Ten spectacular creative projects will demonstrate the nation’s talent in science, technology, engineering, arts and maths
- Unboxed: Creativity in the UK will bring people together either in person or through digital media
- Unboxed will play a major role in a year of celebration for the country alongside Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
- Programme will run from March to October 2022 boosting tourism, supporting local economies and helping the nation’s renewal following the Covid-19 pandemic
Today marks the unveiling of Unboxed: Creativity in the UK – a major festival taking place in 2022 featuring ten spectacular projects across the UK that people will be able to visit in person or experience through traditional broadcast and digital media.
Unboxed brings together some of the UK’s brightest talents in science, technology, engineering, arts and maths to work on jaw-dropping projects that will champion the nation’s creative ability, give people memorable days out and support tourism and local economies.
The festival, backed by £120 million of government funding, will touch all corners of the UK, with projects moving to different locations across the UK to reach as big an audience as possible.
Combined with the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, next year will be one of pride, celebration and coming together for the nation following the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, said:
From the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, 2022 is going to be a year of celebrating the UK at its best.
And today, we are launching our fantastic new festival – Unboxed: Creativity in the UK.
A celebration of UK ingenuity, energy, innovation, optimism and all-round creative genius, it will be unlike anything else that has been seen before.
Light shows, sculpture trails and a festival of ideas are just some of the spectacular events that will take place in locations across the UK – alongside work and experiences you can interact with digitally.
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said:
Next year we will celebrate creativity in all four corners of the UK in what is set to be a huge year for the nation. Everyone should have the opportunity to experience world-leading arts and culture no matter what their background or where they’re from – and that’s what Unboxed is all about.
In 2022 we’re also preparing to host the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and mark Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Together, these events will be at the heart of a year of celebration that will showcase the best of the UK to the world.
Martin Green CBE, Chief Creative Officer, Unboxed: Creativity in the UK, said:
Hundreds of creatives from across science, technology, engineering, arts and maths are creating extraordinary once-in-a-lifetime events and online experiences for millions in the UK’s biggest and most ambitious public creative programme to date.
Unboxed represents an unprecedented and timely opportunity for people to come together across the UK and beyond and take part in awe-inspiring projects that speak to who we are and explore the ideas that will define our futures.
The programme of events will also engage hundreds of thousands of school children, young people and communities throughout 2022 through school outreach and other ways to take part. There will be volunteering roles to be filled and Unboxed will create employment and training opportunities for people involved.
Unboxed will kick off in March with the incredible ‘About Us’ installation beginning in Paisley, before touring locations including Derry-Londonerry, Caernarfon, Luton and Hull. Featuring a spectacular sound and vision show, ‘About Us’ will take audiences on a journey through time and space – from the Big Bang to the present day – exploring the earth’s history and people’s connections to one another. Renowned musician Nitin Sawhney has composed a score for the show that will be performed by local choirs in host towns and cities. There will also be a UK-wide schools’ poetry and computer coding competition, launched today.
Across Scotland, the ‘Dandelion’ project will feature Unexpected Gardens, vertical farms, free music events and plant giveaways to reimagine the annual harvest festival for the 21st Century, from Caithness to Dumfries.
In Wales, ‘GALWAD’, which means ‘call’ in Welsh, is a story set thirty years in the future which will unfold across TV drama, digital platforms and live events in three Welsh locations— Blaenau Ffestiniog, Merthyr Tydfil and Swansea— over seven days.
In Northern Ireland, ‘Our Place in Space’ will be a 10km scale model sculpture trail of the solar system that has been designed by children’s author and artist Oliver Jeffers. People will be able to visit it in person in Derry-Londonderry, Belfast Divis and the Black Mountain, Cambridge and Ulster Transport Museum or through augmented reality.
‘Tour De Moon’ will be a series of festivals, satellite events and nightlife experiences inspired by the Moon. Young creative talent aged 18 to 25 will be involved in creating the programme that will include music, filmmaking and debate. It will take place across Leicester, Newcastle, Southampton and satellite events across England.
Weston-super-Mare will be home to ‘SEE MONSTER’ a decommissioned North Sea offshore platform which will be transformed into a huge public art installation on the site of the town’s disused former lido, Tropicana, in what is set to be a sensory show-stopper.
A summary of the ten projects at ‘Unboxed: Creativity in the UK’:
- About Us (locations: Paisley, Derry-Londonderry, Caernarfon, Luton, Hull) – An epic touring light and vision show will take audiences on a journey through time and space – from the Big Bang to the present day – exploring the earth’s history and people’s connections to one another.
- PolliNations (locations: Edinburgh, Birmingham) – A pop-up forest garden that celebrates the global origins of the UK’s plants and population through immersive installations, live music, talks and performances.
- Dandelion (locations: across Scotland with two major music and food festivals in Glasgow and Inverness) – 100,000 schoolchildren and young people will take part in the largest community growing experiment ever undertaken in Scotland. Featuring live events to explore the science of future growth.
- GALWAD: A Story from our Future (locations: Merthyr Tydfil, Blaenau Ffestiniog and Swansea, TV and Online) – GALWAD brings together Wales’ boldest talent in film and TV, creative technology and live performance with the imagination and talents of Welsh communities for a new kind of story which invites audiences to explore the moral dilemmas and possibilities of our future.
- Tour de Moon (locations: Leicester, Newcastle, Southampton and satellite locations across England) – A festival of ideas inspired by our ‘universal satellite’, the Moon, held on a festival site created for young people and their families.
- Our Place in Space (locations: Derry-Londonderry, Belfast, Divis and Black Mountain, Cambridge and Ulster Transport Museum) – A 10km scale-model sculpture trail of the solar system, designed by artist and children’s author Oliver Jeffers, which can be visited physically or experienced in augmented reality. The digital technology enables you to visit the virtual trail from any global location making it accessible to all.
- SEE MONSTER (location: Weston-super-Mare) – A decommissioned North Sea offshore platform installed in Weston-super-Mare will be transformed into a magnificent public art installation.
- StoryTrails (locations: Blackpool, Bradford, Bristol, London Borough of Lambeth and Lewisham, Lincoln, Sheffield, Slough, Wolverhampton, Swansea, Newport, Dundee, Dumfries, Swindon and Omagh) – StoryTrails will bring to life untold stories using augmented reality in civic spaces to see BBC and BFI archive footage and learn the story of where they live.
- Dreamachine (location: Edinburgh, Cardiff, London, Belfast) – An artwork seen with your eyes closed that explores the limitless potential of the human mind in a powerful new kind of collective experience.
- Green Space, Dark Skies (location: online) – A series of interventions celebrating the UK landscape to connect people with nature using a new lighting technology to be experienced by audiences online.
Find out more
- Visit the Unboxed: Creativity in the UK website to stay up to date with the latest news and information.
- Discover more about 2022 as a year of celebration.


text:
When it comes to 5-door city cars, the Chevrolet Sonic 5-door is hard to ignore: sleek looks, sporty handling and versatility. You get a lot of car for your money because it’s a small car that makes no compromises.
The Chevrolet Sonic 5-door doesn’t feel like a small car at all. Watch the videos on the page to get a real sense of how spacious and well-designed the Sonic really is.
Once you’re inside the Chevrolet Sonic, you’ll really appreciate the clever touches that set this car apart. There are places to put the things we all carry around - and they’ve been well thought-out too.
Watch the video and look out for these great features:
Clever places to put things like sunglasses, wallets and maps
Dashboard device holder to keep your iPod or MP3 player neatly stowed while it plays through the car’s audio system Steering-wheel mounted audio controls

domain: design


text:
Content Warning: This article touches on the topic of depression which may be triggering for some readers.
During last night's live Big Brother finale, winner Reggie Sorensen – formerly Reggie Bird - was overcome with emotion as the audience chanted her name.
"I can't believe it Sonia," she told host Sonia Kruger. "Thank you, thank you to everyone that voted for me. I hope I did you all proud."
But among the adoring crowd were a few people whose cheers meant the most to Reggie.
Along with her two kids, the reality star's new partner also watched as the Big Brother queen regained her crowd.
"He was sitting in the audience watching with his daughter," she tells TV WEEK.
"We all travelled here together and he came up on stage once it was all finished."
Meanwhile, Reggie's two kids, Mia and Lucas, were overjoyed for their mum as they huddled together on stage.
"They were so shocked, just like I was. They were really overwhelmed and little Lucas, he was trying not to cry," she recalls.
"Australia has seen the kids grow up, it was just awesome for them to be there with me."
The $250,000 prize money means a lot to Reggie, 48, who previously lost her 2003 winnings after the breakdown of her first marriage.
"That went in a divorce, because I paid off the house down in Tassie and this time around I'm just so blessed," she says.
"I'm proud of myself for going back and doing this because it was a big decision to make. And I'm glad I made that decision."
WATCH: Reggie Bird wins Big Brother 2003. Article continues after video
After winning Big Brother for the first time, Reggie was dealt a bad hand. In 2004, she was diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition called retinitis pigmentosa and is now legally blind.
The reality star also suffered a stroke in 2017 as a result of a heart condition, was swindled out of her money, and nearly faced eviction from the home she shares with her children.
What's more, Reggie's youngest son Lucas is currently grappling with cystic fibrosis.
As life keeps throwing her curveballs, the 48-year-old previously told TV WEEK how she stays resilient.
"I think it's a matter of you just got to get on with it," she said.
"Years ago, when I couldn't drive anymore and handed in my driver's license, I lost all of my independence. And then, you know, with Lucas' illness, I went through a lot of depression back then."
"But I managed to pull through and I think that what will be, will be, and I've just got to make the most of every day. That's how I look at life."
If you or someone you know has been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, help is always available. Call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

