The county is situated on a wide coastline with over 29 miles (47 km) of beaches.

(meta data) TITLE: Fun Outdoor Things To Do In Santa Cruz

If it's outdoor adventure you seek, Santa Cruz has a lot to offer.

The following listings of beaches, whale watching, birding, fishing, horseback riding, and surfing opportunities aim to provide the kind of info you need to choose the outing for you.

Santa Cruz County offers 29 miles of beaches from which to choose.

If you are visiting the city for just a few days, try only the best ones.

If you're not from the area, its helpful to know that one stretch of sand may go by two or three names.

Our list of the following 20 beaches uses the official names – the ones you'll find on area signs.

However, if you ask a local for directions, you may learn a few of the other names for your destination.

Santa Cruz invites you down to Cowell Beach whether you want a nice place to walk the dog or you want to learn to the sport of surfing.

This beach features the boardwalk, the wharf, volleyball, frisbee, jogging, close to downtown, and it's equipped with lifeguards in summer.

Portions are available to rent for casual weddings, corporate beach parties.

Visit www.santacruzparksandrec.com or call 831.420.5270 for more information.

Famous for elephant seal viewing opportunities, tours available Dec. 15 – Mar. 31.

For reservations call 800.444.4445. April 1 – Nov 30, self-guided access by permit only (you can get this at the park).

For more information, visit http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=523

Upscale, old world beach in Capitola Village along the well- known Esplanade.

Great for a day of shopping or a walk along the beach after a lovely evening meal. http://www.ci.capitola.ca.us/

Once a thriving whaling town, this protected cove is less crowded than other Santa Cruz County beaches.

This popular tourist dining spot is loved by locals for the surfing, windsurfing, and kite flying.

Davenport Landing is a great place for an evening picnic as you watch the sun set.

Wheelchair accessible ramps & restrooms. http://www.scparks.com/beaches_coastalaccess.html tel: 831.454.7956

East Cliff Drive offers 13 spots for beach and point access.

Enjoy surf fishing, hiking, bird watching (with seasonal viewing of Turkey Vultures and Black Oystercatchers), whale watching, or some scuba diving, though locals report it is challenging.

The park features a paved parking lot, family picnic area, and nature trails.

View area and public restrooms offer wheelchair access.

Enjoy beautiful views, sand, and sunshine.

Beach access includes walk on long stairs- important to keep in mind if you're traveling with children because the bathrooms are at the top.

Parking fees – self-registration every day.

Breathtaking ocean views from the bluffs; enjoy surf fishing, surfing, and other beach activities.

64 walk-in, tent-only campsites, showers (camping showers are 25 cents; bring quarters), day-use restrooms available.

This 9.2 acre regional park provides beach access, picnicking, surfing and fishing.

Great spot for bird watchers, whale watchers, or seal watchers.

This beach, with its famous natural bridge, offers a picnic area off the main parking lot in a eucalyptus and pine tree grove.

Tables, barbecues, water faucets and restroom facilities are also available.

Make sure to bring a little cash for the day-use parking fee.

Seacliff Trail goes from New Brighton State Beach to Seacliff State Beach- 3 miles round trip.

Palm State Beach is a popular day use area with a wide beach, perfect for a long stroll or a day in the sun.

Go fishing, swimming, picnicking, or walking with your dog (must be leashed).

Picnic tables, BBQs, restrooms, outdoor showers.

One of the most picturesque points on the West Coast, this coastal access point is a popular Santa Cruz surf spot.

Pleasure Point Beach is very clean and rarely crowded.

Wear proper shoes that will help you climb over wet rocks before reaching the sand, or take the newer concrete stairs that take you right down to the beach area. Off- leash dogs allowed.

A wide strip of clean sand with nearby shopping and restaurants.

Harbor Beach is a beautiful beach located next to Santa Cruz Harbor and Twin Lakes State Beach.

It has volleyball courts and catamaran storage, with restaurants & shops located nearby. http://www.santacruzharbor.org/harborCams/harborBeach.html

A long sandy beach between the Boardwalk and the Santa Cruz Harbor.

Rock wall makes it more secluded than its location seems.

Fire rings available for bonfires, but arrive early to get a spot as it gets crowded on the weekends.

Restrooms and outdoor showers. http://www.thatsmypark.org/cp-parks-beaches/seabright-state-beach/

Home of the S. S. Palo Alto ("The Cement Boat")- the most famous concrete ship on the west coast.

This long stretch of sand has great accessible facilities including picnic areas, multiple BBQ pits (bring foil), and RV camping.

Camping reservations suggested year-round.

Clean restrooms with coin operated showers (25 cents for 2 minutes).

$10 parking; not very close to eating establishments, so it's a good idea to bring drinks and snacks along. http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=544 (831) 763-7062

Beautiful beach with a lighthouse and a gorgeous view.

No dogs are allowed off-leash because of the shore birds that feed here.

Outdoor showers and restrooms are available.

Enjoy a nighttime bonfire to top off a perfect beach evening.

This windy beach is known worldwide as one of THE spots for windsurfing and kite surfing.

The steady strong North West winds and good surf provide ideal conditions for this demanding sport.

Surfers, hang gliders, kite surfers, windsurfers & tide pool explorers also frequent this spot.

Spectacular cliffs, free parking. http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=863

Whale watching is especially fun in the in the Monterey Bay area.

Seven different species of whales and seven different species of dolphin & porpoise visit the area year-round.

The humpback whale is the most common whale found out of Santa Cruz, seen usually from April through November.

Then, from December through April, over 20,000 gray whales pass through the waters off Santa Cruz.

Stagnaro Charters has a new passenger yacht and a 95% success rate with whales and dolphins.

The narrated 3-4 hour trip runs year round and includes as much marine life as possible.

Come aboard the 70-foot luxury sailing yacht to experience the perfect excursion.

With Chardonnay II Sailing Charters, you can enjoy a myriad number of trip types, including Afternoon Pizza, Fireworks, Champagne Brunch, Sunday Sushi, Whale Watching, Sunset Sail, and so many more.

Whether you're new to sailing or a seasoned adventurer, Chardonnay II has much to choose from.

Whale watching tour includes complimentary Champagne, orange juice, coffee, fresh pastries, and fresh seasonal fruit.

During the months of March, April and May Kayak Connection paddles out into the bay to view the California gray whale on its trip to Alaska.

The whales usually have their calves with them and the journey to their northern home is often slower and closer to shore, allowing easier views.

Kayak Connection can make no guarantees of whale sightings but they do guarantee a good time!

When: 8:30 am, every Sunday during March, April and May

Note from the harbor: the docks at Santa Cruz Harbor were severely weakened and damaged by the March 11, 2011 tsunami are particularly vulnerable in the heavy swell and surge conditions typical of winter.

If you plan to visit this winter, use caution dockside, watch for potential hazards, and report any issues to the harbor office at (831) 475-6161.

Santa Cruz Harbor is a full-service marina with charters offering sailing, fishing, whale watching, eco-tours, kayaking and more.

If you'd rather stay on land, enjoy restaurants, beach, RV park and retail shops.

Choose from a 2 hour or all day guided kayaking tour.

View all sorts of sea life including sea otters, seals, dolphins and whales.

This world famous public garden houses plant collections from Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and California attracting birds of all kinds.

A complete list of visiting avians can be found at http://arboretum.ucsc.edu/visit/bird-list/

The Big Basin Redwoods State Park's 2,000 year-old redwoods offer a haven for bird watchers.

Their 80 miles of trails offer opportunities for both self- guided and guided walks.

Leashed dogs are allowed on paved roads only.

3) Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve

Elkhorn Slough tops the list for bird watching sites in the western United States.

More than 340 species visit or have settled in this relatively small space.

Five miles of trails offer opportunities to view oak woodlands, grasslands, fresh & saltwater marshes, and seasonal wildlife.

A birding guide is available: http://www.elkhornslough.org/sloughlife/birds/birding_guide.htm

4) Santa Cruz Bird Club; Wetlands of Watsonville Nature Center

Offers exhibits on wetlands animals & history, family activities, bird watching, and more.

A wooden pontoon walkway and trail system allows bird watchers access around the refuge as they seek mallard and wood ducks, pied billed grebes, a multitude of coots, the world's meanest geese, along with several varieties of fish and the occasional great blue heron or hawk.

Park open from 7 until dusk when gates are locked.

No dogs allowed in wildlife refuge area.

Over 8 miles of hiking trails provide access to a working, organic farm and wilderness area.

Trails vary in difficulty and length so both beginners and advanced hikers are welcome.

If you are looking for longer hikes, Hidden Villa's trails connect seamlessly with the Rancho San Antonio trail system.

Big Basin Redwoods State Park is California's oldest state park.

The 2,000 year-old redwoods house 80 miles of trails for hiking.

The Skyline Trail runs parallel to Skyline Boulevard and thus the ridge of the Santa Cruz range in a lush and mossy forest.

This picturesque location is great for both hiking and biking along gentle rises and falls.

The 32 miles of hiking and horseback riding trails feature views that are postcard perfect.

With four trails to choose from, this spot can't be beat for hiking.

The shorter Redwood Grove Nature Trail takes you among one of the best first- growth redwood groves in Southern California.

River trail travels along the east bank of the San Lorenzo intersecting Eagle Trail which leads out of the redwood forest along Eagle Creek.

Pine Trail leads up to the observation deck, and River Trail's steep decent takes you back to the picnic areas.

5) Wilder Ridge Trail, Wilder Ranch State Park

This 7.7 mile multi-use trail is most popular with cyclists, but offers a moderately easy hike on dirt trails and fire roads.

Restrooms and drinking water at trailhead.

