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A Quick Look At Tech Romancer
You have to hand it to Capcom. The Japanese firm really did pull it out of the proverbial bag when it came to putting top notch games out on the Dreamcast. Man, just imagine the Dreamcast without Capcom. There'd be no Power Stone, no Street Fighter, no Resident Evil. Gunbird 2, Mars Matrix, Marvel Vs Capcom...they're all a result of Capcom throwing pretty much everything and the kitchen sink at Sega's system. Capcom were pretty damn cool back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, eh?
One game that rarely gets a mention though, is mecha fighter Tech Romancer; a 3D one-on-one brawler with a slightly ridiculous name but which exudes a level of production value rarely seen in an original franchise without an anime or manga heritage to fall back on. Furthermore, it might sound like a game in which Metal Gear Rex sends C-3PO a bouquet of roses and a box of chocolates, but to dismiss Tech Romancer on name alone would be a big mistake.
Upon booting Tech Romancer (known as Chronicle of Super Steel Warrior Kikaioh in Japan), you're greeted with an overly enthusiastic title screen and intro sequence that feels straight out of a 1980s Saturday morning cartoon that was appropriated from the Far East and syndicated; but only after being dubbed dubiously into English without a single fuck given. The only thing missing is the tracking interference regularly seen on VHS tapes you used to get from Blockbuster that had already been watched and rewound several thousand times before you rented it.
Herein lies the great deception though, for this game and all of its perceived heritage is nought but folly. Just like Wainhouse Tower, Tech Romancer and all of its apparent lore is a fabrication of something grander. While it may appear to be a game based on some obscure cartoon series you didn't know existed (because you're just not cool enough, frankly), Tech Romancer is a totally original IP that was created just for the arcade original, and this subsequent console release. All of the robots and animation sequences were designed by Studio Nue, a well-known animation studio responsible for some of the most widely regarded and respected anime productions around; and it's down to this mastery that you be forgiven for thinking you'd completely missed something awesome.
As an example of pure aesthetic genius, in which pedigree and kudos is demanded from its audience from the off, Tech Romancer is an unadulterated lesson in how to get things totally spot on...
Tags: Capcom, DCJY Review, Tech Romancer
A Statistical Analysis Of Dreamcast Launch Sales
Our good friend Vince19 has been at it again, this time analysing the launch window sales of the Dreamcast in the United States, and drawing comparisons to a host of other retro, contemporary and current gen systems. We recently featured Vince19 's other statistics-based videos here at the Junkyard ( heck out a statistical analysis of overall US games sales and a statistical analysis of Dreamcast game prices), and they're both well worth a watch if bias-free and purely factual analysis are something you're a fan of. Plus, Vince19's soothing mid-Atlantic accent is strangely soothing. Check out the latest video below, and see how the Dreamcast stacks up against the competition in terms of units shifted in the first few days of release:
Remember to give Vince19 a follow on Twitter to stay abreast of his uploads, and you can find his YouTube channel here.
Tags: DCJY Features, Vince19, YouTube
Rare Dreamcast-based digital aquarium sells for US$3650
Ever wanted to own one of the rarest variations of the Dreamcast hardware? With touchscreen controls and an exclusive game where you can interact with digital fish? Sorry to say you've just missed out, but it would have set you back over US$3650. so you probably aren't that gutted.
We've previously covered the Sega Fish Life Digital Aquarium here, and here. If you're too lazy to click the links, it's basically a rare curio from Japan that was mainly sold to businesses like restaurants. While waiting for their steaming bowl of ramen, patrons are soothed by the realistic looking digital fish gently swimming around, and you could even tap the glass to interact with them. Unlike real aquariums, business owners never had to ever worry about forgetting to feed them or cleaning out a scummy tank. Japan thinks of everything.
Chilean-based Juppon Gatana retro store finally sold their unit to an identity obscured ebay member r***i, who dominated the auction with a bid of US$2000 on 22 Feb, and defended against 3 other serious bidders, before the auction ended yesterday at a cool US$3650. Juppon Gatana's reserve was met, so presumably the unit will soon be on its way to a happy (and decidedly poorer) new owner soon.
Here's hoping r***i has the ability and philanthropic compassion to digitally preserve the Sega Fish Life GD-ROM and dutifully release it into the wild, so that maybe one day us mere mortals might be able to experience its esoteric delights via a suitably modified emulator. I jest, that's probably not going to happen...stupid hoarders.
Tags: Control Unit, DCJY News, Sega Fish Life
Update: 40 Winks Dreamcast Stretch Goal Announced
Just a quick update to let you all know that the 40 Winks Kickstarter campaign has indeed announced a Dreamcast port stretch goal if funding exceeds US$200,000. *glares at every gumshoe reporter who contacted us on Twitter, Facebook, or just spitting-chip-at-me-on-the-street to insist I update my original rant* Happy now?
The appropriateness of a Dream-themed platformer on the Dreamcast has not escaped me.
Not much new to report other than that. I think most of my reservations still stand. Further comments on the campaign page indicate that a back-up of the source code for the PlayStation version might still be available, which would help aid as a guide for a native Dreamcast port. They seem to know what they are doing and what they are talking about, but I'm still uncertain about whether they are underestimating the task ahead of them, or whether I'm making a mountain out of a molehill.
In any case, 200k would burn a significant hole in anyone's pocket, so wages for some devs to have a crack at it would be covered for at least a little while. If it all goes pair-shaped, a Bleem! based wrap-around solution could also be drawn upon as Plan B, which would also be fine.
But the biggest hurdle is general apathy and overall Kickstarter burnout. It seems fairly premature to be courting the interest of the Dreamcast community at this stage. Other campaigns that have tried and failed at least had a demo running on real hardware as a proof of concept. Maybe if they can provide such a demo before the funding deadline, I'll change my tune, but with so many "fully-funded" Dreamcast games apparently stuck forever in development hell, we've been thrice bitten, frice shy.
~~~***~~~
P.S. If this gets close to $200k, I'll probably be a hypocrite and still back it. I never learn.
Tags: 40 Winks, DCJY News, Kickstarter Update
DreamPod - Episode 57
[iTunes][Stitcher][Buzzsprout][UK Podcast Directory][YouTube]
Feel free to join our Facebook group, like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. Oh, and one last thing - give us an iTunes review if you can be bothered. Cheers!
Tags: DCJY Podcast, Dreamcast Podcast, DreamPod, podcast
First new DC game of 2018 - Ghost Blade! (again!)
Breaking news (ok, month old news that I just found out about) that is sure to make our very own Ross jump for joy. We have a release date for the first Dreamcast release of 2018, and it will be another in JoshProd's series of US/J-NTSC style reprints. Ghost Blade will be available to own again on March 23rd 2018.
Tags: 2018, DCJY News, Ghost Blade
Help Support SEGA Raise Funds For Special Effect!
SEGA Europe is raising money for the most noble of causes - gaming charity Special Effect, an outfit devoted to enabling those with disabilities to enjoy the most awesome pastime of all time: gaming! The Gameblast 18 event will see various members of the SEGA and Hardlight teams take part in a 24-hour gaming session, during which a multitude of games will be played, rivalries will be formed and souls will will undoubtedly still burn well into the wee hours.
The entire stream will be...erm...streamed on that Twitch thing - you know, that thing the cool kids are all using these days. Personally, I have very little idea what Twitch actually is, and that's because I only ever browse the internet with a Dreamcast and a copy of Dreamkey 3.0. Can't knock me for living the dream, can you?
Anyway, SEGA Europe is trying to raise just £2,000 for Special Effect in an attempt to help all of our fellow gamers who have serious disabilities enjoy games in the same way everybody else does. I'm pretty confident we can help them smash this total though. With me? Then go here to Just Giving and donate what you can. I just gave a tenner because I'm skint after buying a new motorbike, but every little helps. You can also watch the stream here or by using the window below once the stream starts at 6pm UK time on Friday 23rd February. Thanks all!
Watch live video from SEGA on www.twitch.tv
It appeats that SEGA Europe successfully reached their target of £2000 - well done to all involved and all those who donated!
Tags: Charity, DCJY News, Sega Europe, Special Effect, Streaming, Twitch
Dreamcast Hunting in Akihabara
By The 1 Ross
A couple months back, during Japan's Silver Week national holiday, I took a short trip to Tokyo to meet up with a few old friends. Seeing as I was already in the area, I took a day to check out how the gaming scene is doing in the world famous Akihabara (it would have been rude not to really). I focused specifically on the Dreamcast for this article, but it's a similar story for most other consoles. Read on to see my findings...
Tags: Akihabara, Collecting Retro Games, DCJY Features, Dreamcast, Dreamcast Merchandise, NTSC-J
VS Link cable now available from Dreamcast Live
Dreamcast Live's VS Link Cable
Like myself, I'm sure many of you out there have fantasised about owning the Dreamcast VS link cable for quite some time now. While only compatible with a handful of games, the thought of playing multiplayer F355 Challenge, Virtual On and more, without compromising half the screen, is enough to leave me frothing at the gash. The problem is (or rather WAS), the official and even third party Dragoncast cables are both extremely rare, usually fetching around $200 or more on eBay.
Tom Charnock playing with himself...the loser that he is.
Tags: DCJY News, Dreamcast Live, Dreamcast VS Cable
Kickstarter: Not every retro game gets a Dreamcast stretch goal
Another day, another retro game Kickstarter. Refreshingly, today's effort is slightly more interesting affair in that it is targeting the Nintendo 64 audience for a change, aiming to publish a near two decade old cancelled game from the era.
40 Winks (aka Ruff and Tumble) did see the light of day on the original playstation, but the Nintendo 64 port was cancelled when its publisher GT Interactive went belly up, and when Infogrames picked over the carcass, the game ended up in the chaff pile instead of the wheat. Piko Interactive has recently picked up the rights to the game, and have already secured their modest US$20,000 goal within one day. They plan to develop, test and manufacture some brand new minty N64 cartridges for the game, so that it can be finally realised in physical form all these years later.
Some good ol' 90s era 3D platforming (apparently, never heard of it)
Hang on, isn't this the premiere destination for all things Dreamcast? Why are we suddenly talking about the Nintendo 64? Well, with every successful Kickstarter campaign that features a retro, or retro-inspired game, it's only natural that the masses start shouting "Dreamcast Stretch Goal! Dreamcast Stretch Goal!" And with good reason.
Tags: 40 Winks, DCJY News, emulation, kickstarter, Nintendo 64, Xeno Crisis
Component Video Heading To Dreamcast Courtesy Of HD Retrovision
Recently here at the Junkyard we took a look at the different types of A/V connection that you can use with your Dreamcast. The various types of cable that most people will be using to get an image ono a television or monitor will fall under the umbrella of either RF, composite, RGB SCART, S-video or VGA. It looks like we'll soon be able to add another connection type in the near future if HD Retrovision has anything to do with it: component.
We did mention this very fleetingly in the aforementioned article, but it seems that those clever lot over at HD Retrovision - purveyors of high quality cables for all manner of retro systems - have been experimenting with a Dreamcast YPbPr component cable for some time now, and the tweet above shows that they have a working prototype that allows for 480p images for VGA-compatible games and 240p for those which aren't.
This is particularly interesting for those who want to play games like Hydro Thunder and Air Force Delta et al without the need to constantly switch cable types. Hopefully we'll hear more about this interesting development in the coming weeks and months.
In the meantime, be sure to check out the HD Retrovision website here.
Tags: A/V Connectors, Component, DCJY News, HD Retrovision
Rare Dreamcast-based digital aquarium sells for US...
Kickstarter: Not every retro game gets a Dreamcast...
Component Video Heading To Dreamcast Courtesy Of H...
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Everything changes. Everything can change from one day to another, from one moment to another. Change the feelings, friendships, our lives, our tastes and our ideas. Change the time and seasons.
Everything can change suddenly. For our will or the will/power of someone stronger than us.
We have no way of knowing the future, that future as unpredictable as unknown.
A moment can change everything? Yes, and this reality has always frightened me, especially when I think of worse things.
Natural disasters, diseases, misfortunes, or simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Then you could also sum it all up with: destiny. Because yes, in the end, for me, it's always all about destiny.
And if you really, at worst, just an handful of seconds to be able to see your world collapsing, dying inside and feel cut the ground from under the feet, then the only thing we should do is: LIVING.
To live fully, truly live. Without the regret of not having taken a chance when there was granted.
We fight, we get angry, we deny hugs for pride, we not love enough and sometimes do not even have enough laugh. We refer moments and we do not spend enough time with our loved ones. Sometimes we forget about those small, large gestures that warm the heart: a caress, a smile, an "how are you?", And other times we take things for granted when, in fact, taken for granted in the love and tenderness there anything.
And if in an instant, in a goddamn minute, we lost all these occasions? Just the thought kills. So forgive, embrace, laugh, kiss, show our feelings, talk, love. And then repeat it for another 10, 100, 1000 times.
Life is too short to wake up with regrets.
Pubblicato da Desirèe D'Aloia a 09:15 17 commenti:
Etichette: cambiamenti, life, life style, pensieri, The Fashion Princess, tutto cambia, vita
Ti ricorderai
You will remember the best days of your life, summer evenings and the winter sea. You will remember that scent you will always turn just feel its wake. You will remember the laughter, tasteful, those that are made with the belly and with tears in the eyes. You will remember the broken dreams and those reached. You will remember those times when you felt collapse, but then you're not falling. You will remember the most simple gestures, those that warm the heart. You will remember a caress, a smile, a handshake, a book, those sweet words and a note forgotten in a sealed box in a drawer. You will you remember that song heard a million times, of that sentence read, an reread engraved on the skin. You will remember the beautiful souls, pure and sincere. You will remember those moments that bear in your heart. You will remember their flavor and smell if they had one.
You will remember the hugs given and those denied, the words softly spoken and the stolen kisses. You will remember the hours spent at the phone laughing, joking, screaming. You will remember that time that life has surprised you and those in which it has hurt and disappointed you. You will remember the scratches on the heart, for love, for friendship, for an unrealized dream. And you will remember those who have been able to put a band-aid on that piece of heart.
You will remember when you were a child, curiosity and desire to grow and explore the world with your eyes. You will remember the fairy tales and the magic of Christmas.
You will remember the sulks and whims and who, unable to resist, those whims indulged them.
You will remember these years, these accelerated emotions, when you felt too much or too little.
You will remember what you have experienced and what you would experienced. You will remember.
Etichette: life style, pensieri, The Fashion Princess, ti ricorderai
Jelenov Greben
On a ridge at the foot of the mysterious Rudnica mountain, just ten meters above the monastery with the third oldest pharmacy in Europe (here), is Jelenov Greben, farm known as Deer Ridge.
A unique place, in the green hills of Olimje, where time seems to stand still. Immersed in the beauty of nature now with autumn colors and enclosed in the charm that gives the wood.
After a gentle awakening at Terme Olimia (here) and a visit to the monastery Olimje, upon our arrival we were immediately greeted by deer and wild sheep, which graze freely over 8 hectares of fenced meadows, ready to be pampered with a handful of corn for all their.
In Jelenov Greben the days are different than elsewhere. Here nature, in some ways, is like there enveloped in a warm embrace. Breathe the pure air of the morning, stroking a flower, listen to the vibrations of a stream, sipping a steaming cappuccino with a colored wool blanket on the legs, warmed by a warm autumn sun, and with a panorama so bewitching and comforting to act as frame. Happiness is being with nature, see her, talk to her, touch her.
A long time ago in this place was a farm that dealt with viticulture and livestock breeding. The young Borut Jezovnik, just eighteen, became the master of this farm, which with so much effort and energy created a colorful history.
After selling all the cattle, he bought 75 deer from the Brijuni islands in Croatia. Later he began to cultivate, preserve and recreate mushrooms.
Today, in this place that seems straight out of a fairy tale of the Brothers Grimm, there are two guest houses that bear the name of the daughter, Rebeka and Karolina, a restaurant where you can enjoy home cooking with specialties of game and mushrooms, but also cheese, salami and wine, and a shop, Zlata skrinjica, where to buy and take home the goodness of the place.
Etichette: daini, I feel Slovenia, Jelenov Greben, natura, Slovenia, The Fashion Princess, travel, travel blogger
Slovenia: il Monastero Olimje
Not far from Terme Olimia (here), to Podcertrtek, lies the ancient Olimje monastery. Set in a bucolic landscape, green fields, orchards, gardens and fields, the monastery was the castle of Pilstein counts, then moved in 1663 to the Pauline monks Lepogiava, it is inhabited today by the Congregation of the Friars Minor Conventual of St. Francesco d'Assisi.
The exterior facades and the courtyard have frescoes in the Baroque style, with gray geometric decorative boxes. The church has a nave with a barrel vault, it is also in the Baroque style with blacks-gilded altars and a beautiful statue, a half-length, of Blessed Anton Martin Slomsek.
The room on the ground floor of the south tower conceals the old pharmacy of the Pauline monks, famous for its beautiful frescoes dating back to 1780, work of the master Anton Lerchinger, which narrate the paths that lead to the salutes and luck. The frescoes, in fact, portray famous physicians and healers, medicinal plants and Biblical scenes related to the history of medicine.
Even today, the Friars Minor Conventual have preserved the tradition and create herbal teas, tinctures, ointments, and other medical preparations, on sale at the monastery, and which are made from herbs that cure in the botanical garden right outside, where there are more than two hundred medicinal herbs.
Olimje is a peaceful haven in an increasingly hectic world. Here the religious find peace in silent prayer in front of the picture of the Madonna, and nature lovers enjoy the scenery while sitting on benches outside the monastery and let the beauty of nature, the creation of God, speak to them.
Etichette: antica farmacia, I feel Slovenia, Monastero Olimje, Slovenia, The Fashion Princess, travel, travel blogger
martedì 6 dicembre 2016
Terme Olimia: il benessere in Slovenia
There is a Slovenia made of nature and well-being of mind and body, away from the city and from the hectic pace of everyday life; it is the Slovenia of Spa and wellness centers, where the centuries-old tradition, the experiences of spas and experts who are dedicated to the health of body and soul, are intertwined.
These centers are part, in fact, of the prominent tourist destinations and offer many opportunities for sports activities, culinary delights and luxurious accommodation and excellent quality. But the Slovenian thermal tourism has not developed by chance some, especially in the eastern part of the country, where millions of years ago stretched the Pannonian Sea, numerous thermal springs have remained. The beneficial waters were, in fact, discovered by the ancient Romans, and in the Middle Ages recalled the nobles of Europe.
Surrounded by unspoilt nature of Slovenia, in the hills of Podctrtek, on the border with Croatia, there are Terme Olimia: the best Spa in Slovenia, where nature and relax make this a really wonderful place.
A downtown in harmony with the environment that surrounds it, characterized by the presence of two hotels, Sotelia and the Breza, a structure made up of apartments and a campsite for nature lovers.
Wellness Orhidelia, the most luxurious complex of Terme Olimia, is able to awaken love for our body and mind.
The diversity and the wide spaces of the spa Orhidelia allow each guest to find their own place of peace.
Here you can be lulled by the heated waters of the indoor or outdoor pools, enjoy the magic of a starry sky or warm colors of a romantic winter sunset nestled among the vapor and rhythmic bubbles of an outdoor jacuzzi, or even, according to relax lying of soft water beds listening to classical music, or stretch out the nerves and warm up with a nice sauna or turkish bath.
Have you ever tried a "sweet" chocolate treatment? At Wellness Orhidelia it is possible, too: sprinkle the body with melted chocolate, massaging it like a cream, while sitting inside a turkish bath. After 20 minutes, during which the heat will melt the chocolate and perfumed the atmosphere, you can rinse in a chromotherapy showers and already from the first touch, you will notice that your skin will be softer immediately.
The purple and blue lights of the swimming pools, the spices that perfume the air, the surrounding atmosphere, the luxurious details and the elegance of the place are a poem for the eyes and soul. Everything speaks of relaxation, from the welcoming ritual to the gong therapy that, thanks to the skill of a master, will help the body to relax before accessing the following spa treatments, taking you into a world of vibrations that will make you lose track of time until you fall asleep lulled, gently, by this melody.
Etichette: centro benessere, Hotel Sotelia, I feel Slovenia, Slovenia, spa, terme, Terme Olimia, The Fashion Princess, travel, travel blogger, Wellness Orhidelia
Viandante sul mare di nuvole
I saw slip away things I thought unforgettable. I saw slowly fade the memory of looks and moments. I also saw off things never happened when I hoped so. The mind is a big war machine, it builds diabolical devices for safety. But there is a pattern that can not reach. Incidentally there is what remains.
We are strange, undefined, comedians, abused by pain, by the many faces encountered the same heart and above all always looking for what is not there.
We can not lose what you never had but that we have never experiencedit can fail us forever. Yet the joy hates running and climbing. Why dint to go, to run, to not look carefully, time passes and you choose to live constantly waiting.
To go is emotion, emotions are incredible moments but understand when to stop is a real talent.
For this I would like to tell you: run everywhere, more than you want to live and as you can but then stopped with the person who will make you feel all without touching you. Because, in the midst of all the world's people, it will only be that what you need. You will thank the remnant and farewell greetings will be enough to recover your freedom, as always.
Etichette: desirèe d'aloia, life style, montagna, nuvole, The Fashion Princess, tramonto, travel blogger
Resta così come sei
Never change. Retain the innocence, insecurity, shyness and confidence in dreams. They are the best parts of you.
Do not stop chasing happiness, even when everything will seem unnecessary, even when will be months, years that you do not find it anywhere.
Believe in love, even if they will let you down, stepped on, used, betrayed. Love the rain, the clouds and the sun in the same way and do not stop to be moved.
Embarrassed, blushing, still belting out your favorite tunes, continues to emphasize the most important sentences in your books.
I like to think that when I will reunite, now white hair will have replaced all the color, you'll still so: sweet, real, sensitive, immersed in everything you do and say.
I like to think that the world will not ruin you, that pain will not ruin you. I like to think of you a bit wiser, but always reckless.
Never change, even when they will say that it is absurd to be like you, you will find you sick, they shall devour you. Do not listen to them. Make a difference, stay as you are.
Etichette: abito da sera, desirèe d'aloia, fashion, outfit, pizzo, The Fashion Princess
Natale: i regali per le amiche
Missing just over a month to the most sweet and magical period of the year and my mind already flies to decorations, illuminated city that smell of cookies and roasted chestnuts, warm sweaters, Christmas films on the sofa with my beloved red blanket and a cup of hot tea in the hands, hugs and kisses under the mistletoe, snow and gifts made from the heart.
Christmas, one of the best festivity to demonstrate affection to the people we love. Who cares what's inside that bag with golden bow or that package all red, it's the thought and love with which it was donated that count.
Just this week I'm starting to think and to look for the right gift to give to my family and my friends. I'm always looking for something special, not the usual perfume or book, or the usual jewelry; I usually like to gift something useful and that remember me. That is why I always look for something special for my special people.
So the other day while snooping on Dottor Gadget, thanks to its numerous proposals and the many gadgets super nice, I found the best friend gift ideas of the web: from the personalized mug to butterfly-shaped bookmarks (I have a friend, and I do not do names, who loves them!), from fairy castor (I fell in love!) to the molds for biscuits ideal for that friend who loves to cook.
I can not wait to spend December evenings to wrap the gifts, with Christmas songs in the background, the Christmas tree lights and my mother who prepares the hot chocolate before cuddle on the sofa in front of our favorite films.
Etichette: dottor gadget, idee regalo, life style, regalo amica, The Fashion Princess
Chanel N°5 L'Eau
95 years ago, more precisely in 1921, was born the iconic fragrance Chanel N°5 commissioned by Coco to the chemical Ernest Beaux. A perfume that has taken the liberty to associate contrasting elements such as jewelry, jersey and fur, flowers and aldehydes.
Chanel N°5, indefinable and eternally enigmatic, is not just a perfume but it is an olfactory heritage, a very precise idea of femininity and elegance, passed down from generation to generation.
This fragrance so loved by Marilyn Monroe has never ceased to stimulate the inspiration of the perfumers that always are busy, keepers of the formula without ever betraying the DNA.
Over the years, new versions were created: Eau de Toilette, Eau de Parfum, Eau Première. And today, in 2016, the perfumer Olivier Polge captures the essence of his time with the creation of N°5 L'EAU. A perfume rooted in the present, now and always.
With the same meticulousness of a goldsmith, Olivier Polge has created a new balance and a perfect freshness. Favoring aldehydes which smell of orange peel, neglecting the metallic ones. Increasing vibrations of various zest and lightening the base notes. Making the most nervous woods and ylang ylang notes greener. Easing the jasmine and mitigating the vanilla. Respecting the history, but push forward to the future, Olivier Polge has totally reinvented the iconic N°5.
Chanel N°5 has never been so fresh and natural. From the original inspiration, Chanel N°5 L'Eau inherits carefree and transparency. The skin scents of limon, tangerine and orange, exalted from aldehydes. A gust of wind carries the wealth of flowers. The rose is mixed with jasmine and ylang ylang to be overwhelmed by a floral bouquet perceiving each petal, feeling its velvety texture and its delicate shapes. Finally, a shock, an unusual vibration given by cedar and vetiver, accompanied by delicate notes of musk.
N°5 L'Eau is the praise of simplicity.
L'Eau is simplicity, modernity, freshness.
Etichette: beauty, Chanel, Chanel N°5 L'Eau, profumo, The Fashion Princess
Autumn in Lugano
Lugano and the first days of autumn. Lugano, like a picture painted by some kind of great Master.
Lugano, with the rain and the sun, came into my heart. On tiptoe, like a ballerina on the sweet and graceful notes of "Swan Lake".
The city of parks and flower gardens, villas and religious buildings, alpine current and famous chocolate, squares and arcades of the Mediterranean charm of the city center.
A town on a human scale, where getting lost in the streets of the old town, with its many buildings in Lombard style and its exclusive museums, such as the LAC, the cultural center devoted to artistic production and the meeting between the various arts. But Lugano is also the largest city in the Ticino region, as well as being the third largest financial center and the center of conference, banking and business in Switzerland.
From the two closest mountains to Lugano, San Salvatore and Brè, you can admire the magnificent panorama over the city, the lake and surrounding mountains, where you can enjoy the sun of Ticino and daydreaming.
Every corner of the city is a discovery, from the roadside markets, among the luxury boutiques, where delight the palate with typical products or buy local crafts, to those most romantic spots, accessible by boats or cruises, where you can be enchanted by the beautiful landscapes that reveal precious pearls before enjoying great seafood, served in the various restaurants and grottos overlooking the shores of the lake.
Lugano is beauty, nature and marvel in a setting that recalls one of those "007" films. Lugano is a lakeside promenade, lined the Belvedere Gardens and numerous red benches ready to welcome sighs and hugs, to cherish kisses and thoughts, where losing the eyes and heart in such splendor. An invitation to rest, interior and mind tranquility and, yes, even love because, in the world, there is nothing more magical and romantic than a sunset by the lake.
Etichette: Canton Ticino, desirèe d'aloia, lago di lugano, Lugano, Svizzera, Swiss, Switzerland, The Fashion Princess, Ticino, travel, travel blogger
La felicità in un viale di cipressi
It takes seventy-two muscles to sulk but only twelve to smile. So they say, but what does it take to be happy? Sometimes a lot, sometimes nothing.
A caress, a flower, a hug. A ray of sunshine, a kiss, a gentle word, a kind look. A dream that has done it and one in the making.
You look for happiness. Find, pursue, run after it, just like we run after the life, and then grab it. Look in the most hidden places, you can find it everywhere. Sometimes we do not realize it is there, hidden, under our noses, just a step away from us.
It can hide everywhere, as when as children we played hide and seek. Behind a smile, in the little things of every day. Sometimes it can just be hidden in an avenue of cypress trees in Tuscany, between the scent of resin and that of parched earth of August.
Etichette: Asos, desirèe d'aloia, fashion blogger, felicità, outfit, spring/summer 16, The Fashion Princess, Toscana
Grand Hotel Majestic: la Dolce Vita sul Lago Maggiore
Imagine a 1870 building in "Belle Epoque" style, overlooking Lake Maggiore, one of those "princess" palaces, that leave you in awe and literally speechless once crossed the majestic entrance. A palace of those I dreamed (and I bet you too) as a child, when I imagined myself like a princess, with marble staircases, red carpets, fragrant flowers, mirrors and large refined spaces. One of those buildings that offer exciting views everywhere you look; where to wake up early in the morning, between enchantment and beauty, to admire a dawn painting of pink at the horizon, or enjoy a glass of Champagne at sunset, enjoying the evening lights reflected on the sapphire blue waters of the lake.
Majestic, there is no longer suitable adjective to describe the Grand Hotel Majestic. Besides this wonderful hotel it is part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, and I could not expect better.
A magical place that seduces and captivates with its beauty.
Built in 1870 has been gradually modernized up to be a fine example of Belle Epoque architecture that collects guests in an atmosphere of refined elegance.
Immersed in the poetry of Lake Maggiore in Pallanza (between Stresa and Verbania), Grand Hotel Majestic offers a unique and exclusive location where you can enjoy an incomparable view on the picturesque waters of the lake and its enchanting islands, as well as stand out for its reborn architectural nobility.
The class and elegance of the atmosphere, the spacious rooms with frescoes, precious silks, marble, the beautiful terrace with the park overlooking the lake, relive the days when the hotel was living by illustrious personalities of the nobility and talented artists, while offering all the comfort and facilities of a modern hotel of excellence.
Surrounded by a lush garden, filled with plants and flowers, Grand Hotel Majestic is the perfect place to relax and rejuvenate in one of the prettiest corners of the Borromeo Gulf, where you can stroll admiring the magnificent scenery that surrounds it, to indulge a swim in the bright heated poolof the Welness Centre which overlooks the Lake Maggiore, a refreshing sauna or an Ayurvedic massage.
From the garden, through an elegant stone staircase, leads to the enchanting small private beach overlooking the picturesque San Giovanni's Island, called Island Toscanini, because for years it was the summer residence of the composer and conductor Arturo Toscanini.
The elegantly appointed rooms are bright and welcoming, most of them enjoy breathtaking views of the Borromean Islands and the gulf that takes its name from them, including San Giovanni's Island, where, last summer, Beatrice Borromeo celebrated her marriage. A true delight for the eyes as well as the picturesque view of the lake, given by the large windows of La Beola restaurant, which enriches each menu.
Imagine then a Princess, yours, into her world. With eyes full of charm and herat full of wonder, the real one. With the desire to wear an elegant dress and dance a Viennese waltz on that terrace that made me fall in love.
Etichette: Grand Hotel Majestic, Italia, lago maggiore, The Fashion Princess, travel, travel blogger, Verbania
Pensieri d'autunno e sogni
An escape to the lake to enjoy the first autumn days, those of the yellowing leaves and the wind kissing beneath the leather jackets. It chills the body can not understand. Prosecco on the terrace, the terrace that dives on those waves that soothe and lull just like those of the sea. The hands that weave and arms that are being sought. Eyes that are lost on the horizon and dreams that do not yet exist.
The lakeside walks and the randomness of the evenings. Life that passes and trembling heart.
Blue skies and sunsets access. The time of meditation and withdrawal into oneself. Afternoons at the spa and hot baths.
The desire to go and find out, take pictures with the eyes and with that same heart.
Those of happy thoughts, happiness and the memory of it.
I want an autumn like this: red like love, yellow as the still hot sun in the sky, orange as the sunsets at the end of the day, purple as grape grains to munch.
I want an autumn to discover, experience, taste.
Etichette: desirèe d'aloia, Grand Hotel Majestic, JImmy Choo, lago maggiore, occhiali da sole, outfit, The Fashion Princess
Annacristy Capsule Collection
Few weeks ago I have been at Annacristy to discover the new collection, do you remember?
Well, today I let you know the capsule collection created by fashion designer Anna Brambilla!
A capsule collection that tells the image of a strong and confident woman, who conveys femininity with a casual chic alternation and that emphasizes a strong Italian identity.
