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To take longer exposures that track on the stars so they do not trail, the camera must be mounted on an equatorial mounting that is correctly polar aligned.
Shooting astrophotos with a short focal length lens mounted "piggyback" on a telescope is the next step up from shooting photos on a fixed tripod.
The telescope can guide, or take a picture at the same time as the camera riding on top of it.
For small cameras and lenses, a simple ball and socket head can be mounted on top of the main telescope with a 1/4 - 20 bolt.
In fact, any number of piggybacked cameras and lenses can be mounted on top of the main telescope as long as the mounting is capable of carrying the weight and enough counterweights are available to balance the load.
A wide-angle camera can also be mounted at the end of the declination counterweight shaft of a german equatorial mounting.
In the image below, a 500mm f/4 Nikon ED telephoto is piggybacked on top of the Astro-Physics 130 EDT by a simple mounting setup.
A 5/8ths inch aluminum plate runs on top of the mounting rings for the 130 EDT. A spacer block made of short sections of 5/8ths inch aluminum plate is used to raise the lens and camera body up high enough so that the camera and lens can be rotated a full 360 degrees without hitting anything.
The lens is bolted to the mounting plate through the spacer block with a standard 1/4 - 20 bolt.
Because of the weight and lever-arm and possibility that the lens could pivot since it is only secured by one bolt, it is also secured by a large hose clamp that runs round the front of the lens and aluminum mounting plate. A simple wood spacer block fits between the mounting plate and lens to prevent flexure when the hose clamp is tightened.
The "prime focus" of a telescope or camera lens is simply the camera mounted at the primary focal plane without any extra positive or negative auxiliary lenses, camera lenses or eyepieces in between the optics of the main scope and the camera.
The camera lens is removed from the camera body and the telescope functions as the camera lens.
If you like the information you have read here, I have several books that you may find of interest.
If you think there is a lot of information here on these web pages, just wait until you see how much more there is in these books!
This book on CD-ROM for beginning astrophotographers explains how to take beautiful images with your digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera using simple step-by-step techniques that anyone can learn.
You will see how easy it is to take great pictures with very modest equipment and basic methods that are within everyone's ability.
With this book you will learn how to take amazing images of the night sky with your DSLR camera.
Get Started in DSLR Astrophotography Today!
This book written in HTML5 is a digital download. It is for beginning astrophotographers and explains in step-by-step detail how to stack your images in DeepSkyStacker and then process them in Photoshop.
You will learn how to improve the brightness, contrast and color of your deep-sky images to produce beautiful results.
The book also includes 25 video tutorials on each step of image processing.
Get started in Astronomical image processing today!
This book on CD-ROM is for more advanced imagers. It explains how digital cameras work in more technical detail and gives step-by-step directions for more advanced imaging techniques.
It also tells you on how to process your images in Photoshop, with step-by-step directions that will produce beautiful results.
The CD-ROM also includes more than 100 minutes of video tutorials on image processing.
Take your astrophotography to the next level!
This book on CD-ROM will show you how to take planetary images with your Live-View equipped DSLR. It explains the basics of high-resolution planetary imaging and gives step-by-step directions on how to shoot exciting pictures the Sun and Moon and fascinating planets like Jupiter, Saturn and Mars.
It also tells you on how to process your images in programs like RegiStax and AutoStakkert!, with step-by-step directions that will produce beautiful results.
The CD-ROM also includes more than 100 minutes of video tutorials on image processing.
Get started with planetary photography with your DSLR today!
This book on CD-ROM is will help you answer the question "what should I shoot tonight?"
It will provide you with detailed information and examples of the many beautiful objects in the deep sky that you can photograph with your own equipment.
A master list of objects includes 500 of the best and most photogenic galaxies, nebulae, supernovae remnants, stars, star clusters and constellations. This list can be sorted by object name, object type, catalog number, constellation, right ascension and focal length.
Images of more than 275 select objects visible from the northern hemisphere are displayed on individual pages with photographic information and details about these objects.
All-sky constellation charts are clickable with links to individual constellation images. These, in turn, have objects plotted on them that link to object pages.
A local sidereal time calculator will tell you when objects are on the meridian where they are highest in the sky and best placed for photography.
Discover the many fantastic targets in the deep sky!
This HTML book is a guide to basic digital correction and advanced enhancement techniques for astrophotos in Adobe Photoshop image-processing software.
Whether you are a beginning amateur astrophotographer, or a seasoned veteran, you will learn new and exciting techniques.
Use Photoshop to produce visually stunning images!
These books will help you to avoid those bad practices that lead to poor images. I made just about every mistake you could make when I was first starting out and did not know what I was doing. You don't have to make these same mistakes. You too can learn the secrets of deep-sky astrophotography!
Don't waste your long and hard efforts at astrophotography - find out how thousands of others just like you have gotten excellent results by using these books.
You can do it too! What are you waiting for?

subset: commoncrawl


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Yvonne-Claire Bagnall
- Healthcare Litigation, Clinical negligence
- 0207 484 7514
Yvonne-Claire graduated from the University in Nottingham in 2011 and went on to study the Legal Practice Court at the College of Law, Chester. She previously worked at a top-tier NHS panel firm in Liverpool where she specialised in defending employers and public liability claims on behalf of NHS Trusts. During that time she gained particular experience of high-value asbestos-related cancer and mesothelioma claims, multi-Defendant/insurer actions and has handled cases through to successful defence at trial.
Yvonne-Claire specialises in healthcare litigation and in particular, clinical negligence claims. She has acted in a wide variety of cases including gynaecological, obstetric, oncological, orthopaedic and neurosurgical claims. She has a keen eye for detail and gives realistic, balanced advice.
Yvonne-Claire's main areas of expertise
- Clinical negligence
- Employers and public liability claims
The clients she works with
- NHS Resolution
- NHS Trusts
- Legal Practice Course (2013)
- Law LLB (2011)


text:
Content Management
Currently i'm updating my CMS (Content Management System) with better and more elaborate functions. This will mean that in the nearby future I will introduce more and better statistics on this website.
update: I updated the website with a sitemap, to make it better searchable by search engines as Google.


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Tell us about your project ideas or just say hello. Whether you've got a big idea or need some inspiration with a building project, we are here to help create the perfect living experience. From concept to creation, let us inspire you.
EECO Home
EECO Home
810 Tech Drive
Telford, PA 18969
Phone: 1.888.392.3326


text:
New Year's Eve Grand Overnight Package:
– Overnight Accommodation December 31, 2019
– New Year's Dance in Orchard Hall with Hors d'Oeuvres and Champagne
From: $239-$299 Per couple, double occupancy plus tax
Package Includes:
Overnight accommodations for December 31 and New Year's Eve Celebration in Orchard Hall
(Dress: Business Casual Attire)
8:00pm Cash Bar Reception
(NYE Celebration restricted to 19 years & older)
10:00pm – 11:00pm Hors d'Oeuvres (Light-Medium Mixture)
Vegetable Trays
Spring Rolls
Pulled Pork Crostini
11:30pm Snacks
9:00pm Mark Riley Project Band
Featuring Mark Riley and other talented Valley local artists.
High energy hits filled with Blues, Jazz and a little Funk mixed in to keep you entertained all evening.
12 Midnight Champagne Toast
Room Types and Dance Package Rates
Regular Double Room @ $239.00 + HST
Queen Bedded Room @ $249.00 + HST
King Bedded Room @ $269.00 + HST
Parlour Room with Jacuzzi @ $299.00 + HST
Optional add on for the above Overnight Package:
Celebratory Five Course Prix Fixe Plated Dinnerin the Acadian dining room prior NYE Celebration
designed by Chef Joseph Gillis with sparkling wine upon reception
$69 per person plus tax plus gratuities.
New Years Eve Dinner Menu
Dance Only – New Year's Eve Celebration TicketsSOLD OUT DANCE ONLY
New Year's Eve Dance Celebration
Includes: Dance in Orchard Hall, Conference Centre
Hors d'Oeuvres and champagne toast at midnight
No Overnight Accommodation. Dress: Business Casual Attire
NYE Celebration restricted to 19 years & older
$120.00 per couple plus tax – limited tickets available
Featuring the Mark Riley Project Band
5 Course Plated Dinner – New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve Dinner Only
– Acadian Dining Room
Five (5) Course Prix Fixe Plated celebratory dinner featuring a Atlantic Salmon with Smoked Sausage, Char broiled Delmonico Steak and Chicken Breast stuffed with wild mushrooms served with sparkling wine upon arrival. NYE reservations required. Seating between 6:00pm and 8:30pm. As the year winds down relax in our dining room and enjoy the beginning of a new one.
$69.00 pp + 15%HST +16%gratuity.
New Years Eve Dinner Menu
Questions | Email Reservations: [email protected]
PLEASE CALL Toll FREE 1-800-561-8090 TO RESERVE
Overnight Package Terms
- Reservation and Deposit Policy:
All packages, excluding dinner reservations only for dinner in our main dining room, will be required to prepay the full price of any package at the time of booking.
- Cancellation Policy (Overnight package only):
A full refund will be issued only if cancellations are received prior to Monday, December 9, 2019.
40% Refund between December 9 and 16.
No refunds will be made after Monday December 16, 2019.


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Happy Monday. It has been awhile since I offered a free ebook, so today is that day.
Many of you might have heard about this book The Master Key System. It became popular when Rhonda Byrne - the author and producer of the movie The Secret - claimed it was one of the books (along with Wallace Wattles - The Science of Getting Rich) that truly inspired her to do the movie The Secret in the first place.
Some of you might even remember that the author of the The Master Key System, Charles Hanaal's picture even appeared in some of the promos for The Secret movie.
There have been some rumors about this book, that while inspiring, I am not sure are completely accurate.
One of the rumors is that when this book originally came out in 1912 - it was THE Secret. That is was only given to an elite few and hidden from the rest of the masses. That the people who were lucky enough to get their hands on it ended up becoming some of the most successful people on the planet due strictly to the information contained in this manuscript.
I love that story! Exciting...intriguing and I admit one of the things that had me watching the promo again and again in anticipation of The Secret's release.
In hindsight however, I realize that all of those successful people were, like yourselves, simply "ready" for the message. They were forward thinkers, already primed to think outside of the box, already more spiritually advanced than most, and while the information could give them better clarity and direction, the material itself was not responsible for their great leaps of accomplishment. Simple positive and correct thought was.
Another rumor that surrounds this book is that Bill Gates read it right before his explosion with Microsoft. A story again that is very enticing, but I believe Mr. Gates has since dispelled that notion.
So maybe the book is not "magic" -- but it is inspiring! I imagine it really did have an impact on anyone who read it back then, because there wasn't much information available at that time on the Law of Attraction. It was a totally new way to look at the world and the people who got "it" really got "it".
As forward thinkers yourselves, you have probably realized by now that EVERY new piece of information that you come across is another stepping stone in your spiritual advancement.
So with that said, read this manuscript until you find your "a-ha" moment of the day.
Happy Creating!
The Master Key System by Charles Hanaal


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Trying to get XFX Radeon RX 580 GTS (8GB) work on:
Windows 7 64bit
Intel Xeon 1231 V3
Asus B85M-G
BQ pure power 350 W (ok not really much, but its enough for windows).
truyed the card on old motherboard and i get signal after driver install, so the card shine to work...
But on Asus B85M-G install driver (last, but truyed till 17.2 previous) and after reboot see windows loading logo,
than hear windows wellcome but no visuall signal (No signal). The card´s fans not working.
Go to save mode, looking device manager and here AMDA00 Interface problem
looking for UEFI (Bios) setting, here i did following:
PCG Config
- DMI Link ASPM : off
- ASPM support : off
- PCL-e Speed : auto
- Intel Rapid : off
- Intel Smart: off
-VT-d: on
DMI: Gen2
PCLex16: Gen3
PCL-e nativ power Management: off
-UEFI first
but still the same. BIOS update Motherboard did.
Any idea ? I have a Led TV as Monitor, may be it has not enough resolution for signal from the card? But in this case
i would not getting "no signal".
Thank You for helping


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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Buzzer-beating shots. Two (almost three) overtime games. The overall No. 1 seed losing for the first time all season. A program winning a second NCAA title 17 years after its first. A dozen or more future WNBA players taking the court. And, yes, even some officiating calls and non-calls that will keep fans debating as long as they remember this Women's Final Four.
And that should be for a long time. For everyone who wondered if all four No. 1 seeds reaching Nationwide Arena would result in a boringly predictable Women's Final Four -- it didn't. In terms of sheer drama, this weekend was the best women's college basketball has ever seen.
The 2017-18 season ended Sunday with Notre Dame's 61-58 victory over Mississippi State on Arike Ogunbowale's 3-pointer with less than 1 second left. She also hit a long, 2-point jump shot Friday to beat No. 1 overall seed UConn in the semifinals. Those two clutch baskets lifted Ogunbowale into Women's Final Four fame, along with the likes of North Carolina's Charlotte Smith and Maryland's Kristi Toliver.
"It was kind of a desperation shot, with only 3 seconds left," Notre Dame coach Muffett McGraw said. "She had a great idea of the clock going in her head. When it went through, I couldn't honestly believe that it went in."
Big time shot Arike! We are a @UConnWBB family but we love seeing great players making great plays. I know my lil sis @jewellloyd is happy Well done @ndwbb good luck on Sunday #mambamentality 🙌 https://t.co/8DxHkNURN7— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) March 31, 2018
Wow, my life is complete. The GOAT 😭🙌🏾 https://t.co/91wiItW0KN— Arike Ogunbowale (@Arike_O) March 31, 2018
Nah... it's complete by finishing the job on Sunday @Arike_O #MambaMentality https://t.co/pvL95JCZHn— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) March 31, 2018
WOW! @Arike_O #lifecomplete #MambaMentality— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) April 2, 2018
Great to catch up with you @NancyLieberman and witness two epic games. The future of women's hoops is looking brighter than ever 🙌— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) March 31, 2018
Smith's 3-pointer in the 1994 NCAA final came with seven-tenths of a second left and lifted the Tar Heels to a 60-59 victory over Louisiana Tech. It still ranks as the greatest shot in women's NCAA tournament history. But that was a fantastic ending to an otherwise ragged game. And while one of the 1994 semifinals was close -- Louisiana Tech's three-point win over Alabama -- the other, North Carolina's 15-point victory against Purdue, wasn't.
Toliver's late 3-pointer in the 2006 NCAA final against Duke sent the game to overtime, where the Terps prevailed 78-75. That was a great championship game, but the semifinals that year -- Maryland beat North Carolina by 11, and Duke topped LSU by 19 -- weren't compelling.
I feel so lucky to have witnessed the most epic Final Four the women's game has ever seen. @ndwbb and @Arike_O were amazing. #wow— Rebecca Lobo (@RebeccaLobo) April 2, 2018
In fact, this year's Final Four doesn't have much competition for "best ever" in terms of quality and closeness of all three games if you go back through the history of the women's NCAA tournament, which began in 1982. Some other candidates:
1991: Each game was decided by single digits, ending with Tennessee's 70-67 overtime win over Virginia that was so close, and the Cavaliers' Dawn Staley was the Final Four's most outstanding player despite being on the losing team -- the only time that has happened.
1993: Ohio State beat fellow Big Ten team Iowa 73-72 in overtime in the semifinals. Then, Sheryl Swoopes and Texas Tech edged Katie Smith and Ohio State 84-82 in the final; both players are Naismith Hall of Famers, with Smith named to the Class of 2018 last week. Swoopes' 47 points remain the championship game record. The other semifinal that year wasn't close; Texas Tech beat Vanderbilt 60-46.
2003: Diana Taurasi led a UConn rally to beat Texas 71-69, and then the Huskies beat Tennessee 73-68 in the final. In the other semifinal, the Lady Vols beat Duke and Alana Beard by 10 points; both she and Taurasi are still WNBA standouts.
2011: In the semis, Texas A&M slipped by Stanford 63-62, while Notre Dame ended UConn's quest for a three-peat, winning 72-63. The final came down to the wire, with Tyra White's 3-pointer the dagger with just over one minute left in the Aggies' 76-70 win over the Irish.
Crazy! Well women's basketball fans.... this has been a remarkable final four... couldn't ask for a better one! Congrats Notre Dame! Mississippi St. this will sting. Keep your head up.— Candace Parker (@Candace_Parker) April 2, 2018
In this year's Final Four, each game easily could have had a different outcome. Mississippi State's late 3-pointer in regulation tied Louisville 59-59, but the Cardinals then had a shot to end it; some felt Myisha Hines-Allen was fouled. But the game went to overtime, and the Bulldogs prevailed 73-63.
In the second semifinal, Notre Dame had a five-point lead with 21 seconds left in regulation. But Napheesa Collier's 3-pointer and Kia Nurse's steal and layup tied it. After another Irish turnover, UConn's Gabby Williams had a shot to win it but missed.
The Irish also saw a late lead slip away in the overtime, with Crystal Dangerfield tying the score for UConn on a 3-pointer with 27 seconds left. But Ogunbowale had the first of her two unforgettable shots, nailing a jumper over Collier and putting Notre Dame up 91-89.
With one second left and no timeouts, UConn got a better look than expected at what would have been the tying basket. Williams heaved a baseball pass that Notre Dame's Jessica Shepard inadvertently tipped right to UConn's Katie Lou Samuelson. Her shot didn't go in, but if it had, it would have prompted a review to see if it beat the buzzer. We could have been going to double overtime, which has never happened in the Women's Final Four.
Chills... Cold Blooded!! Wowowow https://t.co/FXQrhDkN4u— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) April 2, 2018
In the championship game, Mississippi State led by as much as 15. But Notre Dame had come back from double-digit deficits six previous times this season, including in the semifinal against UConn.
With the score tied in the final minute, Notre Dame had the ball with a chance to take the winning shot but turned it over. Mississippi State had the ball in point guard Morgan William's hands until Marina Mabrey ran into her and knocked her down in an attempt to get it back. No foul was called.
Jackie Young got the loose ball, and Teaira McCowan was called for a foul on Young. That sent McCowan to the Mississippi State bench with five fouls. And Notre Dame had another chance, leading to Ogunbowale's heroics.
That's really how close all three games were: just one shot or one official's whistle could have resulted in entirely different outcomes. It was breathtaking competition in front of 19,564 fans at Nationwide Arena.
UConn coach Geno Auriemma predicted this in his pre-Final Four teleconference.
"I think the field is the strongest I've seen in a long, long time. Maybe ever," he said. "And the fans are in for a treat. I don't know if the coaches are, but certainly the fans are."
Then, the games exceeded the high expectations. Hard to ask for more of a Final Four than that.


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Thinly sliced fresh raw fennel, grated green apple, and walnuts served with an apple cider vinaigrette: what a refreshing crunchy and delicious combination… and so simple too! This recipe introduces an uncommon player to the mix–who thinks about neglected fennel?–that will please your family and guests as well. Try serving it at your next party or family dinner!
Salad Ingredients:
1 large fennel bulb, rinsed and sliced thinly*
1 green apple, skin on, rinsed and grated coarsely
¼ cup chopped walnuts
¼ tsp dijon mustard
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp organic apple cider
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp salt
Place all the vinaigrette ingredients in a medium salad bowl and whisk briskly. Place the thinly sliced fennel, grated apple and chopped walnuts on top of the vinaigrette and toss to coat well. Enjoy!
*I like to use a mandoline but you can also use a food processor equipped with a top slicing blade to slice finely.
READ MORE: 7 Natural Apple Cider Vinegar Remedies that Actually Work
This recipe originally appeared on Cuisinicity.com.


