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Charlton's superheroes face down the smirk
The redemption of Erik Lamela
Football League season review: Watford and how it all w...
In football no one dies; no one gets killed – The tragic story of Andres Escobar
Posted by Pink | Oct 19, 2018 | Features | 0 |
BY GARY THACKER
Nacional Medellin defender and Colombia international Andres Escobar Saldariaga was once asked by Gonzalo Medina, a compatriot and journalist why he liked football. In an answer that proved to be chillingly inaccurate, the articulate Escobar replied that, "This sport illustrates the close relationship between life and the game. In football, unlike bullfighting, there is no death. In football no one dies; no one gets killed. It's more about the fun of it, about enjoying."
On 23rd June 1994, during the World Cup tournament in the USA, Escobar was playing for the highly-fancied Colombians against the hosts in their second group game. Following a qualifying tournament of 26 matches wherein they had been beaten on only a single occasion, culminating in a glorious 5-0 victory against Argentina in Buenos Aires, Francisco Maturana's squad had even been tipped by the great Pele as genuine contenders to win the tournament. After losing their initial encounter to a Gheorghe Hagi-inspired Romania, the South Americans were strongly fancied to win and get their campaign back on track.
Those qualifying matches were to prove a false dawn, however, and Pele's predictions somewhat wide of the mark. After initially peppering the USA goal and dominating the match, events took a dramatic turn. Ten minutes before half-time, with the scores still tied at 0-0, former Sheffield Wednesday and Derby County midfielder John Harkes crossed the ball from the left. Escobar, patrolling the Colombian box, and aware of the potential danger of an American player lurking behind him, slid in to try and block the cross, but only managed to divert it past Oscar Cordoba in the Colombian goal for the first – and last – own goal of his career. The Colombians' spirit appeared broken, and the Americans added a second before a late Valencia goal provided no real consolation at all. A 2-0 victory over Switzerland in the final group game was a low key affair, with both teams eliminated already.
Back in Medellin, as Escobar's errant intervention rolled into the net, Felipe, his nine year-old nephew, following the game from Pasadena on television, turned to his mother and said, "They are going to kill Andres." The child's mother calmed her son. "'No sweetheart, people aren't killed for mistakes. Everyone in Colombia loves Andrés." Less than two weeks later however, little Felipe was proved chillingly correct as Andres Escobar lay dying in a car park with multiple gunshot wounds.
Fast forward precisely twenty years to 2nd July 2014, and the World Cup is again hosted in the Americas; this time, south of the Gulf of Mexico in Brazil, and for Colombians all roads lead to Fortaleza. A couple of days ahead of Colombia's latest 'golden' generation's day of destiny in a quarter-final match against Brazil it was difficult not to reflect on the poignancy. Escobar would now have been 47. When he was killed, he was due to move to AC Milan for the following season and was engaged to be married. Now, 20 years after his death, it was rumoured that many Colombians were carrying a picture of their late captain – the man simply known as 'El Caballero del Futbol' (the Gentleman of Football) – with them to the match as an act of homage to their fallen hero.
It was the first time that the Colombians had qualified for the finals of the tournament in 16 years, but in James Rodriguez and Juan Cuadrado they had stars bursting with the exuberance of youth, coupled with the experience of stalwarts such as Mario Yepes. They stormed through the group stages despatching Greece 3-0, Ivory Coast 2-1 and rounded off the preliminary stages by hammering Japan 4-1. They then comfortably eased past Uruguay 2-0, to set up a date with the hosts in the last eight.
The pictures of Escobar failed to weave any magic, however, and Brazil triumphed 2-1. Reports I have read of the match suggest that many observers considered the Spanish referee, Carlos Velasco Carballo, seemed to favour the home side in his decisions; not least when he disallowed a Yepes goal that would have taken the tie into extra time. Unlike in 1994 however, the team returned home as heroes, having restored footballing pride to the country. It was a far cry from the response received 20 years previously by Andres Escobar and his teammates.
Although still hardly the safest place on the planet, the Colombia of 1994 was a much more dangerous place to return to after a humiliating sporting exit. In 1993, the country had the highest murder rate in the world. The twelve months between that classification and Escobar's team returning from the USA had not seen much to change the statistic.
Football, however, had a special place in the psyche of most Colombians, be they the penniless street ragamuffins, or the drug barons that funded many of the country's football clubs at the time, laundering money through the turnstiles. It was this apparent sporting largesse that meant home-grown stars could be kept playing for Colombian clubs, rather than them being spirited away to the riches of European clubs.
One of the most notorious of the drug barons was Pablo Escobar – no relation to Andres. He headed the Medellin cartel and was rumoured to have funded the city's Nacional club, for whom Andres and many other of the country's national squad played. Notoriety and a love of football gave Pablo Escobar an almost 'Robin Hood-esque' persona among the Colombian poor as he deployed sums of money providing football pitches for the poor as well as financing clubs. This was no social reformer, however. Pablo Escobar's money was built on the drugs trade and the misery it wrought. He was responsible for the murder of judges, politicians, in excess of 500 policemen, hundreds of cartel members who crossed him, and at least one football referee.
This was the time of the original Colombian 'golden' generation. Strawberry blonde playmaker Carlos Valederama, striker Faustino Asprilla, later to star with Newcastle and Parma, Scorpion-kicking goalkeeper Rene Higuita and Freddy Rincon – as well as Escobar – were all names familiar to football's cognicenti. As national manager Francisco Maturana, who also managed Nacional for some time explained, "Two factors converged. One, we had exceptionally good players. Two, we had the money to keep our good players. The introduction of drug money in soccer allowed us to bring in great foreign players. We were living in a violent time, in a country fraught with social problems that could not be divorced from football. The drug trade is an octopus." This was just one example of the intertwined relationships between organised crime and football in Colombia, but more of that later.
Not unlike the Cote d'Ivoire team of recent times, the Colombian national team were seen as a unifying symbol of a country torn asunder by crime, corruption and social problems. When Andres Escobar left to lead his team to the USA, he remarked that "We are all working for a common cause – to make our country proud. We're trying to not focus on the violence. I find motivation in the good things to come. I try to read a bit of the Bible each day. My bookmarks are two photos. One of my late mother, the other of my fiancée." Such an attitude however could not insulate the squad from malevolent influences back home.
Even before they left, the extravagantly coiffured and eccentrically inclined goalkeeper Rene Higuita was jailed due to relations with Pablo Escobar. Much worse was to follow, however. The brother of defender Herrera was mysteriously killed in a car crash. The team even received death threats through the television sets in their hotel before the game against USA. Maturana says that, "Someone programmed the hotel's TVs – it freaked us out!" The coach was also informed that unless he dropped Barrabas Gomez, the entire squad would be killed. "I couldn't put another's life in danger – Barrabas was a key player but they had me beat," he confessed. "We called home, there were riots, complete chaos and that's how we entered the field."
I've read reports that say it was Andres Escobar who rallied his team when many wanted to return home in fear. If such stories are true, it only underscores the respect within which the captain was held. Even so, midfielder Gabriel Gomez simply refused to play. Despite Escobar's principled and noble stand ironically, and tragically, it was he who was to pay the ultimate price.
The truth of such things will now probably never be fully known, but I've seen reports and assertions alleging there were large amounts of 'dirty' money riding on the result of the game. Whilst US mafiosi were backing the hosts, Colombian drug money was wagered on the Colombians. Out of such rumours does evidence arise, and Escobar's own goal has become wrapped up in the mystery. In a scenario where death threats and money may hold more sway than tactics and technique, it's easy to view things through a distorted lens and not be able to discern fact from fiction.
Were the teams 'got at' by competing powerful forces? Some would argue it was so. Reports have suggested that the elegant Valderrama hardly seemed capable of completing the most straightforward of passes, whilst American defender Fernando Clavijo is reported as describing Asprilla as being disinterested, saying that "he didn't even try." Following the game, Asprilla is rumoured to have told reporters, "It's not the end of the world." It was however the beginning of the end for Andres Escobar.
After the Colombians were eliminated from the tournament, Andres Escobar reportedly changed plans for a holiday travelling across America, believing that he needed to go back to Colombia to make his peace with his country. It's been reported that he never watched a replay of the incident that may have led to him losing his life, although surely such an urbane man would have a pretty sound idea of the emotional outburst it would have caused. Friends had reservations about an early return, advising that the streets held many dangers, and things in Colombia at the time were rarely resolved merely with fists. Maturana relays, however, that Escobar would not be dissuaded saying, "No I must show face to my people." It was a typically brave, but ultimately fatal decision.
Eyewitnesses say that when Escobar and some friends arrived at the El Indio Bar, he was taunted by another group of men there about his own goal. Apparently not seeking a confrontation, he quickly left, but was followed and further abused. Upset, and probably fearful of the potential dangers, Escobar sought to explain that it was an error, but by this stage violence was almost inevitable, and he was shot in the back. "Something was ripped out from within me," Pamela Cascardo, Escobar's fiancée, later related. "One day you have the love of your life, plans to get married, have children. Then you wake up and it's all gone. For me, life didn't go on. It stopped."
Although witnesses attribute the shooting to a drunken row in the bar, others have different theories. Police in Medellin have reportedly said that a lot of the cartel's 'cocaine' funds were bet on the expected Colombian win. When that failed to arrive, someone was always going to be called to account. If so, the dangerous combination of drugs, money and football was the lethal cocktail involved.
The number plate of a car in which the killer(s) – some said one who fired six shots, whilst others recall two, with twelve shots being despatched into Escobar – fled the scene, was passed to the police by two witnesses. The number was linked to the Gallon brothers, renegade former members of Pablo Escobar's cartel. In the 2010 ESPN documentary called 'The Two Escobars' a former henchman of Pablo Escobar, Jhon Jairo Velásquez Vásquez, alleged that a sum in the region of $3 million was paid to persuade the prosecutor's office to focus their investigation on one of the bodyguards. Later, Humberto Castro Muñoz confessed to Escobar's murder and was sentenced to 43 years in prison. He served only 11 however, before being released for good behaviour. The Gallóns were cleared of any wrongdoing. "Andrés's mistake was talking back to these guys," Velásquez said in the US documentary. "It had nothing to do with betting. It was a fight, that's all." It hardly appears to be conclusive evidence.
Even for a nation brought low by a combination of gnawing poverty, pervasive crime and a culture where life is cheap, the death of Andres Escobar was a tragic event. I've read a couple of reports that suggest over 120,000 people lined the streets of Medellin for the funeral. It was perhaps a cry for help when the then president of the country, César Gavaria, implored his compatriots to recognise that, "Andrés Escobar will remain in our hearts as our hero of moral integrity, as a family man and exemplary Colombian," he said. "Colombia must not let its best children be expelled from life's playing field."
If players who had participated in the game against the USA seemed disinterested during that fateful 90 minutes, the death of their captain clearly had a deeper effect. Herrera, who had lost his brother before the game, apparently suffered a nervous breakdown, and both Faustino Asprilla and Carlos Valderrama declared that they no longer wished to play for the national team. Whether such emotions were a result of respect, shock or guilt is unclear. Maturana summed up the feeling. "Many people who lived for soccer left the sport after what happened to Andrés," he said. "We exchanged winning for our safety. Now we're cleaning up our streets and starting to build again."
Twenty years later, as Colombia prepared to face Brazil, it was still unclear how accurate Mataruna's words had been. Ordinary people and fans had produced social media campaigns to honour Andres Escobar, and the carrying of his picture to games is a touching tribute. Any commemoration by the Colombian federation or even Fifa was however was so low key – if there even was one – that I can find no reference to it all.
A few days before his murder, Escobar wrote these simple, but poignant, words in the Colombian newspaper El Tiempe: "Life doesn't end here. We have to go on. Life cannot end here. No matter how difficult, we must stand back up. We only have two options: either allow anger to paralyse us and the violence continues, or we overcome and try our best to help others. It's our choice. Let us please maintain respect. My warmest regards to everyone. It's been a most amazing and rare experience. We'll see each other again soon because life does not end here." He was talking about the loss of a football game, but his words could just as easily reflect the fight that Colombia itself was facing.
There's a statue of Escobar in the centre of Medellin. It stands as a memorial to the tragic loss of life of an apparently thoroughly decent man, who just happened to excel at football. It may reflect the death of someone caught up in something much bigger and more malevolent than any of us can probably imagine, or simply the consequence of a drunken encounter. The late Liverpool manager Bill Shankley once famously said that, "Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that." Whilst the old sage of Anfield was right about so many things in the game, I'm pretty confident he'd be happy to review his opinion when referring to the fate of Andres Escobar.
For more from Gary Thacker: Visit the website: www.allbluedaze.com
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This is my truth, tell me yours
Podcast:Oh I Say! Episode 10 – May 1991
Let Me Be Your Fantasy
Remembering Sgorio, the cult football show that brought Europe's finest to Nineties Wales
Turning defence into attack: How catenaccio attracted the greatest array of attacking talent
Social Media: How Twitter and online reviews can damage a perfectly good book launch
Netherlands vs Brazil: A World Cup rivalry
Two Promotions in three years : The origins of the 'team of the eighties' (part two)


