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Wednesday, November 29th, 2017
Twice – Likey
Title checks out.
Jessica Doyle: At first listen "Likey" seems underwhelming by Twice standards, as even applying the full force of Sana to "me likey, me likey likey likey" doesn't result in a skull piercing along the lines of "neomu hae, neomu hae" or "kung, kung" or even "sign-EUL BONAE, sig-NEUL BONAE." (The closest we get is Momo pouting about BB cream and lipstick, and she's immediately followed by a more conciliatory Tzuyu.) Lyrically it could even be read as a continuation of "TT," the members painting themselves as emotional messes at the mercy of the listener. The difference is in the potential for an alternate reading: Twice as emotional messes at the mercy of the audience, Twice given the opportunity to acknowledge the constant mental-health assault that is idol life. Everything feels like a careful signal (…bonae), from Jihyo as leader holding the camera and talking about the small screen, to the tourist-pristine presentation of Vancouver in the background, to Dahyun's brief trap interlude, to the slouchier outfits of the dance-practice video. "Likey" doesn't have to be Twice's catchiest or most distinctive single when it can be Twice's smartest.
Alfred Soto: A haiku of romantic need, "Likey" recalls prime Stock-Aiken-Waterman in its concentration: boom boom boom it goes, its breathy vocals and hint of woodblock percussion leading the charge, until this time it knows it's for real.
Iain Mew: "Likey" is another proof for the interpretation that made me love "Cheer Up" — that it was a demonstration of what happens when you play along with a role with such absolute conviction that real emotions and portrayed emotions begin to blur. In "Likey" the same theme is both more heartbreakingly explicit lyrically, and present again in the music. There's no fixed-grin mega-chorus this time, but bursts of a buoyant, colourful twist on the K-pop-house wave. Each chorus plays out like a perfectly presented social media life, splashing across all the complexities and effort they sing about going on outside of it.
Katie Gill: I'm a sucker for Twice. They're a group that knows how to have fun, which shines through in their performances and sound, and I'm always here for their bright bubbly bubblegum pop. Add in those fun synths and an amazingly fun prechorus/rap break, and you've got a song that's tailor-made for me to fall in love with it. I just wish that they didn't hang the chorus on such an awkward phrase as "me likey."
Mo Kim: "Like is such a common word, not enough to express my feelings," Mina laments in the chorus. Nayeon is more conciliatory: "But I like you, even if I can't sleep, even if I'm late." And Sana, by now a familiar and comforting presence, chirps back in ironic response: "Me likey, me likey likey likey, me likey likey likey." It may be the best-executed joke in their entire discography: if there's one thing that Twice has mastered, it's the gap between what we know we feel and what we know how to say, and how that gap gets mediated through cinema cosplay, hooks as persistent as a lovestruck teenager, and alien soundscapes. "Likey" draws on all of those strengths, washing the anxiety of a social-media crush through pastel pink filters and emerging as the group's surprisingly soulful thesis statement.
Alex Clifton: A sugary-sounding song about a love/hate relationship with social media described in addictive terms. The struggle to project an ideal version of oneself on social media, to put effort into the perfect selfie, is nothing new, but I've never heard it described in a song in such opposite terms–yes, it's a struggle; yes, it's something we enjoy; yes, I need that rush of dopamine any time someone likes my posts to function. I've tried to wean myself off social media this year, but I've still felt the pressure to word things perfectly to gain the most appropriate attention. How do I make this funny? How do I make this unusual? How do I make this particular post–and, by extension, myself–wholly likeable? To hear it all jumbled so starkly in such a song–especially one that's rigorously upbeat, one that could play in the background quietly and maybe slip out of notice as a standard pop song–is magnificent.
Leonel Manzanares de la Rosa: I've always enjoyed how Twice likes to get busy, production-wise. This time there's a fuzzy guitar intro joining a line of bubbly synths, a cascade of slow arpeggios in the verses, and even a half-time trap breakdown in the bridge. And I'm glad that the inconsistencies in their previous singles are a thing of the past, but why don't they just sound as exciting as they used to? "Signal" was absolutely divisive, but was it really their creative peak?
Ryo Miyauchi: Out of all of the animated parts, Momo's drive the story home. Her pout about makeup before the chorus goofs around as much as it runs frantic from all of the upkeep the girls have to do for that perfect Instagram picture. The others are more concerned to hit the right vocal spots to reveal just how much they're breaking a sweat, but that's Twice for you: the sugary beats and ditzy voices mask a deliriousness from all this need for attention.
Joshua Minsoo Kim: In virtually every aspect of "Likey," production duo Black Eyed Pilseung capture the inwardly frantic yet outwardly calm nature of using social media as an avenue for affirmation. It's more structurally complex than "TT" and "Knock Knock," but more cohesive than "Signal" and "Cheer Up." This middle ground proves apt, as the song's constant innovations and driving energy mirror the constant shifting of attention one experiences while scrolling through endless feeds of content. One could argue that the pre-chorus's winding melody brings the song to a halt, but this only bolsters the song's conceit. Compared to the rest of "Likey," the vocalizing there registers as conversational. But it isn't long before we're pulled away into the chorus's onslaught of Twice-as-hell catchphrases, transfixed by the sound of people transfixed by their screens. It's a statement in and of itself: how could the real world possibly hold up to the notifications that blow up our phones? The entire song is sprinkled with onomatopoeiac representations that drive home this half-serious point: applying BB cream and lipstick, a crowd of people cheering, an angelic choir praising us in the chorus. And the only possible way "Likey" could have started is with its blaring horns and bouncing synthline–fanfare fit for a professional athlete's entrance music. We're ultimately left with our prized possession: a "Heart! Heart!" notifying us that someone's liked our post, our image, our self. Amusingly, it's preceded by the girls singing the sound of a quickly-beating heart. It turns out both hearts are our lifeblood.
Will Adams: The popular consciousness's fixation on millennial culture has endured for so long that it's become easy to identify the quality of each thinkpiece: Does it treat social media users with disdain, or does it take the time to recognize the benefits they attain from it? In a better world, "Likey" would have been the urtext, at once acknowledging the enormous pressure to look a certain way — sucking it in, angling light so hits you just so, swiping through filters — and the rush of seeing the appreciation come through in short, warm buzzes. Each line offers a different reading, mimicking how quickly we sift through the emotions, never quite resolving them. And we get those mixed feelings elsewhere: a "Heart! Heart!" hook that's both annoying and endearing, a breakbeat instrumental that's both ecstatic and wistful, and the moment you receive that like, both time-stopping and boundless.
Micha Cavaseno: Contrary to popular belief, sincerity is never a pure answer. There is nothing less flattering to the human face than your own tears, gushing down your face, mixing with snot and drool over your whimpering pleas to make you look more like a slug than any person of desire (no offense meant to my invertebrate audience, as someone with far less of a spine). Nowadays, in the harsh kiln of radioactive beams from our webcams, phones, and any possible source of laser-like intense study, we've learned to fix rigid plasticine smiles and gussy ourselves up in the desperate hope for approval and kindness from even the most distant stranger. Try making it through the days when even the robocalls don't hit you back. I don't imagine anyone in Twice was spending their Hallow's Eve like myself, hysterically laughing at my own reflection after slathering on gaudy amounts of makeup and facepaint in the hopes of the slightest sliver of approval (should I be wrong, please provide info in a corresponding email). But they are likewise burdened with the task of smuggling themselves into the day-to-day of their intended audiences. This group basically shattered me with Momo's sobbing babble of a voice and our mutual insistence that hysteria "isn't myself at all." Now, in the same way, her voice echoes giggling pleas for attention, acknowledgement, the cheap reminder that yes, somebody up/over/out there might be fooled into thinking they like "me." The blare of the flange-drenched VST horns and the percussions slip from the freestyle/Atlanta bass skips on the verses to the 4×4 bridge to the hesitant 130-BPM breakstep fills on the pre-chorus are not as triumphant as they are propulsive, hurriedly pushing oneself along further and further. For all the moments that shouldn't succeed (the Migos flow breakdown and the weird gap before the final chorus threaten to busy up the record too much), it's a perfect balance of charming leap and trembling flail forward, doing its best to never sound as starved a record as it is. That's the genius of Twice at their peak form, that something so violently happy never betrays the insane loneliness and desperation at its core. We love you so much.
Reader average: [8.17] (64 votes)
Vote: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
