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There has been an almost universal thumbs up from industry stakeholders in welcoming the proposed extensions to FASEA’s exam and qualifications timelines – almost (see: FASEA Extensions Confirmed).
Key organisations were quick to voice their support for this move, including the AFA, which was able to relay to delegates the announcement by Senator Jane Hume at the final session of the 2019 AFA Conference at the end of last week:
In a subsequent message to members, AFA CEO, Phil Kewin, said the Association “…warmly welcomes this announcement as a reflection of the hard work done at many levels, including …our joint work with the FPA, and advisers talking to their local members to communicate the challenges presented by the current deadlines.”
…the cumulative pressure of everything that is happening has been very confronting
Kewin also acknowledged Assistant Minister Hume for taking an active interest and recognising the challenges with the original deadlines.
He noted financial advisers have a lot to be thinking about at this point in time, “…and the cumulative pressure of everything that is happening has been very confronting,” he said, adding:
“The FASEA process has taken a lot longer than expected. The new time-frame gives advisers the appropriate time to prepare for the exam and to deal with their other challenges.”
In keeping with the emerging industry theme of unity (different voices but one message), the FPA’s response referenced its joint efforts with the AFA.
CEO, Dante De Gori, said the Government’s decision to announce its intention to extend the original deadline means existing financial planners are no longer being unfairly disadvantaged by delays from FASEA in rolling-out its exam and its new Code of Ethics:
The Government has done the right thing…
“The Government has done the right thing by proposing to extend the deadlines for all existing financial planners to sit and pass the FASEA exam and meet the education standard.
“The proposed new deadlines will give existing financial planners more time to study, ensuring that these reforms are successful at raising the bar across the profession.
“We’re pleased that Minister Hume has listened to the feedback from our members and been willing to work with the FPA and AFA jointly to deliver a better outcome for all financial planners and their clients.”
Joining the main adviser associations in its warm reception was the main institutional association, the FSC, whose CEO, Sally Loane observed:
This is a sensible tweak to the reforms
“The Minister is demonstrating that she is listening to the advice industry and is acting to strengthen the foundations of the reform package. This is a sensible tweak to the reforms, and one that will alleviate pressure on the advice industry” said the CEO, who continued:
“While the professional standard reforms are very important, existing advisers need adequate time to transition to the new landscape. The extension of the time to sit the exam for existing advisers will ensure that they have the full two years to sit the exam.”
The (almost) universal support for the proposed extensions has been given perspective, however, by adviser feedback, which has been mixed.
Some advisers have taken the opportunity to share their views on the underlying premise of the FASEA exam and minimum professional standards, which argue against the principle of these already-legislated reforms.
Meanwhile, other adviser feedback has revealed how commercial, business-defining decisions, have already been taken and initiated based on the assumption that the minimum education standards, in particular, would have to be met two years before what is now proposed…


Using a cutting edge Google algorithm friendly solution, online digital service provider Cogent Online Solutions will be celebrating the launch of its ‘Hyper Local’ GMB 3 pack services software by giving away the product to the first 5 businesses that contact them! It’s reported the event will take place on February 14th 2019.
In a space where most competitors simply advertise on facebook or put banners up on their site and fail to cause much of a stir, Cogent Online Solutions has opted to take a different approach with its new product that uses the latest technology to provide local businesses with a truly competitive Google My Business edge.
Christian Maguire, Founder at Cogent Online Solutions, says: “We wanted to provide a unique solution to the latest google algorithm changes with our ‘Hyper Local’ GMB 3 pack services and we believe that this a ‘no brainer’ for local business websites.”
“We’re hoping it helps as many local businesses as possible.. The launch should go great unless everyone decides to have Valentine’s Day off!”
Cogent Online Solutions has always thrived on the idea of standing out and making a commotion. It’s all part of the fun and it’s going to shine a light on a truly unique piece of software that can substantially move the needle in bringing more customers/clients/patients to local businesses that incorporate it into their websites. This launch celebration is just one of the many ways Cogent Online Solutions achieves that goal.
When asked about GMB 3 pack services ‘Hyper Local’ solution, Christian Maguire said: “We think it’s going to be a real hit because the cutting edge linkage that deploys on the local website should have customers flocking from bigger surrounding towns and cities!”.
GMB 3 pack services is set to launch February 14th 2019. To find out more, visit https://gmaps.bizlink.tech/
For further information about Cogent Online Solutions, all this can be discovered at https://socialbuzz.bizlink.tech/
240 Main Street #421, Northport, New York, 11768
631 450 2190
Release ID: 481413


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Ghanas top actress, Jackie Appiah has sent a warm congratulatory message to the newly sworn-in president, His Excellency George Weah.
The multiple award-winning actress was part of the public figures that flew from Ghana to Liberia to share in their support at the inaugural ball for President Weah’s Inaugural ball. The actress clearly seems super excited about this great feat of the Football Legend who just turned president.
”Congratulations to His Excellency George Oppong Weah,You are a great person and I know you will do great things in Liberia. So happy for you bro. Africa loves you,” she wrote.
The former football star George Weah won Liberia’s presidential election, defeating the vice-president, Joseph Boakai, in a runoff with 61.5% of the vote.

domain: celebrity


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Most Inspiring Christmas Town in America
The American town that feels most like Christmas may surprise you. To walk the streets of this charming town one feels like they’ve stepped right smack dab into Bedford Falls from It’s A Wonderful Life.
In fact, this little town looks so much like the real Bedford Falls, New York, that it could be a twin.
With gingerbread style buildings, Leavenworth, Washington,
knows how to create an image that inspires the Christmas spirit. The town uses half a million lights to bring this quant town to life, and illuminate the beautiful architecture.
With snow capped mountains, the classic town-square gazebo and the small, snow-covered streets makes Leavenworth, Washington our choice for Most Inspiring Christmas Town in America.

domain: geography


Click and Grow is a smart mini garden for indoor usage. Have your fresh herbs one hand away and live healthier! Don't worry, it will take good care, enough for your plants to grow, even if you don't have any gardening skills. It is equipped with LED lights, smart soil and water tank for a whole month.
Potted is an easy, beautiful, and simple plant care and watering reminder app for you and your plants. If you have ever had trouble keeping your plants alive, Potted is here to help.
HappyPlants is all about organising and adding all kinds of information of your little friends. How much water does it need? In which seasons does it grow? Does it require lots of sun? Basically, creating your own plant database in a visual way. If your hobby is collecting plants, you maybe like to gather all information about your home garden.


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Build Tomato Cages For Your Garden Build Tomato Cages For Your Garden
Building tomato cages for your garden can be a time-consuming process that requires a bit of strength and technique. Tomatoes are hardy plants, but they grow best when secured within a wire or mesh cage.
You can re-use tomato cages year after year. The resulting crops will produce robust, delicious fruit that you can enjoy all summer long.
Step 1 - Cut the Wire
You'll want to cut the wire in widths of about 4 to 5 feet. Keep in mind that you will curve the wire into a tube-like shape and place your tomatoes in the center. Use the wire cutters to cut the wire or mesh in a straight line. It may help to lay one of your wooden stakes across the wire and cut along the side of the stake.
Step 2 - Form the Cages
Hold the wire upright and curve it into a column. Use twine or panty hose to secure the top and bottom and then tie three stakes to the inside of the cage using cable or zip ties to help the tomato cage keep its shape. Many people use panty hose instead of cable or zip ties because the latter are difficult to untie should you decide to readjust the size of the cage.
Never use zip ties to secure the plants themselves to the cages, as the zip ties can be too strong and end up damaging the tender branches.
Step 3 - Plant the Tomatoes
Plant the tomatoes in the center of each cage and dig a shallow moat around the edges of each plant for water collection. You shouldn't tie the plants to the cages until they have reached about 2 to 3 feet high. This way, the plants will still be able to recieve plenty of sunlight and spread their leaves.
Step 4 - Secure Tomato Branches to Cages
Once the plants have begun to bloom and spread out, they may begin to poke through the tomato cages. This is normal growth and actually serves as a good sign. Periodically check the tomato garden for branches that droop or appear to need support.
Tying the branches to the tomato cages with twine or panty hose should help sunlight ripen the fruit and reach all parts of the plant. It will also help keep the fruit from touching the ground and gathering dirt.
Step 5 - Store the Tomato Cages
Tomatoes are seasonal crops, so you will want to store your tomato cages during the winter for later use. If you have the storage space, leave them in a tube shape. If not, remove the ties and store the wire flat so that you can reshape and use it later. The wooden stakes should remain secured to the inside of the tomato cages.

domain: agronomy


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BlurbPhantom is a crime novel by Norwegian novelist, Jo Nesbø. Its Norwegian title is Gjenferd, which does not directly translate to Phantom; rather it translates to a word similar to "ghosts". Phantom is the ninth novel featuring Nesbø's crime detective, Inspector Harry Hole.
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domain: literature