BMX bike park with a variety of jumps and trick elements.

2) The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park – Five Finger Falls Bike & Hike

Great for those who like combo trips, this trail is part biking, part hike with the goal of reaching Five Finger Falls.

This 7.7 mile moderately easy trail ascends about 900 gradual feet in all.

Reviews of the hike note that it is nice any time, but best in early spring.

All trails are multi-use, except for the path on the south side of CA 1, which is closed to equestrians.

Offering ocean beach rides on Monterey Bay.

Accommodates riders age 8 and up; call in advance to schedule your ride.

$65 and up; price contingent on the number of riders and the length of the ride.

Riding lessons also offered at $35 and up.

Horseback riding lessons offered to kids and adults of all experience levels.

Located on the Mitchell Ranch in Watsonville, CA.

Ride and experience the beauty of Pebble Beach.

The approximately hour long rides are offered to those age 7 and up, departing year-round, seven days a week at 10:00am, 12:00pm, 2:00pm and 3:30pm.

Lessons, horse riding camps, and horse shows also offered.

Fishing excursions feature sand dab, salmon, cod, and albacore.

Charted trips available for salmon, halibut, tuna, lingcod, sea bass and rockcod.

Tours start at $130/ person or $650/ boat of 6 max.

Charter includes rod, reel, bait, tackle kit and parking pass.

All you need to bring is food, beverages and a fishing license.

This charter company owned and operated by a certified U.S. Coast Guard Captain offers a variety of fishing opportunities.

During the spring months, they generally fish for near- shore species like salmon, rock cod and halibut.

During summer they target offshore albacore tuna.

Group prices available, call for individual rates.

1) DeLaveaga Golf Course & Driving Range

Perched atop the hills surrounding Santa Cruz, this 18-hole championship golf course offers spectacular views, tree- lined fairways, deep canyons, and the infamous 10th hole.

Full-service golf shop, restaurant, cocktail lounge and night-lighted driving range.

Built by world renowned golf architect, Alister MacKenzie, this semi-private top 100 course opens certain tee times for public play.

Green fees up to $250; spectacular views of Monterey Bay.

Located on the rolling hills of the northern Monterey peninsula, this classic course offers 18 holes with the sound of ocean waves in your ears.

Also houses a well stocked pro shop, driving range, and 2 practice putting greens.

#### If you are interested in golf, you may appreciate also our local golf course guide & review and Santa Cruz Disc golf courses and guide.

Offers lessons in the full surfing experience by pro surfer Bud Freitas: standing up and riding the waves, ocean safety, surfing etiquette, and ocean knowledge critical to the sport.

http://www.surfschoolsantacruz/ – The top Santa Cruz surf lessons

Santa Cruz's original surf school has taught thousands with techniques that guarantee students will surf on their first day.

Cowell's Beach is the best spot in Santa Cruz for beginner surfers.

$80 includes a board and wetsuit for the day and two hours of instruction.

Learn from an internationally renowned big wave rider with 40 years surfing experience.

Group, semi-private, and private lessons available.

See website for varying rates, $80 and up.

Surfers coming to Santa Cruz may be interested also in the list of Santa Cruz surf shops.

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### What To Do In Santa Cruz? Follow Us To Find Out!

Whether you are traveling and seek personal services during your stay, or you are a local in search of a spa or gym to meet your needs, you've found the spot.

Santa Cruz has a wide variety of spas, gyms, and fitness centers for serious athletes, beginners, families, children, and anyone in between.

Do you seek a brief respite from the daily routine?

Do you need to make a change toward a healthier lifestyle?

This collection of the best Santa Cruz health clubs and spas in the area will set you on your way.

If you have children, you know the importance of keeping them busy and entertained.

Here is a collection of the best, family- friendly places in the Santa Cruz area.

Which is the most child friendly beach, with restrooms close at hand?

Where can you find a whale's skeleton, or take a train ride along the beach?

Do you know the best place to go berry picking, or where to find the coolest petting zoo?

Which whale watching tour has the most patient staff?

No matter the type of outing you seek, this collection of things to do in Santa Cruz for kids is sure to have just what you're looking for.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 607 square miles (1,570 km), of which 445 square miles (1,150 km) is land and 162 square miles (420 km) (27%) is water. It is the second-smallest county in California by land area and third-smallest by total area. Of California's counties, only San Francisco is physically smaller.


The miniseries tells the story of Olivia Newton-John, an Australian singer, songwriter and actress.

(meta data) TITLE: Delta Goodrem set to release 'I Honestly Love You' - Sony Music Australia

# Delta Goodrem set to release 'I Honestly Love You'

## The companion album to the upcoming TV eventOlivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted To YouSet to air on the Seven Network soon

## AVAILABLE TO PRE ORDER NOW FOR MAY 11 RELEASE –http://smarturl.it/DG.IHonestlyLoveYou

Announced yesterday on her socials, multiple ARIA award winner & multiplatinum singer/ songwriter Delta Goodrem will release I HONESTLY LOVE YOU on Friday May 11th, the companion album to the upcoming Seven Network's television event Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted To You.

I HONESTLY LOVE YOU is available to pre order now, with Delta also revealing the first track from the album, a special duet with Olivia Newton-John on 'Love Is A Gift'.

Go behind the scenes of the recording session with Delta and Olivia HERE.

Featuring songs from all pivotal moments of Olivia Newton-John's prestigious career, including songs from the films Grease and Xanadu, I HONESTLY LOVE YOU also features two stunning duets from Olivia Newton-John and Delta Goodrem – 'Love is a Gift' and 'Let Me Be There'.

In Australia, 'Physical' was a #1 ARIA Single; in the U.S, it was a US Billboard Hot 100 Single for 10 weeks and is certified 2x platinum; 'Hopelessly Devoted to You' was nominated for an Oscar for 'Best Original Song'; 'You're The One That I Want' has become one of the best-selling singles of all time, with over 6 million units sold worldwide; and 'Magic' was a #1 US Billboard Hot 100 Single for 4 weeks.

"I couldn't think of anyone better to play my life," states Newton-John.

"I respect Delta as a person and as an artist.

I love her voice; she has an amazing range, and whoa, she does things vocally that just take my breath away.

"When we wrote 'Love Is A Gift', we wrote it as a love song.

Now, when [Delta and I] sing it, it's about friendship and love between friends.

And so it still has the same meaning; it's just a different time for the song."

"Having Olivia as a friend for all these years has been such an incredible gift.

From a young age, she was an artist I admired and looked up to," Delta reveals.

On the song, 'Love Is A Gift', Goodrem states, "I love the sentiment of this song – the lyrics just hit me and the simplicity of the message saying love is a gift."

Delta Goodrem has amassed a multitude of hits and achievements during her career.

The talented performer has achieved in excess of 23 x platinum sales, 4 #1 albums, 9 #1 singles, 17 top 10 hits, 16 ARIA Awards, a Silver Logie Award & 3 World Music Awards.

Having achieved multi-platinum-selling status, over 8 million records sold worldwide and started her own label imprint with Sony Australia, The House of Oz Records, the gifted singer, songwriter, performer and pianist has, for the past 15 years, provided a soundtrack to the lives of a generation of music fans in Australia, the U.K., and around the world.

Goodrem made her theatre debut in the highly acclaimed Australian production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's CATS in 2015.

Goodrem has also featured in the iconic Australian TV series, Neighbours, is currently mentoring for her seventh season as a coach on The Voice Australia and most recently performed 'Welcome To Earth' at the 2018 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony, a song she wrote to commemorate the event.

WATCH DELTA GOODREM & OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN RECORD TOGETHER ON 'LOVE IS A GIFT' –

You're the One That I Want (feat. Dan Sultan)

Let Me Be There (Delta Goodrem & Olivia Newton-John)

Love is a Gift (Delta Goodrem & Olivia Newton-John)

CONNECT WITH DELTA GOODREM: www.deltagoodrem.com

#### Samantha Jade releases her new album 'Best Of My Love'

"I Honestly Love You" is the soundtrack to the Australian biographical miniseries "Olivia: Hopelessly Devoted to You", the first part of which screened on the Seven Network on 13 May 2018, with the second part to air on 20 May 2018.


The soundtrack was released on CD, digitally, and as a limited 3xLP on purple vinyl.

(meta data) TITLE: 'Lost River' soundtrack coming to vinyl ‹ Modern Vinyl

(meta data) PUBLISHER: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Modern-Vinyl/179408782168121

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The Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/web/20150921030238/http://modern-vinyl.com/2015/05/11/lost-river-soundtrack-coming-to-vinyl/

# 'Lost River' soundtrack coming to vinyl

The soundtrack to the Ryan Gosling-directed film, Lost River, by Johnny Jewel, is coming to vinyl.

The pressing will be a 3xLP set, on 180-gram purple vinyl.

You can see the entire vinyl tracklisting, below.

1. Tell Me (Featuring Saoirse Ronan) – Johnny Jewel

2. Yes (Love Theme From Lost River) – Chromatics

5. The Big Bad Wolf (Featuring Rob Zabrecky) – Johnny Jewel

6. Cool Water (Featuring Ben Mendelsohn) – Johnny Jewel

7. Deep Purple – Billy Ward & His Dominoes

8. Bullytown (Featuring Matt Smith) – Johnny Jewel

11. A Bloody Good Time (Featuring Eva Mendes & Landyn Stewart) – Johnny Jewel

14. Barnum's Steam Calliope (Featuring Matt Smith) – Sunset Four

18. Deep Purple (Featuring Mary Dugan) – Larry Clinton

19. The Goddess Of Gore (Featuring Rob Zabrecky) – Johnny Jewel

25. Tell Me (Jukebox Version) – Johnny Jewel

24. Burning Houses (Featuring Reda Kateb) Johnny Jewel

27. Communion (Featuring Rob Zabrecky) – Johnny Jewel

30. Deep Purple (Reprise) – Larry Clinton

33. Rat, Face, & Bully (Featuring Saoirse Ronan & Matt Smith) – Johnny Jewel

37. Yes (Lullaby From Lost River) – Chromatics

You can stream the entire score as well.