A Limited Edition consists of several contemporary proposals that are mixed with Denim proposals for the woman who can not give it up even for formal occasions, to completion military chic jackets.
Coats, dresses and blouses decorated with badges, emblems and gold buttons. There is the leather to give a touch casual rock and tulle which is one of the protagonists of the winter season along with quilted bomber jacket with pleated skirts in printed leather. Then again, fur and enveloping coats.
And to enrich the look? The accessory most loved by all women: the bags!
From the shopping bag in nylon quilted fabric and leather, to mini-bag in pony with embroidery, plus other proposals also fur and sequins.
If you want to discover more of this Limited Edition, I recommend you take a look at Annacristy.com, you also have the opportunity to acquire exclusively all the itemss present with a discount of 15% by entering the code: desireeai2016. What are you waiting? You have until October 31!
P.S. What do you think about my outfit? Obviously it is Annacristy! ;)
Etichette: Annacristy, autunno/inverno 2017, capsule collection, The Fashion Princess
Melià Campione: un week end da sogno
"Fly me to the moon..."
...Thus began, to the tune of Sinatra, my weekend at Melià Campione, 5-star hotel on the shores of Lake Lugano, at Campione d'Italia, shared the province of Como, near the Swiss canton of Ticino.
A romantic and elegant week end, between magic and dream. Actually it seemed to live in a movie, one of those beautiful that leaves you sighing for its entire duration, with dreamy eyes and smile on heart.
A luxury boutique hotel located near the Municipal Casino and a 10-minute drive from the city of Lugano. Beautifully decorated, with an innovative design and a friendly atmosphere. The rooms and elegant airy suites, designed and equipped to ensure maximum comfort with high quality materials in an elegant and contemporary style, surrounded by the Swiss Alps, offering a marvelous view of the Monte Brè or Lake Lugano. Soft chairs for relaxing after a day of work or a day discovering the beauties of the place, with a glass of sparkling wine or an espresso just made.
A small company, it is a boutique hotel, with an air of intimacy and privacy, just as the country where it is located, making it the ideal place for those who want to disconnect from the daily bustle without renouncing to the comforts that life can offer.
The à la carte restaurant offers an extensive range of Mediterranean and Italian dishes. Full and genuine flavors.
The hotel also has a meeting room for 20 people, fully set up and a Spa with sauna, turkish bath and relaxation area that will open shortly.
My weekend of Dolce Vita started with a delicious aperitif followed by an Italian lunch, still heated by warm rays of a sun at the end of September and pampered by the staff of Melià Campione. Strong and lovely flavors of the traditional cuisine of the beautiful country that blend with a wonderful view over the Swiss Alps: the perfect combination for a perfect lunch.
A visit to the village and a walk along the lake illuminated by the sun. Gulls flying here and there, colorful houses, flowers, ducklings and boats filled with tourists.
I strolled through the streets of the village until the evening, breathing the magic of the lake and marveling at every glimpse.
When the sun was preparing to set, coloring of pink, red and orange its sky, waiting for me a private boat on jetty. The finest hour for a romantic tour of the lake accompanied by Champagne and nibbles, enjoying the moment between smiles and chatter, sumptuous villas and the cool breeze caressing the face.
Then return to the hotel and sink into the white sheets, contemplating and enjoying the peace and quiet of the lake now illuminated by the lights of the evening, soak in a warm and relax bath with those same notes of Sinatra in the background...
"Fly me to the moon... Let me play among the stars... Let me see what spring is like..."
An hour later I was at the restaurant of the Casino to enjoy a glass of wine and a delicious dinner of fish, by candlelight, with live music.
After trying the luck and being caught again, on my return to the room, the staff attentions of Melià Campione, I let myself be lulled by the lake and then wake up the next morning, wearing a soft bathrobe, slightly the curtains to start my day with a breakfast with a view. And then... and then off to Lugano and its elegance, with the rain before and the sun after, it made me fall in love. A picture painted by some kind of wonderful brush.
Luxury boutiques, markets, gardens, buildings immersed in that first autumn air that gave it even more charming in my eyes... but I will tell you all these things in the next posts ;)
Melià Campione made me fly to the moon, play with the stars and experience the magic of a dream.
Etichette: Campione d'Italia, lago di lugano, Melià Campione, Melià Hotel, The Fashion Princess, travel
Idee regalo per viaggiatori accaniti
The door, the way: through them the journey begins, often real sometimes imaginary, touching countries, borders, paths, visible and invisible goals. Towards the elsewhere. And at the end of the trip always we find ourselves or a fragment of ourselves. We collect rocks, shells, sand grains. Magnets, bracelets and special objects to remember that place from which we just returned. Because every trip lived three times: when you dream it, when you live it and when you remember it.
Have you ever thought how difficult is to make a gift to those who love to travel? A gift that is not an air ticket for a new journey, of course!
While surfing the web I found Troppotogo, a site where you can find many gift ideas for all tastes, as well as other unimaginable objects. I found right here all the most original and funny gifts.
Guess who has lost the head over the globe to scratch and an instant camera? Of course I, and I'm already in my wishlist!
Etichette: idee regalo, life style, The Fashion Princess, troppotogo
Tuscany in love
The scent of oleander blossoms and grapes, slowly, mature under the hot August sun, the country chic style, the sun illuminating the clusters, the colors of the countryside, the rows of vines that seem to extend to infinite, and the harmonious succession of fields of wheat and sunflowers.
With that indescribable charm, Tuscany is so beautiful everywhere. But when you consider the Tuscany you can not turn our mind to the rural and unspoilt countryside landscapes.
Hills and slopes, fields, vineyards and olive groves as far as the eye, castles and medieval villages: landscapes and charming villages that are the symbol of the region that gave the natives to Dante.
Immerse yourself in one of the most characteristic landscapes of Tuscany, staying in an estate, one of those in the countryside, with a red roof, surrounded by rows and rows of vineyards and olive groves, where you can not only relax and enjoy the views, but also savor the delicious wines.
Get in touch with the authentically traditional and genuine side of the region, discovering the roots and true passion that animates the inhabitants. Walking between the rows aimlessly, just to listen to nature and its silence. Organize a picnic in the shade of a large oak tree, one of those rustic and homemade, with Tuscan bread, a bottle of red, cheese and cold cuts at will. Falling asleep with the chirping of crickets and wake up with the breeze coming through the windows, that brings with it the smell of salt air mixed happiness.
I dreamed about an holiday like this for years. A peaceful holiday in an authentic Tuscan style.
Etichette: Castagneto Carducci, natura, pini marittimi, Tenuta Guado al Tasso, The Fashion Princess, Toscana, travel, travel blogger, Tuscany, ulivi, vigneto
Capelli castano chiaro
Among the colors of hair light brown is less bold. Maybe. Why be comfortable with this super delicious nuance may seem more complicated than you might think.
The choice of light brown as hair color is back, day after day, in vogue thanks to the varied coloring techniques, such as shatush or sweeping, that made it a must have for women who generally have a light brown natural hair. It will be for its charme but where is the perfect face, with its light and its heat conquer the world.
Light brown hair are especially good for women who have an amber complexion and then a warm undertone. In this case it is best to avoid cold colors and decided to stay on bright warm colors such as light brown on gold or copper tones.
Etichette: beauty, capelli, capelli castano chiaro, castano chiaro, L'Oreal Paris, The Fashion Princess
Il sorriso della Toscana
That time I (re)discovered smile and happiness in Tuscany. That true and spontaneous smile.
It is the smile of summer, un and avenues of cypresses and pines. That of sunflowers, sea and its nuances, sunsets that amaze and falling stars.
The smile that allows the soul to breathe, that makes it perfect everywhere. That of dinners with friends and forget alarm clocks, natural hair and salt on the skin. That of happy hour by sea and sky view, which illuminates the eyes and inflames the heart.
It is the smile started by another smile. That of friendship and love, which comes in the morning and stays on the face until one second before gently close your eyes, between a caress on the cheek and one on the chest.
Etichette: desirèe d'aloia, Dsquared2, Lorenzo Mari, outfit, sorriso, The Fashion Princess, Toscana
Shopping? Sì, con RetailMeNot.it
Autumn is time for shopping even if, for us women, every season is an excuse to make new purchases, is not it? I do not know what happens when we enter in a store or online leaf through pages and pages of clothes, shoes and handbags, but just can not do it, to keep the credit card in the wallet! Probably there is some magnetic field that attracts. Yes, there aren't other explanation! Thus, in view of the fall shopping you do, I want to tell you about RetailMeNot.it, the marketplace of discounts.
RetailMeNot.it is one of the most important platforms of digital offerings in the world. A kind of virtual marketplace in which to bring together consumers, stores and brands.
On RetailMeNot.it, in fact, you can find the best vouchers, discounts and exclusive promotions.
Promotions relating to several categories, ranging from travels to beauty, from health to food, from fashion to electronics. The user can take advantage of an offer already available on the platform, or to acquire a code to be redeemed within the ecommerce brand chose for shopping. But that's not all because, in some cases, RetailMeNot.it also offers a real cash back on purchases of certain amounts.
Soon I will take up with workouts at the gym, so in these days I decided to make some online shopping by Decathlon. I filled the carriage of leggings, shoes and t-shirt (pink, like a real princess!), then on RetailMeNot.it I looked for the Decathlon discount code that was in my case... I saved more than I had imagined!
And what do you expect? To save money, of course! I'm sure you will thank me! (Even your husbands/partners/boyfriends will do :P)
Etichette: codici sconto, decathlon, life style, RetailMeNot, shopping, shopping on-line, The Fashion Princess
Miss Dior Absolutely Blooming
A bit of insolence, a lot of passion, absolutely free. It is Miss Dior Absolutely Blooming, the new fragrance, eye-catching created by François Demachy, with which the Perfumer-Creator Dior revisits the concept of goodies and reveals the facets of an elegant bouquet, in love with life and its pleasures.
A floral momentum coated with lively and joyful notes. An explosion of tangy and crispy petals.
His Miss Dior is just that: naturally beautiful, with a bouquet of flowers from the sublime trail, insolent with a sweetness and fresh sour as an endless flowering.
Miss Dior Absolutely Blooming is a smiling perfume. A fresh, floral and musky fragrance.
Starting with notes of wild berries, Raspberry, Pomegranate and Black Currant Agreement, enhanced by spicy sting of naughty Pink Berries, is a reminder of the senses. Dance, allures, elicits an irresistible desire.
An heart made of flowers. The Rose of Grasse unfolds all the magnificence of its carnal agreements. Coupled with the liveliness of the Essence of Damascena Rose, the beautiful of May exults! A pair of roses that blends into an agreement of bright Peony.
The freshness of Miss Dior Absolutely Blooming is constant, supported by a fund of White Musks that wrap the entire composition, re-emerging in the fruity top notes.
A floral fragrance in Dior style, where naturalness is a signature and the beauty of the flowers an ideal.
Etichette: beauty, Dior, Miss Dior, Miss Dior Absolutely Blooming, The Fashion Princess
Un pomeriggio con AnnaCristy
One afternoon with bloggers at AnnaCristy house. Fashion, fabrics, pastries, fun.. there were all the ingredients for a super glamorous event.
A visit to the factory to discover how each piece is created and to understand the philosophy of the brand, and then to know and touch the final products: the new capsule collection!
But who is AnnaCristy? AnnaCristy Milano is a company founded in 1974 that manufactures clothes and accessories for every type of woman. Beautiful, high quality, easy to wear and with a focus on attention to detail, just like Anna Brambilla wants, her stylist.
AnnaCristy products and projects are characterized by the unrivaled excellence of Made in Italy style that characterizes all stages of the production chain, from the choice of fabrics used to creativity, up to the process of realization of the four core brands: AnnaCristy, Elena B, Mon Allure and Eisi.
AnnaCristy is a concentrate of creativity and personality that is expressed in the constant search for novelty and the carefully packaging, without forgetting the attention at the right price.
The mood of the creations? Chic street style! To be worn from morning to night, it's enough to change the accessory, no?! AnnaCristy in fact, also pays special attention to the choice of this.
So, are you curious about the new capsule collection? Do not hate me, but you'll have to wait for the next article (:P), but I leave you a discount code, valid until September 30, which will allow you to purchase exclusive items present in the e-commerce www.annacristy.com with a discount of 15%. Just type: desireeai2016
Etichette: Annacristy, autunno/inverno 2017, desirèe d'aloia, event, moda, The Fashion Princess
Un week end in baita
A mountain of emotions, colors, smells. This was the mountain for me.
The first light of dawn, the sun's rays that enter from the cabin window and warm cheeks peeking out from the duvet. Pink sky, the "clean", fresh and light air, caressing the face in front of a cup of milk and coffee sipped on the porch with the valley that opens right there, before the eyes. A landscape, that of the Valtellina, which seems painted. One of those paintings full of light and color, where the colors are combined to perfection. The forest green of the mountains covered by pine trees, the bright of meadows wherecows grazing, the yellow of the sun and its rays so close and the blue sky sprinkled with white, fluffy clouds like the snow.
The clouds in the mountains caress the long ridges and peaks. They chase each other like children playing in the meadows. Constantly changing, forcing you to fly with the fantasy.
In the mountains you will find the freedom and peace reigns. The nature manifests itself in all its beauty, including the chirping of cicadas and the murmur of the streams that descend into the valley.
The mountain is made for everyone. For those who wish to rest in peace, as for those looking for an even stronger effort in the rest.
I go up in the mountains, I like the climb. The first steps are hard, the body is fatigued and the breath is anxious. When the wind breaks, fatigue becomes a constant, slow and pleasant motion. Every path, accompanied by the sound of cow bells in the distance, is a journey within ourselves.
The mountain is life. From its top you can see how big the world is and how wide the horizons are.
The mountain is a sunset at 2500 meters, with chills and emotion. A carpet of clouds, looking like a sea, where the sun's rays re-emerge. One of those magical, immense sunsets, as those who embrace you and rob you every word, leaving you displaced, surprised, grateful, in love.
Mountain raises this in the heart, the infinite sense, with the desire to raise the mind to which is sublime.
The scent of wood and herbal tea for two by the fireplace, between talk, laughter, ginger cookies and the silence that surrounds the valley. The warmth of the fire and its popping sound, an unusual melody that lulls the heart till make you fall asleep.
Etichette: baita, montagna, mucche, natura, paesaggio, Prato Valentino, The Fashion Princess, travel, travel blogger, valle, Valtellina
Louis Vuitton Les Parfums
Imagine the delicate scent of leather, beige, used for the handles and shoulder straps of Louis Vuitton handbags and trunks. Imagine, then, the flower of the Rose of May and the jasmine of Grasse (here). Finally, imagine the aroma of Chinese magnolia and jasmine plantations of Arabia. Mix these precious aromas and you will get a fine fragrance line, that of Louis Vuitton.
A new territory for the Maison but not quite unexplored. Since the creation of its first trunk, in 1854, hover references to the world of perfume. Conceived to protect the most fragile objects during long journeys, these bags showed padded compartments for carrying the perfume bottles without it broke. This led to delicious objects called "Art Edition". After the success of these bottles collectibles, in 1927, Louis Vuitton launched its first real fragrance: Heures d'Absence, followed by Je, Tu, Il; Reminiscences in 1928 and Eau de Voyage in 1946, of which remain intact bottles but not their jus, evaporated over time.
To create new fragrances, seven to be exact, the Maison has relied on the experience and creativity of Jacques Cavallier, appointed Maitre Parfumeur Louis Vuitton in 2012, that from four years travels the world looking for natural materials.
A fragrance for travel, a fragrance to dream.
7 scents for an olfactory journey in luxury and senses:
Rose de Vents: A breath of petals that open new horizons - Faithful traveling companion, the wind rose, or compass, is one of the essential tools for sailors. The Maitre Jacques Cavallier Perfumeur leads us into the heart of a rose of Grasse, where beautiful roses, shook by the wind, seem to breathe. Elegant and majestic, thanks to cedar and iris, this scent is enriched with peppery notes.
Turbolences: A tuberous inviting ecstasy and makes the heart beat - The discovery of distant lands, sometimes it can seem like a journey through the clouds. Inspired by similar feelings at first sight, Turbolences pays tribute to one of the absolute most intoxicating flowers: tuberose, combined with precious jasmine petals.
Dans la Peau: A leather infused, an invitation to explore the senses - Often traveling stimulates desire and Dans la Peau permeates the skin as an indelible ink. The exclusive leather scent is enriched with notes of candied apricot, Grasse jasmine and China sambac jasmine. The absolute notes of narcissus and harmonious agreements musk seal the essence.
Apogée: Lily of the valley that leads to ecstasy - Escape, confronted with the immensity of nature, sometimes you can find yourself. The possibility of entering into communion with the planet to be reborn. Apogée gives this feeling thanks to the fresh lily of the valley: an elixir of innocence. The radiant notes of lily of the valley bind to jasmine petals, magnolia and rose.
Contre Moi: An unexpected vanilla in a deep embrace - Contre Moi commemorates the meeting between two travelers. A profusion of sensuality that leaves quickly emerge emotions. The vanilla from Madagascar and Tahiti come together in a delicate tulle orange flower petals, rose and magnolia.
Matière Noir: A mixture of dark wood and white flowers are invited to plunge into a mysterious world - Exploring the universe is one of the most exciting and adventurous travel fantasies. Solemn notes caress the skin like feathers. Matière Noir probe depth impalpable thanks to a journey through the dark woods such as patchouli and Indonesian agarwood. The notes of agarwood, intensified by the black currant, contrast narcissus and jasmine.
Mille Feux: An incandescent fusion of raspberry and leather creates an ode to light - A golden ray, a starry sky, the northern lights: the light helps to enhance the magic of the trip. To capture this glow, the Maitre Parfumeur Jacques Cavallier use a color. During a visit to the Louis Vuitton workshop for leather processing, he saw a craftsman transform the raw skin-colored raspberry in a refined bag. Glowing skin like a ripe fruit gave him an idea: to associate the smell of leather to that fruit. The composition was then enriched by notes of iris, saffron and osmanthus, white flower from the animal scent and apricot.
Etichette: beauty, Louis Vuitton, Louis Vuitton Les Parfums, profumi, profumi Louis Vuitton, The Fashion Princess
Una Principessa a Forte dei Marmi
Forte dei Marmi, the breakfast with a croissant and a cappuccino in a little place in the center, among bougainvillea and design in wicker, and autumn shopping, because in August I already think about autumn and the season to come. Forte dei Marmi and colorful bicycles, the streets full of life framed by pink and white flowers, and the colorful market. Not a market in the "popular" sense of the term, but a real glamorous event, where the Made in Italy is the master. Fur, bags, shoes, belts; in Forte dei Marmi market you can find anything. Among all kind of fabrics, from silk to grade cashmere (at competitive prices) stand out porcelain, household linen, jewelery and typical hand-painted straw bags embellished with shells, lace, flowers and lace.
Forte dei Marmi and luxury boutiques where you fall in love at every turn, now a pair of shoes, now a purse and a dress.
Symbol of refined sophistication, with its beaches and the "typical" bathhouse of Versilia become known around the world for their tents, and their villas surrounded by greenery and famous clubs like the legendary nightclub La Capannina. Forte dei Marmi and the walks along the jetty, to drink a sunset or wake up the heart with a sunrise, a light sunrise that tinting the sky with pink and hope.
Forte dei Marmi and a princess on vacation, happy and carefree.
Etichette: desirèe d'aloia, Dolce&Gabbana, estate, Forte dei Marmi, outfit, The Fashion Princess, top off shoulder, Toscana, travel, travel blogger, Versilia
Eremo di Santa Caterina del Sasso: un pomeriggio tra pace e natura
A panoramic staircase of 268 steps to reach the gem of Lake Maggiore: the Hermitage of Santa Caterina del Sasso, where the mystic merges with the peace of nature, and the lake with the rock wall form a magnificent backdrop.
Perched on a cliff of rock face overlooking the lake, the Hermitage of Santa Caterina del Sasso is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and fascinating scenery of Lake Maggiore.
Art and history are integrated beautifully in a natural setting among the most evocative, almost a balcony that juts out into the Gulf Borromeo, Stresa and the islands.
It founded in the thirteenth century by merchant Alberto Besozzi of Arolo, who, during a shipwreck, vowed to St. Catherine of refuge here in a cave. In 1195 he built a church to St. Catherine of Alexandria as a sign of public gratitude for favors received.
The Hermitage combines a powerful spiritual energy to a special landscape beauty.
A magical place where time seems to stand still, able to transmit tranquility and peace. The perfect place to get lost to listen to own thoughts and heart. To spend an afternoon getting in touch with nature, soul, ego.
Etichette: desirèe d'aloia, eremo di santa caterina del sasso, lago, lago maggiore, lake, The Fashion Princess, travel, travel blogger
Decorare la casa con Tenstickers
September, for me, has always been the month of change, of new beginnings. When holidays finished, the air begins to change and the days to shrink, bringing the first colors and flavors of autumn, behold, when it arrives, the month that starts with "S", is like to begin a new year. New projects, new goals, new desires, new dreams. Everything is renewed.
Like every year, I come back from vacation and I wonder: "And now what can I do?"
By nature I am a person constantly moving and changing, I do one thing and while I think of a hundred more. I am not able to sit still, especially with the mind. Thus, in the throes of this continuous need to renew and change, I decided to decorate the walls of my office.
I was looking for something special and personalized, something that can give vibrancy, just like the wall stickers I've found at Tenstickers.
Drawings, phrases, locations stickers, they are really a lot and for everyone. Cute, colorful and in various sizes, they are perfect for decorating any room at our leisure.
To apply is very simple, but these wall stickers are also easy to remove. Which it is great for someone like me who loves to change!
Travel addicted as I am, could I not choose aircraft, globe and phrases that remind me how happy I am when I travel? Of course not!
Etichette: adesivi murali, decorazioni adesive, decorazioni per pareti, life style, tenstickers, The Fashion Princess
#AtypicalPlaces with Desigual
One evening in August and a gallant date. The sun prepares to set, the light soul and a gust of wind that moves the hair, pulled back into a high ponytail, and emanating floral notes to my every step. A trail that can tickle all the strings of a human being, like a sweet melody that comes out of slender hands, gracefully, skim harp, line after line.
A modern city, decided by the characters, which is preparing to rejoice in the happiest hours. Elegant and refined, like Desigual dress that I wear for the occasion, decorated with many romantic flowers black & white.
Two souls meet, hands that touch and intertwine. A kiss and a smile.
A romantic dinner by candlelight, in one of my favorite restaurants, one of them with a breathtaking view made for dreaming.
Etichette: #AtypicalPlaces, Desigual, desirèe d'aloia, Gucci, Lorenzo Mari, Louis Vuitton, outfit, Roberto Cavalli, spring/summer 16, The Fashion Princess
San Vincenzo con Camelia Roma
August and the holidays in the beautiful Tuscany. Peace for the soul and wonder to behold.
The landscapes, the blue sea and its scented "water", the medieval villages rich in history and tradition, castles and rural churches, and again, the estates in the countryside, the cypress trees and the endless golden expanses. This is Tuscany, for me. Enchantment and wonder.
A walk to the port of San Vincenzo, one of the most popular seaside resorts of Tuscany, just before a drink in one of the many cafes overlooking the sea. One of those that I like so much, with white fluttering curtains, shells and corals as ornaments and blue cushions to sink into bliss. One of those in which breathe that air of sea.
The finest hour of the day, when the sun has already dried the earth and the salt was impregnated on hair and skin. That same skin become golden and emphasized by a whiteness shirt. A '50s Lady, on vacation, with a wide-brimmed straw hat, to shelter from the still warm sun, high-waisted shorts and a bucket bag made of genuine leather. Black with red interior fabric. Elegant and refined, like the woman who wears it.
Etichette: accessorize, bag, borsa secchiello, Camelia Roma, desirèe d'aloia, outfit, San Vincenzo, Sisley, The Fashion Princess, Toscana, Zara
YSL Mon Paris
An unconventional, crazy and impulsive love story. Mon Paris is the scent of this amour fou that leads to break all conventions. A fascinating and sensual fragrance, inspired by an overwhelming love and dedicated to a free woman, who is not afraid to live the vertigo of this passion.
A unique scent, to charm and seduce anyone.
YSL Mon Paris is the reinterpretation of the classic chypre where the olfactory pyramid is upside down. The jus with sweet and fruity agreements is in fact built upside down, thanks to an exaltation of the fruity top notes: strawberry, raspberry, pear and Calabrian bergamot. A heart of flowers, peony, orange blossom, Sambac jasmine and Chinese jasmine, where emerges the narcotic Datura flower: the flower of vertigo that gives a unique olfactory signature. The fragrance ends with an intriguing mix of Indonesian patchouli leaves, white musk and amber.
Etichette: beauty, profumo, The Fashion Princess, YSL Mon Paris, Yves Saint Laurent
The beauty. That of an afternoon in late July in the hills, under the blazing gorgeous sun. The magnificence of nature and its activity in a simple way. A sunrise, a sunset, a starry sky or overcast. A landscape that is being lost. A lovely space, nothing finished and definite, the unripe grape smell and a kitten in the shadow of a vineyard.
The beauty of those who laugh and turn the page. Of those who still believe in something. The beauty of the little things, the simple, genuine, well, true. Because the best things are even closer: the light in the eyes, flowers at our feet, the path of the just fine in front of us, the breath of life.
The beauty of a hug, warm, like the wind in the summer, the most beautiful dress to donate. As one of those to go out with in the evening, long, red. An "important" dress. One of those to leave you breathless.
The charm of two eyes that look at you, chase you, lose into your world, and the beauty of a woman and of her smile. Of her perfumed skin and her laugh. The magic, of a love or a friendship, enclosed in a wire coil. That red and invisible wire that binds two destinies.
The beauty, the real one, is in the eyes of the beholder.
Etichette: abito rosso, bellezza, corona di fiori, desirèe d'aloia, maxi dress, outfit, The Fashion Princess, vigneto
Dolce&Gabbana Summer in Italy
The Sicilian cart is a constant summer 2016 of Dolce&Gabbana. Fashion and make up tell about medieval knights and ladies, tradition and love of beauty.
Bright colors inspired by the atmosphere of the Mediterranean and Sicilian citrus: it is the Summer in Italy Make Up Collection 2016.
Cheerful and sunny colors, for face, lips, eyes, hands, recount the essence of Dolce&Gabbana and evoke all the hot Italian summer bustle.
Vibrations of color, bright texture and dream packaging. A rich collection, which provides for the face the Blush in Orange, the Shimmer Powder in Star Shine, a compact powder to illuminate the temples and cheekbones. The eye is full of life and brightness with the Mono Perfect Cream Eye Colour in new shades, Turquoise, inspired by the Mediterranean Sea, and Lemon, to the flowering lemon trees of the Italian countryside. The Glam Liner Cyclamen is an eye pencil inspired by purely summer cyclamen flowers.
The lips are colored in bright colors with new shades Orange and Cyclamen of The Classic Cream Lipstick that represent the heart of the Italian passion, with their delicate scent of rose.
The hands light up with the glazes The Nail Laquer in Turquoise, Lemon, Orange and Cyclamen.
Product symbol of the collection is The Sicilian Bronzer in Sunshine, a compact powder that gives light to the face for an effect of natural tan, kept in a box decorated with motifs typical of the traditional Sicilian cart.
Etichette: beauty, dolce & gabbana summer in italy, dolce gabbana make up, Dolce&Gabbana, estate 2016, make up, The Fashion Princess
Chanel Dans La Lumière de L'Eté
Inspired by distant lands, sand dunes and oases in the desert, sunsets that inflame the sky, with its colors "postcard", illuminated by the sun, the Chanel make up collection Dans La Lumière de L'Eté, for summer 2016, is an invitation to relax.
The face is colored with lights and shadows thanks to the radiant powders effect, the look is dressed by ocher and brown shades, the lips wearing coral and pink tones, nails distort the look with fiery shades.
Etichette: beauty, Chanel, chanel dans la lumiere de l'ete, estate 2016, make up, The Fashion Princess
Malta, l'isola della Meraviglia
June 28, Milan Linate. The anxious waiting for a plane, Air Malta, and that mixture of excitement and anxiety that always accompanies me before each departure. A new adventure and this time different. The first trip alone, without knowing anyone, who will wait for me once landed, and the need to "wonder".
The desire to arrive and the curiosity to discover and learn as much as possible of an island of which I have always heard about but which, until now, I never got to visit. Malta, rich in history and culture, architectural and artistic masterpieces. It provides its visitors with all its old fascination and the sea of innumerable shades of blue, walks, entertainment, intense nightlife.
To fascinate Malta, in addition to the landscape, is its ancient and prestigious history. Conquered, colonized and governed by numerous Mediterranean civilizations, for 7000 years, the archipelago was home, stronghold, trading center and refuge for many people from ancient civilization builders of the mysterious megalithic temples to the Phoenicians, by men like St. Paul the Apostle to Napoleon, without forgetting those who have left here the most significant imprint: the Knights of Malta.
Etichette: air malta, Blue Grotto, La Valletta, Malta, Mdina, The Fashion Princess, travel, travel blogger, visit malta
Zanzibar Travel Tips: cosa vedere e cosa fare sull'isola delle spezie
Where the deep blue waters of the Indian Ocean merges with the white beaches rich in vegetation, is situated Zanzibar, the spice island. The island that knows no stress.
Zanzibar is a place of many facets, a diamond to move at the light to seize all its bright sides. Besides the sea that offers a thousand and one shades, Zanzibar has a long story to tell, made of dark periods and rebirths, of mixed cultures, united and divided by the centuries. A story that goes through the scents of spices, colorful flowers and the smiles of the children.
If you're weighing to organize a trip to discover the island, here are the places that you should definitely see:
Etichette: cosa vedere a Zanzibar, Nungwi, Prison Island, Stone Town, The Fashion Princess, The Rock Zanzibar, travel, travel blogger, Zanzibar
Sporty Look
Physical activity, without a doubt, plays an important role in ensuring good health. Moving every day has positive effects on physical and mental health of the person, and then you know, a healthy and regular exercise combined with a balanced diet, both qualitatively and quantitatively, helps to maintain (or regain) a healthy weight.
With the arrival of warm weather and warmer temperatures, grows the desire to move outdoors, where spaces are expanding, increases the exchange of oxygen and improves the predisposition to physical effort because of a mental relaxation given by natural environment.
Moving in the green, surrounded by nature relaxes and makes positive.
ASUS ZenBook marks the rhythm of my movements and my feet, and keeps me company during daily workouts making me to rediscover my limits every time. Not a PC but a slight and dynamic laptop, harmonious design and easy to handle.
I lace up my sneakers, start the playlist, pull a deep breath and start my workout.
Etichette: Asus, Asus notebook, Asus Zenbook, desirèe d'aloia, fashion blog, Nike, outfit, Ray-Ban, sporty look, Stradivarius, Superga, The Fashion Princess, Trussardi, zenoutfit
venerdì 8 luglio 2016
Malta #isleofMTV 2016
What? Isle of MTV
Where? Malta
When? June 28, 2016
Malta, island of history and culture, music and entertainment. Malta, Isle of MTV.
On June 28, I flew to Malta for one of the island and the summer's coolest musical events, #isleofMTV. The super free concert that every year, from 10 years, inflames Il-Fosos square in Floriana and maddens all music lovers.
An evening for those who might be there, that will not forget so easily. The ingredients for an unforgettable event there were all: the great music, a breathtaking landscape, the scent of summer and lots and lots of fun.
Stars like Wiz Khalifa, Jess Glynne and Clean Bandit took turns on the stage, doing unleash and dancing an audience of 50,000 people, only to give way to the grand final with the maximum weight of Electro-House Steve Aoki.