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Men in Black 3 (2012)
Film review #535
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
SYNOPSIS: Agents J and K are investigating an alien incident when they discover one of K’s old enemies, Boris, has escaped from his prison on the moon. J wakes up one morning to find out that K is gone, apparently having forty years ago. It seems Boris has travelled back in time and killed K, so J must also travel back in time to 1969 to prevent K’s death and stop Boris…
THOUGHTS/ANALYSIS: Men in Black 3 is a 2012 sci-fi film and the third in the Men in Black franchise, loosely based on the comics of the same name. The film opens up with a ruthless criminal, Boris (if that is his real name) escaping from his prison on the moon. He heads to earth to take his revenge on the agent who put him there: Agent K. To do so, he travels back in time to kill Agent K, so that his existence for the last 40 years is wiped out. Agent J must himself travel back to 1969 to stop Boris from accomplishing his plan, and save his partner. Bringing in time travel as the core mechanic, the plot has the potential to get very confusing very fast; but the film keeps it mostly simple, so everything stays together well: that’s not to say that there’s no questions surrounding some of the effects of time travel, because there is, but they don’t distract too much from the plot. The enemy this time is Boris, an alien who was imprisoned on the moon because he is such a menace. His whole plot again isn’t too important, and mostly serves as a catalyst to the main element of the film and the previous ones, which is the relationship between agents J and K. On this point, the film again gives us a solid and in-depth exploration of their characters and interactions, and while some of it is re-treading ground from the first two films, there is enough that is new and refreshing to make it worthwhile to sit through. The plot goes at a decent enough pace, and holds back enough mystery and suspense to make a decent payoff at the end, and enough energy along the way to sustain your attention until you get there. The film does gloss over many of the events of the first two films, and there’s some incongruities there, but on the other hand, it also makes this film easily a standalone feature, while still being an extension of what went before. Given the ten-year gap between this film and the previous one, it makes sense that the film can stand on it’s own, as some of it’s viewers will not have watched the first two, or simply forgot the particulars.
While the first film had a rather conventional relationship between J being the rookie, and K being the veteran agent; the second reversed this relationship by having J re-recruit K, which turned J into the veteran, but this reversal didn’t really work for a number of reasons (which I laid out in my review of the film). Men in Black 3 uses the time travel element to again reconfigure their relationship. J and K are essentially equals, but K still refuses to open up about his life. When J travels back in time to 1969, his relationship with young K is a bit more dynamic: J is the veteran, but he’s also a “fish out of water” in 1969, and K is the junior agent, but knows how everything works in that time, so neither of them are the rookie, but neither are they both the vets, so they’re on equal, but even footing, which gives their characters something new and interesting to explore throughout the film. Josh Brolin as young K does a really great job here: he captures Tommy Lee Jones’ K very well, while also putting enough of a spin on it to make it his own. Will Smith is still able to do what he does best getting into slapstick and humourous antics, but his maturity also lets him have some emotional moments too. The supporting characters and villain fill their roles well enough, but they’re nothing too special, but again, the series has always hinged on J and K’s relationship first, and alien invasions and agency bureaucracy second.
The film does a good job brining the 60′s Men in Black to life, with plenty of fun weapon and vehicle designs, and some creative aliens too. While the pop culture references in Men in Black II aged the film and didn’t really work, the time travel element gives the film more free reign to bring 60′s culture to life without aging the film itself. The ending of the film, which isn’t too hard to work out what’s going to happen when it gets underway, is nevertheless emotional and gripping, and feels like a good pay-off. I felt like maybe the film ends a bit too abruptly after though, as it generates all of these emotions, and never works through them to any degree, and so just leaves them hanging in the mind of the viewer with no outlet for them, but I think that others could easily be more satisfied with the ending, and so that point is probably more a matter of opinion than a critique of the film. Overall, Men in Black 3 is definitely an improvement over it’s predecessor, although Men in Black II lowered the bar a fair amount. It’s not a perfect film and still struggles with story outside of it’s core characters, but the film offers a fresh angle on exploring the relationship between the two main characters, while also still being fun and entertaining. Predictable in some parts, but still offers up enough fun and heart to be worth a watch for fans of the franchise, and tight enough to watch as a standalone film if you’ve never seen any of the others.
Men in Black II (2002)
Film review #534
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
SYNOPSIS: Agent J is having trouble keeping an agency partner, as he feels like none of them are cut out for the job. When Serleena, an evil alien, comes to Earth looking for an artefact of immense power called the Light of Zartha, she will stop at nothing to acquire it. Unfortunately, the only person who knows where the light is hidden is Agent K, whose memories Agent J wiped five years ago when he neuralised him. Agent J goes to retrieve Agent K, somehow restore his memories, and hopefully save the world from an alien threat once again…
THOUGHTS/ANALYSIS: Men in Black II is a 2002 sci-fi film and the sequel to the 1997 film Men in Black. The film starts of with Agent J, who five years on from the events of the first film, has gone from a rookie to one of the top agents in the agency. He chases down Jeff, a monster worm who travels through the New York subway. J’s new partner T, seems to be not up to the job, and so J neuralises him and wipes his memory to lead a normal life. Agency leader Z laments J’s constant neuralising of his partners, including L, who became an agent at the end of the first film. Meanwhile, an alien named Serleena lands on Earth looking for the “Light of Zartha,” an energy source of immense power that was supposedly taken off Earth years ago, and she has been destroying planets across the universe looking for it. The only person that knows where it is is Agent K, who was neuralised himself, and so agent J must retrieve him and recover his memories before Serleena destroys everything.
The film’s structure and plot is very similar to the first time…a bit too similar. The film basically just role reverses the two main characters from the first film; with Agent J now being the veteran agent, and now Agent K without his memories is technically the rookie. You can see how this might be an interesting way to mix things up for the sequel and have the characters take on new roles, but it really is just a straight swap between them. Also, Will Smith doesn’t really work as the “straight” guy. Another problem with this is that when Agent K does get his memory back, the roles reverse again, and Agent J suddenly becomes the wisecracking rookie again, undoing all of his character development. This feels very much like a backwards step, although in some senses it is for the best, as the two can get into the roles that work properly for them. Going through all the trouble of getting K’s memories just to have them revert to the status quo is a pretty weak payoff though. The second element of the story concerning the “Light of Zartha” is again just a retread of the first film, in that the agents must find a small artifact that is actually a massive power source. There’s really nothing new that the film offers here.
Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are still appealing and entertaining in their roles, and still have great chemistry. The whole role reversal element doesn’t really do anything for their characters though. Frank the Pug takes the role of “rookie” before K returns, but it just doesn’t have the same dynamic, and relies very much on the repeated joke of Frank being a dog and that’s it. The supporting cast of Z and the worms make a return and are fine in their roles, and there’s a strange cameo by Michael Jackson who wants to be “Agent M,” which I’m not really sure what to think of. A lot of the pop culture gags, such as this and Frank’s barking to “Who Let the Dogs Out” definitely ages the film more than anything else. Serleena as a villain is quite boring and underwhelming, both from being very similar to the first film’s villain, and Lara Flynn Boyle’s dry and uninterested delivery just doesn’t work. Johnny Knoxville’s character, serving as Serleena’s henchman, is pretty underwhelming and annoying too: he also just…vanishes near the end of the film, making him seem extremely pointless. The tone of the film is a bit all over the place: the added pop-culture references, as mentioned, definitely age the film, and while some elements of the film feel a bit more geared towards younger audiences, there’s also a few darker elements that are definitely intended for older viewers, so it’s hard to pin down the overall feel of the film. The pop culture references were apparently added in by Barry Fanaro, who revised the first draft of the script, and this is something the original writer, Robert Gordon, avoided doing, which I think he was right about. Fanro did apparently reintroduce Agent K earlier in the film with his revisions, so that’s definitely a plus for him. The director, Barry Sonnenfeld, also took issue with the love story element between Agent J and Laura, because Will Smith doesn’t work as the serious guy (at that time anyway). This very much seems like a film in which no real vision got it’s way, and the conflicts at all these levels compromises in a very safe repeat of the first film.
Overall, Men in Black II definitely has some entertaining elements, and is held together by the main cast and their chemistry. A confusing mix of tone and visions from multiple people involved really hamper the film’s ability to drive the franchise forward, and supported by a weak cast of minor characters and cheap gags, you’ll be left feeling that you haven’t gained anything from watching this film. It’s perhaps worth a watch once, but the first film does everything better.
There’s perhaps one thing about the sequel (controversially) that I will say surpasses the first film though: I prefer the theme “Nod ya Head” to the “Men in Black” song from the first one. I’m sure that will make me some enemies.
Men in Black (1997)
Film review #533
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
SYNOPSIS: N.Y.P.D. detective James Edwards chases down a criminal that turns out to be an alien, but no one believes him, until a mysterious man dressed in black turns up, and ultimately wipes his memory. He does however, give him the chance to prove himself, and James becomes Agent J, the newest member of the Men in Black, a secret organisation that monitors and regulates alien activity on Earth. Meanwhile, an intergalactic threat that endangers the Earth emerges, and agents J and K must stop the alien menace and prevent the planet’s destruction.
THOUGHTS/ANALYSIS: Men in Black is a 1997 sci-fi film loosely based on the comic series of the same name. The film centres around a secret organisation (unsurprisingly) called the Men in Black: who monitor and regulate alien activity on Earth, while keeping their existence hidden from the public. NYPD detective James Edwards chases down a suspect which turns out to be an alien in disguise, but no one believes him. That is, until a man dressed in a black suit arrives and confirms his suspicion that aliens are real. The man wipes James’ memory, but gives him the opportunity to join the Men in Black. The best part of the film is definitely between agents J and K, as Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones fit in to their roles perfectly, and their chemistry is very entertaining. It’s perhaps a bit cliché with J being the streetwise, wisecracking cop, and K being the dry-humoured, grizzled veteran, but they definitely make the roles their own, and together they just work so well. The supporting cast also fit their roles well, and have very specific roles to play. The other plotline other than Agent K training J is one that involves a bug-like alien attempting to find a miniature galaxy that doubles as an energy source, and a diplomatic incident that threatens to end in the earth’s destruction. It’s not as interesting a plot point than J and K’s development, and when the film moves towards the climax, the film does lose focus a bit. Nevertheless, it’s still an entertaining ride, and a comfortable runtime so that it doesn’t overstay it’s welcome.
