Genius! Brilliant! Godzilla has truly returned to Japan!
Here is the MyKaiju short review with no real spoilers.
Unlike any other previous Godzilla movie, Shin Godzilla (シン・ゴジラ) is firmly rooted in the nature and intent of the original 1954 film, Gojira. Shin Godzilla is not a movie, but rather it is a film. It is not entertainment. Shin Godzilla is best captured by its subtitles, Japan vs Godzilla, Reality vs Fiction. This is not the Godzilla we grew up with as children.
After seeing the film, “Shin Godzilla,” one Japanese moviegoer remarks, “is not a monster movie.” The film speaks boldly to Japanese audiences. The movie’s heavy dialogue may lack appeal to other audiences but it goes a long way to reveal how Japan works and thinks. This is a Japanese film for the Japanese. This is the Japanese Godzilla for Japan. Moviegoers are taken inside the world of Japanese politics, power, and personal interaction as Japan faces an existential threat embodied by Shin Godzilla. Shin Godzilla is a satirical tragedy exposing the dysfunctional Japanese government with its endless hierarchy and avoidance of blame and responsibility in the time of crisis. But in turn shows the determination, resilience, and collective power of the Japanese to solve on its problems without the interference from allies and enemies alike.
In the film, Godzilla becomes a symbol and metaphor for Japan’s 3/11, the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, tsunami, and Fukushima nuclear disaster. The rapidly moving events of that day are suggested by the swift evolution of Godzilla’s form at the film’s start. There are chilling scenes that echo the unforgettable scenes of destruction, devastation, and death from that dreadful day. Boats flipped into the air and onto shore by a swift moving embryonic form of Shin Godzilla. As a witness of that day’s horror, the movie was eerily reminiscent of the horrific video of the tsunami waves that swept away Japan coastlines. To escape certain death people are running to high ground fleeing for their lives conjure the memories of that fateful day.
Shin Godzilla is Japan vs Godzilla through and through. Japan, divided by opinions and fears, goes to work to defeat Shin Godzilla in ways consistent with Japan’s approach to the meltdown of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear reactors. Tanks, missiles, and bombs won’t work against Godzilla. These attacks only agitate, animate, and awaken the slumbering sleeping giant. In the end, Japan comes up with a plan before the nations step in as part of a last ditch effort to stop Godzilla similar to discussions during the time of the Fukushima nuclear meltdown.
In both fiction and in reality, Japan must live with Shin Godzilla as it must live with the Tokyo Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Like Fukushima Godzilla sits in clear view for all to see. Life must go on but life cannot ignore the elephant in the room. At any moment more deadly radiation could be released and the problem evolve into a new and more deadly force. It cannot be stop. It can only be managed. It’s an ever-present existential threat. As it is in fiction, so it is in reality.
The difference between Shin Godzilla and Godzilla 2014 clearly emerges. The difference is clear. They stand in stark contrast. The former is an incarnation of the existential threat facing Japan. Since 1954, Godzilla had been a metaphor for the atomic bomb. Now, Shin Godzilla could be understood as the natural and man-made forces unleashed on 3/11. Japan is in a position of weakness. But Godzilla 2014 reflects an American position of strength since WWII. America’s Godzilla is not associated with any collective victim narrative. He is a protector as America likes to think of itself. Each Godzilla is tailored to a specific audience. One audience may find the Godzilla of the other lacking and insufficient. American audiences expect the king of the monsters taking on and defeating every foe. Japanese audiences are the victims of Godzilla who cannot be stopped. Shin Godzilla does not protect, but rather it represents an ever-present threat to the people of Japan.
The music score of Shiro Sagisu is fresh, brilliant, and emotional. It serves Shin Godzilla well. It is a genius mix of old and new tracks. The music builds the new by conjuring the old in good ways. The sound effects were unexpected, adding nostalgia and making something special on screen.
Shin Godzilla should never be dubbed on principle. Practically, it makes no sense to do it. Subtitles are the only way to go. Many voice actors would be needed and therefore cost prohibitive. I am afraid much meaning would be lost in dubbing. A low budget would result in a few voice actors to make many voices would be a great disservice to this film. Dubbing would destroy the film. The Japanese voices need to be heard. It is important to appreciating the movie on its own terms.
Now having seen Shin Godzilla for the third time, it is my favorite and personal best Godzilla film. It is the Japanese Godzilla returned to its roots in 1954. It is full of meaning and requires viewers to understand issues facing Japan. It is brilliant! It is amazing! It is the best! The work of Anno Hideaki and Higuchi Shinji is stunning, genius, and groundbreaking. They have put life back into Godzilla. It is everything I want and wanted in Godzilla.


What we know so far about the FBI raid on Trump's home in Mar-a-Lago
North America;United States of America
The FBI raided the home of former U.S. President Donald Trump Monday after it was granted a search warrant by a federal judge appointed by the former president himself.
The search was part of the Justice Department's investigation into Trump's removal of presidential records considered official government property from the White House at the end of his term in January 2021.
The department was notified this year that Trump had taken classified material after the National Archives, the agency tasked with preserving government records, revealed it had recovered 15 boxes of records from Mar-a-Lago, some marked as classified national security information.
Much is still unknown about the search warrant, which remains under seal, or the sworn statement that an FBI agent had to present to a magistrate judge to win court approval to search a former president's home.
Hours after denouncing the FBI's raid on his Florida home as political persecution, former U.S. President Donald Trump released a campaign-style video that may be the strongest hint yet that he plans to run against President Joe Biden in 2024.
Trump's allies in the House of Representatives and the Senate said the FBI's search for documents Trump removed from the White House was meant to sideline Trump as a possible 2024 presidential contender.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi scoffed at Republican claims that Attorney General Merrick Garland had politicized the FBI, pointing out that agency director Christopher Wray was appointed by Trump.
"What would you expect them to say?" Pelosi chuckled to reporters in the U.S. Capitol. "That's typical of them to try to undermine a person."
Garland has also received criticism from the left, with some Democrats calling for his department to be more aggressive in investigating Trump and the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters.
Still, Trump and his allies on Tuesday wasted no time trying to stir anger and passion among his supporters, while also trying to rake in dollars off the raid of his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida.
"There is no mountain we cannot climb, there is no summit we cannot reach, there is no challenge we cannot meet," Trump said in the new video, which included an extended critique of the Biden administration. "We will not bend, we will not break, we will not yield."
The ad was followed by fundraising appeals highlighting the raid.
In an email sent to supporters seen by CGTN, Trump called the raid a "lawlessness, political persecution, and Witch Hunt.
"Trump's son Eric acknowledged that the search was part of an investigation into the former president's removal of official records from the White House to his Florida estate.


text:
Scientist of the Day - Luna 3
On Oct. 7, 1959, a Soviet spacecraft, Luna 3, took the very first photos of the far side of the Moon. The small probe (second image) had been launched on Oct. 4, 1959, two years to the day after the first great Soviet space triumph, the launch of Sputnik. The Soviets had tried twice before to reach the Moon; Luna 1 missed entirely, and Luna 2 crashed into the lunar surface. But Luna 3 managed to loop around the Moon and took a total of 29 grainy photos of the back side. These were transmitted to the Soviet space center several weeks later, when Luna 3 was closer to Earth.
It did not take long for the Soviets to trumpet their success with a book publication, Pervye fotografii obratnoi storony Luny (First Photographs of the Far Side of the Moon, 1959). It was published within months of the Luna 3 mission. The 35-page book contains two of the Luna 3 photographs, then a repeat of the first, annotated with white outlines, plus a photo of the Luna 3 spacecraft itself. We show them all above. The photos were considerably touched up; the original images had numerous transmission streaks and gaps and were not released until the next year. One of the reasons why Luna 3 was such a coup for the Soviet Union is that, by taking the first photographs of the back side of the Moon, Russia earned the right to name every crater and maria it photographed. This is why all the of the craters on the far side honor Russian scientists. For example, on the third lunar photo, the one with white outlines, the small crater surrounded by a white circle and the number 4 was named Tsiolkovsky, after the father of the Russian space age.
The first edition of this book in Russian is very scarce, and we are very pleased to have acquired it just last month. The cover of this first edition includes an embossed moon, utilizing the image on the third moon photo, the one with annotations (fourth image). The embossing may not show up in our picture of the cover above, but we include it anyway (fifth image). We also display a Russian postage stamp, issued to commemorate Luna 3 and its mission, and bearing the date 7 X 1959 (sixth image).
The second Russian edition, 1960, with all 29 photographs, unretouched, was already in our collection, as well as two English translations of the 2nd edition, so we now have the definitive collection on early Soviet lunar exploration. We expect to make good use of these in 2019, when we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing.
Dr. William B. Ashworth, Jr., Consultant for the History of Science, Linda Hall Library and Associate Professor, Department of History, University of Missouri-Kansas City. Comments or corrections are welcome; please direct to firstname.lastname@example.org.

