The Occupy Movement Reemerges, With Growing Impact
As I write this it’s May Day week, an unofficial celebration time for popular causes. While most people associate May Day with European-style socialism and communism, in fact May Day, like most modern era populism, has its roots in American Labor’s fight for the 8 hour day, overtime pay, safety regulations and child labor laws.
This week’s Occupy actions are in that tradition. The big banks, where the financial meltdown and Occupy’s reaction to it both began, are likely to continue as the Occupy movement’s main target. But much has changed since the first tents went up in Wall Street’s Zuccotti Park.
The Washington Post recently documented the Occupy movement’s behind-the-scenes involvement in the fight for tough regulations to enforce the Volcker Rule, a creation of the Dodd-Frank law aimed at tamping down big bank’s addiction to gambling billions of investor—and taxpayer—dollars.
Training sessions for public actions have been going on in New York and elsewhere for weeks, attracting an ever-growing cadre of volunteers.
NYC Braces for New Protest
The loosely-organized group has called for a popular strike, a goal that isn’t supported by its allies in labor, which must comply with a host of laws and internal rules governing walkouts. New York unions have marched for the past several years on May Day.
“What happens is anyone’s guess,” said Occupy organizer Drew Hornbain, 25 years old. He said many insiders are galvanized by a popular perception that “Occupy has been a series of failures.”
May Day protests could affect bridge, ferry commutes
Commuters who use the Golden Gate Bridge or take ferries from Marin County should brace for possible disruptions of the morning commute Tuesday as part of a daylong schedule of labor-oriented rallies throughout the Bay Area, activists and officials said.
Union members who work for the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District are planning rallies and picket lines at several sites around the North Bay and near the bridge, union officials said. They plan to announce the exact sites Monday morning.
Late Monday, union leaders said, they’ll announce whether they will strike, a move that would could potentially stop ferry, bus or bridge traffic for at least 24 hours.
CBS news concern-trolls May Day protests
Occupy has persisted even as officials around the country have uprooted the encampments designed to present a physical manifestation of festering anger over inequality. And on May 1 – the left-wing/labor holiday known worldwide as May Day – the movement is poised to push into the public consciousness once again, with a “general strike” in more than 125 cities for which supporters are being asked to skip work and school in order to take “the struggle against an inhuman system” back into the streets.
Looming May Day protests indicate Occupy movement escalation
Organizers of the Occupy Wall Street movement plan nationwide May Day protests on Tuesday, May 1, 2012 in an escalation of the movement’s activity.
A report at Bloomberg on Thursday indicates that the major Wall St. firms have already initiated heightened security and monitoring of the group’s movements in anticipation of possible confrontations.
According to Marisa Holmes, a member of the Occupy planning committee, at least 99 firms have been targeted in midtown Manhattan, including JPMorgan and Bank of America.
Occupy May Day!
Occupy Wall Street is gearing up for a massive day of protests, rallies and marches on May 1.
The anti-capitalist movement will hold events in 125 cities and plans to protest 99 targets in midtown Manhattan including the offices of JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Bank of America.
Activists Breathe New Life Into May Day
Outside the U.S., May 1 is international workers’ day, observed with speeches, rallies, and demonstrations. Ironically, this celebration of working-class solidarity originated in the U.S. labor movement in the United States and soon spread around the world, but it never earned official recognition in this country. Since 2006, however, American unions and immigrant rights activists have resurrected May 1 as a day of protest. And this year, in the wake of Occupy Wall Street and the rebirth of a national movement for social justice, a wide spectrum of activist groups will be out in the streets to give voice to the growing crusade for democracy and equality.
Catholic Worker Movement: A Different Intersection of Church and Politics
May 1 marks the 79th anniversary of Dorothy Day’s great achievement: a movement whose vision of activist faith couldn’t be farther from the moralizing of the religious right that has seemed to define Christianity’s incursion on politics since the 1980s. The Catholic Worker, which Day founded with Peter Maurin, a French immigrant, was – and remains – a philosophy, a social initiative, a way of life. Its understanding of personal responsibility maintains not that we all must rely on ourselves, but rather that we are all beholden to better the lives of the less fortunate. On May 1, 1933, during the height of the Great Depression, Day took to Union Square handing out the first copies of her newspaper, also called The Catholic Worker, which delivered the message of compassion and justice at the cost of one penny; the price has never gone up.
The movement has always sought “a new society in the shell of the old” – peace, less disparity of wealth, an end to economic exploitation, violence, racism and so on. Its goals can seem broad but its methods are intimate and practical. Around the country and in various parts of the world, Catholic Worker communities exist as households where lay members, typically committed to voluntary poverty, often live among the homeless and needy they are aiding. It is a model for Occupy Wall Street – like that more recent movement, it is decentralized and decisions are largely made by consensus – which has said it will hold protests around the country on Tuesday, historically a significant day for the labor movement. There are no headquarters or board of directors and, since Day’s death in 1980, no leader. Things have hardly faded: in the past 17 years, the number of communities has grown from 134 to more than 210.
Exorbitant CEO pay
The Occupy protesters got it right: When corporate CEOs make 380 times the salary of the average American worker, you don’t have to be a Marxist to feel something is out of whack.
Last year, the average annual CEO pay of companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index jumped 13.9 percent, to $12.94 million. Average worker pay rose 2.8 percent, to $34,053. This gap is the largest in the world, the AFL-CIO says.
Occupy Guitarmy Hoping to Make Music a Central Part of May Day
You can’t arrest a song! That’s part of the idea behind one faction of a large network of demonstrations and protests planned for May Day — the day of action this Tuesday that some suspect will push Occupy Wall Street into the spotlight again in a major way.
The group Occupy Guitarmy has actions planned all day Tuesday and held a rehearsal this afternoon for anyone who wanted to show up in Tompkins Square Park.
Progressive Media Outlets Pledge Coverage Of May Day Protests
May Day, otherwise known as International and Immigrant Workers’ Day, marks the first major resurgence of the Occupy Wall Street movement since massive arrests and police brutality drove most occupations indoors over the winter.
Although OWS has been in full effect since September, 2011, mainstream media outlets have consistently refused to cover its actions, or intentionally distorted coverage by focusing only on participants who thwart the movement’s mandate against violence and vandalism. That’s why more than 25 independent media outlets belonging to The Media Consortium are collaborating to provide coordinated, national coverage of the nationwide May Day strike and other related events.
To assist the movement in spreading its message of social and economic equality on this historic day, Media for the 99 Percent will leverage their existing platforms and reporters to provide coordinated national multimedia coverage, featuring:
Occupy activists will join Santa Rosa May Day march and rally [CA]
Occupy Santa Rosa activists and labor and immigrant rights advocates have teamed up this year for the annual May 1 march and rally in downtown Santa Rosa.
Activists will assemble at the old Albertsons shopping center on Sebastopol Road at about 3:30 p.m. before they set out for Juilliard Park.
The event, the largest local pro-immigration and labor rally of the year, is organized by the May 1st Coalition, which includes the Sonoma County Committee for Immigrant Rights, the county Peace and Justice Center and the North Bay Labor Council.
Police, protesters plan for May Day rallies [OR]
While Occupy Portland protesters planned for several rallies Tuesday, police told KGW they were as prepared as they’ve ever been for a May Day march.
May Day has long been International Workers’ Right Day, and has been celebrated by labor and immigrants’ rights group. This year the Occupy movement is joining the demonstrations.
Occupy Bozeman talks to public about alternatives to ‘big banks’
Educating the community about alternatives to ‘big banks’, such as public banks, is what the Occupy Bozeman group hoped to accomplish at their public discussion this afternoon.
“Rather than having our state take all of the taxes and fees and put it into an account at U.S. Bank, like we do right now, the state has its own bank that it makes its deposits into, and then those deposits can be leveraged to create loans for people here in Montana,” explained Josh Davis, an Occupy Bozeman Member as well as the Montana contact for the Public Banking Institute.
North Dakota is the only state that has a state-owned public bank, and Davis says getting one in Montana could happen fairly quickly if enough people jump on board and the legislature passes a bill allowing it.
From Wisconsin to Wall Street: The Role of the IWW – Wobblies – in Recent Popular Uprisings
It was clear that this solidarity was best manifested in the form of a general strike, so the IWW began a campaign to build one; getting a resolution passed in the state labor council endorsing a strike , forming strike committees within business unions, and agitating for a strike through soapboxing and canvassing.
The prospect became so popular that when the bill was illegally passed, activists in the state capitol immediately began chanting: “General Strike!”
Though the Democrats directed the energy of the revolt into recall elections, the IWW managed to bring the idea of a general strike into the forefront of conversation as a means of winning class demands.
Occupy protesters target Middletown’s Bank of America [CT]
A coalition of Wesleyan University students and local activists affiliated with the Occupy movement marched on the Main Street branch of Bank of America Friday, some closing their accounts and cancelling credit cards, in protest of the bank’s environmentally and economically destructive policies.
Burlington [VT] joins 125 cities in Occupy Movement’s “Global Day of Action” on May 1
Beginning with a light breakfast in the morning, Queen City Occupiers_will be staffing free food and information tables on the north side of_City Hall Park, holding informal workshops, facilitating a “really_really free market”, and organizing for a direct action against_Burlington’s most bailed-out bank.
Burlington Occupiers also plan to have a presence at the march for_social justice in Montpelier and to attend a statewide General_Assembly with other Vermont-based Occupy groups at the Statehouse_before heading back to City Hall Park for dinner, music and further_celebration.
‘May Day’ rally by Occupy Vallejo set for City Hall steps [CA]
Vallejo will make a national movement personal on Tuesday morning.
Occupy Vallejo, joined by several partner groups, has planned a public rally at 10:30 a.m. on the City Hall steps in support of a range of community issues like affordable education and housing, and respect for workers, organizers said.
The event is timed to May 1, or “May Day,” a day of protest initially recognizing the support of an eight-hour work day and which has progressed to represent advocacy for workers’ rights internationally.
Gill Tract Occupiers, UC Vie for Hearts and Minds of Community [CA]
The “Occupy the Farm” take-over of the UC-owned Gill Tract is entering its second week today, Sunday, with both sides appealing to reason and justice in a continuing stand-off of warring principles and property rights.
The 10-acre tract is owned by UC Berkeley, and most of it has been cultivated for decades for crop and pest-control studies by researchers from campus and the nearby regional office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
In an action that had been planned for months, dozens of advocates of community urban farming took over the site on Earth Day, April 22, and have established a camp with several tents and planted about two acres of broccoli, tomatoes, squash and other crops.
Finance capital trying to figure out how to make money off of Occupy
A re-energized Occupy Wall Street movement, in the form of a series of planned demonstrations this week, could fuel new opportunities for at least one segment of the financial services industry.
Financial advisers and money managers say that a lot of socially conscious investing strategies line up nicely with the general theme of the Occupy movement, which is expanding the universe of potential investors.
“There’s a lot of social unrest right now, and as part of that, people are starting to look at where they want to allocate their money,” said Kevin Sanchez, a senior institutional consultant at UBS Financial Services Inc. “That kind of dialogue has been coming up more in that past few months than I’ve ever seen it.”
To get a daily listing of Occupy Boston?s events and activities (and more!), subscribe to the Daily Digest by going tohttps://lists.mayfirst.org/mailman/listinfo/obupdates. To subscribe to the OB Media Rundown, send your request to email@example.com