The film makes considerable effort to create it’s world, and the sets, designs and effects all help build it up into something imaginative and fun. The Men in Black headquarters, and their weapons and gadgets are slick, the alien designs are varied and obviously have had a lot of effort put into them, and although the CG has obviously aged a bit since 1997, it still looks decent and doesn’t disrupt the enjoyment of the film. Add to this the recognisable soundtrack by Danny Elfman, and you have a very competent production all round. Apart from the film losing momentum near the end, Men in Black is a fun, entertaining film that gets the best out of it’s cast and those behind the scenes. It was also successful enough to launch a franchise, including sequels, an animated series, and video games. The film opens up plenty of possibilities to be explored, but never gets too heavy with the lore and exposition, and focuses on being an entertaining film that, while leans a lot on the buddy-cop trope and the rookie partnered with a veteran, it has enough of a twist on it, and amplified by the lead’s chemistry, it feels fresh enough. It still holds up as a good film with enough humour and action to make it worth a watch if you’ve never seen it before.
Lobster Man from Mars (1989)
Film review #532
Director: Stanley Sheff
SYNOPSIS: A movie studio executive is plagued by money problems, and requires a tax-write off to keep the IRS away. He decides to produce a film brought in by a young film writer that is utterly absurd: “Lobster Man from Mars…”
THOUGHTS/ANALYSIS: Lobster Man from Mars is a 1989 sci-fi film within a film. Opening up, we see Movie mogul J.P. Sheldrake, who is facing monetary pressure from the usual suspects: his ex-wife, the I.R.S., and so on. He decides he needs to release a movie that flops so badly he can make it a tax write-off and keep those he owes money to at bay. Fortunately, young movie writer/producer Stevie Horowitz walks in with the perfect potential film: Lobster Man from Mars, a film in the style of the old b-movie sci-fi films. The film (as a whole) becomes a film-within-a-film: The movie mogul sits in a theatre to watch the “Lobster Man from Mars” film, and we watch it as well, with a few occasional cutaways to Sheldrake to offer his thoughts. It’s an interesting setup, but was done prior in the 1968 film The Producers to much better effect. We’re also only taken out of the film a few times to see Sheldrake’s thoughts, meaning for the most part the “film in a film” element is irrelevant. With regards to the “Lobster Man from Mars” film itself, it follows a very typical b-movie sci-fi plot which it is aiming to parody: Mars is “leaking air” from it’s atmosphere, and so the ruler of Mars sends the dreaded lobster man and his assistant Mombo, who resembles a gorilla in a space helmet, to go to Earth and steal all it’s air…? Honestly, I’m not sure how they’re going to steal Earth’s air, and how it’s going to help if Mars is “leaking” any air it gets anyway, but regardless, when they arrive on Earth, the killing starts, and anyone who gets in their way gets turned into a pile of bones.
The film mostly plays it straight, with the film-in-a-film just being played without any commentary or over-the-top parody: it could easily pass for an actual b-movie. This is both a core strength and a weakness in the film: the best comedic moments come from the film playing it completely straight without any overt humourous moments, and it is the unexpected moments that provide the best comedy. The drawback to this is that it sometimes plays it too straight, and you forget you’re watching something that is supposed to be funny for fairly long stretches. The humour also feels fairly niche, in the sense that you would have to have actually watched these films originally to really get what it is parodying. Some of the really niche references, such as Colonel Ankrum being a reference to Morris Ankrum, who played similar characters in 1950′s films, is only going to be understood by a fraction of viewers. It definitely gets the b-movie feel right, but in 1989, there was plenty of other parodies of the genre that offered something new and entertaining from an entertainment perspective. This film just feels like it goes through the motions while reminding you it is a parody from time to time. There were a few of these b-movie parodies in the 80′s, but they typically went for a more upfront comedy and absurd premise, such as Killer Klowns from Outer Space. While a plot about Mars leaking air sounds quite silly, it definitely fits the b-movie mold, and would probably have fit right in. Although released in 1989, the film was actually written about ten years earlier, and it definitely feels that way. Lobster Man from Mars does something a little different, but it altogether feels a bit too niche and relies too much on in-jokes to appeal to a more general audience.
The Gingerweed Man (2021)
Film review #531
Director: Brooks Davis
SYNOPSIS: The Gingerweed man has started a weed delivery service in the city, catering to all sorts of clientele. When he stumbles upon a living, super strain of weed, he finds himself having to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands and being used for evil…
THOUGHTS/ANALYSIS: The Gingerweed Man is a 2021 film and a spin-off of the Evil Bong film franchise. From the opening, we see that the Gingerweed Man has set up a weed delivery service with his partner Barbara, and delivers weed to all the wacky people around town. Meanwhile, a scientist has managed to create a living, super strain of weed powerful enough to save or destroy the world. The evil “Smokeahontas” hunts down the scientist, who manages to hide the super weed and subsequently falls into the hands of the Gingerweed Man. The film’s story is fairly easy to follow, although offers nothing really of any substance. As with the Evil Bong films from which it spawned, the film is only going to be entertaining if you are as high as a kite; the humour is crude most of the time, and apart from that, just doesn’t give anything entertaining to the viewer. Luckily, at just over fifty minutes long (spread over two chapters), it’s fairly quick and harmless, and the short runtime means it doesn’t waste time with extended dialogue or pointless things.
One of the main problems with the film is that the main character, The Gingerweed Man, is not really interesting, and feels like a mish-mash of tropes: he dresses like a stoner, but talks like a posh Englishman with the accent to match. I’m just not sure how to situate the character, so it’s difficult to see where the comedy comes from. Smoke-ahontas as the villain doesn’t seem to really do anything other than to chase other characters, and “Buddy” as the super weed strain…thing is just an annoying high-pitched mascot thing which you will grow tired of quickly.
The Gingerweed Man could have been a chance to try something new after all the Evil Bong movies which are essentially all the same. Of course, being made by Full Moon Entertainment, it was never going to push things in an innovative or original way, but it is at least a bit different (in that it actually has some sort of plot). The film is shot decently, and there’s more than two different sets, so that’s a win. Overall though, I think it’s safe to say that The Gingerweed Man isn’t really anything worthwhile, unless you’re so high you’re detached from reality.
Bruce Gentry (1949)
Film review #530
Directors: Spencer Gordon Bennet, Thomas Carr
SYNOPSIS: Bruce Gentry, a charter pilot, has gone to see his friend is Dr. Benson, but the scientist is kidnapped by a mysterious gang led by a man known only as “The Recorder,” who wants Dr. Benson to work on their “flying disc” machines to unleash an attack on the country. Bruce teams up with Paul Radcliffe, an industrialist, alongside ranchers Juanita and Frank, in order to rescue Dr. Benson and put The Recorder’s gang out of action…
THOUGHTS/ANALYSIS: Bruce Gentry is a 1949 film serial based on the comic strip centred around the character of the same name. The film opens up with Bruce Gentry, a charter pilot, who gets into a fistfight with a gang of henchman less than a minute into the runtime. When Gentry’s friend Dr. Benson is kidnapped by a criminal gang to work on their inventions. Bruce teams up with Paul Radcliffe, an industrialist, and ranchers Juanita and Frank, whose land contains a mine where materials where Plutonite can be found, which the gang need to complete their machines. Together, they all try to rescue Dr. Benson and stop the criminal gang, led by the mysterious “Recorder.” The fifteen part serial has all the components that are very typical of the format, with each chapter revolving around the back-and-forth between the good guys and bad guys as they scheme and counter-scheme one another. It’s formulaic, but no less so than any of the other serials of the time. The use of airplanes as one of the focal points of the serial, and the main character being a pilot was again a popular choice of serials, as they were firmly in the public’s imagination after the second world war, and were seen as heroes. Unfortunately, there’s not much plane action in this; merely travelling from one destination to another, and usually not making it, as Bruce typically has to jump out of the plane at the last second to avoid being killed in typical cliffhanger fashion. There’s no dog fights or combat in the skies, which is something other serials do, so it is going to pale in comparison to others, and it feels like more could have been done instead of the forgettable schemes we get. The plot barely moves forward at any point, and is stuck at the initial stalemate between the heroes and villains until the final chapter.
The cast of characters is pretty bland: Bruce Gentry is a typical male lead (as with nearly all of these serials), but he doesn’t have anything special or interesting to set him apart: he just flies a plane occasionally. The rest of the characters are also unimportant: Paul Radcliffe, who hires Bruce to investigate the criminal gang, wants the secret of the flying disc’s that the gang uses for himself, but keeps that a secret. This could have led to an interesting side story, but it’s never really followed up. There’s Juanita, the one female character (apart from Paul’s secretary) who has some fight in her, but usually just falls into the role of being kidnapped every other chapter. Frank is completely ineffectual, and just serves as another pair of hands, and the henchmen are completely unremarkable. The Recorder, the mysterious villain who leads the criminal gang, is only heard through voice recordings (hence the name I guess), and while his identity is kept secret throughout the serial, his eventual reveal comes long past the point of being invested in this serial.
As mentioned, the serial does little to try anything new, and the lack of action that isn’t just fistfights makes everything very predictable and dull. One noteworthy element is that this serial is the first time a “flying saucer” was featured on screen, with the criminal gang’s “flying discs” being their main weapon. They are mostly seen as a traditionally animated object flying towards the screen, which does look a bit out of place, and could probably achieved without resorting to animation and creating something so distractingly different to the rest of the serial. This technique was done in other serials, most notable in the Superman serials, but this was typically for when Superman had to fly, which would have been difficult to film in such low budget, low-tech conditions. In Bruce Gentry, I’m sure they could have just used a model to the same effect. Directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet, who directed by so many similar serials, Bruce Gentry has all the pieces of a typical serial, but fails to offer anything in terms of an exciting plot, interesting characters, or unique sci-fi premises. I’d rank it below average, but definitely not the worst of the movie serials (only because there are some really bad ones).
Evil Bong 888: Infinity High (2022)
Film review #529
Director: Charles Band
SYNOPSIS: Rabbit has opened up a new restaurant to try and go legit after his many weed-related adventures, with the evil bong, Ebee, working in the kitchen. However, many mishaps ensue, and tempt Rabbit to return to his old ways…
