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Wolne Sądy – niezależna inicjatywa obywatelska powołana do życia w 2017 roku na fali protestów społecznych w obronie niezależności Sądu Najwyższego przez grupę prawników. W 2020 roku prawnicy tworzący inicjatywę powołali Fundację Wolne Sądy, organizację pozarządową, której misją jest wspieranie inicjatyw i działalność edukacyjna na rzecz ochrony praworządności w Polsce.

Działalność
Działalność inicjatywy Wolne Sądy koncentruje się na sprzeciwie wobec – zachodzącego ich zdaniem – łamania przez większość rządzącą trójpodziału władz, rządów prawa i porządku konstytucyjnego. W początkowym jej okresie inicjatywa nagrywała krótkie filmiki publikowane w mediach społecznościowych o tym, na czym polega istota niezależności sądownictwa i niezawisłości sędziowskiej oraz dlaczego jest ona ważna dla każdego obywatela. W filmach występowały znane osoby – aktorzy, prawnicy, lekarze, dziennikarze, artyści, którzy na podstawie przykładów z życia codziennego przedstawiali sedno powyższego zagadnienia.

Obecnie działalność inicjatywy rozciąga się poza media społecznościowe. Wolne Sądy nadal publikują materiały wideo i spoty dotyczące bieżących wydarzeń i problemów społecznych, ale także prowadzą własną audycję w radiu Tok FM, publikują stanowiska, raporty, opinie i często zabierają głos w mediach.

W 2018 r. współtworzyły Komitet Obrony Sprawiedliwości KOS, organizację, która reprezentuje i zapewnia pomoc represjonowanym sędziom sądów powszechnych, sędziom Sądu Najwyższego i Naczelnego Sądu Administracyjnego oraz prokuratorom.

Członkowie inicjatywy spotykają się z komisarzami Unii Europejskiej odpowiedzialnymi za praworządność, urzędnikami Komisji Europejskiej oraz parlamentarzystami, przedstawiając obywatelskie i eksperckie spojrzenie na zmiany dokonywane w polskim wymiarze sprawiedliwości, w szczególności z punktu widzenia standardów Unii Europejskiej. Uczestniczą w procesach legislacyjnych w parlamencie jako eksperci lub obywatelscy krytycy proponowanych rozwiązań w sądownictwie. Uczestniczyli m.in. w pracach zespołów parlamentarnych ds. Ładu Konstytucyjnego oraz Reformy Wymiaru Sprawiedliwości.

W czerwcu 2021 inicjatywa Wolne Sądy wydała raport "2000 dni bezprawia" pokazujący, w jaki sposób władza polityczna doprowadziła do destrukcji państwa prawa. Raport jest aktualizowany na bieżąco.

Sprawy przed trybunałami międzynarodowymi i sądami krajowymi
Prawnicy z inicjatywy Wolne Sądy występują przed Trybunałem Sprawiedliwości Unii Europejskiej (TSUE) w kluczowych postępowaniach dotyczących niezależności sądów i niezawisłości sędziów, które mają zasadnicze znaczenie dla ochrony praworządności nie tylko w Polsce, ale i w całej Europie. Reprezentowali między innymi sędziego Naczelnego Sądu Administracyjnego w sprawie C-585/18 – A.K. (Niezależność Izby Dyscyplinarnej Sądu Najwyższego), która zakończyła się bardzo ważnym i przełomowym orzeczeniem z 19 listopada 2019 r.

Są pełnomocnikami sędziego Sądu Okręgowego w Krakowie Waldemara Żurka w sprawie C-487/19, w której TSUE podważył legalność osób powołanych do Izby Kontroli Nadzwyczajnej i Spraw Publicznych Sądu Najwyższego i uznał, że składy Sądu Najwyższego z ich udziałem nie mogą być uznane za niezawisły i bezstronny sąd ustanowiony uprzednio na mocy ustawy, a sądy krajowe mogą uznawać orzeczenia wydane z ich udziałem za niebyłe.

Przed Europejskim Trybunałem Praw Człowieka (ETPCz) w Strasburgu reprezentowali m.in. skarżących sędziów w sprawie Dolińska-Ficek i Ozimek p-ko Polsce (skargi nr 49868/19 i 57511/19). ETPCz orzekł, że Izba Kontroli Nadzwyczajnej i Spraw Publicznych SN, która rozpoznawała sprawy skarżących, nie jest niezależnym i bezstronnym sądem ustanowionym ustawą i stwierdził, że Polska naruszyła prawo skarżących do rzetelnego procesu sądowego. Są również pełnomocnikami sędziego Igora Tyleyi przed Trybunałem.

Reprezentowali w sądzie obywatelskiego aktywistę w sprawie naklejek "strefa wolna od LGBT", które rozpowszechniał prawicowy tygodnik "Gazeta Polska".

Reprezentowali również prof. Małgorzatę Gersdorf, byłą Pierwszą Prezes Sądu Najwyższego, w sprawie przeciwko Stanisławowi Piotrowiczowi, posłowi Prawa i Sprawiedliwości (obecnie sędziemu Trybunału Konstytucyjnego), który w jednej ze swoich wypowiedzi nazwał sędziów Sądu Najwyższego "złodziejami". Wyrok, zgodnie z którym Piotrowicz ma przeprosić prof. Gersdorf uprawomocnił się w 2021.

Prawnicy z inicjatywy reprezentowali także prof. Wojciecha Sadurskiego w sprawie dotyczącej wolności słowa, gdy został pozwany przez PiS za nazwanie ich zorganizowaną grupą przestępczą. Prof. Sadurski wygrał sprawę prawomocnie.

Członkowie zarządu Fundacji Wolne Sądy
 Sylwia Gregorczyk-Abram – adwokatka, współzałożycielka inicjatywy i członkini zarządu Fundacji Wolne Sądy,
 Maria Ejchart-Dubois – prawniczka, współzałożycielka inicjatywy i członkini zarządu Fundacji Wolne Sądy,
 Paulina Kieszkowska-Knapik – adwokatka, współzałożycielka inicjatywy i członkini zarządu Fundacji Wolne Sądy,
 Michał Wawrykiewicz – adwokat, współzałożyciel inicjatywy i członek zarządu Fundacji Wolne Sądy.

Fundacja Wolne Sądy
W 2020 roku inicjatywa powołała do życia Fundację Wolne Sądy. Zgodnie z jej Statutem celem fundacji jest poszerzanie wiedzy i działania na rzecz umacniania niezależności sądów i niezawisłości sędziów, a także aktywność w zakresie poszanowania zasady praworządności, wspierania szeroko pojętej ochrony praw człowieka, swobód obywatelskich oraz przeciwdziałania dyskryminacji poprzez prowadzenie:

 działalności edukacyjnej związanej z poszerzaniem wiedzy w społeczeństwie o kluczowym charakterze niezależności i niezawisłości sędziów dla praworządnego i demokratycznego państwa,
 działalności związanej z promocją społeczeństwa obywatelskiego oraz wpieraniem rozwoju organizacji pozarządowych i idei wolontariatu,
 działalności upowszechniającej ochronę wolności i praw człowieka związaną w szczególności z promowaniem wolności słowa, swobodnej wymiany myśli i idei oraz równego traktowania oraz przeciwdziałaniem dyskryminacji ze względu m.in. na tożsamość, orientację seksualną i płeć,
 działalności informacyjnej, publicystycznej i wydawniczej, oraz
 działalności społecznej i charytatywnej.

Nagrody i wyróżnienia
 2018 – Nagroda Newsweeka im. Teresy Torańskiej.
 2019 – Nagroda radia Tok FM im. Anny Laszuk za "wyjątkowy wpływ na rzeczywistość".
 2020 – Europejska Nagroda Obywatelska przyznawana przez Parlament Europejski.
 2022 – Nagroda Fundacji im. Janiny Paradowskiej i Jerzego Zimowskiego.

Zobacz też
 Protesty w obronie Sądu Najwyższego w Polsce
 Kryzys wokół Sądu Najwyższego w Polsce
 Protesty przeciwko zmianom w sądownictwie w Polsce
 Komitet Obrony Sprawiedliwości KOS

Przypisy

Linki zewnętrzne
 Strona internetowa inicjatywy Wolne Sądy

Laureaci Nagrody Radia Tok FM im. Anny Laszuk
Organizacje społeczne III Rzeczypospolitej
Laureaci Nagrody Fundacji im. Janiny Paradowskiej i Jerzego Zimowskiego

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Wilkes County ist der Name folgender Countys in den Vereinigten Staaten:

 Wilkes County (Georgia)
 Wilkes County (North Carolina)


Innes was referred to Piercefield Oliver when she was going through a particularly difficult time in her life. She was feeling fearful and uncertain about her future. The first step was to re-assure Innes that we could work together to take away her fear and create a plan for her.
Together Innes and I decided what was important, how much income she required to maintain a good quality of life and also how she could continue to achieve her life goals. I was able to show Innes how she could achieve this practically and we mapped out a workable financial plan for her.
Of course, life changes and evolves as it did with Innes, for the better, and she is now living a life she loves and feels in control and reassured that we have her best interests at heart and financial plans in hand.


