Just finished watching Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets (2002) and Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban (2004)...

Just finished watching Wicked (2024) and The Unbreakable Boy (2025)...

Symptoms of ADHD in Women and Girls

https://chadd.org/for-adults/symptoms-of-adhd-in-women-and-girls/

Women and girls experience the same general symptoms of ADHD as men and boys. However, the way the symptoms are expressed in their behaviors can appear different from their expression in men and boys.

This difference in expression has historically been one of the reasons girls and women are underdiagnosed. Clinicians, parents, and other adults who work with children look for the male model of ADHD symptoms that focuses on hyperactivity and impulsiveness. When girls demonstrate symptoms of inattention, overly sociable behavior, forgetfulness, talkativeness, or difficulties with time management, those behaviors are attributed to other causes or cultural expectations.

Symptoms of ADHD

ADHD has three main presentations: predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, and combined inattentive and hyperactive.

Women and girls can have any of these presentations, and presentations and symptom severity can vary across their lives. However, both research and lived experience indicate that girls and women most often appear to have the inattentive presentation:

- Fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes
- Has difficulty sustaining attention, does not appear to listen
- Struggles to follow through with instructions, has difficulty with organization
- Avoids or dislikes tasks requiring sustained mental effort, loses things easily
- Is easily distracted, is forgetful in daily activities

To assume that women and girls only experience the inattentive presentation would be incorrect. Many women and girls report and describe “internal” hyperactivity and other unrecognized symptoms, with behaviors often ascribed culturally to very “social” girls:

- Talks excessively
- Fidgets and often needs to get up and walk around
- Acts impulsively or speaks before thinking
- Appears to daydream but will explains that her thoughts feel like they are “going a million miles a minute” and she has trouble keeping her mind on one topic
- Easily makes friends but has difficulty sustaining friendships
- Self-harming activities, or activities that require extreme and unhealthy self-discipline
- Adopts compensatory strategies, leading to working two to three times as hard as her peers in order to be equally successful
- Fears rejection by peers or friends and clings to other people or remains in unhealthy relationships

Additional indications of ADHD

Though not often listed as symptoms, other indications of ADHD in girls and women include co-occurring depression and anxiety, difficult romantic relationships that can lead to intimate partner violence, trouble maintaining friendships, and at least one space in her life in disarray (messy house, messy bedroom, or similar personal space).

Often girls with ADHD will become sexually active at a younger age than their peers, due to impulsivity, poor planning, or a desire to be cared for by their partner. When they do so, they are at a greater risk of being pressured into unwanted sexual activity or becoming victims of sexual violence, and are less likely to use or be able to insist that their partners use contraception.

Now listening to Piano Sonata No. 31 by Ludwig van Beethoven and 10 To Midnight by Robert O. Ragland...

On Pacific Boulevard in Yaletown. Summer of 2018.

Now reading The Prince And The Pauper by Mark Twain...

Bigfoot is Real…6 Reasons the Patterson-Gimlin Film is Authentic

In this video I explore the logical reasons that support the authenticity of the iconic Patterson-Gimlin Bigfoot film. I’ll delve into the details that skeptics often overlook, including the biomechanics and gait of the Bigfoot creature's movement, muscle movements beneath the skin, scientific analysis and opinions, the many failed attempts to debunk the film and more. Whether you’re a believer or a skeptic, this analysis aims to provide insight into why the Patterson-Gimlin film remains a significant piece of evidence in the search for Sasquatch.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (4K UHD Review)

https://thedigitalbits.com/item/spiderman-into-the-spiderverse-uhd

Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) is just your average New York City teenager trying to find his way in the world, when he gets bitten by a radioactive spider and develops unique superpowers. Well, maybe not so unique. You see, in Miles’ world, there already is a Spider-Man (Chris Pine), who promises to show our fledgling hero the ropes. But when a supercollider belonging to the notorious Kingpin (Liev Schreiber) goes haywire beneath Manhattan, that becomes impossible… and the impossible becomes reality. Multiple dimensions begin to converge, each with a “Spider” hero of its own. All of them have suddenly crossed over into Miles’ world and they’ll have to work together to save their “Spider-Verse” from annihilation.