Configurator for the CombiTac Modular Connector System now also Available as an App
Multi-Contact customers have always used the company’s proven online Configurator when organising and selecting components for the modular CombiTac connector system.
Now, the Swiss connector specialists are presenting a mobile version of their highly practical tool, the CombiTac Configurator.
The app is compatible with iPads, running iOS 5.1.1 or higher, and is available to download free from the Apple App Store now. The CombiTac Configurator offers the same scope as the browser-based online Configurator, meaning an estimated six million different connectors can be assembled using your iPad. The application is available in English, French, and German. A version for tablets running Android and Windows 8 will be released in the very near future.
Thanks to the 104MB app, it is now also possible to work offline. Every configuration is saved temporarily and can be recalled at any time, meaning the CombiTac Configurator is always available. If you do have access to an internet connection, the selected configuration can be transferred straight to the Multi-Contact technical sales team in just a few steps. The team will then process the request in the usual prompt manner.
As Multi-Contact’s Martin Yiapanas explains: "Here at Multi-Contact, we recognised that tablet computers are an indispensable piece of equipment for development teams today. The CombiTac Configurator’s offline mode makes it the perfect companion for product developers across all sectors."
The CombiTac modular connector system allows the individual combination of power and control contacts, thermo-elements, and coaxial contacts, as well as fibre optic, pneumatic, hydraulic, and Ethernet contacts in a compact frame or casing. The electrical contacts are based on the proven MULTILAM technology, with performance characteristics guaranteed even after 100,000 mating cycles and more.
Multi-Contact connectors are used in module and medical technology, railway and transport technology, the automotive industry, industrial technology, automation and robotics, mechanical engineering, measurement, test, and control technology, as well as machine control systems.


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Strawberry cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting
Strawberry cinnamon rolls actually don't have any cinnamon in them at all. Instead of cinnamon sugar, the rolls are filled with thick strawberry reduction and fresh strawberries. Roll them up, cut them and let them rise overnight. Bake them fresh in the morning and glaze with lemon cream cheese frosting while still warm for the most amazing strawberry cinnamon rolls ever!
How to make a strawberry reduction for strawberry cinnamon rolls
Strawberry cinnamon rolls start off with strawberry reduction. I add a little bit more sugar to this recipe because the cinnamon rolls are not very sweet so you need that added sugar.
Unless strawberries are in season, I will use frozen strawberries which are always in season.
Combine your sugar and strawberries (frozen or thawed, it doesn't matter) in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
Once the strawberries are defrosted you can use an immersion blender to break down the berries a bit but they will break down on their own as the mixture cooks.
Let the strawberry reduction reduce for 5-10 minutes then add in your ClearJel slurry (or you can use cornstarch). Put the strawberry reduction into the fridge to cool overnight.
How to make the strawberry cinnamon roll dough
Make your sweet dough by combining the warmed milk (110ºF), one Tablespoon of sugar and yeast in a measuring cup or bowl and let it sit until it's foamy.
Combine the yeast mixture with the flour in the bowl of your stand mixer with the dough attachment and mix until just combined. Then add in the rest of your ingredients.
You can do this by hand as well, you'll just have to use some elbow grease.
Let the dough mix on low for a few minutes and then bump the speed up to medium. You want to let the dough mix until it all starts clinging to the dough hook and bounces back when you press it with your finger.
If the dough is too wet and isn't clinging to the dough hook you can add in ¼ cup of flour to make it stiffer. If the dough is too dry, add 1 Tablespoon of water.
You can also test the dough by doing the window test. Take a small piece of the dough and stretch it between your fingers. If you can make the dough super thin until you can almost see through it, enough gluten has developed and the dough is ready.
Place the dough into a buttered bowl, cover it with a towel to keep it moist and place it in a warm area to rise for 90 minutes. I turn my oven on to 170ºF, open the door and place the bowl on the oven door because my kitchen is usually too cold. Dough likes to rise around 90ºF.
How to assemble strawberry cinnamon rolls
Roll your dough out into a rectangle. You want the thickness of the dough to be about ¼". Spread a thin layer of strawberry reduction all over the top of the dough, avoid the back ½" so you can seal the rolls.
Sprinkle some freshly chopped strawberries over the top of the reduction (optional).
Then roll up your dough into a nice tight spiral. I admit some of my strawberry filling oozed out a bit and it was kind of a messy process. I just spooned the leftovers back into the rolls. I had a little leftover reduction that I used to fill in some gaps after the rolls were done baking.
Cut the spiral into 8-10 equal-sized rolls. Arrange these onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap, make sure the edges are pulled tight against the metal to prevent air from getting in.
Place the pan of rolls into the fridge overnight.
Bring the rolls out of the fridge about two hours before you want to bake them and let them warm up and double in size.
Brush the rolls with some egg wash and then bake the rolls in the oven at 350ºF for about 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 180º-200ºF.
How to make cream cheese frosting for strawberry cinnamon rolls
Making the cream cheese frosting is super easy. Just cream your cream cheese until it's nice and smooth so you don't have any lumps. I find a hand mixer works best. Then add in your softened butter and sifted powdered sugar.
Then add in your heavy cream, salt and lemon extract. You can add more or less cream depending on how thick or thin you want your frosting. I like mine pretty thin.
Drizzle the frosting over the top of your warm rolls with a piping bag or a spoon and serve!
These strawberry cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting make the most amazing weekend brunch. The rolls are HUGE, like the size of my hand. If you want smaller rolls then you can cut your spiral into 12 slices instead of 8.
I made these strawberry cinnamon rolls as part of my son's four-month photoshoot which you can see here.
- Stand mixer with dough hook
- One sheet pan (13"x18") or similar sized pan
- Parchment Paper
Cinnamon Roll Dough
- 4 ounces milk 110ºF
- 5 grams dried instant yeast
- 14 ounces all-purpose flour or bread flour
- 4 ounces butter softened
- 2 ounces sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 16 ounces fresh or frozen strawberries
- 6 ounces granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 4 Tablespoons ClearJel or 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 ounces water
- 1 cup fresh strawberries chopped
Cream cheese frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 4 ounces unsalted butter softened
- 3 ounces powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 ounces heavy whipping cream or less if you like a thicker consistency
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Warm milk to 110ºF. Add in 1 Tablespoon of your sugar and then the yeast and whisk to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes or until foamy.
- Place flour in the mixing bowl with the yeast/milk mixture and stir until combined
- Add in your eggs one at a time, letting each combine before you add the next
- Add in sugar, butter and salt and mix on low until combined
- Let mix on low for 5-10 minutes until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and bounces back when you touch it. You can also do the window test (see blog post for example)
- Shape the dough into a smooth ball and then place it into a greased bowl. Cover with a tea towel and let rise for 90 minutes in a warm place ***How to proof**(Pre-heat oven to 170ºF, leave the oven door OPEN and place a bowl of warm water in the back of the oven. Then place your covered bowl of dough onto the open oven door. Proof until double in size.)
For the strawberry filling
- Combine strawberries and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer
- Crush berries with a spoon or immersion blender as the mixture cooks for 5-10 minutes on medium heat.
- Combine ClearJel with lemon juice, zest, and water to make a slurry and add it to your simmering strawberries. Mix until thickened and then let cool.
To make the rolls
- Line a 13"x18" sheet pan with parchment paper (or similar sized pan)
- Once your dough has proofed, roll out the dough 10" wide, ¼" thick. It doesn't matter how long. Spread the strawberry filling over the surface evenly, all the way to the edges, except keep one edge without filling so you can seal it.
- Sprinkle freshly chopped strawberries over the filling
- Roll up the dough length-wise. Make sure the first roll is very tight so you get a nice spiral, then continue pushing the dough until you reach the edge. Brush a little water or egg wash along the bare edge so it seals the loose edge of the dough.
- Cut the roll into 8-10 equal slices and arrange on your parchment covered pan
- Cover loosely with a tea towel and let proof to double (about 90 minutes) then bake (or cover tightly with plastic wrap and put in the fridge if you want to bake them the next day. Let come to room temperature and proof to double before baking. This can take 1.5-2 hours depending on how warm your kitchen is)
- Bake at 350ºF for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown depending on the size of your rolls. (Internal temperature reaches 200ºF)
For the cream cheese frosting
- Cream the cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth. Then add in the softened butter and cream until smooth.
- Add in the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla and cream until smooth and the desired consistency. Drizzle over warm rolls. Add more cream for thinner frosting.