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Gemfields finds largest emerald ever at Zambia mine
(MINING.COM) Africa-focused Gemfields (LON: GEM) (JSE: GML) has found the largest emerald ever mined at its Kagem mine in Zambia — a 7,525-carat (1,505g) gemstone named Chipembele, which means "rhino" in the local dialect of Bemba.
While no official record exists, it is extremely unusual to encounter a gemstone weighing more than 1,000 carats and only a couple of dozen unique enough to deserve their own name.
The last time a comparable emerald was found was in 2018, when Gemfields unearthed the 5,655-carat Inkalamu, meaning "lion". Prior to that, the company had dug up a 6,225-carat emerald in 2010, which was named Insofu – Bemba for "elephant". Click here to read full article. https://www.mining.com/gemfields-finds-largest-emerald-to-date-at-zambia-mine/

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Jared Bernstein, Former Economic Adviser to Vice President Joseph Biden Will Discuss "The Post-Recession Economy: A Return to … What?" at IIT Chicago-Kent's Piper Lecture
April 4, 2014Posted in: University News
Jared Bernstein, former chief economist and economic adviser to Vice President Joseph Biden, will deliver IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law's 36th annual Kenneth M. Piper Lecture from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8 in IIT Chicago-Kent's Governor Richard B. Ogilvie Auditorium located at the Downtown Campus. Bernstein will address the topic "The Post-Recession Economy: A Return to … What?" The lecture is free and open to the public.
Bernstein currently is a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. He served as chief economist and economic adviser to Vice President Biden, executive director of the White House Task Force on the Middle Class, and a member of President Obama's economic team from 2009 to 2011. Prior to joining the Obama administration, he was a senior economist and the director of the Living Standards Program at the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. Bernstein held the post of deputy chief economist at the U.S. Department of Labor during the Clinton administration.
Bernstein's lecture will consider issues related to the post-recession economy and workplace and answer several questions. What roles are technology, globalization, inequality, and fiscal policy likely to play in shaping economic outcomes facing workers at different positions in the wage scale? Is labor-saving technology accelerating in new ways that will displace ever more workers, particularly in factories? Why is it taking so long to get back to full employment? Will revived financial markets stay "on the rails"?
Mary Joyce Carlson, a labor and employment attorney practicing in Washington, D.C., and General Motors' chief economist, G. Mustafa Mohatarem, will comment on Bernstein's remarks from employee and management perspectives.
No reservations are required to attend the Piper Lecture. Attorneys who attend are eligible for 1.25 hours of Illinois Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit. Visit for more information or call 312.906.5090.
The annual Kenneth M. Piper Lecture is sponsored by Chicago-Kent's Institute for Law and the Workplace. It is presented by the Kenneth M. Piper Endowment, which was established by a gift from Mrs. Kenneth M. Piper in memory of her husband. He was a distinguished executive with Motorola Inc. and Bausch & Lomb Inc., who made important contributions in human resources and labor relations for more than two decades.
Tags: IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law


OYO Hotels and Homes, announced that OYO Wizard, their hospitality loyalty program, has reached the milestone of 1 million Wizard memberships within nine months of its launch.
The repeat rate among Wizard members is twice, compared to regular users. For Wizard hotels in particular, 70% transactions by Wizard members are made on Wizard hotels resulting in higher income as compared to non-Wizard ones.
Over 5,000 hotels under OYO's portfolio have partnered with this program. Every fourth room is booked by a Wizard member on OYO platform. Moreover, OYO Wizard members are saving ~4X of the subscription fees within the first 6 months of membership purchase, making it a compelling value proposition for customers. With such great feedback, OYO plans to expand the program with the target to grow the membership base by 3X by end of 2019.
OYO Wizard is available across three tiers – Wizard Blue (INR 99 for 6 months membership), Wizard Silver (INR 199 for 1 year membership) and Wizard Gold (INR 399 for 2 years membership).
Core benefits include – (1) additional 5% discount on all Wizard member hotels (over and above existing discounts), (2) an additional 10% on Wizard Base hotel selected by the user, (3) instant OYO Money rewards worth INR 500, INR 1200 and INR 3000 for Blue, Silver and Gold respectively.
There are benefits provided to members in the higher tiers, including 40% discount vouchers (1 for Silver and 2 for Gold) and OYO Money cashback on every check-in (₹75 for Silver, ₹200 for Gold).


