text:
Development of psychotic symptoms following ingestion of small quantities of alcohol
Received 15 May 2016
Accepted for publication 3 August 2016
Published 22 September 2016 Volume 2016:12 Pages 2449—2454
Checked for plagiarism Yes
Review by Single anonymous peer review
Peer reviewer comments 4
Editor who approved publication: Professor Wai Kwong Tang
Da-Li Lu,1 Xiao-Ling Lin2
1Department of Psychiatry, Xiamen Xianyue Hospital, Xiamen, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Nursing, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
Abstract: Psychotic symptoms can occur in some clinical conditions related to alcohol, such as intoxication, withdrawal, and other alcohol-induced neuropsychiatric disorders. Here, we present a case report of a 24-year-old man, without a known psychiatric history, who developed brief psychotic symptoms following ingestion of small quantities of alcohol repeatedly. To our knowledge, no related previous literature regarding this has been reported.
Keywords: Alcohol consumption, psychotic symptoms, behavioral change, minimal quantity, pathological intoxication, schizophrenia
Patients with alcohol abuse and dependence may suffer from psychiatric disorder, and there is a high prevalence of alcohol and other drug use disorders among patients with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders – shown to be as high as 50% in some studies.1–3 A high prevalence of alcohol abuse and substance use disorders has also been found in patients with first-episode psychosis.4,5 While alcohol-induced psychotic disorder is a well-recognized clinical disorder, relatively little is known about the mechanism of this condition. Previous studies have reported decreased γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA, inhibitory)6 and increased plasma glutamate and aspartate in patients who consume alcohol,7 while a placebo-controlled study reported superior efficacy of the inhibitory neurotransmitter glycine in reducing hallucinations in patients.7 Certain genetic variants (alleles), particularly the ADH1B*2, ADH1B*3, ADN1C*1, and ALDH2*2 alleles, which code for alcohol-metabolizing enzymes such as alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), have been associated with lower rates of alcohol dependence.8 The presence of these alleles may lead to an accumulation of acetaldehyde during the alcohol metabolism process, which can result in heightened subjective and objective effects.8
Furthermore, the existence of an acute brain syndrome manifested by psychotic reaction to alcohol without regard to the amount of alcohol consumed has been well-described in the past.9,10 The acute, chaotic disruption of behavior resulting from ingestion of a small quantity of alcohol, known as “pathological intoxication”, has long been recognized as a psychiatric entity.11 Pathological intoxication (PI), also called alcohol idiosyncratic intoxication, was said to occur predominantly in persons with low tolerance to alcohol, but its existence as a definable syndrome is still controversial.12 The disease has been defined as an acute brain syndrome manifested by a marked behavioral or psychotic reaction after minimal alcohol intake in people with no preexisting mental disorder.12 The essential points of all the definitions of this disease were the following: 1) marked maladaptive behavioral change (usually aggressive or assaultive behavior) with minimal alcohol intake, 2) the behavior is atypical of the person when not drinking, and 3) cause not being any other physical or mental disorder according to DSM-III-R (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Third Edition Revised).13 Although PI had been listed in previous DSM editions, DSM-IV omitted it because of lack of supporting evidence to show that it was distinct from regular alcohol intoxication. Furthermore, such a condition of PI would be mostly likely diagnosed as alcohol intoxication or alcohol-related disorder according to DSM-IV to DSM-V.
There was also some evidence of PI in the People’s Republic of China, and only ten published case reports of PI have been identified upon a Chinese language literature review from 1984 to 2012. The data for this review were based on the Chinese language literature identified from searches of the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (www.cnki.net; 1979–2012), which is the largest online Chinese language literature database. The clinical specifics related to these published cases are summarized in Table 1. Blood alcohol concentration was not measured in any patient, none of them showed unsteady gait and were inarticulate. Besides, all had absolute aggressive behavior changes, and the duration of the episode was quite short and ceased after a few minutes to several hours. Most of them were young, and four of them had accompanying schizophrenic symptoms such as visual hallucination or delusion.
In the current study, we report a 24-year-old man, without a known psychiatric history of psychotic or affective disorder, who developed a unique, brief psychotic disorder following ingestion of small quantities of alcohol, which seems very different from PI.
The patient provided written informed consent for publication of this case report. Mr Z. is a 24-year-old, previously healthy college student who developed psychotic features after drinking beer on the evening of June 15, 2011. Ten minutes after having drunk two glasses (~200 mL) of beer (alcoholic strength of the beer was less than 4%), he was agitated and screaming, saying that his parents were in danger and that he should go to save them. He also masturbated in public without feeling shy although there were two female classmates around. Following this, he was sent to the hospital immediately. At the time of admission, he presented with unusual thought processes and disorganized thinking. At the hospital, he demanded strongly that the door be closed and curtains be drawn over the windows. When the nurses switched on the light, he would scream at them. When he saw his father, he grabbed both of his father’s hands tightly as if he feared losing his father. He closed his eyes but did not sleep the entire night, and he also called his father’s name every 5 minutes to ensure that his father was around. If his father did not respond, he would feel nervous. He looked at the curtain all through the night from the bed, watching the shadow that the light of street lamp cast through the curtain, and listened to the noise of cars as if waiting for something to happen. He felt that the living environment around him was not as usual.
Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain and 24-hour ambulatory electroencephalogram examination revealed no remarkable changes. Self-Rating Anxiety Scale and Self-Rating Depression Scale were administered to him, and the scores of the two scales were 50 and 28. There were no other mental records for him as he was unwilling to complete any more tests. At the time of admission, blood was routinely drawn to determine the blood alcohol level, perform routine blood examination, and assess hepatic and renal function and serum electrolyte level. Blood alcohol level on admission was 30 mg/dL (6.52 mmol/L), and other blood examination results were normal. Besides, the time span between ingestion of alcohol and blood alcohol level testing was very short – it was approximately 2 or 3 hours. There was no evidence of auditory or visual hallucination, delusions of reference, or other psychotic symptoms. He had not experienced stress or other traumatic experiences before. Besides, there was a drinking history for the patient: he had consumed alcohol only one or two times in the past 3 months – far from alcohol abuse and dependence.
For this reason, it was considered that the current situation was an episode of brief psychotic symptoms, but not schizophrenia spectrum or other psychotic disorders. So, the doctor began therapy with Seroquel (Quetiapine) 25 mg Qn initially. Four days later, the dose was increased to 50 mg/night. The patient began showing great improvement within 7 days after admission. The doctor felt that his mental state returned to normal and that his symptoms resolved completely. He was discharged on the treatment of Seroquel (Quetiapine) 50 mg/night. When he went back school 1 week later, he did not take medication as before. He still studied well in school as before and showed no unusual behavior or symptoms.
Approximately 40 days later, he had drunk approximately 150 mL of beer with his father and his relatives. Again, the symptoms recurred, similar to the first time. His father sent him to the hospital immediately. When we saw him, he was too nervous to talk with us. There was evidence of thought blocking. We started therapy with Seroquel (Quetiapine) 25 mg/night (as before). Furthermore, the patient did not experience any psychotic symptoms or behavior change in between these two episodes. Three days later, he returned to normal. He partly remembered what he had done 3 days before. As his symptoms resolved completely, his father stopped him from continuing the drug. Approximately 30 days later, his symptoms recurred again because he had drunk three glass of beer, approximately 150 mL. He was suggested to continue taking Seroquel (Quetiapine) 25 mg/night. His mental state returned to normal and his symptoms resolved completely 4 days after he took the medicine. We continued to contact the patient and his family for the following 3 months. He has since stopped taking the medicine and also does not drink alcohol any more. He also continued performing well at university (just as before).
In the present report, we described the case of a young patient who presented with three episodes of behavioral change of acute onset suggestive of the brief psychotic episodes. Interestingly, each of the hospital admissions was triggered by small quantities of alcohol consumption. The symptoms manifested mainly as thought blocking; psychosensory disturbance; public masturbation; insecurity without elevated, expansive, irritable mood; or other psychotic symptoms. The symptoms occurred and ended abruptly, at around 3–7 days. The patient returned back to normal after therapy. Both the MRI scanning of the patient’s brain and 24-hour ambulatory electroencephalogram were unremarkable. Furthermore, the patient and his family had no history of psychotic or affective disorder, personality disorder, or a seizure disorder. There was a very light history of drinking for the patient, and there was no weird behavior before when he consumed alcohol. What surprised us most was that once he had drunk such a small amount alcohol, his behavioral reaction started to emerge. To our knowledge, there is no related literature reporting the occurrence of such type of symptoms after ingestion of a small quantity of alcohol.
Alcohol addiction or withdrawal could induce psychotic symptoms,14 but it seems that the patient in our case was far from such circumstances. The patient had no history of alcohol abuse and dependence, but had drunk beer only one or two times in the 3 months before the first episode. Also, blood alcohol concentration at admission was low (only 6.52 mmol/L), and the amount of beer ingested was small and the alcoholic strength of beer he consumed was less than 4%. Several differences should be pointed out when comparing these disease characteristics to that of PI. In our case, the patient experienced a marked behavioral change, such as public masturbation, but no aggressive or assaultive behavior. In addition, the duration of the episode in our patient (~3–7 days) was much longer than that in the cases with PI, which lasts for only several minutes or hours.10–12 Besides, most PI patients presented total amnesia for the period of the episode,12 while in our case the patient had partial amnesia. Subsequently, when we used Seroquel to treat the patient, he started to do better. Also, episode of PI normally end with sound asleep.10–12 In conclusion, there was insufficient evidence to demonstrate that the patient might suffer from PI or other alcohol-related neuropsychiatric disorders, although the episodes were induced by ingestion of a tiny amount of alcohol.
It seems still more difficult for us to ascertain the etiology of the presentation. Although the patient showed atypical psychotic symptom without evident hallucination or delusion in these three episodes, the childish mannerisms and bizarre behavior still relates to or is characteristic of schizophrenia. Besides, the age of onset is 24-year-old (very young). However, the one noteworthy point was that the patient would return to normal every time after therapy with Seroquel (Quetiapine). As the evidence accumulates, we have more confidence to speculate that the patient might be exhibiting early symptoms of schizophrenia and that ingestion of small amount of beer might induce the episode accidentally. In other words, ingestion of small amount of alcohol might be one of the predisposing factors of the episode of atypical psychotic symptoms in our case. Theoretically speaking, other issues, such as negative life events, might also induce psychosis.
The patient presented with irritability, psychomotor agitation, and insomnia after drinking beer, which also fulfils the DSM-IV criteria for catatonia. Catatonia is a clinical syndrome characterized by alterations in motor behavior, and changes in thought and mood and can occur in the context of several disorders, including neurodevelopmental, psychotic, bipolar, depressive disorders, and other medical conditions. Catatonia has been documented as occurring in alcohol withdrawal in rodents, and rarely in humans, but not occurring in alcohol drinking.15,16 Another possible diagnosis for this case was delirium. A patient with general delirious symptoms including thought process and sensory disturbances may fulfill the DSM-IV criteria for delirium. However, our patient exhibited no clouded consciousness, disorientation, or disturbed circadian rhythms, so this was not a possible diagnosis in this case.
Another diagnosis of this case considered was anxiety disorder associated with substance intoxication. Clinical studies have documented a significant degree of comorbidity between anxiety disorders and alcohol use disorders. Previous studies, including both animal and human, have shown that acute exposure to low-to-moderate doses of ethanol are anxiolytic,17,18 and ingestion of small amount of ethanol resulted in development of anxiety symptoms in our patient. The etiological nature of this relationship is not well understood. One possible reason for this could be that acute ethanol ingestion in our patient was associated with an acute decrease in GABA concentrations of the brain, and studies (in humans and animals) have shown that GABA deficits may induce stress and anxiety.19,20
Taken together, this case demonstrates a special presentation of a marked behavioral change, which is suggestive of an episode of brief psychotic symptoms, after ingestion of small quantities of alcohol. And we can only assume, from the evidence and analysis, what disease the patient might be having. As a psychiatrist, it is essential to advise the patient not to drink any more, and, satisfactorily, he was also studying well at school during the follow-up period of 3 months. Further close follow-up with the patient and his family is required.
The study was supported by grants from The Young Teachers Program of Sun Yat-Sen University (53000-31121400).
The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.
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domain: literature