Chris Lantinen is the owner and editor-in-chief of Modern Vinyl.

Along with his modest collection of sad sounding records, he collects his share of soundtracks and previously adored indie up-and-comers.

Chris is currently a professor of journalism and public relations at Edinboro University in the Erie, Pennsylvania area.

SpaceLab9 releasing 'Addams Family' vinyl

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'Jodorowksy's Dune' score coming to vinyl

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'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.' score coming to vinyl

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The musical score for "Lost River" was composed by Johnny Jewel.
 The first official tease of the film's music came on February 3, 2015 when Chromatics issued a single for their song, "Yes (Love Theme from Lost River)," which is featured in the film. Jewel released the soundtrack album on his own label, Italians Do It Better, on March 30, 2015. The soundtrack features music from the score, as well as songs from the film by Glass Candy, Chromatics, Desire, and Symmetry, as well as songs sung by Saoirse Ronan and Ben Mendelsohn, who star in the film. The song 'Tell Me', sung by Ronan, was featured in the first episode of the 2017 television series "Riverdale".


The eyeglasses, based on a design by Joshua Silver,  can be adjusted by users to address vision problems without consulting optometrists, who are in short supply in many areas.

(meta data) TITLE: Self-Adjusted Glasses Could Be Boon to Africa - The New York Times

(meta data) PUBLISHED DATETIME: 2002-12-10

Skip to contentSkip to site indexHealthLog InToday's PaperHealth|Self-Adjusted Glasses Could Be Boon to Africa

# Self-Adjusted Glasses Could Be Boon to Africa

Dec 10, 2002See the article in its original context from December 10, 2002, Section F, Page 6Buy

Agogo is a lovely town in central Ghana, surrounded by hills and lush forests.

But many lifelong residents don't know that.

''I have patients here who have never been able to see the mountains,'' said Dr. Ababio-Danso, the lead ophthalmologist at Agogo's hospital.

''You give them glasses, they look out in the distance, and they're amazed.''

He says he often sees patients who are unaware that they have a problem despite 20/200 vision, the threshold for legal blindness in the United States.

Uncorrected poor vision is one of the most pressing problems in the developing world.

The World Health Organization estimates that 180 million people -- 90 percent of them in poorer countries -- suffer serious visual impairments.

''I have met with farmers who can't tell maize from grass and fisherman who can't fix their nets,'' said Agnes Addo-Mensah, who runs an adult education program through Ghana's Ministry of Education.

The percentage of people in Ghana with vision problems roughly equals the percentage in the United States, according to John Randall, an American-trained optometrist who teaches at the University of Science and Technology in Kumasi.

But in Ghana, as in other developing countries, poor vision is far more likely to be caused by poor nutrition or by illnesses like trachoma, a bacterial disease that slowly causes blindness.

In developed countries like the United States, it is relatively easy to find an eye doctor and good glasses.

In Ghana, there are about 50 optometrists for a population of nearly 20 million, and the per capita income is less than a dollar a day.

Getting glasses can take a week's travel and several months' wages.

Now an Oxford University physicist has developed a novel remedy and is trying it out in Ghana on the advice of the World Health Organization: eyeglasses that allow wearers to correct their own vision with no need for an optometrist.

The physicist, Dr. Joshua Silver, calls them adaptive glasses.

Their lenses are filled with silicone oil and form a chamber bounded by polyester film.

Turning a knob on a small frame-mounted pump changes the amount of oil in the lens, altering the curvature of the lenses and, therefore, the power of the glasses.

Users adjust the oil levels on each side until they can see clearly, a process that takes about 30 seconds.

The glasses do not correct astigmatism, but they are effective against nearsightedness and farsightedness.

Citing W.H.O. data, Dr. Silver estimates that all but about 15 percent of potential patients can be treated with his glasses.

The idea of fluid-filled lenses has existed since the 18th century, says Dr. Silver, but until now there has never been a model in wide use.

''I started working on this idea for glasses in the mid-80's out of curiosity'' he said.

''Then I realized, if I could make something that could help a billion people, I ought to just go out and try to do it.''

Dr. Silver, 56, has formed a company, Adaptive Eyecare, and says it will sell the glasses to Ghana at $10 a pair.

The Ghanaian Health Ministry says it is interested in buying 400,000 pairs but does not have money in its budget to pay for them, so it is seeking funds from the World Bank.

Some doctors in Ghana are enthusiastic about the new glasses.

''Imagine all the kids who will be able to see the blackboard with this,'' said Dr. Kweku Ghartey, who left Ghana in the 1960's out of fear of political persecution, eventually went to Harvard and became one of Boston's leading retinal surgeons before recently returning to his homeland.

''They will prevent some people from coming to the hospital, where we might discover more serious problems,'' said Dr. Samuel Asiedu, general secretary of the Ghana Optometrists Association.

Dr. Ababio-Danso, the ophthalmologist in Agogo, also notes that many Ghanaians are unfamiliar with glasses and do not know how to care for them or clean them.

Nor is it clear how durable the glasses will be, or how long they will retain their prescriptive power, since the oils or the shape may deteriorate over time.

Still, many eye experts say it is hard to see how these glasses can be worse than the current alternatives, given that eye care now is virtually nonexistent.

Many Ghanaians refuse to see doctors and dismiss poor eyesight as just one indicator of kookoo, a mysterious catchall sickness that supposedly causes disorders as diverse as cataract problems and impotence.

In Patriensa, for example, 15 miles from the Agogo hospital, few villagers wear glasses or have had their vision checked.

Mary Agykpomaa -- an indigenous healer at the bottom of a steep hill who claims to be able to cure AIDS with a potion concocted from local forest leaves, mud and boiling water -- has a similar cure for bad eyesight.

''It's not the eye, but it's usually something in the head,'' she said recently, as a helper burned a snake in the background, and she rubbed her potion on an injured man's grotesquely swollen ankle.

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A version of this article appears in print on , Section F, Page 6 of the National edition with the headline: Self-Adjusted Glasses Could Be Boon to Africa.

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The organization consists of four legal entities. Kopernik Global, responsible for general strategy, is registered as Kopernik Solutions in New York State; Yayasan Kopernik operates in Indonesia as a government-registered foundation; PT Kopernik, a company based in Indonesia, provides consulting and advisory services and assists imports and exports there; and Kopernik Japan, registered in Japan as a General Incorporated Association, contributes consulting and advisory services and conducts fund-raising.
 Donations are distributed by local non-governmental organizations (NGOs).  An NGO must be registered and submit an application to Kopernik that outlines its goals and distribution methods. Following approval, proposals are posted on the website and prospective donors may choose among them.
 The distributed products  include LifeStraw, which filters and purifies drinking water;  Solvatten, which purifies and heats water using solar power;  solar lanterns; and adjustable-focus eyeglasses.


Due to the fact he was not yet ready to step down from his practical and bread-winning professional obligations in Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, however, Timothy Alden decided to remove himself from the leadership contest, and supported the leadership bid of Anthony Buttigieg as his deputy leader.

(meta data) TITLE: Anthony Buttigieg is new Democratic Party leader

(meta data) PUBLISHER: https://www.facebook.com/maltatoday

# Anthony Buttigieg is new Democratic Party leader

## Medical doctor Anthony Buttigieg replaces Marlene Farrugia as PD leader after the other candidate withdraws from the race

Anthony Buttigieg has replaced Marlene Farrugia at the helm of the Democratic Party

Anthony Buttigieg, a founding member of the Democratic Party, is the new leader after he was the only candidate for the post vacated by Marlene Farrugia.

He was nominated by the party's two MPs - outgoing leader Marlene Farrugia, who proposed him and seconded by Godfrey Farrugia.

No election was necessary because the other contender, young environmentalist Timothy Alden, had earlier withdrawn from the race.

In a statement the PD said its electoral commission had received nominations for the various posts on the party's executive council and these were equal to the vacancies available.

Elections scheduled for Wednesday have now been cancelled because they are no longer necessary.

The PD said Marlene Farrugia and Godfrey Farrugia will continue to be active members of the party and work closely with the new leader.

Buttigieg does not hold a parliamentary seat.

The Orange party reaffirmed its stand in favour of good governance, sustainable development and constitutional reform.

Earlier, Alden announced on his Facebook wall his withdrawal from the leadership race, pledging to support Buttigieg.

Alden, who is active in the non-governmental organisation Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar, had entered the race in September.

He said that his responsibilities in NGOs meant that he had to find a balance between his political and professional life.

Alden will continue being active in PD but "in a less prominent role than leader".

Buttigieg and Alden contested the last election as PD candidates on the Nationalist Party list as part of the Forza Nazzjonali coalition.

Kurt Sansone is Online Editor of www.maltatoday.com.mt.

### Repubblika says Caruana Galizia memorial vandals are 'violent clowns'

### Gzira activists collect 916 signatures in second petition opposing Manoel Island development

### After foiled UN sanctions, Abela to meet Russian foreign minister Lavrov in Moscow

### NGOs call on Malta to disembark stranded migrants in the face of EU's 'callous disregard for human life'

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Environmental activism and political candidacy.

Through FAA he also organised the 75th Anniversary of Operation Pedestal. In the 2017 Maltese general elections, he agreed to contest with the Democratic Party as part of the Forza Nazzjonali alliance, contesting the 8th and 9th Districts. He believed that a third party was the only way to bring about desperately needed reform. Although the government retained its power after the election, the Democratic Party elected two members to Parliament, becoming the first third party to do since before the Independence of Malta. Wanting the party to evolve beyond its association with her own image, Marlene Farrugia resigned from the post of party leader in August 2017.
 In the resulting leadership race, Timothy Alden contested the post against Anthony Buttigieg, believing the Democratic Party to be the vehicle for the greatest positive change in Maltese political history. Timothy Alden stated his belief in the need for constitutional reform, an end to tribalism and a more inclusive society. During the contest, he organised a clean-up of St. George's Bay and invited Anthony Buttigieg.


On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 45% based on 11 reviews, with an average rating of 4/10.

(meta data) TITLE: The Hills: New Beginnings: Season 1 - Rotten Tomatoes

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# The Hills: New Beginnings: Season 1 (2019)

For a show called New Beginnings, The Hills is unfortunately stuck in its old ways -- though for fans looking to catch up with their favorite characters there is plenty of drama to dive back into.

The percentage of Approved Tomatometer Critics who have given this movie a positive review.

## Critic Reviews for The Hills: New Beginnings Season 1

Nine years after it first ended, the revamped reality show should probably be called The Hills: Actual Adulthood, but that sounds about as dull as the series itself.

New Beginnings undermines the broader, and often unspoken, context of the original show.

Predictable reality reboot has drinking, arguing, innuendo.

It's such a bummer that The Hills: New Beginnings is not only deeply unnecessary, but downright bad.

The Hills: New Beginnings feels like a tired extension of the old version, with some older, but not necessarily wiser, people.

The new series has no anchor, and no organizing idea beyond the power of a familiar brand.

"New Beginnings" is not just about appearances.

There's an undercurrent of sorrow that makes it more than just a guilty pleasure.

While this all sounds as contrived as friends forcing each other to dance with their crushes in a school gym, that's also what makes the formula work so well for this show and many others.

Monday's all-over-the-place premiere (titled "I Don't Hold Grudges... JK!") answered one of those questions, but like all timeless works of art, it also presented us with a slew of fresh head-scratchers.

The Hills: New Beginnings feels eerily unchanged from the original series.

## Audience Reviews for The Hills: New Beginnings: Season 1


He also spent time in Barcelona as an English teacher, a time he did not enjoy, describing it as "a brief and unhappy stint teaching English to a Catalan businessman, who pointed out many faults in my grammar I had not known about hitherto".

(meta data) TITLE: KEEPER OF THE SNAILS: Sunday Salon: An Interview with Paul Murray, author of Skippy Dies

### Sunday Salon: An Interview with Paul Murray, author of Skippy Dies

I have reported earlier how much I enjoyed Skippy Dies.

Today, Sunday Saloners, I am posting an interview with the author of the book, Paul Murray, who has kindly answered my questions.

He studied English Literature at Trinity College, Dublin, and has a Masters degree in creative writing from the UEA.

His first novel, an Evening of Long Goodbyes was shortlisted for the Whitbread Prize in 2003 and nominated for the Kerry irish Fiction Award.

Following his recently published and critically acclaimed, Skippy Dies, he was recently named by the Daily Telegraph as one of the best British novelists under 40 (even though, as the Private Eye pointed out, he is actually Irish!).

As a former teacher myself I was much impressed with your accurate depiction of life in a classroom.

Apart from a brief and unhappy stint teaching English to a Catalan businessman, who pointed out many faults in my grammar I had not known about hitherto, I've never taught.

But I have close friends who are teachers, in very different schools, and I've always found their stories fascinating.

It's such an incredibly important job and I really admire anyone who can do it well.

For Skippy Dies, I drew on my friends' experience in the classroom, but I also remembered my own schooldays quite vividly.

I have a pretty poor memory, but when you spend ten years in the same place it tends to etch itself in.

The book is quite long (although I have to say it didn't really feel like it - I ripped through) and Hamish Hamilton have split into three smaller books (which I really like).

I'd written the book in three parts, but the idea to publish as three smaller volumes in a box was my publishers'.

A similar thing had been done in the US with Steve Toltz's book, A Fraction of the Whole, which is published in the UK by Hamish Hamilton.

When I handed in the manuscript originally, it was even longer than it is now, and I think they felt that this would be a way of making it less daunting for the reader.

And in itself it was quite a beautiful artefact, and helped to get the book some attention.

There are lots of great characters in Skippy Dies - all of them very well drawn.

For me there were three key characters, Skippy, his friend Ruprecht, and Howard, the history teacher.

Each of them had to do quite a lot of narrative work, and each of them presented his own problems as a narrator.

I felt affection for them as I did for all of my characters, but they were too important for me to play favourites with.

The supporting characters in the book, because less rested on them, were a lot more fun to write.

There's a character called Mario who's kind of a sex maniac, I like him a lot.

But I think my favourite is a boy called Geoff Sproke, who's just this tremendously nice kid and has somehow escaped the cynicism that's infected everyone else.

He's got love of bad jokes and a fear of jelly.

I was really impressed with how you got string theory (or the M-theory variant) into the book and thought it worked very well.

I came across it on a BBC documentary I turned on quite by accident one Valentine's day.

I was immediately fascinated, for the same reasons I suppose as Ruprecht is in the book.

It's incredibly complicated, so complicated that they can't even agree what the M stands for.

And at the same time it comprises this very graceful, very beautiful idea that all matter and energy are simply vibrations on superstrings, so the universe is a kind of music…

When I was younger I read a lot of sci-fi, and I've always liked the idea of parallel worlds – of which there's a long, long tradition in Irish literature and folklore.

That aspect of M-theory –that our universe may be one of an infinite number, floating in 11 dimensions, really appealed to me.

Also, the idea that reality is just not explainable.

The claim that we can master reality – or even one facet of it, economics or demographics or whatever – I find really offensive.

Even when it ends in disaster, and all the experts are proved comprehensively wrong, as happened with the credit crunch, people will still line up to listen to whatever huckster appears next.

I like M-theory because it seems to conclude that reality is fundamentally beyond our understanding.

CD: Did you have to do any special research to write the book?

Well, M-theory and string theory are really quite difficult and I had to read quite a lot before I felt comfortable writing about them.

There's also some material about World War One.

At first, I didn't know what aspect of the war I wanted to write about.

I went into the library and was confronted with literally thousands of books.

Eventually I realised that for me to have any chance of saying anything original about the war, I needed to approach it from an Irish perspective, so I started reading up on the experience of Irish soldiers during the war.

I'd known nothing about it beforehand, though I did history in school.

Something like 50,000 Irishmen went to fight in the trenches alongside the British, and it's simply not in the schoolbooks.

I found all kinds of fascinating material.

In 1916, while the Easter Rising was being put down quite brutally by British troops, Germans would hold up signs from their trenches, saying, Irish soldiers!

The British are killing your kinsmen in Dublin!

After the war was even more interesting.

The Irish soldiers left Ireland as heros, but came home to find themselves viewed as traitors.

Their entire contribution to the war was erased from history.

It was really shocking to see that that's how history works.

I think you said in Hay that the novel started with a short story.

Why did you decide to make it into a novel?

I started it as a short story and I kept having more and more ideas.

I remember telling my brother I was writing a story but getting quite worried about how I was going to fit all of these different themes in.

He told me it sounded more like a novel.

If he hadn't said that maybe i'd still be trying to get it down to twenty pages.

I really liked the environment of the school, it allowed of so many disparate characters and themes, as well as a lot of quite rude jokes

Sometimes I'll think of a joke, or a couple of jokes.

You jot down ideas all the time, of course, but once in a while one will come along that's like turning a key, and all of these ancillary ideas come flooding in on top of it.

You open your notebook and you just can't write it down fast enough.

It's a really exciting process, and you can understand the old concepts of divine inspiration.

It really feels like it's coming from somewhere.

But that burns out pretty quickly and you're left with the much slower and more prosaic job of trying to tie it all together.

CD: Do you have any connection with snails?

I haven't any connection that I can think of.

I do remember a story I really liked in a book called You're an Animal, Visskowitz! about a snail declaring to the rest of the colony that he was leaving to go it alone.

Three days later he's still in the process of leaving and they're all laughing at him from the cabbage patch.

I'm quite wary of pride, because I always suspect that God will immediately counteract it by dropping a piano on my head or something.

With writing, any pride you might feel in anything you've done is pretty fragile and quickly swamped by the terror of what to do next.

I took up cycling a couple of years ago.

When you're climbing a steep hill, and you're thinking to yourself, I just can't do this, but you keep going and you make it to the top – that's a clearer and less complicated source of pride to me.

Also when I passed my driving test on the nth attempt – I think that was one of the few moments of unalloyed pride and joy in my life.

Have you ever had a life-changing event - if so what was it?

Well, I don't know that I believe that a single event can be definitively life-changing.

They say that you could win the lottery or lose both your legs, and in either case after three months you'll feel about the same as you did before.

In one sense, our characters don't really change.

In another, I think all of us are changing all the time.

CD: What is the saddest thing you've ever heard of or seen?

Oh god, I'm not going to open that can of worms.

Silvio Berlusconi's hair transplant would come close to the top, though.

CD: If there was one thing you'd change about yourself what would it be?

I'd love to be one of these very energetic people that gets up at six and keeps going till three a.m.

I have about four good hours in me and then I shut down.

It is a deeply misleading term used to describe about seven or eight contradictory states, the pursuit of which has caused untold misery and destruction.