domain: celebrity


It's rare that we get to gauge the continual improvements manufacturers make to their cars over time on our fleet; we tend not to run two identical models consecutively. But when Volvo asked if we'd like to swap our XC90 D5 diesel for a T8 plug-in hybrid model six months into our year-long tenure, we jumped at the chance. Not only to experience part-electric power in our current favourite large SUV (and 2015 Car of the Year) but also to see how Volvo is tweaking the car for its latest customers.
It's the small things that you notice; the ride is marginally better than before (on the same size wheels and tyres) and the interior seems just that tiny bit more solidly built.
Image 15 of 52
The tech has moved on apace, too. I've loved the autonomous Pilot Assist on my D5 at speeds of up to 30mph, but on the T8 the car will work the accelerator, brakes and guide the steering at up to 80mph (apparently). Now it works even better; it's eerily relaxing, but you find yourself naturally gripping the steering wheel slightly tigher the faster you go. The car is still doing most of the work, with the odd bit of gentle guidance.
The other big change is the lack of noise, and not just the petrol/electric vs diesel. The D5's engine had excellent refinement, but it can never compete with the T8.
Yet it's the lack of tyre noise I've noticed. I, like many XC90 owners, have been critical of the amount of road roar the car generates as a D5. My new T8, sitting on the same Continental rubber, is much more hushed.
Image 3 of 52
I suspect that's down to the noise-cancelling tech Volvo has fitted to the T8 more than anything else the company has done. Microphones in the headlining measure the sound, with clever technology sending soundwaves through the speakers to nullify unwanted cabin noise. It ensures any extra feedback from the drivetrain is unheard, enabling you to enjoy the superb optional Bowers and Wilkins audio system, and works wonders on the tyre roar, too.
My only other gripe with the D5 was the disappointing fuel economy, although it improved to 33mph before the car left us. The T8 has an absurd efficiency claim of 134.5mpg, thanks to the even more absurd and antiquated (i.e. not designed for any cars with plugs) official tests.
My car is currently averaging 41mpg. That's not too bad, but even that figure wobbles if I don't plug in morning and night, or go for a long drive where the electric power soon disappears and is barely replenished by the regenerative braking. The £13,000 price difference between D5 and T8 puts a more negative spin on things, too.
Image 7 of 52
The T8 is certainly swift when you select Performance mode - which also beefs up the steering and optional air suspension - and you put your foot down. The transition from electric to petrol is pretty seamless, too.
Yet the all-electric range of 21 miles can't even cover my one-way commute and you'd be surprised how quickly it disappears in daily running around, too. Audi's new Q7 has a much more useful plug-in range of 34 miles with an economical diesel companion.
However, the XC90's strengths of style, comfort, space, quality and tech still make the car a joy to live with. Let's see if we prefer the D5 or the T8 over the coming months.
(Note: Volvo replaced our D5 diesel XC90 with the T8 Twin Engine model in June 2016. All reports below this point refer to our previous diesel model.)
Autonomous technology is making our Car of the Year a dream for commuting
Barely a day passes when we don’t talk about autonomous driving technology at the moment – it’s the buzz phrase in the car business, with every maker working on various types and guessing when fully autonomous cars will be commonplace.
It may be something of a surprise to some to see Volvo at the cutting edge of this tech, but the XC90 on our fleet is packed with the latest kit. And at some stage every day, the car is doing some of the driving for me.
Image 31 of 52
My favourite feature is Pilot Assist, which works in stop-start traffic up to 30mph. Using the cameras and radar on board, it keeps track of the car in front to know when to accelerate and brake, while also reading the white lines on the road to stay in lane.
I still have to be on guard ready to take over – the car can have trouble seeing worn lines – but it’s a fine example of how this tech can take the stress out of a commute.
The adaptive cruise control gets even more use, especially on local roads with average speed cameras. I can set the system to a prescribed limit and the XC90 will once again take care of accelerating and braking. It can work up to motorway speeds and even bring the car to a complete halt and start again at the touch of a button on the wheel – all I have to do is steer.
With self-parking kit, a head-up display, keyless go and Apple CarPlay, plus the roster of advanced safety tech you expect on board, I’ve spent many hours wowing friends with my car of the future – but it's here now.
Image 33 of 52
The XC90 impresses the family with its space and comfort, too, and while the 2.0-litre engine may sound small for such a big car, I‘ve never been left wanting for power. It’s clearly a four-cylinder unit when you put your foot down and hear the muted roar, but it’s more than powerful enough.
However, fuel economy is disappointing. With over 7,000 miles now on the clock I’d expected to improve on the 31.9mpg I was returning in my last report. It’s actually got worse – down to 31.6mpg. Okay, so it’s a big SUV, but it’s proving even thirstier than the 3.0-litre V6 diesel Range Rover Sport we used to run. And that’s in spite of frequent use of the (seemingly pointless) Eco Mode.
There’s one other problem that's just occurred and will need dealer attention, too. The indicators are sluggish to operate – you seem to miss the first important flash when you activate them, while nudging the stalk up or down for three blinks simply doesn't work at all.
Image 34 of 52
I have my doubts that the sensors for the auto wipers are working as well; they don’t adjust their frequency depending on the amount of rain. So, an unwanted pre-service trip to the dealer will be needed soon. Seeing how Volvo’s garages cope with these issues will be interesting, as they don't normally fare too well in our Driver Power surveys.
Still, life with the XC90 is generally good right now, so let’s hope economy improves and the problems get sorted quickly so we can carry on our love affair.
Classy, tech-laden Volvo XC90 is our reigning Car of the Year, and now it joins our fleet
Image 45 of 52
It’s pretty rare for my family to make too many comments about my cars, but our Volvo XC90 seems to be something of an exception. It took a matter of days for them to fall in love with it – and if my hard-to-please bunch are impressed, it must be good.
Last year we named the XC90 Car of the Year, and the attributes that won it that accolade are exactly what are impressing the Fowler family: it’s a comfortable, spacious, stylish, safe and tech-laden SUV. So over the next 12 months, I’ll be finding out if our admiration for the car is long lasting.
We started out at Volvo West London, where Alasdair Jakes gave me an expert rundown on the myriad features of the XC90. Volvo dealers haven’t done especially well in our Driver Power survey, coming 22nd last year, and I left feeling that facilities needed an upgrade if Volvo is to compete with more established premium brands.
Image 36 of 52
For example, Volvo West London does its new car handovers in the car park - a world away from the drama of some in-showroom handovers, like the one experienced by road test editor James Disdale when he picked up our new Land Rover Discovery Sport recently.
My XC90 is a top-spec Inscription model fitted with a host of luxury and safety options, pushing the price up from £50,685 to £68,200. The fact that you can spend that amount on extras shows how Volvo is following the lead of other premium brands, but many of the options are things some rivals don’t offer.
As a tech fan, I had to have Apple CarPlay, self-parking, a head-up display and Queue Assist, which will drive the car itself in stop-start traffic up to 30mph. My car also has adaptive cruise control, which I’m using more than I thought I would – it makes life so easy, not only on the motorway, but as the traffic ebbs and flows on my daily commute, too.
Image 32 of 52
Another thing my family has commented on is the audio system made by British hi-fi expert Bowers & Wilkins. I’m a bit of an audio nerd, yet my family has never commented on the quality of an in-car sound system before. However, they’re really impressed by the sound quality on offer, whatever we’re listening to. And it’s easy to operate via the superb touchscreen system, too.
I also opted for air-suspension, which smooths out the ride. It’s not Range Rover smooth, but pretty good nonetheless. And having run Range Rovers in the past, I can confirm the Volvo matches the far pricier Brit on interior quality and beats it on tech.
Image 38 of 52
Having seven seats is a real bonus for a family of five, especially with enough space for the kids not to moan if they’re asked to sit in row three. With my 15-year-old boys now six feet two tall, the excellent space in row two is more important, leaving Leia the Labrador plenty of room in the boot.
Two areas I’m not so chuffed with are the fuel economy – a disappointing 31.9mpg so far from the 2.0-litre diesel – and noise from the 20-inch Continental tyres. Volvo should consider alternatives with sound-deadening Conti Silent tech, as this is something other owners have mentioned to me, too.
Even so, the year ahead is looking good for life with the XC90. It’s proving a very easy car to live with, and a very easy car to love.
*Insurance quote (below) provided by AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old living in Banbury, Oxon, with three points.


text:
US researchers have argued against a hypothesis that angiotensin receptor blocker treatment could increase the risk of heart attacks.
The risks of any of myocardial infarction, death, cardiovascular death or angina pectoris were effectively the same for ARBs as for other active treatments or placebo, say the US researchers writing in the British Medical Journal.
After a systematic review and meta-analysis of 37 hypertension and non-hypertension controlled trials involving 147,000 patients, the researchers found that ARBs brought reductions of 10%, 13% and 15% respectively of stroke, heart failure and new onset diabetes, when compared with controls.
In a challenge to a BMJ editorial written in 2004 - which argued the results of the VALUE trial suggested ARBs may lead to higher risk of myocardial infarction - they found no evidence for any relative increase in myocardial infarction and specifically ruled out a absolute 0.3% increase in the risk of death, or cardiovascular death.
Professor Sripal Bangalore, director of research at New York University's cardiac catheterisation laboratory, said: 'In our meta-analysis we found no evidence to support the theory that ARBs increase the risk of myocardial infarction.'

domain: literature


text:
Addiction: Desire For Connection?
September 27, 2016
"As I stand in the East, and the first rays of sunlight dance upon the horizon, I feel welcome. I feel connected. I feel like I belong."
The Journey is a rock musical I wrote about addiction and recovery. The stage production opens with the sun emerging above the horizon, gradually illuminating the silhouette of a lone figure standing with arms solemnly outstretched, reaching towards the sky. Narration refers to the sun's journey across the sky, likening this to the spiritual journey upon which this soul is about to embark.
The reference is to the Native American Medicine Wheel, a cyclical model that reflects the concept of the "circle of life." The Four Directions represent the four stages of a cycle: The sun rises in the East, the place of beginning. The day grows as the sun reaches a highest point before descending into darkness of the West and the day transitions into night. Finally, the day goes through a death as the sun disappears, only to return to the new beginning of East once again. The return to the East becomes a rebirth, or renewal.
This short little piece sets the stage for examining some pretty deep stuff when it comes to looking at where addiction fits with overall process of psycho-spiritual development.
"And the first rays of sunlight dance upon the horizon" refers to the magical moment that is the beginning of life. Original wholeness—the infant in the womb. A blissful experience with all needs met. As the narration suggests, the feeling is one of connection. But the narration also suggests things might not stay this way:
"Yet I know I will be leaving this place as it is time for my journey to begin."
Loss of original connection is a theme that has been portrayed in stories and metaphors since the beginning of time. Heroes leave the Kingdom to face challenges—they lose their connection to the King. Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden, losing their connection to God. As a story about addiction and recovery, The Journey demonstrates how this loss of connection makes us vulnerable to falling into patterns of self-defeating behaviors in our attempt to "return to this place" and reclaim our original spiritual connection.
Addiction creates a deceptive dynamic that appears to meet needs relative to this desire for feeling whole and connected. Yet, as we hear at a later point in the program: "I thought I was trying to find myself. Looking back now, I see, that's where I began to lose myself." Misguided attempts to seek fulfillment become self-defeating behaviors that lead to further loss of self. Most addicts will acknowledge they were searching for something. The problem is, we don't know what we're searching for! It's not uncommon to hear people who have achieved "recovery" describe a renewed feeling of wholeness and fulfillment, and—perhaps most importantly—they find this within themselves as opposed to relying on something outside of themselves to provide their good feelings.
The journey to wholeness is one that comes full-circle: the Hero returns to the Kingdom and is transformed. The Sun returns to the East and brings a new day. This is every person's story. We return the the place where our journey began, and reclaim our original connection.
"The Journey" is the musical component of "The Journey To Recovery Program", a multi-media substance abuse treatment curriculum for adolescents and adults.