text:
Guidance On Massachusetts High School Sports Expected 'Later This Week'
Filed Under:Coronavirus, High School Sports, MIAA
BOSTON (CBS) – Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said he expects coronavirus safety guidelines for high school sports will be released "later this week."
Last week, health officials released new guidance for youth sports, which included high school athletics.
Based on last week's guidelines, games can happen if deliberate contact is eliminated and players are kept six feet apart for the majority of play.
The new guidelines would likely mean it will be a challenge for football, hockey, lacrosse, and other sports considered "higher risk" to be playing games this fall.
"There's been a lot of conversations between (Secretary of Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Kathleen Theoharides') shop, which oversees a number of these elements because we do have parks, playgrounds, pools, all kinds of stuff where a lot of these activities take place, as well as conversations with the MIAA and with DESE," said Baker. "And I think there'll be guidance put out for after school sports probably sometime later this week."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
ABHISHEK KUMAR EMERGES AS THE WINNER OF AMAZON ORIGINAL SERIES COMICSTAAN SEMMA COMEDY PA
After 8 rib-tickling episodes, contestant Abhishek Kumar, popular for his comic character Mrs. Janaki, emerged as the winner of the first Tamil Amazon Original Series Comicstaan Semma Comedy Pa. Hosted by Vidyullekha Raman & Mervyn Rozario, the show saw a tough battle of comedy between 6 contestants across the season that was judged and mentored by renowned Tamil comedians Praveen Kumar, Karthik Kumar and Rajmohan Arumugam. The nail-biting final round of "The marana mass grand finale!" of Comicstaan Semma Comedy Pa between Abhishek Kumar and contender Syama Harini was the deciding factor to announce the winner. Shyama Harini being the only female contestant gave a tough competition to Abhishek till the last bet of the show.
Created by Only Much Louder (OML) Entertainment, the eight-episode binge-worthy series is the first of its kind format in Tamil on a digital streaming service.
Praveen Kumar, the judge of Comicstaan Semma Comedy Pa said, "Abhishek Kumar was amongst the finest contestants throughout the episodes. while guiding and mentoring him, we got to know a different side of him on how he is a perfect actor-cum-comedian. The most adorable part about him is he can make you laugh by acting through his jokes. He insistently adopted the show format and every time came up with something unique. He deserved to be the winner of the season."
Vidyullekha Raman, the host of Comicstaan Semma Comedy Pa Said, "Abhishek left no stone unturned to nail his performance through his body language and superb energy levels. His stupendous energy and spontaneity reminds me of actor and comedian Nagesh, who is like a god of Tamil Comedy. I always found a Charlie Chaplin expressions in him which is absolute replica of Nagesh. He has the ability to make you laugh with his expressions more than his dialogues. I think that's what is the impression of a great comedian."
Abhishek Kumar, the winner of Comicstaan Semma Comedy Pa said that, "I participated in the show with no expectations but for a fun, learning experience. All the contestants are so talented and I learnt something new about comedy during each and every shoot. Winning the season is surreal and I am still trying to process it. I am glad to have been a part of this journey with the expert judges, hosts as well as my fellow contestants. A big thank you to Amazon Prime Video for creating this format in Tamil."
If you haven't watched Comicstaan Semma Comedy Pa yet, stream now on Amazon Prime Video!


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A publishing mystery
A PUBLISHING MYSTERY…. I don't mind admitting when I'm wrong. Last year, for example, I predicted that George W. Bush's post-presidency memoir would be a flop. Just the opposite is true — "Decision Points" has sat atop the Times Best Sellers list for the last six weeks, and yesterday, the publisher boasted that the book has sold more than 2 million copies.
That's pretty impressive, and far ahead of what I could have predicted. The next question, though, is how on earth sales have been this good. Or put another way, who's actually buying the poorly-reviewed book of a failed former president?
Alex Pareene explores the subject today, floating a variety of possibilities. Maybe it's a popular "gag gift" for the holidays; maybe there's some lingering "Bush nostalgia" in some misguided Republican circles; maybe the publisher is blatantly lying and the book hasn't actually sold nearly that many copies. But of all the possibilities, this one strikes me as the most plausible.
Conservative book clubs
The sales of books by awful right-wing authors like Jonah Goldberg are boosted by an entire industry dedicated to … boosting the sales of books by awful right-wing authors. Conservative book clubs purchase tens of thousands of copies and right-wing think tanks order right-wing books in bulk. There's probably a bit more genuine demand for George W. Bush's wisdom than, say, Laura Ingraham's wit, but every little bit helps.
This is a long-running phenomenon — conservative books nearly always outsell liberal books in large part because of bulk orders. A couple of months ago, for example, Mitt Romney boosted sales of his book by requiring various schools, think tanks, and institutions to buy thousands of copies in exchange for his speeches. Various conferences and Republican outlets do this all the time.
Without access to the data, it's impossible to say just how much of this may have inflated "Decision Points" sales, but it seems like the most credible explanation. How else could it have sold so many copies?
If there are better explanations, I'm open to suggestion.


The AAIU's response will be commensurate with the severity of the event, whether it is a commercial public transport, commercial cargo, general aviation or sport flight and whether significant safety lessons can be drawn from the investigation.
To investigate the accident by deploying a significant sized "Go Team" that may include foreign Accredited Representatives (ACCREP), Advisors, and Observers from foreign States (Public Transport accident and/or where significant fatalities/serious injuries have taken place).
To investigate the accident/serious incident by deploying a small "Go Team" to conduct a field investigation (normally for general aviation or sport flying type occurrences and some serious incidents to public transport aircraft).
To investigate a minor occurrence through correspondence using the AAIU Accident/Incident Report Form.
Where, following initial assessment, it is deemed that the occurrence is a non-reportable event or that no significant safety lessons can be learnt, discontinue the investigation but record the data in ECCAIRS.
To delegate the Investigation to an approved authority or organization (National or International).
To appoint an Accredited Representative (ACCREP) (Travelling and Non-Travelling) and/or experts for overseas investigations of accidents to Irish registered and/or operated aircraft (See AAIU participation in foreign investigations).
To appoint an Inspector of Air Accidents to provide assistance or advice where a State (military) aircraft is involved and the occurrence is not the subject of an AAIU Investigation.


The upcoming electric version of the Renault Kwid for China, likely to be called the Venucia E30 was recently spied on test. It is believed that the Kwid facelift for India is also likely to see similar updates rather than receiving a completely revamped fascia like the Renault City K-ZE which was showcased recently at the Shanghai Motor Show.
The facelift version of the Renault Kwid in India is likely to get a redesigned grille and revised set of headlamps which are now sharper and come with chrome finish. The vehicle will no longer get turn indicators on the fenders as it will now come integrated into the ORVMs. The new model will also get a larger air dam, while at the rear, it will get a set of redesigned tail lamps and slimmer diffuser with a stop lamp.
As for the interior, the India-bound Kwid facelift will get a larger infotainment system with the new voice recognition feature. The AMT version of the vehicle is likely to offer the drive selector dial mounted on the centre console, while the rest of the elements are likely to be carried forward from the existing version. Mechanically, the new model will continue to be powered by the existing 0.8-litre and 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine options. It will also continue to be offered with a five-speed manual and AMT options.


Weichert, Realtors – Jewson Properties is the top producer for Wabasha real estate. We represent buyers and sellers for all types of property throughout Southeastern Minnesota and Western Wisconsin. We are committed to treat everyone with professional service, honesty, and integrity.


McAfee's latest threat report for the fourth quarter of 2009 saw a drop in spam over the period, although the year ended with overall amounts rising.
In the last quarter of the year spam levels dropped from a record of 175bn per day in the third quarter to 135bn, a decline of 24 per cent. However spam levels are likely to rise again, especially given a 40 per cent rise in one day, December 14th, as spammers looked to scoop last minute shoppers.
The latest research from Websense Security Labs paints a dreary but familiar picture of the state of online security threats. Echoing the bad news of other such recent reports, it seems the vast majority of the Web consists of malware and spam. Worse yet, even legitimate, well-known sites are being used to pump malware, SEO poisoning, or phishing attacks.
Websense uses a global network of systems to scan and analyze over 40 billion websites every hour, tracking malware and other unwanted content. The results for the latter half of 2009 show a 225 percent increase in malicious websites. Worse, 71 percent of websites found to contain some malicious code were in fact legitimate websites that had been compromised in some way.
McAfee Inc. today unveiled its Q4 Threats Report, which highlights the most significant spam-generating stories in 2009 as well as the rise of political hacktivism in countries like Poland, Latvia, Denmark and Switzerland. Report findings also reveal that 2009 averaged approximately 135.5 billion spam messages per day, yet spam volume decreased by 24 percent in Q4 compared to Q3.
Spammers utilized headlines heavily in 2009, taking advantage of breaking news stories, global tragedies and timely events. The Air France plane crash and Michael Jackson's death were among the top tragedies exploited by spammers last year. McAfee researchers also noted a significant number of 2010 FIFA World Cup-themed phishing scams, Zeus Trojans masked as the CDC, referencing the H1N1 vaccine program, and "get-rich-quick" scams due to the rise of U.S. unemployment levels.
Politically-motivated attacks are on the rise around the world, targeting popular social networking destinations, as seen recently with the Iranian Cyber Army's political attack aimed at Twitter. The report confirms that the United States is not the sole target, nor is China the sole origin for these types of attacks with recent political attacks targeting the Polish government, the Copenhagen Climate Conference and Latvia's Independence Day.
Malware including fake security software, attacks on social networks, and Auto-Run USB infections, continued to rise significantly last year. Internet-based, Web 2.0-centric attacks and threats on portable storage devices played a huge role in 2009, contributing greatly to the sheer increase in threats and demonstrating how the nature of computer threats are evolving over time. Cybercriminals used social networking sites to target a new generation of victims, with Koobface activity increasing considerably during the latter part of 2009. Koobface is now hosted by servers in 46 different countries, with the U.S., Germany and Denmark making up the top three hosting locations.
"In Q4, we saw spam activity drop, but identified some interesting trends developing in terms of the geographic distribution of cyber threats and the types of threats executed," said Mike Gallagher, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at McAfee Labs. "China emerged as the worldwide leader in both zombie production and the execution of SQL-injection attacks, while internet-based attacks played a bigger role and will continue to do so as cybercriminals target the most popular social destinations in 2010."
Zombie production in the U.S. dropped significantly from 13.1 percent in Q3 to 9.5 percent in Q4, making China the top of Zombie-producing country at 12 percent. Brazil ranked third, with Russia and Germany rounding out the top five countries. The U.S. still remains the number one country in terms of spam production, with Brazil and India taking the number two and three spots. Ukraine and Germany joined the list of top 10 countries producing spam for the first time in 2009.
North America is the worldwide leader in hosting malicious content, with EMEA in second, followed by Asia/Pacific. In Europe, Germany holds the number one spot, followed by the Netherlands and Italy. China is the chief host for malicious content in Asia, followed by Russia and South Korea. South America is beginning to play a larger role, with Brazil as the top hosting country in that region.
Although SQL-injection attacks originate from a number of countries across the globe, China was by far the number one country hosting these assaults at 54.4 percent. Due to the growing popularity of Adobe applications, McAfee Labs saw a number of client-targeted attack attempts to exploit Flash and Acrobat reader.
McAfee, Inc., headquartered in Santa Clara, California, is the world's largest dedicated security technology company. McAfee is committed to relentlessly tackling the world's toughest security challenges. The company delivers proactive and proven solutions and services that help secure systems and networks around the world, allowing users to safely connect to the Internet, browse, and shop the web more securely. Backed by an award-winning research team, McAfee creates innovative products that empower home users, businesses, the public sector, and service providers by enabling them to prove compliance with regulations, protect data, prevent disruptions, identify vulnerabilities, and continuously monitor and improve their security. http://www.mcafee.com.


