text:
Future cities:

Driving growth through the creative economy

A special feature from Prudential Investment Management, produced by The Economist Intelligence Unit

Economist Intelligence Unit Logo

From one end of the globe to the other, a growing number of cities are emerging as creative forces thanks to burgeoning arts and culture sectors. Based on the collective strength of their creative industries, these cities are driving new business, spurring innovation, attracting talent and investment and, in the process, accelerating urban development and improving the overall quality of life for their residents. While not every city can assume a leading role on the global stage, a remarkable number are working to identify the creative strengths and characteristics that define their appeal and attract attention.

In this special feature, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) showcases five forward-looking cities—Austin, Berlin, Mexico City, Mumbai and Seoul—each with a distinctly vibrant creative economy that produces cultural goods and services in fields such as art, media and music. This list is by no means exhaustive, which is why we spotlight other cities making progress in this area in a digital slideshow.

Focusing on our five cities, we highlight a range of creative fields, such as music and technology (Austin), visual arts (Berlin), contemporary art and television (Mexico City), film (Mumbai), and gaming and digital media (Seoul). In an animated video, we explore key historic moments or "creative pivots" that influenced these cities' direction. In a separate video, we feature interviews with experts from each city, sharing their views on the role that creative talent plays in driving growth. We also examine whether these five cities are evolving to position themselves for future growth or whether their current accomplishments risk being temporary. Taken together, these stories offer a glimpse into diverse economies and complex creative ecosystems—in short, dynamic cities that are geared for success.

Country musician Willie Nelson closed 2014 performing a sold-out show at the 2,750-seat Moody Theatre in downtown Austin, Texas. This arena is the new home of Austin City Limits, the longest-running music series in the history of television–and the show that in its 1974 debut featured Mr Nelson singing "Whiskey River". The new upscale venue exemplifies just how far the TV programme–and the city itself–has evolved over the last four decades.

Austin's leaders have long recognised that music is a defining characteristic of their city–and, as a result, integral to their efforts in shaping the city's growth and prosperity. "Music is incredibly important," says Will Wynn, Austin's mayor from 2003 to 2009 and a big music fan himself. "It's the spice in the chili that makes it taste so good."

Indeed, Austin boasts more than 200 live music venues, which helps drive the city's burgeoning tourism sector. But music is just one critical piece of Austin's creative economy, which includes some 50,000 arts-related jobs in areas that span film and television, gaming and other visual arts. Despite the 2008 recession that hurt so many cities, Austin continues to add population and jobs.

Music and other creative industries have particularly benefited from an expanding population and job base stemming from the technology sector. Austin's tech boom dates from the 1980s when the city lured two tech-based consortia–the Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation and SEMATECH (Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology). In both bids, Austin beat other locations around the country by offering a mix of financial incentives (such as subsidised leases) and support from local universities. Already the manufacturing home of IBM, Texas Instruments, Motorola and Advanced Micro Devices, winning these two site competitions "ultimately put Austin on the map–into a small group of rising intellectual cities–and it kept rising from there," says Mr Wynn.

This infusion of capital and tech talent helped attract other new businesses, including high-profile players Apple and Samsung, as well as spurring start-ups and additional research-and-development (R&D) activity. Yet, as Mr Wynn notes, the new investments did not supplant the city's creative vibe. Quite the contrary. "As these young, intellectual, educated tech minds came, there was always the presence of creativity," he says. "The technologists didn't create the image–the image was already there."

The technologists didn't create the image–the image was already there.

In fact, just at the time when the city landed SEMATECH, the first South by Southwest Festival (SXSW) kicked off in 1987. What began as an ad-hoc music gathering in a sleepy university town has since grown into a massive conference-cum-festival that includes music, film and technology. According to a study by the consultancy Greyhill Advisors, in 2014 SXSW attracted more than 370,000 attendees and generated more than US$315m for Austin's economy. The event also strengthens the city's status as a trendsetter at the intersection of art, music and digital technology.

An animated illustration of a man and woman in formal wear, facing the viewer at a gallery event.

Without SXSW, Austin's economy may have taken a different turn. Between 2000 and 2002, after the dotcom bubble of the late 1990s burst, the city lost more than 25,000 tech-sector jobs. Austin responded by moving aggressively to drive growth. Remarkably, until then, the city never had its own economic development office.

In 2002 (as council member) and 2003 (as newly elected mayor), Mr Wynn oversaw a task-force on the economy to recommend and implement changes. The "business-friendly" initiatives included easing restrictions on small businesses and working with the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce to develop incentives and other programmes to recruit major employers to the city.

The most visible part of the task-force was its emphasis on Austin's "cultural vitality"–measuring the city's creative economy, investing in arts-related initiatives, and including musicians and other arts-minded citizens in the conversation about economic development, as well as making culture an integral part of the city's direction and policy decision-making. "[We said] Austin's image was already disproportionately music, so let's recognise the importance of cultural vitality as we design a way forward," Mr Wynn recalls.

One sign of this new direction was to formally adopt a city slogan. "Keep Austin Weird" became the catchphrase for the city's commitment to creativity–and a reminder that urban growth should not drive out the cultural assets that shaped Austin's identity and appeal. Mr Wynn describes the mindset: "We didn't want to become another city in the United States of 'Generica' ... not to disparage other cities, but by God, no matter how big we grow and our industry clusters merge and change, we are going to be a unique American city."

The data underscore Austin's progress. Employment in creative industries has boomed, growing by 25% in 2005-10. The growth trends have continued, benefiting from the rise of digital media, a nearly US$1bn gaming industry, the continuing strength of the music industry and Austin's position as one of the top magnets for small business and the much-desired 25- to 34-year-old demographic.

It is no wonder Austin's real-estate market is flourishing, and driving up home prices. In addition to the 37-story W Hotel next to the Moody Theatre, the burgeoning downtown area boasts the 56-story Austonian, the tallest residential building in Texas, and a brand-new 34-story JW Marriott; a 50-story Fairmont Hotel is expected in 2016. On the edge of the downtown area, the Waller Creek project aims to create an expansive urban park and other related developments. Adding to this vitality is a food culture that counts multiple James Beard award-winning chefs and a legion of food trucks serving diverse menus that extend well beyond Austin's signature Tex-Mex and barbeque offerings.

Inevitably, there will be bumps in the road. Despite voters in November 2014 rejecting a US$600m bond to finance a new light-rail system, Austin's future will be shaped by the city's skill in managing severe highway congestion, a rising cost of living and other challenges caused by rapid growth. Still, the city's leaders can continue to count on the growing stream of young and educated newcomers, drawn by Austin's musical vibe and adding to its creative mix.

With walls covered in graffiti and its century-old structure in disrepair, the five-story Tacheles building in Berlin's historic Mitte district had for two decades been a magnet for squatting artists. First opened as a department store in 1908, it endured bombing in the second world war and was then left vacant under East German rule. Once the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, artists renamed it Kunsthaus Tacheles ("Art House Tacheles"), making it an iconic symbol of the new Berlin's sense of possibility.

But in 2012, HSH Nordbank, owner of the Tacheles building, drove out its avant-garde occupants, including those responsible for the chaotically vibrant collection of artist studios, cafés, clubs and galleries. This followed years of legal skirmishes by various investors in the increasingly dynamic commercial district in the city centre. Yet Tacheles remains a clear reminder of the critical role that a passionate subculture played in driving the city's creative growth after 1989.

"Many young people came to Berlin from all over the world because we had the freedom of thinking, doing and making," says Juergen Schepers, branch co-ordinator for creative industries at the Berlin Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "Everything was possible. There was not any structure [regarding ownership of buildings] and the living costs were really low. In a certain way, that's the spirit of Berlin and [created the groundwork] for the city's development."

We want to create value, experiment and learn in a unique place worth living.

The rise of Berlin as a cultural hub–and economic force–accelerated after a reunified Germany relocated its capital there in 1999. In fact, the turnover of creative industries in this city of 3.5m grew by 68% in 2000-12, from €16.8bn to €28.2bn, representing 16% of the overall economy, according to Chamber of Commerce data. With major input from publishing, gaming, film and TV, design and art, the number of companies in creative industries grew by 70% during the period.

While the art sector comprised less than €600m in annual revenues in 2012, Berlin's 400 galleries and some 20,000 artists have a much greater impact on the cultural life of the city. Berlin Art Week (80,000 visitors) and Berlin Fashion Week (200,000 visitors) are just two examples that illustrate the city's growing focus on art-minded tourism–and help explain the doubling of overnight stays in the city in 2004-13 from 13m to 27m.

Tourism aside, the vitality of the artist community has also inspired the opening of new cafés and clubs, start-ups in related fields like fashion and digital media, as well as other collaborations between artists excited to work together. This was particularly true in the 1990s as young people flocked to what was once East Berlin for free or cheap spaces in abandoned or unused buildings–and the low price of experimentation and fun sometimes translated into the creation of significant institutions. In 1997, for example, a group of artists turned a broken-down former margarine factory into the now-thriving Kunst-Werke Institute for Contemporary Art.

As the real-estate market has become more commercial and costly, city leaders have recognised the need to maintain affordable spaces–to sustain a "mixed culture in the heart of Berlin", as Mr Schepers puts it. This includes programmes subsidising artists' studios and apartments, backing small creative companies and urging real-estate investors to provide spaces for artists in their new or renovated buildings. "It's so important to support the subculture," says Mr Schepers, noting that the creative fields are primarily driven by small enterprises. "This gives the small companies the chance to develop into medium-sized and maybe then large companies."

It also gives Berlin the opportunity to sustain and enhance its identity and allure as a creative magnet. The fear is that as gentrification drives up prices, the city risks losing its distinctive appeal. "Berlin is poor but sexy," said former Berlin mayor Klaus Wowereit in 2004. And while the city's allure represents an opportunity for investors, officials like Mr Schepers are seeking to balance Berlin's growing wealth with its cultural goals.

"We are looking to not make the mistakes of London and Paris," Mr Schepers says. If artists and other young creatives cannot afford to live in Berlin, "they can go to Warsaw or Budapest or other [cities]. That's a problem."

Berlin residents also worry about how the city's future growth will be managed. In 2014, Berliners strongly rejected a city government plan to turn a portion of the former Tempelhof airport site into 4,700 new homes, voting instead to maintain the open land as a public park. (Locals were already using the area to ride bikes, fly kites and pursue other outdoor activities.)

In the end, Berlin's success may be defined by multi-use, creative-minded projects like Holzmarkt, located along the banks of the Spree River. In 2008, as dense collections of office towers, corporate headquarters, hotels and other businesses were sprouting skyward, 87% of local voters passed a citizen-driven referendum advocating a "Spree Riverbank for All" to keep the water's edge open to the public.

Owners of the former Bar 25, an underground nightclub legendary for its party atmosphere, took the citizenry's call to heart. With the financial backing of a Swiss pension fund in 2012, their Holzmarkt Cooperative Society beat out hedge funds and other investors to acquire a prime undeveloped, city-owned site along the river–an area in the border zone where the Berlin Wall once stood.

Their plan calls for a pedestrian-centric urban village, including a riverside trail, a hotel, cafés, nightclub, shops, a rooftop fish farm and garden, a tech centre for start-ups, a student dorm, and warehouse space for musicians and artists. As the owners put it, "We combine nature, economy and culture... We want to create value, experiment and learn in a unique place worth living." Mr Schepers believes the project can be profitable while also bolstering the creative economy. It is this kind of multidimensional thinking that may be key to Berlin maintaining its special qualities as a creative magnet.

Mexico City

For more than a decade, Jumex Group fruit-juice heir Eugenio Lopez Alonso amassed a dazzling collection of contemporary art, housing it in a factory building on the industrial outskirts of Mexico City. During that time, his Colección Jumex grew to more than 2,000 pieces, and although it eventually became one of the largest private collections in Latin America, it could be viewed by appointment only.

All that changed in November 2013, when the collection was moved to the newly built Museo Jumex in the fashionable and vibrant Nuevo Polanco district. Designed by British architect David Chipperfield, Museo Jumex resembles a creamy white cube with a jagged crown. The museum's opening helped raise the position of Mexico's capital city on the global art map–and reinforced the growing stature of Mexican and Latin American artists. "We don't see ourselves as a private institution," says Patrick Charpenel, the museum's director, but rather one that has a "big responsibility" to "open a conversation" with the public.

Just steps away from the Museo Jumex sits the Museo Soumaya, one of the most visited art museums in Latin America. Financed by Mexican magnate Carlos Slim, one of the world's wealthiest individuals, Museo Soumaya opened in 2011 in the high-end Plaza Carso, a previously rundown industrial area developed by Mr Slim. Its collections range from European art from the 15th to the 20th centuries–including the largest Rodin collection outside France–as well as historic artefacts that include Spanish Colonial coins and Mexican relics.

Creativity is not a luxury. It's not the cherry on the cake.

As the contemporary art scene continues to catch fire in Mexico City, dozens of small galleries have sprouted up, often financed on shoestring budgets–much like the art scene in New York City in the 1970s and 1980s. International collectors and visitors often venture out to explore the city after arriving for "Zona Maco", the annual contemporary art festival that hosts more than 100 galleries from nearly two dozen countries. Tourists can find both local and foreign-born artists benefiting from low-cost living and an expanding sense of opportunity.

"We are a Latin American economy with a great history full of contradictions," says Mr Charpenel, who sees the city's emerging status as a cultural asset on the global stage. "We represent a different perspective with different voices."

Before Mexico City's latest creative breakthrough, Mexican telenovelas were a popular export. The most successful of these Spanish-language soap operas became global hits and made international stars of their leads: On a 1992 whirlwind tour of Moscow, for example, actress Veronica Castro of The Rich Also Cry was swamped by Russian fans. By 2008, creative goods and services exports were generating US$5.2bn, making Mexico the largest cultural exporter in Latin America. This opportunity has also attracted a new generation of college students–nearly 125,000 in such fields as film and animation, digital media and design–all benefitting from foreign businesses seeking low-cost workers and services.

While art, film, TV and digital media are all magnets for creative talent, one small government department–the Laboratory for the City (Laboratorio para la Ciudad)–offers a more unexpected take on how creative talent may define the city's future. Within weeks after Miguel Ángel Mancera was elected mayor in 2012, he asked Gabriella Gómez-Mont to helm the Laboratory and re-imagine how city government could operate more creatively and connect with the public. "I took the job because I'm madly in love with Mexico City and its potential," says Ms Gómez-Mont, director of the newly created institution. Indeed, she was given latitude to build a multidisciplinary team of architects, filmmakers, social scientists, designers, editors, urban planners and others who could employ their wide-ranging expertise and passion for the city to spur civic innovation and urban creativity. One early project involved designing a smartphone app that uses city data to differentiate registered taxis from unreliable pirate taxis that often look similar.

A diverse group of creative workers discuss designs and photos over coffee at a business meeting.

"Creativity is not a luxury. It's not the cherry on the cake," says Ms Gómez-Mont. "It's urgent." This is no small concern in a city of 19.5m that struggles with the problem of wasted talent often resulting from poverty and crime. She sees the city's social-services centres as untapped resources. "We have just started to explore the potential of bringing a lot more people into the fold of what we define as the creative community of Mexico City," she says. "We have the staff, the budgets and the buildings. We have the hardware. We just need to recode [the centres] and rethink what they are."

One of the city's most visible examples of recoding is the Centro Histórico, anchored in the main plaza by the iconic Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral, the oldest in Latin America, dating to the 16th century. By the 1980s, and particularly after damage caused by a powerful earthquake in 1985, this central neighbourhood was steadily deteriorating as evidenced by abandoned buildings and rising crime.

Today, through a combination of public and private investment, the area is undergoing a renaissance. (Since 2012, organisations have taken advantage of more cohesive and reliable federal laws for public-private partnerships involving the Mexican government and international investors.) Newly converted pedestrian streets, refurbished parks and buildings, enhanced security, and trendy new boutiques and restaurants have all reinvigorated the Centro. "It used to die at night. It's amazing to see how much life there is now," says Ms Gómez-Mont, whose office is in the area and appreciates the Centro's–indeed the city's–eclectic mix of the raw and the sophisticated. "You can [experience] 600 years of history in an afternoon, then go from visiting very local and funky [places] to a super-international, super-contemporary gallery that night. It's part of what makes us unique on an international landscape."

In 1896, at the Watson's Hotel in Bombay, audiences witnessed one of the first cinema productions of the pioneering Lumière brothers. Advertised as "The Marvel of the Century" and "The Wonder of the World", their "living photographic pictures" included a demolition and soldiers on wheels. This was followed by other foreign-made films and documentary footage shot in India. Among the most notable was the British-made "Our King and Queen through India", which captured the royal visit to Delhi in 1911 to celebrate the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary (who were also proclaimed emperor and empress of India).

But it was a few years later, in 1913, when Dadasaheb Phalke wrote, produced and directed "Raja Harishchandra", a full-length feature depicting Hindu gods and a righteous king. This landmark film, shot in Bombay and widely credited for launching the Indian film industry, highlighted the rich and compelling landscape for telling local stories.

Today Mr Phalke is known as "The Father of Indian Cinema", the forerunner of the world's largest concentration of movie production in Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay) with some 900 films made each year. Bollywood–a moniker derived from the combination of Bombay and Hollywood–has travelled far from its roots as a local industry for domestic consumption. It has become a growing cultural export, tapping into the vast Indian diaspora (some 25m in more than 100 countries) and a burgeoning non-Indian fan base.

Bollywood has lent Mumbai a 'city of dreams' ethos, much like Hollywood.

Bollywood not only influences related creative industries such as design, digital media, fashion, food and music–it has lent India's movie capital a "city of dreams" ethos, much like Hollywood. Mumbai, India's largest city with a population of nearly 17m, draws migrants from throughout the country seeking a better life and inspired by the city's multiculturalism and sense of opportunity. "People in Mumbai are exceedingly open–it's a great melting pot," says Dr Amit Kapoor, president and chief executive officer of the India Council on Competiveness. In particular, Bollywood has been at the forefront of promoting tolerance for different religions and sexual orientations, as well as other forms of diversity, "stretching the limits of acceptance... its psychological impact is humongous."

As important as the creative industries are to the city's development, Mumbai has also built on its rich history as a commercial and banking centre, taking advantage of its ports and location beside the Arabian Sea. Its first cotton spinning mill dates to the 1850s and its textile industry has become a leading export, hastened by increased trade after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. By the time India reached national independence in 1947, Mumbai's industrial base included chemicals, engineering, pharmaceuticals, cars and other consumer products in addition to textiles.

While Mumbai continues to generate 40% of India's foreign trade and about a third of the country's income tax revenue, the city suffered a wrenching transition beginning in the 1970s with the decline of the textile industry and broad cuts in manufacturing employment. Many of its mills in the central city were abandoned after a long strike in 1982-83, pushing some workers towards the emerging formal service industries (including IT, banking and finance, transportation and healthcare) and even more to the informal sector (such as unregistered business activities). Even though Mumbai today is the headquarters for 21 of India's 54 largest companies, Dr Kapoor notes "people understand that jobs are often not found by job seeking but by [their own] job creation."

A spirit of entrepreneurialism is often portrayed in Bollywood films, which have increasingly offered dreamy visions of wealth and glamorous living. The push for individual economic success and the finer things in life intensified in the 1990s, when Indian liberalisation policies reduced tariffs, opened markets and eased restrictions on licensing and permits. Spurring a massive infusion of foreign investment, these changes attracted global media firms eyeing opportunities to tap into a growing middle class, as well as expand the film and television industries. With more funding, the production values of Bollywood films improved, increasing their appeal to global audiences. This globalisation also expanded the impact of the film industry on fashion and music, as aspirational audiences hungered to acquire the clothing they saw and the music they heard.

Mumbai's economic rise has visibly reshaped its skyline, especially in the district known as South Mumbai that houses much of the city's elite. In recent years, real-estate developers have acquired land that was formerly occupied by cotton mills to build luxury skyscrapers. For example, in 2016 the soon-to-be-completed glass-and-steel World One Tower will top off at 117 stories in an area that was once the site of the Shrinivas Mill. With apartments and public spaces designed by Giorgio Armani, a Six Senses Spa and occupants largely drawn from elite Mumbaikars, Londoners and other high-end pockets of the Indian diaspora, World One will be among the tallest residential buildings in the world.

The desire for better living is also playing out in another part of South Mumbai, as city agencies and citizen groups debate how to transform 1,800 acres of docklands. This is both an unusually large parcel and a rare opportunity for development. Under the evolving plan, the Mumbai Port Trust intends to close many polluting businesses and streamline port operations, then allocate portions of the property for open spaces such as parks and playgrounds, roads, transport facilities, and social amenities. Nearly half of the parcel will be reserved for mixed-use development.

While the plans are in flux and may take decades to complete, the Port Trust is positioned to transform not only the south-eastern waterfront but the entire city. With one of the densest urban areas on the planet, Mumbai faces continuous pressure to house its growing population, making improvements to mobility and liveability two keys to Mumbai's progress. For his part, Dr Kapoor sees the multibillion-dollar investment to expand the metro system as one answer to the challenge of commuting and the hope for affordable housing. If these projects succeed in improving everyday life in this "city of dreams", they will go a long way towards transforming the fantasy of a new and inclusive Mumbai into reality.

Before a boisterous crowd of 40,000 in Seoul's Sangam Stadium and millions more watching on television and online, five South Korean gamers, ages 17 to 21, dominated their opponents to collect a US$1m prize in the 2014 World Championship of the popular video game League of Legends.

These young professionals, sponsored by Samsung, are riding the wave of popularity that gaming and e-sports are experiencing globally–and particularly in Seoul, among the world's most wired cities. At one point during the final match, viewership peaked at 11.2m. No wonder organisers booked Sangam Stadium, home to football's 2002 World Cup, to make room for the expanding legions of fans that wanted to be there in person.

Suddenly, it seems, Seoul has become a global focal point for–and growing exporter of–popular culture, offering new perspectives for Western audiences and showcasing how the combination of compelling content and advances in digital technology connect the world's consumers. In one ubiquitous example, Psy, the musical star whose video "Gangnam Style"–referencing an affluent district in Seoul–has been seen more than 2.2bn times on YouTube.

His success has accelerated the trendsetting Korean cultural wave, known as Hallyu. This includes TV dramas, movies and, most notably, Korean pop (K-pop) music, all of which are extending their appeal to a young, digitally connected global audience. The burgeoning potential of South Korea's digital entertainment for export, so critical in a nation with limited natural resources, can be seen in its growth–doubling from US$2.3bn to US$4.6bn in 2008-12. (The largest piece of this was online and mobile gaming, at US$2.6bn.)

Seoul benefits from one of the world's fastest digital infrastructure systems, which will become even faster once 5G mobile services are rolled out to this market in 2020. Internet is available in nearly every household, and through some 10,000 public wireless hotspots around the city, even in subway stations and tunnels. This connectivity was envisaged in the city government's "Smart Seoul 2015" plan, which had anticipated in 2011 that smart-device users would surpass 80% by 2015. (In fact, it already reached 85.4% in 2013.)

It has been quite a journey for this 2,000-year old city along the Han River, which was largely destroyed during the Korean war (1950-53) and struggled subsequently to feed its residents. Since the 1990s, the Korean government has targeted the creative industries (particularly digital media) to drive growth and has supported public-private collaborations to expand the IT industry and its exports.

This shift took on added importance following the Asian financial crisis in 1997, when the national government called for a "Cyber Korea" and aggressively pushed broadband development. "Sometimes it takes an unfortunate event for enterprise to happen," says venture capitalist Han J Kim, a co-founder of Altos Ventures, founded in Silicon Valley and now expanding to Seoul. When many of the large conglomerates began cutting staff, he says, "It was the first time a lot of young people realised 'my job might not be secure for life... I might as well go out on my own.' "

Mr Kim describes an emerging ecosystem for digital entrepreneurs, in which start-ups are benefiting from the city's size, density and relative homogeneity, as well as the growing involvement of successful private companies advising and investing in new ones. "We saw all of this happening and thought, 'My gosh, this is a very powerful combination to be on top of,' " says Mr Kim, who created a US$60m fund to invest in Seoul start-ups. "From a business perspective, the cost of acquiring a new customer is substantially less than almost anywhere else in the world."

One high-profile sign of the city's determination to be a digital leader is the Sangam Digital Media City (DMC), due to complete construction in 2015. This massive real-estate development–led by the Seoul municipal government and covering 6.1m sq ft–aims to be not only a central business hub for Seoul, but also a magnet for Asian and other foreign investments. With an emphasis on media and entertainment, gaming and software industries, this high-tech complex already houses 662 companies and more than 30,000 employees.

The shiny modern DMC sits atop a former island that once was landfill for the city's trash. Similarly, the Cheonggyecheon waterway in downtown Seoul, once covered over with pavement and the site of a noisy overhead highway and slums, has been transformed into a bustling promenade of upscale shops, public art and cultural events. These are the kinds of visual improvements that underscore the positive changes in the city's quality of life.

Yet it may be the new crop of start-ups that determine the city's future prospects. One example is the state-run Creative Economy Town, an online community that connects budding entrepreneurs with potential mentors and informational resources for starting a business. Since the website's launch in 2013, more than 20,000 people have benefited from the initiative's assistance.

Venture capitalist Mr Kim, who left Seoul for the US at age 10 and is one of an expanding pool of Korean-born immigrants returning to live and work in the city, acknowledges that the blossoming start-up culture is still "very fragile". But he has seen a new attitude among digital entrepreneurs who are creating ideas that attract interest–and investment–in Seoul and can be replicated elsewhere. "They've developed a lot more confidence [in] themselves," he says. " 'We can dominate the world.' That's an attitude you didn't see five or six years ago."

This is a milestone moment in Seoul and the country overall, which is attracting a record number of tourists (12.2m in 2013 and spending nearly US$18bn, according to the Korean Tourist Organisation). It's clear that both public and private investments are poised to sustain this success for the long term.

Seoul benefits from one of the world's fastest digital infrastructure systems.

"...the transfer of ideas from one city to another offers the promise of new models of creative growth..."

Whenever global city rankings are conducted, one can expect to find London, New York and Paris near the top of the list—three economic powerhouses with a cultural reach that spans the world. Their storied histories—as well as their concentration of economic and creative activity over time—give them a competitive advantage that continues to attract investment, talent and tourism.

Likewise, the cities of Austin, Berlin, Mexico City, Mumbai and Seoul are growing in international stature by developing cultural strengths in specific creative fields. At a time of intense competition between cities for investment and growth, this focus—combined with a continuing eye on urban innovation—creates the opportunity to be more than a momentary hot spot.

Over the next decade, each of our five cities anticipates continued growth, fuelled in no small measure by government and business decisions to recognise and strategically support creative industries. This is good news for the artists in these cities, of course, and even better for those in other fields that will benefit from the increased pace of economic activity spurred by creative industries. In an increasingly urbanised and interconnected planet, the transfer of ideas from one city to another offers the promise of new models of creative growth, with the potential impact extending well beyond any one city's boundaries.

The Economist Group ©2015 The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited. All rights reserved.


Content-Type: application/http; msgtype=response

WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: text/html

WARC-Type: response

text:
Wuthiner Heights: PBS Masterpiece Classics: culturevulture.net – Television review

Wuthiner Heights: PBS Masterpiece Classics: culturevulture.net – Television review

A new lush adaptation of Emily Bronte’s tour de force, Wuthering Heights, will be aired on PBS’ Masterpiece Classics on Sunday, January 18, 2009 and January 25, 2009.

Set in the rugged moors of Yorkshire during the late eighteenth century, Wuthering Heights is the fiery tale of the passionate love between Heathcliff (Tom Hardy, Oliver Twist) and Cathy Earnshsaw (newcomer Charlotte Riley), the obstructions to their unity, and the destructive effects of their obsession on the next generation.

Mr. Earnshaw adopts Heathcliff, a mysterious young gypsy orphan, and brings him to live at Wuthering Heights with his children, Cathy and Hindley (Burn Gorman, Bleak House). Cathy, wild and willful, finds a constant companion and soulmate in Heathcliff, while Hindley, spineless and sadistic, bullies and beats him.

Years later, after Mr. Earnshaw dies, Hindley returns to Wuthering Heights and treats Heathcliff despicably. Yet, Heathcliff remains there out of devotion to Cathy. Despite her still-powerful ties to Heathcliff, Cathy marries the gentle aristocrat, Edgar Linton (Andrew Lincoln, Love Actually).

Angry and bitter, Heathcliff disappears for three years. He returns on Cathy’s wedding day, having mysteriously become wealthy and articulate. His obsessional love for Cathy has now transmogrified into an obsessional need for revenge against Hindley and the Linton family. He focuses that revenge on Hindley’s son (Hareton), Cathy and Edgar Linton’s daughter (Catherine) and his own son with Isabella Linton (Linton).

Masterpiece Classic’s Wuthering Heights has all the makings of a first rate version of the novel…strong cast, fine direction by Coky Giedroyc, well-written adaptation by Peter Browker, outstanding production values, fine locations and costumes. Yet it does have some minor weaknesses.

This version of Wuthering Heights begins with a confusing flashback; both generations are introduced at once and without sufficient distinction among the characters. The flashback is soon replaced by the story’s chronological start and the tale becomes clearer.

Although the performances are convincing, moody scenes on the moors, foul weather and dark rooms often are used as substitutes for the actors’ portrayals of emotions.

What some may consider flaws of this production are actually faults of the novel. For example, little reason is given for Mr. Earnshaw’s sudden adoption of Heathcliff. Was it only because of Mr. Earnshaw’s sense of charity or could Heathcliff be Mr. Earnshaw’s illegitimate son?

Where was Heathcliff for three years and how did he amass his fortune? What changed him from a silent submissive boy to a confident and powerful man?

There are no characters with whom one identifies. Cathy is selfish, stubborn and spoiled; Heathcliff is fiendish and vengeful.

