#Malawi newspapers

[petnews2day]

CAT, LUANAR sign K14 million research grant agreement - Malawi24

New Post has been published on https://petn.ws/sGEvJ

CAT, LUANAR sign K14 million research grant agreement - Malawi24

Mwangwela The Centre for Agricultural Transformation (CAT) and Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) have signed a $13,500 (about K14 million) research grant agreement to support six undergraduate students to carry out research on demand aimed at providing quick solutions to production challenges faced by smallholder farmers and selected agribusinesses in Malawi. The […]

See full article at https://petn.ws/sGEvJ #CatsNews #Malawi, #MalawiAfrica, #MalawiBreakingNews, #MalawiCichlids, #MalawiGold, #MalawiLatestNews, #MalawiMap, #MalawiNews, #MalawiNewspapers, #MalawiOnlineNews, #MalawiVoice, #Malawi24

[fiercynn]

black & palestinian solidarities

if you support black liberation but are unsure of your stance on palestinian resistance, here’s a reminder that they are deeply intertwined. after the 1917 balfour declaration by the british government announcing the first support for a zionist state in palestine,  zionism and israeli occupation of palestine have followed similar ideologies and practices to white supremacist settler colonial projects, so solidarity between black and palestinian communities has grown over time, seeing each other as fellow anti-imperialist and anti-racist struggles. (if you get a paywall for any of the sources below, try searching them in google scholar.)

palestinians have been inspired by and shown support for black liberationist struggles as early as the 1930s, when arabic-language newspapers in palestine wrote about the struggle by black folks in the united states and framed it as anti-colonial, as well as opposing the 1935 invasion by fascist italy of ethiopia, the only independent black african state at the time. palestinian support for black struggles grew in the 1960s with the emergence of newly-independent african states, the development of black and third world internationalisms, and the civil rights movement in the united states. palestinian writers have expressed this solidarity too: palestinian activist samih al-qasim showed his admiration for congolese independence leader patrice lumumba in a poem about him, while palestinian poet mahmoud darwish’s “letters to a negro” essays spoke directly to black folks in the united states about shared struggles.

afro-palestinians have a rich history of freedom fighting against israeli apartheid, where they face oppression at the intersections of their black and palestinian identities. some families trace their roots back hundreds of years, while others came to jerusalem in the nineteenth century from chad, sudan, nigeria, and senegal after performing the hajj (the islamic pilgrimage to mecca) and settled down. still others came to palestine in the 1940s specifically to join the arab liberation army, where they fought against israel’s ethnic cleansing of palestinians during the 1948 nakba (“catastrophe”). afro-palestinian freedom fighter fatima bernawi, who was of nigerian, palestinian, and jordanian descent, became, in 1967, the first palestinian woman to be organize an operation against israel, and subsequently the first palestinian woman to be imprisoned by israel. the history of afro-palestinian resistance continues today: even as the small afro-palestinian community in jerusalem is highly-surveilled, over-policed, disproportionately incarcerated, and subjected to racist violence, they continue to organize and fight for palestinian liberation.

black revolutionaries and leaders in the united states have supported the palestinian struggle for decades, with a ramp-up since the 1960s. malcolm x became a huge opponent of zionism after traveling to southwest asia and north africa (SWANA), publishing “zionist logic” in 1964, and becoming one of the first black leaders from the united states to meet with the newly formed palestine liberation organization. the black panther party and the third world women’s alliance, a revolutionary socialist organization for women of color, also supported palestinian resistance in the 1970s. writers like maya angelou, june jordan, and james baldwin have long spoken out for palestinians. dr. angela davis (who received support from palestinian political prisoners when she was incarcerated) has made black and palestinian solidarity a key piece of her work. and many, many more black leaders and revolutionaries in the united states have supported palestinian freedom.

while israel has long courted relationships with the african union and its members, there has been ongoing tension between them since at least the 1970s, when all but four african states (malawi, lesotho, swaziland, and mauritius) cut off diplomatic ties with israel after the 1973 october war. while many of those diplomatic relationships were reestablished in subsequent decades, they remain rocky, and earlier this year, the african union booted an israeli diplomat from their annual summit in addis ababa, ethiopia, and issued a draft declaration on the situation in palestine and the middle east that expressed “full support for the palestinian people in their legitimate struggle against the israeli occupation”, naming israeli settlements as illegal and calling for boycotts and sanctions with israel. grassroots organizations like africa 4 palestine have also been key in the BDS (boycott, divestment, sanctions) movement.

in south africa, comparisons between israel and south african apartheid have been prevalent since the 1990s and early 2000s. israel historically allied with apartheid-era south africa, while palestinians opposed south african apartheid, leading nelson mandela to support the palestinian liberation organization as "fighting for the right of self-determination"; over the years his statements have been joined by fellow black african freedom fighters like nozizwe madlala-routledge and desmond tutu. post-apartheid south africa has continued to be a strong ally to palestine, calling for israel to be declared “apartheid state”.

black and palestinian solidarities have continued into the 21st century. palestinian people raised money to send to survivors of hurricane katrina in the united states in 2005 (which disproportionately harmed black communities in new orleans and the gulf of mexico) and the devastating earthquake in haiti in 2010. in the past decade, the global black lives matter struggle has brought new emphasis to shared struggles. prison and police abolitionists have long noted the deadly exchange which brings together police, ICE, border patrol, and FBI agents from the united states to train with soldiers, police, and border agents from israel. palestinian freedom fighters supported the 2014 uprising in ferguson in the united states, and shared strategies for resisting state violence. over a thousand black leaders signed onto the 2015 black solidarity statement with palestine. the murder of george floyd by american cops in 2020 has sparked further allyship, including black lives matter protests in palestine, with organizations like the dream defenders making connections between palestinian and black activists.

this is just a short summary that i came up because i've been researching black and asian solidarities recently so i had some sources on hand; there's obviously so much more that i haven't covered, so please feel free to reblog with further additions to this history!

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 12.9

Holidays

Anna's Day (Finland, Sweden)

Armed Forces Day (Peru)

Ball-Bearing Roller Skates Day

Battle of Ayacucho Day (Peru)

Christmas Card Day

Christmas Gift Memory Day

Cremation Day

Eggsmas (from “The League”)

Fatherland’s Heroes Day (Russia)

Fiesta of the Mother of Health (Mexico)

Genocide Prevention Day

Geologist Day (Tajikistan)

Grace Hopper Day

Heroes Day (Antigua and Barbuda)

Heroes of Fatherland Day (Russia)

Homecoming Day (Guernsey and Alderney)

Homemade Gift Day

International Anti-Corruption Day (UN)

International Day of Commemoration & Dignity of the Victims of the Crimes of Genocide & of the Prevention of this Crime

International Day of Veterinary Medicine

International Human Rights Defenders Day

Lady Gaga Day

Mail Your Cards Day

National Blake Day

National Heroes Day (Antigua & Barbuda)

National Llama Day

National Youth Day (Albania)

Navy Day (Sri Lanka)

Petrified Forest Day

Public Transit Day

Santa Marian Kamalen Day (Guam)

Savin Juniper Day (French Republic)

V.C. Bird Day (Antigua & Barbuda)

Weary Willie Day

World Alliance for Patient Safety Day

World Day of Computing

World Genocide Commemoration Day (UN)

World Patient Safety Day

World Smallpox Eradication Day

World SIUGR (Selective Intrauterine Growth Restriction) Awareness Day

World Techno Day

Yuri's Day in the Autumn (Russia)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Lutefisk Day (Finland; Sweden)

Mariscada Day (Spain)

National Opal Apples Day

National Pastry Day

Pepparkakans Dag (Gingerbread Cookie Day; Sweden)

Search High and Low For Your Gingerbread Recipe Day

Independence & Related Days

Rino Island (Declared; 2009) [unrecognized]

Tanzania (f.k.a. Tanganyika; from UK, 1961)

2nd Monday in December

Green Monday [2nd Monday]

Marinara Monday [2nd Monday of Each Month]

Meditation Monday [Every Monday]

Mindful Monday [2nd Monday of Each Month]

