text:
The rebel rich: These days billionaires are the new disruptors
Among the many unlikely winners this year is the billionaire tech investor Peter Thiel.
The rebel rich: These days billionaires are the new disruptors Among the many unlikely winners this year is the billionaire tech investor Peter Thiel. Check out this story on USATODAY.com: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/columnist/wolff/2016/12/18/rebel-rich-these-days-billionaires-new-disruptors/95517446/
Michael Wolff, Special to USA TODAY Published 7:00 p.m. ET Dec. 18, 2016 | Updated 10:40 a.m. ET Dec. 19, 2016
Apple CEO Tim Cook, right, and PayPal founder Peter Thiel, center, listen as President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with technology industry leaders at Trump Tower in New York, Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2016.(Photo: USA TODAY)
Among the many unlikely winners this year is the billionaire tech investor Peter Thiel. He Quixotically—or capriciously—funded Hulk Hogan's lawsuit against the gossip site, Gawker, which had previously outed Thiel as being gay, a suit that ended in the bankruptcy of the company and the folding of the site. Then, alone among the Silicon Valley elite, Thiel backed Donald Trump in his Quixotic—or capricious—and victorious run for the presidency.
This creates a character quite confounding to right-thinking or conventional thinking people everywhere: a billionaire contrarian. Billionaires, at least after having made their billions, tend to be supporters of the status quo. Why wouldn't they? That status quo has been good to them, and, in any disruption of it, they have the most to lose.
But Thiel, along with his new cohort, Trump, helped turned the status quo inside out. Curiously, neither rich man seems to mind being hated by a good portion of the people who made them rich.
That too is an odd development, because, while liberals decry them for being rich, they have in significant ways rejected the values of being rich. They are traitors to their class.
Of course, this is complicated, too. Because they are obviously not giving away their money (Trump in fact, seems to be defiantly set on holding on to his business interests, conflicts be damned), nor in any way feel guilty about it. Rather, they have so much wealth that they can now turn against it as much as they want without having to risk losing any of it (they have so much that they'll keep making more, whatever they do). And Trump, while he may have converted himself into a populist with a set of unbusinessman-like ideas, and indeed was rejected during his campaign by most of American's leading executives, yet now fills his cabinet with other rich businessmen.
Still, something clearly different has happened—and it is frightening to many people: these are rich men rich enough and entitled enough to do exactly as they please. But notably, this same entitled impulse has them dramatically dissing the establishment that they are part of.
That's one of the stranger aspects of the Trump populist phenomenon. Can there be a more unlikely populist than Donald Trump, born into wealth and having lived his life almost exclusively in penthouses and on red carpets and in newspaper gossip columns? How again does he become the personification of the common man? What precisely is that archetype?
Similarly, Gawker, Peter Thiel's target, was the gadfly, the take-no-prisoners provocateur, a fearless gang lousing up the powerful, disregarding the usual courtesies of a social-climbing world. That is until Thiel himself became all those things, one-upping Gawker at every turn.
What happens when the rich—or super rich—become the disrupters?
The tech journalist Kara Swisher, a long-time Silicon Valley booster, asked a similar question when the tech elite—corralled and rather led by the nose by Peter Thiel—headed to meet with Trump last week. She was offended that the tech icons of disruption were now being humbled by the disruptive new president, quite unmindful of the irony that this might seem to many a satisfying leveling of the playing field with one set of richies, previously dominant, now forced to their knees in front of the currently dominant richie.
Thiel and Trump, upsetting the PR status quo, have both waged war against the media. In the media's eyes this is Goliath against David. The media, no matter how united in its views or unforgiving in its moral condemnations or lethal in its attacks or chronically unpopular, yet believes it represents constitutional freedoms and, speaking truth to power, the will of the people. The media's current stuck-pig howl of rage is about being challenged by both Thiel and Trump on this point. Both billionaires have framed the media as a self-interested concentration of wealth and power, out of touch with the larger world.
It is, to some degree, the powerful fighting it out with the powerful. It's 13th Century England and the barons are fighting the king. Or it's a Mafia war.
It's all quite an unexpected turn. The left-wing critique of the 1% and its corporate concentrations sees a powerful group using its wealth to further its own interests. But this critique seems not to have followed to the logical end the nature of the willfulness and entitlements of the rich and powerful. The natural result is for them to turn on each other. In this, at least in some not implausible interpretation, the will of the people is defended against the richie-rich autocracy by other richie riches.
This is our present and peculiar world where the rich are the rebels.


text:
Nintendo's Extended Amiibo Video Is Weird And Long But Good
Nintendo has a new online ad for its Amiibo 'toys-to-life' mobile figures, and the spot depicts the lengthy journey of one young player looking to upgrade his collectible character in order to win over the favours of one of his older brother's friends. The story arc and acting are weird and generally not good, but the video is mostly fun, and it gives you a decent look at how Nintendo's Amiibo will work in action in the upcoming Super Smash Bros. for Wii U game.
Plus it reveals that there are 50 potential levels you can attain for your Miibo, which, if that's common to all games where they're supported and not just Super Smash Bros. Wii U, means that Nintendo's toys-to-life line will be introduced with a lot more potential in terms of progression than any other competitors, including the Skylanders line and Disney's Infinity toys.
The Wii U was made for these NFC-powered toys, but we'll have to wait and see if it's enough to turn around flagging sales of the console, which is so far way behind the competition from both Sony and Microsoft. The Amiibo, along with Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, arrive on November 21 in the U.S.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
import datetime

# -- Project information -----------------------------------------------------

project = 'nc-time-axis'
year = datetime.datetime.today().year
copyright = f'2016-{year}, nc-time-axis developers'
author = 'nc-time-axis developers'

# -- General configuration ---------------------------------------------------

# Add any Sphinx extension module names here, as strings. They can be
# extensions coming with Sphinx (named 'sphinx.ext.*') or your custom
# ones.
extensions = [
    'sphinx.ext.autodoc',
    'sphinx.ext.autosummary',
    "sphinx.ext.extlinks",
    "sphinx.ext.intersphinx",
    'numpydoc',
    "IPython.sphinxext.ipython_directive",
    "IPython.sphinxext.ipython_console_highlighting",
]

# Add any paths that contain templates here, relative to this directory.
templates_path = ['_templates']

# List of patterns, relative to source directory, that match files and
# directories to ignore when looking for source files.
# This pattern also affects html_static_path and html_extra_path.
exclude_patterns = ['_build', 'Thumbs.db', '.DS_Store']

# -- Options for HTML output -------------------------------------------------

# The theme to use for HTML and HTML Help pages.  See the documentation for
# a list of builtin themes.
#
html_theme = 'sphinx_rtd_theme'

# Add any paths that contain custom static files (such as style sheets) here,
# relative to this directory. They are copied after the builtin static files,
# so a file named "default.css" will overwrite the builtin "default.css".
html_static_path = ['_static']

intersphinx_mapping = {
    "cftime": ("https://unidata.github.io/cftime", None),
    "matplotlib": ("https://matplotlib.org/stable", None),
    "numpy": ("https://numpy.org/doc/stable", None),
    "python": ("https://docs.python.org/3/", None),
}

extlinks = {
    "discussion": ("https://github.com/SciTools/nc-time-axis/discussions/%s", "GH"),
    "issue": ("https://github.com/SciTools/nc-time-axis/issues/%s", "GH"),
    "pull": ("https://github.com/SciTools/nc-time-axis/pull/%s", "PR"),
}

autosummary_generate = True

html_theme_options = {
    'navigation_depth': 2,
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Home News Global news Student news wrap 23/05/19
Student news wrap 23/05/19
By Staff Writer -
NSFAS wants presenters for their new TV show
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is looking for young vibrant NSFAS funded students to present the new NSFAS Uncapped TV show. Nine lucky students from across the country will be chosen.
Here's how you do it:
– Send in your own home-made 30 second audition video posted on your Facebook or Twitter page and use the #NSFASPresenterSearch hashtag
– Tell everyone how NSFAS has helped you as a student.
– The more likes or retweets on your video the better your chances.
Winners will be announced on 16th June 2019 (Youth Day).
Student wears worker's overalls to graduation
Mondli Xulu has come a long way from surviving on social grants and hustling to support his family. Through National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding, he has earned three degrees and is enrolled for a masters degree.
Xulu caused a stir after wearing a pair of worker's overalls and a hard hat to his graduation ceremony at the University of Zululand last week. He stated that he did not have money to buy a suit but also wanted to protest against graduate unemployment. Despite his success with studying he has yet to secure an internship. "I have been trying and trying with no luck. I am still looking, I will never give up till something comes my way," he said adding that he posted his pictures online to try and find a job to support his unemployed siblings and himself. – Read more on this story on the Times Live news site
The bar is open but we have no church venues – UL students
The University of Limpopo (UL) has given students the bar they wanted for their own safety, but it's not sitting well with others. Frustrated students took to social media on the weekend to vent about the "closure" of venues for church services held on campus, while the bar remained open. Acting university spokesperson Mosela Selepe responded that some of the church venues were being used as examination rooms where tables are marked at night and the rooms locked to prevent people from removing the numbers. He added that churches are being allocated venues within residence areas and bar services were not in operation during the examination period. The student bar has been operating for more than a month now. – Read more on the Sowetan Live site.
400 US students get their loans cleared by philanthropist
Christmas came early for the class of 2019 at Morehouse College. Close on 400 students were stunned when philanthropist Robert F Smith, told them he would pay off all of their student loans. Besides the estimated $10million (ZAR 143million) to clear the student debt, the billionaire technology investor also donated $1.5m to the college. One student, owing $200,000 (ZAR 2.8million) in loans, wept with relief and joy at the news. Watch the video and read the full story on the BBC news site
Previous articlePenalties give NWU the cup
Next articleWhat are you up to this Africa Day?
https://studentnewsgrid.com
NYDA to tackle student suicide
NSFAS staffers nabbed for fraud
Failed surgeons get to rewrite exam


We have started reading a children's version at home and our son is loving it, our daughter not so much. I have had to stop and explain some bits as they don't have the vocabulary for some of the concepts that come up. But we are doing well, it is a great exercise to see what is missing and great exposure to vocabulary we don't use regularly at home. If you want to get your own version for kids in Spanish your best bet is to go to amazon.es, there is also a kindle version in Spanish in amazon uk which is quite cool since the chapters are written in comic format. The one we are reading at home is published by Susaeta and is a good balance of writing and pictures for our 5 and 7 year olds; if you are not sure what to buy you can look at what guiadelniño.com recommends and to get started today, go to this great site which has Poems in Spanish for all sorts of famous characters and situations. Here is a link to the poems about El Quijote and its wonderful people.
Of course the other option for the culture factor is to get the children to read it themselves in English, Usborne has published a young readers version of it.
The Processions- My grandmother celebrates her religion, I celebrate her. We both celebrate our culture Were Cervantes and Shakespeare the same person?