36 Responses to "Twice – Likey"
Liam, on November 29th, 2017 at 5:22 pm Said:
wow I really was not expecting this to score so high. it's good but not great, the main hook peters out halfway through it each time
wrivz, on November 29th, 2017 at 5:25 pm Said:
Song fucking slaps, proper rating. Wish I'd blurbed though
Jennifer, on November 29th, 2017 at 5:34 pm Said:
8.00 ack
I just wanna say that…. Navillera would have scored more than this.
Jason, on November 29th, 2017 at 6:05 pm Said:
I'm screaming at the fact that this has the same score as Labyrinth.
Brad Nelson, on November 29th, 2017 at 6:56 pm Said:
kinda thinking the chorus mostly lets the rest of the song down, but i enjoyed the enthusiastic blurbs
the production however is kitchen sink in the best way
Maxwell, on November 29th, 2017 at 6:59 pm Said:
"Navirella would've scored more than this" no because I would've happily given GFriend the 2s they deserve.
The conspiracy against Twice has finally been defeated, and TSJ remains one sole realm of justice and righteousness in the world.
Are y'all gonna review peek a boo or did that come too late in the year
I remember Decalcomanie by Mamamoo was skipped over for similar reasons
Joshua Kim, on November 29th, 2017 at 7:40 pm Said:
Twice are the best girl group right now along with Red Velvet and it's not even close. Really happy that we've finally given them the praise they deserve. Also really into all the blurbs here. re: Peek-A-Boo, we're not planning to review it unless it's someone's amnesty pick. We may review it in the new year but… we'll see. I'm into Peek-A-Boo though, and Perfect Velvet is the best K-pop album since The Red.
Regarding GFriend, still a bit confused by the love they receive. The cutesy/innocent girl group market is so saturated right now and I've been way more enamored by Lovelyz, Oh My Girl, Elris, WJSN, LOONA 1/3…
ps TT > Likey > Like Ooh-Ahh > Cheer Up > Signal > One More Time > Knock Knock
Maddie, on November 29th, 2017 at 8:05 pm Said:
I like GFriend too but man that Mamamoo comment is out of line.
Ryanis Aflop, on November 29th, 2017 at 8:41 pm Said:
Likely is not good, cheer up is better and Girl Front is the best kpop song ever, sorry atrl
Oddeyecir clesbetter, on November 29th, 2017 at 8:42 pm Said:
Sweet Crazy Love>>>>>>>>>> this poop
Iain Mew, on November 29th, 2017 at 8:48 pm Said:
Note: I edited an offensive word in place of Mamamoo out of Jennifer's comment above. Please don't do that here!
Jessica, on November 29th, 2017 at 9:03 pm Said:
"Navillera" is great (and I said as much when we reviewed "Fingertip") but no, it's not as rich as "Likey" is.
(I see my request for the trolls to come to our K-pop reviews has been answered. Hi, trolls! Sorry we won't be getting to "Lip and Hip" in 2017. Now please start developing strong opinions about former-Soviet-state pop, kthnx.)
also: JMK, I love you, but I fear Max's and my budding friendship cannot survive another round of Twice force-ranking; "Peek-a-Boo" is just okay; I am nevertheless generally in favor of Weaponized Yeri; and my top three K-Pop Girl Group Songs I Wish We'd Gotten to in 2017 are 1) Lovelyz's "WoW"; 2) Pristin's "We Like"; 3) 9Muses's "Love City."
Jennifer, on November 29th, 2017 at 10:49 pm Said:
I'm black and was just making fun of Mamamoo for their blackface incident. I am sorry for putting that word out there.
Stephen K Eisermann, on November 29th, 2017 at 11:31 pm Said:
Interesting. I actually didn't like this very much, so I'm surprised it scored this high. I would've given a 4 or 5, tops.
Feathers McGraw, on November 29th, 2017 at 11:55 pm Said:
I enjoyed this more on a second listen than on the first which is a good sign. Although my most pressing question is: where can i purchase the in-ear headphones seen at 2:34?
Joshua Kim, on November 30th, 2017 at 1:18 am Said:
I set an alarm to wake up at 4AM in order to hear Likey and I remember my initial thoughts being that it was wonderful except for the section right before the "me likey" chorus. It's grown on me a ton since, and the experience I had with the song is extremely similar to what I had with Odd Eye Circle's Girl Front. Girl Front is definitely good but it's much less interesting than Likey overall. Sweet Crazy Love is OK… I will remember it forever though because of the video and what the mv director had to say about it (which I will maybe touch on in a future LOONA blurb…) I think my favorite LOONA song thus far is Sonatine… truly one of the greatest K-pop ballads ever.
Marko, on November 30th, 2017 at 2:51 am Said:
It's good, but am I the only one hearing strong traces of "Get Lucky" in there?
linda, on November 30th, 2017 at 3:56 am Said:
it feels like many elements mentioned in the blurbs don't resonate as powerfully if you're not invested into this group. i find it hard to buy into the emotional underpinnings when their vocals sound so sterile and compressed (a problem that was only alleviated on signal- their best single tbh).
Maxwell, on November 30th, 2017 at 4:24 am Said:
I really don't comprehend the arguments of 'sterile/compressed' vocals that's nagged this group. Sure, very few if any of the singers display any sort of ability as far as vocalizing, but I can think of a few groups mentioned EVEN IN THIS COMMENT SECTION who have similar quality of vocalists and never get such scrutiny. At the least I can concede I've argued that the cleanliness of their records leads for a underlying rigidity that works to my interpretations of forced gestures, and that's subjective. The rest I'm just not seeing.
Also for the record I could due the single ranking all day because I've stockholm syndromed my brain into thinking every song by this group is good…
The same way LOONA stans think JinSoul can dance or "Eclipse" is even listenable.
But given the last splash of petty I gave us here brought out some alarming turns of phrase I'll relax for a bit.
to clarify, i wasn't referring to their singing abilities, but the way their vocals were processed, to the point where they are overbearingly flat sounding even for pop music. more of a problem with the production (aka black eyed pilseung's tendencies) than anything else.
Liam, on November 30th, 2017 at 7:07 am Said:
yeah i agree with that about the vocals
there's a lot going on in the production but it all blurs together and i wish it felt more distinct. it's still the best sounding production they've had though, much less flimsy-sounding than some. probably their best or second best single
specifically about the chorus I think 2.5 bars of 'me likey's is too much without any real pay off and it gets a bit grating after a while
Likey is better than a lot of LOONA singles but definitely not Girl Front
Ray, on November 30th, 2017 at 10:18 am Said:
i might give a 7 here. The song is catchy only in the intro
Their vocals on this track are better than they've been previously.
Mina carried the chorus without a hitch, Tzuyu improved enough to be lowkey vocal line, Sana doesn't sound her usual robotic self singing the hook, etc. Momo's still terrible but she wasn't working with much on this track anyway.
I'm not particularly invested in Twice in the way Maxwell and Jessica are but regardless of whether their voices sound flat (not sure how this is much different from Signal either, would love you to expand on that Linda), they're utilized on this song too effectively for it to not be emotional for me. It's considered a percussive element throughout the entire song and is constantly working in conjunction with the rest of the instrumentation… just so good. And in general, I definitely put a lot of stock into songwriting as a vehicle for conveying emotion, perhaps even more so than performance. I'm also a huge sucker for text painting.
William, on November 30th, 2017 at 5:32 pm Said:
Maxwell why you gotta come for JinSoul like that
As for the actual song, I would consider it one of Twice's strongest efforts after the surprisingly divisive Signal (which I loved).
Alex Clifton, on November 30th, 2017 at 5:52 pm Said:
I'll be honest, I've never actually cared for Twice before this song–I didn't mind them, but a lot of their previous stuff just didn't hit the mark for me. Fwiw, I wasn't crazy about "Signal"–the chorus was good but the rest of the song was a slog for me. "TT" is still pretty great, although I think I enjoy that more as a meme than a song.
Actually, listening to this again versus "Knock Knock" and "Signal" (the two non-Black Eyed Pilsung singles) I start seeing Linda's point. It's a lot easier to tell Mina from Tzuyu in the "dang dang ullimyeon" part of "Knock Knock" (still my favorite bit of the song) or Jihyo from Nayeon when they sing back-to-back in "Signal," whereas here it's near-impossible to hear the switch from Jihyo to Jungyeo and back at the top of the second verse or Mina to Nayeon in the chorus. Momo stands out the most; I know people complain about her singing but like I've said before, I carry water for distinctiveness over technical purity. (And Dahyun stands out second-most, though that may be more the trap backing, and also my Dubu bias talking.)
(also @ JMK: given that I started this year as TSJ's resident misantwicedrist I am laughing at your latest comment. 2017: a year of personal growth for Jessica!)
Ryanhater, on December 10th, 2017 at 9:21 pm Said:
Jinsoul is the best dancer in kpop, maxwell wyd?
Andrea, on December 10th, 2017 at 9:23 pm Said:
The best part of this song is when nobody is singing.
And Eclipse is one of the best song of 2017, furthermore it has something likey hasn't, soul
jakob, on December 14th, 2017 at 4:28 pm Said:
guys…lol
William, on January 30th, 2018 at 10:37 pm Said:
I meant to say this before but @Jessica if you can figure out what 9M meant by "scandal pop, saucebox" in Love City i would love to know
I mean everything qween sojin says is iconic but i'm genuinely unsure what they were going for
Jessica, on January 30th, 2018 at 11:53 pm Said:
@William: I was wondering that very thing today!