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News about TV Forum (March 2021)
VMPhil 28 March 2021 9:53pm
madmusician posted:
Xilla posted:
Thought I'd share these.
Paul Clark, a long-time member of this forum who sadly passed away last August, was a talented musician who contributed several tracks for a Streets of Rage fangame, under the name BGM1401. The last few remixes and compositions he contributed are on this playlist, should anyone want to hear them:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPw6mAFdqEDXKGp94G_RLO9idIxUR2w3u
I'm extremely sorry to hear that Paul Clark has passed away. I still have his wonderful mix of the BBC One Circle Ident music with 500 Miles by the Pretenders - he was clearly extremely talented in this regard, not to mention the other mocks and conversation that he contributed to this forum.
I had completely forgotten about that! Used to be linked to in his signature, right? Don't suppose you could upload it on here?
Cavan 28 March 2021 10:02pm
I will forever be grateful for the patience he had when dealing with my 10-year-old self when I approached him over email about some YouTube videos of his I used to binge. Absolutely gutted.
dbl, Roger Darthwell and London Lite gave kudos
steddenm 29 March 2021 12:03am
Well thanks to Asa and everybody else involved with the forum over the past 20 years.
I'll miss the little blue icon on my desktop, and good luck to all on the forum on whatever it is you will do in the future.
Also I hope that the new Forum does well too.
Asa and intracube gave kudos
davidhorman 29 March 2021 12:20am
500 Miles by the Pretenders
Proclaimers?
james-2001 29 March 2021 12:21am
Might have meant 2000 miles by the Pretenders.
Marco_D 29 March 2021 12:47am
Before the forum closes, I wanted to join many other long time lurkers in making a post to say how much I've enjoyed visiting here over the years. I've been coming here almost every day since at least 2014 if not earlier and it has been fun to read interesting discussions between the regulars, particularly when there have been major presentation changes. I've always enjoyed forums and there's a great community of people here that have made it a nice place to read and be a part of!
Thanks to Asa, Charlie Wells, Bail and everyone else who has been a part of the moderation team for the work that they have done in keeping this place going, I know from experience it can be a thankless task at times but it has made the forum a better place for it. Asa has done a fantastic job in keeping the site maintained for 20 years, a long time to keep at anything, and I'm glad that the site will remain in a read-only form so we'll be able to look back in the future.
I look forward to the discussion continuing elsewhere and maybe I won't leave it so long before making a post next time. Thanks everyone for making TVForum great!
Asa, intracube and 2 othersLondon Lite, may_dupname gave kudos
Mike W 29 March 2021 1:04am
Very final to see the credits roll on the home page!
james-2001 29 March 2021 1:05am
I wonder how many posts we'll get here during the couple of days overlap where both here and TVL are open?
Alfie Mulcahy gave kudos
Netizen 29 March 2021 1:18am
Goodbye TVF - I've been lurking for the last *checks notes*... 12 years?! But always been here, and probably long before I joined also. Not had the time nor frame of mind to contribute but perhaps that'll change on TV Live. Some good memories of this place for sure, and it's been heartening to know I wasn't completely alone in staying up late to watch News 24 countdowns on BBC One.
Something Rob posted on Twitter this weekend reactivated a repressed memory - thanks to this forum, alcohol and loneliness I purchased skyonc.co.uk thinking I'd upload some kind of hilarious parody and impress you all. It's the most TVF thing I could ever hope to do. Luckily, I got better.
Thank you Asa, moderators and fellow oddballs for 20 years of extremely niche conversation.
DeMarkay 29 March 2021 1:24am
Can't believe it closes in two days.
Last edited by DeMarkay on 29 March 2021 2:58am - 2 times in total
itvblocks and BBI45 gave kudos
paul_hadley 29 March 2021 1:34am
Mike W posted:
Oddly only appearing on the desktop website for me.
itvblocks gave kudos
AaronLancs 29 March 2021 4:20am
Last post time, so as I said thank you to Mr. Hicks and co for me at least a good portion of internet time and all that.
So to those who've already registered on TV Live Forum, I'll see on the other side and logging off for the final time.
Asa gave kudos
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TF1: fermeture (23 décembre 1986)
Générique fermeture antenne Canal+ jaune 1998
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BBC1 Ceefax - LGFG2 - Sun 9 Nov 1997
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The Hall is here for everyone in the village, and outside and the hire charges, which are kept as low as possible, are simply to raise funds to ensure its continuing availability for all.
The hourly charge for the Village Hall is £7.50.
You will be charged for the entire period of hire, including set up and clear up time.
All equipment is inclusive within the hire charge with the exception of the 65 inch screen & stand which is USB and HDMI enabled - please enquire about charge for this.
For general enquires or to make a booking, email us on stoultonbookings@gmail.com or complete the Booking Form and send the first 3 pages to the booking secretary with your deposit making sure your sign the form and complete all the necessary information requested.


text:
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                'platform' => request('platform', 0, 'post'),
                'browser' => request('browser', 0, 'post'),
                'area' => request('area', '', 'post'),
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            $stats_model = new visitor_stats_model();
            $stats_model->do_stats($data);
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Finding a people for a particular jobs is a process which is called recruitment or hiring. Someone who has been recruited is a recruit or a hire. The company employs or hires them, afterwhich they will join the company. A company can recruit employees directly or use recruitment agencies or employment agencies. Specialist recruiters are called headhunters. They headhunt people for specific jobs to persuade them to leave the organizations they already work for.
Somebody who is tired of their job or are looking for a new job or position, will go online to look for applications. They can then apply for a job by sending their CV with an email explaining why they wanted the job and why he is the right person for it. Other companies have an application form that can be filled in with the information the company needs.
Our company is in construction. When we receive applications we look at the backgrounds of the applicant. Especially their experience of different jobs and their qualifications.
The next step is inviting the most interesting candidates for a test or exam. After confirming their basic qualifications, we have an individual interview with each candidate. Our company also does phycological tests to asses their personality to see if they can work well in our team.
After this, we shortlist 5 candidates. We sometimes check their references by calling their referees. If the reference is ok, we will ask for yet another interview and offer 1 person the job. If they accept it, we hire them, and if not, we will look until we find the right person for the job.
Hoe ben jij aan je job gekomen? Hoe heb je gesolliciteerd? Hoeveel interviews had je? Heb je ook enkele testfases moeten afleggen? Schrijf een tekst in het Engels en laat dit weten in de comments!


text:
Q: Conditions for affine transform on $\mathbb{R}^3$ to be a contraction I am reading about affine transformations used in fractal image compression, they are of the form:
$$ w \begin{pmatrix} x \\ y \\z \end{pmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix} a  &  b  &  0 \\
                                                      c  &  d  &  0 \\
                                                      0  &   0 &  s \\
                            \end{pmatrix} \cdot \begin{pmatrix} x \\ y \\ z  \\ \end{pmatrix}  +      \begin{pmatrix} e \\ f  \\ o   \\ \end{pmatrix}$$
Let $$ A =  \begin{pmatrix} a  &  b  &  0 \\
                                                      c  &  d  &  0 \\
                                                      0  &   0 &  s \\
                            \end{pmatrix}  $$
$w$ must be a contraction: spatial contraction (acting on the plane: $x$- and $y$-coordinates) and also a contraction in the $z$-direction.  Some of the conditions for $w$ to be a contraction (that I found  in different  sources)  are:

*

*$\| A \|_{2} < 1$

*$ |s| < 1$ and   $\left\| \begin{pmatrix} a  &  b   \\   c  &  d   \\ \end{pmatrix} \right\|_{2}  < 1$

*$ |\det (A)| < 1$   (as a condition for spatial contraction)

What are the right conditions for  spatial contractivity and z-contractivity ? Thanks in advance.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Peak hour (1996) 01/22/1996
Telecast, 1 part, Duration: 0:25:22.4 to collection V3 2/20/2018
The guest of the program is the Italian playwright Tonino Guerra.
In the center of the conversation are philosophical reflections on the beauty of life, on the opposition of beauty and spirituality to the bloody mistakes of the world.
The playwright talks about his work as a screenwriter.
Attitude to the American cinema.
Age of cinema as an art.
Withering and revival of cinema.
The role of film and television in people's lives.
Guest program - cameraman Pavel Lebeshev.
The style of the operator's work on the site.
Participation in the work on NS Mikhalkov's films "Unfinished Piece for a Mechanical Piano" (1977) and "His Among Strangers, a Stranger Among His Own" (1974).
The value of personal luck in work.
The atmosphere of the family on set.
Friendship with NS Mikhalkov.
The lag of Russia from foreign cinema in terms of technical equipment.
Telecast, 1 part, Duration: 0:21:24.744 to collection V3 2/20/2018
The real name is Joseph Aleshkovsky, the author of stanzas:
Comrade Stalin, you are a great scientist,
In linguistics, you know a lot,
And I'm a simple Soviet prisoner,
And my comrade is a gray Bryansk wolf.
Alexander Lukashenko talks about confrontation with the parliament of Belarus, coverage of the events in the media, rallies in Minsk, the executive power vertical, reform of the republic's economy, amendments to the Constitution and the Belovezh agreements.
The guest of the program is dancer and singer Boris Moiseyev.
The truth and fiction in the life of the artist.
Creative solutions: what comes from the mind, and what from the depth of nature.
Tours in Israel and relationships with relatives.
Epatage as a way of protection from the outside world.
The role of love in human life.
Communication and interpenetration of love and vice.
Telecast, 1 part, Duration: 0:20:24.68 to collection V3 2/20/2018
75 years since the birth of Academician AD Sakharov.
The guest of the program is Elena Bonner, a space bridge with the archive of AD Sakharov.
Interview on the opening of the museum and the public center named after AD Sakharov.
New book by Ye. G. Bonner "Free notes to the pedigree of Andrei Sakharov".
AD Sakharov in photographs and chronicles of different years.
E.G. Bonner about the first meeting with the future husband.
Family life and teamwork.
The guest of the program is the deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Alexander Lebed.
Discussion of Denunciation of the Bialowieza Accords.
Financial, external and internal economic consequences of denunciation for Russia.
AI Lebed on the change of military career for political activity.
Attitude to power and intelligent solutions.
Opinion about the Chechen war as a pre-planned operation for money laundering.
Why does the general become president?
The guest of the program is actor Alexander Kalyagin.
The premiere of the play "The Physician Willy-nilly" (Moliere).
Work on the play.
What is the atmosphere of the theater.
Fragment of the play.
The importance of the basic medical education in the life of AA Kalyagin.
The role of A.Chekhov's creativity in the fate of the actor.
Telecast, 1 part, Duration: 0:21:47 to collection V3 2/20/2018
The guest of the program is Otto Latsis, political observer of Izvestia.
A conversation about political events in Minsk, a comparison with the October 1993 riots in Moscow.
O. Latsis about a personal meeting with Alexander Lukashenko.
The reasons for the shutdown in Belarus of the broadcasts of Russian television.
Characteristics of the closest associates of AG Lukashenko.
Will the President of Belarus take forceful methods of influencing citizens.
What can be said about the course of the Belarusian reforms.
Director of the Institute of World History Alexander Chubaryan speaks about the opening of archives and the discovery of new documents on the history of the Great Patriotic War, On the problem of determining the exact number of losses in the war, about new publications on the history of war and newly discovered documents on this subject, about the version of "preventive War ", the country's insufficient readiness for war, Stalin, a study of the problem of collaborationism, irresponsible publications about the war in a number Publications, the need to establish legal norms for the declassification and use of archival documents, the conflict in Chechnya.


