[Salem Horror Fest Review] 'Papi Ramirez vs. Giant Scorpions' Uses Creative Ingenuity & Heart to Enormously Positive Results
Some of the best pieces of art and entertainment are those created under the confines of technical and financial limitations...
...It forces the artist to use a finite amount of colors and paintbrushes, which requires a special kind of resourceful creativity that can really challenge the artist. Videographer and filmmaker Leslie Rivera takes this minimalist approach to a whole new level. Playing at the 2020 Salem Horror Fest, Papi Ramirez vs Giant Scorpions is, more or less, a one-man band kind of production. Filmed entirely in Rivera's storage unit with a green screen, and a host of props, this constrained but robust film is truly a sight to behold.
Papi begins his hero's journey at home cradling his wife and lovingly nestling his head on her pregnant stomach. Both are ecstatic about the birth of their daughter and are clearly very much in love with each other. Papi starts his day like any other, driving across the flat, barren desert to reach his next stuntman gig. After a long, hot, strenuous day, Papi wants nothing more than to embrace his wife and leave work in the rearview mirror, but that's not in the cards for him. While pulling over to relieve himself, a large black figure approaches him on the long, lone road. To his amazement, the figure is a giant scorpion! While trying to outrun the abomination, Papi ends up falling into a deep, dark pit in the ground. Now trapped by the giant scorpion, he meets two smaller scorpions, who identify themselves as the spawn of the larger one. Equipped only with his wits and paternal motivation to see his daughter born, Papi must use the scarce resources around him to fight his way out.
Scorpions achieves something not often seen in film anymore, which is caring for its technical proficiency just as much as it appreciates its emotional resonance. It understands the importance of this very vital balance and I actually feel that Rivera cares for the story he's telling. It took a little while for me to spot the heart amongst the eccentric and stimulating aesthetic, but once I found it, it all kind of came together for me. At first glance, I was nearing an eye-rolling session due to its sometimes-obnoxious theatrical qualities. It comes off like an extended episode of Robot Chicken that you might catch at 2 A.M. on Adult Swim, but the joke was on me, because my shallow initial judgements were proven wrong. Once Papi is in the dark pit, he reflects on his situation and finds his center by focusing on what means most to him: his wife and unborn daughter. His own paternal instincts are mirrored by the scorpion and her two children. Don't get me wrong, it's as ridiculous as it sounds and the scorpion children provide some of the film's biggest laughs, but beneath the goofy exterior is a story about two parents who would die for their children. It's heartfelt stuff and, unless you're completely devoid of feeling and have no soul, it's impossible not to appreciate the film's earnest themes.
Scorpions is one of the greatest technical achievements I've seen this year. Not because of a massive scale backed by millions, but because of its limitations and small-scale creativity. This isn't a bottle film taking place in one location, either. The amount of dynamic filmmaking achieved by using so little is incredible. Rivera manages to take us to several locations by way of green screen, forced perspective, and digital matte paintings. The film could have easily rubbed me the wrong way if it were an overly self-satisfying vanity project, and I'm happy to report the opposite. Because the film is filled with so much heart, none of the filmmaking trickery ever comes off as showy. The length of the film also speaks volumes about what's necessary and what is just visual fluff. Clocking in at just under 50 minutes, Scorpions knows its sweet spot and never outstays its welcome. The film never lingers on anything unimportant to the story and it honors its titular character by doing so. Not allowing the story to meander ensures the visuals never lose their charm for viewers and helps the film stay centered on its heartfelt focus.
Rivera has clearly proven he is a filmmaking renaissance man. Putting this production together required more than just a good idea and dedication. This was accomplished by way creative ingenuity, a painstaking post-production, and thinking far outside the box. I would recommend this to any parent, or anyone who has someone in their life they would fight tooth and nail to protect and care for. Funnily enough, I would also recommend this to the pot-smoking college student who regularly enjoys binging old episodes of Robot Chicken and Squidbillies. Many times, when heartwarming intent is cooked with comical absurdity the result feels insincere, but Rivera has crafted a delightfully balanced recipe. Papi Ramirez vs Giant Scorpions is not to be missed.
By Jeffrey W. Hollingsworth


"For medical purposes I am her mother. But I am also her aunt."
Many families are grappling with similar questions as a family tree today is beginning to look more like a tangled forest. Genealogists have long defined familial relations along bloodlines or marriage. But as the composition of families changes, so too has the notion of who gets a branch on the family tree.
Some families now organize their family tree into two separate histories: genetic and emotional. Some schools, where charting family history has traditionally been a classroom project, are now skipping the exercise altogether…
Rob Okun, a 61-year-old magazine editor from Massachusetts, agreed to donate his sperm to a lesbian couple 16 years ago. Mr. Okun already had two biological children with a longtime female partner and two stepchildren with his current wife. He wanted no role in parenting the children born with his donated sperm, but did want them to know who he was.
The couple, Patricia Kogut and Lynne Dahlborg, agreed, and Ms. Kogut gave birth to Lucyna and Nathaniel. Ms. Dahlborg then adopted both children.
"There is the family tree and there is the day-to-day structure of the family," Ms. Kogut said.
NYT Posted at 7:40 pm on July 5, 2011
nytimes.com/2011/07/05/us/05tree.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&pagewanted=all
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Developing Open Educational Resources policy for Antigua and Barbuda
news_050413_antigua.jpg
UNESCO and the Commonwealth of Learning brought together twenty education administrators, teachers, and policy makers from Antigua and Barbuda for two consultative workshops on developing a national OER policy and a country strategy for implementing ICT-CFT from 18 to 21 March 2013.
The workshops focused on brainstorming essential elements to be incorporated in such a strategy, while aligning it to the national educational goals, plans and strategies on capacity building in ICTs in education. The UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers was used to guide the discussions around teacher professional development.
The workshops were inaugurated by Dr Edmund Mansoor, Honourable minister for The Ministry of Telecommunications, Science and Technology and Mr Winston Williams, Honourable Minister for Education. Both the ministers reiterated Antigua and Barbuda's commitment to integrate ICTs in primary, secondary and tertiary education and to harness OERs.
Both workshops were facilitated by Neil Butcher, an educational technology specialist, who will prepare a draft policy on ICT in Education and OER in Antigua and Grenada, which will be presented to Ministry of Telecommunication and Ministry of Education, Government of Antigua and Barbuda before the end of March. This policy will incorporate a structured approach to harnessing the UNESCO ICT Competence Framework for Teachers to direct capacity building in Antigua and Barbuda. It will also integrate strategies on the effective use of Open Educational Resources (OER) in Antigua and Barbuda.
The workshop was organized by the UNESCO Kingston Office in collaboration with the Commonwealth of Learning and the support of the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Telecommunication, Science and Technology, Government of Antigua and Barbuda, and National Commission for UNESCO.
Education transforms lives
Open Educational Resources (OER)


Cambridgeshire coronavirus: People hospitalised monthly with COVID-19 in our region triples
The number of patients in mechanical ventilation beds has also increased
Benjamin Hatton
Staff at a Coronavirus testing centre in (Image: PA)
The monthly number of people admitted to hospital with a confirmed case of Covid-19 has tripled in the East of England.
That is according to the government's daily tracker of Covid-19 data for the region, which also shows the number of Covid-19 patients in mechanical ventilation beds rising.
In the last four weeks of available data, up to and including October 6, there were 304 "Covid-19 patients admitted to hospital" in the region.
In the four weeks preceding that, there were 98, according to data on the government's daily tracker and analysed by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The government website says those figures refer to "people admitted to hospital who tested positive for Covid-19 in the 14 days prior to admission, and those who tested positive in hospital after admission".
Case numbers rising
Zooming in to look at the trend in recent weeks, the weekly number of Covid-19 patients admitted rose more than 30 per cent in the last seven days up to and including October 6. In those last seven days of available data, 117 Covid-19 patients were admitted to hospital, up from 86 the week before – a jump of more than 30 per cent. There were 46 the week before, 55 the week before that, and 29 the week before, which is the week beginning September 2.
There were 23 patients admitted to hospital who had tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday, October 5, more than any single day since July.
The number of Covid-19 patients in mechanical ventilation beds has also risen, from a seven-day rolling average of 1.6 on September 8, to 12 on the last day of available data, Thursday, October 8.