domain: food


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This article by Stuart Adams appeared in Louisville Computer News May, 1999
The column this month is a postscript to last months column on privacy and hacking on the Internet. Actually, with the April 15th deadline approaching at the time of writing this article, I have a nice article almost ready on taxation and the Internet, a subject many of my clients are interested in. But, with extensions in hand for filing my personal taxes, I decided that events in the privacy area were continuing to unfold with such impact that I couldnt resist following up.
One of the problems for anyone who attempts to write anything about cyberspace is that by the time its published (if not by the time you finish writing it) things may have changed drastically. It happened when I wrote a "recent" article on Y2K litigation and mentioned that the Anderson Consulting case promised to be a landmark for law on the liability of a consultant installing a system which was not fully Y2K compliant. Seemingly the next day after the article went to press, I read one of my online newscasts and found the case had been settled out of court. I had my hopes up for some law on the subject, because both sides of the conflict had money to litigate to the death and they had already tried mediation. What was left but taking a very complicated case to court? But no! Right after deadline they settle.
Well it happened again last month with the privacy and hacking article. I no sooner wrote about how easy "hacking" had become and the possibility that hackers would try to interfere with military operations, as well as the hardware and software "intrusions" major manufacturers were engaged in, than these events came together on the six oclock news.
About the time of my last article a nasty virus called Melissa (apparently named after a topless dancer in Florida where the virus creator once lived) was making its way around the world. In case youve been under a rock for the last month, David L. Smith, age 30, is accused of being the creator of this virus. He is reported by the Wall Street Journal to have created the virus in his apartment from two other virus programs and then launched it over the Internet using a stolen AOL account number. Smith is reported to have worked as a network programmer for a company that did subcontracting for AT&T.
Melissa, which introduced itself in your "youve got mail" box as "important message," attached a file to the e-mail message using a Microsoft Word document that listed pornographic sites. When the user tried to open the file, the virus dug into the users computer address books and sent the infected document to the first 50 addresses it found. There are now several other copy-cat viruses out, some of which are "improvements" on Melissa, making them harder to detect, while some have their own "bugs," making them fairly ineffective.
The real story here, and the reason for inclusion of this in the postscript, is the speed with which the "primary suspect" was apprehended. Although authorities are still looking for an accomplice, Smith was captured within days of the release of Melissa. Apparently, a combination of computer forensics experts, free lance software detectives, and law enforcement officials came together and traced Smith to his apartment in New Jersey, using extremely powerful search and identification tools. This, of course would seem to add weight to the side of the scales favoring user identification numbers which cannot be obscured.
Investigators declined to explain the exact method used to track Smith. Associated Press quotes Don Willmott, executive director of PC Magazine Online, as saying e-mail can always be tracked and that "no matter how creative you think you are, you always leave a digital trail." The Wall Street Journal reports Peter Tippett, chairman of ICSA, a security company, as saying ICSA tracked over 3,000 Internet chat group messages to Mr. Smith over the years, talking about everything from viruses to music, art, sex, and depression drugs, including a conversation between Batman and the Joker which supposedly justified virus writing. Now thats scary. ICSA apparently infiltrates hacker sites to build files on known virus creators.
Smith, meanwhile is free on $100,000 bail. He faces the possibility of a maximum of 40 years in jail and a fine of $480,000 if convicted on charges of interruption of public communications, conspiracy and damage or gaining wrongful access to computer systems. Pretty stiff for a practical joke. On the other hand, if you are one of the thousands of businesses which has had its information stream clogged by the spam Melissa caused, the penalty may seem relatively low.
Last month I reported that Raytheon Co. was issuing subpoenas to Yahoo to catch Raytheon employees who posted anonymous messages about the company on the Internet. Yahoo hosted the company specific message board where these employees had allegedly posted confidential information about Raytheon, which boasts some large government defense contracts. It sued 21 employees, naming them by their online pseudonyms, such as "Raytheonveteran."
Since my article went to press, Mark Neuhausen, who was a vice president in Raytheons Arlington office, suddenly resigned. He had allegedly posted messages on the message board under the name "RSC Deepthroat." Additionally, another person who posted a Yahoo message under the name "Winston-car," also reported online that he had left the company.
Yahoo, which hosts many such company boards and does not require users to register by name, often doesnt know who the users are. It cooperated with the subpoenas, however, providing the identity of the Internet service providers used by the people posting the messages. Following up on this lead, Raytheon was apparently able to nail the employees, who thought they were anonymous.
Raytheons site is used by employees, investors, and others and includes both gossip and supposed business tips or "insider information." Quite often these tips prove to be inaccurate, such as a recent posting that the company would get a big government contract that actually went to Boeing.
Raytheon officials claim they encourage employees to "air their views" but say these employees crossed over the line by publicly posting sensitive and proprietary company secrets, such as bid proposals, unreleased financial information and pending divestitures of the company. While this may have a chilling effect on public criticism by employees, it should also send us all a message about how fragile our perceived online anonymity really is.
No, this isnt a digression into a cooking tip. This subtitle relates to last months article about the possibility hackers would be used, either in international terrorism or military disruption. Well, guess what. NATO reports that, while it is bombing Belgrade, it has traced "rogue" computer users in Belgrade to be the source of thousands of messages, viruses and computer commands used to attack NATO computers. One computer in Belgrade is reported to have sent NATO 2,500 messages in one hour, in an apparent spam attack designed to slow down NATO computers. The attack was apparently successful in blocking some e-mail service for a while, as was an incessant "ping" attack where multiple computers send a request to the same NATO computer, asking it continuously to electronically identify itself to the exclusion of other functions.
Additionally, NATOs virus protection software has apparently caught at least a dozen viruses (some of which were like Melissa) sent to it in another attempt to disrupt NATO operations in Yugoslavia. NATO reports that its system was not compromised, other that being a little inconvenienced.
On another front, all sides of this political and military conflict seem to be using the Internet as a tool in the propaganda war, which always seems to accompany the major military campaigns these days. NATO posts its side at www.nato.int (which may still be a little slow because of hackers. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has its official site at www.gov.yu. This site even includes the downloadable and printable version of the "I am a target" bulls-eye symbol that some residents of Belgrade have been wearing as they stand on their bridges waiting for NATO bombers.
The Serbian Resistance Movement can be found at www.kosovo.com and the Kosova Liberation Army is on the Web at www.zik.com. The U.S. U.S. Department of Defense Official Website and Canada www.dnd.ca also have sites which largely echo the NATO site. There are, of course quite a number of media sites devoted to the conflict, which are too numerous to mention here.
WHATS THE POINT
No great witticism here, but the point of this postscript is that the Internet is like the rest of the world. Its just rotating a little faster. It has dangers. It has information. It has opportunities, which you must investigate before you dive in. It is a place where pirates and thugs operate to the damage of society and personal freedom. It is a place where your point of view can reach millions in seconds, but dont be fooled into thinking that you are completely anonymous when you exercise this forum or try to misuse it to damage others.
Our system of laws is desperately trying to keep up but, frankly, seems to be losing ground to the explosion of new technology. The good news is perhaps that the Melissa situation indicates at least some of the time public and private experts are able to get together to help protect our cyber-frontier. Like the citizens posse of our old Wild West days, this can be a good thing. On the other hand, such groups were sometimes willing to disregard the personal freedoms of individuals who got in their way, while they were chasing the "bad guy." Eventually, the laws and enforcers of those laws grew in strength and the anarchy of the frontier largely disappeared.
Now the intentional anarchy of the Internet poses questions for all of us who explore and exploit it. Do we leave it alone and hope for self regulation? Do we draft laws and form Internet police squads to patrol it and enforce new legislation? How do we balance those personal freedoms we cherish, such as our supposed anonymity, against the dangers of those who would injure us by exploiting the lack of regulation and enforcement? How can countries around the world make uniform decisions, which impact all of us in our "global village," when we cant even keep the peace internationally or form an international economic organization which has world wide authority? Ill be sure to write an another article with the answer when I figure it out, but dont hold your breath.

