In this issue, we talk about turquoise. Personally, I have worn an old turquoise bracelet, made around 1900, for the last 15 years. It is a handmade piece. For me, it supports speaking the truth of my heart and being able to see the vision of my soul....when I slow down enough to do so.
I decided to provide more details to indicate that the sacred use of stones permeates all spiritual paths. Various civilizations and religions from around the world have incorporated the beauty and energy of turquoise into their ceremonial instruments, and garments.
The only workshop I have scheduled for this year is the visioning workshop July 31- August 3. Details are below.
Turquoise is an opaque, blue-to-green mineral that is a hydrous phosphate of copper and aluminum, with the chemical formula CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)84H2O. It is rare and valuable in finer grades and has been prized as a gem and ornamental stone for thousands of years owing to its unique hue. In recent times turquoise, like most other opaque gems, has been devalued by the introduction of treatments, imitations, and synthetics onto the market, some difficult to detect even by experts.
The substance has been known by many names, but the word turquoise was derived around 16th century from the French language either from the word for Turkish (Turquoise) or dark-blue stone (pierre turquin). This may have arisen from a misconception: turquoise does not occur in Turkey but was traded at Turkish bazaars to Venetian merchants who brought it to Europe. The color, however, has been employed extensively in the decorative tiles adorning Turkish places of worship and homes for hundreds of years, beginning with the Seljuks, or was derived from the color of the Mediterranean Sea on the southern Turkish coast and the association quite possibly has caused the name to take root.
Melody notes that it is another gift from the Earth, bringing the blue of Father Sky to the Earth and melding together the energies of the heavens with the consciousness of the Mother Earth.
It strengthens and aligns all chakras, meridians, and subtle bodies. It actually elevates all chakras and can facilitate attunement between the physical level and the higher planes of existence. It can bring any and all energies to a higher level. It does, however, primarily stimulate the throat, heart, and naval chakras, bringing communication skills to emotional issues, to creativity, and to intuition, while allowing for the application of love in all issues.
It is excellent for spiritual attunement, for healing and cleansing of both the energy centers and the physical body, and for providing protection. It has been said that turquoise changes color to warn of impending danger and/or to indicate infidelity in thought or action. It can be used to protect against environmental pollutants.
It is valuable for grounding and can help to prevent one from losing touch with the conscious mind during deep meditation; this facilitates a no mind meditative state, but provides the unconscious mind with a knowing of the protective mechanism which has been initialed.
It can be used for attunement between those of the physical plane, as well as between one and the spirit world. It is valuable to provide strength and protection during vision quests and astral travel. It is of high spirituality and can bring both valor and protection on the spiritual level, and from the etheric plane. It is a stone of "Earth-grounding"; hence one can remain grounded during spiritual work. It acts to improve meditation and to further peace of mind.
It is a healer of spirit, providing for a soothing energy and bringing peace of mind. It has also been known to guide one through the unknown, protecting while promoting ones independence in action.
It was used in ancient times to insure property and to protect against accidents. It has been esteemed by Tibetan shamans as holding both a spiritual and protective property. It has been used in shamanic ceremonies and in the sacred valley of shambhala. It has also been considered by the Native Americans to be both a protective stone and a bestower of goodness.
It can be used to balance the male/female aspects of ones character, bringing forth the qualities of mental clarity and spiritual clarity, and providing for the balancing of energies. It also provides for a bit of an increase in one's psychic powers, and can help one to develop ones natural powers. It is said to assist one in communication activities, both written and oral, such that, that which is relayed to others is direct and correct.
It acts to induce wisdom and understanding, and to enhance trust, kindness, and the recognition of beauty. It is said to promote spontaneity in issues of romance and to stimulate the initiation of romantic love.
It has been used extensively in cloud-busting (rain); it has also been used by Native American shamans to initiate rain by throwing the stone in a river or holding it under running water.
It is a master healer, emanating a purifying energy which tends to dissipate negativity; it is an excellent anti-negativity stone (where it is not within the self). It can be used for emotional, mental, and physical problems. In ancient times, it was used to heal eye problems such as cataracts. It has been used to strengthen work animals. It acts to strengthen the entire anatomy, and can be helpful in the amelioration of all dis-eases and disorders. It can aid in the absorption of nutrients, can help to stimulate the regeneration of tissue, and can act to increase circulatory flows to the muscular tissues. It has been used in the treatment for headaches and in the repair of physical damage which has impacted the body. It has been used to assist one in maintaining stability during ambulatory motions. An elixir has been used to ameliorate skin disorders which were due to stress.
To facilitate the properties, it may be held for attunement, taken as an elixir, worn, carried, or placed in ones environment.
The turquoise crystals provide a doubling effect of the properties and produce a total polarization of the physical with the subtle bodies.
Michael's Gemstone Dictionary notes that it centers one's being on Love and connectedness with others. It pulls one into the experience of unconditional Love for all beings. It balances the Higher-Emotional center and connects one with the energy of the messianic plane.
The pastel shades of turquoise have endeared it to many great cultures of antiquity: it has adorned the rulers of Ancient Egypt, the Aztecs (and possibly other Pre-Columbian Mesoamericans), Persia, Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, and to some extent in ancient China since at least the Shang Dynasty. Despite being one of the oldest gems, probably first introduced to Europe (through Turkey) with other Silk Road novelties, turquoise did not become important as an ornamental stone in the West until the 14th century, following a decline in the Roman Catholic Church's influence which allowed the use of turquoise in secular jewelry. It was apparently unknown in India until the Mughal period, and unknown in Japan until the 18th century. A common belief shared by many of these civilizations held that turquoise possessed certain prophylactic qualities; it was thought to change color with the wearer's health and protect him or her from untoward forces.
In Persia, turquoise was the de facto national stone for millennia, extensively used to decorate objects (from turbans to bridles), mosques, and other important buildings both inside and out, such as the Medresseh-I Shah Husein Mosque of Isfahan. The Persian style and use of turquoise was later brought to India following the establishment of the Mughal Empire there, its influence seen in high purity gold jewelry (together with ruby and diamond) and in such buildings as the Taj Mahal. Persian turquoise was often engraved with devotional words in Arabic script which was then inlaid with gold.
The iconic gold burial mask of Tutankhamun, to the left, is inlaid with turquoise, lapis lazuli, carnelian and colored glass.
Cabochons of imported turquoise, along with coral, was (and still is) used extensively in the silver and gold jewelry of Tibet and Mongolia, where a greener hue is said to be preferred. Most of the pieces made today, with turquoise usually roughly polished into irregular cabochons set simply in silver, are meant for inexpensive export to Western markets and are probably not accurate representations of the original style.
The French conducted archaeological excavations of Egypt from the mid-19th century through the early 20th. These excavations, including that of Tutankhamun's tomb, created great public interest in the western world, subsequently influencing jewelry, architecture, and art of the time. Turquoise, already favored for its pastel shades since c. 1810, was a staple of Egyptian Revival pieces. In contemporary Western use, turquoise is most often encountered cut en cabochon in silver rings, bracelets, often in the Native American style, or as tumbled or roughly hewn beads in chunky necklaces. Lesser material may be carved into fetishes, such as those crafted by the Zuni. While strong sky blues remain superior in value, mottled green and yellowish material is popular with artisans. In Western culture, turquoise is also the traditional birthstone for those born in the month of December.
In regard to the first of these stones, the translation is based on the Septuagint rendering the identity of the stone as chrysolithos (the masoretic text calls it tarshish, which just refers to Tarshish, a place, and gives no clue to the gem in question); at the time it was written chrysolithos did not mean Chrysolite specifically, but only golden stone (chryso-lithos). Chrysolithos is considered by scholars to possibly mean Topaz, Chrysolite, yellow Jasper, yellow Serpentine, or Turquoise - the last of these on the basis that Turquoise contains golden flecks, and that targums identified the stone as being sea colored. Scholars favor stones which are mostly yellow as being the more likely solution, and opaque stones (Jasper or Serpentine) as more likely than translucent ones, on the consideration of nearby stones in the Hoshen.
We will be doing Questing for a Vision July 31 - August 3, 2008 at our farm in Novelty, Ohio. Contact me directly about this program at onehorsestanding@aol.com. Some details are below.
Vision questing was originally known as crying or lamenting for a vision. It involved going into seclusion on a mountain or sacred site without food or water or clothes. Stripped to the nakedness of oneself, the individual sat in total humility waiting for a vision of how the world is different because the individual exists. Questing for a Vision workshop is about learning to listen to who we are more fully as a person.
We will do a series of journeys over the course of the weekend-walking journeys, drum journeys, etc. The focus will be to deepen the awareness of one's internal vision of how to more fully be in the world. The focus of the workshop is immersion into the spiritual world for two and one-half days. A large altar/vortex is created with large rocks and crystals. This creates a massive energetic field. Within this field, the people are able to find the safety necessary for the soul or inner parts of the self to come to the surface to heal and be healed. It is common for people to have life-changing healing experiences.
Participants need to be experienced with the shamanic drum journey.
Please bring any rocks or crystals that want to come along. A journal notebook is encouraged as well as any comforts for sitting on the floor, such as floor chairs, back supports, blankets, pillows, etc.
Sign up or read more about Vision Questing on our website.


text:
Agabus pallens is een keversoort uit de familie waterroofkevers (Dytiscidae). De wetenschappelijke naam van de soort is voor het eerst geldig gepubliceerd in 1905 door Poppius.

