#THINKTANK
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… the Neuronal-esophageal synapsis …
#cephalopod#blindsquid#lovecraftian#squid#octopus#biomechanical#giger#oldones#neural#warmachine#thinktank#aiphotography#scifiart#horrorart#brain#brainmachine
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Aside from Scraplets has there been other parasitic cybertronian life forms, or parasitic alternative modes?
Dear Parasitic Penpal,
Long ago, the diminutive Predacon diplomat and spymaster Thinktank scanned a yeerk alternate mode while touring a distant world. Although his beast form has no effect on the brain modules of his fellow Cybertronians, it proves tremendously useful when the Tripredacus Council’s xeno-relations wing “persuades” foreign alien governments to make concessions.
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IS CAPITALISM WORKING?
The economist Kate Raworth has said:
“For me capitalism is an economic system that prioritises, above all, delivering profit for the owners of wealth.”
The owners of wealth – big shareholders, landowners and financiers - ensure this takes place by "capturing" the legal and political system “so that it can secure and reproduce privilege."
Corporations, on behalf of their shareholders, use lobbyists, public relations firms and thinktanks to influence the political- economic agenda. They use the press and other media outlets to craft the message they want the government of the day to hear.
But the problem is worse than that. It was recently revealed that
“One in five new Tory MPs have worked in lobbying or PR for corporate interests, new openDemocracy research reveals today. Opposition politicians have called our findings “deeply worrying”. (OpenDemocracy: 21/12/19)
Having Tory MP’s, "deeply connected to privileged corporate interests" is not that surprising, but this problem is not restricted to the Conservative Party. In 1997, Tony Blair exempted Formula One from a ban on tobacco advertising, after the Labour Party received a £1 million donation from the head of the sports governing body.
This was not a one-off. The “cash for honours” political scandal shocked the nation when it was revealed that the Labour Party was accepting large donations from individuals in exchange for seats in the House of Lords. Rich people were quite literally buying a place in government.
Luckily, the land owning aristocratic class do not need to buy their way into Parliament - they have a hereditary" "right" to help shape the laws the rest of us have to live under. Even though the number of hereditary peers entitled to sit in the House of Lords was reduced under the House of Lords Act of 1999, there are still 91 hereditary peers.
“As of November 2022, there are 4 dukes, 25 earls, 15 viscounts, 45 barons and 2 Lords of Parliament among the 91 hereditary peers entitled to sit in the House of Lords.” (Wikipedia)
On top of this, we have 25 “Lords Spiritual” who also have an unelected “right" to sit in the House of Lords and shape the laws we have to abide by. The Church of England is the 13th largest landowner in Britain, holding commercial property, ranging from shopping centres to car parks, as well as the land churches occupy. In 2006 the Church of England’s portfolio was estimated to be worth £4.3bn. It is hard to believe this does not influence the way they help frame and vote for new legislation in Parliament.
Cash for questions - MP's being paid large sums of money to raise an issue in Parliament - is another way the wealthy influence politics, and scandals involving both Conservative and Labour peers have been exposed at heart of government.
“The new cash-for-access allegations against two former Foreign Secretaries, Jack Straw and Sir Malcolm Rifkind, suggest little has changed inside parliament’s culture since the scandals that led to Liam Fox’s resignation as Defence Secretary in 2011, and the damage to the Labour Party that followed the former Transport Secretary, Stephen Byers, being caught on camera in 2010 saying he was a “cab for hire” who would work for £5,000 a day.” (Guardian: 23/02/15)
As this was not enough, we have the corrupt practice of the revolving door between government and big business: politicians and civil servants moving freely from politics to business and vice versa. Here is one description of how this works:
“Elected and appointed officials working in government may use their time in office to generate connections with legislators they can call on as contacts after they enter the private sector. Business can send members of its companies to alter policy and regulations to its benefit. But one large group is left unprotected and out in the cold by the Revolving Door -- the everyday members of the general public. If democracies are established to serve the public interest, how is the Revolving Door legal?” (howstuffworks: What Is the Revolving Door)
We can see from the above that our economic-political system allows undue influence by the already wealthy, a rich elite who have disproportionate power over all of our lives, and who shape laws to protect their privileges.