CD: What is the first thing you do when you get up?

The novel sounds wonderful - thanks for the interview.

Coming off a ten-year teaching gig, I must check into this one.

It had me laughing out loud - and was very moving too.

Paul Murray's engaging personality comes over loud (although far from deafening: just the right pitch and tone, in fact) and clear.

Am definitely adding his work to my TBR list.

Thanks for your kind words, and thank you too for visiting my blog.

I've almost finished Skippy Dies and I LOVE it so much.

Thank you for visiting, Anon - and yes, I agree completely.

I've just been Googling Paul Murray after really liking the first 50 pages of Skippy Dies, and it seems like he's not getting nearly enough attention!

I agree, Bill - but he's still young, plenty of time yet!

Great interview - it's very sweet to hear that Geoff was one of his favourite characters.

Although deep down I was hoping it would be Dennis, for the opposite reason! (he's so cynical, I thought he seemed author-esque, and maybe represented some sort of Paul Murray cameo).

Everytime he featured I started giggling.

I´m reading "Skippy dies" and I´m having such a good time I don´t want it to end.

I completely agree about Skippy Dies, and very glad to hear that it had been shortlisted for the Costa as well as long-listed for the Booker - well-deserved recognition in my view.

And delighted you like the interview too!

Article in the Literary Platform: making movies.

Review of A Place of Meadows and Tall Trees

Murray was born in Dublin in 1975, the son of a professor of Anglo-Irish Drama at University College Dublin and a teacher. Murray attended Blackrock College in south Dublin, an experience that would later provide the basis for the school in "Skippy Dies". He studied English literature at Trinity College, Dublin, and subsequently completed his master's in creative writing at the University of East Anglia.


In addition to original music, the soundtracks feature the cast singing popular songs from Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon's various careers, including "Big Spender" from "Sweet Charity" and "Corner of the Sky" from "Pippin".

(meta data) TITLE: The 'Fosse/Verdon' Soundtrack Will Make You Want To Break Out Your Dancing Shoes

(meta data) PUBLISHER: https://www.facebook.com/bustledotcom

(meta data) PUBLISHED DATETIME: 2019-04-09T16:57:32.675Z

# The 'Fosse/Verdon' Soundtrack Will Make You Want To Break Out Your Dancing Shoes

By Leah Marilla ThomasApr 9 2019Eric Liebowitz/FX

Fosse/Verdon pivots Broadway's past to center stage.

Sure, there are sequins, dapper hats, and dazzling dance steps to spare on the FX series, but also expect to have some songs stuck in your head long after the episodes are over.

The Fosse/Verdon soundtrack recreates '70s showtunes to make up a perfectly jazzy playlist that old and new fans of the genre will enjoy.

According to a rep from Twentieth Century Fox, weekly soundtracks will be released.

In the pilot episode alone we get some choice numbers from Sweet Charity and Cabaret — "Big Spender," "Mein Herr," "Cabaret," and "Wilkommen" to be specific — all sung by the FX series' cast, which here includes Bianca Marroquin, Kelli Barrett, and Ethan Slater as Chita Rivera, Liza Minnelli, and Joel Grey respectively.

Those tracks are not available to stream at the moment, unfortunately, but may appear on Spotify at a later date.

However, the good thing about Fosse/Verdon being based on a true story is that you can go back and listen to all of those original cast recordings and soundtracks that inspired the series.

Gwen Verdon also released a solo album in 1956 titled "The Girl I Left Home For" that you can stream at any time.

If Fosse/Verdon has you inspired to revisit, or discover, the showtunes that helped define an era of musical theatre, here's where to start.

Contrary to popular belief, Fosse wasn't involved with Kander and Ebb's Cabaret until he signed on to direct the movie.

Minnelli's portrayal of Sally Bowles soon became iconic, as well as her belting all these songs.

Fosse joined Verdon for this song in the film adaptation of Damn Yankees, hence its inclusion here, but Eddie Phillips was her partner in this number on Broadway.

Also add to your playlist "Whatever Lola Wants," the big standout song that Verdon originated.

Above is a song from the movie that you see Fosse directing in the pilot, but check out the Original Broadway Cast Recording to hear Verdon, instead of Shirley MacLaine, sing Charity's songs herself.

Stephen Schwartz's musical followup to Godspell has a surprisingly dark story that Fosse/Verdon will inevitably dig into — but the score is 100 percent bops.

Chicago is one of the most recognizable Fosse musicals — he even named his autobiographical film All That Jazz after the opening songs — and both Verdon and Rivera starred as the original Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly.

Unfortunately, the afore-mentioned All That Jazz does not have an easily streamable soundtrack.

You may have to hit up your local library, or maybe even you're parent's record collection for that one.

However, George Benson's cover of "On Broadway" opens the film, and that's pretty easy to find.

Other musicals that, given the historical context of the show, might come up include: Pal Joey (which Fosse understudied in), The Pajama Game (which he choreographed), Can Can (Verdon's star turn), Company (referenced in the pilot), and A Chorus Line (a Pulitzer Prize winning musical about dancers that beat Chicago for the Tony Award in 1976).

There's also Annie, Godspell, Hair, A Little Night Music, and many more classics from this time period that these fascinated characters inhabited back in the day.

"Fosse/Verdon" released weekly albums, available for streaming and download on multiple platforms, with the release of each new episode.


Sandra was awarded a grant from 2008-2015 from the Canada First World War Internment Fund to complete her book on Ukrainians in Canada, "The Stories Were Not Told: Stories and Photographs from Canada's First Internment Camps, 1914-1920".

(meta data) TITLE: Grants | Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund | 202-952 Main Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2W 3P4 | Phone: 204-589-4282 | Toll Free: 1-866-288-7931

# Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund

### Fonds canadien de reconnaissance de l'internement durant la première guerre mondiale

A congratulatory video from Minister Glavine on behalf of the Premier for the Grand Opening of Enemy Aliens Exhibit at Amherst, NS.

Remembering a 'static and silent' part of Canadian history

Amherst museum gets exhibit about First World War internment camps

Please click here to view Projects Funded from 2008-2016 (PDF).

McGill Queens University Press, Montreal, QC

Teacher's Guide, Prisoners in a Promised Land

The Camps webseries and Documentary, That Never Happened

Canadian Museum of History, Gatineau, QC

Archaeological Study, Morrissey Internment Camp

Scholarly study, Politics and organizational life of interned Ukrainians before, during and after internment.

Conspiracy of Silence: Ukrainian-Canadians 1896-1920

Restauration de statues liées à internement

Courtenay Chetwynd, Yellowknife, T.N.-O.

Concept d'exposition nationale sur l'internement

Presses universitaires de McGill-Queen's, Montréal, QC

Bohdan Kordan, tournée d'auteur Book Tour, Nul homme libre

Le Critical Thinking Consortium, Vancouver, BC

Projet commémoratif de la cote 70, Kingston, ON

Guide de l'enseignant, prisonniers en terre promise

Les Camps série web et documentaire Cela n'est jamais arrivé

Documentaire Konowal, section supplémentaire pour le DVD

Pièce de théâtre, les bois sombres et denses

Musée canadien de l'histoire, Gatineau, QC

Fouilles archéologiques, camp d'internement de Morrissey

Compilation d'articles de presse, carte numérique

Recherche sur la politique et l'organisation associative des Ukrainiens internés avant, pendant et après l'internement

Conspiration du silence : les Canado-Ukrainiens 1896-1920

Sandra Semchuk (born 1948) is a Canadian photographic artist.
 In 1998, Presentation House, Vancouver, B.C. programmed "How Far Back is Home ..."  a 25-year retrospective of Semchuk's career highlighting her relationship to identity, morality and land.


On July 5, 1965, he was shot and killed in the line of duty, when he and another officer answered a disturbance call.

(meta data) TITLE: Patrolman Coleman Regis McDonough, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Pennsylvania

Patrolman Coleman McDonough was shot and killed when he and other officers responded to a home on Chatsworth Street in which a father was involved in an argument between his daughter and her boyfriend.

As the officers entered the home the suspect opened fire with a .22 caliber rifle, striking Patrolman McDonough six times.

The suspect fled the scene but later committed suicide in a nearby field.

Patrolman McDonough was a U.S. Army veteran of WWII and had served with the Pittsburgh Police Department for 15 years.

He had previously played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Chicago Cardinals in the National Football League.

One of his sons went on to serve with the Pennsylvania State Police and later became chief of the Mount Lebanon Police Department.

You know when family members follow in your footsteps that God's humility rests well.

Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol, TX

#### Correctional Administrator Debra Johnson

#### Correctional Officer Pedro J. Rodríguez-Mateo

Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, PR

Coley later became a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania police officer, and served 15 years with that department.


In recent years the Witness Security Unit was moved from the State Protection Group to the Anti Terrorism & Security Group.

Starting in 1996, Alexa Internet has been donating their crawl data to the Internet Archive.

Flowing in every day, these data are added to the Wayback Machine after an embargo period.

The Counter Terrorism & Special Tactics Command, led by Assistant Commissioner Mark Murdoch, is responsible for NSW Police Force's preparedness for, prevention of and response to the threat of terrorism in NSW.

The Command also provides tactical support to general policing throughout the State.

The Command's response comes from four major groups; Anti Terrorism & Security Group, Coordinated Response Group, Operations Group and the State Protection Group which are administratively supported by a Business Support Unit.

The Anti Terrorism & Security Group has responsibilities in countering and responding to terrorism through investigative and intelligence operations and provides State security through dignitary and witness protection.

The Terrorism Intelligence Unit provides strategic and tactical intelligence support to the Command which includes risk and threat assessment.

The Terrorism Investigations Squad works in partnership with the Australian Federal Police, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the NSW Crime Commission to investigate all threats (or acts) of terrorism impacting on NSW.

The Protection Operations Unit coordinates security operations within NSW for Internationally Protected Persons and public dignitaries considered to be at risk.

The Unit provides specialist advice in the planning and response arrangements to major events which may be at risk of terrorism.

The Witness Security Unit is responsible for the administration and management of the NSW witness protection program.

The Coordinated Response Group brings together a number of operational units and the Command's resources responsible for coordination within the NSW Police Force and external agencies that have responsibilities in relation to a response to terrorism.

The CT Response Unit is responsible for the ongoing development and maintenance of capabilities as defined under the National Counter Terrorism Plan.

The Protection Programs Unit is responsible for the delivery of counter terrorism specific protective security strategies through the Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit.

The Business Contact Unit provides liaison established to facilitate communication between the NSW Police Force and members of the private business sector (see website : secure.nsw.gov.au).

This Unit also has a security advisory capability.

Counter terrorism training exercises in NSW are managed through the Exercise Management Unit.

The Operations Group provides operational support to the Command through a number of proactive units.

The Community Contact Unit employs the Command's community engagement strategy by engaging with communities to promote positive partnerships and increased understanding of NSW Police Force counter terrorism response arrangements.

The Unit acts as the conduit for reciprocal information flows between the Command and communities who may fall victim to terrorism, those likely to be impacted by the police use of terrorism powers or communities with persons at risk of radicalisation.

Through the Education & Training Unit, the Command ensures that both police and external bodies are educated in relation to terrorism trends and threats.

The Strategy Unit researches and evaluates local, national and global trends to provide awareness of the current and future environments.

The Security Management Unit provides a protective security service to selected NSW Police Force and State Government complexes, ensuring an overall safe and secure working environment for personnel, property and information.

The State Protection Group provides a wide range of specialist policing services in support of operational police throughout the State, which are beyond the scope and capability of police generally.

The Tactical Operations Unit and Negotiations Unit provide extraordinary response to the resolution of high risk situations on a domestic and counter terrorism level.

The Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit provide general rescue, land search coordination, bomb (improvised explosive device) response and operational support services.

The Dog Unit provides general purpose and tactical dogs services as well as drug, firearms, explosives and cadaver detection capabilities.

The Police Armoury supply and maintain police firearms, weapons systems, ammunition & provide specialised armourer engineering services.

The Business Support Unit provides services designed to allow the Command's operational members to carry out their frontline duties with the maximum support available and the minimal intrusion of administrative processes.

These services involve applying human resource, financial and budget management, rostering and general administrative functions, security system management and property maintenance services in support of the Command.

The Unit also facilitates logistical and purchasing support to meet the members' day to day operational needs.

Find out more about the NSW Police Force Dog Unit.

Operational Communications & Information Command

Public Affairs and Corporate Communications

Established in June 1991, the State Protection Group replaced four former specialist units; the Special Weapons and Operations Section (SWOS), the Witness Security Unit, regional Tactical Response Groups and the Police Rescue Squad.
 Later other sections were also added to the command including the Police Armoury, Negotiation section, Bomb disposal and Dog Unit.


Born in Cork, Ireland, Campion was held back in primary school twice, failed secondary school exams, and did not attend college.

(meta data) TITLE: How Two Former Roadies Created A Billion-Dollar Energy Company

(meta data) PUBLISHER: https://www.facebook.com/forbes

Forbes Insights with Teradata: Forbes Analytics+

iShares BrandVoice: Invest With A Purpose: The ETF Revolution Is Here

Microsoft Shift BrandVoice: Behind The Shift

Own it: The Modern Guide to Buying a Home

# How Two Former Roadies Created A Billion-Dollar Energy Company

Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.

I write about the intersection of rock n' roll and business.

John Campion is not too comfortable in a suit.

The co-founder and CEO of APR Energy, a $1.2 billion company that provides temporary power in areas recovering from disaster or experiencing electricity shortfalls, didn't pass his final high school exams and never went to college.

He was held back twice in grade school, an experience that was both frustrating and humiliating.

"You'll never amount to much," one teacher told him.

But Campion is motivated to show the naysayers that they were wrong.

Preferably by flying over their houses in one of his private jets and pointing his middle finger upward.

In spite—or perhaps because—of his learning challenges, he was always resourceful and creative, an out-of-the-box thinker and tinkerer, with a knack for electricity.

His first break was a job as a lighting guy for ShowLites, which provided power for rock shows.

In 1987 Campion created Showpower with fellow roadie Laurence Anderson to provide temporary power to rock shows.

Their first major client was Michael Jackson, whose power requirements for the Bad tour exceeded the capacity of most local venues.

In 1999 they sold Showpower to GE Energy Rentals.

A few years later the pair moved to Alstom, where they created a temporary power rental service, Alstom Power Rentals.

In 2004 they bought the business from Alstom and eventually turned it into APR Energy.

Last year APR reported $308.3 million in revenues.

"The real joy in life," says Campion, flashing me a Jack Nicholson smile, "is that the pop stars I used to work for are now renting out my airplane."

Coming from rock n' roll touring gave Campion and Anderson a unique advantage when it came to building and growing their energy company.

In rock n' roll, you take a show from one part of the world to another in a matter of hours, moving thousands of tons of equipment and hundreds of people.

"Say you do a show in Miami on Sunday and you're doing another stadium show in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday," says Campion.

"The rock star will walk on that stage at 8 o'clock in Rio de Janeiro.

And the exact same light will hit him in the exact same place.

That's the equivalent of taking a dart and throwing it out of an airplane and hitting a dartboard somewhere below, bull's eye.

And you're doing it with a hundred percent repeatability."

Like a rock show, APR comes in with their equipment and sets up a temporary power plant on short notice.

In 2012, APR set up operation of a 120-megawatt power plant in Cyprus—enough to power about 120,000 American homes—in less than 30 days.

Last year in Libya, they built a 450-megawatt plant.

Normally, a permanent plant that size would take four to five years to build and to operate.

A plant in Myanmar will soon provide electricity to six million people.

At their Jacksonville, Florida headquarters, monitors around the open office space count down to "showtime," which in APR's case is when the power switch is turned on.

When I visited their office, one of the projects showed as being thirty-two days, nine hours, forty minutes and 49 seconds away from COD, or Commercial Operation Date.

The monitors reinforce the sense of urgency that pervades the organization.

APR's contracts stipulate a late fee if APR misses their delivery deadline, just as rock bands receive a fine if their shows goes on after the pre-determined curfew.

That contractual clause makes clear that the power—like the proverbial show—must go on.

"We're not afraid of strange locations, we're not afraid of what's going to be there when we get there or what's not going to be there.

APR relies on another core competence of rock shows: modularity.

When they built Showpower, Campion and Anderson designed their equipment with transportability in mind.

Their generators, designed by Campion's brother Edmund, were built so that two could fit into a 20-foot air-freight container for Michael Jackson's Bad tour.

"To construct and destruct in a very fast rhythm and move it on a repetitive basis and have the quality of performance there each and every time, day-over-day, week-over-week, year-over-year became ingrained in us," says Laurence Anderson, now APR's President and Chief Operating Officer.

When they created APR, they applied the same philosophy to temporary energy.

"What we were able to do is take a large power plant and break it down into smaller components," Anderson tells me.

If a client needs a large power plant, APR will configure it from ten or more of these blocks.

For a medium-sized plant, they might use five.

"We can arrange them in almost any way that we need to, thereby staying with the standard we've created, yet be flexible enough to meet the customer's needs using the space that they have available."

"In the rock 'n' roll industry," says Campion, "the mandate would be: it's a 10-truck tour.

So everything is built and designed to fit into 10 trucks."

An advantage of the Lego concept is that when you're done packing, you know immediately if you've left something behind because of a hole in the truck.

Another debt to rock n' roll touring culture is preoccupation with failure, a concept that is familiar to other kinds of high-reliability organizations, such as aircraft carriers and nuclear power plants.

Road people obsess about what could go wrong, as does APR.

After all, if they're doing an installation deep in the Sahara dessert, they can't go to Home Depot to pick up missing supplies.

"Our experience of assessing our risk in every aspect of what we're doing as we're building something, as we're shipping something, as we're buying something, and how do we prepare for an unlikely event that may happen," says Anderson, "That came from our past where you have an 8:00 o'clock performance and you've got to have a plan B, C, D, E and F. Because the show is happening at 8:00."

When none of those contingency plans apply, roadies improvise.

That's a mindset Anderson and Campion have instilled in the APR culture as well.

"You have a mind that you've developed towards change and openness and that fluid environment of 'Something is going to mess you up and you don't know what it is,'" says Anderson.

Campion likes to tell the story of one of his mentors, the late Joe Baptista, a veteran stage manager.

A carton of Pall Malls—not filtered—a bottle of Ballantine Whiskey and he's set.

Joe Bap would say, 'How are you doing?' and I'd say, 'I'm having problems.'

'Can you solve them with money and manpower?'

In rock n' roll, people don't fret about problems—they focus on solutions.

It doesn't even have to be their problem.

In Angola, APR had a site in the middle of a densely populated community.

They noticed that the garbage was piled up on the streets and alleys.

So they asked the local officials where the garbage would go if it were picked up.

"We'd already rented earth-moving equipment because we were putting together the site," says Silvio Cavaceppi, VP of marketing and communications.

"So we decided to spend a Sunday afternoon and clean up the neighborhood."

For more about the intersection of rock n' roll and business hit "follow" on the top of this page.

