United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Are Shared Vision Of Humanity

A few years ago, in September 2015, 193 countries signed up to support the UN’s 17 sustainable development goals for our planet and the people that live on it. The all-encompassing plan included promises to end poverty, feed everyone, create stability and peace, provide quality education and protect the future of our world. Every man, woman and child on the planet were invited to play their part to turn 17 goals into action and the promises into reality.

Goal 4 promised to achieve inclusive and equitable quality education for all. “OECD countries have generally been successful in guaranteeing adequate infrastructure and near-universal access to basic education,” says Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills at the OECD. But he notes that participation in education is not enough “to ensure the knowledge, competence, skills and attitudes that are necessary to increase individuals’ well-being and the prosperity of modern societies.” He adds that the OECD’s programs have a key role to play “in the achievement of – and measuring progress towards – SDG 4 and its targets, as well as other education-related SDG targets.”

Richard Branson Save Our Oceans

“Just because poverty or pollution or climate change happen in another country far away, that does not mean that we are not part of the cause of these problems and their necessary solution.” — Thomas Gass
Since September 2015, education leaders and other influencers around the world have encouraged schools to promote all the goals. We’ve talked to teachers that acknowledge there’s nothing like real world challenges and case studies which allow students to apply the knowledge skills and dispositions they will need to succeed in an interconnected world.

How are we all doing so far? What have leaders learned from the implementation journey, and as a new school year begins, how can we build on those lessons to improve our efforts to achieve our planet’s plan moving forward?

Thomas Gass was appointed by the UN Secretary-General as Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs in UN DESA and he took office on 3 September 2013. The Global Search for Education welcomes Thomas Gass.

Educators Have Sustainability Role

“Educators have an essential role in making sure the SDGs become a real social contract with the people.” — Thomas Gass

Thomas, please share one or two of the most important lessons you have personally learned spearheading the SDG’s implementation process thus far? It’s simple: The SDG’s are not a run-off-the-mill development strategy for big international organisations to fix the problems in the South… The SDGs are a shared vision of humanity – they are the missing (vision) piece of our globalization puzzle! This means that they can only be implemented if everyone is involved: Governments of course, but also municipalities, private companies, schools and universities, local organisations and individuals – everyone. Now, that can only happen if the people know about them… So mobilization and advocacy are crucial. The SDGs must become a new social contract between leaders and the people.

Leaders agreed that we must change the way we deal with the weakest among us, i.e. that we take the greatest care of those who are weak. What more would you ask of the leaders of rich and poor countries in terms of being good role models for this important part of the vision?

The promise to leave no one behind is the most difficult commitment of this new social contract. It requires that we all seek to understand who the most vulnerable people are and what risks they face, and then systematically empower these people and build their resilience. Political as well as economic leaders need to understand that sustainability has been redefined: If a significant economic or social group is left behind, our development is not sustainable. By the same token, we are fooling ourselves if we think that any single country or private company can be “sustainable” by itself. The SDGs demand that we are honest with ourselves about our ecological and social footprint! Just because poverty or pollution or climate change happen in another country far away, that does not mean that we are not part of the cause of these problems and their necessary solution.

United Nations Global Goals

“Know your #SDGs/#GlobalGoals and hold adults and leaders accountable for them, push back if they try to make you believe that your country, language, tribe or family is greater or more deserving than the others, and look for opportunities to make a difference yourselves.” — Thomas Gass

What more would you ask of educators in the work that lies ahead?

Educators have an essential role in making sure the SDGs become a real social contract with the people. I have the highest esteem for those committed educators who are bringing the SDGs into the classrooms, and educating younger generations to become global citizens. I firmly believe that this can be done as part of any teaching subject or class. I encourage all educators to join movements and co-create resources such as teachsdgs.org, GCEDclearinghouse.org, etc., and to encourage OECD/PISA to align their Global Competency criteria to the SDGs by 2018.

And finally, perhaps most important – what is your message to youth for the school year ahead on their part in the planet’s plan?

C.M. RubinHere is my message: This world is your world to share and enjoy. As Mahatma Gandhi said: “The world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.” Know your #SDGs/#GlobalGoals and hold adults and leaders accountable for them, push back if they try to make you believe that your country, language, tribe or family is greater or more deserving than the others, and look for opportunities to make a difference yourselves. Thank you Thomas.  For the Silo, C. M. Rubin.

Supplemental- Is Canada following United Nations Global Sustainable Development Goals?  

Global Search for Education

Fashion And Technology Connect At New York Fashion Week

What would it be like to listen in on a discussion on new materials/textiles by a director at NASA, an entrepreneur focusing on branding for dogs and an international superstar in fashion? It may sound odd at first thought, however, in the fashion industry today everyone is linked through technology – which nowadays is every brand’s biggest competitor.

Marcelo & Jordana Guimaraes (husband and wife) are the founders of FASHINNOVATION – an event bringing the thought leaders in the fashion and technology industries in front of an audience to discuss topics including production/manufacturing, sustainability, textiles/technology, branding/design, e-commerce, celebrities in fashion and “fashion-tech on the rise”(startups). These conversations will take place in moderated panels sharing a common goal: to spark the entrepreneurial mindset through inspiration and knowledge.

FASHINNOVATION New York Flyer

FASHINNOVATION will take place during New York Fashion Week on September 12th, 2018.
“I’ve been involved in the entrepreneurial eco-system throughout my life – always with a focus on technology. The challenge with the fashion and technology industries, is having them always inter connected to have a finger on the pulse of the latest innovations – making things exciting and thought provoking. With the merge of ideas, the outcome is unimaginable” says Founder, Marcelo Guimaraes.

A look back at an earlier NYC Fashion week show-

Confirmed to participate are: Vice President of Shopify/Co-Founder of Shopify Plus – Loren Padelford, Co-Founder of Ministry of Supply – Gihan Amarasiriwardena, Global Fashion Industry Leader & Partner at IBM – Karl Haller, Best-Selling Author & Host of TV Show: Elevator Pitch – David Meltzer, Designer/Founder at Kris Harring – Kris Harrington, Co-Founder of Bolt Threads – David Breslauer, Fashion Designer (Project Runway season 11 & All Stars) – Layana Aguilar, Art Creative for MAC make-up & Fenti by Rihanna – Jason Naylor, Founders of HICKIES (collaboration w/ DVF) – Mariquel Waingarten & Gaston Frydlewski, Co-Founder of M.Gemi – Ben Fischman, Executive Director at FIT’s Infor Design and Tech Lab – Michael Ferraro, Co-Founder of Universal Standard – Alexandra Waldman, Founders of Haerfest – Tim & Dan Joo, Founder of ByBorre (NIKE & Louis Vuitton collabs)– Borre Akkersdijk, Founder of Zee Dog – Thadeu Diz, Co-Founder of WindowsWear – Jon Harari, Program Executive at NASA – Jenn Gustetic and Founder of Fashion Tech Consortium – Michael Reidbord. Institutions in participation include Singularity University (NYC Chapter) and Endeavor. Part of all proceeds will be donated to NFTE.

“It’s exciting to see the positive feedback on FASHINNOVATION from leaders in the fashion and tech industries. We have additional confirmations on the way ranging from fashion personalities to platinum record superstars – the eclectic mix of people and companies participating, will ensure that everyone who attends walks away with knowledge that is unmatched” says Co-Founder & PR Director Jordana Guimaraes.

The event will resume with a cocktail networking reception, with live performances by: “violin superstar” who’s performed w/ Beyonce, etc. – Ezinma and singer/songwriter Heather LaRose – recently hitting 1 million streams online & best known for her song “New Moon” featured on MTV’s “Teen Wolf”.

Novel Warns North Americans Of Corrupt Bankers And Valueless Dollar

Back in 2012 The Silo reported on a dark novel titled Zurabia. That book held a plot that seems less like fiction with each passing year.  Corrupt bankers, a practically valueless dollar, hyper-unemployment and underemployment, home-grown terrorism, the uptick in natural disasters and the overall lack of trust in our most important institutions – these are some of the reasons all North Americans should be very, very concerned, according to author Peter Dash a world-traveled researcher for Harvard University’s Center for International Affairs.

Peter Dash and his novel

“I predict a brutal world ahead of us,” says Dash, author of “ZUrabia,” a book about rogue forces taking over the world’s most important institutions. “Unfortunately, I have been right since my research at Harvard in 1986, when I questioned the viability of government institutions to meet general needs and growing problems, both domestically and abroad.”

The pragmatic holiday shopper this year will purchase items to safeguard their families against these threats, which have been long in the making and won’t disappear quickly, he says.

From Dash’s homepage- a map of Zurabia complete with mountains and a mushroom cloud. Biblical ! CP

“Terrorism wasn’t inaugurated with 9-11; extremism in Muslim sects has been growing for decades, and Neo-Nazi groups are starting to flourish in failing states like Greece,” he says. “The dollar has been steadily losing its value since the creation of the Federal Reserve in 1913; climate change has been on the radar for quite a while; and there have been greedy bankers since, well, banks have existed.”

“If you’re confident that everything is sure to be okay, then you’re not paying attention,” he says.

He offers a four-point survival strategy for holiday and everyday shopping:

• Gold is good: The dollar has lost 95 percent of its value in 100 years, and it will continue losing value. As
the Reserve continues to flood money into the system, thereby reducing current or potential value, more inflation is inevitable, acting as yet another tax on wages. So, collect and buy any gold that you can and consider spending federal notes while they’re still worth something to businesses. Think about your
jewelry, and buying more. Silver is a good option if gold is too expensive, and there are Exchange Traded Funds, or ETFs, that are backed by physical gold. A reputable banker or broker can help explain for those who are interested. “TD Ameritrade or Charles Schwab may be good places to start getting information on gold and silver ETF trading,” according to Dash.

• Inflation: Spend your money now or smartly invest it before you lose it. Remember, banks often give clients less than one percent on many accounts, but inflation on food and real items we use, like gasoline, are going up by much more. In essence, your banker is stealing your money through the assistance of the Fed, which is killing your savings rate by cheapening money. As if to pour salt on this wound, the bank,
in many cases, lends money at four percent or higher. Rerouting some bank savings/wages by investing in canned food, for example, may protect you against the scourge of food inflation, as well as other disasters.

• Worthy purchases: With food and water, a failed society puts a premium on additional goods. They include home insulation, gardening tools and materials, computer programs and language learning kits – perhaps Spanish or Chinese – because of the increasing prominence of other cultures. Guns, security systems and other measures to protect one’s home will likely prove extremely valuable should law enforcement be spread too thin, or fail as an institution.

• Buy in bulk: Places like Wal-Mart or Costco will help you get the most value with large purchases of food. It’s important to be well-stocked if something happens that results in the emptying of grocery markets, but remember to have adequate space in your house, apartment or cabin for a “safe” room, which is part of a sound strategy for protecting you and your family.

Peter Dash has been a teacher, professor and corporate trainer for the last 17 years, working in Saudi Arabia, the former Soviet Union and China. He has an applied science degree in forestry from the University of British Columbia and a Masters in applied teaching from Southern Queensland in Australia. He was a researcher in world (dis) order and youth groups at Harvard University’s Center for International Affairs, started by Henry Kissinger. He follows the investment field intensely, focusing on commodity funds and trends.
Fifteen percent of his book’s royalties will go to needy students consistent to the many years Dash has worked in assisting voluntary youth organizations. He lives on a small tropical island that is stocked with the finest well water, fish and food. Dash invests in Gold ETFs and commodity trading companies.