From the former non-dom, non-tax paying wife of our Prime Minister, to the tax avoiding Tory Chancellor, Nadhim Zahawi, we see the system working to the advantage of the wealthy. From the energy companies making obscene profits in a rigged market, to the water companies given permission to continue pumping raw sewage into our rivers and onto our beaches until 2050. From the continued deregulated of the finance sector in the pursue profit at any cost, to public school charity status, saving the wealthy millions in additional school fees for their already privileged children.
On their educational website “Bitesize”, the BBC proudly inform our children that:
“Democracy is one of the key principles of the UK’s constitution. It ensures that everyone’s voice counts when the government makes a decision.”
If only that were true.
#uk politics#kate raworth#aristocracy#landowners#corporate greed#parliament#laws. Lords Spiritual#privilege#democracy#capitalism#revolving-door#lobbying#cash for questions#cash for honours#thinktank
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(1997.12.27) Hatebreed, Pushbutton Warfare, Another Victim, Think Tank, Voice Of Reason @ El N Gee [New London, CT]. Courtesy of @deadatbirthfanzine. #hatebreed #pushbuttonwarfare #anothervictim315 #thinktank #voiceofreason #cthc #anattitudeexhumed https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci04BD2posQ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
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Post: US think tank Heritage Foundation hit by cyberattack | TechCrunch https://www.blaqsbi.com/5P3Y
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(Liam Photography Podcast)
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Mirrorless Mover V2 Camera Bag By ThinkTank
If you are thinking of adding the ThinkTank Mirrorless Mover to your kit, please consider using my affiliate links. Referral purchases help support independent photography gear reviews like this.
I put the Mirrorless Mover bags from ThinkTank to the test. These are great bags for photo walks, vacation outings, and everyday activities.
Why Use The ThinkTank Mirrorless Mover?
Photographers have several camera bags because each one serves a particular purpose. The Mirrorless Mover bags are lightweight, compact, and secure making them the right choice for lighter, more nimble photo activities. This is the kind of bag you reach for when you don’t need your entire photo kit, but you do want your camera and maybe another lens with you for a day of photography.
My use for the Mirrorless Mover is for urban photo walks or a day out with family and friends. I’ll use this when on vacations, too, where photography isn’t necessarily my primary activity. Yet I want a secure, well-made bag to carry my camera because I know I’ll want to capture memories and sights along the way.
Sizes & Pricing
The Mirrorless Mover bags come in 5 different sizes. Choose from one of four accent colors: Cool Grey, Coast Green, Marine Blue, Campfire Orange
Mirrorless Mover 5, US$45.75
Mirrorless Mover 10, US$52.75
Mirrorless Mover 20, US$62.75
Mirrorless Mover 25, US$69.75
Mirrorless Mover 30, US$78.75
Check ThinkTank’s website for the detailed specs on the internal and external dimensions.
I tested the MM20 and MM30 bags. The MM20 is a good choice for micro 4/3rds cameras or smaller crop-sensor mirrorless bodies. I prefer the MM30 for full-frame mirrorless bodies, and there was plenty of space for a water bottle and light snack - perfect when I’m out and about for several hours. All the bags room for spare batteries, memory cards, and other accessories.
Pouches, Pockets, And Compartments
The Mirrorless Mover includes velcro dividers so you can customize the main compartment to hold your particular cameras and lenses. The flip-top lid sports a magnetic closure, providing quick access to your gear. There is also a zipper pouch on the underside of the lid for small accessories like memory cards and batteries.
Every Mirrorless Mover bag has the following features:
Removable shoulder strap and belt pass-through easily converts the bag to a belt pack
Flip-top lid with magnetic closure provides quick access to gear
High-quality YKK® RC zippers and metal hardware
Easy-access dimensional front zippered pocket and accessory organizer
Dedicated clear secure card slot(s) for CF, SD, XQD, or Micro SD
Stretchable and gusseted side pockets for accessories
Additional storage pocket for batteries or compact accessories under lid
Included key hook and lanyard
Grab handle on the lid
DWR treated fabrics protect against the elements
Seam-sealed rain cover included
Overall Thoughts
I found the Mirrorless Movers comfortable to wear and easy to work with. The shoulder strap is padded and can be worn over one shoulder or across your body (my preferred way to wear the bag). Accessing my gear while walking and wearing the bag was smooth and frictionless. I did need to relieve a little tension on the shoulder strap to close the zippers while wearing the bag.
The built-in rain cover is a very nice touch. It is part and parcel of the bag and tucks away in the front zipper pouch, taking up next to no space. Yet if the weather turns, you have another at-the-ready layer of protection for your gear.
One thing to note is the magnets on the flip-top lid are not designed to support the weight of a loaded bag. If you do not close the zippers and lift the bag by the grab handle, the bag will tip and there is a risk gear will spill out.
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Unlocking Success: Why Good Things Take Time - A Lesson in Patience
In the fast-paced digital era, where instant gratification is the norm, the phrase "good things take time" may seem counterintuitive. However, we at Royaleway firmly believe that this timeless wisdom holds the key to unlocking unparalleled success. In this article, we delve into the profound impact of patience on achieving excellence and how embracing this virtue can elevate your personal and professional endeavors.
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2024 VOA: Economist Mao Yushi in Vancouver, BC
Chinese economist Mao Yushi and his wife have moved permanently to their daughter’s home in Vancouver, B.C., Canada.
Chinese economist Mao Yushi of the banned independent economic thinktank Unirule recently wrote a message for Chinese youth.
Translation below.
I am very old and won’t live much longer. The world of the future is for the young. You should be more anxious than I am about the kind…
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#Canada#China#Chinese#Communist Party#dissident#Economist#exile#freedom#Mao Yushi#PRC#thinktank#Tianze#Vancouver
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Dear Vector Prime
Do you know of any Cybertronians who have taken echidna or platypus beast modes?
Dear Monotreme Master,
Ah yes, you speak of Riposte and Dugout? Riposte was a heroic Maximal, a high-ranking member of the Maximal Diplomatic Corps. On paper, the Corps was merely one cog in the Maximal soft power apparatus, a means of countering the aggressive negotiations employed by the Tripredacus Council’s Xeno-Relations division. In reality, however, the Diplomatic Corps existed solely to facilitate the insertion and extraction of a small cadre of highly-trained special operatives into high-risk situations that would otherwise jeopardize the interests of the Maximal Imperium—including rogue alien warlords who’d been persuaded, or bribed, by Predacon operatives such as Thinktank to act against the Maximal government. In his role as a special operative, Riposte was a consummate professional: a quick-witted, tight-lipped, ‘bot of action who maintained a cool head in even the most dire situations. On Cybertron, his amphibious car alternate mode allowed him to operate in a wide range of environments; in those rare realities where his mission took him to Earth, he adopted a platypus beast mode, confident that its venomous spurs would serve him well in close-quarters combat.
Dugout was another member of the Diplomatic Corps: although only a rookie member of the organization, he stood out for his unusual land mine alternate mode—while not rigged to fatally explode, any unwary Cybertronian who trod on his unprepossessing form would find themselves on the receiving end of a deadly flechette hailstorm. In combat, Dugout was a gruff, two-fisted warrior, fond of up close and personal combat; in those realities where he adopted a beast mode alongside Riposte, a prickly echidna form suited his defensive nature quite adroitly.
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#MarkusFiedler#NATO#Propaganda#Thinktank#transatlantischePropaganda#transatlantischeThinktanks#Wikihausen#Wikipedia#WikipediaRussland
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Thinktank Photo - Great Service
Those of you that follow my Twitter or Instagram posts might recognise this image from a couple of weeks ago where I captioned it “Bag Down”
On the 14th of this month I contacted the ThinkTank support email, sending this image asking for details on which replacement handle I needed. I had a reply back very quickly…
Hi Julie, Thank you for reaching out to us and for the support. We would be…
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THE NAMEK SAGA so far has 50+ slaps and vibes. Buy Music. Buy Art. TheNamek.com #thenamek🐉✨ #piklo🧞♂️✨ #plackpanthers💿🐈⬛ #agroupeffort🤝 #thinktank https://www.instagram.com/p/CqYaigjJuKp/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
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