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domain: design


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BRAD PITT DATING A PROFESSOR
|BRAD PITT DATING A PROFESSOR|
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domain: celebrity


text:
While continuing to render her drawings on antique ledger book pages, Despont’s latest body of work focuses on the educational and psychological effects of recreational games, while also nodding to the title’s etymology: meaning to create again, renew, or to recover.
Each game within Recreation is depicted and characterized by their tools, inviting a sense of interactivity. However, the gameplay has changed as new rules and parameters have been defined for them in this exhibition. The symmetry, geometry, and spatial mapping inherent in a pinball machine, building blocks, or kites now overlap with the yantras, mandalas, and mapping systems that have informed Despont’s work throughout her career.
The starting point for the exhibition was the largest multipage work, Observatory Board Game, measuring nearly twelve feet long. In the center is an astronomical park, Jantar Mantar, which brought Despont to India almost a decade ago. To the left is a cityscape reminiscent of the New York skyline where she was born and to the right, is a mountain range that resembles her current home in Bali. A path winds its way through the pages, tracing the places where the artist has lived and traveled.
Many of the works in the exhibition are abstracted references to games, but the single page Division Board series is more literal. Structured like the Indonesian gambling game Kocokan, each work contains a simple grid with six boxes. Colorful radiating circles split within each box and morph together like cells dividing—a motif she repeats across the entire series.


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Looking for a News Release?
Find more news releases in the archive.
To search for a news release, use the Search CSU, Chico News function in the upper right corner of this page.
Community Clean-up and Other Events Honor César Chávez
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CSU, Chico and other state campuses and offices are closed March 30 as a holiday in observance of César Chávez’s birthday, which is Saturday, March 31.
Last year, CSU, Chico students planned a day of community service for César Chávez Day when campus was closed for the state holiday. Approximately 400 students, faculty, staff and community members picked up trash and cleaned up locations in Chico.
The service effort, organized by students calling themselves Cats in the Community, was in response to reports that some students were spending the holiday at Mexican-themed parties disrespectful to Chávez and all Hispanics.
On March 30, Cats in the Community is planning another Chico-wide clean-up effort, which will begin with registration between 9 a.m.-10 a.m. in Trinity Commons across from the BMU. Participants will then be assigned to clean-up assignments from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Other events planned include:
· March 28 - Conversions on Diversity: The Legacy of César Chávez. Discussion at noon in BMU 210
· March 29 - Educating the Hearts: The Values of César Chávez. Presentation at 10 a.m. in the Student Services Center Plaza
· March 30 - César E. Chávez March for Justice. 4 p.m. at the Student Services Center Plaza
· March 31 - Honoring the Life of César Chávez: A Cultural Celebration. 1 p.m. in the Downtown City Plaza
All events are free and open to the public. For more information about these activities and the legacy of César Chávez, go to http://www.csuchico.edu/cesarchavez/index.shtml.

domain: news


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haiku's are awesome and fun...
my friend and i were making fun of each other by writing haikus today and it was fun... ehree lines long. the first one having five syllables, the second seven, and the last having five.
our teacher gave us a paper having haiku's. some are pretty funny.
here are a couple:
Big Bang or maybe
six days of work, one of rest.
Somehow, it begins.
Dinosaurs tromp tromp,
act tough, then die so Spielburg
can win more Oscars.
P.S. does this go here or should it have gone in the poems section?
i couldn't decide...
I was thinking about writing Haikus as of late...but...nothing has come to mind worth writing about...so I am still waiting for inspiration.
My critiques: I likeed the first poem, but the second poem was a bit weak int he department of word choice and was too comical for my taste.
A haiku is a Japanese form of poems...
Anyway! If you wrote those two poems, the poetry section would be most appropriate... ^_^;;
no i didn't write them...
they were on a piece of paper my english teacher gave us...
it's called Haiku History: A look at our past, / seventeen syllables and / three lines at a time.
by spike gillespie
it has Smithsonian January 2003 on the bottom.
A haiku is a Japanese form of poems...My critiques: I likeed the first poem, but the second poem was a bit weak int he department of word choice and was too comical for my taste.
Haikus are short poems in the japanese literature..though only short,it's hard to make..I remembered we used to do it in our school as our homework,I didnt remember my grade though...
Closing due to the thread being dead.

domain: artistic


THE THREE Tenors, “the most delicious box of chocolates your ears could ever have,” according to The New York Times, are coming back to Galway.
Entitled, Eve of St Patrick’s Day Special, the concert takes place in the Hotel Meyrick, Eyre Square, on Saturday March 16 at 8.30pm.
The tenors - Declan Kelly, David Martin and Ray O’Hare - will perform songs by Sinatra (‘My Way’, ‘New York, New York’ ), Leonard Cohen (‘Hallelujah’ ), Simon & Garfunkel (‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ ), Pavarotti (‘Nessun Dorma’ ), and The Dubliners (‘Song for Ireland’ ). There will be a guest violinist, All-Ireland champion sean-nós dancers, and traditional musicians.
The Three Tenors performed at the European Premiere of Lincoln in Dublin, attended by Daniel Day Lewis and Steven Spielberg.
Tickets are 091 - 564041 (Hotel Meyrick ) and OMG (091 - 509950 ).