The government's website says the figure includes "the numbers of Covid-19 patients in beds which are capable of delivering mechanical ventilation and includes Nightingale hospitals".
Data on the number of deaths related to Covid-19 in the region has more of a delay.
The most recent data available is for the week ending September 25, where 10 deaths were recorded in the East of England where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate. There were eight such deaths in each of the two preceding weeks.
The number of people testing positive is also rising in the region. The number of confirmed cases in the East of England have also tripled, rising from 1,150 in the week September 15 to 21, to 1,740 a week later, to 3,079 in the seven days up to October 5.
'I urge everyone to pull together and help reverse this upward trend'
On Thursday (October 8), Public Health England East released a statement calling on residents "to do their bit to help slow the rise in Covid-19 cases".
Deputy director for health protection at Public Health England East, Dr Jorg Hoffmann, said: "The East of England is beginning to reflect what is being seen in other parts of the country with a steady rise in the number of cases of Covid-19 and although we may not yet be in a similar situation as some of the areas in the north, the increasing rates of infection are cause for concern and action.
"I urge everyone to pull together and help reverse this upward trend; please adhere to the rule of six and follow guidelines around social distancing, face coverings and hand washing. Remember hands, face, space. If you experience a high temperature, new continuous cough or loss of, or change to, your sense of smell or taste, we ask that you self-isolate immediately and arrange a test.
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"By being disciplined and following these rules, you greatly reduce the risk to yourself and those you love. It really is simple – by following the advice you are doing your bit and if we all do this together, we will build a defence and help protect others who may be at a higher risk at getting seriously ill should they become exposed to the infection."
Residents are advised to adhere to the government guidelines on the rule of six and social distancing, and to maintain good hygiene, wear a mask and keep distance from others in line with the guidance.
Those who show signs of coronavirus symptoms – such as a high temperature, a new, continuous cough and a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – are advised to self-isolate immediately and book a test as soon as possible.


by Mel Sep 21, 2019 | 0 Votes | 25 Bought | 0 Reviews Your vote - rate
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Outdoor and Sporting Goods Adidas is the largest activewear manufacturer in Europe, and the second-largest globally. Originally designed strictly for wear in athletics, it has since diversified into the very lucrative market of streetwear fashion as one of the most popular athleisure brands in the world. Buy Now Similar Brands Bought Post a Review
Introduction What to Buy Highlights Is It Time to Buy?
Adidas AG, or simply Adidas, is a multinational corporation founded and headquartered in Germany, that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing, and accessories. It is the largest activewear manufacturer in Europe, and the second-largest globally. Originally designed strictly for wear in athletics, Adidas has since diversified into the very lucrative market of streetwear fashion as one of the most popular athleisure brands in the world.
With its recognizable "three stripes" logo and its omnipresence in the world of amateur and professional sports, hardly anyone hasn't come across an item of Adidas clothing at least once in his or her lifetime. What began as an athletic shoe company in 1924 is now one of the most valuable brands in the world, venturing into apparel by popularizing the tracksuit in 1967 and now selling a whole range of men's, women's, and kids' clothing and accessories such as jackets and hoodies, hats, socks, bags, underwear, watches, eyewear, mobile accessories, and more.
Adidas has also branched out into Adidas branded body care products such as perfume, deodorant, shower gels, and aftershave cologne. Adidas is also the largest manufacturer of sports bras in Europe (the second largest in the world).
Adidas' fame started with famed sprinter Jesse Owens, the 1936 Olympics, and a pair of rubber spiked running shoes. The brand continues to make footwear the core of its billion-dollar business by producing shoes not only for athletics but also for soccer, basketball, football, baseball, golf, and tennis.
But with the cultural acceptance of sportswear in mainstream fashion inspired by urban street style and hip-hop, the role of sportswear was forever changed when Adidas' launched its bestselling Originals line of shoes in the 1970s, offering modernized updates on their timeless silhouettes such as the Swift, NMD, Superstar, Continental, Samba, Campus, and Stan Smith that serve as classic templates to how fashion sneakers are designed today. Now with athleisure apparel and accessories as part of its line, today's Adidas' Originals features successful collaborations with Pharrell Williams, Raf Simons, Jeremy Scott, Alexander Wang, Palace Skateboards and, more specifically, Kanye West's groundbreaking Yeezy line that have revolutionized street lifestyle and men's fashion in general.
Meanwhile, one of the main drivers of Adidas sales has always been football kits and football equipment. Adidas remains the number one supplier and innovator of team kits for international association football teams and clubs, which the brand has also made available to the public through club jerseys, training pants and track jackets, to cleats such as the famed Copa, Predator, X, and Nemeziz worn by superstars Lionel Messi, Mo Salah, and Paul Pogba.
Top fashion designer Stella McCartney, meanwhile, has been a regular collaborator of Adidas for close to 15 years and has been focusing on developing cutting-edge, high-performance recycled materials. Not only has she been designing stylish athleisure apparel, but is also leading Adidas towards offering sustainable options with her Adidas by Stella McCartney line using as much recycled polyester as possible, with a few made with ocean plastic recovered by another McCartney partner, Parley for the Oceans.
Together with McCartney and Parley for the Oceans, Adidas is at the forefront of apparel sustainability with its innovations in creating footwear and clothing made of recyclable materials. Adidas has produced an entire collection of sportswear where each piece has at least 75% of its construction made of materials reclaimed and recycled from marine plastic waste and illegal deep-sea gillnets collected from beaches, remote islands, and coastal communities. Currently, Adidas has committed to producing 11 million pairs of shoes and a range of sportswear through this partnership with Parley.
To start shopping on Adidas.com, you can browse the straightforward menu on top of each page by Men, Women, Kids, Sports, and Brands categories. From there you'll find a menu for Featured (New Arrivals and Best Sellers), Shoes, Clothing, Accessories, and Sport. Inside each product page, you can find a variety of photos, product details, color options, size chart and selection, rating & reviews, and suggested related items.
Adidas accepts the following payment methods: Major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover), PayPal/PayPal Express, Apple Pay, and Adidas Gift Cards. At the moment, all shipping on the Adidas site is FREE within the United States and with no coupon codes required until further notice.
If you want to return your Adidas.com purchase for any reason, the company will offer you a full refund within 30 days of purchase (personalized products are not returnable) by visiting their online returns page to print a return label. Once your package is labeled, you can drop it off physically from within the USA at any UPS Drop Off Location within said 30 days.
Furthermore, check out Adidas.com's promotions pages for a 15% off code or more on future purchases. You can also sign up for Adidas news and get an additional 15% off coupon for your next order.
Finally, since the hottest new drops and colorways of your favorite sneakers tend to sell out in a blink of an eye, go to the "Release Dates" link for the most accurate countdown on Adidas release dates for Yeezy, UltraBOOST, Pharrell, Falcon, Nite Jogger, PureBoost Go, Continental, Yung and other collections so you won't miss a drop.
Is It Time to Buy?
As the name that made athletic kits-as-streetwear a cultural and fashion phenomenon and the brand that dared to take a chance on Kanye West's Yeezy; Adidas has proven time and again that it's a game-changer when it comes to combining contemporary trends with classic silhouettes in its athletic shoes and sportswear. Now, with free shipping at no minimum purchase and a goal to market a 100% recyclable shoe by 2021, there's no better time to go all-in on the Adidas lifestyle.
Adidas Blog
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by Mel Sep 21, 2019 Adidas is the largest activewear manufacturer in Europe, and the second-largest globally. Originally designed strictly for wear in athletics, it has since diversified into the very lucrative market of streetwear fashion as one of the most popular athleisure brands in the world. Read More Be the First to Post a Review!
