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All sales are final (No returns)
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The Room - Live Scrípt Reading with Greg Sestero in Attendance
Co-star, line producer and former Tommy Wiseau roommate Greg Sestero is coming to the Snake Alley Festival of Film to host a live reading of the original draft of the Modern cult classic, The Room! This will be a rare glimpse into the original vision of one of the most iconic cinematic figures of the twenty-first century, featuring settings, dialogue and plot devices that never made it on screen. Greg will reprise his role as Mark, local talent will fill major roles, and minor roles will be read by randomly selected audience members.
Greg Sestero is the author of the best-selling memoir The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, The Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made, the film adaptation of which recently received an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. He re-teamed with The Room creator Tommy Wiseau on the currently screening Best F(r)iends, which Sestero also wrote.
Dubbed "the Citizen Kane of bad movies" by Entertainment Weekly, filmmaker/actor Tommy Wiseau's romantic "disasterpiece" The Room continues to screen to sell out audiences twelve years after its premiere. It is without argument the most mainstream-recognized example of bad filmmaking since 1959's Plan 9 from Outer Space.
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Hunka's Burning Love
From elanthipedia
|This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.
There have been multiple incarnations of the store Hunka's Burning Love:
- Hunka's Burning Love (1): Chris's Mass Festival 389 (2007), Chris's Mass 396 (2009)
- Hunka's Burning Love (2): Hollow Eve 403 (2011), Hollow Eve 406 (2012), Hollow Eve 410 (2013)

subset: commoncrawl


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Hailee Steinfeld Shares How She Learned to Embrace Her Height
The star talks loving her height while wearing a leggy Balmain dress at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards and Elle Present Women in Music
Hailee Steinfeld loves a good mini moment. The star often shows off her 5'8″ figure in super leggy looks on the red carpet, and she knows how to strike the Jennifer Lopez leg pose almost better than JLo. But Steinfeld revealed that she wasn't always confident being the tallest girl when she was growing up.
"In school, I was always taller than everybody else and I didn't necessarily love it. I felt like it made me stand out in a way I didn't want to stand out in," she told PEOPLE at the Billboard Music Awards and Elle magazine's Women in Music event in Los Angeles.
FROM PEN: Amandla Stenberg's Best Beauty Lesson Is One We All Need to Follow
Now, as Steinfeld's blossomed into a red carpet style star (thanks to the help of her stylists Rob Zangardi and Mariel Haenn), she's started embracing her height — and sometimes even wishes she was taller.
RELATED PHOTOS: Easy Ways to Wear Springs Hottest Trends
"Now I can appreciate it. I feel really comfortable showing off my legs," she told us. "I love myself for that. Sometimes I wish I could be taller. Thank God for heels because we can do that!"
Last night, the singer did just that, sporting a leg-baring black Balmain gown with high Christian Louboutin pumps to amp up her height, before switching into a crop top and pants for a performance during the award show.
At the MTV Movie Awards earlier this month she opted for another mini moment, putting her legs on display in a lavender Fausto Puglisi mini dress teamed with metallic heels.
Steinfeld said that her fashion transformation is influenced heavily by her music.
"With my single, 'Most Girls,' that song is about waking up and being whoever you want to be whenever you want to be that," Steinfeld said. "With that song, I've had the most fun performing in sweatpants to mini dresses to jeans and a tank top."
And the style chameleon definitely can pull off all looks.
The Billboard Music Awards airs live on May 21 (8 p.m. ET) on ABC.
What's your favorite mini dress moment of Hailee's? Share your pick with us in the comments below.
–with reporting by Abby Stern


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This often-misunderstood variety is always a Sommelier favourite. Why? Because it is one of the most versatile wines and one of the most cellar worthy. Rieslings come in all styles from dry to super sweet, but it is the variety's natural high acidity that always makes it a fresh and juicy wine to enjoy. Come taste an array of styles from different regions of the world. You will never look at Riesling the same.
Read more at: https://guestlistapp.com/events/315606
Discover great local wine-related events on Just Wine


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The following individuals participated in the Wannsee Conference (Wannsee-Konferenz, Wannseekonferenz), held in the Berlin suburb of Wannsee on January 20, 1942, to achieve bureaucratic unanimity concerning the Final Solution of the Jewish Question (Endlösung, Endlösung der Judenfrage), a euphemism for the destruction of the Jews in Europe. SS-Obergruppenführer Reinhard Heydrich, Chief of the RSHA (Reichssicherheitshauptamt/ […]View Post
The "Final Solution" in Lublin, Poland – "Operation Reinhard" Headquarters
Posted on by Blue Heron in Nazi Prosecution of the Holocaust, Visit a Battlefield
The "Final Solution" in Lublin, Poland – "Operation Reinhard" Headquarters Lublin was a large center for the Nazi killing machine and in many ways remains similar in architecture to World War II. This photo was taken in 2001. In a very obscure area of the city is the remnants of the Lublin Airfield Camp used "Operation Reinhard." […]View Post Endlösung, Endlösung der Judenfrage, Final Solution of the Jewish Question, Odilo Globocnik, Operation Reinhard, Wannsee Conference, Wannsee-Konferenz, Wannseekonferenz


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Two Arkansas politicians start #Seed2Sawmill tour in Arkansas
August 31, 2016
In The News
EL DORADO, Ark. (KNOE 8 News) - Congressman Bruce Westerman and Senator Boozman spent day two of their forestry tour at the Del-tin Fiber Plant, learning how the company takes tree waste, like wood chips, and turns them into usable products.
Their tour of the Del-Tin Plant was part of their bigger tour of the state, called "#Seed2Sawmill." It was a chance to see exactly how forestry works. It's an industry responsible for $3 billion, and 28 thousand jobs, just in Arkansas.
"It's part of our great natural resources here, and it's always been important," Rep. Westerman said. "And I think it'll continue to be important."


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Oh I hope I can make it this year!! I really really want to experience this event!!
This Jax mermaid is NC bound! Last year I committed my time, money, and vacation to my husband's LARPing sport this year it's all about the mermaids! So if you guys need volunteers or help I'm more than willing. I am an experienced event planner (everything from brithday parties to celeberty book signings) Can't wait this is going to be flipperific!
~Nothing's Impossible just hard to achieve, so stay true to yourself and always Believe~
Formerly known as Kaguria the Kitsune Mermaid
Will NC Mermania be in January 2017 again?
Laura the Mermaid of The MerFriends
Hi Laura yes I believe so , if I remember correctly its Jan 21st the 23rd
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Wish i could conquer my fear of flying for this!!!
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Mermaid Sammi Ray
Hey folks the dates were previously announced. Please remember this is just a thread but all the confirmed information is on the website
Dates are January 20th-22nd 2017
Thank you everyone.
Laura the Mermaid of The MerFriends
So this will be my first visit all the way from Az. Which hotel is near to the building? I'm in works of getting all details arranged.
we're going to be announcing the preferred hotel soon, it should have a better rate and some of the events will be held there
Next question. .. flight travel with our tails. I have a silicone one. I prefer to keep it with me cause I'm over protective of it. I've seen those monofin travel bags. Ya or na? And has anyone ever dealt with this? I'm going to pick brains .... alot. Lol
I really need to come check this out, one of these years.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm considering coming to this event. I loved the last Merfest I attended. Will anyone else have a Merbaby with them? That would make it more fun for sure! I would bring a sitter with us but I enjoy getting to hang out with other mermommas and their babies. I want my daughter who will be 2 to have mermaid friends and I can't wait for her to meet her merfamily that has known her since day 1. I'm working on a Hawaii deal so if that's not around the same time we should be coming. I may have to order another silicone toddler tail before then! Squee!!!!!
Last year there were a few young ones around. Along with toddlers and children.
FINGERS CROSSED I can make it this year! I would most likely drive the 8 hours or so to NC, as my SyrenStudios tail is just too ginormous to fly with. I know some mers package them and check the bag, but I'm over protective and dont trust airline baggage handlers (one too many suitcases have been broken). There are so many of you that I would love to meet in person! Raina, Merman Christian, Hyli, SO MANY!! I think this event is going to fantastic!
Ohio's First Mermaid.
Owner of The Ohio Mermaids
Instagram: @KateyMermaid
Katey Mermaid on Facebook
Katey Mermaid Website
Ohio Mermaids Website
I know info has been slow folks, we are trying so hard to get the dang hotel nailed down. They took their sweet time. And then once we settled on two to choose from, others sent us proposals. We are trying hard to pick the cheapest but best service for everyone and lower the cost overall, along with minimize extra travel
I promise it'll be worth the wait
I really hope I get to come! I talked to my mom about it and she seemed interested in letting me go. I just hope I can afford to come! I only live 3 hours away so travel is no problem, it's just hotel pricing and the event costs...which it shouldn't be too big of a deal!
I am so excited that I might actually get to meet other mers, but I am also terrified about it (lol)...hopefully I can get my new tail made before then!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm looking at plane tickets right now. Is there a hotel room deal for the con?
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there will be yes. we are constantly on Dan to finalize it LOL.
Id really like to go but I am in the uk!


