The Space Flight Center is located on the Redstone Arsenal, an Army base that was established in 1941 and was mainly used as a chemical weapons production and storage facility. The MSFC is the lead center for NASA's work on the International Space Station design and assembly, responsible for payloads and crew training, the Space Shuttle propulsion systems and its external tank, and NASA computers and networks. Also at the center is the Huntsville Operations Support Center (HOSC). The HOSC supports ISS and Space Shuttle launch, payloads and experiments. The HOSC also monitors rocket launches from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station whenever a Marshall Center payload is on board.
Also, Space Camp is there. I was really jealous of kids who got to go to Space Camp when I was a kid, but I am not as bitter now, mostly because I found out that they didn't really go into space like in the movie. Stupid rich kids.
There was a huge building dedicated to the Space Program and especially the Apollo program, the Saturn V rocket and the Lunar landings. Below is Command Module Casper of the Apollo 16 mission, the second to last NASA flight to the Moon.
How about this. Regular viewers of the History and Military channel may recognize the concept design for the Future Warrior program that they talked about so much a few years ago. It was really just an airsoft outfit in black with a motorcycle helmet and a foam gun. Somebody got paid millions of dollars to talk about what they wanted to make, then they turned in this piece of crap and got a huge amount of Federal dollars. Then they cancel the program before it produces a viable product. They could pay me to do this job for much less, I bet. It is kinda cool though.
The Space Flight center had a great display of current and former rocket based weaponry of the US Armed Forces in their "Rocket Park".
The AN/TWQ Avenger is a specialized turret mounted on a Humvee chassis for use as air defense platform. Above you can see the Stinger Missile pods and .50 caliber machine gun on the back of a Avenger. The Avenger can be linked to the Forward Area Air Defense Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence (FAAD C3I) system, which permits external radar tracks and messages to be passed to the fire unit to alert and cue the gunner. The government deployed Avengers to the White House around the first anniversary of 9/11. They have also been modified for use in Iraq as convoy protecting gun trucks.
This is the MIM-72 Chaparral, another air-defense platform, this time based on the M113 APC chassis and mounting four missiles based on the AIM-9D Sidewinder air -to-air missiles. The US forces have never used the Chaparral in combat, although it has been used by US Allies. It is now retired from use by the US Armed Forces.
Here we have the Hawk , designed as a medium range anti-air missile. It was in service for more than 40 years in the Army and apparently being phased out of Marine Corps inventories, but I would imagine that they are pretty much gone by now. The Hawk system, consisting of the launcher, missiles and a variety of different radars and control stations has been improved many times and the system was used to good effect in several conflicts. In 1973, Israeli forces launched 75 Hawk missiles and are credited with destroying between 12 and 24 aircraft. Kuwaiti Hawk batteries claimed 14 Iraqi planes shot down in Iraq's August 1990 invasion. Two of those kills have been confirmed, a MiG-23BN and a Su-22.
Going even further back, we have the Nike Hercules missile, a multi-role, two-stage solid propellant missile introduced into service in 1958. It was used in the high and medium altitude air defense role by the US and its NATO allies. It was also possible to use the Nike Hercules as a surface to surface missile. The Nike H was optimized for shooting down bombers and when it ballistic missile technology superseded the nuclear armed bomber, the Nike H became less useful. All the missile sites were deactivated in the CONUS by 1974, except for a few in Alaska and Florida. The Army continued to use truck mounted Nike Hercules systems as a front line air defense platform until the early 1980's when they began to be replaced by the Patriot Missile System. Most other NATO Nike units were disbanded with the fall of the Soviet Union.
This is the M270 MLRS, the Multiple Launch Rocket system. It is one of the most powerful and long ranged conventional weapons in the US Army's inventory. It is a rocket artillery system and is capable of sending its 12 270mm rockets to a range of 42 miles in 60 seconds. One MLRS firing all 12 rockets can completely blanket one square kilometer with submunitions. As a result the M270 is sometimes referred to as the "Grid Square Removal Service" As standard metric maps are divided up into 1km grids. It also fires the ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) which is ballistic missile capable of reaching out to 186 miles, with the warhead going as high as 164,000 feet. The MLRS has been in use since 1983 and seen use in Iraq and Afghanistan. 1,300 M270 systems have been manufactured, along with more than 700,000 rockets. The missiles can carry a variety of payloads, many of them using smaller submunitions. This kind of attack is very devastating to airfields, marshaling areas and exposed troops. During the Gulf War, the Iraqi soldiers were said to refer to the M77 submuntions as "Steel Rain." The M270 is no longer in production, with the last units produced in 2003 sold to the Egyptian Army. MLRS has been somewhat superseded in US service by the HIMARS, a lighter, C-130 transportable, wheeled version that only mounts one "six pack" of missiles
Of course, it is interesting to remember the source of space flight and the space programs that it came from. It was all started by Werner Von Braun and the German rocket scientists who used rocketry to kill thousands of civilians at the behest of Adolf Hitler. In the closing days of WWII, the Allies competed for the German prototypes, plans and especially scientists. Above you can see a V1 Buzzbomb, the first cruise missile. In total, the V-1 attacks caused 22,892 casualties (almost entirely civilians). One could try to be optimistic and think that the Teflon, Tang and satellite navigation that we have gotten from the space program has made up for the deaths, but, since we still have thousands of ICBMs, I think the jury may still be out. That said, I believe that the space program is one of the most amazing things America has ever done and it is of the utmost importance that we continue to move forward with space exploration.
German V2/A4 rocket, the first man made object to reach sub orbital space.
It was the foundation of both US and Soviet space programs
It was the foundation of both US and Soviet space programs


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Creative Office Desk Dimensions Also Interior Home Trend Ideas
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Furniture — This furniture, is one of the 12 designs published under the gallery: Office Desk Dimensions. In the previous page, we have the luxurius office desk dimensions on interior design for home remodeling [ ... ].
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domain: design


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MTW Junior Ensemble Presents
Columbia County Library Ampitheater
Join Musical Theatre Workshops in this delightful adaptation of the beloved fable and award-winning musical. Honk! Jr is a heartwarming celebration of what makes us special.
Ugly looks quite a bit different from his darling duckling brothers and sisters. The other animals on the farm are quick to notice and point this out, despite his mother’s protective flapping. Feeling rather foul about himself, the little fowl finds himself on an adventure of self-discovery, all the while unknowingly outwitting a very hungry Cat. Along the way, Ugly meets a whole flock of unique characters and finds out being different is not a bad thing to be.
All Ages Welcome! Kids 6 and under are FREE
This is an outdoor venue. Bring your own chairs or blankets for the stadium style lawn seating. No canopy chairs. Seating location on the lawn is on a first come, first serve basis. Tickets will be sold on site, starting one hour before each show time. Cash/check/credit cards will be accepted. Admission is $10 per ticket, kids 6 and under are FREE.
**There are no rain dates for this event.
The Columbia County Amphitheater is located behind the libary at 7022 Evans Town Center Blvd, Evans, GA 30809, United States.
This is a wonderful outdoor venue location set in a beautiful park with amenities and surrounded by playgrounds. Bring a chair or blanket (and don’t forget your hat and sunglasses) and enjoy the show.

domain: library


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one (1) used 5 h.p. lightnin agitator drive, model 216-tess-5.2, right angle design, 125 rpm output, 14.09:1 ratio, less motor.
rt# 3040-ag-039; removal/load fee $100 late model, never used chemical processing equipment
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lightnin direct drive mixer 1/4 hp , 115 v, ph 1, model ev1p25, 1750 rpm, has cord , plug and on/off switch, like new


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Joined 9 years ago
About Artist Kathy Ostman-Magnusen
http://www.kathysart.com Primal Series Art: http://www.kathyostman-magnusen.com Represented by: Monkdogz Urban Art, New York http://www.monkdogz.com
Kathy Ostman-Magnusen is is a self taught figurative artist and illustrator. She is very prolific in oils, glass etching, watercolors, silk painting and sculpture. Kathy also enjoys writing; poetry; stories and articles . She posts a lot of her writing on ezines and her blogs.
Kathy illustrated for Hay House Inc.,"Women Who Do Too Much" CARDS taken from Anne Wilson Schaef's book "Meditations for Women Who Do Too Much". She also illustrated for Neil Davidson, who was considered for the Pulitzer Prize in feature writing, and several other publications.
Prior to being a full time artist Kathy owned and operated her own souvenir pottery business in Northern California. Products were created, hand sculpt, wheel thrown and personalized to meet each clients specific needs. Her company shipped to most National Parks, Disney World, J C Penny and over 1000 specialty shops all over the US. After 20 years in the souvenir business she decided to focus on her painting and sculpting. In 1996 Kathy moved to Kauai where she lived for 8 years. In 2004 Kathy moved to the Big island of Hawaii where she and her husband and high school sweetheart Dennis now reside.
Her work is collected worldwide.
I began my career at four years old in the back seat of my parents car, as they travelled the countryside looking for rainbows I suspect. I drew whimsical angel pictures and paper dolls with visions of an elegant tooth fairy that watched over me. I have been exhilarated and tormented by art ever since. I wake up in the morning and go to bed at night thinking about tiny angels and worlds unknown.
I paint and sculpt women primarily; in their daily lives; in lives they might be afraid of; and in lives they wish they had. I also dream of whimsical angel pictures, legends of mermaids and fairies at my beck and call. My goal has always remained the same, to hear my subjects breathing and to know the passion I feel in my soul is met by theirs.
So I sing:
"Hold me close dear angel
muster up a little tune
and rock me like a serpent
that rises to the moon."
In every single one of my paintings my objective is to 'know them'. To let character reveal their own vision or message. I am often astounded as their presence unfolds and I am met with who they are. I then realize that who 'they' are defines me as well. My hope is that my paintings & sculptures relate to you, and that legends of mermaids; whimsical angel pictures; and tooth fairies fantasies give you the message you need for your own heart and soul.
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text:
For summaries from opinions prior to August, 2018, view PDF versions here.
In the Interest of A.D. and A.D., Minor Children
Attorney for Appellant Father
Jeremy L. Merrill
Attorney for Appellant Mother
Marshall W. Orsini
Attorney for Appellee State
Ellen Ramsey-Kacena, Assistant Attorney General
Guardian ad Litem
Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals Opinion
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Polk County, Christopher Kemp, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED ON BOTH APPEALS. Considered by Mullins, P.J., and May and Schumacher, JJ. Opinion by May, J. (7 pages)
A mother and father separately appeal the termination of their respective parental rights. OPINION HOLDS: The State established a statutory ground for termination with respect to both parents. And termination is in the children’s best interests.

domain: law


XXXTentacion Previews New Music in the Studio
Just a few days after absolutely destroying his set at the 2017 Rolling Loud Festival, XXXTentacion serves up a preview of some new music in the studio. Let's just say, it's quite a bit different than "Look At Me." Peep the video below.
In the preview video he uploaded to Twitter, which lasts a little over a minute, we see a hoodie-clad X vibing out to some of his own new music as he stands in front of a studio monitor. The track itself, which appears to feature some acoustic guitar, sees X get pretty damn somber.
"Some kill, some steal, some break your heart/And you thought that I would let it go, let you walk/Broken hearts break bones, and break-up fast, and I don't wanna let it go, so in the grave I rot," he sings in the track.
Honestly, the track playing in the video shouldn't be classified as rap, but it definitely sounds pretty dope. He captioned the video, "REVENGE," and it's already got 12,000 retweets and over 24,000 likes. His fans seem to like what they've heard. It sounds like something off his upcoming 17 project.
XXXTentacion has been a busy man since getting out of jail a couple of months ago, and it looks like he'll be even busier pretty soon. A few weeks back, he announced his Revenge Tour, which will feature himself and his Members Only comrades Ski Mask The Slump God and Craig Xen. You can cop your tickets here.
See XXXTentacion preview some new music in the Twitter video below.
Fans Name Rappers They Think Will Blow Up This Year


PARAMEDICS could resort to industrial action over allegations of bullying that would bring ambulances in the West Midlands to a standstill.
Their union, Unison, has reported a surge in complaints from call centre workers and paramedics at West Midlands Ambulance Service.
Angry staff and union representatives have branded some managers “incompetent” and “bullies”, warning that morale is at “rock bottom”.
New stricter sickness rules to reduce absences are also causing unrest with workers, who say many injuries from carrying bags, accidents or being assaulted in the line of duty are not being taken into account.
If union members voted to work to rule or ban overtime it could cripple the service as it tries to cope with a record flood of calls this winter.
A Unison spokesman said: “West Midlands Ambulance Service staff are extremely disgruntled by the way in which the service is being managed.”
“There are feelings of being bullied and constantly watched plus total lack of partnership working on the part of management.
“Staff feel undervalued and never has morale been so low, hence the reason for considering industrial action of some sort.”
Workers also complain that a part-time medical director is based in Yorkshire, and staff never see her to raise issues.
Meanwhile, emergency control room teams say they are under severe pressure to meet time targets rather than focus on the best medical results of patients.
Disgruntled staff have now been urged to contact Unison to see the strength of feeling and if staff want to ballot for action in coming weeks.
On the official Unison website for ambulance staff, comments claimed that the management were treating people with contempt.
“The words ineffective, inefficient and incompetent are being used much more these days than before when describing the regime now in position,” the website claimed.
But Murray Macgregor, West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman, said: “These Unison members and views on the Unison website are not reflective of all our staff.
“The Trust has a robust bullying policy and we take a dim view of bullying. We have meetings with union representatives and bullying has never been mentioned.”
Unison regional spokesman, Ray Salmon, said: “Demands being placed on the ambulance service are huge at the moment and often from 999 calls that are not emergencies.
"Staff are tired and angry and the work pressure means everyone is blaming each other. The union is receiving many more complaints than normal, but we have not reached the point of an industrial ballot just yet.”
A busy start to 2011 for ambulance crews
AMBULANCE crews were called out to 202 incidents across Coventry and Warwickshire in the first five hours of the new year.
According to the latest figures, West Midlands Ambulance Service has reported another busy start to the year – with the number of 999 calls steadily increasing towards midnight.
But, as with previous years, it was the start of the new year that the numbers began to increase more rapidly with the peak rate of calls coming in between 2am and 4am.
And a large proportion of them being for alcohol-related incidents including fights, assaults, people collapsing, falling over and injuring themselves.
In the last four hours of 2010, the Service received 643 calls – 79 of which were for incidents in Coventry and Warwickshire.
Then between midnight and 5am, the region received 202 call-outs.
An ambulance spokesman said: “The new year is traditionally the busiest night of the year for the Ambulance Service.
“It is a year in the planning for which as many staff as possible work through the night.
“And for which this year, more vehicles and staff were on the road than ever before during certain targeted hours when demand was expected to be at its highest.”


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Brand new two-story townhome with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, sleeps 9.
This townhome was newly constructed in 2010 and everything inside is brand-new; from the beds to the bathrooms, the carpets to the couches, the dishes to the decorations, the furniture to the fireplace and so on...
Once you arrive via the fourteen exterior steps you are invited by the see-through gas-log fireplace to make yourself at home in this very pretty and comfortable open-beam ceiling home. The living room has a queen-sofa-sleeper, loveseat and rocking chair and a flat-screen cable TV with DVD to provide a relaxing place to gather after a day in the great outdoors of Lake Tahoe.
Enjoy home-cooked meals prepared in the modern kitchen and dine together at a table for eight, plus a breakfast nook table for four and a countertop bar for two.
For a taste of Tahoe, simply cross the highway and explore the trails that meander through tall grasses and towering pines and opens up to the long stretch of sand known as Nevada Beach.
Parking: One assigned parking space and one first-come, first-served guest parking space.
Amenities: Cable TV, DVD, Basic Pots, Pans, Dishes, Glassware & Cutlery, Bed linen and bath linen, Washer & Dryer.
Common Amenities: Summer heated pool, year-round outdoor hot tub, clubhouse with his and hers saunas, pool table, ping-pong table, tennis courts, playground and picnic area, hiking and biking trails.
HOLIDAY MINIMUMS AND RATES ARE HIGHER
Bedroom 1: Queen
Bedroom 2: 3 Twins (2 Twins plus Twin trundle)
Bedroom 3: King
Other: Queen sofa-sleeper
Level 1: Fourteen exterior stairs, Living room, Dining room, Balcony, Kitchen, Breakfast nook, Queen bedroom with en suite bathroom and washer & dryer.
Level 2: Fifteen stairs to Bedroom #2 with three twin beds, Bedroom #3 with King bed and attached common bathroom.
Location: in Lake Village, Zephyr Cove, NV, 1/2 mile from the lake, 1 mile from Stateline Casinos, night life and the Heavenly Valley Resort Gondola, plus shopping and dining galore.
Tahoe Management Services Co, LLC
Keywords: Vacation Rental, Home, Townhome, Condo, Cabin, Lodge

domain: travel


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Lyndsey is a hairstylist with 5+ years of experience, who specializes in color, from balayage to color corrections to just a simple highlight you name it. Lyndsey started cosmetology school while she was a junior in high school and also started working as a receptionist at a local salon, from there she moved from being a receptionist to an assistant and completed her assisting program early by taking extra education classes, staying after her shift to take clients and passing color and cut exams to become a stylist full time. She consistently invests in educational classes so she can invest in giving her clients the best color and overall look they desire. Lyndsey’s goal is to make her clients feel loved and beautiful and to keep advancing her business for the clients benefits.
I had a great experience here. I called 9:30 am to set up an appointment at 10. I was graciously accommodated. Lyndsey greeted me warmly as I entered the salon. She was very courteous and caring throughout the tedious process of coloring my thick hair. In the end, I got the style exactly I wanted. I will definitely come back.
Maren T. , Paradise Valley Village
Lyndsey was so amazing!! She's bubbly and so personable. This salon is clean and beautiful and Lyndsey made me look fantastic. She's is so knowledgeable about colors and helped guide me through what I wanted. Also the prices are ridiculously cheaper than most of the places I've been to. My hair has never looked so beautiful and at a fraction of the cost!
Ashley D. , Paradise Valley Village
My hair stylist was Lyndsey and she was amazing!!!! She did an amazing job and made my hair feel so smooth, light, and fresh! Definitely my new stylist while I am in Arizona!
Archana S. , Paradise Valley Village


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Jun 8, 2012
E coli outbreak with unknown source grows to 14 cases, 6 states
An Escherichia coli outbreak whose source is unknown has now grown to 14 cases, including 1 death, in six states, according to media reports today. A 21-month-old girl died in Louisiana, and the outbreak strain of E coli O145 has sickened 13 others in Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, and California, Food Safety News (FSN) reported. Three patients have been hospitalized, and illness onsets ranged from Apr 15 to May 12, according to a statement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "The investigation is looking at both food and non-food exposures," the CDC said, according to FSN. The largest cluster, five adults from 18 to 52 years old, is centered in Atlanta, home to the CDC, ABC News reported today. A CNN story said all those cases are mild. Officials are trying to establish a common source in the outbreak. "We know that these cases are all linked, and that would suggest that there was a common source somewhere along the way," J. Patrick O'Neal, MD, of the Georgia Department of Health told ABC. "We just don't know where." The O145 strain is one of six additional E coli strains included in a recently expanded federal testing program for beef trim.
Jun 8 FSN article
Jun 8 ABC News story
Jun 8 CNN story
May 29 CIDRAP News story on expanded beef trim testing
CDC reports 30 more cases in Salmonella outbreak linked to hatchery
Another 30 Salmonella infections have been identified in an outbreak linked to chicks and ducklings from an Ohio mail-order hatchery, bringing the total to 123 cases in 25 states, the CDC reported yesterday. The initial outbreak announcement on May 30 cited 93 cases in 23 states. The 30 new cases are in 14 states, with May 22 as the latest illness onset date. In cases with available information, 26 of 62 (38%) patients were hospitalized. "One death has been reported in New York, but it is unclear whether infection contributed to the death," the CDC said. Of 66 patients who were interviewed, 57 (86%) said they had had contact with live chicks and ducklings before they got sick, and all 42 patients who had purchase information reported they had bought the birds from Mt. Healthy Hatchery in Ohio. A Salmonella outbreak with 68 cases last year was traced to birds from the same hatchery, previous reports said. The current outbreak involves three Salmonella enterica serotypes: Infantis, Newport, and Lille.
Jun 7 CDC update
DRC cholera outbreak tops 19,000 cases, kills nearly 400
A cholera outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has grown to more than 19,100 cases and almost 400 deaths this year and is well on its way to topping last year's totals, according to IRIN, the United Nation's humanitarian news service. "The total number of cholera cases in 2012 is around 90% of cases reported last year. Since January 2011, 983 people have died from the outbreak affecting 8 of 11 provinces of the country," UN spokesman Yvon Edoumou said at a news conference. Since last January, the country has reported at least 40,795 cases, and the epidemic has strained ongoing humanitarian efforts funded mainly by a $9.1 million grant from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, according to the story.
Jun 8 IRIN report

domain: medical


text: Barbara Bush Hospitalized Statement says former first lady is receiving 'fantastic care' By Newser Editors and Wire Services Posted Dec 31, 2013 8:19 PM CST 23 comments Comments Former first lady Barbara Bush holds her dog Tess, a maltipoo, during a visit to the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2013. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) (Newser) – Former first lady Barbara Bush has been hospitalized in Houston with a respiratory-related issue. A statement tonight from the office of her husband, former President George HW Bush, said she was admitted to Houston Methodist Hospital yesterday. The statement says the 88-year-old is "in great spirits" and is getting "fantastic care." The statement says she's received visits from her husband and family, and that updates will be issued when warranted. Just last week, Mrs. Bush and her husband honored a Houston businessman and philanthropist with a Points of Light Award, a volunteer service award started by the former president.

domain: news


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please find the attached files. i look forward to working with you again. good bye
Running head: CRITICAL THINKING
Under Chávez’s leadership, what kind of economic system was put in place in Venezuela?
How would you characterize the political system?
Venezuela, under their leader Chavez mainly operated under some command economy.
In business, the command economy entails a system that accommodates resource allocation, such
as establishing what services and goods the nation should produce. In most cases, the
government decides on the production quantity. Chavez mainly worked on consolidating his
grip, especially towards the government apparatus. He also ensured that his followers remained
the majority in the constituent assembly. Apart from that, they managed to draft the constitution,
which eventually helped in strengthening his dominance.
On the other hand, he ensured that he had total control over Venezuela’s media.
Venezuela has historically been the most regulated economies globally, given the fact that the
state tends to control most of the nation’s business activities. In fact, public officials tend to
enrich themselves through bribes and business lines. Un...
15 Million Students Helped!
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domain: politics


text:
HOW TO ZIPPAY
Create your account and shop with the flexibility of a digital wallet.
Buy now, pay later
Shop today, enjoy your purchase & pay later to suit your lifestyle!
No interest. ZipPay are completely transparent about no hidden fees.
No credit cards
A completely digitized wallet means there’s no need for a credit card.
Need more information?
Who is eligible for zipPay? How do I sign up? How do I pay my bills?

domain: finance


Man City have been charged with more than 100 charges of alleged breaches of financial rules, which could lead to a points deduction or even expulsion from the Premier League.
It follows a four-year investigation by the Premier League into the finances of the Manchester club.
The Premier League issued a statement on Monday morning, with the allegations dating back to the 2009/10 season through to the 2017/18 campaign.
A range of penalties could be meted out to Man City if they are found guilty of the charges, including a points penalty or even sending off.
The club are said to have breached league rules requiring the provision “in good faith” of “accurate financial information giving a true and fair view of the financial position of the club”.
The Premier League says the precise financial information required relates to “revenue (including sponsorship revenue), its related parties and operating costs”.
The second set of offenses relate to the alleged breach of the rules ‘requiring a member club to include full details of manager remuneration in its relevant contracts with its manager’. This is linked to the 2009/10 to 2012/13 seasons, when Roberto Mancini was in charge.
These shortcomings also refer to the obligation for a club to include full details of player remuneration in the relevant contracts, for the 2010/11 to 2015/16 seasons inclusive.
There are also alleged breaches relating to failure to comply with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules, which relate to the period 2013/14 to 2017/18.
Southampton owners consider Jones future after heated press conference
Klopp said to apologize for press conference response as Fergie comparison made
Massimiliano Allegri loses it completely as ex-Man United man misses chance for Juventus
Haaland says ‘he may have picked the wrong club’ as stats show struggles against Spurs
Conte hails Kane over phone on goalscoring record as Spurs star branded Prem ‘goat’
Chelsea’s new signing Fernandez has admitted he was inspired by West Ham star Rice
The Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned a two-year UEFA competition ban in July following alleged breaches of FFP regulations
The fourth set of alleged breaches relate to Premier League profitability and sustainability rules in the 2015/16 to 2017/18 seasons inclusive.
The club are also said to have breached league rules requiring member clubs to cooperate and assist the Premier League in its investigations, from December 2018 to date.
The Premier League statement concluded: “Proceedings before the Commission will, in accordance with Premier League rule W.82, be confidential and heard in private. Under Premier League rule W.82.2, the Committee’s final decision will be published on the Premier League’s website.
“This confirmation is made in accordance with Premier League rule W.82.1. The Premier League will not comment further on this until further notice.
Reacting to the news, former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan told talkSPORT: “You have to remember that these are accusations and Manchester City have to answer them.
“Pep started sowing the seeds because they obviously knew this was coming, suggesting there were X number of clubs in the Premier League who wanted Man City banned.
“When we heard Pep say that last week we were wondering ‘why are you talking about it’, now that’s the reason why.
“Man City have these allegations and accusations to respond to. I didn’t think the Premier League would have the balls to do that and having the balls to make it stick is another matter.
“I’ve always argued that they have important questions to answer and this idea that people are xenophobic or have a problem because the ownership model is not the one that people like because of their ethnicity or their his persuasion is nonsense.
“It’s about the idea that there is an element of financial doping. By this I mean they used companies they own to artificially inflate sponsorship deals that gave them the opportunity to fall within the bounds of financial fair play.
“There are a lot of allegations here.”
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text:
Ommegang Valar Morghulis (Game of Thrones #4)
The phrase is a part of a strong theme speckled throughout HBO's fourth season, which started airing in March. As Arya Stark sets out to avenge those who have fallen, she adopts it as a mantra against the people she wants dead. The label art features a two-headed coin, which was given to Arya by Jagen H'ghar, one of the "Faceless Men of Braavos" assassins who can change their appearance on demand. Each cork is fire-branded with "Valar Dohaeris," the traditional response phrase to "Valar Morghulis" meaning "all men must die."


Student artwork displayed in UM program
By SASHA JOHNS / Community Columnist
Were you to walk into Montevallo University’s Bloch Hall on March 1, you would have been treated to a gallery of some of the most outstanding artwork in area, all of it done by local middle and high school students. The paintings, sculpture, mixed media and artwork of other mediums were stunning and a testament to the up-and-coming creatives in our community.
This gallery was the result of the Visual Achievement Program, an event that Montevallo hosted through the Alabama State Council of the Arts. The program is offered to academic bodies teaching art in the state of Alabama. The district that Montevallo hosted covered Shelby County, Hoover and Vestavia Hills schools.
Students participating in the program were hand-picked by art teachers from each participating school. The honor afforded the chosen students the privilege of taking a college-level art workshops taught by a professor and a chance to see their masterpieces compete with the work of other budding artists. The art workshops included, but weren’t limited to, fingerprint self-portraits, digital media and vinyl cutting.
Jessie Tisdale, art teacher at Helena High School, said this about the program: “I believe the Visual Arts Achievement Program is important for our students because it provides an opportunity for them to see their artwork on display in a college setting. It is beneficial for them to see the work being created by their peers and have the opportunity to compete against students both locally and at the state level. Perhaps most importantly, the students are able to tour a college art department, interact with professors, visit BFA student studios and participate in workshop sessions taught by the professors.”
After the morning workshops wrapped up, the young artists met in the gallery, where awards and winning ribbons were handed out to artists for various categories. The first place artwork will be sent to Montgomery from the Montevallo district to compete statewide.
“The experience was altogether exciting,” said Ruthie Johns, an award-winning student from Shelby County High School. “I really learned a lot in my workshop about drawing proportions, and I enjoyed meeting new people.”


text:
Stefanie knew that stripping down to her underwear was not the brightest thing to do in a secluded wood, in the dead of night, but, hey, she did what she needed to do for art. She stepped up to the rock where she had trained two lights and her tripod-held camera set on time-delay. In between each click, telling her that the camera had taken a picture, she struck and held a pose with a katana a friend who was into swords and knives had leant her. Her poses were those of a warrior. In one, she was of a victorious sword-maiden, her weapon held confidently at her side. In another, she was holding her sword up high as if ready to make a strike a final, victorious blow. In another, she was crouched down on her hands and knees as if stalking prey. In another, she was standing with a haughty gaze, holding her katana, as if a warrior princess expecting tribute.
To see Stefanie pose, one might mistake her for an anime heroine from some fantasy Manga series. Her body was petite, with a slender waist, that most women would kill to have and men would do anything to hold. Her thin limbs were long but athletic and she moved them with grace as she switched from one pose to the next. Her face was lovely, topped with copper-colored hair and ornamented with dark green eyes that twinkled with smartness and sensibility and laughing vivacity.
Stefanie was so consumed with her work that she did not notice the man who had stepped out of the darkness. He was a small, olive skinned man with thick curly hair and a goatee. He wore a tight v-necked shirt and threadbare jeans. On his wrist was a thick, golden bracelet studded with colored gems. As the young woman posed for her camera, the man watched her intently as if a critic examining the merit of her work. Only when he clapped in appreciation did Stefanie realize, to her complete surprise, that she was not alone. She jumped and nearly fell off the rock but quickly regained her balance. She held her sword hilt tightly in one hand and another with the scabbard. If the man was dangerous, she meant to use the weapon to defend herself even if she did not completely know how to fight with one.
"Excellent, excellent work. Your poses were deeevine," The man said in a strange accent.
"Thanks." Stefanie replied gruffly. "And you are?"
"I am Alessandro." The man said with glee. "Alesandro too is arteest. Alesandro ees seeking a model for a commission in town square. Alesandro has found her. Eet es you. You shall be Alesandro's muse."
Stefanie was skeptical. What kind of artist hangs around a forest in the dead of night? Then she checked herself—she was an artist that would do that sort of thing. She stood up and walked over to her clothes, keeping the sword next to her while she put them on just incase the strange man tried anything.
"What did you have in mind?" She asked him as she jammed her legs into her pant legs one by one.
"Alesandro needs model for statue. You would make perfect model for Alesandro. Like one of the poses you made just now. Excellent. Alesandro like. Alesandro like very much.
Stefanie quickly put on her shirt. "What do you want me to do? Meet you at your studio?" She said accusingly to let him know she suspected he had ulterior motives.
Alesandro shook his head. "No. Meet Alesandro in town square. Three o'clock in the morning. You model for Alesandro then and there." He walked up to Stefanie, who tensed, ready to split him in half with her sword if he tried to attack her. He handed her a business card and bowed after she took it. "Tomorrow at three am." He reminded her. "Bring the sword." Then he stepped jauntily into the dark wood and disappeared.
Stefanie read the card aloud. "Alesandro. Life should be art. Art should be life." She hmphed, gathered her equipment and went home.
The next day, Stefanie decided to forget the strange man and his offer but out of curiosity she Googled his name to find out if he was legitimate. To her surprise, he was indeed a real artist and a fairly famous one. She found pictures of his work—mostly incredibly realistic nude statues—positive reviews of his work and lists of his exhibitions.
"Well, that changes things." Stefanie thought to herself. She had just been asked to model by a famous artist. How could she pass that up?
Stefanie had become so excited by her modeling job that she found the hours passed interminably for it to take place. It was as if 3:00 am would never come. Finally, the time she set to leave for her date with Alesandro arrivd and she made her way through the eerily quiet town streets for the square and her appointment, swinging her borrowed samurai sword with enthusiasm as she thought about the art she would help to create.
The square was deserted, almost anyway. The strange man she had met before was sitting against to large two-tiered pools of water. Both tiers had concentric rings of nozzles for jets of fountain water. In the middle of the top tier was a raised pedestal big enough for a person, or a statute of person to stand.
Alesandro greeted Stefanie enthusiastically. "Greetings. Greetings, Alesandro's muse. We shall do beautiful work together! Yes?"
"Yes." Stefanie replied giddily. "What do you need me to do."
"Please." Aleasandro told her. "Stand on the pedestal in fountain."
Stefanie looked at the pedestal, which stood in the center of the placid water in the tiered pools. "Um, did you really need to fill the fountain with water?" She asked.
Alesandro looked confused. "Yes. Ees fountain. Fountains have water, no?"
"Did you bring a camera? Or some things to sketch with?" She asked him.
Alesandro looked more confused. "Alesandro ees sculptor. Alesandro does not photograph. Alesandro does not paint."
Stefanie stared at the artist a minute confused but figured he would just make her pose on the pedestal and then work from memory.
Deciding that Alesanrdo had already seen enough of her the night before, she shed her modesty as well as her shoes and pants. Grasping her katana tightly, she waded through pools and climbed up the tiers. Finally, she pulled herself up the pedestal and stood on top of it.
"Ok?" She said in an exasperated voice. This was a lot of work for just a pose, she thought to herself acidly.
"Ees good!." Alesandro said with a appreciative nod. He raised a hand and fiddled with his jeweled bracelet.
Stefanie looked down to see the surface of the pedestal glow.
"What the heck." She blurted. "Oh no. You're not into performance art are you?"
Alesandro did not reply but continued to his bracelet with his fingers while he fixed a stare upon her.
"Ok. This is getting a weird." Stefanie said while she stood on the pedestal waiting some more direction. It was summer but the nights were chilly and she was wet and half naked. As the strange man took his time to do whatever he was going to do, she started to grow more annoyed and finally decided she had had enough.
"Ok, I am so out of here!" Stefanie declared and tried to jump off the pedestal back into the fountain only to find she could not move her legs.
"What the hell?" She gasped as she tried to bend down to see if anything had happened to her limbs. She managed only a slight incline but could not move any further.
"Hey!" She cried to Alesdandro. "Something is wrong. I can't move." She tried to raise her arms but they defied her command and hung limply by her side, one hand still holding the katana.
Stefanie noticed a satisfied look on the man's face and realized the source of her trouble. "You did this!" She accused. "You..." Her voice stopped abruptly. Her lips no longer moved at her command. She couldn't even get her tongue to budge. Stefanie stood completely still on the pedestal. Her own body was now completely beyond her control.
Dumb in speech and dumbfounded about what had happened to her, Stefanie could only watch as the man pressed jewels on his bracelet and could only listen as he issued her a command. "Disrobe!"
Instantly, Stefanie obeyed his order, stripping herself off her remaining clothes and tossing them over the fountain onto the square. She was totally naked when she realized how quickly and compliantly he had obeyed his suggestion. How did he get this power of her, she wondered. Now she was getting scared. Could he make her do anything?
"Show Alesandro your poses from yesterday."
Stefanie knew her poses well from her photo shoot in the wood last night. She had planned the shots meticulously and could have copied all of them for anyone who asked. In this situation, she strained to restrain herself from showing them but her mind and body obeyed the artist's desire and she struck the poses for him, holding each for several seconds so that he could get a look. One moment she was holding her sword up high as if ready to make a strike. In another she was crouched down on her hands and knees as if stalking prey. In another she was standing with a haughty gaze, holding her katana, as if a warrior princess expecting tribute. Stefanie never felt as vulnerable as she did now. It was as if he had his own personal remote control for her mind and body.
Alesandro finally stopped her exhibition when she took a pose with one arm down straight down by her side holding her scabbard while the other was slowly drawing out the katana blade. She was standing erect with her legs set apart. She looked like a warrior princess preparing for a fight against a hostile army. It was a pose for a picture she called "The girl and the darkness." "Stop!" He commanded and she instantly obeyed, remaining fixed in that position.
"What's he going to do now?" She thought to herself. "Make me stay like this all day long? Everyone will see me like this! How embarrassing!" The thought of being frozen and nude in the town square made her frantic, though there was one small part of her that found the idea strangely attractive.
The artist was back to thinking about her again. "Uh oh!" Stefanie told herself. "This can't be good."
"Hmmm." Alesandro thought aloud. "Granite? No. Limestone? Yes, gray limestone! Alesandro ees brilliant!" Again he fiddled with his bracelet.
"What the hell is he going on about now!" Stefanie wondered. All of a sudden, a bolt of white light shot out from Alesandro's palm and struck Stefanie in the chest. She would have cringed if her body would have let her.
The anxiety-induced butterflies in Stefanie's stomach, hatched by Alesandro's control over her, suddenly froze and disappeared. In their place full was a feeling of fullness. It was not the eating lots of food fullness. This was different. It was as if her stomach cavity had had become instantly fully solid. As weird as this feeling was, what made it creepier was that Stefanie could tell her all of her insides were becoming one hard, concrete-like mass. She could tell her internal organs melding and fusing together and her insides were becoming one single hard block, like a pillar of rock.
The heavy feeling spread through her waist and began to creep up and down her body. "Oh no! He's going to kill me!" Stefanie moaned to herself as the feeling spread up her chest. She took one last breath and prayed as her porous lungs started to become harden.
She did not suffocate as she expected she might when her lungs were petrified. She felt no discomfort at all as she ceased to inhale and exhale. Then it hit her, somehow she no longer needed to breathe.
The need for air was only one of the first signs of life she lost. Her heart made one last pounding thud and then stopped, becoming hard and heavy as a stone until it blended into the thickness within her. Her blood stopped pulsing as it had congealed in her veins, which, in turn became as hard as bone. Veins, bone, muscle lost any pliability, were drained of any moisture and eventually any distinctiveness as everything beneath her skin became as one. All the signs, sounds and feelings of life were taken one by one as the heavy dense feeling flowed over her. But they departed not as a consequence of fading life but because they were no long necessary to supporting her existence.
"What's happening to me!?" Stefanie asked herself in a strange mixture of fear and curiosity. Before this strange transformation, Alesandro had rattled off a list of stones, stones used for making buildings or statues. That was it! He was turning her into a statue! Stefanie knew that was impossible but everything the artist had done up to now was impossible. Desperately she strained her eyes in her immovable head to get a glimpse of her reflection in the moon-dappled waters of the fountain below her. She could see her milky white skin was being shaded into a light gray. She was going to become a three dimensional realization of the image she created in her picture, the fighting warrior princess in "The Girl In the Darkness" that was facing down an army.
Stefanie realized her head was just about to succumb to the transformation. She looked back across the square because she figured, if she could still see, when she completely became a statue, it would be more interesting to see the square than only her own reflection. She made her glance none to soon. Her voiceless, breathless throat became full of gray limestone accretion. For a moment she got the dull taste of stone before her tongue blended together with her now fused jaw. Unable to take a breath to smell, her now useless naval cavity sealed up.
Her head became as heavy as the rest of her body and even though she guessed she no longer had a brain, she could still think. "Now I've got rocks for brains!" She joked morbidly to herself. Individual strands of her hair bonded together into locks and then one single mass, making her feel as she were wearing a helmet. Her face became hard and her eyes finally fixed into an unblinking stare.
Strangely, Stefanie's ability to see did not abandon her but it had changed. She no longer saw as her flesh and blood human sense. Her sight had been linked to her eyes but her new ability to see was an ability to sense everything around her and make pictures of it in her mind. Her vision expanded to 360 degrees and encompassed everything in the square, her fountain, Alesandro, the buildings fronting the square but no further.
Even paralyzed by Alesandro, Stefanie had been able to move her limbs just a fraction of an inch. Soon even this ability was denied her as her arms and legs became fixed and rigid. Her feet became fixed tightly to the pedestal on which she stood, which seemed to become an extension of her body. She wondered if her katana would become stone like her and an extension of itself. It remained iron and her rocky hand remained fixed grasping the hilt, trapped in the act of removing it from its scabbard to fight that imaginary army.


text:
In bright sunshine and with representatives of the project team and many prominent people from politics in attendance, the groundbreaking ceremony of the Agri-Photovoltaic lighthouse project "Sonnenfeld Bruck/Leitha" took place after several years of development.
At the Sonnenfeld in Bruck/Leitha, electricity for more than 1,000 households will be produced starting in the fall of 2022. The 5-hectare Agri-PV research facility has laid the foundation for nature-friendly solar power generation with the lowest possible land consumption. The Austrian federal government has set itself the goal of covering domestic electricity consumption from domestic renewable energies by 2030. With the help of PV systems, an additional 11 TWh of solar power is to be generated annually as early as 2030.
“We expect to receive information on how mechanized agricultural management works best in practice, which crops are best suited, and the impact of the agri-photovoltaic system on biodiversity," the managing directors Michael Hannesschläger (Energiepark Bruck GmbH) and Joachim Payr (EWS Consulting GmbH) agreed.
You can find the press release (in German) with technical details on the project and the main goals HERE>>, opens an external URL in a new window
The MSc Renewable Energy Systems, offered by TU Wien in cooperation with Energiepark Bruck/Leitha, opens an external URL in a new window, is unique in Europe's continuing education landscape. It is the first cross-border university program in Austria tdealing with the future issues of alternative energy production. The complementary strenghts of TU Wien and Energiepark Bruck/Leitha make this MSc an outstanding opportunity to satisfy the global market demands. Learn more>>


text: If you really believe in what you're doing, work hard, take nothing personally and if something blocks one route, find another. Never give up. Finally we got a cat. I never had a cat before. Apparently they are nocturnal. Not sure what it means but the cat doesn’t sleep all night long.

domain: pet


text:
This anthology offers students a carefully edited selection of the most influential and enduring interpretations of key political theorists. There are sections on Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Burke, Bentham, Mill and Marx. Each section includes classic articles by leading critics, a substantial introduction by the editors, and a guide to further reading. A general introduction to the volume as a whole is also provided. This is an up-to-date and extensive guide to the key issues at stake in the interpretative debate, and it provides an invaluable text for students and teachers of modern political thought.
Jack Lively, Andrew Reeve
`A good compendium for the political thought reading list.' - Political Studies


text:
STEMcoding campers bring robots to life
A dozen teen girls turned a science lesson into a friendly competition during a robot race Thursday afternoon at the University of Mount Union.
The activity was part of the STEMcoding camp taking place at the university this week for middle school and high school girls, focusing on computer programming and other STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields.
Morgan Hamilton, a 2019 Mount Union graduate who earned a degree in physics, has been assisting with the camp which started Monday and ends Friday.
Hamilton explained during Thursday’s activity, four teams of girls had an allotted amount of time and parts to build their robots and had limited time to test them and make modifications.
A member from each team then got to use a controller to steer the robot and move it along a track drawn with sidewalk chalk outside of Bracy Hall. Each run through the track was timed, but there were penalties based on how well the robot moved through the track. Hamilton explained an additional second was added each time the robot went over the edge of the track line by more than a wheel.
“The idea is to see who can maneuver their robot the best,” she said.
Hamilton said a laptop contained the code that they downloaded into the robot interface and then a controller was hooked up to the robot to help them maneuver it.
“It’s cool that they’ve been able to do it,” she said of the process. “They’ve done some coding projects that people have done in college, so I think they’re doing really well.”
After each team took their turn, the penalties were added and the winning team was made up of Emma LaMantia, Sydney Endsley and Kendall Biesmann. Endsley, who served as the driver, maneuvering the robot through the track, said it was much harder than it looked. “I tried to figure it out right before we started. I didn’t have any training before that,” she said.
Teeling-Smith was pleased with how all the groups did. “They had two hours total to work on their cars, so considering they had such limited time, they did a really great job,” she said.
The professor said the camp is a part of the STEMcoding Project, which is an aspect of her research in physics education. “As part of this project, my colleague at Ohio State, Chris Orban, and I design classroom content for integrating coding into high school STEM courses and train teachers across the country in how to use these resources,” she said.
This is the second year the camp has been offered at Mount Union, and the Teeling-Smith said it is specifically offered to girls because women are an underrepresented group in many STEM fields — especially computer science, physics, and engineering.
“As a female physicist, I know first-hand how young women can feel pressured to move away from the sciences or technical fields or even might feel intimidated to speak up in class because there are so many other dominate voices present,” she said. “In an all-girls environment, girls can feel more confident about speaking up and voicing their ideas and opinions. It is also encouraging to see so many other girls who also have an interest in STEM. They start to realize they are not alone and start to be able to see themselves in a STEM-focused career.”
Hamilton said giving girls the exposure to STEM activities is one of the main goals of the camp, and something she didn’t have growing up. “I didn’t know I liked (physics) when I was younger because I didn’t have any exposure to it,” she said. “Nobody said, ‘Hey, you can do something like this,’ so I never even considered it.”
Hamilton, who will soon begin graduate school at The Ohio State University, said she was happy to see the girls at the camp getting that kind of exposure and getting excited for the STEM activities provided.


|An abundance of compost material|
|Making use of nasturtiums that grow wild|
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My Mum gave me one of these years ago and it was really useful, so with an old towel and a rainy day I thought I would whip a couple up. Maybe not an item of beauty...but it doesn't fall off the oven rail, and is practical.
|That's a snap dome holding it|
|The shape of the cotton piece - cut 2|
|I discovered the best way to gather toweling is to use a needle and thread - toweling doesn't gather well with sewing machine stitching.|


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text:
The beloved architectural style known as Craftsman has undeniably British roots, yet it’s unmistakably American, from Oregon to Alabama to Illinois. Might that explain its enduring appeal?
Michigan countryside. Photo: Rachel Kramer/Creative Commons.
Many experts think that the inland states have widespread benefits that the more popular coastal states just can’t offer.
Photo: Emily/Creative Commons.
Homeownership skews towards people who had the means to survive the housing collapse.
Photo: brownpau/Creative Commons
Current sales to the nation’s future are buoyed by connections to the past.
Standalone dwellings that share lots with larger main houses could offer affordable living options and help alleviate housing shortages in major cities.
Photo: Jeremy Nicholson/Wikimedia Commons.
Consumer confidence, unemployment, and nominal home price figures were all beautiful sights to see last month.
Photo: Ron Kikuchi/Creative Commons.
The majority of the housing market has seen steady growth lately, but luxury home values have been unpredictable.
LGI Homes' Birch Model is offered in the Dallas-Fort Worth community of Summer Oaks, which has a park and walking trails. Homes include energy-efficient appliances, a two-car garage, and a 10-year warranty. Photo courtesy LGI Homes.
People who want space should head to Texas.
Photo: Christiaan Colen/Creative Commons.
A “fear of missing out” is one reason Facebook users want to follow their friends and enter the world of homeownership.
Row houses in Washington, D.C. Photo: NCinDC/Creative Commons.
In New York City and a few of its Long Island and Connecticut suburbs, it costs upwards of $95,000 just to pay the bills without setting anything aside for savings.
The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University released The State of the Nation's Housing report for 2016.

domain: economics


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The Auray SSM-NMN Suspension Shockmount is designed to provide shock isolation for select Neumann microphones commonly used for broadcast and voiceover applications. The basket-style suspension features heavy-duty elastic bands that isolate the microphone and eliminate noise from vibrations that can travel through a broadcast arm and affect audio quality.
The SSM-NMN comes assembled and is studio-ready. A mic stand adapter with a 5/8"-27 threaded socket fits most mic stands, and broadcast arms make setup easy. Four included mount adapters accommodate the different base sizes of compatible Neumann microphones. The swiveling basket allows precise microphone positioning, and the dual tension knobs maintain the angle of the microphone, even when moving the basket into a new position.
With sturdy all-metal construction and heavy-duty elastic bands to isolate the microphone, the SSM-NMN is an integral tool for broadcast or voiceover studios.
Compatible Neumann Microphones:
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Black Matte Finish
When using the SSM-NMN for on-air broadcast, the black matte finish will not reflect light into the camera
In the Box
Auray SSM-NMN Suspension Shockmount for Neumann Microphones


text:
Season 3 Episode 10
Runtime: 44 mins
Fringe S3 E10
Fringe Season 3 Episode 10
A series of events leads Walter to befriending musical icon Roscoe Joyce (Christopher Lloyd), keyboardist of Walter's favorite band, Violet Sedan Chair. Walter learns through the Observer September that bringing Peter from the parallel universe ultimately, through a long chain of events, led to the end of the band due to the death of Joyce's son. The Fringe team is unaware that September has engineered events in the present to test Walter's resolve to let go of Peter when the time is right.
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domain: entertainment


text:
I was invited yesterday to take part in a discussion this morning on ITV’s Good Morning Britain—but they wanted someone in the studio rather than on Zoom. The question to discuss was: does the Christian faith say something about politics, and should church leaders ‘interfere’ in politics. Introducing the item (at 7.20 am), the presenter Adil Ray guffawed ‘It’s extraordinary isn’t it? Only Britain and Iran have religious leaders sitting in their parliaments!’ The idea that Christians should contribute to political policy on the basis of their faith was seen as obviously mistaken.
My response to the request on the phone was:
Of course the Christian faith has an impact on politics! The central Christian prayer is ‘Our Father in heaven, your name be hallowed, your kingdom come, your will be done.’ It would be very strange to think that God’s will does not include issues around politics.
I also said I thought they would struggle to find someone who thought that Christian leaders should not talk about politics—but I was wrong! David Peterson, who is Team Vicar at Grays Thurrock, was very clear:
We should worry about souls going to hell and not migrants going to Rwanda. We need to think about populating the kingdom of God, not the population of the United Kingdom. Jesus said give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and give unto God what is God’s. The church needs to be more biblical and less political. We are in the world but not of the world. Our role as church leaders is not to change the politics but to change people.
You can watch the discussion here:
The Archbishop of Canterbury has condemned the government’s plans to crackdown on illegal immigration as 'morally unacceptable and politically impractical.'
Should religion stay out of politics?
Reverend David Peterson and @Raetheduke debate.
What do you think? pic.twitter.com/GJmDFwQuvx
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) May 11, 2023
I confess that I have some sympathy with this view. Statements that Church of England bishops make on political issues are widely reported, and it is an easy way to get into the headlines. Statements they make about discipleship, faith, and the need to respond to the gospel seem to be few and far between. There is an issue here about how and what the press choose to report—but I think there is an underlying communications issue too.
Yet there is an obvious problem with David’s approach here—the idea that we can just separate the ‘secular’ from the ‘religious’, and his counterpart Rae Duke expressed that well.
But what was it that provoked such a debate on prime-time morning television? It was Justin Welby’s speech in the Lord’s yesterday in opposition to the Government’s Illegal Migration Bill which is intended (amongst other things) to put an end to the small boats crossing the channel. There is a complex of issues at work here, which is why this kind of speech provokes so much reaction. Should we have bishops in the Lords when comparatively few people actually attend church on a Sunday? If so, should we not have other denotations and religious also represented statutorily? What does the Establishment of the Church of England now mean, and is it appropriate? Why have an unelected upper house at all? But if we are concerned at the democratic deficit here, what about the democratic deficit in the House of Commons created by our ‘first past the post’ election system?
On top of that, there are complex issues around the question of migration itself, and the way a Christian perspective addresses these issues. I think there are three sets of issues that church leaders need to consider when speaking about specific political issues and connecting those with faith.
1. Understanding the complexity of the issue itself
Justin’s comments were criticised in some quarters for advocating an ‘open door’ immigration policy as though this is obviously the ‘Christian’ response to the current situation. Miriam Cates, Conservative MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge in Yorkshire, challenges this understanding of Christian compassion:
I am not a theologian, but as an MP who is also a Christian and a supporter of the plans I am uncomfortable with the Archbishop’s language. The implied conclusion is that a completely open border policy would be the most moral policy for the Government, but I disagree. The truth is that Liberals, both inside and outside the Church, often misapply the definition of Christian compassion…
Deterrence is achieved by clear boundaries that are consistently enforced. Only a clear and unambiguous message, such as “if you come here illegally you will not be allowed to stay”, will act as an effective deterrent. Anything else is an invitation for continued exploitation. The best way to show compassion to those being trafficked around the world is to effectively deter the people-smuggling gangs, whose exploitation and criminality is surely the greatest evil within the discussion around illegal migration.
In fact, Justin’s comments (which you can read in full here) combine a suggestion of open-door migration (though rather ambiguously) with a fuller understanding of the difficulties.
Currently, 80% of refugees are still in the global south, protected by the poorest countries in the world. Of course, we cannot take everyone and nor should we, but this Bill has no sense at all of the long-term and of the global nature of the challenge that the world faces. It ignores the reality that migration must be engaged with at source, as well as in the Channel, as if we, as a country, were unrelated to the rest of the world.
‘Engaging at source’ is surely key to addressing the issued around migration—but that comment was not reported on. On the other hand, establishing ‘safe legal routes’ that Justin and others have commended will not address the issue of the small boats: the boats are mostly used by young, fit men who would not be prioritised by such safe routes which would surely priorities women, children, and the vulnerable. There is no indication that safe routes would end the small boats.
There are other major questions which must surely be addressed. Overall migration to the UK is massive; the last census revealed these astonishing figures:
Out of the 59.6 million usual residents in England and Wales in 2021, 49.6 million (83.2%) were born in the UK and 10.0 million (16.8%) were born outside the UK. This means that about one in six people in England and Wales were born outside the UK.
And controlled migration had continued unabated in the last couple of years; the most recent figures are just mind-boggling when you consider the implications, both short- and long-term:
In the year ending (YE) June 2022, long-term immigration into the UK was estimated at around 1.1 million. This is an estimated increase of 435,000 compared with the YE June 2021 (628,000).
This was primarily driven by the immigration of non-EU nationals, accounting for an estimated 66% of total immigration (704,000), an increase of 379,000 compared with the YE June 2021.
Unless the Government has had a policy of increasing housing provision by 20%, investing in the NHS by an additional 20%, building 20% more schools, and so on, then policy on migration is completely out of step with other policy. And the policy of filling skills gaps in the UK workforce by attracting people here from other countries is both inadequate and immoral. 25% of our doctors in the NHS were not trained here; the Government has failed to plan and provide for medical training, and instead is pulling talented and trained people from countries which have far greater need than we do. If a policy deserves the word ‘immoral’, surely it is this.
And what of the impact of change on those areas most affected by migration? There was a wonderful missed irony in a recent edition of Radio 4’s ‘Thinking aloud’ on Gentrification, where Charmaine Brown complained that the gentrification of Peckham and its neighbourhood meant that the black Afro-Caribbean community there was losing its identity—without any apparent awareness that that community was only there in the first place because it had, in turn, displaced the community that preceded it! Does any community have the right to continuity, and if so, how does that affect our approach to migration?
2. Connecting the issue with good theology
A short speech in the Lords is no place for a detailed theological argument—but even the one that Justin hinted at is not very persuasive.
And finally, as one might expect from these benches, in the New Testament, in Matthew Chapter 25, Jesus calls us to welcome the stranger.
The allusion is to the eschatological ‘parable’ of the sheep and the goats:
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me…Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matt 25.34–36, 40).
The problem with Justin’s reading of this text is that this cannot be what Jesus meant. The ‘sheep’ were surprised to learn that, in helping the ‘least of these’, they were helping the King, when that could hardly be true of anyone who is showing compassion in accordance with Jesus’ teaching. And Jesus never calls the poor ‘the least of these my brethren’; that kinship term is consistently used for his own followers (see Matt 12.50). This ‘parable’ is about those who help the poor followers of Jesus (in parallel with Jesus saying about ‘a cup of cold water’ in Matt 10.42), not about the followers of Jesus helping the poor.
In one of the Twitter responses to those who had criticised Justin’s intervention, someone cites Lev 19.33–34:
When foreigners reside among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigners residing among you must be treated as your native–born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
But what they omit to note is that Leviticus also requires that such foreigners are to conform to the culture and religious laws of Israel; when they come within the borders of the land, they are to receive the blessings of the land but also take on the obligations of citizens. This is hardly a recipe for multicultural pluralist migration.
There is, of course, a specific command to ‘show hospitality to strangers’ (Heb 13.2) which uses the wonderful term φιλοξενία, surely an antidote to xenophobia. But it is a big leap to turn this command into a national policy on migration and national identity.
There are many practical issues to consider around migration—but there are also theological ones. How do we understand the idea of nation? What values hold a nation together? What status do national values have? Do communities have a right to continuity of identity? Those exploring such questions are often scorned, but they are key issues that need understanding. It is striking that, both at Pentecost and in the vision of a multicultural people in Rev 7.9, the identities of those brought together are not eliminated, but remain in all their diversity. National, cultural, and linguistic identity matter.
Statements by church leaders on issues of migration need a better grounding in theological thinking that they are at present.
3. Location within a political spectrum
One of the most vexing things about these kinds of statements from Anglican bishops is not about the individual statements themselves, but in the pattern in which they are made. It feels as if they all come from one part of the political spectrum. (I have not done any objective analysis of this—but this is my strong sense and it appears to be confirmed by wider reaction.)
So bishops find it easy to comment on migration in this way, but when did we last hear a bishop comment about abortion—despite the Church of England having a pretty clear and very ‘conservative’ position on this officially? We hear much comment about poverty and inequality—but when did a bishop advocate for the importance of marriage, and lobby the government to put in place policies that encouraged marriage? The Church does have a well-defined doctrinal position on this question—and research shows that this would benefit children in a whole range of ways.
The bench of bishops appears to be out of step on many of these issues not only with the country at large, but also with their own congregations. I am only aware of one out of more than the 100 current bishops who was pro-Brexit, when Anglicans voted for Brexit more than remain.
This suggests a somewhat lazy approach to social issues and the gospel. A friend passed this comment on to me:
Liberal immigration policy plays a really important role in a certain kind of progressive Christian ethic—it’s the last ethical position out there which is somewhat based on distinctively Christian doctrine/concerns (Galatians 3:28, the recognition that Christianity is in better shape in the Global South), but which also matches liberal opinion. Pretty much everywhere else, it’s hard to draw a line from Christian doctrine (as traditionally held) to liberal opinion (c.f., sexuality, environmental sustainability etc). But with immigration it’s much easier to make this connection. So, if you want to associate Christianity with liberal opinion, you end up playing to your strengths and talking a lot about immigration.
It is hard to see what the basis of this is, though, after the contortions of the sexuality debate. How do we know that one border policy is less godly than another? If Leviticus is irrelevant in the bedroom, it’s irrelevant at the border.
Bishops and other church leaders should be making comments about public policy and politics more generally. And the Church of England is in a particularly strong and privileged position to do this. But our bishops need to be commenting on a wider range of issues, from a wider range of perspectives, and with a better rooting in theology and the doctrine of their own Church.

domain: sociology


The cast and crew of the next Twilight film, Breaking Dawn, was forced to evacuate their set on Vancouver Island in Canada amid a tsunami warning stemming from last night’s earthquake in Japan. From People.com:
The actors are not believed to be in any danger, but for safety measures they apparently have been moved out of the region.
The town where production is taking place, Tofino, contains a long stretch of open coast on the furthest westerly point of the island and was seen in the earlier The Twilight Saga: New Moon.
I’ve been watching coverage of this story (the Japan part, not the Twilight part) pretty much non-stop since 5 AM. It’s insane. Half of Japan is underwater and the other half is on fire. As someone who has a recurring dream about dying in a giant tsunami, this is pretty much the scariest thing I’ve ever seen. So, as easy as it would be to make mean, horrible jokes about the Twilight movies or their fans here, I’m gonna take a pass. Even on the part of the story in that link involving cast member Tinsel Korey hyper-dramatically Tweeting, “They’re evacuating us 4 a tsumnani [sic] warning. If this … is my last my tweet. I love you. The end. Hugz.” My restraint is strong.
In conclusion, because I don’t really know how to end this post, this is the video for “Straight to My Feet” by MC Hammer and Deion Sanders from the Street Fighter soundtrack.


Bey is back — not only with a new album, but a new campaign for legacy jewelers Tiffany & Co. Women’s Wear Daily reports. Beyoncé is once again starring in a global campaign for the brand, a follow-up to her 2021 “About Love” campaign with husband Jay-Z.
This time around, the renaissance woman is a solo act, photographed by longtime Carter family favorite Mason Poole, also the lensman behind “About Love.” Premiering on Tiffany’s social platforms on Sept. 2, the new campaign — titled “Lose Yourself in Love” — echoes the provocative Studio 54-inspired imagery from Bey’s latest release, “Renaissance,” also shot by Poole. WWD reports that Tiffany also commissioned a short film by acclaimed director Mark Romanek, which will debut across its platforms in October, as the campaign also reaches magazines. Set to Beyoncé’s single, “Summer Renaissance,” it will reportedly capture “the carefree, joyous spirit of the album as a whole,” and “the joy of being one’s unapologetic self.”
In addition to appearing in tandem with Beyoncé’s latest dance-themed release, the “Lose Yourself in Love” campaign takes a further departure from the romantic “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”-inspired visuals of 2021, which featured the famed (and controversial) 128.54-carat Tiffany Diamond. Dressed in an array of edgy, custom looks from designers LaQuan Smith, Graham Cruz and others, Bey is backed by an electronic dance track as she models the jeweler’s somewhat more “shoppable” lines — Tiffany T, Tiffany HardWear, Tiffany Knot and Tiffany Lock — as well as select pieces that Tiffany legends Jean Schlumberger and Elsa Peretti designed, reports WWD.
“We’re taking an opportunity to have an icon wear our icons,” Alexandre Arnault, executive vice president of product and communications at Tiffany, told the outlet. “It’s about showcasing another side of us,” he added. “Now she’s wearing everyday product: products you can find in the store.”
As he shared with WWD, those “everyday” products will range in price from about $5,000 to nearly $500,000 and include an 18-karat, custom HardWear necklace exclusively created for the campaign. Unlike the elusive and inaccessible Tiffany Diamond, the latter design will be sold in limited quantities, because of the reported 40 hours required to assemble and polish by hand its large-scale links.
“[P]eople can identify themselves a lot more and say, ‘Hey, I saw this necklace worn by Beyoncé. I’d love to wear it’,” Arnault told WWD. “The Tiffany Diamond is a little more difficult to do that with.”
Nevertheless, the gem of this campaign is clearly Beyoncé, who Arnault said “was instrumental in bringing the whole vision to life,” including commissioning her own wardrobe for the shoot.
“She’s the best,” he said. “She really embodies the ultimate modern-day woman, in our view, which makes her the perfect representative of our values.”
Those values are intended to extend well beyond the jewelry. As thGrio previously reported, the Carters’ partnership with Tiffany & Co. — which resulted in the most successful campaign in the company’s history — also included $2 million in funding for scholarship and internship programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Tiffany disclosed to WWD that there are 60 scholarship recipients to date. Awards for the 2022-23 academic year will be announced this fall.
TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. TheGrio’s Black Podcast Network is free too. Download theGrio mobile apps today! Listen to ‘Dear Culture’ with Panama Jackson.


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The end of the office?
17 Jul 2020
We consider what the future of the workplace will be like for professional services firms.
As the Coronavirus pandemic forced lawyers, accountants and other professional practices out of their offices, are we on the cusp of a significant change in the way firms see and use their bricks and mortar premises? Have things gone too far for them ever to go back to the way they were?
Our report on the future of the workplace considers how technology and employee wellness might play a much more significant part in a firm’s future office strategy.


Attention, Parrotheads! Your captain just set sail toward the nation’s capital.Jimmy Buffett brings the U.S. national tour of his stage musical “Escape to Margaritaville” to National Theatre for one week this Tuesday through Sunday.
“It started right here in Washington D.C.,” Buffett told WTOP. “A friend of mine, the great Jack Boyle, who ran the Cellar Door in Georgetown, believed in me long before anybody else years ago when I was a solo act. He brought me to the D.C. area. … He was a big fan of [‘The Caine Mutiny’ author] Herman Wouk and Jack Boyle said, ‘You ought to look at ‘Don’t Stop the Carnival’ as a musical.'”
So, Buffett left his sailboat in the Caribbean and set out to find Wouk, who had written the 1965 novel that inspired Buffett’s “Don’t Stop the Carnival” album.
“I chased and found Herman Wouk,” Buffett said. “He didn’t know who I was; I didn’t know he was still alive. I went to visit him and a day later, he wasn’t doing anything, so he wrote the libretto for that show and I did the music for it. … It played in Miami, it never made it to Broadway, but it was one of the great experiences of my life. People who went to that show are investors in this show.”
Thus, “Escape to Margaritaville” was born, debuting in San Diego in 2017 before hitting New Orleans, Houston, Chicago and ultimately Broadway in 2018. This time, Buffett hired Emmy winner Greg Garcia (“My Name is Earl”) and Emmy nominee Mike O’Malley (“Shameless”) to weave a story around his greatest hits.
“When the writers came along, it was very important that they were part of that group of people who were basically Parrotheads,” Buffett said. “It was important that the music was a part of their lives and it wasn’t just a writing assignment. Authenticity was absolutely important. They knew the songs enough to stitch together a story. … It’s all just recognition and energy. You’ve got energy up, energy down. That’s the way you write any show, you got the highs and lows.”
The plot follows carefree crooner Tully Mars, who sings at the run-down hotel bar Margaritaville on a small island in the Caribbean, welcoming various vacationers.
“I did the same thing,” Buffett said. “There’s a scene where the girl that he’s interested in asks him questions that make him nervous about why did you come here? It’s a great little speech and at the end he goes, ‘The cold.’ That’s why I went to Key West — to get warm. … Then there’s two women on vacation who are best friends. One is very carefree, the other is a stick-in-the-mud … but eventually the margaritas and sun change her attitude — and her latitude!”
The songbook features all of Buffett’s most famous hits, including “Fins,” “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” “Why Don’t We Get Drunk,” “Son of a Son of a Sailor,” “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes,” “Volcano,” “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Come Monday” and of course the title number “Margaritaville.”
“Most of the songs that I write are autobiographical,” Buffett said. “Having that much material that’s affected people in a positive way with a little release from the tediousness of daily life, I was so lucky to just get that job and wound up in Key West, Florida, which accelerated the process writing about places I loved. Then I realized that was in everybody’s culture and everybody needs a couple days off, so I was lucky enough to kind of put my thumb on that pulse beat.”
Few musicians are so synonymous with a genre of music, from Bill Monroe’s bluegrass to Chuck Berry’s rock ‘n roll, but Buffett followed Bob Marley’s reggae with his own style known as “trop rock,” influencing the likes of Kenny Chesney.
“Mark Twain said you write what you know about, so I spent a lot of time on a boat in the Caribbean or flying around and having fun,” Buffett said. “I love the historical past of all of those cultures from Europe coming together in this callaloo stew pot 3,000 miles away and what came out of it. … It’s extended to the fact that I’m doing stuff with Kygo now. The DJ said that’s tropical house!”
Across the generations, he maintains legions of fans who affectionately call themselves Parrotheads as they dress up in their craziest tropical attire.
“There are different levels of Parrothead-ism,” Buffett joked. “It depends on costumes and things of that nature, but as a child of the Mardi Gras, I loved costumes. That was another part of it for me. I always wondered why were getting away with this in Middle America, then I realized it was based on my love of Mardi Gras and that you needed a couple days off.”
It all traces back to his early days in Alabama and his early break in D.C.
“I love musical theater,” Buffett said. “My mother was a great local performer in Mobile, Alabama, so I would go to shows with her [like] ‘South Pacific.’ So it’s nice to come full circle. Plus, Jack was so good to me in the D.C. area, to give me a break and play the Cellar Door in those days. I still have a $300 check I never cashed for a week at Cellar Door. I still have it framed in my office!”
You might even see him at National Theatre, confirming he’ll attend Tuesday.
“I’m very excited,” Buffett said. “I’ve seen this cast. They’re very young and very invigorating. It’s like minor league ball. I love baseball. It’s just like seeing everybody at that level and it’s always part of the process. This is where you start if you want to go the distance. I was lucky enough to make it that way and my biggest thrill would be if kids who starred in this show had that same experience.”
For Buffett, that breakthrough No. 1 hit was “Margaritaville,” telling of a narrator wasting away in a tropical location. As the song progresses, the narrator gradually takes responsibility for his actions, as the first verse says, “It’s nobody’s fault,” the second verse says, “Hell, it could have been my fault,” and the third verse admits, “It’s my own damn fault.” What inspired such clever songwriting?
“Catholic Jesuit guilt,” Buffett joked. “Mea culpa!”


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Discover the tiger nut, one of our star ingredients to make the best plant milk or tiger nut milk with your Vegan Milker.
The tiger nut is a herbaceous rhizome, similar to a small tuber that grows on the roots of the plant Cyperus Sculentus.
You can buy different formats, whole tiger nuts and ground tiger nuts. The tiger nut that we sell in Vegan Milker is Organic Valencian (BIO) of the brand Món Orxata with denomination of origin Valencia. It is grown in the horta Nord of Valencia thanks to organic tigernut farmers who bet every day for an agro ecological model that respects the environment and health.

domain: agronomy


The second bike from Freeman Transport is the Gravel Racer. As an ode to co-founder Nathaniel Freeman’s great-great-grandfather (an industrial revolution era inventor), the guys have utilized a gun metal finish – richly patinaed with blues and ferric browns. The bike can be built as a fixed gear or with coaster breaks. They are available as a frame set, or in two builds. Also, the option for couplers exists (just as on their track bike), but the Gravel Racer can be ordered without.
A beautiful cruiser. Images from our good friend Mr. ACL.


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He teased that he’s got somethin’ up his sleeve dropping here in a few weeks on October 20th, sharing a cryptic message across his social platforms with just that specific date and no further information about what it means:
In early July, Cody shared a post saying that the album was “done” and coming in November, but it’s possible he decided to move up the release date since the project has been finished for a while.
At the very least, he (hopefully) might be dropping a new single or something along those lines.
One of the premiere artists in the independent country music scene, Cody is incredibly talented and has done everything completely on his own, proving that hard work and great music are all you really need to make it in this business.
In April, he earned seven new RIAA Gold and Platinum certifications for many of his fan-favorite songs, which is only further proof of his reach and success as a modern-day outlaw, if you will:
It’s an unheard of accomplishment, as Jinks is the first independent artist in the modern era of country music to have a Platinum record, and he deserves every ounce of the praise he receives. No awards shows, no record labels, no late night shows… no nothing.
Just old fashioned hard work, actual talent, and great songs that connect with country music fans.
But sadly for Cody Jinks fans all over the world like me, it’s been quite a while since he released any new music. His last country album Mercy was released in 2021, and the last song he released was a one-off single and collaborative cover of “Nothing’s News” in 2022.
So while we still have to wait on more specific details in terms of a title, tracklist, album cover and potentially official release date for this new project if it’s not October 20th, we at least know that a new record will be out sometime this fall.


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How the Jacquemus brand strategy, consisting of 360° storytelling, social media mastery and charismatic founder combine to create unprecedented success for the brand.
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In dark and divided times, we all know how beautiful spaces can lift our spirits and bring us together. Why then should public spaces experienced by thousands of people a day be typically devoid of the kind of warmth and expression we value in our homes, favourite restaurants or local galleries?