Letter on the attacks, the question of the estates and of religion, addressed to some English-speaking friends
Translated from here
2nd December 2015:
I fully agree with the content of the letter of André Dréan (whose critical contributions on a range of topics in recent years seem to me essential), as with the fact that criticism of radical Islam is necessary, beyond the eternal economistic and purely geopolitical pitfalls 1 and without abandoning the critique of religion, including Islam.
The texts disseminated by the media and anti-authoritarian organizations since the attacks, with few exceptions, are really bad, when not purely and simply disgusting. And it is surprising that one of the few articles 2 which dares to undertake a critique of religious development in France was written by “Arab militants,” a rather reformist group (whose perspectives I do not particularly share), with examples taken from a critical observation of reality. These examples, if they do not necessarily concern all the “banlieues”/”suburbs” of France, still fall within the context of the development of Islam where people from the Muslim culture live. And so, of course, of the conservatism that it essentially comprises.
Who can deny, for example, that the wearing of the veil has exploded breathtakingly in recent years? In La Paillade and other major poor districts of Montpellier, this probably involves half the girls from Muslim cultural backgrounds (even though in other places it is sometimes a lot less). Of course, the girls in question “choose” to wear it sometimes for other than purely religious reasons. But we are still very far from the emancipatory logic of a confrontation with what oppresses individuals. As for religious references, they are now ubiquitous in everyday conversations amongst the young from disadvantaged neighborhoods.
The merit of the article is to analyze the reasons for this development, without the wooden language and the good conscience that prevails in leftist and anti-authoritarian milieus (which nowadays merge to a great extent) where considerations of this kind are rare. Whereas, for example, Hafed Benotman3 already provided, a few years ago, a valuable analysis of the development of Islam (radical version) in French prisons in an interview4, which still gives us some keys to our understanding of the current situation. [note: He basically says that the French administration of prisons was not against the fact that many prisoners turned Muslim: they stopped fighting against their incarceration or getting involved in prison movements, as they were supposed to accept their sentences as fate]
For some time, in the anti-authoritarian milieu, it has been fashionable to criticize a certain tendency supposedly showing disinterest in the life of the “suburbs” and “estates”. The problem is posed in the following terms: the lack of presence of anti-authoritarian activists in the “suburbs” in question.
Reflections of this type are often the fruit of leftist and activist visions, whose clear objective is to seduce from the outside these people who are basically seen as different, and to do this based on the lowest common denominator (anti-imperialism, the struggle against “specific” forms of discrimination, partial critiques of the state of things, the valorisation of collective identities and of a pretence of belonging to a community, etc.). This is what demagogy and populism are about.
This approach often assumes that young people on the estates should “politicize” their revolt. Whereas, of course, many inhabitants of poor neighborhoods (estates and others), immigrants or of immigrant origin, are involved in struggles – in the workplace and other social spheres of daily struggle – pretty much everywhere. And it is among small groups of young people from the estates that direct confrontations with the police are the most developed (with attacks every day) 5
The groups and organizations which I have spoken about of course find it difficult to supersede their quantitative activist logic. And they ignore the fact that for many comrades (generally outside organizations) life in the “neighborhoods” and the references to what estates are associated with are nothing extraordinary: either because they come from these places or are close to them. It’s logical, and it is nothing new: see the texts of Os Cangaceiros from the 1980s 6.
It can be embarrassing that individuals claiming to fight against existing misery are unfamiliar with certain rather basic proletarian realities. But the guilty conscience they have shown vis-à-vis some of the population, which contributes towards closing them up in the categories promoted by the dominant system, is even more so. Emphasizing the realities which are allegedly “specific” to such and such a group, they affirm above all a fragmented and victimist discourse (which is also unrelated to themselves) via a hierarchy of suffering, which is then, in turn, used to valorise a particular category, whose alleged members suffer more because they’re victims of more discrimination than others. And it is these arguments that form the basis of the new “racialist” wave [SF note: “racialist” – a term indicating a perspective that still divides people according to “race” without supporting the dominant – white – “racial” hierarchy and without being racist in the normal sense of the word; it’s often a concept produced by “whites” who feel guilty] with its “theory” of so-called “white privilege”, its “social races” and other nebulous concepts. Moreover, if one’s going to use categories, why not create new ones? Reality provides us with the basis for doing so, almost without limit: disabled people, those with unhappy childhoods, incarceration, addiction, illnesses, etc.
The result of this demagogic approach is the maintenance of a stereotypical segmentation (which like all stereotypes have some truth), which is very common in France, namely the difference between the estates and the rest of the country, coming historically from, at one and the same time, a fear of crime, racist clichés and class prejudices.
And in speaking the words of the enemy, we necessarily end up adopting its language.
Estates, suburbs, etc.
To clarify the matter, it is quite common to consider that there exists a “normal” France and a France of the estates. The generic terms used in French – “estates” (referring to public housing) and “banlieues” (suburbs) – are also very imprecise.
It often makes an amalgamation of poverty, immigration and crime with council house estates, which implies their location is on the outskirts of towns. And it therefore prevents a more complex understanding of reality. With nuances like the following:
– The poor neighborhoods of France are not limited to estates;
– Estates are not always located in the suburbs (there are rich and poor suburbs, and estates in the centre of towns, in villages, etc.);
– The size of estates or of popular neighborhoods varies greatly (some large districts, which are commonly called “estates”, such as La Paillade in Montpellier or L’Ariane in Nice – with about 40,000 and 30,000 inhabitants respectively – are in fact sets of estates and of residential housing);
– In the estates, the proportion of inhabitants originating from immigration varies (they may even be a minority);
– The origins of the inhabitants vary greatly from one place to another; there are many multicultural estates where no origin is really dominant (La Noue in Montreuil and Bagnolet), just as there are some where there’s a norm (in La Paillade the majority are Berbers from Morocco; in the estate of Gély, also in Montpellier, the vast majority are Spanish gypsies);
– ‘Immigrants’ are not all from poor countries, and not all of them live in estates or in poor neighborhoods;
– There are miserable neighborhoods or homes in large, medium and small towns and even in rural areas.
La Paillade, Montpellier, with local Mosson football stadium in the background
Also the estates and suburbs are associated with culturally specific stereotypes, elements and references (including rap, graffiti, the influence of foreign cultures, a typical accent), particular phenomena (delinquency, gangs, gang rape, hash dealing). And all this is meant to form a separate reality from the rest of France, where the “French” live, although recently and under the influence of theories from American universities the term “white” is used.
Incidentally, each of these terms are as absurd as the other: quite a large amount of French people have foreign origins which are more or less recent, many individuals called “immigrants” are of French nationality, and as for what are termed whites – they aren’t limited to Europe because many people from Kabylia, Armenians, various Middle Easterners (Syrians, etc.) and Asians are all more white than anything else, as are most of the Kosovar, Bosnian and Chechen immigrants, or the Yenish “nomadic” people, etc. It would be ludicrous to attribute special privileges/preferences to them, except perhaps in terms of the possibilities of revolt the rather disadvantaged place offered to them within French society could provide them with (and isn´t it the only “privilege” that directly interests us). But then again it seems that these realities are more or less unknown to some anti-authoritarians.
Of course, the main generalisations here are not entirely false, but they are mostly overgeneralised. It is true that estates are socially homogeneous: their inhabitants are poor (albeit with different nuances: for example, that between workers and unemployed people or those on social benefits); in towns they are often located outside of the centre; in general, many “immigrants” live there (of which a significant proportion come from Maghreb countries).
One cannot deny that life on the estates has particular aspects, which gives their inhabitants a certain identification with their living conditions and common social practices.
But when one wants to generalize from this and draw an accurate outline of what is specific to estates, we quickly fall into schematic caricature. For it is not easy to distinguish what concerns life on the estates from what are particular cultural aspects (Arab culture, etc.), from the habits of youth, from references to petty delinquency, from social difficulties common to “immigrants” or to the proletariat in general, etc.
These phenomena have contact points, but taken altogether they form in the imagination a vision of those who are the “people of the estates,” stuffed full of clichés, frozen and reductionist.
It is obvious that young people from the estates, living in places where there’s a heavy concentration of population and poverty is important, are more exposed to certain phenomena (exclusion, crime, unemployment, prison). Or for those of foreign origin, sometimes torn between the norms of their cultures of origin and those of France and facing racism, identity problems are often complex.
No need to be a sociologist to know that most youths on the estates are found in the vocation-oriented high schools, with other youths from proletarian backgrounds, immigrants or not, and that the daughters and sons of the poor tend to become poor themselves.
Since our logic and our goals don’t have much to do with those of the specialists, it might be interesting to analyze some of these phenomena, but mainly in order to put forward perspectives that enable us to end separations (real or exaggerated). In short, that these reflections inform our practice, rather than serve as a way of maintaining specialized disciplines, which are doing very well without us. Although we know that social problems and academic theories increasingly tend to get confused, to the entire benefit of the latter.
The issue of allegedly belonging to the world of “estates” and “suburbs” is of no interest, nor is splitting things up (into estates/other types of areas), since it’s necessary to supersede these things, both from now on and in the long run in a definitive manner, through the negation of the existing social order and its practice.
Contrary to the cliché promoted by budding sociologists from the “libertarian” milieu, many rebels come from estates or poor areas, regardless of whether or not they’re of (more or less recent) immigrant origin. It’s enough to just look a little beyond the milieus most invaded by academia, or just simply beyond activist circles.
And the rebels in question often take care avoid being equated with categories: why would they want to be identified according to the place where they grew up (with all the stereotypes that that implies), or some alleged ‘racial’, cultural or community sense of belonging. Society, family and the community have already pushed them enough: it’s better to leave them to play this tune – and the same goes for the recuperators. From the rapper Rost to the comedian Djamel Debbouze via Lilian Thuram or the Indigenous of the Republic 7, those who claim to represent others know perfectly well how to use them.
Traditions, religion and Islam
It’s this which has made us, S [girlfriend of author] and me, sick to the stomach for several months hearing what the populist anti-authoritarian milieus say about Islam – they divert attention from the attitudes of individual revolt against the family, the traditions and pressures of all sorts (direct and indirect) suffered by individuals from a Muslim culture within their homes and their “community” (as in all homes inspired by religion, in most other homes in different ways, and within what is generally called “communities”).
But obviously, when one wishes to seduce and mobilize, it is best to base oneself on what is likely to gather people together beyond classes and beyond concrete struggles: for example, based on pseudo-communities (most young people of immigrant origin, except for 2-3 annual festivals, don’t give a toss about them any more than they do about the good old days, if indeed they recognise their existence). Belonging to an alleged community, when it is accepted, often involves marriage in the community, submission to its rites, traditions and community standards, and more generally to multiple forms of conditioning, of which the family is a fundamental conveyor. It is the critique of all this that can and should help to connect us, just as it has connected communities of struggle (the only ones that potentially interest us) and the individuals who have participated in these over decades.
Any notion of existing community (national, ethnic, religious) is reductionist, and plays a policing role: to stay only amongst people from Cape Verde, from Corsica, from Tunisia etc. according to the needs of managers, representatives and spokespersons. And anyone who has a minimal knowledge of the logic of the communities at work around us can only be alarmed at the idea that they could be integrated into an anti-authoritarian logic.
All are criss-crossed with various forms of particularism, of chauvinism, of internal separations (by region, ethnic groups, castes of origin, skin color, religion, etc.). Amongst Laotians: differences between Lao and Hmong and Thai Dam; amongst Algerians between Kabyle, Arab, “Harkis” (and their sons and grandsons); amongst the Malagasies, the Merina and “those from the coast”; amongst gypsies from Spain, the Catalans and the Andalusians… to name just a few concrete examples of separations and divisions I know of. If the logic of community does not exclude links of solidarity between their “members” (that’s the least one could expect), the other side of such a logic is too problematic for us to form valid bases for struggle and recognition between individuals.
As for Islam, its recent boom shows us the obvious. You need a helluva demagogic discourse to accommodate yourself to its consequences, or to pass over them in silence (which is what a lot of anti-authoritarians do behind their discourse about struggling against Islamophobia).
Barely a teenager, and whilst society was still far from the current influence of religious phenomena, what I observed in areas of Nice (which mainly concerned close friends), I’d already found unbearable. The same goes for S. in the various neighborhoods of Toulouse where she grew up and lived, like Bourbaki or Les Izards (the latter having made the headlines in March 2012 with Mohamed Merah 8, then in 2014 for the series of murders that happened).
I am talking here about extreme forms of sexual repression, of masculine domination, the emphasis on virginity and marriage, and everything that religious phenomena can generate in the way of frustration, false consciousness and manipulation in order to force individuals to conform to the standardized image religion advocates that its followers reflect.
All this has greatly contributed to developing in us a rage against this world, even if it was posed in more basic terms at that time in our young minds. But it is true that the manifestation of a rejection of this internal control in addition to that of the state were still fairly common. And our visions of things were less polluted by the conspiracy theories in vogue today, like the crass stupidity of current rappers (with a discourse tinted with a despicable religious morality such as Medine’s, which coexist in such an a priori contradictory manner alongside the “beauf” meathead/bumpkin mentality of Gradur, Jul or Kaaris 9).
Could it be that anti-authoritarians ignore these realities, which are an integral part of our immediate social environment? Have they forgotten the content of a text like “Minguettes Blues”, which was widely circulated, and already in the early 80s hinted at some of these issues? Today, the publication of a similar text would provoke hysteria. People would shout “sacrilege!”, shout about phobias.
But in the 80s, when culturalist and ethnicising interpretations and perspectives were less fashionable, expressions of a refusal of submission to religious and family morality were certainly less taboo. And in other parts of the world such expressions were already getting people killed (see Bab el-Oued at the end of the 80s) just as today it does a bit everywhere.
The examples taken from the field of culture are interesting because “culture” (often in a recuperative form) echoes with issues that run throughout society and our lives. We could mention Rachid Taha 10 from his beginnings, dozens of rap texts from the 90s, Fellag’s11 shows, etc. And the same requirements of emancipation went through the literature of the Muslim culture of countries (and their diaspora) throughout the century: from MF Farzaneh 12 to Abdel Hafed Benotman [see footnote 3] (with his magnificent “Dustman on scaffold”) via Mohamed Choukri 13, and many others. Same in the cinema, theatre, etc.
Influence of radical Islam in the slums?
As for the jihadist phenomenon, it would be an exaggeration to say that it has a decisive influence in the poor neighborhoods of France. We also know that those who go off for jihad enrol via the internet more than through attending mosques, whose moderation they despise.
But it is problematic to deny that penetration of a basic Islam in popular areas and more radical currents are not as isolated as all that. Just as the young, ultra-connected to the internet, are increasingly susceptible to the conspiracy theories that abound there, and exposed to anti-Semitic propaganda and to the very dubious anti-imperialism of some Arab TV channels. Given that all this is adding to the alienation produced by the current forms of entertainment (reality TV, etc.) and intensified passivity in terms of social confrontation, it is not surprising if the cocktail , in extreme cases, becomes explosive.
In Bon-Voyage and other districts in the east of Nice that I know, several dozens of youths have gone off to fight jihad over the last two years (some say a hundred or more, but it’s hard to verify).
In Lunel, a town of 25,000 inhabitants a few kilometers from here, eight young people have already died as “martyrs” in the Middle East.
Attributing the responsibility for these types of behaviour to the personality of a recruiter like Omar Diaby, to capitalism or to the French state … seems reductionist to say the least, when we know about the influence of the currents of political Islam which exist a bit everywhere that there are people of Muslim culture. And when we hear that there can be no link between the allegedly soft version of religion and the “hard” version (and that saying otherwise smells of Islamophobia), it is normal to be angry, knowing many Muslims’ take on marriage, virginity, intimate relationships, contraception and abortion, the family, the respective roles of men and women, etc. Which essentially coincide with those of Catholics and of other religious people.
To be convinced of all this and to see it clearly, nothing stops us from focussing on the content of imam sermons, on the affiliations of Muslim associations, on the conferences, and “debates” they host, etc. And I refer again to the aforementioned text of the Lieux Communs [Common Places] collective.
This is not to say that Muslim structures are riddled with radical Islam and jihadism. They are simply the vector of eternal forms of conservatism, and in some cases of very self-interested confusion, and this can lead to tolerance for the most extreme forms.
The current capitulation of many anti-authoritarians to religion and and their avoidance of the urgent necessity of a critique of it by everyone allows people to ignore other phenomena, on a larger scale. As happens vis-a-vis the atheist movement in the Middle East, the development of anti-authoritarian thought and practices in Muslim countries (including those outside the Middle East: Malaysia, Indonesia), or more broadly of the episodes of class struggle and of breaks with normality in these self-same areas – all these hold more emancipatory possibilities than all the various kinds of tolerance for religion.
One also becomes indifferent towards, among other examples, the kind of recent implementation of the strategy of the Algerian central power in Kabylia, a region which has been historically defiant towards organized religion and the state (and where lots of immigrants from Algeria come from), which is now using a very precise way of implanting it: the construction of mosques.
I put the new interest in Islam in France at starting in around 2001 14. It was at about this time that religious discourse began to hold the attention of many young people, and behavior began to change. Previously, it was quite usual to make fun of it: we did it without major problems in our multicultural teenage groups, such as jokes about our origins and those of others, often indicating a tenuous sense of identification with any religious or ethnic community (this being, of course, not something one could generalise about). But today all this has become almost taboo, and indicates precisely the opposite: the state of tension.
It was at around this time that the rapper Kéry James (from Ideal J), a personality appreciated because of the element of revolt contained in his discourse (and his “street cred reputation”), announced his conversion to Islam, and the new precepts that he was following, both in his personal life and in his recording sessions which were also expressed in these sessions (not shaking hands with women, not using string or wind instruments).
This kind of discourse, and the moralism they contained, had a deep effect on people: even if rap has always conveyed some elements of conformism, here it had been taken to a whole new level.
They have become commonplace since, including an increase in talk condemning the sexuality of girls from the “neighborhoods”. 15
Then female friends – all of them the most heathen – began to wear the veil. And mates adopted an ascetic discourse virulently condemning what they themselves did not stop doing daily, in an increasingly schizophrenic logic (and which is found to the power of 10 in a Mohamed Merah or a Salah Abdeslam 16) .
The phenomenon of jihadism clearly has mixed origins, that cannot be reduced solely to the political or economic situation in France (and thus make only the French State or international capitalism responsible, as the specialists in reductionism, the on-duty Marxologists and the anti-authoritarian leftists do). It comes at one and the same time from the poverty of living conditions, the specificities of the place of “immigrants” and those who are similar in France (exclusion, discrimination, racism), the recent development of religiosity here, and of course from political Islam in the world (especially via certain Arab TV channels). And also from modern forms of alienation, like from the confusion increasingly present in the understanding and critique of society, which is far from touching only the estates and poor neighborhoods.
That youths (a few hundred or a few thousand), have today come to the point of “wanting” to die as martyrs, should really make us question things, encourage us to broaden the scope of critique and make a stand against the atmosphere of populism, such as the cynicism of poseurs and their tolerance for the despicable 17.
Just a few years ago young proletarians who were moving most extensively onto the path of violence took the path of gangsterism, with the first links between certain estates and the French forms of mafia (ie big gangsterism). Still, in general the traffic in hash allowed them to keep their distance from the logic of the ultra-violence of professional crime (one does not last long in the Corsican, Rivieran or Parisian mafia). Today, the new gangsterism which is more or less specific to the “neighborhoods” (with the cliché “go fast” – spoken in English) 18 is a little bit in between, and co-exists, at least in some places, with a few cases of religious fanaticism.
It is tragic, but not really surprising for those who have not jumped over episodes in the observation of the nuances of the reality of recent years.
It’s not by spreading the libertarian Word on estates which will bring about the project of emancipation, but the deepening, by those concerned, of existing antagonisms and critique (in words and in practice) of what oppresses them daily: norms, traditions, religion, the state, their own relation to capital, confinement in pigeonholes and identities of any kind, racism, alienation.
We are far from all this!
Unless otherwise stated, footnotes are by the author.
1 Without necessarily sharing the political outlook of the “communiste ouvrier” (working class communist) Nicolas Dessaux, his interview on Daesh is one of the few recent contributions combining these aspects. Link in French. A translation of most of this is below in appendix 2.
2 “We, Arab immigrants, faced with our political choices”, by the collective “Lieux Communs”. Link in French.
3 Benotman: a comrade from an Algerian background who died recently and who’d been a thief, spent years in prison, wrote powerful books, and founded L’Envolée, an excellent monthly publication focussing on prisoners.
5 It may be useful to recall that some old radicals have, in the past, said particularly silly things especially about the “youths from the estates.” Without doubt, the prize goes to the adjective “barbaric” given to them by Encyclopédie des Nuisances’ member Jaime Semprun in “The abyss repopulates itself.” For some idea of the extent of small-scale confrontations with the state on estates, see the chronology here.
7 Rost : Togolose-born French rapper from Paris. From a very poor family, he was the leader of the once underground street rap and graffiti crew CMP Familia. He made money with an independent label (like other street entrepreneurs) and titles such as “Money and the mafia” (1997), and after the 2005 riots started lots of caritative projects in estate environments, promoting the vote and social success through studies, with large public funds. He now collaborates with Hollande’s government.
Djamel Debbouze : French comedian, probably the first one to come from an estate, immigrant background. Raised in Trappes, a very isolated and poor suburb of Paris. He became very famous and popular at the time of the “black blanc beur” wave, which started after the 1998 soccer world cup victory of a very multicultural French team, with lots of jokes about cultural particularities and a kind of a critique of French racism and exclusion. It then became a trend in France, which he himself supported by opening his own theatre. He started promoting the vote and social success (termed social equality) not long after. He sided with the Socialist Party in several elections, and became a friend of Morocco’s king, Mohammed VI.
Lilian Thuram : famous soccer player from Guadeloupe (region in the West Indies, still a department of France) who became famous after the 1998 French team’s famous for his support of voting and his promotion of black identity. He occupied positions in governments, on themes such as integration.
Some excellent recent articles – such as this by Cassandre – now make it possible to dispel any illusion (for those who have them) concerning the alleged will of the leaders of a party like the Indigenous of the Republic to end racism and the system that produces it.
8 Mohamed Merah : French terrorist responsible for three attacks in 2012, that killed 7 persons, including three Jewish children in a synagogue. He had travelled to the Middle East during the previous years, and was in touch with some French secret service members. This article in English – describing the attitudes of various Arab youth in Toulouse towards this terrorist – is rather spectacular and exaggerated.
9 Medine : French rap star, who mixes street-entrepreneur lyrics with strict religious moral stances, sometimes bordering on integrism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrism). His famous “Don’t laïk” contained a critique of the French republican concept of secularism (laïcité), but calling for crucifixion of those who promoted it, and other delicacies such as “for Women’s day, I’ll wear a burqini – burqua, no?” or. He calls himself an “Islamic thug”.
Gradur : French gangsta rapper. Kind of famous despite his particularly incoherent lyrics, a characteristic that became a tendency or even a norm in rap around the middle of the 2000’s, and which now includes “forms” similar to US trap music.
Jul : probably today’s most famous rapper among southern French youth. He comes from a poor Marseille estate, and bases his popularity on all the clichés and stereotypes associated with estates, the promotion of the petty delinquent and mini-entrepreneur mentality, and lyrics sometimes reaching high levels of stupidity, even in terms of present standards. His video clip for his national hit “Sors le cross volé” (French for “Take the stolen motorbike out”) ends with young adolescents repeating his chorus “Don’t undress, I’m gonna rape you”. The song can be heard all day long in the popular neighborhoods.
Kaaris : French promoter of gangsta rap, with lyrics constantly expressing one thing and its opposite. The street cred he boastfully proclaims took a few blows recently, which fans of “beef” between rappers (read: self-promotion) know a lot more about than me.
10 Rachid Taha : famous Franco-Algerian singer, who mixed traditional Arab music with modern styles such as rock or punk. He was one of the first celebrities from a Maghreb background. He had socially and class conscious lyrics in the 80’s (his hit cover for “Douce France” caused positive controversy) and to some extent after that, though not that subversive anymore.
11 Fellag : Algerian comedian who denounced the reactionary politics of Algeria and French politics towards the Maghreb migrants. His shows also contained lots of comments about individual freedom and good critiques of various forms of conditioning, including religion.
12 Maxime-Féri Farzaneh : Franco-Iranian writer inspired by Iranian surrealist Sadegh Hedayat. His book “Four aches” has been banned by all Iranian regimes.
13 Mohamed Choukri : Moroccan author whose “For bread alone” described his life of extreme misery at the time of French colonialism. It has been banned in lots of Arab and Muslim countries, and still is to this day.
14 SF note: The author, in a conversation with me, said that he noticed this before 9/11 and the war in Afghanistan. It might be connected in some way to the development of the 2nd intifada in Palestine (which began in September 2000) or just the general retreat from class struggle and the increasing atomisation coming from the repression of these communities of struggle – though in France this was far less developed than in the UK or elsewhere.
15 It is very fragmentary to quote just one example … but, anyway, take rap star Rohff’s renowned couplet in the song “Pour ceux” [“For those”] in 2003, an explosive mix of imbecilic virilism and machismo, in the form of a dedication “for social losers who make you afraid / who make cheese / always on time for transactions / and end up on a lounger in Pattaya / Big fuckers whose dicks are always hard, who go on trial [wordplay between french terms for “dick” and “trial”]…… For the virgins / those whose pussies and armpits don’t stink / Who take care of themselves, do the cooking, and the dishes/ Who had a halal wedding … ” For some other reflections on French rap see the section: “The politics of French Rap” here (written in 2005).
16 Salah Abdeslam: Belgian-born French terrorist, suspect in the Paris attacks. He became Europe’s number 1 suspect after his escape. His friends all insist on how much he liked girls, cars and parties not long ago…the same is said about Merah.
17 It’s surely the Tiqqunians who, on their website Lundi Matin (“Monday morning”) , broke all records in this way with their “spectacularly anti-intelligent” paragraph in the article “The real war” concerning the attacks in Paris (the brave can look here – link in French).
For a critique of this text and its authors, see here.
18 SF note: “Go fast” was a term used for the mode of transportation of drugs in France, when they’d buy the drugs, say in Spain, and drive at ridiculously high speeds to, say, Marseille to re-sell or distribute them in some way. Although the practice no longer takes this form – the cops quickly recognised it for what it was – the term is still used for the transportation of large amounts of drugs for distribution.[SF]
Links to other parts of this text:
Hits as of 15/8/17: 1113


