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Cai Guo-Qiang is the Chinese contemporary artist who lit up the 2008 Beijing Olympics with giant footprints walking across the sky, stretched his half-kilometer-tall explosive Sky Ladderall the way up to heaven, connecting the earth with the universe (the subject of a Netflix documentary),drew inspiration from Botticellis masterpiece Primaverato illuminate Florence with his City of Flowers in the Skydaytime pyrotechnic display depicting thousands of flowers from the Renaissance, installed 99 wolf replicas frozen in motion as they ran in a pack into a glass wall, and created a gunpowder painting on canvas portraying the birth and demise of a sunflower, merging all moments of the cycle into one image. A Chinese global art star living and working in New York City, hes a cross-cultural artist working on universal ideas and themes. Known for his ephemeral multicolored daytime fireworks performances of epic proportions imbued with an elaborate sense of theatricality, his use of gunpowder is central to his practice, with obvious links to Chinese history and the origins of the world. The nature of his work is fleeting: one second its there, the next its gone. In my creations, I always chase after uncertainty or the unstable factor, the troublemaker that sparks the surprising element that I do not anticipate, he points out. He has introduced gunpowder to contemporary art, transforming the tension, fear and recklessness of destruction into beauty, and redefined the possibilities of what art can be.

The Birth of Tragedy daytime pyrotechnic performance by Cai Guo-Qiang celebrating 150 years of ... [+] Hennessy X.O cognac

Within the oppressive and restrictive context of the Chinese Cultural Revolution in which Cai grew up, he found an outlet through the medium of gunpowder, as playing with fireworks set him free. The-62-year-old artist explains, The question is whether you use gunpowder in a violent or more peaceful way, and also whether you can liberate yourself from this very restrained society. So you have a dialogue with gunpowder, and then through your work, you can find another link. Additionally, using gunpowder is in direct contrast to my father, who was a very conservative, timid intellectual my work breaks away from that. The perpetual cycle of life and death is evident throughout his oeuvre, as he explores connections with invisible powers, interested in connecting heaven to earth. Inspired by Chinese traditions such as Taoism, Buddhism, feng shui, TCM, Qi Gong, Confucianism and shan shui, he converses with the cosmos, the universe and his ancestors. I have a curiosity for the unseen world and unseen energies. They have become the foundation of my art, he notes. His pieces create a link between the material and spiritual worlds, using the things we can see to search for what we cannot see.

This year, to celebrate the 150thanniversary of Hennessy X.O (Extra Old) Hennessys iconic cognac comprising long-aged eaux de vie to perfect the blend that was created by Cellar Master Emile Fillioux at the request of Maurice Hennessy the spirit house founded in 1765 by Richard Hennessy reached out to Cai to mastermind an explosive artistic spectacle in its birthplace of Cognac as part of its A World Odyssey anniversary program. Held last September and a year and a half in the making, the three-act performance called The Birth of Tragedyin homage to Friedrich Nietzsches work of dramatic theory of the same name served as a message of hope and unity during a period of uncertainty and was livestreamed to a global audience a first for the Maison and for the artist. The Chinese name for gunpowder, huoyao, means fire medicine, he remarks. It was invented originally with the intention to create the elixir of life; it was never meant to create something explosive, to use as a weapon, so the daytime fireworks is a symbol amidst the pandemic to uplift spirits, heal and carry on with our lives. The pandemic has brought us great difficulties and prompted us to reflect. Were now entering a new chapter of humankinds strenuous odyssey. As Nietzsche elaborates in The Birth of Tragedy, there is a human spirit that, after acknowledging the pain of life, still embraces and enjoys it. After all, mankind is a part of nature, and in life, spring always comes after winter.

City of Flowers in the Sky: Daytime Explosion Event for Florence, carried out above Piazzale ... [+] Michelangelo, 2018, approximately 13 minutes and 30 seconds long, 170 meters tall

Working on water for the first time, Cai staged his 15-minute show from the Charente River running through the town in reference to Hennessys history, as the river had once been the channel through which its cognac traveled to the rest of the world. Seeing the Charente and the barrel workshop along the river in Cognac, I immediately envisioned a picture of wine barrels floating and winding through the river, like a dragon! he exclaims. The three-act fireworks unfold as if on a scroll of calligraphy, a piece of poetic writing and an act of drama. 20,000 fireworks exploded into the daytime sky from 150 oak barrels floating on the rivers surface, starting with a colorful overture of orange oak-colored fireworks, and green and lavender smoke signifying the spontaneous and romantic ethos of France like a group of pleasure-seeking fairies spreading their wings to embrace nature. Act One corresponded with the rhythm of Bring on the Wine, a masterpiece by Chinese Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai who drank and wrote poetry, understood the transient nature of life and all worldly beings, forgot his sorrow and believed in a promising future. Act Two followed with fireworks portraying wild cursive script to echo abstract art, as when Cai had observed his father writing calligraphy as a child. His brush moved swiftly and embodied his emotion and sense of freedom during creation, even though the young Cai couldnt decipher the words. Rather than black calligraphy, the cursive scripts appeared in white in reference to spirits, the sound recalling wolves howling or ghosts wailing. Influenced by Dionysus and Picassos La Bacchanalepainted in 1957, Act Three entitled The God of Wine, A Drama Let the Games Beginsaw thick trails of amber-colored smoke erupt before spitting out white smoke in the shape of a coconut tree, then a flurry of pinks, yellows, blues, greens, oranges, purples and reds intersected chaotically.