text:
Innovative $ 31 million Baltimore laboratory named for Maxine F. Singer
Contact Tina McDowell at 202-939-1120, or tmcdowell@ciw.edu
or Matthew Wright at 202-939-1142, mwright@ciw.edu
Image at http://www.carnegieinstitution.org/singerbuilding/
After dinner talk delivered by Maxine Singer
Baltimore, MD – Carnegie Institution trustees will dedicate a new, $31.2-million research laboratory on the Johns Hopkins University campus on Thursday, December 1, 2005, at 6:30 PM. The building will be named in honor of Carnegie Institution President Emerita and National Medal of Science winner Maxine F. Singer. The new building, located at 3520 San Martin Drive, houses Carnegie's Department of Embryology.
"Dramatic advances in medical science depend on basic sciences, like that conducted by Carnegie researchers," remarked Carnegie president Richard A. Meserve. "Our scientists focus on understanding basic genetic and cellular mechanisms, which is the foundation for curing serious diseases and birth defects. The new Singer building is designed to facilitate our scientists' work. This advanced, 21st century facility is a tribute to the creativity of Maxine Singer."
The Department of Embryology is an unusual research organization that undertakes a unique "Carnegie style" of science. The building's design encourages frequent interaction among researchers facilitating the collaborations from which startling new advances often arise. The almost 80,000 square-foot Singer building has 13 modern and well-equipped research laboratories, as well as shared spaces, such as a library, meeting rooms, genomics facilities, specialized instrument rooms, and supply rooms. It also features the state-of-the-art Rose Auditorium, made possible by a generous donation by Deborah Rose. The Maxine F. Singer Building was designed by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership. It would not have been possible without the support from more than 180 individuals, foundations, and corporations, including the Kresge Foundation, which awarded the institution a $1.5 million challenge grant.
Maxine Singer served as the Carnegie Institution's eighth president. During her tenure, Singer appointed new directors to each of the institution's six research departments, rebuilt scientific laboratories, erected new buildings, financed and managed the construction of Carnegie's new 6.5-meter optical telescopes in Chile, initiated science education and outreach programs in Washington, D.C., bolstered the institution's endowment, and established the first new scientific department in more than 80 years–the Department of Global Ecology in California.
Singer came to Carnegie in 1988 from the National Institutes of Health, where she was chief of the Laboratory of Biochemistry at the National Cancer Institute. There she led 15 research groups. She retained her association with the institute as scientist emerita during her decade and a half at Carnegie. She retired from Carnegie on December 31, 2002. In recognition of her scientific contributions, she was awarded the National Medal of Science in 1992.
The Carnegie Institution's connection to Baltimore began over 100 years ago, in 1902, when Daniel Coit Gilman, then president of the Johns Hopkins University, was appointed president of the newly created Carnegie Institution. In 1914, Carnegie's Department of Embryology was founded in affiliation with the Anatomy Department of the Johns Hopkins Medical School. Soon after World War II, the affiliation was broadened to include the Johns Hopkins Department of Biology.
Through the decades, Carnegie's association with the university has been one of scientific collaboration and mutual enhancement. Today, Johns Hopkins Biology graduate students conduct research in Carnegie labs; Hopkins and Carnegie faculty collaborate; and Carnegie scientists teach courses at the university. Many advances in developmental biology and genetics have emerged from this dynamic relationship.
The Carnegie Institution of Washington (www.CarnegieInstitution.org) has been a pioneering force in basic scientific research since 1902. It is a private, nonprofit organization with six research departments throughout the U.S. Carnegie scientists are leaders in plant biology, developmental biology, astronomy, materials science, global ecology, and Earth and planetary science.


text:
import warnings

import numpy as np
import pandas as pd

def load_data_frame(data_frame_path, sort_reindex=False, class_labels=True, match_distance=False,
                    allow_missing_text=False, quoting=3):
    """
    Load a dataset as pandas DataFrame from a given path.

    :param data_frame_path: the path to load the pandas DataFrame from
    :param sort_reindex: if True, the returned data frame will be sorted by PMID and reindex by 0, 1, 2, ...
    :param class_labels: if True, the class label is given after the mandatory text column
    :param match_distance: if True, the distance between the closest match is assumed to be present as the last column
    :param allow_missing_text: if True, missing text is replaced with empty strings
    :param quoting: int, controls field quoting in pandas.read_csv():
    "Use one of QUOTE_MINIMAL (0), QUOTE_ALL (1), QUOTE_NONNUMERIC (2) or QUOTE_NONE (3)."
    See also: https://docs.python.org/3/library/csv.html#csv.QUOTE_NONE
    :return: a pandas DataFrame loaded from the given path
    :raises ValueError if missing data is encountered
    """
    column_names = ['pmid', 'paragraph', 'sentence', 'entity1', 'entity2', 'text']
    dtypes = {'pmid': np.int32, 'paragraph': np.int32, 'sentence': np.int32,
              'entity1': object, 'entity2': object, 'text': object}
    if class_labels:
        column_names.append('class')
        dtypes['class'] = np.int32
    if match_distance:
        column_names.append('distance')
        dtypes['distance'] = np.int32

    data_df = pd.read_csv(data_frame_path, sep='\t', header=None, index_col=False,
                          quoting=quoting, dtype=dtypes, names=column_names)
    if allow_missing_text:
        data_df['text'] = data_df['text'].fillna('')

    nulls = data_df.isnull()
    if nulls.sum().sum() != 0:
        null_rows = list(set(np.where(nulls)[0]))
        data_df.drop(data_df.index[null_rows], inplace=True)
        warnings.warn('Encountered missing values while loading data from {} in rows: {}'.format(data_frame_path,
                                                                                null_rows))

    if sort_reindex:
        data_df.sort_values('pmid', axis=0, inplace=True, kind='mergesort')
        data_df.reset_index(inplace=True, drop=True)

    return data_df

def fill_missing_paragraph_document_scores(data):
    """
    Fill missing paragraph- and document-level scores for all sentence-level matches and fill all
    missing document-level scores for all document-level matches.

    Filled matches receive a score of 0.
    :param data: the scored DataFrame to fill
    :return: a new DataFrame with missing scores filled in
    """
    text = ''
    distance = -1
    predicted = 0
    filled_dfs = []
    for _, group_df in data.groupby(['entity1', 'entity2']):
        group_df = group_df.copy()
        if group_df.ndim == 1:
            group_df = group_df.to_frame()
        entity1 = group_df.loc[:, 'entity1'].iloc[0]
        entity2 = group_df.loc[:, 'entity2'].iloc[0]
        current_class = group_df.loc[:, 'class'].iloc[0]

        sentence_level = {tuple(x)
                          for x in group_df.loc[:, ['pmid', 'paragraph', 'sentence']].to_records(index=False)
                          if x[1] != -1 and x[2] != -1}
        paragraph_level = {tuple(x)
                           for x in group_df.loc[:, ['pmid', 'paragraph', 'sentence']].to_records(index=False)
                           if x[1] != -1 and x[2] == -1}
        document_level = {tuple(x)
                          for x in group_df.loc[:, ['pmid', 'paragraph', 'sentence']].to_records(index=False)
                          if x[1] == -1 and x[2] == -1}

        add_tuples = set()
        for sentence in sentence_level:
            expected_paragraph = (sentence[0], sentence[1], -1)
            expected_document = (sentence[0], -1, -1)
            if expected_paragraph not in paragraph_level:
                add_tuples.add(expected_paragraph)
            if expected_document not in document_level:
                add_tuples.add(expected_document)
        for paragraph in paragraph_level:
            expected_document = (paragraph[0], -1, -1)
            if expected_document not in document_level:
                add_tuples.add(expected_document)

        new_rows = []
        for add_tuple in add_tuples:
            new_rows.append(list(add_tuple) + [entity1, entity2, text, current_class, distance, predicted])
        if len(new_rows) > 1:
            new_df = pd.DataFrame.from_records(new_rows)
            new_df.columns = group_df.columns
            new_df = pd.concat([group_df, new_df], axis=0, ignore_index=True)
            filled_dfs.append(new_df)
        else:
            filled_dfs.append(group_df)
    filled_df = pd.concat(filled_dfs, axis=0, ignore_index=True)
    filled_df.sort_values(['pmid', 'paragraph', 'sentence'], axis=0, inplace=True, kind='mergesort')
    filled_df.reset_index(inplace=True, drop=True)
    return filled_df


A Galway farmer is hoping that he will recover losses brought on by a series of tough budgets.
Ambrose McDonagh is a cattle and sheep farmer near Portumna, and says the recessionary years and uncertainty over Brexit have seen his earnings fall significantly.
He says 2016 is one of the worst years he has ever had, and Ambrose would like to see an increase in the Areas of Natural Constraints scheme this year, which helps farmers living in marginal areas.
As a result of cuts to that scheme, he estimates he has lost €1,000 a year.
He also says he is facing difficulties passing on the family farm to his son.
Ambrose would also welcome changes to the Fair Deal scheme, which could allow farmers to exclude the value of farm assets for the first time.
This would then significantly reduce nursing home fees.


