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Randa Markos-Thomas
MMA Professional
Photo Credit: Unknown
Photo Credit: UFC Facebook
Randa Markos-Thomas fight stats
MMA 4 Submissions
MMA (Amateur) 1 TKO
Randa Markos-Thomas fight records
MMA (Amateur)
Randa Markos-Thomas personal details
First Name Randa
Last Name Markos-Thomas
Nickname/s Quiet Storm
Birth Name Randa Markos
Born Baghdad, Iraq
Residence Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Weight class Strawweight
Weight range 112 - 145lbs / 51 - 66kg
Reach 63.5in
Randa Markos-Thomas social networks
Randa Markos-Thomas Official Website
Connect with Randa
Like Randa
Randa on Instagram
Randa Markos-Thomas martial arts details
Wrestling Practitioner
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Bue Belt
Provincial Champion
Grappling Practitioner
Randa Markos-Thomas fight history
Cláudia Gadelha Unanimous Decision MMA 07/06/19 UFC 239: Jones vs. Santos, T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
5:00 R3 / 3×5 Pro Strawweight • 115 lbs • Preliminary Card • Weigh-In 116.0 lbs (52.6 kgs)
Angela Hill Armbar MMA 03/23/19 UFC on ESPN+ 6: Thompson vs. Pettis, Bridgestone Arena, Tennessee, United States
Marina Rodriguez Draw (Majority) MMA 09/22/18 UFC Fight Night 137: Santos vs Anders, Ginásio do Ibirapuera, Sao Paulo, Brazil
5:00 R3 / 3×5 Pro Strawweight • 115 lbs • Main Card • Weigh-In 115.7 lbs (52.5 kgs)
Nina Ansaroff Unanimous Decision MMA 07/28/18 UFC on FOX 30: Alvarez vs. Poirier 2, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Juliana Lima Unanimous Decision MMA 01/27/18 UFC on FOX 27: Jacare vs Brunson 2, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
5:00 R3 / 3×5 Pro Strawweight • 115 lbs • Preliminary Card • Weigh-In: 116.0 lbs (52.6 kgs)
Alexa Grasso Split Decision MMA 08/05/17 UFC Fight Night 114: Pettis vs. Moreno, Mexico City Arena, Mexico City, Mexico
5:00 R3 / 3×5 Pro Strawweight • 115 lbs • Co-Main Event • Weigh-In: 116.0 lbs (52.6 kgs)
Carla Esparza Split Decision MMA 02/19/17 UFC Fight Night 105: Lewis vs Browne, Scotiabank Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Cortney Casey Armbar MMA 08/20/16 UFC 202: Diaz vs. McGregor 2, T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
4:34 R1 Pro Strawweight • 115lbs • Prelim Card • Weigh-In: 116.0 lbs (52.6 kgs)
Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger Unanimous Decision MMA 06/18/16 UFC Fight Night: MacDonald vs Thompson, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
5:00 R3 / 3×5 Pro Strawweight • 115lbs • Prelim Card • Weigh-In: 117.5 lbs (53.3 kgs)
Karolina Kowalkiewicz Unanimous Decision MMA 12/19/15 UFC on FOX 17: dos Anjos vs. Cerrone, Orlando, Florida, United States
5:00 R3 / 3×5 Pro Strawweight • 115lbs • Main Card • Weigh-In: 116.0 lbs (52.6 kgs)
Aisling Daly Unanimous Decision MMA 04/25/15 UFC 168: Johnson vs. Horiguchi
Jessica Penne Split Decision MMA 12/12/14 UFC: The Ultimate Fighter 20 Finale
Rose Namajunas Kimura MMA 08/14/14 The Ultimate Fighter 20: A Champion Will Be Crowned
2:44 R1 Exhibition Strawweight Tournament Semi-Finals • 115 lbs
Felice Herrig Modified Armbar MMA …/…/14 The Ultimate Fighter 20: A Champion Will Be Crowned
2:14 R1 Exhibition Strawweight Tournament Quarter-Finals • 115 lbs
Tecia Torres Unanimous Decision MMA 07/08/14 The Ultimate Fighter 20: A Champion Will Be Crowned
5:00 R3 / 3×5 Exhibition Strawweight Tournament First Round • 115 lbs
Lynnell House Armbar MMA† 03/08/14 PFC 2: Provincial Fighting Championships 2
1:57 R1 Pro ……………………………………………………………………………………..
Justine Kish Unanimous Decision MMA 01/24/14 RFA 12: Ortega vs. Koch
5:00 R3 / 3×5 Pro ……………………………………………………………………………………..
Kara Kirsh Unanimous Decision MMA 10/26/13 PFC 1: Unrivaled
Ashley Nichols Armbar MMA 03/28/13 Wreck MMA: 2.0
Allanna Jones Armbar MMA 11/17/12 IFL 51: No Guts, No Glory
Bernice Booth TKO (Punches) MMA 11/13/10 XCC 64.5: Battle at the Border 11
2:27 R1 Amateur ……………………………………………………………………………………..
Bernice Booth Armbar MMA 08/28/10 XCC 64: Battle at the Border 10
Alison Milliron Unanimous Decision MMA 05/08/10 Impact Fight League, Pontiac, Michigan, United States
3:00 R3 / 3×3 Amateur Flyweight • 125 lbs • Main Card
Kelly Warren Unanimous Decision MMA 11/14/09 IFL: Righteous Rumble
3:00 R3 / 3×3 Amateur ……………………………………………………………………………………..
Tanya Lohr Unanimous Decision MMA 09/19/09 IFL: No Pain, No Gain
Randa Markos' Bio
Randa Markos-Thomas is a female fighter from Canada.
She began wrestling in grade 9 in high school.
After turning professional in 2010, Randa struggled to find fights for 2 years, eventually accepting a fight 15 lbs above her normal MMA weight class.
Randa's family fled from Iraq when she was only three years old. They were imprisoned in Europe before eventually receiving visas to Canada. Her father, a former soldier, became an alcoholic and was abusive towards her and the rest of her family.
Randa attended Trios College and earned a Pharmacy Assistant Diploma. She continues to work as a pharmacy assistant outside of her fighting.
MMA Titles
2014 - Provincial Fighting Championships Strawweight Champion (inaugural)
MMA Awards
2014 - Awakening WMMA Awards | Strawweight of the Year
2014 - Awakening WMMA Awards | Personality of the Year
2014 - Awakening WMMA Awards | Inspirational Fighter of the Year
2014 - Awakening WMMA Awards | Submission of the Year (Opponent: Felice Herrig)
2014 - 2nd Most Viewed Awakening Profile December
2013 - Top MMA News, Canada's Rookie of the Year
Wrestling Titles
2004 - OFSAA Wrestling Championships | -51kg Silver
2003 - Canadian National Wrestling Championships | Juvenile -52kg Bronze
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Titles
2013 - Ontario Open Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Championships | No Gi Expert Absolute Gold
2013 - Ontario Open Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Championships | No Gi Expert Featherweight -124 lbs Gold
2010 - Grapplers Quest Canadian National Grappling Championships | No Gi Advanced Absolute Bronze
2010 - Grapplers Quest Canadian National Grappling Championships | No Gi Advanced -120 lbs Gold
2008 - Joslin's Canadian Grappling Championship | No Gi -145 lbs Gold
The Ultimate Fighter Season 20: A Champion Will Be Crowned (2014)
Maximum Training Center Gym / Affiliations
Toan Lam Trainer / Instructor / Coach
Phil Navarro Trainer / Instructor / Coach
Mike Marchand Trainer / Instructor / Coach
Randa Markos-Thomas vs Alexa Grasso August 4th 2017
Randa Markos-Thomas from UFC Facebook
Randa Markos-Thomas vs Cortney Casey August 20th 2016
Randa Markos-Thomas vs Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger June 17th 2016
Randa Markos-Thomas vs Karolina Kowalkiewicz December 18th 2015
Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs Randa Markos-Thomas December 18th 2015
Randa Markos-Thomas vs Aisling Daly Apr 24 2015 UFC 186
TUF20 Randa Markos-Thomas
Jessica Penne vs Randa Markos-Thomas 11-12-14 at the Ultimate Fighter 20 Finale photo by Esther Lin
TUF 20 Team Pettis, Justine Kish, Jessica Penne, Alex Chambers, Felice Herrig, Carla Esparza, Aisling Daly, Joanne Calderwood, Randa Markos-Thomas
TUF 20 Joanne Calderwood, Rose Namajunas, Bec Rawlings, Jessica Penne, Angela Magana, Angela Hill, Heather Clark, Tecia Torres, Emily Kagan, Aisling Daly, Lisa Ellis, Alex Chambers, Carla Esparza, Randa Markos-Thomas, Justine Kish, Felice Herrig
Lynnell House vs Randa Markos 08-03-14 Provincial FC 2 War by Pennography 2013
Kara Kirsh vs Randa Markos 26-10-13 Provincial FC 1 by Pennography 2013
Justine Kish vs Randa Markos-Thomas 24-01-14 RFA12
Randa Markos-Thomas Tapology Profile
Randa Markos-Thomas UG Profile
Randa Markos-Thomas Sherdog Profile
Randa Markos-Thomas TUF Profile
Randa Markos-Thomas UFC Profile
Written Interviews
UFC: Meet the Strawweights Aug 2014
Top MMA News Mar 2014
Whoobli Punching Bag for Kids Incl Boxing Gloves | 3-10 Years Old Adjustable Kids Punching Bag with Stand | Boxing Bag Set Toy for Boys & Girls
STELLE Girls Short Sleeve Ballet Leotard Combo with Dance Skirt and Dance Tight
Amazon Basics High-Density Round Foam Roller for Exercise, Massage, Muscle Recovery - 12", 18", 24", 36"
Fit Simplify Resistance Loop Exercise Bands with Instruction Guide and Carry Bag, Set of 5
C4 Ripped Sport Pre Workout Powder Arctic Snow Cone - NSF Certified for Sport + Sugar Free Preworkout Energy Supplement for Men & Women - 135mg Caffeine + Weight Loss - 30 Servings
Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy - Pre Workout with Green Tea, BCAA, Amino Acids, Keto Friendly, Green Coffee Extract, Energy Powder - Blue Raspberry, 6 Count
Sireck Cold Weather Balaclava Ski Mask, Water Resistant and Windproof Fleece Thermal Face Mask, Hunting Cycling Motorcycle Neck Warmer Hood Winter Gear for Men Women
Nuun Sport: Electrolyte Drink Tablets, Citrus Berry Mixed Box, 4 Tubes (40 Servings)


Risk Management Issue: What duties are owed to clients when an attorney is aware (or ought to be aware) that his or her medical condition (or potential death) may limit the lawyer's ability to accomplish his or her client's objectives on a timely basis?
Risk Management Issue: What duties do lawyers have to protect the interests of an estate's third-party (non-client) beneficiaries, when representing the estate in a wrongful death action against other third parties?
Risk Management Issue: What is the status of the unfinished business rule and how should firms deal with the risks while the uncertainty continues?