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Hi I'm Mel,
I am in my 20s and live in the South West of England.
I have liked anime for quite awhile but i blame my partner for my love of anime.
My favorite series so far have got to be Durarara! Welcome to the NHK, Monster musume, Death parade and the melancholy of haruhi suzumiya.
3,819 total episodes


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" I may be compelled to face danger, but never fear it, and while our soldiers can stand and fight, I can stand and feed and nurse them." - Clara Barton
https://adventure.howstuffworks.com/clara-barton-national-historic-site.htm "A hero is someone who rises above his or her fears and limitations to achieve something extraordinary ... a hero embodies what we believe is best in ourselves" (Qtd. in Fleming). James R. Fleming in his article "Review of Superman on the Couch: What Superheroes Really Tell Us About Ourselves" asserts that in the book, heroes are defined as people who push the limits in an effort to achieve the remarkable and embody the character traits that people see in the finest versions of themselves. As a result, the people who possess the characteristics society values and fulfill the aspirations are hailed as heroes by the entirety of mankind. Furthermore, it appears in our daily lives. Such as the people who risk their lives for what they believe in, the soldiers who sacrifice their lives to protect their country, activists who stick to their morals despite criticism, and humanitarians who commit their life's work to alleviate suffering in others are all heroes in their own respect. These people exemplify desirable characteristics like determination, courage, and compassion. These people inspire others as they, in the face of adversity, summon the courage to persevere and ultimately achieve their goals. These people refuse to allow external pressures to dissuade them from performing what they believe is right, and to me, this is what makes them heroes. Those who courageously challenge their critics and stand up for their personal beliefs to help others are worthy of the praise and admiration reserved for heroes, for they are the people who truly deserve it.
One such example is Clara Barton, a woman who overcame her timidness by courageously standing up for her beliefs while positively impacting millions of people. Born on December 25, 1821, Clarissa "Clara" Harlowe Barton grew up in North Oxford, Massachusetts. For most of her childhood, Barton's mother neglected her. Fortunately, Barton's father recognized the absence of a mother figure in Clara's life and took the shy girl under his wing. Barton idolized her father, a former soldier, from whom she inherited her patriotic blood (Oates 7-8). This loyalty that flowed through Barton's veins, in turn, led her to become a nurse during the Civil War in 1862, where she discovered her steadfast commitment to helping others. Eventually, in 1881, Barton founded the American Red Cross and served as the organization's first president, where her visionary work on behalf of the Red Cross revolutionized relief efforts. At the age of eighty-three, Barton retired to Glen Echo, Maryland, where she died of tuberculosis on April 12, 1912. Due to Barton's numerous efforts and caring nature, many people perceive Barton, fittingly called the "Angel of the Battlefield," as a hero today. A hero must be steadfast and compassionate, both characteristics Barton embraced in order to alleviate the suffering of millions of people. Determination is one's willingness to overcome obstacles, in order to achieve their goals and compassion, is one's concern for others. Through her courageous determination and compassion, Barton stays true to her beliefs to overcome extraordinary challenges to achieve her life's work creating a legacy that affects millions of people, and earns her the title of an admirable hero.
https://infinitefire.org/info/clara-barton-american-hero/ Stereotyping limits people's ability to achieve their goals and leads its targets to face great adversity; however, Clara Barton bravely broke through these boundaries with her determination to fulfill her mission. As Barton lived during the nineteenth century, expectations and views of women were restraining. However, rather than let the restricting stereotypes hold her back, Barton persisted until she achieved her goal: "But here she faced a personal hurdle: Respectable women were never seen anywhere near a battlefield...After months of trying to get permission from the government, Clara was successful" (Krensky 51-52).The fact that it took Barton months to obtain the government's permission exemplifies her perseverance along with her great determination. A hero does not back down to the challenges they face, instead, a hero resolves to continue to work for what they believe in. Barton persevered with tenacity while staying on the course of her life's work, thus labeling her a hero. Furthermore, Barton exemplifies her courageous determination when she brought peace to the families by naming their loved ones who went missing during the war. In order to name these missing soldiers, Barton needed government approval; however, she faced opposition from Secretary of War Stanton, whose misogynistic ideology stood in her way. Undeterred, Barton cleverly gained General Hoffman's approval, which ultimately trumped Stanton's refusals: "'At first,' [Barton] said later, the idea was regarded as entirely visionary and I was as admonished to abandon it.' But Clara refused to give up... By dint of perseverance... [Barton] convinced Hoffman that her plan was practical..."(Oates 316). Both Barton's refusal "to give up" and her "perseverance" demonstrates Barton's steadfastness to achieve her mission despite Hoffman's and Stanton's initial refusals. Heroes persevere in the face of obstacles ─ they never give up. Like an admirable hero, Barton did not back down to people's use of stereotypes that attempted to restrict her from reaching her full potential. Barton, the "Angel of the Battlefield," overcame many hurdles to earn that name, and her determination, not just her legacy, makes her even more worthy of that title.
Barton's ability to follow her morals while still exhibiting compassion to everyone ultimately set the precedent for disaster relief on and off the battlefield. The Civil War challenged Barton's moral integrity many times. When Barton faced a difficult choice of helping a Confederate Hospital as a Union nurse, she still stuck to her personal values: "As much as she hated treason and opposed the Confederacy, her instincts were to help the suffering, regardless of the uniform they wore"(81). The word "hatred" emphasizes the repulsion Barton felt for the values the Confederacy stood for, but her instincts told her to help anyone, regardless of their social or political standing. True to her character, Barton did not think twice when it came to caring for any soldier who required medical attention. A hero always sticks to their beliefs and never hesitates to aid those in need. Barton showcases this as she instinctively worked for the benefit of everyone regardless of the circumstances, demonstrating great moral integrity and compassion. Her motivation and concern for others laid the foundation that defined the execution of disaster relief, in which all patients receive the care and respect they deserve. This sentiment is exemplified once more when Barton's ability to stand by her morals and show kindness to all also inspired the foundations of countless relief organizations: "'[Barton] was devoted to the idea of helping those in need, regardless of their background or affiliations...her handiwork contributed to the enduring mission of the Red Cross and inspired other organizations…"(Krensky 121). Barton's devotion to providing equal treatment for everyone despite their race, beliefs, or background demonstrates her moral integrity and compassion. Like a hero, Barton always stood by her belief that everyone deserved the same amount of respect and exhibited benevolence to all. These ideals Barton lived by set the paradigm for relief organizations, affecting millions of people today. Barton's moral integrity and remarkable ability to display compassion to everyone proves that she is an honorable hero and worthy of the memorable legacy she left behind.
https://www.clarabartonbirthplace.org/the-american-red-cross/ In the direst of situations, Barton's courageous determination and utmost compassion enabled her to fulfill her benevolent mission of helping those in need. Barton was not only a hero due to her steadfastness and caring nature, but her portrayal of these strengths impacted the lives of countless people during and after her lifetime. Through her kindness and dedication, Barton rose to the status of a hero as her commitment to helping others triumphed over the limiting, bigoted and intolerant views of the times. Barton's potential depended on her own conscience which enabled her to overcome adversity and achieve the extraordinary. "Through her work during the war, Clara Barton succeeded as well as any man in the most trying circumstances. She had proved herself in a way that many women were capable of, but few, if any, had a chance to demonstrate" (73). Barton accepted that she would have to work twice as hard as any man to accomplish her goals. However, rather than let that hold her back, she persevered, not only achieving her goal to aid the wounded on the battlefield, but also establishing a precedent for future generations of women. It is women like Clara Barton who inspire me to work hard to reach my goals. Her life's work exemplifies that in order to live up to my potential and accomplish my dreams, I must be true to my convictions, regardless of the challenges I face. Ultimately, I hope to be a neurologist and aid those in need just as Barton successfully did. Even though neurology is a male-dominated profession, Barton's work proves to me that through dedication, perseverance, and a commitment to compassion, I can accomplish my goal of finding the cure for Alzheimer's, a disease from which my grandmother and millions of others suffer from. As I look back on Barton's work during her lifetime, I realize that by sticking to her values Barton beat the deterrents society hurled at her and achieved the extraordinary. She embodies courage and determination that fueled her accomplishments and serves as an inspiration to women who see these characteristics in the best versions of themselves. Clara Barton leaves an enduring legacy deserving of her status as a hero that continues to inspire future generations and influence the philosophy and execution of serving those in need.
Works Cited
Fleming, James. "Review of Superman on the Couch: What Superheroes Really Tell Us about
Ourselves and Our Society by Danny Fingeroth.". ImageTexT: Interdisciplinary Comics
Studies. 2.2 (2006). Dept of English, University of Florida. 20 Jan 2018.
Krensky, Stephen. Clara Barton. DK Publishing, 2011.
Oates, Stephen B. A Woman of Valor Clara Barton and the Civil War. Paw Prints, 2008.
Page created on 2/21/2018 11:00:21 PM
Last edited 2/22/2018 5:07:16 PM