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Javvarisi Kozhukattai (or) Sweet Sago Dumpling
Javvarisi kozhukattai or sago dumpling is an easy sweet treat to make for festivals or for an evening snack. Sago/ javvarisi/ tapioca perals aids digestion and thus a good addition to families diet.
Ingredients Required:
|Sago/ Javvarisi/ Tapioca Pearls
|1/2 cup
|Rice flour
|2-3 Tbsp
|As needed
|Fresh coconut, grated
|1/2 cup
|3-4 tbsp
|Cashew nuts, fried
|Cardamom/ elaichi
|As needed
1. If using big sago pearls soak it over night or at least for 2 hours.
2. Pulse the soaked sago just few times, this step is optional. If you have soaked it overnight you can just mash it with your hands. This step helps in getting different textures.
3. In a bowl add the mashed sago, salt, rice flour and knead into a dough. Use little hot water if the mixture is dry.
4. Now prepare the stuffing, In a separate bowl mix together coconut, sugar, cashews, and cardamom. Allow the filling to rest for few minutes.
5. Meanwhile grease your hands with water and divide the sago dough into 6-8 portions.
6. Then take one portion of the dough, flatten it, fill in the stuffing and seal it carefully without cracks. Check the video for reference.
7. Similarly prepare the rest of the dumplings.
8. Slightly grease the idly plates and cook the dumplings for 10-12 minutes on medium flame.
9. Serve hot and enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee.
1. Do not over pulse the sago.
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text: Breadcrumb Home > Dictionary Search Cite Meaning of tenon Find definitions for: ten•on Pronunciation: (ten'un), [key] — n. a projection formed on the end of a timber or the like for insertion into a mortise of the same dimensions. See illus. under —v.t. to provide with a tenon. to join by or as by a tenon. to join securely. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. See also: tenon (Thesaurus) Tenochtitlán tenonitis Related Content Daily Word Quiz: trompeloeil Analogy of the Day: Today's Analogy Spelling Bee: Today's Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language


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Here are some new pieces that I have designed and sewn this Autumn/Winter. Big thank you for Kaisa and Pompa for modeling.
I got to the four finalist in a design competition organized by Paulig. The idea was to design a new outfit for Paula girl who's has been the face of Paulig for ages.
The starting point of a new style of Paula's outfit was the preservation of traditions and highlighting fresh vibe. The attire is repeating a pattern of stylized Sääksmäki national dress floral pattern, which was a source of inspiration for the outfit. The outfit consist a shirt with embroidered collar and lace sleeves, a skirt made of wool blend and a handbag/clutch made of reindeer leather with a floral detail created with pyrography technique.
I designed and made a long sleeved shirt and also did the styling for my good friend Antti for a Juha Mustonen Yksi book publishing and fashion photography exhibition opening party last autumn. Now I finally got at the KontrolZ studios and Juha took the shots. Go check the photos here.
The thing that never goes out of fashion and is beloved by the old and the young people – Moomin. So what do you get when you combine Moomin and fashion? Well I tell you that it's the most cute and cool collection ever. I had an amazing chance to be part of the team assisting in shoots for Moomin by Ivana Helsinki collection. And here's the film from Söderskär lighthouse island at Porvoo coast line.
Week after filming the collection went public. The fashion show was held at Design Museum in Helsinki.
I started internship at Ivana Helsinki in the beginning of August. I have had so much fun working there as a design&marketing assistant. This is one fashion film that I took part as all around assistant – because fashion is sometimes all about multitasking.
Film is for Nanso Group's Suvipaula collection which will come out in May 2015. The fashion film is directed, filmed and written by Paola Suhonen who has also designed the collection.
Me and my partner in crime, Nina woke up around 4 am in the morning to leave from Helsinki for a well earned vacation to Portugal a couple of weeks ago. It wasn't so easy to get up, but the plane to Lisbon through Munich would leave around 6 am so there was not much time to waste. Everything went smoothly from Helsinki to Lisbon bus station from where we took a bus to Peniche. It was around seven pm when we arrived to Peniche Hostel. Shana, Xana and Patrícia welcomed us to stay and we started to unpack our stuff to a four bed dorm called Oceania. We had a booking only for three nights, but the hostel was so cozy, full of nice and helpful people and really relaxed atmosphere so we decided to stay there longer – almost the whole trip. We spent the first evening in Peniche just figuring out what to do there the next days. Of course surfing was priority so we booked lessons with Diogo for the next morning.
We learnt a lot of things, which a surfer needs to keep in mind: "the more you give to the sport, the more the sport will give to you", "think that there is a massive shark behind you and get faster on the surfboard", "we need to get cold to get warm again"- Diogo's surfing philosophies. I just really needed to concentrate that I wouldn't think about any sea creatures while try to learn how to surf or I would have been freaked out.
After the first day surfing was time for some other exercise like biking around Peniche and Baleal without functioning pedals. Basically my bike's pedals broke down and they were on he same level, but there where no worries though because Nina is so fit that we could easily do a tandem which differs a bit from the normal tandem. In our version only one is pedaling and both are driving.
On friday we had a nice dinner at Concolasao with our surf crew. The restaurant was hidden behind the rocks on the coast line. Such a lovely place with massive windows from where we could watch the sun set and one crazy surfer catching up some waves.
During the week our beach activities included yoga, meditation (a bit difficult to concentrate with Nina and Clive going crazy next to me with crab walking or what so ever), break moves and acrobatics. Well some of us had this natural talent in acrobatics more than the others (read: I was stiff as an iron bar)
One evening we went out in Baleal to have a dinner with the girls from Oslo. I ate a fish called sargo which was really tasty. Then we headed for a beer to a bar at the beach nearby. While writing this story I am starting to realize that I probably mix some dates but that doesn't matter..can't really remember everything after such a stress relieving vacation – totally empty head. Well, later on we met at the hostel some new people: Luisa from Leipzig and Boston boy Jeff. We went partying (sophisticated partying) with them also and to watch some local fashion show at Baleal. Maybe it was a Ms and Mr Baleal contest too..it's hard to tell, but at least I can say there were a lot of half naked chicks and dudes on the runway and you could hear the audience whistles from miles away.
Day by day the surfing started to go better and we could see some progress in our style and the amount of waves we rode. Every day when we went surfing it started with hilarity and jollity. Markus somehow managed to put his wetsuit almost every time the wrong way – zipper on the front side. No pictures to prove that though..
On the last day I had a little accident with the leash when it got stuck around my fingers. It really hurt a lot and for a couple of days I thought that it might be broken. Luckily it didn't but still I managed to scare my surfing teachers Diogo and Nuno. I was glad that it happened in the last hour of surfing before leaving Peniche because otherwise I would have needed to tape the fingers together every day for paddling. From the beginning still it wasn't that big deal for me and at least the others could have fun on my expense for the rest of the trip. Diogo even told me a horror story what happened for one surfer's finger tip, but let's leave that as a mystery, because it got my skin on goose bumps.
After eight days surfing we took a bus with Hannes, Lizzy, Marina and Peter to Lisbon. Our German family number 2. It was so nice from them that we could stay at their place and didn't need to bother search for a hostel. First in Lisbon we went to place called Bairro Alto or something. There can be found the best night life in Lisbon ( the best mourangoskas and bands) We had a tasty dinner outdoors and of course the plates changed their places around the table that everyone could get a bite from others delicacies.Yum! I had an octopus salad which made me first a bit suspicious about its taste because it was fresh instead of grilled. After dinner was time to get the drink that Patrícia had recommended – mourangoska.
The last day we had speed dating in a cafe aka sharing a punch of cakes with our German friends – delicious I would say. We also met to of their friends Dominik and Pedro and went to see "the normal" tourist spots around the city. In the evening it was time to pack our bags, say goodbyes and take the flight back to Helsinki.
I miss Portugal so much and I want to go back as soon as possible. I loved the people, food, drinks, atmosphere and the view ❤
During the two weeks we met a whole punch of lovely people all around the world from USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, Norway, Belgium, England and so on. Everybody told us that Porto and Faro are also worth to see. So let's try to make it next time a bit longer trip. We still have to go scuba diving, take a trip to the Berlenga Island and in ten years maybe ride some waves in Super tubes in Peniche with Diogo and Nuno. Can't wait to get back again!
Thank you very much, Obrigada, Vielen dank to all of you!
Another Story is an amazing collection designed by Solja Temmes. We had a two days photoshoot session in Easter time near Rovaniemi in Valajaskoski. I did the make up and hair for our beautiful model April. It was super cold outside, but she handled it like a pro. Of course a big thank you too for our photographer Topi who has good nerves 🙂 But next time let's do this when it's +25, please?
Designer: Solja Temmes
Photography: Topi Matikainen
Model: April Martin
Make-Up & Hair: me
All around assistant: Pirjo Annila
Hang-around dog: Papu


