noble floor with large rooms full of refined decorations.
Formerly Palazzo Gonzaga, rich of historical memories. Splendid historical space full of stucchi. Each room is unique, each one different from the others with large rooms in the main wings and offices in the internal parts.
The property of over 20 rooms spread over the entire floor with a surface of 748 sqm plus 50 sqm of balconies.
The atrium, beautiful and austere, is large and decorated with solid wood paneling and a charming coffered ceiling, from there all the rooms of the building unravel, the main and largest of which overlook Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie. The view is unique.
The space is letted for office use or show room or professional studio.
Interior restoration works are necessary but will be at the expense of the property which will discount the fee for the first year to the interested party taking over the restoration. They will be contracted to specialized companies, as soon as they have identified the ideal client for such a unique space.
Energy Class - G - Ipe 230.78 kwh / mca.
Parking spaces inside the court.
Location Information: Distance from Piazza Cadorna and Malpensa Express: 1 single stop of M1 (red line) from Piazza Conciliazione.
Property specifications: Fantastic property rich in history in a unique and highly prized context. Finishes of great value.
The H&L Real Estate Agency's Committee is equal to 15% + VAT on the annual rent excluding fees.


Violinist Jasper Wood and guitarist Daniel Bolshoy charmed the audience at the last concert of the North Okanagan Community Concert Association's season on March 18th.
Some well-played Chopin from Vernon pianist Alex MacArthur was a good start to NOCCA's final concert of the season Saturday at the Vernon Performing Arts Centre.
The piece, Scherzo in B-flat, was played brilliantly by MacArthur, who recently joined the faculty at the Vernon Community Music School. He has also played with the Okanagan and Kamloops symphony orchestras as guest soloist.
Duo Rendezvous, with Jasper Wood on violin and Daniel Bolshoy on guitar, began their program with the Suite in E minor by J.S. Bach. The music was very intricate and at times I sensed a little uneasiness in the ensemble between the two players. This lasted for only a short time in this very demanding and complex work.
In the Suite Populaire Espagnole by Manuel de Falla (1876-1946) the duo showed their skills. There were various instrumental effects: harmonics produced by touching the string(s) lightly at strategic spots on the fingerboard and pizzicato on the violin, etc.
Wood's violin tone was extraordinarily beautiful at all times. He proved himself to be a true master of the violin.
The last piece of the first half, Introduction and Tarentelle by violin virtuoso Pablo de Saraste (1844-1908), explored the outer limits of the violin's range. It resorted to harmonics to go beyond the usual notes of the fingerboard. Wood's intonation was always perfect as he played in the piece's gypsy style.
Bolshoy was up to the task of keeping the rhythm constant while providing all the harmony on the six strings of his guitar – no mean feat indeed.
The second half of the concert began with Antonio Carlos Jobim's Luiza. Jobim (1927-1994) was a Latin style composer/pianist famous for his bossa nova pieces. That's not what we heard in Luiza. The piece was modern and emotional with complex harmonies and free rhythmic movement. Apparently Jobim had several love affairs throughout his life and Luiza is said to be one of them.
Histoire du Tango and Seasons of Buenos Aires by Italian composer Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) had percussion effects added by both the violin and the guitar. Wood bowed his violin close to the bridge next to the chin rest, producing a raspy imitation of maracas. Bolshoy tapped on his guitar giving a bongo effect. Each piece represented scenes from various places in Latin America. In spite of the brilliant playing of these pieces, I must admit they were beginning to sound a little similar to each other.
Csardas by Vittorio Monti (1868-1922) was a refreshing antidote to the previous set of pieces, with its lively pace and virtuosic playing of the violin. The technique of both players was flawless and exciting to witness.
A brief whimsical encore called Cafe Espresso 1930 (I didn't catch the composer) sent the enthusiastic audience home satisfied.
I would like to thank the NOCCA organization for a wonderful season of diverse and delightful entertainment.


If you were one of America's richest families, how would you avoid paying estate taxes? That is a question that the Walton family, the founders of the ubiquitous Wal-Mart mega-chain, must answer on an annual basis. With an estate value reaching into the hundreds of billions of dollars, the Waltons' exploitation of legal loopholes is nothing short of admirable. Critics say that the Waltons' deft manipulation of the system prevents proper taxation, which was designed to require the wealthiest Americans to actually contribute to their government.
One way the Waltons protect their wealth: heavy donations to charity and trusts. Those trust funds are structured so that the Waltons are not required to pay taxes on gifts they make to their heirs. Their exploitation of these legal loopholes is costing the U.S. government a great deal. Just 1 percent of the $1.2 trillion in taxable estate money passed down each year ends up in American coffers. Most of that money is passed down by groups of extraordinarily rich individuals and families who are advised about skirting the taxes that apply to their estates.
The nation's wealthiest Americans use trusts to protect their fortunes from the mandatory 40 percent tax on any estate valued at $5.25 million for single people and $10.5 million for married couples. Estate planners have touted the Waltons' model for avoiding estate taxes as one of the most brilliant in recent history. The key to the Waltons' success resided in the fact that founder Sam Walton split his business among his heirs early, before the endeavor became wildly successful.
With that in mind, business owners would be wise to consider drafting a comprehensive estate plan while their operations are still in their infancy. Walton had already created a specific estate plan for his business when it began in 1953. In many instances, early action can save estate planning headaches for future generations.


