Mobile World Congress 2018: What You Need To Know
The Mobile World Congress (26 February to 1 March 2018) showcased the industry's leading brands as they revealed 2018's flagship phones as well as some more intriguing designs.
Apple-inspired Minimalism
Following the buzz for the iPhone X, we saw plenty of sleek, curved phones that focused on placing the screen at the forefront of the user experience. Bezels are shrinking and, curves are here to stay.
Samsung Dominated with S9 Reveal
Samsung unveiled its newest flagship phone, the Galaxy S9 and S9+, set to market at $719.99 and $839.99 respectively from the 14th March. There are some minor changes to the handset, such as shifting the fingerprint sensor to underneath the camera instead of beside it and introducing a dual aperture main lens for the 12MP rear camera.
Sony Unveiled Flagship XZ2
Sony followed suit with their unveiling of the Xperia XZ2 in full size and Compact, which boasts similarly impressive specs, including being the first smartphone to record at 4K HDR video, and is expected to be released globally in March.
Sony has already revealed three mid-range phones this year at the Consumer Electronics Show in January – the Xperia XA2, Xperia XA2 Ultra and Xperia L2 – and were expected to drop their flagship at MWC, despite rumours of rebranding and a design overhaul that may have delayed their reveal by up to six months.
Nokia Promotes Something For Every User
Nokia revealed its flagship Nokia 8 Sirocco, which runs on Android Oreo One, features the curved full screen that extends over the edge, and carries a surprisingly steep price tag of approximately $925.
The Nokia 6 and 7 plus are mid-entry phones, which are expected to retail much more modestly, as well as the Nokia 1 as part of Android Go (more below). However, it was the updated 4G version of the Nokia 8110 that really attracted attention. Launched in 1996, the 8110 was nicknamed "the banana phone" because of its eye-grabbing yellow shell and curved shape to fit around the ear. The 2017 version even has an updated game of Snake installed and will retail for less than $100.
Huawei Delays Unveiling
With expectations running high for Samsung's competition for the iPhone X, some of their rivals may have decided to let the S9 have its moment before revealing their own offerings.
Huawei, the third largest phone maker after Samsung and Apple, declined to reveal much at the MWG, and instead are unveiling their newest P20 flagship device on March 27th at a Paris press conference. However, they did reveal the Matebook X Pro, an ultra-thin laptop that boasts Huawei's FullView design, their name for minimal bezels. In fact, the Matebook X Pro has a 91% screen-to-footprint ratio on a 13.9" screen.
Motorola and HTC also took a back seat without launching their flagship offerings.
Vivo's Stunning (But Unavailable) Concept Phone
Taking the bezel-less trend to the extreme, Vivo's Apex offers an amazing 98% screen-to-body ratio and neglects a traditional speaker system in favour of turning the screen into a sound-conducting panel.
Even better, the front-facing camera isn't taking up space on the front of the camera: it emerges from inside to peek over the top and take a selfie. Unfortunately, it's nowhere near ready for production, but it was an interesting look at how hardware can compete with screen space.
ASUS' Trifecta
Asus also took some design points from Apple, with its flagship ZenFone 5Z ($499), and ZenFone 5 and 5Q, neither of which are priced as of yet. The 5Z packs some decent specs for its price tag, including 4 or 6GB RAM, 64GB of storage, and running on Android 8.0 Oreo. No word yet on when we can expect them to be released.
"World's First Android iPhone X"
We may have seen plenty of phones inspired by Apple's sleek design, but some were closer imitations than others. Budget alternative Leagoo S9 even adopted the iPhone's front-facing "notch" as their UPS. There's no release date as of yet, but Leagoo have set the price tag at a humble $149.99.
Android Go Initiative
In the midst of high-end innovation, Android Go is working on the low end of the spectrum to partner Android with incredibly cheap hardware to bring contemporary mobile technology to more people in the world. This is configuring OS and apps to work with minimal specs almost at the level of disposable phones, which may be used as an emergency back-up, a starter phone for younger children, or as a low risk travel alternative.
Companies including Nokia, Alcatel, and Lava are launching their versions of ultra-affordable phones, and we can expect to see this area of the market take off with products like the dual-SIM Nokia 1, which is estimated to retail at about $85.
All in all, this was a pretty good showing from the tech sector this year – a sign of more exciting things to come in 2018 and beyond.


Analysys: The market scale of China's socialized media advertising and marketing in 2016Q4 reached RMB 7.2 billion
2017-05-08 21 Media
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According to the data in 2016Q4 Quarterly Monitoring Report on Markets of China's Socialized Media Advertising and Marketing, in 2016Q4, the market scale of China's socialized media advertising and marketing reached RMB 7.2 billion, with a quarter-on-quarter growth of 12.7%.
In the overall market, the market shares of Tencent and Weibo were respectively 56.7% and 28.0%. And both platforms totally took up over 80% of the market share in China's socialized media advertising and marketing market. They both held a safe lead compared with other companies and took the leading positions in the market. Momo was in hot pursuit and achieved continuous growth on user scale and adhesiveness through live video business. The launching of video information stream advertising also further expanded Momo's advertisement marketing in future. The marketing values of vertical socialized media platforms such as Babytree and Mama were remarkably highlighted in the year-end e-business boom season.
According to Analysys's analysis, the following points should be highlighted in China's socialized media market in 2016Q4.
I. The process of rich media-oriented development of the contents of socialized medial platforms was increasingly intensive.
In September 2016, Tencent's QQ team announced the launching of "EQ Program", which planned to invest resources valuing RMB 1 billion within 3 years to support 1,000 content partners; in October 2016,voice social App Peiwo launched the function of "Live Video with Me" and Momo launched video information stream advertising; in November 2016, Weibo canceled the post length limit of 140 Chinese characters to all users, and Instagram launched the function of live video; in December 2016, WeChat extended the maximum length of short videos shared in Circle of Friends from 6 seconds to 10 seconds, Tianya.cn launched its self-media product Tianyahao, and photo-based community Duitang.com obtained the new round of financing and estimated that the video volume of the platform would exceed 15,000 pieces by fund and resource input in the following year to come.
According to Analysys's analysis, the China's socialized media, which was growing mature gradually, was playing an extremely important role in traffic distribution and content distribution. The acceleration of rich media-oriented process, in which photos and texts were prevailing previously and the proportion of video traffics was more and more increased presently, bore direct correlation with the continuous lowering of content consumption costs and the upgrading of content consumption demands of the users. Meanwhile, for individual socialized media platform, in such a fragmented era, the puzzle of how to realize more user attention, higher activeness and longer stay time should be solved by gathering more and higher quality content providers. In 2016Q4, more and more socialized media platforms exerted their own platform superiorities and accelerated the enrichment and consummation of content forms and user interaction methods of the platform by means of adjustment of orientation, upgrading of functions and consummation of commercial modes. Such efforts were made to attract more and more content providers mainly on video contents (and more and more users accordingly) and further enhance the core competitive edges of the platform. On the other hand, the rich media-oriented process of socialized media platform also positively influenced the increase of high quality advertisement inventory, which of important significance for the market value maximization of the brands as well as higher order conversion effectiveness for advertisers.
II. The content-oriented commercial modes tended to be diversified
In the end of September 2016, Zhihu announced the launching of "Zhihu Bookstore", through which users could directly purchase, download and read Zhihu's e-books. This realized the unique closed loop on reading and discussion consisting of purchasing, reading, transmission and extended discussion; in October 2016, Weibo announced that the total revenue of self-media authors through Weibo in 2016 was RMB 11.7 billion; in December 2016, Weibo launched paid QA service, which became one of the important tools for Weibo to enable self-media authors, and the process of cashability of Weibo's self-media authors was accelerated; also in December 2016, many voices were heard related to paid services of subscription on WeChat under Tencent, which was attached great importance.
According to Analysys's analysis, by the end of 2016, the concept of "paid contents" has become a common trend. It is just a matter of time for paid content services on social platforms under the background of consumption upgrading and paid contents. Presently, the commercial logic of paid contents has been verified in multiple fields and on multiple platforms. The concept of "paid contents" has been generalized. And young consumption population with interests and experiences as value pursuit have gradually become the mainstream. The directions and modes of social platforms to integrate paid contents has become the key to competition. In addition, in 2016Q4, content-based start-ups were more active. Start-ups based on socialized media will also bring vitality to paid content services of social platforms. Facing the wide area of multidimensional markets and huge user groups of socialize media, content start-up and paid content would probably spurt brilliant sparks, leading to diversified content-based commercial modes of social media.
For more information about the social networking, please keep an eye on Analysys's official WeChat account or call the customer service at 4006-515-715.


Home > Guns, Scopes & Ammo > Direct Impingement vs Gas Piston: Which One Reigns Supreme?
Direct Impingement vs Gas Piston: Which One Reigns Supreme?
Mathew R Reed
Ask any AR-15 owner and they'll tell you point-blank whether they prefer a direct impingement or gas piston system in their gun.
