text:
The other evening a friend said to me; "The hard times are when I think about my vows to my husband. And that helps. We all have troubles, but we can be the constant in the lives of those we love. There's something sublime and wonderful about that."
He's right, of course. Being there for others, a partner or friend, is a wonderful feeling. Those vows we make when we marry are not just words to be said because 'that's what you do'. No. They are and should be words held in the highest regar
On GA we have a great and friendly community. I've enjoyed my time here. I have met some wonderful people. I accept these people for who they are here, online.
I use my real first name, Michael or Mike. I do not share my real surname here or on my email address.
I believe in privacy. People can accept that or not. The majority I have met, do.
The internet is a tool. It has much to offer and much to answer for.
We need to be careful online and respectful of others. Much
Changes are needed in our world. So many of them it's hard to sort out.
Life is a gift. Yet we take it lightly. We disrespect it.
Why, in this day and age, we fear our differences is frankly, stupid, ignorant and childish. We live in an age of great knowledge. We live in great melting pots filled with people from everywhere. And rather than stop and learn about each other, we hide in the corner like frightened children.
Stop blaming. Stop being afraid. We are all just human
Who W/we Are
First if I am out of bed at this god-forsaken time something is on my mind. Right now, it is the feeling I must defend who and what tim and I are, and how we live.
I likely don’t. This will likely be repetitive. But I don’t care.
Better out, than in!
I am a Dom. A Dominant man. I have a boy … who is my submissive. That does not mean only that I take the dominant role in sex. Our lifestyle is one of Dominance and submission, it is a partnership.
WARNING ***Discussion of race, religion, bigotry lies ahead. It's what I feel and think. If you don't like what I feel and think feel free to ignore this blog. If your mind is closed, do not read this blog. If you are afraid of your own truth, do not read this blog. If you are looking for honesty and acceptance, I hope you choose to read on. ***
I've been thinking about what is going on in our world besides COVID-19. I wish it wasn't what has been happening. I've been debating saying
I read about what people say about lockdown and this pandemic. I watch my beautiful boy suffer from sadness he doesn't understand. Watch him choke back tears he doesn't know why he's crying. In the dark of night I hold him close when his dreams are bad and when he needs the comfort of my skin.
I listen to people complain about how hard it is. How they want normal back.
I wonder what normal is gonna look like?
I am lucky that I have tim with me. Lucky that I can hold him close an
It's a funny thing, marriage. We go through life together my husband and I. We work, commute, shop, watch TV, cook, eat, shower, make love, laugh, talk and all the other things we do, together each day. Often by rote. Often without a lot of thought.
I care for him during those times he is in the troughs of depression. When he's ill. When he's afraid. During the nights when nightmares of the past haunt him. It's my duty as his partner to be there for him. It isn't a chore, it's a privilege
And I am … weary that is.
There are times I just want peace, selfishly for myself. Fighting tim's depression, mood swings and self-loathing, wears me out, it tires me and breaks my heart. And today when I bent to pick up his ART meds, he no longer wants to take … today I wondered why I continue. That scared me, that question, because never before have I asked it.
Valentine's Day is the worst day of the year, for him and so for me. It brings memories to my sweet husband, things, time
How do you tell someone who can't see themselves, they are worthy … of love … of life?
I see the dark circles under your beautiful brown eyes
And I wonder how I can fix it …
Fix all the wrongs done to you in your life
How can I take that pain from then and now?
You do not see your own strength within you
Life dealt you a bad hand
You lived through pain, and horrors I cannot imagine
I can only promise to be with you
To hold you
I thought I knew what love is.
I thought I knew when I met tim. I thought I knew when he agreed to marry me.
But walking behind him down the street, watching his such-long legs supporting his perfect ass and his black leather jacket sitting just at his sweetly slim hips, made me feel it deeply. This brilliant, sexy, funny, and deeply compassionate man was mine. Then he turned and he smiled at me. It was such a smile, it lit my soul with the brilliance of a thousand suns. I wondered
Like the title says not all things in life work. It's a shame, but it's true.
My desire for our new boyfriend to become more in our little family didn't come to fruition. He decided it wasn't right for him and moved on. I've talked to him, but we'll leave it here for the moment.
All of this was hard on tim. Especially since he'd grown so close to Jim.
tim is willing to continue on this adventure - he has a big heart and wants to make me happy - but we will see.
I am awar
I suppose this piece should have a WARNING … if you are closed minded, cannot deal with things outside your own experience or what you think is 'normal', or believe that relationships with more than two people are wrong. DO NOT READ THIS.
I have never been conventional.
Well, I say that, yet, I wanted to be married. But I also believe you can love more than one. I believe that bringing others into a relationship for friendship and sex is a good thing and that it can work
Today tim shared a motivational poster which said: The older I get the more I understand that it's okay to live a life other's don't understand.
That made me think. While it is true many do not understand our D/s lifestyle, recently, I've found myself questioning it also.
I do not believe D/s will ever be totally gone from us. But I have found that by easing back a little bit, life is more fun and more fulfilling. I have discussed these changes with tim; these lessening of the Rules.
It's been sometime since I wrote anything. Life has been doing its utmost to kick my ass. Well, I have some choice words for that, which I shall refrain from using.
Seems my shoulder issues are tied into my diabetes. My physio, who is a talented and caring woman, has suggested speaking to my doctor about seeing an orthopedic surgeon. Damn it this is not what I was hoping for.
However, my wonderful and talented boy, tim has said, "You don't want to feel like this forever."
I must say I struggled with this one. And I am sorry there is only one. However, here it is and it has been hopefully improved somewhat after a talk with AC. This one is about our last trip to the hospital …
I force you to the hospital
and you won’t recall it
you fight me like a frightened thing
because you are hurting
You, my love are so very strong
yet you are made of glass
the hidden flaws begin to show
Sometimes in the early morning, things just come to you...
In the cold of the morning in the cocoon of our bed
you snuggle closer, seeking my heat and my presence
And I draw you to me, into my embrace, holding you tightly
your sigh is comfort, a whisper to my heart
I know you are happy, and I know you feel safe
I fight my desire to take you, possess you as you sleep
your lithe body, close to me and I draw your scent into my lungs;
the remnants of the lime col
In amongst our little group online there has been a lot more talk of D/s, or BDSM lately. Which I like, since sharing information makes us more real and less something to be stared at and whispered about.
I know it’s come as a surprise to some that I have a good sense of humour and enjoy a good laugh. There is more to each of us than most people think. We are not the porn-style stereotypes people usually imagine us to be. BDSM and D/s are not porn.
But our life, like everyone’s has ser
Okay … so here are some haiku. Six to satisfy the prompt from AC's Zero to Hero Guide.
waxy lily pads
keep the green leaping frogs dry
between awkward jumps
the smiling dog runs
his lolling tongue evidence
of his happiness
puddles line the walk
jumping feet leave small footprints
one of springtime’s games
leaves change colour now
donning coats of red and gold
a glowing far
Oh, writing Tanka, following AC's new Guide.. Here they are good or bad.
Walking through the snow
it squeaks under my black boots;
I tighten my coat
however when I reach you
there's no coolness in your arms
Snow tops the feeder
before I add fresh birdseed;
the brave nuthatch waits
unconcerned about my size;
sure of his heroic heart
I know I’ve said this before; I always wanted a marriage like my parents have. Of course, I knew it wouldn’t be traditional, given the fact I am Gay, but I wanted it all the same.
As I hung with friends, played baseball and hockey, went through school, I came to realize I was often assuming a dominant position, and often asked to lead. It was sort of a natural thing. I ended up in school taking criminology and socio-legal studies, and received my degree. I went on to become a police
The other day, my husband tim told me about a little poetry challenge on GA, offered by @AC Benus He had decided to rewrite his Tanka Poetry prompt.
I decided to 'support my local poet' and offer myself up as a guinea pig. But frankly, I had doubts even though I've written some okay poetry, following the instructions and writing something 'properly' rather worried me.
But, I just had to try.
So I read the prompt.. Tanka's should be personal, emotional, show how t
Been an emotional week around here. tim is going through something, and I can only watch and wait. But words run through my head after he comes to me, needing me. Last night he asked me to just hold him, as he tried to sleep. I did and he did.
But I know him very well. Know his heart and the kind of human being he is. It's why I love him. And why I wrote this:
You tell me you need my arms about you tight
I know there's something, and I whisper tell me
It's been difficult lately for tim, and frustrating for me. Depression is such a hard thing to live with, both for the one that suffers through it and the people around them.
Try as he might, and I am not surprised by it, tim tries to push away the bad things he feels. It is a constant fight for him.
People say he's a man, he should put the past behind him. Move on, fuhgeddaboudit!
he does, a lot, but with his dad's passing, well, I wish the brain had real d
This blog is more about BDSM and D/s from my sub, tim and his conversation with a fellow sub molly's, perspective. Many of you know molly and she is the sub belonging to her Sir, Phil.
These two met on GA, when no one they knew were ‘out’ as submissives. For a long time tim wasn’t, he hid this from people but grew tired of hiding. When he opened the Drop in Centre, he asked me for permission to come out, and though I had some reservations, I gave it.
You’ve heard a lot from me and M
First of all this is no attack on how you or anyone else chooses to live, that is up to each of us to decide. This blog is simply an answer to a few things I read in an article the other day. It called itself an introduction to the BDSM lifestyle. I found much of it offensive, rather like most looks at our lifestyle are.
What did I read?
· That submissives feign their subservience.
· That Dominant tops only act dominant, because we need to be nurturing and loving