I write about popular music from a management perspective using research on management and entrepreneurship.

I show a different side of musicians by taking them seriousl...


At the time, Minogue also held the third spot on the chart with "Higher", her collaboration with British recording artist Taio Cruz, becoming the first artist to claim two of the top three spots at the same time in the American dance chart's history.

(meta data) TITLE: Kylie Minogue Makes History On Dance/Club Play Songs | Billboard

The Real Hot 100 Billboard 200 Festivals Latin Podcasts Pop R&B/Hip-Hop Chart Beat

# Kylie Minogue Makes History On Dance/Club Play Songs

Kylie Minogue notches an impressive Billboard chart first, as, by holding down the Nos. 1 and 3 slots on this week's Dance/Club Play Songs survey, she becomes the first act to claim two of the top three ranks concurrently in the tally's nearly 35-year history.

Minogue crowns the list with "Better Than Today," from her "Aphrodite" album, while two rungs down, she's featured on Taio Cruz's "Higher" (with Travie McCoy).

"Better Than Today" is Minogue's sixth Dance/Club Play Songs No. 1, and the third straight topper from "Aphrodite."

The album previously yielded the leaders "All the Lovers" and "Get Outta My Way."

"I absolutely love knowing that there's such huge support for my songs in the U.S. club scene," Minogue tells Billboard.

"To hit the No. 1 spot three times in a row is amazing and to break a Club chart record with two tracks in the top three is wonderful."

"Higher" was originally a solo Cruz effort from his "Rokkstar" album, but was reissued outside the U.S. with Minogue on guest vocals, and in America with McCoy.

Yet, dance clubs in the U.S. were serviced with "Higher" remixes featuring both Minogue and McCoy (including versions that blended the two together).

Hence, all three acts share space on the Dance/Club Play Songs chart listing for "Higher."

Minogue kicked off her lavish Les Folies tour in Herning, Denmark, Feb. 19.

The trek continues across Europe through April 12.

After finishing the European leg of the journey with a five-night stand at London's O2 Arena, Mingoue ventures to Japan, with a new configuration of the tour (Aphrodite Live 2011), beginning April 23.

Minogue reaches North America April 28 in Montreal, with her first U.S. date in Boston April 29.

The tour wraps May 22 at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

The record-breaking chart queen adds, "I can't wait to bring my Aphrodite tour to the States to celebrate!"

Keith Caulfield is Billboard's associate director of charts/retail and manages the Billboard 200 and a host of additional charts.

During the week of 20 November 2010, "Better than Today" made its UK Singles Chart debut at number 67. This was based purely on digital sales from the album as the single was not released until 3 December 2010. The day before its release, it reached a new peak of number 40, before dropping to number 63, only to go on to peak at number 32 on 18 December 2010. As a result, "Better than Today" is one of Minogue's lowest charting singles in the United Kingdom. It proved to be her least successful UK charting since 2008's "The One" which peaked at number 36. The single had similar results in other European countries, peaking at number 27 in Scotland and number 63 in France.

In the United States, "Better than Today" debuted at number 44 on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart. It rose to number-one on the issue date entitled 5 March 2011, not only becoming Minogue's sixth number-one single on the chart, but also her third consecutive number-one from the "Aphrodite" album on that chart.


Mötley Crüe headlined Ozzfest in 2010, along with Ozzy Osbourne and Rob Halford.

(meta data) TITLE: Ozzfest 2010 Features Ozzy Osbourne, Motley Crue - MTV

(meta data) AUTHOR: http://www.facebook.com/mtvnews

(meta data) PUBLISHED DATETIME: 2010-04-30 22:19

# Ozzfest 2010 Features Ozzy Osbourne, Motley Crue

Rob Halford, DevilDriver and Nonpoint fill out mainstage lineup.

Ozzfest will return as a touring festival this summer, it was announced on Friday (April 30), with Ozzy Osbourne and Mötley Crüe headlining, according to a statement on the festival's official site.

The tour will mark the first time the two bands have toured together since 1984, during the Crüe's breakthrough appearance as Ozzy's opening act on a major U.S. tour.

Ozzfest, which took a year off in 2009 and was a one-day event headlined by Ozzy and Metallica in 2008, will kick off August 14 in San Bernardino, California (the birthplace of the first Ozzfest in 1996), and then make stops in Chicago; Hartford, Connecticut; Camden, New Jersey; Pittsburgh; and Boston.

Live Nation will promote the tour nationally.

The main stage will feature full sets from Ozzy, the Crüe and Rob Halford, the latter performing songs from his solo career along with material from Judas Priest and Fight.

DevilDriver and Nonpoint will fill out the main stage lineup.

Second-stage headliners and six-time Ozzfest veterans Black Label Society will be joined by Drowning Pool, Kingdom of Sorrow, Goatwhore, Skeletonwitch, Saviours and Kataklysm.

Each date on the tour will include 13 bands on two stages with music beginning at 1:00 p.m., according to the statement.

There will also be a "Village of the Damned," featuring interactive activities, shopping and entertainment throughout the venue concourses.

Ozzy will release a new album, Scream, on June 15.

Tickets for the shows will go on sale May 22 at OZZfest.com and LiveNation.com.

Ozzfest 2010 dates, according to the festival's website:

8/14 - San Bernardino, California @ San Manuel Amphitheater

8/17 - Chicago @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheater

8/19 - Pittsburgh @ First Niagara Pavilion

8/21 - Hartford, Connecticut @ Comcast Theater

8/22 - Camden, New Jersey @ Susquehanna Bank Center

History.:2008–2010: "Saints of Los Angeles".

Additionally, the entire "Dr. Feelgood" album was released as downloadable content in "Rock Band", excluding "T.n.T. (Terror 'n Tinseltown)". The song "Saints of Los Angeles" was also briefly available for purchase exclusively through Rock Band, making Motley Crue the first band to release a single exclusively through a video game.
 The band played at the Download Festival at Donington Park (June 12–14, 2009), playing on the second stage on Friday night.
 The band made a guest appearance in the season finale of "Bones" on May 14, 2009, entitled "The End in the Beginning", performing the classic song "Dr. Feelgood".
 Mötley Crüe headlined the "Crüe Fest 2" festival, which ran from July to September 2009. Supporting them were Godsmack, Theory of a Deadman, Drowning Pool, and Charm City Devils. Mötley Crüe performing a set featuring material from "Saints of Los Angeles", the band also celebrated the 20th anniversary of "Dr. Feelgood" by performing the album in its entirety on each night of the tour and re-releasing the album as a special 20th anniversary deluxe edition.


Four of them, the youngest of whom was 13, were released, but the remaining three were formally charged on March 18 with "insulting the head of state" which carries a jail sentence of up to five years.

(meta data) TITLE: Three Burundi schoolgirls face jail for doodling on President's photo - CNN

# Three Burundi schoolgirls face jail for doodling on President's photo

Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds.

Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza arrives at Schloss Bellevue presidential palace to meet with German President Joachim Gauck on December 12, 2012 in Berlin, Germany.

(CNN)Three schoolgirls in Burundi spent the weekend in jail and are facing five years in prison for drawing on the President's face in their school books, Human Rights Watch told CNN.

The girls, who are all minors, were arrested last week and were on Monday charged with 'insulting the head of state,' according to the human rights group.

They are on remand while they await trial for drawing on President Pierre Nkurunziza's face during one of their classes, Lewis Mudge, the Central Africa Director at Human Rights Watch told CNN.

4/5 This is not the first time children are targeted with political repression in Burundi.

In 2016 authorities also arrested schoolchildren for doodling on images of Nkurunziza.https://t.co/uUQKVElFcK pic.twitter.com/D0uGNTC7KV

— Lewis Mudge (@LewisMudge) March 20, 2019

A 13-year-old girl was released for being below the age of criminal responsibility while four others arrested alongside the schoolgirls were released.

Mudge said textbooks in Burundi's school system are often passed in between classes and it is, therefore, difficult to know who scribbled on the President's image in the first place.

Read More"It's ridiculous that we're at a point where we even have to ask or interject this point in a conversation.

These are schoolgirls that are being detained," he said.

CNN was not immediately able to reach the Burundi government for comment on the case.

School children in Burundi have previously been jailed in the past for similar offenses.

Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza wins third termIn 2016

, agents of the National Intelligence Service of Burundi arrested eight secondary school students for allegedly insulting Nkurunziza by writing phrases like "Get out" or "No to the 3rd term" on a picture of the President in a textbook, according to Human Rights Watch.

The same year, hundreds of children were expelled from several schools for scribbling on the President's face in their books.

President Nkurunziza, who has been in office since 2005, was re-elected to a third term in 2015 despite massive protests and concerns over the legality of running beyond his second term.

But Burundi's constitutional court ruled that he was eligible because he was picked by parliament, not elected by people, during his first term.

Scores died in the violence that marred the 2015 vote.

Burundi President registers to run for third term despite clashes Human Rights Watch said the case was "quickly becoming the benchmark for a crackdown of freedom of expression since 2015."The

organization added that it would apply pressure on the government of Burundi to release the girls.

He said the students in 2016 were released after pressure from the international community following their initial conviction.

"Burundi used to be the benchmark in the region for freedom of expression and association, but ever since the president decided to change the constitution to run for a third mandate," Mudge said.'When he saw the backlash against that, the response from the president has been to crackdown and limit the space of dissent."He

added: "We're seeing the consequence of that play out and frankly this case is ridiculous.

"Just weeks ago, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said the agency was forced to shut its local office of 23 years under concerted pressure from the Burundian government.

(meta data) TITLE: Burundi schoolgirls freed after being detained for doodling on President's photo - CNN

# Burundi schoolgirls freed after being detained for doodling on President's photo

Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza, here in 2012, is in his third term in office after facing large protests.

(CNN)The Burundi schoolgirls detained for drawing on a photo of President Pierre Nkurunziza in their schoolbooks have been freed, a Human Rights Watch official told CNN on Wednesday.

Human Rights Watch Central Africa director Lewis Mudge said the three girls were freed from Ngozi Central Prison two days after Justice Minister Aimée Laurentine Kanyana told state broadcaster RTNB that their provisional release had been approved.

schoolgirls were charged March 18 with "insulting the head of state" and faced up to five years in jail if they were convicted.

The schoolgirls' detention led to international condemnation of the Burundian government, with critics showing their support for the girls on social media with crudely drawn images of Nkurunziza and the hashtag #FreeOurGirls.

girls, who are all minors, are part of an initial group of seven arrested earlier this month in Kirundo province in the northeastern part of the African nation.

A 13-year-old girl was released for being below the age of criminal responsibility, while three others also were let go.

Schoolchildren in Burundi have been jailed before over similar offenses.

, agents of the National Intelligence Service of Burundi arrested eight secondary school students for allegedly insulting Nkurunziza by writing phrases such as "Get out" or "No to the 3rd term" on a picture of him in a textbook, according to Human Rights Watch.

That same year, hundreds of children were expelled from schools for scribbling on the President's face in their books.

But Burundi's Constitutional Court ruled he was eligible because he was picked by Parliament, not elected by people, during his first term.

Burundi President registers to run for third term despite clashes Members of the ruling party's youth wing "have killed, arbitrarily arrested, abducted, beaten, raped, and intimidated real and perceived political opponents with impunity," Human Rights Watch's Mudge wrote last week.

"Authorities should focus on holding perpetrators of serious rights violations to account instead of jailing schoolchildren for doodles.

"In early March, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said the agency was forced to shut its local office of 23 years under concerted pressure from the Burundian government.

This practice rendered the 2010 elections particularly volatile. As polls closed in June, it was reported that "the voting was held against the backdrop of daily grenade blasts that threatened to push the country back into civil strife", and that political freedom was severely compromised. The Burundian non-governmental organization (NGO) Commission Episcopale et Paix documented a range of violations during the elections, including campaigning before the legally authorized campaign period, assassinations, arbitrary arrests, verbal confrontations, fraud, restrictions on the right to free assembly, bribery, and hiring and firing based on political affiliation. At least six political parties had committed offenses, but the ruling CNDD-FDD was cited as most frequently responsible. In the wake of the elections (which the incumbent CNDD-FDD and President Pierre Nkurunziza won after the opposition pulled out), reciprocal killings were perpetrated by the government against the former rebel group, and its main opposition rival, the Hutu FNL.
 While freedom of speech is constitutionally guaranteed, Freedom House noted several instances during and after the election where journalists had been targeted for criticizing the government. This included arbitrary arrests, threats, detainment, and beatings. Consequently, in 2011 Burundi was given the press status of 'Not Free' by the NGO. In March 2019, seven minor schoolgirls were arrested for doodling on a portrait of President Nkurunziza's face in their schoolbooks.


The game's story is divided into eight chapters, with players taking on the role of five different characters, who each have their own back story.

(meta data) TITLE: Careers in game development: An interview with Pyrodactyl Games - Unrest Pc

(meta data) PUBLISHER: https://www.facebook.com/IGNDIA

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# Careers in game development: An interview with Pyrodactyl Games

We at IGN India are planning a series of articles on the Indian gaming industry, and we're looking at it from four different perspectives —development, retail/distribution, eSports and game journalism.

We'll be talking to people from all of these facets, so you can get a better insight into the world of gaming.

So if you work in the Indian gaming industry, and have a story to share (be it good or bad), be sure to hit us up on Facebook or Twitter.

First up is Pyrodactyl Games, a Jaipur-based development studio which ran a successful Kickstarter campaign, that helped him fund Unrest.

Unrest is unique because it is a story-heavy RPG in a setting that is not often explored by studios—Ancient India.

We talk to studio head, Arvind Raja Yadav about the game, his career in development and then the game again.

It all started when I was in class 11 where I took C++ as an optional subject.

One of my friends made a project with the help of his sister, who was in college at the time.

It was a tic-tac-toe game with computer-generated graphics, which made it look beautiful.

The rest of our class then asked our teacher how to make something like that.

I then used that knowledge to make a trading game and enhanced my skillset using Turbo C++ for my project.

In college, I started learning Windows graphics.

I was also a part of lots of Half-Life 2 mods like Dystopia.

Around 2008, I made my own game about life in college called The A.Typical RPG.

From there, I moved on to another game, Will Fight for Food, and now here we are.

Pyrodactyl Games is currently working on Unrest

The team mostly consists of three people - yourself, Adam DeCamp and Mikk Luige - and you guys are scattered all over the world.

How difficult does it get to coordinate the development of Unrest?

We have to be very precise with our timings because of time zone differences.

Mikk lives in Europe, and Adam lives in America.

With me living in India, that makes for three very different time zones.

We have to be punctual and end up losing a lot of sleep.

We use Dropbox to share big files for development.

So far, it has worked well for us, and one thing we did right at the start was draft a schedule for us to meet twice a week at the minimum.

We need to coordinate our efforts that way.

Since you're 24 years-old, what do your parents think about your choice of game development as a profession?

They were quite skeptical when I was in second year in college.

I remember my dad had bought a laptop, but he didn't let me use it because he was afraid "beta bigad jayega" (we've all heard that one before).

So I had to use a very archaic beat up netbook that was given to me by my college.

Using that, I won a contest at IndieDB's Top 100 Most Anticipated list.

The A.Typical RPG was one of five games in the RPG category.

When I won that contest, my dad thought "maybe this game development thing has potential".

##### I would say that you need a playable prototype as fast as possible.

So now they're supportive of your game development venture?

My dad still tells people that I make cartoon films, though.

He still isn't very knowledgeable about it, but he's still supportive.

What would you say to budding developers right now?

For example, my first games were hangman and tic-tac-toe.

Start small and have a bunch of playable stuff.

Do you plan on keeping the current crew of Pyrodactyl Games as is for your next project?

Some want to stay, but others haven't decided yet.

Moving to Unrest, will the whole game be based only inside the fictional city of Bhimra?

The city and the surrounding countryside.

At this point, we've finished about 25% of development.

The game is divided into eight chapters, out of which, two are finished.

Eight chapters divided among four characters, right?

There are actually five characters now, which we were able to add thanks to the successful Kickstarter campaign.

Judging from the screenshots available on the homepage, the art style seems to have improved quite a bit from the original concept art you had posted during the Kickstarter campaign.

Was it because of the successful funding?

Improving the art style is just a matter of improving the budget.

Kickstarter allowed us to improve on it quite a bit.

Is there any specific inspiration for what the layout of the city of Bhimra is based on?

Mostly, it is from the World City inside Jaipur.

We took inspiration from multiple time periods, like the Mauryan era, on which Bhimra is primarily based.

We didn't want people to start thinking that Unrest is based on a true event in history, though.

That's why we're vague about where and when in India's geography and history the game takes place.

This is connected to the Himalayas, judging from the map.

The hypothetical region in my head is close to Delhi or Shimla.

##### We're inspired by RPGs like Planescape Torment and Baldur's Gate.

Is this like Minas Tirith or Helm's Deep in The Lord of the Rings, where the city was a fortress on a mountain to protect itself?

Not exactly like The Lord of the Rings, but yes, the concept is sort of based on that.

It's close to a small mountain range, like the Aravalli Hills.

How will the game control when it's playable?

Will it be completely mouse-based or WASD?

It's currently for WASD, with mouse for the interface, but we're planning to add alternative control schemes.

Right now, it's halfway playable with an Xbox 360 controller.

You can navigate using a controller just fine, but right now, the menus need a mouse to be navigable.

Menus need to be very different for controllers and for a mouse-keyboard setup.

Right now, we're shooting for a May 2014 release.

That might change depending on how the development goes, though.

We haven't seen any need to push the date back right now.

What are your inspirations in game design?

Mostly, we're inspired by RPGs like Planescape Torment and Baldur's Gate.

Apart from those, this has a little bit of inspiration from adventure games like Monkey Island and Day of the Tentacle.

The idea is to combine both of these genres a little bit.

The way the story branches and the way characters behave is from the RPG side, but we have stuff like item manipulation that's typical to old adventure games.

An example of the conversation system in Unrest

Any plans for post-launch content, or will you be directly moving on to a new project once you're done with this game?

Right now there are a bunch of ideas in my head, but that's all they are.

It depends on how well the game is received and on player feedback.

Is the plot of the game on a smaller scale than the typical 'save the world'?

It's more like consequences of something big going on in the background.

The city is in the midst of a leadership change.

The previous royal family has been assassinated at the start of the game.

From then on, it's about how the revolution affects the lives of certain people.

Can you tell me anything about this new character?

All four of the previously planned characters are humans, which is what sets this one apart.

The Naga in the city's narrative have been made the de facto enemy.

Everyone blames them for the problems because it all started when they came around.

They, in fact, were just living by themselves and minding their own business.

Will its tale be entwined with the other characters' stories?

The Naga character will be a case of seeing how the revolution affects the whole Naga community.

They have the most at stake in the conflicts because of how much everyone hates them.

They will be the people who deal with the effects of what everyone else decides.

India-based RPG Unrest gets a new trailer

The game takes place in ancient India in a time of great social upheaval. It also contains some fantasy elements, such as the Naga, a race of snakelike humanoids.