Flamboyant India all-rounder Hardik Pandya opened up on the time after the infamous Koffee with Karan controversy. In 2019 Hardik and KL Rahul were invited on a popular chat show hosted by Bollywood director and producer Karan Johar Koffee with Karan. The episode was aired officially on January 6 and within hours it was much-talk about event of the year. During the show, Hardik made some misogynistic and sexist comments which led to a huge controversy. Later, the all-rounder took to Twitter and apologized for hurting peoples sentiments. Both Hardik and Rahul were suspended by BCCI, which was lifted after some time and they were fined Rs. 20 Lakhs.

Pandya talked about the incident and said he didnt even know what misogynistic meant at that time.

I really didnt know what misogynistic meant. At first, I laughed thinking it was some word being used to make fun of me. Then a friend said, it means someone who strongly dislikes women, Pandya told Times of India.

How can I dislike women? Mom, didi (sister), bhabhi (sister-in-law), Natasa theyre all women. I adore them. My home is all about women. We are, because they are, he added.

The flamboyant all-rounder got married earlier this year with Natasa Stankovic and also became a father.

Pandya further talked about life after the incident and said that he had to lock himself as everything around him started to crumble.

For the first time, I wasnt in control of my own life. Everything around me started to crumble. I had to lock myself up. If not for my family, Id have lost a great deal of everything. They were and continue to remain the backbone the women in my family, he further said.

Today, its my turn to be the backbone of my family, Pandya added.

He also talked about the struggles he faced during his early days and how cricket changed his life and put perspective to it.

I grew up in a family where there was absolute freedom. We were taught to make our own decisions. Ill give my son the same freedom.

We were raised in very tough times. Money was always an issue in the family. We struggled. But we were happy. Cricket gave me and my brother something to fight for. Cricket is once again putting my life in perspective, he signed off.

Hardik is currently representing the Indian team in Australia for the limited-overs series. The 27-year-old has been in sensational form as he scored 210 runs in three-match ODI series against the Australian team.

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Hardik Pandya Sheds Light on Koffee with Karan Controversy, Says 'I Wasnt in Control of my Own Life' - Cricket Country News

The FIA says it will analyse "every aspect" of Romain Grosjean's Bahrain GP crash and "collaborate with all parties involved" in the dramatic accident.

Grosjean's 53G impact with the barriers last Sunday led to the Haas' survivor cell piercing the Armco and to a raging inferno that were cause for concern according to F1 boss Ross Brawn.

From the Haas' trajectory and resistance and how it absorbed the formidable energy upon impact, to the efficiency of the barriers and the performance of Grosjean's personal safety equipment, the FIA's forensic investigation will leave no stone unturned as it breaks down every stage or component of the event.

The role of the track marshals and F1's medical team will also be assessed.

"As with all serious accidents, we will analyse every aspect of this crash and collaborate with all parties involved," said FIA safety director Adam Baker.

"With so much data available in F1, it allows us to accurately determine every element of what occurred and this work has already begun.

"We take this research very seriously, and will follow a rigorous process to find out exactly what happened before proposing potential improvements."

The governing body's investigators will rely on data gathered from "various video streams, including a high speed camera which faces the driver and films at 400 frames per-second to reveal in slow motion what happens to him during the accident".

"Data will also be gathered from the in-car accident data recorder, which will reveal the speed and forces on the car, and the in-ear accelerometers that are moulded to fit inside a driver's ear canal to measure the movement of his head in a crash," said the FIA.

The investigation is expected to take around 6-8 weeks to complete before findings are made public.

All information and data will be added to the FIA's world accident database while the governing body's Serious Accident Study Group [SASG] will use the relevant information across other FIA disciplines for the purpose of improving safety.

Haas

The FIA lost no time to kick off its investigation, with its technical delegate Jo Bauer and head of competitor safety Nuno Costa visiting Haas on Monday to examen the remains of Grosjean's Haas VF-20.

"They were here yesterday, if I say a whole day maybe I exaggerate, but at least six hours, Jo Bauer and Nuno Costa , they were inspecting everything," Haas team boss Guenther Steiner said on Tuesday.

