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Stubborn bigotry
The Supreme Court got rid of all bans on interracial marriage in 1967. Unfortunately, it took two states over 30 years each to formally get rid of the statutes they still had on the books. Both states – South Carolina and Alabama – had to go through the process of a vote because of how their constitutions work. In 1998, 38% of South Carolina voters said they did not want to remove the ban. In 2000, 41% of Alabama voters said the same thing. Those numbers were shockingly disgusting. People like to hold on to their bigotry, quite apparently.
Now the same thing is going on in Kansas:
Members of Kansas' gay community aren't happy as lawmakers in Topeka, KS, have decided to leave on the books laws banning homosexuality.
Laws banning gay sex have been ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court, but the law remains in place in Kansas.
An effort to repeal the law was killed this week, leaving gay and lesbian Kansans outraged…
The House Judiciary Committee was considering a bill to clean up Kansas' criminal code when a pair of lawmakers, Jan Paul from Hutchinson and Lance Kinzer from Olathe, removed an amendment from the bill that would have repealed the law banning homosexual acts.
Got that? People were considering cleaning up Kansas' ugly past, but Jan Paul and Lance Kinzer said they prefer to keep things dirty, filthy, and ugly.
"I think their motivation is pretty clear," said Thomas Witt, chair of Kansas Equality Commission. "They don't like gay people and they're going to make sure in the eyes of the law we're still considered criminals."
Filed under: Rights | Tagged: Alabama, bigotry, Criminalization, homosexuality, Hutchinson, Jan Paul, Kansas, Kansas Equality Commission, Lance Kinzer, Olathe, South Carolina, Thomas Witt |	6 Comments »
Bob Emrich and Uganda
Posted on July 2, 2010 by Michael
Uganda has been well established as a good place for bigots to visit. In October of 2009 it introduced an Anti-Homosexuality Bill which would have made being gay punishable by life in prison or even death. This was on top of the already strong anti-gay laws in Uganda, one of which already made homosexuality punishable by 14 years in prison.
Several Evangelical Christians visited Uganda at this time, some of them specifically being involved in encouraging the bill. Bob Emrich, a pastor and one of the sexually immature leaders of the anti-equality movement in Maine last year, was in Uganda for two weeks just after the bill was introduced. He sent an email to his faith-heads in which he expressed support for a Ugandan article which said this:
This whole concept of human rights grates my nerves. It has made people un-african, mean and self-centered.
One can now shamelessly stand up and tell you: "I do as I please. You have no business in my affairs." A sodomist can now swear to you that what they do in the privacy of their bedroom does not concern the public.
No wonder when a brilliant MP comes up with a Bill against homosexuality, the human rights activists baptize him an enemy of the people.
It is high time politicians, religious leaders, cultural leaders and all concerned Africans woke up and defended the African heritage against the moral confusion of Western civilization. This civilization is eroding African moral pride.
The so-called human rights activists have hijacked the driver's seat and are sending nations into the sea of permissiveness in which the Western world has already drowned.
Emrich later said he was against life imprisonment and the death penalty for gays, but he had also already noted what "a refreshing change of pace" it was to be in Uganda. Uganda – a country known for its imprisonment of gays, something which was being discussed in an article Emrich was quoting and lauding.
Fast forward and now someone has called Emrich out on his bigotry.
It's time to remind people about Emrich. In the fall of 2009, Emrich spent several weeks in Uganda working alongside anti-gay activists.
Presumably at that time, Emrich thought it was a good idea to remind people in Uganda about the evils of gay people.
Since gay marriage in Uganda was nowhere in sight, the activists' motivation was to marginalize gays in general.
In October 2009, amidst the anti-gay activity in Uganda, a bill was introduced in the Ugandan Legislature that criminalized gay activity in Uganda, including the death penalty for a number of gay "crimes."
It might seem hard to believe that Emrich would approve of the death penalty for gays, but shortly after his return to Maine, he sent an e-mail to his supporters about his trip.
Emrich's e-mail included text from an article published in Uganda that condemns gays and their supporters and lauds the "brilliant" person who introduced the anti-gay bill.
Concerning the article, Emrich says "I think it speaks for itself."
He was conspicuously silent about the death component of the Ugandan bill.
There's some wiggly truth in this. First, Emrich claims to have been there to help build schools, train pastors, feed children, and conduct medical clinics, not working alongside anti-gay activists. But who isn't an anti-gay activist in Uganda? I believe Emrich when he says he was not expressly working alongside any particular, organized political groups, but "expressly" is key. The building of schools and training of pastors fits is the method Emrich was choosing to indoctrinate children into a sea of ignorance, hate, and sexual immaturity. As he said, one of his favorite sentiments in Uganda was that "in order to have a healthy village, there must be a strong and healthy church". This reflects the ideas of hate in the article Emrich loved so much which urged for a rejection of human rights in favor of maintaining small, heritage-based (read: anti-gay) villages in Africa. Emrich's actions and subsequent email reflect what his whole mission was all about: he was trying to strengthen religion in a country which enthusiastically condemns gays, going so far as to praise an article which called that death penalty bill for gays "brilliant".
But let's hear from Emrich himself.
As for Uganda, the people still need help. Thousands live in remote villages, without access to clean water, sufficient food and medical care. Without transportation, electricity or newspapers, they have no time for political activism. They appreciate the help some Mainers have provided, and they are finding great hope and strength in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I skipped the opening and body of his response since I've already summarized some of his contention, but this conclusion is indicative of the sort of sexually immature, bigoted person Bob Emrich is. He's pretending like his concern is purely for the people of Uganda, but he belies his claim when he goes on to imply the need for political activism in Uganda. He knows exactly what an increase in a focus on social issues means for gays in Uganda. He may disown parts of the article he lauded before he got caught, but he has never said he disagrees with the criminalization of homosexuality. In fact, in another email (some people are just too old to handle this stuff, I think), he clarified his position by saying this:
Personally, I agree that these (acts of sexual consent between two people of the same sex) are serious and grievous offenses but I do not believe they should be punishable by death or life imprisonment. The homosexual activists and bloggers are claiming that Ugandan officials, with the endorsement of American Christian leaders, are calling for the execution of all homosexuals. They are not to be believed. But deception and confusion serves their purpose.
Actually, it's true that Ugandan officials and some Christian leaders in America have called for the death penalty, but that's besides the point. What I'm wondering is why Emrich is so unwilling to homosexuality should not be a crime. But then, just like with the article he loves so much, maybe human rights really grate his nerves.
Filed under: News, Politics and Social, Religions, Rights, Same-sex marriage | Tagged: Bigot, Bob Emrich, Criminalization, Gay, homosexual, Ronald Hanyerere, Same-sex marriage, Uganda |	Leave a comment »


text:
Q: Iterating a list of MulitpleChoiceFields for Django Crispy Forms Here's a a code snippet that used a for loop to generate a list of 3 MultipleChoiceFields. Notice, that each field has to explicitly named for django-cripsy-forms to render them,  but there has got to be a way to iterate through these with Crispy Forms so I don't have to know in advance how big the list of MultipleChoiceFieds will be.  Any ideas??
    items = tuple(items)
    locations.append(forms.MultipleChoiceField(widget=forms.SelectMultiple, label = '', choices=items))

field1 = locations[0]
field2 = locations[1]
field3 = locations[2]

def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):

    self.helper = FormHelper()
    self.helper.form_id = 'id-qkview-form'
    self.helper.form_show_errors = True
    self.helper.form_action = 'F5-fetch-qkview'
    self.helper.form_method = 'POST'
    self.helper.form_class = 'form-vertical'
    self.helper.label_class = 'col-lg-2'
    self.helper.field_class = 'col-lg-4'
    self.helper.add_input(Submit('submit', 'Submit'))

    self.helper.layout = Layout(
        Fieldset(
            'LOC01',
            'field1',
        ),
        Fieldset(
            'LOC02',
            'field2',
        ),
        Fieldset(
            'LOC01',
            'field3',
        ),
     )

    super(F5qkviewForm, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs )

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


If approached correctly from the start, 2017 has the potential to be your best year yet. As we enter what I hope will be the single best year of your life yet, I want to leave you with some advice on how to make this year amazing from the start. Take advantage of your new year motivation and take a moment to get in the proper mindset. It is a new year, and a great time to get your goals in line and set priorities for exactly what YOU want to achieve in 2017.
The first strategy for long-term success is to get closure on your previous year.
Getting closure on your previous year is the first step because, without this moment of self-reflection, it will be very difficult for you to determine where you are headed in the future and the reasons why you didn't achieve all the goals you set from your previous year.
Remember, the purpose of this isn't to feel badly about not fully accomplishing those goals. Really big goals take a long time to achieve. The point is to recognize where you are in the process so you can make a plan for moving forward and staying on track.
Achieve your New Year's goals faster and with more drive than you ever thought possible, download my free 14-Step Goal-Setting Guide.
The next strategy is to make a new list of goals you plan to accomplish in 2017.
These goals can be the same as ones you didn't quite achieve last year, or they can be complete new ones based on the year you've had and the new decisions you've made about your future.
The next strategy is to deploy what I like to call the 10-Goal Method. Take a sheet of paper and write the words "2017 Goals" at the top with today's date. Write down ten goals that you would like to accomplish this year.
Then, use the magic wand technique and image that you have no limitations of any kind. Write down the ten things that you would like to be, have, or do this year as if each one of them were guaranteed to happen.
Here are some guidelines for your goals. First, make sure you write them in the present tense, as if your goal had already been achieved.
For example, instead of saying "I will earn X amount of dollars each year" write "I earn X each year." The reason we do this is because your subconscious mind can only register commands that are phrased in the present tense.
Finally, write your goals in the personal tense. In other words, all of your goals should start with the word "I".
"What one goal on this list, if I could achieve it right now, would have the greatest positive impact on my life?
Whatever your answer to that question, circle that goal. This goal now becomes your major definite purpose, your primary goal, and you most important destination.
The next step in the ten-goal method is to make a plan. Transfer your primary goal that you just established to a clean sheet of paper and set a deadline of completion. Make a list of the difficulties you will have to overcome, the additional information and skills you will require, and the people whose cooperation you will need to achieve this goal.
Organize this information into a plan, and then take action immediately to begin moving toward your destination. Any action is fine, but it is very important that as soon as you have your plan in place, you start right away on chipping away at the tasks you need to accomplish it.
Finally, practice mindstorming on your goal. This process forces you to concentrate intensely on how to achieve your goal. Take a new sheet of paper and write your major definite purpose at the top of the page in the form of a question. For example, "How can I earn X by December 31, 2017?
Then write 20 answers to this question. You can write more than 20, but you must write a minimum of 20 responses to your question.
By using this strategy from the very start of your year, you are setting yourself up for success in the new year. You will have a plan to follow and a destination that you know you want to reach. If you create this plan for yourself, you are sure to have an exciting year, full of achievement, hard work, and a real sense of accomplishment.
Now, I'd love to hear from you, so my question today is: What's one thing you can do today to start moving closer to your 2017 goals? Leave a comment below.
Remember, all successful people are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every way respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose. My 14-Step Goal Setting Guide can help you do just that.


text:
Live Life Loud
About Noise Pollution.
December 22, 2019 Noise Pollution
Hypno5e – A Distant (Dark) Source (2019)
Hailing from France, Hypno5e describe their work as "cinematic metal". I took that to mean that the album should be enjoyed in one sitting. Looking down the track list, there were 5 discreet titles, some of which were broken into 3 acts. This gave the album 11 tracks, with a duration of 1 hour and 10 minutes.
The band summed the inspiration for this album as, "The album is an inward journey to the land of the ghosts of the past. At the origin of this distant dark source lies Tauca, an old Paleolithic lake located in Bolivia, where singer and guitarist Emmanuel Jessua has grown up, and continues to find inspiration for his musical endeavors. Lake Tauca disappeared more than fifteen thousand years ago, leaving behind an arid land and salt lakes. A Distant (Dark) Source is the musical imagination of a night in this desert, during which the old shores of the lake see the return of the shadows of the people who used to live in this area before its disappearance. A man comes back to the lake to look for the shadow of the woman he loved. The album tells the story of this ephemeral return."
"On the Dry Lake" washed in with a low key opening, with words spoken in French. It was pretty, accompanied by deep undertones. The sound was unhurried, but soon the spoken words became more urgent. The music roughened up and leapt forward. It's nature was intricate and complex, with double kick drumming and multiple guitar layers. The vocals were intense and gruff. There were extended periods of instrumentation, with many shifts in shape, intensity and tempo. At many points there was a multitude of things going on in terms of the structure, techniques and instruments used. Later, the speaker returned against a pared down backdrop. This track took time to develop atmosphere and for setting the stage for what was to come.
"In the Blue Glow of Dawn, Pt. 1" dawned with a simple opening of strings and clean guitar accompanied by a slow bass progression. It was quite beautiful and coherent, with the vocals coming in late. It's sound was restrained and together and it gave me the impression of rain.
"In the Blue Glow of Dawn, Pt. 2" leapt forward seamlessly, with an intense metal sound that included a multitude of elements, including double kick drumming and differing guitar interjections. It then dropped down a gear, before kicking back up again. Like the first track, this one had multiple personalities.
"In the Blue Glow of Dawn, Pt. 3" opened with commentary in French, backed by a simple and soothing musical arrangement. Robust vocals were then employed, before the track fell away to minimal elements. The music then again muscled up into its trademark labyrinthine nature.
"A Distant Dark Source, Pt. 1" Like the first time the three staged track was used, this part began with a simple instrumental arrangement to set the scene. A low down bass backdrop served as anchor for some clever guitar picking. It was moody and atmospheric and held its serene attitude until the end.
"A Distant Dark Source, Pt. 2" I was expecting a thunderous transition, but it didn't eventuate. There was an elaboration upon the previous track that then segwayed into a heavier sound, accompanied by powerful, harsh vocals. This track utilised switches between multiple musical styles well, including one that was machine or music box-like. It was a confronting array of sound and elements.
"A Distant Dark Source, Pt. 3" continued the challenging mosaic. However, it soon settled and calmed, whilst retaining its intricate character in the background. It then flipped back to the intense vocals and compelling conglomerate of sound. Throughout it sped up and slowed down and it also included an excellent piano section.
"On Our Bed of Soil, Pt. 1" began with a heavy rumbling, with sparse notes delivered by an acoustic guitar. It was elemental and ethereal, before a few more layers were added. However, it retained its character of a restrained opener for the tracks to follow.
"On Our Bed of Soil, Pt. 2" Guitar riffs joined in on top of the subtle backdrop of the previous track. I really enjoyed this sound. The breakdown then appeared subtly, with the intense vocals joining in, just below the surface, before the track broke down properly and marched on with typical vigour. The track built to a crescendo, featuring staccato percussion and urgent thrashing. Haunting and ghostly vocals then closed out the track.
"On Our Bed of Soil, Pt. 3" began with simple percussion and elegant vocal harmonies. A voice speaking in English joined in, before flourishes and instrumental elements were added over time. The result was a breakdown of epic proportions. An exceptional harmony between the mad metal voice and the clean and musical one was inspired.
"Tauca, Pt. II (Nowhere)" utilised another narrative spoken in French against a calm and understated strings arrangement. Vocals were initially used sparingly and the keyboard arrangement sounded like rain. The breakdown burst in with a wall of sound, before vocals dripping with raw emotion pleaded for understanding. The track closed off with what sounded like a person leaving and someone communicating by radio.
There were two main personalities utilised on this album. On one side there was a laid back amalgamation of rock themes that added an air of melancholy. On the other side was a cogent and intense collection of metal styles. Djent, black metal, classical influences, death metal and progressive metal all made appearances. The transitions between them were typically seamless, except in the cases where it was a breakdown and that shock value was desired by Hypno5e. The interplay between the sides created an emotive landscape that was all encompassing.
The sound of the album was often powerful and ethereal, sometimes compelling and at other times confronting.
The tracks were often long, containing a plethora of styles, tempos and ideas. In places, this was wearying, as there was TOO much going on. However, there was no denying the skill of the musicians and that of the engineering that went into the album.
Like many offerings of this nature, this album is long and some of the tracks are massive. I got lost a few times – not because I was lost in the music – the track seemed to be lost and not going anywhere. But, I am sure that this is a character flaw of my own.
It's compelling and atmospheric work, at times intense and at others serene. I could indeed imagine it being as a dry lake in the desert at night, as souls from the past seek out lost loves.
Greg Noble.
Published by Noise Pollution
Noise Pollution presents passionate and thoughtful music and movie reviews, brought to you by lifelong music and pop culture lovers.	View all posts by Noise Pollution
Previous Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
Next World of Beer.
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kingcrimsonprog on Mushroomhead – A Wonderf…
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Ella Hooper Live at Sooki Lounge, 8/01/21
The Screaming Jets – Bitter Pill (2020)
Corey Taylor – CMFT (2020)
Single Review: Virtues Double Think (2020)
Deftones – Ohms (2020)
Trewins Terrors

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
In superconductivity, a Josephson vortex (after Brian Josephson from Cambridge University) is a quantum vortex of supercurrents in a Josephson junction (see Josephson effect). The supercurrents circulate around the vortex center which is situated inside the Josephson barrier, unlike Abrikosov vortices in type-II superconductors, which are located in the superconducting condensate.

Abrikosov vortices (after Alexei Abrikosov) in superconductors are characterized by normal cores where the superconducting condensate is destroyed on a scale of the superconducting coherence length ξ (typically 5-100 nm) . The cores of Josephson vortices are more complex and depend on the physical nature of the barrier. In Superconductor-Normal Metal-Superconductor (SNS)  Josephson junctions there exist measurable superconducting correlations induced in the N-barrier by proximity effect from the two neighbouring superconducting electrodes. Similarly to Abrikosov vortices in superconductors, Josephson vortices in SNS Josephson junctions are characterized by cores in which the correlations are suppressed by destructive quantum interference and the normal state is recovered. However, unlike Abrikosov cores, having a size ~ξ, the size of the Josephson ones is not defined by microscopic parameters only. Rather, it depends on supercurrents circulating in superconducting electrodes, applied magnetic field etc. In Superconductor-Insulator-Superconductor (SIS)  Josephson tunnel junctions the cores are not expected to have a specific spectral signature; they were not observed.

Usually the Josephson vortex's supercurrent loops create a magnetic flux which equals, in long enough Josephson junctions, to Φ0—a single flux quantum. Yet fractional vortices may also exist in Superconductor-Ferromagnet-Superconductor Josephson junctions or in junctions in which superconducting phase discontinuities are present. It was demonstrated by Hilgenkamp et al. that Josephson vortices in the so-called 0-π Long Josephson Junctions can also carry half of the flux quantum, and are called semifluxons. It has been shown that under certain conditions a propagating Josephson vortex can initiate another Josephson vortex. This effect is called flux cloning (or fluxon cloning). Although a second vortex appears, this does not violate the conservation of the single flux quantum.