pallens

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Ahl al-Bayt
Conversion to Islam
Du'a (Supplication)
Faith (Iman)
Fatimah al-Zahra
God (Allah)
Imamah
Infallibility ('Ismah)
Kaffara
Marja'
Mut'a (Temporary marriage)
Prostration (sujud)
Qadha
Qur'anic Verse
Repentance (Tawbah)
Salah (Prayers)
Salat al-Jama'at
Sawm (Fasting)
Sayyid
Sunni-Shi'a
Western Society
Wudu (Ablution)
IslamHumanChildrenOverpopulation
Does Islam encourage its followers to contribute to the reduction of the overpopulation of the human species today by having fewer children?
Random number:
Seyed Ali Shobayri, Seyed Ali Shobayri is of mixed Iranian and Scottish descent who found the path of the Ahlul Bayt (a) by his own research. He holds a BA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University through the Islamic College of London. He also studied at the Hawza Ilmiyya of England and continues Hawza and Islamic studies with private teachers. 97 Questions Answered Ask
Seyed Ali Musawi, Seyed Ali Musawi studied religion and history at the University of California, San Diego and subsequently he studied for more than 8 years at the Islamic Seminary in Qum, Iran, focusing on Islamic history and jurisprudence. 11 Questions Answered Ask
Seyed Saied Alavi, Seyed Saied Alavi is a researcher based in Qom who has studied from the Howzah of Qom and also completed a Pastoral studies program. He is currently a university lecturer in the fields of Shia Theology and the History of Religions as well as other subjects. 9 Questions Answered Ask
Sayed Mohammedhassan Alsheraa, Sayed MohammedHassan Alsheraa attended the Hawzah in Detroit, Michigan, in the United States. Thereafter he continued his Islamic studies in the Hawza of Karbala, Iraq. Alongside his Hawza studies, he is also a student of political science at the University of Michigan, USA. 1 Question Answered Ask
Jaffer Ali Ladak, Shaykh Jaffer Ali Ladak is from Milton Keynes in the UK and has studied at Jami'a Imam as-Sadiq (a) Hawza Imam al-Jawad (a) in Karbala and at Al Mahdi Institute in Birmingham. He is currently completing his Masters Degree in Islamic Law at the Islamic College in London. He has also authored a book on Lady Umm Kulthum, the daughter of Imam Ali (a).No Questions Answered Ask
Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi,
Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to religious questions. In the past, he has also spent significant time in India guiding the community.
Mahmood Abu Maryam,
Trying to make sense of it all...
Hamid Waqar,
Shaykh Hamid Waqar was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and converted to Islam at the age of sixteen. He started his Islamic studies in the year 2001 in Beirut and, a year later, moved to Qum where he has been studying since. He currently studies at the highest levels of Islamic jurisprudence, translates many books and runs the Muntazar website.
Mohammed Al-Hilli,
Sheikh Mohammed Al-Hilli, originally from Iraq, has a Masters in Pharmacy from the University of London. He completed his Hawza degree from the ICAS in London under the supervision of Ayatollah Fadhil Milani, and also has an MA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University via the Islamic College. He is a teacher at the Hawza Programme at Islamic College in London.
Faiyaz Jaffer,
Shaykh Faiyaz Jaffer is the Associate Chaplain and Research Scholar at the Islamic Center at New York University. He attained an MA degree in Islamic Studies (UK), with a concentration on early Islamic history, after his undergraduate degree from SUNY Stony Brook University in Political Science and Religious Studies. In pursuing the classical course of Islamic education, Faiyaz has studied in the Seminary of Karbala, Iraq.
Mohammad Saeed Bahmanpour,
Sheikh Mohammad Saeed Bahmanpour is lecturer of Islamic Studies at the Islamic College for Advanced Studies, London, and a visiting lecturer at the University of Cambridge, Faculty of Oriental Studies. He was raised in Iran and holds a BA and an MA in Sociology from Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran. He has also studied at Queen Mary College London and the London School of Economics.
Zeinab Donati,
Zeinab Donati has been studying books about various Islamic subjects for more than 19 years. She is deeply interested in history and politics as well as social issues in particular those pertaining to women.
Saleem Bhimji,
Shaykh Saleem Bhimji was born and raised in Canada. After completing his post-secondary education at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), he moved to Medina, New York, to study at the Imam al-Asr Theological Seminary. He later continued his religious studies at the Hawza of Qum. To date he has translated over 40 full-length books into English that have been printed worldwide.
Jerrmein Abu Shahba,
Jerrmein Abu Shahba is originally from Egypt and has a bachelor's degree in Biology and a masters in Chemistry from Rutgers State University in the US. She is actively involved in many Islamic projects that include organizing annual youth camps, teaching Islamic subjects, writing articles and translating texts from Arabic.
Ayub Rashid,
Shaykh Ayub Rashid is a graduate of the Islamic Seminary of Qom, Iran. He has a BA in Islamic law and MA in Islam and Community Studies from the UK and is also a qualified Muslim Chaplain from the Markfield Institute of Higher Education in Leicester.
Abbas Jaffer,
Sheikh Abbas Jaffer is an optometrist by profession and has a Master's degree in Islamic Sciences. He is a part time lecturer at the Islamic College in London and is currently writing his doctoral thesis on the challenges faced by educators of young Muslims in modern day Britain. He has also co-authored a book on Qur'anic sciences for the Islamic College as well as translating several works from Persian into English.
Greg Sowden,
Ali Mahdi Greg Sowden studied world history at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Since then he has been a student at Al-Mustafa International University in Qom, in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Vinay Khetia,
Shaikh Vinay Khetia has studied at various traditional Islamic seminaries in London, Iraq and Syria. He has an undergraduate degree in Religious and Near Eastern Studies from the University of Toronto and an M.A. in the History and Philosophy of Religion from Concordia University. He is a PhD Candidate in the department of Religious Studies at McMaster University with a focus on the intellectual history of Islam and specifically Shi'ism.
Rebecca Masterton,
Dr Rebecca Masterton graduated with a BA in Japanese Language and Literature; an MA in Comparative East Asian and African Literature and a PhD in Islamic literature of West Africa. She has been teaching for seventeen years through different media, and has also worked in media for ten years, producing and presenting programs for several TV channels.
Zoheir Ali Esmail,
Shaykh Zoheir Ali Esmail has a Bsc in Accounting and Finance from the LSE in London, and an MA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University. He studied Arabic at Damascus University and holds a PhD from the University of Exeter in the philosophical and mystical readings of Mulla Sadra in the context of the schools of Tehran and Qum.
Shahid Pradhan,
Shahid Pradhan is a graduate of Al-Mustafa International University, Qum. He is an activist and interested in Indian and international political and social issues.
Nour Tessie Jørgensen,
Nour Tessie Jørgensen has an MA in Islamic studies from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark and a degree in Philosophy of Ethics at Al Mustafa International University in Qum, Iran. She works as an Islamic Studies teacher and a counselor in spiritual and female-related issues.
Mateen Charbonneau,
Sheikh Mateen Joshua Charbonneau achieved a certificate from Harvard University in Islamic Studies. He undertook Howza classes under esteemed scholars since 2013 and has been teaching at Imam Mahdi Howza since 2017. He has compiled and published several books, has filmed several documentaries on Islamic subjects and has also promoted Islamic propagation in US jails.
Amina Inloes,
Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the Islamic College in London and also the Managing Editor of the Journal of Shi'a Islamic Studies.
Abbas Di Palma,
Shaykh Abbas Di Palma holds a BA and an MA degree in Islamic Studies, and certifications from the Language Institute of Damascus University. He has also studied traditional Islamic sciences in London, Damascus and Qom and taught for different institutions in Italy and UK.
Berak Hussain,
Berak Hussain is a Registered Psychotherapist (RP) in Canada. She has a BA in Psychology and a Masters in Educational Counseling from the University of Ottawa. She speaks on a variety of Islamic and psychological issues bridging the connection and misconceptions around Islam and mental health and Islam and women. She has worked locally and internationally on a variety of mental health initiatives working tirelessly to break the stigma around the topic within the community.
Syed Nabi Raza Abidi,
Syed Nabi Raza Abidi is based in the US and has a PhD in Theology and Philosophy having attended Howzah in Iran for several years. His research was conducted under the guidance of Ayatollah Ja'far Subhani. He has also taught various subjects such as Usul, Fiqh, Philosophy, and Tafseer in different Islamic schools.
Abolfazl Sabouri,
Abolfazl Sabouri is based in New Zealand and has an MA in Jurisprudence and Islamic Studies. He is a graduate of Elmiyeh seminary in Qom with more than 15 years of study and research where he has also taught Tafsir, Theology and Jurisprudence.
Sayyed Muhammad Husaini Ragheb,
Sayyed Muhammad Husaini Ragheb has a BA in Law from Guilan University, Iran and has also undertaken Hawzah studies in Qom. He is a Cultural Affairs director of Ethics Group of Al-Mustafa Open University and has also taught Arabic conversation at Masoomieh school.
Mohammad Zakaria,
Mohammad Zakaria is a senior lecturer at the Islamic College where he specialises in Research methodology and Islam's Education Philosophy and Teacher Training. His doctoral work focused on the intersection between Race, Human Rights and Education.
Anwar Jaffer,
Born and raised in London, Sheikh Anwar Jaffer has a Bsc in Economics and Finance from Queen Mary University of London. In 2010 he began his religious studies in Najaf and transferred to Qom in 2015 where he currently resides with his family.
Shyrose Jaffer Dhalla,
Zakira Shyrose Jaffer Dhalla is a graduate of York University in Canada from where she obtained a BA in Psychology and Sociology and a Masters in the field of Education. She lectures on Islam at mosques, universities, churches and interfaith gatherings and also recites majalises in Urdu, English and Gujarati. A published freelance writer, playwright, motivational speaker and Anti-Racist Educational Counsellor by profession, she conducts workshops on Race and Cultural sensitivity and often appears on TV program panels and radio talk shows to speak on Race Relations.
Masuma Jaffer,
Dr Masuma Jaffer is a qualified dentist, with a Masters in Islamic Studies and has also attended Hawza in Qum. She obtained a PGCE - teaching qualification – and has taught Hawza studies at the Islamic College in London. She also has a Diploma in Counselling and is a Qualified Chaplain and worked with women prisoners at Holloway and with Hertfordshire Police advising them on Muslim matters.
Fatemah Meghji,
Fatemah Meghji is based in Vancouver and has a BA in English Literature and Religious Studies from the University of British Columbia. She then studied at Jamiah al-Zahra in Qum, Iran, from where she completed her MA in Qur'anic Exegesis & Qur'anic Sciences with honours. She works on content development with Kisa Kids and has taught at the Az-Zahraa Islamic Academy, Islamic Literacy, and the Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre.
Hassanain Govani,
Hassanain Govani is based in Sweden and has an MA in History of Religion from Uppsala University and an MA in Islamic Studies from the Islamic College of London, and has also studied Arabic in Damascus. He has a position as project secretary at SST, the committee for state support for religious communities.
Sayed Mohammad Saleh Qazwini,
Sayed Mohammad Saleh Qazwini has a BA from the University of Michigan and an MA from Wayne State University. He is a graduate of the Islamic Seminary of Qom, Iran.
Zaid Alsalami,
Shaykh Dr Zaid Alsalami is an Iraqi born scholar, raised in Australia. He obtained a BA from Al-Mustafa University, Qom, and an MA from the Islamic College in London. He also obtained a PhD from ANU, Canberra. He has written and translated several Islamic texts and also prepared educational videos on Islamic rulings and practices.
Nasim Walji Pirmohamed,
Nasim Walji Pirmohamed is a religious lecturer and a teacher in Islamic Religious Education, Holy Qur'an and Arabic language. She has translated works from Persian to English, and has been very active in working for the improvement of women's condition and their mental health across many countries.
Amir De Martino,
Amir De Martino is of Italian origin and has an MA in Islamic Studies from the Islamic College and a combined BA degree in Persian Language and Studies of Religion from SOAS in London. He has also obtained a PGCE in Social Research Methods from the Department of Education at Roehampton University as part of his preparation for doctoral studies, and is a member of Westminster's Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education.
Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answer updated 1 year ago
Islam gives human life the highest degree of importance and considers it is sacred. That is why we find many Quranic verses and Hadeeths encouraging marriage and having children.
The term of " overpopulation" is not accepted by us at all. Who has the right to put limits to population then to claim that it is over?
If sources are utilized properly, there will be no question of overpopulation. Islam encourage utilizing the sources in better ways which will improve he quality of billions of human beings.
Islam emphasize on the quality of life which is possible through fair distribution of the sources among people and filling the gap between poor and rich through Justice.
Those who claim overpopulation in the western media don't act against wasting millions of tons of food committed by big western companies and governments just to gain more profits ignoring he need f millions of poor human beings.
If the sources are maintained and distributed in a just and fair way, no human being will remain in need, as Imam Ali (AS) said: No poor person starves but because of the selfishness of a rich.
Islam not only encourages Muslims to have more children, but asks them to look after their children in a proper way and bring them up in the best environments and treatment as much as possible.
BOOKMARK ^ HELPFUL? | 5