J. Craig Venter and colleagues have launched a full frontal assault on direct-to-consumer genetic firms, by publishing an opinion piece in Nature that calls into question the value of DTC genetic tests. By conducting a small experiment that compared tests from two competing companies (23andMe of Mountain View, CA, and Navigenics of Foster City, CA), the team showed the presence of some serious inconsistencies between the results. Moreover, Venter's group questions how much practical and actionable information one could gain from these tests, and suggests stronger, more effective reporting standards for this newly emerging direct-to-consumer technology.


text:
Home CW Supergirl The CW reveals Official Synopsis Of Supergirl episode Parasite Lost
The CW reveals Official Synopsis Of Supergirl episode Parasite Lost
D. Bevers
The CW has released the Official Synopsis of Supergirl episode "Parasite Lost" (4.05) that will be aired Sunday, November 11 at 08:00-09:00 PM.
OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS
THE POWER OF THE PEN
Colonel Haley (April Parker Jones) makes a surprising decision regarding Supergirl (Melissa Benoist). Kara writes s series of articles highlighting aliens in National City in the hopes that humans will stop being so fearful of them. Unfortunately, the article puts some of the aliens in harm's way.
SUPERGIRL stars Melissa Benoist as Kara Danvers/Supergirl, Chyler Leigh as Alex Danvers, Mehcad Brooks as James Olsen, David Harewood as Hank Henshaw, Jeremy Jordan as Winslow "Winn" Schott and Tyler Hoechlin as Superman.
Supergirl is an action-adventure drama based on the DC Comics character Kara Zor-El (Melissa Benoist), Superman's (Kal-El) cousin who, after 12 years of keeping her powers a secret on Earth, decides to finally embrace her superhuman abilities and be the hero she was always meant to be.
Based on characters appearing in comic books and graphic novels published by DC Comics, with executive producers Greg Berlanti, Ali Adler, Sarah Schecter and Andrew Kreisberg for Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.
Parasite Lost
http://www.heroesvue.com
Heroes Vue - Senior News Desk Editor
The CW released Promotional Photos of Supergirl episode The Quest for Peace
The CW released Teaser Trailer of Supergirl episode The Quest for Peace
The CW released Promotional Photos of Supergirl episode Red Dawn


text:
// T3000UpdateDlg.cpp : implementation file
//

#include "stdafx.h"
#include "T3000.h"
#include "T3000UpdateDlg.h"
#include "afxdialogex.h"
#include "global_function.h"

// CT3000UpdateDlg dialog

IMPLEMENT_DYNAMIC(CT3000UpdateDlg, CDialogEx)

CT3000UpdateDlg::CT3000UpdateDlg(CWnd* pParent /*=NULL*/)
	: CDialogEx(CT3000UpdateDlg::IDD, pParent)
    , versioninfor(_T(""))
{
m_new=false;
}

CT3000UpdateDlg::~CT3000UpdateDlg()
{
}

void CT3000UpdateDlg::DoDataExchange(CDataExchange* pDX)
{
    CDialogEx::DoDataExchange(pDX);
    DDX_Text(pDX, IDC_EDIT1, versioninfor);
}

BEGIN_MESSAGE_MAP(CT3000UpdateDlg, CDialogEx)
    ON_BN_CLICKED(IDOK_DOWNLOAD, &CT3000UpdateDlg::OnBnClickedDownload)
END_MESSAGE_MAP()

// CT3000UpdateDlg message handlers

BOOL CT3000UpdateDlg::OnInitDialog()
{
    CDialogEx::OnInitDialog();

    CString version=_T("2014.6.6");
    TCHAR buffer[MAX_PATH];
    CString	m_szAddress=_T("web1232.ixwebhosting.com");
    CString	m_szFilename=_T("/software/T3000_Version.txt");
    CString	m_szPassword=_T("Travel123");
    CString	m_szUsername=_T("temcoftp");
    CString	m_szVersion;
    CString m_CurrentVersion;
    BOOL bUpdate =CheckForUpdate(m_szAddress, m_szUsername, m_szPassword,
        m_szFilename, m_szVersion, buffer);
    if ( bUpdate )
    {
        CString text;

        if ( _tcscmp( buffer, version.GetBuffer() ) != 0 )//µ±Ç°°æ±¾²»ºÍ·þÎñÆ÷±£³ÖÒ»Ö£¬ÌáÐѸüÐÂ
        {
        //, buffer,version.GetBuffer()
            versioninfor.Format( _T("There is a new version of  T3000 available,Please update your T3000 !\n Update now to get the lastest feastures and improvements."));

            m_new=true;
            //int result = MessageBox( text, _T("New version available"), MB_YESNO|MB_ICONINFORMATION );
            //if ( result == IDYES )
            //{
            //    ShellExecute( GetDesktopWindow()->m_hWnd, _T("open"),
            //        _T("http://temcocontrols.com/ftp/software/9TstatSoftware.zip"), NULL, NULL, SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED );
            //}
        }
        else//±£³ÖÒ»ÖµĻ°£¬¾Í¶ÔÁË£¬ËµÃ÷ÊÇ×îеÄ
        {
            versioninfor.Format( _T("Your T3000 is the lastest version \nT3000 Ver=%s"), version.GetBuffer());
            m_new=false;

        }

    }
    else
    {
       versioninfor.Format(_T("Can't connect to temco's website \nPlease check your connection of the internet!"));
       m_new=false;
    }
     UpdateData(FALSE);
    return TRUE;  // return TRUE unless you set the focus to a control
    // EXCEPTION: OCX Property Pages should return FALSE
}

void CT3000UpdateDlg::OnBnClickedDownload()
{

    if (m_new)
    {
            ShellExecute( GetDesktopWindow()->m_hWnd, _T("open"),
                 _T("http://temcocontrols.com/ftp/software/9TstatSoftware.zip"), NULL, NULL, SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED );
    }
    else
    {
      AfxMessageBox(_T("Your T3000 is the lastest version!"));
    }
}


text:
Legal/Immigratiom
'Harriet' movie makes an unforgettable impression
By Samantha Ofole-Prince, Caribpress, Movie feature, 10/30/19
The film tells the extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman's escape from slavery and transformation into one of America's greatest heroes.
It's virtually impossible not to be moved by this story of Harriet Tubman's life. A film, which begins with her as a young slave on the Brodess plantation, and ends with her being the first woman to command a battalion in war, director Kasi Lemmons brilliantly portrays a fully rounded individual who did more than just free a few slaves.
"We all saw it as a female empowerment film, but I really viewed it as an adventure film as well," says Lemmons. "I was interested in the things that you don't know about Harriet Tubman and this was an opportunity to me to present this superhero, a real American hero, this woman that existed outside of the realm of ordinary limitations."
Lemmons, who spent months researching Tubman's life directs an incredible cast that includes British actress Cynthia Erivo as the small but mighty Tubman. A part she plays with precision, the entire story falls on the strength of her perfectly restrained performance which is heartbreaking and raw and whenever she is on screen your eyes are on her.
[Cynthia Erivo's the shinning star in 'Bad Times at the El Royale']
"There were not too many people who could play Harriet. Cynthia is fierce and she's tiny, she's strong and powerful, and she's filled with this beautiful energy and humanity. You feel her soaring soul when you talk to her and I knew this was the woman who could play Harriet Tubman for she is a force of nature," Lemmons adds.
Her tenacity is on display from the opening moments of the film when Harriet, then known as Araminta "Minty" Ross, discovers she is being sold to new owners in the South. After experiencing a powerful premonition, she realizes she needs to run. She travels on foot, relentlessly pursued at every turn by the plantation owner's son Gideon (Joe Alwyn), who calls her unruly and untamed, along with a few enlisted black slave catchers headed by Omar J. Dorsey. Littered with emotional and pivotal moments and guided by a powerful score by Oscar-nominated composer Terence Blanchard, there's a pivotal moment, where rather than allow herself to be recaptured, she chooses to throw herself into the river below.
"It's in that moment that Harriet makes the true decision to be free or die," Erivo shares. "There is no other option. I don't know if she knew that until that moment. I think that is the crux of the movie—the idea that freedom is more than just not being someone else's property. Freedom is the opposite of death."
Throughout her 100-mile quest for freedom, Tubman encounters allies and enemies who create an amazing ensemble cast. From Vondie Curtis-Hall as Reverend Green, who is secretly a conduit to the Underground Railroad, Marie Buchanon (Janelle Monáe), who runs the boarding house she resides to abolitionist William Still (Leslie Odom Jr.), from the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society in Philadelphia. It's there she ends up choosing the new name, Harriet Tubman.
Months later Tubman, armed with a gun, bravely returns to the Brodess plantation to rescue her husband, John Tubman (Zackary Momoh) and there is yet another pivotal moment when she learns the devastating news that he has moved on after her departure, has remarried and is expecting a child. That doesn't stop Tubman who becomes a full-fledged conductor on the Underground Railroad—a liberator known only as Moses, secretly helping runaway slaves reach the promised land. There are several more touching scenes of her shuttling more slaves to freedom, returning for her parents, played by Clarke Peters and Vanessa Bell Calloway to her sister who refuses to leave the plantation "Can't everybody run!" she states as Tubman tries to convince her. There's a moving encounter with the dangerous slave hunter Bigger Long (Dorsey), and another satisfying scene with the increasingly angry and reckless Gideon Brodess who is seething over the financial loss of several slaves and it's then she finally delivers her brand of justice.
The film features an ensemble of important historical figures from the 19th century including Frederick Douglass and not only covers Tubman's role as a conductor in the Underground Railroad, but her life as a suffragist and position as a spy for the Union army.
The best way to capture the true emotional weight of historical events is to portray them dramatically. This extremely powerful story about the life of the iconic freedom fighter traces her remarkable accomplishments, shares her resilience and shows what happens when a cohesive group of people come together for one common cause.
"You will come out uplifted, inspired and knowing things you didn't know before and will be incredibly moved and optimistic," says Lemmons.
"Harriet" releases in theaters November 1
Pictured (top) Cynthia Erivo; (middle) director Kasi Lemmons; Cynthia Erivo & Vondie Curtis-Hall; Omar J. Dorsey & Joe Alwyn; Cynthia Erivo & Aria Brooks (bottom): Vondie Curtis-Hall – Credit Glen Wilson / Focus Features
Categories: Top Ten
Tags: American slavery, Cynthia Erivo, Harriet movie, Harriet Tubman, historical drama, Janelle Monae, Kasi Lemmons, Leslie Odom Jr., Slavery, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Vondie Curtis-Hall
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FDA: Purell Sanitizer Doesn't Prevent The Flu — Or Ebola
Staff writer, Community, 01/29/20
Church under investigation for immigration fraud charges
National Weather Service issues Tsunami Warning after earthquake strikes between Cuba and Jamaica
CNN, 01/28/20
Women were unstoppable winning several Grammys this time around
Samantha Ofole-Prince/Pictures by Shola @ Bill Jones Photos, Caribrpress, Entertainment, 01/27/20
Koffee takes Grammy by surprise with Best Reggae Album, Rapture
L. Johnson, CaribPress, Grammy Awards, Reggae Music, 01/26/20
'The NBA family is devastated by the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna,' says NBA Commissioner Adam Silver
Staff writer, Caribpress, Sports, 01/26/20
OWN hosts event for 'Cherish the Day'
Edwin Chan, Caribpress, Event, 01/24/20
All The Red Carpet Looks At The Annual AAFCA Awards
Samantha Ofole-Prince/Photos by Royalty Images, Caribpress, Event, 01/24/20
Street closures finalized for 92nd Oscars
Katherine Tucker, Caribpress, Event, 01/24/20
'Getting a Grammy means we are getting across to the people with the Rastafari message,' says Julian Marley
By Samantha Ofole-Prince, Caribpress, Interview, 01/23/20
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the views of CaribPress.
LEGAL/IMMIGRATION
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Discos en vinilo y CD de Alone Together.
Review: The Manchester-based Horsebeach are purveyors of a starry-eyed and skyward-staring brand of indie rock that can't help but summon thoughts of John Hughes soundtracks and '80s-tinged melancholy via its jangling guitar tones and winsome aura, even whilst filtered through a kosmische prism. Lead track "Disappear" exists where New Order meet Tame Impala, yet with an indelible melody to match its sense of hazy abstraction and sun-kissed abandon. The quasi-ballad "Let You Down", meanwhile, sees a slow-dance between glacial dreampop and sullen '50s stylings. As adept with pop glamour as they are with psychedelic dreamstates, Horsebeach are just the tonic for this fast-encroaching spring.