See also
 Fluxon
 Josephson effect
 Josephson penetration depth
 Long Josephson junction
 Shape waves
 Sine-Gordon equation

References

Josephson effect
Vortices

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Johan learned from his mistakes. Barbra said it was fun. I know him by sight, but not by name. Please don't allow that to happen. Thanks for walking me home. Do you understand why this is a problem? Although her house is nearby, I seldom see her. I'll give you this if you want it. What is your greatest source of inspiration? He delayed payment on some pretext or other.
I told her I'd changed my mind. Jerrie burst out laughing when he saw Byron. I'll make it work. I have a pen. They were excited over their travel plans. I just finished reading this book. The instant he saw the policeman, he ran away. Take a deep breath and hold it for as long as you can. Your homeland became foreign to you long ago. You snooze, you lose.
You can call a cat a small tiger, and a tiger a big cat. That's nothing but a lie! Where do I do my homework? My son has gotten quite good at conjuring up excuses for not going to school. We were young and carefree. Do you like apples or oranges? Is she free on Friday afternoon? Marshall showed up when we least expected it. Marika doesn't trust me anymore. I'm having a problem deleting one of my files.
Charles is going to be there, too. This isn't the only problem that we face. Don't you think you are a little too pushy? I want to go back to my friends. This must be my grandfather's house. On my desk there is always a bottle of water. Now turn to your right, a little more, a little more. OK, now lie still on your back. No one has the right to tell you otherwise. No one really knows what's going on. Global climate change is everybody's problem.
He can scarcely write his name. The more you get to know her, the more you'll like her. Kamel is always flirting with Celeste. The red dress suited her. He never cared much for me. Alexis has gone missing. All of them swim very fast. I know you have a boyfriend. His belly as of ivory, set with sapphires. I didn't hand out anything.
The film is boring. Women's tears dry quickly. I know you like to travel, Clyde. He flunked his driving test three times. They won't succeed. Please don't take this lightly. Each taxpayer has the right to know where his money goes. I appreciate your interest. We will wash dishes. I violently flinched at the bang.
Something's happened to Huashi. What are you doing up there? I'll cut your head off! Tickle her nose with a feather while she's sleeping and see if she wakes up. What are your hobbies? I've been told I snore. I don't intend to have anything more to do with Liza. You don't know how to say thanks. I'll try to reach Sanity. He got very depressed after his failure.
She goes to a girls' high school. They made their way through the crowd. Lenora had no intention of giving Michelle any money. I learned it in school. What if Neal is right? Let him have it. The cat climbed up the roof of my house by himself. It's not a problem, Hunter. We got our roof damaged by the typhoon. The vase burst into fragments.
She loves Australia. This noise is unbearable. Can you come at nine? That feels good. Berber is not as difficult as Icelandic. So, what about flirting at work? Robbin was impatient and restless. He has three wires. It must be done. Charley invited me over for dinner.
I am your past. We won't see them again. It's time to get to work. We're never going to see Hienz again. We're going to need a little more money. He cleaned out his saving on betting. I shouldn't have gone to Tanaka's house. I can't wait for Valentine's Day! We're all adults. I know Narendra and his wife.


The Grateful Dead or perhaps Bob Dylan may hold the record for most releases from the vaults, but the Beach Boys aren't far behind. Over the years, we've seen the group's studio albums reissued as twofers, with a wealth of bonus tracks. Greatly expanded versions of Beach Boys Party and the Beach Boys' Christmas Album have also appeared, as have embryonic rarities (Becoming the Beach Boys) and the long-awaited Smile Sessions. Plus, we've been treated to some mammoth boxes, such as Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of the Beach Boys (five CDs), The Pet Sounds Sessions (four CDs), and Made in California (six CDs). What on earth could be left?
Enough, it turns out, to fill at least two more CDs to capacity. The new 1967: Sunshine Tomorrow contains 65 tracks—two hours and 38 minutes of music—and nearly all of it has not previously been released. True, other versions of most of the songs here are scattered throughout the catalog, but much of this is well worth hearing, anyway.
The Beach Boys had quite a year in 1967. They worked on the legendary aborted Smile album until mid-May, then recorded Smiley Smile (which incorporated elements of Smile) in June and July. In September, they waxed Lei'd in Hawaii, a live-in-the-studio album that never got released, and started work on what would become Wild Honey. As noted above, the Smile project is documented elsewhere; but virtually everything else the group did in 1967 gets some sort of airing on Sunshine Tomorrow.
Though Brian Wilson wrote most of the songs, the piano-based Wild Honey feels more like a collaborative band effort than its immediate predecessors. "It was just an album for us to exhale and do something real simple," the group's Bruce Johnston has said, "but as it's Brian's music it's still fabulous and not so simple." True. This is a much more upbeat, less-contemplative, less-produced album than Pet Sounds, but it's frequently inventive and consistently endearing. It's also strikingly different from what anybody else was doing at the time.
Though the original Wild Honey clocked in at a mere 25 minutes, 1967: Sunshine Tomorrow manages to devote all of its first disc to an examination of the album. Following the stereo mix come 14 recordings from the LP's sessions, including studio material for "Wild Honey" and "Darlin'" and previously unreleased instrumental snippets like "Honey Get Home" and "Hide Go Seek." Also here are concert and live-in-the-studio recordings of a half dozen Wild Honey tracks.
At the beginning of Sunshine Tomorrow's second disc, the focus turns to Smiley Smile, though not to the original album, as that has already been reissued in stereo (in 2012). Instead, we're presented with nine studio remnants from the sessions for the LP, which first appeared in September 1967, three months to the day before Wild Honey.
What's not to like? Not much. Granted, all but the most devoted Beach Boys fanatics will probably consider portions of this collection somewhat less than indispensable: some of the previously unreleased versions don't depart all that much from available ones, and it's easy to see why several of the backing tracks and musical fragments have remained in the can for half a century: they're simply not as interesting, or in a few cases even as listenable, as the final product.
That said, there's plenty on this bargain-priced album that is indispensable, starting with the stereo Wild Honey and including much of the previously unreleased studio and live material. If, like me, you can't get enough of Wild Honey and Smiley Smile, you'll be glad to know you can now get more.
's, Low as the Moon. If we were still in a musical era dominated by record albums, major labels, and rock radio, I'd predict stardom for Arrica Rose. As is, who knows? One thing's for sure: she deserves to be famous. There's not a bad song on this dreamy, ethereal, and beautifully sung album from the California-based artist, who also fronts a similarly styled band called Dear Country. After listening to Low as the Moon, you won't be surprised to learn that Rose once covered Roy Orbison's "In Dreams." Her sound is contemporary, but the twangy guitars, romantic lyrics, hooks, and passionate vocals all harken back to the best of 1960s pop/rock.
The New Zeitgeist, Myths and Mortals. Good luck guessing which three of the 11 tracks here date from the 1800s; they sound no more or less timeless than the originals on this album, which features vocals and poetic lyrics by a Chicago-based duo: Jen Reilly, who sounds redolent of Judy Collins, and Eddy Bluma. If you like the work of such artists as Fairport Convention, Renaissance, and Richard and Linda Thompson, give this well-honed collection a listen.
Game Theory, 2 Steps from the Middle Ages. The Game Theory reissue series ends on a high note with this expanded, remastered edition of their 1988 final album. Mitch Easter, who produced, writes in new liner notes that he "always thought music/sonic rules were a drag and the best records exist in their own self-defined universe." That's certainly the case with this cleverly crafted power pop/new wave CD, which arguably ranks as the most accessible record in the group's catalog. Supplementing the 13-song original album are three live recordings, two radio sessions, one rough mix, and five demos, all previously unreleased. Expect ringing guitars, vocals reminiscent of the Undertones and Big Star, and music that evokes influences ranging all the way from the MC5 (who are quoted in "Initiations Week") to Simon and Garfunkel (whose "America" Game Theory prime mover Scott Miller covers on one of the bonus tracks).


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Set the queue by name for all projects and builds/releases based on (optional) filters.
Name of the queue that will be set for all matched builds/releases.
A PAT for VSTS with at least these rights: "Agent Pools (read, manage)", "Build (read and execute)" and "Release (read, write, execute and manage)"
Name of your vsts account (name before .visualstudio.com in the url).
Optional. If set projects matching the names in the (string) array will be excluded.
Optional. If set builds matching the names in the (string) array will be excluded. Filter is additive with ProjectNameFilter.
Optional. If set releases matching the names in the (string) array will be excluded. Filter is additive with ProjectNameFilter.
# interestingly enough this endpoint is nowhere to be found in the documentation..
Write-Host "Working on project: $projectName"
Write-Host " Could not find queue '$NewQueueName' in project '$projectName'"
Write-Host " No builds in project"
Write-Host " Set queue '$($response.queue.name)' on build '$($_.name)'"
# note the use of "vsrm" in the url (without it, it won't work).
Write-Host " No release definitions in project"
Write-Host " Set queue '$NewQueueName' on release '$($_.name)'"


Written by USD Student Wellness | Tuesday, December 19th, 2017 at 9:59 am.
Have you ever sat down to study or to work on an important assignment and suddenly found yourself mysteriously at your computer watching a YouTube video or reading a strange Wikipedia article?
Or maybe you got back from class and decided to reward yourself with one episode of your favorite show on Netflix before starting homework, and the next thing you know you've watched five episodes and it's seven o'clock?
If you've fallen prey to these seemingly harmless habits of procrastination, you are not alone. For many people, procrastination is a strong impulse whose potency has led to many productive days being wasted, and for college students, procrastination is most evident during finals season when life can get a little overwhelming, to say the least. This article will focus on the causes of procrastination and offer tips on how to best avoid procrastination before finals.
To begin, we need to address what procrastination is and why we procrastinate in the first place. Procrastination is the practice of carrying out less urgent tasks in favor of more urgent tasks, or doing more pleasurable things in place of less pleasurable ones, thus effectively putting off important tasks for a later time.
While everyone puts things off until the last minute sometimes, procrastination is the act of chronically avoiding difficult tasks or putting off important assignments in favor of distractions, which is unhealthy and can have negative results.
So what causes this behavior? Many psychologists are split on what exactly causes us to procrastinate, however the general belief is that procrastination is a kind of avoidant behavior and coping mechanism that has gone awry. This coping mechanism usually rears its head when people feel fear, dread, or anxiety about an important task, thus they cope by merely putting it off. The attachment of negative emotions, like anxiety, to an important task leads the individual to compensate by seeking activities that bring them joy or distract them from their fear-inducing responsibilities. Sadly, this relief is only temporary as procrastination can only provide brief relief before the impending reality of a task must be faced, thus leading to stress. The bright side? You can overcome procrastination with these helpful tips!
Set Priorities: The most important step to take in avoiding procrastination is deciding which task is most important and demands your immediate attention. For example, during finals season, prioritize which class to study for based on which class you feel you need the most help in or based on which class's exam you will take first. This will help you keep a clear idea of what tasks need to be done first and it will help you avoid putting off studying until the last minute.
Break the Task Down: Instead of being overwhelmed by the whole of the task, break it into smaller, more digestible pieces that you can address in chunks. For example, break your final studies down by chapter and tell yourself you will study a certain number of chapters each day. This will not only make the subject seem less overwhelming, but it will also help you retain information and minimize your stress because you are handling small chunks of material at a time as opposed to, say, 20 chapters all at once.
Reward Yourself for Accomplishing Small Goals: The point of setting up small, reasonable goals is so you know when to reward yourself. If you told yourself you would study five chapters today and you studied one or two, it's perfectly acceptable to take a small break and reward yourself before you sit down to complete the task. As long as you complete the big-picture task ( five chapters), it is great to reward yourself for the smaller goals you must accomplish along the way.
Create a Time Schedule: When trying to avoid procrastination, a great thing to do is allot specific times for a certain task. If you have a final on Friday, tell yourself that you will study for one hour a day from 3:00-4:00 up to the final and then hold yourself accountable. This will help you keep on schedule and complete your task without stressing.
Just Get Started: The first step to take in any task is just getting started. Even if you feel like you need to wait for inspiration to start that huge paper you need to write, tell yourself to write whatever comes to mind and then make amendments once the inspiration actually hits. Don't allow yourself to make excuses, just do it!
Look At What You've Accomplished: It can be hard, especially during finals season, to see progress. With so many tasks, it is easy to remain overwhelmed until everything is done. To combat this, really focus on what you've accomplished. Reading three chapters and reviewing lecture notes is an accomplishment, so pat yourself on the back. Think of how the little tasks add up to complete the whole, and allow yourself to be proud of those little accomplishments. You won't get everything done at once, so be happy with what you do get done.
Finals can be stressful and overwhelming, but be kind to yourself and try to avoid the temptation to procrastinate. Even though Netflix may be calling your name, make sure to take care of yourself and prioritize your studying! Get lots of sleep, eat healthy, and avoid procrastination for the best results on your finals.
If at any point you feel too stressed or you think you may want help, remember we have wonderful resources on campus, such as the Center for Health and Wellness Promotion, the Counseling Center, and other student care resources, and others – reach out if you would like some additional support!
Best of luck on your finals, and happy studying!


text:
← Ukraine update 19 from ISW
"British intelligence operative's involvement in Ukraine crisis signals false flag attacks ahead" Grayzone →
HARPER: IS PUTIN HOLDING BACK IN UKRAINE INVASION?
Posted on March 25, 2022 by Harper
The deeply flawed execution of the February 24 Russian three-front invasion of Ukraine raises the question whether Putin has been surrounded in the Kremlin by "yes men" who are a Russian equivalent of the American neocons who spoke of the Iraq invasion of 2003 as a cakewalk, and a slam dunk, in which Iraqis would greet American troops with flowers and cookies befitting liberators. Putin seems to have been convinced that the invasion of Ukraine would be a 72-hour affair after which pro-Russian Ukrainians would be installed as a new government in Kiev. Col. Lang has done a great service in providing insights into the failures of the Russian military and the underlying causes for the shockingly poor performance.
Below is a piece by well-known military analyst William Arkin, based on discussions with U.S. DIA and other military personnel who provide their thinking on why Putin has not conducted the all-out bombardment of civilian centers that appears in the official narrative coming from the Biden Administration.
Putin's Bombers Could Devastate Ukraine But He's Holding Back. Here's Why
BY WILLIAM M. ARKIN
William M. Arkin is an award-winning journalist and best-selling author of more than a dozen books on national security issues. He is author, most recently of On That Day: The Definitive Timeline of 9/11 (PublicAffairs), History in One Act: A Novel of 9/11 (Featherproof Books), and The Generals Have No Clothes: The Untold Story of our Endless Wars (Simon & Schuster).
https://www.newsweek.com/putins-bombers-could-devastate-ukraine-hes-holding-back-heres-why-1690494
As destructive as the Ukraine war is, Russia is causing less damage and killing fewer civilians than it could, U.S. intelligence experts say.
Russia's conduct in the brutal war tells a different story than the widely accepted view that Vladimir Putin is intent on demolishing Ukraine and inflicting maximum civilian damage—and it reveals the Russian leader's strategic balancing act. If Russia were more intentionally destructive, the clamoring for U.S. and NATO intervention would be louder. And if Russia were all-in, Putin might find himself with no way out. Instead, his goal is to take enough territory on the ground to have something to negotiate with, while putting the government of Ukraine in a position where they have to
negotiate.
This entry was posted in Ukraine Crisis. Bookmark the permalink.
39 Responses to HARPER: IS PUTIN HOLDING BACK IN UKRAINE INVASION?
walrus says:
Harper, Thank you for posting this. It seems to explain a lot of what we are seeing.
TTG says:
Seems the DIA analyst finds it hard to believe the Russian Aerospace Forces may be suffering from the same rot that's affecting the Russian Army. While I share many's skepticism that Russia is following an official policy of killing as many civilians as they can, I don't think they're deliberately limiting the destruction as part of a grand plan either. They're just not near as good as we all thought they were.
fredw says:
Agreed. The indidents in the news are terrible, but so far they appear to be combat incidents rather than a strategy. Quantities are small by historic standards. The Vietnam war as we know it began on November 23, 1946, when a French naval commander expressed his disapproval of a cease fire agreed the day before by bombarding the Vietnamese sections of Haiphong near the harbor. 6000 people were killed to reassert French control of the city. That is what a strategy of intimidation by mass murder looks like. There were many examples of this from the 20th century. The Russians in Ukraine are callous, but they are not nearly as murderous as they could be if that was their purpose. The incidents are terrible, but the numbers are small.
Pat Lang says:
fredw
That is true. I lived in occupied Germany as a boy in 1947-49. What I saw there was devastation of cities on a grand scale.
Mark Gaughan says:
What drugs are you taking?
You are hereby warned that ANY further ad hominem attacks will be met by banning.
Okay, sorry
zmajcek says:
"Analysts" have gone from describing Russian army like some supernatural force that will take half of Ukraine in 3 days to dragging them trough mud because they failed to meet those expectations.
In many videos on the net we see Russians troops behaving clumsy and disorganized, but we rarely see the other side of the story.
As I understand the Russians do not have the numbers advantage in many places where they are attacking.
How would the US handle the situation where it is trying to take ground from a determined and skilled opponent without having the overwhelming numbers and being forced to deal with urbanized European environment with millions of European civilians in the way ?
zmajcek
I would hope that we would not attempt such a thing with what is clearly an inadequate force. BTW, our logistics work exceedingly well.
A fair point. It seems they overestimated their own capabilities and especially the disposition of the local population. Instead of flocking to their side en masse, the locals are either opposing them or staying out of the fight.
A painful lesson. Even more painful is probably the economic aspect of this whole affair. For example, how they managed to leave half of their foreign reserves vulnerable to sanctions is as you say incredible.
zmajcek,
I would think we would insist on establishing total air dominance before sending in ground forces. We would take the time and make the concerted effort to take out all air defense systems and air forces including drones and drone controllers. That would still leave Stingers to contend with. I don't know what we do for them other than fly above them. We would take out command centers with a vengeance, which would surely lead to civilian casualties. In other words, we would wage a thorough, well planned out and fully resourced air campaign prior to initiating a ground campaign. The Russians did not or could not do that.
NATO achieved total air dominance after it attacked Serbia in 1999. However, after months of bombing, actual Serbian military losses were only a fraction of what NATO thought it had inflicted. The US even lost a very expensive aircraft in the process.
English Outsider says:
TTG – Could the Russians have done that? They had facing them across the line of control a large and well trained army. Had that army broken into the old LDNR the fighting would have been bogged down in a heavily urbanised area. Given that there were determined neo-nazis in the mix the fighting would have been complicated by the use of human shields and that's the very devil to cope with. Rudskoy claims as much.
"The course of hostilities, the testimonies of civilians who left the blockaded settlements and captured Ukrainian servicemen show that today the AFU's ability to resist is based on fear of reprisals by neo-Nazis. Their representatives are embedded in all military units.
"The mainstay of the Kiev regime are nationalist formations such as Azov, Aidar, Right Sector and others recognized in Russia as terrorist organizations. In Mariupol alone, they include more than 7 thousand militants who are fighting under the guise of civilians, using them as a "human shield".
"The militants of the Azov battalion drive women and children out of the basements, threatening them with weapons, and send them towards the advancing units of the DPR in order to hinder the advance of the people's militia. This has become a common practice for them."
So if the JFO had got into the old LDNR we could now be seeing a series of Mariupols, with all the associated horrors and a long series of fights to winkle the neo-nazis out. The ground campaign had to start simultaneously to pre-empt that.
There are indications that the Russians had to rush the invasion for that reason. However messy that made it it's difficult to see how a preliminary air campaign could have answered, with that formidable army threatening attack from just over the LoC.
This is an apologia for the heavy casualties of the first few days put out by Chirkin. It's clear propaganda, or at least exhortation, but behind all that there does seem to be an indication that the first few days were unexpectedly difficult –
"If we explain our tactics of the first twenty-four hours…it is a creatively reworked "reconnaissance battle" of the Great Patriotic War. Only with deep and rapid penetration into Nazi-occupied territory. We provoked the enemy's activity by tactical groups, deliberately pulling Ukrainian army units and National Security Forces from their locations. Withstanding with small numbers the terrible counterattacks by tanks and armoured vehicles, outnumbered by the motorised infantry.
"Sometimes it was impossible to suppress Grads, artillery and mortars hidden in residential areas that were raining on you. Urban areas could not be cleared methodically by combat formations, by calling supporting fire, attack helicopters, sappers, flamethrowers, tanks to blow-up machine-gun points in houses and civilian infrastructure facilities.
"This is a war unfamiliar to us veterans. Especially when the skies are under your full control, airfields are jammed with attack planes and bombers, operational-tactical missile systems are in service and there is a mass of heavy artillery."
https://southfront.org/without-hysterics-and-insults/
I believe that period around 21st February and the 24th needs much examination. What were the two sides hoping for or intending, what did they fear the other side was intending? Reading your comment above this wasn't an operation running on oiled wheels from the start. Quite possible the start was rushed, and hence those first few days of mayhem. Rudskoy seems to indicate that.
Is it now all running more to plan? The crucial part of Rudskoy's report claims so –
"The public and individual experts are wondering what we are doing in the area of blocked Ukrainian cities.
These actions are carried out with the aim of causing such damage to military infrastructure, equipment, personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the results of which allow not only to shackle their forces and do not give them the opportunity to strengthen their grouping in the Donbass, but also will not allow them to do so until the Russian army completely liberates the territories of the DPR and LPR.
"Initially, we did not plan to storm them in order to prevent destruction and minimize losses among personnel and civilians.
"And although we do not rule out such a possibility, however, as individual groups complete their tasks, and they are being solved successfully, our forces and means will concentrate on the main thing � the complete liberation of Donbass.
"Significant territories of the Lugansk and Donetsk people's republics have also been liberated. The people's militia has taken control of 276 settlements that were previously under the control of the Ukrainian army and the national battalions.
"Demilitarization of Ukraine is achieved both by high-precision strikes on military infrastructure facilities, locations of formations and military units, airfields, control points, arsenals and warehouses of weapons and military equipment, and by the actions of troops to defeat opposing enemy grouppings.
"Currently, the Ukrainian air forces and the air defence system have been almost completely destroyed. The naval forces of the country ceased to exist."
I don't myself believe the Russians are going to lose this one. I don't believe that, not because I'm familiar with military matters, but because it's clear the Russians can't afford to lose this one. Yavoriv showed that NATO's not going to be able to intervene militarily. All NATO help can do now is prolong the fight.
And should NATO be doing that? NATO had seven years to stop the shelling across the line of control. Instead of stopping it they trained the units, some of them neo-nazi, engaged in that shelling. So NATO – and Germany and France – had their chance and blew it. Time now for NATO to butt out and let the Russians stop it instead.
But I have moved away from the point of your original comment. To return to it could you, as one who does know about these matters, examine the possibility that that Russian attack was rushed. And that they were in fact mounting a pre-emptive attack for fear of the JFO moving first?
Theoretically the Russian Aerospace Force could have done that. Whether they have the ability to plan a complete air campaign is something I don't know. I don't know if it's in their tradition or doctrine. They certainly have the airpower and rocket/missile forces on paper that should have enabled them to achieve much closer to air dominance than they have. Unfortunately those forces are probably in no better shape than the ground forces. How much of that good technology has been stolen and sold? Seems a lot of the highly pilferable items in the reserve tank force has made their way to the black market, items like sights, night vision and thermal imaging devices and targeting computers. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the aerospace and rocket forces have the same problem.
I put very little credence in what Rudskoy had to say. Trying to deny they were aiming for regime change is absolute bullshit. It's hard not to chalk up anything else he says as Putin regime propaganda. "A creatively reworked "reconnaissance battle" of the Great Patriotic War." What a crock. There were multiple combined arms thrusts and a poorly planned and executed airborne/airmobile assault on Kyiv alone. It's as Leith said earlier. It's a retelling of the fable of the fox and the grapes.
If the Ukrainian army intended to launch a preemptive strike into the occupied Donbas territories, they would have run into the same prepared defenses that the Russians, DNR and LNR forces are running into now. And they'd be doing that while the bulk of the Russian army was sitting on the border. Ukraine's goal was not to provoke a Russian invasion. It made absolutely no military sense for Ukraine to attempt to take the occupied Donbas. No, the Russians didn't rush the invasion, they just screwed it up. If they wanted to take the entire Donbas, they could have come in heavy, in several echelons if need be, just north of the defenses and swept south behind those defenses. Their goal was regime change in Kyiv and the fracturing of NATO. They failed.
fakebot says:
If it gets to a point where Russian troops can't sustain their efforts, it will force Putin into a position where he will likely escalate. I agree Putin would rather not, but things could move into that direction. After all, he escalated things already with this invasion.
And in that case, what other card does Russia have? We keep hearing about chemical and biological false flags. It's a possibility, but that would be silly. A nuclear strike of some kind? Do we really want to wait until the day he hits 1 Ukrainian city? Asking the question of everyone else, "do you want armageddon"? We all know the contingencies for that: calling the priest to read us our last rites or hiding in some bunker like the rest of the cockroaches who plan to survive.
We have to strike a delicate balance of our own. Any thought of dragging this war out until Russia can't fight anymore or on the hope Putin will be deposed is foolhardy.
We need to negotiate workable terms. That doesn't mean selling Ukraine down a river. Part of those negotiations involves maintaining a strong enough posture to discourage other countries that are watching from thinking they have everything to gain with invasions like this. The last thing we want is another Ukraine invasion elsewhere in the world.
There are ways to solve our differences with Russia without Ukraine losing out too much and where everyone comes out as winners, even if some of those wins are fig leaves for them and us.
TV says:
Isn't Arkin the "journalist" who has made a career of exposing US national security secrets?
Seamus Padraig says:
Arkin is, and always has been, very close to the Pentagon. He isn't exposing anything that the brass don't want exposed. Most 'leaks' in Washington are really sanctioned by the PTB.
Biden in Poland talking to the troops about democracy vs oligarchs is galling.
Sundance speaks to what a few Americans feel. We shouldn't whitewash the covidian emergency and how what many consider the bedrock American precepts of liberty were abrogated.
This narrative is starting to 🤬me off. The western "democracies" went full totalitarian with the COVID rules, regulations and punishments.
What they did will not be, and cannot be, forgotten.
Western govt went full stazi, now they want to high-horse, pretend & ignore. FU!
There comes a time when a person has no more tongue to bite. Joe Biden speaking to U.S. troops in Poland about "democracies at an inflection" point in history, is jaw-dropping when you consider the behavior of every western government leader over the past two years. Joe Biden, the same authoritarian who mandated every American worker undergo a medical procedure in order to qualify as a person who might earn a living, sits atop his high-horse and pretends that western govt leaders have some inherent claim to the protection of democracy. Given their collective behavior over the past two years, the hypocrisy of this continued talking point is beyond outlandish. Emmanuel Macron, Boris Johnson, Jacinda Ardern, Scott Morrison, Justin Trudeau and Joe Biden himself, would like to think that we do not remember the past two years of complete unilateral dictatorship they enjoyed while hiding behind the shield of "emergency authorizations.
https://twitter.com/thelastrefuge2/status/1507447480039968780?s=21
I relate to the sentiment expressed above. We became what at least many rhetorically abhor. Our government did a successful test run of CCP regime. We shouldn't allow them to use the fight for democracy canard. It would be more honest to say we support Ukrainian resistance because we don't want Russia expanding their sphere of military influence or something like that.
Cerena says:
American face in Ukraine: "In September 2020, New York Post disclosed that the FBI had laid its hands on a laptop belonging to Hunter Biden, which contained evidence of his involvement in illegal business dealings in Ukraine and China. All US intelligence agencies in chorus accused Russia of spreading rumors with a view to destabilizing the State. However, on 16 March, the New York Times finally confirmed the authenticity of the laptop.
Hunter Biden is a junkie serving as a figurehead for the "interests" of the Straussians.
The Democratic majority of the US House of Representatives had launched an impeachment procedure against President Trump (Ukrainegate) because he had attempted to shed light on these Ukrainian "affairs." In calling out the "gang of drug addicts in power in Kyev," Russian President Vladimir Putin was referring to Hunter Biden and his gang of cohorts."
And then this: "a subsidiary of the foundation founded by Hunter Biden (son of President Joe Biden) and Christopher Heinz (step-son of John Kerry) has played a key role in the Pentagon's biological research programs in Ukraine." Oh my…
"Hunter Biden is a junkie serving as a figurehead for the "interests" of the Straussians." I doubt that. IMO he is merely a vehicle for accomplishment of Biden family greed.
I relate to the sentiment expressed above. And so do I!
Given that Twitter serves as the de facto public town square, failing to adhere to free speech principles fundamentally undermines democracy.
What should be done?
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1507777261654605828?s=21
Elon provoking an important discussion after he requested a poll with 70% of the over 2 million respondents voting that Twitter doesn't adhere to the principle of free speech.
We have a situation where the current POTUS is describing the situation in Eastern Europe as a fight for "democracy" when our own government and major media institutions don't practice much of that.
Lars says:
The nuclear threat from Russia is brought up now and then, but can they rely on it with the obvious quality problems they have elsewhere in their military? Does that impact the seriousness of the threat? I also think that Putin has backed himself into a corner and how that is resolved will impact the endgame of all this, but one thing is clear and that is the idea of Russia as a super power is seriously downgraded. It may not have that much impact on their western front, but it may very well have some enhanced outcomes in their eastern one. As the old saying goes: Be careful of what you wish for, since you may get it, which can be bad enough, but even worse, you may get the opposite.
"can they rely on it with the obvious quality problems they have elsewhere in their military?"
When you are talking about nuclear weapons, it only takes one actually working to bring on the apocalypse. If 90% don't work, you still get the biggest catastrophe on human history.
90% not working is a figure I actually saw about 40 years ago. The analysis (not official) was actually directed at the US forces. 30,000 moving parts, and sitting for years at a time in silos in North Dakota being maintained by air force lifers but never actually used. Test launches were always preceded by intense maintenance activity. Without advance notice the launches usually failed. ("Always" was the assertion.) That line of thinking falls clearly in the category of rumor, but I have never been able to convince myself that the described phenomena are not likely. Reliability is probably better today (fewer moving parts).
But it doesn't matter. The scale of destruction makes precision irrelevant.
Don't you think it's telling that Ramzan Kadyrov and his Chechen Army are there in Ukraine assisting the Russian effort to subdue and defeat the Nazi Azov battalion, and complaining that Putin wants them to tread lightly?
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/26/putins-chechen-ally-says-forces-deployed-ukraine-to-back-russia
Bear in mind the Chechen wars of 94 to 96, and 99 to 2000. The Russians make allies out of enemies, whereas the USA ….
Sbin
We had allies in both Iraq and Afghanistan. In civil war situation the population always splits especially when that population is made up of rival groups. I major mistake in bothe places was to put the "big army" in charge of training the locals. The "big army" is so self-obsessed that they never do this well.
Leith says:
So Arkin thinks Putin is holding back? Seems more like Aesop's Fox and the Grapes.
https://fablesofaesop.com/the-fox-and-the-grapes.html
"Caught with his pants down, perhaps Putin indeed pivoted after he realized that Ukraine wasn't going to be a cakewalk and that Kyiv wasn't conquerable. Maybe he decided to solely focus on taking territory along the periphery and linking up his consolidations in the south, to be in a position to hold enough territory to extract concessions from Ukraine and the west—security guarantees or some demilitarized zone." … "In that, maybe he is leaving room for a political settlement," the officer says.
But hasn't that always been Putin's position from the start? Hasn't he consistently said in all his speeches and public statements that he wants a neutral Ukraine, "denazified," with language rights and elected local government for the people in East? When ever did speak of total war or the equivalent?
I don't have the feeling Russia's war aims or strategy have changed since the start of the conflict much at all; maybe it's just the minds of NATO's military analysts that are starting to change.
His advance against Kiyiv say otherwise.
His advance against Kiyiv says otherwise.
Looking at the recent credible maps in comparison with those a week or more older I'd say the Russians are just preventing reinforcements from entering or exiting Kyiv. The latest from the French MoD shows the Ukrainians pressuring the west bank of the river from the south, perhaps probing for weak spots and a breakout. If that's the case and looking at the area on google with satellite setting that, doesn't look like an urban area so playing into the Russian's strengths.
JohninMK says:
The French MoD maps are pretty good, they put our British MoD same to shame.
Russia clearly has a prime objective, seize the east and south east, basically the full oblasts of Donetsk and Luhansk. Dug in and well prepared were 120k soldiers in the best units of the UkA. They would be well aware that that was a tough nut to crack and didn't want them to get any relief.
The Russian advance down to Kiev clearly didn't go as they thought it might but it probably achieved one of its objectives, making sure that the UkA units in the west didn't hop on a train to the east. The same with the other attacks on Ukraine's cities, they all tied up units.
The biggest concentration of available units not actually fighting is in and north of Odessa and here Russian naval activity, including their landing crafts, ensure that those units are still tied down, just in case.
To date the Russians have not pushed forward on the DNR/LDR frontlines, even though the UkA artillery is doing damage to the cities, especially Donetsk. Their plan seems to be to do enough to keep the UkA in its hardened positions without doing so much that they have to withdraw, until they close the flanking pincer behind them. Everyday that objective gets closer.
Whilst those activities are continuing the UkA are taking heavy loses of munitions and fuel. Most of the big fuel dumps have now been hit and it looks increasingly like there is no longer enough diesel to mount any significant operation. Were they to be able to escape the pincer, many would have to do it on foot.
In terms of speed the Russians, perhaps learning from their mistakes over the first few days, have slowed right down, well aware that Generals Winter and Time are on their side. This is due to munitions/food/water getting used up on the UkA side but not Russian as, apart from Kiev, Russian forces are mainly 50 or so miles from their border.
I cannot understand the view that Russian missiles are inaccurate or unreliable. Many of the sites they have hit have been in built up areas and there has been no claim by the Ukrainian Government of significant casualties in any of them, usually just a handful who may have been working on the sites. Whether by ship/air/land launched cruise, or air/ground launched ballistic missile after photos show they are pretty accurate. There are very few photos of these missiles landing in the wrong place or shot down, I only saw the first Kalibr full wreck today. If anyone has counter evidence I'd love to see it.
Which brings me onto air defences. The UkA had probably the best AD system outside Russia, multi layer from S-300 to MANPADs, deadly and lots of them. Any fixed installations and the CC system soon went but the mobiles, especially the Buk-M, are very difficult to hit. Operating on a shoot and scoot strategy, with almost certainly target ID from AWACs they turn their own radar on for a minimal time so reducing the RuAF targeting data. From an initial 80 units the RuAF have only claimed around 20. The others are regarded as a very serious hazard and could well be the reason why most important strikes are done by missiles and why, apart from CAS there has been very little RuAF activity, completely different to Syrian operations for example. Whilst at the other end of the spectrum, MANPADs or their threat, have proved very effective against helicopters.
The big puzzle for me is, given flooding the country with ATGM, is the relatively low numbers of armoured vehicles disabled by them, good old artillery being the real tank killer again.
Jovan P says:
Although the population in Ukraine is split (the Pro-Russian ask why doesn't the operation go faster, the anti-Russian ask when will NATO close the skies, the neutral just wait) seems like Russians are doing their best to help the civilian population and win over their hearts (where possible). According to a Russian blogger, in South Ukraine the Russian state is starting to pay the civil servants their salaries from the Russian budget. Also, the customs procedure for bringing humanitarian aid from Russia to Ukraine has been simplified (not the one distributed by the Russian Ministry of Emergency situations). And every winning over of a city (militarily or diplomatically) seems to be accompanied by aid to the civilian population.
One minor reason why the Russians can't afford to lose this conflict is because of the pro-Russian population in Ukraine. If Russia were to give up, these people would be gone (assimilated, marginalized, expelled).
FND says:
The article seems reasonable to me. Its hard to imagine that Putin would tell his generals something like
"Hey, lets bomb a children's hospital on purpose so that the west will become even more enraged and give Ukraine even more weapons and, supplies and money and maybe it will even lead to WWIII. Wouldn't that be great?"
jim ticehurst says:
There is a Story Today In Business Insider..By Alia Shoalib..Sat..March 26th
2022 at 5:45AM
Ukraine Has Siezed The Moblie Command Module Of A Kasuka 4 Advance Warfare System ..Outside Of Kyev..Its Being Transported To the USA of Analysis..
The forum I'm on that delves into Russian military matters is of the firm opinion that the container on its side in the photos fell off either a 4 or 6 wheel flatbed truck. The one shown could be a standard power container used in a multitude of applications.
The Krasukha-2/4containers are permanently fitted onto eight wheel truck chassis.
One day we may know the truth.
It Seems ike there is So Much Propoganda and Dis-Info Tossed Around And Pete and Repeated That One shoud Ignore all That..and Study The Daily Chess Game Putin is Playing…I Believe He has alot More Reserves ..And is Capable of Even More Deadly Force That The World Has Seen so Far..Land…Sea…Air..Combined..
I Bet His Subs have Been in Every Port in America…Pinking And PUTTIN..
It Seems His Daily War Game..Is Hit One or Two Targets..For What Ever Impact It Will Have..Study His Opponents ,,Moves..World and NATO Reactions..And Plot His Next Moves…Its Obvious He Wants to Occupy..He Will Kill and Move out Entire
Populations By Any Means…I Dont Thing He is Ready For further Moves To
Occupy Key Areas..Until They Are Depopuated..
When Ready To Do That..He Wants South to North transportation Routes..Bring Back The Chinese Pig Farmers..Maybe Get all That Land Prepped For Corn and Wheat..
That Should ..Take.Most of The Spring and Summer..He will Expand His Arena..Later..He has Many Money Matters and Deals to Negotiate.As Well..
Every Day, Brings a New Reality…THE MSM Is ike a Parrot..With One Line..
They Are Al Makeup….and Hair Balls..
After Alot of Research..I now Believe There is Another Dynasty in New York..That
Immigrated and Has Existed Here For over One Hundred Years..
It has been Involved in Politics and Our Government At Many Levels..And Knowing
Much of The Background Explains ..Everything..Including Current Biden Policys ..
This Dynasty..Sends Out The Pooper Scooper..Behind JOEBOT..and Is the
VOICE…When "The White House Says"…I Believe…The Evidence is Strong..
1/ Big Arrow War—a primer. For all those scratching their heads in confusion, or dusting off their dress uniforms for the Ukrainian victory parade in Kiev, over the news about Russia's "strategic shift", you might want to re-familiarize yourself with basic military concepts.
https://twitter.com/realscottritter/status/1508813631311466496?s=21
I don't have the competence evaluate what Scott Ritter is saying. All I know is that he was on Iraq WMD hunting team.


text:
Arbaţ-e Soflá (persiska: اربط سفلی) är en ort i Iran.   Den ligger i provinsen Västazarbaijan, i den nordvästra delen av landet,  km väster om huvudstaden Teheran. Arbaţ-e Soflá ligger  meter över havet och antalet invånare är .

Terrängen runt Arbaţ-e Soflá är huvudsakligen kuperad, men norrut är den platt. Den högsta punkten i närheten är  meter över havet,  km väster om Arbaţ-e Soflá. Runt Arbaţ-e Soflá är det ganska glesbefolkat, med  invånare per kvadratkilometer. Närmaste större samhälle är Moḩammad 'Alī Qeshlāqī,  km sydost om Arbaţ-e Soflá. Trakten runt Arbaţ-e Soflá består i huvudsak av gräsmarker.

Medelhavsklimat råder i trakten. Årsmedeltemperaturen i trakten är  °C. Den varmaste månaden är augusti, då medeltemperaturen är  °C, och den kallaste är januari, med  °C. Genomsnittlig årsnederbörd är  millimeter. Den regnigaste månaden är november, med i genomsnitt  mm nederbörd, och den torraste är september, med  mm nederbörd.

Kommentarer

Källor

Orter i Västazarbaijan


text:
Hauterive steht für:
 Hauterivium, eine Phase der Kreidezeit, vor 134–130 Mio. Jahren

Hauterive ist der Name folgender Gemeinden
 Hauterive FR im Kanton Freiburg, Schweiz
 Hauterive NE im Kanton Neuenburg, Schweiz
 Hauterive (Allier) im Département Allier, Frankreich
 Hauterive (Orne) im Département Orne, Frankreich
 Hauterive (Yonne) im Département Yonne, Frankreich
 Hauterive-la-Fresse im Département Doubs, Frankreich
 Pinel-Hauterive im Département Lot-et-Garonne, Frankreich
sowie:
 Kloster Hauterive, ein Kloster im Kanton Freiburg, Schweiz

Siehe auch:
 Hauterives, Gemeinde im Norden des Départements Drôme, Region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Frankreich
 Auterive


