text:
The Musician and His...
SKU: 9788124609552 Categories: Music, Performing Arts & Aesthetics
The Musician and His Art
Essays on Hindustani Music by: Deepak S. Raja
This book features the uniqueness of the relationship between Hindustani musician and his art. Hindustani music is not merely north Indian art music. It is inextricably linked to a multiplicity of other musical traditions and is an active participant in the totality of the cultural process.
Category: Music, Performing Arts & Aesthetics
Pages : xix, 246p.
Bibliographic Details : Bibliography; Indices
This book presents a collection of essays and lectures written by the author between 2011 and 2018. Its underlying theme – as suggested by its title – is the uniqueness of the relationship between the Hindustani musician and his art. This uniqueness is moulded by the fact that the tradition enjoins upon the performer the simultaneous role of a composer. This makes Hindustani music a three-dimensional art: contemplative, expressive and communicative. These three components serve to make Hindustani music a remarkable manifestation of continuity within change, and individuality within conformism.
Viewed from this perspective, Hindustani music is not merely north Indian art music. It is inextricably linked to a multiplicity of other musical traditions – folk, devotional, tribal, martial and popular – and is an active participant in the totality of the cultural process. Every piece of performed music speaks, in some manner, on behalf the generation performing it, and addresses the corresponding generations of audiences. For the author, therefore, it is not merely sufficient to understand what Hindustani music is. It is necessary also to seek insights into why it is what it is.
In this book, the author relentlessly pursues his intellectual aims by borrowing ideas from a wide range of disciplines: sociology, linguistics, cultural anthropology, acoustics, aesthetics, demography, economics, marketing finance, psycho-analysis, mythology, philosophy and even mathematics. Despite its diverse intellectual canvas, the book retains the essential "Indian-ness" of the author's argument, and simultaneously addresses an international readership.
Foreword – Daniel M. Neuman
1. Prof. S.K. Saxena : The Pioneering Aesthetician of Hindustani Music
2. Prof. Ashok Ranade : A Rare Guru
3. Perspectives on Raga-ness
Raga as a melodic entity
Raga as a Melodic Representation of an Emotional Idea
Raga Music as a language
A Raga as a Psycho-acoustic Hypothesis
A Raga as a Consensual Entity
Raga as the Commanding Form
The Raga as a transcendental entity
Deities, Ragas and Archetypes
What are archetypes?
Archetypes as cultural forces
Melodic vs archetypal notions
Kumar Gandharva and Raga-ness
4. The musician and his art
The nature of Hindustani music
The musician personality
Jung's personality types
Contextualization of Maslow to Hindustani music
The three modes of existence
The musician and his art: Sattvika, Rajasika, Tamasika
5. Bhakti (the devotional spirit) in Hindustani music
Understanding musical genres
Svarasrita and Padasrita
Understanding Bhakti
Somanatha in Ragavibodha
Lyrics in Khyal vocalism
The spiritual and the devotional
6. Amplification, Recordings and Hindustani music
Cultural intervention
7. Abstraction in our times
The notion of a Commanding Form
The Classification of Genres
The Inverse Hierarchy of Dis-Abstraction
What trends do we observe today?
The trends: In Summary
The cultural process
Cyclicity
The Paradigm Shift
8. Shaping a life in classical music
The basic equipment
The communicative dimension
The Expressive Dimension
The Meditative Dimension
The key to excellence
9. Who is a maestro in Hindustani music?
Maestro, Ustad, Pandit : The definition
Implications of the formulation
Testing the formulation
10. The Critical Environment and the Musical Culture
Defining musical criticism
The function of art criticism
The critic and the music world
Generators of critical output
Categories of critical endeavour
The volume and quality of critical content
The critic as a service provider
Social and economic change
The failure of public broadcasting
Failure of the academic system
The size and nature of the classical music community
Commercial pressures on the periodicals media
The online/social media
The consequences
11. The Idea of Raga Grammar
Language and grammar
Grammar and the Raga
Vadi Svara as the Verb
Melodic Phrasing and Raga Grammar
Pakad and the Hierarchy of Phrases
Anga Pradhanya
Syntax and Punctuation
12. Raga Clusters in Hindustani Music
The perspective
How the clusters are conceived
The essence of the cluster phenomenon
Patterns in Raga transformations
Conventions for forging compound Ragas
Extraordinary conditions
Reconsidering the term "Sankirna"
13. Wherein resides the Raga
The Vadi and Its Location
Bhatkhande on the "Vadi?"
The "Amsa" Svara
Guidelines for Performance
Wherein Resides the Raga
Mutually Exclusive vs Overlapping Regions
The Mid-Octave Region
Survey of the Raga Universe
14. The emerging generation of Khyal vocalists
The first post-independent generation
The second post-independence generation
Managing the dissonance
15. Aesthetic obsolescence and paradigm shifts in Hindustani vocalism: I
The Method of Generations in History
The keyboard of the environment
A conceptual-graphic model of generational shifts
16. Aesthetic obsolescence and paradigm shifts in Hindustani vocalism: II
YouTube as data source
Ghara?na? perspectives
Individual highlights
17. Aesthetic obsolescence and paradigm shifts in Hindustani vocalism: III
The non-Khyal repertoire of Khya?l vocalists
Implications of the patterns
18. Aesthetic Obsolescence and paradigm shifts in Hindustani Vocalism: IV
The music of non-Khyal specialists
The interaction of genres
Is this happening already?
19. Aesthetic obsolescence and paradigm shifts in Hindustani vocalism: V
The emerging music-scape
Non-Khyal repertoire
What is Khyal or Non-Khyal?
20. Aesthetic obsolescence and paradigm shifts in Hindustani vocalism: VI
The Limitations of Youtube data
21. Hindustani Music in the Baroda State
Maula Baksh
Faiz Muhammad Khan
Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande
Vishnu Digambar Paluskar
Murtaza Khan
Bhaskar Rao Bakhle
Abdul Kareem Khan
Tasadduq Hussain Khan
Faiyyaz Khan
Hazrat Enayet Khan
Bal Gandharva
Hirjibhai Doctor
Gulam Rasool Khan
Shrikrishna Ratanjankar
Lakshmibai Jadhav
Ata Hussain Khan
Nissar Hussain Khan
Madhusudan Joshi
The Sehnai tradition in Baroda
The percussionists of Baroda State
The Binkars of Baroda
The Sitar and the modern instruments in Baroda
Classical music after independence
Exemplary management
Glossary and Explanatory Notes
I : Personages and Institutions
II : Gharanas
III : Ragas
Deepak S. Raja
Deepak S. Raja (b. 1948-) is amongst the most respected writers on Hindustani music today. He works as repertoire analyst for India Archive Music Ltd. (IAM), New York, the most influential producer of Hindustani music outside India. He has been associated with the academic and publishing activities of the SHRUTI magazine (Chennai), ITC-Sangeet Research Academy (Calcutta), Sangeet Natak Akademi (Delhi), and the Indian Musicological Society (Baroda/ Mumbai). In 1999, he co-edited the Indian Musicological Society's publication titled Perspectives on Dhrupad. His first book: Hindustani Music -- A Tradition in Transition, was published in 2005. His second book, Khayal Vocalism -- Continuity Within Change, was published in 2009. In 2009, he was granted a Senior Research Fellowship by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. He also runs a respected blog on Hindustani music: http://swaratala.blogspot.com. Deepak Raja is a sitar and surbahar player of the Etawah Gharana, trained by Shri Pulin Deb Burman, and Pandit Arvind Parikh. He studies Khayal under Vidushi Dhondutai Kulkarni of the Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana. The author took an honours degree in Humanities from Delhi University, a master's degree in Business Administration from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Advertising Administration from the Watford College of Technology in the UK. He has occupied important positions in the media industry, including Editor of Business India, and Secretary General of the Indian Newspaper Society.
Books of Deepak S. Raja
The Musician and His Art 2019
Raga-ness of Ragas 2015
Khayal Vocalism 2009
Hindustani Music 2015
Hindustani Music Today 2012
Dhvani and Structuralist Poetics by: Bhavatosh Indraguru, Vikalp Parashar, ₹600.00 ₹540.00
Dhvani and structuralist poetics emerge as the two primary theoretical frameworks in which the reality of inquisition and propagation of comprehensibility and creativity of the artistry could be well-conceived, exposed and implied. In each of the two systems, the maturity of conception and universality of expression of the content, context and the medium are quite remarkable.
The book is an in-depth study of dhvani, that is, the Indian critical system developed around the eighth century ce, and structuralist poetics — the Western critical premise, commencing with Ferdinand de Saussure's Course in General Linguistics — that substantiate an adequate methodology to understand the formation of categories, contents, constructs and mediums as a necessary corollary to an analytical procedure that would bring about transformation. It examines the independent universalisation of sabda, pada, varna, vakya, bhava, vibhava, anubhava, sthayibhava, sancaribhava, alambana and uddipana for the sake of an absolute artistic formation, especially as propounded by Anadavardhana, the progenitor of dhvani system. It then delves deep into the structuralist poetics, following Saussure, Barthes, Jakobson and others, that focuses on the need and necessity to explicate words, letters, syllables and even otherwise an experience so as to create a valid notation, out of each of these, for the sake of totality in the meaning formation.
The study has immense significance owing to the fact that it promotes proper understanding and enjoyment of literature. Moreover, the fact is that Indian and the Western scholarships have not paid much attention to the subject discussed herein. The volume, therefore, will be of an immense interest to scholars and students of poetics and literature in general.
Art of Tabla-Rhythm by: Sudhir Kumar Saxena ₹550.00 ₹495.00
This authoritative work deals comprehensively with Tabla rhythm, focusing on the performed art with an eye to its history and aesthetics. It is aimed at the Tabla student, the Tabla performer, as well as the inquiring listener of Hindustani music, for whom it encapsulates a Tabla practitioner's knowledge in these matters acquired over a lifetime of learning and teaching. Beginning with the evolution of the Tabla, the book explains the technique of producing the basic bols. It further describes the way to do reyaz on the Tabla, to maintain the instrument through changing seasons, and to raise and moderate its pitch, besides other practical directions. The author explains the principal compositions that make up a standard Tabla recital, and how they may be played in solo and sangat contexts. The major gharanas of Tabla are discussed critically, and their notated compositions are provided in both Roman and Devanagari scripts. The CD accompanying the book carries samples of the tabla of these gharanas recorded under the author's direction, as well as demonstrations of compositions used as illustrations in the book. Grounded in traditional learning in Tabla rhythm, the book is written with a rational, empirical mind, and in a lucid manner all along which makes it accessible to a wide range of musicians and listeners.
Dramatic Version of Major Seven Upanishads by: Rama Venkataraman ₹595.00
The Upanishads reveal the nature of true vidya: it is the knowledge which leads to the understanding of Brahman which alone is the Reality in the world of appearances. The dramas by Shri Mani Iyer based on the Upanishads render the meaning of the Upanishads in an interesting and captivating manner so that a wider audience can gain from the Upanishadic insight.
This book presents an English translation of Mani Iyer's seven Upanishadic dramas, originally in Tamil, and includes English transliteration of the original Sanskrit verses. The dramas pertain to seven of the major Upanishads: Kena, Ishavasya, Prashna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Taittiriya and Katha. With reference to each drama, there is an introduction that reveals the major questions raised by the Upanishad, the manner in which the play proceeds, the nature of the story, its characters, and the conclusion of the play. The translation is simple to follow and possesses a rare clarity.
Because of the simple language and the clear meanings of the Upanishadic verses, this book will be valuable to readers in general, students in particular, and to those interested in knowing what our Upanishads contain and intend to convey.
Aesthetics by: S.K. Saxena ₹1,100.00 ₹990.00
This work may well be expected to serve as an introduction to the study of aesthetics, suitable alike to the needs of our students and the general reader. A fair part of it deals with some of the more difficult concepts and problems one encounters in contemporary Western philosophical discourse on art. At the same time, the book is studded with illustrative references to contemporary aesthetic practice in India. This is true of almost every individual chapter; and the close is provided by a critical and comprehensive, yet intelligible account of the Indian theory of rasa, to which some eminent Western aestheticians, such as Susanne K. Langer and Harold Osborne, have referred admiringly in some of their basic writings.
What should make this book specially attractive to enquiring readers is its consistent attempt to reflect on teasing aesthetical questions with clarity.
Rasa in Aesthetics by: Priyadarshi Patnaik ₹590.00
The Indian tradition of criticism is over two millennia old. And its rasa theory has, from the beginning, essentially influenced authors, connoisseurs and art critics alike. First expounded sometime between the 1st century bc and the fourth century AD in the eminent aesthetician, Bharata's Natya Shastra, rasa theory deals with the 'emotive content' of a work of art — how it is depicted, inferred and transmitted. Dr. Patnaik's book is a unique effort that demonstrates, with diverse examples, the universality of this ancient theory and its applicability to modern Western classics. Elucidating afresh the concept of rasa and all its nine primary kinds largely on the basis of Natya Shastra of Bharata and the commentaries of the tenth-century aesthetician, Abhinavagupta, the book investigates the validity of rasa theory as an aesthetic, more specifically, a literary theory, and how its canons are applicable to modern Western literature as well as Chinese love lyrics and Japanese haiku poems. Dr. Patnaik's transcultural exploration, thus, covers all major genres of literature — poetry, drama and fiction; and also major writers — Lawrence, Mayakovsky, Kafka, Camus, Conrad, Hemingway, Faulkner, Marquez, Eliot, Hesse, O'Neill, Ionesco, Beckett, Lorca, Neruda and several others. In emphasizing the universal validity of the rasa theory, the author considers certain modern problems relevant to text, meaning and readers'/audiences' response as well. Very few are the examples of applied rasa theory even in Sanskrit and other Indian literatures, leave alone its application to Western creative writing. This book, with its bold framework and lucid style, should, therefore, fascinate the scholars of Indology, Indian aesthetics and, above all, comparative literary criticism.