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Local to become first female marine engineer
20 July 2018 | People
Ashlynn Paulse. Photo Leandrea Louw
Ashlynn with a ship piston. Photo contributed.
Leandrea Louw
Ashlynn Zoe Paulse (25), originally from Narraville, Walvis Bay, is in her final year studying marine engineering in Vigo, Spain.
Upon her return to Namibia after her studies she will be the first ever female marine engineer.
"I grew up in Narraville and when I turned 12 we moved to Spain. It was very hard for me. I needed to learn a new language, a new culture and a new school system.
"At times I was so sad and couldn't wrap my head around the fact that I was halfway around the world. It took us about three years to finally fit in. However my mother, Carmen, was the one who motivated us, taught us and talked us through the challenges.
"When I completed my final year of high school I wasn't sure what I wanted to do next. My father is an engineer, so I thought to myself, why not? I talked to him about it, but he didn't want to hear anything about me becoming an engineer. He told me my life will be devoted to my work.
"I then decided to study administration, but it just didn't feel right and I knew I had to make a change. After about a year, I applied to the Maritime School in Vigo. Later on I went to Germany to do vocational training, and while I was there I was accepted into the Maritime School, and in 2014 I started with my first year."
"I was very excited and although my dad was sceptical at first he was extremely proud of me. At first everything was strange and difficult but I told myself nobody is going to put bread on your table and nothing in life is free.
"I passed my first two years with flying colours, but I had to find a job to do my practical. I applied for a job at Tunacor to do my year at sea, and in September 2016 I sailed with the Oshakati. This was also the same boat my father had worked on and I slept in his cabin as well.
"After my graduation I will be fully qualified in accordance with the provision of regulation II/5 STCW F convention as a chief engineer of vessels up to 3 000 kilowatt, and first engineer of fishing vessels, unlimited.
"We started the year being only two girls in the class. This means you have to study harder, just to be on the same level, or better than the guys. Some of them are openly jealous and hostile towards you. I still get negative comments like: What are you doing studying marine engineering, what are you doing on a boat, go study something else. This only motivates me more."
Paulse explained after her first two years she wasn't sure if she should continue studying. "I decided to go to sea, to see if this was really meant for me. During the year at sea, I realised that this is exactly where I want to be."
Being Afrikaans speaking she had to learn Spanish, which was required by the primary and secondary school.
"I now speak and write Spanish fluently. I also fund the additional costs of my studies by teaching others English."
Matheus to launch CBK Safari line
2 months ago - 28 October 2019 | People
Swakopmund • Adolf Kaure Kaino Ipuleni Matheus (29), aka Kim, is taking the local fashion industry by storm. Kim is the creative executive at...
Onderburgemeester nou lid van Rotariërs
3 months ago - 27 September 2019 | People
Swakopmund • Iréne-Mari van der Walt Die onderburgemeester van Swakopmund, Maria Elago, is hierdie week as 'n lid van die Rotariërsklub Swakopmund ingehuldig."Die doel...
Purpose driven beauties
5 months ago - 11 August 2019 | People
Walvis Bay Leandrea Louw The reigning Miss Teen Walvis Bay, Dominique Bouwer, and the first ever Miss Pre-Teen Walvis Bay, Malinda Bam, discussed...
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5 months ago - 28 July 2019 | People
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Deur God geseën
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The art of making real life baby dolls
Walvis Bay Leandrea Louw Humankind never ceases to amaze when it comes to innovation, with the latest creation being real life baby dolls. Magdel...
Graduate shares her story
7 months ago - 26 May 2019 | People
Walvis Bay - Leandrea Louw Chloé Paulse (25), a graduate of the University of Namibia (Unam) medical school, grew up in the salty and...
Ouma Magrita a mother of many
Otis Finck - Swakopmund The secret to a long life is having respect for your elders.Ouma Magrita "Mamas" Haoses, who is turning 103 year old...
Getting to know Miss Walvis Bay
8 months ago - 29 April 2019 | People
Walvis Bay - Leandrea Louw Julia Kandjimbi (21), a final year fashion student at the College of the Arts, is the reigning Miss Walvis...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The 2019 Toyota Avalon is a premium large car that comes in two models. The XSE and the Limited.
The 2019 Avalon is designed on a whole new platform that is wider and lower to the ground and thanks to available Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), handling is sporty. Both models are powered by a 3.5 litre 6 cylinder engine that is paired with an 8 speed automatic transmission that delivers 301 hp at 6600 rpm and 267 lb.ft of torque at 4700 rpm. This vehicle was introduced at the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit and it is Toyota's future in terms of design, connectivity and cutting edge technology.


Jessica Cecere, has been involved in nonprofit leadership for more than 29 years. She is currently the CEO of Nonprofits First, Inc. Ms. Cecere is also a small business owner, consultant, and active community volunteer. She earned a Bachelor's Degree from Florida State University in 1986.
Ms. Cecere is an expert in nonprofit management, board governance and personal finance and has appeared in numerous local and national publications. Cecere has been a long time local television media source in the area of credit and personal finance, as well as, a past guest host on Clear Channel Radio's WJNO morning news.
Jessica Cecere has a extensive history of community involvement and board service with nonprofit and community organizations. She is currently a board member of the Executive Women of the Palm Beaches, the Better Business Bureau and Palm Beach County Central Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
Delferine Spooner is a Certified Public Accountant that has been providing financial and administrative services to nonprofit organizations for over 20 years. Delferine has worked as an Auditor, Controller, Chief Financial Officer and Director of Financial Operations. She is an expert in nonprofit financial management and has worked for /with many nonprofits in Palm Beach County.
Kim Harty is the CEO of Changing Tides Consulting, a nonprofit coaching and consulting company. She spent over 20 years of her career as a CEO of membership based nonprofits, mostly YMCAs. These nonprofits all required extensive financial development skills. Fundraising was a key component of the survival and growth of these organizations. She has a bachelor's degree in Business Administration, a master's degree in Human Services Administration and Organizational Leader from YMCA of the USA.
Kim will share the key components to fundraising using the donor-centered approach with exercises specific to your organization.
Mr. John Foley has been practicing law since 1988. He received his B.A. from the University of Miami and his J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law. Mr. Foley's practice is limited to representation of nonprofit organizations in all areas of operation with an emphasis on labor and employment, human resources, governance, corporate law and transactional matters.
Mr. Foley runs the Legal Aid Society's very successful Non-Profit Legal Assistance Project, which has held a prominent position in the Palm Beach County nonprofit community for almost 20 years. Mr. Foley currently provides in-house counsel services to over 50 local nonprofit organizations, and regularly offers pro bono services to dozens more.


Find 457B Catchup Deduction is not taking the full allowable amount. According to the IRS and our plan, if an employee is within 3 years of retirement age (59 ½ per IRS) an employee may contribute the basic annual limit plus the amount of basic not used in the prior three years.
For 2010 an employee can contribute 16,500 (basic annual limit) plus 47,500 (16,500 limit in 2009 and 15,500 limit in 2008 and 2007) assuming that they have not contributed anything in the past three years.
The highest amount that the system will deduct is 16,500 basic and 22,000 in catchup.


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Assam Tour Packages are curated under many themes because Assam as a holiday destination offers a blend of many varied streams. While Sivanagar with its 18th century heritage temples, palaces, tanks and an amphitheatre, sheds a light on the region's glorious heritage, Bhaishnavait Culture of Majauli, temples and shrines of Kamakhya Devi Temple, Navagraha Temple, Balaji Temple, Nabagraha Temple, Basistha Ashram, Umananda Temple and Mahamaya Temple are a vivid representation of Assamese' belief and religiosity, Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary & Manas National Park – both UNESCO world heritage biospheres are among the Trip India's most availed - Assam Wildlife Tours, along with the mosaic tea gardens, paddy fields and steep green hills which make for Assam Nature Tours; Agnigarh Hill, Digboi Oil Refinery, Guwahati Planetarium, Majauli Island, Umananda Island, Talatal Ghar and Fancy Bazaar are among the other noticeable tourist attractions of Assam. Trip India also arranges adventure pursuits in Assam like trekking, camping, rafting, mountain biking, boat racing, elephant & jeep safaris and leisure cruises in Brahmaputra. Visit Trip India's website and check our customized Assam Tour Packages and take advantage of some good deals and maximum discounts.
Guwahati-Kaziranga-Guwahati
Short Escape To Kaziranga
'Short Escape To Kaziranga' tour is one of the best itinerary to know the most beautiful attractions of Meghalaya which means (The Home of Cloud). One can visit the major attractions of Guwahati. Apart from this you will be visiting the Kaziranga Wildlif....
Guwahati – Shillong-Guwahati
Short Escape to Eastern Meadows Tour
'Short Escape To Eastern Meadows Tour', is one of the best itinerary to know about the most beautiful attractions of Meghalaya which means (The Home of Cloud ). One can visit the major attractions of Shillong ( capital of Meghalaya ) including Cherrapunj....
'North East Adventure Tour', is one of the best itinerary to know the most beautiful attractions of Meghalaya which means (The Home of Cloud). One can visit the major attractions of Shillong (capital of Meghalaya) including Cherrapunjee the wettest place....
Guwahati – Shillong - Kaziranga National Park - Guwahati
Glimpse of Shillong With Wildlife Tour
'Glimpse of Shillong With Wildlife Tour', is one of the best package to know about the most beautiful attractions of Meghalaya which means ( The Home of Cloud ). One can visit the major attractions of Shillong ( capital of Meghalaya) including Cherrapunj....
Guwahati - Kaziranga National Park - Shillong - Guwahati
Kaziranga and Shillong Tour Package
'Kaziranga and Shillong Tour Package', is one of the best itinerary to visit the most beautiful attractions of Meghalaya which means (The Home of Cloud). One can visit the major attractions of Shillong (capital of Meghalaya) including Cherrapunji the wet....
Kolkata – Guwahati – Kaziranga – Jorhat – Kolkata – Bhubaneswar – Puri – Bhubaneshwar
West Bengal with Orissa and Assam Cultural Tour
'West Bengal with Orissa and Assam Cultural Tour' is one of the best itinerary to know about the places of West Bengal, Orissa and Assam. During this tour one can visit the major attractions of North East like Kaziranga wildlife Reserve, Guwahati and Jor....
Explore North East With Orissa Tour
'Explore North East With Orissa Tour' is one of the best itinerary to know about the places of Orissa and North East, visiting the major attractions of North East like Kaziranga wildlife Reserve, Guwahati and Jorhat. The tour also includes Darshan at wor....
Assam Tour Packages FAQ
Which Indian states are part of North India Tours?
The North India is commonly described as "Land of unlimited tourist attractions" It comprises eight states – North India officially includes the Indian states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and the Three Union Territories of Delhi, Chandigarh and Ladakh Until 2019, Ladakh was a region of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. In August 2019, the Parliament of India passed an act by which Ladakh became a union territory on 31 October 2019.
What are the best places to visit in the States of North India Tours?
Here are the twenty best places to visit in North India Tours: - Delhi- Delhi is a perfect blend of historical monuments and cultural. Shimla- Shimla is known as Queen of the Hills for its beauty. It was also capital of British periods. Manali – Manali is a Gateway to Heaven Dharamshala – Tibetan Charisma Nainital – An Enchanting Hill Station Rishikesh – Yoga Capital of India Corbett National Park – An Abode of Exotic Wildlife Species Auli – A Paradise for Skiing Valley of Flower – A Region with Fascinating Flora & Fauna Jaisalmer – A Golden City of India Jaipur – A Flamboyant states with a Fairy-Tale Grandeur Jodhpur – A Gateway to the Thar Desert Sawai Madhopur – A Treat for Adventure Enthusiasts Pushkar – Enchantingly Mystic & Revered Town Udaipur – The Crown Jewel of Rajasthan Agra – Sneak Peek into the Architectural History Varanasi – Oldest Inhabited City in the World Allahabad – Land of Sacred Fairs & Rituals Mathura – A Birthplace of Lord Krishna Vrindavan – Major Pilgrimage Destination of India, which is also popular for Lord Krishna.


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The Hit List: 3 Instagram series to binge-watch
Instagram is a great way to share your photos and quick videos, and now its a great place to watch a new series. It allows you to binge-watch an entire season in less than 10 minutes. The Lists Bradley Hasemeyer has three Instagram series to ke
By: Bradley Hasemeyer, Cassarah Coffey
Instagram is a great way to share your photos and quick videos, and now it's a great place to watch a new series. It allows you to binge-watch an entire season in less than 10 minutes. The List's Bradley Hasemeyer has three Instagram series to keep an eye on.
1. Unbound
An Instagram exclusive, Unbound takes the viewer on a journey through David Bowie's last album, Blackstar. The iconic artist gave his blessing to creators Carolynn Cecilia and Nikki Borges to use music and images from the album. The 16-part series is releasing a new video every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
2. Shield5
Taking place in London, this thriller follows the aftermath of a jewel heist with security driver John Swift trying to prove his innocence. Along with the 28 videos in this series, additional images give you clues along the way.
3. Artistically Challenged
This series follows a down-on-his-luck New Yorker who takes credit for work that isn't his. Comedy ensues as he tries to navigate his newfound fame. With its second season in development, there are 32 episodes to keep you busy, if only for 8 minutes.
Now you're ready to get your Instagram binge-fix in less than 10 minutes.
Do you prefer Instagram, Facebook, or both? Let us know on our official Twitter page, @TheListShowTV.


HELPING SCHOOLS. CHANGING THE WORLD.
For 16 years, schools have trusted us to raise funds and inspire students through our fitness and character program.
Booster is a school fundraising company on a mission to change the world. Home to game-changing offerings like Boosterthon and Booster Spirit Wear, we're reinventing the fundraising industry.
With over 10,000+ programs completed and flexible options, we've got fundraising down to a science.
Strengthen your students' character with innovative lessons that work with your existing programs.
Our inclusive, interactive program gets every student excited to help your school reach its goal.
We customize our programs to easily work around school schedules (even the busiest ones).
Booster believes in giving back to the community and helping to Change The World. That's why for the past 6 years we've integrated a giveback program into our fundraiser.
This year we are partnering with Children's Miracle Network and have donated $100,000 to help them heal and care for sick children.
In addition, Booster team members around the nation are volunteering and serving at their local CMNH hospital.
Every year, we create a brand new character theme that's designed to encourage students, add magic to the experience, and build momentum for your fundraiser. This year, we're excited for students to experience MindSpark Mystery Lab, a mystery theme that combines S.T.E.A.M. skills with character building. This program can be used in the classroom year round.
"Booster has the BEST work environment in the world. It is a job where you get to have fun, make a difference, and grow personally."
"The opportunities for growth at Booster, both personally and professionally, are second to none. The company culture is unmatched. It is an incredible experience to work with people who care so much about their impact on the world."
"As you pour your heart out for the students and staff at the schools you serve, Booster will do the same for you. You will learn to lead better, love better, and serve better while working at Booster."
"One day of work at Booster will fuel your soul with enough positivity to last you a year. There is nothing that is more rewarding than knowing you are the reason those kids are so happy."
© Booster Enterprises Inc. All rights reserved.


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Alfred Brendel (5 de gener de 1931, Vízmberk, Txecoslovàquia) és un pianista austríac. També s'ha prodigat com a escriptor, cultivant l'assaig musical i la poesia.

Biografia
Alfred Brendel va néixer el 5 de gener de 1931 a Vízmberk, Txecoslovàquia (actualment Loučná nad Desnou, a la República Txeca), en una família no vinculada a la música. Quan tenia 6 anys es va traslladar al Zagreb i més tard a Graz, on va viure durant gran part de la segona Guerra Mundial. Cap al final d'aquesta, quan tenia 14 anys, va ser enviat a Iugoslàvia a cavar trinxeres. Tanmateix, va sofrir congelaments i va haver de ser traslladat a un hospital. Al llarg de la seva infantesa, va rebre ocasionalment lliçons de piano, però de manera informal.

Després de la guerra, Brendel va compondre algunes obres musicals i va continuar tocant el piano i dedicant-se a la pintura. Tanmateix, mai va rebre lliçons de piano formals, i tot i que va assistir a classes amb Edwin Fischer i Eduard Erdmann, és en gran manera autodidacte.

Brendel va donar el seu primer recital de piano a Graz quan tenia 17 anys. El va anomenar La fuga en la literatura per a piano", que incloïa fugues de Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms i Franz Liszt, així com algunes de les seves composicions pròpies. El 1949 va guanyar el quart premi en la competició de piano de Ferruccio Busoni a Bolzano (Itàlia), i es va traslladar a Viena a l'any següent. Quan tenia 21 anys, va gravar el seu primer disc amb el Concert per a piano número 5 de Serguei Prokófiev. Va realitzar una sèrie d'enregistraments, en les que incloïa les tres sonates per a piano completes de Ludwig van Beethoven (una per a Vox Records i dos per a Philips Records). Va ser el primer intèrpret a completar l'enregistrament dels solos per a piano de Beethoven. També va enregistrar obres de Franz Liszt, Brahms (inclosos els seus Concerts), Robert Schumann i Franz Schubert. A diferència de pràcticament tots els pianistes clàssics, ha realitzat molt pocs enregistraments d'obres de Frédéric Chopin, excepte les poloneses.

Brendel havia gravat amb freqüència per a la companyia Vox, en particular el seu primer connunt de sonates de Beethoven, però va obtenir un important contracte d'enregistrament en exclusiva en la dècada del 1970, sense poder interpretar obres fora d'Àustria. La seva ruptura es va produir després d'un recital d'obres de Beethoven en el Queen Elizabeth Hall a Londres, l'endemà que tres importants segells discogràfics parlaren amb el seu agent. En aquella època es va traslladar a Hampstead (Camden), Londres, on encara resideix. Des dels anys 1970, Brendel ha gravat per a Philips Classics Records.

Brendel s'ha casat en dues ocasions. El seu primer matrimoni, des de 1960 a 1972, va ser amb Iris Heymann-Gonzala, amb la qual va tenir una filla anomenada Doris. El 1975, Brendel va contraure matrimoni amb Irene Semler, amb la qual té tres fills, un nen, Adrian, que és violoncel·lista, i dues filles, Katharina i Sophie. El 1989 va ser nomenat Cavaller Comandant de l'Orde de l'Imperi Britànic.