domain: library


text:
reclinable modular seat. cosmopolitan stroller has a beautifully tailored seat that offers a comfortable and spacious ride. It easily converts from parent facing to forward facing, accommodating for your growing child up to 4 years, with smooth transitions of recline active (upright), relax (recline) or rest (lie flat).
Protect both the child and the car seat from wind and rain, this raincover is fully ventilated and ensures that your baby is comfortable underneath it. MaterialNo PVC and softeners,safe to child, air vent holes on the side for ventilation,Crystal clear plastic with UV protection,also for good visibility.
Welcome children to school each day with an organized, inviting space of their own. Our space saving cubbies transform your entry to a clutter free zone that says “you belong here!”
This 5 in 1 stroller fulfills all your needs. One stop hassle free shopping; you only need to buy this one and forget the rest. Multifunction Space saving design, easy storage and transportation. Patent registered product with no. 201030555942.9. Eco Friendly material
Belecoo Brand Baby Pram / Stroller 3 in 1 Function Foldable Baby Pram with Car Seat Pink and Grey in the Strollers category for sale in Johannesburg (ID:442214300)
can be collapsed into a small size as a space saving transport option. lockable 360° double swivel front wheel. 2 plastic back wheels. 5 point safety harness. safety bar. one touch foot brake. bottom frame bagapprox. 25 l capacity. stroller / baby bagsuitable from birth to roughly 6 months or 9 kg
* Fold into small size (cabin size) for easy travelling and space saving * Compact folding, Flight cabin size approved luggage. * 4 wheel suspension with anti wobble system * Exclusive soft drive systemno need to lock the front swivel wheel, even on rough terrain. * Multiple Recline positions backrest * Removable and washable fabric
Jul 01, 2019 · The GB Pockit stroller is perfect for city life and summer travels, thanks to its feather light weight of just 4.8kg. The two step effortless fold and ultimate portability of this pushchair make up for the lack of raincover, recline or padding on the sling seat – standard with many other lightweight strollers.
cosmopolitan stroller has a beautifully tailored seat that offers a comfortable and spacious ride. It easily converts from parent facing to forward facing, accommodating for your growing child up to 4 years, with smooth transitions of recline active (upright), relax (recline) or rest (lie flat).
Beginning with the invention of the original 3 wheeled jogging stroller in 1984, Baby Jogger® has continued to revolutionize every aspect of the stroller category, enabling families to go anywhere, using strollers that fold instantly.
Mar 14, 2014 · Let me begin my car seat discussion with this disclaimerI am not a safety expert. I am not even a car seat expert. I am a twin momma who has spent hours upon hours reading reviews, taking polls on Facebook, and berating myself for wanting to choose “the pretty ones,” while looking for car seats for my kids.
favorite this post Nov 27 Brand New Chicco Polly Progress 5 in 1 Space Saving High Chair $0 (N. Thornton) pic hide this posting restore restore this posting. $0. favorite this post Nov 27 Brand New In Box Graco Modes 3 Lite Stroller $0 (N. Thornton) pic hide this posting restore restore this posting. $0
Ibiyaya Multifunction Pet Stroller 5 In 1 Brown. Patented design stroller, which has 5 functions in one the only stroller or carrier you will ever need! Can be used as a stroller, backpack, carrier, trolley or a car safety seat! The space saving design is easy to store and transport. The material (EVA) is not only durable, it is also eco

domain: design


John Stewart Calls Out GM for Ignition Switch Recall
Last night on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, comedian John Stewart called out General Motors in a segment about GM's ignition switch recall.
He criticized the fact that they had known about this problem for years, but haven't done anything to fix it. "They found out in 2001, they studied the problem for 4 years, did an internal cost-benefit analysis using your standard analytic, algorithm, barometric, PE ratio equations, and came up with, 'F**k it.'"
Stewart then criticized GM for deciding not to repair the cars years ago due to cost concerns, even though it would have cost 57 cents per vehicle to replace the part. Stewart said, "You could've found at least that much in the seats of the cars you're fixing!"
It is then reported that GM knows of over 13 deaths and 32 crashes have been caused from the cars' faulty ignition switches, and GM's solution to that was to tell drivers not to use heavy key chains. Stewart then mockingly said, "Why fix a problem you've created, when you can just ask your surviving customers to get rid of their keys?"
Watch the full clip below.


text:
Stakeholders in the Information and Technology industry (IT) have advised insurance players to enhance product sales through the adoption of technology. According to them, this would enable the sector to contribute meaningfully to economic growth. The experts, who spoke at the just concluded Insurance Meets Tech 2022, convened by Motion Communications, also believed that collaboration…
25 Aug 2022
The need for insurance operators to make prompt payment of claims to retain public trust has been a major concern in some of the paper presentations of stakeholders at major industry events held between January and now.
8 Aug 2022
Chief executive officers of insurance companies have expressed concern about the rising cost of operations, including the surging price of diesel, saying it negates operational efficiency.
31 May 2022
Following the harmonisation of Nigerian insurance industry’s action plans to exploit the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), stakeholders in the sector have set up a 15-member committee
27 Mar 2022
The Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers, NCRIB, has urged Lagos State Government to pay more attention to insurance of markets across the state, in order to provide safety
29 Nov 2021
Concerned by the poor insurance acceptance in Nigeria, stakeholders in the industry are demanding that greater investment be made in the acquisition and deployment of modern technology
25 Oct 2021
About N9 billion claims have been paid to policyholders who suffered losses from lootings and destruction that marred the #EndSARS protests in October 2020.
19 Apr 2021
Experts in the insurance industry have advised underwriting companies to adopt digital channels to remain relevant to the emerging business environment.
4 Mar 2021
The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has urged insurance operators to invest significantly in technology to drive efficient business operations in the industry.
10 Aug 2020
The Federal Government is said to have settled about N15 billion premiums under the Group Life Insurance scheme to insure it’s over 89,000 workers across the country
22 Jun 2020
Underwriting firms in Nigeria’s insurance industry have begun to invest more in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) especially in this period of the coronavirus pandemic.
16 Mar 2020
Considering the prevalent gender inequality in Nigeria, shareholders in the nation’s insurance industry have enjoined the government at all levels to close the gender gap in major aspects of society.

domain: news


text:
Melinda Snodgrass & Lee Zlotoff Talk & Sign Books at the Jean Cocteau Cinema in Santa Fe
New Mexico authors Melinda Snodgrass & Lee Zlotoff will be in Santa Fe on March 19 to talk about and sign copies of their books as part of a Writers Series hosted by David Sidebottom.
About the Writer Series: “A panel of 2 or 3 writers discussing the art of writing. Each episode will have a starting topic and then branch off as the conversation flows. The Author Spotlight series showcases a mix of both local and visiting authors. A Book signing will be held immediately afterward in the Jean Cocteau Cinema lobby.”
The event starts at 1:00 pm Sunday, March 19. Special anniversary admission is just $5.00.
The Jean Cocteau Cinema is located at 418 Montezuma Avenue, north end of the Rail Yard District, in Santa Fe. For more info: 505-466-5528 or JeanCocteauCinema.com.

domain: entertainment


Well, TouchGuy hangs his head in shame for letting you down. While the real world performance is fantastic, It turns out that this new-fangled projective capacitive (p-cap) touch is not quite so plug-and-play as the plain-old-resistive-touch. All touch technologies have their idiosyncrasy—resistive touch needs to be calibrated to the display, IR requires that the beams … Continue reading »
It was with great excitement that I received my projective capacitive multi-touch kit from Touch International. My guidelines for our vendor were to find a touchscreen with multi-touch support and support for security glass. I’ve seen that there is no driver for this touch screen to support multi-touch. And on the other hand we tried to put a glass layer in front of the touch panel and it didn’t work. Another problem we are facing is that if the touch-panel comes near the lcd-panel the touch coordinates are wrong. What gives?
– Daniel Amesberger
I need to use the most dependable touch screen for our new product, which one?
– Gerry, Mooselookmequintic, ME
Hey Gerry, (BTW, is that really your town?), I like questions where I don’t have to give a wishy-washy answer. First, for the neophytes amongst you, there are five commercially viable touch technologies, from a list longer than the number of letters in your city….they are, Resistive (four types), Surface Capacitive (two types), Infrared, Surface … Continue reading »


To give a little background, I'm writing (or am going to write) a daemon in Python for scheduling tasks to run at user-specified dates. The scheduler daemon also needs to have a JSON-based HTTP web service interface (buzzword mania, I know) for adding tasks to the queue and monitoring the scheduler's status. The interface needs to receive requests while the daemon is running, so they either need to run in a separate thread or cooperatively multitask somehow. Ideally the web service interface should run in the same process as the daemon, too.
I could think of a few ways to do it, but I'm wondering if there's some obvious module out there that's specifically tailored for this kind of thing. Any suggestions about what to use, or about the project in general are quite welcome. Thanks! :)


text:
DANNEMORA, NY — After a high-profile prison break from the Clinton Correctional Facility in upstate New York, prison guards and investigators resorted to the use of torture and beatings to interrogate inmates about the incident.
These allegations stem from the successful escape of convicted murderers David Sweat and Richard Matt on June 6, 2015. Their elaborate plan included hacking through prison bars, beating up guards, and receiving the assistance of a prison staff member to escape. An intense manhunt dragged on for weeks until June 28th, when both fugitives had been either killed or captured.
During those desperate weeks, investigators used vicious and illegal tactics against prisoners to attempt to gather information about the escape. According to over 60 complaints filed in just 2 months, prisoners were subjected to being beaten while handcuffed, choked, smothered, and slammed against cell bars and walls.
One dramatic report came from Patrick Alexander, a prisoner who was targeted because his cell was in close proximity to the escapees’. The New York Times detailed some of Mr. Alexander’s experience:
Twice during the day of the escape, Mr. Alexander said he was questioned by investigators from the State Police and the corrections department inspector general’s office.
Then, around 8 p.m., he was handcuffed and taken to a broom closet where, he said, three corrections officers whom he had never seen before interrogated him. An officer wearing a jacket with the initials C.I.U. — Crisis Intervention Unit — sat down and asked him, “Do you know the difference between this interview and those other interviews?” Mr. Alexander recalled.
This time, the officer warned, there were only uniformed guards in the room, Mr. Alexander said.
“The officer jumps up and grabs me by my throat, lifts me out of the chair, slams my head into the pipe along the wall,” he said. “Then he starts punching me in the face. The other two get up and start hitting me also in the ribs and stomach.”
With each punch, Mr. Alexander said, the officers shouted another question.
“The whole time he’s holding me up by my throat,” he added.
When Mr. Alexander repeatedly insisted that he had no information, one officer pointed to a plastic bag hanging on some pipes, asked if he knew what it was for and said, “You know what waterboarding is?” Mr. Alexander recalled.
The officer then put the bag over his head and started beating him again, Mr. Alexander said.
He said the interrogation lasted about 20 minutes, and he was then taken, bleeding, back to his cell.
Later, Mr. Alexander said, the same officer “began quietly taunting and threatening me, telling me, ‘Don’t worry, Fat Boy, we’ll be seeing you really soon.’ ”
Other prisoners reported similar beatings; even being suffocated with a plastic bag to the point of unconsciousness. When the prisoners finally received medical care, days later, they told of being forced to sign statements that they were not beaten.
The organization which receives the inmate complaints, Prisoners’ Legal Services, says that the reports of abuse are still coming in. The New York State Department of Correctional Services said matter is being investigated, according to CNN, and promises that abusers will be “punished to the full extent of the law.”
The union that represents the guards, the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association, has predictably downplayed the complaints as “one-sided… allegations made by a handful of violent convicted felons.”

domain: law


Note: Following today’s Jets Papers, you can ensure you are up to speed with our game set-up written by Ezra Ginsburg. Keep it locked to the site to get pre-game audio from Jets coach Paul Maurice. After the game, be sure to check us out for all the post-game reaction. As soon as the site is updated we notify you via twitter @illegalcurve and Facebook.
Note II: For home games we have both our #ICGWG and #IC5050 contests. Make sure to @ tweet @illegalcurve with your guess. Remember that for your vote to qualify you must send in your guess using a hashtag (#). (i.e. #ICGWG Ladd & #IC5050 $34,250.00).
Winnipeg Free Press: Reading between the lines. Tim reads between the lines of yesterday’s presser at what Chevy said and what he really meant.
Winnipeg Free Press: Heading for new skies. The Jets are closer to the bottom of the standings than they are a post season position so it is not going to be easy to get this fixed.
Winnipeg Free Press: Coach’s challenge. The truth is this won’t be a slam dunk for coach Maurice. It is going to take some blood, sweat and tears (and possibly trades) before he can get this ship back on track.
Winnipeg Sun: Ken’s thoughts on the firing and hiring. Ken came back from Mexico and hits the ground running as he pens this piece on all the moves made yesterday.
Winnipeg Sun: Winnipeg Jets Did Chevy do enough to help Noel succeed? Paul breaks down the presser and gives his thoughts on the move.
Winnipeg Sun: New Jets coach Maurice already on familiar ground. It certainly going to be a trial by fire for the new Jets coach as he gets off the plane and immediately ends up participating in a Jets game day today.
Winnipeg Sun: Players know they will be next to pay price. Olli Jokinen said it best “I think everyone knows what is going to happens next if things don’t go well…the players are going to get shipped out”. If this team continues to spiral downward you can bet that GM Cheveldayoff will be making some moves to ship some of these players out of town for future assets.
Winnipeg Sun: Fans split on nixing Noel. One thing you have to credit our fans with is passion. While sometimes it can be a bit intense they certainly care about this team and have an opinion on what the best moves for this organization are. As Olli Jokinen said yesterday there are “15000 GMs watching the games”.
CBC: Is Maurice a quick fix or a move for long term success? Which do you think it is? He is only signed until the end of the summer as both he and the club will have a chance to evaluate the other during the next few months.
Globe and Mail: The quote machine has been shut down in Winnipeg. For every Jets scrum with coach Noel I usually referenced his no(el)table quotes and that is going away. Roy pens an excellent column on the departure of the bench boss.
Sportsnet: Problems in the ‘Peg begin with stars. Pretty strong words by Mark Spector.
USA Today: Jets fire coach Claude Noel, hire Paul Maurice. Kevin Allen discusses the moves the Jets made and the ones they need to make.
NHL.com: Goal prevention led to Noel’s downfall. Corey Masisak breaks down one of the reasons that he felt led to coach Noel’s dismissal.
TSN 1290 Winnipeg: Darren Dreger speaks to Drew about the move (audio). Host of the Illegal Curve Hockey Show Drew Minell spoke with TSN Insider Darren Dreger about the firing of Coach Claude Noel.
Reaction to Coaches Noel & Pearn firing, Maurice hiring:
Illegal Curve: Jets players. Hear from Andrew Ladd, Blake Wheeler, Zach Bogosian, Dustin Byfuglien, Olli Jokinen and Mark Stuart.
Illegal Curve: GM Cheveldayoff presser. The Jets general manager met with the media and spoke for close to thirty minutes about the firings and the new hiring.
Arizona Republic: Shane Doan says Phoenix Coyotes are ‘not very good’. The Jets 1.0 sit well above 2.0 in the standings (with three games in hand) but are in the midst of a slide.


Pupils bay for Jub Jub's blood
Miranda Andrew and Theo Nkonki
Johannesburg - "If he gets bail, they (pupils) will kill him… If we must, we will petrol bomb them (Maarohanye and Tshabalala)."
So said Kenneth Mbatha, Congress of SA Students deputy chairperson on Wednesday outside the Protea Magistrate's Court in Soweto where hip hop artist Jub Jub, whose real name is Molemo Maarohanye, and his friend Themba Tshabalala appeared for deaths of four pupils.
Emotions ran high in and outside the court as startling details emerged about the drag-racing tragedy that killed the four teenagers.
Both Jub Jub and Tshabalala, were high on morphine and cocaine at the time of the accident on Mdlalose Street, Soweto on March 8, a packed court heard.
Hundreds of angry schoolchildren - brandishing sticks, tree branches and ANC flags - protested outside the building, vowing to "destroy" the two if they were granted bail.
The court was also told that Tshabalala had alcohol in his blood. A breathalyser showed his alcohol levels were 0.4 milligrams of alcohol per 1 000 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 0.24.
'The weapon is coming'
Investigating officer Inspector Mpho Matshidiso testified that the accident had a "shocking effect on the public" and that local residents had threatened to kill both Jub Jub and Tshabalala if they got bail.
Outside the court throughout the day, schoolchildren sang a variety of songs including: "babulala abafowethu" (they killed our friends) in isiZulu, "Asibasabi siya bafuna" (we are not scared of them) and "Viva uyeza umkhonto" (the weapon is coming).
When both accused arrived at court in a Nyala in the morning, other prisoners with him began screaming and singing "ayeye, Jub Jub, ayeye (watch out)" while banging on the insides of the vehicle.
Protesters began stoning police vehicles after midday. Police retaliated with rubber bullets, but no injuries were reported.
Some journalists were prevented from entering Court 6 and forced to move away from the room.
The court heard Tshabalala was a manager at his parents' liquor store in Dobsonville. It had been closed since the crash because his parents were allegedly threatened by local residents.
Drag racing claim questioned
During cross-examination, defence lawyer Ike Motloung questioned whether Jub Jub's popularity had influenced the case.
He also probed Inspector Mpho Matshidiso's collection of statements from witnesses, as some of them did not provide dates and times.
Motloung further challenged allegations the two accused had been drag racing when the accident happened. He said these claims originated with the media.
Matshidiso conceded there was no evidence to prove that in fact the two were racing at the time of the crash.
Two other state witnesses, Community Policing Forum chairperson Mandla Gasa and his deputy Monti Mbatha also said the two accused should not get bail because of the death threats.
Motloung, however argued that the threats were "more perceived than real.
"The message you are sending is that when celebrities get involved in accidents they should not get bail."
Pupils going back to protest
Outside the court, Muthuhandini Madzivhandila, executive manager for the Road Traffic Management Corporation said he wanted justice to be done.
"We want to see offenders punished heavily... We can't manage them on roads because roads are shared space. If they can't share space, they must be removed."
Protesters promised to the return to the court on Thursday.
"Tomorrow if the police attack students, we will come ready, armed with bricks and stones and anything... we are not afraid of them," Cosas's Mbatha said over a loudspeaker.
"We will be attending school here. Jub Jub and his friend will suffer. It doesn't matter if his mother is a businesswoman, he will not get special treatment," he said to cheers.


text:
Anyone know about tarot cards or astrology?
I have a deck of cards and know about tarot. Is there anything you want to know or were you just wondering?
It's mainly about interpretation. Others may believe it's different to that but that's what I think.
I know some... I have a friend thats really good I caught on fast to tarot but dont have my own deck but I got an idea of what your talking bout...
y are u asking such a stupid question???/jkjk!lol
what would you like to know???

domain: hobby


text:
Marketplace Weekend Staff
Nov 28, 2014 How do you balance helping others with your personal financial needs?
Dec 5, 2014 The average monthly cellphone bill has dropped from an inflation-adjusted $151 in 1989 to $47 today.
Jan 7, 2015 Veterans say the Army 's system for correcting records is stacked against them.
Oct 9, 2014 Seniors in 49 states don’t have the money to replace their pre-retirement income.
Oct 1, 2014 Legislation wants the big business of selling tobacco to military members to stop.
Sep 8, 2014 What does that money buy, and how do you know you're not equipping the wrong people?
Sep 8, 2014 A new report says millennials are making savvy use of debit cards to avoid debt.

domain: economics


text:
"So what does myalgic encephalitis mean?" Choua asked.
"Well..well, literally it means... or should mean something about muscles that has something to do with inflammation of the brain," I answered tentatively.
"Good! Now tell me what is encephalomyelitis?" Choua continued.
"Is this thing going to take us anywhere, Choua?" I asked with annoyance.
"Nowhere! That's the point." Choua smiled. "Put it this way in your fatigue book, so people know how absurd this diagnosis is for those who suffer chronic fatigue."
The Canary and Chronic Fatigue by Majid Ali, M.D. - page 125
There are plenty of names for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The following have many symptoms in common and all have the same "unknown cause". Some of the names seem absurd. But it is important to have a good quality name for a disease. Without it, sufferers are often treated with derision.
Partial source: The Disease of a Thousand Names by David S. Bell MD, FAAP
Widespread and prolonged
"There are differences between some of these other outbreaks and CFS, however. Most of the earlier miniepidemics shared these traits: They were usually confined to small geographic areas, and the symptoms eventually disappeared on their own, often within months. By contrast, the CFS of our time knows no geographic boundary and is usually much more prolonged in duration."
Chronic Fatigue Your Complete Exercise Guide, The Cooper Clinic and Research Institute Fitness Series by Neil F. Gordon MD, PhD, MPH

domain: medical


text:
Ask a Question
Please complete this question form so we can get back to you!
Melanesian Wooden Ancestor Figure
Melanesian Ancestor Figure - Solomon Islands?My best guess is this is from the Solomon Islands. Although the accents are of a pigment not the usual shell inlays.Size: 11 H x 3½ W x 4 DCondition: very goodWeight: approx. 1¾ lbs.A striking and nicely...
FAQ / Policies
Site Map ·
Tell a Friend!
our Mailing List ·
Interesting Items - Vintage Collectibles & Folk Art
Post Office Box 86Brady, MT 59416United States
Updated Friday, May 25 2018Product descriptions copyright© 2018 Interesting Items - Vintage Collectibles & Folk ArtAll else copyright© 1995-2018 TIAS.com All rights reserved.

domain: artistic


text:
Financial Transparency Network Now Spans Over 36,000 Municipalities Across All Fifty States
Hopkinton, MA (5/17/17) – ClearGov, a leading municipal transparency and benchmarking platform, has announced today that its network of municipal transparency profiles now covers all fifty states. Over the past two years ClearGov has gathered financial detail on over 36,000 municipalities to create the world’s most comprehensive municipal financial database. The ClearGov Insights™ database now includes over $2.4 trillion in government spending across hundreds of budget categories.
“Governments across the country have made tremendous efforts to make data more open and transparent,” claims Bryan Burdick, President and Co-Founder of ClearGov. “ClearGov is now taking this open data the next mile by making it accessible to the masses and delivering actionable insights to local government leaders.”
The ClearGov team has painstakingly gathered data sets from hundreds of open data portals and FOIA requests and combined them via a unique national chart of accounts. Through ClearGov’s benchmarking algorithm, visitors can easily compare cities and towns against similar communities and gather powerful insights into local spending.
Nearly one hundred communities across six states are already leveraging the ClearGov Insights™ Platform to provide enhanced transparency and financial accessibility to residents and internal stakeholders. One such community, the Village of Rye Brook, NY, has found tremendous value through ClearGov’s platform. “Our residents have a strong desire for transparency and our old way of doing things – flat budgets in PDFs and spreadsheets – just did not meet their needs,” claims Chris Bradbury, Rye Brook Village Administrator. “After a quick and easy implementation, we were able to present our budget numbers in a way that everyone can follow and appreciate, which really enhanced the value of our presentation to the public.”
Government leaders are also mining the ClearGov Insights™ database to make more informed and data-driven budgetary and policy decisions via intuitive benchmarking tools.
“The breadth and scope of the ClearGov Insights™ national database opens up new opportunities for research and sharing of best practices across governments,” said Chris Bullock, CEO and Founder of ClearGov. “We truly feel that this is a watershed moment not only for ClearGov, but also for the open data industry.”
To explore ClearGov’s local government network visit http://www.cleargov.com.
ClearGov transforms city and town financial statements into accessible, easy-to-understand infographics to help citizens better understand how their tax dollars are being put to use. Local governments use ClearGov’s SaaS solutions to reduce operational inefficiencies, make informed budgetary decisions and improve communication with citizens.

domain: finance


text:
Best Kindle eBooks Collection of NKJV, Maxwell Leadership Bible, eBook a create by John C. Maxwell can use downloaded with free registration. And to unsubscribe register, please contact by phone is vakyabooks.com Client that has been provided in the registration. Many of the benefits you get, because in addition to this NKJV, Maxwell Leadership Bible, eBook and other Bestseller eBook in the years, you can also downloading thousands of Kindle eBook, movies, MP3 and other best digital files.
The Leadership expert, John Maxwell, brings an in-depth look at God's laws for leaders and leadership.
The content of the current Maxwell Leadership Bible is revised and updated to incorporate Maxwell's works since the first release of the Maxwell Leadership Bible.
2 New Laws - Law of Addition and the Law of Picture New major articles and new notes throughout the Bible that connect with the new Laws New notes that reflect Maxwell's works since the Feb 2002 release of the Maxwell Leadership Bible, including The 360º Leader, Attitude 101, 25 Ways to Win with People, and Leadership 101 Revised indexes to the 21 Laws of Leadership and the 21 Qualities of a Leader New interior page design
Thank you for your read this NKJV, Maxwell Leadership Bible, eBook in the vakyabooks.com, may be useful for you and we will update it about the latest Kindle eBook and you can download it for free in 30 days trial.

domain: literature


The Mayor of London announced yesterday that £50m is being made available to to regenerate town centres in outer London. This will be welcome news for the outer boroughs that Boris has been accused of neglecting in favour of high profile projects – the Olympics and Crossrail in particular. One of the main planks of Boris’s pledge was to support London’s ‘neglected’ suburbs, a promise Boris no doubt is keen to be seen to fulfil in advance of next year’s mayoral elections.
Outer boroughs will be able to bid for grant funding to help set up local business districts with the aim of improving retail, leisure, culture and arts provision to boost growth. Outer London is home to 60% of the capital’s population, and a third of its ecnomic output is generated from jobs in these areas. However, it needs to work hard to retain its skilled workforce by creating the right conditions for further economic development. On this subject, it’s perhaps worth looking again at a London Councils report published back in 2009 highlighting the importance of outer London in boosting the city’s competitivity and aid economic recovery and making the most of what’s already there rather than siphoning money from inner London.
We’ll be keeping an eye on London’s potential business improvement districts over the coming months so watch this space as the boroughs battle it out for a slice of the pie.


- Uddhav Thackeray is facing worst govt crisis after several MLAs rebelled against MVA alliance
- Congress chief Sonia Gandhi called Uddhav to inquire about current political situation in the state
- NCP leader Supriya Sule also praised Uddhav saying they are emotionally attached to Thackeray family
Maharashtra crisis: Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar on Tuesday dialed Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and inquired about the political situation in the state as he battles his worst government crisis ever.
Speculations are rife that post today's cabinet meeting, Uddhav Thackeray may take some decision on his resignation.
CM Uddhav Thackeray, who leads a coalition government with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Congress in Maharashtra under Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, is on the verge of collapse after over 40 MLAs including senior leader Eknath Shinde rebelled against the party and are camping in Assam's Guwahati.
The rebel MLAs have put forth this argument that the party under Uddhav has deviated from its Hindutva ideology and also accused him of not giving time to his own lawmakers.
In this Sena vs Sena battle, Eknath Shinde's camp had earlier asked Uddhav to leave the unnatural MVA alliance and patch up with the BJP, however, no such move was made by the chief minister.
Backing the government, NCP chief Sharad Pawar had said that they are standing behind Uddhav Thackeray and blamed the BJP for the current government crisis.
On Monday, sources said that ever since this crisis unfolded, Uddhav tried to resign not once but twice, however, Sharad Pawar stopped him from doing so.
Sources said that Uddhav even dialed Leader of Opposition (LoP) and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis but there were no details of their talks.
Prior to this, senior leaders of Congress and NCP met Uddhav on Monday, hours after the Supreme Court kept in abeyance the disqualification proceedings before the Assembly Deputy Speaker till July 11 and sought responses to pleas by rebel MLAs questioning the legality of notices seeking their disqualification.
“We are alliance partners. We will sit together and discuss things,” state Congress chief Nana Patole told reporters outside Matoshri bungalow, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s residence in suburban Bandra, after meeting him late evening. Congress minister and former CM Ashok Chavan also met Thackeray.
The ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress in Maharashtra is battling a political crisis that unfolded last week after Sena minister Eknath Shinde went to Surat in Gujarat and from there to Guwahati in Assam with several Sena MLAs.


text:
CHRIS MARKER | FRANCE | 1983 | 103 MIN | NR | ENGLISH
Part of the Sight and Sound 100 series
BFI’s 2022 Sight & Sound List #59
Fictional elements subtly bleed into Marker’s inspiring 1983 documentary through searing imagery and compelling prose delicately narrated to convey the thoughts of an omniscient world traveler.
Cast: Alexandra Stewart


$99.99 – $70.01
(as of Sep 04, 2023 12:09:02 UTC – Details)
Compatible with AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon LTE networks. This device has been certified for use on the Verizon LTE network. If your device is not receiving messages or experiencing an error when making phone calls on Verizon, you may need to provision your account to support “non-CDMA” devices. To do this, please contact Verizon’s technical support team or your account sales representative for assistance. This device is not compatible with CDMA networks (such as Sprint).
TCL A30 Smartphone
The TCL A30 features a spacious 5.5″ 18:9 HD+ display in a compact body with a dedicated Google Assistant button – a quick and convenient way to get answers on the go. Be artistic with the 8MP rear camera with Pro mode or start a video Chat with the 5 MP selfie camera Facial recognition conveniently unlocks your phone so you can stay on top of social media updates, calls, and emails Big battery, fast processor, and Ample expandable memory help you keep up with your multitasking daily needs.
Display: 5.5” HD+ display (1080 x 2400)
Rear camera: 8MP
Front camera: 5MP
Processor: MediaTek MT6762
Speed and type: Octa-core processor
ROM/RAM: 32GB ROM/3GB RAM
SD support: microSD up to 512GB
Battery: 3000 mAh, removable
Dimensions: 5.74″ x 2.80″ x 0.39″ / 145.75 x 71.10 x 9.95mm
What is included:
1 x TCL A30 mobile phone.
1 micro USB cable
1 charger (5V 1A).
1 quick guide.
1 LCD sticker
Notes: Headphones, SIM card and SD card not included


text:
Microsoft Announces Official Surface RT Pricing, to Start from $499
October 16, 2012 9:30 AM
comment(s) - last by
Microsoft targets iPad pricing
Microsoft has gone official with pricing on its
Surface RT tablets
. Most people have been hoping the Microsoft Surface RT tablets would come in at less than Apple’s hugely popular iPad. However, Microsoft’s pricing puts Surface in close competition with comparable third generation iPads and higher than the iPad 2.
The 32GB Windows Surface RT tablet without the Black Touch cover, which also doubles as a keyboard, is $499. That makes it $100 more expensive than the entry-level Apple iPad 2 at $399. The $499 entry price for the Surface RT tablet puts it on par with pricing for the 16GB “New iPad”.
If you want the Touch Cover with its integrated keyboard, that option is $100 when you order, or $119.99 as an add-on later. You can pre-order the 32GB version with the cover for $599.
The third version has 64 GB of storage and ships with the Touch Cover – it will cost you $699. Any of the three tablet versions can be pre-ordered today with delivery expected by October 26.
Analysts seem to think that Windows 8 tablet pricing is
, however, what do you guys think?
In other Surface news, you can catch Microsoft’s first ad for the new tablet here:
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
RE: stupid stupid price
10/16/2012 5:34:42 PM
developers. Come on, this is easy!
RE: stupid stupid price
10/16/2012 6:51:14 PM
Actually, no. Visual Studio developers. MSDN subscriber developers.
Pretty much the entire Microsoft development community will have access to the tools to build metro apps. When you consider that Vista was deemed a failure with a mere ~200 million sales, its not hard to believe that most developers with immediate "free" access to the tools to build metro apps will do so on the assumption that even a "failed" Windows release will result in a massive market to tap.
This isn't like Windows Phone, where the entire platform needs selling to consumers. Windows 8 will be on lots of PCs that will be selling regardless of how quicly people jump on the new-hardware/post-PC devices.
They've got nearly 4000 apps on a platform that hasn't hit general availability yet. They've got confirmed apps from big names guaranteed to be ready for GA. It's already not a dead platform as far as the ecosystem goes.
RE: stupid stupid price
10/16/2012 7:05:20 PM
I never said that Metro was a dead platform. I've been saying what you did, which is that Windows 8 will be an opportunity for Windows Metro tablet apps to catch on. I've also been saying that the iPhone and iPad currently have the largest and most profitable mobile ecosystem right now. Obviously all of this can change, and part of it is contingent on how many VS developers continue to jump over from desktop to making mobile apps, which of course depends on how many customers start using Metro.
“So far we have not seen a single Android device that does not infringe on our patents." -- Microsoft General Counsel Brad Smith
Analyst: Windows 8 Tablet Pricing Is Too High
October 11, 2012, 9:08 AM
Microsoft Announces 10.6-inch "Surface" Windows 8 Tablet
June 18, 2012, 7:21 PM
BlackBerry Partners with Foxconn for BB10 Devices
December 20, 2013, 10:43 AM
3D Systems Acquires Xerox’s Solid Ink Teams in Oregon
December 18, 2013, 7:54 PM
While FCC Debates Allowing In-flight Voice Calls, Delta is Already Saying “Nope”
December 18, 2013, 12:11 PM
New Mac Pro Launches Tomorrow, Starts at $2,999
December 18, 2013, 10:56 AM
LG Introduces Chrome OS-Powered "Chromebase" AIO
December 18, 2013, 9:46 AM
Google Testing Smart Thermostat in St. Louis
December 17, 2013, 11:43 AM
Most Popular Articles
China's Lunar Rover Enters Orbit, Prepares for Historic Sat. Landing
December 13, 2013, 5:00 PM
Ten Senators Sponsor Bill to Scrap Corn Ethanol Market Manipulation
December 13, 2013, 1:52 PM
China's Moon Rover Lands Safe and Sound, Starts Snapping Pics
December 16, 2013, 1:22 PM
Metro-Enabled Firefox Browser Expected to Land After Two Years of Work
December 12, 2013, 5:21 PM
Top Microsoft Graphics Genius Defects to Google
December 17, 2013, 4:27 PM
Latest Blog Posts
Justice Leaks Details of Next HTC One Two Flagship Phone
Dec 5, 2013, 4:04 PM
Global Cyber Espionage Concerns Reveal Growing Cyber Armies
Nov 29, 2013, 11:04 AM
Is The Period Becoming an Expression of Anger?
Nov 26, 2013, 2:02 PM
NSA and Congress -- You Will Never Kill the Constitution, It's an Idea
Nov 10, 2013, 2:00 PM
AT&T Explores $100B+ USD Deal to Acquire Vodafone's European Operations
Nov 4, 2013, 7:34 AM
More Blog Posts
Copyright 2013 DailyTech LLC. -
Terms, Conditions & Privacy Information


- CICS Tutorial
- CICS - Home
- CICS - Overview
- CICS - Environment
- CICS - Basic Terms
- CICS - Nucleus
- CICS - Transactions
- CICS - COBOL Basics
- CICS - BMS
- CICS - MAP
- CICS - Interface Block
- CICS - Pseudo Programming
- CICS - Aid Keys
- CICS - File Handling
- CICS - Error Handling
- CICS - Control Operations
- CICS - Temporary Storage
- CICS - Intercommunication
- CICS - Status Codes
- CICS - Interview Questions
- CICS Useful Resources
- CICS - Quick Guide
- CICS - Useful Resources
- CICS - Discussion
- Selected Reading
- UPSC IAS Exams Notes
- Developer's Best Practices
- Questions and Answers
- Effective Resume Writing
- HR Interview Questions
- Computer Glossary
- Who is Who
CICS - Control Operations
CICS Program Control Program (PCP) manages the flow of application programs. All the application programs must have an entry in the Processing Program Table. Following are the commands which are used for program control services −
Program Logical Levels
The application programs which execute under CICS have various logical levels. The first program which receives the control directly is at highest logical level, i.e., Level 1. The Linked program is at the next logical level from the linking program. The XCTL programs run at the same level. It will be clear when we will go through Link and XCTL, later in this module. The following image shows the logical levels −
The fundamental explanation of XCTL is as follows −
XCTL command is used to pass the control from one program to another at the same level.
It does not expect the control back.
It is similar to GO TO statement.
An XCTL program can be a pseudo-conversational.
The following example shows how to use XCTL command to pass the control to another program −
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION. PROGRAM-ID. PROG1. WORKING-STORAGE SECTION. 01 WS-COMMAREA PIC X(100). PROCEDURE DIVISION. EXEC CICS XCTL PROGRAM ('PROG2') COMMAREA (WS-COMMAREA) LENGTH (100) END-EXEC.
This command transfers the control to be passed to program 'PROG2' with 100 bytes of data. COMMAREA is an optional parameter and is the name of the area containing the data to be passed or the area to which results are to be returned.
Link command is used to transfer the control to another program at lower level. It expects the control back. A Linked program cannot be pseudo-conversational.
The following example shows how to use Link command to pass the control to another program −
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION. PROGRAM-ID. PROG1. WORKING-STORAGE SECTION. 01 WS-COMMAREA PIC X(100). PROCEDURE DIVISION. EXEC CICS LINK PROGRAM ('PROG2') COMMAREA (WS-COMMAREA) LENGTH (100) END-EXEC.
Load command is used to load a program or a table. Following is the syntax of Load command −
EXEC CICS LOAD PROGRAM ('name') END-EXEC.
Release command is used to release a program or a table. Following is the syntax of Release command −
EXEC CICS RELEASE PROGRAM ('name') END-EXEC.
Return command is used to return the control to the next higher logical level. Following is the syntax of Return command −
EXEC CICS RETURN PROGRAM ('name') COMMAREA (data-value) LENGTH (data-value) END-EXEC.
Interval Control Operations
The interval control operations are of the following two types −
ASKTIME is used to request for current time and date or timestamp. We then move this value to the working storage variable inside the program. Following is the syntax of ASKTIME command −
EXEC CICS ASKTIME [ABSTIME(WS-TIMESTAMP)] END-EXEC.
FORMATTIME formats the timestamp into the required format based on the options, which can be YYDDD, YYMMDD, or YYDDMM for date. DATESEP indicates the separator for the DATE as does the TIMESEP variable for TIME. Following is the syntax of FORMATTIME command −
EXEC CICS FORMATTIME ABSTIME(WS-TIMESTAMP) [YYDDD(WS-DATE)] [YYMMDD(WS-DATE)] [YYDDMM(WS-DATE)] [DATESEP(WS-DATE-SEP)] [TIME(WS-TIME)] [TIMESEP(WS-TIME-SEP)] END-EXEC.


text:
It’s Hollywood awards show season, and apparently the first of them—the Golden Globes—will be on this evening. It has come to this: Hollywood is counting on ratings going up as people tune in to see how they’ll handle the Harvey Weinstein train wreck.
Apparently Hollywood is having second thoughts about the whole matter because they didn’t have the foresight to see how many “good people” it would take down, like Al Franken, Kevin Spacey, etc—a list that is surely not complete yet. So, for example:
When Hollywood’s most prestigious organization, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) — the group of nearly 7,000 actors, directors and other industry types who dole out the Oscars — expelled Harvey Weinstein on Oct. 14,audiences applauded. But by acting so swiftly, a mere nine days after the New York Times first reported allegations of sexual assault against the movie producer, the outfit now finds itself facing a dilemma.
Put simply: What to do with the rest of them?
“Harvey opened the floodgates,” said one male Academy member. “Now the Academy’s drowning in a tide of s—t. They don’t know what hit them.” . . .
“[We] can’t regret [kicking out Harvey] because [we] didn’t really have a choice,” said one male member of AMPAS’ board of governors. “Some members were quite vehement. But [we] didn’t have time to really weigh out the repercussions.”
Then there’s this truly First World Problem:
It is fast becoming the must-wear item of the Golden Globes awards. A little black number to be worn in protest at sexual harassment and abuse in the film industry.
But so popular is the show of support for hundreds of victims of abuse that stylists around Hollywood are tearing their hair out. It seems there just aren’t enough black outfits to go round. . .
Designers and stylists are in a last-minute frenzy, some having more black attire rushed in from their fashion bases in New York.
And just what, I ask, is the carbon footprint of jetting all those black dresses out from New York? Looks like we have another collision at the four-way intersectionality.
Incidentally, Power Line was on this story early.
P.S. If Hollywood actresses are really stuck for a black dress, they can always get this one.


text:
So, I’ve finally gotten to the end of Superman Month/Month of Superman. As usual, it’s been fun going through these different stories. I might be doing it again next year, but I’m not sure yet. Since I went into why I liked Batman a couple of months ago, I might as well see what keeps bringing me back to the Man of Steel. It’s a question I’ve also thought about and I think I have an answer. Don’t worry, folks. It’s not his chiseled chin, the briefs, nor the powers that literally come out of nowhere. That’s right; I’m looking at you, gay pride beams that apparently make little versions of someone!
I don’t know where my fandom actually started. I was first introduced to Superman through the Donner movies and a couple of episodes of an old Superboy series from the 70’s. My first Superman comics (and possibly my first comics) were Superman #82 and The Adventures of Superman #505. I still have the AoS issue and actually repurchased the Superman issue in college. My fandom really began to grow with Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. It’s not the best interpretation of the character, but it had everything a fan would need. My fandom continued to grow through Superman: TAS, the Justice League cartoons, 10 seasons of Smallville, Superman Returns, and Man of Steel. I’ve even built up a nice selection of comics from the 80’s to today. He’s actually the only character I’ve done that for.
So, what is it that keeps me coming back to the character? Is it the powers, the man, or both? I think it’s a lot of things. If I had to pinpoint it, I’d have to say that the man himself that keeps me coming back to the franchise. When you remove all of the “Super” stuff, all you have is a good man who wants to help wherever he can. That’s an important message to send not just to kids but to anybody. The powers are also cool, but they aren’t the only thing to him. He’s just a good guy who stands up for what’s right.
While the powers aren’t the only cool thing about him, they are still cool. I mean, he’s called “Superman!” He’s more powerful than a raging storm! He’s faster than a speeding bullet! He can leap over skyscrapers! He can even heat food with his eyes! Now, I am more a fan of an underpowered Superman. The Superman who can do any and all things is cool, but I like it when he’s challenged. I also like the weird aspects like the Fortress of Solitude.
Huh... looks like my room sometimes.
I also like his supporting cast. Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen (sometimes), and Perry White are great supporting characters. I do like it when his adoptive parents are around, but they’re not always needed. We got Supergirl, Superboy (the Conner Kent variety), Steel, and Krypto around. Then, there’s his friendship with Batman which is great when handled by good writers. I also like his friendships with other superheroes as well.
He’s also got some of the best villains in comics. His gallery may not be as big and diverse as Batman’s, but they aren’t pushovers either. He has villains like Metallo, the Parasite, Toyman, Bizarro, and Intergang to face. He has Brainiac, General Zod, and Mongol who are pretty cool alien villains to battle. While I consider Darkseid to be more of a Justice League villain, he’s more entrenched with Superman than most heroes. Finally, we have Lex Luthor who’s one of my favorite villains in general. As for Mr. Myxylptlk, he’s more like Q from TNG to me than a big threat.
As for what did the character best, Superman: The Animated Series and the Justice League cartoons get my vote. They have good versions of Superman, his allies, and his villains all there. The Donner movies aren’t perfect (well, the first movie gets close) but they have their moments. Man of Steel has its issues, but it brought a nice punch. Smallville did its best to give a different origin and Lois and Clark gave us one of the best versions of Clark Kent. There’s really something for me to like in all the media.
Well, I’m done talking about the Boy Scout who apparently wasn’t one. While I might not do another Superman Month, this isn’t the last you’ll hear of the Man of Steel. Peace, God Bless, and Happy Tuesday! Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go do a little reading.


text:
Prices, specials, features and availability subject to change.
Contact for details
Fonthill Apartments is nestled in a quiet suburban community in the heart of historic Doylestown Borough. With 6 spacious floor plans to choose from with abundant closet space, you will be sure to find the home that is right for you. Professional management and maintenance staff assure you of the carefree lifestyle that you desire in apartment home living. Centrally located in Central Bucks County, with direct access to the best dining, shopping and recreation in nearby New Hope. Fonthill residents are offered the opportunity to experience both country charm and casual sophistication. Our excellent location puts you within minutes of Route 313, Route 611 and Route 202 for easy access to Center City, Philadelphia. Come and stop by today!
Lease terms offered: 12 months.
Pet policy: Cats Only 2 pet maximum, $250 non-refundable pet fee.
Cats Allowed. Call for service animal policy.
Contact Propertyor call
I moved here in 1999, and I still like my old apartment ,it is quiet,very convieniece for me since I do n Read Moreot drive a car.Manager,and maintenance crew are exceptional very good.I do enjoy living here,after 40 years in New York.
May 23, 2015
I'm not with the parking near my building. There is nowhere to park when I come from a long day of work. We ne Read Moreed to have asigned parking spaces at least one per apartment. Thank you very much for this survay.
December 02, 2014
good location, close to Main St. and the shopping plazas. Would possibly like to see the acceptance of grills Read More, maybe create an outdoor area.
November 26, 2014
Although I am still happy with my apartment, over the last few years it seems my building is becoming more of Read Morea college dorm.
November 26, 2014
Creating an account allows you to acccess your saved and contacted properties on any device. Already have an account?
We are experiencing technical difficulties at the moment. Please try again later.

domain: geography


text:
Two con-men who defrauded two pensioners out of thousands of pounds for poor or worthless house and garden “improvements” have been jailed today following an investigation by North Yorkshire County Council’s Trading Standards service.
Bernard Collins, also known as Brian McGinley, and his son Barney Edward Collins, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to defraud.
Bernard Collins also pleaded guilty to money laundering.
He was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment at Teesside Crown Court today, and his son Barney also sentenced to ten months imprisonment.
More top news
Lewis Rider, who turns 23 on September 7th, purchased the scratchcard this week whilst buying a tin of food for his dog, Marley.
The newborn baby boy, who was treated by hospital staff, was found by a dog who started barking to alert his owners.
48-year-old Antony Robinson's partner suffered several fractures and lacerations to her face during the attack.


text:
Opportunists and sectarians on Iran
An analysis of the positions of the IMG (Fourth International) and the Sparticist league on the Iranian revolution
by Dave Stockton
Originally published by Workers Power (Britain) in 1979
Note from the Editor: Workers Power (Britain) and its international organization, the LRCI, were the predecessor organization of the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency.
The International Marxist Group
The United Secretariat of the Fourth International (USEC), and their record of opportunism with regard to the Iranian revolution, will prove a fatal guide to its followers in Iran.
The position they have argued is identical to that of the Mensheviks in pre-revolutionary Russia who argued, against Lenin and the Bolsheviks, that the workers movement should focus on the struggle for bourgeois democratic demands aiming later to utilise the freedoms afforded by bourgeois democracy to build a workers party in preparation for the next stage of the historical process-the struggle for socialism.
In September Tariq Ali outlined the ‘key tasks’ of the fight to overthrow the Shah as -“the establishment of a republic, restoration of trade unions and political parties, free elections on the basic of universal adult franchise to elect a Constituent Assembly in order to draft a constitution, total nationalization of all the oil and multinational companies.”
Ali calls for a bourgeois, not a workers republic. All the measures cited are bourgeois-democratic and the Constituent Assembly is to finalise the bourgeois revolution, to give it constitutional form.
The excuses advanced for the Muslim clergy by Socialist Challenge were introduced with an analogy from a bourgeois revolution – “Charles I too was overthrown by a movement which spoke with a religious voice”. The most Socialist Challenge can muster is a sly wink in the direction of ‘something more’ than a bourgeois revolution taking place in Iran-“such a dynamic will pave the way for more lasting and fundamental changes.”
Is this just a quirk of the editorial offices of Socialist Challenge? Not at all. In an interview with Iranian Trotskyists on 12th October 1978 we find as the sole statement of aims “Iranian revolutionaries must call for the overthrow of the Pahlavi monarchy; its replacement by a republic, and the establishment of a constituent assembly freely elected through universal suffrage.” In an editorial statement on Iran’ (Socialist Challenge 9.11.1978) which was made after the eruption of the massive anti-Shah strike wave the BIG dropped a few gentle hints that a bourgeois revolution was not all that was at stake “Even the most far reaching bourgeois democracy is unlikely to satisfy the needs of the masses… there is the possibility of the masses developing their own organizations of workers power-not simply to get rid of their present ruler, but to seize their own destiny once and for all. ‘
But, these wiseacres continue “The only thing we can predict with scientific accuracy is that ‘everything is possible’ ” Such ‘scientific accuracy’ bears as much resemblance to ‘scientific socialism’ as Old Moore’s Almanac does to Trotsky’s ‘Permanent Revolution’,
The Iranian workers took our ‘scientists’ by such surprise as to force them in the direction of calling for soviets and workers power. But one week later Socialist Challenge was equivocating again. While soviets may be “the most favourable development” the “vital part of our armoury” for the IMG remained the “overthrow of the monarchy, immediate elections, convocation of a Constituent Assembly and freedom to form political parties and trade unions.” (SC l6.11’78)
Socialism, proletarian revolution soviets are for the IMG’s possible ‘favourable development’. Revolutionaries should no doubt produce propaganda about then. But the centre-piece of the IMG/ USFI’s agitation is “a number of interrelated democratic slogans” centring on the Constituent Assembly. (SC 14.12, 1978)
What these ‘Trotskyists’ fail to understand is that soviets and the proletarian revolution are not gifts of the historical process in the absence of which revolutionaries make do with bourgeois democracy. They are the strategic goal to which revolutionaries gear all their tactics.
Nowhere in the IMG/USFI’s material do we even find a clear statement that to be successful in its bourgeois-democratic and anti-imperialist tasks the Iranian Revolution must become a proletarian revolution. All the experience of the major revolutionary upheavals from the First World War underlines the fact that ‘democracy’ is not a consolation prize for a failed revolution. The outcome is almost certainly bloody repression and military dictatorship. A situation like Weimar Germany or Portugal at present is the most ‘favourable’ alternative to such repression and, without a renewed and successful proletarian struggle for power; it will prove but a preparation for it.
With a rosy assurance that ‘at least’ the Iranian revolution will guarantee democracy the IMG/ USFI has started to count its electoral chickens before they have even hatched. They can ignore, or reduce to asides, the tasks of centralising the workers strike committees into soviets, of calling for an armed workers militia, for the preparation of an insurrection to smash the Generals control of the army, for absolute working class independence from the Mullahs and opposition to their plans for an Islamic Republic. Trusting to the Constituent Assembly to institutionalise democratic rights, they see the key task as “to take full advantage of them in terms of developing a socialist press, trade unions and preparing a powerful electoral intervention “in the manner of FOCEP in Peru. (Socialist Challenge 18.11979).
As the Mensheviks before them the Socialist Challenge editors have their eyes fixed on an electoral intervention after the successful bourgeois revolution not on a programme for the struggle for workers power.
The International Spartacist Tendency
The International Spartacist Tendency’s position on Iran is living proof that a sectarian response to opportunism leads to errors as bad if not worse than those of the USE. Starting from a need to contradict the SWP(US) and the Iranian Student milieu the Spartacists raised the slogans “Down with the Shah! Down with the Mullahs!” Positively delighted by the outrage of Iranians-Moslem and socialist, a fact witnessed by their insulting epithet ‘Mullah lovers’, and the chortles of delight about Iranians ‘driven to absolute frenzy by our slogans’ the Sparticists started on the slippery slope to complete abstention from the struggle against the Shah, worse to an endorsement of their own ruling class’s propaganda.
The Spartacists make a series of charges against the Mulish led opposition as a result of which they characterise the movement as one of ‘clerical reaction’. A number of these charges amount to uncritical retailing of the chauvinist rubbish which filled the American press throughout the autumn. The Mullahs they claim wish to restore Iran to the 7th century AD, to the period of “the expansion of Islam by fire and the sword.” They wish to introduce savage Islamic law punishments – stoning, public hanging and whipping etc. They wish to enforce the wearing of the veil and the removal of the rights given to women by the Shah. To this list they add Khomeini’s appetite to slaughter the working class militants on the pattern of the Indonesian mullahs in 1965. They cite his ‘hatred of western civilization’ quoting as fact that the ‘Islamic Republic’ will be simply a brutal military dictatorship.
The Spartacists do not restrict their venom to the mullahs. They see the masses participating in this movement as total dupes, with an appetite for genocide. “But you have to look at the slogans of the movement, restore the clerical lands, restore the veil, ban everything that sort of represents Western Progress, expel the foreign workers. In terms of the indigenous national minorities it could only be intensely genocidal in appetite.” (Workers Vanguard 5.1.1979). Khomeini may well harbour some or all of these desires. Certainly some mullahs undoubtedly do. Reservations do have to be made however even here; Shi’ia Islam explicitly allows re-interpretation by the ulemas of the canonical teachings of Islam. Khomeini – although he opposed the Shah’s reforms on Muslim divorce in 1967 has recently told a visiting delegation of women that he would not bring back polygamy; “One wife is enough” he remarked. (Time 5.2.1979). Also among his disciples in Paris were a number of unveiled women, and despite the recrudescence of veil-wearing (in itself an act of defiance against the Shah’s regulation outlawing it) it is plainly untrue that the movement is explicitly for the return of women to the seclusion of the home and their submission to barbaric punishments. Such a movement could hardly draw into street protests and confrontation with the troops vast numbers of women veiled and unveiled.
As for the national and religious minorities as we have warned an Islamic Republic is likely to prove a severe threat to their rights and liberties but it is wrong to say the movement at present is consciously aimed at them. Large contingents of Jews and Azerbaijanis took part in the demonstrations in January and were loudly cheered by the crowd. Afghan workers’ homes have been guarded against pogromists whipped up by Bakhtiar’s campaign against ‘communist Immigrants’ and the call for foreign workers to get out was raised by Arab speaking workers in the oil fields against the highly paid English and American (overseers and ‘experts’). Other charges are similarly gross distortions worthy of the capitalist yellow press. Khomeini, the Spartacists tell us, “wishes to restore feudal privileges, to restore the church lands to this parasitical caste.” (WV 5.l.1979). Khomeini has uttered no statement about undoing the land reform and his peasant supporters would be more than surprised to hear it.
Why do the Spartacists have to retail this collection of half-truths and unsubstantiated claims? The answer is simple; they wish to abstain from support of the mass struggle against the Shah. When they say ‘Down with the Shah!’ they in fact include a proviso-only if it is the workers led by communists who do it. They oppose absolutely any military co-operation with the non-proletarian oppositionists. This position would mean abstention from the demonstrations, from the confrontations with the troops (called ‘suicidal’ in Workers Vanguard – 15.12.1978). In the event of an uprising and barricade fighting between the army and the people it would again mean abstention. To justify this absurd and reactionary position the Spartacists have gone all the way to whitewashing the Shah himself. “What we need is a party that can transcend this kind of national chauvinism and counter pose a proletarian class axis to the current instability. In the absence of that one could more easily justify giving support to the Shah, as the Soviet Union clearly is doing, than to these Muslim clerical reactionaries, because if they are able to consolidate power all the evidence is it could only be worse than Indonesia for the working class, for the peasants for the nations!, minorities and the women.” (Workers Vanguard 5.l.1979) (Our emphasis, WP)
Let us assume that the Spartacists do not wish to become ‘State Department Socialists’, then how do they end up with these absurd and shameful positions? Basically they leave Imperialism out of account. For them a direct military intervention is the sole condition under which the opposition could be given military support. The Shah, installed by a CIA engineered coup and supported by thousands of CIA and military advisors is an agent of American and British Imperialism.
The American ‘advisors’ enjoy extra-territorial status in Iran. American capital exploits Iran, drawing super profits from its oil, from its industry and from agriculture. Iran is in Lenin’s terms a semi-colony. The masses, despite all their illusions, are struggling against this Imperialism. If the USE draw from this the conclusion that working class can simply tail the mullahs if they refuse to pose the central need for working class independence and leadership then the Spartacists turn this on its head. The mullahs are simply reactionary-identical to reactionary petit bourgeois movements in Imperialist countries like the Poijjadists in France.
Whilst we in no way hide that the positive goals of the mullahs are not and cannot be those of the working class we do argue that Trotskyists must participate in the actions against the Shah and the Generals. Whilst arguing for proletarian independence in strategic goals (workers and peasants republic) for consistent democratic demands (including secularisation), for proletarian tactics (mass strike, workers militia, winning over the rank and file of the army, for the armed insurrection, the workers must be willing to ‘strike together’ with the mullahs, bazaaris, students, peasants etc, i.e. to form a de facto anti-imperialist military united front. In Trotsky’s words “We do not solidarise ourselves for a moment with the illusions of the masses; but we must utilize whatever is progressive about these illusions to the utmost, otherwise we are not revolutionists but contemptible pedants.” (Trotsky on Spain)

domain: politics


text:
Bring a touch of East Village flair to your home with this beautifully crafted illustration of Superiority Burger. Known for its delicious vegan cuisine and fast-casual atmosphere, this iconic restaurant is now available in a stunning piece of art that is sure to be a conversation starter in any room. This illustration makes a great gift for anyone who loves vegan food or is a fan of the East Village.
Featuring intricate details and vibrant colors, this print captures the essence of Superiority Burger and its commitment to delivering delicious and sustainable food. Display it in your kitchen, dining room, or office to add a touch of New York City to your decor.
Shop now and elevate your home with this gorgeous conversational piece. Superiority Burger illustration, a must-have for any art collection.
110lb. card stock, smooth finish
*Frame not included. Final sale. No returns or refunds.
Not affiliated with restaurant/establishment.
Takes about 2 weeks to receive.


text:
BiCT s.r.l is an italian SME focusing on the R&D and production of enzymes and secondary metabolites from both native sources (plant, animal and microorganism) and recombinant DNA techniques. The company expertise relies on a team of experienced professionals, in development and scale-up of cell cultures – bacteria, yeasts, plants and mammalian cells – for industrial production of enzymes, peptides and secondary metabolites. BiCT has an experience in bulk pharmaceutical ingredients production through biocatalysis, based on batch or column processes – free and immobilized enzymes – alongside process scale-up and upstream/downstream efforts related to biocatalysis.
Role in the project:
BiCT is involved in the enzymatic step for the synthesis of the agrochemical compounds.

domain: biology


text:
Dear SEEN Community,
This week’s email is short and sweet, with three upcoming opportunities for you to join us. There are lots of ways to get involved, and these are just some of the next events on the calendar!
Monday, February 28th at 8 p.m.
- SEEN is hosting our next General Meeting! Taking place on Zoom, this will be one of the first opportunities for us to come together to discuss our recent programming, what we’re reading, watching, listening to, and where we want to go next. Going beyond an email to read, click, and eventually delete, this meeting is about the community we’re building, a chance to reintroduce ourselves, and an opportunity to plan and act. Please register online and share about the meeting with your friends.
- The stakes could not be higher at the District level right now, as equity initiatives, board elections, and more are in the balance. Our community’s ability to come together at the polls, in person, and even on this Monday night are central to progress over peril.
Sunday, February 27th from 2-4 p.m.
- The Youth Affinity Group will meet up at C.R.E.A.T.E. Community Studios at 70 Beekman Street for art making, snacks, and friendship for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth ages 10-13 and 14-18 years old in Saratoga. The Youth Affinity Group is a joint program of SEEN, C.R.E.A.T.E. Community Studios, Stomping Ground, and Saratoga Black Lives Matter. For more information, contact email@example.com.
Monday, March 7th at 5:30 p.m.
- The Baldwin Saratoga reading, discussion, and art-making group will meet at C.R.E.A.T.E. Community Studios. The spring series will focus on James Baldwin’s Collected Essays, and their relevance to contemporary life. Three free copies were distributed through SEEN’s Little Free Libraries, and copies are available at a 20 percent discount if you inquire at the desk at Northshire. Our first session will center around Baldwin’s August 1965 essay for Ebony, “White Man’s Guilt,” in which he argues that history is not to be read, but that “we carry it within us,” a provocative starting point for discussion, especially in a town with a slogan of “Health, History and Horses.” Baldwin Saratoga is a collaborative project between C.R.E.A.T.E. and SEEN, with support from Humanities New York and rooted in their James Baldwin’s America program. Each session is designed so that even those who have not completed the reading can participate in discussion, and art-making is inspired by the readings or relevant Black artists, giving everyone different ways to think about the materials.
We hope to see you at one (or all) of these events!!
~ The SEEN Team


text:
When I saw you there, hunched into the corner of a nearby building, I let out a small shriek. You spun around, besprinkling hundreds of droplets through the air, decorating the surrounding flora with drops of dew like a cool spring morning. A gentle breeze caressed my cheek, as if Mother Nature herself knew something magical was about to happen.
You met my gaze. You had eyes like I’ve never seen before; impassioned and fierce, yet kind. In that moment an intimacy like no other was forged between us, the kind of intimacy that can only be fostered between two people making direct eye contact while one of them carries out a bodily function. It was electric.
My dog lifted his tiny leg to pee, in what I can only assume was an act of camaraderie. You nodded slowly and said, “Game recognizes game.” The voice of an angel graced my ears. I just knew my future partner would be an animal lover.
The crowd grew as you continued peeing. You must’ve been actively urinating for 3 solid minutes, or perhaps time stood still when our souls collided. Hard to say. People gathered, perhaps drawn in by spectacle or perhaps by the gravity of our connection.
I breathlessly scratched my number down and placed it in your free hand, but you dropped it when you were placed under citizen’s arrest by that middle-aged mom. You fell so gracefully when she tackled you, it reminded me of when I fell for you, but mere moments ago. Funny, it feels like a lifetime.
You never know when your life will change forever. One minute you’re walking your dog en route to the local bagelry, the next your mind is flooded with dreams of testing decadent wedding cakes, raising adorable children, and contesting public urination fines in local court.
Please respond to this ad, I can’t stop imagining what might’ve been. Also if you haven’t eaten a beet in the last 24 hours please see a doctor. I love you.


Kestrel Ballistics' highly-anticipated new handheld meter for long-range shooters is available now
An article from the SSUSA vault on the 6.5 Creedmoor, prior to its rapid rise in popularity as a cartridge that offered the qualities and capabilities of older long range rifle rounds, minus the excessive recoil. The 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge excels at not only Camp Perry and Camp Atterbury ranges, but also the plains of Africa.
Top Shooter Paul Phillips was using an Applied Ballistics rifle chambered in .416 Barrett, engaging targets between 1500 and 2000 yards at Camp Atterbury
Our friend Emil Praslick shares how to determine the wind direction with an optic. Watch his video right now. You won’t regret it
The bullet design work these guys are doing is exciting, should help expand the capabilities of military snipers, and the tech should eventually reach the civilian market
Who doesn’t love their Kestrel? No more dope, no more Kentucky windage—now it’s all about truing with perfect data using science
The team at Applied Ballistics have compiled one great set of precision shooting articles on their website


text: After escaping from her controlling boyfriend Mark, Lisa has started a new life in a remote village in Cornwall. She's painting again, and she's made good friends in the close-knit community. Her only regret is losing Grayson, the man she'd fallen in love with. When he finds her again, Grayson awakens desires she'd forgotten, and Lisa discovers a deeper love than she ever thought possible. But if she wants a future with him, she'll have to revisit the shadows of her past and confront the demons she thought she'd left behind.


Episode 260 (Mar. 1/19)
Chatting with Alex Whorms and playing her new single "Sunset" before the single release show Saturday at ZYLA's music and menu.[Alex Whorms & Ailish Corbett at Zyla's - Single Release Show!]
THE BEACH BATS are here to share some new music off their upcoming album Last Resort
- 7:04One Last TimeOne Last Time
- 7:42Last ResortHow Long
- 7:56Last ResortCursed
CFMU NEEDS YOU! Campus/community radio faces an uncertain future in Ontario. Show your support through word of mouth, social media shares, and of course, donations!


text:
Fresno State and Nevada will each pay the WAC $900,000 over the next five years to leave for the Mountain West Conference. That may sound like a lot, but the WAC thought it could collect a $5 million penalty, and Fresno State may actually be making money on the move.
You won't see the emotions of a big win on the field on the faces of Fresno State administrators, but they are celebrating a win Thursday.
Fresno State's move to the MWC is now official, and although it'll come a year later than planned and at a high cost in exit fees, it's a big jump for the Bulldogs.
"This is a little bit longer road than we would've liked, but at the same time, all roads lead to the same place and that's the Mountain West Conference and the prestige that being in that league brings," said Fresno State athletic director Thomas Boeh.
Fresno State missed a July 1 deadline to leave the WAC and broke a solidarity agreement to make the jump, which the conference claimed should result in a $5 million exit fee. But moving to the mountain west means more a lot money from football and basketball -- enough of a difference to more than make up for the exit fees.
"We will realize a dramatic increase in revenue from the Mountain West Conference, so essentially the first five years, we'll get a little less than we normally would've," said university president Dr. John Welty.
WAC commissioner Karl Benson had harsh words for Fresno State and Nevada when the schools announced their intentions in August, calling them both selfish. Even after forcing both schools to stay an extra year, and negotiating exit fees, he's not happy. "I don't think I'm prepared to say it's a good deal or a bad deal," Benson said. "It's a deal that's been done and it's time to move forward."
Fresno State will be a lame duck for about 20 months in the WAC, but administrators don't think the athletes will even notice. And they have a plan for this last year-and-a-half.
"What we'll probably try to do is utilize the time by winning WAC championships as much as we can," Boeh said.
WAC revenue shares are expected to be about $750,000 for each school this year. Fresno State won't get its share for its last season in the WAC, so along with the exit fee, that's a total loss of about $1.6 million. But because of the difference in conference revenues, they believe they'll make up the money in less than three years.


text:
Brilliant to have all the options in one kit, genius idea from Aspire
Aspire Quad-Fkex Survival Kit - Black
Fantastic kit, I've tried all the combinations and they all work great. I've knocked off 2 stars because of bad customer service. I ordered a Black kit but received a silver kit instead. I filled out the contact form to raise this issue but did not get a reply back. I got fed up waiting so am now using the silver kit although I specifically wanted black to match the rest of my mods and atomisers.


text:
On August, my neighbor shared me some bean seeds.
Then I sowed them soon.
These are a kind of kara Sumatera or kara krupuk (Phaseolus lunatus).
Actually, I have similar kara like this, but it may the variety is different.
This variety has slimmer leaves.
You can check my first variety here.
This was the kara row on the late of August, about ten days after sowed.
And here the vine today.
Climbing on the wall and also citrus twigs.
Looks so plain, but when we notice, we will find lots of beans are hanging on the vine.
Hmmm... so lovely...
They are curly bean like as the first variety that I have.
Some flowers are produced on the leaf axils.
I love it...

domain: agronomy


text:
By Afe Babalola
A few weeks ago, the organised labour announced its decision to call out workers on a nation wide strike to press home the need for an increase in the national minimum wage which as at today is fixed at N18,000 under Section 1 of the The National Minimum Wage Act Cap. N61 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (As Amended). The section for the avoidance of doubt reads as follows:
Employer to pay minimum wage
(1) As from the commencement of this Act, it shall be the duty of every employer (except as provided for under the principal Act as amended) to pay a wage not less than a national minimum wage of N18,000.00 per month to every worker under his establishment.
The decision of labour was said to have been based on the refusal of government to accede to a previous agreement for an upward review of the minimum wage to the sum of N30,000. In the statement announcing the strike, the Unions stated as follows:
“It has become imperative at this time that Nigerians recall the events that led to the last nation-wide strike which forced the federal government to return to Negotiation table that they had earlier abandoned. Nigerians should not forget the promises made by the same Government while pledging to return to the negotiation table leading to the suspension of the strike action…It is not true that we proposed N30,000 as the new national minimum wage. It is also not true that the committee did not agree on a figure during its last sitting. We accepted N30,000 as a compromise to demonstrate the willingness of Nigerian workers to make sacrifices towards nation building…If nothing is responsibly done by the federal government to meet our demands, on Monday, the 6th day of November, we shall embark on a nation-wide strike to compel this government to show more sensitivity to the plight of Nigerians and the suffering that is decimating our people on daily basis.
However, following last minutes meetings, the strike was called off thereby saving Nigerians the hardships that strikes have come to represent over the years. Regrettably, it appears that things are far from settled. Hours after the strike was called off, divergent accounts emerged as to what exactly had been agreed between labour and government. While the Unions stated that the agreement was for N30,000, some government officials insisted that the said amount was simply a recommendation which government was still at liberty to reject. Luckily President Buhari was latter announced to have agreed to the sum of N30,000. Again just as Nigerians began to celebrate the victory recorded by Labour, the governors added another discordant tune when they argued that payment of the proposed new minimum wage would be practically impossible and would as a matter of fact, cripple most states which at the moment find the payment of salaries based on the existing minimum wage to be a real struggle. Speaking out on the issue, the Governor of Ebonyi state declared emphatically that 95% of the states would be unable to pay the proposed minimum wage. He was reported to have stated that:
“The federal government collects 52 per cent of the revenue from the federation account and when I tried to put the N30,000 figure to Local Government Areas (LGA) it means they will borrow N1billion to add to their allocation, in paying salaries.I will definitely not be a governor to govern such a state and will never preside over a state that will allocate 100 per cent of its earnings to pay salaries…There is no governor or political office holder that signs cheques but civil servants as the country’s leaders and labour are just putting water inside a basket and praying God to hold it with this minimum wage issue,…We should determine how much should be allocated to education, health, infrastructure among others if 100 per cent of earnings are used to pay workers salaries…Many states are experiencing various problems and cannot pay salaries but the people condemn their governments over their inability to provide good roads and other amenities.
Confirming this view, the Governor of Ekiti State a few days ago stated that the State would require an additional 2 Billion Naira per month to be able to pay 30,000 as minimum wage.
Without a doubt, many states have since the drop in oil revenue accruing to the federation which in turn led to a drop in the allocation to the states from the Federation account, struggled to pay salaries. Such was the extent of the problem that a bill was introduced on the floor of the House of Representatives last year titled; A Bill for an Act to Prohibit Late Payment, Non-Payment and Under-payment of Workers’ Wages, Pensions and other Emoluments in Nigeria and Prescribe Penalties for Violations and other Related Matters. It was in my estimation, one of the most well intentioned bills conceived in modern times in Nigeria. According to its sponsor, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila of Lagos State, the bill was designed to ensure that every employer of labour whether private or public pays the wages, salaries, pensions and all benefits of its workers workers promptly without any delay weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly as may be agreed by parties in the contract of employment of the individual employee. That Bill unfortunately was withdrawn by the sponsor to allow for further consultation.
However, with the current situation, there is an imminent face off between labour and the federal government on the one hand and labour and the state governments on the other hand. While labour is grappling with the Federal Government to ensure that the decision of President Buhari to accept N30,000 becomes a reality by an amendment to the existing provisions of The National Minimum Wage Act, Labour must contend with the State governments who insist that they cannot pay the sum of N30,000 as minimum wage. This development therefore necessitates that all parties involved take the time to study the issues revolving round what should be the minimum wage in Nigeria and in my estimation, one of those issues is whether it is really practicable to have the minimum wage determined or set only at the national level as obtains in Nigeria. In other words, questions must be asked as to why the national minimum wage is set by the federation when in reality economic realities differ across the states which are required to implement the said minimum wage. Would it not be better if each state is allowed, taking into consideration factors peculiar to it, in determining what it can or should pay as minimum wage? In stating this I am not unaware of the fact that what The National Minimum Wage Act prescribes is a minimum below which no employer can pay and that therefore states can and in some instances, do pay above the prescribed minimum. However what I propose is a system in which the issue of wages is moved from its current spot on the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list enabling state legislatures to also pass laws on wages. The immediate advantage of this, as I will show next week with examples from other countries, is that labour will be able to discuss directly with state governments thereby bringing about a situation in which wages payable in a locality will reflect the peculiarities of that locality.
To be continued.


text:
You need to upgrade your Flash Player in order to play this game.
Love The Last Stand? Play More Games!
The The Last Stand Game is copyright © to its respective owner.
Play the The Last Stand game! Survive the night fighting off zombies from your barricade. Good luck and have fun playing!


text:
Eternals will see a brief Kit Harrington and Richard Madden screen reunion. From what I’ve heard the pair only share the screen for one scene, and it’s the first time they have appeared on screen together since Game of Thrones. However, that was very early Game of Thrones. Season 1 episode 2 to be precise. Whilst Madden remained on the show for the first three seasons before his shocking death, the characters they played never met again. That didn’t stop Harrington and Madden from forming a friendship through their shared experience gaining stardom through Thrones.
Harrington , speaking with Variety recently commented on how little actual screen time they have had together.
“Yeah, if you add up all the scenes that me and Richard have shot in anything, “Thrones” and this, I think it comes in at about four scenes. Isn’t that weird? But there’s so much focus, from my part anyway, on me and Richard’s interaction in this. And it just goes to show that people create longer stories and histories for these characters than is actually there. I find that fascinating.”
However Harrington explains that the pair still enjoyed the reunion, however brief it was.
“We had a big hug. We’ve been close friends for a long time. We had a shared experience of “Thrones” in the first three seasons — the three seasons that Richard was in — where it sort of blew up and became this Goliath of a show. And, you know, we were both 23. We’d kind of came up together and that creates quite a special bond. So actually, we have a very close friendship, but screen time doesn’t reflect that.”
RELATED: Kevin Feige Teases What If? Characters In Other Mediums
Having not seen Eternals, I have no idea if Madden survives the movie. I’m pretty much 100% that Harrington’s Whitman does. If the pair are both still around it would be cool to see them have a bit more time together on screen in a future project. They had great chemistry in those early Thrones episodes.
Are you looking forward to seeing the Kit Harrington and Richard Madden screen reunion, or would you rather it was more substantial than it seems to be in Eternals? Thoughts below as always.