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L'Unione Sovietica fu il primo stato ad avere come obiettivo ideologico l'eliminazione totale della religione e la sua sostituzione con l'ateismo universale. Dopo la rivoluzione d'ottobre il regime comunista iniziò a confiscare i beni religiosi delle varie chiese presenti in Russia, in particolar modo della Chiesa ortodossa. Successivamente iniziò a perseguitare i credenti e iniziò a propagandare nelle scuole l'ateismo e le varie scienze per dare agli studenti una visione materialista e scientifica del mondo.
Molte chiese, moschee e sinagoghe vennero distrutte o adibite ad altri usi come uffici statali, scuole, ospedali e magazzini, mentre molti monasteri furono chiusi o convertiti a campi di prigionia, di cui il più famoso è il Monastero di Solovki, sulle isole Soloveckie, divenuto il gulag Solovki. Molti membri del clero furono imprigionati per attività anti-governative.

Secondo alcuni storici la persecuzione si attenuò dopo il 1941 durante la seconda guerra mondiale, periodo in cui, secondo tali storici, il governo di Stalin volle creare una parvenza di pace con la chiesa per utilizzarla come parte dei suoi programmi, allo scopo di ispirare nei cittadini sentimenti patriottici per combattere il nemico tedesco.  Sempre secondo tali stime le chiese salirono da 100 nel 1941 a 25.000 nel 1945 e i membri del clero salirono dal 1941 al 1945 da poche centinaia a 33.000. Altri invece affermano che durante la guerra la persecuzione si intensificò e divennero fuori legge diverse attività religiose. In ogni modo, se la persecuzione si attenuò, ciò avvenne soltanto di fatto perché il governo continuò a dichiararsi ateo, a censurare la stampa religiosa e a proibire le processioni. Risulta comunque più probabile che la campagna antireligiosa non si attenuò, sia perché ciò sarebbe andato contro i principi dello Stato troppo apertamente, sia perché la maggior parte della popolazione era atea (almeno il 70%, anche se fonti governative fanno salire la percentuale a oltre il 90%).

Secondo alcune fonti, in seguito il governo sovietico cercò di tenere la chiesa sotto controllo nominando preti i suoi uomini più fedeli, e, secondo quanto asserito, si arrivò al punto in cui le cariche principali furono ricoperte da ufficiali del KGB. Ad esempio, secondo alcune fonti come il controverso dossier Mitrokhin, il patriarca Alessio II fu reclutato dal KGB nel 1958 con il nome in codice di Drozdov.

Secondo diverse fonti il KGB perseguitò diversi altri gruppi religiosi. Tra questi il gruppo più religioso era la Chiesa Cattolica Ucraina (allora Chiesa Cattolica Greca dell'Ucraina) che contava, secondo dati ufficiosi, 4 milioni di fedeli. Secondo alcune fonti, 8 dei 10 vescovi e migliaia di sacerdoti morirono nei Gulag della Siberia per la loro fede. Un altro bersaglio del KGB erano le chiese protestanti non registrate, che negli anni 50 contavano 100.000 membri. Tra questi c'erano 20.000 Testimoni di Geova che, essendo estremamente attivi nel proselitismo, negli anni '60 furono tra le comunità più aspramente perseguitata nell'Unione Sovietica.

Politica contro il Cristianesimo

Un'intensa campagna ideologica, anti-cristiana e anti-religiosa, venne portata avanti nel corso della storia dell'Unione Sovietica. Un'intensa campagna propagandistica ed educativa fu intrapresa per convincere in particolare i bambini e i giovani a non diventare credenti, usando i testi scolastici per dipingere a tinte fosche il ruolo della religione cristiana e della chiesa. Ad esempio, molta enfasi venne posta sul ruolo della chiesa in avvenimenti come l'Inquisizione, la persecuzione di Galileo, Giordano Bruno e altri scienziati eretici e le Crociate. Gli studenti erano incoraggiati a provocare e usare la pressione tra pari nei confronti dei compagni di classe che indossavano croci o che professavano in altro modo la loro fede. Negli anni '20 esistevano molte pubblicazioni e circoli "anti-Dio" sponsorizzati dal governo, soprattutto la vituperante e satirica Senzadio al banco di lavoro ("Bezbožnik u Stanka" in russo). Successivamente, queste scomparvero perché ormai una nuova generazione era cresciuta essenzialmente atea.

Venne anche creata, nel 1925, la Lega degli atei militanti (chiamata anche Unione degli Atei belligeranti o Società dei senza dio) un'organizzazione atea ed antireligiosa e ne facevano parte operai, contadini, studenti e intellettuali e fu animata principalmente dai bolscevichi seguendo una propaganda antireligiosa con lo scopo di eliminare la religione in tutte le sue manifestazioni e trasmettere alla popolazione una visione materialistica, scientista ed anti-religiosa della realtà.

L'attacco alla religione fu realizzato anche da un punto di vista scientifico: fu fatta leva sulla storicità oscurantista ed oppositrice della ricerca scientifica della Chiesa: in particolare fu preso di mira il racconto letterale della creazione, nel libro della Genesi, deriso dai testi che supportavano la teoria evoluzionista di Darwin. All'interno della propaganda anti-straniera e anti-capitalista fu profuso uno sforzo non banale, specialmente negli anni 1920 e 1930, per imprimere nella mente delle persone un'immagine dell'Occidente dominato dall'ignoranza anti-scientifica della Chiesa, opposta all'ateismo scientifico e progressista dello stato sovietico.

Uno sforzo concertato venne fatto per impedire o boicottare le assemblee dei cristiani. Durante gli anni '20 e '30 le celebrazioni del Natale e la tradizionale festa russa del Capodanno vennero proibite (in seguito il Capodanno venne ripristinato come festa secolare ed è oggi la principale festa di famiglia in Russia). Raduni e processioni religiose vennero inizialmente proibiti e in seguito strettamente limitati e regolamentati. Negli anni successivi, un metodo più subdolo di rovinare le festività cristiane prevedeva la trasmissione di film molto popolari, uno dietro l'altro, durante le principali feste, quando ci si aspettava che i credenti partecipassero alle processioni religiose, in particolare durante le celebrazioni della Pasqua. La mossa era indirizzata a far rimanere nelle case le persone dalla fede più incerta, incollati alle televisioni.

In generale, la Chiesa fu descritta come corrotta, ipocrita, fedele servitrice del reazionario zar, oscurantista, "oppio dei popoli" (secondo la definizione di Karl Marx), e comunque cattiva. La propaganda comunista nei confronti della Chiesa si rivelò efficace. Nell'arco di una generazione, i Russi, tradizionalmente molto devoti, divennero in massa atei: questa trasformazione fu quasi completata negli anni '50.

In seguito alla caduta dell'Unione Sovietica, il governo della Russia si aprì con favore verso la Chiesa ortodossa russa e si verificò una crescita nel numero di fedeli in Russia. Come è stato verificato nel 2004, comunque, mentre una gran percentuale dei Russi oggi si descrivono come credenti e membri della Chiesa (erano un gruppo molto ristretto negli anni del governo sovietico), in realtà pochi frequentano la chiesa regolarmente, leggono la Bibbia, o ricevono la comunione. Sembra che per molte persone la fede sia diventata un motivo di identificazione personale, di preparazione al battesimo dei figli, di celebrazione di matrimoni e funerali, e nient'altro. Ciò costituisce una chiara testimonianza della completezza e del successo a lungo termine della persecuzione comunista contro la cristianità in Russia.

Richard Wurmbrand, pastore evangelico, autore di Tortured for Christ descrisse la persecuzione sistematica dei cristiani in Romania, una nazione del blocco dell'Est. Molti cristiani nell'Unione Sovietica furono imprigionati per l'unico motivo di credere in Dio - una sorte condivisa anche dai credenti ebrei. Molti di loro sono stati recentemente canonizzati come santi, in seguito alla morte per mano delle autorità sovietiche; nella chiesa ortodossa ci si riferisce a loro come "nuovi martiri" (Si vedano, anche, le voci Nemico del popolo, Gulag, Aleksandr Solženicyn, Varlam Šalamov)

Politica contro i Testimoni di Geova
Anche se i Testimoni di Geova non erano in gran numero in Unione Sovietica, divennero uno dei gruppi religiosi più perseguitati durante il periodo successivo alla Seconda guerra mondiale e molti dei loro membri furono arrestati. Molti Testimoni di Geova moldavi furono deportati in Tomschi, mentre altri, provenienti da altre regioni dell'Unione Sovietica furono deportati in Oblasti e Sirtaki. Molti funzionari del KGB, che avevano il compito di sciogliere il movimento dei Testimoni di Geova, ebbero il compito di scoprire se continuavano a praticare la loro fede anche all'interno dei campi di lavoro. Il Ministro degli Affari Interni, Viktor Semënovič Abakumov propose la deportazione dei Testimoni di Geova a Stalin nel mese di ottobre 1950. Una risoluzione fu votata dal Consiglio dei Ministri e l'ordine di deportazione fu emesso da parte del Ministero per la Sicurezza nel marzo del 1951.

Nel mese successivo, oltre 9.000 Testimoni di Geova furono deportati in Siberia secondo il piano denominato "Operazione Nord". Le importazioni nel Paese dei libri riguardanti la loro fede furono severamente proibite, ma la letteratura da Brooklyn arrivava regolarmente, attraverso canali non ufficiali ben organizzati, non solo in molte città, ma anche in Siberia, e anche nei campi penali di Potma. Il governo sovietico era così turbato dai Testimoni di Geova che il KGB fu autorizzato ad inviare agenti con il compito d'infiltrarsi nei quartier generale di Brooklyn. Nel settembre del 1965, un decreto del Presidium del Consiglio dei ministri dell'URSS annullò il "regolamento speciale" con cui si esercitavano restrizioni sui Testimoni di Geova, anche se il decreto, firmato da Anastas Mikoyan, non prevedeva alcun indennizzo per i beni confiscati. Tuttavia, i Testimoni di Geova sono rimasti oggetto di persecuzione di Stato a causa della loro ideologia classificata anti-sovietica. La persecuzione del movimento ha avuto fine nel 1991, dopo la caduta del regime sovietico, ma è ripresa con vigore agli inizi del XXI secolo. Nel 2017 la Corte Suprema russa ha vietato ai Testimoni di Geova l'attività in tutto il territorio nazionale, definendoli estremisti e decretando la confisca dei beni dell'organizzazione.

Politica contro l'Islam

L'Unione Sovietica era ostile nei confronti di tutte le forme di religione considerate, secondo Karl Marx, "l'oppio dei popoli". Nel breve periodo successivo alla Rivoluzione d'ottobre esisteva una libertà religiosa per i musulmani, ma alla fine del 1920 il governo sovietico iniziò una forte politica anti religiosa e le autorità sovietiche nel giro di pochi decenni distrussero molte moschee, mentre alcune vennero trasformate in magazzini. Nel giro di poco più di 50 anni, le moschee passarono da 25.000 nel 1917 a 500 nel 1970. Durante il periodo di potere di Stalin, molti musulmani furono vittime di deportazioni di massa.

Nel 1927 venne avviata la campagna dell'Hujum, finalizzata ad emancipare le donne nelle comunità musulmane nell'Asia Centrale.

Politica contro il Giudaismo
Nonostante Lenin trovasse l'antisemitismo qualcosa di aberrante, il regime era ostile nei confronti del giudaismo fin dall'inizio. Nel 1919 le autorità sovietiche abolirono i consigli della comunità ebraica, che erano tradizionalmente responsabili per il mantenimento delle sinagoghe.
La maggior parte delle 5.000 sinagoghe in funzione prima della rivoluzione bolscevica furono chiuse sotto Stalin, e le altre furono successivamente chiuse sotto Chruščëv.

Politica contro il Buddismo
Sebbene il Buddismo avesse delle analogie con la filosofia marxiste, come una visione atea del mondo della natura e il rapporto tra materia e mente, l'ideologia comunista e l'ateismo di stato furono sempre incompatibili con la spiritualità buddhista, soprattutto per via dei suoi legami con la figura del Dalai Lama e della teocrazia Tibetana.
Benché nell'Unione Sovietica i fedeli della dottrina, fossero relativamente pochi, nei paesi asiatici confinanti con l'Unione Sovietica come la Cina, dove si diffusero le ideologie comuniste, si attuò una violenta persecuzione contro i monasteri e i fedeli della religione buddhista, seguendo l'esempio dell'Unione sovietica e venendo anzi incoraggiati nelle persecuzioni da quest'ultima.

Note

Voci correlate
Comunismo
Persecuzione dei cristiani
Ateismo di Stato

Cultura dell'Unione Sovietica
Unione Sovietica

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Remembering those murdered in the 2017-2018 post-electoral crisis in Honduras
Posted on February 10, 2018 June 3, 2019 AuthorSOA Watch
We remember those who have been murdered demanding their basic right to a government elected by the people, democracy, following the November 2017 elections in Honduras, as well as the bystanders who have been murdered by the state security forces. We join in demanding justice for each one of them and an end to the murders. We demand the US stop financing the bloodbath in Honduras.
José Abilio Soto, 46 years old, murdered by a bullet shot in his back during a protest in La Ceiba, Atlantida that was violently evicted by the Military Police on November 30, 2017.
2. Roger Alberto Vázquez Reyes, 35 years old, murdered by the Military Police when they opened fired on a protest in Choloma, Cortes on December 1, 2017.
3. Victor Evelio Martínez, 23 years old, murdered by the Military Police when they opened fired on a protest in Choloma, Cortes on December 1, 2017.
4. José David Ramos Lambert, 22 years old, died from shots fired by the Military Police when they opened fired on a protest in Choloma, Cortes on December 1, 2017
5. José Fernando Melgar, 16 years old, according to witnesses, he died after being pushed off a bridge by a soldier during a protest on a bridge in La Ceiba on December 1, 2017.
6. Kimberly Dayana Fonseca, 19 years old, shot by the Military Police in Tegucigalpa while searching for her brother on December 1, 2017.
7. Eric Javier Montoya Cruz, 27 years old, law student murdered by the Military Police during repression against protests in Comayaguela on December 3, 2017.
8. Raúl Antonio Triminio Sisnado, 35 years old, murdered by a bullet to the head from the Military Police on December 3, 2017 in Comayaguela.
9. Eduardo Rubén Rivera, 35 years old, killed December 3, 2017 in Comayaguela.
10. Mauricio Jonathan Echeverria, 23 years old, killed on December 3, 2017 in Choloma, Cortes.
11. Michael Jair Ponce Suceda, 15 years old, killed on December 3, 2017 in Choloma, Cortes.
12. Virgilio Yareth Avila González, 16 years old, murdered by the National Police while walking near a protest in Agua Blanca Sur, El Progreso on December 4, 2017.
13. Arnold Fernando Serrano Moncada, 32 years old, found dead in Olanchito, Yoro on December 4, 2017, after participating in the anti-fraud protests.
14. Raúl Humberto Brizuela Reyes, 21 years old, killed December 4, 2017 in Choloma, Cortes.
15. Seth Jonathan Araujo Andino, 30 years old, kidnapped during a protest on the evening of December 4, 2017 in Tegucigalpa; found dead the next day with his hands and feet tied and signs of torture.
16. Jesús de Maria Sánchez Euceda, 43 years old, shot on December 1, 2017 while carrying home groceries when the Police fired on a protest in San Pedro Sula.
17. Lesman Anibal Cárcamo Bonilla, 18 years old, killed on December 11, 2017 in Yoro.
18. David Octavio Quiroz, 32 years old, murdered when the Military Police opened fire on a protest in Villanueva, Cortes, on December 15, 2017.
19. Bryan Noe Mejía González, 26 years old, killed by state forces on December 15, 2017 in San Pedro Sula.
20. Delmer Josue Medina, 29 years old, shot by the Military Police during a protest in Cofradia, Cortes and lay bleeding for an hour as the Military Police prevented people from aiding him, subsequently died. December 16, 2017.
21. Jarol Uriel García, 36 years old, killed December 17, 2017 in Choluteca.
22. Cristian Fernando Hernandez Funez, 24 years old, died from a shot by bullets fired by the Military Police on protesters in San Pedro Sula.
23. Marlon Evelyn Mendoza Herrera, 24 years old, December 19, 2017, San Pedro Sula.
24. Juan Carlos Flores, 26 years old, December 19, 2017, Comayaguela
25. Katerine Nicole Bonilla, 14 years old, December 19, 2017, Choloma, Cortes.
26. Walter Daniel Lemus Ramirez, 38 years old, shot in his home on Christmas Eve in Peña Blanca while singing a protest song demanding the president resign.
27. Julio Alexander Funez Rodriguez, 22 years old, law student, election worker for LIBRE, and organizer of anti-fraud protests, murdered by a shot to the back on December 26, 2017.
28. Héctor Napoleón Guevara, 30 years old, killed on December 27, 2017 after having participated in protests against fraud in Jesus de Otoro, Intibuca.
29. Wilmer Paredes, leader in the protests against fraud in San Juan Pueblo, Atlantida, who was tortured and beaten by state security forces on December 16, 2017, persecuted by a vehicle driven by police, and then murdered January 1, 2018 in San Juan Pueblo.
30. Santos Alvarado Cordova, 53 years old, a teacher and LIBRE activist active in anti-fraud protests murdered inside his home in San Pedro Sula on January 8, 2018.
31. Telmo Villareal, 62 years old, killed by the Honduran security forces when they fired live bullets indiscriminately at a pro-democracy protest that he was passing by on his way home.
32. Ramón Fiallos, active member of the Broad Movement for Dignity and Justice (MADJ), shot with live bullets by the security forces during a protest against fraud in Arizona, Atlantida on January 22, 2018.
33. Geovanny Diaz Carcamo, active member of the Broad Movement for Dignity and Justice (MADJ), forcibly removed from his home by police at approximately 4 am on January 23, 2018 and shot repeatedly.
34. José Armando Mariona, 21 years old, active in the protests against fraud throughout San Pedro Sula, murdered in the early morning hours of January 23, 2018.
35. Ismael Hernandez, 40 years old, father of six, murdered by the Military Police when they fired live bullets at demonstrators during a pro-democracy protest. He was shot in the back and killed during a protest against electoral fraud in Cortes on February 5, 2018.
We also remember others who have been murdered whose names we do not know.
We also demand the return of Manuel de Jesus Bautista Salvador, 22 years old, who was detained by the Military Police during the curfew on December 3, 2017 and has been disappeared since. Two other people he was detained with were released after being brutally beaten but Manuel de Jesus has not been found despite his family's efforts.
Carta abierta del MADJ a las fuerzas de seguridad del Estado; ¡Alto a la brutalidad en contra del pueblo! Movimiento Amplio por la Dignidad y Justicia.
Honduras: Crisis Politica Post Electoral y su Impacto en los Derechos Humanos, COFADEH.
Segundo Informe violaciones a DDHH en contexto protesas anti fraude en Honduras, COFADEH.
Terrorizing the Anti-Fraud Resistance: Human Rights Abuses Committed by US and Canadian-Funded State Security Forces in Honduras, Honduras Solidarity Network.
CategoriesHonduras
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Next → Next post: Memory, Truth, And Justice: The Demands for Memory and Justice Rise from Guatemala, El Salvador, and Argentina

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Publicat în 27 ianuarie 2016, 19:02 / 330 elite & idei
Antonia Colibasanu: As Moldova Marches
+ Moldova • + Observator	• antonia colibasanu
by Antonia Colibasanu
The better-known "Radetzky March" is a musical march, Op. 228, composed by Jonah Strauss Sr. and played commonly at New Year's concerts. Less famous, perhaps, is the book written by Joseph Roth that goes by the same name. Roth's "The Radetzky March" is a score written to the rhythm of the glorious Austrian Empire's decline.
The narration of three generations of the Trotta family — professional Austro-Hungarian soldiers and career bureaucrats of Slovenian origin — spotlights not only the constancy of the notion of the "love of one's own" at a time when the nation-state was still young, but also shows how even despite the best intentions, actions in personal and political life may lead to failure.
The political novel, written in 1932, teaches life lessons of universal value. Read today, while widely applicable to the challenges of governance in general, the book brings to mind the challenges to European cohesion and governance.
It is obvious that global governance as we knew it until 2008 has been restructured. We never quite had a definition for it before then, but we were hopeful that globalization would equal harmony and shared prosperity. However, the Orange revolution in 2004 — the moment the so-called Russian Bear awoke — and the Russian-Georgian war in 2008, alongside the beginning of the global financial and economic crisis, have dramatically changed the way we perceive the world today.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Cold War had formally ended. However, it continued informally along the Russian buffer zone. The struggle was most visible in places like Ukraine that the mainstream Western media has focused on ever since the early 2000s. Moldova's struggle was far less visible. The politics of Chisinau are of interest for Russia, which wants to keep the country in its buffer zone, but also for NATO member states as Romania, which favors a pro-Western Moldova, and Turkey, which needs to keep an eye on all Russian interests near the Black Sea.
Moldova has managed to balance between the West and the East — but while doing so, the country's political elite has become entangled with its business elite, developing a clan-like ruling class. In time, as the country's economics have worsened, the management style has given way to a zero-sum game pulling in business interests and the pursuit of power. The well-intended actions of the elite, looking to maintain Moldova's neutrality while balancing between the West and the East — and also pulling the levers of power to build their own fortunes — have apparently led to the systemic failure of the country. At least it has if we are to consider the last year's political instability, coupled with the near-bankruptcy of the state. Thousands have taken to the streets to protest. While it is true that the pro-Russian factions want to climb through the window of opportunity and regain control of government, the black-and-white image painted by the media, of the pro-Europeans fighting against the pro-Russians, is only part of the story.
This East-West balance has been weighted on the interests of business — political philosophy has not been a priority. Socialism and liberalism, left-wing and right-wing, tend to have very broad definitions in Moldova, adjusted only by profit rates. While the pursuit of neutrality may be well-intended toward keeping the balance, corrupt practices stemming from business interests that operate as clans are breaking it up. That other balance — based on "who gives more money" in the short term — breaks the balance of neutrality and has brought the country's politics to general loss. Russia has had the winning hand during times of economic stability at home, and while as there were different levels of corrupt practices involved in each process, it was easier to get and spend Russian funds than European funds. But as Russia's economy weakened, corruption gained visibility. In the end, the balancing tactics, and the fraud by corruption, used by the governing elite have weakened the state.
Within the blacks and whites of a broader geopolitical struggle, the grays of nuance are provided by the population that is in fact protesting against the corrupt political elite and the poor state of the country's administration. The example of nearby Romania, where the ongoing fight against corruption has shaken off the political elite, has reached the Moldovan public. The influence of the stories of those working abroad — and who report better conditions in the European Union and even in Russia — has also grown. All of them want to see order and responsibility from the governing elite.
The protests, and the clash of popular influence against the interests of the elite, seem to create an unstable if not chaotic environment. High political risk no longer characterizes Moldova – uncertainty has replaced it. No calculation is able to issue probabilities and results for short- and medium-term governance. A guess seems just as good. And that is worrying.
All indications are that Moldova is at a turning point — not only a geopolitical one, but a fundamental one, based on civic choices. The state's institutions seem paralyzed. The protesters, no matter who brought them to the streets of Chisinau, are all calling for the death of old, corrupt Moldovan practices of competing for personal short-term gain while pretending to fight for the country's neutrality. Russia has been most supportive of the formation of a system where politics are transformed into a system that supports a clan-type elite. The West has not been perfect, but has also supported the institutional administrative system where the rule of law matters most. The former system entertains corruption, while the latter fights it. Considering the protesters' constant call against corruption in Chisinau, it seems the civic voice has made its choice between the East and the West.
The march of Chisinau is not an easy one. Governance has to represent the people's choices, and Moldovans want reform. Geography has made of Moldova a strategic country, which means that the veins of external influence are and will always be present. This means reforms are not easy to achieve — but when politics are turning to the street, for the civic calls of a new shared dream, a new and hopefully better fate becomes possible. It is only possible, however, if the courageous ones take the window of opportunity for transforming the long, enduring march of Moldova into an optimistic — if not joyful — march.
http://www.realclearworld.com


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Isaac Tham
Woodstock — Three days that defined a generation
Image credits: Ken Ragan/Camera 5
Review of the documentary film Woodstock — Three Days that Defined a Generation by Barak Goodman & Jamila Ephron, 2019
Woodstock was a music festival held in August 1969 in Bethel, New York. Billed as 'An Aquarian Exposition: Three Days of Peace and Music', the event drew an unprecedented audience of more than 400,000, and has become synonymous with the counterculture movement in the 1960s. Through the 2019 documentary Woodstock: Three Days that Defined a Generation, filmmakers Barak Goodman and Jamila Ephron examine cultural significance of the event on its 50th anniversary. Having gained this penetrating insight into the event through the documentary, I shall attempt in this piece to analyze Woodstock and the counterculture movement through the sociological lens.
The functionalist approach to popular culture posits that pop culture can be explained primarily in terms of its social functions of generating solidarity among individuals within large and anonymous communities. This approach has its origins in the study of religion, with French sociologist Emile Durkheim (1912) identifying three theoretical tenets in religion that foster social cohesion — collective consciousness, the demarcation of the sacred against the profane, and collective effervescence.
The counterculture movement was characterized by a group of people known as 'hippies', who opposed the Vietnam War and rejected commercialization and established ways of living.
Max Yasgur, owner of the dairy farm that the Woodstock Festival was held on, waving the peace sign to the festival-goers.
Firstly, the collective consciousness of a culture is represented by easily recognizable totems and symbols, and for the counterculture this was epitomized by the peace symbol. First created in 1958 in Britain for a London nuclear disarmament march, the peace symbol spread rapidly among the hippies in the late 60's, who adapted it with psychedelic colors and patterns and wore it on clothing. Banners of the peace sign were prominently spotted at Woodstock, along with the peace hand-sign.
Another symbol of collective consciousness is music. Music was a key uniting element of the hippie counterculture, especially with folk and rock bands such as Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead being associated with the movement and treated as idols. Easily recognizable lyrics and melodies give music a uniting, ubiquitous appeal, and it's no wonder why collectively appreciating music was the reason why half a million descended upon Woodstock for the festival, when some of the most illustrious names of folk and rock performed.
The second element is the symbolic boundaries created between sacred and profane elements of the counterculture. The hippie counterculture embraced a new style of fashion, with bright colored clothing, flowers, male long hair and short skirts marking a very visible boundary between the hippies and the conservative, corporate identity of the establishment. ()
The fashion contrast is most starkly visualized in this scene of reporters interviewing Woodstock attendees after they landed at JFK Airport. Image credits: Woodstock: Three Days that Defined a Generation by Barak Goodman
The last element mentioned by Durkheim is collective effervescence — how social concentration and collective activity in a shared space creates and reinforces a communal identity. This definitely materialized in Woodstock — with the sheer size of the audience and the stirring, heartfelt performances by the musicians. Many festivalgoers interviewed in the documentary remarked that it was the first time they realized 'that there were so many people like us', similar in clothing, music taste, drug habits and ideology. Woodstock was undoubtedly a cathartic and vindicative moment for them that emboldened them and enhanced their sense of belonging to the movement.
Having shown how Woodstock and the counterculture possess these Durkheimian tenets, I will now explore how these tenets enable pop culture to carry out its social roles.
Woodstock, and the broader hippie counterculture, served a key role as a resource for public reflection about societal issues of the time. The political context was fraught with tension — rising opposition to the American involvement in the Vietnam War which manifested in large protests, and the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr stoked racial tensions amidst the background of the civil rights movement.
Hippie counterculture became defined by its opposition to the war, with its mantra 'make love, not war' and their peace symbol. Many musicians in the 60's used their music to openly express their anti-war sentiments, and you can see this in the Woodstock performances: Richie Haven's 'Freedom' and Joan Baez's 'We Shall Overcome'. Furthermore, African American artists like Havens and Jimi Hendrix symbolized the increasing prominence of people of color on the music stage. But perhaps no other musical performance was more emblematic of the political spirit of music than Hendrix's psychedelic rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner, distorting the sounds of the electric guitar to mimic wartime sounds of bombs, fighter jets and artillery in what has been immortalized as one of the greatest rock performances ever.
Jimmy Hendrix performing the Star-Spangled Banner at Woodstock. Image Credits: Woodstock: The Movie
Through this, Woodstock shows how popular culture, particularly sub-cultures that are opposed to the prevailing dominant cultural norm, can be an avenue for rebellion. The hippies blamed mainstream authority for the era's social ills, opposing the Vietnam War and commercialization. To many who attended Woodstock, it was a coming-of-age moment, an act of defiance. With the communal spirit and lack of conflict throughout the event despite various challenges, Woodstock vindicated the hippie's message of peace and non-violence, and debunked the establishment's disdain of the younger generation's culture. It left many with the lofty ambition to change the world, with a newfound freedom and control over their lives.
However, some cynics contend that popular culture does not actually spark social change, evoking Gluckman's term rituals of rebellion to describe events like Woodstock, which are isolated inversions of the institutional hierarchy that allow subordinate group members to let off steam without granting them real power. Though Woodstock attendees spoke of the collective feeling of liberation, vindication and hope for the future, the concert turned out to be the high-water mark for the counterculture. The movement died down in the early 1970s, prosperity and jubilation faded away to economic strife and recession, and American politics took a conservative turn. Some even argue that music festivals like Woodstock are examples of how pop culture distracts people from their actual situation, and detracts from pressing social problems.
On a personal note, as I was watching the film, I couldn't help but feel a sense of surrealism and disbelief, for it is such a remarkable contrast with the state of America today.
Woodstock was communal on an unimaginable scale. It had the feel of a weekend camping trip at a location far from civilization when everyone depended on each other. Even with massive challenges, such as the barely-constructed festival site, grossly inadequate food and medical supplies, and a massive thunderstorm that ensured everyone was splashed with mud, the community the size of a mid-sized American city functioned together without any conflict or tragedy. The spontaneity of kindness was just beautiful — early arrivers helping to construct the unfinished food stands, Bethel residents offering all their food reserves to feed the concert-goers, people who recovered from drug overdoses helping out the new victims. I can't help but wonder today if people would be as generous, forgiving and open-hearted when faced with similar challenges.
Above all, Woodstock was free — the fences that capitalistic society erects to separate the haves and haves-not literally came crashing down in Woodstock, giving the festival a sense of universality and inclusion that seems surreal today. In contrast, cultural festivals today have been infiltrated by capitalism — often sponsored by brands, with exclusive VIP passes enforcing hierarchies in access depending on ability to pay, and organized with the deliberate mix of performers, concessions and amenities to maximize the return on investment. This illustrates how the involvement of corporations in popular culture can work against the democratization of pop culture and even dilute its essence.
In conclusion, Woodstock was a hallmark of 20th century popular culture. A combination of music, solidarity and rebellion, it perfectly captures the essence of popular culture through the functionalist lens. It was personally fascinating to uncover these contours of America's history that would otherwise have been shrouded in my relative cultural ignorance, and explore a lot of new music that I never knew I liked!
AFP. (2019, August 14). Five decades Post-Woodstock, Extracting legacy from myth. Retrieved February 05, 2021, from https://www.voanews.com/arts-culture/five-decades-post-woodstock-extracting-legacy-myth
Benjamin, E. (2019, July 23). Peace, love and music: The legacy of woodstock 50 years later. Retrieved February 05, 2021, from https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/new-york/new-york-city/articles/peace-love-and-music-bethel-woods-still-rocks-50-years-after-woodstock/
Brown, J., & Norris, C. (2019, August 16). What Woodstock taught us about protest in a time of polarization. Retrieved February 05, 2021, from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/what-woodstock-taught-us-about-protest-in-a-time-of-polarization
Dacus, L. (2019, August 06). Woodstock, a Utopia? Not for every generation. Retrieved February 05, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/06/arts/music/woodstock-lucy-dacus-millennials.html
History.com Editors. (2018, March 09). Woodstock. Retrieved February 05, 2021, from https://www.history.com/topics/1960s/woodstock
Johnson, R. (2018, August 24). What is woodstock's legacy? Retrieved February 05, 2021, from https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2009-08-09-0908080071-story.html
Manly, L. (2019, August 09). Woodstock 1969: A STORY vastly bigger than EDITORS REALIZED. Retrieved February 05, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/09/arts/music/woodstock-new-york-times-archives.html
Newcott, B. (2019, August 08). For those who were there, Woodstock was a weekend like no other. Retrieved February 05, 2021, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/2019/08/woodstock-those-there-weekend-like-no-other/
Pareles, J. (2019, August 05). Woodstock's contradictions, 50 years later. Retrieved February 05, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/05/arts/music/woodstock-50-anniversary.html
Pruitt, S. (2018, September 14). How the Vietnam War empowered the hippie movement. Retrieved February 05, 2021, from https://www.history.com/news/vietnam-war-hippies-counter-culture
Ramos, V. (2020, August 16). How woodstock became a symbol of u.s counterculture. Retrieved February 05, 2021, from https://www.themadameblue.com/blog/how-woodstock-became-a-symbol-of-us-counterculture#:~:text=Woodstock%20was%20a%20three%2Dday,rock%20music%2C%20and%20living%20liberally.
Williams, C. (2011). The peace symbol and hippie culture. Retrieved February 05, 2021, from http://americanwiki.pbworks.com/w/page/33122540/The-Peace-Symbol-and-Hippie-Culture
Willson Center Digital Humanities Lab. (2017). Counterculture movement. Retrieved February 05, 2021, from https://digilab.libs.uga.edu/exhibits/exhibits/show/civil-rights-digital-history-p/counterculture
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President Petro Poroshenko hopes Ukraine can join the European Union and NATO before 2030. "There are two key things that I dream about. I really want Ukraine to be a member of the European Union before 2030... And I really want Ukraine to be a member of the North Atlantic Alliance before 2030," Poroshenko said at a meeting with students of the Ukrainian Leadership Academy in Kyiv on Monday.


For voice/data/video distribution, this cable it will handle bandwidth-intensive applications up to 550 MHz. Meets all Cat6 TIA/EIA-568-B-2.1, draft 9 standards, and drastically reduces both impedance and structural return loss (SRL) when compared to standard 100 MHz wire. Each of the individual pairs is bonded together to help maintain the twist-spacing throughout the line right up to the termination point.


U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., encouraged New Orleans Public School children to stand up for what they believe is right when he delivered keynote remarks at the Project LIVE & Achieve Rally on Jan. 18, 2019. Along with U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-New Orleans, the Congressmen, invited by InspireNOLA Charter Schools, addressed over 5000 students for the annual event that coincides with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and encourages non-violence, community engagement, and academic achievements. As the first African-American U.S. Senator elected from New Jersey, Booker spoke on staying true to his background, his morals, and taking action to fight injustices in this nation.
"I would leave this job tomorrow, if it meant violating my core values," Booker told a smaller group of honor students just before his address at Xavier University's Convocation Center. He shared with students that he is likely the only United States Senator to currently live in an inner city. The Newark native said that he continues to live in his city's Central Ward in order to continue to stay humble and gain inspiration from the people right outside his door. This connection with his community allows him to stay committed to addressing the challenges of the people who elected him, even while he represents them in Washington, D.C.
"It's where you come from that shapes who you are," said Richmond, echoing Booker's sentiments about the importance of speaking up for those who he serves as an elected official.
The impact of politics on ordinary people could not be clearer as the government has passed 27 days into the shutdown, Booker said, addressing President Donald Trump's demand for funding for a Southern border wall. Booker urged students not to let the actions of others distract them, but instead to let it further push them to fight for what they believe in.
"The power of the people outweighs those in power," Booker said.
He encouraged young people to not consider their age, but to get out, and to take action for change that brings equality and justice for everyone in the nation. "I want a reignition of the moral ideals in this country," Booker said, and he hopes that this generation can end police brutality, racial profiling, and systemic discrimination that contribute to daily injustices for African-Americans. Booker said it was easy to become complacent about injustice, and it is that complacency that allows discrimination to continue. He said he believes that real change can only occur when citizens challenge those who govern to make change.
"Never ever believe your one voice is not enough; no matter who you are, you can make a difference," said Booker, as he addressed students on the ground level from the main stage.
He evoked Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reminding students that all of humanity is connected and "Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly," Booker said quoting King. He told students that just as King's generation did before, young people are capable of taking action to achieve a more equal and just society. He urged students to get involved today, but on their own terms.


The company was launched in November 2010 in London and has been gaining momentum rapidly both internationally and in the UK. We are constantly expanding and adding new lines to our collection and taking part in shows and event in London. To help with the work load we are looking PR and Marketing Intern.
Working on overhaul of the existing website with web team.
Coming up with innovative ways to create a buzz and hype around the brand.
Working alongside Director to get new brands on board and update the website.
Working and liaising with our partners on events.
Ability to work with various international organizations.
This is a fantastic opportunity to gain hands on experience on how to grow a company and get involved in various aspects of running a business. You will also get both creative and commercial experience of working with various brands around the globe. We offer the opportunity to get involved in international projects, various fashion events, set up pop- up stores, liaise with press and have the freedom to bring in your own creativity and expertise to grow the business.
This placement will be unpaid, but we will pay for your travel expenses (London zones 1-6).
We are looking for a fashion design student with an interest in sustainability to help us create a line of eco-friendly handbags. Please send your CV and portfolio to info@fashioncompassion.co.uk.
Ayesha, I couldn't send you a message, so here it is.
I did send you an e-mail on team@fashioncompassion.co.uk.
Oh, and you wanna work at your speed. Google doesn't like'it that way. A web master will not charge you a lot for that, and you will see improvements. Let me know if you need help.
http://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/?url=http%3A%... access this link to see your web site's speed.


text:
Q: Anaglyph 3D rendering with JMonkeyEngine How to do an Anaglyph 3D rendering with JMonkeyEngine ?
I tested the StereoRenderPass class :
http://www.jmonkeyengine.com/forum/index.php?topic=7168.30
but it generates errors when compiling.
Update:
I've finally succeed in integrating the Jme Context to my project.
But I don't know how to use it to produce an anaglyph and I haven't found any javadoc.
Can anyone help?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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This is for all those people in here that keep telling us all how the second generation always speaks English and in fact, most don't know Spanish fluently. Of course some, like myself, have said it was untrue and this article basically proves the point myself and others have made.
"Border communities like El Paso, by virtue of their proximity to the home land, will continue to have tremendous linguistic renewal," he said. "People here, even those who have been in the country various generations, will retain their language much more than the Hispanic populations formed in the interior of the United States."
"Spanish was my first language and it's the language that my parents speak, so I just use it when I'm there. I don't even think about it," said Mariana Solis, a registered nurse who grew up in the Lower Valley. "And although I speak English, I sometimes feel more comfortable speaking Spanish. It's like going back home."
Perhaps if she spoke English at home her parents could learn the language. For some, this will never truly be home. They are here for what this country offers, but their allegiance and love remain "back home."
BINGO!!!! I see it every day here in CA and I saw it all over the southwest part of this country when I traveled for work.
This crackpot seems to think this is something to celebrate. Maybe to him it is? All I know is that it will be kind of hard to get into Stanford or MIT if you only speak Spanish.
Affirmative action is the key for these people, as it was for some that happen to running for higher ofices in this country.
I had forgotten about that. I suppose they would just demand bilingual classes.
And of course, they would get it. Otherwise, the schools would be discriminating against the poor unfortunate "immigrants."
I see it every day at our kid's school. There are entire families walking out speaking Spanish.
Oh well, there are plenty of labor jobs that need tended to.
The above was directed towards APJ's fears-----------not APJ himself.
As for further away from the border assimilation being much greater..........that was true 30 years ago. I knew a Latino from Chicago while still living in the Wash DC area who admitted that the 'Hispanic' was 'knocked out of her' as a child----------she was essentially Anglo culturally.
The message I get is: assimilate or be sidelined.


The EBow was designed for guitar string spacing. It gets its necessary alignment by resting on the strings adjacent to the one you're playing. To play the EBow on bass, you must accomplish this critical alignment in challenging ways. You can use your thumb and forefinger off the edges of the EBow to simulate wider spaced GuideGrooves that rest on the adjacent strings. You can also tilt the EBow keeping just one adjacent string engaged for alignment. Let the engaged string slide up the side of the EBow to bring the DriveChannel closer to the driven string. You can rest one edge of the tilted EBow on the fretboard between the strings and rock the DriveChannel into position over the string you are playing. Or, you can just hold the EBow in the proper position through sheer will and determination. Light gauge strings and a touch of distortion can prove useful, especially in the harmonic mode.


text:
AG Nessel's Office Files 24 Criminal Charges Against Twistars USA Gymnastics Coach John Geddert
Contact: Ryan Jarvi 517-599-2746
Agency: Attorney General
LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's office has filed 24 criminal charges against John Geddert, former US Olympics gymnastics coach and former owner of Lansing-area Twistars USA Gymnastics Club, accusing him of committing at least one sexual assault and multiple incidents of physical abuse against dozens of his young female athletes.
Geddert, 63, of Grand Ledge, was expected to turn himself in to authorities today at the Eaton County Sheriff's Office Substation in Delta Township and was scheduled to be arraigned at 2:15 p.m. today in Eaton County District Court 56A before Judge Julie O'Neill. Charges filed against Geddert include:
14 counts of human trafficking, forced labor causing injury, a 15-year felony;
Six counts of human trafficking of a minor for forced labor, a 20-year felony;
One count of continuing criminal enterprise, a 20-year felony;
One count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, a life offense felony;
One count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, a 15-year felony; and
One count of lying to a peace officer during a violent crime investigation, a four-year felony
"These allegations focus around multiple acts of verbal, physical and sexual abuse perpetrated by the defendant against multiple young women. I am grateful for these survivors coming forward to cooperate with our investigation and for bravely sharing their stories," Nessel said. "The charges against Mr. Geddert are the result of a great deal of hard work by my investigators and prosecutors, and I would like to express my gratitude for their devoted service, as well as the cooperation and efforts of the Michigan State Police, Eaton County Sheriff's Office and Eaton County Prosecutor Doug Lloyd and his staff. This case has truly been a joint effort by law enforcement and another example of how authorities at multiple levels of government can work together in pursuit of justice."
The Attorney General's office alleges that Geddert's treatment of young gymnasts constitutes human trafficking as he reportedly subjected his athletes to forced labor or services under extreme conditions that contributed to them suffering injuries and harm. Geddert then neglected those injuries that were reported to him by the victims and used coercion, intimidation, threats and physical force to get them to perform to the standard he expected.
Geddert sold his reputation as an Olympic-level coach and promised to unsuspecting parents that he could turn his students into world-class athletes, allowing them to secure college scholarships, the Attorney General's office alleges. Under the guise of coaching, he reportedly subjected multiple young women to an environment of continued abuse, in which he also neglected advice of medical doctors – except that provided by Larry Nassar, who served for around 20 years as Geddert's team physician and in-house medical expert at Twistars.
Geddert also made false or misleading statements to authorities investigating Nassar for criminal sexual conduct, according to the Attorney General's complaint.
The charges against Geddert are unrelated to the Attorney General's investigation into Michigan State University (MSU), and the only connection between the two is Geddert's relationship with Nassar and the latter's employment with MSU.
Since the Attorney General's office opened its investigation into misconduct at MSU, multiple charges have been filed against Nassar and others with connections to his criminal behavior.
The Attorney General's investigation into MSU remains inconclusive, as nearly 6,000 documents in the possession of the university have not been released to investigators. The Attorney General's office has no legal options available to it that would allow for review of the material. MSU's Board of Trustees must waive its privilege to the content for the Attorney General's team to review it and complete its investigation.
To that end, Nessel sent a letter to the MSU Board on Wednesday, urging trustees to focus on what is truly important – providing answers to the people of Michigan and to the survivors of Nassar's crimes to help them heal.
"When this Department set out more than three years ago on this investigation, the Trustees stated, 'only a review by your office can resolve the questions in a way that the victims, their families, and the public will deem satisfactory and that will help all those affected by Nassar's horrible crimes to heal.' Yet, if the Board does not consent, my office will be forced to close its investigation without conclusion, and you will have shut the door on the pursuit of justice," Nessel wrote in the letter. "I cannot think of a worse conclusion to the investigation—which this Board asked for—than that."
Aside from Nassar, the Attorney General's investigation into MSU resulted in the filing of charges against MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon, Dean William Strampel and Kathie Klages. Here is a brief update on those cases:
People v Larry Nassar – In December 2020, the Michigan Court of Appeals denied Nassar's request for a new sentencing hearing in a 2-1 decision. On Feb. 16, Nassar filed an application for leave to appeal in the Michigan Supreme Court, again seeking a new sentencing hearing. The Attorney General's office will file a response in the Michigan Supreme Court asking it to leave the Court of Appeals decision in place.
People v Lou Anna K. Simon – The district court found sufficient evidence to bind Simon over for trial for several counts of lying to the police in 2018. Subsequently, the circuit court quashed the bindover, holding the evidence was insufficient to present to a jury. The Attorney General's office filed an appeal brief on Aug. 24 in the Court of Appeals to reinstate the bindover. The case is awaiting oral argument.
People v William Strampel – Strampel was convicted of misconduct in office for his sexual exploitation of female students at the College of Osteopathic Medicine, as well as willful neglect of duty for failing to properly oversee Nassar. He was sentenced to one year in jail with credit for time served and has now been released. Strampel appealed only his misconduct-in-office conviction, contending that he was not a public officer and therefore was not subject to that crime. The Michigan Court of Appeals disagreed and in January 2021 affirmed his conviction.
People v Kathie Klages – Klages was convicted in February 2020 of two counts of lying to a police officer and sentenced to 90 days jail. She has filed an appeal, which is currently pending in the Court of Appeals.
Portions of this investigation and prosecution were supported in part by Grant No. WE AX 0030 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.
For more information on the Attorney General's investigation into MSU, visit the Department's website.
Click here to view Geddert's charging documents.
Click here to view the Attorney General's letter to the MSU Board of Trustees.
Please note: A criminal charge is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The Attorney General's office does not provide photos of defendants, but one may be available from the booking agency, the Eaton County Sheriff's Office Substation in Delta Township.
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text:
/**
 * @fileoverview It's tricky to get the real google3_strict.d.ts file into the
 * tsickle golden tests, so we copy it here.
 */

declare namespace goog {
  /**
   * Allows reexporting TS module exports under an unrelated goog.module ID and
   * with a different layout.
   *
   * This function is only for temporary use in migrating to TS and can only be
   * used from within TS files. It is simply a marker for Tsickle to transform
   * the code. At runtime, no actual function will exist.
   *
   * See go/tsjs-migration-independent-javascript-imports
   */
  export function tsMigrationExportsShim(
      moduleId: string, exports: unknown): void;

  /**
   * Allows reexporting a TS module's one and only export under an unrelated
   * goog.module ID, making it available as an unnamed export in JavaScript.
   *
   * vis. This TypeScript in a file named `foo/bar/path.ts`
   *
   * ```
   * export const Foo = 42;
   * goog.tsMigrationDefaultExportsShim('some.other.module.name');
   * ```
   *
   * generates this shim in JavaScript:
   *
   * ```
   * goog.module('some.other.module.name');
   * const { Foo } = goog.require('foo.bar.path');
   * exports = Foo;
   * ```
   *
   * This function is only for temporary use in migrating to TS and can only be
   * used from within TS files. It is simply a marker for Tsickle to transform
   * the code. At runtime, no actual function will exist.
   *
   * See go/tsjs-migration-independent-javascript-imports
   */
  export function tsMigrationDefaultExportsShim(moduleId: string): void;

  /**
   * Allows reexporting all of a TS module's exports under an unrelated
   * goog.module ID, making them all available as a named exports in JavaScript.
   *
   * vis. This TypeScript in a file named `foo/bar/path.ts`
   *
   * ```
   * export const Foo = 42;
   * export class C {}
   * export interface I {}
   * goog.tsMigrationNamedExportsShim('some.other.module.name');
   * ```
   *
   * generates this shim in JavaScript:
   *
   * ```
   * goog.module('some.other.module.name');
   * const { Foo, C, I } = goog.require('foo.bar.path');
   * exports.Foo = Foo;
   * exports.C = C;
   * exports.I = I;
   * ```
   *
   * This function is only for temporary use in migrating to TS and can only be
   * used from within TS files. It is simply a marker for Tsickle to transform
   * the code. At runtime, no actual function will exist.
   *
   * See go/tsjs-migration-independent-javascript-imports
   */
  export function tsMigrationNamedExportsShim(moduleId: string): void;

  /**
   * Works in conjunction with the previous TS Migration Exports Shim methods to
   * indicate the exported goog.module ID should also be made available as per
   * `goog.module.declareLegacyNamespace`.
   */
  export function tsMigrationExportsShimDeclareLegacyNamespace(): void;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Hobo spiders predominantly reside in the Pacific Northwest which includes states such as Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. As of recently, there doesn't seem to be much evidence to suggest Hobo spiders have migrated down past northern California, so it would be unlikely to find a Hobo spider in Santa Barbara. A Black Widow spider is more common in this area, but the symptoms of such a bite differ from that of a Hobo spider bite. Black Widow venom is neurotoxic, suggesting feelings of pain, nausea, weakness, and fatigue; Hobo venom is necrotic, suggesting skin ulcers and blistering.
Nevertheless, if you feel you've been bitten by a venomous spider or other organism, it is best to call California Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 and seek professional medical advice immediately from a physician or toxicologist. If you find the culprit, attempt to safely capture it for identification.


In this case, the German company, Hansgrohe AG, and its Spanish subsidiary, Hansgrohe, S.A., brought design infringement proceedings against Grifería Tres, S.A. for the infringement of an international registered design for a tap.
The dispute was assigned to the Commercial Court of Barcelona, which held there was infringement and awarded compensation to Hansgrohe AG as the owner of the registered design. However, the court rejected the standing (i.e. the legal right to bring a claim) of Hansgrohe, S.A. to be co-plaintiff, as there was no license granted by the Germany parent company to its subsidiary.
This judgment was appealed by the defendant to the Court of Appeal of Barcelona, and also by Hansgrohe, S.A. in order to challenge the lack of standing and therefore be able to claim compensation from the infringing acts carried out in Spain.
Contrary to the decision at the first instance, the court upheld the appeal filed by Grifería Tres and revoked the judgment, declaring non-infringement and therefore releasing the Grifería Tres from the obligation to pay damages on the basis that the taps manufactured by it created a different overall impression to the registered design. Additionally, the appeal filed by Hansgrohe, S.A. was dismissed, thus confirming the decision taken by the Commercial Court on this specific point.
The claimants appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the subsidiary had sufficient standing– as a result of an implied license due to its relationship as the parent's distributor company in Spain. Interestingly, the claimants stated that the degree of freedom of the designer in the field of the taps is only limited by its technical function and not by the market trends, contrary to what had been found by the Court of Appeal.
The Supreme Court handed down its decision by judgment on 25 June 2014, confirming the lack of standing of the Spanish subsidiary (Hansgrohe S.A.) to sue Grifería Tres, as no license had in fact been granted to it. The court ruled a subsidiary does not obtain a licence merely from its relationship with a parent company (even where the subsidiary is 100% owned by the parent company). Likewise, the subsidiary could not be considered an indirect owner or co-owner of the registered design.
Hansgrohe had argued that Article 13 of the IP Rights Enforcement Directive (2004/48/EC) allows injured parties to claim damages, but the Supreme Court stated that this provision refers exclusively to the right holder (i.e. the design owner) and does not include other injured parties (…to pay the rightholder damages appropriate to the actual prejudice suffered by him/her as a result of the infringement), in line with Articles 53 and 55 of the Spanish Law on Designs (Law 20/2003). Although Article 61.2 of the Spanish Law allows the licensees to take part in infringement proceedings in order to claim compensation, Hansgrohe, S.A. had failed to prove that it was a licensee and therefore its appeal was dismissed.
In connection with the degree of freedom of designers for products like taps, the Supreme Court agreed with the claimant that it was not limited by the market trends but only by technical function. It also noted that a general design trend cannot constitute restraint on design freedom since it is precisely that freedom on the part of the designer which allows him to discover new shapes or trends or even to innovate in the context of an existing trend.
The Supreme Court recognised that the influence of market trends can however contribute to the individual character of designs (therefore determining the scope of protection granted) and determine the necessary degree of differentiation from competitors in order to create a different overall impression.
Thus, if those trends were present when the application for the design was filed (if the design followed the trends), its singular character decreases, so the comparison between the registered design and an allegedly infringing product needs to take into account the elements derived from those trends: if their similarities derive from the trends, they will have a lower importance in the overall impression created on the informed user and a lesser degree of differentiation will be enough to create a different overall impression. On the other hand, if the registered design was innovative at the filing date (i.e. it broke from existing trends to create a new trend), third parties marketing products with a similar design creating the same overall impression should not be entitled to argue that their design freedom was limited by the need to follow that new trend.
Finally, the appeal filed by Hansgrohe AG was also dismissed by the Supreme Court in connection to the comparison between the design and the contested product, stating that there were significant differences between them, irrespective of the degree of freedom of the designer.
 As per General Court's comments in T-153/08 and joined cases T-83/11 and T-84/11.
Originally published in DesignWrites 5th Edition.


When you divide one number by another, the result is called the quotient. This is true for rational expressions too! When you divide one rational expression by another, the result is called the quotient. This tutorial defines the quotient of a rational expression and shows you an example. Take a look!
What's a Dividend in a Rational Expression?
In division, the number that is being divided is called the dividend. The same thing is true if you're working with expressions instead of numbers! Learn more about dividends in this tutorial.
A dividend is the number or expression that is being divided, but what is a partial dividend? Figure it out by watching this tutorial!


Welcome to our website. We are glad you stopped by.
Planning meetings and events is our passion. We are energized by the biggest productions, and also by the most minute details. We embrace the incredible effort it takes to achieve a successful program. Our event partners right now range from local non-profits and small businesses, to national associations and Fortune 500 companies.
We are currently based in Southern California. Sometimes our team members spend as much time in other domestic cities and foreign lands as they do at home. We love that too.
We respect each organization's unique value proposition for planning an event, and lend all our expertise to ensure a measurable return on investment. We look forward to speaking with you about your upcoming program and partnering for success.
"While we've worked together on many events, this was the first time we 'Walked together' so it's obvious to me that the level of expertise and professionalism made all the difference. So it simply must be the Eventive Edge! Thank you for bringing your A Game.
— James Scott, President, Ground Effects Ltd.


Company Capital increased by SAR 150 million to SAR 600 million by issuing bonus shares on the basis of 1 bonus share for every 3 shares owned for registered shareholders as on the closing date of Wednesday, 31 March 2010.
 Company Capital increased by SAR 100 million to SAR 450 million by issuing bonus shares on the basis of 2 bonus share for every 7 shares owned for registered shareholders as on the closing date of Wednesday, 10 May 2006.
 Company Capital increased by SAR 50 million to SAR 350 million by issuing bonus shares on the basis of 1 bonus share for every 6 shares owned for registered shareholders as on the closing date of Saturday, 10 April 2004.


And now I got the install script working too.
Qscintilla is a problem for octave, not this package. There is no good reason for this package to depend on it. The issue is that Octave now has a GUI, which we do not need to build, so using 'octave-cli' instead of 'octave' fixes the problem much more elegantly.
The problem is with octave, not with this package. There is no good reason for qscintilla to be associated with this package in any way. I have fixed the problem here by using 'octave-cli' instead of 'octave'.
As qscintilla is only an optional dependency of `octave` in the main repo, it probably ought be at least a Build Dep for this package.


As part of Michelle Angela Ortiz's moving monument entitled, "Seguimos Caminando" (We Keep Walking) honoring the mothers at the Berks Detention Center, she led several free paper flower workshops open to the public at the Monument Lab Research Field Office at the Barnes Foundation.
Over a thousand paper flowers were created by more than 100 participants that include students, educators, and families in Philadelphia. The flowers made by the participants will joined the flowers made by the mothers detained at Berks which carry messages of freedom and the continued fight against family detention.
On Wednesday, October 25th at noon, the hand dyed flowers were assembled at the north gates of City Hall to spell out the 10'x40' word "Libertad" (Freedom/ Liberty). The collective artwork is a creative action that was followed by a press conference led by the Shut Down Berks Coalition to put pressure on Governor Tom Wolf who has the power to shut down the center and end family detention in Pennsylvania.


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Ethan Kanfer
take me to your theater
Posted on July 15, 2017 by ethankanfer
Written by Caryl Churchill
Directed by Brandon Walker & Erin Corcoran
In today's identity-obsessed culture, it's not hard to see why a young theater company would want ot revisit Caryl Churchill's gender-fluid meditation on the decline of the British Empire. By the same token, a lot has changed since 1979, and theater that was considered groundbreaking three decades ago can sometimes date poorly. As this spirited, if uneven revival shows, CLOUD 9 may have lost some of its shock value, but the dramatic core of the piece, skillfully built by Churchill, still holds up.
The evening gets off to an awkward start as we are introduced to Clive (Brandon Walker) and his wife Betty (male actor Ari Veach), a British couple living in colonial Africa in 1880. The early scenes are played with a good deal of shrillness and bombast (In! Which! Words! And! Even! Fragments! Of! Words! Are! E! Nunci! Ated! Very! Loudly!). The intention seems to be to underscore a modernist "V effect". But much of the action feels more like Carol Burnett than Brecht. Once the story gets underway, however, the dark comedy begins to land with more nuance and an intriguing domestic power dynamic emerges. Matriarch Maud (Sabrina Schlegel-Mejia), believes in strictly the traditional roles for women. Clive and Betty's son Edward (female actor Erin Corcoran), likes to steal dolls from his little sister Victoria (played by a styrofoam head) and fails to fulfill his father's many expectations. African servant Joshua (white actor Bill McAndrews), acts servile but is constantly up to mischief. Clive flirts flagrantly with Mrs. Saunders (Jane Kahler), a visiting widow. Sexual tensions come to a head when explorer Harry Bagley (Robin Friend Stift), returns to "civilization" after months in the wilderness. Harry has trysts with Joshua and Edward, and tries with Clive as well. Appalled at his friend's proclivities, Clive tries to fix the situation by marrying Harry off to governess Ellen (Kahler) a lesbian. As if the erotic mayhem weren't enough, Churchill throws in an African rebellion, which, despite Clive's violent efforts to squelch it, pulls all the characters into its vortex.
The second act is considerably more subdued, and the actors wear their roles with greater ease. In yet another surreal trope, the characters have only aged 25 years, but the world is a century older. Knocking around London, everyone seems to be searching for the New Normal. Gone are the seen-and-not-heard strictures of Victorian child rearing. If anything, little Cathy (Walker) controls her mum Lin (Corcoran) and not the other way round. Victoria (Schlegel-Mejia) loves Lin but isn't quite sure how a same-sex marriage works. Edward (Stift) is clear that he wants to play the wifely role in his relationship with Gerry (Veach). But Gerry's is too busy hooking up with random blokes to settle down. Betty's husband Martin, struggling to keep pace with a changing culture, talks bluntly about sex and professes to be writing "a women's novel, from the woman's point of view." All that remains of the old imperial system is the conflict in Northern Ireland, in which Lin's brother, a soldier in the British army, loses his life. The play becomes a series of vignettes and monologues, some with an appealing lyricism which provides a pleasant counterbalance to the lustier first act. Viewed from a modern perspective, the characters (and perhaps the playwright) seem both touchingly innocent and maddeningly naive. They're living on the cusp of Thatcher-Reagan era, AIDS crisis, and the emergence of a new world order. Like their Colonialist forebears, they don't see the writing in the wall.
CLOUD 9 continues through July 16 at the Access Theatre, 380 Broadway, New York, New York. Tickets: Ovationtix.com.
OMINOUS MEN
NOTHING GOLD CAN STAY
ethankanfer on TIME STANDS STILL
jerry heymann on TIME STANDS STILL
Josh Greenfeld on AWAKE AND SING
Dance review


Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile: Top 5 with MM Shelley and a GIVEAWAY!
Today I'm pleased to welcome M.M. Shelley to the blog! Her debut book, Mishap & Mayhem, is out now and she's on tour promoting it. I've started to dive into this one, and I have to tell you it's rather amazing! I digress though. I now give M.M. Shelley the floor. She's here to share her Top 5 Favorite Books and Movies!
This is a Cary Grant movie and is funny from start to finish. There are two crazy aunts, a brother who thinks he's Teddy Roosevelt and another one who is a sociopath.
A John Wayne movie that I didn't think I would like at first, it's so unlike his other films. Its set in what you think is a quiet Irish countryside, but is filled with eccentric townsfolk who have the best of intentions.
Too many great things to list.
This movie follows the lives of three close brothers who end up falling in love with the same girl. And their domineering father. Its one of my favorites for so many reasons.
This movie is something that I can watch over and over without growing tired of it.
These are my top five books because I can take them with me wherever I go and easily fall into the worlds that they create.
Thanks to Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile for letting me share with you all today. You can find me over at my blog mmshelley.blogspot.com and on twitter @MM_Shelley and be sure to take a look at my book, Mishap & Mayhem.
M.M. Shelley was kind enough to bring along a giveaway copy of Mishap & Mayhem for you lovely readers to win!
Open to U.S. entries only.
Giveaway ends July 19, 2011.
Be sure to leave a comment for MM and thank her for this awesome giveaway!


Our most recent Monty competition winner has been announced. Congratulations to Gill Mogford! She was won a £500 holiday voucher to use with Marsdens Devon Cottages. Gill was delighted when she found out she'd won, and has already booked her holiday to Clovelly House in Lynmouth for later this year. She's looking forward to another seaside holiday with her family.
Monty is back again for 2017!
Yes, our special little bear is back greeting our guests at many of our Marsdens Devon Cottages. We are looking for best pictures of Monty enjoying his holiday with you, and you could be in for a chance to win £500 holiday vouchers next year too.
Find out more about this competition here.
Plus, if you would like your own Monty bear, please call our team on 01271 813777. We are asking for £10, which will be donated to our nominated charity, The North Devon Biosphere.


text:
Layards næbhvalen (Mesoplodon layardii) er en art i familien af næbhvaler i underordenen af tandhvaler. Dyret bliver 5,6-6,2 m langt og vejer 1-3 t.

Næbhvalsslægten


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A NEARER VIEW OF THE BUGLERS SHOWN ON PAGE 214
Though Wang Ye Fu was founded nearly 250 years ago, most of its inhabitants are still nomad herdsmen. It has something approaching a court and is one of the few border towns affording the nomads a glimpse of settled city life (see text, page 233).
Most of the blacksmiths use the street for a workshop, setting their anvils and forges near a house wall, under an awning. Nobody protests, for is not the street public property?
The dyers work their vats on the streets or in the courtyards, and hang up long strips of dripping blue cotton cloth to dry in sequestered nooks. Down in the stony stream beds half-naked young men set sheepskins and goatskins to soak; then beat and scrape them for market.
The main shopping street runs south from the gate. A few big trading firms have imposing Chinese gateways which lead to great inner courtyards, large enough for a whole caravan to unload its wares, and quiet side rooms where tea is drunk during discussions about business. Most of the retail trade, however, is done in shady little shops which open wide on the street.
A CHINESE TINSMITH IN THE STREETS OF PAOTOW
is made up here into furniture for the Mongol market. Frameworks and low doorways for the felt tents, small portable cupboards, chests and boxes, watering troughs and ready-made linings for the wells in the sand, are among the products manufactured.
The coppersmiths hammer out great, flat, circular water-bottles, nearly two feet in diameter and four or five inches thick. These hang from the camels' packsaddles on a journey. Tall, round pots with handles, for tea, and lower, broader pots, for cooking over a dung fire, are also made.
There are three silversmiths in the town, who, working with fine files and tiny hammers, make the gorgeous earrings
The merchant stands behind his black counter with his wares piled on shelves behind him, an apprentice or two in long blue gowns dodging back and forth to tend the stove or bring goods that are called for from the inner room. Poorer merchants set up an awning in the street and spread out their wares on the ground.
MONGOL MIGRATIONS HAVE WRITTEN
WANG YE FU'S HISTORY
Merchandise comes in by caravan. One day the town will be deluged with stamped tin wash-basins, and a week later not one can be had. The Mongols come in for a few days to shop, leading camels from
Millions of people live on the river junks of China and many of them never leave their boats to go ashore. The craft are mostly from 20 to 50 or 60 feet in length, having one or two square sails. The river women carry their youngest children strapped to their backs, while to the larger ones are fastened dried bottle-gourds to keep them afloat when they fall overboard, which is not an uncommon occurrence.
Herbert G. Ponting
THE FIVE-ARCHED MARBLE GATEWAY TO THE MING TOMBS
The site of the Ming Tombs, chosen by the Emperor Yung Lo, is a peaceful valley some 30 miles northwest of Peking. The remains of 13 out of
the 16 monarchs of the Ming Dynasty are interred here. This p'ai lou (memorial gateway) was erected in 1541 and marks the principal entrance to
the Valley of the Tombs. It is 50 feet high and 80 feet wide and is, perhaps, the finest in China.
OUTER TOWER OF THE TE SHENG MEN
This north wall of China's capital city, built of brick, stone, and concrete, and 60 feet thick at the base, was constructed either by Kublai Khan or by the Emperor Yung Lo. The great towers which surmount the gates in the wall are of comparatively recent construction, none of them dating earlier than the 15th century, while some are modern. They are pierced with many apertures, supposedly for cannon, but now generally empty.


Are there no depths to which the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport will not sink?
Hard on the heels of his decision to abolish the UK Film Council, rumours abound that Jeremy Hunt will cut funding to the Paralympic Games. Surely this is the cruellest cut of all, and totally unjustified.


Players, guilds, pages, podcasts, screenshots, videos, news and much more!
Lolo Does anyone still use this site?
RussellTheHedgehog This looks like a ghost town.
Dragon Season Διαγωνισμός: Wintersday Window Decoration!
Uberchar respects the intellectual property of others and expects that the users of our social network do the same. All images, videos, trademarks and copyrights on this website belong to their respective owners.


Join the Trustees on Sunday, Jan. 20, from 1 to 3 pm, for a walk through the historic Brickyard in Chilmark. Travel through the ruins of the Chilmark Brick and Tile Factory; a once-prosperous Island industry. Moderate hiking and a brook crossing are required. The walk is free for Trustees members and $10 for nonmembers.


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Behavior-Driven Testing: A Cucumber Test Automation Framework
by Sajitha Menon | 2018 | Mobile App Development, Web App Development | 0 comments
Behavior-Driven Development has made project communications and testing more efficient, especially when using Cucumber, a communication, requirements, and testing tool all rolled into one. Read on to learn more about both, and why 303 Software uses these methods to support high-quality coding and keep technical requirements from getting lost in translation.
Speaking the Same Language: BDD, Cucumber, and the Three Amigos
Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) is a process of exploring, discovering, defining, and achieving the desired behavior of a software system. It applies language simplification and ground-floor, cross-team conversations between technical experts and product owners to ensure expectations are aligned from a project's inception. As a result, BDD helps bridge gaps between business analysts and developers, manual quality assurance methods and automation testers, and quality assurance and developers.
Cucumber is an open-source tool for BDD. It involves conversations, concrete examples, and automated testing to understand the intended behavior of the software to be developed.
As a QA engineer, I'm going to focus on the QA aspects of Cucumber, and will use the term Behavior-Driven Testing (BDT) instead of BDD. BDD is a next-level hybrid of practices from Test-Driven Development (TDD) and Acceptance Test-Driven Development (ATDD), so BDT can be adapted for testing even if the development team does not follow BDD.
BDT improves efficiency throughout the stages of development by:
Pulling stakeholders and delivery teams onto the same page
Aligning stakeholders' expectations
Making test reports easier to understand for any reader
Saving time during coding by using snippets from failed tests
Cucumber's step-by-step structure, simplified language, and focus on collaborative communication supports these efficiencies.
The Cucumber process begins with one conversation held by three stakeholders: the test engineer, the developer, and the product owner—known in Cucumber as the "three amigos." This initial conversation is crucial because it exposes misunderstandings and unknowns which could otherwise crop up much further along in development and cause serious delays.
The goal of this discovery conversation is to define concrete examples that describe the software's desired behavior which can then be tested. After the three amigos meet, their takeaways are translated into Cucumber features and scenarios (which I'll explain later) using Gherkin language.
Gherkin Language: Cucumber's Rosetta Stone
Gherkin is a business readable language, which means it's designed to be easily understood by any reader involved in the development project. It appears as structured, plain-text English (or 60 other languages, an indicator of Cucumber's growth since its debut).
After the three amigos convene, the development team takes their examples and runs them through Cucumber as automated acceptance tests. Cucumber is used to run the Gherkin features with Selenium WebDriver, failing it and using snippets from the failed tests to drive testing.
Cucumber will then indicate which examples are implemented and working, and warns you about the ones that aren't. Before you know it, you have one document that contains both the specification and the tests for your software.
Decoding Gherkin: Keywords You Should Know
In Gherkin, each line that isn't blank has to start with a Gherkin keyword, followed by any text you like. Gherkin uses the following keywords to keep its structure concise and understandable:
The Steps: Given, When, Then, And, But
Scenario Outline
Here's a quick breakdown of some essential Cucumber keywords:
Feature: a stand-alone functionality which contains a list of scenarios
Scenario: describes an example that we can execute
Given: the context for the scenario
When: the action
Then: the outcome
Together, the terms scenario, given, when, and then explain one single aspect of the behavior of the system. This is how we translate the behavior into Gherkin for BDT.
Let's take an online shopping app as a common example. Some of its basic features could be:
Downloading the app
Registering as a user in the site
Logging in to the app
Logging out of the app
These become the features to be used with Cucumber and should be entered in unique feature files, which store features, their descriptions, and scenarios to be tested. Creating a unique file for each feature may seem tedious, but you'll thank yourself later for staying organized as you go.
Specific features are translated into a Gherkin scenario to be run by Cucumber. If we were to break down user login functionality, the third feature listed above, into Gherkin, it would look like this:
Scenario: The user should be able to login into the app if the username and the password are correct.
Given: the user has the correct credentials
When: the user enters the credentials
Then: the user will be able to log in
In the above example, the scenario is followed by three steps which clearly outline the feature requirements. Note that each step in a scenario needs a matching step definition to translate Gherkin language into system-ready actions.
A step definition is a code with an attached pattern; the pattern connects the step definition to its matching step(s), and the code is executed by Cucumber when it encounters a Gherkin step.
303 Software's Test Automation Framework: "Simple as Possible, But Not Simpler."
303 Software follows high-quality code standards to make sure that our code is:
Reusable by multiple teams and multiple projects
Familiar to the manual testers
Scalable and maintainable for developers
Generic and extendable, like UI Testing or Database Testing
As for technical aspects, while Cucumber supports many languages, 303 Software uses Selenium WebDriver in Java (as well as JUnit and Maven). More specifically, our code has wrappable Selenium elements which make the code independent of versions and give the framework our own controls.
Given the rigorous standards 303 Software applies to the code we produce, we rely on BDT and Cucumber to keep our test automation process organized and unambiguous, and it hasn't let us down.
If you're in a pickle (you saw that coming) about Business-Driven Development and Testing and want to know more, email us at helloworld@303software.com. We'd love to hear from you!
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Blades of Grass: Thoughts on Leadership and Japanese Kaizen
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Concerned with the cultural impact of the 'other' upon a specific community the Culture Laboratory investigates the occurrence of U.F.O. and Extra-Terrestrial life related to Roswell, New Mexico. [link] Seeing as the government offered multiple stories over a period of years concerning the infamous UFO crash of 1947 a tacit breech of trust between the citizenry and the government has lead to an increasing warp in the fabric of truth surrounding these events. Recognizing the unknown as infinitely more captivating and worth exploring seven Culture Laboratory members will create a piece as a response to aliens, the region and it's most recognizable incident.
The Culture Laboratory Collective is a nationwide group of artists working loosely around the question of social cohesion within the context of aesthetic fragmentation. Founded in 2009 the group has had exhibitions in China, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Knoxville, Slippery Rock, PA and Cornell University. The exhibits are thematically driven in hopes of producing new methods of creation while encouraging divergent conceptualization for the artists.
26 Apr	This entry was published on April 26, 2013 at 9:57 pm. It's filed under Events, The Cube and tagged alien, art, crash, culture laboratory, extra-terrestrial, new mexico, roswell, ufo.	Bookmark the permalink.	Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.