text:
Dog Days of Summer for Congressman Steve King
By	Wayne Pacelle	on	August 3, 2012	with	0 Comments By Wayne Pacelle
Editor's note, Aug. 8, 2012: Stephen Colbert spoofed Rep. King's outrageous comments about animal fighting in this must-see segment of The Colbert Report.
The Colbert Report Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Steve King's Dogfighting Defense
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog Video Archive
Iowa Congressman Steve King is feeling the heat in the wake of his surreal attempts to justify his recent vote against an amendment to the farm bill to crack down on dogfighting and cockfighting; that amendment, which was approved by the House Agriculture Committee, sought to make it a federal crime to attend or bring a child to an animal fighting spectacle. About 20,000 people have viewed Rep. King's reply to a question from a constituent who rightly wondered why he voted against a measure to crack down on this barbaric practice. Today, King posted a follow-up reply, which you can watch here, and that is also already racking up thousands of views. It's called "Rep. Steve King (R-IA) Clarifies Statements on Dog Fighting."
Michelle Riley/The HSUS
The only thing is, he doesn't. Rep. King's latest reply is even more incoherent and strange than the original YouTube comment. He stresses that he values human life more than animal life. Okay, that's fine. But because you value human life more than animal life, does that mean you should have no regard for animals and that there should be no legal standards in place to protect them? We can place a special value on humans but still believe that animal cruelty is wrong. Most people would do anything in the world for a family member, and there's no one they value more than their parents or siblings or kids. But that doesn't mean that a person would tolerate an atrocity toward a stranger.
I've hit the topic of the congressman's statements again partly because Steve King keeps mentioning me in his YouTube videos. I seem to be in his head. The fact is, Rep. King stands alone among federally elected officials in his extremist views about animal welfare. Every other member of Iowa's Congressional delegation supports the measure to crack down on animal fighting, including Republicans Chuck Grassley and Tom Latham. During his tenure as a lawmaker, King has opposed just about all proposals to establish protections for animals―including a landmark agreement between United Egg Producers and The HSUS for the welfare of laying hens.
Animal fighting is a barbaric, despicable, and criminal practice, and the measure Rep. King voted against would shield young people from exposure to it. In the end, there's no plausible defense for someone opposing legislation to crack down on animal fighting. Just like no one should defend rape or child abuse, no one should defend animal fighting, or say it's not a crime worthy of our full attention as a society. To do so and be proud of it, in 2012, is a stunning act of folly.
Farm Animals, Public Policy (Legal/Legislative)


text:
News never stops. Neither do we. Support SILive.com
Giants' Joe Schoen on Daniel Jones: 'We're happy he's going to be here'
N.Y. Giants head coach Brian Daboll, GM Joe Schoen news conference
Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Giants general manager Joe Schoen dodged plenty of questions Monday, at his season wrap-up press conference.
But he made one thing quite clear: Pending free agent quarterback Daniel Jones will be back with this team in 2023 — and obviously beyond that.
Schoen answered pretty much every question about Jones directly — and even seemed to slip up at one point by saying he definitely would be back.
"We'd like Daniel to be here," Schoen said. "He said it [Sunday]: There's a business side to it. But we feel like Daniel played well this season. He's done everything that we asked him to do. We haven't gone down that road yet [with the business side], but we would like to have Daniel Jones back. We're pleased with how he played this season."
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Later in Monday's press conference, Schoen was asked if he believes Jones can help the Giants win a Super Bowl. He punted on that question — but did say something notable instead.
"We're happy Daniel is going to be here," Schoen said. "We're happy he's going to be here. Hopefully, we can get something done with his representatives. That would be the goal, to build a team around him, where he could lead us to win a Super Bowl."
So Schoen is saying Jones definitely will be back next season?
"We're going to have these offseason meetings here [as a front office] at the end of the week, and we're going to talk about it," Schoen said. "And then with the resources we have, we're going to talk to his representatives and hopefully be able to get something done."
Jones just finished his fourth — and by far best — season, as he thrived in new head coach Brian Daboll's offense. Schoen, as a rookie GM last offseason, wisely declined Jones' fully guaranteed fifth-year option for 2023. It would've been worth $22.3 million. But Jones at that point hadn't shown nearly enough consistency. So Schoen declining the option made sense.
Now, coming out of a strong season that included a wild-card playoff win in Minnesota, Jones is going to cash in. He finished 14th in the NFL in quarterback rating this season (92.5), compared to 26th last season (84.8).
It wouldn't be a surprise to see Schoen apply the $32.4 million franchise tag to Jones — or perhaps the $30.4 million transition tag — and use that number as the baseline this spring and summer for long-term contract negotiations.
The NFL's tagging window runs from Feb. 21 through March 7. Tagging Jones would let Schoen essentially retain exclusive negotiating rights past the March 13 start of free agency. It also would mean Schoen wouldn't be able to tag running back Saquon Barkley, another high-profile pending free agent. The long-term contract deadline for tagged players isn't until mid-July.
Unlike last offseason, Schoen now has the salary cap flexibility to pay Jones and be active in free agency. Once Schoen cuts bust wide receiver Kenny Golladay, he'll have about $60.9 million in cap space to give Jones a second contract and address the Giants' many roster holes.
Bottom line: Jones isn't going anywhere this offseason. That was already pretty much known before Monday, since the Giants aren't in position to draft a quarterback. And then Schoen's words confirmed it, as he sounded a whole lot less committed to Barkley than Jones.
Now, the questions become: Just how much will Schoen pay Jones? And for how many years will the contract effectively lock in Jones with the Giants? Those are the more complex and important issues for Schoen to address, since Jones doesn't have a long-term track record of success.
Jones on Sunday said his camp — led by super agent Jimmy Sexton — has had "positive" initial contract "conversations" with Schoen. Jones also made it clear he wants to stick around.
"I love this place," he said. "I really enjoyed my time here, and I want to be here. I think there's a business side of it all — and a lot of that I can't control. I have love and respect for this organization and ownership and the guys in this locker room. So I'd love to be here. We'll see how it all works out."
Will Schoen wind up regretting the long-term commitment he makes to Jones this offseason, if the term of that commitment indeed is too long? Or will Jones fulfill Schoen's Super Bowl dreams and justify the money he's about to get paid?
Darryl Slater may be reached at dslater@njadvancemedia.com.


I've been learning more about myself over the past few weeks. Amazing how much one can grow over a short period of time. I'm planning to pursue some old, creative (i.e. "artsier") dreams that I haven't even thought about for a while.
Singing, dancing, acting. Et cetera, et cetera.
It's a tricky concept to try to overcome – when one is both intellectual and artsy. One can get borderline existential.
I've heard it said that we are all creative in some form or fashion. Let's see how much form and fashion we muster out of hard work, determination & reaching for the stars!
I'mma go for it, guys.
Stay tuned for the products of my adventures in (wait for it) THE ARTS.