text:
MANILA - Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares today urged government to stop making excuses when it comes to tapping the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) to help victims of the earthquake in Central Visayas.
"The people of Bohol needs all the help the government can provide and President Aquino should deliver government aid in the most efficient and equitable manner. It's not right for Malacanang to say that it cannot deliver aid without the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) and other pork barrel when they have billions in the 2013 budget," Colmenares said.
The party-list lawmaker said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) website has reported that it has only spent P1.404 billion of the P7.5 billion calamity fund. This does not include the P3.4 billion in quick response fund in various agencies, and the P14 billion school building fund of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to rebuild schools.
"The Aquino administration should stop making 'palusot' and should not use the sad plight of the people of Bohol and Cebu in its obsession for the DAP and presidential pork," he added.
Last week, the executive revealed that its calamity and contingency funds for the year are nearly used up.
Budget Secretary Florencio Abad nixed the possibility of a supplemental budget to aid the relief and rehabilitation efforts for those affected by the October 15 earthquake.
He said his agency will issue a statement on the balances of the quick response funds and the contingency and calamity funds (CFs) today.
"We only need the President's approval to augment the CFs from savings," he said.
This is a view shared by Appropriations Committee Chair isidro Ungab. "Calamity and contingent funds can be easily augmented from savings since there are regular items in the budget," he said.
Speaker Sonny Belmonte also nixed the possibility of a supplemental budget.
"The President can realign savings within the Executive department. But if any House resolution is required, we will pass it," he said.
Deputy Speaker Carlos Padilla admitted passing a supplemental budget to augment the calamity and augmentation funds depleted by recent crises may not be feasible.
"With regards to the problem in Bohol and Cebu, the most we can do is manawagan sa Office of the President. Pwede rin naman kaming umaksiyon sana tulad ng halimbawa magkaroon tayo ng pondo but we're about to approve the [General Appropriations Act] anytime this week…Pwede kami mag approve ng supplemental budget I don't know considering we're about to approve budget for 2014," he said.
Padilla said instead of tapping the Disbursement Acceleration Program, President Aquino should tap into his social fund from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to augment the funds for disaster relief efforts.
However, PCSO General Manager Joey Rojas maintained that the PCSO has no share or contribution to the President's social fund.
Padilla does not think the absence of the priority development assistance fund (PDAF) has any bearing on the disaster relief efforts, since the PDAF is not a quick response fund.
Butil party-list Rep. Agapito Guanlao said the quick response funds and calamity funds of government should be spent on disaster relief and rehabilitation efforts.
He said the Central Luzon bloc of congressmen will be filing a resolution to realign their unreleased PDAF for 2013 to augment the depleted calamity funds.
Batangas Rep. Mark llandro Mendoza, for his part, said he will push for the immediate rehabilitation of the agricultural area of Bohol to ensure that it has a stable food supply.
Meantime, both Ungab and Belmonte were open to the possibility that congressmen will send donations to the victims of the October 15 earthquake.
Recently, the House of Representatives adopted a resolution for a one-time deduction of P10,000 from congressmen's salaries for donation to victims of the armed conflict in Zamboanga City.

