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There are many reasons to consider size, temperament, cost, lifestyle, space and more when welcoming a new dog into your home. The biggest decision facing future pet owners is to choose the type of dog they choose. Yes, dogs make loving and great companions but there are a few more things to keep in mind. Will this dog breed play well with my kids? Will it be matched with another dog or animal in the house? Does this dog breed need a lot of practice?
Dogs, like humans, have distinct personalities, which makes it even more important than before to decide what kind of breed you want to bring to your life.
Take a look the Xoloitzcuintli feature. The Xoloitzcuintli is also called the Mexican hairless or just Xolo (pronounced “show-low”). Xolo is one of the oldest and rarest dogs in the world with a deep history and stored past. The 3,000-year-old (some even say 4,000-year-old!) is an ancient Aztec dog.
Xolos come in three sizes: Toy (at least 10 through 14 inches height), Miniature (height: 14 through 18 inches) or Standard size (height: 18 through 23 inches). Their weight ranges from 10 to 50 pounds.

domain: pet


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The Food Shed Co-op – a local grocery store where consumers are owners and decision makers – is gaining momentum in McHenry County. Learn about the perks of ownership, progress that's been made and what is still needed to break ground on the store.
It’s only a matter of time – as well as members and cash – before The Food Shed Co-op grocery store opens its doors in McHenry County. Approaching 300 owners and a rate of five to 10 new owners weekly, The Food Shed is gaining momentum every day. This news is much to the delight of folks wanting to spend their dollars on healthier, fresher, locally sourced food that is produced ethically on farms close to home.
The Food Shed is a small part of a large global food movement and one of many cooperatives that have opened in the United States recently. Think of a food co-op as a year-round farmers market where quality control and decision-making is in the hands of consumers instead of corporations.
So how does it work? The food cooperative model is a community-owned grocery store that will operate according to the 7 Cooperative Principals and according to what its owners want.
Two shares of stock ($100 per share) must be purchased to become an owner. Owners have a stake in what is stocked on the shelves of the Food Shed Co-op when it opens.
The Food Shed has made great strides in fewer than two years since a dozen residents met to discuss a community-owned grocery store. In October 2014 alone, the owners elected their first board of directors and won a $20,350 grant from the USDA to fund a feasibility/market study, which will help determine store size and exact location within McHenry County. Woodstock and Crystal Lake are being considered.
A market study and a financial analysis will provide data needed to narrow down the store's location, how large the store should be, how much money is required and number of owners needed.
The Food Shed regularly runs ownership drives to reach the 800-1,000 members generally needed to get a store underway. The $1 million to $1.5 million needed to build a store comes from owner equity loans, grants, etc. It’s an exciting time for McHenry County consumers longing for control over their food choices.
Volunteers like Ryan and Katrina Ellison (at the McHenry County Fair) are needed to help spread the word about The Food Shed Co-op.
Bigger Picture of Co-ops
I’m involved with The Food Shed Co-Op because business as usual in regard to the environment, our food supply and consumption in general is neither sustainable nor desirable. Food co-ops like The Food Shed, on the other hand, provide the following benefits:
-A channel to take our global thoughts, joys and concerns and put them into action locally.
-A way for families and individuals to shop for the food we need and leave a smaller footprint on the planet, compared to where we buy food now.
-A vehicle to understanding the climate and social impacts of the foods we choose to put into our baskets.
-A way to connect communities in our increasingly disconnected world. For example, some envision the Food Shed as a destination for education (e.g., cooking classes) and a space for music, community events and group meetings. The possibilities are endless, which is why new members and volunteers are so important – to continue adding to the dialogue as we grow and eventually break ground. We hope you join us!
Scott Brix is a member of the board of directors of The Food Shed Co-op. He owns Wildzyme Bioproducts Inc., a Woodstock company that provides technical service and bulk sales of industrial enzymes and probiotics for food, beverage and nutrition applications. He lives in rural Marengo.

domain: food


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A delicious passion fruit wild ale made with locally sourced fruit from Ocean Beach. Grown blocks away and served right here in OB. This Passion Fruit Wild Ale is an amazing addition to our tap list.
We took our Funky Barrel-Aged Golden Sour and combined it from Passion Fruit from San Diego’s Funkiest neighborhood. The result is a tart sour beer that is dripping with tropical notes of Mango, Papaya, Guava, and of course Passion Fruit.
We only made 100 gallons of this tropical sensation… so make sure to visit either of our locations and give it a try before it is gone for the season. Available on tap at our Ocean Beach location and available in bottles at both locations.
Grab a few bottles and let’s get this summer off to a funky start.
Only (200) 500ml bottles of Ocean Beach Passion Fruit available.

domain: geography


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Councilor Arroyo: Arizona ban is a “statement of values”
In a move that observers say may signal a more activist bent in the Boston City Council, councilors voted unanimously in support of a resolution calling on the city to cut business ties to Arizona.
The vote, sponsored by Councilor Felix Arroyo and Council President Michael Ross, came in response to Arizona’s new law requiring police to question people about their immigration status based on a “reasonable suspicion” that they might be undocumented.
The resolution calls on the city to cancel contracts, purchasing agreements and any investments with Arizona businesses.
Although the resolution is nonbinding, Mayor Thomas Menino expressed support for the measure and has reportedly questioned Arizona firms doing business with Boston on whether or not they support the law.
The council’s vote is not unprecedented — New York, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles are considering similar measures — but it represents a break from the council’s more conservative and locally-focused approach in recent years.
“It’s the responsibility of the City Council to look at our budget and make sure our investments are sound,” Arroyo said. “But it’s also our responsibility to look at where our money is invested. Where you invest your money is a statement of your values.”
The resolution came to a vote after considerable lobbying on both sides of the issue. Conservative talk radio hosts urged listeners to contact the councilors and demand they vote no on the resolution. Arroyo said he and other Councilors were inundated with e-mail messages, many of them from people who do not live in Boston.
At the same time, immigrant rights groups and civil rights activists coordinated constituent phone calls to the councilors in support of the measure.
On the day of the vote, last Wednesday, the council chamber was packed with supporters of the measure. There was no visible opposition to the resolution among councilors or spectators.
Speaking in favor of it were councilors Ross, Arroyo, Ayanna Pressley, Charles Yancey, Chuck Turner and John Connolly. The councilors spoke in support of immigrants’ rights, with many arguing that the Arizona law would lead to unfair targeting of legal immigrants and Latinos.
“We have to take a moment to speak out against the erosion of basic and fundamental civil rights wherever it is,” Ross said.
Turner urged his fellow councilors to look at the issue keeping U.S. foreign policy in mind.
“We need to understand that many, many people who come here are driven out of their countries by policies created in the United States,” said Turner. “We are not going to solve the immigration problem in this country as long as we allow the business community to rape and plunder other countries.”
The measure passed 13-0 by voice vote. Immigrant activists said the vote sent a powerful message to lawmakers in Arizona.
“It’s very important to let the rest of the country know that cities like Boston are supporting immigrants and are denouncing the law in Arizona,” said Patricia Montes, executive director of Centro Presente. “For us, as Latino immigrants, it’s very important to know that our elected officials are recognizing our humanity and our dignity.”
Arroyo credited his fellow councilors for the success of the resolution.
“This was a victory for all of us,” he said. “There are 14 elected officials in the city and they all support this.”

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The Celtic Sea has been earmarked as a promising area in which to develop floating offshore capacity. Recently announced new UK and Irish floating wind developments include the 98MW Erebus project, 300MW Valorous project, the >1GW Emerald project, and the FLOW/Wave hybrid proposal with Western star wind off Ireland’s West Coast at >1.1GW. 2021 saw the launch of the Crown Estate England floating wind test and demonstration projects in the Celtic Sea (3 x 100MW) along with a commitment to a future pre-commercial leasing round.
Wave Hub in Cornwall has also re-licensed, in 2020, for the demonstration of a 32MW floating wind installation whilst the Pembrokeshire demonstration zone is also looking to re-license as a possible large scale Offshore aggregated grid connection point to minimize the impact of multiple individual project cable landfalls. The Celtic Sea is a complex policy arena. Realising floating wind energy potential will necessitate international cooperation and coordinated multi-level governance. Government cooperation and coordination are hampered by institutional inertia, path dependent decision-making, misalignment between national level policies and regional marine plans, and a lack of coordination across government agencies. Strategic planning offers an opportunity to maximize the efficient and sustainable use of the increasingly pressured marine space.
The case study focuses on the Celtic Sea area. This encompasses areas under Irish, English and French jurisdictions. Thematic areas of the case study focus on floating wind governance and marine spatial planning. The PERMAGOV case study will contribute to the realisation of EU Green Deal renewable energy targets. Working with key stakeholders and end-users, PERMAGOV will (1) develop an in-depth understanding of institutional barriers and how these are affected by transboundary and BREXIT arrangements, (2) assess how key barriers can be addressed through the development of collaborative planning and e-governance approaches; and (3) develop policy and best-practice advice as to how floating wind deployment can be accelerated in the area to meet EU Green Deal targets.
The underlying proposition is that existing marine policy and management mechanisms are slow to adapt to new technologies (for example floating wind) and that the governance regime is a major barrier to achieving Green Deal ambitions. This proposition is based on the fact that marine plans in England make no provision for floating wind and floating wind developers have pulled out of major projects in Ireland due to governance complexities.
Which institutional barriers are embedded within the offshore energy and marine spatial planning policy?
How do these barriers impact policy implementation in terms of scaling up floating wind deployment and therefore the potential achievement of the EU’s Green Deal objectives?
How do current governance arrangements facilitate or impede floating wind deployment?
How has e-governance been used within the floating wind sector and what potential use does it have in resolving governance issues?
Which digital tools and e-governance interventions do floating-wind actors and coalitions use in policy-related practices, and how do stakeholders asses these tools’ performance in terms of ability to deliver on EU Green Deal objectives?
What are the key institutional challenges to tackle and key institutional opportunities to build on for scaling up the deployment of floating wind?
What are the just and actionable pathways towards the sustainable deployment of floating wind? And what are the promising e-governance solutions that can support this transition?
Which PERMAGOV results resonate with those interested in floating wind, renewable energy, or marine spatial planning?
Case Study 5 is managed by Queen’s University Belfast in cooperation with Celtic Sea Power (CSP), an end-user in PERMAGOV. CSP’s interest in the case study is underpinned by their desire to realise the area's floating wind energy potential. CSP recognise that realising this potential will necessitate international cooperation and coordinated multi-level governance. CSP has several ongoing projects that will be beneficial to PERMAGOV. Particularly useful will be the Celtic Sea data hub projects, which may form the basis for e-governance solutions for this case. These data hubs provide an extensive data resource for Celtic Sea Floating Offshore Wind development to better understand the climate, wind resources, seabirds and marine mammals in the area. The data will support strategic decision-making for the consent process using actionable data-driven insights.
Connections with other case studies
There will be many connections across the three energy cases (5-7). There may be connections to the decarbonization of shipping (case study 1) through, for example, the use of floating wind to decarbonise ports in Ireland. There may be connection to the motorways of the sea (case study 2) in terms of spatial overlaps between them and potential floating wind sites in the Celtic Sea.

domain: politics


Wisconsin’s economy sustained a big jump in imports from abroad and a modest bump in exports during the first five months of the year, prompting financial observers around the state to feel bullish about the remainder of 2017.
“I obviously think that anytime you have free trade, it is positive,” Joe Jurken, the senior at The ABC Group in Milwaukee, told Watchdog.org.
Recently released export and import figures from the U.S. Census Bureau show that from January to May of this year, imports in Wisconsin shot up 24.3 percent over the same period in 2016. By comparison, the state’s total exports during the first five months of this year were up 6.5 percent over the same period in 2016, according to the Census Bureau’s seasonally unadjusted figures.
For exported manufactured goods only, Wisconsin’s numbers for January through May were up 4.9 percent over the same period last year.
Looking at the Census Bureau’s figures for May only, Wisconsin’s imports increased 30.9 percent over May 2016.
One key driver in the increase in imports is the U.S. dollar strengthening against China’s yuan in recent months. The dollar’s strength makes it favorable for foreign companies to sell goods in the United States, said Jurken, whose firm specializes in helping companies export their wares to China.
He predicted that Wisconsin imports during the remainder of the year could continue to increase, while exports should continue at the same pace or begin to soften.
“We would love to see Wisconsin companies export more,” he said, adding that it’s often a difficult task to sell in China due to trade barriers.
Even though there has been talk about the United States putting up tariffs on foreign goods entering the nation since President Donald Trump took office, that talk hasn’t affected business activity so far in 2017, Jurken said. The status quo remains a good thing for the state, as opposed to the potential of a trade war, he said.
Wisconsin’s bump in exports mirrors a national trend. Exports from companies throughout the United States during the first five months of 2017 were up 6.6 percent over the same period of the previous year, according to the Census Bureau.
Figures compiled by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC) for the first quarter of 2017 mirror the Census Bureau numbers.
“Wisconsin businesses exported $5.32 billion in goods and services worldwide in the first three months of 2017, a 4.8 percent increase over the first quarter of 2016 – a promising start to the new year,” WEDC spokesman Mark Maley told Watchdog.org.
The export growth was pegged to a rise in shipments to Mexico, China and Saudi Arabia, according to Maley. Shipments to Saudi Arabia spiked 100 percent in the first quarter due to an increase in military vehicle sales, he said.
Exports to Canada, the state’s largest trading partner, inched up 1.7 percent to $1.6 billion during the first three months of the year, Maley said, and overall agricultural exports to foreign nations were up 5.5 percent over the same period in 2016. Among those exports were hefty increases in Wisconsin oil seeds, such as soy beans.
The state’s top export, industrial machinery, declined 4.7 percent in the first quarter, he said, following a trend that’s lasted several years as low oil prices have held down demand for such equipment in the oil and gas industry.
Even so, among all states, Wisconsin is No. 21 in terms of total exports, Maley said, adding that the state exports goods and services to 182 nations.
“Wisconsin led the nation in exports of more than two dozen different products, including outboard marine engines, firefighting vehicles, cranberries, prepared sweet corn, pickles, fur skins and ginseng roots,” he said in an email.
Other officials are hopeful that the state’s economy will continue to rev up during the rest of the year.
“We are encouraged by the first-quarter numbers and hope to see this trend continue for the remainder of 2017,” Katy Sinnott, the WEDC’s vice president of international business development, told Watchdog.org. “Wisconsin saw growth in exports to four of the state’s five largest trade destinations as well as most of our top product categories, which is a great way to start the year.”
Despite a decades-long decline in manufacturing jobs in the United States, Wisconsin has seen some employment growth in that sector over the past year. The number of manufacturing jobs in the state since January is up by nearly 4,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Wisconsin manufacturing workforce in June stood at 472,000, 1.7 percent above where it was a year earlier, the BLS said.


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I was recently invited to write an essay for the journal Current History on theme of 40 years after 30/4/1975. Although a bit rushed (that’s what you get for waiting until the last minute!) I was able to patch something together. Click here on image below to read.
I was asked to provide some comments on the significance of Communist Party of Vietnam General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s upcoming White House visit. Here are some preliminary thoughts, with more thoughtful thoughts to follow:
Secretary Trong’s visit is clearly a milestone in Vietnam-US relations. While there has been great emphasis on the visit’s symbolism, particularly given Trong’s status as the party secretary, it is now important to appreciate the very practical and substantive way in which the two countries’ strategic interests are converging across a number of core issues, including trade and investment and regional security.
Former President Clinton’s role, past and present, should not be understated. The fact that the President invited General Secretary Trong to visit his home suggests real efforts are underway (if not a full scale ‘charm offensive’) at deepening mutual understandings between key US the Vietnamese political elites.
Although Vietnam and the United States are both set for leadership changes in the next year, it is clear that the the two states’ short, medium, and long term interests are converging in unprecedented ways. In addition to the TPP and greater security cooperation, one can expect Trong’s visit to add momentum to a process of broadening and deepening of ties and to pave the way for concrete progress on ongoing projects and a host of fresh initiatives across a variety of fields.
If Trong and Hanoi can not just promise but deliver additional progress on rights, relations between the two countries could improve well beyond what is seen as possible today. Trong is not typically regarded as among Vietnam’s visionary leaders. Yet given the broader context, conditions for successful visit are strikingly clear. Whether or not the visit will generate historic breakthroughs remains to be seen.
Yesterday I attended a conference entitled “40 Years of National Unification and the Cause of Reform, Development, and International Integration of Vietnam.” It was an interesting experience. An academic conversation 39 years and 363 days later.
The conference had two main sessions, one in the morning one in the afternoon; the first addressing the “greatest victory of the 20th century of the Vietnamese people under the leadership of the Party,” the second on the country’s achievements of the last 30 years of reform (yes, 30 years of reform!). What lies ahead for this country of 94 million remains unclear. What is clear is the country has come a very long way in 39 years and 363 days, though perhaps not far enough to comfortably say that it has fully come to terms with its past.
These last statements might be considered controversial and even objectionable among Vietnamese authorities, among whom I have many friends. I say it because while Vietnam has indeed come along way, the traumas of multiple wars and its social and political legacies have yet to be addressed in a manner consistent with the admittedly fuzzy notion of ‘national reconciliation.’ Then again, millions of bombs and deaths across several decades followed by two decades of isolation and a penchant for Leninism will do that to a country.
Listening to the papers yesterday I would say that, by and large, the spirit and content of the discussions were more introspective than 10 years ago. And yet the tendency to embrace a single “correct” narrative clearly remains. Differences are expressed on the margins. At the end of yesterday’s conference a comrade/gentleman from the Police Research Institute gave a brief and well articulated paper festooned with references to ‘political security,’ ‘internal Party security,’ ‘ideological security,’ and so on. Liberation?
Over the past few years I have expressed the view that Vietnam is on a path toward a more open political society. But the thought police are still there in force. My personal hope is that in the ten years between now and the 50th anniversary of the 30th of April 1975, and hopefully much sooner, the Communist Party of Vietnam will at last recognize the benefits of a more open, transparent, and pluralistic political culture; a Vietnam in which ‘internal party security’ is not permitted to douse, stomp on, and stamp out reasoned and open debate.
One reason to be skeptically optimistic is the very strong appetite in Vietnam these days for speech about a “just, democratic, and civilized” Vietnam. I do not think its just talk. But I also am of the view that the sort of political vision and courage needed to put the country on the road to a more comprehensively independent, democratic, and prosperous social order in Vietnam are still lacking. The greatest obstacles to Vietnam’s development really are institutional.
I do not believe the brightest, most forward-looking people in the Communist Party of Vietnam have China or Russia or Singapore in mind for their preferred political and social model. Brighter Vietnamese know that Russia is run by a Mafioso, that Beijing’s expansionism is real, and that Singapore is boring. Nor do I assume they desire America’s bankrolled version of ‘the best democracy money can buy,’ with large swathes of the population left neglected in countless ugly suburbs and burning ghettos.
Social democracy is the most promising path for Vietnam and comes closest to the true aspirations and will of the Vietnamese people. Can social democracy be built in a developing country? Conservatives will say no until someone says no to them.
Whatever Vietnam becomes over the next decades will be the result of political decisions made by the Vietnamese themselves, within and outside the Party. The more deliberative, transparent, and public these decisions are the more confident I will feel about Vietnam’s social, political, and economic future.
Today I was asked to comment on Vietnamese General Party Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s upcoming trip to Beijing…. I’m no Carl Thayer, but here’s what I had to say:
Trong’s trip is an important opportunity for he and Xi to establish greater clarity on relations between the two states, particularly though by no means only with respect to the East Sea. In the past, Chinese leaders have always seemed to present Vietnam with a combination of “carrots” and “sticks” and there is no reason to expect this to change. At present, China appears intent on using “infrastructure diplomacy” to gain favor with countries across the region and around the world together with provocative displays of military expansion. Xi is also going full steam ahead in efforts to change the status quo by unilateral means, most notably by building up installations in disputed areas.
For Secretary Trong it is an opportunity to state his positions and his views of his own party to China in his own terms and to explore areas of mutual interest in party-to-party relations, ideology, the emerging global situation, and Vietnam’s relations with US in particular. The strategic calculus of the talks will be different this time however, in part owing to China’s aggressive behavior and challenges to Vietnam’s sovereignty and in part owing to the ability and willingness of Vietnam to collaborate with other regional and world actors in promoting its legitimate rights and interests.
As in the past, Trong is likely to hear a combination of seductive offers of assistance and threats of collaborating with “external” powers. Trong’s warm personality and great interest in cultivating stronger ideological ties are likely to result in a public display of friendship and solidarity. Nguyen Phu Trong and the Communist Party of Vietnam recognize the importance of having good and stable relations with China. The Party – and it is hoped Trong, too – also recognize that though China is a large and powerful country, a subordinate relationship based on outdated the principles of “big brother dominates little brother” are not in the best interest of mutually beneficial relations.
Perhaps not the most nuanced analysis, but my two cents for the moment.
Vietnam Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s upcoming visit to Washington comes at a critical juncture for Vietnam and a time when a confluence of domestic, regional, and geopolitical factors are giving increasing salience to the importance of expanding and protecting civil and political liberties in the country. The most important step in making the case for human rights in Vietnam is to convince the country’s leadership that better rights will generate significant benefits for Vietnam both domestically and in the international arena.
Weak rights protections are harming Vietnam. Domestically, they are compromising the performance of the country’s political and economic institutions and undermining the party’s legitimacy. Weak rights also harm Vietnam’s international image and damage the country’s prestige at a time when international support is vital.
While there is no use in overstating progress, political and civil freedoms in Vietnam have improved significantly in recent years. These improvements are due to decisions and calculations by party elites and to the determined efforts of a diverse set of rights champions operating within and outside the party itself. Today, the party presides over a country in which political and civic freedoms are being openly discussed and debated, through admittedly more often online than in the public square. Vietnam’s increasingly pluralistic and open political culture should be recognized for what it is: an emerging strength that sets it apart from more repressive regimes like China’s.
As Vietnam’s leading ideologue and the author of such statements as “our regime must never change,” the congenial and soon to retire Trong might strike some as an odd choice to travel to Washington, particularly given the high stakes. But this is Vietnam. A country where party elders must be respected, party conservatives must be placated, and where pantomimed expressions of unity must be performed continuously before statues of the famous patriot Ho Chi Minh, who would no doubt cringe at his contemporary religious deification.
Vietnam’s political leaders have an historic opportunity to improve the country’s economic performance, bolster their legitimacy, and vastly enhance the country’s international standing. To do this they must strike a new balance between the need to protect rights and the need to ensure social order. Three areas deserve particular attention.
Freedom of speech. Vietnamese within and outside the party have found their political voice and they are unlikely to relinquish it. The Internet has emerged as a lively platform for public analysis of official news and has reawakened Vietnam’s rich tradition of social criticism, debate, and intellectual exploration. While party elites bristle at Internet whistle-blowers and despise anti-party haranguing, the Internet nonetheless provides unparalleled opportunities for expression and openness. Arresting and intimidating bloggers and rounding up dissidents under draconian anti-sedition laws will not deliver Vietnam the civilized knowledge-based society its leaders envision or earn the country international respect. Releasing dissidents and protecting the free flow of ideas will.
Freedom of association. The party began as an illegal organization committed to the causes of social justice and national independence. Protecting freedom of association need not be seen as a threat to the party’s survival. Surely a party that traces its heritage to struggles against brutal exploitation on French rubber plantations should recognize that sole reliance on employer-dominated trade unions is likely to place the interests of employers and investors before those of workers. Vietnam’s workers are not revolutionaries. They want decent wages and their basic rights to be respected.
If the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement is successfully negotiated among the 12 member countries, both Vietnamese workers and employers will benefit. By strengthening rights and protection for its workers, Vietnam can attract new investment and build a reputation for social responsibility, distinguishing itself from competitors. Increased freedom for labor unions will likely be required before the U.S. Congress will ratify a TPP agreement that includes Vietnam. But the main reasons for doing this should be to promote the rights and livelihoods of Vietnamese workers and enhance Vietnam’s attractiveness as a destination for foreign investors who take labor rights seriously.
Beyond the shop floor, independent research organizations should be encouraged rather than suppressed. Silencing criticism and dissent is self-defeating. Similarly, permitting peaceful protest under principles of enlightened policing and zero tolerance for unruly behavior should be chosen over arrests, brutality, and intimidation. The appeal of ultra-nationalist and radical groups will decline if ordinary Vietnamese are granted their natural rights to to peacefully demonstrate and petition their government.
Freedom of the press. Absent a substantially independent press, accountability and transparency suffer. When a tiny circulation newspaper reported that a member of the party’s anti-corruption commission had accumulated properties through illegitimate means it was the editor who was pressured to resign. And yet a more independent press is precisely what Vietnam needs if it is to improve state responsiveness and combat and reduce corruption. Policies are needed to promote press freedoms, not suppress them. Reformist members of Vietnam’s political establishment should prevail upon their conservative colleagues to abandon their proposals to further restrict press freedoms.
This year marks 20 years of normalized U.S.-Vietnam relations and 40 years since the conclusion of the two countries’ disastrous war. It also marks the 70th anniversary of Vietnam’s Declaration of Independence, in which Ho Chi Minh famously announced the birth of a free and independent Vietnam. This was followed by the 1946 constitution, which promised freedom of speech, freedom of association, and a free press. Since 1945, Vietnam has travelled a long and difficult path. If Vietnam’s leaders can embrace a real commitment to rights, a strong, prosperous, and independent Vietnam is well within reach.
Dr. Jonathan D. London is a professor in the Department of Asian & International Studies and Core Member of the Southeast Asia Research Centre at the City University of Hong Kong. His publications include Politics in Contemporary Vietnam (2014 Palgrave Macmillan) and the forthcoming Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Vietnam. Follow him on twitter @jdlondon1.
This essay is presently featured on the Asia blog of the US-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. http://cogitasia.com/getting-rights-right-at-vietnams-crossroads/
The article appears here: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/28/vietnam-war-da-nang-50-year-anniversary-flourishing
The author was particularly interested in knowing the meaning of the (US) war in Vietnam for Vietnamese youth, Vietnam’s development, and US-Vietnam relations. Disclosure: I’m not the most informed person on Vietnam-US relations and am not an expert on Vietnam’s youth. But here are my comments in full.
Does the war play much of a role in the lives of the Vietnamese youth or have they moved on?
It plays a significant role in the lives of young people, though it takes on many different forms. Take memories and representations of the war and their meaning. On an individual level, young peoples’ families have been shaped by wars and families’ memories and histories and their salience for young people vary across the country, depending on families’ specific connections to the war and its effects. This is particularly salient in a places like Da Nang, where the fighting and its destructive impacts were most widely and severely felt and where the war was experienced not only as an international war involving a global superpower but also a civil war that divided communities and even families. A lot of that history is subdued. But it’s there. People light incense on family prayer altars to remember those lost in battle, for example. This happens in households in ways that are hidden from view but which carry intimate meanings in ways hard to grasp. Families’ trajectories and their physical and mental health have all been profoundly impacted.
More broadly, young people continuously encounter state-approved and state-managed memories and narratives, which are continuously being transmitted to the young through the education system and through various channels of the state-run media and propaganda apparatus. Young people are not only taught about the war they are taught what to think about it. The officially correct lesson to be drawn is that the war and its outcome remind us of the historical indispensability of the Communist Party’s leadership in freeing the country from external domination and subordination. But once again, we shouldn’t lose sight of the war’s tremendous and lasting destructive impacts, which stunted Vietnam’s development for decades.
Just how significant has the development of Vietnam been over the last few decades?
As recently as the early 1990s Vietnam was one of the poorest countries in Asia. The country’s development since has been very impressive. Economic growth has permitted rapid improvements in living standards and sharp declines in poverty. Life for the vast majority of Vietnamese is much, much better than in the past. Access to essential services has vastly improved. The country is motorized and internet penetration is among the fastest growing the world. Still, large shares of the population still live under conditions of socioeconomic vulnerability and social inequalities have intensified. The country’s economic growth is set to continue. The real questions are about what the pace of that growth will be and the equability of its outcomes. This will mostly depend on the effectiveness of the government’s economic policies and the success of reform efforts.
How much warmer do you expect Vietnam-US ties to become in the next few years?
I expect US-Vietnam relations to improve rapidly. This year is a particularly important year, not only because of the 40th anniversary but because of the culmination of the TPP talks and the high-level diplomatic talks that are scheduled to take place. Whatever the fate of the TPP, economic ties between the US and Vietnam are likely to improve considerably. Attitudes toward the US among Vietnam’s leadership have evolved swiftly, particularly within the last several ears and especially last year when the reality of China’s efforts to enforce its outsized maritime claims directly challenged the country’s sovereignty. Enthusiasm for improving and deepening ties with the US remains uneven within the leadership and conservatives remain fixated on the US threat to the Party’s survival. But virtually all members of the leadership recognize the critical importance of further developing US ties, not only for reasons of trade but for national security. Vietnam finds itself in an extraordinarily challenging set of relationships. It needs good relations with both China and with the United States and must also promote its own interests. This is a tall order.
The pace and scope of improvements really depends on the appetite for improvements among Vietnam’s leadership and whether the leadership will be willing and able to live up to its pledges to promote democracy, freedom, and protection of rights, as it has pledged to do. Any substantial improvements in these areas would permit deep improvements in US ties. On the other hand, continued harassment and imprisonment of dissenters would damage prospects. There’s tremendous potential for US-Vietnam ties. No matter how you look at it, Vietnam and America have a special relationship. I think leaders in both countries and people in Vietnam, perhaps in particular the youth, are keen to make relations with the US special for all the right reasons.
Jonathan D. London
Today word came that Nguyen Ba Thanh, one of Vietnam’s leading political figures, has passed away. The following is based on my own reflections and knowledge of Nguyen Ba Thanh and his significance. It can not be considered to be an authoritative account because I am not deeply familiar with his career nor did I ever meet him in person. I did, however, live in Da Nang and Quang Nam in 1999 and 2000 and have followed those localities’ politics with considerable interest. The following should be taken as my own amateurish attempt at grasping his significance with incomplete information.
Nguyen Ba Thanh (18 April 1953 – 13 February 2015) was a native of Da Nang and among the most important leaders in the city’s history. He was a rare commodity in Vietnamese politics: an entrepreneurial and pragmatic political conservative with a strong record of experimentation and achievement. He will forever be associated with the rapid transformation of Da Nang from a sleepy nondescript post-revolutionary town into a still-quiet but increasingly impressive showcase for large infrastructure projects – especially new roads and bridges – and innovative government reforms. While the city still lacks a distinctive flavor, it’s transformation is remarkable by any standard and residents of the City frequently report high levels of satisfaction with a range of public services, ranging from education to waste management. He was a City leader of national stature.
Nguyen Ba Thanh’s reputation was not without controversy. While his billing as Vietnam’s “Mr. Clean” gained him considerably notoriety and admiration, this characterization was increasingly questioned by critics who took issue with his aggressive tactics in clearing neighborhoods for new infrastructure and allegations that he himself had engaged in corrupt practices. While his achievements in promoting Da Nang’s development have been widely praised and are in respects undeniable, critics have noted that the City’s redevelopment occurred without the creation of public spaces, and with an insignificant industrial base and middling service economy. The city’s famous beaches that have been increasingly enclosed within lucrative joint-venture property developments which, while no doubt contributing to the City’s finances, have generated uncertain contributions to interests of the city’s general population. These criticisms notwithstanding, the native of Da Nang will forever be associated with the city’s development and transformation at the turn of the century.
Da Nang and its neighboring provinces have always occupied an important place in the politics of the Communist Party of Vietnam and Nguyen Ba Thanh’s status as an effective leader made him a natural candidate for ascending to the highest positions within the party. Widely respected among much of the political establishment, Nguyen Ba Thanh’s political ascent nonetheless fell short of expectations when in 2013 he failed to win a seat in the 16-member Politburo. Politically, he will be remembered as an enterprising and unusually effective administrator, which is significant insofar as his achievements have inspired greater openness to experimentation and innovation in public management.
Nguyen Ba Thanh’s reputation as corruption free was challenged toward the end of his career even as he was appointed as Vice-Chair of the Politburo’s anti-Corruption Committee. Notably, his illness and ultimate passing came at a time when Vietnam has been confronted by a fresh wave of allegations of high-level corruption, allegations that are potentially harmful to the Party’s legitimacy and which are fueling renewed calls from within and outside the state for systemic institutional reforms.
As a man of the Party, Nguyen Ba Thanh’s willingness to experiment and his penchant for emphasizing the need for transparent and efficient government will remembered fondly by his many supporters. Among Nguyen Ba Thanh’s most notable qualities was his ability to speak at very great length — sometimes as long as three hours — but in a disarmingly free-wheeling, often persuasive, and consistently playful and humorous way that made his public speeches and pronouncements a spectacle, winning him additional admiration among his fans and begrudging respect among his skeptics. (See the three-hour and seven minute “clip” below.) Nguyen Ba Thanh will be widely remembered across Vietnam.
Photo credit: Nguyentanduung.org
Happy New year!
It’s been a long while since I’ve posted on this site. But with the New Year I hope and intend to increase my activity and output. Below, please find a link to my recent piece for the Center for International and Strategic Studies (Washington), titled “Open secrets on the road to succession.”
On 7 October I appeared on Singapore-based Channel News Asia (CNA) to discuss the US’s partial lifting of its arms embargo on Vietnam. You can view the programme below.
The first part if an interview I conducted with four Hong Kong undergraduates in relation to the pro-democracy civil disobedience movement that intensified in late Sept/early October 2014.
In Part 2 I begin by discussing some the challenges of living as
a Hong Kong citizen and foreigners (especiallly academics)
in Hong Kong in an environment in which the promise of
an increasingly democratic society appears to be fading.
Here’s part 3. We talk about the complex relation between
democratic politics and livelihood issues and conclude.