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Let's Talk Music: Camila Cabello, Griselda, JACKBOYS, Moneybagg Yo, and more
Olivia Henry – "In My Touch" Reaction
Olivia Henry's "In My Touch" is the kind of song that gets you pumped up to stay true to yourself and your principles at a time when you're most inclined to veer far away from them – when you're in love. In that sense, the song is somewhat reminiscent of Duffy's "Stepping Stone."
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Вілле Яласто (,  19 квітня 1986, Еспоо) — фінський футболіст, захисник клубу ГІК.

Виступав, зокрема, за клуби «Гонка» та «Олесунн», а також національну збірну Фінляндії.

Клубна кар'єра
У дорослому футболі дебютував 2004 року виступами за команду «Гонка», в якій провів п'ять сезонів, взявши участь у 103 матчах чемпіонату. Більшість часу, проведеного у складі «Гонки», був основним гравцем захисту команди.

Своєю грою за цю команду привернув увагу представників тренерського штабу норвезького клубу «Олесунн», до складу якого приєднався на початку 2009 року. Відіграв за команду з Олесунна наступні три з половиною сезони своєї ігрової кар'єри і за цей час допоміг клубу двічі виграти Кубок Норвегії.

Протягом 2012—2015 років захищав кольори команди клубу «Стабек».

На початку 2016 року повернувся на батьківщину, ставши гравцем ГІКа. Відтоді встиг відіграти за Відіграв за 11 матчів в національному чемпіонаті.

Виступи за збірні
Протягом 2006—2009 років залучався до складу молодіжної збірної Фінляндії, разом з якою був учасником молодіжного Євро-2009, де фіни не змогли вийти з групи. Всього на молодіжному рівні зіграв у 17 офіційних матчах, забив 1 гол.

29 травня 2010 року дебютував в офіційних іграх у складі національної збірної Фінляндії в товариському матчі проти збірної Польщі (0:0). Наразі провів у формі головної команди країни 8 матчів.

Статистика виступів

Статистика клубних виступів

Статистика виступів за збірну

Титули і досягнення
 Чемпіон Фінляндії (2):
ГІК: 2017, 2018
 Володар Кубка Норвегії (2):
«Олесунн»: 2009, 2011
 Володар Кубка Фінляндії (1):
ГІК: 2016-17

Примітки

Посилання

Фінські футболісти
Гравці молодіжної збірної Фінляндії з футболу
Гравці збірної Фінляндії з футболу
Футболісти «Гонки»
Футболісти «Олесунна»
Футболісти «Стабека»
Футболісти ГІКа
Фінські футбольні легіонери
Футбольні легіонери в Норвегії
Уродженці Еспоо

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: Want to update my 000webhost website mysql db using android app I want to update my database having 2 fields serial and ip using an Android app. But it's not updating. When I try to run the app, "Unfortunately App has stopped" pops up on my emulator
My PHP code
<?php
$serial=$_POST["serial"];
$ip=$_POST["ip"];

$con=mysqli_connect("mysql9.000webhost.com","~HIDDEN~","password","~HIDDEN~");
// Check connection
if (mysqli_connect_errno())
  {
  echo "Failed to connect to MySQL: " . mysqli_connect_error();
  }

mysqli_query($con,"INSERT INTO ip (serial, ip)
VALUES ('".$serial"', '".$ip"')");

mysqli_close($con);
?>

Main Activity (Android)
public class MainActivity extends Activity {

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
        postData();
    }
    public void postData() {

        // Create a new HttpClient and Post Header
        HttpClient httpclient = new DefaultHttpClient();
        HttpPost httppost = new HttpPost("http://ankit.host56.com/");

        try {
            // Add your data
            List<NameValuePair> nameValuePairs = new ArrayList<NameValuePair>(2);
            nameValuePairs.add(new BasicNameValuePair("serial", "23"));
            nameValuePairs.add(new BasicNameValuePair("ip", "24"));
            httppost.setEntity(new UrlEncodedFormEntity(nameValuePairs));

            // Execute HTTP Post Request
            HttpResponse response = httpclient.execute(httppost);

        } catch (ClientProtocolException e) {
            // TODO Auto-generated catch block
        } catch (IOException e) {
            // TODO Auto-generated catch block
        }
    }
}

Layout file
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:paddingBottom="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
    android:paddingLeft="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
    android:paddingRight="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
    android:paddingTop="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
    tools:context=".MainActivity" >

</RelativeLayout>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


I recently got my hands on some of Jake Hicks's gels from Amersham Studios that are made by Lee Filters and hand picked by Jake Hicks for their placement and ability to work together based on his preference and experience.
First things first, what do the gels look / feel like? How are they packaged, shipped and branded etc?
They came flat, perfectly boxed in a hard cardboard flat pack wrapped in a slim grey plastic. They arrived in flawless condition (now used) and I was a bit overwhelmed by just how many options I had for shooting. It felt as though the options open had just exceeded my creativity at present.
So, why are they handy?
With the options available to you with these gels all of a sudden you're looking at the ability to "fix" a lot of colour things you'd probably find yourself doing in post. A fine example of this is the idea of having a cool blue background while having a normal looking subject.
Unless you're in a situation where the background is that blue (unlikely in most cases) you're essentially "up a perpetually moving landscape, bobbing along with no means to control yourself". Here's an example of how you can use a few CTO gels to "overcook" your subject, then by dialling your white balance to compensate you can bring your subject back to a more "normal" temperature and force your background to a cooler tone.
You can see that the skin looks relatively normal by eye (considering how blue the rest of the scene is).
Another example of them being handy is matching the current lighting situation you're dealing with. I can honestly tell you right now that I NEVER thought I'd be stood 1700m high in Austria with a German man, lighting the side of a mountain with 6000 Watts (6x1000W shots) of battery powered flash and using a CTO gel to match the light pollution, in the middle of a thunderstorm.
If we wouldn't have gelled the light the grass at the front would have been really white / neutral looking and not suited the scene at all!
So right there you can see not only the practical uses for owning some gels but also how it can open en entirely new world of creativity for you. I've just recently started using them to enhance my SOOC shots with regards to practicals.
Here's a pair of shots where I used a CTO to flash in the warm fire glow of the lantern / candles.
Creative, practical, opens your options for fixing issues on set / location and built like a tank. these gels withstood wrapping, taping, folding, 6000W of light blasted through them (6x1000W flashes with a frequency of one flash every 4 seconds or so).
How could I NOT recommend these? If you're after something else to open up your world of creativity or perhaps just to fix practical colour issues, you should seriously invest in some gels. Why these ones?
The colour harmonies have been picked out for you, they are rugged, durable, packaged nicely, shipped quickly etc. Well worth the investment in my opinion. And by rugged I mean I've taped and folded this around my bulbs firing full power etc and no melting, no tears, nothing, they just does what they're supposed to with no fuss.
Hope to see you guys having some more fun in your photography sessions!


text:
The astonishingly low standard of Human Rights Act bashing
Last week, I came across — and briefly joined in — an astonishing exchange on Twitter concerning repeal of the Human Rights Act 1998. It was prompted by a report that former Attorney-General Dominic Grieve anticipates that, in his Conservative Party conference speech this week, David Cameron will announce plans to dilute the UK's commitment to upholding the European Convention on Human Rights. (That the Conservatives will adopt such plans at some point seems inevitable; indeed, Grieve's sacking was clearly intended to pave the way for this.)
Against this background, David Allen Green made the following observation:
Shortest conversation in British politics is to ask a critic of the Human Rights Act to specify which of its provisions are objectionable.
— David Allen Green (@DavidAllenGreen) September 26, 2014
It prompted the following response from Louise Mensch, who, until her resignation in 2012, was a Conservative MP:
@JackofKent Article 8, right to a family life. Every MP has heard this one. Theresa May was absolutely right about the cat.
— Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) September 26, 2014
(Readers mystified by Mensch's "cat" reference will find ample explanation in this excellent piece by Adam Wagner on "catgate".) When pressed to say exactly what the problem with Article 8 is, Mensch responded:
@DavidAllenGreen @KMDunc if there were any human right to "a family life" then jail would not be permissible. It is patent nonsense.
The precise meaning of this tweet is unclear, and it hardly warrants detailed analysis. However, Mensch appears to believe either that there is no such thing as a legal right to family life or that there should not be such a thing, on the ground that it would preclude lawful imprisonment. Either way, of course, she is entirely wrong: Article 8 ECHR confers a right to respect for private and family life, but in terms that are qualified rather than absolute. As such, the right to family life can be — and is — limited by relevant public interests, including those that justify the imprisonment of criminals.
The point of significance that emerges from this exchange, however, is not that a former Conservative politician turned Sun columnist has got the law wrong. That is hardly a remarkable phenomenon. What is more significant is that Mensch's willingness to engage in this sort of criticism from a position of ignorance is simply one vignette that illustrates a far wider malaise. The widespread preparedness of politicians — including government Ministers, as the "cat-gate" affair shows — to engage in legally illiterate criticism of the HRA and the ECHR debases public discourse. It is, however, of a piece with the willingness of the media to engage in equally uninformed criticism (on which see recent pieces by David Mead and Adam Wagner), and contributes to the broader mythology that has grown up around our human-rights system.
None of this is to suggest that reasoned criticisms cannot be made in relation to the HRA or ECHR. They can. The system is not perfect, and reasonable minds can and do differ on the extent to which courts should be empowered to overrule politicians' judgments as to how the balance between individual and broader public interests should be struck. However, as questions about the HRA — and even the UK's ongoing commitment to the ECHR — are addressed, as they surely will be in the run-up to the 2015 general election, it is imperative that the debate is informed. Politicians should feel entirely free to criticise the HRA, advocate its repeal, and even argue in favour of the UK's withdrawal from the ECHR. But they do everyone a disservice if they base their case upon lamentable misrepresentations of the current legal position.
September 27, 2014 September 28, 2014 constitutional law, constitutional reform, ECHR, human rights, Human Rights Act
2 thoughts on "The astonishingly low standard of Human Rights Act bashing"
Jack Williams says:
"None of this is to suggest that reasoned criticisms cannot be made in relation to the HRA or ECHR. They can. The system is not perfect…" <- Are your full reasons for this statement in your 'Damp Squib' and Brighton Declaration articles, or would you please be able to flesh this out / update briefly in a post?
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To determine the moment of inertia of a flywheel.
Fly wheel, weight hanger, slotted weights, stop watch, metre scale.
The flywheel consists of a heavy circular disc/massive wheel fitted with a strong axle projecting on either side.The axle is mounted on ball bearings on two fixed supports. There is a small peg on the axle. One end of a cord is loosely looped around the peg and its other end carries the weight-hanger.
ω-angular velocity at the instant the weight assembly touches the ground.
Where v is the velocity at the instant the weight assembly touches the ground.
g = Acceleration due to gravity of the environment.
h = Height of the weight assembly from the ground.
r = Radius of the axle.
Now we begin to count the number of rotations, N until the flywheel stops and also note the duration of time t for N rotation. Therefore we can calculate the average angular velocity in radians per second.
Flywheels can be used to store energy and used to produce very high electric power pulses for experiments, where drawing the power from the public electric network would produce unacceptable spikes. A small motor can accelerate the flywheel between the pulses.
The phenomenon of precession has to be considered when using flywheels in moving vehicles. However in one modern application, a momentum wheel is a type of flywheel useful in satellite pointing operations, in which the flywheels are used to point the satellite's instruments in the correct directions without the use of thrusters rockets.
Flywheels are used in punching machines and riveting machines. For internal combustion engine applications, the flywheel is a heavy wheel mounted on the crankshaft. The main function of a flywheel is to maintain a near constant angular velocity of the crankshaft.


