#1 September 2011 - part four | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

slack-wise · 4 months ago

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Creative year in review 2024

1. I have a tradition of looking over the previous year from a creative bent. I tend to start with success/failure rates submitting to open calls. This year has been pretty kind. 15 submissions with 7 Yeses. That's a 47% success rate, which might be my best ever. Certainly compared to last year where I had a 100% failure rate! (which was unprecedented). Also in previous years I had ended up peppering these submissions, but in more recent times they have been paired back and slightly more targeted.

2. Of course submitting to open calls is only a small part of the whole spectrum. One of the biggest things I got out of the door in 2024 was XXto2, a (thick) zine I made with the super talented Tyrone Williams. We had been hatching the project for a while and were approaching publishers, despite a whiff of interest from a couple of small independent presses we ended up self-publishing the project. We launched at an event organised by the wonderful Photomafia studios (run by Joe Westley and Alex Macchiarelli). We put up a small, very haphazard exhibition and sold some zines. There are a handful left at: https://slackwise.org.uk/shop/xxto2/

3. What is quite notable this year is that I have hardly taken any photographs. I started working on a a huge project earlier in the year, but didn't make much headway. In fact I have only just sent off two rolls of film to be developed at the end of December. The only other photography I seemed to have engaged in are instant Fuji Instax images taken on the large format camera (with a Lomograflok back). I had been thinking though, when people ask and realise how expensive large format film is, I think even in my busiest periods I might only shoot 20 4x5 negatives in a single year and very often less.

4. In August our studio, studio MALARKEY hosted its first arts event since we set up shop. It was coordinated with NN Contemprary and called NNights. There were several venues around the town hosting arts events for one evening in early August. The footfall was very good and we had some curious visitors to our studio.

5. Probably the biggest thing I was involved in this year was the show we curated at studio MALARKEY called 'Apparition / Aberration / Your Mum'. This brought together 22 internaitonal artists presenting an array of work centered around themes of witchcraft, metaphysics, sacred geometry, the unknown and conjuring with a sprinkling of humour. I also showed a work in this exhibit. I was formulating the idea in June and gave myself a September deadline to take a single photograph. The image I made is a reworking of the Four of Cups Tarot card. But by far the biggest boon was contacting the artists, logistics, ordering prints, curating then mounting the show. Very proud of this one.

6. Another big thing for this year seemed to be purchasing (or gifted) artists books and zines. I don't think I have ever highlighted this in previous years, but 2024 seemed notable. I bought publications by Andreas Olesen, James Casebere, Lynn Cohen, Ariel C. Wilson, Al Palmer, Tyrone Williams (my collaborator from earlier this year), Billy & Hells (who included a lovely artists proof print), Lewis Baltz, Lauren Hubbard, Hikaru, Joe Westley and an extraordinary book called Made of concrete - 2011, from a trio of artists Sami Benhadj Djilali, Tarik Hayward and Guy Meldem (image pictured).

7. Odds and sods: I finally got a scanner (very affordably) that can cope with 8x10 negatives. I bought a 3m long pneumatic cable release (see next point). Very tangential: I got to see Melt-Banana perform live (this was on my bucket list). I mothballed my bot, Glyphbot. I built a new website for a very discerning customer, Jessica Harby. I backed a Kickstarter that is making a digital leaf shutter for large format cameras. Leaf shutters have not been manufactured since 2016.

8. What is next? I am working on a book (literally as we speak). Like most of my projects it has been delayed, was hoping to put it out this year, but it will roll into next. I have taken the final photographs for it, now comes the arduous task of layout. Hoping to publish it with a local artist friend who has a small press and is an all round mensch. In the summer as part of NNights I am hoping to open MALARKEY to use as a portrait studio. I have an old 5x7 camera (see above). Earlier this year I bought 4 film holders for it (these are quite hard to come by in the UK) plus the seller threw in 2 boxes of black and white film. I want to get sitters to take their own portraits using a very long 3m cable release I managed to pick up. I plan to take the portraits in a very narrow corner of the hoist room (a little annex to our studio). Think Irving Penn, German Expressionist cinema and this lovely old portrait by Cecil Beaton.

Err that's it!

You can peruse the 2023 review here (if you want).

#year in review #creative year in review #2024 #cyir #cyir2024

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ithinkineedamoment · 7 months ago

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2. Paris, France

1 of 1,000

I feel like it’s way too early in this process to even fully begin to unpack this one, but here we go.

Realistically, it makes sense. Barely a month ago, Sergio and I got off a plane from attending the 2024 Summer Olympics in France. It was a once in a lifetime event that I had been planning and replanning tediously since January 2023. There were tickets to be won, booked out hotels, over priced planes, and a whole lot of unknowns.

Sergio had never been to Paris or France. I, on the other hand, grew up no less than 20 minutes from the French border, in Germany, for my teenage years. Birthdays, long weekends, grocery shopping, flea marketing - it’d all happen in France. So in planning this Tour de France, it was less about me, and more about what I thought was worth seeing in France for Mr. Man’s first time. I stressed over every detail - was it worth going out of our way to Mont Saint Michel? Will he like staying in this neighborhood in Marseille or should I pick somewhere closer to the water? I begged and pleaded for his engagement for over a year and piecemealed together a plan. So much needed to be figured out, but not for a single minute did I worry about our weeklong stay in Paris.

It was September 25th, 2010 and our high speed train from Kaiserslautern had just arrived in Gare Montparnasse. My family had barely been in Europe for two months and there we were, dressed in our American best pretending we were citizens of the world. The photos of this trip are hilarious given that these were before years of military propaganda and attempts at assimilation (our military TV, AFN or Armed Forces Network, showed several commercials threatening terrorist attacks if you left your military base looking or acting like an American).

Regardless, we were there for one day to celebrate Mom’s birthday. It had not been an easy move to Europe. Over the past few months, Dad returned home from a year long deployment and he and I quickly fell into a quasi-estranged relationship. Weeks later, we found ourselves in Germany living in a concrete box on a military base, ostensibly, in the middle of nowhere. Mom would lash out, leaving scuffs and indents in the walls of the staircase that would never be fixed. The four of us were each other’s only support system, changed by the reintroduction of Dad to the mix after his yearlong absence. Who we were to each other and how we operated as a family unit was actively being rewritten in a militaristic world we had always been a part of but never formalized. It’s been 14 years, but I don’t remember we were ever happy in those early months. So stepping off that train felt energizing. Here we were in Paris - Paris! We were finally fulfilling the promise we were told of travel and seeing the wonders of Europe. It felt like the pain of getting to this point was finally paying off.

Truth be told, I barely remember anything from this specific trip to Paris. Scenes of this trip playback like the photographic screensaver that used to run on the family computer. But there would be more trips. A Memorial Day foray through the Louvre and the Gardens of Versailles with family friends, a spring break stay at EuroDisney, the three of us zipping through the Metro to catch sights of Mom running her first and only half marathon, a couple days here, an evening or two there - all these visits from our time in Europe exist in my mind as a living map of the city. “Remember when we were here last?” we would ask each other, only to respond “of course! New years 2011,” while standing under the Eiffel Tower. Each trip was significant enough to be noteworthy, but when played back over and over again, they lose their place in time.

This timelessness, I feel, is the point. When you’re sneaking down the Cour du Commerce Saint-Andre, just off the Boulevard Saint-Germain on the Left Bank, it makes sense. The stories you hear of winding streets flush with candlelight, the chattering of wine glasses and the clinking of vape pens against the metal tables, and somewhere, a street performer playing an Edith Piaf song because beauty is innate in every Parisien (and not because they’re catering to a tourist economy) - all of this combines to reaffirm your preconceived notions. Some find it romantic, others, a caricature to be avoided at all costs. And yet, we visit - experiencing a city designed to be beautiful by people who inspired its destruction. For every cathedral vault, there is a riot and barricade, for every newly built city wall, there was a force itching to invade.

In the fall of 2019, in the “blissful” months of post-college “freedom” that usually consisted of downing a bottle of wine by myself in bed watching old seasons of “The Amazing Race”, I felt the need to leave. I had some extra cash, not because my job paid well, but because I was paying next to nothing to live in the converted living room of a shared apartment with two former classmates. It was lonely - feeling as if you were entering adulthood having spent the past four years destroying yourself for a chance at success. So I planned a trip that I knew would hopefully spark some joy into my life. I booked my first solo trip to Paris.

Except it wasn’t solo. Within a few weeks of booking, I reconnected with Rick for the first time in months. I don’t remember who reached out first but after my fallout with Sergio, it felt harmless enough. While sipping a margarita at some restaurant in Midtown New York, long since closed, we caught up. He pummeled me with questions about what I was doing, where I was living, who I was fucking - convincing himself that the two classmates I was sharing an apartment with were my two boyfriends. I sipped on my drink and wondered what I was even doing there. It was just good to see him.

Eventually, we parted ways, tearfully. Texts became more frequent and the fear of repercussions dwindled and I mentioned that I was going to France - had booked a whole trip to go to Paris and see other places in the country I had never been to as a treat for myself. I never asked him to or made any indication it was something I wanted, but the next thing I knew, I was planning a trip for two. It’s funny how organizing a trip with someone who has money makes the entire planning process significantly easier. I didn’t complain, but knew that it was most likely a disaster in the long run.

A few days before the trip, Rick visited the doctor with a horrendous cough. He was told it was the flu and it’d pass, but it certainly wasn’t contagious anymore (Covid was knocking at the door). He could walk only steps at a time before needing a break and was constantly breaking out in a cold sweat. He was adamant that he’d still go on the trip. So there we went.

The trip was emotionally brutal for the most part. Traveling to Paris with him felt like trying to recover from alcoholism in a winery. Insane on my part. But he was sick! He couldn’t do anything. I’d leave the hotel and roam for hours just to return back to sweaty and upset Rick. I didn’t blame him. He could barely talk yet wanted to know everything, he couldn’t walk, but wanted to experience the city. I felt bound by some duty to give up the things that I wanted to do to support a man who I had loved through the city of it. Suddenly, the sights and sounds of the city I had treasured as the escape from my life through my youth felt like a prison. I was there but I shouldn’t be, I wanted to grow but I couldn’t. I was reminded of all the ways I would minimize my existence growing up in my parents house and performed them with wine stained lips - filling the silence while refusing to acknowledge my part in it. I missed him and I missed his company. I still do now, at times. However, that shouldn’t have been the reason I let him come on this trip. A part of the depression and mess I had been recovering from in New York was now sitting across from me at the dinner table in a foreign country I wasn’t supposed to be in. He wanted so desperately for me to love him again, and I knew a part of me did, but to admit that would have destroyed what was left of me.

So on the day before we were to leave Paris for our next city, I set off on the day’s journey. I remember the streets being quiet as I crossed the Île de la Cité. In December, the cold hangs over the city like a layer of frost no amount of warmth could penetrate. The buildings, the sky, everything seems a bit paler than it should be. I roamed and I roamed, climbing to Montmartre and realizing I had never been there. Ascending the winding streets and into Sacre Coeur, my mind flicked through the rolodex of bad ideas that could save me from my current situation. After cresting the hill, I found myself going west and eventually to Montmartre Cemetery. The sun was peeking through the grates of the Pont de Caulaincourt while the trees’ remaining leaves swirled down to their crunchy grave. It was cold, and it was quiet.

I took to the uneven cobblestones that lined the cluttered pathways of the cemetery. The tombs and mausoleums crowded each other like the misshapen buildings of a neglected city. I was alone in this necropolis, the city of the dead.

At a certain point, surrounded by the silence, I found a bench under a Maple tree. I don’t remember how long I sat there, sipping in the silence as one might a Vin Chaud, letting it numb me. Hector Berlioz, Edgar Degas, thousands of others all lay in their final resting place around me at peace and I was living. Why couldn’t I be at peace? Why did I have to be living? Living with the regret of not being strong enough to save myself, with the want of falling asleep there in the cold and praying I’d awaken to a different life. I had loved so hard and loved so deeply, but could never seem to love correctly. I gave everything I had to everyone else, and with everyone gone - I had nothing left.

Almost in response to my isolation, a small black cat emerged quietly from the untrimmed brush that twisted between the two tombs in front of me. The only other sign of life in the cemetery curled their way to the top of the tomb and pawed gently at the leaves, clearing a place to rest. I don’t remember whose tomb it was but time seemed to collapse. It didn’t matter whether the interred died 100 years ago or 500 years ago. Side by side, they were all equal in death. And we, the cat and I, were there now.

In the epilogue of Alistair Horne’s Seven Ages of Paris, which I only read this past year, he muses on the significance of the French words for love and death being so similar. Paris, to me, had always been a city of history, of art, of good food, and of love. It was an escape - a vision of a better world, a better life. It was never anything real. Love, as I knew it growing up, was using and being used - it wasn’t care. Paris was a city I used. Now death - death I could understand. Growing up in the military, it surrounded me. I begged for death several times before I should have. Death is inevitable and everyone will know it. All around Paris are markers of this knowledge - these memento mori. Cemeteries, catacombs, monuments, statues - all in remembrance of those who have come before us and had made this city beautiful. It is on the mounds of the dead that the sprouts of new love and life are able to be shared. It is in death that a tomb can become a bed to a sleepy cat.

I can’t say I bounded from the cemetery, energized by the notion of life. I did not run back to Rick and take him in my arms and promise myself to him forever. I knew that France would be the last time I would ever see him and as of today I’ve yet to be proven wrong. For the rest of the trip, I treated the death of our connection with patience and care, lulling it to sleep as you would a child. I knew that I could not give more of myself to him and I had to stop pretending that I could. What mattered more now was remembering that I will, in fact, die having lived a life for myself. I knew what was left of me was worth saving. I might have felt there was nothing left for me to give, but I could always create more. I couldn’t die without ensuring I left even the smallest bit of beauty behind.

Now, almost 5 years later, I’m freshly returned from another stint in France, this time with Sergio. We still have never discussed what happened between Rick and I or what happened in France, and I don’t know if we ever will. As I stated at the beginning, we were there for the Olympics and I cannot overemphasize how incredible it was. Yes, most of the city was empty save for the hordes of tourists, but who am I to complain? We were tourists too. It was exciting to return to a city I felt I had history with and not for the city’s sake. Seeing Sergio witness the city with fresh eyes and fresh criticism brought the city to life. In walking hand in hand down the banks of the Seine, it didn’t matter that we were passing the Musée d’Orsay. It mattered that we were there together. We had multiple, lengthy conversations about the struggles of our relationships and the ways we don’t show up for each other while also unpacking complicated feelings of family and home. It was hard, tiring, emotional - but the person I was 5 years ago could never have done so. My parents, who were also attending the games, made guest appearances a few times during our trip. It’s worth noting that shortly after that cemetery visit in 2019, my parents and I fell out of touch - no longer on speaking terms for years. Yet, here we were, back in the city that started it all in 2010, each willing to give Paris and each other another chance.

On our final night in Paris, as the Olympics drew to a close, Sergio and I grabbed a bottle of wine and made our way to the Jardin du Carrousel. The Olympic cauldron, as made famous by the fact it wasn’t a fire, was a giant hot air balloon whose basket was a ring of lights and smoke that would lift into the air at sunset and shine over the city and all the various arenas. I posited that it was most likely because the first manned hot air balloon ride that brought man to the skies back in the 1800s had taken place in Paris. Either way, we stayed in the garden commenting on the past 16 days of travel and what it meant to each other. For him, an opportunity to discover and appreciate a history he had always known but had strong prejudice against due to France’s imperialism (fair, lol). And for me, an appreciation of feeling present in a place with a history that had not always been easy. Home is a concept that I struggle with, but sitting there with him, it felt like home.

The sun set and the crowd around us leapt to their feet as the giant balloon in front of us unceremoniously slid into the sky. The empty wine bottle laid at our feet as the two of us stayed seated. The city had never felt so magical and this love had never felt so beautiful.

#1001 places #1001 movies #1001 albums #architecture #cemetery #france #paris #paris france #essay #olympics #paris olympics #tw sui ideation #relationship #project #cat

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rabbitcruiser · 1 year ago

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Save The Rhino Day

Save the Rhino Day, celebrated globally on May 1, is a day centered around raising awareness of the rhino’s plight in the world, and highlighting ways to help this incredible animal. This day is especially important given the current devastating statistics — on average, one rhino is poached somewhere in the world every 22 hours. On this day, various animal rights organizations, non-profit companies, zoos, animal activists, and other concerned groups provide opportunities to encourage more rhino conservation efforts from people around the world.

History of Save The Rhino Day

To trace the origins of the Rhinoceros, we’d have to go back some millennia — almost 56 million years ago, to be precise. That’s when the first ancestors of the modern Rhinos roamed the planet. They were more horse-like in structure and had no horns. Old rhino bones found from this period in North America show a gradual evolution from this old horse-like structure into one more aligned with today’s rhino. Over these years, there were three distinct species that scientists think might be the ancestors of today’s rhinos. One of these was called the ‘running rhino,’ which was adapted for speed.

Another was more aquatic and resembled today’s hippopotamus. The last, most direct ancestors to the modern rhinoceros appeared approximately 25 million years ago and had multiple sub-species in their families. Of these, the wooly rhinoceros was one of the largest subspecies, weighing in at almost four times the size of the average African elephant, and boasting one-meter-long horns. This species inhabited a large area, from Siberia to the British Isles. These plant-eaters lived alongside the wooly mammoths, and have been found fossilized in ice and in cave paintings made during that period.

These rhinos only lived in Asia initially but began traveling to other places around 25 million years ago. Over time, these rhino ancestors roamed the continents, primarily living in Eurasia (Europe and Asia combined) and North America. However, the American rhinos went extinct sometime between 5.4 and 2.4 million years ago.

Rhinos have also featured in many Asian and African legends — they are the fire-stamping heroes in many stories from Burma, India, and Malaysia. According to these stories, rhinos appeared every time a fire was lit in the forest and would stamp out the flames. So popular is this tale that it even featured in a popular 1980 South-African movie named “The Gods Must Be Crazy.”

Unfortunately, these once-abundant creatures have lost out to human activity. Hunting, and now, poaching and habitat loss, have drastically reduced the number of rhinos across the world. Rhino horns are also integral to traditional medicine in many parts of Asia, with people believing it has mystical powers. Since 2007, there has been a sharp increase in poaching activity and illegal trade of rhino horns, to the extent that many subspecies of rhinos have been declared extinct and the entire rhino population is listed as ‘endangered’.

Save The Rhino Day timeline

1973

A Symbol of Queer Identity

Two Boston artists, Daniel Thaxton and Bernie Toale create a lavender rhinoceros as a symbol to increase awareness of gays and lesbians and put it in a series of subway posters.

2011

No More Black Rhinos

The Western Black Rhino — which used to live in Cameroon, Chad, the Central African Republic, Sudan, and South Sudan — is declared extinct because of excessive poaching.

2012

A Ray of Hope

For the very first time, a Sumatran rhino — the smallest of the rhino family — is born in captivity in the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Indonesia; this miracle repeats in 2016, and then in 2022.

2018

A Sad Farewell

The world bids goodbye to the last known male northern white rhino; only two females survive to this day.

Save The Rhino Day FAQs

What day is World Rhino Day?

On September 22 each year, the global community celebrates the rhinoceros and explains what people can do to help them.

How many rhino species are there?

At present, there are five species of rhinos in the world — the white rhino and the black rhino (both found in Africa), and the Indian, Javan, and Sumatran (all found in Asia).

Are rhinos endangered?

The black, Javan, and Sumatran rhinos are still listed as ‘critically endangered,’ while the entire species is classified as ‘endangered.’

How to Observe Save The Rhino Day

Learn about the rhinoceros: Uncover more interesting information about this magnificent animal. Watch documentaries featuring the rhino, read books and other literature about them, and discover more studies and research that show just how the rhino lives.

Visit a rhino: Why not go see a rhinoceros in real life? Check out rhinos at a local zoo or plan a trip to visit rhinos in the wild.

Help save the rhino: Research the efforts various groups make towards saving the rhino, and check out what you can do to help. These could include online volunteering services, donations of funds, and more.

5 Fun Facts About The Rhinoceros

The rhino communication method: Rhinos make funny sounds — like snorting, sneeze-like sounds, and even honking — and use their bodily waste to 'speak' to other rhinos.

They don't have 20-20 vision: Rhino eyesight is notoriously poor, so much so that if an animal only 100 feet away — in an open space, too — stood motionless, the rhino wouldn't be able to spot them.

How the white rhino got its name: This rhino isn't actually white — English explorers mistook the Afrikaans 'wyd,' which refers to the huge girth of this animal, as 'white' and the name stuck.

Their horns are like our nails: Rhino horns are made up almost entirely of keratin, which is also the protein found in human hair and nails.

And still, people steal their horns: Even as rhino horns are proven to have no health benefits, signs in museums — like the National Museum of Scotland — notify visitors that the horn on display is a replica, as the real one has been stolen.

Why Save The Rhino Day is Important

It helps increase awareness: Rhinos are becoming increasingly rare in the wild, and only continuous efforts to raise awareness, like celebrating Save The Rhino Day, can help this endangered species. Do your bit today to support rhinos.

Creating safe havens for rhinos: The spike in awareness such days provide also subsequently raises the amount of help being offered to save the rhinos. These increased efforts could help secure various safe and protected spaces for the rhino to survive and thrive.

Building a rhino-loving community: Conservation efforts have had a significant impact in the past — various subspecies of rhinos have seen their numbers gradually increase over the years as a result of these activities. After these celebrations, we are left with a passionate and motivated global community that wants to see the rhinoceros flourish in the decades to come.

Source

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msclaritea · 1 year ago

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Five Guys was founded in 1986 by Janie and Jerry Murrell. Jerry and the couple's sons Jim, Matt, Chad, and Ben were the original "Five Guys". The Murrells had a fifth son, Tyler, two years later. Today, all five sons, the current "Five Guys", are involved in the business: Matt and Jim travel the United States visiting stores, Chad oversees training, Ben selects the franchisees, and Tyler runs the bakery.

The first Five Guys was in Arlington's Westmont Shopping Center. Buns were baked in the same center by Brenner's Bakery. This location closed, in favor of another in Alexandria, Virginia, at the intersection of King and North Beauregard Streets, which closed on September 21, 2013.

More followed in Old Town Alexandria and Springfield, Virginia, making five locations open by 2001. Their success encouraged the Murrells to franchise their concept the following year, engaging Fransmart, a franchise sales organization. Former American football player Mark Moseley, who had gone to work for Fransmart after his football career, played a key role in Five Guys' expansion and went on to become the company's director of franchise development after it ended its business relationship with Fransmart. In early 2003, the chain began franchising, opening the doors to rapid expansion which caught the attention of national restaurant trade organizations and the national press. The expansion started in Virginia and Maryland, and by the end of 2004, over 300 units were in development through the Northeast. Over the next few years, the chain rapidly expanded across the entire United States and into Canada, reaching over 1,000 locations by 2012.[needs update][citation needed]

The first location outside North America opened in the United Kingdom in July 2013, in London on Long Acre in Covent Garden. The chain now has more than 150 restaurants in the UK. Five Guys also has locations in the Middle East and has continued to expand in Europe. In late 2017, Five Guys opened its first restaurants in Germany, with a branch in Frankfurt and another in Essen.

Five Guys, one of the top three burgers in the U.S., opened its first Korean store in Gangnam, Seoul, at 11 a.m. on June 26, 2023 with a countdown shout. As of 2024, there are a total of four branches in Seoul.

Five Guys Enterprises has several affiliated companies that are not part of a consolidated group, but are under common ownership. Five Guys Operations was founded in 2012, Five Guys Holdings was founded in 2007. Five Guys Foods UK Limited was incorporated on March 12, 2013. FGE International, FGO International BV, and FG Coöperatief U.A. are based in Amsterdam. FGH International C.V. is located in Bermuda.

Five Guys had a 39,900 square feet (3,710 m2) headquarters in Lorton, Virginia, overlooking the Occoquan and Potomac Rivers, that was specially designed to convey the corporate brand. According to the architect, "The lobby mimics the typical Five Guys restaurant with red and white tile, tall tables, Freestyle Coke machine and signature peanut boxes." In 2023, they moved their headquarters to a new location in Alexandria, Virginia.

On September 24, 2020, the first Five Guys location with a drive-through window opened in Surfside Beach, South Carolina. The franchisee retained it from the former business in the building in light of COVID-19 pandemic safe practices.

In September 2021, Five Guys opened their first location in Australia. The chain also has plans to expand into New Zealand. In November 2022, Five Guys announced the relocation of their headquarters to the Carlyle neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia.

Five Guys has received numerous awards in D.C. area publications, including "Number 1 Burger" by Washingtonian Magazine for seven years.[citation needed] The former US President Barack Obama is reportedly a fan, buying lunch for himself and his colleagues at the Washington Five Guys branch in 2011.

#Pedro Pascal #Five Guys Burger #Arlington Virginia #Barack Obama

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mrrockcandy · 2 months ago

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I Saw Them When (INSERT NAME HERE) Played Lead

Sometimes you know that it will be the last time. Other times it comes as a surprise, a shock maybe. When a soldier in a rock group leaves that group, for whatever reason, it affects everyone involved. It could signal the end of an era. Or the start of something new and bigger. I watched a few bands go through this and lived to tell about it.

The Dave and Sam Show

Can't I like BOTH? Big names on my list are the lead singers who left. It’s hard to imagine a band continuing a successful career AFTER replacing the main voice. Well, Van Halen sure did. On September 14th, 1982, I finally got the chance to see Van Halen perform live (Cow Palace, Daly City CA). Four years after their debut album burned the wax out of my ears. They had become my favorite band by this time. Listening to them was fun but seeing them live was transformational. Lead singer David Lee Roth was unbelievable in his heyday. While never considered a great singer, he is definitely considered one of the best front men in rock history. My favorite DLR moment comes out of the darkness of the Cow Palace that night. Right after the announcer asks us to welcome "The Mighty Van Halen!" , the stage explodes in bright light, the blonde lead singer can be seen high in the air, in mid-jump, off the drum riser. My love for VH continued, even after Dave left. Roth’s replacement, Sammy Hagar, brought an established entity into the VH fold. Many fans, even to this day, resent Hagar’s time with Eddie and Alex. The band’s style did change slightly but that was Eddie's natural evolution. Van Halen was actually more commercially successful with Sammy. Both eras are kick ass. Regardless, old men, like me, still argue about it.

Now I'm Here

Unlike David Lee Roth, who is still walking the earth, some artists didn't quit or get fired from their band. Some, tragically, died in the middle of their careers. I saw Freddie Mercury and Queen perform in 1982 (Oakland Coliseum Arena, CA ) on the Hot Space tour. This tour was the last time Freddie played in North America. Freddie’s stage presence was unique and magical. Every move was a picture. His perfect voice was as good in person, if not better, than on record. The Queen set list is a trip through the popular music of my adolescence. The concert was a blur of action. An immense stage, banks and banks of lighting, smoke and a very loud guitar filled the Oakland Arena. But Freddie stood out. No one took their eyes off of him. After Freddie died in 1991, the world mourned along with the band. The demand for Queen music persisted. It wasn't until 2004 that they dared to reunite. The quite-capable Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Company) agreed to stand behind the mic. Queen + Paul Rogers lasted 5 years (1 record, many, many miles on the road)

Queen + Adam Lambert during their "Rhapsody" tour appearance on Aug. 22, 2019. Adam Lambert sang with Brain and Roger as part of "American Idol" in 2011. Then, years later, he repeated the act at a show honoring the band. That gig turned into a much longer one. Lambert hit the road with Brian May and Roger Taylor for a HUGE Queen tour. He fit perfectly despite his age compared to his band mates. Lambert displayed just the right combination of respect and vitality to Freddie's masterpieces. No one could have done better at honoring and celebrating Freddie Mercury. This may not even count. I saw Jefferson Starship with 3 original members of the Jefferson Airplane. The key, for me, was Grace Slick. Granted this was many years after the Airplane set the psychedelic world on fire. Pretty damn cool to hear Grace Slick singing "White Rabbit" in 1984 (Greek Theater, Berkeley CA) . It brought a little of that 60’s vibe to the 80's concert experience. Her voice never faltered.

He Stopped Believin'

Steve Perry of Journey performing at the Rosemont Horizon in Rosemont, Illinois, May 21, 1982. (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images) Another man, nicknamed the “Voice”, fronted a local band. This local band went from obscurity to full-blown superstardom right under my nose. Even though they originated in my backyard, I first saw them on TV in 1978. They were on a PBS show, out of Chicago, called “Soundstage”. The band is Journey and the ‘Voice’ belongs to Steve Perry. There is one important thing to remember about Steve Perry: his incredible voice sounds no differently live than on record. A true crooner for a generation with a range not usually found in a rock band. Journey was the soundtrack of my high school years. I was lucky enough to see and hear Perry sing with Journey twice. It wasn’t enough. Steve Perry split from Journey in 1987 The band was dormant until Perry returned in 1995 to record a new album. A full reunion and tour was planned but never materialized . Journey pushed on because their music had a resurgence. The band went through a few lead singer replacements but never caught the fire again. The music will always speak for itself and Journey songs are part of the American fabric. Currently, the band is fronted by its longest-tenured replacement, Arnel Pineda. Arnel has an unbelievable story. He was plucked from YouTube (and the Philippines) by Journey guitarist/founder Neal Schon to front the band. The band continues to enjoy healthy touring success with Arnel singing his heart out.

Same Makeup, Different Guys

KISS original members Peter Criss (left) and Ace Frehley (right) were replaced

My first concert t-shirt I first saw KISS in 1979. It was the Dynasty tour. I had been waiting 3 years to see my heroes. My 15 year old head exploded that night. They were still in full costume and face paint in those days. So many firsts, both good and bad, happened to me that night. KISS originals Ace Frehley and Peter Criss were still in the band in 1979. The show was spectacular. The tour was the last with the originals until 1996 when they reunited. After these two members left (were fired), the band replaced them. KISS continued to record and tour for many years without 2 of the founding members. The replacements lived through KISS’s decision to take off the makeup. Then had to sit on the sidelines while Gene and Paul reunited with Ace and Peter for a Reunion tour. Finally the band decided that the replacements would wear the face paint of Ace and Peter. The band embraced it’s past and toured before and after the COVID pandemic. They officially calling it quits 4 years later. Stay tuned!

Tragedy Strikes

Street Survivors Last album by the original Lynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd was 2nd on the bill of my first-ever rock concert. It was the summer of 1977 and Peter Frampton was headlining a Day on the Green stadium show. Frampton was the attraction for me. I knew some of Lynyrd Skynyrd's radio hits but I didn’t appreciate the band until a few years later. I remember singing along to “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Freebird” and enjoying the whole experience. Tragically, later on this same tour, the plane carrying the band crashed on it’s way to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Killed on impact were lead singer and heart of the band, Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines, along with backup singer Cassie Gaines (Steve's older sister), assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot John Gray. Such a tragedy. There are some fantastic videos of the band from the show I was at. I only wish I had focused more on Skynyrd that day.

Just Missed These Guys

There are many times that I have seen a band playing with the replacements of an original member. Sometimes it’s even a replacement of the replacement. However, I have missed many notable originals. Cliff Burton died in a bus crash that his band mates survived. Amazingly, Metallica pushed on. I have enjoyed every decibel of every Metallica concert. I still wish I had witnessed Cliff Burton on bass.

Bon Scott and Brian Johnson AC DC I also missed Bon Scott singing lead for AC/DC. Scott's replacement, Brian Johnson, has been the recipient of the bulk of AC/DC's success. But, as is often the case, AC/DC would never have reached that success without Bon Scott. I never saw Keith Moon playing the drums for the Who. To be fair, I was probably a little too young to see these last two.

Ozzy and Randy I was hoping to catch the Ozzy the next time he came around. Randy Rhodes played guitar for Ozzy Osbourne. He was a brilliant player. I had my chances to see him live and I missed them. By the time Ozzy came back around, Rhodes was long gone. I suppose that the lesson learned is to never take anything for granted. Enjoy those live moments at concerts. Those times are fleeting. You may be witnessing history. And give those replacements a break!! Read the full article

#bonscott #DLR #LynrydSkynryd #RedRocker

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harvardwang · 5 months ago

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珍妮·戈德利

H：生命的奮戰，輸赢不是重點，精神毅力才感人。20241105W2

維基百科：

珍妮·戈德利是一位蘇格蘭單口喜劇演員、演員、作家和政治活動家。她於1994年開始她的單口喜劇生涯，並在2000年代憑藉喜劇贏得了各種獎項。在 COVID-19 大流行期間，她為政客和其他知名人士製作了一系列配音剪輯。第二年，在一系列有爭議的歷史推文出現後，她被從《美女與野獸》的啞劇表演中除名，戈德利後來為此道歉。

簡介

珍妮·戈德利

janey godley

出��資訊： 1961 年 1 月 20 日，英國格拉斯哥

逝世： 2024 年 11 月 2 日，英國格拉斯哥

子女：阿什利·史托瑞

身高： 168 公分

父母：安妮·庫里、吉姆·庫里

配偶：西恩·史托瑞 (結婚於 1980 年)

綜合外媒報導，潔妮戈德利2021年發現罹患卵巢癌後，於2022年6月將子宮摘除，沒想到同年2022年12月就復發。如今她的女兒阿什利斯托里（Ashley Storrie）透過社群證實母親已經在2日過世，表示媽媽是在睡夢中離開，而當時家人們也都陪伴在她身邊。

Janey Godley

Scottish actor, writer and comedian (1961–2024)

Janey Godley (born Jane Godley Currie; 20 January 1961 – 2 November 2024) was a Scottish stand-up comedian, actress, writer and political activist. She began her stand-up career in 1994, and won various awards for her comedy in the 2000s.

Quick Facts Born, Died ...

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she made a series of voice over clips of politicians and other well known personalities. The following year, she was dropped from a pantomime performance of Beauty and the Beast after a series of controversial historical tweets emerged, for which Godley later apologised. She was later diagnosed with ovarian cancer, from which she died in 2024.

Early life

Godley was born in Campsie, East Dunbartonshire, on 20 January 1961. The youngest of four children born to Annie and Jim Currie, she was raised on Kenmore Street in Shettleston, a district in the East End of Glasgow, and attended Eastbank Academy. Living in poverty, which was rife in the East End during that time, Godley left school at 16 with no qualifications. Her parents were alcoholics and her mother was also addicted to tranquilisers. Her uncle molested her and her sister for a number of years during their childhoods, crimes for which he was charged in 1993, being sentenced to two years in prison in 1996.

Career

Godley began her stand-up career in 1994 using her middle name as both the Storrie and Currie families had disappointed her and changed her name from Jane Godley Storrie to Janey Godley the following year. She won an award for the "Best Show Concept" at the New Zealand International Comedy Festival in 2002 and the "Spirit of the Festival" in 2006. She published her autobiography Handstands in the Dark in 2005. In 2006, she was a finalist for the Edinburgh Evening Times' "Scotswoman of the Year" award. In 2002, 2006, 2008, and 2009, she was nominated as "Best International Guest" by the New Zealand Comedy Guild. Her TV appearances include River City, Sam Delaney's News Thing, The Alex Salmond Show, Have I Got News for You, and Traces, and she appeared in the film Wild Rose. Godley often made spoof voice-overs of videos.

In 2020, Godley wrote and starred in a series of short films titled Alone, about a recently widowed housewife whose abusive husband has died of COVID-19, as part of the National Theatre of Scotland's Scenes for Survival webseries. In December 2020, the Royal Society of Edinburgh commended Godley's voice-overs of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's COVID-19 briefings for helping engage the public with the warnings. That year, she won the Scots Language Award's Speaker of the Year Award. In September 2021, tweets Godley had sent in 2011 were publicised by The Daily Beast, leading MSP Douglas Lumsden to question the decision to cast her in a pantomime performance of Beauty and the Beast. Some of these tweets included insults based on the Chernobyl disaster and disabilities, and racial insults towards African American musicians Kelly Rowland, 50 Cent and Snoop Dogg in 2011. Godley apologised for the tweets and Public Health Scotland dropped her from a campaign.

Political activism

Godley was a strong advocate for the transgender rights movement, actively supporting protections for the international transgender community, a stance that had led to her receiving death threats. She was also a supporter of Scottish independence. Initially a supporter of the Conservatives in her youth, once going so far as to meet Margaret Thatcher at a Scottish Conservative Party Conference in Perth, she later became a supporter of the Scottish National Party and toured the UK in February 2016 in support of Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Godley went viral that year after being pictured standing outside Donald Trump's Turnberry Golf resort holding a sign stating "Trump is a Cunt", having been prevented from approaching her subject by Police Scotland (who did not, however, stop her displaying the sign), and organised a protest in Glasgow just prior to the election of Trump as president, for which she received rape threats through Twitter.

Personal life

Godley married Sean Storrie in 1980. Storrie, who is on the autistic spectrum, was born into a Glasgow gangster family. Their daughter, Ashley Storrie (born 1986), who also has autism spectrum disorder, is a stand-up comedian and BBC Radio Scotland presenter.

Godley ran a public house in Calton, Glasgow, with her husband and his family for 14 years during the 1980s and 1990s. In 1982, when Godley was 21, her mother died after drowning in the River Clyde. Godley believed that her mother was murdered by her mother's boyfriend, who she claimed was violent. He was never charged by police for Annie Currie's death despite calls from her family for an investigation. On 31 December 2010, her brother Mij Currie died from a drug-related illness.

Illness and death

In November 2021, Godley announced via Twitter the cancellation of the last weekend of her tour, explaining that she had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and was being treated in hospital, and underwent a full hysterectomy in January 2022. In June that year, she announced that she was cancer-free. In December, she announced that her cancer had returned and that she would need further chemotherapy. After her cancer spread, she began to receive palliative care and moved into a hospice in September 2024. She was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Glasgow on 31 October 2024.

Godley died at the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow, on 2 November 2024, aged 63. Former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon paid tribute to her.

Books

Godley, Janey (2005). Handstands in the Dark. London: Ebury Press. ISBN 978-0-09-190877-5. OCLC 61175808.

Godley, Janey (2020). Frank Get the Door!. Illustrated by Christina Connelly. Edinburgh: Luath Press. ISBN 978-1-910022-14-6. OCLC 1198558126.

Godley, Janey (2022). Nothing Left Unsaid. London: Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 978-1-5293-5712-7. OCLC 1308460883.

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holyiker-blog1 · 8 months ago

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FC 25 Best New Icon Rating Leaks - Angerer, Buffon, Bale and more

With EA SPORTS FC 25 releasing on September 27, 2024, there have been rumors about which icons will be in the game. This is usually a big part of EA's football video game.

This icon pack features one of the all-time greats and their stats have been upgraded, which makes them a must-get for Ultimate Team. Parts of their cards that receive an upgrade are their dribbling, pace, passing, shooting, defending, physicality, skill moves, weak foot accuracy, and playstyles. So make sure you keep an eye out for when these icon cards will be released.

Nadine Angerer - 92 OVR

Angerer has played for Frauen-Bundesliga clubs Bayern Munich, Turbine Potsdam (with whom she won the 2005 UEFA Women's Cup), and FFC Frankfurt. In 2008, she played for Djurgårdens IF of the Swedish Damallsvenskan and she spent two periods on loan with Brisbane Roar of the Australian W-League in 2013 and 2014. During her extensive international career, Angerer was recognized as one of the world's best female goalkeepers.

Germany won the UEFA Women's Championship on each of the five occasions Angerer was involved and won the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2003 and 2007. Their best finish at the Olympics was third in 2000, 2004 and 2008. Angerer is a penalty-saving specialist, having stopped Marta's kick in the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup Final and both Trine Rønning and Solveig Gulbrandsen's during the UEFA Women's Euro 2013 Final. She was appointed captain of Germany in 2011 following the retirement of Birgit Prinz. On 13 January 2014, Angerer was named FIFA World Player of the Year, becoming the first goalkeeper – male or female – to win the award. She announced her retirement from the international team on 13 May 2015.

Gianluigi Buffon - 91 OVR

Gianluigi "Gigi" Buffon is a former Italian professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, and by some the greatest of all time, he is one of the few recorded players to have made over 1,100 professional career appearances and holds the record for the most appearances in Serie A.

Buffon was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players in 2004. He is the only goalkeeper to win the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year award, which he achieved after reaching the 2003 Champions League final; he also won UEFA's award for best goalkeeper that year and was additionally voted into the UEFA Team of the Year on five occasions. Buffon was the runner-up for the Ballon d'Or in 2006 and was elected part of the FIFPro World11 three times. He was the first-ever goalkeeper to win the Golden Foot Award and was also named the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper a record five times, alongside Iker Casillas and Manuel Neuer. He would go on to be named the best goalkeeper of the 21st century, of the past 25 years, and of the decade by the same organization.

Aya Miyama - 90 OVR

Aya Miyama is a Japanese former footballer who played for the Japan national team starting in 2003, and from 2012 to 2016 served as captain of the team. She appeared in four World Cups between 2003 and 2015 and was part of the team that won the 2011 World Cup for Japan. Miyama also led Japan to a silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

At the 2011 World Cup in Germany, Miyama scored the winner – a curling free kick – to help Japan beat New Zealand, and netted Japan's first goal in the final against the USA. Miyama also scored Japan's first penalty of the eventual penalty shoot-out in the final which ended 2–2 after extra time. Her team won 3–1 in the penalty shoot-out, making them the first Asian team to win the World Cup. In the moment of victory, Miyama did not join her teammates in celebration but instead went to the American players to hug and congratulate them. This has been reported both by Hope Solo and the Japanese media as evidence of Miyama's sportsmanship and respect for her opponents.

Gareth Bale - 88 OVR

Gareth Frank Bale is a Welsh former professional footballer who played as a winger, most notably for Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, and the Wales national team. He is widely regarded as one of the best footballers of his generation and one of the greatest Welsh players of all time. He was known for his explosive pace, athleticism, and powerful strikes from a distance.

One of the fastest footballers in the world at his peak, Bale started out as an offensive left-back or wing-back at the beginning of his career. It was at Tottenham Hotspur that his manager Harry Redknapp decided to utilise Bale's pace and played him as a left winger, where he developed into a world-class player. He was predominantly known for his speed, strength, stamina, and heading ability, but also possessed good technique and ball control. His skills, combined with his acceleration and physicality, allowed him to get past defenders regularly and make runs into space, where he was able to score or create. Bale was also a free-kick specialist and was known for employing the "knuckleball" technique (popularised by Juninho Pernambucano) when taking free kicks. As he moved further forward onto the wing, he began to score goals on a regular basis with powerful strikes from outside the penalty box. In addition to his athletic and offensive capabilities, Bale also drew praise in the media for his work rate and defensive contribution off the ball.

The best way to get FC 25 coins

Are you worried about lacking the necessary coins to complete your ultimate team in the early stages of FC25? Fear not, as the LootBar trading platform is your go-to destination to buy FC 25 coins and ensure your team is top-notch. You can visit in advance and bookmark LootBar to quickly complete your coin purchase after the game is released.

LootBar stands out as a premier destination for all your gaming currency needs, offering a secure and efficient way to buy EA FC 25 coins. The platform boasts a fast delivery system, ensuring that your FC 25 coins buy experience is smooth and immediate, allowing you to dive right back into the action. With competitive prices and a user-friendly interface, LootBar makes the purchasing process a breeze for gamers around the world. Whether you're on Xbox or PC, buying FC coins has never been easier.

Other related FC 25 blogs

EA FC 25 Top 50 player ratings – Real Madrid and Man City stars dominate

FC 25 Arsenal Rating Predictions

FC 25 Manchester City Rating Predictions

EA SPORTS FC 25 - Career Mode Deep Dive

#fc 25

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liamhen5 · 10 months ago

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Sunita Williams: Pioneering Space Exploration and the Future of Crewed Missions

Sunita Williams – A Trailblazer in Space

Sunita Williams is a renowned American astronaut and United States Navy officer. Born on September 19, 1965, in Euclid, Ohio, she has made significant contributions to space exploration, notably becoming one of the most accomplished astronauts of her time. Her illustrious career is marked by her exceptional achievements in the realms of science, space exploration, and inspiring future generations.

Williams graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Science. She then embarked on a career in the Navy, becoming a test pilot and logging over 3,000 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft. Her journey to becoming an astronaut began in 1998 when she was selected by NASA for their astronaut program.

Williams' first spaceflight was aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on the STS-116 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in December 2006. During this mission, she broke the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, spending 195 days in space. She also performed four spacewalks, totaling over 29 hours. Her second spaceflight was in July 2012 aboard the Soyuz TMA-05M, where she spent another six months aboard the ISS, adding to her cumulative spacewalk time.

First Crewed Mission on Boeing’s Starliner Capsule

One of the significant milestones in Sunita Williams' career is her involvement with Boeing's CST-100 Starliner, a spacecraft developed as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. This program aims to develop safe, reliable, and cost-effective human spaceflight capabilities to the ISS and low-Earth orbit.

The Starliner is designed to carry up to seven astronauts or a combination of crew and cargo. It represents a collaboration between NASA and Boeing to reduce dependency on Russian spacecraft for transporting astronauts to the ISS. The spacecraft boasts advanced technology, safety features, and is reusable for up to ten missions, making it a cornerstone of future American space exploration.

Williams has been a pivotal figure in the Starliner program, being named as one of the astronauts for its first crewed mission. Her extensive experience and technical expertise have been instrumental in the development and testing of the spacecraft. The first crewed mission, known as the Boeing Crew Flight Test (CFT), is a crucial step toward certifying the Starliner for regular crewed missions.

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon

Parallel to Boeing’s efforts, SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, has also been at the forefront of developing crewed spacecraft under NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The Dragon 2, also known as Crew Dragon, is SpaceX's spacecraft designed to transport astronauts to the ISS. It is a successor to the uncrewed Dragon 1, which was primarily used for cargo missions.

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon is a fully autonomous spacecraft capable of carrying up to seven astronauts. It is equipped with the latest technology, including touchscreen controls and the ability to dock autonomously with the ISS. The spacecraft is launched atop the Falcon 9 rocket, another SpaceX innovation known for its reusability.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon made history with its first crewed mission, Demo-2, in May 2020. This mission was significant as it marked the return of crewed spaceflights from American soil since the Space Shuttle program ended in 2011. The success of Demo-2 paved the way for subsequent missions, solidifying Crew Dragon as a reliable means of transporting astronauts to the ISS.

Boeing Starliner Mission

The Boeing Starliner mission, particularly its crewed missions, is integral to NASA's vision of maintaining a continuous human presence in space. The Starliner is designed with a focus on safety, reliability, and operational efficiency. It features a unique pusher abort system that can propel the capsule away from the rocket in case of an emergency during launch.

The spacecraft's development journey has not been without challenges. The first uncrewed test flight, known as Orbital Flight Test (OFT), took place in December 2019. However, due to a software issue, the spacecraft was unable to reach the ISS as planned. Despite this setback, valuable data was gathered, and subsequent efforts were made to rectify the issues.

In August 2021, the second uncrewed test flight, OFT-2, was scheduled, but technical issues with the spacecraft's propulsion system led to a postponement. These challenges highlight the complexities of developing a new spacecraft and the rigorous testing required to ensure astronaut safety.

The Boeing Starliner mission’s crewed flight, with Sunita Williams as one of the key astronauts, is highly anticipated. The successful completion of this mission will mark a significant milestone for Boeing and NASA, demonstrating the viability of Starliner for regular crewed missions to the ISS.

The Future of Space Exploration

The advancements made by both Boeing's Starliner and SpaceX's Crew Dragon represent a new era in space exploration. These developments not only enhance the capabilities of the United States in human spaceflight but also pave the way for future missions beyond low-Earth orbit, including potential missions to the Moon and Mars.

Sunita Williams' involvement in these programs underscores the importance of experienced astronauts in advancing space technology. Her contributions have been invaluable in the testing and operational readiness of these spacecraft, ensuring that they meet the high standards required for human spaceflight.

As space agencies and private companies continue to innovate, the collaboration between NASA, Boeing, and SpaceX exemplifies how public-private partnerships can drive significant advancements in space exploration. The successes of the Commercial Crew Program demonstrate the potential for future collaborative efforts in pushing the boundaries of human space exploration.

In conclusion, Sunita Williams' remarkable career and her contributions to the first crewed mission on Boeing’s Starliner capsule highlight her role as a trailblazer in space. The advancements made by Boeing's Starliner and SpaceX's Crew Dragon under NASA's Commercial Crew Program signify a new chapter in human spaceflight, with the potential to revolutionize our approach to exploring the final frontier. As we look to the future, the achievements of Williams and her colleagues serve as an inspiration for the next generation of explorers, scientists, and engineers who will continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in space.

#Sunita Williams – A Trailblazer in Space #first crewed mission on Boeing’s Starliner capsule #SpaceX’s Crew Dragon #Boeing Starliner mission

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wikiuntamed · 1 year ago

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Five steps of Wikipedia for Thursday, 2nd November 2023

Welcome, 你好, Bienvenue, नमस्त�� 🤗 Five steps of Wikipedia from "2018 massacres in Benue and Kogi States" to "1991 All-Africa Games". 🪜👣

Start page 👣🏁: 2018 massacres in Benue and Kogi States "In 2018, several massacres occurred in Benue and Kogi, in central Nigeria, supposedly by Fulani herdsmen gunmen. At least 50 were killed in all...."

Step 1️⃣ 👣: Middle Belt "The Middle Belt (also spelt Middle-Belt) or Central Nigeria is a term used in human geography to designate a belt region stretching across central Nigeria longitudinally and forming a transition zone between Northern and Southern Nigeria. It is composed of the southern half of the defunct Northern..."

Step 2️⃣ 👣: Abuja "Abuja () is the capital and eighth most populous city of Nigeria. Situated at the centre of the country within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), it is a planned city built mainly in the 1980s based on a master plan by International Planning Associates (IPA), a consortium of three American..."

Image licensed under CC BY 3.0? by Collage: Jamie Tubers Images used: Bryn Pinzgauer, Tsadori, MrPanyGoff, ayatudeen74, chippla, and Teemages

Step 3️⃣ 👣: 2003 All-Africa Games "The 8th All Africa Games were 5–17 October 2003 in Abuja, Nigeria. 53 countries participated in 23 sports. The main venue was the newly constructed Abuja Stadium. The organizing committee was headed by Nigerian Amos Adamu...."

Step 4️⃣ 👣: 2011 All-Africa Games "The 10th All-Africa Games took place between September 3–18, 2011 in Maputo, Mozambique. Maputo's hosting marked the third time the Games was held in the southern part of the continent...."

Step 5️⃣ 👣: 1991 All-Africa Games "The 5th All-Africa Games were held from September 20 to October 1, 1991, in Cairo, Egypt. Forty-three countries participated in eighteen sports. For the first time the Games were held on a four-year cycle as planned. Egypt had hoped to use the Games to showcase the city of Cairo for a possible..."

Image licensed under CC0? by 1991 All-Africa Games Organizing Committee

#FiveStepsOfWikipedia #GemsOfWikipedia #WikiQuest #WikiWonders

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bolllywoodhungama · 1 year ago

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On March 16, 2024, Ed Sheeran will return to India with his Mathematics Tour; Callum Scott will open the show.

Ed Sheeran returns to Mumbai, India, six years after his previous smash blockbuster tour, the Divide Tour, in 2017. Ed Sheeran, one of the world's best-selling musicians of all time, will bring his + - = x (Mathematics) Tour to India as part of his Asia and Europe Tour in 2024. The India leg of this much-anticipated fantastic and best-selling tour will be the Asia Tour's final stop, taking place on March 16th, 2024 at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse in the heart of Mumbai. Calum Scott, a singer-songwriter, will appear as a special guest on the evening.

BookMyShow Live, the live entertainment branch of BookMyShow, will promote Ed Sheeran's + - = x Tour in India alongside AEG Presents. Ed Sheeran returns to Mumbai, India, six years after his previous smash blockbuster tour, the Divide Tour, in 2017. The general on-sale for Ed Sheeran: + - = x Tour - India will begin on October 27th, 2023 at 3 PM IST. The + - = x Tour's upcoming Asian concerts will be Ed Sheeran's first in Asia since 2019, while the European dates will follow his visit to the region last year. The announcement follows Ed's record-breaking USA tour, during which he set various attendance records, including Los Angeles' SoFi Stadium and New Jersey's MetLife Stadium; the latter saw Ed secure the greatest single-day concert attendance in the United States, ever. Ed Sheeran, a four-time Grammy Award winner, released two albums this year, '- (Subtract) and Autumn Variations, both of which debuted at No. 1 around the world. Sheeran collaborated with The National's Aaron Dessner on both LPs, which were released to tremendous acclaim in May and September, respectively. Sheeran's two-hour + - = x Tour will feature songs from all of his albums released since 2011 - "Plus," "Multiply" (2014), "Divide" (2017), "Equals" (2021), and the new "Subtract," as well as one from 2019's "No. 6 Collaborations Project" ("Blow").

#concert #concerts #Ed Sheeran #India #International #Mathematics Tour #Mumbai #Music #bollywood hungama

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rabbitcruiser · 2 years ago

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Save The Rhino Day

History of Save The Rhino Day

Save The Rhino Day timeline

1973 A Symbol of Queer Identity

Two Boston artists, Daniel Thaxton and Bernie Toale create a lavender rhinoceros as a symbol to increase awareness of gays and lesbians and put it in a series of subway posters.

2011 No More Black Rhinos

The Western Black Rhino — which used to live in Cameroon, Chad, the Central African Republic, Sudan, and South Sudan — is declared extinct because of excessive poaching.

2012 A Ray of Hope

For the very first time, a Sumatran rhino — the smallest of the rhino family — is born in captivity in the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Indonesia; this miracle repeats in 2016, and then in 2022.

2018 A Sad Farewell

The world bids goodbye to the last known male northern white rhino; only two females survive to this day.

Save The Rhino Day FAQs

What day is World Rhino Day?

On September 22 each year, the global community celebrates the rhinoceros and explains what people can do to help them.

How many rhino species are there?

At present, there are five species of rhinos in the world — the white rhino and the black rhino (both found in Africa), and the Indian, Javan, and Sumatran (all found in Asia).

Are rhinos endangered?

The black, Javan, and Sumatran rhinos are still listed as ‘critically endangered,’ while the entire species is classified as ‘endangered.’

How to Observe Save The Rhino Day

Learn about the rhinoceros

Visit a rhino

Help save the rhino

Uncover more interesting information about this magnificent animal. Watch documentaries featuring the rhino, read books and other literature about them, and discover more studies and research that show just how the rhino lives.

Why not go see a rhinoceros in real life? Check out rhinos at a local zoo or plan a trip to visit rhinos in the wild.

Research the efforts various groups make towards saving the rhino, and check out what you can do to help. These could include online volunteering services, donations of funds, and more.

5 Fun Facts About The Rhinoceros

The rhino communication method

They don't have 20-20 vision

How the white rhino got its name

Their horns are like our nails

And still, people steal their horns

Rhinos make funny sounds — like snorting, sneeze-like sounds, and even honking — and use their bodily waste to 'speak' to other rhinos.

Rhino eyesight is notoriously poor, so much so that if an animal only 100 feet away — in an open space, too — stood motionless, the rhino wouldn't be able to spot them.

This rhino isn't actually white — English explorers mistook the Afrikaans 'wyd,' which refers to the huge girth of this animal, as 'white' and the name stuck.

Rhino horns are made up almost entirely of keratin, which is also the protein found in human hair and nails.

Even as rhino horns are proven to have no health benefits, signs in museums — like the National Museum of Scotland — notify visitors that the horn on display is a replica, as the real one has been stolen.

Why Save The Rhino Day is Important

It helps increase awareness

Creating safe havens for rhinos

Building a rhino-loving community

Rhinos are becoming increasingly rare in the wild, and only continuous efforts to raise awareness, like celebrating Save The Rhino Day, can help this endangered species. Do your bit today to support rhinos.

The spike in awareness such days provide also subsequently raises the amount of help being offered to save the rhinos. These increased efforts could help secure various safe and protected spaces for the rhino to survive and thrive.

Conservation efforts have had a significant impact in the past — various subspecies of rhinos have seen their numbers gradually increase over the years as a result of these activities. After these celebrations, we are left with a passionate and motivated global community that wants to see the rhinoceros flourish in the decades to come.

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frontproofmedia · 2 years ago

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Liam Smith vs. Chris Eubank Jr. 2 Fight Preview

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By Sina Latif

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Published: September 02, 2023

Liam Smith vs. Chris Eubank Jr. 2 Fight Preview

A BOXXER-promoted show will be headlined by a grudge rematch this Saturday evening, September 2, at the AO Arena in Manchester, England, as Liam Smith (33-3-1, 20 KOs) and Chris Eubank Jr (32-3, 23 KOs) lock horns again in a 12-round middleweight showdown.

The fight will be aired on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and ESPN+ in the USA.

Back in January, Smith entered their first fight as the underdog, but after badly hurting Eubank in the fourth round, he inflicted the first stoppage loss of Eubank’s professional career with a dramatic fourth-round stoppage victory.

Smith’s only losses have been at the world level, losing his WBO super welterweight title to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez via a crippling ninth-round KO loss and a unanimous decision loss while challenging Jaime Munguia for his old title.

Smith’s last loss was a controversial unanimous decision loss to Magomed Kurbanov in May 2021 in Russia, after which he has racked up four consecutive stoppage wins since.

Since Eubank had lost to George Groves in February 2018, he had notched six consecutive wins, but his appearances have been quite inconsistent, and he has been moving between trainers, parting with Roy Jones Jr. for this fight to join Terence Crawford’s trainer, Brian ‘Bo Mac’ McIntyre.

Speaking to TalkSPORT’s Spencer Oliver, Smith does not believe the link-up with Bo Mac will change the result of the rematch.

“I don’t think he can change much. I don’t think he (Bo Mac) can make him (Eubank) a better fighter,” Smith said. “He’s going to try brushing up on the mistakes he made, but he’s not going to make him a better fighter. He’s not going to make him do stuff he didn’t do before.”

Eubank has often been viewed as arrogant by British boxing fans, with more fame than ability, and there have been questions about whether he may have overlooked “Beefy.”

Speaking at the public workout during fight week, Eubank said: “This is the first time I’ve gone into a fight as an underdog in a rematch, so it brings a new mindset, a new mentality, a new focus, a new determination that I haven’t had for a long time and I’m excited to see how that transfers over once that bell goes.”

The fascinating career of Eubank could end tonight in the same city it began in 2011. Since that all-machismo and bravado-laden debut, some have been believers, and some, to this day, have believed Junior is more about the talk than the walk.

More show and less substance. Since that day, Eubank has been on a mission to rise to the top and prove all naysayers wrong. He can get to the top on merit and not because of his father’s name.

That mission is at a crisis point tonight. Smith battered Eubank’s reputation eight months ago when he stopped Junior in four rounds.

Smith is a no-nonsense fighter. We know what we’re going to get. He has a good, solid team behind him, always around his brothers; coming from boxing stock and from a technical standpoint, he barely ever does anything wrong.

Smith never appears cocky and arrogant, but he does exude self-confidence, and now, after their first meeting, in which Smith scored a career-best win, he knows he can not only hurt Eubank but knock him out. This confidence will make Smith an ever harder man to beat now.

Does the captivating Eubank Jr. rollercoaster regain momentum, or does the trend of Junior struggling against technically sound boxers, not overawed by the Eubank hype and personality, carry on?

#SL #Liam Smith #Chris Eubank Jr.#BOXXER

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themeatlife · 2 years ago

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the Meat Life College Football Preview Part 1 - Conference Realignment and the Fall of the Pac 12

It’s the summer 2010. The Big 12 is reeling, having just lost Nebraska to the Big Ten. At this time, there were rumors that the Pac 10 was gunning to add Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Colorado, from the Big 12. Ultimately that move to make the Pac 10 the first 16 team superconference derailed. The Pac 10 wanted to control third-tier broadcast rights, while Texas wanted its own third-tier network. Colorado was the only one out of that original Pac 10 move to go out west in 2011. Texas A&M and Missouri announced they were leaving for the SEC to begin in 2012, the rest of targeted Big 12 schools stayed, Texas got the Longhorn Network from ESPN, and the Big 12 added West Virginia and TCU to get to 10 teams.

In the background of those things, the Big East dies as a football conference. Then things stabilized for a while.

Fast forward to the summer of 2023. The Pac 12 has USC and UCLA for one more season before their move to the Big Ten. First Colorado and then Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah announced they will move to the Big 12 in 2024. And then the nail in the coffin, Oregon and Washington announce their move to the Big Ten in 2024 as well. A once proud Pacific 12 Conference fell to four schools, with little options left for the remaining schools.

From a possible superconference to near oblivion, the Pac 12 has had a rough go at it this summer. I declared years ago that the Big 12 would die, but I was wrong. I had the wrong conference. The other Power Conferences left the Pac 12 for dead.

So for now, here is what the Power Conference landscape looks like for 2024:

How did we get here?

2021 - Red River to the SEC, Big 12 Solidification

In the fall of 2016, the Big 12 explored options for expansion. The Oklahoma president at the time David Boren was bullish on expansion, wanting to make sure that the conference that Oklahoma was housed was secure in their future. In the wake of six years before, who could blame him. Ultimately the conference decided against expansion, but its research in candidates proved helpful later.

The first domino to fall in this current conference realignment era was in the summer of 2021, it was initially leaked but then confirmed that Oklahoma and Texas would leave the Big 12 for the SEC at the end of the Big 12 grant of rights deal in 2025. They would move that up a year to 2024.

I haven’t been able to find an article about it, but I believe this was the genesis. For the 2021 season, Oklahoma would host Nebraska for the 50th anniversary of the Game of the Century. In the summer while the networks were working out kickoff schedules for the September games, Oklahoma requested that Fox, who had first pick for Big 12 games that weekend, have the kickoff in primetime so there could be a whole day of festivities to celebrate the anniversary. Fox declined, as they wanted the game featured for their “Big Noon” timeslot, 11am local time. Due to the broadcast agreements, both Oklahoma and Texas have been slotted at a bunch of 11am games.

I can’t verify this either, but after being spurned by Fox and feeling they had no backing from the Big 12 for their greivance, either OU president Joseph Harroz or AD Joe Castiglione spearheaded a move with Texas to the Southeastern Conference. The rumor was they were working on this behind closed doors with SEC officials and that upset Texas A&M officials leaked the news, forcing those talks to speed up in public.

Now, the 11am scheduling snubs weren’t the only reason why Oklahoma and Texas were leaving. The Big 12′s grant of rights deal with Fox/ESPN was set to expire in 2025 and the networks were not wanting to negotiate a deal yet. The SEC, meanwhile, had just signed an exclusive broadcast deal with the SEC set at $811 million a year from 2024-2034. OU and Texas were looking for a financially secure future, and in 2021 the SEC had it and the Big 12 didn’t.

From there, battling for survival and working quickly, the Big 12 then adds BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF from 2023 onward. Those four schools were the primary candidates in the Big 12′s expansion search in 2016. Since Oklahoma and Texas were sticking around for a bit, there will be a season of overlap with the Red River rivals and the Big 12 newbies. With the exits and new entrants, it would put the Big 12 back to 12 schools for the first time since 2010.

2022 - LA Powers Leave the Pacific

While in 2021 the Pac 12 didn’t feel threatened, they should have.

As cited earlier, in the summer of 2022 a bomb dropped: USC and UCLA were to leave to the Big Ten starting the 2024 season. As with the Oklahoma and Texas move to the SEC, there were financial stability concerns that USC and UCLA has with the Pac 12. The Pac 12 Network was a bust, with carriage issues and only 14.8 million subscribers. The larger broadcasting contract the Pac 12 has with ESPN/FOX was worth $250 million per year but set to expire in 2024, with the networks yet to sit and negotiate an extension. Just by comparison, the Big Ten Network has 50 million subscribers and the Big Ten just inked a deal with broadcast channels CBS/NBC/FOX for a record $1 billion per year from 2023-2030.

The kicker was that Fall the Big 12, newly enforced by their 4 school expansion inked a couple summers earlier, jumped the line and got a renewal of broadcast rights with ESPN/Fox worth $380 million per year from 2025-2031. What of the Pac 12 broadcast rights? Up in the air.

2023 - Pacific Mass Exodus

The Pac 12 struggled to grab a broadcast deal. Their current partners ESPN/FOX were not budging, so the Pac 12 went shopping. There was a possible deal with the CW, but that fell through and eventually the ACC gave some of their third-tier rights to the CW.

While things with broadcasts rights were in limbo Colorado decided enough was enough. To preserve a future, it was announced on July 27th that the Big 12 would welcome back Colorado beginning in 2024. Colorado returning to the conference they were a part of at their formation in 1996 and the conference’s predecessor the Big Eight since 1948. The Pac 12 losing one of their star coaches in Coach Deion Sanders.

Despite the Pac 12′s best efforts, the best broadcast rights offer was from Apple, offering an exclusively streaming broadcast package to the Pac 12 up to $20 million per school or up to $180 million per year to the conference. And those figures would depend on subscriber numbers. So while the other Power Conferences had deals inked with linear broadcast partners until at least 2030, the Pac 12 was set to expire and their best offer was from a streamer relatively new to sports broadcasting.

So a few days later, Oregon and Washington announced earlier in the day on August 4th they would be heading to the Big Ten in 2024. Later in the day, the rest of the “Four Corners” schools Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah would join Colorado and sign with the Big 12 also in 2024. Cal and Stanford tried to escape to the ACC, but was not approved by the voting members of the ACC.

So Cal, Stanford, Oregon State, and Washington State are now stranded. We’ll see what happens to those schools. And dead are the days of a major regional college athletics conference. The Power Conferences are all national conferences.

Football-wise, this could be the Pac 12′s best season with so many big name QBs returning including the Heisman Trophy winner USC’s Caleb Williams. There are probably six schools that have a legitimate shot at a Pac 12 title. And now it will be an amazing sendoff to a conference that will essentially disappear after the 2023-2024 academic year.

Other Stuff

Here’s a look at where the money is according to 24/7 Sports:

FBS TV contracts

Big Ten: $1 billion/year through 2030 (FOX, CBS, NBC)

SEC: $811 million/year through 2034 (ESPN)

Big 12: $380 million/year through 2031 (ESPN and FOX)

Pac-12: $250 million/year through 2024 (ESPN, FOX)

ACC: $240 million/year through 2036 (ESPN)

AAC: $83.3 million/year through 2032 (ESPN)

MWC: $45 million/year through 2026 (CBS and FOX)

MAC: $8 million/year through 2023 (ESPN and CBS Sports)

Sun Belt: $7 million/year through 2031 (ESPN)

Conference USA: $4.4 million/year through 2023 (ESPN, CBS Sports Network, NFL Network, Facebook, Stadium)

The ACC deal with ESPN is the longest termed contract, inked to 2036. And at $240 million per year, while a lot compared to some of the other conferences, is the lowest of the remaining Power Conferences. The ACC signed their deal before anyone else back in 2016, before seeing what the Big Ten and SEC would get. And it is a mistake that Florida State officials can’t seem to get over, calling the difference in revenue “insurmountable” when comparing to their SEC colleagues in the same footprint. While Florida State may want to leave the ACC, they may take their time to devise an exit strategy. So realignment has calmed a bit.

Confused yet? Yeah me too. 2024 will be a crazy college football year with all these schools in new conferences and the debut of the 12 team playoff. In the meantime, we’ll have 2023 becoming an end of an era.

My season preview will be coming soon!

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