I should admit this right up front: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse may very well be my all-time favorite superhero film. That’s saying a lot, I know, but never has a film so perfectly captured this genre’s comic-book origins and visual texture before. The story – featuring characters that have nearly all appeared in the pages of different Spider-Man comic series – feels remarkably fresh, entertaining, and grounded. There’s great action here to be sure, but also a ton of humor, and genuine heart. In addition to the names I’ve already mentioned, the voice cast features Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Lily Tomlin, Luna Lauren Velez, John Mulaney, Kimiko Glenn, Katheryn Hahn, Zoë Kravitz, and Nicolas Cage, all of whom make fine contributions to the story. But what really impresses here is that this film features the most ground-breaking animation to grace the big screen in years, with perhaps the most unique visual style since the Wachowski’s Speed Racer in 2008.

Part of this is due to the filmmakers applying an immediately recognizable halftone-dot and offset printing effect to the footage. They also blend 3D and 2D animation in both the characters and backgrounds – and some of the 2D is hand-drawn, with actual line work. The filmmakers break the widescreen frame with traditional comic page panels, reveal the occasional bit of dialogue or thought via word balloons, and pepper action scenes with sound effects text. Perhaps the most important technique they’ve applied, however, is apparent in the way they’ve rendered the image. Rather than rendering a full 30 frames-per-second of smooth animation, they’re actually rendering 15 frames and holding some as double or even triple frames, all while avoiding motion smoothing. It’s a little like watching really well done stop-motion animation, which lends the footage an interesting dash of physicality. It’s genuinely remarkable.

Sony Animation rendered Into the Spider-Verse in 2K, so it was upsampled for its release on 4K Ultra HD. But that’s okay; every bit of detail in the 2.39:1-framed image is visible here. And let me tell you, the High Dynamic Range grade (HDR10 only) is magnificent. Colors exhibit a more vivid luster and much greater nuance, the shadows are deepened, and the brightest areas have real pop. This is a visual feast – a definite eye candy title for the UHD format.

The 4K disc also provides a lively and dynamic English Dolby Atmos sound mix (TrueHD 7.1 compatible) that seldom disappoints. There’s a little less panning and movement than you might expect, but the staging is precise, with terrific immersion and tons of robust and subtle directional cues. Bass is firm with genuine heft, clarity is exceptional, and the score by Daniel Pemberton (mixed with pop/hip hop tracks by Post Maloe, Nicki Minaj, and others) is playful with fine fidelity. Additional audio options include English and French Descriptive Audio, and French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, with optional subtitles available in English, English SDH, French, and Spanish.

The actual 4K disc includes the film and following extras:

- Audio Commentary (with Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman)
- Spider-Ham: Caught in a Ham animated short (4:01)
- Spider-Man: Far From Home trailer (2:37)
- MIB International trailer (2:37)

Note that the Spider-Ham short is upsampled to 4K but not graded for HDR, so you’ll want to turn that off when you watch it here.

The package also includes the film in 1080p HD on Blu-ray, which includes the following extras (all in HD):

- Audio Commentary (with Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman)
- Alternate Universe Mode viewing option (143:31)
- Spider-Ham: Caught in a Ham animated short (4:01)
- We Are Spider-Man (7:51)
- Spider-Verse: A New Dimension (5:09)
- The Ultimate Comics Cast (15:02)
- Designing Cinematic Comic Book Characters: Heroes & Hams (7:45)
- Designing Cinematic Comic Book Characters: Scoundrels & Scorpions (5:11)
- A Tribute to Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (8:34)
- The Spider-Verse Super Fan Easter Egg Challenge (5:02)
- Post Malone & Swae Lee’s Sunflower music video (2:48)
- Nicki Minaj, Anuela AA & Bantu’s Familia music video (3:00)
- Spider-Man: Far From Home trailer (2:37)
- MIB International trailer (2:37)

The Spider-Ham short is cute in a throwback way and serves as a kind of setup to the film itself. The full-length commentary is good, with interesting stories and bits of trivia on the making of the film, but the Alternate Universe Mode is the real highlight of these extras. As you watch the film with it enabled, you get a look at deleted and alternate scenes, alternate dialogue and more, all of it presented back in the context of the film. It amounts to about 27 minutes of additional content in all, added back via seamless branching. Most of it is unfinished (storyboards and the like), but it’s pretty cool to see nonetheless.

The rest of the video-based extras feel a little bit glossy, but still manage to give you a nice look behind-the-scenes on the film’s development and production, how the actors were chosen and what they each brought to their roles, etc. A highlight is definitely the tribute to Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, and I particularly liked the explanation of how the animators achieved the film’s unique look. The featurette run times may not seem like much, but there’s a lot more information and insight packed into each one than you expect.

Unfortunately, there’s no Blu-ray 3D version of the film included in this package, and it doesn’t seem that Sony intends to release one separately here in the States. That’s a shame, because the theatrical 3D presentation was wildly popular. It does appear that Blu-ray 3D offerings will be available in Germany and France (click here and here to see those via international Amazon – we don’t yet know if those discs will be all-region). Thankfully, you do at least get a Movies Anywhere Digital code on a paper insert.

Co-written by Phil Lord and produced by Lord and Chris Miller (of Lego Movie and Solo fame) among others, Into the Spider-Verse is surprising and a real delight. As most of you know already, it won the Oscar for Best Animated film this year and damn well deserves it. Sony’s 4K Ultra release is not to be missed. But if I might offer a quick message to the studio: Blu-ray 3D please!

- Bill Hunt

ASMR Sculpting & Resurfacing Your Ears | Ear Cleaning, Ear Measuring

Welcome to the Cozy Hospital! You've come into our cosmetic otolaryngology department today because you've decided your ears aren't symmetrical enough. Your doctor will examine your ears and measure them before giving them a good clean and proceeding with sculpting your ears.

** This is not a real procedure lmao

 0:00 Intro 0:10 Doctor comes in, getting your history 3:08 Putting on gloves 3:57 Otoscope exam 9:32 Skin exam 16:16 Measuring your ears 24:06 Cleaning your ears 29:50 Placing protective covers over your ears 31:16 Dabbing gel on your ears 34:10 Writing notes while waiting for your ears to numb 39:32 Resurfacing and sculpting your ears 50:11 Checking with measuring tape 50:44 Cleaning off the gel 52:03 Writing 53:36 Instructions before you go

The Merchant's Wife And The Goblin by Boris Kustodiev, 1922.

The Courtney Love Show - Saturday Night Live

Drug addict Courtney Love has massive mood swings on her own talk show. Aired 05/11/96

Now listening to Piano Sonata No. 2 by Ludwig van Beethoven and A Brand New Me by Dusty Springfield...

On Robson Street in Downtown Vancouver. Summer of 2018.

Robson Street is a major southeast-northwest thoroughfare in downtown and West End of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Its core commercial blocks from Burrard Street to Jervis were also known as Robsonstrasse. Its name honours John Robson, a major figure in British Columbia's entry into the Canadian Confederation, and Premier of the province from 1889 to 1892. Robson Street starts at BC Place Stadium near the north shore of False Creek, then runs northwest past Vancouver Library Square, Robson Square and the Vancouver Art Gallery, coming to an end at Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park.

As of 2006, the city of Vancouver overall had the fifth most expensive retail rental rates in the world, averaging US$135 per square foot per year, citywide. Robson Street tops Vancouver with its most expensive locations renting for up to US$200 per square foot per year. In 2006, both Robson Street and the Mink Mile on Bloor Street in Toronto were the 22nd most expensive streets in the world, with rents of $208 per square feet. In 2007, the Mink Mile and Robson slipped to 25th in the world with an average of $198 per square feet. The price of each continues to grow with Vancouver being Burberry's first Canadian location and Toronto's Yorkville neighbourhood (which is bounded on the south side by Bloor) now commanding rents of $300 per square foot.

In 1895, train tracks were laid down the street, supporting a concentration of shops and restaurants. From the early to middle-late 20th century, and especially after significant immigration from postwar Germany, the northwest end of Robson Street was known as a centre of German culture and commerce in Vancouver, earning the nickname Robsonstrasse, even among non-Germans (this name lives on in the Robsonstrasse Hotel on the street). At one time, the city had placed streetsigns reading "Robsonstrasse" though these were placed after the German presence in the area had largely vanished.

Robson Street was featured on an old edition of the Canadian Monopoly board as one of the two most expensive properties.

 

Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) | Decent Films - SDG Reviews

https://decentfilms.com/reviews/antmanandthewasp

In some ways Ant-Man and the Wasp is the kind of movie I wanted Ant-Man to be: namely, a refreshing antidote to the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

It’s not just the light, breezy tone and the witty gags. Humor is nothing new to the MCU; on the contrary, obligatory Guardians-style whimsy has become a jarring and even cynical tonal anomaly in apocalypses like Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Infinity War.