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Temasek and Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) have entered into an agreement to merge their respective MICE subsidiaries, SingEx Holdings and Sphere Exhibits, to form SingEx-Sphere Holdings(SingEx-Sphere).
Temasek will own 60 per cent in SingEx-Sphere, with SPH owning 40 per cent. Robin Hu, chairman of SingEx, will be chairman of SingEx-Sphere once the transaction is complete.
SingEx-Sphere aims to be a regional MICE market leader for hybrid events driving best-in-class solutions from a combined portfolio of events management, venue and consultancy businesses. The merged entity is also looking to add intellectual properties in the form of new events and exhibitions via both organic curation and inorganic investments.
Ng Yat Chung, CEO of SPH, said: “This merger will allow us to tap on each otherâ€™s expertise, resources and networks to seize new opportunities to enhance the portfolio and achieve growth regionally.”
Hu said in a statement: â€œEvents and Exhibitions remain the most robust marketing channels for businesses around the world. Both SingEx and Sphere Exhibits, with over five decades of combined experience in organising and hosting trade and consumer shows across a variety of sectors, have built a strong foundation for the MICE scene in Singapore and our region.
“We believe Covid, while having a dampening impact in the short term, had given rise to new opportunities in the form of hybrid activities hitherto unimagined. Our industry is fast becoming a digitally enabled intellectual property business. Those who are adaptable, nimble and unafraid to reinvent will succeed,” Hu noted.

domain: finance


text:
3 Things Nigeria Can Do With Increased Oil Revenue Earnings
Crude oil prices in the international oil market is rising - from an all time low of about $30 per barrel in 2016 to about $65 per barrel by the end of 2017.
Due to consistent peace efforts in the Niger Delta, attacks on oil facilities has almost ceased and Nigeria is now enjoying more crude output, targeting more than 2 million barrels per day this year.
More so, demand for Nigerian crude has also increased as buyers who had stayed away before now have returned.
So, it is safe to say that the boom years are back.
However, to avoid the mistake of the past when excess earnings from crude oil was frittered away, here are three things the leadership of the country can do with the increasing earning from crude oil.
Invest In Renewable Energy:
Energy investments and trends across the world in 2017 showed that the world is gradually moving away from fossil fuel.
France and UK announced in 2017 they would ban petrol cars in 2040. India said early last year that every vehicle sold in the country should be powered by electricity by 2030.
Norway has said all new passenger cars and vans sold in 2025 should be zero-emission vehicles.
And according to the International Energy Agency, at least 8 countries including Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal, Korea and Spain have set official targets for electric car sales.
China, the world's largest car market, and one of the biggest importers of Nigerian crude, is also working on a plan to ban the production and sale of vehicles powered only by fossil fuels.
So, who exactly will be buying Nigerian crude at least 20 years from now?
That is the question that should bog Nigerian leaders’ minds.
And that is why it has become imperative for Nigeria to start investing in renewable energy, using the excess earnings from crude oil sales.
“Although politicians may tout the “Nigeria Without Oil Slogan,” it will require serious commitment and aggressive investment to prepare for that future,” noted an energy analyst, Lawrence Onyedi in a chat with Bounce News.
When it comes to renewable energy, the first to come to mind is solar energy. With abundant sunlight almost all through the year, Nigeria can prepare for that future by investing heavily in solar power.
Some African countries such as Morocco are already making an impressive progress in this regard.
Morocco has no fossil fuel reserves so is almost entirely reliant on imports. In 2015 King Mohammed VI committed the country to increasing its share of renewable electricity generation to 52% by 2030, aiming for the installation of around 10 gigawatts (GW).
“Of that, 14% is expected to come from solar, with plans to install 2GW of new capacity by 2020, as well as increases in wind power and hydraulic dams,” said a report by the UK Guardian newspaper.
Morocco has even opened the door to exchanging electricity produced from renewable sources with Europe.
Nigeria can borrow a leaf from that. Already, the federal government has started investment in that energy type, but it is marginal and almost too late.
In July 2017, the federal government announced the commencement of the first solar power project in Nigeria, the 1.2megawatts solar power plant in the lower Usuma Dam, Bwari, Abuja.
The government should increase such investment and spread it across Nigeria, and quickly too, if the impending energy revolution will not catch Nigeria unawares.
Get The Refineries Working:
Recently, the federal government got approval from state governors to withdraw $1 billion from the money saved selling crude oil above budgeted benchmark.
The money is to be used to fight Boko Haram. Time has come again for the government to save more money in that account.
Read More: Nigeria’s Refineries Idle, Bleeding Out
With oil price benchmarked at $45 per barrel in the 2018 budget and the actual price hovering around $65 per barrel, Nigeria has a chance to save billions of dollars from crude oil sales. Part of the things it should be using the fund for is to get the local refineries working.
Now, Nigeria has only three refineries. Two are performing below capacity and one is idling away. This has led to endless fuel crisis and increasing cost of fuel consumption for Nigeria.
Save For The Future:
Nigeria’s crude oil provides a reliable source of foreign exchange. Now, this is critical for an import dependent nation such as Nigeria because any disruption in the flow of the foreign exchange will trigger lots of economic woes, including a recession.
At the time crude oil sold at more than $100 per barrel, Nigerian state governors rebuffed any attempt to get the country saving.
And so, when the dollars flowed scantily, there were no dollars to provide the necessary buffers. This plunged the country into a crisis – the naira weakened, inflation set in and eventually the economy stagnated leading to a recession, the first in 25 years.
Those managing the economy can ensure that does not happen again by taking advantage of this opportunity to save more against the future.
Also Watch: Apapa Gridlock: See The Technology That Will Solve the Problem Once And For All


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January 10 2021
The Dakar is dangerous, and it may cause an addiction. When the race is over, you start planning the next one.SEE MORE
January 04 2021
Ricky Brabec in a passenger car and rolling towards the airport and airplane that will deliver the defending Dakar Rally Champion to Saudi Arabia where he’ll put his fists up, have his fangs out and climb into the ring and prepare to defend his 2020 title.SEE MORE
January 24 2020
Twenty football fields of supplies transported for two weeks across 7,000 kilometers in a colorful caravan of 2,500 racers, teams, organizers, and media.SEE MORE
Hesperia, United States
Fast, reliable, and easy to drive. If the Can-Am Maverick X3 could be summed up in a few words, these are the qualities that stand out from a machine that has won every Dakar rally since the debut of the SSV category in 2018. Notably last year the X3 took Casey Currie and the Monster Energy Can-Am Team to the 2020 Dakar title
Life as a Dakar Rally mechanic is as far from an office routine as you can possibly imagine.
Monster Energy Can-Am Team Casey Currie says he doesn’t know the world limit
Consistency is the name of the game at the Dakar.


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Isola del Giglio Holidays in Maremma
The Maremma offers not only holiday on the green Tuscan hills, the tourist passionate about the sea can book a room in one of several hotels, bed and breakfasts and hotels in these 'Isola del Giglio, the largest of the islands of Tuscany after 'Isola d'Elba. Always a tourist destination continues to grow, the island offers numerous opportunities for nell'incontaminato excursions inland, arid mixture of rock and reforested areas.
The island is rich in wildlife and vegetation, with peregrine falcons, kestrels and mouflon, with an incredible abundance of wild flowers: it is the only place outside of the north where grows the flower of 'wormwood.
The island takes its name from the Roman colony of Aeglium already at that destination for a holiday of the most famous of that period until the Middle Ages. The economy was sustained by the quarries of granite: the extracted stones were used to construct many of the medieval churches in the area.
The tourist who decides to reach the island of Giglio boat can moor at Giglio Porto Where there is an excellent bus service direct to the two main dell'Isola locations: Giglio Castello, Giglio Campese. Alternatively you can rent bicycles or scooters to explore the island in complete freedom.
Ferries to the Isle of Giglio
Telephone: 0564 810 803
Rate: 6.00 euros one way
Telephone: 0564 812 920
Rate: 6.00 euros one way
Tickets can be purchased directly on board or on one of the many kiosks on the quay of the port. E 'advisable to leave the car on the ground, because the transport can be very expensive: there are pay car parks on the waterfront price of 8.00 euro per day.
The most important day of the port is August 10: The inhabitants are a race to retrieve a flag tied to a tree of cuccagna set in the middle of the sea.
The same day you place the Palio seaside, between the three districts of the port.
Surrounded by cliffs, offers an overview of relief, with very impressive case color against a backdrop of vineyards and terraces. In the port, as well as numerous restaurants and shipyards, is presnte Saracen tower, built by Ferdinand I in 1596, where you can find a peaceful spot to relax in order to observe the walls of an ancient Roman basin.
The beaches are small but clean and charming, one in Punta Aranella, one of Canelle Cala in Cala and another of Caldane.
Useful information for tourists
Telephone: 0564 809 400
Yachting Marine - boat rental
Via Thaon de Revel, 9
Telephone: 0564 809 610
Blue Scuba Diving Club - Diving
Via del Saraceno
Phone: 340 399 4648
Remains hidden in the hills about 6 km from port. The city is still surrounded by walls fortified, which contain as an impressive number of well-preserved narrow streets, very characteristic, adorned with beautiful medieval arches. The strength of granite, which is the entrance to the medieval quarter, you can reach the port by bus, which stops close to a vine covered patio in the main square in front.
The cha palace gives its name to the town of Pisa is the work, supplemented later by the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Visited the old town, you can do a tour of the dirt paths outside the walls, to enjoy a magnificent panorama view on the island and on the ruins below.
For the tourist who wants to explore the interior of the island should follow a path on the street, which Giglio Castello winds for about 9 km to Punta del Capel Rosso, the most south of the island. The entire trip takes about 3 hours, immersed in a wild and lonely.
Cities in Maremma
- The territory of the Maremma
- Holidays in Massa Marittima
- Holidays in Grosseto
- Holidays in Orbetello
- Holidays in Pitigliano
- Holidays in Isola del Giglio
- Holidays in Follonica
- Holidays in Castiglione della Pescaia
- Holidays in Capalbio
- Holidays in Piombino
- What to see in Abbadia San Salvatore
- Holidays in Porto Santo Stefano
- Holidays in Porto Ercole
- Holidays in Scansano and Magliano