Publicacions
A més de la música, ha desenvolupat una important activitat com a escriptor, tant en el camp de l'assaig musical com en el de la poesia. Durant molts anys va col·laborar amb The New York Review of Books. Molts dels seus poemes han aparegut al Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

Assaig

  Traducció castellana:
 Traducció anglesa:

 Traducció anglesa: Traducció castellana:
  Recopilació dels articles prèviament publicats a Musical Thoughts and Afterthoughts i Music Sounded Out, juntament amb materials nous.
 Traducció anglesa:

Poesia

Referències

Bibliografia
 Plaistow, Stephen. "Brendel, Alfred." Grove Music Online. 2001. Consulta 14/12 2019.
 Musik, Sinn und Unsinn. Festschrift anläßlich der Hommage an Alfred Brendel. Berlin: Konzerthaus Berlin, 2017. Llibre en homenatge a Alfred Brendel amb col·laboracions, entre altres, d'Imogen Cooper, Andreas Dorschel, Till Fellner, Peter Gülke, Florence Noiville i Sir Simon Rattle.

Enllaços externs

 Web oficial d'Alfred Brendel

Pianistes austríacs
Escriptors austríacs del segle XX
Escriptors austríacs del segle XXI
Poetes austríacs
Alumnes de la Universitat de Música i Art Dramàtic de Viena
Distingits amb el Pour le Mérite (classe civil)
Cavallers Comandants de l'Orde de l'Imperi Britànic
Persones de la regió d'Olomouc
Distingits amb la Pour le Mérite (classe militar)
Pianistes txecs
Pianistes suïssos
Poetes txecs
Poetes suïssos
Músics txecoslovacs
Escriptors moravians
Autodidactes

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (McKinney-Vento Act) ensures homeless children and youth have equal access to the same free and appropriate public education, including a public preschool education, as provided to other children and youths. It has most recently been reauthorized under the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA).
Parents should notify their child's Principal and/or Director of Student Services of any change in status regarding housing so the Wellesley Public Schools can ensure continued access to education and appropriate supports such as transportation, nutritional access and screening for eligible programs.
The Wellesley Public Schools (Escuelas Públicas de Wellesley) flyer regarding the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (Ley McKinney-Vento de Asistencia a las Personas sin Hogar) is available below in both English and Spanish.


WE LOVE OUR JACUZZI HOT TUB!!! It seems as though my wife and I have been to every pool company and spa dealer in the entire south east area (and on the internet) in search of the perfect hot tub. After a year of searching we discovered Kirks Pool & Spa in Greenwood SC. Their selection and price could not be beat. Ken found us the perfect Jacuzzi, had it delivered and completely setup in a few days, electrical and all. Since this was our first hot tub, he went over everything in detail; from how to operate it to maintenance and upkeep. I even use them for all my pool and spa chemical needs. Their customer service is second to none and I highly recommend them for anything associated with pools, spas and fireplaces!


Royalty-free Downtempo. Use Beats For Your Video, Idea, or Film.
Really fun, vintage, and relaxed keyboard music. Not much else to it!
Non-intrusive beat ready for distribution of your production(s) Great for reading and studying!


Halfway between this year's Valentine's Day and next year's, our cute DUPLO Valentine's hearts are still full of love. So we thought, how can we turn these hearts into something that will remind us to see the world through loving eyes all year round?
You build these stylish spectacles, groovy goggles and highly fashionable frames, of course! You can use these examples as inspiration or customize them to your own style. Use any and every color you want, and show the world a little love. Some adults we have tested them on also claimed the glasses helped them see things through the eyes of a child. We would love to test that across a larger group of people, so feel free to share your experiences on Facebook.


When I was in my 20's and 30's and life was somewhat uneventful, 4 years meant very little. Don't get me wrong – 4 years still feels like a long time, it actually feels like forever when you're younger, but still not too rich with major changes. At least it wasn't for me. It was consistent, if anything.
I picked a 4-year mark because of the Olympics schedule. There is a certain beat to life on even years. Every 4 years – Summer Olympics, alternating 4 years – Winter Olympics. Same goes for World Cup and EuroCup. But it always alternates with 2's or 4's. Essentially, the even years are milestone years.
The Rio 2016 Games just finished a couple of weeks ago. Great event … that I had a very limited opportunity to watch … but as with any international sporting events, good variety and certain class and quality of performance. As the Games were happening, I reflected on the 2012 Olympics in London and looked back at the 4 years that had passed.
So what happened in the last 4 years? A lifetime happened. More than anyone can wish for. And it was in such stark contrast with the previous 4 years or prior, that it makes me wonder – what's in store for me by 2020?
While London 2012 Games were happening, my wife was 3 months pregnant with our son. We lived in Ohio, in a rental townhome, I was finishing up the business school (writing thesis at the time), had a fairly full head of dark hair (no grays, with only a slight loss at the very top), and was genuinely worried about the most stupid things. My wife just turned 30, was still a bit shallow and was equally ignorant of the upcoming change in her life.
Shortly after, i.e in a 6-month time, our son arrived. A little bundle of joy that first didn't cry or make too much noise at all, slept most of the time and was a real angel. Mommy and daddy were tired but moderately, and still retained the ability to worry about some stupid things (although the list had gotten shorter). Well, that relative tranquility didn't last long, and there started the crying, and night feedings, and ear infection and so on and so forth. As hard as it sounds though, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Soon after, I managed to graduate from business school (try writing a thesis when your wife is pregnant and then the kid actually arrives!). I was awarded a Master's degree with Honors for all my hard work.
Just months before The London Olympics, I changed jobs after 4 years of doing exactly the same thing – same department, pretty much same boss, same general responsibilities. Same pay, too. Right around the time that our son arrived, and perhaps related to his arrival (considering my tired, zombified state, I wasn't performing at my best), I was asked to start looking for something else, a sort of a soft layoff. I landed a new position with the same company very quickly and continued on.
Around that time, I realized that I can't see the fine print on food and medication packages. And I had difficulty concentrating on the computer screen. So I went to see an optometrist who quickly quoted a bunch of meaningless numbers that really meant that I had lost some of my original, hawk-like eye sight. Damn, I thought, now that's a huge change.
About a year later, we decided to leave Ohio behind. Many reasons for that … perhaps one of the main reasons being that being true to the Olympics 2's and 4's beat, we joyfully watched both Beijing and Vancouver Olympics while living in an Ohio rental (although a different one) and it looked like it was turning into a lifetime of uneventful stupor, with each day looking exactly like the one before. Even with the bundle of joy on our hands, the Midwestern slow motion kept me tranquilized, so we decided that it was enough.
I quickly (again) landed a new job with the same company in the Philadelphia area and my wife found a new job (also very quickly) with a different company in South Philly. We moved and first decided to rent, so we could look around, get used to things… and decide on the next thing. Well, the next thing was, we started looking for a house and got pregnant. And very quickly again. By the time we signed on the house, my wife was 5 months into it. I expediently repaired and painted what I could and as soon as I was done, another bundle of joy arrived. By that time, I pretty much slept in my glasses and lost 2/3 of my crown hair. The rest of it now looks like someone mixed salt and pepper.
With the baby here and money safely invested in real estate, I thought, well, that's enough being in the same company, bought the house, now have 2 kids, pretty much anchored myself to the area, so why not try looking for some new adventure, that is, a job.
I didn't end up with a new job – my ex-manager left the company for medical reasons and I moved into his role. So I had essentially a new boss too… who changed to another boss within 2 months.


After a reasonably quiet year, Gantz returns with the "Dying on Acid" EP, echoing demons of Dark Souls, ambient tonalities and a textural plethora. Serving tracks between infernal shards and poignant harmonies, Gantz mixes some of his old techniques with progressive ideas. Destroying the tendency of structural production, he creates an uncompromised selection of tracks free from form limitation.
Gantz opens the EP sketching back the sounds of "Elmo Rehab" with extended arpeggio, repeating itself throughout the piece. The motif, consequently continues its ostinato, building the tension driven by shifting harmonies and powerful bass glides. The soothing, swirling vocal of Elif Dikec, sends the track from a present perspective into the ethereal layers in the first part of "Fugazi". The repeating theme lifts the track into sudden dispersion within a cold, infernal soundscape of Oceiros sample. The second part of side A is taken by "Shivy", with Gantz' signature dark witchery. Graced by D£DW8's verses, the track enters the recent field of crossroads between bass music and lyrical styles. The collaboration of these 3 makes it into one of the most cryptic tracks to be played on a dubstep rave. It couldn't be complete without church organs juxtaposing chimes that flip the track half way through into a demonic triplet waltz.
"Dying On Acid" is a progressive, textural suite, which shows a slightly different tonal spectrum of Gantz' creations. The soft, ambient polyphonies reminded me of a Scandinavian glitch and ambient tendencies from the edge of the millenium. The second part of the composition delivers a rich landscape, occasionally side-chained to the rhythm. The driven motif, then breaks at the (LSD influenced) "monochromatic world" sample disintegrating between metallic echoes and reminiscent tones. If usually we can tell that Gantz mastered his textural collage techniques, in "Dying On Acid" he also shows his skill of using the emotional power of repetition, shaping the complete emotive landscape of a story in just under six and half minutes. On "Sharkeyes" Gantz teams up with Rider Shafique, one of the most soul stirring lyricists in sound system music. Complimenting that fact, the production rambles in the low end, as much as leaves space for Shafique's bright and harmonic voice in the middle. The track doesn't terrify, but awes with the choice of chords, meaningful lyrics and resonant drones. The low BPM and sparse percussions paired with Riders vocal, make for a contemplative warning dub.
"Dying On Acid" juggles between different spheres of emotions, between darkest mystic depths through to intimate whispers, jittered by episodes of white noise. The intertwining of different layers and dissident form sums up to a mastery of forward-thinking production in the context of a still structurally limited dubstep world. The use of samples throughout the EP makes integral sense creating Gantz's own musical macrocosm of witchcraft, demons, and intoxication.
Dying on Acid is out now and available from Redeye, Kudos, Juno, Boomkat, Rewind Forward, Intense Records and the Deep Medi Store.


text:
from oslo_utils import timeutils
from oslo_versionedobjects import base as object_base

from barbican.common import exception
from barbican import i18n as u
from barbican.model import models
from barbican.model import repositories as repo
from barbican.objects import base
from barbican.objects import container_acl_user
from barbican.objects import fields

@object_base.VersionedObjectRegistry.register
class ContainerACL(base.BarbicanObject, base.BarbicanPersistentObject,
                   object_base.VersionedObjectDictCompat):
    fields = {
        'container_id': fields.StringField(),
        'operation': fields.StringField(),
        'project_access': fields.BooleanField(default=True),
        'acl_users': fields.ListOfObjectsField('ContainerACLUser',
                                               default=list()),
        'status': fields.StringField(nullable=True, default=base.States.ACTIVE)
    }

    db_model = models.ContainerACL
    db_repo = repo.get_container_acl_repository()
    synthetic_fields = ['acl_users']

    def _validate_fields(self, change_fields):

        msg = u._("Must supply non-None {0} argument for ContainerACL entry.")

        if change_fields.get('container_id') is None:
            raise exception.MissingArgumentError(msg.format("container_id"))

        if change_fields.get('operation') is None:
            raise exception.MissingArgumentError(msg.format("operation"))

    def _get_db_entity(self, user_ids=None):
        return self.db_model(user_ids=user_ids, check_exc=False)

    def create(self, session=None, user_ids=None):
        change_fields = self._get_changed_persistent_fields()
        self._validate_fields(change_fields)
        db_entity = self._get_db_entity(user_ids=user_ids)
        db_entity.update(change_fields)
        db_entity = self.db_repo.create_from(db_entity, session=session)
        self._from_db_object(db_entity)

    def delete(self, session):
        entity_id = self.id
        self.db_repo.delete_entity_by_id(
            entity_id=entity_id, external_project_id=None, session=session)

    @classmethod
    def get_by_container_id(cls, container_id, session=None):
        entities_db = cls.db_repo.get_by_container_id(container_id, session)
        entities = [cls()._from_db_object(entity_db)
                    for entity_db in entities_db]
        return entities

    @classmethod
    def create_or_replace_from(cls, container, container_acl,
                               user_ids=None, session=None):
        """Create or replace Secret and SecretACL

        :param container: an instance of Container object
        :param container_acl: an instance of ContainerACL object
        :param user_ids:
        :param session: a session to connect with database
        """
        session = cls.get_session(session)
        container.updated_at = timeutils.utcnow()
        container.save(session=session)
        container_acl.updated_at = timeutils.utcnow()
        if container_acl.id is None:
            container_acl.create(session=session, user_ids=user_ids)
        else:
            container_acl.save(session=session)
        cls._create_or_replace_acl_users(container_acl=container_acl,
                                         user_ids=user_ids, session=session)

    @classmethod
    def create_or_replace_from_model(cls, container, container_acl,
                                     user_ids=None, session=None):
        """Create or replace Secret and SecretACL

        :param container: an instance of Container model
        :param container_acl: an instance of ContainerACL object
        :param user_ids:
        :param session: a session to connect with database

        It is used during converting from model to OVO. It will be removed
        after Container resource is implemented OVO.
        """
        session = cls.get_session(session)
        container.updated_at = timeutils.utcnow()
        container.save(session=session)
        now = timeutils.utcnow()
        container_acl.updated_at = now
        if container_acl.id is None:
            container_acl.create(session=session, user_ids=user_ids)
        else:
            container_acl.save(session=session)
        cls._create_or_replace_acl_users(container_acl=container_acl,
                                         user_ids=user_ids, session=session)

    @classmethod
    def _create_or_replace_acl_users(cls, container_acl, user_ids,
                                     session=None):
        if user_ids is None:
            return

        user_ids = set(user_ids)

        now = timeutils.utcnow()
        session = session or cls.get_session(session)
        container_acl.updated_at = now

        for acl_user in container_acl.acl_users:
            if acl_user.user_id in user_ids:  # input user_id already exists
                acl_user.updated_at = now
                acl_user.save(session=session)
                user_ids.remove(acl_user.user_id)
            else:
                acl_user.delete(session=session)

        for user_id in user_ids:
            acl_user = container_acl_user.ContainerACLUser(
                acl_id=container_acl.id, user_id=user_id)
            acl_user.create(session=session)

        if container_acl.id:
            container_acl.save(session=session)
        else:
            container_acl.create(session=session)

    @classmethod
    def get_count(cls, container_id, session=None):
        query = cls.db_repo.get_count(container_id, session)
        return query

    @classmethod
    def delete_acls_for_container(cls, container, session=None):

        # TODO(namnh)
        # After Container resource is implemented, This function
        # will be updated source code being used.
        session = cls.get_session(session=session)
        for entity in container.container_acls:
            entity.delete(session=session)

    @classmethod
    def delete_acls_for_container_model(cls, container, session=None):
        """Delete ACLs in Container

        Used during converting Model to OVO, it will be removed in near future.
        :param container: instance of Container model
        :param session: connection to database
        """
        cls.db_repo.delete_acls_for_container(container, session)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


In a bowl combine the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, basil, and red pepper flakes.
Add the mozzarella cubes and toss.
Cover with plastic wrap and let it stand for 2 hours at room temperature before serving.
When you go to your deli counter tell them to cut the mozzarella 3/4 inch thick.


text:
Is Your City Ready for Sports Gambling?
Lisa Soronen
Local Authority & Intergovernmental Relations
In a 6-3 decision in Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association the Supreme Court declared the federal Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) unconstitutional. PASPA, adopted in 1992, prohibits states from authorizing sports gambling. The State and Local Legal Center (SLLC) filed an amicus brief asking the Court to rule PASPA violates the Constitution's anticommandeering doctrine.
As a result of this decision state legislatures may repeal state laws banning sports betting and/or pass laws allowing sports betting. State legislatures may also enable local governments to authorize sports gambling.
New Jersey first amended its constitution to allow some sports gambling. The Third Circuit held that doing so violated PASPA as an "authorization" of gambling but concluded that repealing restrictions on sports gambling would be okay. New Jersey then passed a law repealing restrictions on sports gambling. The Third Circuit changed course ruling the repeal violated PASPA. It reasoned that the repeal "authorizes sports gambling by selectively dictating where sports gambling may occur, who may place bets in such gambling and which athletic contests are permissible subjects for such gambling."
The New Jersey governor asked the Third Circuit and the Supreme Court to declare PASPA unconstitutional per the anticommandeering doctrine. The Third Circuit concluded PASPA is constitutional reasoning that it "does not command states to take affirmative actions, and it does not present a coercive choice." The Supreme Court disagreed.
In an opinion written by Justice Alito, the court first concluded that "authorizing" per PASPA includes state laws permitting sports gambling and states completely or partially repealing old laws banning sports gambling. The court rejected the Third Circuit's narrower definition of authorizing. "The Third Circuit could not say which, if any, partial repeals are allowed. [The NCAA] and the United States tell us that the PASPA ban on state authorization allows complete repeals, but beyond that they identify no clear line. It is improbable that Congress meant to enact such a nebulous regime."
Regarding the statute's constitutionality, Justice Alito admitted that the anticommandeering doctrine "sounds arcane." But it is simply the notion that Congress lacks the power to "issue orders directly to the States." By telling states they could not authorize sports gambling (either outright or by repealing bans on the books) PASPA violates the anticommandeering rule.
"[PASPA] unequivocally dictates what a state legislature may and may not do. . . . [S]tate legislatures are put under the direct control of Congress. It is as if federal officers were installed in state legislative chambers and were armed with the authority to stop legislators from voting on any offending proposals. A more direct affront to state sovereignty is not easy to imagine."
PASPA contains provisions prohibiting states from operating a sports betting lottery, private actors from operating sports betting schemes pursuant to state law, and restrictions on both state and private actors regarding advertising sports gambling. The court struck down the entire law concluding none of the provisions are severable—meaning Congress would not have likely enacted them alone.
Richard A. Simpson, Tara Ward and Emily Hart, Wiley Rein, wrote the SLLC amicus brief which was joined by the National Governors Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Council of State Governments, National League of Cities and the International Municipal Lawyers Association.
About the author: Lisa Soronen is the executive director of the State and Local Legal Center (SLLC), which files Supreme Court amicus curiae briefs on behalf of the Big Seven national organizations, including the National League of Cities, representing state and local governments. She is a regular contributor to CitiesSpeak.


Looking for Companies in Goma? Here you will find 12 companies in Goma, DR Congo. For more results, browse business categories or keywords.
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We were back at what is now the NZMCA Park we have visited the most, in Kerikeri for a catch up with fellow Dethleffs motorhome owner John who we had met firstly at the NZMCA Park in Plimmerton then later in Blenheim (twice) and then later at a meeting of fellow Dethleffs van owners back here in Kerikeri. Refer to my blog about the catch up here.
One of the issues with living in the heart of New Zealand's biggest city is the lack of space for our motorhome. We have it stored on a rural property in West Auckland. However where we store the van has no water so washing the van there is a no go and it's really hard to find places that are large enough to wash a 9 metre motorhome.
With this in mind we had asked John if we could wash the motorhome at his place, just down the road from the Park in Kerikeri to which he kindly agreed. He also allowed us to fill with water as there is none at the park in Kerikeri and the tap at the local dump station is one of those terrible push button jobs. I honestly don't know why they fit those push button taps to the potable water, you are still going to hold it until the van is full it's just really painful using them.
The real reason for our visit to the area (sorry John) was to continue our exploration of the historical sites promoted by Landmark Whenua Tohunga We had already visited a couple of the mission stations in the Hokianga and this was to be our first visit to somewhere that wasn't a building.
Landmarks Whenua Tohunga are charged with promoting a number of sites around New Zealand. These are sites that belong to Heritage New Zealand, DOC, Local Councils and even Private ownership that are perhaps less well known or more out of the way than the more popular places.
The Rangihoua Heritage Park is part of the DOC network and they look after the day to day running of the park, tree plantings, pathways etc whilst Landmarks promote the place to visitors.
The reason that I started this story with me washing the motorhome was that the last 14 kilometres of the road leading to this park are gravel road. With me thinking all that hard work would be wasted. Thankfully as it was a dry day the motorhome just collected some road dust rather than being re coated in mud.
The road into the heritage park must have also been recently graded as it was fairly rut free. Much better than some of the roads we drove down in the South Island. Arriving in the car park the place was basically deserted. With only one other car there so tons of places to park the motorhome without having to worry about squeezing into some spot that's designed for a mini rather than a motorhome.
The entrance to the Park is set amongst some native shrubs together with rose creepers along the fence line creating a very welcoming atmosphere. About the only thing letting it down would be the no dogs sign for some, this is because there are Kiwi present in the bush.
Sadly also the sign states no camping, given the remoteness of the site and the fact that there are toilets a short stroll from the carpark I would have thought this might have been an option. Even if the number of spots available was limited to 4 or 5 I think it would be a great spot to park up for a day or so. Especially with the beach a stroll down the path.
With the sun shining on a glorious winters day we put together a picnic to take with us on the stroll through the Park. We could tell this place was going to be somewhere special as we came through the gates and saw the views.
Recently opened and just inside the gates is the visitor centre which opens up to the most spectacular views down towards the site of the original settlement. This is where the first ever christian service was held in New Zealand on Christmas day 1814. This service was led by Samuel Marsden and was witnessed by the Maori who lived in the Pa adjacent to the site of the service.
From here it's just over a kilometre downhill towards Marsden Cross a memorial erected on the centenary of the service in 1914. So you might wonder what happened for the bicentenary and the answer to that question is that on 21st December 2014 the Governor General of New Zealand opened the visitor centre.
The walk heads off from the visitor centre with the first stop a viewing point giving you a magnificent view of the whole Kerikeri inlet. There is also a 3D relief of the area with numbered points showing the highlight areas. I really didn't want my shadow in the photo but there was no way to take the photos with the shadow in them. So sorry about this.
At this point I should mention that there is a really informative website (www.rhp.nz) that has been built for this place with each of the attractions numbered and by following the commentary you can learn a huge amount about this place. This blog is mostly about our visit to this park the history here plays an important part but that's an experience you should gain by visiting here. My intention is more to talk about what a great place this was to visit.
The walkway takes you through landscaped bush areas that have been covered in native planting with these destined to provide shade as they grow. The bush really adds to the walk adding to the feeling that you are in a remote place. As you work your way down the path there are numerous story boards that add to the commentary available online and explain the history of this place.
The story boards begin to expand on the local Maori and their worldwide travels on merchant and whaling ships. They also cover the stories of the people who settled this land and those who helped build the mission.
These story boards greatly add to the walk and provide some really interesting facts. Such as the group of convicts who came from Sydney arriving here to help build the place and when the building was completed they where shipped home again. I never knew we had a convict work force in New Zealand! Apparently one also fathered a child with one of the mission wives, I bet that was the scandal of the day!
We reached a junction in the path, deciding to turn left rather than continue straight to Marsden cross. Here we came to what I guess are the remains of someones garden with a couple of really old lemon trees and huge old apple tree.
The lemons where unlike any fruit you see in the shops these days with a really rough almost wart like surface and thick skin suggesting that the tree might be very old. In fact an article online suggests it might be the oldest fruit bearing tree in New Zealand.
Leaving the old orchard we arrived at the memorial to Thomas Hansen who became New Zealand's first non missionary settler. There is a large amount of material online about the Hansen family and you can access this, if interested here. For me it was another case of finding out just how much I don't know about the history of New Zealand.
The path then leads to a memorial stone to those who passed away on this site. Including John King who served as the minister from 1814 till 1832 when the mission was closed. John stayed here however until he passed away in 1854. It also commemorates the first European born in New Zealand. Thomas Holloway who was born in 1815 sadly he died 3 years later.
This place is about the Marsden Cross and about the fact that this was the first permanent settlement by Europeans in New Zealand but it's also about the Maori Pa located on the hill in the back of this photo. Sadly access to this park is restricted to areas of the park that don't include the Pa. I imagine that there are cultural reasons for this and for that reason we didn't venture on the Pa but it would have been fantastic to be able to stand up there and imagine what it would have been like in 1814.
Yes the history here is important but this park is also a place of huge natural beauty and you could quite easily spend the day here just enjoying the park. In fact we strongly recommend that you come here and take the time to relax and enjoy and maybe learn a little at the same time.
The painting at the gate gives the best representation of what the Pa would have looked like. As you can see it looks very well fortified as was the case in those days.
Down at the water we found a convenient log to sit down and have the picnic lunch we had brought with us. It's such a sheltered bay that had it been a bit closer to summer we probably would have gone for a swim. Considering that it's only about 1 km from the carpark and how few people we had met here it could be a great place to come during summer.
As we sat there eating our lunch we watched a launch come into the harbour and drop the anchor it was all just so peaceful. I think next time we visit I would come with my fishing rod, there looked like a couple of great spots just off the rocks.
Heading back towards the motorhome we remarked to each other how this had been another really great place to visit and where surprised by how few people where here. It was such a wonderful day that there really was no excuse not to get out and about. It could be that nobody knows about the place (well you do know) or it could be the 14 kms of metal road to get here. Whatever it is you should now find the reason to come and visit this place it really is quite special.
You can keep up to date on all that is happening with Landmarks Whenua Tohunga and their site by either following them on Facebook , Twitter or clicking on their Website. Next stop on the tour will be the Te Waimate Mission. You can also visit the DOC website or their Facebook Page and checkout what other parks they have in your area. You may be surprised just where some of the DOC parks actually are.
To view the places we have visited click here to see them on Google maps. You can click the links to read the blog about that area.
Not sure if its on your list of places to visit,but the Edmonds ruins just outside Kerikeri are interesting to vist too.
Hi, I came across your blog some time ago and do enjoy reading about your travels. Thomas Hansen is my 4x Great Grandfather and I am very proud to be a direct descendant. I have been to Rangihoua several times. The first time we had to hike from the road across the farm and then the kilometre down the hill to the beach. Quite an effort on a hot day. Last time we were up north the visitor centre had not yet opened, though we could drive in to a carpark, so I think we will have to take another trip up there and check it all out again. Totally agree, it is a lovely place.
Thanks for the comments Ruthena, yes that is a linage I would be proud of as well. The visitor centre is worth the trip and it's such a stunning place. A lot more needs to be done to promote places like this maybe some signage inside the office at the NZMCA Park in Kerikeri to let people know where to go as one step. We have friends in Kerikeri who have never even heard of the place!


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Imagining a reimagined game of football
Posted on July 14, 2019 July 14, 2019 by Mike Mitchell
The XFL's goal is to make a great game even greater. An ambitious mindset for sure, but everything about the league's mission thus far has been just that.
The average amount of actual action in an entire NFL game has been calculated to be anywhere from eleven to fifteen minutes. This is what the viewer at home, and in the stadium, experiences over a three-hour span of watching an NFL game. Fifteen minutes or less of actual football. A sixty-minute game that only produces a quarter of actual gameplay. More than three quarters of an actual NFL game clock is spent on camera shots, commentary and players huddling and regrouping before the next play from scrimmage. The average three-hours plus of an NFL game is dedicated to advertisements, replays, multiple breaks in the action, and then more advertisements. Fifteen minutes, at best, of actual football plays, and nearly three-hours of everything else. In defense of the NFL, after all these studies came out, in recent years they have to attempted reduce all the dead spots in their telecasts.
People will often point to advertisements eating up the three-hours plus of a football game. The NFL has taken steps, in recent years, to increase their in-game advertising through picture-in-picture technology, with quicker commercial breaks and on-field advertising. The real issue is that it's not just about how long a game or broadcast takes. It's about what happens during the actual game. It's about the amount of in-game action, and the lack of it, or the delays between plays. It's not just about the fans at home watching. It's about the people watching live at the games. Oftentimes, the home viewer has a better experience than the fan seated in a stadium. TV Ratings have been up for the NFL, but attendance is down; simply because people would rather watch the games at home. Part of that is a financial decision, but a large part of it has to do with being able to better enjoy the game at home. The breaks in action and momentum throughout the course of a football game are way more noticeable when experiencing a game live in person, than they are from the comfort of your own home. The breaks in momentum also effect the players and the play on the field.
The XFL's mantra of "less stall and more ball" is less about fitting a football game into a three-hour window, and more about increasing the importance of the action on the field. It's about minimizing the dead play time and meaningless plays, and maximizing the meaningful plays. So, the number of plays and the overall time of the telecast is important, but not the main focus. It's only part of the overall picture. Actions speak louder than words, and for these words to matter they need to be put into action. How exactly does the XFL plan on doing that? The experimenting of this is still on-going, and will continue later this month with the league's broadcast partners, ABC, Fox and ESPN, when the league partners again with the Spring League to continue their research, development, and testing of game rules and in-game technologies.
One way of speeding up and increasing the action is to shorten the play clock. Rather than the current 40-second play clock used in the NFL, the XFL is working towards having a 25-second play clock. With a 40-second clock, two offensive plays can potentially take up to a minute and twenty seconds of game clock. The 25-second play clock will, in theory, add an extra play for every minute played on the field. However, it doesn't stop there. The XFL's goal is to quickly run another play once a play has ended. The league is planning to speed up the process by having a designated official, whose sole job will be to line up the football immediately after a play has ended. The quicker the ball is spotted, the quicker the next play happens. In theory, a shorter play clock with a system in place to set and reset for the next play will help speed things up, but there is a reliance on human execution. This is where modern technology comes into play to help boost the operation further.
The XFL is planning on using an "all-11" audio communication system, for both offense and defense. In modern day football, a play call is relayed from a coach to his quarterback, who then relays the play to his teammates before the next play can be run. Some NFL and college teams that implement a faster style of offense will often use signals and even drawings to speed up the process. With an all-11 audio system, every offensive player will immediately know the next play call. Once again, time is being saved before the next play happens. This will extend to the defense as well. What's unknown at this point is if there will be a cut off time in the audio transmission to players. In the NFL, the audio is cut off before the team is at the line of scrimmage. Will the XFL decide to keep the audio transmission going right up until the snap? It would be the equivalent of Tom Brady hearing Josh McDaniels instruct him at the line of scrimmage, while Brady is scanning the defense. Imagine if that audio exchange was also available to the audience. During NFL telecasts, Tony Romo has expertly surmised where the play should, and could go, right before the snap. Imagine a scenario where he was actually telling Jared Goff, where to throw the ball based on the defensive look. An "all-11" audio system not only helps players know the play and line up quicker, but it can also help them execute their designed plays better. Using this type of technology will almost make the need for a huddle unnecessary.
Technology can also be a useful tool in other areas. Some of the dead spots in football telecasts are unavoidable, like injuries for example. The one area where games do get dragged down, and the action gets slowed down to a halt, is with officiating delays and replays. The XFL plans on implementing a modified officiating protocol. They are looking to speed up the process in which penalties are called, and in how quickly replays and challenges are resolved. One of the nine game officials is going to be in the booth, with access to all angles and replays. This official's job will not only to be to correct a call, but to communicate it quickly to the head referee on the field.
Simplifying the rules will also help cut down on penalties and game stoppages. The XFL's proposed "multiple forward passes behind the line of scrimmage" rule, not only adds an extra layer to the offensive strategy, but it makes the referee's job easier when it comes to determining where the ball is. The XFL's proposed one foot in bounds catch rule also helps officials as well. So much time is spent on stoppages and replays determining what is, and what isn't a catch. One foot in-bounds as a catch eliminates the referee conferences after a catch and the potential challenges that usually follow these types of plays.
Meaningful versus meaningless plays. Since taking multiple safety measures, the NFL has seen a big increase in touch-backs and fair catches over the last few seasons. Kickoff and punt returns, to a lesser extent have been reduced significantly. One of the bigger dead spots and lulls in action in the NFL, comes after a team scores. A break in the action is then followed by the next play, being yet another break in the action. No time is taken off the clock during this operation, but usually nothing happens. This really hurts the live in-game experience and the momentum and flow of the game, not to mention eliminating the excitement that was attached to kickoffs in the past. The now defunct AAF eliminated the kickoff altogether, and an offensive play followed a score. However, what that effectively did was to guarantee that no offensive team would have the ability to start a drive in good field position. Every team started their drives at the 25-yard line. Eliminating the kickoff also eliminated the excitement and shift in momentum that comes from big plays on kick returns.
The XFL is bringing the kickoff and kick return back, keeping safety in mind with a new alignment that reduces collisions but brings back the exciting aspect of a big return. This is one of the original "reimagine" concepts that the XFL has been tinkering with and testing for quite some time. This concept was heavily aided by the league's health advisory committee members. One of the most recent proposals was for touch-backs to result in teams starting on offense at their own 35-yard line. An incentive to not kick the ball deep into the end zone and to ensure that a return happens. The punt return will also be different, but familiar to football fans. A 5-yard halo will be in place that allows the returner to set up and return the football. This is borrowed from the Canadian game. One of the more exciting plays in the CFL is the punt return, and CFL special teams coaches have a field day designing plays with reverses and all kinds of gadget plays stemming from the point of the return. Another reimagining that has safety and the big play in mind at the same time.
There is no play that goes against the competitive nature of pro sports, and is more meaningless, than the kneel-down in football. The NHL has its own form of clock killing during penalties, and it comes when a team is trying to run out the clock when they are facing the disadvantage of having one less player on the ice. However, this form of action requires skill and risk. It's the boxing equivalent of being up against the ropes and trying to avoid being knocked out until the round ends. The kneel-down in football has no such skill involved. It's always been a way of retreating and copping out. An extremely boring end to first halves and the end of games. Although things are still being ironed out, the XFL plans on reducing or eliminating the kneel down altogether by enforcing that teams have to attempt to gain yardage by moving forward. To further this rule, the clock automatically stops within two minutes. This forces teams to have to try and get first downs rather than attempt a series of quarterback sneaks and then punt. You are essentially waving the white flag and giving the ball back to your opponent inside of 15-20 seconds if you don't try to maintain possession. To keep the ball, you have to keep moving it forward. The competitive action continues, and it doesn't come to a screeching halt. One of the sequences that almost always gets booed by a home team crowd is when a team decides to take a knee before a half, simply because they don't have enough time or timeouts and don't want to risk trying to advance the football. Increasing the amount of meaningful plays and action actually extends to a few other different aspects as well. The first ties into the kneel-down and the final two minutes of each half, and what is being loosely referred to as the "comeback period". The game clock is supposed to stop after every play within two minutes. This has been, and is still being tested by the XFL. If implemented, it will no doubt increase the amount of plays run in the game's most crucial moments, but this type of "reimagining" may dramatically change the whole time honored aspect of game and clock management as we know it.
In the original and in the current XFL, the extra point kick is no more. This is another untimed play that is virtually meaningless. In recent years, it has been moved back to create drama but it's still one of the more automatic and boring plays in football. Replacing the extra-point kicks in the XFL are three tiered conversions: a one-point conversion from the 2-yard line, a two-point conversion from the 5-yard line, and a three-point conversion from the 10-yard line. After a team scores a touchdown, they will have one of these three options to choose from. What they choose will be based on strategy, and if they are ahead or trailing in the game. Teams that attempt a three-point conversion will be in desperation mode. Converting one play from the ten-yard line will be very difficult to pull off. The premise of this concept is to create more scoring related plays that add drama to a game, and create the possibility of a late comeback.
Then there's the XFL's proposed overtime concept. This has safety and fairness in mind. The safety aspect is to avoid having players play multiple series and quarters. Doing so increases the likelihood of injuries. The fairness aspect is allowing both teams the opportunity to win the game on offense and defense, with no coin flips or kickers determining the outcome. A tie is broken when both teams get the opportunity to score in what has been loosely labeled as a "shootout". As presently proposed, both teams' offenses get five scoring opportunities at the opposing teams five-yard line. Although similar "shootout" concepts exist in hockey and soccer, those shootouts come down to a version of their games that is not played during regulation. The XFL's shootout is traditional 11-on-11, offense versus defense. No field goal kicks, "Oklahoma drills," or 40-yard dashes. The concept is trying to resolve a tie quickly and fairly with the players health and safety in mind. Trying to accomplish all of this and still make it an exciting sequence for football fans to watch. The XFL is still working out the kinks and rules on this concept. The truth is that overtime games are very rare, especially in an 8-team league. The original XFL had 43 regular season and playoff games. Only one of those games resulted in overtime. The AAF played 8-weeks of play, resulting in 32 overall games. Only one of those games ended up in overtime. So, the likelihood is that the XFL could only have one or two games that would result in this overtime concept seeing the light of day.
The XFL is trying to walk a fine line of being different enough to get noticed, but still appear to be familiar. The idea is appealing to college and NFL fans, by trying to resemble the game of football that those groups love, while also trying to improve upon aspects of football that can be upgraded for the year 2020 and beyond, all the while using advanced technology to be the driving force behind all of it. Change always produces resistance. There was a time when people didn't want 2-point conversions. Many rule and presentation changes over the years were first met with skepticism and scrutiny. While the XFL will be adopting ninety-percent of NFL rules, it's the other ten-percent that could create hesitation for those who may consider following the league.
A lot of these concepts seem very exciting. When imagining the possibilities of what's being reimagined, can the league pull it off? The attempt to increase action and plays and to make the game more exciting and evolved than it already is. The XFL's goal is to make a great game even greater. An ambitious mindset for sure, but everything about the league's mission thus far has been just that.
Mike Mitchell is a freelance sports writer, analyst, and a general lover of all football. Mike was one of the original XFLBoard.com Team Reporters in 2001, reporting on the New York/New Jersey Hitmen. We have welcomed him back to the XFLBoard and love his ongoing insightful contributions.
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Karen: Your New Life Coach or New Best Friend?
In 2014, Blast Theory released "Karen," a mobile game where a woman named Karen acts as the user's life coach. The game is designed to give the user life advice based on their answers to the questions that the software curates, and Karen asks.
Blast Theory partnered with 'The Space" and National Theatre Wales in order to create this project. Blast Theory is a group that creates interactive experiences with social and political motives that focus directly on the audience.
According to the creators, Karen was created to form a "personal and intimate" experience between the user and their smartphone through direct contact with a lead character. This is accomplished through a daily video call with Karen. The creators wanted to leave the user with a mental decision of how open to be with a stranger, and receive direct assessment about their personality.
The motive behind Karen was the company's "fascination with big data," and how computer systems and the government take our information and use it – sometimes without our consent.
When the game begins, Karen asks a few questions about the user's overall outlook on the world in order to get a general understanding of what they are like. According to the creators of the game, her questions are drawn from psychological profiling questionnaires.
As the game continues and time goes on, Karen develops opinions about the user that she is not afraid to share, even though they may not be pleasant. She also develops an infatuation with the user as she grows more comfortable. She starts to call more often, from different places and talk about unconventional topics for a life coach.
My experience with the game is comparable to a roller coaster ride. I had feelings of nervousness and anxiety before beginning because I did not know the type of questions I would be asked, how many times I would be speaking with Karen or the general vibe of each session.
I started playing the game on a Monday and continued playing till the end, which lasted just under two weeks.
At the start I had one session per day. The first question that Karen asked me was the part of my life that was most important to me at the moment and I answered relationships. From there, the majority of our sessions related back to my answer to that question.
By the third day of my experience, Karen began to blur the line between client and friend. When I called her for my third session she was wearing only a robe. The session was also solely based on a story about herself, in which she told me about the days she did drugs with her friends.
After day three, along with being unprofessional within the sessions, Karen began to become obsessive. With the game, the user receives a singular iPhone notification as a reminder to call Karen. By this time, she was sending four or five reminders within minutes to get me to call her right away. She would claim that I was ignoring her and that talking to her is the most important thing.
The next few days were relatively similar. Within the sessions Karen would ask one or two questions about me in the beginning, such as if I had a significant other, or what I think about before falling asleep. Other than that, the sessions revolved around her. She told me personal stories about her previous relationships and the dates she is going on. Along with the personal stories, Karen conducted these sessions from her bedroom and bathroom, which was uncomfortable.
At this point, I came to the conclusion that Karen may not be obsessed with me, but obsessed with having a companion to share her feelings with.
Aside from Karen, another character in the game was her friend Dave. Near the end of my experience Dave called me multiple times on his own asking if I wanted to know more about Karen. When I responded that her personal life was none of my business, he said that I was boring. He also confessed that Karen was obsessed with speaking to me and that my opinions on situations held significant value in her mind.
At the conclusion of the game, I was given the option to purchase a "data report" for four pounds. I did not purchase the data report, and the game concluded.
Overall, my interactions with Karen were really uncomfortable. The stories she told were too personal and the way she presented herself was unprofessional. In the beginning I was looking forward to the sessions, but by the middle I was starting to get annoyed at the constant reminders from Karen.
The app itself was high functioning. It never froze and the sessions always ran smoothly. The only downside was that the sessions were extremely short, especially in the beginning. Karen would ask one or two questions and then hang up.
A personal downside was that as an iPhone X user with no home button, I had a hard time closing out the app after each conversation. I was forced to press 'rate,' which would then send me to the app store to leave a review before I could return to my home screen.
I think that this game is an effective form of journalism because of how uncomfortable it makes the user. As the user becomes more uncomfortable with how much Karen knows about their personality, the realization sets in of how much information our computer systems know about us from everyday use.
Compared to other journalistic techniques, I think that this mobile game is advanced. The sessions with Karen seem more genuine because it is a video-call and she responds to us specifically based on how we react to her. The level of interactivity is extremely high, which makes this type of journalism engaging.
I think that a lot of the people who criticize the game misinterpreted the point of it. I think that people may have been expecting a literal life coach for their struggles, whereas the game is meant to have a deeper psychological meaning.
My own personal criticism is that if you do not pay for the data report at the end of the game, you may not feel fulfilled at the end of the experience. However, I believe that the game itself is still extremely intriguing without the data report.
Blast Theory has released multiple engaging interactive experiences such as "Karen." For example, in 2010 they released "Ivy4Evr." This is a week long interactive where Ivy, a 17-year-old teen, would tell the user everything about her life via SMS and the user would have to decide what they would tell her in return.
Blast Theory continues to release new interactive experiences every year. Although "Karen" was released nearly four years ago, people still continue to engage with this interactive. Blast Theory's latest work allows the user to explore London from a futuristic perspective.
BBC's Syrian Refugee Interactive: Educational or Tasteless?
On March 31st, 2015, the BBC published "Syrian Journey: Choose Your Own Escape Route," an interactive game where users are forced to make difficult choices as if themselves and their families were fleeing Syria for Europe. The game is designed to provide users with an understanding of the real life dilemmas that Syrian refugees face on a daily basis.
Protests against the government in Syria began in 2011 and a massive war followed shortly after, which forced millions of people to flee the country. It was published three months prior to The Guardian's article that said the current number of Syrian refugees in places such as Turkey, Lebanon, and Iraq was over four million.
According to BBC News, the entire games; routes, options, and outcomes were based on real stories from the Syrian refugee crisis. BBC Arabic conducted countless hours of research on the topic. The research was conducted by Mamdouh Akbiek and Eloise Dicker, who were also involved in the BBC's publishing of "Syria From Space," showing how the war severely impacted electricity.
At the start of the game, users are instructed to select a "character" in order to begin their journey – male or female. Immediately, the tough decisions begin. Users must decide the details of their escape plan, such as traveling to Turkey or Greece, paying a smuggler money or not, and traveling by sea or land.
Every answer either forces a new question or ends the journey if the wrong choice is made. If you make the wrong choice, your fate is revealed. Some are fatal, while others indicate being sent back to Syria. Users are encouraged to "try again" if they make the wrong choice.
Clearly, even in a simulated version of such a horrible event it is difficult to make decisions that would impact myself and my family.
Other than the mentally taxing wrong decisions I made while playing, the interactive game itself was clear, easy to use, and did not lag. The next question in the sequence appeared instantly after making the previous choice and the overall experience was not very time-consuming.
In addition to the interactive journey, additional elements of this experience included real survivor stories as well as descriptions and pictures of items that the refugees took with them when fleeing the country. Users were encouraged to "hash tag" the phrase "#whatwouldyoutake" on their social media platforms with a list of things they would bring with them if they were put in a similar, awful situation.
Although the interactive experience was published nearly three years ago, people are still continuing to use it and discuss items that they would bring with them if they needed to escape. The experience is continuing to bring light to such a drastic situation that the Syrian people went through.
I think that this form of journalism is effective, but extremely controversial. The simplicity of the game makes a complex issue more understandable for an everyday user. It provides enough background and context of the refugee crisis in addition to the game itself. This form of journalism puts users in a real life situation that is impacting millions of people and forces the participant to think about the seriousness of this crisis in relation to their own personal lives. The game is engaging, but the stories and videos of the survivors are what make this form of journalism memorable and provide the user with an emotional connection.
Although effective in my opinion, I believe that this type of journalism in a situation like this is very controversial. Real people are being ripped from their homes and the place they have lived their whole life because of a chaotic war. The situations being presented to us in a "game" format are decisions that these people really have to make. It is effective because it is engaging and forces us to think, but calling this horrible situation a game is unsettling to me as a user.
Particularly, the latter portion of the statement regarding the amount of hits the project received in unsettling. It makes me question as an active audience member if the BBC is only concerned with the amount of traffic their site gets compared to the feelings of the refugees that this game is based upon and their users that are uncomfortable with the project.
Not all feedback was negative, however, as The Guardian supported the BBC's decision to create a game like this. They called the game, "a digestible introduction to the concept of trafficking, and the desperate uncertainty of migration." This reaction from The Guardian is not surprising as they launched their own interactive game in 2014 where the user assumes the role of a Syrian refugee.
The BBC has done other projects similar to the interactive Syrian refugee game. The corporation has created innovative ways to engage users as both technology and journalism are advancing.
In the beginning of 2015, the BBC launched BBC Taster, where users can take part in interactive content such as virtual reality and games. This allows BBC to experiment with new digital content and get direct feedback from the audience through ratings and shares. BBC Taster has given the audience a chance to take a walk through space virtually, and interact with an inmate on death row through an engaging documentary.
Though the BBC has developed many similar projects, none have received as much backlash as the Syrian refugee game. I think that although the game is meant to inform, it is hard to walk the fine line between educational and inappropriate when the given situation has a negative impact on millions of people.
There is currently an ongoing effort to help the displaced Syrian refugees reunite with their families. To read more about this effort and to get involved, click here.


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Selenite received its name from the Greek goddess of the moon, Selene. As you hold your selenite tower up to the light, gaze at its beauty and soak in the moon-like glow. Known for its cleansing abilities, selenite is the perfect tool to clear and protect the energy of your home, office, and sacred space. Even though this crystal is quite delicate, it makes up for its lack of material strength by being a metaphysical superstar. Use selenite to guide your way to higher planes by activating your third eye and crown chakras–leaving you in a purified state free of negativity or reservations. It's in this higher plane where you are most open to receiving symbolic messages. Selenite is a very powerful crystal that will remove the bad vibrations and negative energies around you.


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Q: How to extract only the sentences matching word condition whilst preserving data frame The code section underneath is a good representation of the dataset that I am dealing with.
x <- "test is bad. test1 is good. but test is better. Yet test1 is fake"
y <- "test1 is bad. test is good. but test1 is better. Yet test is fake"
a <- "this sentence is for trying purposes"
z <- data.frame(text = c(x,y,a))
z$date <- c("2011","2012","2015")
z$amount <- c(20000, 300, 5600)
z$text <- as.character(z$text)

What I want to do is essentially extract only the sentences containing the word test1 and parse them in a new column (z$sentences) to do other operations on.
I have tried using the following:
z$sentences <- grep("test1", unlist(strsplit(z$text, '(?<=\\.)\\s+',
                              perl=TRUE)), value=TRUE)

But it returns an error because the replacement has 4 rows whilst the data has 3.
I have also tried with unlist but the other column information is sadly lost in the process.
2 results are satisfactory for this:
Extra column with only the sentences containing "test1" or long format with each row still containing the data (date, amount) with the sentences.
Expected output:

With all sentences that match in column

with a new row for each sentence matching the condition, although the last row does not have to be present.
Any help welcome

A: The issue is that grep only returns the match elements which can be less than the original length
lst1 <- strsplit(z$text, '(?<=\\.)\\s+', perl = TRUE)
z$sentences <- sapply(lst1, function(x) paste(grep("test1", x,
        value = TRUE), collapse=" "))

Another option without splitting would be gsub
trimws(gsub("(([A-Za-z, ]*)test1[A-Za-z, ]+\\.?)(*SKIP)(*F)|.",
             "", z$text, perl = TRUE))
#[1] "test1 is good. Yet test1 is fake"   "test1 is bad. but test1 is better."
#[3] ""

A: You could use str_extract from the stringr package.
library(stringr)

z$sentences <- str_extract(z$text,'.*test1.*')

z
                                                               text date amount                                                         sentences
1 test is bad. test1 is good. but test is better. Yet test1 is fake 2011  20000 test is bad. test1 is good. but test is better. Yet test1 is fake
2 test1 is bad. test is good. but test1 is better. Yet test is fake 2012    300 test1 is bad. test is good. but test1 is better. Yet test is fake
3                              this sentence is for trying purposes 2015   5600                                                              <NA>

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