domain: literature


text: COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Michigan coach John Beilein turned to his staff on the bench with a puzzled look.Have we scored a basket this half? he asked.No, Coach, not against South Carolinas solid defense.Sindarius Thornwell had 21 points and 10 rebounds and the Gamecocks held No. 25 Michigan to its lowest shooting performance in six years in a 61-46 victory Wednesday night.The Gamecocks improved to 5-0 for a second straight season and knocked off their first ranked opponent since an 81-78 win at No. 8 Texas A&M last February. South Carolina got a big assist in this one from Michigans awful outside touch -- it finished 10 of 52 (19.6 percent) for its worst shooting percentage in six years.It was one of those nights where we couldnt buy a basket, Michigan guard Derrick Walton Jr. said.The Wolverines scored more points from the free throw line, 24, than the field. They hit just two of 26 attempts from behind the arc.It was the first time the Wolverines (4-1) hadnt reached 50 points since scoring 42 in a loss to Eastern Michigan on Dec. 9, 2014.Beilein thought South Carolinas size and its defensive style threw off his teams shooting.I dont think we were wide open on most misses, he said.South Carolina took control with a 22-12 run to start the second half and the Gamecocks were never tested as Michigan kept missing.Zak Irvin, Michigans leading scorer, was just 2 of 13 from the field for five points. He fouled out with 5:33 to go. Walton led the Wolverines with 15 points on 3-of-14 shooting.Duane Notice added 13 points for the Gamecocks.Thornwell wasnt worried about what a win over Michigan might mean for the Gamecocks, who started 15-0 last season, won 24 games in the regular season yet were left out of the NCAA Tournament last March.We dont play a game, we play a season, Thornwell said. We have a long way to go.THE BIG PICTUREMichigan: The Wolverines are in the bottom half of Big Ten shooting teams early on and it was easy to see why against South Carolina. Michigan was just 6 of 24 from the field in the opening half, including an ice cold 1 of 12 from behind the arc. If it werent for its talent for drawing fouls (Michigan made 14 first-half free throws), the Wolverines would have been in a deep, deep hole. Michigan will have to find a more consistent touch if it hopes to make a mark in conference play.South Carolina: The Gamecocks young players -- there were four freshmen and a sophomore who saw first-half action -- were aggressive on defense, maybe a bit too aggressive in the first half. South Carolina was whistled for 11 fouls, putting Michigans accurate free throw shooters on the line. At one point, Gamecocks coach Frank Martin screamed, Why? at PJ Dozier after his silly foul following his missed shot.POLL IMPLICATIONSMichigans stay in the poll will end come Monday. This is the sort of victory that typically gets a team like South Carolina notice from the voters. But if the Gamecocks dont follow it up with a win against Syracuse on Saturday, theyll also probably have to wait to make the poll.CELL PHONE ISSUESMartin, known for his in-game death glares at players and officials, was beginning his postgame remarks when a cellphone rang. He shot a quick stare in that direction, then smiled. Its OK, Im in a good mood, he said.UP NEXTMichigan starts a four-game home stand with Mount St. Marys on Saturday night.South Carolina takes on its second-straight ranked opponent when it plays No. 18 Syracuse on Saturday in Brooklyn, New York.---More AP college basketball at http://collegebasketball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25 Jason Spezza Jersey . Canada is now down to its 22-player limit, although but players wont be registered until Christmas Day. Changes could still be made as a result of a suspension or injury. Mark Stone Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. http://www.officialsenatorsteamshop.com/Senators-Ryan-Dzingel-Adidas-Jersey/ . Detroit and Boston are deadlocked, 1-1, and Tigers manager Jim Leyland could be forgiven if he was caught rationalizing instead of dissecting how his club could blow a 5-1 lead late in Game 2. Bobby Ryan Jersey . 31, the CFL club announced Monday. The team also has yet to decide on the future of Doug Berry, who began the season as a consultant to the head coach but took over the offensive co-ordinators duties in July. Thomas Chabot Jersey .J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons. The stakes are high at the Wyndham Championship, which begins Thursday at the Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., and only part of it has to do with the $1 million winners share of the $5.6 million purse.Just as important are the 500 FedExCup points on the line, and viewing promises to be dramatic as players vie for coveted positioning in the final event before the first leg of the playoffs at The Barclays next week. The top 125 players in the FexExCup Standings will earn spots into The Barclays, which is why all but three players ranked 100-150 are in the field this week.Sitting on the magic number is South Korean Whee Kim at No. 125, but even that spot might not be good enough at the end of the week. Rookie Jon Rahm is in the field playing on conditional status and should the impressive former amateur star win this week, he would automatically convert to official FedExCup status and qualify for The Barclays.The Top 120 players in the FedExCup standings are likely to earn a spot in the first leg of the playoffs with a top-125 finish this week, with all players below them needing strong showings to improve their positions. For example, Camilo Villegas, who skipped the Olympic Games to try to improve his FedExCup standing, enters the week at No. 150 and may need a top-five finish to earn enough points to play next week. The good news? Villegas won the event in 2014 with a final-round 63 and has made the cut in all five appearances.It all equates to high drama over the weekend as every drive, chip and putt could dramatically affect those hovering around the bubble -- and determine whether their season ends this week.Advice for those who want to secure their playoff spots? Go low.Davis Love III, the U.S. Ryder Cup captain who is not in the field this week, won the Wyndham for the third time last year at 19-under, with all finishers in the top nine posting four rounds in the 60. Sedgefield has played as the easiest par 70 on the PGA Tour each of the past two seasons.Ryan Moore, who is coming off a victory at the John Deere Classic last week, posted four rounds in the 60s to finish in a tie for 10th in last years Wyndham -- along with Tiger Woods, who was making a last-ditch attempt to make the playoffs.I like this golf course a lot, said Moore, who won the event in 2009 in a three-way playoff against Jason Bohn and Kevin Stadler. I think its a great course, a lot of character. Youve got to hit a lot of different shots off the tees, into the greens, a lot of different clubs. I enjoy golf courses like that. Its not just get up, hit a driver as far as you can, try and hit a mid-iron and long iron into every single hole. Theres lots of different types of holes out here aand thats kind of fun, interesting golf.ddddddddddddMoore moved up to No. 23 in the FedExCup standings with last weeks victory. Also comfortably in the field for the Barclays is Tour rookie Harold Varner III, who is 79th. And as a North Carolina native, Varner III is another big fan of Sedgefield. This is his first entry into the Wyndham, although Varner III has played the course many times, and his parents and some teammates from East Carolina will travel to watch the tournament this week.Just real excited, he said. I love playing at home. Just ready to get going. Took the last two weeks off, just been itching to get back.It should be a good time.There are several former winners at Sedgefield, including Brandt Snedeker, who enters No. 6 in the FedExCup standings, making him the highest-ranked player in the standings in the field this week. Other former winners include Carl Pettersson, Arjun Atwal and Webb Simpson, who earned his first Tour victory at Sedgefield in 2011. He and wife, Dowd, named their third child Wyndham in 2014. Simpson has broken par in 19 of his past 24 rounds at the event, posting a win along with three more top-10s.I love coming here, he said. I said to some people last night, living in Charlotte, Quail Hollow is kind of a home tournament as well, but this is a lot closer to home to Raleigh for me. It feels like my home event.I love this golf course. We dont play enough courses on Tour, I dont think, that are as good as this in terms of playability. I feel like, no matter how far you hit it off the tee or what your skills are, everybody is really equal starting the week.Other top names in the field this week include Patrick Reed (No. 8 in FedExCup points), Justin Thomas (No. 9), Kevin Na (No. 10) and Kevin Kisner (No. 11).But the real focus is on those on the bubble -- with former Tour winners Scott Stallings and Kyle Stanley currently sitting at No. 126 and 127. Top 125 not only means a spot in the playoffs, but a Tour card for the 2016-17 season. Those from 126-150 will have conditional status with limited starts -- or choice where those opportunities come. Below that? Its back to the Web.com Tour.Every player from No. 114-135 is in the field. And there is certainly hope. Love III vaulted from No. 186 to 76th with last years victory. In all, five players secured their playoff berth at the Wyndham last year. Among them?One Camilo Villegas.Its a special place for me, Villegas told PGATour.com of Sedgefield. A lot of great people there, and great memories obviously of 2014. It hasnt been the best year. I need to step it up. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '

domain: news


Ready to explore the powerful intersection of faith and creativity and find the answers to some profound questions? Our latest episode features a message from the late pastor, speaker, and New York Times bestselling author Tim Keller. He addressed an off-Broadway audience on a riveting topic: Why Do We Need Artists? Tim delivered this message to a packed theater when he was 42 years old, and his enlightening words are as relevant today as they were then.
Join us on this captivating journey as Tim Keller discusses how art is a conduit reconnecting us to something from which we’ve been disconnected. Today, we breathe life back into his invaluable insights, serving up a treat for artists, art aficionados, and anyone intrigued by the crossroads of spirituality and creativity. Tune in as we explore these compelling themes and uncover how art indicates there’s more to us than meets the eye. Interviewed by Filmmaker Allen Wolf.
See more at NavigatingHollywood.org.
• Timothy Keller’s website
• Navigating Hollywood
• The Sound of Violet Official Site
• Allen Wolf on IMDb, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
• Allen Wolf’s website


Check out our archive, from the first issue in 1975 to 1998.
There's a lot great stuff in there. From 1982, John Kenneth Galbraith on the economics of the arms race, and, from 1993, Ralph Nader discusses revolution in the age of autocracy. From our first issue in June 1975, read BR's interview with Susan Sontag.
Please note that this archive is incomplete and is no longer maintained.


