We all know and love the traditional holiday anthem "Jingle Bell Rock," heck some of us might even know the whole choreographed routine in the movie Mean Girls.(Looking at you, Brian) But if there's one thing that can certainly take your holiday party from a mild-mannered "All I Want for Christmas is You" by Mariah Carey feel, to a truly rockin' around the Christmas tree time, it's a playlist of hip-hop Christmas music.
Yep, that's right. Your favorite uniquely flavored rap artists including Kanye West, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg, Ying Yang Twins, and Run DMC, just to name a few, have brought you some original Christmas-themed rap songs. Who says gangstas can't roast chestnuts on an open fire?
With tracks like these, just add some spiked Egg Nog, rock a 'happy holla dayz" sweater, grab your friends, and get merry! Besides, doesn't everyone want to imagine they're dashing through the snow in a red four-door Bentley?
*Parental Advisory: Most of these songs are not suitable for 18 years of age and younger.


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1. That I am the applicant in application for the issue of duplicate driving licence and am fully conversant with the facts deposed to below.
2. That I was issued driving licence No. ........... on ............. by this authority, to drive ............. (name the class of vehicle for which the licence was issued).
3. That my above driving licence has been lost on or about ..... for which I have lodged an FIR bearing no. ........... on ................with Police Station.
4. That I have not deposited the said licence with any court or any authority nor my licence has not been cancelled. I have not been convicted of any offence by any court.
5. That no charge sheet has been filed against me for any offence under the Motor Vehicles Act or Rules made thereunder or any other law in force.
6. That I am not addicted to wine and I do not suffer from any of the diseases disqualifying me to hold the driving licence.
7. That if the original licence will be found, I shall deposit the same with the Office of Regional Transport Officer.
8. That in view of the above, it is necessary that a duplicate driving licence may be issued to me.
Verification: Verified at ........ on this ...... day of ....... That the contents of my above affidavit are true and correct and nothing material has been suppressed therefrom.


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text:
Grimmz Fairy Tales
May 2, 2020	| Victoria Theatre | Family Series
Saturday 1 p.m. & 4 p.m.
Season Tickets Available Now!
Individual Tickets On Sale August 2!
Get Season Tickets
A hip-hop revelation for the younger generation!
Meet two modern-day hip-hop street performers, Jake and Will, who bring the stories of the brothers Grimm to life with a contemporary urban spin, as they and a few of their friends turn records and dance circles around some of the most beloved and well-known fairy tales collected by the famous German brothers of old. Featured tales include "Cinderella," "Hansel and Gretel," "The Frog Prince," "Rapunzel," "Snow White & the Seven Shawties," "The Brave Little Tailor," "The Six Swans," and "The Elves and the Shoemaker." These tales include R&B, pop, reggae and rap, with a little Run-D.M.C.-inspired rock and roll.
This presentation is supported by the Arts Midwest Touring Fund, a program of Arts Midwest that is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional contributions from the Ohio Arts Council and the Crane Group.
Best for ages 7 and up.
Fun for the whole family!
Special Offers & Cheap Seats
It's even more fun with a group!
We've partnered with RTA & The Convenience Stores of Speedway to offer transportation scholarships, making it possible for students to attend the Discovery Series.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Symfony2-Doctrine ManyToMany with 3 fields related I'm having problems to define an association mapping and I don't know what to do to solve.
I want build a relation Many to Many between two objects but not only for one field.
One table refers to persons and the other to image, the target of this relation is represent when a person has been tagged by other person for this image
I need something like this:

|    Tagged   |    Tagger   | Photo      |
| person_id_1 | person_id_2 | image_id_1 |
| person_id_3 | person_id_2 | image_id_1 |
| person_id_2 | person_id_4 | image_id_2 |
I try it using many to many relations like this:
/**
 * @ORM\ManyToMany(targetEntity="Media")
 * @ORM\JoinTable(name="persons_tagged",
 *  joinColumns={
 *   @ORM\JoinColumn(name="user_tagged", referencedColumnName="id"),
 *   @ORM\JoinColumn(name="user_tagger", referencedColumnName="id")
 *  },
 *  inverseJoinColumns={
 *   @ORM\JoinColumn(name="media_id",referencedColumnName="id")
 *  }
 * )
 **/
 private $employeeTagged;

When I try to update the schema by console, the table in DB it is created but without foreign keys because an exception of foreign key definition is threw and I have to create the foreign keys manually.
Someone has had a similar problem or a way to solve it? thanks

A: Create a new entity which has link to image, link to tagger (user), link to tagged (user).
You might also want to add created datetime, updated datetime, portion of image this person is in, description/text, etc.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Tourism is about personal style. Some people want to see all of the landmarks. Others just want to relax poolside with a drink in hand. Las Vegas is unique in that allows each person to find what they are looking for out of their trip. Whether it is sitting in a Parisian cafe, taking a ride down a Venetian canal or soaking in the azure skies of Rome, it is hard not to get lost in the magic of this town. Certainly the crowds and ever present street promoters can kind of ruin the romance of the moment, but the experience is always reminiscent of the real thing while also being something wholly different. This adult Disneyland is known worldwide for its food, drinks, and art (among its other vices). A recent business trip took me to Las Vegas and although many of the casinos still follow the Bud/Miller/Coors model, with a little searching there's some good craft beer to be found in sin city.
The Las Vegas Strip is by far the most popular area in town. With a slew of casinos, shopping, and dining, this area is the most vibrant part of Las Vegas and where many tourists spend the majority of their time. Each of the hotels have their own flare but not all of them have good beer. The Cosmopolitan is a visually stunning hotel with a three-story chandelier bar and modern décor throughout. Visit Holstein's Shakes and Buns within the casino for a great (and well priced) selection of exotic burgers, monstrous shakes, and range of craft beers. The restaurant has a large wooden bar with white-tiled walls and bottle lamps lighting their range of beers and spirits. A cartoon of Holstein's cow mascot decorates the walls and restaurant. The menu has imaginative burgers like The Fun-Ghi, which is topped with forest mushrooms, caramelized onions, Gruyere cheese, frisee, & truffle mayo. The Rising Sun was a standout with a kobe beef patty slathered in teriyaki glaze and adorned with nori furikake, crispy yam, spicy mayo and a tempura avocado. It is highly recommended to add a fried egg on top. When paired with a Green Flash Le Freak Belgian IPA, the two make a potent mix of savory and sweet flavors. The restaurant has a few rotating draft beers and then fourteen core taps covering a range of craft breweries and beer styles.
Public House in The Venetian is another spot to check out while along the Las Vegas Strip. Electronic lounge music plays softly along the deep mahogany interior and black and white patterned stone floors with the warm glow of Edison bulbs providing some mood lighting. If on a budget, the dishes are of decent size and can be split between two people, especially if a side or two are added. The beer menu is presented on an iPad which keeps their offerings up-to-date and allows guests to get more information on their various beers. The beer selection is very well rounded, featuring brews from around the globe and even some local options like Joseph James Citra Rye or Hop Nuts Hopathon IPA. Unibroue's La Fin Du Monde goes particularly well with their lobster mac and cheese appetizer. The beer has flavors of red apple and praline that compliments the buttery lobster and accents the bits of crispy prosciutto peppered on top of the dish. Red Headed Stranger by Nevada-based Brasserie Saint James is a red saison with a wheat bread flavor and a hint of strawberry that goes nicely alongside the herb roasted chicken with pork belly and fingerling potato hash. If splitting, try adding a side of roasted Brussels sprouts with pearl onions and smoked bacon and their superfood slaw with mustard dressing.
Beer Park by Budweiser is a surprisingly nice space to grab a brew. The open rooftop restaurant and bar is located next to the Paris Hotel. The spacious and unenclosed environment makes for a great place to people watch as the crowds stroll down the strip. The beer selection largely pulls from the extended family of AB Inbev-owned brands like Goose Island, Elysian, and Golden Road, however there are a few local choices on the menu like the Joseph James' I'm Out Imperial Stout as well. If you are hungry, their menu covers a lot of classic American dishes and at good prices.
Sin City Brewing Co. is one of the most established breweries in the area and they have several tap rooms located along the strip including one at the Grand Bazaar Shops at Bally's. This small bar offers the chance to grab a pint in between shopping. Their other three locations in the Miracle Mile Shops, Harmon Corner, and Grand Canal Shoppes provide similar opportunities. Light, a premium light lager has a touch of grain in the aroma. The Amber is a clean and balanced example of an Oktoberfest with a hint of bready malts. The Weisse is a German-style Hefeweizen with a smooth banana flavor that is light on the clove aroma typical for this type of wheat beer. The IPA is an English-style which means it has a more prominent malt character than American versions. Their IPA has an earthy and herbal hop aroma with a honeyed toast flavor. The Stout is in the Dry-Irish style with a deep roasty finish. Sin City's rotating brew was a Double IPA with a gentle citrus and pine character and some caramel malt character.
One of the unique things about Vegas is the ability to drink openly on the streets. There are some intricacies to the law and places like the Las Vegas Strip or The Fremont Street Experience has its own rules due to their location so it is worth looking into the laws before sauntering down the street with bottle in hand. Main Street Station is located near Fremont and is a charming casino with Victorian décor and a western saloon flare. They promote themselves as a casino, brewery, and hotel, with their Triple 7 Restaurant & Brewery located just off the casino floor. The beers are pretty straightforward but extremely well priced ($2.50 pints at the casino bar) in a city that is known for its high prices. In addition to a seasonal brew, they have six mainstays: High Roller Gold, Royal Red, Marker Pale Ale, Double Down Hefeweizen, Black Chip Porter, and Carlsbad IPA. The porter was of note in the bunch with a touch of mocha in the aroma and a clean finish. While the restaurant has a full food menu, the hotel's Garden Court Buffet (hey if you're in Vegas you have to go to at least one buffet) is one of the more popular buffets in its price range. The food choices covers the globe, offering Mexican, Italian, and Asian cuisines among others. You can also purchase their house amber and blonde there, which is a nice change from the Bud and Coors typically served in these dining options.
Las Vegas is a city of many tastes. With their array of world class hotels, eateries, and bars, it offers an experience that can suit any personal style.