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It’s time for a proof of life. I survived the last week but worked more than even I imagined. It was the first time in my life that I worked non stop for 15 hours and 45 minutes in the lab. But now I try to work less in the lab and write more at my thesis. The time is running now…
And so I baked once more a bread which I can proof in the fridge. Its easier to squeeze baking bread in my writing routine if I have not to spend so much time on the loaf each day.
This bread contains only one kind of seeds: Sesame. I used white sesame and some of the black sesame an Asian friend gave to me. It’s not so easy to find black sesame in German supermarkets.
The taste of black sesame seems to be similar to the white variation. I like it because it gave the bread crumb light and dark speckles. And of course I liked it because I like sesame.


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For much of game 5, the Thunder struggled to keep up with a Clippers team that seemed to find its offensive groove once again. OKC would have fallen apart had not the mercurial Russell Westbrook stepped in and made play after play. Here is how he performed and how his teammates stepped up when the game mattered most.
||In all honestly, this team grade was at about a D with 4 minutes left to play in the game, but how can I not give them an A+ after what happened. The Thunder, after blowing game 4, and absolutely stealing a game they should have lost, are ONE WIN AWAY from the Western conference finals.|
||YO. THEY DID IT. THEY ACTUALLY DID IT. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. THEY DID IT.|
*All player images via US Presswire

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Books have always meant a lot to me. I find meaning and metaphor within the pages that take the longest to digest. The inspiration behind this sketchbook is the book “12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos” by Jordan B. Peterson. It has impacted me greatly and continues to do so. I wanted to connect my appreciation for this book to my art practice, and share the ideas with a part of the population that may never have picked up this book in the first place.
As an artist, I do not confine myself to one style. In fact, if you were to visit my Instagram, you’d find that none of what you see even closely resembles the styles featured in this sketchbook.
I am inspired by nature, primarily, followed closely by color and light — specifically the shifting light of dawn and dusk.
My process is not anything set in stone. It usually involves a quiet place, which I find very necessary as I have four young children at home. Most of the time I work for only an hour or two at a time in the early afternoon.
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I was at the dentist the other day, where I was talking to Laura-the-receptionist about tablets. "I'm sick of paying for rebinding [my kids' textbooks] every year," she told me. "My kid's teacher suggested we buy a tablet and purchase textbooks from Amazon instead of fixing them. Which tablet should I buy?"
Although schools pay a nominal fee per rebinding, parents often have to cough up a significant amount more. Cherry Creek High School charges $28 to rebind a single book. The eBook text costs just $14.99. It's a bargain until you start considering the tablet overhead.
The base Kindle sells for $70; the Fire for $200 -- although you can now buy used models for significantly less. The base iPad 2 starts at $399 and refurbished units are scarce on the ground at the online Apple Store. The Apple experience, it's clear, comes at a premium.
Although the Fire represents an outlay of nearly 3x more than the Kindle, many parents like the idea that their kid can surf the web, read email, and even run graphing calculator apps. As a point of reference, the TI NSpire sells for "just" $150 on Amazon (MSRP is $175.)
iPads are even more desirable, with their well-designed interface, expansive app store and broad support ecosystem. But they fail to compete on the basis of their price tag compared to a base Kindle + a TI calculator.
Between textbooks, research-related web access, calculator features, and e-mail contact with teachers, more parents than ever are on the hunt for inexpensive tablets, with the emphasis on inexpensive.
So why go tablet? Apple laid out many of the reasons in its education event early this year. The iPad, as Apple reminded us, communicates with the world. Apple has built an education business based on "teaching, learning, and student achievement" with over 20,000 iPad apps specific to education.
Apple's education-centric iBooks Author initiative focused on recreating the textbook. It attempted to engage students and expand the learning experience. The problem with that initiative is that Apple's bottom-line hardware starts at a price that's double that of the competition.
To make the iPad a real choice in the education marketplace, Apple needs an entry that competes with the bargain-basement tablets. iPads may be on every teen's Christmas wishlist, but parents are hard-pressed not to compare bottom lines.
That's why there's going to be the iPad mini. On October 23, Apple will likely launch a scaled-down iPad with basic features and a consumer-ready price. This is the event that parents like Laura have been waiting for.
For many, the iPad mini means that Apple will be a choice in a market where formerly parents might have felt priced out of buying. A smaller screen size and fewer options may allow students and their parents -- whether middle school, high school, or college -- to buy into the Apple ecosystem, where they formerly could not.
In the end, Apple's entire drive towards re-inventing the textbook doesn't matter if there aren't enough eyeballs and fingers to appreciate those titles with their rich tapestry of interactive design. An iPad mini will open the education market to a much broader range of customers and allow Apple to grow a customer base by investing in the future.


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Questions Raised After Tow Truck Kills Senior in Manhattan
Seniors are especially vulnerable when crossing the road in Manhattan, and this simple task often proves fatal for numerous elderly victims each year. The latest incident involved a tow truck and a senior, and it claimed the victim’s life. Questions are now being raised about potential negligence, and many witnesses claim that the tow truck driver could have done more to avoid this pedestrian accident in Manhattan.
Police Investigating Fatal Hit-and-Run
On February 5th of 2024, it was reported that an elderly woman had been struck and killed by a tow truck while crossing the road in East Village, Manhattan. The tow truck was apparently making a left-hand turn onto East 10th Street when it came into contact with the woman and caused fatal injuries. Although first responders were quick to arrive at the scene, the victim was soon pronounced dead.
While the driver of the tow truck remained at the scene, serious questions have been raised about the circumstances of this crash. Witnesses spotted police officers questioning the driver and subjecting them to a field sobriety test immediately after the collision. Many of the witnesses knew the woman personally, and one neighbor said that she prayed over the victim’s body after the crash.
It is too early to answer any questions regarding negligence, but one can draw a few basic conclusions. If the tow truck was making a left-hand turn, it is almost certain that they had a green light. If that is true, it means that the woman crossing the road also had a green light – and therefore the right of way. In other words, the tow truck driver may not have seen the pedestrian crossing the road – perhaps due to distraction, low visibility, or even intoxication. It is worth noting that when making a left-hand turn at an intersection, every driver is expected to check for crossing pedestrians.
Why Are Seniors So Vulnerable to Pedestrian Collisions?
Seniors are especially vulnerable to pedestrian collisions for various reasons. First, they are relatively slow-moving, and it might be impossible for them to reach the other side of the crossing before the “walking man” symbol expires. Some seniors move at a snail’s pace, and drivers are expected to be understanding of these physical limitations.
Another issue involves their general lack of mobility. While a younger individual could theoretically jump aside and dodge a negligent driver, seniors simply do not have the agility for these kinds of maneuvers. In the face of a rapidly-approaching vehicle, many seniors can do very little to avoid the inevitable. Finally, seniors may also walk in a somewhat hunched manner, and they may not be visible to larger commercial vehicles. This is because a heavy truck has a considerable blind spot directly underneath the hood. There have been instances where seniors have been run over because truckers did not see them – even though the seniors were standing directly in front of the vehicles.
- Seniors are especially vulnerable to pedestrian crashes
- These elderly people cannot dodge cars, and they may be quite slow-moving
- Injured seniors and their families can sue commercial trucking companies after pedestrian crashes
Find a Qualified, Experienced Pedestrian Accident Lawyer in Manhattan
If you’ve been searching for a qualified, experienced New York pedestrian accident lawyer, look no further than Cohan Law, PLLC. We know how deadly these incidents can be – especially for seniors. Whether you’re struggling with injuries or you’ve lost a loved one to a hit-and-run, we can help you pursue justice and compensation. Book your consultation today to learn more about the possibilities.