text:
Fraud, Manipulation and Deception: CFTC/SEC Proposed Rules
Morrison & Foerster LLP
On November 3, 2010, both the Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC") and the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") proposed rules under the new anti-manipulation and anti-fraud provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Act" or the "Act").
The CFTC proposed rules broaden the scope of existing prohibitions on price manipulation. The SEC Proposed Rule 9j-1 expands the language of 10b-5 as specifically applied to security-based swaps to capture instances of fraud and manipulation in connection with on-going obligations arising under security-based swaps, such as cash flow payments. The anti-fraud and anti-manipulation provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act will be effective, in the case of the CFTC's rules, on the date on which the related implementing rules take effect and, in the case of those provisions in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), not less than 60 days after publication of the final related rules. The comment period for the proposed CFTC rules is open until January 3, 2011, and the comment period for the proposed SEC rule is open until December 23, 2010.
Please see full bulletin below for more information.
1 Attorney Advertisement News Bulletin December 13, 2010 Fraud, Manipulation and Deception: CFTC/SEC Proposed Rules On November 3, 2010, both the Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC") and the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") proposed rules under the new anti-manipulation and anti-fraud provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Act" or the "Act").1 The CFTC proposed rules broaden the scope of existing prohibitions on price manipulation. The SEC Proposed Rule 9j-1 expands the language of 10b-5 as specifically applied to security-based swaps2 to capture instances of fraud and manipulation in connection with on-going obligations arising under security-based swaps, such as cash flow payments. The anti-fraud and anti-manipulation provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act will be effective, in the case of the CFTC's rules, on the date on which the related implementing rules take effect and, in the case of those provisions in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), not less than 60 days after publication of the final related rules. The comment period for the proposed CFTC rules is open until January 3, 2011,3 and the comment period for the proposed SEC rule is open until December 23, 2010.4 CFTC Proposes Rules to Expand Prohibition on Market Manipulation Historically, the CFTC relied on a number of provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act (the "CEA") to deter manipulative conduct, including pre-Dodd-Frank Act Sections 6(c) and 9(a)(2). The D0dd-Frank Act preserves this authority but also expands the CFTC's authority. Specifically, the Dodd-Frank Act amends Section 6(c) of the Commodity Exchange Act (the "CEA") to expand the CFTC's authority to prohibit the use of any "manipulative or deceptive device or contrivance" in the swaps and derivatives market. New subsection 6(c)(1) of the CEA provides that: It shall be unlawful for any person, directly or indirectly, to use or employ, or attempt to use or employ, in connection with any swap or a contract of sale of any commodity in interstate commerce, or for future delivery on or subject to the rules of any registered entity, any manipulative or deceptive device or contrivance, in contravention of such rules and regulations as the Commission shall promulgate not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Dodd-Frank Act, provided no rule or regulation promulgated by the Commission shall require any person to disclose to another person non-public information that may be material to the market price, rate or level of the commodity transaction, except 1 §753 and §763(g) of the Dodd-Frank Act grant the CFTC and SEC, respectively, broad rulemaking authority to prevent market manipulation and fraud. 2 §761(a) of the Dodd-Frank Act adds new §3(a)(68) of the Exchange Act to define "security-based swap" as any agreement, contract, or transaction that is a swap…that is based on a narrow-based security index, or a single security or loan, or any interest therein or on the value thereof, or the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event relating to a single issuer of a security or the issuers of securities in a narrow-based security index, provided that such event directly affects the financial statements, financial condition, or financial obligation of the issuer. 3 A copy of the proposed rule can be found here. 4 A copy of the proposed rule can be found here. 2 Attorney Advertisement as necessary to make any statement made to the other person in or in connection with the transaction not misleading in any material respect. Proposed Rule 180.1 is promulgated pursuant to this Section 6(c)(1) and it is modelled, in part, on Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act. Proposed Rule 180.1 provides in pertinent part that: • It shall be unlawful for any person, directly or indirectly, in connection with any swap, or contract of sale of any commodity in interstate commerce, or contract for future delivery on or subject to the rules of any registered entity, to intentionally or recklessly: • use or employ, or attempt to use or employ, any manipulative device, scheme, or artifice to defraud; • make, or attempt to make, any untrue or misleading statement of a material fact or to omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made not untrue or misleading; • engage, or attempt to engage, in any act, practice, or course of business, which operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon any person; or • deliver or cause to be delivered, or attempt to deliver or cause to be delivered, for transmission through the mails or interstate commerce, by any means of communication whatsoever, a false or misleading or inaccurate report concerning crop or market information or conditions that affect or tend to affect the price of any commodity in interstate commerce, knowing, or acting in reckless disregard of the fact that such report is false, misleading or inaccurate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no violation of this subsection shall exist where the person mistakenly transmits, in good faith, false or misleading information to a price reporting service. • Nothing in Rule 180.1 shall be construed to require any person to disclose to another person nonpublic information that may be material to the market price, rate, or level of the commodity transaction, except as necessary to make any statement made to the other person in or in connection with the transaction not misleading in any material respect. The CFTC proposes that the same requirements of materiality and scienter applied in the context of Rule 10b-5 be applied in the context of Proposed Rule 180.1, and proposes similar treatment of the term "in connection with" as that which has been construed by the Supreme Court to be applicable in the context of Rule 10b-5, stating that the requirement would be satisfied "whenever misstatements or other relevant conduct are made in a manner reasonably calculated to influence market participants." Scienter is required to prove a violation of the CFTC's proposed rule; however, scienter would be understood to include "recklessness." Prohibition of Price Manipulation As amended by the Dodd-Frank Act, Section 6(c)(3) of the CEA prohibits manipulative practices in connection with price manipulation or attempted price manipulation. Section 6(c)(3) of the CEA reinforces and preserves one of the CEA's stated purposes, which is to deter or prevent price manipulation. Proposed Rule 180.2 mirrors the statute, making it: Unlawful for any person, directly or indirectly, to manipulate or attempt to manipulate the price of any swap, of any commodity in interstate commerce, or for future delivery on or subject to the rules of the any registered entity. The CFTC states that it proposes to continue to interpret the prohibition on price manipulation broadly, including any influence on the price of a swap, commodity, or commodity futures contract that is intended to interfere with 3 Attorney Advertisement the supply and demand in the market. The CFTC stresses that a determination of manipulation is fact-intensive and that, for purposes of the traditional four-part framework for liability, demonstrating an "artificial price" through economic analysis may not be necessary, and further notes that in keeping with existing jurisprudence, the conduct giving rise to such manipulation need not be fraudulent or illegal. SEC Proposes Rule 9j-1 under the Exchange Act for Security-based Swaps The Dodd-Frank Act amended the definition of "security" under the Exchange Act to include "security-based swaps." As a general matter, this means that security-based swaps, given that they are securities, will be subject to all of the anti-fraud and anti-manipulation provisions of the federal securities laws, including Section 10 of the Exchange Act (and Rule 10b-5 thereunder) and Section 17 of the Securities Act. Nonetheless, Section 763(g) of the Dodd-Frank Act (which added Section 9(j) of the Exchange Act) directs the SEC to issue rules that are designed to prevent fraudulent, deceptive or manipulative conduct in connection with the purchase and sale of, or transaction in, a security-based swap. New Section 9(j) of the Exchange Act makes it unlawful "for any person, directly or indirectly, by the use of any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce or the mails, or of any facility of any national securities exchange, to effect any transaction in, or to induce or attempt to induce the purchase or sale of, any security-based swap, in connection with which such person engages in any fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative act or practice, makes any fictitious quotation, or engages in any transaction, practice, or course of business which operates as a fraud or deceit upon any person." The proposed rule under Section 9(j) of the Exchange Act specifically addresses activities related to security-based swaps. In its release relating to the proposed rule, the SEC notes that given that security-based swaps are different from securities in that they involve ongoing payments, the proposed rule addresses fraudulent or deceptive acts that occur during the term of a security-based swap. Proposed Rule 9j-1 provides as follows: It shall be unlawful for any person, directly or indirectly, in connection with the offer, purchase or sale of any security-based swap, the exercise of any right or performance of any obligation under a security-based swap, or the avoidance of such exercise or performance, (a) To employ any device, scheme, or artifice to defraud or manipulate; (b) To knowingly or recklessly make any untrue statement of a material fact, or to knowingly or recklessly omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; (c) To obtain money or property by means of any untrue statement of a material fact or any omission to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (d) To engage in any act, practice, or course of business which operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon any person. The proposed rule prohibits the same misconduct as Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5 but expands the anti-fraud and anti-manipulation rules with respect to security-based swaps. The SEC notes that unlike the sale and purchase of traditional securities, security-based swaps (like other derivatives) may be characterized by ordinary course payments or deliveries. Rule 10b-5 prohibits fraud, manipulation, and deception in connection with the "purchase or sale of any security." Even with the expanded 4 Attorney Advertisement definition of "purchase or sale" under the Dodd-Frank Act, out of concern that liability under 10b-5 would be avoided by wrongdoers where their acts were not directly linked to the "purchase or sale" of the security-based swap, Proposed Rule 9j-1 expressly prohibits fraud, deception, and manipulation against "the exercise of any right or performance of any obligation under a security-based swap, or the avoidance of such exercise or performance." The proposed rule would, as a result, directly apply to fraudulent or manipulative acts in connection with cash flows, payments, deliveries, and other ongoing swap obligations. The SEC clarifies that the prohibition on fraudulent activities addresses deceptive or manipulative acts "in connection with…a security-based swap," which could potentially capture manipulative or fraudulent activity with respect to the underlying security. The SEC notes in its release that "[t]he exercise of rights or performance of obligations under a security-based swap can present opportunities and incentives for fraudulent, deceptive or manipulative conduct." For example, the SEC notes that, "a party faced with significant risk exposure may attempt to engage in manipulative or deceptive conduct that increases or decreases the value of payments or cash flow under a security-based swap relative to the value of the reference underlying." The SEC expressly requires scienter with respect to the making of untrue statements of material fact by requiring that any material misstatement or omission be made "knowingly or recklessly" in clause (b) of the proposed rule. Such a requirement is in line with the current interpretation of Rule 10b-5. Notably, the CFTC's proposal did not require misstatements to be made "knowingly or recklessly" but rather "intentionally or recklessly." Clause (a) of the proposed rule also is understood to require scienter. However, clause (c) of Proposed Rule 9j-1, an analogue of which is not present in Rule 10b-5, does not require scienter. The SEC has proposed that such a prohibition on fraudulent conduct would extend to negligent conduct such as "where a party to a security-based swap knows or reasonably should know that a statement was false or misleading and directly or indirectly obtains money or property from such statement." In keeping with Rule 10b-5, engaging in fraudulent conduct under clause (d) of Proposed Rule 9j-1 also does not require scienter. Clause (a) of Proposed Rule 9j-1 follows the wording of Rule 10b-5, but adds the word "manipulate." The SEC states that this addition is in keeping with the interpretations of Rule 10b-5 in prohibiting the employment of schemes, devices, or any artifice that acts to defraud or manipulate. Security-based swaps, as securities, will still be subject to the general anti-fraud and anti-manipulation provisions of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act, SEC Rule 10b-5, and Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933. One should also note that the Dodd-Frank Act further amended the definitions of "purchase" and "sale" to include with respect to security-based swaps the "execution, termination, assignment, exchange, transfer or extinguishment of rights." Arguably, the new rules and regulations, as proposed, cast a particularly wide net for security-based swaps with respect to the prevention of fraud and manipulative practices. About Morrison & Foerster Contacts David H. Kaufman (212) 468-8237 dkaufman@mofo.com Yvette D. Valdez (212) 336-4388 yvaldez@mofo.com David A. Trapani (212) 336-4469 dtrapani@mofo.com5 Attorney Advertisement About Morrison & Foerster We are Morrison & Foerster—a global firm of exceptional credentials. Our clients include some of the largest financial institutions, investment banks, Fortune 100, technology and life science companies. We've been included on The American Lawyer's A-List for seven straight years, and Fortune named us one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For." Our lawyers are committed to achieving innovative and business-minded results for our clients, while preserving the differences that make us stronger. This is MoFo. Visit us at www.mofo.com. © 2010 Morrison & Foerster LLP. All rights reserved. Because of the generality of this update, the information provided herein may not be applicable in all situations and should not be acted upon without specific legal advice based on particular situations.
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I'm quite aware that not everyone finds January miserable, but I'm yet to meet someone that does enjoy this month.
It's January, and it's probably one of the most depressing months of the year. It's cold, a lot of people are skint and are in debt after Christmas, but yet we decide to make this month more miserable for ourselves. We think you know what, new year, new me let's cut out something we enjoy to add to our misery.
Let's start with Dry January. Now I get that it is a good thing to do and beneficial for your health to give up alcohol for a month, but why do you have to cut it out completely? Why can't you just cut down if you feel like you drink too much? I know December is typically a boozy month and some people feel like they need to detox, and to that I say, good for you, but personally if I'm going to do a month long alcohol detox, I'd choose a less depressing month to do it in.
Veganuary is another challenge that people decide to take up at this time of year. Personally I admire anyone who can give up meat and dairy products but I know I would find this task impossible. And again, if you're a meat eater, why would you decide to do it in January? Dark mornings and dark nights can make you feel tired because of the lack of sunlight, so imagine also cutting out foods that give energy.
I also have an issue with this because I think you need to do your research and know exactly what foods you should be eating so that you're getting enough nutrients in your diet. My worry is that because this is a month long challenge, you may not have done much research and therefore you end up starving yourself. This isn't healthy.
Finally, if you do decide to take up one of these challenges (and I am aware there are many more) and you don't manage to complete them because they're tough, you end up feeling like a failure. This isn't good for your mental health. January 12 is the day that people tend to fail at their New Year's resolutions, which really isn't long into the month.
So to conclude, well done to anyone that is doing these challenges, the fact you're giving it a go is awesome. But just so you know, it's OK if you don't manage it. The fact you've even tried is enough.


Staying in The Blue Mountains with a group? Well how about a wine or cider & wine tour.
A group tour with Western Wine Tours is not just a wine or cider tour, "it is a wine, cider and local produce experience". A guided tour of some of Mudgee's or the Blue Mountains best vineyards or cider farms is a" must do" inclusion when you plan your visit to the Blue Mountains. Enjoy delicious platters of local produce sourced from their own orchards and gardens served with tastes of wine.
Experience the Mudgee Wine region or The Blue Mountains region, with selected wineries or cider farms.
Western Wine Tour Group enjoying wine tasting.
Experience the delectable Mudgee region with Western Wine Tours as I personally introduce you to this food and wine lovers' paradise.
All the wineries, restaurants and cider farms we visit on our tour are personally known to me, so you can be sure of a warm welcome wherever we go!
Weather you're planning a trip to The Blue Mountains or Katoomba now or in the near future, contact me to at Western Wine Tours so I can help you get the most out of your stay and send you home with amazing memories.
If you have particular winery you would like to visit let Paul know or leave it to Paul to customise the ultimate wine, cider and produce experience.
For groups already staying or planning to stay in the Blue Mountains you can be collected and returned to your accommodation (Wentworth Falls through to Lithgow).
Ladies, if you are looking for a ladies day out or a hen,s party day tour, then contact Paul at Western Wine Tours to arrange your day out and let Paul make your day a special event.
Gents, if you are looking for a Boys or Bucks party day out, then contact Paul at Western Wine Tours to arrange your day out and let Paul make your day a special event.
For your corporate day out or Christmas party or that special day you are planning , then contact Paul at Western Wine Tours to arrange your day out and let Paul make your day a special event.
Also if you live in The Blue Mountains then you can also enjoy a group wine tour with Western Wine Tours.
Western Wine Tours group tours cater for 8 – 11 or 15 – 19 (subject to availability) people and for pricing go to The Home Page.
Contact Paul, your Western Wine Tour guide on 0437 746 833 or through the contact page.