Tag Archives: OddBox

Those Were The Days

I admit it….I was a acid rock fan….those were the days….Bennies, Dex, Yellow Jackets, Acid, Weed, ‘shrooms, etc…..

But recent scientific research has shown that some of the magic drugs of my youth can be beneficial in treating PTSD……

Those magic mushrooms that grow liberally in cow dung could indeed have properties that could help those suffering from PTSD……

Want to quit smoking or alleviate depression? In a few years you might be taking the psychedelic “magic” in magic mushrooms—if the FDA ever agrees, the New York Times reports. Researchers from John Hopkins University suggest the FDA should reclassify psilocybin—the psychedelic drug in hallucinogenic mushrooms—to a Schedule IV drug, meaning it can serve a medical use and isn’t likely to trigger addiction or abuse. It would be like sleeping pills, but not a simple prescription: “We believe that the conditions should be tightly controlled and that when taken for a clinical reason, it should be administered in a health care setting” under professional guidance, study co-author Matthew Johnson tells Fortune.

Published in Neuropharmacology, the study looks at psilocybin data going back to the 1940s. “In the 1960s, they were on the cutting edge of neuroscience research and understanding how the brain worked,” says Johnson. “But then it got out of the lab.” Research stopped partly because the hippie counterculture embraced mind-altering drugs like mushrooms and LSD, but a recent cultural shift has seen professionals adopt “microdosing” to increase productivity, and consumers—particularly women—use psychedelics to alleviate anxiety and depression. And while psilocybin poses some health risks, Johnson says in a press release it’s safer than other surveyed drugs. But don’t hold your breath: FDA approval could take more than five years.

Another drug of choice in those days was the sugar cubed “ACID”…LSD…..and yes they are finding it useful in moderation……go figure (we could have told them that but no one would listen)….

Microdosing” on psychedelic substances like LSD—ingesting just enough to heighten cognitive faculties, enhance creativity, improve concentration and alleviate depression—is currently back in vogue among people not normally associated with anything remotely ‘countercultural’ in the USA.

The term psychedelic was coined in 1958 by British psychiatrist Humphrey Osmond and is derived from the Greek words psyche (“soul, mind”) and delein(“to manifest”), hence “soul-manifesting,” the implication being that psychedelics can access the soul and develop unused potentials in the human mind. It’s a contention that’s gaining increased acceptance in mainstream universities.

https://theantimedia.com/political-significance-lsd/

Fascinating stuff, eh?

Some related reading……

https://www.alternet.org/speakeasy/martharosenberg/why-are-suicides-climbing-military-lets-look-drugs-being-prescribed

https://lobotero.com/2016/05/06/the-war-on-drugs-failed-so-why-isnt-it-over/

For your musical enjoyment…..

tahneetalks: fluffmugger: thetrippytrip: We should be more…

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tahneetalks:

fluffmugger:

thetrippytrip:

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We should be more pro-active or we’ll see more of such sad fates of honest people.

And the utterly ironic thing is I’ve seen repeated tumblr posts of that iconic photo absolutely slagging the shit out of Peter Norman as “lol white guy so uncomfortable”   “Why the fuck isn’t he supporting them”, etc etc.

As an Australian this post surprised me. I knew none of the above.

(2/3)  “After I was granted asylum, I moved in with some cousins…

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(2/3)  “After I was granted asylum, I moved in with some cousins in the Bronx.  My first job was washing dishes in the kitchen of an adult home.  I was paid $297 every two weeks.  But I noticed that the private nursing assistants were paid a lot more, so I enrolled in some classes and received my certification.  My first assignment was a quadriplegic named Hector.  I ended up staying with him for six years.  I fed him, changed his diapers, helped him go to the bathroom, everything.  I really loved him.  We went all over the place.  We drove to Chicago and California.  My shift was the overnight, so sometimes I’d drive him to the club and he’d go dancing in his wheelchair.  I’d stand right next to him the entire time.  During the day I took classes at Lehman College.  I majored in health services.  After my graduation, the whispers began once more.  Family members were urging me to come home and take my rightful position on the throne.  So I said ‘goodbye’ to Hector and moved back to Ghana.  I got a job in business until the last king passed away in 2011.  And this time when the elders called on me, I was ready.”
(Akwamufie, Ghana)