"But they have done with the car, we can take the car back, they have done all their work, but there is no outcome yet. For sure when they do these investigations they can come up with things that can be developed for the future, to be even safer.

"As far as I know they have no issues with our car at all, everything was to regulations."

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FIA sheds light on how it's investigating Grosjean crash - F1i.com

The European Space Agency has released the most detailed map yet of the Milky Way, shedding new light on the workings of our galaxy.

It contains data gathered by the Gaia observatory, which took off from Earth in 2013 and began observing stars in July 2014.

The new Gaia data hasallowed astronomers to trace older and younger stars out towards the very edge of our galaxy -the galacticanti-centre -and even predict the movement of stars over the next 1.6 million years.

This movement is imperceptible to the unaided eye, but is being measured with increasing precision by Gaia and an animation shows the motions of 40,000 stars starting from their current position.

Gaia data sets were previously released in 2016 and 2018.

The spacecraft has recorded the same stars several times by now and is, therefore, able to calculate movements and make predictions more accurately.

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3D map of Milky Way sheds light on workings of galaxy - RTE.ie

World Disability Day is celebrated on December 3rd to mark the importance of people living with disabilities. This years theme is to provide an inclusive society and culture for the needs of people with disability in all aspects. Heres how Rani Mukerji, the eminent Bollywood actress, stepped in to speak about the relevance of this day.

World Disability Day this year thrives on key messages that focus on providing an inclusive culture for the disabled people, giving them the highest standards of health and well-being and removing any discriminatory barriers. The Covid-19 pandemic has given an opportunity to build back better health systems so that they are more inclusive and responsive to the needs of people living with disabilities.

On this day, the talented Bollywood actress, Rani Mukerji took an opportunity to speak about the need to be an inclusive and empowering society.

I learnt a lot about humanity by doing these outstanding, sensitive films like Black and Hichki. I think these films contributed to making me a better human being and Im fortunate that I got to do these films and be a part of such beautiful cinematic visions of Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Siddharth P. Malhotra. I hope these films managed to spark the right conversations in society about the need to treat everyone as an equal, said Rani Mukerji.

Rani Mukherji has always been a pioneering actress, leading the way in reel life and in real life both.Critics and audiences rate her performance in Sanjay Leela Bhansalis Black to be her masterpiece and her acting in Hichki, as one of her best performances. Her excellent acting as a specially-abled girl Michelle McNally in Black, who strikes a beautiful and soulful bond with her teacher, and her portrayal of a confident Tourette Syndrome patient, Naina Mathur, looking to stamp her presence in this world in the superhit Hichki, helped initiate fundamental societal conversations about inclusivity and the need for equality in the society.

She adds, I learnt about the resolve of people who are determined to triumph despite all odds stacked up against them, their dreams, their aspirations and essaying these powerful girls on screen, made me a stronger human being. Im grateful that I can talk, see, hear and I realised that, as human beings, we might be taking these things for granted.

Rani says cataloguing of human beings because of their handicap must end at all cost. She says, For me, Black and Hichki were emotional experiences that opened my eyes more towards inclusivity for all, kindness and gratitude for what we have. As citizens of this country, we must all do our bit to constantly bring conversations about inclusivity and equality to the fore. Every citizen has rights and I realised that there is a lot of work that we all need to put in, individually, to stop discrimination and stereotyping of individuals like those I have portrayed in Black and Hichki.

Also Read:National Pollution Control Day 2020: 9 Ways to take initiatives for pollution control to save the environment

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World Disability Day: Rani Mukerji sheds light on the need to be an inclusive society - PINKVILLA

4:50pm, 02 December 2020

NZ Herald

Scott Robertson has shed light on his potential involvement with the British and Irish Lions, admitting its highly likely he joins Warren Gatlands coaching staff.

The Crusaders coach revealed in August after missing out on the All Blacks job to Ian Foster, he approached Gatland about joining the team in their tour of South Africa in 2021, with a desire to fill out his CV with international coaching experience.

Robertson says hes in ongoing talks with Lions management, which have been promising.