This is one of the most common debates among firearm enthusiasts and whatever choice you make, there's a good chance you're already loyal to it.
So what is the difference between direct impingement and gas piston?
These two terms are used to describe the gas-forced system inside of a firearm that fires rounds, ejects spent cartridges, and cycles through a new round. The key difference is where the gas is expelled once the job is done, though.
If you own an automatic rifle and still feel confused about what each of these systems does, we can help.
This guide will teach you the fundamental points of the direct impingement vs gas piston debate so you can finally get a grasp on how they differ and find out which type of rifle is best for you.
AR Functionality and Why It Matters
Before we can jump into the debate between direct impingement and gas piston systems, it's best to get an understanding of how an AR functions.
A rifle must be self-loading and be able to do other functions like firing and extracting cartridges, among others, without assistance for it to be classed as an automatic weapon.
To do these jobs effectively and automatically, a firearm requires some sort of force to move its inner mechanisms, which are usually created by propelled gas.
While it's true that both of these systems use gas to operate the inner parts and power the action, it's what happens after they're done that makes a difference and causes so much debate.
The Downlow on Direct Impingement
Direct impingement is considered the original system when it comes to automatic rifles and other guns.
The first time this system was used was in an experimental French rifle, and then later adjusted by Eugene Stoner as he created the AR-10 action which would later become the ArmaLite AR-15.
The direct impingement system of an automatic rifle works by bleeding the propellant gas through a hole in the barrel.
This gas then travels through a small tube until it reaches the bolt carrier mechanism, and as it makes contact this is known as impingement.
The gas continues down and pushes to the back of the rifle where it pushes out the spent case so that it can be extracted and ejected in a cycle.
From here, it is pushed forward by the action, which is usually spring-loaded, and then pulls a new round from the cartridge and loads it into the chamber.
It's a classic method: The strongest point that AR users make about direct impingement is that it was the original system used for these types of firearms. If you want to stay true to the weapon itself, you might feel the same.
A reliable option: The direct impingement system has a solid reputation for being reliable and hardy. Although some people claim that the fouling caused by the gas makes it jam more easily, this has been disproven.
Affordability: Purchasing a rifle that uses direct impingement is much cheaper, and so too is obtaining replacement parts. Not only are they more affordable, but they're also easier to find as well, so if you ever have an issue and need a quick fix, the DI gun is the faster option.
Lightweight and versatile: The weight of an impingent-driven AR is going to be a lot less than a gas-piston one because the tube itself is a lot smaller. This also means they're more compatible with barrel lengths of various sizes which the gas option may not be.
Less obvious recoil: As the gas inside of the weapon moves the bolt carrier more slowly and carefully than other systems, you'll notice less recoil when you fire it. If you're someone who already struggles with stability, this is a huge bonus.
Conversion is hard: Because the standard AR uses the direct impingement system as its native method, you may find it hard to convert your weapon to anything else. It's not as simple as swapping out the gas tube components for a piston setup without noticing experience serious failures with the gun, so configurations are not that great.
A hot gun: After using a firearm that has a direct impingement system, you'll need to give it some time to cool down before you can touch it. The gas that's fired from the cartridge will come into contact with the action which means you can't remove the bolt carrier until it's reached a safe temperature.
Requires deep cleaning: Although you don't have to clean a direct impingement gun more frequently, you do have to clean it more deeply. The hot gas that fires through the inner mechanisms of the weapon will be susceptible to fouling and may need extra attention to get them clean.
Everything You Need to Know About Gas Piston
The first instance of gas piston technology was used in a single-shot breech-loading rifle in 1856 and it wasn't until some time later that it would be found on modern automatic rifles.
In 1886, a patent was developed to use this in a repeating rifle but didn't take off, and the Colt Model 703 was the first time this type of external piston, in their derivative of the AR-15.
At first glance, it appears that gas pistol works similarly to direct impingement systems, and while that's somewhat true, it's how the gas is expelled that's different.
The firing process begins the same as with the direct impingement system, with a propellant gas being bled into the barrel of the firearm.
This gas isn't forced into the tube though, but rather expelled out and stored in a different cylinder.
Inside of this cylinder is a piston, and as the gas enters, it moves the piston and pushes the bolt carrier to the back of the rifle so it can extract and eject the spent case.
After this, it operates similarly to the direct impingement system again, with the piston then being pushed forward by a spring. From here, it takes a new round from the cartridge and locks it into the chamber.
Easier cleaning and maintenance: The cleanliness of the operating system in a gas piston gun is considered superior because of the unique way it expels the gas. As the gas goes into a separate chamber, it causes less fouling and means when you have to clean your rifle, it won't be such an arduous task.
Consistency: If you compare the two, people generally considered a piston-powered gun to be the more consistent option. This is due to their strength and ability to deal with variations in ammunition, which might otherwise cause a failure in a direct impingement system rifle.
Cool and less wear: A piston system rifle will almost always be cooler to operate because of its inner mechanisms and how the hot gas never comes into contact with the action. Even after shooting 100 rounds with one of these AR rifles, you'll find the action of the weapon to be cool, and it's even possible to remove it entirely and hold it in your hand.
Prone to issues: Sometimes, an AR that uses a piston system will experience an issue called "bolt carrier tilt". This occurs when the piston causes the rear of the carrier to slant which can lead to increased wear. The phenomenon is usually more common in ARs that have been modified to use the gas piston system.
Not the traditional way: When compared to the conventional direct impingement system, some people believe that the gas piston is mechanically unsound. If you're someone who prefers their weapons to be made the traditional way, this might be a downside for you as well.
Can have problems if not cleaned: A common misconception is that using a piston means you don't have to clean the weapon as often which leads to some of these AR rifles becoming dirty and malfunctioning. Regardless of the type of system used to power the action, all rifles and firearms need regular cleaning.
The Blowback System Alternative
A third but not so common alternative to the gas piston and direct impingent system is a blowback.
This setup is usually found on specific gun types like pistol caliber carbine uppers that already aren't using the common AR-15 gas system.
The blowback system works by forcing the case to the back which then pushes the bolt to the rear as well.
A spring mechanism then pushes it forward so that the gun cycles, which means no need for gas, but they can be pricey.
Which One Is Best For My Firearm?
As the gas piston and direct impingement systems both operate with forced gas, it doesn't seem that there should be too much debate over which one is best, yet there is.
Each of these systems has something to offer, so it depends entirely on the individual and their weapon range as to what will suit them best.
However, as always with gun ownership, there's a lot of room for configuration and versatility.
As you're working with an AR that already has a good reputation for being flexible, you might want to install an impingement-driven upper receiver on a gas piston-powered AR and get the best of both worlds whenever you choose.
The overall difference in feeling between these two systems as they're fired is minimal, especially if you're working with some type of gas suppression accessory.
The main difference is the cleanliness that the gas piston system offers, but they can be pricier and aren't considered the traditional method of operation for an automatic rifle.
The Right Gas System Solution
One of the beauties of owning an automatic rifle is how much configuration is possible, including whether you want to use a gas piston or direct impingement system to power up the action.
To find the best solution, think about your range of firearms and what matters most, and you'll come up with a winner.
There's so much more to gun ownership than just choosing a firearm and being done with, as debates like gas piston vs direct impingement will show.
If you still have questions about the inner workings of these powerful weapons, read on for some FAQs that might be able to help.
What is a Rifle Action?
The action is the mechanism of a rifle or firearm that is responsible for loading, firing, and ejecting a cartridge, making it one of the most important parts.
A gun is usually categorized by the type of action is uses, with the most common ones being pump action, bolt action, lever action, automatic, and semi-automatic.
How Does an Automatic Rifle Work?
An automatic rifle can continually fire by using the excess energy that the last discharge created to then strike the primer, igniting the propellant and discharge another projection.
This unique action is different from other types that require some sort of manual action to fire the next projection.
What Does the 15 Mean in AR-15?
AR stands for ArmaLite Rifle which was the name of the brand that first developed the rifle and then later sold it to Colt in 1959.
The 15 was added by Colt and when the patent for the gun expired in the 1970s, other manufacturers continued using it as the general term for this type of firearm.
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Mathew R Reed is a professional gun seller who runs a dedicated gun store in the suburbs of Oakland, CA. A hardcore hunting enthusiast since childhood, Reed has ample experience with guns and accessories. He is the founder of ArmorHoldings.com and creates some of the most helpful gun-buying guides and explainers. If not in the gun shop, you can find him on the nearest hiking trail or nearby hunting spot.
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MIDNIGHT RAMBLINGS
A blog written in the dead of night and delivered to you in a brown paper bag. It's a cornucopia of tidbits, rants, and observations for the discerning eye. Good luck with all that. Now, for something completely different!
