All posts by She Seeks Serene

My Journey of Reimagining Life, Love and Education

Views: A Walking Tour Of Strasbourg, France (4K)

The Traveler (March 29, 2023 Upload) – Strasbourg, German Strassburg, city, capital of Bas-Rhin  départementGrand Est région, eastern France. It lies west of the Rhine River on the Franco-German frontier.

The city was originally a Celtic village, and under the Romans it became a garrison town called Argentoratum. It was captured in the 5th century by the Franks, who called it Strateburgum, from which the present name is derived. In 842 Charles II (the Bald), king of the West Franks, and Louis II (the German), king of the East Franks, took an oath of alliance there, the Serment de Strasbourg, a text of which is the oldest written document in Old French. After a struggle for power between its citizens and the bishops in the Middle Ages, Strasbourg became a free city within the Holy Roman Empire.

Politics: The Guardian Weekly – March 31, 2023

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The Guardian Weekly (March 31, 2023) – This week sees an important moment in the history of the Guardian with the launch of Cotton Capital, a series revealing the links between the 19th-century Manchester founders of the newspaper, the transatlantic cotton industry and the enslaved labour upon which the trade was built.

In France, national protests against the proposed increase to the pension age have become so inflamed that a state visit by Britain’s King Charles had to be postponed. Kim Willsher reports on a wave of anger and how women are at the forefront of the demonstrations.

As if life wasn’t pressurised enough already for top-level football referees, the advent of video assistant technology only seems to have made the job even harder than ever, leading to a slew of controversial decisions. From hotel breakfasts to being holed up in front of TV monitors, William Ralston goes behind the scenes with the men and women in black.

On the Culture pages, there’s also a great interview with the indie supergroup Boygenius, whose band members Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker talk to Laura Barton about songwriting, friendship and group therapy.

Art Views: ‘Figures’ In Roy Lichtenstein’s Paintings

Sotheby’s (March 29, 2023) – In 1962, the late legendary Italian-American art dealer Leo Castelli hosted Roy Lichtenstein’s first solo exhibition at his eponymous gallery in New York City, and subsequently worked with the artist throughout his life.

In this Expert Voices, art historian and Director of Leo Castelli Gallery, Barbara Bertozzi Castelli shares her interpretation of Figures, recalling her memories working with her husband and Lichtenstein whom she felt was a modest and dedicated artist, and among those that changed the path of American art in the postwar period.

A key figure in the Pop art movement and beyond, Roy Lichtenstein  (1923–1997) grounded his profoundly inventive career in imitation—beginning by borrowing images from comic books and advertisements in the early 1960s, and eventually encompassing those of everyday objects, artistic styles, and art history itself. Referring to Lichtenstein’s equalizing treatment of the subjects he chose for his art, Richard Hamilton, a fellow Pop artist, wrote in 1968: “Parthenon, Picasso or Polynesian maiden are reduced to the same kind of cliché by the syntax of the print: reproducing a Lichtenstein is like throwing a fish back into water.”

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Future Of Camping: 2025 ‘Grounded Aerodynamic Pop-Up Towable Camper’

Grounded Aerodynamic Towable – The unique aerodynamic expanding design offers the best of both worlds, blending low-profile aerodynamic efficiency with expanding mechanical engineering to provide you with a large, luxurious space. The hydraulic system allows for a quick and easy transition between towing and livable modes, making setup and teardown a breeze.

  • Roof contracts into aero mode when towing
  • Expands to 6.5 foot standing height when camped out
  • Remotely controllable electronics & appliances
  • 1500 watts of solar to charge up
  • Queen-sized bed
  • Bench seating with pull-out table
  • Kitchen with fridge/freezer, sink, and induction stove
  • Dry-flush toilet
  • Expected to ship in early 2025

The interior is insulated while the rooftop 1,500W solar panels power the remotely controlled electronics and appliances. Based on a modular layout, the travel trailer can be customized to suit each occupant’s requirement, fitting piece by piece according to need.

The Grounded RV’s futuristic towable is expected to ship in 2025 with a weather-resistant exterior and modern aesthetics to leave most RV makers thinking. With all the fancy antics, the interesting concept puts durability, comfort, and sustainability at the forefront, which has left the outdoorsy in me excited.

Read a review at YankoDesign.com

Design 2023 : ‘LYX HOME’ Mobile Home Concept

LYX Arkitekter (March 29, 2023) – Because LYX Arkitekter is the pioneer in finding a unique architectural solution that combines luxury, simplicity of design, and another creative feature, the brand new LYX home represents the dream of every person on this earth to have his own home and to locate it wherever they want. Thus, the company came up with the house concept which was originally inspired from a container box, but gradually evolved by smoothing the edges. 

The house is originally made from carbon fiber because of its ecological effect being better than metal, and it gives an increasingly feasible transport, it can be also combined with tesla truck for instance could make a revolutionary detour to embrace nature again and can significantly reduce the global warming.