Pumpkin Dinner Rolls - easiest and best homemade pumpkin dinner rolls on skillet. So soft and pillowy you just can't stop eating.
It's pumpkin season again and everywhere I turn to, there are pumpkins of different colors, shapes and forms.
The air is crisp and the smell of pumpkin spice lingers.
This is the season to have homey food, homemade from scratch, such as these soft, fluffy and pillowy pumpkin dinner rolls.
I am a big fan of homemade dinner rolls, as they are fresh off the oven.
The store-bought ones are just not going to match as they are cold and stale.
Peeling these warm pumpkin dinner rolls off one another was such a satisfying feeling, and slathering butter on the warm rolls and watch it melt, ahhhh.
This pumpkin dinner rolls recipe is so easy and takes about 40 minutes active time.
I love making them in my cast-iron skillet.
Trust me, this is the recipe you will need this Fall season.
The pumpkin adds are nice golden color to the dinner rolls and lends a tint of sweetness.
They are so good. Enjoy!
Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl, mix and knead — using your hands, a stand mixer, or a bread machine set on the dough cycle — to make a soft, smooth dough.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, and allow it to rise for 60 to 75 minutes, until it's puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk. Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface. Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces. Round each piece into a smooth ball.
Lightly grease a large cast-iron skillet or a sheet pan and arrange the dough. Cover the skillet or sheet pan, and allow the rolls to rise until they're crowded against one another and quite puffy, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Uncover the rolls, and bake them for about 20 minutes. Cover the top with aluminum foil if they brown too fast. Remove the rolls from the oven, and brush with melted butter. Serve warm. Freeze for longer storage.
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csn fresh pumpkin be substituted?
I think so, but I haven't tried so I am not sure how it affects the results.
Since this is similar to the quick pan rolls I make quite often, I couldn't wait to try the variation and started it the minute it showed up in my mailbox. Hubs is in love with pumpkin in any form, so it was a no brainer. A late snack instead of dinner, there are leftovers that are going to be "sliders" for lunch filled with deli smoked turkey and cranberry chutney I did halve the recipe, and think that the presentation in a cast iron skillet is brilliant. The pan affects the browning, but as this recipe specifies a slightly cooler oven than I usually use it was perfect. Yeast rolls are so easy–faster than many believe–and always get a good reception at potlucks, etc. Thanks for a wonderful inspiration–our tummies were happy, too.
Pumpkin is one of my favorites! But Can't know about your recipe Rolls! But It looks Great! SoI think it's awesome. Can't wait to try this. Thank you!
I have tried many of your recipes and realized I have never said anything to you…well I am now because these dinner rolls are fabulous. So quick and easy to make and will be serving these at Thanksgiving. Thank you for sharing so many wonderful recipes.
Maybe this is answered somewhere, but I could not find it so, is it 3/4 of a 29oz can or a 15oz can of pumpkin puree.
These sound wonderful and I want to do a test run before Thanksgiving.
before I got old enough to think of recipes. Do you think I could use your recipe for pumpkin rolls and substitute sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin? Do you have any suggestions? Thanking you in advance for your help.
I think so but I am not sure since I didn't know how sweet potato rolls taste.
Thanks for the reply, Rosa. I have thoroughly enjoyed so many of your recipes. Thanks for sharing.


Outstanding Chimney Hill home. This 4-bedroom Chimney Hill home with hardwood floors offers plenty of space for making memories in the Green Mountains of Vermont. The open concept living room with vaulted ceiling, commanding wood burning fireplace and chef kitchen will be a joy to entertain in for all your family and friends. Need extra space? The lower level playroom with game tables and wet bar offers the additional space you needed. Enjoy the view from the back deck all year long. Chimney Hill is an association with a club house, indoor and outdoor pools, workout equipment, hot tub, saunas, community room for showing movies, basketball courts, tennis, skating, hiking, VAST snowmobile trails, all within a short drive to the Hermitage Club, Mount Snow, Lake Whitingham and local area shopping and restaurants. Seller replaced all windows, had septic system serviced, painted the interior and has done extensive exterior drainage within the past three years. This is truly a turn key property.
Directions:From Route 9 right on Haystack Road to Chimney Hill. Left on Chimney Hill Road follow past Club House to Upper Dam Road. Right on Rock Split house is on right side of road.


Reset Your Gut, with a foreword by Robin Berzin, MD, focuses on healing the body from the inside out, resulting in weight loss that's both sustainable and delicious.
Whether you want to address digestive issues or lose weight, or both, this plan will help the reader in a way that nourishes, not deprives.
After struggling with her weight in the past, Robyn understands that the desire to lose weight is not just about a number on the scale; it's a sign that we want something to be different in our bodies, but even more so, in our lives. Part coaching guide and part cookbook, RESET YOUR GUT helps readers optimise their digestion and shed weight for good.
The first six chapters cover Robyn's revolutionary tools including her four step 'Go with Your Gut Weight Loss Formula' that provides an easy and memorable framework for the practices she teaches in the book, and her 'Good Gut Rule of 5' that teaches readers exactly what to put on their plates at every meal.
RESET YOUR GUT also includes Robyn's 'Good Gut Reset' - a complete meal plan that will effectively reset the gut and jumpstart weight loss in just three days. The second half of the book has over 75 delicious and colourful recipes that cover every occasion and craving.
From Robyn's game-changing Power Yogurt Parfait, to her Warm Cauliflower Salad and her clever Spaghetti Switch-Up recipes, RESET YOUR GUT readers will feel supported and satisfied while naturally dropping weight.
Most of the practices in this book can be done anywhere from home to office to on-the-go, and the recipes are adaptable for any diet from vegan to paleo. Robyn's straightforward but supportive coaching style makes reading the book feel like getting advice from a very in-the-know friend who truly wants you to succeed.
Her weight loss philosophy is simple and easy to follow: Your body wants you to feel good, and the best way to reach your natural weight is to keep your gut flora happy and balance the other parts of life that 'weigh' you down.
Together, these two forces will have you looking and feeling fabulous.


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MPWR SHAREHOLDER REMINDER: Hagens Berman Reminds Investors in Monolithic Power Systems (MPWR) of an Investigation Involving Possible Securities Law Violations
Class-action law firm urges MPWR investors who have suffered significant losses to submit your loss now to learn if they qualify to recover their investment losses.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 16, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hagens Berman notifies Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MPWR) investors of the firm's investigation of possible violations of the federal securities laws and urges MPWR investors who have suffered significant losses to contact the firm.
Relevant Holding Period: Before Oct. 9, 2019
Sign Up: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/MPWR
Contact An Attorney Now: MPWR@hbsslaw.com
Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. (MPWR) Investigation:
The investigation centers on whether Monolithic Power engaged in fraudulent accounting.
On October 9, 2019, Spruce Point Capital Management published a scathing report about the company, suggesting Monolithic Power Systems engaged in improper inventory manipulation and overstated sales.
In response, the price of Monolithic Power Systems shares steeply fell during intraday trading on October 9, 2019.
"We're focused on investors' losses and whether Monolithic Power violated Generally Accepted Accounting Principles," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation.
Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Monolithic Power Systems should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 510-725-3000 or email MPWR@hbsslaw.com.
Hagens Berman is a national law firm with nine offices in eight cities around the country and eighty attorneys. The firm represents investors, whistleblowers, workers and consumers in complex litigation. More about the firm and its successes is located at hbsslaw.com. For the latest news visit our newsroom or follow us on Twitter at @classactionlaw.


El Baiés de la Costa is a typical catalan masia initially consecrated to shepherd and farming. It is located about 950 m. above sea and it is placed at the south of the property which, with a total of 105 ha., extends until the summit of Turó de l'Home (1706 m.). The masia rises above several land terraces and offers you a privileged view of Montseny, the Vallès area, the coastal range and, in clear days, the Mediterranean sea.


Lean Simulations: Value Stream Mapping Template - An Excel Miracle!
Value Stream Mapping Template - An Excel Miracle!
Need a value stream mapping template? I guess I could just point you to a blank 11" x 17" sheet of paper again, but that would be silly. Of course a pencil and paper are the best lean tools! But you wouldn't be searching the Internet for that, would you?
I recently found a value stream mapping template on the LEI site (lean.org). I love the disclaimer on their site.
Please note, however, that the Institute does not advocate using computer software to map your Value streams. Effective Value Stream Mapping can only be done by personal observation on the workfloor with pencil and paper.
Now that you've committed to using a computer, most likely you'll be using Microsoft Excel. Every value stream map is different, so what good is a template? Well, the main thing is, you get all those nice value stream mapping icons to use. Good luck trying to make those on your own with the basic Excel shapes. If you're going to make a value stream map in Excel, then a template with handy icons is a must have.
Download this handy VSM template from lean.org here. Click on "read more" to access the template.
Since each value stream map is unique, I also think it's handy to learn from what others have done. That's why I created this list of value stream mapping examples. Feel free to browse through it to see other processes conceptualized in their value stream map.
What about a MS Visio Value Stream Mapping Template?
If excel's not your thing, apparently Microsoft Visio has a built in VSM component. This feature is part of the latest Microsoft Visio Professional. I haven't checked this out myself, so please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. Visio does seem to be a bit more geared toward a flow chart methodology, but some people only have access to Excel, so you gotta use the tools you have.
If you can't find a pencil and sheet of paper, then a computer is the next best thing. Value stream mapping templates will give you a productivity boost if you're struggling to create them electronically.
I've added this page to my list of helpful lean tools.
If you're new to Value Stream Mapping, check out this overview on how to read a value stream map or this post on what is a value stream.
Speaking about tools for value stream mapping you might try to use ConceptDraw PRO. It has specific templates to create value stream maps.
I haven't tried that one yet, but it looks pretty cool. Also like the presentation features. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the info! I have also found a site that shows How to Make a Flowchart in Excel and it is super easy to use! I would recommend it to all!
Some great tips there, in case you're not familiar with the flow chart features in Excel. It can be cumbersome. Thanks for sharing the link.
It is an Excel based software that creates a drawing in one tab and then calculations are entered in another tab. The software automatically links the results of the calculation tab into the drawing.


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Art for Action at Rutland Middle School
July 1, 2021 June 25, 2021 Rachel Mark 0 Comments
Art for social change?
How do you engage students in an exploration of the ways that art impacts social change? Sounds challenging. Right?!
But the teachers at Rutland Middle School decided to tackle the task anyway. Through this exploration, students learned more about the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development, visited local murals in their community, and had some fun creating their own art for action.
We know that middle schoolers enjoy learning about real world problems and issues. Especially given their need for justice, middle schoolers are hooked by relevant and authentic learning. This We Believe by AMLE states that in successful middle schools, "Instruction fosters learning that is active, purposeful, and democratic". Some teachers choose to tap into this strength by engaging students with the UN Global Goals, and then let students explore what feels compelling and important to them.
At RMS, students explored four social issues in need of change. Each issue corresponds with an outcome for 2030 in the UN Global Goals – Zero Hunger, Quality Education, Reduced Inequalities, and Climate Action https://www.globalgoals.org. Each of these four goal areas can connect to multiple content areas. Through instructional lessons, students explored the global, local and community impact of these four issues.
Real world art
Rutland Middle School students explored how artists in their community and in our world have conveyed the need for social change through their art. Some of it lives in their own backyard, like these Rutland City murals. Murals like "We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest Until It Comes" and "Greta Thunberg", both by LMNOPI show students just what it's like for an artist to create work that inspires social action and change. The coolest part of this unit was to watch the students grasp a new appreciation of the creations around them. They may have walked by these murals dozens of times, but once they knew the story and vision behind them, things would never be the same.
"Greta Thunberg" by LMNOPI at the Vermont Farmers Food Center.
"We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes" by LMNOPI at the Center Street Marketplace Park in Rutland.
Then, students went out and saw art!
Finally, students created their own pieces of artistic expression to convey or inspire change in one of these areas. They displayed their works of art at the Art for Action Fair – inviting their school community and 6th graders from the neighboring school to explore and engage with these pop-up galleries.
The culmination was a celebration of art and passion for social change. Students wrote poems, built conceptual pyramids, and made paintings and drawings. Their art called for gender equality, climate action, quality education, and so much more.
Are you inspired to try this at your own school or classroom? Here are some resources that might help you get started.
Art, Imagination, and the Quest for Racial Justice
Just Art: Social Justice Through Art
Using Art to Explore Injustice and Social Justice
If you've done similar work, please share it with us!
We'd love to hear about your own experience with students.
#vted Reads: On The Come Up
On equity in the middle school movement
What CVU students want you to know about education
#vted Reads: Community Schools Blueprint with Kathleen Kesson
← Exploring Identity with 4th and 5th Graders
How a PTO connected students with community during COVID →
Rachel Mark joins the Tarrant Institute as a Professional Development Coordinator in the southern part of Vermont. Prior to working with TIIE, Rachel was a middle school literacy and social studies teacher at Tarrant partner school Manchester Elementary-Middle. As a teacher, Rachel loved exploring new content and new methods with inquisitive young adolescents. She thinks middle schools are the most dynamic learning centers in the state. Rachel is passionate about supporting teachers and helping them overcome obstacles; it's her mission to break down the barriers that teachers face in implementing change. She is interested in student reflection and portfolio based assessment, inquiry and project-based learning When she's not reading, researching and supporting teachers, Rachel loves to play. She balances her life shuttling three busy kids around by getting sweaty and zen - yoga, exercise, and being outdoors are how she recharges her metaphorical batteries.


The European consumer credit market is the most relevant market for Bondora and its trends and developments will play a significant role in the success of Bondara's business. The development of new technological solutions, changes in economic conditions, and the growth and acceptance of online lending are among the key driving factors that have reshaped the European consumer lending market. Bondora's business model is designed to capitalize on these trends and developments.
The total market size of the European consumer credit was EUR 1.07 trillion in 2014; after reaching EUR 1.16 trillion in 2008, it contracted for five consecutive years. That said, the market appears to have stabilized; it experienced only a 0.3% year-on-year decline in 2014. For 2015-16, expectations are for moderate growth overall, though with significant differences among individual countries in the region.
The European consumer credit market can generally be divided into three groups: Northern Europe, Continental and Southern Europe, and Eastern Europe.
Countries in Northern Europe, such as the UK, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Germany, have relatively high consumer credit penetration rates, with per capita volumes above EUR 2,500. Finland is positioned at the lower end of the spectrum; at EUR 2,563, per capita consumer credit is fairly modest when viewed from the perspective of its overall economy.
Per capita volumes are less than EUR 2,500 in the Continental and Southern European countries, which include France, Austria, Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Portugal, while the consumer credit market is least developed in Eastern Europe, where per capita volumes are less than EUR 1,000. The European Union average is EUR 2,100.
Recent market dynamics have contributed to variations among and within the three groups, with relatively faster growth being seen in several Eastern European countries, the UK, Finland and Sweden. In contrast, certain countries in Southern and Eastern Europe are experiencing declines.
Following the 2008 global financial crisis, the banking sector witnessed a shift in market dynamics, driven by increasing regulation (e.g., Basel III and CRD IV). The changes have forced banks to improve their balance sheets and focus on core products in domestic markets, and have led to an overall decline in the appetite for credit risk. Consequently, it has become harder for individuals to obtain credit from commercial banks. Because demand for consumer credit remains strong, many prospective borrowers have turned to non-traditional lenders.
The banks' retreat from consumer lending and technological evolution have been driving forces behind the emergence of alternative lending models and new players. Digital channels offer opportunities to reduce costs and improve customer targeting, as well as the ability to capitalize on advanced scoring and underwriting methods.
As a result, digital lending has been a credit market game changer. Among the features that distinguish digital lending, which has an estimated addressable market of EUR 760 bn, are new players offering a pure online experience, the ability to tap additional data sources when evaluating potential borrowers, and the ability to consolidate different aspects of lending.
Perceptions about non-traditional lenders have also been improving as they have sought to burnish their image and that of the sector. As they make inroads in presenting themselves as credible alternatives to traditional unsecured consumer lenders, and as banks continue to shift their focus from expansion to extracting value from existing customers, non-bank lending is expected to become an increasingly important aspect of the consumer lending business. The fact that banks in several markets have begun cooperating with new entrants by capitalizing on their technological advantages and financing loans underwritten by non-traditional lenders will likely bolster this trend.
Aided largely by expansive monetary policy in Europe, and in the eurozone in particular, economic growth and consumer confidence have been spending more time in positive territory in recent years, which should continue to spur moderate growth in the consumer lending market. The pace of expansion is expected to mirror that of the overall economy, and with the odds of an expansive credit boom appearing to be low, market dynamics should remain relatively healthy.
Europe's evolving consumer lending landscape has led to additional regulatory scrutiny and altered perspectives on regulation in many countries. This stems from a desire to increase financial system stability at the time when non-traditional lenders are accounting for a large and growing share of credit activity and to ensure consumers are adequately protected. In light of this, the regulatory risks and other aspects of operating in this market are becoming much more important.
To succeed in such an environment, lenders must be able to adapt quickly to new regulations and changes in product offerings and requirements, and direct ever greater attention to the risk management and data-related issues that Bondora has been strongly focused on.
 Source: Digital Lending: The 100 Billion Dollar Question, Autonomous Research, January 2016.


The ZenFone 4 Series smartphones are designed to provide the best mobile photography experiences, with dual cameras that enable unlimited creative options and give users the freedom to capture their world from multiple perspectives. The ZenFone 4 Series currently includes two models: ZenFone 4 Pro and ZenFone 4.
ZenFone 4 is a 5.5-inch Android phone built on the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 Mobile Platform, which is designed to deliver powerful performance, while Qualcomm Spectra 180 ISP is designed to support vibrant photos and videos, and Qualcomm Adreno 540 GPU is engineered to provide superior performance for high-end mobile gaming.
Powered by the latest Snapdragon 630 Mobile Platform, ZenFone 4 delivers fast yet energy-efficient performance for every scenario, and a high-capacity 3300mAh lithium-polymer battery and ASUS BoostMaster fast-charge technology keep ZenFone 4 going longer. The Snapdragon 630 Mobile Platform with up to 4GB of RAM is engineered to support improved CPU performance and the Adreno 508 GPU is designed to deliver 30% faster graphics performance than Snapdragon 626 for smooth and responsive experiences with the latest apps and incredible 3D gaming.
In addition to its dual selfie cameras, ZenFone 4 Selfie features a rear, high-resolution 16MP camera with fast, phase-detection autofocus for capturing every precious moment with vivid clarity and stunning detail. Powered by the Snapdragon 430 Mobile Platform, ZenFone 4 Selfie comes with a triple-slot tray that accommodates two SIM cards for dual data connections with speeds of up to 150Mbps and an additional microSD slot to expand storage by up to 2TB.
ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro — the flagship model of the ZenFone 4 Selfie series — has the world's most advanced selfie camera, with a Sony IMX362 dual-pixel image sensor that has twice the number of light-capturing photodiodes as conventional sensors of the same resolution, and the SuperPixel Engine that enables users to capture 2X brighter low-light selfies and astonishingly detailed 4K UHD selfie video.
ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro features a rear 16MP camera with a Sony image sensor and the SuperPixel Engine to let you capture every precious moment with vivid clarity and stunning detail. This rear camera also shoots video at up to 4K UHD resolution (3840 x 2160) — 4 times the quality of Full HD.
ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro is powered by a 64-bit, 2.0GHz Snapdragon 625 Mobile Platform with 4GB RAM and desktop-grade Adreno 506 GPU, designed to deliver smooth and responsive camera performance for superior photography experiences as well as run the latest apps and games with ease. ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro is available in three beautiful colors: Rouge Red, Sunlight Gold and Deepsea Black.
ZenFone 4 Max runs on the powerful, yet energy-efficient Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 and 430 Mobile Platforms that work in concert with the high-capacity battery to give users ample power for a full working day and beyond, freeing them from battery-life worries.
Qualcomm Adreno 308 and 505 graphics processors further enhance performance and responsiveness, and enables ZenFone 4 Max to run the latest, graphically demanding games. ZenFone 4 Max also supports 4G LTE Category 4 for ultra-fast mobile download speeds up to 150Mbps.


I just got back from the best family vacay to Hawaii. Maui is our favorite and Kaanapali is perfect for the kids. I can't believe this is our last family trip until Ben goes to college. I'm having a very hard time letting him go, but I know it will be so good for him and I cannot wait for him to have his college experience and become independent. We had such good family time and Hawaii is the perfect place. Stay tuned for an upcoming post all about it.
And as I wore all of my cute little sundresses in Hawaii, I have been thinking about the upcoming fall and thought it would be fun to do a sneak peak post about a fun fall look.
I am loving Zadig and Voltaire. Have you checked them out? They are currently having a major sale and I had to pick up a few pieces. And how cute is the print on this amazing dress. It's so funky and edgy. I love it. And I paired it with some Zadig and Voltaire booties. They are the perfect pair of moto boots for fall. I hope you check out Zadig and Voltaire and find some great pieces for late summer and early fall. You can shop these looks by clicking on the links above. Thanks to Kara Nixon for photos and Happy Reading!!!!
How have I not heard of this brand? LOVE the dress and shoes and I'm so happy you had the most perfect time in Maui!! Can't wait to hear all about it! Love you!!


Machakos County governor and Kenya's former spokesman Dr. Alfred Mutua has truly gone against all odds to be where he is right now.
He is arguably the best governor in Kenya judging from the incredible developments he has brought to the Ukambani community.
Below is a photo of Dr. Alfred Mutua back in the day when he was in Primary school.


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Tera Asks Guild Leaders: Are You An MMO-FO?
Published 10 years ago: February 23, 2012 at 6:20 am -
Filed to:exclusive
mmo-fommorpgpc gaming livestera
Tera is an upcoming massively multiplayer online role-playing game that emphasises action-packed combat mechanics over traditional MMO click battles. Bas Rutten is a legendary mixed martial arts fighter with a penchant for kicking his opponents in the liver until they fall down. Put them together and you get a room full of mildly terrified guild leaders.
This is the second video in Tera's MMO-FO viral campaign, employing the charming, cuddly, and frighteningly energetic Rutten to personify the difference between En Masse Entertainment's MMO and those other, bleeped-out games.
In the first video, available via the webpage linked below, Bas terrorizes a group of live-action role-players, something that isn't really that difficult to do. I was once a LARPer myself, and if I saw Rutten coming at me I'd pee myself, apologise, and then run like hell.
In this PC Gaming Lives! exclusive clip we see a room full of actual guild leaders from other MMOs discussing the sad things they do to pass the time in their respective games. Things like fishing. Massively multiplayer online fishing. Catch the fever.
To be completely fair, these people seem to have been playing their games for years, and when you play anything that long it's bound to get dull and repetitive.
Also, when you're trapped in a room with Bas Rutten you do whatever he says.
They don't have to send him after me, thankfully. I've been itching for more Tera time since I briefly played during GamesCom 2010 in Germany. And hey, it launches on my birthday.
Hit up the link for more Rutten goodness, and stay tuned to PC Gaming Lives! for more odd videos about MMO-FO.
Are You an MMO-FO? [Tera]
so obviously fake
Wolf says:
Good spot Ian.
Jessi says:
Oh c'mon now. Sure the game is full of ex-WoW heads, e-peen jerkoffs, and your geirenc drunken college player, but its not all bad! At least the blogging and podcasting community is great. <3


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See Inside The Crocodile Hunter Lodge at Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo (PHOTOS)
Jacklyn Krol Published: October 4, 2022
Courtesy of The Crocodile Hunter Lodge
Have you ever dreamed of spending the night alongside Australia's famous wildlife? Now you can thanks to the Irwin family.
Located in Queensland and inspired by Steve Irwin, The Crocodile Hunter Lodge is Australia Zoo's first-ever hotel.
Cabins created using recycled timber from the zoo's grandstands — built by Irwin himself — include a queen bed and two single beds; free wi-fi; full kitchen with appliances; private carport; and dining veranda.
The stay grants visitors unlimited access to the zoo, a sneak peek at the wildlife hospital, gift pack and complimentary breakfast. The resort also features an infinity pool overlooking wildlife, gift shop, laundry room, shuttle service, tours and more.
An on-site restaurant called Warrior Bar & Restaurant provides dishes created using locally sourced ingredients along with a curated selection of wines, beers, ciders and cocktails.
An average night at the zoo resort runs between $800 to $1,000 for a two-bedroom cabin.
Inside The Crocodile Hunter Lodge at Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo
Take a look inside the new resort at the Australia Zoo.
Source: See Inside The Crocodile Hunter Lodge at Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo (PHOTOS)
Lea Michele Stand-In Claims Star Was 'Deplorable' on Set, Told Her to Stop Talking
TikTok User Claims He Uploads the Worst Photos Ever Taken of Celebrities to Their Wikipedias
Matt Lauer and Girlfriend Shamin Abas Are Keeping a Low Profile
Celebrities Who Died in 2023: RIP to the Stars We Lost This Year
'King of the Hill' Reboot Is Coming to Hulu
Roku Announces Free Warner Bros. Discovery Channels


The idea for liquid books came about as a result of a publisher asking Clare Birchall and I to produce a follow-up to our 2006 woodware volume, New Cultural Studies: Adventures in Theory (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press). This follow-up was to consist of a Reader gathering together and making easily accessible a number of important texts by some of the theorists discussed in that earlier print-on-paper volume: Giorgio Agamben, Alain Badiou, Jacques Derrida, Gilles Deleuze, Friedrich Kittler, Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri, Slavoj Žižek and so on.
While we could appreciate that such a reader might have a certain usefulness, it seemed to us that to turn the idea of 'new cultural studies' into some fixed and stable concept or brand like this would be to miss the point of what we and our fellow contributors were trying to accomplish with that 2006 book. It felt like it would be out of keeping with the spirit of New Cultural Studies, its dedication to a performative cultural studies, and emphasis on the necessity for cultural studies to experiment with generating events and new forms of practice, action and organisation. So we decided to put together what we're calling a liquid book instead.
What we've done is collected texts by the theorists discussed in the first volume, together with some by those we'd include if we were to produce a second: writers such as Maurizio Lazzarato, N. Katherine Hayles, Jean-Luc Nancy and Isabelle Stengers... In lieu of publishing this as another print-on-paper book, however, we've published it online as New Cultural Studies: The Liquid Theory Reader.
There are at least five additional reasons why we wanted to experiment with publishing a book in this way. First, doing so allows us to challenge the physical and conceptual limits of the traditional edited codex book, not least by including more (and less) than book chapters and journal articles. We also have the freedom to include whole books in our liquid book. It is also possible to include short extracts and samples from books, along with pages, snippets, references, quotations, annotations, links, tags, even podcasts and YouTube clips, as well as different versions and drafts of our Liquid Reader.
For another, this experiment in publishing a book online enables us to circumvent many of the problems scholars almost invariably encounter when trying to publish a research-led book with a conventional print-on-paper press at the moment. For economic reasons, comparatively few academic publishers are particularly interested in research monographs or even edited collections, let alone work that seems 'difficult' or 'experimental'. For the most part it's accessible textbooks, introductions, course readers and reference works they now want to see in print.
Producing a book electronically in this fashion also has the advantage of allowing us to creatively explore some of the limits and possibilities of the general move toward publishing and disseminating academic work online. It's an issue that has become particularly relevant in the light of recent developments that include the introduction of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) in the UK and the possibility of bibliometrics, open access, Google Book Search (most of New Cultural Studies: Adventures in Theory is already available to read online for free via Google Book Search), Scribd, and the increasing popularity of hand-held electronic book readers such as Amazon's Kindle, Sony's Reader, and their multi-use rivals, not least among them Apple's iPad, with its possibilities for embedded interactive audio and visual content.
Making our 'liquid book' available open access is another way this project is creatively experimenting with new forms of practice and organization. This means New Cultural Studies: The Liquid Theory Reader is freely available throughout the world to anyone who is interested in reading it, providing they have access to the internet. This includes not just other researchers, but also teachers, students, investigative journalists, policy makers, union organisers, NGOs, political activists, protest groups and the general public. It is thus hopefully playing a role, however small, in breaking down some of the barriers between countries in the so-called 'developed', 'developing' and 'undeveloped' worlds, and so helping to overcome the 'Westernization' of the research literature. Indeed, at the time of writing the Liquid Books project has over 100 registered 'users' from Brazil, South Africa, Hong Kong, the Lebanon, the UK, Europe, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, among other places.
But the main reason we wanted to experiment with publishing a book like this is because we can make it available not just open access, but under open editing and free, gratis, libre content conditions, too. So the New Cultural Studies Reader is 'liquid' in the sense that not only is it open and free for anyone, anywhere, to read; its initial iteration is also open to users on a read/write basis. This means users can continually help compose, add to, annotate, tag, edit, translate, remix, reformat, reinvent, reimagine and reuse it, or produce alternative parallel versions of it, however they wish. In this way, the 'book', along with any subsequent versions, can be produced in an open, collaborative, decentralised, multi-user-generated fashion: not just by its initial 'authors', 'editors', 'creators' or 'curators', but by a multiplicity of often anonymous collaborators distributed around the globe. In the process it is hoped that this book will raise – and encourage others to raise - a variety of fascinating and challenging questions: for ideas of the book, academic authorship, the proper name, attribution, publication, citation, accreditation, fair use, quality control, peer-review, copyright, intellectual property and content creation; and, in the case of the New Cultural Studies Reader, for the intellectual formation of cultural studies, too.
That it one great idea.


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Pennsylvania Route 880 (PA 880) is a  state highway located in Centre, Clinton, and Lycoming Counties in Pennsylvania.  The southern terminus is at PA 192 in Miles Township.  The northern terminus is at PA 44 in Limestone Township  Though it does not have a direct junction with Interstate 80 (I-80), it underpasses the highway in Carroll and drivers can enter I-80 one mile (1.6 km) east by turning left onto East Valley Road.  South of this intersection, PA 880 is known as East Valley Road until Loganton, where it becomes Main Street.  South of Loganton it continues as West Valley Road until the Centre County line.  From there until its southern terminus it serves as Broad Street in Rebersburg.  North of the East Valley Road intersection, PA 880 becomes Rauchtown Road until entering Lycoming County.

Route description

PA 880 begins at an intersection with PA 192 in the community of Rebersburg in Miles Township, Centre County, heading north on two-lane undivided Broad Street. The road heads through agricultural areas with some homes in the Brush Valley before turning northeast and crossing forested Nittany Mountain.

At the top of the mountain, PA 880 enters Logan Township in Clinton County and becomes West Valley Road, turning north to descend the mountain. The route heads into the agricultural Sugar Valley and turns east in Tylersville, soon curving to the northeast. The road continues east-northeast through more farmland with some trees and homes, passing through Booneville and heading into Greene Township. Farther east, PA 880 crosses into the borough of Loganton and becomes West Main Street, passing homes. In the center of town, the route crosses PA 477 and becomes East Main Street, running through more residential areas. The road crosses back into Greene Township and becomes East Valley Road, continuing through more agricultural areas with some woods and homes a short distance to the south of forested Sugar Valley Mountain. In Carroll, PA 880 turns north onto Rauchtown Road, with East Valley Road continuing east to an interchange with I-80. The route heads through wooded areas with some residences, crossing a gap in Sugar Valley Mountain. At this point, the road passes under the eastbound lanes of I-80, running within the wide median of the interstate for a distance before passing under the westbound lanes. After this, PA 880 passes a few fields as it turns northwest, crossing into the Tiadaghton State Forest and heading into Crawford Township. The route turns to the north and runs through more of the state forest before passing through Big Rock and running near Ravensburg State Park. Farther north, the road leaves the state forest and passes through residential Rauchtown, heading through more wooded areas.

PA 880 crosses into Limestone Township in Lycoming County and becomes an unnamed road, heading north-northwest into agricultural areas before turning northeast. The route passes through more farmland with some woods and development before ending at PA 44.

Major intersections

See also

References

External links

Pennsylvania Highways: PA 880

880
Transportation in Centre County, Pennsylvania
Transportation in Clinton County, Pennsylvania
Transportation in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


In this article, you're going to learn how to plumb a bathroom.
the stuff bathrooms are really made of.
to supercharge your understanding of this basic DWV system.
Jump to specific sections of this article, by using the Table of Contents below.
ARTICLE BONUS: "FREE Bathroom Plumbing Diagram"
Get a detailed "3-Dimensional Diagram" of the very bathroom plumbed in this article (includes material list).
"17 Easy To Understand Bathroom Drain & Vent Diagrams"
A list of DWV Fittings used to plumb this bathroom.
Keep in mind, the exact fittings you'll need depend on your local plumbing code.
The two major plumbing codes in the United States is the IPC (International Plumbing Code) and the UPC (Uniform Plumbing Code).
The table below lists each DWV fitting used to plumb this simple bathroom. Notice each plumbing code has its own column with the specific quantity of needed fittings.
Here's an easy to print version of this table.
We will use these fittings to plumb this bathroom in just a moment.
The bathroom plumbing rough-in dimensions you need to know.
The center of the lav's drain is located 18" (approximately) above the finished floor.
Also notice the drain is centered right in the middle of this 30 inch vanity.
The bathroom sink's water lines are roughed-in 3 inches above the drain. Measure 21 inches (approximately) above the finished floor.
The hot line and cold line are spaced 8 inches apart (from left to right). From the center of the drain, measure 4 inches to the left and 4 inches to the right.
Moving over to the toilet.
The center of the closet flange is 12 inches from the finished rear wall.
If you're measuring from an unfinished wall, don't forget to add the wall thickness to this 12 inches.
We also have 32 inches of total clearance between the finished side wall and the bathroom vanity. The toilet flange is centered right in the middle.
Keep in mind, 30 inches is the minimum distance code allows (you can have more).
For additional details about roughing in a closet flange checkout this article…or download this "Plumbing Diagram" for an easy to understand picture.
All these dimensions and fittings might not make sense right now.
But don't worry, the fun is about to begin as you learn…How to transform these DWV fittings into a functional, code approved bathroom.
This bathroom lav is roughed-in with a 1.5" sanitary in the vertical position (please don't use a wye here).
This makes our bathroom sink drain 1.5", the vent 1.5", the trap arm 1.5", and the p-trap 1.5".
Here's how to connect the plumbing under your bathroom sink.
You will need a 1.5″ trap adapter and a 1.5″ plastic tubing p-trap (sometimes called trim trap).
Trim Trap kits come with two different sizes of washers. You'll use the 1.5″ x 1.25″ slip joint washer to connect the P-Trap to the lav's 1.25″ waste outlet.
Both major plumbing codes in the U.S. permit a single basin lav to be roughed in with a 1.25" vent and a 1.25" trap. See IPC Table 709.1 or UPC Table 702.1.
However, in this example, I'm going all 1.5 inches.
Let's follow this bath lav's drain downstream. You'll see the vertical to horizontal transition pictured below.
We're using a 3"x3"x1.5" wye with a 1.5" street 45.
Let's move upstream to talk about the toilet.
I'm using a 4-inch closet flange. It's connected to a 4"x3" closet bend. The closet bend fitting is 4 inches on the inlet and 3 inches on the outlet.
Then, the outlet of the closet bend connects into a 3-inch sanitary tee via a short piece of 3 inch PVC.
As we follow the toilet's drain downstream of the san tee, notice another vertical to horizontal transition.
What types of DWV fittings does the code permit for vertical to horizontal transition?
And that's why I'm plumbing this transition with a 3" combo (aka combination wye and ⅛ bend).
Also, notice the cleanout plug in the diagram above.
The cleanout adapter glues right into the inlet of the combo. And provides a convenient point of access to rod the drain in case of a backup.
By the way, other types of DWV fittings work for vertical to horizontal transitions.
Let's move downstream into this drainage system.
In the plumbing diagram below, notice how the bathroom's 3-inch drain wye's right into the building drain.
That's just a 3-inch wye (with 45). You could also use a 3-inch combo for this connection.
Bathroom Plumbing Venting and why it's important.
Every plumbing fixture needs to be vented.
The main purpose of a plumbing vent is to protect trap seals. The trap seal (inside the P-Trap) is what prevents sewer gas from escaping into your home.
Waste flowing through a drainage system creates air pressure fluctuations. These fluctuations in pressure can disrupt trap seals. If these fluctuations are large enough, they remove part or even all of the trap seal. And once that precious seal is lost….in comes the sewer gas….right into your home.
A properly installed vent keeps these pressure fluctuations under control…which in turn keeps the trap seal inside the P-Trap.
One of the simplest and most widely used methods of venting is called "conventional venting." That's when each plumbing fixture has its own vent, which is called an individual vent. And that's the method of venting we're using to plumb this bathroom.
The minimum toilet vent size depends on your plumbing code. In the IPC toilet vents are 1.5", in the UPC it's 2 inches. More on venting a toilet here.
To connect the appropriate size vent into the hub of the 3" sanitary tee, you'll need a flush bushing. Flush bushings kind of look like hockey pucks.
In the IPC, use a 3"x1.5" flush bushing, in the UPC use a 3"x2" flush bushing (See diagram below).
You could also use a reducer (looks like a funnel) to make this connection.
By the way, here's a Plumbing Diagram for this entire bathroom. It's a detailed 3D CAD Drawing. Each DWV fitting is clearly labeled (for each code). You can print this bathroom plumbing diagram out and follow along with the rest of this article.
Let's sidestep over to the bath lav's individual plumbing vent.
You already know the lav's individual vent is sized at 1.5 inches (1.25" code minimum).
But notice the vent offsets horizontal well above the lav's flood level rim (FLR). This is important.
Also, notice the horizontal portion of this plumbing vent has a slight grade to it.
Water vapor can condense inside vent pipes. Rainwater also enters portions of the venting system. And that's why horizontal vents should have a little slope on them. This slope drains any water vapor back into the drainage system (thanks to gravity).
Now I will mention something to my friends in the UPC. Unlike the IPC, the UPC will let you "sneak by" with a horizontal level vent (without any grade on it). This assumes it's above the FLR (of course). But keep in mind, horizontal vents cannot have sags or any drops (UPC 905.1). And again that's UPC only, the IPC wants horizontal plumbing vents sloped.
Also, notice the bathroom sink's individual vent tee's right into the toilet's individual vent. That's done with the appropriate sized sanitary tee that's upside down.
In the IPC use a 1.5" sanitary tee (upside down), or in the UPC use a 2"x2"x1.5 san tee (upside down) to make this connection.
Then, this vent can terminate through the roof all on its own. Or in many cases, it can tee into the home's existing venting system.
In cold weather climates, plumbing vents need increased in size before extending out through the roof.
This increase prevents the vent from closing due to frost (IPC 903.2)(UPC 906.7). Check your local code for the appropriate size but usually, it's 3 inches. This increase should also be made within the building's thermal envelope. Or in other words, within the heated portion of your home. Again check your local code.
So that wraps us this article.
If that's you, I've got good news.
It's our new digital e-book that contains plumbing diagrams for 17 different bathrooms!
These diagrams will VISUALLY show you how a bathroom DWV system fits together.
We also are throwing in access to our private membership website.
Inside the member area, you get private access to plumbing tutorial videos never released to the public before.