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


It's interesting how supporters can become obsessive about their team, whatever the sport. I don't mean that in an unhealthy, neurotic sort of way, but rather in an addictive, habit forming sense, where you are consumed by a passion for all things, in my case, blue and white. You only have to follow the unofficial message board for a few weeks to see how there are plenty of others who share my love of Coventry, probably even more so in some instances. If there weren't, then there would be no messageboard and how sad would that be…?
Being fairly introspective, I think I've come to understand why supporting Coventry has become such a big thing for me, at least.
It's simply this; it's been one of the few constants in the 50 plus years I have been watching rugby both at Coundon Road and BPA. People come and go, relationships begin and end, but Coventry makes no demands of me! It's been an ever present in my life, although the 2000 and 2008 financial crises were desperate times and more than once it looked as if the club might fold.
I was always confident that at the end of a difficult week in which I never quite knew what would happen at work, I could always unwind on a Saturday and leave behind the stresses and strains of everyday life for a few relaxing hours. Whilst I quite often get 'involved' in what's happening on the pitch and get a little animated at times, I'm not one to take a defeat home with me. However disappointing the performance the week before, the following Saturday will always be better…as I've said before…I'm a glass half full kind of guy. So no, not obsessive in my support at all, just fervent.
The summer months are always a fallow time of the year in terms of Coventry news and I dread to think how many hours of the week are spent trawling through the internet and social media for info pertaining to signings and other club related news. Collecting my season ticket is always a great moment, summing up all the hopes and expectations of the coming months in that one little piece of plastic. I still get the same buzz when I pick it up from the ground in July or August as I did when my dad gave me my first junior vice president booklet, as it was then. I still feel, part of something very special every year and it remains on my person wherever I go. I couldn't leave it in a drawer after a match until the next home fixture, it would just seem disloyal…okay, maybe that one's a bit excessive.
Remember the wallet of tickets used by the club for a couple of seasons, perforated so that you tore off the appropriate ticket for the given match. Some things have definitely got a whole lot better.
Talking of bygone times, towards the end of last season there was some talk of a new 'Cowshed' being erected, presumably where the temporary stand is now. Everyone who remembers Coundon Road will have vivid memories of the old 'Cowshed' and of the fantastic atmosphere it generated on a matchday. A ball bouncing on the roof would inevitably result in punters brushing the ensuing rust off their heads, much to the amusement of those in the stand opposite. And the 'toilets' at the back of the stand… well it's a smell I'll never forget. Sadly.
however, as far as the new 'Cowshed' is concerned, Jon Sharp has 'rained on that parade' or more appropriately, 'pi**ed on that particular bonfire', by stating categorically, 'bigger projects like a 'Cowshed' have to wait not only for further funding but also until they can be justified'.


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text:
using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.IO;

namespace Crawler;

public class Crawler
{
    public Crawler(ILogger<Crawler> logger)
    {
        _logger = logger;
    }

    private readonly ILogger<Crawler> _logger;

    private static readonly HashSet<string> _extensions = new HashSet<string>(new[] { ".mp3", ".aac", ".ogg" }, StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase); // TODO: make this configurable?

    private MediaFile ProcessFile(string filename)
    {
        try
        {
            if (_extensions.Contains(Path.GetExtension(filename)))
            {
                using (var file = TagLib.File.Create(filename, TagLib.ReadStyle.Average))
                {
                    return new MediaFile
                    {
                        Filename = filename,
                        Title = file.Tag.Title,
                        Artist = string.Join(",", file.Tag.Performers),
                        AlbumArtist = string.Join(",", file.Tag.AlbumArtists),
                        Album = file.Tag.Album,
                        Bpm = file.Tag.BeatsPerMinute,
                        Disc = file.Tag.Disc,
                        DiscCount = file.Tag.DiscCount,
                        Year = file.Tag.Year,
                        Genres = string.Join(",", file.Tag.Genres),
                    };
                }
            }
            else
            {
                _logger.LogDebug("File '{Filename}' does not match any of the configured extensions. Skipping.", filename);
                return null;
            }
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            _logger.LogWarning(ex, "Could not read tag for file '{Filename}'", filename);
            return null;
        }
    }

    private IEnumerable<MediaFile> ProcessFolder(string folder, bool recursive)
    {
        SearchOption options;
        if (recursive)
        {
            options = SearchOption.AllDirectories;
        }
        else
        {
            options = SearchOption.TopDirectoryOnly;
        }
        foreach(var filename in Directory.EnumerateFiles(folder, "*", options))
        {
            var file = ProcessFile(filename);
            if (file != null)
            {
                yield return file;
            }
        }
    }

    public IEnumerable<MediaFile> ProcessPaths(IEnumerable<string> paths, bool recursive)
    {
        foreach(var path in paths)
        {
            var attribs = File.GetAttributes(path);
            if (attribs.HasFlag(FileAttributes.Directory))
            {
                foreach (var media in ProcessFolder(path, recursive))
                {
                    yield return media;
                }
            }
            else
            {
                yield return ProcessFile(path);
            }
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The dual zone TSX219 is the ultimate of aquatic fitness and warm water relaxation.
Any season, any way you choose, there is plenty of space for the entire family in the 5 seat hot tub plus 102" of fitness area. You choose what best suits your lifestyle; enjoy both zones together or each separately. Hot tub in the winter, fitness in the summer or both all the time! Choosing the TSX219 is the solution to backyard fun and a healthier lifestyle.
Please call us or stop by our showroom, and we'll help you find the hot tub of your dreams!


text:
Кълм () е град в северната част на Съединените американски щати, част от окръг ЛаМор на щата Северна Дакота. Населението му е около 344 души (2014).

Разположен е на 601 метра надморска височина във Вътрешните равнини, на 155 километра югоизточно от Бисмарк и на 175 километра югозападно от Фарго. Селището е основано през 1892 година от немски заселници и е наречено на едноименните селища в Прусия (днес Хелмно) и Бесарабия (днес Пидгирне).