text:
for V, C, L
Update 2019-May-16: Two free screenings of wonderful Korean films – about and with children – at the Deptford Cinema.
***** On Tuesday 28 May 2019 at 19:30 there's a free screening (it's best to register to reserve your place) of "The World of Us" at the Deptford Cinema. This is of course very highly recommended by me. (And the good news for me is that I do finally get to see it a second time: the KCC screening on May 2 unfortunately clashed with a concert by someone I know.) From the Deptford Cinema website (also see my comments below):
Korean Film Nights are back! In collaboration with KCCUK we're excited as ever to bring you the best in classic and contemporary Korean film. And remember, screenings are FREE. We kick off 2019 with Yoon Ga-eun's award-winning and heartfelt debut "The World of Us".
Sun is a lonely primary school girl who, though desperate to make friends, has remained socially-outcast. When transfer student Jia joins her class, the two become close friends, spending time at each other's houses during the summer vacation. Initially, Jia's home brings the security and comfort that neither Sun's own domestic space nor her classroom are able to provide. At the beginning of the new semester, however, their new friendship is tested as Sun continues to be the target of bullying by their other classmates…
Director Yoon Ga-eun invites us to closely observe the dynamic relationship of these two young girls, immersing us in their small world through its simple, unadorned storytelling. Sun's experiences act as a microcosm through which we can observe how larger issues of social class differences and pressures filter down to affect even the lives of children. Yoon's confident debut feature picked up numerous nominations and awards both at home and abroad, including Best New Director at Korea's prestigious Blue Dragon Film Awards in 2016.
***** As a bonus on Tuesday 25 June 2019 at 19:30 there's a free screening (again it's best to register to reserve your place) of "Mother and a Guest" at the Deptford Cinema. This 1961 Korean film is also very highly recommended by me. From the Deptford Cinema website (also see my comments below):
We continue our free Korean Film Nights with Shin Sang-ok's classic 1961 melodrama "Mother and a Guest" starring superstar Choi Eun-hee.
The precocious Ok-hee lives in a household of widowed women: her mother (played by one of 50s' and 60s' Korea's biggest stars, Choi Eun-hee), grandmother and their housekeeper. When a charming friend of her late father arrives at the house as a guest, six-year-old Ok-hee casts her affections toward him, seeing him as the paternal influence sorely absent from her life at home. She quickly takes it upon herself to play cupid between the man and her mother. Featuring touching displays of cinematic yearning, Mother and a Guest reflects on the societal expectations of female fidelity and desire across the divides of generation.
Directed by Shin Sang-ok, one of the most prolific and respected figures of the Golden Age of Korean Cinema, the film's use of black-and-white cinematography purposefully contrasts the vast, open spaces and wider shots of the exterior with the smaller, restricted areas and tighter shots within the hanok [a traditional Korean house], where emotions and desires heighten and simmer.
More information and a link to an insightful article on this film are here: https://suliram.wordpress.com/2016/10/03/korean-films-london-autumn-2016/#motherguest
Update 2019-April-23: Below I've linked to some perceptive reviews of "The World of Us".
Courtesy of a post in LondonKoreanLinks, I can add a very good review by Paul Quinn on Hangul Celluloid.
From that LondonKoreanLinks post I am also very happy to report that at 19:00 on Thursday 2 May 2019 the Korean Cultural Centre in London (a few minutes walk from Trafalgar Square) is screening this wonderful (95 minutes long) film with free entry, that I have reserved my seat, and highly recommend that *anyone* able to go does so before all the seats are gone by registering for a seat using the Eventbrite link near the top of the LondonKoreanLinks post.
There is a short (2m35s) trailer for "The World of Us" on YouTube.
The whole 95 minutes long film is available with English subtitles as a Region 3 DVD, and also – it seems – for free online streaming. I say "it seems" because I don't know whether or not these online streams have official approval from the makers of "The World of Us", but anyway with that caveat, here are three links:
* kissasian.si
* drama3s.to
* newasiantv.tv
Original post:
I've been intermittently feeling very guilty for not writing something about "The World of Us" – written and directed by Yoon Ga-eun – in the 2016 London East Asian Film Festival because during and after the screening I very much wanted to try to say why this was such a special film.
But now I can at least point to an excellent review by Andrew C Routledge.
While preparing this post I found several good reviews of "The World of Us" and I want to especially mention two reviews which in their own ways are as perceptive as that by Andrew C Routledge. All three should be read in full.
* Sanja Struna at ViewOfTheArts
* Sara Hayden at WeAreResonate
I originally intended simply to add a comment to Andrew C Routledge's review, but this grew and grew until I felt it was more polite to make a post here (it was also easier to control the formatting), and add a short comment on his review with a link to this. What follows is a combination of what I thought while watching this film (including some films I was reminded of), reinforcements of some of his points, and two relatively small disagreements. I recommend first reading the three reviews by him, Sanja Struna, and Sara Hayden. (In what follows quotes from Andrew C Routledge's review are preceded by "ACR:".)
- Other interesting reviews I found, which are worth reading carefully. (I'd be grateful for notification of any good reviews of "The World of Us" which I haven't listed.)
- Letterboxd.com: some very perceptive comments by people who have seen the film, including:
*iceberrie: How much raw can a film be? There was never a single moment that I thought "Hmm… here should be some gorgeous shots of scenery…" I mean, this film shows why sometimes thinking about mise-en-scene or exhibiting awesome filmmaking skills is not at all important. Not. At. All. The director leads the audience into this world of friendship between two girls in a way that is never artificial or melodramatic. This is such a precious film. I have to cherish it.
*Dave Crewe: … The World of Us, in many ways, feels like a prepubescent, Korean version of Mélanie Laurent's Breathe. Like that film, it closely interrogates the politics of female friendship; like that film, it feels like it could only have been made by a female filmmaker. It's a simpler story, naturally; the younger characters don't allow for the psychosexual tension humming under Breathe's surface. It's not as formally flashy as the French film, either, but its cinematographic subtlety is shared with an ending that sidesteps Laurent's misguided gearshift into full-on thriller territory. This is a quieter film, and as – perhaps more – devastating for it. …
- TimeOut-US: "…rarely has the world of a young child been so vividly and delicately brought to life… It is a small marvel that cloaks its complexities with an effortless simplicity."
- koreanfilm.or.kr: a plot summary and some stills
- Jason Bechervaise's review is very positive, but suggests that in some respects Yoon tackles too many issues at once, a view which I disagree with.
First my two disagreements with Andrew C Routledge's review:
* ACR: "The pacing is deliberately slow, which can be frustating" – The pacing is slow, but I didn't find it in any way frustrating: I was completely held throughout the film.
* ACR: "In a few rare moments, the kids feel like they are acting inorganically for the sake of plot, rather than character." – That's not something I noticed.
I've occasionally been at plays where almost everyone but me seems to be loving the performance, and I'm thinking it's dire. One experience: I and two friends were at a play because they knew one of the actors, and all three of us found it clunky and simply bad theatre. But the rest of the audience – who were a quite different demographic from us – were enthused by it, I suspect because their lives were only infrequently represented on stage. In other words, I think the rest of the audience were – not unreasonably – using different criteria to judge the performance. From a purely artistic viewpoint, I think we three were correct, but we weren't the main target audience.
The reverse has also happened: I've loved a performance (play, dance, music) and seem to have been in a very small minority. On those occasions of course it's mostly due to me having far superior artistic judgment to those lesser mortals who didn't get it, but there's sometimes a small nagging doubt that if I'm seeing a wonderful performance by (for example) someone I know, maybe my view is being clouded by non-artistic factors.
So: when I was at school I was something of an outsider, which is why I empathised and identified with Sun (judging by what the writer/director and others said in the Q&A I was not alone in that), and that may account for the two things which were negatives for Andrew C Routledge completely passing me by.
Now for the much more positive thoughts. I make some direct comments on "The World of Us", but more often praise it indirectly by citing other films (and two plays and two books).
* ACR: "There's something strangely unassuming about The World of Us that actually makes it quite compelling." – A particularly perceptive comment. My similar thought immediately after the screening was that a very great strength of the film is in what it doesn't do. For example: no tricksy camera movements, and almost no use of music. I'm not using that as a general artistic criterion (there are superb films which use one or both of those), but here it absolutely reinforces what the film does. And I suspect it's more difficult to make a compelling work of art by not doing things than by doing things?
I don't recall when I first suddenly realised there was no music (maybe about 20 minutes into the film), and in the Q&A I asked a question about the almost complete absence of music. From memory, Yoon Ga-eun said it was a very deliberate decision, and that she had chosen to use music in only two places: first, in a scene where the two young girls are playing on swings and enjoying each other's company; second in the closing credits, using music which is similar to, but not the same as, the music during the swings scene to give the film's audience a reminder that the two girls were close friends, and might or might not – the film's superb last scene, similar to, but not the same as, the film's first scene, is very ambiguous on this – be reconciled in the future.
* Bearing in mind what I said above about my empathy for Sun, during the screening I was thinking this is one of the best films I have ever seen, and – since I was comparing it with films like "Sopyonje" by Im Kwon-taek (for me one of the two best films ever made) – I was also thinking is it really that good, or is my personal history clouding my judgment? I don't know the answer to that, but I do know that I would very much love this film to have more UK (and worldwide!) screenings, and that I would be doing my best to persuade people to see it.
* ACR: "The two young leads, who had never acted before, are extremely well cast." – They gave superb performances, as did the rest of the cast, adults and children. In this regard I was very strongly reminded of a 2008 South Korean film which I admire very much: "Treeless Mountain" written and directed by So-yong Kim. There are some differences: for example, "Treeless Mountain" was made for children but also has a strong appeal for adults; by contrast, I think "The World of Us" is a film for adults. (And maybe also for older children: I'd be very interested to know how children the same age as Sun and Jia would react to this film.) After the screening I said to Yoon Ga-eun (though the excellent translator at the Q&A) that I'd been reminded in a good way of "Treeless Mountain" and she replied that it was a film she liked very much.
MORE about other films with excellent acting by young children
* In the header to ACR's review: "The politics of the playground" – As an example of independent convergent thought, after seeing the film I too thought of using the word "politics" to describe the changing relationships between all the young girls in the film. From ACR's review: "what happens between Sun and Jai might seem trivial to adults, but clearly it's life and death for these girls at this particular age". True, but also one thing that struck me was that although the film is about changing relationships between ten year old girls, with little (or even no!) changes it also serves as a metaphor (or even as a very direct model) for changing relationships between adults, both in social relationships which are "political" and in "purely political" machinations.
MORE films about personal relationships
MORE films, plays, and books about the politics of relationships
Films which I thought of after seeing the superb acting by the young children in "The World of Us"
- "Treeless Mountain" on Wikipedia – I'd forgotten this in the Wikipedia article: "… Most reviews generally praise the quiet and subtle nature of the film along with the performances of the two young actresses. Negative reviews generally cite the lack of dialogue and slow plot progression. …" (Given Andrew C Routledge's perception of the slow pacing of "The World of Us" as being sometimes frustrating I wonder how he'd react to "Treeless Mountain"?)
- "Treeless Mountain" on IMDb
- "Treeless Mountain" review in The Daily Telegraph – I hadn't seen this review before, and several comments in it could have been written about "The World of Us". For example: … Treeless Mountain is … a film that prefers to show rather than to tell, and to intimate rather than to show. Its minimalism – not unlike that of Kelly Reichardt's Wendy and Lucy (2008) – is a kind of maximalism. Its silences lasso our imaginations, and speak greater truths than those in any number of more eloquent, gabby independent movies. … (In passing, that's excellent writing by Sukhdev Sandhu – I very strongly recommend reading the whole review. The phrase "Its minimalism is a kind of maximalism" reminds me of the C major prelude in Book 1 of Bach's 48 preludes and fugues for The Well-Tempered Clavier.)
- Written for a screening at Dundee Contemporary Arts, this review could also be about "The World of Us". For example: … Without artifice, cheesy music, or special effects, "Treeless Mountain" has a purity and restraint that is reminiscent of some of the best films ever made about childhood, like "Ponette", or "Kes". As Truffaut was blessed with the discovery of Jean-Pierre Leaud in "The 400 Blows", Kim has been very lucky to discover in her two non-professional leads two extraordinary actors. Hee-Yeon Kim was found in an elementary school in Seoul City, while five-year-old Song-Hee was auditioned along with her fellow housemates at a Korean orphanage. …
- Very interesting Berlinale festival information by the writer/director on how "Treeless Mountain" was made. An extract: … The most important and difficult task in making the film was finding the two leads. In order to cast Jin, we visited 14 elementary schools and kindergartens in Seoul. When I first met Kim Hee-Yeon, who plays Jin in the film, I had this gut feeling that she was the one. When I approached her in the school's cafeteria, she told me it was her dream to have a younger sister. After that she corrected my poor Korean. I fell for her completely. …
- A document on the filmmaker's site; almost all of this information is also in the Berlinale site document.
- review by Kristi Mitsuda, astaff writer on ReverseShot.com: So Yong Kim's cinema can break your heart. Not by invoking the usual tearjerking music swells and dramatic crescendos, but by constructing narratives authentically attuned to the behavioral and emotional rhythms of particular age groups, from childhood to teenage years. In the course of only two films — the impeccable adolescent tale "In Between Days" being the first – Kim has demonstrated a mastery of the medium similar to Ramin Bahrani; both directors craft character stories and share realist aesthetic tendencies, evincing an almost anthropological attention to detail whilst weaving immigrant experiences into the fabric of a shared American narrative. "Treeless Mountain" again sees Korean-American director Kim – drawing upon memories of growing up in Pusan – expertly turning her gaze upon a female protagonist, this time undergoing an experience more harrowing than high school. … Numerous shots also capture Jin and Bin peering out of windows, and a mournful tone haunts the frequent dusky shots of the horizon, another day passing in which their mother doesn't return. Lingering over the bodies of the listless sisters after they come to the realization that a full piggy bank isn't a genie in a bottle, Kim makes palpable their sorrow simply, through careful composition and pacing; later, a joyful endpoint is just as subtly expressed through lighting. Skillfully steering clear of sentimentality in relaying her semiautobiographical tale – not just of childhood but also of women – the director creates a raw portrait that's exquisite in its miniaturist scope.
- Mostly just the plot but has some insights.
- Links to several good reviews, including:
- Robert Koehler in Variety: … Drawing out beautifully natural performances from her child actors, Kim once again has a distinct way of letting her camera observe her characters with kind thoughtfulness, allowing for a quiet mood to wash over the scenes. …
- David Jenkins in TimeOut – London: … Not since Jacques Doillon's enchanting 1996 drama 'Ponette' have the collective, small-scale traumas and vertiginous learning curve that come with a childhood on the lam been captured with such psychological diligence and hardscrabble poetics as in this autumnal, toddler's-eye heartbreaker. …
- Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian: Korean director Kim So Yong has made a sombre yet touching film about the vulnerability and loneliness of children in a world of not-very-benign neglect. … Not an easy watch, but worth sticking with.
[BACK to the superb acting by young children in "The World of Us"]
Some more films that I love which have excellent acting by young children:
- A 1961 South Korean film for adults: "My Mother and Her Guest" (or "Mother and a Guest" or similar variations). More information and links here, and there is an essay on Blue Devil's Blog which at a quick first read seems interesting.
- A 2005 Dutch film for children (and adults!): "Winky's Horse" (original Dutch title "Het paard van Sinterklaas)"). On IMDb. From the Dundee Contemporary Arts website: A magical Christmas story about Winky, a little girl who has come from China to make a new home in Holland. Winky has one burning desire, to have her own pony, but her Mum won't hear of it. When she [Winky] discovers a tradition in Holland that is new to her, she realises that Santa Claus and his present bearer Schwarte Pete might be able to help her to fulfil her dreams. A lovely film, no matter what country you come from.
A 1996 Chinese film for children (and adults!): "The King of Masks".
- Spoiler warning: if you haven't seen this film then please don't use any of these links for more information until you have seen it: there's a plot twist which will come as a lovely surprise. The film is wonderful even if you know the plot twist (I've seen it three times), but it would be a pity not to be surprised by the plot twist the first time you see the film.
- "The_King_of_Masks" on IMDb
- Roger Ebert's review including a very perceptive observation
- CultureVulture
[BACK to the superb acting by young children in "The World of Us"]
Films about personal relationships which I thought of after seeing "The World of Us"
- There's an excellent portrait of relationships between 17 year olds (who are also outsiders) in the 1991 Australian film "Flirting", which has Thandie Newton in one of the leading roles, and Nicole Kidman in a supporting role. The film is very carefully made, and there's an excellent review by Roger Ebert: excellent both in the sense that it highly praises the film, and excellent in the sense of being perceptive and well written – his review ends: So often we settle for noise and movement from the movie screen, for stupid people indulging unworthy fantasies. Only rare movies like "Flirting" remind us that the movies are capable of providing us with the touch of other lives, that when all the conditions are right we can grow a little and learn a little, just like the people on the screen. This movie is joyous, wise and life-affirming, and certainly one of the year's best films.
- Another excellent portrait of relationships between teenagers (who are also outsiders) is the 1981 Scottish film "Gregory's Girl". and there's another excellent review by Roger Ebert. Here is a retrospective review from 2014 which also makes me want to see "Gregory's Girl" again, as does this (formerly on the Film4 website): … The film has fresh, no-nonsense performances and a script so rooted in truth that it seems to have materialized not been written. The strength is in the uncluttered presentation of this slight story of adolescent pangs (about both football and first love) that never veers over into passion. …. The comment about "a script so rooted in truth that it seems to have materialized not been written" could also have been said about "The World of Us"
- A wonderful film about the relationships between six somewhat older characters – five young women who have just graduated from school and (as acutely observed by a speaker at the 2016 London Korean Film Festival) Incheon, the city they live in – is the 2001 South Korean film "Take Care of My Cat". There's an informative Wikipedia article and, intriguingly, this fullwiki article is allegedly from Wikipedia but is actually even more informative! I first saw this film shortly after it was made and loved it: even the somewhat unsympathetic character of the five is a sympathetic character! In 2016 it was screened again in London, and I was more that somewhat worried that on re-seeing the film it wouldn't live up to my memories of it, but I was very relieved to find that my memories were broadly correct. Indeed the film exceeded them: for example, I recalled that the identical twins were somewhat subsidiary characters to the other three young women, but re-seeing the film I realised that they have more important roles than I remembered (this article captures my former view of the twins, is perceptive, and has several stills from the film.). Also the twins are ethnically Chinese, so in some ways even more outsiders than the other three. And "Take Care of My Cat" easily passes the Bechdel test: see this perceptive article by Adam Hartzell.
Films, plays, book which I thought of relating to the "politics of relationships" in "The World of Us"
"The World of Us" indirectly reminded me of a 1992 film from South Korea: "Our Twisted Hero", based on a short South Korean novel of the same name by Yi Munyol. (I've seen the film – IMDb – but I haven't read the novel.) Ostensibly this is a story about bullying in a boy's school of and by pupils aged maybe 15 or 16, but there is no doubt in my mind that it is really about adult politics in South Korea. And not just about South Korea – think carefully about what the film shows (and it really does "show, not tell"), and you realise it has a universal application to politics. (Yes, even here in the – for now – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.)
About two years ago (in 2014) I had no idea this novel and film existed, and the Korean Cultural Centre held a screening at SOAS. I arrived a little while after the screening started, but I rapidly decided this was an exceptional film, an impression which was strongly reinforced by the end of the screening.
The story (I'm describing the film, which seems to have a somewhat different ending to the novel) is of a 15 (or thereabouts) year old boy whose family moves to another town and he attends a school in that new town. He joins a class which is dominated by a boy who is a bully (even the teacher of the class is intimidated), and the new boy is bullied but tries to resist the bullying. Eventually he stops resisting, and is accepted by and joins the gang of bullies. A year goes by, and all the pupils move up a class. Their new teacher realises what is happening, and breaks up the gang and destroys the power of the chief bully and his accolytes. But: the film is told in flashback – the now grown-up new boy is attending the funeral of a former teacher, and eventually the now grown-up chief bully also (sort of) attends, and we discover that this bully has actually done rather well for himself in adult life.
Question: did the new teacher's reforms actually achieve much?
An even more important question: who is the "twisted hero" of the story? During and immediately after the screening I was sure that it was the new boy, who first resists the bullies, then joins them: not so heroic. I've seen a review suggesting that the twisted hero is the chief bully: I can see there's a sort of argument for that, but I mostly disagree. (Unless you think that it's heroic – albeit in a "twisted" way – to bully and succeed by trampling on people.) As I write this, I wonder if the new "reforming" teacher of the class is not also in a way a twisted hero: his reforms have an immediate effect, but the bully still eventually succeeds.
Indeed, maybe the twisted hero is the reader of the novel, the watcher of the film? Suppose I – or you, dear reader – had been an adult in, say, the regimes of Nazi Germany or Stalin's 1930s Soviet Union with the horrific "purges": would I – or you – have heroically resisted, or would I – or you – have been complicit by inaction. Worse: would I – or you – have collaborated with the regime in small (or large) ways simply to survive. (Like Winston Smith in George Orwell's "1984″ would I – or you – want someone else to suffer instead of me – or you?) Worse still, would I – or you – have actively joined with the regime to further my – or your – careers? I hope that, at least, I wouldn't have gone that far; but as for the "lesser" evils, who knows? In, for example, Nazi-occupied France in World War 2, there were heroic resisters, collaborators who were in sympathy with the Nazi philosophy, doubtless other collaborators who were just out for themselves, and the majority of the population who were unheroically somewhere on the spectrum between the heroes and the villains. (I'm not singling out France: if anyone seriously imagines that – for example – the British would have overall behaved much better than the French if Britain had been occupied by the Nazis then I suggest they think again. Fortunately the British were never put to that test.)
Put another way, who the twisted hero really is is – rightly – ambigous.
No character in "Our Twisted Hero" escapes censure. In that it is similar to a 2014 USA independent film "Dear White People" (well, actually there are two characters in "Dear White People", one major, one minor, who largely escape censure), a very intelligent, imaginative, angry, funny examination of racial politics in an American university. And it has an excellent music score, using European classical music, jazz and hip-hop to underline differences in the main characters. (I once mentioned this to a university lecturer on music, who intelligently asked if it was similar to Wagner's use of leitmotifs. Answer: sort of. In "Dear White People" styles of music are used instead of individual letimotif themes, but the actual music changes, which seems a quite close analogy to leitmotif. From Wikipedia: "the crucial aspect of a leitmotif – as opposed to the plain musical motif or theme – [is] that it is transformable and recurs in different guises throughout the piece in which it occurs".) If you haven't seen "Dear White People", please do so as soon as possible!
[BACK to the relationships in "The World of Us"]
Some related works on individual responsibility, using and abusing political systems, and what would I or you do:
- "Antigone", a 1944 play by Jean Anouilh – this isn't a simple heroine versus villain plot: King Creon (the "villain") has some very persuasive arguments – in the 1980s I saw an amateur performance which was one of the best things I have ever seen in a theatre.
- "The Ivankiad (or, The tale of the writer Voinovich's installation in his new apartment)", a short (144 pages) 1976 book by Vladimir Voinovich – I have called this one of the most important books of the 20th century: Voinovich shows (using humour, satire, and fantasy, and his own entirely legitimate quest for a larger apartment) the deep flaws in the Soviet Communist political system in the 1970s. The excellent English translation is currently out of print, but secondhand copies can be easily found by searching the internet. Here is another view on "The Ivankiad"
- "Good", a 1981 play by C P Taylor: "…it shows how John Halder, a liberal-minded professor whose best friend is the Jewish Maurice, could not only be seduced into joining the Nazis, but step-by-rationalised-step end up embracing the final solution justifying to his conscience the terrible actions…"
- "The Nasty Girl" (a more accurate translation of the original German title "Das schreckliche Mädchen" might be "The Terrible Girl"), a 1990 film. Question: is Sonja, the heroine of the film, a heroine? Maybe yes, maybe partly no. Put another way, is Sonja pursuing awkward truth purely selflessly, or has she an element of self-importance. With that in mind, consider review by Roger Ebert. After a reasonable summary of the plot, Ebert writes: "… It's the film's style that I object to. The story itself is fascinating, but the style seems to add another tone, a level of irony that is somehow confusing: Does Verhoeven see this as quite the cheery romp he pretends, or is there a sly edge to his method? As a rule I welcome stylistic experiments – most movies are much too straightforward – but this time I'm not sure the movie's odd tone adds anything. Realism might have worked better. The tone is most noticeable in the film's visual style, which uses obviously artificial sets and locations, and at times has its heroine walking in front of back-projected streets, or standing on pedestals in the embrace of the local statues. … as I watched the film, I found that the disparity between the subject and the style was so strange that it distracted from what the film was really about. …" That odd visual style is one of the things that make me like this film so much: it's "Brechtian alienation" (an interesting alternative explanation of "Brechtian alienation") makes the viewer think about my question "is the heroine of the film a heroine?". In other words, I think there is "a sly edge to his method" and that it's intentionally a much more interesting film than a simple "feel good" story of one good woman (or man) uncovering the truth against the odds.


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Become a Scout
Sports day
Our recruiting event at the beginning of the school year is Sports Day and usually takes place in September (see Calendar). During this event you will have the opportunity to meet with a unit leader, get questions answered, and fill out an application to join Scouting.
Apply Online
Before applying online, it's best to contact us first (simply e-mail us) to let us know you're interested in joining our Pack. Please note we prefer registering new scouts at the beginning of the academic year (activities run with the school year rather than the calendar year) because we do not pro-rate member dues.
Then you can register with the BSA at https://my.bsa.us/802paa0130mb. Note this link is specific to Pack 130.
- Choose New to scouting button on the left
- Choose Register a youth
- The form will ask for parent and child information
- Please complete the fields and you should receive a confirmation e-mail
- There is a registration fee ($11) at the end of the process
If you need tips to fill out the BSA form, please email us (the form was designed for US residents).
Annual dues
The online application fee is for BSA so you will need to pay your annual dues directly to the Pack. Member dues for 2019-20 are 325 CHF per scout. Please see financial FAQs for payment options.
Become a Leader
Ask any of our volunteers and they'll tell you, volunteering with Scouting is as rewarding to them as it is meaningful to the kids. Watching children grow is one thing — leading them through the process is a whole new experience altogether. Please see pack and den roles and current openings. If you're interested, please contact us.


text: This Nora Fleming Okey Dokey Artichokey Mini fits all Nora Fleming pieces. It's the perfect holiday addition to your Nora Fleming Collection! Each mini is hand-painted with care and concern for every detail. The interchangeable Nora Fleming minis, that are sold separately, allow you to use the same platter year round and just change out the mini.


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INFINITE H's "Sorry, I'm Busy" Regarded As Inappropriate for Broadcast by KBS
SWAG-tastic Voyage, Jan. 21, 2015, 9:56 a.m.
INFINITE's sub-group INFINITE H (Dongwoo & Hoya) released a new track, "Sorry, I'm Busy", and it has been categorized as inappropriate for broadcast by KBS.
According to the KBS music-review results on January 21st, the track "Sorry, I'm Busy" from INFINITE H's album "Fly Again" was seen as unsuitable for broadcast due to curse words, slang, and other vulgar language used for the lyrics. The group's title song "Pretty", however, was approved so fans will be able to fully enjoy the title track at the very least.
You heard it here at Koogle.tv!


text: Engineering You are here: Home > Business and Finance > Engineering Showing 2 links: Show 10152025303540 links, ordered by editor's priority newest last edited title ascending descending ⇅ Sort Mars International Mars International offers design for electrical & mechanical manufacturing-assembly, DFM-DFA, electronic PCB embedded systems, & SCM-VMI contract manufacturer mechanical-electrical components/assemblies. Providing unparalleled support & service thr Details | Visit Website | Report | Thomas Engineering Precision Metal Stamping Thomas Engineering offers rapid prototyping and precision metal stamping to customers around the world. We serve the electronics, medical, telecommunications, aerospace, and automotive industries, and more! Contact us in Minneapolis, MN. Details | Visit Website | Report |


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After a long wait, Sony Electronics has finally released its eBook reader app for Android devices. The eBook reader app has been designed with intuitive interface for users to read books on the mobile devices while on the go. The app allows the users to swipe to turn the page, make bookmarks and adjust the font size base on their experience. It supports eBooks in Epub and PDF formats as well as titles download from Sony's Reader Store.
Key features of the Sony Reader for Android includes:
- Adjustable font sizes to customize the users experience.
- Comes with 3 classic titles and 3 bestseller excerpts.
- Create and edit bookmarks and highlights.
- Synchronize the reading position, bookmarks and highlights to Reader Daily Edition™ (model PRS-950SC with firmware version 2.0).
- Get bestsellers and new releases from Reader Store.
- Access books purchased at Reader Store on Android phone devices.
- Choose more content from more places like the online Reader Store.
The Sony Reader app for Android is now available as a free download from Android market place or use the below QR code to download it.The app works well in Android 2.2 operating system.


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Six-hour installation? "The pedestrian walkway that collapsed Thursday in Miami, killing at least six people, was being built using a popular but relatively new bridge technology specifically designed to speed construction while maintaining safety."
U.K.: "Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson of Britain said on Friday that it was "overwhelmingly likely" that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia personally ordered the nerve agent attack against a former Russian spy this month."
In related news: "Aside from confirming it would expel some British diplomats, without giving the number, Russia has been coy about its potential responses."
The Pentagon's former Russia chief makes the case that the Trump administration's new Russia sanctions are "totally inconsequential."
E.U.: "The European Union on Friday made public a 10-page list of American products that are potential targets for retaliation if President Trump refuses to exempt the allied bloc from his new tariffs on steel and aluminum imports."
I hope you saw last night's TRMS coverage of this: "The Trump administration accused Russia on Thursday of engineering a series of cyberattacks that targeted American and European nuclear power plants and water and electric systems, and could have sabotaged or shut power plants off at will."
Iraq: "An American military helicopter crashed Thursday near the city of Qaim in western Iraq, killing some of the seven service members aboard, United States officials said."
Expect big ratings: "For a week, the world has waited: When would '60 Minutes' air its interview with porn star Stormy Daniels alleging an affair with President Trump? CBS has been silent. Now there is a planned date, March 25, according to two people familiar with the timing."