text:
«Oral Fixation Volumes 1 & 2» () — четвертий компіляційний альбом колумбійської співачки Шакіри, виданий у 5 листопада 2002 року лейблом Epic Records. До збірки входять альбоми «Fijacion Oral Vol. 1», «Oral Fixation Vol. 2», а також бонусний DVD-диск з відео з виступами у підтримку цих альбомів.

Список композицій

Посилання
 Дискографія співачки на її офіційному сайті

Збірки Шакіри


We present a model for flicker phosphenes, the spontaneous appearance of geometric patterns in the visual field when a subject is exposed to diffuse flickering light. We suggest that the phenomenon results from the interaction of cortical lateral inhibition with resonant periodic stimuli. We find that the best temporal frequency for eliciting phosphenes is a multiple of intrinsic (damped) oscillatory rhythms in the cortex. We show how both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the patterns change with the frequency of stimulation and provide an explanation for these differences. We use the Floquet theory combined with the theory of pattern formation to derive the parameter regimes where the phosphenes occur. We use symmetric bifurcation theory to show why low-frequency flicker should produce hexagonal patterns while high frequency produces pinwheels, targets, and spirals.
When the human visual system is subjected to diffuse flickering light in the range of 5-25 Hz, many subjects report beautiful swirling colourful geometric patterns. In the years since Jan Purkinje first described them, there have been many qualitative and quantitative analyses of the conditions in which they occur. Here, we use a simple excitatory-inhibitory neural network to explain the dynamics of these fascinating patterns. We employ a combination of computational and mathematical methods to show why these patterns arise. We demonstrate that the geometric forms of the patterns are intimately tied to the frequency of the flickering stimulus….


text:
Q: Missing form label in WAVE tool I'd like to fix an error in WAVE tool on my site: http://human2.com.pl/ and the error is :
[url=https://gifyu.com/image/sUbw][img]https://s1.gifyu.com/images/Przechwytywanie58ca1183ef15bd0c.jpg[/img][/url]
the code which contains an error:
<form action="<?php echo esc_url( home_url( '/' ) ); ?>" class="search-form searchform clearfix" method="get">

      <input type="text" placeholder="<?php esc_attr_e( 'Szukaj', 'colormag' ); ?>" class="s field" name="s">
      <button class="search-icon" type="submit"> Klik</button>

</form>

Can anyone could help me to fix it ? Thanks

A: As the WAVE messages says, "A form control (your input) does not have a corresponding label ( tag)".
So to fix the error, you need to Create a  tag and then add a for attribute within it, the value of which should be the id of your input. So basically, your HTML should look like this :
<form action="<?php echo esc_url( home_url( '/' ) ); ?>" class="search-form searchform clearfix" method="get">

      <input id="search" aria-labelledby="searchLabel" type="text" placeholder="<?php esc_attr_e( 'Szukaj', 'colormag' ); ?>" class="s field" name="s">
      <button class="search-icon" type="submit"> Klik</button>

</form>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


"The Carnot Heterogeneous Database Project: Implemented Applications" by Munindar Singh, Phil Cannata et al.
The Carnot project was an ambitious research project in heterogeneous databases. It integrated a variety of techniques to address a wide range of problems in achieving interoperation in heterogeneous environments. Here we describe some of the major implemented applications of this project. These applications concern(a) accessing a legacy scientific database, (b) automating a workflow involving legacy systems, (c) cleaning data, and (d) retrieving semantically appropriate information from structured databases in response to text queries. These applications support scientific decision support, business process management, data integrity enhancement, and analytical decision support, respectively. They demonstrate Carnot's capabilities for (a) heterogeneous query processing, (b) relaxed transaction and workflow management, (c)knowledge discovery, and (d) heterogeneous resource model integration.
The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1008645509474.
Singh, M., Cannata, P., Huhns, M. N., Jacobs, N., Ksiezyk, T., Ong, K., Sheth, A. P., Tomlinson, C., & Woelk, D. (1997). The Carnot Heterogeneous Database Project: Implemented Applications. Distributed and Parallel Databases, 5 (2), 207-225.


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Die Prallhöhe eines Aerostaten, wie eines Luftschiffs oder Gasballons, ist die Höhe, bei der der maximal zulässige Hüllenüberdruck erreicht wird.

Mit zunehmender Höhe nimmt der Außendruck in der Atmosphäre ab. Das Traggas einer teilweise gefüllten Hülle dehnt sich daher beim Steigen des Aerostaten aus, bis es die Hülle vollständig ausfüllt, d. h. bis diese prall ist.

Beim Heißluftballon kann sich kein großer Überdruck aufbauen, da er nach unten hin offen ist. Entsprechend gibt es für Heißluftballons keine Prallhöhe.

Sicherheitsventile
Bei weiterem Steigen des Aerostaten ist vorgesehen, Gas entweichen zu lassen, um das Platzen der Hülle durch den ansteigenden Hüllenüberdruck zu vermeiden. Zu diesem Zweck sind an Luftschiffen Sicherheitsventile angebracht, die sich bei zu hohem Überdruck automatisch öffnen und das Gas ausströmen lassen.

Der Gasballon hat kein Sicherheitsventil, sondern einen offenen Füllansatz am tiefsten Punkt des Ballons; man kann diesen offenen Füllansatz auch als Sicherheitsventil mit dem Ansprechdruck "Null" betrachten.

Ein Versagen oder eine unzureichende Funktion der Sicherheitsventile wurde 1910 für den Absturz des Luftschiffs Erbslöh verantwortlich gemacht. Dort war nicht die große Höhe, sondern die aus Sonneneinstrahlung resultierende Erwärmung und damit verbundene Ausdehnung des Traggases die Ursache für den Hüllenüberdruck.

Das sowjetische Luftschiff Pobeda stürzte 1947 wegen des Abwurfs von zu viel Ballast ab: Seine Sicherheitsventile konnten dem durch den raschen Aufstieg ebenso rasch erfolgenden Anstieg des Traggasüberdrucks nicht schnell genug entgegenwirken, das Schiff stieg daher zu rasch und weit über seine spezifizierte Prallhöhe, überschritt also auch die erhöhte Prallhöhe für die aktuell reduzierte Gasmenge, was einen Hüllenriss wegen zu großen Überdrucks zur Folge hatte.

Luftschiffe mit Ballonetts
Bei Prallluftschiffen und halbstarren Luftschiffen befinden sich innerhalb der Hülle meist Ballonetts. Diese mit Luft aufgeblasenen Taschen werden verwendet, um Volumenschwankungen des Traggases auszugleichen und einen ungefähr konstanten Hüllenüberdruck zu erhalten, ohne die Menge des Traggases zu ändern. Die Prallhöhe gibt bei ihnen die Höhe an, bei der die Ballonets entleert sind und das Traggas das gesamte Hüllenvolumen einnimmt.

Luftschifffahrttechnik
Ballonfahren


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Airborne JKU Drones Can "Penetrate" Dense Forest
Deep insight by using new Airborne Optical Sectioning (AOS) technology recently developed at the JKU's Institute of Computer Graphics.
Comparison of the photographs of the area at the Dürnberg in Linz
Extensive testing over the past few months revealed that the camera drones are able to focus sharply on a desired object while making the surrounding environment disappear. The process would not only revolutionize archeology, but could also help in the search for missing persons.
Commonly used in microscopy, optical sectioning allows for the optical dissection of small microscopic samples. By using, among other things, large lenses featuring a smaller focal width, the field depth becomes more shallow. The shallow depth of field results in a very clear view of the intended object(s). Objects outside of the focal plane become so blurred that they virtually disappear.
Using Virtual Lenses
By using lenses of up to 100 meters, JKU researchers are now applying this idea on a larger scale above densely wooded areas to make objects in concealed forested areas visible from the air. The lenses, however, are not real. Little by little, a camera drone scans the light signal that would be captured by an actual lens. A computer then assembles the light to create a three-dimensional image. In the final image, the forest area disappears, revealing the hidden object(s).
Successful Test Locating Fortress Ruins
In cooperation with the Upper Austrian Museum, the first field trials were carried out at Dürnberg in Linz. The new technology developed in Linz was successfully used to optically expose the ruins of the Maximilian tower line, a 19th century fortress nestled under the dense forest area and undetectable to the naked eye from the air.
In February of this year, the story of a long-lost Mayan city discovered hidden in the jungles of Guatemala made global headlines. The discovery was made using an aircraft-mounted laser scanner known as LiDAR. The technology developed in Linz, however, has more benefits over LiDAR in that not only are there less costs and effort involved, there resolution is significantly higher and the surface color can be scanned.
Publication in a Renowned Journal
A feature in the renowned Journal of Imaging has now introduced the scientific community to this revolutionary surveying method. By being able to peer through forest density from the air, AOS could also be used in the fields of archeology, forestry and agriculture to potentially study tree and animal populations as well as to inspect trails and pathways, or detect insect infestations.
Video: 3D Visualization , opens an external URL in a new window, opens an external URL in a new window
Video: Optisches Freilegen des JKU-Logos in einem Waldstück , opens an external URL in a new window, opens an external URL in a new window


Our babies, and some of our toddlers, have been exploring our new sensory room. We have had great fun investigating objects, which have included our exciting sensory lights. The children showed great enjoyment experimenting with these light in our new dark den, waving the light sticks and watching the colours change.
We have been creating the elements for our new topical song "Leo the Lion!" Using a variety of craft materials such as yellow and orange tissue paper, string and various materials, we have been decorating a large Lion template and adding it up onto the display. We have been singing our song during song time and loved making a loud ROAR at the end!
The Big Toddler room have been enjoying looking at the story "The Very Hungry Caterpillar". They have been making their own mini caterpillars from egg boxes and different coloured paint. We have also been exploring in the new sensory room, looking at all the different lights and textures.
Preschool have been busy thinking about their environment and how we can help to look after our wildlife. They have worked together to make bird feeders to hang in the garden, which were carefully placed after they went on a walk around the garden to decide on good places to hang them up. Preschool have also been enjoying taking the cooking Ratatouille home and teaching him lots of new recipes to make.


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State of Digital Rights in India (Delhi, March 24)
by Japreet Grewal and Sumandro Chattapadhyay — published Mar 23, 2017 — last modified Mar 27, 2017 01:21 PM — filed under: Privacy, Internet Governance, Civil Society, Security, Digital Rights
The Centre for Communication Governance at National Law University, Delhi and the Internet Freedom Foundation, in association with Access Now, are hosting a discussion on The State of Digital Rights in India on March 24, 2017 (Friday) from 6.00 pm onwards at Lecture Room-I, India International Centre- Annexe, New Delhi. Japreet Grewal and Sumandro Chattapadhyay will participate in the panel discussions.
Located in Internet Governance / News & Media
Civil Society Organisations and Internet Governance in Asia - Open Review
by Sumandro Chattapadhyay — published Aug 19, 2015 — last modified Nov 13, 2015 05:54 AM — filed under: Internet Governance Forum, Research, Internet Histories, Civil Society, Researchers at Work
This is a book section written for the third volume (2000-2010) of the Asia Internet History series edited by Prof. Kilnam Chon. The pre-publication text of the section is being shared here to invite suggestions for addition and modification. Please share your comments via email sent to raw[at]cis-india[dot]org with 'Civil Society Organisations and Internet Governance in Asia - Comments' as the subject line. This text is published under Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license.
Located in RAW
Civil Society Organisations and Internet Governance in India - Open Review
This is a book section written for the third volume (2000-2010) of the Asia Internet History series edited by Prof. Kilnam Chon. The pre-publication text of the section is being shared here to invite suggestions for addition and modification. Please share your comments via email sent to raw[at]cis-india[dot]org with 'Civil Society Organisations and Internet Governance in India - Comments' as the subject line. This text is published under Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license.
Summary Report Internet Governance Forum 2015
by Jyoti Panday — published Nov 23, 2015 — last modified Nov 30, 2015 10:47 AM — filed under: Access to Knowledge, Big Data, Freedom of Speech and Expression, Encryption, Internet Governance Forum, Intermediary Liability, Accountability, Internet Governance, Censorship, Cyber Security, Digital Governance, Anonymity, Civil Society, Blocking
Centre for Internet and Society (CIS), India participated in the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) held at Poeta Ronaldo Cunha Lima Conference Center, Joao Pessoa in Brazil from 10 November 2015 to 13 November 2015. The theme of IGF 2015 was 'Evolution of Internet Governance: Empowering Sustainable Development'. Sunil Abraham, Pranesh Prakash & Jyoti Panday from CIS actively engaged and made substantive contributions to several key issues affecting internet governance at the IGF 2015. The issue-wise detail of their engagement is set out below.
Located in Internet Governance / Blog
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Kusuma Trust supports innovation, new developments in higher education, training and advocacy, all of which have enormous potential to benefit society.
Bengaluru: No. 194, 2nd 'C' Cross, Domlur, 2nd Stage, Bengaluru, 560071. Location on Google Map. 080 4092 6283.
Delhi: First floor, B 1/8, Hauz Khas, near G Block market, take the gate opposite Southy, New Delhi, 110016. Location on Google Map. 011 4050 3285
Please help us defend citizen and user rights on the Internet!
You may donate online via Instamojo. Or, write a cheque in favour of 'The Centre for Internet and Society' and mail it to us at No. 194, 2nd 'C' Cross, Domlur, 2nd Stage, Bengaluru, 560071.
Follow our Works
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Twitter (CIS): @cis_india
Twitter (CIS-A2K): @cisa2k
Request for Collaboration
We invite researchers, practitioners, artists, and theoreticians, both organisationally and as individuals, to engage with us on topics related internet and society, and improve our collective understanding of this field. To discuss such possibilities, please write to Sunil Abraham, Executive Director, at sunil[at]cis-india[dot]org or Sumandro Chattapadhyay, Director, at sumandro[at]cis-india[dot]org, with an indication of the form and the content of the collaboration you might be interested in.
In general, we offer financial support for collaborative/invited works only through public calls.
The Centre for Internet and Society (CIS) is a non-profit organisation that undertakes interdisciplinary research on internet and digital technologies from policy and academic perspectives. The areas of focus include digital accessibility for persons with disabilities, access to knowledge, intellectual property rights, openness (including open data, free and open source software, open standards, open access, open educational resources, and open video), internet governance, telecommunication reform, digital privacy, and cyber-security. The research at CIS seeks to understand the reconfiguration of social processes and structures through the internet and digital media technologies, and vice versa.
Through its diverse initiatives, CIS explores, intervenes in, and advances contemporary discourse and regulatory practices around internet, technology, and society in India, and elsewhere.
Organisational Policies
Copyright respective authors. Unless otherwise specified, content is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) licence.
Centre for Internet and Society, 194, Second 'C' Cross, Domlur 2nd Stage, Bangalore, Karnataka, India – 560071. Ph: +91 80 4092 6283 Fax: +91 80 2535 0955 (Map)


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Shang-Chi Has MCU's Highest-Ever Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Marvel Cinematic Universe is no stranger to critical acclaim, with none of the franchise's movies having scored lower than 66% on Rotten Tomatoes. This is, no doubt, a phenomenal achievement considering that the superhero saga is now 25 installments deep. Looking at the numbers, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is already being lauded as one of the best ever, despite only hitting theaters last Friday.
At the time of writing, Destin Daniel Cretton's comic book blockbuster holds a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 93% (tied with Thor: Ragnarok), behind only Black Panther, Avengers: Endgame, and Iron Man. However, audiences have deemed it worthy of 98%, placing Shang-Chi at the head of the pack.
While Rotten Tomatoes scores often dip over time, it's still another feather in Shang-Chi's cap for now. Spider-Man: Far From Home held the previous high at 95%, with Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy on 92%. When considering a record-breaking opening weekend at the box office, star Simu Liu had every right to mock his detractors using one of his own stock photos.
Having been confirmed as the MCU's newest Avenger, the good news just keeps on coming for the latest marquee name to debut in the world's most popular film and television franchise, with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings riding a wave of commercial success and adulation from fans and critics.
Netflix's Spooky New Show Is Almost at 100% On Rotten Tomatoes
Netflix's creepy new show is now closing in on 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, and it's


Gary Cahill is due to undergo a medical at Chelsea on Saturday with a view to completing his move from Bolton over the weekend, Press Association Sport understands.
The England defender was in London overnight and looks set to end two weeks of uncertainty over his future by joining the Blues.
It is more than a fortnight since Bolton accepted a £7million bid from Chelsea for their prize asset, whose contract expires at the end of the season.
Negotiations initially looked to have hit a snag when Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas revealed club and player were "miles apart" in terms of Cahill's salary.
Reports suggested Cahill was looking for £100,000 a week, with Chelsea hoping to settle for something closer to £70,000.
The club are looking to reduce their overall wage bill due to the Financial Fair Play regulations but the two parties now appear to have come to a satisfactory conclusion.
Speaking on Friday, Villas-Boas appeared confident of a positive outcome "this week" and refused to criticise Cahill or his representatives for the delay.
"It's part of negotiation," Villas-Boas said. "I'm sure all parties are protecting their interests and we'll reach an agreement."
Cahill, 26, would be Villas-Boas' first January signing, bolstering the problematic central defensive area.
QPR target Alex is out of favour and has not been considered for first-team action since being made available for transfer and Branislav Ivanovic has been injured, while both David Luiz and John Terry have been short of their best this season.


The Independent Civil Society Mission to Libya was established by the Arab Organization for Human Rights (AOHR),1 in cooperation with the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR),2 who provided additional expertise and professional experience. The International Legal Assistance Consortium (ILAC)3 subsequently joined the mission, providing further international expertise and insight. The Mission was established in response to allegations of widespread violations of international law, including international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and international criminal law, committed in Libya since 15 February 2011, and in light of the State's current transition away from authoritarian rule.


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SAM Mini Mobile Museum: 'May Tainga ang Lupa (The Land has Ears)' by Rodel Tapaya
3 Apr – 4 Aug 2019
Tampines, Woodlands and Jurong Regional Libraries
SAM Mini Mobile Museum is a travelling art exhibition held in partnership with the National Library Board.
The Mini Mobile Museum introduces the multifaceted nature of contemporary art through a selection of SAM's permanent collection artworks, adapted for non-museum spaces and created by Southeast Asian artists. Featuring art forms like drawing, installation, sound and video, the Mini Mobile Museum invites the viewer to an intimate experience of the commissioned artwork within a public space. Every exhibition will be accompanied by self-guided activities for families.
On view: May Tainga ang Lupa (The Land has Ears) by Filipino artist Rodel Tapaya
The Land has Ears harnesses the rich mythology of the Philippines, capturing the fables, folklore and legends of the many indigenous groups that once existed across the archipelago. Alive with colourful characters such as spirits and monsters, such tales of bravery, deception and wit stirred the imagination and entertained. Transmitted orally – often told by an elder to a child – many of these stories were forgotten during the Philippines' many years of western colonial rule.
The work unfolds across the seven themes of Land, Water, Fire, Plants, Animals, the Human and Spirit World. Tapaya brings these tales of yore into the current-day by weaving in contemporary issues such as environmental damage, urban poverty, pollution and land scarcity.
In the artist's words, "Stories of myths and folktales are our ancestors' way of understanding the world. The work hopes to illuminate these stories of the past and find inspiration and understanding of the world in the present times."
Rodel Tapaya's commission for SAM Mini Mobile Museum responds to a suite of four dioramas created by Tapaya in 2009, that are currently in SAM's permanent collection. They are: Pedro and the Witch, The Hunter of Pinamaloy, Origin of Grain and The Wise Monkey and the Foolish Giant.
Mini Mobile Museum Rodel Tapaya
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Home Economy PHL AirAsia sees tourism starting to recover as flights resume to key...
PHL AirAsia sees tourism starting to recover as flights resume to key destinations
November 4, 2021 | 9:17 pm
PHILIPPINES AIRASIA, Inc. said Thursday that the return of more destinations to its network has been driven by their opening for leisure travel, signaling the beginnings of a "recovery" for the tourism industry.
"Aside from Caticlan (Boracay), Bohol and Cebu, leisure travelers may now also fly to Puerto Princesa, Iloilo Province, Bacolod, Davao and Tacloban to enjoy their much missed getaways," Philippines AirAsia said in a statement.
Such destinations now only require vaccination cards in lieu of a coronavirus test or a medical certificate.
"Reopening of leisure travel for most parts of the country signals recovery for the tourism industry," the low-cost airline said.
It also said that the easing of restrictions provides a "welcome boost to end the year on an encouraging note."
In its analysis published on Oct. 19, the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation said, citing International Air Transport Association projections for next year, that "'Within-Asia' traffic… is forecast to be still nearly 90% below 2019 levels for the full year 2022."
"Before the coronavirus pandemic, the Asia Pacific region accounted for about a third of global RPKs (revenue passenger kilometers). But in 2022, the region will now remain approximately three-quarters below Europe and North America," it added.
AirAsia said it logged a 50% increase in seats sold in October.
Load factor for the same month also grew 76%, with Boracay, Cebu, Tacloban, Bohol and Iloilo as the leading destinations.
"The spike in forward bookings is also seen to increase further with the recent decision of the Department of Tourism's to fully subsidize the RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) test for qualified local tourists," the airline said.
The airline said last month that it was hoping to rehire laid-off workers in the Philippines by the second quarter of 2022.
The airline also plans to reopen some of its regional routes, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Malaysia. — Arjay L. Balinbin
6 deals signed during Duterte-Xi's 8th meeting
PLDT, Smart say spam text messages target WhatsApp users
PAL Holdings names new president
JoyRide motorcycle riders in quandary amid health crisis
NLEX Corp. to start northbound upgrade of Candaba Viaduct in Feb.


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There are a few things you will want to consider when looking at various life insurance quotes in Madelia, MN. We hope that this article will allow you to make the best decision when providing for your family after you are gone. It is the last act you can do that will allow them to live the life they have become accustomed to.
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Q: How to add a string in string.xml using Java code, in Android? I have created two EditText objects in the Java code of My android application, as
final EditText et1=(EditText)findViewById(R.id.editText1);
final EditText et2=(EditText)findViewById(R.id.editText2);

then on the onClick() event of a button, called a method with parameters as-
addStringToXmlFile(et1.getText(),et2.getText());

now in the definition of this method below, i have written-
private void addStringToXmlFile(Editable editable1,Editable editable2){
        String s1=new String();
        s1=editable1.toString();

        String s2=new String();
        s2=editable2.toString();
}

The problem is that, now i want to use these two String objects s1,s2, to make two entries in the res/values/Strings.xml file of the database, & I don't know how to do it.
please guide me further.

A: This is not possible - an app's apk (including it's resources) can not be changed at runtime. I'm not entirely sure of all of the reasons why, but one obvious thing I can think of is that R.java needs to contain a reference to your String in order for you to access it, and this file is generated by the compiler when you create the APK.
If you need to persist a String across sessions, you should look into using one of several data storage mechanisms that Android provides, such as SharedPreferences.

A: Take a look into using SharedPreferences to store your string values instead.
//Saving your strings
SharedPreferences prefs = this.getSharedPreferences("myPrefsKey", Context.MODE_PRIVATE);
Editor editor = prefs.edit();
editor.putString("s1", s1);
editor.putString("s2", s2);
editor.commit();

//retrieving your strings from preferences
SharedPreferences prefs = this.getSharedPreferences("myPrefsKey", Context.MODE_PRIVATE);
String s1 = prefs.getString("s1", ""); //empty string is the default value
String s2 = prefs.getString("s2", ""); //empty string is the default value


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2012 Presidential Election in the United States of America
webadmin April 18, 2012 Comments Off on 2012 Presidential Election in the United States of America
2012 Presidential Election in the United States of America:
Six Republican Candidates in Primary race
BY JEAN JACQUES BOSCO, FORMER TV JOURNALIST
Although people from some countries criticize American politics, especially in regard to foreign policies of dominating other nations, embarking on unjustified wars, and policing the international community, the United States of America has cemented a solid foundation of democracy in the upcoming presidential election. This aspect of democracy in choosing the 2012 national leader has proven its fairness in the presidential candidates¡¯ competition.
The 2012 American presidential election is again on board and six Republican candidates have begun their political campaigns. We now know that 55 year old State congresswoman Michele Bachmann from Minnesota wants to be the first American female president.? The retired African American businessman Cain Herman, who is now 60 years old and from Georgia, would like to be the next Republican Obama in the White House. ?Also, we have Gingrich Newton, the former Speaker of the U.S.A House of Representatives from 1995- 98, who is running for the Presidential Palace, and he is 68 years while the 64 year old man, Mitt Romney, is also running for president. His father George Romney was a Republican nominee who was defeated by Richard Nixon in 1968.
Furthermore, there is also Rick Sontorum, the son of Aldo, an Immigrant from Italy who dreamed of the White House for the past 53 years, before running his campaign. Finally, Paul Ron is 77 years old, and not only is he a Republican Congressman but also when he was a medical doctor, he delivered 4,000 babies.
All these Republican candidates are married, have more than one child and have grandchildren, which goes with the conservative values of the United States of America. They want to overthrow the African American President Barack Hussein Obama. According to a CNN survey, President Obama has the lowest American approval rating of 36% after President George W. Bush, due to the employment crisis.
It is clear that since July 4, 1776, the United States of America has cemented an unshakable democracy, and that all of these candidates hope to be the next 45th president of the United States, regardless of his or her background.
Viva Democracy!


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What Is Sri Lanka Most Famous For?
Famous for its stunning natural wonders, Sri Lanka is one of South Asia's best-undiscovered travel destinations. With eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the small island, there is plenty to do as travelers can visit ancient sites and temples.
Once locked in a devastating civil war, the country has worked hard since then to build up its tourism industry. Boasting alluring beaches, abundant wildlife, and big surf, it doesn't take a lot of convincing to want to visit. With a unique culture that doesn't quite match that of India or Asia, Sri Lanka is a place that holds the key to its own identity.
සාදරයෙන් පිළිගනිමු – Welcome to Sri Lanka!
Sigiriya in Sri Lanka. Photo: dronepicr
Unlike most countries in the world, Sri Lanka technically has two capitals. Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is the official capital of the country, but it is located within the other capital, Colombo. Rather, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is a suburb of Colombo and acts as the administrative capital.
Colombo acts as the economic and legislative capital of Sri Lanka. The split of the two capitals was devised so that there would be less congestion in the city and so that one area wouldn't take the stress of large congregations of people. Most tourists want to visit the large capital area of Colombo to view the historic architecture mixed with modernity.
Sri Lanka flag. Photo: The Clear Communication People
Sri Lanka History
Sri Lanka struggled with its own civil war from 1983-2009 and has had a long history with various periods of colonization. The country's pre-history began with evidence of human life on the island as far back as 35,000 years ago. Since then, ancient kingdoms have ruled over the area before the Portuguese and Dutch claimed the area.
The Portuguese were the first to colonize Sri Lanka in the 16th century before the Dutch took over control in the 17th century. However, it wasn't until the 19th century that the British took control. Under British rule, a caste system and democracy were introduced.
For the British during World War II, Sri Lanka was an important geographical point for them to hold off the Japanese. After the war, Ceylon (the country's old name) became independent in 1948.
President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka. Photo: Mahinda Rajapaksa
However, it would take a further 24 years before the country officially became a Democratic Socialist Republic. Now, the government and cabinet operate out of the first capital, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.
The country has also gone through recent hardship as the Sri Lankan government worked to defeat the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who wanted their own independent state.
This recent war divided the upper northern area from the rest of the country and caused mass causalities. With such a devastating history ending so recently, it's still a sensitive subject for most people and one that visitors should refrain from discussing.
It's better to be sensitive towards the past; Sri Lankan people have overcome a difficult history and kept a smile on their faces. With happy attitudes, people in Sri Lanka are very friendly toward visitors and are always eager to lend a helping hand.
Sinhala alphabet-Sri Lanka. Photo: sharyn morrow
In fact, aside from the natural beauty of the landscape, Sri Lankan people help drive up tourism in their country as word spreads and the great experiences travelers have in Sri Lanka with the local people.
English is spoken by a small percentage of the population; visitors should expect to have to communicate through gestures more often than not. Only about 23% of the population speak English. Instead, the two official languages of Sri Lanka are Sinhala and Tamil.
Sinhalese people are the largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka, while Tamil is still popular due to immigrants from India. You will most likely hear Sinhala spoken as 75% of the country's 22.16 million population (as of 2021) are native speakers.
Sri Lankan rupee. Photo: Paul
It's important that you consider your spending budget for the duration of your stay in Sri Lanka before traveling. Due to the island's smaller size, it's relatively affordable to travel around Sri Lanka. The most important parts of your budget will be airfare, accommodation, food, drink, and transportation.
Sri Lanka is far away from the United States, which makes for long travel and expensive ticket prices. Most tickets will start at around one thousand dollars and will increase or decrease depending on various factors.
The time of year that you fly will also change the price. The tourist high season in Sri Lanka runs from December to May, with August also being a peak travel month. It is during these months that travel will be more expensive due to the increase in demand.
Sri Lankan Airlines. Photo: Dennis Sylvester Hurd
However, the longer you wait to buy a ticket can also make it more expensive. So, don't sit and wait around because you usually won't find a better price if you wait too long.
Plane tickets are always the number one cost on your budget because you need to get to your destination. The next most important consideration is your accommodation while you are in the country.
The good news is that hostels are extremely affordable in Sri Lanka. Whether you're looking for a dorm or a private one, you'll have plenty of options.
Mount Lavinia Hotel in Sri Lanka. Photo: dronepicr
If hostels are not your preferred accommodation, you can also choose to stay at a guest house or a nice hotel. There are plenty of mid-range options for those looking to spend a bit more as well as luxury locations. Keep in mind that luxury comes with a price tag to match.
Once you've decided on where to stay, another portion of your budget will have to go to food and drink. Sri Lanka is known for its street food and for having a mix of cultures that influences its dishes and flavors.
Local fruit like coconut and jackfruit is used in many dishes, while the island lifestyle also means that seafood is abundant.
Sri Lankan food. Photo: Charlie Marchant
Some of the dishes that people love in Sri Lanka are fish ambul thiyal, which is a sour fish curry that is often served with rice. Kottu roti is the country's take on a hamburger with which the buns are made of crispy bread.
Chicken curry is another staple that has strong spices like fennel and cardamom to add a kick of flavor. Appa is a Sri Lankan pancake that can be made to be either sweet or savory.
The good news for budget travelers is that you can eat like a royal without spending a lot of money. Most street food dishes in Sri Lanka cost only a few dollars.
Sri Lanka beer. Photo: Rainer Lott / Stefanie Esch
If you grow tired of street food or just want to try something new, some restaurants are also affordable. Moreover, a really nice restaurant or something that is more tourist still won't break the bank.
For travelers who would also like to head out and enjoy the nightlife, drinks are mostly affordable. Bottles can be bought for minimal, while some places may have more Western prices if they are in touristy areas. For cocktails in big tourist spots, you should expect to pay more per drink.
It is also a nice gesture to give hotel attendants and servers a small tip. Tipping is important to Sri Lankan culture, and most people will leave about a 10% tip.
Sri Lanka bus. Photo: Jonybraker
Sri Lanka is a relatively small island, which means that it is easy to travel because the distances between tourist destinations are rather short. Even though the country is small, it can still be a frustrating experience traveling in Sri Lanka.
The roads are often in rough condition, which also means that it takes a lot of time to travel. The domestic flight system is also almost non-existent, which means that you will have to travel on the ground.
Buses and trains are the best way to get around Sri Lanka by using public transportation. Although slow, buses can be a cost-effective way to get around.
A faster way to travel that is more popular and still affordable is to take a train. Trains are extremely affordable with tourist cars being more expensive. First class is the nicest way to travel, while second class is a good way to save a few dollars and still avoid the overcrowding of third class.
Sri Lanka train. Photo: G.S. Matthews
Some people choose to hire a private car and driver for their time in the country. This is a more expensive way to travel as you must pay a daily cost that's somewhat high. Larger groups would require a van, coming with a hefty fee. However, with the increase in price, you get the convenience of reliable and safe travel.
Most people choose not to rent their own car because it is a hassle. In Sri Lanka, you need to have a special driver's license approved before you are allowed to drive in the country. Most tourists do not want to take the time to obtain a Sri Lankan driver's license and would rather pay for a private car and driver.
Rickshaw Run in Sri Lanka. Photo: The Adventurists
For getting around a city, tuk-tuks and taxis are the way to go. Also called rickshaws, this is an affordable way to travel. Finally, in many tourist areas, it is safe to walk around. Walking is a great way to experience the local lifestyle and save money.
However, as with any destination in the world, you should always be aware of your surroundings and keep your belongings close by.
While most people will fly into Colombo and visit the capital, there are plenty of other exciting cities in Sri Lanka. Boasting beaches, temples, and stunning scenery, there are numerous other locations to venture to during your stay. Here is a brief overview of the top city destinations in Sri Lanka.
Colombo in Sri Lanka. Photo: Sergei Gussev
Colombo has rapidly grown to become the center of the country's hustle and bustle, as it holds both a political capital district and a commercial hub. There are now modern buildings like skyscrapers, and colonial architecture still stands.
The unique blend makes Colombo so attractive to tourists. With plenty to do, you can easily spend your time dining at restaurants, learning at museums, shopping for gifts, and exploring clubs.
Kandy Esala Day Perahera in Sri Lanka. Photo: Denish C
Once the capital of Sri Lanka in the days of ancient empires, Kandy is still filled with ancient relics and colonial-era architecture. The ornate buildings are supported by colorful houses, which makes the area beautiful and stunning.
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth is one of the most important sites for Buddhism in the world, and it dates back to the 16th century. Every year, the Esala Perahera also draws in tourists who wish to experience the local culture.
A lighthouse in Galle, Sri Lanka. Photo: Francisco Anzola
Located on the Southwest Coast, Galle is a seaside town lined with mosques, colonial mansions, museums, and an old fort that is crumbling to shambles. The area is one of the country's most important because it displays so many different periods of time.
Amongst the historical sites, you can also peruse the cafes, boutiques, and galleries for a fun day.
Fishermen & their boat, at sunset in Negombo. Photo: e y e / s e e
Once a battlefield for the British, Dutch, and Portuguese who wanted control of the nearby plantations, Negombo is famous for its canals, fort, and beaches. The tropical climate is a warm welcome to tourists, and the nearby location in Colombo makes for a perfect day trip out of the capital.
Hikkaduwa beach in Sri Lanka. Photo: Iris Liu
For water sports adventurists, Hikkaduwa is known for having great waves for surfing and diving. The area has become more touristy in recent years and is home to one of the country's best maritime parks. With a peaceful vibe, tourists are eager to relax and then energize for a day of adventure.
Ella, Sri Lanka. Photo: Charlie Marchant
Ella is located in the popular Hill Country that has recently seen a mega boom in tourism. But the area was made famous for the tea plantations, though most tourists are now eager to simply explore the nearby temples.
Ella Rock is a great vantage point to view the valley, and you can stop by one of the temples to connect with your inner spirituality.
Tricomalee beach, Sri Lanka. Photo: Dhammika Heenpella
Trincomalee is a diverse area where you can see history come to life in the temples, Fort Fredrick, and cliffside waterfront. The area was once of great importance for the colonial empires, but now it has become a mega tourist hotspot. The natural harbor and bay also add to the stunning beauty and lead to a stunning shoreline.
While most people will go to the cities to explore, there are also plenty of points of interest that can satisfy your hunger for adventure. Whether you're looking to spend time in nature, take in the country's sites, or partake in a festival, there's plenty to do and see while visiting.
Here are some of the top activities and locations in Sri Lanka.
Nine Arch Bridge
Nine Arch Bridge in Ella. Photo: Dennis Binzen
Located just outside of Ella, the Nine Arch Bridge gives you the best view of the area and its tea fields. You can't go on the bridge, you can go to a nearby lookout and watch as trains pass along the Demodara Loop. The bridge is most famous for being constructed without the use of steel and has several gorgeous arches.
Mihintale
A panoramic view of Mihintale in Sri Lanka. Photo: Arnaud Loiseau
Mihintale is important to Sri Lanka because it is said to be the place where Buddhism was introduced to the country by a monk named Mahinda. The monk met with King Devanampiyatissa, and together they brought the Buddhist religion to the people. Here, the large rock is a pilgrimage for people who climb to the top.
Kataragama Festival
Kataragama Festival, Sri Lanka. Photo: Denish C
Every year in July or August, there are two weeks of celebration dedicated to the Hindu gods. The celebration has elephants, performers, musicians, acrobats, and firebreathers as the main attractions.
But you don't have to be Hindu to take part in the Kataragama Festival, and many people from all over the world join in the celebrations.
Udawalawe National Park
Elephant at Udawalawe National Park, Sri Lanka. Photo: Kirk Siang
Udawalawe National Park is the place to go if you want to see the elephants. Here, visitors are blessed with frequent elephant sightings, which also makes it the most popular park in the country.
Elephants aren't all, and you may also catch a glimpse of water buffalo, crocodiles, monkeys, and peacocks. A large mountain range standing as the dramatic backdrop, it is also a great place for photographers.
Yala National Park
Yala National Park in Sri Lanka. Photo: Gaurika Wijeratne
While elephants are famous in Udawalawe National Park, in Yala, the leopards rule. It is here that your chances of seeing a leopard are high and the main attraction. However, like Udawalawe, they aren't the only animals.
You can also catch a glimpse of elephants, crocodiles, and sloth bears, all of which are protected in the area. A visitor center is also a great place to find information about the area.
Sigiriya Rock Fort
Sigiriya, Sri Lanka. Photo: dronepicr
The Sigiriya Rock Fort is one of the most impressive sights in Sri Lanka because it sits on a flat plateau, 200 meters above the ground. With steep stairs that lead up to the fort, you can climb to get a view inside its walls and of the surrounding area.
There are also ancient relics within the fort that hint at a time long forgotten.
"Pearl of the Indian Ocean"
Thuparama dagoba in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. Photo: Jonybraker
Sri Lanka is like a rare gem that only some travelers will experience. But for those who do, they get to escape to a pristine landscape that is still relatively untouched. For this reason, many people are flocking to Sri Lanka now to experience its authenticity before it gets even more crowded.
Visit Sri Lanka's official tourism website.
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The Manitoba RCMP is seeking the public's help to uncover more information about a 12-year-old homicide case.
Crystal Shannon Saunders was last seen in the late evening hours of April 18, 2007 in Winnipeg's West End, but her body was discovered the following day near St. Ambroise.
Saunders was 24 years old at the time of her death.
Project Devote, Manitoba's task force for missing and murdered exploited persons, is looking into Saunders' case with hopes they'll be able to learn more about what happened to her.
"This week marks 12 years since Crystal was murdered and investigators are asking anyone who may have seen Crystal the evening of her disappearance in Winnipeg, or recalls seeing something concerning or out place near the community of St. Ambroise, to contact Project Devote," said Cpl. Julie Courchaine of the Manitoba RCMP in a news release.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Project Devote at 1-888-673-3316 or Manitoba Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).


Okay, while I'm wrestling with phpBB and trying to get a set of forums up, I've taken down the design ideas previously posted (as Slopey pointed out, its probably much better to put those in a less public place, and insist on registration before they can be read). I'm also going to put a wiki site up somewhere here as well, so it can be used for internal documentation and development stuff.
What do you mean, I'm just playing with all these new web-toys? Shame on you. Legitimate development work, of course it is.
This entry was posted	on Friday, April 29th, 2005 at 10:47 am	and is filed under Tales from the grind-stone. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.


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Covid 19 Regulations & Safety
FOOD TOUR & CULTURE
CHRISTMAS IN SALZBURG
Michaela M
The Mighty Fortress Hohensalzburg: A Symbol of Medieval Power in Austria
The Hohensalzburg Fortress is Salzburg's most prominent structure and top tourist destination. The biggest and best-preserved of its sort in Central Europe, the imposing 900-year-old clifftop fortress over the Baroque city centre's roofs.
Hohensalzburg is a place where you can easily spend a half-day seeing the interiors, going through the different museums, and taking in the spectacular views of the city. Pick a bright day, get there early to avoid the crowds, and don't forget your camera or mobile phone for some memorable photos to make the most of your experience. During his time the Archdiocese of Salzburg became very powerful and prosperous due to the salt trade, and silver and gold mining.
History of Fortress Hohensalzburg
The fortress was constructed in 1077 by Archbishop Gebhard I to demonstrate the strength of the Catholic Church and defend the principality. The first plan was for merely a straightforward center structure within a wooden-walled courtyard. Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach developed the basic structure of the Fortress Hohensalzburg into what it is now between 1495 and 1519. The extension of the defenses of the fortress made Hohensalzburg one of the biggest strongholds in all of Europe. The beautiful state apartments in the fortress are outstanding examples of secular Late Gothic architecture.
Exploring The Fortress
The 8-acre Hohensalzburg complex consists of several wings and a courtyard. Turn right as you emerge from the funicular to reach the observation terrace. You can now see the Prince's rooms if you purchased an all-inclusive ticket. The Golden Chamber, with its breathtaking Gothic wood carvings and seats along the walls covered with grapes, greenery, and animals, is the most gorgeous chamber. The Golden Hall boasts a gold-studded ceiling that resembles a starry sky and was formerly the site of opulent feasts. The Archbishop's bed-chamber even includes his own water closet and a secret staircase.
In addition, several museums are accessible with your ticket:
Fortress Hohensalzburg Museums
Going to the Museums is one of the best things to do In Salzburg, read what you can do when going to Fortress Hohensalzburg.
Prince's chambers & Magic Theater - One of the attractions of any trip is to explore the enigmatic Prince's Chambers of the fortress Hohensalzburg. Learn about the fascinating history of Salzburg's rulers and subjects while exploring some of Europe's best-preserved secular Gothic structures. Your visit will be one to remember thanks to the multimedia exhibit and the new magic theatre. The Armory - The fortress canons, weapons, and equipment were originally stored in the armory. It is one of four armies that have been employed over the course of the fortress's history. A contemporary exhibition space was created in the castle courtyard's main armory in 2019. Since then, tourists have benefited from the chance to see a bygone era of armament, explosive gunpowder, intricate fortress architecture, and shot and cannonball factories. The Panorama Tour - A real visual treat is the new Panorama Tour at Fortress Hohensalzburg. Enjoy stunning vistas of Salzburg's cityscape as well as artistic insights into the fortress's and town's past. Learn about stories and special items like the Salzburg Bull. Watch as the light dances across the golden musical instruments, wrought iron, and rock salt. The historical and cultural backdrop of each room's core element is used to convey the story of that space. The castle museum- Selected exhibits from the medieval holdings of the Salzburg Museum are on display in the Castle Museum, along with substantial audiovisual displays, to provide insights into the history of Salzburg and the purpose of the fortress. Twelve rooms are included in the tour, which is organized into categories that emphasize various facets of the Middle Ages while spotlighting Salzburg's art, culture, and history through specific people and occasions. The Rainer Regiment Museum- In order to preserve the legacy of the old Salzburg house regiment, the imperial and royal infantry regiment "Archduke Rainer," no. 59, the Rainer museum has been located in Hohensalzburg Castle since 1924. Its beginnings can be traced back to 1682. Innviertel and Hausruckviertel in Upper Austria were given to the regiment as recruitment districts after the Duchy of Salzburg was ultimately ruled by Austria in 1816. The Puppet Museum- Discover the fascinating world of puppets, numerous artifacts from the renowned Salzburg puppet theatre in Schwarzstraße can be found in this museum. Try your hand at puppeteering to learn more about the origins of this unusual art form.
The Hohensalzburg Castle is situated 653 feet above the city's historic center on the Festungsberg. Starting at Festungsgasse, it is a steep 15-minute walk or a one-minute trip up in a glass funicular. Go early in the morning or late in the day to avoid large lines. It is possible to bypass the line if you have a Salzburg Card ( available at the Information offices).
In the summer, the stronghold is open from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; the rest of the year, it is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at the cash registers, although booking online is more affordable. Depending on what you want to see and when you buy your ticket, there are many ticket categories. The ticket costs may fluctuate every year as per government policies.