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Clarasys is a fresh and exciting consultancy with over 100 consultants working across a range of industries including financial services, public sector, healthcare, telco, professional services, events and information services. We are a dynamic and refreshingly pragmatic customer-focused consultancy solving our clients' customer pains at the pace their businesses demand.
Clarasys is built to be agile from the ground up and with clients we use our unique enterprise agile approach to quickly identify and unlock value, providing their teams with direction and clarity. It's a philosophy we like to share with clients as we work with them to balance the quick wins with lasting transformation while we build capability and self-sufficiency.
Ultimately, our ability to drive up customer retention and enhance customer experience and customer satisfaction are the reasons our clients choose us to help them succeed.
You can learn more about our award-winning consultancy at clarasys.com


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Flights to Samarkand from Astana
Find cheap flights
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InformationAstana and Samarkand are 1330 kilometres away from each other, with an estimated flight time of 01:54 h (this may vary depending on the weather or air routes)
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Although it is very traditional for teachers to teach in a classroom, online teaching is rapidly becoming a very important factor in most colleges. Even though teaching in a classroom has its advantages, online teaching also has its advantages as well. Me personally, I would prefer to be in a classroom with an instructor teaching a class. This is because many individuals feel a stronger connection with their teachers and classmates when they are able to interact face to face.
It benefits many individuals to see good teaching practices being demonstrated by their own teachers.
Teachers can also evaluate the different ways individuals are able to communicate. Also, students are trained hands-on according to the standards and regulations of their state, and can be confident of meeting their state's requirements. Online classes are gaining more and more legitimacy and are fast becoming a legitimate alternative to traditional classes. It's a great asset because all students are required to participate in the class, and participation can be measured objectively.
Therefore, nobody can skulk in the back of the room and not talk or dominate the conversation.
Classes can also be taken from anywhere that has computer access, so people don't have to put off their education because of distractions or lack of school access. Online courses emphasize reading, writing and discussion elements that are proven to be effective, and that students can use in their own classrooms. Students can do their classes and coursework at any time that is convenient, especially when traditional classes don't meet. Plus in today's society computer literacy is more and more a requirement on many jobs and in some classroom settings and online classes requires that students become computer literate.
Online classes tend to train future workers for general requirements that are accepted in every state. A student might be trained for certification in almost any state by taking online classes. The question of online teaching programs versus traditional teaching programs isn't usually a question of which offers the better education, but which education serves the student's needs better. For those looking to be in that classroom environment, traditional might be better, but for those who have concerns over distance, convenience, or class participation, online classes may provide a solution that works for everyone.
Cite this essay
Online Teacing vs. Classroom Teaching. (2016, Sep 28). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/online-teacing-vs-classroom-teaching-essay


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Rather than simply disregard information as "fake news" media literate individuals are empowered as "critical thinkers and makers, effective communicators and active citizens." Translation: They actively engage with the media and information ecosystem by adopting the mantra: When in doubt, check it out. Folks at the COMM+MEDIA Research Collaboratory have curated a short list of fact checking web sites that will help kids and adults alike locate truth in popular news stories in the areas of politics, economics, science, and health. A game of fact checkers, anyone?
Your Privacy Online
KQED Education partnered with the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) to create an excellent primer for young people and educators on how to protect their online privacy. They recommend something called "Threat Modelling," a set of five questions everyone should ask themselves
A Journey to Media Literacy
A big digital knuckle bump to the European Association for Viewers' Interests (EAVI) for creating a Ning community to magnify the principles of media literacy, especially to promote citizenship and civic engagement. Take a look at their charming 7-minute video and take
Technology, Transmedia and Happily Ever After
Although there are media literacy traditionalists who view technology and media literacy as frenemies, I see the two as a match made in heaven. My recent exposure to a glamorous technology fairy tale with a happy ending ("The Future of the Book") engendered high
A Blueprint for Teaching Young Children in a Digital Age
The challenge of improving teacher preparation and ongoing learning led to the creation of the Digital Age Teacher Preparation Council, established by the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop and the Stanford Educational Leadership Institute, with generous support from the Joyce Foundation. Beginning in January


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Farmers now have until May 17 to supply paperwork for Market Facilitation Program (MFP) payments. USDA over the weekend announced a pushback of the May 1 deadline farmers originally had to submit their 2018 production evidence to FSA in order to receive MFP payments.
"Weather conditions this fall, winter and early spring have blocked many producers from completing harvest of their crops, and we want to make sure producers who want to finalize their MFP application have an opportunity," Farm Service Agency Administrator Richard Fordyce said in a statement.
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, revealed the new deadline while in North Dakota this weekend. He also reconfirmed MFP will not be reinstated for 2019 production.
USDA this week also updated their 2018 farm income numbers which now peg 2018 farm income at $69.2 billion. MFP payments made up a large portion of the $3 billion upward adjustment.
"The update indicated that the figures for 2018 reflected the August farm income update from the Economic Research Service (ERS) and did include amounts added for the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) payments for 2018 and 2019," says Pro Farmer's Jim Wiesemeyer.


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A prophet whose experience being swallowed by a fish is recorded in the Old Testament book bearing his name.
Jonah was a prophet of the northern kingdom of Israel who was swallowed by a fish as punishment for disobeying God's command to prophesy against Nineveh. His story is related in the Old Testament book of Jonah.


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| Ravin Kaur | Opinion | 23 July 2016 | Asia Samachar |
"Hukam Rajai Chalna….."
Hukam or 'Divine Will', as we know it. Haven't you wondered where do we draw the line? If it is the divine will that controls what happens, then what part do our vices play? Don't our actions matter? Then all those engaged in wrongdoing are absolved? How about those people who have been treated poorly by others? Are they to accept it as divine will, and not strive to stand up for themselves? Growing up as a female, I looked around and saw many sisters, friends, aunties enduring so much and I often wondered about all this. Was it destiny that controlled all?
What is our role? How does hukam apply in everyone's existence? Where do I find the answers?
I had read that "… when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." – Paul Coelho, 'The Alchemist'. This quote materialized for me. As a woman who was juggling various roles, duties and responsibilities in life, the Sikh woman in me would nudge, tickle my inner most sentiments about my much loved, yet much to unravel spirituality (Sikhi). So many questions, so many thoughts… how do I embark on this journey? And baby steps with AWAT (A Word A Thought from Gurbani) was a gift to me from the universe.
SEE ALSO: In search of Naam
While editing the recent Jap Ji series for AWAT, I got the opportunity to delve into this concept. Everyone knows the value of Jap Ji Sahib. In our tradition, all are encouraged to teach their children this beautiful Bani. Guru Nanak has bestowed us with simple yet life enlightening philosophy in Jap Ji Sahib. One of the key messages is what I will share with you. The law of hukam – we need to understand what hukam is, and how is this concept applicable in our lives. The Jap Ji series by AWAT surmises this very aptly.
The first stanza of Jap Ji concluded with the advice – "walk in accordance with hukam". The second stanza now defines hukam. It is the "divine or cosmic order or law" by which every action and reaction that is happening in this universe is governed. It is synonymous with the laws of nature, the laws of the universe that we must comprehend and accept because they are inviolable. Nothing can happen outside of these laws. These laws apply to every one of us. We reap what we sow.
Two things stood out to me. Firstly, that one needs to "walk in accordance with hukam" which to me meant that I have to accept hukam and live with the faith that whatever happens is ordained. Secondly, that divine law governs the universe. Every action and reaction is part of this cosmic law. And I saw more clarity – We reap what we sow. There you go! My inner conversations with myself began.
My mind deliberated upon those questions in the exposition of this article. Yes divine will, controls what happens and yes – our actions, our vices and more importantly our reactions too matter. You may query, how this is so. Let me explain my understanding. We need to see that the cosmic law which resonates with Gurbani's fundamental teachings also resonates with the main tenets of most religious teachings and the words of great philosophers! And that is the universal law of goodwill, of nature, and of the greater good of mankind. AWAT also mentions that "the laws of nature, the laws of the universe, we must comprehend and accept because they are inviolable". Because most of us have failed to see that these fundamentals are "inviolable" is why there is so much sadness, sorrow permeating the cosmos. Gurbani advocates:
naa ko bairee nahee bigaanaa sagal sang ham kau ban aaee.
No one is my enemy, and no one is a stranger, I get along with everyone.
jo prabh keeno so bhal maanio eh sumat saadhoo te paaee.
I have obtained this sublime wisdom from the Guru, and whatever the Divine does, I accept that as good.
sabh mahi rav rehiaa prabh ekai pekh pekh naanak bigsaaee.
Nanak: The One God is pervading in all; beholding Him permeating everywhere, I blossom forth in happiness. (SGGS, 1299)
This is what Gurbani's message is, that the Divine resides in all, and therefore we must treat others as embodiments of the Divine. This universality of 'live and let live' is present elsewhere too:
"Do not do onto others as you do not want others to do onto you." – Christianity
"We chose our destiny in the way we treat others." – Buddha
"Serve God… and do good – to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbors who are near, neighbors who are strangers, the companion by your side, … For God loveth not the arrogant, the vainglorious" – Islam
"Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, never merely as a means to an end, but always at the same time as an end." – Immanuel Kant
"Happiness springs from doing good to others." – Plato
These and many more countless wise have reiterated this. Have we lived our lives on this value system? Those who do not treat others right, sow seeds in the universe which will warrant actions and reactions from others in time. Thus violating hukam, one will reap the fruits as per hukam too, be it ripe or rotten fruits.
Those ever so good people, who put up with others' injustice and oppression, will suffer for their weakness unless they stand up for what is right.
Do good and be good. Do wrong to none. Do not let wrong be done to you.
So my friends, walking with hukam to me means to live life in accordance with humanity in general. To earn your honest livelihood, to be mindful and conscious of the divinity and to share and spread goodwill to all – kirat karni, naam japna, wand chhakna in today's context.
Ravin Kaur, a teacher in Australia, edits the content at "A Word A Thought" (AWAT). By taking a word from Gurbani, explaining its meaning through its context in Gurbani, aided by etymological hints, the message of Gurbani is presented in modern and useful terms. To subscribe, go here.
[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]
In search of Naam (Asia Samachar, 28 April 2016)
Jup is not chanting: Karminder (Asia Samachar, 9 April 2016)
Jaap: Not mere chanting, but an internal journey (Asia Samachar, 16 Jan 2016)
You want to respect Guru, make shabad accessible (Asia Samachar, 14 Jan 2016)
The purpose of life (Asia Samachar, 14 Oct 2015)
Roles and functions of a gurdwara (Asia Samachar, 11 Dec 2015)
US Major: Religion is a force of good (Asia Samachar, 10 Feb 2015)
A Sikh Sermon at the Pentagon: "Seva: The Call of Our Times" (Asia Samachar, 5 May 2014)


