#again when it's coming from non-natives and the way they frame it and never engage with any other issues

[cypheragent]

i complain a lot about people on here not knowing anything about natives which would be sort of whatever and like on some level i can even understand it but where it becomes an issue to me is how people with little to no knowledge of natives and most issues we face decide to pretend they care every once in a blue moon and end up reinventing the noble savage stereotype in a performative attempt at "allyship"

[arcticdementor]

It is appropriate to begin to understand yourself as a combatant in a war that you may only be dimly aware is being waged. You are in fact operating in the battlespace at this very moment. Consider the implications. Consider that you are marked.

Your self-identification as a combatant, or not, is irrelevant. You have been declared an adversary of the True and Just cause of Democracy. The adversary in this war is a floating signifier anyway, purposefully undefined. Don’t go searching for your name in any database (though you may find it there). The adversary can be anyone, at any time. He is a cipher. The territory under contestation is perhaps even less well-demarcated. As a matter of physical geography, it may be said to not exist at all. And yet we are in it. We are fighting it. The war is on.

…

The proclamations of those declaring this war leave vanishingly little room for uncertainty. Their rhetoric is becoming more explicit every day. No one can deny this. Even the soberest mind must acknowledge their increasing belligerence.

“In the aftermath of the insurrection on January 6th…” This is by now a common refrain. Oliver Stone also said — or maybe it was Homer — that every war must start with an event. No doubt they have been waiting a long time to declare their intentions, but now they have finally found their casus belli. When they say that January 6th is their 9/11, this is what they mean. It may seem that the incoherent, spontaneous nature of what happened at the Capitol might vitiate such lofty comparisons. But for the regime, all the better. The ambiguity allows for the widest possible net to be cast over their enemy, as John Brennan would have it, the “unholy alliance” of “religious extremists, authoritarians, fascists, bigots, racists, nativists, even libertarians.”

Tag yourself. Not that any of these terms matter. Again, they are floating signifiers. They mean everything and nothing. Importantly, they mean you. They mean me.

Brennan of course is not alone. Just days after he delivered his ominous remarks, his CIA colleague Robert Grenier wrote an op-ed for the New York Times declaring the forces responsible for January 6th — again, never clearly defined — to be regarded in the same terms as ISIS and Al-Qaeda. He spoke of an ongoing “domestic insurgency” and the need to put it down with the same degree of force as his own Counterrorism division applied to jihadists in Afghanistan and Iraq. Stanley McChrystal echoed nearly identical sentiments within the week. Javed Ali, whose bio reads less like a human being’s than the formless node of the Foreign Policy blob that he is, writing for the Security State rag the Cipher Brief, in an article indicative of the borg-like mass to which he belongs, suggested the “New Right,” which includes the usual litany of conservative bogeymen all the way up to those with such alarming views as, for example, being “pro-2nd amendment,” warrants the creation of Domestic Terrorism laws that would include a domestic surveillance program mirroring the British Security Service to monitor online speech and circumvent Constitutional protections against prior restraint.

…

But beyond the morality play, and the heady drama of the fate of Western man, it’s Lind’s attention to the form and processes of war that are most relevant here. In the 4th Generation war everything is muddled and inexact. Military and civilian life merge into a fluid, indivisible state of mind and being. Everywhere is a potential target. There is a kind of atemporality to it, too. Individual battles never clearly begin or end. Much of it is fought in the digital ether. Fixed points of planning and operation become obsolete, too easily identified and subverted. There are questions about the status of the war itself, and it is often an advantage of the stronger side to plausibly deny there is any war at all.

In the end, Lind resolves these ambiguities in no uncertain terms. His 4th Generation civil war, however abstract and indistinct, eventually reverts to the classic mode. Its wages are measured in lives lost and territory gained. His heroes shoulder their rifles and vanquish their enemies in pools of their own blood. A Christian nation of local, artisanal economies blooms in a Jeffersonian spirit of revitalization. It’s a chilling read, the Minecraft meme brought to life.

But it is in this latter reversion to classic military confrontation where Lind’s map loses touch with the territory we are actually living in. We are not in a war that accommodates armed conflict, nor should we want it to. Let me repeat that for the minders reading this: violence, kids, is not the answer to our current problems.

Rather, some have speculated that what we are living through now is better described as 5th Generation war. A fifth-generation war is one where the ambiguity stands, even more so, but is never quite so manifestly resolved. (This Twitter thread from last October by anon user Reality Gamer provides a useful summary of the concept.)

This war, if we are to adopt the model, which I believe we should — and for which there is much compelling evidence — is fought almost exclusively over ideas. As in Lind’s concept, everything is indistinct, everything is abstracted right up to the point of nonexistence. War and peace, civilian and combatant, battlefield and neutral territory all collapse in a morass of ever-present meta-conflict. The conceptual boundaries between debate, activism, and terrorism are themselves the site of primary engagement. What matters is not who controls the streets in the wake of a clash of forces, but he who decides that the clashes are “mostly peaceful” and their own soldiers just an “idea.”

That is, it is a war over narrative control. Instead of armed battalions, it’s a loose affiliation of entrenched interests — deep-state operatives, media conglomerates, NGOs, lawfare apparatchiks, academics, the many-sided face of globohomo — controlling information networks to shore up their resources and guard against whoever they identify as a threat. These threats and the methods to neutralize them never have to be explicitly stated or shared across the network. In fact, it is better if they aren’t. It obviates the problem of what Edward Luttwack calls the “paradoxical logic of strategy.” Instead, the system, like a black box AI, manages its agenda according to its own hidden processes.

And what is this agenda exactly? To enforce the conditions of consent.

…

What we are experiencing now is something quite different, the regime on war-footing, no longer confident enough in its own legitimacy to dare put that legitimacy to test. And as is the case for all regimes in such a weakened, sclerotic state, though the strategies and tactics are more diffuse and perhaps less blunt than in eras past, we are treated to the same predictable response: crush dissent, flatten and homogenize the culture, divide and alienate the population from one another, declare a monopoly not just on knowledge and belief, but on the asking of questions themselves. Vaclav Havel, writing on the withering Communist regime of his native Czechoslovakia, described this final desperate effort to coerce the population into consent as the “nihilization of life.” 

…

When vast swaths of non-compliant Americans are declared domestic insurgents, it behooves us to conduct ourselves accordingly. This is not to say that whatever might broadly be called the ‘Dissident Right’ ought to assume a defensive crouch, or retreat into passive quietism until the regime exhausts itself. Though we may be in the midst of a 5th Generation war, some of the old rules still apply, and the insurgent, however diminished, however outgunned — metaphorically, of course — has certain advantages he can make use of.

Another war historian, David Gallula, describing the Cold War spasms breaking apart and reforming the global map after World War II, wrote in 1965 what has become the textbook on the nature of insurgencies. Gallula was a man of his time, and most of his examples are superficially outdated, Communist rebels from Greece to North Africa to Southeast Asia asserting themselves with greater and lesser effectiveness throughout the Third World. We are not Communists, and this is not the Cold War, no matter how much our State Department might wish it were so. Nonetheless, Gallula provides a few key insights that broadly apply to our fight, and that we ought to keep in mind as we ask the question of what comes next.

To begin, the site of contestation in the 5th Generation war against our decrepit regime is not firstly the halls of power, certainly not the Capitol building, and not even really the formal political arena at all. Borrowing from Yarvin, I’d echo that Republican electoral victories are not sufficient for breaking the regime until the Republican candidate sees himself as an outsider prepared to tell the regime that it must submit. Still, contra Yarvin, winning political fights is good, where we can get them, and there are ways of engaging in local politics, especially, that may achieve certain desired effects. But ultimately, political victories are downstream of a more fundamental fight, which is winning the support of what Gullala coarsely calls “the population.”

…

That is, the normie must be given a cause. This cause must exist outside the political paradigm within which he has been accustomed to understanding these conflicts. Scott Alexander is not entirely wrong to propose that Republicans wage a “class conflict” against the strata of elite sense-makers who despise them. It is indeed a righteous cause, and an effective message. He is wrong however that Republicans, as such, ought to do this. No. This is not a partisan conflict against Democrats, though there is much overlap. This is a conflict of insurgents against a failing regime. That is the way it must be framed and its campaigns prosecuted.

I am cautiously optimistic that Americans understand this cause and the nature of their enemy instinctively. There is no denying the rot at the heart of American life, of Western life. There is no denying the ever-presence of the bugman and his sickly designs for us. The energy leaking out against this is everywhere in sight. However misdirected, however frenetic and decoupled from meaningful objectives, a spirit of disobedience obtains. They feel the quickening incursion of the public life into the private, no doubt accelerated by Zoom World and the bright eye of our screens watching and recording our every thought. Americans can feel caught in a straightjacket of preference falsification and coercive moral decrees, the stiltifying HRization of their inner universe. What a bleak and limited existence!

…

Finally, as Gullala observes, an insurgent movement in its infancy is necessarily small. It is necessarily weak. It needs time to build. It cannot on day one confront the regime on its turf and presume to use the regime’s own weapons against it. Again, this is not to advocate for quietism, but rather to recognize the limited usefulness of operating within the domains of social and political activity the regime already controls. You are not going to take back the universities or Hollywood or the news desk. Infiltrate these places and expose them for what they are, but to destroy them rather than to save them.

Before anything else, we must build a culture of our own. Any meaningful insurgency will be downstream from its capacity to imagine. Direct action politics will flail and follow, rather than lead, if it is not tethered to the kind of self-understanding that can only be achieved through art. The regime understands this, if only intuitively, and the ban waves and censorship are an attempt to tear apart the communities where this art can be cultivated and shared. But they are not yet omnipresent. They have not yet, as in Havel’s Czechoslovakia, managed to altogether “nihilize life.” There are cracks still to penetrate. There is, deep in the American soul, a resilience that is not yet extinguished. Build the communities, forge the relationships, online and off, where this resilience can manifest and triumph over the enemy and its machines.

[araniladin]

The One Bed Trope is Happening

She hung in the air, framed by the moon. Team RWBY and their friends all looked up in shock.

Ruby’s mouth hit the floor, not believing what she was seeing. That red hair, the green dress, it couldn’t be.

She landed with a heavy thunk, turning towards the other huntresses and huntsmen. Her eyes focused on Ruby and widen in surprise and excitement.

Ruby’s heart started to beat faster. It couldn’t be. “Penny?”

“Sal-” she said, crouching low.

Panic settled in Ruby.

“-U-”

“Oh no no.” Ruby looked left and right, but there was nowhere to run.

“-tations!” A flash of green fire and she closed the distance.

Ruby managed to engage her Aura right as Penny impacted her. She was pretty sure the tackle hug only bruised her ribs instead of breaking them.

“It's such a pleasure to see you again!” Penny said. She held onto Ruby’s hand after helping her to her feet.

“Penny...I thought...I thought you died.” Ruby wiped tears from her eyes.

“I mean, technically she did,” Pietro said, walking up to them. “But we found her core intact when Amenity Arena finally arrived here.”

“I’m as good as new!” Penny said.

“And no more accidental shredding,” Pietro said. Penny knocked on her head with a fist, a metallic drum sound. They both laughed.

“That is…” Weiss started.

“...surprisingly wholesome,” Blake finished, both of them smiling.

“That sounds like Penny,” Yang added, joining in on watching her sister reunite with Penny.

“We have so much to catch up on,” Penny said, pulling Ruby into a hug. “I cannot wait!”

In the distance, another alarm sounds.

“It looks like it has to wait.” Still holding onto Ruby, Penny launched them both into the sky.

Ruby, trained huntress and master of aerial combat, wrapped her arms and legs around Penny.

“Meet us back at the house!” Pietro called out after them. Penny turned around in the air to snap off a salute before flying away.

“Penny,” Ruby asked as they flew through the city. “Are you sure this is okay?”

“Everything will be fine.” Penny patted Ruby’s head. “I’m the protector of the city. Plus with you here, I have backup.”

Ruby bit her lip. “I’m not licensed, and it seems like Atlas is pretty strict on that kind of stuff.”

“Oh,” Penny said, sad before perking up. “Don’t worry about it!” She hiccupped.

That made Ruby worry more.

As they cross over a section of the city bathed in red light, Ruby saw the Grimm.

“Do you know what a speedball special is?” Ruby asked, judging the distance between the Grimm and them.

Penny’s eyes faded for a second before brightening. “I do now! Let’s do it!”

Braking in the air, Penny lifted Ruby over her head. Snapping out Crescent Rose, Ruby prepped herself for the throw. “NOW!”

Spinning forward to build up momentum, Penny launched Ruby at the Grimm.

Her impact sent the tiger-like Grimm into the air. Penny’s lasers flashed out and turned them into little specs of evil dust.

Knowing that Penny held air superiorty and had awesome lasers, Ruby tossed the Grimm into the air.

Ruby set them up, Penny knocked them down. No other partner Ruby worked with synchronized as well as Penny did. 