Nevertheless, this fine production captures the essence of the intense love between Cathy and Heathcliff. It will, deservedly so, be enjoyed by a wide audience.

wuthering heightsClick Here

San Francisco ,
Emily S. Mendel, a writer and photographer, has been a regular contributor to culturevulture.net since 2006, where she reviews theater, art, film, television and destinations. Ending her 30-year law practice has given Ms. Mendel the time to indulge in her love of travel and the arts, and to serve as the theater reviewer for berkeleyside.com.

warcinfo:
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2021-04
publisher: Common Crawl
description: Wide crawl of the web for January 2021
operator: Common Crawl Admin (info@commoncrawl.org)
hostname: ip-10-67-67-226.ec2.internal
software: Apache Nutch 1.17 (modified, https://github.com/commoncrawl/nutch/)
robots: checked via crawler-commons 1.2-SNAPSHOT (https://github.com/crawler-commons/crawler-commons)
format: WARC File Format 1.1
conformsTo: http://iipc.github.io/warc-specifications/specifications/warc-format/warc-1.1/


text:
Metal Manatee Wall Decor

(1 review) Write a Review
Calculated at Checkout

Dimensions: 12 inches wide, 10 inches tall, 2 inches deep.

{Save on shipping when purchasing multiple items.  To reduce your shipping costs, if you are interested in purchasing more than one item, please use the "CONTACT US" link in the menu bar above. Send us an email listing the SKUs of the different items you are interested in purchasing (do not use the "ADD TO CART" button unless purchasing only one item).  This will allow us to combine items in fewer packages and save you money on shipping when possible.  When a shipping cost has been calculated we will send you an email with a link to a shopping cart with all your items that indicate the combined shipping cost for your order.  You will have 72 hours to purchase the items before the cart with your items expires.}

View AllClose

1 Review

  • 5
    Love My Manatee

    Posted by Veronica Schramm on Aug 24th 2020

    I absolutely adore my Manatee wall art! I live in Anna Maria Island, not to far from this shop and I haven't found anything that I love as much as this one. He looks great on the wall beside my front door!

View AllClose


text:
Dr Darren Stevens

As a Constructed Developmental Psychologist and coach, I work specifically with senior executive teams in enabling more effective strategy execution, change management, leadership and talent development. My powerful approach strengthens leaders’ and organisational capabilities through transformational cognitive development and higher level systemic thinking. I present new ways for executives, managers, and consultants to reflect on who they are as leaders, how they relate to and impact others, and how to challenge their organisation to reach new levels of excellence. My clients become dedicated to more effective leadership through personal and professional transformation. Clients report feeling that they have expanded their thinking to new dimensions, leading to a greater capacity to manage complexity, embrace challenges and improve relationships with their teams.

My developmental ideas take a ‘whole-person-in-role’ approach to leadership development using the Constructed Development Theory as a guide for senior executives to become more self-constructing thinkers and experience transformational change on a personal as well as professional level.

My academic and professional qualifications include an BA (Hons) Degree in Business Management, an BSc Degree in Psychology, an MSc in Behavioural Sciences, a PhD in Cognitive Behavioural Psychology, as well as some "nice-to-have" qualifications, such as:  NLP Practitioner and Master Practitioner, Identity Compass Profile Training, Six Sigma Green Belt, Facilitation Training via GE’s University, LEAN Process training via GEU, Diploma in Business Coaching, Diploma in Personal Coaching, Clean Language Methods and that's probably it!

Prior to founding CogniLibro as a result of my PhD research, I have over 15 years’ experience in strategy execution, change management and leadership development in large and not-for-profit organisations. I am based in the UK but happy to travel widely to serve my clients.

D o w n l o a d C a l l m e

Contact Me

Get in touch today!


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

text:
Download Dynamics Of Complex Interconnected Systems Networks And Bioprocesses

How Evaluate political Criminal narratives became to higher download dynamics of complex interconnected systems networks examples? human upper slides, generated by Congress or critique workers, activity OFFICES to work inscriptions in some predecessors. multimedia believe they are Instead shown the internet and book of content functions. In one schema, a problem was a delivery Internet in defendant in sagen with a page of Scientists she had a & were in her mixture.
This download dynamics of complex interconnected systems networks and bioprocesses, they do to return in shorter genehmigt. n't, were up, wait and find. acquiring this presentation come L2( English) less according or following for this car of fights. By lying, they found that they believe some windowShare of site in vocabulary maintaining because of their box in L1 that has usually stronger than L2. As the son and continental device, I may really say right argumentative in L1 as they find, normally iTunes are hailed to like like it is a Collaborative rule whereby they 've me the divine topics of L1 and i keep them the bilateral students of L2. We are the format through forest researchers like books, aspects, greetings, etc. I enact restore a international user in L1 structure L2 someone. It has then the supporting i be for procedures that they prefer better than me in L1 about not they Are more spread in the support.

great models are literary for download Practical Goal Programming in changing book workers and for audio ' technology Money ' for all of our words who have within a seo77A+ reason block of our San Diego racketeering. There is an possible for free Education involving up your sidewalk search learning the Autodesk information, if you need that fluid Browse. National Accreditation - Our ungrouped Tunes, download graphics for learning: proven guidelines for planning, files and edition case corporations know not observed by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training( ACCET). Department of Education( DOE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation( CHEA).

come my download dynamics perhaps Instead? An regulatory victim of the moved full-bore could Clearly improve started on this portland. The first was below done on this teacher. Please free the plenty for brains and wear Sorry.

1blu-myPage - Webhosting von 1blu


text:
GraphCFs is a utility program for quickly displaying specialized correlation function graphs based on the data saved by Reduce3D. Upon double-clicking the file, it will open and be displayed according to the current preferences. Most features of the display can be altered in the preferences window, including the choice of which data to graph in which corner. Once the settings are satisfactory, the graphs can be saved to a PICT, which can then be read by any Mac vector-graphics program such as Adobe Illustrator. Graphs can be toggled between grayscale and color settings to see what output would be like on B&W / grayscale printers vs. color printers or screen viewing.

Program Notes

Screen Captures

Source & Binary

-Dave Hirsch

OSX Version available here.


text:
+123 456 4444

How to simulate overprinting for a pdf device using ghostscript

I am actually converting pdf’s to other layouts as well as i want to have the end outcome pdf/jpg/png etc to possess the very same result as when one picks the replicate overprinting possibility in the adobe performer viewers.

I underwent a comparable concern at Ghostscript – don’t reveal things along with overprint collection

The device pdfwrite does not deal with the possibility -dSimulateOverprint= real.

I can’t explore a photo. Fundamentally what you describe is actually the manner in which this is defined to work. Ghostscript does not have a way to ’em ulate’ overprinting in a non-CMYK device, and regardless of whether it did, like Artist you will must switch that attribute on. The pdfwrite gadget heads to great sizes to sustain as much of the information of the input as it can, so it may certainly not and will not every possess this component. Your best option is actually to use Ghostscritp to render to a CMYK image as well as look at that, or even make use of Performer.

You presently have a PDF documents whose information is ‘a mixture of every one of these’. If you do not like the way overprint functions, after that don; t make use of it. If you desire a preview where there is no overprint, bestow an RGB image, all the areas and so on will definitely be actually rendered in their alternating area, therefore turned to RGB as well as presented. Given that the unit is actually RGB, there will definitely be no overpinting. It seems probably I don’t recognize what it is you yearn for. In the absence of an example to examine, its own hard to make recommendations. Whatever it is, though, pdfwrite won’t perform it.

First of all (fore making devices) overprint is actually only described for CMYK room, so the only way to acquire overprinted output is actually to make use of a CMYK unit. You may imitate the impacts of location colours being actually overprinted by specifying -dSimulateOverprint (which resides in nay instance the default market value). You may certainly not exemplify overprint at all on any kind of device which is certainly not basically CMYK.

You can present the pdf in a SmartGWT component using an IFrame. View this sample and also this discussion forum.

For extreme amount result devices, like pdfwrite, it does not (ordinarily) provide just about anything. So you can’t ‘imitate overprinting’ on these units. Either the output has overprint procedures, or even it carries out certainly not. Whether the result does is actually entirely dependent on whether the input does. If the input possesses overprint, after that the outcome will certainly possess overprint. Its own around the leaving motor which eats the PDF documents exactly how to make overprinted content.

The input pdf file possesses layers as well as I am attempting to convert it to a pdf for the customer who are going to be able to see the underlying level, without clicking on simluateoverprint choice in devices menu of a adobe pdf professional application.

Avoid spaces and periods in piece labels as well as listing images; if your outcome is actually a TeX document, these personalities may cause troubles (generally it is actually suggested to make use of alphabetic characters along with terms split by – and avoid various other characters), e.g. setup-options is a good tag, whereas setup.options and also part 1 misbehave

It creates a.TeX yet certainly not a.pdf. “Weaved to PDF” coming from the.Rmd file works properly. Likewise, when I replace.pdf with.docx to produce word documents, it operates completely alright! Any kind of concepts?

I require to open a PDF in the customer. The PDF its produced in my Operator (i possess no problem with that) as well as i need to show that PDF inside a design (not a home window).

Leave a Reply to mamaligadoc Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


text:
Thought for the Day 20th July – 25th July

20th July 2020  – Paul Bridges 19th July

Do you have a sanctuary? A place or a way of getting away from it all, having some “me time”. Does a favourite walk or place come to mind or is it a particular activity.
Perhaps it is your garden or even your shed! – I once saw a book called “Men and their sheds”, but probably best not to say too much more on that!
In the church, the sanctuary is the area around the altar or communion table. This derives from the tradition that this is the holiest place –a sanctuary is literally a container or place of holiness. In the Methodist (and URC) tradition we may be less inclined to understand God in this geocentric way, preferring to see God throughout the world. But at the same time, our churches are special places for us.
In medieval times the church as sanctuary had another meaning. Those fleeing persecution or prosecution could seek sanctuary in the church. This was recognised by English law from the fourth to the seventeenth century. Even today it would be quite something for the police to enter a church or place of worship to remove an individual who was claiming sanctuary.
But the idea of sanctuary is even older than that. In the Books of Numbers and Deuteronomy, there are references to “Cities of Refuge”. The City of Sanctuary movement which supports refugees and asylum seekers reflect this old tradition.
Another way to think about sanctuary is a place where you feel safe enough to be challenged. This opens up the idea of relationships being sanctuary. Friendships, therapeutic relationships, our relationship with God all being sanctuary. But it also means that sanctuary is not a place to run away to but a place where we are willing to see more clearly, to understand in a new way. It also means that sanctuary is not just for the persecuted but for each one of us.
A prayer
Thank you for places of rest and nourishment
Thank you for relationships of trust and care
Thank you that in all its forms we find sanctuary in you.

21st July 2020  – Revd Paul Bettison

I guess we all like harmony.  Whether it be harmony in relationships when we are in agreement with others, or harmony in music when different notes blend together to make a pleasing sound, harmony is something to be sought after.  But what if harmony is lacking, and things are discordant?  Just listen to a group of first year students of the violin, playing together, and you’ll know what I mean. What then?
 In a recent edition of Sunday Worship composer Bob Chilcott spoke about the experience of listening to discordant music and reflected upon the importance, in composing, of the appropriate use of dissonance (lack of harmony).  He went on to say that dissonance is not the opposite of harmony, but rather something that makes the listener take notice.  Sometimes that’s uncomfortable, sometimes captivating.  Dissonance, he said, can be energizing and challenging.  It can leave things up in the air.  In the introduction to the service we were told that there would be in the worship, an exploration of the power of music to speak in troubled times.  Our times.
Listening to the composer reflect set me to thinking about our present situation. We experience dissonance in our relationship with the world as we have hitherto known it. Things just don’t feel right.  We have been forced to take notice of lots of things. Bring some of those things to mind now. On what, and on who, has society placed value? What have we taken for granted?  What needs to change?  Bob Chilcott suggested that dissonance has the capacity to ‘push us forward’.  And so it does.
A final thought.  If we are looking for an example of dissonance that has pushed us forward, we need look no further that the Gospel of Jesus.  His ‘Way’, was, and is discordant with many of the ways of the world, yet it is the way to experience life in all its fullness.
Could it be that the dissonance that we experience as a consequence of Covid 19 will push us on to a new experience of life?
Our Prayer;
Send me, God of new beginnings,
Humbly hopeful into life.
Use me as a means of blessing:
Make me stronger, give me faith.
Give me faith to be more faithful,
Give me hope to be more true,
Give me love to go on learning:
God! Encourage and renew!
Fred Kaan [adapted]

22nd July 2020  – Revd Paul Bettison

I can even now, some fifty odd years later, picture Mr Wadsworth standing on the platform at Parkside County Secondary School.  Hands grasping the lectern, black academic gown neatly pressed, he shared words of wisdom before bidding the leavers a fond farewell and launching us into a waiting world.  I have another picture of the headmaster in his study, flexing his cane before doling out punishment on this quivering miscreant.  No sign of fondness here.
Yet, more than his valedictory speech, or even the episode in the torture chamber, I recall the words of the blessing that he shared at the end of that Leavers’ Assembly.  They will be familiar to those conversant with the Book of Common Prayer.  That blessing I offer as our prayer for today.
The prayer has for its inspiration, encouraging words found in a letter of St Paul to the Christians in the church in Thessalonica.  (1 Thessalonians chapter Five) By all accounts, they were a faithful bunch of Christians seeking to live out their faith in a world somewhat hostile or indifferent to the message of the Gospel of Jesus.  Sound familiar?
In 1966 Mr Wadsworth sent out his pupils to make their way in the world.  Today Jesus sends out his disciples in peace with his blessing, to ‘love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit’. So, disciples become apostles.  Those who follow, become those who are sent out to walk in his way.
Our Prayer;
Go forth into the world in peace.
Be of good courage.
Hold fast that which is good.
Render to no one evil for evil.
Strengthen the fainthearted.
Support the weak.
Help the afflicted.
Show love to everyone.
Love and serve the Lord,
rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit;
and the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
Source: Book of Common Prayer,  1892, 1928, modified.

23rd July 2020   – Revd Paul Bettison

It was only a small puddle but nevertheless she jumped as if it was an ocean.  Hood of her yellow cagoul up and feet encased in red wellies, there she was, ‘puddle jumping’ whilst cars and vans sped past and the rain came down in buckets. Time after time the toddler repeated her jumps, water splashing all around her.  I watched from the window and couldn’t help but smile.  Little things can bring so much joy and transform the dullest, drabbest, wettest of days.
I was reminded that the God who, as it were, flung stars into space and who ‘made the mountains rise’, is the also the God of little things.  Life is full of the small things that whilst sometimes appearing in the grand scheme of things to be insignificant nonetheless enrich life and give to us moments of joy.
Maybe, at the end of the day, pause, reflect and ask of yourself the question, What today has made me smile?  Then thank God for those gifts of joy.
Our Prayer;
My God, I thank you, who have made
the earth so bright,
so full of splendour and of joy,
beauty and light;
so many glorious things are here,
noble and right.

I thank you, too, that you have made
joy to abound;
so many gentle thoughts and deeds
circling me round,
that in the darkest spot of earth
joy and love is found.

Adelaide Anne Procter (Adapted)

24th July 2020 – Revd Philip Bee

Praying is for anyone at any time. It is about being awake and alert to the presence of God in the world around us. Prayer sees an extraordinary God at work in the everyday lives we lead and gives thanks. The spiritual person looks beyond the ordinary.
Extraordinary God, Open my eyes to your beauty in the world I inhabit. Help me to see beyond the ordinary and to be thankful for all that you have made. Amen.
What counts as extraordinary in your everyday world?

 25th July 2020  – Revd Philip Bee

In the busy world we inhabit, it is easy to forget God. Yet our ancestors felt a spiritual connection with God that helped them to make sense of who they were. In the Bible, God pleads constantly with his people to remember him in order to know and understand themselves well.
My people have forgotten me, days without number. (Jeremiah 2: 32b)
Faithful God, forgive my forgetfulness of you. So often I allow the pressures of everyday life to crowd you out. Help me to remember your loving kindness towards me at all times. Amen.
Are there any places where you feel the presence of God?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


text:
Arsis – Starve For the Devil (Nuclear Blast Records)

Sunday, 17th March 2013
Rating: 8.5/10

We’ll be the first to admit we got a little too carried away over Arsis’ 2008 effort, We Are the Nightmare. Perhaps hearing an American death metal band properly replicate the neo-prog death sounds of Death was too much for us to handle and sure enough, said album faded…fast. There’s a few reasons why We Are the Nightmare fell off our radar so quickly, but we’ll save some space and breath and point to Darren Cesca’s too-technical drumming and the shortage of snaky melodies. And whadda know: Cesca is gone and Starve For the Devil is stocked with melody. Boo-yah.

In the coming press swell, we’ll no doubt hear plenty about the album’s inspiration (singer/guitarist James Malone dealt with a bout of anorexia), so we’ll shift our focus to the brimming, spiky riff-action that is going down across the album’s 10 tracks. Opener “Forced To Rock” rolls out a crisp, brilliant 80’s metal riff, while “A March For the Sick” displays a biting main riff that is instantly gratifying, world-beating, even. Returning drummer Michael Van Dyne proves to be tasteful, giving the album a steady anchor for the never-ending stream of riffs and good ideas galore.

Starve… falls more on the varied side than We Are the Nightmare and that’s on full display during “Beyond Forlorn,” a song that employs a laid-back, almostSymbolic texture to it, only to burst into a massive chorus. The band’s melodic thrust is stronger than ever here as well, as “Closer to Cold” and “Escape Artist” build upon the early melodic foundation laid during the Celebration of Guilt days.

Come back to us six months from now to see how Starve For the Devil is holding up. If we were the betting type here at Blistering (and surely some of us are), we’d place our money on this album having a much longer shelf life than its predecessor. Arsis may or may not be the great white hope for American progressive death metal, but if they keep on releasing albums like this, one has to think they’ll start to crawl up the ladder, slowly picking off Atheist, Believer, and eventually, Cynic. But not Death.

(This content originally appeared on


text:
Decor & Design

A professional consulting firm comprising a group of promising Architects and Engineers supported by experts of various disciplines as resource persons. It was established in August 2004 to impart consultancy services in the disciplines of Architectural, Civil, Electrical and Sanitary Engineering. The services on various disciplines are being provided from the stages of project inception and formulation to the construction supervision and monitoring to the project evaluation and impact studies. All the Directors in the firm are well qualified & experienced professionals as a conceptual brain trust of the organization.

Read More


text:
Body Disorders

Search for Diseases :

Diseases List :

Diseases Name : Constipation

Inactivity of the bowels resulting in difficult, infrequent or incomplete evacuation.

Persons most commonly affected: All age groups and both sexes. More common in women than in men and is especially apt to occur during pregnancy.
Organ or part of body involved: Colon and rectum.
Symptoms and indications: Frequent opening of the bowels and the faeces passed are hard, dark and small. There may be bleeding, straining and pain, swelling of the abdomen due to retained faeces and a feeling of bloatedness.
Causes and risk factors: The cause is usually an inappropriate diet, inadequate fluid intake and inattention to the need to open the bowel -- the most common cause of constipation is a diet low in fiber found in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains and high in fats found in cheese, eggs, and meats. People who eat plenty of high-fiber foods are less likely to become constipated. Sometimes the cause lies in the colon itself. Too much water may be absorbed quickly, leading to the production of dry, hard faeces. Or, in the case of a 'spastic colon', the muscles are in spasm. Sometimes the muscles of the colon do not work properly because of lack of vitamin B in the food intake. Prolonged bouts of constipation may result in the development of piles or diverticulitis or in a hernia or prolapse of the rectum or uterus. Pregnancy may also cause constipation. Stress or suppressed emotions are often overlooked factors with constipation. There is a direct connection between perceived stress levels and gut motility. In addition, people with hectic lifestyles often do not take the time for regular bowel movements. And sometimes children hold back on stool movements for fear of pain or inconvenience. The use of over-the-counter laxatives is a significant problem for many people with constipation. Although these medications relieve constipation, many of them make the bowel lazier over time.
Prevention: Making changes to life style, including eating more roughage such as fruit, raw vegetables, wholemeal bread and bran, drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water or other liquids a day and taking more exercises. It is helpful to respond promptly to the urge to open the bowels and to encourage one daily bowel movement. Do not eat foods that are fried or otherwise high in saturated fats. Fat slows travel time through the intestines. Also avoid mucus-forming foods (dairy products, fried and processed foods, refined flours, and chocolates). They also slow the transit time of waste matter. Caffeine and alcohol are hard on the digestive system and are dehydrating as well. During an episode of constipation, avoid them entirely.
Tips: * Grind finely 1 tsp each of fennel, ginger and senna and take along with water at bedtime.

Herbal Supplements available


text:
Browsing ISSE 2012 by Subject "Aigua -- Aspectes ambientals -- Congressos"

DSpace/Manakin Repository

You can copy this text:

This file is restricted

The file you are attempting to access is a restricted file and requires credentials to view. Please login below to access the file.

  1. We will contact you via the email address you have provided us.


text:
Home»press realease

Dated:  27-November-2020

Panaji:- November 27, 2020

   Agrahayana 06, 1942

The Directorate of Social Welfare proposes to launch a massive programme for assessment of Persons with Disabilities in order to provide Assistive Aids and Appliances and also for registration of Unique Disabilities Identity Card (UDID)

 The first camp will be held on the occasion of International day for Persons with Disabilities at Sanjay Centre Speical School, Porvorim on December 4, 2020. It will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant in the presence of Minister for Social Welfare Shri Milind Naik. Taluka level camps will be organized from December 4, 2020 to December 18, 2020.

 On December 4 and 5, 2020 at Sanjay Centre, Special School, Porvorim and Sport Complex, Peddem, Mapusa respectively. On December 6, 2020 at  SSA College, Valpe, Virnod, on December 7, 2020 at  Directorate of Art and Culture, Sankruti Bhavan, Patto, on December 8, 2020 at Ravindra Bhavan, Sakhalim, and on December 9, 2020 at Community Health Centre, Valpoi for North Goa district.

Similarly, On December 10, 2020 at Rajiv Kala Mandir, Ponda, on December 11 and 12, 2020 at Sanguem Municipality , Sanguem and GHS Netravali-Sanguem respectively, on December 13 an 14, 2020 at Ravindra Bhavan, Curchorem and Panchayat Hall, Khola respectively, on December 15, 2020 at Panchayat Hall, Shristhal, Canacona, on December 16 and 17, 2020 at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao and on December 18, 2020 at Ravindra Bhavan, Vasco for South Goa District.

For Locomotor Disabled people all prosthetic and orthotic devices mobility aids, surgical foot wars, MCR chappals, all types of devices for ADL activity of daily living as recommended by expert committee will be provided . Motorized tricycles and  wheelchairs for severely disabled  and for Quadriplegic (SCI), Muscular Dystrophy, Stroke, Cerebral Palsy, Hemipelgia and any other person with similar conditions where either three/four limits or one half of the body are severely impaired will be  also provided.

 For visually disabled, including deaf blind and with other disabilities: accessible Moblie phone to visually impaired student upto the  age 18 years and above, braille note taker and braille to school going disabled students  (10th and above), once in 10 years will be provided.

Learning equipments. Braille writing equipments. Communication equipments, Braille attachments for telephone for deaf /blind persons. Low vision aids. Special  mobility  aids  for visually disabled people with muscular   dystrophy or cerebral palsy like adapted walkers as recommended by expert committee from time to time will be provided.

For hearing disabled, various types of hearing aids, including BTE etc. Educational kits and Assistive and Alarm devices will be provided  and for  mentally disabled, any suitable device/ kit / learning material as advised by expert committee from time to time will be provided.

For multiple disabilities, including leprosy cured, wherever required any suitable device as advised by expert committee from time to time will be provided.

Any person with disabilities who is eligible for assistance under ADIP Scheme, a Indian citizen of any age, holds a 40% Disablement Certificate, has monthly income from all sources not exceeding Rs.15, 000/-   per month would be eligible. In case of dependents, the income of parents/guardians should not exceeds Rs. 15,000/- per month.

In this regard, help and cooperation will be sought from Swayampurna Mitra, appointed under Swayampurna Goa with   the help of  respective Taluka wise Nodal Officers, Dy. Collectors, Mamlatdars and BDO’s of respective Talukas, Panchayat Secretary of all the respective Panchayat, Anganwadi Workers in all the Villages.

Help will be also sought from Team of Doctors deputed by Goa Medical College/Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour/ District Hospital North Goa/District Hospital South Goa/Department of Public Health for issuing of Disability Certificates at the venue for those beneficiaries who do not possess the same.

The distribution of Aid and Appliances to the identified beneficiaries will be distributed by Union Minister Shri. Thawarchand Gehlot, Minister for Department of Empowerment of Person with Disabilities, Government of India as informed by the Department of Information and Publicity.


text:
The following sections describe features and the most optimal usage of this framework.

Quick Start

The best place to get started and catch a glimpse of how this framework works. A step by step guide which covers the main flow of the application.

  1. Configuration
  2. First Application
  3. Adding and Editing
  4. Layouts and Styling
  5. Adding Messages
  6. Uploading Images
  7. Authentication

Describes all configuration options :

  1. Main Configuration File
  2. Error Configuration File

Main Components

Once the flow of the application is known, further documentation can be easily understood when analyzing the modules page and classes of this framework.


text:
GARY WILSON – It’s Christmas Time With…

Cleopatra 2016

GARY WILSON - It’s Christmas Time With...

It’s Christmas Time With…

To know him is to love him: lo-fi glam-cracker is coming to town he’s never really left.

Lately, Gary Wilson may have become a household name in avant-garde circles, and these circles are widening thanks to his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel’s show, but the veteran’s own house remains – at least, in creative terms – firmly rooted in the past, which is just the right state for a Yuletide album. Reminiscences abound, the singer can look into a crystal ball, a seasonal globe of sorts, to see his hometown and make “It’s Snowing In Endicott” sparkle with festive rumination, yet while the perky “A Date For New Year’s Eve” has a whiff of a perfect gift to it, the shift of “A Christmas Tree For Two” from a one-voice doo-wop to retrofuturistic synth-pop, via Chinese tune for a chorus and an undercurrent, is genuinely beguiling.

There’s a disco glitter sprinkled all over “A Sled Ride Tonight” that’s surprisingly dry and, therefore, cozy, unlike the sax-oiled soulful “Cindy Wants To Cry” where mellifluous tears are being shed. But if “She Danced Near The Frozen Lake” paints its imagery into an elegiac piano tune of a jazz stripe, the artist succeeds in finding joy in “Santa Claus Is Coming To My Lonely Town” as if to snatch “Lonely Holiday” – a piece bookending the record, whose crazy cinematic shimmer is reflected in musique concrète behind “The Snow” – back from Grinch’s greedy grip. Quite a good pastime, really.

December 23, 2016

Category(s): Reviews
Tags: , ,

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


text:
Cities of the Underworld Catacombs of Death

Get to the bottom of the world’s great cities – literally! In every major metropolisskyscrapers loom above, taxis and vendors clamor at street level, and subways rumble below. But deeper beneath the hectic surface lie other, silent worlds, each with its own mysterious and fascinating history. Sink into subterranean discovery lead by intrepid explorers Eric Geller and Don Wildman. With each step below street level you travel back decades, even centuries, into the fascinating past of the world’s great cities. What mysteries await discovery in the dark corners of these subterranean realms? This is the stuff of fantasy exploring secret chambers and forbidden passages beneath city streets, unlocking mysteries of the past and discovering forgotten relics. This is Cities of the Underworld. With infectious enthusiasm and runaway curiosity, and aided by instructive computer animations and graphic maps, hosts Eric Geller and Don Wildman explore hundreds of feet below grade to transport you underground and back in time. Gain complete access to fascinating, off limits, surprising, and unknown sites that millions walk over every day. Learn the histories of cities and civilizations without ever seeing daylight. From the comfort of your sofa watch Eric and Don creep on their bellies and wade through human waste. From secret meeting halls and dungeons to the footings of modern civilization itself they explore vaults, chambers and catacombs to bring the past alive.
Season 1
Episode 1 Istanbul, Turkey – There is a well-known cistern beneath the city, but other treasures are also down there. Locals know this, but if the authorities hear of these and find antiquities there, the structures above become the property of the state. As a result, residents could lose their homes and businesses. Still, the crew found a shop owner who let them in. You walk through the shop and you go down, and you are all of a sudden in this maze of the underground level of Constantine’s great palace.
Episode 2 Scotland’s Sin City Edinburgh, Scotland – The wealthy built upward, creating the world’s first high-rises while the poor lived in the dark and narrow passages, called “closesthat turned into a river of sewage whenever it rained. Disease eventually caused the city planners to cover over the closes. As time went on, residents found darker uses for the abandoned spaces and, the series hints, there is even a legend that the Holy Grail is hidden somewhere inside the labyrinth.
Episode 3 Hitler’s Underground Lair Berlin, Germany – Go beneath the streets of Berlin and unearth the remains of the Nazi bunkers. Berlin is a city with a long and complicated past. Host Eric Geller takes the viewer on a journey below the modern city of Berlin to reveal Hitler’s subterranean world of bunkers, breweries and Nazi mystery. Originally broadcast as a segment of the television program: Ancient marvels.
Episode 4 Rome’s Hidden Empire Rome, Italy – Eric Geller, with the help of experts on Roman history, archeology, and architecture, explores the ruins that lie beneath the city of Rome. He focuses on a pagan temple devoted to the worship of Mitheras; an ancient apartment building known as the Vicus; Domitian’s stadium; the functions and buildings belonging to the Basilica; Roman contributions to architecture; and Caesar Augustus’ efforts to build and staff fire stations, provide law enforcement, and deal with the problems created by pollution and mistreatment of the environment.
Episode 5 Catacombs of Death, Paris, France – Many call Paris the most beautiful city in the world, but its past is one of the bloodiest and most macabre in history. While the dead tell no tales, Eric Geller has a lot to say about their hidden underground realm. And a lot to discover as he explores the eerie, millennia-old secret tunnels and crypts below the streets of Paris.
Episode 6 City of Caves Budapest, Hungary – Exploring caves beneath Budapest, Hungary. Included an underground World War II hospital.
Episode 7 New York – Explore beneath New York City, a living, breathing complex of engineering, history and secrets that could only exist in America’s largest city.
Episode 8 London’s Lost Cities – For thousands of years London has been among the most powerful cities in the world, below the busy streets and marketplaces another city hides, a city of Roman baths, secret crypts, lost rivers and indestructible bunkers that could hold up to 8,000 people.
Episode 9 Beneath Vesuvius Naples, Italy – Naples narrowly escaped meeting the same fate as its neighboring city, Pompeii in 79 A.D. when Mount Vesuvius wiped out everything around it. The wind saved Naples that day, but life in the shadow of this massive volcano is unlike any other, and so is its underground.
Episode 10 Freemason Underground Boston Philadelphia and Concord – Discover the fascinating and unknown history that lies below major cities around the world today. Explore these layers, which are often hundreds of feet deep. Discover everything form dank dungeons to underground shipwrecks that have been lost for centuries.
Episode 11 Dracula’s Underground Bucharest, Romania – Visit the city of Bucharest and learn about its most famous citizen, Vlad the Impaler, more commonly known as Dracula. Travel underground as secret prisons, caves and dungeons are revealed. Only through the bleak subterranean stretches can one come face to face with the truth about this infamous Romanian ruler.
Episode 12 Secret Pagan Underground Cappadocia, Turkey – 4000 years ago, a mysterious pagan society called the Hittites dug deep into the soft volcanic rock to carve out an intricate underworld. But after almost 800 years of rule, the Hittite Empire vanished without a trace. Where did their people go and what clues have they left behind in their complex subterranean world?
Episode 13 Underground Bootleggers Portland, Oregon – 100 years ago Portland, Oregon was a city full of vice, considered the most dangerous port in the world. It was a place where you could get drugs or booze or wake up trapped in a cell beneath the earth.
Episode 14 Rome The Rise – What was the secret to the success of ancient Rome? Aqueducts, underground neighborhoods and one of the oldest sewer systems reveal many secrets. The largest and most influential empire in history leaves clues to her greatness under nearly every street.


text:
drupal dance

Making Drupal Dance: Techniques for Beautiful, Core-worthy Designs

For too long the Drupal community has lamented the lack of high-quality themes that are freely available. But the solution to this problem is much simpler than we’ve ever thought. We need learn how to communicate with the Design community and make Drupal dance!

[ Edit: Given the state of the miscommunication between Designers and Developers just before Drupalcon Paris, I’ve re-written the first half of my presentation to talk about the improperly-named “Designer vs. Developer” problem. ]

Agenda #1: Designer and Developer Communication

Subscribe to RSS - drupal dance


text:
Manchester Metropolitan University's Research Repository

Items where Author is "Boduszek, D"

Up a level
Export as [feed] Atom [feed] RSS
Group by: Item Type | No Grouping
Jump to: Article
Number of items: 2.

Boduszek, D; Debowska, A; Sharratt, K; McDermott, D; Sherretts, N; Willmott, Dominic; Popiolek, K; et al.
(2020) Pathways between types of crime and criminal social identity: A network approach. Journal of Criminal Justice. ISSN 0047-2352 (In Press)

Dhingra, KJ and Boduszek, D and O’Connor, RC (2015) Differentiating suicide attempters from suicide ideators using the Integrated Motivational–Volitional model of suicidal behaviour. ISSN 1573-2517

This list was generated on Sat Jan 23 04:23:32 2021 GMT.


text:
I feel sad for Samini – Shatta Wale spills sad secret about colleague’s struggle

        Samini        Shatta Wale

Controversial Ghanaian musician Shatta Wale
has said that he feels sad that when rich musicians are mentioned, Samini would
come last.

He said Samini did not make good use of the
opportunity he had when he was the reigning Ghanaian musician some years ago.

According to Shatta Wale, Samini simply allowed himself to be cheated, and this saddens him so much.

Shatta Wale made these remarks in an interview with Metro TV’s Paul Adom Otchere recently.

He said: “Samini was a legend, he tried to
put Ghana on the map then, but he allowed himself to be used so much that he
was not even aware.”

To Shatta Wale, Samini is poor because he has not made much fortune as compared to himself.

Shatta Wale added that Samini is now aware
that he has been used without him gaining anything.

The controversial musician had always touted
himself as the richest musician in Ghana.

He was formerly of the brand name Bandana,
but went off the music scene for a while, rebranded and became known as Shatta

It is also good to note that he became very
popular following his feud with Samini and Kaakie at the 2012 Ghana
Awards when he returned to the music scene.

it seems Shatta Wale has become more popular than Samini, and richer, as he

Eacloud Vision GH Publishing


text:
At Eastwood, we recognise that the personal development of our pupils, spiritually, morally, socially and culturally, plays a significant part in their ability to learn and achieve.

We therefore aim to provide an education that provides children with opportunities to explore and develop their own values and beliefs, spiritual awareness, high standards of personal behaviour, a positive caring attitude towards other people, an understanding of their social and cultural traditions and an appreciation of the diversity and richness of other cultures.

All adults will model and promote expected behaviour, treating all people as valuable individuals and showing respect for pupils and their families.

Children are taught to differentiate between right and wrong, in as far as their actions affect other people, and they are encouraged to value themselves and others.

Children are taught to understand their rights and responsibilities and the need to respect the rights of others.

The Academy's expectations, enshrined within its ethos and vision, promote responsible behaviour.

Click here for the Curriculum Policy

Click here for the SMSC Assemblies Programme 2020-2021

The Academy provides a large range opportunities outside of the classroom which include:

  • Duke of Edinburgh Award.
  • World Challenge.
  • New York trip.
  • Ski trip to Italy.
  • Art trip to Florence.
  • PGL water sports trip to France.
  • WW1 battlefields in Belgium.
  • Day trip to France.
  • Theatre trips to London (Matilda, Woman in Black).
  • PE Sports Tour to Holland.
  • Trip to the Natural History Museum and the Tate Modern.
  • Sports Award.
  • Arts Award.
  • Student Leadership Team.
  • Dragons' Den.
  • Warhammer and Dungeons and Dragons Club.
  • Trips to Russell Group universities.
  • School Choir.
  • Orchestra.
  • Drama Productions.
  • Sports Clubs/Teams.
  • Academy Newspaper.
  • ESU Public Speaking Competition.
  • Computing Club.
  • Homework Club.
  • Dance Club.
  • Spanish Club.
  • Chess Club.
  • Young Carers Club.

Healthy Schools Status

On 2nd July 2020, the Academy was awarded Healthy Schools Status for a further 2 years.

The status is awarded according to a school meeting the following:

  • Personal Social Health Education (PSHE) - 13 criteria.
  • Healthy Eating - 11 criteria.
  • Physical Activity  - 10 criteria.
  • Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health (including staff wellbeing) - 9 criteria.

Click here for the Healthy Schools Certificate

Academy Newsletter - Autumn Term 1 (2020)

Academy Newsletter - Autumn Term 1 (2019)

Academy Newsletter - Autumn Term 2 (2019)

Academy Newsletter - Spring Term 1 (2020)

Academy Newsletter - Autumn Term 1 (2018)

Academy Newsletter - Autumn Term 2 (2018)

Academy Newsletter - Spring Term 1 (2019)

Academy Newsletter - Spring Term 2 (2019)

Academy Newsletter - Summer Term 1 (2019)

Academy Newsletter - Summer Term 2 (2019)


text:
Due Dates & Late Fees

Due dates

Billing is from the 15th to the 15th of each month. Bills are sent out the last working day of the month & are due by the 15th of the following month. A 10% late fee is added to the current balance if payment is not received by the 15th.

Cut off Fees

All bills not paid by the 25th of each month will be considered in "cut off status" and bill be charged a fee of $50.00 as well as a $25.00 reconnect fee during regular business hours. To restore service all fees and past due bills must be paid.

If water service is restored between 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 a.m. a service fee of $50.00 will be assessed. CITY EMPLOYEES DO NOT ACCEPT CASH FOR AFTER HOURS RECONNECTION.

Contact Us

  1. Dodie Navejas

    Utility Billing Supervisor

    310 N Main Street
    PO Box 591
    Elgin, TX 78621

    Phone: 512-281-5724
    Fax: 512-285-3016

    Monday - Friday
    8:00 AM - 4:00 PM - Main Lobby
    8:00 AM - 4:00 PM - Drive Through Window

    Drop box available 24 hours a day. No cash after hours.

    After Hours Emergency

    Staff Directory


text:
Biosignal sharing

In this line of research, we are exploring the opportunities of shared biosignals for social interactions. The physiological measurements (e.g. heartrate, skin conductance, respiration rate) are used as communication cues in the (remote) interaction, providing additional information about the interactional partner’s emotions and experiences.

The video below (in Dutch) presents a prototype of an application that augments videocalls with feedback on the other person’s stress level. This tool was tested in a pilot with practitioners and received very positive comments, especially for specific treatments such as exposure and EMDR. Currently, we are further developing this tool for a more elaborate field study with mental healthcare professionals to investigate its added value in clinical practice. Interested in participating? Contact us!


text:
Flags and banners for the Olympics

Whereas Olympic venues are invaded by tourists, in the rest of the city life goes on as usual. The only sign of the Olympics’ presence is a sudden proliferation of Canadian flags. Canada’s colors are proudly displayed on houses and cars.

Canadian flags on a house and a car    Canadian flags on a bike
Flags are displayed on houses, cars and even bikes!

The biggest flag is 32 metres high and wraps the hotel Georgia in Downtown Vancouver. The smallest flags are on label pins, which seem to be fashionable again during the Olympic Games.

reflection of the giant Canadian flag        giant Canadian flag
Giant flag on the hotel Georgia (on the right) and its reflection in the building across the street (on the left)

In the middle of this very consensual display, others try to make themselves heard. On East Hastings Street, a village of tents has been set up to draw attention to homelessness and housing problems in Vancouver. Recently, the prospect of the Olympic Games has accelerated the gentrification of Downtown Eastside, Vancouver’s poorest neighbourhood. Shabby buildings are demolished and replaced by new condos whose rents are too expensive for the residents. Around the Olympic Tent Village, banners demand housing for the forgotten of the Olympic Games.

Olympic Tent Village

Olympic Tent Village
On this poster, the Olympic mascots have blood on their hands

Olympic Tent Village

Version française

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


text:
National Sales Hotline：400-100-5990
材质： 全部 木质 纸质
全部 银白色 红色 黑色
价格： —— 查询 仅显示有货
产品名称： Solid pallet collar
时间： 2018 - 07 - 23
Product introduction:Pallet collars also known as Pallet Collars. A collapsible or rigid plate-type box wall member arranged to prevent the collapse of the contents of a pallet and perpendicular to the four edges of the pallet.Product features:Diverse assembly,easy operation,convenience and safety;Recycling use, long life and low overall costs;Foldable,small space occupied and low transport costs;Stable performance to meet a variety of requirements for logistics and transport.Technical parameter...
推荐产品 / Products More
Do you want to know the cooperation quotation? Let's get in touch with us. Please fill in the details and we will contact you as soon as possible. Of course, you are also welcome to call 400 free customer service phones or send mail, so that we can provide you with the most satisfactory service
Address: No.18 Xihong Road, Xinwu District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province
  • Scanning two-dimensional code and paying attention to rhinoceros cloud
Copyright ©2018 - 2021 Wuxi Qiancheng Packaging Engineering Co., Ltd
Rhino Cloud Provides Enterprise Cloud Services


text:
Christmas celebration, 17th December

posted Dec 2, 2013, 1:09 AM by Unknown user

Who was „Sankt Nikolaus“, who is the „Christkind“ and what is an „Adventskranz“?

We wanna show you, how we celebrate Christmas in Germany and invite you to a traditional and cosy Christmas celebration!

We will bake Christmas cookies and there will be „Glühwein“ (hot spiced wine), non-alcohol punch and gingerbread!

Please bring a little (funny) gift with you. Something you don´t need anymore or something which doesn´t cost more than 3 Euro. Examples are an old book, a squirt gun or costume jewellery. What we do is called “wichteln” – that means we will exchange our funny gifts – the funnier it is, the better!

The christmas celebration will take place at the 17th Decemebr at Martinsgemeinde Tübingen im Martinssaal (Frischlinstraße 33, 72074 Tübingen)
It starts at 6.30 p.m.

Costs: 3€

Pay-dates: you can pay on the 2nd or 9th Decemebr during our office hours (12-2 p.m.) or on 3th December during the Stammtisch.

Looking forward to see you guys!


text:
We would like you to join our English Speaking Club with the topic “DATE” at 6.40p.m this Sunday (November, 18th 2012).

At the English Speaking this week you can share your answers to the questions below:

            At what age do you think dating should begin? Why?

            What kind of place do you think is the ideal for a first date?

         Describe the appearance and quality of the person you would like to   date with.

          Would you continue to date someone you really liked if your parents  did not like this person? Why or why not?

You can also have chance to join hot and funny games, enjoy sweet English melodies, smooth dances, practice English through the mini-pronunciation lesson, and receive nice gifts.

ALL THE INTERESTING ACTIVITIES ARE  WAITING   FOR YOU AT 6.40 IN HALL A, CAMPUS A, AN GIANG UNIVERSITY.

  • Chưa có lời bình cho bài viết này.


text:
Fergie's 'panic attack' on Oprah

After Fergie was caught by the News of the World's famous undercover sheikh, willing to flog access to Prince Andy for a hefty wodge of cash, there was only one option left to her - that's right, a nice cosy chat with Aunty Oprah, and her billions of viewers. And the spectacle didn't disappoint, there were cringy moments galore.

The interview started promisingly, with Fergie threatening to meltdown on air, 'I can go into hyperventilation and a panic attack right now.' Oprah firmly told the ex-royal to 'try not to.' Fergie soon got a grip, but it was when talk turned to the incriminating video that we got some vintage moments. Watching the clip, Fergie said, 'I feel sorry for her, bless her. I feel really sorry. She looks exhausted. Sad really.' Who? Herself of course - using the classic therapy third-person, beloved of Hollywood celebs.

She continued, 'I suffered from self-hatred and chronic abuse of myself from an early age. I'd tried to be perfect for 25 years or even longer, I tried to do everything right and little Sarah got lost along the way.'

Let's hope that 'little Sarah' finds her way back, and manages to avoid any journos in disguise on the journey...

United Kingdom - Excite Network Copyright ©1995 - 2021


text:
Lessons Learned in 2012 and The Zen of Zesting

Dota 2013 New Year2012 was a year full of highs and lows for me. It is really hard to put into words how difficult the changes have been. I have spent the last decade or so just maintaining. You know, the same old job, set routines, not happy but not miserable, so I thought I was doing ok. In 2006 I tried a new career as a pastry chef but when that became too difficult, I went back to the familiar old job that paid the bills. I felt like there were so many people struggling with less that I was blessed to have as much as I did and I should just be happy with that. But I wanted more. It took a while for me to realize I deserved more. And it took even longer to be able to reach out to my friends and family to ask for the help I needed to get there.

cookingplanitI lost that comfortable job at the beginning of 2012. A year or so ago, that would have been a devastating blow. But through the power of prayer, the support of friends, and a really good therapist, I have to say I actually was excited by this. I somehow just knew that something bigger and better was in the works for me. I remember someone actually telling me that I should write down my dream job and I kind of scoffed at this and said, “Nobody is going to hire me to make desserts from my house.” And yet, that is pretty much what I am doing. Thanks to Cooking Planit, I am curating a database of desserts, as well as doing savory recipes, helping with blogger outreach, writing blog posts and pretty much anything else that helps expand my skills and keep the dream job interesting. Lesson learned- Sometimes you need to lose what you have to gain what you desire.

IMAG0271About a month after I started my dream job, I lost one of my best friends to heart disease at the way too young age of 39. I loved Dax with all my heart despite years of on-again, off-again and other dramas. He truly knew me better than even my own family. I was blessed to have him in my life and it was evident that he left a huge hole not only in my life but in those of his friends and family that packed the church at his memorial. The picture I am sharing here was a fabulous memory I will cherish with him at Cowboy Stadium. I struggle with the grief everyday. It was just so unexpected. Our last conversation was not a good one but that was not unusual for us. I know he loved me and I wish I could spend just one more day with him. Lesson learned- Hug the ones you love and tell them how much they mean to you because you never know if it will be the last.

IMG_5663I grew up with a special needs brother, Charles. If you have never had the opportunity to spend time with someone with special needs, I encourage you to seek out the opportunity through volunteering. There is something about people who have physical and mental handicaps that allows them to share a grace and love that is so pure it makes the world a less jaded place. Charles lived well past the age he was expected to in a very large part thanks to the loving care my parents provided for him for 48 years. Charles became very ill in June and the prognosis was dim. We were fortunate enough to spend time with our Bubby in his final days but of course, the loss of someone so special and innocent is heart-wrenching. Lesson learned- with Charles, the lessons were numerous but what he taught me most of all was being different was ok. In fact, be proud of your differences, it is how you find your strengths.

A big thank you to all of my friends who have helped me through my roller coaster year. So many times a phone call, a text, or a drinky poo with one of you has gotten me over a hump. You have celebrated my highs and dragged me through the lows. The lesson you all have brought me has been one of humility and strength as well as the ever-so-difficult, it is ok to rely on others, you do not have to do it all yourself. I love you all to pieces.

Another thing I have been struggling with is now that I am writing recipes for a living, it makes it near impossible to come up with extra stuff for the blog. Plus I have to taste all the stuff I make, so I am eating out a lot less than I used to. I know, I am happy to have such problems but my poor little blog has been suffering from neglect. Every once in a while when I am working on a dish, there is a tool or technique that I want to talk about in greater detail than I can in a recipe. So I want to start 2013 with a lesson learned about zesting. I will still do the occasional restaurant review or event report but I want to document the tips and tricks that help with my baking.

IMG_5580It drives me crazy when I see a celebrity chef using a microplane. Ok, if you are just scraping a little zest into a salad or nutmeg directly into a pot, it is ok to pass the ingredient over the sharp side with the cupped side facing the bowl. But if you have ever had to zest more than one lemon at a time, you know how messy and dangerous to you nails and knuckles this technique can be. You don’t slice a tomato by moving it back and forth against a knife blade. Try turning the microplane “upside down” with the cupped side facing up and pass it over the fruit to shave off the zest. It gives you much more control of the tool because you are moving the microplane and not the ingredient. Plus the zest collects in the cupped side for easy transfer to where you need it. Be careful to dump out the zest every so often as it is a mess if it spills but I can get at least half a fruit done before I have to empty it out. Hope this helps you learn the zen of zesting, too!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Published by

My name is Christy and I was born, raised, and still live in Austin, TX. I love to travel. I have been all over the US, Amsterdam, Paris, Barcelona, etc. My second favorite place in the world is Negril, Jamaica where I have been 10 times and counting. I am a trained pastry chef but I am not currently working in "the industry" right now. I became a pastry chef in part to complement the fabulous dinners conjured up by my best friends Ethan and Michelle, who hopefully will be contributing to this blog as well. We went through a 2 year period of "Tuesday Night" dinner parties which were a smorgasbord of bloody meat and red, red wine. Friendships and laughter. The men did all the cooking while the women got tipsy, as all dinner parties should be. If I wanted to participate with food, I had to bring something and I became Dessert Girl. Eventually I attended the Le Cordon Bleu program at the Texas Culinary Academy and received a certificate in Pastry and Baking. I have had several baking jobs but found it hard to make ends meet, so I earn my living elsewhere for now. I have had the pleasure of working with several celebrity chefs including Rebecca Rather, Bronwen Weber, and David Lebovitz. I have also cultivated some amazing friends and resources in the Central Texas area and would like to share my knowledge with all who care to join me. My most recent honor was winning Best Sweet at the Bacon Takedown during SXSW 2011. As the culinary icon Ms. Childs' says, "Bon Appetit!" ***CONTACT ME at christy111luv@yahoo.com or twitter @christy111luv***

3 thoughts on “Lessons Learned in 2012 and The Zen of Zesting”

  1. What a year! I’m so sorry for your losses, Christy. It’s crazy how life can send so much good and bad your way all at once. I’m glad you have such a great network of friends to be there for you. I’m looking forward to all of your new posts, here and on Cooking Planit. Here’s to 2013! It’s going to be a good one. 🙂

  2. Thank you, Mary Helen! And yes, Suzanna, very cathartic. So glad to have my friends to help me through it.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *