text:
Tag Archives: japanese
I came across an article about Microsoft’s recently launched Windows 8 which placed two packaging versions side-by-side. One was the “regular” version, which had vibrant and colorful elements while retaining a minimalistic and elegant look. The other was starkly different. It was the Japanese packaging, and it features an uber colorful, slightly over-the-top look, with a couple of manga characters thrown in for good measure.
Manga, the distinctly Japanese comic book illustration style, called anime once it is given movement through various animation and filmmaking techniques, has become so much a part of Japanese pop culture, inspiring a worldwide obsession among grownups and kids alike. It has seeped into the mainstream culture, and we see hints of it in Western movies, cartoons and comic books. Sometimes cute, sometimes dark and edgy, but it always reflects the unabashed quirkiness we have come to associate with J-pop, or Japanese pop.
I grew up watching Japanese animation. The earliest one, which I only remember vaguely was Voltes V, an anime in the giant robot sub-genre. It featured 5 pilots of 5 ships that in crucial moments somehow manage to come together to form one kickass giant robot.
Another one I remember following was Candy Candy. The main character was this nice blonde girl who had a lot of problems. She cried a lot. But she was good, sweet, and non-violent. I had a pencil case that had her face on it.
Anyway, I remember being so fascinated with these characters when I was a kid, and that I drew their likenesses on my notebooks, textbooks, and random sheets of paper that I found lying around. So, in a bout of nostalgia, I decided to revisit the old days and try my hand again at drawing manga style.
I found some resources online, such as Manga University, which has a whole lot of very useful tutorials. I also found Mark Crilley on YouTube, who has made a lot of videos on how to get it right when drawing manga style.
Want to see the results of my efforts?
Here are a couple. They are still kinda rough. And you can still see the guide lines. Hope make a better one this weekend, something worthy of coloring in.
It’s Foodie Tuesday!
What’s your comfort food? I’m a total carb addict, so noodles are what I often turn to in order to soothe my soul. I usually whip up some pasta with tomato sauce or maybe gooey mac n’ cheese when I’m at home but when I crave something like pho or yakisoba, I head out to a restaurant.
I don’t know why I am hesitant to make these dishes; most large grocery stores stock both a wide variety of Asian noodles and the necessary condiments to recreate them at home. It’s not like I have to make the noodles by hand, which really is an art:
Video: Chef Danny Yip Makes Noodles
My favourite noodles are soba, thin strands of pasta made with buckwheat flour. Despite the delicate texture, they have a hearty taste and texture. Unfortunately, Japanese restaurants in North America rarely offer many soba dishes; one might find a cold salad of noodles tossed with vegetables or a hot soup of noodles in broth but that’s about it.
As much as I love the nutty flavour of soba, sometimes I miss the toothsome texture of a thicker noodle. This is when I turn to udon, another Japanese noodle. In addition to its larger size, udon is made with regular wheat flour and therefore has a much more neutral flavour profile. Like soba noodles, udon are traditionally served both cold and hot, and often in a broth. When I start to come down with a cold, I crave miso soup instead of chicken noodle. I will have to try New Asian Cuisine’s recipe for Udon Miso Noodle Soup the next time I start to feel poorly.
In China, rice noodles are more common and these have spread to several other parts of Asia. One dish that I have heard about from foodie traveler friends is Char Kway Teow (“Stir-fried Ricecake Strips”), which is popular in the night markets of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore.
Flat rice noodles are stir-fried with sausage, seafood, and egg; I think this would be the perfect street-snack after having a few drinks. Since we don’t have night markets in Louisville, I will have to try to make it at home. The Chinese sausage might be a challenge but MasterChef Australia contestant Poh Ling Yeow has a recipe that is otherwise fairly easy to put together in the home kitchen.
Rice noodles are also the star in Vietnamese pho, a soup made with either beef or chicken. The broth is fragrant with spices (including cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, and cloves) and brightened with fresh cilantro and mint. When you need a sensory pick-me-up, this dish is the one try. Steamy Kitchen’s recipe isn’t the easiest but I bet it produces a fantastic pho.
My other go-to comfort food? Chocolate. I’m not sure that I am ready to mix my two faves but if you are braver than I am, you can try Seattle Chocolate’s Ramen Noodle Bar, a mix of uncooked ramen and dark chocolate or the even bolder Savory Ramen, with onion, garlic, and soy sauce added to the mix.
Image: Simply Reem
This winter, when the going gets tough, this girl will be going for the noodles. Who’s with me?
Amigurumi Crochet Hook via Nerdigurumi
Amigurumi is the Japanese craft of making animals and anthropomorphic objects out of crochet. The sculptural capabilities of crochet has drawn many artists to the medium. Today we’ll be looking at some traditional crocheted creations and a few examples of artists who have used crochet and amigurumi to create tactile and sometimes subversive works of art.
Cuteness is one of the most prevalent attributes of amigurumi, and there is certainly plenty of it to spare in this doll duo. Although amigurumi originated in Japan it has spread all over the world; these dolls were made by French doll and crochet artist Lisenn Cabane.
crochet pears pattern via salihan
Food is a common subject for amigurumi, people have stitched everything from sushi to happy meals. These pears would be an easy first project for anyone starting amigurumi, and I love how much charm they have with their broad smiles.
Chity Soy Yo is an amigurumi designer who creates friendly-looking toy sculptures that look like they would be perfectly at home in a Studio Ghibli film. I find it amazing how such simple shapes can have so much personality with the right facial expressions and details.
Combining taxidermy and amigurumi, Nathan Vincent creates textile sculptures that are touchable, but also slightly unsettling. Along with these amazing animals, Vincent has also fashioned gas masks, guns and lawnmowers using stitchery, all of which can be seen on his site.
Toronto artist and craftster Shannon Gerrard created these anatomical crochet sculptures as teaching aids to promote early detection of cancer; inside these miniature body parts are small ‘lumps’ that can be found through careful checking.
Sculpture by Shauna Richardson via Juxtapoz
You are looking at the world’s largest crochet sculpture, made by Shauna Richardson. This lion is one of three that she made out of a mountain of wool for her project Lionheart. You can find out more about Richardson and her work here.
Once you’ve mastered a few crochet stitches you can create anything your imagination can dream up. All you need is a couple crochet hooks, yarn and some stuffing. Two great tutorials I’ve found for creating basic amigurumi shapes can be found here and here. There are places online where you can find free patterns but some of the best patterns can be found in Japanese craft books.
Happy Friday Everyone!
There are not a lot of bliss-inducing activities that would equal a good massage. The cares and worries fade away and the world is reduced to the another human’s touch.
We all need to be touched — and it isn’t just a psychological need, but a deep-seated biological need. Babies need it to flourish, and grown-ups are no different. Asian cultures accept this and have embraced massage not as a relaxation technique, but as a healing tool. It was considered part of health care in China as far back as 3,000 BC. Massage is said to unclog or unknot the body’s life force, or Qi (chi), thus restoring health and well-being.
Massage, the way Asians do it, is a product of centuries, even millennia, of learning and developing. No wonder it feels so good. And there’s a certain simplicity and unfussiness about it — no special beds or tools, no oils are applied to the skin, and you stay fully clothed.
Tui na (“push”, “grasp”), is part of the arsenal of traditional Chinese medicine, and involves touching and kneading key points in the body, using a similar anatomical road map as acupuncture.
These Chinese techniques eventually found their way to Japan, which is geographically a stone’s throw away. Japanese an ma (“press”, “rub”) which later gave birth to shiatsu (which translates to “finger pressing”) massage, is largely derived from the Chinese way.
Thai massage is locally referred to as nuat phaen boran, which means “ancient-manner massage”. This one’s my favorite — mostly because it feels like doing yoga, only somebody else is doing it for you. It is sometimes called “yoga massage”. Thai massage draws on different massage traditions from different parts of Asia, but its Chinese and Indian origins are the ones most clearly felt.
Giving a Massage
If you want to try giving a massage, there’s no reason why you can’t be good at it. Touch is a universal language, and you only need practice in order to speak it well.
I am by no means a professional masseuse, but in my family, I am the go-to girl for massages. So here are a few pointers I’d like to offer for a successful first try:
- Set the atmosphere. Get help where you can. The recipient of your massage will more likely not notice your inexperience if their other senses are involved. Create a spa-like ambiance. Dim the lights, light up a scented candle or incense stick, play some soft music.
- Get a few massages yourself. They’ll familiarize you with what feels good.
- Massage muscles, not bone — this is wisdom from my Dad. Muscles appreciate a massage more. Concentrate on fleshy parts — butt, calves, shoulders. Don’t press on the shoulder blades, but rather the muscles around it; not on the spine, but on the parts on either side of it.
- Remember that pressure is distributed equally in the area of contact. So use more when using your palms or the length of your forearm. Ease up when using smaller points, such as thumbs, fingertips or knuckles.
- Look out for reactions. They’ll give you hints on whether what you’re doing feels good or not.
- Read up and watch videos. Whatever massage style you’d like to try doing, there are tons of how-to vids and articles out there.
So that’s my two cents’ worth on this. Good luck and enjoy your massage! I had a blast “researching” for this post!
It’s Foodie Tuesday
Image via A La Mode
Chopsticks really are an icon of Asian culture. It’s easy to see why when we stare down at our own place setting. Two tapered sticks to replace both fork and knife. Chopsticks seem to embody grace and exoticism for many in this neck of the woods.
It’s believed that chopsticks made their appearance about 5000 years ago in China, born out of necessity in the woods, two slim twigs were broken from a tree and used to remove food from a pot cooking over an open fire. But it was when a very popular vegetarian named Confucius proclaimed that knives had no place at the dinner table, linking their use with aggression, 500 years ago that their use and place in Asian society was permanently elevated.
Image via Etsy.
In the days of yore chopsticks were often a marker of wealth, some fashioned out of precious metals including gold and silver or emblazoned with beautiful calligraphy or carvings. Emperors in China even used their silver chopsticks to test foods for poison, believing that the silver colour would tarnish in the presence of toxins.
Antique Chopstick Holders from Greentea Design.
Shape and decoration evolved by country and today there are lots of conventions, from culture to culture, that dictate good manners and proper etiquette around the table. And that evolution continues today with all sorts of modern design and expanded functionality.
Images via Toxel
Image via Anthropologie
And it’s not just modern designs that have emerged. Fascination with chopsticks have led designers to use chopsticks as a building material. Here are some transformations of this ubiquitous eating utensil:
Over at Ready Made, Tina Baine posted this beautiful fruit bowl she fashioned out of chopsticks. It’s striking and sculptural. It’s also collapsable when not in use, for quick and easy storage. Directions to make your own can be found here.
Image via Curbly
And finally the piece de resistance: the expanding contracting chopstick sofa-chair, called SOFA_XXXX by Yuya Ushida, made from 8000 chopsticks. Visit Freshome for a video of this sofa’s transformation.
If you’re among the many here who haven’t quite mastered the use of chopsticks, perhaps one of these projects is for you. Put those takeout chopsticks taking up all that room in your drawer to good use!

domain: hobby


text:
Explore the Central Florida Everglades at speeds of up to 45 mph on a thrilling Boggy Creek Airboat Ride. You and your family will enjoy the beautiful sights and sounds of Florida wildlife as a U.S. Coast Guard Captain drives you through saw grass patches and educates you on our flora and fauna. Bring your camera and prepare to see Florida alligators, turtles, birds, and more all in their natural environment, and explore Boggy Creek’s newly expanded grounds at Southport Park. The 17 passenger airboats are safe and handicap accessible so everyone can enjoy this traditional Florida attraction.
Experience Boggy Creek Airboat Rides, a one-of-a-kind Florida experience, with tickets at great prices from OrlandoFunTickets.com. Discover a breathtaking, unaltered territory in the wilderness located in the Central Florida Glades. From alligators and turtles to birds and other creatures, you’ll be able to see wildlife in their natural habitat like never before on an educational airboat tour. Just be sure to hold on to your hats – speeds can go up to 45 mph! Plus, during the night time tour, you can search for the red glowing eyes of the alligators for a fun and thrilling after-dark adventure.
Boggy Creek Airboat Rides include a half hour daytime tour, 1 hour daytime tour and a 1 hour night tour. Other features include:
Photo Swamp Shack
Rock fashionable “Old Florida Outdoor Wear” with camo and overalls at the Photo Swamp Shack, where you can pose for pictures and selfies for a Florida memory you can keep forever.
Native American Village
Immerse yourself in the genuine artifacts, hand-made creations, live demonstrations and captivating displays of Little Big Mountain and his wife Laura at the Native American Village experience at Boggy Creek.
Have you ever seen an alligator up close? Now’s your chance! At the all-new Gator Pond, this viewing area house real alligators in a natural oasis. Hear educational presentations, ask questions and see baby alligators.
Boggy Bottom BBQ
Boggy Creek guests can also enjoy the full service restaurant at Southport Park, Boggy Bottom BBQ. Choose from indoor or outdoor seating with unforgettable lake views, as you indulge in true Florida-style BBQ, Florida favorites such as gator tail, catfish and so much more. The restaurant is open 7 days a week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