domain: law


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Turkish gendarmerie troops detained five people suspected of having ties to the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) on Wednesday.
This is as they were attempting to sneak into Greece.
The suspects, including two siblings, were discovered in two villages near the Turkish-Greek border in the northwestern province of Edirne.
Greece, the primary destination for irregular migrants seeking a gateway to Europe, has also been an access point for FETÖ suspects since the July 15, 2016, coup attempt perpetrated by the group’s military infiltrators.
Earlier this month, Foreign Ministry officials had said that Greece was no longer a transit country for FETÖ members and was serving as a place of residence, citing that a large number of FETÖ members, between 8,000 and 10,000, was now in Greece.
The officials also accused Greece of harbouring members of other terrorist groups involved in attacks in Turkey, including the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) and the PKK.
Greece has long been accused of being a favourite hideout for terrorists by Turkey.
Those fleeing Turkey have taken shelter in refugee camps in Lavrion near Athens under the guise of being asylum seekers.

domain: sociology


First test shots posted for Panasonic GH2!|
Zig Weidelich, The Imaging Resource
(Monday, December 13, 2010 - 20:00 EST)
We've just posted our first set of lab test shots for the Panasonic GH2, with more to come.
Externally, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 is quite similar to its predecessor, the GH1, with only relatively subtle tweaks to control layout. Under the skin, though, the Panasonic GH2 sports a new 18-megapixel Live MOS image sensor, whose output is piped through the latest iteration of Panasonic's image processor, now dubbed "Venus Engine FHD". The combination allows the Lumix GH2 to shoot Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 pixel) video with a sensor output of 60p. The new processor in the Lumix DMC-GH2 has three CPU cores, and allows speed improvements in other areas as well. The Panasonic GH2 offers full resolution sensitivities ranging from ISO 160 to 12,800 equivalents. The Venus Engine FHD processor also allows faster burst shooting, with the GH2 now able to shoot at 5 frames per second at full resolution using the camera's mechanical shutter, and as fast as 40fps at 4 megapixels when using an electronic shutter. Read our Panasonic GH2 Hands-on Preview for more, and visit the Panasonic GH2 Samples page for the images we've shot so far, including links to select RAW files. We'll be adding more image files over the next couple of days, so stay tuned!


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Émile Hermès began collecting at the age of twelve. The resulting ‘cabinet of curiosities’ reflects the open, inquiring mind of this passionate, amateur art lover. Émile was a tireless walker, and a regular at the sale rooms, endlessly on the look-out for strange, unexpected pieces to add to those he had already amassed.
The equestrian world holds a special place: Virginie Jamin’s neatly-ordered scarf takes inspiration from the models in a 19th-century catalogue. Brow-bands (the bridle strap positioned across the horse’s forehead) decorated with medallions are arranged in a labyrinth of straight lines, while ribbon rosettes, presented as prizes at equestrian competitions, are displayed amid a scattering of flowers.

domain: artistic


President Obama warned this week that if the nation defaults on its debt in August, social security checks might not get mailed out. The Congress is debating raising the debt ceiling which would let the government borrow more, but it’s gridlocked over whether to do so and how to also reduce the deficit. The Treasury Secretary has warned of a “doomsday scenario” if the debt limit is not raised. So APRN’s Libby Casey checked in with Alaska’s members of Congress to find out just how big a deal they think defaulting on the debt would be.
The debt ceiling has been raised repeatedly over the years, in fact when George W. Bush was president, it went up seven times. But now with the deficit higher than ever and concerns about spending, it’s become a line-in-the-sand moment. So if Congress can’t get over its gridlock and raise the debt limit, what’s the big deal?
“It is a parade of horribles.”
Senator Lisa Murkowski says the money flowing out could stop. And that could hit home.
“If you are a military spouse, your husband is deployed, and you’re not certain whether or not you’re going to get paid, whether your husband’s paycheck is going to be coming to pay the rent while he’s in Afghanistan, I can’t imagine that scenario.”
Murkowski also fears social security checks won’t be delivered. Senator Mark Begich says all of the sudden less revenue will be coming in, which means less money to spend.
“Immediately, snap, gone. That means everything from a social security check to education funding to Pell Grants to Defense Department money to Homeland Security, there is no money.”
And Begich says it could bleed out into other personal finances.
“What happens to the average everyday person? If they have a credit card their interest rates are going up immediately, guaranteed, because the markets will respond. If you have an adjustable rate mortgage, you’re going to get adjusted up. If you’re a small business who depends on inventory loans or credit lines, all their rates are going up. Which means almost impossible to get capital.”
Begich explains the nation’s credit rating could go down, making borrowing money more expensive.
“The U.S. just doesn’t bring in enough revenue to pay off all its bills, so it borrows to make up the difference. But if it doesn’t raise the debt limit, the Treasury Department can’t borrow any more money to pay outstanding bills. With the flow of money tight, some payments won’t be made.”
As to which bills will get prioritized is anyone’s guess, says Rudolf Penner. He’s an expert in Congressional spending, and directed the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office back in the 1980s during the Reagan years. Now he’s a senior fellow at the Washington D.C. think tank the Urban Institute. Penner says nothing quite like this has ever happened, so no one knows if the 29 million social security checks that are supposed to go out in early August will be sent.
“Well, it would depend out the Secretary of the Treasury reacted. Some people think he should pay interest on the debt and then apportion the rest of the money somehow to all of the people who are owed or promised money by the U.S. Government. Now I suspect politicians would act quickly to exempt Social Security beneficiaries from that, maybe Medicare beneficiaries, maybe defense. But when you do the arithmetic if you start exempting people like that, essentially the rest of the government has to close down.”
And closing any sector of government or canceling checks could hit not just Americans’ personally but the nation’s reputation in financial markets, says Lisa Murkowski.
“We don’t know because we haven’t been there before. But if you think about how the financial structure of this country is built on your credit rating, and your ability to repay the debts in the debts in a timely manner, you pull out 1 card and the whole house comes tumbling down. That’s not a risk that I’m willing to put our nation in.”
Senator Begich says the nation is still crawling out of the financial crash of 2008… and he’s hearing from experts this could plunge the U.S. deeper into trouble.
“What happened in September 8, it will equal that or worse. That was when the crash occurred, and everything went to hell.”
Now Representative Don Young doesn’t think it’ll come to that. He’s skeptical that the Congress will work out a deal, but he thinks at the last minute President Obama will make the controversial decision to bump up the debt limit on his own.
“The president will use the 14th Amendment that says it’s unconstitutional to have the debt that we have. It’s his responsibility to raise the borrowing capability of the Treasury Department, and have the Treasury Department pay the bills off.”
It’s being debated now how the President could actually do that, and Obama has pledged not to. But Young says regardless he’s not predicting the worst.
“I don’t think that there is a doomsday. I never believed that. But I do think there will be some financial stress. We’re playing Russian roulette right now.”
But when you play Russian roulette there’s a chance a bullet will be in the chamber. And that’s too much risk for Senator Murkowski.
“I don’t think either side knows for certain exactly how bad the situation could be, but I view my responsibility as an elected official to make sure the crisis doesn’t happen. I don’t want to see our bond rating go into the tank, our credit rating going into the tank.”
So whether it will be doomsday if the U-S defaults is, according to the experts, an unknown. Rudolf Penner with the Urban Institute is himself Republican-leaning, but he’s concerned that Congress will play out a game of chicken and ignore President Obama’s warnings.
“I think we don’t know. It could well be doomsday, and for that very reason we shouldn’t try it. There are people in financial markets think minor affair, just a symbol of political theater going on in Washington, but I don’t think we can take that chance. It could be devastating. I think this is the most dangerous moment I’ve witnessed.”
The question is how close to the edge the politicians are willing to push.


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As you grow your Virginia or Washington, D.C., small business into a thriving and successful enterprise, remember to take the time to legally protect what you have built. Like insurance, it is essential that you spend a prudent amount of time and money to review your operation and ensure that you are properly protecting your assets, employees, vendors, and various other entities with which your business interacts. Your small business’s reputation and financial future may be at stake.
Here are some helpful reminders about many of the legal questions that your small business should consider on an annual basis:
- Entity type: Do you have the optimal Virginia or Washington, D.C., small business entity type? Sometimes the small business entity type that you initially formed–whether due to legal administrative ease or otherwise–is not the best business entity for your current business.
- Review your contracts: What do the contracts that you use on a daily basis actually say? Often closer review shows that your contracts do not say what you have always assumed that they do. This can be very costly when a dispute arises down the road.
- Non-compete agreements: Does your small business need to use non-compete agreements with its employees and contractors? Will the current non-compete agreement that you are using be enforceable? Does it matter?
- Employee legal grievances and lawsuits: Are you protecting your employees and your business from an employment law complaint? Plan ahead; don’t merely react.
- Choosing an attorney: Are you working with an attorney and law firm that serves your business’s needs?
These are just a few of the issues that you should continually review, rethink, and re-address as your small business grows. Contact the office today if you would like to discuss your Virginia or Washington, D.C., small business’s needs with an experienced and knowledgable law firm.


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Maldives recently conducted its 11th poultry… excuse me! Parliamentary elections more commonly referred as the Majilis elections on the 6th of April 2019. More than 264,000 Maldivians were eligible to vote in this election that was to elect 87 hens (~male~ members) of the parliament using the first-past-the-post voting system. Yeah… sorry! We do get a few chickens (~female~ members) thrown in by chance. Before I go further, let’s stop making fun of our legislature and make this poultry farm into the real legislative body it should be. And we, as youth, have that power and responsibility in our hands!
I took the opportunity to work as an interpreter for the Commonwealth delegation that was invited to observe this election process. I got to work closely with the chair of the delegation — former Prime Minister of Jamaica, Mr Orette Bruce Golding, and at the end they concluded that the election was “peaceful and well organized.” And the group also commended the Elections Commission of Maldives (ECM) for the smooth conduct of the polls and the quality of training demonstrated by the polling officials.
I myself praise the inclusivity the ECM showed by giving the opportunity for more than 30 persons with disabilities to work as polling officials. I would also like to highlight that though the general voter turnout was low, there was a high voter turnout by person’s with disabilities in this election. The reason being the admirable work done by Transparency Maldives (TM) and the Maldives Association for Persons with Disabilities (MAPD) in conducting civic education sessions and interpreting the caucus of candidates competing. Kudos to them. Why had us youth not thought of that for this long?
When we talk about inclusivity, the chair of The Commonwealth delegation recognised the greater engagement of women as polling officials, but highlighted the low rate of the women’s political participation as a recurring issue. We can see that women are at the forefront of all the political campaigns as well, however, it is sad to see their lack of political participation at the highest levels. It was evident from the diminutive number of only 35 out of 386 parliamentary candidates being women. And only 5 out of 85 members being women from the outgoing parliament. And congratulations to the Maldives, we made it even better by electing only 4 women this time, out of 87 members; two seats more than the outgoing parliament. We always make sure to take some steps back.
When it comes to voter turnout, it was sad to see that there was a significantly lower voter turnout compared to the presidential election. Not enough of us youth’s turned up to vote. We need to understand that each election is just as significant as the last one, each time we have to vote, we have the same civic responsibility on our shoulders. Besides, the president is one person, the parliament is 87. They definitely have more power to turn our country upside down. They are the ones that make the laws. But oh yeah, of course, the law is always below our politicians.
Anyway, why am I talking about all this?
Because I need to! And you need to as well. I am a youth, and I believe that I have the responsibility to be concerned about and talk about my country’s political situation. But most of all do something about the situation, take action and make change happen.
Some of us may be weary and debilitated that the candidates we thought were most deserving of the seats did not win. First of all, let me tell you, no one is deserving of a seat. That seat is for any skilled and capable person who would be most representative of the constituency. I for one, don’t care who is in the seat and which party they belong to.
It is not them that has the power. It is us, the constituents. They may be elected to represent a constituency at the parliament, but it is not representative anymore when the civic responsibility of the constituents ends at the point where we cast our vote at the ballot box. Our responsibility does not end there. If anything, our responsibility as citizen’s have only increased twofold when the ruling party now has a super majority in the parliament. The executive and the legislature are run by the same political party, increasing the chance of the government being tyrannical. We need to come out of the cafe’s… or just stay there if you want to, let’s not push this too far. But definitely stop the PUBG match and call your MP! Tell him what you think is best! Ask him why, he said so and so! Demand the information you need and say what they need to hear! You elected them, they are not above you! Respecting someone does not mean you are below them.
Please answer these questions for me!
* Have you ever read your constitution even once?
* Have you ever talked to your constituency’s MP and discussed about a bill?
If ‘No’ was your answer, you definitely aren’t left alone. But let’s change that. It is the truth that we youths are the justice league, but only on social media. Partly safe and very comfortable, behind our keyboards. If you really care, you would take the steps to change the status quo rather than simply playing the blame game and sharing memes of Jabir. If politics is dirty water, then we youth is the chlorine that needs to go into it! Get out there guys! Demand your MP to open an office in their respective constituencies. Let’s put an effort in promoting the political participation of women at all levels. Let’s get this ball rolling on the greener road, towards the lit up horizon. Give more than a moment for politics youths!

domain: politics


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Shōnen manga, a genre of manga aimed at boys and teenage boys, has become one of the most popular forms of entertainment worldwide. Typically, Shonen manga features a formidable male protagonist, fighting, and winning battles using physical strength or magical powers. However, in recent years, a new trend has emerged in shōnen manga with the emergence of strong and inspiring female characters.
The Role of Women in Shonen Manga in the Past
Before we discuss the emergence of strong female characters in current Shonen manga, let’s take a look at the history of female roles in Shonen manga in the past. Most traditional shōnen manga tends to feature female characters in supporting roles or as romantic characters for male protagonists. They are often portrayed as weak, and dependent on male characters, or being the objects behind the story.
An example is Sakura Haruno in Masashi Kishimoto’s “Naruto”. Initially, Sakura was portrayed as a weak and dependent girl on Naruto and Sasuke. However, as the story progresses, Sakura becomes stronger and develops her abilities. However, his portrayal is still often criticized for focusing too much on the romantic aspect.
However, in recent years, we have witnessed changes in the way female characters are portrayed in shōnen manga. The emergence of strong and independent female characters has become a new trend that inspires many readers and exerts a positive influence on gender representation in the manga.
A vivid example of the appearance of strong female characters in Shonen manga is Hajime Isayama’s “Attack on Titan”. Mikasa Ackerman, one of the main characters in the manga, is portrayed as a formidable and talented soldier. He has extraordinary fighting skills and is a source of inspiration for many readers, both men, and women. Mikasa not only relies on the male characters in the story but also plays an active role in facing challenges and taking the initiative in action.
Increased Achievement of Women in Shonen Manga Stories
The appearance of strong female characters in shōnen manga also provides a more realistic picture of women’s achievements in the fictional world. Female characters are portrayed as individuals who have the potential, ability, and power to contribute significantly to the story. They are not only the embellishment of the story or the object of love, but they have an important role in facing challenges
Positive Gender Representation in Shōnen Manga
The appearance of strong female characters in Shonen manga also provides a more positive representation of gender. In many shōnen mangas, female roles are often limited to stereotypical roles, such as weak girls who must be rescued by men or romantic characters who only exist to satisfy the love desires of male characters. However, with the rise of strong female characters, the stereotype is deconstructed, and more diverse and positive gender representations are shown.
For example, in Kohei Horikoshi’s “My Hero Academia” manga, female characters such as Uraraka Ochaco and Tsuyu Asui are portrayed as strong and empowered heroes, possessing their unique abilities alone, and be an inspiration to both female and male readers. They not only depend on the male characters in the story but also have a significant role in facing challenges and contributing to the struggle against enemies.
Conveying the Message of Empowerment to Readers
The appearance of strong female characters in Shonen manga also brings a message of empowerment to readers, especially female readers. The strong female characters in Shonen manga encourage readers to face challenges with confidence, develop their abilities, and dare to take action. They exemplify independent, persistent, and inspiring women, who can influence readers to face the world with their heads held high and determined.
For example, in the manga “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” by Koyoharu Gotouge, a female character named Nezuko Kamado is described as a strong hero who has special powers to fight the devil. He is also described as loyal and affectionate towards his brother, Tanjiro. This character gives the message that women can be tough fighters and has an important role in fighting the enemy and shows the importance of family ties and love between brothers.
Reflecting Social Change in Society
The appearance of strong female characters in Shonen manga also reflects social changes in society. In recent years, the role and rights of women in various aspects of life have been increasingly noticed and recognized. This is also reflected in shōnen manga, which are cultural products that are reflected by the society in which they are made.
Inspiring Readers to Celebrate Diversity
The appearance of strong female characters in shōnen manga also inspires readers to celebrate diversity. In shōnen manga, we can see a variety of female characters with different backgrounds, personalities, and abilities. This shows that women can not only be represented in one stereotype but also have diverse potentials and abilities.
For example, in the manga “Attack on Titan” by Hajime Isayama, the character Mikasa Ackerman is described as a strong and skilled soldier who has great fighting skills and a Strong determination to protect the person he loves. However, on the other hand, Sasha Braus’ character is described as cheerful and fond of the eating girl, yet has extraordinary courage and fighting skills. These two characters are different examples of facing challenges and facing different situations, yet both are equally empowered in their respective roles.
Encouraging the Creation of More Diversified and Inclusive Manga Works
The emergence of strong female characters in shōnen manga also encourages the creation of more diverse and inclusive manga works. As the number of strong female characters in shōnen manga increases, mangaka (manga authors) tend to present a variety of characters with different backgrounds and open doors for a more diverse story.
For example, in the manga “Jujutsu Kaisen” by Gege Akutami, there are strong female characters such as Nobara Kugisaki and Maki Zenin. Nobara is depicted as a girl who has great fighting abilities with her special weapons, while Maki is a tough warrior who has no magic abilities but is still strong with his courage and physical skills. These two characters play an important role in the story, as well as providing variety in the background and personality of the female characters in the manga.
Challenges and Constraints in the Representation of Strong Female Characters in Shonen Manga
Although there has been an increase in the representation of strong female characters in shōnen manga, it is undeniable that there are still challenges and obstacles in bringing out strong female characters in Shōnen stories.
One of the challenges faced is the existence of gender stereotypes that still exist in society. Some readers may still have a traditional view of female roles in stories and perceive strong female characters as unrealistic or inconsistent with expectations. In addition, the view of society that still tends to view men as strong protagonists and women as supporting characters or objects of love, can also be an obstacle in presenting character

domain: entertainment


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The feel-good factor was in full effect at Cosmoprof in Bologna with a new special pavilion dedicated totally to spas.
“The spa sector is doing very well, especially in Europe,” said Aureliana De Sanctis, chief executive officer of Sogecos. “We speak of the concept of ‘slow beauty,’ like slow food. You take time for yourself, to relax, to go the aesthetician or the hairdresser.”
Hermès is launching a Laundromat pop-up shop in NYC - dubbed Hermèsmatic - where customers can bring their old scarves to be dip-dyed by an expert. Get all the details on WWD.com. #wwdnews (📷: @donstahl)

domain: news


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Dead cells can finally get a native PS5 version as part of Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania, the list of which appeared online.
As noted by Hematsuthe game has been rated by the ESRB, which suggests that the game’s release may be imminent.
It’s unclear if this will be a physical or digital release, but it seems safe to assume that it will include the recently released Castlevania-themed DLC.
Although playable on PS5 thanks to backwards compatibility with PS4 version of the game, this release will be the first to play it natively on PS5. It’s unclear if the version will include other non-Castlevania DLC as part of the package.
Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania DLC – Animated Trailer
Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is a co-production Konamiowners of classic IP.
In an interview with IGN regarding the new crossover, Konami assistant producer Tsutomu Taniguchi said that the hype surrounding the Castlevania franchise was “Really motivated by Konami.”
“We tried to bring back the games that people loved and cherished with the Castlevania Anniversary Collection and the Castlevania Advance Collection,” Taniguchi said.
“We also brought back Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night for ours Gaming console fans and on mobile devices, and launched Grimoire of Souls Apple Arcade to celebrate the traditions of the franchise.
“But we know our fans always want more, and so do we, so this opportunity to have this amazing crossover with Dead Cells was impossible to pass up. »


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It wouldn’t be a true Manchester festival if it didn’t include rain. After what was a glorious time of sun in Manchester the heavens opened just as the Parklife gates welcomed festival goers in. However, this didn’t stop what was a magical weekend.
Thousands braved the downpours of rain and muddy grounds for the two day festival, as the biggest names in music took to the extravagant stages. Parklife has always offered the latest cutting-edge DJ’s and acts of the moment and this year definitely did not disappoint.
The team at Parklife went out of their way this year to make things bigger and better, with new stages and immense props setting them above the scale from other festivals. Welcoming the extremely popular Elrow tent which went down a treat full to the brim with confetti, dancers and an amazing carnival feel, along with the rest of the cut above the rest 8 stages.
Saturday saw a cracking line up featuring the likes of Craig David, Sigma, Stormzy, Groove Armada and so on. The energy was buzzing and despite the dim weather, visitors were anything but dull. For all the football fans, the festival organised a big screen to show the England vs. Russia Euro 2016 game, the rain came just in time, although unable to stop the chants of the fans and despite the draw a great support from the crowd.
The first day went down swimmingly, and was topped off by a gobsmacking final show from The Chemical Brothers, bringing a stunning show of lights and a stomping set to the main stage, leaving the crowd on a massive high.
Sunday saw things brightening up, or at least a little bit dryer as the second day commenced. Spirits were extremely high as the stunning line-up continued including Busta Rhymes, Jamie Jones, Jamie XX, Jess Glynne, Katie B and many more. The main stage was an obvious favourite with amazing vocals from Jess Glynne and Katie B, plus an amazing end to the festival from Major Lazor.
However, it was not only the music that made Parklife so successful, the vast amount of deliciously good food stalls kept revellers going, plus this years VIP area went to new levels with the very popular Bongos Bingo taking place and a delicious array of new food stalls and cocktail bar.
Our very own VIVAEms was also a part of the tasty Sunday line-up as she successfully closed the VIP stage with an amazing set with Girls On Sax.
From what was only a one day festival for students Parklife has become a landmark for music in which has become a 2 day festival where 70,000 people from all over the world join for an amazing weekend.
It was an all round success in which the mud gave it that bit more of a Mancunian feel which revellers embraced (some a bit too much), and it all happened in a blink of an eye. Congratulation to Sacha Lord-Marchionne and the Parklife team for making it yet again one of the best festivals in the UK this year. See you again next year.
VIVA’s Festival fashion must have spotted at Parklife: GIRLGANG jacket by Sarah Baily www.sarahbaily.com
Video by Mad About Manchester…
Check out our full Parklife gallery by Elspeth Mary Moore:


The explorer has recently talked of its intention to more closely focus on its core operations in Algeria and Egypt and exit non-core geographical areas such as Greece and the Black Sea region.
Last year, it relinquished one of its two licences in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq known as the Shakrok prospect. Yesterday, announced it was following suit at the Dinarta licence; which it shares with US explorer, Hess and the Kurdistan regional government.
The partners announced earlier this year that drilling operations on the Shireen-1 exploration well at the Dinarta prospect encountered significant operational challenges since a resumption of drilling last October.
A review of forward options led the partners (Petroceltic is a 16% shareholder in the Kurdistan asset) to conclude that an additional well would be required to further evaluate the exploration potential of the Shireen prospect and that “further operational difficulties could not be ruled out”.
“In light of the current low oil price environment, lack of conclusive well results to date and the limited time remaining in the current period of the production sharing contract for the Dinarta licence, Hess and Petroceltic have jointly elected to withdraw from the Dinarta licence without any further drilling,” the partners said.
In a statement, Petroceltic’s chief executive Brian O’Cathain said yesterday: “Petroceltic’s strategy remains clearly focused on delivering from its core producing and development assets, while maintaining balanced exposure to longer-term exploration-led growth wherever possible.
“In light of this, and the current oil price environment, the decision to withdraw from Kurdistan is the right one for the business.”
“While not wholly unexpected, the news will nevertheless rank as a disappointment,” said Gerry Hennigan of Goodbody Stockbrokers.
“The news will further consolidate value within the Petroceltic portfolio around the core assets of Algeria and Egypt,” he added.
“This is a painful conclusion to the group’s investment in Kurdistan, but probably appropriate, given the early diagnosis of drilling to date, additional risk capital required and the uncertain oil price environment,” Davy Stockbrokers’ Caren Crowley added.
Petroceltic is now expected to include a writeoff of around €115m, relating to Kurdistan costs.


I think it is safe to say that this is going to be the game to watch today. When Tampa Bay Lightning captain Martin St. Louis and Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Sami Salo walk into the Bolshoy Ice Dome today, it will not be as teammates, but as opponents. Let’s take a look at today’s matchup between Team Finland and Team Canada.
Today is the last day of group play at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. As we head into the final day, these two teams are two of the last four undefeated teams. On top of all that, these are the two teams that have been highly regarded as the teams expected to find their way to the podium this year.
There is no denying that this is going to be a well fought game on both sides of the ice. Tampa Bay Lightning fans have a vested interest in this encounter. There are two Lightning players in this encounter; unfortunately, they are on different sides of the ice. I guess the next question is which one do you root for? If you are anything like me, you’ll just sit back and enjoy the action.
Coming into this game, Dallas Stars goaltender Kari Lehtonen really held it down Team Finland on Valentine’s Day as they faced off against Team Norway. He made 20 saves on 21 shots on goal for a Save Percentage of .952.
If you judge it solely by the numbers, Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask is not having quite the same success as Lehtonen, but this has not prevented Finland from rising above. On the second day of the Men’s Hockey competition, Rask stopped 16 of 20 shots against Team Austria.
However, the goaltenders on the other side of the ice are far from slouches either. In their opening day of competition, Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price stopped 19 shots on 20 shots on goal in Team Canada’s 3-1 win over Team Norway. In the same respect, Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo was able to stop all 23 shots that were brought against him in Team Canada’s 6-0 shutout over Team Austria.
As you can see, both sides have impeccable goaltending abilities. The real question now is, which offense is more equipped to out match the other’s goaltending ability?
Team Canada has a standout in Los Angeles Kings center Jeff Carter. Carter put up a hat trick in Canada’s 6-0 blowout of Team Austria.
On the other side of the ice, Team Finland has a pretty well rounded group of goal scorers as well. There are 3 players on the team that have registered 2 goal games so far. Jarkko Immonen and Mikael Granlund registered two goals each in Team Finland’s 8-4 win over Team Austria and Lauri Korpikoski scored 2 goals in Finland’s 6-1 win over Team Norway.
There are a lot of games being played today in Sochi; however, I have a distinct feeling that this is going to be the game to watch; especially here in the Bolts Nation.
Team Canada are the defending Gold Medalists in the Men’s Hockey Competition; however, Team Finland did earn themselves the Bronze Medal in Vancouver in 2010. As one could imagine, once you get a taste of success, you can’t help but want to take it to the next level. Will Team Finland be able to overcome the much favorite Team Canada, or will Canada find a way to repeat their 2010 performance? I guess we’ll have to watch and see for ourselves.


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GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Grand Prairie police are investigating a possible road rage shooting that happened Friday night.
According to police, the victim was shot while driving eastbound on I-20, between State Highway 161 and Carrier Parkway.
After the shooting, the victim was taken to a hospital, and is listed in critical condition.
The shooter is believed to have been in a white car, possibly a hatchback.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 972-988-8477 (TIPS) or the Grand Prairie Police Department at 972-237-8790.


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Since its first documented use in 1943, lysergic acid diethylmide, or LSD, has grown to be one of the most potent and controversial drugs in society today. The ways in which LSD produces its effects within the brain is still unknown, and no practical use has been found for it. However, this substance has been described to give incredible insight and revelation to some of those that have taken it, although others have had frightening and nightmarish experiences. LSD is an unpredictable and possibly dangerous substance, but can and has changed the lives of many.
A Swiss chemist named Dr. Albert Hoffman first produced lysergic acid diethylmide –or best
Known as LSD in 1938 (Dye, p. 2). Hoffman discovered the drug while trying to synthesize a new drug for the treatment of headaches. He obtained the lysergic acid from the parasitic fungus that grows on rye plants known as ergot. From the lysergic acid, he synthesized the compound LSD. He used the compound to test for its p...

domain: medical


For cool-weather gravel rides, the Unlimited W Thermal Jersey keeps your core warm while providing enough ventilation to keep you from overheating. Stretch side panels keep it fitting perfectly. Pair it with a vest to extend the comfort range of this jersey.
- Maximum warmth from our Warmer fabric with brushedfleece inner layer
- Gripper elastic at waist
- 3 rear pockets
- Easy-sliding YKK® Vislon® zipper with neck protector


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IDEAS & TRENDS
IDEAS & TRENDS; Flood-Control Projects Become an Infrastructure Problem
By PETER APPLEBOME
Published: March 25, 1990
ATLANTA— ''EVERYBODY'S insurance was the levee, and it's gone,'' lamented a resident of Elba, Ala., which was largely under water last week after flood waters ripped through the town's 52-year-old levee.
The flooding in Elba and throughout much of Alabama, Florida and Georgia killed 11 people and caused untold millions of dollars in property damage. Its underlying message, however, may have been that the nation's aging dams and levees do not always provide the protection Americans have come to expect. At the least, experts say, the nation's 80,000 dams will cost more and more to maintain. And some experts complain that some large flood-control projects are as much a product of politics as of physical necessity.
For three decades, planners, environmentalists and government agencies have tried to limit development in flood-prone areas. Yet during that time, according to one Government study, the national percentage of dwellings located in areas subject to flooding increased from 10 percent in 1966 to about 14 percent now.
The catastrophic flooding in Elba destroyed or damaged 600 homes and virtually all downtown buildings and drove half the residents from the town of 4,400. The disaster reflected just how vulnerable development in designated flood zones or in places like Elba, considered safe because of man-made barriers, can be. The problem concerns not only those living in such places - the vast majority of whom lack flood insurance - but also government bodies, which can face enormous expenses for rebuilding and maintenance.
Costliest Natural Hazards
The Federal Government has spent $20 billion on dams and levees in this century. In the past decade, annual flood damage ranged from $500 million to $6 billion, making floods the nation's costliest natural hazard.
''It becomes a bigger issue all the time, because there's just so much more property at risk,'' said William Riebsame, director of the University of Colorado National Hazard Center, which studies human responses to natural hazards. ''Americans don't like to be told what to do with their property.''
On one level, what happened in Elba was simply an unpredictable act of nature. The 3.2-mile-long earthen levee running along the Pea River was too low to protect the town from record flood waters caused by 16 inches of rain in two days. The river surged over the levee, which is from 15 to 20 feet high.
''We just got a flood bigger than anyone ever dreamed of,'' said E. Patrick Robbins, a spokesman for the Army Corps of Engineers in Mobile, the agency that inspects the system protecting Elba. The Works Progress Administration built the levees in 1938 after a flood in 1929 inundated the town.
But with so many flood-control projects older than 40 years, worries go beyond the unpredictability of nature. Experts say some older projects, built when flood baselines were less accurate than today's data, may not accurately reflect true flood hazards. More important, aging dams need more maintenance.
''You've got all these 50- to 100-year-old dams, and a lot of them are in bad, bad shape,'' said Larry Larson, executive director of the Association of State Floodplain Managers and chief of flood-plain management for Wisconsin.
Some critics say that the government has contributed to increased flood damage by subsidizing unwise development. Moreover, they contend that the redirection of rivers and the destruction of wetlands accompanying many water projects have worsened flooding by removing many natural brakes.
''Our nation's flood-damage bill continues to grow because we're still financing a pork-barrel system where we're encouraging disaster by building structures that lull people into a false sense of security,'' said Brent Blackwelder, vice president of the Friends of the Earth Foundation, an environmental group with offices in Washington.
True or not, ever since the first levee was built in low-lying New Orleans in 1727, much of the country's growth, particularly that of the Mississippi River Valley, has depended on flood-control projects designed to protect homes and farmland. Once built, such structures cannot be abandoned. Army Corps officials contend that their projects have prevented $11.7 billion a year in flood damage over the past decade.
''If you go way back, people settled along the rivers, where the transportaton system was,'' said Carol S. Todd, a spokeswoman for the Army Corps of Engineers in Washington. ''You'd have to move out of New Orleans if you didn't have some structural solution.''
For decades, critics of huge water projects have been calling for alternative approaches to flood control - tighter limitations on building on flood plains, for example, and construction standards that take into account the possibility of heavy flooding.
Some experts credit the Army Corps of Engineers and other water-project agencies with finally moving in that direction.
''I think the agencies have changed,'' Mr. Riebsame said. ''They've gone to a much more broad definition of what it means to reduce flood hazards.'' Yet change is slow. ''It's like kicking a dinosaur in the rear end,'' he said. ''The message gets through slowly.''
Few programs intended to reduce building in floodprone areas have worked entirely as planned, largely because of development pressures. The National Flood Insurance Program, for example, was planned as a way to require Federal flood insurance for the most vulnerable property owners in return for local government policies regulating development in flood-prone areas.
But some communities have merely paid lip service to such restrictions. In addition, a 1987 study by the Federal Emergency Management Agency found that only about 14 percent of residences in flood-hazard zones have flood insurance.
Similarly, other alternatives have been phased out or not provided with financing by Congress. ''Congress still views the Corps as their construction agency to bring something for the voters back home,'' Mr. Larson said.
But the era of the big-ticket item may well be dead. Since 1984, the Army Corps of Engineers has spent more money maintaining old projects than building new ones.
The issue will continue to haunt governments, particularly local ones, which bear much of the maintenance bill.
''The problem with dams is once you've built them, you have them forever,'' Mr. Larson said. ''Someone has to take care of them.''
Photo: Not much of the Riviera Motel in Elba, Ala., was above water last weekend after a levee broke and the town was flooded (Reuters)

domain: geography


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12 - 19 April 2016 | Issue 295
ASIFMA's 6th China Capital Markets Conference to be held on Wednesday 27 April 2016 in Singapore
ASIFMA's signature conference provides an industry-wide platform for global and regional policymakers, senior regulators, asset managers, corporate treasurers, financing firms, fintech firms and China-watchers to discuss the development of China's capital markets and the renminbi's internationalization. Register now given seats are limited!
3rd Annual Symposium on EU-Asia Relations in Financial Services to be held on 25-27 May 2016 in Beijing
This closed-door symposium on EU-Asian capital markets regulation provides a unique opportunity for European and Asian policy makers, high-level industry influencers, leading academics and markets representatives to meet and discuss important issues affecting EU-Asia trade, investment and capital markets. The event is limited to 100 participants. Register now given seats are limited!
No limit for investment by foreign banks, institutions in Chinese interbank market
China will not limit investments by foreign central banks and similar institutions in the Chinese interbank foreign exchange (FX) and bond markets, officials said. But foreign banks and institutions must abide by Chinese laws and regulations and register their investments in the interbank FX market with the China Foreign Exchange Trade System and register their bond investments with the People's Bank of China (PBOC), the central bank said on its official website. (Xinhua)
China Securities Regulator to Draft Domestic Private Equity Fund Law
China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) has been tasked to draft a new regulation to oversee the domestic private investment fund industry, the country's State Council said. The proposed law is listed as one of dozens of urgent projects that need to be completed on a priority basis, according to a statement posted on the Chinese government's official website. (China Money network)
China's AMAC to impose tough new rules on hedge funds in 'Wild East' crackdown
China's hedge fund operators can expect more stringent regulation from their self-regulatory industry body in an intensifying crackdown on "Wild East" fraud and illegal money raising, the Asset Management Association of China (AMAC) said. AMAC, the self-regulatory body that oversees private funds, said the new rules were intended to further protect investors' legal rights and to regulate the private fund management industry, described by some insiders as a "Wild East" rife with fraud. (Reuters)
Shanghai introduces yuan-denominated gold benchmark price
The Shanghai Gold Exchange, the world's largest physical gold exchange, launched a yuan-denominated benchmark price on Tuesday in Shanghai, a measure that will benefit both China's domestic gold market and the global precious metals market. SGE said in a circular that the launch of the Shanghai Gold Benchmark Price will be useful as it adequately reflects the gold supply and demand in China, and represents the price trend of China's gold market.
HKMA - Frequently asked questions on the Basel III leverage ratio framework
The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) has recently published an updated version of the document Frequently asked questions on the Basel III leverage ratio framework incorporating responses to a third set of frequently asked questions (FAQs). Institutions are expected to take into account the guidance set out in the FAQs in calculating their leverage ratio for the purposes of completing the HKMA's Quarterly Template on Leverage Ratio.
EUBIP Position Paper - Financial Services Business Council (FSBC) of the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
Recommendations include: pursue agreements between the European Union (EU) with China and Hong Kong instead of national bilateral agreements in order to streamline rules and reduce complexity; create an access mechanism for UCITS funds to the Mainland-Hong Kong Mutual Recognition of Funds scheme; ease the distribution of Hong Kong and Chinese funds to Europe; and participate in other Asian Fund passport initiatives.
HKEX Supports Mainland Roadshow for Stock Connect Stocks
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) has encouraged Hong Kong-listed companies to enhance their transparency and their communication with investors. HKEX supported the Hong Kong Investor Relations Association's (HKIRA) first-ever roadshow in the Mainland as the HKIRA took a delegation of Hong Kong-listed companies to Shanghai to meet with leading Mainland brokers' research houses.
MAS - Speech by Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies, and Chairman of MAS
The speech addresses the tensions and development of fintech.
SGX aims to be multi-asset exchange
Amid consolidation among major global bourses, Singapore Exchange has decided to pursue a different strategy from many of its peers. One of its focuses will be to offer new derivative products in the hope of tapping investor demand. In a recent interview with The Nikkei, Loh said that SGX would like to grow as a "multi-asset exchange" and would consider all "activities" necessary to achieve that goal. (Nikkei Asian Review)
The FSA's Approach to Introduce the TLAC Framework
Taking account of the progress in international discussions on developing a framework for an orderly resolution of global systemically important banks (G-SIBs), the Financial Services Agency (FSA) releases its approach to introduce the TLAC framework for Japanese G-SIBs.
The Bank of Japan - Toward a Robust Financial Market and the Role of the Bank of Japan
Speech by Executive Director Amamiya, BoJ
RBI - Indian Debt Market 2020: The Underpinnings & the Path Ahead
By Shri Harun R Khan, Deputy Governor.
RBA - Financial Stability Review report
The review includes sections on the Australian Financial System, the Global Financial Environment, and developments in the Financial System Architecture.
KRX launches probe over 'mysterious' stock price surge
Korea's bourse operator launched a probe over a "mysterious" fluctuation of an apparel brand's share price, which led to distortions in the tech-heavy KOSDAQ market.
The Korea Exchange (KRX) said that it has ordered a number of securities firms to hand over ledgers and information on accounts that intensively made buy orders on shares of apparel company Codes Combine, under suspicion of stock price manipulation. (Korea times)
G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting Communique
The G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors have published a Communique following their meeting in Washington, DC on 14-15 April 2016.
BIS - Prudential treatment of problem assets - definitions of non-performing exposures and forbearance - consultative document
At present, banks categorize problem loans in a variety of ways and there are no consistent international standards for categorizing problem loans. The definitions proposed by the Basel Committee aim to foster harmonization in the measurement and application of two important measures of asset quality and thereby promote consistency in supervisory reporting and disclosures by banks.
Joint UN/FATF open briefing on depriving terrorist groups of sources of funding
The joint UN/FATF open briefing on 14 April provides an opportunity to discuss new and emerging terrorist financing trends and highlight initiatives to prevent and counter terrorist financing.
EBA - EBA publishes Opinion on the application of customer due diligence measures to customers who are asylum seekers from higher-risk third countries or territories
The European Banking Authority (EBA) published an opinion setting out measures credit and financial institutions can take to comply with EU Anti- Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing (AML/CFT) requirements when providing asylum seekers from higher-risk jurisdictions with access to basic financial products and services.
ESMA announces EU-wide stress tests for CCPS
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) announced the publication of its first EU-wide stress test exercise regarding Central Counterparties (CCPs) on 29 April 2016.
ESMA publishes opinion on EU framework for loan origination by investment funds
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published an opinion addressed to the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on the components necessary for a common European framework which applies to loan origination by investment funds.
FCA publishes the interim report of its investment and corporate banking market study and a discussion paper on the IPO process
The FCA published the interim conclusions of its investment banking market study, finding that while many clients feel well served by primary capital market services, there were also some areas where improvements could be made to encourage competition.
FCA and PRA jointly publish proposals to enhance enforcement decision-making processes
The FCA and the PRA published proposals aimed at strengthening the transparency and effectiveness of their enforcement decision-making processes.
Bank of England to become administrator of SONIA interest rate benchmark
From 25 April the Bank will assume overall responsibility for the SONIA benchmark and will provide oversight and governance. The WMBA will continue to calculate and publish SONIA, in exactly the same way as at present, but on behalf of the Bank. The Bank will administer SONIA in line with international best practice, as encapsulated by the IOSCO Principles for Financial Benchmarks.
UK leads European calls for G20 action on beneficial ownership
Chancellor George Osborne unveiled an international deal to automatically share information on the ultimate owners of companies with key EU allies, making it more difficult for firms to dodge tax or funnel corrupt funds. Britain has initiated an agreement with Germany, France, Italy and Spain that will see tax and law enforcement agencies from the five countries exchange data on company beneficial ownership registers and new registers of trusts, allowing for more effective investigation of financial wrongdoing.

domain: finance


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The fifth international “Fascination of Plants Day” will be launched by plant scientists across the world under the umbrella of the European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO).
The goal of this activity is to get as many people as possible around the world fascinated by plants and enthused about the importance of plant science for agriculture and sustainable production of nutritious food, as well as for horticulture, forestry and the production of plant-based non-food products such as paper, timber, chemicals, energy and pharmaceuticals. The role of plants in environmental conservation is also a key message.
Everybody is welcome to join this initiative!
Learn about our bees and pollinators and how you can create a feast for them in your garden.
Join Yvonne Grace, Assistant Lecturer in Horticulture at Waterford Institute of Technology, for an interactive workshop.
Have you admired the wildflowers of Courtwood woods, but you haven’t been able to name them? Join this guided walk and together we’ll explore and learn together. Suitable for youngsters and adults, we might even see some of the insects dependent on our native flora.
Hopefully by the end of the day, you’ll know the names of 10 new wildflowers!

domain: biology


Photos of the earth from the International Space Station.
(1) Saudi’s Empty Quarter; (2) Greece; (3) North African landscape; (4) Thawing river in the Midwest U.S.; (5) Southern Iran; (6) Rio Grande near Chihuahua; (7) Saudi sandstorm; (8) South American river; (9) Town in the Alps; (10) Delhi
To look at the earth like that is life changing. I’m still processing it — it’s a view you just can’t get here. The blackness of space is not like the black color you see on earth. It’s a deep, palpable black, it’s like you’re looking into the infinity of space. It’s still so much to process — I’ll be looking for words to describe it for the rest of my life.


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I’ve covered the “can I get a discount on your art” question before, but it’s apparent that it still haunts too many desperate artists so it’s worth covering again.
When a potential patron asks if you will offer them a discount you should say “no” or some form of “no.”
I can hear it now. “Well they are a good friend.” or “They are a repeat collector.” Yes. That’s nice. Shoot yourself in the foot, if you like.
“Good friends” don’t ask for discounts.
And if they are a repeat customer and you want to acknowledge your appreciation, fine. But do it in some other value added way, like complimentary shipping, framing, or installation.
Why do I put such a fine point on this? Because it is costing you money.
And collectors are already confused about what amount they are paying for art and why. Your lack of confidence can undermine theirs and that can compromise or squash the sale.
So have a price sheet of your art at the ready. A written price is not as easy to negotiate as the one you speak.
Art is a luxury good. Don’t forget it. During the recent economic downturn a number of luxury brands threw themselves under the bus when they desperately discounted to stay a float.
The Hermès Group, founded in 1837, didn’t dare. They took the long view. What happened to them? They’ve maintained the luxury market’s respect and they’ve gained significant market share.
An art consultant I know, who has dealt with hundreds of artists over the years, confirmed that those artists that allowed her to discount their art sold significantly less work than those who maintained a policy to never discount.
Take the long view. Build your brand. Don’t discount your art. In the end, it will be worth it because you’ll sell more art.


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Neko Case, live at the Bonnaroo Music Festival, Manchester TN, 13th June 2009
Recorded at the This Tent stage of the festival, sadly not the whole set, as the taper was going to record Phish. Makes no sense to me, but what can you do? Enjoy!
1. Intro 2. Maybe Sparrow 3. People Got A Lotta Nerve 4. Fever 5. Hold On, Hold On 6. The Pharoahs 7. Middle Cyclone 8. Deep Red Bells 9. I Wish I Was The Moon 10. I'm An Animal 11. Tigers Have Spoken 12. Triumph Intro 13. Swing Low Sweet Chariot 14. Red Tide 15. Don't Forget Me 16. That Teenage Feeling 17. This Tornado Loves You
Download samples, you know the drill by now... Neko Tent