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The Home Depot One of the most recognizable home improvement brands in the United States, The Home Depot is renowned for offering a wide variety of products, home improvement services, and free DIY workshops and project ideas. Barnes & Noble Barnes & Noble is the largest bookselling company in the United States. With over 750 retail stores across all 50 states, this company sells a variety of digital media, toys and educational products, gifts, reading aids, art supplies, and more, in addition to a myriad of books. iStock Photo Owned and managed by Getty Images, iStock Photo is among the world's best source of quality stock content, be it photos, illustrations, videos or audio, at affordable prices. eBay Along with Amazon, eBay is one of the most recognizable online marketplaces that sell literally anything you'll ever need. Whether it is the latest gadgets, handbags for the ladies, old and collectible VHS tapes, or even travel deals, you can find them all on eBay! PatPat Established by InterFocus Inc, PatPat is set up with the sole intent of providing quality mom and baby goods at affordable prices. And how they do that? They use the Manufacturer to Consumer model (M2C) – They cut out the middlemen and let you order your products directly from the manufacturers. Mattel Mattel is one of the biggest brands and companies when it comes to popular children's toys. They own multiple IPs including the iconic brands, Barbie and Hot Wheels. Aside from their own range of toys, they also work with other huge entertainment companies like Disney and DC Comics.
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Race for a cure
War-ravaged Syria takes new steps against coronavirus, says no recorded cases yet
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syria, already shattered by nine years of war, has banned entry for foreigners arriving from many countries hit by the coronavirus as part of widening measures to combat the epidemic.
A worker sanitises a door at a hospital, as hospitals enforce a series of measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Damascus, Syria March 19, 2020. REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki
Although the government says it has yet to document any infections, Syria is seen at high risk.
"We have vulnerable populations in camps, refugees, slum areas at the outskirts of large urban centers," the World Health Organization's Syria representative, Nima Saeed Abid, told Reuters.
"If we take the scenarios in China or even in Iran, we are expecting we may have large number of cases and we are preparing accordingly."
Coronavirus infections have also yet to be recorded in the large parts of Syria outside government control - the east, northeast and northwest.
The rebel-held northwest was already facing a major humanitarian crisis with nearly one million people displaced by fighting in the past few months as the Russian-backed government mounted an offensive.
U.N. political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo said on Friday that she had heard from sources on the ground about the potentially devastating impact of coronavirus in Syria.
"If anyone - incredibly - still needed a reason to stop the fighting there, this is it," DiCarlo posted on Twitter.
The entry ban announced overnight by Damascus followed the closure of schools, parks, restaurants and various public institutions. A health hotline is being launched, Health Minister Nizar Yazigi said.
He also responded to suggestions of a cover-up.
"The health ministry is the only source of information about this matter and not rumors circulating on social media," the state news agency quoted him as saying on Thursday. "When there is an infection, it will be announced."
Still, Kurdish-aligned authorities that govern much of northeastern and eastern Syria are not convinced.
"We took decisions to close all crossings with the regime," said Ghassan al-Yousef, head of a council that administers areas of Deir al-Zor province east of the Euphrates River.
He cited fear of the virus crossing from government territory west of the Euphrates River, particularly areas controlled by pro-Damascus Shi'ite militias that are backed by Iran and recruit from countries where the virus has spread.
The Kurdish-led administration has banned movement between towns in its region starting from Saturday and a curfew will begin Monday.
In the opposition-held northwest, rescue workers whose usual role is to respond to government bombardments have been sanitizing classrooms. Medics in the northwest fear the virus would spread very quickly in crowded camps for the displaced.
All the countries bordering Syria have coronavirus outbreaks.
Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Sonya Hepinstall


KOBI5.com > News > Local > Teen with tactical belt prompts school lockdown
Teen with tactical belt prompts school lockdown
Ashland, Ore. — Both Ashland High School and Lincoln School went into lock down Thursday morning after Ashland Police got a call of a young man with a tactical belt and what looked like a holster for a handgun.
"I think that we're constantly on edge right now. Especially around our schools and universities. It's just… it's the world that we live in," Ashland Police Chief Tighe O'Meara said.
It was a day just like any other for the Ashland Police Department and nearby schools until a call came in around 10:30 Thursday morning.
"We were there… inside a couple of minutes," Chief O'Meara said.
A city of Ashland employee said he saw a young man wearing tactical gear who looked armed with a holstered handgun.
He was walking on Ashland High School campus.
"Anybody looking at this kid would be alarmed by his dress and the fact that he's walking onto a high school campus with tactical gear on… one day after 17 people died in a similar situation in Florida," Chief O'Meara said.
Both Ashland High School and Lincoln School across the street immediately went into lock down.
But only for about fifteen minutes until police discovered it was a false alarm.
"He wasn't armed. But he was wearing a tactical belt with a radio holder on it that very easily can be mistaken for a holster," Chief O'Meara said.
The young man, who is a student, is apparently known for wearing the belt.
And while everyone was thankful there wasn't actually a threat, Chief O'Meara says it was good for Ashland Police to practice its active shooter response.
"No two situations are the same. We get there, we figure out what's going on, and we address the situation however we have to," Chief O'Meara said.
Chief Tighe O'Meara says Ashland Police has a good relationship with the schools.
Police are meeting with school leaders to find out how they can respond even more effectively if it were to happen again.
Tags: Ashland Ashland Police lockdown
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Posse Los Angeles supporters at the 2019 Golf Outing.
Posse L.A. Golf Outing Raises $60K
Fall 2019 | Los Angeles
This September, Posse Los Angeles and Avison Young held their 7th Annual Golf Outing with the support of Shawmut Design and Construction. Posse Los Angeles Advisory Board members Jonathan Larsen and Greg Skalaski collaborated to ensure the continued success of the event, which raised $60,000.
The outing was held at the Calabasas Country Club and was attended by more than 100 golfers and guests. The tournament began with a brief program and breakfast for the participants. Posse Los Angeles Advisory Board Chair James Wilcox welcomed the golfers and spoke about the impact of The Posse Foundation.
"I'm such a believer in Posse and what it stands for."
"I'm such a believer in Posse and what it stands for," says James, a managing director and wealth manager at First Republic Investment Management. "I encourage everyone to consider hiring a Posse Scholar or alum. It really transforms a workplace."
Following the tournament, guests attended a reception with live music where Jonathan Larsen presented Posse Los Angeles with a ceremonial check for the proceeds raised. Jonathan thanked the event's sponsors, including Pinnacle Construction and other long-standing sponsors who have been deeply committed to Posse's mission.
"Without sponsor support this tournament would not be possible," Jonathan said in his remarks. "It takes $50,000 to support a single Posse. Your contribution helps shape tomorrow's leaders."


Giveaway of Esther by Jennifer North
May 8, 2019 April 7, 2019 by HNSA Editor
Here's a treat for April. Our sponsor, Allen & Unwin, is offering a 3 book giveaway of Esther by Jennifer North, the story of Esther Abraham, a First Fleet convict who became the First Lady of the colony of Sydney. You can read a sample chapter here.
Jessica North has been researching Esther's story for over a decade, discovering intriguing new information. She is a program director at the Australian Research Institute for Environment and Sustainability at Macquarie University, and author of several guides.
Subscribe to our HNSA newsletter then comment on this post to enter the draw. Contest ends at 5 pm on 6 May 2019. Winning entries will be determined via random.org.
The little-known rags to riches love story of a convict girl who arrived in Australia on the First Fleet. Much like another, better-known colonial woman, Elizabeth Macarthur, Esther successfully managed her husband's property and became a significant figure in the new colony.
Esther only just escaped the hangman in London. Aged 16, she stood trial at the Old Bailey for stealing 24 yards of black silk lace. Her sentence was transportation to the other side of the world.
She embarked on the perilous journey on the First Fleet as a convict, with no idea of what lay ahead. Once on shore, she became the servant and, in time, the lover of the dashing young first lieutenant George Johnston. But life in the fledgling colony could be gruelling, with starvation looming and lashings for convicts who stepped out of line.
Esther was one of the first Jewish women to arrive in the new land. Through her we meet some of the key people who helped shape the nation. Her life is an extraordinary rags-to-riches story. As leader of the Rum Rebellion against Governor Bligh, George Johnston became Lieutenant-Governor of NSW, making Esther First Lady of the colony, a remarkable rise in society for a former convict.
'North skilfully weaves together one woman's fascinating saga with an equally fascinating history of the early colonial period of Australia. The resulting true story is sometimes as strange and thrilling as a fairytale.' – Lee Kofman, author of The Dangerous Bride.
HNSA Sydney 2019 will be held on the weekend of 25-27 October 2019 at Western Sydney University Parramatta.
