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Repairing the bridges to nowhere
Local governments are improving their failing infrastructure through creative funding and increasing the density of growing communities.
Written by Robert Barkin
Brian Keierleber speaks to groups across America about his innovative techniques to save money on bridge repair in Buchanan County, Iowa. Today, about 10 percent of his county's bridges are made from converted railroad cars. Some bridges that are torn down are salvaged for their metal and wood planks.
As county engineer, he has to figure out how to maintain an infrastructure system in constant need of repair and replacement, while facing a chronic shortage of funds and a mobile public demanding minimal inconvenience.
"There is only so much money," he says, "so we have to spend it wisely."
Like Keierleber, many of those involved with managing the nation's infrastructure struggle with how to keep an aging and overtaxed system operating on a vastly underfunded budget. While attention has largely been focused on efforts nationally, there has been a vigorous effort at the local level to use ingenuity and creativity to make the best of a difficult situation.
"People have to be resourceful," says Brian Roberts, the executive director of the National Association of County Engineers in Washington, DC. "They just have to work smarter."
The expensive requirements to repair the nation's infrastructure have been well documented. The most recent (2013) report card produced every four years by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) rates the nation's infrastructure with a D+ and estimates that the nation needs to invest $3.6 trillion by 2020 to modernize and repair our current systems. Examples of the critical failures abound:
The Metro system in Washington, DC was forced to shut down for 29 hours in March to repair frayed electrical cables after two fires, one causing a fatality, paralyzed commuters.
Lead in supply pipes leached into the water supply for homes in Flint, Mich., last year after the city changed its source of water without adequate treatment.
Natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Superstorm Sandy in 2012 highlighted the devastation from inadequate systems to meet predictable weather events.
The I-35 bridge in Minneapolis, Minn., collapsed in 2007, killing 13 people. The ASCE estimates that one in nine of the nation's bridges is rated as structurally deficient, while the average age of the nation's 607,380 bridges is currently 42 years.
According to the ASCE report, the United States has "a significant backlog of overdue maintenance across our infrastructure systems" and "a pressing need for modernization."
Federal infrastructure investment has fallen by half — from 1 percent to 0.5 percent of GDP — over the last 35 years, leaving more of the burden on state and local governments, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), a Washington policy group. For example, federal spending on transportation and water infrastructure has fallen in real terms since 2003, and the federal gas tax has not been increased since 1992.
With the current division between Congress and the White House, the prospects for a large increase in expenditures for infrastructure are dim. Both Democratic presidential candidates have promised $1 trillion-plus increases in spending in their campaigns to repair the aging infrastructure, partly as a means to stimulate job growth. The Republican candidates do not refer to infrastructure programs on their websites. Republican leadership in Congress has shown little inclination to increase infrastructure spending, although it did approve a long-term surface transportation bill at the end of 2015 by making cuts in other areas of the budget rather than increasing the gas tax.
At the state level, the picture looks just as bleak, according to the CBPP. In the 1990s, when the economy was particularly strong, states and localities increased their investments. However this trend ended after the turn of the century, except for a temporary boost fueled by federal infrastructure funding to states and localities from the 2009 Recovery Act. Spending by state and local governments on all types of capital fell from 2.4 percent of GDP in the early 2000s to 1.9 percent in 2014.
Total capital spending as a share of state GDP fell in all but five states and the District of Columbia between 2002 and 2013, with the largest drops in Nevada, Florida and Michigan. These states' revenues were hit particularly hard by the Great Recession, resulting in cuts in all parts of the budget, especially after the federal Recovery Act funds were depleted. But capital spending has not bounced back in those states — or most others — even as the economy has recovered.
Emerging infrastructure trends
Despite the poor prospects for a major new initiative to improve infrastructure at the national level, focused efforts at local government have filled some of the gap. In addition, experts point to a number of trends nationally that may substantially change the infrastructure calculus:
Movement toward Smart Growth – Studies have shown that growing communities through greater density reduces the upfront cost for infrastructure by one-third.
Trends in the energy industry – The growth of solar and wind power may move power generation from the huge power plant to rooftops and backyards, transforming utilities from generators to distributors and managers of energy. "We're in the midst of profound changes," says Marty Rosenberg, editor in chief of Energy Times, an energy industry publication.
Creative funding – More communities are looking at public-private partnerships to manage the cost of improvements, while voters are approving more ballot issues to pay for maintenance and repairs
Increased awareness – Studies are showing that infrastructure jobs are long-term employers beyond the initial jolt from construction, such as economic development tied to the nation's ports
New materials – Manufacturers are developing new products, like short-span steel bridges, that reduce cost and minimize inconvenience for users.
"Looking through a broad policy lens, the challenge is large at the national level," says Joseph Kane, a researcher at the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution, a Washington-think tank, says, "but there is reason for optimism at the local level."
In a number of cities, business improvement districts (BID), which once focused on routine maintenance tasks like trash collection and event marketing, are now taking on substantive projects that may transform cities. In BIDs, a city typically allows property owners and businesses to tax their own businesses so a nonprofit organization can provide more intensive service than a city would provide on a routine basis.
In Washington, the Georgetown BID has spearheaded a number of infrastructure projects that venture far beyond routine maintenance.
One project now under development would address a key accessibility issue for the neighborhood. The popular retail and restaurant section along the Potomac River has never been connected to the regional Metro subway system. As part of its role, the BID organized $205,000 in funding for the Georgetown-Rosslyn Gondola feasibility study, with public and private sector partners from D.C. and Arlington County. The study is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2016, and if it is ultimately approved and developed, the gondola would connect Georgetown with the Rosslyn Metro station across the river.
BIDs in other cities, including Philadelphia and Houston, have been deeply involved beyond the project planning stage. In Houston, for example, the Uptown BID formed a strategic partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation to ensure that a major downtown reconstruction project was managed in a way to minimize the effects on commuters and Uptown residents, workers and visitors.
However, the Georgetown BID does not see that role for itself in the development of the gondola. "We are advocates for the system," Joseph Sternlieb, the chief executive officer of the Georgetown BID, says, "We're not going to build it. The public-private partnership that develops it won't be the BID."
The Georgetown BID has also been a key player in a number of other studies that are framing the area's future:
Won a $60,000 Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments grant to study critical roadway issues, to be completed by the end of 2016.
Entered into partnership with the National Park Service to create a master plan for the C&O Canal in Georgetown that runs along the river and is a highly used recreational area, and secured funding for major capital improvement projects in the C&O Canal.
Successfully piloted six temporary weekend sidewalk widenings on various blocks of M Street over 2014-15, to study improving the pedestrian experience.
Won approval for a new canoe and kayak dock in the canal near the 34th Street bridge, which has badly deteriorated from recent storms.
"There aren't going to be new streets in Washington or in Georgetown," Sternlieb says. "Our strategy is to make Georgetown a more accessible, inviting, and sustainable place than it is today."
More use of public-private partnerships
Kane, of the Brookings Institution, says that government will rely increasingly on such public-private partnerships, as awareness grows of the strong relationship between infrastructure improvements and economic development. He says that United States can learn from other countries that have long experience in joint projects.
"There is an inclination toward public-private partnerships as a financing vehicle," he says. "A lot of businesses are looking for guidance. They don't know what it entails, how you get clearance through regulatory and government channels."
Kane pointed to several public-private partnerships that illustrate the variety of projects that are involved:
In 2012, Bayonne struck a 40-year deal with Bayonne Water Joint Venture, an agreement between United Water Operations and the investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. to operate the water system in the New Jersey city.
Eagle P3 is a project involving the Regional Transportation District (RTD) and Denver Transit Partners in a public-private partnership to develop commuter rail as part of the RTD FasTracks public transportation expansion plan serving the Greater Metropolitan Denver area in Colorado.
Virginia HO/T lanes began when Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) signed an agreement with Fluor Corporation and Transurban in April 2005 to add toll-based lanes between Springfield and Georgetown Pike.
In Georgia, private businesses are expanding their distribution facilities as the state and federal governments prepare to deepen the Savannah River to accommodate more traffic from the Panama Canal at the Savannah River Port.
According to Kane, the model is bound to expand in the future. "There is a clear economic impact behind these projects," he says. "It's not just building a new stretch of road. You're providing accessibility, being able to get around, allowing an exchange of goods."
A complementary approach to managing infrastructure is to encourage development that requires less new construction, reducing the upfront building cost and the subsequent maintenance, says Michael Rodriguez, director of research for Smart Growth America, a group that advocates more close-in living.
"Our message is that there is a lot of opportunity for government to use land and infrastructure that we invested in in the past," he says. "We should exploit the investment already in place as opposed to continue to go out to greenfields," a term for areas that remain free of development.
Recent studies support the idea that denser development reduces cost, according to Smart Growth America:
In metropolitan Denver, doubling the persons per square mile could reduce infrastructure costs by 80 percent over a 25-year projection.
In Gainesville, Fla., the region could save $100 million over 20 years if the conventional suburban regional scenario was revised from consuming 19.5 square miles to 2.5 square miles over the same period.
In New Jersey, a reduction of anywhere from 34 percent to 60 percent in land consumption was estimated to save at least $1.5 billion in infrastructure over 20 years.
A Charlotte, N.C. study estimated that the city could save $13 million in upfront capital expenses and $8,4 million a year in operating expenses, if suburban streets connected better, eliminating the need for two fire stations.
Despite the evidence that smart growth reduces infrastructure costs, governments on their own will more likely continue to expand to new areas, according to Rodriguez. Instead, government should pursue programs that expand the housing supply in more concentrated areas, making housing affordable and at the same time reducing the need for expensive infrastructure, he says.
"The market on its own takes care of housing," Rodriguez says. "We need policy tools to address the issues."
Robert Barkin is a Bethesda, Md.-based freelance writer.
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Report: With increasing popularity of e-bikes and e-scooters, there's a need for 'safe and connected infrastructure'
Electric scooters and e-bikes are rising in popularity. As transportation options diversify, local policymakers are beginning to integrate micromobility means as integral fixtures in transportation networks and climate action plans, given their health and climate benefits. But along with solutions, they're also bringing with them a slew of hurdles. A report out of Oregon highlights […]
Federal funds help fast-growing Arizona city address several infrastructure challenges and needs
Joe Giudice, public works director for the city of Phoenix, says the influx of new residents is driving a lot of construction in his community. "Phoenix is the fifth largest city in the United States. It is one of the fastest growing cities in a fast-growing region, which influences infrastructure product and service demand. This […]
How 5G is making cities safer, smarter, and more efficient
This article first appeared on Urgent Communication. It's a scenario we've all experienced: an ambulance with a blaring siren racing against time to get a person in medical distress to a hospital through traffic. What we don't see is 5G connectivity enabling paramedics to communicate with hospital staff via video conference and coordinate care in […]
Spending American Rescue Plan Act funds: A primer for municipalities
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 is a $1.9 trillion legislative package that includes funding for states, local governments and tribal nations to respond to the economic and public health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. While initially restricted, subsequent guidance from the federal government has expanded what those funds can be used for. […]
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Planet Rock Roadstars at The Cluny in Newcastle, UK
Brian Michael Jacques
Concert Reviews, Rock, UK
Interview: Black String from Swedish metal band Vampire
Dan Davidson Releases Heartwarming Music Video
Country, Music Videos, US
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Amon Amarth premiere "Father Of The Wolf" video in Vegas – Tour with Enslaved & Skeletonwitch + Ticket Giveaway
Amon Amarth is pleased to announce they will be premiering the stunning production video for the track Father Of The Wolf at the first date of the US tour, taking place in Las Vegas on Friday January 17. For fans attending this show, make sure to follow Amon Amarth's and Metal Blade Records' Twitter and Facebook pages for info on what time the video will be played at the kickoff date of the tour. Fans not attending this show will be able to view this epic music video, which is more like a mini movie, at metalblade.com/amonamarth on Saturday January 18.
Don't forget to catch the Swedish heavy metal titans Amon Amarth live this January/February 2014 as the band headlines the US in support of their newly released album Deceiver of The Gods. Very special guest on the dates will be Enslaved with additional support from Skeletonwitch.
Thanks to our friends at Live Nation and Blabbermouth, fans can enter to win a pair of tickets to one of the shows listed below by entering here. Rules and restrictions apply and can be found on the contest page.
Amon Amarth + Enslaved + Skeletonwitch
Friday, January 17 – Las Vegas, NV @ House Of Blues
Saturday, January 18 – Phoenix, AZ @ Club Red
Monday, January 20 – San Antonio, TX @ Backstage Live
Tuesday, January 21 – Dallas, TX @ House Of Blues
Wednesday, January 22 – Houston, TX @ House Of Blues
Friday, January 24 – Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage
Saturday, January 25 – Tampa, FL @ The Ritz
Sunday, January 26 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
Monday, January 27 – Orlando, FL @ House Of Blues (*no Skeletonwitch)
Wednesday, January 29 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore
Thursday, January 30 – Norfolk, VA @ The NorVA
Friday, January 31 – Silver Springs, MD @ The Fillmore
Saturday, February 1 – Boston, MA @ House Of Blues
Monday, February 3 – Philadelphia, PA @ TLA
Tuesday, February 4 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
Wednesday, February 5 – Huntington, NY @ Paramount
Thursday, February 6 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Small's
Friday, February 7 – Chicago, IL @ House Of Blues
Saturday, February 8 – Minneapolis, MN @ Mill City Nights
Sunday, February 9 – Lawrence, KS @ Granada Theatre
Tuesday, February 11 – Denver, CO @ Summit Theatre
Wednesday, February 12 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Murray Theater
Friday, February 14 – San Francisco, CA @ The Regency
Saturday, February 15 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
Sunday, February 16 – San Diego, CA @ House Of Blues (* No Enslaved)
Tickets are available now at: amonamarth.com
Deceiver of the Gods shattered the band's previous sales records around the world. The album landed at #19 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart and #19 on the Top Current Albums Chart. The band's last album, Surtur Rising, entered the Top 200 Chart at #34 making Deceiver of the Gods the band's highest charting record to date.
In Germany, Deceiver of the Gods entered the Top 100 Chart at #3, the official Media Market/Saturn Chart at #3 and the German Media Control Weekend Trend Chart at #2.
Deceiver of the Gods came in at #9 on Canada's Top 200 Chart, #2 on the Hard Music Charts and #21 on the Digital Music Chart. Additionally, the record came in at #2 on the iTunes Metal Chart, #2 on the iTunes Rock Chart and #7 on the iTunes Top 200.
In the UK, the record entered the official Album Charts at #67, the Rock/Metal Chart at #4 and the Independent Chart at #14 marking the highest UK chart placements for the band yet.
Elsewhere, Deceiver of the Gods came in at #9 on the Top 100 Album Chart in Switzerland, #7 on the Austrian Top 100, #9 in Sweden, #27 in Denmark, #51 in France, #34 in Czech Republic and #51 in Hungary.
Keep up to date on all things Amon Amarth at the following locations:
metalblade.com/amonamarth
amonamarth.com
facebook.com/OfficialAmonAmarth
twitter.com/amonamarthband
Amon AmarthEnslavedLive NationMetal Blade RecordsSkeletonwitch
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Brian was born in Detroit, Michigan and raised in Miami, Florida. He now resides in Flint, Michigan where he hosts a local radio show called THE METAL, Sundays 8p-12a on WKUF 94.3 FM. You can listen online at WKUF.FM. Let's Party!
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Q: Show that the intervals in $\mathbb{R}$, $(a,b)$ and $(a,\infty)$, are equivalent. Show that the intervals in $\mathbb{R}$, $(a,b)$ and $(a,\infty)$ are equivalent.
I have had difficulty finding a bijective function between these intervals. Any recommendations?