The Aotearoa Rugby Pod discuss the performance of super sub Will Jordan in the All Blacks 38-0 win over the Pumas in their final Tri-Nations match.

Weve had some good conversations the last couple of weeks around the opportunity. Im looking at potentially being involved with the team, that could play against the Springboks and then stay on in some capacity.

It wasnt an assistant role I was wanting it was a learning opportunity for me, [to] help a lot around the professional development and support their current coaching group, it wasnt about being an assistant as such.

Those conversations are continuing its a highly likely chance, Im finding ways I can get there.

Any involvement will follow on from the 46-year-olds duties in Super Rugby, where he will look to win a fifth consecutive title with the Canterbury franchise in next year.

The experience Robertson is after will ideally aid in him landing a more prominent role, likely outside of New Zealand, should his time with the Crusaders finish up soon.

Robertson earlier revealed he had aspirations to coach oversees, and recognised the sensitive timing around roles on the international market. He played in France for three years to learn French, in the hope of boosting his chances to coach there one day.

The Lions series in South Africa kicks-off on July 3, with the three tests running on three consecutive weekends from July 24.

Meanwhile, Robertson has this morning revealed his squad for next years Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign, and will need to utilise the depth within his squad right off the bat.

All Black Braydon Ennor is out for the entire season with an ACL injury, while fellow international George Bridge along with Manasa Mataele with miss the start of the season, both with pectoral injuries.

That will see the likes of Leicester Faingaanuku and Dallas McLeod relied on more in the first team, players Robertson has touted as having big seasons in 2021.

Weve got a lot of guys that can play in multiple positions.

Leicester during Mitre 10 Cup was carrying a few people out the on the field, hes an awesome talent. If you want to win championships you need depth and if George is out, Leicester comes in. Theres great completion in all positions.

Listen to the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod below:

This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and is republished with permission.

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Scott Robertson sheds further light on 'likely' role with British and Irish Lions - RugbyPass

Colt McCoy makes pass vs. Bengals

Heading into practice on Wednesday, Giants head coach Joe Judge said that backup QB Colt McCoy will take a majority of the first-team reps as the team prepares for their matchup against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Daniel Jones is still working hard to get healthy, but there was an outside chance that he would be ready to go.

So the Giants are potentially getting ready for a McCoy-led offense, which will be his first start since Week 5 of last year when the Washington Football Team played the New England Patriots. It was a 33-7 loss for McCoy and his previous start after that came in Week 13 of the 2018 season with the Football Team again a 28-13 loss to the Eagles where he completed all four of his passes before the ball was given to Mark Sanchez instead. One more start in the week prior of that season was also a loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

In fact, McCoy hasn't won a start since Week 8 of the 2014 season.

But that didnt deter Judge from saying that he is extremely confident in the veterans abilities if and when he has to go under center for the Giants.

I have a lot of confidence in Colt, he told reporters Wednesday via Zoom. The way this guy comes to work every day and prepares and then every chance he gets on the field to compete look, Ive been able to coach against this guy and now hes with us right now. You can see how competitive he is. Hes got a lot of instincts, a lot of savvy, and draws on his experience. Hes a tough dude. Hes mentally tough, hes physically tough and hes a guy whos very well respected on this team in the locker room and on the field. The guys like Colt and they rally around him.

Trust from players and coaches goes a long way, but what exactly do the Giants like about McCoy that makes them feel that way? Well, QB coach Jerry Schuplinski made it clear last night that McCoy had a great training camp that impressed defensive coordinator Patrick Graham given he was lighting up his defense during practices.

Story continues

When you also take a look back at those performances from McCoy, youll see a quarterback who can roam the pocket and as Judge pointed out use instincts to feel pressure and make plays happen. However, there are times when McCoy does scramble and seems to panic, causing turnovers. He had three interceptions in that game against the Cowboys despite throwing for over 250 yards (he also threw for two touchdowns).

But there are a couple of things working in McCoys favor that the Giants will hope can be utilized on Sunday no matter who's quarterbacking.