THOUGHTS/ANALYSIS: Evil Bong 888: Infinity High is a 2022 film and actually the ninth film in the Evil Bong series (if you’re counting Evil Bong vs. Gingerdead Man). The film opens up with series regular Rabbit preparing to open a new restaurant and attempting to go straight without smoking weed. Meanwhile the evil bong, Ebee, is helping out in the kitchen. If you’ve seen any of the other Evil Bong films, then you’ll know what to expect: a bunch of one-note characters come through the doors, and do their predictable humour, while the next characters come in and add to the scene. Everything that I have written about the previous Evil Bong films essentially just applies to this one: it is not a complex film, the plot is barely a plot, but the audience is people that are high and probably only aren’t going to follow any complexities, and just want to see some stupid, sexy or trippy stuff on screen. With a runtime of around an hour, at least the film does not overstay it’s welcome.
The film is, in some way, a return to basics (if you think the series ever evolved beyond “basics”), and takes out a lot of the characters and concepts that had driven the last few films, such as Lucy Furr, the Gingerdead Man, and Sexy Hell (yes, I did just write all of those things, and yes, they did happen). Although it’s unclear whether this is just because they couldn’t get any of the other actors to return; even though this hasn’t stopped them before from simply recasting a lot of roles. As such, we are left with Rabbit and Ebee, who became the only ones to appear in all the previous Evil Bong films. The “I tell you what” rednecks return doing their regular shtick, and even though they have been doing the same thing over numerous films, it’s strangely comforting to see them back doing the same thing, as it probably wouldn’t feel like an Evil Bong film without them at this point. The film also manages to bring back Larnell, one of the original characters, for the final few minutes, but he literally does nothing other than smoke a joint. The Gingerdead/Gingerweed man also make a brief cameo at the end, so there was at least some effort to acknowledge some of the other key characters of the series.
The film does try to be up to date with some it’s characters: you have a “Karen” who comes into the restaurant to complain, two teenagers who don’t know how to act in public post-Covid pandemic, and “Joe Exotic” (not actually him, in factm it doesn’t even look like him) It’s very little, and hardly biting social commentary, but it helps set the scene a little, and make the characters seem a bit more relatable (even though they are never anything more than clichés.) To balance this out as well, you also get the German chef named Sal Monella, whose personality is simply being German (you can probably imagine what that means). Again, it’s all simple stuff that doesn’t need to be anything more than what it is, but that doesn’t necessarily make it good.
Like most (all) of the Evil Bong films, the film has two sets: the restaurant, and the kitchen. Even then, quite a few of the scenes are obviously completely green-screened. It cuts back on trying to use CG and trippy special effects, and just sticks to having a laugh with the characters and tropes they have. Being as this is supposed to be the final Evil Bong film, it doesn’t really have a definitive ending or resolution, but at least it didn’t end on a cliff-hanger like Evil Bong 777 did (and which this film pretty much ignores). Overall, Evil Bong 888 is, as all of the films in this series are, crude, low budget, and without a plot. But as always, these films are meant to target an audience of people who are probably so high they are devoid of sense, so anything more complex than semi-nudity and weed jokes isn’t going to be truly appreciated. I think cutting a lot of the characters and lore it had built up helps the film in some regards by focusing on the characters that work, but it doesn’t offer anything new, or a definitive, satisfying ending to the series. I don’t think it’s the worst film in the series, as it attempts some relevant jokes, and returns some of the more memorable characters, but there’s still plenty of dull moments and flat jokes that would remain flat no matter how high you are. If you are familiar with Full Moon’s low budget films, you’ll recognise this as more of what they do, but if you’re expecting something entertaining that delivers something truly unique with its concept, you’ll be sorely disappointed: that ship sailed long ago.
The Three Fantastic Supermen (1967)
Film review # 528
Director: Gianfranco Parolini
SYNOPSIS: FBI agent Brad hires two “supermen” who fight crime in their bullet-proof suits. The three of them join forces to become the “three fantastic supermen,” to investigate an evil plot concerning counterfeit money and bad guys turning people into precious jewels…
THOUGHTS/ANALYSIS: The Three Fantastic Supermen is a 1967 film. The film opens up with FBI agent Brad testing two superhero crimefighters, Tony and Nick, to see if they are up to joining forces. The two pass the test, and the three work together to investigate a counterfeit money ring and an evil scheme. The film is very much one of the many, many comedy spy films that parody the likes of James Bond-style films, and were especially in abundance in Italy at the time. It also has this superhero element too, with the characters dressing in skin-tight spandex and capes that serve as “bullet-proof suits.” The plot of the film is pretty standard for a spy film parody, but it at least has direction and some twists, with the somewhat uneasy alliance between the FBI and the two vigilante heroes leading to some conflict between them. The main aspect of the film is the comedy though, so everything is done in a silly, slapstick way. Any sense of peril is faced by Tony’s cheeky smile, and Nick’s expressive facial expressions and motion (accentuated by the fact he is mute). Things get even more silly when a machine that turns people into precious jewels gets introduced, as well as the machine eventually being able to clone people, but it also gets a bit sinister, when a class of schoolkids are kidnapped and nearly killed (the cloning machine works properly on children, but not adults apparently). Regardless, it’s a standard bit of comedy and parody, with plenty of scantily-clad women and chauvinism to appeal to its young male target audience.
The three main characters, Tony, Brad and Nick are different enough to make them distinguishable and interesting: as mentioned, Brad is the straight-laced FBI agent who has an uneasy alliance with the other two, although this typically ends with them playing practical jokes on him as he tries to get their secrets from them. Tony is the suave cheeky chap who laughs off any threats, and Nick as the expressive mute gives the scenes a different kind of energy. The supporting cast is a fairly typical bunch, with the evil criminal mastermind, the scientist, and his attractive daughter who serves as the love interest, so it’s unremarkable, but it has the staples of the films it is attempting to parody. The three “fantastic supermen” are also played by trained acrobats, so they can pull off some good stunts and performances, which again give the scenes a unique energy and appeal. There’s also plenty of props and variety in the scenes to make it feel busy and engaging, so while it’s a bit low budget and all over the place, it is still entertaining, although the music consisting of one of about three pieces of music played every other minute does get annoying quite fast. Overall though, The Three Fantastic Supermen is a very typical spy comedy of the time, with the added superhero element adding in a bit of a twist, and the acrobatics giving the stunts a bit more energy. It’s nothing too special or memorable, but it was apparently successful enough to warrant a number of sequels, which we will have to look at at some point…
A Nymphoid Barbarian in Dinosaur Hell (1990)
Film review #527
Director: Brett Piper
SYNOPSIS: In a post-apocalyptic Earth, a young woman has to survive in a world infested with dinosaurs, mutants, and barbarians.
THOUGHTS/ANALYSIS: A Nymphoid Barbarian in Dinosaur Hell is a 1990 post-apocalyptic sci-fi film. The film opens up the same way as nearly every post-apocalyptic film does: with a montage of the world being essentially destroyed by nuclear war. What is left is a world filled with dinosaurs, mutants, lizard people…just a mish-mash of any and all typical things you’d find in other films. There’s not much rhyme or reason to the setting. The plot is…basically non-existent: there’s hardly any dialogue, any motivation, or any direction. With post-apocalyptic films you can definitely make the lack of dialogue or story work: in a world where society has collapsed, sometimes the only goal is to survive, and films like Mad Max 2, which also uses minimal dialogue and focuses on action, works extremely well. Here, that is not the case, as the action is sub-par and without any spectacle. The film just consists of some wandering about and scrappy fights, with a few stop-motion monsters as well. There’s no sense of character, world or development to maintain interest, and it certainly doesn’t live up to the hyped up title, which is probably the only reason anyone would be drawn to this film.
But we shouldn’t perhaps be so disparaging about the film because it was made by the company Troma; who are known for making low-budget sci-fi horror films that rely on comedy and satire to make fun of the genre. Even by Troma’s standards though, this is bad. This film just doesn’t have any amount of self-awareness or satire that would make you think it is poking fun at the genre: it’s just dull, and the lack of any substance means you really have no idea what to take from it. The title promises much, but delivers very little: there’s not really any dinosaurs, the barbarian isn’t a nymphoid (in fact nymphoid isn’t a word), and you’re not missing out on anything if you skip this film.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)
Film review #526
Director: Jeff Fowler
SYNOPSIS: While Sonic the hedgehog struggles to be a hero on Earth, his nemesis Dr. Robotnik is making plans to return to Earth, helped by the mighty Knuckles the Echidna. Meanwhile, Sonic manages to get some help from Tails, a new friend who comes to warn Sonic of Robotnik’s return, and his quest to find the master emerald…
THOUGHTS/ANALYSIS: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a 2022 film, and the sequel to the 2020 film Sonic the Hedgehog. The film starts off with Sonic trying to use his powers for the best, and struggling to fit into the role of a hero. Meanwhile, Dr. Robotnik is trapped on a planet of mushrooms, looking for a way to get back to Earth and get his revenge. The story feels like one you would typically see in a sequel, with the characters being given new problems to overcome, and some attempt to develop their characters. It feels very similar to the first film, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as the first one was decent: nothing spectacular, but decent for its young target audience. However, I think the script could have done with another re-write or revision: the whole thing doesn’t really stick together very well, and the scenes feel disjointed, alongside the main plotline of the film getting lost through the mish-mash of scenes. The film does at least focuses on Sonic and his friends for most of it, and the story elements of the human characters is diminished, but this is what you want really. This also has the effect of having their story more self-contained and easier to follow than what Sonic and his friends are doing. At a runtime of two hours, the film could probably have been cut down easily by about fifteen to twenty minutes, and that is probably something that would have been achieved with another script re-write.
All of the characters from the original return, and have their own things to do. The introduction of Knuckles is a stand-out point, with Idris Elba voice the character and really making it his own. Probably the funniest moments in the film come from Knuckles and his over-serious nature. Jim Carrey brings the energy as Dr. Robotnik again, and Agent Stone is a good lackey for him. The introduction of Tails is a bit wobbly, and always feels like any explanation or development of his character is off-hand and implied. I think there should definitely have been more of a balance between the introduction of both Tails and Knuckles to properly flesh out both characters.
Overall, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a sequel that continues the work of its sequel without too much fanfare: it carries on the bits which worked and improves on them to some degree, while focusing less on the human characters (but even their scenes feel a bit more focused, even if they’re mostly just for the sake of comedy). It’s still aimed at a younger target audience, but it can still get a few laughs, especially when it relies on good old-fashioned comedy rather than making awkward references (although I’m sure the target audience will enjoy them still). There’s definitely some issues with the story not flowing and coming together, the long runtime, and the story of some characters not being integrated fully into the story, and as mentioned, I think most of these issues could have been addressed with another script re-write or revision. Nevertheless, its still an entertaining film for its target audience, and fits nicely alongside the first film.

