When you touch one thing with deep awareness…you touch everything.
When you shut out the noise, and listen to your soul….you remember who you are and connect to what matters.
When you let go of fear, embrace what you feel and find the place from which you can truly love yourself… you start surfing life.
Do you know that dream you desperately want to hold on to and never wake from it? Then, when you realize, you are essentially going to wake up, all that you do is resist, because its so good, its so nice, its so balanced and perfect – you feel pure joy and happiness, and fulfillment. If you know that dream, you will understand what Im about to describe as Lanzarote: Dream Retreat. Because Lanzarote is like a dream. The kind of dream that is in perfect harmony with what you feel, what you need in the moment, be that joy, sadness, laughter, anger. The people, the food, the air, the sun, the stars, the ocean, surfing, waves, the lava, the ash-like sand – soft as silk you as a person, flesh and soul being there – they are all synchronized and in perfect lineage with the Universe.
I always believed in a higher power, I never believed the higher power is me. I never knew, I can find that within me. What I learned in Lanzarote – my life is essentially what I project. What I miss, I can find in myself, I have everything, I just need to close my eyes and dream. What I came to realize so far in my life: there is no luck, there is reason. I wanted to attend the retreat last year, in November – and only now I understood, this was my time. You see, Im going through some very personal issues, and what I did is, for months – distracted myself. Distracted with work, distracted with noise, people, arrogance and anger, both very wrong attitude towards myself. Then Lanzarote came. And I was finally alone. Funnily enough, this is what I wanted to avoid.
Some people cancelled the program last minute, and I was there with Jana only. And you know what? This was the best thing! We had such an amazing flow, such a pure synchronicity – and we left no one to bother that. Jana is an amazing coach. A fantastically honest and kind person, she is so lovely, with all her intuition and energies she wants to guide you to find that lost purpose. All the meals she prepared for me were super delicious, made with love. All the walks and talks and silences – she is there with you, creating a super soft safe space where you can rely on her with confidence. We shared secrets and perspective. Through our meditations I learned that my pain has a form and a color, and I can touch it. I can shape it, change it, embrace it – I dont need to hide it. Ive learned the importance of silence – the fascinating secrets of stars and moon – the importance of breathing. I learned that one can breath through feelings and calm down. That breathing helps you concentrate on What and not Why. I spent way to much time on Whys.
I found my own rhythm by walking El Risco, I found my own peace bathing in the purest lagoon, I found my own courage to face the things I never discussed with anyone, I found my balance when I tried surfing – synchronicity with the ocean. My dreams talked to me – never before were my dreams so vivid and meaningful. And it is like that since I left the island.
For 8 days I skipped the alarm, I ate when I wanted, I slept when I wanted, no one bothered me. I let things happen and welcomed them as they came. I noticed myself, my feelings, like a child who explores – like Im new to myself. Not judging, just observing. And you know what? I didnt miss anyone, I truly just wanted to be with Tnde. How amazing is that? How could I forgot to like myself, to love myself and understand myself?
How could I forget to close my eyes and listen?
So you, the person reading this, go and explore the dream! Treat yourself, let Jana and Lanzarote re-create the dream you once had, the one you wanted to hold on to. Do that for you and never let go of it! Surf Life!
Well done to both of you :-) Poetry of the heart!
What a gift - for both of you, and now us. Thank you for sharing!


text:
Le jour et la nuit è un film del 1997 diretto da Bernard-Henri Lévy.

Trama

Alexandre (Alain Delon) è uno scrittore in pensione che vive da monarca nelle profondità del Messico circondato dalla sua corte (personaggi strani e misteriosi), allontana la noia con alcol, boxe, donne e mongolfiera. Desiderosi di acquisire i diritti di adattamento del primo romanzo di Alexandre, il produttore cinematografico Filippi (Karl Zéro) e la sua attrice Laure (Arielle Dombasle) arrivano presto nella vita del celebre autore. Alexandre e Laure gradualmente si avvicinano e scatenano passioni estreme nel cuore della comunità.

Accoglienza
Quando il film è stato presentato in anteprima al 47º Festival Internazionale del Cinema di Berlino nel 1997, centinaia di giornalisti sono usciti dalla proiezione mentre quelli che sono rimasti hanno ridicolizzato il film. Le jour et la nuit è stato considerato il peggior film francese dal 1945 dalla rivista Cahiers du cinéma e considerato come un possibile "peggior film della storia" dalla versione francese di Slate.

Sul fallimento e sulle recensioni negative del film è stato anche realizzato un documentario nel 2010 dal titolo Anatomy of a Massacre. In esso sono presenti anche gli interventi degli attori che hanno recitato nel film.

Note

Collegamenti esterni

Film drammatici

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The Christian Reformed Church calls itself Christian because it forms one small part of Christ's Church on earth. It recognizes as fellow Christians all people who accept the teachings of the Bible as they are summarized so beautifully in the Apostles' Creed. This includes believers from many denominations such as Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Baptist, Presbyterian, and Pentecostal. We may disagree with these believers on some practices or teachings but we recognize any as brothers and sisters in Christ if they believe in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and if they confess that Jesus died for their sins, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven.
The Bible is our only reliable guide to what we should believe and how we should conduct our lives (2 Tim. 3:14-17). The Bible is God's unfailing Word to us. The Bible shows us who God is by telling us the great things God has done, and it leads us to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
God saves us by grace; that is, by his acts of kindness and love that we do not deserve. Our own efforts cannot rescue us from sin. Only Jesus' sacrifice on the cross can make us right with God (Eph. 2:8-10). The good we do is the result rather than the cause of our salvation.
We can be saved only by faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16-18).
For more details about what we believe, please read this.
Click Here For Minutes Login Page.


The Air Jordan 6 Black Infrared, which was worn by Michael Jordan during his first NBA championship, will be returning with original branding in 2019.
This marks the first time since 2000 that the "Black Infrared" colorway of the Air Jordan 6 will return with OG-style Nike Air branding. Both the 2010 "Infrared Pack" and the 2014 Retro didn't include Nike Air detailing.
Look for the Air Jordan 6 "Black Infrared" to release during All-Star Weekend on February 16th at select Jordan Brand retailers and StockX. The retail price tag is set at $200 USD.
UPDATE: Nike releases official photos of the "Black Infrared" Air Jordan 6 that will be available in family sizing.
UPDATE: Kith has announced that they will be releasing the "Black Infrared" Air Jordan 6 ahead of its original February 16th release taking place on Friday, February 1st at Kith Manhattan. The retro shoe will release alongside a capsule of apparel including basketball shorts, hoodies, and a Gore-Tex jacket.
UPDATE: The 2019 Retro Air Jordan 6 "Black Infrared" will release with 3M reflective detailing to look just like the 1991 release. Check out the latest detailed photos via FineLine1721.
UPDATE: New detailed photos of the upcoming Air Jordan 6 "Black Infrared" that releases on February 16th.
UPDATE: On-feet photos of the highly anticipated "Black Infrared" Air Jordan 6 via J23app.
UPDATE: Ahead of the men's pair, Nike releases official photos of the "Black Infrared" Air Jordan 6 in Grade School sizing.


text:
Articles by [php]
Articles by Manasa Rao
TN activists protest as Centre reiterates nod for controversial neutrino project
The project has received criticism from environmental activists who have alleged that it would be hazardous to the fragile ecosystem in Theni, Tamil Nadu.
Where is the data on crimes and farmer suicides since 2016? Tamil Nadu MP asks Centre
The National Crime Records Bureau has not released data on crime across the country since 2016.
Missing TN activist Mugilan found in AP, video shows him in police custody
The activist had gone missing in February.
Saturday, July 6, 2019 - 23:19
Explainer: The Madras High Court quashes TN's exemptions to Land Acquisition Act
Previously, Tamil Nadu had received exemptions from the Centre's Land Acquisition Act through which it has been acquiring land for various development projects.
Losliya army is here: Has 'Bigg Boss' Tamil audience found the next Oviya?
Just like Oviya stole hearts in the inaugural season of the reality show, it appears that the Sri Lankan news anchor is now making waves across Tamil Nadu in Season 3.
Don't ignore our agency and consent, say Tamil Nadu's voluntary sex workers
The event also discussed the multiple factors that contribute to the entry of women, men and trans persons into sex work.
Ex Armyman held in Chennai for rape and murder of child; wife held for destroying proof
The man, who is also a relative, went with the parents to file a complaint at the police station, in a bid to be above suspicion.
4-yr-old Chennai girl killed, body dumped in a bucket in her own home
Police suspect sexual assault and are investigating a 60-year-old man— a relative and neighbour.
To avert another water crisis in Chennai, need to move beyond urban planning: Experts
In addition to the urban planning mess, the water crisis has shed light on the need for long-term measures to manage both water and land use in the city.
Polls to six Rajya Sabha seats from Tamil Nadu to be held on July 18
DMK sources say Manmohan Singh will not be an RS candidate from TN.
The News Minute newsletter
Sign up to get handpicked news and features sent to your inbox
Copyright 2019 www.thenewsminute.com
Technology Partner ZYXWARE TECHNOLOGIES

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Do you find cold butter very hard to slice and spread? The One Click Butter Cutter has the answer!
Easily loads a complete stick of hard butter. Slices can be cut and dispensed with one or two hands. It's a great addition for your breakfast table!
Measures out butter with 4 slices per tablespoon. No mess-no fuss. Keep hands and butter clean. Stores in the refrigerator and is easily cleaned in the dishwasher or in warm water. Designed for use with standard 4.75 inch long-1/4-pound bars of butter. Made of food grade plastic with a stainless steel cutting blade. Make life easier and cleaner by slicing hard butter with the one-click butter cutter.
Easy to operate-just need soft squeeze.