(3/3) “It’s not easy being king.  I have to follow many of the…

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(3/3) “It’s not easy being king.  I have to follow many of the old rituals.  I cannot be seen in public without an escort.  I must always eat alone.  And the power isn’t what it used to be.  We’re living in a different time.  We aren’t battling for territory anymore.  We aren’t petitioning the colonies.  The palace still rules on minor disputes, but mainly my power is indirect.  I advocate for my people when the national government is setting its agenda.  I enjoy the role.  I want to improve the lives of all my subjects.  I want them to have clean water.  I want them to have quality education.  But my main focus is development.  I want our kingdom to become a tourist hub.  The income would transform so many lives, and we have so much to offer.  We have a beautiful river.  We have a great history.  And we have some of the oldest artifacts in Ghana.  In 1680 the Dutch built a castle on our shores, and my people captured it.  It was the first time in history that a black man owned a castle.  We held it for several years.  Eventually we gave it back, on one condition: they had to let us keep the keys.”
(Akwamufie, Ghana)

A feature worth a thousand words

As a photographer, I am always curious to see what other photographers make. With Image Properties in Vivaldi, you can learn a lot about how a photo is taken. Right-click an image and select Image Properties from the context menu. Voilà! It will reveal details based on image metadata, presented in a sidebar.

Here, I’ll share with you some examples. Make sure to inspect them!

The camera you have with you

Norwegian lake Mjøsa

The picture above was shot on an iPhone XS on a sunny autumn day near my hometown. Based on the camera used you can infer quite a bit. The photographer was likely not actively looking for a photo opportunity, but when one presented itself the phone was readily available.

The iPhone chose a fast exposure at around 1/4000s. By looking at the luminance histogram you can tell it is well exposed. There is little to no clipping of shadows and highlights, and the luminance curve has a slant towards the right-hand side. In the color histogram, you easily make out the red and green midtones from the ground, as well as the blue highlights from the sky.

Light streaks

Cars passing by on a highway in Oslo

Let’s take another example. The picture above shows light streaks from passing cars. To get that effect you need a longer exposure, in this case, 5 seconds. To avoid capturing too much light, the aperture is maxed out at f/22, which is changeable in a pro camera like the 5DmkIII. The ISO is lowered to 50, again to avoid capturing too much light and allowing for a longer exposure.

Looking at the luminance histogram you can tell the image is clipping shadows quite a bit, and the bright highlights in the street lamps are clipping highlights. The focal length of 58mm reveals that the lens used is a zoom lens.

Portrait

Atle holding a 3D-printed Vivaldi “D”

The final example, shows a moderately shallow depth of field, rendering the background behind Atle pleasantly out of focus. The fast f/2.0 aperture 23mm focal length on the APS-C-size sensor in the X100F manages this but requires the photographer to be close to his subject. 200 ISO is as low as the camera will go, but luckily a shutter speed of 1/80 is enough to manage a sharp capture — even in my shaky hands.

You can tell by the luminance histogram that there is clipping in the shadows and highlights. But this image is processed, so the clipping is likely intentional.

Try it out

As a designer, I am proud that Vivaldi makes inspecting images a breeze. We often hear from photographers, photo bloggers, and enthusiasts who use Image Properties in their daily work. 