A: HINT
Note that $f(x) = 1/x$ maps $(0,1)$ to $(1,\infty)$.
Can you transform this to do what you need?

A: Another function besides reciprocal that can help in these situations is tangent:
$$f(x)=\tan\left(\dfrac{(x-a)}{(b-a)}\cdot\dfrac\pi2\right)+a.$$

A: With $a<b$, the function $\displaystyle f(x) = \frac{b-a}{b-x} + a -1$ maps $(a,b)$ to $(a,\infty)$.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Ask Gizmodo: How Can A Series In My Stan List Disappear?
Hi Gizmodo, I am a Stan user. I had a series in my list that I had not finished, and found it has disappeared out of my list! How can this happen? Please help. Cheers, Helena.
Ask Gizmodo deals with the tricky tech in our lives. If you've got a burning question about networking, home entertainment or building a new PC, get in touch using the contact form at the end of this article!
I suspect you may have been at the worst place and time you can end up while marathoning a series on a streaming service — the refresh.
Although not widely advertised, content on streaming services such as Stan is, unfortunately, not there forever. A periodic "refresh" of the catalogue does occur on a regular basis, and this means that some shows are scrapped from the service.
This isn't isolated to Stan — Netflix, Presto and other major streaming services all do the same thing.
"The vast majority of the content we have is on long term licenses, including Stan's first-run shows such as Better Call Saul and Transparent," said Stan's Content & Product Director, Nick Forward. "Our first-run shows will remain on the platform for a minimum of 24 months so subscribers can watch anytime."
"We have also licensed 'life of series' for our most popular first-run shows, which means new seasons will also be returning exclusively to Stan year after year."
So while there is a guaranteed two years the first-run shows will be available to watch, the rest is up in the air — and it looks like your series may have been one of the ones that were cut.
To keep tabs on this so it doesn't happen again, you can check OzStream's "expires soon" list.
To check that this is indeed the case, and nothing more worrying is occurring with your account, Stan's online help service is actually really fast at getting back to customers.
Do you have a suggestion? Let us all know in the comments below.


Here's one example of advances in technology and performance-capture that are happening right now.
HDSLR cameras shoot 16:9, which is fine, but sometimes you want a more cinematic look. The two perhaps most common ratios are 1.85:1 (Academy Flat) and 2.35:1 (Cinemascope). Read more about cinema aspect ratios here.
I edit in Premiere CS5, and there are two ways I can export my videos with wider aspect ratio. I can export with letterboxing (black stripes masking the upper and lower parts of the image), or I can crop the the video when I export with Media Encoder.
Then I export this image as a PNG-file with transparent background, so only the black rectangles, the letterbox, is visible. You can download and use mine, if you like. Just click the image on the right to get the full size, and right-click to save.
Now you're ready to import the mask into Premiere, and place it on top of all the other video layers.
Here's an example of mine, with the original footage seen in the source monitor (left) and the cropped image in the program monitor (right). Notice the matte being on the topmost layer in the timeline, and of course stretched to cover the entire length of the footage.
Once you've done this you have some headroom to move your footage vertically. Make sure you don't cut any heads or lose any valuable information.
Once you've positioned all your footage correctly and applied any effects and transitions, you're ready to export. Go to File>Export>Media to open the Media Encoder.
Now you can go ahead and export, and end up with a nice widescreen video without letterboxing. Videos of this type are great to upload to Vimeo, but YouTube always adds letterboxing anyway, I think.