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- Complimentary Ski Days and Other Discounts Offered to Full Season Passholders at Silverton Mountain, Brundage and Red Lodge Mountain
- Resort's New Website Makes Trip Planning Simple: Improves Snow Reporting, Includes New Lodging Booking Widget to Secure Local AirBnB Accommodations
- New Seasonal Air Service into Reno-Tahoe International Airport Makes it Easy to Travel to Homewood
HOMEWOOD, Calif. – Sept. 5, 2017 – There's a lot to look forward to as the 2017-18 winter season approaches. At Lake Tahoe's Homewood Mountain Resort, environmentally-conscious snow grooming technology, new season pass perks and a new website that makes trip planning easy top the list of "what's new."
"We look forward to the return of winter, and to welcoming our guests back to Homewood," said Kevin Mitchell, general manager of Homewood Mountain Resort. "While our guests tell us they love the 'old Tahoe' charm of the resort, we've identified areas where we have opportunities to both enhance their experience and add value to their lift ticket or season pass purchases. We're excited to offer them access to Silverton, Brundage and Red Lodge Mountain this season, and to offering a high quality snow surface thanks to the addition of our new PistenBully snow groomer. As far as we're concerned, the snow can't start falling soon enough!"
Here's what's new for the 2017-18 winter season at Homewood Mountain Resort:
PistenBully 400 4F Snow Groomer Features Latest Emission Control Technology
To enhance the resort's snow grooming capabilities and offer skiers and riders access to impeccably groomed slopes, a new PistenBully 400 4F will join Homewood's fleet ahead of the 2017-18 winter season. The latest model from PistenBully offers high performance snow grooming functionality and achieves strict Tier 4 environmental emissions standards as stipulated by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Reciprocal Season Pass Benefits at Silverton, Brundage and Red Lodge
For the first time, Homewood Mountain Resort in Lake Tahoe, California and its sister resort, Red Lodge Mountain in Montana, have partnered with Silverton Mountain in Colorado to offer reciprocal season passholder benefits during the 2017-18 winter season. Homewood Mountain Resort and Red Lodge Mountain will provide 2017-18 full season passholders from Silverton Mountain with three days of complimentary, single-day lift tickets valid during the 2017-18 season with limited blackout dates. In return, Silverton Mountain will offer advanced and expert skiers and snowboarders with full season passes from Homewood and Red Lodge with one day of complimentary skiing or riding during its designated unguided season. Additional passholder benefits will also be offered during the season.
In addition, Brundage Mountain Resort in Idaho will offer five days of complimentary skiing or riding for Homewood full season passholders with no blackout day restrictions. For complete details, visit www.skihomewood.com.
SkiHomewood.com Reworked to Make Trip Planning Simple
Homewood Mountain Resort's new website, skihomewood.com, was reworked to make trip planning easy. Resort guests and those interested in learning more about the Lake Tahoe area resort will find easier website navigation, new weather and snow reporting tools which will be live before the start of the season, an updated events calendar, and a new lodging booking widget. In partnership with AirBnB, Homewood will also offer a new lodging booking widget that will make it easy to view and book available rental accommodations near the resort.
New Season Air Service Makes it Easy to Get Here
Airlines serving Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) have added several flights to their winter schedules to make it easier to get to Homewood Mountain Resort this winter. Increased air service from destinations including Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Long Beach and Minneapolis build on the existing 130 daily flights into Reno-Tahoe International Airport. Click here for current non-stop destinations. Reno-Tahoe International Airport is only an hour away from Homewood Mountain Resort.
New Environmental Initiatives
This season, both Homewood Mountain Resort and West Shore Cafe will participate in the Tahoe Fund's "Green Bucks" program. Guests will have the option of adding a $1 donation to the purchase of their lift ticket or restaurant bill. Proceeds from the Green Bucks program support the efforts of the Tahoe Fund and the Truckee River Watershed Council in their missions to improve conservation, recreation, and stewardship education throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin and the Truckee River Watershed.
For more information or to purchase an unrestricted season pass at Homewood Mountain Resort for the 2017-18 winter season, visit www.skihomewood.com.
About Homewood Mountain Resort
Located on the West Shore of Lake Tahoe, Homewood Mountain Resort has offered families a boutique winter experience and exceptional guest service since 1961. Spectacular views of Lake Tahoe from every trail, snowcat accessed terrain and some of the best tree skiing in the area make Homewood a gem of California skiing. Summer operations include hiking and mountain biking, special events and more. The resort's partnership with the Homewood High & Dry Marina has made it a true year-round destination offering recreational opportunities that span from Ellis Peak to the shore of Lake Tahoe. Learn more at www.skihomewood.com.
Media Contacts:
Lisa Nigon Jessica VanPernis Weaver
Homewood Mountain Resort & West Shore Café JVP Communications
(530) 584-6859 (530) 448-6981


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In the early 1900s, tulip growers realized the need for a classification system and so eventually the Classified List and International Register of Tulip Names was published by the Royal General Bulb Growers Association.
The tulips on this list that are the very earliest bloomers each year are referred to as the "Waterlily" tulips because of the shape of their flowers. They are classified as the Kaufmanniana type. They have short stems and large double flowers with slightly reflexed petals.
They are dependably perennial as long as no deer are around and combine well with early- and mid-season daffodils. When their flowers are fully open, the color at the base of the flowers is revealed and striking color combinations are seen. The foliage is short and sometimes mottled or striped and tolerates March's sometimes cruel winds.
There are also taller, single early tulips that are used both for forcing indoors and for outdoor borders. They have sturdy 10-18 inch stems, and one of the most popular varieties is 'Apricot Beauty'.
There are also exceptional double tulips that resemble peonies. These blooms are nice for forcing or for growing outdoors in beds, and the stems are only 8-12 inches high—so they are wind resistant and don't flop over.
Another early-blooming type of tulip is the Greigi (gree gee eye). It has short stems, handsome foliage, and large rich colored blossoms. 'Red Riding Hood' is one especially popular variety.


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LONDON (AP) — The Latest on Brexit (all times local):
2 p.m.
The European Parliament's chief Brexit official says the latest proposals from British Prime Minister Boris Johnson seeking a breakthrough in the stalled Brexit negotiations still fall well short of expectations on three key points.
Guy Verhofstadt said after a meeting with Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier that U.K. proposals on how to better deal with the border between Ireland, which is in the European Union, and the U.K.'s Northern Ireland do not preserve consumer safety, do not protect EU businesses and would not preserve peace in the volatile region.
He wrote on Twitter "so far UK proposals fall short on all 3 fronts."
9:05 a.m.
The European Union says it is still waiting for useful proposals to come from Britain to unblock stalled negotiations on Britain's departure terms from the bloc.
EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said Thursday that he is "still ready to work on any new legal and operational proposal" from British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, but indicated insufficient progress had been achieved in the past few weeks.
Barnier said "we are still waiting," underscoring the view that four papers over the past days fell far short to get real negotiations going again.
The EU already had a deal with the UK on departure terms but it was rejected in the British parliament. Johnson now wants to drastically renegotiate the agreement or leave without a deal on Oct. 31.
9 a.m.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing a backlash over his use of confrontational language in Parliament the day after suffering a broad defeat in the Supreme Court.
Johnson characterized an opposition bill mandating a Brexit extension as a "surrender bill," and brushed off concerns that his language might endanger legislators as "humbug."
Some in Parliament warned that his language was inflammatory and should be more cautious given the 2016 killing of legislator Jo Cox.
Cabinet minister Nicky Morgan tweeted that "we all need to remind ourselves of the effect of everything we say on those watching us."
Johnson was criticized by members of several parties and by Cox's widower.
Tempers have been inflamed in Parliament as the Oct. 31 Brexit deadline gets closer. Sessions will resume Thursday.


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Trick or Treatment - A Happy Hour Fundraiser for Access to Medicines
Start:Friday, October 11, 2019• 6:30 PM
End: Friday, October 11, 2019• 8:30 PM
Host Contact Info: firstname.lastname@example.com
High Drug Prices are Scary!
Come join UAEM students, staff and supporters in advance of our UCLA Fall Conference to learn about our current campaigns to make medicines affordable. Join us for some appetizers and a drink to hear from some of our team about how UAEM is making an impact at UCLA and beyond.
Spots are limited so get your ticket today! Please give generously! Your support goes a long way for a grassroots organization like ours.
We look forward to seeing you there. The more the merrier.


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Tim and Wilson's friendship is examined when Wilson wins $10,000 and decides to construct an elaborate greenhouse in his yard – which blocks the Taylor household's view. If an utility is allowed, the house owner will doubtless be required to execute an financial development settlement with the town prepared and accepted by the town lawyer.
Then there's Zachery Ty Brian. He hasn't accomplished any tv appearing since 2009, so there's at all times an opportunity that he's finished with the spotlight. But apparently, he has a job in a challenge referred to as Gods and Secrets and techniques and techniques , which is due out someday this 12 months, so he won't be as performed with appearing as his résumé would indicate.
Randy returns from Costa Rica for Christmas solely to discover the adjustments which have taken place in his absence and that life has gone on with out … Read More


text: 12 Jan 4 10 Tips To Create The Life You Want January 12, 2017 By Meditation Relax Club Wellness & Health 0 4 Are you feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and ready for the year ahead? If so, now is the perfect time to get your affairs in order and start living the life you truly deserve. To help you create the life you want and have you striving for personal growth and success in life, we've come up with 10 simple ways to achieve just that. 1. Align your dreams with your actions. If you want something, figure out how you're going to get it and write out a plan for how you'll get there. 2. Embrace new ways of thinking and new ideas. Once you open up your mind, opportunities will become endless. 3. Believe in your ability to be great, everything you will ever need lies within yourself. 4. Open your heart to love, kindness and acceptance. The more you love yourself and others, the happier your life will become. 5. Improve your attitude, once you start to see things positively you will realise how strong you are and what you are capable of. 6. Change the aspects of yourself or your life that you aren't happy with. Self improvement doesn't always happen overnight, but it's amazing where small steps can take you. 7. Trust in timing and believe that life will give you what you want if only you have a little patience. As the late George Michael would have said, you gotta have faith. 8. Go with the flow and the rhythm of life as much as possible. Follow every rainbow and weather every storm and whatever you do don't allow the bad times consume you. 9. Do everything with love and care and try to give people and projects your full attention. If you put your heart into everything you do, it is very difficult to find failure. 10. Value yourself above all else. Once you start treating yourself correctly, everything else will fall into place and you won't ever have a problem picking yourself up after a fall. We hope this is the year you create a life you truly love, it is never too late for new beginnings so why not start day one of your new life today. Share this:FacebookTwitterMorePinterestTumblrSkype change your life, create the life you want, personal growth, self improvement, success in life


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Nestled in the residential community of Lake Suzy, Kingsway is conveniently located less than a mile from I-75 (exit 170) just minutes away from Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte. Kingsway was recently ranked a Florida top 10 course by GolfNow.com player reviews.
Ron Garl, the original course designer and one of the foremost golf course architects in the industry, has made significant design improvements to what was already one of the finest golf courses in the area.
This championship par-72 layout is a challenging yet forgiving course incorporating rolling terrain, wide fairways, ample bunkers and spacious TifEagle greens. Challenges are abundant but with multiple tees, all golfers, regardless of skill level, can enjoy the experience.
Kingsway offers creative and flexible membership plans to suit any lifestyle. Come and explore why Kingsway Country Club is passionate about golf! For tee times, call 941-625-8898 to experience first hand all of the amenities the club has to offer. Wedding receptions, business meetings and parties can also be reserved by calling 941-276-534
I have played this course many times but it has never been better. This summer some of the tees were being redone and some greens were just ok. I have never seen greens with so tight a weave on the grass. Greens were fast but true. Play this when you can.
– Trip Advisor
Great course, great restaurant. Tight greens, runs true. Watch out for the gators – LOL. Great place for meetings, great bar and soup bar.
– Trip Advisor


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Just when you think you have it all together and you have this grief thing down pat and are in control, something happens and you melt.
Tonight was just such a time.
I met a wonderful group of women this evening. Some ladies in our town formed a small widows group. We met for the first time at a local restaurant and shared. We laughed, we hugged, we nodded at similar stories.
We acknowledged how we will be there for each other. We came from all walks of life. Working, retired; newly widowed, widowed several years - and more.
In the parking lot we waved good-bye and said we looked forward to the next get-together.
I felt good about new friends, new support.
I can do this.
And then -
and then -
On the way home a song came on Pandora ["I Will See You Again" by Westlife] and I cried all the way home.
Not just a little teary.
Big ugly sobbing tears running down my cheeks crying.
The crying will never end.
The missing will never end.
And it's okay.
I miss you, John.
Today I am one day closer to being back with you again.


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Joint Statement on Meeting with FBI Director Robert Mueller
In a continuing effort to address concerns related to inflammatory training material, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently met with community and interfaith organizations to provide an update on steps taken by the agency to rectify the matter. On Wednesday, February 8, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), the Arab American Institute (AAI), Interfaith Alliance, the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), Muflehun, the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), and the Shoulder-to-Shoulder campaign had an opportunity to discuss the matter with the Public Affairs Office of the FBI. Director Robert Mueller joined the meeting to discuss these matters with the representatives from the organizations.
The conversation with Director Mueller centered on material used by the agency that depicts falsehoods and negative connotations of the Muslim American community. The use of the material was first uncovered by Wired Magazine in an article published on September 14, 2011. Director Mueller informed the participants that the FBI took the review of the training material very seriously, and he pursued the matter with urgency to ensure that this does not occur again in the future.
Abed Ayoub, ADC Legal Director, stated, "The steps taken by the FBI in addressing this serious matter are certainly welcomed. It is our hope that the Bureau continues to engage with stakeholders in addressing all issues of concern, and continues to work towards resolving these concerns."
The Director also informed participants that to date, nearly all related FBI training materials, including more than 160,000 pages of documents, were reviewed by subject matter experts multiple times. Consequently, more than 700 documents and 300 presentations of material have been deemed unusable by the Bureau and pulled from the training curriculum. Material was pulled from the curriculum if even one component was deemed to 1) include factual errors, 2) be in poor taste, 3) be stereotypical, or 4) lack precision.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to share with Director Mueller other matters of concern to community members. Issues related to privacy, including the surveillance of mosques, were discussed. It was clear to all meeting participants that the issue of trust between community members and the FBI needs to be taken seriously by all of our nation's decision-makers. It was also evident that the Bureau must strengthen its efforts to build trust. The Director has testified before Congress about the invaluable contribution that the Muslim community makes to our nation's security, noting a recent bomb plot in Tampa, FL that was foiled thanks to a joint effort by the FBI and the local Muslim community.
The changes proposed by the FBI to the training modules are a welcomed first step in ensuring that such a mistake does not occur again in the future. The group asked the FBI Director to issue a formal statement on this matter acknowledging the negative impact of these training materials on the Muslim community. Representatives from the community and interfaith organizations also stressed the importance of transparency by the Bureau in dealing with these matters, and suggested that a committee of community leaders and experts be assembled to review training material issued by the FBI. Meeting participants requested that the training process be open and transparent moving forward, and requested future meetings with Director Mueller to continue the conversation.


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Healing Balm Pro Tips!
Hello leather aficionados! We've been receiving a lot of questions about this recently, so today's blog is all about giving you a double-decker helping of know-how for the where and when to Healing Balm. Should I use Healing Balm on my purse? On my couch? On leather that was conditioned last month, or last decade? Read on!
Healing Balm is, first and foremost, a heavy-duty restoration formula. What this is means is that if you have leather that's been heavily scratched up, is dry to the point of cracking, has been neglected for years, or has similar ailments of greater disrepair – Healing Balm is the right formula for the job. This formula has a thick, paste-like consistency that designed to focus on leather's surface aesthetic better than regular conditioners, and fill leather's pores with dense, bountiful amounts of conditioner to get its texture back on track.
All of this said, Healing Balm will function a little bit differently than regular leather conditioners (like Leather Care Liniment or Furniture Treatment). Regular leather conditioners – of which Healing Balm is not one – are all about slowly filling up leather's pores with gentle amounts of thin, cream-like formula that aim to soften and nourish your leather below its pores first, and fix its surface second. Because regular conditioners have a much softer consistency than Healing Balm – as they need to work on as many leather types as possible – they are less effective at fixing things like scratches and cuts you'll find on leather's surface. It is for this task that Healing Balm exists to excel.
That's not to say Healing Balm cannot be used for everyday leather conditioning. Time and again Healing Balm has been tested on leather ranging from purses to car seats, to great results (and accolades). Healing Balm is a great conditioner for your leather, be it a few days old or a few decades, brand new or tearing itself to pieces from neglect. However, this formula is best suited for full grain leather items, and if you plan to use it on leather that isn't already pretty dry or in poor condition, your leather will greatly benefit if you follow these guidelines:
Might Makes Delight – The tougher your leather, the better Healing Balm's results will be. This means full grain leathers, finished leathers, cowhide, etc. For more information about leather makes and how to find out what kind you have, visit our blog: Identify Leather Types: Leather Cuts.
You Can Add More, But You Can't Add Less – Healing Balm can darken your leather. This can best be avoided by using Healing Balm gently, and testing it first in a discreet area. It your leather is unfinished, is is important to test the recipe first in multiple discreet areas on your leather, as the formula may absorb differently in different places, depending on the grain.
Too Much of a Good Thing – Healing Balm can give your leather a tacky or dull finish if you aren't careful. This happens when leather is exposed to too much conditioner at once, and the oils become blocked up as they try to travel down the leather's pores. Because Healing Balm's paste-like consistency is designed to better adhere to leather's surface, helping it to treat scratches and cuts and other surface deformities better than other conditioners, it is easier to wind up with a tacky finish using Healing Balm than other leather conditioners. If you put too much Healing Balm on your leather, it will mess up its surface (read about how to fix tacky leather here). You can prevent pore blockage from happening by applying your conditioner in light, even layers, giving only as much conditioner as naturally absorbs at a time.
Two are Better Than One! – Healing Balm works really well as a supplement. When you have wounded leather that's suffered a recent nasty scratch or has simply been neglected for too long, use Healing Balm to nurse it back to health. After the leather's back in form, revert to a gentler formula, like Leather Care Liniment or Furniture Treatment, when performing routine conditioning. These formulas are designed to maintain everyday leather, and will be easier to use for this task.
Knowledge is Power – Read our Healing Balm Guide for more detailed information and purchasing recommendations, or send us a message through our customer service channel. We love hearing from you!
We'd also like to clear up another question we've gotten recently. A number of customers have inquired whether Healing Balm is mostly made from coconut oil. While we don't usually articulate on the ingredients used in our recipes (they are secret recipes!), we can tell you a few things.
Healing Balm is designed from a variety of ingredients, and less than 50% of the formula is made from coconut oil. The coconut oil we do use is 100% extra virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil, which is the highest grade available on the market, and is not processed – which is why the recipe's serenade your nose so well! In fact, it's the stuff used by top chefs around the world! The rest of the formula which is not coconut oil is composed of distinct, all-natural, cosmetic grade ingredients that combine with the coconut oil to create a unique recipe, highly optimized to condition leather and restore aesthetic.
Hope you all find this post enlightening! May Healing Balm bring you good times and rich leather for years to come!


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Large number of records in ABC01 z07a after implementing a new service pack
- Article Type: General
- Product: Aleph
- Product Version: 21
- Relevant for Installation Type: Dedicated-Direct; Direct; Local; Total Care
Problem Symptoms:
After implementing Service Pack 21.1.3. and loading data there are thousands of records in the z07a table waiting to be processed by run_e_01_word. This is more than before when loading comparable mounts of data.
Service Pack 21.1.3 is including rep_change #002411
Description: expand_doc_bib_accref - When two or more headings of the same index exist for the same BIB field, the expand program does not always work properly.
Solution: This has been corrected.
Rep_change #002411 may be related to the observation that Z07A records are processed slower than before.
Due to the correction it may be that now more information is expanded (properly) and therefore the word index process is busier than before.
Before this fix some information may be missing in the word index so the current behavior is correct.
Category: Background processing
Subject: Indexing (500) - ALEPH
- Article last edited: 12/18/2014