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Day one of training at Crossfit NYC began this week for the four Metro Challenge winners: Alexandra Mitchner, Esther Carpenter, Robert Hawthorn and Sean Smith were all hand-selected by Metro to train like a Marine for the next month with Josh Newman, co-owner and trainer at CrossFit NYC.
The four will even get the chance to participate in the Civilian Military Combine, a grueling 7-mile mountain race with military drills to be held Sept. 10 in the Pocono Mountains.
The Metro Challenge winners will train three times a week at CrossFit on West 26th Street, starting at 8 a.m. sharp every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. That's followed by working out on their own in between, plus runs every Tuesday and Thursday — and another run on weekends, just for good measure.
At CrossFit, they learn "Elements," the fundamentals of how to safely perfect core exercises and do short intervals of high-intensity workouts. These techniques are also a crucial part of the military drills they'll soon be doing in the combine.
After 20-second intervals of push-ups and squats, everyone's arms felt like jelly and walking down the stairs without quivering legs wasn't easy.
But Metro Challenge winners said what they thought would be a grueling hour of torture turned out to actually be pretty fun.
"The workouts are intense," said Hawthorn. "In what normally takes an hour to achieve at a conventional gym, takes half the time with Josh."
Follow along in print as they prepare for the race, five weeks away.


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We're most concerned about the impact of this pandemic on vulnerable children - that's why World Vision is providing protection and support to a new child every second of every day. Helping a vulnerable child means focusing on not just health, but also their safety, education, nutrition, and other risks they face due to this global crisis.
Together we can protect vulnerable children
Our focus is on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. We help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith. Together we can protect children today, and empower them for tomorrow.
Coronavirus crisis
The pandemic is putting even more vulnerable children at risk. Children urgently need your help. See how you can protect children and donate today.
Sponsor a child
Empower a child and change their life. Sponsor one child, but because of the way we work in communities, you'll help many. Learn how child sponsorship works.
Activities for children
A free pack of Christian resources designed to help children aged 4-10 in your church, group or school enjoy alternative Halloween crafts, activities and games.
COVID-19 could kill millions if we don't act now.
Refugees are in grave danger as the disease spreads through cramped, unsanitary camps. Thanks to supporters like you, our colleagues around the world are scaling up prevention measures to support those most in need. See how you can protect children from a future they don't deserve.
Office Update
Our office is open Monday to Thursday with limited staffing. This means we can process incoming mail and send letters, but as most of us are working remotely, we might take longer than usual to get back to you. We'll do our best to respond as soon as we can. If we have your email address, then we'll switch our letter-based communication to email while this is the case.
If you need to get in touch, please email email@example.com or call 01908 84 10 10.
Together, thanks to supporters and partners around the world, we've impacted the lives of over 200 million vulnerable children by tackling the root causes of poverty.
Love drives everything we do, compelling us to work together to make the world a better place for children. We believe every child matters, and we work with people of all faiths and none.
Together, we're going boldly into places where others aren't to help children who need it the most. We speak out against poverty and injustice – and help communities raise their own voices too.
We're making lasting change. Through our work, and thanks to supporters, every 60 seconds a family gets water, a hungry child is fed, and a family receives the tools to overcome poverty.
How we help children
Your support is helping to transform millions of children's lives. Thanks to UK supporters, in 2019 we helped 2 million children in 42 countries. Find out more about what we do to help children.
Who we are
We've over 70 years of experience working together with children, donors, partners and governments to bring better futures for vulnerable children even in the toughest places.


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Dame Time has turned into a Dame Fortnight.
Damian Lillard torched the Utah Jazz for 51 points on Saturday in Portland's 124-107 win, adding to a ridiculous six-game stretch for the All-Star point guard.
That's his third game with 50-plus points in his last six, and it came one night after his 48-point performance in front of an emotionally charged Staples Center crowd on Kobe night.
This stretch is unbelievable for many reasons and, in some ways, it's downright history-making.
Per @EliasSports, Damian Lillard is the first player in NBA history to average 45 points and 10 assists over a 6-game span. pic.twitter.com/hjeqriYD4s— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 2, 2020
Here are Lillard's last six games:
Saturday vs. Utah: 51 points, 2 rebounds, 12 assists
Friday at Lakers: 48 points, 9 rebounds, 10 assists
Wednesday vs. Houston: 36 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists
Jan. 26 vs. Indiana: 50 points, 6 rebounds, 13 assists
Jan. 23 vs. Dallas: 47 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists
Jan. 20 vs. Golden State: 61 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists
Put that all together and you get averages of 48.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game.
Let that sink in.
And it's not like it's all volume scoring either. He's shooting nearly 55 percent in those games and has drained a staggering 49 threes. He's the first player in league history to make at least six 3-pointers in six consecutive games, per the NBA.
Even better news for Lillard: The Blazers won five of those six games, which puts them just 1 1/2 games behind the Grizzlies for the eighth playoff spot in the West.
It's unrealistic to expect him to continue putting up numbers like these going forward, but he is averaging 29.4 points and 7.8 assists on the season so this recent surge in production bodes well for Portland.
Dame Time just might make its way back into the postseason.
More from Yahoo Sports


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童絵解万国噺: a wonderfully bizarre 19th century Japanese fanfic history of America
Japanese historian Nick Kapur unearthed "Osanaetoki Bankokubanashi" (童絵解万国噺), a wonderfully bizarre illustrated Japanese history of the USA from 1861, filled with fanciful depictions of allegedly great moments in US history, like "George Washington defending his wife 'Carol' from a British official named 'Asura' (same characters as the Buddhist deity)."
They just get weirder and better from there: "Washington's 'second-in-command' John Adams battling an enormous snake"; "George Washington straight-up punching a tiger"; a snake eating John Adams's mother and seeking help to avenge himself upon the snake from "a magical mountain fairy"; and so on.
If you like this kind of stuff, you should check out Franz Kafka's first novel, Amerika, which was published posthumously and against Kafka's wishes. Kafka knew nothing about the USA, so he just kinda made stuff up (think of "English as She is Spoke"), like millionaires being carried through the streets of New York on sedan chairs (I learned about this from EL Doctorow's — no relation — essay collection The Creationists).
This 1861 book was by author Kanagaki Robun (仮名垣魯文) and artist Utagawa Yoshitora (歌川芳虎).
The title is "Osanaetoki Bankokubanashi" (童絵解万国噺) and it was based on 2 other second-hand sources, "Kaikoku Zushi" (海国図志) and "Amerika Ittōshi" (亜墨利加一統志).
A thread of images from a Japanese illustrated history of America from 1861. [Nick Kapur]
(Thanks, Fipi Lele!)
A thread of images from a Japanese illustrated history of America from 1861.
Here is George Washington (with bow and arrow) pictured alongside the Goddess of America. 1/ pic.twitter.com/LoF54y54bL
— Nick Kapur (@nick_kapur) November 14, 2018
My Lesson Planning
Cool Tech
via Boing Boing https://boingboing.net
February 18, 2019 at 05:21PM


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The Lowestoft school that has 100pc of Key Stage one and two pupils taking part in extra-curricular sports
PUBLISHED: 17:22 09 October 2018 | UPDATED: 20:46 09 October 2018
Archant © 2018
Five years ago Red Oak Primary in Lowestoft had never won a school sports trophy.
But despite its home of Kirkley being one of the most deprived areas of the country, the school's incredible commitment to "creating healthy futures" for its pupils means it now has more than 50.
The school hit the headlines this week as it unveiled its 'desk pedals' as part of efforts to boost pupils' performance and encourage a more active lifestyle.
And staff are continuing to tackle childhood obesity and mental health head on.
This includes taking children out of class at a certain point throughout the day so they can walk or run around the school field, introducing an active movement programme that includes new balance boards in each year group and running 'golden mile' sessions every lunchtime.
Headteacher Heather Madsen added that as the school is "committed to creating healthy futures" for the pupils, they also had 100pc of key stage one and key stage two children attending extra curricular sports clubs last year.
Combined with regular PE lessons and playground activities, PE co-ordinator and year three teacher, Johnny Lee, said: "In every class at any point throughout the day, a teacher can take the children out for an active walk or an active run around the school field.
"Currently 57pc of our children from year one to year six represent the school in competitive sports and in the last four years we have won 54 trophies."
Since this newspaper showcased the school's active classroom initiative, the desk pedals have been featured in the national press and were debated on BBC, ITV and Channel 5 and also on radio.
Mr Lee said: "It has really helped raise the profile. Our headteacher has invested in buying pedal bikes for children in years one to six so that children throughout the school will be able to use them to be more active in their lessons and we will also be using them in certain intervention lessons as well.
"The next step is integrating them into all the classes, and we have also ordered balance boards for the pupils so they can balance, be active and learn as they read, have maths battles or discuss ideas with a set to be available for each year group.
"Current figures in Suffolk show that 17.3 pc of childen in the county spend seven hours a day sedentary. As a school we wanted to get all of our children more active throughout the day."
Mental health initiatives
Staff and pupils at Red Oak Primary School were celebrating after a campaign of kindness.
Essex & Suffolk Water's 'Make my day' initiative, which celebrates the company's customers and people, saw the team work with partners at Freedom Group to deliver two friendship benches to the school in Southwell Road.
Red Oak was nominated for the way its staff and pupils support mental health activities, with the benches presented last week.
Pupils have raised more than £3,000 to promote positive mental health, and have even set up an Mental Health Ambassador pupils scheme alongside their Anti-bullying Ambassador Pupils. The benches will be installed in the school grounds, giving pupils somewhere to sit when they are feeling low.
Headteacher Heather Madsen said: "These benches can be used to help our children show they need care, support or friendship from someone else and our amazing Anti-Bullying Ambassadors can monitor these children so we can help to nurture needs quicker."
If you value what this story gives you, please consider supporting the Eastern Daily Press. Click the link in the orange box above for details.


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Wire Winding AndHydraulic oil cleaning machine
Blue Eye Technology is a modern and professionally managed company that has gathered support of numerous customers by being efficient in every business work. Quality of offered line that includes Automatic Trim Winder Machine, Wire Winding Machine, Bag Making Trim Machine and much more is extremely good that it clears all doubts of customers pertaining to quality. We examine offerings on several quality parameters to avoid possibilities of defects. Superior functionality, design and quality of offerings makes them worth purchasing. Warehousing facility located at Ahmedabad (Gujarat, India), is spacious and assists in maintaining huge stock for meeting bulk requirements of clients. Clients Working since the year 2011, our reputed company has attained support of some reliable names of the industry which are as follows:
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Media inquiries:
Financial Profiles
George Northrop
February 7, 2020
Karyn Williams, Ph.D, founder and managing principal for Hightree Advisors will be speaking on a panel at the Women Investment Professionals (WIP) Annual Economic Outlook Luncheon in Chicago on February 7, 2020. WIP's mission is to empower women in the institutional investment community, and this event brings together leading women in the space to discuss and prepare for the year ahead.
The panel discussion will be moderated by Nimisha Srivastava, CAIA, Global Head of Credit Research at Willis Towers Watson. Dr. Williams will be joined on the panel by Robin J. Anderson, Ph.D, Senior Global Economist from Principal Global Investors, Anna Paulson, Ph.D, Director of Research and Executive Committee Member Federal Reserve Chicago, and Vivian Lin Thurston, CFA, from William Blair.
November 12 and 14, 2019
Karyn Williams, PhD will be the keynote speaker at the Pension & Investments Multi-Asset Investing Conference to be held in Chicago and New York. The Multi-Asset Investing Conference will provide a platform for discussion and debate regarding why asset owners should consider a multi-asset approach, the various drivers behind them and how to utilize this strategy to maximize overall performance.
She will be presenting the following:
A Case Study: Managing alpha and beta in today's markets
The crazy, convoluted market for investment solutions
The hidden exposures in multi-asset allocations and how to see risk in any portfolio
The true costs of investment programs can be larger than you think
A unifying framework: what's right for you?
For more information about the conference, visit the event page on the P&I website.
On August 29, 2019, Karyn Williams and co-authors published a paper available on SSRN – FEN (Social Science Research Network – Financial Economics)
The paper, "π Portfolio Management: Reaching Goals while Avoiding Drawdowns" proposes a unique approach to portfolio selection that explicitly takes into account investors' simultaneous investment objectives, such as achieving target return levels and avoiding specific drawdown limits.
The paper can be found here.


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Hello Internet, How are you doing?
I wanted to share with you this video that I have edited to the maximum. So take a coffee or a tea and watch Noonoouri a true added value. Most of the pictures are pure Noonoouri creations. However, I took the freedom to create a few little pictures. I hope they are not going to be mad at me. I just thought that she was inspiring. This will be adding value to your life. I am explaining why Noonoouri? The pros and cons as well as the creator economy. As you know, I want to be an entrepreneur and be part of the creator's economy. Definitely, this will add value to you if you want to be a creator.
See you, Dreamers and Entrepreneurs;
You can follow me on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luxurytecha… @luxurytechapparel
Music by Music by no suits – Escape Reality – https://thmatc.co/?l=F698D334 Via Thematic
I can't wait to share with you.


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In the past decade, about 10,000 nomadic women have used microcredit funds to set up small businesses and use their capacities in diverse ways, said Karamali Qandali, head of the state-run Iran Nomad Affairs Organization (INAO).
About $55,000 has been allocated this year for microcredit.
"Women constitute 50% of the nomadic population. Currently, there are 600,000 nomadic women living across the country," the Iranian Agriculture News Agency (IANA) quoted him as saying.
Nomadic women have diverse skills and abilities including production of processed dairy products and handicrafts, as well as growing medicinal herbs, he said.
"Nomad families play a major role in the local economy and therefore like all other domestic producers, their problems should also be addressed."
In the past 10 years, 86 microcredit funds were created for cooperatives of nomadic women to help them sustain themselves and contribute to the national economy. By the end of the current fiscal year (March 19), 86 more will be added to the existing list," Qandali said.
Each cooperative group can have up to 50 members with 5-7 members per sub-group. The INAO provides the initial funding and training to members.
In addition to the government's financial assistance, every two weeks members should contribute a part of their savings to the cooperative fund from which loans are given periodically to members. Members who don't take loans will receive interest on their share of the money contributed to the fund. The loans should be repaid during a 10-month period.
Empowerment of the nomadic population has been given due attention in the upcoming five-year economic development plan (March 2016-2021).
Qandali said health insurance has been provided to 95% of the nomadic population and 30% are under the coverage of the Social Security Organization.
Nomads comprise 2% of the population (about 1.2 million) and play a crucial role in the economy and production sector. Nomadic tribes own 24 million heads of cattle (25% of the total), and produce more than 20% of the protein needs.


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Hello, my name is Peter Stinson, and this is my blog where I will share some life-lessons that I learn in my past. My sources are my personal experiences with online casinos and casino bonuses. By sharing them with you, I might help you to transform your life as they transformed mine, for good.
First of all, I am a husband, father, friend, consultant, teacher, mediator, poet, blogger, philosopher, counselor, thinker, student and implementer.
I am the Coast Guard's first Organizational Development Consultant and am assigned to the Fifth Coast Guard District in Olde Towne Portsmouth, Virginia. I live just a stone's throw from the shores of the Elizabeth River in Olde Towne Portsmouth with my wife, Jenny, and five sons: Andrew, Richard, Elliot, John, and Henry. When I have the time, I enjoy sailing, walking, writing, and cooking.


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Thank you…Well done ..Good Job..!!
These are mere words but they leave a very high impact on the person spending time, efforts and skills in completing those tasks. Appreciation and acknowledgement are highly under rated in IT industry therefore there is a need to set it as a practice to put proper salutation and part of management training to let higher authorities… Read More Thank you…Well done ..Good Job..!!