The food sectors in Indonesia and India have been identified as being most exposed to overall risk during the post-Covid recovery according to a new report released today by Food Industry Asia (FIA) and Oxford Economics.
Applying key data from a new tool, the Economic Recovery Matrix for Asia’s food industry, found Indonesia standing out as the economy with greatest challenges to recovery in the sector, with Philippines and India close behind. In Indonesia, key risks centre around the need for fiscal tightening, which could undermine both demand and supply conditions. For India, the depth of the impact on food spending in the coming couple of years will be greater than elsewhere, and the increase in barriers to food trade is an additional worry. And in Philippines the high share of tourism in GDP and fiscal risks are key concerns.
The Economic Recovery Matrix examines demand and supply side recovery factors for the sector, as the battle to contain and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
The FIA and Oxford Economics report titled “Leading to Recovery: Asia’s Food Industry in the Post-Covid Era” also cautions that a general shift towards either restricting food exports in order to protect domestic “food security” or to increase barriers to food imports to protect domestic producers during the recovery (when competition for household spending will be greater) would ultimately undermine food production and price stability in the countries taking these measures. The paper identifies this as a key risk to watch during the recovery.
According to Tom Rogers, Head of Macroeconomic Consulting – Asia, while government across Asia had largely avoided introducing new barriers to trade in food through the first few months of the year, latest data on trade seemed to suggest increasing restrictions.
“Increased trade restrictions on the supply-side could have further implications on an industry already impacted by demand-side developments such as the predicted 5 percent drop in household spending across Asia. This will very likely have an impact on the food industry when coupled with measures such as the need for austerity measures to restore public finances and potential further shocks to the global economy,” said Rogers.
“In this last of three papers looking at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the food industry across Asia, by incorporating a range of issues from our first two papers, not only have we provided some forward looking data to spark recovery for the food sector, but we have also mapped out a risk framework for understanding the challenges the industry may face in the post-pandemic era,” says Steven Bartholomeusz, Policy Director FIA.
FIA and Oxford Economics produced three papers in the series that looked at the impact of Covid-19 on Asia’s food industry. Paper One quantified in more depth the key trading relationships making up the pan-Asia food supply chain and assessed the evolving evidence on price pressures along the supply chain, while Paper Two looked at fiscal risks for Asia’s food sector as well looking at other economic risk factors that form part of the post-COVID landscape.


text:
Jodhaa-Akbar is an Indian epic film released on 15 February 2008. It is directed and produced by Ashutosh Gowariker, the director of the Academy Award-nominated Lagaan . It stars Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in lead roles. This film also marks the debut of newcomer Abir Abrar. Extensive research went into the making of this film which began shooting at Karjat.
The film centers around the romance between the Muslim Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great, played by Hrithik Roshan, and the Hindu Rajput Princess Jodhabai who becomes his wife, played by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The music is composed by acclaimed music composer A. R. Rahman. The soundtrack of the movie was released on 19 January 2008. The film has won the Audience Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the São Paulo International Film Festival, two awards at the Golden Minbar International Film Festival,, seven Star Screen Awards and five Filmfare Awards, in addition to two nominations at the 3rd Asian Film Awards. The Charlotte Observer ranked Jodhaa Akbar at #2 in its list of top ten films released in 2008 from across the world.
Jodhaa Akbar is a sixteenth century love story about a political marriage of convenience between a Mughal emperor, Akbar, and a Rajput princess, Jodhaa.
Political success knew no bounds for Emperor Akbar [Hrithik Roshan]. After having secured the Hindu Kush, his empire extends from Afghanistan to the Bay of Bengal, and from the Himalayas to the Narmada River. Through a shrewd blend of diplomacy, intimidation and brute force, Akbar won the allegiance of the Rajputs. This allegiance was not universal. Maharana Pratap and many other Rajputs always considered Akbar as a foreign invader. Maharana Pratap also banned inter marriages between Rajputs who had given their daughters to the Mughals and the ones who did not. But little did Akbar know that when he married Jodhaa [Aishwarya Rai], a fiery Rajput princess, in order to further strengthen his relations with the Rajputs, he would in turn be embarking upon a new journey - the journey of true love.
The daughter of King Bharmal of Amer, Jodhaa resented being reduced to a mere political pawn in this marriage of alliance, and Akbar''s biggest challenge now lies in winning the love of Jodhaa - a love hidden deep below resentment and extreme prejudice.
Ashutosh Gowariker hired a research team of historians and scholars from New Delhi, Aligarh, Lucknow, Agra and Jaipur to guide him on this film and help him keep things historically accurate. He clarified that the name of the film remains Jodhaa-Akbar, and not Akbar-Jodhaa as reported by sections of the media.
Over 80 elephants, 100 horses and 55 camels were used in the movie. Name Of Main Titled "Azeem O Shan, Shahenshah", the song featured about one thousand dancers in traditional costumes, wielding swords and shields at a grand location in Karjat. The budget of the film was initially Rs. 37 cr., which shot up to Rs. 40 crore. The film was supposed to be released in June-December 2007, but was delayed due to unknown issues.
The first television promo was aired on 9 December 2007.
The movie used over 4000 kg of gold and kundan jewellery made by Tanishq .
In North America, the film grossed $1.3 million in the first weekend and went on to gross $3,440,718 in its lifetime. The film had a slow start at the Indian box office. The movie netted a decent Rs 24.75 crores in the first week but with good word of mouth publicity, it went on to cross the coveted Rs 50 crore Nett milestone by the fourth weekend. The movie has been estimated to end its theatrical run in India with total business of 60 crores Nett, without being released in Rajasthan due to political unrest.
Film critic Lawrence Toppman of The Charlotte Observer ranked Jodhaa Akbar at #2 in his list of top ten films released in 2008 from across the world.Rotten Tomatoes has given the film a 75% rating with 8 fresh and 2 rotten reviews.
Anil Sinanan of The Times gave the film four out of five stars stating, "Oscar-nominated Lagaan director Ashutosh Gowariker''s sumptuous period epic has all the ingredients of a Cecil B. DeMille entertainer [...] The film ends with a passionate plea for tolerance of all religions in India, a resonant message for modern India." Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN also gave the film four out of five stars commenting: "Ive never felt this way about any other film, but sitting there in my seat watching Jodhaa Akbar, I felt privileged as a moviegoer. Privileged that such a film had been made, and privileged that it had been made in our times so we can form our own opinions of the film rather than adopt the opinions of previous generations, which we invariably must when looking at older classics." Tajpal Rathore of the BBC gave the film four out of five stars, noting that, "although the 16th-century love story upon which its based might be long forgotten, this endearing treatment sears into the memory through sheer size and scale alone [...] Dont let the running time put you off watching this unashamedly epic tale."
Nikhat Kazmi of The Times of India gave the film three stars, stating that, "Jodhaa Akbar works only because its heart is in the right place. The film talks about a love that transcends all barriers -- gender, religion, culture -- and dreams of an India where secularism and tolerance are the twin towers that should never ever crumble. And Akbar and Jodhaa are the alluring exponents of this dream." Kazmi also suggests that "if you are willing to shed off all the trappings of history, only then will Jodhaa Akbar work for you." While suggesting that the film is "too long" and that it is "not a history lesson," Rachel Saltz of the The New York Times also notes, "in choosing to tell the tale of this emperor and a Muslim-Hindu love story, Mr. Gowariker makes a clear point. As Akbar says, Respect for each other''s religion will enrich Hindustan. " Khalid Mohammed of the Hindustan Times, gave the film 2 stars. He suggests that, "like it or not Ashutosh Gowariker, who is normally a fine and conscientious director, has miscalculated the technical logistics and emotional content of a period piece. Crucial detailing isn''t the virtue here."
*Won Best Film - Ronnie Screwvala and Ashutosh Gowariker
*Won Best Director - Ashutosh Gowariker
*Won Best Actor - Hrithik Roshan
*Won Best Lyricist - Javed Akhtar
*Won Best Background Score - A. R. Rahman
* Best Picture
* Best Director
* Best Actor
* Best Music Director
* Best Lyricist
* Best Male Playback
* Best Art Direction
* Best Background Score
* Best Costume Design
* Best Editing
* Best Makeup
Star screen awards
*Best Film - Ronnie Screwvala and Ashutosh Gowariker
*Best Actor - Hrithik Roshan
*Best Background Music - A. R. Rahman
*Best Choreographer - Raju Khan for "Khwaja Mere Khwaja"
*Best Director - Ashutosh Gowarikar
*Most Popular Actress - Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
*Best Actress - Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
*Best Action - Ravi Dewan
*Best Actor in a Negative Role - Ila Arun
*Best Art Direction - Nitin Chandrakant Desai
*Best Lyrics - Kashif for "Khwaja Mere Khwaja"
*Best Music - A. R. Rahman
*Best Male Playback Singer - A. R. Rahman for "Khwaja Mere Khwaja"
*Best Special Effects - Pankaj Khandpur
*Won, Star of the year - Hrithik Roshan
*Won, Dream director - Ashutosh Gowariker
*Won, The New Menace - Nikitin Dheer
Many of the events portrayed in the movie are based on real events. Certain Rajput groups claimed Jodhaa was married to Akbars son, Jahangir, not Akbar. They also demanded a public apology from Ashutosh Gowariker. The film was not released in 30 cinema theatres in Rajasthan.
Several historians claim that Akbars Rajput wife was never known as "Jodha Bai" during the Mughal period.
According to Professor Shirin Moosvi, a historian of Aligarh Muslim University, Neither the Akbarnama [a biography of Akbar commissioned by Akbar himself], nor any historical text from the period refer to her as Jodha Bai. Moosvi notes that the name "Jodha Bai" was first used to refer to Akbars wife in the 18th and 19th centuries in historical writings. In Tuzk-e-Jahangiri, she is referred as Mariam Zamani.
According to historian Imtiaz Ahmad, the director of the Khuda Baksh Oriental Public Library in Patna, the name "Jodha" was used for Akbars wife for the first time by Lieutenant-Colonel James Tod, in his book Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan. According to Ahmad, Tod was not a professional historian. N R Farooqi claims that Jodha Bai was not the name of Akbars Rajput queen; it was the name of Jahangirs Rajput wife.
Ashutosh Gowarikars reaction was,
Protests and legal issues
The portrayal of ethnic Rajput people in the movie was criticized by members of the Rajput community as misleading, politically motivated historical revisionism that minimized Rajput history and scapegoated them as evil [http://www.ibosnetwork.com/newsmanager/templates/template1.aspx?articleid=21147&zoneid=4]. The communitys protests against the film in some states and it has been banned by the States of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttarakhand. However, the producer moved the Supreme Court by challenging it. Later, the Supreme Court of India lifted the ban on screening the film for now in Uttar Pradesh and some towns of Uttarakhand and Haryana. The court scrapped the Uttar Pradesh government ban as well as similar orders by authorities in Dehradun in Uttarkhand and in Ambala, Sonepat and Rewari in Haryana.
V shantaram awards
*Won, Best Director Bronze Award - Ashutosh Gowariker
*Won, Best Actress - Aishwarya Rai
*Won, Best Music - A. R. Rahman
;Golden Minbar International Film Festival of Muslim Cinema [Kazan, Russia]
*Won, Best Film [Grand Prix] - Ashutosh Gowarikar
*Won, Best Actor Award - Hrithik Roshan
;32nd São Paulo International Film Festival [Brazil, South America]
*Won, Audience Award for Best Foreign Language Film - Ashutosh Gowarikar
;Asia Pacific Screen Awards
*Nominated, Achievement in Cinematography - Kiiran Deohans
;3rd Asian Film Awards
*Nominated, Best Production Designer - Nitin Chandrakant Desai
*Nominated, Best Composer - A. R. Rahman
Source : Jodhaa Akbar Wiki Page