For one, the offensive line is improving by the week and that not only helps Wayne Gallman & Co. in the run game, but it should help McCoy from running around for his life. And make no mistake: The Giants will most likely try to pound the ball on the Seahawks, kill clock and limit Russell Wilsons time with the ball in his hands. McCoy will, then, be tasked with making the necessary throws to game manage and get points on the board kind of like what happened when Jones went down this past Sunday.

Well, I think the line obviously throughout the year works together and made a lot of improvement, Judge said. I think its a reflection of how these guys are able to compete through games together and how thats improved.

Also, it helps that McCoy and the Giants will be playing against one of the worst defenses in the league this year. Forget what happened on Monday night against the Eagles because Philly has its own issues on offense. Despite the record, the Seahawks are allowing an atrocious 418.1 yards per game. And most of that yardage comes through the air 328.8 per game to be exact.

So while the front seven might be solid in the run game, McCoy should be able to find his plethora of weapons on the outside open. Evan Engram will be a target to watch considering Seattle has allowed 585 yards and five touchdowns to tight ends this season. Dallas Goedert had his way with Jamal Adams, for example, on Monday night. Theres also Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard with very reliable short-to-medium route trees that should be able to work.

Will the deep ball be available? Maybe if the Seahawks get too lax. But the Giants should be banking on McCoy to hit his shorter throws whether that be designed screens, hitches and digs that will eat up chunks of yards and clock.

The Giants are an improving team by the week and their three-game win streak shows it. If Jones cant go, it will be up to McCoy to rely on his instincts and work with that improvement. Try not to do too much and make sure the ball stays away from Seattles offense. That is where the Giants can come away with an upset and keep their NFC East lead intact.

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Colt McCoy's recent starts shed light on what Giants' game plan should be if he plays in Week 13 - Yahoo Sports

11 months after COVID-19 was spreading rampantly in China, a new leak from Hubei sheds some light on what was happening.Some documents leaked from the Hubei Centre for Disease Control talk about an undisclosed influenza that was spreading at the same time when COVID-19 had just been reported.

The leaked content also revealshow China presented optimistic figures to its citizens that were far from the reality on the ground.

On January 23, 2020, the ferocious coronavirus was spreading in Wuhan, and the city was overwhelmed by the rise in cases, and an unprecedented lockdown was imposed. Wuhan's 11 million residents were ordered to stay at home. The Chinese regime then began an aggressive campaign to control all information.

Soon after, armed policemen replaced civilians on the streets, and journalists reporting from ground zero began to disappear. Then, lab samples of the coronavirus were destroyed.

Ten months after the lockdown, and the memory still etched into peoples memories. The Chinese regime too is yet to face any accountability. Now, a string of shocking revelations have emerged in a leak from where it all began. 117 pages of classified documents have been leaked from the Hubei provincial Center for Disease Control & Prevention.

It reveals numerous inconsistencies in what was happening and what was revealed to the public. The report refers to an undisclosed early December influenza at the same time when COVID-19 had emerged.

Another health crisis

The documents show that another health crisis was unfolding: The Hubei province was reportedly dealing with a significant influenza outbreak, which was felt most severely in Yichang & Xianning.

Wuhan - the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak was the third-worst hit. The documents show the outbreak was not disclosed to the public, which added enormous levels of additional stress on the already stretched health-care system.

The two outbreaks may or may not be linked - but the fact that China revealed no information regarding the magnitude of the influenza spike raises questions. The documents also show a wide-range of COViD-19 data on two specific days - February 10 and March 7.

But the figures released for these dates by the Chinese regime don't match at all. On February 10, China reported 3,911 new confirmed cases nationwide. But the documents show that the Hubei province was circulating a different total of 5,918 new cases.

On March 7, China reported 2,986 deaths in the Hubei province. But as per the internal documents, the figure was apparently 3,456.

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Leaked document from Hubei sheds light on China`s lies about the gravity of COVID-19 - WION

Alex Darus| Banner Correspondent

PROVINCETOWN A Finance Committee member has resigned from her position after criticizing the board leadership for ignoring basic norms of good local governance.

The criticism comes alongside a public focus in recent months on Finance Committee Chairman Mark Hatchs alleged social media posts on his private accounts demeaning members of the public.

Cultivating a culture of silence within a committee is a recipe for dysfunctionality, committee member Dorie Seavey wrote in her Nov. 19 resignation letter sent to the committee and Town Moderator Mary-Jo Avellar, who appoints committee members.

Seavy, who is a social impact consultant and community activist with a Ph.D. in economics, alleges that Hatch has not followed procedures put in place for the committee, a shortfall she says is ultimately leading to public distrust.

Ive watched the reputation of the committee sink in the public eye; it really has concerned me, Seavey said to the Banner in a phone interview Nov. 25.

The tipping point for Seavey came after she tried to raise two issues during a Nov. 17 committee meeting one, that the committee had not voted in new officers as required yearly by the town charter and, two, that in her 18 months on the board they had not reviewed the code of conduct policy, which states it must be reviewed annually.

For Seavy, the lack of review of the code of conduct, in particular, comes at a time when the public and the press have expressed deep concern regarding the social media conduct of Hatch himself, her letter states.

Hatch, who has chaired the all-volunteer committee five out of the six years he has been a member, did not return a call from the Banner on Monday, and has not returned previous calls as well.

The primary role of the nine-person committee is to provide independent recommendations to town meeting voters separate from the Select Board and town administrators on any proposed financial matters.

Hatch has faced criticism from others about alleged social media activity. Resident Laura Rood claims Hatch has violated the town charter and the Finance Committee's own code of conduct with misogynistic, racist, anti-Semitic, insulting and degrading posts on social media, according to her June 10 complaint to the Select Board.

Residents Robert Small-Jason and Stephanie Page want Hatch removed from the committee.

His online vulgarities and misogynistic remarks to members of the community need to see him removed from his board position, Small-Jason said in his June 8 email to the Select Board.

In her June 11 complaint to the Select Board and Avellar, Page called for Hatch to be removed from the board as well. Page alleges that Hatch uses a blocking mechanism on Facebook to avoid anyone who is a target of his remarks from seeing the information.

Further, this past summer part-time resident Alan Roth distributed fliers critical of Avellars hands-off approach with Hatch by standing outside of Bubulas By the Bay restaurant, where she works. The fliers referred to her as the Donald Trump of Provincetown and advised those planning to eat at Bubalas to be asked to be seated by someone else.

Avellar, in response to the complaints about Hatchs social media use, maintains that private comments on social media are free speech, and that she is not in the business of censoring anyone.

For Seavey, though, there has been a struggle to raise objections and issues.

In recent months, she said she asked Hatch to make both the election of officers and the code of conduct review agenda items for the board to consider. However, she said those requests were denied, which is why at the end of the Nov. 17 meeting, Seavey said she tried to raise the issues as general points of order, particularly after the Select Board had recently taken up the idea of a code of conduct for other town boards.

However, she said she was cut off by Hatch before she could finish her statement, at the moment when the meeting was about to go over its one-hour limit.

I was not inspired by the Select Board. I told you Dorie that will not be on an agenda. You requested it, I denied you. Thats that, Hatch said, based on a recorded version of the Nov. 17 meeting.

On the same day Seavey sent her resignation, on Nov. 19, Hatch sent out an email to the committee saying that elections will be addressed at the next Finance Committee meeting, she said.

Im glad if it does but it sure took a long time, Seavey said.

Denying agenda items, in Seaveys experience, has also been an issue with Hatch as the chairman.

Agendas are designed to serve the entire committee, Seavey said to the Banner.

For months, the committee has been mired in a question of whether to allow part-time residents, or nonresidents, to be appointed as alternate members, as allowed by the town charter. In March, the towns Charter Compliance Commission determined that the Finance Committee and the town moderator did not violate the charter by refusing to appoint a part-time resident.

In an effort to help improve the reputation of the Finance Committee, Seavey says she requested an agenda item in August proposing to work with the town moderator to improve the process for selecting members of committee, a request she alleges was denied by Hatch.