Monday Musings [Every Monday]

Motivation Monday [Every Monday]

National Tree Planting Day (Malawi) [2nd Monday]

Weekly Holidays beginning December 9 (2nd Full Week of December)

Human Rights Week [2nd Week]

National Drunk and Drugged Driving Awareness Week [2nd Week]

Festivals Beginning December 9, 2024

Duhok International Film Festival (Duhok, Iraq) [thru 12.16]

NLS Food Quality Symposium (Cedar Creek, Texas) [thru 12.11]

Vermont Maple Conference (Various Locations, Vermont) [thru 12.14]

Feast Days

Ann Hood (Writerism)

Ashleigh Brilliant (Artology; Wrierism)

End of Days of Reckoning (Shamanism)

Evergreen Day (Pagan)

Feast of the Conception of the Most Holy Theotokos by St. Anne (Eastern Orthodox Church)

Fiesta of the Mother of Health (Mexico; Everyday Wicca)

Galileo (Positivist; Saint)

Hanukkah Day #2 (Judaism) [thru Dec. 15th]

Jean de Brunhoff (Artology)

John Milton (Writerism)

Juan Diego (Christian; Saint)

Leocadia (Christian; Saint)

Ljubica Sokić (Artology)

Loch Ba on Mull Island (Celtic Book of Days)

Margaret Brundage (Artology)

The Martyrdom of St. Kenny (Church of the SubGenius)

Nectarius of Auvergne (Christian; Saint)

Noodle Ring Day (Pastafarian)

Peter Fourier (Christian; Saint)

Remembrance for Egill Skallagrimsson (Troth/Asatru/Norse Pagan)

Sage Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

The Seven Martyrs at Samosata (Christian; Martyrs)

This Day Deliberately Left Blank (Pastafarian)

Tropical Grossbill (Muppetism)

Wulfhilde (Christian; Saint)

Yuri’s Day in the Autumn (Russian Orthodox Church)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Very Unlucky Day (Grafton’s Manual of 1565) [58 of 60]

Premieres

The America Minerva (Daily Newspaper; 1793) [1st U.S. Daily]

The Bishop’s Wife (Film; 1947)

Brigg’s Bad Wolf (Super Chicken Cartoon; 1967) [#14]

Brokeback Mountain (Film; 2005)

Buddy’s Show Boat (WB LT Cartoon; 1933)

Charge of the Light Brigade (Poem; 1854)

A Charlie Brown Christmas (Animated TV Special; 1965)

Chi Chi Dog (George of the Jungle Cartoon; 1967) [#14]

Christine (Film; 1983)

A Christmas Story (Hanna-Barbera Animated tV Special; 1972)

Coronation Street (UK Soap Opera; 1960)

Dark Horse, by George Harrison (Album; 1974)

Davy Jones’ Locker, featuring Willie Whopper (MGM Cartoon; 1933)

Disclosure (Film; 1994)

Fiesta Fiasco (WB LT Cartoon; 1967)

Fresh Cream, by Cream (Album; 1966)

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Animated Film; 2022)

Hot August Nights, by Neil Diamond (Live Album; 1972)

A Job for a Gob (Fleischer/Famous Popeye Cartoon; 1955)

La La Land (Film; 2016)

Little Saint Nick, by The Beach Boys (Song; 1963)

A Love Supreme, recorded by the John Coltrane Quartet (Album; 1964)

Memories of a Geisha (Film; 2005)

Merbabies (Silly Symphonies Disney Cartoon; 1938)

Mississippi Burning (Film; 1988)

The Night Before Christmas (Silly Symphonies Disney Cartoon; 1933)

Nutty Notes (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1929)

Office Christmas Party (Film; 2016)

Peace on Earth (MGM Cartoon; 1939)

The Peachy Cobbler (Tex Avery MGM Cartoon; 1950)

Pet Pink Pebbles (Pink Panther Cartoon; 1978)

The Pink of Bagdad (Pink Panther Cartoon; 1978)

Pink Press (Pink Panther Cartoon; 1978)

Richard II, by William Shakespeare (Play; 1595)

R is for Rocket, by Ray Bradbury (Short Stories; 1962)

Salome, by Richard Strauss (Opera; 1905)

Scarface (Film; 1983)

SOS, by SZA (Album; 2022)

Soul Man, by The Blues Brothers (Song; 1978)

The Story of Babar, by Jean de Brunhoff (Children’s Book; 1931)

Sudden Impact (Film; 1983)

Syriana (Film; 2005)

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Film; 2011)

Twins (Film; 1988)

The Whale (Film; 2022)

Words and Music (Film; 1948)

young Adult (Film; 2011)

Young at Heart, recorded by Frank Sinatra (Song; 1953)

Today’s Name Days

Liborius, Reinmar, Valerie (Austria)

Ana, Anna, Anushka, Nusha (Bulgaria)

Ciprijan, Diego, Liberan, Zdravka (Croatia)

Vratislav (Czech Republic)

Rudolph (Denmark)

Raid, Raido, Raidu, Raigo, Raigo, Raik, Raiko, Rait (Estonia)

Anna, Anne, Anneli, Anni, Annika, Annikki, Annu, Annukka, Anu (Finland)

Pierre (France)

Liborius, Reinmar, Valerie (Germany)

Ann, Anna (Greece)

Natália (Hungary)

Siro (Italy)

Joachims, Jukums, Sarmīte, Tabita (Latvia)

Gedenė, Leokadija, Vakaris, Valerija (Lithuania)

Annette, Anniken (Norway)

Delfina, Joachim, Joachima, Leokadia, Loda, Waleria, Wielisława, Wiesław (Poland)

Maria (Romania)

Izabela (Slovakia)

Diego, Juan, Leocadia (Spain)

Anna (Sweden)

Ambrose (Ukraine)

Delfina, Delfino, Delphina, Kirby, Kirk, Kirkwood (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 344 of 2024; 22 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 1 of Week 50 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Ngetal (Reed) [Day 16 of 28]

Chinese: Month 11 (Bing-Zi), Day 9 (Ding-Wei)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 8 Kislev 5785

Islamic: 7 Jumada II 1446

J Cal: 14 Black; Sevenday [14 of 30]

Julian: 26 November 2024

Moon: 62%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 8 Bichat (13th Month) [Harriot / Vieta]

Runic Half Month: Jara (Year) [Day 3 of 15]

Season: Autumn or Fall (Day 78 of 90)

Week: 2nd Full Week of December

Zodiac: Sagittarius (Day 18 of 30)

[dragoneyes618]

When asymmetrical warfare is discussed, the focus is usually what happens on the battlefield. So, for instance, when the Viet Cong snuck out of the jungle to attack Americans or when Hamas terrorists leave their tunnels to shoot at Israeli troops or hide their weapons while they pretend to be innocent civilians, the battlefield is the subject of unequal or asymmetric warfare. But I want to discuss some other aspects of the asymmetries – the inequalities – in the current Gaza/Hamas war against Israel. These asymmetries are essential parts of the situation and culture of each combatant and so they appear off the battlefield rather than on it.

First, there is a striking asymmetry in numbers of people aligned with each side. There are only approximately seventeen million Jews in the world today and only one Jewish majority country. There are about six-and-a-half to seven million Jews in the U.S., about seven to seven-and-a-half million in Israel, and the rest are scattered around the world, with the largest concentrations of Jews being in France, the English-speaking countries, and then in smaller pockets throughout the world, including Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, and elsewhere. There are, however, approximately four hundred million Arabs in the world and approximately two billion (with a B) Muslims in the world, and fifty-two Muslim majority countries.

Those numbers matter not only regarding the ability of Israel to raise the money and troops to fight in its defense, but also because Israel’s enemies do not ever have to work hard to obtain a majority in the United Nations and to vote along religious-ethnic lines. Add to the Muslim countries in the United Nations the Russian and Chinese allies and puppets like Tajikistan and Khazakstan, and the “post-colonial” sewers that fester under ideologies of hatred of Western civilization, hatred of democracy, and hatred of Israel’s ally, the U.S. – countries like Myanmar, South Africa, Nicaragua, Malawi, and Chad. When Israel-haters and Jew-haters say that the whole world hates Israel, they are partly correct because most of the world lives under nasty regimes that have no freedom of speech, no freedom of religion, no free press, and no fair and free elections. The pressure of that asymmetry of numbers is always upon us.