The Clean Bandit have performed with the hit album "New Eyes", including the irresistible "Real Love" and "Rather Be". Jess Glynne reminded us to have a crazy voice with her performance of "Do not Be So Hard On Yourself", "Is not Got Far To Go" and "Hold My Hand". It not missed a tribute to Prince with very intense exhibition of "I Fell For You". With Wiz Khalifa, the atmosphere has relaxed. The rapper has opened with the worldwide hit "Black and Yellow", continuing with the hip hop anthem "We Dem Boyz" and concluding with the legendary "Young, Wild & Free" literally driving his audience and making it sing out loud .
DJ from Japanese descent Steve Aoki ended the show very well. Among fireworks, flames that lit up the sky and cakes to be launched to the public, Steve was the host of a unique party.
Isle of MTV, a unique event that offers young people across Europe an exclusive opportunity to listen some of the best emerging and established artists in the world. This event has become an annual destination for music lovers.
Etichette: #isleofMTV 2016, air malta, isle of MTV, Malta, Malta #isleofMTV, MTV, The Fashion Princess, travel, travel blogger, visit malta
lunedì 4 luglio 2016
As an explorer of soft caresses, light and sweet hugs and cuddles intense as the scent of lavender. A sparkling scent, of fields kissed by the sun and animated by colorful butterflies.
The clear skies and warmth on the skin.
Happiness is chasing among the lavender fields, like children, laughing until become short of breath.
I will return in the immensity of that field, where the warm wind blows in summer and the air fragrant smells of lavender. We'll make bunches, all the same. Maybe one or two wires, and will place them between the pages of a book. Forgotten, as the lost loves.
And when time will have yellowed those pages, one day we reopen them and then we seem to still breathe the nostalgia of a perfume that, sweet filled our breasts.
And we'll be back there, lying on the purple cloud of our memories.
Etichette: accessorize, campi di lavanda, desirèe d'aloia, lavanda, outfit, The Fashion Princess
Fall in love with a person who likes to watch you sleep. Who whispers you beautiful words, as if he was singing a slow and unknown song that only in your dreams you can remember. Fall in love with a person who as a first greeting, in the morning, use an "How are you?". Not because you're bad, but because for her the most important thing is that you are well. Fall in love with a person who kisses you suddenly, for no reason, for every time the emotion of a love that surprising. Someone who uses hugs instead of words when you are sad, and that instead of advice, use the beats of his heart to calm down. Fall in love with a person who dedicates you songs every day, because every song reminds you. For this you are a strawberry, a marvelous creature or a nice bitch all in the same day. Fall in love with a person who thinks in a totally opposite way to you, but he always want to listen to your opinion. That spend whole evenings to explain his point of view. That pissed exaggerated if you do not agree and wants to make peace by making love.
Fall in love with a person who makes fun of you, a person that love more laughing than smile. Fall in love with a curious person who likes to travel, he will take you to snorkel with humpback whales, climbing Everest, bungee jumping from the Macau Tower, surfing in Australia. Then he will read Pride and Prejudice under a huge oak tree in England, and you will obviously cry for Darcy and will hate Elizabeth, but only the beginning. You will ride in Andalusia, and will sing you a serenade in an Irish castle. But he'll always remember that his house will be just where they are resting your eyes and your feet, the rest of the world does volume.
Fall in love with a person who knows how to isolate themselves in melancholy of your silence, that understand the importance of a liberating tears. Fall in love with a person who love your freedom, your independence and respecting your choices. But that sometimes makes you an outburst of jealousy, because basically you're his world.
Fall in love with a person who has the best smell of the universe, that you would recognize anywhere, the only one that only you can appreciate. That smell so similar to your emotions. And, in the end, fall in love with that one soul, you'll ever love with all yourself. Do not settle for a mediocre love, a love that is not love. Fall in love because you can not do without it, not because you do not want to be alone.
Etichette: amore, innamorati, life style, love, The Fashion Princess
Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet
Imagine a dress embellished with thousands of flowers, a Miss, refined and elegant, that leaves in her wake a floral symphony blending in a merry dance of which we grasp neither the beginning nor the end. A symphony entitled: Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet.
Floral and sparkling, a bouquet that pays tribute to the legendary Christian Dior's love for flowers. For Monsieur Dior, in fact, "after the women, flowers are the most divine creations."
Blooming Bouquet is inspired by the most delicate and fresh fragrances of Peony, Damask Rose, Calabrian Bergamot and White Musks, who together create a real floral bouquet in tender agreements.
A light and graceful fragrance that encloses the essence of Woman, which reveals a veil of mystery.
The square-shaped bottle, and the contents of a soft pink, is made even more feminine thanks to a chrome bow on the cap that is one of elegance, simplicity and refinement, qualities of each respectable Miss.
Miss Dior was founded in 1947 when the sister of Christian Dior, a young woman who escaped the war, through the joy of life, energy and courage transmits a great femininity, so that she felt cheering down the stairs of his house: "Voila, Miss Dior!" . So it was decided that this would be the name of the perfume par excellence in Dior house.
The Miss Dior Collection, formed by Parfum, Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette and Blooming Bouquet is the first and only "daughter" by Couturier Dior.
Etichette: beauty, Christian Dior, Miss Dior, Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet, profumi Dior, profumo, The Fashion Princess
A casual day w/ ASUS
An afternoon with friends. The joy of a spring day, one of those carefree, between chatters and laughters. Because you know, sometimes we women only need this: spend time with us. A pizza or a walk downtown, the time with our friends is something precious.
Sunglasses, a pair of flats, a colorful skirt that recalls my Africa and a denim shirt. But do not give up my ASUS ZenBook, it accompanies me everywhere! So while I await the arrival of my friends, I can interact with my followers, upload photos for the next blog post or listening to music. Now we are inseparable, it accompanies me on all occasions, from the most formal to the total disengagement; then it is so slight, I can easily put it in the bag to be connected with the digital world at all times!
Etichette: Asus, Asus notebook, Asus Zenbook, Christian Dior, denim shirt, desirèe d'aloia, Dior, Hotel Manin, Hotel Manin Milano, outfit, Stephanie Atieno, Stradivarius, The Fashion Princess, zenoutfit
Happy Hour with ASUS Zenbook
End of the day, a shy spring wind that caresses the hair, the sun with its rays on my skin and summer becomes ever closer away with fresh and genuine flavors of a Mediterranean aperitif: toast, tomatoes, red and juicy, basil with that intoxicating aroma.
From my ZenBook, musical notes of distant lands surround me and accompany me looking for the next destination to visit, in a summer to be discovered.
My ZenBook is not only a tool but a great companion during my free time, which makes it a must have from which never separated even during an aperitif, cheerful and colorful as my #ZenOutfit.
Etichette: aperitivo, Asus, Asus notebook, Asus Zenbook, Christian Dior, desirèe d'aloia, Dior, happy hour, outfit, The Fashion Princess, zenoutfit
La Petite Robe Noir
A fragrant creation, chic and tremendously glamorous by Guerlain. La Petite Robe Noir, an Eau de Parfum embroidered with the "black" notes of perfumery: black cherry, black rose, patchouli, black tea.
The first arabesque reveals black cherry with a combination of almond, bergamot and red fruits. Then comes the rose, star of the second pirouette, finally, the tonka bean makes its arrival on the scene, getting you to give in to the seduction of almond, enhanced by black tea to create a smoky mixture.
The legendary bottle with the cap in the shape of an upside down heart is interpreted in a modern way, its crystal clear, with shades ranging from black to powder pink, reveals the silhouette of the iconic little black dress.
Etichette: beauty, Guerlain, Guerlain La Petite Robe Noir, La Petite Robe Noir, profumo, The Fashion Princess
Una mattina alla SPA del Mimozas Resort
Sometimes we feel the need to estranged from everyday life, take time for us, treat ourselves further, but the simple escape from the daily reality of is not enough. What could be better, to recuperate, a SPA treatment perhaps in a romantic resort located in a seaside town?
I found this peace at Mimozas Resort Cannes (here), with its SPA for those searching for the pleasure of harmony and relaxation in a precious environment, where care of himself becomes the only priority.
An exclusive oasis of relaxation and wellbeing that offers its guests prestigious spaces and world-class standards: whirlpools, a wellness program that consists of Finnish sauna, aromatic steam bath, emotional and reactions showers, finally a relaxation area where tea and relaxing herbal teas are served.
If the spa treatments are not enough, you can give other relying pampering with gentle massage, accompanied by relaxing music and the scent of essential oils, which will make you want to immortalize that moment...
Etichette: Costa Azzurra, Mandelieu, Mimozas Resort, Mimozas Resort Cannes, spa, The Fashion Princess, travel, travel blogger
Dolce&Gabbana City Capsule Collection 2016
Are you still undecided about your holiday destination? Then, be inspired by fashion!
What are the most chic destinations? It'll say the designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana with their capsule collection, warm and colorful.
This summer Dolce&Gabbana offers a collection of bags and accessories inspired and dedicated to Marbella, St. Tropez and Cannes.
For each of the three summer destinations, Dolce&Gabbana has created a silk scarf, bags in three different sizes and a cover for the smartphone.
The bags have bright prints and illustrations that recall the cities. Cannes, for example, you can see the Croisette, the famous promenade on the sea, Marbella, the red tile roofs of houses and palm trees instead to Saint Tropez the harbor, the myth of the nightlife of the sixties.
The pieces of the capsule collection are only available in the cities to which they are dedicated, Marbella, Cannes and Saint Tropez.
I chose... I'll go to Saint Tropez and you?! ;)
Etichette: borse, City Capsule Collection, Dolce&Gabbana, Dolce&Gabbana 2016, Miss Sicily, The Fashion Princess, trend
Château De Mandelieu
I woke up at dawn, with the weight of sleepy eyes, among the crumpled sheets and matted hair, even before the alarm clock. The bathrobe waiting for me, there where I left it the night before. One foot and then the other, on the cold floor, to the window of my room here at the Mimozas Resort (here). Hands on blue cotton, decided to deviate slightly those curtains, just a little, to go out barefoot on the balcony and breathe that air, warm and salty, of a Friday in late May morning in Mandelieu.
Wearing the peach-colored dress, one of my favorites, one of those long and fluttering at the first breath of wind I decided to have breakfast, eagerly, like children on Christmas morning.
Once walked the avenue flanked by a side from the golf courses and on the other by a canal navigated by many boats and ducklings, the sea loomed before me in all its glory, with those calm and turquoise shades. To fall me in love, right next to the port, a castle, that of a princess and her childhood dream, when as a child she enjoyed building sand castles.
Once upon a time... So, as in fairy tales we find ourselves in Mandelieu-La Napoule, so romantic and charming, with its château constantly kissed by the waves.
One of the most charming castles of the French Riviera, built by the sea in 1387 by Villeneuve counts, witness a rather eventful history and makes unique La Napoule beach.
Destroyed and rebuilt several times throughout history, the castle of La Napoule is a gift of love and the dream of a romantic couple; the Clews. Henry, rich heiress of an American banking family, and Marie, a beautiful lady who, with his sensitivity, carved the castle gardens for the pleasure of guests and visitors.
What we see today is the result of the renovation and modification work that Clews have brought to this place. A real spell of works of art, engravings and symbols that, for the most part, were sculpted by Henry Clews as a promise of eternal love for Marie.
Etichette: castello, castello sul mare, Chateau de Mandelieu, Costa Azzurra, desirèe d'aloia, Francia, Mandelieu, Mandelieu La Napoule, The Fashion Princess, travel, travel blogger
Grand Hotel Majestic: la Dolce Vita sul Lago Maggi...
Eremo di Santa Caterina del Sasso: un pomeriggio t...
Zanzibar Travel Tips: cosa vedere e cosa fare sull...
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Selling the Drama
Posted in Manny Ramirez by Dave on July 31st, 2008
I didn’t think Theo Epstein had it in him. I was confident that the Boston Red Sox were just going through the motions of trying to trade Manny Ramirez. I thought that all of the trade talk this past week was designed to show Manny that the Sox tried to grant his wish for a trade, but due to Manny’s bad attitude no one wanted him. I thought that this would be the motivation that Manny needed to put up monster numbers the next two months of the season and ensure the giant free agent contract that he so desired.
I guess I was wrong.
Goodbye, Manny. Hello, Jason Bay!
Why trade arguably the greatest right handed hitter in Major League history? For starters, Manny has always been about Manny. He doesn’t care about the game of baseball. He doesn’t care about the fans, and he sure as hell doesn’t give a crap about his teammates. If he did he wouldn’t have put himself in this situation.
Boston has always been a blue-collar, hard working city that prides itself on supporting a baseball team that always plays hard and gives 100%. That’s why guys like Trot Nixon, Gabe Kapler and Dustin Pedroia are fan favorites. The fans put up with Manny’s laissez-faire attitude as long as we could, but eventually his act grew tired.
Manny was set up to be the sixth Red Sox player to have his number retired at Fenway Park. He was going to be the guy would tell our grandchildren about, the same way we heard stories about Ted Williams. Manny was that good.
But that wasn’t enough for Manny.
Manny thrived in the spotlight, and if it wasn’t shining on him, another version of Manny would appear. The Manny that pouted and pulled himself from the lineup. The Manny that would never play through the same pain that each and every one of his teammates were playing through during the course of a long season.
The Manny that called out management and quit on teammates.
Don’t think for a second that dealing Manny across the country is going to change anything. He’s still going to be the guy that doesn’t run out ground balls and flops around the outfield. How will Manny’s defense be now that he’s actually going to have to cover some ground, without a 37-foot-tall security blanket right behind him? How will Manny’s numbers be affected going from an offensive paradise at Fenway to the land of the long fly-ball out?
These questions are going to be answered sooner rather than later. Manny can now be Manny, for as long as he wants to.
I’m just glad I don’t have to watch it anymore.
Posted in Boston Red Sox, Fair-Weather Fans, I hate the Yankees, Manny Ramirez, New York Yankees by Dave on July 25th, 2008
Don’t look now, but the New York Yankees have climbed to within three games of the AL East co-leaders Sox and Rays and are in Boston for a three-game set at Fenway Park that starts tonight. Like a bad case of athlete’s foot, New York refuses to go away. These guys have been decimated this season with injuries to Chien-Ming Wang, Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui. Add to that the disappointing pitching from Ian Kennedy and Philip Hughes, plus the media circus of the A-Rod/Madonna/Cynthia Rodriguez/Lenny Kravitz Quadangle, and it is a miracle that these guys are still in contention. What is Hank Steinbrenner pumping through the air conditioning ducts to keep these guys motivated?
I’m not sure that the Yankees have enough pitching to make a long run at the playoffs, but you can be certain that Hank Steinbrenner will mortgage the future at next week’s trade deadline to at least make it interesting.
Objects in the rearview mirror are closer than they appear.
Thefoulline.com Quick Hits
I don’t know what Joba Chamberlain’s problem with Kevin Youkilis is, but if he hits Youk again tonight, I hope he gets his face smashed in with a Louisville Slugger.
You can tell that autumn is here when the leaves change color, and you can tell it’s almost August when Manny Ramirez starts faking another injury. This season it’s his sore knee. It never fails.
The attendance at Tropicana Field for the last two games for the Rays was about 12,000 and 16,000. That equates to 30.1% and 40% of total capacity. I know that it’s not the temperature in Florida that’s keeping them away. It’s always fair-weathered in the dome.
Big Papi David Ortiz rejoins the Sox tonight after a long layoff. This might be the big move at the trade deadline that everyone has been hoping for.
Speaking of the trading deadline… I really hope that Boston deals Manny to the Mets for prospects, takes those prospects and adds a top-line Red Sox prospect to the mix, and makes a deal for Matt Holliday. He would make people forget about Manny pretty damn quick.
Playoff atmosphere at Fenway tonight, and there is no one better to have on the mound than the best big game pitcher in baseball, Josh Beckett.
Go Sox!
Makes Me Wonder
Posted in Alex Rodriguez, All Star Game, I hate the Yankees, Jonathan Papelbon, MVP by Dave on July 10th, 2008
The three-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins was exactly what the Boston Red Sox needed. The Sox have been going through the motions lately, getting little to no production from Manny, Lugo, Ellsbury, and Varitek. Even Jonathan Papelbon has been getting hit. These guys had looked like a shell of their former selves.
During this series with Minnesota, Boston won the first game 1-0. They rallied back from a three-run deficit to win the second game, and they had the blowout in the third game to cap the sweep. I know that one good series doesn’t make a season, but this could be a turning point for the Sox. They beat a very good team three times, in three very different ways. Boston is finally getting healthy, and this could be when we see the real Red Sox show up.
Thefoulline.com Quick Hits:
Boston is 34-10 playing at Fenway and 21-29 on the road. Home field is going to be more important than ever this postseason.
Some guy named Clay Buchholz is starting for Boston Friday night. I hope that he can do as well as some of the other young pitchers the Red Sox have used this year.
Congrats to Evan Longoria for making the All Star team. It’s well deserved and is sure to be the first of many during his career.
Speaking of the All Star game… Imagine, if you will, the 9th inning, the AL up by one run. Francona goes to the bullpen, the last All Star game in Yankee Stadium… and out comes Jonathan Papelbon. It won’t happen. But it would be awesome to stick it to the entire state of New York.
Dustin Pedroia needs to be in the running for the MVP of the league.
Vernon Wells of the Toronto Blue Jays is injured again and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. It’s time for Toronto to concede the season and look towards next year.
After dropping three in a row, and losing 13-2 to Cleveland as I write this, you know that the Rays are counting the minutes to the All Star break so they can regroup. This is just a bump in the road. They’ll be competitive all year long.
Is A-Rod dating Madonna really newsworthy? Would this even be in the paper if the Yankees were relevant?
The Winner Takes It All, Playoff Preview
Posted in Fantasy Baseball by Dave on July 9th, 2008
After a two-week hiatus from thefoulline.com fantasy league weeks in review, I thought it would be a perfect time to look into the crystal ball and see how the playoff picture is shaping up. According to league rules, four teams make the playoffs: the two division leaders, and the two teams that have the best records. So let’s take a look who’s going to the postseason, and who’s going to be watching from the sidelines.
Teams are ranked in order of win/loss record:
YankeeHaters
After a crushing defeat to the Boston Braves this past week, confidence is running high for team YankeeHater. It feels good to finally beat a McLaughlin. I’ll need to avenge my other loss to The Showstoppers in a couple of weeks to really correct the universe, but a five-game lead in the West Division all but assures me a playoff berth.
Love Boat Captains
LBC made a big splash in the trade market this week, dealing Cy Young Award winner Brandon Webb for the always dangerous Albert Pujols. This team needed to improve their offense before the playoffs started, and she might need to make one more deal to add some more punch to her sometimes anemic offensive. Whether she makes another move or not, she’s playoff bound.
After a humiliating defeat by the YankeeHaters and currently in the midst of a two-game losing streak, the Boston Braves are reeling. But this team has the players to turn this thing around and make a solid push to playoffs. Soriano and Oswalt should rejoin his team soon to add a boost.
The Showstoppers
A six-game winning streak? Is that even possible? The Showstoppers are chewing up teams and spitting them out right now. They have a tough game this week against the up-and-down Lessthanzero, and there is a three-way tie for first in the East Division. Of the three teams, The Showstoppers may be the most playoff ready.
SarasotaRedRays, Chickenheads, LessthanZero
These three teams have had an up-and-down season and are currently on the outside looking in. SRR has really struggled as of late, losing four games in a row. These guys may have peaked too early in the season, but they have the players to turn it around. Chickenheads is proving to be a legitimate threat, winning three in a row. They may have finally found the right combination to make a push towards the playoffs. LessthanZero is the one team of these three that can play spoiler. They’re a wild-card that has the potential to knock off the big boys. The injury bug has hit these guys recently, but they still can still make a big run at any time.
MyBestefforts, Bostonbad boys, Roger’s syringe
Thanks for playing. Three of the nicest owners in the league. Unfortunately, they fell behind the eight ball early in the season and have been unable to recover, although I still have hope that they can beat up on the McLaughlins before the playoffs start.
Eat for Two
Posted in C.C. Sabathia, Milwaukee Brewers by Dave on July 7th, 2008
My favorite time of the baseball season is right around the corner. No, not the annual American League ass-kicking of the National League in the All Star game. I’m talking about the Major League trade deadline, the time of year when teams make that final push towards the postseason. It’s a time when the hopes and dreams for your team are renewed. The time when general managers and scouts determine which player is a must-have, and who will be the final piece to the World Series puzzle.
It was announced this morning that the Milwaukee Brewers have already made a huge splash in the trade market with the acquisition of C.C. Sabathia. And when I say it was a huge move, I mean gigantic. And when I say gigantic, I mean FAT.
Have you seen Chocolate Cake Sabathia lately? This dude gets fatter every time I see him. What was Brewers GM Doug Melvin thinking, bringing him to the land of bratwurst, cheese curds and dark beer? That’s like sending a diabetic to work for Willy Wonka. This part-time rental is not going to end well.
Sabathia is a great regular-season pitcher, with 19 wins and a Cy Young Award in 2007. But when Chunk-Butt pitches in October, his ERA climbs to an abysmal 7.17. Combine that with fellow lard-ass and big-game blower Eric Gagne closing games, and it’s good night Milwaukee.
My only question is this: Which will be higher, C.C.’s ERA, or his cholesterol?
Posted in All Star Game by Dave on July 6th, 2008
Baseball has some of the most passionate and knowledgeable fans in all of sports, but for some reason, when the fans have the chance to select the starters for the mid-summer classic, they have the tendency to pick with their hearts instead of their brains. As much as I like players like Jason Varitek and Ken Griffey Jr., they are not deserving of an All Star nod. With the All Star selections being announced at 2:00 p.m. today, I’m going to jump the gun and give you the players that have truly played like an All Star during the first half of the season.
Although I’d like to make the team entirely of Red Sox players, I’m going to try to be as impartial as possible, which means there may be a Ray or a Yankee on the team. Ugh!
Catcher: Joe Mauer
Pencil him in for the next ten years.
First Base: Justin Morneau
This was a close race between Youkilis and Morneau. Both players have similar numbers. I just think Morneau is better.
Second Base: Dustin Pedroia
This guy is a great hitter and an under-appreciated defender. His defense gives him a slight edge over Ian Kinsler.
Third base: Alex Rodriguez
After a controversial week in the tabloids, this selection should soothe the Material Girl’s pain.
Shortstop: Michael Young
Sorry, Jeter. I know that this is the last year in Yankee Stadium, but Young is better than you.
Outfield: Josh Hamilton, Grady Sizemore, Carlos Quinton
There have been some great performances by AL outfielders during the first half of the season. These three have been the best.
Designated Hitter: Milton Bradley
Even with one arm, I think Big Papi should be the DH. But I’m afraid that Bradley will hunt me down and beat me to a pulp if he’s not picked.
Starting Pitcher: Cliff Lee
11-1, 2.26 ERA. Lee has been the biggest pitching surprise in the league.
Dioner Navarro C
Kevin Youkilis 1B
Ian Kinsler 2B
Brian Roberts 2B
Evan Longoria 3B
Derek Jeter SS
B.J. Upton OF
Nick Markakis OF
Ichiro Suzuki OF
J.D. Drew OF
Roy Halladay SP
Ervin Santana SP
James Shields SP
Justin Duchscherer SP
Joe Saunders SP
Gavin Floyd SP
Jon Lester SP
Jonathan Papelbon RP
Francisco Rodriguez RP
Mariano Rivera RP
Catcher: Russell Martin
Martin is in a class by himself. Easily the best catcher in baseball.
First Base: Lance Berkman
After an amazing first half, Berkman is the NL MVP.
Second Base: Chase Utley
24 ding-dongs on the season so far. He has carried the Phillies.
Third base: Larry Jones
Grown men shouldn’t be called Chipper, even when they hit close to .400.
Shortstop: Hanley Ramirez
This guy makes the game look easy. He’s a lock for the next ten years.
Designated Hitter: Ryan Howard
I like that this guy will either strikeout or go yard. There is no in-between.
Outfield: Nate McLouth, Carlos Beltran, Ryan Braun
These three aren’t the biggest names in the National League, but they’ve been carrying their respective teams.
Starting Pitcher: Tim Lincecum
This kid weighs 120 pounds and throws 98 MPH. The fact that he’s 10-1 and is the lone bright spot on the Giants also helps.
Geovany Soto C
Brian McCann C
Adrian Gonzalez 1B
Derrek Lee 1B
Dan Uggla 2B
David Wright 3B
Jose Reyes SS
Miguel Tejada SS
Carlos Lee OF
Pat Burrell OF
Matt Holliday OF
Edinson Volquez SP
Brandon Webb SP
Dan Haren SP
Cole Hamels SP
Ben Sheets SP
Ryan Dempster SP
Kerry Wood RP
Jose Valverde RP
Brad Lidge RP
So there you have it, the official thefoulline.com 2008 All Star Team.
Posted in Bill Lee, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, Terry Francona by Dave on July 3rd, 2008
The sun did rise today.
The birds are singing, and things seem to be OK.
After watching the Red Sox get out-hit, out-pitched, outplayed and out-cheered the last three nights, I wasn’t so sure that was going to happen. But here we are – it’s a new day and we have the damn Yankees to focus on.
There’s a lot of baseball left to played. Let’s turn this thing around.
After receiving threats in the mail a few days ago, Sox players avoided fans in the stands like they had the ebola virus (with David Aardsma being the exception, but I think he may have a few screws loose anyway).
Walking into the game last night and seeing ex-Sox player Bill Lee in attendance signing autographs I thought was going to be a good omen. It wasn’t.
Evan Longoria is a great ballplayer, but after watching him interact with the young fans in the crowd, I think he is an even better person. Within two years, this guy is going to be the most popular player in baseball.
With Terry Francona picking the reserves for the All-Star Game, I think Longoria just secured a spot on the roster.
Funny observation of the night: The Red Sox coaches warm up as if they are playing that night. I watched as Brad Mills and Luis Alicea played some long toss before the game. After watching the Sox bullpen implode last night, they could have used them.
Three games, three dumb moves by Francona. Game 1: Not pinch hitting Sean Casey for Lugo in the 9th inning. Game 2: Having the ice-cold Jason Varitek pinch hit. Game 3: Keeping Craig Hansen in the game too long and having him walk half the Rays lineup.
Bonus dumb move from Game 3: Having the above mentioned Varitek do a hit and run with the slowest guy on the team standing on first base. It was a recipe for failure.
Manny sucks.
What a relief, Boston has four games against the Yankees.
3 1/2 games behind Tampa Bay Rays feels like 100 right now.
Thanks to the Rays fan who jump started my truck in the parking lot after the game. I take back some of the bad stuff I’ve said about their kind in the past.
2018 thefoulline.com fantasy baseball champion on Defend The Title, Week One
Willis on Defend The Title, Week One
2018 thefoulline.com Fantasy Baseball Champion on The Champion of Ignorance
Dave on The Champion of Ignorance
2018 the foulline.com Fantasy Baseball Champion on The Champion of Ignorance
Defend The Title, Week Three
Defend The Title, Week One
The Champion of Ignorance
The Days Of Summer, Week Eight
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Five favorites: Famicom/NES platformers that don't involve a fat, Italian-American plumber
As much as I love the first three Super Mario Bros. titles as much as the next guy or gal, they're not the only cartridges I stick into my Famicom when I'm in the mood for some platforming action.
In fact, these days I'm far more likely to reach for the five games listed below--each of which offer up music, graphics and gameplay that I consider to be on par with those aforementioned Nintendo-made classics.
1. Don Doko Don 2--I'm guessing Taito's decision to turn Don Doko Don's sequel into a Super Mario Bros.-esque, side-scrolling platformer was met with at least a bit of skepticism back in the day (it was released in 1992), but gamers needn't have worried. After all, the contents of this particular cart is a treat for the eyes, ears and even hands. (You know, because it controls well and is an overall joy to play.) Plus, it features a cameo of sorts by Chack'n (of Chack'n Pop fame)--which, in my mind at least, means it's an absolute-must-play.
2. Hoshi no Kirby: Yume no Izumi no Monogatari (aka Kirby's Adventure)--Is Kirby's first console outing his best? I tend to think so, although I also hold Kirby's Epic Yarn and Kirby's Return to Dream Land in high esteem. (Sorry, I've yet to play Kirby Super Star.) Regardless, the game known to westerners as Kirby's Adventure easily is one of the more enjoyable--and precious--platformers released for Nintendo's 8-bit super system. It is easy? Yes, it is, but that's the point. Focus on taking in the sights and having fun while doing so and you won't regret a second of the time you spend with this one.
3. Pajama Hero Nemo (aka Little Nemo the Dream Master)--Would you believe me if I said that this may be my favorite Famicom/NES game? Well, it is. Or it may be. Whatever. Anyway, even if you don't agree--due to its difficulty, most likely--you have to admit this title is a looker. I mean, really, how adorable are those sprites? That Little Nemo sounds nearly as good as it looks just adds to its status as a top-shelf platformer that should be experienced by everyone who isn't afraid of a bit of a challenge, a splash of color and a protagonist who's still in his pajamas.
4. Wanpaku Dakku Yume Bōken (aka Duck Tales)--This next comment will surprise no one who actually lived through the 8-bit era, but I'm going to say it awyway: Capcom absolutely killed it during the days of the Famicom and NES, and this trend-bucking (when it comes to licensed releases) games is proof positive of that fact. The keys for me: The ability to use ol' Scrooge McDuck's cane both as a pogo stick and as a golf club. Also, its highly explorable stages (something that also can be said for the game above, by the way). Spend some time with this one and you'll understand why so many of us "mature" gamers say things like, "They sure don't make 'em like they used to."
5. Yume Penguin Monogatari--This is one of those fabulously weird games that, for reasons unknown, never left Japan. I guess it was just too odd for us buttoned-up Americans? It wouldn't surprise me, considering the game is about a rather chubby penguin who, desperate to reunite with his ex-girlfriend, works his way through level after level (some of which involve shooting, a la Gradius or Parodius, rather than platforming) in order to "lose the chunk" for his judgmental former lover. Whatever the reason, it's too bad, as Yume Penguin Monogatari is one of the most unique titles to have been made for the Famicom.
Note: Look for follow-up post--titled, "Five more favorites: Famicom/NES platformers that don't involve a fat, Italian-American plumber"--to be published within the next few days.
Labels: 8-bit, Don Doko Don 2, Duck Tales, famicom, five favorites, Hoshi no Kirby, Kirby's Adventure, Little Nemo, NES, Pajama Hero Nemo, platformers, retro, Wanpaku Dakku Yume Bōken, Yume Penguin Monogatari
Haha, I love the look of that penguin one :) I've played the three above it too - I agree, they're splendid! Never tried Don Doko Don 2 though. I guess I have little excuse now :)
Love the Penguin one as well. The storyline is hilarious :) As for the pimp penguin, he cracks me up!
I have to check out Don Doku Don 2.
MadHierophant said...
I like that I haven't played all 5 of these. Now I have something to do this afternoon.
Simon: As soon as you're able, download the ROMs for Don Doko Don 2 and Yume Penguin Monogatari and them play them via your favorite emulator. You won't regret it :)
You'll probably like Yume Penguin Monogatari more than Don Doko Don 2, but both are great -- and unique -- little platformers.
Retr0gamer: Yes, the story included in Yume Penguin Monogatari is hilarious, isn't it? I also love how the protagonist gets thinner and fatter during gameplay :)
I'm kind of surprised so many of you have yet to play Don Doko Don 2, by the way. I guess I did my job if I introduced even a few of you to its charms.
Hey there, MadHierophant! Nice to see you here :) Anyway, yes, give them all a try sometime soon. And keep an eye out for this post's follow-up, which will showcase five more great Famicom/NES platformers (that don't feature Mario).
To do list, after reading this post:
1. Find Little Nemo because I LOVED THAT GAME and I don't have a copy...
2. Revisit Duck Tales, since it rocks so damn hard.
3. Track down the penguin game.
4. Figure out what the hell is going on in that first screen shot.
Hey there, Justin! My response to your to do list:
1. YES! God, how I love Little Nemo. It's amazing what Capcom's designers/developers were able to do with the Famicom/NES architecture when it comes to graphics.