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We were recently given an album of photos from Plymouth's 350th anniversary in 1970. The photos are stamped with the name "David Montanari Commercial Photography" on the back and show various events from the commemoration, including an event at Plymouth Rock. Do you recognize any of these people? Do you have photos, posters, postcards, or […]Read More
Today is National Arts Advocacy Day!
Plymouth has a thriving arts community– just last month the Town of Plymouth received a Commonwealth Award for our Creative Community! (You can check out the full gallery of photos from the Commonwealth Awards at the State House here.) Today we're joining Americans for the Arts, a nonprofit created "to serve, advance, and lead the network of organizations […]Read More
UK Delegation Visit to the US a Success
For the past five days, Plymouth 400 has hosted a delegation of five representatives from Plymouth, UK to formalize the partnership between the two countries in commemorating the 1620 Mayflower voyage and founding of Plymouth Colony, and to include them in important conversations with members of the Wampanoag Tribe, State and Federal legislators, and various […]Read More
Over 100 Attended the First Massachusetts 400 Forum on March 16
Over 100 representatives from the state and local legislatures, state agencies, cultural and tourism organizations, and communities approaching significant anniversaries attended the Massachusetts 400 Forum on March 16 hosted by Plymouth 400, Inc. at Plimoth Plantation. U.S. Representative William Keating, Massachusetts State Senator Vinny deMacedo, and Massachusetts Representatives Mathew Muratore of Plymouth and Paul Tucker of […]Read More
Plymouth 400 Hosting Delegation from Plymouth UK
PLYMOUTH, MA— Plymouth 400, Inc., the organizers of the 400th Anniversary commemoration of the 1620 Mayflower voyage and the founding of Plymouth Colony, will host a delegation of five representatives from Plymouth, UK this week to formalize the relationship between the two Nations in planning signature events and programs across the US and abroad to […]Read More


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Main Content
Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake
Common Name: Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake
Scientific Name: Sistrurs c. catenatus
Diet: Mice, shrews, moles, lizards, birds, frogs, crayfish and other snakes
Status: State endangered and candidate for Federal listing
Fun Fact: The Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake is rare in Indiana and populations are limited to the northern half of the state.
Want to learn more detailed information about the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake? Click here to visit the species information about the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake.


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Frame by animated frame, the French duo behind Phantom Boy turn our attention toward the sky. We take in the multicolored floors and windows of office buildings, and the famous monuments of New York City. This version of the great metropolis, however, is filtered through the lens of 1940s film noir, as much of the action takes place at night or in shadows. The hero is Leo, a cheerful boy with an enthusiasm for comic books and detective stories whose happy circumstances change when he's hospitalized with an illness. There in bed, nauseated from the drugs and losing his hair, Leo discovers he can separate his soul from his body. This sinuous phantom self can fly through walls and above the world. He meets a bumbling detective in the cafeteria who is wheelchair-bound with a broken leg. Confiding his secret power, Leo helps the officer in pursuit of The Broken Face, a criminal mastermind who has plunged the city into darkness. Phantom Boy's animators draw the villain's variegated visage like Matisse's portrait La Femme au chapeau: Parallelograms of chartreuse, aqua, and citrus collide, inner conflicts made visible across his face. The tone of each scene is painted with moody, cerebral shades, and the threat of death never leaves this resourceful yet vulnerable boy.
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I was really involved in my youth group when I was a teenager, and during that time made lots of friends at my church and other churches in our district. There was this talent competition at a popular Christian university that everyone participated in each summer to get scholarship money for college. Most people would sing or play an instrument. Some could do both. My friend Luke would always tell me to enter, to which I would reply, "I can't. I'm not talented." He'd always respond back with, "Yes you are. Everyone has a talent."
In case you're wondering, I never entered the competition. I truly did not think I had any talents. I didn't have anything I could show off in front of people on stage. I was smart in high school and made good grades, but no one likes the person who holds up their straight-A report card. That only works at Krispy Kreme to get a free donut.
Maybe God didn't give me any show-offy talents because He knew I wasn't humble enough to handle it, I don't know. But for a long time I struggled with not being "talented". I wanted to be like everyone else.
When I got to college, feelings of being "different" started to creep back in and make me doubt who I was. One thing that stuck out to me most towards my last year was that every girl was engaged or married or always talking about it. I was in a relationship at the time with someone I was seriously pursuing and it got to the point where we started talking about marriage, and kids. And everyone else seemed to be talking about marriage and kids, so I thought about marriage and kids a whole lot. To be honest though, something about it felt weird to me. I really wasn't ready. I was so much more content studying psychology, learning new things, and preparing for grad school. But this made me feel different. So you know what I did? I actually prayed and asked God, sometimes begged Him, to make me like the other girls who wanted marriage, and babies, and all the other typical things girls "should want". I might have even shed a tear a time or two.
Before you feel bad for past Claire, don't. I'm actually laughing as I write this because it's now funny to me that I, Claire Davie Webb, would ask God to make me into something I am not. One day I for sure will be cool with all those things, but it's not my time yet. I have stuff to do.
So the answer is no, God didn't change me. Because the intention behind me wanting to be changed was totally wrong.
I wasn't desiring change to be more like Jesus, I was desiring change to be more like everyone else.
God tells us we aren't meant to be the same. The next time you find yourself wanting to be like everyone else, ask yourself why. And if you find yourself feeling different, then know that you're probably doing something right.
With honest love,


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Firstly, what does the expression even mean? Heigh-Ho, according to the dictionary, is an exclamation used to express boredom, resignation, or jollity. You've got to figure in a film like Snow White, it is going for the latter.
In the film, the dwarfs sing the song as they finish working in the mine for the day and begin the journey home (wouldn't it be lovely to have a theme song to end the day with? rather than the honking horns of traffic?). The song was written by the team of Frank Churchill and Larry Morey.
As I found with Whistle While You Work, there are many references to this song in unexpected places:
1940: Donald Duck sings this song in "The Riveter".
1963: The song appears, with slightly different lyrics, at the finale of Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room. I'm thinking that it hasn't always been the exit song. If you know when Disney started using it, let me know!
1984: In the movie, Gremlins, the Gremlins are watching the "Heigh-Ho" scene in a theater in Kingston Falls, and singing along.
1988: In Oliver and Compay, Tito sings "Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho, it's off to work we go" when he is rescuing Jenny.
1990: In the book, "Fudge-a-Mania", the character Sheila was singing the song after getting a baby-sitting job.
2004: In World of Warcraft,
when playing as a male Dwarf, characters can tell a joke in which the
character will sing the song. "Heigh-ho, heigh-ho... ugh, second verse,
same as the first."
2009: In a Simpsons episode, called Four Great Women and a Manicure, characters sing another parody of the Heigh-Ho song, "Ho-Hi, Ho-Hi".
2010: In the last scene of Scared Shrekless the song can be heard as the
dwarves silhouettes are seen on a rock as the dwarves walk along shortly
before they are egged by Shrek and the gang
2010: A version of the song recored by Bunny Berigan and his Orchestra were used in a Levi's commercial
2012: In the film Snow White and the Huntsman, a dwarf named Beith "Hi-ho lads, it's off to work!" and another dwarf threatens to "smash his face in" if he starts whistling.
2013: Saving Mr. Banks features the song as P.L. Travers arrives to the Disney Studio and is taken to Walt's Office.
2014: In ABC's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, the song is sung by Leo while using the D.W.A.R.F. drones.


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Filters for Projects
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Development and evaluation of MyLifeTool
Kilinc, S., Cole, J., Hammond, L., Campbell, M. & Taylor, J.
7/01/19 → 31/07/20
Project: Research
KTP - Flat Free Tyres (Green Care)
Hughes, D., Beckwith, M., Amalu, E. & Ryan, C.
1/08/18 → 31/07/20
Project: Other
Buddy Up!
Simpson, D., Fletcher, S., Kelly, M., Mendum, I., Pearson, B. & Lockwood, A.
1/11/19 → 30/06/20
Project: Research
THYME: Scaled down automated micro-bioreactor system with integrated downstream analytics for bioprocessing
Ali, Z., Montague, G., Nolan, R. & Rathbone, D.
1/07/19 → 30/06/20
Project: Research
'The Carrying of Passengers is Forbidden' – Invalid Carriages and their Heritage
19/02/18 → 31/05/20
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THYME: Can we repurpose process scale assets to demonstrate anaerobic digestion innovations?
Chong, J., Montague, G. & Ball, P.
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Machine learning and metabolic modelling of biofilms in the human gut
Angione, C. & Efthimiou, G.
30/05/19 → 29/05/20
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THYME: Application of a novel triglyceride oil from Alexanders seed in food products
Sloan, R. & He, J.
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THYME: Improving Efficiency of Anaerobic Digestion by further Understanding Microbial Processes
Orr, C., Carney, H., Chong, J. & Rathbone, D.
1/05/19 → 30/04/20
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Consistent delivery of healthy weight messages to pregnant and postpartum women
Ells, L., Watson, P., Perumbakkam Subramanian, M. K., Moore, H., Newbury-Birch, D., Mann, G. & Sewell, K.
1/10/19 → 30/04/20
Project: Research
Trial Or Not To Trial: Does a screening trial for spinal cord stimulation in patients with chronic pain or neuropathic origin have clinical utility and cost effectiveness (TRIAL-STIM study)
Chadwick, R., Sandhu, H. & McNaughton, R.
1/12/17 → 31/03/20
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THYME: Increasing protein production by exploiting stable protein aggregation
Akram, S., Thomas, G. & Springthorpe, V.
1/04/19 → 31/03/20
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Transforming Construction Network Plus: 'Putting people at the heart of future social housing design and manufacture'
Dawood, N., Van Schaik, P., Rodriguez, S. & Dawood, H.
1/07/19 → 31/03/20
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RISKIT-CJS: RISKIT-CJS: Pragmatic randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a multi-component intervention to reduce substance use and risk-behaviour in adolescents engaged with the criminal justice system
1/09/16 → 28/02/20
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Delivering the first evidence based lifestyle service pathway for people with NAFLD
1/01/15 → 31/01/20
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Hate speech tool for monitoring, analysing and tackling Anti-Muslim hatred
1/02/18 → 31/01/20
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What are the experiences of a sample of practice educators in facilitating occupational therapy placements?
Bedding, N.
1/06/19 → 31/12/19
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ROSE: Exploring Robotic Assisted Thoracic Surgery (RATS) for lung cancer: Does RATS result in improved functional outcomes compared to thoracotomy and how do patients appraise the experience of undergoing RATS?
Harrison, S., Batterham, A., Dunning, J. & Stamenkovic, S.
1/07/17 → 31/12/19
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1/11/17 → 31/10/19
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Van Der Graaf, P., Adamson, A. J., Kee, F., Hunter, D. J., Rutter, H., Walters, H., Tully, M., Cheetham, M., Redgate, S., Hunter, R. & Ritson, L.
1/01/19 → 31/10/19
Project: Research
RWWI: Rememorial WWI: Narratives of Peace in the Tees Valley
Tait, C. & Roberts, B.
4/04/18 → 31/10/19
Project: Research
KTP - Peel Jones Copper Products
Hughes, D., Nabhani, F. & Chong, P. L.
1/09/17 → 1/09/19
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A machine learning framework to predict entity similarity
15/05/19 → 31/08/19
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Measuring the positive effects/impact of the prevention concordat for better mental health
Simpson, D. & Newbury-Birch, D.
29/09/18 → 31/07/19
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Improvised preservation of biologics by continuous intensified lyophilisation (cLYO)
1/10/17 → 31/07/19
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Case studies and systematic review of real time suicide surveillance systems in England
1/11/18 → 1/07/19
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NHS Health Checks case studies
1/11/18 → 1/07/19
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Challenging Youth Racism in the North East
1/07/16 → 30/06/19
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Harrison, S., Beauchamp, M., Brooks, D., Goldstein, R., Alison, J., Camp, P., Dechman, G., Holland, A., Lee, A., Marques, A., Moineddin, R., Sandoz, J., Skinner, E., Spencer, L., Stickland, M. & Xie, F.
1/07/16 → 30/06/19
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Privacy server user interface prototype development with nested feasibility evaluation
Longstaff, J., Martin, D., Jones, S., Watson, P. & Joy, C.
Information Commissioner's Office
1/04/18 → 30/04/19
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ORBITAL: Development of a core outcome set for alcohol brief interventions.
1/07/16 → 30/04/19
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SepsisPoC: Sepsis Point-of-Care Diagnostic System using Cavity Enhanced Absorption
Gao, J. & Scott, S.
1/02/18 → 31/03/19
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Combining machine learning and metabolic modelling to optimise metabolite production in Escherichia coli
22/06/18 → 28/02/19
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DR-BOB: Demand Response in Blocks of Buildings
Crosbie, T., Dawood, H., Dawood, M., Dawood, N., Rodriguez, S., Short, M., Tabany, M. & Vukovic, V.
1/03/16 → 28/02/19
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In silico genome-wide modelling and metabolic engineering of Pseudomonas strains for improved rhamnolipid synthesis
Angione, C. & Rahman, P.
1/05/18 → 20/02/19
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In Silico genome-wide modelling and metabolic engineering of Pseudomonas strains for rhamnolipid synthesis
1/05/18 → 20/02/19
Project: Research
A Phenomenological and Symbolic Interactionist Case Study into the Emotional Experience of Lean: as experienced through a Rapid Process Improvement Workshop in an English Foundation Trust Hospital
Taylor, S., Cook, S. & McSherry, R.
2/01/13 → 10/01/19
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Combining machine learning and metabolic modelling for yeast bioprocessing
22/05/18 → 30/11/18
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Creative Fuse North East
Archer, G., Ciesielska, G., McKeown, S., Paterson, S., Reid, P., Stockton, M. & Zhu, X.
1/05/16 → 31/10/18
Project: Research
Characterisation of info-chemical induced EPS from Scenedesmus
9/10/17 → 31/07/18
Project: Research


