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Disclaimer: the below contacts are not affiliated with Feltmakers Ireland. They may be of interest to the felting community. If you know of more, please let us know: together we can build a better crafting experience.
Fibre/ Tools/ Supplies/Equipment
SUPPLIERS OF IRISH WOOL– SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING SUPPLIERS who supported our WOOL PROJECT
Please email to book in your order beforehand.
|Wool Hand washed / scoured service available in Southern Ireland |
OUR OWN WOOL:
Breeds of sheep: Zwartble and Texal Washed &
scoured wool supplied @ €22 per kg
Alpaca wool supplied @ € 30 per kg
Alpaca un-washed supplied @ €22 per kg.
Prices will include carriage and subject to change
Income weights & price per kg see below.
Minimum 2kgs to 25kg @ €18 per kg
Lots of 50kg @ €14 per kg
Lots of 100kg @ €9.50 per kg
Skirting and disposal of non-washable wool @ €1.30 per fleece if not complete properly before-hand.
All prices are calculated on income weight in kgs price listed below is per kg. All in-coming wool colours to be separated into separate lots. For multi-colour fleece separation is not necessary.
All orders to be paid for in full before collection,
delivery can be aranged at additional cost.
Prices subject to change.
353 86 8198543
Clun Forest, BFL, Jacob and Castlemilk Moorit
Contact supplier as to discuss price, carriage and availability as raw, washed or carded batts.
|The Muddle is a retail space with quality Arts and Crafts supplies.|
Sharon has selection of different wool at different times, it’s mostly unwashed and would need to be ordered ahead.
Price will depend on factors such as availability, quality required/what it is for etc.
Zwartbles, Cheviot, Black Face, Sheltland, Jacobs and maybe some more.
Sharon will do washing, carding and provide the wool as well.
Check to confirm availability, finish required and price.
Crafts of Ireland
|Contact to inquire about availability of breeds, washing, carding and postage|
353 83 1285449
Scots Mules, Zwartbles, Border Leicester, Jacob and Suffolk. All cleaning is entirely done by hand and only organic detergents and rainwater is used in washing
Contact by Facebook, web page or phone for prices.
|Sarah Foster Jarden|
Phone (UK mobile number) 07544553714 after 6pm
Teeswater cross BFL
These are raw fleeces
I also have rovings, carded and prepared by the Natural Fibre Company,
White – Shetland, Portland, Galway, Teeswater, BFL mix
Brown – Soay, Zwarbles, alpaca mix
A little light gray – Shetland, mule mix possibly some alpaca in this.
If there’s a particular breed wanted I can try to source it for someone
None are organic as we have too many fly-strike problems and they need treated.
Most are individually named sheep kept for their wool
6th generation of our family business
Cushendale Woollen Mills
Graiguenamanagh, Co. Kilkenny
Ireland. R95 PP83
+353 (0)59 972 4118
|We offer carded (dyed) and spun Irish wool. |
These are available on our website or at our mill shop in Graiguenamanagh
Irish Fibre Crafters
phone number: 085 1430650
|Sandra sells fleeces and offers raw, washed, and carded batts. |
Contact her as to requirements- she hopes to help felters with fibre.
|Freda holds a good stocks of most of the breeds of Ireland & UK. The Wool Initiative is working to demonstrate the unique qualities of the fleece from each breed and how these may be employed to create unique pieces. Some breeds will felt more successfully than others or may be used to add texture or as embellishments (eg. Wensleydale locks).|
The website www.woolinitiative.com will give you an idea of the range of fleeces and the prices. Fleeces are supplied as raws, washed, washed and carded into batts and dyed.
Ballymoe, Co Galway F45RK23(on Roscommon border)
(or through facebook)
|Lovely, silky clean Blue Texel fleeces in range of colours blue, white, brown flecked |
See face book page Aine Ni Chonaing Beechwood Blues Texel
Contact Ann for more details and to arrange postage/collection.
074 973 8055
|Washed Galway Wool supplied free for Wool project; |
see website for comprehensive range of wools available
|PJ Pollard |
|East Friesland and Lacunae|
|Schwarzkopf (SKF) fleeces available.|
Percy supplied Schwarzkopf for Feltmakers Ireland Wool Project
|Charolais and Jacob fleeces available. Search Fahy’s Free Range Farm (Facebook) for their selection of “more than just wool” produce. |
6 Fort Road, Kilroot, Carrickfergus
|Supplies Ile de France and Spotted Dutch fleeces|
|Angela O Donnell|
via social media pages
|Has stock of Wensleydale, Valais, Blacknose, Dutch spotted and Wensleydale Cross/Masham|
|Grant came on the scene after commencement of project and is trying to fill a niche identified by many in Ireland in the market i.e. preparing fleece for felting|
Washing/opening of wool €19.00 per kg – calculated on weight that comes in.
Carding €79 per kg
www.leikofelt.com (Felt wool by Leiko Uchiyama, Carlow, is hand carded into wool roving)
https://facebook.com/clasheen (Nicola Brown is based in Clasheen in Co Carlow; she facilitates group or bespoke day and residential workshops; some very interesting tutorials on her youtube channel. Her fine art textiles are inspired by nature and the rural Irish landscape.
Niki Collier: Phone: 087 661 5066 Marlay Craft Courtyard, Studio 24, Grange Rd, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16, D16 W3K7 Hours: Open ⋅ Closes 6 p.m. Niki Collier practices traditional textile crafts using sustainable materials. Each piece made constructs your story in unique fabrics with shapes and colours. Whether it is a gift for you, a workshop for your friend and sister or an exhibition piece for your home – you can have it all in a delicate wool creation.
https://ollannmor We currently source our merino roving in bulk amounts from a well-known supplier in the UK and sell roving in amounts from 50 grams up for weaving and felting through our website. In merino, we have lots of stock: 23-micron dyed roving, 11+ colours – 25-micron natural roving, creamy white
http://www.springwools.com (yarns, needles, books, patterns, felting supplies, based just off Walkinstown roundabout)
www.thewoolshop.ie (yarns, ribbons, threads, based in Naas)
www.woollycrafts.ie (family-run business with a great passion for felting, workshops, felting tools and materials through an online shop in Youghal, Co Cork)
www.winniethewoolwagon.com (craft café based in Booterstown, Dublin)
https://appleoakfibreworks.com/ Based in County Clare, AppleOak Fibreworks sells natural dyes, dyed yarns, fabrics, craft supplies, and wool, including European-raised, 27-micron Merino fibre. In addition, they offer a natural dye service. The shop is open to the public on Wednesdays and 24/7 online.
www.dhg.it (based in Italy, great range of wool, silk and other fibres for felting, spinning – 10% discount with Feltmakers Ireland membership – contact FI)
Woolknoll (based in Germany, a wide range of wool from all kinds of sheep, in the form of flakes, fleeces, or carded)
ENGLISH/OUTSIDE EUROPE (may incur import duty/tax)
www.worldofwool.co.uk (hundreds of wool, fibre, equipment and accessories for craft enthusiasts)
www.adelaidewalker.co.uk (high-quality wool tops for feltmaking, dyeing + felting equipment)
www.olivertwists.co.uk (hand-dyed threads in tonal packs and skeins)
www.georgeweil.com (wide range of art and craft supplies)
www.treetopscolours.com.au (felting supplies for the discerning felt maker, felting classes)
SOME INTERESTING CRAFT CONTACTS
www.making.ie (celebrates craft skills in Ireland and beyond)
https://wcc-europe.org (World Craft Council of Europeis a non-profit membership oganisation set up to promote an international interest in crafts)


Worried by the future of the All Progressives Congress (APC) after President Muhammadu Buhari’s exit in 2023, a senior party member and former Minister says the 2023 polls may be a death-knell for the party.
“If the party fails to put its house in order, it may find it difficult to get votes in the 2023 elections,” said Buhari’s close ally and ex-Minister of Communication, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu.
He barred his mind in Osogbo while featuring on a programme, entitled: ‘The Frontliners”, organized by the Association of Veteran Journalists in Osun State.
Persecondnews recalls that Shittu had moved from Buhari’s Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) with his principal in a mega parties’ merger that gave birth to the ruling All Progressives Congress ahead of 2015 polls.
Attributing Buhari’s victories in 2015 and 2019 to what he called his “vote-catching magnet”, Shittu pointed out:” Buhari got over 15 million votes and that is because he is on the ballot.
“From the North alone, he got over 12 million votes on each occasion.
“If the APC is not careful and put its house in order, where will the votes come in 2023 if the magnet of Buhari is no more on the ballot?”On the rumoured third term agenda of Buhari, Shittu described as idiotic the insinuations that the President would be seeking a third term in 2023.
“Buhari is the most selfless leader Nigeria ever had. This is one President who when elected slashed his salary by 50 per cent.
“As we also know, his lifestyle for the past 20 years has not changed. He is not flamboyant. What he is looking for is a good legacy,” the Oyo State APC chieftain said.
He recalled that former President Olusegun Obasanjo failed seeking a tenure elongation in the twilight of his administration in 2007 after a two-term tenure.
“Obasanjo failed when he attempted it (third term); so you think a less ambitious person would now be the one to do that?
“It will not happen, so I think it is not a matter we should focus on. It is a waste of time,” Shittu said.
Per Second News 6951 posts 0 comments


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Genre: Epic Heavy/Speed Metal
Country: US (Seattle, Washington)
Label: Gates Of Hell Records
From faraway Seattle, epic metallers, Skelator, numbering albums for almost twenty years are about to unleash their fire with “Blood Empire” EP. With their latest full length, “Cyber Metal”, being released in 2019, the band emerge with their next ep— a four-song journey that brings to life their Star Trek worship with true, unbowed heavy metal and that captures the band at their epic and thrashing best. As “Cyber Metal” musically and lyrically had elements outside the band’s comfort zone, we did expect this same lightning to strike. All four songs feature marauding NWOBHM-inspired guitar lines with Houston- Steinway duet spitting fire with exceptional shredding and melodic glismpes. Detailed concept from the mind of vocalist Jason Conde-Houston who worships the whole record. Their first album on Gates of Hell Records left an immediate impression on denizens across the metal globe who wondered where the band would head next. The answer is the “Blood Empire” EP, a four-song platter that marries SKELATOR’s penchant for both epic and punctuating thrash numbers.
The EP was recorded in September and October 2021 at the band’s rehearsal studio and home studios, as guitarist Robbie Houston has some serious production skills and dealt also with mixing the album. Houston tracked Patrick Seick’s drums and Conde-Houston’s vocals while leaving fellow guitarist Rob Steinway and bassist Leona Hayward to record on their own. Τhe album seems to have a perfect symmetry with the 2 Vs 2 tracks, “Good Day to Die” and “The First Empire” epic heavy metal swords and chains style and two metal thrashing mad ones, “Deeds of Honor” and “Bloodwine.” It is the beginning of “The Kahless Trilogy” that will chronicle the many deeds that Kahless did to make his empire come true and ties into the Max Nazaryan-created cover art that shows Kahless having his final batter with his brother, Morath, on the peak of a volcano.
Defenders of since 1988 true metal warriors are keeping the fire burning.
Give Us Metal or Give Us Death!

domain: artistic


Houston Rapper Joe Major is putting on for Houston, Texas as an artist on the rise. With his latest single “Woo Woo Woo” serving as the leading single on his forthcoming project, he is at the top of his career musically. Balancing fatherhood, recording and being a community leader, Joe Major is on his way to being a star.
On “Woo Woo Woo you will hear Major talking his talk in his distinct grungy tone of voice. His catchy punchlines mixed with originality stands it the most throughout. He has a sound that no one in the industry can duplicate, making him stand out among his fellow Houston peers. As this is his first major release of the year, it is good to hear him sonically tapping into different melodies, sounds and vocal ranges in order to connect with a broader audience.
Tap in with him below by steaming his “Woo Woo Woo” single. Follow him on social media @joemajorthefavorite.


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Organic Black Rice
Black rice is prepared similarly to other types of rice and can be added to a variety of savory and sweet dishes. Black rice is a good source of several nutrients, particularly protein, fiber, and iron. It contains the highest antioxidant activity of all rice varieties. It contains anthocyanin which has potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer effects.

domain: agronomy


New York City mayor BIll de Blasio is making good on his promise to bring fast and affordable broadband throughout the city. Or at least, he's getting there. The de Blasio administration has created two high-level positions to help with the push, and it's also announcing an open call for ideas on how to make the dream of universal broadband happen, BuzzFeed reports. 27 percent of New Yorkers still don't have access to the internet, according to the latest NYC comptroller report, so there's certainly plenty of room for improvement. Former Alcatel-Lucent employee Alphonso Jenkins will fill the new role of deputy commissioner of telecommunications planning at NYC's Department of Information Technology, while Joshua Breitbart, who previously directed field operations at the New America Foundation, will serve as a special advisor for broadband in the mayor's office. They'll work together with the administration's Broadband Task Force to judge the open "Calls for Innovations," which anyone can submit until June 30.
Last year, when he announced a "Tech Talent Pipeline" to train New Yorkers for tech jobs, de Blasio said his administration would push for more competition in the NYC broadband market. We haven't seen many changes yet among ISPs, but the city did announce LinkNYC last year, a plan to turn 10,000 payphones throughout NYC into gigabit Wi-Fi hotspots.
New York City's chief technology officer, Minerva Tantoco, also points out that the new broadband initiatives could help all internet users, not just those without access. "We're paying significantly more for broadband access than other major cities around the globe," she told BuzzFeed. "We get slower speeds and potentially pay up to $300 a month depending on your service providers -- that's something that should change even for people who can afford it."
[Photo credit: Dominic Kamp Photography/Getty]


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This dish was invented on one of those evenings when you’ve run out of almost everything and you have to get creative with what’s at the back of the store cupboard. Dan loved it and suggested I wrote it down quickly before I forgot what I put in it. Now we have this regularly and call it ‘lentil chowder’ just because it’s creamy.
In these photos I’m making double the recipe then freezing half of it to eat on another night which works really well with this meal.
- 200g red lentils
- 1 diced onion
- 2 diced carrots
- Tin mixed beans (in this pic I’m using what I had open in my fridge, so sweetcorn, chickpeas and a tin of kidney beans)
- Vegetable stock
- 100ml Soya cream (or more if you like)
- Coconut oil
- 2 green chillies
- 2 garlic cloves
- Lemon zest
- Finely chopped fresh rosemary
Fry onion and carrot in oil to soften. Add garlic and chilli and fry for a couple more minutes.
Add lentils and enough stock to comfortably cover them.
Bring to the boil then simmer for 15 mins. Skim off any scum from the surface.
Add the beans and cream and simmer for another 15 mins.
Garnish with lots of lemon zest and herbs and a drizzle of cream.
Serve with rice and bread.

domain: food


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Just as the eurozone crisis is deepening and European states are turning to the world’s richest countries for assistance, the Middle East region’s oil-rich states are increasingly forming alliances with China. ANDREW WHITE
It has been four long years since Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah urged US General David Petraeus to ‘cut the head off the snake’, and destroy Iran’s then-nascent nuclear programme. And while the executioner’s axe still hovers amid escalating tensions over the pariah state’s nuclear ambitions, Saudi and its five GCC partners – the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman – have spent the intervening years working busily to help bring Iran to its knees.
Iranian banks have been shuttered, Iranian businessmen blacklisted and Iranian traders turned away at Gulf ports. And if that wasn’t enough to worry the accountants in Tehran, the Gulf is now moving in on the one income stream Iran and its leaders simply cannot do without: oil. China, the world’s second largest economy, continues to import large quantities of oil from Iran, even as warships stalk the Strait of Hormuz. But over the course of six days in January, observers were left in no doubt as to the priorities of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and his counterparts in the Gulf. Jiabao signed more than a dozen agreements across a broad range of sectors including energy, trade, infrastructure and finance, with the Saudi, UAE and Qatari governments, in a whirlwind tour, which confirmed that 2012 really is the Year of the Dragon for Gulf oil and gas producers.
Sino-Saudi wealth and power
China is the world’s second-largest importer of oil after the US, and at the moment 51per cent of these imports come from the Middle East, according to Chinese customs data. China is also Iran’s biggest oil customer; around 11 per cent of the country’s total oil imports come from Iran, and China is expected to be the biggest beneficiary of US and European sanctions on Iran’s oil sales, as it will be able to demand discounts and better terms on Iranian crude. Nevertheless, Beijing is looking for a buffer against the potential interruption of Iranian supplies, as well as long-term access to crude from other Middle East sources. It’s a strategy Gulf policy-makers are happy to support, and one that will alarm Iran as well as remind Washington that Middle East oil is not the exclusive preserve of the West.
Saudi is already China’s biggest source of imported oil, followed by Angola and then Iran, and barely had Jiabao set foot on Saudi soil before it was announced that oil giant Saudi Aramco had finalised an agreement with Chinese companies to develop a 400,000 barrel per day (bpd) refinery in Yanbu, on the kingdom’s Red Sea coast. The Premier then spent much of his remaining time in Riyadh pressing Saudi leaders to open the kingdom’s huge oil and gas resources to expanded Chinese investment, which if granted would guarantee China an uninterrupted supply of oil from the Middle East. According to the Chinese, bilateral trade between the two countries amounted to US$58.5bn in the first 11 months of 2011 – a figure that would soar were China granted access to the Saudi energy sector.
On the second leg of his Middle East mission, Jiabao was sealing deals in the UAE, a country with which China is developing ever more sophisticated trade and investment ties. On the face of it, the strategic pact between Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) will see the two state-owned firms collaborating on technical studies in underdeveloped areas of the UAE. But the ADNOC-CNPC deal could mean so much more: for the UAE it represents a reaffirmation of its long-term strategic partnership with the largest of the fast-rising Asian economic powers, while China is about to be invited into an exclusive club that will guarantee it gets the oil it needs to fuel future growth.
‘Abu Dhabi aims to invest US$60bn over the next few years in a bid to boost the country’s oil production capacity from 2.7m to 3.5m barrels per day, and now UAE policy-makers are looking to the East to stump up cash that is thin on the ground in the US and particularly the eurozone.'
The UAE’s oil sector is unusual by international standards, in that it allows producers to acquire equity stakes in return for providing much of the required investment, and accepting relatively tight profit margins. In the past, Western oil giants including Shell, Total, BP and ExxonMobil have ploughed billions of dollars into UAE oilfields, piping away trillions of dollars worth of the black stuff by way of reward. But the days of the all-Western cabals are numbered: Abu Dhabi has said it aims to invest US$60bn over the next few years in a bid to boost the country’s oil production capacity from 2.7m to 3.5m bpd, and now UAE policy-makers are looking to the East to stump up cash that is thin on the ground in the US and particularly the eurozone.
In January, the UAE’s Supreme Petroleum Council, the country’s highest authority on energy policy, said that it would put concessions for onshore oilfields up for tender when they come up for renewal in 2014. The rights are currently in the pocket of a consortium comprising five Western oil majors, but Beijing will no doubt hope that its ADNOC link puts it in an advantageous position when the old concession is carved up and the bidding begins anew. ‘China isn’t coming to the UAE just to help out,’ says one seasoned observer with close ties to ADNOC, and first-hand experience of petroleum politics in the UAE. ‘All the usual foreign players are lining up to tender for the new concessions, but now China is making sure to position itself near the front of the queue.’

domain: news


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For customers desiring optimal water quality utilizing more ozone, DEL’s high-output MCD-50 is serviceable and reliable with the longest lifespan of any spa ozone generator on the market, typically running for five years. With spa manufacturers installing the MCD-50 since 2003, DEL is now meeting the growing demand for replacement units by offering them through distribution.
Suitable for up to 1,000 gallons
Dimensions – 8.6″H x 6.1″W x 2.8″D, 3.75 lbs
Output – 50 mg/hr 580 PPM 2cfh
Power Consumption – 110V = 50mA, 6W / 220V = 25 mA, 9W
Ozonator Cord Type: Molded, Mini
Ozonator Type: Corona Discharge.
- This cell sanitizes the spa’s water.
- Cell sanitizes the spa’s water.
- Non chlorine shock
- Swim in as little as 15 minutes
- 12 Pack
- Ozonator, DEL MCD-50, 115v/230v, Mini J & J Electronics PLUG.
Package Quantity : 1

domain: chemistry


House Democrats led by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., urged the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) not to go after unlawful immigrants whom they had released due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jayapal, along with dozens of House lawmakers, wrote to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and ICE acting Director Tae Johnson, asking them to refrain from re-detaining those whom they had released solely due to improving pandemic conditions.
“Re-detaining individuals solely as a result of our nation’s recovery from the pandemic is unacceptable,” the lawmakers said in a statement.
They said that ICE’s position on re-detaining migrants has been “inconsistent.”
“The overwhelming majority of these individuals are now living safely at home with their families, with clear improvements to their health. They are also providing valuable support to their communities and loved ones, in compliance with the terms of their release and while posing no danger to the community,” the lawmakers said.
DHS could not immediately be reached for comment.
As of May 2021, 16,000 immigrants have contracted COVID-19 and nine have died after contracting it, according to the lawmakers.
The letter praised ICE’s and DHS’ work to curtail deportations and roll


text: ""Our school has almost nothing. A blackboard, some chairs, a teacher." The teacher is there at the door waiting for them every day. And this day they are taking whatever art supplies they can come up with and going outdoors to draw. And out there, amongst the trees, the mountains the...


Apple iPhone 8 Might Forgo In-Display Touch ID Says KGI Analyst
The upcoming iPhone 8’s fingerprint sensor is turning out to be one of the biggest unknowns about the smartphone. Most rumors have centered around the iPhone 8 featuring a Touch ID sensor that is embedded within the OLED touch display. Less frequent reports suggest that the Touch ID sensor will be moved to the rear of the device, like the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+.
However, well-regarded KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that another path is possible with the iPhone 8: the complete lack of Touch ID. That claim seems rather unfathomable at this point considering how Touch ID is so tightly integrated into iOS, iPhone/iPad security and the Apple Pay system. But Kuo cites “weakened scan-through performance” and the fact that “the full-screen design doesn’t work with existing capacitive fingerprint recognition” as reasons for Touch ID’s omission on the iPhone 8.
“As the new OLED iPhone won’t support under-display fingerprint recognition, we now do not expect production ramp-up will be delayed again (we previously projected the ramp-up would be postponed to late October or later),” said Kuo.
Instead, Apple is expected to opt for an entirely new method for authenticating the rightful owner of the device. Kuo says that the iPhone 8 will support 3D sensing via the front-facing camera for facial recognition, but it’s doubtful that such a system could be a complete replacement for Touch ID given how easily those systems can be spoofed.
Other features reportedly on tap for the iPhone 8 according to Kuo include 3GB RAM, either 64GB or 128GB of internal storage, a 5.2-inch nearly bezel-less OLED display with a virtual home button, and improved speaker quality. It’s also said that the flagship smartphone will retain its Lightning port, although it will support USB-C power delivery. There is no mention, however, of rumored wireless charging support.
While the status of Touch ID is uncertain at this point, most of the leaks regarding the iPhone 8 seem to have nailed down the exterior design of the smartphone.


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Girl Talk conversations will focus on topics such as…
Loving the Skin You're In (Self-Worth, Confidence)
Personal Branding (Image)
Preparing for Adulthood/Careers
The Girl Talk Inc. mentoring program is an 8 week program designed to meet the growing needs of our female youth. Through a staff of volunteers and advisors, we will hold weekly meetings designed to address various topics and offer strategies and tools that can assist the girls in dealing with day to day issues. At the end of the program, the girls will participate in a graduation ceremony to celebrate their achievements with parents, caregivers, family, and friends.
As stated above in the program outline, some of the issues affecting teen girls have a negative effect on them and deter them from reaching their full potential. Issues like teen pregnancy, although in decline 9% from 2013 and birth rates fell 11% for women aged 15-17 years and 7% for women 18-19 years (source).
Self-esteem/Image is also a huge issue for teen girls. Among high school students, 44% of girls are attempting to lose weight and over 70% of girls age 15 to 17 avoid normal daily activities, such as attending school when they feel bad about their looks. Lastly 75% of girls with low self-esteem reported engaging in negative activities like cutting, bullying, smoking, drinking, or disorder eating. This compares to 25% of girls with high self-esteem (source).
This is why we need your help!
Need a Mentor?
Our Next Empowerment Program
September 16 – November 4, 2023
Girl Talk 2023 Program Schedule
January 14 – March 4: Girl Talk Inc. 8-week Empowerment Program (1-3pm)
May 6 – July 1: Girl Talk Inc. 8-week Empowerment Program (1-3pm)
September 16 – November 4: Girl Talk Inc. 8-week Empowerment Program (1-3pm)
The Girl Talk consent form is needed because we will be taking pictures and filming videos that will be uploaded both to Girl Talk and social media websites. We do this in the hopes that other young ladies will want to share their stories and help give others a voice as well as offer tips on ways to overcome their challenges.

domain: sociology


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|Left to right: Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort|
One of the biggest surprises of summer 2014 is the news that director Josh Boone's The Fault in Our Stars may end up being Shailene Woodley's better young adult adaptation instead of the presumed Divergent. Reviews leading up to its release this Friday have almost been universally acclaimed with many calling it the best love story in years. With that said, is the Academy above nominating a film about sick young people? Oscar season may not fully kick off until the Fall, but its summer time and anything could be eligible. It's just a matter of changing up the trends.
If there is some truth that I want to keep making clear, it is the idea that Oscar nominated films do not strictly need to come out after September. Last year was an embarrassing overhaul of the last three months. Thankfully, this hasn't always been the case and instead just one strange moment. Summer films have made it into nominations before, more heavily in the acting categories. In this case, I do feel like The Fault in Our Stars may stand a decent chance of getting Shailene Woodley into the Oscar race, provided that her competition isn't all that challenging.
I have had trouble pegging the Academy's thoughts on sickness. Back when I wrote about The Sessions, I analyzed the Academy's love for illness and deformities. Unfortunately, that didn't lead actor John Hawkes to a Best Actor nomination. Likewise, the highly underrated 50/50 didn't see Joseph Gordon Levitt get any traction either for playing a cancer patient. The belief that Terms of Endearment opened the door for actors to get nominations for roles like these has been wildly hard to prove. In fact, the only real viable sickness that the Academy seems to award is AIDS, as most notably seen in last year's Dallas Buyers Club where Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto won Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor respectively. While their performances were really good, I don't know that it would've been the same had it been cancer.
That is why I am skeptical about The Fault in Our Stars being a lock. Even with 83% on critics aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, it seems like a film that will need to pack more. With the Academy being made up predominantly of older white males, the love stories tend to appeal to that audience. We don't get as diverse of a selection as we used to. We got The Help in 2011 up for Best Picture, but romance in general has been low. I would like to see that changed. With all of the acclaim coming into the film this weekend, it does pose the chance to be one of the year's best films, or at least one of the most authentic and memorable. As evident with Lupita Nyong'o's win for Best Supporting Actress for 12 Year a Slave, a great performance can elevate your chances greatly.
With exception to The Descendants, Woodley hasn't necessarily been an Oscar darling like some of her peers. That doesn't mean that she hasn't been trying. Last year's The Spectacular Now is a phenomenal film that reflected her ability to play homely and vulnerable. It is the performance that made me a fan. With all of the hype building around her here, I want to believe that she is bringing something powerful to the performance. In a summer season that is looking to be full of monsters and monkeys, this stands a strong chance of standing out and making an impact. Her performance has already been singled out as being something great.
Here is the trailer:
Admittedly, the trailer does make it seem kind of cheesy. Even then, there are a lot of pluses. For starters, the idea that there's a romance involving cancer has the potential to break the taboo of it being off putting. Here is almost seems too normal. On another plus, we get the second film this summer from Nat Wolff, who was also great in Palo Alto. The cast is strong and the film is looking to be a modest hit. It isn't likely to beat out films like X-Men: Days of Future Past or Edge of Tomorrow, but it will probably have better legs than both.
Then again, the Academy doesn't care about teenagers. Think back to The Spectacular Now, or even The Perks of Being a Wallflower. These two films were adapted from young adult novels that ended up being effective to audiences. Instead of embracing diversity in this way, the Academy nominated films that are more prestige and while taking chances, weren't that far from the normality. At best, these films could have been nominated in the Best Adapted Screenplay category, where they usually shine. They rarely win, but they get nominated, which is a start.
It is all a matter of how the film is discussed in six months. Don't forget that while critics and voters' opinions rarely overlap, the buzz has the ability to remind people of what's good. As it stands, I am doubtful that The Fault in Our Stars has a lot of stamina, but that is how I felt before knowing of its critical success. Maybe everyone will latch onto it in ways that aren't immediately perceived. Maybe it is the start of Woodley getting some serious Oscar contention. Who knows. In a perfect world, the Academy would recognize teen angst films like this and Palo Alto better. As for now, we can only hope.
Can The Fault in Our Stars make it to Oscar night? Is Shailene Woodley destined for a nomination? Are films about cancer patients not popular with voters anymore?

domain: entertainment


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If the makeup of the district is any indicator, Democrats’ loss in the Florida special congressional election this week may be a clear indicator of the party’s struggles with older white voters.
And unless something drastic changes between now and November, those voters — and their animosity toward President Obama and Obamacare — will continue to haunt Democrats in Senate races throughout the country in 2014.
Geoff Garin, a pollster for Democratic candidate Alex Sink, said the president and the health care law translate into turnout among Republican voters — and that turnout was ultimately what won the Florida special.
“The Affordable Care Act was a motivating issue for Republicans to turn out and vote, and less so for Democrats,” Garin said.
Whites over 45 years old account for about 29 percent of Americans, but they make up almost half — 44 percent — of the population in Florida’s 13th Congressional District. Considering that younger and minority voters are the ones most likely to drop out of the electorate in non-presidential elections, older whites undoubtedly dominated the low-turnout special election. (More than 150,000 voters who cast ballots there in the 2012 presidential election did not turn out Tuesday.)
In addition, older whites, who gave 61 percent of their votes to Mitt Romney in 2012, are the demographic group most hostile to Obama and his signature health care law, which form the basis of most political attacks against Democrats. For example, fully 75 percent of all GOP TV spots in the Florida special mentioned Obamacare, according to the ad-tracking firm Kantar Media.
Midterm-election turnout among young people and minorities isn’t as bad as it can be in special elections, but it’s definitely not as good as it is in presidential years. And Democrats are about to wage battle for control of the Senate in red states where whites over 45 make up larger shares of the population and may dominate bigger shares of the electorate.
For example, in Montana, where appointed Democratic Sen. John Walsh is defending his new seat, 41 percent of residents are whites over 45 years old, according to census estimates. In Arkansas, another endangered Democratic seat, it’s 34 percent. In West Virginia and South Dakota, it’s 43 and 38 percent, respectively. (Remember, the national average is 29 percent.) North Carolina, the red-state Senate race most demographically favorable to Democrats, is at 30 percent, while Alaska and Louisiana are at 26 percent.
Moreover, even in presidential years, whites over 45 make up a much larger share of voters than they do of the population as a whole. In all seven states cited above, that group outperformed its population share by at least 10 percentage points in 2008, the last time these Senate seats were on the ballot. For example, whites over 45 made up 51 percent of Montana voters that year, but only 41 percent of the population.
In the absence of exit polling, we don’t have empirical evidence on what older white voters did in Florida’s 13th District. But there are several telling anecdotal cues, including private Democratic polling indicating that Sink lost older voters. She managed to keep the margins close, but “close” was not good enough to win.
As Election Day drew near, Republicans slightly widened their advantage among absentee ballot returns, and on the day itself, they completed the task. Weeks before the race concluded, former Pinellas County GOP Chairman Tony DiMatteo told National Journal that the district’s older population tended to vote later.
Some Republican messaging on Obamacare focused on cuts to the Medicare Advantage program, which is popular among seniors in the district. Sink also targeted older voters, hitting Republican David Jolly as a Social Security-cutter, a longtime Democratic message that is also in play in the Arkansas Senate race. But in the end, it failed to gain enough traction.
Now, with Democrats facing large populations of older whites in Senate battleground states, much of the talk has shifted to the importance of get-out-the-vote efforts this fall. If Florida’s results were an alarm bell, it was apparently heard.
“The takeaway from the special in Florida is that Democrats will need to invest heavily in a national field program in order to win in November,” said Matt Canter, a spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
What We're Following See More »
With three days until the first debate, the polls are coming fast and furious. The latest round:
- An Associated Press/Gfk poll of registered voters found very few voters committed, with Clinton leading Trump, 37% to 29%, and Gary Johnson at 7%.
- A McClatchy-Marist poll gave Clinton a six-point edge, 45% to 39%, in a four-way ballot test. Johnson pulls 10% support, with Jill Stein at 4%.
- Rasmussen, which has drawn criticism for continually showing Donald Trump doing much better than he does in other polls, is at it again. A new survey gives Trump a five-point lead, 44%-39%.
In contrast to Hillary Clinton's meticulous debate practice sessions, Donald Trump "is largely shunning traditional debate preparations, but has been watching video of…Clinton’s best and worst debate moments, looking for her vulnerabilities.” Trump “has paid only cursory attention to briefing materials. He has refused to use lecterns in mock debate sessions despite the urging of his advisers. He prefers spitballing ideas with his team rather than honing them into crisp, two-minute answers.”
Donald Trump "is on the precipice of becoming the only major-party presidential candidate this century not to reach out to millions of American voters whose dominant, first or just preferred language is Spanish. Trump has not only failed to buy any Spanish-language television or radio ads, he so far has avoided even offering a translation of his website into Spanish, breaking with two decades of bipartisan tradition."
Bill and Hillary Clinton have purchased the home next door to their primary residence in tony Chappaqua, New York, for $1.16 million. "By purchasing the new home, the Clinton's now own the entire cul-de-sac at the end of the road in the leafy New York suburb. The purchase makes it easier for the United States Secret Service to protect the former president and possible future commander in chief."


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Isengrin's Diamond Throne
Nara was once the largest and mightiest empire Reyn had ever seen. Dating back to the years when the Devas purportedly roamed the earth, Nara has stood as a bastion of civilization throughout the centuries. In the nation’s latter days, it has conceded ground and shrunk in size, but until recently, it was still the most expansive country on the map. Now, however, the emperor has died without appointing an heir, and the country has split into three warring factions.
Government: In the old days, Nara was ruled by an emperor who would appoint a “son” to rule when he grew old. The “son” was an adopted heir selected by the emperor from the nobles. However, the most recent emperor chose his successor from the “common” caste, the portion of the population that is perpetually suspended in poverty. When this was announced, there was outrage among the ruling caste and an outright war erupted. Although Nara is still officially one country, it has split into a number of hostile factions, each staking out their own area of land and ready to declare independence.
Strengths and Traditions:
40 YD: The city of Narasimhon is founded and the empire of Nara comes into being.

domain: geography


28 Feb EV Infrastructure: The Challenges
The readiness of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure faces several challenges that contribute to its current state of being not quite ready.
Here are some key factors:
Charging Infrastructure Availability
The availability of charging stations, especially fast-charging ones, is not yet widespread compared to the number of traditional petrol stations. This limits the convenience and practicality of EVs for long-distance travel.
Charging Speed and Technology
While technology is advancing, charging speeds and battery technologies still need improvement. Fast-charging stations are not as prevalent as needed, and the time it takes to charge an EV can be a concern for potential buyers.
Many potential EV buyers have “range anxiety,” the fear of running out of battery power before reaching a charging station. Increasing the range of EVs and expanding charging infrastructure can help alleviate this concern.
Cost of Charging Infrastructure
Building a comprehensive charging infrastructure requires a significant investment. Governments, businesses, and investors need to collaborate to fund the development of a robust charging network.
Regulations and standards for charging infrastructure can vary widely between regions and countries. Streamlining regulations and adopting common standards could expedite the development of EV infrastructure.
Grid Capacity and Upgrades
Widespread adoption of electric vehicles puts stress on the electricity grid. Upgrades and expansions are needed to accommodate the increased demand for electricity without causing disruptions.
Some urban areas lack the necessary infrastructure to support widespread EV use. Planning and developing charging infrastructure in cities require coordination among various stakeholders.
Many consumers are still not fully aware of the benefits of electric vehicles and the progress in charging infrastructure. Education and awareness campaigns can help address this issue.
Incentives and Subsidies
In some regions, the lack of sufficient incentives and subsidies for EV adoption and charging infrastructure development hinders progress. Financial support can encourage both individuals and businesses to invest in EVs and charging stations.
While the cost of EVs has been decreasing, there is still a price premium compared to traditional internal combustion engine vehicles. Lowering the upfront cost of EVs can drive higher adoption rates.
Addressing these challenges requires collaboration between governments, businesses, utility companies, and technology providers. Continued investment in research and development, along with supportive policies and incentives, can contribute to the growth and readiness of electric vehicle infrastructure. As these issues are addressed, the EV landscape is likely to become more accessible and appealing to a broader range of consumers.


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U.S. Aid to Israel
Biden and Congress craft $2 billion aid package
As Israel prepares to launch a likely ground invasion into Gaza, the Biden administration and leading members of Congress are crafting an American aid package of roughly $2 billion in supplementary funding to support the nation’s war effort against Hamas, multiple sources familiar with the matter tell TIME.
The funding would go toward replenishing Israel’s stockpile of interceptors for its Iron Dome missile-defense system, artillery shells and other munitions. If approved, the assistance would come at a crucial time for Israel, as it gears for a lengthy and devastating offensive against the terror group that brutally massacred more than 1,200 Israelis in Saturday’s surprise attack.
"We're heading into a war for many, many weeks, maybe several months, in which the objective is to dismantle Hamas," said Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) to TIME shortly after attending a briefing from White House officials on the situation. "It will be perhaps the highest casualty war Israel has faced since the War of Independence. But Israel didn’t ask for this."
Please select this link to read the complete article from TIME.


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Air India has released its schedule for phase 5 of the Vande Bharat Mission (VBM) flights which will be operated from 1st to 31st August 2020.
The airline will operate three times a week to New York JFK, Newark, Washington DC, Chicago, San Francisco and Paris. It will operate four times a week to Frankfurt.
The current schedule for flights to / from the US and Europe updated on 25 July 2020 is:
India to USA and Europe
USA and Europe to India
Complementing these flights United and Delta will also be operating flights between India and the US. Lufthansa and Air France are operating flights to Germany and France respectively.
Domestic flights to connect to VBM fights
Passengers wanting to travel on these flights can book seats from Air India’s website.


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With hit show Derry Girls due back on our screens in just a matter of days, we're itching for more details on what madcap antics the gang are getting up to since that shock season one ending.
Channel 4's runaway success comedy is due back on telly boxes (are they even boxes anymore? They're flat as hell. Telly slices, maybe?) on March 4 and we're getting more and more excited for the return of our new favourite TV pals.
Last week, the trailer for the upcoming neon dropped online - and now, star of the show Nicola Coughlan has shared a clip from the upcoming season and it looks like the gang are up to their old tricks
By the looks of things, the girls are on a road trip on a bus to Belfast, they of course run in to Sister Michael and things go a bit awry for Erin...
— Nicola Coughlan (@nicolacoughlan) February 21, 2019
Last month, a mural dedicated to Derry Girls was completed in Derry. The artwork is located at Badgers pub in Derry — between the Foyleside and Richmond shopping centres, taking over the whole of the side of the building.
The piece, which was commissioned by Channel 4 ahead of the show's second season, features leading characters Erin, Orla, Clare, Michelle and, of course, James.
Lisa McGee's hit show has been the most successful Northern Irish TV show based on views since records began in 2002.
Derry Girls managed to average a viewership of over half a million viewers when it aired, reaching 54 per cent of the Northern Irish TV audience, including 65 per cent of 16-34 year olds.
It has also amassed a massive international fan base since it landed on Netflix.
Season two of Derry Girls hits your screens on March 5 on Channel 4.


|Financial Time Series Toolbox Release Notes|
Introduction to the Financial Time Series Toolbox
The Financial Time Series Toolbox for MATLAB is a collection of tools for the analysis of time series data in the financial markets. The toolbox contains a financial time series object constructor and several methods that operate on and analyze the object. Financial engineers working with time series data, such as equity prices or daily interest fluctuations, can use this toolbox for more intuitive data management than by using regular vectors or matrices.
Creating Financial Time Series Objects
The Financial Time Series Toolbox provides two ways to create a financial time series object:
The structure of the object minimally consists of a description field, a frequency indicator field, the date vector, and a data series vector.
Several MATLAB functions have been overloaded to work with financial time series objects. The overloaded functions include basic arithmetic functions such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division as well as other functions such as arithmetic average, filter, and difference. Also, specific methods have been designed to work with the financial time series object.
The technical analysis functions in this toolbox are tools to help analyze your investments. Technical analysis (or charting) is used by some investment managers to help manage portfolios. Technical analysis relies heavily on the availability of historical data. Investment managers calculate different indicators from available data and plot them as charts. Observations of price, direction, and volume on the charts assist managers in making decisions on their investment portfolios.
Learning More About the Financial Time Series Toolbox
The Financial Time Series Toolbox documentation describes the product in detail.
|Financial Time Series Toolbox 1.1 Release Notes|


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In a significant nod to Native American valor, the U.S. Navy continues its tradition of honoring Indigenous heroes by naming its latest salvage and rescue vessel after a distinguished Native American Navy figure. The newest ship in the Navajo-class Towing, Salvage, and Rescue (T-ATS) series is named after Solomon Atkinson, an Alaskan Native and a trailblazing Navy SEAL, marking another chapter in the Navy’s ongoing commitment to recognizing the vital contributions of Native Americans to the U.S. military.
Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Carlos Del Toro announced the honor on Metlakatla’s Founders Day, held in the Metlakatla Indian Community, Annette Islands Reserve, where Atkinson was born. Del Toro highlighted Atkinson’s extraordinary journey, marked by numerous firsts and a legacy of leadership and courage.
Solomon Atkinson’s life story reads like a saga of resilience and trailblazing achievements. Born in 1930 in Metlakatla, Alaska’s sole Indian Reserve, Atkinson’s early years were steeped in the traditions of his community. From humble beginnings as a commercial fisherman, his journey led him to enlist in the U.S. Navy in 1952, followed by volunteering for the underwater demolition teams, the forerunners of the SEALs.
Atkinson’s distinguished military career included being one of the first Navy SEALs in 1962 and founding member of SEAL Team 1. His deployments spanned Korea and three tours in Vietnam, earning him a Bronze Star, a Navy Commendation Medal with Combat “V”, and a Purple Heart. Notably, he also trained astronauts, including Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, in underwater simulations, further underscoring his exceptional skill set.
After retiring in 1973, Atkinson continued to serve, contributing significantly to his community in various leadership roles. His passing in 2019 was marked by honors from SEAL Team 1, reflecting the deep respect and admiration he commanded.
The naming of the USNS Solomon Atkinson is more than a tribute; it is a testament to a hero who embodied commitment to family, community, and country. Rear Adm. Keith Davids, Commander, Naval Special Warfare Command, aptly summarized Atkinson’s legacy as an inspiration across the naval community.
In another heartwarming gesture, Del Toro announced that Atkinson’s widow, Joann Atkinson, and their two daughters, Michele Gunyah and Maria Hayward, are the sponsors for the USNS Solomon Atkinson, symbolizing a lifelong bond with the ship and its crew.
The Navajo-class ships, replacing the aging Powhatan-class T-ATF Fleet Tugs and Safeguard-class T-ARS Rescue and Salvage vessels, are set to be pivotal in fleet operations, providing ocean-going tug, salvage, and rescue capabilities.
The USNS Solomon Atkinson stands as a proud reminder of the rich Native American heritage and its enduring contributions to the United States’ strength and diversity.
For more stories on veterans and their significant contributions, visit our Veteran Community page.
Source: U.S. Navy

domain: history


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"Richard Howard is an indispensable, unique poet, whose work instructs by delighting, and delights by instructing . . . he is Browning's authentic heir at rendering the inner voices of the cultural past and present."--Harold Bloom
In a recent conversation with Priscilla Becker, published by the Poetry Society of America, Richard Howard commented on his many personae:
"I don't like direct self-expression. All the work that I do is some kind of invocation or transaction with others, whether it's criticism, translation, or poetry. There are poems that are direct self-expression, but certainly, with some sense of preference, there is an enterprise which involves speaking through a mask, a persona. That's what the word means: sounding through--"sonans per"--and I like the idea of the mask or the masks, because I'm more interested in the dialogue of others than in merely the dialogue with another--the dialogue of others who are out there, who are not me."
Hannah Arendt, George Eliot, Cosima Wagner, and a boy in a photograph by Arkansas photographer Mike Disfarmer are among the speakers in "The Silent Treatment."
Richard Howard is a poet, scholar, teacher, translator, and critic. He is the author of more than a dozen books, including most recently "Paper Trail: Selected Prose 1965-2003," shortlisted for a National Book Critics Circle Award, and "Inner Voices: Selected Poems, 1963-2003." He has won the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the Lambda Literary Award, and the Robert Frost Medal.

domain: library


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Waveform will be available soon!
All rights reserved. No usage without prior licensing. Please be fair. Thank you!
Very atmospheric and dreamy Japanese winter garden style with echoey acoustic guitars, koto and shamisen over sparse oriental percussion.
The first movement of this instantly recognisable piano sonata starts off quietly to set a calm, delicate and slightly melancholic tone. As the emotions rise and fall, the intensity swells and diminishes gracefully. The Piano Sonata No. 14 op. 27 no. 2 in C sharp minor by Ludwig van Beethoven, completed in 1801, is also known as the Moonlight Sonata. Beethoven himself gave his work the nickname Sonata quasi una Fantasia ("... quasi a fantasy"). The term "Fantasia" refers to the unusual sequence of movements of the sonata. This explains the untypical tempos of the respective movements for the conventional sonata form. The work does not have a first (fast) movement in sonata form, which sonatas of this period usually contain. It begins with an Adagio, followed by a more lively Allegretto with Trio, followed by a fast, highly dramatic Finale, which has the structure of a sonata-form. What is striking here is that the tempo increases from movement to movement. Franz Liszt characterized the piece by describing the second movement as "a flower between two abysses".
very relaxed track that works great for wellness, meditation or as lullaby
Floating on the hot desert wind in the rhythm of the sand dunes. Flotter sur le vent chaud du désert au rythme des dunes de sable.
Romantic guitar dreams of love and evokes old longings
A really beautiful meditation that makes you dream away, on acoustic guitar
A slowly moving hybrid Pop Tango track with a contemporary sonic experience. The main theme is very catchy and becomes a real ear worm. This song suits a lot of different projects! A reduced version without melody for talkover/underscore purposes is also included.
Strolling, Wandering, Percolating
A slowly growing, expanding track that starts off with a suggestive pulse and slowly swells into a crescendo. Vast sonic textures combining orchestral string section with mysterious piano patterns and subtle electronic rhythmic pulses. This track blends a dark undertow with vast, open, bright vistas. It carries a sense of amazement, discovery, mystery and revelation, which should go well with film, story/drama, commercials, investigation / forensics and more.
Calm ambient track with floating pads and many sounds that remind of ice, snow and winter
Warm and mournful, featuring soothing strings that creates an emotive, profound mood.
The pressure’s on and you’re under the gun facing a difficult situation or deadline. This intense and suspenseful driving rock/orchestral soundtrack oozes a dark and edgy, tension filled atmosphere. With a relentless hypnotic groove that steadily escalates to a powerful explosive climatic ending.
The Sami, also known as Lapps, are the indegenous people of Northern Scandinavia. Hailing from northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia (the Kola Peninsula), their lives and appearance have a lot in common with Native Americans. Their music is dominated by the unique and easily recognizable Joik (or Yoik) which again lends similarities to the chanting vocal styles of Native American music. It is often accompanied by a simple hand drum beat.
Hot Spot Studio! Not the whole set!
Starts with a gentle piano, from 0:44 strings, woodwind and brass instruments come in to support, whispering hearts, touching and longingly
Two acoustic guitars in perfect harmony, even the angels start to dream, so beautiful
Beautiful, peaceful reverie.


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The Secret of the Highly Creative Thinker
How To Make Connections Others Don't
- BIS, 2016
Supported by the latest neuroscience, this book gives you hands-on advice on how to enhance your own creativity. You will find it an inspiring combination of theory, techniques, anecdotes and exercises to help you access better ideas and bigger ...

domain: literature


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The modified design increased the visibility of the Kreischer Mansion on the site. On May 8, 2020, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to approve a Certificate of Appropriateness for three actions to facilitate the development of a new senior housing complex, comprising of eleven buildings, surrounding the Kreischer House. The Kreischer House, a two and a half story Victorian-era mansion, and a portion of the land it sits on is a landmarked site in Charleston, … <Read More>
Landmarks agreed with local elected officials and residents that the proposed building was out of context for the Greenpoint Historic District. On February 11, 2020, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a public hearing on a Certificate of Appropriateness to demolish an existing one-story brick building and construct a new seven-story mixed-use residential and commercial building at 171 Calyer Street, located within the Greenpoint Historic District in Brooklyn. The existing one-story building was a former supermarket … <Read More>
New NoHo mixed-use development faced continued opposition from neighboring Silk Building residents during Council public hearing.On March 18, 2014, the City Council Land Use Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises held a public a hearing for a special permit application by Downtown Re Holdings LLC to build a mixed-use development located at 688 Broadway in the NoHo Historic District. The twelve-story, fourteen-unit building with non-eating and drinking ground floor retail is proposed to … <Read More>
New Land Use Committee unanimously approved a pre-considered application in its first meeting of the year. On January 30, 2014, the City Council Land Use Committee swiftly voted 20-0 to approve the development of a new seven-story commercial building in a lot currently occupied by a BP gas station in SoHo, Manhattan. The applicants, Paco Lafayette LLC, applied for a zoning text amendment and special permits to construct a new seven-story commercial building at 300 … <Read More>
— The Changing Face of Open Space: Legal Issues Associated with Open Space in New York City
— Parking Garages, Lots and Off-Street Parking: Proposed New Manhattan Core Parking Rules
— Accommodating Expansion of Undeveloped or Underused Urban Land
When: Thursday, April 25, from 1:45 to 6:00 p.m.
Where: 185 West Broadway (between Worth & Leonard Streets), Auditorium
Credit: 4 Professional Practice transitional & non-transitional CLE credits. Non-credit option also available.
Cost: $275 … <Read More>
As director of the Department of City Planning’s Bronx Office, Carol Samol uses zoning tools to promote sustainable economic development in the Bronx. She has also participated as a leader in a broader City effort to reform the City’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure’s pre-certification process.
Journey to the Bronx. Samol grew up in the upper Ohio Valley near Wheeling, West Virginia and studied English at Berea College, a small liberal arts college in Kentucky. … <Read More>


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In October 2019, I deleted my Instagram for a month. There was no dark downfall into obsession or an utter collapse of self-worth that prompted this decision, but I had been experiencing a plateau in my mental well-being at the time and had recognized social media wasn’t helping the problem.
I loved Instagram from the moment I first downloaded it. I used to rely on it like a crutch, sharing content almost every day — posting pictures of myself smiling at a football game in the fall when I was lying in bed mid-winter, sad about a breakup or a falling out with a friend — and putting great pressure on getting likes. Now, I use it as a digital journal, a consistent stream of consciousness and look into my life: posting pictures of candid life moments, unfiltered and unplanned.
Last fall, in a time when my peers were continuously posting ceremonious photos and announcements of accomplishments and future plans, I was drowning in self-doubt and anxiety. My feed was constantly filled with the smiling faces of those who had their futures planned — drinking out of red cups at football tailgates, standing close with a significant other, happily accepting a return job offer and a signing bonus.
I was genuinely overjoyed for the achievements of the people I followed, but I couldn’t stop comparing my own life to the images that filled their grid on my screen. Though I was aware that one day I’d be sharing similar achievements on my own profile, the time when their accomplishments were thrust in my face felt overwhelming and never-ending. I wanted everyone to be doing well, and I wanted the same for myself.
Social media wasn’t the cause of the emotions I was experiencing, but my generalized anxiety, which I’ve struggled with my entire life, was greatly exacerbated by my glowing Instagram feed. I remember making the decision to post a story of a piece of greasy pizza that had no connection to my declaration of a social media detox with the caption “logging off for a month!” in a fat, pink font. The fact that I felt the need to share my decision to stop using Instagram with my followers is ironic. Maybe it’s for that reason I redownloaded the app three days later, modifying my hiatus to allow limited time for scrolling and no posting for a month.
After this Instagram cleanse, much like cutting carbs or sugar from a diet, I felt fresh and renewed. I didn’t need Instagram and even found that I now had time for more productive pastimes, like reading every night before bed.
The deep attachment was apparent, though. Even after my Instagram detox, I essentially reverted back to my old habits, slipping into my posting routine like an old sweater. But the experiment had rendered me more mindful: I started to notice a correlation between my Instagram usage and the way I was feeling. Some days, Instagram was my therapist — others, the perpetrator of my anxiety.
It isn’t a novel concept to suggest that social media causes mental health problems, or exacerbates them. But in struggling with these issues myself and growing up in a world that’s plugged in 24/7, I hope to discover and illuminate the more nuanced, personalized aspect of the connection.
Unlike other generations, Generation Z has never known a time without the ease of cell phones, the internet and social media to stay connected, instantly gratified and plugged-in. As the first generation to grow up with the flow of information and the immediate knowledge of anyone’s and everyone’s personal life, Gen Z has always known the temptation to compare their own lives to curated highlight reels of everyone on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Growing up with the presence of social media, the world becomes a vacuum as the details that people chose to share swirl together to create a hyperreality. Comparing someone else’s phony world of vacation photos, job offers, homeownership and new relationships to one’s real life is bound to leave an individual feeling insecure, unaccomplished and pressured to aspire to a level of perfection. Millennials have been constantly faced with an impossible, unspoken task: Look like you have it all together, exude happiness and appear as though everything is perfect, even if it isn’t.
To maintain the masquerade is to convince everyone around you that you’re just as happy, if not happier, than they are. I can recall having a day-long panic attack — from the moment I woke up, to my desk at work, through the evening on the day following my 21st birthday — and still posting a filtered photo of myself smiling in a sparkly pink dress.
It comes as no shock that there is recorded data which suggests that social media has an impact on the mental health of Gen Z. Anxiety has been linked to many different factors in college-aged students, like loneliness, stress and uncertainty as collateral of a transitional period, to name a few. Generally speaking, the rise in mental health issues among young adults is a trend which cannot be linked to one specific cause or tangible thing — it’s subjective. However, the trend of well-being in American young adults decreasing and the time spent on electronic devices increasing suggests there does exist a correlation between social media usage and the severity of mental health issues, namely anxiety and depression. Though correlation exists, one must recognize that researchers have failed to find casual data linking mental health problems and social media, thus obfuscating the question further.
On the other hand, one study did find causal evidence of an increase in well-being due to reduced use of social media. The study, done at the University of Pennsylvania in 2018, sought to test the positive correlation between mental health and social media. The group practicing limited social media use saw a decrease in depression and loneliness, suggesting that limiting social media use can improve well-being.
In my personal experience utilizing social media, there have been both highs and lows. There are days when I feel as though my mood is improved by viewing the lives of my peers, family members and celebrities — watching people I admire succeed or be entertained by interesting content. Conversely, there are days when I face a struggle with my presence on social media applications—comparing myself to images of others and monitoring my own social profiles can be taxing.
But even with so many pitfalls, there are tremendous amounts of research and opinion on the basis of social media influencing mental health positively. A study done at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that when used mindfully, social media has been found to positively improve preexisting mental health issues. Research Scientist Mesfin Awoke Bekalu found that strong social networks are associated with positive mental health as the networks act as gateways for connection to others. He concludes that it is the way in which individuals use social media that is an important distinction when analyzing its effects on mental well-being.
The question, then, is twofold: Does social media create or exacerbate mental health problems? Does it help? If it is a damaging force on Gen Z, how do we stop a train that seems to be running full steam ahead?
In an effort to better understand how college-aged individuals feel in regard to the intersection of mental health and social media, I decided to reach out to some of my peers. Throughout my investigation, only a few male-identifying individuals were interested in being interviewed, which may be indicative that these issues affect them less intensely or linked to the fact that men are less likely to speak openly about mental health issues.
However, there were numerous college-aged women who expressed they’ve experienced both negative and positive effects on their mental health from social media usage while in college.
“If I think about when my mental health issues began, it’s around the same time we started really using Instagram and Snapchat,” said Sophia Maita, a senior at Fordham University studying communications and culture.
Maita, who experienced the onset of mental health issues around age 12, claims social media has had both a negative and a positive influence on her emotional well-being. “I’ve tried to set up my social media to be positive … I follow a lot of inspirational accounts,” she said.
The posts that often make people jealous or insecure can sometimes play in as a positive: “It makes me happy to see people on Instagram and Facebook doing well and being successful,” she said.
But it’s a careful balancing act.
“Just seeing people out partying with someone who I’m not friends with or don’t get along with can be difficult.”
The fear of missing out, often referred to as FOMO, can be defined as anxiety caused when you find out about an event that you are not attending or weren’t invited to. Usually, people are exposed to such information via social media posts. It is the feeling that everyone is having more fun than you, or experiencing something novel or exciting, and that you’re missing it. It can have negative effects on both happiness and self-esteem and has been found to provoke great distress.
That being said, FOMO can turn into something more sinister than a feeling of unease at a Snapchat story of your friends at a bar without you.
“When I see on spring break or in the summer people looking so hot in bikini photos, and that was what I was struggling with my freshman and sophomore year of college … feeling envy or shame really took a toll on my eating habits and how I felt about my body.” Maita said.
Social media — especially Instagram — has been found to be damaging in regards to eating disorders: While it does not necessarily cause them, it normalizes disordered eating behaviors and fosters body dysmorphia. Most recently, TikTok has been filled with pro-eating disorder content. Many teenage girls have normalized posting videos of their “FDOE”, or full day of eating, in which they list the calories of their every meal — most often between 600-800 a day. The app has been known to glorify skipping meals and to promote weight loss supplements, thigh gaps and the constant weighing of oneself. TikTok has even been dubbed “Pro-Ana,” a term to describe the promotion of eating disorders like anorexia.
Instagram has also been criticized for emphasizing a pro-eating disorder narrative, like through accounts that promote diet culture. These accounts advertise over-exercise, compulsive dieting and calorie counting, which can be extremely destructive to someone already engaging in eating disorder habits or tendencies. There are also “fitspiration” and “health” Instagram accounts that promote healthy habits like exercise, nourishing oneself and evading diet culture.
“With any platform that has pages and accounts that aren’t tied to a singular person — like fitness or foodie accounts — we have the option to view diet and fitness accounts all day if we want, which can be dangerous to people with pre-existing mental health problems,” said LSA senior Hallie Fox.
“I definitely think it’s a double-sided coin. You can see weight loss accounts saying ‘this is what people should look like’ but there are also accounts that are for recovery and struggles and body positivity,” Fox said.
Instagram has a huge community of eating disorder recovery accounts, run by women predominantly, who share their struggles with recovering from an eating disorder and use the platform as a food journal to hold themselves accountable. While this creates a sense of community and solidarity for eating disorder sufferers and survivors, doctors urge that such accounts cannot replace professional treatment.
Many social media are dedicated to creating a sense of unity and a space for those who feel alone in their struggle. Millennials and members of Gen Z have been both criticized and lauded for general openness about struggles with mental health and the de-stigmatization of therapy and dialogue around emotional well-being.
SMTD sophomore Harper Klotz found their community online, on the website Tumblr.
“After being diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and PTSD I didn’t know anyone around me experiencing these things, so I looked for resources and people online that I could relate to. Tumblr made me realize I wasn’t alone in what I was experiencing,” they said.
Online platforms are seldom regulated, which is part of why they work so well in connecting people and allowing them to be vulnerable. But there is a dark side to this openness.
“Tumblr and Twitter can be really toxic, especially Tumblr … there was a lot of glorification of suicide and eating disorders … there’s mixed messages because anyone can post anything,” Klotz added.
With millennials and members of Gen Z connected to our mobile devices at all times, perhaps it’s in our best interest to seek out profiles and accounts that make us feel good, as opposed to relentlessly comparing our lives to others, which can lead to destructive consequences. It’s almost impossible to know — in a place as vast and open ended as the internet, where anyone can post anything — what provokes distress and what introduces positive emotions. Many people don’t want to waste time on social media, but feel trapped. If we decide to stop utilizing social media altogether, we forgo a major means of interaction, communication and socialization between peers, friends and family members. Without social media, one could lose the ability to network, keep in touch with connections and even get hired for jobs. There’s almost no way to unplug — and even unplugging could bring on other negative feelings, like FOMO.
Social media can be a haven of support and love, spreading affection in the form of a thumbs up and digital hearts, but it can also be a destructive path of pressure and comparison. The future is unclear for teenagers and young adults, with TikTok popular among young people and even LinkedIn causing exacerbations in stress and anxiety. Perhaps the balance — and solution — is for us to figure out on an individual basis. On the other hand, perhaps it is a societal-level issue worth concern and attention.
During my Instagram hiatus, I noticed I took fewer photographs than I normally would have. It seemed to suggest that I only feel inclined to take pictures with the prospect of posting them, not necessarily just to have them to look back on as a memory. On vacation over fall break, I didn’t post once — not a picture of an aesthetically pleasing palm tree, a Caribbean sunset, a fruity cocktail or my silhouette fake-looking out at the ocean in a purple bikini — which is surprising given my inclination to shareable social media platforms like Instagram.
I couldn’t decide if I was worse or better off without fulfilling the itch to feel fleetingly satisfied promoting happy, jubilant photos. I didn’t give in to a phony desire to share my life with the world, and eventually even forgot about posting altogether. I was no longer caught up in what everyone else was doing and how they looked over fall break. I had come down from the drug, and I was at a strange homeostasis.
Social media is inevitable. It exists and we live among it. We can choose to embrace it for its wonderful qualities or hate it for its negative ones — or we can recognize that it can be imperfect and wonderful simultaneously.
I’ve often thought about taking time off from social media again. Now, though, I feel more inclined to use platforms like Instagram and Twitter — which have benefited me by way of news, comedy, connection and entertainment — productively, rather than as a filter of my life. I have accepted the ebb and flow of social media platforms on my mental health, and recognized the negative exacerbation Instagram can have when I am coping with anxiety and stress. I am the only one who can bar social media from making me feel worse.
For those of us who have lived in the yo-yo effect of deleting, redownloading and feeling incredibly aware of and attached to our profiles, I urge you to find ways to limit your use. Observe your own social media practices and focus on how they make you feel. Unplug for a few days. Practice Instagram and Snapchat use in moderation. Only in fostering a healthy balance for oneself can emotional well-being truly improve.


text:
This week was somehow maddening… I just had an insane amount of stuff to do. Last weekend we ate out with people Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, which sounds a bit like leisure, but mostly contributed to waistline expansion and lighter wallets. Beyond that, with a fair number of days when we have been underway at the dinner hour, we’ve just eaten rather haphazardly.
We did have a fun dinner a week ago Friday night, since when I’ve been too distracted to post about, but Hiromi described the menu in Japanese. It basically involved an eclectic mix of dishes that I frequently make for parties, with a few variations and minor innovations. We had some visitors mostly attended by people connected to the International English program at the University of Washington. Probably the most interesting dish is the one dessert I made, which I adapted from a smart, elegant cookbook by a Jewish French Moroccan woman, Nadine Abensur, called Secrets from a Vegetarian Kitchen. That beautiful book is now out of print, but the essence of the dish is grilled, caramelized figs and kumquats, with a light sauce based on wine that, in my variation, I thicken slightly with katakuriko, and then garnish with mascarpone mixed with a small amount of finely chopped candied ginger.
We did have a bit of home cooking midweek and on the weekend, but nothing terribly spectacular… some penne with pesto made from slightly sad basil, and various repurposed ingredients or leftovers from the party, such as a minestrone with mustard greens.
This weekend I had a bit of a reunion with some former colleagues, as Hiromi was invited to a dinner in Redmond featuring various members of MSN’s international products group, including several visitors from the Japan office. Yesterday she went snowboarding with a few of them while I ran business and home-related errands, and we ate out again at Seven Stars Pepper in the International District, after some abortive attempts to get a table at some more Northwesty restaurants.
Tonight we ate at home, but kept things simple. I made quinoa with asparagus, onions, a bit of rosemary, and a topping of heavy cream…
One of our guests from a few weeks ago, who visited us on SuperBowl weekend, sent a care package with nifty snacks back with her visiting coworkers…
Matcha mousse pocky, Cha-dango (tea-flavored dango or small dumplings), Girl’s Day sugar coated dried peas, and spring-themed Sakura Kit Kat… the Kit Kat bar has a taste vaguely resembling salt-preserved cherry blossoms or cherry leaves.

domain: hobby