2. YES X2!! I played the hell out of this game as a kid, and I'd play the hell out of it today, too, if I still owned a copy of it.
3. Do it. It's wonderfully quirky and also just tons of fun. I much prefer the platforming stages to the shooting ones, but the overall package is a blast, regardless.
4. Yeah, that screenshot's a bit weird. I'm assuming it's a boss fight. (I'm assuming here because I've yet to make it that far in the game.) Anyway, I only included it because it shows Bub from Bobble Bobble. The rest of the game looks much better, I assure you.
2D2Will said...
Have you ever played Jackie Chan's Action Kung-Fu? I think it's a fantastic game for the NES.
I've never played the Famicom/NES version, 2D2Will, just the PC Engine/TG-16 version. I think they're basically the same, though? Anyway, I like the PC Engine version, but it's not one of my favorite PCE games. I think it's because the characters/enemies are just so BIG.
I haven't played the TG-16 version, but after watching some footage of it, I can say with certainty that character models in the NES version are smaller than the TG-16 version. It's worth a play. The platforming is very solid in the NES version.
Well, then, I'll give it a try sometime soon. The only thing I didn't like about the TG-16 version was those huge character/enemy sprites.
Reggie White Jr. said...
I love the title of this post.
Duck Tales is a classic. Shame that Capcom no longer has the license to these Disney games. Duck Tales and Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers deserve a Virtual Console release.
You haven't played Kirby Super Star? Whoa. If you plan to get Kirby's Dream Collection this month, I hope you check KSS out. It's one of my favorite Kirby games as well as many other fan's faves.
Hello again, Reggie! I'm glad you loved the title, BTW. Seems that's not the case for everyone, but what can you do?
As for it being a shame that Capcom no longer has the license to these games: I agree :( All of Capcom's licensed games from this era were superb. Well, maybe all but Mickey Mousecapade.
I know it's crazy that I haven't played Kirby Super Star. I can't even give you a reason as to why that is. Well, other than I didn't much like Kirby until last year.
I'm definitely getting Kirby's Dream Collection, by the way. After that happens, I'll give Super Star a try, no question.
Kaze said...
Great list!! I agree with you on every game! Although I haven't actually played Don Doko Don 2 yet! (I looked for it at PAX but didn't see it! lol)
I remember being so proud of myself when I was younger and I beat Little Nemo! I had my dad take a picture of the ending screen. lol
I also remember playing Yume Penguin Monogatari with a friend of mine! We picked it out of a list of ROMs based solely on the name. I remember the main character's girlfriend being like "Penta-kun, you're so fat!! Gross!" and thinking how 8-bit era Nintendo would be super hesitant to release it in the states. lol
Duck Tales is a classic! The music for the moon level and for the Transylvania stage are still some of my favorite 8-bit tracks! ^^
Also wow!! I totally agree with 2D2Will about Jackie Chan's Action Kung Fu for the NES! It's one of my favorite NES games and is a kind of gaming "comfort food" of mine! I can seriously play through the game again and again! lol I remember seeing screen shots of the TG-16 version and the character sprites for the NES version are way way cuter! Usually no one has ever heard of that game when I mention it! lol
Did you seriously look for Don Doko Don 2 at PAX, Marty? I can't believe it!
I'm not surprised that you didn't see it, though, as it seems kind of rare. (I often look for it on eBay, as I really want a copy.)
I also can't believe you beat Little Nemo back in the day. I haven't even come close! Such a tough game. Still, I love it.
And, yes, the music in Duck Tales is truly amazing.
As for the Fami version of Jackie Chan's Action Kung Fu: I guess I'll have to check it out soon if you and 2D2Will love it so :)
sir jorge said...
greatest post about nintendo ever! no seriously, i love the comic relief, but more importantly that you picked some awesome games
Ha! Why, thank you, sir jorge :)
Haha, I did! They only had the original Don Doko Don though!
Hello again, Kaze! Ah, the original Don Doko Don is a nice game, too, but the sequel is better, IMO -- at least if we're talking about Famicom/NES games/versions. The arcade and PC Engine versions of the first Don Doko Don is pretty great, though.
if you're fond of don doko don 2, you should check out mitsume ga tooru and the jetsons: cogswell's caper; i'm reasonably sure they were all made by the same team.
Thanks for the suggestions, sharc! I've never heard of either of them, actually, which surprises me. BTW, do you like Don Doko Don 2 yourself?
hard copies of either are not cheap, but they're both pretty snazzy; mitsume ga tooru in particular has some cool parallax effects. you'll probably notice the music and sfx sound similar to don doko don 2. natsume is a sorely underappreciated developer and there's a lot of great stuff in their nes/fc catalog!
yeah, i like don doko don 2 well enough. it's not always the most elegant game; for instance, how beating the first boss requires you to use throwing upward, an ability you aren't taught at any point prior to the fight. the presentation is fun though, and it's an overall solid game that a lot of folks aren't familiar with.
So, sharc, I looked up Mitsume ga Tooru, and ... I'm sure not I like the look of the game. I'm going to give it a try, though -- through emulation of course. Haven't yet looked up the Jetsens game, but I'll do that in a minute.
As for Don Doko Don 2: You know what? I've honestly never thought about the instance you brought up until now. I just knew what to do when I got into that situation. I wonder if it's explained in the instruction manual that you have to toss enemies upward every once in a while? That wouldn't surprise me, as many games from that era (and the 16-bit era) explained such things in the manual but not in the game as they do today.
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Greatest Waterfall of All Time
What is the greatest waterfall of all time?
The most massive waterfall on earth. The falls got their name from the local word “Iguaçu”, meaning simply, “big water”. It seems the locals weren’t much for flowery language, as the name easily could have been “gigantic bubbling cauldron of aquatic rage”. The Iguazu Falls unleash over 60,000 cubic feet of water each second. They release enough water each day to satisfy the drinking water needs of New York City for over a month! And these are the averages we’re talking about here. During the rainy season, the banks of the Iguazú River swell to mind-blowing proportions. In fact, just this past June, Iquazu set the record for the highest flow rate ever recorded. A truly unfathomable 1.6 million cubic feet per second . . . more than the average flow rate of the top 200 largest rivers on earth combined! It’s a fitting record for this legendary wonder of the Amazon.
Location: Border of Brazil and Argentina | Watercourse: Iguazú River | Annual Visitors: Hundreds of thousands | Local Name: Iguaçu is Guarani for “big water”
Type: Cataract | Total Height: 269 ft | Max Plunge Height: 220 ft | Total Width: 1.7 miles | Flow Rate: 62,010 ft³/s
The tallest waterfall on earth. Some waterfalls are tall, some waterfalls are freakishly tall, and then there is Venezuela’s Angel Falls. Towering an amazing 3,212 feet above the jungle floor below, Angel Falls is like the Manute Bol of the waterfall word. This hyper-tall plunge waterfall launches the fast-moving water of the Gauja River far off the face of the rocky cliff wall of the Auyantepui mountain. At one point, the water free-falls for over half a mile before violently smashing upon the cliff-face at the base of the mountain. The locals called this the “waterfall of the deepest place” and you’d have to dig very deep to come up with a natural wonder that was as beautiful and dramatic as Angel Falls.
Location: Canaima National Park, Venezuela | Watercourse: Gauja River | Annual Visitors: Tens of thousands | Local Name: Kerepakupai Vená is Pemon for "waterfall of the deepest place”
Type: Plunges | Total Height: 3,212 ft | Max Plunge Height: 2,648 ft | Total Width: 500 ft | Flow Rate: 500 ft³/s
The largest sheet of falling water anywhere on earth. Victoria Falls is yet another crown-jewel in the impressive collection of other-worldly wonders belonging to the African continent. This thunderous waterfall separates the nations of Zambia and Zimbabwe and is fed by the meandering waters of the Zambezi river. The water flow fluctuates drastically from one season to the next, and at the peak of the rainy season, the flow rate can reach over 3 times that of Niagara Falls. Visitors can catch awesome views of the falls from a number of scenic overlooks, or for the more adventurous (some might call them suicidal), you can take a dip in Devil’s Pool. This daredevil’s hot-tub allows swimmers to enter the Zambezi, and literally swim up to the edge of the falls, looking directly over the edge. It makes for an incredible photo-op, but don’t let your guard down. An accidental trip over the 350+ foot drop would truly confirm the name the locals gave to this incredible waterfall: “The Smoke that Thunders”.
Location: Border of Zambia and Zimbabwe | Watercourse: Zembezi River | Annual Visitors: 1 million+ | Local Name: Mosi-oa-Tunya is Tokaleya Tonga for “the Smoke that Thunders”
Type: Cataract | Total Height: 355 ft | Max Plunge Height: 355 ft | Total Width: 5,604 ft | Flow Rate: 38,430 ft³/s
Yosemite Falls
The most famous American waterfall west of the Mississippi. Yosemite Falls has been the darling of postcard photographers since the national park opened in 1890 (I know, it’s very questionable that photographs were widely used on postcards at that time . . . so sue me). The abundance of idyllic scenery at Yosemite Falls is matched by the impressive dimensions of this towering plunge. At 2,425 total feet, and a maximum plunge height of 1,430 feet, Yosemite Falls is officially listed as the 8th tallest free-fall drop waterfall in the world, and the second tallest in North America (narrowly losing to a Yosemite Park neighbor: Ribbon Falls). Few super-tall waterfalls anywhere can match the 250 cubic feet per second flow rate of the Yosemite Falls, and in terms of jaw-dropping beauty, we think this iconic landmark is second to none.
Location: Yosemite National Park, California | Watercourse: Yosemite Creek | Annual Visitors: Hundreds of thousands | Local Name: Yosemite is Southern Miwok for “some them are killers”
Type: Tiered Plunge | Total Height: 2,425 ft | Max Plunge Height: 1,430 ft | Total Width: 150 ft | Flow Rate: 250 ft³/s
Kaieteur Falls
The third most powerful waterfall south of the equator. Guyana’s Kaieteur National Park is the home of this behemoth plunge waterfall of the same name. This hulking beast exhibits a truly rare and jaw-dropping combination of soaring height and earth shaking aquatic volume. At 741 feet, the water plummets from a cliff that is taller than the Seattle Space Needle. Getting hit from a bucket of water dropped from that height could do some serious damage, so imagine the impact of Kaieteur Falls . . . nearly 1.5 million pounds of water slam down on the plunge pool each second! According to Patamona legend, the falls were named after the chief Kai, a man who self-sacrificed himself by swimming over the falls in the name of the spirit Makonaima. Kai saved the people of his tribe with this insane act, he also helped add to the mystique of one of the greatest waterfalls of all time.
Location: Kaieteur National Park, Guyana | Watercourse: Potaro River | Annual Visitors: Tens of thousands | Local Name: Kai is the name of Patamona chief who self-sacrificed at the falls.
Type: Plunge | Total Height: 741 ft | Max Plunge Height: 741 ft | Total Width: 500 ft | Flow Rate: 23,400 ft³/s
The highest volume waterfall in the Northern Hemisphere. The Niagara Falls unleash a mindblowing 85,000 cubic feet of water every second. This hydro-electric juggernaut pumps out enough water to fill every NFL stadium in America TWICE every single day! The place is now a veritable Disneyland of tourist fueled family-fun, and perhaps that artificial accompaniment makes the raw power of the falls all the more impressive. Thousands of homes are powered by the energy from the upstream hydro-electric plants at Niagara, and no waterfall can match the overall societal impact of this legendary mega-cataract. Whether you’re a fan of the circus surrounding it or not, one can’t help but appreciate the epic strength and history of the Niagara Falls.
Location: Between Niagara Falls, NY and Niagara Falls, Ontario | Watercourse: Niagara River | Annual Visitors: ~30 million | Local Name: Niagara is Mohawk for “The Neck”
Virginia Falls
The third most voluminous waterfall in the Northern Hemisphere. Virginia Falls is a stellar example of the jaw-dropping beauty and terrifying power of an untouched natural phenomenon. This beast is twice as tall as Niagara Falls. It spews only half the water, but it does so with a terrifying wildness and intensity that the super-commercialized plunge on the edge of the Empire State cannot match. Their remote location in the Northwest Territories of Canada makes the Virginia Falls hard to reach, but they are well worth the trek for anyone with an appetite for the unadulterated ferocity of one of the most powerful natural forces on earth.
Location: Northwest Territories, Canada | Watercourse: South Nahanni River | Annual Visitors: Very few | Local Name: Na
Type: Cataract | Total Height: 315 ft| Max Plunge Height: 295 ft | Total Width: 1,000 ft | Flow Rate: 35,000 ft³/s
Jog Falls
Once the most massive plunge waterfall in Asia. Few westerners have ever heard of Jog Falls, and sadly many young people in the east never had a chance to experience this awesome cataract in its natural heyday. A massive hydroelectric facility now closely regulates the water, forever muzzling the kinetic energy of the wild beast. During monsoon season tourists are still treated to the falls at their most spectacular crest, and only then can you truly appreciate just how massive these falls once were. With a plunge height of 829 feet, the falls are taller than any building in Africa, and all but one in South America (The Gran Torre Santiago building in Chile is 984 ft tall). And with a width of over 5 city blocks, the Jog Falls had a commanding presence unlike any other in Asia. It’s a shame the falls are now just a shadow of their former selves, but The GOAT Series will always remember them as one of the greatest waterfalls of all time.
Location: Karnataka, India | Watercourse: Sharavathi River | Annual Visitors: Thousands | Local Name: Joga is Kannada for “falls”
Type: Cataract | Total Height: 829 ft | Max Plunge Height: 829 ft | Total Width: 1,550 ft | Flow Rate: 5,387 ft³/s
Dry Falls
Widely considered to be the single largest waterfall in history. The Dry Falls precipice in Grant County Washington is a living reminder of a geological event that is nearly impossible for a mere mortal to fathom. Some 20,000 years ago, enormous glaciers moved south from modern-day Canada into the northern area of the US rocky mountains. These glaciers formed natural dams within the river system of the region, eventually leading to lakes so large they covered entire states. Finally, the dams gave way, and a flood of biblical proportions swept over the states of Idaho, Washington and Oregon within a few days. The waters converged at the Grand Coulee river and were then launched over the 400 foot sheer ledge at Dry Falls. The event is estimated to have had a water flow rate of 10 times all the current rivers on earth combined! That’s over 2 billion cubic feet of water per second! No modern waterfall can be used as reference for this event, it would be like comparing a thimble to a wave pool, but we can all agree that Dry Falls was absolutely one of the greatest waterfalls of all time.
Location: Grant County, Washington, USA | Watercourse: Grand Coulee River | Annual Visitors: Several thousand | Local Name: Na
Type: Plunge | Total Height: 400 ft | Max Plunge Height: 400 ft | Total Width: 3.5 miles | Flow Rate: ~2 billion ft³/s
Salto Pará
The most voluminous waterfall on earth. Venezuela is home to a number of the world’s best waterfalls, and Salto Pará is no exception. At over 3 miles wide, this enormous horsetail waterfall can only be seen in its entirety from an aircraft. With a flow rate of 125,000 cubic feet person second, the Salto Pará somehow ushers through 50% more water than Niagara Falls! The falls are far less commercialized than the more famous Angel or Iguazu Falls in South America, but we encourage anyone near Bolivar to make the effort to see Salto Pará for yourself. It’s the most hulking display of cascading water that you can find anywhere on earth.
Location: Bolivar, Venezuela | Watercourse: Caura River | Annual Visitors: Very few | Local Name: Unknown
Type: Horsetail | Total Height: 211 ft | Max Plunge Height: Unknown | Total Width: 3.48 miles | Flow Rate: 125,000 ft³/s
Cascada De San Rafael
The second highest super-flow waterfall in the world. The Cascada De San Rafael drops the equivalent of 7 shipping containers full of water each second. That’s 440 tons of Coca River agua hurdling over a 40 story granite cliff before slamming into a deep plunge-pool at the base of the Ecuadoran jungle canyon. Misty spray from the falls can rise as high as 500 feet, engulfing the falls in an eerie fog, sometimes concealing the churning monster from view. But you don’t need to see the Cascada De San Rafael to know you’re in the presence of greatness, as the crashing water creates a non-stop deafening roar that inundates the entire valley. The remote location makes the falls hard to reach, but witnessing the tremendous force of this epic plunge waterfall is well worth the journey.
Location: Napo, Ecuador | Watercourse: Coca River | Annual Visitors: Thousands | Local Name: Na
Type: Teired Plunge | Total Height: 430 ft | Max Plunge Height: 310 ft| Total Width: 100 ft | Flow Rate: 14,125 ft³/s
Sutherland Falls
Long believed to be the tallest waterfall in New Zealand. The Sutherland Falls were one of the first “rock-star” waterfalls on the planet. Discovered by prospector Donald Sutherland in 1880, the falls were long hailed as the tallest in New Zealand. We now know they are actually 4th on the list, behind 3 nearby waterfalls in the same national park. But none of those falls can match the beauty, intensity, and seemingly impossible positioning of Sutherland. The falls carry water down from Quill Lake high atop the mountain in the most efficient way possible. Plummeting down 3 successive drops, the first and tallest measuring a staggering 885 uninterrupted feet. The water eventually crashes into a tiny plunge pool, tucked nearly out of view at the base of the towering cliff-face. One can only imagine what Mr Sutherland was thinking when he first encountered these falls, but it was a probably a fitting emotion for someone witnessing one of the most impressive plunge waterfalls on earth.
Location: Fiordland, New Zealand| Watercourse: Arthur River | Annual Visitors: Tens of thousands | Local Name: Na
Type: Tiered Plunge| Total Height: 1,904 ft | Max Plunge Height: 885 ft | Total Width: 90 ft | Flow Rate: 400 ft³/s
Ruacana Falls
The second most powerful waterfall in Africa. Ruacana Falls is a massive 2,300 foot wide cascade waterfall located in Ruacana, Namibia. A waterfall that gets nowhere near the kind of fanfare as its Zambian cousin to the East, the Ruacana deserves a place among the titans of the waterfall world. Like many African waterfalls, the flow-rate at Ruacana fluctuates drastically, growing from barely a trickle during the dry season to a raging tidal wave at the peak of the rainy season. If you hope to see this beast at the peak of ferocity, plan your trip to southern Africa at the end of the rainy season, in February or early March. And once you get there be sure to appreciate the reality that you’re standing beside one of the greatest waterfalls in the world.
Location: Ruacana, Namibia | Watercourse: Kunene River | Annual Visitors: Thousands | Local Name: Na
Type: Cascade | Total Height: 390 ft | Max Plunge Height: 350 ft | Total Width: 2,300 ft | Flow Rate: 10,000 ft³/s
The most powerful waterfall in Europe. It’s almost hard to tell land from earth when one first sees Dettifoss, but in person, the deafening thunder of this frothing brute is unmistakable. Located near the northeast shores of Iceland, Dettifoss lays claim to the title of Europe’s most powerful waterfall by volume of water flow. The waterfall is powered by the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river, with water originally sourced as run-off from the nearby Vatnajökull glacier, and various other sources. Much of northeast Iceland’s water flows to Dettifoss, creating one of earth's most vivid examples of what happens when gravity meets a huge amount of water in a confined space. Dettifoss is part of Iceland’s national park system so it is sure to be protected and cherished as an all-time great for generations.
Location: Northeast Iceland | Watercourse: Jökulsá á Fjöllum | Annual Visitors: Tens of thousands | Local Name: Icelandic for “the collapsing waterfall”
Type: Cataract | Total Height: 160 ft | Max Plunge Height: 160 ft | Total Width: 550 ft | Flow Rate: 7,000 ft³/s
Huangguoshu Waterfall
Currently the largest waterfall in Asia. China’s Huangguoshu Waterfall has been revered by locals for centuries. At 255 feet tall, and 331 feet wide, the waterfall presents an impressive physique. And with a clean, plunging curtain of water, it is perhaps one of the most peaceful of the great raging waterfalls. In fact, this curtain of water lent its name to a magical cave that lies behind the falls. Called “The Water-Curtain Cave” this place allows visitors to stand directly underneath and behind the falls, looking out through the streaming sheet of water. With tourism quickly on the rise in the region it’s likely that Huangguoshu will be protected for generations, we think it’s a worthy cause to preserve one of the coolest waterfalls in the world.
Location: Guizhou, China| Watercourse: Hai River | Annual Visitors: Hundreds of thousands | Local Name: Huangguoshu is Mandarin for “yellow-fruit tree waterfalls”
Type: Segmented Block | Total Height: 255 ft | Max Plunge Height: 220 ft | Total Width: 331 ft | Flow Rate: 1,000 ft³/s
GOAT Staff Score - Waterfall
Height (25%)
Flow Rate (25%)
Drama/Beauty (25%)
Natural Preservation (10%)
Ease of Access (10%)
Pop Culture (5%)
Unweighted Total
Iguazú Falls 5 12 15 11 7 14 64 1050
Angel Falls 15 3 14 12 5 13 62 1035
Victoria Falls 7 11 13 10 8 11 60 1010
Yosemite Falls 14 1 12 9 14 12 62 965
Kaieteur Falls 11 9 9 14 2 7 52 920
Niagara Falls 2 13 10 2 15 15 57 870
Virginia Falls 6 10 11 15 1 2 45 845
Jog Falls 12 5 8 3 9 4 41 765
Dry Falls 9 15 1 1 12 1 39 760
Salto Pará 3 14 3 13 4 3 40 685
Cascada De San Rafael 10 8 5 5 3 6 37 685
Sutherland Falls 13 2 2 7 11 10 45 655
Ruacana Falls 8 7 6 4 6 5 36 650
Dettifoss 1 6 7 8 13 9 44 605
Huangguoshu Waterfall 4 4 4 6 10 8 36 500
South America’s Iguazu Falls is everything a great waterfall should be. Colossal, un-tamed, tidal-wave-like raging waters? Check. Towering, 20+ story height? Check. A twisted, sprawling shape with over 40 uniquely named cascades, impossibly gorgeous background scenery, and a popular culture presence that rivals that of any natural wonder? Check, check, and check. We’ve scoured the earth, we’ve compiled heaps of research, and we’ve run the numbers a thousand times . . . . the Iguazu Falls is, without a doubt, the greatest waterfall of all time.
Greatest Cyberpunk Novel of All Time
The GOAT Series Staff
Greatest Mountain of All Time
Greatest Cryptid of All Time
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Todd Akin Gets GOP Backing Again After Refusing to Quit
Akin lost party after "legitimate rape" comment, but refused to leave race.
CHRIS GOOD
Senate Candidate Todd Akin Says He Misspoke on RapeThe congressman had said it is rare for women to become pregnant when raped.
Sept. 27, 2012 -- The biggest flip-flop of the 2012 election season may not come from a candidate, but from Republicans who once bashed Todd Akin.
After calling on Akin to withdraw from his Senate race against Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill in Missouri, in the wake of his now-infamous "legitimate rape" comment, the National Republican Senatorial Committee now supports his candidacy and has reopened the door to spending on his behalf.
What's changed? Akin's withdrawal deadline expired at 5 p.m. CDT on Tuesday. He's officially on the ballot, and Republicans are stuck with him as their candidate.
Up until the deadline, D.C. Republicans stood by their decision not to support Akin. "We meant what we said," one GOP strategist told ABC News on Monday, predicting a loss for Akin in the state. "At some point you have to do what's right for the party, and that was doing what's right for the party."
But now that the possibility of replacing him has gone away, he is being embraced again, some sounding as if there had never been any doubt.
"There is no question that for Missourians who believe we need to stop the reckless Washington spending, rein in the role of government in people's lives, and finally focus on growing jobs in this country, that Todd Akin is a far more preferable candidate than liberal Senator Claire McCaskill," the National Republican Senatorial Committee's executive director, Rob Jesmer, said in a prepared statement on Wednesday.
Rick Santorum, Jim DeMint endorse Todd Akin
"As with every Republican Senate candidate, we hope Todd Akin wins in November and we will continue to monitor this race closely in the days ahead," Jesmer said.
Translation: If Akin appears to be competitive, the NRSC will consider spending in Missouri -- something the committee has maintained it would not do.
D.C.-based Republicans had unanimously trashed Akin after his now-infamous rape comment in August. NRSC chairman John Cornyn, along with Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, called on Akin to drop out or at least reconsider his Senate bid. One major election-spending group, American Crossroads, yanked $3.5 million in reserved expenditures hitting McCaskill.
Conservative PAC may back Akin's Senate bid
Akin's campaign has criticized Cornyn and the GOP establishment in its fundraising pitches. His online fundraising page still asks donors to "Chip in now and show the party bosses that you're standing with Todd Akin in his fight to defeat Claire McCaskill in November!"
Get more pure politics at ABCNews.com/Politics and a lighter take on the news at OTUSNews.com
"A lot of people are coming on board, and we're very appreciative of them," Akin campaign spokesman Ryan Hite told ABC News.
"They're looking at the race. Apparently they haven't made a decision yet," Hite said of the NRSC's announcement. "They said it pretty good: Anyone who'd looking for a limited government knows Todd Akin is a far better choice."
The NRSC isn't alone in suddenly hopping aboard the Akin train.
Rick Santorum and Sen. Jim DeMint endorsed Akin Wednesday through the Santorum group Patriot Voices.
"If Republicans are to win back the Senate and stop President Obama's liberal agenda, we must defeat Senator Claire McCaskill in Missouri," they said in a joint statement released by the group. "Todd Akin is a principled conservative who is committed to winning and fighting for freedom in the U.S. Senate."
Gov. Rick Perry of Texas also endorsed Akin on Wednesday.
"Of course Gov Perry supports Todd Akin, a conservative Republican, over Claire McCaskill, a Democrat," Catherine Frazier, press secretary for Perry, wrote in an email when asked if Perry would endorse Akin.
Perry has no plans to go to Missouri between now and Election Day. He was in Columbia, Missouri on Monday to attend a fundraising business roundtable for Ed Martin, who is running for attorney general in the state.
Republicans Back Todd Akin After He Refuses to Quit Race
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, once a rival of Perry and Santorum for the GOP presidential nomination, spent Monday campaigning with Akin in the candidate's St. Louis County congressional district, which he has represented for six terms. Gingrich attended a press conference and fundraiser luncheon with Akin. Rick Tyler, a former Gingrich aide who led the pro-Gingrich super PAC Winning Our Future, began working as Akin's spokesman Aug. 30.
On Tuesday, minutes after Akin's withdrawal deadline had passed, the Missouri Republican Party issued a statement of support. "Just like all of our GOP candidates elected in the August primary, the Missouri Republican Party stands behind Congressman Todd Akin in his race for United State Senate," state party chairman David Cole said. The state party had not called on Akin to withdraw but had distanced itself from the candidate, according to Akin's campaign.
DeMint's PAC, the Senate Conservatives Fund, endorsed Akin Thursday morning after its supporters pledged $290,000 to help him. The group Freedom's Defense Fund reportedly will spend $250,000 on TV, radio, and Internet ads to boost Akin.
Other groups are standing by their decision not to involve themselves in Missouri.
"We have absolutely no plans to get involved in this race," Club for Growth spokesman Barney Keller told ABC News. FreedomWorks did not respond to an email inquiry.
"You kind of know where we are on Missouri," American Crossroads spokesman Nate Hodson said. "We don't discuss any strategy moving forward."
Arlette Saenz contributed to this report.
Sep 26, 9:23 PM
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Accused Church Shooter Dylann Roof Showed 'Tremendous Hatred' and 'Must Be Held Accountable,' Prosecutor Says
Roof is accused of killing nine black parishioners during a Bible study.
KRISTEN MCFANN, STEVE OSUNSAMI, EMILY SHAPIRO AND TARA FOWLER
Church Massacre Survivor Shares Emotional TestimonyPolly Sheppard told jurors in the Dylann Roof trial how she hid under a table at the Charleston church where her friends were shot and killed in front of her.Charleston County Sheriff/AFP Photo/Getty Images
— -- Dylann Roof showed "tremendous cowardice" and "tremendous hatred" when he gunned down nine helpless worshippers at a Charleston, South Carolina, church last year, the prosecution said Thursday in its closing arguments in Roof's federal death penalty trial.
Roof, 22, who is white, is accused of fatally shooting nine black parishioners during a Bible study at the predominantly black Emanuel AME Church on June 17, 2015. He allegedly entered the church armed and "with the intent of killing African-Americans engaged in the exercise of their religious beliefs," according to the federal indictment against him.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Williams began the prosecution's closing arguments by describing church as a sanctuary, "a place of safety, fellowship and welcoming." Williams said hatred doesn't have a place in such a venue.
Nonetheless, Roof felt hatred and targeted the church, Williams said. "It was a cold and calculated hatred that had been developing for months ... that had been seeking out the most vulnerable people to target," Williams said, according to local ABC affiliate WCIV. "He sat there with them, and he waited until they were at their most vulnerable."
Williams continued, "When they stood to pray, when they had their eyes closed ... in those actions we see exactly who this defendant is ... a man whose actions show him to be a man of tremendous cowardice, shooting them when their eyes were closed, shooting them when they were on the ground."
Dylann Roof Federal Trial: Key Points From Government's Case
Charleston Church Shooting Survivor Says She Prayed as Dylann Roof Gunned Down Parishioners
Accused Charleston Church Shooter Dylann Roof Had Handwritten Note Listing Churches
Accused Charleston Church Shooter Dylann Roof Laughed When Admitting to Shooting in Video 'Confession' Played in Court
Prosecutor: Accused Charleston Church Shooter Dylann Roof Stood Over Victims, Shooting Repeatedly
Williams said that Roof believes black people are a problem for America and that he thinks society should go back to a time when slavery was allowed, "one of the most dismal and shameful in this country's history," WCIV reported.
"[He believes] the color of a person's skin makes them less than human," said Williams.
Williams pointed to Roof's manifesto, in which he said Roof identified himself as the one who had to act. "We've seen in these writings a racist retribution," said Williams. "[Roof] literally wants there to be a race war."
Next, Williams spoke about the steps Roof took to prepare for his deadly rampage. Roof worked to find "the most vulnerable people to attack," Williams said, saying Roof made several trips to Charleston, scouting the church. Roof considered a black festival but decided against it because of its security, Williams said. So instead he turned to a church, Williams said, and began stockpiling ammunition.
On June 17, Roof drove to the church, taking a route he had practiced, Williams said. The church he chose, Emanuel AME, was at the top of a list of possible targets, Williams said.
"That tells you the depth, the vastness of his hatred," Williams said.
He then asked how someone could shoot a person on the ground. "The answer, in part, is because he thinks they're less than human," Williams said, WCIV reported.
The worst part of Roof's hatred, Williams said, is that he carried out his attack in a church. Roof drove for 90 minutes to Charleston, then sat outside Emanuel AME for 28 minutes before going inside, Williams said. Roof was "planning and preparing for what he was about to do," Williams said. Then Roof loaded his gun and went inside, Williams said.
For 40 minutes, Roof sat with his victims, "waiting for the chance to kill them" before opening fire, Williams said. "For every person he killed, he must be held accountable."
Williams then pointed out that each victim was shot repeatedly. He commended the bravery of those who faced Roof as he fired, including victim Tywanza Sanders, who tried to draw Roof's attention away from the other people in the church, Williams said.
During his video "confession," Roof laughed over and over, Williams said.
"This defendant's hatred was overwhelming," Williams said.
But Roof's nine victims triumphed over his hatred, Williams continued. "[Roof] thought it would spread his message of hate, but that message was stopped by their goodness ... He chose the wrong good people."
He added, "That church was a sanctuary because these good people created a sanctuary ... And this defendant's hatred has no place in that sanctuary."
Williams concluded by asking the jury to find Roof guilty of every count.
The Defense
Attorney David Bruck spoke next, saying in the defense's closing arguments that the answer is simple when it comes to the issue of what happened and who did it.
He asked the jury to consider the why of this case and understand what was going on in Roof's head.
Bruck called Roof a boy with an "obsession" and described the repeated trips to Charleston as "ritualistic."
"He had nowhere to go," said Bruck. "Just a car full of dirty stuff, like he'd been living there."
Bruck pointed to the fact that Roof told the FBI that he had saved his last bullets for himself. Bruck said that this indicates Roof wasn't going to kill other people; instead, he had decided to kill himself, Bruck said.
He appeared to have no friends, Bruck said. "He didn't get this from anyone else that he knew," Bruck said.
Bruck described Roof as a lonely dropout reading things online in his room. Bruck brought up the Trayvon Martin case, which Roof cited in his manifesto as what piqued his interest.
Bruck said Roof proceeded to find an explanation for every bad thing that had happened and placed the blame at the feet of black people.
"He is simply regurgitating," Bruck said, "bits and pieces of stuff that he has downloaded into his brain from the internet."
Bruck said Roof never adequately explained why he carried out his deadly rampage. "He repeats 10 times in confession, 'I had to do it,'" he said.
Bruck pointed to Roof's warped perception of reality, saying Roof appeared shocked to learn in his interview with the FBI he had killed nine people. "There is something wrong with his perception," Bruck said.
Bruck noted various peculiarities in Roof's behavior, such as having hundreds of pictures of his cat.
He then asked the jury to consider the senselessness of the crime and how illogical it was. He told the jury to question whether there's more to the story.
Bruck concluded by asking the jury to approach the case with the same grace that survivor Polly Sheppard displayed when she took the stand.
In response, prosecutor Stephen Curran said that "none of what Mr. Bruck just told you comes close to undermining what that man [Roof] did."
Curran said Roof was 21 when he carried out the attack, old enough to understand what he did.
Curran continued, "He did act alone. No one forced him do this. No one made him do it. His choices, his decisions, his actions."
Curran told the jury to look at the "confession" video, saying what's seen is not someone who's "delusional."
The answers to why Roof carried out this attack are in the evidence, Curran said. The reason is racism, he said.
"There are still people who will kill, simply because of the color of someone's skin," Curran said.
For Roof, race wasn't a complicated issue, said Curran. Roof believed African-Americans are lesser people, said Curran. He lamented that white people are no longer superior, Curran said.
"Don't be distracted by the defense counsel's argument," Curran said. "It's not that complicated. He told us why."
With that, closing arguments concluded.
The jury was read the charges and was sent to deliberate just after 1 p.m.
The 33 federal counts against Roof include hate crimes resulting in death and obstruction of exercise of religion resulting in death. If convicted, Roof faces the death penalty.
Roof has pleaded not guilty.
He also faces a state trial, set for early next year, in which he may also face the death penalty.
Dec 15, 4:58 PM
Cruise ship passenger dies after going overboard
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Enhance Your Online Presence with Snapchat Snapcodes
Want to think outside the box when it comes to using social media to drive traffic to unique content on your website—even your homepage? Snapchat has introduced Snapcodes, giving its audience a new and unusual way to browse the web.
Currently in beta on Android and in the updates on iOS software, users and businesses can create a unique Snapcode for their website. The Snapcode is a sort of QR code, which when scanned with app’s camera, will open the URL inside the Snapchat app.
How to use the feature:
Go to “Settings”
Select “Snapcodes”
Tap on “Create Snapcode”
Once you’re set and ready to create your Snapcode, you’re required to enter the URL you wish to direct users to, add an image to the code and resize it so it fits within the Snapchat logo, and save it for use when you’re ready to display the code.
Where Have Snapcodes Been?
The QR code feature was introduced in 2015 based on the company’s acquisition of Scan.me. You’ve probably used the feature before. Instead of searching for a username, you each pull out your phone and one of you focuses your Snapchat camera on the QR code to follow them.
The Snapcodes are an advancement of this feature. The same premise applies, but this gives marketers a way to promote their content and boost their business. As users, we’re not looking for URLs to click or clutter up our experience.
Snapcodes allow you to now promote your site without affecting this URL-free experience.
How Should You Use Snapcodes?
A wider range of brands will start using Snapcodes to drive traffic to their website. It’s a new way to stay ahead of your competition. While the primary goal should be to use the codes to drive traffic, generate interest, and promote products, there are other potential uses for Snapcodes.
If you’re running a contest or offering promos and coupons, create a Snapcode that allows people to click on your code to sign up or receive the offer.
Direct users to download your app. Include a link directly to the app to create more buzz surrounding your app. You know that Snapchat users are on their mobile device, so there’s no better time to promote your app than on a mobile device.
Increase your following on social media profiles. If you’re making a push for a better following on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram, include the link to your profile in your Snapcode to direct traffic to these platforms and grow your following.
The way most marketers will be using the feature is to direct users to a desired landing page. Whether the homepage of your website, a contact form, or an interior landing for a particular prevalent service for your company, Snapcodes allow you to get your content seen by a wider range of eyes.
Tracking Results
Snapchat will provide you with in-app analytics for codes that are scanned at least 100 times. Those links that are eligible for analytics can see the total number of scans from users over the span of the last three months, including the percentage of people that opened the link after scanning it.
These metrics will provide you with a new list of potential customers; those you can get your brand in front of through remarketing, sponsored posts, PPC display ads, and more. Snapchat can be a key cog in your marketing strategy. Start taking advantage of Snapcodes from Snapchat today.
Why Snapcodes Are Important
As marketers, we’re always looking for new and innovative ways to drive traffic to our business or that of our clients. The introduction of Snapcodes is a way for you to step outside the box, think innovatively, and create content for the sole purpose of Snapcodes or reiterate the value of your content to users who may not have had the chance to check it out.
Snapchat continues to grow in popularity. The importance of having a unique and creative website design to attract new customers is of vital importance. Display exclusive content and showcase your brand through the power of Snapchat.
Grow your online presence, attract new prospective clients, and watch as your Snapcodes continue to get more views and click-throughs.
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ICC Ethics and Compliance Training Handbook
The ICC Ethics and Compliance Training Handbook sets out the challenges which large, medium-sized and small companies have to overcome as they build and put into action their corporate compliance programme. This practical guide and training tool provides hands-on expertise from distinguished practitioners in the field of corporate integrity and compliance.
It offers practical guidance on performing a risk assessment, installing a whistleblowing system, exercising due diligence when selecting agents or intermediaries, and conducting internal investigations. It also covers setting up a training programme, engaging your Board of Directors in compliance efforts, drafting a Code of Conduct, setting up the best compliance system for your company, resisting solicitation and extortion, introducing the ICC Anti-corruption Clause in your contracts, mitigating compliance risks arising from joint ventures, and managing the transition to a clean commercial policy.
This book will be the tool of reference for managers, compliance officers, lawyers and anyone concerned with stamping out corruption and other anti-competitive practices, whether working in an SME in an emerging country or in a large corporate operating on different continents. The 17 chapters of this handbook were written by past and present compliance practitioners from leading ICC member companies, including Alstom, BP, EADS, Eni, GBI, General Electric, Lafarge, Novartis, Safran, Shell, SGS, Siemens and Thales.
Format in cm : 16*24
FOREWORD by Jean-Guy Carrier
François Vincke: A Daunting but Fascinating Task
PART I: The Fundamentals
Fritz Heimann: The International Anti-corruption Conventions
Jean-Yves Trochon; The Global Antitrust Landscape
Jean-Pierre Méan; Glossary
PART 2: How to Organize Compliance in Your Company
Jean-Daniel Lainé; Risk Assessment
Pedro Montoya: The Role of the Board of Directors
Dominique Lamoureux: Codes of Conduct
Carlos Desmet: The Ethics and Compliance Function and Its Interface with Management, Control, and Audit
Annette Kraus and Julia Sommer: The Compliance Challenge for Smaller Companies
PART 3: Appropriate Measures
Corinne Lagache: Education and Training
Michael Davies, Q.C.: Whistleblowing
Juan Jorge Gili: Internal Investigations
Iohann Le Frapper: Resisting Solicitation
PART 4: Managing Business Relationships
Richard Battaglia and Lucinda Low:Agents, Intermediaries, and Other Third Parties
APPENDIX A – Due Diligence Sample Checklist
Massimo Mantovani; Joint Ventures
APPENDIX A – Due Diligence Guidelines
APPENDIX B – Red Flags
François Vincke; The ICC Anti-corruption Clause (2012)
Max Burger-Scheidlin: Managing the Transition to a Clean Commercial Policy
ANNEX I – ICC Rules on Combating Corruption
ANNEX II – ICC Anti-corruption Clause
ANNEX III – Key International Legal Instruments
François Vincke is a Member of the Brussels Bar. He worked 26 years for PetroFina, a European oil, gas and petrochemicals company, including 11 years as Secretary General and General Counsel. Since 1994, he is the Head of Anti-corruption at ICC, first as Chairman of the Commission on Anti-corruption and later as Vice-Chair of the Commission on Corporate Responsibility and Anti-corruption. He has written a number of articles and led several conferences on matters related to ethics and compliance.
Julian Kassum is an independent consultant working for a number of international organizations, including ICC and the World Economic Forum. Between 2004 and 2010, he was successively Policy Manager for the ICC Commission on Anti-corruption and for the ICC Commission on Business in Society, two working bodies which later merged to form the ICC Commission on Corporate Responsibility and Anti-corruption. In 2009, he worked as Legal Counsel for the Compliance and Corporate Social Responsibility Department of the oil and gas company Total.
ICC Guide to Export/Import - 5th edition - eBook
Using Franchising to take your business international
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Effect of long-term salinity on growth, chemical composition and mineral elements of pistachio (Pistacia vera cv. Badami-Zarand) rootstock seedlings
In recent years, one of the most important problems of pistachio growing is increasing the salinity of soil and water which has decreased the quality and quantity of this crop. In this study, the effect of different levels of salinity on growth of pistachio rootstock cv. Badami Zarand has been evaluated. Pistachio seeds were planted in pots containing loamy sand soil and the salinity treatments were performed four weeks after germination. Seedlings were treated with 25, 50, 100 and 150 Mm of NaCl, CaCl2 and MgCl2 with SAR: 13 that were conducted in 8 steps gently. After 50 days, at the end of salinity duration, seedlings were harvested and morphological traits (length and diameter of shoots and roots as well as fresh and dry weight of shoots and roots) were recorded. Biochemical factors (proline, reduced sugar, starch) and mineral elements (Na+, K+, Cl- and Na+:K+) were also measured.
Results showed that growth characteristics (fresh and dry weight of shoots and roots and shoot height) were decreased under salinity stress especially in 150 Mm treatment but the length of root was not significantly affected. Although the concentration of reduced sugars and proline in the leaves were decreased in150 mM salinity, there was no significant difference among other treatments. Results also showed that the tissue concentrations of Na+, Cl- and Na+: K+ ratio were increased with increasing the salinity level, while the increasing of Na concentration and Na+:K+ ratio was significant only in 150 Mm salinity. Lower Na+:K+ ratio in shoots suggests the possible better K+- Na+ discrimination by carrier in cell root or K+ versus Na discrimination at the sites of xylem loading.
Fereshteh Kamiab, Alireza Talaie, Amanallah Javanshah, Masood Khezri, Ahmad Khalighi
Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Iran’s Pistachio Research Institute, Rafsanjan, Iran. Horticultural Research Institute, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
Pistachia vera
pistachio irrigation cultiv3.pdf 283.94 KB
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The Battle of the Songs: A Classic Christmas Battle Between Two Orchestras [25 Days of Holiday Songs]
December 13, 2018 aisasami
Welcome to another round of The Battle of Songs. We are continuing on the theme of Christmas songs. This time, I picked two different covers of a traditional song. These two versions were written in minor keys, which, to people’s surprise, I am a big fan of. I do love songs in minor keys as they are, as I believe, express more deep emotions.
Enough of my rambling, you are probably asking what the song is? Well, click to find out!
Mannheim Steamroller – God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
We start the battle off with Mannheim Steamroller’s version of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen”, The song starts off all mellow with a trumpet lead playing the opening verse. Then, at the 25-second mark, there is a dramatic pause for a couple of seconds with the drums playing a small solo. Then, the song spirals into different melodies and different directions with various instruments. Somehow, in this mass array, the different themes and instruments come together to create a unified song.
I discovered Mannheim Steamroller when I was in my high school years. I love their Christmas songs and, along with their rendition of “Carol of the Bells”, their “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” is one of my favorite instrumental tracks to play during the holiday seasons. I just love the dramatic effects with the phrasing of each section and by the instrumentation.
(Note: Mannheim Steamroller gets brownie point because they originated from Omaha, Nebraska, my hometown.)
Trans-Siberian Orchestra with Savatage – Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24
Next up is Trans-Siberian Orchestra with Savatage and their song “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24”. Now, I am cheating a little bit because this song isn’t really just “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen”. It also features “Carol of Bells”. Well, it mostly features “Carol of Bells” and just one line from
“God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen”. But, it counts in my rule book as
Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Mannheim Steamroller are the most well-known modern orchestras that have great Christmas music. Besides, having these two bands battling with their own rendition of
“God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” sounds fun, right?
What I love about the Trans-Siberian Orchestra is that they aren’t a classical orchestra, but feature both classical and modern instruments. And,
“Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24” shows this off well with a heavy metal guitar lead. Many people don’t know is that I love heavy metal. People think I love just like bubblegum pop, but I love metal too. I have been listening to Ozzy Osbourne’s album No More Tears and System of the Down all this week.
The reason why I like metal is that of the dramatic and soul-searing riffs performed by the lead guitarist. It created a thrill and excitement for me. And that is what I feel when I listen to the metal guitar solo in
“Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24”.
The other section to listen to is the piano break in the middle of the song. The way how the piano goes down the scale in a dramatic effect is eye-opening and just wow!
The story behind the song is inspiring. You can read an excerpt from Christianity Today where band member Paul O’Neill explained about the song:
We heard about this cello player born in Sarajevo many years ago who left when he was fairly young to go on to become a well-respected musician, playing with various symphonies throughout Europe. Many decades later, he returned to Sarajevo as an elderly man—at the height of the Bosnian War. only to find his city in complete ruins.
I think what most broke this man’s heart was that the destruction was not done by some outside invader or natural disaster—it was done by his own people. At that time, Serbs were shelling Sarajevo every night. Rather than head for the bomb shelters like his family and neighbors, this man went to the town square, climbed onto a pile of rubble that had once been the fountain, took out his cello, and played Mozart and Beethoven as the city was bombed.
He came every night and began playing Christmas Carols from that same spot. It was just such a powerful image—a white-haired man silhouetted against the cannon fire, playing timeless melodies to both sides of the conflict amid the rubble and devastation of the city he loves. Sometime later, a reporter tracked him down to ask why he did this insanely stupid thing. The old man said that it was his way of proving that despite all evidence to the contrary, the spirit of humanity was still alive in that place.
The song basically wrapped itself around him. We used some of the oldest Christmas melodies we could find, like “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and “Carol of the Bells” part of the medley (which is from Ukraine, near that region). The orchestra represents one side, the rock band the other, and single cello represents that single individual, that spark of hope.
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Breimeier, Russ. “A Christmas Story.” Christian History | Learn the History of Christianity & the Church, Christianity Today, 26 Feb. 2014, http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2003/decemberweb-only/tso-1203.html.
1984199680s90sCarols of the BellsChristmasChristmas MusicChristmas SongsGod Rest Ye Merry GentlemenMannheim SteamrollermusicProgressive MetalSavatageShchedrykSymphonic MetalsynthpopTraditional Christmas SongsTrans-Siberian Orchestra
119 thoughts on “The Battle of the Songs: A Classic Christmas Battle Between Two Orchestras [25 Days of Holiday Songs]”
Catherine Lanser says:
TSO all the way!
Little Of Everything Travel says:
Love the way you narrated the band’s story its members & how they started carols. Made it interesting to read.
I’ll go with Trans-Siberia Orchestra. Mannheim Steamroller sounds a bit artificial.
The Coffee Mom (@Jessi_Sullivan) says:
These are both such amazing and classic Christmas songs. I have to say though, I am a sucker for Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
sonam says:
Love them both, as usual when it comes to music can’t choose any one.
konnaant says:
Ughhh it’s so hard to decide!! I like them both equally.
Philip - Chef Sous Chef says:
I have to give it to Trans-Siberia Orchestra. I love their sound for any holiday song.
Maggie Unzueta V. (@maggieunz) says:
How fun! Can I vote for all these songs? I love them all.
OH man, I like them both. I don’t think I can pick. I would listen to them both.
I love Mannheim Steamrollers and my parents always played their Christmas music when I was growing up, so I love the memories the song brings. However in a head-to-head comparison I have to vote TSO!
THANK YOU for all these Christmas Songs!!! I really don’t know how to choose a favorite because when the holidays come around, I just get in the mood and want them ALL!
I guess I’m partial to Trans Siberian Orchestra. Good stuff!
The Color Coded Mom says:
I’m a long-time TSO fan, so this is an easy choice for me!
Chloé Hamard says:
I would have to give my vote to the trans-siberian orchestra in this battle
rhianwestbury says:
I’ve never heard of either of these songs. But I do love that you mention that the Trans-Siberian Orchestra feature both classical and modern instruments x
Welcome to BoTB with your ‘Battle of the Songs’ this month! Did you play along on the first? I’m a bit whacked out with the craziness I was thrown into at the end of November. I’m rebounding but I ain’t going to lie to you I’m slow going right now. That being said, please be patient with me.:)
You pitted two excellent versions against one another with two equally wonderful bands. Mannheim Steamrollers while furtastic just didn’t quite do it for me this morning. Maybe another day it would be a different story. My vote goes to Trans-Siberian Orchestra! I love their full instrumental assemble peppered heavily mind you with rock vibes!! 🙂
I hope you’ll stop by to give your opinion and vote in my mid-month BoTB on Saturday! Of course, you’re welcome to visit anytime. 😉 Have a joyful and blessed day.
PS: I loved the TSO backstory! Very inspiring cellist!
I loved the TSO story it is always nice to read things like this, I have not heard either songs before x
Nice songs, i love everything about them. Thanks for sharing their story. Im now a fan of those two.
successunscrambled says:
Ever tried to enjoy the season without music? I think not. There is something about the music that is essential for the holiday spirit.
What a fun idea. I love music so much but adore Christmas music even more so.
Brittany Vantrease says:
I’m going to have to go with Trans-Siberian Orchestra. I LOVE the cello and I love it even more after reading the story about why it was written.
Hadn’t heard either of these songs and didn’t know either of the bands/orchestras. So besides this battle of the songs being a fun idea, I also got exposed to new-to-me stuff. Thank you!
lexafish says:
It was so hard to choose! But I really liked the Trans-Siberia Orchestra! Oh my goodness I forgot how much I loved this style of music. Keep it coming!!
detourswithoutcoffee says:
I absolutely adore this time of the year. Nothing is more exciting then Christmas. If I had to choose, I’ll have to go with Trans-Siberian Orchestra!
Although I REALLY love both, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra version has always been my all-time favorite Xmas song. I saw them live and it was definitely a bucket-list-worthy show!
I just love these Christmas songs and to tell the truth I can’t say which orchestra is better, as both of them are just awesome. They’ve moved me into a Christmas mood! 🙂
Trans Siberian Orchestra is my pick! I have loved them since college and hope to one day see them perform!
Maggie@cascadeavenue says:
Luv the narration and definitely the Siberian ORchestra
This “battle” reminds me when one of my favorite bands, Scorpions, played together with the Orchestra of Berlin. It was so amazing, rock and classic on the same stage. So my vote goes for the Transsiberian orchestra.
travellandlearn says:
I would also go with the Trans Siberian Orchestra, but something else caught my eye! Reading about you listening to Ozzy Osbourne gave me a flash back to like 9th grade, when I listened to “I just want you” on repeat for like 2 months. Those were the days! 🙂
Eileen Mendoza Loya says:
I would vote for the Mannheim Steamroller version. I don’t know why but it just appealed to me better. I love the part when I heard individual instruments at one point.
TheSuperMomLife says:
I love Christmas music. All types. There is something about it that always brings a smile to my face.
Ok. I DEFINITELY prefer the Trans-Siberia orchestra. I love how it increases in tempo as it gets to carol of Bells. Also helps that I love those carols too. Beautiful!
It’s a difficult choice. I love both but maybe I like TSO a tiny bit more.
Honeycomb Moms says:
I like both, but I generally like all Christmas music. It just makes me feel warm and gooey!
I enjoyed the post. My fav of the two is Trans Siberian Orchestra however it was hard for me to choose.
Darlin's Got Muddy Boots says:
Great background info on the bands! I’m a TSO fan!
Annie Cho says:
I really enjoyed listening to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra with Savatage. I like the mix of modern instruments and classical orchestra! I love all this holiday cheer you’re spreading!
pslater1972 says:
TSO for me. Have a rock and roll Christmas.
Shnooks says:
I really love both,I can’t even decide 😅 but I will vote for Trans-Siberian Orchestra 😍
This is amazing! I cant decide!
Nancy_ycnan says:
Wonderful sharing! Thank you very much for this amazing article. What a good post and I love your good written I will show this to my friends.
Mannheim Steamroller is too fake for me, but this is a great post and very well written, which I don’t see too often.
I love Christmas songs so much. They are both so very good!
melissalucy says:
It’s too hard to decide I like them both!!! Christmas music is Christmas music! 🙂
Kathleen Ensign (@KatWalkSF) says:
I loved reading this. It was fascinating finding out the back story here!
Each has its own beauty. I’d vote for both. 🙂
Fatima D Torres says:
Do I really need to choose? Holiday classics hold a special place in my heart. Love them all!
Katie Walsh Beck says:
This is too cool! But I am a fan of Trans-Siberian orchestra for sure!
I tend to like music in a minor key as well for the reason you suggest–the music is more haunting which causes me to reflect more on a variety of things.
Two great choices. I’ve never had any TSO in my collection, but I got on a Steamroller kick back in the eighties. Have listened to them in a long while so it was refreshing to hear this music again.
Give my vote to Mannheim Steamroller.
Renee Baiano says:
I absolutely love Christmas music and this is such a fun post. Thanks!
Dani Flanders says:
I have been big into TSO this year with my dance students that I teach. They love trying to pick out which Christmas song they are playing 🙂
I don’t know why, but somehow concerts at Christmas are always so much more magical than other times of the year! All the instruments and elegance of a Christmas orchestra is beautiful!
ehdesignmn says:
Trans-Siberian Orchestra For sure!!! Love love love! I just love the music!
nominalnomad - Debbie says:
i love x-mas songs but i didn´t know them ! now i do! thanks for sharing
Fujka says:
Even though I am not a fan of metal, I will go with Trans-Siberian Orchestra. The arrangement is mainly rhythmically better. Christmas is always a great time to discover new artists covering Christmas carols, so thanks for these ones! I am personally in love with Jamie Cullum’s version of “All I want for Christmas is you” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouUQWbKrOuo&feature=youtu.be
I love listening Christmas song and I would totally check these music.
Emilio Marcos Sierra says:
I love christmas and christmas songs! Every time I read your posts it makes me so excited 😀
momi berlin says:
I always love CHristmas songs. They always remind me of the love of God and how people make the celebration merry and symbolic.
What fun to compare christmas songs and different genres. Trans-Siberian Orchestra definitely has a great beat and fun to listen to.
I love orchestra and classical music so this a nice contest between musicians.
Hello; so nice to see a new regular at BOTB. 🙂 This is a terrific battle between orchestras. I have to vote for Trans Siberian however. I’m a “heavy metal” kind of gal. 😉 Cheers!
Azlin Bloor (@AzlinBloor) says:
Definitely the second one, Trans-Siberian Orchestra. While the first one is beautiful in its own right, its lightheartedness doesn’t quite compete with the dramatic intensity of the second performance.
Samantha Immer says:
I love all the background story! It makes the songs even more special. I have so many memories growing up listening to TSO; I feel like I will always be biased towards them 🙂
I am sorry I heard the first 50 seconds of the trans-siberian orchestra and I didn’t need to hear yn more nor any other song, the begging is smooth, the transition is done perfectly, the choice of music, everything is perfect, they are the winners for me.
K'Mich E says:
I loved them both. So, it’s going to be hard for me to choose one.
The songs sounds really nice. It makes you feel that Christmas has already arrived. I am also a big fan.
Princess Quinn says:
Hearing songs like this makes me very happy. I love the jam and music coordination. I have definitely enjoyed listening.
I love Christmas and the merry the season brings. I love listening to Christmas songs.
Lali says:
I love the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Christmas is the best time of year!
Two very tough choices for me. I’ve always loved Mannheim Steamroller and had to have ALL of the Fresh Aire albums when they came out. But then, I learned of TSO, and I fell in love with them as well. So who do I vote for?
I think Christmas time is a time for nostalgia, so I’m going to vote for Mannheim Steamroller – but honestly, I could vote either direction on any other given day. Today’s vote : Mannheim Steamroller
#BattleOfTheBands : Christmas Edition
elenaanderinblog says:
Thank for sharing, love Christmas music!!
JL Prince says:
I can’t choose either! They are both my favorite types of Christmas music to listen to. They do a great job with pepping up the classics for sure!
Nice battle! For me, I gotta go with Trans-Siberian Orchestra…great rendition and musicianship.
Welcome to the Battle of the Bands!
Ronesha says:
TSO always and forever 😅
I go with TSO.
Bing Crosby’s It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas instantly makes me smile. I adore it.
Anosa - MyrabevLife says:
Been thinking of going out and watch something like this over the coming Holidays. I think this would be a great idea to have my parents with me too.
Scott Gombar says:
I have seen TSO live. It is an amazing show that I hope to take my son to in the near future. I have never heard of the other artist before. Thanks for sharing.
Flyingkids says:
Music is timeless. But, it has its own categories. Classic and contemporary Christmas songs have always been a hit in the musical industry! This is such a fun share 🙂 perfect for the holidays
Nabanita Dhar says:
I don’t know how does one choose. I’m quite conflicted. I guess I love all. choosing one would be injustice!
Bindu Thomas says:
These are absolutely amazing classic songs for Christmas. I like them both.
|| Moon & Pratham || says:
this is a really great collection. My personal favourite when it comes for Christmas song is “Hello Santa” 🙂
Hiking Singh says:
Both songs are really cool !!! My all time favorites !!! Thanks for sharing !!!
Merry Christmas, AMY.
I almost didn’t even see that you had posted a Battle this time. Glad I scrolled down a little bit on your blog.
As others have said, this is a tough Battle because both versions bring the power and majesty. And ‘God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen’ ranks high on my list of favorite Christmas songs.
And incidentally, I too am a fan of music in minor keys. Something in me really resonates to that.
I’m not normally a fan of Heavy Metal music at all. But T-S O doesn’t get too crazy here with pointless (and cliche) guitar solos, like most Heavy Metal groups do. They keep it under control and don’t wander off too far from the basic melody.
When push comes to shove, like so many others here have done, I’m going to side with T-S O. What little I have been exposed to their music, I like them pretty well.
~ D-FensDogG @ STMcC Presents ‘BATTLE OF THE BANDS’
Tara Pittman (@momknowsbest15) says:
Love the video of the music. Both bands are great and this would be so cool to see live.
Devyani Ray says:
Love love love christmas jingles. I have my own list that I play all December. My husband gets bored of it though.
Supermompicks says:
My 10 year old som’s favorite Christmas song is Christmas Eve, but he also loves all TSO songs. We play it through Alexa and have a family dance party!
Summer Mitch Ryan says:
Honestly, this is my first. So it won’t be difficult to choose. I just have to listen to both and decide later.
They both played well and classic songs are always good to hear. You picked nice group!
Both are wonderful Holiday sounds… I’m not one for choosing this type of music as they sound good to me
Both are wonderful to listen to but if I have to favor one I have to go with Trans-Siberian Orchestra with Savatage.
I will have to check out Trans Siberian orchestra. They sound like the better choice
Neely Moldovan (@Neelykins) says:
I am pretty partial to Trans Siberian because we saw them live 2 years ago. It was magical!
I don’t even have to listen to tell you that my choice is easily TSO. Besides, Christmas Eve/Sarajevo is probably my absolute favorite Christmas song. I would love to see it live one day!
Beatiful, but I grew up with TSO and I would go with that!
I may be biased in this battle as I love Trans-Siberia. They are the best to me at all times.
All the sings are wonderful! They both got my vote, They give me this overwhelming Christmas feels.
KateLovesTravel says:
I haven’t heard of either of these orchestras as it’s not my kind of music really, but they both sound great… I couldn’t choose between them!
Trans-Siberian Orchestra with Savatage was my favourite what a relaxing song to listenin to on my lunch break!
this is difficult, as they both have their own unique attributes! I really can’t choose
Gervin Khan says:
Both songs are really beautiful and it so hard for me to choose which is good or not because during these holidays season any kind or type of Christmas songs really makes me happy!
Ménesa Campbell says:
I love Christmas songs.
So I find it difficult to have a favourite. I enjoyed reading your views though.
Jack Bransson says:
I think not only holidays but everything needs music to be more fun to everyone. Amazing list!
Erica Ardali (@EricaEverAfter) says:
I am in LOVE with TSO! So definitely TSO for the Win!
Oh this one was tough! I think maybe the Trans-Siberian Orchestra but I love both!
Lauren Stewart says:
Ahhhh I can’t pick!!!!!! I just love Christmas music so so much!!!!!!!! Brings out all the feels.
I’m a big fan of System of a Down too, so I had to listen to your Trans-Siberian Orchestra clip. Thank you for the introduction to a great band!
Marcella Mind says:
Love how you have composed the post. And the history info too. Honestly, I can’t pick. Al the song sound and they are amazing.
thecupcakehome says:
Oh I love this!!!! Transiberian has been a favorite for years!! but both are amazing!
I know you are tired of my non committed way of refusing to choose. As I said on your last challenge, I see all holiday music as special as they hold memories for many families including my own.
ohmummymia says:
I love Christmas music:) both orchestras are good and it’s hard to decide
Mike's Ramblings says:
Fun battle TSO gets my vote
Cătălina-Iuliana Nini says:
This comes just in time as I wanted a nice Christmas playlist. Trans-Siberian Orchestra is the winner for me !! Love it
AnythingRad.Com says:
these are good old classics that make me get flashbacks all the time!! love this!!
such good memories with these songs. Thanks for reminders
Very cool, thanks for posting about this and bringing it to my attention! I never otherwise would have heard anything!
They all sounds great, find it difficult choosing, But if i must.. I will go with Trans-Siberia Orchestra
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Fowler: Altruism and turnout
Fowler. 2006. Altruism and turnout. Journal of Politics 68 (August): 674-83.
The traditional calculus of voting assumes that citizens will turn out if p*B > C; that is, the benefits (B) of getting the best outcome (defined in terms of pure self-interest), weighted by the probability (p) that one's vote is decisive, must exceed the costs (C) of voting. Since p rapidly goes to zero, this creates the much-discussed paradox of non-voting.
In truth, though, we have no reason to define B purely in terms of self-interest. Suppose some people also care about others, not just self interest. Then the voting calculus looks like this: p*(B + a*S*N) > C. The p, B, and C terms are defined as before. The "a" represents an individual's level of altruism--how much he cares about others' welfare. The S represents the benefits to society (i.e. to the average citizen) of having the "best" candidate/policy elected. And the N term represents the size of the population. Since p is roughly 1/N, this equation reduces (more or less) to a*S > C. Fowler tests this theory experimentally and finds promising results.
Measuring the a term
Experimental economists have long known that people exhibit varying degrees of altruism. For example, a purely self-interested economic model of the "dictator game," in which participants are awarded a cash prize and given the opportunity to share this prize with an anonymous other, would predict that self-interested people would share none of the winnings; in experimental tests, though, participants, regularly share quite a bit of this prize (see Figure 1).
Fowler replicates these "dictator game" experiments, but rather than attributing this "sharing" to error, he uses it as a measure of each participant's level of "altruism." By sharing, participants reveal their preference (or lack of it) for helping others.
Measuring the S term
Previous studies have found that more partisan voters are more likely to think that a particular candidate/policy is more likely to benefit society more. Thus, partisanship correlates with a voter's perception of 'S'. Fowler uses a standard 7-point partisanship scale.
Primary Hypotheses
Note that the model predicts an interactive hypothesis: a*S > C. Thus, when voters are altruistic, an increase in partisanship will lead to an increase in turnout; when voters are not altruistic, it will not. Similarly, when voters are partisan, an increase in altruism will lead to an increase in turnout; when voters are moderate, it will not.
As expected, Fowler finds these results. See Figure 2. Note that only the left-hand graphs show significant relationships (as predicted). Interestingly, these variables work even when survey measurements of civic duty (the oft-maligned "D" term) are included in the analysis--and the "D" term variables are not significant. (Of course, the measure of "D" is suspect; see pg 682. He uses a standard measure, but it seems conceptually weak. To have high civic duty, a respondent must disagree that "If a person doesn't care how an election comes out he shouldn't vote in it.")
Data and Sample
The experimental setting was not ideal, though it was probably good enough for preliminary research. Fowler administered a questionnaire and a dictator game to a couple hundred undergraduates. Turnout was self-reported. He controls for the other variables known to influence turnout.
Comments and Criticism
A generally insightful study. But what about policies known (by individual voters) to hurt some groups while benefiting others? For example, strongly partisan Democrats are more likely to favor redistribution (e.g. progressive taxes, at the very least); surely they know that these policies hurt the wealthy. Do Democrats consider the net societal cost/benefit (as Fowler seems to imply), or do they consider the benefits only to those most like them? How would this distinction change the predictions?
Does Fowler's model give us a way to integrate a voter's sense of "justice" into the voting calculus? Could this explain why people are motivated to vote by abortion, gay marriage, torture, etc., even when they have no "vested interest" (in the overly narrow sense used by Ratner and Miller) in these issues? (Recall Ratner and Miller's argument: You don't have a self interest in abortion, gay marriage, or torture of enemy combatants unless you are actually female, gay, or an enemy combatant.)
Fowler: Altruistic punishment and the origin of cooperation
Fowler: Habitual voting and behavioral turnout
Fowler: Turnout in a small world
Baron: Political action versus voluntarism in social dilemmas and aid for the needy (6 shared tags)
Jankowski: Altruism and the decision to vote (6 shared tags)
Jankowski: Buying a lottery ticket to help the poor (6 shared tags)
Coate and Conlin: A group rule-utilitarian approach to voter turnout (5 shared tags)
Feddersen and Sandroni: A theory of participation in elections (5 shared tags)
Geys: 'Rational' theories of voter turnout (5 shared tags)
Grafstein: An evidential decision theory of turnout (5 shared tags)
Quattrone and Tversky: Causal versus diagnostic contingencies (5 shared tags)
Fowler, James (author) • Political Science • Political Theory • Altruism • Turnout • Voting • Rational Choice
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401Concerts: Dutch court operas in The Hague 1751-1790
The roots of Dutch opera in the 18th Century French Theatre of The Hague
On May 13, 2018 (3.30 PM), 401DutchOperas and Dutch Music Institute organize a unique Dutch Baroque Opera concert in DILIGENTIA The Hague with the operas of the Dutch court composers at the French Theatre The Hague. Soloist are mezzo soprano Barbara Kozelj, soprano Elise Caluwaerts, tenor Marcel Reijans, baritone Hans de Vries, violin player Rémy Baudet, oboist Martin Stadler, cellist Saskia van der Wel, harpsichord player/conductor Albert-Jan Roelofs and the young talents of de Muziekschool The Hague coached and directed by Peter le Feber.
Sunday May 13, 2018
Begins: 3.30 PM
Location:Diligentia
Lange Voorhout 5, Den Haag
Partners: Nederlands Muziek Instituut, Fonds 1818, M.A.O.C. Gravin van Bylandt Stichting, Muziekschool Den Haag, Stichting Vrienden van de Nederlandse Muziek.
According to popular theory the Netherlands never developed a national opera culture because it had no court music tradition. Ever since the late 19th Century that theory explained why there apparently weren’t any successful Dutch opera composers. In the wake of his research for the anthology in progress of 401DutchOperas and much to his own surprise, music critic and concert organiser René Seghers discovered that the opposite was true: although many if not most original scores were lost, there had been a thriving court music and opera practice around stadholders Willem IV en Willem V in 18th Century The Hague. They had court chapels for which they recruted distinct German and Italian maestros. Together with the high nobility of those days (the Bentincks, the Van Wassenaers) they also financed the French Theatre in Casuarie Street. From the production of the intriguing opera Les nôces de Venus in 1751 onwards, a distinct original Dutch opera tradition was established there around such composers as Zingoni, Colizzi (music teacher of princess Louise and the later king Willem I) and Meissner. These original Dutch operas were given in the French language, the official court language in The Hague at the time. Also performed there were original operas by Johann Just and Jan Jacob Obdam van Wassenaer (son of count Unico van Wassenaer, who centuries later became famous as the real composer of the ‘Concerti Armonici’, previously attributed to Pergolesi). Another fascinating forgotten Dutch opera composer of that epoch presented in the concert is baron Gottfried van Swieten, a close friend of Mozart.
Partner: Nederlands Muziek Instituut
Location: Diligentia (Lange Voorhout 5, Den Haag)
Sunday May 13 2018 • Gala Concert Diligentia, Den Haag
Dutc Court operas from the French Theater of The Hague 1751-1793
Barbara Kozelj (mezzosoprano), Elise Caluwearts (soprano), Marcel Reijans (tenor), Hans de Vries (baritone), Albert Jan-Roelofs (harpsichord/conductor/arrangements), Rémy Baudet (violin), Martin Stadler (obo), Saskia van der Wel (cello) & The Hague 401DutchOperas amateur Choir under Peter van der Leeuw.
Highlights from:
Baron Gottfried van Swieten (1733-1803) – Les Talents à la mode [1770]
Zingoni (1720-1811) – Les Passetemps de l’Amour [176?]
Colizzi (1742-1808) – Le Français chez les Hurons [1783]
Philipp Meissner (1748-1816) – L’heureux révolution [1788]
Johann Just – De koopman van Smyrna [1774]
Graaf Jan Jacob van Obdam-Wassenaer – Les nôces de Vénus [1751]
Colizzi – Les dieux au village [1790]
Colizzi – Le droit d'Ainesse [1778]
3.30 PM Warming up with the 401DutchOperas Young Talent ensemble of the Muziekschool Den Haag in adventurous arrangements of music from the Dutch Court Opera The Hague 1751-1793 programme. With soprano Gina de Jong and mezzo-soprano Esmée van Nieuwenhuijzen, who also perfomred the music from their rpogramma in warm up concerts on location in The Hague and Amsterdam. Special guest Hans de Vries will appear in an exciting arrangement of an air from Colizzi's Le droit d'ainesse, set for accordeon (Johan Paap) and electric guitar (Roy Victor Seriese). Musical supervisor and arrangements Peter le Feber. For more details see below.
Barbara Kozelj, Elise Caluwaerts, Marel Reijans & Hans de Vries
For the performance of this concert, a high carat ensemble is currently being formed. The musical direction is placed in the hands of harpsichord player Albert-Jan Roelofs, who also provided the performance arrangements/reconstructions of the scores for harpsichord, cello, violin and flute. Among the instrumental soloists we can already name such distinguished musicians as Rémy Baudet (Concert master Orchestra of the 18th Century), Martin Stadler (1st oboist of the Dutch Bach Society) and cellist Richte van der Meer. Among the vocal soloist we can already mention the internationally renowned mezzo soprano Barbara Kozelj, rising star and Belgian soprano Elise Caluwaerts, the renowned Dutch tenor Marcel Reijans, and baritone Hans de Vries. As usual in the 401Concerts series brief announcements by Seghers place these revived highlights in their proper context: the court culture that gravitated around Willem IV and Anna van Hannover, and then Willem V and the Bentincks, Van Wassenaers, freemasons and their muse of each and every one of these supporters, Rose Baptiste.
Talent of the Music Academy The Hague on location
The young talents of Muziekschool Den Haag will perform on location in the weeks preceding the concert, and they have a place in the concert as well. These fine young boys and girls are coached and directed by music director Peter le Feber. Among the talents are Esmée van Nieuwenhuizen, Gina de Jong, Margreet Schuemie en Heleen Vlietstra (sopranen), Felice Goldbach (fluit), Alwin Farahani (Klarinet), Jasper van Enk (clarinet), Tineke Molenaar (cello).
Saturday 14 April • Dag van de Haagse Geschiedenis, Den Haag
Sunday 15, 22 April & 6 May • Willemsvaart boat tour through The Hague with concerts at various places.
Sunday 29 April • De Nieuwe KHL Amsterdam (with special guest Hans de Vries!)
Sunday 13 May • From 3.30 PM & during the interval (with special guest Hans de Vries), Diligentia, Den Haag
In a surprise performance in De Nieuwe KHL on April 29 and in the break from the May 13 Diligentia Concert talents of the Music Academy The Hague will also accompany special guest baritone Hans de Vries in an arrangement of an aria from Van Swieten's Les talents à la mode set for electric guitar and bandeon. On all occasions they will perform Mozarts concert aria KV 23 'Conservati Fedele', composed during his stay in The Hague 1765/66.
A lost world rediscovered
Nearly all of the traceable original Dutch opera titles of the period 1751-1790 were lost in time. Nonetheless, research in the Nederlands Muziek Instituut, Koninklijk Huisarchief and foreign archives resulted in four complete surviving scores and nine partially surviving scores by the likes of Just, Zingoni, Colizzi, baron van Swieten and Jan Jacob Obdam van Wassenaer. These operas give a unique insight into the Dutch national opera history, and into the importance of the French Theatre The Hague 1751-1790 in establishing a national operatic culture. Seghers' anthology will reveal that the influence of the French Theatre The Hague did not end with the French revolution. On the contrary: the tradition of the French influence in Dutch opera continued unbroken into the court of Willem I and from there well into the 20th Century; even some contemporary Dutch operas continue the French line in Dutch opera.
A word on the composers
Colizzi, the most important composer in the concert, was a freemason. His opera Les Dieux au Village was performed in 1790 to elebrate the marriage of princess Louise with prince Karl Georg van Bruinswijk Wolfenbüttel. It also inaugurated the new great hall at the Binnenhof (present day Tweede kamer). Meissner's L’Heureux révolution from 1788 was composed on the occasion of the return of stadholder Willem V from his lf-chosen exile the year before. The Leiden born baron Gottfried van Swieten is mostly known today for his correspondence with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, yet he composed no less than three operas himself. In Diligentia we perform fragments from his opera Les talents a la mode from 1770. Johann Just composed the only (in part) preserved Dutch language opera from that centruy: De koopman van Smyrna.
401Concerts and the French Theatre The Hague 1751-1790
Within the context of the 401DutchOperas project, Seghers rediscovered over 400 titles that have been composed in the Netherlands since 1646. Bothered by the lack of details and recordings of any Dutch opera pre 1940, 401DutchOperas started organizing concerts with highlights of the rediscovered scores. Meanwhile over 60 excerpts of Dutch opera’s have thus been performed and recorded. Now including this concert with highlights from all the surviving operas by Van Wassenaer Obdam, Zingoni, Colizzi, Just, baron Van Swieten and Meissner. As is the custom in the 401Concerts series, Seghers presents the rediscovered highlights in their proper context by means of brief readings into the plots, the background, the composers, the French Theatre The Hague and the musical culture revolving around Willem IV and Anna van Hannover, Willem V and the Bentincks and Van Wassenaers, as well as the muse of the theatre, Rose Baptiste.
The highlights from the rediscovered Dutch 18th Century operas that will be performed during the concert revive this period in Dutch opera in a unique way. Not only will these operas be heard again for the first time since the 18th century, but they will also be made available to a large international audience by means of the audio-visual concert recordings. These will be published on cd and made available through our 401Concerts download series on 401DutchOperas.nl. Seghers: ‘By publishing them, our concerts are not the final result of the research, but the starting point of a second life for these fascinating forgotten Dutch operas from 18th Century The Hague. The concert with Dutch opera highlights from the French Theatre The Hague 1751-1790 is a coproduction with Nederlands Muziek Instituut.
Unique Dutch Freemason operas
Also in the Netherlands the 18e centruy was the age of freemasonry. In 1751 The Hague actually saw the emergence of the oldest documented mixed freemason loge in history, the Loge de juste. It was through this loge that the revolutionary opera Les nôces de Vénus ou les filets de Vulcain was performed, which brings Vénus on stage as a 21st Century like feminist, demanding the right of free sex for herself. Her husband Vulcain has to accept her affair with Mars or suffer the consequences! The male members of the Loge de juste were high nobility, army officers and actors/singers of the french Theatre. The ladies were exlusively actrices/singers of that theatre. It is within the context of the oldest documented mixed freemason loge that 'Les nôces de Vénus ou les filets de Vulcain' was performed there. The opera was so revolutionary and risqué that until far into the 20th Centruy it would not have been possible to perform it. Neither was this possible in the 18th centrury. the work was performed privately within the Loge de Juste, by the French Theatre members for the nobles and military members of the loge ‘of Venus and Mars’. Seghers: ‘Just as Die Zauberflöte the opera integrates and present the initiation rites and the philosophy of this revolutionary mixed freemason loge.’
< Franse Theater Den Haag (Frans)
Dutch Court Opera
Flemish operas
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Obama-Barber Agenda Hurts Middle Class, Says New 60 Plus Ad
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The 60 Plus Association, nationally recognized as the conservative alternative to the liberal AARP, today launched a new ad in Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District. The spot, which is backed by a $200,000 ad buy, explains the Obama-Barber agenda has had a tremendous impact on the middle class, leaving 23 million without full-time employment and 46 million on food stamps as our national debt soars past $16 trillion.
“American families are suffering and still Ron Barber believes President Obama’s policies will ‘benefit the middle class,'” said Jim Martin, Chairman and Founder of 60 Plus. “Rather than putting Arizona families back to work, the Obama-Barber agenda has pushed the national debt to more than $16 trillion and left 23 million Americans without full-time work. Their plan for America doesn’t work for Arizona’s seniors or middle class.”
To view a copy of the ad that began on October 30 and will run in the Tucson media market through Election Day, please click here.
– TRANSCRIPT –
RON BARBER:
I will support the President. I will vote for him because quite clearly his policies have… will benefit the middle class.
ANNOUNCER:
23 million are out of work.
46 million are on food stamps.
And we’re 16 trillion dollars in debt.
BARBER:
It’s really clear from what we’ve seen so far.
Do you agree with Barber?
Have President Obama’s policies helped you?
Let’s really help the middle class.
Vote against Barber and Obama.
The 60 Plus Association is responsible for the content of this advertising.
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Marina One
Empress Place Enhancement Works
Urban Redevelopment Authority
134,399.15 sqm
Image credit: COX Architecture
WORLD-CLASS CIVIC PRECINCT
The Empress Place Extension was part of the larger master plan to revitalise the Civic District of Singapore, home to some of the nation’s more notable historic buildings and spaces. architects 61 worked in collaboration with Cox Architecture to strengthen the identity and attractiveness of the Civic District as the birthplace of modern Singapore and a world-class arts and cultural hub.
The Civic District acts as a green refuge within the dense city centre, yet the connections between its open spaces were tenuous. The new design focused on stitching the individual areas together as a larger urban park.
This was achieved through upgrading infrastructure such as pedestrian bridges and underpasses; improving pedestrian connections through more canopies, increased lighting and new wayfinding; and removing limits to access and visual connectivity across the precinct while taking care to preserve designated Heritage Trees in the area.
Key features of the extension include a new grand public lawn in front of the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, with the capacity for up to 10,000 people, more green areas around the various museums, a riverfront walk and sculpture rooms, creating a vibrant place to engage the community and the arts.
NUH Centre for Oral Health (COH)
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ADX-Files
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Alyson Dunlop's Blog
~ "Hex in the City"
Tag Archives: Sidney
FEMINISTS OF HORROR: Final Girls and Their Mad Men
Posted by Alyson Dunlop in Uncategorized
A Nightmare on Elm Street, Alien, Aliens, All the Boys Love Mandy Lane, Black Christmas, crime, Doctor Loomis, drugs, Ellen Ripley, feminism, feminist, Final Girl, Freddy Krueger, Ghostface, Halloween, Hannibal Lecter, Horror, intelligence, Jason Voorhees, killer, knives, Laurie Strode, Leatherface, Lila, Mad, Mad Man, Madness, Michael Myers, misogynist, Nancy, Norman Bates, psychiatric illness, Psycho, Psychological, resourceful, Sam Loomis, Scream, Sex, Sidney, Sigourney Weaver, Silence of the Lambs, slasher, stabbing, strength, strong women, thriller, twists, victims, virgin, weapons
Slasher movies are a favourite with horror fans. Even if you’re not an outright horror fan, it’s likely you will have seen at least one of these in your life! The slasher has elements of thriller and crime, so can be appealing to audiences who also enjoy these genres too. In turn, some thrillers and other horrors, which are not really slashers as such, may have elements of the slasher in them.
What you may or may not realise is that there is a set of rules that come along with slasher and slasher-type horror films. During my post graduate in film and television, I had fun studying the “Final Girl” in horror. The Final Girl is a strong, independent female protagonist, the peer of the victims, but seen to be virtuous. She does not indulge in the sex and drugs that prove to be the downfall of the others. She also tends to avoid any kind of bullying. She’s just an all-round nice girl, sometimes slightly “put upon” by others who take advantage of her good nature. She is known as the Final Girl because, well, she’s the last one standing at the end of it all. The Final Girl either escapes or overcomes the threat, showing her power, strength and intelligence for whatever scrape she’s managed to land herself in.
Final Girls share many characteristics: they are often sexually unavailable or virgins who avoid any illegal or illicit activity and often, though not always, have a non-gender specific name such as Laurie (Halloween) or Sidney (Scream). The Final Girl can even be found in non-slasher horrors such as Alien, with the masculinised female character of Ellen Ripley (known only as Ripley); although, it has to be said that Alien does have many other characteristics of a slasher too.
The Final Girl is “watchful, intelligent and resourceful”. She is, pretty much, the perfect horror movie heroine. She is a character the audience can admire and she is a survivor. Many critics of the slasher might say that it is a misogynistic genre, as it often has naked and vulnerable women being overpowered by men. However, the Final Girl proves this not to be the case at all, quite the opposite. The Final Girl is a very smart and dignified character, who usually always outwits the killer in the end.
However, the character of the Final Girl has evolved over time. In Halloween Laurie’s ability was to simply remain alive until Doctor Loomis got there to save her. By the time A Nightmare on Elm Street came along the Final Girl was starting to take steps to protect herself, and defeat the threat. In the latter, Nancy is ready to take on Freddy!
Not only do Final Girls take on the killer, they also often protect young children too, showing their maternal side into the bargain. Just as there are monstrous maternal figures to be found in horror, the Final Girl is the complete opposite. Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) in Halloween has two young children in her care that she is babysitting for, whilst Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) in Aliens protects Newt with the famous line: “Get away from her, you bitch!”
As time has gone by, various differences have crept into the genre to allow it to evolve, and also to create unexpected twists at the end. The first slashers had the Final Girl discover and help to capture the killer (Psycho), escape the killer until another day (Black Christmas), and finally, killing the killer, after the killer had killed all her peers, so that the Final Girl is also the Final Killer; this has further evolved so that some Final Girls turn out to have been the killer all along, although this is a little bit more unusual.
In slasher horror, usually the weapon used by the killer is a blade of some kind, hence the term ‘slasher’. It could also be argued that in, for example, Halloween, Laurie attacks Michael Myers with weapons that are phallic: a knitting needle; a coat hanger, which she fashions into a spiked object, and a knife – all intended for stabbing. In the final sequence, Laurie takes over the dominant role using very masculine weaponry.
Probably the first Final Girl appeared in Psycho (1960), in the form of Marion’s sister Lila. Lila appears with Marion’s boyfriend Sam Loomis (in Halloween a character bearing that name would also step in to save the day, as has previously been mentioned…!). Along with other conventions that were built up over time, Psycho also saw the appearance of the human monster in the shape of the serial killer. The serial killer is necessarily dangerous and frightening, an almost supernatural killing machine, usually with a severe psychiatric illness and a grudge to bear, often caused by a traumatised childhood. The Final Girl is confronted with her every nightmare in the flesh: Norman Bates, Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees (well, actually, his mother…but his legend lives on regardless!), Leatherface, Freddy Krueger, Ghostface, Hannibal Lecter. Sometimes they have a supernatural side, like Michael Myers. Most often they are the scariest thing of all, real-life people! But, always, always, always, they are not just bad, they are completely and utterly insane. The Final Girl has her work cut out for her, but through it all she prevails.
Every horror fan has got their favourite Final Girl/Psychotic Maniac movies, whether slasher or not. Here are some recommendations. I don’t suppose they are really in any particular order. Silence of the Lambs and Psycho, though not slashers, have my favourite psychotic serial killer characters, whilst Alien has my favourite Final Girl – a good, strong performance from Sigourney Weaver. Black Christmas is actually, to my mind, probably one of the best and earliest of the genre. I really have no idea why I love Halloween so much. I just do. I think it’s the atmosphere, but I just can’t quite put my finger on it. Nevertheless, I have lost count of the number of times I’ve watched it – at least once a year at, yes you’ve guessed, Hallowe’en! And I just loved the twist in All the Boys Love Mandy Lane.
I’ve actually written my own slasher horror movie script! If any budding film directors or production companies wish to get in touch, I’d be delighted to hear from you!
I’d also love to know about readers’ favourite slashers, psychological horrors, Final Girls and serial killing maniacs. Do feel free to post comments!
Until next week. Don’t go anywhere…I’ll be right back! Your friend, A.D.
Muir, J K (2007) A History of the Dead Teenager Decade in Horror Films of the 1980s McFarland & Co: USA (Chapter 2).
Alyson Dunlop
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Creative Writing Exercise Uncategorized
Question Time for Gary Heseltine
Ali Jay Stone
Peter Robbins Versus The Haters
ADX 93 Miguel Conner
Creative Writing Exercise
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Amazon Watch
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ALDO is a classically trained instrumental guitarist from the Greater Philadelphia Area, PA., his passion is creating relaxing original instrumental music containing a light and mellow blend of acoustic and nylon string guitars accompanied by slow grooves, textures, and natural sounds, perfect for setting the right atmosphere relaxation, romance, spa, intimate affairs, study, background, sleep aid, stress relief, spirituality, yoga, social engagements, vacation enhancement, and more...
ALDO's first self-produced album 'Close To You' released by 'Silent Star Enterprises, Inc.' continues to receive five-star listener ratings consistently through thousands of digital downloads and physical CD purchases, the main theme being the music will last for years within your listening collection, the album contains various music elements such as contemporary classical, new age, smooth jazz, latin, world, and natural sounds. The song 'Silent Star' received US national radio play on the syndicated FM radio program 'Echoes' and over 2,300,000+ YouTube video view plays, in addition, other YouTube song videos have received thousands of view plays accounting for over 3,000,000+ total view plays and 4000+ subscribers to AldoRelaxingGuitar.com channel, the music also received millions of addition view plays through partnership videos by WavesDVD channel.
The music from 'Close To You' is featured on two compilation CDs, three songs ('The Dance', 'Holding You Soul', 'Angelina') are featured on Medhi’s 2005 release called “Passion”, Volume 1 by Soothing Music Inc. and three songs ('Close To You', 'Endless Tide', 'The Dance') is featured on Coldwater Creek’s The SPA 2008 release called 'vitalize'. The music has been licensed for various purposes including video background music for-profit and non-profit organizations, TV commercial music, and multi-million dollar real estate property listing videos.
Wind and Wire, reviewer Bill Binkelman writes: This album is a first-rate exploration of acoustic guitar instrumentals; I was consistently impressed by both ALDO's production and his winning ways with melody, song structure, and, of course, his guitar playing; I highly recommend this CD; Over the years, I've seen a lot of good-to-great talent go unrecognized, but ALDO's "Close To You" is simply too good to be ignored.
ALDO is currently working on his follow-up album entitled 'Together Again', 'Together Again' and 'Hidden Paradise' are included within the seven free mp3 download package and website music player.
ALDO ELECTRIC CHILL VOLUME 1 album (Currently being recorded) will combine a smooth and relaxing blend of blues and jazz-influenced electric rhythm and lead guitar accompanied by bass guitar and acoustic drums. ALDO plays all instruments and captures a live musician feel as though four separate individuals are performing up on stage within a relaxed blues or jazz club type of setting, the listener will experience another dimension of ALDO’s guitar playing that will take you away into a warm live-sounding improvisational state of mind that’s been chilled to perfection!
Track 1 'CHILLING WITH BILLIONS' is available now for your listening pleasure!
Download: Your price
‘Chilling With Billions’ Original Instrumental Guitar Song By ALDO Relaxing Guitar combines a smooth and relaxing blend of blues and jazz-influenced electric rhythm and lead guitar accompanied by bass guitar and acoustic drums. ALDO plays all instruments and captures a live musician feel as though four separate individuals are performing up on stage within a relaxed blues or jazz club type of setting, the listener will experience another dimension of ALDO’s guitar playing that will take you away into a warm live-sounding improvisational state of mind that’s been chilled to perfection!
CHILLING WITH BILLIONS 6:20
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Biblical Truth (42)
Poems & Literature (1)
Reformation History (3)
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Personal Beliefs
Posted on November 6, 2014 November 6, 2014 in Biblical Truth
God’s Presence Assured in those Difficult Times in Life
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” Psalm 23:4
For many people, the word valley calls forth an image of a flat, grassy expanse lying peacefully between mountains, like a dale or a meadow. However, this is not what the word means or what Old Testament valleys were like. A valley was a deep ravine or gorge. It was narrow, dark, and damp and usually encased by steep stone walls, making it virtually inescapable. Valleys were frequently located at the foot of towering cliffs. They were extremely dangerous: snakes, wild beasts, and criminals lurked in their darkness.
Since grass grows in Palestine during a very short season, shepherds struggled to feed their flocks the rest of the year. Often, it became necessary to lead their sheep into valleys where green plants grew in the cool, damp soil at the bottom. Passing through valleys was also necessary at times in order to reach pasture on the other side. Some scholars think the valley of the shadow of death was the name of an actual valley, an extremely dangerous one, through which shepherds and their flocks were forced to cross.
Valleys are symbols of the darkest times of life. The valley of the shadow of death speaks of life’s gravest circumstances, fearful occasions when death is a real possibility, such as…
severe illness or disease
a sudden attack on your health
a serious accident
deadly weather conditions
a violent, criminal attack
a terrorist attack
famine or extreme poverty
David testified that he was not afraid to walk through life’s darkest valleys. Although he was defenseless in himself, he was not alone in the peril: his Shepherd was with him. The Lord would protect him and keep him close to His side. David was comforted—turned from fear and terror—because his Shepherd was skillfully armed with His rod and His staff. The rod was a club the shepherd fashioned and carried to fight off wild animals and thieves. It was a deadly weapon. The staff was the instrument the shepherd used to deal with his sheep. It was not a weapon but a tool. The shepherd leaned on it for support as he journeyed across rough ground and rocky crags. Most staffs had a hooked end that the shepherd used to catch a sheep’s leg or neck to pull it out of a hole or back into the fold. The shepherd would nudge a sheep with his staff when it began to stray or when it was hesitant to move along with the flock.
David was fearless in the valley because he knew his Shepherd would protect him from all deadly threats, including his own waywardness. His Shepherd would keep him close to His side in the darkness and would be with him through every step until he passed safely through to the light on the other side.
Noah and the Last Week: God’s Great Invitation and Noah’s Great Obedience,
Approaching God in Times of Unbearable Suffering
'Ye Shall Know The Truth, And The Truth Shall Set You Free.'
Sola Scriptura - Scripture Alone
Preaching the unquenchable love of Christ!
An affirmation of the Biblical doctrine we seek firmly to believe and strenuously to maintain
Reformational, Calvinistic, Puritan, Covenantal, Baptist
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A miscellaneous collection of material, photos, postcards, catalogs, etc. at bargain prices.
Bin7. MOSQUE IN ALGERIA BY PROD’HOM. Cabinet Card by Prod’hom although image does not have Prod’hom’s blindstamp. Identified by other cabinet cards that came with this one all with blindstamp. Titled in ink on verso “Mosque de Guelma.” VG. $20
Bin15. Postcard. The Valentine & Sons’ Publishing Co., Ltd., NY. Printed in Great Britain. B. and O. Depot, Mansfield, O. Postmarked Jan. 9, 1911. 1-cent green stamp. Addressed to Rev. EB Cobb, Elizabeth, NJ. VG. $8
Bin16. Postcard. Published by S. Langsdorf & Co., NY. Germany. Union Depot, Springfield, Mass. Unused, undivided back. VG. $5
Bin115. PAIR OF EARLY COLORADO VIEWS. 2 Stereoviews of Colorado. One is titled Manitou, other is a scenic view of tourists. G+. $35
Bin146. EARLY TEDDY BEAR. Image measuring 5 1/2″ x 4″ on an 8 3/4″ x 5 3/4″ mount. Image is by W.L. Hall of Belfast, Maine and shows a smiling child holding her favorite Teddy Bear. VG. $50
Bin167. SG&C RAILROAD VIADUCT. Stereoview by W.S. Jones of Watkins NY titled 23-Watkins Glen Viaduct S.G. & C. R’y. VG. $10
Bin213. MAJOR GENERAL REYNOLDS STATUE. Stereoview by W.H. Tipton, Gettysburg, Pa. titled No. 603. Statue of Major Gen. John F. Reynolds in Soldier’s National Cemetery. G. $16
Bin232. 4 Stereoviews by F.C. Philpot, Limerick Maine. Philpot traveled around York County Maine and these views can be anywhere in that vicinity. 2 have “1880” on back, one has “1881,” other is blank. Also on back No. 2, No. 6, and 12. No titles. All came together with some other views by Philpot. VG. $20
Bin360. GENERAL GRANT Stereoview titled 520. General Grant by C.W. Woodward of Rochester NY. G. $5
Bin382. Stereoview by Cross of Hot Springs, S.D. titled No. 25. Bad Lands. Written on side of view is “Visited by 6th Cav. in 1905.” VG. $15
Bin388. AN AFTERNOON REST. Stereoview of women resting on the lawn in front of a tent. VG. $5
Bin393. [George Stacy]. No. 301. View on Broadway–Instantaneous. G. $12
Bin411. HARRISBURG PENNSYLVANIA Stereoview titled 1363. Water St., Dam on the Guniatha, Harrisburg, Pa. G. $5
Bin416. REAL PHOTO POSTCARD of a beautiful young woman, no ID. VG. $2.50
Bin418. Lot of 19 postcards of actresses and women, all but one real photo. Included are De Morlaix, Suzanne Andre, La Vigne, Thermonde, Marguerite, Miss Billie Burke, Miss Maud Darling, Cantor, Miss Gertie Millar, Miss Hazel Thompson, Miss Deborah Volar in “The Merveilleuses,” Miss Ruth Vincent as “Amasis,” Bella Crisanlema, Pepita Duran, Mlle, Marcia, and 4 unidentified women. Six are by Walery, Paris; 1 by Reutlinger, some by Rotary Photo, etc. All unused, all divided backs. VG. $85
Bin423. PAIR OF NATIVE AMERICAN POSTCARDS. The first is titled Home, Sweet, Home and has a pre-written message on the back: “I am sending you by to-days train an Indian Baby in a papoose carrier. It is “good” and will not keep you awake nights.” Very cute message. This pc is copyright 1904 by H.H. Tammen, Denver and is no. 3435. The second card is, appropriately, 3439. Indian Papoose. Both are divided back, unused. VG. $6
Bin438. BOY SCOUTS! Stereoview titled P-26377. Boy Scouts Raising the Flag. VG. $5
Bin455. JAPANESE TINTED PHOTO. Nicely Tinted 8″ x 10.25″ Photo of a Ujigawa River Scene near Kyoto in Japan. Image is numbered 665. G. $35
Bin462. LAKES OF KILLARNEY. Stereoview titled The Lakes of Killarney. General View of the Lakes, from the Kenmare Road above the Upper Lake. Located in County Kerry, Ireland. VG. $5
Bin464. SCOTLAND. Pair of Stereoviews by Archibald Burns of Edinburgh. Titles are Burns’ Monument, Holyrood Palace, & Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh; and Glasgow Cathedral, west door. VG. $5
Bin470. EISENMANN PHOTO. Cabinet Card by Chas. Eisenmann, NY. Image is of a woman looks to be dressed as a European Fraulein or Bavarian dancer of some sort. Given Eisenmann’s propensity to photograph visiting celebrities, it is likely this image is of a performer from a troupe visiting NYC. G. $12
Bin471. BURTON, POWELL, HITLER. Lot of 3 copy Stereoviews made by Brandt Rowles in 1994. Titles are: Richard Powell in Mrs. Mike, 1949; Richard Burton in The Robe, 1953; & Adolf Hitler greeting a young girl. VG. $9
Bin481. WRAPPED IN THE FLAG. Stereoview by the Climax View Co. of a woman all wrapped in the American Flag. Looks like a scene from a play or a Vaudeville Act. VG. $8
Bin482. THOMAS REED. Stereoview by Keystone View Co. titled V26141. Thomas Reed. On back is detailed info on Reed including: “If you could have been present at a meeting of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1889-1890, or in 1895-1898, you would have seen a remarkable man in the speaker’s chair. This man was Thomas B. Reed and he had more power than any other man in the United States.” VG. $8
Bin483. Stereoview by William England, under the Special Patronage of The Alpine Club, from Views of Switzerland. This is 159. Statue de Guillaume Tell, Altorf, Canton d’Uri. Suisse. VG. $8
Bin484. WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN. Pair of Stereoviews, one by Keystone, one by U&U. Titles are: The Hon. William Jennings Bryan in his Home Library, Lincoln, Nebraska, copyright 1900; and 4205–Mr. and Mrs. W.J. Bryan. The first view is ex-Library of Congress with appropriate stamps on back of view. VG. $12
Bin493. SEA BREEZE FLORIDA Photograph by Henry Stanton, Scenic Photographer, Sea Breeze, Fla. measuring 4.75″ x 6 7/8″ on a 6.5″ x 8.5″ mount. Image shows an attractive home, woman seated on porch, man at tree, other man with bicycle. On verso is written “Late 1890’s,” “Gift of Ms. Chas. Kost March 1953,” “Duplicate.” Also stamp for “Halifax Historical Society, Daytona Beach, Florida.” G. $12
Bin508. Stereoview of Pisa by Van Lint. VG. $3
Bin518. GURNEY CELEBRITY PORTRAIT Stereoview identified on verso as S. Campbell. VG. $10
Bin521. 6 INDUSTRIAL Stereoviews by Underwood & Underwood. Titles are: 12409. Great drying cylinders through which the crushed rock is passed to extract moisture; 12451. The wet process mill in which the material is finely ground; 12394. Large steam hydraulic presses in which belting, matting, etc. are vulcanized; 12452. Removing ground material from wet process mill-emptying the pan; & two views without title. VG. $10
Bin535. WILLIAM ENGLAND Collection of 2 Stereoviews for the Alpine Club. Titles are: 115-Panorama de Thun pris du Cemetiere; & 151-Le Bristenstock et le Lac d’Uri, Fluelen, Suisse. G. $20
Bin550. HOBOKEN Stereoview by E&HT Anthony titled No. 6618. Old Willow Tree, at Hoboken, N.J. VG. $8
Bin565. FIRENZE Stereoview by Sommer & Behles, Napoli & Roma titled 829. St. Croce e Statua de Dante, Firenze. VG. $5
Bin573. Stereoview by B.K., Paris from Paris et ses Environs Series. Titled in manuscript on verso Dome d’Honneur. There is an old crease mark at center only obvious on the back and card is very firm. G. $3
Bin577. DANBURY CT Stereoview titled on verso “Old M.E. Church, Danbury, Conn.” G. $3
Bin590. Keystone: V17124T. Southwest from the Lykabettos past Royal Palace and Acropolis to Sea, Athens, Greece. $4
Bin607. E&HT Anthony. Prospect Park, Brooklyn. No. 7527. The Dairy Cottage. G. $6
Bin611. Collection of 5 CDVs. Three are by D. Appleton & Co., NY; 1 is by Silsbee, Case & Co., Boston; 1 has no backmark. Included are Edwin Hubbell Chapin (1814-1880), American preacher, editor of the Christian Leader; Rev. John Cumming (1807-1881), National Scottish Church, Covent Garden; Rev. Charles Kingsley; Rev. John Angell James (1785-1859); & Manton Eastburn (1801-1872), rector, Church of the Ascension. VG. $35
Bin623. Collection B.K., Paris. Vues d’Amerique. Montagnes Blanches. VG. $8
Bin624. No ID. 15. Views of London. General Post Office, St. Martin’s le Grand. G. $6
Bin625. E&HT Anthony. Saratoga Springs, NY. No. 8475. Walworth Mansion. G. $8
Bin628. Stereoview by Keystone titled 29468. First Drawing or Straightening of Fibers–Silk Industry (Spun Silk), So. Manchester, Conn. VG. $5
Bin629. Stereoview by Keystone titled 29211. Slater Mill, First Cotton Mill in United States, Pawtuckett, R.I. VG. $5
Bin631. W.S. Robbins, No. 6 Main Street from Plymouth Views. The view is untitled. G. $6
Bin633. Central Park Bridle Path. G. $5
Bin635. Cabinet Card by A. Farsari & Co., Yokohama showing a woman looking in a mirror while her hair is rolled by another woman. G. $55
Bin639. Pair of stereoviews by E&HT Anthony, although unlabeled. Titles are: Saloon of the Bristol; Saloon Steamer Dean Richmond. VG. $15
Bin641. 2 Stereoviews from Paris et ses Environs. Titles are Bal Mabille and Longchamp. VG. $6
Bin642. B.W. Kilburn. 12595. Gen. Miles, Commander of United States Army. G. $4
Bin643. Keystone. 32062T. Our Ambassador of the Air-Col. Lindbergh and Plane Spirit of St. Louis. VG. $10
Bin646. B.W. Kilburn (6 views) and U&U (1 view). 7 views of the coronation of King Edward VII. The 6 Kilburn views have Library of Congress surplus duplicate stamps on versos. VG. $45
Bin647. B.W. Kilburn. 2 views of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. This celebrated her 60-year reign. One has a Library of Congress Duplicate surplus stamp on verso. VG. $15
Bin648. Pair of CDVs by Disderi, Paris. Duc Bassano and Jacques Louis, Comte de Randon (1795-1871), Governor of Algeria and Marshal of France. VG. $20
Bin650. Group of 7 stereoviews by S.R. Stoddard. Adirondacks, Lake George, the Palisades. VG. $35
Bin655. 4 logging stereoviews. 3 by Keystone, 1 by Underwood & Underwood. Titled are: Stupendous Log-Raft, containing millions of feet–a Camp’s year’s work, profit $20,000–Columbia River, Oregon; 20031. Great Chained Log Rafts on the Columbia River, Wash.; 12260. Logs from the Forest Delivered at the Stream, Aroostock County, Me; & 26464. Band Saw Cutting Redwood Log, Calif. VG-E. $18
Bin657. Stereoview by W.H. Illingworth, published by E. H. Burritt, St. Paul, Minn. from Stereographs of Minnesota Scenery titled Dalles of the St. Croix. VG. $12
Bin659. HH Bennett. 11 stereoviews of Wisconsin natural scenery. VG-E. $50
Bin660. S.R. Stoddard. 403. Haystack Mountain from Upper Ausable Pond. G. $3
Bin662. Boudoir Card Photo (5″ x 8″) by Alex Martin, Denver, Colorado. This is a photograph of a print (not from life) titled The Loop U.P.R.R. Georgetown Colo. G. $8
Bin664. Woodburn’s Views of New Brunswick. Lake Lomond. G. $6
Bin668. 8 Views of Yosemite! 8 stereoviews of Yosemite. Titles are: 7372. The Royal Arches and Washington Tower; 1116. El Capitan, 3,300 ft. high;No. 954. Mirror Lake; No. 924. Bridal Veil Falls; No. 961. North and South Domes; No. 959. Merced River; 1122. Our Party, Yo semite; & No. 940. El Capitan. 1 by Anthony; 2 by Charles Bierstadt; 5 by Kilburn Brothers. VG. $30
Bin671. 7 views of Chicago and the Chicago Fire. By Copelin & Hine and Copelin & Son. G. $25
Bin674. Stereoview by Keystone View Company titled 13264–The Once Throbbing Heart of the City Stricken–Market St., San Francisco after the great earthquake and fire of April 18, 1906. E. $6
Bin675. Cabinet card of James Gillespie Blaine (January 31, 1830 – January 27, 1893), an American statesman and Republican politician who represented Maine in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1863 to 1876, serving as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1869 to 1875, and then in the United States Senate from 1876 to 1881. Blaine twice served as Secretary of State (1881, 1889–1892), one of only two persons to hold the position under three separate presidents (the other being Daniel Webster), and unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for President in 1876 and 1880 before being nominated in 1884. In the general election, he was narrowly defeated by Democrat Grover Cleveland. Blaine was one of the late 19th century’s leading Republicans and champion of the moderate reformist faction of the party known as the “Half-Breeds.” G. $8
Bin679. Stereoview by Baker & Record, Saratoga Springs, NY titled No. 30. Deer Lodge in Congress Park. G. $5
Bin682. The Rose Stereographs. 4 views of the American Fleet in Australia. VG. $30
Bin683. Two stereoviews of dogs. Titles on verso: Fox hound; & ?? de Chacal. VG. $12
Bin687. 3 Stereoviews by W.M. Chase. Titles are: Hopkins Hospital, Broadway Boulevard; Perkins Square; & Perkins Spring Square. G. $8
Bin688. 5 Stereoviews of Colorado. One is by John Nelson, Ericson, Nebraska and shows a statue commemorating Colorado statehood in 1876. The other 4 views are scenic views likely be a talented amateur. VG. $10
Bin689. 2 Views of Newburyport and Vicinity. One by H.P. Macintosh titled No. 3. Gate at Oak Hill Cemetery. One by W.G. Thompson titled Salisbury Beach. G. $12
Bin693. 3 tinted celebrities. 71. Hermine Feilner; 75. Pauline Feilner; & an untitled view. G. $10
Bin694. 2 views of the Giant’s Causeway. G. $10
Bin695. W.M. Chase, Baltimore Md. 13 stereoviews of Baltimore and Vicinity. G-VG. $50
Bin697. BRITISH ISLES! Collection of 12 Stereoviews of the British Isles. Titles are: No. 12. St. Paul’s Cathedral; No. 2. London Bridge; No. 1. The Tower of London, General View; No. 11. Houses of Parliament, the Lords’ Entrance; 226. Trosach Church, Loch Achray; Dunkeld, The Hermitage and Bridge; 58. Killarney. The Ruins of Muckross Abbey, West View; Giant’s Causeway. View of the Great Causeway; Abbey Craig, from Stirling Castle; 235. Ellen’s Isle; Dunkeld; & one untitled view. Photographers are P. Ewing, Kinross; J. Valentine, Dundee; A. Crowe, Stirling; Hudson’s Irish Scenery; & The London Stereoscopic Company. The 4 views by the London Stereoscopic Company all have 2-cent cancelled tax stamps on versos cancelled Jan. 25, 1866. G-VG. $30
Bin700. BIG TREES! 2 Stereoviews of big trees. Titles are: Wawona, as we drove through it, Mariposa Grove, California; & Throw your head back and look up one of the big trees, Stanley Park, Vancouver, B.C. G. $6
Bin701. Pair of views from Watkins and Seneca Lake series. Titles are No. 649. Entrance to Watkins Glen; & No. 659. Watkins from Prospect Hill. VG. $10
Bin702. Kilburn Brothers, Littleton, NH. 3 views of Yosemite. G. $10
Bin704. Image shows U&U photographer James Ricalton in India. G. $8
Bin705. Keystone. Testing the processes in the laboratory. E. $5
Bin708. SNOW BLOCKADE! Stereoview by Elmer & Tenney, Winona, Minn. titled Winona & St. Peter Division, C. & N. W. R.R. G. $15
Bin709. Charles Zimmerman. Minnesota Ice Harvest. G. $12
Bin711. CIRCUS BOUDOIR! Boudoir Card Photo of a group of men, likely circus workers, posed by circus tents. There is an African-American man in the group holding a a tray. One fellow appears to be holding a shoe shine box. Card measures 5.25″ x 8.5.” VG. $35
Bin712. L. Hillman, Watkins, N.Y. Cabinet Card from Watkins Glen Scenery. This is an overview of Seneca Lake. G. $15
Bin714. S.R. Stoddard, Glens Falls, N.Y. Collection of 10 Adirondack views. VG. $45
Bin717. 22 STATUES, SCULPTURE, MONUMENTS! 22 Stereoviews by various makers. There is sculpture, statues, monuments, etc. All are pictured, front and back, above. VG. $35
Bin718. 8 STEREOVIEWS BY GEORGE W WILSON! Collection of 8 stereoviews by G.W. Wilson, Aberdeen. Titles are: No. 458. St. George’s Chapel–The Queen’s Gallery; No. 383. Durham Cathedral–The Choir; No. 641. Wells Cathedral–Choir, looking East; No. 216. Salisbury Cathedral–Entrance to the Chapter House; No. 215. Salisbury Cathedral–The Transept; No. 640. Wells Cathedral–Choir, looking West; No. 390. Peterborough Cathedral–Choir; & No. 194. Westminster Abbey–South Aisle. VG. $30
Bin720. 14 NYC views by Kilburn Brothers. G-VG. $50
Bin721. 12 stereoviews of NYC and NYS. G-VG. $40
Bin723. 16 Stereoviews of European scenes. 11 are of the British Isles and Scotland; 2 are of Switzerland; 1 each of Germany, Austria and France. G-VG. $45
Bin725. G.W. Wilson, Aberdeen. 22 stereoviews. VG. $99
Bin726. Collection of 12 stereoviews of the New Jersey shore. Makers include Griffith & Griffith; U&U; Kilburn; Universal Photo Art Co; HC White; W.M. Chase; & Keystone. VG. $35
Bin727. Pair of New Jersey views. One by G.W. Pach of a beach scene at Asbury Park. Other is by U&U and is titled Atlantic City’s Crowded Beach. VG. $15
Bin728. 3 NYS views. E&HT Anthony view from Trenton Falls, New York. No. 2036. Lower Fall, from below.–Distant view with 2-cent cancelled tax stamp on verso. E&HT Anthony view from Beauties of the Hudson River. No. 8004. Bear’s Hill and Old Woman’s Rock from the Rail Road. J. Loeffler, Tompkinsville, Staten Island, NY view from Catskill Mountain Scenery. No. 218. Bastion Falls, in the Cauterskill Groge. VG. $12
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Join the Mailing List © 2011-20 Anton Schwartz
About Anton
Jazz Study
Jazz Blog
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Inside The Music
Jazz Music Theory
Jazz Harmony – You Have the Answers
by Anton Schwartz
Students often ask me why they should use one sort of chord rather than another – say, a C7(b9) as opposed to a C9. Music theory tells us lots about the differences between chords. But there is an indispensable way of answering these questions that’s more direct, and people often overlook it. [read more]
— 2019 — Jul 4
Approaches & Enclosures
These melodic devices have been a mainstay of jazz lines ever since bebop. This article presents them, discusses how & why they work and why we need to single them out for practice, and gives a sequence of exercises for integrating them into our ears and fingers to use for improvisation. [read more]
— 2019 — Apr 10
Better Than Practicing in 12 Keys
Practicing music in all 12 keys is a time-tested way to integrate musical ideas into your vocabulary. Here’s a variant on the approach that not only ensures that you learn the material at a deeper level that’s more useful for improvisation, but actually speeds up the learning process too. [read more]
— 2019 — Jan 23
“Take The A Train” Chord Changes
A look at the chord changes of Duke Ellington’s signature tune and all the ways they show up elsewhere… including some surprises… [read more]
— 2018 — Oct 8
The “Neutral” Scale
A journey into quarter tone harmony lets us see the modes of the major scale from a new perspective. [read more]
— 2018 — Aug 30
Musings about the music that drives us crazy (with a couple examples). [read more]
— 2018 — Jan 1
Minor Fourths, Major Fifths
We’ve all been taught that most intervals are either major or minor… but that unisons, fourths and fifths are special intervals, considered “perfect.” Let’s question that for a minute. Here’s an alternative way of thinking about it that I think makes more sense… [read more]
— 2017 — Oct 22
Music and an Accident of Mathematics
Did you know that virtually all of the music we listen to hinges on a big mathematical coincidence? Namely, that two to the 7/12 power is approximately equal to 1.5. Seriously. Let me show you what I mean… [read more]
— 2017 — Feb 3
Practicing Slow II: What Video Games Teach Us
Here’s another compelling reason why musicians ought to practice slowly. To understand it best, consider an analogy to video games. Not playing them… designing them. [read more]
Unlikely Inspiration from Coltrane
An early recording from John Coltrane is inspiring because it so compellingly debunks any notion that he was born to be a musical genius. His brilliance was hard won through intense practice. [read more]
— 2016 — Aug 1
Remembering the Modes
A different, very useful way of ordering the modes of the major scale in your mind… and a trick for remembering the modes in that sequence… [read more]
— 2016 — Jul 26
Practicing Slow
Here’s a tip for when you’re trying to improve your improvisation but you’re stuck: Learn to play so it sounds like you’re moving through molasses. Let me explain how & why it works… [read more]
Pentatonic Scales: A Deeper Look
Pentatonic (five-note) scales are the basis for simple folk melodies and nursery rhymes all around the world. So how is it that they can be used in jazz so powerfully, to create so many colors and degrees of tension and dissonance? Let’s take a look. [read more]
Audiation
An extremely useful word for something we’re all familiar with. [read more]
Sus Chords part II: Their Uses
In a previous post called “Understanding Sus Chords” I discussed suspended chords—what they are and how to think of them. In this one we look at their uses in songs. [read more]
Pronouncing “Repertoire”
A simple post about a common word in music that seems to trip up a lot of people: REPERTOIRE. [read more]
Dynamic and Static Chords
Consider these two statements: “When you see a G7 chord you can use the G blues scale.” “When you see a G7 chord you can play a G altered lick.” Are they true? The simple answer to each is an unsatisfying “sometimes.” For a more satisfying answer, we need to understand an important distinction… [read more]
— 2014 — Nov 6
Celebrating Adolphe Sax
A few amazing things you might not know about the man who gave us the saxophone, on his 200th birthday. [read more]
— 2014 — Jun 20
Back-to-Front Learning
A host of compelling reasons why it’s more efficient and effective to practice sequences of new material in reverse order. [read more]
How we make money from music
Did you know that a recording artist gets paid when his/her performance is played on satellite radio, but not when it’s played on FM radio? Take a quiz to test your knowledge of how money flows in the music world… or just read it as a wonderful tutorial. [read more]
« Prior Blog Posts
I'm proud to announce that the Random Roots app is now available on the App Store for iPhone/iPad. It's the culmination of a year's work, and it's a game changer for players looking to deepen their musicianship and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their practice.
To learn more and download it for free, visit randomroots.app.
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Australasian Open Access Strategy Group
Information on Open Scholarship in Australia and New Zealand
New initiatives in Open Access Scholarship
Submissions to government & other public inquiries
About the AOASG
Creative Commons Australia
Tohatoha
Join our Communities of Practice
FAQ about OA
Why Open Access?
Open Access & Copyright
Author concerns about OA
Publishers & OA
Starting an OA journal
OA in Australasia
Open Access in Australia
Australian Funder Policies
ARC Open Access Policy – General Information
ARC OA Policy: Compliance
ARC OA Policy: How to Comply
Open Access In New Zealand
New Zealand Open Access Journals
Australasian Open Access journals
Australian Open Access Journals
Australasian Open Access Repositories
Open Access Globally
OA monograph developments
Resources on Open Access
Downloadable graphics
Open Access journal options flowchart
How to make research OA
Green, gold & subscription
Policy compliance decision tree
ARC & NHMRC policy requirement graphic
How to make your research open access
Presentations about OA
Webinar Series 2018
Australian research into open access
NOTE: these pages are a work in progress. Corrections and additions welcomed through the contact form.
Steele, C (2013) ‘Open access in Australia: an odyssey of sorts?’ Insights 26.3 (2013): 282-289
Sale, AJH (2013) ‘Revolution in the Wings: Recent developments in Open Access Research’, Australian Quarterly
Sale, AHJ (2013) Recent developments in Open Access. In: THETA: The Higher Education Technology Agenda 2013 , 7-10 April 2013, Hobart, Tasmania. (Unpublished)
Callan, P, Kingsley, D & Kruesi, L, (2013) National and International Developments in Open Access: Implications, opportunities and local initiatives, ALIA Information Online 2013, Brisbane Convention Centre, 12-15 February
Kingsley, D. A. (2013) “Build it and they will come? Support for open access in Australia”, Scholarly Research Communication Vol 4, No 1
Steele, C (2012) ‘Scholarly communication 1971 to 2013. A Brindley snapshot‘, Alexandria 23 (3)
Sale, AHJ (2012) Response to USA OSTP RFI regarding Open Access. Discussion Paper. self, Hobart, Tasmania. (Unpublished)
Sale, AHJ (2011) The Titanium Road Essays. Discussion Paper. self, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. (Unpublished)
Pappalardo, K, Fitzgerald, B, Fitzgerald, A, Kiel-Chisholm, S, Georgiades, J & Austin A (2008) Understanding Open Access in the Academic Environment: A Guide for Authors (Unpublished)
Kennan, M.A. (2007), “Academic authors, scholarly publishing, and open access in Australia“, Learned Publishing, Vol. 20 pp.138-46
Sale, AHJ (2006) The acquisition of open access research articles. First Monday, 11 (10).
Research repositories
Open Access mandates
Simons, N. & Richardson, J. (2013) New Content in Digital Repositories: the changing research landscape, Chandos Publishing, Oxford
Suzor, Nicolas P. (2013) Access, progress, and fairness : rethinking exclusivity in copyright. Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law, 15(2), pp. 297-342.
Parker, R. (2012). What the library did next: strengthening our visibility in research support. Proceedings of the 16th Biennial VALA Conference and Exhibition, Melbourne, 06-09 February 2012. Melbourne: VALA.
Simons, N, Richardson, J. (2012). New Roles, New Responsibilities: Examining Training Needs of Repository Staff. Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication 1(2):eP1051.
Mary Anne Kennan, (2011) “Learning to share: mandates and open access“, Library Management, Vol. 32 Iss: 4/5, pp.302 – 318
Organ, M. (2010) “Leveraging research quality assessment exercises to increase repository content – an Australian case study” CAIRSS Community Day, 10 September 2013, RMIT, Melbourne
McKay, D., Sanchez, S., & Parker, R. (2010). What’s my name again? Sociotechnical considerations for author name management in research databases. Proceedings of the 22nd Annual Conference of the Australian Computer-Human Interaction Special Interest Group (OZCHI 2010), Brisbane, 22-26 November 2010 (pp. 240-247). New York: ACM.
Parker, R., & Wolff, H. (2009). “Building Swinburne Research Bank: an engaged, user-centred approach to content recruitment“. Information Online 2009.
Kennan, M.A. and Kingsley, D.A. (2009) “State of the nation: A snapshot of Australian institutional repositories” First Monday, 2 February Vol 14, No 2
Morgan, T., & Wright, R. (2009). “Open access repositories and Australian copyright law: towards practical risk management strategies“. Information Online 2009
Hayes, L., Morgan, T., & Ruthven, T. (2009). “Research repository managers symposium“. EDUCAUSE Australasia Conference 2009 (this is a summary of case studies from Australasian universities).
Padgett, L. (2009). “Copyright challenges for digital repositories“. EDUCAUSE Australasia Conference 2009 (slides only).
Nichols, D. M., Paynter, G. W., Chan, C.-H., Bainbridge, D., McKay, D., Twidale, M. B., & Blandford, A. (2009). Experiences in deploying metadata analysis tools for institutional repositories. Cataloging and Classification Quarterly, 47(3/4), 229-248.
Richardson, J (2008) “Institutional Repositories Supporting Cyberscholarship: Building Content” Conference paper: AusWeb08 – Reflecting on the Past: Anticipating the Future
Kingsley, D. (2008) “Those who don’t look don’t find: Disciplinary considerations in repository advocacy” OCLC Systems and Services: International Digital Library Perspective (OSS: IDLP), Vol 24, Issue 4
McKay, D. (2007). “Institutional repositories and their ‘other’ users: usability beyond authors“. Ariadne, 52.
Cunningham, S. J., McKay, D., Nichols, D. M., & Bainbridge, D. (2007). Institutional repository librarians and faculty users: their experiences of usability. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Open Repositories (OR07), San Antonio, 23-26 January 2007.
McKay, D. (2007). A brief literature review on the usability of institutional repositories: report prepared for the ARROW Project. Hawthorn, Vic: Information Resources, Swinburne University of Technology.
Cochrane, T., Callan, P. (2007), “Making a difference: implementing the eprints mandate at QUT“, OCLC Systems & Services, Vol. 23 pp.262-8.
Organ, M., Mandl, H. (2007) “Outsourcing open access: Digital Commons at the University of Wollongong, Australia“, OCLC Systems & Services, Vol. 23 Iss: 4, pp.353 – 362
Ren, X (2013) Beyond online preprints: formalization of open initiatives in China, Learned Publishing. Vol 26, No 3 , pp. 197-205
McIntyre, G., Chan, J., Gross, J. (2013). Library as Scholarly Publishing Partner: Keys to Success. Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication 2(1). eP1091.
Mercieca, P (2012) Beyond open access: an examination of Australian academic publication behaviour, PhD Thesis, Business IT and Logistics, RMIT University.
Houghton, J. W. & Oppenheim, C. (2009) The Economic Implications of Alternative Publishing Models, Prometheus, Vol 26, No 1 pp 41-54
Kingsley, D (2008) The effect of scholarly communication practices on engagement with open access: An Australian study of three disciplines, PhD Thesis, Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, ANU
Kennan, MA (2008) Reassembling scholarly publishing: open access, institutional repositories and the process of change, PhD Thesis, Information Systems, Technology Management, UNSW
Mercieca, P (2008) Publication patterns of Australian academics and the impact in open access publishing, in VALA 2008: Libraries- Changing Spaces, Virtual Places, Melbourne, Australia, 5-7 February
Borchert, Martin & Cleary, Colleen E. (2011) Support for gold open access publishing strategies at QUT. In ALIA 15th Conference and Exhibition : Information Online 2011, 1-3 February 2011, Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Sydney, NSW.
Batterham, Robin J. (2011) “A Ten Year Citation Analysis of Major Australian Research Institutions” The Australian Universities’ Review Vol. 53, No. 1, pp35-41
Steele, C., Butler, L. and Kingsley, D. (2006) “The Publishing Imperative: the pervasive influence of publication metrics” Learned Publishing, October Vol 19, Issue 4, pp277-290
Sale, AH.L, Couture, M., Rodrigues, E., Carr, L. and Harnad, S. (in press) Open Access Mandates and the ‘Fair Dealing’ Button, Book chapter
Houghton, J and Swan, A (2012) “Planting the Green Seeds for a Golden Harvest: Comments and Clarifications on ‘Going for Gold’” – DLib Magazine Vol 19 No 1/2
Sale, AHJ (2007) The patchwork mandate. D-Lib Magazine, 13 (1/2). ISSN 1082-9873
Beitz, A., Groenewegen, D., Harboe-Ree, C., Macmillan, W. and Searle, S, “Case study 3: Monash University, a strategic approach” in Pryor, G. Jones, S. and Whyte, A. (eds) (2013) Delivering Research Data Management Services: Fundamentals of good practice Facet Publishing
Simons, N., Visser, K., Searle, S. (2013) “Growing Institutional Support For Data Citation: Results of a Partnership Between Griffith University and the Australian National Data Service“, D-Lib Magazine, Vol 19, No 11/12 Nov/Dec
Parker, R., McKay, D., & Bennett, T. (2011). “Lessons for data sharing from institutional repositories“. eResearch Australasia, Melbourne
Houghton, John (2011) Costs and Benefits of Data Provision: Report to the Australian National Data Service Report to the Australian National Data Service
McKay, D. (2010). “Oranges are not the only fruit: an institutional case study demonstrating why data digital libraries are not the whole answer to e-research. Lecture notes in computer science” Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Asia-Pacific Digital Libraries (ICADL 2010)
Harrison, A & Searle, S. (2010). “Not drowning, ingesting: dealing with the research data deluge at an institutional level“. Proceedings of ‘Connections content conversations’, the 15th VALA Biennial Conference and Exhibition (VALA 2010), Melbourne, 9-11 February 2010
Henty, M & Kingsley D (2007) Readiness and responsibility for managing research data: the institutional perspective, EduCause Australasia, 1 May 2007, Melbourne
McKay, D. (2007). Researcher data practices at Swinburne: results of a survey: report prepared for the ARROW Project. Hawthorn, Vic: Information Resources, Swinburne University of Technology.
OA Week success continues November 13, 2019
The state of OA in New Zealand. Report and a new statement on Open Scholarship from CONZUL October 25, 2019
University of Newcastle: AOASG Workshops
Presentation by Prof Ginny Barbour
Newcastle: CAPOS 19: Knowledge Creation in the 21st Century: Approaches to open digital scholarship
December 10 & 11
AOASG Annual General Meeting & Strategy Day
accessibility access policy article level metrics australian publications Australian Research Council Creative Commons data dissemination funding global consequences Government green open access monographs national health and medical research council OA publisher open access open access journal repositories research research accessibility
December 2019 AOASG Newsletter Get involved with A…
Benefits of Open Access
Contact AOASG:
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https://apnews.com/PR%2520Newswire/3bb00415e55c81e6493ceed9aea6fe10
LONGi Selected as PV Sponsor for China Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai UAE
LONGi Solar Logo (PRNewsfoto/LONGi Solar)
BEIJING, Jan. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- LONGi, the leading global solar technology company, announced today that it has been selected as the PV sponsor for the China Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai UAE. The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) awarded LONGi “PV Sponsor for China Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai UAE” at a launch ceremony held at the Pusen Hotel.
Fang Ke, Deputy Director of the World Expo Affairs Office of The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Li Wenxue, Vice President of LONGi Group, Chen Pengfei, General Manager of LONGi New Energy, Wang Yingge, Head of Global Marketing, LONGi Solar, and over 80 journalists from the Chinese mainstream media joined the launch and witnessed this important moment for LONGi.
“The China Pavilion was named ‘Huaxia Light’. Its appearance is designed with traditional Chinese lanterns, symbolizing ‘Brightness and Future’. The photovoltaic industry has become a ‘national business card’ of China, leading in all aspects such as scale, application, technology, and cost. LONGi, as the leader of China’s photovoltaic industry, will shine,” Fang Ke, Deputy Director of the World Expo Affairs Office of The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, said.
“We believe our partnership with the China Pavilion in Dubai Expo 2020 will have a positive effect on the entire industry and deepen the understanding of new energy represented by photovoltaics in society. Today, LONGi takes the mission of ‘promoting the global energy transition’ and actively innovates new products,” Li Wenxue, Vice President of LONGi Group, said.