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Joined: 19 Dec 2002
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Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2019 1:01 am
Post subject: Drink Seltzer, Live Forever
Drink Seltzer, Live Forever
How the lightly carbonated refreshment of LaCroix and Polar became building blocks of online identity.
Eater | Liam Baranauskas
Last summer, I was at the beach when I saw a plane towing a banner for Vintage seltzer, the stalwart bodega brand. Not long before that, I was accosted by photographs of Topo Chico bottles sweating so lasciviously that the pages of the magazine almost stuck together. And every time I went to the supermarket, the seltzer displays seemed a little more boundless, kudzuing from their roots down near the wine section into end-of-aisle structures vast enough to shelter a small city. Thats to say nothing of the inescapable LaCroix memes, customized LaCroix can generators, unaffiliated, slogan-emblazoned LaCroix t-shirts, self-referential Tumblr LaCroix flavor controversies, and, should one have stumbled upon the #livelacroix hashtag, lots and lots of crowdsourced content of beautiful millennial LaCroix drinkers doing beautiful millennial things, like eating breakfast in bed while wearing a hat. If we somehow didnt reach peak seltzer then, we were close.
The seltzer boom seems unlikely, as far as trends go: Outside of Borscht Belt slapstick, seltzer has few cultural connotations, and the major brands dont advertise through traditional channels. It consists of just three ingredients at most water, carbon dioxide, and natural flavors and the flavors are so muted that drinking, say, LaCroixs muré pepino is more like having someone gently whisper blackberries and cucumber in your ear than tasting either a blackberry or a cucumber. What differentiates seltzer from plain old water are the ephemeral qualities of smell and texture, and they begin to dissipate as soon as you pop the tab. Like Swiss cheese, its a product thats defined as much by whats not there than what is: Seltzer is nothingness, bottled and branded.
The summer of seltzer ended starkly for me. My mother died in September. To cope in the immediate aftermath, I took strange comfort in responsibilities, in placing phone calls to the crematory and to the medical examiner, and in answering the same questions from her friends and neighbors, over and over again: How did it happen? Was she sick? Then, inevitably, I would answer the follow-up questions about her body. These came quieter and shrouded in apologies, but they always came. Where did they find her? How long she had been there? If it sounds morbid, it didnt seem like it at the time. Death is a void; the body is a fact.
Here are the facts about my moms death: She was found on the back porch of the house she lived in alone. Some neighbors who noticed the newspapers piling up out front went into the backyard to investigate and found her in a chair, her dog by her side. It had probably been a couple of days. They called the EMTs, fed the dog, and put the chair out by the curb, then tracked me down. My mother was 72, so she wasnt tragically young, but she hadnt shown any real signs of ill health, either. Her death certificate states that the cause of death was atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, which means heart failure. If there isnt a reason to do an autopsy, thats as specific as medical examiners get; technically, its always true.
This isnt a story about death, not really. I just have to tell you about death so I can tell you about seltzer, because thats how I can tell you that everyone you love is going to live forever.
Here are some facts about the seltzer boom: Between 2010 and 2015, sales of all sparkling waters in the United States rose by 89 percent. Much of that was due to LaCroixs mercurial success, as sales of the semi-generic Midwestern brand jumped 247 percent over the same time period a result, the theory goes, of some combination of savvy distribution and the millions of dollars of free advertising the company was gifted with as semi-ironic affection for its gaudy, blousy design became a true social media phenomenon. As a Vox article from 2016 noted, LaCroixs marketing highlights its fashionable users, who make it clear that it's popular to both drink LaCroix and talk about it. And so more fashionable people talk about and Instagram their cans of LaCroix, and more people find out about it, and the cycle continues.
This isnt a fact, but its true all the same: New England is a holdout against LaCroixs viral hegemony, because affection for Polar Seltzer, whose logo is painted on the side of delivery trucks parked outside packies in Allston and corner stores in New Haven, runs deep. Its as much a part of the local cuisine as Tastykakes or Golden Flake or Its-Its; its Coors before Burt Reynolds could get it east of the Mississippi in Smokey and the Bandit, something displaced Bostonians seek out when theyve moved to a place where people pronounce their Rs. You can find other brands in area supermarkets, but the overgrown seltzer displays here feature half-racks of Polar. For commuters on I-290, Orson, the inflatable polar bear that sits on the roof of the companys Worcester factory, is as recognizable a Western Massachusetts landmark as the spherical Basketball Hall of Fame building in Springfield.
But peak seltzer, with all the pressure of carbonation about to burst beneath a bottle cap, forced Polar to expand, pushing its products into 40 states, pretty much everywhere except the West Coast. More than that, it has caught up to, and in some ways surpassed, LaCroixs predilection for odd flavors, with oddball varieties like Vanilla Pear and Georgia Peach. Encouraged by listicles in local publications and drink menus at restaurants that have made use of their growing list of flavors, Polar has gone all in, first with Seasonals like Watermelon Margarita and Eggnog, and more recently with even more naked bids for viral currency.
Polar treats its small-batch flavors like a television studio guarding the plot of a season finale, keeping them from the bulk of its staff until the cans make their debut on store shelves. The flavors range from the relatively obvious (an Irish Coffee flavor released on St. Patricks Day) to the willfully mysterious. Lisbet Crowley, Polars brand activation manager, told me that its Unicorn Kisses flavor tasted like hopes and dreams. In the days after a new flavors release, the companys social media accounts begin retweeting hardcore Polar drinkers filling their shopping carts with nothing but liters of seltzer, which lead to furious threads on Boston Reddit telling stories of finding the last liter of a sold-out flavor tucked in the back of a shelf in a Shaws in Eastie.
The viral culture responsible for the seltzer surge is physically borderless, but Polar, despite its recent meme-chasing, never manages to lose its sense of specificity or New Englandness. While LaCroixs aspiring Instagram models use seltzer as a component of a Hollywood story, a blank screen for its drinkers dream-factory self-projections, Polars #feelgoodmoment hashtags tend to lead to shots of BU undergrads posing in a Star Market. The bar pairings and flight menus still happen within walking distance from a T stop. And Polars dorky affectations are so blatant that they dont seem like affectations at all; theyre weirdly personal. Crowley told me that the company uses social media to take information from its customers rather than dictate a view of the product from the top down, which she said helps Polar approximate what she called its local connection on a national scale.
What I think this means, translated from marketing speak, kind of makes sense Polars online aesthetic isnt determined by its most fashionable users, but by its most enthusiastic ones. This means that while people interacting with LaCroix seemed to be doing so based on an outward-facing projection of themselves, their photos were hashtagged to reach into some dim view of nebulous celebrity. Polars followers seemed like co-workers or cousins or that guy down the hall, exchanging shots of cold, rocky beaches with the company like a friend.
While its obvious what the company gains from these interactions, its a bit tougher to see what the real benefit is for the consumer. Why would anyone want to have a conversation with a product in the first place, if your goal doesnt involve extending the conversation into some idea of a personal brand?
Maybe because when you speak into a void, its rare to hear anything back.
I stayed at my mothers house for a few days after her death, and occurrences that spiritualists might classify as phenomena kept happening, often enough that my family and I began to talk about them to diffuse their eeriness. Securely hung pictures fell from the walls; doors slammed shut in empty rooms without drafts; and a bell that my mom had hung from a hallway ceiling, a folk superstition meant to alert the living to the presence of passing spirits, spontaneously dropped on my wifes head. Of course, there are logical explanations for every one of these events, but its like the joke about how many Vietnam vets it takes to change a light bulb: You dont know, you werent there, man.
At some point in the following weeks, my family and I also realized that her last online interactions which all occurred within an hour or so of each other were curt and rife with nonsense, misspellings, and grammatical errors, all of which were pretty out-of-character for someone who did the Saturday Times crossword in pen. A reply to an involved email from my niece simply read no. She posted the phrase port richmond ,, [sic] to Facebook, which, besides being a departure from her usual screeds about what were then still the gathering clouds of fascism, is the name of a neighborhood in Philadelphia to which, as far as I knew, she had little connection. This all made a stroke seem likely, and I began reconstructing a scene not of her body being found, but of these last minutes of her life in which she could still try to communicate. I wondered about when she had this stroke, and about how clearly she recognized what was happening to her. I wondered if she knew she wasnt saying what she wanted to say.
These posts and emails were made online, so I didnt think they bore much weight at first. I thought that their meaninglessness and ephemerality made them relevant only to what they revealed contextually about her last moments; the posts themselves were nothing. But there are two ways to think about nothing, and this is where I tell you how social media is a rehearsal for death. We generally think nothing means a lack of accumulation, something lost or never there. But theres also the esoteric tradition of nothingness, in which its valuable even holy because it contains infinite potential; think of the Buddhist concept of sunyata or of the tarots Fool, assigned the number zero in the major arcana, who exists in a perfect, pre-big bang world of unregulated ecstasy. The digit 0 is a pictogram of this paradox the circle shows completeness, the space inside, emptiness.
This paradox is at work in seltzer, too. One reason it was so easy for LaCroix to gain social currency is that it once had a profile so generic you might not even know what the can contained (it was described in the New York Times Magazine as looking like it should be filled with self-tanner or Axe Body Spray). This meant it could shed its Midwestern roots and be claimed from Florida to California. It wasnt just nothing, it was a placeless nothing, so LaCroix was free to be anything to anyone, anywhere. In an age of personal branding, online self-realization, and individualized versions of truth, LaCroix could take on any qualities of its consumer. It became a mirror.
LaCroixs over-filtered Instagram models and Polars fluorescent-lit college students show two different types of artifice in the service of creating a personal brand. Its easy to make fun of social media trend-hopping, but these criticisms take as a given that theres an essential depth to identity, and that a disconnect between your identity and your soul means theres something wrong with you. But social media represents products, not souls. You can tell by how aesthetically flattened the platforms are: Your Facebook page, if you stand a few feet back, is virtually indistinguishable from LaCroixs or Coca-Colas or your elementary school best friends or Kendall Jenners. A Twitter feed looks basically the same whether youre stanning for Beyoncé or Lady Gaga. When a dictionary tweets a sick burn at a pedantic journalist, the underlying joke is that whoever runs @MerriamWebster is, shockingly, a human being. To use freshman-year Marxist terms, social media replaces interaction between people with interaction between objects. All content, from a selfie to my moms last words to this article, is nothing; it only becomes something when its seen by someone else.
If all these nothings only become something when theyre perceived, it makes a hashtag the essential tool of online interaction. The fact that you never know who a hashtag is going to hook makes it something more than a way to interact with brands a hashtag is a seance, mediating the space between constructed identities. Its a way of reaching out, in hope and longing, into the ether. In this way, it performs the same function as art or prayer, linking tangible worlds to transcendent ones, an invisible line cast out with the hope of connection and of becoming whole, if only for a moment, right before the bubble bursts.
I now see the connection between my moms last interactions and the strange occurrences that Id experienced in her house. In a tangible sense, both of these attempts to communicate, the supernatural and the technological, were nothing. But whether you believe ghosts exist or are just constructions to make fears and emotions tangible, the logic behind them is the same as the logic that grounds the projection of identity through internet content. Content may be nothing, but nothing has two faces, emptiness and infinite potential, facts and ephemera. This duality shapes ideas of the afterlife, too. If we cant quantify the difference between the medical definition of life and the spiritual concept of the soul, at least we know when theres no good reason for a lamp to fall off a table.
When nothing becomes something, it defies death. It puts to rest our fear that all that awaits us is a void. This is the essential appeal of social media, that each of the internets billion hashtags is a tiny cri de coeur, a yooooooooooooo into a mirror world that we cannot touch, a door slamming in a draftless room.
Its inevitable that every trend, especially those borne by the internet, will dissolve. The LaCroix backlash has already begun, most predictably in memes that depict its earnest hashtaggers as vapid, self-absorbed, and maybe worst of all, basic. One depicts a doctored nutritional label, assigning numerical percentages to ingredients as Liberal Arts Degree and Live Tweeting Your Break-Up and Full Emotional Meltdown literally quantifying the nothingness of the upper-middle-class. But Polars attempt to outlast the valley that will inevitably follow peak seltzer might somehow represent something more: By putting specificity, locality, and (not to be corny) family in the context of hashtagged, aspirational identity, it validates those things in a context where theyre usually trivial. The immaterial world created by Polars marketing is linked to the potential of nothing, and wraps you up in it like a warm blanket, turning it into something accepting and unironic.
We held a memorial service in my moms backyard toward the end of September, a couple weekends after she died. I had to rent chairs for the community activists and retired teachers who attended. The rental place was in Port Richmond, the Philadelphia neighborhood my mom had referenced in her last, inscrutable Facebook post. It was obviously a coincidence, but it didnt feel like one; it felt like I was saving what might have been her last words from some infinite digital ash heap and making them real, even if I was turning them into something as banal as a hundred folding chairs.
I dont remember much of what I said at my mothers service. I know I tried to say that she was still a part of me, that she was alive where we all keep the people we love alive inside ourselves, but wasnt able to get much of that out. This piece is how I finally said what I wanted to say. Maybe once its shot into the ether of the internet, itll take its place there with all the ads and memes and YouTube comments and every other bit of flotsam thats thrust out with desperate apathy and the unspoken prayer that someone, anyone will notice. It, too, will be nothing, but by being nothing, it can be a point of momentary connection, a ghost that fades from view when its no longer in the corner of your eye. Like memories of the people you love, the act of willing these points of connection into being can exist long after the tangible things that put them into the world have disappeared.
This post originally appeared on Eater and was published August 30, 2017.
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