text:
Q: Including response of a controller request in JSP I have been trying this for a while with no luck.
I want to know if there is a way to include response of a server request (i.e. a Spring controller) inside a JSP.
I am trying to build an independent module which will rely on some specific objects and will print the HTML based on these objects.
So I want to create a Controller method which will take care of dependencies and return this JSP as response.
I can then include a call in the parent JSP so that it hits the controller method and injects the response returned by this method in the parent JSP.
I read somewhere that jsp:include can be used for this purpose as follows:
<jsp:include page="/test-url" flush="true"/>
Where /test-url will map to a Spring controller method.
But when I run this, i get the following exception:
Servlet.service() for servlet dispatcher threw exception: java.lang.IllegalStateException: Cannot forward after response has been committed
Please provide your valuable inputs if you have some idea about this?

A: use this way
String pPath = yoururl
<jsp:include page="<%=pPath%>" flush="true">

it work fine for me


For those who love winter sports and snow-filled vacations, Niseko is just the place. This was my first time visiting Niseko, Japan and it was everything I heard of and more. The snow was powdery and bright making for perfect snowboarding conditions.
Full of international snow lovers, this quaint town is perfect for all levels of skiers and snowboarders. We've made it a habit of waking up early and going to the slopes for the early bird run to avoid the crowd, which resulted in an absolute need for coffee before our long day of snowboarding.
We were told by some frequent visitors, including my snowboard instructor (who've lived in Niseko for 20 years) that there was a coffee shop that had some of the best coffee in Niseko. It is located right next to the Hirafu slopes right next to the lift, which was so convenient because any time you wanted a little coffee break, the shop was right there.
The coffee shop is called The Day: Mountain Kiosk Coffee Stand. It's not big, but its cozy and inside it is sort of like a little wooden cabin. The view out the window is picture perfect, almost like a painting. While you sip great tasting coffee, you look outside the window to the mountains. It's cash only so make sure you have plenty because you will for sure be frequenting the place if you like coffee.
They had a small collection of pastries and bars – the oatmeal bars and brownies were wrapped individually. The great thing was that the ingredients were listed on the wrapper as well as next to the basket they were in (all in English).
They had a range of coffees with soy milk for those lactose intolerant.
According to the locals, and even visitors, this place is the best place to get a coffee pre, mid, and post hitting the slopes. They have a great vibe and wonderful staff and most importantly, amazing products. A definite place to visit in Niseko.
Growing up and attending an international school in Taipei, Ayaka's pursuit of travel began. After high school, she moved to San Francisco to get her Bachelors in Communications, then Masters in Media and Journalism studies at Stockholm University. She's also lived in Oslo and now, Tokyo — where She currently work as a hotel contracting manager. She is on a constant hunt for great food and unforgettable travel experiences.


This is just a stock photo of a villa not an actual example of an OAU villa.
Government parastatals like the Sierra Leone Housing Corporation (SALHOC) are meant to manage resources and bring revenue into the consolidated fund but because of individual Sierra Leoneans' refusal to pay their dues this does not happen.
SALHOC just announced that it lost 1 billion leones ($217,000) in the last 2 years because tenants occupying state property refuse to pay their rent. One group of such tenants who have refused to pay SALHOC reside at various villas at the OAU Village Complex at Hill Station in Freetown.
If you know these people please advise them to advise themselves and pay their rent. Na dem all di make wi country noh di go before. This too is corruption.
Welcome to Dakar – "Give me Small Thing"


text:
Female Activist in "Very Poor" Health after Nine Months and Counting of Solitary Confinement
Political activist Hengameh Shahidi is in poor health after a nine-month stint in solitary confinement, the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) has been informed.
Arrested on June 26, 2018, Shahidi has since been held in isolation in Ward 241 under the control of the judiciary's Security and Intelligence Center in Tehran's Evin Prison.
She is awaiting a decision on her appeal against a 12.9-year prison sentence issued on December 10, 2018, primarily for her public criticisms of former Judiciary Chief Sadegh Larijani.
"Hengameh's physical and mental state has been described as very poor and one of the reasons is the long-term solitary confinement," a former colleague told CHRI on April 4, 2019. "All this heavy-handed treatment is because she sharply criticized the judiciary chief and demanded a performance report on his nine-year tenure."
"It's rare that a prisoner is held in solitary confinement after being interrogated and prosecuted," said the source who requested anonymity for security reasons. "But months have gone by and Hengameh is still being kept isolated."
On March 16, 2019, Shahidi's attorney Mostafa Tork Hamedani took to social media to complain about the repeated postponement of her appeal hearing.
The first and second hearings, scheduled in January and March 2019, were canceled because she was not transferred from the prison to the courtroom. The next is due to take place on April 17, 2019.
Addressing Iran's new Chief Justice Ebrahim Raisis, Hamedani tweeted: "Mr. Ebrahim Raisi! I went to several courthouses and other judicial offices in the last week of the [Persian] year… But the head of one particular court was not only absent on numerous occasions but also ordered that the case of an imprisoned woman in solitary confinement be postponed for one more month."
The attorney was referring to Judge Abolqasem Salavati of Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court, who is known in Iran for bending to the wishes of security agencies in dealing with political prisoners.
In addition to sentencing her to 12.9 years in prison, Salavati also banned Shahidi—a former advisor to former presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi (under extrajudicial house arrest since February 2011)—from membership in political groups and activities on social media for two years as well as prohibited her from leaving the country for two years.
Appeals Court Upholds Lengthy Sentence Against Female Activist for Criticizing
Political Activist Hengameh Shahidi Held for Six Months in Solitary
Iranian Activist Hengameh Shahidi Refuses to Hire New Lawyer Against
Iranian Journalist and Political Activist Detained For Criticizing Iran's Judiciary
In Letter From Evin Prison, Narges Mohammadi Demands Judiciary Stop
Narges Mohammadi Calls on MPs to End the "Illegal" Torture