Elegy: Explosion Event for the opening of Cai Guo-Qiang: The Ninth Wave on the riverfront of the ... [+] Power Station of Art, Shanghai, 2014, approximately 8 minutes long

Using only non-toxic, reduced smoke, biodegradable and CE-certified pyrotechnic products sourced from a manufacturer aligned with EU environmental regulations, the show was broadcast simultaneously on a big screen in Times Square, at Blends by Hennessy on the Shanghai Bund, across social media platforms and on Hennessy.com. To commemorate the short-lived, intangible performance in a more permanent manner, Cai produced a colored gunpowder painting where he ignited explosives directly onto canvas. Reflecting his vision of the fireworks spectacle he went on to orchestrate, it now forms a part of Hennessys permanent collection and will soon go on a world tour. Hennessy will also be supporting his upcoming exhibition, Odyssey and Homecoming, opening this winter at the Palace Museum in Beijing. In these unprecedented times, what has become particularly clear is that we are one interconnected family, says Hennessy President and CEO, Laurent Boillot. At Hennessy, our roots run deep thanks to longstanding relationships reaching back generations. Today, from his base in New York City, Cai Guo-Qiang reminds us of those time-honored bonds with a masterpiece of universal beauty and resonance. A century and a half after the Hennessy X.O saga began, Cai offers an artistic vision of an odyssey forged by unity, resilience and hope. In the exceptional context of 2020, those values guide us, reminding us how far weve come, and how far we can still travel together.

Cai Guo-Qiang working on a colored gunpowder painting that is now part of Hennessy's permanent ... [+] collection

Hennessys history of artist collaborations dates back to 2000 when Jean-Michel Othoniel created a chest for the limited-edition Hennessy cognac, Beaut du Sicle. Since then, it has partnered with the likes of Kaws, Shepard Fairey, Daniel Arsham, Xavier Veilhan, Zhang Huan, Arik Levy, Futura, Os Gemeos, Ryan McGinness, JonOne, Vhils, Felipe Pantone, Marc Newson, Arik Levy and Tom Dixon. As one of the LVMH Groups biggest moneymakers, Hennessy is a major contributor to French international trade, with 99 % of production sold in export, and a global ambassador for the French art de vivre. First approached by Hennessy at the end of 2017, Cai agreed to the basic concept and collaboration format in early 2019, then conducted his first site visit to Hennessy in July 2019, before creating the artistic content of the explosion event shortly after. After conducting tests in July 2020 in Chinas fireworks capital, Liuyang in Hunan province, he arrived in Cognac 10 days before the spectacle, along with 10 pyrotechnicians from Hunan, 20 French pyrotechnic workers from Toulouse, a technical director from Japan, a documentary film team of seven from China and France and a broadcasting director from Beijing. Due to the pandemic, the event had been postponed from June to September, and the theme altered from celebration to hope and optimism.

Mountain in Heat, 2016, gunpowder on canvas, 239 x 450 cm, private collection

Further commemorating the 150thanniversary of Hennessy X.O, the brand has just released a 150-piece limited-edition decanter designed by world-renowned American architect Frank Gehry. Known for his deconstructivist architecture boasting curved faades, leaning walls and gravity-defying lines that are pure whimsy and poetry, the genius behind the Guggenheim Bilbao, the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris found inspiration in the Hennessy X.O blend, terroir, vines and Charente River to conceive a bottle wrapped in a rippling sleeve of bronze dipped in 24-carat gold that mirrors the waters movement reflecting the light, itself sitting within a fractured clear glass glorifier. I wanted to bring it to life, and so I took inspiration from its birthplace and used this crumpling effect of the material that gives it a feeling of movement, Gehry comments. The materials Ive chosen catch the light and make this a really beautiful object on its own, but then you realize it is a bottle of Hennessy X.O.

Frank Gehry and the limited-edition Hennessy X.O decanter he designed

A brass-and-gold long fusil pipette rounds off the experience, this instrument used by the Hennessy cellar master to extract the extra old cognac without spilling a single drop. The decanter, glorifier and fusil are packaged in a sculptural protective case fashioned from compressed cardboard and imprinted with Gehrys signature, in tribute to his iconic 1970s corrugated cardboard furniture series. Priced at $17,000 and sold through Mot Hennessy branches and by direct request, it also comes in a more accessible version retailing for $200 through the usual network of wine and spirits purveyors in markets worldwide. A World Odyssey also supports the global community through charity initiatives such as Unfinished Business, a new Hennessy program that provides immediate relief and long-term support to black, Asian and Hispanic small business owners, and financing the Thurgood Marshall College Fund that helps African-American students through a financial donation of $1 million over 10 years.

Hennessy X.O anniversary edition by Frank Gehry

Read more:
French Cognac House Hennessy Celebrates The 150th Anniversary Of Its Iconic XO With Cai Guo-Qiang And Frank Gehry - Forbes

Many of us have watched TV shows based in big cities like New York, with characters always on the go and living their best cosmopolitan lives. Think Friends, How I Met Your Mother and Seinfeld, all calling apartments in the city the pulse of all the action home. Like your favourite characters living large in the big city, you can also have that right here in Perth.

Perths CBD offerings are getting bigger, better and brighter. CBD apartment living is on the rise, with apartments getting more significant in size. Just think, you could be right in the thick of Perths ever-changing, exciting urban playground during a time where increasingly more restaurants, bars and venues, including river floating event spaces, continue to open.

Discover six benefits on why it may be time to set the car keys aside and up your step count with apartment-living in the Perth CBD.

Its easy to become a social butterfly in the Perth CBD. It feels as though the city is always abuzz with something going on morning, noon and night. Between theatre shows, sporting activities, cultural events, intimate gigs, walking tours and foodie adventures, you will always find something to do.

If you are no garden guru, then apartment living might be your calling. Why sweat it out with the lawnmower, or invest in DIY backyard Feng Shui when you have plenty of beautifully manicured gardens within an easy, breezy stroll?

Relax in your new backyard; Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Langley Park, Ozone Reserve, Queens Gardens and the foreshore. Or sweat it out and use these stunning urban parks as your new outdoor venue for your workout. Think Jacobs Ladder for the ultimate stair climb, Kings Park for scenic bike rides and Langley Park for social team sports.

Peak hour traffic. Paid parking. Low on petrol. Car maintenance. Those things never excited anyone. Imagine not having to deal with them at all, instead opting for car-free days, with frequent public transport services available or be active walking around the city. The big city life is all about convenience, saving you money and the most precious thing of all time.

Living green has never been sexier. High-density apartment living allows you to live more sustainably, with new apartments all about good design both in and out to help future-proof the environment. New builds focus on energy efficiency such as solar-boosted central gas, maximising natural light and ventilation, green car-share and minimising the consumption of non-renewable resources.

When choosing to walk, catch public transport or cycle for short trips from your apartment, it also helps to reduce your carbon footprint and reduce traffic congestion.

Long gone are the days of being labelled as the sleepy city that shuts after 5pm. Perth has become a trendy, vibrant city, and theres no better time to experience its new zest.

Your bucket list of places to visit will continuously grow thanks to the steady opening of new restaurants, bars, cafes and rooftop venues, some in places that you didnt even know existed.

Step outside your apartment and enter a brighter world thanks to the local governments commitment to brightening the citys laneways, skyscrapers and forgotten spaces. Perth has become an urban canvas, beautified by the paintbrush of both local and international street artists. Its hard to miss their breathtaking, larger-than-life murals around the CBD.

Want to change postcode to start living your best big city life? Find out how you can make the switch to Verdant at 78 Stirling Street, Perth a sustainable and stylishly built 21-storey residential development by Stirling Capital. Visit the website to find out more.

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Big City Life: six undeniable benefits to living in the Perth CBD - PerthNow

I kept telling myself I was OK, says David Byrne, recounting his last seven months living through various stages of lockdown in New York. But like a lot of people, there were mornings when Id wake up, stare at the ceiling and ask myself, What am I doing today and why? There have been moments where you start to wonder what it is all for.

One of the things Byrne has been doing is ink drawings: the former Talking Heads frontman is about to put a set of humorous, hand-drawn images created during the pandemic up for sale. And its through these that you perhaps get a more accurate sense of his state of mind.

Theyre not explicitly about lockdown or being alone, he says. But thats the undercurrent. Doing something creative like this becomes a kind of therapy, where your fears and anxieties come out. Things you maybe darent say to yourself, much less to other people. So someone may look at them and say, Oh, so is that what you really think?

He lets out a manic laugh, a frequent occurrence during our enjoyable Zoom chat. With his white hair and spectacles, jerking his arms and body around like an early Talking Heads record, he seems every bit the nutty professor, bursting with ideas.

In 2018, Byrne set up an online magazine, Reasons to Be Cheerful, through his Arbutus Foundation, and these drawings were created for that not to fit specific stories but to be used as dingbats (also the name of the series) to break up the text. He has done so many now that hes lost track of them, but whenever I bring up a specific one he bursts out laughing at how absurd they are. Theres Nature Man, which depicts a mountain range with eyes. That could be read as a climate thing, but its also just very creepy, he chuckles. And theres TMI, which shows a person buried beneath a giant mobile phone. Everybody has that feeling! he says, laughing again. And right now people are saying theyre never going back to the office. OK, so its going to be just screens from now on? God save us!

The illustrations are being sold for $3,000 (2,275) each, with the money raised covering costs for writers, editors and designers (Has the Guardian tried this as a form of income yet? Im just imagining asking all the writers there if they could maybe contribute some nice watercolours). Reasons to Be Cheerful is working on a project called We Are Not Divided, which focuses on stories that bring opposing sides together in the run-up to the election. Hmm, good luck with that, I say.

Yes, and that was my reaction too, he grins. But its been running for a few weeks now and theyve found some great stories. Some of my bandmates just went for a bike ride on Staten Island and theres a little community there from Sri Lanka, which only came out of 30 years of civil war in 2009. So you have people from both sides of that war living cheek by jowl, and you think, How is that working out? Well, in Staten Island, its working out really well, actually. They all love the same food, so they come to the same restaurants, theyve started talking to each other. Now that theyve been separated from the conflict, they can treat one another as people, as opposed to the enemy.

Such stories are helping Byrne feel more positive about the world, but hes not head-in-the-sand about the struggles going on around him. I read the papers every morning and I see new chicanery every day, he says. This morning it was a story about Republicans putting out misleading ballot boxes in California. Ive done a lot of research on the history of the Philippines and I often think, This is Philippines-level shit here. The kind of country where you go, Oh yes, thats the kind of thing they do there. Well actually, its the kind of thing we do here.