domain: travel


Putin will never stop or be satisfied with what he got, and beside this, all of us will be compelled to live for a long time under conditions of uncertainty
Interview by Corneliu Pivariu
The Russian personality agreed to grant me this interview under the condition of anonymity, something I accepted as I know him since more than a decade and understand the reasons behind his decision.
To call him“X” is too prosaic, “Z” is something I believe it is not fit for the present symbolism and also it is the last letter of the alphabet, so I will call him in this interview “Mister Y”.
An … uncomfortable introduction, for some … uncomfortable questions
The Russian-Ukrainian families seemed to be in the past … a genuine people. The Poles seem to be closer to them (Ukrainians) as the former strongly influenced the language of the latter. Otherwise, the Ukrainians did not get along with any neighbouring state or people or enter a lasting and dependable friendship relation. As far as the majority of minorities they are living with together for centuries are concerned, they turn against them and hate them while the authorities oppress them.
The social cohesion, the national identity and religion are not strong enough to unite them in one vigorous nation.
Although they naturally want to be a nation, the only binder uniting them now is the tragedy of the war triggered by the Russians, namely those with whom they surprisingly have the strongest historical and family ties, deeply rooted in the past, ever since the beginnings of their common history – the history of the Eastern Slavs.
Corneliu Pivariu: So, are the Ukrainians a people or a population? In the same idea, Gogol, whom the Ukrainians designate as their gratest writer wrote in Russian. Was Bulgakov a Russian or an Ukrainian?
Mr. Y: It is a well targeted issue. These are complicated, important and profound questions and the answers given could bring us closer to understanding what is going on. Of course, everybody knows about Gogol’s Polish-Ukrainian origins and about the fact that Bulgakov, who was born in Kyiv, was Russian. Nevertheless, these aspects do not establish these persons’ belonging to one or another nation. For instance, Edgar Allan Poe became an American writer although he was the son of an English woman and an Irish father, the Argentinian Creole Che Guevara became Cuban revolutionary and, as they say, the Georgian Stalin, when answering once to the question about his ethnicity he said: ”I speak Russian, I think in Russian and I write in Russian. I am certainly Russian”. Both Gogol and Bulgakov are part of the Russian culture.
Regretfully, a people’s culture and traditions do not mean that the said people reached the status of a nation. The Ukrainians and the Russians were not too lucky in the process of becoming a nation, so that the nation’s forming process lasted a long time. A common territory, language and economic system are important elements of a nation, but they do not suffice. The most important component is the national idea, the national nature and the solidarity feeling.
We notice that these components were never completed either in Ukraine or in Russia. The permanent territorial and political transformations in the Euroasian area did not allow proper conditions for a true continuity, for really shaping the national elites and the national ideology. By far, the Grand Duchy of Muscovy is not the Russian Empire, and the USSR is fundamentally another state than the Russian Empire. So, the present Russia is not the successor of the former USSR, either politically or ideologically, but rather vice-versa. The named states are fundamentally different, although they existed approximately on the same territory. Any of the multiethnical states within was achieving the national policy with various results.
During the Grand Duchy of Muscovy, the notion of a nation was again very far away and the foreigners issues were decided upon the friend and foe principle. The Russian Empire, which evolution was discontinued by the revolution, was on the way of solving the issue by putting in place the Christian Orthodox religion. The Communists’ trial of creating a new community of people, ”the Soviet people”, through terror and collectivization failed.
Generally, the modern Russia and Ukraine do not have a clearly determined national policy and perspective. This is, in my opinion, the historical root of the Ukrainians’ and Russians’ problems concerning the self-determination and nation shaping.
C.P.: What is your take on Vladimir Putin’s declarations on the sidelines of the 350th birth anniversary of the Tzar Peter the Great, according to which Russia is not conquering but only recovering territories with reference to the invasion of Ukraine?
Mr.Y: Vladimir Putin proved to be on several occasions a not too well educated person in historic issues. I do believe that his historical research should not be taken seriously in any way. As far as if he ”conquers” or ”recovers” territories, that should not be seen in terms of a history textbook, but in terms of interstate treaties and agreements. By deepening the research into history, there is no conflict we can stop. Any side of the conflict would have their own arguments with certain facts and historical discoveries that can not be verified. For instance, there was no Ottoman Empire until 1453, Crimea was Greek territory, Kaliningrad was German, yet there was no German state until 1871 as it was the case with Italy until 1861 etc.
The interstate documents show, in their turn, that in 1992 diplomatic relations were established between Russia and Ukraine, i.e. Russia recognized Ukraine as a sovereign state. An Agreement on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership was signed between these two states in 1997. Putin and Kucima signed in 2003 an agreement concerning the state borders, whereby the borders were drawn from Belarus to the Sea of Azov and, thereby, Ukraine’s territory was indisputably recognized in the very areas where fights are taking place now. In 2010, Medvedev and Ianukovich signed an agreement on drawing state borders, a process that was finalized in 2014. Even without going deeper into Peter’s (the Great) wars, the answer to the question of ”recovering” or ”conquering” seems to me obvious.
C.P.: What do you think about Henry Kissinger’s declarations on the margins of WEF in Davos (2022) according to which the Ukrainians should resign themselves to losing certain territories in exchange for ending the war and the loss of life?
Mr.Y: I think that Henry Kissinger is a very experienced and cunning politician who is far away from charity processes.
Ending hostilities resulting in human loss is, indeed, the task number one. The issue lies in the cost of such a solution.
Ukraine’s acknowledging the loss of its territories will prove the success of Putin’s illegal actions, the absolute helplessness of the international community and guarantees, as well, Ukraine’s future liquidation and Russia’s continuation of its attempts to ”recover” territories such as the Baltic states, Moldova or Kazakhstan. Besides, it will be, for instance, a telling signal for China which is analysing very carefully the anti-Russian sanctions and their consequences in the sense that Taiwan can be occupied without any punishment. Where shall we place the threats and promises coming from London, Washington, Paris, Berlin, Rome and elsewhere? Tens of politicians will have to end their careers.
C.P.:At the end of June the NATO summit in Spain will endorse the New Strategic Concept of the Alliance. With high probability, in the document the Russian Federation will be indicated as the adversary of the Western World, alongside China. How do you think Moscow will react to that and within what timescale?
Mr.Y: Moscow will react to that endorsment as always in a quick, threatening, nervous, provocative and senseless way. In fact Russia has no pressure tool at its disposal with the exception of energy resources and nuclear weapons. CSTO is an organization for regional consumption, the Russian economy is weakened, corruption is at an incredible level, the armed forces are ineffective, unable to fight simultaneously on more than one theater of operations on a large scale. Moscow will continue to intensify its propaganda and isolation, to initiate new special operations and provocations on NATO’s member states territories. Putin will indeed try to consolidate around him regimes who oppose the global West: Iran, North Korea, Afghanistan, certain states in Africa and Latin America. He will go on trying to bring on his side China and India by using various contradictions.
C.P.: How do you assess the effectiveness of the Kremlin’s strategic communication on the sensitive topics of the confrontations in Ukraine?
- the ideea of declaring or not the mobilization of the military, be it even partial;
- the human losses (especially those refering to high ranking officers) and also the material losses;
- the way Moscow senses the implications of the international sanctions on the civilian and military production and on the social stability.
Mr.Y: The Kremlin uses the old Soviet strategy of keeping any information secret. The distortion of the information environment is primarily intended for the Russian society.
In the context of massive economic and military losses, the Kremlin tries to maintain its influence and authority by publishing fake news and by exaggerating its achievements.
The lack of formal mobilization, acknowledging the minimal military losses and imaginary economic gains are designed to persuade the Russian society of Putin’s successful policies and to maintain domestic stability. Toughening the criminal law in the field of extremism, restricting the constitutional rights, closing any alternative sources of information and establishing total control on the social networks are to be seen in the same context.
Beyond that, the attention is drawn by the kind of information tactics the Russian propagandists are using. I would call it ”the tactic of peculiarities”. In all news broadcasts, TV debates and shows the attendees discuss peculiar details only: what missiles hit and where this evening, how the price of the gasoline increased in the United States, who urged the Europeans to spare gas and give up washing themselves, how much a Donbas inhabitant suffered in the absence of Russian soldiers, mythical birds carrying lethal viruses for the Slavs only, the way Ukraine refuses to conclude peace on Russian terms and so on. Yet nobody tackles the deep causes of the conflict, Yanukovich’s election as president of Ukraine, the close Russian-Ukrainian corruption built around the Gazprom pipeline during a decade, the Russian troops landing in Crimea on February 23, 2014 and the unfolding of the unconstitutional referendum on March 16, 2014 only, or provocations in Donbas during the spring of 2014, including military operations involving Russian military units. Everybody discusses small details and current events trying to avoid the analysis of the general picture. All that misleads the society.
C.P.: With regard to theRussian Federation’s intelligence system:
- Does the Kremlin dispose of a really integrated intelligence community?
- How do you assess the FSB initial appraisals concerning the real state of the Ukrainian society?
- Why was Gen. Vl. Alexeiev (Deputy Head of GRU) appointed the Russian intelligence operative leader in Ukraine many weeks after February 24, 2022?
- Is Russia, as it declares, in informative control of the Western military logistic flows bound for Ukraine?
Mr. Y: I think the Kremlin has a rather extended network of informants who, through the institutions of the Russia’s diplomatic and commercial missions, are primarily relying on the Russian communities abroad. As far as the FSB analytical assessments on the Ukrainian society on the eve of the war are concerned, it is necessary to separate the assessments meant for internal briefing and the assessments meant for the Kremlin briefing. The assessments meant for internal briefing are quite objective and realistic. Nevertheless, they are not adequate for briefing the president and that is due to several reasons:
• Corruption, since during several years a huge amount of money was lost under the disguise of carrying out ”successful” special operations;
• Joint businesses on the Ukrainian territory with different businessmen such as Serghei Kurcenko;
• Costs for maintaining and ensuring the political opposition, including Viktor Medvedchuk and his party, the controlled transfer of certain types of businesses from Russia which incomes were to be used for preparing the future presidential election etc.
Since many years, everything was all right according to briefings and a lot of money was spent to that purpose, so it was quite impossible that someone come at a certain moment and report the real situation. President Putin could have concluded that either his subordinates were incompetent or they were deceiving him. At the same time and as far as I know, the FSB operatives acting on the Ukrainian territory had excellent knowledge of the real information yet among their leadership nobody was willing to committ political suicide. Putin likes good news only.
As far as the Gen. Vladimir Alekseev is concerned, I can express the opinion that he is an experienced fighting officer born in Ukraine, he graduated from the Ryazan Military Airborne Landing School, served in the special forces units, went through the war in Syria and is distinguishing himself by his toughness and a certain boldness in making decisions. In recent years, he headed the special operations of the Russian military intelligence abroad, Ukraine included, where the first weeks of fighting revealed certain deficiencies in the intelligence activity. Perhaps that due to all these factors, he was sent to operate directly on the Ukrainian territory.
I cannot judge how efficiently he will succeed in correcting the deficiencies. Speaking of the Russian control on the Western arms deliveries to Ukraine, one should mention that these weapons ultimately reach the Ukrainian Army. Consequently, the Russian control is not as complete as they say. Russia has, indeed, certain information on the military logistic flows, yet it has not the necessary resources to completely stall them.
C.P.: The beginning of the conflict let it be understood that Kyiv was the main strategic target, yet subsequent developments pointed to something else. How do you see Odessa’s future on a short term? Will the potential junction with the Russian troops in Transdniestria mark the completion of the strategic objective of Novorossiya (“New Russia”)? Or will it mean just an intermediate stage?
Mr.Y: Kyiv was, indeed, the main target in the first stage of the war, yet the reality proved to be different. Russia had to regroup its troops and change the order of its targets. I think that the Russian troops will try to occupy Odessa and move towards Transdniestria, but only after stabilizing the situation in Donbas. Other than that, the situation changes daily and we are witnessing on the forefront a possible conflict with Latvia, which restricted the transit towards Kaliningrad. The Kremlin enjoys very much the Baltic (playing) card and will play it but that will not cancel at all its desire to cut Ukraine from the Black Sea and to tackle directly the Transdniestrian issue.
C.P.:In the framework of the present military confrontation in Ukraine, how do you assess the Russian Federation’s capacity and production pace of ballistic and cruise missiles – classical and hypersonic – as compared to the rate of their use in the battles and how restrictive is the imports component for producing these missiles?
Mr.Y: It is obvious that under current circumstances, Russia’s using different types of missiles on the battle ground is higher than their production pace. The production pace is confronted with certain difficulties due to lack of important components of the missiles. A great part of the Russian modern military equipment depends on sophisticated electronic components imported from the USA, Great Britain, Israel, France, Germany, Holland, Japan and other countries.