Известни личности
 Родени в Кълм
 Анджи Дикинсън (р. 1931), актриса

Бележки

Градове в Северна Дакота


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text:
Cyberwarfare »
Ukraine charges Russia with new cyber attacks on infrastructure
Ukraine accused Russian hackers of targeting its power grid, financial system and other infrastructure with a new type of virus that attacks industrial processes, the latest in a series of cyber offensives against the country.Reuters | February 16, 2017, 12:06 IST
KIEV - Ukraine on Wednesday accused Russian hackers of targeting its power grid, financial system and other infrastructure with a new type of virus that attacks industrial processes, the latest in a series of cyber offensives against the country.
Oleksandr Tkachuk, Ukraine's security service chief of staff, said at a press conference that the attacks were orchestrated by the Russian security service with help from private software firms and criminal hackers, and looked like they were designed by the same people who created malware known as "BlackEnergy."
Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) could not be reached for comment. Moscow has repeatedly denied accusations from Kiev that it has been waging a "cyber war" on Ukraine since relations between the two countries collapsed following Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea and the outbreak of Russian-backed separatist fighting in Ukraine's Donbass region.
The allegations are the latest sign that Russia's behaviour in conflict areas has not changed markedly since Donald Trump became U.S. president last month, calling for warmer relations between Washington and Moscow.
The new attacks caused some of Ukraine's cyber defenders to cancel plans to attend this week's RSA cyber security conference in San Francisco, according to one Western expert familiar with the situation.
If the allegations are confirmed, that could help Ukraine further its case for the United States to help coordinate a multi-national effort to counter the threat of Russian cyber warfare.
"There is a global cyber war of Russia against (the) whole world," President Petro Poroshenko told Reuters in an interview in January at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Ukraine said Russia made 6,500 cyber attacks on it in November and December alone. Ukraine blamed hackers for knocking out part of Kiev's power grid in December, and for attacks on the defence and finance ministries and the State Treasury.
Tkachuk said at Wednesday's press conference that malicious software used in the campaign was designed to attack specific industrial processes. As an example, he said that the code included modules that sought to harm equipment inside the electric grid.
"Russian hackers and infobots become an important tool of the aggression against our country," Tkachuk said.
He said the attacks employed a mechanism dubbed "Telebots" to infect computers that control infrastructure.
Slovakian cyber-security firm ESET used the same name in December to identify the hacking group responsible for attacks on Ukraine's financial sector and energy industries.
ESET said it believed that Telebots had evolved from BlackEnergy, a hacking group that attacked Ukraine's energy industry starting in December 2015.
ESET researcher Cameron Camp said that the latest attack software sounded like a modest adaptation of an programme his firm had published a report on in December.
Both campaigns were carefully targeted, opened back doors, sent out certain types of files to unknown masters, and downloaded tools that can wipe out those files.
Without directly attributing the attack to the Russians, Camp said "If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it's duck-like."
Separately on Wednesday, cyber security firm CyberX said that it had uncovered a separate espionage operation in Ukraine that had compromised more than 60 victims.
Victims of the malware included an energy ministry, a scientific research institute and a firm that designs remote monitoring systems for oil & gas pipelines, according to CyberX.
CyberX Chief Technology Officer Nir Giller said he was not sure who was behind the operation, but suspected it was conducting reconnaissance for launching further attacks.
Tags : Cyberwarfare, Cybersecurity, cyberattack


GARDEN STRIPE SHIRT is rated 4.7 out of 5 by 3.
Rated 4 out of 5 by Sonja from Good for everyday wear Nothing special but a good basic button up top to go with jeans or black pants and long enough for a taller woman. I like the hidden buttons to prevent gaping but would like a third one as these shirts sit a bit higher on me due to my height and so they still can gape a little one button further down. The only annoying thing is that I have bought several of this style of shirt this year and, unfortunately, have had to resew every single hidden button. They are not sewn on very well which is quite poor given the full price cost of these shirts.


text:
Tylenol Exposé Hits J&J, Media, PRSA
By Jack O'Dwyer
"The Tylenol Mafia," by Scott Bartz, an exposé of Johnson & Johnson's manipulation of facts surrounding the murder of seven people in the Chicago area in 1982 via Extra Strength Tylenol, will create a big headache for J&J, the media that went along with this ruse, and authorities such as the FBI, local police and the courts that did flawed and even dishonest work.
There's no doubt that the public was lied to on a grand scale about the Tylenol murders that drew attention matching that which followed the murder of President Jack Kennedy in 1963.
Bartz
Also pulled into the wake of this tsunami of spin and lies were the textbooks that invariably praised J&J. A co-conspirator was PR Society of America, which gave J&J a special Silver Anvil in 1983 after J&J lost in the crisis category to Hygrade Food products. Winner was the campaign "Getting Hygrade off the Griddle" after bits of metal were found in some of its hotdogs.
PRS has been unwavering in its adulation of what J&J did and no doubt influenced media and textbook coverage. A full page in Tactics in March 2008 said J&J provided "an enduring example of crisis management done right."
J&J was a regular advertiser in PRS publications for years and in 1999 the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation gave $2.6 million to Kids in a Drug-Free Society, a joint venture of the PRS Foundation and the Partnership in a Drug-Free America.
The textbook "Effective PR" said J&J began "immediately pulling the product off retail shelves" and "PR Strategies & Tactics" said J&J "immediately halted Tylenol production, stopped distribution, and recalled supplies from retailers."
"The Practice of PR" noted the recall was ordered nearly a week later and only after another Tylenol poisoning incident in Oroville, Calif.
Pitiful and emblematic of J&J's "Who, Me?" pose is that it only offered a reward of $100K after the 1982 and 1986 murders. It should have offered $10 or $20 million.
NYT Took Many Tylenol PR Pills
Especially red-faced will be the New York Times which has been steadfast in its praise of J&J/Tylenol including a nearly three-page feature Aug. 22, 2010 by Peter Goodman that said "Exhibit A in the lesson book on forthright crisis management is the mass recall of Tylenol in 1982 after the deaths of seven people…"
Natasha Singer, NYT reporter on J&J, also swallowed the poisoned Tylenol PR pill, writing May 3 last year that "J&J is considered a model for the consumer products industry for its fast and adept handling of the Tylenol scare in 1982…"
Other media that swallowed the myth that J&J acted quickly and ethically in regard to easily-spikedTylenol capsules (which should never have been marketed in the first place) included Fortune, The Economist, Christian Science Monitor, Motley Fool and Wikipedia.
The Bartz book could impact the stock of J&J which is currently about at its 2002 level. Although immensely profitable, with net of $11.6 billion in 2010 on sales of $64.3B (it also owes $18.7B), J&J was $64.95 on Jan. 2, 2002 and is currently around $61.
J&J is a holding company for more than 250 units. Only a small part of its sales are for its best known baby products and Band-Aids.
Author Bartz Has Thousands of Facts
Author Bartz has compiled thousands of facts that make a compelling case that the Extra Strength Tylenol capsules were mixed with cyanide while still under the control—faulty as it was—of J&J.
His tell-all, insider's book is of the same genre as Deadly Spin by Wendell Potter, which catalogued PR abuses in the drug industry and especially at Cigna. Potter had 20 years at Cigna.
The Bartz book is expected to go on sale today on Amazon.com and is available as an ebook on Amazon Kindle and on Barnes & Noble's Nook for $9.99. It is self-published.
The Potter and Bartz books are must reading for those in PR as well as students, professors and PR journalists.
A J&J employee 7.5 years to March 2007, Bartz has intimate knowledge of the distribution system of J&J including its use of "rack jobbers" and other third parties who put ingredients into capsules for J&J and others and deliver them to stores.
Bartz, citing names, dates and other particulars, tracks a half dozen others, besides the seven in the Chicago suburbs, who died from poisoned Tylenols. He feels the number of victims is probably much higher.
What suddenly brought the poisonings to the attention of hospital workers was that three members of the Janus family died in rapid succession of cyanide poisoning after taking Extra Strength Tylenols.
Such poisonings otherwise had been widespread and escaped the attention of medical workers, Bartz says.
Adam Janus, 27, died of cyanide as did his brother Stanley, 24, and his new wife. They all took Tylenols from the same bottle on the same day—Wednesday, Sept. 29, 1982.
Reiner's Death Bursts J&J's PR Balloon
The Bartz pin prick that bursts the J&J PR balloon, which claimed that the Tylenols were being poisoned after they were on store shelves, was the death of Lynn Reiner, 27, who had given birth four days earlier to son Joshua.
Her poisoned Tylenols came from the Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield as part of a kit given to mothers and there was no way that any outsider could get into the hospital's dispensary to contaminate such pills.
What muddied the waters was that Reiner also went to Frank's Finer Foods in Winfield on her way home and purchased a bottle of Regular Strength Tylenol, mixing the gray and white regular Tylenols with eight red and white Extra Strength Tylenols.
There is no question that the Extra Strength pills were from the hospital, says Bartz, who writes that the Reiner case "held the key to solving all of the Tylenol murders."
FBI Reneges on Package Tampering
Astounding, to say the least, is the FBI's reversal of its finding in 1986, after 23-year-old Diane Elsroth became another Tylenol/cyanide victim, that the packaging containing the poisoned pills was not violated and that the contamination therefore had to be on J&J's watch.
All hell broke loose after that finding and the FBI suddenly switched its opinion without providing details.
Milt Ahlerich, FBI PA chief, initially said there was "no evidence of tampering" with either the containers or the packaging of the Extra Strength Tylenols that killed Elsroth. Three Tylenol bottles containing cyanide were found in Westchester.
Bartz describes the protection on Tylenols that one J&J executive said would require a "tank" to get through.
The Tylenol box was sealed with permanent adhesive that could only be dislodged by tearing it, said Packaging Corp. of America. It said "Boxes with sealed flaps make it impossible to reseal the package once it's opened."
The Westchester boxes showed no tears, cuts or other signs of tampering., no evidence that the plastic shrink-wrap had been removed and then reheated, re-shrunk and re-applied, writes Bartz. There was no indication that the aluminum foil seals laminated to the lips of the bottles had been removed and re-laminated. The only adhesive on the lips of the bottles was the adhesive that the repackager had applied. The aluminum foil seals had not been torn or cut and there were no scrapes or nicks on the lips or necks of the bottles to indicate a sharp knife or razor blade had been used to remove the aluminum-foil seals.
X-rays show no signs the bottles had been invaded—no cuts, no holes and no needle marks, writes Bartz.
Invading the plastic bottle inside would involve cutting it and "melting the cutout back into place after tampering with the capsules," noted the Washington Post Feb. 14, 1986. The FBI ruled this out.
Despite the above, Ahlerich announced on Feb. 26, 1986 that "previously undetected signs of tampering have now been discovered using sophisticated scientific examination…it was possible to invade the bottles after packing was complete without detection through conventional means of examination."
No further details were provided nor "proof that the packaging had been tampered with nor how it could have been done," writes Bartz, who notes that Ahlerich refused to answer any questions.
The Bartz book describes numerous complaints about the lab work of the FBI.
Ex-VP-PR Has Solution!
Larry Foster, former VP-PR of J&J who got the Gold Anvil of PRS in 1989 and who is repeatedly and unfavorably mentioned in the book, said in a 2002 interview at his alma mater, Pennsylvania State University, that he knew how the bottles were invaded.
He told students that the murderer "managed to cut through the bottom of the plastic container bottle, remove the capsules, put the cyanide capsule in, and they managed to get the piece back in the bottle and get in on the shelf so it was undetectable. In other words, you didn't have to go through any of the safety seals at the top of the bottle."
Bartz says this version is not only "false and completely unbelievable" but conflicted with what both J&J and the FBI have said for many years.
Foster left out the problem of invading the box sealed with glue that could only be dislodged by tearing it, says Bartz.
The remarks of Foster and other J&J PR staffers are challenged at numerous places in the book.
J&J Employed Ex-FBI Heavyweights
FBI staffers found many jobs at J&J, notes Bartz.
Kevin Donavan, VP of J&J Worldwide Security, had a 25-year career with the FBI, rising to assistant director, New York, in charge of 2,500 agents and other FBI employees.
His predecessor was Wayne Gilbert, who was with the FBI 28 years before joining J&J in 1993.
Russell Deyo, J&J general counsel, was assistant U.S. attorney in New Jersey for eight years before joining J&J in 1985. As corporate secretary, McNeil Consumer Products Co. in 1991, he signed the 1982 murders settlement agreements. His job pays salary and bonus of more than $8 million, says Bartz. Families of the victims waited eight years before J&J agreed to a settlement.
One of the Bartz charges is that the case has now been "reopened" as a means of keeping key documents under cover.
Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr., head of the Food & Drug Administration and an unflagging supporter of the belief that the Tylenols were poisoned after delivery to stores, in 1991 became the COO of MediScience Assocs., a unit of the Nelson Communications subsidiary of J&J.
Bartz charges that the FBI and State of Illinois continue to keep the 1982 Tylenol murders open as an excuse to deny investigators access to documents.
Says Bartz:
"Evidence from the Tylenol murders has been kept hidden from the public by the confidentiality requirements of the 'active' investigation and the secrecy rules of grand jury proceedings. Prosecutors convened those grand juries in DuPage and Cook Counties in the fall of 2008 to cover up the truth about the Tylenol murders—not to solve them. It is extremely unlikely that officials would have conducted this charade without the blessing of J&J."