domain: travel


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Indian Journal of Science and Technology
Year: 2016, Volume: 9, Issue: 44, Pages: 1-9
M. Lakshmi Bala1 , J. Kavitha2 and V. Suresh Kumar3
1Department of Business Administration, Kunthavai Naachiyaar College for Women (Autonomous), Thanjavur - 613007, Tamil Nadu, India; [email protected] 2Adaikalamatha Institute of Management, Adaikalamatha College, NH 67, Arun Nagar, Vallam, Thanjavur - 613403, Tamil Nadu India; [email protected] 3Raja Serfoji Govt. College, Trichy Main Road, Near New Bus Stand, Thanjavur - 613005, Tamil Nadu India; [email protected]
In today’s scenario women is walking hand to hand with the men and is being considered equivalent to men in all respects. Women employment is also at increase, but still there is low rate of women’s participation in the family business. Women face great problems and restrictions to join or work in the family business, especially in northern region of India where people give more importance to societal factors. These factors lead to be an obstacle or hurdle in the enhancement of women participation and growth of women entrepreneurship. Women have always played a important role in India since the distant past and in the present scenario. The women and the Indian family values and constitution have changed vigorously keeping with the times. Objectives framed for the present study: • To examine various business problems of women entrepreneurs in the study areas. • To ascertain motivating force behind women entrepreneurs in the study areas. • To probe into success factors of the women entrepreneurs in their business in the study areas. • To find out the linkage between problems of women entrepreneurs, success factors of women entrepreneurs and the overall satisfaction of the women entrepreneurs. Analysis: The women entrepreneurs of Tamil Nadu are treated as the population of the study. The multi stage sampling technique has been adopted in the study. Tamil Nadu is divided into three areas such as delta region, industrial region and industrially backward region for the purpose of the research (First stage of sampling process). Findings: 1) The predictable positive sign imply that such effect is positive that success factors may raise to 0.051 for each unit raise in personal and social problems and this coefficient value is significant at 5% level. 2) The anticipated positive indication shows the effect is positive that success factors would go up to 0.138 for each unit raise in labour problems and the coefficient value seem to be significant at 5% level. 3) It is also noted that the regression weight for labour problems in the calculation of Motivational factors is not radically different from zero at the 0.05 level. Women now play an dynamic role in the field of business. Many women have curved into entrepreneurs setting up their own businesses. Likewise, women have steadily transitioned to occupy an chief role not only in the family but in the family business as well. Hence, Indian women in business may be studied on different dimensions so that this study is needed. Applications: The research will support the women entrepreneurship and society to identify the monetary and imaginative talent of women entrepreneurs, it will help to amplify the business altitude and make it effective. It will create an awareness among the women to pursue their career as entrepreneurship.
Keywords: Motivation, Problems and Satisfaction, Success
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Accession Number : AD0606112
Title : ALTITUDE VARIATION OF RAYLEIGH, AEROSOL, AND OZONE ATTENUATING COMPONENTS IN THE ULTRAVIOLET REGION.
Descriptive Note : Environmental research papers,
Corporate Author : AIR FORCE CAMBRIDGE RESEARCH LABS L G HANSCOM FIELD MASS
Personal Author(s) : Elterman,L.
Report Date : MAY 1964
Pagination or Media Count : 1
Abstract : Atmospheric extinction in the ultraviolet is considered spectrally and with altitude as follows: (1) The Rayleigh scattering coefficients are determined by utilizing spectral scattering cross sections with molecular number densities from the U. S. Standard Atmosphere; (2) The aerosol attenuation coefficients are established from available transmission measurements in conjunction with a suitable aerosol density distribution. (3) The atmospheric ozone absorption coefficients result from Vigroux's coefficients applied to a generalized ozone distribution. The resulting coefficients and computed optical thickness values are placed in the format of a series of tabulations for wavelengths from 0.27 to 0.55 microns, with the parameters arrayed at kilometer intervals to an altitude of 50 kilometers. The tabulations presented permit various exploratory calculations including horizontal, vertical, and slant-path transmission from sea level and from space into the atmosphere; also, between any two desired altitudes within the occluding ozone region. (Author)
Descriptors : (*ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION, ATTENUATION), (*ATMOSPHERES, ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION), AEROSOLS, OZONE, SCATTERING, LIGHT TRANSMISSION, ABSORPTION, OPTICAL PROPERTIES
Distribution Statement : APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

domain: geography


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Make Paper Mache Clay Smooth Without Sanding • Ultimate Paper Mache
This video shows you how to smooth out the papery texture of paper mache clay without adding a second coat, and without sanding. Plus, it's really easy!
Neutral Textured Angel Wings Canvas Art
Create your own canvas art with me! It's easy! I'll guide you with step-by step instructions so you can create something stunning!
DIY Huge, Awesome Angel Wings!
My sister made these incredible angel wings out of cardboard and paper mache! She then painted them to look like wood. Find the instructions at Creatively Living. http://www.creativelylivingblog.com/2012/12/how-to-make-huge-awesome-angel-wings.html#
Angel painting Watercolor Angel Gold-Silver Angel Wings Abstract White Angel Mixed technique 24kGold-Silver art Special painting
Abstract Angel Watercolor painting Gold-Silver Angel Wings Mixed technique art,texture painting. Μatted watercolor art Original Mixed technique Watercolor painting Art with relief paste,24k Gold and Silver foils Covered with hight semi gloss protection. Premium quality finest paper, 300gr Acid free- Durable and acid free matt board. Signed on the front by me. Matted Watercolor measures : 50x70cm----20x28'' Each item is carefully packaged, to ensure safe arrival. Shipped by Registered…
Angel wings II Solid-Faced Canvas Print
A vertical drawing of a pain of angel wings with metallic sliver accents on a neutral backdrop with handwritten text.
Holiday Angel Wing Tutorial - Parties With A Cause
Looking for the perfect way to add Christmas spirit to your home this year? Try this Holiday Angel Wing Tutorial for a gorgeous set of paper wings!
Angel Wings At Rest / Photo Gift / Ready To Display / Art Adhered To Wood / Three sizes to choose from 5x7, 6x8, 11x14
For a limited time we are offering: Buy One PRINT Get One Free ! Prints adhered to wood are Not included in this promotion! All you need to do is let us know what Print you want for your free one after you place your order. If you don't let us know what print you want we will not be able to send you one. Free Print must ship at the same time and to the same address as your purchased Print. Again, Please Note Prints Adhered To Wood Are Not Included In this Buy One Get One Free Promotion…
16" x 20" wrapped canvas - Angel Wings Gallery Wrapped Canvas
by UK Artist TMH Angel love heart shaped wings for protection and guidance - on a black background
Angel Wings Painting. Huge Angel Wings painted just for you. This is a custom order and will be created when the listing is purchased
Angel Wings painting will be created just for you on artist quality canvas, using professional oil and acrylic paint and gold and silver metal leaf. The painting will require 2-3 weeks drying time before it can be shipped. Available in 2 sizes. I will fill you in on the various stages of your painting. Shipped fully insured Tracked Free shipping in Canada and continental USA


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The Biltmore House and Gardens are becoming an addiction for me. I love the scenery… The mountains and gardens and lakes are all stimulating for me.
Trying to stay warm in this SNOW! and SNOW is a bit rare in my area. We get snow but it is here one day and gone the next day. Well not this time! It has been SNOWING almost none stop for two days! WOW! So I must steep! Being inspired by God’s beauty and creative work at play… I decided to play and create too! So steeped my beautiful lady like teas! ‘Lady Like’ you may say?!?! Well, it starts as a bud and as the water boils she blossoms into a beautiful full grown flower or ‘Lady’! These teas come in all different flavors with different color flowers.
Again this box really moved me! Just opening this box and seeing the hand woven container brings a warm smile to my face!
I must say that a few of my favorite pieces this time are the versatile woven piece… This can be worn as a belt or a head band. The green earrings are ranking high too. And the hair accessory is fabulous!
It’s here again!
Inside the box was wonderful goodies:
Honeycomb crunch 183 cal
Bonnie wee oatbakes 114 cal
Summer berry flapjack 236 cal
Graze’s chocolate orange 208 cal
FATTY SUNDAYS is my product of the day. Maybe I should say guilty pleasure of the day. If you like salty and sweet snacks… Well these are for you. These delicious pretzels are thoughtfully flavored, generously dipped, perfectly decorated and guaranteed to please. The guarantee comes from me. These pretzels come in about 9 different flavors. My favorites are Mint Chocolate & Toffee!
This is a Brooklyn, New York company ran by two sister using their mothers recipe.
I order these delights from Birchbox.
It’s here! I’m not disappointed!
Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy
INIKA Mineral Eyeshadow in Eternal Marine
TONI&GUY Cleanse Shampoo for Damaged Hair
TONI&GUY Nourish Conditioner for Damaged Hair
Can’t wait to get February’s box!
$13 – hm.com
$100 – generalpants.com.au
$9.85 – houseoffraser.co.uk