You've probably heard the term 'green washed' by now, and have likely witnessed it firsthand. There isn't enough bad-mouthing to be said about this marketing pandemic, as it gaslights sustainability efforts when Earth needs our care most. For those of you who haven't heard of green washing, let's start with a simple definition. Aka 'green sheen', green washing is a marketing strategy to deceive you, the consumer, in thinking a company, venue, or restaurant is green, but when examined just a little closer the company is in fact harming the environment. As a result, the consumer gets duped into spending their hard earned cash on an undeserving fake green company.
Have you ordered a to-go coffee drink lately and noticed your cup has a little green leaf stamped on it? Maybe the words biodegradeable or compostable are also written on the cup, and you say to yourself, 'What a wonderful world!' then finish the drink and toss the cup in the trash, because that's where it'll just biodegrade or something. If this sounds familiar you've been green washed.
Ask if the restaurant is participating in a commercial compost program. If they're not, you've been green washed.
Biodegradable and compostable plastics are turning up everywhere. There are huge differences between the two. Biodegradable plastics are usually just basic plastic products which have microorganisms added to help break down the plastic way faster. The idea is the plastic will deteriorate in a few years rather than a few hundred years. This seems like a legitimate fix to plastics building up on the planet, right? Here's the catch… when biodegradable plastics break down toxic residue is often left behind because the material is still just plastic. Additionally, when those plastics do break down they don't just disappear. They become micro-plastics, and those are extremely harmful to ecosystems. Micro-plastics are practically invisible which makes them nearly impossible to clean up, and they eventually end up in the bellies of wildlife and humans. Lets also not forget the grandfather of the plastic problem is Big Oil. Plastic is a petroleum based product; biodegradable plastic is, too. They're still drilling oil so that single-use fork can feed you. Plastics degrade alright, but there's nothing bio, or biological, about it. It's an unnatural object with an unnatural degradation process, and mass producing these biodegradable plastics isn't getting to the root of the plastic pollution issue.
Not a plastic cup, but we still need to dispose of it with attentive care.
Compostable products are made of natural plant starch, like corn or tapioca. Compostable products break down in a composting system when done so correctly. If you throw your compostable items in the trash and are thinking, 'Yay! It'll just break down in the landfill…" you're missing a big part of the picture. To organically compost an item you need oxygen, or an aerobic environment. Landfills are anaerobic environments, which means there is no oxygen to break down the compostable material. This is why proper compost piles have to be turned and hydrated. When compostables (food waste included) end up in landfills they break down alright, but release methane gas in the years-long process. The gas is sourced from the landfill and burned, which is a direct green house gas. Methane gas is 23 times as potent as carbon dioxide in trapping heat within our atmosphere.
Methane gas burning at a landfill, directly contributing to green house gas emissions.
Compostable plastics means you've got to actually compost the plastic. Have you ever thrown a compostable fork in your compost pile, then when you turn the pile months later you find the fork is intact and hasn't started to break down whatsoever? I have learned my lesson this way, as well. Part two of compostable plastics is the need for commercial composting. It's a bit different than backyard composting. Because the compostable plastic is still just plastic, it is not going to break down as quickly and easily as a banana peel. Compostable plastics need to be managed in a controlled environment where microbes are being fed at just the right amount, and at just the right temperature, with just the right amount of water and nitrogen, in order to break down. Who can possibly pull all that off? Commercial composting facilities.
Compostable plastics in your backyard compost will take over a year to break down, and leave plastic bits behind, contaminating your soil. If the item is tossed in the recycle bin it's considered a contaminate and goes to the landfill, because it's not 100% polyethylene like recyclable plastics. In the landfill, compostable plastics take years to break down and eventually turn into methane gas. Here's the green wash; people perceive compostable plastic as a sustainable option without being informed to the importance of properly composting the item once finished with it. When faced with limited composting facilities to responsibly handle the item it can turn out just as bad as regular old plastic.
Bring your own to-go container to restaurants!
Solutions do exist for compostable plastics, but you've likely got to do a little work. If compost collection isn't offered by your city's waste management program, or by the venue that's served you a compostable plastic item, consumers must take the lead. Upcycle Santa Fe is located in northern New Mexico and can recommend Soilutions in Albuquerque and Reunity Resources in Santa Fe to responsibly handle your compostable waste. (If you're not composting your food waste at home, we cannot emphasize enough how important it is to not throw your food waste into the landfill. Commercial composters can really help you out, here!) A quick online search can help you find a certified commercial composting facility in your hometown. If you're an Ecobricker, or are able to make Ubuntu-Blox, biodegradable and compostable plastics can be used in both methods. This is because neither Ecobricks or Ubuntu-Blox offer the right environment for such plastics to break down.
When it comes down to it, sustainable, green, and single-use aren't usually found in the same family tree. Green leaves or happy trees on packaging gives consumers' quick-to-judge eye the impression a product is a sustainable choice. The importance of bringing your own to-go coffee mug to the cafe, or reusing utensils for parties or car camping, are far more sustainable options. Though innovative single-use items keep popping up on store shelves, the method of 'bring your own' and reuse still reigns. Using anything once and throwing it away is the opposite of what sustainability teaches us.
As consumers we are a leading cause of climate change. Yes, we may accurately place quite a bit of blame on corporations polluting ecosystems and destroying simple ways of life around the world, but we must remember corporations serve a very large, very powerful group. A group which has an incredible impact on global economics, politics, government policy, and the overall planet: consumers. If we want to change the dirty ways of corporations we must change our dirty ways of consuming, as well. If we cannot see we are part of the problem we cannot fix the problem. The responsibility of cleaning up the planet is in all of our hands. We may sit and wait for corporations to do their part, or we may go ahead and get a head start. Being informed to green washing tactics makes us better consumers because it challenges irresponsible corporations and keeps the sustainability movement in line.
Refuse, reduce, reuse, refill, recycle.
The year has wound down to the very final day of 2018. It's New Years Eve! As I sit and contemplate my evening party plans I'm more-so distracted by thoughts reflecting on Upcycle Santa Fe's progress in 2018. This year we placed more Ubuntu Blox Presses in the hands of motivated individuals than ever before, which led us to do a bit of travel, and share our knowledge with many different groups of people. Heck, this year we were even on TV and the radio! Sit with me… let us reminisce.
Jumping back to February, 2018, Upcycle Santa Fe was en route to Costa Rica! Happenstance led us to a group of individuals who are collectively living in a permaculture paradise deep into the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica. The place is called Finca Morpho, and the Morphians welcomed Upcycle Santa Fe with a place to sleep and daily organic, fresh cooked meals for the price of an Ubuntu-Blox Press.
Cutting each piece of wood, as needed, to perfection.
We scoured their farm and were able to source all of the needed materials for the Press. This was the first time we built a Press from 100% reclaimed materials! This was a challenge for us, and we're proud to have prevailed. This paradise-based intentional community is now on a zero plastic waste agenda, and being located in the second most bio-diverse place on the planet, we think that's pretty darn important. You can visit this Ubuntu-Blox Press and the Morphians if you're seeking a sustainable and meaningful tropical getaway. They've got their annual Metamorphosis Gathering coming up soon, and it just may be the perfect thing you're searching for.
Aw, gee whiz… thinking back on the day we left Finca Morpho, project complete, I was so overjoyed I cried. Working in the field of plastic waste, tears of joy aren't as common as tears of sadness. I'll forever be grateful to the love of trash regeneration the Morphians have, and am so happy to have met such a unique team of friends.
Okay, drying my eyes, now lets move on to the second project Upcycle took on in 2018, marathon races! Did we run a marathon for plastic waste awareness? Haha! No way! But we did help a marathon race company, Vacation Races, take on a zero plastic waste agenda; a different kind of marathon in its own right.
In April of 2018, Upcycle packed up and hit the road for Zion National Park, the hosting grounds for a weekend Ragnar Relay Race, and home of the first ever zero plastic waste marathon event in the United States. Upcycle Santa Fe traveled deep into the glorious Utah desert to deliver the custom ordered Ubuntu-Blox Press to Vacation Races, and trained their waste management team on how to use the Press for plastic waste generated at regular marathon events.
A single waste management team tackled the waste of nearly 5,000 marathon goers! Needless to say, by the end of the weekend we were exhausted. There was quite a bit of bottled water and sports drinks consumed by the marathon goers, and we were able to compress 25.5 Ubuntu-Blox, or 102 cubic feet of plastic waste. That's quite a bit of plastics saved from failed recycling centers and landfills.
The waste management team of Vacation Races has carried on for the remainder of 2018 compressing plastics into Ubuntu-Blox. Recent talks with their team have us on the radar for 2019, assisting with an Ubuntu-Blox building project to resource all the collected and compressed plastics into a structure. Stay tuned to hear more about that one!
Moving on down to November, 2018, Upcycle Santa Fe got Santa Fe-mous and were in the news! A reporter with Albuquerque based KRQE News 13 got wind of the work we do here at Upcycle, and by that evening we were on the local news. Our social media accounts have soared as many New Mexicans have reached out to us since the news broadcast aired. Many had questions about what to do with their non-recyclable plastics, the recycling crisis in New Mexico, and how to make Ecobricks. To witness fellow New Mexicans have such an interest and passion for plastic waste and how to sustainably handle it has been humbling and motivating. We feel we have a strong team of locals supporting our work, and not too much is better than that! We love you, New Mexico. If you haven't seen us on the news yet, or already have and want to watch it again, here ya go!
One of the ongoing projects of Upcycle Santa Fe is research. Being innovators in upcycling plastic waste into building materials, we are constantly faced with unanswered questions. Research is an ongoing solution to ensure the development of sustainable products going into the future. And well, formal research just ain't cheap! In 2017 we fundraised to afford necessary research on upcycled plastic waste insulation emissions. We passed that test by answering the question as to whether or not plastics off-gas when used as insulation. (The answer was no, they don't off-gas, in case you didn't read about that totally awesome research project.) In 2018 we're fundraising again, and we would love your help.
2018 brought on more research, and this time in one of the most important factors we've yet tackled, building codes! At this time, Ecobricks and Ubuntu-Blox are not up to building code for full-size structures in the U.S. because they lack some important research: R-Value and Flame Spread tests. Both tests are required by law in getting new materials approved by building advisory boards, and eventually into official building codes. So, whatdoyaknow, Upcycle is taking on this challenge! Why? Because we believe the people of the U.S. have a big role to play when it comes to decreasing their carbon footprint based in plastic waste. Americans are consuming single-use plastics at an alarming rate, and our solution to ship plastic waste overseas for recycling has proven to be a failure over and over again. Especially this year, with China's foreign plastic waste ban, and the ripple effect its had on the entire global recycling industry. So, again, would you like to make a donation and help us out on this enormously big project we're taking on?