Read the following passage and answer the question  Greek mythology is a vehicle that uses mythological characters and creatures to teach people about the dangers, beauties and possible outcomes of life. In many myths, characters face moral dilemmas involving honor and practicality. The protagonists of epics face creatures that represent values and challenges such as respect, temptation and redemption. How has Greek mythology inevitably evolved with time and new story tellers? Scholars that have interpreted Greek mythology seek to maintain the universal values conveyed in these stories, while ensuring the validity of adapting these stories to their own distinct cultures. It is up to each reader to seek their own truths and learn from epic Greek mythology as best they can. Which word best describes the author's account of Greek mythology?
The author describes the high moral lessons learned from Greek mythology and how epics can instill key values in readers. Greek mythology was also rife with sexual encounters and dirty human actions. The author conveys strictly positive characteristics about epics and their utility. Clearly, the author's account is idealistic. Choice A is the best. Because the author is neither pessimistic (choice B) nor doubtful, or dubious (choice C), one can then look at choice A, D and E. The author does not really criticize Greek mythology; in fact, the author praises it. Also, the author's account, or description, of Greek mythology is not mysterious; although, the actual mythology may very well be mysterious. Only choice A, idealistic, captures the sentiment attached to the author's account of Greek mythology.
Read the following passage and answer the question  Greek mythology is a vehicle that uses mythological characters and creatures to teach people about the dangers, beauties and possible outcomes of life. In many myths, characters face moral dilemmas involving honor and practicality. The protagonists of epics face creatures that represent values and challenges such as respect, temptation and redemption. How has Greek mythology inevitably evolved with time and new story tellers? Scholars that have interpreted Greek mythology seek to maintain the universal values conveyed in these stories, while ensuring the validity of adapting these stories to their own distinct cultures. It is up to each reader to seek their own truths and learn from epic Greek mythology as best they can. According to the author's description, which of the following is most likely to be a message from Greek mythology?
Love is difficult, but it will last if the lovers are meant to be together.
Resisting temptation and immediate gratification will lead to ultimate success.
It is important to keep track of your personal history.
Passing down Greek mythology has taken on a new form since oral records faded.
It is not the fastest, but the longest lasting that wins the race.
Although almost each of these messages (except choice D!) is valid and could be interpreted from Greek mythology, only one fits the author's description. The author explicitly mentions "dangers," "outcomes of life" and "temptation. Choice B clearly mentions temptation, which is a danger, and how it affects your outcome in life (ultimate success). Choice A and choice E are compelling choices, but the author does not make as direct of a reference to these lessons. Choice B is the best choice.
Read the following passage and answer the question  Disequilibrium at the interface of water and air is a factor on which the transfer of heat and water vapor from the ocean to the air depends. The air within about a millimeter of the water is almost saturated with water vapor and the temperature of the air is close to that of the surface water. Irrespective of how small these differences might be, they are crucial, and the disequilibrium is maintained by air near the surface mixing with air higher up, which is typically appreciably cooler and lower in water vapor content. The turbulence, which takes its energy from the wind mixes the air. As the speed of wind increases, so does the turbulence, and consequently the rate of heat and moisture transfer. We can arrive at a detailed understanding of this phenomenon after further study. The transfer of momentum from wind to water, which occurs when waves are formed is an interacting-and complicated phenomenon. When waves are made by the wind, it transfers important amounts of energy-energy, which is consequently not available for the production of turbulence. The wind over the ocean usually does which of the following according to the given passage? I. Leads to cool, dry air coming in proximity with the ocean surface. II. Maintains a steady rate of heat and moisture transfer between the ocean and the air. III. Results in frequent changes in the ocean surface temperature.
The answer is A, because it says in the passage that happens. So 'A' is the best possible answer.
Read the following passage and answer the question  Swimming has developed from a primal mode of movement to an advanced hobby and competitive sport. Exercising nearly every muscle group, swimming is a rigorous sport and requires intense training. In competitions swimmers typically contend for the fastest time to complete a certain distance by performing a specific swimming stroke. Also, swimmers work to build endurance and an ability to swim over long distances. Because swimming has developed into a highly intricate competitive sport, where one wrong technique can disqualify a participant, it is interesting to ponder how the sport will evolve for people in the future, either advancing into a progressive purpose or regressing to a primal mode of movement. The structure of this passage could be best described in what way?
An activity narrowed to a specific purpose and expanded to consider future implications.
An activity narrowed to a specific purpose and expanded to consider future deviations.
A hypothesis tested against certain conditions, developed into a larger thesis.
An activity and its purposes are explained.
The passage begins by introducing swimming, narrowing it down to competitive sports and then expanding the concept to figure out what swimming will turn into in the future. Choice A and choice B are close in meaning, but choice A refers to implications, or effects, rather than deviations, or different versions resulting from changes. This minor change separates the two choices and makes B superior. Choice D is relevant, but it does not include the entire scope of the passage. Choice E only focuses on the conclusion and stretches beyond what the passage actually accomplishes. Choice B is best.
Read the following passage and answer the question  Swimming has developed from a primal mode of movement to an advanced hobby and competitive sport. Exercising nearly every muscle group, swimming is a rigorous sport and requires intense training. In competitions swimmers typically contend for the fastest time to complete a certain distance by performing a specific swimming stroke. Also, swimmers work to build endurance and an ability to swim over long distances. Because swimming has developed into a highly intricate competitive sport, where one wrong technique can disqualify a participant, it is interesting to ponder how the sport will evolve for people in the future, either advancing into a progressive purpose or regressing to a primal mode of movement. Which of the following situations would fulfill the author's prophecy for swimming?
Humans settling on the moon use swimming techniques to move through space.
Swimming remains a competitive Olympic sport.
Animals, including amphibians, begin to swim instinctively upon birth, as a dominant genetic trait.
People swim in home and community pools to relax and exercise.
Fish begin swimming at unprecedented speeds and extend the average life span.
This question refers you to the conclusion sentence. The author states clearly that swimming must either progress into a new form or regress to the primal mode of movement. Choice B and D can be eliminated because they show no change, just a continuation of current circumstances. Choice A is an actual possibility as humans may very well be settling in outer space in the future. Choice C and E refer to animals anyway, when the author specifically was predicting a future for humans. Choice A is the most realistic and relevant prophecy according to the premises developed by the author.
The answer is B, because in the passage they author starts to describe what a phenomenon.