The home dimensions in closed mode is (2.7×11.6 m) which is almost the same size if 40 feet container box, the approximate area of the home is closed mode is 32 sq.m, while it reach up to 42 sq.m in the open mode. The interior design is completely different from the ordinary motor home, it consists basically from cutouts, living room, kitchen, washing room, little dining space, and extendable bed room, with an over hanged bed all necessary equipment are concealed in the rear side of the house.

But what mostly distinguish LYX home, is the kinetic feature which allows the owner to optimize the space of their home, in addition to a remotely glass wall and they are switchable to give full privacy or full view whenever desired. For sure if you are going to live in a house it should have a power source, LYX has electrified the new home with different sources of electricity, First, it can be connected to the grid, or power supply point when it is camping.

Second, it has enough number of rechargeable batteries which can be recharged during camping or even when driving by using advanced dynamos. Third, PV solar panels on the roof. which is interactive and adjustable to fit with the best sun angle during camping mode. And it can also recharge the batteries.

The War In Europe: Poland Expands As Military Power

The Telegraph (March 29, 2023) – Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Poland has been investing billions in new tanks, weaponry, cyber operations and manpower. By 2035 Poland hopes to double the size of its armed forces to 300,000 troops.

There is even talk of the country becoming a major military power in Europe. Watch The Telegraph’s Steven Edginton interview key members of the Polish military and politicians to understand why they are rearming. He also asked young Poles whether they are prepared to die for their country.

For Poland, investing in the military is no longer a luxury but a necessity. With conflict at their border (don’t forget that two Poles have already been casualties of this war, killed by a stray Ukrainian missile) Poland can no longer rely only on the United States and its Nato allies for protection.

Warsaw plans to increase military spending to 5% of its GDP, outspending its fellow European capitals relatively by a wide margin. Poland’s military expansion must be thought of within the context of the nation’s history. You don’t have to be a pensioner to remember a time when Poland was suffering under Communist rule.

Monuments to the Soviet oppressors litter cities like Warsaw, where one can wonder at Stalin’s “gift” to the Poles, the grand Palace of Culture, and despite the government’s best efforts to tear them down many statues still stand commemorating the Red Army as “liberators”.

Arts/Books: Times Literary Supplement-March 31, 2023

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Times Literary Supplement @TheTLS (March 31, 2023) – This week’s @TheTLS features @Skye_Cleary on the Good Life; @David_Goodhart on the Tories post-Brexit; @PeterKGeoghegan on the UK’s finances; @DrCLaoutaris on Shakespeare’s lodger; @KatyaTaylor on L. M. Montgomery; @MirandaFrance1 on Javier Marías’s final novel – and more.

News: Exposing Russian War Crimes, Taiwan’s Ma Claims ‘We Are All Chinese’

March 29, 2023: We give you the latest from Ukraine as expectations of a counteroffensive against Russian positions mount.

Also in the program: Taiwan’s former president Ma Ying-jeou claims, “We are all Chinese,” during a historic visit to China. Plus: Russia’s plan to place nuclear weapons in its submarines in the Pacific and the second Summit for Democracy, an initiative launched by Joe Biden.

Front Page: The New York Times – March 29, 2023

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‘We’re Going Away’: A State’s Choice to Forgo Medicaid Funds Is Killing Hospitals

Greenwood Leflore Hospital in Mississippi lost $17 million last year, as rural hospitals nationwide struggle to deal with population declines, soaring labor costs, and a long-term shift toward outpatient care.

Mississippi is one of 10 states, all with Republican-led legislatures, that continue to reject federal funding to expand health insurance for the poor, intensifying financial pressure on hospitals.

As Migrants’ Desperation Mounts at the Border, a Fire Kills Dozens

A fire broke out at a government-run migrant detention facility in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, on Monday night, killing dozens of migrants who were inside.
CREDITGO NAKAMURA FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES

The fatal blaze comes as border cities across Mexico have been flooded with migrants turned back from the United States and more arriving from other countries.

Tinkering With ChatGPT, Workers Wonder: Will This Take My Job?

Artificial intelligence is confronting white-collar professionals more directly than ever. It could make them more productive — or obsolete.

As King Charles Moves to Center Stage, So Do His Impersonators

Long overshadowed by other royal look-alikes, Charles imitators are experiencing newfound popularity ahead of the king’s coronation in May.

Retirement: How To Get By On Less Than $1 Million

Wall Street Journal (March 28, 2023) – While many people often aspire to accumulate around a million dollars in retirement savings, most people wind up with far less than that. WSJ retirement reporter Anne Tergesen spoke to retirees on how they’re making do, and she joins host J.R. Whalen. Photo: Mikaela Martin

Video timeline: 0:00 The typical family’s 401k and IRA account balance 1:05 How retirement funds should depend on lifestyle choices 1:51 How retirees who save less than $1 million are getting by 3:53 Steps to take to ensure you have enough retirement savings

Many Americans dream of saving $1 million for retirement. Most fall far short of that.

The typical family’s 401(k) and IRA-type accounts come to less than half that goal in the years approaching retirement age, according to the nonprofit Employee Benefit Research Institute. Total household balances in retirement accounts for those 55 to 64 years old are $413,814 on average, according to its estimates based on 2019 data, the most recent available.

Read more at WSJ