Aside from his magazine drawings, Byrne has been promoting the filmed version of his hit Broadway show, American Utopia. Director Spike Lee had been a huge fan of the stage version, frequently turning up to watch it: Not every night, but basically he had an open invitation. I think he came at least seven times. He really dedicated himself to understanding how it worked.

He has also passed the time during lockdown teaching himself new recipes and going on socially distanced bike rides. But one thing he hasnt found time for is reading his Talking Heads bandmate Chris Frantzs memoir Remain in Love, which painted a, shall we say, less than rosy picture of Byrne and what the author deemed to be his runaway ego (Believe me, if you knew David Byrne, you would not be jealous of him, was one memorable quote from a recent jaw-dropping interview). Noooo, he sighs when asked about the book, before adding pointedly: I knew that if I read it I would get asked about it. So Ive avoided it.

Some of Byrnes drawings carry soft political messages. Supply Chain shows a snaking train made out of vegetables; Byrne says the pandemic made us all aware of how complex and important they are: How does the food get to the grocer? How does the grocer stay safe? The demand for bikes has rocketed here and the poor shops cant get the parts.

Balanced Life, meanwhile, depicts not blissful feng shui but a person with a teetering tower of possessions stacked on their head. Thats how it feels sometimes, like youve got all this stuff weighing on you your house, this and that, maybe another person or your children. Its a real balancing act.

Yet hes come through it unscathed? So far I think? he says, cautiously. But hes not calling time on the drawings any time soon. Were not out of the woods just yet.

Continue reading here:
David Byrne's lockdown despair: 'I'd wake up and ask What am I doing today and why?' - The Guardian

Tiruchi Corporation plans to utilise Smart Cities Mission fund to construct a retaining wall along the Salai Road over bridge as a portion of the approach road was eroded on a rainy night in July this year.

Though the civic body has made temporary arrangements, the eroded portion is yet to be permanently repaired.

The right-side retaining wall and a part of the road overbridge on Salai Road leading towards Mainguard Gate caved in after heavy rainfall amid the COVID-19 lockdown.

While the civic body used concrete, sack bags and wooden pillars to strengthen the sides to avoid further damage, a permanent solution is yet to be made.

An official of the State Highways said that a proposal for reconstruction of the bridge had been sent to the State government for approval. Once the approval was given, funds sanctioned under a redevelopment scheme would be allotted for the construction.

The civic body, meanwhile, has decided to strengthen the soil and construct a retaining wall.

About 2.5 crore under the Smart Cities Mission fund will be utilised to fix the wall so that the bridge can be utilised until the plan submitted for redevelopment is approved, City Corporation Commissioner S. Sivasubramanian said.

Since the damage to the overbridge, heavy vehicles, including buses ,are not allowed to travel on that route. A detour is taken via Karur Bypass Road to reach Mainguard Gate.

What is usually a two-minute drive takes us at least 15 minutes due to the traffic on Karur-Bypass Road. The bridge was damaged amid the lockdown and the authorities could have repaired it before resumption of transport services, R. Kalaivani, a commuter on the route said.

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Salai Road overbridge to get retaining wall soon - The Hindu

In Ferryville, a small town of less than 200 people along the Mississippi River in Crawford County, stepping out of the car brings a strong scent of fresh river water. The local gas station displays photos of former Minnesota Viking Brett Favre getting sacked by a Packer.

In October, the Crawford County village attracts plenty of passers-by enjoying the fall foliage along the National Scenic Byway.

Theres also the chance of coming across a giant symbol of a far-right conspiracy theory thats been labeled a domestic terror threat by the FBI.

Ferryvilles Main Street doubles as part of Wisconsins Great River Road. On Main Street, across from a mechanic and a photography studio, is an abandoned schoolhouse with a large retaining wall in front.

On that retaining wall, in white paint are eight letters. The first letter, and the largest, is a giant Q. The other seven, WWG1WGA represent the call sign of QAnon.

QAnon is the catch-all name for a baseless set of conspiracy theories that, among other things, claim President Donald Trump is fighting a war against a deep-state cabal of Satan-worshipping, sex trafficking, pedophilic cannibals that includes Democratic politicians, the media and left-leaning celebrities.

Trump himself has winked at the conspiracy theory through retweets on Twitter and refusals to condemn the far-right movement most recently in a televised NBC town hall last week.

Closer to home, U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany was one of 18 members of the House of Representatives who voted no on a bipartisan resolution to condemn the conspiracy earlier this month. Sen. Ron Johnson appeared on Fox News on Oct. 18 to claim Hunter Biden, the son of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, was in possession of child pornography a claim CNNs Jake Tapper interpreted as a nod to QAnons focus on child sex crimes.

Ferryville residents have a hard time placing exactly when the graffiti went up. Many said one day they noticed some strange initials on a wall and didnt know what they meant. The village clerk thought it was advertising a radio station.

The graffitis sudden appearance in Ferryville mirrors the conspiracys sudden appearance online a few years ago.

[The graffiti] is a perfect analogy for how it spread online, says Brian Friedberg, a researcher for the Technology and Social Change Project at Harvard University. The phrases, the use of Q and WWG1WGA, were both used as really unique keywords to help spread the movement on social media and in real life.