domain: psychology


text:
Above the Rim (1994)
Is Above the Rim on Netflix United States?
Sorry, Above the Rim is not yet available on Netflix.
Story of a promising high school basketball star and his relationships with two brothers, one a drug dealer and the other a former basketball star fallen on hard times and now employed as a security guard. In New York City, where thousands of teenagers compete for very few chances to play professional basketball--and the fame and money that come with them--one talented young man must choose between a scholarship to college and immediate wealth in this drama set on the urban asphalt basketball courts of Harlem.
- Above the Rim
- Crime Drama Thriller Sport
- IDMB rating
- 6.7 (14066 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes rating
- Jeff Pollack
- David Bailey, Tupac Shakur, Duane Martin, Leon
Watch the trailer
Check the Above the Rim (1994) trailer!

domain: artistic


A very nice low mileage example of the VW Amarok 2.0L Bi-Turbo TDI. We fitted a cat back Milltek exhaust with the tail pipe option, you can see the before and after in the picture. We also installed Revo stage 1 software boosting the performance to 208ps and another 45Nm of torque.
The stage 1 is much sharper and more responsive throughout the rev-range feeling as though its been on a strict weight loss diet. Power delivery is smooth and progressive giving a factory feel but with the performance that was lacking as standard, Drivability is massively improved and in normal driving conditions the fuel economy improvements are a more than welcomed by-product.
Contact us to discuss your next tuning project


text:
Of the Human nations of the Old World, the most important by far is that of the Empire of Man, more often called simply “The Empire.” It was forged by the warrior-king and ascended deity Sigmar from the primitive Human tribes of barbarians who inhabited what became the lands of the southern Empire more than 2500 years ago.
This painted model of Luthor Huss was on display at Warhammer World in July 2018.
According to the latest posting on the Warhammer Community sites, the Old World in Warhammer is coming back.
The original Warhammer world was “destroyed” in 2015. The Warhammer: The Game of Fantasy Battles changed forever when Games Workshop (though they said Archaon was responsible) destroyed the world.
Everything we knew of the Old World collapsed into a void of Chaos and infinite possibility. From that tumultuous storm came the Mortal Realms, heralding a new dawn of unending war in the Age of Sigmar.
I never really got the Age of Sigmar, apart from it was an attempt to make Warhammer Fantasy Battles more like Warhammer 40K.
I am intersted to see where this is going, but it’s not a new story or a new world, it’s the original old world.
The Old World is to Warhammer Age of Sigmar, as the Horus Heresy is to Warhammer 40,000.
So looks like we’re getting the old Warhammer back…
I have always liked this jousting diorama, The Bretonnian Joust, by Dave Andrews which won the Open Competition in the 1996 Golden Demon awards. The level of detail is outstanding. There are hoof marks in the ground, created using clay. The manuscript on the back is handwritten.
Across the diorama are lots of figures adding to the story. The pavilion is made from foil, but is painted to look like cloth.
Some more photographs and details about the model can be found here.
Our rules have changed, and with change comes war on a scale as yet unimagined.
Gigantic monsters, flying creatures, legendary heroes and storms of magical power take their place on the battlefield, alongside thousands of warriors clashing in real-time tactical battles. All at YOUR command.
In the turn-based campaign game of statecraft & empire building, you will find the Old World an unforgiving and treacherous place, filled with endless war and cunning alliances alike. Whichever race you choose to play as and however you seek conquest, you will be faced with a conflict that threatens to tear the very fabric of reality asunder.

domain: history


text:
I’ve gotten bored with all my old quotes and am starting over. Change happens, what was once novel grows stale. Here’s to freshness!
Life and death are of supreme importance. Time swiftly passes by and opportunity is lost. Each of us should strive to awaken. Awaken. Take heed, do not squander your life. ~ Dogen Zenji
People saying “it can’t be done” are constantly being interrupted by somebody doing it. ~ source unknown
We’re exploring what we’re exploring with. ~ Gabrielle Roth
It has often appeared, while I have been soothing a patient, as if there were some strange property in my hands to pull and draw away from the afflicted parts aches and diverse impurities by laying my hands on the place of discomfort. ~ Hippocrates


June 7, 2012 | Law and Justice
Woman of the Week: Karima Bennoune
Woman of the Week Karima Bennoune has argued passionately and persuasively on some of the most sensitive human rights issues of our time.
By Anna Louie Sussman
June 6, 2012
NEW YORK -- If international human rights lawyer Karima Bennoune learned one thing from her father, an Algerian activist and dissident who fought in his country’s War of Independence, it was “don’t give up.” He later went on to become a prominent critic of the country’s fundamentalists, an issue that Ms. Bennoune has since taken up.
“Even at the end of his life, he would give speeches,” recalled Ms. Bennoune. He was physically barely able to speak because of his health problems, but he just did not give up.”
A longtime women’s rights advocate and leading thinker on a range of human rights issues, Ms. Bennoune has been just as dogged in pushing her colleagues in the legal profession to think more broadly and humanely about some of the most sensitive issues of our time. For the past ten years, she has been a Professor of Law at Rutgers University. This fall, she will join the faculty at University of California-Davis’s School of Law. She contributes regularly to the Guardian’s comment pages, has received numerous awards, and made waves in 2008 with an influential paper, Terror/Torture, which introduced a gender analysis to the issues of terrorism and counter-terrorism. She is currently at work on a book, “Your Fatwa Does Not Apply Here,” about Muslims around the world who oppose fundamentalism. She spoke to the Women in the World Foundation about religion, women’s rights and activism within the Muslim world.
You’ve written that secularism and the separation of law and religion is fundamental to protecting women’s human rights. At the same time, there are groups who use progressive interpretations of religious texts to argue their points in their local context. What do you make of that strategy?
Well, I’m on the board of Network of Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML). One of the reasons why I really value my work with that organization is that it brings together women using a wide range of strategies: they use secular strategies, strategies based on universal human rights, and some of them also use the strategy of progressive interpretation and reinterpretation of religion.
I certainly don’t see those two things as inherently contradictory, but I am disappointed that increasingly we see at the international level what an Iranian once told me should be called “Islamic exceptionalism.” That tends to seem progressive, but it actually ends up undermining the people on the ground, who, whether they are personally religious or secular, are choosing to make secular- and human-rights-based arguments to do their work. I respect that people may have multiple strategies, but when I personally look at what’s happening in North Africa, I’m absolutely convinced, more and more and even more so than when I wrote the piece, “Secularism and Human Rights,” that secularism right now is the key for the achievement of human rights and the achievement of women’s human rights in particular in the region.
Who are the people you feature in your forthcoming book who are on the ground opposing fundamentalism?
The book begins with my father, who was receiving death threats in the 90’s from the fundamentalist armed groups, and who ultimately had to stop teaching at the university as a result. But he stayed in Algeria, moved out of his apartment because he one day found a note on his kitchen table that said,“Consider yourself dead.” So he had to move out of the apartment, but he stayed in the country and kept writing against the fundamentalists. One of the things that was really demoralizing to him was the lack of international solidarity, especially by progressive people, who somehow seemed to think that, in some ways, they should be sympathetic to the fundamentalists because allegedly they were anti-imperialist or something, when in fact, on the ground, the fundamentalists were targeting local progressive people. So the book really starts with trying to understand why these people are being ignored and trying to bring their stories to a bigger audience.
People ask, “Where are the Muslims that speak out against extremism?” They’re everywhere, but no one’s really paying attention. I’ve interviewed over 250 people from more than 20 countries, everywhere from Senegal and Nigeria and the Palestinian territories to Afghanistan, Pakistan, to some of the diasporas in France, and I’m on my way to Canada this weekend, and Algeria, and I went to Russia and talked to people from all over Central Asia and the Caucuses, so I’ve talked to a wide range of people. They’re very diverse. As I always say, they’re as diverse as people would be if you went to the Philippines and Italy to get diverse perspectives of people with Christian heritage.
One of the things that the Muslim fundamentalists, like the Christian fundamentalists, are really about is organizing internationally and networking and they have financial support and so on. The opponents of fundamentalism don’t have that support system. There are some networks like WLUML, for example, but you can’t begin to compare. I think part of the project is really to try to begin put many of these people in touch with each other, and to get them heard at the international level. They are everybody from the very progressive daughter of an imam to lawyers and doctors to ordinary rural people in Algeria who were victims of fundamentalist terrorism in the 90’s to community organizers to people who are doing this more full-time versus other people who are kind of doing this on the side.
Why do you think their voices have been ignored so far?
It’s the ignored-so-far part that made me want to write the book. I’m not sure why, but I think there are a couple of reasons. One, it’s very easy to be heard if you take an extreme position. If your position is reasonable, it’s very hard to be heard. Explosions reverberate, quite literally, but the people who are working in quiet ways against them have a much harder time making the front page of the newspaper, and I think that’s part of a bigger problem.
I think another one of the reasons why they’re not being heard goes back to our discussion about “Islamic exceptionalism,” because they’re somehow off-message. They’re standing up and defending either universal human rights, or very liberal interpretations of Islam that suggest, for example, that wearing a headscarf is an optional thing,or that suggests that gender-based violence is against the teachings of Islam. In some ways, they don’t fit the stereotypes that people on the right or on the left have of what people from Muslim heritage should be like and they’re sort of inconvenient. And I think part of the reason is that sometimes they are people who are very critical of the West, or of policies of the West towards their countries, and that may be part of the reason why they’re not being heard as well.
My view is that it is absolutely critical to listen to these people, to learn from their work and their experiences, and to find thoughtful ways of supporting what they’re doing, and at the very least not undermine what they’re doing. So I always want to be very careful about generalizing about these people. The interesting thing was that in almost every context, they identified rising fundamentalism as a major human rights issue of concern.
In the United States, there appears to be a backlash against women’s rights, some of which has a religious cast to it. What can women’s rights activists here learn from the people you’ve interviewed?
There is a lot to learn. One thing that really impressed me is that women in Tunisia in particular are absolutely refusing to give up on their demands. I went to Tunisia in March of 2011, so just a couple of months after Ben Ali fell. It was still the end of the euphoric moment, and the fundamentalists were just coming out and becoming more active. And yet the women that I interviewed were not “moderating” their demands. They were still very clear: they wanted a secular constitution. In fact, they wanted to move forward! They were pushing forward to lift Tunisia’s reservations to the CEDAW convention, which supposedly officially happened, although it’s never been officially filed with the Secretary-General of the UN.
That’s really critical: not losing the North, to borrow a French language expression, and not losing that because your argument is perhaps becoming less popular as more and more religious pressure is put on the political sphere.
Anna Louie Sussman is a writer and editor for the Women in the World Foundation website, and a frequent contributor to major U.S. magazines and newspapers.