domain: entertainment


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I am honored that I have the opportunity to serve as President of the LPGA Amateur Golf Association - San Antonio chapter.
We should be very proud to be a part of the LPGA family. There have been many changes over this past year and I’m sure that there will be many more during this transition. In the end, I believe that as members we will have greatly enhanced benefits.
My goal for 2019 is to grow our chapter by having many fun golf and social events. Along with the other members of the board, we are all going to encourage fun and friendship at every event, with the thought that if we are all have fun we will play better and make many new friends and solidify existing friendships.
Cheers to a great 2019 season,
LPGA Amateur Golf Association - San Antonio

domain: hobby


Hello people. Are people really so slow to learn. Now C. Powell joins a long list of other prominent, famous, and even “currently in power” people to find their emails have been hacked into and are being shared with the world. It seems to me that the lesson here is not all that hard to understand. How about “don’t put anything in an email that you don’t want the world to read”? Powell asked the media to not air them and to respect his privacy. Then on thinking about it said that was like expecting leprechauns to feed them to a unicorn.
So who is doing all this hacking into emails? The current accused is Russia, before that it was China, and then of course there are a raft of individuals and even companies that are busy invading other people’s emails.
Why are they doing it? Some for profit, some for fame, some for leverage, some for fun, some for bribery, some even claim it is for public service and/or patriotism.
Our government is on the front lines of those bemoaning the practice and accusing everyone in sight. It seems that they are oblivious to the fact that they are also in the thick of hacking. Does anyone really believe that our government doesn’t have a bevy of people trying to hack into the military computers of N. Korea, Russia, Iran, China, and a dozen or so others?
It wasn’t many months ago when it was revealed that our government had been “wire tapping” leaders of other countries, some even our allies. Wire tapping, spying, and various forms of surveillance has been practiced for years. That is why many governments, including our own, have safe rooms where they are insulated against eavesdropping from other sites. Isn’t hacking into emails and other computer programs just the latest version of spying and invasion of privacy?
I doubt that anyone, or any entity, is interested in hacking into my emails, but I’ll save them the trouble by saying there isn’t anything there that I am unwilling to openly share with the hacker or the world at large. How about your emails? Maybe time to clean them a bit?
If you have really bad stuff there, take a lesson from Hillary and use that bleach app.


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Raw Banana Cutlets
Hi Friends! Another of my never failing , healthy, delicious cutlet recipe with raw bananas and potatoes. It can be ready in no time, a perfect tea time snack.
Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Cook time: 10-15 minutes
Course : Healthy snack/Appetizers
Cooking time : 30 minutes
- 400 gms Raw bananas
- 2 medium size boiled Potatoes / to give 2/3 cup mashed
- 2 tbsp Buckwheat flour/Kuttu ka aata
- 2/3 level tsp salt /or salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 green chili , finely chopped
- 1 tsp ginger, finely grated
- 1 tbsp Green coriander/ Cilantro / dhaniya , finely chopped
- 10 Cashew nuts, lightly roasted, and cut into small pieces
- Oil – to fry cutlets
Wash the bananas properly, put bananas in a pressure cooker, add 1/2 cup of water. Close the cooker lid and place the pressure cooker on a high flame. The moment full pressure is formed, switch off the stove. When cooker cools down to the room temperature, open the lid and take out the bananas. Remove the peel of each banana, mash in a mixing bowl and keep aside.
Place the bananas in a microwave safe dish and cook in the microwave for 3 minutes. When bananas cool down to the room temperature, remove the peel from all bananas and mash. Keep mashed bananas aside.
Wash the potatoes properly, and put in a pressure cooker, add 1/2 cup of water. Close the cooker lid and place the pressure cooker on a high flame. The moment full pressure is formed, switch off the stove. When cooker cools down to the room temperature, open the lid and take out the potatoes. Remove and peel the potatoes, mash in a mixing bowl and keep aside.
In a mixing bowl take mashed potatoes, bananas, buckwheat flour / Kutu ka aata,salt, black pepper, green chilies, grated ginger and green coriander. Mix all the ingredients well . Divide the mixture into eight equal portions and keep aside.
In a non-stick pan take two tbsp oil and heat. Take each portion of the mixture in your hands, roll it into a round ball then press gently with your palms to flatten it. Slide gently as many cutlets as the pan can take easily fry in hot oil. Fry on medium flame till both sides turn light golden brown. Carefully take out the cutlets in a tray lined with the paper kitchen towel.
Serve hot with coriander / mint chutney.
- For best results, while using boiled potatoes, for preparing any type of cutlets , do not use the potatoes immediately after they are boiled. Cool them in the fridge for 1/2 an hour or so and then use for making the cutlets.
- If NOT making cutlets for fast/Navratri vrats, you can use corn flour instead of Buckwheat flour/Kuttu ka aata
The Health Benefits of Green Bananas :
4 Body Benefits of Green Bananas
GREEN BANANAS ARE HIGH IN FIBER.
Just one cup of boiled green bananas contains 3.6 g of fiber, which satisfies 14 percent of your daily value! And as you may or may not already be aware, there is a decent correlation between the consumption of high fiber food and lowered instances of disease, such as diabetes. Bottom line? The stuff is good for you.
GREEN BANANAS INCREASE YOUR BODY’S ABILITY TO ABSORB NUTRIENTS.
Green bananas contain compounds called short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which nourish the cell tissue lining of the small intestine, dramatically enhancing the body’s capacity to absorb nutrients .
GREEN BANANAS ARE HIGH IN POTASSIUM.
Just like yellow bananas, green bananas are just as high in potassium. For instance, just one cup of boiled green bananas contains 531 mg of potassium. Compare this with the American Heart Association’s recommended intake of 4,700 mg of potassium per day.
GREEN BANANAS CONTAIN RESISTANT STARCH.
By definition, resistant starch (RS) is any starch that is not digested in the small intestine but passes to the large bowel. And according to research conducted by Janine Higgins of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, there is strong evidence to suggest that RS intake is associated with several changes in metabolism which may have positive health benefits such as:
- Decreases glycemic and insulinemic responses
- Lowers plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations
- Improves whole body insulin sensitivity
- Increases satiety, and reduces fat storage.
Nick’s kitchen medical Disclaimer:
- Nick’s kitchen is for Vegetarians. It sometimes provides education and support to individuals who want to become vegetarian, or move toward a more vegetarian diet.
- Nick’s kitchen provides some information on vegetarian and vegan diets to the best of their knowledge and abilities.
- Nick’s kitchen does not claim to be health care professional, nutritionist, nor does it claims to treat any illness through vegan or vegetarian diet.
- If you have a medical condition,Nick’s kitchen recommend that you consult your health care professionals before changing your diet.
- Any changes that you make to your diet, and the results of those changes, are your decision and your responsibility.

domain: food


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Irene wakes up post drunk night out with her girl friends, but not in a normal place. Instead, she’s on the side of the road, trying to remember how sIrene wakes up post drunk night out with her girl friends, but not in a normal place. Instead, she’s on the side of the road, trying to remember how she got there. Recalling the previous night’s events, Irene realizes her memory of the night is incomplete. This is not a pleasant realization, and neither is the pile of mail she finds at her house or the concerned voice mails on her machine.
It isn’t until a boy — a genius kid obsessed with life after death — tells her she’s dead that Irene really begins to understand what her new existence has become. A ghost wandering the earth, she can interact with inanimate objects but can’t be seen by the living. I liked this aspect, as generally ghosts move right through solid objects because they aren’t solid, but Terri Bruce has made ghosts a bit different than the norm.
Also, Jonah (the genius kid) could have easily been made a love interest in the story, and I kept thinking while making my way through this afterlife adventure that it would have been easy for Bruce to make that decision and form a romance-heavy plotline. However, that’s not what she did with this novel, and that’s admirable. I’ve been visiting other blogs on this tour, and here’s an interview about this very topic — writing a female main character that goes against the grain, maybe challenges a few of the norms, and still manages to be a really great character.
The relationship between Irene and Jonah is unique for various reasons. They aren’t related, are of very different age groups, but they still manage to be friends and journey companions. Irene may be older, but she sure isn’t smarter when it comes to how death and the afterlife are treated in various cultures. This is an aspect of the book which I’m sure took a great deal of research, and maybe adding in all of those details was challenging to write, but it’s done flawlessly. I read this novel enjoying the journey through Irene’s afterlife, liking the friendship between Irene and Jonah, and appreciating the cultural details along the way.
This read a bit like a typical urban fantasy. There are vampires and werewolves, a mysterious and dangerous vampire who seems to be potential love intThis read a bit like a typical urban fantasy. There are vampires and werewolves, a mysterious and dangerous vampire who seems to be potential love interest, and a werewolf who thinks he's a big bad wolf.
Men with ego problems, it sounds like. Arys, the dangerous vampire, meets Alexa (our MC werewolf) when she's out one night trying to take out some vampires. She makes a mistake and ends up caught with no easy way to escape, that is until Arys comes into the scene.
In the second chapter, Alexa is at a party where she ends up in a room alone with the big bad wolf, and yes, he is deserving of that nickname based on what happens here. Luckily, Alexa gets away, but it's only to meet up with Arys again in chapter three.
What's a bit fascinating is that there is some unique paranormal chemistry or attraction between Alexa and Arys, though she is werewolf and he is vampire. I'm curious as to what's going on between them, and I'm sure the full-length novel would let me know if I decide I want to read it. ...more
The first part of this story was a bit aggravating, as it told how Tiff, a sixteen year old girl, was sent away to live with her grandmother after devThe first part of this story was a bit aggravating, as it told how Tiff, a sixteen year old girl, was sent away to live with her grandmother after developing into a young woman. That, plus the title of the story and the cat calls within the book.. those were annoying.
But the story does change its focus, as Tiff's grandmother gives her the challenge of reading a crystal ball and telling fortunes at the carnival. Tiff doesn't feel she has any real talent, and feels bad to be faking the visitors of her fortune telling tent--until she realizes she knows more than her visitors told her.
The ending was nice, and I liked the paranormal twist. Though, it's not connected to anything. There's no related novel or short story sequel--this one is all that exists. And I did feel as though the last pages were rushed, as though everything came together too quickly and forcefully for it to be realistic....more
This is the first novel about angels that I've read. I had my doubts about liking an angel book, especially because I didn't want to end up reading aThis is the first novel about angels that I've read. I had my doubts about liking an angel book, especially because I didn't want to end up reading a book based on religion. The good news is this novel barely mentions religion, and for most of the novel the whole angel aspect is skirted around instead of being a focal point.
I spotted this one at the library last week and since I've heard so many good things about this series, I had to check it out to see what all the hype is about. In short, I'm glad I did!
I liked the main character, Luce, who ends up going to a school for troubled teenagers after the suspicious death of a guy she was seeing. The romantic interests are intriguing characters, as are the protagonists. I love it when characters have a lot more to them than what is originally portrayed, and that is quite a theme in Fallen.
The beginning seemed slow to start for me, but I was intrigued when the story picked up--and it didn't take too long until I was hooked.
I mostly liked the ending though I question the direction the story is taking (not willing to give spoilers but if my concerns are relevant in the second novel, I will be sure to include them in that review), and I'm looking forward to reading the next novel!...more
Evie is on the inside, which is a unique perspective in the YA fantasy genre. She has grown up within the IPCA which tracks and polices unnatural creaEvie is on the inside, which is a unique perspective in the YA fantasy genre. She has grown up within the IPCA which tracks and polices unnatural creatures living throughout the world. It is a government organization, and Evie is responsible for recognizing and tracking fantasy creatures who are causing mischief in the outside world.
Although Evie is young, perhaps too young for such a heavy job, she has earned this job by having a unique ability of her own. While most people, even her fellow coworkers at IPCA, can't see through the glamours put up by these fantasy creatures, Evie can see straight through every disguise to the unnatural being which lurks beneath.
Besides her important career, Evie is a fascinating character who is fiercely loyal to her friends, and strong versus her enemies. Reth is a faerie that Evie must rely on for transport, as in this world, faeries have the power to travel to anywhere in the world in just a moment, and bring whomever is holding their hand to the same location. The terms of this are that faeries are under the command of the IPCA, and cannot refuse to take a person with the power to demand such a task.
While there are many faeries available for transport, Evie often gets stuck with Reth. They have a history, and it isn't a very nice one. Reth treated Evie poorly, and she makes an effort to avoid him even though that is not always possible. While there's a chance Reth wants something more from Evie, this novel doesn't have a true love triangle. However, Reth is very creepy and has a dangerous motive for not wanting to leave Evie alone.
Instead, Evie spends all of her unallotted time with Lend, a unique paranormal made of water. He has the power to shape-shift, and although that makes him potentially dangerous and recognizable as a familiar face to most people, Evie isn't scared of him because she can see his true form beneath. This character is amazing, and I fell in love with the idea of a paranormal made completely of water who has the ability to shape shift. He doesn't remain in a form that appears liquid, he can replicate a person's appearance down to their clothing and eye color.
Evie's boss, Raquel, struggles with Evie's development of a friendly bond with Lend and tries to keep them apart. Since Raquel can't always be around, Evie and Lend sure do spend a lot of time together, and that's where the romance aspect of this novel comes in. It's not over the top, it's that subtle type of teenage romance that I've come to adore, and Kiersten White did a great job of bringing life to their connection.
What a fun read! I loved Evie, the main character, for her humorous take on this paranormal world. She works for IPCA which is in charge of tagging paranormals worldwide. I don't recall reading a paranormal novel from a government agency insider's point of view, and it was entertaining to read about an MC on the inside of the operation.
The other characters were great, Evie lives a sheltered life but she does have a few friends she can count on. Action scenes were fun, character development and conflict was exciting, and the chapter titles added a playful vibe to the book.
The romance was fun and light, but mostly I just can't get over how great it is to read about different (and entirely new!) types of paranormals....more
This story was nothing short of amazing. I loved the characters, their abilities — Luke gets visions of future events, Sera can heal people she toucheThis story was nothing short of amazing. I loved the characters, their abilities — Luke gets visions of future events, Sera can heal people she touches — and the setting. It’s a short story, but don’t let that keep you from reading this. What’s especially great about this particular story, other than the writing which I loved, is that it’s a prequel for a full-length novel (her first!) by J. Meyers titled Intangible.
I assume the cliffhanger at the end of this short story leads right into the plot for Intangible, so I can’t wait to read the full novel!...more
Lena is a wonderful character, she goes through so many struggles out in the Wilds, and comes to findI don't know if this book could have been better.
Lena is a wonderful character, she goes through so many struggles out in the Wilds, and comes to find she doesn't even know who she is anymore. She isn't the girl who grew up in the safety of her Portland community, and she doesn't recognize the girl she's become as she strives to survive out in the Wilds.
The romance storyline in this book is great, and believable considering both character's circumstances. In a world where the law tells you not to love, not to look too closely at people or show them more attention than necessary, Lena and her friend desperately want to know what it's like. They want to know what's forbidden. They want to know each other.
I love how Lauren Oliver writes metaphors / similes. They're never about something random or typical (ie emeralds to describe eye color), but they always relate to the situation AND the location. The problem I have with writers who make comparisons to things that aren't actively in the story is that it's distracting. Oliver is a master at making descriptive comparisons to what's already in the scenery so I'm always caught up in the moment when I'm reading.
The ending--it had to happen. I kept wondering if it would happen earlier. It's going to make the next book pretty interesting...
(First impressions only -- I'll clean this review up later.)...more

domain: artistic


The Palm Beach Police Department in partnership with Palm Beach Crime Watch would like to invite interested teens to take part in the 2023 Teen Police Academy. The Teen Police Academy program is a one-week program and is offered to teens from 13-16 years of age. Participation is required for all five days, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Applicants should live in or attend school in the Town of Palm Beach.
The program is modeled after the Citizen Police Academy and is designed to give young people an overview of the training undertaken by police officers as well as other aspects of the criminal justice system. The program includes exciting hands-on training, field trips, including a tour of the Palm Beach County Jail, and a graduation ceremony. All lunches, snacks and drinks are provided.
The Teen Police Academy program fee is $150.00 for the first child and $50 for each additional sibling, which includes uniform tops and daily lunch. Space is limited. Please make checks payable to Palm Beach Crime Watch. Students must be available to attend for the full week and permission must be given for participation in all scheduled activities. Applications must be received by May 1, 2023 to participate.
For more information and to request an application, please call Palm Beach Crime Watch at 561-820-8118 or visit palmbeachcrimewatch.com.


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'I will not sign:' Nenshi against Creative Calgary's funding ask
Group is asking for $20 million in arts funding going forward so Calgary can catch up to Edmonton, and become an overall better city.
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Calgary's arts community is beginning to paint a picture of how they want election candidates to move forward with funding in the future.
More than 60 people gathered outside of city hall, most with matching Creative Calgary T-shirts, to demand more for the arts – at least as much as Edmonton gets.
And for the group, that's about 0.7 per cent of the city's budget, which would be an approximate $20 million investment in the arts.
"I'm very pleased with their initiative, I'm very pleased with what they're doing, I will not sign the pledge in its current form," said Nenshi. "As I've said from the very beginning, I don't believe in input-based measures."
Nenshi said the city has to focus its spending on where the biggest bang for the buck is, which could mean an increase in arts spending, but that it shouldn't be based on what other jurisdictions are spending or arbitrary numbers.
Aritha Van Herk, author and University of Calgary professor, said a creative city will attract new businesses and entrepreneurs, which will help it towards the hallmark of a world-class city.
"Edmonton gives twice as much per-capita of civic support to the arts than we do," Van Herk said. "I want us to at least give as much support as Edmonton does."
She said more funding for the arts will help enhance the city's ability to attract a diverse economy and boost the quality of life.
"Everybody worries about their jobs, their homes, feeding their kids and education," Van Herk said. "One dollar of art investment doubles its return, and it triples its return when you take into consideration tourism. I think people forget that."
Irfhan Rawji, a member of the Creative Calgary advisory group said the arts group wanted to bring arts into focus for council and the mayor, as well as anyone running for the Oct. 16 municipal election.
"That message of being a creative leader is important," said Rawji. "If you look at what Amazon said a few days ago...one of the four points they made (when looking for HQ2) was they were looking for a city that was thinking big, and thinking creatively – unfortunately Calgary can't make that claim."

domain: economics


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As you know, today, Nintendo of America held a large Wii U-centered press conference. Other divisions of the world presented a Nintendo Direct broadcast to deliver (relatively) the same information. I'm happy to announce that we finally have the release date, price, as well as an all new bundle!
For the American NC readers, you can have the Wii U in your hands on November 18th for $299.99 for the Basic Set, or $349.99 for the Deluxe Set! For tons more info from today's conference, hit the jump!
The Wii U Basic Set, which will come in white, contains the Wii U console, the Gamepad, an AC Adapter, HDMI, and Sensor Bar. The Deluxe Set, which will come in black, and will include more memory (32 GB, as opposed to the Basic Set's Wii U's 8GB), a gamepad charging cradle, a stand for the Wii U and gamepad, a two year premium subscription to Nintendo Network, and Nintendo Land; plus everything that came in the Basic Set.
It has also been confirmed that most Wii U games will retail for $59.99. As far as controllers go, the Wii U gamepad will not be available for retail in North America, because there aren't any games that supports multiple gamepads. If you need to replace a broken gamepad, you can do so directly through Nintendo of America. The Wii U Pro Controller will be available for a pricy $49.99 here in the States, and isn't included in any of the Wii U bundles. You also have the option of purchasing as much extra storage as you want, although Nintendo won't supply it themselves.
Are you excited for the Wii U? Do you think the prices are fair? Which bundle will you get? Answer those questions and more in the comments below!


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Try one of the ReverbNation Channels
I'm listening and like your KICK **S TUNES!! Loved the collab with Woody! And that song about Horse Feathers, YeEeOoZzAa!!! I have to go to sleep now but I shall return....
Thanks for the kind reply. :)
ReSpEcT to your GREAT roCkiN`WorX ! iTs always a pleasure !! RockstrØm
Right back atcha!
your new song is way cool Jammie :) Love it !!
Nice work....very cool tunes!!!
Right back at ya. I was at your site today! Diggin' what you guys are about.
Rockin’ the weekend with your superb music!
Hey Jammie , thanks for lettin me play with you on
" Nothin Wrong With That " absolutly a Hot Song !
Wouldn't be the same without ya Woody. I'm thanking YOU!
Listening to Nothin' Wrong with That, nice song with some great guitar and vocals! I like the line 'you spend more money than I make all year'!
Thanks Mr. Thompson!
Jammie, "Put It Down" Motivates me immediately to start dancing!! Great Song!! Keep up the great work!!
Jammie its a great honor to have you for a friend and you are one of the most talented artist I know ! Thank you for allowing me to join you in all these cool projects !
The pleasure is all mine! Your style and mine fit together pretty good. If we're not careful though..........we JUST MAY come up with a great tune! :)
i like how you playing the music, and it works well, very well and fantastic
Thanks for the encouragement!
© 2006-2014 eMinor Incorporated


Novelist Bret Easton Ellis of American Psycho fame recently admitted to Vice Magazine that he is collaborating on a film with ultra-famous rapper Kanye West.
When West initially approached Ellis about making the film he didn’t want to do it and felt that he was the wrong man for the job. After listening to an advance copy of Yeezus though, Ellis changed his tune and thought that regardless of whether he was right for it or not, he wanted to work with the man who made the album happen.
All of this happened before the Yeezus tour, before the logistical issues that caused performance postponements and before the ridiculous ‘Bound 2’ music video starring his wife Kim Kardashian that consequently spawned a hilarious spoof from James Franco and Seth Rogen, appropriately titled ‘Bound 3‘.
You might also like: Kanye and Jay Z 101: U. of Missouri offers course on rappers’ relationship
Despite West’s consistent media impression as pompous and narcissistic, Ellis said he really likes West as a person and that sitting in a room for three hours and having a conversation with West is a “mind-blowing” experience.
Ellis’ most recent notable work was The Canyons, a flop that co-starred the uncooperative and difficult to work with Lindsay Lohan. That’s not to overshadow the immense success of American Psycho, the thriller adapted from Ellis’ 1991 novel of the same name which has now also been adapted as a musical in London. Ellis’ writing clearly has great screen potential, but this may be a stretch for the 49-year-old writer.
You might also like: Kanye West facing charges in Kim Kardashian N-word assault
Right now the collaboration is in “Kanye land” as Ellis put it (we’re wondering if this is a real place, and if so, what’s the quickest way to get there?) meaning that it’s “subject to a whole other time frame.” Until then we’ll wait patiently for what will be either the greatest work or worst flop in both West’s and Ellis’ film careers.
West and Ellis’ film might be a flop, but you can watch undisputed classics on the Hollywoodland channel via FilmOn:


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If you have information about this name, share it in the comments area below!
Definition funny of Ballinger:
coming from the french name Ballinge' . Ballinger came to america on the mayflower as indentured servants.
my name is joshua ballinger
simple minded duck, ginger, twat, brain that functions half an hour behind everyone elses, maturity of a three yr old, concentration of a minute, mixes dress sense of a golfer/greebo/skater/chav/randomer all at the same time. TWAT
peter ballinger for an eg. phone him on 07985674784
A man who enjoys sexual relations with other men.
Hey Ballinger why don't you quit humping other men.
Songs about Ballinger:
Ballinger Cross by Dixie Witch from the Album Smoke And Mirrors
Ballinger Properties, Inc. by Kudzu Wish from the Album Reverse Hurricane
Kiss From A Rose (feat. Alex Ballinger) by Catcall from the Album Scratch Tracks
Margaret Ballinger by Big Farm from the Album Big Farm
Pastor Travis Ballinger by Freedom House from the Album Freedom House
Welcome, Linton Ballinger by United Sacred Harp Musical Association from the Album In Sweetest Union Join
When I Think About the Lord (feat. Pastor Travis Ballinger) by Freedom House from the Album Freedom House
Books about Ballinger:
Philosophers of Consciousness (Ballinger Series in Business in a) by Eugene Webb (Dec 1, 2014)
William Pitt Ballinger: Texas Lawyer, Southern Statesman, 1825-1888 (Barker Texas History) by John Moretta (Jan 26, 2004)
Paradox and Transformation: Toward a Theory of Change in Organization and Management (Ballinger Series on Innovation... by Robert E. Quinn and Kim S. Cameron (Jul 1988)
Progressive Politics and Conservation: Ballinger-Pinchot Affair by James L. Penick (Dec 1968)
William Pitt Ballinger: Texas Lawyer, Southern Statesman, 1825-1888 (Barker Texas History Center Series) by John Moretta (May 2000)
The Classic Works of Edith Ballinger Price by Edith Ballinger Price (Sep 8, 2014)
Ballinger: Webster's Timeline History, 1825 - 2007 by Icon Group International (May 17, 2010)
Wiki information Ballinger:
Ballinger is a city in Runnels County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,767 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Runnels County.
Richard Achilles Ballinger was mayor of Seattle, Washington, from 1904–1906, Commissioner of the General Land Office from 1907-1908 and U.S. Secretary of the Interior from 1909–1911.