Archive for Ohio
OHIO IGLOO WITH SURROUND SOUND, NATIONAL ENQUIRER PULITZER, and NINJA RESTAURANT – TAIWAN,
Posted in Art, Culture, Entertainment, Food, Humor, Life, News, Random, Sports, Uncategorized, video with tags Igloo, Jimmy Grey, John Edwards, National Enquirer, Ninja, Ohio, Ou Chia-wei, Pulitzer Prize, restaurant, Rielle Hunter, Superbowl, Taipei, Taiwan on February 19, 2010 by mclassen
Jimmy Grey's Party Igloo
With all of the snow falling this year, Ohio resident Jimmy Grey decided to do something with it other than shovelling. It's an awesome idea. The unemployed man from Ohio has built himself an 'extreme igloo' in his yard, a four-room monster that even has an entertainment room with cable TV and surround sound. I can't imagine what his kid's snow fort must look like. His four-room creation has 6-foot ceilings and an entertainment room. He powers the TV with an extension cord plugged into an outlet in the garage. He also ran wires for cable television with surround-sound stereo, enabling him and his friends to watch the Superbowl in his icy mansion. Party at Jimmy's house. Grey told The Plain Dealer newspaper that candles help to add ambiance for night time get-togethers with friends, and the freezing temperatures mean that the beer is always chilled. This dude has serious priorities. I can't wait to see the sparks fly from all those electronics when the snow starts to melt.
Pulitzer for the National Enquirer?
It's official, the National Enquirer has applied for a Pulitzer Prize. America's largest gossip rag is actually trying to legitimize itself by stepping into the the Pulitzer arena. The application is based on their story of exposing John Edwards and is unsavory affair with Rielle Hunter. This is probably the only thing the Enquirer has ever done that remotely smacks of real journalism. And of course they expect a prize for it. And not just any prize, THE prize. Where do these guys get off thinking they finally do one little bit of reporting and they should get the prize that most journalists and real news agencies strive for every day in every piece. The Pulitzer is for excellence in writing. If the National Enquirer wins this, it is my hope there has been a new catagory created for excellence in Bullshit.
Ninjas For Dinner.
Alright let's go eat where we can be randomly attacked. Ninja patrons see waitresses wield swords and flare flames at diners, who have to get past a moat before sitting at their table in the dimly lit dining hall. The same customers are also encouraged to take photos with the warrior-like waitresses, who dress in black or red to look like ninjas in keeping with the theme of a dark but lively restaurant that opened last month in Taiwan's capital. "The ninja is mysterious," said Ou Chia-wei, owner of the restaurant simply named Ninja, explaining why he chose that theme for the Japanese-style restaurant. "On that premise, we can do magic tricks and light up the food." Waitresses working the barely lit dining room floor burn specialty menus, which vanish without a trace of ash, and send flames snaking across tables as customers watch. A moat and screen of cascading water just past the front entrance make customers wait a few minutes until the drawbridge goes up, leading to a dark stairwell toward the dining hall. There are professional magic shows, as well as cabarets, for those who walk in at the right times. Now that's entertainment. "The owner had already liked ninjas and figured that would be a pretty obvious, visual theme for the restaurant," said restaurant sales manager Hsiao Dai. Ninja competes with restaurants that specialize in airliner, dinosaur and toilet decor in a city teeming with theme diners. Ok I have to ask, who was the idiot that thought up a toilet themed restaurant? Video of Ninja at the link below.
Video of Taiwan's Ninja Restaurant
ROBERT DOWNEY JR BURGER SAVIOR, ANTARCTIC CONDOMS, SHINY NEW OUTHOUSE, PIGEON REHAB, MICHIGAN METEOR, AND MOONDUST TELESCOPE
Posted in Art, Books, celebrities, Culture, Entertainment, Events, Ezine, Family, Food, Humor, Life, Love, Media, Movies, Music, News, Personal, Photography, Poetry, Politics, Random, Religion, Sports, Technology, Thoughts, Travel, Uncategorized, video, Writing with tags AARP, Al, Antarctic, Art, auction, Baby Boomer, base, Batavia, Bill, blog, blogging, burger, Chen, comedy, commentary, condoms, conversations, Coury, Dallas, Darryl, digg, dope, Downey, Drugs, E-zine, Ebay, editorial, Elbert, Ezine, Family, fark.com, funny, Google, Greenbelt, Henriksen, history, homing, hospital, Humor, Indiana, Ironman, Jr, King, Lew, Life, literature, Love, Maryland, McMurdo, Meteorite, Michigan, Montgomery Alabama, Moondust, Music, Nanotubes, NASA, News, nude women, nudity, odd, Ohio, opinion, Outhouse, Peter, pigeon, Pitt, Politics, porn, Preston, race, random thoughts, rehab, Robert, ruminations, sex, Station, strange, Technology, telescope, Texas, The game is afoot, theonion.com, Thoughts, TV, Wanamaker, weird, women, wordpress.com, wordpress.org, Writing, Yahoo, zine on June 10, 2008 by mclassen
ROBERT DOWNEY JR SAVED BY BAD BURGER KING
This is one of those stories you can't make up. Robert Downey Jr. claims to have been convinced to get straight by a bad burger experience at Burger King. In an interview with Britain's Empire magazine, the 43-year-old actor recounts an incident in 2003 when he was driving around with "tons of f—ing dope" when he decided it was time for a burger. "I have to thank Burger King," he told Empire. "It was such a disgusting burger I ordered. I had that, and this big soda, and I thought something really bad was going to happen." After the bad burger experience, he said he tossed all of his drugs into the ocean and decided to sober up for good. I have to admit, I've had some pretty bad burgers at Burger King but I have yet to experience the epiphany burger. I wonder what they put on one of those. Apparently he got a combo with his. Burger King's new Epiphany burger helping people with their lives and indigestion. Don't forget the Tums.
ANTARCTIC RECEIVES 16,500 CONDOMS
It seems we've been missing out. It appears that when the sun goes down in the antarctic, the fun begins. Bill Henriksen, the manager of the McMurdo base station, said nearly 16,500 condoms were delivered last month and would be made available, free of charge, to staff throughout the year to avoid the potential embarrassment of having to buy them. Party on! Hats off folks. The base only has a skeleton staff through the winter but what a staff. "Since everybody knows everyone, it becomes a little bit uncomfortable," Henriksen said. Frigid here doesn't seem to be a problem. Sunrise starts again in late august and then supply flight resume and tourism picks up. Let's see, 3 months, endless nightlife,16,500 condoms, that says orgy to me. I wonder what kind of cocktails they have down there. It may be cold and snowy down there, but they've obviously found something to occupy themselves. Put me down for a visit. Artic Researchers Gone Wild, it could be the next big thing. Where's my video camera?
MAN FIGHTS TO KEEP OUTHOUSE – WINS
In Batavia, Ohio, Elbert Preston, everybody calls him Lew, refused to give up having an outhouse. It seems that his old one was violating a few health codes and the powers that be wanted it gone. Well, Lew wasn't going to stand, or sit for that. A former trustee for Washington Township, he challenged the board of health for months before seeking help from People Working Cooperatively, a nonprofit that has done thousands of projects for low-income, elderly and disabled residents in southern Ohio and northern Kentucky. They built him a new outhouse, one that was up to codes. "It's too nice and complicated to be an outhouse," Lew said. "I call it a privy." Preston, who is slowed by diabetes and has colon problems and pacemaker, said he never saw the need to replace the old outhouse, which once was picked up and carried into his garden by a tornado without major damage. He said he has used an outside toilet since settling in Washington Township 40 years ago and likes the privacy of a privy. "When you're in a house, sounds carry, Everybody knows your business." I'm guessing we won't be seeing any high tech from this guy.
PIGEON ENTERS REHAB
Al Coury of Wanamaker, Indiana races pigeons. He sent several of them to Montgomery, Alabama to be released for a race which uses the birds instincts to race back home. First pigeons to their home loft wins the race. Well, one of his birds decided enough of this bird crap and decided he'd had enough. He found a nice hospital courtyard and checked himself in for some RandR. The pigeon went about making friends with the patients of the Meadows Hospital and even sat in on some group sessions held in the courtyard. The avian athelete, now dubbed Miss Pigeon had a band on its leg with Coury's phone number on it and he was contacted. He told them to feed the bird unpopped popcorn and then went to reclaim the wayaward creature. There is no word on what the bill for the bird's recovery will be. Do professional homing pigeons get health care?
METEORITE SHAPED LIKED MIGHIGAN GETS $20,000
A 75 pound meteorite shaped like Michigan's lower peninsula fetched $20,000 at an auction in Dallas, Texas. The owner Darryl Pitt was disapointed. He felt it Should have gone for $50,000. Well times are hard Darryl and of course it's no corn flake. A recent fiasco over an Illinois shaped cornflake fetching bids that neared $250,000 at one point was on Ebay. Maybe that was the problem, it wasn't on Ebay. Darryl felt his meteor should rival one that sold not long ago that was shaped like the Indian subcontinent. That one went for $90,000, but it also weighed three-quarters of a ton. I guess in this case, size really does matter. Look at it this way, you sold a piece of space junk for 20 grand. You're lucky you got that much.
TELESCOPE MADE FROM MOONDUST
Peter Chen, a NASA scientist feels he has found a practical way to build a telescope on the moon. Why we need one I haven't quite figured out yet, but he thinks he can do it anyway. He wants to make it from moon dust. He has been experimenting with moon dust-like particles and has been able to creat a small example to show everyone he can do this. Of course we're not talking real moondust and this may prove better in theory than practice. "We believe we have found a way to turn moon dust into a telescope," said Peter Chen, with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The process require combining nanotubes, small carbon fibers, and crushed rock that simulates moondust. Actually it sounds like he was making mudpies to me. "First we had something very gooey and smelly," Chen told reporters at the American Astronomical Society meeting last week. "Then we had this very hard, very stable material like concrete." Yep, mud pies. OK, adobe. The latin Americans discovered that a long time ago. Chen feels his process can create a structure and the entire telescope system. Isn't this really redundant? With Hubble working so well, why do we need one on the moon. But then again, we just spent billions to find salt on Mars, I guess we might as well spend a few billion more to make some mudpies on the moon. The real problem is there's way too much grant money floating around for projects like this.
MEMORIAL DAY, GRUMPY QUEEN, OBAMA PARROT, PORN TAX, AND ROBBY KNIEVEL
Posted in Art, Books, Culture, Entertainment, Events, Family, Food, Humor, Life, Love, Media, Movies, Music, News, Personal, Photography, Poetry, Politics, Random, Religion, Sports, Technology, Thoughts, Travel, Uncategorized, Writing with tags 200, A, African, Anne, Art, Assmblyman, Autumn, Barack, blog, blogging, breaking, bride, British, Brits, Calderon, California, came, Canadian, Carbondale, Castle, Chapel, Charles, Chelsy, CNN, comedy, commentary, Congress, conversations, Cox, Davy, Day, Dead, Decoration, democrat, Democratic, digg, editorial, Elizabeth, England, English, Evel, Family, fark.com, feet, Forkum, from, funny, General, Google, Grandson, Grey, Harry, Hello, history, holiday, honored, Illinois, Island, Jeanne, Jeremy, John, jump, Kelley, Key, king's, Knievel, Life, literature, Logan, Love, Magazine, Mason, memorial, memory, Montreal, Moos, Murray, Music, nationwide, New, News, nude women, nudity, Obama, Ohio, opinion, orirgin, Parrot, Peter, Phillips, photos, Politics, porn, pornography, Prince, Princess, Queen, random thoughts, record, resident, Robby, Ron, royal, Royals, ruminations, sex, smokey, Sports, St George's, States, supporter, tax, Technology, theonion.com, Thoughts, Tom, TV, TVs, UK, United, Veteran, veterans, Vets, Vickers, video, Waterloo, wedding, West, where, Windsor, women, wordpress.com, wordpress.org, Writing, Yahoo, York, youtube on May 26, 2008 by mclassen
THE ORIGIN OF MEMORIAL DAY
The following is a quick history lesson on where Memorial Day comes from. I did not write this and it comes from the Cox and Forkum website. It is nicely done and I figured if it isn't broke don't fix it. If you see a Veteran, I suggest doing this any day not just the holiday, tell them thanks and buy them a cocktail. They earned it.
The official birthplace of Memorial Day is Waterloo, New York. The village was credited with being the birthplace because it observed the day on May 5, 1866, and each year thereafter, and because it is likely that the friendship of General John Murray, a distinguished citizen of Waterloo, and General John A Logan, who led the call for the day to be observed each year and helped spread the event nationwide, was a key factor in its growth. General Logan had been impressed by the way the South honored their dead with a special day and decided the Union needed a similar day. Reportedly, Logan said that it was most fitting; that the ancients, especially the Greeks, had honored their dead, particularly their heroes, by chaplets of laurel and flowers, and that he intended to issue an order designating a day for decorating the grave of every soldier in the land, and if he could he would have made it a holiday. Logan had been the principal speaker in a citywide memorial observation on April 29, 1866, at a cemetery in Carbondale, Illinois, an event that likely gave him the idea to make it a national holiday. On May 5, 1868, in his capacity as commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, a veterans' organization, Logan issued a proclamation that "Decoration Day" be observed nationwide. It was observed for the first time on May 30 of the same year; the date was chosen because it was not the anniversary of a battle. The tombs of fallen Union soldiers were decorated in remembrance of this day. The alternative name of "Memorial Day" was first used in 1882, but did not become more common until after World War II, and was not declared the official name by Federal law until 1967. On June 28, 1968, the United States Congress passed the Uniform Holidays Bill, which moved four holidays from their traditional dates to a specified Monday in order to create a convenient three-day weekend.
THIS WAS COURTESY OF THE COX AND FORKUM WEBSITE
THE QUEEN HAS A GRUMP ON
A British newspaper says the Canadian bride of the Queen's eldest grandson is being blamed for a controversial deal with celebrity magazine Hello! for exclusive photos of their wedding at Windsor Castle. Montrealer Autumn Kelly married Peter Phillips on Saturday at the castle's 15th-century St. George's Chapel in front of 300 guests. The deal is reported to be worth $1 million. That'll pay for one heck of a honeymoon. The British royal family and particulary Queen Elizabeth is up in arms about this as they weren't consulted on the deal. The wedding pics will include images of most of the royals, including the Queen, Princess Anne, Prince Charles, and Prince Harry and his girlfriend Chelsy Davy. Yep that about covers everyone the magazines would be interested in. The Brits are saying that images of their Queen doesn't belong in a gossip rag. Too late now. Hello, published over 60 pics of the wedding. The new Mrs. Phillips said she needed the money to pay for expenses since nobody else was willing to pick up the tab. I think she probably has more deals in the making. I'm sure a book deal, How I Managed to Marry into the Royal Family, could be in the works. Then there's the lecture circuit, 10 steps to courting the grandson of a queen. Then there's talk shows, websites, the list is endless. She could make an entire career out of this. Wow Canadians have their own member of the royal family now. Hey, guest appearances at hockey games singing "Oh Canada."
OBAMA PARROT
This is an idea that was suggested by one of the Midnight Ramblings readers, Tom Vickers. He has a blog here on wordpress that's always worth a look at called TV's Weblog-The Great Nonsense of Life. He thought that Smokey, the Obama supporting talking Parrot would fit right in. I agreed. This is just too funny. The video is taken from a CNN report done by Jeannie Moos. She's quite clever and it's cool to have it on the site. Watch and enjoy.
TAX ON PORN?
California is in deep financial trouble. Who isn't? They have decided to get into the porn business so to speak. In an effort to get the state back on track a new concept in "sin" tax is being considered. Since most pornography is produced in southern California, state Assemblyman, Charles Calderon has proposed a 25% tax on all porn production and sale. Holy Ron Jeremy Batman! That's a heavy duty tax. That'll make your porn cost worse than the price of gas. Isn't this a sort of state sponsored pimping? If they're smart they'll just pack up and move somewhere else. It's not like they need studios, actors, or talent for these things. They ought to fit right in at Key West.
ROBBY KNIEVEL BEATS EVEL'S RECORD
"Hopefully I'll see you after the jump," Knievel told everyone just before he climbed the start ramp. With that, Robby took off and broke his dad, Evil Knievel's, record. He jumped 200 feet and 24 semi trucks with his motorcycle. The previous record was 115 ft. This just so rocks. He did the jump in the same place, King's Island in Mason Ohio, that his father had set the previous record. Robbie Knievel dedicated his stunt to his father, U.S. war veterans and those serving in the military. Look ma I can fly!