text:
Over the last decade, I’ve read my way through the entire Barnes & Noble productivity section. Has it made me the most productive person in the world? Debatable. The Rock, or, perhaps, Elon Musk might lay claim to that title, but this little word binge did make me remarkably more focused. Whether you want to get more work done, stop procrastinating, pick up a new skill, or need a swift kick in your Aeron chair, there’s a book out there for you.
The One Thing
Great news, friends! You don’t have to master complicated filing systems, or download habit-tracking apps, or start going to bed at 8 p.m. every night to get more meaningful work done. Nope. What you have to do is focus on one thing at a time. Go small, says Gary Keller, author of The One Thing, by ignoring all the things you could do, and focus on what you should do. Pick a task, complete it, move on to the next. It’s shockingly counterintuitive, practically transgressive. He’s definitely not advocating multitasking, and getting this mantra drilled into your head for a couple hundred pages actually makes it stick. This book is so simple—and effective—it actually makes me angry I hadn’t thought of it first.
You are a Badass (Deluxe Edition)
Once upon a time, I rolled my eyes, too. But then I read You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero and those doubtful eyes rolled right back around and wouldn’t stop reading. Driven by her personality and personal stories, this book is a delight to read—the audiobook is even better—and feels a world away from classic self-help books from Dale Carnegie and the like. (Confession: I like those, too.) Embrace chapters like “Your Brain Is Your Bitch” and soon you’ll be repeating phrases like “your thoughts create your reality”—and believing them.
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
David Allen is an OG productivity guru. This guy published Getting Things Done in 2002, back before self-help podcasts were even a gleam in any baby entrepreneur’s eye. But GTD is called the lifehacker’s Bible for a reason. He gets deep into nitty-gritty organizational tactics, but it’s his two-minute rule that has rolled around my brain forever: “If an action will take less than two minutes, it should be done at the moment it’s defined.” You’ll be shocked by how many emails you optimistically *starred* for later can actually be answered in two minutes. Absorb his practical, pragmatic advice and I promise you’ll get more done.
Better Than Before
I’m an INFJ. What are you? If you know your Myers-Briggs personality type, or even if you read (and believe) your horoscope every once in awhile, you’ll be intrigued by Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin. At the crux of her book—which is masterful at helping you understand all the weird habits you have at work and at home—is her Four Tendencies quiz, which classifies you as a Questioner, Rebel, Upholder, or Obliger, based on how you respond to inner or outer expectations. Just…trust me on this one. I’ve given this book to seven friends and their lives have all measurably improved (in my eyes, anyway).
Are you not getting anything done because of the siren song of Instagram? Instead of going on a social media sabbatical, Gary Vaynerchuk, the entrepreneur and author of Crushing It!, argues you should make social media work for you. While most of his advice caters towards budding entrepreneurs and revolves around building up pillars of content on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter, one major throughline is the importance of speed. Vaynerchuk writes that he will always gravitate toward the thing that allows him to live his life more efficiently and do his work faster—and isn’t that idea something most of us can get behind? Stop overthinking, he says. Stop agonizing your decisions and taking forever to make up your mind. He’s a one-man wrecking ball of positive energy. Turns out being positive actually makes you productive, too.
Scouted is internet shopping with a pulse. Follow us on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter for even more recommendations and exclusive content. Please note that if you buy something featured in one of our posts, The Daily Beast may collect a share of sales.


Your basket is currently empty.
White Eco Baubles Set of 4
Eco Christmas Decoration Balls in off white with gold edges- Set of 4 are handmade by up-cycling shredded cotton fabric waste of the fashion industry. No trees are cut in making of these 100% bio-degradable products and zero plastic for packing.
Box of 4
Many of our products are designed using natural products and using handmade finishes. This means that some products will vary slightly in colour, shade and shape. Depending on your screen products may look different again. Please contact us if you would like to receive further clarification on a particular item.


The Indian national, 36, using a fake Nepalese passport, was arrested during a sting operation in southern Malaysia on October 24 for immigration offences and deported on Wednesday, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said in a statement.
The operation conducted by the Counter Terrorism Department on October 24 had uncovered the wanted man hiding in a neighbourhood in the town.
"We believe he was involved in the murder of Rashtariya Sikh Sangat's president Rulda Singh in July 2009. The group was also responsible for several bomb attacks there in April 2010," he said.
Rashtariya Sikh Sangat was an independent socio-cultural organisation that aimed to promote Sikh-Hindu relations. Khalid said the terrorist had fled the country and hid in other countries including Nepal and Thailand before entering Malaysia in 2010.
The suspect was arrested under Section 6(1) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for entering into the country without a valid travel document. He was the sixth Sikh militant the department had arrested since 2009, Rakyat Post, an online news portal said.


text:
Pour le piano (For the piano), L. 95, is a suite for solo piano by Claude Debussy. It consists of three individually composed movements, Prélude, Sarabande and Toccata. The suite was completed and published in 1901. It was premiered on 11 January 1902 at the Salle Érard, played by Ricardo Viñes. Maurice Ravel orchestrated the middle movement. Regarded as Debussy's first mature piano composition, the suite has frequently been recorded.
See a Problem? We’d love your help.
Watch new piano tutorials every day on our channel. la la land ryan gosling emma stone piano movie oscars hollywood dancing love best.
Freddie Gibbs and Madlib’s ‘Bandana’ Is the Sound of Two Rap Veterans at the Height of Their Powers. The hip-hop production wizard and charismatic MC team up for another head-spinning album. Reggaeton and Latin trap titans get together for a blockbuster collaboration.
Marilène Bergmann, Jean-Luc Bertrand - La Megaventure. Related music albums: Charley Stone - Petrol Story, Le Piano Désaccordé.
Loëtitia Euro-Disco France. No Artist - Le Manege Enchante. Mireille Mathieu - Love Story. Les Dolls - Parlez-nous D'amour.
Download and Print Digital Seet Music for "Love Story" by Francis Lai from 'Love Story' scored for Piano.
|B||Le Piano Désaccordé||2:50|
|83.002 , 85.018||Charley Stone||Petrol Story / Le Piano Désaccordé (7")||Decca, Decca||83.002 , 85.018||France||1971|

domain: entertainment


This is a site devoted to the history of Sheffield Rock & Pop music. We all know about the famous bands that come from the Steel City, but we want to devote some space to the bands that nearly made it as well.
Contributions of any kind welcomed – photos, reviews, memories, tickets, flyers, all welcomed. We know most readers will have some memorabilia tucked away in a dusty drawer 😉
Sheffield’s hardest-working band celebrate their 40th Anniversary! The band have continued writing & performing & celebrate 40 years of making music this Summer with two anniversary shows at the Greystones, Sheffield on Saturday 23rd June and Talking Heads, Southampton on Sunday 24th June. Both shows will be
recorded for CD & DVD release. Video here
The Midnight Choir in Brussels 1987 simon, nick, ziggy, matt, dippa – photo Nick Taylor
Slightly surprising to see some of these names in a “pop” mag! Thanks to Marek Pryjomko
Hard to credit, but Chesterfield used to be a stopping off point for many rock acts. Jimi Hendrix played two shows on April 8, 1967 at the ABC Cinema. Below is a photo of Buddy Holly strolling through the town ahead of his show in Sheffield that night, but my prize goes to King Crimson, who played the “Jazz Club” on September 7, 1969 – a month before their debut album was released. Amazingly there is a bootleg of this show and I would love to have seen the faces of the audience experiencing music from another planet 😉
Does anyone have any Chezzie music photos or memorabilia?
Buddy Holly visits Chesterfield


text:
Noodler's Purple Mountain Majesties
5320 South Shackleford Road
Little Rock AR 72204
Purple ink from Noodler's, made in USA.
Introduced at the 2018 Denver Pen Show.
The "Purple Mountain Majesties" comes from the song "America the Beautiful" which was written in 1895 by Katherine Lee Bates while visiting Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Although I personally had visited the Colorado Springs area many times during my Air National Guard career; I had never ascended the summit of the mountain.
Finally; while visiting the Colorado Pen Show in 2016, we had a chance to ride the "Cog Railroad" to the top. What an amazing experience!

domain: travel


text:
Wonder Woman seems to be depicted as a type of puritan being that finds herself wanting to help the world. One day she finds a man who is drowning by the island of the Amazons. During his time there on the isle, the Amazons try to decide whether he should live or die (at least in the comics or cartoon). After he is allowed to live he warns the Amazons of the “War to End All Wars,” and that they might all be in more trouble than they might have imagined on the secluded island.
Hearing about the war Diana decides to leap in to action. Her strong sense of justice cannot allow her to just stand idle by while innocent people die. However, she will soon discover the dangers of the outside world. Will the harsh realities of the outside world change her or will she persevere? Enter Wonder Woman!


MTSAT took over all the major meteorological functions of Geostationary Meteorological Satellite 5 (GMS-5) including the function to disseminate imagery data. Since the start of MTSAT operation, two imagery dissemination services, LRIT and HRIT, have been performed.
Low Rate Information Transmission (LRIT) is an imagery dissemination service for Small-scale Data Utilization Stations (SDUS). LRIT specification is defined by the Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites (CGMS).
LRIT imagery enables users to utilize the data in a wider range of applications extracting quantitative meteorological parameters.
Further technical specifications of LRIT are described in 'JMA LRIT Mission Specific Implementation' and 'CGMS 03 LRIT/HRIT Global Specification'.
High Rate Information Transmission (HRIT) is an imagery dissemination service for Medium-scale Data Utilization Stations (MDUS). HRIT specification is defined by CGMS as well as LRIT one.
Since images disseminated by HRIT are produced with minimal conversion from observed data, the center point of the images are the same as the position of an observation satellite, which is around 145°E for MTSAT-2 and around 140°E for MTSAT-1R.
The specifications of HRIT are described in 'JMA HRIT Mission Specific Implementation' and 'CGMS 03 LRIT/HRIT Global Specification'.
Satellite Program Division, Japan Meteorological Agency
E-mail: metsat AT met.kishou.go.jp


Ice Sheet Loads on Marina Pilesby Jerry O. Doud, (A.M.ASCE), Highway Engr.; Federal Highway Administration, Illinois Div., Springfield, Ill.,
Serial Information: Journal of the Waterway, Port, Coastal and Ocean Division, 1978, Vol. 104, Issue 1, Pg. 11-17
Document Type: Journal Paper
Two marina piles were instrumented with steel sleeves. The steel sleeves were fixed rigidly to the top of the piles. The bottoms of the sleeves were free to freeze into the ice sheet. Two transducers were placed on each sleeve above the water level to measure the tension and compression forces imposed on the pile by the ice sheet. The testing took place during two winters at Ontonagon, Mich. It was found that the fluctuating water level in the lake can produce large cycling loads and that the vertical loading rate that an ice sheet imposes on a marina pile can be significant.
Subject Headings: Ice loads | Sheet piles | Ports and harbors | Steel piles | Vertical loads | Loading rates | Water level
Services: Buy this book/Buy this article
Return to search


text:
Bengaluru (also called Bangalore) is the capital of India's southern Karnataka state. The center of India's high-tech industry, the city is also known for its parks and nightlife. By Cubbon Park, Vidhana Soudha is a Neo-Dravidian legislative building. Former royal residences include 19th-century Bangalore Palace, modeled after England’s Windsor Castle, and Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace, an 18th-century teak structure.
Ooty, also known as Udhagamandalam, is a hill station in the state of Tamil Nadu, in southern India. Surrounded by trees, central Ooty Lake is a huge artificial expanse of water with pleasure boats. On the slopes of nearby Elk Hill, the Rose Garden is home to over 2,000 varieties of roses. The Government Botanical Garden, created in the 19th century, features ferns, orchids and a prehistoric, fossilized tree.
Cochin: Pearl Palace / similar hotels - 1 Night
Munnar: At Wood Resort / similar hotels - 2 Nights
Thekkady: Grand Thekkady / similar hotels - 1 Night
Alleppey: Arcadia Regency / similar hotels - 1 Night
What is included in the tour
- 1 Nights Accommodation in mentioned or similar Hotel in Bangalore
- 1 Nights Accommodation in mentioned or similar Hotel in Mysore
- 2 Nights Accommodation in mentioned or similar Hotel in Ooty
- Daily breakfast
- Transfer & sightseeing as per the itinerary by A/C Vehicle (AC will switch off in hills)
- Min 02 pax:- A/C Indigo / Min 04 pax:- A/C Innova
- Min 06 Pax: A/C Innova
- All toll tax, parking fees & driver allowances
- All applicable hotel taxes (GST Extra)
What is NOT included in the tour
- Any other expenses which are not specified in the package inclusions
- Expense of personal nature such as laundry, mini bar etc
- GST @ 5.0 %
Day 1 :
Arrival at Bangalore Breakfast Pick up on Arrival and Transfer to a Hotel, After fresh 'n' up proceed to visit Lalbagh, Vidansaudha, Museum, Cubban Park and ISKON temple. Overnight Stay at Bangalore.
Day 2 : Bangalore –
Mysore Breakfast After Breakfast check out and proceed to Mysore. En route visit Srirangapatna(Dariya Daulat Bagh, Gumbaz, Fort and Temple). On arrival check in to hotel. After fresh ânâ up proceed to visit Maharajaâs Palace and Brindavan garden. Overnight Stay at Mysore
Day 3 : Mysore
- Ooty Breakfast After Breakfast checkout and proceed to visit Chamundi Hill, Big Bull and Mysore Zoo. Later proceed to Ooty. On arrival check in to hotel. Evening visit Botanical Gardens. Overnight Stay at Ooty.
Day 4 : Ooty
Breakfast After Breakfast Proceed to Coonoor. Coonoor Sight seeing(Simâs Park, Lamâs Rock, Dolphin Nose, Tea factory and Tea Gardens), Doddabetta Peak and Ooty Lake. Overnight Stay at Ooty. Breakfast After Breakfast Proceed to Coonoor. Coonoor Sight seeing(Simâs Park, Lamâs Rock, Dolphin Nose, Tea factory and Tea Gardens), Doddabetta Peak and Ooty Lake. Overnight Stay at Ooty.
Day 5 : Departure
Breakfast After Breakfast check out and proceed to Coimbatore / Mysore / Bangalore to board your Train or Flight.
Terms and Conditions
- Munnar and Thekkady Rooms are Non A/c Rooms as the Destinations are Hill Stations.
- A/c Dlx House Boat A/c Timings are 9 PM to 6 AM.
- Package valid only for Indian nationals.
- It is mandatory for guests to present valid photo identification at the time of check-in.
- The identification proofs accepted are Driving License, Voters Card, Passport, Ration Card. Without valid ID the guest will not be allowed to check in. Note- PAN Cards will not be accepted as a valid ID card.
- All transfers and sightseeing are as per the Itinerary/package and in case of Air Conditioned vehicles, It will be switched off in the hills. Indica or Tavera will be used for the sightseeing.
- The inclusion of extra bed with a booking is facilitated with a folding cot or a mattress as an extra bed.
- Early check-in or late check-out is subject to availability and may be chargeable by the hotel. The standard check-in time is 1300hrs and the standard check-out time is 1000hrs.
- Any kind of personal expenses (Laundry, room service etc..) or optional tours/ extra meals are not inclusive in the package cost.
- The hotel reserves the right of admission. Accommodation can be denied to guests posing as a couple if suitable proof of identification is not presented at check-in. Via.com will not be responsible for any check- in denied by the hotel due to the aforesaid reason.
- In case of non-availability of above mentioned hotels similar category hotel will be provided.
- GoTravelicsPvt Ltd reserves the right to change/modify or terminate the offer any time at its own discretion and without any prior notice.


text:
$2.49 (save 58%) if you become a Member! (learn more...)
This is a Hal Leonard digital item that includes:
About "Wind In Our Sail"
Digital sheet music for guitar (lead sheet).
Contributors to this music title:
Kenneth Scott Chesak (writer)
Rivers Cuomo (writer)
Ryan Spraker (writer)
This item includes: PDF (digital sheet music to download and print)
Genre: pop, rock
Skill Level: intermediate


text:
Prescribing a good laugh
THIS young patient at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children played host to some special guests.
By The Newsroom
Published 21st Mar 2012, 12:07 BST- 1 min read
Three clown doctors dropped by and helped put a smile on little Aspen Bennett’s face.
Dr Zog, Dr Squash and Dr Mousse – aka Gareth Williams, Ben Winger and Rachel Colles – made sure there were red noses for everyone.
The Clown Doctors are a team of carefully chosen professional performers who undergo specialist training to work with children in hospital and hospice, residential or respite care.
They visit sick children at the hospital in the Capital twice per week.

domain: news


text:
The currency used in Japan is the Yen (Y). Notes come in denominations of Y1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 and the notes in use are Y1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500.
The language spoken in almost all of the country is Japanese with the exception of certain regions where the older people speak various older languages which have since become redundant. English is widely spoken, however, particularly by younger citizens and in major cities and tourist areas.
Most of the country experiences a temperate climate resulting in a humid monsoon climate with south easterly winds blowing from the Pacific in summer and north westerly winds from Eurasia during winter. Japan experiences four distinct seasons but because it stretches for over three thousand kilometres along north and south, various parts, and particularly the extremities experience very different climates. For example, at certain times of the year you can sunbathe in the south or ski in the north at the same time. In general winters are cool and sunny in the north while they are significantly colder around the capital. Summer, which takes place between June and September, can get very hot and spring and autumn are generally quite mild. June is the rain season and typhoons are most likely to occur in September or October.
Japan lies nine hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and it does not observe Daylight Saving Time.
The bigger stores throughout the country are usually open between 10.00am and 6.30 or 7.00pm daily while smaller shops are open for similar hours but many close on Sunday. Furthermore all stores close for one or two days per month. Business hours are generally between 9.00am and 5.00pm from Monday to Friday with many also opening until lunchtime on Saturday. Finally, banks open between 9.00am and 3.00pm from Monday to Friday.
Electricity in Japan is 100 Volts AC which is found in very few places worldwide. Furthermore, Tokyo and the east of the country operate on 50Hz while western Japan is on 60Hz.
A 5% sales tax is levied on most items in Japan but there are two ways in which to get around paying this surplus. Firstly, you can shop in any of the tax-free shops which entitle visitors to an exemption. Because these shops are specifically for foreigners, however, they are not always cheaper so you are advised to shop around before making any decisions. The second alternative is to pay the tax but shop in places which offer tax refunds for visitors on items purchase which cost over Y10,000. In this case you will need to pick up a special form when making your purchases and have the shop owner stamp if for you. He or she will then issue your refund immediately but you will need to have your passport with you to avail of this incentive.
Citizens of Austria, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Switzerland and the UK can stay for a period of up to six months without a visa but if you are going to work during your stay you will need to obtain the appropriate working papers. When you arrive you will be give a 90-day Short Stay Visa upon arrival which can be extended for another ninety days while inside the country. Those of you visiting from the US, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and most European countries will also be granted the same visa when they arrive but if you intend to stay for longer you will need to organise this before you leave your home country. Residents of all other countries or those of you of you intending to work or study while you are there should contact the Japanese Embassy in your home country to find out exactly what documentation you will need before travelling.
The Japan National Tourist Organisation (JNTO) operate five main Tourist Information Centres (TIC) throughout the country and you will find these in the following locations:
Passenger Terminal Building
Kansai International Airport
Tel: 0724 56 6025
Open: 9.00am – 9.00pm
Kyoto Tower Building
Tel: 075 371 5649
Open: 9.00am – 5.00pm Mon. to Fri. & 9.00am – 12.00pm Sat.
Tokyo International Forum
Tel: 03 3201 3331
Open: 9.00am – 5.00pm Mon. to Fri. & 9.00am – 12.00pm Sat.
Passenger Terminal Two
Tel: 0476 34 6251
Open: 9.00am – 8.00pm
Passenger Terminal One
Tel: 0476 30 3383
Open: 9.00am – 8.00pm
As well as these centres, the JNTO operates tourist information offices with English speaking staff throughout the country. These are usually found in the main railway station and are easily recognised by finding the sign with a red question mark and the word ‘information’ printed underneath.
Post offices in Japan are recognisable by their symbol which consists of a red ‘T’ with a bar across the top on a white background. When posting mail, it is worth noting that the red boxes are for ordinary mail while the blue are for special deliveries.
The main branch in an area opens between 9.00am and 7.00pm from Monday to Friday and 9.00am and 3.00pm on Saturday. Many of these also have a window where you can avail of a twenty-four hour service seven days a week. In smaller towns, local post offices open between 9.00am and 5.00pm from Monday to Friday.
Both travellers’ cheques and foreign cash can be exchanged at Narita and Kansai international airports or in any bank displaying the ‘Authorised Foreign Exchange’ sign. In the case of the latter you will need to go the appropriate exchange counter. As well as this, however, you can also change foreign currency in any major post office, and in some of the larger hotels and department stores. While their rates are not quite as good, their opening hours are usually longer but be aware that they require quite a bit of paperwork before handing over your Yen. Banks are generally open between 9.00am and 3.00pm.
Finally, if you are using your credit card, the good news is that the exchange rate is even better than that given by banks but the bad news is that credit cards are not widely accepted outside the major cities. In fact, even in these locations, many businesses refuse to accept them also. If you are taking your card with you, however, VISA, MasterCard, American Express and Diners Club are those most commonly accepted.
The country code for Japan is 81 so if you are calling from abroad you need to dial your international dialing code followed by 81, the local area code and the local number. The same instructions apply when you are making an international call from within the country. You should also note that you need to omit the 0 from the local area code where applicable for both types of call.
Local calls cost Y10 for three minutes but for long-distance or overseas come prepared. Any Y10 coins which are not used will be returned but Y100 coins will not. The majority of payphones, however, now accept prepaid phonecards (terefon kado) which come in denominations of Y500 and 1,000 and can be bought from convenience stores or vending machines throughout the country. In most cases, however, it is not possible to make an international call from these booths. In order to do so you will need to go to any of the grey ISDN or green phones which have a gold metal plate around the buttons. These are found in booths marked ‘International & Domestic Card/Coin Phone’ but are very rare.
When you do find a phone where you can make international calls, the number for the operator is 0051 but if you wish to make the call yourself check the relevant number for the organisation or card type that you are using.
Finally, when making long distance or international calls try to do so late at night or at weekends. Between 7.00pm and 11.00pm on weekdays you will receive a discount of 20% and at weekends calls are 40% cheaper.
Up until recently tipping was virtually unheard off but the western custom is becoming more frequent. Nevertheless, it is still quite uncommon and at no time is it essential. In restaurants where a service charge of between 10% and 15% has already been included, you should only tip if you really think it’s necessary. If a service charge has not been added a tip equivalent to a service charge is adequate. You don’t need to tip taxi drivers but many people tell them to keep any small change. It is worth noting once again, however, that at no time is tipping compulsory, it is entirely at your own discretion and will probably earn you some funny looks as the locals find it quite strange.
It is worth noting what the public holidays are before you travel to a country as the majority of businesses, banks and shops usually shut for the day. In Japan they take place on January 1st, the second Sunday in February and the 11th, March 21st, April 29th, May 3rd and 5th, July 20th, September 15th and 23rd, the second Monday in October, November 3rd and December 23rd. Furthermore, when the public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is taken as a public holiday. Finally, it is a good idea to check the particular area too as certain towns and cities also shut down during special events.

domain: geography


text:
Since the news broke about the sexual harassment claims against Harvey Weinstein, the lid has been lifted on many other cases in the arts and politics. Those in the public eye are under scrutiny, but what lies behind the curtain in other workplaces? Half of women (and a fifth of men) say they have been […]
Helping create tomorrow's agile and purposeful workplaces, through innovative technology and practice.
Modern slavery is on the increase, right under our noses. Companies are failing to vet the employees in their supply chain, which means that modern slavery is remaining hidden. It could take the shape of labour exploitation, for example working very long hours, sexual exploitation, or domestic servitude. 190 public sector staff in London are […]
Already deep in controversy over its ‘toxic culture’, Uber has now lost its licence to operate in London where it has 40,000 drivers and 3.5m customers. Its new CEO has apologised and hopes to restore faith. The more fundamental dispute, for Uber and other ‘gig economy’ firms like Deliveroo, centres on the 2016 ruling that Uber drivers are not […]
Capitalism has got out of hand in recent years, due to its short-termism. The voice for taking the long-term view is growing louder. Those companies that take a long-term position outperform their peers in earnings, revenue and market capitalization. One aspect of long-termism involves prioritisation of stakeholder needs. The employee takes centre stage, after the […]
In their 2017 “Global Workplace Trends” report, Sodexo explores 10 topics that are shaping how companies work, including business agility, design thinking, millennial workers, robotics and automation in the workplace and migration. It is our actions today that will determine whether we head towards massive displacement of workers or the emergence of new opportunities in the […]


text:
Business news from SPH Analytics, Arcadia, Livongo Health, Kyruus, DrFirst, HelpSystems, Involta, Kaufman Hall, Syntellis, PatientMatters, Matrix Medical Network, TAGNOS and more.Read More
Latest announcements made from companies and organizations on the hiring and appointments include Fortified Health Security, Siren, Sight Sciences, AmeriHealth Caritas, Providence, RevSpring, Arcadia, Acessa Health, Abiomed, Bigfoot Biomedical, AACC, Scipher Medicine, Optum, & Dr. Evidence.
We’ve rounded up some of the latest news and announcements pertaining to the coronavirus and the healthcare industry.
Arcadia, a widely-recognized leader in population health management, announced that it has acquired selected assets of the Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative (MAeHC), including technology and significant customer accounts.
Business news from EHNAC, HCA Healthcare, Fitbit, ValueHealth, Updox, SRI Ventures, Kaufman Hall, MediVisum, Avalon GloboCare, Arcadia, AllScripts, Health Catalyst, R1 RCM, Cerner and more.
Here are some pre-conference announcements on what we can expect from HIMSS20 from Arcadia, GlobalMed, Capsule Technologies, CTG, DrFirst, HMS, Linguamatics, Medial EarlySign, Medicomp, Spectralink, Theranica, Visiquate, Vivify Health, & Vocera Communications.
Business news from Arcadia, Medicomp Systems, Medici, emtelligent, LifeImage, Sutter Health, Allscripts, Myndyou, CareBridge, Apple Inc., Royal Philips, Microsoft, Advanced Medical Pricing Solutions, CareMount Health, Biofourmis, ImagineMIC and more.
Join us this March in Orlando for the Annual HIMSS Conference at these six booths as we bring our HealthcareNOW Radio with Health Innovation Media Pop-Up Studio to talk about the hottest topics of the day.
Business news from SPH Analytics, CareCloud, Arcadia, Savonix, Holon Solutions, Capsule Technologies, Medicomp Systems, In-Step Mobility and more.

domain: health


text:
In some quarters the proposed solution to Britain’s housing problems is lots and lots more social – ie below market rate – housing.
For the more extreme, this should mean local councils building, owning and renting out the dwellings. As one young couple have recently found out, this is no solution at all.
Thomas Gallagher and his partner Tanya, whose story appeared in The Sun over the weekend, have found themselves between a rock and a hard place. The couple hail from Birmingham, but moved to Cheltenham for a few years for work.
On returning to their home city to care for Thomas’ mother, they were told they were not eligible for council housing. In the meantime, they risk losing their right to a council flat in Cheltenham
The problem the couple faced was an apparent lack of a “local connection”, despite both having grown up in Birmingham – and having newborn twins to look after.
Their case encapsulates several of the problems with council housing in general. To paraphrase the League of Gentleman, local councils are, by their very nature, going to provide local housing for local people. Indeed, that’s their legal mission too.
And, given the point of council housing is to provide it below market value, there’s always going to be a queue. Local authorities are always going to put locals – ie those who can vote for them – at the front of that queue. Given the way it is funded, social housing is not all that different either.

domain: sociology


text:
Both your nutritional needs (the food and water) and your metabolism (how fast your body converts food to energy) change at this age. Your metabolism gets slower. Women lose about half a pound of muscle per year starting around the age of 40. That makes losing weight even more difficult. Some of the changes women experience are due to decreased hormones, reduced activity level, and medical conditions.
Fluids: Fluid needs increase as women age. The reason: Kidneys become less efficient at removing toxins. “Drinking more fluids helps kidneys do their job,” Schwartz says. “Unfortunately, thirst signals often become impaired with age, so people are less likely to drink enough water and other fluids.” Rather than fret about how many glasses to drink, Frechman says, check the color of your urine. "It should be clear or very pale colored. If it becomes darker, you need more fluid.”

domain: medical


text:
Making, breaking New Year’s resolutions an annual tradition
For many, the dawn of a new year means a new set of resolutions, but not everyone can maintain the motivation to stick with their plans.
If you work out regularly, you might notice gyms around Winnipeg a little more crowded this week.
“January is just that, new goals, new me, fresh ideas and motivations and so January is typically very busy,” said personal trainer Chelsea Kroeker.
When it comes to New Year's resolutions, personal health often tops the list.
"Last year, I was going to the gym and maybe not so consistent, but I want to be more consistent this year," said Tony Akinseye.
Last year, David Navratil pledged to hit the gym more, and one year later, he's still doing it. His advice, get an early start.
"I started in December so I think that made it a little bit easier rather than waiting until January 1,” he said.
Fitness experts say one of the keys to maintaining the motivation year-round is making sure you set attainable goals.
"You want to be realistic and make it something that you really can accomplish,” said Kroeker. “Once you hit that goal, then there's another goal. So you're kind of continuing with these mini-goals throughout the year, so that you always have something to work towards."
Life coach Dina Juras says the same principle applies to all kinds of self-improvement, not just fitness.
"The clients that are successful, they break it down. They think big, but they start small, and every day they ask, ‘What decision did I make today to take me closer to the kind of person I want to be?’"
Juras says, if you slip up on your goal, keep at it and try not to get discouraged, because that could permanently de-rail your plans.
"If we don't succeed, we feel shameful, because we're not perfect, and so then we just close down,"
Just because the New Year has already begun, that doesn't mean it's too late to get started, said Kroeker.
"There's always room for more, there's always opportunity to progress," she said.
- With a report by Ben Miljure


text:
The History of U.S. Coin Grading
Presented by Mike Sherman, PCGS Director of Education
New to coin grading or want a refresher course? This short webinar gets you up to speed on the history of coin grading in the United States.
From its origins in the mid-19th century through the modern advent of Photograde Online, coin grading has permanently altered the field of numismatics. This informative presentation from PCGS walks you through the evolution of coin grading since 1860 and covers such landmark events as:
- the publication of William Sheldon's 1949 book & 70-point grading scale;
- the first grading book by Brown and Dunn in 1958;
- Jim Ruddy's Photograde in 1970;
- the adoption of MS-60 and MS-65 in the early 1970s; and
- the formation of modern coin grading services like PCGS.
PCGS Director of Education Mike Sherman narrates and reviews of these topics against an informative presentation of slides, which can be downloaded below.


text:
Posted on 06 February 2014.
Heat hold off Clippers despite Blake Griffin's 43 points
Highlight Of The Night: Blake Griffin's 43 points and 13 rebounds weren't enough for the Clippers as LeBron James dropped 31 points and 12 assists in the Heat's 116-112 win in Los Angeles. Tags: Blake Griffin, LeBron James · Heat Battle Past Clippers …
Full News here – Read more on ESPN


text:
After the praise of former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan by Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian for identifying the NPA crisis, the 30-member LokSabha Committee on Estimates headed by BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi had issued him a letter seeking his inputs on the current Non-performing Asset (NPA) problem that is being faced by Indian banks
In response to the Parliamentary Committee, the former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan has written 17-page letter addressing the issue of mounting NPAs. In his letter, former Governor has written that it was around 2006 that the problem of NPAs in Indian Banking System has started and in two years it worsened more.
He has also blamed the scams done during UPA era under the leadership of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and incompetency of decision making by the Government responsible for the problem of NPAs among other things.
The former Governor cited “The massive scams such as Coalgate and others that had been detected to have taken place under Dr Manmohan Singh’s Prime Ministership has worsened the situation. He said once NPAs had begun to cascade, scams slowed down government decision-making that had an adverse impact on ongoing projects thereby negatively affecting profitability and bad loans”.
Apart from this, the former Governor has taken on banks in his letter stating that banks have primarily failed because of their due diligence on large loans and relied on promoters like SBI Capital Markets and IDBI. He has recounted that they instead based their lending on good profits of infrastructure firms till 2006, but that two years later, the loans started turning bad. He also pointed out that banks were slow to respond to the emerging crisis. The former Governor further wrote don’t know whom to hold responsible for it whether it was due to the incompetence of banks or corruption of bankers.
The former Governor also held absence of any law that allows banks to seize properties and policy of bank of ever greening bad loans responsible for growing problem of NPAs. Ever greening bad loans means restructuring loans under terms that may allow the debtors to more easily pay them back rather than declaring them as NPA. As a result, he says that there was a cascading of bad loans over a period of time.
Niti Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar had recently said that it wasn’t demonetisation but deleveraging of credit under Rajan’s tenure that led to the economic slowdown. Pinning the blame squarely on Rajan’s policies as Governor of central bank, Kumar had said the economic growth was declining due to rising NPAs in the banking sector. “When this government came into office, this figure was about 4 lakh crore. It rose to 10.5 lakh crore by the middle of 2017, Rajan, while likely not replying directly, spoke about the scenario but put the blame on the banks. He said that as the RBI introduced measures, banks dithered despite being aware of the crisis.
He said that the RBI couldn’t do much as it isn’t a commercial banker, but conceded that RBI representatives on banks’ boards were not effective. He added that following the asset quality review (AQR) instituted by the RBI, the banks became scared of investigation and this led to more inertia in lending and debt recovery. He said debt recovery tribunals were very slow and took an average of four years.
Rajan, however, offered a solution to tackle burgeoning bad loans as well. He stressed on the need for improving governance of public sector banks and also proper evaluation of projects to prevent rising bad loans.
Source: Republic World


text:
Levels of particulate pollution rose above 130 micrograms per cubic meter in Salt Lake City on January 23, 2013. That’s three times the federal clean-air limit, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Or, as the Associated Press put it, roughly equivalent to Los Angeles air on a bad day.
“The Salt Lake Valley has some of the worst wintertime pollution episodes in the West due to the combination of its increasing population and urbanization, as well as its geometry, with the valley sandwiched between mountain ranges to the west and east,” University of Utah atmospheric scientist John Horel explained in a recent story published by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR).
Normally temperatures decline with altitude, but meteorological conditions across the Great Basin set up a situation in which the opposite occurred for a prolonged period. For much of January, temperatures increased with altitude, creating what’s known as a temperature inversion. During the peak of the inversion, temperatures were -15.5ºC (4.1ºF) at the surface and 7.6ºC (45.7ºF) at 2,130 meters (6,988 feet), University of Utah meteorologist Jim Steenburgh reported on his blog.
The result? The layer of warm air on top functioned like a lid, trapping pollutants in the valleys and preventing winds from dispersing the haze. The photograph above, taken by Roland Li on January 19, shows the sharp boundary an inversion can create.
Air quality problems caused by temperature inversions are not unique to Salt Lake City. Cities in California (including Bakersfield, Fresno, Hanford, Los Angeles, Modesto) and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, have some of the most severe short-term particle pollution problems in the nation, according to a list published by the American Lung Association.
Such events are a reminder that the United States is not immune from dangerous spikes in particulate pollution, though particulate levels don’t get as high as they do in some other parts of the world. (See this map of fine particulates for a global perspective.) Eastern China, for example, recently suffered through an extreme pollution event that was far more potent than the Salt Lake City event.
Utah Department of Environmental Quality: About Inversions
Salt Lake City Office of the National Weather Service: What Are Weather Inversions?
Jeff Masters: Dangerous Air Pollution Episode in Utah
Its sad that such a thing should happen
It’s long past time for Salt Lake City/Wasatch Front and Utah officials to get serious about conforming to clean air standards. The topography of the area, combined with industrial emissions, many cars and trucks, and woodsmoke, adds up to ideal conditions for inversions and bad, bad air.
At the end of the day,
the polluters will pay!
Our air sucks! Whe need to get rid of the smokestacks and use the idea of water powered cars. Our air would be so…. Much better! I know some people who are moving because of the bad quality of air.


text:
Let‘s shape the future of connected logistics!
Join our Innovation Hub in Berlin as
Strategic Product Manager
Our Berlin Innovation Hub is a space for invention and creation: we push the boundaries of connected logistics systems enabled by Internet-of-Things, artificial intelligence and big data science. We are creators and developers, designers and creatives, techies and data scientists. Our way of working is collaborative: rapid prototyping for validated learning and creating MVPs is second nature for us.
We are working on delivering unique digital products, services and new data-driven business models that bring value to the global logistics ecosystem.
- Create and validate new digital business opportunities
- Drive digitalisation within the logistics ecosystem
- Analyse business drivers, strategic options and financial metrics
- Create new digital products and services from the view of an strategic product manager
- Identify and create opportunities for new business models that complement the user experience of the services or products
- Always aim for new revenue streams and new ventures
- You are comfortable with ambiguity: you can create structure and frameworks when boundaries and status are changing
- Seeing the bigger picture: you understand the overall plot, and easily zoom in and out
- You can think clearly, synthesise quickly and articulate decision-making points well
- You are able to organise and facilitate creative workshops with teams: management, design, business and tech
- You are able to make clear presentations, present eloquently in front of audiences and defend your opinion with confidence
- You are great at managing projects and communicating with internal and external stakeholders
We’d love to hear from candidates with an academic background ideally combining IT, engineering and business studies who have a minimum of 5 years of working experience. You should demonstrate that you’ve strongly contributed to the development of a new business or product from a vision or opportunity stage through a product/design development cycle and into successfull market launch with also operational responsibility.
For instance, you may have done this in the past as an entrepreneur, as startup co-founder, as a project lead, or as a product/marketing manager.
Strategic Product Management candidates with technical, product, marketing or IT backgrounds should be well-versed in business modelling and development of business cases.
What we offer you
- Innovative environment working for the B2B pioneer in automotive connectivity solutions
- Thrilling projects in international interdisciplinary teams with global market impact
- Attractive compensation package
- Creative atmosphere in co-working space Ahoy! Berlin
- Flat hierarchy, open collaborative culture, with English as primary language (German beneficial)
- Plenty of room for your own ideas and self-organised work to see your ideas come to life and scale globally
- Liaison with the Daimler group with the flexibility of a digital innovation lab
The job is full-time and limited to a term of two (2) years with the option of a permanent employment contract.
How to apply for Strategic Product Manager (m/f)
Send us an email to email@example.com, with desired salary, earliest availability and with your CV and overview (incl. KPIs) of (digital) products you‘ve had an active part in their succeess.
- Ort: Berlin
- URL: http://innovationhub.fleetboard.com/
- Ansprechpartner: Harald Marx
- E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.org

domain: economics


text:
Healthy Lunch - Best of 2017
Published Mar 22, 2017
Light salads, flatbread sandwiches or tasty rice bowls. Whatever your healthy lunch of choice is, where do you get it?
"We have eaten at Mod Market every week or more since they opened. Everything is so delicious and healthy! Love the..."
via Playful Pooch
The 2017 Denver A-List awards are based on more than 74,000 votes from local Denver-area experts.
See the full results →

domain: food


text:
Tease your senses with the delicate pairing of dark chocolate and exotic coconut. Perfectly balanced dark chocolate bar is dairy-free, creamy, sweet and has an amazing taste.
Ingredients: Organic Raw Cacao, Unrefined Organic Coconut Sugar, Organic Raw Coconut, Organic Raw Cacao Butter
There are no reviews yet.
Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.