U.S. Vice President Joe Biden called on Thursday a proposal by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to introduce visa free travel between Russia and the United States "a good idea."
Biden is holding talks with the Russian premier as part of an official visit to Moscow.
"If Russia and the United States agreed to introduce a visa-free regime before Russia makes an agreement on the matter with the European Union, it would be a historical step in the development of Russian-U.S. relations," Putin said.
The Russian authorities have long been trying to persuade Europe to drop visas for Russian citizens, but their attempts have so far yielded no significant results.
MOSCOW, March 10 (RIA Novosti)


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The goal of the study was to determine whether exercise may serve as a preventive measure and/or countermeasure to the adverse effects of microgravity on the central nervous system using a microgravity analog design. This overarching goal was subdivided into four sub-aims: 1) Investigate exercise as a preventive and/or countermeasure to mitigate the effects of microgravity on motor behavior and cognition; 2) Investigate exercise as a preventive and/or countermeasure to mitigate the effects of microgravity on central nervous system (CNS) plasticity and function objectified with structural and functional neuroimaging techniques; 3) Investigate the potentially mediating role of exercise on the relationship between changes in behavior and CNS plasticity and function; and 4) Identify if physical health markers on the single subject level can predict behavioral adaptability to a microgravity environment.
To further explain any effects of bed rest and exercise, data was leveraged from a normative control study. For this study a group of NASA ground personnel completed the same neurocognitive and sensorimotor measures and MRI protocol as the bed rest subjects. These assessments were repeated three times over a time course that matches up with the time course of the bed rest measurements. This allowed a comparison of the effects of bed rest and exercise in supine position during bed rest to the time course of these outcome measures in normative healthy control subjects.
Long-duration bed rest results in water redistribution in areas that are largely overlapping with those areas in which gray matter changes are observed. Gray matter decreases co-occurred with water increases and vice versa. This indicates that during the study the gray matter changes observed on the T1 MRI largely reflects water redistribution. No significant differences were observed in changes in focal cerebral water contact or white matter microstructure between the bed rest exercise group and the bed rest control group, neither during bed rest or during the post bed rest recovery period. Bed rest was associated with functional connectivity changes between several sensorimotor and vestibular brain regions. Investigators also observed significant group by time interaction effects in changes in functional connectivity during bed rest and during the period post bed rest. During bed rest there was an increase in connectivity between the right premotor cortex and a large cluster in the superior frontal gyrus in bed rest exercise subjects while at the same time bed rest control subjects showed a decrease in functional connectivity between these regions. In addition, post bed rest there was an increase in connectivity between the right posterior parietal cortex and a cluster in the left postcentral gyrus in bed rest exercise subjects while at the same time bed rest control subjects showed a slight decrease in functional connectivity between these regions. These results indicate that aerobic and resistance exercise during bed rest can at least partially mitigate the effects of bed rest on the functional connectivity between sensory and motor brain regions and on recovery post bed rest.
|Mission||Launch/Start Date||Landing/End Date||Duration|

domain: medical


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Get a weekly dose of Black Joy in your inbox every Friday. Subscribe to the Black Joy newsletter here.
Look up at the sky!
It’s a bird?
Is it a plane.
(And before you get started no this newsletter is not going to be about the Netflix series “You.” Joe and Love’s toxic relationship has no space here lol.)
But is about you being the superhero of your own story. Now, we may not be fighting off giant monsters or demons. Your archnemesis maybe all things adulting. But metaphorically speaking, we all have more power than we think to change the issues we see in the world.
Today, we will introduce you to two Black southerners who are adding more melanin magic to the predominately white illustrative world. Whether you know how to draw or naw, I’m hoping our two interviews will inspire you to make that move – big or small – to make the world better for yourself and others.
But before we all glow up and transform, consider passing around the Black Joy by forwarding this newsletter to a couple of your folks.
Let’s get it!
Manga mania with Blake Showers
Blake Showers is changing up the manga industry one illustration at a time.
The Birmingham native would check out stacks on stacks of manga books from his local library when he was a kid. He dove into stories featuring kid protagonists, like Pokémon Adventures, which is based on the anime. But even in these epic tales, he found something that was lacking: characters who looked and acted like him.
Now 28, Showers is creating artwork that aims to increase Black representation in manga, otherwise known as Japanese comics. His manga series, “4strikes,” follows Meleak Williams, a shy, timid Black teen who becomes a bat-wielding demon hunter. The series is co-written by Showers’ editor – and fellow Birminghamian – Daniel Williams and is published in Saturday AM, which is the world’s most diverse manga anthology. While he is now studying art education in Pennsylvania, “4strikes” still has many Southern touches, which Showers talks more about in my story on Reckon’s site.
To give y’all a taste of Showers’ work, I asked him to share some of his Blacktober artwork. You can read more about the month-long art challenge that asks Black creatives to reanimate non-Black characters as Black in last week’s Black Joy.
Showers said Blacktober’s daily prompts, which are posted on social media at the beginning of the month, challenged him to be creative on a deadline – factors that are important while working in the manga industry. He chats with me about his favorite Blacktober submissions and why they brought him so much joy.
Day 1 – Greetings: Along with redrawing or cosplaying non-Black characters, Blacktober participants have also used the prompts to share their original work or a moment of joy, like a favorite family memory. Showers introduced himself by drawing up different types of Black people – old, young, dark skinned and light skinned – along with a spread of hairstyles. Not surprising, since he entertains his legion of 189 thousand TikTok followers through art tutorials. His clips about the versatility of Black hair have collectively gain him millions of views and caught the eyes of a few major sponsorships, like Mountain Dew. We’re talking box braids, cornrows with the edge up and the fade, an afro mohawk with braided up sides.
“I really wanted to show a broad spectrum of just different kinds of black people to show like, ‘Hey, my people aren’t just this or that,’” Showers said of his Blacktober piece, “One thing that drives me nuts is playing a video game and a character only having like Afro or braids. But there are so many ways you can show Black people’s hair. There’s so many ways you can make this person more personable to the player of the game.”
Day 2 – Black Joy: Showers’ artistic style is actually influenced by the multiple ways he found joy during his childhood. Along with reading manga, Showers said he really enjoyed listening to southern hip hop with his dad. So, he decided to spread more joy some more with this Blacktober piece, which was inspired by videos of parents who tried to prank their kids by having horror characters like Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees sneak up on them. But he noticed that most of the kids would just laugh.
“The kids don’t find this stuff scary like they’re supposed to,” Showers said. “I have a little cousin who is really into horror stuff. She loves “Chucky” and “It” and just all these things that I wouldn’t have watched when I was younger. This is kind of based on her a little bit. Like, there’s nothing wrong with liking horror films or anything weird.”
‘We are beautiful’
Morgan Bissant has come a long way since she started drawing people who looked like potatoes.
Her mother says she has been drawing since she was one. And in the first grade, Bissant actually got in trouble because she drew so much while in class. But sis kept sketching away despite disses from adults who told her she wouldn’t make a living as an illustrator during high school.
Now the 30-year-old New Orleans illustrator has become a sought-after talent. Her more than 23,200 Instagram followers have awed at Bissant’s stretching her illustrative muscles by redrawing a range of anime characters as Black. She also draws her own renditions of Black life during different time periods. While I am a big fan of how she reanimated “Demon Slayer” characters, her re-illustration of a 1972 Ebony Magazine wig ad also slays as much as the hair styles from back in the day.
Bissant chats with me about the artwork that has brought her joy along the way. She’s heavy on the skin tones and other Black features when it comes to her work. Bissant noticed the lack of Black main characters as a child. She hopes to change that through her art.
“I hope they can feel a sense of inclusion – a reminder that we are beautiful,” Bissant said. “I want them to see what we may not have seen growing up – more characters who look like us in the forefront and being important”
Inuyasha: Inuyasha wasn’t her all-time favorite anime. But at the request of a fan of the anime, she decided to do a redraw of some of the Inuyasha characters – but with a twist. Inuyasha is set during Japan’s Sengoku Period, which falls between 1467 and the early 1600s. So Bissant got on top of her research game and decided to place the characters in an African kingdom that existed around the same time frame. Bissant picked the Songhai Empire, which was the dominant kingdom in West Africa during the 15th and 16th centuries. She reworked the characters’ clothing, jewelry, hair and headdresses. She even translated the characters’ names to Zarma, which is one of the Songhai languages.
Bissant studied Swahili and pre-colonial African history during college. So, she really wanted to work that knowledge in while redrawing Inuyasha.
“It’s just always cool to see that kind of stuff because, I never really saw that growing up,” Bissant said. “While I enjoyed a lot of the cartoons, movies and things that I saw, you didn’t really see a lot of stuff for us, and even when we saw stuff from different countries, it would be like France or Italy.”
Marcella: The viral nature of Bissant’s work also helps her get more eyes on some of her original characters, some of which are faith-centered. Marcella is based off Ephesians Chapter 6, which describes the armor of God. Bissant said the armor empowers Marcella to fight demons and evil spirits.
Like with her Inuyasha series, Bissant also looked to African culture as she illustrated Marcella. This time, she pulled from the Tuareg people, a seminomadic people who reside in North and West Africa. Marcella’s weapon is based off a Tuareg sword.
Since Bissant isn’t much of a writer, Marcella hasn’t been included in a story yet. But when she does get her chance to shine, Bissant said she wants Marcella’s personality to stretch beyond the labels placed on Black women on television.
“Marcella is a warrior, but she’s still a really passive, shy lady who doesn’t like talking and isn’t really like super angry or in your face,” Bissant said. “We already see the angry Black lady sort of thing.”
That’s all I have for y’all this week. Now go up, up and away and continue to spread your Black Joy! See ya’ next time!