The Most Definitive Hip Hop Videos of 1997
When hip hop elbowed its way into mainstream American culture once and for all during the 1990s, rap became the dominant pop music culturally and on the charts. Music videos (still issued mainly through BET, MTV, and VH1 in a pre-YouTube age) helped fuel that multi-platinum era of excess-as-success, and the year 1997 stands out as a GOAT moment for hip hop visuals.
Over a dozen clips directed by Hype Williams in ’97 surely led to his one and only feature film Belly in 1998; his fish-eye lens dominated the Rap City basement and the cultural zeitgeist. Many other directors also put their visual stamp on ’97 hip hop: Diane Martel, Paul Hunter, Brett Ratner, and more.
The Most Definitive Hip Hop Videos of 1997 celebrate the silver anniversary of all the champagne dreams, luxury whips, crack choreography, and movie homages on display from that year’s elite rap maestros. Hop in a Hummer and take the trip down memory lane.
The Notorious B.I.G., “Hypnotize”
The Notorious B.I.G., “Hypnotize”
Hollywood-level theatrics saturate The Notorious B.I.G.’s fifth video, a high-budget affair showcasing sexy mermaids swimming in a tank, predatory helicopters trailing a Versace-clad Biggie’s yacht, and a car chase—backward!—with Sean Combs behind the wheel, evading a squad of enemies on motorcycles.
Released the same month that assailants murdered Biggie in L.A., “Hypnotize” captured the sky’s-the-limit spirit that embodied Bad Boy Entertainment and its star MC before fatal tragedy struck.
Wyclef Jean, “We Trying To Stay Alive“
- They say fashion evolves in 20-year cycles, so seeing Wyclef Jean, Pras, John Forté and the gang decked out in a 1970s disco fever aesthetic for the video to ‘Clef’s solo debut single “We Trying To Stay Alive” is absolutely fitting for this late 1990s extravaganza.
- Produced by Academy Award winner Roman François Coppola, the visual defines big-budget Clinton-era superfluity: dramatic peaks, gripping creative direction, and a climatic dance battle that concludes with both Team Wyclef and his adversaries being arrested.
- The song “We Trying To Stay Alive” samples classics by the Bee Gees and Audio Two (“Stayin Alive” and “Top Billin”, respectively) both of which are elevated by The Refugee All Stars genre-melding rhythms—creating a track and video that transcends generations.
Camp Lo, “Luchini AKA This Is It”
Camp Lo—rappers Geechi Suede and Sonny Cheeba of the Boogie Down Bronx—join rappers like Craig Mack and Smoothe da Hustler for captivating 1990s hip hop heads for a brief shining moment that decade.
The duo’s video for “Luchini” made the most of their 3:59 of fame. They pull off a heist rocking rubber masks of Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter, while sporting their signature Cooley High caps in a diner for most of the clip, oozing never-forgettable charisma.
Redman, “Whateva Man”
Redman is one of hip hop’s greatest showmen and the video for “Whateva Man” is a poignant example. The subdued, laid-back barfest is maximized through a comedic recreation of the classic “Blues Brothers” film.
Method Man plays sidekick to Red as the two embark on an uproarious journey from the penitentiary to a college dorm room, climaxing with Reggie Noble’s head served on a platter as a family eats dinner.
In an era where multi-million dollar music videos seemed to be the status quo, “Whateva Man” stands out by keeping its creativity grounded.
Master P, “Make ’em Say Ugh”
The South (New Orleans to be exact) had something major to say when a cadre of No Limit soldiers—ringleader Master P, Fiend, Silkk the Shocker, Mia X, and Mystikal—stormed a basketball court to make us all say “ugh!” during a period dominated by rap acts from New York and California. Despite the presence of feisty Mia X, this Michael Martin-directed clip felt full of testosterone.
With the heavily strip club-influenced video vixen era around the corner, it’s telling that the cheerleaders in this video were a barely noticeable afterthought. With “Make ’em Say Ugh!,” Master P drove his No Limit tank onto the Billboard charts with the precision of a slick military maneuver.
Will Smith, “Men In Black”
Futuristic technology, house party-ready line dances, singing aliens—the music video for Will Smith’s “Men In Black” is the perfect chart-topping companion to its blockbuster namesake.
The Robert Caruso-directed visual is not only stunning by late 1990s standards but still impresses today through its jam-packed action and comedic flare. It’s a towering example of how to capture the essence of a film while crafting standalone greatness.
The Notorious B.I.G., “Mo Money Mo Problems”
The shiny suit era of hip hop found its dominant image in this Hype Williams-directed clip, featuring Ma$e and Puff Daddy floating in a wind tunnel, dancing in a Stanley Kubrick-like illuminated tunnel (a Hype video signature) and grooving in extremely sheeny outfits to a choice sample of Diana Ross’s “I’m Coming Out.”
Framed by a comical skit casting Puff as a professional golfer (inspired by the recent rise of Tiger Woods), with cameos from boxer Riddick Bowe and the LOX’s Sheek Louch, “Mo Money Mo Problems” epitomized the period of hip hop overtaking pop music.
Lil Kim, “Crush On You”
Lil Kim took inspiration from the movie The Wiz and turned it into an undeniable cultural touchpoint by, for the first time, dawning multi-colored wigs in each scene, pushing fashion and style in the process.
Lil Cease features on the track, while the late Aaliyah and Uncle Luke make cameos as a gaggle of dancers get down on a color-changing checkerboard floor. It’s bright. It’s flashy. It’s everything that epitomizes the Bad Boy era.
Busta Rhymes, “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See”
Firmly establishing Busta Rhymes as rap’s most amazing video artist this side of Missy Elliott, “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See” raised the high standard set by 1996’s “Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check” — creating one of the most visually over-the-top music videos of the decade.
Inspired by the 1988 Eddie Murphy comedy Coming to America, director Hype Williams recast downtown Manhattan’s cavernous Surrogate’s Courthouse lobby as an African palace. Busta bathes with nubile Nubians, evades a rushing elephant (tusks in hand), preens in Day-Glo body paint, and sets the stage for tribal choreography by Fatima Robinson.
An absolute must-see rap video from day one.
Lil Kim, “Not Tonight (Ladies’ Night Remix)” ft. Angie Martinez, Da Brat, Left Eye & Missy Elliott
Lil Kim’s “Not Tonight” (Ladies Night Remix) felt like a seminal moment in hip hop history. Five female MCs riding jet skis and speedboats and commandeering what seems like a private tropical hideaway with a bevy of men catering to their beck and call with various clips from the movie Nothing To Lose spliced between the chicness.
Add high-profile cameos from Queen Latifah, Blaque, Xscape, Total, Changing Faces, and both the video and the track are an exercise in unity and undefeated lyrical skill.
Missy Elliott, “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)”
If one single Missy Elliott video gets committed to the Black Smithsonian for all time, “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” wins hands down. Her black inflatable bubble suit remains one of the 1990s’ most indelible video images.
But her humor deserves mention too: when Missy lyrics off-handedly mention Yo-Yo, the rapper magically makes an appearance (along with Elliott’s production partner Timbaland, Puffy, Lil’ Kim, Lil’ Cease, 702, and Da Brat).
The playfulness extends to the clip’s randomly distorted eyes and lips, director Hype Williams’s trademark fish-eye lens, and Missy beatifically sitting on a hill (“like Lauryn”) flipping her hair. The whole thing sings of hip hop perfection.
Foxy Brown & Jay-Z, “I’ll Be Good”
Lyrically speaking, Foxy Brown’s “I’ll Be” (featuring Jay-Z), is luxurious, sophisticated, and salaciously charged, all of which Brett Ratner captured seamlessly in the simple yet stylish music video. Hov’s decked in a jet-black suit.
Foxy oozes elegance and rugged seduction. Toss in DJ Funkmaster Flex and a cascading array of backup dancers and the quintessential late-1990s upscale vibe is complete. The “I’ll Be” video stands tall through its high-class minimalism.
The Wu-Tang Clan, “Triumph”
The video for Wu-Tang Clan’s 1997 return to the hip hop nation runs rife with questionable CGI effects, even by the standards of the day. Ol’ Dirty Bastard, RZA, and the other members of The Clan transform into killer bees, swarming throughout New York City—inciting a jailbreak, giving sight to the blind, omnisciently observing the Earth from outer space, and other amazing feats.
Filmmaker Brett Ratner (X-Men: The Last Stand, the Rush Hour trilogy) lensed a maximalist music clip for hip hop’s greatest collection of outsized personalities, staging their comeback in a commercial era of rap going pop. They killed it.
Blink and you’ll miss the Quincy Jones cameo at the 5:36 mark.
Freak Nasty, “Da Dip”
Freak Nasty’s “Da Dip” was a favorite of grade school dance teams nationwide in the 1990s and a glimpse of the colorful music video explains its popularity. Director Frederick J. Taylor’s simplistic approach perfectly visualizes the levity and charm of the platinum-selling song.
It features various people of all demographics dancing in front of a yellow background—complete with an Elvis impersonator, a grunge rock guitarist, elementary-age cheerleaders, and a rotund digital dancer doing “da dip.” Freak Nasty’s biggest hit is still galvanizing fun for all ages.
Gang Starr, “You Know My Steez”
Take one of hip hop’s most boom-bap, streets-dedicated rap groups and cast them in a commercial music video inspired by Star Wars creator George Lucas’s sci-fi cult classic THX-1138, and the result looks like this Gang Starr video. Trapped with fellow baldheaded inmates in some future dystopia, Guru eventually climbs up and escapes later to freedom.
Director Terry Heller intercuts a neighborhood posse of roughnecks throughout, including DJ Premier and Public Enemy’s clown prince, Flavor Flav. Liberation never sounded so hardcore.
Scarface, “Smile” ft. Makaveli (2Pac) & Johnny P
Scarface’s “Smile” (featuring 2Pac and Johnny P.) video opens with a shot of a BMW 750iL, the same model which his friend and icon Tupac Shakur was riding in when he was gunned down in Las Vegas.
It then moves to Scarface walking through the woods dressed as the grim reaper until he reaches a clearing where Tupac is rhyming while being crucified. At its conclusion, there’s a scene where two men are fighting in a tiny boat until both of them fall into the water.
The entire experience is brooding, and foreboding, and doubles as a tribute to Scarface’s fallen friend, as well as a reminder that conflict in close quarters can end with all parties underwater.
Busta Rhymes, “Dangerous”
Director Hype Williams enlisted actor Bill Nunn (Menace II Society) and his signature fish-eye lens to shoot five minutes of lighthearted entertainment for the follow-up to Busta Rhymes’s groundbreaking “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See.”
The plot (divorced entirely from the song’s lyrics) involves hype man Spliff Star and Busta as an escaped criminal and a Lethal Weapon-era Mel Gibson-ish cop… but both in whiteface. There’s a strip-club dance-off, a Crenshaw bus hijack, Busta mugging for the camera dressed in Bootsy Collins regalia, etc.
At a time when the Brooklyn MC appeared in Hollywood films like Higher Learning, Busta’s videos definitely qualified as mini-movies.
LL Cool J, “4, 3, 2, 1” ft. Method Man, Redman & DMX
Eighties-spawned wordsmith LL Cool J ushered in the mid-1990s surrounded by young lions of hip hop on posse cuts like Craig Mack’s “Flava in Ya Ear (Remix)” and the Phenomenon sophomore single, “4, 3, 2, 1.”
Def Jam labelmates DMX, Method Man, and Redman sit in a cypher before the video segues into Method Man as a gold-chain rocking mummy surrounded by Scream-masked zombies and other high-concept scenes.
Director Diane Martel broke through the era’s blizzard of Hype Williams videos to craft her own classic.
Will Smith, “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It”
“I met Ali, he told me I’m the greatest,” Will Smith jokes on “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It,” four years before Ali earned him his first Oscar nod. The former Fresh Prince enters director Hype Williams’s famous illuminated hall of mirrors (complete with disco ball), among other set pieces, for a carefree romp filmed in Las Vegas.
Williams’s videography constituted the visual standard of mid-1990s hip hop culture, and Hollywood’s largest leading man was right there in it.
Def Squad, “Rapper’s Delight”
The video for Def Squad’s “Rapper’s Delight” cover captures the epitome of hip hop essence. The experience plays out like a day and night adventure with Redman, Keith Murray, and Erick Sermon.
The trio rolls in a drop-top red convertible, stopping at a diner before hitting the block party where the b-boys and b-girls are in full effect. By covering hip hop’s first hit song, Def Squad introduced one of the culture’s most important offerings to an entirely new generation.
Chris Rock, “Champagne”
Everybody catches comedic strays in Chris Rock’s “Champagne” video. Directed by Troy Miller and featuring Kool Rock Ski from the legendary Fat Boys, the visual opens with a spoof on the beginning of The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Hypnotize” video.
But instead of a speedboat cruising off of the Florida Keys, he and Rock Ski are cruising in Lake Eerie. The rest of the hilarious feature plays out in a similar fashion—from the Missy Elliott and Lil Kim look-alikes to Chris closing the video dressed as Tiger Woods. “It’s all good, y’all. Tiger Woods, y’all,” he raps, mocking the golf superstar.
The “Champagne” video is side-splitting cultural commentary on hip hop’s addiction to excess.
Missy Elliott, “Sock It 2 Me” ft. Da Brat
Here comes Missy Elliott and Lil Kim bum-rushing a distant planet decked in what look like Mega Man-inspired space suits. They’re marching. They’re running. They’re grooving away from giant robots hot on their tales.
And just when all hope seems to be lost, Da Brat swoops in looking like Sonic The Hedgehog riding a space bike ready to save the day. Hype Williams compiled a bodacious experience for Missy and Timbaland’s sultry yet bombastic classic.
Puff Daddy ft. Ma$e, “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down”
It’s hard to make sense of the video for Puff Daddy’s “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down” video (featuring Ma$e). The beginning opens with Diddy mid-nightmare. Then he and Ma$e are cruising in a Bentley in a desert somewhere unknown.
Then they’re dancing in shiny football jerseys in an even shinier, multilevel soundstage. It’s all over the place in the best possible way and a towering example of the fact that, even in the shadow of the passing of The Notorious B.I.G., Bad Boy can’t be stopped.
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, “Look Into My Eyes”
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s “Look Into My Eyes” first appeared on the soundtrack to the movie Batman & Robin and the video does an exceptional job of turning Downtown Los Angeles into Gotham City.
Krayzie, Lazy, and Wish are perched atop the Eastern Building, then later, mobbing in front of the Orpheum Theater and each cut blends in seamlessly with the scenes from the DC Comics film. It’s a rare blend of late 1990s movie marketing and hip hop mass appeal.
The Firm, “Firm Biz”
Of the eight-million stories in naked New York City, director Hype Williams collaborated with Nas, AZ, and Foxy Brown to spin a gangster narrative.
Feds chase a man through an abandoned building before he leaps through a window, escaping an inexplicable explosion; En Vogue’s Dawn Robinson sings a hook reworked from Teena Marie’s “Square Biz” at a swanky soirée as a bubble machine blows; Nas and AZ hang a Joe Pesci-looking mobster off a bridge.
What does it all mean? Hip hop opulence circa 1997, that’s what.
Miles Marshall Lewis is a recognized pop culture critic, essayist, literary editor, fiction writer, and music journalist. He is the author of ‘Promise That You Will Sing About Me: The Power and Poetry of Kendrick Lamar’ (St. Martin’s Press).
Justin “The Company Man” Hunte is an award-winning journalist, producer, and creator of ‘The Breakdown,’ a popular video series on YouTube. The Los Angeles-based multihyphenate currently serves as the Vice President of Production & Acquisition at Behind The Scenes Network.


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Dr. Thomas A. Pane is a double board-certified plastic surgeon practicing in North Palm Beach Florida. He graduated from the University of Connecticut (UCONN) medical school. This was followed by a five year general surgery residency at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts, affiliated with Tufts University School of Medicine. His surgical residency was followed by two years of Plastic Surgery training at Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan where he served the department as chief resident in his final year. Dr. Pane is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery as well as the American Board of Surgery. He began his practice in Newport, Rhode Island, and relocated to South Florida in 2006. He specializes in aesthetic, plastic surgery, and cosmetic surgery of the face, breast, and body.
Dr. Pane is also a member of the Interventional Spine Intervention Society, with experience performing interventional pain procedures and also performs occipital nerve blocks and Botox/Dysport for migraine headaches.

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- The Nutriorg Giloy Juice is 100% natural and has been extracted from organic Giloy farmed in certified organic farms.
- Giloy, Neem, and Tulsi possess a number of properties that boost immunity
- Giloy is known to improve the digestive system.
- The Nutriorg Giloy Amla Juice helps to boost immunity and metabolism.
- Nutriorg Giloy Amla Juice supports the better functioning of all bodily functions.
- Due to its high levels of antioxidants, it accelerates wound healing.
The Giloy plant is an Ayurvedic herb that has been used and advocated in Indian medicine for ages. Its benefits to boosting digestion and immunity. In Sanskrit, called ‘Amrita', which translates to ‘the root of immortality', due of its abundant medicinal properties. The stem of Giloy is of the highest utility. The Nutriorg Giloy Amla Juice is 100 % natural and has been extracted from Giloy and Amla that has been grown in certified organic farms. Amla is the richest source of vitamin C. It enhances immunity, good for the eyes, skin, and hair. It also helps in improving the efficacy of others vitamins in the body. Giloy helps remove toxins. Amla is considered the most powerful herb to manage overall health and well-being. It contains minerals such as Iron, Calcium and Phosphorous besides vitamins A and C.

domain: biology


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Mamata Banerjee to meet Mohammed Shami’s wife Hasin Jahan on Friday
Hasin Jahan earlier told the media that she wanted to have West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s support in her fight against Mohammed Shami, whom she has accused of grave charges including attempt to murder.cricket Updated: Mar 21, 2018 16:41 IST
In a new twist to the ongoing controversy centering Indian cricket team pace bowler Mohammed Shami following his wife’s charges against him, Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee will meet Hasin Jahan at the state secretariat on Friday.
Jahan earlier told the media that she wanted to have the chief minister’s support in her fight against Shami, whom she has accused of grave charges including attempt to murder.
“On Wednesday morning, I received a call from an officer of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). An officer told me that a meeting has been tentatively scheduled in the second half of March 23,” Jahan told the media.
Incidentally, Mamata Banerjee is also in charge of the home department.
On March 19, after making a confidential statement to a judicial magistrate at Alipore court in Kolkata, she went to the residence of the chief minister at Kalighat and submitted an application seeking an appointment with her.
On Tuesday, Shami’s wife also alleged that her husband has stopped supporting her financially. According to her she went to a bank to encash a cheque for Rs 1 lakh that his husband gave her earlier, but was told that the bank was advised stop payment.
“The money was meant for payment of car insurance as well as meeting daily expenses,” said Jahan.
Kolkata Police has registered a case against Shami on the basis Jahan’s complaints.
The cricketer has been charged under various sections including 498A (domestic violence) 307 (attempt to murder), 323 (voluntarily causing heart) and 506 (criminal intimidation). A case under section 376 (rape) of IPC has also been filed against Shami’s elder brother.
The anti-corruption unit of Board of Control for Cricket in India is also probing charges of him receiving money from a Pakistani woman named Alishba on the insistence of an England-based businessman, Mohammad Bhai.
First Published: Mar 21, 2018 16:35 IST


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About Our Products
We offer a wide range of signs in different styles, featuring vintage designs from the past, inspiring & motivational quotes, retro pop art styles and even eye catching LED signs designed to stand out! Signs come in several materials, including sturdy wood and aluminium!
Deliveries are typically sent out by Pop Art Signs on the same day upon which the order is placed. Posting is usually made via first class, to get your sign delivered to you as soon as possible!
Whilst at Pop Art Signs there is a focus upon vintage and retro styled art, including signs featuring LED's, other styles are offered and expansion upon styles is planned for the future!

domain: design


Juki MO-114D is a reasonably priced model with a user-friendly operation process and innovative functionality. This portable serger is well-designed and produces excellent output that is on par with expensive machines.
Even if you are new to using a serger, it should not bother you when you get to work with Juki MO-114D, as its threading process is very easy. The lay-in threading feature and the easy-to-use technology are the most attractive elements of this Juki machine.
It is capable of 9 stitch options using 2-3-4 thread variations with a color-coded guide for easy threading and stitches adjustment provision for more customized stitches. The length of the stitch is modifiable by turning the dial on the right side of the machine.
It is variable from 1mm to 4mm for length. Similarly, the stitch width is also variable using the dial. What’s interesting is that it is variable right when you are working, and this serger gives you a smooth transition.
You get to sew at a speed of 1500 SPM, which is ample for a home model machine and gives you enough scope for working quickly on your projects. The light bulb plays a good role in helping you sew more precisely by illuminating the work area.
What We Like About Juki MO-114D Serger
- The color-coded slots with lay-in thread tension slots are a boon for threading this serger.
- A lower looper and the press of a lever are also helpful in completing the threading process.
- With the adjustable differential feed ratio range of 0.7mm to 2mm, you can adjust the feed process.
- You get smooth finishing for straight stitches and pretty gathers with perfect spacing.
- The rolled hems are crisp and neat, yet they do not need a special foot or throat plate.
- Secures your fabric in a secure and strong overlock stitch over the newly cut edge.
- Thread tension adjustment is a breeze using the easy-to-access front situated lever.
- Work your knit fabrics to any other typical kinds using the 1 to 9 range of tension settings.
- The cutting knife position is adjustable based on your need for various fabrics or different stitches you need to make.
- Most settings are achievable just by a turn of a dial, making it easy to operate the serger.
- It operates quietly and smoothly, giving you peace of mind for your creative pursuits.
- From threading to operation, everything is provided in detail in the instruction guide.
- You get 5 years of mechanical warranty, 1 year on electronics, and 90 days on labor.
What We Don’t Like
- Specific kinds of needles, i.e., 130R / 705H, are the only ones suitable for use with this serger
How Do Our Experts Say About Juki MO 114D Serger?
The Juki MO-114D is a 2/3/4 thread serger. You can use it with various fabrics, from delicates like chiffon to heavy fabrics like denim. There are nine built-in stitches in this serger, which is pretty standard because many models have more than others. The Juki MO-114D comes with two rolled hemstitches that do all the work for you with just a flip of a switch.
Sergers can stitch at twice the speed of regular sewing machines. You’ll see speeds of around 1,300 stitches per minute on average (though they can be as low as 1,000 stitches or as high as 1,500 stitches per min).
You can make your projects go faster by using Juki MO-114D’s high stitching speeds, which is especially important if you have lots to do.
The Juki MO-114D tackles the problem of threading complexity in several ways. First, there is a color-coded system for thread guides. Secondly, the front cover can be opened all the way, making it easier to access the lower looper than with other models. A switch allows you to move the lower looper in the right position for easier threading.


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For Immediate Release
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) today welcomed the decision by a Bahraini court to lift the travel ban on Maryam al-Khawaja, but remained concerned about the spurious charges that remain against her, as well as the continued unlawful detention of numerous other individuals. The court also postponed her trial until November 5.
“Lifting Maryam al-Khawaja’s travel ban is an important, but small, step in Bahrain, where many prisoners of conscience, including her father, remain in prison,” said Andrea Gittleman, PHR’s interim director of U.S. policy. “In the wake of protests demanding greater freedoms, activists and doctors were detained, and while most of the doctors have been released, some activists are still serving long sentences.”
Al-Khawaja, a well-known Bahraini human rights activist and co-director of the Gulf Center for Human Rights, was arrested on August 30 while traveling to visit her father, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, who had been on hunger strike protesting his unlawful detention for the last three and a half years. PHR issued the following recommendations:
- All prisoners of conscience being held in Bahraini prisons and detention facilities must be immediately and unconditionally released and provided redress;
- The government of Bahrain must ensure that freedom of expression, including dissent, and other rights are fully respected as required under international law, which includes ending reprisals against and harassment of human rights defenders; and
- All doctors and medical professions who were targeted by the government should have their licenses restored and be reinstated to the position they held prior to the protests.
According to the U.S. State Department’s most recent report on Bahrain, detention conditions in the country remain far below international standards. Detainees reported regular use of abusive tactics by security officials, as well as being subjected to solitary confinement, sexual harassment, threats of rape, and sleep deprivation.
The travel ban on al-Khawaja and the recent expulsions of human rights investigators, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Tom Malinowski, and Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA) exemplify the government’s efforts to silence any criticism of the current regime.
In the past four years, PHR has conducted several human rights investigations in Bahrain, and issued three reports, “Weaponizing Tear Gas,” “Under the Gun: Ongoing Assaults on Bahrain’s Health System,” and “Do No Harm,” which provide evidence of the Bahraini authorities arbitrarily arresting, disappearing, and detaining civilians in a systematic effort to eradicate peaceful dissent. PHR also documented the weaponized use of tear gas by state security agents against peaceful protesters, as well as a targeted campaign to arrest, detain, torture, and sentence doctors who treated protesters.
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is a New York-based advocacy organization that uses science and medicine to prevent mass atrocities and severe human rights violations. Learn more here.

domain: sociology


Well tested and high quality red laser pointer.
Clearly visible in dark.
Easy to use,only need to push the button then you can see many red beam..
The features plug-and-play convenience with no software to install—just plug the receiver into the USB port of a PC and the remote is ready to use within seconds.
The light can point at any targets,blackboard, video monitor and so on.
It comes with a battery, a convenient pouch for carrying the remote and receiver while traveling.
System Support: Window XP/ Window Vista/Mac
Function: indication,turning page,playing and suspending fuction,black screen function
Output Power: ≤100Mw
Battery: 1 × AAA
Operating Range: 15m
Color of Laser: red
Weight: 133.75 g
Size: 15.47.7*3.6 cm
1 × Wireless Powerpoint Pointer
1 × Receiver
1 × Carrying Case
1 × AAA Battery
1 × User Manual


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From Comcast SportsNetLOS ANGELES (AP) -- Clippers guard Chauncey Billups will miss the remainder of the season after tearing his left Achilles tendon during Los Angeles' 107-102 victory over
Four straight wins has the Spurs making a big jump in Matt Steinmetz's latest power rankings, while the Warriors and Kings remain stuck among the 10 worst NBA teams.
Forbes posted its annual list of the NBA's most valuable teams Wednesday. The Lakers reclaimed the top spot from the Knicks with a current value of 900 million.
From Comcast SportsNet


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Madoff Ponzi scheme profitable for lawyers
The Madoff Ponzi scheme has turned out to be very profitable, for the lawyers.
The team of lawyers and consultants who are working to recover the $17.5 billion taken by Bernie Madoff have racked up a whopping $701 million in fees.
That’s less than half of the legal tab associated with the Lehman brother’s bankruptcy, the largest legal bill in history.
To date, Irving Picard, the court appointed trustee, has collected $9.3 billion and repaid $5.4 billion to the victims.
- Woman's car payments hid her death for 6 years, body found mummified in backseat of car
- Oklahoma father finds mother, 3-year-old daughter dead in garage, saves 5-year-old son
- UPDATE: Did one of Oklahoma's famous couples find another home in a different state?
- Doll with 'real' body proportions gains support, crowd funded in just 24 hours

domain: law


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The 72-year-old seems to have had a drink or two
Twitter has reacted after Sir Rod Stewart appears to be drunk during his appearance on the Scottish Cup draw.
Sir Rod Stewart helped out with the draw today (January 22) with some viewers believing the star to be drunk due to his over-the-top gestures. You can see some footage of the appearance below.
According to the Daily Record, he also snubbed a handshake from SFA president Alan McRae. The internet was quick to notice Stewart’s behaviour, with some claiming it to be the highlight of their year so far.
However, some weren’t seeing the funny side of the stint, claiming the appearance to be “embarrassing” and “disrespectful to Scottish football.”
The Isle of Wight Festival takes place next year from June 8-11 at Seaclose Park, Newport. It was previously reported that the festival could be cancelled next year.
Billed as his only UK festival appearance next year, Stewart will top the festival bill on the Sunday night. Last year saw Queen + Adam Lambert play the same slot, with Fleetwood Mac gracing it the year before that.
Rod Stewart says of the news: “I have been very lucky to have played many of the world’s finest venues and festivals – but never played the legendary IOW Festival. I am so excited to put that right. June can’t come round soon enough.”

domain: entertainment


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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is determined to show zero tolerance for corruption to ensure he doesn’t erode trust from Western countries, which keep the country afloat with massive arms shipments and billions in financial aid. This is the picture of the wave of resignations and layoffs that has hit the Ukrainian government, the largest since the February 24 Russian invasion.
Deputy head of Ukraine’s presidential office Kyrylo Tymoshenko, four deputy ministers and five regional governors have been dismissed from their posts in Ukraine following an alleged corruption scandal in the army as today marks the 11th month since the invasion of Russia.
These are Deputy Ministers of Municipal and Territorial Development Ivan Lukeryu and Vyacheslav Negoda; Deputy Minister of Social Policy Vitaly Muzychenka, Deputy Minister of Defense Vyacheslav Shapovalov.
According to the government representative in parliament Taras Melnychuk, the governors of the central Dnepropetrovsk region Valentin Reznichenko, the southern Zaporizhia region Oleksandr Starukh, the northern Soumy Dmytro Zhivytsky region, the southern Kherson region Yaroslav Yanushevich and the capital Kyiv Oleksiy Kuluba.
War Russia Ukraine, today’s news live
In November, Reznichenko was accused in multiple media outlets of awarding tens of millions of euros worth of road repair contracts to a group co-founded by his fitness trainer girlfriend.
According to press reports, he and his colleagues from the Soumy, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions are under judicial investigation, while Kouleba’s resignation is linked to his forthcoming appointment to the presidential administration. Anatoly Ivankevich and Viktor Vychniov, both deputy heads of Ukraine’s sea and river transport service, also resigned.
“A new division of the cake” has begun in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on her Telegram channel, commenting on the news of the resignation of several Ukrainian government officials as part of investigations into alleged episodes of corruption. Of that cake, the narrator adds, there’s only a piece left, but “those insatiable vampires keep sharing it.”
What are M1 Abrams and why are they important in the war in Ukraine?


As per reports from The Wall Street Journal, Facebook is currently trying out a “trending” box. This Trending Topic column is appearing on the top-right hand side of the Facebook News Feed. The Trending Topic column will show various keywords that people seem to be mentioning in their posts on Facebook.
In the report, the spokesperson said that this feature is rolled out to only a small percentage of US users. She further added that it is too early to give out more details as the feature is in its initial stages of development.
This new Facebook feature is in addition to other Twitter-like features including hashtags and embed post.


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Get in touch
Refer a Patient
At Relevare Infusions of Colorado, we are committed to the highest level of patient care. Ketamine infusions, in conjunction with ongoing patient care and medication management, have been shown to provide lasting relief.
If you have a patient that could benefit from our treatment options, please complete the form below.


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Cons: Adult situation alluded to, minimal bad language.
Creepy Susie And 13 Other Tragic Tales for Troubled Children by Angus Oblong is not for children! My 16 year old got this as a Christmas gift and I heard her and the other kids talking about it. After hearing about "The Debbies" and "Happy, happy, happy, happy Sammie" I had to check out this book.
It's gruesome. It's twisted. It is more fun than I've had in a long time. This is not for little kids, it's for BIG kids (and adults) only. This book pokes fun of us and our parents and our friends at school. There are delightfully creepy illustrations that remind me a bit of Charles Addams, and there is a small bit of inappropriate language (the "F" word). I don't know who Angus Oblong is and I've been looking. This appears to be the only work at his publisher's website under this name. I feel pretty certain this is a more main stream writer in disguise.
Creepy Susie only smiles when she's holding something slimy. Find out what slimy things she holds!
What did you think of this review?
Fun to Read
What's your opinion on Creepy Susie: And 13 Other Tragic Tales ...?

domain: library


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I had the honor of shooting Marcy and Jim’s wedding on April 18th. It was a small, intimate ceremony with Marcy’s daughter and Jim’s three daughters in attendance. The ceremony was heartfelt and lovely (I’ll admit I cried just a little bit!). Afterwards, Marcy opened a gift which was given to her by all four girls…..you can see how much she loved it by her reaction below 🙂
Marcy and Jim: Thank you for choosing me to photograph such an important event in your life 🙂
Here are some of my favorite shots from the day……
Jim and Marcy’s beautiful daughters….
Marcy and Jim’s ceremony was beautifully intimate <3
Marcy looked so beautiful. She couldn’t keep her eyes off of her groom……
This family was SOOOO much fun!!!!
As a wedding gift, the girls got Marcy a gorgeous piece of glass……her reaction was so genuine.
“I can’t believe you did this!!!!”
Thank you to Marcy and Jim for inviting me into your home to capture your special day. You are a wonderful couple <3

domain: artistic


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Second Corps (Pewter) Badge Bannerman's Style
Second Corps Badge Bannerman's Style Solid Center
Reproduced from an original Bannerman's Secord Corps Badges, now available through The Badge Maker,
Choose a color for enamel painting the center for a particular division, or leave it blank.
Note: The Solid Badge will have a pinback attached the the reverse side with industrial adhesive in the small manner as all TBM metal badges.
Choose your Division Color: Red (First), White (Second), Blue (Third) or Blank Metalic NO PAINT.
Disclaimer: all my metal pieces with pin backs are attached with industrial adhesive.


During the 1960’s Carole King was part of one of the most successful song writing partnerships of the era, writing..
Tag Archives: theatre
Glam Americana musical Crazy For You has hit the Lyceum theatre for a four-day run on its UK tour, Paul..
Russia’s finest has made its way to Sheffield, as Anton Chekhov’s play “Uncle Vanya” runs at Studio Theatre 18 October..
So they’re off! Theatre Deli has relaunched in its new home at 202 Eyre Street, (the former Mothercare shop), and..
The twice yearly drama festival returns again this autumn. Enable US is bringing 11 diverse shows to the University of..
Brigitte Aphrodite’s eclectic stage show about depression My Beautiful Black Dog is proving a difficult beast to pin down in..
How do you go about turning one of the world’s most famous novels into a ballet? That’s the challenge Martha..
The Crucible is on fire. Calm, headphone-wearing patrons are evacuated out to Tudor Square, where they are met by an..
Exposed catches up with Abbi (Mimi) from Splinters theatre group, on the cusp of their 25th year together and ahead..
Exposed catches up with lead actor James Smith ahead of the Manor Operatic Peter Pan Pantomime 2014. Hi James. Congrats..
Review of Stomp at Sheffield Lyceum Theatre. The rhythm of New York City took over the stage at the Sheffield..
Review of The Woman in Black at The Lyceum Theatre. There is nothing quite as tense as being surrounded by..
A Review of Krapp’s Last Tape at The Crucible’s Studio Theatre. Richard Wilson donned an oversized grubby cardi to take..
Abandoman is Rob Broderick, a quick-thinking, extremely-talented fellow – and his Moonrock Boombox Tour visited the Memorial Hall (Sheffield City..


Why Picking the Right Vehicle Repair Work Solution Matters
When it comes to keeping your vehicle, selecting the right automobile repair service is essential. Your car is a significant financial investment, and you rely on it daily for commuting, running duties, and transferring your loved ones securely. So, it just makes sense to entrust it to a professional and reliable auto repair work solution. In this short article, we will certainly go over the relevance of selecting the appropriate car repair work service and the benefits it uses.
1. Proficiency and Experience: One of the primary benefits of picking a reliable vehicle repair work solution is the competence and experience they bring to the table. Qualified technicians have the necessary skills, understanding, and training to diagnose and repair a vast array of auto issues. They are furnished with the most recent tools and devices, enabling them to give exact and efficient repairs.
2. High Quality and Reliable Service: A reliable vehicle repair service places consumer satisfaction at the top of their priority list. With their dedication to high quality solution, you can expect repair work to be done right the very first time. They will certainly use genuine or premium extra parts, making certain the long life and performance of your automobile.
3. Save Time and Money: Choosing the right car repair service can conserve you substantial time and money. Specialist specialists can swiftly identify the root cause of the problem and give an effective remedy. By obtaining the repair work done appropriately the first time, you will not have to take care of persisting concerns that can cost you more over time.
4. Peace of Mind: Entrusting your vehicle to a credible vehicle repair service provides you comfort. You can feel confident that your auto is in excellent hands and will be fixed making use of the right techniques and treatments. Trustworthy repair shops likewise provide guarantees on their job, offering you with an additional layer of defense.
To conclude, choosing the right car fixing solution is essential for preserving the performance and longevity of your automobile. With their proficiency, top quality solution, time and money-saving benefits, and the satisfaction they offer, it deserves buying a trustworthy repair shop. So, the following time your car needs repair services or upkeep, do your research study and pick sensibly. Your vehicle will certainly thank you for it!


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The Volkswagen Motorsport crew of Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia claimed their third victory of the 2014 FIA World Rally Championship season today. The French reigning World Champions won Rally de Portugal by 43.2 seconds to take their 19th career win and Volkswagen’s eighth consecutive victory. The Ford Fiesta RS WRC crew of Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen finished second and Mads Østberg and Jonas Andersson took the final podium position for Citroën.
In the Championship standings, Ogier extends his advantage to 29 points over team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala, while Østberg and Hirvonen hold third and fourth respectively. In the FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers, Volkswagen Motorsport takes a commanding 69 point lead over the Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team.
Today’s route was the shortest and covered just three stages and 43.87 competitive kilometres. The second run through the 13.83 kilometre Loulé stage counted as the Power Stage and here Ogier, Latvala and Østberg added to their tally with additional bonus points.
Ogier was able to control the pace today and cruised to his 12th victory with the Volkswagen team and fourth in Portugal. The gap between Hirvonen and Østberg also left little to fight for with too few kilometres, although Østberg claimed the win in the middle stage. Dani Sordo, who started the morning in fourth position, was forced into a heart-breaking retirement on the road section to the first stage, the Spaniard out with a broken front left driveshaft. Andreas Mikkelsen claimed fourth, overhauling Henning Solberg during the day. Martin Prokop finished sixth and Thierry Neuville managed to climb back to seventh, despite only having rear-wheel drive in the final stage. His team-mate Juho Hänninen finished just behind in eighth and WRC 2 Championship competitors Nasser Al-Attiyah and Jari Ketomaa took the final positions in the top 10.
The fifth round of the FIA World Rally Championship takes the contenders to South America for Rally Argentina (8-11 May).
Vodafone Rally de Portugal – Final Unofficial Results (subject to scrutineering)


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(Yicai Global) July 17 -- Pork prices in China will continue to rise amid tightening supply caused by the outbreaks of African swine fever, according to a ministry official.
Since last October, pigs have not been able to reproduce as well as before, which is beginning to show now in the second half of this year, Tang Ke, director at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said at a news conference today.
At the end of June, China's swine inventory fell 15 percent from the previous year to 348 million, the National Bureau of Statistics announced yesterday. In the first half, pork production declined 5.5 percent to 24.7 million tons, heavily impacting China's consumer price index.
Editor: Emmi Laine

domain: agronomy