domain: library


There is no easy way to maul ‘Israel’ these days without facing the mincer. It should have been more straightforward. The Muslims got ‘ISIS’. It clearly was not a depiction of normative Islām and I trust nobody will call you an Islamophobe for slamming them. Likewise, it is not anti-Christian bigotry to condemn the Nazis.
Why is it different for Zionism? Is the amalgamation of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism, in a way that leverages the legal privileges of the former on the latter, really helpful? In other words, should ‘Israel’, as a political entity, be given Semitic immunity or instead, earn the repudiation of the world’s Semitic community?
Let us take this piecemeal. Zionists, regardless of their religious persuasions, have by incontestable fact invaded Palestine. Putting aside the ‘promised land’ claim for just a moment, the ‘Israeli Declaration of Independence’ happened in May 1948, which is recent enough to be remembered.
Around one million native humans (regardless of their genetic composition) were forcibly displaced from their homes. Call them ‘Palestinians’, ‘Arabs’, ‘human beings’, ‘Canaanites’, ‘Jebusites’, ‘Philistine’s, or even ‘the biological synthesis of every dynasty, nation, or peoples (including ‘Semitic’ Israelites) for all intents and purposes. There were humans living there before the advent of ‘Israel.’ More than 78% of their land was confiscated, alongside its water resource, livestock, buildings, and fertile earth that later became the graveyard of those victims.
“How can we return the occupied territories? There is nobody to return them to.”
What became known as ‘Israel’, created on the corps of that synthetic religious community, also became the world’s only nation given the privilege of justifying its invasion…religiously. They became ‘God’s chosen people’ for that land – a theatrical diversion of the real question. But who could argue with ‘God’s choice’? Precipitously, what began as a simple issue of the rightness or wrongness of land annexation became confounded with questions of organic originality…
The onus was not on how predominantly European Zionists forged a biological link with an African Moses or Babylonian Abraham for that matter. In fact, the onus of answering for genetic originality was thrown on the masses who lived there before 1948 since time immemorial.
Fast forwarding to the modern day, 46% of ‘Israeli’ Jews consider themselves secular, whilst 70% see themselves as God’s ‘chosen people.’  Do the maths! The rounded claim is that God distinguished a growing godless community and sanctioned the forced displacement of a vastly religious and notably Abrahamic community.
Zionism’s history is blighted with massacres, the scale and recursive nature of which has become unfathomable. This says a lot about a 70-year-old nation state. During the shaping of Zionism under the auspices of the British Empire, dozens of British servicemen were killed. The 22nd July 1946 attack on the King David Hotel containing the British Administrative Headquarters was carried out by Zionist underground organisation the ‘Irgun’. Its directors became some of the most senior Zionist authorities, including Menachem Begin (the sixth Prime Minister of ‘Israel’).
The Deir Yassin massacre followed in 1948. A join contingent, containing the Tsel, Irgun, and Haganah, assaulted the 600-person village near Jerusalem. A cistern alone was found to contain 150 mutilating bodies and the full death toll remains unknown. Irgun leader Menachem Begin falsified the Red Cross’s reports, ironically labelling it the fabrication by anti-Semites.  Massacres at Qibya followed in 1953, then Khan Yunis in 1956, and then in the scarred Lebanese town of Sabra and Shatila, in which the organised ‘Israeli’ army itself supervised the silent mass execution of thousands of unarmed Palestinians over three consecutive days.
In the year 1990, thousands of settlers stormed the Masjid al-Aqsa compound trying to place a rock that was ostensibly a foundation stone for Solomon’s temple. Thousands of Palestinians assembled to ward off the group and were met with live ‘Israeli’ gunfire. More than 20 Palestinians were shot dead and hundreds fell injured.  Pools of blood on the sanctuary spread to almost 200 metres in length.
“Force is all they do or ever will understand. We shall use the ultimate force until the Palestinians come crawling to us on all fours.”
In February 1994, Baroukh Goldstein opened fire on a congregation of worshippers at the Masjid in Hebron in which Prophet Abraham (ʿalayhi al-Salām) is buried. The worshippers, face down in sujūd (prostration), were peppered with bullets. Soldiers stationed outside failed to intervene for 10 traumatic minutes despite calls for help. The Zionist fanatic could not have been speaking for Semitism:
“And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, as for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.”
The 2006 blitz on Lebanon that claimed more than a thousand civilians – followed by that on Gaza in 2008, 2012, and 2014 and claiming some 4000 civilians – further testify to this. Mere ‘occupation’ would have been unnecessary, according to the former ‘Israeli’ Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman, and a false protagonist of ‘Israel’s’ Jewishness, if had it dealt with its resistance as the US dealt with Japan.
Is Criticising Illegality now…Illegal?
Censoring ‘Israel’ does not need to be embraced within the definition of anti-Semitism. It is a disservice to a law and concept that took decades of struggle to enshrine across the world. Put another way, if Zionism, sits ‘above the law’, it does not need to sit within the precincts of legal protection afforded to Semitism. Insisting on the equivalence of political Zionism and religious Semitism, in fact, denounces international law altogether, otherwise it is a legal paradox. In fact, religion is unequivocal to separating religious doctrine from the usages and applications of man, and the Zionism and Semitism equivalence renounces this basic concept.
Surely, “grave breaches to which the preceding Article relates shall be those involving any of the following acts, if committed against persons or property protected by the present Convention: wilful killing, torture or inhuman treatment, including biological experiments, wilfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health, unlawful deportation or transfer or unlawful confinement of a protected person”, as stated in Article 147 of the 1949 Geneva convention,  is not a Semitic virtue. Can ‘Israel’s’ proponents honestly vindicate ‘Israel’ from this? Reports suggest that women raising white flags were summarily executed during ‘Operation Cast Lead’.  The use of insidious white phosphorus and depleted uranium during the December 2008 assault on Gaza was at an unprecedented scale.
According to Article 27 of the 1949 Geneva Convention:
“Women shall be especially protected against any attack on their honour, in particular against rape.”
Should the choke imposed on the Gaza strip be afforded legal protection?
“Daily food rations for internees shall be sufficient in quantity, quality and variety to keep internees in a good state of health and prevent the development of nutritional deficiencies. Account shall also be taken of the customary diet of the internees.”
“Any act of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment is an offence to human dignity and a fundamental violation of human rights… No State may permit or tolerate torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”
Recurrent sexual abuse, child molestation, prisoner humiliation, and physical and psychological abuse has been extensively documented by Palestinian non-governmental advocacy group, Addameer.  According to the Palestinian Centre of Human Rights, ‘Israel’ has imprisoned more than 600,000 Palestinians for a week or longer.  Reports suggest that prisoners are tied to chairs for hours, with music blasting out, pricked with needles and sacks are placed over their heads. However, according to Declaration of the Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power:
“Victims should be treated with compassion and respect for their dignity and are entitled to prompt redress for harm caused.”
Affording Zionism legal immunity under the Semitic framework undermines our very understanding of Human Rights and justice. ‘Israel’ leads the world in snubbing UN resolutions.  It is a glaring legal enigma, even a travesty of justice to outlaw the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, specifically targeting illegal settlement produce, when, according to the International Court of Justice (2004) “Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, are illegal and an obstacle to peace and to economic and social development [… and] have been established in breach of international law”.
Is Criticising Racism now…Racism?
Racism is grounded in almost every ‘Israeli’ institution. Arabs living within the 1948 territories are fundamentally denied nationality rights. The Law of Citizenship isolates non-Jews into a subordinate class and a wide range of national services are systematically provided to Zionist institutions, serving only Jews.  ‘Israeli’ Arabs are ridiculed at airports, suspended from various legislative and legal rights, and even banned from access to public amenities, including parks and attractions.
“One million Arabs are not worth a Jewish fingernail.”
In the 16 years of building the ‘separation wall’, the structure has penetrated up to 67 Palestinian villages, towns, and cities, affecting nearly quarter of a million Palestinians living in the West Bank. “Jerusalemites are separated from family members in the West Bank; ambulances and patients cannot reach hospitals; and babies are born in the street.”
“Israel, like South Africa, is an apartheid state.”
Arguably, conflating anti-Semitism with anti-Zionism is anti-Semitic, particularly if we can agree that anti-Semitism is distinctly racist and has bred hate-crime. Trying to protect ‘Israel’ under the precincts of ‘anti-Semitism’ laws in fact undermine the latter, exposing the two separate issues to equivalent denigration. People will simply not stop criticising ‘Israel’ because it stems from their disposition on moral justice. Just as Islamophobes should answer for today’s record levels of Islamophobic hate-crime because their equivalence of terrorism and Islām, those who peddle the Zionism, Semitism equivalence should be the ones made to answer for increasing anti-Jewish bigotry.
 Golda Maier, March, 1969
 Stefan Brooks, ‘Deir Yassin Massacre,’ in Spencer C. Tucker, Priscilla Roberts (eds.)The Encyclopedia of the Arab-Israeli Conflict: A Political, Social, and Military History, ABC-CLIO, 2008 p.297.
 Rafael Eitan, Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defence Forces, 1983
 Genesis 17:3-4 King James Version
 Article 89, 1949 Geneva convention
 Declaration against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
 Rabbi Yaacov Perrin, February 1994
 Dr. Hendrik Verwoerd, the Prime Minister of apartheid South Africa
Ahmed Hammuda is a regular contributor at Islam21c. His interests lie in Qur’anic Tafsir and the field of Middle East Affairs and how they reflect on Muslims living in the West. He is an Electrical Engineer by trade and has been involved in various Da’wah activities over the course of his education and working life. He has transferred the same analytical approach required in engineering into a careful and measured approach in his views and positions.


text:
Protesters clashed with police again in Hong Kong on Tuesday night after reports that some of their detained colleagues would be charged with the relatively serious charge of rioting.
Several hundred protesters mobilized in the streets outside a police station after Hong Kong media said that 44 people had been arrested on riot charges stemming from a Sunday night demonstration.
They and one other person charged with possession of a weapon were to appear in court on Wednesday, public broadcaster RTHK reported.
Live video streamed by Hong Kong media showed protesters chanting slogans and throwing eggs at the Kwai Chung police station. Police used pepper spray to try to disperse them.
The unannounced protest capped another day of unrest. During the morning rush hour, commuters argued with demonstrators who blocked subway train doors in their continuing movement to demand greater accountability from the semi-autonomous Chinese territory's government.
Service was delayed and partially suspended on the Island and Kwun Tong lines, subway operator MTR said. It cited ``a number of train door obstructions'' as well as someone activating a safety device at a platform on the Kwun Tong line.
The action targeted rush hour traffic at several stations. MTR responded by providing minibuses to replace delayed trains and normal service was restored by around noon.
Protester Ken Chan said he wanted MTR officials to explain why they allegedly failed to take action on July 21 when a large gang of men in white shirts brutally beat dozens of people inside a train station as a massive protest was winding down. Hong Kong's government and the central authorities in Beijing have blamed protesters for sparking the confrontation.
“How could they let the triads in white attack people on the platform randomly, including the elderly and children in the train?” said Chan, 32, using the common term for members of organized crime groups. “Some of the elderly got smacked on their heads, but (MTR staff) turned a blind eye to it.”
Lorraine Lee, 26, said the subway disruption was an attempt to remind people of the government's alleged failure to deal with social, economic and political injustices.
“The government has not been addressing the problems in our society,” Lee said. ”That is why now Hong Kongers have no choice but to use different `creative' approaches to remind people what is happening in Hong Kong.”
AP video showed heated exchanges at Tiu Keng Leng station, where a crowd of protesters and commuters filled the platform and a stopped train.
The disruption is part of a pro-democracy movement that has seen hundreds of thousands take to the streets this summer for marches and rallies. The protests have shaken the government in Hong Kong and raised concerns in Beijing. Hong Kong is part of China but has a fair degree of autonomy in local affairs.
Posts on Twitter showed long lines of commuters waiting for free shuttle buses provided by MTR to other subway stops. Protesters conducted a similar action to block trains last week.
Activists began protesting in early June for the government to withdraw an extradition bill that would have allowed people to be sent to stand trial in mainland China, where critics say their legal rights would be threatened. The government suspended the bill, but the protests have expanded to calls for democracy and government accountability.
On Sunday, police repeatedly fired tear gas and rubber bullets to drive back protesters blocking Hong Kong streets with road signs and umbrellas.
The protesters have demanded an independent inquiry into police conduct at the demonstrations, which they say has been abusive.
China on Monday accused unidentified foreign actors of encouraging the protests. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Tuesday that the central government “resolutely opposes any foreign forces' attempts to intervene in Hong Kong affairs.”
“We have the determination and ability to safeguard peace and stability in Hong Kong,” Hua said at a daily briefing.
On Saturday, Hong Kong police fired tear gas, swung batons and forcefully cleared out protesters who defied warnings not to march.