Our last project of 2018 brought us back to sunny Utah. Just a couple weeks ago, in mid-December, we spent eight days in Moab building an Ubuntu-Blox Press for a handful of interested non-profits who seek to clean up Moab's piling plastic waste, as the community is seeing big failings from their local recycling facility.
Wow! Okay, that wraps up the highlights of 2018 for Upcycle Santa Fe. Every single one of these projects has opened doors for future projects, which means we're in for a very exciting 2019. Thank you so much for believing in our grassroots work, and supporting Upcycle as we take this important work to the next level. None of this would be possible without the generous support of friends, family, and complete strangers we meet along the way. You know who you are, and I thank you. For the rest of you we're soon to meet in the coming New Year, I look forward to our shared time together, and am already grateful for you. Together we'll clean up this plastic polluted planet one little bit at a time. Happy New Year, world!
Taking on global plastic pollution is tough. Challenging folks to awaken to their single-use plastic habits is no easy task, either. Developing an innovative product which could save thousands of pounds of non-recyclable plastic waste from landfills and oceans, to be utilized by communities large and small, rich or poor, across the nation… now that is the toughest task, yet.
We are a company of many facets, and our mission is grand. We've got a big idea and have been plotting its success for years. Working with post-consumer plastic waste as building insulation has been tedious. Many trial and errors with consultations and plannings have led us to take the next crucial steps forward. Industry standards require some basic tests in order for newly-developed insulation materials to pass building codes. This is what we seek to document in our work with Ubuntu-Blox an Ecobricks. Two research-based tests must be fulfilled. The first, an R-Value test, or insulation quality. How does the plastic waste insulation keep houses warm in the cold, and cool in the hot? The second is a Flame Spread test. In the unfortunate case of a fire, how quickly do plastic waste insulation products burn?
Testing emissions standards with Ecobricks.
Another difficult task of taking on global plastic pollution and challenging single-use plastic habits is asking for help, specifically financial help. We've located a facility to perform the required tests, and we've received a quote for the needed research. The R-Value and Flame Spread tests together are $7,000, and our grassroots startup simply doesn't have the needed funds. We're asking for your help because we really believe we have a solution to non-recyclable plastic waste! Did you know Ecobricks and Ubuntu-Blox have already passed some very impressive tests? Last year, both passed an emissions test conducted by Los Alamos National Laboratory, showing plastics as insulation do not off-gas. (Scroll down to blog post "The Lab Results Are In… Get Excited" from January 2017) Also, Ubuntu-Blox were originally designed to withstand serious seismic activity, and an Ubuntu-Blox structure passed an 8.0 earthquake test!
Like most grand, innovative ideas turned into reality we must start with community support and investment. At this time, Upcycle Santa Fe is seeking support from you! Yes, YOU, our environmentally conscious, Green-living friend. You've already supported our work by stuffing Ecobricks and cutting back on the single-use plastics. Now, will you donate to our Go Fund Me campaign and help us reach our goal of researching innovative plastic waste solutions? Perhaps you may be interested in long-term, large scale investments in our company, as well. We are pleased to announce now is the time to make that happen. Should you be interested in investment opportunities we invite you to email our team at info@upcyclesantafe.org.
Our work was recently recognized and featured by Albuquerque-based KRQE News. We think their journalists did a great job accurately capturing the work Upcycle Santa Fe has been focusing on. You can watch the newscast in the video below.
Here at Upcycle Santa Fe, our mission goes beyond awareness to single-use plastics and pollution. It goes beyond teaching the youth sustainable practices to carry with them throughout life. Beyond refusing a straw and bringing reusable bags to the grocery store. With all of these conscious practices and community supporting us, Upcycle Santa Fe moves along a timeline to seriously impact global plastic pollution. You've helped us make it this far, and together we can have a big impact on this plastic problem.
The U.S. sent 70 million pounds of plastic waste to Thailand, alone, in just three months! Here's a quote from The Nation, a Thai news outlet, "I have no doubt that the recycling of plastic waste and used electronic parts are profitable businesses at the moment. Some business operators may make a lot of profit from the recycling industry, but what will the country gain from their prosperity when our environment becomes polluted and the people suffer?" This very rational quote comes from the Natural Resources and Environment Minister, General Surasak Kanchanara. Finally! Someone is talking sense!
Photo: Greenpeace International. A neighborhood in Thailand suffering from plastic pollution.
Solutions for recycling post-consumer plastic waste generated in the United States need to happen in the United States. There is a business model which ships these plastics overseas, as foreign markets purchase scrap plastic from U.S. suppliers, and then use the recycled plastic to affordably manufacture goods. Those goods are often shipped right back over to the U.S. How many election cycles have you been through witnessing the working class people of the U.S. demand jobs be brought back to the U.S., and stop being sent overseas? How often have you heard workers in the U.S. demand more manufacturing jobs, and celebrate the factory goods, manufacturing culture that was once part of the American Dream? If we recycle our own post-consumer plastic waste in our country, this affordable recycled plastic could then be supplied to domestic manufacturers, possibly rekindling the manufacturing industry once again.
Additionally, the U.S. has some of the strictest regulations on EPA approved manufacturing, especially when compared to other countries. Rather than sending plastic waste to foreign countries where regulations can be less strict, creating potential environmental disasters, we keep the plastic waste in our own country where we'll work to process plastics as environmentally friendly as possible. Many of our nation's industries get a little Greener as the years go by. We have what it takes to do the right thing.
We live in a world where the manufacturing of goods isn't going to cease to exist. That same world generates a lot of single-use plastics which need responsible handling. With open minds, lets keep the revenue generated from the recycling industry 100% domestic. Lets take responsibility for our own generated waste, and promote domestic jobs through the manufacturing industry. Lets recycle an outdated recycling industry.
So You Want An Ecobrick Collection Point In Your City?
There's a hand made wooden box painted different shades of turquoise at 917 Don Juan Street. It's the collection point for Ecobrickers of Santa Fe and northern New Mexico. We are a small two-person team, Upcycle Santa Fe, and we've been collecting Ecobricks from the Santa Fe community for years. A popular question we receive from all sorts of acquaintances regards Ecobrick collection points beyond the one here at the Upcycle Santa Fe office. We've been asked to set up collection points throughout our city, in all other 49 capitol cities throughout the US, and all throughout the northern parts of our home state of New Mexico. Our team of two is thrilled by the enthusiasm, but we've got our hands pretty full supporting and operating our already existing projects. So… I think it's well beyond time to talk to you, yes YOU, you Ecobricking enthusiast, about starting an Ecobrick collection point in your city or town. I double dog dare you to take this seriously!
First things first, engage your community. Talk to people about Ecobricks. Teach them how to make a prim and proper brick, and excite them for all the plastics they're keeping out of their local landfill and water systems. Most people don't realize soft plastics – like plastic bags, cheese wrappers, or an energy bar wrapper – aren't recyclable by industry standards. The guilt of tossing single use soft plastics into the trash, or the deceiving recycle bin, after learning to Ecobrick is almost unbearable. I speak from my own experience. Convincing even just a couple people of the importance and environmental impact of stuffing Ecobricks will come easy for you. Then those people tell a couple people, and a couple more people tell a couple more people, and next thing you know you really need an Ecobrick collection point. Now is when your creativity and passion carry you.
The Upcycle Santa Fe Ecobrick drop-off collection box.
Create your collection point. It can be tricky placing a collection point on public property. This is why we created our collection point in front of our own home office address. We live in the desert, so our collection point is primarily wind and sun proof. You don't want your Ecobricks blowing away, and you absolutely need to keep them out of the sun. Research of Ecobrick built structures has proven that photodegradation is the leading cause of deterioration of Ecobricks. The sun will bake the plastic bottle; the sun will weaken it so much eventually the plastic bottle cracks, and the soft plastics inside the bottle are unfortunately set free. This will happen a lot quicker than you'd expect. When it comes to the rain, waterproofing your collection point isn't seriously necessary because people should be placing lid-sealed-tight Ecobricks into the bin. If they're rained on, it won't ruin a properly stuffed and sealed Ecobrick.
Create a storage space. You should accept the challenge up front that the collected Ecobricks will begin to pile up. It can be a little overwhelming, but remember how each and every brick is your community's effort to keep plastics out of the landfill and water systems, and then you'll be so stoked when the Ecobricks are piling up. Storage space needs to be sun-proof, most importantly. Again, don't let your Ecobricks blow away, and a little rain won't bother them. Perhaps you have space in your garage, or a shed out back you aren't properly using? For us, we built an outdoor storage area comprised of large wooden bins which are covered on top with corrugated metal. Your community Ecobricks will continue to pile up until you are able to plan a building project with them. This will determine the size of the storage space you'll need, depending on how quickly you're able to turn over the collected bricks into a local building project.
Create building projects. There are building code restrictions when using Ecobricks in the United States. Only structures under 120 square feet are allowed – for now. (We're working on this part…) This means your options for building projects will be small, but that's alright! We've built a number of outdoor benches, garden beds, dog houses, and courtyard walls with the Ecobricks we've collected. The technique for building with Ecobricks is pretty standard, and informative tutorials can be found all over the internet. Did you know there are Ecobrick structures in Guatemala, Indonesia, South Africa, Costa Rica, the Philippines, and beyond?! The information on building is out there, trust me. Contact us here at Upcycle Santa Fe anytime you have questions in our website's About tab. You have a support system, friend!
As far as we know, Upcycle Santa Fe operates the one and only Ecobrick collection point in the entire United States. That's kind of cool, but no, not really cool at all. What would be way more cool and interesting is a network of Ecobrick collection points scattered throughout the nation. "What difference will one collection point really make?", said an entire nation. The United States is one of the leading producers of plastic waste. It's time for us to step up to the plate and creatively take on some responsibility for the "waste" we generate. By starting an Ecobrick collection point and building projects in your own city or town, you are tapping into a global network of outside-the-box thinkers and environmentally conscious peoples. The connections you will make and opportunities that will arise will not disappoint! So again, I double dog dare you to take this seriously.


My dad encouraged me to go into the surfboard business. He didn't think I was going anywhere in school.
The quotes below are from Paul Holmes' 2013 biography Hobie: Master of Water, Wind and Waves. Holmes and Alter recorded their conversations in the winter of 2012-2013.


text:
Regina Doherty
JobPath has cost €162.55m and provided just 11,334 jobs lasting at least one year – SF
Marie O'Halloran
The employment activation service JobPath has cost taxpayers €162.55 million and provided just 11,334 jobs that lasted at least one year, according to(...)
Free dental care plan would cost €80m a year, ESRI says
Providing free dental care for adult medical-card holders and all children as proposed under the Department of Health's new oral health policy would c(...)
'Draconian' bogus self-employment law will hurt economy - Ibec
Legislation that would tackle the problem of bogus self-employment with "draconian" penalties will hurt the Irish economy, the Irish Business and Empl(...)
Government plan to link pension increases to inflation faces opposition
Fianna Fáil has said it will "completely" oppose an attempt by the Government to link welfare increases to inflation, in an early indication of a pote(...)
New proposals to clamp down on bogus self-employment practices
New proposals aimed at clamping down on bogus self-employment practices are to be considered by Government this week. Unions maintain the practices a(...)
Legislation to ensure workers receive tips is not needed, says Low Pay Commission
New legislation or regulations to ensure that workers receive tips or gratuities paid by customers are not needed, the Low Pay Commission has advised (...)
Fiona Reddan: Will auto-enrolment pensions ever actually be introduced?
Fiona Reddan
It's been a long time in coming but is a private pension for all ever actually going to get here? First mooted back in 2006, auto-enrolment, where em(...)
Minister accuses TD of 'bullying' which she 'will not tolerate' in JobPath row
Minister for Employment Affairs Regina Doherty has accused Independent TD Mattie McGrath of "bullying" which she said she would not tolerate, during s(...)
Did you hear about the toddler stealing food from a creche?
No Child 2020 is an initiative by The Irish Times providing a sustained focus on child welfare and children's issues. We explore the problems facing c(...)
Free hot meals could be introduced in all schools under proposed plan
Free hot meals could be made available to every school in the country under a plan to be proposed by Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty. M(...)


Uses: Use on affected areas in place of your regular soap and shampoo for the management of itching, irritation, redness, and flaking skin associated with Eczema.
Use in place of soap to cleanse and soothe the skin and scalp. Rinse off with plenty of water. Avoid very hot water. For best results use in conjunction with naturalia happy little bodies eczema relief cream and eczema moisturizing lotion.
Inactive Ingredients: Water, cocamidopropyl betaine, glycerine, decyl glucoside, hydroxypropyl starch phosphate, lauryl glucoside, benzyl alcohol, phenoxyethanol, sodium chloride, citric acid, dehydroxanthan gum.
For external use only. Stop use and ask doctor if: condition worsens. Does not improve after regular use (7 days) of this product as directed. If local irritation or rash occurs. When using this product: do not get into eyes. If contact occurs, rinse eyes thoroughly with water. Keep out of reach of children. If swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.
Store between 50º - 86º F in a dry place.


Call an attorney today. When you call 1 (800) CAR WRECK, you'll speak with Taylor King. And if Taylor's not in, there are 15 other lawyers ready to help you get back on your feet – that's what on your side, by your side really means.


text:
package com.example.anoma.slylauncher;

import android.os.AsyncTask;
import android.util.Log;

import org.apache.http.util.ByteArrayBuffer;

import java.io.BufferedInputStream;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.FileOutputStream;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.InputStream;
import java.net.URL;
import java.net.URLConnection;

class SaveImage extends AsyncTask<String, Object, Void> {
    private final String PATH = "/data/data/com.example.anoma.slylauncher/";  //put the downloaded file here

    private void DownloadFromUrl(String imageURL, String fileName) {  //this is the downloader method
        try {
            URL url = new URL(imageURL);
            File file = new File(fileName);

            long startTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
            Log.d("ImageManager", "download begining");
            Log.d("ImageManager", "download url:" + url);
            Log.d("ImageManager", "downloaded file name:" + fileName);

            // Open a connection to that URL.
            URLConnection ucon = url.openConnection();

            //Define InputStreams to read from the URLConnection.
            InputStream is = ucon.getInputStream();
            BufferedInputStream bis = new BufferedInputStream(is);

            //Read bytes to the Buffer until there is nothing more to read(-1).
            ByteArrayBuffer baf = new ByteArrayBuffer(50);
            int current = 0;
            while ((current = bis.read()) != -1) {
                baf.append((byte) current);
            }

            // Convert the Bytes read to a String.
            FileOutputStream fos = new FileOutputStream(file);
            fos.write(baf.toByteArray());
            fos.close();
            Log.d("ImageManager", "download ready in"
                    + ((System.currentTimeMillis() - startTime) / 1000)
                    + " sec");

        } catch (IOException e) {
            Log.d("ImageManager", "Error: " + e);
        }

    }

    @Override
    protected Void doInBackground(String... params) {
        DownloadFromUrl(params[0], params[1]);
        return null;
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Do you ever feel like your days are so busy you can't think straight, and when you do take a moment to breathe and relax, you can't turn off your thoughts? It happens to all of us. The simple routine of connecting with your breath and your senses can help bring you into the moment and reset your brain.
Take a deep breath. Feel the air enter your lungs. Feel the air leave. Feel your breath. Return to normal breaths, but notice as the air moves in and out.
What do you see? Note your surroundings. Are there trees? What's the light like? Look up at the clouds. Are you inside? What's around you?
What do you feel? Are you sitting? Feel the chair that supports you. Feel your feet on the ground. Feel the breeze going by, or the air coming from the vents. Feel sensations.
What do you hear? A car going by or the bird singing? Do you hear the leaves in the wind?
What do you smell? Fresh cut grass? Food cooking? The woman's perfume next to you? What fragrance surrounds you?
I often do this practice in the morning as I sip my coffee so I fully take in that sip and taste the flavors. What does your water taste like? What about the sweetness of a mint that's still lingering? If you're just pausing in your day, without actual food or beverage nearby, I still suggest you notice if there's a taste in your mouth. What does your breath taste like as it passes by?
Can you commit to doing this once a day for a week? Give it a try and see what it's like!
This is a beautifully described practice and worthy of doing more than once a day!


text:
This S'pore Couple Created A Bubble Tea-Themed Card Game - Received 100 Orders Before Launch
Jae Chia
For years, bubble tea has been a Singaporean obsession and stores selling the sweet treat have steadily popped up all over the island.
Mega-chains like Koi and Gong Cha, as well as specialty brands like Tiger Sugar, tend to draw hoards of bubble tea lovers to them.
The bubble tea craze does not stop there, and has expanded to a whole suite of other products such as bubble tea hot pot and bubble tea flavoured ice cream.
Teabbles — a bubble tea card game — is the latest addition to the collection of products inspired by the sugary drink.
Launched in December 2020, the game was created by husband-and-wife team Aaron Tan and Jolene Yang.
From A Nation's Favourite Drink To Card Game
Image Credit: Teabbles
Aaron, 30, and Jolene, 27, are both bubble tea fans, as well as card and board game lovers.
As a child, Aaron used to play games like Uno, Monopoly and Scrabble with his family.
However, as technology improved over the years, various forms of entertainment like film and gaming came about, making card and board games less relevant.
The self-proclaimed card game geek told Vulcan Post that he feels that the technological entertainment we all consume today seems to be "lacking the aspect of human interaction."
This is why he came up with the idea of creating a family-friendly, yet competitive game. The idea for Teabbles hit him in August 2019.
While I had many ideas previously, Teabbles just stuck and I decided to make it into a reality by conceptualising the game to see how viable it was.
I played the game with a small group of friends and most of them expressed their interest in purchasing the game, so I decided to take it to the next stage.
Aaron Tan, Co-founder of Teabbles
Since he had done his market validation, he decided to start sourcing for suppliers to have the game mass-produced.
Now, Teabbles is launched under WYX Studio, which stands for wǎn yóu xì (玩游戏) — it means "to play games" in Mandarin.
Three Games In One
The duo behind Teabbles shared that the game is truly "made in Singapore", from end-to-end.
Instead of sourcing for suppliers to produce the cards overseas, they decided to support local.
However, being an entirely locally-made product, the Teabbles' cost price is higher than the other games manufactured overseas.
Therefore, Aaron had to rethink the value proposition of the game and see what else he could bring to the players.
"While the cards will definitely be of high quality, there was also a need to make the game value-for-money," he said.
He added that what sets Teabbles apart from other games is that there are three different ways to play it.
The variants are named 'Original Play', 'Bluff', and 'Boba the Builder'. Players can choose a variant to suit their cravings, "just like their bubble tea orders."
'Original Play' was the first variant created, 'Bluff' was inspired by a wrong order received from a bubble tea store, and 'Boba the Builder' was modelled after how businesses manage their inventory space.
Besides having three games for the price of one, Teabbles is also thoughtfully designed with magnetised packaging and thick cards that are water-resistant.
The final version of Teabbles is the result of a cumulative effort in refining the gameplay and design, with the look credited to Jolene and their illustrator, Ansley Toh.
The game can be played in groups of two to five people, and is made up of 39 drink cards and 88 inventory cards. It can be purchased on Shopee for S$30, or from any of Teabbles' stockists.
Going Strong Despite The Pandemic
Aaron told Vulcan Post that starting Teabbles in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic came with a whole set of challenges.
The team had placed an order for 50 sets of prototypes and was excited to play-test and refine the game further, but was hit with the nationwide circuit breaker before the prototypes arrived.
Even after the lockdown eased and people were allowed to meet again, it was difficult to play-test and distribute the prototypes quickly because of safe-distancing restrictions.
Despite the challenges faced, response to the game has been positive.
Since its launch last month, Teabbles has managed to break even and has just begun preparations for printing a second batch of cards.
Even before launch, Teabbles had already received around 100 pre-orders.
The duo has also partnered with several local retailers such as Toystation and Batttle Bunker, to bring Teabbles to even more people around the island.
Aside from Teabbles, they also have a few other game ideas in mind, and hope to start the prototyping for one of them soon.
The reviews [for Teabbles] have been good so far. We hope it will continue this way when Teabbles launches overseas, and there can finally be a "Made in Singapore" game among the many popular games in the world.
Featured Image Credit: Teabbles
These 3 Friends Created S'pore's First Vending Machine For Wagyu Beef – Prices Start At S$19
Tags: bubble teacard game
GoBear's Closure Comes As A Shock But Will Unlikely Leave A Dent In S'pore's Finance Industry
For A Local Brand That Most M'sians Barely Know, It's Found Fans From UK To Australia
by Sade Dayangku
StarHub Users Can Enjoy Exclusive Access To Disney+ Content For S$11.98/Mth From Feb 23
Tesla Confirms That It's "Coming Soon" To Singapore


