Out and About as we go "Dark" 4 the Week.....

 As we go dark in our properties for the week, we are pleased to leave you with this compilation of thoughts courtesy of Jonathan Lockwood Huie as we wish all a great week ahead and say, Happy Halloween:

Until you're ready to look foolish, you'll never have
the possibility of being great.
- Cher

There's something liberating about not pretending.
Dare to embarrass yourself. Risk.
- Drew Barrymore

With courage you will dare to take risks,
have the strength to be compassionate,
and the wisdom to be humble.
Courage is the foundation of integrity.
- Keshavan Nair

People do not wish to appear foolish.
To avoid the appearance of foolishness,
they are willing to remain actually fools.
- Alice Walker

All Life is a risk - even crossing the street, or sitting in your easy chair.
So relax, don't worry, and live the most productive and enjoyable life you can.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

An #Outsider "Tip of the Week": Please Enjoy 4 Minutes TABATA Group

Notations From the Grid (Special Sunday Edition): A Primer on #China

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OuRErFinancial Times

 As we welcome you to a new week and embrace a new month, we wanted to share this courtesy of the Financial Times as we wish all the best of weeks:

China: The Soft Superpower

China soft power quiz

Test your knowledge of Beijing’s global push for hearts and minds

OCTOBER 25, 2017

 by FT reporters

Parallel to its economic and military rise, China has pursued a deliberate strategy fostering its soft power. From Hollywood to football clubs to pandas, Beijing is spending billions of dollars to project its soft power in ways that could influence what you watch in movies or on your TV screen, and who's on your favourite football team. China: The Soft Superpower charts the ways in which China is doing so, explores Beijing's strategic logic and imperative, and questions the strategy's effectiveness.

Question 1 of 10

How many giant pandas are on loan outside mainland China?

The world’s zoos usually pay $1m a year per pair to Beijing for the privilege - plus $600,000 per cub should they breed and $800,000 if a bear dies as a result of human error

More on this story

China’s wild panda population rebounds

Question 2 of 10

Which of the following featured in Paramount Pictures’ 2014 blockbuster Transformers: Age of Extinction?

The co-production with two Chinese studios broke box office records in China, where it grossed more than $300m

More on this story

Hollywood transformed

Question 3 of 10

State news agency Xinhua has how many followers on Twitter, a platform banned in China?

All of China’s main state-run media groups have a presence on the western social media platforms that are off-limits to it citizens

More on this story

Twitter tally at People’s Daily does not add up, say researchers

Question 4 of 10

In how many languages does China Radio International broadcast?

The state-owned broadcaster, which aims to exert “a powerful influence that extends around the globe”, claims to use the most languages of any mainstream global media organisation

More on this story

China’s $10bn propaganda push spreads Down Under

Question 5 of 10

How many foreign students and pupils did China host in 2016?

Nearly half are studying for undergraduate degrees at Chinese universities, 15 per cent are postgraduates, and 30 per cent are enrolled in primary or secondary education

More on this story

Alumni network pays off for China’s foreign graduates

Question 6 of 10

How many Confucius Institutes, which are funded by Beijing and promote and teach Chinese language and culture, exist worldwide?

The network has bloomed since the first institute opened in Seoul in 2004 and now has a presence in 140 countries

More on this story

Confucius Institutes: cultural asset or campus threat?

Question 7 of 10

Chinese investors control which of the following top-flight European football clubs?

In an unprecedented drive into the beautiful game, Chinese companies have also bought stakes in clubs including Atlético Madrid and Manchester City

More on this story

China’s $2bn football buying spree has fans fearful of result

Question 8 of 10

How many overseas trips did Chinese tourists make in 2016?

While 82 per cent were to Asian destinations, long-haul trips to the US and Europe are increasing rapidly

More on this story

Shopping no longer the priority for Chinese tourists

Question 9 of 10

A Harvard study in 

April estimated that the Chinese government fabricates how many social media posts each year?

According to the research, “most of the these posts involve cheerleading for China, the revolutionary history of the Communist Party, or other symbols of the regime”

More on this story

Russia and China seek media control at home and abroad

Question 10 of 10

A teaching manual for the United Front Work Department, the agency behind China’s global soft power push, contains which of the following phrases?

According to the research, “most of the these posts involve cheerleading for China, the revolutionary history of the Communist Party, or other symbols of the regime”

More on this story

United Front Work Department

Featured in this quiz

1. China’s wild panda population rebounds
2. Hollywood transformed
3. Twitter tally at People’s Daily does not add up, say researchers
4. China’s $10bn propaganda push spreads Down Under
5. Alumni network pays off for China’s foreign graduates
6. Confucius Institutes: cultural asset or campus threat?
7. China’s $2bn football buying spree has fans fearful of result
8. Shopping no longer the priority for Chinese tourists
9. Russia and China seek media control at home and abroad
10. United Front Work Department