CityGrips stroller handlebar covers and CityHooks stroller hooks are designed to protect your pram from general wear and tear while making pushing your bundle of joy even more comfortable. It's likely your little one will be in a pushchair for months, if not years, so ensuring it stays in tip top condition is important and these do just that!
They are really easy to attach by either sliding them on (hooks) or by using the strong velcro (grips) to fit them, and as they are machine washable if they do get a little grubby over time you can just pop them in the washing machine with your normal laundry. Simple.
The material is soft against your skin yet durable and they really prevent your fingers from feeling irritated or sweaty from the existing foam-like fabric that so many strollers feature. I don't have a newborn (I'm working on it) but I've used the CityGrips and CityHooks on a few different prams while babysitting the children of friend's and they really do make quite a difference to your experience. They are also universal and can be used with all handlebars which is useful for those that like to purchase new ones quite regularly *cough*.
They are being released in the UK from retailers in the near future too!
For your chance to win 1 of 3 sets of CityHooks and CityGrips in a design of your choice you can enter via the Rafflecopter entry form below.
The giveaway closes on 29th April 2014.
I love the Grey Elephant design.
Neon green - match perfectly with our pushchair!
The black & white polka dots.
The Polka dot black is really funky.
I love the Grey Elephant.
the grey elephants very cute!
I would like to win the Black and White polka dot!
pink bunny - such a lovely design.
I comment on your Body Care with Montagne Jeunesse post!


text:
← Misunderstanding Yasukuni
A Study in Bad Social Science, re: Immigration →
Posted on July 18, 2017	by defenderland
A commentary.
I think what I dislike about Youtube channels like Vox most is their attitude. It's a attitude that says, "all you need to learn about this topic can be had in a seven minute video." They rarely leave room for doubt, or reserved judgement, or the need to educate yourself further. No, trust them, they've looked into it and will give you all the information.
But how can they be a trustworthy source for everything? Newspapers used to maintain huge offices all around the world full of hundreds of people working around the clock, and they still produced tons of mistakes and misinformation. Now a Youtube channel interviews one professor or, as in this case, sends one reporter to Japan for a week and expects them to produce a whole series of videos about the place. I understand this is the economic reality of news these days, but I can't accept their self-confidence and self-righteous attitude (even though I realize that is also a product of economics – people are going to give you more views if you've got a seven minute video that contains everything they need to know rather than hours long videos that then admits to only scratching the surface).
So anyway, I'm not going to address the video in detail, but I did want to take time to discuss a couple of points/assertions the video makes.
First, what significance does a textbook that no one reads hold? Unsurprisingly, the reporter opens with (and uses as the thumbnail for the video), the same old textbook that isn't used in almost any schools. How this book could possibly help anyone in understanding Japan is completely lost on me, but it keeps getting marched out by foreign reporters time and again. So I will just comment on a couple things about it:
Although he says it all sarcastically and with air quotes, 南京事件 (nan'kin jiken, "Nanking Incident") is just what the Nanking Massacre is called in Japanese. It's not a right-wing thing, that's just the name for it. Like how the "War of 1812" only exists in America, different places settle on different terms for the same things. "Jiken" is a general word for a happening, with a connotation that it is a bad thing, and is therefore usually translated as "incident", though that is not the sole way to do so.
"These Comfort Women, that are a huge part of Japanese history…"
No, they're really not. Sadly, being compelled to work as a prostitute is not an uncommon thing, even in the West, and even today. But more than that, what is historically significant to Japan about the Comfort Women? It's a contemporary political issue in Japan-Korea relations, and I suppose its effects there will one day be historically significant, as evidenced by the fact that the current English Wikipedia article on the topic is fully half dedicated to the Comfort Women as an issue rather than the historical facts and evidence. But there can only be so many things that are "huge" parts of Japanese history, less significant events must rate less extreme superlatives.
"It's this group of old Japanese men who are part of this lobbying society that basically tried to push a different historical narrative into Japanese schools and they've been quite successful."
Funny that they can't get any schools to adopt their book. Not sure how that rates as "successful."
He then goes on to talk to a "Makoto Sakurai," head of a new party with little support and no elected representatives in any body. Yet apparently this guy has become a favorite of Western journalists, rating a ridiculously long English Wikipedia article. By comparison, Kazuo Shii, the head of the Japan Communist Party, who has been in charge for nearly two decades of a party that has always had at least a couple dozen representatives in the Diet as well as thousands scattered across city and prefecture level assemblies all over Japan, barely rates a couple of tiny paragraphs. It is ironic that even in this very Vox video they make a snide joke about "fake news", yet they themselves are the ones manufacturing it. It is these Western journalists that are trying to produce the Japanese far-right into something it really is not. In any way. And this Sakurai fellow is a great example of this.
For while this video tries to make him out as typical of this new, crazy right-wing movement, they did they same with Hashimoto Toru, the Osaka mayor who's been featured previously on this blog. Yet there is a famous video of Hashimoto yelling at Sakurai to get stuffed and stop bothering Osaka's citizens. Is this some great internal power struggle of the far-right, or has Hashimoto been made out to be much further to the right than he actually is, and Sakurai made out to be of far more importance than he actually is? Occam's razor says the latter.
Yet, even looking at the supposed platform of this Sakurai makes me pause. According to Wikipedia, his campaign pledges for his 2016 run for governor of Tokyo (for which he received less than two percent of the vote) were: crack down on illegal welfare payments, deport illegal residents, ban hate speech, revoke the tax exempt status of the South and North Korean residents associations, and have pachinko classified as gambling. These are not extremely right-wing policies by a Western standard. The only thing that strikes me as extreme about them is that the issues they relate to are of little importance to Tokyo and Japan. That is to say, I'm sure the relevant arm of the government is already trying to not pay out welfare to those who aren't entitled to it, and even if the governor could somehow get them to do it even less, I think most people would agree that the governor should be spending his time doing something more important than shouting at the civil servants of the welfare office.
"Sakurai's Japan First Party hasn't won any elections yet, but other nationalists in Japan have, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2012."
This is the sentence the Vox video goes with following their jibe about "fake news." Yet this is the fakest piece of news in the whole thing. Prime Minister Abe has nothing to do with this Sakurai person. They are not working together, they don't share a platform, they're not from the same part of the political spectrum, and they don't belong in a sentence together. Technically I guess they are both "nationalists" in the sense they are both pro-Japan, but by that definition what politician isn't a nationalist? Obama was surely a nationalist, Bernie Sanders is a nationalist, even Kazuo Shii, the Communist mentioned above, would be a nationalist. What is Vox's reason for using that term, if not to crowbar these two completely different people together.
Immediately following this sentence they try and damn the Prime Minister further by playing two seconds from a campaign rally where he says, "皆さん、日本を取り戻さならない" (minasan, nippon wo torimodosanaranai) which they translate as
"Everyone! We must bring back Japan."
which is not a terrible translation, though you could translate "everyone" as "friends" or something like that in this context, and "bring back" could also be "win back, take back, recover, restore, etc."
But the translation is not what bothers me; it's the context that's the problem. Vox is clearly using this line, which appears just two sentences away from a Trump reference, to compare Abe to America's president. Later in the video they will bafflingly state the romantic time the far-right wants to get back to is the 1860s (it definitely is not), but that is not what Abe was saying here. What Abe is referring to is both his party, the LDP, which had been in charge for most of Japan's post-war history, and himself, who had already been prime minister but resigned largely due to failing health (from which he recovered thanks to a new drug). When his party won that election he successfully returned LDP rule back from a string of unpopular DPJ prime ministers, and successfully returned his own rule back to a time from when the LDP was just wrapping up a long period with the popular Koizumi. The quote has nothing to do with Trump (or the 1860s for that matter), and I can only hope that Vox made an ignorant mistake rather than a careful disingenuous move.
"Up until now these guys…have been know for driving around in their vans…preaching the restoration of Japan's pre-WWII greatness."
This line refers to Abe and his advisors, but Vox doesn't say who the hell they might actually be talking about. Which one of Abe's closest advisors was previously driving around in one of those silly vans? Again, this is the same problem as above: the LDP, the normal ruling party of Japan for a long time now, is not the same as the fringe right-wingers. Heck, if those guys in vans actually had a real influence on the current government, they why would they waste their time driving around in black vans with loud-speakers? The whole reason they do that is because no one will listen to them, so they go out to make people hear them. No one, least of all the government, has any time for them. Without their vans, no one would even know they existed at all.
"I chased after these guys and filmed them for an afternoon, watching them spar with the Tokyo police."
Right. So even the police are going out of their way to control and suppress them, yet somehow you think they are super accepted by and important to mainstream politics? Or maybe the police are there to keep them safe from the general public who is liable to do them violence. But that doesn't sound like they are any more accepted or mainstream either. Use the evidence of your own eyes!
"…committing horrific atrocities like mass genocide in the process."
So what exactly is the difference between genocide and "mass genocide?" That's a meaningless addition, genocide is already massive by it's nature.
But, more importantly, when did Japan commit ("mass") genocide? I think it says more of the West than Japan that a Western reporter just automatically assumes the Japanese Empire must have committed genocide because that's what all Western empires have done. But what people or peoples did the Empire attempt to expunge from the face of the Earth? None. Of all the atrocities committed in the name of the Empire genocide was not one of them. There was no group or race of people that the Empire thought was so lowly that it insisted on their total destruction. Not Koreans, not Chinese, not any of the white races; even Jews were safe in the care of the Empire.
"…into a natural alignment with Hitler's Germany…"
So much to unpack here I'm not even going to bother. Save to say the longer "natural alignment" and the one Japan always preferred was their alliance with Britain. Maybe if Britain hadn't broke that agreement, or maybe if they and America had agreed with Japan at the Leauge of Nations that all races were equal…but I've really not the energy to get into all that over five words in a Vox video.
For their comments on Yasukuni (what, did you think Yasukuni wasn't going to come up in this video?), see my earlier post.
For the coup de grace at the end of the video, the reporter, speaking directly to the camera, warns that the main difference between Trump and Abe is that Trump is a "populist" (which he defines as someone "disruptive" that "comes from the outside") while Abe is an "establishment politician." The take-away message being that while Trump has yet to cement his crazy right-wing agenda into mainstream politics, for Japan it is already here. All I can say to that, is American should be so lucky as to have a president like Abe. Someone who raises taxes on the rich, expands welfare, and who's biggest scandal is that he might have helped someone get permission to open a school is so far removed from people like Trump that it boggles the mind trying to figure out why anyone would think they are comparable in the first place.
At the end of the day, all you need to know about the actual far right of Japan is that they are insignificant in size and influence. As alluded to above, the far left have far more influence on politics, the government, and your average person's life than the far right does. And as for Abe and the LDP: they are to the left of the Democrats. Universal healthcare, high-speed rail networks across the entire country, ample public transportation, low income inequality, affordable housing, and good jobs for people from all walks of life; this is the kind of society that the LDP has strove to construct over their long tenure. One could say they could have done much better, but, when you take a look at a place like America, they could have done so, so much worse.
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" ... The California State Library, with help from the California Department of Education, has made available three online databases for every K–12 school in the state beginning this fall. There is no cost for this service to your school district.
Online content from Encyclopedia Britannica, ProQuest, and TeachingBooks.net will be available at school, at home, in libraries, and on mobile devices for students, teachers, and administrators. This service provides a massive digital library of books, scientific research, newspaper articles, photos, videos, and more—all aligned with the curriculum that California has created for its schools."
The providers need your help to successfully set up access to these resources for all of your students and staff. Please either complete this form, or forward this to your tech director to complete.
The information in this form is necessary to successfully set up these resources for your students, teachers, and families.