INSANITY IS COOL WHEN IT WORKS. LET'S GO TO THE VIDEO TAPE:
MCCAIN PREACHERS, ESCAPING PRISONER, PLUMBING THIEF, TOXIC VOMIT, AND ODD LAPTOP
Posted in Art, Books, Culture, Entertainment, Events, Family, Food, Humor, Life, Love, Media, Movies, Music, News, Personal, Photography, Poetry, Politics, Random, Religion, Sports, Technology, Thoughts, Travel, Uncategorized, Writing with tags 54, AARP, Ahmad, anti-Muslim, Antonio, area, Arizona, Art, auction, Baby Boomer, Barack, Bek, blog, blogging, brass, burger, christianity, comedy, conversations, decontaminated, democrat, Democratic, digg, doctors, dual, Ebay, emergency, ER, escaped, evangelist, Falwell, Family, fark.com, fast, Food, funny, Google, GOP, Hagee, handcuffed, Hebrew, history, Hitler, hospital, Illinois, Japan, Japanese, Jean Morrison, Jerry, jews, John, King, Kuala, Kumamoto, laptop, Life, literature, Lumpur, Malaysia, McCain, McDonalds, Michigan, Music, Muslim, Norristown, notebook, nurses, Obama, Ohio, Parsley, pastor, patients, Pennsylvania, Perak, pesticide, plumbing, police, political, Politics, preachers, President, presidential, primaries, primary, prisoner, pulpit, racism, racist, radical, random thoughts, Religion, republican, rest, reverend, Rod, Room, Roslan, ruminations, San, screen, sermon, suicide, Technology, television, Texas, The game is afoot, theft, theonion.com, thief, Thoughts, toilet, toxic, transporting, TV, video, vomit, Voyager, white, Whitey, women, wordpress.com, wordpress.org, Writing, xentex, Yahoo, youtube on May 24, 2008 by mclassen
JOHN MCCAIN, BARACK OBAMA IN PREACHERS GONE WILD
What is it with preachers and politics lately? I thought the pulpit was for expressing love, understanding, forgiveness, not political platforms to slam "Whitey" and endorse Hitler. I thought there was suppossed to be a seperation between church and state. With weirdos like Reverend White and John Hagee running around out there, we need to consider that seperation issue. Obama and McCain certainly are. With Obama's attempt to distance himself from his former pastor Rev. White, the pulpit politics really seemed to start rolling. The political season seems to be the time when every whack job on the planet comes out of the woodwork. Heck, alot of them are running for office. John McCain has had two renegade radical Reverends try to attach themselves to his coattails. They're worse than trying to shake off a bad hangover. The most recent has been John Hagee, the pastor from San Antonio that declared God allowed the rise of Adolf Hitler because it resulted in returning Israel to the Jewish people. Now that's certainly some twisted logic. Now I'm a live and let live kind of guy, which I thought was the basic teachings of christianity. Apparently not with these guys. Now, I don't blame Obama or McCain for making these kinds of errors. It just shows that they're going to screw up like most politicians. McCain also received the endorsement of another controversial television evangelist in late February, the Rev. Rod Parsley of Ohio, whose sermons have been called anti-Muslim. In one sermon, posted on YouTube, Parsley described "our historical conflict with Islam," adding that "America was founded, in part, with the intention of seeing this false religion destroyed." Where did he get that from? What history book was that in? I never saw that. Do these guys make up this junk as they go along? McCain seems to be drawing these guys like flies. It was bad enough courting an association with Jerry Falwell. McCain has of course disavowed any endorsements with Hagee and Parsley even though he himself originally wanted their endorsements. It appears he knew not whom he sought. Politicians need to go back to seeking the old political endorsements, like labor unions and foreign diplomats instead of religious nuts. You remember, that seperation of church and state thing. Pulpits belong in church not politics.
SUSPECT STEALS POLICE CAR WHILE CUFFED
In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, a suspect was being transported in a police car to court. He was handcuffed and all the precautions had been taken. At least that's what they thought. The 24-year-old man got away Thursday when police transporting him to court stopped for a toilet break in the northern Perak state, local police chief Roslan Bek Ahmad said. Along the way, they stopped at a rest area off a highway. Two of the policemen went to the toilet while a third officer remained with the suspect in the car. The suspect overpowered the officer, got behind the wheel and sped away, driving with his hands still cuffed. Clever. Though they set up a roadblock, this guy was determined he was going to get away. After driving against the traffic the police car ran off the road and crashed into a tree. When the police arrived, the man had disappeared. I wish I knew that trick. Next time, go to the bathroom one at a time and leave the guard some backup.
PLUMBING THIEF PLAGUES FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS
In Norristown, Pennsylvania, a new kind of thief has struck with a different concept of take out. His diabolic target is the plumbing at local fast food joints. So far he has hit two McDonalds and several Burger Kings. Jean Morrison, a detective for the East Norriton Township is on the case. This evil genius takes about four minutes to shut off the water to the toilets and urinals and pulls all the pipes out. Morrison thinks the thief might be fencing his take for brass value. She may have gotten a big break in this debilitating crime spree. A survellience camera may have gotten this arch villain on video. Thieves. If it isn't tied down, wait a minute, these were tied down. I guess nothing's safe anymore. Not even the plumbing.
TOXIC VOMIT POISONS 54 PEOPLE
Ok, this is really weird. A new trend in Japan, is committing suicide by drinking toxic materials. A man was brought into a hospital in Kumamoto, Japan after drinking a large amount of pesticide. The doctors were trying to pump his stomach when he vomited before dying. The spray was so toxic that it caused 54 doctors, nurses and patients to have breathing problems and sores on their eyes. The emergency room had to be decontaminated and everyone was transferred to a different hospital. Over 50 people have killed themselves this way. Whatever happened to the old method of Japanese suicide, Hari Kari. At least it doesn't endanger everyone else or turn the place into an environmental hazard.
DUAL SCREEN LAPTOP – WHO'S IDEA WAS THIS?
This is one for all you collectors of strange things out there. This is a dual screen laptop that is currently up for auction on Ebay. I've never seen anything quite like it and it certainly didn't go far in the commercial market. The auction says it's a prototype made by Xentex in 2002, called the Dual Screen Voyager and sold for nearly $5,000! That's an expensive laptop. The unique thing is that the screen pivots so someone opposite you can look at the screen. The body of it actually folds twice so that it is more compact. I just thought I'd put this up for the annals of the odd, strange and curious.
News, Sports, weird
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I'm an Author, Journalist, Columnist, Photographer, Editor and Publisher and have been writing for about 30 years. For several years I published my own magazine about Michigan's Upper Peninsula. I live in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan. Currently I've been blogging around the internet - MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT MY OTHER HUMOR BLOG "What Were They Thinking?" AT: http://mikelclassen.wordpress.comTo learn more about the writer behind the blog, go his website at www.mikelclassen.com Sign the guestbook while you're there.
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URINE WHISKY, ROBBING A STORE FULL OF COPS, HUNTING GHOST TRAIN-KILLED BY REAL ONE, and BRAZIL'S FIRE TORNADO
CARLSBERG BEER EMPLOYEES RIGHT TO DRINK, FIRST CLASS THIEF, KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN BREADLESS SANDWICH, and MAN'S PENIS STOLEN BY POLICE
MONEY TO GO, DON'T TELL MOM, HAIRDRESSER LSD BLINDNESS CURE, and ROADKILL AND DRUNK SAMARITAN
WEREWOLF HUNTER ARRESTED, VAMPIRE BITES CABBIE, DUCT TAPE LESSON, and WOMAN CALLS POLICE ON POLICE
FLORIDA VAMPIRE RUNS FOR PRESIDENT, LEPRECHAUN ROBS BANK, and LEANING PUB OF BEER
RUSTY BUCKET on URINE WHISKY, ROBBING A STORE FULL OF COPS, HUNTING GHOST TRAIN-KILLED BY REAL ONE, and BRAZIL'S FIRE TORNADO
HFU on CARLSBERG BEER EMPLOYEES RIGHT TO DRINK, FIRST CLASS THIEF, KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN BREADLESS SANDWICH, and MAN'S PENIS STOLEN BY POLICE
Russ on CARLSBERG BEER EMPLOYEES RIGHT TO DRINK, FIRST CLASS THIEF, KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN BREADLESS SANDWICH, and MAN'S PENIS STOLEN BY POLICE
mclassen on MONEY TO GO, DON'T TELL MOM, HAIRDRESSER LSD BLINDNESS CURE, and ROADKILL AND DRUNK SAMARITAN
chrislipjournal on MONEY TO GO, DON'T TELL MOM, HAIRDRESSER LSD BLINDNESS CURE, and ROADKILL AND DRUNK SAMARITAN
URINE WHISKY, ROBBING A STORE FULL OF COPS, HUNTING GHOST TRAIN-KILLED BY REAL ONE, and BRAZIL'S FIRE TORNADO
Midnight Ramblings – Twitter update
New artwork for sale! - "Blue Dragonfly Resting" - fineartamerica.com/featured/blue-… @fineartamerica https://t.co/HiCzTNgUjk 2 years ago
New artwork for sale! - "Trumpeter Swan Family - Portrait" - fineartamerica.com/featured/trump… @fineartamerica https://t.co/zBKx1OmwdI 2 years ago
I will be at a book signing at Island Books and Gifts here in Sault Ste Marie this Fri and Sat with 4 other authors https://t.co/6AbsBS2gR5 3 years ago
Having a book signing at Horizon Books in Traverse City on Saturday from 2 -4. Come check me out and say hello. https://t.co/BvCTSSRU8B 3 years ago
Going to Finlandia University in Hancock this Saturday for the Writers of the Northern Persuasion event. Signing books and doing a reading. 3 years ago


Photo: Peach Aviation
Peach to resume Osaka-Hong Kong flights from Jan 20
Nov. 16, 2022 06:00 am JST Nov. 16, 2022 | 06:57 am JST
Peach Aviation Ltd will resume flights on its Osaka (Kansai) - Hong Kong route from January 20, 2023 with seven round trips per week.
Regardless of whether passengers depart from Kansai or Hong Kong, all departures are at night, so they can make it in time even after work, and with a schedule that allows them to connect from all over Japan.
The Osaka (Kansai) - Hong Kong route will resume operations for the first time in about three years since it was suspended on March 2, 2020. With this, Peach's international flights from Kansai will operate four routes that include the Osaka (Kansai) - Seoul (Incheon)/Taipei (Taoyuan) routes that resumed operations in August, as well as the Osaka (Kansai) - Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) route that will be newly opened in December as the first medium-distance route.
In addition, the Osaka (Kansai) - Seoul (Incheon) route will increase the number of flights to a total of four flights, one round trip each, on January 21 and 24, in light of the recovery in demand.
Peach, which started operating from Kansai Airport as Japan's first LCC in 2012, said it will continue to provide casual travel with stable low fares, thoroughly implementing infection control measures.
© Japan Today
Nov. 16, 2022 09:47 am JST
nice ad with missing crucial info-price for tickets and so called travel requierements/i mean covid "science" tests etc/
factchecker
Nov. 16, 2022 05:41 pm JST
Hong Kongers welcome. Mainlanders are not. CCP keep going for zero covid please so your nasty tourists stay away.
Hyatt Regency Osaka will soon offer cat-friendly hotel rooms for you and your feline friend
Jan. 28 06:00 am JST Jan. 28 | 06:10 am JST
AirAsia X resumes flights between Kuala Lumpur and Osaka
Japanese hotel chain's sweet surprise is one more reason it's a great choice for travelers on a budget
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Emory applauds the roles of Rosemary Magee 82PhD
By Kimber Williams
Light Touch, Lasting Mark: Rosemary Magee has sculpted many parts of Emory during a forty-year career. She will continue as a fellow at Emory's Fox Center for humanistic inquiry.
Ann Watson
On a shelf in Rosemary Magee's office sits a curious photograph of a shabby white building covered in peeling paint. A sign above the doorway reads "Annex B."
From the windows of the director's office in the Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, Magee can point to where Annex B once stood, within a cluster of temporary barracks constructed shortly after World War II. Forty years later, those barracks had become part of a scattered network of spaces that housed Emory's arts programs.
For years, Emory had debated how to create a cohesive, centralized home for the arts befitting a top liberal arts university. By the mid–1990s, the project had stalled.
With quiet diplomacy and unwavering resolve, Magee gathered a "dream team" to spearhead a new design and the fundraising needed to breathe life into a project that resulted in Emory's Donna and Marvin Schwartz Center for Performing Arts, a multidisciplinary teaching, practice, and performance facility that opened in 2003.
This spring, Magee stepped away from the Rose Library after forty years spent in an astonishing range of positions—student, alumna, and scholar; professor and researcher; senior associate dean responsible for resources and planning at Emory College; member of the president's cabinet and vice president and secretary of the university; and library special collections director.
She arrived at Emory in 1977 to pursue a PhD in literature and religion at the Graduate Institute of Liberal Arts.
"In Emory, I saw a place where individuals can grow and flourish, where there is an institutional commitment to talking about matter and meaning and purpose and aesthetics," she says.
Magee taught in the Department of English before joining Emory College as assistant dean and director of summer programs. Later, she was appointed associate dean for resources and planning, then senior associate dean, in charge of a $100 million operating budget and $150 million in capital projects.
In 2005, Magee was asked to consider a new post—vice president and secretary of the university, working with the both the Board of Trustees and the president's cabinet, where she initially was the only woman at the table.
"The thing about Rosemary is that it was never about Rosemary," says former Board of Trustees chair Ben F. Johnson III 65C. "Nothing she did was motivated by anything other than what was best for Emory, its faculty and students, and her love of education. When you are able to present yourself without guile, as she has, it gives you a power most people don't understand."
In 2012, Magee became director of Rose Library, leading its extensive renovation and renaming in recognition of benefactor Stuart A. Rose 76BBA.
University Librarian Yolanda Cooper praises Magee's gift for building enduring relationships. "When she takes the reins," Cooper says, "beautiful things happen."


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Sea plastic - pick it up.
Our Mission is to empower subsistence fishermen to engage in collecting shoreline plastic as part of their catch.
Powell Cay, Abacos, Bahamas Hundreds of pounds removed on this day
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The concept is simple. Fishermen will receive monetary compensation in exchange for harvested beach plastic. This is beneficial for both the environment and the communities that depend on the sea for their livelihood. Monetizing the plastic is the solution to getting it collected from the local shorelines. We encourage the concept of stewardship in coastal communities by empowering the fishermen who live there to become part of the solution. Our commitment is to have a pilot project underway in the Abacos, Bahamas in 2019.
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Beauty and the Beast: Special Edition on DVD
Voices of Paige O'Hara, Robby Benson, Angela Lansbury, Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers. Directed by Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale. Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1 (English), Dolby Digital 5.1 (French). Two DVDs. 90 minutes. 1991. Walt Disney Video 786936171631. G. $29.98
For many people, the name "Disney" means cute animated characters and stories that appeal primarily to children. Featuring characters like Mrs. Potts, the talking/singing teapot, and a good deal of slapstick, Beauty and the Beast has these ingredients, but it's also intended to appeal to adults, telling a story about cruelty, kindness, the need to look beyond appearances, and, ultimately, the redeeming power of love. Beauty and the Beast was a critical as well as popular success, with six Oscar nominations (winning for Best Score and Best Song), and the Broadway musical play that was developed from the movie is currently the eighth-longest-running show in Broadway history.
I saw Beauty and the Beast when the movie was first released and I've seen the stage version, but somehow I found this Special Edition DVD version even more moving. For me, the most powerful theme involves the contrast between Belle's would-be suitor, Gaston—handsome and possessing a great voice, but cruel and thoughtless—and the Beast, frightening in appearance and gruff in manner, but with an inner goodness that Belle senses and is drawn to. It is, indeed, a "tale as old as time," told with skill and sensitivity, and enhanced immeasurably by the brilliant Menken and Ashman score.
The vocal cast of Beauty and the Beast includes the talented (and, as her appearance in the DVD supplementary materials reveals, lovely) Paige O'Hara as Belle, Robby Benson as the Beast (an unusual but effective bit of casting), Richard White (who was great in the title role of the Paper Mill Playhouse's production of the Yeston/Kopit Phantom), David Ogden Stiers (proving that playing Charles on M*A*S*H tapped only part of his talent), Jerry Orbach (who was a musical theater star before he was on TV), and Angela Lansbury, adding her special warmth as Mrs. Potts.
For this two-disc Platinum Special Edition, Disney has pulled out all the stops. Video and audio have been remastered/remixed; in addition, there are numerous interviews, a filmmakers' commentary, pop-up song lyrics for karaoke, storyboards, a featurette on the Broadway musical, various games "for the younger adventurer," a lot of material about animation techniques, and a moving tribute to Howard Ashman, who died tragically of AIDS before the movie was finished. There are also three versions of the film: the Original Theatrical Edition, the Work-in-Progress Edition shown at the 1991 New York Film Festival (of interest mostly to students of the cinema), and the Special Edition, which includes a new musical sequence, "Human Again," which was cut from the original version but was reworked for the Broadway musical. This turns out to be a very significant addition, not only because it's a catchy tune, but because it includes an important scene that shows the development of the relationship between Belle and the Beast. Odds'n'ends include a music video of the title song by "pop sensation Jump 5," which had me reaching for the "Next" button well before it was over.
Beauty and the Beast is an animated feature, with limited use of computer graphics techniques, and consequently does not have the hyper-sharp definition of, say, Shrek (a movie that, come to think of it, is another variation on the theme of inner/outer beauty), but the video transfer is exceedingly well done, and the 5.1 remix of the soundtrack is top-notch.


Laura Dern Biography, Life, Interesting Facts
Director, Movie Actress, Television Actress, Television Producer
Los Angeles, California, United States of America
Wild at Heart: Laura Dern
CHILDHOOD AND EARLY LIFE
American actress Laura Elizabeth Dern was born on February 10, 1967, in Saint John's Health Center, Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California, United States of America. She was the great-granddaughter of former Governor of Utah and Secretary of War, George Dern and both her parents were professional actors. Laura had reportedly been conceived while her father, Bruce Dern, and mother, Diane Ladd were shooting for the film 'The Wild Angels.' Her parents divorced barely after two years of her birth and Laura was then brought up by her mother and grandmother. She followed the Roman Catholic faith according to her family belief.
Laura Dern's physical appearance was a bit too different. She almost reached most of her imposing 5' 10" height even before attending her teens. With a prematurely full hip and thin rail structure, her physical appearance seemed even more awkward with her drooping posture and huge feet. She was teased and bullied by her classmates for her peculiar and abnormal physical appearance while attending schools. At the tender age of 9, she enrolled at the reputable Lee Strasberg Institute and found solace by studying method acting distancing herself from all those banters hurled towards her. She attended the University of Southern California for one semester and the University of California, Los Angeles, for only two days.
Laura Dern was drawn towards acting and movie-making since her early childhood. Her parents' background also, in a way, accelerated her decision to pursue acting as a career option early in her teens. In 1973, she made her film debut as a child artist in her mother's film 'White Lightning.' She followed it up with a brief appearance in 'Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore' in the following year, in which her mother had a signature role. Laura found her bearing in the 1980 teen movie 'Foxes.' She played one of the leading characters of the Adrian Lyne film which also starred Jodie Foster, and her performance was lauded. In 1981, she appeared in a television series called 'Shannon.'
While doing several bit parts in mainly small movies, Laura Dern landed the role of Jessica McNeil in 'Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains' (1982). A controversy broke out between Laura and her mother when her mother objected to her presence on the sets of the said film at such a young age of 13. However, Laura sued for emancipation and promptly received the same ensuring her rights to play the role. She won the Miss Golden Globe Award in 1982 for her performance in the film 'Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains,' making her the youngest ever winner of the award. She was next seen in movies like 'Teachers' (1984), 'Mask' (1985), 'Smooth Talk' (1985) and proved her mettle in all of these movies.
Laura Dern appeared in many television movies in small roles during the early part of the 1980s including the likes of 'Happy Endings' and 'The Three Wishes of Billy Grier.' She teamed up with the legendary director David Lynch in the crime-thriller 'Blue Velvet' and played the role of Sandy Williams in 1986. Continuing her association with David Lynch, she portrayed the character of an oversexed 20-year-old on the run in the movie 'Wild at Heart,' which almost took four years to be released. She appeared in yet another David Lynch film 'Inland Empire' in 2006.
Laura Dern's breakthrough performance came in the 1991 film 'Rambling Roses.' She won a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the movie. Incidentally, her mother also played a role in the same film and earned a nomination for an Academy Award, making them the first mother-daughter duo to be nominated for an Academy Award for acting in the same movie.
In 1993, Laura Dern was cast as the courageous scientist Dr. Ellie Sattler in Steven Spielberg's 1993 blockbuster film 'Jurassic Park' based on the popular book of the same name by Michael Crichton. The film was a huge hit worldwide, and the mainstream audiences well liked Laura for her realistic portrayal of the adored character. In the same year, she had another film called 'A Perfect World,' in which the cine-giant Clint Eastwood cast her. In 1996, she appeared in 'Citizen Ruth,' the directorial debut of filmmaker Alexander Payne. She portrayed the role of Ruth, a hostile pregnant girl, hurling a deluge of abuses at the top of her voices to her on-screen mother, played by her real mother, Diane Ladd.
Laura Dern continued to play versatile and essential characters in different movies throughout the 1990s and marched ahead in the same vein well into the 2000s. Her prominent film of this period include 'A Season for Miracles' (1999), 'October Sky' (1999), 'Novocaine' (2001), 'Focus' (2001), 'I Am Sam' (2001) and 'We Don't Live Here Anymore' (2004). She reprised the role of Dr. Ellie Sattler in the sequel of 'Jurassic Park,' 'Jurassic Park III' (2001).
From a lumbering and inelegant teenager, Laura Dern developed herself into a supple beauty over the years and has been portraying a wide variety of roles in both films and TV industries and is actively pursuing her acting career to date.
In 1993, Laura Dern won a Golden Globe Award under the category of Best Performance by an Actress in a TV mini-series or motion picture for her performance on HBO's 'Afterburn.'
In 2009, she again won the Golden Globe Award in the category of Best Actress in a supporting role for her performance in the television movie 'Recount.'
Laura Dern's third Golden Globe Award came in the year 2012 when she received the award for her performance in the television series 'Enlightened.'
She won a Primetime Emmy Award under the category of 'Outstanding Supporting Actress' in 2017 for her performance in the TV series 'Big Little Lies.'
PERSONAL LIFE AND LEGACY
Laura Dern married musician Ben Harper on December 23, 2005, after dating for five years. The couple is blessed with a son, Charles and a daughter, Harris. They finalized their divorce in September 2013.
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Putnam Maintains Fundraising Edge In Florida Governor's Race
By	Lloyd Dunkelberger	on	May 12, 2018	in	WNDB News
Florida – In the Republican race for governor, new financial reports show Adam Putnam and Ron DeSantis continue to pursue different strategies in their quest for their party's nomination.
Putnam, a two-term state agriculture commissioner, raised more than $2 million in April and spent $2.4 million, including more than $1.8 million launching his first television ad, the new filings with the state Division of Elections show.
DeSantis, a three-term congressman from Palm Coast, raised $819,000 in April and spent $570,000, the state records show. DeSantis has yet to run any television advertising but is relying on frequent appearances on Fox News to connect with Republican voters.
With total contributions of $28.85 million, Putnam maintained a solid hold as the strongest fundraiser in the governor's race, among both Republicans and Democrats.
Even with his expenditures, Putnam had approximately $19 million in cash on hand as he moved into May.
DeSantis has raised nearly $8 million and had more than $7 million in cash heading into May, the reports show.
Putnam's largest contributions reflect his status as the Tallahassee establishment's favored candidate.
His political committee, Florida Grown, in April received $375,000 from the business-lobbying group Associated Industries of Florida, as well as $215,000 from a political committee affiliated with the Florida Chamber of Commerce.
The committee's April haul included $100,000 from Publix Super Markets and $100,000 from William Becker, owner of Peace River Citrus Products, last month. And Putnam's committee received $75,000 from pari-mutuel interests, including $25,000 from Patrick Rooney, president of the Palm Beach Kennel Club.
Phosphate companies contributed $50,000 to Putnam in April. He also received $25,000 from Geo Group, a private prison company, and $25,000 from St. Joe Co., a major developer.
The largest April contribution to DeSantis' political committee, Friends of Ron DeSantis, was $100,000 from Ahmad Khawaja, the California-based founder of Allied Wallet, an online payment-processing company.
DeSantis' committee also received $25,000 from a company affiliated with MCNA Dental Plans, a company that has provided dental care for Medicaid patients in Florida. The state is currently reviewing bids for a new contract that will separate dental services from the main Medicaid managed-care program.
House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O'Lakes, who announced this week he would not run for governor and endorsed Putnam, raised $49,500 for his Watchdog political committee in April, state records show.
Corcoran raised a total $6.9 million, with about $2 million left at the end of April. He has said he may use some of the money to support Republican efforts to maintain majorities in the state House and Senate.
Among Democrats, former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham had the strongest fund-raising month in April, the records show. She raised more than $1 million, with a total of $7.4 million in contributions to her campaign account and Our Florida political committee. Graham had more than $4.7 million in cash in the accounts moving into May, the reports show.
Former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine, the first Democratic candidate to run TV spots, spent $1.8 million on ads in April, the latest campaign finance reports show. Levine has raised a combined total of $9 million in his official campaign account and All About Florida political committee, while also loaning $5 million — including $2.2 million in April — to his campaign.
Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum received $445,000 in contributions to his campaign account and political committee, Forward Florida, in April, the records show. He has raised a total of $3 million, and had $1.4 million cash on hand heading into May.
Winter Park businessman Chris King raised $115,000 in April, according to reports reflecting contributions to his campaign account and Rise and Lead political committee. He has raised a total of $3.76 million and has also loaned his campaign $825,000, including $400,000 in April.


Emmy Zehden
Emmy Windhorst was born in Lübbecke in 1900 and worked as a domestic servant after leaving school. She lived in Berlin from 1918 on, and in the mid-1920s married Richard Zehden, who later suffered discrimination under the Nuremberg race laws. In 1930 she joined the Bible Students (Jehovah's Witnesses). Her husband was sentenced to almost a year's imprisonment in 1938 for belonging to this religious community. Like all Bible Students, Emmy Zehden was a determined opponent of military service, and influenced her nephew to go into hiding to avoid being drafted. Although her husband was in prison and Emmy Zehden knew that her views might have dangerous consequences, she stuck to her convictions. She was sentenced to death for hiding her nephew and two other Bible Students evading the draft. Following rejected pleas for clemency, Emmy Zehden was murdered in Berlin-Plötzensee on June 9, 1944. Her farewell letters were never given to her family.


Home » AHA Honors Cleveland Clinic for Equity
AHA Honors Cleveland Clinic for Equity
Equity of Care Award recognizes hospital efforts to achieve care equity for patients, advance diversity
Laurie Larson
The American Hospital Association honored the Cleveland Clinic with its annual Equity of Care Award at the Health Forum–AHA Leadership Summit in July. The award recognizes outstanding hospital and health system efforts to achieve care equity for all patients and advance diversity within the organization's workforce, leadership and governance. Four health systems also were named as honorees for the award: CHRISTUS Health in Irving, Texas; MetroHealth System in Cleveland; Navicent Health in Macon, Ga.; and West Tennessee Healthcare in Jackson.
"Our winners' efforts to reduce health care disparities and foster diversity within their leadership and staff offer powerful examples for the rest of the field," said AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack. "They show what can be achieved to ensure that care is equitable for all."
Among its many achievements in addressing care inequities, Cleveland Clinic has maintained an ongoing commitment to the National Call to Action to Eliminate Health Care Disparities and the AHA's #123forEquity campaign, created to accelerate the progress of the National Call to Action. As a foundational element of this work, Cleveland Clinic has developed extensive resources to increase the collection and use of data on ethnicity and race, language preference and other relevant patient demographics.