Besides the asymmetry between Israel and much of the rest of the world because Israel is a liberal democracy, with its many freedoms, the contrast becomes even more stark with Gaza/Hamas. Even while at war, Israeli politicians are squabbling and posturing, Israeli newspapers are attacking the government’s policies and conduct of the war, reporters are exposing flaws in governmental operations, and people are “leaking” news to reporters so that there is a vast array of negative information, as well as positive information, about the Israeli leadership even during the war. In Israel even now there are public demonstrations against certain government policies. Contrast that with Gaza/Hamas which is a theocratic dictatorship run by an armed group that took power in 2006 and has never held another election. Because it is a dictatorship, there is no opposition party to challenge Hamas or to point to its flaws. Because Gaza/Hamas is a dictatorship, there are no newspapers whose editorial stance is to challenge the government’s policies or to advocate that the government take better care of its citizens. Because it is a dictatorship, there are no public discussions of policy, no demonstrations, no public admissions that mistakes have been made, no acknowledgement that the Gaza/Hamas government has ever done anything wrong.

Hamas does not have to respond or explain why they use the population of Gaza as they do because no one questions Hamas. When Israel makes a mistake or does something untoward, it is on the front page of every newspaper in the world. When Hamas shoots its own civilians, rapes, tortures, or murders a hostage in a tunnel, or steals money or other international aid intended for the population, it is a secret. While all of Israel’s imperfections are exposed, very few of Hamas’ are.

There is also an asymmetry in the conception of time that the combatants have. Because Israel is a democracy, its leaders have to respond to the public and respond to them at relatively frequent intervals. Politicians in democratic countries are usually focused on the next election in a year, or two or three. That conception of time as being related to the next election tends to make for short-range planning and pleasing the electorate now. That may be as much a problem for Israel’s most important ally, the United States, as it is for Israel. In a theocratic dictatorship with no elections, such as Hamas and such as Hamas’ major ally, Iran, which bars most opposition candidates from running for office, satisfying voters is simply not an issue. Hamas and Iran plan for the long term, free from any concern about what the citizens want.

Israel largely has to finance its own wars, although it does receive significant aid from the United States. That financing largely comes from internal taxation and some import duties. Israelis pay income taxes and a high “value-added tax” (VAT) to defend our country and provide necessary services such as schools and medical care. That is significantly different than Hamas/Gaza, which finances its war with money from Iran, Qatar, UNRWA, Syria, and Russia. Iran’s interest, like Hamas’, is in destroying Israel and killing all the Jews. Qatar largely shares that interest. Russia wants to embarrass the United States and have more influence in the Arab world. UNRWA, besides giving fake “refugee” status to third- and fourth-generation descendants of Arabs who left Israel in 1948, 1967, and at other times, teaches hatred of Jews and of Israel in its schools, gives “day jobs” to Hamas operatives and their family members so that Hamas does not have to pay their operatives a living wage, and provides schools and clinics which also sometimes double as Hamas weapons storage facilities, command centers, barracks, and entrances to the Hamas tunnels. By providing these schools and clinics, UNRWA relieves Hamas of what would ordinarily be the governmental responsibility of building and operating schools and clinics for Gazans. The “international community” thereby frees Hamas from having to pay for ordinary government services and allows Hamas to spend more on making war on Israel.

Last, and perhaps most important of all the asymmetries between the combatants, is their ideologies. Israel wants to live in peace and security inside her current borders. If Israel had that result, it would be the end of the almost constant warfare that Israel has suffered these last seventy-six years. Hamas, Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, Houthis, and other governments and quasi-governments want to kill all the Jews in the Middle East or, at least, expel all the Jews from the Middle East. They are not interested in peace. They will, at times, consider a truce or a ceasefire for strategic reasons, but not real, lasting peace. Different authorities in the field give different reasons for Arab and Muslim hatred of Jews and the little Jewish state (which Arabs and others try to disguise as “anti-Zionism”). One authority argues that because of their different value system, most Arabs do not believe in living together with other groups in peace and harmony but rather they believe that a group must either dominate or be dominated, oppress or be oppressed. They believe that Israel has dominated and oppressed but that they can right that wrong.

Another authority has contended that in Muslim doctrine, land has a character and that once it is conquered by Muslims, as Israel was in the seventh century, it always retains the character of Muslim land. Other thinkers in the field urge the simple religious explanation for the Arab hatred of Jews and unwillingness to live in peace with us: that Muslims believe that they have received the final word and prophecy as revealed by Mohammed and that we Jews have come to Israel, humiliated them in war, built a nation far more prosperous than any of theirs (at least until the extraction of large amounts of oil in some Arab countries), and have openly and explicitly rejected their prophet and their god. The one thing that is clear is that it is not about “Palestine,” a little corner of the world smaller than many American counties.

Despite those asymmetries between the combatants, there is one more that matters – an asymmetry that weighs very heavily in Israel’s favor. In all the polls and surveys of “happiness” by country, Israel consistently ranks as having a very happy population, much more so than any Arab or Muslim country. It is surely not because of material prosperity that Israelis feel this way. Most Israelis care about the land, about each other, about the fate of the Jewish people, and about Jewish tradition. I suspect that even many secular Israelis, deep in the recesses of their thoughts, no matter their outward protestations, believe that a benevolent G-d watches over the world and over us. What else could explain the happiness of a people constantly under threat, woefully outgunned and outnumbered in a hostile world?

So we will go on as well as we can. We have always faced asymmetries like these throughout our history. We have always been a comparatively small people, a people who had to make our way in a hostile world, a people who had to struggle to survive. We have gotten through these crises before, even if it has been painful to do so. We will get through this one also. Am Yisrael Chai.

[brookston]

Holidays 12.9

Holidays

Anna's Day (Finland, Sweden)

Armed Forces Day (Peru)

Ball-Bearing Roller Skates Day

Battle of Ayacucho Day (Peru)

Christmas Card Day

Christmas Gift Memory Day

Cremation Day

Eggsmas (from “The League”)

Fatherland’s Heroes Day (Russia)

Fiesta of the Mother of Health (Mexico)

Genocide Prevention Day

Geologist Day (Tajikistan)

Grace Hopper Day

Heroes Day (Antigua and Barbuda)

Heroes of Fatherland Day (Russia)

Homecoming Day (Guernsey and Alderney)

Homemade Gift Day

International Anti-Corruption Day (UN)

International Day of Commemoration & Dignity of the Victims of the Crimes of Genocide & of the Prevention of this Crime

International Day of Veterinary Medicine

International Human Rights Defenders Day

Lady Gaga Day

Mail Your Cards Day

National Blake Day

National Heroes Day (Antigua & Barbuda)

National Llama Day

National Youth Day (Albania)

Navy Day (Sri Lanka)

Petrified Forest Day

Public Transit Day

Santa Marian Kamalen Day (Guam)

Savin Juniper Day (French Republic)

V.C. Bird Day (Antigua & Barbuda)

Weary Willie Day

World Alliance for Patient Safety Day

World Day of Computing

World Genocide Commemoration Day (UN)

World Patient Safety Day

World Smallpox Eradication Day

World SIUGR (Selective Intrauterine Growth Restriction) Awareness Day

World Techno Day

Yuri's Day in the Autumn (Russia)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Lutefisk Day (Finland; Sweden)

Mariscada Day (Spain)

National Opal Apples Day

National Pastry Day

Pepparkakans Dag (Gingerbread Cookie Day; Sweden)

Search High and Low For Your Gingerbread Recipe Day

Independence & Related Days

Rino Island (Declared; 2009) [unrecognized]

Tanzania (f.k.a. Tanganyika; from UK, 1961)

2nd Monday in December

Green Monday [2nd Monday]

Marinara Monday [2nd Monday of Each Month]

Meditation Monday [Every Monday]

Mindful Monday [2nd Monday of Each Month]

Monday Musings [Every Monday]

Motivation Monday [Every Monday]

National Tree Planting Day (Malawi) [2nd Monday]

Weekly Holidays beginning December 9 (2nd Full Week of December)

Human Rights Week [2nd Week]

National Drunk and Drugged Driving Awareness Week [2nd Week]

Festivals Beginning December 9, 2024

Duhok International Film Festival (Duhok, Iraq) [thru 12.16]

NLS Food Quality Symposium (Cedar Creek, Texas) [thru 12.11]

Vermont Maple Conference (Various Locations, Vermont) [thru 12.14]

Feast Days

Ann Hood (Writerism)

Ashleigh Brilliant (Artology; Wrierism)

End of Days of Reckoning (Shamanism)

Evergreen Day (Pagan)

Feast of the Conception of the Most Holy Theotokos by St. Anne (Eastern Orthodox Church)

Fiesta of the Mother of Health (Mexico; Everyday Wicca)

Galileo (Positivist; Saint)

Hanukkah Day #2 (Judaism) [thru Dec. 15th]

Jean de Brunhoff (Artology)

John Milton (Writerism)

Juan Diego (Christian; Saint)

Leocadia (Christian; Saint)

Ljubica Sokić (Artology)

Loch Ba on Mull Island (Celtic Book of Days)

Margaret Brundage (Artology)

The Martyrdom of St. Kenny (Church of the SubGenius)

Nectarius of Auvergne (Christian; Saint)

Noodle Ring Day (Pastafarian)

Peter Fourier (Christian; Saint)

Remembrance for Egill Skallagrimsson (Troth/Asatru/Norse Pagan)

Sage Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

The Seven Martyrs at Samosata (Christian; Martyrs)

This Day Deliberately Left Blank (Pastafarian)

Tropical Grossbill (Muppetism)

Wulfhilde (Christian; Saint)

Yuri’s Day in the Autumn (Russian Orthodox Church)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Very Unlucky Day (Grafton’s Manual of 1565) [58 of 60]

Premieres

The America Minerva (Daily Newspaper; 1793) [1st U.S. Daily]

The Bishop’s Wife (Film; 1947)

Brigg’s Bad Wolf (Super Chicken Cartoon; 1967) [#14]

Brokeback Mountain (Film; 2005)

Buddy’s Show Boat (WB LT Cartoon; 1933)

Charge of the Light Brigade (Poem; 1854)

A Charlie Brown Christmas (Animated TV Special; 1965)

Chi Chi Dog (George of the Jungle Cartoon; 1967) [#14]

Christine (Film; 1983)

A Christmas Story (Hanna-Barbera Animated tV Special; 1972)

Coronation Street (UK Soap Opera; 1960)

Dark Horse, by George Harrison (Album; 1974)

Davy Jones’ Locker, featuring Willie Whopper (MGM Cartoon; 1933)

Disclosure (Film; 1994)

Fiesta Fiasco (WB LT Cartoon; 1967)

Fresh Cream, by Cream (Album; 1966)

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Animated Film; 2022)

Hot August Nights, by Neil Diamond (Live Album; 1972)

A Job for a Gob (Fleischer/Famous Popeye Cartoon; 1955)

La La Land (Film; 2016)

Little Saint Nick, by The Beach Boys (Song; 1963)

A Love Supreme, recorded by the John Coltrane Quartet (Album; 1964)

Memories of a Geisha (Film; 2005)

Merbabies (Silly Symphonies Disney Cartoon; 1938)

Mississippi Burning (Film; 1988)

The Night Before Christmas (Silly Symphonies Disney Cartoon; 1933)

Nutty Notes (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1929)

Office Christmas Party (Film; 2016)

Peace on Earth (MGM Cartoon; 1939)

The Peachy Cobbler (Tex Avery MGM Cartoon; 1950)

Pet Pink Pebbles (Pink Panther Cartoon; 1978)

The Pink of Bagdad (Pink Panther Cartoon; 1978)

Pink Press (Pink Panther Cartoon; 1978)

Richard II, by William Shakespeare (Play; 1595)

R is for Rocket, by Ray Bradbury (Short Stories; 1962)

Salome, by Richard Strauss (Opera; 1905)

Scarface (Film; 1983)

SOS, by SZA (Album; 2022)

Soul Man, by The Blues Brothers (Song; 1978)

The Story of Babar, by Jean de Brunhoff (Children’s Book; 1931)

Sudden Impact (Film; 1983)

Syriana (Film; 2005)

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Film; 2011)

Twins (Film; 1988)

The Whale (Film; 2022)

Words and Music (Film; 1948)

young Adult (Film; 2011)

Young at Heart, recorded by Frank Sinatra (Song; 1953)

Today’s Name Days

Liborius, Reinmar, Valerie (Austria)

Ana, Anna, Anushka, Nusha (Bulgaria)

Ciprijan, Diego, Liberan, Zdravka (Croatia)

Vratislav (Czech Republic)

Rudolph (Denmark)

Raid, Raido, Raidu, Raigo, Raigo, Raik, Raiko, Rait (Estonia)

Anna, Anne, Anneli, Anni, Annika, Annikki, Annu, Annukka, Anu (Finland)

Pierre (France)

Liborius, Reinmar, Valerie (Germany)

Ann, Anna (Greece)

Natália (Hungary)

Siro (Italy)

Joachims, Jukums, Sarmīte, Tabita (Latvia)

Gedenė, Leokadija, Vakaris, Valerija (Lithuania)

Annette, Anniken (Norway)

Delfina, Joachim, Joachima, Leokadia, Loda, Waleria, Wielisława, Wiesław (Poland)

Maria (Romania)

Izabela (Slovakia)

Diego, Juan, Leocadia (Spain)

Anna (Sweden)

Ambrose (Ukraine)

Delfina, Delfino, Delphina, Kirby, Kirk, Kirkwood (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 344 of 2024; 22 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 1 of Week 50 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Ngetal (Reed) [Day 16 of 28]

Chinese: Month 11 (Bing-Zi), Day 9 (Ding-Wei)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 8 Kislev 5785

Islamic: 7 Jumada II 1446

J Cal: 14 Black; Sevenday [14 of 30]

Julian: 26 November 2024

Moon: 62%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 8 Bichat (13th Month) [Harriot / Vieta]

Runic Half Month: Jara (Year) [Day 3 of 15]

Season: Autumn or Fall (Day 78 of 90)

Week: 2nd Full Week of December

Zodiac: Sagittarius (Day 18 of 30)

[aksiasacademy]

Understanding UPSC Exam Eligibility and Qualifications: A Guide by AKS IAS Academy

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination (CSE) is one of the most prestigious and challenging exams in India. Aspiring candidates often have numerous questions about the eligibility criteria and qualifications required to appear for this exam. In this blog, AKS IAS Academy provides a comprehensive overview to help you understand the prerequisites for embarking on your journey towards becoming a civil servant.

Basic Eligibility Criteria

Nationality:

For the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS), a candidate must be a citizen of India.

For other services, candidates must be either:

A citizen of India, or

A subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or

A Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962, with the intention of permanently settling in India, or

A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, or Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.

Educational Qualifications:

A candidate must hold a Bachelor's degree from a recognized university.

Candidates who have appeared for the qualifying examination and are awaiting results are also eligible to apply, provided they submit proof of passing the exam along with the application for the Main Examination.

Professional and technical qualifications recognized by the Government as equivalent to professional and technical degrees are also acceptable.

Candidates with MBBS degrees or other medical qualifications but who have not yet completed their internship are also eligible, subject to certain conditions.

Age Limit:

The minimum age limit is 21 years, and the maximum is 32 years as of August 1 of the examination year.

Age relaxation is available for various categories:

Up to 5 years for SC/ST candidates.

Up to 3 years for OBC candidates.

Up to 5 years for ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least five years of Military Service.

Up to 10 years for candidates with benchmark disabilities (PwBD).

Number of Attempts:

General category candidates: 6 attempts

OBC candidates: 9 attempts

SC/ST candidates: Unlimited attempts up to the age limit

PwBD candidates: 9 attempts for general and OBC candidates, unlimited for SC/ST candidates

Important Points to Consider

Physical Standards: Candidates must be physically fit according to physical standards for admission to the Civil Services Examination as per guidelines given in the rules for the examination.

Reservations: There are provisions for reservations in both the number of attempts and the age limit for candidates belonging to certain categories such as SC, ST, OBC, and PwBD. It is crucial to check the latest notifications for detailed information regarding reservations.

Preparation Tips by AKS IAS Academy

Start Early and Plan Ahead: The UPSC syllabus is vast and requires a well-structured study plan. Starting early allows you to cover the syllabus thoroughly and have ample time for revisions.

Understand the Exam Pattern: Familiarize yourself with the exam pattern, which includes three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview. Each stage has its own structure and requires specific preparation strategies.

Current Affairs: Stay updated with current affairs by reading newspapers, following credible news sources, and utilizing current affairs magazines. This is crucial for both Prelims and Mains.

Choose the Right Optional Subject: Selecting an optional subject that aligns with your interests and academic background can significantly impact your performance in the Mains examination.

Practice and Revision: Regular practice of answer writing, taking mock tests, and revising frequently are key to success. This helps in time management and improves your writing skills.

Guidance and Mentorship: Joining a reputable coaching institute like AKS IAS Academy can provide structured guidance, study material, and mentorship to help you navigate through the preparation journey efficiently.

Conclusion

Meeting the eligibility criteria and understanding the qualifications required for the UPSC CSE is the first step towards your goal of becoming a civil servant. AKS IAS Academy is dedicated to providing you with the necessary resources and guidance to excel in this esteemed examination. Stay focused, be persistent, and maintain a disciplined approach to your preparation. Remember, every great journey begins with a single step, and understanding the eligibility criteria is that crucial first step.

For more detailed guidance and personalized coaching, visit AKS IAS Academy and embark on your journey to success.

[sgisdinclusion]

SGISD’s Racheal (Rae) Inegbedion Launches new Documentary Short Focused on Disability Employment in Nigeria and Malawi

Congratulations to School for Global Inclusion and Social Development (SGISD) PhD candidate Racheal Inegbedion! Racheal recently launched her second short documentary film titled Breaking Boundaries: Empowering Abilities into the Nigeria & Malawi Workforce with support from the US Department of State.

The goal of her film is to “shatter the boundaries hindering job opportunities for youth with disabilities” in two regions: Lagos State, Nigeria, and Dzaleka Refugee Camp, Malawi. In this short documentary, 10 people with disabilities narrate their diverse experiences breaking down barriers to employment.

The film premiered at the American Corners in Nigeria and Malawi during a virtual workshop for hiring managers to deepen their understanding of inclusive employment and equitability.

Racheal is the founding Executive Director of the Special Needs Initiative For Growth. She co-produced this film with Toussaint Farini, founder of Salama Africa. Both Racheal and Toussaint recently received the 2023 Leveraging Innovations in New Communities (LINC) Award of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, a US Department of State Program for Young African Leaders.

Watch 10 disabled advocates tell their stories of breaking down barriers to employment in this 15-minute documentary short film.

Read the newspaper report from the Guardian on the documentary’s launch.

Watch the commemoration by the US Mission in Nigeria.

[projectourworld]

Overall student winner: Fayz Khan

Once formed by freshwater floods, the Kenyan Rift Valley lakes are now toxic to many animal and plant life. Stretching from Ethiopia to Malawi, these sites still boast an incredible amount of biodiversity – including flamingos, which are drawn to the lakes thanks to the abundance of algae to feast on. This same surface algae are responsibly for the lake’s surreal colours.

Courtesy: the British Ecological Society’s annual photography competition / Guardian Newspaper #ecological #biodiversity #rift #valley #lakes #flamingoes

[dw6]

A Lebanese company at the heart of an opaque Congolese electoral machine

"The insinuations and facts reported in this article are erroneous, to say the least, and your newspaper had the duty to ensure their veracity before the publication of the article in order to avoid an infringement of the rights of my client and her reputation.

The son of former MP Mohammad al-Amin Itani, who belonged to the Future Movement’s parliamentary bloc, was named as one of the top 35 most influential Lebanese businessmen by Forbes Middle East in 2018.

Inkript, a subsidiary of RGH, has received recognition in the past. Founded in Lebanon in 1973, the digital security company grew with the market and was awarded numerous contracts. In Lebanon, it served as the official supplier of fiscal stamps to the Finance Ministry for 11 years, from 1998 to 2019, and was awarded a contract to manufacture new biometric passports in 2015.

Gender discrimination blamed for Malawi election allegations

Two women's groups in Malawi have expressed concern with issues of gender discrimination in light of calls for the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson, Jane Ansah, to resign.

However, both groups have opposite viewpoints on the dispute, sparking a wider discussion on the issues of female empowerment and representation of women in politics in Malawi.

Meanwhile, another group, which calls itself Women of Substance, says Ansah should be held accountable for her actions, regardless of her gender.

The so-called Forum for Concerned Women claims Ansah has been targeted unfairly based on her gender. Members took part in a solidarity demonstration on the streets of Blantyre on Wednesday.

[balancednewssummaryapp]

Tropical Cyclone Freddy: Nearly 200 people now confirmed dead in Malawi Are you interested in this story? Download the Balanced News Summary app to read more! Link in our bio. For breaking news and updates follow @balancednewssummaryapp or visit our website https://balancednewssummary.com/ #BalancedNewsSummary #Africanamazing #Africans #Africanstyle #Breakingnews #Cybernews #Dailynews #Differentperspective #Disinformation #Intheknow #Knowledgeispower #Localnews #Mysteriousfacts #Newapp #Newsapp #Newspaper #Newsportal #Newsupdate #Onlinenews #Realfacts #Startupnews #Themoreyouknow #Todaynews #Truefacts #Update #Worldfacts

[don-lichterman]

Airtel, 2 Wheels 2 School donate bicycles to Neno students - Malawi 24

Airtel, 2 Wheels 2 School donate bicycles to Neno students – Malawi 24

Students who walk long distances to and from Chikonde Community Day Secondary School in Neno district, have all reasons to smile after Airtel Malawi in partnership with 2 Wheels 2 School Project donated bicycles and other learning materials to the students. Airtel Malawi together with 2 Wheels 2 School Project made the donation on Wednesday July 13, 2022 to ten bright students who were traveling…

[gwendolynlerman]

Languages of the world

Swahili (Kiswahili)

Basic facts

Number of native speakers: 150 million

Official language: Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda

Recognized minority language: Burundi, Mozambique, Oman, Somalia

Language of diaspora: Malawi, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates

Script: Latin, 24 letters

Grammatical cases: 0

Linguistic typology: agglutinative, SVO

Language family: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern Bantoid, Bantu, Northeast Bantu, Northeast Coast Bantu, Sabaki

Number of dialects: 6

History

1711 - earliest known pieces of writing

19th century - Swahili used as the language of administration in East Africa by colonial powers

1895 - first newspaper

Writing system and pronunciation

These are the letters that make up the alphabet: a b ch d e f g h i j k l m n o p r s t u v w y z.

A vowel is added to loanwords that end in a consonant. Stress usually falls on the penultimate syllable. There are no tones, unlike in other Bantu languages.

Grammar

Nouns have fifteen classes, two numbers (singular and plural), and no cases. Class prefixes are also attached to adjectives and numerals that follow nouns.

Personal pronouns occur in two forms: independent and combining. The latter is used together with other words. There are no articles.

Verbs are conjugated for tense, mood (imperative, indicative, and subjunctive), class, number, and person. There are three inflection groups: common, short, and loan.

Dialects

There are six dialects: Kiunguja, Mambrui, Mgao, Mrima, Pemba, and Unguja. Most of them are mutually intelligible. 

Modern standard Swahili is based on Kiunguja.

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 3.4

Holidays

Angelina Asteroid Day

Benjamin Harrison Day (Indiana)

Brain Injury Awareness Day

Brooke Davis Day

Casmir’s Day (Lithuania, Poland)

Catherine O’Hara Day

Charter Day (Pennsylvania)

Courageous Followers Day

Dance the Waltz Day

Do Something Day

Festival of Pirate Utopias

Game Master’s Day

Global Day of the Engineer

Guam History and Chamorro Heritage Day (Guam)

Healing From the Inside Out Day

Hedge Mustard Day (French Republic)

Hot Springs National Park Day

Holy Experiment Day

Hug A G.I. Day (a.k.a. Hug a Member of the Military Day)

Inauguration Day (US; Original Date)

International GM Appreciation Day (a.k.a. Game Master’s Day)

International HPV Awareness Day

International Scrapbooking Industry Day

James Ronald Webster Day (Anguilla)

March Forth — Do Something Day

March Forth Racial Healing & Reconciliation Holiday

Marching Music Day (a.k.a. Marching Band Day)

Martyrs’ Day (Malawi)

Militia Day (Belarus)

National Backcountry Ski Day

National Grammar Day

National Ida Day

National Marching Arts Day

National Quinton Day

National Ray Day

National Safety Day (India)

National Sons Day

National Waltz Day

Old Inauguration Day (US)

Racial Healing and Reconciliation Day

Rowlf the Dog Day

Sultan’s Coronation Day (Malaysia)

This Way To the Egress Day

Toy Soldier Day

U.S. Congress Day

Weird Pride Day

World Day of the Fight Against Sexual Exploitation

World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development

World Evanescence Day

World Information Architecture Day

World Obesity Day

Zhonghe Festival (China)

Food & Drink Celebrations

American Tavern Day

Cadbury Chocolate Day

National Pound Cake Day

National Snack Day

1st Monday in March

Black Mental Health Day (Canada) [1st Monday]

Casmir Pulaski Day (Indiana) [1st Monday]

COVID-19 Memorial Day (Arizona) [1st Monday]

Endometriosis Awareness Week [1st Full Week]

Fun Facts About Names Day [Monday of Name Week]

International Badge Day [1st Monday]

Labour Day (Western Australia) [1st Monday]

Magellan Day (a.k.a. Discovery Day; Guam) [1st Monday]

National COVID-19 Victims & Survivors Memorial Day [1st Monday]

World Boarding Staff Day [1st Monday]

World Tennis Day [1st Monday]

Weekly Holidays beginning March 4 (1st Week)

Groundwater Awareness Week [1st Full Week]

National Aardvark Week [1st Full Week]

National School Breakfast Week (U.S.) [thru 3.8]

Newspaper in Education Week [1st Full School Week]

No More Week [Week including 3.8]

Read An E-Book Week [1st Full Week]

Women of Aviation Worldwide Week [1st Full Week]

World Orphan Week [1st Full Week]

Words Matter Week [1st Full Week]

Independence & Related Days

Liberation Day (Bulgaria)

Vermont Statehood Day (#14; 1791)

Festivals Beginning March 4, 2024

Paralympic Winter Games (Beijing, China) [thru 3.14]

United Solo Theatre Festival (New York, New York) [thru 4.28]

Feast Days

Adrian of Nicomedia (Christian; Saint) [brewers] *

Afro Basaldella (Artology)

The Anestheria (Festival of Flowers; Ancient Greece)

Basinus, Bishop of Trier (Christian; Saint)

Bulwar-Lytton Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Casimir, Prince of Poland (Christian; Saint) [Lithuania]

Church of All Worlds Day (Everyday Wicca)

Feast of Ra in His Barge at Heliopolis (Ancient Egypt)

Feast of Rhiannon (Celtic/Welsh Mother Goddess)

Feast of Tou Tei (Earth God; Macau) [2nd Day of 2nd Lunar Month]

Felix of Rhuys (Christian; Saint)

Giovanni Antonio Farina (Catholic Church)

GM Appreciation Day (a.k.a. Game Master Appreciation Day)

Henry Raeburn (Artology)

Humbert III, Count of Savoy (Roman Catholic Church; Blessed)

James Ellroy (Writerism)

Kano Tanyu (Artology)

Lucius, Pope (Christian; Martyr)

Mad March Hares Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Maha Shivaratri (Great Night of Shiva, Vigil & Feast for Transendence; Hinduism)

March Dryads’ Display (Shamanism)

March Forth and Demand Something Day (Pastafarian)

Media Hiems II (Pagan)

Paul Cuffee (Episcopal Church)

Peter of Pappacarbone (Christian; Saint)

Random Day (Pastafarian)

Rowlf the Dog (Muppetism)

Smerdley (Muppetism)

Sun Sacrifice Day (Ancient Egypt)

Thales (Positivist; Saint)

Three Absences Day (Celtic Book of Days)

William Dobson (Artology)

Zoltán Meszlényi (Christian; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Fatal Day (Pagan) [6 of 24]

Shakku (赤口 Japan) [Bad luck all day, except at noon.]

Tycho Brahe Unlucky Day (Scandinavia) [12 of 37]

Premieres

The Adjustment Bureau (Film; 2011)

Babette’s Feast (Film; 1988)

The Batman (Film; 2022)

The Bridge at Andau James A. Michener (Historical Novel; 1957)

Cinderella (Animated Disney Cartoon; 1950)

Be Cool (Film; 2005)

The Chase (Film; 1994)

Chocolat, by Joanne Harris (Novel; 1999)

Cinderella (Animated Disney Film; 1950)

Deathworld, by Harry Harrison (Novel; 1960)

Fallen, by Evanescence (Album; 2003)

Flip’s Luncheon (Ub Iwerks Cartoon; 1933)

Gandy the Goose (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1938)

The Hams That Couldn’t Be Cured (Swing Symphony; 1942)

Here’s Little Richard, by Little Richard (Album; 1957)

Hiroshima, by John Hersey (Novel; 1946)

London Has Fallen (Film; 2016)

The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner, by Alan Sillitoe (Novel; 1959)

Monster in the Monastery (Animated TV Show;Jonny Quest #25; 1965)

No, by Meghan Trainor (Song; 2016)

Nosferatu (Silent Film; 1922)

Phoney Booths, Parts 3 & 4 (Underdog Cartoon, S3, Eps. 39 & 40; 1967)

Pluto’s Surprise Package (Disney Cartoon; 1949)

Police Squad! (TV Series; 1982)

Rango (Animated Film; 2011)

’Round About Midnight, by Miles Davis (Album; 1957)

The Scarlet Pumpernickel (WB LT Cartoon; 1950)

Scooby-Doo! and the Legend of the Vampire (WB Animated Film; 2003)

Sherlock Holmes in “A Study in Scarlet” (Novel; 1881)

Hold ‘Em Ozzie (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit; 1929)

The SpongeBob Movie on the Run (Animated Film; 2021)

Surfing’ U.S.A., by The Beach Boys (Song; 1963)

Swan Lake, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Ballet; 1877)

Symphony No. 2, a.k.a. Resurrection, by Gustav Mahler (Symphony; 1895)

Tender Mercies (Film; 1983)

Up Periscope (Film; 1959)

The Voice of Frank Sinatra, by Frank Sinatra (Album; 1946)

Wait ’Till the Sun Shines (Betty Boop Cartoon; 1932)

Waterloo, by Abba (Song; 1974)

We're Only in It for the Money, by Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention (Album; 1968)

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (Film; 2016)

Young and Healthy (WB MM Cartoon; 1933)

The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (TV Series; 1992)

Zootopia (Animated Film; 2016)

Today’s Name Days

Edwin, Humbert, Kasimir (Austria)

Bozhidar, Bozhidara, Dora, Gerasim, Teodor, Teodora, Todor (Bulgaria)

Eugen, Kazimir, Miro, Natko (Croatia)

Stela (Czech Republic)

Adrianus (Denmark)

Almar, Eimar, Elmar, Elmer, Elmet, Elmo (Estonia)

Ari, Arsi, Atro (Finland)

Casimir (France)

Edwin, Humbert, Kasimir (Germany)

Gerasimos, Theodoros (Greece)

Kázmér (Hungary)

Casimiro, Lucio, Nestore, Umberto, Urbano (Italy)

Alise, Auce (Latvia)

Daina, Daugvydas, Kazimieras, Vaclava (Lithuania)

Ada, Adrian (Norway)

Adrian, Adrianna, Arkadiusz, Arkady, Eugeniusz, Kazimierz, Lew, Lucja, Łucja, Lucjusz, Wacław, Wacława (Poland)

Gherasim, Teodor (Romania)

Kazimír (Slovakia)

Casimiro (Spain)

Adrian, Adriana (Sweden)

Julianna, Julianna (Ukraine)

Casimir, Humbert, Humberto, Kasimir, Kasimira, Placida, Placidia (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 64 of 2024; 302 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 1 of week 10 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Nuin (Ash) [Day 16 of 28]

Chinese: Month 1 (Bing-Yin), Day 23 (Bing-Yin)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025)

Hebrew: 23 Adair I 5784

Islamic: 22 Sha’ban 1445

J Cal: 3 Green; Threesday [3 of 30]

Julian: 19 February 2024

Moon: 38%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 8 Aristotle (3rd Month) [Solon]

Runic Half Month: Tyr (Cosmic Pillar) [Day 9 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 74 of 89)

Week: 1st Week of March

Zodiac: Pisces (Day 14 of 30)

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazil administers 26,000 expired COVID-19 shots, says newspaper

[Image description: health workers carrying AstraZeneca vaccines against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19 arrive for the mass vaccination part of the "Paqueta Vacinada" (Paqueta vaccinated) project, that aims to vaccinate the whole population over 18 years old on Paqueta Island in Guanabara Bay, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil June 20, 2021.]

At least 26,000 out-of-date AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine shots have been administered in Brazil, newspaper Folha de S.Paulo reported on Friday, citing Health Ministry data.

The report represents the latest blow to Brazil’s vaccine rollout, which has faced widespread criticism. The government was slow to buy vaccines, and is now dealing with an alleged corruption scandal surrounding its procurement efforts.

Expired vaccine doses can be less effective. In Africa, a number of countries have found themselves with batches that have passed their shelf life sparking a debate over extending expiry dates. Malawi destroyed in May nearly 20,000 doses which had expired.

Continue reading

Addition by the mod: if you’ve been vaccinated, check if you've received these batches. There has been no reports of adverse effects with expired doses, but, in practical terms, given the ingredients might have their action weakened or lost, it’s like who received it hasn’t been vaccinated at all. So go back to your health unit within 28 days to receive another shot. Each person vaccinated in the country is officially identified with an individual code, accompanied by the batch of immunization received, the vaccine producer, the dose applied, and the date of application, exactly in order to keep track of such vaccine errors. (x, x)

[Image description:

BATCH - EXPIRATION DATE 41202001 - March 29 41207004 - April 13 41202005 - April 14 CTMAV501 - April 30 (70% of the expired doses are from this one) CTMAV505 - May 31 CTMAV506 - May 31 CTMAV520 - May 31 41207025 - June 4]

Pay special attention if you’re from these states coloured in purple and darker pink:

[Image description: map of vaccination errors in Brazil.

States that applied over 3,000 expired doses: Pará (especially the city of Belém, with 2,673 doses), Paraná (especially the city of Maringá, with 3,536 doses), São Paulo. Between 1,501 to 3,000 expired doses: Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro. 801 to 1,500: Bahia, Maranhão, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Sul. 251 to 800: Amazonas, Rondônia, Tocantins, Piauí, Ceará, Alagoas, Paraíba, Santa Catarina. Up to 250: Acre, Roraima, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Goiás, Federal District, Amapá, Rio Grande do Norte, Sergipe, Espírito Santo.]

[brookston]

Holidays 3.4

Holidays

Angelina Asteroid Day

Benjamin Harrison Day (Indiana)

Brain Injury Awareness Day

Brooke Davis Day

Casmir’s Day (Lithuania, Poland)

Catherine O’Hara Day

Charter Day (Pennsylvania)

Courageous Followers Day

Dance the Waltz Day

Do Something Day

Festival of Pirate Utopias

Game Master’s Day

Global Day of the Engineer

Guam History and Chamorro Heritage Day (Guam)

Healing From the Inside Out Day

Hedge Mustard Day (French Republic)

Hot Springs National Park Day

Holy Experiment Day

Hug A G.I. Day (a.k.a. Hug a Member of the Military Day)

Inauguration Day (US; Original Date)

International GM Appreciation Day (a.k.a. Game Master’s Day)

International HPV Awareness Day

International Scrapbooking Industry Day

James Ronald Webster Day (Anguilla)

March Forth — Do Something Day

March Forth Racial Healing & Reconciliation Holiday

Marching Music Day (a.k.a. Marching Band Day)

Martyrs’ Day (Malawi)

Militia Day (Belarus)

National Backcountry Ski Day

National Grammar Day

National Ida Day

National Marching Arts Day

National Quinton Day

National Ray Day

National Safety Day (India)

National Sons Day

National Waltz Day

Old Inauguration Day (US)

Racial Healing and Reconciliation Day

Rowlf the Dog Day

Sultan’s Coronation Day (Malaysia)

This Way To the Egress Day

Toy Soldier Day

U.S. Congress Day

Weird Pride Day

World Day of the Fight Against Sexual Exploitation

World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development

World Evanescence Day

World Information Architecture Day

World Obesity Day

Zhonghe Festival (China)

Food & Drink Celebrations

American Tavern Day

Cadbury Chocolate Day

National Pound Cake Day

National Snack Day

1st Monday in March

Black Mental Health Day (Canada) [1st Monday]

Casmir Pulaski Day (Indiana) [1st Monday]

COVID-19 Memorial Day (Arizona) [1st Monday]

Endometriosis Awareness Week [1st Full Week]

Fun Facts About Names Day [Monday of Name Week]

International Badge Day [1st Monday]

Labour Day (Western Australia) [1st Monday]

Magellan Day (a.k.a. Discovery Day; Guam) [1st Monday]

National COVID-19 Victims & Survivors Memorial Day [1st Monday]

World Boarding Staff Day [1st Monday]

World Tennis Day [1st Monday]

Weekly Holidays beginning March 4 (1st Week)

Groundwater Awareness Week [1st Full Week]

National Aardvark Week [1st Full Week]

National School Breakfast Week (U.S.) [thru 3.8]

Newspaper in Education Week [1st Full School Week]

No More Week [Week including 3.8]

Read An E-Book Week [1st Full Week]

Women of Aviation Worldwide Week [1st Full Week]

World Orphan Week [1st Full Week]

Words Matter Week [1st Full Week]

Independence & Related Days

Liberation Day (Bulgaria)

Vermont Statehood Day (#14; 1791)

Festivals Beginning March 4, 2024

Paralympic Winter Games (Beijing, China) [thru 3.14]

United Solo Theatre Festival (New York, New York) [thru 4.28]

Feast Days

Adrian of Nicomedia (Christian; Saint) [brewers] *

Afro Basaldella (Artology)

The Anestheria (Festival of Flowers; Ancient Greece)

Basinus, Bishop of Trier (Christian; Saint)

Bulwar-Lytton Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Casimir, Prince of Poland (Christian; Saint) [Lithuania]

Church of All Worlds Day (Everyday Wicca)

Feast of Ra in His Barge at Heliopolis (Ancient Egypt)

Feast of Rhiannon (Celtic/Welsh Mother Goddess)

Feast of Tou Tei (Earth God; Macau) [2nd Day of 2nd Lunar Month]

Felix of Rhuys (Christian; Saint)

Giovanni Antonio Farina (Catholic Church)

GM Appreciation Day (a.k.a. Game Master Appreciation Day)

Henry Raeburn (Artology)

Humbert III, Count of Savoy (Roman Catholic Church; Blessed)

James Ellroy (Writerism)

Kano Tanyu (Artology)

Lucius, Pope (Christian; Martyr)

Mad March Hares Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Maha Shivaratri (Great Night of Shiva, Vigil & Feast for Transendence; Hinduism)

March Dryads’ Display (Shamanism)

March Forth and Demand Something Day (Pastafarian)

Media Hiems II (Pagan)

Paul Cuffee (Episcopal Church)

Peter of Pappacarbone (Christian; Saint)

Random Day (Pastafarian)

Rowlf the Dog (Muppetism)

Smerdley (Muppetism)

Sun Sacrifice Day (Ancient Egypt)

Thales (Positivist; Saint)

Three Absences Day (Celtic Book of Days)

William Dobson (Artology)

Zoltán Meszlényi (Christian; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Fatal Day (Pagan) [6 of 24]

Shakku (赤口 Japan) [Bad luck all day, except at noon.]

Tycho Brahe Unlucky Day (Scandinavia) [12 of 37]

Premieres

The Adjustment Bureau (Film; 2011)

Babette’s Feast (Film; 1988)

The Batman (Film; 2022)

The Bridge at Andau James A. Michener (Historical Novel; 1957)

Cinderella (Animated Disney Cartoon; 1950)

Be Cool (Film; 2005)

The Chase (Film; 1994)

Chocolat, by Joanne Harris (Novel; 1999)

Cinderella (Animated Disney Film; 1950)

Deathworld, by Harry Harrison (Novel; 1960)

Fallen, by Evanescence (Album; 2003)

Flip’s Luncheon (Ub Iwerks Cartoon; 1933)

Gandy the Goose (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1938)

The Hams That Couldn’t Be Cured (Swing Symphony; 1942)

Here’s Little Richard, by Little Richard (Album; 1957)

Hiroshima, by John Hersey (Novel; 1946)

London Has Fallen (Film; 2016)

The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner, by Alan Sillitoe (Novel; 1959)

Monster in the Monastery (Animated TV Show;Jonny Quest #25; 1965)

No, by Meghan Trainor (Song; 2016)

Nosferatu (Silent Film; 1922)

Phoney Booths, Parts 3 & 4 (Underdog Cartoon, S3, Eps. 39 & 40; 1967)

Pluto’s Surprise Package (Disney Cartoon; 1949)

Police Squad! (TV Series; 1982)

Rango (Animated Film; 2011)

’Round About Midnight, by Miles Davis (Album; 1957)

The Scarlet Pumpernickel (WB LT Cartoon; 1950)

Scooby-Doo! and the Legend of the Vampire (WB Animated Film; 2003)

Sherlock Holmes in “A Study in Scarlet” (Novel; 1881)

Hold ‘Em Ozzie (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit; 1929)

The SpongeBob Movie on the Run (Animated Film; 2021)

Surfing’ U.S.A., by The Beach Boys (Song; 1963)

Swan Lake, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Ballet; 1877)

Symphony No. 2, a.k.a. Resurrection, by Gustav Mahler (Symphony; 1895)

Tender Mercies (Film; 1983)

Up Periscope (Film; 1959)

The Voice of Frank Sinatra, by Frank Sinatra (Album; 1946)

Wait ’Till the Sun Shines (Betty Boop Cartoon; 1932)

Waterloo, by Abba (Song; 1974)

We're Only in It for the Money, by Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention (Album; 1968)

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (Film; 2016)

Young and Healthy (WB MM Cartoon; 1933)

The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (TV Series; 1992)

Zootopia (Animated Film; 2016)

Today’s Name Days

Edwin, Humbert, Kasimir (Austria)

Bozhidar, Bozhidara, Dora, Gerasim, Teodor, Teodora, Todor (Bulgaria)

Eugen, Kazimir, Miro, Natko (Croatia)

Stela (Czech Republic)

Adrianus (Denmark)

Almar, Eimar, Elmar, Elmer, Elmet, Elmo (Estonia)

Ari, Arsi, Atro (Finland)

Casimir (France)

Edwin, Humbert, Kasimir (Germany)

Gerasimos, Theodoros (Greece)

Kázmér (Hungary)

Casimiro, Lucio, Nestore, Umberto, Urbano (Italy)

Alise, Auce (Latvia)

Daina, Daugvydas, Kazimieras, Vaclava (Lithuania)

Ada, Adrian (Norway)

Adrian, Adrianna, Arkadiusz, Arkady, Eugeniusz, Kazimierz, Lew, Lucja, Łucja, Lucjusz, Wacław, Wacława (Poland)

Gherasim, Teodor (Romania)

Kazimír (Slovakia)

Casimiro (Spain)

Adrian, Adriana (Sweden)

Julianna, Julianna (Ukraine)

Casimir, Humbert, Humberto, Kasimir, Kasimira, Placida, Placidia (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 64 of 2024; 302 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 1 of week 10 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Nuin (Ash) [Day 16 of 28]

Chinese: Month 1 (Bing-Yin), Day 23 (Bing-Yin)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025)

Hebrew: 23 Adair I 5784

Islamic: 22 Sha’ban 1445

J Cal: 3 Green; Threesday [3 of 30]

Julian: 19 February 2024

Moon: 38%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 8 Aristotle (3rd Month) [Solon]

Runic Half Month: Tyr (Cosmic Pillar) [Day 9 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 74 of 89)

Week: 1st Week of March

Zodiac: Pisces (Day 14 of 30)

[bopinion]

Album of the month / 2020 / 05 May

I like listening to music - gladly, all the time, everywhere. That's why I would like to share which music (or which album, after all I'm still from the vinyl generation ;-) I enjoy, accompanies me, slides up my playlists again and again...

Convergence

Malia & Boris Blank

Fusion Jazz-Electronic / 2014 / Boutique (Universal Music)

Not even Wikipedia knows Malia's full name. Born 1978 in Malawi, lives in London. That's it. But finally a singer defines herself more by her singing voice than by a complete curriculum vitae. And singing, she can do that. Her Cool Jazz oriented singing style takes various borrowings from the styles of the 60s and 70s. Her role models include - what a surprise! ;-) - Billie Holiday and Nina Simone.

She was more experimental with her album "Convergence", which she recorded with Boris Blank. Boris who? One of the most ingenious sound artists of the last century, better known under the name of his Swiss (!) artist project (exactly, band would be too little) "Yello" with the congenial partner Dieter Meier. So he is a founding father of electro-pop, a godfather of the synthesizer, a pioneer of sampling. Meier: "(Blanks) first snare drum, that was a newspaper on a table. Tsch tsch he rustled and recorded it with a cassette player and then played it back and a next track to it with another cassette player and that's how he assembled his music." Blank: "I used to work with snippets of tape, pulled quarter-inch tapes over the heads. That was a loop."

Since 1979 Yello has brought a changing yet always distinctive style to electronic music. The song catalogue is rich in evergreens like "Bostich", "Vicious Games", "Desire" or "Jungle Bill". "The Race" was the title track of the first serious German music TV show "Formel Eins" from 1988 onwards, and "Oh Yeah!" is one of the most quoted songs of all time. For example, the Simpsons always play it briefly when Duff-Man, the mascot of the local brewery Duff, appears.

On Convergence, the name says it all. Soully jazz and electro-pop come closer together. And even if the listener can clearly recognize the typical Yello sound, Blank's sound carpet remains unobtrusively in the background, leaving Malia's voice to take the stage, to which he provides sound backdrops that resemble a classical jazz combo - only electronically. "I like to give electronic instruments life. I like to express the soul of the machine, rather than be a slave to it." Here the musical ideas of two artists flow together, coming from two generations, two continents, two musical styles. And yet the result seems to be from the same mould. The songs tell of life and survival. They are hymns full of tragic moments and dramatic insights, they are about ghosts, prostitution, slavery, illness, spirituality - about small and big feelings. An intense album that nevertheless sounds easy.

Here are a few excerpts from the mostly euphoric listener reviews: "Puts a smile on your face.", "Nothing to dislike. A stunning album full of texture and soul.", "This is pure beautiful sublime melting music of the finest caliber.", "The recording of this album is the finest in any compact disc that I have ever heard.", "Mind-blowingly good."

And here's a link...

"I feel it like you" (just sound, no visuals):

https://youtu.be/UqQKN1WSz_8

Trailer from Universal for the launch of the album:

https://youtu.be/ewMZ-SIuHy8