text:
The diagnostic utility of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies, matrix metalloproteinase-3, rheumatoid factor, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein in patients with erosive and non-erosive rheumatoid arthritis
Clin Dev Immunol. 2005 Sep;12(3):197-202. doi: 10.1080/17402520500233510.
O Shovman 1 , B Gilburd, G Zandman-Goddard, Y Sherer, H Orbach, R Gerli, Y Shoenfeld
1 Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Department of Medicine B, Sheba Medical Center, Israel.
DOI: 10.1080/17402520500233510
Objective: To compare the diagnostic utility of laboratory variables, including matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3), anticyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodies, rheumatoid factor (RF), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with erosive and non-erosive rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Methods: We assembled a training set, consisting of 60 patients with RA, all fulfilling the revised criteria of the American College of Rheumatology. A commercial enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used both to test for anti-CCP antibodies (second generation ELISA kit) and MMP; RF were detected by latex-enhanced immunonephelometric assay. CRP was measured by latex turbidimetric immunoassay.
Results: The levels of anti-CCP antibody titers and ESR were significantly higher in patients with erosive disease than those in non-erosive RA patients (p < 0.001 and 0.0341) respectively. Moreover, a higher frequency of elevated titers of anti-CCP antibodies was found in RA patients with erosions compared to patients with non-erosive RA (78.3% vs. 43.2% respectively). The ROC curves of anti-CCP passed closer to the upper left corner than those other markers and area under the curve (AUC) of anti-CCP was significantly larger than AUC of other markers (0.755 for anti-CCP, 0.660 for ESR, 0.611 for CRP, 0.577 for RF, and 0.484 for MMP-3 female). A positive predictive value was higher for anti-CCP antibodies in comparison to other markers. We did not find significant statistical correlation between anti-CCP antibody titers and inflammatory markers such as ESR or CRP. However, we confirmed the correlation of elevated titers of anti-CCP antibodies and RF in both groups of patients whereas the degree of correlation was more significant in non-erosive patients.
Conclusion: The results of our study suggest that the presence of elevated anti-CCP antibody titers have better diagnostic performance than MMP-3, RF, CRP and ESR in patients with erosive RA.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid / blood
Arthritis, Rheumatoid / diagnosis*
Arthritis, Rheumatoid / enzymology
Arthritis, Rheumatoid / immunology*
Autoantibodies / blood*
Biomarkers / blood
Blood Sedimentation
C-Reactive Protein / metabolism
Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 / blood
Peptides, Cyclic / immunology*
Predictive Value of Tests
Rheumatoid Factor / blood
Peptides, Cyclic
cyclic citrullinated peptide