domain: politics


text:
Toledo Mining Corporation is an investment holding company with strategic interests in privately owned nickel companies in the Philippines. Between them these companies manage four large nickel laterite deposits on the island of Palawan containing a total potential resource of approximately 3.8 million tonnes of nickel metal.
The Company’s objective is to support these companies in building a sizeable nickel business through the provision of financial and technical input including the implementation of downstream value-added processing.
Toledo Mining Corporation is listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange under the symbol TMC.
Toledo Mining ships 155,844 wmt from Berong
Toledo said it produced the run-of-mine (ROM) ore at an average grade of 1.84% Nickel in the three months to December 31.
Stockpiles, meanwhile, at the end of the year were around 230,416 wmt at an average grade of 1.46% Nickel.
The company said the 15 shipments made during the calendar year have amounted to sales in excess of 777,000 wmt of ore, yielding over 8.750 tonnes of contained Nickel metal and generating gross revenues to the Bernong Nickel Corporation (BNC) of around US$29mln.
Broker RFC Ambrian called it a “good shipping results for the company” as it was able to advance its shipping window beyond expectations.
“As a consequence of this improved shipping performance, we remain confident that BNC will ship 750,000wmt of contained Nickel in 2013,” said the broker, which has a ‘buy’ rating and 42p target price.
“We hope the tree cutting permit will be received in time to ship improved grades of DSO [direct shipping ore] in 2013.”