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Beijing 2017: 10 archers to watch
Reigning Paralympic and world champions aim for coveted titles 11 Sep 2017
(clockwise from top left) Klinik, Nemati and Drahoninsky are among the favourites at Beijing 2017
By World Archery and IPC
More than 150 archers from around the world are taking part in the 2017 World Archery Para Championships, the first major competition since the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
Here are 10 archers targeting the world titles from Tuesday (12 September), in Beijing, China:
1) Rahimi Gholamreza, Iran
The top ranked archer in the men's recurve open event and reigning Paralympic gold medallist is revered for his talent and poise. He finished third at the 2015 edition in Donaueschingen, Germany.
2) Tomohiro Ueyama, Japan
The optimistic recurve archer is determined to build a base for archery in Japan ahead of Tokyo 2020, as his nation will have 11 athletes from the nation competing in Beijing. The 30-year-old reached the quarter-final at Rio 2016 where fell to Gholamreza, but still has a lot more to show.
3) Svetlana Barantseva, Russia*
The two-time Worlds silver medallist and No. 1 ranked women's recurve will get her biggest test in Beijing.
4) Wu Chunyan, China
After winning triple gold in Donaueschingen 2015, Wu was unstoppable until her first major loss to Iran's Zahra Nemati during the 2016 Paralympic Games.
5) Zahra Nemati, Iran
Having focused on able-bodied competitions, Nemati returns to the World Archery Para Championships scene, which lead to a rematch with Wu. The Iranian two-time Paralympic champion and Olympian is perhaps the most popular archer in the world.
6) Jonathan Milne, Australia
Milne made waves when he won a surprise bronze in the 2016 Paralympics and is determined to raise the profile of Para archery at home.
7) Eleonora Sarti, Italy
Sarti fell short in the first round at Rio 2016, despite arriving as the reigning world champion. Beijing 2017 is her opportunity for redemption.
8) Peter Kinik, Slovakia
The Rio 2016 bronze medallist will compete for his first world title since 2009.
9) David Drahoninsky, Czech Republic
The No.1 ranked archer brings experience and humor to the field, as he aims to retain his world title.
10) Jessica Stretton, Great Britain
This 17-year-old archer is one of the youngest and best in the world. She broke four world records in July at Great Britain's junior national championship – and is the Paralympic champion.
The Beijing 2017 World Archery Para Championships runs until 17 September.
*Editor's note: The International Paralympic Committee suspended the Russian Paralympic Committee on 7 August for its inability to fulfil its IPC membership responsibilities and obligations, in particular its obligation to comply with the IPC Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Code (to which it is also a signatory). As a result of the suspension, Russian athletes cannot enter IPC sanctioned events or competitions, including the Paralympic Games. For further information please click here.
David Drahoninsky triumphs on home soil
Zhou Jiamin targets first world title
Spotlight not blinding Andre Shelby
Tokyo 2020: 5 things you should know
Veteran archer Peter Kinik still learning


On November 17, 2018 Silver Strings quartet convened at the Schrader Lane Church of Christ to bring music to the nuptials of Janean and Trey. When we entered the church we were struck by the gorgeous drape on the stage that would frame the couple as they said their vows. The music was mostly classical for the prelude and processionals. Janean chose Canon in D for her entrance. After the couple mounted the steps to the stage a friend, DaJanae Burnett, sang "A Couple of Forevers" accompanied by Silver Strings. After the exchange of vows and rings, DaJanae and her cousin, Rayshan Booker, gave us all goose bumps as they sang a very stirring rendition of "The Prayer" during Janean and Trey's unity ceremony. After all was said and done Rayshan sent the newlyweds back down the aisle singing "Fly Me To the Moon" with the quartet.
Congratulations to Janean and Trey from all of us with Silver Strings. We wish them much happiness together! in the years to come!


Blog pieces are contributed from International Wanderers from all over the globe. Some have contributed the pieces free of charge others have been commissioned. Please refer to our Terms & Conditions. If you have concerns regarding any content posted here please don't hesitate to notify us via our contact page.
Liverpool is a vibrant city to live in and with the rise of student accommodation and a growing community, there's never been a better time for students to study here. Leaving home for the first time is an anxious situation for any student but even more so for international students. However, you will feel at home in no time in Liverpool, a city that is welcoming, multi-cultural and offers a range of things to do.
Relocating can be quite stressful especially if you do this with your kids. In fact, managing moving boxes and a baby at the same time is never easy. The fact that your family is moving from one home to another can be a challenging idea to contemplate about. You may even end up losing your mind thinking about the struggle of moving with a crying baby or toddler.
With a British summer which has been unusually hot, there is no better time to spend a warm evening sipping cocktails on one of our capital's many great alfresco rooftop bars.
From upscale, year-round favourites, to quirky new kids on the block, read our quick guide to six of the best sky-high drinking spots that London has to offer.
One of the most delightfully easy ways to travel is at the comparatively slow and steady pace of your own vehicle, taking a leisurely cruise through the landscapes, villages, towns and cities that make up your own country of origin. It means a cheap holiday that really gets under the skin of the places you visit.
When travelling to a foreign country, you get the chance to discover new landscapes, new cultures and meet new people. You also get to discover a new language, which can be a great opportunity but also act as a barrier.
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Spink behind bars again
By Jane Sims
Doug Spink
Well, that didn't take long.
Just months after he was again booted back to the United States, after a wild ruckus he caused in Port Stanley, a convicted American drug smuggler and Washington State bestiality tourism farm owner is back behind bars in Pennsylvania.
Doug Spink is cooling his heels in the Butler County Prison, held on $35,000 bail, for 17 charges involving the discharge of a handgun at his mother's house and an assault on police when he was arrested at a Buy 'N Fly gas station.
Spink, 45, was deported to the U.S. from London last August, after he was improperly released from the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre in London.
Picked up a day later in Port Stanley, a more bizarre background came to light that included a warrant for Spink for animal cruelty in Washington state, a missing and presumed dog-napped canine named Ghengis, a lawsuit, online chat rooms about bestiality and a conviction for cocaine smuggling.
Spink re-entered Canada through Saskatchewan after his first deportation and was in Port Stanley for some time before he was back in police custody in November, after a house fire followed by some violent, erratic behaviour that led to him assaulting police officers and damaging a police cruiser.
He was ordered back to the U.S. on Feb. 22, part of the fallout from his convictions for assault with a weapon, mischief, unlawfully being in a dwelling house and two counts of resisting arrest.
The lead-up events to his April 4 arrest in Pennsylvania are eerily similar to what happened in Port Stanley — erratic behaviour, police officers assaulted, resistance to arrest — but this time a gun is involved.
Court documents filed by the police department in Zelienople, north of Pittsburgh, describe a wild night that ended with an hour-long struggle at the Buy 'N Fly. Officers put Spink in three pairs of handcuffs linked together. He was strapped and shackled to a gurney before he was taken to hospital.
Police were called after a report of a man firing a gun in house.
As officers headed there, there was a report of a man who might have been struck by a car.
The man made his way to the gas station and called 911 to say he'd been robbed and needed help.
Inside, the man was behind the counter and an officer identified him "from previous dealings with him."
Spink, the suspect, was on the floor in a fetal position. He told police he had knife on him. They found two in his pocket, the documents said.
While officers tried to handcuff him, Spink yelled he was having a seizure and kept kicking the officers, police allege. They threatened to subdue him with a Taser and went as far as to put it on his chest, but the device wasn't deployed.
Told to get up and walk to the ambulance, Spink got up then dropped to the ground complaining his knee was hurting. He kicked out a rack of cigarettes and pulled other merchandise off the shelves as he was taken outside, causing at least $5,000 in damage, the documents contend.
Outside, Spink kept struggling despite leg shackles. That led to more handcuffs and shackles.
Officers went to Spink's mother Claire's home. She said she and her son had "a peaceful dinner" before she went to bed and Spink retired to the basement.
At about 2 a.m., she heard Spink walking around. He came into her room complaining about her car alarm, then later "smashed into her room and took the gun from a box," threatening to kill himself, holding it to his chin, the documents said.
His mother kept talking to him and the gun went off twice in the kitchen during a struggle.
She told police she believed her son took the gun with him when he left the house.
Police say Spink stopped a motorist on his way to work and got into his car, claiming there was someone robbing his house. He was eventually ordered out of the car, then tried to get into a house.
Police found a loaded .38-calibre revolver half buried in the ground, possibly by someone stepping on it, not far from Spink's mother's house.
Spink faces charges of possession of a prohibited firearm, three counts of discharging a firearm into an occupied structure, five counts of aggravated assault, four counts of recklessly endangering another person and four counts of criminal mischief.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled next week.
jsims@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JaneatLFPress


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Pannonia – marka węgierskich motocykli produkowanych w zakładach Csepel w Budapeszcie w latach 1954–1975. Konstrukcja bazowała na przedwojennym motocyklu Csepel 250. Motocykle Pannonia były importowane do Polski.

Pannonia TL – w 1954 roku pojawił się model TL, który bazował wprawdzie na konstrukcji Csepel 250, jednak zastosowano w nim wiele nowoczesnych rozwiązań. Przede wszystkim to rozwiązanie tylnego zawieszenia i zastosowanie zintegrowanej kanapy. Silnik był nieznacznie zmodyfikowaną pewną i sprawdzoną jednocylindrową dwusuwową jednostką z Csepela o pojemności 250 cm³, która generowała moc 10,5 KM. Początkowo produkowano Pannonie tylko w kolorze ciemnoczerwonym. Przez pierwsze dwa lata motocykle produkowano pod starą nazwą, a w 1956 roku wprowadzono markę Pannonia.