text:
Supreme Court to consider Louisiana 's non-unanimous juries.
The Supreme will consider overturning a criminal conviction by 10-2 jury vote in Louisiana.
The justice acted on Monday, four months after Louisiana voters amended the state constitution to prohibit non-unanimous verdicts in criminals cases.
Oregon is the only state still allow them. The high court will consider the case Evangelisto Ramos , who was convicted in 2016 of second degree murder in the killing of a women in New Orleans. Ramos is serving a life sentence with no chance of parole. The change in the state constitution took effected in January, but is of no help to Ramos without court action. The last time the Supreme Court took up the issue was in 1972. when it ruled that nothing in the Constitution bars state from allowing some convictions by non-unanimous verdicts. But even in Oregon and Louisiana, first -degree murder, which could bring the death penalty , has required a unanimous verdict.
The court has held that the six Amendment requires unanimous verdicts in federal criminal cases. The 1972 case turned on the vote of justice Lewis Powell. The court said states were not completed to follow suit and require unanimous juries in all criminal cases.
At the same time , the Supreme Court has determined that most rights guaranteed by the first 10 amendments to the constitution apply to states as well as the federal government.
Also Monday , the Supreme Court agreed to decide whether states can eliminate the so-called insanity defense for criminal defendants without violating the constitution
The appeal come from a Kansas man who has been sentenced to death for the killing his estranged wife their two daughters and the wife's grandmother. These case will be argued in the fall. mostly likely in October. It was a honor to be part of this wonderful so far successful movement..


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Combined with the Fiber Protect Connector, a variety of sensors can be completely protected to the sensor head even with applications that require movement.
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Color variation of PVC sheathing.
Standard:Glossy or Mat black, Green, Yellow, Blue, Orange, White, Grey, Pink, Red, Clear.
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Various Application Examples of Casing Tubes and other products.


text:
Charges May Have Been Dropped, But Jussie Smollett Is Still Guilty
Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images
By Tré Goins-Phillips
The charges against embattled actor Jussie Smollett may have been dropped, but he's still guilty.
For those who haven't been keeping up with the Smollett saga, the "Empire" star was charged one month ago by a grand jury with 16 counts of felony misconduct after it was revealed he staged a racist, homophobic attack against himself in order to advance a moral narrative about social justice and to propel his own career.
Progressives Would Rather Stand With Jussie Smollett Post-Hoax Than Admit Their Ideology Is Flawed
Smollett falsely claimed he was attacked by two masked men wearing "Make America Great Again" hats — a symbol of support for President Donald Trump — on Jan. 29 at the entrance of the Loews Hotel in Chicago. He said at the time the unidentified individuals slipped a noose around his neck and yelled racist and homophobic slurs in his direction.
It was later revealed the two men arrested for the attack, Olabinjo Osundairo and Abimbola Osundairo, were connected to Smollett. Police believe the actor paid the brothers $3,500 to fake the attack.
On Tuesday, the judge handling Smollett's case granted a nolle pros, which essentially means the case has been dropped and that the celebrity will no longer face prosecution for his alleged crimes, according to Fox News.
Smollett, claiming to be a man of faith, responded to the judge's decision by standing by his claim that he is innocent of the charges brought against him in February:
I am a man of faith and I'm a man that has knowledge of my history and I would not bring my family, our lives, or the movement into a fire like this. I just wouldn't. Now I'd like nothing more than to just get back to work and move on with my life. But make no mistake: I will always continue to fight for justice, equality, and betterment of marginalized people everywhere.
"I am a man of faith, and I am a man that has knowledge of my history, and I would not bring my family, our lives, or the movement through a fire like this."
WATCH: Jussie Smollett speaks after charges against him are dropped. https://t.co/Id9kl0AfIa pic.twitter.com/lh8V8J7AHY
— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 26, 2019
This entire ordeal begs the moral question: do the ends justify the means? Clearly, to Smollett — "I will always continue to fight for justice, equality, and betterment of marginalized people everywhere" — they do.
Can one, though, really teach a moral lesson in an immoral way? I'd argue it's impossible, but by dismissing the case against Smollett, the judge indirectly suggested the opposite.
It should be noted, unlike what Smollett's legal team is suggesting, the TV star was not exonerated. The charges against him were simply dropped in exchange for his agreement to do community service.
More from the asst state's attorney: "Here's the thing — we work to prioritize violent crime and the drivers of violent crime. Public safety is our number one priority. I don't see Jussie Smollett as a threat to public safety."
— Julie Bosman (@juliebosman) March 26, 2019
Regardless, Smollett tried to weaponize moral rightness to get his way, and we shouldn't forget — legal charges or not — he's guilty and should be held accountable for that.
For the believer — and Smollett claims to be a "man of faith" — there is no loophole; there is no divergent strand in the perfect thread of holiness. We are responsible for all our decisions, good and bad, and their outcomes, good and bad.
The Ten Commandments don't come with an asterisk and our sanctification as a result of Jesus' finished work on the cross doesn't come with reservations. There is no way to justify immoral behavior, yet that's what Smollett and his sympathizers are trying to do.
Jussie Smollett and the Perils of Worshipping at the Altar of Social Justice
Smollett is a hypocrite; so am I and so are you. The difference here is Smollett got caught before being allowed to get away with it.
I'll give the the 36-year-old actor the benefit of the doubt and assume he was trying to start a national discussion about how to handle injustice. If that was the case, he nullified his own moral standing — martyring himself for his own selfish gain — to start a conversation about the very morality he eclipsed.
We all do it. We all fall short and we all miss the mark.
The Smollett saga should serve as a cautionary tale to all who have observed it. The ends alone do not justify the means. Only that which is morally right justifies the means we use to accomplish our goals, no matter how righteous they might be.
Each of us is, like Smollett, guilty. But those who are in Christ can rest assured we have been justified and our penalty has been paid.


Enjoy delicious food and beverages from Richmond restaurants, caterers, wine and craft beer producers, and the music from the Jimi Z Band, all while soaking in spectacular sweeping views of the Bay, the City of San Francisco skyline, and Richmond's treasured shoreline!
Admission Includes: 1 complimentary taste from each participating vendor, with the opportunity to purchase additional portions. Alcohol tastes and sales only permitted to ticketholders 21+.
Admission is free for children 10 and under. Attendees 11 years of age and older must have a ticket.
Ticket sales will end on May 17 at 3pm (PST). A limited number of tickets will be available at the door on a first-come, first-served basis. Organizers highly recommend all attendees 11 and older obtain tickets during the pre-sale period.
Attendees are encouraged to bring a printed ticket or available via the Eventbrite app. Tickets may also be redeemed via will call.
Proceeds support small business retention and attraction in the City of Richmond.