domain: sociology


text:
An hour wait at 8 p.m. on a Wednesday? Welcome to George and the Dragon, which literally rose from the ashes of Heidi’s and Blackbird at 50th and Bryant in south Minneapolis. Clearly the neighborhood was lacking a place where grown-ups could gather for post-game pub fare and pints—with their uniform-clad offspring in tow.
George is a public house with a familiar formula: big bar, big booths, and big portions of food that tend toward the meaty, starchy, and fried. Owners Fred and Stacy Navarro met during their 17-year tenure working for Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants (most recently, Fred oversaw Tucci Benucch, Twin City Grill, and The Magic Pan), so George has the consistency of a corporate operation, yet retains the personal feel of eating at the owners’ home, which happens to be four blocks away.
The requisite fish ’n’ chips and onion rings sport a crisp beer batter made with the ultra-local Fulton Lonely Blonde. Beer is a big deal at George. The signature beef short rib is braised in a bewitching brew called Dragon’s Milk, which lends the dish a malty sweetness. And the restaurant’s draft list includes three nitrogen taps, which impart a smooth, creamy texture to English favorites such as Old Speckled Hen.
In addition to its burgers and sandwiches (or “toasties” per the Brits), George offers several UK classics, including an English-style fry-up breakfast and the meat-potato-popover pileup known as Sunday Roast. But there are also a few dishes the Navarros brought to the restaurant’s kitchen straight from their own, including the Filipino fried egg roll, lumpia (Fred’s mom’s recipe), as well as fluffy beignets and a catch-all dish called the Asian Hangover, starring five-spice pork.
813 W. 50th St., Mpls., 612-208-1047, ganddpub.com


text: Fishing is a way of life in the Algarve and the Portuguese have one of the highest fish consumptions per capita in the world, which is no wonder considering the abundant natural resource on its doorstep. All types of fishing trips are available. You can expect to find native fish such as groupers, snappers, mackerel, seabass, stone bass and sea bream on the shorter fishing trips. For the more adventurous, big game fishing is available with Blue Marlin arriving in the Eastern Algarve in late June, migrating to the Western Algarve by the end of August and remaining until early October. Whether you prefer deep sea fishing, light reel fishing or fishing straight from the beach, cliffs or harbour, the Algarve will accommodate. Trips and equipment can be booked from The Way Tours in Salema.

domain: geography


The US aviation regulator says no one has given Amazon permission to fly delivery drones
The US’ aviation regulator underscored the currently ambiguous legal status of commercial drones this week, in a consultation document that reiterated its position that only hobbyist use of the unmanned devices is currently permitted.
In the document (PDF), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) specifically stated that commercial package-delivery schemes such as those proposed by Amazon don’t fall under the “special rule” that applies to hobbyist devices. Those wishing to use drones for non-hobbyist purposes must currently apply for a speecial FAA permission, called a Certificate of Authority – without which they are illegal.
The controversy around drones arrives at a time when technical advances have made them practical for a wide range of activities, including commercial uses, but these are currently held back by the lack of an appropriate regulatory framework. At the current time, BP is the only company that has been given FAA permission to fly drones in the US, having been granted licence in June.
Hobbyists are, however, allowed to use drones without a licence, due to a “special rule” established by Congress in the Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, and the FAA said its consultation document is intended to clarify what it considers is included under this exemption, which broadly covers all “model aircraft”.
In an overt reference to Amazon’s Prime Air delivery scheme, the document states that “delivering packages to people for a fee” is not covered by the exemption that applies to hobbyists.
In a footnote, the FAA further specified that this rule applies even if a fee isn’t necessarily collected in every case.
“If an individual offers free shipping in association with a purchase or other offer, FAA would construe the shipping to be in furtherance of a business purpose, and thus, the operation would not fall within the statutory requirement of recreation or hobby purpose,” the document states.
The uses covered by the “model aircraft” exemption will not be affected by “future FAA rulemaking action”, the document states.
An FAA spokeswoman confirmed that the document only relates to hobbyist devices, and as such does not apply to Amazon’s plans. Amazon said the document “has no effect on our plans”.
The FAA is facing growing pressure to liberalise the rules around commercial drones, and has promised to revisit the situation later this year, with new rules in place perhaps by the end of 2015. Amazon has said it is awaiting these rules as it develops Prime Air.
“Putting Prime Air into commercial use will take some number of years as we advance the technology and wait for the necessary FAA rules and regulations,” Amazon said in a statement on the Prime Air web page.
The company has previously said it hopes to introduce drone delivery by 2018.
Amazon announced Prime Air in December, ahead of the Christmas shopping season, saying on the scheme’s web page that it is designed to “get packages into customers’ hands in 30 minutes or less using unmanned aerial vehicles”.
Facebook and Google are also considering drones as the means to provide Internet access.
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Examining a 12th-century sword from Israel
How did a Crusader sword end up in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Israel? Was it an accident or the result of some great battle? While archaeologists don’t have all the answers, X-ray images of the 800-year-old blade revealed many intriguing features of the prize find.
Publishing the results of their examination in the journal ‘Atiqot, a team of archaeologists and scientists got to the bottom of many mysteries raised by the chance discovery of the sword several years ago. As reported in Bible History Daily, the sword was found off Carmel Beach, near Haifa, when a scuba diver stumbled across a cache of objects. While the cache included a range of artifacts dating from the Middle Bronze Age (c. 2000–1550 BCE) through the late Islamic period (c. 1291–1516 CE)—apparently the result of numerous shipwrecks over the ages—the item that caught everyone’s eye was the impressive sword. Completely encrusted in sand, shells, and sea pebbles, the sword’s telltale shape was easily discernible. However, it was only later, after extensive X-ray scanning, that the team was able to get more answers.
The sword, which was preliminarily dated to the Crusader period (c. 1099–1291 CE), featured a blade, fuller, cross guard, and a disk-shaped pommel. Made of iron, the blade measures roughly 35 inches long, with the fuller running around one-third of the blade’s length. The tang measures an additional 4 inches, and the cross guard was around 12 inches in length. The tang was originally encased in two wooden scales wrapped in leather to create the sword’s handle.
Comparing the blade to others known from around the region, the team concluded that the sword’s original owner was likely a knight of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem (c. 1099–1291 CE), as the sword closely resembled a European-style sword of the 12th century. However, the cross guard and pommel suggest that it was refitted during the early 13th century.
So how did the sword end up buried beneath the seafloor? While the sword may have simply been lost at sea, the team uncovered two additional clues during their examination. First, the sword was slightly bent, as could often happen in battle. Second, its scabbard was nowhere to be found. Taken together, this tentatively suggests the blade was damaged and then lost during a battle near the beach, its owner possibly slain on the battlefield.
Regardless of how the sword was lost, its burial at sea was the primary reason it was found at all. Although the Crusades saw many European knights journey to the Holy Land, few swords from the period have been found, and far fewer in secure archaeological contexts. A major reason for this is the chemical composition of iron swords, which makes them prone to rusting and eventual corrosion. Yet, when lost at sea, these swords become encrusted with sea life, which provides extra protection to the metal and preserves it far longer than in terrestrial environments.
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New Permillisecond song2010-12-31 by Ian W. | 7 Comments
|Progressive deathcore act "Permillisecond" have released a new song entitled "Attaining Purpose." The song is the second of a variety of singles that Permillisecond will be releasing every two weeks rather than releasing a traditional EP, as stated by the band on their myspace:|
"We're tired of holding out and sick of annoying teasers! We are going to release a new song on new years eve. It will be one of 5 new songs to be released. We've decided to release each of these individually, rather than put out a traditional EP. We are excited to share the material that is ready and do not want to further delay it's release. *Expect a new song every couple of weeks.*"
Here is a link to their new song:
name annoys me
Progressive deathcore? lolwut
Not bad at all. Wish there were more deathcore bands like this. But name is a little silly.
not half bad.
the ep is pretty good too. One of those rare, good deathcore bands.
Yeah, it's progressive deathcore. What exactly is funny about that?
You guys beat me to it, name is wack.
Are these guys like The Contortionist at all?
Also they're basically pulling a Glassjaw minus the cock-slapping.
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In early January, news emerged that Canadian foreign minister Melanie Joly was facilitating peace talks between the government of Cameroon and Anglophone separatist groups.
The news came as what is sometimes referred to as the “Anglophone Crisis” enters a seventh year of armed conflict. The conflict stems from the perceived marginalization of english speaking regions in the largely francophone country. Since fighting broke out in 2017, the consequences have been absolutely devastating. Thousands have been killed and over 800,000 people have been displaced by fighting.
I’m joined today by Arrey Elvis Ntui, senior analyst on Cameroon for the International Crisis Group. He explains how and why this conflict started, and why previous attempts at peace talks have failed. He then explains why all sides of this conflict should heed this new Canadian lead initiative to facilitate peace talks.
To listen to this episode on your favorite podcast player, go here.