Pannonia TLT – już dwa lata później bo w 1956 roku pojawiła się wersja motocykla po kolejnych zmianach. Poszerzyła się gama kolorów najpierw o pistacjowo-zielony, a następnie czarny. Wprowadzono kolejne zmiany konstrukcyjne i udoskonalenia, łańcuch zamknięto w obudowie, błotnik został przymocowany do dolnych lag, aby poruszał się wraz z kołem zachowując stały prześwit, zachowano schowek w baku paliwa, ale dodano dwie puszki na narzędzia i akumulator, zastosowano lakierowane tłumiki, podniesiono moc silnika do 12 KM. W takiej formie produkowano motocykl do 1958 roku.

Pannonia TLF (TLD) później T1 – chyba najbardziej popularna na polskim rynku. Litera F w nazwie symbolizowała zwiększenie mocy do 14 KM, co pozwalało rozpędzić motocykl do ok. 105 km/h. Wersja TLD, rzadziej spotykana, posiadła prądnicę zamiast dynama. Ponownie też dokonano wielu zmian konstrukcyjnych; tylna lampa o kształcie kropli, zmieniono skrzynię biegów, ożebrowanie cylindra, elementy gaźnika, zlikwidowano schowek w zbiorniku paliwa, dodano linkę i cięgno ssania, zastosowano tylne amortyzatory z dwoma położeniami napięcia sprężyny do jazdy solo i z pasażerem, silnik dodatkowo zamocowano do ramy łącznikiem przy głowicy co nadało większej sztywności całej konstrukcji i zmniejszyło wibracje silnika. Produkowano też wersje eksportowe tego motocykla do NRD i krajów skandynawskich, charakteryzowały się szerszą gamą kolorów i większą ilością chromowanych elementów. Model ten z niewielkimi zmianami produkowano do 1964 roku (od 1960 roku najczęściej pod nazwą T1).

Pannonia TLB – na bazie modelu TLF powstała wersja Pannoni o oznaczeniu TLB. Zmiany dotyczyły przede wszystkim karoserii, która została mocno zabudowana i dodano wiele ozdobnych elementów. Tylny błotnik stał się krótszy, ale o wiele głębszy zakrywając częściowo koło, zamocowano chromowany zderzak i lampę o zmienionym kształcie. Z przodu zmodyfikowano obudowy amortyzatorów, a reflektor zabudowano w stylowej osłonie z blach. Dodano również kontrolkę naładowania akumulatora. Silnik został częściowo przysłonięty chromowanymi obudowami, które zajęły miejsce puszek bocznych, dlatego ponownie mocowano zbiorniki paliwa z wbudowanym pojemnikiem. Kanapa została podzielona na dwie części z uchwytem dla pasażera. Wprowadzono też wiele mniejszych zmian i ozdobnych elementów decydujących o niezwykle nowoczesnym na owe czasy wyglądzie tego modelu. Motocykle te były głównie eksportowane do ówczesnego NRD i Związku Radzieckiego. Stosowano standardowy silnik i podobnie jak w przypadku TLF, część z nich występowała w wersji TLD z zapłonem bateryjnym.

Pannonia T5 – w 1964 roku pojawił się model oznaczony symbolem T5, w którym znowu dokonano kilka zmian, z czego najbardziej znamienne było zastosowanie kół z bębnami hamulcowymi o mniejszej średnicy i innym mocowanie szprych. Mimo ciągle dużej popularności Pannoni, która była solidnym motocyklem o dosyć prostej i łatwej w obsłudze konstrukcji, wiadomo było, że technologia z lat 40, na której bazowała ta konstrukcja jest już przestarzała i potrzebna jest gruntowna modyfikacja. Dlatego model T5 nie wniósł wiele nowego, gdyż już w tym czasie w fabryce zaczęto się przygotowywać do zbudowania motocykla odpowiadającego nowym standardom. Eksperymentowano z aluminiowymi cylindrami oraz jednostkami dwucylindrowymi. W przyszłości zaowocowało to powstaniem modelu P20. Powstanie jeszcze lekko zmodyfikowana wersja T5H, która wraz z modelami T10 i P20 będzie produkowana niemal do końca czyli 1975 roku.

Pannonia P10 – w 1967 roku ukazał się model posiadający już cechy nowej konstrukcji, ale jeszcze ciągle bazujący na modelu TLF. Główne zmiany dotyczą przodu motocykla, gdzie zastosowano amortyzatory z tłumieniem olejowym, zmodyfikowano konstrukcję lampy, kierownicy, montowano bak o nowocześniejszej linii, zmodyfikowano kształt głowicy i cylindra silnika, udoskonalono układ wydechowy (wyciszony), zmieniono system pobierania powietrza do gaźnika, tylny wahacz, ale też nieco zmodyfikowano siedzenie.

Motocykle produkowano do 1975 roku. Ogółem wyprodukowano ponad 600 tysięcy sztuk. Ponad 70% produkcji trafiało na eksport, z czego największe ilości sprowadzano do ZSRR (do 25 tysięcy rocznie, począwszy od modelu TLB).

Przypisy

Bibliografia

Linki zewnętrzne

 forum użytkowników i sympatyków motocykli Pannonia

Węgierscy producenci motocykli

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


I discovered, today, that Jerry does not see to his right. Recently, I sat on his right while visiting him during lunch. He did not know I was there. In the past, when sitting across from him, he would always reach across and drink my wine, grrr! I would always tease him and slap his hand. It always created a chuckle. But with my drink on my right, that would put it on his left. That's what he would see.
Today, he seemed strong enough to go out. Whenever I can, I try to help him escape to the outside world and the fresh air. We went to the local pizza place. As soon as we walked in, they greeted him with a "Hi, Jerry." He eats there frequently with his group of buds. We were escorted over to a booth, which I now know is quite difficult for him to get into. Nonetheless, I had him sit while I positioned his legs underneath the table. After some coaxing I managed to get him to scoot over. The way I did that was to sit next to him and push him on over. It actually felt good for me to be able to "cuddle" up next to his side.
Anyway, progress was rather slow and our waitress tried to help me communicate. I made some excuse like, "I just woke him up. He's still a bit confused". She smiled. I noticed Jerry was staring straight ahead as if he were a scolded puppy dog trying to ignore that I was there. He was not responding AT ALL.
DUH! Epiphany! I realized.....he could not see out of this side. Oh, his sight is fine, it's his brain that tells him that he can't see what's to his right. He didn't know what was happening, nor who was sitting all "scooched" up next to him. I said, "I know Jerry! I'll sit across from you." I hopped up and plopped across the table from him. All of a sudden he came alive! He grabbed my hands and looked straight into my eyes! His eyes welled up with tears as if he hadn't seen me in years. I could smile and talk to him and tell him great and wonderful things....I showed him pictures of our youngest baby grandboy, Jack, in his Captain America costume. A face you can help but love!
No, he had no idea who Jack was, but at least he could seethe picture. He ate his child size portion of spaghetti and loved it. I kept his sweet ice tea to the left. He found it and drank it.
It's amazing what happens when we try to understand what is happening so we make life somewhat better for them.


Why make things more complicated than they are? In Scandinavia butter and cheese are staples. And we have the right tools to use to with them. Don't bring out a chef's knife and clumsily try cutting slices of cheese. Try out our cheese slices and butter knives instead and we're sure you won't regret it.


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Nordea Bank Abp's financial reporting in 2023
Annual General Meeting | 17-10-2022 09:00
Stock exchange release – Financial calendar
17 October 2022 at 10.00 EET
Nordea Bank Abp will publish the following financial reports in 2023:
Fourth-quarter and full-year results 2022 on 2 February 2023
First-quarter results 2023 on 27 April 2023
Second-quarter and half-year results 2023 on 17 July 2023
Third-quarter and January-September results 2023 on 19 October 2023
The Annual Report and Capital and Risk Management Report for 2022 will be published in week 9, 2023, at the latest.
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Nordea Bank Abp will be held on 23 March 2023.
The record date for possible ordinary dividend payment to be decided at the AGM for the financial year 2022 is 27 March 2023. The earliest payment date for such dividend is 3 April 2023.
Nordea follows a silent period that lasts from the fifth business day after a financial quarter ends until the financial report for the corresponding period has been made public.
You can find Nordea's financial calendar on our website nordea.com.
The information provided in this stock exchange release was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contacts set out above, at 10.00 EET on 17 October 2022.


text:
module MongoidOpenApi
  VERSION = '0.2.0'.freeze
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This photographic cultural editorial on the first Puerto Rican female activist in the state of Ohio pays tribute to her life and her activism. Her story is told in old photos and in shots of plus-sized models wearing her authentic clothing from the time period. This week is the anniversary of Cuchín's death, who passed away on February 11, 2012.


With his taste for describing the banality of everyday life in voluptuous detail, films of Lee Yoon-ki capture the essence of troubled characters on screen. In his debut film This Charming Girl (2004) the director poignantly depicted a dreary life of a female post officer with a traumatic past whose comfort in life was to play with an abandoned cat and fill her room with goods ordered from a home shopping channel. In his latest feature film Come Rain Come Shine, the only Asian runner in Berlin's competition, Lee focuses on a troubled couple played by a duo of charismatic actors -- Hyun Bin (Full Autumn) and Lim Soo-jung (I'm a Cyborg. But that's O.K.) — in their final hours together. But Lee notably shies away when it comes to media attention of his work. When the conversation naturally reaches the festival, he says: "I wish I don't win an award. I don't want the attention." Lee recently spoke with The Hollywood Reporter's Korea correspondent Park Soo-mee about his actors, muses and arthouse filmmaking in Korean cinema.
THR: How did the film Come Rain, Come Shine come about?
Lee Yoon-ki: I read a short story — A Cat That Cannot Return by Inoue Areno — way back. It was a story that no one else would make a film.
THR: What was so compelling about the story?
Lee: It was how the story was set up. The narrative was very simple and even bland and I'm drawn to those stories. I feel they have more to bring out than a complicated one. The more simple and plain the story the more I have things to say.
THR: And what did you want to say?
Lee: I never make a film with a message in mind. I'm more interested in the characters; how they are related to each other and the situation they're in. The way people respond to struggles or express their feelings in difficult situations are very different. I like imagining how characters would react in certain situations.
THR: The script says the story happens in the couple's final three hours together roughly from 4 to 7 p.m. and the film is almost simultaneous to the real time. It must have been tricky to control the film's sense of time and not bore the audiences.
Lee: The audiences will be bored no matter how hard I try (laughs). I wanted every scene in the film to feel like it was simultaneous to the real time. If the story took place over several days I would not have been able to portray every moment and the characters' emotions with such depth. The constraint of time forced me to think about the continuity of scenes, given the film's hour and 40 minutes.
THR: That must have been extremely difficult for the actors — to maintain the consistent tone of the story throughout the entire film.
Lee: It was because the shooting didn't always take place from 4 to 7. It was difficult for everyone and it was painful. I constantly focused not to lose connection from a previous scene to another and distractions were everywhere.
THR: In a sense your work has always been "a festival film." And I wonder if the advent of new media technologies and the rapidly changing filmmaking environment in Korea could mean fewer platforms for auteurist films like yours.
Lee: Filming in Korea has never been easy, but I think it's been particularly difficult recently due to the shifting industry structure. The notion of diversity in film simply doesn't exist anymore. Diversity did exist here for a brief period, but we lost it. The idea of "a festival film" is really nonsense. We show in festivals because that's the only platform available to us.
THR: Do you ever think of making a film for broader audiences?
Lee: Of course I do. There's no such thing as "an auteurist filmmaker." Every film directors is an auteur. We only make films that we do because we cannot put on clothes that don't fit us.
THR: Your first film This Charming Girl came out in 2004. What led you to become a filmmaker?
Lee: To make the long story short I made my hobby into a career. I majored in economics in college and didn't know anyone in the film industry. But I grew up watching a lot of films, and quite naturally I joined a film collective, which got me more engaged in the field. But even after I got involved I wasn't fully into filmmaking for a while. I was an assistant to the director Lee Myung-se ("Nowhere to Hide") but I was let go. Then my script got picked up in a screenplay contest and one day I found myself making a film.
THR: Who are your influences?
Lee: I grew up watching many American independent films from 70s and 80s. I was in complete culture shock after watching the Coen Brothers' Blood Simple in 1985. I couldn't believe my eyes. I also liked Robert Altman's earlier works, Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese. My film mentor, however, in is Hou Hsiao-Hsien. His composed perspective on life is always startling to me. Many people find it unusual that I didn't watch many European films.
THR: Despite your short career you worked with some of the top Korean actors including Jeon Do-yeon (Cannes' 2007 winner for best actress). Why do you think so many actors are attracted to your films?
Lee: I think it's an adventure for them because money is certainly out of the point. The quality of Korean actors is actually quite high. Their passion is overwhelming but not many platforms are available to cater to their creative needs. They're thirsty for something new and I think that's where I connect with them. They have vision. In certain sense many Korean actors have better vision than directors.
THR: When you're shooting a story, what do you care about the most?
Lee: Whether it's an experience from reading a story or writing a script I try so that my emotions from particular moments are delivered fully in the film. I try to be straight when I communicate with my audiences through a film. I'm not sure whether I have been successful. I don't watch my film once they're in theaters.
Lee: That, yes, and I only see things that I shouldn't have done when I watch my film again. I just want to put them behind me.
THR: What is it that you want to deliver through Come Rain, Come Shine?
Lee: That there's no such thing as being cool. People who pretend to be cool have more emotional layers, like this couple who chooses a very unique way to separate from each other.
THR: What are you working on next?
Lee: My ideas are more abstract at the moment. I have a love story, a horror and action. They've always been with me and we will see where they go.


text:
China's first-half fiscal spending up 10.7% as Beijing boosts...
China's fiscal spending increased 10.7% in the first six months from a year earlier, the finance ministry said on Tuesday, underlining the government's bid to support the...
EU regulators want to make sure Amazon isn't undercutting sellers, commissioner says
Published Fri, Sep 28 2018 3:39 PM EDT
Waverly Colville@wavecolville
EU regulators are questioning Amazon merchants about whether the company is using seller data to its advantage.
They want to ensure the e-commerce giant isn't using that data to replicate products and cannibalize sales from sellers on its platform.
European Commissioner for competition Margrethe Vestager addresses a press conference on Belgium excess profit tax scheme at the European Commission in Brussels on January 11, 2016.
EMMANUEL DUNAND | AFP | Getty Images
Margrethe Vestager, the European Commissioner for Competition, told CNBC's Sara Eisen that one of her agency's primary goals in the Amazon investigation to protect consumers by ensuring competition and innovation.
EU regulators are questioning Amazon merchants about whether the company is using seller data to its advantage by replicating and selling its own version of products and undercutting smaller companies on its platform.
"It's too early to have a concern, but we like to understand how this is working because Amazon has this dual role," Vestager said to Eisen. "They host a lot of little guys and at the same time, they're a big guy in the same market. So how do they treat the data that they get from the little guy? Does that give them an advantage that cannot be matched?"
Vestager said that while the commission has heard concerns, it has not received formal complaints of such behavior.
Vestager has the power to fine companies up to 10 percent of their global turnover for breaching EU antitrust rules. Last year, she fined $5 billion because of its Android software and launched an investigation into Apple when it purchased the app Shazam.
Amazon.com Inc
Sara Eisen
Antitrust regulation
Amazon hit by EU antitrust probe
Published Wed, Sep 19 2018 10:05 AM EDT Updated Wed, Sep 19 2018 12:32 PM EDT
Sara Salinas@saracsalinas
European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager has begun questioning merchants on Amazon's use of their data.
Vestager has the power to fine companies up to 10 percent of their global turnover for breaching EU antitrust rules.
Earlier this year, she levied a record $5 billion fine against Google related to its Android business. She also launched an "in-depth investigation" into Apple and its purchase of music recognition app Shazam.