DISGUSTED landlords have exposed their feral tenants from hell who've left their properties in horrific conditions.
From a bath full of rubbish and an unknown black liquid, to festering toilets, peeling walls and junk-strewn gardens, homeowners have shared these snaps of the wreckage some renters have left behind.
One picture shows a bathroom thick with layers of grime and paint peeling from its walls.
Another image shows a kitchen stripped bare of any paint, wallpaper of flooring.
The pictures have been shared with interior specialist Hillarys, which has launched a competition to find Britain's worst "tenants from hell".
The company invited the nation's landlords to upload photos of the worst conditions their tenants have left their homes in, with the most shocking in with a chance of winning £500 - cash.


At the beginning of 2018, experts predicted that Cape Town would be the first major city in the world to run out of water, and the date given for 'Day Zero' was 12 April 2018. This is a result of three years of drought. Residents at that time will only be able to have 25 litres of water a day for all uses, taken from central collection pipes.
Traditional economists will simply explain that this is a matter of supply and demand. All that is needed is to increase the supply - build some new reservoirs or desalination plants. It is not clear if this will increase the water supply in time.
However, public goods have always been a problem for economists, and in this instance the free riders might hope everyone else plays by the rules whilst they use as much water as they like.
One answer could be the nudge theory of behavioural economics. People often choose what is easiest over what is wisest. So they may just need a 'nudge' to make a better decision. Residents and tourists are now being reminded constantly of the danger of wasting water.
Is it working? The answer is a qualified 'yes' as Day Zero has officially been put back to 9 July 2018. But there is still a long way to go!
How would you solve a problem like this?


Each year a plethora of new skincare ingredients make their way into our beauty cabinets. We've rounded up the game-changing ingredients to keep an eye on in 2019.
The way active ingredients are able to reach skin cells is just as important as the ingredients themselves. Since the desire for radiant skin that glows regardless of make-up isn't going anywhere and the secret to achieving a truly luminous complexion could lie in a new skincare delivery system. "One of the newest innovations to hit the big list is light-activated intelligent drone technology," says the head of education for Dermalogica Australia and New Zealand, Emma Hobson. Before you start daydreaming about a day where drones delivering cutting-edge skincare straight to your doorstep, Hobson explains that skincare drones are very different to flying drones. Dermalogica has just launched a game-changing Prisma Protect that utilises the technology. The advanced skincare delivery technology is activated by visible light which is then converted into cellular energy to help boost the skin's natural luminosity. "This is achieved by using Chlorella Vulgaris extract and various supplemental materials in a dual-layer capsule system which is referred to as drones," Hobson explains.
If you've ever picked up a jar of moisturiser and been perplexed at the sheer number of unpronounceable ingredients listed on the back, you're not alone. Australian-born skincare brand Biologi has only been around for a year yet has already managed to flip the way we think about skincare ingredients on its head. Rather than load products up with a heap of unnecessary ingredients, founder of Biologi, Ross MacDougall uses a single ingredient in each of Biologi's products. MacDougall who has worked in the industry for 30 years as a formulating chemist says he became disillusioned by the beauty world's obsession with how products look and feel. "There was no focus on the skin and results," he says. "So I thought why don't we just put into the bottle the stuff that's really good for the skin?" Each Biologi product is formulated with 100 per cent active organic plant extracts – Davidson plum for the Luminosity Face Serum, Kakadu plum for the Rejuvenation Eye Serum and Finger lime for the Hydration Body Serum. "There may be one ingredient in say the Kakadu plum but that has five or six different phytoactives in it," he explains.


Find out further information on Barcelona and Casablanca to help you prepare for your trip.
Trains in Casablanca are 74% cheaper than in Barcelona.
A meal in Casablanca is 69% cheaper than a meal in Barcelona.
A taxi fare in Casablanca is 72% cheaper than in Barcelona.
Coffee in Casablanca is 16% cheaper than in Barcelona.
Are you planning a sneaky trip to Casablanca? Well, whether it's on business, for a relaxing holiday or to visit loved ones, you will find all the best deals on flights from Barcelona with Opodo, featuring cheap flights by all the top low cost and standard airlines. By simply entering your preferences in our speedy search engine, a large selection of options will be returned from which you just need to select the cheapest deal. We'll do the rest! Alternatively, if you are flexible on dates or an early bird, discover the cheapest day to fly from Barcelona to Casablanca to ensure you get the best price. You can also find last minute flight deals on Opodo if you left it a little bit late or just need to travel soon. Finally, don't forget to book a hotel or car hire to complete your journey, all of which you will find on Opodo, your one-stop travel shop. Then just sit back and relax. Bon voyage!


The Cisco Aironet 2700 Series of Wi-Fi access points (APs) delivers industry-leading 802.11ac performance at a price point ideal for plugging capacity and coverage gaps in dense indoor environments. The Aironet 2700 Series extends 802.11ac speed and features to a new generation of smartphones, tablets, and high-performance laptops now shipping with the faster, 802.11ac Wi-Fi radios.
The Aironet 2700 series supports 802.11ac "Wave 1" In its first implementation, providing a theoretical connection rate of up to 1.3 Gbps. That's roughly triple the rates offered by today's high-end 802.11n APs. The boost helps you stay ahead of the performance and bandwidth expectations of today's mobile worker, who usually uses multiple Wi-Fi devices instead of just one. As such, users are adding proportionally larger traffic loads to the wireless LAN, which has outpaced Ethernet as the default enterprise access network.
- 802.11ac with 3x4 multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology supporting three spatial streams. This architecture offers a sustained 1.3-Gbps rates over a greater range for more capacity and reliability than competing APs.
- Cross-AP Noise Reduction, a Cisco innovation that enables APs to intelligently collaborate in real time about RF conditions so that users connect with optimized signal quality and performance.
- Optimized AP Roaming to ensure that client devices associate with the AP in their coverage range that offers the fastest data rate available.
- Cisco ClientLink 3.0 technology to improve downlink performance to all mobile devices, including one-, two-, and three-spatial-stream devices on 802.11ac. At the same time, the technology improves battery life on mobile devices.
- Cisco CleanAir technology enhanced with 80MHz channel support. CleanAir delivers proactive, high-speed spectrum intelligence across 20-, 40-, and 80-MHz-wide channels to combat performance problems due to wireless interference.
- MIMO equalization capabilities, which optimize uplink performance and reliability by reducing the impact of signal fade.
- The Cisco Aironet 2700 Series sustains higher-speed connections farther from the AP than competing solutions. The result is up to three times greater availability of 1.3-Gbps rates in the Cisco environment for optimum mobile device performance and user experiences.
The Cisco Aironet 2700 Series is a component of the Cisco Unified Wireless Network, a foundation for operating both wired and wireless LANs in an integrated manner. The Unified Wireless Network can scale to as many as 18,000 APs with full Layer-3 mobility across locations on the enterprise campus, in branch offices, and at remote sites. The Cisco Unified Wireless Network delivers highly secure access to mobility services and applications. It offers the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO) and investment protection by integrating smoothly with existing wired networks.


text:
Western Washington University under review over handling of sexual violence report
Updated: Jan. 09, 2019, 11:19 p.m. | Published: Apr. 30, 2015, 4:42 p.m.
The U.S. Department of Education received a complaint from a student regarding Western Washington University's response to a report of sexual violence, according to a statement posted on the university's website on Wednesday, April 29. 2015.
(Creative Commons)
BELLINGHAM, Wash. -- The U.S. Department of Education is investigating Western Washington University over its response to a report of sexual violence.
The school says the investigation by the Office for Civil Rights is automatic after a Western student sent a complaint to the federal government.
The investigation falls under federal Title IX law regarding response to a report of sexual violence.
Western spokesman Paul Cocke says the university welcomes the investigation because it provides another opportunity to review campus policies and to showcase the school's commitment to providing a safe campus for all.
The university did not release details about the complaint because the investigation has just started.
During the investigation, Western will be on a list that includes more than 100 colleges and universities undergoing similar inquiries.
Western is the third Washington college or university to come under investigation in recent years under Title IX, the Seattle Times reports. Whitman College in Walla Walla has been under investigation since November 2014, and a case at Washington State University has been open since January 2013.
--The Associated Press


