Three races contributed significantly to the composition of the Venezuelan population: whites, Africans, and Indians. The Indians of the region belonged to a number of distinct tribes. Those who devoted themselves to agriculture and fishing belonged mainly to the Arawak, Ajaguan, Cumanagoto, Ayaman, and other Carib tribes. The Guajiro lived, as they still do today, in the area that became the state of Zulia. The Timoto-Cuica lived in the states of Táchira, Mérida, Trujillo, and Lara. The Caquetío, who prevailed in the area of present-day Falcón state, developed probably the highest cultural state of civilization of all the indigenous groups. A number of tribes also lived, as the Guajiro still do, in the Amazon jungle. Compared with other Latin American countries, however, Venezuela never had a large Indian population. After discovery by Spain, this population diminished still further, mainly because the natives lacked immunity to the many diseases brought to the New World from Europe. In addition, Indians and Spanish intermarried; the product of this union, the mestizo, often opted for or was forced into assuming Spanish customs and religion. Fewer than 150,000 Indians were counted in the 1981 census, and, of these, over a third were made up by the Guajiro, who, though distinctive, were mostly Roman Catholic, wore their own version of Western-style clothing, and traded openly with other Venezuelans and Colombians.
During the colonial period, white Venezuelans immigrated mostly from Spain. Most blacks were brought from Africa as slaves to replace the large numbers of Indians who died from diseases and other consequences of the conquest. The African slaves labored in the hot, equatorial coastal plantations. Although miscegenation was widespread, it did not diminish the importance of color and social origin. In colonial society, peninsulares (those born in Spain) enjoyed the greatest prestige and power. Criollos (those born in America of Spanish parentage) occupied a subordinate position. Mestizos, blacks, and Indians made up the large lower end of the social hierarchy. Even at these lower levels, those who could somehow demonstrate a measure of white ancestry enhanced their chances of avoiding a life of penury.
Although the criollos resented the peninsulares, they did not identify or empathize with the lower strata. Instead, they remained deeply aware of the potential for trouble from the large mass below them and employed a variety of means to keep the nonwhite peoples at a safe distance. Despite their sometimes disreputable personal backgrounds, peninsulares boasted that they had pure white pedigrees. Circumstances rendered the ancestry of some criollos more questionable, and even the wealthiest were conscious of race mixture and anxious to dispel any doubts as to their parentage by remaining as separate from the nonwhite and mulatto population as possible. Perceptions of race, however, evolved somewhat over time in response to changing social, political, and even cultural interests.
Reforms in the eighteenth century affected race relations by enhancing the social mobility of the crown's nonwhite subjects. During this period, persons of mixed racial origin, or pardos, were allowed, for a price, to join the militia, to obtain an education, to hold public office, and to enter the priesthood. They could even purchase legal certification of their "whiteness." These changes eliminated most of the few distinctions that had set the criollos apart from the darker-skinned masses (pardos at that time represented more than 60 percent of the population). Feeling their already tenuous position in society threatened, most Venezuelan criollos rejected the social policy of the Bourbons and established themselves in the forefront of the revolutionary movement for independence.
Not all criollos, however, sought to preserve the system whereby pardos served as virtual vassals of the upper class. Twentieth-century Venezuelan history books proudly recount the late eighteen-century radical conspiracy of the retired army officer Manuel Gual and the hacienda owner José María España, who advocated a republic that would incorporate all races and peoples equally. Inspired by the rhetoric of the French Revolution, the small group led by Gual and España recruited pardos, poor whites, laborers, and small shopkeepers, calling for equality and liberty and for harmony among all classes. They also promised to abolish Indian tribute and black slavery and to institute free trade. Although Gual and España also invoked the example of the newly established United States, they received no encouragement from the young country. When the conspiracy surfaced in La Guaira in 1797, the Spanish authorities terminated the movement in its early stages. Not surprisingly, criollo property owners collaborated with the authorities to suppress the radical movement.
During the wars of independence, both criollo revolutionaries and Spanish loyalists sought to engage blacks and pardos in their cause. This competition opened up new paths for advancement, mainly by way of the battlefield. Many of the revolutionary armies depended heavily upon the pardos to fill their ranks; many also served as officers. Of greater significance for nineteenth-century Venezuelan society, the wars of independence brought to the fore a new class of leaders of mixed social and racial origins, perhaps best exemplified by José Antonio Páez, a fiery llanero (plainsman). Páez and leaders like him represented in almost every respect the antithesis to the cerebral, worldly wise, white, and refined Simón Bolívar Palacios and others of his class.
Páez governed Venezuela either directly as president or indirectly through his friends in the presidential office from 1830 to 1848. It was a period of slow but undeniable transformation of Venezuelan society. Although traditional exports such as cotton, cacao, tobacco, and beef expanded, coffee soon came to dominate agricultural production. The transition to coffee brought changes to Venezuelan society. Coffee growing was less labor intensive than most agricultural pursuits; even in colonial times it operated mostly under systems of sharecropping and seasonal labor, rather than slavery. During the nineteenth century, small farmers increased their share of national coffee production and, consequently, they moved upward on the social ladder.
Toward the end of the century, after the years of the Federal War (1858-63), fissures once again appeared in Venezuelan society as new social elements arose, often regardless of class, place of origin, race, or education. As in so much of the country's social history, a personality, another caudillo, best exemplified the new social order. In this case, the caudillo was Juan Vicente Gómez, a semiliterate Andean who dominated the national political scene from 1908 to 1935. Although often pictured as a traditional caudillo, Gómez did more than merely advance his own interests and those of his clique; he presided over the transformation of Venezuela from a rural to an urban society, from an agrarian to an industrial economy.
The illegitimate son of an Indian mother and a Spanish immigrant, Gómez rose to prominence first as a local and later a national caudillo. Once in control of the national government, he brought prosperity to Venezuela through a regime of repression, austerity, and reform. Perhaps most important, Gómez opened the Venezuelan oil fields for exploration beginning in the second decade of the twentieth century; by 1928 Venezuela became the world's leading exporter of petroleum, second only to the United States in total petroleum production.
The impact of oil on Venezuelan society was enormous. Gómez used oil revenues to bolster his authoritarian regime. The highway system he built helped to centralize his control over the country. Agriculture rapidly lost its preeminence as petroleum became the country's leading export. Oil profits funded public works programs, industrialization, port expansions, urban modernization, and payment of the public debt. The new revenue also made Gómez and his cronies immensely rich. At the same time, Venezuela entered a new stage in its economic and social development. Traditionally self-sufficient in food, the country began to import even basic foodstuffs. The petroleum workers, never more than 3 percent of the labor force, formed an elite union that served as the nucleus of a new labor movement. The promise of jobs, prosperity, and social advancement drew Venezuelans from every corner of the country to the cities of Caracas and Maracaibo. In just a few short decades, rural agricultural Venezuelan society became urban and industrial; the middle class expanded; ethnic groups mixed more readily; and a once largely isolated society found itself involved with the rest of the world.
Venezuelans referred to their few major cities as "poles of attraction". These poles indeed functioned as magnets, drawing the population from the interior of the country to the urban centers. The 1971 census evidenced the mobility of the population when it indicated that a larger percentage of urban dwellers had come from some other place in the country than from the city where they lived. For example, less than 30 percent of the population of Caracas had been born there.
By the 1970s, the population of Caracas was spilling over into smaller towns and cities in adjacent administrative units. As a result, the Metropolitan Urban Commission was established in 1973 to be responsible for city planning for the entire metropolitan area. By the late 1980s, a rapid-rail transportation system connected the capital with some outlying towns. Another means of relieving congestion was the Caracas Metro (C.A. Metro de Caracas--Cametro), an extremely modern subway system that served a limited area of the capital.
The government sought to encourage reverse migration, from urban to rural areas, but the results proved disappointing. The National Agrarian Institute (Instituto Nacional Agrario--INA) conducted a program providing incentives for rural colonization and resettlement, but ironically, the more economically successful settlements produced such high population growth that they became, in effect, new urban centers. The government also attempted to create other poles of attraction through publicly funded industrialization projects. The best example of this policy was Ciudad Guayana, which at its founding in 1961 was planned to accommodate no more than 300,000 persons. By 1990 the government projected that the city, with its industrial complex and concentration of government services, would boast a population of one million before the end of the twentieth century. During the 1960s, the government also initiated a project to open up the sparsely populated public lands of the Orinoco Delta. Through swamp reclamation, the government expected to make some 1.6 million hectares available for year-round agricultural use. Other programs included the planned settlement of families along the country's frontiers, especially in the area of Bolívar state near the Brazilian border.
In spite of these various attempts to manage migration patterns, Caracas continued to overshadow all other cities. In fact, there have been years when the capital grew at the incredible rate of 7 percent annually. Such growth caused tremendous economic and social problems and triggered crises in the delivery of public services, especially as oil revenues dwindled.
Different sections of the country reflected quite different life-styles. Caracas was a modern, sophisticated, cosmopolitan city. Its citizens contrasted sharply with the llaneros, persons of the interior plains and cattle-ranching areas, who continued to lead a rugged existence. By the same token, the more conservative Andean peasants also shared few values or perspectives with their fellow citizens from the capital.
The effects of rapid urbanization are strikingly apparent in the poor barrios of Caracas, with their ramshackle ranchos. Most of the inhabitants of these barrios came from fairly good-sized towns or were actually born in Caracas, rather than gravitating directly from the hinterland to the capital city. Studies have shown that residents of the barrios were, on average, even younger than Venezuelan society as a whole. In addition, the average family of four children was overwhelmingly the product of informal unions, and many of the children were not recognized by their fathers. In fact, in cases where the father left to form another family or disappeared altogether, prevailing social attitudes held that the mother should support the child herself, perhaps with some assistance from her own family.
The Venezuelan Children's Council (Consejo Venezolano para los Niños--CVN) was the government agency in charge of protecting the welfare of minors, but it seldom instituted judicial proceedings to compel fathers to support their children. In accord with the Hispanic tradition of maternal responsibility for rearing children, mothers were reluctant to complain to the CVN, and the council itself had few means, and perhaps even less will, to seek out those fathers who had left the household and who no longer demonstrated a sense of obligation to their children. The sprawling capital, with its labyrinth of nearly one thousand separate barrios, served as an effective haven for such individuals.
For more recent population estimates, see Facts about Venezuela.
Sixth in size among the Latin American countries, Venezuela was one of the Western Hemisphere's least densely populated countries. But despite a low overall population density (21.4 persons per square kilometer in 1987), distribution was extremely uneven. Most of its nearly 20 million inhabitants (19,698,104, according to a mid-1990 estimate) were concentrated in the western Andean region and along the coast. Although nearly half of the land area lies south and east of the Río Orinoco, that area contained only about 4 percent of the population in the late 1980s. About 75 percent of the total population lived in only 20 percent of the national territory, mainly in the northern mountains (Caracas and surrounding areas) and the Maracaibo lowlands. In the 1990s, the north, the site of most of the country's first colonial cities, agricultural estates, and urban settlements, remained the administrative, economic, and social heartland of the country. Most of the population was concentrated along the coast and in the valleys of the coastal mountain ranges, and about one of every five Venezuelans lived in Caracas. Only three major inland urban centers existed in the early 1990s: Barquisimeto, Ciudad Guayana, and Valencia. This concentration of population persisted in spite of a number of government programs that provided incentives to relocate industry and tried to expand educational opportunities throughout the rest of the country.
Venezuela's population growth rate (2.5 percent in 1990) remained among the highest in the world, fed by both a high birth rate (28 births per 1,000 population in 1990) and a comparatively low death rate (4 deaths per 1,000 population in 1990)--mainly a result of improved health and sanitary conditions after World War II. The average annual population increase for the period 1950-86 was 3.4 percent. Only in the 1970s and 1980s did it begin to decline somewhat, dropping to 2.7 percent by 1986 and to 2.5 percent by 1990. This trend was all the more surprising in light of the widespread availability of contraceptives and Venezuelans' comparatively high education level and standard of living, social indicators that normally correlate with much lower rates of natural increase.
On average, postwar Venezuela roughly doubled its population every twenty years. The prevailing demographic patterns indicated that the population would more than double during the period 1990-2010. The number of births per woman, however, had begun to decline by 1990 (to 3.4), and this eventually should be reflected in lower growth figures. But any substantial reduction in the overall growth rate was not expected until sometime in the twenty-first century.
Although population figures based on census data were quite accurate for the decades after World War II, the same could not be said for the figures on mortality, particularly the figures generated at the state level. Deaths were undercounted, particularly those of infants and young children. Thus, one could not reliably compare mortality rates among individual states because a higher mortality rate in one state might not, in fact, reflect greater mortality, but simply better record keeping. Nationally, the infant mortality rate in 1990 was 27 deaths per 1,000 live births, and life expectancy was seventy-one years for males and seventy-seven years for females. Both of these figures ranked among the best in Latin America.
In the mid-1980s, about 40 percent of the population was under fifteen years of age; about 70 percent was under thirty. The last major influx of European immigrants took place in the early 1950s, when large numbers of Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese immigrants arrived, attracted by massive government construction projects. The 1981 census showed that 94 percent of the people were native born. Of the foreign born, most came from Spain, Italy, Portugal, Africa, and Colombia. As of 1986, about 17,000 United States citizens also were living in Venezuela.
The most striking phenomenon in the distribution of the Venezuelan population has been the shift from a highly rural to an overwhelmingly urban population in response to the process of economic growth and modernization occasioned by the development of the oil industry. Venezuelan census figures defined urban localities as those having more than 2,500 inhabitants, rural areas as those with under 1,000 inhabitants, and areas with between 1,000 and 2,500 inhabitants as intermediate. Most demographers, however, categorized these intermediate areas as urban. The 1941 census indicated that about two-thirds of the population resided in rural areas. By 1950 a major shift had occurred, as the census showed that more than 53 percent of the population was urban. By 1975 the urban population was estimated at over 82 percent; the figure surpassed 85 percent in the late 1980s.
In the thirty-year period between 1941 and 1971, the absolute number of rural people remained almost constant at 2.3 million, while the number of persons in large cities mushroomed. The rural areas experiencing the most intense out-migration were located in the states of Táchira, Mérida, and Trujillo. In 1941 only two cities, Caracas and Maracaibo, had more than 20,000 inhabitants. By 1971 there were eight cities with over 100,000 persons. In 1981 there were nine such cities. In 1989 the estimated population of the four largest cities was: Caracas, 3,500,000; Maracaibo, 1,350,000; Valencia, 1,250,000; and Barquisimeto, nearly 1,000,000.
In addition to its high natural growth rate, Venezuela also received a considerable number of foreign immigrants during the twentieth century. Influenced by provisions encouraging the immigration of skilled workers under the 1936 Law on Immigration and Settlement, a wave of immigrants arrived during the first years after World War II. The period of the Marcos Pérez Jiménez dictatorship (1948-58) saw over a million people enter the country. Many of them came to help build major government public works projects; these workers effectively undermined the role of domestic labor and weakened the position of the then-underground labor unions. Many saw the government's 1959 suspension of Pérez's immigration policy as a reflection of the bitterness felt by some groups toward these immigrant workers.
Immigrants to Venezuela tended to come from a fairly small number of countries. About 30 percent of the foreign-born were Colombians. Spaniards accounted for about 25 percent of the total, Italians and Portuguese about 15 percent each. The balance of immigrants came from the Middle East, Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, or Cuba. Many of these were political or economic refugees who found both economic opportunity and a democratic haven in Venezuela.
In addition to the officially recognized immigrants entering the country, many Colombians (and a far smaller number of Brazilians) have entered illegally. Although the actual number was unknown, it probably ranged between 500,000 and 1,000,000 indocumentados (undocumented or illegal aliens). These indocumentados suffered exploitation and discrimination; many Venezuelans considered them criminal elements. In reality, most crossed the border simply in search of better economic conditions. Most of them, farm or urban laborers, came in response to the lure of salaries several times as high as those prevailing in Colombia. Others were seasonal workers; about 15,000 reportedly entered each year to work as field hands during the harvest season. Still others entered to take jobs on farms or in factories for a longer time, but with the intention of eventually returning home. Most did stay, however, particularly in the northwestern states of Táchira and Zulia, where most of the border crossings took place. Some eventually migrated farther into the country, to Maracaibo or Caracas. Maracaibo hosted the largest urban concentration of Colombian indocumentados, who found work in the construction, petroleum, and other industries.
The illegal migration reportedly slowed down somewhat in the 1980s as a result of Venezuela's extended period of economic depression. Jobs became scarcer, and more Venezuelans found themselves seeking employment in occupations they had previously considered beneath their dignity. At the same time, complaints of mistreatment from Colombians in Venezuela increased, and a growing number of Colombian migrants apparently opted to travel to the United States.


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NEW DELHI, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The death toll in lightning and hailstorms that hit several Indian states Tuesday rose to 45, officials said.
According to officials, 18 people were killed and over a dozen injured in Bihar.
In neighboring Jharkhand state, 12 people lost their lives and 28 others suffered burn injuries due to lightning.
Likewise, in Uttar Pradesh, 15 persons were killed and more than one dozen injured in storm, rain and lightning-related incidents.
In affected places, the storms uprooted trees and electricity poles, thereby disrupting power supply.
The hailstorm and rains have destroyed Mango, Litchi and Banana crop.
Earlier this month on two occasions, over 200 people were killed and more than 400 others injured in five states due to dust storms, thunderstorms, rains and lightning.


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text:
Sedam (eng. Seven) je kriminalistički triler Davida Finchera iz 1995. snimljen prema scenariju Andrewa Kevina Walkera.

Priča prati dvojicu detektiva, jednog koji se sprema u mirovinu (Morgan Freeman) i jednog od njegovih zamjena (Brad Pitt), koji zajednički istražuju seriju ritualnih ubojstava inspriranih sa Sedam smrtnih grijeha.

Radnja

U nepoznatom gradu stalne kiše i urbane truleži, detektiv William Somerset se sprema za mirovinu i napuštanje užasa grada. Prije nego što se to dogodi, dodjeljuju mu partnera Davida Millsa, drskog, mladog i temperamentnog policajca iz provincije. Dvojac istražuje ubojstvo pretilog muškarca koji je nahranjen špagetima dok mu se trbuh nije rasprsnuo od udarca. Somerset istražuje ubojstvo dok je Millsu dodijeljen slučaj ubojstva javnog branitelja Elija Goulda u čijem je uredu na zidu krvlju ispisano "POHLEPA". Ubrzo nakon toga, Somerset pronalazi natpis "PROŽDRLJIVOST" napisan iza hladnjaka pretilog čovjeka, nakon čega počinje teoretizirati kako serijski ubojica temelji svoje zločine na Sedam smrtnih grijeha, što znači da ih je ostalo još pet.

Kako bi sprijateljila Millsa i Somerseta, Millsova žena, Tracy (Gwyneth Paltrow) poziva Somerseta na večeru. Nakon što je Tracy otišla u krevet, Mills i Somerset počnu pregledavati dokaze s dva poprišta zločina. Pronalaze sliku Gouldove žene s nacrtanom krvlju oko očiju. Detektivi posjećuju smućenu gospođu Gould u sigurnoj kući i pokažu joj fotografiju apstraktne slike. Ona primjećuje kako je okrenuta naopako. Nanoseći prah na zid iza slike, Somerset pronalazi otiske prstiju koji označavaju riječi "Pomozite mi."

Nakon što su pregledali otiske u bazi podataka, trag ih dan poslije odvodi do pedofila zvanog Victor koji je izbjegao osudu za silovanje zahvaljujući svojem odvjetniku: Eliju Gouldu, žrtvi pohlepe. Specijalci i detektivi upadaju u njegov stan i pronalaze Victora kao žrtvu LIJENOSTI. Zavezan je za krevet točno godinu dana o čemu svjedoče fotografije u stanu; jedna uslikana svaki dan do dana kad je pronađen. Victor je živ, ali u katastrofalnom stanju jer je pretrpio teška fizička i mentalna pogoršanja. Ruka mu je odsječena kako bi se mogli ostaviti otisci.

Te večeri, Tracy nazove Somerseta i zatraži ga da se sastane s njom. Sljedećeg jutra, Somerset se sastaje s Tracy u restoranu gdje mu ona kaže kako se osjeća jadno u "gradu". Na Somersetovo inzistiranje, Tracy mu otkriva istinu zašto je se zapravo htjela sastati s njim: trudna je i boji se odgajati dijete ondje gdje sada žive te se boji to reći Davidu.

Kasnije tog dana, koristeći se kontaktom u FBI-ju, Somerset iz knjižnice dobiva popis ljudi koji su posuđivali knjige povezane sa Sedam smrtnih grijeha. Popis vodi detektive do čovjeka zvanog John Doe (Nepoznati Netko), čiji stan ubrzo posjećuju. Doe ih, skrivena lica, ugleda pri dolasku kući i izvuče pištolj. Nakon duge potjere, Doe udari Millsa metalnom šipkom, prinese mu pištolj na glavu, ali mu poštedi život i odjednom pobjegne. Pri pregledu Doeva stana (nakon što su potplatili stanara da ustvrdi kako je zvao detektive zbog Doea) pronalaze bilježnice s njegovim mislima, zločinačke trofeje i sliku Millsa kako odguruje Doea koji se tada prerušio u fotografa. Pronalaze i fotografiju mlade žene, prostitutke, za koju vjeruju da bi mogla biti sljedeća žrtva. Potvrda ih odvodi do sadomazohističkog shopa gdje je Doe ostavio narudžbu za seksualnu spravu. Djevojku ubrzo pronalaze u sobi s vratima na kojima piše POHOTA. U sobi pronalaze i uzdrmanog čovjeka kojeg je Doe prisilio da stavi dildo za privezivanje s pričvršćenom oštricom te siluje i ubije djevojku.

Sljedećeg jutra pronalaze model, a na mjestu zločina pronalaze natpis OHOLOST. Doe joj je odrezao nos ("kako bi joj pljunuo u lice") i dao joj izbor između samoubojstva tabletama za spavanje ili poziva u pomoć i života u strahu. Dok se detektivi vraćaju u policijsku centralu, Doe im prilazi krvavih ruku (otklonio je kožu s prstiju kako bi izbjegao identifikaciju) i predaje se. Sastaje se s odvjetnikom i pristane da će priznati ubojstva ako odvede Somerseta i Millsa do dva preostala tijela. Tražeći priznanje, detektivi pristaju.

Dok putuju gradskom pustinjskom periferijom, Doe objašnjava logiku svojih ubojstava kao način da pokaže ljudima što svijet zapravo jest, a u isto vrijeme da kazni grešne. Kaže da će ostati upamćen i da će mu se diviti za ono što je napravio. Mills poludi i počne vikati na njega, dok Somerset ostaje miran, ali zabrinut.

Došavši na mjesto za koje im je Doe rekao, pojavljuje se kombi i Somerset ga zaustavlja. Vozač ustvrdi kako mu je Doe platio 500 dolara da dostavi kutiju na to mjesto u to vrijeme. Somerset otvori kutiju i odstupi zbog užasa koji je vidio. Počne dovikivati Millsu da ne sluša Doea, a Doe prizna Millsu da se divio njegovu životu do te točke da je postao ljubomoran zbog njegove žene i ljubavi koju su dijelili. Kaže mu da je pokušao "glumiti muža" s Tracy tog dana, ali nije mu uspjelo pa je uzeo suvenir: "njezinu lijepu glavicu". Bio je to Doeov plan da ga Mills ubije jer je kriv zbog ZAVISTI. Otkriva Millsu da je Tracy bila trudna. Mills, usprkos Somersetovim preklinjanjima, ostaje previše šokiran ženinom smrću i saznanjem da je bila trudna te isprazni svoj pištolj u Doea. Mills, ubivši Doea u osveti, počini grijeh SRDŽBE.

Nakon što su katatoničnog Millsa odveli, Somerset izjavljuje da će ostati u policiji, odgodivši mirovinu.

Glumci

 Morgan Freeman kao detektiv poručnik William Somerset
 Brad Pitt kao detektiv David Mills
 Gwyneth Paltrow kao Tracy Mills
 Kevin Spacey kao John Doe
 R. Lee Ermey kao policijski kapetan
 John C. McGinley kao California
 Julie Araskog kao gđa. Gould

Produkcija

U intervjuu za časopis Cinefantastique, Andrew Kevin Walker je izjavio da je primarna inspiracija za scenarij filma bilo vrijeme koje je proveo u New Yorku dok se probijao kao scenarist. "Nisam se dobro proveo u New Yorku, ali je istina i to da nisam živio ondje vjerojatno ne bih napisao Sedam."

Napučene gradske ulice uz depresivnu kišu za koju se čini kako pada bez prestanka bili su integralni elementi filma jer je Fincher htio prikazati grad koji je "prljav, nasilan, onečišćen, često depresivan. Vizualno i stilistički, to je način na koji smo htjeli prikazati ovaj svijet. Sve je trebalo biti što autentičnije i sirovije."

Fincher se obratio produkcijskom dizajneru Arthuru Maxu da osmisli turobni svijet koji često na jezovit način zrcali svoje stanovnike. "Stvorili smo ugođaj koji reflektira moralnu dekadenciju ljudi u njemu", kaže Max. "Sve se raspada i ništa ne funkcionira kako bi trebalo."

Alternativni završeci

U ranoj verziji scenarija završetak je bio potpuno drukčiji u kojem se Doe ne predaje i ne ubija Tracy. Umjesto toga, zbiva se konačni obračun između Doea, Millsa i Somerseta. Doe ubija Millsa, a bijesni Somerset uzvrati iz čina srdžbe brutalno se osvetivši Doeu. Somerset upuca Doea, ali ne da ga ubije nego da izazove maksimalnu bol, pogodivši ga u svaku ruku i svaku nogu. Dok se Doe previja u bolovima, Somerset ga zapali i pušta ga da živ izgori.

U ovoj verziji scenarija završetak sugerira da se Somerset ipak neće umiroviti. Umjesto toga, novopečena udovica Tracy se odseli kako bi rodila i pokuša pronaći život kakav je Somerset zamišljao u mirovini. On simbolično prenosi na nju ono što je bila njegova vizija budućnosti. Ovaj završetak vjerojatno nije iskorišten jer ne odgovara liku Somerseta.

Na specijalnom DVD izdanju jasno se naznačuje kako su se razmatrali i drugačiji završeci. U nesnimljenom alternativnom završetku Somerset upuca Johna Doea u činu samožrtvovanja kako bi spasio Millsa. Nakon što Mills dovikne "Što to radiš?" Somerset odvraća, "Umirovljavam se."

Na DVD komentaru, Fincher kaže kako je razmatrao konačni obračun između Doea, Millsa i Somerseta, a film bi završio nakon što Mills upuca Doea - posljednji kadrovi bili bi scena zločina gledana iz helikoptera. Bez obzira na sve, na kraju je dodana scena u kojoj Millsa odvode, a Somerset nagovještava kako se još neće umiroviti.

Kritike

Sedam je objavljen 22. rujna 1995. u 2,441 kinu gdje je u prvom vikendu zaradio 13,9 milijuna dolara. Na kraju je u Sjevernoj Americi zaradio 100,1 milijuna dolara te 227,1 milijuna u ostatku svijeta, odnosno ukupno 327,3 milijuna dolara.