This is the last article in a 3-part series on teaching parrots to forage that I wrote for Parrots magazine earlier this year. With this article I hope to show you how to increase the complexity of foraging opportunities and fit those ideas into every day living for you and your bird.
In the first two articles in this series I covered the "how" of teaching your parrot to forage. Now I would like to explain the "why" of foraging. I think if we better understand why parrots need to forage, it becomes easier for us to recognize, create and incorporate foraging opportunities into the captive parrot environment.
Making foraging toys and providing foraging opportunities helps to activate the Seeking System in parrots. Seeking is a core emotion in animals and birds that was originally identified by Dr. Jaak Panksepp, a neuroscientist who wrote Affective Neuroscience. Dr. Panksepp spent decades mapping the emotional systems of the brain he believes are shared by all mammals.
Reading Animals Make Us Human influenced and helped to expand my thinking when it came to providing foraging opportunities for my birds. Parrots are amazing seekers. They take pleasure in investigating what is inside things and trying to figure out how to get at an item of interest that is just out of their reach. They like to steal things. I have one bird that doesn't eat walnuts when you give them to him, but if he sneaks one out of another parrot's bowl he will eat it.
Now that my own parrots are experienced foragers, I am always thinking of ways to increase the complexity of the foraging opportunities I provide for them. In other words, I work to stimulate their Seeking System.
Once your birds are accustomed to having to work to retrieve food from foraging toys, have them work to get to the foraging toy as well. Toys can be strategically placed just out of reach to encourage movement and activity. This also stimulates the Seeking System in that your parrot has to figure out how to best get at a foraging toy that isn't conveniently placed right next to a perch.
Toy placed just out of reach of a perch.
Try presenting the food you make for them in different ways and offer it in different locations. You might wrap the morning mash in a whole wheat flour tortilla and leave it out on the counter for a curious parrot to find.
Tortilla wrap left out on the kitchen counter.
Or perhaps wrap fruits and vegetables in leafy greens and place the wrap out on a platform perch in your parrot's cage.
Swiss chard wrap on a platform perch in the cage.
Strategically placed clutter on various flat surface areas of your home, such as kitchen counters, table tops, shelves, TV trays and end tables, can create activity zones that stimulate the Seeking System and offer your parrot choices and the opportunity to make decisions.
Tiny plastic container left out on an end table. After Zorba gets the toy out of the container, he can busy himself by shredding the old phone book left out on the table for him to find.
Perhaps leave an old water bottle out for a curious parrot to see if he can open it. Or drape an old sweater jacket with a zipper over the arm of a chair. My birds like destroying zippers so much I purchase old jackets at the thrift store to bring home just for that purpose. Of note: I received a comment from a reader that pointed out caution should be used offering jackets with zippers. I always buy the jackets with plastic zippers, but some jackets have metal zippers which might contain zinc and would not be a good choice for a parrot enrichment item.
Water bottle left on the end table for Buddy's curious beak to try and open.
Once your parrot is accustomed to foraging, you need to keep it interesting and that can get expensive. You can stretch your toy making dollars by making use of your trash. Recycled containers can make wonderful parrot toys.
When I buy cornstarch I look for the Argo brand and it isn't because I think it is superior to similar products. Argo cornstarch comes in a bright yellow plastic container with a bright blue top that I use as a parrot toy when empty. After washing, I cut a few holes in the side of the container and fill it with beads and other foot toys. Instead of presenting it to my parrot, I leave it out on the counter as strategically placed clutter to be discovered.
Recycled container made into a foraging toy and left on the kitchen counter for a parrot to discover.
More often than not, parrots themselves can give us ideas for providing them with opportunities that stimulate the Seeking System. I had a tub of apples soaking on the counter in vegetable wash when my Timneh, Buddy, landed on the tub and leaned his beak in to get an apple. I removed the tub full of vegetable wash and replaced it with a tub of clean water with some apples floating inside.
Buddy had a great time bobbing for apples in the tub and this is an activity we've continued. When I'm preparing my parrots' salad mix, I sometimes place vegetables and fruits in a tub of clean water for Buddy to bob for. It is an easy activity to set up and one that he enjoys. Of note, this is an activity that should be supervised and may not be suitable for all parrots, especially smaller parrots that might fall in the tub.
I don't know a parrot who doesn't like to test gravity by dropping things off counters and onto the floor. I always have a number of mismatched plastic containers in my cupboards. You know, the ones that don't have a top that fits and tops that don't have bottoms to match. I place them in an empty plastic washtub that I leave out on the kitchen counter. My birds enjoy wandering over to rummage through the contents of the tub and toss the containers onto the floor.
Zorba picks out a plastic top to chew on before tossing it to the floor.
These are just a few of the countless ideas to help you stimulate the Seeking System in your own birds. Be inventive, but always consider safety first. Closely observe your parrot and know not only what toys he interacts with, but how he uses them. If you do not feel completely comfortable with a toy or foraging opportunity do not use it.
Other ideas, videos and my Parrot Enrichment Activity Books (available as free PDF downloads) can be found on my website, www.ParrotEnrichment.com.
I hope you have enjoyed reading this series of articles on Creating Foraging Opportunities and that it has served to help you provide foraging opportunities for your own parrots.
This has been an awesome series, thank you for it. I will be returning to it again and again to review. I'm also grateful for being made aware of the work of Dr. Jaak Panksepp whom I will look up to read more about him.
Just an idea, but maybe something on reverse foraging to talk about in the future would also be helpful. Our B&G macaw seems to be a natural forager who throws down his food dish and then spends the day (and night) climbing down to the floor to pick up one piece of food at a time, climb back up on top of his cage and eat it. We tried putting his food in a very heavy crock on his cage floor to save him the trouble, that worked for a while until one day he started throwing it around. Finally, he did toss this huge crock out of his cage and broke it. He's had numerous store bought acrylic foraging dishes, toys but has destroyed them all. However, he did get to forage with them a little but in the process of destroying them.
Thank you Patti. I often see my own parrots go down to the cage bottom to retrieve a morsel of food or a foot toy that they tossed to the bottom earlier in the day.
Excellent series! This has been extremely helpful to me in providing new ideas to increase foraging opportunities for my birds! Thank you!
Thank you so much for those kind words Leigh and you are most welcome. Glad to hear this series of articles were a help to you.
I reuse toilet paper cardboard or paper towel tubes by punching a hole in the ends and putting string thru the holes to close up the ends. When I first started doing this I cut a hole in the side so they knew there were treats or foot toys or goodies in it. Now they get excited to just see the tube. Great article. I will try all of the suggestions. Thank you!
TP rolls make the best foraging toys Kim and thanks for sharing that suggestion.
Excellent three part series but I think the zipper suggestion should also come with a disclaimer the same as the waxed covered paper cups part. Zippers could contain zinc or other toxins that are harmful to our parrots. I wouldn't recommend that people offer zippers or any items with anything metal on it unless they know it's stainless steel or nickel plated.. Sorry to complain. I don't like to. I really REALLY enjoyed the series though. A lot of thought, time and effort put in this and it's a great piece. LOTS of wonderful, enriching ideas. THANK you for your time and effort.
Good point Christena and I am so glad you pointed that out. I only buy jackets with the plastic zippers so I didn't think about zinc in metal zippers.
I agree with the zipper caution. Our avian vet had to perform surgery on a client to remove zipper teeth that wouldn't pass thru the system. Plastic might be better than metal zippers, however, they still might get stuck & require surgical removal.
Thank you for those kind words Michelle. Glad you found the articles helpful!