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As part of its 2020 compliance audit program, the Board chose three areas across the province to audit forest service roads (FSRs) where the district manager (DM) has statutory obligations. The Board randomly selected the Dawson Creek Timber Supply Area portion of the Peace Natural Resource District, the Campbell River Natural Resource District and the Okanagan Shuswap Natural Resource District for audit.
This is the Campbell River Natural Resource District audit report. The audit was limited scope focused on FSR's (including major structures) construction, maintenance and deactivation practices between June 1, 2018, and October 22, 2020.
The audit found the activities of the District Manager complied with the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act.
In February 2018, the Forest Practices Board received a complaint from residents of East Thurlow Island about forest planning for old forest and red- and blue-listed plant communities in the Great Bear Rainforest. The complainants believed that TimberWest's planning did not meet the intent of the Great Bear Rainforest Order, and that it favored the harvest of timber over the conservation of ecological integrity.
The Board concludes TimberWest is meeting the intent of the Order on East Thurlow Island.
A professional biologist with black bear expertise submitted a complaint on April 8, 2019, asserting that black bear dens in large diameter, old trees are being lost to harvesting old growth forests on Vancouver Island. The complainant is concerned that the declining availability of large trees will eventually affect population numbers.
The Board concluded that there is uncertainty in terms of the population status of black bears on Vancouver Island.
In late July, the Forest Practices Board audited the forest activities of Western Forest Products Inc. in Blocks 2 and 5 of tree farm licence 39. Block 2 is located near Sayward on Vancouver Island, and Block 5 is located on the mainland coast in the Phillips River watershed.
This was a full scope compliance audit and all activities carried out between July 1, 2017, and July 27, 2018, were eligible for audit. The Board found that Western complied with the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act. This is the third audit of the TFL since 2008, and all have shown good results.
A government mapping error lead residents of Granite Bay (the complainants), on Quadra Island, to believe that the area across the bay from them was a park and would not be logged. When the Granite Bay residents discovered that the area could be logged they asked the district manager to establish a visual quality objective of retention so that any logging will be difficult to see. This letter reports the resolution of this complaint.
As part of its 2015 compliance audit program, the Forest Practices Board randomly selected the Forest Licence A19231, held by Western Forest Products Ltd. (WFP) in the Campbell River District, for audit. WFP's operations are mainly located on Nootka Island, but also extend northward on Vancouver Island to the Zeballos area, with a few outlying areas north of Gold River. Limited access to Nootka Island creates operational challenges for WFP staff, so they contract Nootka Sound Timber Co. Ltd. to manage operations on the island.
The audit identified two notable practices; one is an electronic bridge ledger system and the other is a terrain risk management strategy. WFP kept a very detailed bridge ledger, recording and digitally linking construction, inspection and maintenance documents in one central, easy to follow location. This bridge database is the most user friendly, comprehensive collection of bridge information the Board has seen yet. In addition, WFP developed a terrain risk management strategy that informs and guides its forest road and harvesting activities. It was developed with terrain and hydrological expert assistance, and has been in use by the company since 2013. The Board has not seen this type of strategy elsewhere.
The audit also identified an area requiring improvement related to road construction and maintenance at a fish stream crossing. While constructing a road to access timber WFP installed a box culvert to cross a fish stream (S3). During construction, WFP placed angular rock on the stream banks to stabilize them and to provide a foundation for the culvert. The rock constricts the stream channel and could potentially accelerate stream flow and erode the channel when stream flow is high. A fish biologist assessed the potential impacts on fish and fish habitat and determined the constriction will likely have a minimal impact.
Ecosystem-based management (EBM) is a forest management approach intended to maintain ecosystem integrity while providing for societal needs in the Great Bear Rainforest of Coastal BC. Ecological (old growth forest) representation and protection of at-risk plant communities are two key elements of EBM to help maintain ecological integrity and promote fully functional ecosystems on the BC Coast. Government set out the legal objectives for implementation of EBM by enacting the South Central Coast Order and the Central and North Coast Order in 2007. In February 2014, concerned residents complained that TimberWest was harvesting old forest, harvesting in areas with at-risk plant communities, and not abiding by the spirit and intent of the South Central Coast Order.
This report explores compliance with the South Central Coast Order for EBM, the clarity of both the Order and associated government direction and, the importance of understanding and managing to the spirit and intent of EBM in the Great Bear Rainforest.
As part of the Forest Practices Board's 2014 compliance audit program, the Board randomly selected the Campbell River Resource District as the location for an audit. Within the district, the Board selected Tree Farm Licence (TFL) 47, held by TimberWest Forest Corporation. The audit assessed all timber harvesting, roads, silviculture, protection activities, and associated planning, carried out over two years, commencing in August 2012.
TimberWest conducted its operations within the Campbell River and North Island Central Coast Districts, south-east of Port McNeil and on the islands to the east of Johnstone Strait. These islands are only accessible by water, making operations challenging. The TFL contains natural resource values, including scenic corridors, marine recreation areas, old growth forests, rare plant communities, and cultural sites, requiring special management. During the two-year audit period, the licensee harvested approximately 730 000 cubic metres of timber, in accordance with their forest stewardship plans.
The audit found that planning and field activities undertaken by TimberWest complied in all significant respects with the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act.
The audit found an area of improvement related to fire hazard assessments.
The findings of this audit are unique and do not represent the standard of forest practices usually identified through Board audits. The Board has conducted well over 100 compliance audits since 1996, including over 20 audits of BCTS operations, and has never previously encountered this level of non-compliance.The results show significant and pervasive findings of non-compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act and two instances of non-compliance with the Wildfire Act.
Overall, BCTS-CR and eight individual timber sale licence holders each had at least one significant noncompliance finding, while several had multiple significant findings. Some of these timber sale licence holders operated on more than one timber sale and significant findings were identified with each timber sale. There were also concerns noted with respect to forest practices that are technically compliant, but are considered by the Board to be unsound.
In the fall of 2009, the Forest Practices Board conducted a special investigation into how well forest companies are meeting their obligations to maintain roads and bridges under the Forest and Range Practices Act. The investigation took place in the Campbell River, South Island and Squamish forest districts in the Coast Forest Region.
The Board looked at how road maintenance obligations were being met by 8 licensees holding road permit tenures associated with 11 forest licences. The licensees were Aat'uu Forestry Limited Partnership and TimberWest Forest Corporation in the Campbell River Forest District; Coulson Forest Products Ltd. and Teal-Jones Group in the South Island Forest District; and C.R.B. Logging Co. Ltd., Northwest Squamish Forestry Ltd., Squamish Mills Ltd. and Halray Logging Ltd. in the Squamish Forest District.


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Q: Clojure - Calculate with big numbers I want to calculate !1000 in clojure, how can I do this without getting a integer-overflow exception?
My factorial code is right now: (reduce * (range 1 1001)).

A: Put N at the end of the number which makes it a bigint,
(reduce * (range 1N 1001N))

A: You could use the *' operator which supports arbitrary precision by automatically promoting the result to BigInt in case it would overflow:
(reduce *' (range 1 1001))

A: Coerce the parameters to clojure.lang.BigInt
(reduce * (range (bigint 1) (bigint 1001)))

I.e. if you are working with an third-party library that doesn't use *'
(defn factorial' [n]
   (factorial (bigint n)))

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Parent & Child Multi-Sport Indoor - 16 mos - 2 yrs
Mahogany HOA, 29 Masters Park SE., Calgary, AB, CA
January 23, 2022 - February 27, 2022
Every Sunday at 4:15 p.m.
From January 23, 2022 to February 27, 2022
January 23, 2022, 4:15 p.m. UTC
February 6, 2022, 4:15 p.m. UTC
February 13, 2022, 4:15 p.m. UTC
Sportball parented classes for children 16mos to 3 years of age, are structured around a play-based curriculum. Classes are taught through imaginative storylines and age-appropriate language that kids can understand and respond to. Our parented programs integrate sport & social skills development through activities that feel just like daily play. In addition to parents and kids being active together in class, parents also come away from our programs inspired and full of ideas that can be used at home to form the foundation of a shared active lifestyle with their growing athletes. Soccer, baseball, basketball, football, hockey, volleyball, golf and tennis are included.
CMCA Price: $135 & Non-Resident Price: $145 Please bring a water bottle and indoor shoes for your child.
1 to 12 y.o.
Partner activity
Note: As required by the Government of Alberta, any person over 12 years old will have to present: proof of vaccination or, proof of negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of the scheduled event, or medical exemption and a piece of ID to participate in an activity.


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Coin-op / Pay-to-play News
Coin-op / Pay-to-play Features
Coin-op / Pay-to-play Products
Topgolf adds two sites in US
by Lee Wild
Topgolf is opening two new venues in the US.
The technology-enabled golf brand is opening sites in Vineyard, Utah, and Wichita, Kansas.
The Vineyard location will include 72 climate-controlled hitting bays while Wichita will contain 52.
Both venues make use of the company's Toptracer ball-tracking technology, which tracks a player's ball's speed, height, distance and more as they aim for on-field targets while playing games such as Angry Birds.
Topgolf Vineyard will employ around 250 people and the company's chief operating officer Gen Gray said: "It doesn't matter if you've never picked up a golf club before, we're pretty certain you'll have fun at Topgolf since our whole experience is focused on cutting loose with friends and family.
"We've enjoyed great relationships with Utahns after our Salt Lake City venue opened, and we're thrilled at the opportunity to bring more play to the state."