Currently, Image Properties can display:

  • Filename and URL
  • Camera make and model
  • Aperture, ISO and exposure
  • Focal length
  • White balance mode
  • Luminance, RGB and individual channel histogram
  • Dimensions (in pixels) and megapixel count
  • Size (in bytes)
  • Colorspace used
  • GPS coordinates (and lookup link)
  • Copyright
  • Date and time
  • JPEG orientation
  • Software used to create the file

A word of warning. Only data that is provided as metadata will be displayed. However, some images simply have no metadata, e.g. some websites will remove it as part of their image optimization steps, and some applications will remove it to protect user privacy.

Last but not least, using the Image Properties feature means you might be able to drop an extension or two. This has been part of the Vivaldi philosophy from the word go — we add built-in functionality to boost performance and make browsing smarter.

Are you using Image Properties to inspect images? Any other hacks that we should know about? Let us know in the comments.

تغيير اسم مدرسة الفتاة اللاجئة في القدس : صدفة سيئة ام تنسيق ممنهج؟

Blind racism

تغيير اسم مدرسة الفتاة اللاجئة في القدس : صدفة سيئة ام تنسيق ممنهج؟

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قبل أسبوع قررت حكومة إسرائيل اغلاق مدارس وكالة الغوث للاجئين في القدس، واليوم نسمع عن تغيير اسم الفتاة اللاجئة الى اسم آخر.

نعرف تبرير حكومة الاحتلال المتغطرس كالعادة ، فحكومة نتان43629510_10161207463035093_4672076312330895360_nياهو تحاول الركوب على أي فرصة تحصد فيها المزيد من التخنيقات من تغيير للوضع الحالي الى وضع دائم. فموضوع العودة واللاجئين يبقى صخرة لا تستطيع السلطة زحزحتها من طريق إسرائيل ، كما لا تستطيع إسرائيل الا استخدام ما يمليه ترامب من تبجح واستعلاء في فرصة قد تعتبرها إسرائيل الأفضل من تأسيسها.

فهنا نرجع الى سؤال مبدأي قد يكون بالفعل حان وقت طرحه بلا تردد ولا تهكم.

ما هو دور السلطة الفلسطينية في الشأن الفلسطيني؟ هل هي فعلا ذراع لتنفيذ المخططات الإسرائيلية الصهيونية لإغلاق ملف فلسطين الى الأبد، او الى ما نشهده الان كخط بداية جديد لشكل الدولة الفلسطينية؟

فلا يمكن ان يكون ما يحدث مجرد مصادفات سيئة ، ولا يمكن ان تكون السلطة بهذا الغباء، ولا يمكن ان يكون الطمع والجشع قد أعمى قلوب السماسرة ليصبح الوطن رقما ماليا يضاف الى جيوبهم؟

تتالي الضربات الموجعة، لا تسمح لنا حتى بمتابعتها، ولا بفرض أولويات للاكثر أهمية فالاكثر أهمية منها .

في القدس تحديدا هناك مسألة الخان الأحمر الذي سيؤدي هدمه الى فتح طريق (E) ضمن المخطط الأصلي لضم مستعمرة معاليه ادوميم الي القدس وفصل أبو ديس والعيزرية من خلال بوابة وعزلها وبالتالي فصل تام للضفة الغربية لشمالها عن جنوبها.

زيارات المستعمرين التي صارت للمسجد الأقصى وكأنها امر عادي يكتفي الاعلام بذكر الخبر فيها.عزل كامل للحارات بالقدس واغلاق تام بسبب اعياد جديدة لم تعد تنحصر بيوم الغفران. فما جرى من إغلاق حول الشيخ جراح قبل يومين بسبب عيد لا يعرف عنه اليهود انفسهم يؤكد مرة اخرى عن نية العزل وامكانية تنفيذها متى شاؤوا.