Once again, historical fiction writers and readers can gather for a three stream program on the weekend of 26-27 October including our extended Academic stream on Sunday 27 October. This time there's also a Craft & Publishing program on Friday 25 October with craft workshops, masterclasses and manuscript assessments with top class tutors. Our Guest of Honour is Jackie French. Keynote speaker Paula Morris will address our theme: History Repeats.
Among the 60 acclaimed speakers are patrons Kate Forsyth and Sophie Masson, Catherine Jinks, Ali Alizadeh, Marie Munkara, Lucy Treloar, Robert Gott, Pamela Hart, Nicole Alexander, Jane Caro, Alison Goodman, Kelly Gardiner, Michelle Aung Thin, Meg Keneally, Majella Cullinane and so many more.
Our signature First Pages Pitch Contest returns with $200 prize money on offer. They'll also be a sword fight or two with our Historical Re-enactments & Weapons display!
Enjoy a delicious meal at our conference dinner on Saturday 26 October where Anna Campbell will entertain us. You'll also hear who's won this year's ARA HNSA Short Story Contest with a $500 prize.
Visit our website to purchase your early bird tickets now!
Subscribe to our newsletter for interviews, podcasts and conference news.
Learn about our sponsorship opportunities.
Let's make a noise about historical fiction!
Categories Conference updates, GiveawaysTags Giveaways, HNSA 2019	Post navigation
Melbourne Satellite Event: Triumphs and Pitfalls of the Self-Publishing Game
Which panel will you choose? Crime or research?
14 thoughts on "Giveaway of Esther by Jennifer North"
Shirley Patton
Another great historical fiction novel on my must read list! Plus research.
Editor - HNSA
There are sooo… many. 🙂
Gopi Elton
I wonder what she did with the black lace?
Chrissie Mios
This sounds a fantastic series and one that my 83-year-old mother would love as well. As a keen genealogist, she's secretly disappointed that none of our ancestors arrived on the First Fleet— always interested in Australian stories based on the history of our country. Esther sounds like the perfect champion of women of the time — strong, courageous and resourceful. I'd love to meet her!
I hope you win!
This sounds incredible! Love that gorgeous cover as well
Will you enter?
Dianne Myers
Cannot wait to read this. I am currently studying for a BA at UNE majoring in Australian history and as a keen reader and genealogist with a female first fleeter in my family I can never get enough Australian historical fiction.
This looks wonderful, I'll definitely add it to my tbr-list. She's sounds like a wonderful character, in such a terrifying yet fascinating time…
Sharon Talbot
"Esther" sounds fascinating – I'd love to read about her. I know little about Aussie First Fleet, but have heard similar stories of arrivals on the First Four Ships to Canterbury/Christchurch (NZ).
My English teacher caught me reading "Sara Dane" in class. Yep, I got in trouble, but I loved Gaskin's fiction about a strong woman in early colonial Australia. "Esther" sounds all the better for being based on a real historical entity and piles of research! Grown-up historical (bio)fiction for a grown-up me. Excellent stuff.
This book looks really interesting and on a subject I haven't much explored before.
Loreth
Looking forward to reading this one.
Rosemary Argue
Looks like a very interesting read! It's about time that such amazingly strong Australian women are written about in fiction.


The Buzz about Beekeeping Regulations
In 2015, the Governor signed into law, P.L. 2015, c.76, which preempted municipal authority to regulate beekeeping activity. Meaning, municipal governments could no longer adopt ordinances to regulate beekeeping within their borders and all ordinances regulating such activity adopted prior to the law were now void. As a "home rule state," New Jersey's municipalities are generally said to have broad power to enact local regulations for all activities, except where the Legislature has specifically preempted. P.L. 2015, c.76 is a rare example of state preemption over local authority. Instead of allowing for local control, the 2015 law vested exclusive authority to promulgate beekeeping regulations and standards with the State Department of Agriculture. Unlike most other forms of preemption, however, P.L. 2015, c.76 allows municipalities to be delegated authority to monitor and enforce the standards promulgated by the Department.
Since the law's signing, the Department of Agriculture has worked with the League and various beekeeping organizations to compose standards to regulate beekeeping. On November 20, 2017, the Department published those proposed standards. You can view these proposed regulations in their entirety, here.
Below is a brief overview of the Department's proposed standards. This is simply an overview, highlighting pertinent sections of the proposed regulations which have a direct municipal impact. This overview should be read in conjunction with the proposed regulations in their entirety. Comments on these proposed regulations are due by January 19, 2018. If you have questions or concerns with these proposed regulations that you wish to be addressed you should submit written comments to the Department before the January 19, 2018 deadline. For more details on how to submit comments please see the notice of proposed rulemaking, here. Also, you may forward these concerns to the League so that they may be addressed in the comments the League plans to submit to the Department.
Contact: Frank Marshall, Esq., League Staff Attorney, FMarshall@njslom.org or 609-695-3481 x. 137.
Hive Density
<1/4 Acre ¼ Acre to <5 Acres 5 Acres or More
Residential property where Agriculture is a Permitted Use *Not Addressed* 2 Hives per lot 40 Hives per lot
Residential property where agriculture is not a permitted use New (not already in existence) hives are not permitted. If hives were in existence prior to July 31, 2015, a waiver may be sought under N.J.A.C 2:24-76.3 None, without a waiver. Hobbyist may seek waiver for up to 2 hives per lot. None, without a waiver. Hobbyist may seek waiver for up to 10 hives per lot.
Commercial property where agriculture is not a permitted use New (not already in existence) hives are not permitted. If hives were in existence prior to July 31, 2015, a non-qualified commercial beekeeper may seek a waiver for up to 10 hives. Non-qualified commercial beekeeper may seek a waiver for up to 10 hives per lot. Non-qualified commercial beekeeper may seek a waiver for up to 20 hives per lot.
Farms or commercial farms Number of hives permitted is subject to N.J.A.C 2:76-2A.2 Number of hives permitted is subject to N.J.A.C 2:76-2A.2 Number of hives permitted is subject to N.J.A.C 2:76-2A.2
Undeveloped tract of land where agriculture is a permitted use *Not addressed* *Not Addressed* 40 Hives per lot
Waiver and Procedures for Requesting Waivers
The above-listed hive limitations may be extended through a request for a waiver. A waiver is submitted by the beekeeper to the governing authority. The governing authority can be the Department or a municipality if the municipality adopts through ordinance the Department's apiary standards. (More on this below) In order to obtain a waiver to own and maintain additional hives, the beekeeper must submit an application for hearing to the governing authority. The request for a hearing must be made at least 10 days prior to a regularly scheduled meeting of a governing body, with public notice provided as required for regulatory actions of that governing body. The applicant must also obtain from the municipality's tax assessor's office a certified list of all property owners within 200 feet of the applicant's property and provide to all of those property owners written notice of the meeting where the waiver application will be heard. The notice shall include the following:
The name and address of the applicant;
The address, lot and block number of the property at which the applicant intends to maintain the hive(s);
The nature of the waiver requested, setting forth the number of the proposed hives; and
The date, time, and place of the hearing before the governing body.
The governing authority may grant or deny an application for a waiver based upon a preponderance of evidence (roughly 51% or more) that the applicant has demonstrated good cause for granting such waiver. Furthermore, an applicant seeking a waiver must certify that the hives are free of disease. When deciding to grant or deny a waiver the governing authority shall consider the following:
The size of the property where the applicant proposes to keep the hive(s);
The distance between the location of where the hive(s)is/are intended to be kept and the physical location of adjacent property owners' homes or dwelling units;
Whether the property where the Hives are proposed to be kept is fenced to provide a particular type of flyway barrier;
Whether the hives for which the waiver is requested are the first hives or an addition to existing hives on the applicant's property;
The prior history of complaints against the applicant for violations of the beekeeping standards;
The zoning district of the property where the hives are proposed to be kept;
Whether the hive(s) serve some business purpose or the hive(s) are to be kept as a hobby; and
Other such facts as the governing authority may believe appropriate to consider according to the case and circumstances presented at the time the application is heard.
A waiver can also be revoked upon the request of a resident or property owner of the municipality in which the hives are located. In order to seek a waiver revocation, the applicant seeking revocation must address the same issues as someone seeking a waiver and be made by a person who certifies they reside or own property in the municipality in which the waiver applies. Furthermore, notice must be given to the beekeeper through regular and certified mail that waiver revocation will be sought.
Location of Hives
All hives must be located a minimum of 10 feet from any property line and at least 25 feet from any roadside, sidewalk, or path. Hives must also be 85 feet away from any public place including playgrounds, sports fields, schools, churches, or churches unless special permission is granted for educational or research purposes. Entrance to the hives must be located away from adjacent residential property.
A beekeeper must establish a flyway barrier at least six feet tall. The flyway barrier must be made of a solid wall, fence, dense vegetation, or some combination thereof. The flyway barrier must run parallel to the property line and extend 10 feet beyond the colony in each direction. If the adjacent property is undeveloped or agriculturally utilized, then no flyway barrier is required.
Beekeepers are also required to register with the Department. The proposed rules identify the information needed for registration and the process for doing such. If you wish to examine these requirements please see the complete copy of the proposed rules found in the link above.
Along with registration, hobbyist beekeepers are required to certify that they have completed recurrent training every five years. This training can be provided by the various entities including Rutgers University, the Department, or the NJ Beekeepers association. Records of the completion of these programs must be submitted to the governing body overseeing these standards.
Administration of Standards and Authority Delegated to Municipalities
Without municipal action, administration of these proposed standards is provided by the Department of Agriculture. A municipality, however, may take over administration if it passes an ordinance adopting by reference the apiary standards promulgated by the Department. A municipality wishing to take over administration must designate the municipal office responsible for monitoring the standard and must also send a copy of any ordinance(s) adopting these standards at least two weeks in advance of formal consideration of such ordinance.
If a municipality which has adopted the Department's standards finds a condition or circumstance is not sufficiently addressed by those standards the municipality shall request guidance from the Department. This guidance can include making a request to the Department, allowing the municipality to adopt apiary standards that were in effect by ordinance prior to the passing of P.L. 2015 c.76, on July 31, 2015, if those prior standards would resolve the condition or circumstance. The Department must provide guidance to a municipality no later than 90 days from the time such request is received.
If the Department fails to provide guidance within 90 days, the municipality may adopt by ordinance its own standards to address the condition or circumstance. Prior to adopting its own standards, however, a municipality must first consult with the Department, the League, the NJ Beekeepers Association, and the Mid-Atlantic Apiculture Research and Extension Consortium. Further, any standards the municipality chooses to adopt under this fashion must reflect consideration for population density, the density and intensity of development, type of land use, and honey bee biology and behavior.
For those municipalities which adopt the Department's standards, reports must be provided to the Department covering the period between February 15 and October 15 annually. Reports must be submitted by May 31, August 30, and October 30 and must contain the following:
The number of registration applications incorrectly sent to the municipality and forwarded to the Department;
The number and type of complaints from residents including complaints of swarms and/or disruptive contact of honey bees with swimming pools;
The number of monitoring inspections by the municipality;
The number of registrant reports of disease of bees to the municipality and forwarded to the Department; and
The number and type of enforcement actions taken.
Contact: Frank Marshall, Esq, Staff Attorney, fmarshall@njslom.org,609-695-3481 x137.
CY 2018 Budget Matters
Budget Deadlines, Calendar Year 2018 Budget, Local Budgets
As you continue to prepare your 2018 municipal budget, we would like to bring to your attention Local Finance Notice 2017-26, recently issued by the Division, detailing CY 2018 Budget matters. We would like to note that in 2018, the Division will automate the financial reporting process, which is explained below in further detail, resulting in a streamlined process, which will eliminate the need to file a separate User-Friendly Budget.
I. CY 2018 Budget Deadlines
The Division of Local Government Services has extended the deadline to introduce your CY 2018 budget to March 16. It is important to be mindful of these dates as you develop your budget. First, in the past, the timely adoption of the municipal budget has been a best practices question. Secondly, the Division has taken a harder line with municipalities that fail to timely adopt their budgets. Governing body members who willfully fail or refuse to timely adopt their budgets can be subjected to a daily personal penalty of $25.
The proposed changes (absent referendum dates) are:
Introduction and Adoption of Budget – Non-Referendum Statutory Date Revised Date
Mayor/Council Faulkner Act (Executive) budget transmission to governing body 1/15 2/16
Municipal introduction and approval of budget 2/10 3/16
Municipal adoption 3/20 4/20
Notwithstanding the revised dates, a budget may be adopted anytime within 10 days of receiving the Director's certification of approval of the budget.
II. FY 2019 State Aid
One of the unknowns you face when preparing your municipal budget is how much property tax relief funding the State Aid will provide to your town. This number is not known until the Governor's budget is presented. At this time it unknown when incoming Governor Murphy is scheduled to deliver his State Budget address. As in the past with the first year of a new Governor, we expect the State Budget address to be late February or early March. According to the Local Finance Notice, after the budget is proposed the Division will notify municipalities of the CMPTRA and Energy Tax Receipts amounts that can be anticipated in their budgets. For budgeting purposes, the Division is advising municipalities to use the 2017 funding amounts for the 2018 budget.
III. Health Insurance Contribution and Waiver Accounting
The 2010 property tax levy cap law included an exception for health care cost. The exception is based on the average State Health Benefits increase, which is 0.0% for 2018. Therefore, there will be no levy cap exception for Health Benefits. The Division has also outlined how employee contributions for health insurance should be accounted and that the formal budget message must contain information or a schedule showing the amounts contributed from employees, the employer share, and total costs. The disclosure may be broken down by employee group.
IV. Financial Automation Submission Tracking ("FAST")
The Division will be automating the budget process through their Financial Automation Submission Tracking system known as FAST. All reports, documents, and information that was previously submitted on paper, email, or excel spreadsheets will be submitted through FAST. Beginning January 1, 2018, all municipalities and counties must submit the following documents through FAST:
Annual Debt Statement/Supplementary Debt Statements
Annual Financial Statement
Budget/ User-Friendly Budget
Annual Audit/Corrective Action Plan
Dedication By Riders
All Emergencies
As a result of the FAST system, the Division will no longer require a separate submission of a User-Friendly Budget. Instead, a separate User-Friendly Budget report will be generated through FAST. Also, the CAP workbooks have been integrated into the FAST system and as such, municipalities will no longer be required to submit separate CAP workbooks.
In addition, all budgets submitted through FAST will be posted to the Division's website upon introduction and adoption. While it does not eliminate the requirement of N.J.S.A. 40A:4-10 to post your current and three prior year's budgets on your municipal website you can satisfy this requirement by adding a link to the Division's reports on your website.
The Division is providing training and information directly to your Chief Financial Officer, auditors, and financial professionals on FAST.
V. Local Examination
If a municipality meets certain standards they are able to locally examine their budget in any 2 of 3 consecutive years. This year the Division will be examining Group 3 budgets. If your municipality is considered a Group 1 or 2 you can have the Division examine your budget but you first must pass a resolution prior to the introduction of the municipal budget.
VI. Transitional Aid Application Process
Calendar Year municipalities in financial distress will have only one opportunity to apply for Transitional Aid. For budgeting purposes, the municipalities that received Transitional Aid in CY 2017 may anticipate Transitional Aid in an amount equal to 85% of their CY 2017 aid allocation. The due date for the application will be set shortly.
Local Finance Notice 2017-26 details issues that a municipality should consider when preparing their 2018 municipal budget. We suggest you review the notice with your professional staff.
Contact: Lori Buckelew, Senior Legislative Analyst,lbuckelew@njslom.org,609-695-3481 x112.


Opinion: Computer hacking may never fully go away even with the best new technology — and we may not want it to
This wasn't the first, nor it will be the last, such attack. However, certain details made cybersecurity experts worried: First, hackers used a zero-day exploit, i.e. a yet unknown flaw in the code, to execute their attack. Second, they targeted a company that isn't as valuable a target as a bank, for example, but has a strategic significance due to its connection with the companies it serves.
According to experts, independent hackers are upping their game, employing advanced tools and strategies, acting like elite government-backed hackers, rather than mere criminals.
While I don't necessarily disagree with this assessment, I can't help but wonder if these experts have underestimated the global hacker community? Also, it is as if they're not aware of the state and rapid growth of global data infrastructure.
Globalization and unification
We live in the era where digital globalization and unification have reached the highest levels in history. In addition to some benefits, this also brought multiple risks to the table.
One is centralization. Instead of having a decentralized structure that is fragmented across multiple nodes, the data is often stored in a unified system, which means there is a singular point of failure. When that system gets breached eventually, the attacker can gain access to more information and power than he would've had if he had accessed a walled-off segment of the same system.
This is especially the case with cloud-based services. The monopoly power of tech giants and service providers growing across the developed world is another pain point as it ensures that a handful of companies provides services to the vast majority of enterprises that share a unified infrastructure and software backbone.
While it may not be obvious to those less tech-savvy, it's quite easy even for a newbie hacker to discern what operating system (OS), content management system (CMS), marketing technology (martech) platform or other point of entry his victims use, and what kind of vulnerabilities — if any — exist for the version the victim is currently using.
All that's left is to execute the attack and cover his tracks.
Finally, one must never underestimate the power of social engineering; this approach is superior to any other as it provides access to valuable information regardless of the failsafes in place. If anything, experience has taught us that no system is impervious to hacking.
This also means that the endgame shouldn't be to make a system "unhackable." Rather, the goal should be to limit and mitigate the damage that could result from a possible breach.
Placing countermeasures that make hacking more trouble than it's worth is a better tactic than enticing hacker with huge vaults of digital treasure. Instead of relying on "good old Windows" or WordPress, one should use lesser-known, or even bespoke, operating systems and software whose exploits aren't publicly available.
But these investments require knowledge and additional funds, and companies are either reluctant, unqualified or incapable of making the necessary move.
However, there is more that companies can do to protect their data and network.
Earlier in the article, I mentioned the significant benefits of decentralization and fragmentation of the IT infrastructure as the best means for mitigating malicious attacks. Both of these features are hallmarks of the zero trust principle.
The main concept behind zero trust is that devices should not be trusted by default, even if they are connected to a managed corporate network such as the corporate local area network (LAN) and were previously verified. Every device within the network should have access only to necessary software and infrastructure — e.g., only an accountant's computer should have access to accounting software.
This way, a hacker needs to overcome a lot of hurdles, authenticate multiple times and sidestep many security procedures to complete his task — and even then, data he gains access to is limited to what the hacked entity was privy to.
The beauty of this approach was best demonstrated when hackers gained access to the Verkada cameras used in Cloudflare
offices. As the chief technology officer of the company said on the corporate blog:
"To be clear: This hack affected the cameras and nothing else. No customer data was accessed, no production systems, no databases, no encryption keys, nothing. Some press reports indicate that we use a facial recognition feature available in Verkada. This is not true. We do not.
"Our internal systems follow the same zero trust model that we provide to our customers, and as such our corporate office networks are not implicitly trusted by our other locations or data centers. From a security point of view, connecting from one of our corporate locations is no different than connecting from a non-Cloudflare location."
The chain is as strong as its weakest link. By applying zero trust principles, the network architect assumes every link is the weakest one. In this case, it was the Verkada cameras.
However, even with a zero trust model in place, a hacker could still get his hands on valuable information, such as customer data.
Big data companies like to use (and abuse) the data provided to them by their customers and users, and rarely implement adequate measures to protect it. Hackers are very much aware of this negligence, and are all too happy to help themselves to stored credentials, which have an enormous value not only on the black market, but also for subsequent phishing and social engineering attacks.
So let's add one more item to the list: Companies need to make sure consumer data is encrypted, and in the spirit of zero trust principles, is used and accessed on an as-needed-basis and in an encrypted state whenever possible.
Good hackers?
However, the story about hacking does not end here. By now we've learned that hacking = bad. But are there scenarios where hacking might actually be a good thing? Furthermore, do we really need unhackable systems in this day and age?
In a world growing increasingly authoritarian, it would be ill-advised to strive for an infrastructure impervious to scrutiny and whistle-blowers. While companies and government organizations may not like to remain vulnerable, gaining unauthorized access to critical information is imperative in case these organizations overstep their boundaries, which has often and repeatedly happened throughout history.
Edward Snowden's act of social engineering lifted the veil and exposed damage that the National Security Agency (NSA) did to the personal freedoms of Americans. WikiLeaks and others gave the public the necessary insight into the works and actions of elected officials and organizations. Media organizations have done the same over the years, exposing corruption.
This kind of unauthorized access allows for bottom-up control and should always be a welcome sight for the truth-seekers and individuals who refuse to blindly trust everything governments and companies do or say in their effort to rule and not serve the citizens. Having these kinds of failsafes is the last-resort protection against tyranny and, as such, should be a desirable weakness in the eyes of the average person.
Now, perhaps, more than ever.
What is your take on recent hacks? Does your company or the company you work at employ any of the countermeasures mentioned in this article? Let me know in the comment section below.
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Knives out among Austria's far-right after poll rout
Vienna (AFP)
Leaders of Austria's far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) gather Tuesday in Vienna as they reel from heavy losses in Sunday's elections and corruption scandals hanging over the party intensify.
The man at the centre of those scandals, its former leader Heinz-Christian Strache, has invited journalists to a "personal statement" on Tuesday morning as speculation mounts that he will be suspended or even expelled from the party.
Voters delivered a stinging rebuke to the FPOe, which plunged 10 points to 16 percent in the aftermath of May's so-called "Ibiza-gate" affair.
That scandal brought down Strache and saw the FPOe's government with the centre-right People's Party (OeVP) collapse.
Since the result on Sunday evening, one grim-faced FPOe politician after another has toured the TV studios to make clear that the party needs a spell in opposition to put its house in order -- a process that may well mean the knives are out for Strache.
On Monday evening the leader of the party in Upper Austria province, Manfred Haimbuchner, told Austrian media that he expected Strache to be suspended.
On Tuesday leaders of the Vienna branch of the party are expected to discuss yet another scandal which broke in the days leading up to the election, this time involving Strache's use of party money.
Prosecutors confirmed Thursday they were investigating Strache's expenses and had questioned his former bodyguard and his former office manager "on the suspicion... of submitting fake receipts" costing the party more than 5,000 euros ($5,500).
The FPOe's national executive will also meet on Tuesday in the presence of new leader Norbert Hofer to discuss how to "reconstruct" the party.
- Rising recriminations -
In the immediate aftermath of "Ibiza-gate", the party closed ranks around Strache, who was filmed appearing to offer public contracts to a woman he believed was a Russian oligarch's niece in return for campaign help.
Strache himself initially contritely resigned his posts but soon turned to loudly protesting his innocence and bemoaning a conspiracy against him.
In the run-up to May's European elections, a successful social media campaign launched by party supporters encouraged a "preference vote" for Strache in order to demonstrate his continuing support among the party's base.
While he eventually turned that seat down, the Strache family name may not disappear from the corridors of power entirely as his wife Philippa is still in the running for one of the FPOe's seats in parliament.
However, in recent days the recriminations against him have been rising within the party.
Strache's erstwhile colleague in government, FPOe ex-Defence Minister Mario Kunasek, said that if the expenses allegations against Strache "proved to be true, I don't see any other option" but to expel him, "however painful it is".
Some comments aimed at Strache online from people claiming to be FPOe voters have been even less forgiving.
"Keep quiet for once! The quicker the party expels you the better for its future," reads one.
- Ghost of Haider -
In a country of 8.8 million people, Strache's Facebook page has almost 800,000 fans and some have speculated that he may be tempted to see if his personal following is enough to start his own party.
In 2020 there are key municipal elections in Vienna, and before the current turmoil there were rumours that Strache was preparing a run for mayor.
Watchers of Austrian politics would be forgiven for feeling a bout of deja-vu coming on.
In the early 2000s, a previous OeVP-FPOe government also collapsed amid infighting, with the far-right's charismatic Joerg Haider eventually setting up his own rival movement.
Watching the rows on the far-right with some trepidation will be the winner of Sunday's election, OeVP leader Sebastian Kurz.
He had made it clear that the FPOe was one of his preferred coalition partners but this option may be off the table for the foreseeable future.
"In future Kurz will have to take into account the instability in the FPOe which will make it very difficult for him to fulfil his ambition to govern in a stable way over the next five years," political analyst Thomas Hofer told AFP.


EU investigation clears Apple Music overseas
iOS Apple
Updated: Aug 08, 2015, 12:24 AM
Alan F.
While Apple Music has been under investigation in the U.S. for making certain demands of music labels during contract negotiations, in the EU lawmakers have cleared the tech giant of any wrong doing involving its streaming music service. When Apple was in negotiations with Universal, Sony and Warner to discuss streaming tunes on Apple Music, the company reportedly asked the labels to request that rival Spotify stop offering its ad-supported free tier of streaming. Considering that 55 million out of 75 million Spotify subscribers are using the free service, Apple was hoping it could hit its rival hard by having the labels demand that Spotify put an end to its free ad-supported tier of service.
In another rumored example of illegal behavior, Apple allegedly told Universal Music that it would reimburse it for lost royalties, if it were to stop providing YouTube with tunes to stream. The EU started investigating Apple in April when these reports starting surfacing. EU investigators sent out questionnaires to the record labels seeking their side of the story.
In the U.S., both state and federal agencies are looking into Apple's behavior and are looking to see if it violates antitrust laws. In addition, Apple's App Store is also being investigated for antitrust violations. When an App Store user subscribers to a music streaming service via the store, Apple keeps 30% of the proceeds. That forces rival streamers to either raise their prices by 30% (becoming less competitive in the process) or accept a lower profit margin.
Unlike Spotify, Apple doesn't offer a free tier of streaming music. Instead, Apple allows users to sign up for three months of free service. Once that period expires, individuals can subscribe to Apple Music for $9.99 a month. Families with up to six members can opt for the family plan, priced at $14.99 a month.
Just the other day, Apple revealed that it had signed up 11 million members to its three month free trial. More important for Apple will be the number of free trial subscribers that decide to shell out for a paid subscription.
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Kevin Follett has reached 100,000 miles (Dec. 20, 2017)
Kevin Follett
DOB: DOB: March 10, 1961
[Editor's note: Kevin Follett's 100,000+ miles is particularly interesting, because he has "logged" more than just his running.]
I just completed my lifetime goal of 100,000 miles
on December 20. What makes my log perhaps a little unique is that I have not only logged these miles (started January 1, 1977), but I've kept track of every person I've ever run with and post this list known as "Follett Miles", and I've also kept track of every single wildlife sighting from nearly 17,000 deer to exotic animals like Ibex & Monkeys to dangerous animals like Mountain lions & Wild Boars. In my log I have kept track of every shoe I've worn since 1973. Also in my online log is a 41 year Autobiography of my running- I've run, coached, and traveled to many parts of the world to watch my oldest daughter, Katie Mackey of the Brooks Beasts, complete.
As long as I can remember, I have loved writing things down and documenting them. I have kept a detailed diary of my life, kept a detailed record of my finances and budget, etc. To me "it didn't count unless I wrote it down".
In January of 1977, my Dad encouraged me to start documenting how much I was running. As I started this log, I not only wrote down how much I was running, but who I ran with and how much with each person. I also kept track of which shoes I was running in, the weather, and for me, the most fun was documenting wildlife sightings. With all these stats I could makes charts and graphs, see trends and set goals. When people ran with me, I gave them "Follett miles". For this reason, I believe many people ran with me that might have otherwise not cared, just so they could move up on my "Follett Miles Running Partners" list!
I started teaching High School Math and coaching Cross Country and Track in 1983. During the summers, my wife and I led four Track team projects in Scandinavia, Switzerland and Belgium with Athletes in Action. Teaching, coaching and traveling in the summers were great experiences and through them I have developed life long friendships and running partners. Our family loved to travel, and as the children got older we always worked in a run on our vacations. We visited new places with the goal of running in every state and several foriegn countries (22 countries in all). Many of the states and most of the foriegn countries were visited while following my daughters to their college cross country and track meets.
When my oldest daughter, Katie Mackey, gradruated from the University of Washington and joined the Brooks Beasts professional track club, I was able to travel around the world to see her compete. Some of the highlights included seeing her race in the World Relays in the Bahamas and setting an American Record in the 4x1500 meters, seeing her race in the Continental Cup in Marrakesh, Morrocco for Team Americas, and winning a 3000 meter Diamond Leage race in Stockholm, Sweden.
I set my goal of running 100,000 miles in September of 1981 when I reached 10,000 miles. I did the math and figured it was doable to run 100,000 miles in the next thirty-five to forty years if I could stay healthy and be consistent. Looking back, I'd say one of the hardest parts of reaching the milestone was finding time every day while working and raising a family to carve out one to two hours to get in a run. Most of my miles were in Colorado, so winter always presented a challenge with snowstorms and early sunsets. I also have a lot of other interests like backpacking in the summer and hunting in the fall, so again it was figuring out how I would get my run in with everything else I enjoyed doing throughout the year.
Over my 41 years of running, I raced only about one to three times each year. I raced everything from the mile (4:25.1) in high school to six different ultra-marathons by the time I was in my 30s. Trail races over tough terrain were my favorites over the years.
My first marathon was the Rawhide Marathon in my home-town of Fort Collins, Colorado, in which I ran 2:49:50 in October of 1984. My second marathon was the Colorado Marathon, again in my home-town of Fort Collins, ran when I turned 50 years old in 3:52. I loved trail races running the 35 mile Doc Holiday Trail Race in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, the 16 mile Pony Express Trail Race in Monument, Colorado (finishing 3rd), the 19k Frutigen to Adelboden Climb in Switzerland, the 13.1 Peak to Peak Trail Race in Estes Park, Colorado, the 14 mile Pikes Peak Ascent (in 2:58), and the 26 mile Valley View Trail Race in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
My best races were three 50k trail races run in the early 1990s. I ran and won the Phd 50k Trail Race in Fort Collins, Colorado in December of 1992. I took 3rd overall in the Colorado Trail 50k held in Waterton Canyon, just outside of Denver, Colorado in September of 1993. Then I defended my title in the Phd 50k Trail race in December of 1993, winning in my best 50k time of 3:29:40.
I've gotten a lot out of running over the years, and probably the best part was running with my wife and daughters and having hours and hours to talk and grow closer. Through these runs, running gave a lot back to me. I will continue to run, but having to put in close to 50 miles per week won't be 'required' now that I've met the 100,000 mile goal.
Kevin's running log website, which includes a complete running autobiography, decade by decade: http://users.frii.com/kfollett/running.html
Other links to articles about Kevin: https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/this-colorado-man-has-logged-100000-miles-in-his-lifetime
http://www.9news.com/mobile/article/news/local/laporte-man-runs-100000-miles/502034436
http://www.coloradoan.com/story/sports/2017/12/24/kevin-follett-reaches-lifetime-goal-running-100-000-miles/979729001/


Taylor Herring News, Uncategorized, bad habits, nundos| Written By James
Catholic nuns open restaurant to promote new show 'Bad Habits, Holy Orders'.
Channel 5 is opening the doors to convent life by launching 'NUNdos'- a brand new, soulful soup pop-up in Shoreditch, London.
The activation is the world's first nun-powered eatery promising 'food for the soul' where diners will be invited to break bread and reflect on modern life over a hot lunch cooked and served by the Daughters of Divine Charity from Swaffham and Chesterfield convents.
The 'NUNdos' pop-up will raise awareness of ground breaking new series Bad Habits, Holy Orders which airs on Channel 5 on Thursday 19th October at 10pm.
The series follows five selfie-obsessed young women as they swap hedonism for a life of humility, by living in a working convent in East Anglia for four weeks under the guidance of the sisters. The series was made by Crackit Productions and ordered by Commissioning Editor – Factual, Guy Davies.
Visitors to 'NUNdos' will find themselves transported to a spiritual haven where they will be encouraged to relax, slow down and take stock of their lives over a bowl of hearty chicken or wholesome lentil soup.
To help wash away any unsavoury thoughts of Instagramming their food, diners will be encouraged to drop their phones in the amnesty collection bin and adheres NUNdos' easy to follow restaurant rules (thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's food etc).
Customers have the opportunity to order 'Mother Superior's Chicken Broth' or 'Wholesome Lentil Soup', and will be encouraged to take part in life affirming exercises and soul-searching activities. As guests discourse with fellow diners or settle in to chat with the sisters about daily life, millennial malaise will be under the spotlight.
For dessert, the nuns will serve a takeaway treat as a reminder to diners to nourish the soul beyond the walls of NUNdos.
Rich Turner, Senior Director, Comms, Viacom International Media Networks UK said: "Bad Habits, Holy Orders tackles the issue of millennials finding purpose and direction in a fast-paced, image-conscious, social media-obsessed world, with inspiring results. What better way to bring the show's themes to life than teaming up with the Daughters of Divine Charity to bring a little spiritual sparkle to the streets of Shoreditch. Channel 5 has undergone a content evolution and this activation underlines our determination to get under the skin of our programming, opening up new conversations, broadening our audience and ultimately building reputation."
Channel 5's comms team worked with award-winning creative agency Taylor Herring to create 'NUNdos'. Claire Wigington, Senior PR Manager, Channel 5 is overseeing the comms campaign for Bad Habits, Holy Orders.
The marketing campaign, overseen by Chris Aylott, Senior Director, Marketing, Channel 5 and Ross Cleal, Senior Brand Marketing Manager, Channel 5, featured partnerships designed to be more immersive than traditional media formats to drive conversation.
Partnering with Spotify to create The Hedoniser, the campaign encouraged users to determine the level of naughtiness of their music tastes, as well as offering them a bespoke playlist based on their preferences. The trailer for the show was shown while the results loaded and users had the opportunity to share their "naughty score" across Facebook and Twitter.
The marketing campaign also saw a partnership with Metro during launch week to take over the Commuter Confessions Box within the paper, encouraging readers to share their most private confessions with the nation, supported with press advertising promoting the show.
A partnership with Mail Online saw the creation of a social media film, asking people from across the country a series of questions to see where they ranked on the moral barometer from Saintly to Sinner. This activity ran across their website, social media channels and was supported with digital display and a homepage takeover on the day of launch.
Bad Habits, Holy Orders airs on Channel 5 on Thursday 19th October at 10pm
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Man accused of involvement in huge cross-country £9m cocaine and heroin gang
Behnam Tomas Tavakoli-Juibari is accused of being part of a group which supplied hundreds of kilos of Class A drugs in England, Wales and Scotland
Luke TraynorChief Reporter
(Image: merpol)
A man is to stand trial accused of being part of a massive cross-country £9m cocaine and heroin plot, the ECHO can reveal.
Behnam Tomas Tavakoli-Juibari is alleged to have conspired to supply Class A drugs in relation to Operation Wessex, a huge police investigation into the workings of a large organised crime group.
That centred on the supplying hundreds of kilos of Class A drugs in England, Wales and Scotland, with eight members jailed for a total of 106 years in May 2018.
Many of those convicted were from Wirral as officers seized a £1.4m stash including more than 9kgs of cocaine, 7kg of unadulterated heroin, 10,000 MDMA pills and 11,000 diazepam tablets.
It has now emerged another man, aged 35, is facing prosecution in relation to the same Operation Wessex plot.
Drugs seized by Merseyside Police during Operation Wessex, an investigation into a Wirral gang behind a £9m cocaine plot (Image: Liverpool Echo)
Cash seized by Merseyside Police during Operation Wessex, an investigation into a Wirral gang behind a £9m cocaine plot (Image: Liverpool Echo)
Tavakoli-Juibari, from Wallasey, denies conspiring to supply Class A drugs and remains on bail.
The one-time company director is set to stand trial in the summer of 2021.
During Operation Wessex, ledgers revealed the gang moved drugs with a street value in excess of £9m between the end of January and the beginning of July 2016.
Along with the drug hauls, officers also recovered around £200,000 in cash from the gang, which included Leon Hinchcliffe – arrested in December 2016 – and Peter Atherton.
In May 2018, eight members of the drugs mob were jailed for a total of 106 years including 34-year-old Leon Hinchcliffe, who was handed a 22 year sentence.
Among the most significant sentences were Atherton, from Heswall, who got 18 years, nine months, Hinchcliffe, from Noctorum, jailed for 22 years, six months, Christopher Thomas, 41, of Orrell Park, who got 16 years, Michael Brady, 39, of Moreton, who received 14 years and Ian Rowley, 40, of Orrell Park, who was jailed for 12 years, eight months.
Tavakoli-Juibari denies conspiring to supply Class A drugs.
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Christopher Heffron
With gun violence on the rise, we as a nation find ourselves at a crossroads.
Howard Unruh woke up on the morning of September 6, 1949, with a plan. After breakfast, the 28-year-old went for a walk in his Camden, New Jersey, neighborhood with a Lugar and an eight-round magazine. In less than 15 minutes, he shot 16 people indiscriminately; 13 would die from their injuries. Mass shootings predate this rampage, but none were as deadly. Unruh, it seems, started a trend.
As this is being written, on the 153rd day of the year, there have been 213 mass shootings in this country. Let that sink in: Gun violence is outpacing the days of the year. The recent mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, Uvalde, Texas, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, are giving credence to experts, who say 2022 could be the deadliest on record.
FedEx buildings, grocery stores, schools, hospitals, even wakes have become killing fields. "America the beautiful" has developed an ugly problem.
When COVID-19 seemed like it was positioned in our rearview mirror at the end of winter, Americans should have rejoiced. Instead, we got aggressive. Reports show that gun violence spiked in the early spring and has been rising ever since. In the first five months of the year, in fact, over 8,000 people died from gun violence. Given how these attacks always peak in the summertime, firing weapons might replace baseball as our national pastime.
But how do we define the problem? The Gun Violence Archive, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington, DC, says that mass shootings are an American phenomenon and defines it as a gun-related incident where there are "four victims shot, either injured or killed, not including any shooter." Other forms of gun violence, such as suicide, person-to-person, or domestic violence are categorized differently.
In the wake of these tragedies, voices inevitably rise to a howl. Second Amendment apologists blame mental illness for the epidemic, but according to the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI), it's a weak argument. "Most people with mental health conditions will never become violent, and mental illness does not cause most gun violence," NAMI reports. "Mental illness contributes to only about 4 percent of all violence, and the contribution to gun violence is even lower."
While the Constitution is clear that "the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed," it was written long before assault weapons and bump stocks, nor does it advise Americans on gun trafficking, background checks, or legislation. In June of 2021, the state of Texas allowed for handgun ownership without a license, despite the objections of law enforcement organizations and gun control advocates. Other states, such as Iowa, Montana, and Tennessee have passed similar gun laws.
And for what? Firearms, statistically, do not make us safer. According to a review in the Annals of Internal Medicine, even a properly stored firearm in the home doubles the risk of homicide and triples the risk of suicide.
While gun rights should be protected for responsible owners (the vast majority of whom will never commit acts of mass violence), the right to stay alive is a higher priority. Put simply: Your right to carry a gun does not outweigh my right to not be killed by one.
Love Held Back
The Church is clear on this issue. In their 2020 document, "A Mercy and Peace-building Approach to Gun Violence," the US bishops said that the Church "recognizes that recourse to self-defense is legitimate for one's own safety. In today's world, however, weapons that are increasingly capable of inflicting great suffering in a short period of time are simply too accessible."
Accessibility is only one aspect of the crisis. There are others, including poverty, racial inequities, drugs, the mass media—the list is long. But ambivalence to human life should be included.
Indifference eats away at our culture, but it's hardly a 21st-century invention. Unruh, the New Jersey shooter, was analyzed by doctors who looked for a motive and a measure of humanity. They would find neither. In one session, Unruh told a psychologist his only regret was a lack of ammunition. He is reported to have looked at his doctor vacantly and said, "I'd have killed a thousand."
Apathy is alive and well in this century—and it's armed. But love is stronger, even when it's neglected.
Poet and historian Aberjhani wrote that the "world's anguish is no different from the love we insist on holding back." These words ring true: When one person decides to end the lives of others, love is held back. When the body of Christ is shot, it's a shared wound. We all feel it. And the bleeding needs to stop.
Father Roger Lopez, a friar and high school teacher in Cincinnati, Ohio, describes the student walkout at his Franciscan high school to protest gun violence.
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