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Huw Evans, Chairman of the Scarlets region for the past 14 years has announced he will step down, handing over to leading Welsh businessman, entrepreneur and passionate Scarlet Nigel Short.
The move was ratified at a board of directors meeting held last week. Mr Short, 48, who lives in Whitland, Carmarthenshire is also chairman of internationally-acclaimed Welsh Whisky distillery Penderyn and takes over the Scarlets chair with immediate effect. Huw Evans, who is founder and chair of Regional Rugby Wales, pioneered the move of the Scarlets to their successful and highly-regarded Parc y Scarlets stadium and has been instrumental in taking the region forward during a period of change; including retaining the Scarlets’ brand and heritage by achieving stand-alone status when Welsh rugby went regional.
Mr Evans said that the time was now right for him to hand over the reins at the region and has been working closely with Nigel Short over the past two years on regional business. He said he had “huge confidence” in his successor and that the news was “a big and positive step forward” for the Scarlets. Short joined the Scarlets Board in September 2010.
“This is an exciting time to be a Scarlet with some great rugby talent coming through the ranks and huge promise on and off the pitch at Parc y Scarlets; this includes a fast-growing stadium events and venue business. We are stirring energy, enthusiasm, pride and passion in our rugby communities and wider support base and there’s a great deal to look forward to in the future,” said Huw Evans.
“The time was right for me personally. This is a very positive announcement and a big step in preparing the Scarlets for the next phase of development. I’m handing over with huge confidence and belief to a new chairman who is a highly successful international businessman and passionate Welshman and Scarlet. He has vast experience and a range of skills ideally suited to this role including strong financial management and a flair for marketing.
“Nigel is incredibly committed to Welsh rugby, in particular development of the game and young talent from his experiences as a junior rugby coach. As a person he embodies all the greatest of Welsh values and has integrity, diplomacy and will lead by consensus. He’s a very, very good bloke.
“I am grateful to everyone who I have worked with during my time at chairman, including the directors on the board Glan, Philip and Tim whose focus, experience, and contribution are hugely important to us along with the support, vision and co-operation of Mark James, Chief Executive at Carmarthenshire County Council – our partner in Parc y Scarlets; and to Mike Carr who project managed the build of the stadium.
“I’d also like to pay tribute to former CEO Stuart Gallacher, for his strength and leadership in times of change as well to our new CEO Mark Davies who has been a fabulous acquisition and is a first-class individual making big strides in steering our forward business plan. Our rugby success and development past and present is in the hugely competent and skilled hands of both Nigel Davies and Gareth Jenkins. They, alongside all our supporters show continued loyalty, commitment and passion as Scarlets which has been so evident this season.”
Evans will continue as a director on the Scarlets Board alongside co-directors Granville Wise, Philip Davies and Tim Griffiths with current Chief Executive Mark Davies. Nigel Short said: “Huw’s commitment to the club over the past fourteen years has been nothing short of remarkable. His investment of time and resources has been extraordinary. He leaves us with one of the finest stadia in the country and on a rapidly improving financial footing.
“Huw’s energy, enthusiasm and passion for the club are boundless and the club would not exist in its current form without him. It was a humbling experience when he asked me to take on the Chairmanship as his are very big boots to fill and I thank him for his confidence. Huw will continue to be intimately involved with the club in supporting our development into the future. He was a Chairman of great stature and “a true Scarlet”.
“As the new Chairman of the Scarlets, I do not intend to over promise and under-deliver. The club has made good progress in the last few seasons but much remains to be done. I have been involved in a number of world-class Welsh organisations and am determined to restore the Scarlets to its rightful place at the top table of European Club Rugby and for it to have continue to command the respect and support it rightly deserves.
“We can be guilty in Wales of suffering from lack of confidence at times and I am taking this role in the firm belief that we have a very special organisation and place to work from. We have one of the most passionate support bases in World Rugby and an outstanding stadium and facilities, and I am looking forward to help support this business going forward.
“We are rapidly improving financial performance with a clear business plan that will deliver a solid financial foundation, a rarity in club rugby these days and on the field one of the best player development pathways in the country which is producing some of the greatest talent in Europe for good of Welsh rugby.”
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The Scarlets are enjoying increased off the field successful at their home, Parc y Scarlets with a focus on driving a strong non-rugby events and venue business. Attendances are up 15% this season, with in excess of 1,000 more supporters attending Scarlets games on average this season and an increased season ticket holder membership.
Parc y Scarlets will host its first ever music festival headlined by The Saturdays later this month, Llanelli AFC v Manchester United on August 8th has hosted a number of major conferences including a CBI Wales and the NUT plus will host a three day BBC roadshow this summer. The stadium has served more than 15,000 non-match day covers in the past six months alone.


Maaco executives review franchise group’s performance. Driven Brands’ Costa projects Maaco and CARSTAR will each add 100-200 locations over next year.
Maaco franchisees from the U.S. and Canada gathered in Charlotte, N.C., the hometown of parent Driven Brands, last week for the Maaco Convention and Tech Expo. The event, held October 12-16, brought together approximately 400 network owners and managers from across North America.
The event featured two days of meetings at the Charlotte Convention Center on Wednesday and Thursday, followed by a Charity Golf Tournament on Friday benefiting the Driven Brands Charitable Foundation. The Maaco Tech Expo took place


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Markusic set out to develop a gene therapy that restores a functional factor IX gene.
In the course of testing the therapy, however, some mice developed allergic reactions to factor IX protein that were so severe that they died within minutes of treatment.“We inadvertently found that we could prevent the factor IX allergic responses using gene therapy.
Markusic’s team wondered if expressing an allergenic food protein in the body would create immune tolerance for that protein that otherwise wouldn’t exist.
They also specifically wanted to express that allergenic protein in the liver since the liver is home to cells that recognize native proteins and prevent the immune system from attacking them.The researchers injected allergic mice with an advenovirus vector containing the gene for ovalbumin, which targeted the liver to induce tolerance.Markusic and his coauthor Miguel Gonzalez-Visiedo hope that a one time or occasional injection treatment similar to what the mice received will be a better alternative to current food allergy treatments. .
“That this gene therapy vector was able to prevent reactions is a good start.
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domain: biology