The Russian cruise missile of the Iskander-K complex operates relying on American electronic components. The American gyroscope with optical fibres is used for the navigation system of the projectils of the Tornado launching complex. The Russian system of air defense TOR-M2 uses the British oscillator for controlling the radar of the platform. The same thing is valid for the Kalibr cruise missiles and many others. The GPS modules of the U-blox Swiss company, the SAITO Japanese engines, the starting engines of the American Texas Instruments Incorporated and starting generators and a French-Italian STMicroelectronics flight controller are used in the Orlan-10 UAV. It is obvious that the imposition of sanctions has limited Russia’s possibilities, although the country can acquire some of the necessary components as they could be classified as ”double use electronics”, available on commercial base.
C.P.:How credible is in your opinion the news concerning President Vladimir Putin’s real health condition?
Mr.Y: Vladimir Putin reached an age at which a person has to compulsory have some illnesses. I consider that the circulated news about his health condition is unfounded. Even so, I am certain that a very limited circle of persons possesses truthful news and not all the news about his health condition can be trusted. There are a lot of suppositions of the pseudo-experts and, I do not rule out that special fake news of different special services, including the Russian ones, is spread.
C.P.: How do you evaluate the truths/untruth concerning the real involvment of Gen. S. Șoigu, V. Gherasimov și Al. Dvornikov in the unfolding of the battle action?
Mr.Y: The mediocrity of the initial stage of the military operation in Ukraine confirms undoubtedly in my opinion that the authors of the operations are exactly these army commanders who commanded the designated operations. Gherasimov’s and Dvornikov’s whole career suggests that they are far from the military genius of a Suvorov’s or a Mannerheim’s. In what concern the minister of Defense Shoigu, who really wanted to enjoy the dubious fame of Marshal Jukov, he never served in the army and graduated a military department of a civilian faculty only, and has a rather vague idea about fighting operations. Consequently, Moscow was confronted with a great number of failures on the front following which the failed commanders were in fact removed from commanding positions and moved in the shadow.
C.P.: According to publicly available data, the existing human resource of the Russian Federation’s armed forces is of about 1 mil. people and the reservists number about 2 mil. people. The number of the Russian military deployed for the special operation in Ukraine is of approximately 200,000 (namely one fifth of the total active force). How can you explain Moscow’s difficulties in expeditiously replacing the forces used in battle?
Mr.Y: 2 million reservists are numbered on paper, yet they have to be called to duty. To say nothing that such calls will trigger a negative wave in the society and will publicly confirm Russia’s incapacity of standing relying on a regular army only and Putin is very sensitive in what concern his image. A million people of the Russian military are an ordinary force which includes different military subunits and units, including those which are not directly designated for fighting operations.
The troops are complete to a level of 90%. The terrestrial and railroad troops, the navy and air-spatial ones, the anti-missiles and air defense forces which are fulfilling their duties on Russia’s entire vast territory cannot be fully involved in a military operation. Moreover, the total number includes a rather extended apparatus of the Ministry of Defense and of the General Staff, students of the military schools as well as garrison units. If one counts everything, there remain only 30% of the mobile fighting units. One should add to that the issue of huge expenses of the Russian budget for maintaining the army in war conditions.
According to the Russian Ministry of Finance, in April 2022 only, the budgetary expenses for the national defence reached about 627 billion Rubles, namely three times more than during the same period of 2021.
C.P.:What are in your opinion the military conclusions drawn so far by the two sides from the unfolding of the military operations?
Mr.Y: After starting hostilities and significant losses, the Russian side realized the error of its tactic. The Russian Army were forced to move away from Kyiv, to change the forward moving and fighting tactic and focused on the mission of completely capture the Donbas. The military of the Ukrainian Armed Forces proved heroism in their confrontation with a stronger enemy, used a good knowledge of the terrain and were more maneuverable. Nevertheless, their miscalculations in coordinating the actions of different units and lack of offensive armaments became evident.
Russia controls the air space yet up to now it could not benefit from its advantage in the coastal area of the Black Sea area. It is obvious that both sides are confronted with a lack of resources, either human or military. The general situation is original, under the circumstances of tough confrontations whereby each of the two sides of the conflict understands that it is not the winner. As a state, Russia already lost from a strategic standpoint. In the meantime, Ukraine, in the meantime, has the chance to ultimately emerge as winner. No, not in this war, but in the geopolitical confrontation with Russia. If Ukraine is able to achieve that, it depends on primarily on the Ukrainian themselves.
The Ukrainians could save themselves through unity, through overcoming corruption, an adequate behavior and the acceptance, by the entire society, of the universal human values, tolerance included. Yet in case of Russia, achieving such goals in the near future is regretfully impossible.
C.P.:How do you assess the level of the Polish-Ukrainian cooperation in the military field and security intelligence? What implications could that have on a short and medium term?
Mr.Y: I think that presently Ukraine is developing the closest cooperation in the military field with Poland, including exchanging military intelligence. The issue of confronting Russia is, for Poland, a historical one. Warsaw will exert utmost efforts in order to support Ukraine and that brings the former to a new political level in Europe. On a long run, Warsaw could become a rather significant center of attraction in the EU for the Eastern European countries while the heavyweights such as France, Germany and Italy could have their positions shaken. Moreover, in its efforts, Poland works hand in hand with Great Britain which adopted a clear and tough position towards Russia. That brings about as well the possibilities of the future development of the triangular relations among Kyiv, Warsaw and London. Will Poland be directly involved in the hostilities with Russia? I don’t think so. Russia does not have resources for that and its plans do not include yet a clash with NATO. Of course, you should always let the chance that an inappropriate dictator marginalized in a mental dead end and who feels unpunished and offended to adopt the most extreme steps.
C.P.:The Black Sea covers three areas of great interest: Crimea, the mouth of the Danube and Bosphorus. History shows us that he who controls them enjoys a significant strategic advantage.Where do you place Turkiye (Turkey) in the framework of the conflict in Ukraine?
Mr.Y: Turkey is, in my opinion, a quite strong and slippery player who plays for itself only. Turkey, as always, flirts with both sides and does not abstsain from making promises and statements and follows its own economic and political benefit. Ankara supported publicly Ukraine in the conflict and continued to maintain economic ties with Moscow and seeks to acquire from there certain types of weapons. At the same time, Turkey conducts military operations in Syria definitely without any coordination with Moscow and in spite of the latter dissatisfaction and supplies UAVs to Ukraine. Ankara showed up in the debate concerning Sweden’s and Finland’s joining NATO.
To some in Moscow, Ankara seems to play the Russian hand but I assure you that during that debate Russia was the last thing Ankara was thinking of. Turkey has its own development strategy and apart from the countries it sees within its tough sphere of influence, all the others are not strategic allies but temporary fellow travellers.
Q.C.P.:How do you see the end of this Russian aggression against Ukraine having in mind that Putin’s agenda (and that of his heirs, let us not delude ourselves) covers, beyond Ukraine, as well: the maximum enlargement of the ”Russian World”, the breaking up of the EU and NATO, and discrediting and humiliating the US as a guarantor of the Western World security?
A.Mr.Y.: This war should be halted sooner or later. As a consequence, I regretfully think that Ukraine will lose for a long time part of its territory. Maybe it could recover in the future that part, yet it will be a very difficult process. It is unlikely to expect the collapse of the EU, but their leaders’ authority has already received a blow as did the United States’. Once more, the whole world witnessed the inability and lack of determination of the international institutions. However, it is too early to draw final conclusions. Life and politics are unpredictable.
Q.C.P: What is your take on the idea launched by the US with regard to a new global energy order? Does this project have any connection to deglobalisation and the new policy in the field of the critical minerals as far as the energy storage is concerned?
Mr.Y: The war in Ukraine and the imposition of sanctions against Russia revealed the extreme vulnerability of the global energy market. This conflict brought the state’s energy security at the forefront of the political and economic agenda and served as a catalyst for transforming the state planning in the energy sector. All the states are today concerned about deciding on the issue of assuring the stability of the regional cooperation and of the energy generation on the domestic market.
The US proposals could mean that a type of localization within the energy alliances will lead to a kind of diminishing the high level of energy interdependency in the world, something that was reached during the last decades. Such a situation should affect, of course, the processes in the field of acquiring natural resources. This tendency foresees a possible increase of the state intervention in the energy sector since all the elements of this business, including generation, transportation, prices, selecting ”trustful partners”, setting the emissions standards and so on became elements of the state security and stability. At the same time, mention should be made that an excessive involvement of the state in the economy can lead to distortions and negative consequences for the market. The state is hardly ever an efficient owner.
C.P: How do you assess, on a scale from 1 to 10, the endeavor of certain states to set up another financial settlement system for the international trade, different from the one based on the American dollar?
Mr.Y: There are indeed states wishing to abandon the American dollar which can be rated 10. For instance Russia is trying now to insert an alternative settlement currency in the framework of BRICS and CIS. Yet there are states which desire to abandon the dollar is 0. Therefore, I do not think it is necessary to assess this tendency on points. The issue here is efficiency, stability, convertibility and the safety of the settlement currency.
There is no real alternative to the American dollar so far and most of the countries understand that.
C.P: What is your opinion about the idea that the Russian military aggression in Ukraine is one of the main causes of a possible global food crisis?
Mr.Y: In my opinion, the Russian military operation in Ukraine influenced indeed the possible development of the global food crisis but this is not the main reason for the time being. The main reason is Russia’s foreign policy and its propaganda around this possible crisis. Russia set for her the task to destabilize to a maximum the situation in different regions of the world. Primarily, these are some countries in Africa and Latin America. The goals pursued are to discredit the global West, to divert its resources towards solving the emergent socio-economic and humanitarian problems, to create around Russia a pool of states dissatisfied with the USA’s and EU’s actions and to try to shift the political balance of power.
C.P: What about the fact that, on June 6th, Moscow decided to classify the information concerning the level of its currency and gold reserves? What is the actual impact of that?
Mr.Y: The Kremlin decided to classify not only the information about gold and currency reserves.All the relevant informationis now classified in Russia: the budget of the Ministry ofDefense,the losses incured in Ukraine, the reports of the state and commercial banks, the membership of banks boards, data on the possessions of the officials, the number of prisoners, the number of civilian domestic protests, the real level of corruption etc. The Russian President classified all data about his children, their activities and their income. The Russian leadership say to the society that in such a way they are protecting the country’s interests and ensure its security. In fact, the regime protects itself and all its actions aim at suppressing the oposition, at hiding the information about the incredible wealth of the presidential entourage and at holding the power in the hands of a restricted group of people.
Deliberately and for the same purpose, a break from the civilized world is taking place – renunciation to the Bologna System, the precedence of the Russian legislation against international law, Russia’s withdrawal from the UNWTO and the Council of Europe, from the UN Council for Human Rights, the calls for abandoning the Basel agreements and the requirements for adopting standards. Modern Russia is a kingdom of distorted mirrors. The consequences can be the saddest. There is no need to speak of Russia’s partners loss of confidence – confidence no longer exists.
The power system as such becomes more and more entangled in its own biased data and inscriptions stimulated by total corruption and by the apparent struggle, which is in fact a competition for concentrating the financial flows and the influence. And all that should lead in future to the transformation of this state. Yet you should not expect that to happen too quickly – Russia is an immense state with slow processes and a backward population, mentally retarded, who never had any rights under any power whatsoever.
C.P. Do you want, in the end to add any significant ideas to supplement the present geopolitical picture?
Mr. Y: Under the present circumstances, I would like to emphasize two obvious aspects. Firstly, all of us will be compelled to live for a long time under conditions of uncertainty. Secondly, one should become aware that there can be no certitude as far as the agreements with modern Russia are concerned. Putin will never stop and will never be satisfied with what he has. As long as he is alive, no one can count on adequate actions. So, all have to be prepared.
C.P.: I particularly thank you for your time and the honesty of your answers.
The interview was granted through correspondence solely for Geopolitica, and first published in the blog corneliu.pivariu.com on 28 June 2022
About the author:
Corneliu Pivariu Military Intelligence and International Relations Senior Expert
A highly decorated retired two-star general of the Romanian army, during two decades he has led one of the most influential magazines on geopolitics and international relations in Eastern Europe, the bilingual journal Geostrategic Pulse.


Crystal Charity Ball: Ten Best Dressed
Some of the most fashionable ladies behind Dallas philanthropy will be recognized this September at the annual Crystal Charity Ball Ten Best Dressed Fashion Show and Luncheon.
The Carolina Herrera Collection will be presented at this year’s 45th annual event, taking place Sept. 13 at Neiman Marcus Downtown. Follow this article online to learn more about the designs that inspire these fashionistas. Click the images to read about this year’s nominees, Hall of Fame honoree, and make sure to check out this year’s nonprofits supported by funds raised.


text:
Hakone is a mountainous area in Kanagawa prefecture known for its hot springs, greenery and spectacular views of Mt. Fuji. While I wouldn’t normally recommend going to the main tourist locations in Japan, Hakone is a lovely, quiet area if you avoid the most touristy spots, or at the very least, avoid the common ways
Do you like traditional Japanese sweets? If you do, “Oimatsu” is a shop that you shouldn”t miss. It provides beautiful, professional and good-flavoured Japanese sweets!! ’Kyo-gashi’ is a kind of Japanese traditional that Oimatsu has been making based on the tradition. These sweets are defined for use of rituals of Imperial Court and for tea ceremony. Oimatsu offers
Noodle Lovers! Udon is one of the famous and popular japanese homy food, is a type of thick wheat flour noodle of Japanese cuisine. If you have any chance to stop by Tokyo, Please visit ” Tsurutontan” (http://www.tsurutontan.co.jp) is very popular restaurant for Udon. It is famous for the size of the bowl, 2 or 3
Top Onsen – We read on previous post “what is an Onsen” and “How to Onsen” – Now we are ready to enjoy one! … But… Where to go? …Well, we have made a short list of some onsen in Japan that will assure you an enjoyable time, and in many cases, a unique experience!
Standing at the center of Himeji city is Himeji Castle, a six story castle that has become an iconic image for Japan and is one of the finest examples of fortress architecture in the world. Not to mention that it’s the most visited castle in Japan! ^^ From a distance, the elegant rooflines of its
[:en] Tokyo Tower (東京タワー Tōkyō tawā) is the second tallest artificial structure in Japan as the new Tokyo Skytree has become the tallest structure in Japan since April 2010. With 333 meters high and 4,000 tons it is located in Shiba Park in the Minato district. It is both a communications and observation tower built as a symbol for Japan’s rebirth as a


text:
The Restorative Justice Specialist is a direct service position for an energetic professional interested in developing, delivering, and implementing restorative justice services and programming in Careers in Sports High School in the Bronx. Restorative Justice is a community-based approach to justice used to strengthen communities, repair harm and restore relationships when wrongdoings occur. It is based on a core set of principles that emphasize healing and repair over punishment, inclusion over exclusion, and individual accountability with a high level of community support.
The Restorative Justice Specialist must have a strengths-based and trauma-informed approach and philosophy when working with all people. The Restorative Justice Specialist will work as part of a team to provide training, consultation, and service delivery to support the implementation and application of restorative justice within school and community settings.
This position will be responsible for providing direct service to those who have been impacted by harmful behaviors, including offenders, victims, families, school staff, community members and other key stakeholders.
The Restorative Justice Specialist will work with the Community School team, Careers in Sports school faculty and administration, students, and families to provide Restorative Justice and mental health services.
Mid-forties. Good benefits and possibilities for travel. We are actively seeking candidates of diverse backgrounds
Please e-mail applications, with the subject “Restorative Justice Specialist,” to firstname.lastname@example.org.
Applications must include resume and cover letter. Please send attachments as Word or PDF files.

domain: sociology


text: Made from injection molded, high impact Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene. These diabolo handsticks were designed with a little bit of flex in mind. Different levels of hardness were tested until the perfect amount of flex was reached. From beginner to professional, these sticks are sure to please. Available in blue only. Comes with string. Length 12.5 "

domain: design


Face Wash Filling Machine ,Liquid Soap Filler Machine , Hand Wash Filling Machine
Our Disinfectant bottle liquid filling machine – Face Wash Filling Machine ,Liquid Soap/ Hand Wash Filling Machine , Filler Machine Internationally proven high quality pneumatically + servo PLC operated piston filler with the latest technology – fixed product cylinder (syringe) attached to pneumatic cylinder in one line, giving better life to filling syringe seals and hence no leakages which are observed in mechanically driven machines with oscillating cylinders.
Filling Volume 50ml to 1000ml
- Completely in Stainless steel structure.
- Heads or nozzles, with product cylinders (syringe), valve assemblies, stroke assemblies.
- Unique with respect to interchangeability.
- Quick change over and minimum down time.
- Machine covered with enclosure for sanitized filling for multi-head machines(optional)
- All bought outs internationally branded or imported.
- All adjustments are tool free and highly operator friendly.
- High quality import substitute machine.
- Filling accuracy ± ½ %
Filling System of Disinfectant bottle liquid filling machine – Face Wash Filling Machine ,Liquid Soap/ Hand Wash Filling Machine , Filler Machine
- Diving nozzle with adjustable depth of diving depending on bottle height variations.
- Pneumatically open/shut type positive shut off nozzle with separate pneumatic cylinder to reduce foaming.
- Adjustable diving nozzle withdrawal speed for foaming products.
- Adjustable filling speed subject to flow characteristics of product.
- Neck locator provided to accurately locate bottle mouth prior to filling for small mouth bottles.
- The hollow piston rod of pneumatic cylinder facilitates tightening of expandable Teflon piston rings without opening the piston filler, while in operation.
- Product being filled by free flow without back pressure.
Speed: upto 120 Bottles per minute depending on Fill Volume, type of Liquid and Bottle Size
Application: Liquid Shop, Sanitizer, phenyl, Liquid Hand Wash, Liquid Hand washing filling line machine etc


text:
Volvo has set itself a target of producing one million electrified cars by 2025, in a bid to serve the growing demand for battery-powered vehicles.
The Swedish car maker is aiming to produce two hybrid versions of every model in its range, with the first all-electric car expected to appear in 2019.
“It is a deliberately ambitions target,” said Volvo boss Håkan Samuelsson. “It’s going to be a challenge, but Volvo wants to be at the forefront of this shift to electrification”.
Volvo says it has been preparing for the move to electric vehicles for five years by developing two platforms, both of which can incorporate hybrid and electric technology, with one for large cars and one for small cars.
The Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform will be used for its 90 and 60 series models, with the soon to be launched 40 series using the Compact Modular Architecture (CMA). All of its models will be available with as electrified versions.
Last year, Volvo announced that it would launch an all-electric rival to Tesla, with a range of 325 miles, by 2019. Volvo says the years between 2020 and 2025 are a “period of critical acceptance” for the electric vehicle, as it aims to make electric cars part of the mainstream market.
In March, Tesla unveiled its highly anticipated Model 3, which it also plans to bring to the mainstream market. The Model 3, which boasts a 200-mile range and is priced at an affordable $35,000 in the US, is expected to cost around £25,000 here in the UK.

domain: news


text:
Vi använder en mängd olika cookies för att du ska få den bästa användarupplevelsen. Genom kontinuerlig användning av denna webbplats godkänner du vår användning av cookies. Du kan läsa mer om vår policy för cookies och redigera dina inställningar här eller genom att följa länken längst ner på alla sidor på vår webbplats.
‘Fools rush in where angels fear to tread’. So runs the old saying, but it has a place in trading too. In looking at ways they can profit from the market, traders often assume that they have to go ‘all in’ on a position, putting on a large trade straight away in order to reap the benefits. Too often, however, they end up reaping only a large loss. Just as bad is the risk that they get too nervous when the position moves in their favour, and close out a winning trade too early.
A second adage is, ‘slow and steady wins the race’. This is where the tactic of ‘scaling into positions’ comes in handy. Instead of, for example, buying the FTSE 100 at £10 per point, a trader would look to test the water first with a £2 per point position, and then add to it if the trade moved in his favour.
A position can gradually be built up in this way without the need to commit entirely. Other trades can then be opened using the margin that would have been used on the £10 position, with the trader probing for winners by reducing his risk on each trade. Such a method allows for wider stops too, helping to reduce the risk of being stopped out by a whipsaw move.
Even if three or four of the five trades placed go wrong, the losses will be small, but the winning trade can be added to, thus increasing profits. ‘Never reinforce failure’ is a famous military adage, but traders would do well to remember it. After all, trading is about testing ideas against a market, and allowing the successes to run while being ruthless with the losers.
The rule when adding to a trade is to approach it as if it were an entirely new trade. Thus, traders look for a replication of the conditions that caused them to trade the asset in the first place.
In this way, traders will find it easier to control that most difficult element of trading, namely their own emotions. When going ‘all in’ with a trade, nerves run high and there is a hope that the trade will immediately become successful. Smaller positions mean that emotions are reduced and traders will approach trades with a more neutral mindset.

domain: finance


text:
It was a typical roadside food stand that led Siddharth Jain to walk away from centuries of family tradition. As a devotee of Jainism, he spent the first 19 years of his life as a vegetarian, practicing one of the religion’s core tenets: ahimsa, the concept of non-violence toward all living things. Not only do followers not eat meat or eggs, they refuse to disturb the growth of vegetables with roots, like garlic, potatoes or onions. Jain ascetics even sweep the ground in front of them as they walk to move bugs and other tiny creatures safely out of their paths.
For Siddharth Jain – whose family’s religious devotion runs so deep their own surname echoes it – misgivings about his faith began to emerge when he left home for the first time. At a college just outside of Mumbai, he began wrestling with questions of identity and eventually chanced upon a book that would forever change him: The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. “It really forced me to have a stand on this matter, to not take these questions lightly. It helped me to crystallize answers to many questions in my mind.” The book inspired a religious epiphany: he no longer believed.
That year, Jain took the life-altering step to become an atheist, and a few months later he pulled up to his favorite food stand and did something he had never done before: ordered a hot, juicy plate of tandoori chicken. “It was love at first sight and remains my favorite dish to this day,” says Jain. After nearly a decade of consuming poultry, fish and even beef, there is almost nothing he won’t eat.
In India, religion is deeply ingrained in the social fabric. In a city like Mumbai, which has experienced large-scale migration, tightly knit communities are based more on caste and religion than class – and so, too, are eating habits. Some cooperative housing societies unofficially only admit those of the same faith, and if mixing happens, buildings sometimes divide along a strict vegetarian-non-vegetarian divide.
But as Mumbai and other Indian cities become more cosmopolitan, perceptions and relationships are changing – and old habits are breaking fast. While denouncing religion is not commonplace in India, more and more urban Indians, young and old, are abandoning dietary restrictions related to religious observances. Like Jains, many Hindus refrain from eating meat, especially cow, since the animal is considered sacred. Muslims do not eat pork, which they consider unclean, and many Indians abstain from eating meat on certain days of the week to show devotion to particular gods. Yet the changing value system among a rising middle class with more disposable income, greater exposure from travel abroad and the internet, and a growing restaurant scene that is opening up opportunities for experimentation has put even taboo entrees such as hamburgers on menus across India’s cities.
The Myth of a Vegetarian India
Vegetarianism has become so associated with the Indian way of life that guidebooks often depict the societal tradition through colorful pictures of sacred cows wandering freely through busy city streets. India, in fact, does have an long history of abstaining from eating meat, but references to meat-eating date back to ancient texts. For Hindus, however, the cow remains off limits. Cows were thought to supply the basic needs of families, including dairy products for all-important protein and dung for fuel and home construction. Their identity as benevolent maternal caretakers became so fundamental that cows became linked with religion.
While India is still considered to be the largest vegetarian population in the world, a 2006 study conducted by the Hindu newspaper found that today, 60 percent of the country eats meat, and the numbers are growing. Not only are more Indians eschewing generations of vegetarianism, those that eat meat are eating it more frequently. What was once prepared as a weekly treat is now a staple. The most recent figures on meat consumption in India by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization show consumption has hit an all-time high. The 2007 figures put the country’s per capita meat intake between 11 and 12 pounds annually. That’s dwarfed by meat consumption in the U.S. – the average American eats 185 pounds of meat each year – but it’s the highest amount in India since the organization began tracking. The intermingling amongst castes, classes and religions is exposing urbanites to more options and tantalizing them with hitherto forbidden foods.
A cow wanders a busy street in Mumbai. Photo credit: Amy Thibodeau via Flickr
Eating has always been an important part of Indian culture. Ancient medicinal practices such as ayurveda base wellness off a diet that balances one’s constitution, or dosha. A fire-based constitution like pitta, for example, would be prescribed cooling foods. Movies such as The Mistress of Spices espouse the mystique of the Indian kitchen where slow-cooked, aromatic dishes simmer with a bouquet of exotic flavors.
Yet as more women enter the workforce and city life becomes more frenetic, home-cooked meals are increasingly becoming a burden. Mumbaikers, for example, spend over an hour-and-a-half each day on a roundtrip commute – the highest in the country and double what the average American spends. As happened in the U.S. in the ’70s and ’80s when both spouses began working outside the house and sprawling suburbs meant long rides to and from work, fast food filled the time gap. After India’s market liberalized in the early 1990s, international fast-food chains slowly began moving in. When KFC, like many early-entry fast food joints in India, launched in 1995 in Bangalore, few people knew what to make of it. Harneet Rajpal, vice-president for marketing of Domino’s Pizza India, said their biggest challenge was educating consumers who had never seen pizza before.
Today, KFC is set to triple the number of its outlets, and Burger King has partnered with private equity firm Everstone Capital, which plans to invest $100 million to set up 500 locations across India over the next decade At the same time, more upscale enterprises, like Los Angeles-based Counter Burger, hope to make waves with India’s 250-million strong (and growing) middle-class market.
The quick-service restaurants have not only introduced new foods to urban Indians, they’ve also launched a revolution in dining out, which traditionally was reserved for special occasions. Today, the movement has grown into an explosion of up-market, fine-dining and artisanal food offerings where meat of every kind is prepared with care and delicacy.
“There is a mindset change. People are going abroad, where it’s okay to have beef and pork,” says Parag Joglekar, head chef at The Barking Deer restaurant (and microbrewery – the first in the city), a massive meat-lover’s paradise in a former mill district that has abandoned its looms for malls with Gucci, TGIFridays and a growing international restaurant scene.
Joglekar, himself a meat-eating Brahmin – the highest in the caste system who still, according to the Hindu‘s 2006 survey, have some of the highest rates of strict vegetarianism in the country – worked in the U.S. during the 1990s and returned to a different India. When he came back, he saw the eating habits had changed, and his clientele was more educated about food. They had traveled and were exposed to Western culinary traditions. “They no longer wanted just subzi and roti,” says Joglekar of the simple vegetable and bread meal common in Indian homes. “They not only wanted particular cuts of meat, but now they also knew if they wanted it grilled or roasted. They were demanding European spices, such as tarragon, which would have simply been unheard of before.”
Joglekar estimates that 10 years ago, the number of restaurants that carried beef and pork was half what it is today. “People expect beef and pork on a fine-dining menu. Before, only about two out of 10 restaurants would have it. Today, it’s everywhere.”
Chef Parag Joglekar and Greg Kroitzsh, proprietor of The Barking Deer. Photo credit: The Barking Deer
The Barking Deer serves unabashedly protein-rich American cuisine. On a recent Saturday, delicately stacked hamburger sliders were prepared alongside a minced-meat shepherd’s pie. A token Indian curry was added to the menu, says Joglekar, to capture the more traditional visitor who may be part of a larger corporate group. But Joglekar, along with American owner Greg Kroitzsh, is not interested in catering to these traditions. They are confident that today’s urban Indian is interested in paying a premium for a unique experience, where craft brew made on site is paired alongside robust beef cuts. “Indians feel like they are getting an authentic experience, and they’re looking for that,” says Kroitzsh. Indeed, what was once a novelty dining experience, a kind of recreated foreign setting, is quickly become authentically Indian.
The drive toward artisanal food is being fueled by more and more exposure to new cuisines. Television shows like MasterChef Australia, which was a huge hit in India, educated Indians on the difference between flambé and fillet. Middle-class urbanites curious to test the cuisines themselves have taken to the air to check it out firsthand. Greater affordability to travel abroad combined with bigger paychecks has fueled international tourism. A recent Deloitte study on the hospitality industry says India is expected to have 50 million outbound tourists by the end of the decade.
Sruthi Sunderraman is one of those people who was brought up in a “hard core” South Indian Brahmin household who was changed abroad. On a trip to Thailand with friends, she searched menus for vegetarian options. Brought up in a joint family, often considered more strict and traditional since grandparents seek to pass down values and rituals, Sunderraman stayed true to her upbringing – until Bangkok. Unable to interpret the menus in Thai, she chanced her luck and pointed to a dish she recognized: tofu and vegetables. The entree was so delicious, she decided to compliment the chef on his ability to work with the spongy protein. It turned out to be jellyfish. She ordered a second, and hasn’t turned back since.
While her native village in the southern state of Tamil Nadu still abides by the dietary restrictions imposed upon her upper-caste community, Sunderraman says the city is very accommodating. As a freelance photojournalist and artist, she runs in a circle of friends from all different parts of the country and from a variety of religious beliefs. This exposure and openness has been a large part of her changing value system and, given how important food is to this culture, her evolving self-identity. In Mumbai, “you can be anything and everything you want to be, and people are very accepting.”
Although the city is quite liberal to new traditions, many households are not. Both Sunderraman and Jain live a double life of sorts. Their meat-eating secret is safe in the anonymity of Mumbai’s busy streets, but at home the subject is taboo, especially with extended family. Yet as joint families become fewer, urban nuclear families with the money to spend on their own apartments break free from the watchful eye of traditional elders and create their own belief systems.
Jain believes religious rules will need to relax for the next generation. “Religion is biased against too many things. It dictates too many things. People should have a choice. I value when my friends become vegetarian for ethical purposes, out of respect for animals, but I don’t understand why you can eat one kind of meat but not another.” Sunderraman says she still often prefers vegetarian food because it is “lighter and healthier,” but she spends a lot of her time dreaming of one of her biggest indulgences, a burger topped with bacon.
Sunderraman’s dream burger would have been unheard of a few years ago, even in a rapidly expanding megapolis like Mumbai. Today, the scene has changed so dramatically that groups have formed, such as the Mumbai Meat Marathon, to bond over their love of romping through the city in search of the most succulent cuts. Mumbai-based food and wine writer Antoine Lewis says what is new is that they are not just frying up frozen burgers, but a new wave of experienced chefs, many of whom were trained abroad, are concentrating on the best breads and cheeses to go with freshly prepared meat, often imported. Last month, he wrote an article for Vogue, “Posh Goes the Burger,” which captures the movement not just of burger eating in the city but toward an ever-educated, ever-demanding consumer looking for gourmet.
Politics of Beef
Burgers may be gaining ground in India, but they have yet to transcend the final taboo – to this day, the slaughtering of cows is illegal in most Indian states, so beef in India comes from buffalo. In the Hindu tradition, eating any beef at all – cow, buffalo, or otherwise – is forbidden, and though there is thought to be an illegal cow trade that continues to exist in India, the law forbids any restaurant, whether it be a posh Mumbai burger joint or a Burger King fast-food outlet, from serving its customers cow. (A few states are exempt from this law, such as the predominantly Christian state of Kerala).
But even this prohibition is being challenged. The ban against cow beef in a secular country is increasingly becoming a politicized issue, where in a pluralistic nation of many religions and beliefs, not all hold the cow as sacred. Muslims and Christians, for example, eat beef regularly.
Food is an important part of Indian culture. As social traditions change and the middle class grows, eating norms are transforming, too. Photo credit: Tiberiu Ana via Flickr
The controversy has played out in court in the state of Karnataka, whose capital city of Bangalore has been one of the more open places when it comes to beef-eating. Karnataka’s Supreme Court has been investigating the long tradition of banning the sale of meat on certain festival days. “Imposing a total ban of meat sale on all communities/religions is nothing but curtailing fundamental rights by way of unreasonable restrictions,” the Times of India recently opined. “The preamble of our Constitution provides for a secular state and, therefore, the state is duty-bound to protect and uphold the ideals of the Constitution.’‘
It’s an election year in India, and the lead opposition party candidate, Narendra Modi, has been under fire for his Hindu-leaning politics, stoking fears of a deeper Hindu-Muslim divide should he become prime minister. Modi hails from the vegetarian state of Gujarat, where even alcohol is banned. His campaign has played to the Hindu majority by reinforcing his state’s care for the cow. Gujarat has been promoting itself as a sanctuary for the revered animal, where orthopedic care and cataract surgery will ease the aging process of the roaming cattle. As the world’s largest democracy heads to the polls this month, the role of cow politics is likely to be dwarfed by major economic and development issues. While young urban Indians are testing out change, many are still drawn to Modi despite his hard-line stance against meat-eating and all it represents. Like India’s cities, these youth hover on the edge of tradition and change. The move toward eating meat represents a step in an evolving value system being questioned and tested as India’s cities globalize. The implications stretch beyond the dinner table, and this election season will reveal just how far Indians want to reach – and what they are willing to sacrifice – for a new direction.
Carlin Carr is an urban development professional interested in innovative ideas for social change.


text:
Major Lazer "Come on to Me" (ft. Sean Paul) (video)
Published May 22, 2014Major Lazer's Apocalypse Soon EP is just five songs long, but more than half of the tracks have now received a music video, since the Sean Paul-featuring "Come on to Me" just got a clip.
Directed by Ruben Fleischer, the video has a Japanese theme, as we see geishas and other people in traditional garb dancing to the track. The thumping electronic rhythms are banged out by percussions beating on huge drums, while mohawk-sporting singer Sean Paul delivers the lyrics to the camera.
Watch it below.

domain: entertainment


text:
Pearland, TX (PRWEB) February 03, 2013
Everyone is influenced by the different types relationships they have established with other people, otherwise known as our neighbors. What kind of relationships do you have with your neighbors and why should you care? The types of relationships that we have established are important because of the influence they will have in determining a person’s quality of life.
Why We Need To Love Our Neighbors written by Dr. Walter Wade will show readers how to have positive relationships with the many different kinds of people they will meet throughout the course of their lives. It explains what you should do to improve your relationships with other people and how this will help you to experience the very best that life has to offer.
Dr. Wade has written this book to help readers understand that with God’s help, they can improve the quality of their relationships with other people. He explains to readers that although this may seem to be a difficult thing to do at first, it is well worth the effort.
Why We Need To Love Our Neighbors will enlighten readers from all walks of life, as it will help them prioritize the things they need to do to improve their relationships. Improving your relationships will serve to forever change your life for the better. Indeed, life will be most rewarding when it is lived helping others. When you commit your life to helping others, you will then be able to experience the joy, peace, and prosperity that is promised to all who trust God.
For more information on this book, interested parties may log on to http://www.Xlibris.com.
About the Author
Dr. Walter H. Wade is a native of Chicago and an Associate Professor at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. He is a graduate of Carthage College and received his medical training at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, the Medical College of Wisconsin and Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health. He has specialty expertise in rehabilitation medicine and a special interest in medical ethics. He is currently living in the Houston area with his wife and son.
Why We Need To Love Our Neighbors * by Dr. Walter Wade
Or At Least Learn To Like Them
Publication Date: January 17, 2013
Trade Paperback; $15.99; 67 pages; 978-1-4797-5033-7
Trade Hardback; $24.99; 67 pages; 978-1-4797-5034-4
Members of the media who wish to review this book may request a complimentary paperback copy by contacting the publisher at (888) 795-4274 x. 7879. To purchase copies of the book for resale, please fax Xlibris at (610) 915-0294 or call (888) 795-4274 x. 7879.
For more information on self-publishing or marketing with Xlibris, visit http://www.Xlibris.com. To receive a free publishing guide, please call (888) 795-4274.

domain: library


text:
The Adani Group will invest over Rs. 60,000 crore in a number of sectors in Madhya Pradesh that would create thousands of jobs.
This would reshape the economy of several districts in the state, said Pranav Adani, director at Adani Enterprises, at the seventh Madhya Pradesh Global Investors Summit.
Currently, the group has investments of close to Rs. 27,500 crore in sectors such as power generation and transmission, gas distribution, cement manufacturing and agro processing, among others, in the state.
He said that sectors and projects that the group plans to invest in include four-laning of a part of NH-47, a gas link project and a micro-irrigation system.
It plans to set up mega food parks and six multi-modal logistics parks in Dhar, Guna, Damoh, Ujjain and two in Indore. The multi-modal parks will be set up with an investment of Rs. 5,250 crore, Adani said.
He said that as the second-largest cement manufacturer in the country now, the group only has a manufacturing plant in Katni district. It is planning to set up three more plants in Ametha, Dewas and Bhopal.
“The total investment in the three plants will be around Rs. 3,500 crore. This will almost triple cement manufacturing in the state to 7.5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA),” Adani said.
He said that the Adani Group will invest close to Rs. 39,000 crore on renewable energy. It will set up a major pump storage hydro project with an investment of Rs. 15,000 crore.
Meanwhile, among other investment proposals announced at the summit, Reliance Industries will invest another Rs. 40,600 crore on telecom, multi-gigawatt renewal projects and retail outlets in the state. At present, the group’s total investment in the state is estimated to be around Rs. 22,500 crore.
The Aditya Birla Group said it will invest Rs. 15,000 crore over five years across sectors.
The JSW Group plans to set up a fully-integrated cement plant in MP with an investment of Rs. 3,600 crore. JSW Paints plans to invest Rs. 4,500 crore in paint manufacturing units.
Also, ITC announced investments of Rs. 1,500 crore in setting up 1,000 farmer-producer organisations (FPOs) in the state. It is also planning to set up a packaging and food processing unit in the state, its chairman Sanjeev Puri said at the summit.
This site is best viewed with a resolution of 1024x768 (or higher) and supports Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 (or higher)
Copyright © 2016-2023


text:
I’m a 24 year old male. I was never sick beyond a cold up until a couple months ago. I’ve been having what feels like a pinched nerve in my right shoulder blade for a couple months. The pain sometimes radiates into my right arm with the feeling of pins and needles. I’m assuming this is a pinched nerve. If I scrunch my forehead I can also feel all the nerves in my scalp. I went to a neurologist about it and she did a brain MRI, came back fine. I was supposed to do the EMG but, wasn’t able to at the time due t work. She was pointing to my stress levels and said, it could be that. Last year I had a bad groin pain and they did a CT scan and nothing came back. Twice I’ve gotten a feeling of really tense muscles in my legs, but eventually fades.
When I started getting pain in my right shoulder blade I went to my general physician who I trust very much. She did a physical and ran a full set of blood work and it all came back perfect. She also took chest x-rays, back x-rays, x-rays of my cervical neck area, and didn’t find anything. Referred me to a orthopedic surgeon which I will call tomorrow to book an appointment with.
Last year in September 2010 I had blood in my stool so they did an endoscopy and colonoscopy and ran blood work. It all came back fine. I also had a CT of my pelvis and my abdomen twice and both came back fine. The doctor said I had some mild acid reflux and some hemorrhoids. Took the medication and it never came back though recently my stomach has been achey and I feel like it probably has something to do with that reflux and loss of appetite.
I started to feel weird sensation around my testicles like four months ago and I went in for a testicular ultrasound and it all came back fine.
I also suffer from a pretty extreme case of anxiety from all of this. I’ve been getting some mild night sweats. Not that I’m like drenched in sweat but almost the same sweat I get when I’m nervous during the day. My doctor did some blood work to test my lymph nodes to make sure they were okay, and all came back good. I had a really small lymph node feeling when I got my wisdom teeth taken out but never came back after that. My teeth were impacted so I’m not surprised that happened.
I’ve lost appetite but I still will eat. I haven’t lost any weight though because I continue to eat my meals though I’m not hungry.
Also I started to cough the past two weeks or so. My doctor said it may be the acid reflux acting up and to take my Prilosec for a couple weeks and see what happens. She said I had some post-nasal drip which is believable because I work around literally hundreds of people and flu-like symptoms have been happening.
Though all test come back fine when you have some wheezing, back pain in the right shoulder blade, some mild night sweats some nights, and loss of appetite its not a good deal. I guess my next step is try to see what doctor will give me an MRI of my right shoulder blade? I don’t know if an orthopedic will. Seems like they only care about the spine.
If stress is doing all this to me, the surely stress can kill you.
Copyright 1994-2018MedHelp.All rights reserved. MedHelp is a division of Vitals Consumer Services, LLC.
The Content on this Site is presented in a summary fashion, and is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as medical advice or a diagnosis of any health or fitness problem, condition or disease; or a recommendation for a specific test, doctor, care provider, procedure, treatment plan, product, or course of action. MedHelp is not a medical or healthcare provider and your use of this Site does not create a doctor / patient relationship. We disclaim all responsibility for the professional qualifications and licensing of, and services provided by, any physician or other health providers posting on or otherwise referred to on this Site and/or any Third Party Site. Never disregard the medical advice of your physician or health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of something you read on this Site. We offer this Site AS IS and without any warranties. By using this Site you agree to the following Terms and Conditions. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your physician or 911 immediately.

domain: medical


text:
LAB HOURS: MON - THU and SAT : 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM
FRI and SUN : 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Lecture - New Laboratory Markers for Early Detection of Preeclampsia
FML at EOFF 2014 in Dubai
New Laboratory Markers for the Early Detection of Pre-eclampsia
PD Dr. med. habil. Michaela Jaksch
Consultant in Laboratory Medicine
Freiburg Medical Laboratory, Dubai, UAE
Preeclampsia is one of the most life-threatening medical conditions (actually the leading cause of maternal mortality in developing and developed countries) for mother and baby during the later stages of pregnancy, affecting 3% to 5% of pregnant women. Clinical symptoms usually start after the 20th week of pregnancy and are mainly hypertension and proteinuria.
In the past years, a significant link was identified between preeclampsia and several angiogenic factors, in particular PlGF (Placental Growth Factor) and its receptor Flt-1 (Fms like tyrosine kinase receptor-1) as well as a circulating soluble form of the receptor, sFlt-1. These two factors are promising biochemical markers that together show high sensitivity from the mid-second trimester.
In patients with both, early and late onset preeclampsia, significantly elevated levels of Flt and sFlt receptor and lowered levels of PlGF can be detected several weeks before the onset of symptoms. However, the test has been evaluated only from the 20th week of gestation. Studies show that the maternal serum levels mirror the placental levels and are significantly altered compared to levels in women with uncomplicated pregnancies. Based on these opposing changes of the parameters, a ratio was calculated to better distinguish between uncomplicated pregnancies and those with preeclampsia. This ratio of sFlt-1/PlGF gives a more reliable prediction of clinical preeclampsia than just measuring the levels of one protein alone. Its value increases 6-8 weeks before the onset of preeclampsia.
Early detection is possible by screening pregnant women at risk for preeclampsia.
Note: A ratio of 85 or higher indicates the onset of preeclampsia. In cases with suspected preeclampsia but borderline values, the levels should be monitored periodically, maximum every 2 weeks. An increase indicates a worsening of the condition.
Literature for review:
Kim YJ. Pathogenesis and promising non-invasive markers for preeclampsia. Obstet Gynecol Sci 2013; 56(1):2-7.
Anderson UD et al. Biochemical markers to predict preeclampsia. Placenta 2012;33:S42-S47.
Levine RJ et al. Circulating angiogenic factors and the risk of preeclampsia. N Engl J Med 2004; 350:672–683.
MON - THU and SAT 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM | FRI and SUN : 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM

domain: literature


text:
This survey points out the fact that having a good work-life balance in the workplace can positively impact ethical behavior in the workplace. Any time someone is in balance, when they feel that their work is appreciated, and they generally "like" what they're doing, they will tend to perform ethically. Even the most ethically astute person may be more apt to "bend the rules" a bit if put into a position where they're out of balance, not feeling appreciated, or when they're stressed out or unhappy.
As managers and leaders, it is incumbent upon you to ensure that there exists a proper work-life balance at your workplace. Employees, if bought in, will understand that there are going to be times when extra hours will be required. They also need to understand that their extra efforts are appreciated and rewarded. Rewards can be as simple as a heart-felt, "Thank you for all your hard work and coming in on Sunday. You really made a difference in the project!", movie tickets, gift certificates, or give them an afternoon off just because. It's not rocket science and you'd be amazed how long a little bit of appreciation can go...
Survey: Work-Life Balance Can Have Impact on Ethical Workplace Behavior
When it comes to encouraging ethical behavior at work, a healthy work-life balance can make a big difference, according to the “2007 Deloitte & Touche USA LLP Ethics & Workplace” survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Deloitte & Touche USA.
Additionally, managers’ and supervisors’ behavior can foster ethical behavior in the workplace, as well as positive reinforcement thereof.
Sharon L. Allen, Deloitte & Touche USA chairman of the board, said the survey’s findings reflect the overarching importance of balancing work and life.


text:
|By Marketwired .||
|February 3, 2014 02:55 PM EST||
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 02/03/14 -- Only a few days remain until Canada's Olympic athletes begin competing in Sochi, Russia. Researchers supported by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) can offer insights into the many factors - from training and equipment to psychology and nutrition - that have brought these elite athletes to the games and which could influence their performance. Here are a few CFI-funded researchers who are available to comment on the science behind winning at Sochi.
- What do Canadian speed skater Olivier Jean and snowboarder Caroline Calve have in common? Aside from the fact that they'll all be competing in Sochi, they also all train with NeuroTracker, a computer program developed by world-leading neuroscientist Jocelyn Faubert at the Universite de Montreal that measures and improves cognitive performance in sports by challenging athletes to track many targets at high speeds on a large, 3-D screen. According to Faubert, by doing exercises that target this mental ability, athletes gain a greater competitive edge.
- Canada's Olympic athletes have to be not only physically ready to compete but also, perhaps more importantly, they have to be mentally prepared to perform at their best during the highest-octane sporting event in the world. Robert Schinke, a sport psychology professor at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ont., and a former professional equestrian, is a mental coach who guides Olympic hopefuls through his gruelling four-year plan to get them to the games mentally ready and able. Schinke says the most successful athletes are also the most self-aware and resilient.
- The nutritional needs of athletes competing in Sochi are scientifically planned for maximum performance. Speed skater Charles Hamelin, for example, takes in 6,000 calories per day, three times the recommended number for the average spectator. McMaster University's Stuart Phillips helped draft the International Olympics Committee's Consensus Statement on Sports Nutrition for the Vancouver 2010 games and is an expert on how exercise and dietary protein interact to either build or deplete muscle. The Hamilton-based researcher can comment on what is involved in eating for optimal performance.
- Tim Walzak at Camosun College's Sport Innovation and Research Centre in Victoria has developed sensor systems that track and measure Olympic athletes' performance as they prepare for the games in Sochi. By linking the data they collect from the sensors to high definition video, coaches and athletes can study the direct link between the athlete's biomechanical responses and their immediate effects on performance. This turn-key package of information will provide coaches and athletes with an unprecedented view of their performance and ultimately help them refine their techniques.
These are just a few angles for the Sochi Winter Olympic Games that CFI-funded researchers are prepared to discuss. For additional stories, contact our media relations contacts below.
About the Canada Foundation for Innovation
The Canada Foundation for Innovation gives researchers the tools they need to think big and innovate. By investing in state-of-the-art facilities and equipment in Canada's universities, colleges, research hospitals and non-profit research institutions, the CFI is helping to attract and retain the world's top talent, to train the next generation of researchers, to support private-sector innovation and to create high-quality jobs that strengthen the economy and improve the quality of life for all Canadians. For more information, visit Innovation.ca.


Hop Up Kit - GX340 - GX390, 420 Predators, and 13/15hp Chinese OHV, Stage 4
The 3 kit starts with package similar to that of the stage 2 kit but adds a Ported and Milled Head with stainless, stainless valves, stud kit, & HD valve train components.
- Race/Open Air Filter & Adapter,
- Choice of Carbs
- Choice of Cams
- Ported Head, Milled .100" (Chinese OHV)
- Stainless valves
- Aluminum Retainers & Split Keepers
- Chrome Moly Pushrods
- Single or Dual Springs
- 8 degree Timing Key,
- Billet Rod +(.040 longer)
- Carb, Head, & Case gaskets
- Stud Kit
- Roller Tip 1.2 Rocker Arms (Optional Aluminum Roller Rockers)
- Optional Header/Exhaust
- Optional Aluminum Flywheel
Picture for reference only and may show optional parts. See above description for actual content.
Header not included unless specified.
Due to head work required, allow 1 week to ship.Note: Use of the Choke Bracket requires use of a stock Honda (or Chinese OHV) "Air Filter to Carb Gasket". This is not included in the kit. You can use the one that came with the motor, or can purchase one at
Filter should be sprayed with K&N type oil, especially in dirt applications. Oil not included click here
These kits are intended for experienced engine builders. Some clearancing, fitment, or other engine building "tricks" may be needed.
Billet Aluminum flywheel recommended. Stock flywheels, esp "Clone" are prone to failure and very DANGEROUS
Note: UT2s series Hondas (2012 & up) or later have a built in Rev Limiter in the coil and will require a new coil to exceed 4000 rpm. The UT2 coils (4 wire) can only be used with stock flywheels.
If using a Billet Flywheel, you must run a UT1 style coil (single wire).
13/15 Chinese Engines (414, 420, 460) usually have UT1 style coils already. However some Lifans and 420s have a digital ignition and will need a Honda UT1 coil to run t he billet flywheel.


Trump issued an order to the FBI in 2018 to investigate potential cases of China’s communist espionage. To date, over 2,000 cases await investigation. The Biden administration continues to be tone deaf on the threat China poses and continues blaming Russia. Will the CCP espionage allegations be whitewashed now?
Brad Johnson retired as a Senior Operations Officer and Chief of Station with the Central Intelligence Agency’s Directorate of Operations. Having served domestically and abroad, many assignments included areas of armed conflict. He served overseas in direct support of the War Against Terrorism and he took multiple assignments overseas as Chief of Station.
A certified senior expert in counterintelligence, surveillance and surveillance detection, his proven expertise in dangerous operational environments included the highest level of training available in the USG and globally. His tradecraft expertise was put to test in dangerous, difficult, and restrictive operational environments.
Brad is an enrolled member of The Cherokee Nation, a Federally Recognized Tribe.
In the summer of 2017, he founded the non-profit organization Americans for Intelligence Reform to create awareness of political corruption and the resulting diminished capabilities within the intelligence community. Serving as President, he brings you his unique perspective from deep, international experience and conservative, Christian values.


Other Images from this Gallery
Children and adults can suffer painful injuries, or even risk amputation, from getting their fingers caught between a door and the door jamb. A unique door-hinge design from an Australian inventor could prevent these injuries from occurring. The Finger Hinge is a full-length door hinge that completely eliminates the gap between the door and the wall and therefore removes any possibility of getting crushed fingers when the door is closing.
Read the full article: The Finger Hinge prevents fingers being caught in the door