text:
Make in India Week
'Make In India" centre inaugurated by PM Modi in Mumbai
Kicking off the 'Make In India Week', Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the Make In India Centre at the MMRDA Grounds here along with Swedish Prime Minister Kjell Stefan Lofven and the Prime Minister of Finland, Juha Petri Sipila.IANS | February 14, 2016, 09:50 IST
PM Modi and Sweden Prime Minister Stefan Lofven (left) inaugurate the 'Make in India' centre in Mumbai.
Kicking off the 'Make In India Week', Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the Make In India Centre at the MMRDA Grounds here along with Swedish Prime Minister Kjell Stefan Lofven and the Prime Minister of Finland, Juha Petri Sipila.
Revolving around the theme of innovation, design and sustainability, the Make In India Centre showcases some of the country's most innovative and trendsetting products and manufacturing processes before the world for the first time after the global launch of the 'Make In India' initiative in September 2014.
Shortly after the inauguration, Modi accompanied by Lofven and Sipila went around the mega pavilions to view the best examples of India's skill and expertise in innovation, design, sustainability in different sectors ranging from automobiles to defence to space-tech.
This will be followed by a formal launch of the flagship event 'Make In India Week' at the NSCI Grounds later this evening which will promote India as the "preferred manufacturing destination" globally.
During the week (February 13-18), the event will offer immense access and opportunities to connect with Indian and global industry leaders, the central and state governments and other stakeholders.
Enabling this effort would be a series of state investment seminars from across India, around 20 Sector Seminars focusing on key focus areas, group and panel discussions on policies, ease of doing business, foreign direct investment, intellectual property rights, national manufacturing and related topics, several exhibitions and other events.
The week will see the participation of various union and state ministers, chief ministers, senior government officials, top industrialists and businessmen from India and overseas, and several government and business delegations from abroad.
Volvo bets big on India reforms
GST rollout improves business efficiency by 30%: PM Narendra Modi
Tesla not opening base at JNPT SEZ: Nitin Gadkari
Biggest Indian explorer ONGC is said to plan first ever borrowings
Steel Authority of India's steel plant posts highest ever production
Arvind Panagariya resigns from NITI Aayog
Tags : Industry, Narendra Modi, Manufacturing, Make in India Week, make in India, intellectual property


The British summer ended abruptly with heavy rain on the Sunday morning at the Scottish circuit, although the track dried up for the later second finals in the afternoon. Thus a good wet weather set up was essential to stay at the front of the pack. With a round to spare, Honda Cadet has a provisional champion with Kiern Jewiss, and MiniMax with Connor Hall (above). Many congratulations to both.
Kiern Jewiss made a great start from fifth on the grid to lead with first Matthew Hopcraft, then Tom Canning following. Poleman Chris Lulham was clinging on in the top six but Matthew Hayden from the outside of the front row was falling back, to finish thirteenth. Mark Kimber (above) was another with a great set up, from starting eighteenth he had quickly stormed into the leading group, displacing Myles Apps and quickly taking advantage of Canning's pass on Jewiss to follow through for second. Jewiss leapt into the lead of the second final over Canning whilst Perry Cooke briefly ran third, from his seventh place start, but fell to ninth as Kimber recovered from his outside starting position. Ben Karpeczak stormed up from ninth to fourth and when Kimber took Canning, Karpeczak was soon to follow for third. Jewiss succumbed to the hard charging Kimber who pulled out almost 3s for the win. Jewiss second place was good enough for an unassailable position in the points table.
Alex Quinn, who had been on the front row for the first final was unfortunate to have his kart throw its chain on the formation lap, so Sean Butcher (below, centre front) leapfrogged Olli Caldwell to follow poleman Tom Wood then pick up the lead at half distance. That put Wood back to third behind Oliver York. Matthew Graham was another out on the first lap, and Caldwell slipped back to eleventh in the wet conditions. Alex McDade found a good setup to move up from grid 11 to fourth, displacing Jonny Edgar. Once ahead, MBR's Butcher pulled a 3s gap on York. With a track just beginning to dry for the second final, Quinn gambled on slicks, the only one to do so, and reached fourth from the back. Wood enjoyed a lights to flag victory but Butcher pushed him hard once clearing York and McDade. These latter two both succumbed to the attentions of William Pettit and finally Quinn.
Connor Hall was quickest in the first timed session but dropped to twelfth with the other session being faster, Tom Gamble, Sandy Mitchell and Dean MacDonald (now on a Kosmic) all at the top of the table. So Gamble won through to pole for the first final alongside MacDonald, whilst championship leader Hall was only on grid ten. Gamble took the hole shot, with Jordan Brown-Nuttley quickly displacing Harrison Thomas and proving too fast for Gamble. Hall stormed through to second, not quite managing the pass for the win but picking it up anyway when Brown-Nuttley was penalised five places, as was MacDonald from sixth. Earlier Alex Stott had been black-flagged in and excluded. Gamble hung on for third, which became second. With the track now drying fast, Hall could control the race from the front and with a round to spare speed to the provisional championship position. He will probably guest as a Junior Max at the final round. Gamble recovered quickly from falling to fifth at the start, to chase Hall, whilst Cameron Roberts headed MacDonald, Thomas and Cameron McClauchlin only to be excluded for a technical non-compliance.
Jai Nijjar enjoyed topping the Saturday dry timed qualifying over Josh Price (above) and Guan Yu Zhou but after qualifying through to grid five for the first final, he came off at the start. He would reach fifteenth. Nathan Aston converted pole to the lead, chased hard by Lando Norris but opening a good cushion until he slid wide at a corner. That left the door open for a win by Norris, Aston still clear of Price, Tom Harvey and Jake Walker. Ben Hingeley had gridded fourth but slipped back in the wet conditions to thirteenth, and Zhou could only manage eighth, after Philip Rawson was excluded for driving standards from that spot. With the track almost dry for the second final, Price leapfrogged Norris and eased away for a 4s victory. Norris had fallen to seventh and would have finished ninth until he was given a five place penalty. Brett Ward headed what became a massive battle for second in a long train of karts, Zhou going much better in the dry and clinching third. Some were too exuberant, Jai Nijjar excluded from fourth for contravention of flag signals after storming through the pack, and Aston for driving standards after a clash with Walker.
Harry Webb and Philip Morin topped the first timed practice session, but Morin's Sunday did not go to plan. In the second Shane Daly pipped James Singleton and Sean Babington, and it was Webb and Daly's names at the top of the combined list. Jack Saffery did not get a time. Webb won the first and third heat and Babington the second for the first final front row whilst Daly and Sam Snell suffered exclusions, Snell for technical. Webb converted pole to first, chased by Kyle Fowlie, James Singleton and Kieran Gifford, the latter about to be taken by Oliver Hodgson (above). But Babington had come off and had to recover to fourteenth from the back, Charlie Eastwood also dropping places and only managing tenth on the wet track. Fowlie nipped past his Strawberry team-mate Webb at his local track with three laps to spare, and Webb was hounded by Singleton to the line. Josh Collings had to obey a mechanical flag signal, but would score ninth in the second final, which was an acrimonious affair. Oliver Myers, from fifth on the grid, slotted in behind Singleton and Fowlie and leapfrogged both to what he thought was his first senior win, albeit by a fraction over Hodgson. But he had been seen passing on a yellow flag and was excluded from the race. Hodgson had been following him through on the now dry track, and thus inherited the win over what would have been Singleton. The latter driver had also contravened flag signals and was also excluded leaving Fowlie second. And then the next on the road Gifford was underweight, so that put a recovering Babington up from sixth to third, Saffery next. Harrison Wignall was another with an exclusion for driving standards whilst Webb had fallen out of fifth to near the back, and Eastwood stopped with a technical issue. Hodgson is now top of points standings but not when dropped scores are taken into account so there will be all to play for at the final round at Shenington at the end of September.
1 Tom Canning (Project One); 2 Mark Kimber (BRK); 3 Kiern Jewiss (Project One); 4 Myles Apps (BRK); 5 Matthew Hopcraft (Zip); 6 Chris Lulham (BRK).
1 Kimber; 2 Jewiss; 3 Ben Karpeczak (Project One); 4 Canning; 5 Hopcraft; 6 Matthew Hayden (BRK).
1 Sean Butcher (Zip); 2 Oliver York (Zip); 3 Tom Wood (Zip) 4 Alex McDade (Zip); 5 Jonny Edgar (Zip); 6 William Pettitt (Zip).
1 Connor Hall (Tonykart); 2 Tom Gamble (Tonykart); 3 Harrison Thomas (Tonykart); 4 Max Bird (Tonykart); 5 Josh Skelton (Tonykart); 6 Jordan Brown-Nutley (Tonykart).
1 Hall; 2 Gamble; 3 Dean MacDonald (Kosmic); 4 Thomas; 5 Cameron McLauchlin (Gillard); 6 Bird.
1 Lando Norris (above) (Tonykart); 2 Nathan Aston (Tonykart); 3 Josh Price (Tonykart); 4 Tom Harvey (Tonykart); 5 Jake Walker (Kosmic); 6 Brett Ward (Kosmic).
1 Price; 2 Ward; 3 Guan Yu Zhou (Tonykart); 4 Jack Bartholomew (Tonykart); 5 Luke Knott (Tonykart); 6 Dave Wooder (Alonso).
Oliver Hodgson (Tonykart); 5 Oliver Myers (Tonykart); 6 Kieran Gifford (Kosmic).
1 Hodgson; 2 Fowlie; 3 Sean Babington (Alonso); 4 Jack Saffery (Tonykart); 5 Connor Jupp (Alonso); 6 Thomas Arme (Kosmic).
For more information about WP Racing, official fuel & lubricants supplier to the Super One Series and many other top line British National Championships, please contact us today.


It's that time of year again–summer is fading away, and school is settling in. That means notebooks, brown-bagged lunches, long bus rides and many other things that aren't necessarily great for the environment.
Believe it or not, schools have a huge environmental impact. They require lots of electricity to power up lights and computers; they use tons of water for drinking fountains and bathroom and kitchen usage; and buses contribute to air pollution, especially when idling for students. Paper use is also a big issue–from handouts, to tests, to notebooks, paper is utilized in schools on a daily basis and contributes to the approximately 31.5 million tons of printing and writing paper used in America every year…that's equivalent to 535 million trees!
Although the solutions to those problems lie in the hands of school district administrators, there are plenty of small changes you can make to your school routine that will have tremendous environmental benefits in the long-run. And the more other people adapt these positive habits, the more of an impact they will have on preserving our precious planet.


text:
Admission is always free
Open today: 10:00 to 5:00
Tours, Guides & Maps
Gallery Shops
Visitor Policies
Acquisition Highlights
Film Programs
NGA Online Editions
Gallery Talks
Join National Membership
Become a Circle Member
NGA Custom Prints
Home>Collection>Grossman, Sid
Sid Grossman
Results layout:
Sid Grossman joined a camera club while in high school and began a career as a freelance photojournalist while attending City College. In 1936 he co-founded the Photo League with Sol Libsohn. In 1938-1939 he and Libsohn collaborated on a project documenting the changes taking place in Chelsea and in 1939 he worked on a series that documented street life in Harlem. In the summer of 1940 Grossman traveled through the dust bowl states and photographed union activities as well as rural life.
During World War II Grossman's projects were focused on the war effort, and a War Production Group headed by Grossman in 1942-1943 photographed Red Cross activities, civilian defense, student volunteers doing farm work, and the care of young children. Grossman joined the army in 1943 and was stationed in Panama. During 1945 he photographed the Black Christ festival in Portobello, Panama, and traveled to Guatemala and the Galapagos Islands.
Grossman enjoyed his most productive years as a photographer just after World War II. He photographed Coney Island in the summers of 1947 and 1948 and the San Gennaro festival on Mulberry Street in Manhattan's Little Italy in 1948.
Grossman and the Photo League ran afoul of the FBI in 1949. He had been under surveillance since his trip to the Midwest in 1940, during which the FBI suspected him of associating with Communists. The FBI widened its investigation to include Grossman's associates at the Photo League and eventually concluded that the League was a Communist front organization and that some of its members belonged to the Communist Party. During a conspiracy trial an informant named Grossman as a Communist. Newspapers and magazines would no longer report on the League's activities. Membership declined, and the League was disbanded in 1951.
Grossman spent the summers in Provincetown, Massachusetts after 1949, where he studied painting with Hans Hofmann and opened a school of photography. He also taught privately in New York during the winter months; among his students was Lisette Model, who enrolled with him in part as a gesture of support. His later work focused on the landscape and people of Cape Cod and was published posthumously in the 1959 book Journey to the Cape.
Works on View
Limit to works on view
Online Images
Limit to works with online images
Limit to works of classification:
Limit to works of artist nationalities:
Limit to works belonging to editions:
Time Span
Limit to works created between:
Limit to works containing styles:
Photographic Process
Limit to works containing photographic processes:
Find works executed in:
Find works containing subject terms:
Find works with an alternate reference number (for example, Key Set number) containing:
Learn more about our exhibitions, news, programs, and special offers.
Email Address for National Gallery newsletter subscription
About the National Gallery
Today's Tours
Downloadable Map
Open Access Images
Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily
The 4th and 7th Street entrances are exit-only. Enter or exit from Constitution Avenue or Madison Drive.
Enter or exit at 4th Street.
Enter or exit at 7th Street, Constitution Avenue, or Madison Drive.
We are closed on December 25 and January 1.
© 2023 National Gallery of Art Notices Terms of Use Privacy Policy


Let me start by saying that I have learned something new about myself today. What that is…I don't know yet, but I imagine it will eventually manifest in my increasingly dynamic life. I'm currently on day three of my [social media] hibernation, and, at this rate, I may not return? Why is that? Because of time!
I have so much time to myself, and for myself; no longer spending it by scrolling through live stories and posts (no disrespect). Its not just about me "reclaiming my time," but also learning to invest it into something worthwhile. For me, that is art.
Just on this day alone (and yes, it was only a 24-hour day), I composed a new song for an upcoming project, sorted through a couple GB worth of concert photography (NC Spirit '17), and then I decomposed by enjoying four, uninterrupted hours of painting. Now, to the average person, these creative tasks may seem daunting-and I wholeheartedly agree-but, if I was not doing them, then what else would I invest my time in? Who knows, but I am steadily becoming aware of something, a new revelation that has awakened: I am made up of more than one.
I'm sure this abstract admittance will baffle a few, and many will dismiss this as another artist lost in their own world (this is true); however, to those who will entreat me and my words, allow me to explain. For every creative outlet that exists within my world, there is an "ego" that undertakes these creative endeavors. Before I go any further, let me also state this: I am not referring to actual personalities or beings; I am me, and me, alone.
What I've come to understand is that each art form is different (duh!) but not just because of the mediums or techniques; each requires a varying essence from an individual. Take the act of writing: we use words, technical thoughts transcribed; these same words exist on a plane and we, the author, use these building blocks to tell a literary tale. On the flip-side, painting can be done without a single logical thought, these examples may lack in significance-because I am only a few hours into this realization-but, what I'm ultimately trying to get at is an idea. These art forms are acted upon by different "egos".


text:
Olympic Gold All Around Gymnast Paul Hamm: Only Human
by New Romanticist | Aug 19, 2004 | CULTURE
By Mark Da Cunha
After three out of six rotations in the Men's All-around Olympic Gymnastics, American gymnast Paul Hamm was ranked first place in the standings. His next event was the vault. Hamm's vault was to be a Tsukahara–named after Japanese gymnast Mitsuo Tsukahara. It was ranked a 9.9 out of 10 for difficulty, in part because of its' two and a half twists leading into a blind landing. No easy feat. But Hamm had never missed a vault landing in competition. Ever.
The expectation that Paul Hamm–the reigning world champion in Men's gymnastics–was going to win the gold medal in the Men's All-around Olympic Gymnastics was more than halfway to becoming a reality.
That expectation was shattered as Hamm crashed into the Judge's table while stumbling during the landing on the vault. Hamm dropped from 1st to 12th place as he finished 22nd on the vault (out of 23 competitors) with a score of 9.137.
With only two events left to go, a depressed American crowd in the Olympic Hall looked on in silence. Surely Hamm's dream of being the first American to win the Olympic all-around gold medal was over.
Or was it?
As least I thought so as I watched Hamm–the reigning world champion gymnast–ever the perfectionist, stumble as he tried to stick a landing that could have perhaps been partly saved with a small adjustment step. But Hamm is a perfectionist. He is the kind of man who pushes himself not merely to victory, but to greatness. A great gymnast does not take small adjustment steps, but sticks their landings. So rather than take a small step to prevent his fall, Hamm consciously held his feet in place in order to make a perfect landing. Unfortunately, in this one instance, the price of failing to take that small adjustment step was an even larger fall, as Hamm's body did not obey his mental directions. Or in the gymnast's own words, "In the air I felt fine, and then when I landed I felt weak in my legs and just lost control…"
I walked away from my television unable to watch. I do not mind seeing great athletes lose because their competitors achieved something greater. But, I hate to see an athlete lose because of the kind of mistake that an athlete of Hamm's caliber performed. It's like watching Pete Sampras crash out in the second round of Wimbledon to a low-ranked journeyman. That kind of stuff is not supposed to happen.
Ever since he was a young child, Hamm had "day-dreamed about winning the Olympics thousands of times." How would you feel in such a situation? Hamm felt a huge wave of depression as he struggled to fight back tears. "I was really depressed because I thought I ruined everything with the vault" said Hamm of his psychological state after the fall.
Many a mortal at this point would have folded. But not Hamm. Rather then blaming the Athenian Gods, or complaining about the malevolence of the universe, or crying foul at being a puppet to The Fates, Hamm chose an alternate course of action: he chose to think. Hamm realized that he was the master of his destiny. The results of that philosophy brought on a new set of possibilities: he could salvage his Olympics by performing greatly in the next two rotations; he could achieve a strong finish; he could win a third-place medal. Or, in Hamm's words, "At that point in time I decided I was going to go after the bronze medal." (NBC)
In the face of embarrassment and failure, with the flick of a mental switch, the young American gymnast's dreams were reborn from the ashes.
The next event for Hamm, was the parallel bars. His goal was to give it the best performance of his life. He did. With little left to lose, Hamm achieved his best score of the night on the parallel bars–a 9.837. This score moved Hamm into fourth place. Commented Hamm later, "I realized that I had brought it back from a point where I felt I had no chance…I brought it back to a point where I was thinking, 'Wow, I'm going up on high bar, I have a chance to win an Olympic medal here, I'm going after it.' That's the mindset I went into that event with." (NBC)
It was in the last event of the rotation–the high bar–that Hamm left the crowd, and I, nearly speechless. Where the previous gymnast spun around the bar with both hands, Hamm circled it even faster as he held on with one. The American flew through the air, effortlessly spinning around the bar while precariously attached to it by five small fingers. He was like a large planet orbiting a long cylindrical moon held to it by a string. Hamm followed the one-arm maneuver with an even more difficult one of three blind release moves as he let go of the bar only to come back and catch it as he spun around it. This time there was no string to hold the orbiting planet in place–only the laws of physics and Paul Hamm's ability to use his mind and body to demonstrate them. All that was left was his dismount–and landing. And then–unlike the vault–Hamm stuck his landing with both arms raised proudly in the air. The crowd roared in approval.
Hamm needed a score of 9.825 to achieve gold–he scored a 9.837 in the high bar for a total score of total score of 57.823– a mere 12-thousandths of a point ahead of his closest competitor (South Korea's Kim Dae Eun whose total score was 57.811) in the closest finish ever in Olympic Men's Gymnastics history. Paul Hamm had pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in Olympic history.
Said Hamm of his victory,
"I think I probably day-dreamed about winning the Olympics thousands of times…I did not every picture myself having a mistake and then winning. I would have loved to have finished the competition flawlessly, but at the same time it shows how strong my character was. I wasn't going to let it go. I really had to fight for what I wanted." (NBC)
In a world where to be "only" human is to be a "Hero" defeated by a "tragic flaw", or a "sovereign" dictator that murders innocents, or a moocher seeking welfare off the backs of others, Paul Hamm's quest for gold is an example of what makes a human being human: the ability to apply ones' mind in concentrated physical effort over an extended period of time to achieve a long-range goal in the face of obstacles. Thank you Mr. Hamm for proudly demonstrating the actuality of the human potential in all of us. Be proud of your achievements–you earned them.
Update (August 21, 2004):According to the BBC:
Three gymnastics judges were suspended on Saturday for a key scoring error which resulted in American Paul Hamm winning the men's all-round gold. The mistake on Wednesday cost South Korean bronze medallist Yang Tae-young a tenth of a point needed to win. The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) upheld the South Korea's protest but said Hamm would keep his medal. After reviewing the results, FIG officials confirmed he should have been awarded a start value of 10. He scored a 9.712 on the event, but with the extra .1, he would have finished with 57.874 points and defeated Hamm by .051….Yang finished third, another .037 behind Kim. [BBC]
However, MSNBC reports:
The Los Angeles Times reported that U.S. Olympic officials said they would consider supporting South Korean officials in a bid to award duplicate gold medals to Hamm and Yang. The International Gymnastics Federation suspended the two judges who determined the start values — Benjamin Bango of Spain and Oscar Buitrago Reyes of Colombia — along with the judge who oversaw the panel, George Beckstead of the United States. But the federation said the results will not be changed. Hamm believes the problem started when FIG decided to review the videotapes of the event after the South Koreans complained. Reviewing tapes to handle protests is not allowed in international gymnastics.
…USA Gymnastics president Bob Colarossi said he wasn't taking a stand on whether Hamm should share the gold medal with Yang. He did, however, reiterate that he didn't think the result should be changed. "In a sport where things are decided by thousandths of points, there are zillions of places for little mistakes," Colarossi said. "I'm proud of Paul. I stand behind Paul." Hamm and his coach, Miles Avery, said they looked at Yang's routine and saw a place where he should have received a 0.2-point deduction that the judges didn't take.
As NBC's gymnastics commentator Tim Daggett–who reviewed the tape of Tae-Young's parallel bar routine–showed, Tae-Young made four holds on his parallel routine as opposed to the maximum allowed: three. For this mistake, Yang Tae-Young should have received a mandatory 0.2 deduction. So even with the adjustment for the 0.1 added to his starting score, Paul Hamm would still remain the Olympic Gold medalist. Yang Tae-Young does not deserve the gold medal, Paul Hamm does.
— Mark Da Cunha is a photographer who admires heroes and seeks to learn from them.
New Romanticist
Latest posts by New Romanticist (see all)
The Nerve of Foley - February 3, 2019
Frank Lloyd Wright and The Fountainhead: The Full Story - January 7, 2019
Alive Even at Rest - January 4, 2008
Goethe's Faust - August 4, 2007
Linda Mann's Paintings - February 4, 2006
At 50, Downbeat 'Midnight Cowboy' Made Deep Impact
Appreciating "Gone With the Wind" (1939) as a Great Work of Art
When We Two Parted By Lord Byron
Ayn Rand's Favorite Poem: "If" By Rudyard Kipling
Love is the Only Reason We're Alive
Heroism in Sports: 1949's The Stratton Story
The Nerve of Foley
The Westerner
Interview with Robert Benton
Frank Lloyd Wright and The Fountainhead: The Full Story
Copyright 2018 New Romanticist. All rights reserved. A Capitalism Magazine publication.


text:
LeBron James to co-produce HBO show on 'exploitative world' of NCAA sports
June 14, 2018 / Basketball
NBA star LeBron James is working with HBO to develop a new show called "STUDENT ATHLETE," which dives into the "exploitative world of high-revenue college sports." The documentary will air this fall.
Photo: Keith Allison
"This is an incredibly important story about the institutional denial of basic human rights for these student athletes," said Maverick Carter, CEO of SpringHill Entertainment, which he co-founded with James. "When Steve Stoute brought us this idea, it was a perfect fit for the kind of stories we want to tell at SpringHill. We're excited to work with one of the best human rights storytellers in Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy to help people see and feel how this issue impacts the lives of those living it."
From HBO:
Unpaid college athletes generate billions of dollars for their institutions every year. STUDENT ATHLETE unveils the exploitative world of high-revenue college sports through the stories of four young men at different stages of their athletic careers, as well as a coach-turned-advocate and a whistle-blowing shoe rep who exposes the money trail. The documentary spotlights: former NCAA and NFL coach John Shoop; New Jersey high school basketball phenom Nick Richards, now at the University of Kentucky; Mike Shaw, who played at the University of Illinois and Bradley University; Shamar Graves, a former wide receiver at Rutgers University; and Silas Nacita, a walk-on who played at Baylor University.
From high-school recruiting to post-graduation, the usefulness of athletes is tied to their ability to produce revenue. Once they can no longer do that, their participation in sport ends — often abruptly — with virtually nothing to show for their contributions. An audited financial disclosure from the NCAA in March 2018 revealed the association had close to $1.1 billion in revenue during 2017, a total that was unimaginable in 1964, when the NCAA coined the term "student athlete."
Photo courtesy of HBO
"The NCAA blinded by revenue goals is turning student athletes into full-time employees," said Stoute, founder and CEO of United Masters. "This documentary is incredibly important as it debunks the myth that student athletes are being fairly compensated by receiving scholarships and a valuable education. In fact, the demands put on these students by this oppressive system makes it impossible for them to get the education they deserve. The time is now to end this false narrative and reveal the truth of this exploitation."
In July 2017, news reports confirmed that the Big Ten conference had reached agreement with three television partners on a six-year, $2.64 billion rights deal to carry conference athletic competition, primarily focused on football and men's basketball. Other powerhouse conferences across the country have struck similar deals and some have even partnered with media companies to launch standalone conference network channels dedicated to increasing exposure and generating more revenue.
Huffington Post wrote, "Big-time college sports look more like their professional counterparts than they ever have with one major exception: The NCAA has restrictive rules in place that prevent schools from compensating athletes beyond the full cost of attending."
Directors Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Trish Dalton say, "We embedded in the world of men's college basketball and football, capturing athletes' hopes and dreams being shattered by the harsh reality of what it means to be a 'student athlete' in a billion-dollar industry."
The production team is spearheaded by NBA superstar and three-time world champion LeBron James, one of today's most socially responsible and community-minded athletes.
STUDENT ATHLETE is an HBO Sports presentation in association with LeBron James, Maverick Carter and Jamal Henderson at SpringHill Entertainment, and Steve Stoute at United Masters; directors, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Trish Dalton; For HBO: executive producer, Rick Bernstein; supervising producer, Joe Perskie.
Tags: hbo, lebron james, NCAA
Two Indiana girls basketball teams suspended for season
Billy the Kid is All Grown Up
Idaho rejects shot clock for high school basketball


This page is currently under construction. I reserve the right to change these prices as needed. Payment can be made via Paypal or Stripe (via my StorEnvy store).
$45 for the first in a set, $30 for the second, and $20 for any of the remaining.
*Certain graphics are more expensive and that translates into a higher price on that set. For example, the Elemental covers are more expensive because the licensing for their source graphics are far more pricey.
Price includes alteration of existing text to show correct author, tagline, and title.
Normal timeframe for completion of the above alteration would usually be within 5 business days. Finished products will be sent to author via email.
Price is limited to artwork that is available on Stock Photo sites of which I'm a customer. If I must go to a different photo site (like Getty Images or Romance Covers) I will have to pay a great deal more for images, and will have to raise the price accordingly.
I reserve the right to refuse clients for reasons of content, disharmonious working relationship, or unworkable time constraints.
$20 for box set images (up to 5 books) that require spine work.
Price will need to be negotiated for Radish Covers, Webpage Headers, Social Media Headers or posts.
Time to complete projects will always be subject to negotiation, as I do have other resposibilites, but I will try to be prompt.


Funeral hospitality workers help with preparation, serving, and/or cleaning up for funeral luncheons a couple of times per month. There are two shifts: mid-morning set up (10:00 AM - 1:00 PM) or early afternoon clean-up (12:00 - 2:30 PM). If interested, contact Tom Butler at thomasbutler@olgparish.org or call 952-924-0147.
Provide desserts as called for funerals. If interested, contact Tom Butler at thomasbutler@olgparish.org or call 952-924-0147.


SITIO, a dynamic and fast-growing practice of award-winning architects, urban designers, and planners is looking for team members to grow with us as we tackle unique, exciting, and challenging opportunities.
We have strong growth opportunities for self-motivated architects with a passion for design that possess a strong capacity to work in a fast-paced environment as well as great communication and collaboration aptitudes.
Please email a pdf of your resume and portfolio to careers@SITIOau.com. Attachments should not exceed 5mb. No phone calls please.
CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON 3720 CHESTNUT!


text:
Is Heineken's attempt at purposeful marketing any better than Pepsi's?
by Chris Pearce April 26, 2017
Brands like Heineken and Pepsi have attempted to contribute to culture with varying degrees of success, says Chris Pearce.
If a sugar-laden fizzy drink can't bring peace and unity to the world – as so laughably demonstrated by Pepsi and Kendall Jenner – what chance has a pale and equally fizzy lager from the Netherlands got?
Alcohol might not necessarily be known for its ability to settle disputes - in fact quite the opposite - but Heineken's latest work for its "Open your world" campaign attempts to do just that. Equally, corporations that adopt a 'social purpose' can find that doing so with credibility, authenticity and a sufficient degree of human interest is fraught with difficulty (at TMW Unlimited we have tried to do the same with a campaign for Durex that compared the experiences of people with and without tech on holiday), however Heineken just about manage to pull this off without sounding pious, or worse, hypocritical.
While some of us in virtue-signalling, liberal adland might find the views of climate change deniers or feminism sceptics beyond the pale, the fact is that they do exist and given the fractured political times that we live in they are unlikely to go away anytime soon. Lord knows, we could do with trying to find some common ground, and by bringing them together with those with opposing views to ostensibly discuss their positions over a beer – and subsequently discover their common humanity – this film holds the attention well.
What could have easily fallen into the trap of being just another hollow game show – no likey, no lighty – is avoided as the brand's involvement feels authentic (if generic), while the fact that they are using real people rather than those scooped from the pool of shallow celebrity means that it feels less contrived than it otherwise might.
If there was any criticism of this laudable attempt to infuse a brand with social purpose, it would be that the denouement in each vignette feels a little sanitised and that the people involved are playing to the camera when otherwise the outcome in pubs and bars across the land might have been rather different. The conversations that that they started over their diametrically opposed viewpoints barely scratch the surface – but then it's fair to assume that Heineken wasn't going to put together Al-Muhajiroun with representatives from National Action (and not just because the first group wouldn't touch alcohol). The representatives here are basically reasonable people whose views are not on the extreme scale.
While their shallow discussions over a beer reveal that their views aren't probably as trenchant as some, it might be more entertaining for future episodes to watch others with more intransigent positions down a (responsibly consumed) skinful before the screaming, remorse, shame and a tear-streaked "you're my best mate" rapprochement at the local kebab shop concludes that Heineken really can heal division. The reality is probably different though – and outside adland, alcohol is more likely to exacerbate and embolden entrenched views, but all credit to Heineken for trying – at least it's different and given us something to talk about.
Chris Pearce is the chief executive of TMW Unlimited
Heineken's new film brings together people with diverse views on feminism, climate change and trans issues. Is it right to give them all equal platforms?
Food and Drink Alcohol Advertising Marketing
No1 Rosemary Water: the drink that definitely doesn't make you age backwards
Heineken top marketer: brands do have a role in achieving social change
How to make a hit: Originality is overrated
Heineken bids to heal cultural divides in social experiment
Why Heineken is embracing a 'naive' view of the world
Why the advertising world should take a long look at itself
What you can learn from resistance marketing
We need to talk about Pepsi
LBGT+ people reveal they feel 'invisible' in advertising
HSBC improves inclusivity for LGBT account holders
Pepsi seeks better insight into consumer micro-trends


text:
Home The Washington Diplomat July 2017 Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative Is Ambitious, Maybe Too Ambitious
Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative Is Ambitious, Maybe Too Ambitious
In 2013, China introduced the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a grand vision of regional connectivity through infrastructure projects that would have global reach.
At its base, BRI is an economic framework. But it is also President Xi Jinping's signature foreign policy vision, aimed at building and strengthening ties with neighboring countries and increasing China's role in Asia and its stature as a world leader.
The massive endeavor would finance the construction of roads, high-speed rail, bridges, power plants, pipelines, ports and other infrastructure projects in over 60 nations spanning Asia to Europe — to the tune of more than $1 trillion in investment. Just as the ancient Silk Road trade routes spread Chinese influence over a millennium ago, BRI (previously known as "One Belt, One Road") would cement China's rise as a global economic power at a time when the U.S. is turning inward.
It is an ambitious undertaking, one with enormous risks and rewards. It could offer China new markets and friends while promoting its brand of state-sponsored, no-strings-attached investment over the traditional Western development model that links aid to human rights and governance. But the investments could go down the drain in conflict-plagued, corruption-riddled nations, and not all governments have bought into the idea of a modern-day Silk Road that could strengthen China's regional dominance.
BRI Basics
BRI's objective is to build what China terms a land-based Silk Road Economic Belt and an ocean-based 21st-century Maritime Silk Road. The initial focus areas are Asia, Europe and Africa, but the initiative is open to all countries. By 2050, BRI aims to contribute 80 percent of global GDP growth, according to the McKinsey Global Institute.
China will act as a lender to finance BRI projects, but it has also invited other countries to work as partners in financing, as well as multilateral institutions, such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Germany's Deutsche Bank has come on board with China Development Bank by agreeing to finance $3 billion in BRI projects.
"Functionally, the initiative aims to improve hard infrastructure, soft infrastructure, and even cultural ties," wrote Christopher Johnson, Matthew Goodman and Jonathan Hillman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in a May 9 brief. "Geographically, it includes roughly 65 countries comprising about 70 percent of the world's population. Economically, it could involve Chinese investments approaching $4 trillion. The scope and scale of the initiative are somewhat elastic, but all signs point to an ambitious and consequential endeavor: a future where all roads lead to Beijing."
Economic Drivers
There are several drivers behind Belt and Road. One is the economic divide between western and eastern China. The western part of China has lagged behind in economic development compared to eastern China, where there is much higher GDP per capita and extensive infrastructure, explained Sean Miner to The Diplomat. Miner was previously the China program manager at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and is currently the associate director of the China – Latin America Initiative at the Atlantic Council. China also seeks to facilitate economic development in western China to try to stabilize the troubled autonomous region of Xinjiang in the northwest, where there are disaffected minority groups, Miner said.
Despite uneven domestic development, China's economy is among the largest in the world. The World Bank named China as the largest contributor to world growth since the global financial crisis of 2008.
With China's rise as an economic power has come the problem of overcapacity.
"On the supply side, financing overseas infrastructure makes sense for China because the country has excess savings," David Dollar, a senior fellow in the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution, wrote in an email. "China has over-invested at home and created problems of excess capacity in infrastructure, housing and industry. There are fewer good investment opportunities in China now, so it makes sense for them to invest more abroad."
BRI serves as a vehicle for China to export its excess industrial capacity (in the form of steel, cement, aluminum, etc.), while channeling investment to its poorer western provinces.
Alongside China's internal economic drivers for BRI is the very real, very large need for infrastructure in Asia. The Asian Development Bank reports that Asia will need to invest $26 trillion from 2016 to 2030, or $1.7 trillion per year, if the region is to maintain its growth, lift more people out of poverty and deal with climate change. Without climate change mitigation and adaptation costs, $22.6 trillion will be needed. Of the total climate-adjusted investment needs from 2016 to 2030, $14.7 trillion will be for power and $8.4 trillion for transport.
Geopolitical Strategy
Beyond basic economics, BRI is a statement by China on global leadership. China seeks to pave the way for greater regional connectivity and position itself as a world power that rivals the U.S.
"China became increasingly frustrated with U.S. leadership of the international economic system," Carla Freeman, director of the Foreign Policy Institute and a professor of China studies at Johns Hopkins, told The Diplomat. "Principally, we can look at the Asian financial crisis in the late '90s, then followed by the crisis in 2007, 2008, and that really, for the Chinese, signaled that the U.S. was demanding from China to be a responsible power, but the U.S. was irresponsible because our financial policies were not designed with global financial stability in mind. China has been looking for ways to secure its interests by designing resilience into the international system."
Belt and Road is also a counterpoint to President Barack Obama's "pivot" to Asia strategy, which included the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade agreement that left out China. BRI is China's way of asserting itself, but with a soft edge, offering financial and economic support around the world.
Now that Donald Trump is president, BRI is a way for China to step forward as the U.S. steps back from international commitments.
"I'm struck by the fact that traditional leaders of globalization since World War II, the U.S. and the U.K., are consumed by their own domestic challenges right now. China sees its opportunity," Jonathan Hillman, director of the Reconnecting Asia project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told The Diplomat. "It's filling a void. You see that in Xi's comments at Davos earlier this year, talking about an open system and the importance of free trade." Belt and Road is China's idea of globalization 2.0., he said.
The Role of Pakistan
The most prominent manifestation of BRI is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which comprises infrastructure projects throughout Pakistan such as power plants, roads and ports. Deloitte reports that the corridor is valued at $45 billion, and experts say the total continues to rise.
"This is very much a strategic relationship in that China wants to maintain Pakistan as its very good ally. But, also, Pakistan can help strategically because of its location," said Miner. "It's connected to the western part of China, and it can help facilitate development of the western part of China. Facilitating this corridor through Pakistan helps the western region export more and helps have access to energy. Using a port in Pakistan cuts off shipping time."
The corridor will pass through the Gilgit-Baltistan province in north Pakistan, which will connect Kashgar in Xinjiang to the rest of the world through the Gwadar Port in south Pakistan. China has naval security interests in Gwadar, and the port could be a bulwark against instability in the South China Sea, where China is in dispute with several countries over territory. The South China Sea is also where the narrow Strait of Malacca is located, a critical shipping lane for Chinese oil that in theory could be blockaded by India, the U.S. or other nations during a conflict.
"A lot of China's trade goes through the South China Sea. They see that as a vulnerable area. That's why the Pakistan Corridor comes in handy. It gives them a way to ship out through Pakistan if there's trouble in the South China Sea," said Miner.
But Pakistan comes with its own set of headaches for the Chinese, including warring political and military factions, instability and rampant corruption.
Moreover, India is unnerved by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor because it worries that it will involve Kashmir, the contested territory between India and Pakistan. India's disapproval, however, is not enough to stop the infrastructure projects that are well underway.
Political, Practical Challenges
India is not the only country skeptical of the initiative — and China's underlying intentions. "While countries welcome Beijing's generosity, they are simultaneously wary of its largesse," wrote Paul Haenle, director of the Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy based in Beijing, in a May 9 Carnegie brief. "As was made clear in Xi's speech inaugurating the initiative, countries along its routes should be connected not just by roads and rails but by political aims. China's growing influence is a concern for nations whose political interests do not always align with Beijing's."
He added that for developed nations, "it is impossible not to view the BRI through a geopolitical lens — a Chinese effort to build a sphere of influence. There is an inherent duality in many BRI infrastructure projects, from foreign ports to dams. While ostensibly a commercial or soft power venture, the resulting infrastructure could have dual-use applications that would allow China to enhance its hard power projection."
Beyond its lofty political aims, however, China's vision of One Belt, One Road may have problems even getting off the ground. BRI is incredibly ambitious in its goal of interconnectedness in Asia and beyond, but it is a loose network of sprawling projects still in its infancy. Whether BRI will be successful depends on the implementation of those projects.
"It's up to the countries themselves what will happen," Yukon Huang, a senior fellow with the Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told The Diplomat. "If they know exactly what they want, then they can move very quickly."
In general, infrastructure projects are problematic anywhere in the world. "They're usually over cost, delayed and don't deliver what's promised," said Hillman. "This happens in the best business environment. Those challenges are even bigger in the developing world. Implementation is going to depend on the ability to address those risks. It depends on the partners."
Beijing is no doubt aware that it is taking a huge gamble in places such as Pakistan, where the Chinese expect to lose 80 percent of their money, according to one estimate by the consultancy firm Gavekal cited by The Economist. But the government appears willing — and financially able — to absorb short-term losses to achieve long-term gains.
Conversely, the need is deep for infrastructure projects in developing countries, making Chinese offers of financing very attractive. The problem of unpayable debt, however, could loom large down the line.
"When the numbers start to get big, that's when it's concerning. For example, Laos is pursuing a railway more than half its GDP with China's financing," said Hillman.
"Very likely, a percentage of these projects will not work out. What happens with the debt? The larger the numbers, the more concerning it is," he said.
Development of the China-Pakistan Corridor is moving quickly, which has set off alarm bells within the IMF as Pakistan racks up debt to finance projects, Hillman added.
Chinese financing often also requires that Chinese construction companies do the work using Chinese goods. "Most of these companies are state-owned enterprises in China. They're plagued with overcapacity in steel and aluminum," said Miner. One way to increase the demand for steel is to build railroads. "These projects will help to get some of these companies in a better position financially. A lot of them took on a lot of debt in the last 10 years, and revenues are now stagnating, if not going down."
Because of the high probability of Chinese companies taking over BRI projects, Europe wants transparency in the bidding process for construction projects.
"I think you'll see pushback from European countries that have different standards on this," said Freeman. "If they're engaging and competing, there are going to be strains between the Chinese and these countries insisting on high standards like transparency."
This clash of standards has become evident in the controversial BRI railway that was to be built between Belgrade, Serbia, and Budapest, Hungary. The European Commission put the plans on hold to investigate whether the finances and bidding process hold up to EU law.
On top of the transparency issue are questions on the political and environmental ramifications of projects. For instance, it's possible that China could partner with an authoritarian regime to build and protect infrastructure. As for environmental practices, Chinese firms generally do not have good reputations. If BRI is to go beyond China's yard and be a win-win for all involved, as China is saying it would like BRI to be, then Chinese interests will have to be tempered by high standards for infrastructure and industry best practices.
Competing interests between countries, and between businesses interested in participating in BRI, will require coordination, which ultimately is the biggest challenge facing the Belt and Road Initiative. It's a behemoth concept that will be fleshed out one project at a time, potentially involving 65 countries, in China's estimate. There is no governing structure for BRI projects, so there is a lack of coordination from the start.
This lack may lead to overlapping efficiency, Miner pointed out. "There's not much grand coordination. If you're building a train in Southeast Asia, there may be other companies doing other projects that may overlap," he said. "Coordination is uncertain. What's the grand scheme of things?"
It's early days for BRI, so the world has yet to see what Xi's grand idea will yield.
"I think as it moves ahead, it will create as many strains in bilateral relations as it brings countries together," said Freeman. "It's a very complex, very difficult vision."
Aileen Torres-Bennett is a freelance writer in Washington, D.C.
Previous article Authentic Newcomer Joins Cuba Libre, Rosario Ups Ante in Adams Morgan and Ritz Debuts Pricey Vault
Next article July 2017


text:
Home/Economic Issues/Brexit: Its Ups and Downs:
Economic IssuesGeo PoliticsRecentSocial Issues
Brexit: Its Ups and Downs:
Qasim Swati 7th October 2018
Ranging from those who oppose some EU-policies and institutions and seek reform, to those who, entirely, do not like the membership of the EU and deem the European Union as an unreformable entity, the concept of Euro-scepticism means the criticism of the European Union and European integration. It is the same Euro-scepticism or EU-scepticism that has played a significant role in the birth of an internationally renowned issue, known as Brexit, which has been dominating and influencing the global, European and UK politics for the last several years.
Brexit is a term, used for the potential or hypothetical departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union. It is an abbreviation for "British exit", and it refers to the decision, made by the majority of the people of the UK in a referendum held on June 23, 2016, for leaving the European Union or remaining in the European Union (EU). Brexit also means the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union and its decision to cease its more than of four-decade membership of the Union.
The Remain Campaign (or Remainers) lost the June 2016 referendum with receiving only 48.10% or 16.1 million votes, while the Leave Campaign (or Leavers) won the referendum with 17.4 million votes or 51.9% of the ballot.
Before leaving the EU on 29 March 2019, both the EU and the UK need to discuss certain matters and issues, such as the future trade deals between the UK and the EU, the rights of the EU citizens, living in the UK and vice versa, and the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, as the Republic of Ireland is going to remain in the EU and Northern Ireland will be left outside the EU after Brexit in the UK.
The Various Possible Types or Prospects of Brexit:
Because of the problematic, controversial, complicated and thorny nature of the issue, different politicians, writers and people have tried to resolve the process of Brexit in different ways. Thus, Brexit has been named differently on different occasions by different people with their own unique different suggestions, proposals and recommendations for dealing with the matter. Some of the different types and possibilities, suggested by people for coping with the Brexit issue, have been outlined in The Independent on Thursday, July 26, 2018, as follows:
Soft Brexit: A Soft Brexit is the type of Brexit in which the United Kingdom's relationship with the European Union is as close as possible to what it was before Brexit. Although Soft Brexit would keep Britain out of the EU, in which case the UK would be no longer a member of the European Union, yet the UK would allow free movement of people, make budgetary contributions and retain strong economic ties and links with the EU. Based on the nature of Soft Brexit, it would mean for the UK to stay within the single market of the EU, like Norway, and within its customs union, as Turkey, in which case, exports would not be subject to border checks. On the other hand, the UK will have to leave both the customs union and the single market of the EU in the existence of the Hard Brexit. Soft Brexit is what many Remainers prefer to happen while handling the Brexit process.
Hard Brexit: A Hard Brexit is one in which the United Kingdom gets full control of its own immigration and law-making affairs and stops being a member of the European single market. In other words, a Hard Brexit means the UK leaving the European Union without a new trade agreement in place, at all. If the UK wants to have access to the EU single market, it will have to meet the requirement set out by the EU single market of 'four freedoms', such as freedom of free movement of people, goods, capital and services. In that case, the UK will need to let anyone from the EU live and settle in the UK, which is not a preferred choice for those who voted in favour of Brexit and decided to leave the European Union.
Grey/Gray Brexit: A deal preferred and approved by the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, and the former Brexit Secretary, David Davis, is meant to put limitations on immigration, besides the one for skilled migrants in certain jobs and vacancies, and leave the single market with Canada-Style bespoke (specially made for a particular person, organization or purpose) approach or access to parts of the free trade zone. This is a deal in the middle of the black demands of the Leave Campaign's hard-liners and the white demands of the Remain Campaign's staunch supporters, as published in a report by the Sunday Times, on December 4, 2016. The relevant report goes on reading, as 'Theresa May has given ministers the green light to draw up secret plans for a "grey Brexit" that will steer Britain away from the black-and-white demands of "Leave" and "Remain" hard-liners.'
Black Brexit: A Black Brexit is a suddenly damaging or a cliff edge situation or scenario for financial services and businesses, as resulted from meeting the demands of the Leave hard-liners or stalwart supporters of handling the Brexit process strictly, uncompromisingly and without making any concessions for the EU or ending up with the 'No Deal Scenario' , while dealing with the Brexit process.
White Brexit: This is a scenario of handling the Brexit process where there is a possibility of an attempt, made by the UK, for remaining in the single market.
The Red, White and Blue Brexit, as Planned by the Prime Minister: Such a plan, hatched by the Prime Minister, means to end free movement of people, keep Britain away and free from the rule and influence of European Court of Justice, leave the customs union and the single market, stop main payments to the budget of the EU, get an independent trade policy for the UK in order to make it possible for the UK to make its own individual trade deals with other states of the world without being questioned and controlled by the EU.
Similarly, the Red, White and Blue Brexit of Theresa May also means to keep the United Kingdom in line with the single market regulations for some goods and create an intricate and complex novel arrangement of customs at the borders between the UK and the EU.
As published on Tuesday, December 6, 2016, in The Guardian, 'The Prime Minister, Theresa May, while on her two-day visit to the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) in Bahrain, clearly said that she was interested in and keen on all such terms or names that had been spotted, whether Hard Brexit or Soft Brexit, Black or White, or Grey Brexit. She added that what they should have done to do was to look for a red, white and blue Brexit by reaffirming her view-point and told the people that it was the right deal for the UK, and what was going to be the correct choice and option of the UK relationship with the EU after the Brexit took place. That was what she and her government were about and that was what they would be working on.'
However, such an approach or suggestion by the Prime Minister was dismissed and branded as being too bureaucratic and unworkable or impractical by the EU.
Canada-Style Brexit Deal: As of September 5, 2018, in The Week, the former Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, while, entirely, disagreeing with the PM over her Chequers Plan for Brexit, advised Theresa May to ditch or chuck her Chequers Plan and work on the Canada-Style Deal instead, he said the EU has recently agreed on with Canada and was signed in 2016. Officially called as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), the deal abolishes customs duties on a huge amount of Canadian exports to the EU and customs duties on EU exports to Canada, without being dependent on the single market.
While responding to the 'red lines' of the Prime Minister, the EU said that the only option for the UK would be to have a trade agreement with the EU, as South Korea or Canada did have with it. Notwithstanding the approval of several Brexiteers, like Boris Johnson, such a deal, as a Canada-Style agreement, has been dismissed or ruled out by the Prime Minister in the past.
Norway Plus: This is a trade deal between Norway and the EU, with the help of which Norway has access to the EU single market via the European Economic Area (EEA), but Norway has customs checks on the goods traded with the EU, because of its being not inside the customs union. However, the UK will have to stop border checks by adding a customs union to the plan. Such a deal is, commonly, approved and advocated by those who are in favour of a Soft Brexit.
Ukraine-style Brexit: Being subject to some of the laws of the European Court of Justice, Ukraine has an "association agreement" with the EU without holding membership of the customs union or the single market. Despite having interruption to its trade with the EU and checks on goods, this type of Brexit deal may be better for the UK than the one it is heading towards. However, having a weaker relationship with the EU (after Brexit), when compared with what Ukraine does have with the European Union in regards to its deal, the UK government is convinced to be glad about having such a deal into an association agreement.
The Norway Option: Another alternative for the UK to deal with the process of leaving the European Union is a little bit harder Brexit than 'Norway Plus' and known as 'The Norway Option', in which case, the UK would be able to remain within the single market by becoming a member of the European Economic Area. But, as Norway is not within a customs union, so, it is subject to having customs checks on the goods traded with the European Union by it. Nevertheless, the EU has not agreed to the suggestions of a group of those who voted for leaving the EU (or the Brexiteers) for renegotiating or discussing once more the EEA agreement for stopping border checks and covering customs.
The Swiss Option: Having established a form of free movement with the European Union, Switzerland has become a part of the Schengen Passport-free area. The Swiss government could not find it easy recently to cease free movement with the EU, because this could damage and end the whole economic ties of Switzerland with the EU, despite the Swiss people voted for such a plan. The UK will have to succumb to the demand for free movement asked for by the EU, if it desires to participate in and have access to the single market, as free movement is one of the 'Four Liberties or Four Freedoms' that cannot be taken away and isolated from the rest of the remaining three other freedoms, on which the existence of the European Union depends.
No Deal Brexit: It is often repeated in the government circles that 'No Deal is Better than a Bad Deal', on one hand, and the government desires its intention of heading towards such a 'no deal scenario' on the other hand. According to the critics of a 'no deal situation', the UK will have to face serious consequences. Such negative outcomes and results may include problems, like setbacks and difficulties faced by businesses, driving up food prices, giving birth to huge chaos and turmoil at the borders, if the UK leaves the EU without reaching a proper formal agreement with the European Union.
Besides immediate border checks with the EU, some other negative results of the 'No Deal Brexit' will also include such hardships for the UK, as tariffs on goods, a colossal disruption to businesses, as already mentioned, the British citizens residing in the EU will not be technically able to maintain their legal status in the European Union. Apart from it, there will be concerns, too, about the lapsing or expiring of agreements in such areas of business relations and activities, as nuclear materials, medicine, aviation and so on.
Notwithstanding all the aforesaid negative forecasts and predictions, as a result of the 'no deal scenario', most of the Brexiteers deem a 'no deal situation' or 'no deal approach' as a windfall and an opportunity for the UK government to go ahead with such circumstances and get rid of the dominance, unfairness, monopoly and centralized and controlled policies of Brussels, implemented in the UK, and played by Germany, France and Belgium.
Turkey-Style Agreement: Being in a customs union with the EU, there are no tariffs on goods between the EU and Turkey, but there are still border checks on goods between the two sides, as Turkey is neither a member of the single market nor it does have any free movement arrangement with the EU. Due to the sort of its customs union with the bloc, Turkey is not allowed to sign its own trade deals nor is it in the position to fully benefit from the trade deal it has with the EU.
As published in the Financial Times on June 23, 2017, entitled 'Hard or Soft Brexit? The Six Scenarios for Britain', Brexit has been discussed from six different perspectives while reaching an agreement or deal with the EU. The six various scenarios include such situations, approaches or options, as the single market, customs union, far-ranging trade deal, limited tariff-free deal, divorce-only agreement and no deal.
The Labour Party Policy and Brexit: Labour is in favour of a customs union with the European Union for enabling the UK to benefit from the free trade agreement that the EU has with other countries of the world. The Party is looking for a smooth trade, with no border checks, as being a single market member. While delivering his Party Conference speech during the Labour Party Conference, 2018, at Liverpool, the Opposition Leader, Jeremy Corbyn, made it clear at the Prime Minister that he was ready to support the Conservative government over Brexit, if Theresa May could come back with a Brexit deal from Brussels, based on the terms and conditions, set out by the Labour Party (the six tests formula of the Party for handling the Brexit process). However, the Labour Party also does not rule out the possibility of a 'Second Referendum' on the matter as an alternative option for resolving the issue, faced by the country in the form of Brexit. So, a Second Referendum is another option available on the negotiating table for the Labour Party besides the rest of the other remedies for fixing the dilemma of Brexit.
The Arguments in Favour and Against Brexit: Some of the ups and downs, pros and cons, ins and outs, merits and demerits, advantages and disadvantages, the good aspects and bad aspects of Brexit are, briefly, discussed hereafter.
The Arguments Against the Membership of the European Union: So many people are in favour of Brexit and hope that the UK will be better off in the period coming after Brexit. Before the Brexit Referendum of June 23, 2016, leaflets, regarding the reason behind the forthcoming referendum, were distributed among the people, across the country, in order to convince them for voting in favour of the Leave Campaign. Entitled as 'The UK and the European Union: THE FACTS', the leaflet contained information about the background of the European Union, the contribution made by the UK to the EU and the reasons for deciding to leave the European Union.
There is a huge list of the arguments in favour of Brexit, however, some of such arguments are mentioned, as follows:
The Expansion of the European Union: The Leave Campaign argued that there were just 9 member states of the EU when the UK joined it, but that number reached 28 and five more countries, like Albania, Turkey, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia, were also being considered for the membership of the Union. Such an increase was no good for the future of the UK.
The EU Being Too Costly: The Leavers argued that the UK would make a net contribution to the EU budget of £10.4 billion in 2015, as the EU costs the UK £350 million a week, but just less than half of this money is given back to the UK.
No Need for Being Its Member to Trade With the EU: As stated by the Brexiteers, you do not need to be a member of the European Union to trade with it. For instance, Switzerland exports more per person to the EU than the UK, in spite of not even being a member of the EU.
The UK Law Being Overruled By the EU Law: The EU law does not allow the UK law to function smoothly, freely and autonomously, as British laws are being reversed, rejected and disallowed by the EU judges in such matters, as immigration, VAT, prison voting, counter-terrorism powers and so on.
A Massive Influx of Migrants from the EU: Before and during the Brexit Referendum, it was highlighted by the Leave Campaign that more than 50% of the net migration to the UK used to come from the EU countries, because more than a quarter of a million or over 250,000 people came to the UK from the EU in 2015, for example.
The Inability of the UK to Make Trade Deals on Her Own: Being a member of the EU, the United Kingdom is not able to make its own trade deals with key allies, like the USA, New Zealand and Australia, or significant growing economies, such as Brazil, China or India.
The EU Being Undemocratic: Not based on the principles of democracy, the European Union possesses so many powers and is not as much accountable to the people as to the national governments. Run by an appointed bureaucracy and led by unelected Commissioners, the EU Commission is still responsible and empowered for making and shaping most of the EU decisions.
The EU Being Too Strong: Set up as an economic organization, initially, the EU has started to cover so many areas of activities that should and would be better for the member states to make their own decisions about. This is not possible for the European Union to succeed in making its diverse cultures, demographics and economies function properly while struggling to impose one-size-fits-all structures on all its 28 different member countries.
Supra-nationalism and the EU: Most of the EU policies are based on the principle of supra-nationalism (referring to a large amount of power given to an authority that, in theory, is placed higher than the state). As a result, member states are obliged to hand over their sovereignty to the EU in so many areas which should only be dealt with by the individual member states on their own instead.
A Windfall or Bonanza for the UK Economy: As published in a report at https://inews.co.uk/news/brexit/jacob/rees/mogg/hard/brexit/dividend/ on Sunday, September 9, 2018, a leading Conservative Euro-sceptic and leader of the pro-Brexit Research Group of MPs, Mr. Jacob Rees-Mogg, claimed that Britain would get an £80bn boost, if it left the European Union without a deal with Brussels and moved on to World Trade Organisation rules.
Hope for the Best: Most of the Leavers and famous pro-Brexit UK politicians, like Dominic Cummings (Campaign Director of Vote Leave), Boris Johnson (Former Foreign Secretary), David Davis (ex-Brexit Secretary), Michael Gove (Environmental Secretary), Dominic Raab, Matthew Elliott (the Chief Executive of Vote Leave), Daniel Hannan (the most outspoken pro-Brexit MEP in the Conservative ranks), Jacob Rees-Mogg, Nigel Farage (the former UKIP leader) and even the Prime Minister, Theresa May, are confident and hopeful of having a bright future for the UK after Brexit.
The Arguments Against Brexit and in Favour of Staying in the EU: Against the results of the June 2016 Brexit Referendum, in which 51.9% voted for leaving the EU and 48.10% decided to stay in the European Union, there are more arguments in favour of staying within the EU than reasons for exit from the Union. There are so many arguments against Brexit and in favour of remaining in the EU, but some of such benefits, merits and advantages are given in the lines below, most of which are based on the points, published, as a report in the METRO on Wednesday, 22 June 2016.
The UK Security and the EU Membership: Being as family members in the form of staying in the European Union, all the member states are more expected to defend each other against both internal and external dangers and risks. It is in the mutual interests of all the countries, included in the EU, to combat any form of aggression against any member state, whether this may be a defence problem inside the EU member states or this is a foreign or an external threat or attack from a foreign country or power.
Holidays and the UK's inclusion in the European Union: Staying within the EU is also beneficial for those who want to go to any EU member country and enjoy their holidays. The holiday-makers from the UK benefit from membership of the UK in the EU in various ways, including cheap airfares, lower credit card fees, lower mobile phone roaming charges, or appropriate flight cancellation or delays' compensation.
Equal Legal Rights for Both Men and Women: Due to EU legislation, the people of the UK can enjoy equal rights for men and women in pay, minimum 20 days paid leave, enough maternity leave for pregnant or expectant mothers, protection against any sort of discrimination on the grounds of race, age, sexual orientation, protection for part-time workers and guarantee of having paid time off of workers to care for a child who is ill.
Safety Measures in the Workplace and other Public Premises: Thanks to European Safety Directives, workplace fatalities have decreased, at a large scale, in the UK, since the introduction of this EU law in 1996.
The UK Economy and Brexit: Although the Leave Campaign or the pro-Brexit group, at present, after the 2016 Brexit Referendum, accuses the Remain Campaign or the Remainers of scaremongering about unpleasant and dreadful economic consequences after Brexit, but the reality is that the economic setback for the UK is a fact and not a scaremongering tactic used by those who want to stay in the EU.
To Live, Work and Study: This is a golden opportunity for hundreds of thousands of people of the UK to go to any EU member state, live, work and study there. Furthermore, the United Kingdom is the second largest beneficiary of the EU research funding, as this has been noticed and realised in UK universities.
Business and Trade: To stay in the EU means the right of the UK to trade in a market of around 500 million people within 28 countries of Europe. It is estimated that about 200,000 UK businesses are trading with the EU at the moment. If we leave the EU, one in three international businesses will create fever UK jobs, as a result. It is expected by 70% of the main businesses in the UK to experience a negative and damaging impact, if the people of the UK leave the European Union. Similarly, 61 per cent of exports of small UK businesses go to the EU. Because of the benefits they receive from having membership of the European Union, almost 89% of the businesses in the UK back and support staying in the EU. Most of the big bosses and renowned personalities of the UK industries believe they are stronger while staying in the EU.
Jobs and the EU: According to South Bank University, approximately, 2.5 million people in the UK have got jobs, resulting directly from the trade we do with the EU, and, almost, the jobs of around one more million people are indirectly related to the UK trade with the Union. Thus, this is predicted that hundreds of thousands of people in the UK may lose jobs, if we leave the EU membership.
Household Expenses and Inflation: Leaving the EU can trigger inflation by a considerable increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money. Brexit can negatively affect the family finances and regular budget of the British people in so many ways.
Poverty versus Affluence: As a result of adverse family budget due to leaving the EU, the economic conditions of the UK citizens and residents can deteriorate, as the people may have fewer opportunities of jobs, on one hand, and the prices of food, fuel and other usual commodities can go up, on the other hand. This can convert the prosperity of the UK people into penury (the state of being very poor), impoverishment and privation (a state in which food and other essentials for well-being are lacking).
Economists and Brexit: It is claimed that the majority of economists believe that the UK economy will be worse off, if the country leaves the European Union. One example of warnings by leading and reputed economists is the warning given by the Governor of Bank of England, Mark Carney, that 'No-deal Brexit could be as bad as 2008 financial crash', as published in The Guardian on Thursday, 13 September 2018.
EU Membership and Boost in the UK Salaries: It is believed by those who want to stay in the EU that UK salaries have increased by £1,800 due to membership of the European Union. (Source: Frontier Economics for London First)
The World Leaders and Brexit: Leaving the European Union can weaken the position or place of the UK in world affairs. With the exception of few international leaders, like Donald Trump (the US Presidential Candidate at the time of the 2016 Brexit Referendum and now the President of the USA) and Marline Le Pen/Marion Anne Perrine (a French politician and the President of the National Rally Political Party), who thought that the UK would be stronger out of the EU, the rest of the world leaders believed and still believe that the UK would be stronger by keeping its membership of the European Union. The global leaders who are in favour of the UK being inside the EU include such politicians, as Hillary Clinton (the ex-US Presidential Candidate), Narendra Modi (the Indian Prime Minister), Barak Obama (the Former US President), Angela Merkel (the German Chancellor), John Key ( the Former Prime Minister of New Zealand), Shinzo Abe (the Japanese Prime Minister), Justin Trudeau (the Prime Minister of Canada), Xi Jinping (the Chinese President), Malcolm Turnbull (Former Prime Minister of Australia), Matteo Renzi (Former Prime Minister of Italy), Bill Clinton (Former US President), Michelle Bachelet (Former President of Chile) and Nicolas Sarkozy (Former French President).
The Rank/Position of the UK Passport and Brexit: As reported by Oliver Smith in The Telegraph on 22 May, 2018, the UK Passport has its fourth position or rank among the most powerful passports of the world, according to the ranking by Henley & Partners (a citizenship and planning firm, who takes into account how many countries can be visited without applying for a visa). With a score of 177 on the world passports ranking list, the UK Passport holders can visit 186 out of a possible 218 countries of the world, being still more powerful than the passports of certain other countries, such as, Ireland, Canada, Switzerland, United States, Belgium, Australia, Greece, New Zealand and more. (www.telegraph.co.uk).
However, the impact of Brexit on the UK Passport's ranking is still to be seen, as this will depend on the nature of the deal between the UK government and the European Union, but this seems likely for Britons to be affected in some way while travelling abroad, as a result of Brexit.
Qasim Swati is a freelance journalist, writer and human rights activist, based in the UK, and can be reached at https://qasimswati.com or mailto:info@qasimswati.com.
The Leadership Challenges in the United Kingdom:
A Second Referendum Over Brexit Deal?
I like your article very nice love to read it not make me bore please keep writing
Thanks a lot for your lovely comment on the article, Mr. N. H. I hope you may enjoy my other articles in the future, too.
office design tool says:
Inspiring quest there. What occurred after? Take care! http://philadelphia-virtualoffice.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=wire-Road.net%2F__media__%2Fjs%2Fnetsoltrademark.php%3Fd%3DWww.Interior.my
Thanks a lot for your comment on the article on Brexit and its merits and demerits. You could also read my two other articles which I have written on Brexit on the same website.
download lucky palace slot android says:
your magnificent post. Also, I've shared your web site in my social
networks! http://gapnhau.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=918.network%2Fcasino-games%2F67-lpe88-lucky-palace-casino
Thank you very much for your nice comment on the article, in association with Brexit.
Misty Tribou says:
woh I love your posts, saved to bookmarks! .