But there’s a lightness to Ant-Man and the Wasp that goes beyond the gags. No one even mentions Infinity Stones, and the fate of the universe, the planet, or even Asgard or Wakanda is not at stake.

There are no obligatory cameos by other heroes, like Falcon in the first Ant-Man (or Iron Man in Spider-Man: Homecoming, another relatively small-scale MCU excursion). After their mutual absence in Infinity War, I half expected Hawkeye to show up in Ant-Man’s new adventure, but he doesn’t, thank goodness.

There’s some talk about the epic airport battle in Germany from Captain America: Civil War, and Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang, the neophyte Ant-Man, can’t help name-dropping “Cap.” In general, though, Ant-Man and the Wasp is less shackled to the rest of the MCU than any post-Avengers Marvel sequel — at least until the downbeat mid-credits stinger.

There’s an antagonist called Ghost who is not out to exterminate or enslave, and in fact doesn’t particularly want to harm anyone (but is willing to). Laurence Fishburne shows up as an old partner-turned-rival of Michael Douglas’ Hank Pym, the original Ant-Man, and turns out to be a more interesting character than you’d expect. A gang of petty thugs led by Walton Goggins supply modest levels of menace.

It’s all extremely not extreme.

Even the target audience skews smaller — younger, I mean — than usual. The first Ant-Man had a couple of violent sci-fi deaths, some typical language and Michael Peña’s comic-relief motormouth Luis chattering about an early sexual experience. Ant-Man and the Wasp goes lighter in all these categories. It might be Marvel’s most kid-friendly movie. Imagine that.

I’m not ashamed to say that I most enjoyed Ant-Man when it felt like a sequel in spirit to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Ant-Man and the Wasp doubles down on that vibe and then some, not least because Scott’s defining relationship is not with Evangeline Lilly’s Hope van Dyne, now the Wasp, but with Scott’s adorable young daughter, Cassie (Abby Ryder Fortson), who dotes on him as much as he on her.

That’s not to say the Wasp is a mere sidekick. On the contrary, you could say Ant-Man is her sidekick. Her character may be underwritten, but it’s her quest, not Scott’s, that propels the story, and he supports her rather than vice versa — not always willingly.

That the Wasp is a marquee co-star at all is a corrective of sorts, if a modest one. Marvel has knocked out 20 movies over the last 10 years, and until now every one has borne the name of a male solo hero or a male-dominated team.

The DC franchise has stumbled a lot trying to follow in Marvel’s footsteps, but they did beat Marvel to the punch in this respect with Wonder Woman. (Marvel’s first heroine-led film will be next year’s Captain Marvel, starring Brie Larson. After years of cold feet, it seems Marvel execs are even allowing a Black Widow solo movie.)

The first Ant-Man movie technically had two Ant-Men, with Michael Douglas’ Hank Pym, the original Ant-Man, passing the baton to Scott. Yet it somehow managed to be between Wasps, with the original, Hank’s wife Janet, lost in the quantum realm, and their daughter Hope pointlessly sidelined and forced to watch Scott suit up without her.

Now, Hope is allowed to spread her wings, which she has, along with wrist blasters, which is the kind of tech that Wasps get but Ant-Men don’t. Like many comic-book conceits, the only way to deal with this is to incredulously cross-examine it and then move on, since the real reason (wasps fly and sting and ants generally don’t) would hardly work as a diegetic or in-universe explanation.

Meanwhile, the movie exploits the tactical and comic possibilities of its Alice in Wonderland size-changing to greater effect than previous movies. After Doctor Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp is the only other recent Marvel movie with action set pieces that are visually unique and organically funny. (Some of the funnier gags involve technical glitches resulting in unpredictable size changes.)

For a movie about a divorced ex-con who is dodging parole-violation charges and whose ex-wife is remarried to a police officer, Ant-Man and the Wasp is remarkably genial. The former Mrs. Lang (Judy Greer) is nothing if not supportive of Scott, and her new husband (Bobby Cannavale) is almost unsettlingly amiable. With Cassie at the center, they’re almost one big happy family.

Scott’s parole officer (Randall Park) isn’t happy about the whole thing, but he’s not a jerk either. Even a sequence with Goggins and his thugs interrogating Luis is almost completely disarmed by Luis’ garrulous enthusiasm.