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Information in the Universe and in the Organism
Information in the Universe
The insight now emerging in the physical sciences, especially but not exclusively in quantum physics, highlights the role of interaction and interconnection in the diverse spheres of observation and experiment. This is not a material universe where bits of matter enter into interaction, exchange kinetic or chemical energy and thereby shape the behavior of basically material entities. In the final count there is no such thing as "matter" in the universe, nor indeed is there such a thing as energy, taken as a fundamental category of physical existence. This is a universe where the quantum vacuum (better seen as a "sub-quantum plenum" for it underlies the level of quanta and is a virtual-energy filled substrate rather than empty space) is the cosmic matrix in which the particles and systems that constitute the furnishings of the world arise. The quantum vacuum/plenum is an integration of what we used to think of as energy and information. It is a field of informed energy.
The particles that appear as the material furnishings of the universe are entangled excitations of the ground state of this cosmic matrix. The systems that appear as objects composed of material particles are locally manifest yet intrinsically entangled configurations of excitations in that matrix. The particles and systems we observe emerged in the course of evolution in the cosmos. Following the Big Bang (which appears to have been a Big Bounce, a phase-change in the sequence of local universes in the multiverse) the first entities to emerge were photons, protons, neutrons and electrons, and other, more short-lived exchange particles. In processes of galactic and stellar evolution the higher-order configurations we know as the atoms of the elements had emerged.
The current furnishings of spacetime are superordinate configurations of the excitations of the cosmic matrix. Galaxies are composed of stars and stellar systems, and stars are composed of atoms and particles. All these systems are composed of particles, and particles are entangled excitations of the matrix. Atoms, molecules, cells, organisms—and on the macroscale planets, stars, stellar systems and galaxies—are in the final count superordinate quantum systems: various-level configurations of informed energy.
On suitable planetary surfaces higher-order configurations of informed energy made their appearance. We call the self-maintaining and self-reproducing variety of these configurations living organisms.
Life is not accidental or extraneous phenomena in the universe: the latest observations in astrophysics show that the basic building elements of life, including glycine (which is an amino acid), and ethylene gycol (a compound associated with the formation of sugars in organisms) are synthesized in the course of the physico-chemical evolution of stars. The surface of planets associated with active stars are templates for the further complexification of these elements, building sequentially higher order configurations of informed-energy.
Information is a paramount factor in the emergence and persistence of informed-energy configurations. In the absence of information the energies present in the universe would be a random concourse of excitations of its ground state. Information structures the energy-sea of the cosmic matrix, and coordinates interaction among the structures.
The Holographic Theory of Spacetime Information
The latest experiments suggest that the information that governs the configurations of informed-energy in spacetime is holographic. Holograms carry the information that produces the holographicimageinadistributedform:alltheinformation in the hologram ispresent atall its points.Consequentlythe completeimageappearswhenanysmallpartoftheholographic medium isilluminated,althoughitsdefinitionisproportionaltothe size of the illuminated area. It may be that the universe—or at least the field or dimension physicists know as spacetime—is a hologram, more exactly, a medium in which information is coded holographically.
Evidence in support of this hypothesis surfaced in the spring of 2013. Fermilab physicist Craig Hogan suggested that the fluctuations observed by the German gravity-wave detector known as GEO600 may be due to the graininess of spacetime. (According to string theory, at the supersmall scale spacetime is not smooth but patterned by minuscule ripples: it is "grainy.") The GEO600 gravity wave-detector did find inhomogeneities in the matrix that constitutes spacetime, but these did not appear to be gravity-waves. Could it be, Hogan asked, that these inhomogeneities are the ripples that string-theory claims pattern the microstructure of spacetime? This would be the case if the micro-inhomogeneities are 3D projections of information coded in 2D at the circumference of spacetime. Then events within spacetime would be 3D projections of this 2D information.
This possibility is raised by extending the theory of holographic information-coding to spacetime as a whole. The holographic information-coding hypothesis has been proposed to account for the anomaly implied by the "evaporation" of black holes. It would appear that as black holes evaporate, the information contained in them is lost. This is a problem, because information, according to contemporary physics, cannot be lost in the universe.
The theory advanced by Stephen Hawking in the early 1970s claims that black holes emit radiation; this causes them to "evaporate" and to ultimately vanish. However, according to Hawking's black-holes model, this radiation does not convey information about the interior of a black hole. When the black hole has radiated all its matter-energies, all the information about the star that had collapsed and became the black hole will have disappeared.
This anomaly has been resolved when Hebrew University cosmologist Jacob Bekenstein discovered that the information present in the black hole (a quantity equal to its entropy) is proportional to the surface area of its event-horizon—the horizon beyond which matter and energy cannot escape from the black hole. Physicists have subsequently shown that quantum waves at the event-horizon encode the information present in the black hole. This information remains is proportional to the volume of the black hole, thus there is no unaccounted-for information-loss as the black hole evaporates. The assumption is that information within the black hole is encoded at its boundary, and can be accessed at its boundary.
Leonard Susskind and Gerard't Hooft applied the principle of information-coding to spacetime as a whole. They pointed out that spacetime has an event-horizon of its own: it is the circumference of the area that light has reached since the birth of the universe. Juan Maldacena demonstrated that the physical properties of a 5D universe are identical with the physics of its 4D boundary.
According to the extension of the black holes holographic theory to the whole of spacetime, events in our 3D universe are encoded in 2D at the spacetime boundary, much as a three-dimensional image is encoded in two dimensions on the film of a conventional hologram. It follows that also the 3D graininess of spacetime is encoded at the two-dimensional boundary of spacetime. The coding is in "bits": each of the Planck-dimensional squares (i.e., squares of which the sides are of Planck-length: 10-35meter) that extend throughout the spacetime boundary codes one bit of information. This is a logical assumption, but it cannot be empirically verified: events at the Planck-scale are too small to be observed.
Applying the holograph theory of black holes to spacetime overcomes this problem. Given that the volume of the universe—the same as the volume of any physical body—is larger than its surface by a known factor (the surface-to-volume ratio can be calculated by dividing the surface area by the volume), 3D events within spacetime must be larger by a definite factor than the area that codes it. If the area of the code is a Planck-dimensional square, the 3D events that each square codes must be larger than the square itself: they must be of the order not of 10-35, but of 10-16 meters.
Events of this larger dimension can be measured. Possibly, they have already been measured. Hogan hypothesized that the hitherto unexplained fluctuations found by the GEO600 gravity-wave detector are ripples in the micro-structure of spacetime. Experiments at the time of writing indicate that Hogan's hypothesis is valid. The inhomogeneities found by the gravity-wave detector are precisely of the order of 10-16 meter!
If this observation is confirmed by repeated experiments, it might seem that we are entitled to conclude that our 3D universe is a holographic projection of the 2D information at its boundary. This, however, is a questionable assumption; it builds the evidence for holographic information coding into a cosmic principle. It is more reasonable to conclude that the information that governs and connects phenomena in our 3D universe is holographically coded. It consists of 2-dimensional information patterns at the boundary that match the three-dimensional phenomena within.
Information in Living Systems
Whether the information that codes three-dimensional events in spacetime is coded in two dimensions at its boundary, or is present in spacetime independently of its boundary conditions, it is clear that information is a basic factor in spacetime: it governs the events that arise and evolve throughout space and time.
The information that governs the specific configuration of matter-energies that constitute living systems is highly specific. Precise information is required to insure that the organism maintains itself in its physically improbable state far from thermal and chemical equilibrium. This state is required, however, to make available the free energy needed to import negative entropy from the organism's surroundings, and re-export the entropy produced by irreversible processes within the organism. This entropy-transport across the organism's boundaries is the physical precondition of life. Achieving and maintaining it calls for staggeringly precise governance and coordination. Any lapse of precision spells danger for the living system. It signifies actual or potential disease.
Precise information is required to ensure governance and coordination in the organism, and between the organism and its environment. The enormity of this task is not to be underestimated. The human organism consists of some 1014 cells, and each cell produces some 10,000 bio-electro-chemical reactions each and every second. This multidimensional quasi-instant "living symphony" is specifically focused on the paramount task of maintaining the organism in its physically improbable but dynamically maintainable non-equilibrium state.
Information in the living system, as in all complex informed-energy configurations, appears in a tow-fold guise. Information is part of the basic "substance" of the systems, and it is also the logic responsible for structuring the substance on superordinate levels. Living systems can be defined as self-maintaining superordinate informed-energy configurations arising in the universe in favorable physico-chemical environments.
On the one hand information governs the basic "substance" that underlies spacetime phenomena, and on the other information orients the various configurations of this substance. Thus there is basic or "elemental" information in living systems, and there is also specific "configurational" information.
Configurational information is what differentiates one system in the universe from another. The difference between a hydrogen atom and a complex molecular compound of atoms in myriad combinations is the information that codes the hydrogen atom as compared with the information that codes the molecular compound. In the same way, the difference between an amoeba and a chimpanzee—or, for that matter, between a zebra fish and Einstein—is the information that codes each of them. Fundamentally, all living systems are self-maintaining superordinate configurations of informed energy coded by specific patterns of configurational information.
Implications for Medicine
There are multiple levels of configuration in living systems, and multiple levels of configurational information coding the levels. When it comes to interacting with such a system, the proper selection of the level of configurational information is crucial. It is not the same whether one addresses the configurational information that codes a particular part or organ of the system, or the configurational information of the whole system.
If the system develops a malfunction, correcting that malfunction calls for addressing configurational information in the system at the proper level. That level may be the cellular level, the organic level, or the level of the organism as a whole. The information that codes the different levels is not interchangeable: the information that codes a higher level is not reducible to that which codes the lower levels. This is the principle of irreducibility in a system of multiple organizational levels. The properties of the higher-level are "emergent"—they are not reducible to the properties of the parts. For example, chemical valence is not reducible to the properties of the particles in the given atom, and the consciousness associated with a human brain is not reducible to the properties of the neurons that constitute the information-processing networks of the brain.
The distinction between lower- and higher-level configurational information is essential for assessing the efficacy of treatments aimed at correcting a malfunction. Mainstream medicine uses low-level configurational information to effect treatment: information specific to the malfunctioning part of the organism. Treatment is effected by allowing the information present in various molecular compounds—natural or synthetic substances—to interact with the malfunctioning part of the organism. Information medicine, on the other hand, as it develops at present is intrinsically holistic: it interacts with the malfunctioning organism on a level where it embraces the malfunctioning part together with its relevant environment. The latter may be the pertinent organ or organ-system, or even the organism as a whole.
Interacting with information in the system at the immediate level of the malfunction involves the use of molecular substances. On the other hand, interaction at a higher level may require the modification of energy flows in the organism. The need for modifying the flows may be identified by electronic instruments such as a Radionic apparatus or the Vega test, or by intuitive means assisted by devices such as dowsing rods. The flows may be modified by means of electronic radiation-emitting instruments, or through the intuitive and intentional use of the mind and consciousness of the healer.
Both lower-level biochemical and higher-level energy-flow information-modification are valid means of maintaining or restoring health in the organism. However, their efficacy depends on the level of development of the given malfunction. Diseases normally manifest first in the breakdown or reduction of vital energy-flows. If the functionality of the flows is not restored, the molecular structure of the cells is affected, and cell-communication is disrupted or misdirected. If that condition persists, the physiological correlates of a disease become manifest.
Thus in each phase in the development of a malfunction there is an optimal and a suboptimal way of attempting treatment. In general, in the initial phases it is optimal to use informational methods to correct an incipient malfunction. Re-establishing the integrality of information in the body could restore the integrality of the energy-flows that, if untreated, would produce acute disease. When the malfunction reaches the level of physiologically evident disease, it may become necessary to make use of the specific information that codes that malfunctioning molecular structure. This means using information conveyed by the biochemical substances that make up the greater part of the instrumentation of mainstream medicine.
Information medicine interacts with the information that governs an entire organ or organ-system, or the organism as a whole. A variety of information-based treatments are available to treat malfunctions. They include energy-medicine, homeopathy, as well as intentional consciousness-based treatments. The latter have been practiced by shamans, medicine-men, and natural healers for generations.
Since information-medicine interacts with the information that is responsible for health and integrality in the organism and can diagnose and potentially correct malfunctions before they become physiologically acute, it is particularly indicated as a means of maintaining health in the organism and preventing the onset of disease. It is not limited to preventive use, however. The method developed by Dr. Pier Mario Biava is a remarkable demonstration of the capacity of information-based medicine to cure various diseases, even those that in an advanced stage would be terminal. In Biava's treatment malfunction-correcting information is provided to the organism by a few molecules derived from the complex substance produced by the embryo at the critical junctures when stem its cells shift from a totipotential to a pluripotential and then to the multipotential and oligopotential state. This complex natural information proves more effective in reprogramming cancerous and other degenerative cells than splicing their DNA, and it is far "softer" and more effective than attempting to cure the disease caused by the mutant cells by killing them with chemical irradiation or excising them by means of surgery.
To conclude. Information is present throughout the universe: spacetime itself may be a holographically coded medium. The integrity of the information present throughout spacetime is vital for maintaining the living systems in their environment. Making appropriate use of this information is efficient and effective; the science currently emerging as "information medicine" is a logical next phase in the evolution of modern medical science. However, we should be clear that information medicine is not a substitute for biochemical medicine: both approaches are needed to complement each other, and render the repertory of treatments in modern medicine embracing and effective.


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#oceania
Healthcare3 months ago
Animation: Global Life Expectancy (1950-2021)
Global life expectancy has been increasing worldwide over the last 70 years. But how does the picture break down by region and by sex?
Such Great Heights: Where Are the World's Tallest Buildings?
How much higher and further into the skies can we reach? This infographic looks at the most impressive skyscrapers gracing every continent.
Where Are the Oldest Companies in Existence?
Which companies have stood the test of time? This detailed map highlights the oldest company in every country that is still in business.


SUPERGAS emphasizes importance of safety at customer's LPG installations and other operations.
Safe working environments ensure employee safety and productivity, be it at industrial or commercial set up. We recommend our customers to follow these safety measures to ensure a safe and enjoyable work place.


Do you find your yard to be so unattractive that birds do not even flock to it? Many people with unattractive yards are taking the time to improve their property with new landscaping methods. This article contains lots of tips that will make your yard the envy of friends, family and even local animals.
Use native plants when landscaping your yard. Native plants are a good choice because they are acclimated to thrive in your climate. This allows them to be easily maintained. Your local gardening store will have valuable information about native plants you can use.
Test your soil before gardening or starting a landscaping project. This way, you will know what has to be put in or what has to go, and you can work on these things prior to planting. This will ensure that you are able to have a healthy and successful garden.
Add a variety of plants in your landscaping plans. This is critical to preserving your yard should it be the victim of an insect infestation or disease outbreak. All of the same type of plants can be vulnerable to an attack if that's all you have. Landscaping with a diverse selection helps keep plants healthy.
When you mow your lawn, it is a great idea to leave some of the glass clippings where they fell. The decomposing grass is great for your lawn, and it cuts down on your fertilizer bill.
In many cases, the less expensive landscaping product can be the way to go. When looking at mulch, perennials and containers, you will notice that there is not much of a difference between the pricier and less expensive versions. It is recommended to look over your plants good, however. The cheaper the plants are, the more closely you will probably have to inspect them to find ones that are in good condition.
The base of a large tree that provides plenty of shade is not the best place for you to try planting flowers. Use a ground cover as a great alternative to flowers in such areas. This can add beauty to your yard, and it is very easy to maintain. Woodruff and hosta make very nice options in ground covering.
Make sure you add in water to your design. For example, it is simple to put in a small pool of fountain. You can also hire someone to install a water feature, which can then be maintained by you. Adding a water structure to your landscape gives your yard a focal point.
Before you buy everything you need in your garden plan things out, this way you save money. Try to create rough sketches of your ideas so you can determine what to buy and how to execute your plans. It can exciting to make impulsive purchases, but you could go broke this way.
Whether you're having the neighbors over for an outside barbecue or watching birds through your window, the information presented here gave you everything you will need to begin. Use what you've just learned, and stay dedicated to the success of your landscape.


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When THIS Duo Covered 'You Raise Me Up' Onstage, Even The Judges Couldn't Help But Cry
The Voice is the very famous singing talent competition which has been able to produce a lot of promising young stars for the music industry. The original program was created by Dutch television producer John de Mol and within years, its franchise has spread all around the world. The following video features an episode of The Voice: Australia season 2 where two participants Harrison Craig and Tim Moxey are sharing the stage to perform "You Raise Me Up" by Josh Groban.
This second season of The Voice: Australia was won by Craig. Even though he was constantly bullied because of his stuttering problem at school, he never gave up on his dream of becoming a singer. And finally, Craig defeated all his fears and became a successful professional singer through this platform.
Watch this video below. What do you think about this performance? Do let us know your opinions in the comments section below!
If you enjoyed this, then do SHARE this video with everyone.


Medical images of the springs can be used as applicators (applying to the body), and as activators for "charging" of water. If you decide to use a picture as the applicator, then simply attach it to the sore area.
Often, pictures do not even have to mount on the body, as the "feeling" sick body, it is itself sticks to it like a magnet. Treatment time can be determined independently and arbitrarily, but be careful and accurate. For very long picture wearing (more than 12 hours), the image can be damaged (body releases toxic sweat, which corrodes the image). Therefore, it is best to wrap the count in a thin cellophane.
Use the same photo to multiple people is not recommended. Such an "applicator" should be individualized, like a toothbrush. But the use of healing water, obtained by the image, can the whole family. For this water to the glass container on the outside to attach photos of the source image to the window (to fix photos with adhesive tape, adhesive tape, adhesive tape). Next, pour water into the container. Desirable - clean the filter, to defend, can be melted or "silvered", from a well or spring, but not taken directly from the tap. After 12 hours the water can be used. Repeated tests have shown that it is through this period of time, plain water is transformed into healing not only in structure but also on the biological properties of water from those sources, the picture that you use to activate.
For successful treatment of such water you should drink at least 250-300 ml per day. Also, you can wash it and add to food.
To activate the water can simultaneously use multiple images of different sources. In this case the water gets all these springs, which greatly increases its healing properties.


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How China Is Learning From Russia's War In Syria
November 16, 2019 Topic: Security Blog Brand: The Buzz Tags: ChinaRussiaWarMilitaryStrategy
Beijing has long watched other power's modern military interventions.
by Lyle J. Goldstein
Key point: Beijing is trying to define its role in the world.
It has long been recognized that the closer alignment between Moscow and Beijing that goes back nearly three decades now provides each with ample political and diplomatic benefits. A less well explored aspect of the relationship could examine how these partners learn from one another in various domains, including in the crucial area of strategy. I have pointed out in this forum before that Chinese strategists have looked carefully at the war in Ukraine and the related Crimea annexation. This edition of Dragon Eye takes a close look at a Chinese assessment of Russia's military intervention in Syria.
China's interpretation of the Syrian War could turn out to be quite significant. I have recently argued in that Beijing could play a major role as one among several disinterested (and thus neutral) major powers in helping to fashion a diplomatic solution to the Gordian knot that is the Syria situation today. Such a role would be quite consistent with its ambitions to be a genuinely global power, providing global public goods for international security, and simultaneously facilitating the opening of vast trade corridors spanning Eurasia. Yet, there is a potentially darker side of China's examination of the Syrian War. Indeed, there is a danger revealed in this late 2017 study published in the journal Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies [俄罗斯东欧中亚研究] of the prestigious Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Put simply, that danger is that Chinese strategists could conclude that the Russian war in Syria provides a valuable paradigm for possible future Chinese uses of force in distant theaters as "anti-terrorism military operations [反恐军事行动]."
This treatment of Russia's war in Syria assesses the intervention as providing "numerous benefits [多红利]," over and above speeding the destruction of ISIS. The intervention, according to this rendering, also significantly increased Russia's standing in the world, altered the international system, increased Russians' self-confidence, and also "seized the initiative in the struggle with the West [赢得了对西方斗争的主动]." The author characterizes the Kremlin's actions against Ukraine in 2014 as "resolute [毅然决定]," but also notes that Russia suffered serious economic consequences as its trade fell off precipitously, so that the poverty level exceeded 15 percent of the Russian population, as related in this Chinese study. Thus, it is recognized that President Vladimir Putin made the ruling to intervene in force in Syria "… against the complex background of Russia confronting relatively difficult external and internal" circumstances. [面临内外交困的复杂背景]"
It is noted that the Syrian War has afforded Moscow a "test of the results of its military building program in recent years and the results of reforms [检验了今年来军队建设与改革的成果]." At the grand strategic level, the Chinese strategist suggests that the Kremlin views Syria as its "advanced post [前哨]" near the gate of the eastern Mediterranean. Thus, the intervention is also interpreted as confronting NATO pressure against Russia's southern flank. The piece, moreover, lays out the case for why Russia's intervention could be legal, while the U.S.-led coalition "has not received either the agreement of the UN Security Council, nor the blessing of the Syrian government." The Chinese assessment also sounds a bit naïve in wholeheartedly embracing the Kremlin's explanation that Russia "…is only fighting terrorism, and is not supporting any particular political force …"
Addressing momentarily the arguments of skeptics, this analysis explains that "… for Russia, it is important that it not be drawn into a long war…" It is noted that the West has begun to talk about Russia's "second Afghanistan [第二个阿富汗]." But the author sees Moscow executing a "new type of war [新型战争]," relying on such methods as long distance precision strikes, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), surprise, and signals intelligence. Putin is cited approvingly as underlining the importance of preemptive attack against international terrorists [普京表示先发制人是打击国际恐怖主义唯一正确的途径]. The piece suggests that Putin has the backing of a broad internal consensus in Russia to fight against terrorism, perhaps arising from the fact cited by the author that Russia is a country that has suffered greatly at the hands of terrorists. By relentlessly fighting against terrorism, the author explains, Moscow has been able to portray itself as "the real friend of the Arab World. [阿拉伯世界的真朋友]" Moreover, Russia's Syrian War has, according to this Chinese assessment, "broken the West's hegemonic position in the region."
One of the most interesting sections of this paper is an evaluation of the information war about Syria that has been underway between Russia and the West. The author notes that the West led by the United States has used "all means available," to unleash propagandistic attacks "to smear Russia to the highest degree [最大程度地抹黑俄]" with the hope of sparking a "'colored revolution' that overthrows Putin… [颜色革命, 推翻普京]." The paper even goes so far as to tabulate (literally in a table) almost a dozen discreet efforts to paint Russia as a "wicked imperialist power [邪恶帝国]" as a part of the "information war" [信息战]."
Yet, this appraisal suggests that Russia has been winning this information war and reaping diplomatic benefits. It notes that the Syria operation has by now "successfully split the NATO camp [成功分化了北约阵营]" in that Turkey has gone from being an enemy to becoming a close friend of Russia. Coordination has been undertaken with countries, such as Israel, according to this analysis. Examples of Arab leaders thanking Putin are described. Moreover, the piece asserts that the Ukraine situation has taken on a much less urgent priority, as well. [乌克兰议题逐步谈话 不再重要].
In the end this Chinese assessment concludes without reservations that Russia's "international position and influence has increased" in the wake of the Syria intervention. Syria is on a path toward stabilization, so it is claimed, and the Kremlin has also vanquished the opposition forces supported by the United States, to boot. The intervention amounts to a "great achievement" [重大贡献]. Credit is even given to Russia for "alleviating the European refugee crisis."
Many readers will be offended by this Chinese analyst's evidently impudent conclusions. Undoubtedly, this reflects a one-sided appraisal and also the controlled nature of Chinese media reporting. Syria does not seem to be anywhere near on the verge of peace and Russia's intervention appears to have had numerous problems, including obviously excessive civilian casualties in Syria. Let's also not forget the economic and human costs to Russia itself that are hardly negligible. After the last two decades of warfare in the Middle East that only seems to grow more chaotic, it seems a stretch bordering on absurdity to believe that any external power can successfully coax the region in a peaceful direction. The alternative of "disengagement" may well present the best alternative that allows local actors the autonomy to sort out their differences on their own.
Yet this Chinese assessment may well be more significant for what it says about China's future foreign policy than anything it says about Syria, of course. As Beijing grasps to define its new role in the world, there will be many temptations for it to wield its new military power across the globe and especially in the vast, unstable area where it is helping to build a "Belt and Road." The paradigm adopted from Russia's intervention in Syria of "fighting terror" and simultaneously building support and self-confidence at home could become nearly irresistible to the Chinese leadership. But deploying its shiny military into situations far and wide around the world presents the road to perdition and could even significantly imperil the "Chinese dream" of national rejuvenation. Beijing would be much wiser to limit the scope of its expeditionary forces abroad and keep them cautiously under "blue helmets."
Lyle J. Goldstein is professor of strategy in the China Maritime Studies Institute at the United States Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. He is also an affiliate of the new Russia Maritime Studies Institute at NWC. You can reach him at [email protected]. The opinions in his columns are entirely his own and do not reflect the official assessments of the U.S. Navy or any other agency of the U.S. government. This article first appeared last year.
Image: Reuters.