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Lt. Col. Barry Cupples, known around here as "JR," rolls back his flight suit sleeve, still dripping with water from the hose-down he received upon stepping through the aircrew door a few minutes earlier. His fellow 910th Operations Group members cheer as he reveals a black-inked C-130H Hercules aircraft tattoo on his forearm with "10,000 Hours" emblazoned above it. In many ways, this flight was fairly normal—clear blue skies, a tactical route through the Blue Ridge Mountains of Tennessee, the headset-muffled rumble of the Hercules' four turboprop engines—but for Cupples, it was among the most significant he's flown. The navigator, assigned to the 757th Airlift Squadron here, flew his ten thousandth C-130 hour April 5, 2019.
Cupples enlisted in the Air Force Reserve while a senior in high school. He dreamed of becoming a pilot, following in the footsteps of his father, Lt. Col. Barry Cupples Sr., but first needed a college degree. So he enlisted as a loadmaster, responsible for loading and securing cargo and passengers before and during Air Force flights. After basic military training and loadmaster school at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, Cupples was assigned to his father's home unit, the 328th Airlift Squadron, at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station. That's where his aviation career began.
Cupples recalls his first flight out of Niagara.
During the next seven years, Cupples accrued approximately 2500 flight hours as a loadmaster on both C-130As and C-130Es, models much older than the C-130Hs flown out of Younstown Air Reserve Station. He was getting ready to graduate from college and planning his next career steps. His dream of becoming a pilot was thwarted when he learned his eyesight wasn't good enough and that it couldn't be waivered. Intent on serving his country from the C-130's flightdeck rather than its cargo area, Cupples changed courses slightly, deciding to become a navigator. Navigators are trained to safely route Air Force aircraft in a variety of conditions, including combat, using maps and charts, GPS, visual landmarks, radar and other tools.
Cupples went to Officer Training School in 1990 and earned his navigator wings in 1992. His career continued as a navigator at Niagara ARS until 2017. A mission change at Niagara saw their aircraft change from C-130s to KC-135s, which don't require navigators. The change left Cupples with a difficult decision. He could remain at Niagara for the few remaining years before his retirement, but he'd have to take a non-flying position. Alternatively, he could relocate to a C-130 unit. He found an Air Reserve Technician (Air Force Reservist that works a full-time civilian job connected to their reserve position) navigator spot here and jumped at the opportunity to pursue his love of aviation until the end of his career.
Lt. Col. Jeff Shaffer is the commander of the 910th Operations Group at Youngstown ARS and also serves as a C-130 navigator.
As Cupples' career has progressed, his flying hours have dwindled some, so achieving 10 thousand hours wasn't really on his radar until last fall. He was averaging a few hundred flight hours a year, but a deployment gave him a significant jump.
"I got 200 hours on a deployment last fall and realized 10 thousand hours might be attainable," said Cupples.
As the number drew nearer, he realized he'd hit the milestone on a paratrooper drop sortie during the April Unit Training Assembly, when the majority of the 910th Airlift Wing's Reserve Citizen Airmen are at Youngstown ARS for training. The paratrooper requestor ended up cancelling, so the aircrew took the opportunity to fly some local training sorties, and Cupples was prepared. He printed a sign that said, "10,000 hours," for a midflight photo opportunity to commemorate the event. His fellow aircrew members on the ground, however, had bigger plans.
Upon landing, Cupples was greeted by a crowd of 910th personnel, several of whom had water-filled fire extinguishers to give him a celebratory hose-down after de-boarding the aircraft, a tradition usually reserved for the final flight of an aviator's career.
The greeting he received is an indicator of the respect he's earned as a master of his craft and that his wingmen know how rare it is to achieve what Cupples has done. The C-130 is a tactical aircraft, meaning its missions are usually short, one to three-hour local flights to deliver cargo or personnel. It's more common for aircrew members who fly strategic airlift aircraft like the C-5 Galaxy or C-17 Globemaster to achieve such a high number of flight hours, as their sorties can often have double digit lengths.
To put it into perspective, if you boarded an aircraft today, April 11, 2019, and started flying, it would take you until the morning of June 1, 2020 to gain 10 thousand hours of flight time. Only a handful of aircrew members from the 910th OG, three or four by some counts, have achieved the milestone.
Getting to such a high number is hard, if not impossible, only flying sorties from a home station. Cupples has gone on multiple deployments which helped bring his number up. He said that has been one of the biggest challenges in his Air Force career.
"For every hour, obviously, it's time away from the family," said Cupples.
Every flight hour also requires two to three hours of mission planning and debriefing, so the time commitment adds up quickly.
Cupples' coworkers and peers speak highly of his record and mission contributions.
As Cupples trains the next generation of aircrew members, hard work and a can do attitude are traits he hopes to pass along.
Cupples' flying time has given him a mental highlight reel of memorable sorties, but one stands out as particularly impactful. In 2003, he was scheduled to deliver fuel bladders into western Iraq. With little notice, his aircrew was asked to alter their mission. A service member was critically injured and needed emergency airlift out of country for urgent medical care. Getting their fellow service member to safety and seeing him survive his injuries as a result has had a lasting impact on Cupples.
Looking back on his career and the decisions that led him here, Cupples thinks of what it might have been like had he not decided to stick with flying when Niagara switched to KC-135s and said it's likely he would have retired regretting that he got so close to 10 thousand without actually hitting it.
Mastery can be expected after 10 thousand hours of any activity, and Cupples' skill were on full display as the C-130 touched down at Youngstown ARS on April 5.


Ever since the January Luxe Box, I have wanted to do a post featuring these corgis from Mish Mish. Not only is it my favorite dog breed but I also have one in RL. They never cease to be adorable like the ones in this photo, and they're so full of personality! While the corgis by Mish Mish aren't quite realistic, they capture the cuteness perfectly. Who wouldn't want to cuddle one in Second Life and the real world?
In addition to the puppies–I was feeling a bit Frida Kahlo at last month's Collabor88. The red top inspired me to create a brighter scene reminiscent of the brighter colors she often used in her art. The chair, baskets, rugs, and mirror came from the February Collabor88 as well. Credits are listed below.
One summer during my early college days, I was introduced to the world of Bollywood. I have always thought the culture of Southeast Asia was beautiful and enchanting in many ways, and through college I had become friends with a number of other students from that region of the world. They taught me more about their traditions, music, and food, thus feeding my admiration for that part of the world.
Needless to say, Bollywood films were uncharted territory for me (being a rural gal from the Midwest of the US and all), but when Turner Classic Movies ran a weekly movie night for a month that summer, I kind of got hooked. I was excited beyond belief! I'm ashamed to admit, my only taste of an Indian based film at that point was Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love with Indira Varma who now plays Ellaria Sand on Game of Thrones. An indie film called Monsoon Wedding, was also a film I had seen (much better than the previous movie I might add).
If you don't know what Bollywood is, it's the movie industry in India. The movies are typically a little longer than most, and feature singing and dancing (and good looking men)!
Anyway, the first real Bollywood movie I ever saw was called Rangeela. The film itself wasn't the most memorable, but the name was–I believe it means 'full of color'. Then I remember seeing Diwali Dulhania Le Jayenge with Shah Rukh Khan. I really enjoyed that one! But, I think the one I liked best out of those I first saw was Dil Chahta Hai. There were three good looking men instead of one!
Ok, that wasn't the real reason. I loved the music, and the story was pretty good.
I haven't watched many Bollywood movies in the last five years or so, mainly because I don't understand more than a few words of Hindi, and I have to be in the right mood to read subtitles for three hours. Watching them though, always reminds me of my friends and the passion that I have for learning about life in other countries.
This outfit designed by Zaara, currently at Collabor88 reminded me of a song and dance number from the movie Asoka, Aa Tayar Hoja. I'm not sure why, but when I put it on the song jumped into my head!
So, I dedicate this post to fellow Bollywood fans!
It's been a few years since I blogged anything SL. I thought after how crazy this year has been for me in RL (good and bad) and since the winter months are coming, I needed to dabble in some creative things connected to SL again. So, I'm dusting this baby off!
The blog has a new look, to go with a new era in my blogging activity; though it will be subject to tweaking until I get it looking just right! Also, I have been experimenting with iMovie in order to make videos in Second Life. I recorded my first video showing off the most recent Luxe Box items, but I think I'm just going to treat it as practice and not post it. The thing was 1hr 11min!
Uh, I need to speed the hell up! Yea, wish me luck with that!
This Anisha Ruffle Blouse and Ziya Tiered Skirt is Zaara's most recent release for October's Collabor88. I have long been a fan of Zaara Kohime's work. I believe the oldest piece that I have from her was created in 2008/09. Her textures are always exceptional, and her designs gorgeous. It's always a treat to see her new creations.


text:
Die Basilika Maria des Chores (, ) ist eine römisch-katholische Kirche in der Altstadt von Donostia-San Sebastián, Hauptstadt der baskischen Provinz in Gipuzkoa, Spanien. Die Pfarrkirche des Bistums San Sebastián trägt den Titel einer Basilica minor. Die Kirche wurde Mitte des 18. Jahrhunderts als barocker Wiederaufbau einer gotischen Kirche errichtet.