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Should I Buy Myself or My Family a LivingDNA Test Kit
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Look great, feel healthy and live happy with Top.me.
A home DNA test kit is the epitome of bringing science to the everyday folk. A simple cheek swab in an envelope can be analysed by a bunch of scientists, using a ton of scientific data and billions of ancestry records. The results can be fascinating, and are certain to shock you.
The curiosity behind finding out our ancestry runs deep. Humans are hardwired to crave an understanding of who they are and where they come from. Family is our most important thing in life, and is the reason our evolution took the course that it did. Now we're in a position to genetically identify which corner of the globe we come from, or what % Irish we actually are, compared to what we once guessed.
Dani Shapiro was a DNA test kit sceptic that had her life changed forever. In 2016, her and her husband decided to try out an ancestry test. She wasn't too excited, as she knew she was 100% Ashkenazi Jewish from Eastern Europe as both her parents were. Well, the results uncovered a 54-year long family secret.
What Dani had found out was that she was only half Eastern European Ashkenazi, with a first cousin that she had never heard of. Then, it was discovered that her father who died in a car accident at age 23, was not her biological parent. This led Dani on a long road of discovering the truth about her heritage, her family lies and even herself.
Afterall, this was a dangerous lie. She had given misinformation her whole life, telling doctors and health insurance all of the wrong information. In fact, her son had a seizure when he was very young, which could have been in the genes and completely unknown.
This can, of course, have both positive and negative consequences for a family, but more often than not, the truth is the most important thing. It's been the case that DNA test kit recipients find lost relatives, and discover relatives they never even knew existed. This reliably happens in even the most surprising of circumstances, where people believe very strongly that nothing diverse or surprising can come up.
A time where most Americans are lonely, where the average person has not made a new friend within the last five years, and 45% claim to struggle with this, it seems that family is more important than ever. Discovering a new family member may be exactly what you need, and it could even bring a family back together with identity records.
Additionally, we are becoming even more health conscious. Each year, more is discovered about what causes cancer, heart disease and many other health conditions. Whilst there's plenty to go off from that alone, we're individuals. Knowing what the average person responds to in regards to say, high carb foods, is helpful but might not be entirely accurate. There's high standard deviation for most of this research.
With the aid of DNA test kits, however, we can look at our own science. What my exact genetic makeup is predisposed to, its strengths and weaknesses and so on. This could potentially take us into a new stratosphere of self-help and staying healthy.
Companies such as LivingDNA are offering the chance to dive into your genome and produce a variety of reports for a competitive rate. LivingDNA in particular is usually priced starting at $49, going all the way up to $149 for the wellbeing and ancestry kit. Shipping comes at an additional cost too. It's an industry veteran, and a quick look at the LivingDNA wellbeing kit review tells you that it's an industry veteran.
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text:
Rainbow's Sunset Movie Review: What Christian LGBT+ People Can Learn
Rainbow's Sunset Take Aways
By Ptr Joseph San Jose
This is my personal take aways from the film, so be warned of a few spoilers. Thinking about it more, I decided to post it as a pastoral teaching piece for those who will care to read.
Rainbow's Sunset is a 2018 Filipino family drama LGBT-themed film directed by Joel Lamangan, starring Eddie Garcia, Tony Mabesa and Gloria Romero. The movie is an official entry to the 2018 Metro Manila Film Festival.
The story of Rainbow's Sunset is well written and it is powerful story of love and family that hopefully helps to educate or at least bring some compassionate awareness in our wider society towards LGBTQI+ lives and relationships. While the story still has some unpacking with regard to queer feminist perspective (which I will not discuss), I think it has done a good job to touch hearts and minds of the wider public.
Here are some of my take away:
1. WE ARE ALL BROKEN. Don't be a judgmental jerk.
We are all broken and have each of our own weaknesses, yet so many of us are so quick to judge others especially those who are closest to us while at the same time have feelings and attitudes of moral superiority. At some point in our lives, we ourselves, despite our positions, careers or whatever, will one day commit a mistake far worst despite knowing that it is wrong, hurtful and scandalous. Perhaps it is worth to consider that just maybe that which we are judging and condemning in others might not be wrong at all if only we take more time to understand.
2. Love Transcends Part 1: gay love exist and it endures.
Yes, love between two men does exist and it does endure the test of time, challenges and people's judgement. It is beyond the usual benefactor – benefactee that has been stereotyped inside and outside the LGBT community. LGBTQI+ relationships and their love does exist and it endures.
3. Love Transcends Part 2: transcends gender and sexuality.
Even a heterosexual cis-woman like Sylvia can sincerely and truly love both Fredo, a gay man and Ramon, a bisexual man (my perceived sexual orientation of Ramon). A gay man in the person of Fredo can sincerely and truly love a cis-heterosexual woman in the person of Sylvia out of his love for Ramon. And yes, Ramon can equally love both Sylvia and Fredo as was clearly stated by him in the story. Love transcends gender and sexuality and all its nuances. Despite living in their time and not knowing the science of SOGIE (sexual orientation, gender identity and expression), the love that existed among the characters was very real to them despite their ambiguity of their relationships.
4. Love Transcends Part 3: polyamory exists
We often idealize love and equate it with two people being monogamous. Even in the LGBTQI+ community this is the case. Yet, the reality is love can and does exist between 3 people as evident in the relationship of Ramon, Sylvia and Fredo. Even within the LGBTQI+ community, open relationships or polyamory is seen as a taboo, undesirable or even outright sinful. Yet, we must be careful to condemn and judge people who are in situation and relational circumstances different from our own. Yes, a trouple does and can exist, and it can endure with much love, tenderness and care. I invite you to re-read witj queer lenses the book of Ruth – story of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz. The story of David and Jonathan who each had their own wives yet had deep enduring love for each other. Don't get me wrong, I am not encouraging everyone to suddenly reject monogamy nor am I devaluing it. Monogamy is beautiful and wonderful but can we also consider non-monogamous relationships as equally wonderful for those who are in such situations and relationships?
5. Love Trancends Part 4: love encompasses sex and so much more.
Yes, sex is also part of a loving and romantic relationships and this is true with LGBTQI+ relationships. Gay men have sex. Lesbian women have sex. People in relationship have sex. But sex while being important and essential as much as it is with straight couples, is not the center or the only thing that LGBTQI couples do or think about all the time the same way that straight couples are not 24/7 sexual with their relationships. Sex shouldn't be frowned upon in both LGBTQI+ live and straight lives. It is a gift that should be practiced appropriately and within the bounds of mutual consent. At the same time, we must understand that the relationship between two men or two women (and in this case 2 men and 1 woman) exist and endures because of the values of mutual support and care, mutual tenderness and affection and the mutual willingness to sacrifice and give one's self to the other.
6. Family is formed by love.
While families seem to be formed by default because of blood, we know that families are only truly formed by and because of our shared values: of love, mutual care and support, courage, commitment, strong bonds despite scandals and struggles, mutual affection and tenderness, and most of all, sacrifice. All these things were evident in the family that Sylvia, Ramon and Fredo raised up together. In the end, being there for each other no matter what, even in the face of opposition and of death itself, is what makes a family a family.
7. Acceptance takes courage and it demands.
The respect and acceptance we need takes a whole lot of courage. Respect and Acceptance also means boldly demanding it from others even in the face of resistance or opposition from no less than your own family. As long as we hide and play by the judgmental rules of society, acceptance of who we are and the people we love will never find proper respect and acceptance. This was evident in Ramon's stubbornness to be with Fredo and to be out and open of their relationship even as they attend the public party of their daughter, the Mayor.
8. A REMINDER: Not All LGBTQI persons will grow old with a partner.
Not every heterosexual person does.
While the film is a powerful story that educates and brings awareness to the wider public – we must be reminded that it is but one of the many and countless real life stories of LGBTQI persons. Many LGBTs will grow old and without a romantic partner. In many cases this may seem sad and it is. At the same time, there are also many instances that other LGBTs who grow old without partners are still able to find joy and meaning with supportive and loving families, friends and communities. I know a few who don't have partners but are dedicated to their adopted children and who in turn loves them and cares for them in their waning years. Love transcends romance. It is found, given and received in many other kinds, situations and places.
Rainbow Sunset is a bold and courageous film and for a time such us ours. It shows us very clearly both the diversity of love in its varying expressions and complexities of non-normative relationships. At the same time teaching us that despite the differences or distinctions, love and all other values or virtues that creates and sustains relationships of all kinds are all the same.
(Pastor Joseph finished his Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary. He also has a BA in Communication Arts from UST, in which he had two film courses and was a former artistic director of his college theater guild)
I close this with a 1 John 4:16:
"So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them."
Posted in BlogTagged metro manila film festival, movie review, rainbow's sunset
New Year 2019 MessageWhat Is The Church? (Part 1)
Queer Muslim and Queer Christian Learn From Each Other
Church is People


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Tag Archive for Esquival! picture book
5 QUESTIONS with Susan Wood, author of "Esquivel! Space-Age Sound Artist"
April 19, 2017 / jimmy / No comments
Like everybody else on the planet, the millions and millions, I was captivated by Susan Wood's brilliant picture-book biography of the composer, Esquivel! It's bubbly and effervescent — whee-doop-di-doop! — well-researched and beautifully illustrated. A buoyant introduction to a singular artist. I was glad when Susan agreed to this interview.
So one day you wake up and think: Esquivel! I want to write a book about him! Is that how it works?
Well, um, not quite! Over a few decades, I've written a lot about music, both as a journalist and an author of books for adults and children. My earlier music-related books for young readers were a blast to put together and pretty well received—the middle-grade Raggin' Jazzin' Rockin': A History of American Musical Instrument Makers (Boyds Mills) was an ALA Notable, and Rock 'n' Roll Soldier (HarperTeen), a YA memoir I cowrote with Vietnam vet Dean Ellis Kohler, with a foreword by Graham Nash, was a CCBC Choice. So I was definitely itching to write another music book for the youth market.
I'd also done a deep dive into the picture book format with Under the Freedom Tree (Charlesbridge), illustrated by the wonderful London Ladd. For that book, London and I visited locations together and shared ideas, and I got to see firsthand how an illustrator works. [Ed note: for a "5 Questions interview with London Ladd, click here.] Through that rich collaborative process I became (and remain) obsessed with the visual aspect of penning a great story. I thought about music makers whose work has kind of a "visual" feel to it, a sound that could be depicted in illustration. Esquivel, with all of his zany instrumentation and textural arrangements, came quickly to mind. The music is so fun, so evocative — I thought kids would dig it, even if they hadn't a clue who the guy was. Honestly, I didn't know much about Esquivel beyond the music; luckily, he led an intriguing life that could be shaped into a kid-friendly story arc.
It feels like we're living in the golden age of picture book biographies. We are seeing deeper, wider, more diverse "mini" biographies coming out each year. Would you agree with that?
Absolutely. And I couldn't be more thrilled, because biography/memoir is totally my thing. I'm always curious about what makes people tick, why people do what they do, how they navigate their lives — I've written/co-written bios/memoirs of rock 'n' roll trailblazers Gene "Be-Bop-A-Lula" Vincent (Race with the Devil, St. Martin's) and Eddie "Summertime Blues" Cochran (Three Steps to Heaven, with Bobby Cochran, Hal Leonard) and rock photographer Tom Wright (Rock & Roll Turned Inside Out, foreword by Pete Townshend, Hal Leonard), and my picture book bio of artist Grant Wood (American Gothic, illustrated by Ross MacDonald, Abrams) comes out this fall. My PB biography of another painter is currently making the editorial rounds, and I've got a long list of other interesting folks whose stories I'd love to tell in the picture book format.
I find writing picture book biographies far more challenging than penning bios for the adult market. You've got to distill a pretty full sweep of a person's life into just a few pages. So every word's gotta count!
I imagine you begin by reading everything. It must be easy to become overwhelmed by the material. This guy had an entire life and you have less than 32 pages.
Yes, I read as much as I can find and track down as many primary sources as possible—print and broadcast interviews, letters, documents, photos, articles, and such. At some point in my research, I'll notice patterns, or themes, or how events build upon each other, and then I know it's time to start writing. I can tease out those things, piece them together, move them around and shape and polish, and if I'm lucky, a compelling story will emerge. All the while, I'm keeping the visual component in mind—are there enough illustration opportunities in this tale?
Do you ever feel like you can't do it?
Oh yeah. That's when I close the file and go work on something else. Let it percolate on the back burner while I go about other business. Inevitably, as I'm walking the dog or doing dishes or driving my daughter to the ballet studio or my son to a robotics competition, I'll usually have some kind of epiphany about how to move forward. Sometimes it takes days; sometimes it takes months. With Under the Freedom Tree, it took a few years to figure out how to tell the story of the first contraband slaves of the Civil War — as a picture book in free verse!
Because: obviously! Let's see, I think we're about the same age. Like you, I became aware of Esquivel's music in the '90s when the lounge music thing was blowing up.
Back in the '90s I was working as an arts and entertainment correspondent for the big daily newspaper in southeastern Virginia, and record companies would send me their new releases for review. I remember receiving an Esquivel reissue, popping the CD in, and being completely blown away. What was this?! Way too clever, whimsical, and well crafted to be cheesy Muzak, yet super easy to listen and zone out to. Really genius.
The acid test for any book about music is whether it sends a reader back to the records. And you achieved that. I've been listening to Esquivel all week.
I'm so glad! It's such brilliant stuff, isn't it? And now thanks to YouTube and other sites, anyone can listen. And watch! Have you seen those amazing old Ernie Kovacs videos, kitchen appliances and office furniture dancing to Esquivel? So fun.
Music has always been important to you.
Music's a huge part of my life. When I was a kid, my mom was a piano teacher, organist, and choir director, and my dad sang in her choirs. Of course, I did the requisite piano lessons, but also played clarinet and bassoon in school band and orchestra. Two of my brothers play drums, and my other brother is a professional guitarist. So lots of music going on at our house growing up! Though I graduated from NYU film school, it was an internship at Island Records—helping to create press releases for their smaller boutique labels—that really got me interested in writing about music, not just listening to or playing it. My first "real" job was at a NYC PR firm that handled music clients exclusively; when I left super-expensive NYC to return home to Virginia, I became a music journalist, writing for newspapers and magazines. Eventually I turned an article I wrote about '50s singer Gene Vincent into a book proposal, St. Martin's Press bought it, and my first book was published in 2000.
When I was in college and beyond, I enjoyed a long correspondence with an American poet named Kenneth Irby. He sent me great letters and was always encouraging about my lousy poems. What he said, over and over again, was "follow your enthusiasms." And I've always held that as a central tenet to my writing. Trust in those things that quicken your heart. It seems to me that you are doing the same thing.
That's great advice. Reminds me of the words of wisdom a respected kidlit editor gave a writer friend of mine when she was struggling with what project to tackle next. "What do you love? What do you want to be known for writing?" the editor asked her, and I think about that every time I'm contemplating the next book. For me, it's almost always music and art—visual arts, performing arts—usually in bio form. I want to be that "musicians and artists" chick.
You've said that Esquivel's music creates pictures in your head. But in the book-making process, your job as the writer was to use words to create pictures in the head of the reader, and, significantly, in the illustrator's head, too. You wrote, for example, "It sounded like a crazy rocket ride zigzagging through outer space!" I loved how you attempted to match in language the music that you heard.
Thank you! Fortunately, Esquivel and his various record companies gave me plenty of hints, with album titles like Other Worlds, Other Sounds; Infinity in Sound; and Space-Age Bachelor Pad Music. Esquivel liked to use vocals as instrumentation too, replacing familiar lyrics with (often nonsensical) sounds like "zu-zu-pow!" I had fun trying to come up with written representations of the sounds of different instruments — how would you describe what a rumbling tympani drum or blaring trumpet actually sounds like? My terrific editor at Charlesbridge, Yolanda Scott, is a singer — in an amazing coincidence, with the world's only orchestra devoted to Esquivel's music, Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica — so she was helpful with this, particularly for some of the more obscure instruments such as the boobams. (Just looked back at some of our e-mail exchanges and cracked up. Yolanda: ISSUE #4: sound of boobams (pp. 14-15) I think we need to get rid of the "Beeda" and replace with another syllable. I agree that "eee" doesn't sound drummy. Me: Does BUMPA-DUMPA-BOODA-BUM sound drummy enough?)
Ha, that's hysterical. When it comes to inventing words to match sound effects, I always think of Don Martin from Mad magazine as the absolute master. Pffft-Frack! He's a favorite of mine.
Did you know the work of illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh before this book?
No, I wasn't familiar with Duncan. When Yolanda let me know who they had in mind to illustrate, I went right to Duncan's website and was delighted. He was the perfect choice for this project! I'm thrilled that with Esquivel! he's racked up yet another Pura Belpré Honor award. The books he's written and illustrated are all so beautiful. Plus, he's a genuinely nice guy.
Describe your feelings on the day you first saw the illustrations.
Seeing the finished art is one of the very best parts of the picture book process. You know the story, you've seen the sketches, but nothing compares with the final artwork in all its gorgeous glory. It's always exciting to see an artist's interpretation of your words; often it's far beyond what you'd even imagined! I especially love how Duncan got the groovy late '50s/early '60s fashions and aesthetic in there while still being true to his style based on ancient Mexican art.
Just to clear something up for me: You used to write under the name Susan VanHecke. Is that over? Are you working your way through the alphabet: V-W-X?
Ha! A few years back, I was reading the memoir Joey Ramone's brother wrote about their relationship, and I was struck by how this tall, pale, gangly kid named Jeff Hyman—just ruthlessly bullied for the way he looked and for his OCD—made a completely fresh start for himself by changing his name to Joey Ramone. I'd always been teased about my maiden name, and the married name, which I'd never been fond of and everyone always mispronounced and misspelled, was never mine in the first place. Since I was making fresh starts in several areas of my life, a name change just felt right. So I took my cue from sweet Joey Ramone (gabba gabba hey!), and the easy-to-say, easy-to-spell Susan Wood it is. There may or may not be a smidge of patriarchy-smashing buried somewhere in there too…
What's next, Susan? Do you have plans for a new book?
Let's see. My picture book about a daring wildlife relocation by parachute, The Skydiving Beavers: A True Tale (Sleeping Bear), publishes April 15, and American Gothic in September. I need to confirm with the publisher, but I think my Little Red Hen retelling with a Mexican twist comes out in 2018, as does another picture book biography (nonmusic) that I can't really talk about yet.
Any candidates for another music biography?
I'm working on a proposal with Albert Glinsky to adapt his definitive biography for adults of Russian musician, inventor, and spy Leon Theremin — yeah, that theremin — into a YA. And I have a few other ideas for music biographies, both YA and PB. So many musicians I'd love to write about! I'm also a professional copyeditor specializing in music texts, so when I'm not sweating over my own stuff, I live vicariously editing other authors' music-related work.
Thanks for stopping by, Susan. Hopefully we get to hang out someday.
SUSAN WOOD keeps a swanky website that you can easily find, so I'm not going to provide a link. Do it yourself, people. Leave me alone. I'm not your slave. And get off the damn lawn, I just seeded.
Authors and illustrators previously interviewed here: Hudson Talbott, Hazel Mitchell, Susan Hood, Matthew McElligott, Jessica Olien, Nancy Castaldo, Aaron Becker, Matthew Cordell, Jeff Newman, Matt Phelan, Lizzy Rockwell, Jeff Mack, London Ladd, John Coy, Bruce Coville, Matt Faulkner, Susan Verde, Elizabeth Zunan and Robin Pulver. To find past interviews, click on the "5 Questions" link on the right sidebar, under CATEGORIES. Or use the "Search" function.
Category: 5 Questions / Tags: 5 Questions with Susan Wood, Don Martin Mad magazine, Don Martin sound effects, Duncan Tonatiuh, Esquival! picture book, James Preller, Kenneth Irby, London Ladd, Pura Belpre Award, Skydiving Beavers, Susan VanHecke, Susan Wood interview, Yolanda Scott editor