SupplementalCBC radio interview with Dash on Zurabia

The Big Year Is A Fun Comedy For Bird Enthusiasts

I first took notice of this film because of where I live- which is not that far away from Long Point, Ontario, a mecca for birdwatchers. I find that it’s a more immersive experience to watch a movie that is connected thematically in some way to the sorts of activities that the area I live in has to offer. This reinforces the suspension of disbelief while watching and serves to supercharge the imagination.  If you live in a seaside community and you’ve ever watched Jaws followed by a bit of swimming you know exactly what I mean.

Back to the birds 

The main story arc of The Big Year goes a little like this:  A ready-to-retire-but-not-quite-sure-its-the-right-time-to-retire businessman and a mid-thirties-divorced-unemployed-savant (he can identify any bird just by hearing a few notes of its birdsong) aim for beating the current single year record of bird sightings. In the parlance of the ‘birding’ community, this is known as doing a ‘big year’. The current record holder, played by Owen Wilson, is the rock-star of the ‘birding’ community and is completely obsessed with stopping anyone else from beating his record- even if this means missing the birth of his child and ruining his second marriage.

Highly competitive obsession

Jack Black, Steve Martin and Owen Wilson in the The Big Year.

I always believed that birding was a slowly paced albeit serious hobby but this movie turns the notion on its head. The story develops and moves quickly. The characters are highly  competitive and race against each other as the suspense and intensity builds.

The Big Year is satisfying, clever and funny . If you are a birder there is a good chance that you will love this movie (especially if you can relate to the obsessive compulsive behavior of the main characters) but then again you might end up blaming this movie- you might decide on doing a big year and to hell with anything and anyone in your path. For the Silo, Doug McKenzie.

Jack Black’s character feeling bad (but not that bad) about Steve Martin’s character picking up the dinner tab.

Supplemental- The Big Year:A Tale of Man,Nature and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik.  http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entertainment/jan-june04/bird_04-12.html

Thoughts On Rejection And Concept Of Groundlessness

Rejection. “We lived in Northern New Mexico. I was standing in front of our house drinking a cup of tea. I heard the car drive up and the door bang shut. Then he walked around the corner, and without warning, he told me he was having an affair and he wanted a divorce. I remember the sky and how huge it was. I remember the sound of the river and the steam rising up from my tea. There was no time, no thought, there was nothing–just the light and a profound, limitless stillness. Then I regrouped and picked up a stone and threw it at him.” -Pema Chodron, When Things Fall Apart

This quote, about the moment Pema Chodron’s life began to change, the moment she experienced true groundlessness, applies to so many circumstances in life. Whether we are experiencing the rejection of a lover or spouse, or rejection from a gallery, grant application, art school, the list goes on and on, it is not uncommon for it to feel like the ground has slipped from beneath your feet. When the floor opens up and swallows you whole, it is human instinct to close up, distract, do whatever it takes to make the feeling go away. These are the moments when we must strive the hardest to open up and soften, allow whatever we are feeling to wash over us, and let that be okay.

If you are an artist, you may have tried applying for a grant. You may have given up after a rejection letter or two. But do you know that for every twenty grant applications you complete, you might receive one or two. Might. There are absolutely no guarantees, and the grant writing field is highly competitive. It is important to understand this going in and to have not only a system to keep churning out applications (because, after all this is an important part of many artists’ income and should be treated as such) it is also absolutely critical that you have your head firmly on your shoulders prepared to deal with the pain of rejection.

Let’s face it, rejection always feels personal. You put a piece of yourself out into the world only to have someone tell you it isn’t what they’re looking for. This hurts. And again, that’s OK.

What is important is that you never let the hurt get the best of you. Do not internalize rejection. Remind yourself that you are one of many. You are relying on the subjectivity of a person or group of people, and just because you do not win favor does not mean your art isn’t any good. Rather, it means your art wasn’t what they were looking for on that day for that particular thing. Accept this and move along.

Often, rejection has nothing at all to do with you. This is very difficult to get the mind around. Very often rejection is about the unspoken details being sought that someone else might happen to present.

Buddhist thought teaches us to accept groundlessness, work with it, allow ourselves to sit with it. We are all in the habit of glossing difficult emotions. We self-medicate sometimes with substances, or by tuning out and not letting the hard stuff in. Begin to notice when you start to check out and see how it feels to just be still with the difficult stuff.

Learning to deal with rejection will serve you in many ways. You will find the strength to continue your mission no matter what happens, and you will do so with grace. You will learn that just because you are not chosen one time doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try again. Often, grants and galleries invite those who are not chosen in one round to apply again. And again. The people who run things like this understand what you must begin to internalize–that it really isn’t about you.

If you begin to incorporate these things into your consciousness, eventually they will become part of the fabric. You will begin to live by the new way of thinking you have cultivated. A mindset that puts rejection into perspective and allows you to pursue your forward momentum no matter what.

Brainard Carey

Life is full of rejection, big and small. Hiding away won’t get you far. Choosing the path of least resistance may seem like the easy way but it is a road to nowhere. Remember, if you are an Artist choosing to make your art into a career, it means putting the most intimate pieces of yourself out into the world for all to see. It is a warrior’s path and requires a warrior spirit. For the Silo, Brainard Carey.

Brainard  is currently giving free webinars on how to write a better Artist bio and statement and how to get a show in a gallery – you can register for that live webinar and ask questions live by clicking here.

Featured image- entrepreneur.com

Nashville Population Rise Sparks Demand for Condo Development

Meg Epstein, founder of CA South Development and Condo Queen of Nashville, has funded over $200 million usd in the expansion of condo projects aimed towards bridging the gap of disproportionate construction of properties in Downtown Nashville.

According to the U.S Census Bureau, Nashville, Tennessee has witnessed a steady hike in population within the metro area as it’s averaging approximately 100 new residents per day. Forbes lists the city as the 7th on America’s Fastest Growing City List. The resulting and overwhelming demand for housing in the metro area has lead to an influx of rental properties, leaving a shortage of condos and townhomes despite an increasing demand for them. Another report projects the supply to increase but will still fall short of the overall demand within the city for 2018, consisting of only a two-month supply of condo units. 

Nashville Condo Shortage
GERMANTOWN WATERFRONT CONDOS, NASHVILLE, TN – IN PROGRESS. Boutique new construction development of 35 luxury, waterfront condos nestled between the historic neighborhood of Germantown and Downtown. River Tower offers a relaxed balance between the natural elements of the Cumberland River and the eclectic destinations, venues, restaurants and professional office spaces of downtown Nashville. Features will include spacious balconies that cantilever over the water, superior modern interior architecture and finishes, and Wolf-Subzero appliances.

Per Meg Epstein, founder of CA South Development, Nashville’s disproportionate emphasis on apartment construction is unsustainable. Even with the increased demand to build properties to accommodate the population increase, Epstein points out the issue of banks favoring apartment projects for construction instead of condos or townhomes.

Banks favor apartment projects, since they don’t mind recouping their investment over a period of years,” said Epstein. “However, market trends indicate condos are a far better investment option.”

The Wall Street Journal reports that millennials have “flocked to downtowns to live closer to jobs, transit and urban amenities, and the National Realtors Association reports that millennials now represent 36% of recent homebuyers. The fact that 29% of Nashville’s population falls into the 20 to 39 age group may help to explain the rising demand for urban condos. Epstein anticipates a continued population surge in Nashville and believes residential development will remain a smart bet. PwC ranks Nashville #9 for “Overall Real Estate Prospects” and #5 for “Investment”, and Forbes lists it at #6 in its “Where to Invest in Housing in 2018” analysis.

Today, Epstein is in the process of constructing condo homes to not only correct the supply imbalance in the region but to serve the consumer needs of millennials.

Meg Epstein

In fact, one of Epstein’s projects, River Tower, a 35-unit development, emulates urban centers from all-across the United States with its modern design and proximity to the Cumberland River and Germantown, mirroring real-estate paradigms of Brooklyn, Boston and Tampa. Nashville’s “Condo Queen” is putting her ardent vision for Nashville’s condo market to the test as her decade of construction expertise is being applied to blossoming the city’s residential neighborhoods with the development of a mixed-use, retail and 312-unit condo development in Downtown and two mid-rise condo homes south of the Gulch and in range of 8th Avenue South.  For the Silo, Ashley Richardson. Featured image- mixed use condo living Downtwon. 77-Unit Condo building with retail below. Modern aesthetic appointments & amenities blend seamlessly with sustainable design elements to shine a light on the benefits of a home based in form & function. Delivery Fall 2019.

Folk Art In Cyberspace


It is interesting to consider how the development of the World Wide Web has affected the work of the untrained artist.  Like all artists, folk artists reflect the world they see around them, and have always been affected by the media.  An example is in the work of Ewald Rentz who liked watching Sesame Street on t.v., and so produced sculptures of many of the main characters.   But internet access does not have the same effect as watching television.  Television focuses our attention, sometimes helping to create cultural icons such as Kermit the Frog.

The internet spreads our attention, giving us access to a much wider, but therefore more unfocused body of information.   Things go “viral” and disappear within days, being replaced by the next “flash in the pan”.  But more importantly the web also provides an interested individual the possibility to easily research any given subject. It is reasonable to assume that most modern folk artists will at some point use the internet to look at the work of other folk artists.

Previously this information would have been available only to those who had access to reference books, or could travel to an exhibition or sale. Overall this means that if they are so inclined, artists are being more influenced by each other, and if their motivation is to sell more folk art, they will look at and emulate what’s selling.  This encourages fashion or trends which might be considered a negative. However, to a large extent ‘twas ever thus.  Artists have always looked at each other’s work, and if they like what they see, they will consciously or unconsciously emulate it.  The more interesting affect therefore is on the potential for an artist to develop an audience or market for his or her work from their home by creating a web site, and/ or joining a communal web site specializing in their type of work.  This has the potential to encourage and support many who would otherwise never be discovered.  A real God send to those who live in remote places.  Of course it isn’t as simple as throwing up a few pictures up and waiting for the phone to ring.

One still has to promote and be reliable in transactions, etc., but the potential is now much greater for a talented individual to  be discovered by  their audience, and thus support their output. For the Silo, Phil Ross. 

Roar And Embrace Your Inner Cougar

Xandra "Sunny" Moon, author of “The Power of the Titz…a woman’s journey back to her self”
Xandra “Sunny” Moon, author of “The Power of the Titz…a woman’s journey back to her self”

It’s not hard for women in midlife to feel like they belong to the Island of Broken Toys, says Xandra “Sunny” Moon, a self-described liberated, 18-wheeler-driving, 40-plus babe.

“There are thousands of beautiful mothers, wives and ex-wives out there who feel like they’ve lost their sexuality – I know because they tell me as I travel the country and get to know them,” says Moon, author of “The Power of the Titz…a woman’s journey back to her self”(www.sunnymoonspowerworld.com). “My mission is to let them know they can get it back!”

ThePoweroftheTitzXandraMoonCoverWeb

Like the many of the women she meets in her travels, Moon suffered physical and emotional abuse as a young woman. After raising four children and enduring an unhappy marriage for several years, she fell into a deep depression, she says. But several steps took her out of despair, and by the time she climbed out, she was happy, confident and back in touch with Sunny, she says.

Moon lists the ways in which women 40 and older can rediscover their “inner babe:”

• Embrace your sexuality!: It’s not just a “Mrs. Robinson” stereotype – older women do make for better, more participatory sexual partners. Older women have more self-possession; they’re not as callow and tend to have more character both in personality, intrigue and in sexual performance. Women 40 and older are also more forthright, which can be a major turn-on, especially for younger men in need of direction.

Younger women are still deciding what sex means to them, whereas older women are more likely to appreciate it for its own sake.

• Education and employment: Perhaps the most important vehicle for Moon’s self-empowerment is her continuing education. Gaining her GED and furthering her education at a university allowed her to support herself with a good job. Past generations of women were overwhelmingly reliant upon their husbands for financial support.

Having your own income allows women the power to choose their relationships, and not remain stuck in one.

• Remember your old social life?: A big part of relocating your inner diva is remembering the good times you had as a teen and 20-something – back when you had your first appletini, your first date at a fancy restaurant and, yes, your first day-long hangover.

In many ways, these things are like new again. Under-appreciated mothers and wives tend to live primarily for others, but now it’s time to reclaim those fun nights out with the girls and catch some time for yourself.

• Cosmetic surgery: This is still a touchy subject for many ladies. Moon’s first rule is to have cosmetic surgery only for yourself – not for someone else, and to ensure you are in good enough health to withstand the rigors involved with surgery. Other important considerations include realistic expectations, potentially catty responses from girlfriends, short- and long-term consequences, such as time off work and maintenance, and whether or not you really want larger breasts or a botoxed brow.

• Dating outside your comfort zone: Maybe now is the time to consider other types of partners — perhaps those of a different ethnicity or maybe even a different gender. Now is the time to be adventurous and explore new avenues.

• Health/Diet/Exercise: Of course, feeling and looking attractive is important to you – so be healthy! Nothing is better at giving ladies that can-do attitude than a nice workout. Being selective about what you eat is as important as being selective about who you date; you want a lover and diet that will treat you right.

“We have but one life,” says Lee Abzu, Moon’s second husband, soul mate and coauthor to her books.

“If you’re single and in your 40s, 50s, 60s or older, you can either wait around for the kids or grandkids to come by and visit, or you can get out there and regain the vitality and lust for life you used to have.”

 

About Xandra “Sunny” Moon

Xandra “Sunny” Moon is a survivor who came into her own after age 40. As a younger woman, she endured rape, unlawful imprisonment, mental and emotional abuse, and divorce. She has worked 14 years as a truck driver, during which she has spoken with thousands of woman near or at midlife.

After raising her four children, she continued her education at Idaho State University and eventually married her second husband and soul mate, Lee Abzu. She now counsels women who are seeking rebirth. For the Silo, Ginny Grimsley. 

 

 

 

 

Comic Book Featuring Stand Up Comics In The Works

Starburns Industries Press, the new publishing division of the studio behind Rick and Morty, is releasing Comics Comics, its most ambitious print project to date. Funded through an August-launching Kickstarter campaign, the Comic-est comics anthology of 2018 comes to readers in October. Comedians love comic books, cartoonists love comedy, and our idiot editor always mixes up comics who tell jokes and comics that have pictures. Now his perpetual confusion has led to the creation of Comics Comics, a quarterly anthology teaming comedy’s best with funny books’ brightest!

Comic Patton Oswalt

Comics Comics is an ongoing collection of original stories written entirely by stand-up comedians and drawn by leading comic industry artists who love comedy. Each issue contains at least 48 pages of brand-new stories written by headliners, cult favorites, and newcomers, drawn by artists from every corner of the comics world, from alternative to underground to superhero, all with the signature Starburns brand of wit that is simultaneously funny, sad, strange and beautiful.


“This series has lived in my head since I used to go to the Stumptown Comics Fest and the Bridgetown Comedy Fest on the same weekend years ago,” idiot editor Brendan Wright said. “I was struck by how much of a convention atmosphere there was at the after-hours open mics at Bridgetown, and starting this project and seeing how many comedians had favorite cartoonists they wanted to work with and how many cartoonists knew great comedians they could introduce to us made bringing together stand-up and comic books feels even more natural than I’d imagined.”

Comics Comics Issue1

Comics Comics features such voices as Patton Oswalt (MST3K, Happy!), Paul Scheer (How Did This Get Made?, The League), Sam Jay (SNL), Jackie Kashian (The Dork Forest), Quinta Brunson (Broke, Up for Adoption), Megan Koester (Coming to the Stage, Corporate), Sara Benincasa (Real Artists Have Day Jobs), Carolyn Main (Pitch, Please!), Eliot Rahal (New Comic Book Day), Rose Matafeo (Funny Girls), Nick Giovannetti (Bad Guys), with more announced throughout the campaign. SBI Press gave comedians the freedom to write whatever they wanted, in any genre—comedy or not—and they took us up on it! Delivering slices of life, flights of fancy, and journeys into genre, all with the unique worldview of people who stand in front of crowds and dissect the world into a microphone for a living.

Poop Knife Comic Strip by Carolyn Main

Teaming up to make these stories into comics are such comedy fans as Troy Nixey (Vinegar Teeth, The Black Sinister), Robert Hack (Chilling Tales of Sabrina), Evan Dorkin (Milk and Cheese, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Comic Book), Rick Altergott (Vice, Cracked), Brent Schoonover (Gregory Graves), Sarah Burrini (Nerd Girl), and more, with double threats like comedian/cartoonist Carolyn Main writing and drawing! A set of Kickstarter-exclusive covers are painted by cartoonist and HBO artist Richard P. Clark (The Boys, House of Gold & Bones).

The Comics Comics Kickstarter launches August 20 and continues through September 19. Backers can score individual copies of the comic in print and digital, as well as Kickstarter exclusives such as a hardcover version, prints, and other unique, limited-edition items. If you miss the Kickstarter, the book will be available in local comic shops, available to order through Diamond Previews and the Starburns Industries store. Comic book fans and comedy buffs alike can get a head start on the Kickstarter campaign by bookmarking ComicsComicsKickstarter.com.

Comics Comic sample page
ABOUT STARBURNS INDUSTRIES

Starburns Industries is an innovative and imaginative full-service production company, specializing in stop-motion, traditional 2D, and CG animation as well as live-action production. Starburns is a creator driven studio, whose founders are responsible for the creation of Adult Swim series like “Morel Orel”, “Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole” and “Rick & Morty”; as well as the Academy Award nominated animated film “Anomalisa” and the upcoming Netflix animated feature film “Bubbles”.

Launched in the summer of 2010 to produce the Emmy Award© winning “Community” holiday special, Starburns has created a workspace that gives the support and freedom to original and creative people to make content that is funny, strange, sad and beautiful.”

Mediterranean And Andaman Seas Became Floating Coffin Graveyards

Deadly Migration RoutesThe most persecuted peoples on our earth were taking to ‘floating coffins’ to flee violence and seek sanctuary for their families. But instead of responding with humanity, our governments closed their doors, letting them starve and drown at sea.

Burma is driving the Rohingya out, and thousands of families were drifting helplessly at sea, forced to drink their own urine because Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia had turned them away. Syrians and Africans risked drowning every week off the coast of Southern Europe, braving the terrifying crossing as their last hope to escape torture, hunger, and traffickers.

We are facing the biggest refugees crisis since World War II, but so far governments have let them die in a climate of rising xenophobia. Now it has reached a crisis, and our community has a unique chance to jam the culture of fear with a wave of compassion.  If we each chip in a small amount now, we’ll help fund rescue operations at sea; build an Avaaz refugee team to assist those missions and resettlement, and create effective lobby cells to get leaders to open up borders; and launch ads to counter the racism.

Together we can help rescue refugees, and rescue our shared humanity.

Pledge to urgently launch the Avaaz refugee campaign — Avaaz will only process your donations if we raise enough to start saving lives: YES, I’LL PLEDGE $5, enough for a meal pack for a rescued child

As of  May 2015, The UK government had only allowed in 143 Syrians out of the 4 million refugees! In response, over 1,000 Avaazers joined forces to challenge this disgraceful policy by offering to help refugees resettle, and calling on  local councils to give homes to 50 Syrian refugees each. 4 councils had agreed and with our pressure, we hope many more will too.

But this isn’t just a UK and Syria problem. It is a crisis of humanity when our planet’s most vulnerable are treated as criminals and left to die. Here’s a five point plan of the most critical actions Avaaz could take if we raise enough together:

  1. Support organizations that are bravely rescuing the refugees at sea.
  2. Launch Flotillas for Humanity with more private boats to assist rescue operations.
  3. Build an Avaaz refugee team to lobby governments, the EU and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to push for effective search and rescue operations, and increased numbers of refugee places.
  4. Support local groups in Europe and South East Asia to provide assistance to refugees arriving in reception centres, and into communities.
  5. Run hard hitting billboards and newspaper ads to counter the culture of xenophobia.

30 thousand refugees could drown in the Mediterranean this year. These families are fleeing terror and misery, and their choice to board a boat may be the only choice they have. Let’s join forces to stop these tragedies at sea.

Mass Grave At Sea Image1

Supplemental:  Myanmar Muslim migrants abandoned at sea have been ‘drinking their own urine’ to survive  (The Independent UK)
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/myanmar-muslim-migrants-abandoned-at-sea-drinking-their-own-urine-to-survive-after-thailand-refuses-boat-entry-10249854.html

Syria Refugee Regional Response (UNHCR)
http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php

Mediterranean migrants: Details emerge of deadly capsize (BBC)
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32399433

Lost at sea, unwanted: The plight of Myanmar’s Rohingya ‘boat people’ (CNN)
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/05/19/asia/rohingya-refugee-ships-explainer/

Stranded Rohingya migrants say: ‘We’re dying on board’ (Al Jazeera)
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/05/stranded-rohingya-migrants-dying-board-150517130244345.html

Rankings Of One Day Cost At Over 300 Beaches Worldwide

Amsterdam, Netherlands,Online travel specialists, TravelBird, have released their annual Beach Price Index, featuring more than 300 seaside locations from 70 countries around the globe. On a year-to-year basis, the price of holiday beaches can change substantially when you take into account factors such as currency fluctuation and inflation. As a company which prides itself on inspiring travelers, TravelBird ranked the beaches in order to provide holidaymakers with the information they need to make a smart decision when booking.

TravelBird first examined an extensive catalogue of the world’s most popular beaches, before reducing this to a final shortlist of just over 300 locations, ranked on the cost of spending a day at each. To calculate their affordability, the price of five essentials were then researched for each destination: the cost of a bottle of sun cream (200 ml), a bottle of water (500 ml), a beer (33 cl bottle), lunch (including drink and dessert for one person), and an ice cream. The sum of these five essentials determined the final affordability ranking of each seaside location. All prices were calculated by standardizing the sizes of products, and with monetary transactions true to exchange rates on 1st June 2017.

Steve Klooster

“It is very interesting for travelers who are planning their trip to see how much the price of spending a day at the beach varies across the world. There are many useful tips in here. One to easily forget, currency fluctuations can make a big difference in the actual cost of your holiday, so keep those in mind. For example, beaches in the UK have become almost 10% more affordable for continental European visitors due to the decline of the pound after the Brexit referendum.” Said TravelBird CEO Steven Klooster. “Also, if you are keen on enjoying local food on the beach, pick Vietnam for instance, where you can enjoy delicious local food on the beach that is very affordable. Another one: in some places you pay a lot for sunscreen, up to 3 times more than you would pay in The Netherlands, so make sure you take some with you!“

The study reveals the 10 most expensive beaches are:

#

Beach

Country

Sunscreen

Water

Beer

Ice-cream

Lunch

Total (USD)

1

Kristiansand Beach

Norway

$21.58

$2.65

$8.48

$4.53

$27.37

$64.61

2

Huk Beach

Norway

$20.67

$2.97

$8.83

$5.09

$24.38

$61.94

3

Solastranda

Norway

$20.14

$2.83

$7.63

$4.71

$25.02

$60.33

4

Mareto Plage Publique

French Polynesia

$21.96

$2.01

$7.30

$3.99

$23.43

$58.69

5

La Plage de Maui

French Polynesia

$20.88

$2.01

$7.49

$3.53

$24.49

$58.40

6

Åkrasanden

Norway

$22.26

$2.57

$8.47

$4.24

$20.44

$57.98

7

Hamresanden

Norway

$22.97

$2.39

$7.42

$4.35

$20.01

$57.14

8

Ribersborg Beach

Sweden

$17.38

$2.12

$6.79

$3.31

$25.73

$55.33

9

Anse Vata

New Caledonia

$15.33

$1.82

$7.42

$2.28

$28.29

$55.14

10

Anse Georgette

Seychelles

$26.63

$0.94

$6.89

$1.24

$17.66

$53.36

Most expensive beach according to study- Kristiansand Beach, Norway. image: kristiansand.norway.com

In contrast, the study reveals the 10 most affordable beaches are:

#

Beach

Country

Sunscreen

Water

Beer

Ice-cream

Lunch

Total (USD)

310

Cua Dai Beach

Vietnam

$1.95

$0.50

$2.04

$0.88

$7.81

$13.18

309

City Beach

Vietnam

$2.32

$0.33

$2.14

$0.88

$8.23

$13.90

308

Long Beach

Vietnam

$2.57

$0.43

$2.09

$0.99

$8.34

$14.42

307

Marsa Nayzak

Egypt

$6.61

$0.21

$1.96

$0.83

$6.83

$16.44

306

Sunken City

Egypt

$7.12

$0.20

$2.02

$0.84

$6.64

$16.82

305

Varkala Beach

India

$3.98

$0.37

$3.32

$0.73

$9.21

$17.61

304

Benaulim Beach

India

$4.65

$0.31

$3.20

$0.61

$9.15

$17.92

303

Palolem Beach

India

$4.65

$0.24

$3.13

$0.67

$9.52

$18.21

302

Cavelossim Beach

India

$4.65

$0.37

$3.41

$0.83

$9.15

$18.41

301

Sharm El-Naga Bay

Egypt

$7.12

$0.21

$1.96

$0.84

$8.44

$18.57

Most affordable beach according to study- Cua Dai Beach, Vietnam. image: vietnamguidenews.com

Click here for the full results: https://travelbird.nl/beach-price-index-2017/

4 Canadian beaches appear in the Index, with the following results:

#

Beach

Region

Sunscreen

Water

Beer

Ice-cream

Lunch

Total (USD)

118

Grand Beach

Manitoba

$9.15

$1.61

$3.59

$2.89

$20.90

$38.14

121

Brady’s Beach

British Columbia

$9.28

$1.74

$3.65

$3.00

$20.00

$37.67

136

Wasaga Beach

Ontario

$9.15

$1.70

$3.59

$3.38

$19.08

$36.90

149

Parlee Beach

New Brunswick

$8.87

$1.66

$3.57

$2.95

$18.87

$35.92

Grand Beach, Manitoba. image: travelmanitoba.com

Other findings from the study include:

Sun cream is most expensive when bought from beaches in The Seychelles, costing $26.63 for a 200ml bottle. In comparison, Cua Dai Beach in Vietnam has the world’s least expensive sun cream, costing just $1.95 per bottle.

The seaside location with the most expensive bottle of water is Huk Beach in Norway, costing $2.97 for a 500ml bottle. The beach with the least expensive bottle of water is Sunken City in Egypt, where the same sized bottle costs just $0.20.

The beach with the most expensive beer globally is Huk Beach in Norway, where a 33cl bottle costs $8.83. In contrast, Soma Bay in Egypt is the seaside destination with the least expensive beer, available for just $0.63.

Norway’s Huk Beach also has the world’s most expensive ice creams, at $5.09 each. Egypt’s El Gouna is the beach with the least expensive ice creams in the world, costing just $0.52.

West Palm Beach in the American state of Florida has the world’s most expensive seaside lunch, costing $28.61 for one person. Egypt’s El Gouna is the beach with the most affordable lunches, available for just $5.63.

About our friends at TravelBird: TravelBird is an online travel company offering a curated collection of holiday and travel experiences – from short inspirational breaks to international get-aways. TravelBird’s passionate local travel advisors work directly with tour operators across the world to offer a selection of travel experiences that invite travellers to discover something new and immerse themselves in different cultures. For more information, please visit: https://travelbird.nl

Methodology:

The study has 310 of the most visited beaches in 70 countries based on local tourism board numbers and data from the UNWTO.  

Total Price = $ Sunscreen + $ Water + $ Beer + $ Ice-cream +$ Lunch

Sunscreen costs calculated by taking an average cost from a store in local resort/hotel, a hostel and local pharmacy or supermarket (all where available). We searched for SPF 30, 200 ml.

Lunch costs calculated by taking full meal cost, including a drink and dessert, for one person from a walking distance of maximum 10 minutes from the beach or the closest establishments to it (largely within tourist areas), outlets include hotels and restaurants.

Beer costs were calculated by taking an average of the biggest local beer brand along with the retail cost of Heineken, Budweiser, Becks, Guinness and Fosters at local prices, where available. Where sizes were not available, calculations were undertaken to make serving sizes equal.

Water calculations were found by taking the three largest local brands and calculating an average of these.

Ice-cream costs calculated by taking an average prepackaged branded ice-cream price in the capital city of each country and applying consumer produce cost differences to each area, where applicable.  For the Silo, Ricky Sutton.

Featured image- Wasaga Beach, Ontario courtesy of expedia.com

Millennial Kosher Cookbook Reinvents Meals Perfect For The High Holidays

The Jewish High Holidays are all about family and friends gathering together to share a delicious meal.  And while many people love to celebrate with favorite kosher foods there is no reason why traditional kosher and Jewish recipes can’t be different and unique.  What’s old can become new and fun again with fresh ingredients and unique twists.

Today’s kosher cooking is spicier and bolder than the food most of us grew up eating, with an emphasis on fresh and seasonal ingredients, less processed foods and healthier non-dairy alternatives.  From world-renowned kosher food blog, Busy in Brooklyn, Chanie Apfelbaum, has created a delicious collection of modern, cultural, trendy, and bold dishes that reflect her passion for reinventing traditional foods with a modern vibe with her debut cookbook, Millennial Kosher: Recipes Reinvented for the Modern Palate (Artscroll/Shaar; April 2018). 

“As a mother of five it’s so important to me to carry on family traditions, especially through food,” Chanie explains.  “Everything old can become new again, which is what I have strived for in my book, recreating cultural cuisine with new ingredients. It’s those tastes of home, the delicious aromas from my kitchen, and the memories made around the holiday table that my children will carry with them for generations.”

Millennial Kosher provides home cooks with over 150 innovative recipes for everyday and holiday meals and beautiful color photos for every dish.   For the Jewish High Holidays, home cooks can celebrate with recipes that are influenced by international cultural cuisine and not limited to, but inspired by, kosher guidelines. Yesterday’s margarine is today’s coconut oil, bone broth is the new chicken soup, and the onion soup mix of our youth is replaced with umami-rich porcini mushroom powder. Some of the delicious and unique recipes in the book include:

– Spiralized Beet Salad with Pomegranate Molasses Dressing
– Lokshin & Cabbage with Apples and Honey
– Kofta Stuffed Dates wrapped in Bacon
– Sticky Silan Short Ribs
– Gefilte Fish “Pizza”
– Mushroom Barley Risotto
– Mason Jar Honey Cakes
– Frangipane Fig Galette

“Kosher food is not what it used to be. Millennial kosher ingredients are healthier and more vibrant than ever before,” Chanie says.  “We live in a foodie culture—and the kosher world has followed suit. Kosher consumers are becoming more demanding, and restaurants, supermarkets and cookbooks have no choice but to up their game.”  

Chanie says that this development in kosher food culture has come about mainly from new exotic flavor combinations, bold spices, fresh seasonal flavors and progressive adaptations like kosher bacon and charcuterie.  These culinary ideas are what Chanie superbly showcases in Millennial Kosher.

She believes there is still a place for the kosher comfort foods of our youth but for now it’s time for Millennial Kosher.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Born and raised in a kosher home in Brooklyn, Chanie Apfelbaum grew up eating traditional Jewish foods such as gefilte fish, stuffed cabbage, and matzah ball soup. Today, living just a few blocks from her childhood home, she revisits family favorites and reinvents traditional holiday dishes. Chanie’s creative twists on old-time cuisine prove that kosher fare is anything but old-fashioned. With five little ones in tow, she celebrates her heritage one dish at a time, creating balanced recipes with a modern flair and Middle Eastern vibe.

Chanie works as a recipe developer and food photographer. She is a contributing writer to Mishpacha Magazine’s Family Table and kosher.com, as well as a guest writer for numerous publications and websites. She has been featured in many national publications and media, including The Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post, News12 Brooklyn, The Meredith Vieira Show, Thrillist, and more.

Chanie also shares her love of food, family, and tradition through fun and educational cooking demonstrations to audiences worldwide.  For the Silo, Trina Kaye.

For the High Holidays, Chanie recommends this delicious recipe to celebrate the sweetness of life:

Honey Roasted Za’atar Chicken with Dried Fruit
When I finally decided to take the cookbook plunge, my biggest challenge was figuring out which “best of the blog” recipes to feature — there are just so many! I’m proud to say that this recipe hooked hundreds of people onto the Middle Eastern spice blend, za’atar. I use it on pita chips, roasted chickpeas, hummus, shakshuka, and garlic confit.
MEAT ▪ Yield 4-5 Servings ▪  Freezer Friendly

10 oz. dried apricots (scant 2 cups)
10 oz. pitted dried prunes (scant 2 cups)
3 Tbsp za’atar
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 chicken legs, skin-on
1⁄2 cup dry red wine
kosher salt, to taste
1⁄3 cup honey

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread apricots and prunes into a 9×13-inch pan.
2. In a bowl, combine za’atar and olive oil to create a paste. Rub the za’atar paste over chicken; place chicken on dried fruit. Pour wine around the chicken; sprinkle with salt.
3. Cover tightly with foil; bake for 1 hour.
4. Uncover the pan. Drizzle the chicken with honey. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 30-45 minutes, basting every 10 minutes with the pan juices.

Recipe/photo from Millennial Kosher by Chanie Apfelbaum. Artscroll/Shaar; April 2018         

ISBN #: 9781422620557

Featured image from Millennial Kosher- Raman Shakshuka 

Halo Fireteam Raven Arcade Game Launched In Australia

Thursday, 26 July, 2018 (Sydney, Macquarie Shopping Centre) –  Timezone Australia was excited today to introduce the first arcade edition of the Xbox cult favourite videogame Halo to Australia. Halo: Fireteam Raven blew arcade gamer’s minds when Timezone Macquarie Centre became the first Australian venue to boast this state-of-the-art multiplayer gaming experience. Timezone stores in Melbourne, the Gold Coast and Perth will follow hot on Macquarie’s heels, with the game debuting there next month in August.

Timezone also offered  fans the chance to participate in an online social media challenge Halo as part of this Australian first gaming launch. The winner, Trent John Webb (age 23) from NSW’s Central Coast, won a years worth of Timezone Power Play credit for his online entry.

“I am so happy about this incredible experience. I have been a big fan of Halo since i was young and to see if brought to the arcade has been really exciting. My girlfriend and I are ecstatic to come back to Timezone each week to play this game!” – Trent says.

The largest Australian Halo cosplay community 405th Australian Regiment joined in on the celebrations, showcasing unique and realistic costume designs spanning from different chapters in the Halo multiverse.

“Bringing the arcade game version of Halo to Timezone Macquarie Centre gives the game’s dedicated fan base a chance to play like never before. Timezone is thrilled to introduce this first-in-Australia experience to fans as part of Timezone’s 40th birthday celebrations,” says Kane Fong, General Manager of Timezone Australia.

Halo’s console-based playing experience is now brought to life in an immersive multiplayer platform, which enables four players to either play cooperatively, or compete against each other. It’s Halo, but more: this latest installment’s physical structure boasts a colossal 130-inch widescreen, 4K game play and 5.1 surround sound. It adds a tangible element to the much-loved franchise, allowing individuals the opportunity to play right alongside Master Chief in the battle to ward off the enemy forces of the Covenant and the Flood infestation. For the Silo, Adrian Falk.

Halo: Fireteam Raven was created and fine-tuned by 343 Industries over several years and is set in the timeframe of 2001’s Halo: Combat Evolved game. Players will take on the roles of the Fireteam Raven – an elite group of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers.

You’ll not only able to battle it out with your friends, competing against them for the highest score – you can scan a QRC code with your phone to upload your stats and progress to your Halo Waypoint account. Exactly what you’d expect from a true 2018 arcade game experience!

Featured image- Halo Fireteam Raven 405th

Regarding Money And Government In Business Positions

LetterstotheSilo Dear Silo, I kept my Silo printed back issues and I just re-read the January-February 2013  issue of The Silo. I noticed that a few of the articles involve the issue of consent (biogas facility, mega-quarry, dads attending births) and choice (media publications, GMO foods, liquor sales). Freedom of choice and voluntary consent are basic human liberties that we often take for granted.

In the old printed article, Peter Dash questions the viability of government institutions to meet general needs, and MPP Toby Barrett says it’s high time the Ontario government takes its nose out of business. As the one image on page 13 puts it: “Government didn’t build my business, I did”. Government does not produce. It is usually an expensive and inefficient provider of services. Liquor sales should definitely be opened up to private competition to enable consumer choice. All government services, including health care, education, infrastructure, pensions, security and defense, should compete in a free market. Why should any group of individuals (including “government”) have an imposed monopoly on the provision of any services?

Goods and services should compete in a free market based on price, quality and consumer demand. Any individual should be free to do anything at their own risk and expense that does not adversely affect anyone else, and to negotiate an agreeable price for the purchase of any goods or services that they actually want and use.

monopolypoortax

Money and power are central to almost every issue. We do not have political freedom or economic freedom because we don’t have – or don’t exercise – monetary freedom. The banks, in collusion with government, essentially control money and credit by controlling the creation, allocation and price of the medium of exchange, which essentially controls the production of goods and provision of services. Money created as interest-bearing debt is always in scarce supply. Inflation is a hidden tax. We are essentially helpless to prevent anything decided for us by the people in government and their friends in big business because we do not control money and credit.

A necessary step, therefore, is to take control of our own credit and allocate it wisely, rather than doing what the controllers of money demand of us. Products and services, including currencies and alternative exchange systems, should compete with each other in a free market. Thomas H. Greco’s recent book, The End of Money and the Future of Civilization, provides an excellent explanation of the nature and function of money and offers a practical alternative to the present system. The Money Fix, a documentary by Alan Rosenblith, also explains the creation of money and its role in the economy. You might find both of these sources informative and interesting.

Sincerely,
K (Name withheld due to request)

“Banks create money. That is what they are there for… The manufacturing process consists of making a pen-and-ink or typewriter entry on a card in a book. That is all. Each and every time a bank makes a loan, new bank credit is created – new deposits – brand new money. Broadly speaking, all new money comes out of a bank in the form of loans. As loans are debts, then under the present system all money is debt.”
Graham Towers, Governor of the Bank of Canada from 1935-1955

Quotes To Consider- 

“Money is created when banks lend it into existence. When a bank provides you with a $100,000 mortgage, it creates only the principal, which you spend and which then circulates in the economy. The bank expects you to pay back $200,000 over the next 20 years, but it doesn’t create the second $100,000 – the interest. Instead, the bank sends you out into the tough world to battle against everybody else to bring back the second $100,000.”
Bernard Lietaer, economist and author

“By enabling people to cooperate with one another without coercion or central direction, it reduces the area over which political power is exercised. … The essential notion of a capitalist society is voluntary cooperation, voluntary exchange. The essential notion of a socialist society is force.”
Milton Friedman

“What is the basic, the essential, the crucial principle that differentiates freedom from slavery? It is the principle of voluntary action versus physical coercion or compulsion.”
Ayn Rand

“For in reason, all government without the consent of the governed is slavery.”
Jonathan Swift

“Give to every other human being every right that you claim for yourself – that is my doctrine.”
Thomas Paine

 

 

Government Of Belgium Battling Social Media Sites Blocking Nude Artwork

Facebook and other social media sites are blocking masterpieces of “nude” art from Rubens, Bruegel, Van Eyck and others. In an open letter, several top European Museums are asking social networks to reconsider their policy. Facebook has been in the spotlight recently for blocking content including some parts of the United States Constitution and other historical documents and multimedia content.

Artistic censorship continues to pursue Peter Paul Rubens. In the 17th century, the Flemish Baroque painter was asked by the Catholic Church to paint camouflaging ‘loincloths’ over certain body parts of his Venus figures. Nowadays, social media networks, including Facebook, go one step further. All breasts, buttocks and cherubs painted by artists such as Rubens are banned on these platforms. ‘Bots’ on Facebook use artificial intelligence to screen for nudity, but do not make a distinction between pornographic images or nudity in art. Flanders – the perfect place to enjoy the Flemish Masters in all their glory – is denouncing this artistic censorship in a playful manner. At the Rubens House, ‘nudity viewers’ with a Facebook account were blocked from viewing nudity by a group of “social media police agents”.

Peter Paul Rubens Flemish Master Painter

The Flemish Masters are best experienced in Flanders, the number one destination for art lovers. After all, this is where Rubens, Bruegel and Van Eyck lived and worked. Their work can often be found still hanging in the very same places for which they were made. “We want to promote this unique experience,” says Peter De Wilde, CEO of VISITFLANDERS. “Our Flemish Masters attract hundreds of thousands of visitors to Flanders each year and we are proud of this achievement.

Pieter Bruegel Flemish Master Painter

With our multi-year program focusing on Rubens, Bruegel and Van Eyck, which was launched in 2018, we are aiming for three million visitors by the end of 2020. At the moment it is not possible for us to promote our unique cultural heritage via one of the most popular social media networks. Our art is categorized as being indecent and sometimes even pornographic. This is such a shame as it restricts the promotion of our Flemish Masters.”

Eve detail Ghent Altarpiece by Jan van Eyck
Eve detail Ghent Altarpiece by Jan van Eyck

The agency in charge of promoting tourism in Flanders, Belgium explains that they have invested 30 million US dollars in 2018 to improve the experience of cultural travelers visiting that region, especially in cities like Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent and Brussels. Now they can’t promote some of those museums due to restrictive policies applied by some online social networks.

Jan van Eyck Flemish Master Painter

‘We are for it and not against it’ is what the people of Flanders say. Peter De Wilde explains, “Social media and art have a lot in common. Art brings people together. Social media brings people together, and our Flemish Masters too. This is why we want to enter into discussions with Facebook so that we can use this platform as one way in which to make our art visible. Surely it’s not that difficult to differentiate between cultural heritage and gratuitous nudity?”

VISITFLANDERS position is supported by several top museums in Belgium and around Europe. In an open letter, the institutions ask Mark Zuckerberg to revise Facebook’s policy related to art, culture and heritage. Click here to read the open letter.

“We tried various channels to bring this matter to Facebook’s attention. Unfortunately nobody listened,” De Wilde explains. Flanders hopes the comedy video produced in Rubens’s House will facilitate a discussion to solve the issue and allow users to view this content that is present in encyclopedias and elementary school grade text books. “Flanders is a unique art destination. But because we are naturally modest in Flanders, we do not shout out about it often enough. This stunt enables us to make our presence felt and also honor the spirit of Pieter Paul Rubens. He was an artistic rebel who was not afraid of engaging in social debate. There’s no finer tribute to honor our Flemish Master than by taking up the battle against unnecessary artistic censorship.”  For the Silo, Marcos Stupenengo.

About the Flemish Masters.
For over 250 years, from the 15th to long into the 17th century, Flanders was a figurehead for fine arts in Western Europe and the source of inspiration for well-known art movements of the time, such as the Flemish primitives, the Renaissance and the Baroque. Artists were known for their craftsmanship, creativity and technical innovations and they transformed the prosperous and urbanized Flanders into one of the most refined cultural regions with their impressive artistic and architectural creations.

About Peter Paul Rubens, master of female nudity.
Rubens is the best-known Flemish Master. This Baroque painter, illustrator and diplomat was one of the most celebrated artists of the 17th century. He exerted a particularly strong influence. He was a master of color, composition and painting techniques and also an expert in painting female nudity. His nude figures – which often refer to mythical beings – appear extremely lifelike, made from flesh and blood, with a fair amount of cellulite and with all kinds of body shapes visibly on display.

About Antwerp, the home of the Flemish Baroque movement.
Lonely Planet selected the best cities to visit in 2018 and included Antwerp in its top 10. According to the travel guide, Antwerp is one of Europe’s best kept secrets. And there is certainly plenty to see and do there in 2018. The “Antwerp Baroque 2018. Rubens inspires” festival shows you the finest places in Antwerp: www.antwerpbaroque2018.be

Hospital Visits Becoming More Like Costly Airport Visits

From a technological point of view there is nothing wrong with the way our hospitals have changed over the past thirty years but what about from the viewpoint of a person? A real, honest to gosh person. The hospital calls these folks patients or family members/visitors, but I think they must have a secret name for them too: consumers.

Let’s be honest- There is little in the way of real consumer value in our hospitals. Even before you set foot, cane or wheelchair through the front door you have to find somewhere to leave your vehicle. And just like an airport- parking costs are typically fifteen dollars a day. And what about that once staple of stand-up comedy topics- crappy hospital food? If it isn’t anymore, there certainly was a time when hospital cafeteria meals- just like airline meals- were cultural icons. In the hospitals I have visited recently, the cafeteria is slowly but surely being turned into something else…..monitors ready to dull your brain and feed you big corp.

On Monday I spent several hours at Brantford General Hospital’s C Wing. For most of that time, I’d only been on two floors and I’d already found two Tim Horton’s counters- complete counters mind you, not just a kiosk window offering a paper cup of coffee but something offering full breakfast sandwiches and lunch menu items. So why would anyone want to visit the hospital cafeteria? And if they did would they even be successful in finding the cafeteria? I could not find a sign pointing the way but Tim Horton’s were instantly visible and both perched in prime retail positions directly at or near an outside entrance. Starbucks take note.

While I was enjoying my double – double I discovered that my wifi usb stick did not work in the MRI waiting area. I moved around to no avail. I decided to let my laptop search for a public access node and I was successful in discovering that the hospital offers public internet access. With a credit card, a patient or a family member can spend upwards of $22.54 for one week of internet access or $11.24 for one day or part of a day. I was beginning to feel like a consumer. (note: these costs from September 2011)

Visiting is getting expensive.

If I need to complete work duties while I’m waiting for a hospital appointment or waiting to visit a patient, I’ve already spent 15$ on parking, $1.60 on a coffee and $11.24 for internet access. That’s $27.84 and there’s still lunch to consider if things are delayed. I decide to give up on the world wide web and look instead for something to read. Then I realize that there isn’t any reading material. Not a Maclean’s, National Geographic or even a Reader’s Digest. Instead there are two screen monitors broadcasting CP24 news , ticker tapes and car commercials into each waiting area. Not exactly the most calming environment.  I stand up and walk twenty feet towards x-ray waiting area 1. There is a small mass of people sitting and staring at the side-by-side flat screen monitors. From my perspective it is terrifyingly cold and stark. It is a scene from Orwell’s 1984 and I want to shake each one of them and tell them to stop. I want to tell them to pull out their corporate i.v. but I come to my senses. (this is only television after all right?) These people love t.v. The patient beside me whisper’s “t.v. keeps everyone’s mind off of their hospital stay”.  For the Silo, Jarrod Barker. 

 

 

Edifier Setting Bar High For Affordable Bookshelf Speaker Quality

Here in Canada, you may not have heard of Edifier but take note- their state-of-the art manufacturing facilities in China produce 8 million units every year for home, consumer electronics and PC multimedia applications. Edifier specializes in premium sound systems that showcase technological innovation and design elegance while keeping prices amazingly low.

Normally if you are spending just $100 on a set of speakers you expect to be left desiring better quality. Let’s take a closer look at our review pair that arrived safely in a well packaged box. The Edifier R1280T are an affordable, entry-level set of bookshelf speakers that deliver clear and balanced sound at low or high volumes. For only $124.99CDN including free shipping to Canada these speakers set a new standard for affordable quality.

Edifier R1280T bookshelf speakerThe speakers have a  102mm (4-inch) bass driver and a calibrated, flared bass reflex port augmented by a 13mm silk dome tweeter for a total output of 42W RMS (21W each speaker). An optional front cover can be removed to expose the speaker components allowing for a sleek look or a more exposed techie aesthetic. Use them with a television, computer, or other device, they sound great on any surface because of the design team’s passion for sound and for quality.

Edifier’s uncompromised design elegance is recognized internationally by prestigious design awards. Some of their designs are winners of the Red Dot Design Award, the iF Product Design Award and the CES Design & Engineering Showcase Honours.

Anechoic Chamber Edifier Speakers
“Inspirational design derived from architecture, furniture, automobiles, home electronics — even nature itself — provide for ideas that transform themselves into unique sensory and emotional products with functional simplicity, coupled with technological excellence. It’s a journey to provide an exceptional audio and visual experience with design elegance, innovation, features and measured risks, for whatever the application, to form a lasting end-user impression and experience.”
— Anthony Wilkinson, Managing Director, Edifier International Limited

Edifier R1280T Speaker Back R1280T powered bookshelf speakers lets you connect to multiple audio devices using the dual RCA inputs. By looking at the back panel you can easily tell one of these is a passive speaker and one is an active speaker. The active speaker has two inputs located on the back. These inputs are perfect for RCA to RCA or RCA to AUX connections. Connect them to a PC, laptop, tablet, phone or record player. The speakers are connected to each other via regular speaker wire (included along with a generous variety of cables to ensure you enjoy your music from most devices right out of the box- if you require digital connections or bluetooth Edifier make a larger model).

 

Some overseas manufacturers of electronics have been questioned about their environmental impacts and strategies but refreshingly, Edifier are committed to best operating practices.

  • Use suppliers of raw materials who practice environmentally friendly manufacturing.
  • Use LED and T5 lighting in all office floors and manufacturing facility.
  • Install solar panels for water heating.
  • Use Biological Liquid Processing to reduce and filter fume emissions.
  • Use Membrane Bioreactors to recycle waste water

For environmentally conscious, budget minded individuals looking for a solid entry level speaker with the convenience of remote control and easy hook-up you can’t go wrong choosing the R1280T. Highly recommended.

We spent several days and evenings having fun with these speakers in a small bedroom Laserdisc and projector bookshelf setup. The sound quality was quite nice, dialogue was easy to understand and stereo soundtracks came to life, even with a noisy air conditioner running and the fan noise from the projector.

The speakers will most likely benefit from a break in period as new drivers tend to have a slight compression effect that is alleviated as the speaker suspension is stretched from playing source material. These speakers fit nicely onto the shelf and were easy to position and operate, we were pleasantly surprised by the handy mini remote control that arrived with batteries included. For darker watching conditions we left the front grilles in place but would be happy to remove them and show off the nicely designed faux woodgrain cabinet sides in brighter conditions. Highly recommended…

For the Silo, Jarrod Barker. 

 

Wellness Blogger Offers These Healthy Summer Snack Recipes

“Every story and every memory from my childhood is attached to food,” Dawn Lerman writes. Our relationship with food starts at a very young age: what and how we eat is often determined by our environment and our upbringing. Our eating habits and snack tastes are cultivated by our family members’ relationships to food, for better or worse. Dawn knows this first hand. The author of the New York Times Well Blog series, “My Fat Dad,” shares her food journey and that of her father, a brilliant copywriter from the “Mad Men” era of advertising at Leo Burnett and McCann Erickson, in her book, MY FAT DAD: A Memoir of Food, Love, and Family, with Recipes (Berkeley; September 29, 2015; Trade paperback/$USD16.00).

Summer Snack Book Dawn And FatherDawn’s father was known for his witty ad campaigns; he was responsible for such iconic slogans as “Coke Is It,” “This Bud’s for You,” and “Leggo My Eggo.” Unfortunately, he was not able to use the same problem-solving skills when it came to his weight. Dawn’s father was obese as she was growing up —450 pounds at his heaviest. His weight would go up and down like an elevator, depending on what fad diet he was on–or what ad campaign he was assigned to. He insisted Dawn, her mother and sister adapt to his saccharine-laced, freeze-dried food plans to help keep him on track. Dawn’s mother never cooked and she witnessed her mother eat only one real meal a day—a can of tuna over the kitchen sink—while she dashed from audition to audition pursuing an acting career.

“As far back as I can remember, there was an invisible wall that separated me from my dad, a distance that I could never completely penetrate,” Dawn remembers. “His closest relationship was with the bathroom scale – his first stop every morning and his last stop every evening. The scale controlled his moods, our days, what we were going to eat and basically ruled our family life.”

Snacks were a particular downfall of her father, especially when he was working on fast food marketing campaigns. “My dad felt that in order to create a good slogan, you needed to believe in the products you were selling,” Dawn explains. “He was always the best customer for the food and drinks he advertised, testing them excessively—especially when Wells Rich & Green promoted him to head creative director for Pringles potato chips”

Listening to him crunch away canister after canister on the crispy snacks in the privacy of his room– trying to come up with the perfect slogan, Dawn knew she had to get inventive to help her dad get healthy while still staying inspired. At 9 years old Dawn had become the official chef for her family, turning her maternal grandmother Beauty’s Jewish weekly recipe cards into diet friendly meals and treats that would keep her dad motivated. It was her grandmother who instilled in Dawn a passion for cooking for oneself and others as she learned that the best food is prepared with the freshest ingredient.

One recipe Dawn developed during that time was her special homemade hot air popped corn coated in ranch seasoning. Upon trying it her father declared “Dawn now that you popped, you can’t stop!” That statement of delight was the kernel of an idea that took her dad around the world– filming highly attractive people on beaches and other fun places, joyfully indulging in Pringles potato crisps that exploded out of the can as the top popped off while the voice over announced…” Once You Pop, You Can’t Stop!”

My Fat Dad Summer Snack Book CoverDawnLermanThis spring and summer try these healthy and delicious snacks from My Fat Dad with no stopping required. The potato chip recipe, derived from that long-ago hot air popped corn recipe, can be enjoyed throughout out the day as they are satiating and nutritious. Pair it with Dawn’s Hummus recipe, which is loaded with protein. The combo of complex carbs, protein and healthy fats –will fill you up without weighing you down. A win-win for both mood, energy, and weight control!

Recipes below from MY FAT DAD: A Memoir of Food, Love, Family, and Recipes By Dawn Lerman

Berkley Books/2015

MY FAT DAD: A Memoir of Food, Love, and Family, with Recipes By Dawn Lerman  Berkeley / 2015 Trade Paperback/$16.00

Dawns Potato Chip Recipe

Herb Infused Ranch Style Sweet Potato Chips with Coconut Oil

Yields: 4-6 servings

These sweet potato chips are crunchy, slightly salty, and have that wonderful ranch taste. They are a healthy take on traditional store bought chips. They are fried in coconut oil– which not only helps the chips to brown beautifully, but aids in speeding up your metabolism. They are a constant staple in my formerly fat dad– 450 pounds, now 210 pound –snacking regime.

4 large sweet potatoes, can also use white potato’s or beets

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 teaspoon of dried parsley

1 teaspoon of garlic salt

I teaspoon of onion powder

1 teaspoon of minced onion

Sea salt for seasoning

Fresh thyme for garnish

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees, scrub potatoes to remove dirt. Then slice into thin, even pieces. You can cut them by hand or use a slicing attachment on a food processor. Rinse your potato slices in cold water. Now soak the slices in cold water for 30 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and lay them on a paper towel or paper keeping them slightly moist. Dip in bowl with herb mixture –dried parsley, garlic salt, and onion powder. Make sure chips are coated.

In a skillet melt the coconut oil over medium heat. When the oil sizzles place them in the oil for about 1 min till they get slightly brown. Do not over crowd the pan. Best to do in small batches. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to remove your chips from the coconut oil. Drain the chips on a layer of paper towels, and repeat till all chips have been fried and blotted.

Then place all the cooked chips on a baking sheet and bake for 1 minute. Remove and serve warm. Sprinkle with sea salt and garnish with fresh thyme.

*NOTE: if you do not want to fry the chips you can take coated chips, lay them out on a baking sheet sprayed with coconut oil and bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees until golden brown.

Sweet Potato Hummus

Yields: 6 servings

If you are looking for a light, healthy snack this sweet potato hummus is bursting with flavor, spice and color. Because of its high protein content, it will help control your appetite and mood. My dad named it the caviar of hummus—exclaiming, that it was almost illegal for something so nutritious to be this delicious. Pair this with my Potato Chip recipe for the perfect blending of protein and carbs.

1 large sweet potato (about 9 ounces)

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

5 tablespoons olive oil (plus additional, as needed, for thinning)

2 tablespoons tahini

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Pinch of nutmeg

Position the baking rack in the middle and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Wrap the sweet potato in foil and bake in a shallow baking pan until it can be easily pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow the potato to cool completely.

Peel the skin off the sweet potato and transfer to a food processor fitted with a blade. Add the chickpeas, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt, and nutmeg, and process until smooth. If the hummus is too thick, add a little extra olive oil or water and process until the desired consistency is reached.

MY FAT DAD is as much a coming of age memoir as it is a recipe collection from Dawn’s upbringing and culinary adventures in Manhattan. Her recipes include some of her grandmother’s favorite traditional Jewish dishes, to healthier interpretations and creations. Her father’s life-long struggle with food, along with her grandmother’s love of cooking fresh foods, led Dawn to become a well-respected nutritionist, NY Times blogger and chronicle her story in her best-selling book. Today her dad is a healthy 210 pounds and vegan.

“Dawn Lerman grew up Jewish in the 70’s. I grew up Italian. Might sound different, but for the most part, it’s the same. Especially when it comes to food. The philosophy was simple, food = love. My Fat Dad hilariously and poignantly captures that essence. Whether you’re Italian, Jewish, or anything else you can relate to how family, food, and the love of both affect how we grow up, and live our life. Mangia!”

—Ray Romano, Emmy award-winning actor

“The Manhattan nutritionist was raised by a diet junkie who tried every regimen under the sun and food — or the lack of it — ruled her life. My Fat Dad is about her eccentric upbringing and her constant state of hunger as Albert imposed his wacky ways on the whole family.” The New York Post

“My Fat Dad is an exploration of the many ways food shapes our connection to family. It also includes many delightful recipes.” Michel Martin, NPR, All Things Considered

“It is clear Lerman ‘s life is centered around the table and she gives readers a seat at hers” Baltimore Jewish Times

” ‘My Fat Dad’ is a memoir of food, love and starvation” New York Daily News

ABOUT DAWN LERMAN, MA, CHHC, LCAT

Dawn Lerman Nutritionist Blogger AuthorDawn Lerman is a Manhattan based nutritionist, bestselling author of My Fat Dad: A Memoir of Food, Love, and Family with Recipes, and a contributor to the New York Times Well Blog. She has been featured on NBC, NPR, Huff Post TV as well as several other news outlets. Her company Magnificent Mommies provides nutrition education to student, teachers and corporation. Dawn counsels clients on weight loss, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other diet-related conditions. She is a sought-after speaker and cooking teacher and lives in New York with her two children.

For more information about Dawn, go to www.DawnLerman.net .

 

How Your Startup Company Will Benefit From Energy Consultant

If you’re just starting your own company, then it’s understandable that you’ll be very busy at first. After all, you have so much to do to nurture and grow your business. But sooner or later (preferably sooner), your startup needs to take advantage of the services of a top-notch energy consultant.

Here are some compelling reasons why you should use an energy consultant right away.

size doesnt matter Shakespeare quote1. Size doesn’t matter. Maybe you think your company has to grow bigger first before you can enjoy the benefits of energy consulting. But that’s not entirely true. Even a small company can enjoy huge advantages when an energy consultant is on board.

2. Unbiased advice. Since an energy consultant isn’t really part of your company, you can get independent advice. You won’t have to worry about getting recommendations and findings from your employees or departments which may or may not be biased.

3. Energy usage patterns. Every company has its own patterns of energy usage. Some days and time frames will see a very heavy use of energy, while during other times there may not be a lot of energy use at all. Your energy consultant can then identify these times as part of their examination, and that can eventually help your company become more energy-efficient.

For example, it may be possible to arrange the heavy use of electricity during the time of day when the cost of electricity is at its lowest.

4. Alternative energy sources. Your energy consultant will have the necessary knowledge and experience regarding other ways of powering your business. Your company can get a comprehensive analysis regarding your possible use of these energy sources.

The report may examine several alternative sources of energy regarding their suitability for your business, and these may be solar energy or wind turbine power. The energy consultant may find out exactly how much it will cost your business to buy and install these systems. They may also determine how long it will take to complete the installation, and how easy it is to operate these systems. At the same time, the consultant can also find out exactly how much money you can cut from your current energy bills.

meme by ICANHASCHEEZBURGER.COM
meme by ICANHASCHEEZBURGER.COM

5. Using green energy. Many businesses today focus on being environmentally friendly. It’s not just right for the world, but it’s also right for your business as you can include your use of green energy as part of your marketing plan. When your company can help reduce carbon emissions, you can make your place and your neighborhood healthier, while it also boosts the reputation of your company.

6. Regular advice. Your energy consultant may be asked to come in on a regular basis. Because of this, your company may keep current on the latest developments regarding the use of renewable energy. This means you’ll learn about new technology and changes in alternative energy laws. Also, your energy consultant can fine-tune your use of alternative energy and also make sure that your renewable energy system is running at peak efficiency. For the Silo, Dimitry Karloff.

 

Mediocrity Prevents A Peoples Revolution Against Publishing Giants

The world is full of writers but has this led to the rise of mediocrity? image: philosophyslam.org
The world is full of writers but has this led to the rise of mediocrity? image: philosophyslam.org

When I was growing up, I imagined being a novelist meant I would write for a living.  This is not always the case.  There is a darker side to the writing and publishing profession, even more disturbing than the constant criticism, rejection and pirating of e-books.  We’re not all dedicating our lives to the manipulation of words for entertainment value.  Most habitual readers I know don’t realize that gone are the days when writers were intellectuals and academics spending their whole lives with their nose in a book.  In 2013 every other person I meet online claims to be a writer, many of them bestselling authors at that.

A writer in this decade is an everyman.  You probably know one yourself because anybody can claim the tag now.  They could be writing e-books, blogs or letters to the editor of a newspaper to supplement their income, but the fact remains that if you are trying to make a living from writing, your time will mostly be spent promoting and networking, and networking means you’ll come across the type of people who will inspire you to write a murder mystery just so you can make them the victim.

Life just might be creative literature...or at least a series of punctuation marks CP
Life just might be creative literature…or at least a series of punctuation marks

 

What’s brought about this change in the profession?  I’m not one of those intellectuals or academics, so I can’t say.  I am a person who has had a series of dead-end jobs but naively dedicated the last twelve years of her life to the craft of creative writing, making numerous sacrifices to find fulfillment.  To me it’s a vocation rather than a career or hobby because no matter what I do I can’t stop writing.  I mentally plot the story of job interviews during the event to cope with the pressure.  When my husband had a stroke, I imagined the blood clot that caused it as a series of ellipses in our lives, whereas the birth of my son was an exclamation mark.  People I don’t like have faces like twisty question marks and any bad luck I have is merely a comma.  I ceased to become part of my own reality a long time ago.  It verges on mental illness.  This is not particular to a writer in the 21st Century and could be said of anyone so obsessive about the craft at any time.

Now there are so many would-be writers, there is no people’s revolution against the publishing giants, despite what many independent authors, including myself, have thought and said in the past couple of years.  There are hundreds like me to whom writing is like breathing but thousands of bandwagon jumpers who rush out book after book then market them in questionable ways.  I even had one man send me private messages on Twitter every day for almost a year in an attempt to get reviews for each book his wife has written – a total of twenty three in the last two years.

"Tractor beam" - Dr. Evil
“Tractor beam” – Dr. Evil

 

I self published through choice, without knocking on agents’ doors because I knew my novel was too contemporary to wait and within a few years would be dated.  Self publishing is what the majority of wannabes do but it tars us all with that opportunist brush.  The Internet is awash with distinctly average literature written on a whim by someone who never had ambitions to be a writer and was bored one day so self published on one of the many websites that allow you to do so without a book deal.  I suspect many of them aren’t even readers.

Stories of people who have written twenty or more titles over the course of a few months and sold hundreds of thousands of copies both impress me and rile me in equal measure because despite having spent years working at it, as an independent writer without a publishing deal and only Amazon et al behind me, we are all on the same level. For the Silo, Lacey Dearie.

Real Meteorite Part Of New Royal Canadian Mint Coin

TORONTO, June, 2018 /CNW/ – The Royal Canadian Mint has created a truly out-of-this-world collectible by adding a genuine meteorite fragment to limited edition silver coins marking the 150th anniversary of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.  This vividly illustrated coin, unveiled at a special ceremony in Toronto attended by RASC officials and former Canadian astronaut Dave Williams.  It is available for purchase as of today.

“One hundred and fifty years of research, education and discovery by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada is an engaging story to share with Canadians,” said Sandra Hanington, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint.  “It is only fitting that RASC’s many scientific achievements be recognized on a vividly coloured coin, which breaks barriers of its own by featuring a shard of a real meteorite.”

Designed by Canadian artist Alexandra Lefort, the reverse design of this coin features a deep space vista enhanced by engraved textural details and full colour.  Prominent design elements include the Eagle Nebula and its pillars of interstellar gas and dust, which are known as the Pillars of Creation. Also featured are the Moon, the Andromeda Galaxy (nearest to our own) and a blazing meteorite, enhanced by a genuine iron meteorite fragment from the Campo del Cielo meteorite field.

Canada Meteorite Coin

“The RSAC is excited to be celebrating our 150th anniversary with the issuance of a coin that symbolically depicts the important contributions of Canadian astronomers,” said Randy Attwood, executive director of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

The 2018 $20 Fine Silver Coin – 150th Anniversary of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada has a limited mintage of 5,500 and retails for $149.95CDN. It can be ordered by contacting the Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada, 1-800-268-6468 in the US, or online at www.mint.ca. Please mention The Silo when calling. The coin will also soon be available at the Royal Canadian Mint’s boutiques in Ottawa and Winnipeg, as well as through the Mint’s global network of dealers and distributors, including participating Canada Post outlets.

Canada Meteorite Coin Reverse

About the Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada’s circulation coins. An ISO 9001 certified company the Mint is recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale. For more information on the Mint, its products and services, visit. www.mint.ca

New Millennial Trading App White Shark

Toronto, ON  — White Shark Fintech, Inc. (the “Company”) a revolutionary free artificial intelligence based trading platform that flourishes in volatility and allows its users to better control their assets, including crypto-currencies, launched recently across Canada. A popular tool among young traders looking for simple ways to buy and sell crypto-currencies, the app has created a waiting list to manage user demand.

The free-to-use app takes speculation out of trading by employing high performance algorithms that signal a user when markets for particular securities, including cryptos,  are likely “over bought” or “over sold”. With White Shark users no longer have to guess or rely on self proclaimed experts about the price at which they buy or sell cryptos and other securities.

“Fintech companies, like White Shark, that engage millennials have earned multi billion dollar valuations. With the growing hunt for millennial assets and engagement with other apps, we decided to make the White Shark experience fun, empowering and engaging – regardless of where they hold their assets.” said founder and chairman Marc Wade, “White Shark is truly a user experience company engaging millennials in the capital markets when and where they want.”

WhiteShark Fintech App“White Shark is a game changer.” White Shark app enthusiast Ryan Kesler of the Anaheim Ducks explains. “It’s so easy and fun to use.  Buying and selling crypto has become part of my daily routine. There’s no guess work in making money – the accuracy of the algo trading is the only way to go.”

White Shark’s machine learning algorithms compile market data trends and price book movements into 4 gauges that work together to signal market movements. The app provides the user the ability to respond to changes in market conditions before other traditional indicators.

Now users no longer have to trade blind. Gdax (Coinbase), with over 11.9 million users, is one of the exchanges that can be connected to White Shark.

“So called “experts” have been making speculative and incorrect calls on bitcoin and other cryptos for too long.” Said CEO Stuart Shanus

Stuart Shanus CEO White Shark
Stuart Shanus

“Our free trading app isn’t based on speculation. It’s based on mathematical models and machine learning algorithms – and it should be the go-to app for investors whether they are buying and selling crypto-currencies, fiat currencies or equities.”

Investors using the White Shark app connect their preferred broker account including tCoinbase (gdax) , Kraken, Bitfinex, Poloniex and Hitbtc.  For the Silo, Amy Saunders. 

About White Shark

White Shark is a revolutionary free artificial intelligence based trading app that pairs investors with  real time artificial intelligence (AI) to increase returns and mitigate risks.  White Shark’s high performance algorithms have been used for 17 years by professional traders who have achieved exceptional returns.

Book Snobbery, Fairy Tales And Reality

“The way to read a fairy tale is to throw yourself in.” ― W.H. Auden

“In a utilitarian age, of all other times, it is a matter of grave importance that fairy tales should be respected.” (Frauds on the Fairies, 1853)” ― Charles Dickens, Works of Charles Dickens

“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” ― Albert Einstein

i dream of genie with blue djinn and darrens living room

I was “that child”, the one who wanted fairy tales and magic to be real. As far back as I can remember I dreamed about having supernatural powers (always good of course…well, almost always) having carpets that flew, potions that could transform anyone or anything, the ability to speak to animals. I never understood why Darren and Samantha worked so hard at concealment. Or why Jeannie didn’t dump the Major and go back to live with the Djinn….I mean, LOOK at the decor!!!! Who wouldn’t rather have scarves and pillows and elaborate brass lamps instead of that godawful avocado and mustard vibe?

Music for a fairy tale. Click me.
Music for  fairy tales. Click me.

Books fueled this. Small witches, talking mice, flying nannies, rings and boxes and mysterious rooms and islands all combined in a grand and glorious stew. Why couldn’t I have a wizard for a teacher? (maybe I would have learned math) Why couldn’t bullies simply be turned into flowerpots? Alas, eventually the adulting creeps in. And people stop being indulgent about your whimsy. And your imagination….

You stop inviting your friends over to play make believe. Or, at least, they stop accepting. And you are encouraged to put away childish things. To accumulate the right kind of books….improving books. High tone books. Books with Purpose. The wishing frogs and tall towers and magic mirrors are packed away… Book Snobbery. Where Fantasy books in the annoying “Y.A.” category are barely tolerated. Stuff and Nonsense.(keeping it G rated here. I expect points…) Children should be encouraged to read whatever they reading-on-the-buswant and adults should enjoy the same free pass. You should be proud of displaying your book on the bus whether you are reading Kafka or Twilight. There are life lessons to be found in fantasy. Fairy tales teach you that sometimes bad things do happen. (The original version of some of the most beloved and well known can be a bit brutal.

For example, the Ugly Stepsisters in Cinderella actually cut their toes off to fit into the slipper. Kiddiewinkle Disney this ain’t.. ) But good and kind usually triumph. Sometimes help can come from unexpected areas. And there is always a way out of the woods. I do live in the real world. Drive. Work. Pay taxes. Cook, clean, shop. Watch the political situation (although “real” and politics lately….never mind) When I sit at a stop light I do not think a gnome is changing the colors. I rarely look for dragons. But I still yearn for them. Magic is everywhere and everything. It may not have glittery wings, it may not be vanquished with a sword, there might not be a house dropped on it or a incantation spoken…..but it is here.

Writers poets, artists, storytellers; all know this on some level. Even if we disguise it.The human imagination is ancient. The roots of stories are found far back in oral traditions and the tales were only modified later to make them illustrations of good versus evil. We do research, we discuss, we delve and write learned papers. We collect quotes and materials, and most importantly buy the books buy the books buy the books…. Books are the real magic. The tangible, in your hands, in your face, take you wherever you want to go – Magic. Read it. Whatever the cover, whatever the rating.

If you like it, read it. Do not let any house of cards pompous proclamation tell you it’s wrong. Secretly we are looking for the elves. We want there to be fairies in the garden. We never see a shooting star without wishing. And if you are very, very lucky. You will never lose that. For the Silo, Jaye Tomas. 

 

 

Be A Part Of The Sanderson Centre This Season

The Sanderson Centre has many incredible performers headlining shows this season. BE A PART OF IT! Mixed in with our headlining shows you will find some of this country’s best performers in exciting concerts, family and school programming, matinees, holiday classics and even shows that bring our own community onto the stage.

Their lobby series continues this season with three fascinating artists in conversation and two musical performances that you will be talking about for days afterward. Find out more by clicking on the 2018 2019 SEASON image to the right.

Supplemental- The warm history behind last year’s 100 Year Sanderson Centre Anniversary.

 

Current State of Cybersecurity Doesn’t Work

“You pay your money, as the saying goes, and you take your chances.” says Falkowitz, CEO of Area 1 Security. “More and more these days, it seems like this ‘policy’ is the rule rather than the exception, in everything from health care insurance to the commuter parking lot. Even though you’ve paid for the product or service, no one’s really responsible for some reason when you suffer damages while consuming whatever it is you bought. Or worse yet, you somehow find that whatever you bought doesn’t really do what you bought it for. And there’s an asterisk somewhere in the fine print to explain why. Unfortunately, nowhere is this more prevalent than in today’s cybersecurity industry.”

Despite the billions spent on cybersecurity we continue to suffer the most debilitating and expensive breaches imaginable, and some that cannot be imagined under any circumstances. Yet experts predict the worst is still to come. Cybercrime has moved from data theft and website defacement to a trajectory that includes data manipulation, data loss and eventually, if something is not done to change the economics of being a bad guy on the internet, threats to the stability of society itself.

“Cybersecurity companies seem to be content to collect their millions with the caveat that they can’t really offer protection in exchange,” continues Falkowitz. “Their customers likewise collect mountains of data on their customers and are appropriately contrite when that data is stolen or misused but the apology is not accompanied by compensation. Even the government can’t protect itself, or its citizens even if they’re attacked by another nation-state.”

Phishing

The excuses and the explanations are familiar: Cybersecurity is too complicated. Hackers are too clever. Attacks are unprecedented.

“Nonsense. Every bit of it.” says Falkowitz. “Cybersecurity is no more complicated than hundreds of other things we do routinely, from sending astronauts into space or open heart surgery. Hackers are human, just more persistent about how to fool the rest of us. And attacks are based on the same tried and true methods—phishing—they’ve been using for decades.”

Oren J. Falkowitz is the co-founder and CEO of Silicon Valley’s Area 1 Security. Oren held senior positions at the NSA and United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) where he focused on Computer Network Operations & Big Data and is a predominant cybersecurity industry thought-leader committed to keeping high-level national security conversations relevant.  For the Silo, by Jennifer Vickery. 

Supplemental- What exactly is phishing?

Sugar Battery Set To Power Phones, Tablets And Other Devices

Catalyzing Commercialization Sugar could some day be used to power smartphones, tablets, and other electronic devices thanks to a recent breakthrough by Blacksburg, VA-based Cell-Free BioInnovations, Inc. It might seem strange to use an ingredient found in cupcakes and cookies as an energy source, but it’s not, as most living cells break down sugar to produce energy. And, interestingly, the energy density of sugar is significantly higher than that of current lithium-ion batteries.

Working under a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Science Foundation, a research team led by Y-H Percival Zhang, Chief Science Officer of Cell- Free BioInnovations and an associate professor of biological systems engineering at Virginia Tech, has successfully demonstrated the concept of a sugar biobattery that can completely convert the chemical energy in sugar substrates into electricity.

As reported in the January 2014 issue of Nature Communications, this breakthrough in sugar-powered biobattery can achieve an energy-storage density of about 596 A-h/kg — an order of magnitude higher than the 42 A-h/kg energy density of a typical lithium-ion battery.

A sugar biobattery with such a high energy density could last at least ten times longer than existing lithium-ion batteries of the same weight, drastically reducing how often users need to recharge their electronic devices. This nature-inspired biobattery is a type of enzymatic fuel cell (EFC)— an electrobiochemical device that converts chemical energy from fuels such as starch and glycogen into electricity.

While EFCs operate under the same general principles as traditional fuel cells, they use enzymes instead of noble metal catalysts to oxidize the fuel. Enzymes allow for the use of more-complex fuels (e.g. glucose), and these more-complex fuels are what give EFCs their superior energy density. For example, the complex sugar hexose can release 24 electrons per glucose molecule during oxidation, whereas hydrogen (a fuel used in traditional fuel cells) releases only two electrons. Until now, however, EFCs have been limited by incomplete oxidation, releasing just two to four electrons per glucose molecule.

“We are not the first who proposed using sugar as the fuel in the biobattery,” says Zhiguang Zhu, a senior scientist at Cell-Free BioInnovations. “However, we are the first to demonstrate the complete oxidation of the sugar in the biobattery, enabling our technology to have a near-theoretical energy conversion yield that no one has ever reported.”

Zhang and his team constructed a synthetic catabolic pathway (a series of metabolic reactions that break down complex organic molecules) containing 13 enzymes to completely oxidize the glucose units of maltodextrin, yielding nearly 24 electrons per glucose molecule.

We put specific thermostable enzymes into one vessel to constitute a synthetic enzymatic pathway that can perform a cascade of biological reactions the sugar, converting it into carbon dioxide, Zhang says. Unlike natural catabolic pathways for the oxidation of glucose in cells, the designed synthetic pathway does not require costly and unstable cofactors, such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), coenzyme A, or a labile cellular membrane. The researchers used two redox enzymes that generate reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) from sugar metabolites. NADH, a reducing agent involved in redox reactions, is a natural electron mediator that carries electrons from one molecule to another. They also used ten other enzymes responsible for sustaining metabolic cycles and an additional enzyme that transfers electrons from NADH to the electrode.

This new synthetic pathway enables the biobattery to extract the theoretical number of electrons per glucose unit and thereby use all the chemical energy in the sugar. This, the team reports, represents a significant breakthrough.

In addition to its superior energy density, the sugar biobattery is also less costly than the Li-ion battery, refillable, environmentally friendly, and nonflammable. While researchers  continue to work on extending the lifetime, increasing the power density, and reducing the cost of electrode materials for such a battery, they hope that the rapidly growing appetite for powering portable electronic devices could well be met with this energy dense sugar biobattery in the future. For the Silo, Zhiguang Zhu, chief scientist at”The Sweet Battery Project”.

This technology was funded through the America’s NSF Small Business Innovation Research Program.

Ltd Edn Johnnie Walker Black Label Scotch Whiskey Triple Cask Edition Available

LONDON, June 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ —Worlds #1 Scotch whisky and travel retail giant Dufry partner for launch of new whisky

Whisky loving travelers can now indulge in a limited edition Scotch, as the world’s No. 1 Scotch whisky[1] brand introduces Johnnie Walker Black Label Triple Cask Edition exclusively to passengers travelling through selected Duty Free Stores around the world.

Johnnie Walker Black Label Triple Cask Edition is a limited-edition whisky inspired by the smooth and deep character of the iconic Johnnie Walker Black Label. Only available in Dufry stores, this new blend offers travelers one new flavour with triple the character.

Black Label Johnny Walker Glasses

Enthusiastic about the launch Roger Jackson, Commercial Director Europe & Middle East of Diageo Global Travel said: “We’re delighted to release Johnnie Walker Black Label Triple Cask Edition as part of an exclusive partnership with Dufry stores. Shoppers are set to be inspired and excited by the instore tasting opportunities and knowledgeable staff who will explore the creation of this brilliant new blend with whisky fans.”

The development of this rich, sweet and spicy Scotch has been led by Johnnie Walker Master Blender, Jim Beveridge, and expert blender, Chris Clark. This new expression has been crafted using three key Speyside Malts from Blair Athol, Cardhu and Strathmill and matured in a combination of Bourbon, Caribbean Rum and Scotch Whisky casks. The result is a wonderfully rich Scotch with layers of sweet vanilla and ginger aromas, toffee and brown sugar notes and a whisper of signature smoke. Johnnie Walker Black Label Triple Cask Edition are exclusively available at Dufry, the world’s leading travel retailer, and distribution began in over 300 stores worldwide starting last month.

Eduardo Heusi Pereira, Global Category Director Liquor, Confectionery & Tobacco said: “Johnnie Walker Black Label Triple Cask Edition is a marvelous addition to the portfolio of Johnnie Walker whiskies that are currently proudly stocked in our stores around the globe. We’re excited to activate a number of vibrant touchpoints both instore and on online that will provide the opportunity for our shoppers to explore and get their hands on this lively new expression of Johnnie Walker Black Label. Exclusive to only Dufry stores, this makes the perfect unique gift for travelers.”

Johnnie Walker Triple casks have been available globally from May, at a recommended price of 28 GBP (about $48.74 CDN) for a 1L bottle. For the Silo, Alex Head/Cision. 

Johnnie Walker Black Label Triple Cask Coconut Spritz:
Ingredients:
– 50ml Johnnie Walker Triple Cask
– 75ml Coconut water
– 75ml Soda water
– 1 Dash sugar syrup
Lime zest & mint sprig
Method:
Serve with fresh ice, built in the glass.
(15.8 grams of alcohol per drink)
Please visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, http://www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice.

Supplemental- Toronto Martini’s are all about the garnish.

Canada's 'biggest little blogspace'