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Historical Fiction Picture Books
Adler, David A. The
Babe & I. [OLDER] E Adler
While helping his family make ends meet during the Depression by selling newspapers, a boy meets Babe Ruth.
Adler, David A. Mama
Played Baseball. [OLDER] E
Young Amy helps her mother to get a job as a player in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League while Amy's father is serving in the army during World War II.
Altman, Linda Jacobs. Amelia's
Road. [OLDER] E Altman
Tired of moving around so much, Amelia, the daughter of migrant farm workers, dreams of a stable home.
Atkins, Jeannine. Anne
Hutchinson's Way. [OLDER] E Atkins
A fictionalized episode from the life of Anne Hutchinson, who arrived with her family in Massachusetts in 1634, but was soon banished for holding religious meetings and teaching ideas with which Puritan ministers disagreed.
Movie. [OLDER] E Avi
In the early years of the twentieth century, a Swedish family encounters separation and other hardships upon immigrating to New York City until the son is cast in a silent movie, in a picture book that evokes an actual silent movie
Bartone, Elisa. American
Too.[OLDER] E Bartone
Story of how one young girl's imagination made her American dream come true.
Bildner, Phil. The
Hallelujah Flight. [OLDER] E Bildner
In 1932, James Banning, along with his co-pilot Thomas Allen, make history by becoming the first African Americans to fly across the United States, relying on the generosity of people they meet in the towns along the way who help keep their "flying jalopy" going.
Birtha, Becky. Lucky Beans.
[OLDER] E Birtha
During the Great Depression, Marshall, an African American boy, uses lessons learned in arithmetic class and guidance from his mother to figure out how many beans are in a jar in order to win her a new sewing machine in a contest.
Blaisdell, Molly. Rembrandt and
the Boy Who Drew Dogs : A Story About Rembrandt van Rijn.
This picture book accurately portrays the story of Titus, Rembrandt van RijnÆs son who longed to paint like his father, and the struggle he had to get his father to notice his work when he was a young boy
Borden, Louise. Across
War II story. [OLDER] E Borden
A woman reminisces about her neighbor's son who was the object of a letter writing campaign by some fourth-graders when he went away to war in 1943.
Castrovilla, Selene. By
the Sword. J 973.332 C (Non fiction
Follows Benjamin Tallmadge's participation in the U.S. revolutionary war.
Deedy, Carmen Agra. The
King Christian X of Denmark.[OLDER] E Deedy
Retells the story of King Christian X and the Danish resistance to the Nazis during World War II
Edwards, Pamela Duncan. Barefoot
: Escape on the Underground Railroad.[OLDER] E
In the forest, a group of animals help a runaway slave escape his pursuers.
Fletcher, Susan. Dadblamed
Union Army cow. [OLDER] E Fletcher
During the Civil War, a devoted cow follows her owner when he joins the Union Army and, despite all his efforts to send her home, stays with him and his regiment until the end of the war. Based on a true story.
Hannah's Way. [Older] E Glaser
In rural Minnesota in 1938, Hannah, a young orthodox Jewish girl, deals with being the new girl in class.
Hazen, Barbara Shook. Katie's
Wish.[OLDER] E Hazen
Soon after Katie wishes for her potatoes to disappear during dinner, a potato famine ravages her native Ireland, forcing her to leave for America.
Howard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald. Virgie
Goes to School With us Boys. [OLDER] E
In the post-Civil War South, a young African American girl is determined to prove that she can go to school just like her older brothers.
Johnson, Angela. Just
like Josh Gibson. [SPORTS] E Johnson
A young girl's grandmother tells her of her love for baseball and the day they let her play in the game even though she was a girl.
Joosse, Barbara. Lewis
Santa Fe Trail. [OLDER] E Joosse
While accompanying his father on the wagon train along the Santa Fe Trail, Lewis discovers what it is to be a man.
Judge, Lita. One
of World War II. [OLDER] E Judge
The author describes her family's efforts to help their friends and others who were left homeless and hungry in the aftermath of World War II.
Lowell, Susan. Elephant
Quilt. [OLDER] E Lowell
Lily Rose and Grandma stitch a quilt that tells the story of their family's journey from Missouri to California by covered wagon in 1859.
Lubner, Susan. A
Horse's Tale. [STORIES] E Lubner
In Williamsburg, Virginia, in colonial days, Lancer the horse runs loose and behaves oddly while his owner and owner's friends try everything they can think of to help him feel better, until Margaret the Milliner realizes that Lancer needs a friend, too.
McCully, Emily Arnold. The
escape of Oney Judge [OLDER] E McCully
Young Oney Judge risks everything to escape a life of slavery in the household of George and Martha Washington and to make her own way as a free black woman.
McGugan, Jim . Josepha
: A Prairie Boy's Story.[OLDER] E McGugan
Josepha, an immigrant boy, leaves school to begin working and says good-bye to his best friend.
Mackall, Dandi Daley. Rudy
era story [OLDER] E Mackall
In 1932, during the Depression in Ohio, thirteen-year-old Rudy, determined to help his family weather the hard times, hops a train going west to California and experiences the hobo life.
Noble, Trinka Hakes. The
tale. [OLDER] E Noble
Eleven-year-old Gabe enlists in the Union Army in Pennsylvania along with his older brother Davy and, as bugler, does his best to protect Davy during the Battle of Gettysburg.
Forget Winona [OLDER] E Peterson
A young girl describes her family's experiences--and her younger sister's antics--when a drought forces them to make their way on Route 66 from Oklahoma to California.
Sherman, Patrice. Ben
and the Emancipation Proclamation. [OLDER] E
Young Benjamin Holmes, a slave in Charleston who has taught himself to read, reads Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation to his fellow slaves in prison.
Smith, Icy. Half
story of the Cambodian genocide [OLDER] E Smith
Nine-year-old Nat and his family are forced from their home on April 17, 1975, marched for many days, separated from each other, and forced to work in the rice fields, where Nat concentrates on survival. Includes historical notes and photographs documenting the Cambodian genocide.
Spiotta-DiMare, Loren. Rockwell : A
Boy and His Dog. [OLDER] E Spiotta-DiMare
This biographical fiction recounts Norman Rockwell's painting his Stockbridge neighbor, Scotty Ingram, in Rockwell's Four Seasons series.
Stanley, Diane. Joining
the Boston Tea Party.[OLDER] E Stanley
With the help of their grandmother's hat, the twins journey back in time to the Boston Tea Party.
Tarbescu, Edith. Annushka's
Voyage.[OLDER] E Tarbescu
The Sabbath candlesticks given to them by their grandmother when they leave Russia help two sisters make it safely to join their father in New York.
Wiviott, Meg. Benno and the
Night of Broken Glass. [OLDER] E Wiviott
In 1938 Berlin, Germany, a cat sees Rosenstrasse change from a peaceful neighborhood of Jews and Gentiles to an unfriendly place where, one November night, men in brown shirts destroy Jewish-owned businesses and arrest or kill Jewish people. Includes facts about Kristallnacht and a list of related books and web resources.

domain: history


With the current day political maelstrom, who knows what the government will declare as a “middle ground” to the nationwide problems that have split our entire federal government?
Five years ago, the nation was plunged into into a two week long darkness, leaving government employees without a clue as to the stability of their source of income, insurance or health care.
The nation found itself in the same shoes just a few days ago, as Americans began to relive 2013, when the second government shutdown—only called when Congress and the president cannot come to a decision regarding the federal budget before the fiscal year—formally commenced.
Last weekend marked the second major “blackout” in five years, in which the President and Congress’ inability to compromise wreaked havoc once again. This left thousands of individuals furloughed, uninsured, and lost for the eighth time in history.
Since the beginning, the Democratic and Republican parties have never been able to find a middle ground, making forced appeasements and tensions between the two a norm in American politics.
It’s just like déjà vu. All the same harsh claims, just five years later with a new president. Just like before, politicians continue to use social media to incite public fervor as they express their views on the issues. The president might have changed, but Congress has not.
However, the cause is still the same for both shutdowns, with one issue left undecided, thus creating a variety of other issues that affect countless individuals nationwide.
Previously in 2013, differing opinions over the affordability of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – otherwise known as Obama Care – led to great friction between parties as they entered the season to begin fleshing out and framing the federal government’s budget for the next fiscal year. As a result, the President and the Democrat controlled house found themselves pitted against a senate of Republicans as the national debt’s deadline rapidly approached.
Eventually compromise was realized and yet, the damage had been done. Throughout the shutdown, over 800,000 federal employees were furloughed and another 1.3 million people were asked to continue working, without pay. The damages left no federal entity unscathed, with national parks, the National Zoo, the World War Two Memorial, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) being temporarily closed during the course of the shutdown.
Fortunately in 2018’s version of the shutdown, the United States managed to get away relatively unscathed besides some passionate public reaction. The fight over Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and a national fund that temporarily stopped all federal business, ended just after three days of defensive talk and finger-pointing within the Republican dominated Congress.
Although it’s no secret that tensions are especially high this year following the election of our current president and from his controversial tweets, spouting relatively incendiary ideology, it is blatant our president blames the opposition party for prioritizing foreign immigration affairs over our own country’s citizens.
2018’s short-lived shutdown was an unnecessary rehash of 2013’s. And yet, this year’s version was considerably telling, both about the state of our government and the opinions that reign freely on Capitol Hill. As we as a nation move forward, once again assured with healthcare and paychecks, these ordeals should be a lesson to heed. And hopefully our government will do the same: pick itself back up and work to make America great again.


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Posted on July 13, 2021July 4, 2021 by Catherine ArcolioWho Knew it was possiblefor a poppyto be fringed Like this:Like Loading...
12 Replies to “Who Knew”
Never saw one of those!
Wow! Georgeous blooms ❤🌸
It seems mystical ✨💫
Thanks for sharing this photograph! I have never seen one like this.🌟
Wow!! Poppies reimagined as TuTu’s rather than Tea Dress!
Very beautiful flowers!
Wow believe in the impossible


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Thoreau self reliance essay
better the lives of others by conquering that which affects us negatively. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." -Graham. His efforts are crowned with success. The first two pitches to me were out and low which gave me a 2-0 count which is probably my favorite count to. Napoleon became a world conqueror, because he had great confidence in his own powers and resources. As Emerson writes in "Self-Reliance "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." This commitment to inconsistency is a moral stance, and Thoreau takes it seriously, creating a book that is full of contradiction as he figures out the way of life that. Henry David Thoreau decided at a relatively young age to use his life as an experiment in self-education. If we carefully study the history of the rise and fall of great empires, we shall find that it is upon this supreme virtue that their prosperity was built and that its want brought about their downfall. His optimistic views on life and his goal-oriented lifestyle is reflected in his writing. In conclusion, it is my understanding from researching Henry. Previous Themes Next Work.
Henry David, thoreau, and, self, reliance
Conclusion: Self-reliance is an inestimable quality in the daily struggle of life. In the struggle of life, he is not discouraged by failures, nor disheartened by reverses. 14, winter Animals 15, the Pond in Winter 16, spring 17, conclusion, con, get the entire. Self-reliance builds self-confidence: He cannot expect to achieve distinction, nor can he make satisfactory progress in any undertaking in life. It has also a weak influence on character and willpower. He will put some things behind, will pass an invisible boundary; new, universal, and more liberal laws will begin to establish themselves around and within him. Related Characters: (speaker) Page Number and Citation: 1 Explanation and Analysis: Unlock explanations and citation info for this and every other Walden". Plus so much more. Self-Reliance"s in Walden Below you will find the important"s in Walden related to the theme of Self-Reliance.