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Mailbag: Can Dolphins keep up their winning ways after the bye week?
Daniel Oyefusi
December 7, 2021, 11:09 a.m.
The Dolphins' five-game winning streak, tied with the Kansas City Chiefs for the second-longest current streak in the NFL, is historic.
With Sunday's victory against the New York Giants, the Dolphins became the second team in NFL history to win five consecutive games following a seven-game losing streak, joining the 1994 Giants.
At 6-7 and 11/2 games back of the seventh seed in the AFC, playoffs are a realistic goal now but the Dolphins will have to wait until after their bye week to continue their winning streak.
In this week's mailbag, I take a look at whether the Dolphins can keep their winning ways going after the bye, whether Tua Tagovailoa may get a public commitment from the front office and more. And a reminder that if you have questions you would like me to answer in future mailbags, you can ask me on Twitter or email me. Here we go:
Will we hear from the front office this season that Tua is our quarterback for next season? Say what you want but the trade rumors could not have been helpful to the team as a whole. - @David13David
It's an interesting question, considering the way Tagovalioa has played in recent weeks. In weeks and months leading up to the trade deadline, coach Brian Flores said on multiple occasions that Tagovailoa is the Dolphins' quarterback. And while technically true, he, nor general manager Chris Grier, did anything to dispel reports about the team's interest in Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.
If I had to guess: unless Tagovailoa has completely won over Grier and the entire organization with his play since the trade deadline passed, we still won't hear a public declaration that Tagovailoa is the "franchise quarterback." While Tagovailoa's play has been encouraging, it doesn't negate the fact that Watson still seems interested in coming to Miami — and vice versa — and the Dolphins have the draft capital and cap room to accommodate what many see as a top 5-10 quarterback in the NFL, legal issues notwithstanding.
How do the Dolphins keep the momentum going after the bye week? - @tonyfigcis
By doing exactly what has gotten them back in the playoff picture: playing excellent defense and clean football. I'm not sure how much better this offense — which is still only averaging just 19.5 points — can get over the final month-plus of the season. However, we have seen for more than a month now that the defense can play at an elite level. The team is 6-0 when the defense holds opponents to 17 points or fewer. While that remains a really hard standard to uphold week in and week out, if the Dolphins can keep games in the low to mid-20s, they should have a chance every time, so long as Tagovailoa protects the ball. And he has done just that, throwing just one interception since Week 10.
Did the Dolphins lose the London game 2x by not taking the Bye? - @easterly1
We'll never truly know whether an early season bye could have turned things around for the Dolphins sooner. Speaking to most players, they didn't want a week off in the midst of a really bad losing streak. Would a week off before the game against the Atlanta Falcons have resulted in a win? Who's to say, that game came down to a miraculous catch by Kyle Pitts at the end. The Dolphins could have been on the right side of the things the week before if not for a shrewd move by Urban Meyer — and maybe poor coaching from the Dolphins — to get into field-goal range with seconds remaining.
The Dolphins are 1-1 after byes under Flores, which is way too small a sample size to draw any conclusions about how Flores gets his players to play after time off. What I will say is that it's been a roller coaster of a season for the Dolphins — and there's still four games left. While many may think the bye comes at a bad time because of the win streak, I think it'll be good for a lot of guys playing through injures to heal up and feel rejuvenated for the stretch run.
What do you do on bye weeks (Sunday)? Get away from football? RedZone? Both? - @KyleTheCommish
I can't get enough of this sport that we all love, so I'll probably have three games pulled up on my TV, laptop and phone simultaneously. When the team I'm covering isn't playing, I sometimes like to scout ahead and watch opposing teams that are coming up on the schedule. I obviously won't be watching as closely as I do a normal Dolphins game. This season is just as much a grind for the media members who cover the team day in and day out as it is for the team, so I definitely take these opportunities to decompress and relax when I can.
Frost & Sullivan and TERI's Sustainability 4.0 Awards 2021 Honor Companies Embedding Sustainability with Economic Value Creation
The 12th edition of Frost & Sullivan and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)'s Sustainability 4.0 Awards took place virtually on Jan. 12, 2022. The awards recognized companies embedding sustainability with economic value creation, thereby creating value for all stakeholders, building a safer environment, and ensuring a stronger community. This year's awards were presented to 19 companies across six major categories: Sustainable Corporate of the Year Award, Sustainable Factory of the Year A
Canada's First Quantum agrees to higher payments at Panama copper mine
The Panamanian unit of Canadian miner First Quantum Minerals has agreed with Panama's government to increase royalty payments at its flagship copper mine, the company and the government said on Monday. Minera Panama, which is majority owned by First Quantum Minerals, has agreed to pay $375 million a year to state coffers from the Cobre Panama mine, which it says is one of world's largest copper producers. "We accept the proposal of the national Government, while requesting that the necessary protections be provided in order to safeguard the continuity of the operation," Minera Panama said in a statement.
If you're worried about inflation affecting your passive-income sources, here are three stocks that can help! The post Worried About Inflation? Buy These 3 Dividend Stocks Today! appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.
Who doesn't love passive income? Read this to avoid making mistakes when you buy dividend stocks for passive income. The post Warning: 3 Common Mistakes Passive-Income Investors Make appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.


This mixture of gold and silver is modern and heavenly!
This freshwater pearl was wrapped carefully in 14k gold-filled wire.
These artfully crafted pieces contain all sterling silver and gold-filled materials.


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15 MAY ST PETER'S CHURCH & SQUARE
On a very balmy evening we gathered at the church and had a look inside. We heard what Pevsner had to say about it and a little of its history. It must have been idyllic before the predations of motor transport. The group then walked around the square noting the splendid buildings and even a small terrace in similar style that was built to complete the square when the Commodore Cinema was demolished. Diverting into some of the less grand streets it was interesting to note the number of corner shops that have now been converted to homes.
Thence underneath the roaring A4 to wander along Hammersmith Terrace noting its former residents which include A P Herbert and Emery Walker (list). Again a number of former shops were evident in the houses opposite, a reminder just how local shopping was despite the presence of King Street so near. The evening was concluded, for some at least, with refreshment at the Black Lion.
29 MAY WATTS GALLERY
An extra event was arranged to see the Cecil French Bequest to LBHF of pre-Raphaelite works before the exhibition closed at the end of the month. Four cars worth of members braved the rather damp weather to journey down to Guildford. The weather improved soon after arrival and a good exhibition was complemented by a great lunch in the cafe. Some visited the Church and the Watts studio and we were all met by a wall of water as we headed home. Nevertheless a good visit and well worth seeing as the works may not be exhibited again for some time.
1 Comment	| Buildings, Museums, Visits	| Tagged: Bird Family, Cecil French Bequest, Hammersmith Terrace, pre-Raphaelites, St Peter's Hammersmith, St Peter's Square, Watts Gallery	| Permalink
THE BIRD FAMILY OF HAMMERSMITH
TUESDAY 11 APRIL, 7:30PM
We had a lively AGM re-electing the Committee and officers and were treated to the postponed talk on "Mr Albert Smith's Ascent of Mont Blanc" by our chairman. Amazingly this doctor cum dentist and adventurer found it better to run theatre shows of his adventures; becoming popular in the highest circles including the Queen.
Keith also did a succesful talk on the postal services in Fulham and Hammersmith at the West London Local History Conference. He and our secretary sold 80 books so a great success.
Our next event will be Jacina Bird talking about her forebears who during the 19th century built much of Hammersmith including St Peter's Church and the stone piers of the first Hammersmith bridge. The talk will be supplemented by slides and items from family collection.
So do join us for what promises to be an interesting talk at 7:30pm in St Clements Hall Fulham Palace Road near the corner of Crabtree Lane details of buses etc in the Newsletter
1 Comment	| Buildings, Events	| Tagged: Bird Family, Builders, Hammersmith, St Peter's Hammersmith	| Permalink
AGM AND SPRING PROGRAMME
Do look at our latest newsletter which gives the Agenda for our AGM on 21 March at 7:30pm and outlines our Spring Programme. We have talks on Albert Smith's Ascent of Mont Blanc(at the AGM), the Bird family of Hammersmith (11 April) and walks around Parson's Green (9 May) and Brompton Cemetery (6 June). We look forward to seeing you all at the AGM.
1 Comment	| Events	| Tagged: AGM, Bird Family, Brompton Cemetery, Mont Blanc, Parson's Green, Peterborough Estate	| Permalink


text:
Q: Redirect Controller to Another Controller Say for example, I have ControllerA which has about 10 Actions in it, when a user types into the URL /ControllerA/{Any Action name} it should redirect to /ControllerB/Index
Is there a simple way to redirect all actions in a ControllerA to ControllerB without having to write RedirectToAction in all the actions in ControllerA

A: The question is not very clear -
I can see potentially three different scenarios (maybe more?)
1. Do you actually need to redirect from all these actions before doing anything (so why are they even there?),
2. Do you want them to execute and then go to ControllerB.
3. Do you just want to invoke ControllerB directly for all these 10 Urls?
For scenario one you can just use attribute routing on controllerA (or even on controllerB) and have a single method that redirects to index.
For scenario two you want to override OnActionExecuted
For scenario three you want to put attribute routes directly on Index with all the paths that lead there.
Edit:
you can do something in routing that will short circuit controller A.
if (configurationCondition)
{
    routes.MapRoute("Hijaack",
        url: "controllerA/{*theRest}",
        defaults: new { controller = "controllerB", action = "Index" });
}

This is more loose than requiring the actions to match exactly to what is on controllerA. It avoids the redirect completely, which should be a nicer experience to the end user.
It can be tightened up to more specific routes with attribute routing.

A: There are a few other way of doing this without affecting the ControllerA which would be more suitable:

*

*by using a filter in which when you see that the user is asking for this controller you return a redirect response to the 2nd controller

*by using a routing rule
Both can be implemented by taking care of your web config settings.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Sw Anand Bhikkhu
From The Sannyas Wiki
Revision as of 06:51, 8 March 2019 by Sugit (talk | contribs)
(Klaus Schober)
Photos by Bhikkhu from original video footage of Osho's arrest in Greece on March 5, 1986.
Took Sannyas October 27, 1975 in Pune.
Stayed in Pune with one short interruption until June 1981. Moved to Amsterdam in 1982 with his partner Ma Deva Waduda. Started the Wu Wei hotel boat and Hotel Utopia budget hotel and café. Visited the Ranch annually.
In January 1986 (timeline), when Osho was in Kathmandu, Bhikkhu and Waduda flew to Nepal via Athens and Bangladesh. Waduda insisted that they buy a video camera. They got a room next to Osho at the Soaltee Oberoi Hotel.
Rafia asked Bhikkhu to film Osho the next day in his hotel suite for a foreign press interview, as there was no camera operator available for a few days. Bhikkhu and Waduda continued their filming in and around the hotel during Osho's afternoon walks in the hotel garden.
When the sudden news came that Osho had to leave Nepal due to American political pressure, plans were made to fly Osho to Greece. Bhikkhu and Waduda happened to have a return ticket to Amsterdam via Athens, and crossed paths with Osho, Amrito, and the rest of his entourage in the Athens airport, on their way to Crete. When Osho started talking in the house of Greek filmmaker Nikos Koundouros, both were very fortunate to participate in Osho's Greek talks, which later moved outdoors beneath a beautiful tree.
On March 5th, 1986, Greek police forcibly broke into the house where Osho was staying and arrested him at gunpoint. Bhikkhu and Waduda were present on their motorbike with their small hi-8 camera, and Waduda instantly started to film the action. They followed the motorcade and Bhikkhu managed to gain access to the arrest cell in the harbor station, where the police held Osho for some time.
By now it was clear that the police wanted to deport Osho from the Athens airport, and Waduda arranged to get tickets on the next plane after Osho's. They reconnected with Osho at the Athens airport. Osho was in police custody, accompanied by Amrito, Nirvano, Latifa and Anando. While under arrest, Osho arranged a press conference, which Bhikkhu filmed. A short segment of this footage was used in episode six of the Netflix documentary series Wild Wild Country (2018).
Bhikkhu at the camera in Buddha Hall, 1987.
In February 1987, after the World Tour and Osho's return to the commune in Pune, Bhikkhu and Waduda sold their business in Amsterdam and moved to an apartment in Pune. Garimo invited Bhikkhu to join the video crew, together with Sw Niskriya. For the next two years, Bhikkhu worked freelance, often as camera operator during Osho's talks. He flew to Amsterdam and brought back a professional Ikegami TV camera, which was needed to film Osho at the commune.
During that time, he created the film The Rising Moon from 16mm film archive material, which he rescued from the Zurich Osho archive. From the Greek footage, he also created the film Socrates Poisoned Again. Osho loved both films, and asked Bhikkhu to create a film with the title Life and Vision of Osho.
At the same time, at the end of 1989, Bhikkhu and Waduda became aware of the bad sound quality of Osho's meditation audio cassettes. They suggested to Anando to produce them on CD. Anando responded, "Why don't you do it?" After presenting this project to Osho, he gave them the name Tao Music.
Since February 1990, Tao Music, later called New Earth Records, has produced over 270 albums. The company initially started in Munich, Germany before moving to Boulder, CO, USA, and continues to flower today.
In Byron Bay
bk newearthrecords.com
Bhikkhu on facebook
Ma Deva Waduda
Sammasati Publishing
Retrieved from "https://www.sannyas.wiki/index.php?title=Sw_Anand_Bhikkhu&oldid=113312"
Music - People
Friends of Osho
Welcome to the Sannyas Wiki
About The Sannyas Wiki


text:
Alan M. Klinger
Recognized by Best Lawyers® since 2011.
180 Maiden Lane New York, New York 10038-4982
Firm: Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP
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Best Lawyers® Admin Account.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact us at info@bestlawyers.com or 803.648.0300.
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP
Alan M. Klinger serves as the firm's Co-Managing Partner and also functions as the Co-Chair of Stroock's Litigation Practice Group. Mr. Klinger is also a member of Stroock's Executive Committee, and chairs its Legal Personnel Committee.
He represents parties in complex civil litigation and has a proven track record of achieving successful results, whether through negotiation or litigation. Mr. Klinger is integrally involved in the firm's representation of public sector unions and employee benefits funds. He also functions in the Government Relations group, concentrating on administrative proceedings, healthcare and land use matters.
Mr. Klinger has served as an adjunct professor of civil procedure.
Labor Law - Union
Litigation - ERISA
Litigation - Land Use and Zoning
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
Litigation - Land Use and Zoning, New York City (2016)
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What is your relation to Alan M. Klinger? Consulted Attorney Current Client Former Client Other


text:
FzMovies - Searching for Agam Darshi movies
Searching for movies with: Agam Darshi
Final Destination 3 (2006) (BluRay)
When Wendy Christensen has a vision of an accident on the roller coaster, resulting in her and her friends' deaths, she instantly begins to panic, ca
using more of her friends to be left of the ride. The remaining friends, including Wendy's boyfriend, are stuck on the roller coaster and find themselves involved in the accident. With death waiting around the corner, Wendy and Kevin Fischer must try and work out death's plan, before they and the remaining survivors end up dead.
...<more>
The Possession (2012) (BluRay)
A young girl buys an antique box at a yard sale, unaware that inside the collectible lives a malicious ancient spirit. The girl's father teams with hi
s ex-wife to find a way to end the curse upon their child.
Watchmen (2008) (BluRay)
In a gritty and alternate 1985 the glory days of costumed vigilantes have been brought to a close by a government crackdown, but after one of the mas
ked veterans is brutally murdered an investigation into the killer is initiated. The reunited heroes set out to prevent their own destruction, but in doing so discover a deeper and far more diabolical plot.
Donkeyhead (2022) (WEB-DL)
Mona, a failed writer, carves out a life of isolation while caring for her ailing Sikh father but when he has a debilitating stroke her three successf
ul siblings show up on her doorstep determined to take control of the situation.
Wifelike (2022) (WEBRip)
When artificial human Meredith is assigned as a companion to grieving widower William, she is designed to behave like his late wife. But in the fight
to end AI exploitation, an organization attempts to sabotage her programming.


text:
Published on The National Interest (https://nationalinterest.org)
Home > NATO's Achilles Heel: Russian Political Warfare
NATO's Achilles Heel: Russian Political Warfare
March 21, 2018 Topic: Security Region: Eurasia Blog Brand: The Buzz Tags: NATORussiaInformation WarfareHybrid Warfare
NATO must overcome its eclipsing bias of seeing the Russian threat as one of aircraft and tanks to one of malware and spies.
by LeAnne N. Howard Derek Reveron
Adm. Mike Rogers recently testified, "President Putin has clearly come to the conclusion that there's little price to pay" for Russia's influence operations, and that "what we have done hasn't been enough." And the senior U.S. military officer in Europe, Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, later added, "Russia aggressively uses social media and other means of mass communication to push disinformation, test the resolve of the United States, and erode our credibility with European partners."
In spite of these warnings, Russia continues to exploit the transparency essential to democracy and wages political warfare. Russia can paralyze the politics in NATO member states to undermine the alliance. For its part, NATO seems fixated on the benchmark of defense spending at 2 percent of GDP to deter a Russian conventional attack. This conventional paradigm ignores the cognitive challenge that Russia pursues to weaken NATO from within. NATO must build on its whole-of-nation approaches, public-private partnerships and fledgling cyber capabilities to overcome its eclipsing bias of seeing the Russian threat as one of aircraft and tanks to one of malware and spies.
Recommended: We Went Aboard the Most Powerful Aircraft Carrier Ever Built.
Recommended: This Is How China Would Invade Taiwan (And How to Stop It).
Recommended: The Story of the F-52 Fighter.
Russian Political Warfare
Russia's strategy has significantly evolved over the past twenty-five years. As the country recovers its great-power status, Moscow sees today's competition as best waged through political warfare—an application of all national means short of war to achieve objectives—rather than conventional warfare. Russia understands that it currently lacks the military capacity required to conquer and hold territory through military means alone. Further, it understands NATO red lines and the Article Five process, so it focuses on generating ambiguity and deniability to its aggressions. This approach, referred to at times as the Gerasimov Model, asserts the belief that the effectiveness of nonmilitary tools in achieving goals in conflict has exceeded that from weapons, at an approximate proportion of 80 percent to 20 percent.
Russia's overarching objective is to strengthen its stature and project itself as a world power. To this end, it seeks to weaken, not destroy, the West. Recouping territorial expansionism and influence from the last century underscores the Russian conventional threat, but the peril to most NATO members is more subtle. Gustav Gressel argues, "Russia's military efforts are embedded in a multi-pronged drive to overwhelm, subvert, and subdue the opposing society." And the supreme allied commander in Europe, Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, reached this conclusion again in March of 2018: "Russia seeks to change the international order, fracture NATO, and undermine U.S. leadership in order to protect its regime, re-assert dominance over its neighbors, and achieve greater influence around the globe."
The U.S. military has highlighted the conventional threat that Russia poses, but broader efforts to deter Russian political warfare is lagging. Moscow's approach is focused on blurring civilian and military tactics together—something that is largely eschewed in democracies. This is directly correlated to discrediting and weakening perceptions of Western institutions. It is fair to assume that Russia is actively working to discredit NATO and the EU whenever possible, and may consider further surreptitious seizures of territory. Combined with the will to take boldly calculated actions, Russia has proven to be adept at waging influence operations.
Reviewing conflict from the last decade, it is clear that Russia advances its national interests through government, state-sponsored, private and criminal activities, under a veil of ambiguity and deniability. Russia spreads misinformation, exploits nationalist sentiments and identities or ethnic and religious divides, develops relationships and patronage systems to exert political influence, creates dependencies and strings to pull through critical resources such as energy, and takes advantage of a mix of these as a basis for increased military cooperation. This approach is visible in the Baltics, Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Balkans, but the discovery is often too late to affect outcomes.
Of course, exploiting perceptions works across the spectrum of Russian power. It can be seen in the creation of a false narrative of Russia's economic influence, or the manipulation of history to fuel the belief that the West mistreats select groups or regions. Adding to this fire, along with rising Islamic extremism, groups such as the "clerical fascist" sect of nationalist Serbian Orthodoxy and other neo-Nazi-adjacent movements are also growing. Members have gone to fight alongside Russia in Ukraine. Their approach is to pull on emotional strings to inflame nationalism. At the same time, Russia's clandestine intelligence networks are coming back to life integrating into the fiber of European societies, which are vulnerable to political warfare.
Moscow's combination of information and psychological warfare, underwritten with ancillary conventional military capabilities, cannot be countered with NATO's arsenal of conventional forces. Russia's political warfare is not invisible, but democracies are usually partially blind to it. In the words of Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, "a democracy is always two years behind the dictator."
Flawed by Design?
Russia is successfully exploiting the transparent nature of democracy and waging political warfare to undermine the alliance from within, and on its borders. As a democracy of democracies, NATO is struggling to counter this political warfare campaign waged against it. While the alliance has upheld ideals of territorial integrity, and collective defense for nearly seventy years, Article Five is frequently called into question. The precariousness of popular support to the alliance commitment is further exacerbated when Russian actions fall below the threshold of traditional warfare that pits tank against tank.
In a highly visible example, U.S. Army Europe has been progressively assertive against the Russian conventional threat, increasing the amount of American forces stationed in Europe, adding a rotational brigade to support four NATO battle groups in Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, and positioning additional resources in Poland, the Netherlands and Germany. The European Defense/Reassurance Initiative increased from $175 million in fiscal year 2015 to $6.5 billion in the proposed 2019 budget. This conventional approach may deter Russian invasion, but it also feeds NATO's conventional military biases, blinding the organization to political warfare.
The conventional military paradigm may be too powerful to include countering political warfare in NATO plans. The conventional military role and Article Five responses to declared wars are still of benefit to members. But it is not in members' interests to allow NATO to be parked on a shelf, waiting to react to Russia crossing a NATO country's border. NATO must invest resources to counter Russia's information fight.
This will not be easy, as the alliance's focus on conventional forces is a result of national preferences and processes laced with intergovernmental friction, focused on the 2-percent-of-GDP spending benchmark. This creates a significant vulnerability, which Russia exploits. Further, there are twenty-nine competing national interests and offer different interpretations of the Russian threat. For example, polling suggests 72 percent of Dutch think supporting an ally against Russian aggression is worth it, compared to just 40 percent of Germans. Merging twenty-nine perspectives into a single course of action leads to slow, indecisive and reactive responses, which are highly vulnerable to political warfare.
NATO Must Change
While game theorists highlight the concept of the first-mover advantage in seizing a larger portion of market share, they also examine opportunities unique to the second mover. If looking at the post–Cold War period, one could assess NATO had this upper hand in the 1990s, then lost its advantage while fixated on the Middle East and Central Asia. Russia then reasserted itself, establishing a new first-mover advantage in Ukraine. It is arguably now setting the foundation for more operations in the Baltics, the Balkans and eastern Europe.
Focusing attention on NATO at its core, it now needs to consider second-mover advantages in its own neighborhood and beyond. As Erick Waage and David Gioe argue, political (information) warfare is not a foreign concept. Rather, "Americans were" once "quite effective at information warfare." Thinking through its own history, NATO ought to be clear-eyed about the opportunities it has in its hand, address its vulnerabilities, exploit the leverage it has over Putin and comprehensively address Russian power.
To this end, NATO has begun to identify Russia's strategy as holistic political warfare, and is developing a structure to address it. These are important first steps. In April of 2017, NATO committed to establishing a European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats in Finland. NATO's counter-hybrid strategy includes strengthened coordination with the European Union, a new Intelligence Division, more training and exercises, and efforts to actively counter propaganda with facts. Additionally, NATO has appointed a new assistant secretary-general to focus on hybrid-warfare activities. While these are important steps, the alliance should revisit strategic objectives to anticipate challenges at a political level. Further, U.S. military leaders must not conceive of heavy military buildup as the only way to deter Russia, which sees irregular warfare as its way of war.
As the next NATO summit approaches in July, members must embrace the totality of the Russian threat: conventional, nuclear and political. The alliance should use the next NATO summit to outline a new strategic concept, as it did in London in 1990, when the focus was on expanding partners. In 2018, the focus needs to be on recognizing the nature of threats, expanding select tools and adjusting others in its toolkit. Each NATO member has the opportunity to put forth unique or unified messages on this front. As a start, it should consider establishing a working group to address the holistic political warfare challenge the alliance faces, as well as its institutional limitations and problems. This effort must rise above the task of the myriad centers, or even the new assistant secretary general. NATO's weaknesses and strengths are in numbers, and power rests heavily upon the shoulders of its most influential, with the United States and its military leaders often out front, and key players in Berlin, Ankara, London, Paris and Rome. Strategy need not be about big price tags and burden sharing; it ought to be centered on creative thinking and a full inventory of tools at one's disposal.
This summit will be another historic milestone for the alliance to determine NATO's future. Given that most resources at the alliance's disposal demonstrate a proclivity toward conventional military thinking, NATO must embrace its status as a second mover, and prioritize the implementation of a new approach or risk fading into irrelevance. In short, it must grapple with political warfare.
LeAnne N. Howard is a student at the U.S. Naval War College. Derek S. Reveron is a professor in the National Security Affairs department at the U.S. Naval War College. These are the authors' personal views and do not reflect the official position of the Department of Defense.
Image: A Norwegian Air Force F-16 fighter plane patrols over the Baltics during a NATO air policing mission from Zokniai air base, Lithuania, May 20, 2015. Reuters/Ints Kalnins
Source URL:https://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/natos-achilles-heel-russian-political-warfare-25010


The School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (SECE) of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) will be opening this new post-graduate course in October 2014.
MSCM & ISM will be the first postgraduate subject specifically dedicated to in silico medicine. This is a really positive sign for the VPH community that reinforces the increasing importance of computer simulation in medical research.


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New campaign aims to tackle speeding drivers
PUBLISHED: 09:16 22 January 2009 | UPDATED: 15:58 11 May 2010
A NEW advertising campaign targeting speeding drivers has been launched. Streetlights Mean 30 has been launched by the Hertfordshire Safety Camera Partnership, and aims to improve compliance with 30mph speed limits. Cllr Stuart Pile, executive member for
A NEW advertising campaign targeting speeding drivers has been launched.
Streetlights Mean 30 has been launched by the Hertfordshire Safety Camera Partnership, and aims to improve compliance with 30mph speed limits.
Cllr Stuart Pile, executive member for highways, transport and rural affairs at Hertfordshire County Council, said: "There are many reasons why people exceed the speed limit in 30 mph zones - it may be a lapse in concentration, intentional disrespect for the law and road safety, or simply not knowing what the speed limit is on a particular road.
"Too many people remain unaware that the presence of streetlights can indicate that a 30 mph limit applies."
The campaign involves advertisements on buses and car park tickets, and is already underway in Crow country.
It has come about after motorists gave the Safety Partnership feedback showing that many are not aware that when they drive on a road with a regular system of streetlights, the speed limit is 30 mph unless there are signs indicating otherwise.
Cllr Pile added: "We're hoping that this campaign will help promote better understanding, improve compliance with the speed limit, and help keep our roads safe."
A speed limit table can be found online by logging on to the website: www.hertsdirect.org/safetycameras


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Edited by Margaret E. Layne, P.E.
2009 / 260 pp.
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Women in Engineering: Pioneers and Trailblazers introduces the visionary women who opened the door for today's female engineers. Pioneers such as Emily Roebling, Kate Gleason, Edith Clarke, and Katherine Stinson come to life in this anthology of essays, articles, lectures, and reports. The...
Women in Engineering: Pioneers and Trailblazers introduces the visionary women who opened the door for today's female engineers. Pioneers such as Emily Roebling, Kate Gleason, Edith Clarke, and Katherine Stinson come to life in this anthology of essays, articles, lectures, and reports. The significant contributions women have made to engineering, in areas as diverse as construction management, environmental protection, and industrial efficiency, are finally placed in their proper historical context. Studies on women engineers in the 1920s and in the years following World War II underscore how far women have progressed in engineering—and how far they have to go.
With selections that span a century of historical and social analysis, Women in Engineering: Pioneers and Trailblazers and its companion volume, Women in Engineering: Professional Life, present a range of perspectives on women in engineering that will be of interest to historians, engineers, educators, and students.
Margaret "Peggy" E. Layne, P.E., is project director of Advance VT , a program created at Virginia Tech to increase the participation and advancement of women in academic science and engineering careers.
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The Cuban Missile Crisis PT I
By sallyedelstein / October 22, 2012 / American Way, Suburbia / 8 comments
The German Measles Crisis of October
This month marks the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis, those harrowing 13 days in October 1962 that brought us to the brink of thermonuclear war.
I didn't know until years later that they called it the Cuban Missile Crisis.
In my mind it would always be remembered as the "German Measles Crisis." All I knew was Halloween was just a few short weeks away and as luck would have it, I came down with a case of measles.
The itchy red spots were spreading from my face to my body as quickly as Communist aggression was visualized on maps and films at school. The scary red splotches of Communism were pictured slithering around the globe oozing over continents, increasing in number as the Russian enemy was hell-bent on world conquest.
The red Rubella rash was on its own expansionist path
March of the Measles
To make matters worse, it wasn't just plain old measles.
They were German Measles; Nazi measles goose-stepping across my ravaged body.
I used to have nightmares that men in brown shirts, black jack boots and wide Sam Browne belts, rank and file members of the Nazi Party would storm into my suburban ranch house to take me away never to see my family again, all while lustily humming the Nazi anthem Hort Wessel Song
Now the Germans and their horrors fused with the Russians and their nuclear bombs, and there was nothing to stop the red rash that was charging across my body.
Vintage Illustration by George Hughes Sat. Evening Post Cover 1960
Monday, October 22 was a day of superb weather, a burnish of autumn on the trees. Things had never looked lovelier or more peaceful.
Early that morning my pediatrician came to the house and confirmed the diagnosis.
The spots had Deutschland written all over them. Solemnly Dr. King informed me that to prevent the spread of the disease, I would have to be quarantined. I was to get back to bed mach schnell.
October 22 was also my parent's 12th wedding anniversary. They had planned on going to the movies that evening to see The Longest Day, that star-studded spectacle about D Day, the invasion of Normandy. However they stayed home not only because they were concerned about me, but were anxious to watch President Kennedy's live broadcast on television that evening.
At noon, Kennedy's press secretary Pierre Salinger had made a dramatic announcement that the president would speak that night "on a matter of the highest national urgency."
The crisis that was brewing in Cuba that had begun a week earlier had been kept top-secret. Now with rumors circulating, there was a nearly unbearable sense of foreboding and tension.
Across the country while American's eyes would be fixed on their TV sets gripped and involved in the most intense moment of recent history, I was confined to my bedroom without a TV. At a loss, I trained my ears to tune in to the Philco playing in the living room.
At 7:00, I could hear the TV announcer from the popular game show based on Charades saying: "Stump the Stars will not be seen tonight so that we can bring you this special broadcast…."
Along with 50 million other Americans my parents listened in pin-drop silence as President Kennedy spoke about Cuba.
Sitting behind his desk, a solemn President Kennedy, got right to the point. This was no time to play charades.
He grimly announced to a shocked nation that Russia had sneaked missiles into Cuba just 90 miles from Florida. Along with the Offensive Missiles, Khrushchev had deployed bombs and 40,000 Soviet troops. The alarming evidence from photographs showed that nearly every city from Lima Peru to Hudson Bay Canada would lie within push button range of thermonuclear bombs in Cuba.
"To halt this offensive build up," a determined Kennedy said, "a strict quarantine on all offensive military equipment to Cuba is being initiated." The Navy's mission was to block the flow of Russian weapons to Cuba.
Vintage NY Daily News Headline 10/23/62
While the President explained how we might respond to the situation, Dad figured that if Russians didn't withdraw the missiles as demanded, a US pre-emptive strike against the launch site was inevitable. The United States would not shrink from the threat of nuclear war to preserve the peace and freedom of Western hemisphere, Kennedy said firmly.
Like me, the Russians would have a quarantine imposed on them but Dad wasn't convinced this was the best tactic. It might work for preventing the spread of the measles but not for the missiles.
The Presidents voice faded away as my parents grimly turned to another channel to watch "I've got a Secret." Little did they realize the night would turn into the longest day.
Cuban Missile Crisis PT II
Cuban Missile Pt III
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The Cuban Missile Crisis PT III
Tags: 1960s, Cold War, Cuba, Cuban Missile Crisis, history, John F. Kennedy, Kennedy, personal, United States, writing
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In July 2016 we were inspected and judged to be Good in Leadership and Management, Teaching and Learning and our Outcomes for Pupils. The Behaviour, Personal Development and Welfare of children was judged to be Outstanding. Our Church inspection in February 2016 also judged us to be a good school.
The school has improved much over recent years and this is due to the continued effort and professionalism of our team at Wendover CE Juniors and the continued support of our parent body. Our children live our school values and rightfully deserved the praise they received during the inspection. We are now working hard to improve our school further (details can be found in the School Development Plan).
Please click on the links below to download the latest Ofsted & SIAS reports for Wendover C of E Junior School.


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Read something you hate…
April 24, 2017 | ForkInPage
A very interesting read. The article argues that we should read books that we don't particularly like (hate is such a strong word). I find this idea oddly appealing and very timely for myself. I was just thinking this morning that my FB feed is so "me" — the people I follow share my views, the pages I follow share my interests. I was lacking variety and ultimately found myself bored. I can see why – so maybe the next book I pick up will me Atlast Shrugged — I'll give it a 3rd attempt.
LINK: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/15/opinion/sunday/the-joy-of-hate-reading.html?utm_source=pocket&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=pockethits&_r=0
Why You Should Read Books You Hate
By PAMELA PAULAPRIL 15, 2017
Here's a reading challenge: Pick up a book you're pretty sure you won't like — the style is wrong, the taste not your own, the author bio unappealing. You might even take it one step further. Pick up a book you think you will hate, of a genre you've dismissed since high school, written by an author you're inclined to avoid. Now read it to the last bitter page.
Sound like hell? You're off to a good start.
This is not about reading a book you know is bad, a pleasure in its own right, like an exceptionally dashing villain. It's about finding a book that affronts you, and staring it down to the last word.
At a time when people are siloed into narrow sources of information according to their particular tinted worldview — those they follow on Twitter, the evening shoutfest they choose, AM talk radio or NPR — it's no surprise most of us also read books we're inclined to favor. Reading is a pleasure and a time-consuming one. Why bother reading something you dislike?
But reading what you hate helps you refine what it is you value, whether it's a style, a story line or an argument. Because books are long-form, they require more of the writer and the reader than a talk show or Facebook link. You can finish watching a movie in two hours and forget about it; not so a novel. Sticking it out for 300 pages means immersing yourself in another person's world and discovering how it feels. That's part of what makes books you despise so hard to dismiss. Rather than toss the book aside, turn to the next page and wrestle with its ideas. What about them makes you so uncomfortable?
Continuhttps://tpc.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-8/html/container.html#eid=21060242,21060231
My taste for hate reading began with "The Fountainhead," which I opened in a state of complete ignorance as bonus material for a college class on 20th-century architecture. I knew nothing of Ayn Rand or of objectivism. I thought it was a book about building things. I even showed it off to a French friend, an architect and a die-hard socialist, thinking he'd be impressed.
"How could you bring that into our house?" he asked in disgust. "But it's about architecture," I replied weakly. Or was it? Within pages, I found myself suffering at the hands of its tyrannical egomaniac of a protagonist, Howard Roark, forever plunging a fist into soil and holding forth. The lead female character, Dominique, who naturally took second place to the godlike Roark, kept striding across rooms in long, column-like gowns.
Still, I persisted. A hundred pages later, I was more of a French socialist than I'd ever been before or since. I finished every wretched page of "The Fountainhead" in alternating states of fury and despair, and when it was finally over, I tried to leave the vague echo of Dominique, stomping around in her evening gowns, behind. What stuck was the abiding knowledge that I was not, nor would I ever be, a libertarian.
In earlier, blithe days, I'd simply allowed the contents of books to gather agreeably in my head as I read and then file out when I was done. Either I enjoyed a book or I didn't. It was only by burrowing through books that I hated, books that provoked feelings of outrage and indignation, that I truly learned how to read. Defensiveness makes you a better reader, a closer, more skeptical reader: a critic. Arguing with the author in your head forces you to gather opposing evidence. You may find yourself turning to other texts with determination, stowing away facts, fighting against the book at hand. You may find yourself developing a point of view.
As debaters know, sometimes you figure out your position only in opposition. All it takes is for me to read a book by Howard Zinn or Paul Johnson, each gleefully hate-worthy in its own polarizing way, to locate my own interpretation of history. This is what's so invigorating about hate-reading. To actively grapple with your assumptions and defend your conclusions gives you a sense of purpose. You come to know where you stand, even if that means standing apart.
I've hated my way through many books, thinking, I will read you no matter how hard you make it. But as I go on, I often find that loathing is mixed with other emotions — fear, perverse attraction, even complicated strains of sympathy. This is, in part, what makes negative book reviews so compelling.
One of the most scathing reviews I've ever written was for this newspaper as a freelancer. The book I'd been assigned was a parenting book. I wanted to like the book. I agreed with much of the book. But the authors were too credulous of certain research, and in ways that served their thesis. As I put it in the review, the authors' "penchant for describing psychological studies and research projects as if they were chemistry experiments, with phrases like 'the test of scientific analysis' and 'the science of peer relations,' conjure up the image of Thomas Dolby repeatedly exhorting 'Science!' "
It came across as manipulative, and I felt betrayed both personally (I had written a parenting book and bristled at seeing the genre compromised) and on behalf of readers who might not have the background to parse the data. New parents are a susceptible lot — I know because I used to be one.
It can be interesting, and instructive, when a book provokes animosity. It may tell you more about a subject or about yourself, as a reader, than you think you know. It might even, on occasion, challenge you to change your mind.
Of course, many hateful books simply clarify and confirm. I can tell you straight out what I loathed about the novel "Flashman," by George MacDonald Fraser, though I read it nearly 15 years ago. "Flashman" is a cult novel, which didn't bode well for me when I picked it up at the suggestion of a new boyfriend. For whatever reason, when it comes to cult fiction, I am never part of the cult. Beloved in the same way Wodehouse is beloved but by fewer people, "Flashman," published in 1969, is the first in a series whose subsequent titles each felt like a slap in the face (e.g., "Flashman and the Redskins," "Flashman's Lady"). The cover of "Flashman, Volume I" featured a swaggering bloke in uniform with a bare-breasted maiden of "exotic" background, in, of course, the background. Sometimes you can tell a book by its cover.
But I went in anyway. There, I met the title character, Harry Paget Flashman, who romps across the British Empire, landing variously in Scotland, India and Afghanistan. Accompanying him are minor figures from British history — Lord Auckland, governor-general of India; Thomas Arnold, headmaster at the Rugby School; and the like. But the main action concerns Flashman, a light dragoon and a womanizing drunkard who skips from duel to romp to "forceful seduction." Most of the time, he frequents prostitutes, but he also enjoys raping an Afghan dancing girl. I have nothing against a good antihero, but I didn't even enjoy hating this guy. I just wanted to get away from him. Also, it turned out, I wanted to get away from the boyfriend who'd recommended him. This was a perfectly useful takeaway.
Yet hate reading can actually bring readers together. Sure, it's nice when people like the books you like. But an even more stimulating excitement comes from finding someone else who hates the same book as much as you do (welcome, fellow "Pickwick Papers" loathers). This is why book critics love commiserating. Some of the most spirited discussions I've had with other readers have been over just how despicable or disheartening we've found something we've read.
So go ahead, bond over what you hate. Or hate it all on your own, knowing that someone, somewhere wants to throw that same miserable book against the wall. Just please finish reading it before you do.


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You are here: Home/ Travel Intelligence/ Editor's Desk/ Making the Most of Your Summer
Written by Zalina Alvi April 26, 2011
I know, I know. You meant to apply for that summer abroad programme...
I know, I know. You meant to apply for that summer abroad programme. You tried to find a cool overseas internship through your school .You tried really hard to fund that amazing tour across South America with your friends, but hey, it's tough. I know.
So if you find yourself out of school for the summer - any day now! - with no travel plans and even fewer ideas of where to start, here are some ways you can make the most of these precious summers off. (Believe me, you will miss them when they're gone.)
Work Your Way Around:
If you're really itching to get away sooner rather than later, try finding casual work overseas. This can be anything from bartending (make you have whatever licenses are necessary, please!) to picking peaches on an organic farm. Start with these helpful articles and then start making some inquiries. You should note, however, that these opportunities will probably help fund your travels... and that's it. Don't count on saving up thousands of dollars for tuition while you're at it. Fair warning.
How to Find Casual Work Overseas
Top 10 Casual Jobs Overseas
If you want to help out while you travel, consider volunteering. The options in this case are nearly limitless, but start with these resources to help you get oriented. Keep in mind that many programmes do require payment, which may be out of your budget if you haven't been fundraising or saving up for this. But keep an eye out and I'm sure you'll find something. And if not? Call and email around at local NGOs, shelters, government offices, zoos etc. in your location of choice and see if they need some help. You never know!
Choosing a Volunteer Programme
Volunteering in National Parks Worldwide
Fly By the Seat of Your Pants (But Make Sure You Don't Have to Sell Them to Get Back):
If you simply want to get out and travel for a few weeks without breaking the bank, with little to no boundaries, do it! Just make sure you know where you're going, how to you're going to afford to live, eat and sleep there, make sure your passport isn't going to expire until well after you return and, please, let your parents know when you land.
How to Travel for Free or At Least Cheap
Britain on the Cheap
Published in Editor's Desk
Zalina Alvi
Zalina grew up in Toronto and began her career in journalism at the York University campus newspaper. Before joining Verge in 2010, she worked for a documentary festival, a non-profit organization and various magazines and newspapers. Zalina has had some eclectic travel experiences, including reporting for a newspaper on the island of Molokai in Hawaii.
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