text:
Home News Culture & Lifestyle
Former Jewish commissioner of the National Basketball Association (NBA), David Stern, in December reportedly suffered a brain hemorrhage and remained under intensive care after urgent surgery. In a statement on Wednesday, the NBA said that the ailment caused the death of David Stern at the age of 77.
The NBA said that Stern died on Wednesday as a "result of brain hemorrhage" and expressed condolences to his family and NBA fans. Stern was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2014 and the International Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. He held the title of 'Commissioner Emeritus' within the NBA until his death.
Stern has been publicly credited with building the model for modern professional sports in the NBA, in terms of public service, global marketing and media distribution. During Stern's tenure as commissioner, the league added seven new teams and saw a more than 30-fold increase in revenues, according to the NBA.
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the NBA Development League (G League) also were created while Stern was in charge.
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text:
Neymar Warned He May Have To Retire At Paris Saint-Germain
Last updated 4:27 PM, Friday September 06 2019 GMT+1
Neymar has been warned that he may have to retire at Paris Saint-German unless he lowers his ridiculous salary demands.
Neymar, 27, was unable to secure a move back to Spain after Barcelona failed to agree terms with Paris Saint-Germain, and La Liga president Javier Tebas believes the superstar forward is in danger of retiring in France.
"It is always important to have good assets to increase [La Liga's] value, but he is not essential," he said about the Neymar transfer saga.
"If Neymar comes, good. If Neymar doesn't come, I don't see it as essential, because we continue to grow.
"The problem of not coming back now [to Barcelona] has to do with his own departure to PSG. It was an off-market transfer, it was only possible to happen with 'traps' to increase sponsorships.
"When you do it out of the market, it is impossible to sell again at this price. In view of the market, Neymar will retire at PSG unless he lowers his salary and also his PSG claims."
Barcelona and Real Madrid courted Neymar all summer but to no avail. Neither club met PSG's asking price of £200 million with the player set to remain at the club for at least another season.
And when he found out he had to stay in the French capital, he reportedly broke down in tears.
Spanish outlet El Chiringuito claim that Neymar was reduced to tears when his sensational return to the Camp Nou was dead in the water.
The report also claims Barcelona contacted their former player on Sunday to tell him they had done everything in their power to sign him.
When Neymar announced he was staying at the club, the Paris Saint-Germain dressing room teased him by saying "se queda" to him multiple times.
Image: Instagram
The Spanish phrase refers to Gerard Pique's Instagram post back in July 2017.
The Barcelona defender uploaded a picture of himself and Neymar accompanied with the words "Se queda" - translated as "He stays" - only for the player to complete a world record transfer to PSG.
Neymar is yet to play for PSG this season.
Topics: Football News, Paris Saint-Germain, Football, Barcelona, Neymar, Neymar News, Spain, France, Real Madrid, La Liga
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Hillcrest Parkside Assisted Living/Memory Care facility is located in Hibbing, MN and has been open since 2007. Parkside's Alzheimer's and Memory Care program is focused firmly on the individual and on providing a safe, familiar, yet stimulating environment. Parkside provides residents with peaceful and serene surroundings, specially designed to provide comfort and security for those with Alzheimer's, dementia and other forms of memory loss. Our team is trained to value each senior and to recognize their different preferences and needs. We know that memory loss affects every resident differently and focus on understanding each individual senior to provide care they respond to positively.


The director and building official for Clark County (NV) has also been recognized by U.S. Congress for contributions to building safety.
The 2012 Ronald H. Brown Standards Leadership Award, bestowed by the World Standards Day U.S. Planning Committee, will be given to Ronald Lynn, director and building official for the Clark County (NV) Department of Development Services.
The award, which honors a late U.S. Secretary of Commerce, recognizes those who dedicate themselves to the promotion of standardization as a key tool in the elimination of global trade barriers. In his role at Clark County Lynn uses codes and standards to ensure the public safety of the county's residents and millions of people who visit Las Vegas each year.
Lynn is a Past President of the ICC Board of Directors and Chair of the McCarran Airport Hazards Area Board of Adjustment, Nevada Earthquake Safety Council, Nevada Organization of Building Officials, and the Western States Earthquake Safety Council's Architecture, Engineering and Construction Committee. He was recognized by the U.S. Congress for contributions to the building safety community and received a U.S. Senate Commendation for his commitment to building safety, energy conservation, and emergency response.
The award will be presented to Lynn during World Standards Day (October 11, 2012), an event administered by ICC. The theme for this year's event is "Standards Increase Efficiency" and recognizes the role of standards, codes, and conformance activities in driving more efficient processes, services, systems, and built environments.
World Standards Day was launched in 1970, and U.S. activities are organized by a planning committee with representatives from across the standards and conformity assessment community. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) co-chair the event each year.
Thank you for writing about Ronald Lynn being awarded the 2012 Ronald H. Brown Standards Leadership Award. I am writing to clarify that the award is bestowed by the World Standards Day U.S. Planning Committee, not the International Code Council, as your story reported. The Code Council nominated Mr. Lynn for the award. The World Standards Day U.S. Planning Committee is made up of major U.S. standards development organizations, federal agencies, corporations and laboratories.


Thanks for your response to have your #GFNP yard-sign collected.
Sign up below and we'll collect the sign on Thursday 29 March.
Please leave your sign in an accessible area for our volunteers to collect by 9am Thursday.
Except where otherwise explicitly authorised, any material on this website which may be construed as electoral material or an electoral matter under any State or Commonwealth Law is authorised by L Schneiders on behalf of The Wilderness Society Ltd, 132 Davey Street, Hobart Tasmania 7000. Advice: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that this website may contain images, names and voices of people who are deceased.


What is the key to life? Happiness? Relationships? Balance? Or even suffering?
We ask Dr. Sam Chan (medical doctor and Christian communicator) which one of these it is.
We reflect on the book of Ecclesiastes and what the Bible has to say about meaning, lack of meaning and the key to it all. Join us as we ask Sam Chan some Bigger Questions.


A controversial chemical will continue to be used to kill weeds around Norwich after alternatives, including vinegar, were ruled out following trials.
The city council has long used glyphosate-based weed killers, but concerns have been raised about its impact on human health.
In 2015 the World Health Organisation said it "probably" caused cancer, although several other organisations did not come to the same conclusion and manufacturer Monsanto says it is safe.
However, the city council last summer asked its contractor Norse to look at alternatives.
A trial was conducted in Earlham Cemetery, with vinegar among the substances tested.
Green city councillor Denise Carlo last night raised the issue at City Hall, questioning how serious the council's commitment to finding an alternative was.
She said vinegar was not recommended as a tool for large-scale weed control.
Kevin Maguire, Labour's cabinet member for safe city environment, said: "Investigations of alternatives to glyphosate based products have been trialled, not least because the council is continually examining potential efficiency savings in all areas of the joint venture and to meet the council's environmental responsibilities.
Ms Carlo had pushed for a plant-based non-toxic foam called Foamstream to be tested in Norwich.
But Mr Maguire said: "For Foamstream and other alternatives, as trialled both here and in other parts of the UK, test results are variable and inconclusive.
"In order to make an informed choice on replacing a herbicide that has been used effectively for 45 years, the council will need to see a persuasive body of evidence to support any proposed alternative.


Anyone else want to take a trip to Jordan with me? I knew literally nothing about the country before Krissy sent me this photo from her own stop at the Temple of Hercules in the Amman Citadel. Now it's on my list of places I want to travel!
One of the things I found the most interesting when researching Amman and its history was the Circassian people that live there. In the 1800s, they were given a barren piece of desert with some ruins and, from their efforts, that area began to prosper and flourish, becoming what is now the capital city of Jordan. Needless to say, my mind was blown reading about it, and I knew I wanted to write a story with a Circassian main character.
While there is certainly plenty of information about the Circassian people online, I feel there were some facts I could not find. Because of this, I apologize to anyone who knows more about this group and sees a blatant error.
Hetsatsa read the note once more as she stepped out onto the porch of her family's wuna, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. The words put a smile on her face and a warmth in her limbs as she folded the note back up and stuck it in the pocket of her overdress.
With quiet steps, she moved down the porch and into the yard. She walked as if her family had no idea she was sneaking out of the house to meet Netya. The truth was, though, they all knew she was leaving and where she was going. Her uncle and Netya's uncle had set up the tryst, a continuing practice from their homeland in the Caucasus Mountains.
It wasn't far from her family's home to the columns Netya spoke of. They were located in the ruins, a place of old stone and remnants of structures built long ago by the Romans.
Netya's figure was easy recognizable by the bright light of the full moon as he leaned against one of the columns, his arms crossed over his chest, brown hair tousled by the wind. When he saw Hetsatsa approaching, he smiled broadly.
"I was starting to wonder if you were going to meet me," he said, moving down the ancient stone steps that led from the columns to the ground.
He offered his hand and she laid hers in it, letting him help her back up to the columns. They sat down, and caught up on the trivial news from the day. Through all of his normal words and topics of conversation, though, Hetsatsa could tell there was something more he wanted to say.
"What is it?" she asked when they had sufficiently covered the last gathering. Things like who had danced the most gracefully. Who looked like they hadn't been tying the leather straps around their waists to enhance their figures.
Netya gave a small, nervous smile as he fidgeted with a stone in his hand.
Hetsatsa didn't have to ask what he meant. The war had been heavy on his mind since the Ottoman Empire had formed an alliance with the Germans.
"What will you do?" she asked, trying to bite back fear and disappointment.
Hetsatsa grinned as she playfully swatted his arm.
They were quiet for a moment, enjoying a simple kind of bliss that only two young loves could feel. When the conversation started again, it was about their plans for a future together.
The next morning, Netya came to say goodbye. Hetsatsa took in his appearance, almost awed by it. His tunic, dropping to his knees, was flawless. New. He had chosen his best leather belt to wear around his waist, one that was ornamented with gold finishes. In the belt, he had placed a pistol and his poniard, a small dagger used in close combat. There was also a sword at his side. His leather boots were shined to the point that they gleamed in the morning sun.
"How do I look?" Netya asked, observing her studies of him.
Hetsatsa could do nothing but give an affirming nod, fighting back the tears that were threatening to spill over.
Netya leaned close and kissed her cheek. A goodbye and a promise. He then walked to his stallion, Sosim. A mighty beast, one whose lines could be traced back to the past famous war horses of the Cicassians when they still lived in the mountains. Hetsatsa silently pleaded with the animal to watch over her betrothed.
She watched Netya ride away until he was no longer in sight.
"I have finally received a letter." Hetsatsa's hand clutched at the missive in her pocket, as if she was clutching the very hand of Netya himself.
She was walking down the dirt road that led to the wheat fields along with her best friend Zuliy, the tools needed for a full day of work strapped to their backs.
Hetsatsa stopped and looked at her friend in surprise. Usually Zuliy was a peaceful and empathetic person.
"Why do you say such a thing?" asked Hetsatsa.
What if that happened to Netya? What if he was left to die in such a horrible way in the wreckage of a train? Far out in the desert. No one to help him.
The Circassians sided with the Ottoman Empire out of a sense of loyalty. When they had been cast out by Russia in the late 1800s, a number of them had made their way to the Ottomans, who gave them large stretches of land to settle on. That included the sparse, desert land of Amman where Hetsatsa lived. The Empire had treated the newcomers well. It only made sense that the displaced people would want to try and pay back at least some of the favor.
Hetsatsa couldn't breathe. She couldn't move, or feel, or function. The newspaper hung limply from one hand, a letter from Zamudin in the other.
The paper told her that, in September, Lawrence of Arabia had struck again in one of his most successful attacks on the Hejaz Railway yet. At least seventy Turks dead. The paper made no mention of anyone else who may have been killed, but the letter did.
In his letter, Zamudin said Netya had been on that train. He said that Netya was unaccounted for. Gone. While his body had not been recognized, there were enough corpses damaged beyond recognition that it was very probable that one of them was his. Even if he had survived and gotten away from the train, the only thing for miles around was the desert. The odds he was alive were far below grim.
Crushing both of the pieces of paper in her hands, Hetsatsa threw them onto the floor. Standing, she walked to the wall where she had set her field tools and picked them up again. She had to keep moving. Keep working. If she didn't she would completely and utterly fall apart.
On the way to the fields, she fervently prayed to the gods that hope was not entirely lost.
Hetsatsa tried to care, but she had been avoiding all news of the war since she had heard of Netya's loss.
"We should never have gotten involved in this fight," she said quietly.
Hetsatsa sat for the evening meal with her family and felt like pressing her hands into her ears.
Ever since Kuba had begun to show an interest in her at the end of January, all she had heard from her family and friends was Kuba this. Kuba that. Don't let Kuba get away. The one she detested the most was, 'You can't mourn forever'.
Who said? Who decided she wasn't allowed to mourn forever? And it had only been five months since her betrothed's passing, not an eternity as everyone seemed to think.
The next night at the gathering, Kuba stayed close be her side, trying to engage her in conversation. He was a nice enough man, and attractive. Nothing like Netya, though. She'd never see anyone the way she had seen Netya.
She tried to respond to the questions her new suitor asked, but trying to keep up with his course of conversation was beginning to make her head hurt.
During one of the dances, he went out and joined the other men. Her mother sidled up next to her and pointed out what a fine dancer he was. All Hetsatsa could think of was how grateful she was that he was temporarily sidetracked.
Kuba had proposed. Hetsatsa had asked for time to think.
As more time passed, she knew that Netya wasn't coming back. It had been six months. If he had survived the attack, that would have been plenty of time for him to find help and send her news of his condition. But there was no news, and she was beginning to be swayed by her parent's pleas that she move on and marry Kuba.
Marrying Kuba would be a wise choice. As her father had said, she would never want. Kuba was also kind, and would always take care of her. Other than feelings of love toward the man, there was nothing that would be lacking from their marriage.
"So, have you made a decision?" Zuliy asked when she saw her friend pacing along the edge of the horse corral.
It had been a full year since Netya had gone off to war. Hetsatsa felt as if it had been much longer than that, while also feeling as if he had just left. She stared numbly down at her food, knowing she needed to eat, but a desire to eat evading her.
Hetsatsa made herself smile and thanked him, then took a bite from her own plate, swallowing past the lump in her throat.
After the meal, she excused herself for a walk. The indoors felt too cramped and overpowering. Kuba said he would go with her, but she quickly turned him down, telling him she needed time to mourn Netya.
Her steps took her to the columns where Netya had told her he was leaving and asked her to marry him. She had been avoiding those columns more and more over the past year, but that evening, she needed to see them.
As she drew near, she saw a horse tied to a large stone on the ground, and her pulse quickened. Maybe it was Netya's. Maybe he had come back! On closer inspection, though, she found it was not Sosim, but rather one of the lighter and quicker horses the Bedouins used.
Though the Bedouins had resented the Cricassians moving into the area at first, staging attacks fairly frequently, they had become peaceful over the years. Attacks had become very rare, but that didn't stop Hetsatsa from proceeding with caution.
From the bottom of the steps leading to the columns, she saw a man on the platform, dressed in the usual Bedouin garb of a long, white tunic with a sleeveless cloak over top. He hadn't noticed her yet, his eyes out on the horizon, hands clutched behind his back.
The man's dark brown eyes snapped over to her.
"You are Hestatsa?" he asked in an Arabic dialect.
Hetsatsa place a hand over her mouth as a sob erupted from her.
"Where?" she asked through a wave of tears.
Again, that look over the man's face.
Frustrated with the lack of information she was receiving, Hestsatsa marched back down the steps and over to the Bedouin's horse. She quickly untied the animal and jumped on its back.
"What are you doing?" The man ran down the stairs and tried to make it to his mount, but Hestsatsa nudged the horse in the side and it moved out of the Bedouin's reach.
The man set his lips in a tight line, resolve etched in his face. He wasn't going to tell her anything. He was a Bedouin. Tough, resilient, loyal. He would walk on foot back across the desert before he'd give up something which he was not supposed to tell.
She nudged the horse again and again until the animal was in a gallop across the course plants and sand leading away from the main road.
She had only gone about a quarter mile when she heard it. Someone yelling at her, and not too far behind.
Looking back, she saw another man in Bedouin garb on horseback chasing her down, but his face was far too light to be a tribesman, and his horse was all too familiar.
Pulling back hard on the reins, she brought the horse to a fidgety halt and waited for the rider behind her to arrive.
He brought his horse to a sliding stop next to her. Quick, strong arms pulled her over onto his mount with him.
Hetsatsa threw her arms around his neck and began to cry, hugging him as tightly as she could.
After a few minutes of her tears and his soothing murmurs, she pulled back and looked up at him, wiping at her face as she did. That's when she noticed the scars on his face. The largest one started close to his right ear, traveling down the side of his cheek to the top of his neck. There were other smaller ones across his nose, forehead, and left cheek.
"Are you ok?" she asked him, placing a hand to his face.
They sat there, studying each other, Sosim dancing under them.
"How are you?" Netya finally asked, his eyes searching her face, trying to assess her condition for himself.
Netya sighed and looked out toward the horizon for a moment, and then looked back down at her.
His words were calm, but Hetsatsa could see how much of a toll that decision had taken on him. Even at that moment, she could see the inner war that was waging.
"You'll leave again?" she asked quietly.
Netya looked stunned, his eyes widening in surprise.
In response, Netya wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close again.
"Kuba," Netya growled, looking like he wanted to throttle the man.
A furrow appeared between Netya's brows as he thought it over. He ran a hand across his face and gave a long exhale.
"You'll have to apologize to Muhammed about taking his horse," he said.
"You are absolutely perfect." Netya placed a hand on either side of her face and kissed her.


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Racism, USA
What We've Seen and Heard…Black Lives Matter
March 7, 2016 sndden
National Black Catholic Congress
By Sr. Gwynette Proctor, SND
(Article previously posted in the Archdiocese of Baltimore's Catholic Review diocesan newspaper)
The past three weeks have awakened a sleeping giant in Baltimore. For some, the incidents brought back horrible memories of a time long past; for others the incidents renewed inherent fears of Baltimore City and Black people in general. For some the incidents could be described as a feeling of taking back the power and making a clear and definitive statement that, "Enough is enough, I will not tolerate the deplorable conditions that diminish my humanity any longer. I will not stand idly by while family members, friends and community members continue to be victimized, abused and killed by police officers whose actions appeared to be sanctioned by law enforcement. My life matters."
In times like these, there are no quick fixes or simplistic answers to the challenges we face. Now, the healing must begin. It must open our hearts so that you can look into the face of any woman or man and see there your sister or brother. It will require us to see all human life with new eyes. The faith community and all people will need to emerge from the complacency that has characterized our failure to act on behalf of those who have no voice; those who have been pushed to the edges of our communities out of sight and forgotten; and those people who were born, are now living and expect to die believing "no one cares."
Pope Francis, in The Joy of the Gospel tells us "We need to look at our cities with a contemplative gaze, a gaze of faith which sees God dwelling in their homes, in their streets and squares. God's presence accompanies the sincere efforts of individuals and groups to find encouragement and meaning in their lives. Are we poised to embrace this "call to action?"
Thousands of youth and young adults either graduate from or drop out of a dysfunctional public education system each year. Lacking the necessary skills, knowledge and motivation to press for success, they wander aimlessly from menial jobs that do not pay a living wage. At some point an all-consuming despair and hopelessness takes root. Let's imagine an alternate educational system that offers a continuum of services to people who cannot access collegiate opportunities. The system could provide a holistic approach that brings together healthcare providers to address the psychological, emotional and physical impediments. It would be accompanied by ongoing adult educational programs while providing a seamless transition to an employment system that has leveraged the support of charitable organizations and corporations to establish long term partnerships with employers. It's a thought.
We cannot ignore the challenge to dismantle unjust and corrupt government systems that continue to perpetuate policies that are meant to "keep people poor." Are we committed the creation of a more promising future? I imagine the responses to these questions will depend greatly upon what we have seen and heard.
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World map: the literal translation of country names
We live in a time of air travel and global exploration. We're free to roam the planet and discover new countries and cultures. But how much do you know about the people who lived and explored these destinations in times past?
Learning the etymology – the origin of words – of countries around the world offers us fascinating insight into the origins of some of our favorite travel destinations and the people who first lived there.
The map of the world featuring the literal translation of each country.
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Europe has a long history of exploration, and many of the country names reflect the lands and those who explored them. France takes its name from a coalition of Germanic tribes, the Franks. The name Frank comes from the Old German word franka, meaning 'fierce', making France the Land of the Fierce. Some even map the trails that people used to use to discover their world. Norway simply means 'The Way North', or 'The Northern Way', making reference to an old Viking route.
Literal European country names featuring such classics as "Land of Many Rabbits" (Spain) and "Forest Clearer" (Latvia).
Africa is known as the cradle of civilisation – the place where all human life stems from. Its country names reveal a history of indigenous cultures and colonisation. For example, Malawi means 'Land of Flames,' which is thought to reflect the local habit of burning off dead grass to prepare the land for cultivation.
The continent has had its fair share of explorers land on its shores. Portuguese explorer Fernando Poo travelled along the river Wouri in 1472, finding an abundance of shrimp along the way. He discovered and named Rio dos Camarões 'River of Prawns,' but it's now known as Cameroon.
Literally translated African country names including "Land of Honest Men" (Burkino Faso), which is ironically ranked 74th least corrupt out of 175 countries in 2018.
Asia takes up a third of the world's total land area and is the most populated continent on the planet. Its rich diversity of culture and history is reflected in its country names.
The Koryŏ dynasty ruled their kingdom from 935 to 1392 CE, overseeing a country that was forming its own distinct cultural traditions. That country is now known as Korea, which can be translated as 'high and beautiful'. We can also learn about the geography of the region. Iraq's name refers to its location astride the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. It comes from the Arabic al-'irāq, which translates to 'beside the water'.
"The Land of the Thunder Dragon", i.e. Bhutan, is one of the coolest literal country names in Asia. Azerbaijan should stick with "Protected by Fire"!
North American country names tell a story of European colonisation. The name 'America' itself may come from Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci, who was the first person to realize that continent was a separate landmass and not on the east coast of Asia.
This was the 'New World,' and one destined for a tragic period of war and conflict over land. Mexico, colonised by Spain, is the simplified Spanish translation of a Nahuatl name for the Aztec capital, said to mean 'In the Navel of the Moon'. Spanish explorers reached much of Central America and the Caribbean, too, where they found gems like the 'Land by the Water' and the 'Place of Pomegranates' – known today as Nicaragua and Grenada.
Much of North America has been influenced by European colonialists, e.g. El Salvador and Costa Rica being derived from "The Savior" and "Rich Coast" respectively.
South America has some of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. It's also home to the world's largest river: the Amazon. It shouldn't come as a surprise, then, that many of the country names reflect.
The abundance of water found there. Guyana is derived from an indigenous Amerindian language and means 'Land of Many Waters,' while neighbouring Venezuela is named after the city of canals, 'Little Venice'.
Three countries in South America have the equator passing through them, and this is, in fact, where Ecuador gets its name. The Spanish word for equator is, you guessed it, Ecuador. The north/south divider also passes through 'Red Dyewood' and the place 'Where the Land Ends.' Any guesses?
South American country names are highly descriptive, for example, "Land Beside the Silvery River" (Argentina) and "Land of Columbus" (Colombia).
Oceania may be the smallest continent, but its diverse landscapes – from tropical rainforest to volcanoes to grasslands – have fascinated people for centuries.
It was the Greeks who came up with the name Terra Australis Incognita, meaning 'Unknown Southern Land,' when they were dreaming of unknown lands in the southern hemisphere. Some believe that these lands down under gave birth to the entire universe. Samoa translates to 'Sacred Centre,' and legend has it that this is where Samoan God Tagaloalagi of the Heavens created the world.
Here we have our very own Australia, a.k.a. "Southern Land". Nauru, which literally translates as "I Go to The Beach", sounds like a fantastic place to live!
As you plan your next trip, perhaps take some time to learn the meaning behind the names of the countries you'll be visiting. In addition to offering some context, you'll have something unique to bring up over drinks with the locals! Language is certainly a fascinating thing.
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Bengaluru: A suspected cylinder blast killed a 32-year old scientist and injured three others during an experiment in the aero-dynamics laboratory of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) here Wednesday, police said.
Four technicians of a private start-up company were involved in an experiment at the laboratory when an explosion occurred suddenly at around 2.20 pm, said the police.
"One engineer was thrown 20 feet and died instantly. The other three were admitted to hospital. It is the first time that something like this has happened in IISc," the security in charge at IISc told NDTV.
Technician Manoj from Mysuru died on the spot while three others suffered severe wounds, and were rushed to a nearby hospital. Though the nature of explosion and its cause were yet to be established, it was suspected that the incident occurred due to a blast in a cylinder containing Hydrogen gas, police said.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Niranjan Raj Urs told PTI that the start-up company Superwave Technologies Private Limited was having a tie-up with the IISc for carrying out experiments pertaining to its research.
"Forensic experts would ascertain the actual cause of the accident but it seems like a cylinder blast," he said.


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The Accounting Onion
Tom Selling, PhD, CPA - - Peeling away financial reporting issues one layer at a time.
The Death and Transfiguration of "Substance Over Form" in U.S. GAAP
Over the years, the notion of accounting for "substance over form" has been trumpeted in IFRS circles as the apotheosis of principles-based accounting. From a practical standpoint, something like it is absolutely necessary for filling in the large gaps in specific guidance and the paucity of application examples.
This is what the IASB's Conceptual Framework said about "substance over form" until pretty recently (more on the change later):
"If information is to represent faithfully the transactions and other events that it purports to represent, it is necessary that they are accounted for and presented in accordance with their substance and economic reality and not merely their legal form. The substance of transactions or other events is not always consistent with that which is apparent from their legal or contrived form. For example, an entity may dispose of an asset to another party in such a way that the documentation purports to pass legal ownership to that party; nevertheless, agreements may exist that ensure that the entity continues to enjoy the future economic benefits embodied in the asset. In such circumstances, the reporting of a sale would not represent faithfully the transaction entered into (if indeed there was a transaction). [¶35, emphasis added]
In stark contrast, the FASB firmly rejected the notion more than 30 years ago:
"Substance over form is an idea that also has its proponents, but it is not included [in the hierarchy of accounting qualities] because it would be redundant. The quality of reliability and, in particular, of representational faithfulness leaves no room for accounting representations that subordinate substance to form. Substance over form is, in any case, a rather vague idea that defies precise definition." [Statement of Financial Accounting Concepts No. 2, Qualitative Characteristics of Accounting Information, ¶160, 1980; emphasis added]
The example in the quotation from the IFRS concepts document, on legal ownership versus economic benefits, feeds right into an anecdote a good friend and trusted source related to me recently. I'll call him George.*
George was attending a conference where he asked a German accountant about the criteria that was used in his country for distinguishing between an operating and a capital lease under IAS 17. "If ze lease term ist greater than 70% of ze remaining economic life of ze asset, zen vee capitalize ze lease," said the German.
"Why 70 and not 75%?" asked George.
"Because 75% ist zee American standard," responded the German. He walked away without further explanation.
George asked a French accountant in attendance the same lease capitalization question. His answer was 90%; and when George asked him why, he too just shrugged and walked away.
That's the reality of the application of substance over form. Whatever "substance" might mean to the accounting standards setters, we all know that's not the way the pros play the game.
Under IFRS, "substance over form" can be more than a gap filler. It has even been used to trump specific accounting rules. In 2008, Société Générale chose to shove losses incurred on their account by a rogue trader into 2007's income statement, thus netting them with his gains of the previous year. There is no disputing that the losses occurred in 2008, yet the company's position is that application of specific IFRS rules (very simply, marking standalone derivatives to market with the result gains/losses going to income) would, for reasons unstated, result in a failure of the financial statements to present a "true and fair view" – i.e., substance over form. You might also be interested to know that the financial statements of French companies are opined on by not just one, but two, auditors. How could both be wrong about the "substance" of those losses? C'est imposible.
Bringing Back the Dead
If IFRS were to converge with U.S. GAAP, then it was imperative that "substance over form" be resurrected. The deed was done through the joint project to converge conceptual frameworks and hidden the basis for conclusion section in CON 8:
"Substance over form is not considered a separate component of faithful representation because it would be redundant. Faithful representation means that financial information represents the substance of an economic phenomenon rather than merely representing its legal form. Representing a legal form that differs from the economic substance of the underlying economic phenomenon could not result in a faithful representation." [¶BC3.26]
The positions of the IASB and FASB are now identical, because the same language was incorporated into the IASB's framework. The new language in CON 8 is eerily similar to old CON 2, but there are two important differences. First, the last sentence of CON 2 on the vagueness of the "substance over form" notion is conveniently omitted. Second and relatedly, the next two sentences make out "substance over form" and "faithful representation" (now one of the two "fundamental" qualitative characteristics of financial information). to be one and the same. That's pretty convenient since "representational faithfulness" doesn't seem to mean anything more or less than telling the truth. Effectively, CON 8 now says, 'The two fundamental qualitative characteristics of financial information are relevance and being truthful.' Wow, that's deep.
Does it matter that for U.S. GAAP "substance over form" has been resurrected and transfigured into "representational faithfulness"? Yes. If you are looking for example of the ways in which convergence with IFRS has diminsihed the quality of U.S. GAAP, I would make bringing back "substance over form" Case in Point No. 1. Three examples of recent consequence come to mind.
First, the AICPA has proposed to make "substance over form" a key component of its proposed accounting framework for SMEs:
"The substance of transactions and events may not always be consistent with the substance apparent from their legal or other form. To determine the substance of a transaction or event, it may be necessary to consider a group of related transactions and events as a whole. The determination of the substance of a transaction or event will be a matter of professional judgment in the circumstances." [¶1.13, emphasis added]
That last sentence is just another way of acknowledging the FASB's concern expressed in CON 2 (and which has magically disappeared): that no one knows what "substance over form" means. As a teacher, I anticipate explaining to students that a real professional knows substance is, and she knows it when she sees it. As a litigation consultant, I'm already salivating over the prospects for the extra work it promises: whenever "substance over form" is invoked to justify an accounting treatment, plaintiffs and defendants alike will arm themselves with experts swearing this "substance" and that "substance."
Is this really how the AICPA envisions it will make financial reporting less burdensome for SMEs?
Second, "substance over form" can be used by standard setters to justify almost anything. Most recently we see it being proposed to help lessees smooth lease expense. The same can also be said for the revenue recognition proposals that would permit recognition of so-called "constructive liabilities" as performance obligations.
Third, now that convergence is failed, the SEC is being pressured to adopt IFRS – if not wholesale, then to allow companies to elect IFRS instead of U.S. GAAP. Yet, whenever a particular wrinkle in a contract is not specifically addressed in an authoritative document, the IFRS accountant is charged with somehow being able to parse "substance" from "legal form" with "management's intent" thrown into the mix. And, somehow, the auditor is supposed to be able to determine whether its client's divine revelation is at least "reasonable."
IFRS adoption in any form would be an unmitigated disaster, with the ridiculous notion of "substance over form" playing a leading role. It's a concept that should have no place in U.S. GAAP, and convergence is to blame for bringing it back.
Jan 18, 2013 12:14:25 AM | Accounting Concepts and Conceptual Framework, IFRS/Convergence
I fully agree with you. Converting to IFRS is the most stupid thing to do. But you know this country is going towards Europe styple under current administration and unfortunately accounting/auditing is just part of the whole plan.
Posted by: David | January 27, 2013 at 01:24 PM
Why Nothing Sticks to Auditors when Loans Go Bad I read numerous news sources this week echoing the SEC's announcement that it finally has a case it thinks it can win against auditors stemming from the 2008 financial crisis. One journalist, Jon Weil of Bloomberg, takes it a step further to ask, 'What took so long'? "It has been frustrating to look at the SEC's own highlights of the lawsuits it has filed in connection with the financial crisis -- and to see that none of them had been against an auditor. Now the SEC will have one case to cite, albeit against a couple of small fries. It...
HP's Autonomy Debacle: Mistakes were Made -- and Capitalized? Companies overpay to acquire other companies all the time; but Hewlett Packard Co. just might be the new record holder for getting fleeced. I don't have the exact amount, but let's say that the goodwill HP initially recorded from the E.D.S. and the Autonomy acquisitions combined was on the order of $20 billion. Given the subsequent goodwill impairment charges for most of it, and the revelations that surrounded those charges, it should come as no surprise that investors have expressed dissatisfaction with everyone – management and the board, their outside financial advisors and auditors – associated with the decision making...
Tom Selling
Professor Emeritus of Accounting, now working as an independent provider of consulting, training and litigation support services.
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Greece sends aid to Beirut as injuries of Greek nationals come to light
An injured man in the Beirut bomb blast. Photo: AAP
6 August 2020 7:52am
Greece sent its Special disaster Force (EMAK) to Lebanon on Wednesday, following two blasts which flattened the port area of Beirut.
The EMAK unit includes 13 rescue staff, specially trained dogs and required equipment, and was the first to arrive in Beirut on a C130 military plane, to express Greece's solidarity in the tragedy.
The Greek government has confirmed that five Greek nationals were injured in the blast in Beirut. Diplomatic sources say that two of the nationals maintain serious injuries, and the death of a Greek woman has also been confirmed.
The same sources state the Greek Orthodox hospital in the Lebanese capital is no longer functioning. Patients there have been transferred to other hospitals.
READ MORE: Greece stands beside Beirut following two massive blasts
The Greek embassy in Beirut, which suffered some structural damage as a result of the blast, is in contact with Lebanese authorities.
Greek citizens in Lebanon should contact the Greek Embassy in emergency situations on 00961 78990315 and 00961 81507061, as well as the foreign ministry's Crisis Management Unit at the phone line +30210368 1730 and the e-mail: kt@mfa.gr.