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About Art, Economy and Being Human
Why is the economy so deeply entangled in our current crises and planetary challenges? Through time we have learnt to collaborate, share and survive via economic innovations, solutions and models. We have created transactions and involved Earthly materials and objects that are not truly ours to neither own nor request. We have been deluded by the power of a false richness and have forgotten about the elementary drive of doing, living and being art. We have taken the meaning of economy from a state of being in balance with all to a destructive form of egoistic self-realisation for purpose and success. We are developing and implementing a series of exploratory methods for economic art mediums through 5 everyday ideas installations through Economic Spaces. The installations are physical public art installations and exhibitions. We share our thoughts and what has come out of the catalyst stage of learning, studying and discussing with partners and organisations with shared mindsets and goals. These installations simultaneously create tangible real-world experiences of future economic possibilities whilst prototyping the dark matter innovations necessary for this future.
All Projects


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Amber Sparks’s previous collection, The Unfinished World, was one of my favorites of 2016. (You can read my review of it here!) So naturally I was excited when her follow-up, And I Do Not Forgive You, landed on my desk. I’m happy to report that I was correct to be excited: this collection is wild ride through rage and gender upheaval and death and ghosts and fairy tale tropes that constantly slalomed around my expectations.
I have waited many a year for a proper sequel to Batman Returns, and I’m happy to tell you that Birds of Prey is IT. It’s the first comics film that really captures the spirit of those first two Tim Burton Batman films—big and brash and cartoony but also gothy and noir. When it wants to be fun it’s the MOST fun, but when it wants to go dark and, especially, highlight the ways people who present as women, or who the characters and society within the film perceive as women, are crushed by society, the filmmakers are more than happy to make the audience sit with their discomfort. Birds of Prey gives us five antiheroic women who are worthy heirs to Michelle Pfeiffer’s Selena Kyle.
Except there are mallets. And roller-derby. And a funhouse. And a hyena.
Go see it!
We love a good retelling—whether it’s a favorite fairy tale, ancient myth, or epic tale, it’s always great to see old things made new. Part of the reason we love these stories is because they’re so malleable; with themes that span the breadth of the human experience, tales of love, revenge, and adventure can find a home in any place and time, with characters that feel both familiar and fresh at the same time.
As we started thinking about of favorite retellings of classic stories, so many brilliant adaptations, updates, and re-workings came to mind. Here are just a few that we adore! Please feel free to add your own in the comments.
The Good Place ended last night, and I want to give you a place to talk about all of your feelings! Below the cut are a few of my scattered thoughts, with spoilers for the whole series throughout.
Also, nota bene: do not watch this sucker without tissues.
What I found about Terry was difficult is he cared passionately about everything. We all care about some things, but we don’t care so much about others, so we can compromise on them. Terry cared about everything. It didn’t matter how tiny the detail. –John Cleese
When I saw the news about Terry Jones I felt an odd sense of urgency: I should write something, but I was so afraid I’d mess it up that I froze. This doesn’t happen to me often and it’s taken me an entire day to figure out why: Terry Jones is not my personal favorite Python (that’s Palin) but I think he was the most important Python.
Avenue 5, the new sci-fi comedy on HBO, starts pretty strong before drifting off into space. I really want this show to be great, and I’m hoping that this first episode is just a bit of a shaky start. Join me for some non-spoiler first impressions below!
Does everyone else remember the summer of 2008? When the first Iron Man came out, and people were ecstatic about how great Robert Downy Jr., was as Tony Stark, and then like two months later he showed ridiculous range in Tropic Thunder (while also doing a cool riff on his dad’s classic indie film, Putney Swope) and then like a year later Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes adaptation came out, and RDJ was great in that, too?
It looked like the beginning of an incredible career resurgence for RDJ—and then the MCU happened, and it all worked even better than we’d hoped! But after a decade of Iron Man, we were excited to see what big project RDJ would tackle for his first big post-Stark role. Would he go prestige drama? Indie? Over-the-top comedy a la Tropic Thunder?
Or… would he cobble together a collection of his Holmes’ tics—with an accent that veers wildly between “the one he used in Restoration,” “almost-Jack-Sparrow,” and “not-quite-Mrs.-Doubtfire”—and valiantly attempt to portray a depressed, grief-stricken widower in a scene where a polar bear and an ostrich argue in voices provided by Kumail Nanjiani and John Cena?
Join me, on a perilous journey: an attempt at reviewing Dolittle.
A thing that often gets a bit lost in discussion of Star Wars is that the Empire and the First Order are, essentially, Space Nazis. Through all three Star Wars trilogies, the villains are members of an authoritarian regime that wants to conquer every world and culture in the galaxy, flatten any kind of rebellion or free thought, and crush individual liberty. Every other fandom argument aside, what the series is about is resistance to oppressive rule, sometimes through fighting and guerilla tactics, sometimes through non-violence.
I’m going to put my cards on the table and tell you I didn’t like The Rise of Skywalker all that much, mostly because I didn’t think it took enough time with that central theme. (Also FinnPoe, but that’s a whole other article.) However, there was one element that the film did quite well, and to talk about it I need to sidetrack us a little bit into Terrence Malick’s A Hidden Life.
Bear with me.
You know how sometimes you’ll read a particular author and find that their cadences and word choices are creeping into your own head-voice? Or sometimes into your writing? I ask because I have spent these last few days reading a lot of Chuck Tingle, and my brain is currently a CAPSLOCK wonderland filled with buckaroos and sentient jet-skis.
The purpose, you ask? Well, aside from the sheer joy of proving love, I thought it might be a fun quest: is it possible that such an eccentric body of work could yield practical writing advice?
Is Living Corn handsome?
Do Space Raptors like to invade butts?
The answer, dear readers, is yes.
Trot down below the break, buckaroos, to find some classic Writing Ways.
This December brings us to the close of a truly extraordinary and transformative decade for SFF. Epic series like The Wheel of Time finally concluded as A Song of Ice and Fire rose to mainstream prominence on television (with Wheel of Time to follow suit?). Newer stars like N.K. Jemisin rose, while familiar faces like Neil Gaiman published some of their most innovative work yet. We saw the rise of fiction that dealt directly with the ongoing Climate Crisis, works that wrestled with the tumultuous political shifts, cozy space opera, gritty space opera, and literal space opera, with like, actual singing. Zombies faded from favor while orcs and goblins and fishmen found their time to shine. Readers went from celebrating Strong Female Characters to asking for Complicated Female Characters, and the literary landscape became much more inclusive for writers who had previously been marginalized. And, as in every decade, the villains threatened to steal the show entirely.
Four members of the Tor.com fam, Publicity Coordinator Christina Orlando, Tor.com writers Leah Schnelbach and Natalie Zutter, and Tor Books’ Senior Marketing Manager Renata Sweeney sat down for a rollicking, five-hour-long conversation about the decade in genre, discussing trends, favorite books, the heroes and villains who have stuck with them, and even a look forward to some titles that will help define the next decade.
Watchmen‘s Season Finale, “See How They Fly”, somehow, I don’t know how, wrapped this incredibly complex story up?
Call it a thermodynamic miracle.
This week’s Watchmen episode, “A God Walks into a Bar” gives us a closed loop, a BUNCH of paradoxes, and a tunnel of love. (It also gives Marriage Story a run for its money?)
But first, a God walks into Angela Abar.
Like approximately 2 billion of you, I went to see Joker last month. And as the ensuing conversations about The State of Society and Is Violence Ever Justifiable and Angry Men and oh yeah What About The State of Cinema and Wait, Batman Canon! swirled around, I realized that the biggest disappointment for me is that the film simply did not work as the supervillain origin story it purported to be. Despite Joaquin Phoenix’s goddamn superb performance, the film wallowed too much in its own in misery for two and a half hours, and where it simply did not work was as a supervillain origin story.
But there are two other films that take the rise of supervillainy seriously: Unbreakable, a dark tale that pre-dates the current wave of comics films, and Looper, a time-travel story that hides its super-powered villain till the final act.
This week’s Watchmen, “An Almost Religious Awe” answered a couple of, um, GIANT questions! But it also left a few characters in serious trouble.
And it gave us Multiple Misons, huzzah! Join me below for a discussion!
Knives Out could have been a lot of things.
The trailers promised a fun whodunit, a Clue for a new generation. A smirky, snarky role for post-Captain America Chris Evans. A return to quirky genre films for a post-Star Wars Rian Johnson.
And be assured, it is all of those things.
But rather than coasting on the film’s considerable visual style or the script’s sharpity sharp sharp wit, Rian Johnson has taken the coziest, tropiest of genres and used it to tell a story about America—and he’s made my favorite movie since Mad Max: Fury Road.
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