The theory started on the forum 4chan in 2017 with anonymous posts about the deep state from someone called Q who claims to have high-level government security clearance. The movement quickly developed its own language and keywords. It moved to Youtube and Facebook, along with specific websites to track drops and other obscure forums such as 8chan that house the most radical elements of internet culture.

The uniqueness of the keyword makes it an easy search query to fall into a data void, Friedberg continues. Similar things happened with a lot of other slogans in the community. These were all things that didnt take up a lot of space on the web. The presence of those things in real life do similar services to being online.

By 2020, the theory had multiplied, devolved and split into factions. It had gained the support of health and fitness accounts on Instagram and notably suburban women.

The interesting thing about QAnon compared to other far-right ideologies is its attraction to women, says Donald Haider-Markel, a political science professor at the University of Kansas. Usually right-wing ideologies attract white men and older white men. It has a special appeal to women because of the focus of the conspiracies on children and threats to children. Though its telling that none of the real world actions weve seen related to QAnon so far involved women.

In April, as people flocked to Madison from all over Wisconsin to protest Gov. Tony Evers stay-at-home order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, a number of rally-goers carried Q paraphernalia. COVID-related restrictions played a big role in spreading the conspiracy, experts say.

Recently, Facebook and Youtube have moved to de-platform QAnon by removing accounts and groups from the networks only now its too late, the conspiracy has spread, the graffiti is on the wall and no amount of banning can put the theory back into its box.

Despite how widespread the conspiracy has become, most of Ferryvilles residents fall into two categories, theyre either alarmed by the Qs presence or have no idea what it means. One resident said he didnt give a sh-t about it. Some teenagers, asked about the big Q, smiled knowingly.

Bridget Schill, the village clerk, says that once she found out what it meant she was embarrassed and that most members of the community feel the same way.

I dont think people are happy about it, Schill says. We just have to ignore it. Most people in Ferryville would like to loudly proclaim that doesnt speak to the people of Ferryville and theyre embarrassed by it.

She says she called the Crawford County Sheriffs Office about it, but was told because the Q is on private property theres nothing that can be done.

Kristy Knoble recently moved to Ferryville with her 20-year-old son. She says shes spoken about the Q with him, but not with other community members especially as a Democrat in a largely conservative area.

In 2016, Trump won Crawford County by a slim margin. But Ferryville with its 126 votes voted for Hillary Clinton, 70-52 (four votes went to Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson).

This year most of the yard signs in the village are supporting Trump. Knoble, though she doesnt think her politics match most of her neighbors, says she doesnt think any of them are conspiratorial types.

Its unacceptable, she says. We live in a typical, small, rural, Republican community, but Ive never had a problem with anyone here. I havent heard anyone else talk about [the Q].

Kim Schmitz has lived in Ferryville for about a decade. She works across the street from the Q graffiti at the Cheapo Depot, a store advertising the sale of fireworks, tools, toys, housewares, pet supplies, greeting cards, beer, bait, tobacco, CBD, vapes and pipes.

Schmitz had never heard of QAnon, but after learning, she didnt think the graffiti represented her town.

Thats kind of sh-tty, Schmitz says. Were a peaceful town with friendly people.

Schill says shes worried about the Q because school buses drive by the property. Recently she called the property owner to see if hed remove the paint, she says. He said hed do it, for $50,000.

I dont think the village is in position for that, so now we have a Q, Schill says. If there were something we could do, wed do it.

The property owner, Terrance Possehl, lives in Fond Du Lac. He says the graffiti is there at his consent and he put it there because I wanted to though he wouldnt explain why he believes in QAnon or what message he was hoping to spread to Ferryville residents.

Are you trying to put a big spin on it? What are you, a liberal? Possehl says. You know we dont trust newspapers, right? I think everybody should be able to hear the Q message, right? [Its] independent research, you dont have to go off of what other people say.

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Friedberg, the Harvard researcher, says Possehls display matches a pattern, especially since he doesnt live at the property. Not living in Ferryville allows him to remain somewhat anonymous while still spreading the ideology.

They operate with certain degrees of anonymity, when someones willing to put those on their property, its a message that theyre willing to commit socially that a lot of people are only willing to commit to online, Friedberg says. Despite the fact that he was contacted, it doesnt sound like he was too embarrassed by it. Hes effectively using his property as a billboard, thats very consistent.

Possehl says he can do whatever he wants, but QAnon has had dangerous real-world consequences. A man recently pleaded guilty to terrorism charges stemming from a 2018 incident in which he used an armored vehicle to barricade the Hoover Dam. In 2019, a QAnon adherent who believed he had the protection of Trump as he attempted to fight the deep state killed a mafia boss as he tried to perform a citizens arrest.

I think its cause for concern amongst many folks, including in law enforcement, Haider-Markel says. Its certainly true that the potential threat posed by far-right extremist groups has grown. The best thing people can do is monitor online activity about their local community and try to head off potential real world confrontations that could possibly occur. Just simply having the Q on a wall isnt itself inherently a threat. But an idea could spread really quickly, Heres this pedophile ring operating out of this restaurant, that could be dangerous.

The Crawford County Sheriffs Office was unaware of the graffiti in Ferryville, but Lieutenant Ryan Fradette says theyll look into it though he acknowledged that agency leadership had to look up what QAnon was after receiving a call about it.

This is honestly, were a very small rural area, this is the first weve heard theres something in Ferryville, Fradette says. We had to even look up what it was. Around here we havent heard of it.

Read the rest here:
QAnon spreads offline to rural Wisconsin - Wisconsin Examiner

Quick thinking ITM staff used a forklift to secure the teetering vehicle after drove over a retaining wall at Waipapa. Photo / supplied

Two people had to rescued after their vehicle went over a retaining wall at a busy intersection near Kerikeri about 12.45pm yesterday. It is understood the elderly couple were heading south on State Highway 10 and intended to turn left into Waipapa Rd, where a new roundabout is under construction, but instead went straight ahead, through a fence and over a retaining wall at Bay of Islands ITM. The vehicle was teetering precariously over the wall so quick-thinking ITM staff used a forklift to prop up the front while firefighters secured the back with strops, allowing the couple to be helped out safely. They were taken to Bay of Islands Hospital by St John Ambulance as a precaution. The crash caused major delays on SH10.

Minor injuries when van rolls

A man received minor arm injuries and a possible head knock in a crash near Maromaku yesterday. The crash occurred about 1.15pm when a van rolled at the intersection of Matawaia-Maromaku Rd and Taikirau Rd, coming to rest in a paddock. No other vehicles were involved. Police, St John Ambulance and the Kawakawa Fire Brigade responded.

Fire damage closes classrooms

Kerikeri High School is due to reopen to all students on Monday after a fire destroyed a toilet block and damaged three classrooms. The blaze, which started about 2.20pm on Wednesday, is still being investigated. All 1500 students stayed home on Thursday on the advice of the Ministry of Education while a thorough damage assessment was carried out. Senior students, in Years 11-13, went back on Friday. In an email to parents principal Elizabeth Forgie said seniors had come back early because it was close to the end of their school year when every day counted.The impact was worse than initially expected with three classrooms out of action for some time, significant affecting lesson timetables.

Police searches

Whangrei police searched a number of

properties throughout the district in relation to an ongoing investigation.

A 23-year-old female was charged with drug and firearms-related offending and was scheduled to appear in the Whangrei District Court yesterday.

For operational reasons, police say they cannot provide

details of Thursday's morning's search.

Heads Cup challenge

Tomorrow will be the first Heads Cup where teams from all over Whangrei Heads come together for a 20/20 cricket competition.There has been a huge amount of support from the business community, and some great spot prizes and raffle/ auction items.Event organiser Richard Davy and his team have pulled together four teams from Parua Bay, RD 1, RD 4 and Onerahi Town. The cup will be housed at Parua Bay Tavern until next year's event. The games will start at 10am and finish just before 4pm on the pitches at the Onerahi Airport.The Cancer Society is this year's charity of choice to receive funds from the event.

Four new cases

Four new cases of Covid-19 were reported from managed isolation in New Zealand yesterday. One suspected historical case is being investigated, which is not included in yesterday's numbers.The first imported case arrived from the Philippines via Hong Kong on October 3. The second arrived from Peru via Mexico and the US on October 10. The third and fourth imported cases arrived from Hong Kong on October 11. New Zealand's total number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 is 1524.

Read more:
Northland news in brief: Car hits retaining wall - New Zealand Herald

Staff reports| Herald Democrat

Each week, the Texas Department of Transportation announces a list of planned road projects for the week. While the schedule for the projects can change, motorists are advised to be aware of areas where construction crews may be present.

"These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues," the news release said. "Motoristsare advised toremain alert and pay special attention to all signs, barricades and traffic controls, and reduce their speed as they approach and travel through work zones. They should also avoid distractions such as cell phones, eating, drinking, or car audio or navigation systems."

Here are the construction projects planned for Oct. 19-23.

"US 75, Grayson County: from FM 1417 to SH 91 (Texoma Parkway). Watch for shoulder closures and lane shifts on northbound and southbound US 75 between Center Street and FM 1417 as crews work on building new main lanes and the new South Travis Street Bridge. Watch for lane closures on the frontage roads between FM 1417 and Washington Street as crews work on building detours and installing drainage structures. The northbound exit ramp for Houston and Lamar (SH 56) is currently closed, and exiting traffic is requested to use the Park Avenue exit ramp. The southbound exit ramp for Park Avenue is currently closed and exiting traffic is requested to use the Houston/Lamar Street (SH 56) exit. The northbound frontage road from South Travis Street to near Park Avenue is closed in order for crews to work on building the remaining portion of the retaining wall along US 75 at the South Travis Street intersection. Traffic is requested to use the US 75 mainlanes during this closure. There will be daily closures from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. for the northbound Washington Street exit ramp as crews work to construct detour pavement in this area. Exiting traffic wishing to access Washington Street should use the Park Street exit or the North Travis Street exit. There will be a nighttime lane closure on the southbound main lanes on Sunday night Oct. 11 for crews to perform restriping and to adjust traffic barriers along the mainlanes and frontage roads between Park Avenue and FM 1417. The FM 1417 exit ramp will be closed during this time, and exiting traffic should use Exit 58 for Houston Street. Lane closures will begin at 7:30 p.m. and the lanes should be reopened to traffic by 6:30 a.m. A reduced speed limit of 60 mph has been set for this construction project.

The US 75 pedestrian bridge near Pecan Street in Sherman is closed to pedestrian traffic. The east side over the frontage road has been removed. The remaining pedestrian bridge will be removed at a later time. Pedestrians wishing to cross US 75 are advised to cross at the Houston Street signalized intersection.