Geschichte
Die Basilika wurde auf den Überresten einer romanischen Kirche errichtet, die im 12. und 13. Jahrhundert von den Königen von Navarra gebaut und zwischen 1522 und 1560 unter dem Haus Habsburg im gotischen Stil erweitert wurde. Im Jahr 1688 explodierte in der Burg von La Mota, gleich hinter der Kirche, ein Pulverhaus, wobei das Gebäude schwer beschädigt wurde. 1743 wurde mit dem Wiederaufbau nach einem Entwurf der Architekten Pedro Ignacio Lizardi und Miguel de Salazar begonnen, dieser wurde 1771 fertiggestellt. 1973 verlieh Papst Paul VI. der Kirche den Titel einer Basilica minor.

Architektur
Die Hallenkirche ist barock gestaltet, weist jedoch gotische, churriguereske und klassizistische Elemente auf und besitzt ein reich verziertes Rokokoeingangsportal mit Seitentürmen. Dieses auf der Südseite gelegene Hauptportal in Form eines Altaraufsatzes zeigt die Märtyrerfigur von St. Sebastian, die päpstlichen Symbole, die ihren Status als Basilica minor anzeigen, und das Wappen der Stadt, das das Gebäude krönt. An diesem Portal wurde Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts die Fassade der damals neuen Kathedrale von San Sebastián so ausgerichtet, dass man sie vom Eingang der Basilika aus sehen konnte und die Gebäude über die Calle Mayor eine Achse bilden.

Das Hauptschiff besteht aus einem 48 mal 33 Meter großen Saal, der in drei Schiffe unterteilt ist, die ihrerseits in vier Joche gegliedert sind, wobei die Pfeiler des Schiffes als Achsen dienen. Die Sterngewölbe werden von sechs Pfeilern und den Mauern mit strebenartigen Pfeilern gestützt. Die achteckigen Säulen erreichen eine Höhe von 15 m bis zu ihren Kapitellen, wobei das zentrale Gewölbe mit über 27 m am höchsten ist.

Ausstattung
Der Hauptaltar ist der Virgen del Coro gewidmet, die zusammen mit dem hl. Sebastian die Schutzheilige der Stadt ist. Das Bild der Jungfrau ist eine etwa 40 cm große Holzschnitzerei, die auf das 15. und 16. Jahrhundert datiert werden kann. Ihr lieblicher Ausdruck und ihr dunkler Teint fallen auf. Der hl. Sebastian ist auch auf einem Gemälde des Hauptaltars zu sehen, einem Werk von Luis Boccia aus dem Jahr 1819. Die zentralen und seitlichen Altarretabel, Werke von Diego de Villanueva und Francisco Azurmendi, bilden ein klassizistisches Ganzes.

Am Fuß der Kirche befindet sich der erhöhte Chor in einer halbrunden Apsis, der durch eine breite fünfstufige Treppe anbunden ist. Das bemerkenswerte, im Halbkreis angeordnete Chorgestühl ist ein Werk von Francisco Bocente y Mendía. Die hervorragende Cavaillé-Coll-Orgel stammt von 1863, deren Prospekt dem einer alten Barockorgel entspricht.

Weblinks

Einzelnachweise

Basilika
Kirchengebäude in der Autonomen Gemeinschaft Baskenland
Bistum San Sebastián
Basilica minor
Barocke Kirche
Barockbauwerk in Spanien
Kulturdenkmal in der Provinz Gipuzkoa
Hallenkirche
Erbaut in den 1770er Jahren
Kirchengebäude in Europa

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Dodgers, J.D. Martinez finalize $10 million, 1-year deal
LOS ANGELES (AP)The Los Angeles Dodgers and All-Star outfielder J.D. Martinez finalized a $10 million, one-year deal Thursday.
Martinez spent the last five years with the Boston Red Sox. He hit .274 with 62 RBIs and 16 home runs last season in 139 games. He earned his fourth straight All-Star appearance after hitting .302 with 38 RBIs and nine homers in the first half of the season.
The 35-year-old designated hitter is 18 homers away from reaching the 300-mark.
Martinez's 12-year MLB career includes stints with Houston, Detroit and Arizona.
To make room on the 40-man roster, pitcher Jake Reed was designated for assignment.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports


Kwanten admits it was tough to say farewell to the tight-knit cast after working with them for so long but said the timing was right for the show to end in its seventh season.
"It was hard but it was one of those moments where we knew it was time to move on," the former Home and Away star told AAA by phone from Sydney, where he was promoting the DVD launch of True Blood's final season.
As for the ending that polarized fans, Kwanten anticipated it would draw criticism.
"We're fortunate enough to be in the hands of some good writers but I've always been of the opinion that you can't please everyone," he said.
That said, Kwanten shut down the idea of starring in a rumored True Blood musical.
"I personally could not be a part of that; no one wants to hear me sing, believe me," he laughed.
Kwanten has been kept busy with a string of movie projects that are due out in the coming months.
Next year he will appear in Swedish director Daniel Alfredson's crime thriller Kidnapping Freddy Heineken, based on the real-life abduction of the Dutch beer tycoon in 1983.
The film sees Kwanten star alongside Oscar- nominated movie veteran Anthony Hopkins and WA-raised actor Sam Worthington for the first time.
"Sam was very committed to this role and between myself, Sam and Tom (Cocquerel), there were three Aussie actors in this American production, so it was a really good pat on the back for all us Aussies," he said.
Always a pleasure to hear from Ryan. Wrapping up True Blood after 7 seasons worked for me. However, I was very disappointed in the finale. Killing off Bill Compton was a travesty. And, no hail and farewell for Bill at the end, no acknowledgment of his life. It was though he had never existed.
I cannot express it any better than Rowena has so I'll just cosign on her reply.


text:
Parafia Trójcy Przenajświętszej w Wólce – parafia rzymskokatolicka w Wólce, należąca do archidiecezji lubelskiej i dekanatu Lublin – Podmiejski. Została erygowana w 1987 roku. Parafię prowadzą księża archidiecezjalni.

Bibliografia
 Opis parafii na stronie archidiecezji lubelskiej

Religia w gminie Wólka
Parafie pod wezwaniem Trójcy Przenajświętszej
Parafie archidiecezji lubelskiej
Jakubowice Murowane


Abstract : This paper deals with region-of-interest (ROI) tracking in video sequences. The goal is to determine in successive frames the region which best matches, in terms of a similarity measure, a ROI defined in a reference frame. Some tracking methods define similarity measures which efficiently combine several visual features into a probability density function (PDF) representation, thus building a discriminative model of the ROI. This approach implies dealing with PDFs with domains of definition of high dimension. To overcome this obstacle, a standard solution is to assume independence between the different features in order to bring out low-dimension marginal laws and/or to make some parametric assumptions on the PDFs at the cost of generality. We discard these assumptions by proposing to compute the Kullback-Leibler divergence between high-dimensional PDFs using the $k$-th nearest neighbor framework. In consequence, the divergence is expressed directly from the samples, i.e. without explicit estimation of the underlying PDFs. As an application, we defined 5, 7, and 13-dimensional feature vectors containing color information (including pixel-based, gradient-based and patch-based) and spatial layout. The proposed procedure performs tracking allowing for translation and scaling of the ROI. Experiments show its efficiency on a movie excerpt and standard test sequences selected for the specific conditions they exhibit: partial occlusions, variations of luminance, noise, and complex motion.


MavenBird is here to give new face to your business through the power of IT solutions that include a wide range of Marketplace/Multi-Vendor Development , AWS , MWS , eCommerce Development , Web Designing and Development, Mobile Application Development and Enterprise Development service.
We are a team of professional developers with an experience of more than 8 years to bring your envision into reality through mindful techniques and innovative technology. Our highly-qualified certified engineers, programmers, web and IT experts team assists you with effective technology needs throughout planning, designing, developing and deployment stage.
Our overall goal is to meet client's' needs for a fair price. Achieve this by carefully researching client's target consumer before we begin product development or design. Identify which consumer needs are not being met by your competitors, and develop product to fill that niche.
Our vision is to see the exchange of goods via eCommerce enhanced with facilities that support a healthy balance of profit, the well-being of people and care for the planet.
This we see as bringing a renewed focus on a user experience that supports informed choices that are aligned with real needs, reflects a richer presentation of a product's true value and cost (not just it's monetary cost and performance when new) and links in with the human stories associated with it… the design, production, use and may be previous use stories. As such we see this vision being worked out within the context of moving towards a more just and sustainable economy.
MavenBird Technologies is a web development and design company based in Singapore, United Kingdom, Australia, United States and India. With an employee strength of 40+ qualified and experienced designers and developers.
We have a global client base. Most of our clients are located in Singapore, Germany, United Kingdom, United States of America & Australia. We encourage continuous learning and training as a part of our corporate culture. Long term, successful business relationship with clients is our business objective.


FICS public Insurance adjusters is a Florida public insurance adjusting company. We work exclusively for you- not your insurance company. Along with experience we are equipted with resources to roughly investigate your loss, document and submit your claim, help you to prepare, and secure a fair, and expedited settlement.


The 2-8-0 steam engines was first developed in 1964-1865 to provide power for heavy trains, at a moderate speed, especially on steep grades. Alexander Mitchell, the chief mechanic for the Lehigh and Maloney Railroad, and eastern Pennsylvania coal hauler, designed the original 2-8-0. The Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) was the first to put the 2-8-0 type engine on the rails when they rebuilt a Baldwin flexible-beam engine to a 2-8-0 configuration. For more the forty years, the 2-8-0 Consolidation was America's standard freight locomotive, working hard on virtually every railroad. Featuring a near-scale locomotive, the Pennsy Keystone 2-8-0 ready-to-run train set comes decorated in classic Pennsylvania livery. It's a perfect way to get the whole family involved in model railroading.


text:
Substance Abuse and Addiction Home
Find a Psychiatrist
Substance Abuse and Addiction Health Center
Marijuana Abuse
Teen Cough Medicine Abuse
Related to Substance Abuse and Addiction
Quit-Smoking Assessment
Teen Drug Abuse
Substance Abuse and Addiction
Slideshow: Self-Care and Recovery After Trauma
Drug, Alcohol Deaths Soar After Weight-Loss Surgery
By Donna Siegfried
THURSDAY, June 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- A new study offers some sobering news about weight-loss surgery.
People who undergo a gastric bypass procedure called Roux-en-Y are three times more likely than those in the general population to die of drug- or alcohol-related causes, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh.
The reason isn't clear, but laboratory studies have shown that Roux-en-Y surgery changes the way the body reacts to drugs and alcohol.
"The effect is purely physiological, not psychological," said Dr. John Morton, chief of bariatric and minimally invasive surgery at Yale School of Medicine, who reviewed the findings. "Gastric bypass surgery removes 95% of the stomach. Alcohol receptors exist in the stomach and the liver, so by removing so much of the stomach, people lose the first pass at metabolizing alcohol."
Morton was not involved in the study but has published research on the topic.
For this study, the Pitt researchers followed nearly 2,500 adults who had weight-loss surgery at one of 10 hospitals across the United States. About eight out of 10 were women and 86% were white. Their median age was 46, meaning half were older, half younger. The patients were followed for seven years.
During that time, 10 of the study participants died of causes directly related to drug or alcohol use.
That included six accidental drug overdoses; one intentional drug overdose; one overdose where intent was unknown; and two from alcoholic liver disease. All 10 had had a Roux-en-Y bypass, which reduces the stomach size and shortens the intestine.
As with other forms of "bariatric" (weight-loss) surgery, having a smaller stomach makes people feel full sooner, so they lose weight.
To compare patient death rates with those in the general population, researchers used a formula called "person-years." It measures the number of people studied and number of years each participated in the study.
On average, there were 89 deaths per 100,000 person-years among Roux-en-Y patients, compared to 30.5 per 100,000 in the general population, the investigators found.
Study co-author Wendy King said, "Our study primarily focused on those who had Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery; it did not examine differences in drug- and alcohol-related mortality among those who had undergone" another type of weight-loss surgery called sleeve gastrectomy.
"New evidence suggests that sleeve gastrectomy may also alter the way alcohol is metabolized in the body, so there is more work to do," she added. King is an associate professor in the department of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health.
The nation's most popular weight-loss surgery, sleeve gastrectomy, also removes a portion of the stomach, although not as much as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. A third type of bariatric surgery is gastric banding, which ties off the upper portion of the stomach.
Because their stomachs hold less, people who undergo bariatric surgery tend to feel the effects of alcohol sooner and after fewer drinks. Researchers said that's why it is important for patients to pay attention not only to how alcohol makes them feel, but also whether it interferes with relationships and daily activities.
The findings highlight the need for more education, diagnosis, treatment and tracking of alcohol and drug use as part of post-surgery care, the study authors said.
The researchers also called on primary-care doctors to be more aware of these risks as they treat patients who have had weight-loss surgery, and for more long-term follow-up. The deaths uncovered in the study occurred about five years after surgery.
Morton underscored the importance of awareness.
"Substance abuse education needs to be embedded in the pre-op process, and more counseling needs to be provided after surgery," he said. "But people also need to remember that they are having bariatric surgery to lose weight and improve their health, and consuming alcohol doesn't fit with those goals."
The study was recently published online in the journal Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases.
SOURCES: Wendy King, Ph.D., associate professor of epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh; John Morton, M.D., vice chair for quality, department of surgery, and division chief of bariatric and minimally invasive surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn.; June 7, 2019,Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases, online
Rx Drug Abuse: Who Gets Addicted?
Help On How to Kick Your Addiction
How Does Drug Abuse Affect Your Brain?
How Alcohol Affects Your Body
What Causes a Drug Overdose?
10 Surprising Addictions
Prescription and over-the-counter medications.
Drug Overdose Symptoms
Know when to seek medical attention.
How Marijuana Affects You
Changes that happen in the body and the mind.
Causes, symptoms, and treatment.
Are You a Functional Alcoholic?
What Is Methadone?
Signs of Alcohol Abuse
Effects of Crystal Meth
Understanding Drug Abuse & Addiction
What Does Cocaine Do to You?
Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms
Effects of Marijuana
Drug Overdose: What Happens?
Do I Have a Drinking Problem?
Painkillers Abuse & Addiction
Drug Abuse, Addiction, and the Brain


text:
Home > News > News > Donated tech already finding new homes in Frome
Donated tech already finding new homes in Frome
L-R: Will Palmer, Simon Barfoot, Cllr Anne Hills, Rob Hookway of Fixy Van
There was no shortage of donations at the second Tech Amnesty held at Frome Town Hall; the weather may have been chilly, but the steady stream of people resulted in an even bigger haul than the first amnesty!
145 smart phones, 41 tablets, 76 laptops were just some of over 300 items that were donated in order to be refurbished and given to someone who needs it in our community or to be sustainably recycled.
Simon Barfoot of Donate IT said: "We're delighted that so many braved the cold to come out and give their old tech, resulting in over 300 devices, weighing about 615kg, which will benefit people in our community instead of possibly being lost to landfill. We'll now get to work securely clearing all the data from the donations and repurposing where we can."
Will Palmer from the Health Connections team at Frome Medical Practice who was also at the event said: "It was a great day all round, not only with the incredible items donated but I was especially pleased to receive several refurbished items from the Donate IT team that had been collected at the December amnesty. They will now make their way out to the community to those who can make good use of them. If you or anyone you know, needs a device please contact the Health Connections team at Frome Medical Practice. "
If you missed the amnesty, there are now two permanent drop off points in Frome.
Cllr Anne Hills said: "Frome Town Council are proud to be supporting this project and pleased that it has got off to a great start this new year, thanks to local residents. Spring is a perfect time to declutter and get rid of old tech, if you weren't able to make the event there is now a permanent drop off at Frome Town Hall where you can bring your items to reception ready for the Donate IT team to pick up."
Frome Town Hall is open Monday – Thursday 9am -5pm and Friday 9am – 4:30pm. Alternatively, you can drop items at the Welsh Mill Hub, every day from 10am – 4pm.
Should you know someone who could benefit from a digital device, the Health Connections team can be reached by email or calling 01373 468368. Or you can visit their website here.
Fancy a street party to celebrate the Coronation? Let's get planning
Tackling tricky conversations
Temporary road closures February 2023
Bank closures in Frome
Mayor's Column (231)
Town Clerk's Updates (75)
Wild Bunch (13)


Award-Winning priMe Habitat Builders is a Design|Build Firm Specializing in "Code Plus", High-Performance Homes and 'Deep-Energy' Retrofit Renovations. We work with you from lot purchase and design, right through to build completion. A one-stop shop!
We are Kelowna's Premier Healthy-Home Builder!
Be it a uniquely designed high-performance Home, or a multi-million dollar hilltop escape, our experienced, award-winning team can turn your vision into a reality. What does your dream home look like?
Designed to the same exacting standards as our custom homes, we are currently developing several unique home styles which can be personalized to your particular specifications.


George is the Café proprietor and is one of the friendliest people you will ever meet and is very talented in the ways of tempting the Aroma Cafe's customer palette. He is also very speedy at making a delicious range of drinks for the customer on the move or customers who want to relax.
George comes from the beautiful Greek island of Kalymnos in the Aegean Sea. Kalymnos is famous as it is the centre of the Greek sponge diving industry.
George has many years of experience in the food and beverage trade.


May 24 Last day to drop a course without a grade of "W" (Also: Review the Bursar's withdrawal schedule).
May 21 Last day to drop a course without a grade of "W" (Also: Review the Bursar's withdrawal schedule).
July 4-5 NO CLASSES: Independence Day observed.
July 2 Last day to drop a course without a grade of "W" (Also: Review the Bursar's withdrawal schedule).
June 4 Last day to drop a course without a grade of "W" (Also: Review the Bursar's withdrawal schedule).
Visiting Students: Please consult Summer Sessions, College of Arts and Sciences, Dean's Office: 773-508-3500 or summer-sessions@luc.edu.


text:
June 26, 2019 Culture » Arts & Entertainment
Runway Success
Utah fashion designers turn clothing into art.
By Colette A. Finney
Colette Finney
With encouraging mentors and creative challenges that push the boundaries of fashion, reality shows like Project Runway make it look like a designer is a single outfit away from the big time. In reality, there is often far more to the process of getting a garment from the runway to a mainstream buyer.
Just ask local creators of couture Angel Aquino or Betthy Lovos. Both have been sketching, stitching and sending their work down local runways for close to four years trying to break into the field. As with any struggling artist pursuing their passion, it can be a long journey to leaving a day job.
Originally from Guatemala, Aquino grew up helping his mother make clothes, and is looking forward to leaving his property management job behind. Close to finishing up all four fashion degrees at the Fashion Institute at Salt Lake Community College, he creates "wearable art" as well as women's wear.
"I really like creating a garment from start to finish," Aquino says. "It is a great feeling when you sketch a design, create a pattern, cut the fabric and sew for yourself."
Involved in numerous fashion show fundraisers for the past few years, he has become quite adept at staging a runway show from start to finish. The process is chock full of details—long before the model ever hits the proverbial red carpet, brainstorming and sketching design, making a pattern and sewing the actual garment, and finding the right model.
"I put together a mood board/inspiration board with colors schemes, inspirational clothing, makeup, words and anything that will help me with a theme," Aquino says. "Once I have my designs completed, I begin to ask myself, 'Which model will be a great fit for this outfit?'"
On the other hand, Lovos fell in love with creating fashions as a child, but took a minor detour into pursuing another career. Many years later, though, she felt drawn in a different direction. "I had been praying for some guidance for a couple years, and felt so confused about what direction I wanted to go in for my future career," Lovos says. "Then, one day, I was given the opportunity to make some dance costumes and I completely fell in love again."
Completing her training at Salt Lake Community College in 2016, she has not committed to a particular style for her designing aesthetic. Meanwhile, she works full-time soaring the friendly skies as a flight attendant. "I love all aspects of fashion and have not found my focal point yet," says Lovos. "I love costumes, corsets and lingerie, but also evening gowns and swimsuits."
Having experience in directing and producing fashion shows, Lovos has put together an annual fundraiser for a St. Joseph Mission program dedicated to helping children in Nairobi, Kenya. "The event consists of a fashion show with local designers, performances, art gallery, drinks, appetizers and raffle prizes," Lovos adds. "The prep consists of finding a venue, setting a date and time, scouting designers, photographers, artists and performers, while also finding models and as many volunteers as possible."
Both designers gain inspiration from sources such as dreams, their heritage and even comic books, with the goal of seeing their creations famously adorning a model as she struts down a red carpet. Yet, one of their most important considerations is how a model feels in their design. "I love creating outfits that make my models feel sexy and powerful," Aquino says. "It's a great feeling knowing that something I've created brings such emotions to my models."
Absent an enthusiastic mentor like Tim Gunn uttering "make it work," both are signed on to design for fall fundraisers, plus independent events, and are excited to show off their work.
"Fashion is up and coming in Salt Lake City, and we have quite a bit of eccentric people," Aquino adds. "Summer is here, so we will be seeing a lot of street fashion. Neo Goth styles are very popular right now."
With numerous organizations, programs and galleries embracing all types of art forms, Salt Lake City has begun to follow the trend in larger cities by advocating for designers on a larger scale. Founded in 2015, this fall's Utah Fashion Week brings together local members of the fashion industry to support independent designers. Look for these two up-and-coming designers there or follow their progress on Instagram @angel_art_and_fashion and @lacebranch.
Tags: Arts & Entertainment
« Coordinated Effort | Believe the Hyper »
More Arts & Entertainment »
Colette A. Finney
More by Colette A. Finney
Adventures in Suburbia
Two new art exhibitions explore the world of idyllic neighborhoods.
Siri Elaine: Rooted
Signed, Anonymous
Journals in local coffee shops provide an outlet for uncredited creativity.
Latest in Arts & Entertainment
Geekonomics
It's getting more expensive all the time to be a pop-culture fan.
by Bryan Young
Believe the Hyper
David Payne turns an arcade game collection into a mobile gallery of "fine hyper art."
by Parker Scott Mortensen
Coordinated Effort
Three new area coordinators bring new ideas to the 2019 Utah Arts Festival.
Struggles with family-building lead to the creation of The Art of Infertility.
Justin Watson's PERMADEATH tasks artists with creating new worlds.


The Peasant Activism Project (2016-2018) is a major ethnographic study of neo-rural activism in Italy financed by the Economic and Social Science Research Council (ESRC), UK, hosted by Queen's University Belfast and carried out in cooperation with University of Perugia, Italy. The project investigates innovative political activism related to grassroot attempts to re-appropriate the right to certify food.
Small-scale farmers and neo-rural activists are particularly vulnerable in front of an increasingly invasive neoliberal 'governance of transparency'. Many of those who pursue sustainable lifestyles and produce quality food often find themselves in difficulties with tightening regulations regarding food safety and the technocratic demands in relation to the certification of standards, considered by many as favoring large industrial productions.
The core innovation of our study derives from the attempt to shed light on the emerging diffusion of alternative and more democratic 'participatory self-certifications' of food products in Italy through a theoretical lens that combines anthropological writing on food activism with critical studies of policy. This will allow a renewed 'political understanding' of food activism, an understanding in relation to broader issues of governance, sovereignty and citizenship, rather than in relation to questions of identity and culture.
"Investigating the opaque side of transparency"
"The Acts Archives Project", coordinated by Engin Isin, has published the contribution "Cross-border Grassroot Activism in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict". The archive collects and documents repertoires of actions that aim to change something and explore these actions in their philosophical, psychological and religious dimensions.
Selected ethnographic visual episodes of our research project will be presented at the conference "The Year of Italian Food: Immaterial Gastronomic Heritage" (in Italian) at the Regional Parliament of Umbria, Italy. Here the complete program of the event.
We are pleased to announce the second edition of our "Political Imagination Laboratory". The second edition of the Political Imagination Laboratory brings together anthropologists, social scientists, filmmakers and activists from around the world and will alternate paper presentations with film screenings, roundtable discussions, and work-in-progress visual expositions.
The completed program can be accessed here.
The "Peasant Activism Project" has been financed between February 2016 and March 2018 by the Economic and Social Science Research Council (Esrc) under the initial title 'The Right to Certify? Mobilizing for the Self-Certification of Food' (Project code ES/M011291/1), and is currently funded by a follow-up grant hosted at Queen's University Belfast.


Week three of our Community Studio Program in the newly renovated Barn Studio at the Empower Youth Ranch was a success!
Community Studio is a free art program for all ages led by SOIL SERIES artists. Our Community Studios provided a dedicated time and place for creativity, inviting participants to broaden their definitions of art and follow new pathways of thinking and making.
We started Monday's session of Community Studio: Drawing by thinking about the word "spect-actor," a term coined by Augusto Boal. Boal was an experimental theater practitioner who, in the 1970s, created the Theatre of the Oppressed, which invited participants to inhabit simultaneously the dual roles of "spectator" and "actor." By asking participants to play both roles at once, Boal aimed to break down the traditional barriers between "audience" and "performer" and promote social and political change.
After giving our artists some time to consider the "spect-actor" role, we switched gears to discuss artists as "observers." We began by looking at the work of John James Audubon, the 19th century ornithologist, naturalist, and painter known by most for creating The Birds of America. The color-plated book contained illustrations of a variety of birds, including 25 new species Audubon himself first identified. It is considered one of the greatest ornithological works ever completed.
While looking at Audubon's paintings, we considered the lengths to which he went in order to accurately depict these birds. He traveled far and wide collecting specimens for his paintings. He had to master the art of observation, paying close attention to detail and deeply engaging with each subject.
We compared Audubon's work to that of local painter John Aldrich Ruthven, sometimes considered the "20th-century Audubon" because of his similar subject matter and style.
What we wanted to know was this: What happens when the observer intersects with the spect-actor? How can the artist's careful consideration of a subject be transferred to the viewer, allowing for a shared experience or even shared action?
To answer this question, we turned to Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller, who have been collaborating on sound installations and immersive works since 1995.
I was doing a residency at the Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada, experimenting with some various technologies, and I created what became my first audio walk. It didn't have very good instructions and the quality of my mixing was terrible since it was mixed on a 4-track cassette deck, but the work really inspired me and changed my thinking about art. Probably only 10 people heard it at the time, but it was the prototype for all the walks that followed. When I listen to it now, I can appreciate the freshness and looseness, even with all of the bad editing.
Cardiff's audio walks combine a virtual, recorded world with the physical one, collapsing time and voicing tensions between absence and presence, reality and fiction.
During the audio walks, Cardiff's audience is invited to participate in her experience of a place. Donning headsets, they listen to Cardiff's pre-recorded instructions for navigating the place — where to go, what to look for, etc. Throughout the walk, Cardiff interrupts and enhances the experience by sharing fragments of narrative, memories, and sounds. Occasionally, she'll add physical props to the place itself. For example, in the 2000 audio walk Taking Pictures, Cardiff included photographs for participants to encounter during the walk, some of which included her mother in the landscape.
Find a partner and take paper and drawing utensils.
Plan your walk anywhere on the ranch as long as it is safe.
Make a map of your walk. Make sure other people can follow it. Include important points, landmarks, and information.
Write a script for what you will say in the recording of your walk. Use your five senses. You can narrate what you are seeing, feeling, smelling, and hearing. You can tell stories or make up new ones. Use the ranch as your inspiration. You can make texture rubbings, drawings, and objects to help tell your story. We can make these into a booklet later which your audience will see.
When you have your script finished, film you walk. The video should be all one take. One person should hold the camera. Try to hold the camera as steady as possible and take your time.
The finished walks will be featured at our exhibition in the fall. Stay tuned!
We knew it would be a struggle. It is not easy to account for the entirety of one's belongings, especially under pressure.
This writing prompt was inspired by the artist Mary Mattingly. Mattingly's work explores themes of home, travel, and cartography. She is particularly concerned with how human beings relate to one another, to the environment, to machines, and to corporate and political entities. Mattingly is known for her photographs and sculptures depicting futuristic and obscure landscapes, her wearable sculptures and "wearable homes," and her ecological installations.
Looking at images of Mary's work, we discussed what might have motivated her to make these objects, photographs, and performances and what they might mean to us viewers.
Our discussion eventually led us to examine mass production in our postmodern, postindustrial society and our ethical and political responsibilities as consumers.
Icon (n.): a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol of something.
Symbol (n.): a thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract.
Here, we introduced the day's project: "icon-making." We started by making a "material inventory" in which we sorted the materials found on the ranch into four categories: hard, soft, man-made, and natural. We would craft four different icons representative of Empower Youth Ranch, one of each material category.
We began scoured the ranch for materials, then returned to the Barn Studio to document what we found through photographs and written narratives.
By the end of class, we had four icons — four material iterations of the ranch's story.
The final works will be on display at the upcoming exhibition at the Empower Youth Ranch this fall. Details forthcoming!
Join us in our Barn Studio at the Empower Youth Ranch for the Fall Session of our Community Studios!
A guided art workshop with Hillary Wagner and Francesca Fiore! We will work with diverse media and make something new every week. ALL AGES!
OPEN STUDIOS. Bring your ideas and imagination with you for a period of free, self-directing art making! Francesca Fiore and Hillary Wagner will be available to talk about art and help bring your ideas to life! All are welcome.
Also, stay tuned for an exciting new Thursday evening event at the Empower Youth Ranch for high school students!


text:
@AP Images
Almost all #America's closest allies have cautioned US President Donald #Trump against recognizing #Jerusalem as #Israel's capital warning of potentially grave repercussions. France, the #United_Kingdom, the #European_Union and #Turkey have all urged him to reconsider. Senior US officials are said to disagree with his decision. Secretary of State #Rex_Tillerson sounds less than enthusiastic.
Last week, 150 #United_Nations (UN) member states voted in favour of a resolution condemning #Israel's claim to an undivided #Jerusalem; only six countries voted against.
A new poll conducted by the University of Maryland found that 63 per cent of Americans oppose relocating the American Embassy to #Jerusalem from #Tel_Aviv.
#Pope_Francis and the #Grand_Imam_of_Al-Azhar Ahmed el-Tayeb appealed to him not to proceed, but on Wednesday, he defied the international community and stabbed his nation's Arab friends, in particular #Saudi_Arabia, the #United_Arab_Emirates, #Egypt and #Jordan, in the back.
He has prostrated himself before #Israel while attempting to portray himself as a peacemaker. What he has done is akin to a doctor saying, 'Don't worry, you will soon be well' as he injects his patient with a lethal poison.
The man is taking us for fools. He and his Jewish settlement-funding/supporting so called envoys, his son-in-law #Jared_Kushner and #Jason_Greenblatt, can never be trusted intermediaries. They are lackeys of the occupying power.
His announcement was insulting. He praised #Israel to the hilt as "one of the most successful democracies in the world" where "Jews, Christians and Muslims and peoples of all faiths are free to live and worship".
Tell that to the Palestinians barred from the Haram el-Sharif. Tell that to the families whose homes have been demolished and whose lands have been stolen.
His couched message to Arabs was to respond to his decision 'with reasoned debate, not violence' and 'to expel extremists from their midst'. Does he not realize that he has just ramped up extremism by killing all hope of there ever being a Palestinian state with #Jerusalem as its capital?
#Hamas, which was open to reconciling with #Fatah and for the first time agreed to a Palestinian state on 1967 borders, has now announced that #Trump has 'opened the gates of hell'.
#Iran and #Hezbollah will tout this terrible news as a pretext for increased aggression. Islamist militants of all stripes may attack US interests. Mr #Trump knows this, which is why the #Pentagon has dispatched US Marines to protect American embassies in the Middle East.
I pray that there is no loss of life but if any blood is spilled it will be on the US President's hands. Of course, he will never admit his mistake. He will cite retaliatory acts of violence to justify his predominately anti-Muslim travel ban, anti-Islamic statements and to tighten his hug of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin #Netanyahu, who was quick to express the gratitude of the 'Jewish State and the Jewish People' for #Trump's 'act of political bravery'.
#Trump has trampled upon every vestige of #America's credibility. Rather than make his country great, he has turned it into an international irrelevance. He has thumbed his nose at decades of US foreign policy, hinting his predecessors were 'lacking in courage'. He has made a mockery of often-touted American values by blessing the illegal occupation of a city occupied during war.
Under international law, it is illegal for a country to seize land acquired by force. That flies in the face of the UN charter, the Fourth #Geneva_Convention and a slew of UN Security Council resolutions.
Article 55 of the Laws of War states: 'The occupying state shall be regarded only as an administrator…' Thus, #Israel has no legal right to claim #Jerusalem as its capital and neither does the US.
Russian President Vladimir #Putin could now take a leaf out of his American counterpart's book to claim that #Russia's annexation of #Crimea was morally just due to 'realities on the ground', the line #Trump has taken to explain his motivation for recognizing #Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish state.
If an armed man breaks into someone's home, kicks the rightful owners into the street and lives there with his wife, children and pet dog, no court would legitimize the theft on the grounds that the thief's slippers under the bed signified a new reality.
The sixty-four thousand dollar question is why did #Trump feel compelled to do such a highly controversial act which many believe smacks of insanity? Television pundits are still scratching their heads trying to figure that one out.
#Trump said the move is good for #America but neglected to explain in which way. He did not because it is not.
The fact is the only person it benefits is the President himself who has struggled to get his bills passed through #Congress but who can now assert that he kept his campaign promise.
#Trump can also pat himself on the back for faithfully complying with the demands of his billionaire supporters, President of the World Jewish #Congress #Ronald_Lauder and #Netanyahu's buddy #Sheldon_Adelson, who describes the Palestinians as 'a made-up people'.
He has fulfilled his pledge to Evangelical Christian Zionists who make up a substantial proportion of his base. Put simply, his sole goal is to consolidate his popularity with the people whose votes propelled him to the #White_House.
On Saturday, the League of Arab States is holding an emergency meeting and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation will meet next Wednesday in Istanbul. It is imperative that Arab and Muslim nations not only speak with one voice but agree to meaningful countermeasures and joint strategies.
Without any shadow of a doubt Donald #Trump is the worst President in US history. He is not only an embarrassment but also a dangerous belligerent pushing the hands of the Doomsday Clock too close to midnight for comfort. He needs to go. If public protest cannot shift him and the Republican #Congress has no stomach for impeachment, perhaps the key lies with Special Prosecutor #Robert_Mueller.
Added 08:24 December 07 2017
Your comments are a bit extreme. The recognition of Jerusalem and placing of an embassy in West Jerusalem does not preclude a Palestinian state or control of East Jerusalem. The status quo has not gotten anyone anywhere. Trumps actions along with the willingness and urging of Arab leaders in the region will force progress in the future. It's time for a different track. All Arab leaders know this and everyone can surmise it by the completely different rhetoric we are witnessing on the matter from all corners.
Well said Mr. Al Habtoor. I remember the time when Ronald Keagan become president. He was also directed by his Financial Supporters. Best example to watch is a documentary called 'Capitalism a love story' by Micheal Moore. Now, Trump is directed by sheldon adelson who is close friend of netenyahu and Financial Supporter of Trump Campaign.
Safa Ekincioglu , United Arab Emirates


