Fighting for one's right to party is a losing battle in Paris and Amsterdam. First in a series about European nightlife. Following installments will zoom in on some of Europe's major cities. Paris' renowned nightlife is on the brink of death - so many locals say. Last Sunday, musicians, hospitality professionals and nightclub owners from France's capital sounded the alarm over the declining quality of Parisian nightlife by handing over a petition to their mayor. The assembled fine fleur of the the towns party crowd collected 14,000 signatures to support their plea to their fellow Parisians, particularly the ones employed in law enforcement, to be more tolerant of the clamour nocturnal frolicking inevitably brings. Le Monde, a French daily, went as far to dub Paris the "European Capital of Boredom". So much for the City of Lights. Paris is not the only European city where people are worried about their nightlife. A grassroot group named Ai!Amsterdam, a pun on the Dutch capital's slogan 'I Amsterdam' last summer produced a manifesto that reads as a litany of complaints over city policy towards bars and clubs. Over past years, bars have been fined because their patrons were drinking on a terrace while standing, instead of sitting, as the law dictates. Opening hours are being further restricted, the group claimed. A ban on terrace heating is also under consideration. "Just imagine what would happen if we enjoyed ourselves!" the manifesto sardonically reflects.
Paris' renowned nightlife is on the brink of death - so many locals say. Last Sunday, musicians, hospitality professionals and nightclub owners from France's capital sounded the alarm over the declining quality of Parisian nightlife by handing over a petition to their mayor. The assembled fine fleur of the the towns party crowd collected 14,000 signatures to support their plea to their fellow Parisians, particularly the ones employed in law enforcement, to be more tolerant of the clamour nocturnal frolicking inevitably brings.
Le Monde, a French daily, went as far to dub Paris the "European Capital of Boredom". So much for the City of Lights. Paris is not the only European city where people are worried about their nightlife. A grassroot group named Ai!Amsterdam, a pun on the Dutch capital's slogan 'I Amsterdam' last summer produced a manifesto that reads as a litany of complaints over city policy towards bars and clubs. Over past years, bars have been fined because their patrons were drinking on a terrace while standing, instead of sitting, as the law dictates. Opening hours are being further restricted, the group claimed. A ban on terrace heating is also under consideration. "Just imagine what would happen if we enjoyed ourselves!" the manifesto sardonically reflects.
A tourist lost in the dark on a frozen sea in northern Germany has been rescued after flashes from his camera were spotted on a beach webcam.The man, who has not been named, had become lost after walking onto ice off St Peter-Ording to photograph a sunset, police in the North Sea area said. A woman watching the sunset via webcam hundreds of kilometres away in southern Germany noticed the flashes. She alerted police who were able to guide the man to safety. The photographer, a German tourist in his 40s, could have frozen to death or fallen through the ice, police said.
A tourist lost in the dark on a frozen sea in northern Germany has been rescued after flashes from his camera were spotted on a beach webcam.
The man, who has not been named, had become lost after walking onto ice off St Peter-Ording to photograph a sunset, police in the North Sea area said.
A woman watching the sunset via webcam hundreds of kilometres away in southern Germany noticed the flashes.
She alerted police who were able to guide the man to safety.
The photographer, a German tourist in his 40s, could have frozen to death or fallen through the ice, police said.
It's official. The Internet, which has virtually revolutionised the world, has been nominated for the '2010 Nobel Peace Prize'. The Internet was proposed by the Italian edition of the popular 'Wired' magazine for promoting "dialogue, debate and consensus through communication" as well as democracy, the media reported. Premier endorsers of Internet for Nobel Peace Prize nomination include 2003 Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi and famous Italian surgeon, known for his contributions to breast cancer treatments, Umberto Veronesi. 'Wired Italy' has also launched a dedicated campaign, 'Internet for Peace', which will carry on till September 2010, featuring different stories and experiences of those who with the web have tried to do something concrete to promote peace and harmony in the world.
It's official. The Internet, which has virtually revolutionised the world, has been nominated for the '2010 Nobel Peace Prize'.
The Internet was proposed by the Italian edition of the popular 'Wired' magazine for promoting "dialogue, debate and consensus through communication" as well as democracy, the media reported.
Premier endorsers of Internet for Nobel Peace Prize nomination include 2003 Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi and famous Italian surgeon, known for his contributions to breast cancer treatments, Umberto Veronesi.
'Wired Italy' has also launched a dedicated campaign, 'Internet for Peace', which will carry on till September 2010, featuring different stories and experiences of those who with the web have tried to do something concrete to promote peace and harmony in the world.
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- The dominant form of online video advertising -- the pre-roll ad -- is still an unwelcome sight for a broad cross-section of consumers, according to online analytics firm TubeMogul. Nearly 16% of viewers click away from a pre-roll video ad rather than watch it to get to video content, according to new research. For newspapers and magazine sites, where interruptive advertising isn't the norm and video is a secondary storytelling device, the trend is worse: nearly 25%.
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- The dominant form of online video advertising -- the pre-roll ad -- is still an unwelcome sight for a broad cross-section of consumers, according to online analytics firm TubeMogul.
Nearly 16% of viewers click away from a pre-roll video ad rather than watch it to get to video content, according to new research. For newspapers and magazine sites, where interruptive advertising isn't the norm and video is a secondary storytelling device, the trend is worse: nearly 25%.
"Surfing the internet can expose a 'dark side' of the soul, with online addicts more likely to be depressed," the Daily Mail reported. It said that research has found that the worst affected were depressed and addicted "possibly because they are substituting the net for normal social activities". This study questioned 1,319 users of social networking sites on their internet use and their depressive symptoms. Although it found an association between the two, this does not prove causation. It's possible that a person uses the internet more because they are depressed, not the other way around. Other limitations include the fact that only 18 people were `addicted', and the questionnaires assessing their depressive symptoms are not a diagnosis of depression on their own. A link between depression and internet addiction is not out of the question. There are established links between depression and other addictive behaviours, such as gambling and alcoholism. However, the suggestion of a causal relationship will need further research, as will the implication that social isolation caused by internet addiction might contribute.
"Surfing the internet can expose a 'dark side' of the soul, with online addicts more likely to be depressed," the Daily Mail reported. It said that research has found that the worst affected were depressed and addicted "possibly because they are substituting the net for normal social activities".
This study questioned 1,319 users of social networking sites on their internet use and their depressive symptoms. Although it found an association between the two, this does not prove causation. It's possible that a person uses the internet more because they are depressed, not the other way around. Other limitations include the fact that only 18 people were `addicted', and the questionnaires assessing their depressive symptoms are not a diagnosis of depression on their own.
A link between depression and internet addiction is not out of the question. There are established links between depression and other addictive behaviours, such as gambling and alcoholism. However, the suggestion of a causal relationship will need further research, as will the implication that social isolation caused by internet addiction might contribute.
Then in December 1979 just what the Neoconservatives had been predicting seemed to come true. The Soviet army came through the Salang Tunnel and occupied Afghanistan. The next year Reagan swept to power and 50 members of the Committee on the Present Danger were appointed to the Reagan administration. And at the same time John Lennon was assassinated in New York. To the Neoconservatives it symbolised the end of a terrible corrupt era in America. It was the death of the hated counterculture. Norman Podhoretz's daughter had married another Neoconservative called Elliot Abrams. After Lennon's death Abrams gave his opinion - using words that could have been lifted from his father-in-law's rant about liberal hypocrisy and blacks 15 years before: "I'm sorry. Why is John Lennon's death getting more attention than Elvis Presley's? Because Lennon is perceived as a left-wing figure politically, anti-establishment, a man of social conscience with concern for the poor. And therefore, he's being made into a great figure. Too much has been made of his life. It does not deserve a full day's television and radio coverage. I'm sick of it." Elliot Abrams went off to help support the Contras in Nicaragua for President Reagan, while many of the other Neoconservatives set out to persuade the president to send sophisticated weapons to the Mujahideen in Afghanistan Then they found the most surprising ally. Ahmad Zahir's sister Zahira had fled to the US. She set up a hair salon in Washington DC. It was in the Watergate building. This led her to get lots of high-profile clients, and then one day in the early 80s President Reagan asked her to cut his hair.
Then in December 1979 just what the Neoconservatives had been predicting seemed to come true. The Soviet army came through the Salang Tunnel and occupied Afghanistan. The next year Reagan swept to power and 50 members of the Committee on the Present Danger were appointed to the Reagan administration.
And at the same time John Lennon was assassinated in New York. To the Neoconservatives it symbolised the end of a terrible corrupt era in America. It was the death of the hated counterculture.
Norman Podhoretz's daughter had married another Neoconservative called Elliot Abrams. After Lennon's death Abrams gave his opinion - using words that could have been lifted from his father-in-law's rant about liberal hypocrisy and blacks 15 years before:
"I'm sorry. Why is John Lennon's death getting more attention than Elvis Presley's? Because Lennon is perceived as a left-wing figure politically, anti-establishment, a man of social conscience with concern for the poor. And therefore, he's being made into a great figure. Too much has been made of his life. It does not deserve a full day's television and radio coverage. I'm sick of it."
Elliot Abrams went off to help support the Contras in Nicaragua for President Reagan, while many of the other Neoconservatives set out to persuade the president to send sophisticated weapons to the Mujahideen in Afghanistan
Then they found the most surprising ally.
Ahmad Zahir's sister Zahira had fled to the US. She set up a hair salon in Washington DC. It was in the Watergate building. This led her to get lots of high-profile clients, and then one day in the early 80s President Reagan asked her to cut his hair.
his writing style is so interesting... lucid and spacious, with a real sense of how music permeates life, rather than just being its soundtrack. ~"When an inner situation is not made conscious, it appears outside as fate." Karl Jung~
Democrat Alexi Giannoulias, the Illinois treasurer [!] since 2007, will face Republican Mark Kirk, a five-term congressman from Chicago's northern suburbs. "Come November, congressman, your days as a Washington insider are over," Giannoulias, 33 [!], a presidential friend and basketball buddy, said in his victory speech last night. Kirk in his speech set the stage for the "Sopranos" ad [!], posted on YouTube, when he attacked Illinois Democrats on corruption and other issues... Giannoulias, whose family bank has given loans to a bookmaker as well as convicted Illinois influence peddler Antoin "Tony" Rezko [!], led Kirk 42 percent [!] to 34 percent in a survey Of state voters taken Jan. 22-25 by Public Policy Polling. The poll had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3 percentage points. A moderate on social issues and an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve, Kirk, 50, is seeking to replace Senator Roland Burris [!], a Democrat who decided against running for the seat following his controversial appointment to it by Blagojevich in December 2008.... In the battle for the Democratic nomination for governor, incumbent Patrick Quinn, who replaced Blagojevich, led 50.4 percent to 49.6 percent over state Comptroller Dan Hynes, according to an Associated Press tally that included 100 percent of the state's precincts.... The Republican primary for governor also was a tight race that had yet to be decided. State senator Bill Brady led state senator Kirk Dillard, 20.3 percent to 20.2 percent, with 100 percent of precincts counted in the AP's tally. Just 406 votes separated the two in the latest count in a contest that featured seven candidates.... In other primary results, Ethan Hastert, son of former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert [!], lost to Randy Hultgren for the Republican nomination for the congressional seat west of Chicago that his father held, according to the AP. The seat is now occupied by Democrat Bill Foster. Read more...
"Come November, congressman, your days as a Washington insider are over," Giannoulias, 33 [!], a presidential friend and basketball buddy, said in his victory speech last night. Kirk in his speech set the stage for the "Sopranos" ad [!], posted on YouTube, when he attacked Illinois Democrats on corruption and other issues...
Giannoulias, whose family bank has given loans to a bookmaker as well as convicted Illinois influence peddler Antoin "Tony" Rezko [!], led Kirk 42 percent [!] to 34 percent in a survey Of state voters taken Jan. 22-25 by Public Policy Polling. The poll had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3 percentage points.
A moderate on social issues and an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve, Kirk, 50, is seeking to replace Senator Roland Burris [!], a Democrat who decided against running for the seat following his controversial appointment to it by Blagojevich in December 2008....
In the battle for the Democratic nomination for governor, incumbent Patrick Quinn, who replaced Blagojevich, led 50.4 percent to 49.6 percent over state Comptroller Dan Hynes, according to an Associated Press tally that included 100 percent of the state's precincts....
The Republican primary for governor also was a tight race that had yet to be decided. State senator Bill Brady led state senator Kirk Dillard, 20.3 percent to 20.2 percent, with 100 percent of precincts counted in the AP's tally. Just 406 votes separated the two in the latest count in a contest that featured seven candidates....
In other primary results, Ethan Hastert, son of former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert [!], lost to Randy Hultgren for the Republican nomination for the congressional seat west of Chicago that his father held, according to the AP. The seat is now occupied by Democrat Bill Foster.
Read more...
The organizer of the National Tea Party Convention, at which Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann will speak next month, cynically took advantage of conservative activists' willingness to work on behalf of the Tea Party cause in his bid to launch a money-making enterprise, according to one fellow Tea Partier. Kevin Smith told TPMmuckraker that Judson Phillips, the Nashville defense lawyer behind the upcoming National Tea Party Convention, abruptly turned Tea Party Nation into a for-profit corporation last year, shocking fellow activists who had discussed setting up the fledgling group as a non-profit. "I can't even describe to you the anger we had with him, using our volunteer labor and our passion for the movement to build his start-up," said Smith. Smith's comments are only the latest in a barrage of criticism, which we've detailed, of Phillips and his convention, grandly billed as an effort to bring together Tea Party activists from across the country. Tea Party activists have raised concerns in recent days over the event's $549 price tag, its location at a swank Nashville hotel -- hardly in keeping with the movement's grassroots image -- and the decision to pay Sarah Palin perhaps as much as $100,000.
The organizer of the National Tea Party Convention, at which Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann will speak next month, cynically took advantage of conservative activists' willingness to work on behalf of the Tea Party cause in his bid to launch a money-making enterprise, according to one fellow Tea Partier.
Kevin Smith told TPMmuckraker that Judson Phillips, the Nashville defense lawyer behind the upcoming National Tea Party Convention, abruptly turned Tea Party Nation into a for-profit corporation last year, shocking fellow activists who had discussed setting up the fledgling group as a non-profit.
"I can't even describe to you the anger we had with him, using our volunteer labor and our passion for the movement to build his start-up," said Smith.
Smith's comments are only the latest in a barrage of criticism, which we've detailed, of Phillips and his convention, grandly billed as an effort to bring together Tea Party activists from across the country. Tea Party activists have raised concerns in recent days over the event's $549 price tag, its location at a swank Nashville hotel -- hardly in keeping with the movement's grassroots image -- and the decision to pay Sarah Palin perhaps as much as $100,000.
fun buncha folks ~"When an inner situation is not made conscious, it appears outside as fate." Karl Jung~
