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Internet of Things — and Learning

Glimpsing the Jetson-esque possibilities for the not-too-distant future of schools.

INTERVIEW | by Victor Rivero

CREDIT Zuora infographicWhat exactly is the “Internet of Things” and how is it being seen in classrooms and school districts? For a better perspective on this emerging area, we chatted with an expert. Chris LaPoint is vice president of product management at IT management software provider SolarWinds, based in Austin, Texas. “The Internet of Things – or IoT – consists of all manner of Internet-connected devices. These include not just smartphones, tablets, laptops, printers, but smartwatches, signage, televisions, gaming consoles, web-connected cars, and even clothing,” says Chris. “The Apple Watch is yet another example of an IoT device. It will be a very fast-growing

IoT will open the door even wider for faculty and students to use technology to advance educational needs in many different areas.

market – industry research group Gartner predicts it will reach 28 billion units by 2020 – and one that will soon be having an enormous impact on schools’ and their networks,” he says. (Click on the George Jeston image for a full infographic from Zuora)

Victor: Are there benefits to IoT? Why should schools allow this to happen?

Chris: Yes, there are definite benefits to schools. IoT will open the door even wider for faculty and students to use technology to advance educational needs in many different areas.

Physical education departments will be able to use sneakers to track the health goals of individual students. Schools will be able to issue clothing items and wearable devices that use telemetry-based technology to track students, enhancing safety and security. Schools can also use Internet-connected environmental systems to improve energy efficiency. We’re already seeing this in the consumer home space with things like the Nest thermostat, and other devices that “learn” the environment where they are installed. As we know, the public and educational sectors often follow the retail space, and I would anticipate we’ll soon see these types of technologies finding their ways into schools.

Victor: Most school IT teams are still trying to work out the kinks of BYOD, how is IoT going to change things for them?

Chris: The challenges with IoT will prove quite different than those IT departments experienced with the “bring your own device” movement, and will be even more complex. Unfortunately, that means even more headaches as administrators begin to deal with a massive influx of devices the likes of which they’ve never seen before. And so, while they may have thought BYOD was challenging, IoT will stretch IT in new and sometimes frustrating ways.

Further, there’ll still be the key IT hot button issues, such as security and bandwidth management, but those will be fighting for priority position with new concerns. But IoT will also renew the debate around privacy issues, particularly for litigious-shy educational institutions.

All of this being said, at the end of the day, IoT will provide faculty and students with an unprecedented means of accessing and sharing information and enhancing education in new and indisputably exciting ways. For schools that have already become accustomed to using the Web as an educational tool, that might just be the thing that makes all the trouble of managing them worthwhile.

Victor: You mention bandwidth strains as a potential challenge of IoT, how can admins keep up with the higher demand?

Chris: It’s true that the sheer number of devices being used will create considerable bandwidth issues. School networks will struggle under the weight, creating a great need for school IT administrators to implement some form of network monitoring solution, if they haven’t done so already.

Comprehensive network monitoring allows school IT networks to be optimized through close analysis of network performance issues, bandwidth usage, and traffic patterns. Administrators can use this information to pinpoint which devices or applications are consuming the most data, and take action upon them as necessary. Further, they can monitor new devices and IP addresses as they ping the network – a benefit that will become increasingly apparent as hundreds of different types of devices make their ways into school halls.

Victor: As with any network, the more access points, the more opportunity for data loss. How can admins ensure protection of proprietary and personal information?

Chris: The biggest issue with IoT is that it is so varied – there will be hundreds of different devices from hundreds of different manufacturers. Administrators won’t be able to just plan their strategy around Apple or Android devices, for example. There’s little standardization where commoditized products become inexpensive, which means there are many variables, including different operating systems and potential vulnerabilities. Therefore, managing security with today’s approaches may prove to be exceptionally difficult.

The ability for networks to self-heal will prove crucial. They’ll need to automatically correct issues as they come up, and remediation will need to be immediate, regardless of the type of device or operating system causing the issues. Self-healing will greatly reduce response times from days (or perhaps even longer as administrators try to get a grasp on exactly what type of device is causing havoc) to minutes, significantly mitigating potential network downtime or damage from attack.

In the meantime, log and event management (LEM) monitoring will continue to play a critical role in network security management. LEM can give school IT administrators a 24/7 overview of which devices are on the network, what they’re accessing, and more. It can also give IT managers an opportunity to proactively respond to potential security threats before they occur. LEM monitoring has been highly effective for mobile devices, and will no doubt prove to be instrumental when dealing with the early stages of IoT.

Victor: How will privacy policies need to be established or changed?

Chris: Privacy concerns will take on a whole new dimension with IoT, especially since many of the devices will not even appear to contain cameras. Consider Google Glass, which looks like nothing more than a funky piece of eyewear, but actually contains very sophisticated optical capabilities. It’s easy to stealthily take photos and video with this particular device. Something like this will likely force schools to extend existing policies for the protection of privacy and information. From legal and administrative standpoints, new guidelines will need to be established for both faculty and students. From a technical perspective, it will be up to IT departments to make sure that those guidelines are withheld through the use of approved devices and technologies.

Victor Rivero is the Editor in Chief of EdTech Digest. Write to:

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Index Of Billions S Chronic exposure to emissions from photocopiers may lead to similar consequences, due to the chronic particulate matter exposure in these units. Both men are still determined to destroy the other, but must also battle. Henry continues undermining the Catholic Church’s influence in England, while his chaplain makes a fact-finding tour of Lutheran Germany; Anne resolves to consummate her relationship with the king as Brandon plants doubts about her virtue. Workers are primarily exposed to hydrogen sulfide by breathing it. It is a toxic gas responsible for the smell of burnt matches. Health burdens of PM2.

Ivy Dickens

Season 3 Episode 7. Voodoo Donut spoof. It’s not good news I’ll tell you more at 7. Loading Unsubscribe from Vade? Cancel Unsubscribe.

Exposed () Poster Top Billed Cast All Cast & Crew Exposed. Exposed. Exposed. The Creative Brain. I Promise You Anarchy Release Date.

August 25, am. Features , News , Reviews. August 21, am. August 20, pm. Features , Interviews , News. August 20, am. August 19, am. August 17, am.

Full Cast & Crew

Exposed originally titled Daughter of God [3] is a American thriller film , written and directed by Gee Malik Linton credited as Declan Dale , in his directorial debut. The film was released in a limited release and through video on demand on January 22, , by Lionsgate Premiere. A police officer, Detective Galban, investigates the circumstances behind the death of his partner, Detective Joey Cullen.

The mysterious case leads to an attempted police cover-up and a dangerous secret involving an unlikely young woman.

Directed by Curtis Crawford. With Yvonne Zima, Shawn Roberts, Mary-Margaret Humes, Gary Hudson. A man’s relationship with a bipolar woman becomes.

The latest COVID news, including expert advice on how to protect your family’s health and how the virus is affecting people around the world. Meghan says she’s happy to be home “for some many reasons”. Trending Now. Star Tracks. View Full Gallery. Brenda Martinez died on Monday night, a week after she was hospitalized with coronavirus symptoms. ET to watch People Now. Jerry Falwell Jr. Where the stars are vacationing and social distancing in summer Bring It On!

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Since its debut, Black Panther has evolved from a movie to a cultural phenomenon with its epic tale of the technologically advanced society of Wakanda, an El Dorado-like land in Africa. You can’t make stuff up, otherwise you’re not respecting the heritage of the tribes that you’re borrowing from. To sum it up, he said, “It was a technological representation of traditional African looks.

The crew created five distinct looks—one for each fictional tribe—as well as intensive details that are key to the stories of the main characters. Erik “Killmonger” Stevens’ scars took months to create. N’Jadaka chest, the makeup crew made each hashmark individually, starting months prior to filming.

IMDb rating: Air date: Feb. When Jerry’s plot is eventually exposed, Sidra heads out the door, but not before informing Jerry that.

Two-parters often get forgotten about in classic Doctor Who at any rate and this Peter Davison story, whilst perhaps best known to Who fans for a famous blooper featuring a horse, has some tremendous imagery and beautiful location shooting. Best of all is the villain of the piece, The Malus, who put the willies right up me as young boy. Its appearance in the TARDIS as an almost monkey-like being is unsettling, whilst its full appearance featuring a giant head may remind older readers of the arcade game Sinistar which also scared me as a youngster.

Gareth Roberts and Russell T. Davies produced a romptactular spectacular with planet-hopping on a bus! The Tritovore made for an interesting and friendly alien but it was the unnamed nasty flying stingray-like creatures that devoured planets and created their own wormholes who chomped through the romp most threateningly.

‘Once Upon A Time’ To End With Season 7 On ABC

A coming-of-age journey with a dose of magical realism, this documentary from Mo Scarpelli challenges stereotypes about childhood outside of the West. Emboldened by the beautiful relationship between subject and director, Anbessa strikes a delicate balance between topicality and formal adventure. This multi-layered, glimmering short from Ana Vaz makes a salient study of how colonial violence crushed an Indigenous community.

The debut feature from director Diane-Sara Bouzgarrou is an ethereal film merging home video and reportage, which gracefully reflects on the bond between the brutality of real-life events and the inner turmoil of the self. Few films have portrayed memory and its complex essence as vividly on screen.

But the fact is, unless it sticks to its R rating it has exposed the entire code for the bean out of date and no longer appropriate for the current ¤lm and cultural environment. IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes are weighted toward a wide selection of markets and tries to estimate the ac- tual box oƒce e¥ect reviews have had.

The singer said her father was severely abusive to her mother in the past and hit her “numerous” times. She said she would unsuccessfully try to break up their fights, attempting to distract the pair by breaking glasses and dishes in the kitchen. The singer said her father even broke her mother’s nose. Rihanna painted the picture of her and Brown’s early days together as filled with happiness. She said the “Forever” singer was her best friend but cautioned that falling in love with your best friend can be “scary.

She said on the night Brown assaulted her, she was happy and alcohol did not play a part in influencing his or her behavior. Rihanna confirmed that a text message from a girl Brown had a previous relationship with was at the root of their argument that night. She said Brown lied about the message and that she would not let him off the hook. The pair left a pre-Grammy party and soon found themselves arguing in a residential district in Brown’s rented Lamborghini.

Rihanna confirmed to Sawyer information previously detailed in the police report. She said Brown punched her and bit her repeatedly. She said she was also choked, but not to the point of near unconsciousness, although she said she did have trouble breathing. She admitted Brown threatened to kill her, as well, but she told Sawyer he “was saying it to scare me.

TV and radio

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eDating Exposed (Video ) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more.

Recent Episode Reviews. Mary McCormack is returning to the small screen. Starz has announced the beloved actress has been cast in the upcoming wrestling drama, Heels. Aug 25, pm Posted in: Starz. Another scripted series based on Joe Exotic is becoming a reality. Aug 25, pm Posted in: Tiger King. Get all the details on the premiere date, as well as some big changes from the source material.

Robert Pattinson’s Batman revealed in new teaser video

Movies 4 days ago. Movies 9 days ago. Movies 8 days ago. Movies 20 days ago. Movies 7 months ago.

As exposed in Fig.5, the Mask attack result on dataset IMDb is in this category. for instance: client IP address, request date/time, page requested, HTTP code.

But in Turkey, they call as an Avlu. Growing up, both of my parents and my uncle worked in prisons and any TV shows that featured prison were pretty rigorously evaluated for their accuracy my Avlu is the most beautiful TV series of year This TV show, which I free even refuse to compare with the other ones is the masterpiece created by my favorite director. Descubre los 12 episodios de la temporada 1 para la serie Avlu: El patio. Wentworth is an Australian television drama programme. One thing I know is that its there.

It already airs on a Turkish channel and has had three seasons released so far since summer Episode Title: Episode 8. Please help us to describe the issue so we can fix it asap. Netflix has acquired the international streaming rights to another popular Turkish drama. Approved Running time 48m 20s.

The IMDb Show

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Virtual LANs, Networking Quiz

15 Questions MCQ Test Placement Papers - Technical & HR Questions | Virtual LANs, Networking Quiz

This mock test of Virtual LANs, Networking Quiz for Quant helps you for every Quant entrance exam. This contains 15 Multiple Choice Questions for Quant Virtual LANs, Networking Quiz (mcq) to study with solutions a complete question bank. The solved questions answers in this Virtual LANs, Networking Quiz quiz give you a good mix of easy questions and tough questions. Quant students definitely take this Virtual LANs, Networking Quiz exercise for a better result in the exam. You can find other Virtual LANs, Networking Quiz extra questions, long questions & short questions for Quant on EduRev as well by searching above.

Which of the following is true regarding VLANs?

Solution: Switches do not propagate VLAN information by default; you must configure the VTP domain. VLAN Trunk Protocol (VTP) is used to propagate VLAN information across a trunked link.

Which protocol reduces administrative overhead in a switched network by allowing the configuration of a new VLAN to be distributed to all the switches in a domain?

Solution: Virtual Trunk Protocol (VTP) is used to pass a VLAN database to any or all switches in the switched network. The three VTP modes are server, client, and transparent.

Which of the following is true regarding VTP?

Solution: All Cisco switches are VTP servers by default. No other VTP information is configured on a Cisco switch by default. You must set the VTP domain name on all switches to be the same domain name or they will not share the VTP database.

Which command will configure a switch port to use the IEEE standard method of inserting VLAN membership information into Ethernet frames?

Solution: If you are on a 2950 switch, then the interface command is just switchport mode trunk, since the 2950 can only run the IEEE 802.1Q version. However, a 3550 can run both ISL and 802.1Q, so you must use the encapsulation command. The argument to choose 802.1Q for a trunking protocol is dot1q.

Which of the following commands sets a trunk port on a 2960 switch?

Solution: To set a switch port to trunk mode, which allows all VLAN information to pass down the link, use the switchport mode trunk command.

When a new trunk link is configured on an IOS-based switch, which VLANs are allowed over the link?

Solution: By default, all VLANs are allowed on the trunk link and you must remove by hand each VLAN that you don't want traversing the trunked link.

Which of the following modes are valid when a switch port is used as a VLAN trunk?

  1. Blocking
  2. Dynamic auto
  3. Dynamic desirable
  4. Nonegotiate
  5. Access
  6. Learning
Solution: The valid modes of a VLAN trunk on a switch are dynamic auto, dynamic desirable, trunk (on), and nonegotiate.

To configure the VLAN trunking protocol to communicate VLAN information between two switches, what two requirements must be met?

  1. Each end of the trunk link must be set to the IEEE 802.1e encapsulation.
  2. The VTP management domain name of both switches must be set the same.
  3. All ports on both the switches must be set as access ports.
  4. One of the two switches must be configured as a VTP server.
  5. A rollover cable is required to connect the two switches together.
  6. A router must be used to forward VTP traffic between VLANs.
Solution: You must have the same VTP domain name on all switches in order to share VLAN information between the switches. At least one of the switches must be a VTP server; the other switches should be set to VTP client.

Which switching technology reduces the size of a broadcast domain?

Solution: Virtual LANs break up broadcast domains in layer 2 switched internetworks.

You want to improve network performance by increasing the bandwidth available to hosts and limit the size of the broadcast domains. Which of the following options will achieve this goal?

Solution: By creating and implementing VLANs in your switched network, you can break up broadcast domains at layer 2. For hosts on different VLANs to communicate, you must have a router or layer 3 switch.

Which of the following provide inter-switch VLAN communication?

  1. ISL
  2. VTP
  3. 802.1Q
  4. 802.3Z
Solution: ISL is a Cisco-proprietary frame-tagging method. IEEE 802.1Q is the nonproprietary version of frame tagging.

A switch has been configured for three different VLANs: VLAN2, VLAN3, and VLAN4. A router has been added to provide communication between the VLANs. What type of interface is necessary on the router if only one connection is to be made between the router and the switch?

Solution: Although you can use either 100Mbps or 1Gbps Ethernet, the 100Mbps is necessary at a minimum and is the best answer to this question. You need to trunk the link from the switch to the router to make this connection work with inter-VLAN communication.

Which of the following are benefits of VLANs?

  1. They increase the size of collision domains.
  2. They allow logical grouping of users by function.
  3. They can enhance network security.
  4. They increase the size of broadcast domains while decreasing the number of collision domains.
  5. They simplify switch administration.
  6. They increase the number of broadcast domains while decreasing the size of the broadcast domains.
Solution: VLANs break up broadcast domains in a switched layer 2 network, which means smaller broadcast domains. They allow configuration by logical function instead of physical location and can create some security if configured correctly.

Which of the following protocols are used to configure trunking on a switch?

  1. VLAN Trunk Protocol
  2. VLAN
  3. 802.1Q
  4. ISL
Solution: Cisco has a proprietary trunking protocol called ISL. The IEEE version is 802.1Q.

What VTP mode allows you to change VLAN information on the switch?

Solution: Only in server mode can you change VTP information on a switch.

Related tests


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White House info sharing plan wins favor with ABA

 In News

On February 13, 2015, President Obama signed an executive order to encourage and promote the sharing of cybersecurity threat information within the private sector and between the private sector and government. The American Bankers Association subsequently released a statement on the order, essentially calling it a good start.

The president’s plan lays out a framework for “expanded information sharing designed to help companies work together, and work with the federal government, to quickly identify and protect against cyber threats.”

According to a White House fact sheet, the goals of the presidential order are to:

  • encourage the development of information-sharing organizations;
  • develop a common set of voluntary standards for information-sharing organizations;
  • clarify the Department of Homeland Security’s authority to enter into agreements with information-sharing organizations;
  • streamline private-sector companies’ ability to access classified cybersecurity threat information; and
  • pave the way for future legislation.

ABA President and CEO Frank Keating responded as follows:

The steps taken by the administration today will help the business community and government agencies share critical threat information more effectively. Recent cyber-attacks underscore the need to help businesses improve their awareness of threats and enhance their response capabilities. …

[The banking industry is] committed to working with others within the business community — including retailers — to develop a similarly strong and effective mechanism for sharing threat information.

Above all, we need Congress to send a bill to the President that gives businesses legal certainty that they have a safe harbor against frivolous lawsuits when voluntarily sharing and receiving threat indicators and countermeasures in real time and taking actions to mitigate cyberattacks.

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Medieval Monday with Barbara Bettis

This Medieval Monday I’m delighted to welcome Barbara Bettis to the blog.  She’s sharing an excerpt from The Lady of the Forest.

Small TheLadyoftheForest_w11020_med

She leaned over to brush a strand of dark hair from his face. Her fingers lingered on his forehead. On impulse, she rounded the table and enveloped the boy in a hug. For a very brief moment, his thin shoulders softened, and he leaned into her embrace.

In less than two heartbeats, he pulled away, his bravado once again in place. “What’ll we do, Cade?” he asked. “You can count on me.”

“I know. You’re very brave. But right now, I think we must try to rest. Ideas come better to a fresh mind. And if a fight comes, it wouldn’t do to yawn right when we need to let loose an arrow, now would it?”

He giggled at her words and got to his feet.

“Don’t forget to wash your face and hands, and use the willow twig on your teeth.”

He wrinkled his nose. “All right,” he grumbled, heading for the corner where a basin sat beside a wooden bucket filled with water.

Kate sighed. She couldn’t wait for morning. Fresh mind or no, she had to devise a plan to free them both. She wouldn’t wait for Alyss’s reply.

Follow along next week at Be sure to leave a comment for a chance at an ebook of your choice.

Remember, you can find all the excerpts with the hashtag #MedMon18 on Twitter.

You can find Roger and Lucy over on Barbara’s blog today.

He must pursue his enemy; she must protect her people. Can their love survive the duties that drive them apart?

When her elderly husband dies, Lady Katherine fakes her own death and disappears into the forest with others escaping the brutish new lord. Determined to protect her people, she knocks the wrong man senseless. But Lord Henry isn’t an enemy, he’s the brother of her childhood friend. Although his tender confidence tempts her, she’s bound by duty.

Henry of Chauvere has found the one lady he wants for his own, never mind she’s tied him hand and foot. When he learns the king has ordered her to wed Stonehill’s ruthless new master, he insists Kate seek haven with his sister. But she won’t desert her friends. Henry vows to solve her problem, provided he catches a traitor before the threat from Kate’s past catches her.

When a daring rescue compels Henry and Kate to join forces, their attraction grows into love. If only duty didn’t drive them apart.

Published by elisabethhobbes

Elisabeth’s writing career began when she entered her first novel into Harlequin’s So You Think You Can Write contest in 2013 and finished in third place. She was offered a two-book contract and hasn’t looked back. Since then she has published six Medieval romances with Harlequin Mills & Boon and doesn’t have any plans to stop! Elisabeth works as a Primary teacher but she’d rather be writing full time because unlike five year olds, her characters generally do what she tells them. When she isn’t writing, she spends most of her spare time reading and is a pro at cooking one-handed while holding a book. She loves historical fiction and has a fondness for dark haired, bearded heroes. Elisabeth enjoys skiing, singing, and exploring tourist attractions with her family. Her children are resigned to spending their weekends visiting the past. She loves hot and sour soup and ginger mojitos - but not at the same time! She lives in Cheshire with her husband, two children and two cats with ridiculous names because the car broke down there in 1999 and she never left. You can find Elisabeth on Facebook and Twitter

7 thoughts on “Medieval Monday with Barbara Bettis

    1. Hi Lori. Thanks for the kind words. Writing this, I figured no matter what the century, boys probably were the same 🙂

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If You’re an Author You Need an Audiobook

May 6, 2020

You’ve achieved your dream and published a book — now what? It’s time to release an audiobook! You may be thinking audiobooks aren’t that popular these days or that your book isn’t fitting to be an audiobook. The truth? Audiobooks are more popular today than ever. Most people don’t have time to sit down and read a book and instead listen to it while working, exercising, or driving. It’s an amazing way to consume media in today’s busy world!

Reach More People by Releasing an Audiobook!

Increase Sales

So, how exactly will an audiobook benefit you? We already mentioned that audiobooks are a popular medium for consuming books, which means you’ll be reaching a whole different audience. Naturally, that means you’ll be getting more book sales. If you create a solid audiobook with a great reputable narrator, you’re going to open doors that a book alone simply cannot. You’ll have options to network with your narrator, reach their audience, and you can use snippets for marketing, a book trailer, and more! For more information about audiobooks, click here!

Even by offering the audiobook for free (or with purchase of the ebook or paperback), you’ll see and increase in sales and overall income. How is that? Check out the last reason on this list!

Reduce Complaints

Not everyone can or wants to sit down and read a book. Some people, for whatever reason, want or need to listen. While e-readers do have a text-to-voice option, it isn’t pleasant listening to. It’s robotic and hard to focus on what you’re hearing. Imagine how much more enjoyable a narrator’s voice would be reading your book! Of course, you’ll want to pick someone within your genre. You wouldn’t want someone only experienced in fiction reading a self-help book and vice versa.

Authors often see complaints or clients leaving their book page to look at another product because it’s not offered in the format they need. People will be impressed that you have an audiobook, too. It’ll set you apart from the plethora of e-books floating around Amazon.

Build Your Subscriber List

Pursuing an author career is long-term — you can’t simply publish a book and wait. It requires support and a following, and it takes an experienced team to develop this kind of support. We mentioned offering your audiobook for free, even just short-term, and why it’s such a good idea.  This is the point of a lead magnet, to entice readers to sign up for your correspondence. Subscribers by email are gold for an author. Offer a free audiobook for anyone signing up for your newsletter (or those already subscribed). As always, your book is your business card and is far more lucrative being offered for free.  For more information about that, check out our blog post HERE

As an author, you want to reach a broader audience while also better serving your current readers. The market for digital and print books is overflowing with options, but the audiobook market is still open. This is a great time to jump in, stand out, offer more, and expand your reach.

At Elite Online Publishing we can help you find the perfect narrator for your book and our marketing team is standing by ready to create a campaign perfect for you. All of our authors are #1 Bestsellers (Check out these testimonials!) Want more information? Contact us today!

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Four emerging designers we loved at the Young Italy-India Fashion Lab

Four emerging designers we loved at the Young Italy-India Fashion Lab

The style visionaries of tomorrow

By ELLE team  January 7th, 2020

Young, enthusiastic and so creative, the future of fashion in India seemed bright at Young Italy-India Fashion Lab at Knots of Inspiration, an evening organised recently by The Embassy of Italy in New Delhi.

During the event, ELLE’s Editor-in-Chief, Supriya Dravid, moderated a conversation on the cross-pollination of Indian and Italian culture with a panel of guests that included fashion designers Rahul Mishra and Anvita Sharma (Founder of Two point Two), Diana Marian Murek (Director of Education at Istituto Marangoni India), Maurizio Grioli (Dean of the School of Fashion at Pearl Academy), and Shivang Dhruva (Founder and Director of FAD International Academy).

The panel discussion ended with a contest called Young Italy-India Fashion Lab where students from prestigious institutes such as Istituto Marangoni in Mumbai, FAD Institute, Pearl Academy, National Institute of Fashion Technology, Amity School of Fashion and JD Institute presented capsule collections inspired by Italy. The winners of the contest were awarded scholarships and training at Milan Fashion Week. Scroll down to see the work of the winners:

Titled Tradizionale Modernita, the duo from NIFT created a collection inspired by old and new Italy. Taking cue from the ruins of Pompeii, an ancient Roman city, the young designers created sharp, tailored silhouettes in jute and cotton.

A student from Istituto Marangoni, Mumbai, Suyash’s collection was called Re//Creation of Adam. Inspired by Michelangelo’s famous painting, The Creation of Adam, Suyash’s designs reinterpreted the elements of the painting with the help of 3D printing technology in metallic blue and green.

Retelling the age-old story of Romeo and Juliet set in the backdrop of Verona, Anirudh’s all-white collection called Inlay featured soft, billowy and comfortable silhouettes. The collection reimagined the ecru dresses often featured in the artwork of Italian painter Emma Ciardi with embroideries and prints inspired from the delicate flowers of Juliet’s garden.

Photographs by Abhinav Bhandari

The FAD-graduate created a collection that merged street wear with motifs inspired from the work of Italian painter, Edoardo Tresoldi. The glow-in-the-dark collection called Flash Backlash was crafted to make party-dressing comfortable.

Photographs by Davesh Mehta


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Elmar Accounting & Computer Services

Providing comprehensive professional services and support to individuals and businesses for 26 years.

Contact us now!

Request a call back

Elmar Accounting has been part of the Bloemfontein private business sector since 1993. In July 2019 we celebrated our 26th year of success.

In the past 26 years we have made quite a few changes...Elmar has:

  • moved offices 3 times
  • seen various versions of the Sage programs that we sell and support
  • upgraded our hardware and software several times (do you still remember floppy disks and windows vista)
  • we have seen a few employees come and go (with stories that provided us with hours of laughs and cries)
  • we have seen our Elmar family grow and develop

Most importantly we have found a way to provide service excellence in an ever-changing business environment.

Elmar recently had the opportunity to partner with a service provider who opened our eyes to even more opportunities to help our clients to run their businesses more efficiently by working and spending their hard-earned money smarter (not harder) They also pointed out the importance of having a visible online presence.

This is when the penny dropped and we realised..Elmar has evolved and has moved with the times in all ways...except for our website.

Therefore with 2019 racing to its end we decided - there is no time like the present. It’s never too early for a new years’ resolution. It was a done deal - 2020 would be our year of change. New year - new website.

This is just the first blog of many to come. So watch this space, because we would love to share more of our journey, knowledge (and new website) with you all.

To all our loyal clients - we would like to thank you for your continued support. May we all have many more productive years together.

May you all have a blessed Christmas and a prosperous 2020.

The Elmar team


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Authors who registered online have now their papers transferred to Springer for publication in the proceedings. Authors who did not register yet are kindly requested to register before September 12th. The online registration will remain open for participants without a paper only until September 30th.

Currently, the Euro-Mediterranean region is facing not only significant political, economical, and social challenges, but also an ever-growing environmental degradation that have made environmental and resource protection an increasingly critical issue. These issues have re-energized the debate on the Euro-Mediterranean integration process through concrete cooperative projects in many sectors, especially those concerned with environmental awareness, assessment, and improvement. This integration process is intended to reduce the development gap between the northern and southern coasts of the Mediterranean and to create new and closer political, economical, social, cultural, and, most importantly, scientific ties between these two shores founded on common concerns.

In this context, and with the specific aim to promote Euro-Mediterranean scientific partnership so as to develop and integrate environmental research and findings into the activities of related sectors in the region, a group of Euro-Mediterranean scientists have recently launched the Euro-Mediterranean Journal for Environmental Integration. This Springer journal, which started in 2016, has been now indexed in the Web of Science (ISI’s ESCI database). It  offers a scientific platform for presenting and discussing the latest advances in research with a focus on emerging environmental issues and challenges in the region. In particular, this first regional journal from the Euro-Mediterranean, encompassing all disciplines of the earth and environmental sciences, seeks to make societies and decision makers from related sectors aware of the importance of integrating environmental considerations into their respective activities. In this context, the journal provides a scientific forum that promotes the exchange of knowledge and fosters collaborations to improve the consistency of environmental management efforts between the countries of the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean.

Eduard Suess
To further strengthen Euro-Mediterranean environmental integration, the Editors of the Euro-Mediterranean Journal for Environmental Integration organize this year, in close collaboration with Springer, the 2nd Euro-Mediterranean Conference for Environmental Integration (EMCEI-2). The conference aims to gather new research contributions from all disciplines of earth and environmental sciences by Euro-Mediterranean scientists from diverse backgrounds, and thus makes an essential contribution towards ensuring that science and knowledge contribute to the promotion of a more sustainable environment for the Euro-Mediterranean region.

The scientific committee of the 2nd EMCEI invites research papers on all cross-cutting themes of the environmental sciences and engineering, with a main focus on the following 13 conference tracks:

  • Track 1. Engineering applications for environmental management
  • Track 2. Process control, simulations and intensification for environmental management
  • Track 3. Ecotoxicology, environmental safety and bioremediation
  • Track 4. Biotechnology for environmental management
  • Track 5. Climate-change-related effects on the environment and ecological systems
  • Track 6. Natural resources, agriculture and the environment
  • Track 7. Smart technologies for environmentally friendly energy production
  • Track 8. Remote sensing and GIS for environmental monitoring and management
  • Track 9. Environmental impacts of natural hazards and environmental risk assessment
  • Track 10. Sustainable management of marine and coastal environments
  • Track 11. Sustainable management of the urban environment
  • Track 12. Sustainable management of the indoor and built environment
  • Track 13. Environmental-change-related impacts on human health


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WiFi Hotspots

Coming soon to the air around you – wireless Internet access, according to the Economist, stating that “Wi-Fi is now moving from the realm of grassroots enthusiasts to that of the big computing and telecoms companies.” A summary of the recent action:

Toshiba and Accenture have announced plans to set up 10,000 hotspots in America. Cometa, a joint venture between Intel, IBM, AT&T and others, has already said it will build 20,000. A consortium of five Asian telecoms firms plans to build 20,000 hotspots across Asia by the end of the year, and similar moves are afoot in Europe. An hour’s free Wi-Fi access is being thrown in with every meal at a handful of McDonald’s hamburger restaurants.

Published by

Rajesh Jain

An Entrepreneur based in Mumbai, India.


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One Month, No Wine! (Part 2)

I kissed abstinence good-bye (get behind me, Satan!) mid-February. The six weeks were okay, but Lordy having wine in your life is three hundred times better.

The alcohol-free proponents promise all kinds of benefits, from better sleep to enhanced concentration. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t expected… well, nothing short of a MIRACLE, really.

Productivity. I write fiction when I’m under the influence. It often feels as if the booze allows creativity to surface. I have struggled to write so far this year, and that makes me sad. 😦 Long-term, I know I’m kidding myself if I think alcohol’s necessary for writing. Maybe I just hit a blank after an exceptionally busy writing streak last year.

Skin. I took pictures of my face every week to see if I could spot any difference. Again, for this one I expected to emerge from my alcohol-free cocoon with the skin of a… twenty-year-old. Or I would be demanding my money back. I didn’t notice any discernible difference. It did confirm, though, that I am a rotten photographer, and I’m exceptionally rubbish at selfie-taking.

Sleep. Ah, now that one I will give you. Oh, the sleeping I did in January! It was blissfully lovely. I’ve not yet managed my husband’s enviable fall-asleep speeds (roughly two minutes, whether he’s been drinking or not), but I do get to sleep more quickly and stay there. Bye-bye 3am wakefulness!

Weight loss. I didn’t weigh myself, but I did measure my waist before and after. Nada. It stayed the same. Big, fat HUH.

Moods. That, I grant you too. The mood elevator Emma Baird rides on every day glided up and down a few floors most days, instead of pinging to the top and performing sudden stomach through the mouth plunges to the bottom.

Money saving. Hibernation meant I didn’t spend money on nights out, or in. I did, however, put a fair bit of money behind the till at Holland & Barret stocking up on (snake oil) supplements as part of an overall health kick. I also bought a LOT of face creams.

New-found liking for chocolate. Argh, where did that come from?? Actually, it’s well documented. People who give up drink often turn to the sweet stuff instead. That’s why wine gums were invented, after all! Chocolate and a diabetic don’t make happy companions, especially one who favours the low-carb approach, so I’ll need to give my new-found friends the heave-ho asap.

Wattpad Adventures Part Three

Hello new follower of me on Wattpad! I pounce on ‘em, as they are small in number. Then, I stalk them. The profiles, sadly, are often irritatingly vague.

Where are you from, I ask. Just out of interest.

(Is this getting creepy yet?)

Then, I think up questions I’d like to know the answer to. How did you find me? Why did you follow me? What piece of my work interests you particularly? Is there anything you hope to get out of our new relationship?

I debate which one I can ask without seeming like a neurotic nut job who gets herself instantly unfollowed. Maybe number three? With parts a), and b) why, why, why did you like it? And, was it only like and not love?

TBH, that is just the tip of the iceberg. What I really want to ask is, gosh how did you stumble upon me, given that I’m about as visible as a…not-very visible thingie. Then, did you think, oh wow, this SavvyDunn is one super-writery person! I really love her. I’m gonna recommend her to all my 950,000 followers, all of whom actually prefer buying books on the Kindle to reading them for free on Wattpad.

Ah, wishful thinking.

My newest follower number one is reading my erotica. So, having tried to write endless sex scenes and bored myself to tears with it, it now looks as if I might need to start dreaming up new ways for two people (or more) to get jiggy.

I don’t want my newbie to feel cheated. He thought he was getting loads of sex. Instead, my characters spend most of their time obsessing about life, love, work… oh, hang on a minute. Something sounds very familiar.

Newest follower number two is a 14-year-old girl. I guess she wants to read the books I’ve written that are aimed roughly at the YA audience (though YA also gets a lot of reads from older people, some 55 percent of readers). To keep her happy, I’m going to have to go away and think up more teen girl aligning with vampires nonsense.

To keep it interesting, I might need to try the reverse harem approach – one girl, three or four guys to choose from. The rules of the genre are that she never makes her mind up, not by the end of the book, nor even the series.

Or maybe I could just ask newbie one and two what they want. When you write copy for businesses, they generally tell you what they want you to write about. That makes it easy. When you’re writing fiction, you guess what people want to read. And not always accurately.

One of the UK’s biggest indie success stories, Mark Dawson, surveys his readers once a year to ask them what they want to read.

Anyway, back to my new followers. Another thing you notice about the young things is that they blatantly ask for follows, reviews, tags and comments back. I don’t do that kind of thing because I’m a) British and b) I’d prefer it came naturally, people who genuinely like and read my stuff.

And how’s that working out for me? Wattpad followers – seven in total. Time for plan B, eh?

Dialogue Tags

Reblogged from Caron Allan fiction:

Writing dialogue is one of those things that you either love or hate. I quite like it, and I’d like to think I’m quite good at it, but I could be just fooling myself.  Dialogue is conversation, it’s your characters acting and reacting together to enhance your story and move the plot along. Through dialogue, the inner person of your characters is revealed, and also their motives, hopes, desires, all the things that make them the people they are and enable them to act out their part in your story. Here are a few tips on what I feel makes good dialogue, or more importantly, what makes bad dialogue.

  1. Don’t over-tag.

What I mean is, you don’t need to assign a speaker and manner of speech to every instance of speech. If your dialogue is written clearly, the reader knows who is speaking. There is nothing more irritating than reading a constant stream of he saidhe added, she went onhe further addedshe replied, etc. Look at this:

“Henry,” his mother called, “How many times,” she asked, “Do I have to tell you to tidy your room?” She went on to say, “You know I don’t have time to do it for you. And in any case, now that you’re thirty-seven you should start to do a few things for yourself,” she added.

Eek! Really, this is all one speech – or it should be. I recommend cutting out the annoying little joining-uppy bits to create one nice smooth speech. Now, what about this one:

“Good morning, Mr Tomlinson,” said Jenny.

“Good morning, Jenny. How are you today?” asked Mr Tomlinson.

“I’m very well thank you, Mr Tomlinson. How are you?” Jenny replied.

“I am also very well, thank you Jenny,” Mr Tomlinson told her.

“I’m very glad to hear that, Mr Tomlinson,” said Jenny.

Maybe we could try writing out our little conversation with no tags at all. I’m sure we could do it so that it was clear who was speaking! Don’t over-tag. Please. I’m begging you.

  1. Adverbs and the humble ‘said’.

Some people say NEVER use adverbs, it is forbidden. They probably also say never go into the forest on a Wednesday…

I say use them occasionally if you want to. Whatever you use, it has to be carefully done. Also, it is almost as bad read a long list of ‘active’ verbs as it is to read a repeated list of adverbs:

The active verbs extravaganza first:

“Good morning, Mr Tomlinson,” Jenny declared.

“Good morning, Jenny. How are you today?” queried Mr Tomlinson.

“I’m very well thank you, Mr Tomlinson. How are you?” Jenny enquired.

“I am also very well, thank you Jenny,” Mr Tomlinson responded.

“I’m very glad to hear that, Mr Tomlinson,” Jenny explained.

OR with adverbs instead:

“Good morning, Mr Tomlinson,” Jenny said warmly.

“Good morning, Jenny. How are you today?” Mr Tomlinson asked worriedly.

“I’m very well thank you, Mr Tomlinson. How are you?” Jenny replied sincerely.

“I am also very well, thank you Jenny,” Mr Tomlinson smiled gratefully.

“I’m very glad to hear that, Mr Tomlinson,” said Jenny emphatically.

Okay, I know you would never write anything like that. But my point is, it’s definitely a case of six of one, half a dozen of the other. They both suck.

In my opinion, a lot of the time, it’s better to just stick with the good old-fashioned ‘said’. Because most of the time, we don’t really need to know how something is said, only what was said. How something is said will hopefully become clear within context of the dialogue. Or the reader can furnish this from their imagination.

Too many active verbs or adverbs and the reader will lose the thread, get lost in the jungle of language, the information conveyed in the paragraph will be lost and the wonderful spell of suspended disbelief you worked so hard to create will be broken as your reader is dragged back into the real world. And nobody wants that.

Said is invisible. The reader’s eye glosses over ‘said’ and fixes on the actual dialogue. Responded/replied/enquired/retorted are not invisible, they claim the reader’s attention and remind them they are reading a story.

  1. Natural – but not too natural

I know we want our dialogue to sound like it was uttered by a real live actual person, but we don’t want it to be too real. In real life we rarely speak properly. And we use a lot of fillers and gaps to get our meaning across. I once knew a lady whose entire speech was made up of fillers and gaps and I never knew what she was actually saying. Conversation was next to impossible, and misconstruing her meaning was a constant hazard. In real life, the above little scene would probably go like this:

“Oh, er, good morning, Mr Tomlinson,” said Jenny.

“And a very good er…to you, er, J…er Jenny. How are you, umm?” asked Mr Tomlinson.

“Well, I’m er, oh well, you know, well erm, thank you, Mr Tomlinson. And are you er…?” Jenny replied.

“I am also very well, thank you Jenny,” Mr Tomlinson told her.

“Well, I’m um, very glad to er…, Mr ummm,” said Jenny.

So ‘real’ speech is not for us. What we are looking for is a style that gives the appearance of reality without all that dreary waiting around and time-wasting. Sometimes we want a little hemming and hawing, as they say, but most of the time we don’t.

“Good morning, Mr Tomlinson.”

“Hello, Jenny. How are you today?”

“I’m fine thanks. Yourself?”

“Yes, thank you, I’m much better.”

“That’s great. Could I have half a pound of bacon, please?”

Yay, the scene finally moved on! And we’ve even learned something from what we’ve read: that a) this is some kind of shop or purchasing situation, b) Mr T has been poorly (that may be relevant) and c) that Jenny needs bacon! Now we are all set to introduce the big scene of the great Full English Breakfast Murders

So dialogue should attempt to be natural, but without real life’s untidiness; needs to be tagged sparingly and clearly but without fuss. More importantly it should move the story along.

The Modern Super-Power – Part Two

Want a super-power? Concentrate*…

Man, that was HARD. I wrote recently about focusing on one thing at a time. I’d been listening to a podcast where Tim Ferris said he’d once heard someone say that being able to focus on one task at a time for up to two to five hours was the modern-day equivalent of a superpower.

If you write, you’ve turned procrastination into an art form. I have. My distractions include the cat. Oh, where are you wee Freddie, do you want a little cuddle? To be honest, most of the time, he probably wants to be left alone to sleep in peace.

Then, I run up and down stairs engaged in trivial tasks, such as putting my empty Diet Coke bottle in the recycling bin when it could quite happily wait until lunchtime. Or I check my emails and react to them, instead of doing what the professionals tell you and checking them, prioritising and replying to them once or twice a day.

I decided I would try to write for two hours straight without the distractions. I usually listen to the radio, so I turned that off. I closed Mailbird, so I didn’t see any notifications of new emails, and I highlighted things that I needed to look up, such as London tube station locations, so I didn’t surf the web while writing.

The discipline I needed! My first challenge was overhearing a conversation going on below me. Yes, I am that little old lady beloved of novelists who twitches the net curtains and peers out of the window at her neighbours. (Not so old though.) I desperately wanted to duck down beside the window ledge and see what was going on.

Then, I finished my Diet Coke and longed to take the empty bottle downstairs and out to the recycling bin. The bed in the spare room needed to be made (I’d left it earlier because the cat was sleeping on it) and while I was trying to find a way to describe a new male character, I itched to go next door and toss the duvet in the air.

But if you don’t count a toilet trip, I did it: two hours’ straight of writing and one whole chapter was the result.

To celebrate, I folded up all the socks that needed pairing. And now I’m off to make the bed in the spare room and annoy the cat.

Rock and roll, eh??

*Pic thanks to Maxipixel.

The Modern-Day Super Power

And today’s challenge is… I listened to a podcast earlier, where the guest was Tim Ferris known for books such as The Four Hour Body/Working Week and others.

During the podcast, which centred on self-improvement, he quoted someone who’d come up with the line that in today’s world, if you are able to focus on one thing only for two to five hours, it’s the modern-day equivalent of a superpower.

What do you get if you focus solely on one thing for two hours, then? I’m on a mission to find out. When I write, I seldom, if ever, complete any piece of writing without doing something else at the same time.

Mostly, I’m listening to the radio. But I’m also watching the email icon, and if I get a new e-mail, I’ll come out of Word and read it. Then, I might write something and feel the need to look stuff up—whether it’s fact checking or the thesaurus as I seek an alternative to a word I keep using. Or I’ll just look up anything random that pops into my mind.

There’s one piece of work I do every week that I never manage to write without doing something else. I wander off to see if my cat wants attention, or I check on the washing hanging outside. I fold up clothes or change the sheets on my bed. As I don’t find the work inspiring at all, it’s an effort to finish it. It would be much less of an effort if I just concentrated, wrote the whole lot at once and got it over and done with.

Ah, procrastination… thine embodiment is the writer.

The radio? Switch it off. My inbox? Close the mail app. Checking things—highlight them as a reminder to verify or refine after the words have been written. Housework? It will wait.

Here goes…

Pic thanks to Topher McCulloch on flickr

The Making of Alan Kirkpatrick

Here’s a short extract from a project I’m working on…

“Oh wow. You’re so pretty.”

Kippy wasn’t sure he liked a man touching his face, but Danny had reached out a hand and swept two fingers slowly from the temple to his jaw.

“I adore freckles.”

There was another thing Kippy wasn’t sure about: campness. Danny was as camp as Christmas, as the saying went. The party hadn’t been his idea, but Lillian insisted. She’d kind of taken him under her wing when he first arrived in Glasgow. She was very posh, but then he and posh girls got along if Daisy had been anything to go by.

Kippy was older than everyone else at art school, apart from Lillian whose parents had been wealthy enough to finance her through not just one, but two gap years. She swooped on him on their first day.

“Ooh—and what’s your name, precious?”

He was monosyllabic, partly through nerves and because he didn’t want to get into yet another Daisy situation where a woman fell for him.

She shook her head when he said ‘Kippy’. “I’m not calling you that. What’s your real name?”

“Alan Kirkpatrick.” He was still mumbling, hoping this pushy blonde would push off.

“Hmm,” she wrinkled her nose. “Terrible, too. I suppose I’ll have to stick with Kippy.”

She threaded an arm through his. “We need to stick together. Everyone else here is so young and so inexperienced. I hate teenagers, don’t you?” Said with all the bloated confidence of one just a year out of her teens.

Kippy’s worries about a repeat of the Daisy situation came to nothing. Lillian knew he was gay, she announced grandly. She had a sense for these things. As someone only just coming to terms with life beyond the closet, her revelation made him uncomfortable.

He remembered the teasing he’d put up with while he was doing his college course some years ago. Davy, Ewan and those other apprentices, the ones skilled in wrinkling out differences in their peers, zoning in on anything they suspected wasn’t just so. Had he not hidden it as well as he thought?

Kippy hadn’t actually known what he was hiding for a long time. Instinct had warned him to keep quiet about how different he felt from everyone around him anyway, though. He hid behind Daisy for some months until…The Thing happened. And then his life changed, mostly for the better but the start of his new life had been unbelievably hard and painful.

Lillian was like no-one else he’d ever met. She insisted that in the 90s, it was de riguer for al la mode women such as herself to have a GBF. When he looked mystified, she sighed. “A gay best friend, precious.”

She cocked her head to one side. “You’re from the sticks too. I don’t suppose you had much opportunity to explore your sexuality.”

Honestly, sometimes it was a bit like having a conversation about sex with your mum. He squirmed.

“Auntie Lillian can help!”

She was unbelievably nosey too. She asked questions all the time, almost as if she was researching him. So, tell me about Kirkcudbright? What about your mum and dad? When did you realise you were gay? Have you ever kissed a man?

When he finally admitted that no, he’d never so much as given a guy a hug, she clapped her hands together.

“That’s awful. First thing, then. I must introduce you to some friends of mine.”

Hence, the party.

These being Lillian’s friends, the party was taking place in a flat in the west end, just off the Great Western Road. These flats were so posh, they had two floors.

Lillian had insisted on picking out his outfit for him. Kippy had been going through a phase of velvet blazers, but she turned up her nose on them. “Too obvious!” She held up a plain white tee shirt and his old, worn Levi’s.

“Be the man in the laundrette,” she said, referring to the old advert where Nick Kamen stripped off, puts his jeans in a washing machine and sat in his boxers waiting for them to dry.

As a fourteen-year-old, Kippy had watched the advert a lot. Even now, if Marvin Gaye’s Heard it Through the Grapevine came on the radio, he felt his body quiver in excitement.

The outfit seemed to have done the trick. The party-goers were sixty-forty men to women. Lillian and Kippy were fashionably late arriving, and the attention that greeted them was flattering.

The party’s host made his way towards them, his eyes fixed on Kippy.

“Lillian! You beautiful thing, you. Who’s this?”

Danny wasn’t his ‘type’ anyway. Until very recently, Kippy couldn’t have told you what his type was. A picture swam before his eyes, a half-naked man wearing turned down overalls and a lazy grin. He blinked several times, hoping he wouldn’t cry.

Lillian leant forward and whispered something to Danny.

“I’ll get you both a drink,” Danny said. “And then mingle, do! We’re all good friends of Dorothy here.”

He winked, the eyes then flashing Kippy a lustful look.

“Are you okay, Alan?” Lillian asked. She was the only person under thirty who ever called him that, but he thought he maybe liked it. She said, ‘Alan’, when she was being serious, or asking difficult questions.

“Aye,” he nodded slowly. He’d be better once he had a drink in him. “Who’s Dorothy?”

©Emma Baird 2017

Writing Residencies: Alone With The Voices in My Head by Jackie Copleton

Ever wondered what a writers’ retreat is like? Me too…

Author Jackie Copleton (A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding, long-listed for the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2016, a BBC Radio 2 book club pick and a Richard and Judy Book Club choice last year) kindly obliged me with this explanation…

Alone with the Voices in My Head

By Jackie Copleton

I’m just back from a two-week writing residency in rural Ireland in January, probably one not best suited to those who like the comfort of a street lamp or a café that hasn’t closed for winter. But I loved my stay at the Heinrich Böll Cottage – including all the solitary hours and one offer to marry me off to a neighbour who sold turf.

The ‘Secret’ of Writing Retreats

Jackie Copleton

The desk in the room where the Nobel prize winner Henrich Boll used to work – a bit intimidating at first!

The cottage had a fire but no internet or television and only one radio channel. By day three I already knew which presenter to avoid. Nightfall came at 5pm and unless I wanted to put on a luminescent safety jacket and walk ten-minutes in the dark to the nearest pub for human company, that radio was the only contact with the outside world. It was lonely but I wrote shedloads. I had little to do by way of an alternative. And therein may lie the ‘secret’ of a writing retreat.

The temptation to get the whip out and only write from dawn to dusk is understandable if you’ve forked out money on a tight budget for a self-funded stay and that voice in your head keeps asking, ‘Can you afford this? Is this whimsical self-indulgence? Why can’t you just write at home?’

However, a writing residency isn’t just about the words, it’s about space and time. The best lines, the plot breakthroughs, the aha moments of observations or dialogue often come when you’ve fallen in a bog or have run into an abandoned house to avoid the hail or you’re having a stand-off in the middle of the road with an annoyed looking tiny horse.

Flowing Words

wr-viewsDespite setting myself rough word targets a day, I also managed to get outside to walk, cycle and drive over Achill Island in County Mayo. I saw megalithic tombs, a deserted village, treacherous cliffs, rainbows and stars. And I suspect these spots of beauty, rather than chaining myself to a desk, were what helped me get the words out in a flow rather than a dribble.

I have no idea if what I’ve written is any good, but in a fit of enthusiasm I went from that funded solo retreat to a subsidised self-funded one with other artists at beautiful Cove Park in Argyll thinking I’ll push on and try to finish a first draft – but I’ve hit a tiny wall. I’m still writing but not in the flurry I experienced in Ireland.

As I type these words a couple wearing matching slippers are curled up on the sofa opposite me in front of a wood-burning stove at the main centre. They look the picture of domestic compatibility while my book and I appear to have had a small domestic. Our slippers are not matching but we are still talking to one another.

Noisy Distractions

That’s the thing: you can find the perfect location, a great set-up (solo or surrounded by inspiring other writers), have an action plan and the money saved but if you’re not feeling it, you might as well be at home doing the ironing or getting your tax returns completed, with Facebook, Netflix and Radio Four all providing a glorious noisy thrilling distraction until the words bubble to the surface.

However, if you get the opportunity, go for it. But remember to leave your chair at regular intervals – you’re collecting experiences not just writing about them.

dictionaryJackie’s book is available in all good book shops and from Amazon and other e-book outlets. You can keep up to date with her news on her website,

(Top pic shows the paperback cover, while the bottom picture is the hardback.)

The Joys of Internet Research

nailsHow did writers manage years ago – research-wise?

I’m a big believer in the powers of the search engine. Ask a question – any question – and someone’s asked it before you. Here’s a case in point. Yesterday, I wanted to describe someone going into a beauty salon. Those of you who do make use of salon services, particularly nail bars, will know there’s a certain very strong, chemical smell associated with them. What is it?

I began to type the words, “what does a nail salon” in. By the time I’d typed “sm”, auto fill had kicked in, and the suggestion “What does a nail salon smell like” appeared.

Dead Cats

The first site I found was on answers yahoo – and funnily enough, was from someone writing about nail salons and wanting to know what that smell is. The answers weren’t terribly helpful. Someone had suggested dead cats, but one or two sites later and I had my answer.

Ethyl acetate.

That’s just one example. For the book I’ve just finished (first draft only), I needed to know if exploding cars happen often, what takes place at a memory clinic, how Alzheimer’s is diagnosed, what happens during a medical termination, when Glasgow Caledonian became a university, if Botox is a brand name or a generic name for face-freezing injections, and the lyrics to a number of songs,* all of which was revelaed with some judicious searching.

Alternative Words

Then there’s the joy of the online thesaurus. You discover you’ve just used the same word three times in the last two paragraph and off you head to the thesaurus to find an alternative.

I have no idea how writers managed before the internet. Did they save up all their queries and then go to the library? Did they have to phone people up? Would the novelist writing about a nail salon 25 years ago have phoned up a salon and asked the question? As a result of the difficulties of research, did writers just write about things they knew a lot about?

Thanks heavens for the internet, hmm?

*Those lyrics might need to come out. I’m trying to work out if I would need to pay a fee for them, if I misquote them slightly, or have characters speak the lyrics to each other. There’s more information about using lyrics in your writing here.

The Origins

This week’s Friday flash fiction was inspired by my inbox… tediously full of sales emails this morning.

The Origins

Checking the door was firmly closed, Ardell’s Head of Marketing opened her desk drawer.

She poured herself a hefty slug of bourbon. It had been a stressful few months. Sales at Ardells had suffered and its management team twitched nervously.

“What can we do?” they railed. They lowered prices, they extended opening hours and they employed the pushiest salespeople, incentivising them with impossible targets.

Nothing had worked – and now it was Thanksgiving. She hadn’t even made it home to her family.

Oh well, she might as well put on a sale tomorrow. Call it something.

Black Friday maybe?

Friday Flash Fiction – TFI Friday

friday“TFIF this week for sure…”

“What happened then, to make Friday so welcome this week?”

“Oh, you know… clients. Demanding ones. Forgetful ones. I had to re-issue three invoices this week.”

“Last Friday wasn’t a great day.”

“Good point. There are a lot of people who won’t recall Fridays with favour for a while.”

“We should re-claim Fridays of course. Show them we are not afraid.”

“Too right! Fridays are when we kick back aren’t they? We go out and we celebrate with our friends and families. We drink and we eat and we laugh.”

Je suis en terrasse.

Pic thanks to Slapix.


text:
The Harpole Report

The Harpole Report

"The Harpole Report" is the third novel by J. L. Carr, published in 1972. The novel tells the story mostly in the form of a school log book kept by George Harpole, temporary Head Teacher of the Church of England primary school of "Tampling St. Nicholas". The novel has attained a minor cult status within the teaching profession. The characters George Harpole and Emma Foxberrow reappear in Carr's eighth and final novel, "Harpole & Foxberrow General Publishers".

infobox Book |
name = The Harpole Report
title_orig =
translator =

image_caption = Dust jacket of first edition - 1972
author = J.L. Carr
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = United Kingdom
language = English
series =
genre = Fiction
publisher = Secker and Warburg
release_date = 1972
english_release_date =
media_type = Print (Hardback)
pages = 164
isbn = 436086107
preceded_by = A Season in Sinji
followed_by = How Steeple Sinderby Wanderers Won the F.A. Cup

Like all of Carr's novels, it is grounded in personal experience. Carr was a Primary School teacher for almost 40 years, including 15 years spent as Head Teacher of Highfields school in Kettering. [Rogers, Byron (2003). "The Last Englishman. The Life of J.L. Carr." London: Aurum Press.] Carr described it as "an evangelical tract that got away". Carr, J.L. (1983) A double life in literature. "The Author" Vol 44, No 4, pages 102 - 104.] The novel is now published by The Quince Tree Press, which was established by Carr in 1966 to publish his illustrated maps and small books. Carr, J.L. (1987) "An inventory and a history of the Quince Tree Press to mark its 21st year and the sale of its 500,000th small book. August 1987." Kettering: The Quince Tree Press. ]

*Mr. James Albert Pintle: "one of the old school", who insists on imposing on his pupils antiquated maths problems about coal deliveries.
*Mrs. Rita Grindle-Jones: prim and proper advocate of lower middle class respectability, who has "never been spoken to like this in all my thirty years' experience". Harpole replies "You have not had thirty years' experience. You have had one year's experience thirty times."
*Mr. Croser: young, cocky teacher whom Harpole dislikes.
*Miss Grace Tollemache: spinster from prominent local family, who regards all her hopes as buried since she was condemned to teach "The Backwards" class.
*Miss Emma Foxberrow: attractive blonde Cambridge graduate and feminist, under whose influence Harpole gradually changes from a buttoned-up typically "English" admirer of Sir Henry Newbolt to a crusading maverick.
*Mr. Edwin Theaker: caretaker, intent on building his private administrative empire.
*The Widmerpools: the local problem family, with innumerable and determinedly illiterate children.
*Mr. Tusker: bureaucrat, determined to frustrate any new initiative
*Councillor Mrs. Blossom: libidinous mayoral candidate, who engineers disciplinary proceedings against Harpole when he rejects her advances.
*Alderman Tollemache: Grace's father, eccentric member of local education authority with a private vendetta against "percussion" who acts as "deus ex machina" in the disciplinary proceedings.

Frank Muir described "The Harpole Report" as "the funniest and perhaps the truest story about running a school that I ever have read" and chose it as his book to take to a desert island on the BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs.

The Times described it as "An assortment of memorable characters lurking in the English educational undergrowth." [cite news |author= |title=Kettering; the workaday town that takes pride in its modest achievements|work=The Times |location=London |page=14 |date=July 5, 1972]

Publication history

* 1972 Secker and Warburg ISBN 436086107
* 1973 Quartet Books ISBN 070431052X
* 1984 Penguin Books ISBN 0140069208
* 2003 The Quince Tree Press ISBN 1904016065

An abridged version of the book was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1981, read by Martin Jarvis [cite news |author= |title=Radio|work=The Times |location=London |page=23 |date=September 12, 1983]

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Look at other dictionaries:

  • The Quince Tree Press — is the imprint established in 1966 by J. L. Carr to publish his maps, pocket books and novels. Carr, J.L. (1987) An inventory and a history of the Quince Tree Press to mark its 21st year and the sale of its 500,000th small book. August 1987.… …   Wikipedia

  • Harpole & Foxberrow General Publishers — is the eighth and last novel by J.L. Carr, published in 1992, just after his 80th birthday. The narrator of the story is Hetty Beauchamp, the heroine of What Hetty Did , who describes how George Harpole and Emma Foxberrow (both characters in The… …   Wikipedia

  • The Old Timers — is a rare, privately printed book published in 1957 by the school teacher, map maker, publisher and author J.L. Carr during his second visit to teach at a public school in Huron, South Dakota, U.S.A. At the age of 25 years, after training as a… …   Wikipedia

  • How Steeple Sinderby Wanderers Won the F.A. Cup — is the fourth novel by J.L. Carr, published in 1975. The novel is a comic fantasy that describes in the form of an official history how a village football club progressed through the FA Cup to beat Glasgow Rangers F.C. in the final at Wembley… …   Wikipedia

  • Star Trek V: The Final Frontier — Theatrical release poster art by Bob Peak Directed by William Shatner …   Wikipedia

  • 1952 in literature — The year 1952 in literature involved some significant events and new books.Events*J. L. Carr takes over as headmaster of Highfields Primary School, Kettering, which will eventually furnish the subject matter for his novel, The Harpole Report .… …   Wikipedia

  • J. L. Carr — Joseph Lloyd Carr (born 20 May 1912 Thirsk Junction, Carlton Miniott, Yorkshire ndash; 26 February 1994 Kettering, Northamptonshire); who called himself Jim or even James, was an English novelist, publisher, teacher, and eccentric.BiographyCarr… …   Wikipedia

  • What Hetty Did — is the seventh novel by J.L. Carr, published in 1988 when he was 76 years old. The novel describes the reminiscences of an 18 year old girl, Hetty Beauchamp, who runs away from home and comes across several characters from Carr s previous novels… …   Wikipedia

  • A Season in Sinji — is the second novel by J.L. Carr, published in 1967. The novel is set mostly at fictional R.A.F. Sinji in west Africa during the Second World War and features a bizarre cricket match.infobox Book | name = A Season in Sinji title orig = translator …   Wikipedia

  • Ken Calvert — Infobox Congressman name =Ken Calvert date of birth= birth date and age|1953|06|08 place of birth= Corona, California alma mater=Chaffey Community College, San Diego State University occupation=restaurateur, real estate agent state = California… …   Wikipedia


text:
Date: 26.03.2020

Source: European Parliament

Readed: 4499

In view of the tremendous challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic on European societies, economies, employment markets and social systems, Lucia ĎURIŠ NICHOLSONOVÁ (ECR/SK), Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL), declares:

« The European Union and its Member States need to respond with extraordinary measures and without hesitation to face the unprecedented challenges that the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic brings about for our societies and our economies, labour markets and social systems.

While many sectors of the economy and many of our citizens are facing a massive increase in unemployment, job losses, a decrease in working time and loss of income, other sectors see major challenges to ensure continuity and protect the safety of their workers. Certain sectors might also be at risk of shortages of staff given the temporary restrictions of the movement of workers.

We also need to take a closer look at uncoordinated national measures that affected people who live in one Member State and work in another, a situation that applies to 1.3 million vulnerable cross-border workers. I would welcome clear guidelines or recommendations from the European Commission laying down straightforward criteria for Member States to provide social benefits and wage compensation to those cross-border workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is particularly important to support the working parents who keep our health systems and other important services running and help them find child-care solutions. Member States should ensure, together with employers, to allow that if one parent is a healthcare professional, caregiver, member of the armed forces or the police, the other parent should be entitled to working from home or at least working part-time to take care of the children.

All companies affected by the corona crisis, including small and medium enterprises, should receive adequate support. Emergency measures should be taken to help the entire workforce, including those with precarious jobs as well as the self-employed.

In view of this unprecedented situation, the EU and its Member States need to cooperate much more efficiently to contain the spread of the coronavirus and fight the negative socio-economic consequences together. The most important benefits of the EU, such as free movement and the single market, can only be fully safeguarded if we succeed to protect the health and safety of all our citizens in all Member States equally. «


text:
Kosovo, a landlocked country, is Europe’s youngest country in Europe bordered by Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro. It also has the youngest population in Europe with an average age of 30. In Pristina, the capital, the average age of the population is 28 years old. Lithuania recognized Kosovo well over a decade ago – in 2008.
Marigona Berisha
Marigona Berisha
© Organizacijos nuotr.

Students from Kosovo now are increasingly coming to Lithuania to study. Universum College student Marigona Berisha, 19 years old, came to Vilnius in January as an exchange student at Mykolas Romeris University.

She had no idea that she would end up here during the unusual quarantine period and that she would spend so much time inside. Marigona, a Catholic, also spent her first Easter away from her family this year in Vilnius.

Although she coloured Easter eggs with siblings in years past, she settled on buying chocolate Easter eggs this year instead.

- How are you faring during the quarantine period?

- It’s boring. But, we students study during the day, listen to lectures online. In the evenings, sometimes we stay up too late with friends. Sometimes we order food for delivery to the dormitory at the University and other times we cook for ourselves.

- How did you find out about the exchange programme that brought you to Vilnius?

- I was searching on the Internet for a place to study and I found Mykolas Romeris University in Vilnius. I am a Computer Science major. I thought it would be a great opportunity to come, study and share experiences with other students. Also, it is good to learn about other cultures and countries.

- Did you know anything about Vilnius or Lithuania before coming here?

- Not much. I did know that such a country exists and have found out more about Vilnius and Lithuania since I have been here. The first thing I noticed when I came here is the calm and peaceful atmosphere. Also, the nature in Vilnius is amazing.

- Were your parents surprised that you were going away for 6 months to Vilnius? What did they say?

- My parents were supportive. They told me to “be safe” and enjoy my travels and studies in Lithuania.

- What are your impressions of Vilnius?

- It’s a peaceful city. I like the life here and the Lithuanian people. I find them very polite. It’s a good experience. You know in general, student life and being a student is great.

- You are from the city of Gjakova, located 80-km from Kosovo’s capital, Pristina. How does Gjakova differ from Vilnius?

- Gjakova is a small city with a large number of primary, secondary schools and also universities. It’s more noisy. There are many cafes and many bars and clubs there. The nightlife is attractive. There are many young people outside. Here in Vilnius it’s so beautiful, the green nature and the trees. The air is fresh here. It makes me feel relaxed. I wish Gjakova was more like this – more green. The weather is different from Gjakova and differs from day to day. For example, in Vilnius, one day it can be sunny and then it can be raining the same day.

Marigona Berisha
Marigona Berisha
© Organizacijos nuotr.

- Is there anything that you miss while you are here in Vilnius?

- I miss my friends and my family – 2 brothers and sister. Some foods I miss too such as the round Kosovan pancake pie, flia dish – that resembles pizza. It is very good made with simple ingredients such as flour, butter, yogurt and water. There is even a Flia Day celebrated on March 20th, when families invite relatives to eat Flia together. This I miss.

- What are your plans after you graduate?

- When I go back to Kosovo this summer I will be finishing my Bachelor’s Degree studies in Computer Science. I have many plans for the future including traveling abroad. I also want to improve my English and I have the chance to do that while in Vilnius.

It is forbidden to copy the text of this publication without a written permission from DELFI.
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text:
From Girls' Frontline Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

VSK-94 Quotes
Gun Information
Full name Voyskovoy Snayperskiy Kompleks (Military Sniper Complex) 1994
Country of origin Russian Federation
Manufacturer KBP Instrument Design Bureau
Game Information
Faction Griffin & Kryuger
Manufactured /
Revised by
Voice actor -TBA-
Artist 四骑
Released on CN, TW, KR
Chibi Animation

Click the marked area to switch between animations

How to obtain[edit]

NORMALHEAVY Timer 04:43:00. See T-Doll Production for details.

DROP Not obtainable as a drop.

REWARD Not obtained as a reward

Exclusive Equipment[edit]

There is no exclusive equipment for this T-Doll.

Stats / Data[edit]

44(x1)88(x1) / 440(x5) 15(x1) / 55(x5) 30(x1) / 90(x5)
45 133
4 32
9 79
Rate of Fire
 Rate of Fire
25 38
Movement Speed
 Move Speed
Critical Hit Rate
 Crit. Rate
Critical Hit Damage
 Crit. Damage
Armor Penetration
 Armor Pen.
Icon slot Accessory.png Icon Telescopic Sight S 2star.png Icon Holographic Sight S 2star.png
Icon Red Dot Sight S 2star.png Icon Night Combat Equipment S 2star.png
Icon Silencer S 2star.png
Icon slot Magazine.png Icon Armor-Piercing Ammo S 2star.png Icon HP Ammo S 2star.png
Icon Shotgun Ammo S 2star.png
Icon High-Velocity Ammo S 2star.png
Icon slot Doll.png Icon Microchip S 2star.png Icon Exoskeleton S 2star.png
Icon Ballistic Plate S 2star.png Icon Camo Cape S 2star.png
Icon Ammo Box S 2star.png

Affects handguns
Reduce skill cooldown by 18%

Weapon Background[edit]

The VSK-94 (Russian: Войсковой Снайперский Комплекс, romanized: Voyskovoy Snayperskiy Kompleks, English: Military Sniper Complex, GRAU designation 6В8) is a 9x39mm suppressed designated marksman rifle designed In 1995 in the KBP Tula Instrument-making Design Bureau designed by Vasily Gryazev.

It was developed in the early 1990's to complement the 9A-91 sub machine gun. It was intended as a more cost effective and lighter alternative to the VSS Vintorez much like how the 9A-91 is intended as a cheaper alternative to the AS Val which was derived from the VSS Vintorez. The VSK-94 is nearly identical to 9A91 and they're both gas operated weapons with long stroke gas piston and rotating bolt. Both are also chambered in 9x39mm subsonic ammunition.

The original 9A-91 can still be recognized in the VSK-94 design. Key physical changes include the integrated double-strut, lightweight polymer stock and the cylindrical silencer assembly. The VSK-94 features the same receiver lines of the 9A-91 series as well as its straight detachable box magazine. The pistol grip adds ergonomic comfort and the oblong trigger ring allows use of a gloved hand. Magazines are inserted into the well ahead of the trigger group in the usual way. The charging handle is set to the right side of the body as is the ejection port. Thusly, optics are attached to the left side of the receiver - the standard fitting being the 4x PSO-1 series scope (backed by the 9A-91's iron sights). The PSO-1 series is a common sight for the famous Dragunov SVD sniper rifle family. Receiver construction is of all steel for rugged usability in-the-field. As with the 9A-91, the VSK-94 is fed from a 20-round detachable spring-loaded straight box magazine tied to the gas-operated, rotating bolt action. This allows a rate-of-fire of approximately 700 rounds per minute with a muzzle velocity of 270 meters per second out to an effective range of 400 meters.

The VSK94 was acquired in limited quantity and remains in limited use by special Russian military and internal security forces. Although cheaper, the VSK-94 is seen as less capable than its more expensive counterpart; the VSS Vintorez.

She has an extremely strong sense of righteousness and has a history of police service in her CV. She's a powerful fighter who's used to working alone. To other T-Dolls, she's cold, taciturn and difficult to approach. In truth, she loves human children, but her vicious looks often make parents mistake her for a human trafficker.

Main artwork

Gallery consisting of artworks used primarily in-game.

Alternative artwork

Alternate gallery consisting of artworks with slight alterations as well as miscellaneous artworks.


text:
Dino Buzzati

Dino Buzzati-Traverso (Italian pronunciation: [ˈdiːno budˈdzaːti]; 14 October 1906 – 28 January 1972) was an Italian novelist, short story writer, painter and poet, as well as a journalist for Corriere della Sera. His worldwide fame is mostly due to his novel The Tartar Steppe, and he is also known for his well-received collections of short stories.

Dino Buzzati
Dino Buzzati.jpg
Born14 October 1906 (1906-10-14)
San Pellegrino di Belluno, Italy
Died28 January 1972 (1972-01-29) (age 65)
Milan, Italy
OccupationGraphic artist, novelist, short story writer, journalist
GenreNovel, short story
Notable worksThe Tartar Steppe

Buzzati was born at San Pellegrino, Belluno, in his family's ancestral villa. Buzzati's mother, a veterinarian by profession, was Venetian and his father, a professor of international law, was from an old Bellunese family. Buzzati was the second of his parents' four children. One of his brothers was the well-known Italian geneticist Adriano Buzzati-Traverso. In 1924, he enrolled in the law faculty of the University of Milan, where his father once taught. As he was completing his studies in law, he was hired, at the age of 22, by the Milanese newspaper Corriere della Sera, where he would remain until his death. He began in the corrections department, and later worked as a reporter, special correspondent, essayist, editor and art critic. It is often said that his journalistic background informs his writing, lending even the most fantastic tales an aura of realism.

Buzzati himself comments on the connection (as cited by Lawrence Venuti):

It seems to me, fantasy should be as close as possible to journalism. The right word is not "banalizing", although in fact a little of this is involved. Rather, I mean that the effectiveness of a fantastic story will depend on its being told in the most simple and practical terms.[1]

During World War II, Buzzati served in Africa, as a journalist attached to the Regia Marina. After the end of the war, Il deserto dei Tartari was published Italy-wide and quickly brought critical recognition and fame to the author. He married Almerina Antoniazzi in 1966, which also marked release of his last novel, Un amore. In 1972, Buzzati died of cancer after a protracted illness.

Works summaryEdit

Buzzati began writing fiction in 1933. His works of fiction include five novels, theatre and radio plays, librettos, numerous books of short stories and poetry. His librettos include four for operas by Luciano Chailly, as well as that of the opera La giacca dannata by Giulio Viozzi.

He wrote a children's book La famosa invasione degli orsi in Sicilia (translated by Frances Lobb into English as The Bears' Famous Invasion of Sicily). Lemony Snicket wrote an introduction and reader's companion to a 2005 English edition.

Also an acclaimed and exhibited artist, Buzzati combined his artistic and writerly exploits into making a comic book based on the myth of Orpheus, Poem Strip.

The Tartar Steppe, his most famous novel, tells the story of a military outpost that awaits a Tartar invasion. In its sentiment and its conclusions, it has been compared to existentialist works, notably Albert Camus's The Myth of Sisyphus.[2]

His writing is sometimes cited as magical realism, social alienation, and the fate of the environment and of fantasy in the face of unbridled technological progress are recurring themes. He has also written a variety of short stories featuring fantastic animals such as the bogeyman and, his own invention, the colomber (il colombre). His Sessanta racconti short-story collection, which won the Strega Prize in 1958, features elements of science fiction, fantasy and horror throughout.[3][4]

His works are highly regarded in France but little known in English.

  1. ^ Restless Nights – Selected Stories of Dino Buzzati (Introduction by L. Venuti) (North Point Press, 1983)
  2. ^ Sem' Gontsov (Introduction by E. Ambartsumov) (Izvestiya Press, 1985)
  3. ^ "Sessanta racconti". premiostrega.it (in Italian). Strega Prize. Archived from the original on 2014-06-21. Retrieved 2015-07-13.
  4. ^ http://www.fantascienza.com/catalogo/autori/NILF10743/dino-buzzati/
  • Giuseppe Leone, "Dino Buzzati e le grandi "costruzioni" letterarie – La "fortezza di Bastiani" non è "Il castello" di Kafka", Il Punto Stampa, Lecco, Italy, April 1997.
  • Luis Montiel (2010), “Una meditatio mortis contemporánea. La reflexión de Dino Buzzati sobre la caducidad de la vida humana”. Medicina e historia, 2/2010, 1–15.

External linksEdit


WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: application/xhtml+xml

text:
Indonesia's flood, landslide-rattled province struggles to recover

Sunday, 2019-05-05 13:31:40
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The emergency state of Indonesia's western Bengkulu Province was lifted on Saturday (May 4) after floods and landslides killed 30 people and caused massive infrastructure damage in the past two weeks as the region was striving for recovery, a senior disaster official said.

Rescuers were still searching for four missing people who were believed to be swept away by the flood or caught in landslides in Bengkulu Tengah district.

Torrential rains started to lash the province in Sumatra Island on April 26, swelling rivers and bursting banks, head of emergency department of the provincial disaster management agency Syamsudin said.

Efforts were underway to reopen the roads that were blocked, said the official.

"Many wells of the residents were submerged during the floods, so that medical teams are now working hard, taking measures to decontaminate the water," he told Xinhua over phone from the province.

"On infrastructure, the effort now includes the clearance of the roads which have been covered by mud and soils, and repair of those damaged. These aims to smooth transport to revive the economy," said Syamsudin.

All of these works were set to be completed within one month, until June 2, he added.

Within the next two to three days, an assessment on further downside risks will be carried out to get more accurate data of the impacts of the natural disaster, the official said.

Initial data from the national disaster management agency showed that 184 houses, seven educational facilities, and 40 other infrastructural facilities, including roads, bridges and water channels, have been destroyed.

Deforestation and descending catchment area were to blame for the natural disaster, according to the agency.

Indonesia has been frequently stricken by floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains.