text:
humanities researcher
I've kept this blog, on and off, since 2006. In 2015 I used it to chart daily encounters, images, thoughts and feelings about volcanic basalt/bluestone in Melbourne and Victoria, especially in the first part of the year. I plan to write a book provisionally titled Bluestone: An Emotional History, about human uses of and feelings for bluestone. But I am also working on quite a few other projects and a big grant application, especially now I am on research leave. I'm working mostly from home, then, for six months, and will need online sociability for company!
And a partridge, etc.
I don't want this to sound like a rehearsal for my annual performance appraisal (coming up in January), but since, like everyone else, I have worked to the point of exhaustion this year (damn! and I really meant not to), I thought it was time for a kind of reckoning. So here goes:
Number of articles published: 1.5 (already below the recommended level, because of a delay in a journal that was meant to be out before Christmas).
Number of articles (extra ones) finished or finalised this year: 3 (the last one sent off, to meet the deadline, last Friday: phew!)
Number of chapters written on the Garter book: 1 (completely from scratch, and pretty much polished: it's my favourite so far, and is called "Dressing Up")
Number of extra bits and pieces written on the Medievalism book with Tom: a few (must start turning these into chapters now)
Number of conference and seminar papers delivered: 7 (Melbourne, Perth, Leeds, Swansea, Riverside, Melbourne, Hobart [and only one of these was a partial repeat of one other])
Number of public lectures given: 2 (Heraldry Society and Friends of Baillieu; Lyceum Club)
Number of PhD students successfully being confirmed: 3 (congratulations to Anne, Anne and Duncan)
Number of MA students getting their results: 1 (congratulations to HerOverThere, recently sighted buying coffee at Baretto's)
Number of PhDs waiting to be examined for other universities: 2 (will be on to them straight after Christmas)
Number of plane trips: 2 international; 6 domestic (inside US and Australia). Very bad for carbon emissions: am about to be promoted back up from Bronze to Silver frequent flyer.
Number of teaching awards: 2 (ahem)
Number of literary awards and scholarships judged: 2 (plus 1 more to go over the break)
Number of resolutions about email and internet use broken: countless
Number of days missed morning walk: growing
Number of "Sing Your Own Operas" with Richard Gill and Opera Victoria: 2 (as of yesterday: a blissful Messiah with four friends. Head still ringing from the high A's: feel sorry for those sitting next to me).
Number of Christmas puddings made: 3
Number of Christmas trees decorated: 1 (just as soon as I post this blog post)
Sum total of weight gained and lost: 0 (which, given the combination of one's medication and one's time of life, is No Mean Achievement)
Number of doses of Tamoxifen: 365 (didn't miss one, even when travelling)
Improvement in topspin backhand: 100% (especially since last week, when I had a whole lesson with Larry on my own, and when he told me in some respects it was better than Paul's, after which I promptly sent the next six into the net).
Other statistics (difficult meetings attended; jobs at risk; curriculum reviews) are too depressing and confusing. And in any case, I'm trying to resist the way our Faculty now just counts everything. And besides, it's Christmas. Or the holidays. Or the end of the year. So it's time to let go of all the counting. I'm still "on deck" at work, with the exception of the Christmas break, till the end of January, when my eleven months of leave (sabbatical plus long service plus annual: not that I'm counting) begin. But right now I'm going to put up the Christmas tree, clean up my desk, and head up to the tennis courts to work on my backhand.
Posted by This old world is a new world at Sunday, December 21, 2008 4 comments
Labels: academics, Christmas, tennis, travel, univerisites, working
Finally, some good news. I think.
After what seems like a full two years of misery, my Faculty has finally declared an end to the rigours of its "renewal strategy" with the announcement yesterday that we will not be proceeding with a round of involuntary redundancies. You can almost hear the sigh of relief running around the place. Mostly, I'm just delighted for the brilliant young scholars I know who were put in the awful position of having to fight for their jobs, often when they were doing all the things one is supposed to do.
Many of us know the enormous effort it takes to edit a volume of essays, and how important those collections are for the development of our field, but if you do such work in our system, you get only one "point" for this work, and only so long as your introduction is over 4,000 words long. If you co-edit this volume, you get half a point. If you write a major monograph you get only five points. I think many of us could have been caught out not producing enough articles to get over the line; and it was horrid to realise a number of the people targeted were women who were also parents of small children.
It would be wonderful if we were now able truly to start renewing ourselves. We are a great faculty, really, ranked in the top ten, internationally, on a number of indexes. In two years we have been through a major re-structure of departments into schools, a massive university-wide curriculum reform, and a budgetary crisis, all under national and local scrutiny in the press. We have already lost some wonderful colleagues. And some people's careers have been changed for ever, as they move, over the next few months, into pre-retirement plans, or teaching-only positions.
Other changes are less tangible, and will change the way we work. I think we have all now been frightened into producing a regular stream of articles that will appear quickly, as opposed to working on large-scale projects. A "book" in the humanities is a major measure of success and intellectual achievement; but it is rewarded only as if it were a science textbook. Some of us will still go on editing essay collections, refereeing for journals, reviewing, and all those other academic tasks, but some will refuse even that, I think. Many of us will think twice about taking on large administrative portfolios that erode our time for research, since so little quarter has been shown to those whose productivity has been slowed by such service.
Mostly, I'm concerned that others will feel the way I do, that the threads that have bound me tight to this university have been loosened by the trauma of the last few years, that the love I've felt for the university has been betrayed and irreversibly damaged by the imposition of a punitive, rather than a supportive collegiate culture. I hope I'm wrong.
Posted by This old world is a new world at Wednesday, December 17, 2008 6 comments
Labels: academics, univerisites
Wanna read a blog about a trauma?
Hey, guess what? Someone has written an article (partly) about my blog.
A couple of years ago, in a post I don't think I could easily find now, Pavlov's Cat suggested that blogs about illness and trauma were under-recognised as ways of processing the experience of diseases like cancer. Critical commentary seems to be catching up with her, though.
Yesterday I came across (ok, by checking the referral pages to my blog on sitemeter) an article in M/C Journal (a journal of media and culture) 11.6 (2008), special issue:'recover', by Anthony McCosker, called "Blogging Illness: Recovering in Public", in which he discusses a number of blogs: Brainhell; Prostate Cancer Journal; Leroy Sievers' My Cancer; Tom's Road to Recovery; and Humanities Researcher.
I came upon Brainhell's blog just as he was dying, and had heard of Leroy Sievers', but it was all the same quite odd to read about my blog in this context and in this company. Anthony (I knew him a while back) uses these blogs to make an argument for the particular kind of writerly practice blogging represents:
an expressive element of the substance of the illness as it is experienced over time, as it affects the bodies, thoughts, events and relationships of individuals moving toward a state of full recovery or untimely death
He concludes, in part:
Whatever emancipatory benefits may be found in expressing the most intimate of experiences and events of a serious illness online, it is the creative act of the blog as self-expression here, in its visceral, comprehensive, continuous timestamped format that dismantles the sense of privacy in the name of recovery.
But one doesn't have to blog about one's own illness to accomplish the work of re-thinking privacy: see Liz Conor's In One Stroke, which recounts her partner's stroke, while on a camping holiday. It includes these memorable lines:
At the moment it dawned on us that something was not right he half turned to me, rolled his eyes back and sat hard on the floor. He tried to get up, half fell out the door and rested there, assuring me he was fine through the right side of his face, drooling from the left.
I also liked this bit:
It is a big part of Jeremy's job to give the assembled public the assurance of his own calm competency. This he offered to the riveted campers, smiling half-faced through his oxygen mask.
I love this: that remarkable capacity we have to keep going, to reassure others (especially our children) that we are "fine". Just keeping on going on.
Labels: anonymity, blogging, sickness
Hard Times for Breast Cancer Survivors
I know there's a lot of dispute about the term "survivor" for anyone who's had cancer and is still alive. But when you read about two women, roughly your own age, who've died of breast cancer in the last week, it can be a bit tough; and you do feel like a survivor, with all the resultant complexities. Not guilt, exactly, but certainly a shiver that barely separates you and your own excellent prognosis from them and their much harder stories.
And when they are famous, there's a lot to read about them: pictures of them, their children, and reminders of their public achievements.
I think a lot of Australian women thrilled at Kerryn McCann's marathon victories, especially those with children who saw an elite athlete just powering on through with her inspirational running. She died last week at 41.
And yesterday, Dorothy Porter, a wonderful poet, also succumbed to breast cancer at the age of 54. I loved her work, and heard her read and speak a couple of times. Link to a beautiful photograph that I think is copyright-protected.
The only time I spent any different kind of time in her company was on the oak lawns in the Botanical Gardens in Melbourne, where she had invited a small group of people to celebrate the life of Gwen Harwood, who had died, also of breast cancer, a few months before. We each read our favourite poem. I read "Dialogue", an early poem addressed to a stillborn child.
If an angel came with one wish
I might say, deliver that child
who died before birth, into life.
Let me see what she might have become.
He would bring her into a room
fair skinned —— the bones of her hands
would press on my shoulderblades
in our long embrace
[She asks what brought the ghost to her; and the child replies...]
— It is none of these, but a rhythm
the bones of my fingers —— dactylic
rhetoric smashed from your memory.
Forget me again
I had never heard Gwen read this in public until I was interviewing her at the Melbourne Writers' Festival in 1992, when I was writing my book on her (you can download a full-text pdf from the e-print repository). She had agreed to do it over lunch, but all the same, had to pause, half-way through, and collect herself.
Ahhh. These women. This disease. These deaths.
Posted by This old world is a new world at Thursday, December 11, 2008 2 comments
Labels: cancer, death, poetry, sport
Conference blogging/Hobart/Three
Conference blogging. Meant to do this over the last week, but am now going to do it in several posts. This is the third. Scroll down for more.
When I was sitting about to get up and read my paper in Hobart, an odd thing happened. For once I was fully organised with pretty much a complete typescript of what I wanted to say. I had followed good conference practice and gone to find a box on which to prop my papers in the absence of a lectern. I wasn't too nervous, and was able to listen attentively to Clare and Louise. And then as my time to speak got closer, I realised I would not be able to stand up. I felt I might fall over (which, as Louise said later, would have been an unfortunate reprise of my Leeds theatrics). I felt quite odd, and a bit faint, so I stayed sitting down to read. And even then, once I started to read, found my voice shaking, and I had to suppress a sob, collect myself, and kind of start again. Once I got going, I was fine, but I think I was just exhausted, unable to muster any adrenaline, or whatever it takes to put oneself together in order to stand up in public to speak. I'm not the only one: we are all just staggering towards the end of a really difficult year in the School.
Anyway, I think I was pleased with the paper, and am going to take what for me is a very bold step and post it here. I know the folk over at In the Middle do this routinely, but it's a first for me. I'm not even going to work over it very much, so it'll sound a little raw, I'm sure, and quite odd without the papers of Clare Monagle and Louise D'Arcens, which grappled much more closely with the terms of the book's own inquiry. It might also sound as if I'm criticising Bruce Holsinger for not writing the book I'd like to read. I hope not. But if, as I hope, I get the chance to publish this, I'll expand it and slow it down a bit, so questions and comments will be welcome.
There was some very interesting discussion afterwards about what the book seemed to license, and about the always vexed relationship between "theory" and medieval studies.
I'm also trying to figure out how to abbreviate posts on blogger: it seems very complicated, so please bear with me as I try and sort this.
"Transgression, perversion, and fanaticism": Postmodern Medieval Conditions
From a panel discussing Bruce Holsinger's Premodern Condition
Word is out: something is happening to the Middle Ages. As a field of academic study, as a sequence of historical and cultural formations, and as an idea about the past, the Middle Ages is undergoing radical transformation. The Middle Ages have never looked so rich and complex as they do now; as a series of multi-disciplinary projects and imperatives brings the Middle Ages into productive dialogue with other disciplines and other periods; and as we re-think many of our inherited scholarly narratives and traditions of study. The question of periodisation is being re-visited, with the effect of re-making the boundaries between medieval and post-medieval. Similarly, a range of new histories of affect, some politically motivated, some less so, help us to "touch" the past, to bring it into closer dialogue with the present, in a way that used to be forbidden on strict historical grounds.
And if we add the field of popular culture and the imaginative revival of the Middle Ages in fiction, film, gaming, and on-line culture, for example, it is easy to see that interest in and general familiarity with the Middle Ages is stronger than ever before.
But this is nothing new. As soon as they were declared over, as soon as they became the matter of the past, something has always been happening to the Middle Ages. Sixteenth-century editors of Chaucer generated publicity for new editions of texts "never before imprinted", while successive waves of twentieth-century critics have re-discovered a new feminist Middle Ages, or a heretical, sexually diverse or revolutionay one, or have rhapsodised about new critical modes and new perspectives. The titles of our book series and essay collections tell the story: The New Middle Ages (Palgrave); Making the Middle Ages; The New Medievalism. The imperative to find novelty in the Middle Ages, to renew our study of this distant era is powerful indeed.
And each time we renew, or re-visit the Middle Ages, it seems as if we are discovering them anew all over again.
My opening sentence, for example, reprises Alexandre Leupin's words, in 1983:
Word is out: something is happening in French medieval literature. It's beginning to be understood that far from being the province only of specialists medieval studies could play a crucial role in ongoing discussions of literary theory.
Writing in Diacritics twenty-five years ago, Leupin attempted to capture current excitement about the potential of medieval literature to play an active role in contemporary literary theory. It was not just that medieval literature could benefit from literary theory; but that it could make its own distinctive contribution to the field, especially in the study of semiotics and psychoanalysis. Leupin was writing principally about the Lacanian work of Roger Dragonetti, in La vie de la lettre au moyen Age: Le conte du Graal (1980) and Le gai savoir dans la rhetorique courtoise (1982).
This perpetual rediscovery and reinvention of the middle ages, and re-writing them anew for a new generation, or putting them to work in a different way is a structural condition of modernity. We know that modernity defines itself in opposition to the medieval: we might go further and say that modernity defines itself by its capacity, and indeed, its desire, to re-invent the medieval; and to declare, over and over again, the novelty and the newness of those re-inventions. If Lyotard talks of the post-modern condition, and Bruce Holsinger of the pre-modern condition, I suggest we might also diagnose a modern condition, at least in relation to the medieval past: a condition that perpetually desires to re-invent and to renew the medieval, and to foreground those acts of renewal as, themselves, novel.
Holsinger's "discovery" of the importance of medieval philosophy and literature to the invention of "theory" is part of this formation, part of this modern condition.
It is interesting to speculate about this seemingly perpetual novelty of the Middle Ages. The "medievalism" of Holsinger's sub-title, "Medievalism and the Making of Theory" refers to a somewhat narrow understanding of medievalism, as closely approximating medieval studies, and perhaps shading very slightly into that sense of the word which tries to encapsulate the cultural desire for the middle ages. But he is resolutely unconcerned with popular or imaginative medievalism, and so I thought it might be interesting to try and triangulate Holsinger's work, to look at some of the relations not only between the Middle Ages and high theory, but also this broader understanding of medievalism.
The presiding figure here, of course, is Umberto Eco, and Holsinger does refer to his work a number of times.
In 1972, Umberto Eco inaugurated several decades of interventions into the relationship or more specifically, the affinities between modernity, postmodernity and the Middle Ages. In the first essay in this series, "Towards a New Middle Ages", he sketches out the contemporary political, social and technological contexts in which the first world was heading into a new middle ages. He re-visited the essay in 1985, and then again in 1986, when he published his better known essay, "Dreaming of the Middle Ages", in which he discusses the work of contemporary medieval studies, dismissing as tedious the iteration of "all the round tables and symposia that have recently been devoted to this problem, as the topic of 'the return of the Middle Ages' has become obsessive."
The essays Eco wrote around this period are riddled with interesting contradictions. The new Middle Ages are both new, and yet not newsworthy. "Dreaming" of the Middle Ages risks the indulgence of "escapism à la Tolkien", but is also a fundamental condition of modernity. The Middle Ages are the infancy of modernity, the primal scene of childhood that produces our present neuroses, but repressing the complex and unreliable hermeneutics of the primal scene, Eco insists on the importance of discovering a "reliable Middle Ages".
There is another set of contradictions in Eco's essays that similarly haunt Holsinger's work: the question of the relationship between high theory and popular culture; and I'll return to this in a moment.
Eco's problem, about the new-oldness and the old new-ness of the new Middle Ages, and Holsinger's book both suggest that we can, and should still usefully ask the question: what do the Middle Ages have to do with the twenty-first century?
Recent local events make the question imperative for us to consider, especially at this time, and in this place.
Medieval literary studies is a highly sophisticated critical field; and contemporary medievalism is ubiquitous, yet for all this novelty and all this re-making, we are all familiar, I'm sure, with the claim that the medieval has nothing to do with modernity, or with contemporaneity. The simplest way to answer this question is to appeal to the vast enterprise of popular medievalism, and the great extent to which our fantasy literature, our cinema, our game-playing, our unconscious fantasy life and dreams, our social models and aspirations are still to a large degree medievalist in both form and content.
This is not the place to develop a theory of how to read contemporary medievalism, but it is the place to probe the repression of popular medievalism in the work of both Holsinger and Eco.
In The Premodern Condition, Bruce Holsinger draws a contrast between contemporary culture, where "the Middle Ages represent a semiotically rich site of transgression, perversion, and fanaticism", and the 1960s avant-garde, whose theorists disclose a medieval "archive of cultural and intellectual production". This is clearly a value-laden contrast: Holsinger's preferred Middle Ages offer deadly serious and high-browed meditations, fitting subjects for the heavy-weight theorising of Bataille, Lacan, Derrida, Bourdieu and Barthes. But even when they are more playful, as in the obscene poem by Arnaut Daniel, the message is serious.
Daniel's poem dramatises a lover's reluctance to fulfil the anal desires of Lady Ena, that he "blow in that funnel between spine and mount pubic, there where rust colored substances proceed. He could never have been certain that she would not piss all over his snout and eyebrows." In Holsinger's reading, Lacan reads this "as a kind of ethical mirror in which his auditors are to view the alterity of the medieval even while recognizing in this trashy bit of medievalism the lingering Thing at the core of modernity" (86).
It's hard not to be struck by the term "trashy bit of medievalism", cheek by jowl, as it were, with the "core of modernity". It shows us that for Holsinger, medievalism is barely distinguished from the medieval, but we must also note his willingness to abject medievalism, and medieval popular culture, as trashy.
It's a dynamic that threads through the whole book. As I said, Holsinger is not particularly concerned with medievalism in the sense that scholars who study the post-medieval invention of the Middle Ages use that term. He is frying a very different kind of fish altogether. But I am suggesting that the sense of novelty and innovation about this book is barely distinguishable from the sense of novelty that also characterises the work of medievalism. Medievalism is often described as the act of re-making or re-inventing the Middle Ages for present concerns. Medieval Studies and Medievalism have much more in common than is customarily believed, and I suggest they are part of the same productive enterprise, which we might define as making the Middle Ages new again, bringing them into dialectic with the present.
Let me quote Holsinger's most specific remarks about popular medievalism, from his Epilogue, in which he writes:
If the Middle Ages represent a semiotically rich site of transgression, perversion, and fanaticism for contemporary popular culture, for the 1960s avant-garde, the medieval provided above all an archive of cultural and intellectual production that seemingly escaped the moral compass of the Enlightenment — and (in this reading) without the baggage of humanism, capitalism, colonialism, and triumphalist individualism represented by the Renaissance (p. 197).
Holsinger attempts to put some distance between himself and this redemptive view of the Middle Ages, which he goes on to describe as "idealized", and conducive to "nostalgia", but it is hard not to hear the enthusiasm in his characterisation of the way this version of the Middle Ages "provided postwar critical thought with an almost inexhaustible source of intellectual sustenance in its assault on post-medieval legacies to the Western tradition". If anything, this resolutely muscular version of the Middle Ages is a powerful antithesis to the nostalgia of popular medievalism. And it is not just a historical account, either: Holsinger suggests that "the avant-garde pre-modern might perform a considerable corrective function in relation to other modes of critical neomedievalism that have gained some currency in recent decades" (198).
Holsinger doesn't give much content to the "transgression, perversion and fanaticism" of the Middle Ages in contemporary popular culture, but it's not difficult to see how the stakes are stacked against popular culture in favour of intellectual history: the latter will "correct" the former.
Tom Prendergast and I have suggested elsewhere that much of the resistance to contemporary or nineteenth- or eighteenth-century medievalism by medieval scholars actually masks a resistance to popular culture, and I think it's not difficult to see a similar dynamic in Holsinger's work.
And yet he is, in spite of himself, drawn to popular culture, and to the energetic and frankly exciting dynamic it can bring to academic work. In discussing the Daniel poem, for example, Holsinger comments that it is perhaps the only occasion in which Lacan — "the master" is how he describes him in this sentence — "recited an entire literary text, from beginning to end, before his Parisian audience" (86). It is also the only literary text Holsinger quotes in full. He admits that he is following Lacan in doing so, but it's hard not to read his characterisation of this "spectacularly gynephobic poem" as an invitation to thrill at an example of the "transgression, perversion, and fanaticism" he associates with popular medievalism.
A similar thrill ran through me when I realised Holsinger was describing the workings of modern avant-garde intellectual culture as a subculture. Perhaps this is an attempt to dramatise his own work of recovering its widespread interest in the Middle Ages; but from many perspectives now, the idea that the work of these influential theorists represents a subculture seems to suggest a very special kind of subculture — certainly not one that's related to popular culture.
Umberto Eco is similarly conflicted on the question of the relations between the Middle Ages, medievalism and popular culture.
When measuring the extent of interest in the Middle Ages, he remarks, "If one does not trust 'literature,' one should at least trust pop culture." Eco, after all, is one of the founding figures of modern cultural studies, and its valorisation of popular culture, and the argument for respecting the enthusiasm and knowledge about popular culture and its consumers. But two pages after this, he writes:
Thus we are at present witnessing, both in Europe and America, a period of renewed interest in the Middle Ages, with a curious oscillation between fantastic neomedievalism and responsible philological examination. Undoubtedly what counts is the second aspect of the phenomenon. ('Dreaming of the Middle Ages,' 63).
Similarly, in his famous taxonomy of the ten little Middle Ages of which we dream, he privileges the eighth, the Middle Ages of "philological reconstruction" as a kind of uber Middle Ages:
Not fully free from the curiosity of the mass media these Middle Ages help us, nevertheless, to criticize all the other Middle Ages that at one time or another arouse our enthusiasm. These Middle Ages lack sublimity, thank God, and thus look more "human" (71).
This privileging of the position by which expert medieval scholars can criticize all the others, those manifestations of what Eco calls "enthusiasm", and which Holsinger calls "transgression, perversion and fanaticism", is buried deep within Eco's taxonomy, and is rarely foregrounded by those who simply use this list to classify the particular example of medievalism they are describing. But it sets up a crucial hierarchy between the work of scholarship ("responsible philological examination") and the work of the imagination, between the Middle Ages and medievalism, between medieval scholars, and scholars of popular culture and popular medievalism. It also gives force — thank God, he says — to the idea that we can retreat into the safety of academic research, without the risks of the sublime, to criticise the work of popular enthusiasts.
Holsinger's book is a wonderful archaeology that demonstrates the mutual imbrication of medieval literature, philosophy and theology with some of the most influential movements associated with high theory. Commendably, in my view, it eschews anything so crude as a critique of modern scholars' understanding of the Middle Ages: it is not so much concerned to correct their scholarship as it is to correct some aspects of the trend towards popular medievalism. But in its abjection of medieval popular culture as the salacious or fantastic, and its absolute separation between intellectual work of and about the Middle Ages, and the work of the popular imagination, Holsinger's book, it seems to me, revisits the dynamics of Umberto Eco's work.
In Holsinger's epilogue, he emphasizes the sacramental character of the avant garde's relation to the medieval past.
Modes of critique, habits of mind, and means of subjection are not simply inherited from the medieval past, nor patiently reconstructed out of its ruins; rather, they are invoked, called into being, summoned from another place, translated from isolated fragments into whole systems of thought that maintain the dialectic of belief and doubt that characterized the sacramental culture of the Middle Ages.
I like very much this dialectic model. But I suggest the dialectic could be fruitfully expanded to consider not just the dialectic of the Middle Ages, and the dialectic between the Middle Ages and modern intellectual culture, but also the dialectic between intellectual and popular culture.
Labels: conference, medievalism
Conference blogging/Hobart/Two
Conference blogging. Meant to do this over the last week, but am now going to do it in several posts. This is the second. Scroll up and down for more.
One of the conference receptions was held at Government House, a beautiful example of colonial gothic in golden sandstone, high up in the Domain, overlooking the city. We had to pre-register for this in order to receive our gold-embossed invitations; and had to dress up a little; and practice saying "Your Excellency" in case we got introduced.
It was a beautiful afternoon.
We all lined up to be introduced:
And did a little Garter research as we waited:
We were then shown into this rather odd hall:
The decorations were suitably vice-regal:
And the guests suitably elegant:
This is my favourite photo:
And here is The Dress:
But after all this finery, here is one of the prettiest images: a little cottage in the grounds, which I have made my computer's desktop for a while....
Posted by This old world is a new world at Monday, December 08, 2008 3 comments
Labels: academics, conference, Garter
Conference blogging/Hobart/One
Conference blogging. Meant to do this over the last week, but am now going to do it in several posts. This is the first. Scroll up for more.
Someone said to me over coffee during this recent ANZAMEMS (Aust and NZ assoc. for med. and early mod. studies) conference that it was becoming the third in the series of the big three. How does that sound? Leeds/Kalamazoo/ANZAMEMS?
A couple of riders, though. This analogy would work only for medievalists: ANZAMEMS has a much broader historical range, though is similarly multi-disciplinary. Second, ANZAMEMS is much smaller: about 190 papers over nearly five days. Third, as a society, not a place, ANZAMEMS offers a range of great locations in Australia and New Zealand. This is absolutely a plus, of course. I'm on my way back from Hobart, and am sitting in the Qantas club, having come out to the airport early with Paul and Joel, who came down for the weekend, and were booked on an early flight so Joel could get to school on time (though having got up at 4.15, he didn't look, 30 minutes ago, as if it was going to be his most productive day).
But it used to be that the only international visitors to ANZAMEMS were the plenary speakers we fly in. This is no longer the case. ANZAMEMS is also wonderfully friendly to postgrads, and reminds me of NCS in its mixture of absolute seriousness and its collegiality. It is also truly interdisciplinary, and over the years, the sometimes brusque encounters between historians and literary critics have given way to much more respectful engagements. Sometimes it isn't even possible to tell.
Like NCS, too, ANZAMEMS now has a respectable medievalism thread. A highlight this time was hearing Kim Wilkins, well-known fantasy and horror writer, who is also Dr Kim Wilkins, lecturer at UQ, give a wonderfully reasoned account of Australian adult medievalist fantasy writing.
My own paper was a discussion of Bruce Holsinger's The Premodern Condition. Perhaps I'll post that paper here too.
Plenary speakers of greatest interest to this blog were probably Ruth Evans and Mary Carruthers. Ruth spoke about Freud and Lacan and Chaucer's dream theory, and Mary developed more of her work on the arts of memory. Both were model conference participants, giving tightly argued, original papers, and attending session after session, valiantly fighting jetlag and contributing to debates.
It is also a great occasion for catching up with friends and colleagues, though given the threat to medieval studies at the University of Tasmania, and the threat to the job of another medieval scholar at the University of Melbourne, the overall mood was less than joyous.
I'm also heading back to a meeting where we will have to discuss the way we teach Old English in the new Melbourne model. More curriculum reform. Sigh.
Labels: academics, conference, medieval, medievalism
Talks, Tears and More Travels
I spent most of today at the Vice-Chancellor's Colloquium for Teaching and Learning. Presentations to the university's teaching award winners (my Grimshaw award is gorgeous: the colour and luminosity of a bottle of Bombay Sapphire); short presentations from the award-winners; and from teams of people who've taught the university's new multi-disciplinary breadth subjects; and a panel of a journalist, school principal and the CEO and founder of seek.com.
It was a most passionate day all round. The unofficial theme was passion in teaching and in one's choice of vocation.
We were welcomed to country by Auntie Diane of the Wurundjeri people, who called on the land to bless us from the tips of the trees down to the earth on which we stood. The Vice-Chancellor presented her with a big bouquet of flowers as a thank-you. She turned away from the audience and whispered at some length in his ear. He told us later during one of the photo-shoots that she had said her husband died six years ago, and that since then, no one had brought her flowers. And then burst into tears.
When Glyn spoke, the text of his talking (not a prepared speech) was flashed above him through Live Remote Captioning. A scary thing, to think that one's speaking could be transcribed and transmitted so quickly (and really pretty accurately), for the hearing impaired. Testimonials from profoundly deaf students reinforced how marvellous this would be. Imagine the tedium of attending lectures and watching while your assistant took notes? And what a difference this would make.
Matthew Brett then spoke about this invention, and about his motivation for devising this technology. Both his parents are profoundly deaf, and he grew up with Auslan (sign language) as his first; and English as his second language. Because their educational and employment opportunities were so limited, he grew up in difficult circumstances, able to afford only two textbooks over the course of five years' study. He choked up a bit as he was speaking; and I think we all did, too.
The other ALTC winner, Catherine Bennett, told me over morning tea that she too was the first member of her family to go to university, and that her own parents, now deceased, would have been so proud of her today. This day was really for them, she said.
When it was my turn, I wanted to speak about the experience of being a medievalist in a country that does not always value the study of the past. I also tried to talk about the problem of mentoring when university policies and practices don't always fit the career trajectories of students who have babies through their PhDs, who are caring for aged or sick parents and can't travel overseas, or who are working on major research monographs that are poorly rewarded in the "points" system that is now driving our policies for promoting and even retaining staff.
I don't think my talk would have been very popular with some folk, but enough people came to talk to me afterwards in agreement (and not just from the humanities) to make me feel that there is a considerable tide of resistance to recent developments.
I also talked about this blog, and the experience of writing through breast cancer; and then over lunch found out about a number of other women with breast cancer; or men whose partners had also gone through its rigours.
All this emotion was draining. But also makes me think that once I've finished with some of the current projects, it's time to think more carefully about the literature of affect.
Last night Ruth Evans gave a wonderful talk to the Medieval Round Table about Chaucer's affective understanding of memory: it'll be a great starting-point.
Now, time to pack and finish my talk for Hobart. I arrive at my B&B after 11.00 tonight; and they are going to leave the key by the front door. Fantastic!
Posted by This old world is a new world at Tuesday, December 02, 2008 3 comments
Labels: academics, teaching, travel
This old world is a new world
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Expressing freedom: three ways we're moving beyond traditional stereotypes
For years, we've been bombarded with stereotypical images in movies, on mainstream media, fashion runways, magazines, and social media.
Being different from the portrayed standards often generated insecurities and the death of freedom to express one's true identity.
We grew up with the perception that somehow pink is every girl's favourite colour, that boys prefer to watch Star Wars and not Clueless and that a woman on the front cover of a magazine represents every female in society.
We shouldn't take our freedom of expression for granted
Watching movies like Mean Girls, we can't ignore the stereotypical images depicted through the TV screen. Looking at the title of the film itself, we're introduced into a society that sees stereotypical groups defined through the relationship between the scholars, with the popular kids on one side and the nerds and outcasts on the other.
Then, we can't forget to mention the clichéd gender roles. The main character, Regina, is a self-centred and superficial high school girl who only owns pink cardigans and miniskirts. She has zero intellectual abilities and is only concerned about her physical appearance.
Then we have the stereotypical male image of a high school football player who happens to be one of the most popular guys in school.
This is only one among thousands of examples of stereotypical images found in our society. What is clear is stereotypes destroy individuality. And often, it can be difficult to express our true self when the sources that we look to everyday are feeding us with the complete opposite image.
Expressing individuality nowadays, however, is a gift that shouldn't be taken for granted. Now more than ever, we have the power to show our personality through the music we listen to, the places we visit, and the clothes we wear.
On this note, today's society has also seen improvements and huge steps towards breaking social stereotypes for good, be that around gender, race or body types. Let's take a look at three examples.
1) Racial stereotypes
When it comes to racial stereotypes, the advertising industry is one to look at.
In 2017, a skin care advert which was presented in African and Asian media received a lot of criticism due to the racial stereotype that it conveyed. The ad, taglined "now I have visibly fairer skin, making me feel younger" did not provoke the expected reaction, as consumers heavily rejected it.
Clearly the women and men in Africa and Asia did not accept the message that darker skin tones need to become fairer in order to be accepted. The tagline was almost claiming that a lighter skin would bring a better social state to whoever used the advertised product.
The #pullitdownnow hashtag blasted on social media shortly after the advert was released, showing that consumers are not only aware of how harmful stereotypical images are for certain groups and ethnicities, but that consumers hold the power to demand change and evolution.
2) Gender stereotypes
As we said, fashion is a powerful industry that can form or break specific social norms. Although it's a sector that created countless idealised representations in the past, it holds a substantial power to break stereotypes, especially around the topic of gender.
This ever-growing industry has come a long way, from the times when men and women in the early 1990s had to respect rigid dressing codes that reflected different social classes, up to the current fashion sphere that sees non-binary choices.
People should be free to express their true identity as they feel comfortable. Fashion giant Zalando's 'Hello Zerotypes' campaign is an example of how the fashion world is challenging the preconceptions around gender to promote self-expression.
By doing so, common notions such as 'dresses are only for women' are challenged, empowering people to express their true identity as they feel comfortable, whether that's in a pink hoodie or a dress, regardless of their gender, size or age.
It's encouraging to see that nowadays, diversity is being praised and embraced in the fashion world, where both men and women advocate positivity and individuality.
Without doubt, fashion has become and is continually evolving into, a strong mechanism of self-expression.
3) Body stereotypes
It's easy to think that a perfect body is achievable when the media is full of air-brushed photos and perfectly slim models.
For many years, and still ongoing in many parts of the world, people have been fed with images of perfectly toned bodies, tall and tanned, implicitly defining such characteristics as the required qualities to have in order to be beautiful or to be featured on magazines, adverts, or music videos.
However, our current society has experienced a shift from such rigid notions of beauty, thanks to body positivity social movements and campaigns that actively challenge the unrealistic representations of human bodies. These campaigns are aimed at promoting diversity, inclusivity, and beauty acceptance.
A world that goes beyond stereotypes is in the making, with several industries further ahead than others. The end goal is a society that refrains from defining who wears what and what makes one persona prettier than another. We can all work together to fight for a world that encourages diversity and individuality instead of shaming or oppressing it.
Photo by Suad Kamardeen
Published on Apr 9th, 2020	by Hannah Martin

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


For a second year in a row, I will be running the 5K component of the Eagles Autism Challenge, taking place on Saturday, May 18, 2019. Last year's inaugural event drew over 3,300 participants – despite torrential rain – and raised $2.5 million for autism research and programs. This cause is especially important to me as my 3-year-old son Benjamin is autistic.
Please consider making a small donation in support of my 2019 Eagles Autism Challenge 5K run. It would mean the world to me — and to my son.
Helping Eagles Autism Challenge is Easy.
Your donation will count towards Brian J Kelley's fundraising efforts.


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En person fra Schweiz
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En portner som fx på Amalienborg kaldes svejtsere

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New York's Finger Lake Region is fast-becoming a preferred Destination Wedding haven. It is a privilege to work in these most serene locations with people who emanate serenity and grace. Amy and Matthew are such people. Their Wedding at the Fountainbleau Inn in on Cayuta Lake was marked by generosity, respect, support and love. …all made possible by of the sincerity of the two people at the center of this blessed love story.
Below is a my attempt to illustrate the significance of these two beautiful souls, and the gathering that was forged to celebrate and bear witness to the bond they share. Many congratulations and nothing but love and well wishes to two people whom I wish there were more of in the World.
Special thanks to Jenna and her staff at Bella and Co. Weddings for orchestrating and executing an unforgettable day. …and to Terri and John – owners and proprietors of the magnificently quaint Fountainbleau Inn – for abundant hospitality and the courage to invest in a quintessential Finger Lakes Estate.


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Afghans launch protest to demand peace and stability in Kunduz province
The protest was sparked by the deteriorating security situation in Kunduz, where two districts were seized by the Taliban in recent months.
Ahmadullah Archiwal July 13, 2015
Protesters marching in Kunduz province. (WNV / Ahmadullah Archiwal)
Civil society activists and youths launched a peaceful protest in the northern volatile province of Kunduz last week. The protesters — which included women, religious scholars and students — had gathered to demand greater stability in the province, jobs for all qualified youths, and accountability from members of the province's Lower House of Parliament, regarding their performance over the last four years. The protest, which began on Wednesday, continued overnight and into the next day, after demonstrators installed tents.
The protesters were responding to the deteriorating security situation in Kunduz over the last couple of months, as two of the province's six districts, Archi and Chardara, have turned from Afghan to Taliban rule. Residents of Kunduz believe that weak governance in Afghanistan is to blame, and launched the protest to show their anger in the face of the worsening situation.
According to one of the protest leaders, Abdul Ghafor Hotak, the provincial governor of Kunduz, along with several provincial council members, visited the protest site on Thursday, promising to take their demands to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. The parliamentarians also promised that they would report their past performance to the people of Kunduz in 20 days. The protesters, however, are prepared to resume their efforts on a wider and larger scale if their demands go unmet.
Ahmadullah Archiwal
Ahmadullah Archiwal is president of the Organization for Social, Cultural, Awareness, and Rehabilitation (OSCAR) and is pioneer of trainings on nonviolent civic mobilization in Afghanistan.
Tags: Afghanistan, Police, Protests
More By Ahmadullah Archiwal
Training sows the seeds of nonviolent civil resistance in Afghanistan
Afghan anti-corruption committee emerges from civil resistance workshops
Afghanistan gets its first nonviolence training manual
Anees-ur-Rehman says:
it is the important factor for civil society to protest and demand peace in their towns, cities and villages with peacefully from government.
i appreciating the efforts of Ahmadullah Archiwal saib..
Sorry, comments are now closed.
Creating space for women in India's Ekta Parishad
Selina Gallo-Cruz
A place where it's easier to be good
Channeling rage into change, from Watts to Ferguson


Ohio State Representative Matt Lundy announced at a press conference on June 2, 2009 that he will introduce a bill on June 3, 2009 to close "loopholes" in Ohio's "pay day loan" law. Referring to the new bill as "The Issue 5 Pay Day Lending Enforcement Act," Rep. Lundy said the new law would cap the interest rate on loans of $1,000 or less for a term of 90 days or less at 28%. The bill also will prohibit any other fees on loans of $1,000 or less for a term of 90 days or less, including check cashing fees.
Rep. Lundy indicted that the bill was drafted to address current practices and practices seen in other states. According to Rep. Lundy, the bill will prevent lenders from pushing loans through brokers or CSOs, increase the enforcement powers of the Ohio Attorney General in regard to such loans and make loans of $1,000 or less for a term of 90 days or less subject to the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act.
The Ohio General Assembly passed Ohio Sub. H.B. No. 545 capping the APR on "pay day loans" at 28% in May of 2008. Certain provisions of Ohio Sub. H.B. No. 545 were the subject of a referendum, Ohio Issue 5 in the November 2008 election, in which voters voted against repeal of certain provisions of Ohio Sub. H.B. No. 545. At the press conference there were questions regarding the Ohio General Assembly passing a bill with "loopholes."
Please contact us with any questions or if you would like a copy of the bill once it is introduced.


The electricity that goes to the block of flats, also costs money. The landing covers, elevators, ventilating systems, exterior lighting. Without a meter it is very difficult to control the flow of electricity.
Despite the fact that the individual system of controlling the flow of resources has become popular, common metering devices of electricity still cause the occupants of distrust. And it is in vain, because the installation of such a device will significantly save first money the same tenants. Electric meter is installed on supply line at the entrance to the house, that is, with it, changes the total amount of power consumed. Consequently, his testimony will consist of two parts: the first is the amount of energy consumption on the line from the entrance of the house to the entrance of the specific apartment, and the second is the electricity consumed within the apartment. Thus electricity demand is calculated as accurately as possible.
The calculation of the cost of electricity used can be done in two ways: using established standards and using the counter. If the apartment has individual electric meter, with the installation of all-house device, the tenants will pay only a part, proportional to the energy consumption in the apartment for the period. That is, the more electricity is spent, the more will have to pay for it.
In the case where individual meters in the apartment is not selected, the payment is calculated on the basis of the regulations. These standards take into account the square footage of the premises and the number spelled out in it. For example, three people living in a Studio apartment, will pay three times less than their neighbors who live in two-bedroom apartment. To use house electricity, they will be in equal shares. It turns out that using counters as housing and whole house, you can more accurately calculate the amount of energy used.
Thanks largely to the counters saves natural resources used for energy generation at power plants. Additionally, the counters allow to save money of the population. You can use energy-saving lamps, to install protection against inadvertent connection to the network, to carry out the necessary repairs. Perhaps the only, but very significant drawback of common parts – in case of failure of any tenant to pay his share will have to pay the neighbors, as the cost of electricity is divided equally among all tenants.


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MIAMI, FLORIDA - AUGUST 2009: The recent sixth-annual Univision "Premios Juventud" awards show utilized Sennheiser's proven wireless technology to recognize the U.S. Hispanic youths' top recording artists, movie stars, sports figures and pop culture icons. Over eighty wireless channels were used for the podium mics and most of the monitoring.
Stylized performances from long-time favorites and up-and-coming celebrities punctuated the announcements, with reggaeton sensation Alexis y Fido electrifying the stage with a pair of chrome-customized Sennheiser SKM 5200 wireless mics.
Birr at Sennheiser was the first to respond and the only one to respond with a range of options. Although we were given the choice of gold, silver, and jewel-encrusted 'bling', the futuristic chrome on the Sennheiser SKM 5200 turned out to be exactly the sort of thing they were looking for."
Like any awards show these days, "Premios Juventud" is awash in RF signals - each of them critical. Both of the podiums used two Schoeps microphones tied to a pair of hidden Sennheiser SK 5212 body-pack transmitters. "Obviously, dialog is very important to TV people," laughed Holmes. "We had to go with the best to ensure that there would be no dropouts."
James Stoffo of Professional Wireless Systems, the show's "wireless maven" in Holmes' words, always demands a rack of Sennheiser EM 1046 receivers. The EM 1046 is Sennheiser's top-of-the-line modular receiver and serves as the complement to its top-of-the-line 5000 Series transmitters. "Stoffo knows more about RF than anyone I've ever met, and he swears by the 1046, both for its reliability and its sound," said Holmes.
In addition, almost everyone that performed used 300 IEM G2 personal wireless monitoring systems from Sennheiser. "There was a lot going on," said Holmes, "so we were glad that we didn't have to worry about our wireless reliability. With Sennheiser, you do your preparation, lock things in, and roll."
PHOTO CAPTION Tom Holmes, broadcast mixer, for the sixth annual Univision "Premios Juventud" award show chose Sennheiser's chrome-plated SKM 5200 wireless microphones for Alexis y Fido's futuristic performance during the show.


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Revealed: The REAL Reason Proctor And Gamble Is Investing in Dry Cleaning Franchises
Back in 2001, when I was learning about the sales and marketing side of franchising, I attended one of my late Father's franchise seminars. It was a crucial part of my training, since I would soon be doing seminars on franchise ownership, myself. Look
Dad, (Jerry Libava) was really energetic. (Maybe even more than me!) He loved to get his seminar attendees engaged, and one of the questions he asked of them was this;
Can you guess which type of franchise business type has created more millionaires than any other?
Of course, I had no idea; I knew automobile franchising from a managment perspective. I didn't know much about franchise consulting/brokering. And, I didn't know the answer to his question.
A couple of the attendees chimed out some of their guesses, which included;
Well, you get the picture. And then Dad made the attendees wait until the end of his presentation to give them the answer.
He told all of us that dry cleaning franchises have made more millionaires than any other type of franchise business. I had no idea.
Even though I don't have any data in front of me to verify that statement, the franchise brokerage group that we used to be franchisees of told us the same thing. So, it must be true.
Anyway, think about it; the chemicals used in dry cleaning can't cost more than a fraction of a penny per item, there isn't that much labor needed, and there's no real inventory. (The customer brings in the inventory!)
When was the last time you went to a dry cleaners, and thanked them profusely for charging you "only" $14.00 to clean a suit. (Plus the $1.75 "environmental" charge.)
Millionaire's Row
Cleveland, Ohio Mansion. Euclid Ave. Millionaire's Row. Around 1890.
Now, just because I don't have the data to support what my Dad and other franchise industry folks have said in the past, doesn't mean that it's not true. So, for now, let's just assume that there's a ton of money to be made in dry cleaning. Forget that last statement; let's not assume. There is. I know the owners of a few franchise and non-franchise dry cleaners. They're loaded.
That's why the executives at P & G have decided that their company should be in the franchise dry cleaning business. They will make tons of money from royalties! It's a huge, profitable business! And, they have one heck of a brand to bring to the steam table. Tide®. Except, there's a little bit of an issue going on. Right now. This week.
If you aren't in the franchise business, or if you haven't been following the CNBC "Behind The Counter, The Untold Story of Franchising" saga, here it is in a nutshell;
The CEO of the franchise division of Proctor And Gamble, was interviewed on camera for the CNBC one-hour franchise program. In it, he stated that the royalties that are paid by franchisees of the new Tide® Dry Cleaning franchise are based on net, not gross reciepts/revenues/sales. My wife happened to be watching that part of the CNBC show that night, and said, "Joel, that's a pretty good deal, huh?" I responded, "that's unusual, but I like it!"
It turns out that his statement about P & G's royalty calculation, (royalties are what the franchisor receives from it's franchisees every month for the use of it's franchise system. It's usually a % of gross revenues /sales) was "misstated." CNBC pulled that segment off of the show, (which had already aired once or twice) and put this paragraph on the bottom of the show's web page;
"During an exchange in our documentary with Bill Van Epps, CEO of Agile Pursuits, Procter & Gamble's wholly owned franchise subsidiary, Mr. Van Epps told us that P&G was basing its royalties on net sales, rather than gross sales. It has come to our attention that P&G's definition of net sales is what other companies call gross sales. Our documentary calls into question the practices by franchisors and shows the viewer how, sometimes, the difference between the franchise business being a profitable one and a losing venture is in the details. We have removed that exchange from the documentary."
Politically Correct
Now, since I'm really not in the mood to be politically correct, (and rarely am) here's my thought;
How the heck can a gentleman who's been in the business world and franchising for many, many years, "misstate" something that huge? On television? If I was a prospective franchise buyer, and I was comparing the merits of two franchises, let's say One-Hour Martinizing, and Tide Dry Cleaning®, if everthything was equal when I did my flawless franchise due diligence, I'd have to choose Proctor And Gamble's franchise system on numbers alone. I'd be able to put 5 figures into my own pocket every year, from my royalty savings! Where do I sign?
So here's my question;
Why did the experienced CEO of P & G's franchise division state that franchisees pay royalties on net instead of gross? On television?
Filed Under: Franchise Seminars


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Thanksgiving in Costa Rica was a long time coming
Henrietta Boggs, First Lady of the Revolution, dies at 102
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U.S. Transport Administration will allow passengers to carry small knives on planes
L. Arias April 8, 2013 April 8, 2013
As of April 25, passengers flying to or within the United States may carry pocket knives, golf clubs, lacrosse sticks, pool cues, ski poles, hockey sticks and other items in carry-on luggage. The items previously were banned by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) after 9/11 as potential blunt weapons.
The measure brings the U.S. in line with international standards for screening procedures, TSA said on its website.
However, razor blades, scissors and box cutters like the ones used to hijack planes during the 2001 terror attacks will still be prohibited.
Changes to Prohibited Items List
–Download TSA document of new regulations (PDF format)
Airline passengers going through U.S. airports will be allowed to take on board small Swiss Army-type knives, provided the blade is no longer than 2.36 inches (6 centimeters) and does not have a locking fixed blade or a molded grip. "This will bring U.S. airport carry-on security rules within International Civil Aviation Organization Standards and our European counterparts," TSA statement reads.
The ruling has drawn sharp criticism from airlines and unions representing flight attendants, air marshals and pilots. This week the U.S. House Homeland Security subcommittee on transportation will have a hearing regarding the decision.
Last Friday, flight attendants protested the TSA policy change by handing out fliers at various U.S. airports with the slogan "No knives, ever again." Also the Association of Professional Flight Attendants put up a website (noknivesonplanes.net) asking people to write letters demanding their congressmen reverse the TSA's decision.
L. Arias
Reporter | The Tico Times |
View all posts by L. Arias
Environmental officials to increase patrols in Corcovado and Térraba-Sierpe wetlands
Genocide trial latest step on Central America's path to democracy
Lottery Fever Soars Across the Globe in Hopes to Win $1 Billion Jackpot in Mega Millions, Try Your Luck from Costa Rica
The Lotter - January 21, 2021
The Mega Millions jackpot could soon set a new record as online lottery play drives up ticket sales. Residents of…
Panama begins Covid-19 vaccinations
Juan José Rodríguez / AFP - January 21, 2021
Nurse Violeta Gaona on Wednesday received in her left arm the first dose of the vaccine against Covid-19 in Panama,…
KLM suspending long-haul flights due to Covid policies, report says
The Tico Times - January 21, 2021
Dutch airline KLM will suspend all of its 270 weekly long-haul flights from the Netherlands starting Friday, according to a…
The Lotter - Jan 21, 2021
Juan José Rodríguez / AFP - Jan 21, 2021
The Tico Times - Jan 21, 2021
Costa Rica to play March friendlies with Mexico and Bosnia-Herzegovina
AFP and The Tico Times - Jan 21, 2021
Where to get a coronavirus test in Costa Rica
Costa Rica cuts contributions to political campaigns to contain deficits
Latest Costa Rica Covid Stats
Deaths: 2,492


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Few assets bring more classical cachet or historical pedigree to a portfolio than gold. Yet savvy advisors and portfolio managers value gold for its high degree of liquidity, its lack of counterparty risk, its very low or negative correlation with most other asset classes, its ability to serve as collateral in uncertain environments, and the flexibility it provides to hedge against both inflation and deflation.
How can a single asset bring so many potential benefits to an investment portfolio? Rhona O'Connell, Head of Market Analysis, EMEA and Asia for StoneX Financial Ltd, details the many markets and uses for gold in today's interconnected global economy in this in-depth but highly accessible research paper. Blending statistical analysis with practical knowledge and historical perspective, O'Connell aims to provide readers with the context and confidence they need to begin considering gold as an option for their portfolio management strategies. Specifically, it covers:
Take the first step toward factoring the potential benefits of gold – and of Rhona's perspective and award-winning analytical prowess – into your wealth management strategy by downloading The Role of Gold in Wealth Management – free of charge – today.
Gold's role as a commodity, a currency, and a hedge against risk
Retail investment instruments such as Exchange-traded products (ETPs)
How governments and central banks use gold
How institutional investors leverage gold in their portfolios
Options for accessing the gold markets efficiently through StoneX
This communication is issued in the European Economic Area by StoneX Financial Europe S.A. This communication is issued in the United Kingdom by StoneX Financial Ltd. This communication is issued in the United States of America by StoneX Financial Inc. This communication is issued in Asia by StoneX Financial Pte. Ltd.
StoneX is the trade name used by StoneX Group Inc. and all its associated entities and subsidiaries. StoneX Group Inc. companies provide financial services worldwide through its subsidiaries, including physical commodities, securities, exchange-traded and over-the-counter derivatives, risk management, global payments and foreign exchange products in accordance with applicable law in the jurisdictions where services are provided. References to certain over-the-counter ("OTC") products or swaps are made on behalf of StoneX Markets, LLC ("SXM"), a member of the National Futures Association (NFA) and provisionally registered with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC") as a swap dealer. SXM's products are designed only for individuals or firms who qualify under CFTC rules as an 'Eligible Contract Participant' ("ECP") and who have been accepted as customers of SXM. StoneX Financial Inc. ("SFI") is a member of FINRA/NFA/SIPC and registered with the MSRB. SFI is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") as a Broker-Dealer and with the CFTC as a Futures Commission Merchant and Commodity Trading Advisor. References to securities trading are made on behalf of the BD Division of SFI and are intended only for an audience of institutional clients as defined by FINRA Rule 4512(c). References to exchange-traded futures and options are made on behalf of the FCM Division of SFI. Wealth Management is offered through SA Stone Wealth Management Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, and SA Stone Investment Advisors Inc., an SEC-registered investment advisor, both wholly owned subsidiaries of StoneX Group Inc. StoneX Financial Ltd. ("SFL") is registered in England and Wales, company no. 5616586. SFL is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (registration number FRN:446717) to provide clients with arrangement, execution and, where required, clearing derivative transactions in exchange traded futures and options. SFL is also authorised to engage in the arrangement and execution of transactions in certain OTC products, certain securities trading, precious metals trading and payment services to eligible customers. SFL is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2017 for the provision of payment services. SFL is a category 1 ring-dealing member of the London Metal Exchange. In addition SFL also engages in other physically delivered commodities business and other general business activities which are unregulated and not required to be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. StoneX Financial Europe S.A. ("SFE") is a securities trading firm registered in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg under company number RC Lux B 10821. SFE is authorised by the Ministry of Finance in Luxembourg and regulated by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (registration no. P00000012) to carry out, inter alia, the activities of investment adviser, portfolio manager, professional acting on own account, broker in financial instruments, and commission agent. StoneX Financial Pte. Ltd. ("SFP") (Co. Reg. No 201130598R) holds a Capital Markets Services Licence regulated by Monetary Authority of Singapore for Dealing in Exchange-Traded Derivatives Contracts, Over-the-Counter Derivatives Contracts, and Spot Foreign Exchange Contracts for the Purposes of Leveraged Foreign Exchange Trading. StoneX Financial Pty Ltd ("SFA") (ACN: 141 774 727) holds an Australian Financial Service License and is regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (AFSL: 345646). StoneX Financial (HK) Limited ("SHK") (CE No.: BCQ152) is regulated by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission for Dealing in Futures Contracts. StoneX Financial Co. Ltd. ("SFJ") (Co. Reg. No 010401047199) holds 1st class Financial Instruments Business Operator license regulated by Financial Ser-vices Agency and a member of the Financial Futures Association of Japan for dealing and broking FX and FX Option transactions. StoneX APAC Pte. Ltd. ("SAP") (Co. Reg. No 200616676W) is regulated as a Dealer (PS20190001002) under the Precious Stones and Precious Metals (Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing) Act 2019 for purposes of anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism. SAP is an "Approved International Trading Company" authorized to act as a "Spot Commodity Broker" under the Commodity Trading Act; and is also an appointed agent for SFL's payments services business. StoneX Group Inc. acts as agent for SFL in New York with respect to its payments services business. Trading swaps and over-the-counter derivatives, exchange-traded derivatives and options and securities involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors. The information herein is not a recommendation to trade nor investment research or an offer to buy or sell any derivative or security. It does not take into account your particular investment objectives, financial situation or needs and does not create a binding obligation on any of the StoneX Group Inc. of companies to enter into any transaction with you. You are advised to perform an independent investigation of any transaction to determine whether any transaction is suitable for you. No part of this material may be copied, photocopied or duplicated in any form by any means or redistributed without the prior written consent of StoneX Group Inc.
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Keep everything needed for a successful dinner party in one place with the wine bottle kit.
Cleverly concealed within a wine bottle, this accessory pack can inconspicuously sit amongst your various wine bottles until needed. Have you ever scoured your kitchen for the necessary tools to open and prepare your favourite tipple? Now you needn't worry with everything in one place!
The perfect compliment to your dinner parties or to sit on the wine racks in bars or restaurants.


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Coast Mountain Circle Route
3 to 7 days, 694.88 km (431.78 mi)
The Coast Mountain Circle Route combines the best of outdoor attractions and adventure to create an unforgettable visit.
Destination British Columbia
Part 1: Vancouver to Squamish
Part 2: Squamish
Part 3: Whistler to Lillooet
Part 4: Lillooet to Lytton
Part 5: Fraser Canyon
Part 6: Hope and Harrison Hot Springs
Part 7: Return to Vancouver
Witness the powerful effects of nature on this scenic route through diverse mountain landscapes, starting and ending in Vancouver.
Vancouver to Squamish
The Britannia Mine Museum | Heath Moffatt
From Vancouver, head north along the scenic Sea-to-Sky Highway. The road winds around rock faces, cliffs, and trees and offers incredible vistas of Howe Sound. Stop at the roadside Britannia Mine Museum on the way to Squamish.
Tantalus Range viewpoint | @ssaechaophotos
Continue along the Sea-to-Sky Highway to Squamish, which bills itself as the "Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada." Look for bald eagles by the river, watch kitesurfers at the Squamish Spit, tackle the mountain bike trails, or try river rafting, when the weather serves. Take a break in town by sampling fare from one of the local proprietors—including a stop at one of Squamish's many breweries or cideries. Also consider visiting the open-air West Coast Railway Heritage Park museum (open from March to October), the home of western Canada's largest assemblage of historical railway rolling stock, including artifacts, paraphernalia, and collectibles dating to 1890 (the park hosts seasonal events, too, such as the spring and winter arts and crafts fairs). On your way out of Squamish, consider a stop on the northbound pullout (it comes up fast so look for the parking lot just opposite the main turnoff) to take in views of the narrow and jagged range of glistening white glaciers that tower over the Squamish River, crowned by 2,603-metre (8,540-foot) Mt. Tantalus.
Whistler to Lillooet
Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre | Blake Jorgenson
Make sure to allocate ample time in Whistler. Along with outdoor adventures such as biking, hiking, bear watching, or riding the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, there are more urban pursuits in the Village, such as shopping and dining. Take to a walk (or snowshoe, if there's still snow) down one of of the branches of the Valley Trail network, or grab a mountain bike and head to the Whistler Mountain Bike Park (the season opens in May).
Make sure to visit the cultural exhibits at the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre for insight into the ancient Indigenous cultures of this area and peruse the permanent collection and visiting exhibitions of the Audain Art Museum, which offer a visual journey through the history of art from coastal British Columbia, including one of the world's finest collections of Northwest Coast First Nations masks.
Continue driving north of Whistler to quiet (and pretty) Pemberton. Or, drive on to Lillooet, which is known for being the start of the road for the Cariboo Gold Rush. As a result, there are some interesting historic sites to discover.
Lillooet to Lytton
Lillooet | @rochelleallen
From Lillooet, there is the option to drive south to Lytton, or northeast through picturesque grasslands and canyons (the northeast option is shown on the map). If you're taking the northeast route, visit Historic Hat Creek Ranch to sample pioneer life at this 1860s roadhouse featuring more than 20 restored heritage buildings and displays, before you continue on to Lytton.
Fraser Canyon
Hell's Gate Air Tram | Albert Normandin
South of Lillooet, Lytton is known for being "Canada's Hot Spot" and is also a huge river rafting destination. The Fraser Canyon landscape includes rivers that rush past steep walls and gorges, and farmlands flanking the mountains. To gain an appreciation for the power of the Fraser River, stop at Hell's Gate to ride the Hell's Gate Airtram, one of the only descending tramways in the world, which takes you over the river's narrowest point, just 35 metres (115 feet) wide. En route to Hope, visit historic Yale, part of the original Cariboo Wagon Road, which offers an intriguing look at the gold rush boom of the 1800s that brought miners to the gold fields of the Cariboo and Barkerville.
Hope and Harrison Hot Springs
Othello Tunnels | @mike_karas
Hope is a major junction for road trip travellers, some of whom drive through and miss the unique attractions in the area. View the chainsaw carvings that are scattered throughout town, and walk through the nearby Othello Tunnels at Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park, which were blasted out of solid cliffs.
Natural mineral water at Harrison Hot Springs makes this a logical place for a stopover and a relaxing plunge into steamy pools. The artificial lagoon at Harrison Lake is also a prime spot for kicking back outdoors, if the weather serves.
Return to Vancouver
The Chilliwack Sunflower Festival | Gardens BC/Daniel Mosquin
From Harrison Hot Springs, choose either the northern or southern bank of the Fraser River to return to Vancouver. The northern route (shown on the map) follows scenic Highway 7 past Mission, Maple Ridge, and Pitt Meadows, while the more direct southern route follows Highway 1 past Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Fort Langley, and New Westminster.
Featured image: High Note Trail, Whistler Mountain | Blake Jorgenson
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Part 1 - Vancouver
Show Map & Driving Directions
Start Planning Your BC Experience
Visitors to British Columbia can arrive by air, road, rail, or ferry.
Five-star hotels, quaint B&Bs, rustic campgrounds, and everything in between.
Know what to expect in communities across the province.
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Amdocs Limited (NYSE: DOX) today reported that for its third fiscal quarter of 2010 ended June 30, 2010, revenue was $753.2 million, up 1.2% sequentially from the second fiscal quarter of 2010 and up 9.1% as compared to last year's third fiscal quarter. Net income on a non-GAAP basis was $119.4 million, or $0.58 per diluted share, compared to non-GAAP net income of $108.6 million, or $0.53 per diluted share, in the third quarter of fiscal 2009. Non-GAAP net income excludes amortization of purchased intangible assets and other acquisition related costs, loss from divestiture of a subsidiary and equity-based compensation expense of $27.1 million, net of related tax effects, in the third quarter of fiscal 2010 and excludes such amortization, and equity-based compensation expense of $23.0 million, net of related tax effects, in the third quarter of fiscal 2009. The Company's GAAP net income for the third quarter of fiscal 2010 was $92.3 million, or $0.45 per diluted share, compared to GAAP net income of $85.5 million, or $0.42 per diluted share, in the prior year's third quarter.
"We are pleased with our third quarter results as they reflected solid market demand and a strong competitive win rate. We have gained traction in the marketplace with our CES 8 product portfolio and, in particular, our TurboCharging offering, driving customer preference for Amdocs solutions. We are also increasingly confident in Amdocs' position in the emerging markets where service provider requirements for customer experience systems are becoming more sophisticated. In addition to new project activity, our managed services business continues to produce a very solid foundation of visibility and growth for the company, demonstrated again today by the extension of our relationships with our two largest directory customers, AT&T and Sensis," said Dov Baharav, chief executive officer of Amdocs Management Limited.
Baharav concluded, "While we are encouraged with the level of activity in North America and the emerging markets, we are marginally more cautious on our European business given our third fiscal quarter results in Europe and relatively weaker spending trends in the region. As a result, our fourth quarter revenue outlook is for $755-$770 million which, at the lower end, is slightly below our previous expectation of 1-2% sequential growth. However, reflecting high confidence in our future performance, we repurchased $209 million of our ordinary shares during the third quarter and continue to maintain a very strong financial and strategic position to pursue the market opportunities ahead of us."
Free cash flow was $160 million for the quarter, comprised of cash flow from operations of $179 million less approximately $19 million in net capital expenditures and other.
Twelve-month backlog, which includes anticipated revenue related to contracts, estimated revenue from managed services contracts, letters of intent, maintenance and estimated on-going support activities, was $2.47 billion at the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2010.
Amdocs expects that revenue for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 will be approximately $755-$770 million. Amdocs expects diluted earnings per share on a non-GAAP basis for the fourth quarter to be $0.57-$0.60, excluding acquisition-related costs and approximately $0.04-$0.05 per share of equity-based compensation expense, net of related tax effects. Amdocs estimates GAAP diluted earnings per share for the fourth quarter will be $0.44-$0.49.
Amdocs will host a conference call on July 21, 2010 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss the Company's third quarter results. The call will be carried live on the Internet via the Amdocs website, www.amdocs.com.
Amdocs believes that the presentation of non-GAAP diluted earnings per share and other financial measures, including free cash flow, non-GAAP cost of service, non-GAAP research and development, non-GAAP selling, general and administrative, non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP interest and other income (expense), net, non-GAAP income taxes and non-GAAP net income, when shown in conjunction with the corresponding GAAP measures, provides useful information to investors and management regarding financial and business trends relating to its financial condition and results of operations, as well as the net amount of cash generated by its business operations after taking into account capital spending required to maintain or expand the business.
For its internal budgeting process and in monitoring the results of the business, Amdocs' management uses financial statements that do not include amortization of purchased intangible assets, in-process research and development write-off, restructuring charges, equity-based compensation expense, loss from divestiture of a subsidiary, and related tax effects. Amdocs' management also uses the foregoing non-GAAP financial measures, in addition to the corresponding GAAP measures, in reviewing the financial results of Amdocs. In addition, Amdocs believes that significant groups of investors exclude these non-cash expenses in reviewing its results and those of its competitors, because the amounts of the expenses between companies can vary greatly depending on the assumptions used by an individual company in determining the amounts of the expenses.
Amdocs is the market leader in customer experience systems innovation. The company combines business and operational support systems, service delivery platforms, proven services, and deep industry expertise to enable service providers and their customers to do more in the connected world. Amdocs' offerings help service providers explore new business models, differentiate through personalized customer experiences, and streamline operations. A global company with revenue of $2.86 billion in fiscal 2009, Amdocs has over 18,000 employees and serves customers in more than 60 countries worldwide. For more information, visit Amdocs at www.amdocs.com.
This press release includes information that constitutes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements about Amdocs growth and business results in future quarters. Although we believe the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be obtained or that any deviations will not be material. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ from those anticipated. These risks include, but are not limited to, the effects of general economic conditions, Amdocs ability to grow in the business markets that it serves, Amdocs ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses, adverse effects of market competition, rapid technological shifts that may render the Company's products and services obsolete, potential loss of a major customer, our ability to develop long-term relationships with our customers, and risks associated with operating businesses in the international market. Amdocs may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future; however, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These and other risks are discussed at greater length in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2009 filed on December 7, 2009 and in our quarterly 6-Ks filed February 8, 2010 and May 13, 2010.
per share by $0.01 for the nine months ended June 30, 2009.
weighted average number of shares outstanding.
for the nine months ended June 30, 2009.


Our 2014 Dodge Dart SE, shown proudly in Billet Silver Metallic Clear Coat is fun to drive, spacious, and stylish. This creation is Infused with Alpha Romeo technology, matched with the power and passion of the Dodge brand. Our incredible machine leads off with the impressive Tigershark 2.0 Liter 4 Cylinder that boasts 160hp for you to enjoy and invites another reason to take the long way home. The Automatic transmission helps you achieve near the 36mpg mark on the open road giving you an awesome reward at the pump. Check out the roof rack!
This Dart SE is on the forward edge of technology that summarizes power, success, and innovation with features never seen before in this class of car. Inside you will find a rich interior that is designed to shatter all misconceptions that a small car can't be fun. Enjoy our pictures and you will see the bountiful features that await you: Uconnect with AM/FM/CD player and a rocking sound system, comfortable cloth seating, in-seat storage, and soft touch components.
Safety is key to the folks at Dodge with airbags, projector headlamps, and power windows as a few samples of Dodge leading the way for you. Now it's your turn! Print this page and call us Now... We Know You Will Enjoy Your Test Drive Towards Ownership!


Six Newberry County men are lending their faces to help stop teen pregnancy.
The six men are part of a group of 19 men across the state participating in Mustache Madness. The local mustache growers include two local coaches, an attorney, a student, a S.C. Department of Natural Resources officer and the sheriff.
The South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy Director of Communications Cayci S. Banks, who is also a Newberrian, said it was a lot easier than she thought to get men to lend their faces to the cause.
She adds often it seems that teen pregnancy is more a a female issue but the support the campaign has gotten shows it is not a one sided issue.
"I am overwhelmed with support," said Banks.


1. What is something that you have achieved that you're really proud of?
Making Micro a friendly local bar and managing to work with my husband 24/7 and still both have a sense of humour.
2. What is one place you really want to visit and why?
3. If you had a million dollars to spend what would you do with it?
If I had a million dollars I would pay my daughter's student loan and then try and set up some sort of educational scholarship - however not sure a million is enough for that.
5. Who has been the biggest influence in your life and why?
Biggest influences my mum and dad - for their courage in coming to the other side of the world with two small children in 1970 and for their sense of justice and kindness.
6. Do you have any pet peeves?
I wanted to be an interpreter at the U.N.
8. What's the best part of living here in Martinborough/South Wairarapa?
The best part of living in South Wairarapa is the small town feel but so close to big city pleasures.
9. If you could change one thing about Martinborough/South Wairarapa – what would it be?
Need more rental accommodation for people who are trying to find work in the area.


Welcome to the Pacey Joey Lovers Shrine!
We are proud to present what we hope to be an interactive and unforgettable online experience based on the two best characters on Dawson's Creek; Pacey Witter and Joey Potter, as well as Joshua Jackson and Katie Holmes. The site is a shrine to what we hope is a possible relationship between America's hottest not-quite couple, and a tribute to what could be. They're the "original" couple that love to hate one another. They hate hard and love hard, but you know they couldn't live without each other--Just like you can't live without them.
They've proven they have a loyal fan base, and we hope we're the site that sets up that platform for you to voice your loves and gripes about Pacey and Joey.
Created on October 20, 1998 by me, Angela, it was concieved shortly after the "Modern Romance" episode of the first season aired. After the Dawson's Creek writers planted the idea of Pacey and Joey together, it was one that couldn't be shaken. I still can't believe how much the site has grown from its early days. When it began, I recall still being enthused about hitting 100 on the counter. Through hard work and word of mouth, I hit 10,000 and I was ecstatic. It was then that the site was erased because it's original home on AOL was deleted. The site was recreated from scratch, and it was new count of 13,000 when it was deleted because of lack of space. The site was down for several months, when the wonderful Kilby, knowing how much it meant to me, decided to help in the reconstruction of the site. She has been an invaluable and intergral chief part in the site ever since. Without her, the site would have been reduced to a distant memory. Since then, the site has continued to grow, in staff as well as the quality that we hope to bring you. Now the counter has reached well over 60,000 people, in every state in America, as well as over 20 countries around the world. From South Africa to Wales, Greenland to Britain the PJLS has reached global status. We've recieved numerous awards as well as Fan Site of the Week from the Official Dawson's Creek site, and a feature in "JUMP" magazine's Oct/Nov issue. It has surpassed the original dreams, and we hope that it only continues to exceed everyone's expectations.