Kritičari su u najvećem broju pozitivno reagirali na film. Gary Arnold iz Washington Timesa je hvalio glumce: "Glavni pogoci filma su opća pojava g. Freemana u ulozi zrelog, mudrog policajca i g. Pitt kao mladi, svojeglavi policajac. No, taj kontrast sam od sebe nije inspirativan i vjerodostojan. Ono što vas oduševljava je smjelost sporednih glumaca u pokušaju da pokažu nepotpune profile likova". Sheila Johnston je u svojoj recenziji za The Independent hvalila Freemanovu izvedbu: "film pripada Freemanu i njegovom tihom, pažljivo detaljiziranom portretu izmučenog starijeg čovjeka koji uči da se ne predaje bez borbe".

Nagrade

New Line Cinema objavila je na Božić reizdanje filma u Westwoodu u Kaliforniji, te 29. prosinca 1996. u New Yorku u pokušaju da osigura nominacije za Oscara za Freemana, Pitta, Finchera i Walkera.

Walker je nominiran za BAFTA-u za najbolji originalni scenarij. Montažer Richard Francis-Bruce bio je nominiran za Oscar za najbolju montažu. Film je osvojio MTV-jevu filmsku nagradu za najbolji film.

DVD

DVD izdanje filma sadrži četiri dokumentarca snimljena za tu priliku s glumcima i drugim članovima produkcije koji razgovaraju o svojim iskustvima tijekom snimanja filma. Na prvom disku se nalazi i scenarij s linkovima na film.

Soundtrack

Glazba iz najavne špice je Coilov sample remiksa pjesme "Closer" Nine Inch Nailsa. Pjesma iz odjavne špice je pjesma Davida Bowieja "The Hearts Fifthy Lesson" s albuma Outside. Originalnu glazbu za film je skladao Howard Shore.

"In the Beginning" - The Statler Brothers
"Guilty" - Gravity Kills
"Trouble Man" - Marvin Gaye
"Speaking of Happiness" - Gloria Lynne
"Suite No. 3 in D Major", BWV 1068 "Air" - skladatelj Johann Sebastian Bach, u izvedbi Stuttgarter Kammerorche[ster] /dirigent Karl Münchinger
"Love Plus One" - Haircut 100
"I Cover the Waterfront" - Billie Holiday
"Now's the Time" - Charlie Parker
"Straight, No Chaser" - Thelonious Monk
"Portrait of John Doe" - Howard Shore
"Suite from Seven" - Howard Shore

Izvori

Vanjske poveznice

Američki filmovi 1990-ih
Detektivski filmovi
Filmovi 1990-ih
Kriminalistički trileri

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd">

<title>CustomCriteriaSet</title>
<meta name="date" content="2013-12-19">
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../../../../../stylesheet.css" title="Style">

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com.google.api.ads.dfp.v201311

Class CustomCriteriaSet

java.lang.Object

com.google.api.ads.dfp.v201311.CustomCriteriaNode

com.google.api.ads.dfp.v201311.CustomCriteriaSet

All Implemented Interfaces:

java.io.Serializable

public class CustomCriteriaSet
extends CustomCriteriaNode
implements java.io.Serializable

A CustomCriteriaSet comprises of a set of CustomCriteriaNode
 objects combined by the
             CustomCriteriaSet.LogicalOperator#logicalOperator.
 The custom
             criteria targeting tree is subject to the rules defined
 on
             Targeting.customTargeting.

See Also:

Serialized Form

Constructor Summary

Constructors

Constructor and Description

CustomCriteriaSet()

CustomCriteriaSet(java.lang.String customCriteriaNodeType,
                 CustomCriteriaSetLogicalOperator logicalOperator,
                 CustomCriteriaNode[] children)

Method Summary

Methods

Modifier and Type
Method and Description

boolean
equals(java.lang.Object obj)

CustomCriteriaNode[]
getChildren()

Gets the children value for this CustomCriteriaSet.

CustomCriteriaNode
getChildren(int i)

static org.apache.axis.encoding.Deserializer
getDeserializer(java.lang.String mechType,
               java.lang.Class _javaType,
               javax.xml.namespace.QName _xmlType)

Get Custom Deserializer

CustomCriteriaSetLogicalOperator
getLogicalOperator()

Gets the logicalOperator value for this CustomCriteriaSet.

static org.apache.axis.encoding.Serializer
getSerializer(java.lang.String mechType,
             java.lang.Class _javaType,
             javax.xml.namespace.QName _xmlType)

Get Custom Serializer

static org.apache.axis.description.TypeDesc
getTypeDesc()

Return type metadata object

int
hashCode()

void
setChildren(CustomCriteriaNode[] children)

Sets the children value for this CustomCriteriaSet.

void
setChildren(int i,
           CustomCriteriaNode _value)

void
setLogicalOperator(CustomCriteriaSetLogicalOperator logicalOperator)

Sets the logicalOperator value for this CustomCriteriaSet.

Methods inherited from class com.google.api.ads.dfp.v201311.CustomCriteriaNode

getCustomCriteriaNodeType, setCustomCriteriaNodeType

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

clone, finalize, getClass, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Constructor Detail

CustomCriteriaSet

public CustomCriteriaSet()

CustomCriteriaSet

public CustomCriteriaSet(java.lang.String customCriteriaNodeType,
                 CustomCriteriaSetLogicalOperator logicalOperator,
                 CustomCriteriaNode[] children)

Method Detail

getLogicalOperator

public CustomCriteriaSetLogicalOperator getLogicalOperator()

Gets the logicalOperator value for this CustomCriteriaSet.

Returns:

logicalOperator   * The logical operator to be applied to children.
 This attribute is required.

setLogicalOperator

public void setLogicalOperator(CustomCriteriaSetLogicalOperator logicalOperator)

Sets the logicalOperator value for this CustomCriteriaSet.

Parameters:

logicalOperator - * The logical operator to be applied to children.
 This attribute is required.

getChildren

public CustomCriteriaNode[] getChildren()

Gets the children value for this CustomCriteriaSet.

Returns:

children   * The custom criteria. This attribute is required.

setChildren

public void setChildren(CustomCriteriaNode[] children)

Sets the children value for this CustomCriteriaSet.

Parameters:

children - * The custom criteria. This attribute is required.

getChildren

public CustomCriteriaNode getChildren(int i)

setChildren

public void setChildren(int i,
               CustomCriteriaNode _value)

equals

public boolean equals(java.lang.Object obj)

Overrides:

equals in class CustomCriteriaNode

hashCode

public int hashCode()

Overrides:

hashCode in class CustomCriteriaNode

getTypeDesc

public static org.apache.axis.description.TypeDesc getTypeDesc()

Return type metadata object

getSerializer

public static org.apache.axis.encoding.Serializer getSerializer(java.lang.String mechType,
                                                java.lang.Class _javaType,
                                                javax.xml.namespace.QName _xmlType)

Get Custom Serializer

getDeserializer

public static org.apache.axis.encoding.Deserializer getDeserializer(java.lang.String mechType,
                                                    java.lang.Class _javaType,
                                                    javax.xml.namespace.QName _xmlType)

Get Custom Deserializer

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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


It's a New Week. No long story. Here is a reminder for us to focus on the most important thing.
You've been told to follow your dreams. Yeah? But what do you do when what you decide to chase starts to run away.
Do you stop running? Or, do you continue to run?
If you are running, where are you running to?
Dreams are beautiful things; they fill us with hope and optimism; they make us view every day with new possibilities and cause our hearts to radiate with joy at the prospect that "today might just be the day." They are wonderful, that is, until they consume your entire being. It's at that moment when you come face to face with the reality that maybe it's actually not what life is all about.
But I want to propose that there is a time when it's not only necessary but actually appropriate to stop chasing your dream.
I've written about this before, but the truth is it's a constant battle for me. This desperate need to be useful to God, to do something big enough to matter can be overwhelming. And sometimes it doesn't happen as fully as I need it to.
It's exhausting to be spinning my wheels and feeling emptier and emptier.
And God has been asking me, gently calling me, to lay down my nets, and follow hard after Him.
Let's stop chasing our dreams, and start chasing the One who gives dreams.
Question to apply: What do you chase each day? How can you chase Jesus?
Heart Rays . . . giving light.
Dear Diary, What Do I Want?
Do You Know How Much Your Dreams Would Cost You?


The TUF 959 gives an optimal cut on extremely hard and flat materials, the blade design guarantees the cut object is dragged into the centre of the two blades.
The TUF 959 comes with a twist-grip control with dead man's handle. This means that the hydraulic shear will stop immediately and remain in its position when the handle is released. Furthermore, all rescue tools are equipped with a built-in safety valve which protects the tools from overload.


What can AI do better than humans already now?
Human and algorithms are complementary. Now in order to be complementary, one must complete the other weakness.
– Have an AI restricting potential health issues among the realm of possibilities, so the doctor can decide faster with even possibilities thst he would have not thought about.
– Have an AI preparing a compilation of articles on a specific topic analyzing data from multiple sources; have an Analyst preparing an engaging paper out of it.
– Have an AI filtering calls and answering generic questions; have a subject matter expert answering specific questions.
– Generally have an AI doing thing that are repeatable, specific and supervisable; saving time for the human being to add real value to the draft.
AI is not yet smart compared to a kid. However when you are properly restricting the tasks knowing the current limits; then you create new capacities for AI.
A friend who is running an AI company told me to use more jargon words and to drown my interlocutor with formulas and complicated words and concepts.
My belief is that it is not a service we do to the AI democratisation to make it more complicated than it really is. The basics are absolutely understandable, the details are more mathematical of course! But anyone can and should understand the basics.
We need people to understand, care and challenge the AI systems we create. People who create the tools might be way less knowledgeable about the real life limits and this threaten the essence of the intelligence that we want to create.
And yes, there are some real dangers with AI, but you can only understand those by understanding the concepts ruling AI.
Science without conscious is but the ruin of soul. Science sans conscience nest que la ruine de l'ame.
I am very happy to say that Lili.ai was for the first time mentioned in an article written by the well-respected Nidam Abdi. One time on Linkedin Pulse, and one time on Les Echos (the French Financial Times).
Last week, Lili.ai organized an event to give visibility to the flourishing AI ecosysteme in France.
Do you need to be a GAFA to do AI?
Would you say we are small and smart?
How do we become big?
Do we intend to become the India of Artificial Intelligence?
Do we need to be a GAFA to do AI?
Lili.ai is launching an event in partnership with NUMA (leading French accelerator) about Artificial Intelligence.
Around two round-table, we will be debating about the pros and cons to do Artificial Intelligence in France.
Milie Taing, Founder of Lili.ai will be doing the intro and the conclusion of the evening.
Will be present: INRIA (leading French AI lab working with Facebook), ISAI (French seed VC), BPI (French Public Investment Bank giving grants and loans), Deepomatic (start-up doing machine learning on pictures), Vocal-apps (start-up enabling voice control with a few lines of code), cardiologs (start-ups that uses AI to fight against cardiovascular diseases), niland (start-up that uses AI to help you sort your music).
I once ago presented the plan for Lili to the CTO of a very famous digital assistant start-up. He laughted and said "not doable".
Yet, we did it! Here is another example in robotics!
The secret? When the pain is so incrusted in you, no matter how complex it may be; you just do it!
No problem is impossible to solve; "do you really want to achieve it?" and "what price will you agree to pay for it?" is the two questions that really matter! This guy wanted to climb again; and went back to the engineering class to design his own legs!


Poultry litter is a safe source of proteins, minerals and energy for cattle raised for beef. In addition, processed litter makes a good protein supplement for both cows and growing calves.
Dr Silas Obukosia, a South African agricultural biotechnologist says although feeding animal waste to beef cattle had at some point been wrongly associated with causing mad cow disease, the only known poultry disease that is zoonotic is salmonella.
He explained that chicken litter desirable for feeding to cattle should contain 20 to 30 percent moisture and crude protein.
Straight after rain, ephemerals (opportunistic plants or opslag) high in salt and minerals appear almost overnight. These are followed by fast-growing plants rich in energy and vitamins, which, as they reach maturity, undergo an increase in protein, fibre and dry-matter content.
The opposite happens during a drought. Plants turn from green to brown and later to black. When the "opslag" disappears, it becomes necessary to add energy, fat and especially fat-soluble vitamins (Vitamin A) to the diet.
In an advanced stage of drought, plants are critically short in protein, dry matter and fibre. The calcium concentration increases, as it does in winter. Usually, high calcium or iron concentration in plants is the main reason for the poor absorption of energy, minerals and vitamins from the digestive tract to the blood and liver.
This occurs due to a more alkaline digestive tract and an insoluble compound of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, which leads to a deficiency of phosphate and magnesium, as these minerals are excreted in manure and urine.
In overgrazed veld where fodder is scarce, lucerne and drought pellets will be the best supplementary feed. But in the veld in reasonable condition, a tailor-made lick could be better. Drought pellets are high in fibre, calcium and perhaps iron, but the overall nutritive value is lower than needed for maintenance. Lucerne supplies protein, but contains too much roughage and calcium, while energy is too low for production. Feeding lucerne only is thus not the best option. Much of the fibre available in the vegetation is wasted because of injudicious supplementary feeding. This is a great problem throughout South Africa. While adult ruminants need 20 percent fibre, and growing ruminants require 15 percent in their diet, the veld provides more than 30 percent. This can increase even further during a drought.
This means that, under normal conditions, each adult ruminant will use the fibre of 1.5 animals, while each growing ruminant (lamb or calf) will excrete that of two animals. With a lick tailor-made for farm and animals, fibre use will be more effective and will be available for longer in any specific grazing camp during drought.
Rumen microbes can produce protein from non-protein nitrogen (NPN), as well as vitamins, enzymes and other vital compounds, via essential amino acids and fatty acids. The problem is that these nutrients are not enough for production or to maintain fertility.


Discussion in 'Other Pokémon Games' started by May, Mar 20, 2014.
Today was officially announced a new educational app: PokéTouch (ポケタッチ).
Whit this app, kids can type pokémon's names, play mini-games and improve their hand-eye co-ordination.
This app will be available only for schools and other educational methods.


text:
Fearless Vampire Killers Announce New Double A-Side Single ('Danger'/'Braindead')
Fearless Vampire Killers have returned with their first new material since last years 'Unbreakable Hearts' LP. On August 21st they will release a new double A-Side single. One track is called 'Danger' with the other titled 'Braindead'. To mark the announcement, FVK are streaming the latter below.
Frontman Kier Kemp had this to say about the track:
"This track marks our first move into a new chapter for FVK. Guided by our friend Dan Weller (Enter Shikari, Young Guns), we set out to capture something that felt new but maintained a certain atmosphere. This is something we've continued to work on a lot since writing Braindead, and I really feel like we're starting to find something exciting musically. The song talks about becoming a bit isolated but adds a little twist. Hopefully this will tickle your curiosity as for what is to come, as there's plenty more on the horizon."
The single will be preceded by Fearless Vampire Killers very own festival. Havoc Fest will take place on Sunday August 9th and will take place across two venues in London – The Dome and Boston Music Room. The line-up so far consists of Glamour of the Kill, Fearless Vampire Killers, Forever Never, Zoax, AllUsOnDrugs, Hindsights, Villains and Myth City.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8PVhzmVsCY&w=100&h=520]
On: 30th July 2015
In: Post
Tagged: Allusondrugs, Braindead, Danger, Fearless Vampire Killers, Forever Never, Glamour of the Kill, Havoc Fest, Hindsights, Myth City, Villains, Zoax

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The seal above identifies MicroWaterMan parent company of MicroWaterWoman as an authorized reseller of the Q-Link line of products.
As you may have noticed, we only carry the very best line of products. Q-Link follows in that tradition. Please watch the following videos to get a quick overview on what the Q-link can do for you. If you wear jewelry it only makes sense for you to wear something that will protect you from environmental EMF hazards.
The Q-Link is one of the best gifts you can get for a loved one or even yourself. Not only are they elegant and beautiful but they offer protection against harmful EMF forces that you cannot see, but will surely feel. We are constantly surrounded by electronic equipment and bombarded with stress from every direction. The Q-Link is just what we needed. Here are some of the benefits you can expect from your intricately designed Q-Link Pendant.
• Helps to increase your resilience to electromagnetic pollution.
Induction Coil: 75 ft. of insulated superfine pure copper wire in a 25mm diameter coil amplifies the effect of the resonating cell. Resonating Cell: The multi-frequency pure crystalline oscillator (enhanced with Sympathetic Resonance Technology SRT-3) works like a series of tuning forks to sympathetically resonate with and reinforce, the key frequencies of the human energy system also called biofield.
Q-Link Case: The Induction Coil and Resonating Cell are assembled and permanently sealed inside a rugged, highly durable, heart shaped waterproof case.
Doctors who test the Q-Link find that it instantaneously amplifies healthy energy states and decreases energy drains caused by a wide variety of stressors.
In brainwave studies (EEG), the Q-Link reduced the harmful effects of EMFs generated by computers, cell phones and other devices.
World-class athletes report that the Q-Link improved their mental focus and endurance, giving them a significant competitive edge.
In live blood studies, the Q-Link leads to greater cellular integrity and more efficient blood oxygenation.
For more details on research done on the remarkable health benefits of wearing your Q-Link you can read several click on Q-Link Research Studies.
You may return your Q-Link product for any reason less shipping and handling, for a full refund within 90 days of purchase. Products must be returned in original condition and accompanied by original packaging.
Acrylic Pendants, Titanium Pendant, Bracelets and Nimbus carry a 1 Year Manufacturer Warranty. Pet-Link, Silver & Gold Pendants and chains carry a 90 Day Manufacturer Warranty.
Many have attested to the benefits for wearing the Q-link. Q-Link Products are worn and recognized globally by professional athletes (especially golfers and chess players), cabin crew and pilots, business and pleasure travelers, celebrities, tour operators, travel agents, military and diplomatic personnel.
"You can walk up and down the range and look for drivers, putters, and wedges - but there are not many products that have been as successful as the Q-Link in terms of victories on the PGA Tour."
"When I started wearing the Q-Link in 2001 it was the best streak of playing golf I have ever had. I feel calmer, less nervous and less anxious, which is a good thing in professional golf."
"With Q-Link, I jumped almost 1000 spots in the PGA Tour rankings in less than a year - one of the biggest jumps in history. I wore Q-Link during my recent 2nd place finish at the Wyndham Championship. Q-Link and its SRT technology made me calmer, more focused and gave me the ability to think more clearly. I wasn't frustrated during my rounds and afterward, was able to sleep better because of Q-Link."
"I've been using a Q-Link for a couple of months now and I have seen a marked improvement in my sleeping patterns."
"I wore Q-Link for the first time during The 2008 Texas Valero Open and felt totally calm and at ease when I normally would feel much stress. I felt like a calm Pacific Ocean, powerful and very steady. I am very in-tune with my body and how it reacts to change and have truly noticed the Q-Link has eliminated all tension and anger on the course brought on by bad shots .My game and my outlook has gotten a tremendous boost since wearing Q-Link and have the best finish of my career to show for it."
"In 1997, T.M. Srinivasan, Ph.D., reviewed controlled, independent tests of the QLink's technology conducted by scientists at University of California at Irvine. Among the findings Srinivasan reported were a 30% or greater reduction in stress responses in cellular organisms exposed to the Qlink field; nullification of EMF radiation generated by computers; reduction of anxiety among students wearing the QLink; and improved balance in the sympathetic and parasympathetic frequency bands of the heart-rate variability test, which indicates improved cardiac function. Click Alternative Medicine to see this excerpt.
In today's fast paced, high tech society, being tense, tired and overwhelmed is familiar to many of us. Perpetually over committing and overworking ourselves accelerates stress... In the Seattle Times (4/16/05), Linda Knapp writes, "Part of the Q-Link promise was proving true as the stress in my life became manageable again. I also felt a little more energentic and generally happier. All in all, I'm still not sure I understand the scientific explanation of how the Q-Link works - and I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't either. But it works for me."
Help of a different sort is what wearers of the QLink Pendant can hope for. They're counting on SRT to reduce the EMF and put tem into that blissful zone where all is well and golf shots are pure. Is this mumbo jumbo? Well, scientists at Stanford University and the University of California have shown that SRT - Sympathetic Resonance Technology - can work to reduce a wide variety of stresses, including those from EMF - the electromagnetic fields emitted from computers, cell phones, and the like. And the built in SRT resonator in the QLink appears to be helping Senior PGA Tour members in ongoing tests. Click on Celebrated Living Magazine to see this excerpt.
Did you ever think you'd put on a titanium bracelet to enhance your biofield energy? Probably not. We were skeptical at first too. After reading the Q-Link Web site, which explains the theory that stress causes your energy fields to be "chaotic and incoherent" and claims that the bracelet brings greater "efficiency, harmony and balance," we gave it a shot. Our experience in the past three months matched Web reviews. It can't hurt to try, and the black ceramic looks good on your wrist. Click on afieionado Magazine to see this article.
There may finally be a way to conquer jet lag and other stresses of daily life, with-out pills or even herbs. Q-Link from Clarus is a quantum physics-based personal energy system that you wear. Pendants, bracelets, and other simple jewelry items contain "sympathetic resonance technology" chips that tune the body's biofield and help block out harmful emissions from computers, cell phones, and the technology that surrounds and bombards us. The science is compelling, but more compelling is how you feel. Mental clarity and energy increase while stress levels out, easing fatigue. PGA golfers, tennis pros, mountain guides, music and movie stars (Madonnna, Sarah Jesica Parker, Mick Jagger, Roger Daltry, Rosie Jones, etc.), and a whole raft of doctors and scientists, wear the items. You'll be skeptical, but you may not want to take if off. Click PASSPORT Magazine to see the article.
Q-Link Chains are the perfect complement to adorn you SRT-3 pendant with. Now you can block EMF, keep stress at bay, feel great and look great doing it. We have two beautiful authentic sterling sliver chains from Q-Link for your choosing. To learn more or place your order click on Q-Link Chains.
Q-Link SRT-3 Bracelets For those who do not like wearing chains and pendants there is the Q-Link Bracelets. They offer the same environmental and biofield protection benefits as the pendant. They are elegant and beautiful. afieionado Magazine conducted a review of the Q-Link Titanium bracelet and although they were skeptical, after three months they concluded that "Our experience in the past three months matched Web reviews". In other words the bracelet did what was claimed. To read this article and learn more click Q-Link SRT-3 Bracelet or Order Now to order.
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Asinara Charter Service
Asinara National Park
Day tour aboard Cassiopea
Night tour aboard Cassiopea
Cassiopea
HomeAsinara National Park
On board Cassiopea in the blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
Asinara Island is in the North-west side tip of Sardinia. Its surface is 52 km² of uncontaminated nature.
Thanks to its fascinating variety of flora and fauna species Asinara National Park was established in 1997 and the Marine Protected Area in 2002. For this reason there are some areas named "Zone A" where the access is absolutely forbidden for the species protection.
You will see everywhere the only inhabitants of the island: white and grey donkeys, mouflons, horses and wild boars. Among the birds the most symbolic are the Audouin's Gull, the Peregrine Falcon, the Shag, etc.; with massive migratory birds in Spring and Autumn.
In relation to the Flora, the most typical plants of the island are the Centaurea Horrida, Limonium, Euphorbia, Erodium Corsicum, Juniper, etc. According to the season, they completely change the landscape and the colours of the island.
In the clear waters of the marine area there is a big expanse of Posidonia Oceanica (sea grass meadow) which provides an ideal habitat for the Noble Pen Shell (Pinna Nobilis) and for hundreds species of fish (Dusky Grouper, Snapper, Sea Bream, Pike, etc.). Besides National Park is part of the Cetacean Sanctuary, you can see very often common dolphins, fin whales and sperm whales.
Because of its strategic position in the Mediterranean Sea, the island has always been a dock and a rest area, but also a place conquered by many coming from every part of the Mare Nostrum. A lot of archaeological monuments tell us about these ( a Domus de Janas in Campo Perdu, the Castellaccio near to Fornelli, a Roman shipwreck in Cala Reale,…) and you can still visit them.
For centuries shepherds and fishermen lived in the island until 1885, when the King Umberto I established a penal colony and a quarantine station for infectious diseases. However, the island became famous in the Seventies when the high security prison was established. For more than thirty years, different kind of prisoners were brought there: terrorists, politicians, members of Camorra and Mafia.
For that reason the natural beauties and the specific biodiversity of the island are, absurdly, still preserved.
With Cassiopea, a sailing boat completely made by wood, you can sail along the Asinara coasts to discover its shapes, colours, fragrances and its landscapes.
Book Now +39 3406693179
© 2018 - Asinara Charter Service di Domenico Basciu, Via Levante 36, Porto Torres (SS) - P.IVA 02633410903
Design by Stefania Careddu
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We have all bumped up against the limits of the current model of antidepressant treatments for depression: the patient who comes in with a laundry list of failed medication trials, or a number of other complaints depicting a portrait of malaise—aches, pains, anhedonia, fatigue, brain fog, digestive woes—that don't really respond to currently available agents. What if shifting our thinking about underlying causes might hold the answer to treatment of these individuals?
Too often our literature presents an oversimplified picture driven by some agenda, usually commercial. We prescribers, or, more accurately, "research consumers," need a more complete and accurate description of what's actually observed in clinical trials.
After a dry spell of new antidepressants—the last one to be approved was levomilnacipran (Fetzima), the active enantiomer of milnacipran (Savella) in July 2013—the FDA approved vortioxetine (Brintellix) in September. Vortioxetine is another serotonergic antidepressant. How exactly does it work, and what are its advantages over existing drugs?
Obesity and metabolic impairments are widespread in both psychiatric and non-psychiatric populations. To make matters worse, weight gain, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes are common side effects of the pharmaceuticals we use to treat psychiatric illness.
Can a single infusion of ketamine treat depression? Dr Sanjay Mathew explores the buzz around this treatment.


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Central Junior High students perform musical comedy
There's a lot going on this weekend. Plenty of events to attend in the area. But one local school will present a musical that should draw good crowds.
Central Junior High School in Cape Girardeau was set to open the first of three performances of "Once Upon a Mattress" Thursday night at the school's auditorium.
The production is the musical version of "The Princess and the Pea." While not one of the more familiar musicals from the school such as "Beauty and the Beast" or "Annie," the comedy is one that should be fun. Mike Dumey, director, said this is one that helped launch actress and comedian Carol Burnett's career.
The music and acting have been great in past years, and the costumes were first class.
With 150 students involved this year, Pat Renard, the costume director, is responsible for coordinating about 175 outfits.
Tickets for remaining performances tonight and Saturday, both at 7 p.m., may be purchased at the door.
Community performances are one aspect that makes this area special. In addition to the junior high, there are other schools that also produce great shows that entertain audiences and give students unforgettable experiences.
We hope you consider your support of these events with your attendance.
Editorial (7/15/19)
River Campus announces shows in year of transition
Some may have been disappointed to see the River Campus discontinue its touring shows, but the end of one era will usher in new opportunities. Local university performing arts students, which are growing in number, will get the chance to put on...
Column (7/13/19)
South Cape church, pastor can play important role in area's redevelopment
Lucas Presson
There are the beginnings of something special in Cape Girardeau's South side. And one of the figures who could find himself in the middle of it is the Rev. Adrian Taylor Jr., pastor of LighthouseCape. You might know LighthouseCape by its previous...
Center Junction: To close or not to close? Good question
If you live in Jackson and go to Cape Girardeau frequently, or vice versa, you're probably already making plans on how to avoid the upcoming demolition and reconstruction of the Center Junction interchange. Some 20,000 cars travel that section of...
Letter (7/11/19)
Touching tribute to veterans
Just wanted to take the time to thank the Southeast Missourian for the great tribute "Faces of valor" recently published honoring several of the veterans at our local Veterans Home. They each had a different take on what serving their country meant...
Thanks to Pannier for years of service at Nell Holcomb
After 13 years as the superintendent of the school he attended as a child, Darryl Pannier is retiring from the Nell Holcomb School. Pannier returned to the district in 2006, returning home to the rural Cape Girardeau County school. He plans to golf...
A Fourth of July secret for next year: Best place to watch fireworks
Jon K. Rust
This year the fireworks at Arena Park launched with a boom and two explosions of fire, sending a heat wave into the crowd and black mushroom clouds into the night. The crowd, surprised by the hot wind, gasped -- and one of the best fireworks shows...
Column (7/9/19)
Fourth of July protests just more anti-Trump antics
Adrienne Ross
The Fourth of July is supposed to be fun, isn't it? Fun and reflective. We get together with family and friends, barbecue, watch fireworks, listen to Lee Greenwood sing "Proud to Be an American." But something has changed. What I once observed as a...
Common Pleas Courthouse does not need to be City Hall
By Charles Bertrand
In referencing the 2009 Strategic Plan for downtown Cape and the update of 2017, you find, and I quote, "a clear vision for civic leaders to guide the future of downtown Cape Girardeau, Missouri." Also quoting, "The many assets of downtown Cape...
Editorial (7/9/19)
Hospitals come together on Community Health Needs Assessment
Local hospitals are working on plans to specifically address health needs determined by a recent joint study. Overall results of the 2019 Community Health Needs Assessment were presented recently at the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce's...
Recognizing efforts; renew capital improvements tax
Bob Fox
Councilman Victor Gunn attended his last meeting on July 1, having to resign due to moving out of Ward 3. We thanked him for his dedication and service to the people of Cape Girardeau. Victor deferred that praise to our city's employees. He...
Safe House welcomes women into new facility
It's been a long time coming, but the new and improve Safe House for Women is open and serving women in need. The organization announced late last month it was open with 18,000 square feet of space and serving women there. The new facility is...
Letter (7/8/19)
Don't split up immigrant families
I served my nation as an educator for 44 years. There is political wrongdoing being perpetrated on vulnerable children in the name of politics. Separating refugee children and parents should not occur in a nation that has for centuries accepted...
Blair Moran exemplifies the spirit of America
Thursday evening's Fourth of July program in Cape Girardeau was a touching tribute to America filled with patriotic tunes from the municipal band, recognition of our local veterans and the Southeast Missourian's Spirit of America award...
Hollywood doesn't want to film in pro-life states. More reason to refuse their handouts.
By Holly Rehder
It should come as no surprise to us in rural Missouri, and around the state, that Hollywood elites continue to look down their noses at our values and beliefs. The same industry that is plagued by sex predators, violence, and an anti-Christian...
Cape can't afford more projects
Are you listening? Could this be the wisdom of the city council, administrators and park department when it comes to spending funds for the betterment of Cape? Why should the citizens approve funds and bonds for new facilities just because the...
Sikeston's James Blair Moran recognized with Spirit of America Award
If there's a running theme among all our past Spirit of America Award winners, it might just be humility. It seems none of our winners want to take credit for their accomplishments -- for the very reasons why they were nominated and then selected as...
As Missouri implements medical marijuana laws, there should be no rush to legalize recreational use
Sometimes I smell it while walking along the Mississippi river. A group of kids, perched on rocks away from the trail, a skunky aroma lingering near them. It's the tell-tale smell of marijuana. In San Francisco, when I've traveled there, the odor...
My top 5 Democratic debate takeaways
I wasn't sure I would do it. While staying abreast, of course, of what is going on politically, I have had no interest in the last year of steeping myself fully into the mix-mess. I ended up doing it, though: I watched the second half of the first...
Be safe when using fireworks this Independence Day
Fireworks season is upon us, and now is a good time to remember some safety tips. First, don't forget about your pets, who can become skittish upon hearing the pops in the distance. As we learned from Dr. Loni Patke at the Cape Small Animal Clinic...
Thanks to city employees, volunteers for storm response
Dwain Hahs
The City of Jackson has done a great job of recovering from the June 21 disaster event. The quick recovery was the result of a strong effort from a large group of people. I was traveling to Houston for my nephew's wedding on the afternoon of the...
Thank you to honest people
Thank you for taking time to read this. Last year around Christmas my husband and I were in Walmart. We left the store not realizing I had left my cell phone lying on the counter. My husband got a call from one of our daughters. Someone had found my...
St. Louis fans show what a great sports city looks like
Before he took his football team and left, Rams owner Stan Kroenke made claims suggesting St. Louis wasn't a good sports town. In the last couple of weeks, we've been reminded of how wrong he was. First came the Blues' Stanley Cup victory. The...
Urban art styles will be celebrated in Cape this weekend
Art is for everyone. And as the old cliche goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Part of what makes art great is that certain people enjoy certain types of art over others. This weekend in Cape Girardeau, there will be an opportunity for...
Things that make you go hmm...
The U.S. has had vehicles on Mars for years that run without using oil or coal energy. How can this possibly be done? There are no gas stations on Mars. Solar power would be impossible; Mars is farther from the Sun then Earth and solar power for...
Suicide prevention conference coming to Cape July 25
Nearly 45,000 people died by suicide in the United States in 2016, the 10th most common way to die in this country. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death of people ages 15 to 34. The Missouri suicide rate is higher than the national average....
Missouri not keeping pace
For the past few decades Republicans have taken the position that low taxes, fewer regulations, along with pro-business legislation and laws that restrict union power will lead to a growing economy. However, U.S. Commerce Department statistics show...
Thanks to Shaken Fury volunteers
A great big "Thank You" to volunteers participating in the recent Shaken Fury exercise held in Cape Girardeau. These volunteers gave the professionals actual live victims to simulate real world experience. The search dogs were able to work finding...
On Hovis' in-district meeting
I cannot imagine how difficult it must be for a representative to sit and listen to angry constituents. While many were on the attack during Rep. Barry Hovis' in-district meeting with constituents, we should recognize that we are all human and make...
What did Aunt Stella eat?
I'm in my 70s and most people of my generation were taught to be very courteous on the telephone, especially to callers. Therefore, it was very hard to learn to hang up on liars, scammers, telemarketers, identity thieves, etc. But we have to. Most...


An economic powerhouse rooted in history and poised for growth.
Experience a visionary neighborhood at the center of $1B in economic development, that is redefining the work-life experience in the Philadelphia region. Formerly known as the King of Prussia business park, Moore Park KOP is a progressive, thriving community where commercial, residential, retail, dining and industrial spaces work together to grow business, enhance lifestyle and seize opportunity.
Located in the heart of King of Prussia at the confluence of Routes 276, 76, 23 and 422, Moore Park KOP is currently home to 20,000 employees, 63,000+ SF of corporate meeting and event space, five hotels, the Valley Forge Casino Resort, 3.6M+ SF of commercial and industrial space, and a number of notable companies including GeoBlue, Radial, Arkema, CSL Behring, First Quality Enterprises and more. Moore Park KOP is an economic powerhouse in the suburban Philadelphia region.
Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians can now enjoy a safer experience in Moore Park KOP. This new infrastructure improvement, used around the country to create a more pedestrian-friendly roadway, has reduced travel lanes to one in each direction and added a center turning lane, bicycle lanes on both sides of the street and a signalized, accessible crosswalk midway between American Ave. and Moore Rd. The U.S. Department of Transportation found that road diets can reduce traffic accidents by an average of 29% by reducing conflict points when crossing multiple lanes, reducing vehicle speeds and providing designated lanes for cyclists. A portion of the funding was provided by grants received from PennDOT.
See the First Avenue & Moore Road 'Road Diet' & Pedestrian/Bicycle Improvement Feasibility Study here.
King of Prussia Rail is a proposal to extend the existing Norristown High Speed Line into the heart of King of Prussia's employment core. King of Prussia Rail will provide a one-seat ride to King of Prussia from either 69th Street Transportation Center in Upper Darby, or from the Norristown Transportation Center. This transformative project will connect the three largest employment centers in the Philadelphia region – Center City, University City and King of Prussia – and will serve as a catalyst for economic development for the entire region. Among its many benefits, King of Prussia Rail will connect employers to a broader pool of employees, reduce commute times and emissions, and spur job growth. In January 2018, SEPTA's Board voted to approve the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) as presented in the King of Prussia Rail Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) with the North/South design option. The LPA includes two station stops in Moore Park KOP.
KOP-BID and Montgomery County are leading an advocacy effort to install a slip ramp at the Valley Forge interchange that would enable westbound Turnpike motorists to exit the Pennsylvania Turnpike and enter directly into Moore Park KOP.
The Linear Park is a unique collaboration between KOP-BID, UMT and 21 property owners along First Avenue. In May 2017, KOP-BID opened the Demonstration Project, a 450-section of the park designed to give the public a preview of the multi-use path, with Phase 1 expected to be complete in 2019. PennDOT is providing a portion of the project funding through two grants.
Currently under construction, this five-story building will sit on roughly 5.2 acres at 750 Moore Rd., and feature 248 one- and two-bedroom apartments with incredible amenities and community space.
Moving its headquarters from Bryn Mawr, The American College of Financial Services (ACFS) purchased the 156,000 SF building at 630 Allendale Road in 2017. Following a significant renovation, ACFS will occupy the building in 2019.
The visitor center at Valley Forge National Historical Park will undergo its first comprehensive overhaul since 1976, when the park became a national historical park. The $14M renovation will begin in October 2018 and is expected to be complete by early 2020.
Recently acquired by Boyd Gaming, Valley Forge Casino Resort brings gaming, music venues, restaurants and endless entertainment to King of Prussia. The resort is currently undergoing significant renovations that will make it even more of an amenity to residents and tourists alike.
NOW LEASING! Located at 751 Vandenberg Blvd., Park Square features 320 luxury apartments in four buildings surrounded by a beautifully designed courtyard.
Construction is complete for GeoBlue, who had signed an agreement to lease 110,000 SF from Brandywine Realty Trust in a new build-to-suit property at 955 First Avenue.


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Category: Constitutional law
The proposed law against commercial cheating and the Constitution
April 8, 2019 April 8, 2019 Andrew NortonLeave a comment
Successive Commonwealth governments have been creative in finding ways to by-pass the Constitution. That has been very necessary in education, which was originally intended to remain a State responsibility. The Commonwealth has no direct power to legislate on an education topic other than in the territories. This creates legal issues for the Commonwealth's attempts to ban commercial cheating. Draft legislation was released at the weekend.
The Commonwealth's main vehicles for education policy have been section 96 tied grants to the States (no longer used for higher education, but still used for school and vocational education), the section 51(xx) power to legislate on foreign, trading and financial corporations (which relies on universities being trading corporations; this power could collapse if they went back to full public funding) and section 51 (xxiiiA), the 'benefits to students' power, which is the main legal basis of Youth Allowance, the Commonwealth Grant Scheme, and HELP.
Because the Commonwealth can fully legislate for the territories, the draft bill would be effective in the ACT and the Northern Territory. But in the states the legal situation is more difficult.
Is HECS a tax?
March 7, 2019 March 7, 2019 Andrew NortonLeave a comment
My use of the word 'lent' in the chart below was disputed on Twitter, on the grounds that payments of HECS or HELP are tax levies. Although not spelled out in the Twitter comment, this point is often more than just a semantic one. It is part of a larger argument about how student/graduate-sourced funding of higher education should work.
One potential system for funding higher education is a graduate tax. The idea here is that graduates pay a proportion of their income above a threshold for a period of time after they complete their degree. With a graduate tax, higher education is free but extra taxes are paid by financially successful graduates. The revenue could go into general government funds or be set to recover what the government thinks should be the student contribution to total higher education expenditure. But there are no specific charges for subjects or courses and there is no loan. The language of 'lent', 'borrowed' or 'debt' would not make sense conceptually or legally.
Veteran Labor (and current QUT) higher education policy adviser John Byron has argued for thinking about HECS in something like these terms:Read More »
The public funding of religious colleges
December 5, 2014 Andrew Norton1 Comment
The Age ran a page one story this morning on the potential eligibility of religious colleges for public funding, if the revised Pyne higher education reform bill passes. Labor and the Greens oppose the policy on the grounds that it breaches the separation of church and state, although Labor higher education spokesman Kim Carr draws a distinction between religious studies and training for the priesthood.
Australia doesn't have a US-style separation of church and state. The Constitution ensures that the government will not prevent the free exercise of religion and limits the ways in which sectarian disputes can damage the government, but does not require the state to have no involvement with religious organisations. It is common for Australian governments to fund religious organisations, typically for school education and the delivery of social services.
In my view this is consistent with the original liberal thinking that led to the idea of a church-state separation. This was not based on hostility to religion. It is because religious belief is important to many (and historically most) people that liberals want to protect it. At the same time, attempts to use the state to impose religious belief and practices have often had very negative consequences.
From this perspective, a policy that funds theology studies and training for the ministry is unproblematic provided it is neutral between religions. The Pyne policy meets that criterion. All but two of the current religious colleges are Christian, but there is no legal obstacle in the way of other religions. A third non-Christian religion, Islam, does have a course in the public university sector.
Of course, it would not be hard to make an argument that such funding is unnecessary: religions have been training their own clerics for many centuries. But the same argument could be made against most higher education subsidies. My view on this is that while public subsidy of higher education could safely be reduced, while it exists it should be available to all students on a consistent basis.
What legal changes are needed for the Pyne higher ed reform package?
July 30, 2014 March 11, 2020 Andrew NortonLeave a comment
A few people have asked me about what legal changes are required to implement the Pyne higher education reform package. This post summarises what I think the legal situation will be. The relevant legislation is the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA).
Changes to Commonwealth contribution rates
The government plans to introduce new, generally lower, Commonwealth contribution rates. This requires amending section 33-10 of HESA. I've heard it said that this will be part of the appropriation bills which by convention are passed by the Senate, but this isn't right. Those appropriation bills cover only a smallish percentage of government funding, not including the Commonwealth Grant Scheme.
The government has also indicated that it wants to further reduce funding rates for diploma courses and non-university higher education providers. That would require more substantial redrafting, especially if the government intends to expressly fund research through the Commonwealth Grant Scheme. Section 33-10 alludes to the 'benefits to students' power in the Constitution. On the basis of the Williams No. 2 case (the school chaplains case), the High Court may well take a dim view of using this provision to fund research. (Update: There are other potential Constitutional foundations that possibly could be used here, such as the corporations power that was used for the TEQSA Act, universities being legal corporations.)
Increasing or abolishing the student contribution cap
This requires amendment of section 93-10 of HESA.
The government has said that international student fees will be the new cap. While not expressed exactly in those terms, this is already legislated through section 36-55 of HESA. What that section says is that student contribution amounts (legally defined as being for students in Commonwealth supported places) can't be more than tuition fees (legally defined as being for full fee students). As section 36-30 effectively bans domestic full fee undergraduate students in public universities except in very limited circumstances, the tuition fee reference is almost invariably going to be to international students.
There is no requirement to offer courses to international students, and universities can increase their international student fees, so this is not a very strong capping mechanism.
Requiring universities to put 20 per cent of additional student revenue into a Commonwealth scholarship fund
One complexity here is that division 46 of HESA already has Commonwealth scholarships, in this case actually funded by the Commonwealth rather than other students. Apart from that there could be a backdoor way of doing this, via section 30-25(2), which enables the Commonwealth to put almost any requirement on universities not expressly contradicted by the Act as a condition of receiving funding. Given that the Commonwealth once got away with using 30-25(2) to force the University of Melbourne to subsidise the then legally separate Victorian College of the Arts, requiring universities to subsidise their own students would look reasonable in comparison.
That said, legislation or delegated legislation would give the policy a stronger legal basis, so I expect the government will pursue one of those options. Read More »
Greg Craven on education and federalism, then and now
May 22, 2013 Andrew Norton1 Comment
Greg Craven on state government control of education, 2007:
Despite a total lack of experience in education, it [the Howard government] has created Commonwealth Technical Colleges, tried to control state school curricula and muttered darkly about controlling state education systems.
Canberra has only been able to intrude because it has the money, not the authority. Perhaps it should leave the money and run. Is it really impossible to argue that an elected Victorian government has a genuine interest in the education of Victorian children and that – horror – it might even bring local insight to the process? …
The mantra "Trust me, I'm with the Commonwealth" has the plausibility of a four-dollar note.
Greg Craven on state government control of education, 2013:Read More »
Is the student amenities fee loan scheme constitutional?
June 24, 2012 March 11, 2020 Andrew Norton2 Comments
On the 7.30 current affairs program the other night, constitutional lawyer George Williams suggested that the Williams case High Court ruling might have implications for universities.
The case revolved around the constitutionality of the school chaplains program. Though reported in the past as about religion, the court in the end found for Williams on a ground concerning the executive power of the Commonwealth to act without legislation.
University funding does have a legislative basis. Its main constitutional backing is in section 51
(xxiiiA) the provision of maternity allowances, widows' pensions, child endowment, unemployment, pharmaceutical, sickness and hospital benefits, medical and dental services (but not so as to authorize any form of civil conscription), benefits to students and family allowances; (emphasis added)
Three of the seven judges had something to say about what 'benefits to students' meant. Justice Kiefel said:
Social services provided to students might take the form of financial assistance, for example payment of fees and living and other allowances, or material assistance, such as the provision of books, computers and other necessary educational equipment, or the provision of services, such as additional tutoring. The term "benefits" in the context of s 51(xxiiiA) does not extend to every service which may be supportive of students at a personal level in the course of their education.