Seavey said she then requested an agenda item to consider improving the description of the existing selection process to help with confusion, which was also allegedly refused.

I find it nothing less than preposterous that this committee could meet roughly a dozen times over the last year and never once address the enormous confusion, Seavey said.

In her letter of resignation, Seavey also alleges that the letter submitted on behalf of the Finance Committee to September 2020 town meeting voters was never reviewed by the committee. In this case, she claims Hatch abused his authority.

While Hatch has kept quiet when asked for comment by the Banner, Finance Committee member Mark Del Franco said at a Nov. 23 Select Board, during public statements, that Seaveys complaints were part of a tension on the board that he did not understand.

It had a lot to do with the board member refusing to follow procedure and not liking being called out on it, Del Franco said. Others making complaints against the Finance Committee have no legal basis and are attempting to smear anyone who disagrees with those making the complaints, Del Franco said.

These are all volunteer and good people, Del Franco said of the committee, adding that dissenters give legal cover to nutcases, giving the example of Roth protesting at Avellars place of work.

Seavey, in turn, says she was taken aback by Del Francos comments because she said it is Hatchs policy that committee members need to have public comments cleared in advance.

Back in February, Seavey was the only member of the Finance Committee who was open to considering the application from a part-time resident to serve as an alternate. At the time, the majority opinion was that the town charter should be changed to align the Finance Committee with other regulatory boards and the Select Board, which would disqualify part-time residents from serving.

Seaveys resignation, she said, has everything to do with procedures not being followed.

Its not about getting part-timers on the committee, its not about challenging the moderators authority, its really about our responsibility to have good committee governance to therefore give people a reason to trust us, she said.

In light of Seaveys resignation, Avellar said she is bothered by townspeople who cannot agree to disagree about situations.

I feel sorry that shes taken this course because she was a good and valued member, I believe, even if people didnt agree with her, Avellar said.

Avellar stands with her belief that censorship is wrong.

I'm just not going to get rid of people because I dont like what they say or I don't agree with them, Avellar said. And if people want to vote me out of office, its their right to do so.

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Resignation from Provincetown Finance Committee sheds light on on-going tension on town board - Wicked Local

Entitled Young Poland The Polish Arts and Crafts Movement 1890-1918, explores the works of Young Poland artists in the context of international arts and crafts movements, as opposed to art nouveau with which they are commonly associated. Ognisko Polskie

A beautiful new book giving a fresh perspective on Polands interwar artists of the Young Poland movement goes on sale tomorrow (December 1st).

One of the key figures of the movement was Stanisaw Wyspiaski, who was a contemporary of William Morris and whose painting, Motherhood, is one of the most iconic images associated with the movement.National Museum in Krakw

Entitled Young Poland The Polish Arts and Crafts Movement 1890-1918 , the book which is in English, explores the works of Young Poland artists in the context of international arts and crafts movements, as opposed to art nouveau with which they are commonly associated.

Featured on the Financial Timess list of Best new art books for autumn, it draws particular parallels with the English arts and crafts movement led by William Morris.

Other artists and works featured in the book include Jzef Mehoffer and his unfinished freize Nature and Art.National Museum in Krakw

During an online book launch, co-editor and curator at the William Morris Gallery, Julia Griffin, said: It is the worlds first book on Young Poland, seen from the arts and crafts perspective.

Over the last century, young Poland has been viewed almost exclusively in the context of European art nouveau, this does not allow for a more nuanced understanding of the complexity and values of the movement, it is also contrary to how Young Poland makers viewed their own practice, openly disassociating themselves from art nouveau, so we very much hope that our book can change the existing paradigm arguing that Young Poland displayed more fundamental parallels with the international arts and crafts movement which began in Britain in the 1880s.

Roisin Inglesby, senior curator at the William Morris Gallery, said there were many visuals similarities between William Morriss work and that of the Young Poland movement even though they were created in different countries and at different times. Ognisko Polskie/Twitter

Comparison Between Wyspianski's Pansie's design from 1897 and William Morris's Trellis Wallpaper 1862.Ognisko Polskie/Twitter

Young Polandbegan under the Austrian partition of Poland at the end of the 19th century in an area known as Galicia, today the area around Krakw and Zakopane in the Tatra Mountains. It was a patriotic movement which was largely a response to the non-existence of Poland at the time, when it was under partition between Austria, Russia and Prussia.

The National Museum of Krakw has the largest collection of art from Young Polandin the worldandmany of the works featured in the book can be found in the museums collections and other Krakw institutions.

The book is featured on the Financial Times list of Best new art books for autumn.FT

One of the key figures of the movement was Stanisaw Wyspiaski, who was a contemporary of William Morris and whose painting, Motherhood, is one of the most iconic images associated with the movement.

Other artists and works featured in the book include Jzef Mehoffer and his unfinished freize Nature and Art, Henryk Uziembos Stanied glass Spring and Stanisaw Witkiewiczs exterior and interior design for the House under the Firs in Zakopane, which initiated and popularised the Zakopane style of architecture and interior decoration.

Co-editor of the book, Professor Andrzej Szczerski, Director of the National Museum in Krakw, said that contacts between Polish and British arts and crafts artists of the pre-war period have been underestimated.ukasz Ggulski/PAP

The book also explores the contribution of less commonly known artists of the period, including Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska, who was more famous for her poetry, but who also painted intricate watercolours inspired by folk themes and Karol Kowsowski, who was a sculptor, creator of intricate wood carvings for the design of his Silent Villa, and also produced intricate and unique animal themed paper cuttings and lace designs.

Through a series of over 250 elaborate supporting images, the book seeks to show how the artists of Young Poland were more than just art nouveau inspired painters and were instead heavily inspired by the craftsmanship of highlanders from the Tatra mountains, as well as nature, history and peasant traditions and embraced these themes in their craft as well as their paintings.

Amongst others, the book tells the story of Young Poland through images of furniture, architectural and interior designs, paper cuttings and textiles, as well as wood carvings and stained glass and more unusual objects like engraved book bindings and even Christmas decorations.

The book will be published on the 1st December by Lund Humphries and will be available on the William Morris Gallery website.

During the books online launch, co-editor Julia Griffin from the William Morris Gallery said: It is the worlds first book on Young Poland, seen from the arts and crafts perspective.Ognisko Polskie/YouTube

It is the pre-cursor to a major exhibition of the same name which will be held at William Morris Gallery in October 2021.

The book was the result of a length research project co-financed by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and was edited by Prof Andrzej Szczerski, Director of the National Museum in Krakw and art historian Julia Griffin from the William Morris Gallery and co-authored with Roisin Inglesby, Senior Curator, William Morris Gallery.

Link:
'Best new art book for autumn' sheds fascinating light on the Young Poland art movement - The First News

The big splash of the Spurs offseason came last week when they locked in one of the returning pieces from the Kawhi Leonard trade by re-signing Jakob Poeltl. The deal, worth just over a reported $26 million through three years, didnt come as a total shock, but it could be a bolder move than many give it credit for.

For a team with ample raw materials, its not been clear how the Spurs will put them togetherat least not in ways that matter for winning teams. Can they establish a defensive identity? What will their defensive style be like? Which young player(s) develop star-level upside, and how would the other pieces complement on offense? Most of these questions remain unanswered, but the draft selection of FSUs Devin Vassell, Brian Wrights comments afterward, and now the commitment to Poeltl give us an outline to work with.

Lets start with the Poeltl contract and work our way backwards.

After averaging just 16.5 and 17.7 minutes his last two seasons in San Antonio, Poeltls new deal suggests a larger role moving forward as the team reloads. Also, theres this statement he made during his media availability last week:

There was some conversations about my role and how the team is going to look in the future. That was a big part of my decision as well. I wanted to be on a team where I felt comfortable and would get along and play well alongside my teammates.

Whether it happens during this season or after the summer of 2021 when LaMarcus Aldridges contract is up, it certainly appears that Poeltl will step in as the teams new starting center. Those two remain difficult to pair up at the same time, so Poeltl may need to wait unless the Spurs can convince Aldridge of the move amid a contract year, or they trade him earlier.

The Spurs have reason to put their faith in Poeltl, even if they didnt show it with minutes the past two years. His first season in San Antonio, the team went 16-8 with him as a starter; in last years forgettable 32-39 campaign, they went 9-9.

Can he stretch the floor? No, his longest shots as a Spur are the occasional push-shot-cum-jumper from 19 feet away. And while he did connect on 60% of those last season (really good!), hell likely keeping doing most of his scoring around the basket. That production will largely depend on others because of his lack of self-creation, save for those crafty fake hand-offs which spring him for open runs at the rim.

Defensively he can hold his own on switches, but hes going to guard pick and rolls by stunting and showing and dropping back whenever possible. And as we saw in Orlando versus Joel Embiid, he can be overmatched by bruising bigs.

Theres certainly room for growth: Poeltl can do more as a facilitator and improve his free-throw shooting, for starters. But for the purposes of team-building, Poeltl is what he is, and that gives us an idea of the other four players the Spurs may envision around him.

Poeltls strengths as a defender have been evident through two seasons in San Antonio. Opponents shot 11.8% worse within 6 feet of the rim when he was the primary defender last season, putting him in the mix with some of the leagues better deterrents. Combine that with a high block rate (he averaged 1.4 in limited minutes last season), high basketball IQ and deceptive mobility and you have a fine big to surround with switchable perimeter players. San Antonio dabbled in a switch-heavy scheme in Orlando that was happy to switch 1 through 4 while Poeltl hung back on pick and rolls, and its a formula were likely to see more of next season.

It suits the direction the Spurs have gone in recent drafts, with Vassell as the latest in long, athletic wings that can guard multiple positions, hit the defensive glass, and make plays. Heres Spurs GM Brian Wright after the draft:

Speed, length, shooting ability all hold value, so well continue to look for those things,... I think the league has really changed where you look at guys as one-position playersyoure either a 1, 2, 3, 4 or a 5. I think what you see now is youve got guards, youve got wings and youve got bigs, and depending on who theyre playing with you diversify. And you want guys who are versatile, who can play multiple positions.

The first team that comes to mind when I hear the guard-wing-big talk is Boston. Brad Stevens echoed a similar line in speaking about their approach to team-building three years ago and has ridden it to considerable success in the East. That philosophy has included a de-prioritization of the big position, with the team investing most of its cap space at other positions. The Spurs, with their theoretical starting center of the future on a similarly economical deal, can do the same as they start making use of their open salary books in this summer.

Its an open question as to whether the Spurs are actually trying to replicate what Boston is doing or whether they can with their young pieces who, a) average 2 or 3 inches shorter than the big wings the Celtics have platooned and b) havent threatened to reach the talent level of Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown. But if the idea is a free-flowing, four-out offense with multiple ball-handlers, then Poeltl can be the low-usage big that stirs the drink. Hes a strong screen-setter who can dive to the rim well enough to put pressure on a back-pedaling defender. He and Derrick White already have strong chemistry and, as guys like Dejounte Murray, Lonnie Walker and Keldon Johnson develop as decision-makers off the dribble, itll help to more routinely have Poeltl helping create advantages against a set defense.

Among Spurs rotation players, the Austrian was 4th in assists per 36 minutes last season, thanks largely to working off designated hand-offs and setting up guys like Bryn Forbes, Patty Mills and Marco Belinelli for pull-up jumpers. Whether he can keep getting dimes depends largely on the growth of his young teammates scoring off similar actions.

Poeltl at under $9 million a year should be objectively good value and a tradable contract should the Spurs look to move him. It also means having one likely starter at around 8% of the salary cap. Should the Spurs need a change-of-pace center to close out certain lineups with? PATFO can chase that, too. When youre a young team still trying to figure out who your future stars may be, and where they may come from, thats important.

Retaining him doesnt say much to the ceiling for the Spurs youth movement, but it definitely helps set a floor while laying the groundwork for what the front office decides to do next.

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Jakob Poeltls contract sheds light on what the Spurs may be doing - Pounding The Rock