Marvel movies have often struggled to supply villains that matter. Ant-Man and the Wasp finds an unexpected solution: Perhaps villains that matter don’t matter as much as these movies think. I would say I’d like to see more superhero movies try something like this, but honestly, how likely is that?

We Should All Be Worried About Nintendo's Latest Legal Moves, Especially If You Already Enjoy Nintendo Games

https://screenrant.com/nintendo-legal-battles-creativity-game-developers-problem-op-ed/

There was a time when Nintendo games sparked my imagination, along with those of game developers worldwide, but the Nintendo of today is little more than a boogeyman, frightening the next generation of game makers, and protecting its IP like a fire-breathing Bowser, with no empathy for those it burns. I would love to return to the innocent days when I would have canonized Shigeru Miyamoto, and when I could play a Mario game and enjoy the timeless charm of platforming bliss without thinking of the company’s ruthless legal department and its heartless litigation. Game developers have it far worse.

Every time Nintendo sues ROM websites for millions, some fans will leap to the company’s defense, parroting empty rhetoric that the company has the right to protect its Intellectual Property against piracy. These defenders tend to quiet down when they see Nintendo’s history of taking legal action against non-profit fan games, sheet music, and gaming tournaments that promote their own products. The massive array of video game-related patents the company has accrued is the current albatross around the neck of the entire video game industry. Nintendo can sue nearly anyone at any time that they get in the company’s crosshairs.

The lawsuit against Tropic Haze made it clear that Nintendo will annihilate video game preservation in favor of its bottom line, as it shut down the two most promising Nintendo Switch emulators, while creating a fear-based deterrent to any future emulation endeavors. For every case that goes to trial, there are many more incidents where a cease and desist frightens a small indie developer or a fan project into submission. Nintendo is among the most profitable companies in Japan. The party with deeper pockets wins by default in most legal matters. Those challenged typically settle out of fear of Nintendo.

While Nintendo shut down Smash Bros. tournaments that used mods, and will routinely bully nonprofit developers into removing free fan games, it continues to rake in massive profits from its Switch hardware and video game sales. The same law firm Nintendo retained to drive Switch emulation to extinction, Adler Pollock & Sheehan, proudly boasts of its efforts in representing the state of Rhode Island in its efforts to withhold pension benefits from retirees and defending aviation-related wrongful death suits. As reported by Automaton, Nintendo’s patent attorney Koji Nishiura attempted to justify the company’s infamous scare tactics to dismantle emulation projects.

The survival game Palworld may change because of Nintendo, as the company reached into its bottomless bag of video game-related patents for any excuse to take the game down a peg. It is well-known that Nintendo went on a spree of patenting nearly any game design concept it could think of, like detecting a hidden enemy by seeing its shadow from behind a tree. This is an example of something so intuitive that it might not be legally defensible, much like catching a monster in a ball, but being legally right is meaningless if you can’t afford the fight.

Video game historian John Szczepaniak was a guest lecturer at TechnoCampus University in Spain last year. As reported by Time Extension, Nintendo’s massive array of patents, and the company’s lack of scruples towards filing unethical lawsuits, has become a source of real fear for prospective game makers. Szczepaniak said, "Students then described their fears over Nintendo's excessive litigation, given they will literally sue you for anything these days. This cannot be overemphasized: the young, passionate, hopeful creators of tomorrow are afraid to explore their artistic urges in case Nintendo attacks them." The company that once inspired imagination now inspires fear.

Completely free-to-play fan projects are abandoned out of concern for legal action. A Mother 4 fan game was renamed Oddity, and appears to have gone radio silent, along with many other fan-made projects that have dried up in recent years. Numerous fantastic video games have built off Nintendo’s creations, like Braid’s subversive take on Mario, or Tunic’s deconstruction of the Zelda formula. Many of today’s best-known developers grew up with Nintendo games and hardware, and those experiences encouraged them to enter the industry. Now, Nintendo’s bullying and Draconian legal tactics are more likely to kill any dream of game development.

The Nintendo Switch outsold the PS1 and Wii years ago, and Switch 2 will likely continue the momentum. Nintendo notoriously sells hardware with a profit margin, where most gaming consoles are sold at a loss. First-party Switch games that are years old still rarely see markdowns in their prices. All of this adds to the fact that Nintendo is not hurting for money. The company does not need to crack down on games like Palworld, emulation, and fan projects, to stay profitable. Nintendo needlessly chooses to pursue relentless legal actions, without concern for ethics or consequences, creating an industry-wide chilling effect.

For any misguided fans who think this is simply the legal system rendering justice, the result in which Nintendo won the Joy-Con lawsuit alone is proof that being morally, or even legally, in the right, has little to do with outcomes in litigation. Joy-Con drift is an undeniable fact, making it clear justice has no bearing in these matters. The ability to outspend the other party decides the outcome far more often than any issues of fact or precedent, as parties are forced to settle to mitigate risk and further mounting expenses. Few defendants can match Nintendo’s infamously deep pockets.

I wish I could return to the time when I could be unabashedly excited about a new Nintendo console, but now, I am constantly torn by the knowledge that every purchase funds a video game company that is inherently hostile to the medium of video games. As much as Nintendo once contributed to the art of video games, today, the company clearly views things through the lens of IP protection and maximizing profit, not furthering the art form or preserving it for the future. The next generation of game makers have good reason to fear Nintendo’s looming shadow over the industry.

Now reading The Memoirs Of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle...

 

Sheikh Safi al-din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble in Ardabil

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1345

Built between the beginning of the 16th century and the end of the 18th century, this place of spiritual retreat in the Sufi tradition uses Iranian traditional architectural forms to maximize use of available space to accommodate a variety of functions (including a library, a mosque, a school, mausolea, a cistern, a hospital, kitchens, a bakery, and some offices). It incorporates a route to reach the shrine of the Sheikh divided into seven segments, which mirror the seven stages of Sufi mysticism, separated by eight gates, which represent the eight attitudes of Sufism. The ensemble includes well-preserved and richly ornamented facades and interiors, with a remarkable collection of antique artefacts. It constitutes a rare ensemble of elements of medieval Islamic architecture.

Brief synthesis

Sheikh Safi al-Din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble was built as a small microcosmic city with bazaars, public baths, squares, religious buildings, houses, and offices. It was the largest and most complete khānegāh and the most prominent Sufi shrine since it also hosts the tomb of the founder of the Safavid Dynasty. For these reasons, it has evolved into a display of sacred works of art and architecture from the 14th to the 18th century and a centre of Sufi religious pilgrimage.

The Sheikh Safi al-Din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble in Ardabil is of Outstanding Universal Value as an artistic and architectural masterpiece and an outstanding representation of the fundamental principles of Sufism. Ilkhanid and Timurid architectural languages, influenced by Sufi philosophy, have created new spatial forms and decorative patterns. The layout of the ensemble became a prototype for innovative architectural expressions and a reference for other khānegāhs. As the shrine of a prominent Sufi master, who also was the founder of the Safavid Dynasty, the property has remained sacred in Iran up to the present day.

Criterion (i): The conception of the entire ensemble layout, the proportions of the internal and external spaces and of the buildings, their design and refined decoration, together with the climax created by the sequenced path to Sheikh Safi al-Din’s shrine, all combined, have concurred to create a unique complex in which aesthetics and spirituality are in a harmonious dialogue.

Criterion (ii): The architectural spaces and features of the nominated property have integrated influences of the Ilkhānid and Timurid periods with the religious message of Sufism and the taste for exquisite ornamentation and interior spaciousness, thus giving rise to fresh architectural and artistic forms.

Criterion (iv): The Sheikh Safi al-Din ensemble is a prototype and an outstanding example of a 16th century religious complex, combined with social, charitable, cultural, and educational functions, which contains all the significant elements that since came to characterize Safavid architecture and became a prototype for other khānegāh and shrines.

Integrity and Authenticity

The property contains all the elements that convey its Outstanding Universal Value. Most of the elements of the property are in good condition and, despite several transformations, the site continues to present an image of harmonious composition, in which the material realization of the spiritual path through the architectural design is still clearly legible. The State Party has taken steps to restore the original access to the ensemble, which will strengthen the connection between the architecture and the Sufi spiritual messages.

The design form of the entire complex and of individual buildings has been retained and their religious functions have been maintained in most cases. Where they have changed, the new uses are appropriate to the architectural structure in general, and the material and technical authenticity has been retained, as well as the spiritual character of the place. It is, however, important to reduce the tendency to go too far in conservation work.

Protection and management requirements

The nominated property has been protected under the Iranian legislation since 1932. According to the law currently in force, special protection provisions are in place for the property, the buffer zone and for a wider area called the ‘landscape zone.’ These provisions, already in place, are also being incorporated into the revised Master Plan for Ardabil, final approval of which is scheduled for September 2010.

Any project concerning protected monuments in Iran must be in accordance with the provisions of the law and must be approved by ICHHTO, the authority in charge of the protection of Iranian monuments. The management framework established for the nominated property integrates the regulations for Sheikh Safi al-Din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble and the provisions of the Ardabil Master Plan.

Management of protected monuments is the responsibility of the High Technical Council of ICHHTO, which approves budgets and all major conservation works. Minor works and day-to-day maintenance is ensured by a steering committee which can avail itself of a multidisciplinary team (the ICHHTO Sheikh Safi al-Din Ensemble Base), which is headed by a urban planner and includes on its staff engineers, architects, conservation architects, and archaeologists.

Now listening to Piano Sonata No. 11 by Ludwig van Beethoven and Friday The 13th: A New Beginning by Harry Manfredini...

At the Pacific National Exhibition in Vancouver. Summer of 2018.

The Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) is a nonprofit organization that operates an annual 15-day summer fair, a seasonal amusement park, and indoor arenas in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The PNE fair is held at Hastings Park, beginning in mid-to-late August and ending in early September, usually Labour Day.

The organization was established in 1907 as the Vancouver Exhibition Association, and organized its first fair at Hastings Park in 1910. The organization was renamed to the Pacific National Exhibition in 1946. During the mid-20th century, a number of facilities were built on the PNE grounds, including Pacific Coliseum and the PNE Agrodome. In 1993, the amusement park adjacent to the PNE, Playland, became a division of the PNE.

The Vancouver Exhibition Association (VEA), the predecessor to the Pacific National Exhibition organization was first formed in 1907; although the association was not incorporated until 18 June 1908. The VEA had petitioned Vancouver City Council to host a fair at Hastings Park; although faced early opposition from the city council and the local jockey club that used the park for horse races. However, the city council eventually conceded to the VEA's request and granted the association a 5-year lease to host a fair at Hastings Park in 1909.

The VEA held its first fair at Hastings Park in August 1910. It was opened by then Canadian Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier as the Vancouver Exhibition. The biggest attractions of the two-week fair are its numerous shops, stalls, performances, a nightly fireworks show, and the exhibition's Prize Home. From its beginnings, the exhibition was used as a showcase for the region's agriculture and economy.

In the initial years of the Second World War, the fairgrounds saw an increased military presence. However, the exhibition itself was not cancelled until 1942, after the Canadian declaration of war against Japan was issued. From 1942 to 1946 the exhibition and fair was closed, and like the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto, served as a military training facility for the duration of World War II. During this time, the exhibition barns that were used to house livestock, were used as processing centres for interned Japanese Canadians from all over British Columbia. The interned Japanese Canadians were later shipped away to other internment camps throughout British Columbia, and Alberta. The Momiji (Japanese word for Maple) Gardens on the PNE's grounds serves as a memorial for the event. The barns used for the internment of Japanese Canadians are still used to house livestock during the annual fair, and serve as storage area to house some of the PNE's property the rest of the year.

On 7 February 1946, the Vancouver Exhibition Association changed its name to its current moniker, the Pacific National Exhibition; and later reopened the fair to the public under that name in 1947. The organization was formally reincorporated as the Pacific National Exhibition in 1955.

The highest attendance at the fair was recorded in 1986, with 1.1 million guests visiting the PNE, most likely due to Expo 86 that was occurring at the time. In 1993, the amusement park adjacent to the PNE, Playland, became a division of the PNE organization.

During 1997-1998, the PNE grounds was transformed with the demolition of a number of buildings including the Food Building, Showmart and the Poultry Building. This gave way to the Sanctuary, a parkland setting with a pond. The pond restored part of a stream that once flowed in the park out to the Burrard Inlet. The city restored a large portion of the park. Many old fair buildings have been demolished and replaced by a more natural character. Although land was purchased in Surrey that was to become the fair's new home, the PNE has since transferred ownership from the province to the City of Vancouver and will remain at Hastings Park. The PNE is a registered charity.

Two attractions at the PNE were named as heritage sites by the City of Vancouver in August 2013. The Pacific Coliseum and the Wooden Roller Coaster were added to the list.

In 2020, the fair went on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside other agricultural and county fairs across Canada, including the Calgary Stampede, the Canadian National Exhibition, and K-Days.

In the early hours of February 20, 2022, a major fire broke out on PNE grounds, where multiple vehicles, tools and equipment, and buildings were destroyed as a result.

The PNE grounds contains several buildings and exhibition halls. The PNE Forum is a 4,200 square metres (45,000 sq ft) exhibition facility that is used for large displays and trade shows. Rollerland is a 1,840 square metres (19,800 sq ft) exhibition, banquet hall and venue for the Terminal City Roller Derby.

Two buildings on the PNE grounds are indoor arenas. The Pacific Coliseum is multi-purpose arena that holds 15,713 permanent seats, with provisions for 2,000 temporary seats for concerts and certain sports. The PNE Agrodome is a smaller indoor arena with 3,000 permanent seats, with provisions to expand up to 5,000 seats. Entertainment facilities includes the Garden Auditorium, a building that features a built-in stage and dance hall. The PNE grounds also feature amphitheatre with bench-style seating for 4,500 visitors.

Other buildings on the PNE grounds includes the Livestock Barns, a large multi-use facility, and the organization's administrative offices.

 

Under The Arbor by Serafino Macchiati, 1914.

Libya overshadowed by “Kosovo model”

https://redphoenixnews.com/2011/05/23/libya-overshadowed-by-kosovo-model/

The latest moves by Western allies against Libya have shown marked similarities to “strategies” they adopted in Kosovo in the 1990s.

Catherine Ashton, EU’s foreign policy chief, opened the bloc’s office on Sunday in Benghazi,the Libyan opposition’s base camp when he visited the city on Sunday.

Earlier last Monday, prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) requested arrest warrants for Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, his son Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi and his brother-in-law Abdullah Al-Sanousi who is Libya’s head of intelligence.

In retrospective, NATO adopted a three-step strategy in Kosovo War back in 1999.

NATO first supported the Kosovo authority and launched 78-day bombings against former Yugoslavia, forcing the late Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic to withdraw his forces.

The West then stirred up the political unrest in Serbia, leading to the downfall of Milosevic.

The last step was to send Milosevic to The Hague to face trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia. Later on, Milosevic died in custody.

Twelve years later, the Western allies again resorted to a similar three-step strategy in Libya.

NATO is launching continuous air strikes against Gaddafi’s forces, while the Western allies are heaping political and psychological pressures on Gaddafi and openly supporting the opposition, in a bid to force Gaddafi to give up power. This was followed by ICC’s issuance of arrest warrant to bring Gaddafi to The Hague.

Yet, there are some differences between the two scenarios.

In 1999, the West unleashed the bombings without bothering to ask for UN Security Council mandate, while 12 years later, the West launched airstrikes on Libya by overstepping the authorization of UN Resolution 1973 to impose “non-fly” zone supposedly to protect the civilians in Libya.

In addition, NATO has expanded its military actions from Europe, the defense area defined by the North Atlantic Treaty, to Africa, which is far beyond NATO’s traditional legitimate defense area.

Ironically, the West has claimed to seek “political solution” while continuing its airstrikes in Libya, but what it really means by “political solution” is something quite different from what is understood by the international community.

Since March 19 when several Western nations started air raids, the West has organized so-called “Contact Group” on Libya and held several meetings to coordinate actions, claiming to “seek political solution to resolving Libya crisis.”

However, the “Contact Group” has openly urged support for the Libya opposition on several occasions.

In short, what happened in Kosovo and Libya may well serve as perfect examples of the so-call “neo-interventionism” pursued by some Western powers.

Under the pretext of “human rights above sovereignty,” they try to interfere in the domestic affairs of sovereign states, even resort to military means to split them.

The strategies of these neo-interventionists are, more often than not, deceptive.

On the Libya issue, for instance, the Western powers seemed to have complied with international procedures and norms: they first tried to push pass a UN Security Council resolutions and then seek an ICC arrest warrant to bring Libyan leader Gaddafi to justice.

These strategies, however, are merely employed on a selective basis to get rid of political figures the West dislike, including Gaddafi and Milosevic. The West would turn a blind eye to similar cases in countries which are considered its own allies.

To put it clearly, some forces in the West are using just procedures of the international laws to serve their own political purposes.

In the 21st century, some Western countries take “neo-interventionism” as their standard practice and even try to apply the so-called “Kosovo model” elsewhere in the world. This should ring an alarm bell to the international community.