Tweak says, "Cue the pulse to begin."
Challenge 73 is extended until Sat again, not for lack of entries, but for random unexpected RL things here (my apologies for the flakiness!). That and the fic I'm working on has me near tears with frustration.


Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei Province, is a new rising city, with a population of 950,000. Main tourist attractions include the Mausoleum of Revolution Martyrs along with the Tomb of Dr. Norman Bethune, Tomb of Dr. D.S.Kotnis, the famous Zengding Longxing Temple ten kilometres north of Shijiazhuang, and Zhaozhou Bridge 40 kilometres southeast of the city. Traditionsl arts and crafts from Shijiazhuang are famed, including New Year Pictures, papercuts, stone carving and bottles with decoration painted inside.


Olive groves are found in abundance in Provence, as the climate is similar to other growing areas around the Mediterranean (Greece, Spain, Israel, Syria, Italy etc..). Records confirm that olives have been produced in several middle east countries since prehistoric times. By 2000 BC, there are references to a form of olive press and oil exports, from what is now Syria. In ancient Greece, there are indications of the oil being used as both a food, and for grooming purposes. The olive leaf throughout history, has symbolized abundance, glory and at times peace. Through the ages the oil, has been considered sacred, it was used to anoint royalty, bless athletes in ancient Greece, fuel the eternal flame in the original Olympic games and even found in Tutankhamen's tomb.
Today, olive cultivation and associated production is very important to the Mediterranean economy. Spain is the largest producer in the world at 36%, followed by Italy at roughly 25% and Greece at 18%. Worldwide production in 2008 was 2.6 million tonnes. Growing areas have continued to expand westward over the last three millennium. Newer growing areas include California, Australia and Chile. As a note, France's production is small on a global scale. There are literally thousands of types of olives; in Italy about 300 varieties have been enumerated. However, in reality many are not grown in significant quantities.
Generally speaking, olive trees are very hardy, they prefer drought-like conditions, and can live for a very long time. The root system can even regenerate if the tree is damaged above ground. As the trees age, the trunks get gnarled and broader. The trees can be centuries old, there is a tree in Portugal that has been carbon dated at more that 2000 years old.
The olive tree sprouts a tiny white flower in springtime. The fruit forms in the summer and ripens between September and November depending on the climate and the weather that particular year. In more southern climates, the olives are left to turn ripen on the tress and fall to the ground onto tarps and may even be shaken loose to harvest. Provence is considered a more northerly production area; the trees are typically pruned annually to keep them small as the mostly green olives are handpicked.
Olives in their natural state are bitter and hard. As such there are several ways to process olives for eating, some more natural than others. The traditional process involves a water washing process to eliminate the bitter carbohydrate followed by fermentation with natural flora. The fermentation process can be as short as a couple weeks or as long as several months. The process involves soaking the olives in combination of water, salt and vinegar. Additional flavourings and spices can be added as well, by soaking in marinades.
Ginger and Nutmeg had the good fortune to be invited to help some friends harvest their 2010 crop. The day was particularly bone chilling, so we were all quite bundled up. The olives are literally handpicked off the tree, so with a little activity and some good conversation we all warmed up and finished picking the olives in their grove. This was a lean year as they weighed in the crop at the village "Moulin a Huile" at 21kg, last year they had 100kg. By this time they have received their share (-10%) of the olive oil equivalent of their crop in large plastic jugs.
Despite the cold it was a great day. Ginger was particularly keen to pick every last olive. We had a tour of the "Moulin", and best of all we had a fabulous seafood risotto lunch with our new friends.


text:
Q: Canonical functor associated to a ring homomorphism I've encountered this problem on my Non commutative algebra handouts wich says:
given $R,S$ rings and $f:R\to S\:$ a ring homomorphism, define a canonical functor $$F:\textbf{Mod-S}\to \textbf{Mod-R}.$$ Where $\textbf{Mod-S}$ is the category of right $S-$modules and similarly $\textbf{Mod-R}$ is the category of right $R-$modules.
Once you've done this, prove that the functor $F$ is faithful.
Now, my problem is that the definition of $F$ doesn't sound natural at all to me. It would be better in my opinion to define $$F:\textbf{Mod-R}\to \textbf{Mod-S}.$$ Am i wrong? and in the case, how to define $F$?
Thank you for your replies.

A: As an instructive example, think about the case where $f$ is an inclusion of a subring $R\subset S$. Then an $S$-module is also an $R$-module. Just forget how elements outside of $R$ acted. This gives a functor $\textbf{Mod-S}\to \textbf{Mod-R}$.
There is, however, no way to extend an $R$-action to an $S$-action on a given underlying abelian group. But, as Dan Petersen mentions, there is extension of scalars. This gives a functor $\textbf{Mod-R}\to \textbf{Mod-S}$ as you suggest.

A: Actually there are canonical functors in both directions. To go from $R$-modules to $S$-modules, you need to use the tensor product (and this functor is not in general faithful), but the other direction (which is suggested in the homework) is easier.
One way to see what the construction is to note that an $S$-module is the same thing as a an abelian group $A$ and a ring homomorphism $S \to \mathrm{End}(A)$. These ring homomorphisms can be precomposed...
If you want something to google, look up restriction and extension of scalars.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Nahr-e Mian (, also Romanized as Nahr-e Mīān, Nahr Meyān, Nahr Mīān, and Nahrmiyān; also known as Haran) is a village in Nahr-e Mian Rural District, Zalian District, Shazand County, Markazi Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 1,650, in 424 families.

References

Populated places in Shazand County