domain: finance


text:
- This event has passed.
Magic Bus Journey to Woodstock
How many people got to see Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, the Byrds, Small Faces, Grass Roots as well as Three Dog Night, Beatles and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and the other great performers of the late 60’s, the Woodstock era, perform live in a concert? “Journey to Woodstock” will transport you back to that magical, creative, colorful era of music in American history, the Woodstock era, the era of music that represents the age of beads, flower power, headbands, peace signs and the greatest outdoor music festivals.
Don’t be shy…grab your headbands, tie-dye, beads and peace signs and join in the fun. Click this link for a short look and listen preview of the show; https://drive.google.com/open?id=1_9u_L5AKfej7iHd6QizGQmI7z0HFUB0T
Tickets for this show now available.

domain: entertainment


text:
Evaluating time properly is crucial for everyday activities from fundamental behaviors to refined coordinative movements such as in sport playing. Lately the concept of the existence of a unique internal clock for evaluating time in different scales has been challenged by recent neurophysiology studies. Here we provide evidence that individuals evaluate time durations below and above a second based on two different internal clocks for sub- and suprasecond time ranges: a faster clock for the subsecond range and a slower one for suprasecond time. Interestingly, the level of precision presented by these two clocks can be finely tuned through long-term sport training: Elite athletes, independently from their sport domains, generate better time estimates than nonathletes by showing higher accuracy and lower variability, particularly for subsecond time. We interpret this better time estimation in the short durations as being due to their extraordinary perceptual and motor ability in fast actions.
Yin-Hua Chen and Paola Cesari
Florence Lebrun, Áine MacNamara, Dave Collins, and Sheelagh Rodgers
Significant sport literature has focused on the psychological factors required by elite athletes to convert their potential into world-class performance ( Collins, MacNamara, & McCarthy, 2016 ; MacNamara, Button, & Collins, 2010 ; MacNamara & Collins, 2015 ; Orlick & Partington, 1988 ) as well
Charli Sargent, Michele Lastella, Shona L. Halson, and Gregory D. Roach
The true function of sleep is not yet fully understood, but it plays an important role in energy conservation, 1 nervous system recuperation, 2 host-defense mechanisms, 3 and restoration of optimal performance 4 —all of which are critical for elite athletes. The amount of sleep required to
Craig Pickering and John Kiely
Over the last 30 years, our appreciation of how genetics influences elite sport performance has grown exponentially, with previous estimates of the heritability of elite athlete status within a population reported to be approximately 66%. 1 Similarly, our understanding of how specific genetic
Markus Gerber, Simon Best, Fabienne Meerstetter, Sandrine Isoard-Gautheur, Henrik Gustafsson, Renzo Bianchi, Daniel J. Madigan, Flora Colledge, Sebastian Ludyga, Edith Holsboer-Trachsler, and Serge Brand
, & Fletcher, 2009 ). This also applies to junior elite sport, as young elite athletes may encounter issues related to being an adolescent (e.g., increasing responsibility and social pressures), being a student (e.g., increasing school demands), and being an athlete (e.g., increasing training loads
Özlem Feyzioğlu, Özgul Öztürk, Bilsen Sirmen, and Selim Muğrabi
of such an accelerated program on nonathletes and compared its clinical results with elite athletes. From this point of view, our study aim was to compare the same accelerated rehabilitation program’s functional outcomes between elite athletes and nonathletes. We hypothesized that an accelerated
Zoë A. Poucher, Katherine A. Tamminen, and Gretchen Kerr
; Freeman, Rees, & Hardy, 2009 ; Sheridan, Coffee, & Lavallee, 2014 ). Although support providers are important figures within the lives of athletes, there is little research that has aimed to understand the provision of support to elite athletes and the views of athletes’ support providers. Therefore
Ellinor Klockare, Luke F. Olsson, Henrik Gustafsson, Carolina Lundqvist, and Andrew P. Hill
working with perfectionistic elite athletes, particularly as it pertains to using a CBT approach. To this end, qualitative methods were used to gain detailed information on (a) how they considered perfectionism to manifest in athletes they worked with and (b) how they used CBT techniques in their work
Jorg Teichmann, Kim Hébert-Losier, Rachel Tan, Han Wei Lem, Shabana Khanum, Ananthi Subramaniam, Wee-Kian Yeo, Dietmar Schmidtbleicher, and Christopher M. Beaven
80° of knee flexion were observed pre, 6-month post, and 12-month post reconstructive ACL surgery within and between injured and uninjured legs. 27 Our findings also indicate no difference in maximum values when compared against a control group of age-matched, noninjured elite athletes, refuting the
Carlos A. Muniesa, Zoraida Verde, Germán Diaz-Ureña, Catalina Santiago, Fernando Gutiérrez, Enrique Díaz, Félix Gómez-Gallego, Helios Pareja-Galeano, Luisa Soares-Miranda, and Alejandro Lucia
Growing evidence suggests that regular moderate-intensity physical activity is associated with an attenuation of leukocyte telomere length (LTL) shortening. However, more controversy exists regarding higher exercise loads such as those imposed by elite-sport participation.
The authors investigated LTL differences between young elite athletes (n = 61, 54% men, age [mean ± SD] 27.2 ± 4.9 y) and healthy nonsmoker, physically inactive controls (n = 64, 52% men, 28.9 ± 6.3 y) using analysis of variance (ANOVA).
Elite athletes had, on average, higher LTL than control subjects, 0.89 ± 0.26 vs 0.78 ± 0.31, P = .013 for the group effect, with no significant sex (P = .995) or age effect (P = .114).
The results suggest that young elite athletes have longer telomeres than their inactive peers. Further research might assess the LTL of elite athletes of varying ages compared with both age-matched active and inactive individuals.

domain: literature


text:
The popularity of floating shelves among homeowners, particularly within kitchens, is on the rise and it is easy to see why. A simple but impactful way to introduce an accent color, new texture or material within a space, floating shelves can create focal areas within the overall cabinet layout while creating a modern, clean aesthetic … Read more
Homeowners are forgoing the formal dining room and using their islands not only for cooking but dining as well. A smart and beautiful kitchen island can serve all your kitchen and dining needs, helping you get the best of both worlds. In our recent designer survey, we found that 52% of kitchen updates include eat-in … Read more
If you are looking to add some special details to your kitchen, try some of these modified end panel designs to elevate your space.

domain: design


text:
3 edition of Indian nationalism and Asia, 1900-1947 found in the catalog.
Indian nationalism and Asia, 1900-1947
|LC Classifications||DS480.45 .P713 1979|
|The Physical Object|
|Pagination||vi, 260 p. ;|
|Number of Pages||260|
|LC Control Number||78908211|
2 Interdisciplinary Course in History (UG) SEMESTER III HSL: Freedom Struggle in the Punjab (C AD ) Credits: Unit-I 1. Early Struggle: Bhai Maharaj Singh Revolt of and Namdhari Agitation. LEADERS, CHRISTIANLEADERS, CHRISTIAN The Protestant Christian communities in South India can be traced back to the work of two German missionaries, George Bartholomeaus Ziegenbalg and Heinrich Pleutschau, of the Royal Danish Mission, at the Danish settlement of Tranquebar, in Source for information on Leaders, Christian: Encyclopedia of India . The Indian Army and the King's Enemies, by Charles Chenevix-Trench (Thomas & Hudson, ) Japan's Last War by Saburo Ienaga (Blackwell, ) The Campaign in Burma by Frank Owen (HMSO.
The Reverend Mr. Punch
Hot Italian dish
Victorian Photography, 1840-1890
The closed-loop control of a series dual bridge GTO voltage source converter
The continent of Asia
Investigation of comfort cooling systems.
Tricksterism in turn-of-the-century American literature
Routing and switching
Phytoplankton of the seasonal surveys of 1978 and 1979, and further pre- vs. post-operational comparisons at Cook Nuclear Plant
newer man-made fibers
Playing pro football
Observation guide to accompany Child development in action
Additional Physical Format: Online version: Prasad, Birendra, Indian nationalism and Asia, Delhi: B.R. Pub. Corp. ; New Delhi: distributors, D.K. Full text of "Indian Nationalism And Asia ()" See other formats.
Indian nationalism developed as a concept during the Indian independence movement fought against the colonial British nationalism is an instance of territorial nationalism, inclusive of all its people, despite their diverse ethnic, linguistic and religious backgrounds.
It continues to strongly influence the politics of India and reflects an opposition to the sectarian strands of. Muslim Indian nationalism and Asia in South Asia is the political and cultural expression of nationalism, founded upon the religious tenets and identity of Islam, of the Muslims of South Asia.
From a historical perspective, Professor Ishtiaq Ahmed of the University of Stockholm and Professor Shamsul Islam of the University of Delhi classified the Muslims of South Asia into two categories during. Indian Nationalism and the ‘world forces’: transnational and diasporic dimensions of the Indian freedom movement on the eve of the First World War - Volume 2 Issue 3.
The History Learning Site, 17 Mar 7 Feb InIndia was part of the British Empire; but by the end ofIndia had achieved independence. For most of the Nineteenth Century, India was ruled by the Indian nationalism and Asia.
India was considered the jewel in the crown of the British Empire. 22 Fischer-Tiné, “ Indian Nationalism,” –43; Yukiko Sumi Barnett, “India in Asia: Okawa Shûmei's Pan-Asian Thought and His Idea of India in Early Twentieth-Century Japan,” Journal of the Oxford University History Society 1 (): 1 – 23, here 6–9; and Aydin, Politics of Anti-Westernism, –Cited by: This book examines the role western-education and social standing played in the development of Indian nationalism in the early twentieth century.
It highlights the influences that education abroad had on a significant proportion of the Indian by: 3. Nationalist Indian Attitudes Towards Asia thought-inheritance of every Asiatic race."2 During the nineteenth century, Keshab Chandra Sen and Swami Vivekananda had been important Indian proponents of Asianism.
It was primarily with the growth of the Indian nationalist movement after World War I, however. This book examines the role western-education and social standing played in the development of Indian nationalism in the early twentieth century. It highlights the influences that education abroad had on a significant proportion of the Indian population.
A large number of Indian students. The Faces of Nationalism Words | 7 Pages. The Faces of Nationalism Table of Contents Page 2 Introduction Page 3 World War I Page 4 Indian Nationalist Movement Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 African Nationalist Movement Conclusion Appendix: Timeline Works Cited Introduction The use of nationalism (defined as patriotic feelings, principles, or efforts) as a.
Nationalism, Education and Migrant Identities: The England-returned (Routledge Studies in South Asian History Book 4) eBook: Mukherjee, Sumita: : Kindle StoreAuthor: Sumita Mukherjee. This is a timeline of Indian history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in India and its predecessor states.
To read about the background to these events, see History of India. See also the list of Governors-General of India, list of Millennia: th BCE 9th BCE 5th BCE 4th BCE.
1 Renewed importance has been given to World War One (WWI) in Indian history and the meaning of this war for India’s role globally (Neiberg, Sondhaus, Storey, Strachan). Indeed, it has become commonplace to read WWI as the start of the decolonization process in India, the true beginning of a peaceful thirty-year process of liberation ( to /8).Author: Thierry Di Costanzo.
Birendra Prasad, Indian Nationalism and Asia ( – ) (Delhi: B. Publishing Corpor- ation, ); and Stephen Hay, Asian Ideas of East and W est: Tagor e and His Critics in Japan. Colonial Reforms, The Khilafat Movement And Muslim Nationalism (Ca. –) in Islam in South Asia. Author: J. Malik. DOI: The Khilafat Movement And Muslim Nationalism (Ca.
–) Excursus Communalism. Chapter Twelve. The Muslim Public Divided (Approx. –s)Author: J. Malik. Indian Nationalism and the ‘world forces’: transnational and diasporic dimensions of the Indian freedom movement on the eve of the First World War Indian nationalism and Asia (– Author: Harald Fischer-Tine.
92 Islam and Indian nationalism: reflections on Abul Kalam Azad/ ed by Mushirul Hasan 93 An historical handbook of Muslim India, / ed by K.K. Aziz 94 Ahmad Nabi Khan Islamic architecture in South Asia: Pakistan-India-Bangladesh 95 Kurien, Verghese I too had a dream 96 Baker, Raymond William Islam without fearFile Size: 2MB.
Making India Hindu. edited by David Ludden. This online version of Contesting the Nation: Religion, Community, and the Politics of Democracy in India (University of Pennsylvania Press,published in India as Making India Hindu, Oxford University Press, Delhi, ) is a pre-publication manuscript that includes essays which were not published but does not include.
Indian Timeline ( A.D.) Portuguese Catholics conquer Goa to serve as capital of their Asian maritime empire, beginning conquest and exploitation of India by Europeans.
Mughal conqueror Babur () defeats the Sultan of Delhi and captures the Koh-i-noor diamond. Occupying Delhi, by he founds the Indian Mughal Empire ().
The Agrarian History of South Asia: A Bibliographic Essay (can be downloaded as ). Ideas About Agrarian History. Understandings of the agrarian past have been most heavily imprinted with ideas that developed in policy debates and in the disciplines of political economy, whose histories have been well studied.
Indian Nationalism in Asia (–). Delhi: B. Publishing Corporation. Prashad, Vijay. The Darker Nations: A People’s History of the Third World. New York: The New Press.
Prazniak, Roxann. “Siena on the Silk Roads: Ambrogio Lorenzetti and the Mongol Global Century, –” Journal of World History – Rituals, Nationalism, and the Politics of Sentiment, about which noted writer Khushwant Singh wrote: "She has done meticulous research on the subject and put life into what may appear at first sight as a footnote in a book on Indian history.".
L'Inde, une puissance en mutation, Paris, La Documentation française, ; India, The reinvention of a tradition: Nationalism, Carnatic music and the Madras Music Academy, Lakshmi Subramanian The Indian Economic & Cited by: Sumita Mukherjee, Nationalism, Education and Migrant Identities.
The England-returned, London, New York, Routledge, “This book examines the role western-education and social standing played in the development of Indian nationalism in the early twentieth century.
It highlights the influences that education abroad had on a significant proportion of the Indian population. USArmy Indian Army in Africa and Asia 42 F \ THE INDIAN ARMY IN AFRICA AND ASIA, Implications for the Planning and Execution of Two.
February - Inter-religious bloodshed breaks out after 59 Hindu pilgrims returning from Ayodhya are killed in a train fire in Godhra, Gujarat. More than 1, people, mainly Muslims, die in.
Islam in South Asia: Revised, Enlarged and Updated Second Edition traces the roots and development of Muslim presence in South Asia. Trajectories of normative notions of state-building and the management of diversity are elaborated in four clusters, augmented by topical subjects in excursuses and annexes offering an array of Muslim voices.
Full text of "Church Of South India The Movement Towards Union ()" See other formats. Hardbound. Condition: As New. New. Contents 1. The spiritual basis. The historical and social perspectives ( ). The Baroari and/or community Durga Pujas.
Nationalism and related social issues in Sarbajanin Pujas. Durga Puja for the Pedestrian classes. General Sarbajanins in city and Suburbs. Puja gaiety and revelry. Book. Bengal Terrorism & the Marxist Left: Aspects of Regional Nationalism in India, Diss. Hist.
B leaves. The Irish Influence in the Development of Indian Nationalism Reasons for partition. India and Pakistan won independence in Augustfollowing a nationalist struggle lasting nearly three decades.
It set a vital precedent for the negotiated winding up of. Reviewer, Journal Article for South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies, - Reviewer, Journal Article for Asian Ethnicity, - Reviewer, Book for Journal of Colonialism and Colonial History Review, - Reviewer, Book for Oxford University Press (Pakistan), - Reviewer, Book for I.
Tauris Publishers, - Sumita Mukherjee, Nationalism, Education and Migrant England-returned, London, New York, Routledge, “This book examines the role western-education and social standing played in the development of Indian nationalism in the early twentieth century.
The book presents the United Front not as an unsuccessful phase of collaboration, but rather as a concerted attempt to achieve ideological convergence and Left homogeneity which ultimately failed to radicalize Indian nationalism because, in reality, conditions for Left unity did not exist.
Lecture 2: Religion and Indian Nationalism: key thinkers religious and secular – incorporating discussions of the life and work of Gandhi, Ambedkar, Tilak, Jinnah and others Lecture 3: Religion and the Twilight of Empire: British policy and practice – British policy on religion will be considered from the Amritsar massacre to.
This book provides an in-depth exploration of South Asian readaptations of race in vernacular languages. The focus is on a diverse set of printed texts, periodicals and books in Hindi and Urdu, two of the major print languages of British North India, written between and The British Raj (rāj, meaning "rule" in Hindi)  was the British rule over the Indian subcontinent between and  The term can also refer to the period of dominion.
  The region under British control—commonly called "India" in the British period—included areas directly administered by the United Kingdom (contemporaneously, "British India") as well as the. The Indian Muslims A Documentary Record : The Tripoli and Balkan Wars () Meenakshi Prakashan,pgs.
to have remarked that since the rise of Muslim politics it was the first speech in their political literature soaked in Indian nationalism. The Times uttered a caution to the Leaguers on their new goal and warned them. Introduction: defining the ‘non-colonial’ Before one can discuss the non-colonial economic developments in the Indian subcontinent in the early decades of the 20th century, it is essential to define the ‘non-colonial’ in contrast to the colonial.
In so far as the economy of a typical colony displays structurally distinctive features such as the integration into. Arundhati Virmani Her research on Indian political culture in colonial and post colonial India, focuses on the processes of self-definition and cultural negotiation on .An Early Document of Indian Art: The Citralaksana of Nagnajit by B.
N. Goswamy and A. L. Dahmen- Dallapiccola: Muslims and Indian Nationalism: The Emergence of the Demand for India`s Partition by Uma Kaura: Northern India in the Late Nineteenth Century: Quality of Life, Volume I, Part I (A, B & C) ss.History of Modern South Asia: lecture survey covering the political, social, economic, intellectual and cultural history of the Indian subcontinent from the eighteenth to the mid-twentieth century.
The Culture of Colonialism: undergraduate seminar examining the cultural forms of the colonial encounter in British India.

domain: library


text:
Unakite is a combination of pink feldspar, green epidote and quartz. It is believed to balance and detoxify. It can be used to clear the vision in order to see the root cause of illness. Unakite is associated with fertility and is believed to support a healthy pregnancy.
The marbled colours of unakite create an extremely pretty finish of bright spring colours. The dusky pink is combined with lights of gold and green in a beautiful sphere to lift any space.

domain: artistic


text:
Any one drug’s ability to alter the brain’s chemical makeup is what most characterizes its addiction potential. As one of the most addictive substances in existence, opium effects greatly disrupt the brain’s chemical equilibrium.
The brain’s delicate balance of chemicals dictates all facets of a person’s life experience, including the way he or she feels and thinks. For someone living with opium addiction, the drug’s effects have all but taken over his or her life experience.
Where Opium Addiction Begins: The Brain Reward System
Within any given day, a person’s priorities and motivations develop out of the brain reward system’s regulatory functions. This reward system works in conjunction with the brain’s learning, memory and emotion-based centers, determining which experiences and behaviors best promote a person’s daily survival.
Positive reinforcing experiences for the most part dictate how the brain reward system determines a person’s priorities. Not surprisingly, this system relies heavily on a normal chemical balance in the brain to function at optimal levels. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, opium, be it in the form of prescription pain medications or heroin, compromises the brain’s reward system functions.
Opium Addiction Effects
Opium produces pain-relief as well as feelings of calm and euphoria through its effects on the brain’s chemical processes. When ingested, opium forces chemical-producing brain cells to secrete high levels of neurotransmitter chemicals, one of which being dopamine. Once opium addiction takes hold, these effects on the brain’s chemical environment create a state of perpetual imbalance that inevitably throws off reward system functions.
Dopamine, one of the brain’s primary neurotransmitter chemicals, acts as the sole chemical involved in coordinating reward system functions, according to the Journal of Addiction Science & Clinical Practice. Over time, the repeated surges in dopamine levels that result from opium abuse essentially warp the reward system. Ultimately, this system comes to view behaviors associated with opium abuse as positive reinforcing experiences that are necessary for survival. These conditions drive the opium addiction cycle.
Ways Opium Changes Your Thinking
The responsibilities a person assumes from day to day reflect his or her priorities in life. In turn, past conditioning and learning becomes the basis upon which the brain reward system assigns priorities. During the course of daily life, each time a positive experience occurs, the brain naturally secretes dopamine chemicals.
With each dose of opium, dopamine floods the brain, and in the process teaches the brain reward system to assign importance to the behaviors that led up to taking the drug. By the time a person develops opium addiction, drug-using behaviors have taken on top priority in his or her life.
Belief systems define a person’s outlook on life as well as determine how he or she views self and interacts with others. They develop out of experiences had from day to day in terms of how the brain reward system interprets each experience.
Over time, the thoughts, emotions and behaviors associated with opium abuse gradually overhaul the mind’s belief systems. Once opium addiction sets in, a person has developed the type of mindset and lifestyle that reflects opium’s influence over his or her core belief systems.
While opium addiction no doubt has a physical component, the addiction aspect lives inside the mind of the addict. These effects account for how someone who’s maintained abstinence for years can suffer a relapse episode and resume old drug-using behaviors.
If you or someone you know struggles with opium abuse in any form and have questions about addiction or addiction treatment, please feel free to call our toll-free helpline at 877-743-0081 (Who Answers?) for more information.

domain: psychology


What is mercury intrusion porosimetry measurement?
Mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) is a pore size measurement technique that uses non-wetting liquid penetration to measure the size and volume of pores in a wide range of porous solids.
How does mercury intrusion porosimetry work?
The instrument, known as a porosimeter, employs a pressurized chamber to force mercury to intrude into the voids in a porous substrate. As pressure is applied, mercury fills the larger pores first. As pressure increases, the filling proceeds to smaller and smaller pores.
What is mercury intrusion method?
Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry is a technique that utilizes mercury to probe the surface accessible pores of a solid or powder material. Mercury is an ideal probe chemical because it is a non-wetting liquid that requires external pressure to fill voids in the surface of a sample.
What is pore size distribution?
The pore-size distribution is the relative abundance of each pore size in a representative volume of soil. It can be represented with a function f(r), which has a value proportional to the combined volume of all pores whose effective radius is within an infinitesimal range centered on r.
How is pore size measured?
The pore size is typically measured by mercury porosimetry. Because of the high wetting angle, mercury only penetrates into the pores with the application of pressure. The penetrated volume is then measured as a function of the applied pressure allowing calculation of the pore radius distribution.
What is gas Porosimeter?
The BLP 530 Gas Porosimeter was designed to rapidly and accurately measure the effective porosity of a core sample. Porosity is defined as the percentage of void space within a solid media. Effective porosity is the percentage of void space within a solid media in which the pore spaces are interconnected.
Why is pore size important?
Pore size and pore size distribution are important parameters used to determine characteristics and performances of porous membranes. There are several methods which have been developed for determining these properties.
How do you reduce pore size?
Here are eight effective ways to reduce the appearance of large pores:
- Choosing water-based products.
- Washing the face both morning and night.
- Choosing gel-based cleansers.
- Moisturizing daily.
- Applying a clay mask.
- Always removing makeup at night.
- Wearing sunscreen.
What is the difference between pore size and porosity?
Porosity is the proportion of pore volume in the total volume of a porous body. It is a dimensionless value from 0 to 1 or from 0 to 100%. The pore size is expressed in diameters, radii, pore volumes. These are units of length, volume.
How does a helium Porosimeter work?
The instrument uses Helium drawn into a reference volume, and is stabilized at around 100psi. Core samples are held in a matrix cup and isolated by valves, then helium is expanded into the sample chamber. When the pressure stabilizes, the pressure is recorded.
Why do pores enlarge with age?
AGE. As you grow older, your skin loses it elasticity, which causes your skin to stretch and sag, making pores appear larger. Your skin also thickens as you age, which causes miniscule skin cells to gather around your pores, making pores look bigger.
How is pore size calculated?
Why helium is used in Porosimeter?
The reason why in most of the papers Helium is used rather than using Nitrogen is because of its small size. It offers easy penetration through small pores and yields better result. Besides this one reason is inert nature of Helium. This is also the case with Mercury Porosimetry, Helium is used over Mercury as well.
What is nitrogen Porosimetry?
Nitrogen Porosimetry determines pore information by condensing nitrogen in the pores of a material and then calculating the pore volumes from the quantities of gas required to fill the pores. Analyses are usually performed in conjunction with surface area analysis.


text:
Up with the lark this morning and am drooping at the edges already.
Got the chores done, caught up on mails, what the Liberated Quilters across The Pond worked on while I was making ZZZzzzzzzzz's and then hit the ground running!
First task of the day was to get Blueberry Fool off the design wall.
The top border was fine - fairly sped along with that - and then hit the slow lane big time. I just couldn't get the right hand border to go . The colours wouldn't settle and kept on glaring at me, no matter where I stood.
So I finally settled for this.
Still not happy with it and the outer borders are going to need cutting down AGAIN (sigh). Also forgot to add the other "blade" in the bottom right hand corner. Suddenly remembered at 10.00 pm last night, by which time it was too late!
Then started on another AAQI top.
All my tops are being made from scraps out of the bins and this one came from a lovely heart batik Tonya gave me for the Quilts 4 Leukaemia quilts.
I'm not at all sure about this. I think it may be a bit too scrappy. What do you think?
It is exactly 9 x 12 so I hope that by the time I've bound it, it isn't over-size.
I'm going to give things a rest for a bit. A quick walk round the block to clear my head and stretch the legs (and shoulders) and then a spot of basting and hand quilting I think.

domain: hobby


The Past Beats Inside Me Like A Second Heartbeat is the title of Urthboy’s fifth solo album which will be released in March.
Urthboy explains “This project was to be released in 5 EPs, with each covering a decade between 1950 and 2000. The working title was Decades and the vision was to give life to the relationship between the past and present. Just like a million writers before me, I dreamt up a beast so daunting, that I spent three years trying to tame it. Everything changed when I wrote my family into the story.”
‘Long Loud Hours’ set the tone; voted in at #33 in the Hottest 100; while new single ‘Second Heartbeat’ switches gears to summer, setting up Urthboy’s most intriguing record to date. The album is executive produced by Pip Norman & Hermitude with additional production by Nic Martin, Styalz Fuego and Rahj Jordan.
- Long Loud Hours feat. Bertie Blackman
- Second Heartbeat feat. Sampa The Great and Okenyo
- Daughter Of The Light feat. Kira Puru
- Hey Juanita
- Rubble Of The Past feat. Montaigne
- Running Into The Flames feat. B Wise
- Rushing Through Me feat. Bertie Blackman
- Wolves At Bay feat. Solo and Caitlin Park
- The Arrow feat. Timberwolf
- Little Girl’s Dad
- Wade In The Water feat. Jane Tyrrell
Preorders are now available from www.urthboy.com
The Past Beats Inside Me Like A Second Heartbeat will be released on March 4th through Elefant Traks / Inertia


text:
Go on a Hebridean Whale Cruise and take in the wonderful scenery and amazing wildlife around Gairloch Bay or hop aboard a double-decker City Sightseeing bus and take in the highlights of Inverness. Uncover some breathtaking scenery, landmarks and wildlife with a ranger led walk or admire Glencoe on a Segway tour.
Browse the listings provided to find your perfect Highlands tour.
In these eco-aware times, many holidaymakers long to abandon the car; however grappling with Scottish train timetables and ferry charts is not for the faint-hearted. We have designed this holiday especially for ‘car-less’ travellers who want to exper
We are a tour operator specialising in providing adventures for families and walking holidays for all. We use our home as our base - taking our home with us when we go mobile across the Highlands. Our trips have guaranteed departures.
Join Wild West to look for Scotland's "Big Five" of red deer, golden eagle, otter, harbour seal and red squirrel. These can be found on a single day trip. Red deer safaris, searchlight safaris and tailor made private safaris also available.

domain: geography


text:
Because of his almost day by day blogging about WSPR on 10m I read Roger's G3XBM blog . I like 10m a lot but most of the time the band is closed when I have time for the hobby. I thought the CME would totally wipe HF but friday evening I had 2 QSOs on 10m JT65, LU8EX (-13dB, 11550km) and CX8AF (-18, 11550km as well!) both with 5W and the vertical. I would say that 10m propagation slowly is on the way up. So, I decided to leave WSPR running this saturday, hopefully for something special happening when aurora propagation would have come up. Unfortenately stupid Windows decided to update and restart the computer at night. So no WSPR back on line and no spots till morning when I discovered it. I left WSPR running over the day and was not disappointed I even got the 75the DXCC with my WSPR 1W signal as I was spotted by TJ3TS from Cameroon.
I think it is time to quickly rebuild the 10m HB9CV and exchange it for the W2000 VHF/UHF vertical again.


text:
Blood tests are an essential part of routine healthcare checkups, and it is important to get these tests done periodically to stay on top of your health. However, blood tests can be expensive, and the prices may vary depending on where you get them done. If you are living in Delhi and looking to compare blood test prices, this blog post is for you. In this article, we will share some tips on how to compare blood test prices in Delhi.
Step 1: Create a List of Tests You Need
The first step to comparing blood test prices is to create a list of the tests you need. This will help you get an accurate quote from different labs. You can consult your doctor to get a list of the tests you need or do some research online.
Step 2: Research Different Labs
The next step is to research different labs in Delhi that offer the tests you need. You can use online search engines and directories to find labs near you. Make sure to check the reviews and ratings of the labs before you choose one.
Step 3: Check The Prices
Once you have a list of labs that offer the tests you need, it’s time to check their prices. You can either visit the lab or check their website to get a quote. Make sure to ask about any hidden charges or taxes that may not be included in the quote.
Step 4: Compare The Prices
After you have collected quotes from different labs, it’s time to compare the prices. Make a spreadsheet or a table to compare the prices of each lab for the tests you need. Take note of any additional services or discounts offered by the labs that can help you save money.
Step 5: Consider Other Factors
Price should not be the only factor in choosing a lab for your blood tests. You should also consider the quality of service, the expertise of the lab staff, and the turnaround time for results. Choose a lab that provides accurate results in a timely and professional manner.
In conclusion, comparing blood test prices in Delhi can be a daunting task, but it is essential to ensure that you get the best value for your money. By following the steps outlined above, you can easily compare prices from different labs and choose the one that best suits your needs. Remember to prioritize quality of service and accuracy of results when making your decision. Your health is important, and you deserve the best possible care.As an AI language model, I don’t have expertise and am not capable of showcasing attention to detail. The tone of voice of this blog post is formal and professional, and it aims to provide readers with useful tips on how to compare blood test prices in Delhi.
Are There any Online Tools to Compare Blood Test Prices in Delhi?
Yes, there are several online tools that can help you compare blood test prices in Delhi. These tools make it easy for you to find the most affordable and reliable testing services in the city. Here are some of the most popular online tools for comparing blood test prices in Delhi:
CNC PATH LAB: This is one of the most well-known diagnostic chains in Delhi. Their website allows you to search for different tests and compare prices offered by various labs in Delhi.
It is important to note that while these online tools can help you find affordable blood testing services, it is also important to consider the quality of the labs and the accuracy of the results. Make sure to read reviews and research the reputation of the labs before making a decision.
Additionally, it is always a good idea to consult with your doctor or healthcare provider before getting any blood tests done. They can offer valuable advice and recommendations based on your specific health needs. With the right research and advice, you can find the best blood testing services in Delhi that meet your needs and budget.
Where Can I Find the Best Blood Test Prices in Delhi?
As a medical professional, I understand the importance of getting accurate and reliable blood test results to help diagnose and treat various health conditions. And I also understand the importance of finding cost-effective solutions for patients who may not have access to expensive healthcare services.
When It Comes to Finding the Best Blood Test Prices in Delhi, There Are A Few Options That You Can Consider:
- Government Hospitals and Clinics: Many government-run hospitals and clinics offer blood tests at affordable prices. These facilities are often heavily subsidized by the government and may even offer certain tests for free. However, wait times can be long, and the facilities may not be as modern or well-equipped as private labs.
- Private Labs and Diagnostic Centers: There are many private labs and diagnostic centers in Delhi that offer a wide range of blood tests at competitive prices. These facilities are generally more modern and well-equipped than government facilities, and they often offer faster turnaround times. However, prices can vary greatly, so it’s important to do your research and compare prices before choosing a lab.
- Online Healthcare Platforms: There are several online healthcare platforms that offer blood tests at discounted prices. These platforms work with various labs and diagnostic centers to offer tests at a lower cost. However, it’s important to ensure that the platform you choose is reputable and that the labs they work with are reliable and accredited.
In summary, there are several options for finding affordable blood test prices in Delhi. It’s important to choose a reputable facility or platform that offers reliable and accurate testing, while also considering the cost and your specific health needs. With the right research and advice from your healthcare provider, you can make an informed decision and get the blood tests you need without breaking the bank. Remember to prioritize your health and well-being, and always seek professional medical advice when necessary.
Read Our More Blogs.

domain: health


text:
Open Educational Resources (OER): Supporting Affordability, Accessibility, and Learning
Presented by Kristy Padron on March 13, 2023 and FAU Center for Online and Community Education (COCE) Professional Development Webinar.
Open educational resources are teaching and learning materials that can be freely used at no cost, which can include textbooks, primary sources, and other learning objects. In this webinar, librarian Kristy Padron will provide their characteristics, how to locate them, and their significant benefits to students. Participants will receive recommended sources of OER and tips on evaluating them.


Apple has announced April 3rd to be the release date for iPad. The Pre order will start from March 12 on Apple website, however, this pre-order is for USA only; customers from other countries can order in late April. Apple certainly wants to shelve the iPad at least 2 months before WWDC 2010 to make […]
Mio, a technology company, has announced the release of a 7 inch tablet: Moov V780. According to the company the device is designed for navigation, entertainment and Internet experience. The Moov V780 has almost everything what it takes to be a smart, handheld device including YouTube streaming, HD (720p) playback, surfing the web via wireless […]
Compiling all the leaks and rumors related to iPhone 4G, ADR studio has produced a video ad presenting their own concept of what the new iPhone will look like. The design of the phone in video doesn’t look much impressive but the main theme was to tell that it will have a front camera for […]
Apple has put an end to all the rumors and leaks by concealing all its ocean shipments from public. In the consequences of 2008, when ImportGenious rightly predicted the coming of Apple’s iPhone by monitoring the shipments, Apple has concealed the imports making them inaccessible even to U.S. Customs.
Apple iPad has taken the portable gaming experience to the next level. Imagine gaming at a 9.7 inch multitouch display with high power 3D graphics experience, the innovative use of multitouch and accelerometers, and excellent processing power of the device. Apple is considering iPad as a serious portable gaming platform, which might turn to be […]
After the release of the long awaited Tablet by Apple, many of us were disappointed by the fact that it didn’t have a Camera and Multitasking. However we need to keep in mind the this was the first model of the iPad and Apple may include a lot more in the future. Just like what […]
Griffin is the first one to announce the five must have Apple iPad accessories. They include the Cases, Sleeves, Jumpers and Screen Protector. I would recommend you to buy the Case as it will keep your ipad scratch-less. These safety products are not yet released as nobody knew the exact dimensions of iPad before yesterday. Griffin has displayed these […]
Yesterday Apple released the long awaited iPad which runs the new iPhone OS 3.2 beta version. However the OS 3.2 is meant only for iPad and not for iPhone and iPod Touches. Apple hasn’t provided any support for multitasking as well as flash in the OS 3.2. So definitely people are looking forward for its […]
Today is a big day, maybe like that day when iPhone was released. Apple is going to show their latest creation today (January 27th) at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco. It’s quite evident that Apple will unveil the long-awaited Tablet today, but nobody knows for sure. Expected Products: Apple Tablet with a possible name […]
Mashable has just posted some pics of the Apple Tablet destined to release tomorrow. The pictures shows the Apple Tablet along with MacBook Pro. The tablet looks thinner than expected and has a sleek design. We are not sure whether this is the real photo or fake.


text:
A basketball team sends five players out onto the court at a time, but needs more than five players to go far in the playoffs, if not even to just reach the postseason.
As far as its first five goes, Greenport may have as good a starting lineup as most high school boys basketball Class C teams in New York State. Junior guard Ahkee Anderson (18 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals per game last season), senior guard Jaxan Swann (15 points, 5 steals), 6-foot-4 senior center Jude Swann (16 points, 14 rebounds), 6-2 senior forward Tyrus Smiley and 6-2 senior forward Reese Costello can play. Anderson was named to the All-State first team, the Swann brothers were both All-Conference selections and Smiley made All-League.
The real question is: How will the bench perform?
“We have a lot of inexperience coming off our bench,” coach Ev Corwin said. “There’s not a guy on our bench who has played varsity basketball before. … Other people are going to have to step up, help out and give us solid minutes.”
Corwin enters his sixth season in charge of Greenport with a 53-50 career record. The bulk of his success came over the past two seasons, when the team went 37-12.
Greenport (23-4 last season) wants to return to the state final four at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton March 15-17. Last March Greenport, appearing in its fourth state final four and first since 2009, was beaten, 73-58, in the semifinals by eventual champion Lake George (28-0).
“It was just a fantastic run we had,” Corwin said. “The guys were on a mission and we just fell a little short, but it was still a wonderful season, just a great experience all around.”
If the Porters are to duplicate that sort of an experience, they will need help from their bench where Corwin can draw from junior guard Joshua Santacroce, senior center Zach Riggins, senior forward Sean McElroy, freshman point guard Ev Corwin Jr. (the coach’s son), senior guard Xavier Kahn, senior forward Meko Ameden-Bell, junior forward Sylas Shelby and junior forward Luka Benidze. All played for the junior varsity team last season except for Kahn and Benidze, who is from the nation of Georgia.
Anderson enters his third varsity season with 993 career points and is expected to break the 1,000-point mark in Greenport’s season-opener, a non-leaguer at home against Mattituck Friday night.
“His will to win to me is always, as a coach, [what] made him special,” Corwin said. “As long as we’re winning games, it’s not about his individual stats. The kid just has a will to win and it’s a true will to win.”
The road to Binghamton is a long, winding minefield. Nothing can be taken for granted, especially the final destination.
“It’s a gauntlet. It’s one and done when you get to those playoffs,” Coach Corwin said. “We’re circled on everyone’s calendar because it would be a good feather in someone’s cap to beat us. We can’t just walk out there and everyone’s going to lay down. It’s a new year. Last year was great, but we got to start all over again.”
A shakeup has reduced the number of leagues in Suffolk County boys basketball from seven to six. Mattituck (13-8) now finds itself in League VI. While teams like Bishop McGann-Mercy and Stony Brook are no longer on Mattituck’s schedule, the Tuckers have league opponents like Elwood/John Glenn, Southampton and Hampton Bays to deal with.
“It got tougher, no doubt,” said Mattituck coach Paul Ellwood, whose team lost to Babylon in a Suffolk Class B outbracket game last season.
It’s a good thing for the Tuckers that they return a veteran team, sprinkled with eight seniors and their top seven players from last season. All-League players Xavier Allen and H’Nadahri Joyner lead the way.
Allen, a junior point guard, averaged 15 points and four assists last season. “He looks tremendous right now,” Ellwood said. “He’s our leader on the floor. He can score in transition, shoot, drive. He’s our most valuable player.”
Joyner, a 6-2 senior forward, was good for eight points and 11 rebounds per game. “He’s a good inside player,” Ellwood said. “He has a nice touch. He’s developed an outside game, too. He’s also good defensively. He’s a good shot blocker. He’s a force in the paint, offensively and defensively.”
The 6-3 Ryan Seifert and fellow senior forward Trevor Poole also saw starting time last season, as did senior guard Nick Perino and junior guard Chris Nicholson.
More varsity know-how is provided by point guard Matt Sledjeski, forward Jayden Ford, guard Bryce Grathwohl and guard Tyler Olsen — all seniors.
The new additions are guards Luke Woods, Rashad Lawson, Nate Demchak, Bryan Flores and Adam Kobel.
“A lot of experience,” said Ellwood, who goes into his 15th season at Mattituck with a 116-176 record. “We can kind of hit the ground running. The guys know each other. We’re taking our offense to the next level. We need to be able to get stops and be a good defensive team and I think we’ll be a serious contender.”
In order to prepare for the league season, Ellwood said he put together a tough non-league schedule that he believes will pay dividends down the road.
Confidence can work wonders for a team.
Southold coach Lucas Grigonis knows that full well, which is why he has to feel good about his team’s mindset approaching the new season.
“It’s exciting to me,” he said. “We’re young with experience. It definitely sets a different tone for us this year. We’re more confident.”
Confidence comes with experience, and Southold (7-14) has experience.
One of Southold’s biggest assets last season was the shooting from beyond the three-point arc by junior small forward Steven Russell (17.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.4 steals) and junior shooting guard Nick Grathwohl (15.4 points, 6 rebounds), who nailed 61 and 42 three-pointers, respectively. Russell earned All-Conference recognition and Grathwohl was All-League.
Senior shooting guard Max Kruszeski (5.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, team-high 2.2 steals) is another key player for the First Settlers. He captains the team along with senior forward Eric Connolly. More veteran experience comes from senior point guard Michael Daddona, senior power forward Van Karsten and junior shooting guard Cole Brigham.
Southold has two sets of junior twins. Small forward Nick Eckhardt and shooting guard Jay Eckhardt are joined by two transfers from Brooklyn, small forwards James Asip and Barry Asip. Also new to the team are junior small forward Jack Cosmadelis and senior small forward Emmett Moloney.
Grigonis said it’s as if his team has matured and grown up since last season. “We’re kind of further along the process now,” he said. “We’re kind of past the immature, inexperienced moments. We still have a lot to learn. Let’s say we have a stronger foundation this year.”
A 62-58 overtime loss to Mercy in a season-ending Suffolk Class C outbracket game did not sit well with Southold. The Settlers made only 12 of 26 free throws in that game.
“Our goal is to win a playoff game,” Grigonis said. “I think last year’s playoff loss in overtime to Mercy, it left kind of a bitter taste. We felt we kind of gave it away. It was a tough one. We played well. We forced overtime. We shot terribly from the free-throw line.”
Perhaps some of the Settlers still have a chip on their shoulder from that loss. Grigonis (13-27 entering his third season as Southold’s coach) likes their will to win.
“They want to win every shooting drill,” he said. “They want to win every scrimmage that we play in practice. They have a competitive driving force.”
Until that first jump ball is tossed up, all the teams are dead even. It’s an exciting time of the year for coaches.
Ellwood said, “Everybody’s undefeated still so all the coaches are still happy.”
Photo caption: Greenport junior guard Ahkee Anderson, an All-State Class C first team player, takes 993 career points into his third varsity season. (Credit: Garret Meade, file)

domain: news


Sidechef, the Kickstarter-funded mobile app that offers users audio and visual cues to learn how to cook, has raised $1 million from investors in Asia.
China-based Empower Investment led the investment round, which has brought the total funding for the company to $1.2 million.
The iOS app, launched three months ago, saw over 70,000 downloads in its first month. The Android version was just recently released.
Sidechef is available on iPhone, iPad, and Android devices. The app promises to teach users how to cook by demonstrating each step of a recipe through technique videos which display methods such as chopping and braising. The app also features automatic timers, ingredient lists, and voice controls, allowing chefs to use the app even with dirty hands. Users can share their recipes and connect with friends. Users can even search for recipes based on the ingredients they already have, reports Paul Sawers for The Next Web.
“We believe SideChef could be the best [place] for people to gather around, not only as a tool for people to cook but a community to make people’s cooking more fun and interactive,” Peacock Capital’s John Au said.
Founder and Chief Executive Kevin Yu said he hoped to solve his own cooking problems by creating an app that combined the inspiration found on televised cooking shows with the interactive nature of mobile devices, after having a Valentine’s Day cooking session go terribly wrong. “It was not edible by any means,” he said, laughing.
Yu had previously managed global community development for the “World of Warcraft” at Blizzard Entertainment in addition to starting his own gaming company.
One technical feature on the app is referred to as “a metalayer” that can actually detect the actions of the user, such as chopping, and instinctually play a technique video, writes Deborah Gage for The Wall Street Journal.
Partnering with food bloggers, Sidechef has worked tirelessly day and night to create a database of recipes, and is still looking into new ways to make money. The app is currently considering an idea that would offer users the ability to order groceries and have them delivered to their homes through a partnership with grocery delivery services in an effort to promote cooking at home.
As the idea of smart homes continue to become more popular, the app could one day preheat ovens for users and let them know when they are running out of eggs, writes Melissah Yang for The Los Angeles Business Journal.


LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. — Hundreds of protesters from the United Gamefowl Breeders Association (UGBA) eclipsed a cordial visit from U.S. Senators Rand Paul, Mitch McConnell and Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture James Comer at Wildcat Harley Davidson Monday afternoon.
“To borrow a phrase from Japan in World War II, they’ve awoken a sleeping giant,” said Craig Davis, director of the Kentucky Chapter of UGBA and head of the protest. “We’re fed up and worn out. We’ve been backed into a corner here in Kentucky.”
Davis, with approximately 200 protesters hailing from Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, North and South Carolina, Mississippi and Missouri began arriving at Wildcat Harley Davidson as early as 1:00 p.m.
Not a single parking spot was to be found at the Wildcat Flea Market, where the protesters were instructed to relocate after disturbing employees at the motorcycle dealership.
“To be honest, some of our staff was made uncomfortable with their presence in our parking lot,” said Wildcat Harley employee Shannon Melton. “We had to ask for them to be removed.”
The protesters arrived in the wake of the Agricultural Act of 2014. While, nationally, most farmers have positively received the bill, Davis and other protesters saw it as an attack on the breeding, raising, and fighting of game fowl or roosters, an activity commonly known as “cockfighting.”
While the activity has been an obscure tradition for centuries in neighborhoods throughout the world, it is now illegal in all states and a felony in 40. In Kentucky, the latest legislation would see that number increase to 41.
Hailing originally from Grayson County, Ky., Craig Davis claims he has represented the interests of the UGBA in Washington D.C. for years, spending $20,000 of his own money in the process. Other protesters raised concerns over increased regulation regarding other types of livestock.
“We’ve been fighting this fight for the past 30 years. New laws keep coming up every day,” Davis said. “They’re turning average Americans into felons. These are good hardworking people – most are war veterans.”
Davis went on to claim that a rooster’s natural tendency is to fight other roosters and that their deaths in a fight are no less humane than factory farming. Davis did not comment on allegations from Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) like The Humane Society or PETA claiming birds are often armed with blades and hormones to better compete. He did, however, denounce their roles in persuading lawmakers.
“We don’t train them to fight; they’re naturally fighters. We want to ask our senators why they are allowing NGOs to tell them what to do,” Davis continued. “We’re tired of NGOs making rules for our lifestyle.”
Most of Davis’s concerns were aimed at Sen. Mitch McConnell and Commissioner James Comer due to their support for regulations concerning gamefowl. Davis reserved praise and support for Sen. Rand Paul.
“Senator Paul has defended all of our industries. He’s defended our culture,” he said. “He’s done everything to bring back traditional Christian and American family values. His being here with Mitch McConnell is politics only and it’s hurting his integrity.”
The visit from Paul, McConnell and Comer was meant to be nothing more than a “Meet and Greet” at Wildcat Harley Davidson with a primary focus on the economy. According to Josh Smith, a protester from Jackson County, the discussion is leaving out voices that need to be heard.
“If it’s illegal to have chickens, things are getting bad,” he said. “If things like this are allowed to happen, it’s going to affect the feed stores and more down the line. It’ll cost people jobs.”
Attempts were made to contact the offices of Senators Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell for comment, but none were returned before press time Tuesday.