As we head into December, most slots developers, along with the online casinos themselves, have turned their attention to Christmas. Back in the good old days, Microgaming could be relied upon for a decent Christmas slot or two every year and that was about as far as it went. Nowadays, just about everyone has something to bring to the table, and while we have no doubt that Yggdrasil will be getting involved at some point in the coming days – they have already launched their €500,000 Christmas Calendar promotion after all, which was featured here in the news last week – they have continued the trend for doing things their way in 2017 with the launch of a brand new original slot.
Based on the iconic, luxurious journey across Europe, Orient Express looks set to be one of the most impressive slot releases of the year, not to mention just the tonic for any player that loves having something new to play but is not necessarily on board with all that Christmassy stuff!
The developer has been on quite the roll with the creativity this year, with the likes of Jungle Books and Valley of the Gods being unlike anything that we have played before, and we can see Orient Express making a similar impact. The game captures the journey perfectly, with different backgrounds and layouts truly immersing players in various locations along the way. Starting off in Paris, the slot takes in Venice and Belgrade before reaching the ultimate destination of Istanbul.
In a similar twist to the one found on Jungle Books, the gameplay in each location is slightly different. When in Paris, a walking wild in the form of the ticket inspector will head from right to left when he lands, throwing in respins along the way, while in Belgrade, between one and three reels will turn completely wild on every spin. As noted, the journey begins in Paris and you'll move on to the next location following every free spins round. When you have visited them all, the choice becomes yours and you can decide which of the features – or which of the scenes – you like the most and stay there as long as you like.
Jonas Strandman, Head of Slots at Yggdrasil Gaming, commented: "With Orient Express, we're proud of creating a game which keeps delivering fresh excitement even after hundreds of spins.
The game is live now at all of the leading Yggdrasil casinos, including Mr Green, Casumo and Vera & John, and it also makes use of Yggdrasil's unique BRAG tool, which enables players to watch replays of their spins and even share them through social media. There is no time like the present to check the game out either, as by playing at any of those casinos, you will be able to enjoy all of the action while also checking out the various bonus advent calendars at each casino, Yggdrasil's own Christmas Calendar and all of the great promotions that are running at the top casinos all year round!


Summer vacation officially starts for us here today. I've spent the morning filling my Google Calendar app with all the activities that are going to keep us busy over the next few months. But there is still lots of unaccounted for time – much of which will be spent outside…. if the sun ever comes out around here.
My second child just learned to ride his bike without training wheels. Grandma even bought him a Spider Man model for an early birthday present. My oldest son rides too, and I can't think of a better way to spend time than to go riding through our beautiful parks with two of my best guys.
So today, in honor of summer and having kids and doing summer things, I have decided this cute Schwinn Wayfarer Bike should be on my shopping list. Don't you agree?


+ If you need to import Visio documents into a word processor, send them by email or prepare images for a web page then the standard Visio menu options only allow you to save one page at a time.
+ SuperUtils enables you to export all the pages of the current document or of all the open documents to be saved as images.
+ The 'Export File Path' is where the images get saved, use the yellow 'change folder' dialog box to change this path (you can also create new folders here).
+ The 'Export image name' options allow you to choose the name created for the image. It can be either the document name followed by the page name (with options of space or underline as separator), or just the page name by itself.
+ When exporting images from multiple documents be careful with this option as any duplicate page names will overwrite a page image of the same name.
+ The 'Export as image type' can be set to one of (BMP, DWG, DXF, EMF, EMZ, GIF, JPG, PNG, SVG, SVGZ, TIF, WMF).


Seabourn is a small-ship luxury cruise line, owned by Carnival Corporation, which caters to those expecting a high level of quality and service in a yacht-like atmosphere. The onboard experience is focused on an intimate and personal ambiance, with nearly one staff member per guest, hand-picked and trained to anticipate not only the needs of the guests, but also extra touches to surprise and delight them.
The fleet consists of two styles of ships. The Seabourn Pride, Legend and Spirit, 10,000 tons and carrying just 208 passengers, are among the most intimate luxury ships in the cruising market. Like most yacht-type vessels, the cabins have either a large picture window or French balcony, instead of a balcony with outdoor seating.
The younger trilogy, Seabourn Odyssey, Sojourn and Quest, are about 32,000 tons and carry 450 passengers. Significantly larger than their predecessors, there is ample space onboard for a larger spa, spacious open deck and pool areas, additional dining venues, and roomy 300 square ft. standard cabins. Private balconies and expansive suites are plentiful.
Similar to other luxury cruise lines, the pricing is all-inclusive and no gratuities are expected. Guests can expect open bars throughout the ship, and fine wines poured at lunch and dinner. Champagne and a mini bar stocked with soft drinks, beer, mineral water, and ones favorite wines or spirits are complimentary in each and every suite.
From casual to elegant, indoors, or al fresco, passengers have many choices in dining. Each Seabourn ship offers a choice of restaurants, and nearly all are open-seating, allowing guests to dine where, when and with whom they wish.
Dining and evening socializing is the entertainment of choice onboard Seabourn ships, however, shows and cabarets are presented in the main show room and smaller lounge. Movies under the stars are shown on the wind-protected Sun Deck at least one evening on virtually all cruises as long as the weather permits. The library has a large collection of books as well as movies that can be watched in ones suite. Popcorn will naturally be delivered with a call to room service!
The Dress Circle Series enrichment program features guest appearances by top names in the arts, literature, politics, and world affairs. During Chefs Circle sailings guest can cook with some of the worlds most renowned chefs. Yet the best part is that due to the size of Seabourn ships, passengers have the opportunity to mingle with presenters and interact one-on-one.
All Seabourn ships have retractable water sports marinas that unfold from their stern, allowing passengers direct access to the sea for water-skiing, windsurfing, sailing, snorkeling, banana-boat riding, kayaking, and swimming. Its used, weather and sea conditions permitting, on special marina days when at anchor, and during beach parties ashore on select cruises.
The world becomes more intimate and more enchanting when traveling with Seabourn. Each cruise is a hand-picked collection of fascinating places, and each day brings a new opportunity for authentic discovery. If this is the way you see yourself cruising the world, Seabourn invites you to join their close-knit community of like-minded travelers gathering peak experiences day after glorious day!


Are you Adam Way? Claim this listing.
Adam Way is a certified financial planner and chartered financial consultant operating out of Denver, Colorado, who has 16 years of financial industry experience. Way is an employee of Mml Investors Services, LLC. Throughout their career, Way has worked at Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC, Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Massmutual Life Insurance Company, Mml Investors Services LLC and Mml Investors Services. Way maintains Series 63 and Series 65 licenses, designating them as both a securities agent and an investment advisor representative, and can advise clients in Colorado and Texas. Mml Investors Services, LLC is a business that has its headquarters in Denver, Colorado. It has offices in 1,335 locations and a total of 8,095 employees. It controls $29 billion in assets across its 238,365 customer accounts, placing it among the largest financial advisory firms in the nation by assets under management. The firm advises 512 charitable organizations. The advisory firm has a diverse array of services, such as financial planning services, portfolio management for individuals and small businesses, portfolio management for institutional clients, pension consulting services, selection of other advisers, educational seminars and other services. Fees charged by financial advisors usually are based on which services are provided. However, fees billed by Mml Investors Services, LLC may include asset-based, hourly, fixed and other fees.
Adam has 16 years of experience.


Russia has suffered from environmental problems throughout history, but there were also periods characterized by environmental consciousness. From Stalinist times to Gorbachev, environmentalism was at times banned, and at times encouraged. This study investigates the perspectives of university educated Russians beliefs about environmental issues through a survey put out in 2015. 105 respondents participated in the survey across four Western Russian cities including Moscow, Kazan, Arkhangelsk, Saint Petersburg, and an additional group labeled as "other" cities. Results suggest that respondents show concern about ecological environmental issues. Respondents believe that people must start to make changes in their personal lives to better environmental conditions.