domain: artistic


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Sexual equality jurisprudence has produced controversial results. Some courts and commentators addressing women’s equality in the context of hazardous employment have characterized sexual equality as the right of women to subject themselves to employment that is as mutagenic, teratogenic, or carcinogenic as men’s employment. Some judges and feminists analyzing women’s equality in the context of pregnancy disability leave and benefits have characterized sexual equality as the right of women to be denied pregnancy disability benefits or leave-just as men are. These effects of “equality” indicate that sexual equality jurisprudence often errs by reasoning from a lofty abstract ideal down to a grotesque specific.
Feminists have been among the worst offenders. Much of feminist jurisprudence treats sexual equality as an ideal value – whether of the “equal treatment” or “positive action” sort – and lacks an appreciation of equality’s economic consequences for the majority of working women. Court decisions construing Title VII’s antidiscrimination provisions and the fourteenth amendment’s equal protection guaranty also lack an explicit theory allowing for the appreciation of the economic consequences of current equality theory. These failures of theory, by feminists and the judiciary, produce contradictory and controversial results in both cases.
What the courts, feminists, and legislatures are struggling to comprehend is the meaning of sexual equality under conditions of scarcity. Unless equality theory sheds its idealism and takes into account the material economic necessity posed by such scarcity, it will remain an inadequate tool.
Linda Hirshman∞ This is an excerpt from the new book by Linda Hirshman, “Sisters in Law: How Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg Went to the Supreme Court and Changed the World.” How did they do it? First, they
Regardless of the obstacles to ratification that remain, the renewed push for ratification makes clear that interest in the ERA is not merely academic or historical, but rather an urgent and necessary response to the many threats to women’s rights
Wendy N. Hess∞ Abstract “Slut-shaming” is the act of criticizing a woman for her real or perceived sexual promiscuity. Until now, much scholarship and journalism has focused on the slut-shaming of school-aged girls and young women. This article broadens the
The greatest ERA-related “controversy” may be the narrowness of the debate and the important questions left out of it. For example, is the ERA sufficient to meet today’s gender discrimination challenges? And if not, what else could help?

domain: sociology


FW305+15M4624G+XT25BG60 3way Crossover Design crossover “points” at about 400 Hz/ 1.9 kHz/ 3kHz
This design uses the Fostex 12″ woofer in 3.0 cf3 vented with two ports each 3″ x5″, add 1″ if using double flared. Scanspeak 15m midrange in 0.1 cf3 sealed. The tweeter is a high output Ring Radiator with phase plug. Two large caps on tweeter hi pass and one large midrange cap. 3.0 mH is your series inductor. System impedance mostly 5- 6 ohm in the midband. System output 91 dB+.


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Producers: C. Smith, Phill Pratt
Main genre: Hip-Hop / R&B
Main genre: Soul / Funk / Disco
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Wu-Tang Clan's C.R.E.A.M. sample of The Charmels's As Long as I've Got You
Jay Z and Kanye West feat. Frank Ocean's No Church in the Wild sample of Spooky Tooth's Sunshine Help Me
Jay Z and Kanye West feat. Otis Redding's Otis sample of Otis Redding's Try a Little Tenderness
Kendrick Lamar feat. Jay Rock's Money Trees sample of Beach House's Silver Soul
A$AP Rocky's Peso sample of The S.O.S. Band's No One's Gonna Love You
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There are two parts to this story. One is the Antiguedades (Mexican jewelry and antiques shop) operated by Juan Jimenez, and Two is the adjoining Museo Belber-Jimenez textile and antique jewelry collection on display that belongs to brother Federico Jimenez and his wife Ellen Belber. Both are located in the same colonial casa at the corner of Matamoros #307 at the corner of Tinoco y Palacios, Centro Historico, Oaxaca.
We went there to oggle the extraordinary jewelry collection which includes great representative samples from the most famous Mexican silversmiths, including Fred Davis, William Spratling, Mathilde Poulat and others. If you love Mexican silver, amethyst, turquoise, coral and other gemstones, this is where you can see the originals all in one place. Plus there’s lots of early colonial Oaxaca gold filigree, sand cast Yalalag silver crosses, and examples of the finest work that is no longer being made.
Of course, we couldn’t leave without going into the shop to look at the recreations in the style of Frida Kahlo — those big dangling, music-making earrings that jingle and jangle when you move. Hollie models one of Juan’s designs.
Recently, Dave Emerson wrote about his visit to the museum on his blog Oaxaca Chapulines and gives a bit of history.
Today, store offerings included 1930’s Saltillo tapestries, wonderful old textiles, clay and wood sculpted figurines, masks, reliquaries, tissue paper collages by Rudolfo Morales, a Rufino Tamayo lithograph, colonial furniture, and other objects d’arte.
Proprietor Juan Jimenez is a patient host and offers lots of interesting tidbits about the history of the collection and what he has in the store. You can feel comfortable looking to your heart’s content and not feel any obligation to make a purchase.
We also spent some time in the textile section of the museum. Here are some photos of some exquisite older trajes (costumes) from villages throughout the state of Oaxaca.
These are woven on back-strap looms with the design integrated into the weft during the weaving process, or they may be intricately embroidered. Many of the complex designs are no longer created, which makes this collection even more important. Preservation of the textile tradition of Oaxaca is essential and it is nice to see this small permanent exhibition on display.
or contact by telephone (951) 514-4996, cellular (044) 951-165-1517. The museum closes daily between 2:00-4:00 p.m. for lunch. Call ahead to be certain of hours.

domain: history


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Day 117/365 Today I’ve been working on an upgraded version of the Mini Book Necklace. The books themselves will remain the same, just the rest of it will be a bit more fancy. There will be beads, longer chain, some charms and tassels! (yes, tassels!!) I really like the idea of the mini book as a pendant, as an object and a functional book. I also really like the idea of the longer chain as it means writing in it while wearing it!
A couple of prototypes, in the right direction, but not sure they’re quite there yet, what do you think?


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The Future of Agriculture – How We Will Grow Food in the City
An Inaugural Lecture by Professor Chungui Lu
In his Inaugural Lecture, Professor Chungui Lu will discuss his contributions to work done on vertical farming and the future of farming for food.
- From: Thursday 21 September 2017, 6 pm
- To: Thursday 21 September 2017, 9 pm
- Location: TG9, Bramley building, Nottingham Trent University, Brackenhurst Campus, Brackenhurst Lane, Southwell, NG25 0QF,
- Booking deadline: Tuesday 19 September 2017, 11.59 pm
- Download this event to your calendar
An increasing world population combined with climate change and pressure on natural resources threaten global food security. Rapid urbanisation is a global phenomenon that is occurring in most countries. How can we produce more food on less land with less water, less energy, and fewer chemicals? It has been recognised that vertical farming, if designed appropriately, will be a sustainable solution.
Vertical farming is an indoor agricultural method for growing fresh food all-year round in a protected environment (buildings, glasshouses) using advanced technologies. It does not require soil, saves space and energy, and multiplies crop yield. However, to increase efficiency and sustainability, vertical farming requires the highest possible degree of precision over plant resource capture and growth, the quality of the product, and the recycling of waste products and nutrients. The application of precision agriculture technologies has clear benefits to optimise production efficiency and to increase quality for sustainable agriculture and food security.
In this talk, Chungui will present some of his research in this new area. He will start with a brief history of farming from field farm to protected cropping and future vertical farming. He will introduce the sustainable and efficient system that is employing various innovative technologies including automated subsystems, environmental control, systems performance, LED light use and plant growing systems. The talk will finish with recent case studies on vertical farming and the future of farming for food.
- 6.00 pm – Drinks and canapés
- 6.30 pm – Lecture
- 7.30 pm – Buffet
- 9.00 pm – Close
If you would like to attend this lecture, click on 'reserve your place' at the top of this page to book for free.
Telephone: +44 (0)115 848 5391
Southwell, NG25 0QF
If you are planning to drive to Brackenhurst Campus and are using SATNAV, please type in the postcode NG25 0QF. There is ample free parking available on site.