US 75 Full Depth concrete repair, Grayson County: crews will be working on US 75, weather permitting, each week from Sunday night through Thursday night. Lane closures will be present during the nighttime only in order for crews to replace failed concrete slabs. Lane closures begin at 7:30 p.m. and should be reopened to traffic by 6 a.m.

FM 1417, Grayson County: from US 82 to SH 56. Watch for lane shifts and shoulder closures between US 82 and SH 56 while crews are working to construct a portion of the new Sand Creek bridge. Watch for occasional daytime lane closures as crews perform utility work. A reduced speed limit of 45 mph has been set for this construction project.

SH 289, Grayson County: from FM 120 in Pottsboro north to the end of State Maintenance. Watch for daytime lane closures as crews work to stripe and install rumble strips on the roadway.

FM 121, Grayson County: from Jim Jones Road to FM 3356. Watch for occasional daytime lane closures as crews work to build portions of the new bridges and roadway. Watch for lane shifts and narrow lanes throughout the project as crews have moved traffic to the temporary detour section. The ultimate roadway will be a five-lane section consisting of concrete pavement when the project is completed.

US 377, Grayson County: Willis Bridge at the Oklahoma State line. Watch for occasional lane closures on the existing bridge as workers pour concrete for the new bridge structure.

US 75 Ramp Reversal in Denison, Grayson County: on the southbound US 75 main lanes and frontage road between Spur 503 and FM 691. Watch for a lane closure on the southbound US 75 frontage road as well as the westbound Spur 503 ramp while construction crews work on building the new southbound US 75 entrance ramp. A new traffic pattern has been implemented where westbound Spur 503 will be shifted to the southbound US 75 frontage road and will travel through the FM 691 intersection and then enter southbound US 75 using the on-ramp after FM 691. The new FM 691 exit ramp is open to access FM 691.

Spur 503, Grayson County: from US 75 to SH 91. Watch for daytime and nighttime lane closures for both eastbound and westbound lanes as crews perform concrete pavement repairs.

US 75 debris pickup, Grayson County: from Collin County line to Oklahoma State line. Watch for mobile lane closures as workers pick up debris from the roadway every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during the daytime.

US 82 & US 69, Grayson County: from FM 131 to FM 1897 on US 82, and from SH 56 to US 75 on US 69. Watch for temporary daytime lane closures and shoulder closures as workers install safety treatments on fixed objects.

SH 289, Grayson County: between SH 56 and FM 121. Watch for daytime lane closures as maintenance workers blade level the roadway.

SH 160, Grayson County: between SH 11 and the Collin County line. Watch for daytime lane closures as maintenance crews blade level the roadway.

FM 1753, Grayson and Fannin County: from FM 1897 to SH 78. Watch for temporary one-lane closures as workers rehab and widen the roadway.

FM 898, Fannin County: from the Grayson County line to SH 121. Watch for temporary one-lane closures as workers rehab and widen the roadway.

FM 2815, Fannin County: from FM 1629 to SH 11. Watch for temporary one-lane closures as workers rehab and widen the roadway.

FM 1743, Fannin County: from SH 56 to FM 1550. Watch for temporary one-lane closures as workers rehab and widen the roadway.

FM 824, Fannin County: from SH 56 in Honey Grove to the Lamar County line. Watch for temporary one-lane closures as workers rehab and widen the roadway.

US 82, Fannin County: from SH 121 to the Lamar County Line. Watch for slow moving construction equipment as crews work on widening US 82 from a two-lane roadway to a four-lane divided section. Westbound US 82 traffic has been shifted to the new pavement on the eastern end of the project between the Fannin and Lamar County line and County Road 2975. Eastbound traffic will remain in its current lane, while crews work on the inside lane to work on building the crossovers and turn lanes. Drivers who frequent this roadway are advised that all driveways, county roads and farm-to-market roads approaching the new westbound main lanes on US 82 will have a full stop before crossing over to the median. The SH 121 and US 82 frontage road intersections have been converted to signalized intersections. The on-ramp to westbound US 82 from SH 78 has been closed while crews work on building the new westbound main lanes. The westbound exit ramp for SH 121 is closed as crews work on building the new main lanes in this area. Exiting traffic for SH 121 is asked to use the SH 78 exit and continue along the frontage road to SH 121.

County Road 3530, Fannin County: at Wafer Creek. County Road 3530 is closed for crews to remove the existing bridge and build a new culvert. Traffic on CR 3530 will need to use an alternate route during construction.

County Road 4250, Fannin County: at Freeman Creek. County Road 4250 is closed for crews to remove the existing bridge and build a new bridge. Traffic on CR 4250 will need to use an alternate route during construction.

FM 274, Fannin County: from FM 1753 to SH 78: Watch for daytime lane closures as crews blade level the roadway.

US 69, Fannin County: in Leonard from FM 896 to SH 78. Watch for daytime lane closures as crews perform ditch cleaning work."

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TxDOT: Beware of road construction this week - Sherman Denison Herald Democrat

News

Published 10/19/2020 | Reading Time 1 min 0 sec

TULSA, Okla. Construction of thePathwaytoHope, a highly anticipated pedestrian walkway in the Greenwood District, is set to begin today.

ThePathwaytoHopewill provide a more direct walking route between John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park and other sites in the core of the Greenwood District. The 10-foot pathway will be built between Elgin and Greenwood Avenues in the area between ONEOK Field and I-244. The corridor will feature landscaping, lighting, and a retaining wall on the north side.

ThePathwaytoHopewill symbolically reconnect a Greenwood District bisected by I- 244 during Tulsas urban renewal phase in the 1960s and 70s. What some locals called urban removal displaced citizens and businesses and plowed through Black Wall Street, Tulsas thriving Black business district known throughout the land. ThePathwaytoHopewill acknowledge this history, elevate Black Wall Street icons, and encourage present-day healing of past, yet lingering, wounds.

The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission, together with other community groups, provided invaluable input for the creation of this $5 million project. The Sanford and Irene Bernstein Foundation and the Tulsa Stadium Trust provided principal funding for the Pathway to Hope. Special thanks to Mike Melega and the Tulsa Drillers for their cooperation throughout the construction process.

The Pathway to Hope is among several projects to mark the 100th anniversary of the massacre. Completion and a formal dedication are slated for spring 2021.

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Pathway to Hope to reconnect Greenwood and Highlight Icons - The Black Wall Street Times

Israel Ministry of Tourism has launched a program for placing electronically sent notes in the ... [+] Western Wall.

The tradition of placing a handwritten note within the Western Wall in Jerusalem is going digital, with help from Israels tourism board.

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, which has closed Israel to international visitors, the Israel Ministry of Tourism is offering homebound travelers the opportunity to experience this practice of adding notes to this famous religious site electronically. The notes can be submitted via a portal on the tourism boards website between October 19 through October 21, 2020.

Notes can be sent through this submission link. Then the tourism ministrys officials will print out the e-notes and insert them within the Western Wall on behalf of their submitters.

While Israel is still closed to international travel, we wanted to create a meaningful way that people can be inspired and connect with the spiritual sites that are abundant in our country, said Eyal Carlin, IMOT Tourism Commissioner for North America, in a media release.

The Western Wall (or Kotel, in Hebrew) is an important piece of Jewish tradition, and it also attracts travelers from all faiths, Carlin explained. We want to make it accessible for those who arent able to visit [Israel] in person right now, so we created a portal for people to send their personal notes. We will print them, put them in the Kotel and create a video we will share with all those who submit.

In Old City, Jerusalem, the Western Wall is one of the most visited sites in Israel.

According to the Israel Ministry of Tourism, the Western Wall is one of the most visited tourist sites inIsrael, attracting millions of visitors every year. At this site in the Old City neighborhood of Jerusalem, visitors insert prayers written on a piece of paper into cracks within the wall.

On its website, Encyclopaedia Britannica defines the Western Wall as only remains of the retaining wall surrounding the Temple Mount, the site of the First and SecondTemples of Jerusalem, held to be uniquely holy by the ancient Jews. The First Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 587586BCE, and the Second Temple wasdestroyed by the Romansin 70CE.

When asked how the e-note concept came about, Carlin replied by describing how this tourism initiative is a timely endeavor. It is coinciding with the beginning of the Jewish new year and the end of Judaisms fall holidays.

A major religious site in Judaism, the Western Wall in Jerusalem also attracts visitors of different ... [+] faiths.

We have just come through a time of introspection and reflection, said Carlin. We felt that inviting people from all over the world, regardless of faith or religion, to start the new year with personal thoughts and prayers to be delivered to the Western Wall would be very meaningful, especially now since tourists are not currently able to visitIsraelbecause of COVID-19.

As of now, the Israel Ministry of Tourism has not set plans to continue the receiving and placing of these electronically sent notes in the Western Wall. However, Carlin noted that if there is a meaningful response, there would be no reason not to offer people this opportunity again in the future.

To submit an e-note for placement in the Western Wall, click here.

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For Homebound Travelers, Israels Tourism Board Will Place Notes In The Western Wall - Forbes

Azerbaijan has not been disclosing its military death toll. But the government said Saturday that 14 civilians were killed in Ganja, Azerbaijans second-largest city, in an overnight missile attack by Armenia.

Officials say that more than half the people of Nagorno-Karabakh have fled their homes, though the martial law currently in effect bars men of military age from leaving the territory. Those who stayed behind include women who want to be close to their husbands, sons and fathers sent to the front lines. The coronavirus is far down the list of peoples worries, even though international aid organizations warn that cramped bomb shelters are spreading infection.

Alyona Shakhramanyan, 33, and her neighbors from the fifth floor of an apartment building in Shusha, the hilltop town, moved three weeks ago into a section of their dirt-floor basement. They fashioned a door out of a sheet of corrugated plastic and taped cardboard over the openings in the concrete walls. One of the women is sick a cold, they say, that she caught because of the drafty air.

Ms. Shakhramanyans brother, who, like her husband, is at the front, has not been answering his phone. When she went outside to do laundry the previous day, she was frightened by the buzz of a drone. Rocket artillery hit the nearby Holy Savior Cathedral twice earlier this month, and the paving stones outside it were still stained with the blood of a Russian journalist critically injured in the second strike.

No one helps us here, Ms. Shakhramanyan said. We are on our own.

At the military cemetery in Stepanakert, the resting place of fighters who died in the 1990s, the authorities removed a retaining wall and dug into a hillside to make way for the new casualties. Amid the artificial-flower wreaths and simple grave sites on the freshly graded, rocky dirt, a man whose brother was gone spread his arms in grief.

These are fresh our guys, he cried, his voice trailing off. What is there to say?

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At Front Lines of Armenia-Azerbaijan Fighting, Death and Fear Reign - The New York Times