News at 4:30 a.m.
WHNT News 19 TV Schedule
CBS All Access
See complete forecast
Facebook Friend of the Day Gwen McLemore
Posted 7:51 am, June 12, 2012, by
This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.
Man who set himself on fire at Athens Walmart has died
Chicago baby cut from his mother’s womb after she was killed opens his eyes
Man accused of shooting, killing mother in Harvest
Authorities capture man wanted in Auburn officer-involved shooting
Man arrested after deadly shooting in Florence
As insulin prices skyrocket, diabetics across Alabama and the U.S. struggle for answers
New owners to take over former Funky Monkey store
Lawmaker: Lottery bill ‘dead’ for session
Marshall County mom organized a free sensory fair for families
Indiana man offers to sell car to save his dog’s life before community comes to the rescue
Dog set on fire last year in Marshall Co. is nearly fully recovered
Twickenham Kids Kindergarten Kidcam!
These guys hand out roses to widows and military wives on Valentine’s Day
A mother skipped her own graduation to attend her son’s, so his school decided to confer both their degrees
Chicago woman accused of killing a pregnant teen and taking her baby plotted it for weeks, authorities say
Alabama men notice woman eating alone, invite her to join them in touching act of kindness
Cockroaches named after exes to be fed to Texas zoo animals
Clarissa McClain prepares to say goodbye after fond and rewarding journey at WHNT
Washington teen who pushed friend off bridge sentenced to 2 days in jail, work crew
Kansas teen with Down syndrome says Sheels wouldn’t let her ride Ferris wheel with friends because of disability
New Jersey high school principal dies after donating bone marrow to save stranger
: you are using an outdated browser.
Microsoft does not recommend using IE as your default browser
. Some features on this website, like video and images, might not work properly. For the best experience,
please upgrade your browser
Send to Email Address
Your Email Address
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.


text:
- oD 50.50
The Armenian genocide
Through the bars
No to TTIP
Meteoric rise of Islamic State
A rebuff from the United Statess Nato partners over counter-insurgency operations in Afghanistan reveals the military and political pressures facing the Pentagon.
Israels breaches of human rights and international law give moral force to the argument for an international boycott, says Palestinian writer Omar Barghouti.
Iraqi realities belie Washingtons picture of military progress and bring closer the prospect of civil war and division of the country.
The differences among British Muslims should not be aligned with the events of 7 July in London. Both the BBCs John Ware and Ehsan Masood in openDemocracy have got the community wrong, says Abdullah al-Kateb.
openDemocracys editor Isabel Hilton introduces a selection of the reflections and analyses we have published about the two hours that shook the world.
A Katyusha rocket attack on United States warships in Aqaba, Jordan, is a telling indicator of the evolving al-Qaida menace.
The United States government is not merely incompetent but criminally negligent in its response to Hurricane Katrina, argues Thomas R Asher.
Those opposing a cultural and academic boycott of Israel should examine the South African precedent, says Jacqueline Rose.
May we first thank you for giving us this opportunity to produce this report. We were surprised and pleased when the International Security Policy Group at 10 Downing Street contracted us to produce a report for them four months ago, as we thought this was an innovative attempt to obtain a wider view of the progress of what you still call your "global war on terror".
As you will recall, our previous consultancies in this field were for a somewhat different group, the Strategic Planning Cell of al-Qaida, and we are pleased that you and your British colleagues have recognised that, as consultants, we will work with anyone.
A low-level war of ideas has exploded into an open conflict among British Muslims. The government, the media, and even openDemocracy have been caught in the crossfire, says Ehsan Masood.
After Israels Gaza withdrawal, Israeli public opinion bears prime responsibility for further political progress, says Hazem Saghieh.
Matthias Matussek, London correspondent of Der Spiegel (and brother to the German ambassador to Britain), bids farewell to a nation he loves to chastise and a city he adores.
In his 200th global security column, Paul Rogers highlights five seminal events in the first four years of a long war.
The London bombs expose the failure of Britains multicultural model, but also pose a challenge to Europes sense of identity, says Gilles Kepel.
A boycott of Israeli writers is repressive, regressive and unworkable cultural policing, says Linda Grant.
The deadline for agreement on the Iraqi constitution is slipping. Sami Zubaida examines the issues that may prevent a workable agreement.
The global jihad retailed by al-Qaida has obscured the old-fashioned Islamic fundamentalism which dominated Muslim politics during the cold war, adopting from it categories such as ideology and revolution in the quest for an Islamic state. With the end of the cold war and the emergence of global networks in which goods, ideas and people circulate outside the language of citizenship, the fundamentalist fight for ideological states has lost influence.
George W Bush has opened the door to an attack on Iran. The prospects are uncomfortable, the outcome uncertain, the risks enormous.
In “The Question of Zion”, Jacqueline Rose applies the insights of psychoanalysis to the inner world of Zionist doctrine and attitudes. openDemocracy’s Rosemary Bechler talks to her.
openDemocracy: The Question of Zion is dedicated to the memory of Edward Said: its title a tribute to his 1979 work, The Question of Palestine. In what sense is this study a continuation of Edward Said’s project?
How can western citizens aid people in shattered post-war Iraq? In her first monthly openDemocracy column, Maura Stephens tells a story of fragile solidarity.
Iraqi politicians have a new deadline of 22 August to reach agreement on a new constitution. Zaid Al-Ali asks if extra time can resolve fundamental differences of political principle over federalism, women, and religion.
Hizb-ut-Tahrir welcomes careful, objective scrutiny of its ideas, says Abdul Wahid, but much of the criticism it receives is inaccurate and outdated.
Britains Muslims must reclaim their faiths true character from those who would use it for extreme political ends, says Aftab Malik.
The core fact about Hizb-ut-Tahrir is that it is a party of theocrats not democrats, says David T of Harrys Place.
Iraqs insurgency is becoming more sophisticated and effective. A new analysis reveals how it operates.
The militant Islamist party Hizb-ut-Tahrir is to be made illegal in Britain. To avoid this fate it will have to make a cruel choice, says Ehsan Masood.
The renewed attempt to normalise and justify torture is ethically wrong and practically dangerous, says the leading human rights lawyer Clive Stafford Smith. He draws on his experience with Guantánamo prisoners to advocate a better way.
The fallout of the London bomb attacks finds British-Iraqi-Muslim Huda Jawad facing a challenge on two fronts: the British governments assault on civil liberties, but also the failure of radical Islamist groups like Hizb-ut-Tahrir to speak to her real experience and aspirations.
Tony Blairs plans to counter radical Islamism include a legal ban on the Hizb-ut-Tahrir party. Abdul Wahid, a member of its executive committee, responds.
A month after the London bomb attacks, openDemocracys chair Laura Sandys calls on Britains government to shift its policy and thinking in relation to the countrys Muslim citizens.
If Hiroshima and Nagasaki had not worked, the United States had a plan for winning the war against Japan that involved massive use of chemical weapons.
Two weeks after the London bombings, openDemocracy and Q-News convened a meeting at Londons Chatham House to debate the origins and consequences of the attacks and let Muslims and non-Muslims thrash out the issues.
Many commentators regard the London terror attacks as Tony Blairs payback for Britains role in Iraq. Sami Zubaida assesses the evidence.
Will the era of digital networks and terrorism produce the worst of both worlds: a society of mass surveillance that increases insecurity? William Davies maps a new political-technological frontier.
The tolerant, diverse Indonesian island of Bali, target of a terrorist assault in October 2002 that killed 202 people, has hosted an international, interfaith dialogue. Jan McGirk reports, and openDemocracy publishes the full text of the conferences Bali Declaration.


Ricky Rubio scored 21 points, Donovan Mitchell had 16 and the shorthanded Utah Jazz completed a season sweep over the Washington Wizards with a 107-104 win on Wednesday night.
Ekpe Udoh scored 16 points and Joe Johnson had 16 off the bench for the Jazz, who had lost 13 of 16 in between meetings with Washington. The Wizards were embarrassed 116-69 in Utah on Dec. 4.
Utah played without two starters, and second-leading scorer Rodney Hood was ejected in the second half.
John Wall had 35 points and 11 assists for the Wizards, but committed eight of their 23 turnovers. Bradley Beal had 23 points, but missed six of seven shots in the fourth quarter and lost the ball with 2.9 seconds remaining while attempting a game-tying 3-pointer.
The Wizards shot 52.6 percent from the field but lost their second straight after a four-game winning streak.
Washington trailed by 10 early in the fourth quarter before Wall hit a pair of 3-pointers during an 11-3 surge that gave the Wizards a one-point lead. Joe Ingles responded with a 3-pointer that put Utah ahead 104-102 with 1:09 remaining.
Washington led most of the first half and 50-46 at halftime, but Utah seized momentum with a 16-3 run in the third quarter, during which Hood received his second technical foul. Rubio's jumper after one of the Wizards' nine turnovers in the quarter put the Jazz up 83-75.
Utah outscored Washington 37-27 in the third, and Udoh scored 10 points in the period.
Jazz: Ingles had 10 points. ... Already without C Rudy Gobert, Utah played without F/C Derrick Favors (right ankle sprain). ... Udoh made his third start of the season.
Wizards: F Otto Porter (hip, back) had 14 points after missing Saturday's game against Milwaukee. ... The team handed out All-Star Game promotional boxes with images of Wall and Beal on the front. Items inside included M&Ms with pictures of each guard and "#NBAvote" on the back. ... F Devin Robinson, Washington's lone two-way contract player, joined the Wizards for the first time this season. Robinson averaged 13.5 points in 22 games for the G-League's Delaware franchise.
Jazz: Close their four-game trip at Charlotte on Friday night.
Wizards: Continue their homestand Friday against Orlando.