Soon the area was clear of Grimm and Penny landed next to Ruby.

“That was so much fun!” Penny hugged Ruby, and Ruby worried if her ribs would ever be the same.

Suddenly, Penny let Ruby go and grabbed a cable out of the air. It wrapped around her arm, but did nothing to imped the robot girl.

“Halt! You are in violation of Atlas law!” A tall, very handsome man jumped down, landing in front of Ruby and Penny. Behind him, four other people jumped down. One carried an odd gun, most likey where the bolos came from. They all wore matching uniforms, blue, white and red of Atlas special operations.

“We are not!” Penny said, pulling the bolos from her arm and placing it on the ground. “You know who I am, Commander Ebi.”

“I have no idea who she is,” Commander Ebi said, pointing at Ruby. “We cannot have unauthorized weapon use in our city.”

“She’s my partner,” Penny said, taking Ruby’s hand and standing between her and the spec ops team.

Commander Ebi frowned, pulling out his scroll. “Is she licenced to hunt in Atlas?”

The glow in Penny’s eyes faded again, dull for a second before coming back. “Yes!” She hiccuped. “Her name is Ruby Rose.”

The scroll in his hand flashed up a picture of Ruby, from back before the fall of Beacon. He peered at the date of licencing, but e couldn’t find anything wrong with it.

“My apologies, Miss Polendona and Miss Rose.” Commander Ebi tucked his scroll away. “This is not the only case we need to investigate, have a good evening.” The ops team leaped into the buildings and disappeared into the night.

“What was that?” Ruby asked.

“The Ace Ops, General Ironwood’s elite police force,” Penny reached down to take Ruby’s hand again. She leaned into her. “They are nice people, but my father says they are doing the wrong thing for the right reason. He says it’s okay if I bend the rules.”

“Wait, what do you mean, bend the rules?” Ruby said. “Wait, did you hack his scroll to tell him I was a licensed huntress?”

Penny blushed, grinding her toe into the pavement. “I didn’t hack his scroll…”

“Oh, good,” Ruby said, sighing in relief.

“I hacked the Atlas licensing servers and backdated you into the system.”

“PENNY! That’s illegal!” Ruby looked around, panicking. If they found out she was illegally licensed, she would go to jail and never speak to Ironwood.

“I know, but it was for a good cause!” Penny shrunk down. “They would have taken you to Atlas, and processed you, and I wouldn’t be able to see again for six to eight weeks, if they didn’t deport you for being a non native huntress in Mantle.”

“Penny…” Ruby leaned into the other woman, conflicted.

Penny pressed her forhead against Ruby’s. “I’m sorry for lying, Ruby.”

She shook her head. “I’m not upset you lied, I’m just not sure how to feel about all this.”

“Well, mabye we should also go check on your team, I believe they might be the second task Commander Ebi was referring to.” Penny looked back the way they came. “Although my father says they are in the safe house and thus are safe.”

Ruby shot up. “Oh no! Yes, let’s go!” She turned to start running before stopping. “Can… can we fly there?”

“YES!” Penny said.

“Just, do you have another way of carrying me?”

Penny nodded, and picked Ruby up bridal style. “Let’s go!”

Ruby was pretty sure Penny took the scenic route back, not that she complained. Penny assured her team was safe, the Ace Ops were off making sure that some miners didn’t strike, and Penny could fly. It was one of the coolest things Ruby ever did.

That and it was Penny. Since the Fall of Beacon, she always felt anxious, felt that she could do more. That everything was horrible and she couldn’t do anything about it. But seeing Penny again, she felt that hope again.

That and a few other feelings. The blush across her face was from the cold and not being so close to Penny again.

The safe house turned out to be deep in the slums, another clinic run by Peitro. Penny landed on the roof, although still carrying Ruby. She paused at the door, puzzled at finding her hands occupied. Ruby noticed that Penny’s face was very red, and she wondered how an android would suffer from the cold. 

“Uh, Penny, want to put me down?” Ruby asked, although she didn’t, not really.

“No,” Penny said. “But I think I have to.” She dropped Ruby to her feet. This time, Ruby grabbed her hand as they entered.

In the kitchen, Nora and Ren cooked. Jaune had wondered off to the room he was sharing with the rest of his team. Maria, Peitro, and Oscar conversed at the table.

“Is there anywhere I might be able to change or freshen up a bit?” Ruby asked.

“Your team took a room down the hall,” Maria said. “Although Weiss went to try contacting her sister again. Blake and Yang should be in there.”

Peitro glanced at Ruby and Penny holding hands and smiled.

Leading Ruby to the room Maria said Team RWBY staked out, Penny burst in.

Blake straddled Yang, kissing her as she pinned her to the bed. They both looked up at the interruption before Blake hissed.

“I am so sorry!” Penny pulled the door closed and pushed Ruby into the hallway.

“Well, my room should be free, want to use that?” Penny asked.

“I think it might be safer for me to just stay the night there,” Ruby said, pulling out her scroll. “And someone should warn Weiss.” She shot off a short text.

“YES!” Penny hugged Ruby. “Although it’s not really my room, since my actual room is up in Atlas, but my father always let me have the highest room in the building. Come on!”

Up the stairs they travelled again, but Ruby didn’t care. Penny’s excitement bled over to her.

“Welcome to my-” Penny opened the door before slamming it shut. “Wait, it’s messy, let me clean it up.” She hiccuped before disappearing into the room

Ruby blinked. What she had peeked, the room looked spartan, two beds and a shared dresser drawer.

The unmistakable sound of an old window opening added to the confusion. The scraping sound of someone shoving something heavy across the floor, grunts as they lifted said heavy object before the unmistakable sound of something falling out the window. There was a loud crash, and Ruby heard Weiss yelling.

“What the fuck?! Is that a bed?! What is going on up there?!”

“Sorry Weiss!” Penny yelled back, and the sound of Weiss yelling back quieted as the window shut.

“Come on in!” Penny said, opening the door.

The room now had one bed, a dresser drawer, and the dusty trail of one person flinging the other bed out of the window.

“Penny…” Ruby said, unsure what to say.

“Sorry there is only one bed, but I’m sure we can manage.” She hiccuped and Ruby wondered which part of what she said was a lie.

Smiling, Ruby reached out and hugged Penny. “I am so glad you’re back.”

Penny wrapped her arms around Ruby, and did not crush her ribs this time. “I’ve missed you so much.”

Tear stains appeared on Penny’s top and Ruby realized it was her. She squeezed her friend harder, and didn’t let the tears stop.

Penny cradled her as Ruby cried. All the feelings of the past year, it broke. Ruby wasn’t sure how long she cried, but Penny hugged her, whispered encouragement into her ear, and mostly just made sure Ruby felt safe.

Sitting up, Ruby wiped the snot off her face. “Do you know where the bathroom is? I..I just want to clean my face and put on some clean clothes.”

Penny placed Ruby on the bed, and grabbed a large shirt out of the dresser drawers. “Will this work? The bathroom is just down the hall.” Looking down. “And I can get another bed, if you don’t want to share…”

Taking the shirt, Ruby kissed Penny’s cheek. “I think it would be splendid to share a bed with you. Although I’m big spoon.”

They both laughed and Ruby went to clean up. She changed, brushed her teeth with the stuff on hand, and went back.

Penny had turned off the lights, although the city glowed through the window. Penny had also changed into a sleeping shirt. She grinned at Ruby. “How you feeling?”

Ruby walked over, tilted Penny’s chin up, and kissed her. “Much better, and very tired. Thank you.”

Penny blushed, but did not pull away. “Than lets get some you some sleep.”

“Wait, are you not going to sleep?” Ruby frowned.

“I’m an android. I’ll just shut down for a bit.” She laid on the bed, scooting over so Ruby could spoon her. “And don’t worry, I’ll make sure you aren’t cold.”

“Oh, okay,” Ruby said, unsure but willing to do it. She laid behind Penny, hugging her to her chest. The android was surprisingly warm, and Ruby let it drag her into sleep.

Till Weiss kicked open the door. “Fucking Blake and Yang, they should hang a sock-” She stopped seeing, first only one bed, and two, Ruby and Penny sharing the other one.

“...are you two going to be fucking?”

Ruby blinked, and Penny shook her head.

“Good, move over, I’m tired.”

“Uh….” Ruby and Penny shared a look, but Weiss laid down behind Ruby.

She nuzzled into Ruby and was soon asleep. Ruby, trapped between the two of them smirked and just went with it.

“Tomorrow, I’m the middle spoon,” Penny said, and the other two giggled.

[lostinfic]

Part 1 and 2  | Ao3

Pairing: Roderick Peterson (Nativity 2) x Alison Crosby (The Canterbury Tales).

*You don’t need to have seen either film.*

Summary: Alison wants to boost her pop music career whereas Roderick needs to restore his reputation in the world of classical music. Neither of them is above using “irregular” means to get what they want, so when she joins his choir, they are in a unique position to help each other… if only they could get along.

Rating: M  |  Word count: 3,9k

A/N: I’m really excited to start posting this!

At the Blue Bear pub, a handmade banner hangs above the stage, felt-tip marker on the back of paper placemats tacked together, the last letters squished together at one end: “Happy birthday Alison”.

Alison loves her birthday. Every year, she makes sure to remind her friends and acquaintances of the date. So it’s no surprise that many of the pub’s regular clients are wishing their favourite barmaid a happy birthday. One of them, Gerard, even brought her a cupcake.

Alison hikes herself up on the bar to kiss his cheek.

“So, how old are you, luv?” he asks.

“25.”

“Half your twenties gone now.”

“I’ve still got plenty of time!”

“That’s what I used to say.” He drinks the last of his cider. “Sorry, didn’t mean to upset you.”

“Not at all.”

“Hey Alison, you’ll sing us something, won’t you?” asks another patron.

Javier, the pub owner, shakes his head. The place is packed he can’t have a waitress taking a break during the rush. But Alison knows how to get her way.

“Please, Javier.” She cocks her head and pouts. “Just a short one.”

He wipes another glass and ponders her request.

“Let the girl have some fun,” Gerard says.

“Oh, alright. Get up there. You’re spoiled, you are, I hope you know that. ”

Unlike the pub where she used to work in Canterbury, there is no karaoke at the Blue Bear but a stage for bands and Open Mic nights.

Those who know her cheer when she gets on stage. In the front row, Elife, her best friend, is smiling so wide her dental braces catch the spotlight. However, at least half the patrons have their backs to her and don’t seem to care she’s about to sing.

Her mouth goes dry, her throat constricts. She doesn’t usually gets stage fright.

The busser/audio tech starts a music track for her. An acoustic guitar strums familiar chords: G, Am, C, G. An electric guitar joins in. “What’s up” by 4 Non Blondes.

“Twenty-five years and my life is still. Trying to get up that great big hill of hope. For a destination,” she sings but her voice is faint.

Is that it? Her life. Her career. Waitress and amateur singer in a pub where no one cares. She’d come to London to make it big. She’d taken singing lessons and went to hundreds of auditions that amounted to nothing more than a string of inconsequential parts in low-budget musicals.

“And I scream from the top of my lungs. What's going on? And I say, hey yeah yeah.”

One by one, people turn towards her and clap their hands along.

Her voice grows stronger, and she smiles. “I said hey, what's going on?” She swivels her hips, shimmies her shoulders, “I said hey!”, she points the microphone at the crowd, and they sing the next lyrics.

One last year, she thinks. Either her musical career progresses significantly this year or she will give up her aspirations and pursue a regular job.

Now or never.

She’s going to need a solid plan.

♪

Headset on, clipboard in hand, Alison is on standby. She’s volunteering for a singing competition taking place at the end of a prestigious music summer camp. Her sweet smile won her the task of escorting performers on stage. “You’ll put ‘em right at ease. They’ll think it’s good luck,” one organizer declared.

“Jamie to Alison,” says a voice in her earphone.

“Yes?”

“Presenter coming. Ten-four.”

“Okie-dokie.”

With a small torchlight, she guides the director of the music camp through the dark backstage area.

“Break a leg.” She smiles brightly at him just as he’s about to go out on stage, and he nearly loses his footing.

She’s not volunteering out of the goodness of her heart, she has a plan, and that plan is sitting at the judges table. She cranes her neck to see him from the prompt corner. Roderick Peterson, thick-framed glasses, slicked-back hair and lips in a rigid line. He reads his notes while the other judges chat. He will be giving out the lowest scores every time, she’s sure of it.

She has done her research on him, she won’t be throwing herself at the first man who says he’s in show business. Not again.

Although, he’s a world-famous composer and conductor, she’d never heard of him until recently. The pub where she works is a popular hangout for teachers and students of the nearby Royal Music Academy, and Roderick’s name has been on everyone’s lips: for the first time in many years, he won’t be directing a children choir but an adult one.

Since her birthday, Alison has watched dozens of videos online in which he conducted choirs and performed his own compositions at the piano. His intensity was mesmerizing, the way his whole body moves with the melody, the utter focus on his face, the lithe movement of his fingers across the piano keys. She has fallen for more than one would-be rock star musician in her life, but none of them were ever so in-tune with their music. When Roderick gives interviews, however, the spell breaks: he sounds like a pompous arse.

Alison doesn’t care about that. What she cares about is that some of Roderick’s former pupils have recorded albums and become famous. So choir singing may not be exactly what she had in mind, but it could be a stepping-stone and a significant progress. The auditions are next week, and succeed she will have to tip the odds in her favour.

During the intermission, Roderick stands up and heads to the catering table. Alison beats him to it and offers to relieve the volunteer already there.

She greets him with one of her bright smiles, but he barely acknowledges her. She grabs the coffee pot before he can take a hold of it.

“Coffee?”

“Black, thank you.”

“These kids are all so good, don’t you think?” Alison says.

“There is much room for improvement. But it is a decent cohort this year.”

He wiggles his styrofoam cup which she has yet to fill. She pours the coffee deliberately slowly.

“I was in a choir too, when I was young, at my school. I’d forgotten how powerful it is when all the voices come together. It gives me chills.”

There’s a flicker of interest in his eyes that gives her hope.

“They say the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

“Yeah, it really is. I don’t know how you do it, being a judge I mean, I wouldn’t be able to decide which ones are the best.”

“That’s why they hire professional judges.”

“Yeah, like you.” She slips her hands in her back pockets in a way that thrusts up her chest. “You’re a real pro. A hotshot even.”

“Yes, that’s what I was saying.”

“I’m Alison, by the way.”

“Roderick Peterson.”

“I know, I love your work,” she pitches her voice higher and giggles.

“Thank you.”

“So, what are you doing after this?” she asks.

His eyes widen slightly.

She twists a strand of hair around her index. “I know a nice place where we can talk some more about the power of coming together…”

“I don’t engage in intercourse with the staff.”

She flinches and straightens her back.

“Oh, I don’t work here, I volunteer, see?” She displays the identification card which hangs from a lanyard right in front of her cleavage.

“Okay.”

“I’m actually a singer.”

He narrows his eyes at her. “Do you intend to audition for my choir? Is that what this is about?”

“Er, yeah, I was thinking about it.”

“But you don’t believe you’re good enough to be chosen on account of your talent alone.”

“I hadn’t thought about it that way.”

Glasses halfway down his nose, Roderick scans her from the top of her bleached hair to the tip of her high-heel sandals.

She bites her thumb nail and shifts her weight from one foot to the other. She’s never had a man look at her like that— assessing.

“I will see you next week,” he says, then turns around and leaves.

♪

“What an utter arsehole,” Elife says after Alison has told her the whole story.

She sits next to Alison on the old couch in their shared flat.

“I’m so humiliated!”

“’I don’t have intercourse with the help’,” Elife repeats, mocking his posh accent. “What kind of classist horseshit is that? Tosser.”

“Yeah.”

Elife ties her abundant curly hair in a bun atop her head, waiting for Alison to elaborate and get angry. “You don’t think so?” she insists after a moment.

“I said ‘yeah’, didn’t I?”

“You just don’t seem so sure.”

“I don’t think he meant it that way. Like a class thing. It was basically his work place. The man’s got principles.”

“So? Javier at the pub is always hitting on you and you never minded.”

“I put up with it because he gives me time off whenever I need for an audition or a show. You see, Roderick, he wouldn’t cross that line.”

“Why are you defending him?”

Alison shrugs. Plenty of men would have taken advantage of her in that situation, but Roderick had not. Sure, being rejected was humiliating, but so was being used.

All her life, boys and then men, even before she was of legal age, had gone to great lengths to get under her clothes. None of them as much as Nick the Prick, who went as far as pretending he was in the music business, he’d even set up a recording session in a studio and drugged her then-husband, John, so they could shag in peace. After he got what he wanted (stealing thousands of dollars from John in the process), he just left. And she waited by the side of the road, for hours in the cold rain, hoping he would pick her up and take her to a better place as he’d promised. She couldn’t show her face in Canterbury again, she’d lost everything, so she’d gone to London for a fresh start. That was three years ago, three years since she figured she might as well use her sex-appeal to her own advantage if men were so desperate to get it.

“To be fair though, not your smartest move, girl.”

“Thanks, I hadn’t noticed.” Alison groans and hugs a throw cushion to her chest, she hides her face against it.

“What were you thinking?”

“It might have worked, but I came on too strong and that made him suspicious.”

“Will you do the audition for his choir anyway?”

“How can I even show my face there? I don’t know… Right now I just want to curl up on the couch with chocolate and my favourite Bollywood movie.”

“Bride and Prejudice?”

“Yep.”

“If you decide you want to do the audition, let me know, and I’ll help you practice.”

“Thanks, El, you’re a sweetheart.”

Their friendship started when Alison was looking for a singing coach but couldn’t afford a professional one, a client at the pub suggested she looked on the Royal Music Academy message board. Elife studied harp there by day and played in a metal band by night.

They have already started preparing her audition for the choir, but Alison is in no mood to work on that now.

As the movie plays and the Indian actors sing their hearts out, Alison’s mind replays her encounter with Roderick.

His comment that she doesn’t think she’s good enough to succeed makes her shove more chocolate in her mouth. He’s right. Her self-confidence has dwindled over the last years with every rejection and failure.

She pauses the movie and searches the kitchen for more sweets or crisps. Frustration rises in her when she can’t find any. Then it grows into anger. Anger at herself for acting so foolishly and ruining her chances, and at Roderick for being so arrogant. But what if he didn’t reject her out of principles but because he simply wasn’t attracted to her.

“Or maybe he’s gay.”

On her mobile, she types his name in the search engine bar combined with boyfriend/husband/girlfriend/ wife. She finds pictures of him with the Welsh singer Angel Matthews who broke up with him last Spring according to gossip.

She follows one link after the other, diving deeper into the world of classical music. It’s like glimpsing another dimension full of celebrities and controversies she’s never heard of.

One bit of news in particular keeps resurfacing in her research. It’s a video from the competition “A song for Christmas” in Wales last year. One of the choirboys from St Cuthbert's College— Roderick’s former choir— sings an emotional song while holding a baby, it’s followed by a clip of a rehearsal at Oakmoor School in which a student performs the same song, thus proving that St Cuthbert’s stole the song to win the competition. Some bloggers even claim they kidnapped the baby.

Regardless of their veracity, these articles highlight how famous Roderick is.

“Fuck it, I already made a fool of myself, I might as well go to the audition.”

♪

From the second floor of the Lux Aeterna Theatre, Roderick studies the people in the street below who wait in the late-August heat to audition. Although the queue wraps around the west side of the building, it’s not long enough for him. There should be twice that number of people who want to participate in Roderick Peterson’s choir, but his reputation has taken a serious hit last year with the “Song for Christmas” scandal. His methods were questioned, and former pupils spoke against him leading to his ban from the Youth Choral Association and the loss of his job. And of his girlfriend who didn’t want to “associate” with him anymore.

He rubs the back of his neck. Fidgeting makes you look weak. He crosses his wrists behind his back, just how his father used to tie them for him the night before a competition. Shoulders back. Chin up. Eyes to the front.

With the right choristers, he will win the next European Choir Games and restore his reputation.

He has half-a-mind to delay the beginning of the auditions, let them wait a while longer, let them worry he will not hear them. But he can’t bear tardiness. Ten minutes to nine, he has better get ready.

In the auditorium, Roderick sits with two colleagues while contestants perform on stage.

It’s past noon, when a young woman with bleached blond hair comes on stage. She introduces herself as Alison Crosby. Her voice rings a bell for him. It has a childish sort of quality he can’t imagine has a good range.

She fidgets on stage, waiting for her song to start. She twists a strand of hair around her finger— she’s that girl who tried to seduce him.

The song she chose is a pop song he’s sure he doesn’t recognize. Although her striped dress has a turtleneck, its length makes it risqué. This is entirely unsuitable, more appropriate for Britain’s Idol— or whatever it’s called— than an audition of this caliber.

He rolls his eyes and leans forward to speak in the microphone and dismiss her. But her pitch changes drastically, the original song is a male-female duet, and Alison is singing both parts. He has to revise his earlier judgement: her voice has more range than he expected.

As she sings, Alison strides across the stage with an impressive sway to her hips. He can’t help but notice her legs, not thin ones like a flamingo’s, but strong ones. He’s never wanted to use the old-fashioned word “gams” before now.

His colleagues give her points for stage presence. Roderick does too. A doubt creeps in: is he lowering his standards? She’s good, but not that good.

Perhaps he could use someone like her. He already has a singer in a wheelchair for emotional appeal. So why not add sex appeal too? She had no qualms about using it to her advantage. She might do the same for the choir.

Roderick adds Alison to his list of potential choristers.

Ten more participants and the auditions are over. Roderick and his two associates meet in the office to discuss their selection. Even though he’s picky, he has more names on his list than he needs in his choir, so they review audition tapes.

“Crosby is a loose cannon,” Vera, the theatre manager, says, “either she disregarded entirely proper audition etiquette or she doesn’t know anything about it which means we would have to teach her.”

Roderick sits on the edge of the table, arms crossed. Alison Crosby: rash or bold?

A year ago, he would have agreed with Vera that it’s a risk to take her. But what if having good singers isn’t enough to win the competition?

♪

Alison stands in front of the Lux Aeterna theatre in Marylebone. She has no control whatsoever over her smile, and this time it’s not because of the ABBA song playing in her earphones (well, maybe a little). She did it. Roderick chose her for his choir, and he chose her because of her talent.

“So, are you planning on going in?” asks someone behind her with good humour. It’s a young man in a wheelchair, a checkered scarf covers his scruffy chin.

“Are you here for the choir too?” she asks him.

“Yeah. I’m Marcus.”

As they are both early, they decide to get a coffee across the street. She follows Marcus around the building to find an accessible entrance.

The coffee shop is busy so while he finds a table, Alison orders. She chooses a lemonade, she really doesn’t need caffeine in her current state, besides, it’s bad for vocal chords.

At the end of the counter, Roderick is also waiting for his drink. Despite, the warmth of early Autumn, he’s wearing a turtleneck shirt in a thin knit fabric that hugs his torso.

He refuses to repeat his name for the barista. When he sees Alison, he takes a step back.

“Don’t worry, I’m not gonna flirt with you,” she says.

His laugh, however brief, both surprises and charms Alison.

He schools his features back into a stern mask, and asks, “How are you doing, Miss Crosby?”

“Oh, you can call me Alison.”

“I would rather not. Let’s keep things professional.”

Well, there goes his charm.

“I’m excited to begin,” Alison says. She toys with the plastic straw in her drink.“And I wanted to say thank you for giving me a chance, despite… you know.”

“Don’t make me regret it.”

She chokes on her lemonade and nods vehemently.

“Hiya, Maestro,” Marcus says as he sidles up to her.

Roderick nods at him but can’t seem to recall his name. Alison has that feeling again, that he’s assessing her, both of them actually.

“I will see you in—” Roderick glances at his watch— “thirteen minutes.”

As soon as he turns his back, Marcus mock-salutes him.

“I reckon he chose me because I’m in a wheelchair.”

“D’you really think so?”

“You saw how he looked at us, the man’s got a plan. Roderick Peterson always has a plan.”

“Does it bother you, then?”

Marcus shrugs. “It’s discrimination against bipeds, but I can’t help that I was born with an unfair advantage… Seriously, though, he must have thought I have a good voice too. That’s what’s important, I suppose. Why did he choose you?”

“I— I thought it was for my talent.”

“With legs like yours?”

Alison crosses her legs self-consciously as if it would hide them, but with a pink skirt on, it makes no difference.

Eleven minutes later, they’re inside the theatre on a stage that overlooks about 500 seats. The owner repurposed a Georgian church, but the interior is much more modern than its exterior, all sleek shades of white and pale wood. Of the old chapel, only the painted ceiling remains, faded cornflower blue with golden stars and pale pink clouds.

Alison sticks close to Marcus.

Roderick walks in at nine on the dot. “I’m Roderick Peterson, OBE, and your choir director. My goal is to win the national competition next January in order to represent the United Kingdom at the European Choir Games,” he announces. “And of course I want to win the games as well. You will have to work harder than you have ever worked before, and I will not tolerate laziness. I expect you to dedicate your life to my choir.”

He asks them to introduce themselves. The choristers aren’t content with stating their names, they list their whole bloody pedigree of posh private schools and musical achievements. Especially Clarissa de Santo, a tall, wispy blonde with wet blue eyes, wearing Burberry from head to toe. She studied in Milan and just completed a residency in New York. Roderick looks at her like she’s his prize pony.

When her turn comes, Alison lacks anything remarkable to boast about, but that doesn’t stop her from naming the choirs she was in, however modest, and listing the song contests she won.

“Thank you, miss Crosby, that was… thorough,” Roderick says. “As you have noticed, there are more people in this room than I need. Four of you will be evicted before the end of the semester.”

Alison’s stomach sinks. She looks around her, at her competition, her adversaries.

Jutting out her chin, she puts her hands on her hips to pretend the news doesn’t affect her.

Wouldn’t it be better to quit now than suffer the humiliation of rejection?

Roderick is still speaking, but her mind is searching for an excuse to quit. Ideally, something that would make her look good— Stop it, you’ll be the star of this choir in no time.

Based on a chart he made, Roderick arranges them in three rows, divided into sections according to voice parts: sopranos to the far left, then altos, tenors and basses.

He takes Alison by the shoulders and leads her at the front and centre of her section, a step farther out than the others. She doesn’t hesitate to take another step out and smiles. Told ya!

“We’ll try it this way for now. But I’m usually right,” he says. “Let us begin with warm-up exercises.” He sits at the piano at the front of the stage. “No vibrato, starting with E.” He presses a key and they sing the note, then move down semitones.

Alison is used to this kind of exercises and quickly finds her bearings. But she hasn’t sang in a choir since secondary school, so when they move on to blending exercises, the polyphony confuses her. It takes all her focus to not deviate from her part.

Two hours later, they’re ready to tackle their first choral. Roderick hands out partitions: Lacrymosa from Mozart’s Requiem. “I expect you all already know this one.”

Alison vaguely remembers it, she’ll have to sight-read which isn’t her greatest strength.

It takes a few tries, and then it happens. Their voices rise together as one in a powerful crescendo that brings tears to her eyes.

“Whoa, that was awesome,” she whispers and the person next to her nods in agreement.

“That was disappointing,” Roderick says.

♪ ♪

Part 3 and 4

[theresgloryforyou]

This is an interesting read, and there’s truth in it, but oh, so much to unpack here.   I’ll give this segment a shot, since it’s been awhile since my shot at Jacobin’s bullshit, and I see a similar self-serving strain here:

“As the [capitalist] system universalizes and becomes more and more intersectional, we need intersectional resistance,” [Charles] Derber said. “At the end of the 1960s, when I was getting my own political education, the universalizing dimensions of the left, which was growing in the ’60s, fell apart. The women began to feel their issues were not being addressed. They were treated badly by white males, student leaders. Blacks, Panthers, began to feel the whites could not speak for race issues. They developed separate organizations. The upshot was the left lost its universalizing character. It no longer dealt with the intersection of all these issues within the context of a militarized, capitalist, hegemonic American empire. It treated politics as siloed group identity problems. Women had glass ceilings. Same with blacks. Same with gays.”

*cracks knuckles* Okay, first off, “The women began to feel their issues were not being addressed” is one of those sentences that should make everyone cringe.  Accuracy would require you to write “Women realized their issues were not being addressed”, OR, better yet,  “Women’s issues were not being addressed by the left.”

Also, white people slinging around the word white is fucking obnoxious.  Stop doing that.  We see you.

So this “Intersectional Leftist” proceeds to individuate a systemic problem and then structure his paragraph so he can blame WOMEN, and black folk and gays, for making an “intersectional”, “universalizing” movement fall apart?  If it was so fucking intersectional and universal how did that happen then?  Girls are irrational?  We just got our little feels hurt?

The loss of this intersectionality was deadly. Instead of focusing on the plight of all of the oppressed, oppressed groups began to seek representation for their own members within capitalist structures.

NO ONE WAS FOCUSING ON ALL OF THE OPPRESSED THAT WAS THE PROBLEM YOU WALNUT.

“Let’s take a modern version of this,” Derber said. “Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook, she did a third-wave feminism thing. She said ‘lean in.’ It captures this identity politics that has become toxic on the left. What does ‘lean in’ mean? It means women should lean in and go as far as they can in the corporation. They should become, as she has, a major, wealthy executive of a leading corporation. When feminism was turned into that kind of leaning in, it created an identity politics that legitimizes the very system that needs to be critiqued. The early feminists were overtly socialists. As was [Martin Luther] King. But all that got erased.”

Sheryl Sandberg is corporate America, not “the left”.  She’s not engaged in “identity politics”, she wrote a successful pitch to non-leftist women, who are the majority because shits like you try to speak for “the left” and none of what you say applies to any of us.  She’s no more a feminist than you are, and feminism is not what created identity politics.  LIBERALS hijacking the conversations of various groups and pandering to them is what created identity politics.  LIBERAL DUDES created identity politics. 

And “But all that got erased” is insulting to every leftist woman and, again, is a stellar example of why women decided to organize without y’all.  You’re writing from the position of The Imagined Leftist Default, thinking you call the shots and everyone else is supposed to go along with you, when really you and your kind were the cause of the problem, you didn’t go along with anyone else.  You wanted to rule the roost, and being challenged by females, by lesbians and gays, by Black folk and Natives and Hispanics and Asians, none of that was anything you could handle.  You kicked US out, and you’re still doing it.  Let’s continue:

“The left became a kind of grab bag of discrete, siloed identity movements,” Derber said. “This is very connected to moral purity. You’re concerned about your advancement within the existing system. You’re competing against others within the existing system. Everyone else has privilege. You’re just concerned about getting your fair share.”

“People in movements are products of the system they’re fighting,” he continued. “We’re all raised in a capitalistic, individualistic, egoistic culture, so it’s not surprising. And it has to be consciously recognized and struggled against. Everybody in movements has been brought up in systems they’re repulsed by. This has created a structural transformation of the left. The left offers no broad critique of the political economy of capitalism. It’s largely an identity-politics party. It focuses on reforms for blacks and women and so forth. But it doesn’t offer a contextual analysis within capitalism.”

I like the way you stuck “moral purity” in there but never followed up on it.  It’s like a buzz word to signal to readers that not getting on board with your program is a mere prudishness, like there’s something wrong with aiming for morality.

Liberalism, which is a fundamentally capitalist and therefore oppressive ideology, seized on the failure of Leftist males, and in many cases the specific choice to refuse to include marginalized groups and women, in leadership, in organizing around our specific issues, in any way at all.  Liberals saw an opportunity to peel off support from those groups.  If the Left was so solid and really were fighting for the oppressed, the oppressed wouldn’t have split into groups both leftist and non in an attempt to survive.

The majority of Americans were never leftist in the first place.  That non-leftist women, for example, saw themselves in the more liberal iteration of “feminism” but not at all in “Intersectional Leftism”, is not surprising, because y’all ain’t as “intersectional” as you claim to be.  After all, you’ve casually co-opted the term “intersectional” without crediting the orgin of the idea behind it, and are using it to actually mean “Solidarity”.  Which you do not feel or show towards women who don’t submit to your leadership.

All of this recapitulates Jacobin’s ignorant hit-job attempt on Radical Feminism:  “come the revolution, men will magically become enlightened and”  and there the sentence has to end because actually no, patriarchy pre-dates capitalism, capitalism is predicated upon patriarchy, and men, especially leftists, I mean, I can hear it now:  “But we did so MUCH for you, babe!  We supported birth control access and abortion, dollface!”  Mmmmmm-hm.  From the goodness of your darling hearts, I suppose, but to continue:

Derber, like North, argues that the left’s myopic, siloed politics paved the way for right-wing, nativist, protofascist movements around the globe as well as the ascendancy of Trump.

“When you bring politics down to simply about helping your group get a piece of the pie, you lose that systemic analysis,” he said. “You’re fragmented. You don’t have natural connections or solidarity with other groups. You don’t see the larger systemic context. By saying I want, as a gay person, to fight in the military, in a funny way you’re legitimating the American empire. If you were living in Nazi Germany, would you say I want the right of a gay person to fight in combat with the Nazi soldiers?”

“I don’t want to say we should eliminate all identity politics,” he said. “But any identity politics has to be done within the framework of understanding the larger political economy. That’s been stripped away and erased. Even on the left, you cannot find a deep conversation about capitalism and militarized capitalism. It’s just been erased. That’s why Trump came in. He unified a kind of very powerful right-wing identity politics built around nationalism, militarism and the exceptionalism of the American empire.”

“Identity politics is to a large degree a right-wing discourse,” Derber said.  Hold up Imma stop you there.  Identity politics is NEOLIBERAL, or more simply LIBERAL discourse.  Don’t go dragging the “right wing” into this.  Right wingers don’t give a fuck about women or gays or most certainly anyone other than the Great White Race.  So you are wrong.

But more to the point, hilariously in light of, again, Jacobin and pretty much every single leftist organization out there right now, Radical Feminism is the Feminism that focuses on the larger political economy and on systemic oppression and on class based oppression.  An actual Radical Feminist, in her siloed identy-politcs clubhouse according to this article, would never frame lesbians joining the military as a victory for women.  Yet Radical Feminism has been thrown under the bus by leftists for post modern identity politics.  So when you attack women for rightfully organizing apart from broader leftist movements, because you can’t use our free labor and our numbers and all the heavy lifting in the background that women traditionally do in leftist movements, but you don’t actually support Radical Feminists as leftists who have analytical and philosophical similarities with Marxists and socialists of all stripes, I mean, I’m getting a pretty mixed message here.  I’m getting the typical patriarchal message that women need to pitch in for the good of the whole and we’ll sort you girls and your problems out later, but right now everyone else is more important than you.  And I’m also getting the typical patriarchal message that women need to shut up and embrace whatever we tell you to, including a movement based exclusively in individualism, identity, appearance, and gender, ie non-leftist non-materialist things we cannot analyze and that actively undermine you and your scant rights, or you’re not one of us. 

“It focuses on tribalism tied in modern times to nationalism, which is always militaristic. When you break the left into these siloed identity politics, which are not contextualized, you easily get into this dogmatic fundamentalism. The identity politics of the left reproduces the worse sociopathic features of the system as a whole. It’s scary.”

“How much of the left,” he asked, “is reproducing what we are seeing in the society that we’re fighting?”

ALL OF IT, pal.  The entire left is reproducing patriarchy.  Which I, as a leftist woman who is a radical feminist, am fighting.  So how exactly do you, a leftist with a platform, propose this gets fixed?  With women, yet again, agreeing to put our needs on the back burner for you?  That’s worked so fucking well for exactly NO WOMEN, and we aren’t a little teeny siloed group.  We’re half the fucking earth’s population.  I’m not saying every woman is a Radfem, more’s the pity, I’m saying Radical Feminism is the only Leftist Feminism, because sure the fuck “Socialist Feminism” is just third wave feminism with the words “economic justice” and “praxis” thrown in for dramatic effect.

Leftists need to get their shit together.  If Mr. Intersectional Leftist Man Chris Hedges had his shit together, for example, and other Intersectional Leftist Men had their shit together, we wouldn’t be having this conversation, because Intersectional Leftist Men would organize with Radical Feminists, as our backup and labor.  This would go a long way to creating functioning solidarity.

But what these guys actually want is to continue to be in charge and call the shots, and for women to obey them and quit thinking for ourselves.  What else am I to take away from this self-serving shit?

I like Chris Hedges at times, he is capable of brilliant exposition and analysis-- this article is not an example of one of those times.

[willswalkabout]

Ho Chi Minh, El Nido.

I can guarantee this blog will be the hardest to write of my travels. These have been the toughest and most unforgettable 9 days of my trip so far, but not without some great moments thrown in. (On completion I’ve also just done a word count and it’s really long again, sorry, but maybe one to print!)

When I left off last time I had just landed in Ho Chi Minh. It was about 11pm and although I was shattered, I really didn’t want to pay £15 for a taxi, so after some searching I found the 80p bus, which would drop me off 5 minutes from my hostel. On arrival the place seemed closed, though only because the reception desk didn’t function after 10pm. A security guard who spoke zero English met me in the lobby and took my passport in exchange for a key. Other than that he just motioned for me to go up the stairs, with no further direction. Unlike most hostels my bed number had no correlation to the floor number, which led to some confusion before eventually finding my mattress for the next 3 nights.

The next day was to be my touristy day, though it didn’t start till quite late due to tiredness from Thursday’s travel. I walked to the Independence Palace first. Ho Chi Minh’s attractions have odd opening times, as I discovered the palace was not to open till 1pm. It was around 34'C and so I decided to sit outside in the shade for about 40 minutes watching Vietnam’s most crazy city fly by. The palace itself is quite odd. It’s very typical 60s architecture, after its rebuild in 1966, and doesn’t really resemble a palace at all. On top of this it has never been inhabited by a King, and now only functions as a tourist attraction. It did play a pretty symbolic roll however in the “fall of Saigon” something that coincided with America’s evacuation of the country, so was a good reinforcement of my grounding in the events of the war. I find it sort of crazy that it doesn’t make up even a small part of any history course taught in school, despite it being the most monumental post-WW2 ideological war.

After this visit I engaged in culture of a different form, heading to the nearest Starbucks so I could stream Ed Sheeran’s latest album, which had just been released. I have been playing it practically nonstop since, through some incredibly arduous journeys which will be described later in the blog.

I then visited a very old post office, and Ho Chi Minh’s attempt at the Notre Dame, though, as mentioned earlier, odd timings prescribed that this building closed at 4, preventing me from going inside. I went back to the Hostel, which is effectively run solely by travellers who ran out of money and thought they’d chill in Ho Chi Minh for a bit. Although Flipside Hostels is Kiwi owned, the only staff I met were Canadian, British and Vietnamese. My route back to the hostel is actually a mini story in itself, as I had my first and last experience on a ‘Grab MotoTaxi’. Grab is Asian uber, and for 25% of the price you can sit on the back of a driver’s moped (helmet included!). It was more like a thrill ride than a taxi, as my driver swerved through non-existent gaps, and used the pavement as a 'shortcut’ when he got bored of the traffic. At one point during the ride he asked me to rate him 5 stars on the app at the end of the trip, to which I replied that I would do, if we made it that far. Beers at the hostel were cheap, and I spent most of the evening with a Canadian girl, and 2 Norwegian guys, all of which were in my dorm. It is fair to say we were all feeling the effects of the previous night on Saturday morning, but it was to my delight when at about midday a hilarious English guy called Joey, with a helicopter hat (baseball cap with the spinny thing), burst into our room announcing that we were going to a pool party. At this point I will admit that there many more cultural options in the city that I didn’t explore. For example the war museum, or tunnels. On the other hand I liked the people in the hostel, and in the past I thought pool parties only existed in LA, Vegas, or movies set in LA or Vegas, so I went. I would definitely like to return to see more of the city in the future.

It was a good laugh, and a very relaxing way to spend the day, with good food, and some fun conversations with one girl who was half Russian half Swedish, but about to go to University in Spain so she could be fluent in 4 languages by the age of 20. As well as a French man who decided we should try and have a conversation where we could only speak our native languages. This was a stupid idea, albeit with amusing consequences, given I got my French GCSE over 2 and a half years ago, and he was 30 and working in English. It did however give me the smallest of glimpses of how possible it could be to learn a language if you were forced to speak it full time.

I went out again that night with the same guys, and spent much of it playing ¾ rounds of pool with 2 Indian guys while discussing the IPL.

I left Ho Chi Minh the next morning with an English traveler who was heading to Sydney, my next stop being Manila. I hijacked his pre-booked taxi, my 3rd time doing so on this trip, however due to his nerves about missing his flight I did arrive at the airport 3 and a half hours before my own. Something I was prepared to take for the ease and cheapness of getting to the airport. El Nido is impossible to reach from an international destination in less than 2 days realistically, unless you align everything perfectly and don’t take a single rest. It is 7 hours drive north of Puerto Princessa, the island’s only airport, which is an hour and 50 from Manila. Therefore I spent Sunday night in Manila, in a small hotel about 15 minutes from the airport. People generally don’t hang around in Manila, I can’t honestly pass judgement on the claims of dirtiness and roughness, however my hotel’s location was certainly not somewhere you wanted to spend any time. I was able to locate a McDonalds a 10 minute walk away, but that was enough of Manila for me in this case.

The next day I had to leave at about 5 to get my 7am flight. I got a van from Puerto Princessa at 11am, getting me to my El Nido hostel at about 5pm. The bus journey is infamously horrific, not a view I can personally attest to. The road itself is reasonable for South East Asia, and my driver was fast and very friendly. The ticket was 1000 pesos return, about £16. I also managed to persuade a girl that had somehow booked the front seat of the minibus next to the driver, that with long legs in comparison to her stature of no more than 5ft1, my need was greater. I think the driver had in fact invited the woman to that seat, no reservation had been made, and she was quite relieved to move.

To reach my hostel you had to tramp 50m along the beach, to a view I don’t think I would ever get tired of. There are maybe a couple of photos of it on here, but I may have taken close to a hundred. My roommates were Catie and Lucie, recently qualified nurses from Northumbria.

I haven’t planned how to write this next paragraph, but am aware I would like to print this entire blog on its completion as a permanent memory of the adventure. El Nido is somewhere I will never regret visiting, with crystal clear waters, stunning sunsets and perfect weather. There are factors however that take a little away from the paradise, these being next to no internet connection and frequent power cuts. For these reasons notifications come in sporadically and in clumps. On Monday evening I suddenly had missed calls from mum and dad across 3 different platforms. This is a sight that truly does make your heart skip a beat. The connection was not strong enough for us to attempt any of the video calling methods of the last 5 or so weeks, WhatsApp, FaceTime or Google Duo. I slipped in my UK SIM card to the phone and made an international phone call from the beach, where I found out my Granddad, mum’s father, Reginald Flatman had passed away. Reg first got ill around Christmas, and had been in and out of hospital since, with various issues that were increasingly hard to diagnose.

I visited Reg a few days before I set off when he was in high spirits. I discussed my trip with him, and witnessed him as his trademark jovial self, as he laughed at mum’s gardening course exam, where she had somehow managed to hit the pass mark exactly…

Reg was possibly the kindest man I’ve ever known, with hardly a bad word to say about anyone. His only criticisms were directed at the attitude of the Ipswich Town football team, something I always found odd given his total indifference towards competitive sport of any kind. I’ll never forget walking the fields of Zoe and Des’ farm with him and the dog, when I would go down to Suffolk to work in the summer. I also had a memorable conversation with him 18 months ago at the reception of James and Vicky’s wedding, where he was utterly bemused by the 'racket’ coming out of the speaker system during the reception. I was delighted to be able to invite him to our school’s big band concert at Chelmsford cathedral last year.

Reg was a man of simple pleasures who would always refuse as best he could to trouble anyone for anything. We would rarely be able to contain our amusement at dinner, as when Reg was asked “would you like some more food”, he would reply with “that was great thanks”. Nana’s firm toned “Reginald”, uttered when he made a funny face across the table, nudged one of us under it, or tried to steal a roast potato, never failed to make myself or Kate laugh. Reg was to us polo mints, shredded wheat, and a day concluded with cheese and biscuits. Reg never bothered taking life too seriously, a characteristic summed up by a set of four photos in a frame at home, of him and Nana. He is screwing his face up in an effort to make the photographer laugh, in three of the photos. If this was a school photo session with a 10 year old, you would pretend the first 3 didn’t exist and just print the fourth large. The first three however said far more about Granddad than a composed shot ever could.

I will fly back from Melbourne to London on Sunday 19th to be with family for the funeral on Thursday 23rd. Then fly back out on Friday 24th to Auckland, NZ.

So El Nido. The nights are all very boring here as I did not have the energy or desire to go out. On Tuesday I accomplished a goal I’ve had for a long time, to visit a particular beach by the name of Nacpan. There is a particular travel blogger on YouTube by the name of Christian Le Blanc. While I was doing my exam revision last year, Christian was traveling the Philippines, and his trip to this particular beach was one that really drew me to the area. You have to drive 45 minutes north of the main town via scooter to get there. This is 25 minutes of glorious winding road up the coast, before a horrific 20 minutes along an unpaved dirt track to the beach. The reward is one of the largest and most untouched spots along the coast. Fine white sand and beautiful water. However I imagine it is becoming less and less 'secret’ by the month. Even in comparison to the video I saw 8 months ago there are now a few more food and drink stalls, a relatively organised parking scheme, and a far bigger sign from the main road. The one way in which El Nido has developed impressively is in its number of high end restaurants run by Europeans, in order to serve those visiting the town from nearby resorts. This did mean I enjoyed a great pizza that night, with about 10 others from the hostel.

The next day I did the hostel’s combined package of Tour A&C. The El Nido bay is very comparable to Halong Bay in Vietnam, except for more islands with beaches, as well as individual lagoons, in comparison to Halong’s mystical 1969 limestone rocks. At some point the tourist board must of grouped different combinations of the lagoons, beaches, islands, viewpoints etc, into tour A, B, C and D. There are now dozens of outlets selling these tours at prices from 1000-2000 pesos, (£16-£32). In the vast majority of cases you should try not to book tours and other items through your hostel. They will rarely be providing the service themselves, and will therefore be taking a cut simply for making a phone call to one of the companies on the street on your behalf. For example hiring a scooter from the hostel was 700 pesos a day, though I found one in town for 350. Saying all this the hostel ran their own in house tour which was a combination of tour A and C. It was 1700 which was nearer the pricier end, but the advantages were that it left from the hostel’s own beach, and you could do it with people you knew. I did love the experience, the videos of which online were another draw for me visiting the area. I snorkelled and got some decent GoPro footage of a small jellyfish that went on to sting me as I swam away. Taking photos on my phone and proper camera though was a more hap-hazard venture, with the boat being occupied by 16 soaking wet passengers constantly walking up and down around the kit. I also started to wonder if I was really getting the most out of the day, when seeing it partially through a lens. I was never going to get the greatest of photos, for that you’d need a chartered boat where you could specify time in each place. So I put the camera away for the most part of the trip, and enjoyed just sitting on the edge of the boat and taking it all in. Sunburn was the only tarnish on the day.

Thursday started with a torrential storm, which in typical Philippines style concluded with the weather returning to normal service in the space of 5 minutes. Myself, Catie, Lucie and a Swiss guy called Kevin went to do a zip line which was pretty awesome. I’d thought at the start of the day that I would be riding, and so brought my bike helmet with me. This meant rather embarrassingly this was to be my head protection for the experience, complete with visor. I managed to fashion my camera bag shoulder strap into a way of securing my phone to my harness, so I could film and photograph the ride. After this I returned to the hostel to relax a bit before planning to return to Nacpan to try and capture the sunset. This plan in hindsight was rash. Though cloudy, I was overly trusting on one German guy’s words that “his app said the sunset would be good”. It was not, with the clouds concealing nearly the entirety of the sun. I still enjoyed seeing the light shade of pink that took over the bottom third of the horizon, but it was not something I managed to pick up on the camera. What made the decision particularly stupid was that I then had to go back down the entirely unlit gravel path in the dark. I dropped off my scooter in town before meeting the girls for a meal at a traditional Philippino restaurant that had been recommended.

What followed was one of the most uncomfortable nights of my life, something I think I am only now really coming back from 2 and a half days later. Food poisoning hit me bad all night, as it did Lucie also. The plot thickens however, when we both awoke in the morning to find at least 7 others in the hostel had experienced identical symptoms overnight. I could not join up any dots with any of them leading some people to wonder if there was something airborne going around. I don’t think we’ll ever know, but it made Friday’s van journey even more daunting.

As mentioned earlier I had booked a return trip with the company that had brought me up, however the way it seems to work is that nobody drives if their vans are not full. This meant when I arrived at the bus terminal all the other companies that were present were enquiring about my departure time. My theory is that they knew my provider wouldn’t show. So at 1:35, five minutes past my supposed leaving time, a bidding war ensued. I was eventually bundled onto someone’s minibus. I can only assume after they took photos of my ticket, that they will get a refund off my people. This was not the main frustration of the journey unfortunately. The driver still had 4 free seats, and so he transformed into a hop on - hop off service for the whole island. This meant stopping for every random person on the side of the street, negotiating a price for their destination before letting them on. We must have made around 15 stops, something my stomach was not pleased with. 6 hours later we had arrived at Puerto Princessa airport. Advice I am giving myself for the future is not to book the cheapest hotel for short 1 night stopovers. This decision on Friday night involved a 20 minute tuk tuk ride to an area I was advised “not to walk at night”. The only pleasant anecdote in this experience was the fact my driver’s sister was a nurse in Ipswich, probably at the hospital granddad was receiving such good care. It was an incredibly odd and heartwarming meeting, as the driver spoke enthusiastically about his new brother in law, who runs a barber shop on the Woodbridge road. My room itself would be more accurately described as a cell. The bed was like a roll mat, and my troubles were furthered in the morning, when the building “ran out of power”. This was an impressive feat in itself as I was the only occupant in the entire 12 room hotel. I’ve got no idea how it copes with more than 5 customers… The power cut meant I woke up with no air con and no running water. I think I may have left without paying but the owner was so confused and I was so angry at the whole situation, I think the 600 pesos might remain in my pocket.

The next day I took a flight to Manila, then another to Kuala Lumpur. I’m writing this from the final couple of hours on what’s been a pretty grim overnight flight into Melbourne. I think when flying west-east you’re supposed to sleep, something I’ve completely failed to do.

I have a 2 hour domestic to Sydney and then the 47 hours from El Nido are complete. I think I have 14 hours to Abu Dhabi and then another 8 home next Sunday, so will try and summarise my week in Australia then.

Till the next time.

[asfeedin]

Six Conservation Photographers Share What the Environment Means to Them

Celebrating Earth Day – and its 50th anniversary – against the backdrop of COVID-19 is something we’ll likely remember for quite some time.

Earth Day was established in the 1970s during the infancy of the modern environmental movement, and since then there’s no doubt that we’ve made great strides in our understanding of the needs of our planet. (Though, sadly far fewer strides when it comes to our long term progress on many of the movement’s most important issues.)

Eco-activism continues to become more mainstream, which surely is a positive step. Regardless of whether you’re making the transition to metal straws, demanding your elected officials take on the powerful fossil fuel industry, donating to organizations like the Environmental Defense Fund, dabbling in vegetarian or veganism, or just remembering to bring your own bags when you grocery shop, we admire and encourage your efforts.

But what will our planet and the movement look like in the next 10, 20 and 50 years? Without question, our future will be affected by the way in which we tell these stories photographically.

“Messaging is key, a mindset change is paramount. Imagery, instantaneously, will transcend boundaries of gender, age, culture and language, far greater than possible with the written word. Powerful images send those messages deeper into societies,” conservation photographer Pete Oxford tells us.

Photographers have a key role to play in this storytelling, regardless of whether the images center around raising awareness for threatened wildlife due to deforestation, documenting urban sprawl or covering climate change in some of the world’s most remote locations.

Today, we’re celebrating by sharing what six incredible photographers and members of the International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP) have to say about the importance of conservation photography on this pivotal Earth Day anniversary. 

Cover image by Karine Aigner.

Gerrit Vyn

The deeper knowledge you have of the natural world, how it works, and what it is supposed to look like from place to place, the clearer it becomes what a mess everything is. It is one of the great paradoxes of becoming acquainted more intimately with nature — you realize this thing that brings you great joy and fascination is deeply suffering. I can’t ever go back to joyfully chasing butterflies through a meadow and thinking the world is perfect; I see that the things I love are under massive assault from all directions and it is deeply distressing to me. Sometimes I wish I could stick my head in the sand and just enjoy what there is, but it is only natural to me that my focus changed over the years from simply enjoying nature to documenting environmental issues and wildlife through photography and film to speak up for what I love – to open other people’s eyes to what is happening all around us.

Endangered Greater Adjutant stork with a plastic bag at Boragaon Landfill. Assam, India. Photo by Gerrit Vyn.

Clay Bolt

My subject matter is often comprised of insects and other species that are often being lost before people have even had an opportunity to know that they exist. These animals are incredibly important to our world, and yet, if no one is aware of them, how can we ever expect to conserve them? It is my hope that my photos make the world a little more beautiful and wilder for viewers. I believe that if someone can see the beauty of a bee or a spider in my images, the next time that they are in their own backyard, or traveling, they’ll pay a little closer attention to the world around them. Ultimately, it is my hope that this awareness will lead to efforts to take better care of the natural world.

Metallic green sweat bees are gorgeous little insects about the size of a grain of rice. Various species are found throughout North America, where they can be found visiting flowers from mid to late summer. I photographed this particular bee on a humid summer afternoon in South Carolina as it visited a wildflower called black-eyed susan. I often use this species as the poster child of under appreciated insects in our garden. Photo by Clay Bolt.

Pete Oxford 

There are precious few people in the world who have a deep understanding or passion for wildlife, wildness and wilderness. As populations grow, pressures on wildlife increase, leaving the few with more and more urgent work. Messaging is key, a mindset change is paramount. Imagery, instantaneously, will transcend boundaries of gender, age, culture and language, far greater than possible with the written word. Powerful images send those messages deeper into societies. It is time to unite as warriors for the causes of natural degradation. If we each work locally, as much as globally we are far enough flung on the world stage to make a holistic difference. Earth Day is the perfect stage on which to unite.

A local fisherman enjoys swimming with a whale shark as it circles his fishing platform looking for tidbits, Cenderwasih Bay, West Papua, Indonesia. The locals actually revere the whale sharks believing them to be the harbingers of good luck. For many years they have been offering them small quantities of fish. Tourism is just beginning to realize the incredible whale shark experience here and is willing to pay the local fishermen for their help. In Indonesia, the world’s largest shark-finning nation this is a good outcome for the sharks. Photo by Pete Oxford.

Garth Lenz

I think it is critically important that people see and appreciate what we are at risk of losing and to witness the full impact of the kind of devastation and resulting impacts that threaten our planet. Photography has a unique ability to cut through the mind numbing statistics and endless arguments and communicate in a way which allows the viewer to truly experience the issues in a non-polarizing way in order to come to their own personal understanding and truth.

Alberta Tar Sands, Northern Alberta. Highway 63, dubbed the Highway to Hell by locals, cuts through the world’s biggest energy project and possibly the most environmentally damaging mega-project the Earth has ever seen. In the far north of Alberta, the frigid weather of an evening in March accentuated the greenhouse gasses and toxic pollutants spewing from this upgrader against the constant traffic of the tens of thousands of migrant workers and the magenta hue of the late evening light. I set up my tripod and used a 300 mm lens with a 1.4 extender to compress the scene. As I shot many frames as the sun sank and the temperature plunged I was (predictably) visited by one of the oil companies’ security teams and told I was not allowed to photograph. As I was on public land and beyond the border of their operations I informed them that I was beyond the line where their rules applied if I was breaking any Canadian laws they were welcome to report me to the police. Photo by Garth Lenz.

Karine Aigner

These are all massive idea concepts that are too big for most to connect with in a personal way, which makes it very easy for them to ignore. Much of the population is disconnected from nature—most can’t identify a blue jay in their backyard. My experience with animals is, that when people have a ‘moment’ with a species or a landscape–an experience–they begin to care about it; they want to know more, they want to learn. It comes down to what we know; it’s simple: we will not fight to save something that we know nothing about, that we have no connection to.

For me, telling stories about species, or individual beings, is a way to get people to understand the bigger picture. If I can engage an audience to be interested in, for example, a harpy eagle, because I show its beauty, its natural history, its offspring; I use my personal stories of wonder, and share my unique experiences with the species—if I can engage someone personally, I can hook them, and then feed them more information, which helps the person makes larger connections to big things like deforestation, to conservation, to climate change.

Then, it’s broken down a bit for them, and those concepts become more personal, and as a result, individuals are able to better understand how they play a role in those concepts. But, first, the audience first needs a connection. For me, the images are the bridge to the connection.

I’ve always loved the small critters, the ones we never get to see. This is a crested gecko or eyelash gecko (Correlophus ciliatus) — it is a species of gecko native to southern New Caledonia—and unfortunately as one of the largest gecko species in the world, a coveted pet trade commodity. This species was thought extinct until it was rediscovered in 1994 during an expedition led by Robert Seipp. This gecko belongs to an acquaintance, so I offered to photograph it. I’m always so impressed at how these creatures have evolved, and how they are better designed than anything humans could ever put together. Nature is incredible if we just pay attention. Every detail on this creature has a function. Photo by Karine Aigner.

Jaime Rojo

The world is becoming smaller and a myriad of photographers travel regularly to remote locations, bringing back nature and wildlife images and flooding the internet with them. It can be a bit overwhelming, and our brains are becoming numb. It gets to a point that sharing these images feels meaningless. But again, I think the topics we choose, the way we tell our stories with images, and what we do with those images becomes more important than ever if we are to create awareness in the audience and foster a change in our relationship with the natural world.

Monarch Butterflies in wintering sanctuaries in Mexico. I have worked with Monarch Butterflies for over a decade now and they are one of the most symbolic species in my career as a photographer, almost like my totem animal. They play an essential role as environmental indicators of the health of the ecosystems across North America and their migration is seriously jeopardized by the way we produce our food and by climate change. This image means a lot to me because it is the first one that I published as a professional photographer. Photo by Jaime Rojo.

More info about iLCP’s mission and plans for Earth Day 2020

“Our mission is to support environmental and cultural conservation through ethical photography and filmmaking. We are made up of over 100 of the world’s best conservation photographers and filmmakers who harness the power of storytelling to act as a catalyst for conservation. 

In 2020, we are celebrating the 15th anniversary of iLCP and it is incredible to look back on how much the organization has grown and what we have accomplished. We are using this anniversary as a way to affirm what storytelling and collaboration can do and to inspire us to move forward, invigorated to tackle new projects and work towards conservation goals,” Brooke McDonough, iLCP’s Development and Communications Manager, tells us. 

Now, we want to hear from you. How are you celebrating Earth Day 2020? What power do photographers have in telling environmental stories? Tell us in the comments below or tweet @photoshelter.

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[cryptoga-blog]

SPECTRE Creators Seek VC Backing for Blockchain-Free Cryptocurrency

http://www.cryptoga.com/news/spectre-creators-seek-vc-backing-for-blockchain-free-cryptocurrency/

SPECTRE Creators Seek VC Backing for Blockchain-Free Cryptocurrency

A veteran researcher guiding two influential papers in the emerging field of crypto-economics is gearing up to launch a new cryptocurrency.

Unveiled in an distinctive interview with CoinDesk, Yonatan Sompolinsky, creator of the GHOST protocol and co-creator of the SPECTRE protocol, intends to launch the as-still unnamed undertaking in late 2018. Based mostly on his system of perform, the undertaking aims to address one of the industry’s major difficulties: the pace at which transactions are disseminated and recorded by distributed ledger units.

Founders of the undertaking involve SPECTRE co-author Yoad Lewenberg, and researcher Ethan Hileman, who labored with the group guiding bitcoin privateness project TumbleBit. However, the group is not only outfitted with developers, but also small business authorities – such as Man Corem, the former CEO of Israeli-based mostly bitcoin mining company Spondoolies-Tech, which lifted a lot more than $12 million in undertaking funding prior to shuttering functions.

Jointly, the group has founded a new startup named DAGlabs, which is claimed to be raising $15 million as section of a Series A round.

Still, it is the vision for the undertaking that is probably most notable, given how it intends to reach its intention.

Instead than employing a blockchain program, the community cryptocurrency will be among the the very first to operate via a program named a direct acyclic graph (DAG) – technological innovation that Sompolinsky framed as a way to ultimately build a viable payments rail with distributed ledger ideas.

Sompolinsky told CoinDesk:

“We want to transform blockchain into blockDAG. Regardless of whether you acquire cash or not, you ought to assume about this technological innovation as the upcoming stage, releasing the blockchain from the naivety of the chain construction. You will sense this is the all-natural stage towards employing a actual program.”

For all the innovation, on the other hand, also notable is what the new cryptocurrency will share with bitcoin, currently the major and most valuable blockchain program, but one that is witnessed as ever more fewer applicable for payments.

According to the DAGlabs group, the new cryptocurrency will use a proof-of-perform mining algorithm in which everyone who purchases components can contend for its rewards. That claimed, Sompolinsky won’t see bitcoin and other proof-of-perform-based mostly cryptocurrencies as opponents, so to discuss.

“I am not competing with this complete plethora of new blockchains. We have a extremely boutique and niche and particular one and a well-outlined one. We want to scale up layer one,” he claimed.

History of science

As told by Sompolinsky, the undertaking is also a critique on the current state of blockchain development, which he views as having been held back again by in-battling.

In particular, he cited his knowledge with arguments about capability concentrations on bitcoin, in which developers have frequently attempted to press solutions to scalability in a way that did not transform or update the very first layer of the program – the blockchain by itself. Referring to last year’s Satoshi Roundtable summit, an invite-only celebration in Cancun, Mexico, he recalled an knowledge where he was shocked by the state of the conversation.

“Cancun was an eye-opener for me. In Cancun, everybody was battling about 1 MB to 2 MB … no one was talking about rising on-chain scalability,” he claimed.

Sompolinsky framed the new cryptocurrency as a “car” to empower scientists to just take the upcoming stage in evaluating this line of exploration, one he argued will reward from being tested less than open up marketplace conditions.

But given the slate of open up-supply assignments making use of the first coin presenting (ICO) product as a way to solicit marketplace funding, frequently for untested ideas, he was also eager to differentiate his undertaking as one based mostly on several years of accrued investigate.

“There are not 800 assignments that implement a notion like DAG. Pretty, extremely handful of, possibly fewer than five that I know of, consider to scale up the layer one. There are not 800 assignments that say we ought to abandon the notion of the chain in a favor of a graph of blocks,” he claimed.

Among the those people that do are IOTA and bytecoin, the former being one of the handful of cryptocurrencies still to garner a whole marketplace capitalization of a lot more than $1 billion.

When comprehensive, the remaining network should enchantment to everyone who desires to use a cryptocurrency with “extremely quickly confirmation and reduced costs,” though that is not to say the notion has been perfected. According to Sompolinsky, there are still loads of items up for discussion.

For case in point, he is still open up-minded about how he will construction any issuance, stating he is most strongly considering the product employed by Zcash Corporation – the creators of the zcash protocol – whereby accredited investors are given tokens in phases for their aid.

How it works

Still, even those people professional in the field of cryptocurrency may perhaps come across the notion odd. After all, just after the hype all around cryptocurrency pale, the so-named “underlying blockchain technological innovation” was frequently touted as the actual magic formula sauce.

That notable scientists would stake a counter-thesis then, is of fascination, nevertheless it is arguably been a development that has basically received fewer interest in excess of the several years.

Explored by Sompolinsky given that his earliest perform, the notion is that the method of buying transactions into blocks, then picking one to incorporate to the chain, could be greater optimized. In the SPECTRE notion, blocks are made at the rate of about 10 for each second (as opposed to, say, ethereum where one block is made every single 12 seconds). All of these blocks are referenced in a DAG, and multiple, interwoven threads of blocks are made. Then, the most legitimate transaction historical past is “voted” in by miners picking the most inter-referential block graph.

And because this permits for this sort of a higher quantity of transactions to be done on the community, the transaction historical past will never be completely saved. As an alternative, transaction historical past will only be saved for a constrained total of time, and at the time it has been validated, will be eliminated.

Other limitations, such as spine congestions and bandwidth, could lie forward, nevertheless. The group intends to tackle these potential troubles by developing incentives into the protocol that persuade participating agents to behave the right way.

Still, if the notion on the entire sounds familiar, you’ve probably come across it when studying about ethereum, which integrated some of these concepts in how it rewards so-named “uncle blocks” – those people that are not chosen for inclusion in the ethereum blockchain, but still involve beneficial perform.

Despite the fact that uncles aren’t deemed ultimately legitimate, they’re still financially rewarding to mine, and still get referenced in the blockchain ledger by itself.

In truth, what could possibly be most notable about the SPECTRE undertaking is that Sompolinsky’s concepts have frequently proved to be of influence. For case in point, Casper, ethereum’s hotly debated proof-of-stake protocol, derives its title from the GHOST protocol (a engage in on the “Casper the Pleasant Ghost” cartoon series).

What’s left

Although the bones of the undertaking are in spot, there is still a handful of thoughts that have to have to be fleshed out prior to the cryptocurrency can be taken to marketplace.

Currently less than development, the remaining protocol will be introduced in an future white paper named SPECTRE2. The tech will then begin tests in autumn upcoming year, and by wintertime, the new cryptocurrency will be launched. Ongoing updates will then carry on apace.

For one, DAGlabs has been performing on combining the SPECTRE cryptocurrency with MimbleWimble, the natively non-public cryptocurrency that has been the cause of a great deal excitement in the group. Further down the line, the platform also desires to enable DAG-based mostly clever contracts to be composed into the platform.

But the remaining stage that DAGlabs is pivoting towards is probably as formidable as the cryptocurrency by itself. As soon as the group has founded a functioning cryptocurrency, they intend to enable the DAG infrastructure to facilitate a little something alongside the lines of “merged mining,” which is when the underlying components can be employed to aid a variety of cryptocurrencies simultaneously.

Still, it is the manner in which Sompolinsky will launch the undertaking that he ultimately desires to phone interest to – calling the several years of investigate and engagement with the open up-supply group, a “respectable” route to marketplace.

He concluded:

“The easy route for me was to do an ICO way less complicated than what I am accomplishing now. I am going for the a lot more respectable route of an fairness.”

Disclosure: CoinDesk is a subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which has an ownership stake in Zcash Corporation, the for-financial gain entity that develops the zcash protocol.

Frightening balloons image via Shutterstock

The leader in blockchain information, CoinDesk is an impartial media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic criteria and abides by a demanding set of editorial insurance policies. Fascinated in presenting your skills or insights to our reporting? Call us at information@coindesk.com.

[buy-saree-blog]

Saree

Saree is the traditional attire of the Indian lady. It is simple, delightful and flawless. On the off chance that you are careful with a great gathering of handloom sarees, look at the collection of Crafted in India sarees on Stylizone. Made in India introduces an extensive variety of handloom saree reserved for the lady of today. You can choose from various combinations like Kanjeevaram Silk, Chanderi silk, Kosa silk, Mysore silk, Beanarasi silk and cotton, Coimbatore silk and cotton, Mangalgiri cotton, Kadavu cotton, Madurai cotton, Sambalpuri cotton, Bandhani, Phulkari and some more.

 In the event that you are searching for reliable Indian meticulous work coming straight from the ace wearers and craftsman from everywhere throughout the country, at that point look for Crafted in India items online on Stylizone. From Banarasi to Kanjeevaram sarees, Rajasthani juttis to Punjabi mojaris and Kundan decorations to Hyderabadi pearls, here you will discover everything at the best inexpensive costs. These exceptional Indian ethnic wear and extras are synonymous with elegance, polish, style, and class. Examine, pick, association and purchase, ideal from the solace of your home online on Stylizone.

Sarees are woven with one plain end (the end that is disguised inside the wrap), two long embellishing fringes running the length of the sari, and a one to the three-foot area at the flip side which proceeds and explains the length-wise design. This end is known as the pallu; it is the part pitched over the joint in the native style of hanging.

 In past situations, saris were woven of silk or cotton. The rich could manage the cost of finely woven, genuine silk saris that, as indicated by headings, could be gone through a finger ring. The poor wore coarsely woven cotton saris. All saris were hand woven and spoken to an enlarged notion of time or cash.

 Basic hand-woven villagers' saris are regularly enriched with registers or bands woven with the material. Reasonable saris were likewise adorned with square printing utilizing cut wood pieces and legume colors, or tie-coloring referred to in India as bandhani work.

 More costly saris had increased geometric, flower, or non-literal decorations or brocades made on the linger, as a feature of the texture. In some cases twist and weft strings were splash-colored and after woven, making ikat designs. Now and again orders of various hues were woven into the base texture in designs; an ornamented fringe, an expound pallu, and frequently, little-rehashed highlights in the material itself. These pronunciations are called buttis or bhuttis (spellings fluctuate). For favor saris, these examples could be woven with gold or silver line, which is called zari work.

 Here and there the saris were additionally enriched, subsequent to weaving, with different sorts of weaving. Resham work is weaving finished with the shaded silk string. Zardozi weaving utilizes gold and silver string, and now and again pearls and valuable stones. Modest present day arrangements of zardozi appropriate engineered mineral string and impersonation stones, for example, counterfeit pearls and Swarovski gems.

 In present day times, saris are progressively woven on mechanical weaving machines made of manufactured strands, for example, polyester, nylon, or rayon, which don't require starching or pressing. They are printed by machine or woven in outspoken examples made with drifts over the back of the sari. This can make an intricate presentation on the front while looking horrible on the back. The punch work is imitated with reasonable machine-influenced tuft to trim.

Different Types of Sarees:

Although of whether as a stake of culture or outside-culture, sarees have dependable taken ladies her most heavenly engaging nature. Many elements are in charge of this refreshing creation; pallu with a free stream, underskirt for the ideal casing, pull over plan for that chic interest, low or high swinging around the navel according to the event or mindset or your style information. Sarees for ladies have dependably been a riddle. There is a wide exhibit of textures which likewise contribute distinctive angles identified with style, solace and look to the wearer that one can't this factor while purchasing a saree. In view of different strategies and materials, here is the arranged type of a wide range of sarees with nitty rough facts one must know.

 Common people as well as understand a large part in making the significance of conventional sarees. Simply observe any Bollywood motion picture and you will observe the use of various styles of sarees there. From utilizing neon hued sarees to saree outfit at any enhanced affair and celebration occasions, Bollywood actors simply love to venerate their bends with cheeky fashioner sarees. Supposed architects, for example, Sabyasachi Mukherji, Rohit Bal, Manish Malhotra, Tarun Tahiliani, Rina Dhaka, Ritu Beri, Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla and various more do their work superlatively best to make the divas honorable one. From complex tailoring of multi-textures, extra materials like bands or dabs or stones over these screens, each and everything is made or added to make these sarees grand one. What's more, they are! Is it accurate to say that it isn't? Indeed, even a plain saree on a lady execute observable distinction to her. Classical adornments or stones or completing extras are only there as 'Malankara'. So hold your magnificence well with best of sarees for ladies accessible at Stylizone rich enthusiasm in creator works and plain sarees. Let's make up for lost time one occasion by wearing a lovely saree and simply complete cosmetics and adornments and get gobs of accolades from all over the place.

 Silk Sarees: 

•    Among ladies who love to look fresh, silk sarees are a completely standard. From the nation over, you will discover the distinctive combination of these real Indian pieces. They conflict in plans with everyone celebrating uniqueness perfectly. You will locate the best of all on Stylizone. It is not an obscure truth that the characters and most Imperial yet requested type of sarees is silk sarees. These sarees show brilliant and glossy surface. Silk sarees have even unique frame too, for example, cotton silk sarees, Assamese silk sarees, jute silk, tusaar silk sarees but then various more to be enrolled. Taken as an image of sovereignty and high-class culture, silk sarees are worn amid the unique events of like relational unions, significantly in South India, Eastern India, and South-East India. Between the majority of its sports, Banarasi silk sarees and Bhagalpuri silk sarees are the most generous pieces that are adored by everybody and taken as supreme wearing as wedding sarees.   

Georgette Sarees: 

•    For something tiny and rich, you ought to definitely go for georgette sarees. They are ideal for a summery look. They are certainly the most common ones among ladies who love to go desi as and when they like.  Because of its plush character, georgette sarees have a simple stream and are designated best in summers. These sarees have a bouncy appearance and don't wrinkle like ladies sarees normally do. In this way dealing with these sarees is a bit easier than any other person. Add more wonder to its outline by blending it with adjusting bangles, studs, and neck piece. Bear in mind to include some innovativeness the pullover. 

Cotton Sarees: 

•    Among urban ladies, are a colossal hit. You will discover charming prints, examples, and hues in these. The best ones are the khaki ones. They are unpolished and delicious and are ideal for regular wear.  Indian sarees online have a made a massive fury between all fashionistas in light of the fact that they exhibit random weaving and perfect planning. Celebrated internationally as the most skin inviting and pleasing texture, cotton sarees are selected by lion's share of ladies in India. Indeed, even the fledglings or western ladies additionally request this sort of saree. Other than having a distorted deceive, cotton sarees have heaps of points of interest and highlights. They wick away sweat, pleasant to wear throughout the day and don't disappear like some other completed saree generally does. They are the best easygoing and also formal wear. You can club them with a straightforward match of lettered calfskin shoes with negligible gems. Purchase cotton sarees online at Stylizone.com. 

Chiffon Sarees: 

•    Chiffon sarees are exclusively aesthetic and can be consumed for regular and also for different events. They are sheer and are accessible in a range of various prints, examples, and colors now. Best of all, they are light-weight.  As a weave, chiffon is a light in weight, agreeable and fine texture and along these lines generally, as the ideal night wears. Chiffon saree sticks superior to others and along these lines extraordinary for a slimmer appearance. They remain smooth on the surface and offer 24*7 comfortable feeling. On the off chance that you have a rage for sarees, at that point shop online sarees to profit the best assortment ever. Sarees online buy has never been so natural however Stylizone has made it so natural and productive that each fashionable and savvy lady simply return here to look for their ethnic closet. 

Lehenga Sarees: 

In these form insane mass, lehenga sarees are perky in drift. They are essentially the amalgamation of sarees in a style of lehengas. The pallu is not expressly made as in one piece like saree yet are worn as an expansion. The creases are accumulated and sewed at the vertically descending position from the waistline. When somebody is having any trouble to deal with making creases and tuck-ins of sarees, can have affectionately resided on lehenga sarees. Taken as a lavish piece which is significantly worn in weddings, these marriage sarees are additionally ideal for Imperial devour solicitations. Wear them with Kundan adornments and open toe heels. 

Pashmina Silk Sarees: 

As each stylish beloved realizes that Pashmina silk is the inconstant creation of Indian state, Kashmir, the items started from this extraordinary silk is requested around the world. Pashmina silk saree is unnoticeable in a show and has a smooth surface. Indeed, even they are so smooth and brag of fineness that Pashmina silk sarees can be gone through a little finger ring. They can be worn in amiable of unique occasions. Purchase architect sarees from here which typically give the warm feel and in this practice are comfortable amid winters too. One can purchase online sarees at Stylizone.com with different patterns and appealing offers. 

Net Sarees: 

It would appear that trim, however, got another symbol, net textures have topped the review in B-town. The further smooth touch and express solace capacity make this organization an appealing one. Net sarees are for the most part worn by form darling ladies around the nation who love to parade their identity in an exceptional way. They are called as an enduring most loved of ladies. Net sarees are directing as the wedding sarees online which are picked by ladies of various ages. 

Saree Gown: 

Present day ladies comprehend the sentiment hanging saree better and henceforth come to this modernized bend to the conventional saree which is even enhanced at a global level. Get this wonderful ethnic wear creation which presents a phenomenal blend of saree and western outfit. Break the generalizations of wearing a 9 or 6-yard saree with such a large number of disarrays. Saree outfit is an ideal choice for every one of the novices and ethnic sweethearts who long little turn in their design. Accompany sheer joy of looks and solace, the contemporary outlines of sarees will bring you gobs of appeal and magnificence. They are the beautiful belonging for exceptional gatherings, office parties, engagement, wedding functions and mixed drink parties. Visit Stylizone to investigate the animated originator sarees online deal under a reasonable range and rebates. 

Saree outfit is accessible in different styles and work designs. They can be as outspoken as any printed saree or western maxi and as imperial as weaved saree or originator lehengas. They additionally accompany sequins and another sort of craft works. 

Velvet Sarees: 

An unbelievable pick for winters, velvet is the best texture to keep you up in winters and adequately warm to destroy your skin. Velvet sarees are found in vivacious architect designs and created with extraordinary sorts of textures, and materials. Catch out the genuine substance of ethnic square while going by Stylizone.com get whorl of velvet sarees under a moderate range. These sarees come in vivacious hues and are made into sumptuous magnum opuses, prepared to get delivered at your doorstep. 

Marriage Sarees Or Wedding Sarees: 

No compelling reason to state additional or shallow things to this group since we as a whole know how much imperative they are. Marriage sarees or wedding related sarees are made with much care and legal ramifications. What's more, everybody needs to make the minute a noteworthy one thus endeavor to achieve their fantasies by requesting a beguiling customary dress. Get ceremony wedding sarees with value runs that are to a great degree moderate here. We comprehend you and your need and consequently provide food a huge sea of amazing and weaved wedding wraps that are worth of million extols. Minded to weave these works of art in many first rate textures, for example, georgette, chiffon, net, cotton, craftsmanship silk, silk, poly silk, glossy silk, jacquard, lycra, cotton silk, brasso, Banarasi silk, gooey, velvet, Bhagalpuri silk, Bemberg, chanderi silk and so forth, these excellent sarees web based shopping are made to satisfy your eyes and skin. 

Weaved Sarees: 

Sarees are the center piece of each Indian ethnic press and along these lines, one can witness Indian ladies wearing saree at all over. From shopping centers to any easygoing talk stop – CCD, ladies simply love to wear these seasoned numbers. What's more, weaved sarees are recently overwhelming staples which enrich ladies with ethereal elegance and appeal. The sensitive weaves in these online sarees just grandstand the fragile excellence of ladies. Wear them with your best of precious stone and pearl. 

By Style 

Bandhani Sarees: 

•    There is a lovely scope of Bandhani sarees that you can examine from. They are created out of the common tie and color cover and arrive in a pleasant scope of values and drawings to give you a completely true look. 

Printed Sarees: 

•    To get a lively Indian look, printed sarees are recently the best. You will locate a refreshing scope of hues and prints in these. On Stylizone, you will create popular agricultural, paisley, water shading, tropical, dynamic and in addition automated prints. 

Mixed drink or Party Wear Sarees: 

•    To get a sound search for a mixed drink effort, you ought to have an amount of cheeky. 

Party wear sarees: 

On Stylizone you will locate an extraordinary range regarding hues, pictures, and examples. You should simply arrange them up with your architect shirts also, look absolute. 

Lehenga Sarees: 

•    For ladies who love to wear an intricate sequence clothing for festivities, lehenga sarees are recently the best. Various VIPs have demonstrated them in the past and they are totally stylish. They arrive in a scope of delightful hues and manufactured styles and they are ideal for the lovely wedding look. 

Favor Sarees: 

•    For women who love to look nervous in the desi look, favor sarees are newly the best. They mix in one of a kind frames that are ideal for high road Indian look. You will discover some absolutely delicious values and elite prints to give you a totally 'appear' look. 

Instructions to Wear a Saree: 

1.    Even, however, sarees are a necessary Indian clothing, ladies do require a few hints to wear a saree. Since there are numerous entrances to clothe a saree, fledglings may get frustrated. When you purchase your most loved bits of this excellent Indian clothing, you might want to know how to exhaust a saree. All things considered, we have you secured. Take after these exemplary steps. 

2.    Start with the fundamentals. Wear a coordinating sheet or bustle. You can likewise go for a differentiating underskirt. To ensure you get the absolute fall, go for an A-line slip. At that point wear a shirt that you have served your saree. The pullover and the clothes make the skeletal of your saree equipment. You ought to likewise wear bottom remaining areas to ensure your saree falls on a prerogative length. 

3.    Take the higher edge of the saree and tuck it conveniently in your clothes from the correct side of your depression. Wrap around the saree till you create one circle. Shield the end with a well-being pin. 

4.    How to make the ridges of a saree is the honest employment. You can make peats running from 6 to 12. Keep them off 4-6 inch broad. You can join the wrinkles legitimately with a safety pin. 

5.    Take the rest of the part of the saree towards your joint to make a pallu of your saree. There are unique sorts of pallu of a saree. You can both convert to front or from front to back, you can either leave it falling or your arm or tuck it up on your joint with a self-locking pin. 

You now have a perfect and agile saree look prepared! 

Look at the Largest Range of Ethnic Wear on Stylizone.com 

Stylizone.com is definitely the center point of in vogue ethnic wear. Besides the most wonderful sarees, Stylizone additionally allows a scope of the most lovely salwar suits. Stylizone has a lovely range of Punjabi suits that arrive in a scope of various shades and styles. There is likewise an ambitious gathering of Anarkali suits that you can purchase on Stylizone.com. You will likewise discover Paisley of the most tasteful kurtas, architect kurtas, and Kurtis on Stylizone. On the off chance that you need to look unbelievable on weddings, look at the tasteful lehenga accumulation on Stylizone. To save cash on the most delicious Indian and also western wear, get incredible arrangements on your bargains. 

On the off chance that you need to review from the most wonderful range, investigate and purchase saris online on Stylizone.com. We have the most recent and the most fantastic collection arranged for you.

Buy Now: Saree

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Culture: 20 Years Later

http://www.twenty.si/first-20-years/overview/before-and-now/culture/ Majda Širca Ravnikar. November 2011.

The reason why culture features prominently in the national identity of Slovenes (after all, Slovenia declared its National Culture Day a public holiday and selected a poem of its greatest poet, Dr. France Prešeren, as its national anthem) is mainly due to the fact that Slovenes may quite possibly perceive culture in a broader sense than other nations: culture helped pave the way toward Slovenia’s independence and resistance within foreign economic and political systems, and at the same time served as a firm basis for the spiritual and material progress of the country’s inhabitants.

The position of Slovenian culture is specific, to say the least. In larger European nations, culture developed together with the nation’s political and economic power, and partially fed off this power. However, with Slovenes it has been the focus from the very beginning – the nation originated from its culture. More importantly, the Slovenian national identity has also manifested itself through culture after their independence, when the country built real political power − which it had been unable to develop previously due to historical limitations.

Slovenian national identity has also manifested itself through culture after the independence Twenty years ago, when Slovenia left the federation of multi-national republics, it seemed that the loss of the broad Yugoslav frame of reference would drive the nation into isolation, or force it to adapt to the globalisation trends and matrices of the European Community to which it had just been admitted. However, the “cut” never came, for a variety of reasons: the idea and process of independence grew and developed, ripened and matured with strong backing from intellectuals, creative minds, writers, and alternative movements, all of whom promoted a different social reality before the formal separation began. Besides this, culture found a sound basis in being a dynamic, provocative, and unrelenting spiritual force, as well as in its close connections to the language and words. This basis saved Slovenia from becoming an inert, introvert, and lethargic society.

Slovenian language equal to other EU languages Accession to the EU did not only change Slovenia's horizons, but also the foundations for principal discussion on the development of institutionalised and non-institutionalised forms of cultural activities. It is true that these foundations were not new to us, since Slovenia has been – thanks also to its geographic location – a constituent part of the Central European and Mediterranean cultural space. Still, after accession Slovenia started paying more attention to its language, partly because it has become a public language equal to other EU languages, and partly because we saw that it was potentially endangered due to the low number of its native speakers. We have become even more determined to protect it.. Small nations are always more vulnerable than their larger counterparts, or nations with a long tradition of democracy. On the other hand, Slovenia boasts an enviable tradition of social cohesion and liberal values. After all, the Yugoslav Constitution was among the first to recognize the right to free choice with regard to the birth of children and the right to equal treatment of marriage and common-law marriage, and has placed culture high among its priorities.

Striving to maintain a stable culture budget Slovenia's small size – seen from the point of limited critical mass and economic potential – is definitely an important factor in determining the cultural beat of the country, but it is also an opportunity. On the one hand, it is harder to market cultural goods in a small country, but on the other, it forces us to look to foreign markets with more determination and strive to maintain a stable culture budget. Although Slovenia’s culture funding is below the European recommendation of 3 per cent of the state’s budget, artistic practices are engaged in, or accepted, by a huge percentage of Slovenia’s population, which is not limited to the elite but rather includes amateur art lovers and alternative (non-institutionalised) groups. Interestingly, during the recession years Slovenia’s culture budget has been at its highest; the country did not close any of its cultural institutions – on the contrary, it has expanded them – and, most importantly, the ties between the country’s creative resources and other sectors (e.g. economy, science, foreign affairs) have intensified and strengthened.

More than 4,000 book titles every year Anyone who has visited Slovenia will tell you, without doubt, that the country has everything the big ones do. Even more, a closer look at Slovenia's libraries, which are not only abundant in the capital but have spread across the entire country in a network of daring architectural solutions, shows that Slovenes are indeed an outstanding, book-loving nation. Further proof of this was provided last year when Ljubljana was proclaimed the World Book Capital of 2010. Slovenia’s capital was the 10th city to hold the title. More importantly, it was awarded the title by the UNESCO General Conference in the year when Slovenia celebrated the 500th anniversary of the birth of Primož Trubar, the author of the first book published in Slovene and the founder of Slovenian literary language. Slovenia prides itself on the fact that it publishes more than 4,000 book titles every year and ranks near the top in the number of published books per number of inhabitants, second only to Finland and Iceland. With over 1,800 publishers and 18 book festivals, two of them – Vilenica and Medana – international, there is no need to fear the future.

Numerous museums all around the country These days, a new Museum of Contemporary Art is opening its door in Ljubljana. The Museum will expand the range of possibilities to present contemporary visual arts practices in the so-called “museum quarter,” in particular through the Arteast 2000+ exhibition. Practically every region in Slovenia has its own museums, archives, and galleries. Naturally, the concentration of these is highest in Ljubljana, which boasts the world-known Museum of Modern Art, Museum of Architecture and Design, National Gallery, and a strong graphics tradition (International Biennial of Graphic Arts). However, the new Museum of Contemporary Art is of particular interest because it completes a multi-year, post-independence project of building cultural institutions in the place of former Yugoslav Army barracks. The project sends a symbolic message that after the retreat of the Yugoslav Army, the army complexes have passed into the hands of culture.

After independence, Slovenia was left with one of the smallest and youngest cinema archives In November, Slovenia’s capital is again hosting the Ljubljana International Film Festival (LIFFE), which has earned immense popularity, selling out practically all screenings. We wish the festival could feature more Slovenian films, since the scope of Slovenia’s film production is lagging way behind the foreign film industry. Neverthless, in 2010 Slovenian films received more than 300 awards abroad, and the Slovenian public has grown quite fond of the country's domestic film production (Miha Hočevar’s teen film Going Our Way (“Gremo mi po svoje”) was seen by 200,000 people, which is a considerable number for a nation whose population totals only two million.). The domination of commercial films in movie theatres is shifting the taste of the public towards “colossal spectacles”, making it immensely important for Slovenia to maintain its art cinema network and carry out the digitalization of its film history. After independence, Slovenia was left with one of the smallest, and youngest, cinema archives, since practically all film material created in the former common state was left in Belgrade. We had to start from scratch, but today Slovenia has a beautiful Museum of Film Actors in Divača, named after Slovenia's first internationally acclaimed film star, Ita Rina, who achieved fame with her ethereal and erotic role in Gustav Machaty’s Erotikon. The Kinoteka Cinema has established itself in the European and Slovenian area as a treasure trove of films, with particular emphasis placed to raising awareness of the young and creative people.

Rich cultural heritage Slovenia, this safe, green, and vigorous country attracts more visitors by the day. Not only people who are fascinated by the diversity of Slovenia’s nature and the fact that within a couple of hours one can come from snow to warmth, from the mountains to the sea, from fresh air to open horizons. Visitors to Slovenia now include people who wish to come to this highly-diverse area, rich in cultural heritage to see the outstanding creations of architect Jože Plečnik. He does not stand alone − the contemporary Slovenian architecture walks hand in hand with European trends. Although not backed by vast capital − the shortage of it is most evident in the (slow) renovation of many castles − Slovenian architecture features a delicate, environmentally-friendly, and daring creativity.

Before the space available forces me to stop, let me point out all the artistic practices which I have failed to mention – the theatre, music, new intermedia practices, and creative industries. You will soon have an opportunity to learn more about them: the Slovenian city of Maribor and its partner municipalities are preparing to open the European Culture Capital, which will definitely show all the good and exciting art practices in Slovenia. And you can take it from me: they are plentiful!

Text by: Majda Širca Ravnikar, former MP and former Minister of Culture;  Sinfo, November 2011