The South Dakota Animal Industry Board has rescinded an order that suspended all poultry exhibitions statewide. The order
The guys talk a host of topics on today’s completely unoriginal.
The guys discuss the possibility of Hayden Christiansen joining the cast of Star Wars episode eight…
The guys discuss the “Alien” franchise


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From now on I'll be doing soundtracks for your flash videos/games. Just message me the details as to what you require, and I'll come up with what you need.
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Amazon’s Kindle has revolutionised reading. No more do amazing trek on the bookshop to add a good read, we simply download keep in mind this. Never in a million years would I, a zealous reader the federal government fifty years, have suspected that such a thing would tend to be possible. Lasting memories a book, is a book, is often a book. Not anymore it isn’t, the book is now the eBook. So, is not wearing running shoes for the indegent old guideline. Had it’s day has it? This book is not an more! This book has fallen off it’s perch. apology to Monty Python, sorry fellows!
Libraries, shopping centres, fairs, fetes and markets are a great for you to get your face recognised. Guarantee to cover your usual bases pertaining to instance Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn together with own blogs and ? course in miracles bookstore . Once those are established got he extra step and contact television programs, newspapers and magazines. In the very least the say no, although they have recognised your product when they’ve given you the rejection.
Encourage your kid to memorize key words so that they can recognize them immediately without building them utility. Help him/her to focus on these key words while reading an adventure. But, don’t allow this to dominate the reading session so that he/she loses the thread of craze.
A. Begin small. Promote at the local book store and book shops in surrounding communities possess known as author-friendly travel spots. Coordinate your book signing with other events so there’s more people.
So selected the print on your spine book store is clear and easily read from a distance. As want to have your last name on the spine for proper shelving, it’s quicker to sacrifice the initial name, if need be, to allow more space for the title.
Stan Lee’s arrival from a Limosine exemplified the style and pizzazz in that she lived his life. He was the spokesperson, promoter and Publisher of Marvel Comics the fact.
That’s it – five easy tips that perfect use while trying to women from a book reserve. Remember to be genuine and continue it natural. Doing otherwise can backfire easily, and jeopardize your chances quite effortlessly.


One of the great dreams of cord-cutting is that it will allow consumers to pick only the channels they actually want, rather than paying for programming they never watch. But the services above essentially operate more like traditional cable, providing packages of channels, not all of which are widely desirable. It’s unlikely that any one of these subscriptions will offer everything that a given consumer is looking for, and it will require viewers to scroll past a lot that they don’t.
YouTube TV also falls a bit short in its device support, especially compared to the services we’ve previously covered. It does have the most flexible cloud DVR support, though, allowing users to store programming up to nine months after recording, with standard pause/rewind and catch-up features available. If you have a Google Home device and a Chromecast, YouTube TV can be controlled with voice commands via Google Assistant. Similarly, Google Assistant can even inform you of what content is currently saved to your DVR. If you’re an Android die-hard who utilizes Google’s ecosystem to its fullest, then YouTube TV may be the perfect addition. Read our YouTube TV guide for more info.
The good news is that nearly all of these services offer the ESPN family of networks as standard, at the lowest tier. Many then offer regional Fox Sports channels, and even an array of overseas sports broadcasts. Soccer fanatics should also look into FuboTV, which emphasizes the major sports leagues in general but is particularly generous with international football. Again, be sure to check with the various live TV providers to see what you’re allowed to see in your region and for what price. (If you can afford it, consider Playstation Vue, which offers easy access to the many games streaming every day on ESPN’s website.) ESPN also now offers ESPN+, which features a selection of live games from professional and college sports, along with access to the network's documentary films and some studio content exclusive to the subscription service.
In the second quarter of 2018, Netflix released around 452 hours of U.S. original programming, up 51% year-over-year but actually slightly under the company’s record output of 483 hours in Q1 2018. In Q2, Netflix’s originals slate included “Thirteen Reasons Why” season 2, “Luke Cage” season 2, and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” season 4, in addition to the reboot of “Lost in Space” and second seasons of drug war docu-series “Dope” and Brazilian dystopian series “3%.”
An HD antenna won’t give you all of the channels you would have access to if you purchased a cable subscription. However, it will increase the number of channels you can watch on local TV. And the one-time cost (as opposed to an ongoing monthly fee) means you’ll save money. It can be another attractive feature of using antennas to expand your viewing choices.
Beware of free trials with Sling TV. I have had a bad experience with them in this regard. They offer them, but give you know way to get out of them until after you have already received your first $19.99 charge. They will refuse to refund your money and are not at all customer friendly. I find their “Take the Money and Run” tactics shady, at best.
Again, streaming copyrighted content without the proper access is maybe not completely on the straight-and-narrow (depending on who you ask). Hey, we’re not here to judge. We’re just here to tell you how you can watch great TV on the cheap in the best way possible. (And, you know, we all use Kodi ourselves.) But if you’re squeamish about stepping on the toes of copyright holders (the channels you’ll be watching for nothing with Kodi), bypass this option and pay a small fee with one of the alternatives below.
Installed outside on my existing tv tower. I live in Ohio between Cleveland and Toledo. Toledo towers are 40-50 miles to the west and Cleveland towers are 50-60 miles to the east. My wife is originally from the Cleveland area and wanted to have the ability to receive the Cleveland channels. Although this antenna is multidirectional, I mounted it facing east (towards Cleveland). It came with enough cable to run down tv tower into my basement. I then unhooked the direct cable from the splitter that runs to 3 tv's. Each tv had a dvr so I also unhooked each extra cable to those. I then turned on each tv and did the channel search. I get a total of 53 channels.
These lower-cost services have won back some people who quit cable, providing hope for the likes of ESPN or CNN, whose channels are included. But the skinny bundles haven’t won back all the departed. They have only about 6 million customers so far. And companies whose channels have been excluded from them have little recourse to make up lost ground.
Reviewing Julian Assange's show World Tomorrow, The Independent noted that Assange, who was under house arrest, was "largely deferential" in asking some questions of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who himself was in hiding. However, he also asked tough questions such as why Nasrallah had not supported Arab revolts against Syrian leaders, when he had supported them in Tunisia, Yemen, Egypt, and other countries. The New York Times journalist Allesandra Stanley wrote that "practically speaking, Mr. Assange is in bed with the Kremlin, but on Tuesday's show he didn't put out" and that he "behaved surprisingly like a standard network interviewer." Douglas Lucas in Salon wrote that the RT deal "may just be a profitable way for him to get a gigantic retweet." Glenn Greenwald, who has been a guest on RT, wrote that RT presenting the Julian Assange show led to "a predictable wave of snide, smug attacks from American media figures". Mark Adomanis rebuts some of the "fevered denunciations" against RT and Julian Assange in an article in Forbes. A Moscow Times writer noted that RT has received "considerable" criticism in general.
Also forgot to mention that there is a great box out called Roku that allows you to stream in HD, and offers other stuff that is exactly like cable but theres only a one time cost of $59.99/free shipping and absolutely no monthly fees. All the movies and shows you want, you might want to check out all the features at roku.com or go to Netflix.com and check out their “watch television instantly” section. You can get more information about it there. Another great little investment to save on cable fees and you can use it on any television even the old analog television! Check it out!
Comcast Availability: The Xfinity service area is within the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
DirecTV is another service with high channels counts and multiple package tiers. Like PS Vue, it’s close to the experience you’ll get with cable or satellite when it comes to available channels. In August 2018, DirecTV Now took a major leap forward for football fans, adding the NFL Network to several of its base packages. While competitors like Sling TV and PlayStation Vue have offered the NFL Network for some time, it was one of just a few key channels missing from a service known for its channel count. Subscribers of the Just Right package and above now have the channel, meaning it’s only missing from the $40-per-month Live a Little package.
The TV industry isn’t suffering financially, however, because it keeps raising prices on the remaining customers. The average pay-TV customer today spends $106.20 a month, up 44 percent from 2011, according to Leichtman Research Group. Since 1980 cable, satellite, and phone companies have generated $1.8 trillion in revenue from selling TV service, according to Kagan, a unit of S&P Global Market Intelligence. Revenue last year was $116 billion.
49. Video Surf – According to the site, “Using a unique combination of new computer vision and fast computation methods, VideoSurf has taught computers to “see” inside videos to find content in a fast, efficient, and scalable way. Basing its search on visual identification, rather than text only, VideoSurf’s computer vision video search engine provides more relevant results and a better experience to let users find and discover the videos they really want to watch.” Let’s see about that, shall we?
Price: The basic plan, Live A Little, has over 60 channels for $35/month. The Just Right plan has over 80 channels for $50/month. The Go Big plan has over 100 channels for $60/month. And finally, the Gotta Have It plan has over 120 channels (what) for $70/month. Kinda pricey, but damn, having that many choices sounds nice. There's also a Spanish plan, Todo Y Mas, with over 90 channels for $45/month.
Playon allows you to stream a wide variety of video sources to your TV via a connected device. If you already pay for and you’re fine with Netflix, Hulu and a couple of others you get through your Blu-ray player, you’re probably fine without Playon. But Playon would allow you to stream TV shows from networks, some cable networks, and a bunch of other places that you might not be able to otherwise (unless you regularly hook your laptop up to the TV).
What you get: The Hulu with Live TV service offers about 60 channels, including major networks in some areas and sports channels such as CBS Sports, ESPN, and Fox Sports. You can watch on two devices at a time and record 50 hours on a cloud DVR. You can pay extra for more users and extra DVR storage, and the option to skip commercials. Hulu is joining most of the other cable-style services with a $5-per-month price hike. When it kicks in at the end of February, the service will cost $45 per month. A second option, without ads, goes up to $51 per month, a $7 increase. Both services combine everything you get in the regular Hulu plan with the additional channels available on Hulu With Live TV.
On top of that, you can combine free over-the-air TV with many of these devices by using either an OTA DVR (once your antenna is connected to the DVR, devices like Tablo will let you stream the OTA feed on your streaming device via the relevant app – in this case, Tablo TV) or Plex (connect an antenna, via a PC TV tuner, to the computer hosting your Plex server and then use the Plex app on supported streaming devices and access the live TV feature). It's simplest of all with a smart TV (such as the ones that Roku makes with its manufacturing partners): just plug your antenna into your TV, which is also your streaming device, and scan for channels!
We’re torn on this policy. On the one hand, you get a pretty good deal for the first year of service. But on the other hand, price hikes suck. Especially when your monthly price doubles for the second year. It’s a pretty big knock on DIRECTV. But as long as you’re aware of the jump up front, you can plan on it., and you still get a decent deal over the life of your contract.
These are my second headphones from Riwbox, they are so good, high quality and affordable. These are Bluetooth, easy to connect and also comes with a micro SD reader, very light weight and comfortable, I already test them running and jumping and they stay on place, so they are excellent for workout routines. The sound is great, clear and loud, without distortion. Adjustables and foldable. The only thing is missing it is a carrying bag, but not a big deal. Just what I was looking for.
The light grey program-by-program summaries for individual channels, red and light blue channel highlighting, and graphical "Prevue Weather" forecasts that were previously available to cable systems as optional grid features and inserts remained available in the same manners as before. Closed captioning, MPAA movie rating and VCR Plus+ logos were additionally introduced by this version of the software, and unlike in prior versions, large graphical Prevue Guide logos appeared within its grid, between listings cycles. The old, synthesized interstitial music that had been used since 1988 was also replaced with a more modern piece called "Opening Act," from the defunct James & Aster music library.
On 12 January 2017, RT was accidentally broadcast for around 10 minutes on a web stream of U.S. public affairs service C-SPAN. RT stated that while it was testing its systems in preparation for the inauguration of Donald Trump, its signal was "mistakenly routed onto the primary encoder feeding C-SPAN1's signal to the internet, rather than to an unused backup."
Wow- thank you all. We currenlty do not have cable at home – only bcoz I cannot afford it. We have internet service- CLEAR internet- adn I pay $30.41 a month and its a consistent flat rate- includes taxes and all and I love it. So- because my internet is not through a cable company- are yall sayn that i cannot strean shows from HULU.COM and NETFLIX to my tv to watch shows and movies etc? And if I actually can- may you so kindly tell me how I can do that please?
"2018 review: Fubo has come a long way in a year. The streams are much more stable, the channel lineup has solidified, and VOD and DVR options keep improving. Fire TV now has the Video On Demand options you'll find on other platforms along with updated support for the 500 hour DVR. Yes, the interface is clunky on Fire TV and there is no quick way to flip between channels. This isn't like watching cable tv, and it's not supposed to be."


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GSM telecom operators added 41.5 lakh subscribers in rural areas in December, taking the overall base to 31.97 crore, industry body COAI said today.
“All India GSM rural subscriber figures as on December 2014 stood at 319.79 million with 4.15 million net additions, which is 1.3 per cent increase from previous month,” Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) said.
The GSM rural subscriber base stood at 31.56 crore at the end of November, COAI added.
However, the figures do not include the GSM subscriber number of Reliance Communications and Tata Teleservices.
India’s third largest telco added the maximum number of subscribers in the reported period with 20.4 lakh users joining its network in rural areas, followed by Bharti Airtel with 8.5 lakh subscriber additions.
Vodafone added 5 lakh subscribers in rural areas while Aircel and Uninor added 3.8 lakh each in December.

domain: economics


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Why was I charged a direct debit fee?
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We suggest you use SEPA Instant credit transfers, MoneyBeam (between N26 accounts) or CASH26 (if you live in Germany, Austria or Italy) to transfer the amount due. With these three methods, the amount will be credited to your account instantly.
If you don’t recognize a direct debit, you can request a refund in the app.
*For Non-Euro countries only: If you are setting up a direct debit with a merchant in your home currency, it's the receiving bank who dictates the currency exchange and the ultimate amount that is collected from us. You can check the list of countries below:
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Jump to navigation Jump to search
(Redirected from Author:William Strunk, Jr.)
- Macaulay's and Carlyle's essays on Samuel Johnson by Baron Thomas Babington Macaulay; Thomas Carlyle (editor) (1895) (external scan)
- The Last of the Mohicans: a narrative of 1757 by James Fenimore Cooper (editor) (1900)
- Juliana; by Saint Juliana, of Nicomedia, (editor) (1904) (external scan)
- The Importance of The Ghost in Hamlet (1910); originally published in Studies in language and literature in celebration of the seventieth birthday of James Morgan Hart, November 2, 1909 (1910)
- Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (editor) (1911)
- All for love, and The Spanish Fryar by John Dryden (editor) (1911) (external scan)
- The Elements of Style (1919)
- English metres (external scan) (1922)
Works about Strunk
- Obituary, New York Times, September 27, 1946
Some or all works by this author are in the public domain in the United States because they were published before January 1, 1928.
The longest-living author of these works died in 1946, so these works are in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 76 years or less. These works may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

domain: library


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'Disco Sticks' played by Pete Tong on BBC's Radio One!
For the second time this year, the master of diversity, Josh Gabriel, teamed up with Dubstep talent Rob Stern. The result of their productivity is a progressive tech opus named 'Disco Sticks', not disco grooves of the 70's, but surely swaying some floors in the international club scene.
It should come as no surprise that Josh's latest masterpiece also caught the attention of BritPete Tong, rocking the globe as the host of BBC's Radio One. He played 'Disco Sticks' during last week's episode of his radioshow. Like what you've heard? Then be sure to get Josh's 'Disco Sticks' on iTunes now!

domain: news


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Yunomi-tea-cup-box, yunomi.life bridges the language and cultural borders that separates japanese tea farmers with tea enthusiasts worldwide. more than “farm-to-table”, we believe in “people-to-people”—at yunomi.life, you can read about the farmers who grow your tea, while we translate your feedback into japanese so they can learn about you!. Shop cosmo craft at the amazon dining & entertaining store. free shipping on eligible items. everyday low prices, save up to 50%., in mashiko, tochigi-prefecture. he then established his own kiln - the first foreigner owned kiln in mashiko - at the age of 26. maker:gerd knapper. type：pottery of mashikoyaki. condition：this tea cup is in mint condition..
Yunomi is the most common type of japanese teacup, made for daily or informal tea drinking. the cups come in many forms and are usually cylindrical in shape, with the ideal size being between 90 ml to 160 ml. there are many varieties of yunomi pottery styles that go as far back as the 16th century. the most common styles for yunomi are:, shoji hamada was one of the leading ceramic artists of modern japan.born in tokyo in 1894. maker:shoji hamada. type：pottery of mashikoyaki. condition：this tea cup is in very good condition. there is dirt on the box..
These tea cups are unused, but they have been in storage for many years, may have light scratches or tiny marks. size: (hight x width) 1. mountain view--- 5 x 8.4cm/ 7.5 x 9.3cm with lid 2. sea and island --- 5.5 x 8.7cm/ 8 x 9.5cm with lid 3. twig and leaves --- 5.3 x 8.7cm/ 7.5 x 9.3cm with, find many great new & used options and get the best deals for gerd knapper japanese mashiko ware pottery yunomi tea cup with box at the best online prices at ebay! free shipping for many products!


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Reckless Driver | Enumclaw Police
RECKLESS DRIVER: An incident that originated the morning of April 30 in Buckley concluded in Enumclaw. Following a report of a vehicle being driven recklessly, an officer located the offending auto in the Harmony Lane neighborhood. The motorist acknowledged he had been driving recklessly. The incident was settled upon police contact.
BURGLARY: Officers responded the afternoon of April 30 to a Mud Mountain Road location following a report of suspicious circumstances at a vacant residence. It was determined to be a burglary.
UNWANTED: Security staff at a Battersby Avenue location called police late on April 30 regarding an unwanted person they wanted trespassed from the location. The individual was contacted and ordered to stay away.
TWO CHARGES: An April 30 traffic stop at Battersby Avenue and Cole Street resulted in a motorist being arrested for reckless driving and driving with a suspended license. The vehicle was impounded.

domain: law


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Behind the Bean with Richie Young, King Bean’s Head Roaster
February 23, 2018
Each month, I’m hosting a Q & A session here on the blog with a team member at King Bean. First up is my interview with Richie Young, our head coffee roaster at King Bean. Richie grew up in the lowcountry but has been all over the world, including the coffee-growing countries of Costa Rica, Colombian and many other places in Central and South America. He loves to surf on his days off and occasionally rides his motorcycle in to work.
Katie: Hi Richie, let’s introduce you to King Bean customers. Most people don’t realize that you are the man literally behind the bean—as the head roaster, you are in charge of the coffee program at King Bean. Can you tell us about your background and what led you to coffee?
Richie: Well, I’ve been at King Bean for five years now, most of it in the position of head roaster. Coffee roasting was a natural progression for me—I have a background in culinary arts.
Katie: Tell us about that – your culinary arts background and how it relates to coffee roasting.
Richie: I went through the culinary training program at Trident Tech and then worked as a sous chef in kitchens around the lowcountry. I even moved to St. Johns in the Virgin Islands for a year to pursue a culinary opportunity—but soon realized that I like the cost of living in the lowcountry much better.
As for how a culinary background relates to coffee roasting? Well, you really have to have a refined palate to cup coffees and my training as a chef really developed that. Also, this is a multi-tasking job, much like working back-of-the-house in a restaurant. Nothing is more stressful than a kitchen, so I can handle the day-to-day challenges here, no problem.
Katie: Speaking of which, can you tell us about your day? What are some of your day-to-day duties at King Bean?
Richie: It varies, depending on the work that needs to be done. Usually I fire up the roaster first thing and brew a pot of coffee. Do a quick inventory of what we need roast and get started. My team and I take breaks to brew coffee and taste for quality control throughout the day. A few times a week, I sample roast new coffees that we’re considering for the King Bean portfolio and host cupping sessions for the team as well.
Katie: What’s your favorite part of coffee roasting?
Richie: My favorite part is getting to experiment with a lot of different coffees from all over the world and seeing how different they taste from region to region, country to country. Most people think of coffee as a “flavor” but I love roasting to find the flavor notes inside of the coffee—that’s really interesting to me.
Katie: Awesome. Last question. What’s your favorite coffee to drink and your favorite brew method?
Richie: I like pour over and French press equally. As for favorite coffees, I love Ethiopians, Costa Ricans and good ol’ classic Colombians.
Thanks to Richie for his interview and hard work. Stay tuned for more interviews in this series Behind the Bean throughout the year! -Katie
New Year, New Brew: How to Brew a Proper Espresso
January 26, 2018
Note: This is four of four in our series on new brew methods for the New Year. If you got an espresso machine for Christmas and you want to know if you’re brewing correctly, this is your guide.
Espresso can be intimidating to master, but if you’ve already taken the plunge and purchased one, then you are committed to upping your coffee program to the professional level. Here are a few quick pro tips to start brewing espresso at home.
Always warm up your espresso machine for at least an hour before brewing. Keep the portafilter in the grouphead as the machine warms up. We have our espresso machine on a timer at home, so that it kicks on early in the morning before we get up. It’s always ready to go.
Prepare the Portafilter
The portafilter is the component that holds the coffee grounds. Remove it from the machine and clean out any spent coffee dregs. Be quick. The portafilter needs to stay warm for optimal extraction , so minimize the time it is out of the grouphead. Keep the portafilter in the grouphead when not in use.
Grind & Dose Coffee
Dose directly into the portafilter, between 19-21 grams depending on your brew basket size. Use a fine grind for espresso. The grind should be a fine powder but still have a little grit to it.
Level & Tamp
Distribute coffee equally within the portafilter, using your finger to level. Keep it straight and glide it across the surface in one sweep, keeping the portafilter level as you tamp to ensure quality extraction.
Brew into a warm cup
Place cup under portafilter and watch the espresso for a steady stream, increasing gradually in speed. The entire extraction should take 23-28 seconds to brew 1.5 ounces of espresso. If it takes too much longer, try a coarser grind. If it brews too quickly, try a finer grind.
*You can heat an espresso cup first by filling it with hot water pulled from the espresso machine. Or keep cups warm by storing them on top of the machine.
Serve & Enjoy!

domain: food


Journal article 530 views
A Square-Loop Antenna With 4-Port Feeding Network Generating Semi-Doughnut Pattern for Vehicular and Wireless Applications / Arpan Pal; Amit Mehta; Dariush Mirshekar-Syahkal; Hisamatsu Nakano
IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, Volume: 10, Pages: 338 - 341
Swansea University Author: Amit, Mehta
Full text not available from this repository: check for access using links below.
A Square-Loop Antenna With 4-Port Feeding Network Generating Semi-Doughnut Pattern for Vehicular and Wireless Applications
|Published in:||IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters|
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This paper is specially catered to vehicular industry where next generation cars will have adaptive antennas installed on the roof. PI developed this idea after a discussion with BMW antenna expert at a US Antenna Conf. The PI told that the best antenna for car would be the one which only radiates on sides and noting on top and bottom. As reception of car signal is mainly from sides. The BMW guy said he is unaware of such an antenna. This motivated the PI and in this paper he put forward such an antenna. The loop antenna proposed here has the potential of doubling the receive RF power in vehicles. If we need high speed internet in our fast moving cars, this antenna is one of the few which very soon would be adopted by premium car manufacturers.
College of Engineering


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When I saw letters from other socialists who wish to vote yes, I was glad I wasn’t the only one.
They understand that the EU is a bosses’ club, but have the insight to see the potential to use their vote to reject right wing ideology.
As far back as the last referendum in 1975 it embarrassed me to see left wingers such as Tony Benn sharing platforms with the vile Enoch Powell against the Common Market.
I certainly will not be sharing any platform with Ukip or the Tory right.
John Appleyard, Liversedge, West Yorkshire
I was a bit taken aback to find the SWP arguing for a no vote.
I understand that the EU is a bosses’ club and that weakening it will ultimately benefit workers across all countries.
But this is going to be a difficult argument to have in the current climate of anti-EU and anti-migrant racism.
I can imagine the reaction of my husband’s Polish co-workers. They will think we are on the same side as Ukip and this will be a very sore point.
They will think we do not want them here.
If the no campaign wins, what would happen to European workers in Britain? Would they be deported straight away?
Many workers in my workplace also think we are better off in the EU because they see it as more for worker rights and human rights than the Tories. The reasons for voting no may be right in the long run. But in the short run it could make migrant workers see us as being against them.
Gurjit Minhas, Leicester
At the general election the Scottish National Party (SNP) had three main policy positions—no to austerity, no to Trident nuclear missiles, and yes to the EU.
And all the opinion polls show the majority of Greeks still wish to remain in the EU. This is food for thought.
Terry Ward, Wickford, Essex
We should not fool ourselves that the EU represents the right to free movement.It offers only repression to desperate refugees fleeing war and poverty.
EU borders agency Frontex is getting new powers to detain and expel migrants.
Hungary is building a wall at its border with Serbia to keep migrants out. Greece has already done this at its border with Turkey.
Working with Frontex, Greek coastal patrols push migrant boats back to Turkey. Many drown. Survivors face detention in horrific camps.
Now borders within the EU are getting tighter. Few refugees who reach Greece and Italy will be allowed to move north.
These moves will be used to make life even more difficult for eastern European migrants, particularly Roma people.
Despina Karayianni, East London
It’s true that some regulations brought in by the EU have helped workers. But defending them doesn’t depend on an institution.
It’s a question of the strength of ordinary people’s fight for them.
The real test of the EU must surely be its vicious immigration laws.
An institution of great wealth is turning its back on the poor—to uphold profit and racist notions of national identity.
This tragic situation exposes the EU’s claims to internationalism and support for human rights as a shabby pretence.
Socialists fight for a world free from racism. That’s an aim the EU certainly doesn’t support.
Margaret Woods, Glasgow
The EU is a trading block designed to give the states of Europe an advantage over other countries. Socialists have to take a stand on this.
It isn’t in workers’ interest to support exploitation in poorer countries. This argument is not abstract for workers in Africa, Asia and South America.
If they see socialists fighting alongside bosses to uphold the EU it will undermine the case for socialism. We must fight against it, for unity with workers across the world.
Phil Allsop, North London
We can only answer hard questions by going back to our principles. Socialists fight for what is in the real interest of the working class—not just for what is popular.
We can’t dilute that principle just because others to the right of us also oppose the EU.
By calling on workers to support the European bosses, union leaders tie our hands in any fight against them.
Roger Cox, North West London
In 1975 I got chased off by the police while painting “No to Bosses’ Europe” on a bridge. I never got to finish, so for years it said “No to Bosses”.
We opposed the attempts to rationalise capitalism at workers’ expense. This is still the driving force of the EU, as we see in Greece.
The Common Market first imposed VAT, which taxes the poor more than the rich. Now the EU wants to force the Greek government to increase it further.
We can oppose the chauvinists in the no campaign with these class-based arguments.
Jeannie Robinson, Chesterfield
A yes vote will only help the European bourgeoisie. Socialists must not give up the working class’s right to defend itself from exploitation.
Ali Fayed, By email
But the yes campaign will be dominated by David Cameron and the Blairites who will argue that the EU is good for business and British capitalism.
In such circumstances, should we call for “neither racism nor EU capitalism but international socialism”—and not call for a vote either way?
Tony Barnsley, Dudley
The EU is no friend of workers. But would an “independent” British state be any better? There’s little reason to think leaving the EU would make any difference to workers.
The 2015 general election was one of the most racist in recent memory, and Nigel Farage is the media’s favourite Eurosceptic spokesperson. To join any no campaign would give credibility to Ukip’s lies and the far right racists that surround them.
We should stay out of this melee of an in/out referendum. The argument against the EU is a drop in the ocean in the battle for equality.
Socialists should rise above getting sucked into a lose-lose situation.
James Edward, South East London
Read the arguments so far
What we think: Referendum can’t be left to the racists bit.ly/1IAw3tm
Feature: No to a bosses’ Europe bit.ly/1GsVsF8
Letters: Opposing bosses’ EU would mean siding with racists bit.ly/1KeAn7t
Letters: Workers should say no to bosses’ EU club bit.ly/1fEO7vG
Feature: Smash Fortress Europe bit.ly/1BOBRCM
Five questions about the EU bit.ly/1LExSZC
Have your say—write to [email protected] with your ideas
Delivery workers want better pay and conditions
KPMG knowingly hid Carillion’s financial problems


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General Services Administration: Vistara serves as the Owners Construction Representative (OCR) and as the Construction Quality Manager (CQM) through an IDIQ (Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity) contract. We have established a quality relationship since 1997 when we worked on the construction of the Hammond Federal Courthouse. Vistara received a Construction Excellence Award in 2005 in recognition of its work on the US Customs House renovation. Current projects include the renovation of the Federal Center Plaza and the interior renovations to the EM Dirksen Federal Courthouse in Chicago.
Chicago Public Schools: Vistara has performed Project Management Services for the Public Building Commission and Chicago Public Schools since 1994. We have served as the Owner’s Representative during the construction of new schools at Albany Park, McNair and Field Elementary schools which included on-site representation from pre-construction through close-out.
We have also completed the renovation and construction of the new addition at Namaste Charter School as an Owner’s Representative. Further, Vistara has estimated construction costs in excess of $500 million for a variety of projects– Sauganash Elementary, Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep, Little Village Library and Brighton Park Elementary School.
Capital Improvement Program (CIP) O’Hare International Airport: Vistara provides Project Control services on the Capital Improvement program at O’Hare International Airport. In addition, we have provided scheduling and cost consulting services for time sensitive projects at O’Hare (new North Air Traffic Control Tower and Administrative building).
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