متحف مدرسة شميدت ،اعرق مدارس القدس ، صار من معروضات متحف جامعة تل ابيب الدائمة ، ولا وزارة اثار ولا خارجية ولا دينية تحدث لخبر. ووزارة التربية والتعليم في هذا الامر كاليتيم في “البؤساء” …

العقارات حدث ولا حرج……

عمارة تسر القلوب وسط القدس على مشارف المصرارة، مقابل ما نراه من أسرلة كاملة للعقارات في الشارع المقابل والموازي ، يتبين بعد بنائها أنها بيعت لجهة استيطانية، وأسماء بارزة في الموضوع ، تؤكد ان ما خفي من عقارات أخرى تم بيعها بلا شك اعظم.

عقار حارة السعدية لعائلة مقدسية معروفة ، تبكي العيون بجد عندما ترى أصحابه الجدد قد استوطنوه!

في سلوان تتكشف العقارات المبيوعة تباعا ….. والتبريرات صارت وقاحة مليئة بالبلاغة المصطنعة والمصطلحات الوطنية.

تغيير محافظ القدس المفاجيء في ظروف كهذه كان الأكثر غرابة في ظل وضع يتم الهجوم على القدس وتسطير مصيرها لما يريدونه ان يكون الى الابد.

كيف يتم تغيير محافظ كالذي كان مما يشكله من معالم رمزية على ألأقل ، وهو مهم للغاية في حالة القدس تحديدا ،في وقت تحتاج فيه القدس إلى الترابط الآمن مما تبقى فيها من اهتزازات لا تنتهي.

تبرير وزارة التربية والتعليم بالنسبة الى المدرسة المذكورة، لا يقنع طفل صغير، فاهتمام الوزارة لعدم “خربشة” الانسان العادي من فروع المدرسة من ألف وباء وجيم مضحك. فلا افهم كيف عشنا طيلة هذه السنوات مع تعدد فروع المدارس المختلفة من الف الى باء او واحد الى اثنين بلا زعزعة لأذهاننا وتركيزنا.

السؤال هنا ، هل هناك تنسيق بين وزارة التربية والتعليم والاحتلال ؟ هذا ليس سؤالا تشكيكيا ولا سؤالا تهكميا . فلا يمكن ان نستمر في الادعاء ان ما يحدث من حولنا يبقى في محض الصدفة.

إن تخلي السلطة الفلسطينية عن القدس تدريجيا عن القدس انتهت تدرجاته فلم يبق من القدس الا بعض المعالم المتمثلة بمن لا يزال يحمل حلم الهوية والوطن في وجدانه فيتمسك بما يعرفه من ثوابت.

لماذا لا يتم وضع الانسان الفلسطيني في القدس امام حقيقة الوضع .

فان كان ما يصح من قول بأن هناك من سكان القدس من يصطفون أمام جمعية الاستيطان من اجل بيع ما لهم من حصص في عقارات او اراضي. كما هو صحيح من اصطفاف السكان امام الداخلية في واد الجوز من اجل فرصة للحصول على الجنسية الاسرائيلية.

كما الهرولة للتعليم في الجامعات والكليات الاسرائيلية من اجل فرصة لعمل في القدس “الاسرائيلية”.

والتركيز على التعليم ومؤسساته ليس عبثا، بل هو الأهم في معركتنا الحالية لما هو قادم في مستقبل هذا الوطن، إذا ما أردنا لأبنائنا وطنا لا مكان عيش.

فإذا ما كانت السلطة تريد تحويلنا الى سكان يكتفون باللقمة والمسكن والتعليم بلا انتماء ولا هوية ، فإن ما يجري مناسب تماما في طمس ومسح الهوية الوطنية من عقول الجيل الحالي من الاطفال…..

واختم بنفس السؤال الذي بدأت منه ، إذا كان ما يجري مجرد صدفة او أخطاء غير مقصودة … أين التخطيط والتفكير والتحليل والاستعداد والعدة امام ما يجري. كانت أوسلو خطأ تحول الى خطيئة سببها احتساب النوايا الحسنة نحو الاحتلال. اليوم ونحن نعرف ان هذا الاحتلال جاء ليكون استعمارا دائما ، ونحن هنا شعب وسلطة ، اليس هناك من يقدم أفكارا وطروحات وحلول وبدائل للوضع المعاش على فوهة بركان لا يتهاون الاحتلال عن تفجيره؟

ملاحظة: هل هو أيضا من قبيل المصادفة ان مدرسة الفتاة اللاجئة في احد فروعها كانت موضوع سابق لعقار تم تأجيره لبلدية الاحتلال لتصبح مدرسة تابعة رسميا لإسرائيل ؟

New York State Investigates Allegations of Trump Tax Fraud

New York State Investigates Allegations of Trump Tax Fraud:

seandotpolitics:

The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance has launched an investigation following a New York Times report that says U.S. President Donald Trump used questionable schemes and outright fraud to avoid paying taxes and greatly increase his fortune, which started with money from his parents.

The agency began the probe Tuesday at the request of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.

“I’ve directed NYC’s Department of Finance to immediately investigate tax and housing violations and to work with NY State to find out if appropriate taxes were paid,” de Blasio, a Democrat, wrote Tuesday evening in a post on Twitter.

“My mother had a lot of problems in her life, so I grew up…

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“My mother had a lot of problems in her life, so I grew up without her.  It was a difficult childhood.  Everything that I’ve accomplished came from the kindness of others.  My first angel was my grandmother, who let me live with her.  My second angel was my first grade teacher.  Her name was Madam Felicia.  I had no confidence when I met her.  I thought I was dull because I never did well on my examinations.  But she saw greatness in me.  She taught me how to study and think.  Then in fourth grade I met my third angel, Madam Faustina.  She was also my teacher.  After hearing my story, I think she decided to take me as her son.  She promised to support me as long as I worked hard.  She grew me up.  She taught me the Bible.  She paid for my books and school fees.  I’m in university now, but even yesterday she called to see if I needed anything.  I’m currently studying to be a lecturer.  I’m taking three different majors.  I want to help people.  It’s only natural because of all the people who helped me.  I feel like there are so many people out there who can do great things, but are doomed unless they find someone to help them.”  
(Accra, Ghana)

Brett Needs To Go Away

The SCOTUS is suppose to be a neutral arena for the decisions on laws in this country…..granted all judges have a partisan side but they keep it to themselves because of the rulings they will be asked to hand down…….Kavanaugh has taken the step that will taint every decision he gives…..

He made sure that he let it been known that these were his words and no one influenced his composition of statement….

Brett Kavanaugh admits he “might have been too emotional at times” when he testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week—but he says he will be an impartial judge if confirmed to the Supreme Court. “I was very emotional last Thursday, more so than I have ever been,” he writes in a Wall Street Journal op-ed. “I know that my tone was sharp, and I said a few things I should not have said,” Kavanaugh writes, explaining that he was “forceful and passionate” because of his “overwhelming frustration at being wrongly accused … of horrible conduct completely contrary to my record and character” and at the “unfairness” of how the sexual assault allegations had been handled.

Kavanaugh, who was criticized for the partisan tone of his testimony and his angry responses to Sen. Amy Klobuchar, among others, says he will be continue to be “hardworking, even-keeled, open-minded, independent, and dedicated to the Constitution and the public good.” As a judge, he says, “I have always treated colleagues and litigants with the utmost respect.” The Supreme Court “must never be viewed as a partisan institution,” he writes, promising to “strive to be a team player” if confirmed. “I revere the Constitution,” he writes. “I believe that an independent and impartial judiciary is essential to our constitutional republic.” (More than 1,000 law professors signed a letter to the Senate saying Kavanaugh lacks “judicial temperament.”)

Playing to the lowest denominator Brett has proven that he is not fit to be a judge appointed for life.  He is a partisan hack…..not judicial quality.

The accusations be damn……the reality of his temperament shows that he is a petty person that does not belong on the highest court in the land.

If confirmed then a possible impeachment should be considered.  PERIOD!