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Morris Chestnut Receives Star On Hollywood Walk Of Fame And Wishes He 'Studied' More After His Big Break
He also gave some much-needed advice to aspiring actors.
'Shark Tank's' Daymond John Calls March Madness 'Modern-Day Slavery'
"I think this is modern-day slavery, and they're just giving them a little bit of a crumb," the FUBU co-founder told TMZ.
Women's History Month: Halle Berry Is An Undeniable Force In Hollywood
The Cleveland, Ohio native is the first woman of color to win the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2002 and is still the only Black woman to have won the award.
'The Walking Dead' Actor Moses J. Moseley's Cause of Death Revealed
"Moses was an amazing person and if you had the opportunity to meet him he would have made your day amazing," said his manager in a statement.
Angela Bassett Promises The 'Black Panther' Sequel Will 'Top' The First One
She also reflected on her time with Chadwick Boseman, who she called "a leader, amazing talent" with a "big heart [and] great intellect."
Raven-Symoné Walks Off 'Raven's Home' Set Over Florida 'Don't Say Gay' Bill
"We are walking out today in support of this ridiculous bill... we don't like it! We're walking out. It's stupid. We love everyone," she said on Instagram.
Deion Sanders Blasts NFL Scouts Absent From Jackson State Pro Day
"You 10 that's missing, if I catch you at Mississippi State or Ole Miss, it's going to be a problem," the coach warned.
Ms. Pat Says She Doesn't Workshop Jokes With Her Family Before Performing Onstage
The standup comedian spoke with BET.com about her Netflix special 'Y'all Wanna Hear Something Crazy' and why she thinks her wisecracking jokes are relatable.
Will Packer Says Producing The Oscars Was A 'Challenge' He Needed To Overcome
Shayla Cowan, who also serves as a co-producer for the ceremony, shares the process she and Packer went through to have three women hosts this year.
Women's History Month: Erin Jackson Inspires Others With Her Determination
The 29-year-old was the first Black woman to win a gold medal in speed skating at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
'Love & Hip Hop' Star Apple Watts Hospitalized And Unresponsive After Major Car Crash
She was reportedly life-flighted to a nearby hospital after her Mercedes and a pickup truck collided, causing her car to flip over several times before catching on fire.
"If I knew when I was first starting out that I would still be here, I would have focused more on the craft. I would have studied like crazy in the beginning," he said.
Pregnant Rihanna Doppelgänger Causes A Scene In Brazil
This Rihanna lookalike let fans touch her belly and even conducted an interview on the local news.
Will Smith And Chris Rock Share Extremely Tense Moment On Oscar Stage
"Keep my wife's name out of your f–king mouth," Smith told Rock.
Kobe Bryant Estate And Nike Announce New Long Term Deal
Bryant's initial endorsement deal expired less than a year ago.
Tiffany Haddish Responds To Will Smith Slap At Oscars: 'It Was The Most Beautiful Thing'
"Maybe the world might not like how it went down, but for me, it was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," the comedian and actress said.
Richard Williams Breaks His Silence On Will Smith Slapping Chris Rock At The Oscars
Williams' son, Chavoita LeSane, revealed his father was surprised just like everyone else.
Jada Pinkett Smith Breaks Silence Responding To Will Smith Slap At Oscars
She posted a brief message on Instagram.
Chris Rock's Summer Comedy Tour Ticket Sales And Prices Rise After Will Smith Slap
TickPick notes that the surge of ticket prices have also risen from a minimum of $46 per ticket on March 18 to now a minimum of $341.
'Love & Hip Hop' Star Mimi Faust Says Joseline Hernandez's 'Energy Is Off'
She says that despite their daughter's being half-sisters, "I don't f**k with her."
Women's History Month: Shiona Turini Turns Heads With Her Stylish Looks
The former costume designer of HBO's 'Insecure' is a go-to wardrobe consultant for many A-listers in the film industry.
'Real Housewives Of Atlanta' Fans Want NeNe Leakes To Return To The Show After Season 14 Trailer Drops
The highly anticipated trailer for the new season, premiering May 1, had the reality star trending on Twitter.


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Jewish Journeys go out of the ordinary
Pubblicato in Senza categoria il 31 August 2020 - 11 אלול 5780
By Pagine Ebraiche staff
Forget crowded walks and kosher food tastings. Make way, instead, for a new way of experiencing the history, culture, and traditions of Italian Judaism. The upcoming European Day of Jewish Culture, scheduled for Sunday 6 September, is going to be different from past ones. In the wake of Covid 19, that dramatically affected Italy, the 21th edition of the event, focused on the theme "Jewish Journeys" will also take place in unprecedented ways, relying heavily on new technologies.
The leading city will be for the first Rome, the oldest Jewish community in the Diaspora, and events will be held in over 90 Italian cities and towns. The inauguration will take place at the Palace of Culture, and during the day it will be possible to visit the Jewish Museum, the synagogues, the Jewish Archive and part of the archaeological site in Ostia, where are the remains of one of the oldest synagogues in the world.
As recommended by the AEPJ, the European umbrella organization, many of the events will take place online with virtual itineraries in synagogues, museums, and Jewish neighborhoods, performances, lectures and roundtables. The goal is to allow participants to learn more about the life and traditions of a minority who has been in Italy for over 2,000 years, and to do it in complete safety.
The situation has entailed new limits, explained Noemi Di Segni, UCEI President, but it is also an opportunity to experiment a different way of creating and enjoying a culture: a way of "pushing us to refine and implement new resources and new possibilities". Despite the great difficulties, Di Segni emphasized the luck of living in a hyper-connected age. And therefore, she stated, also "the European Day of Jewish Culture keeps up with our times, marking a great virtual experiment, which in some cases can still take place where permitted, with the utmost rigor and respect for the regulations in person. We hope it will arise the interest of a wide audience this year as well."
The challenge is to bring attention to a "lively and alive Judaism, which wishes to open up and make its contribution to society, and which we hope will represent a moment of joy and a light of hope for the whole country, in this difficult time. A moment that Italy," concluded Di Segni, "is proving to be able to face with great strength, dignity and a sense of community".
To explore the topics that will be addressed, you can visit the event website, www.ucei.it/giornatadellacultura. More information on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Giornata-Europea-della-Cultura-Ebraica-157028447700593) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/giornatadellacultura/). Many of the events will be streamed online.
Jewish journeys across Italy
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ITALICS Livorno: Jewish culture day postponed to mourn flash floods victims
EVENTS Italy Gears up to Celebrate Jewish Culture and Its Languages
NEWS Gearing up for the European Day of Jewish Culture
NEWS European Day of Jewish Culture 2016 Will Focus on Languages
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Out of the Boot
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