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News Forums Activity
Gaga: "I ran away from Stefani & put on a superhero cape called Lady Gaga"
Started December 2, 2018 by dit in News and Events
Ronlop 5,140
2 minutes ago, OG Gaga Stan said:
I'm judging the quality of her output. I'm judging her for her lack of ambition musically, her lack of intellectualism, her embracing what she used to mock. I'm a part of the public and she's trying to sell me something. We all have the right to judge her work. I'm not "putting her in a box" when I say that I want something ambitious or intelligent from her. I'm saying that she should work to improve. I'm asking for growth rather than imposing a limitation. The fact that I don't expect work at that level is exactly the problem.
Well you can be disappointed by the quality of her output as I said but from there to criticize the way she chooses to live her life because it mocks some senetence she said in 2009 about Hollywood and celebrities... That's more than judging the quality of her output, to me. People change and so does Gaga.
If you would've seen so much lack of ambition musically and lack of intellectualism and you're still here, that means there is something that still pulls you in.
I am also not quite a fan of her recent career moves because they are not interesting or highly enetertaining to me but I know that when given the right project, she could make something incredible again. And I don't need her to live a artsty lifestyle in New York because you deem is better for her or wear a meat dress for that. Because I just want the actual work itself to blow me away.
Didymus 29,446
embrace the Æon
6 minutes ago, LaLa said:
But for some people the artist herself, and her inner life, are just as important as the art. For myself, I'd even go so far to say that the Gaga as a person is more important to me than anything she could produce.
I care if she is happy and healthy, and if that means riding her horse to Starbucks or whatever then so be it.
But don't you think that's just because we're culturally stimulated to care more about rich people than ourselves? Isn't that the whole celebrity cult thing that Gaga herself made fun of in one of her first interviews? She asked: "why do we care?" I still ask that question. It's important.
Anyway, I do really appreciate your reply, and I do agree with your final conclusion: we probably are never gonna reach a conclusion. But I do think we can stimulate each other to think in more nuanced ways. I definitely need to be reminded once in a while that at the end of the day Gaga is a person and she doesn't owe me ****. On the other hand, I also think some people need to be reminded that they might make constant excuses for a woman who doesn't care about them at all, and is mainly interested in all of your money Like, is it really healthy to sustain this fake relationship with a celebrity you're never going to meet? Is it laudable for Gaga to keep such a thing going? It feels almost abusive to me...
Monster2015 1,008
I mean I love Gaga so much but sometimes her "speeches" or "sentimental segments" can come off as contradicting and sometimes questions her intentions. For example, all of her speeches before her tributes. Like I feel like it's just a way to heighten the emotion in the moment but the authenticity of what she's saying is questionable.
HighwayFantasy 1,181
This is the very first moment in all my stan-years since just dance that I can't handle her anymore. Oh my goodness she is just to extra and dramatic for me now. Ever since the premiere of ASIB she is just pulling of the most ridiculous quotes and looks just to fake for me at this point. I am glad when Enigma starts and she just can be the popstar again instead of this drama era. I mean, its a freaking MOVIE gaga, not the end of the world. There, I said it
Edited December 2, 2018 by HighwayFantasy
2 minutes ago, Didymus said:
On the other hand, I also think some people need to be reminded that they might make constant excuses for a woman who doesn't care about them at all, and is mainly interested in all of your money Like, is it really healthy to sustain this fake relationship with a celebrity you're never going to meet? Is it laudable for Gaga to keep such a thing going? It feels almost abusive to me...
I understand why some are disappointed. Who she was is not who she is now.
But it's not that black or white sdkjfs You're taking this a little bit too seriously, in my opinion.
You are giving her the same criticism a prime minister would get for "betraying his country". It's just pop music and she's just an entertainer. She doesn't owe you ****. Period
And it's not unhealthy (lets exaggerate it more shall we) to have this "fake" relationship because it doesn't do anyone any harm. Disappointed fans can leave anytime and Gaga is not awfully fake to her entire existence on this planet.
Like Gaga once said: "It's just pop music. Not brain surgery". Everything is FINE. You can be disappointed and leave and it'll be okay. And you can stick here to watch more from her hoping for something to blow you away which is also fine.
It's not abusive and it's not anything unhealthy. Please don't make this what it's not skjdf
Bae 2,428
She's so confusing but it's not surprising since she's already admitted to having identity issues.
Let's take you to Chanel cuz' you look like hell.
LaLa 7,849
my heart can beat with bricks and strings
These are very valid points, and I definitely don't mean to say we shouldn't have these discussions. Just that we shouldn't really expect to change anyone's mind, lol.
For me, there are lots of people I am a 'fan' of, which is to say a 'fan of their work', where I know next to nothing about them personally, nor do I care. I really do get where you're coming from.
I'm sure it's my own personal **** that makes me feel this way about Gaga, of course, it is, but I also think that's perfectly fine. I truly don't expect anything from her. I actually don't want her to live or die by her fans, that isn't healthy for anyone.
But she brings joy to my life, and I'm not going to worry too much about the why of it. This world is shitty, and we all need an outlet.
8 minutes ago, Ronlop said:
You quoted from a post where I wrote this:
"I definitely need to be reminded once in a while that at the end of the day Gaga is a person and she doesn't owe me ****."
So, yeah. I know.
And it's not unhealthy (lets exaggerate it more shall we) to have this "fake" relationship because it doesn't do anyone any harm.
I don't know... does caring about a celebrity's happiness more than your own no harm? (that's what I was talking about, not being a fan in general, Jesus...) I'm not so easily convinced. I've seen plenty of fans here throughout the years who have spent more money on Gaga's career than on their own.
Pop music thrives on people signing their lives and time away to create better circumstances for someone they idolize but never even get to meet or talk to. I don't understand how you can so quickly argue that there is nothing inherently wrong with that.
giskardsb 11,497
Gaga Apologist
On mobile not gonna quote but @Didymus you say the Fame was a huge artistic thing but you must be looking beyond the music because nothing musically wa groundbreaking. Some good stuff but dance pop all the same. I would argue that BTW is much more groundbreaking musically.
Let's be honest, where was "Gaga" before lady starlight and LES? Nowhere. Gaga clearly was a piece of performance art, but still and extension of who she wanted to be. She may revisit that, or may not. I hope she does. However, I find it annoying how many fans discount the art in excellent vocal interpretation.
It's like while many couldn't see Stefani underneath the glitz, many of you can't see Gaga without it.
But she brings joy to my life, and I'm not going to worry too much about the why of it. This world is shitty, and we all need an outlet.
Well, all the best of luck to you
As much as I like to overanalyze and criticize her, Gaga still remains a source of joy for me as well. I still feel empowered and inspired by her early work, and I absolutely love ASIB and her music for and performance in it. Still plenty of good stuff for me to stick around.
And I do totally get where you're coming from as well. When Gaga succeeds in something I also still feel like it's somehow my achievement too, or something, you know that feeling? I'm sure you do. There's nothing essentially bad about that, I guess. But it can go to extremes, just like my cynicism can. I actually like that there's many people from different backgrounds and perspectives here, we can keep an eye on each other. I've met some amazing people here and that's also because of her, kind of
truthteller 1,473
i'm pretty sure she forgot to put her pants on before debuting Gaga.
Jamie 416
Crying and making every speech / event about her life and her mental health seems very egocentric To me.
Even the way she praises Bradley makes me unconfortable : she always makes it about her and gives the impression that she couldnt manage To be fully herself without the MAN that Bradley is. What kind of message is that ? A woman needs a man to be strong ? To be respectable ? What kind of reverse empowerment experience is that ?
And what makes me sad, Weirdly, is that it looks like she is apologizing for her past career. Being the most powerfull and polarizing female popstar of the world was not acceptable and it seems like her new real, fragile, victim self is her apologie To the world, her redemption.
i don't think the pity strategy is going to pay off... it is a personnal opinion, but I feel like she will never incarn a modern figure anymore, she embodies concervatives values without realising it ( at least I hope so ). This radical change of direction is what is making me slowly turn my back on her.
PARDON my english im french
2 minutes ago, giskardsb said:
On mobile not gonna quote but @Didymus you say the Fame was a huge artistic thing but you must be looking beyond the music because nothing musically wa groundbreaking.
But see, that combination of superficial but still very enjoyable (and, for the time, very different: I mean, all you guys seem to remember is the singles, but what about all the glam rock influences on so many of the songs, that didn't escape my ears, I'd never heard something like that on a pop record) pop music with the intellectualist framework she built around it was the art for me It felt like a commentary. It was a commentary.
In any case, don't tell me Joanne is musically more interesting than The Fame or whatever Even lyrically it pales next to the worst song on The Fame imo.
Truth is, she's never been a great songwriter. But then she was never defined by her songwriting skills anyway, at least not for me. It was all in the presentation. Now the music ànd the presentation feels unchallenging, which is why I compare it unfavorably to the past.
However, I find it annoying how many fans discount the art in excellent vocal interpretation.
I don't, I just think that if we suddenly change our ways and regard vocal interpretation as the marker of artistic excellence, she just wouldn't be the artist to stan for She's obviously not the best singer of her peers, even. She has a great, unique voice, but do you seriously think she can compete with the best vocalists of our time?
That's the thing about Gaga's various talents. In a delicious mixture it's unique and original. But focus on one dimension of it and she's just not that remarkable.
As she herself said just a couple of years ago: "Perspective is more important than talent."
1 minute ago, Jamie said:
Well, I never even looked at it that way. Nice interpretation.
It's funny because I've met some people who interpreted the movie in exactly the same way: like Ally needed the dude to bring out some true artistic expression out of her. In the end, her final glory moment of empowerment, Ally sings one of his songs rather than one of her own. You could argue that this is actually the opposite of empowerment.
I personally think that's a bit too simplistic, but it's definitely something to take into account, so thanks for that.
Gracious Gaga 6,913
Gracious Gaga
9 hours ago, Anveeroy said:
Sorry but Stefani needs to go again.
xoxo gracious gaga
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A symptom is an abnormality in function, appearance, or sensation that is experienced by a patient and is indicative of disease. For example, symptoms of a heart attack might include weakness, confusion, difficulty catching your breath, and chest pain.
A sign is an abnormality in function, appearance or sensation that is discoverable by a physician during the examination of a patient and is indicative of disease. A sign is often referred to as an objective symptom. For example, signs of a heart attack might include altered coordination, a change in mental status, shortness of breath and abnormalities in blood work.
When a woman has pain for a long time, usually thought to be greater than 3-4 months, then she may undergo a change in the way that she "filters" or modulates this pain signal. On a physiological level, a popular model postulates that there is a spinal cord system that acts as a "gate" to process and integrate the complex array of signals that it receives from the body and that this "gate" may use both physical and psychological variables (like the co-existence of depression) to modify how pain is experienced. On a cognitive or psychological level, it is often believed that an individual patient's "gate" may become further "conditioned" by the responses of others, which may effectively result in positive reinforcements (such as personal attention or financial reward) or negative reinforcements (such as loss of employment or scorn). On a highly personal level, a patient's unique character, her attitudes about adult sexuality, co-morbidity with depression, and a history of prior sexual abuse (especially childhood sexual abuse) have all been proposed as having a significant impact on how pelvic pain is processed and dealt with.
Evaluation and coordination of treatment with a psychologist or psychiatrist is often very helpful in dealing with the chronic pain syndrome.
The types of abnormal or damaged tissues that can result in pelvic pain are reviewed here. These are separated into reproductive system, gastrointestinal system, urinary system, and musculoskeletal system.