"Collecting real data is essential to improving health care, and it drives all our decision-making," said Cleveland Clinic Chief of Staff Brian Donley, M.D. "We are honored by this recognition, but there is always more to do around diversity improvement and doing what's right for all patients."
To support its caregivers in providing high-quality, all-inclusive care, Cleveland Clinic instituted both online and instructor-led cultural competence training, available to all staff year-round. Such flexible scheduling empowers all providers to continuously work on their patient-engagement skills while holding them accountable to a system metric for the training. Donley said that 94 percent of the system's caregivers met the metric requirement in 2015, including participation in 56 requested courses.
The system also implemented several pipeline development programs to support minority high school and college students' pursuit of health care careers and continuing education, including coaching, mentoring, conferences and think-tank sessions with Cleveland Clinic staff. In addition, 11 Employee Resource Groups across the organization help to address the health care and wellness needs of specific patient populations, including military health, an interfaith network and ClinicPride, an LGBT patient resource. The grassroots groups are open to all Cleveland Clinic caregivers and staff and are designed to provide diversity education, overcome language barriers and increase cultural awareness and competence. At the broader system level, 19 Diversity Councils across the system provide strategic direction to Cleveland Clinic's Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
"We drive diversity at the highest level, starting with our CEO and board leadership," Donley said. "Our guiding principle has always been defined by two words: patients first. Our leadership recognizes that the more culturally competent care we provide, the better our quality, access and care affordability will be. Everyone seeks meaning and purpose in their work, and our 49,000 employees find that our diverse culture helps them to do just that."
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Building trust in the community encourages men — who are less likely to seek care than women — to get check-ups and adopt a healthier lifestyle.


Suburra is a razor-sharp political thriller set in Berlusconi's Rome
Author: Ian Thomson
Newspaper: New Statesman
Date: Sep 24 2017
URL: https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/books/2017/09/suburra-razor-sharp-political-thriller-set-berlusconis-rome
Silvio Berlusconi, that slyboots politician, used his own television channels to spread propaganda for his Forza Italia ("Let's Go Italy!") party and, along the way, established a "videocracy" such as the world has never seen. His ten years in power provided lurid entertainment for the masses (boobs, football, lottery) as well as patronage for family and friends.
Today more than ever, Italians are weighed down by debts and doubts, as are all Europeans. Yet each of the Berlusconi governments managed to survive through a very Italian flair for crisis management. ("How's your crisis going?" President Reagan once asked the country's then prime minister Bettino Craxi in 1985. "Very well, thank you," came the wry reply.) Forza Italia's supremo was in many ways the embodiment of furbizia – cunning, foxiness. By placing family, business and bunga-bunga parties before the concerns of government he made Italy prey to sinister financiers: increasingly during the early 2000s, political power was sought, not for Italy's common good, but for nefarious purposes.
Suburra, a razor-sharp political thriller set during the dying days of Berlusconi's regime in the year 2011 – and first published in Italian in 2013 – unfolds largely on Rome's outskirts. In the borgate (townships) of Ostia, Centocelle, Cinecittà and Tiburtina, small-time thugs collaborate with hoodlum bankers and property wheeler-dealers to pull off a multi-billion-dollar scam to build a luxury waterfront development in Ostia port. Just as in 1975 the Italian film-maker Pier Paolo Pasolini was found beaten beyond recognition and run over by his own car outside Ostia, now here a couple of low-lifers have been murdered in a "Pasolini-style execution" in the same shanty town. The book is fraught with such allusions to Pasolini and his newspaper attacks on political corruption and lends itself to film treatment; already it has been adapted for a Netflix series, available from 6 October.
The authors, Rome-based journalist Carlo Bonini and magistrate-novelist Giancarlo De Cataldo, anticipate the "Mafia Capital" investigations in Rome that, in 2014, revealed the city as a sinkhole of greed and corruption. In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, a group of Berlusconi-affiliated politicians and former right-wing activists had begun to make a fortune by co-opting migrants and gypsies into loan-sharking, fraud and money-laundering businesses. Among those eventually imprisoned as a result of the investigations was Massimo Carminati, "the last king of Rome", a gangland mobster with a taste for samurai swords and Tom Ford suits.
The plot of Suburra, fast-paced and brutal, thrills from the get-go. A politician called Pericle Malgradi (part based on Berlusconi) is trying to cover up the death-by-drugs of a Lithuanian prostitute with whom he has just had sex in a plush Rome hotel. ("Suburra" is the Latin name for ancient Rome's red-light district.) The hotel's Albanian-born night porter seeks to blackmail the Honourable Malgradi, only to be bumped off by a hit man. So begins a gang war that involves a cast of "steroid-swollen" bouncers, escort girls in latex dresses, bent city commissioners, councilmen and Vatican yes-men. Hovering over them is the shadowy, Carminati-esque master criminal known as "Samurai", who likes to drink cups of lapsang souchong tea while deliberating cold-blooded murder.
Like Carminati, Samurai owns works by Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol, and has read his Ezra Pound, Louis-Ferdinand Céline, and other right-leaning authors. His background in neo-fascist militancy is made manifest in a "recreational club" situated in the unlovely borgata of Monte Sacro, where kids use Zippo lighters adorned with the silhouette of Il Duce and the fascist anthem "Faccetta nera" is a ring tone. (It was from just such a murky Black Shirt world that Pasolini's 17-year-old assassin came.)
Suburra has much in common with Paolo Sorrentino's 2013 film La Grande Bellezza, in which Rome is portrayed as a city corrupted into decadence by the work of Berlusconi and his henchmen berlusclones. In the novel's comic-strip exaggerated violence, political rivals are rubbed out in a Mafia-style "balancing of accounts". The novel owes much, too, to the work of Italy's so-called giovani cannibali (young cannibal writers), among them Simona Vinci, Niccolò Ammaniti and Giorgio Vasta, who draw on kung-fu videos, graphic novels and Nintendo games to conjure a spiritually empty, disaffected modern Italy. I have not read such a blistering, grimly absorbing satire of Rome's kickback and bribery culture in years.


T'licious Cakes: Southern Charm and Custom Cakes Come to MiMo
Laine Doss
| Desserts |
Laine Doss | April 17, 2015 | 10:07am
T'licious Cakes has just brought a bit of Southern hospitality to the Biscayne Corridor. The little shop, which just opened at 7648 Biscayne Blvd., is a confection in itself. Decorated in white and purple stripes, it looks like it should be hosting a group of ladies in pastel hats, converging for afternoon tea.
That would make sense, since owner Trish Robinson's intention is to bring a bit of her beloved New Orleans to Miami both in spirit and flavor. "We are in the South, although we are not traditionally Southern. I'd like to bring a bit of that southern taste and hospitality here to Miami."
Robinson, a NOLA native, fell in love with Miami and moved here after finishing school. "My dad owned a construction company and had an office in Miami. In college, my girlfriends all wanted to come to Miami to get some beach time. When I came here I just fell in love and knew I wanted to stay here. Miami is my home, but New Orleans remains in my heart."
The soul of New Orleans (and a bit of family history) comes through in Robinson's baking. "These are my Grandma's recipes. She never lived outside of New Orleans and these are the cakes that have been in my family forever. They're not only delicious, they're important to me because they're part of my tradition and part of my kids' tradition.
There's also a lot of down home New Orleans decadence in every bite. Robinson points out that her cupcakes are not gluten-free or vegan. "They are butter and sugar and cream. They're traditional cakes and they are delicious."
T'licious cakes offers cupcakes ($3.50), cookies ($3), cookie pops ($2.50), and lollipops ($1-3), all made from scratch. Cupcake flavors include lemon, chocolate, vanilla, carrot, and red velvet with cream cheese icing and chocolate chips. The cupcakes are moist, buttery, but not overly sweet. In the future, Robinson will expand the offerings, possibly to include homemade beignets.
Lollipops are made by hand are come in both traditional swirls for kids and lips for grownups.
Robinson also makes custom cakes and takes custom cupcake and cookie orders. Prices start from about $65 for a simple party cake to $2,000 for an elaborate multi-tiered confectionery dream. In fact, that's the engineer-turned-baker's slogan: "baking delicious dreams."
T'licious also has espresso ($2), American coffee ($1.50), and tea ($1.50), served in lavender china cups. And there's Wi-Fi, which makes it a lovely alternative to chain coffee shops. Robinson is all for advocating Miami take a short break. "Come in, have a cup of tea and sit back and relax a little. It's what we do in the South. I'm encouraging Miamians to do that."
T'licious Cakes is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday and Monday by appointment.
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Laine Doss is the food and spirits editor for Miami New Times. She has been featured on Cooking Channel's Eat Street and Food Network's Great Food Truck Race. She won an Alternative Weekly award for her feature about what it's like to wait tables.
Facebook: Laine Doss
Twitter: @lainedoss