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What to Buy Kids & Toys Games & Toys
Scientific Explorer My First Mind Blowing Science Kit Review
This box introduces kids to a world of discovery
Sarah Vanbuskirk
Sarah Vanbuskirk is a writer specializing in home and travel. She writes about home and gardening products for The Spruce. She has over 20 years of freelance writing experience, which has included published articles for Glamour, Self, Parents, Marie Claire, FashionWireDaily.com, TimeOut NY, GoLocalPDX.com, pdxparent.com, and Shop Etc.
Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links.
Scientific Explorer Mind Blowing Science Kit
The Spruce / Sarah Vanbuskirk
What We Like
Exposes kids to STEM themes
Easy to follow instructions
Simple, fun experiments
Engaging for all ages
What We Don't Like
Ingredient pouches aren't easily resealable
The Scientific Explorer My First Mind Blowing Science Kit includes a range of cool, easy-to-do, low-mess experiments that will delight kids of all ages.
Buy On Amazon Buy On Walmart
We purchased the Scientific Explorer My First Mind Blowing Science Kit so our writer could put it to the test. Keep reading for our full product review.
When I think of science experiments, I remember my high school science classroom, where a frog lay on my desk awaiting dissection. It was an experience that rattled me but likely would intrigue my five curious kids, ranging in age from 8 to16. Offering home do-it-yourself science toys to my kids appeals to me, especially since hands-on science has been drastically reduced in their schools. In this review, we test out the Scientific Explorer My First Mind Blowing Science Kit with my youngest. Read on to find out if it really blows our minds.
Entertainment Value: Wow
When I first told my 8-year-old that we would play with the Scientific Explorer My First Mind Blowing Science Kit, he was less than enthused. "Boring," was his assessment after looking at the box. "If they say 'mind-blowing," it probably isn't," he concluded. His older brother, a 14-year-old, cajoled him into giving it a try with the promise of doing it with him (and then said he would play Fortnight with him after they were done).
It turns out that my younger son's initial assessment of this "learning toy" was all wrong. As soon as the first beaker came out of the box, he was hooked. My older son was too. He enjoyed playing the science teacher. Soon enough, my other sons, age 10 and 12, were gathered around the table. Each wanted to be the next one to measure, scoop, pour, or stir. They were literally saying, "Wow," as liquids suddenly changed colors, frothed and bubbled, erupted (yes, as in a volcano), turned into crystals, or became "magic ooze."
Educational Value: Science made fun
My young son loved this STEM kit so much that he apologized to me for initially thinking it would be boring. He said he was sorry he'd resisted doing the experiments and that they were "actually super fun," and he hoped we could do more. If that's not a winning endorsement about this toy's educational value, I don't know what is. My son was clambering for more science and calling learning "super fun."
More specifically, kids will unwittingly be exposed to a bevy of scientific concepts and learn the basics of simple chemical reactions, creating cool visual effects in this experiment. Additionally, they get to see how the same basic ingredients will elicit different reactions when put together in unique ways.
Beyond the basic how-to of each experiment, the activity guide booklet also includes extensions for many projects, added information (in boxes called "Mind Blowing Science Secrets"), and extension questions to ponder, which adds to the depth of each experiment and provides a greater challenge for older kids.
For example, in the "Giant Jiggly Crystals" activity, budding scientists can touch and play with the jiggling creations, consider their feel, attempt to break them apart, and try to bounce them. This type of experimenting builds a kid's critical thinking and takes the basic concepts into the real world. It also makes it "super fun."
Design: Simply great
This product's design is simple, with the "wow" reserved for the experiments rather than the packaging—as it should be. All the supplies are enclosed in a large, clear plastic bag inside the Scientific Explorer My First Mind Blowing Science Kit box.
The 20-piece kit includes the supplies and instructions you'll need to conduct 11 unique science experiments. The kit's ingredients are red cabbage juice powder, citric acid, baking soda, color tablets, cross-linked polyacrylamide crystals, vegetable oil, and cornstarch. The kit also comes with paper, cotton swabs, test tubes and caps, plastic cups, a (much coveted) pipette, stir sticks, small and medium plastic scoops, and the science guide with step-by-step instructions. The only items you'll need to provide for most experiments are a surface to work on (such as a cutting board or plate) and water. Some projects also require a few other items you'll likely have on hand, such as a little flour, masking tape, food coloring, spoons, bowls, and paper towels.
The inclusion of official-looking science equipment like beakers, little scoopers, and a pipette add to the kit's allure. The pipette was a huge hit and by far the most coveted item for my boys. Easy-to-follow instructions are frustration-free and make the experiments accessible for older kids to do without adult help.
My only complaint is that the white ingredient pouches aren't resealable. (An exception is the red cabbage juice powder, which is in a sealable plastic bag.) I used clothespins to seal the pouches to prevent spills and retain the ingredient for use in the other experiments.
Age Range: 4 and up
Scientific Explorer recommends this activity kit for children aged 4 and up with adult supervision. My sons, from 8 to 14, loved these experiments. In fact, the older ones, which started merely as "helpers," ended up vying for turns to complete the various steps along with their younger brothers.
Soon enough, their other brothers, aged 10 and 12, were gathered around the table as well, each wanting to be the next one to measure, scoop, pour, and/or stir.
My younger two needed minimal help to follow all the steps and could easily comprehend the instructions. I like the way there are multiple, simple steps in each experiment, making it easy to split up tasks and understand the impact each step has on the overall experiment.
Little kids may not take away the concepts in the process or chemistry experiments, but they will enjoy the vivid ways the ingredients change colors, bubble up, or otherwise morph in the course of each activity.
Ease of Cleaning: A snap
When I contemplate kid-centric science experiments, the mom in me worries about the potential mess. Happily, this kit is a winner on that front. This kit is made of simple ingredients and all the experiments are fairly small in scale, making clean-up easy.
We did our experiments on plastic cutting boards and plates. To clean up, I put the supplies in the sink for a quick hand wash. To store items between experiments, I also folded each ingredient pouch's tops, pinched them closed them with a clothespin, and put everything back into the box.
Price: A mind-blowing deal
Scientific Explorer's My First Mind Blowing Science Kit can be found from $11 to $24, so it pays to shop around. Other similar science kits price out in that range, but most don't include such thoughtfully designed, easy-to-execute experiments. So, considering this 20-piece kit contains 11 unique and engaging science activities, this price is a steal.
They were literally saying, "wow," as liquids suddenly changed colors, frothed and bubbled, erupted (yes, as in a volcano), turned into crystals, or became "magic ooze."
Scientific Explorer My First Mind Blowing Science Kit vs. Baby Mushroom Ultimate Slime Kit
Both of these products wow with cool, DIY science projects. The Baby Mushroom Ultimate Slime Kit retails for $19 and cleverly uses slime (the ultimate kid magnet) to engage kids in chemistry basics for kids 8 and up. The Scientific Explorer kit costs less at $11 and is geared toward ages 4 and up. Its experiments are not as trendy but still super engaging—and the kicker for me, far less messy. Either one would make a great gift, but I would go for the Mind Blowing Science kit for younger kids and the Baby Mushroom one for any kid with a slime fascination.
Yes, buy it!
Scientific Explorer's My First Mind Blowing Science Kit thrills with engaging, easy-to-do, low-mess experiments that appeal to kids of all ages. Each experiment features lots of simple but fun, hands-on steps that anyone can do. This kit gets kids excited about science—a win in my book.
The 16 Best Toys for 8-Year-Old Boys in 2022
Product Name Mind Blowing Science Kit
Product Brand Scientific Explorer
MPN 0SA221
Weight 1.1 lbs.
Product Dimensions 12 x 10.2 x 0 in.
What's Included Includes red cabbage juice powder, citric acid, baking soda, color tablets, cross-linked polyacrylamide crystals, vegetable oil, corn starch, paper, cotton swabs, test tubes and caps, plastic cups, pipette, stir sticks, small and medium plastic scoops, and science guide
The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Florea, Nadia Mirela, and Elena Hurjui. "Critical Thinking In Elementary School Children". Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences, vol 180, 2015, pp. 565-572. Elsevier BV, doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.02.161
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text:
Tiger tiger, burning light
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Amrita Rao
Director: Abhijit Panse
A personality like Bal Thackeray cannot be contained in one film – he requires a sequel. That is what the makers of Thackeray allude to, as the film ends on a 'to be continued…' footnote. This is an account of the Shiv Sena supremo's life, produced by the party's MP Sanjay Raut, so you have a fair idea what to expect. Thackeray is a superhero here, painted to the demi-god status that his supporters gave him, his words frequently punctuated by a tiger's roar. This is a glowing tribute, with no room for any greys in its protagonist. So it ends up as a one-sided, distorted, saffron-hued take on Thackeray's political rise and clout over Maharashtra.
To be fair the film, directed by Abhijit Panse, is engaging in parts, chiefly because it's powered by a carefully-calibrated performance from Nawazuddin Siddiqui who breathes life, and fire, into the character of the controversial Hindutva leader. The irony of watching Nawaz mouth Thackeray's incendiary speeches against Muslims, and against outsiders taking away jobs from the Marathi manoos, will not be lost.
The film begins with Thackeray's appearance in court before the Srikrishna Commission, when he was accused of inciting violence against Muslims in the 1992-93 Bombay riots. It sets the tone for this hagiography – Thackeray's journey from a cartoonist in the 1960s to an iconic political figure is repeatedly intercut with these court scenes during which he expresses his extremist views and reveals his razor-wit.
The over-two-hour biopic depicts the Shiv Sena's history of violence, but it is always defended by Thackeray's fiery rhetoric. It's the 'eye for an eye', 'reaction to action' justifications for strong-arm tactics, violence, and even murder that make this film difficult to stomach. Often, the politico is seen sneering at even the idea of democracy. At one point, a jailed Thackeray tells George Fernandes how the nation needs a Hitler, and Fernandes wryly remarks, "There is a dictator, born in you."
Nawaz has big shoes to fill but he slips into Thackeray's skin – impassive, impenetrable at times, walking fearlessly into situations, capturing the magnetism and mannerisms of Thackeray, from his love for cricket, his beer-swilling, cigar-smoking, satin-kurta persona to the indulgent family man. It's a gripping performance, and the film stands on his shoulders. Amrita Rao plays his wife Meenatai with all heart, especially in one scene as she breaks down while reading his letter from jail.
What hampers the film is, naturally, the bias. Here is a man without flaws, and this results in a one-note propaganda project. It's a shame because there's some genuine craft on screen. The film is shot skilfully by Sudeep Chatterjee, and early scenes of Thackeray's cartoons popping from the page are nicely done. But it's all in service of a skewed narrative.
I'm going with two out of five for Thackeray. If there must be a sequel, it calls for more honesty, less halo.
(This review first aired on CNN News18)


There were a few houses in a beautiful and magnificent village. The location and the housing was very beautiful. There was a tricky fox in that place. The tricky fox was unexpectedly stuck in a house in a day. Your loyalty is to save the tricky fox from there. It will help you to find the hidden clues in order to save the tricky fox from there. Find all the tricks and save that tricky fox from there and congratulate you to win the game. The tricks of the trick are a little harder to find, but somehow it may be a matter of interest. This game is highly desirable. Good luck and have a fun !