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Home » Staff Recommendations » Rodie
Rodie landed on the island long before nearly all of us. She earned her bookseller chops at the wonderful Madison Park Books before she joined us. Our maven of high end literature, she spends an equal amount of time combing the racks for odd titles. You might be wise to resist her efforts to sell you "How to Sit," but not so wise if you otherwise spurn her recommendations.
Picks:
The House of Broken Angels (Paperback)
By Luis Alberto Urrea
Published: Back Bay Books - March 5th, 2019
In this big-hearted Mexican-American family epic, a burial and final birthday celebration bring together a large and complicated family. Although death plays a central part, this story is much more of a celebration of life, with the best ending ever!
Creole Belle: A Dave Robicheaux Novel (Paperback)
Published: Simon & Schuster - October 23rd, 2018
If I had to choose three phrases to describes Burke's mysteries, (besides riveting, laugh-out-loud funny, and highly addictive) I would pick intelligent, insightful, and vividly atmospheric. This one, the latest in Burke's Dave Robicheaux series, includes, as always, a cast of edgy, psychologically complex characters in a superlative thriller set in New Orleans and the bayous of Louisiana. Robicheaux—a wily and charming Cajun detective—and his partner, super-tough Clete, go after an unsavory lot involved in murder, drugs, prostitution, vice and corruption. An edge-of-your-seat drama rich in historical detail and evocative, seductive prose, this is another gem from a master storyteller. I promise you won't be bored! ~ Rodie
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End (Paperback)
By Atul Gawande
Published: Picador - September 5th, 2017
An explanation of aging, death, and the reality of those subjects in America, as well as how the medical profession has lost sight of caring for our aging population.
News of the World: A Novel (Paperback)
By Paulette Jiles
Published: William Morrow Paperbacks - June 20th, 2017
This novel, based on Texas frontier history, is my favorite work by a grea author. In 1870, curmudgeonly, 71-year-old Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd is hired to return a 10-year-old orphan named Johnanna to family in South Texas. Kidnapped by Kiowa raiders, raised as their own and subsequently rescued by the army, Johanna has no memory of her white past and tries to escape at every opportunity. Despite this, she begins to trust the "Kep-dun" and a bond is formed. Arriving in San Antonio, Captain Kidd finds he must make a terrible decision about Johanna's fate. With wonderful prose and wonderful characters, this book is a heart-grabber!
The North Water: A Novel (Paperback)
By Ian McGuire
Published: Picador - March 14th, 2017
This is a taut thriller about a 19th century whaling ship bound for the Arctic Circle. Vivid narrative and an utterly terrifying killer will make you forget everything going on around you. Think Cormac McCarthy at minus 50 degrees below!
The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating (Paperback)
By Elisabeth Tova Bailey
Published: Algonquin Books - September 6th, 2016
While bedridden by an illness, a friend brought Bailey a gift of wild violets and a tiny forest snail. Bailey gave her new companion a bedside terrarium, then observed its daily behaviors and educated herself on the life of gastropods. Her memoir is a gift to the scientifically curious, to nature lovers, to anyone who simply appreciates literary aplomb. It is an absorbing treatise on the intricate synergy of our world, and on Baily's singular battle to survive. It is a flawless melding of the scientific and the mystic.
The Book of the Bird: Birds in Art (Paperback)
By Angus Hyland
Published: Laurence King Publishing - May 31st, 2016
This small treasure is a delightful collection of reproductions of bird art from international artists and illustrators, both historical and contemporary. The art is interspersed with text about the artists, their work, and snippets of unusual bird facts. A beautifully bound paperback with a very reasonable price, it's the perfect gift for the bird or art lover on your list.
A Little Life (Paperback)
By Hanya Yanagihara
Published: Anchor - January 26th, 2016
Evocative, tender, brutal and disturbing. Masterful writing. Haunting!
Euphoria (Paperback)
By Lily King
Published: Grove Press - April 14th, 2015
Atmospheric, steamy, gripping. A book to lose yourself in, this is my favorite novel of the year!
After Iris (Paperback)
By Natasha Farrant
Published: Puffin Books - July 3rd, 2014
It has been three years since Blue Gadsby lost her twin sister, Iris. She feels lost, friendless and invisible. To remain on the periphery, Blue becomes a videographer, recording the Gadsby family in all their eccentricity, including an older sister who's a drama queen and two younger siblings who adore their pet rats and hold rat races for them in small model sports cars. Blue's parents are never at home, bringing more angst to a wobbly household. Turmoil is heightened when Joss, a new-boy-next-door, upsets the fragile family dynamic. There is much to love about this achingly sad and laugh-out-loud funny book. I found it irresistible. Ages 10 & up. ~ Rodie
Rooftoppers (Paperback)
By Katherine Rundell, Terry Fan (Illustrator)
Published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - June 3rd, 2014
I was hooked by the first sentence of this marvelous, witty and magical book: "On the morning of its first birthday, a baby was found floating in a cello case in the middle of the English Channel." Baby Sophie is rescued by the eccentric bachelor Charles Maxim. Bookish Charles, now her sole guardian, has little experience with children. Their quirky lifestyle attracts the attention of child services, who wish to place Sophie in an orphanage. Sophie and Charles flee to Paris, where Sophie meets Matteo and his talented gang and becomes a rooftopper, mastering the art of moving stealthily from rooftop to rooftop. I hope this wonderful book is the first in a possible series, as I have learned from the astute Charles: "Never ignore a possibility!" Ages 9-12. ~ Rodie
Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, death, and hope in a Mumbai undercity (Paperback)
By Katherine Boo
Published: Random House Trade Paperbacks - April 8th, 2014
This masterful account of poor people in Mumbai leading desperate lives in slums adjacent to luxury hotels, written by Pulitzer Prize-winner Boo, is eye-opening and mind-blowing. It is not an easy read, but everyone should read it! ~
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena: A Novel (Paperback)
By Anthony Marra
Published: Hogarth - February 4th, 2014
The rewards are many in this masterfully powerful debut novel that fuses a grand and terrible beauty with an elegant, richly layered narrative. Having at its core a handful of characters and two main settings—a village in Chechnya and a city hospital in the same country—the story juxtaposes the hurt that humans, sects, and governments wreak upon each other, against the sustaining forces of kinship, friendship, love and survival. What emerges from the pain and devastation is a convincing affirmation of the place of the child in our universe. This is the most moving novel I have read in a long time. ~ John & Rodie
When America First Met China: An Exotic History of Tea, Drugs, and Money in the Age of Sail (Paperback)
By Eric Jay Dolin
Published: Liveright - September 3rd, 2013
When the United States was recovering from the War for Independence, trade was the answer and China was where the money lay. The U.S. had ginseng, furs, silver, and sandalwood; China had porcelain ware, silk, and tea, to which the new country was addicted. China was a sophisticated country of 300 million people with a rich history of discovery and invention. The U.S. was an agrarian society of two million. The voyage between them was long and dangerous, and there was no shortage of competition. This entertaining book follows the adventures of the brave people who set sail, first in small slow boats and later in the swift clippers. It is a highly informative and well written look at how the first millionaires made their fortunes. ~ Rodie
Cass Turnbull's Guide to Pruning, 3rd Edition: What, When, Where, and How to Prune for a More Beautiful Garden (Paperback)
By Cass Turnbull
Published: Sasquatch Books - November 20th, 2012
When pruning time comes around in the garden, there are definitely right ways and wrong ones to go about it. The best advice comes from Turnbull, the founder of Plant Amnesty. Her book, now in its third edition, gives clear instructions and illustrations for many individual plants, shrubs and trees. Enormously helpful even for a novice, this book is a must-have for Northwest gardeners. Your plants and trees will thank you. Snip, snip, snip!
At Large and At Small: Familiar Essays (Paperback)
By Anne Fadiman
Published: Farrar, Straus and Giroux - May 27th, 2008
I've never read an Anne Fadiman essay I didn't like. This is a lovely book to savor in bits and pieces-twelve charming observations on life, love, and literature that are, to this reader, as addicting as Fadiman's passion for Haagen Dazs ice cream. I keep going back for more!
Getting Stoned with Savages: A Trip Through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu (Paperback)
By J. Maarten Troost
Published: Crown - June 13th, 2006
Getting Stoned with Savages chronicles Troost's return to the South Pacific, this time to Vanuatu and then to Fiji. Of course, misadventure is not far behind, unavoidable in true Troost fashion. His descriptions of hurricanes, cyclones, cannibalism, native dress, and kava-induced stupors made my stomach ache, but I couldn't put the book down.
The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific (Paperback)
Published: Crown - June 8th, 2004
The Sex Lives of Cannibals follows Troost to Tarawa, a remote island in the Kiribati Republic. Expecting a tropical Eden, the author finds himself in what looks like a pilot for Survivor. After battling intense heat, polluted water, unusual sanitation practices, toxic fish, crazy natives and non-natives alike, and corrupt government officials, Troost returns to the States-and to his beloved coffee and beer-only to find life in the U.S. a bit stifling.
Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader (Paperback)
Published: Farrar, Straus and Giroux - November 25th, 2000
Fadiman's first essay collection is one of my all-time favorite books. This, in itself, is amazing because in high school I found essay-reading to be, in Ms. Fadiman's words, a complete snore. I avoided essays like the plague. Then I caught the Fadiman bug: I discovered Ex Libris and now, to my great delight, her latest, At Large and At Small.
‹ John up Susan ›
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I never like to go into the office on my birthday, so when I have the opportunity, I plan a little outing or trip for myself on that day. This year, I went to visit my sister in New Jersey and played with my niece. She is adorable, and if you follow my instagram (@jonezee85), then you know she has the best pigtails anyone's ever seen.
There are things that we like to say children get from certain relatives. My sister says my niece has the same hair I did when I was little. "Mermaid hair," she calls it. Another thing she inherited? She has her dad's super long legs. That's a blessing for her, as you might imagine.
Parks (my niece) is almost three years old. She loves Strawberry Shortcake and The Backyardigans. She has a big box of little dolls and figurines that are her current favorites. So, when we were playing the night before my birthday, she was taking each little doll out one by one. I was helping her remove each of the items from the box, so I wasn't paying attention to what she was doing with them. We got distracted and stopped emptying the box, but hours later, I came back to the table. Above is the image I saw. Not only had she separated all the different kinds of toys, but this, in particular made me laugh. She had lined up all the little dresses that go with one particular kind of doll, spaced them pretty evenly, and faced them all in the same direction. She did not inherit this from me.
In the same box, Parks had some animal toys. She had some fairly realistic farm and zoo animals, and she also had some of the characters from a show called Peppa Pig. As you can see, the styles of these little figurines is very different, but I just had to laugh when I saw that among five or so cartoonish piglets, there was one realistic one, hanging out with his own kind.
I don't know what Parks will be when she grows up, but it is fascinating and hilarious to observe her interests and little idiosyncrasies. Perhaps when she's old enough, she'll relish the opportunity to organize my apartment. Haha. I know. Wishful thinking.


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India's push for clarity drives foreign direct investment
'Moves will go a long way in building confidence for investors and significantly enhance the ease of doing business in India'
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during the inauguration ceremony of the 'Make In India' week in Mumbai, India, last year. Danish Siddiqui/Reuters
India's move towards clearer and more open foreign direct investment (FDI) regulations is helping to drive greater inflows of funds into the country, according to analysts.
India has long been associated with cumbersome bureaucratic procedures and regulations that have deterred foreign investors.
"The certainty and clarity in the FDI policy will go a long way in building confidence for investors and significantly enhance the ease of doing business in India," says Mehfuz Mollah, an economist at Economic Laws Practice, based in Mumbai.
India in August launched its latest consolidated foreign direct investment (FDI) policy report, which is aimed at making the regulations governing various sectors clear to potential investors. This singalled that the government had liberalised the FDI rules for several sectors, including defence, construction and broadcasting.
"The recent consolidated report on its FDI policy is an example of the government's aim to attract more investment," says Rahul Pillai, the chief executive of Interem Relocations, based in Dubai and with operations in India. "Today [the fact that] more than 60 per cent of the sectors are open through an automatic route without any government approval is a good example of minimum government and maximum governance."
Under Narendra Modi's government, which came to power in 2014, attracting foreign investment has been high on agenda. This is because such flows are vital as the country - with a population of more than 1.2 billion, a large number of whom remain in poverty - requires high levels of economic growth, job creation and infrastructure development.
Mr Modi has conducted a number of overseas trips in a bid to woo investors, including high-profile visits to the United States, UAE and Japan.
Initiatives include "Make in India", aimed at transforming the country into a global manufacturing hub, and scrapping the foreign investment promotion board during the budget this year, removing a layer of bureaucracy in gaining approvals for foreign investment.
"The Indian economy is going through a speedy reforms under the Modi government," says Mr Pillai. "It has taken large amount of initiatives to attract more and more FDIs to India. The government has opened up or increased the cap of many sectors to the world to [attract backers to] come and invest in the Indian growth story."
However, not all the evidence suggests that India is doing as well as many say. The World Bank's ease of doing business rankings placed India at 130 out of 190 countries last year, up the listings by just one place on the year before. The government is said to have set itself the ambitious target of climbing to 90th place in the next survey, and to be in 30th place by 2020.
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A report by UBS Securities released last month forecasts that FDI is set to rise to 2.5 per cent of India's GDP over the next five years, compared with 1.9 per cent in the financial year to the end of March 2017.
Flows of FDI into India reached a record US$60 billion between April 2016 and March 2017, according to figures from the Indian government.
UBS highlights that the largest rise in FDI was in the telecoms sector in the last financial year at $4.2bn. Insurance was another sector that saw a steep increase in inflows, while electrical equipment, banking services, metals industries and broadcasting sectors were other areas that experienced growth in FDI levels. Manufacturing has seen a substantial boost in FDI, it says.
The online juggernaut Amazon, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer Vivo and the Japanese car maker Suzuki, are among those investing heavily in India.
"Post 2014 general elections, FDI inflows saw a compound annual growth rate of 11 per cent versus a dip of 6 per cent seen over the previous five years," according to UBS. It adds that India can continue to boost its ability to lure foreign investors if its "growth is accompanied with continuous structural reforms".
But India has long been associated with having a difficult investment and business environment, despite its favourable demographics of a young, large population and strong economic growth.
The UAE's Etisalat, for example, got burnt a few years ago when it invested heavily in India and became unknowingly entangled in a $40bn telecoms corruption case, which resulted in the cancellation of 122 licences, forcing the company to exit the country.
There are sectors where limitations remain when it comes to FDI. Notably, overseas investment into multi-brand retail is capped at 51 per cent, which has dampened interest from foreign supermarket chains.
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Some analysts say that India's FDI policy has now reached a point of stability.
"The minimal changes in the FDI for 2017 marks the coming of age for the Indian economy," says Mr Mollah.
"Frequent changes in FDI policies are a mark of an economy in transition. That stage has now largely been done in India."
Mr Modi has described India as "perhaps the most open country for FDI".
In the recently released consolidated FDI policy, more favourable regulations for start-ups in India emerged.
"What I find particularly interesting is that, for perhaps the first time, the policy is relating to start-ups," says Srividya Kannan, the founder and director at Avaali, a consultancy based in Bangalore. "Allowing start-ups to raise funds through equity or equity linked instruments including issuance of convertible notes is great."
She adds that FDI is vital for India and can have a dramatic impact across various points of the economy.
"Foreign investors and investments is important for overhauling our infrastructure sector and to boost growth. This is also important to strengthen the rupee against other currencies and is very welcome."
Roma Priya, the legal advisor and founder of Burgeon, a legal advisory firm, says that India has certainly moved towards a more favourable FDI environment.
"This would have a positive impact as the increased foreign direct investment in India
would lead to overall betterment of economy," she says. "The new consolidated policy comprises of provisions specific to start-ups, a sector that is encouraged by the government and is on top of their agenda."
Changes to the FDI policy made over the past year have "encouraged fund-raising by Indian entities", says Ms Priya.
"Foreign investments will help improve the country's balance of payments."
And she expects this positive trend to continue.
Updated: September 9, 2017 04:09 PM


Aberdare Park is unique in that it is the only race circuit in Britain that is situated less than 1/2 mile from the Town centre. This picturesque and quite demanding 0.9 mile circuit winds its way through trees in the local town park and lies 30 miles north west of Cardiff.
Open daily, seven days a week from 9.30am.
Please check opening hours prior to your visit.
St Fagans is one of Europe's leading open-air museums and Wales's most popular heritage attraction and admission is free!


Cleistesiopsis bifaria, commonly called Small Spreading Pogonia, is found in the mountains of southeastern United States from Virginia south to Georgia. It produces 1-3 rose-pink or white flowers with purple or pink venation on the labellum. The petals and labellum separate only near the apex, resulting in the flower's distinctive tube-like shape. It grows primarily in savannas, meadows, and pine or oak woodlands. This orchid benefits from prescribed fires that result in fewer over-story trees and shrubs.
Cleistesiopsis bifaria is considered apparently secure, but in its northern range (Virginia and West Virginia), it may be rare.
Bees, such as Bombus fervidus, Bombus pensylvanicus and Bombus vagans are attracted to the bright yellow crest on the labellum which mimics pollen. As it enters the flower, a sticky fluid is smeared on the bee's head and thorax. When it backs out of the flower, granular pollen sticks to this fluid and can be transferred to the stigma of the next flower the bee visits. While the bees may be lured to the flower by deceit, pollen may be actively harvested and transferred from flower to flower and also brought back to the hive.


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Pete Deutschman
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Posted on December 20, 2016 Customer Experience, Internet of Things
Smart Home Consumers Looking For Safety, Comfort 12/20/2016
Consumers in the market for smart home technology aren't looking to be early adopters or to be as cool as their neighbors. Rather, they are looking to make their homes safer and more comfortable.
"We already knew that homeowners prioritize safety and peace of mind, and now we know they will achieve this by adding smart home technology," Julie Link, director of research for Scripps Networks Interactive, tells Marketing Daily. "The surprising part here is that consumers are clearly demanding home technology solutions that deliver efficiency, but also contribute to emotional satisfaction. It's far less about collecting the latest toys and gadgets to achieve social status."
Three-quarters of consumers cited those two qualities when shopping for smart home products, compared with only 18% who said they were looking to meet others' expectations, according to a survey of 700 homeowners by Scripps Network Interactive. Just over two-thirds (68%) of consumers said energy efficiency, leading to cost savings or a higher resale value, was also a driving factor.
Different demographics had different motivations for adding smart technology, however. Millennials wanted to make the home more convenient, while Gen Xers wanted to make their homes more healthy. Baby Boomers, meanwhile, wanted the technology to add value to their homes. Millennials were the most likely to add smart home technology within the next year, followed by Gen Xers and Baby Boomers.
"Each generation is interested and committed to smart home technology, but for very different reasons," Link says. "Millennials, who say the benefit is about making their home work for their lifestyle, expect hyper-customization. If they can get it exactly how they want it, then the technology will play a vital role in their household. Gen Xers' technology preferences will reflect their personal values — creating a healthy environment in a hectic world. Boomers want to maximize their investment, so if smart home technology can benefit them in the moment and in the long-term, they are fully on board."
Nearly half (44%) of consumers said they would like to add features such as energy-monitoring and light automation, although only 11% of respondents said they had firm plans to add them. A quarter of all the homeowners surveyed named the kitchen as their top spot to add smart technology, followed by the front door/entryway (15%) and the living room (13%).
Consumers are also wary about installing these devices themselves. More than half of the consumers surveyed said they wanted to find a professional to help them make smart home decisions. Expense, however, was still the top barrier to purchase, according to the survey.
"The findings seem to indicate the opportunity to be a trusted counselor for consumers, who are clear that they are very interested, but also very confused when it comes to home tech," says John Dailey, senior VP of corporate ad sales for Scripps Networks Interactive. "A marketer needs to select its messaging with the different generations' goals
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/291386/smart-home-consumers-looking-for-safety-comfort.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline&utm_campaign=99023
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AddictionsA Can of MadnessA Drop of the Hard StuffA Million Little PiecesAA: Not the Only WayAddicted Like MeAddictionAddictionAddictionAddiction and ArtAddiction and ChangeAddiction and ResponsibilityAddiction Is a ChoiceAddiction NeuroethicsAddiction Recovery ToolsAddiction TrajectoriesAddiction TreatmentAddictive BehaviorsAdvances in the Neuroscience of AddictionAlternatives to AbstinenceBeautiful BoyBeyond AddictionBlackoutBlameBodies in Motion and at RestBrokenCaught in the NetChasing the HighChasing the ScreamCircles of RecoveryCloserCodependent ForevermoreControlling Your Drinking: Tools to Make Moderation Work for YouCrackedCreating the American JunkieCybersexDirtyDrinkingDrinking in AmericaDrug Dealer, MDDrunk the Night BeforeDrunkardDryDuplicityEcstasyForces of HabitFree RefillsFrom Sabotage to SuccessGetting HookedGetting OffGetting WastedHigh PriceHookedHow to Spot Hidden Alcoholicshow to stop timeHypnosis for Smoking CessationIf I Die Before I WakeIllness or Deviance?In the Shadows of the NetLeaving Las VegasLitLithium for MedeaLiving With One's PastLove JunkieMatters of SubstanceMemoirs of an Addicted BrainMethadoniaModerate DrinkingMore, Now, AgainMy Friend LeonardNever EnoughOver the InfluencePorn NationPowerfully Recovered!Rachel Getting MarriedRachel's HolidayReal Solutions for Overcoming Internet AddictionsRecovery from AddictionRecovery OptionsRequiem for a Dream DVDSex Addiction as Affect Dysregulation Sex Addiction: The Partner's PerspectiveShameShe Bets Her LifeSmackSmashedSmashedStop Smoking and Chewing Tobacco for Life ChangesStrong FeelingsSubstance Abuse As SymptomTackling AddictionTalking Oneself SoberThe 5 Reasons Why We OvereatThe AddictThe AlcoholicThe Angry HeartThe Behavioral AddictionsThe Betty Ford Center Book of AnswersThe Big FixThe Biology of DesireThe Book of JamaicaThe Chemical Dependence Treatment PlannerThe Heart of AddictionThe Meaning of AddictionThe Night of the GunThe RecoveringThe Science of AddictionThe Science of Self-ControlThe Sober TruthTheory of AddictionThinking about AddictionTreating AddictionTweakUS of AAVirtual AddictionVoices of AlcoholismWhat Did I Do Last Night?What is Addiction?Writing to Heal
Review - Addiction Treatment
Science and Policy for the Twenty-first Century
by Jack Henningfield, Patricia Santora, and Warren Bickel (Editors)
Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007
Review by Christian Perring
Aug 4th 2009 (Volume 13, Issue 32)
This collection is a snapshot from 2007 of 27 points of view regarding addiction in short papers. It starts off with an introduction from C. Everett Koop, who takes a very definite stand in favor of strong medicalization of addiction, including not only street drugs and alcohol, but also tobacco, although he does not mention "addictions" to food, gambling or sex. He insists that we must show addicts the same compassion as we do for others who are sick and injured. He quotes himself approvingly in his statement about AIDS that "We are fighting a disease and not the people who have it," and he says this equally applies to addicts. He argues for a comprehensive public health approach to addiction that makes effective treatment widely available, and he believes that those who profit from selling drugs, alcohol and tobacco should be discouraged to the full extent possible. While he does not deny that people have a personal responsibility to avoid disease, his focus is on the forces that lead people to take drugs.
Some of the other papers directly address Koop's views. Alan Leshner, the previous director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse builds the scientific case for the disease model. He published a widely quoted paper, "Addiction Is a Brain Disease, and It Matters," and here he waxes even more lyrical in praise of the work of neuroscience in addiction. He says that addiction causes changing in the structure of the brain making drug craving, seeking and use all compulsive and typically uncontrollable. He gives high praise to drug addiction research, saying it sets high standards and that brain-imaging has been especially productive. He laments the high stigma attached to addiction, saying that according to popular myth, addicts have control over their actions and could quit if they really wanted. He argues this is fuelled by people who know very little about addiction believing that they are experts and being driven by ideology. He concludes that it is the responsibility of scientists to do more education of the public, and this will enable science to replace ideology.
In direct opposition to Koop and Leshner are Stanton Peele and Sally Satel. Peele is well known as a long-standing critic of the disease model of addiction, and Satel is known for her conservative views in medicine. Peele makes a perceptive comment: "There are two worlds of addiction: the one glimpsed through clinical dealings with addicts and the one viewed through broad population, epidemiologic studies ... At times, these two worlds are unrecognizably different." (154). He goes on to make similar arguments to Heyman in his recent book Addiction: A Disorder of Choice that the epidemiology shows only a quarter of those with alcohol dependence ever seek treatment, and that those who do not seek treatment have a higher recovery rate than those who do. He also uses the data to argue that there is no need for most former alcoholics to be abstinent, since most people who had substance dependence manage to return to light drinking without returning to alcoholism. He further argues that cultural differences make a large difference to alcohol use, and that everyday use such as found in southern European countries led to less alcoholism than the binge drinking more typical of northern countries, even though the southern countries tended to consume more alcohol overall. He particularly warns that the disease model of alcoholism may make the problem worse. He argues that treatments that emphasize individual responsibility tend to be more successful than those that depict alcoholism as a disease over which we have no control. He concludes that we should completely abandon the disease model.
Satel's arguments are the most provocative of the book, since she is in favor of the stigma of addiction. She argues that it is bad behavior and we risk causing more problems by removing the stigma attached to it. She makes her argument mainly by attacking the claims in favor of eliminating stigma; for example, contrary to them, she argues that the stigma of addiction probably makes people seek treatment, and that we should not boost the self-esteem of addicts, but instead we should encourage them to stop being addicts. She ends that her view is compatible with being compassionate towards addicts and we should provide care for them. Unfortunately her argument is not buttressed by a careful scrutiny of social science on stigma, so it is entirely speculative.
In an attempt to bridge the gap between the disease model and the personal responsibility model, William Miller argues that all can agree that motivational factors are essential to addictions and recovery; since Miller is the author of Motivational Interviewing: Preparing People for Change (Second Edition, Guilford, 2002) it is no surprise that he emphasizes the benefits of MI, but he also mentioned brief interventions, the community reinforcement approach, and contingency management. He emphasizes that punishment is ineffective as a means of ending addiction and that confrontational counseling is "abysmally ineffective." Trying to take away someone's choice or to use shame do not stop addictions. If the data backs up Miller, then this gives us good reason to question Satel's endorsement of stigma.
Robert West outlines his PRIME theory of addiction (plans, responses, impulses/inhibitory forces, motives and evaluations) (set out in his Theory of Addiction) which synthesizes a variety of different approaches and factors. It's an impressive contribution, because the synthesis is systematic and principled rather than the usual mess associated with a biopsychosocial model. His most intriguing comment comes at the end, when he writes "We are seeking to reshape the addict's motivational system--to change the addict as a person." This is one of the most explicit acknowledgments by addiction researchers that addiction can change one's character, and that recovery requires not just self-control but a further change in character.
Most of the other contributions are not at the high theoretical level, but instead address more practical issues. One particularly interesting piece is from Larry Gentilello, on alcohol screening in trauma centers. He says that between 40 and 50% of patients admitted to a trauma center are under the influence of alcohol. When patients who are screened and test positive for alcohol receive a brief intervention soon after their accident, they are much more likely to reduce their alcohol intake. The likely explanation is that they were probably scared by their injury and are much more receptive to changing their ways. The danger of injury recurrence is reduced by about 50% when patients receive interventions. Yet due to legislation passed in most states, if people test positive for alcohol, then their treatment for their injury will not be covered by health insurance. This policy, which was designed to cut costs of healthcare, turns out to do no good because it is easy to circumvent, since trauma surgeons simply avoid screening patients. If patients are charged for their treatment when it is not covered by insurance, they often have to declare bankruptcy, so the treatment center then has to absorb the expense. Gentilello ends by saying that there is a trend starting to forbid denying payment by insurers on the basis of alcohol intoxication, and this will make it easier to give patients interventions and get them to reduce their alcohol use.
Other papers in the collection address a wide variety of issues, including addiction and HIV infection, addiction and pregnancy, stimulant abuse, tobacco abuse, addiction treatments in prisons, marketing of alcohol to youth, confidentiality in treatment, and art by addicts. Since the chapters are short, they cannot provide a comprehensive discussion of any of the issues, but most of them include a good number of references, and allow one to follow up in researching the topics. While the collection is short on work by active neuroscientists, it does include some prominent scientists as well as some well-known commentators, and it gives one a better sense of the variety of research and treatments being tried in the USA. This makes it a valuable contribution to the literature.
© 2009 Christian Perring
Christian Perring, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Dowling College, New York.


Have a thought of car glass repair ever comes to your mind ?
It often happens that you are at a highway or at any remote road which is not maintained well. Suddenly a small stone or a flower bud smash at your car windscreen. You suddenly notice a small crack or chip in your car windshield that came from nowhere. It must have been a high velocity piece fired at you with a gun, because you didn't see it coming. And as you try to come out of the shock an awful truth soaks in: You need a new car windshield. A new windshield means leaving your car for 2 or more days in a service center or car glass shop. There are other risks involve like leaky windscreen or higher car insurance premium. But we advice you to just stop and think again, have you tried for a car glass repair ? Give it a thought.
Before you got panicked due to the crack, take a deep breath and think. All car windshield cracks and chip are not large enough and hence don't need replacement. You should first inspect your car glass crack or call Auto Glass Masters to inspect it for you. It just might be possible to repair the chip instead of replacing the glass. At Auto Glass Masters we use Esprit Car Glass Repair Solutions to repair all types of cracks and chip in your car glass. We have successfully repaired car glasses for premium cars like Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar, Volvo, Porsche etc. It is always our priority to get your car glass repaired instead of going for a replacement. It always saves your hard earned money as well as your precious time.
If you go for a car glass repair, it is always safe. A repaired Car Glass is as good as the new car glass if it is been repaired by an expert using good quality repair kit. That's why at Auto Glass Masters we recommend use of Esprit Car Glass Repair Kit. Esprit is one of the leading European windscreen repair kit manufacturers. All the repairs done at our service centers avail lifetime warranty regarding windshield repair quality. The Esprit Windshield repair system is one of the most sold system and is very user friendly compared to other windscreen repair systems. The Esprit system provides a professional chip or crack repair result every time. Esprit kits have passed many quality tests which includes BS AU 251:1994. and AS/NZS 2366.2.
A car glass repair needs to clean the broken pieces and sucking out the air from the crack. We use a vacuum cup to do the same. Now our technician takes the transparent resign into an injection and fill the pit. It brings out remaining air and the resign gets inside the crack. Once resign is filled, we treat it with Ultra-violet rays. It become transparent and hard. Now is the time to remove the excess resign. Once crack repair process is complete technician apply another chemical to finally clean the surface. As a result you have a smooth glass surface restored to its original strength. The transparency is restored to about 90-95% based on the type and size of crack. Within 30 minutes of starting the glass repair your car is ready to get back on road.
Bulls' eye, Chip, Combination Break, Crack chip, Ding, Edge Crack, Floater Crack, Half Moon, Long Crack, Partial Bulls' eye, Pit, Star Beak, Stone Break, Stress Break – are those cracks which are reparable. So you should check is your crack one of these, before you think of a new glass.
Car glass repair gives you an advantage of getting back on road in less than 30 minutes. It saves 75-80% of new windshield cost. It also helps you save your precious time. By opting for a repair you save your cars original fitting. You must understand that factory windshield fitting can't be achieved again and hence we always recommend to opt for glass repair rather than replacement. Apart from it while opting for a repair, you add to environment conservation. As you know new windshield means disposing off the old one. you can read more about is the new windshield more durable than the repaired ones ?
Why you should not drive with a crack glass?
Some time we opt to ignore small cracks in our car glass. Being a laminated glass our car windshield or Sunroof doesn't scatter. We take advantage and drive our car with a cracked windshield to save windshield replacement cost. Some time we are too busy. But its has long term effect on your car safety.
As the time passes the crack began to expand and it can't be repaired. If you don't opt for windshield repair in time, crack may get open and it can compromise your cars sealing. Wind and water finds a way through the chip into your car glass lamination eventually membrane will fog, causing a large blemish. As the worst case, your car windshield may get collapsed if unfortunately you met with an accident or at a speed-breaker. You should know more about car glass repairs from your mechanic to take right decision at right time.
Our Advice :We recommend you not to ignore any kind of crack or chip in your car glass. Get in touch with Auto Glass Masters for more expert advice. Our trained technicians guide you. You can visit our service center in Delhi, Gurgaon and Faridabad or you can call us at 9278783578. And you always have an option to go for a replacement. We also offer you cashless insurance claim facility for new windshield replacements.


Quietude June 11 2017 How Are Your Roots?
I took this photo years ago on a hike on the App Trail in the Grayson Highlands Park. The root system fascinated me then and still does today. There was no water near this path – is that why the roots of the huge tree stretch across the ground?
I want deeply-seated roots, planted firmly in streams of living water. I desire depth to surface. I want to be so deeply rooted no weapon, no garden tool, no adz, no shovel, no pick-ax, not anything can stir up my roots.
Oh, Susan, I also want "…deeply seated roots, firmly planted…" May God give us strength and grace to follow His leading and be lights of hope in this dark world.
Praying for those deep roots!
I love this. On the surface, you can't tell the ones with deep roots from the rest…until turmoil stirs the surface and we're all exposed for our true colors. Thanks for sharing this on the #sundaythoughts link up. Hope you have a blessed week!
I have a tree with roots like that too, so high up on the ground. I want deeper roots! Thanks for making me think of spiritual things when I see roots.
Beautiful! I especially want my roots to be so deep that they don't trip others up by their surface placement!
At my daughter's wedding there was this very large tree with very large roots and I remember praying for deep roots for my daughter and her new husband. I too pray for deep roots. I don't want to continue to be tossed to and fro by the waves of life. I want to be planted by streams of living water, firm in His love and truth.
What an awesome prayer you blessed your daughter and SIL with that day. Amen!


I look forward to hearing about the ideas you have for your session! For more information on booking sessions or package pricing, simply fill out the form below or email me at ryleafoehl@gmail.com. I will get back to you as soon as I can.