LONGi has always focused on the technological innovation to promote the revolution and development of the entire photovoltaic industry, and actively develops business and cooperation on a global scale. According to the company, LONGi’s innovative “photovoltaic floor tiles” made of high-efficiency monocrystalline modules will also be unveiled at the China Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai UAE.
Chen Pengfei, General Manager of LONGi New Energy, said, “We will make efforts to provide the world’s leading integrated photovoltaic energy solution for the China Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai UAE. With the innovative ‘photovoltaic floor tile’ modules, the photovoltaic system and the design concept of ‘Huaxia Light’ are highly integrated, and the photovoltaic road that combines technology, beauty and fashion will also be presented on the world stage.”
View original content to download multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/longi-selected-as-pv-sponsor-for-china-pavilion-at-expo-2020-dubai-uae-300985408.html
SOURCE LONGi Solar
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Game Reviews >
Cyber Virus
A game review by Jon Mc, written on 17 January 2019
FPS/Adventure
Players (ComLynx)
1 (N/A)
Releases [Rarity]
Cyber Virus [51]
Cyber Virus [0]
9 / 10Rate this game... ⭐
Atari Lynx Game Database
Oooooo-weeeeeee!
I don't usually start a review with those words, but honestly, it's hard to think of appropriate sentences when describing the game I'm about to review. This is 'Cyber-virus', a genuine Atari Lynx first person shooter.
And does it play! Does it play! But I'm getting ahead of myself.
'Cyber-virus' is not one of the official Atari Lynx games, but one of the many late homebrew titles that have been released thus far for the system. It's a Songbird Productions title, like 'Championship Rally' (amongst others). But perhaps more than any of Songbird Production's titles, this particular game has captured the imagination of many. That's because it answered a very important question; can the Atari Lynx handle a fully-fledged FPS? Well, let me tell you: 'Battlewheels' hinted that it was possible… 'Cyber-virus' makes it a reality.
I won't bore you with the details, but the storyline puts you (a heroic soldier) against a robotic menace - the "Cybots". You are to strike out in a one dude mission to eliminate the Cybot scourge across sixteen varied, occupied territories. All action takes place behind your see-through helmet visor. If you've played 'Metroid Prime' on the Nintendo Game Cube or Wii, that's the kind of perspective you will be viewing the game from; just miniaturized for the Atari Lynx. And I must say, the perspective works extremely well.
Graphics. Where do you start? This is a nice looking game. The introductory graphics look absolutely terrific. There's the pulsating title logo… the fantastic cartoon story images… visually strong "mission briefing" screens… and of course, the main action is just a sheer visual dream for FPS fans. Fans of 'Battlewheels' will likely see some strong resemblance to the graphics of that game. But thankfully, it feels like 'Cyber-virus' added the all-important element of variety to backgrounds; something missing from 'Battlewheels'. The rugged terrain you cover not only looks dangerous… it looks fantastic!
Across your vision you'll come across a lot in a short space of time. Robotic humanoids will appear rapidly and blast at you, but in the more jungle settings, expect vicious spiders! Building structures and towers stand in the landscape, and many can be blown up; and some may need to be in order to complete a mission objective. There are collectibles for the sharp-eyed commando, if you can avoid the onslaught of enemies long enough. Thankfully, your "wrist watch map" will be an essential tool to find your way around these environments.
A good FPS needs effective music and sound, and the great news is that you'll get the explosions, blasts and ricochets that you'd expect from this genre of game. The enemy weapons are particularly nice, and there are even aural splashes of lightning in some skylines… nice touch! Sadly, there is no in-game music; but this is almost unnoticeable once you are thrown into the action! Whilst I would have liked some themes to listen to, the title and introductory themes are a nice accompaniment to the missions. So it's certainly not a disappointment.
What about the all-essential element of gameplay? Is 'Cyber-virus' really as good as it looks? The answer is YES… the graphics really do match the gameplay. One of the best things is you can start any of the four-part missions at any time (there are sixteen overall). And it's not a single weapon game; as well as your Plasma Rifle, there is a Rocket Launcher and Grenades to throw. Heavier weapons really do have a bigger damage quotient, but you'll want to conserve these for bigger battles! Controls are smooth and easy to master, and your screen has an armor meter, radar alert, ammo count and choice of weapon indicator. It's all within your grasp!
Are there any downsides to 'Cyber-virus'? Truthfully, there aren't many. I would have loved some missions that were based indoors, a la 'Xybots' on Lynx. Some more weapons perhaps. And as stated earlier, backing tracks would have really enhanced this game even further. But apart from that, there aren't too many Lynx games that have had me as excited as this one. It's the kind of title that actually helps to affirm in your own mind that the Lynx was really as powerful a machine as what the originators said it was. And the question begs, what other kinds of games could the Lynx possibly port, now that this game is out there?
It's pretty much automatic to recommend the exciting aftermarket title 'Cybervirus'. The only other Lynx games that have excited me as much as this one were 'Zaku' and 'Lemmings': two of the absolute "top tier" Lynx games ever made (in my view) and which share the quality and ingenuity as this game. For FPS players, 'Cyber-virus' is an absolute essential. For everyone else, it's a sci-fi blast with a lot of strategy involved. And if you find it too easy, then tackle one of the tougher missions: it's brutal! In fact, I might go and try this game again right now. I know I'm not the only one!
'Cyber-virus' is highly recommended. Grab it!
Playability:
This review was submitted by Jon Mc from JMac Productions
See Game Review Standards and Ratings for scoring details.
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Registros únicos, 76 resultados 76
Inglés, 76 resultados 76
Nipissing University, 2 resultados 2
The Nipissing Drug Store, 1 resultados 1
Nipissing University. President's Office, 1 resultados 1
Nipissing University. Office of Integrated Marketing and Communications, 1 resultados 1
Nipissing University. Schulich School of Education, 1 resultados 1
Surtees, Bob, 1 resultados 1
Sobisch, Father Ted, 1 resultados 1
North Bay & District Historical Society, 1 resultados 1
Roseborough, Myrtle, 1 resultados 1
Mauro, Isabel, 1 resultados 1
Nipissing University, 13 resultados 13
North Bay Teachers' College, 7 resultados 7
Northeastern University, 4 resultados 4
Northeastern University Committee, 4 resultados 4
Canadore College, 3 resultados 3
Nipissing University. Board of Governors, 1 resultados 1
North Bay College, 1 resultados 1
Ontario Northland Railway, 1 resultados 1
Harris Learning Library, 1 resultados 1
Algonquin Composite School, 1 resultados 1
Canada, 67 resultados 67
Ontario, 65 resultados 65
Nipissing, District of, 57 resultados 57
North Bay, 49 resultados 49
Parry Sound, District of, 7 resultados 7
Powassan, 2 resultados 2
Poland, 1 resultados 1
Redbridge, 1 resultados 1
Chisholm, Township of, 1 resultados 1
Whitestone, 1 resultados 1
Education, 34 resultados 34
Organizations, 21 resultados 21
Religions, 18 resultados 18
Community life, 16 resultados 16
Sports, recreation, and leisure, 4 resultados 4
Natural resources, 4 resultados 4
Arts and culture, 3 resultados 3
Environment, 3 resultados 3
Business and commerce, 3 resultados 3
Industries, 3 resultados 3
Fondo, 59 resultados 59
Colección, 17 resultados 17
Nivel de descripción Colección Fondo Parte Serie Sub-subseries Subfondo Subserie Unidad documental compuesta Unidad documental simple
Myrtle Roseborough fonds
Fonds documents Roseborough's time as a student at North Bay Normal School. It consists of one album of photographs.
Roseborough, Myrtle
Stan Pasko fonds
Fonds contains materials relating to Pasko's time as a student at North Bay Teachers' College in 1955-1956.
Pasko, Stan
Lady Patricia Ladies Orange Benevolent Association No. 256 fonds
Fonds reflects the administration of Lady Patricia Ladies Orange Benevolent Association No. 256, particularly its membership, finances, and meetings. Records are arranged into two series: Dues books and membership rolls, and Minute books. The fonds also contains 2 photographs and a treasurer book that are not part of any series.
Lady Patricia Ladies Orange Benevolent Association No. 256
Loyal Orange County Lodge of Nipissing East fonds
Fonds reflects the administration of Loyal Orange County Lodge of Nipissing East and its governance of the district and primary Orange lodges within its jurisdiction. Fonds contains minute books (arranged into a series), attendance books, a dues book, and a list of past County Masters.
Loyal Orange County Lodge of Nipissing East
School of Environmental Studies and Biotechnology (Canadore College) fonds
Fonds illustrates the environmental monitoring and evaluation work of students in the Environmental Biology/Protection Technologist program. Fonds consists of one series containing research projects and reports.
Canadore College. School of Environmental Studies and Biotechnology
Ernie Follis fonds
Fonds reflects Ernie Follis' work as a member of the Northeastern University Committee and its Executive Council. Fonds contains one file.
Follis, Ernie
Elizabeth Thorn fonds
Fonds reflects Thorn's work as a Professor of Education at Nipissing University. Arranged into two series, the fonds contains publications that Thorn authored, co-authored, or contributed to; videocassettes of her lectures and awards ceremonies; and children's books that she collected.
Elizabeth Thorn
Nipissing University publications and ephemera collection
CA ON00408 C002
Collection contains publications and ephemera published by or relating to Nipissing University, its administrative and academic departments, and related organizations. Publications include: academic calendars, yearbooks, reports, magazines, newsletters, student guides and handbooks, and faculty profiles. Ephemera include: convocation and awards ceremony programs, promotional brochures, and pamphlets. Collection contains 12 series.
Nipissing University
Saint Andrew's United Church fonds
Fonds contains annual reports and newsletters.
Saint Andrew's United Church (North Bay)
Françoise Noël collection
Collection consists of records collected by Françoise Noël in the course of research for her book Nipissing: Historic Waterway, Wilderness Playground (Toronto: Dundurn Books, 2015), about the historical development of the tourism industry in the Nipissing District. The collection was assembled over approximately five years leading up to the book's publication. It contains maps, photographs, postcards, tourist guides and brochures, souvenir booklets, event programs, yearbooks, and other material relating to the history of North Bay and the Nipissing District, especially the tourist industry. The collection is arranged into five series based on documentary form.
Noël, Françoise
Martin Parker fonds
Fonds documents Martin Parker's work as the Regional Coordinator of the Parry Sound District for the second edition of the Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario (also known as the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas), an inventory of breeding bird species compiled between 2001 and 2005 that was intended to aid conservation efforts in Ontario. Fonds documents Parker’s responsibilities as Regional Coordinator including the recruitment, training, and organizing of atlassers (volunteer bird watchers), and the compilation of the data they collected. It also contains observational data from the Nipissing District, which it appears he was also involved in overseeing. The fonds also documents Parker's contributions as an author of several species accounts for the atlas.
Fonds is arranged into one series containing breeding bird observation data, as well as other files and items that do not belong to any series.
Parker, Martin
Jon Dellandrea collection
Collection consists of three framed maps of pre-Confederation Canada published by the Crown Lands Office of Upper Canada.
Dellandrea, Jon
Ewart Kenneth Fockler collection
The collection consists of geological maps, aerial photographs, and mining and geology publications collected by Fockler during the course of his career as a consulting geologist. The collection also contains material relating to a mineral exploration in northern Quebec that Fockler was involved with in the 1940s.
The collection is arranged into five series: Air photos of northern Ontario and Quebec; Air photos of Ontario highways; Geological maps; Mining and geology publications; New Quebec mineral exploration project.
Fockler, Ewart Kenneth
Robert Lavack fonds
Fonds relates to Lavack's work as a District Consultant with the Youth and Recreation Branch of the Ontario Department of Education. The fonds mainly consists of reports on seminars, conferences, programs, and studies regarding Indigenous education in Northwestern Ontario.
Lavack, Robert
Isabel Mauro fonds
Fonds relates to Mauro's year as a student at North Bay Normal School in 1940-1941. The fonds consists of a scrapbook and a file of drawings that she created as part of her coursework.
Mauro, Isabel
Fabian Lemieux fonds
Fonds documents Lemieux's year as a student at North Bay Teachers' College. It consists of a photograph album, negatives, and prints.
Lemieux, Fabian
Belle of the North Ladies Orange Benevolent Association No. 140 fonds
Fonds reflects the meetings and membership of Belle of the North Ladies Orange Benevolent Association No. 140. Fonds contains two minute books.
Belle of the North Ladies Orange Benevolent Association No. 140
Royal Scarlet Chapter (District of East Nipissing) fonds
Fonds reflects the administration of the Royal Scarlet Chapter of the District of East Nipissing, particularly its meetings and membership. Fonds contains two minute books, an attendance book, and a membership roll book.
Royal Scarlet Chapter (District of East Nipissing)
King George Loyal Orange Lodge No. 2189 fonds
Fonds reflects the administration of King George Loyal Orange Lodge No. 2189, particularly its membership and finances. Fonds consists of one dues book and membership roll.
King George Loyal Orange Lodge No. 2189
Royal Scarlet Chapter D.83 (District of North Nipissing) fonds
Fonds reflects the administration of Royal Scarlet Chapter D.83 (District of North Nipissing), particularly its meetings, membership, and finances. Fonds contains one series containing three minute books, as well as an attendance register and a cash book.
Royal Scarlet Chapter D.83 (District of North Nipissing)
Board of Governors (Canadore College) fonds
Fonds documents the functions and activities of the Board of Governors, including its standing and special committees. Fonds contains one series containing meeting minutes.
Canadore College. Board of Governors
Buck Kyle fonds
Fonds reflects Kyle's work in northern Ontario as a counsellor with the Federal Business Development Bank's Counselling Assistance to Small Enterprises (CASE) program. Fonds contains case reports documenting Kyle's visits to small businesses in northern Ontario communities and his provision of management services counselling advice.
Kyle, Buck
President's Office (Nipissing University) fonds
Fonds reflects the functions and activities of the President's Office of Nipissing University. The fonds contains seven subseries: academic affairs, campus facilities administration, establishment of Nipissing College and Northeastern University, faculty and staff, government relations, special projects, and university charter application.
Nipissing University. President's Office
Student Athletic Assembly (Canadore College) fonds
Fonds reflects the Student Athletic Assembly's organization and governance of intramural student athletics at Canadore College, as well as its participation in the Ontario College Athletic Association and its organization of sporting events including Sportsarama and Snofest.
Canadore College. Student Athletic Assembly
Institute of Community Studies and Oral History fonds
Fonds consists of local history materials about North Bay and the Near North area that were collected or created by the Institute for Community Studies and Oral History (ICSOH) including: oral history recordings, student projects, archival records, publications, and ephemera. The fonds also documents some of the ICSOH's activities as a research institute including outreach, the organization of conferences and other events, and its administration.
Fonds is arranged into four sub-series: Events and outreach, minutes, oral and community history research collection, and student projects.
Nipissing University. Institute for Community Studies and Oral History
Eva Wardlaw fonds
Fonds reflects Eva Wardlaw's family history, including her immigration from Greece, as well as her education and career as a school principal and alderman in North Bay.
Wardlaw, Eva
Graves, Bigwood and Company fonds
Fonds documents logging production at a shanty (winter logging camp) near Whitestone, Ontario. Fonds contains one logging record book.
Jack de la Vergne collection
Collection consists of one mining company stock certificate.
de la Vergne, Jack
Tom Cummings fonds
Fonds consists of photographs of Tom Cumming's artwork and other material relating to his artistic career.
Cummings, Tom
John R. McCarthy collection
Collection consists of two typescripts on the topic of the history of education in Ontario.
McCarthy, John R.
Al Carfagnini fonds
Fonds documents Al Carfagnini's work as Chair of Nipissing University's 25th Anniversary Committee, which was responsible for the planning of anniversary celebrations that were held in 1992.
Carfagnini, Al
Anthony Blackbourn fonds
Fonds reflects Anthony Blackbourn's work as President of Nipissing University and as a Professor of Geography, including his involvement with the Nipissing Research Institute Advisory Board.
Blackbourn, Anthony
Schulich School of Education (Nipissing University) fonds
Fonds mainly documents the enrollment of students by the Schulich School of Education and its predecessors. Fonds consists of two series: Enrollment and Photographs.
Nipissing University. Schulich School of Education
Canadore College publications and ephemera collection
Collection contains publications, ephemera, and audiovisual records created by Canadore College, its administrative and academic departments, and related organizations. Collection is arranged into eight series: Academic calendars; Ephemera; Newsletters, newspapers, and magazines; Photographs; Posters; Reports and plans; Video recordings; Yearbooks.
Canadore College memorabilia collection
Collection consists of memorabilia created by Canadore College for commemoration and advertisement purposes.
Junior Red Cross (North Bay Teachers' College) fonds
Fonds documents the North Bay Teachers' College branch's involvement in a Junior Red Cross program in which branches around the world created and exchanged portfolios (scrapbooks) in order to foster international understanding. Each scrapbook contains information about the branch that created it, its home country, city, and institution. The scrapbooks include photographs, drawings, paintings, handicraft samples, newspaper clippings, essays, and descriptions.
Junior Red Cross (North Bay Teachers' College)
Education Centre Library vertical file collection
Collection consists of pamphlets, articles, reports, and ephemera relating to North Bay and northeastern Ontario that were collected by the Education Centre Library for its vertical file (a collection of documents maintained by a library to provide easy access to information about frequently-requested topics; vertical files were especially popular before the rise of the Internet). The collection was created from the early 1970s, when the Library was founded, until the dissolution of the vertical file in the late 2000s.
Most files are arranged alphabetically by subject or by place name (in the case of items relating to communities other than North Bay).
Bill Allen fonds
Fonds consists of a burgundy men's cardigan worn by Bill Allen during his year as a student at the North Bay Teachers' College, and an email about the cardigan.
Allen, Bill
Board of Governors (Nipissing University) fonds
Fonds documents the functions and activities of the Board of Governors, including its standing and special committees, and the Board's predecessor, the Executive Council of Northeastern University.
Fonds is arranged into series based on committee or documentary type. A number of files and items are not part of any series. Fonds predominantly contains minutes, agendas, correspondence, memoranda, reports, budgets, speeches, membership lists, and financial statements.
Nipissing University. Board of Governors
Loyal Orange Lodge No. 2992 (Redbridge) fonds
Fonds reflects the administration of Loyal Orange Lodge No. 2992, including its membership, finances, and meetings of the Lodge and the Royal Arch and Blue Degrees.
Loyal Orange Lodge No. 2992 (Redbridge)
Loyal Orange Lodge No. 758 (Powassan) fonds
Fonds reflects the administration of Loyal Orange Lodge No. 758, particularly its membership and lodge meetings. Fonds contains roll books, minute books, and an annual return.
Loyal Orange Lodge No. 758 (Powassan)
Loyal Orange Lodge No. 1323 (Chisholm) fonds
Fonds reflects the meetings of Loyal Orange Lodge No. 758, and contains two minute books.
Loyal Orange Lodge No. 1323 (Chisholm)
Loyal Orange Lodge No. 1682 (Four Mile Lake) fonds
Fonds reflects the administration of Loyal Orange Lodge No. 2189, particularly its finances and membership. Fonds consists of one cash book.
Loyal Orange Lodge No. 1682 (Four Mile Lake)
Loyal Orange District Lodge D.83 (District of North Nipissing) fonds
Fonds reflects the administration of Loyal Orange District Lodge No. D.83 (District of North Nipissing), particularly its meetings and membership. Fonds contains two minute books.
Loyal Orange District Lodge D.83 (District of North Nipissing)
Loyal Orange District Lodge of Nipissing East fonds
Fonds reflects the administration of Loyal Orange District Lodge of Nipissing East, particularly its meetings and membership. Fonds contains one minute book.
Loyal Orange District Lodge of Nipissing East
Herb Brown fonds
Fonds reflects Herb Brown's work as a member of the Executive Councils of the Northeastern University Committee and Northeastern University, and as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Governors of Nipissing College. Fonds contains one file.
Brown, Herb
Maitland Goldwin Gould fonds
Fonds reflects Gould's bird watching activities in the North Bay area over the course of nearly forty years. The fonds consists of records documenting his daily birding observations from 1941 to 1979, with some interruptions in 1954-1957. Records include monthly reports of sightings, annual statistics, bird and mammal species occurrence records, and lists of species sighted. The majority of Gould's observations were made in "a rectangle which extends roughly thirty miles east and west and twelve miles north and south of North Bay." Some of his usual observation places within this area included his home on McIntyre Street, Peninsula Road on Trout Lake, the shore of Lake Nipissing west of the Government Wharf, and Eloy's Farm. He also frequently carried out observations while on walks, drives, and boat rides in and around North Bay.
Gould, Maitland Goldwin
Father Ted Sobisch fonds
Fonds reflects Ted Sobisch's work with the Executive Council of the Northeastern University Committee (1960), the Executive Council of Northeastern University (1960-1966), Nipissing College's Board of Governors (1967-1975), and the Nipissing College Advisory Committee (1967-1970). Additionally, the fonds documents Sobisch's research and writing of an unpublished book titled <i>A University is Born : The History of Northeastern University College,</i> and it also reflects the work of Herb Brown as a member of the Northeastern University Committee, Executive Council of Northeastern University, and Nipissing College's Board of Governors. Fonds is arranged into five series based the committee or project they relate to, or based on provenance in the case of Herb Brown's records.
Sobisch, Father Ted
Cambrian College (North Bay Campus) fonds
Fonds contains photographs, news clippings, publications, and ephemera created or received by Cambrian College's North Bay Campus during the five years of its existence. Fonds is arranged into two series.
Cambrian College. North Bay Campus
Laurier Avenue United Church fonds
Fonds reflects the Laurier Avenue United Church's commemoration of its history and anniversaries, as well as the management of its finances and facilities.
Laurier Avenue United Church
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Crime / Humor / Law & Order Nicholas Springer, Alleged Peeping Tom, Dodges Court to Avoid Being Seen
Posted By Erin Sherbert @spitnews on Wed, May 11, 2011 at 1:20 PM
Now it's YOUR turn to be seen
Irony is always tricky to define. But if you ever needed a clear-cut example of irony, here it is. The Marin County Peeping Tom who was busted for filming up women's skirts using a videocamera reportedly dodged court this morning -- perhaps to avoid being in the public eye.
Nicholas Springer, 26, was arrested on suspicion of peeping last week after witnesses spotted him with a videocamera inside one of his Crocs. He then allegedly walked around the farmers' market and stood next to several women, placing his foot between their legs so he could record up their dresses. Police found surveillance of at least 35 women.
Springer was scheduled to appear in court this morning, but a source who went to his hearing because his friend was a victim tells SF Weekly that the alleged voyeur didn't show up. Instead his lawyer, Brendan Hickey, and someone who appeared to be Springer's mom were there to represent.
We called Hickey to confirm this, but he refused to comment. He wouldn't even tell us whether Springer came to court this morning. "I don't want to make a comment about the case," he said repeatedly.
However, Marin County's Chief District Attorney Barry Borden confirmed that Springer was not personally in court this morning. He had waived his right to appear, he said.
And that would makes sense if he is indeed a voyeur, considering Peeping Toms generally like to see, but not be seen.
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Tags: Marin County Court, Nicholas Springer, peeping tom, Springer's mommy, Image
Erin Sherbert
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Erin Sherbert was the Online News Editor for SF Weekly from 2010 to 2015. She's a Texas native and has a closet full of cowboy boots to prove it.
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You are here: Home › Talking Stick Resort Arena Renovation Plans Unveiled
Talking Stick Resort Arena Renovation Plans Unveiled
By Zach Spedden on November 22, 2019 in Basketball, NBA
The Phoenix Suns have unveiled plans for a $230 million renovation to Talking Stick Resort Arena, previewing upgrades to amenities such as seating, premium areas, and technology.
Back in January, the Phoenix City Council approved a $150 million contribution from the city’s Sports Facilities Fund toward the $230 million public-private partnership with the team. Planning for the renovation has progressed to the point where the Suns have been releasing details on the project, including the unveiling earlier this month of a redesigned Casino Arizona Pavilion that will feature 8,500-square feet of LED screens and a communal space with views of the arena’s inner bowl.
On Thursday, the Suns unveiled several more upgrades that will be completed as part of the project. New cushioned seats will be installed throughout the arena, while the Suns are also planning to add two corner bars inside the bowl at the main concourse level. In addition, the main concourse will be expanded as the arena upgrades its food and beverage offerings.
From a technology perspective, there are plenty of upgrades in the works. A new 3,550-square foot centerhung videoboard will be installed, and will be six times the size of Talking Stick Resort Arena’s current display. The Suns will also install two new LED ribbon boards that ring the lower and upper bowls, while working with Verizon to implement 5G coverage.
Premium areas will also be addressed in the project. When the renovation is complete, Talking Stick Resort Arena will offer 11 different types of club and suite experiences, including 55 total suites, eight additional theatre boxes, new VIP clubs, and the exclusive club 1968–named in honor of the year that the Suns began play. Meanwhile, Lower Bowl seat holders in sideline rows 1-6 will have a new perk with exclusive access to court-level clubs on the East and West sides of the arena.
In discussing the renovations, Suns owner Robert Sarver noted how some of the new amenities could help the team draw a wider fan base. Talking Stick Resort Arena renovations are set to be completed in phases, with the majority of the work expected to be finished ahead of the 2020-21 NBA season and remaining construction to conclude by the 2021-22 campaign. More from CNBC:
Additional features of the upgrade include a 15,000-square-foot kitchen and a corner bar located in the bowl section of the arena. The bar is something Sarver says will attract the Suns’ younger fanbase, as the team will look to take advantage of Arizona State University’s downtown campus with 12,000 students.
“We have a bigger pool to draw from, and the products that we put in place are tailored towards that pool of students,” Sarver said.
Sarver said the transformation should be 60% completed before the 2020-21 NBA season, with the second phase completed before the start of the 2021-22 season. Sarver added that the building would be closed next summer as “a lot of the heavy construction will take place.”
As part of the renovation deal, the Suns agreed to privately finance a new training facility within the City of Phoenix to replace existing practice space at Talking Stick Resort Arena. A groundbreaking ceremony for the new facility, to be located on 44th Street, just north of Camelback Road, was held last week with the expectation that the training center will open late summer 2020.
Renderings courtesy HOK.
RELATED STORIES: Ground Broken on Phoenix Suns Training Facility; Phoenix Suns Unveil New Arizona Casino Pavilion Rendering; Mercury to Play 2020 Season at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum; What to Watch in Talking Stick Resort Arena Renovation Project; Phoenix Approves Talking Stick Resort Arena Renovations; Poll: Most Likely Voters Support Talking Stick Resort Arena Renovation Deal When Given Facts; Adam Silver: It’d Be a Personal Failure if Phoenix Suns Move; Robert Sarver: I’m Committed to Keeping the Suns in Phoenix; Talking Stick Resort Arena Renovation Vote Delayed; Talking Stick Resort Arena Renovation Deal Set for Vote; Report: Tentative Deal Reached for Talking Stick Resort Arena Renovations; Phoenix Suns Arena Discussions Taking Place; Phoenix Suns Still Sorting Through Arena Options; Phoenix Extends Contract on Talking Stick Resort Arena Study; Officials Balk at Talking Stick Resort Arena Plans; Phoenix Ends Talking Stick Resort Arena Renovation Discussions; Phoenix Mayoral Candidates Speak Out Against Talking Stick Resort Arena Renovation; Phoenix Suns: No Plans to Share Arena With Coyotes; Suns, Arizona Coyotes Working on Arena Plans
nba, Phoenix Suns, Talking Stick Resort Arena, Talking Stick Resort Arena renovations
Sacramento Kings to Add Augmented Reality Engagements to App
NBA Considering Broad Changes to Scheduling, Playoffs
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The activin-follistatin anti-inflammatory cycle is deregulated in synovial fibroblasts
Magnus Diller1,
Klaus Frommer1,
Berno Dankbar2,
Ingo Tarner1,
Marie-Lisa Hülser1,
Lali Tsiklauri1,
Rebecca Hasseli1,
Michael Sauerbier3,
Thomas Pap2,
Stefan Rehart4,
Ulf Müller-Ladner1 &
Elena Neumann1
Activin A and follistatin exhibit immunomodulatory functions, thus affecting autoinflammatory processes as found in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The impact of both proteins on the behavior of synovial fibroblasts (SF) in RA as well as in osteoarthritis (OA) is unknown.
Immunohistochemical analyses of synovial tissue for expression of activin A and follistatin were performed. The influence of RASF overexpressing activin A on cartilage invasion in a SCID mouse model was examined. RASF and OASF were stimulated with either IL-1β or TNFα in combination with or solely with activin A, activin AB, or follistatin. Protein secretion was measured by ELISA and mRNA expression by RT-PCR. Smad signaling was confirmed by western blot.
In human RA synovial tissue, the number of activin A-positive cells as well as its extracellular presence was higher than in the OA synovium. Single cells within the tissue expressed follistatin in RA and OA synovial tissue. In the SCID mouse model, activin A overexpression reduced RASF invasion. In human RASF, activin A was induced by IL-1β and TNFα. Activin A slightly increased IL-6 release by unstimulated RASF, but decreased protein and mRNA levels of follistatin.
The observed decrease of cartilage invasion by RASF overexpressing activin A in the SCID mouse model appears to be mediated by an interaction between activin/follistatin and other local cells indirectly affecting RASF because activin A displayed certain pro-inflammatory effects on RASF. Activin A even inhibits production and release of follistatin in RASF and therefore prevents itself from being blocked by its inhibitory binding protein follistatin in the local inflammatory joint environment.
Activin A is a disulphide-linked homodimer composed of two βA-subunits (βAβA) of inhibin A, which itself is formed by an α- and βA-subunit. The heterodimer consisting of an α- and βB-subunit is called inhibin B. Accordingly, two other forms of activin can be distinguished: activin B (βBβB) and activin AB (βAβB) [1, 2]. Both activins and inhibins are members of the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) superfamily. Their role in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis is well known [3], but activins are also linked to inflammatory and fibrotic processes [4]. In marrow stromal cells, activin A is upregulated by tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), interleukin-1α (IL-1α), and IL-1β [5, 6]. In vivo experiments with animals confirmed the systemic activin A release in circulation after LPS injection [7, 8]. The activin A increase was biphasic and followed by the release of the activin A-binding protein follistatin [7, 9]. The effect of activin A has been described as pro- as well as anti-inflammatory, depending on the examined cell type or cellular activation state. For example, the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines of activated macrophages could be blocked by activin A [10], but quiescent macrophages were stimulated by activin A to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines [11, 12].
The role of activin A and follistatin in chronic autoinflammatory disorders is not fully understood. There is evidence that activin A promotes allergic diseases [13] and inflammatory bowel disease [14], whereas these effects could be blocked by follistatin. In inflamed joints affected by rheumatoid arthritis (RA), activin A was expressed by synovial fibroblasts (RASF) in the synovial membrane and upregulated in the RA synovium compared with osteoarthritis (OA) or normal joint tissues [15, 16]. Elevated activin A levels were also found in the synovial fluid of RA compared to OA patients [15]. RASF proliferation was elevated by activin A and reduced by follistatin [16]. Pro-inflammatory cytokines like TGF-β, TNFα, and IL-1β increased the activin A production in RASF [16]. In a carrageenan-induced mouse arthritis model, follistatin injection reduced macrophage infiltration into the synovium and inhibited proteoglycan erosion [17].
Due to the clues pointing towards a role of activin A in RA, the aim of the study was to investigate the role of activin A and follistatin in the inflammatory and matrix degrading response of RASF and the known feedback loop between activin A and follistatin described for other cell types.
Tissues and cells
RA/OA synovium and OA cartilage were obtained during knee replacement surgeries (Agaplesion Markus Hospital). RA patients fulfilled classification criteria of the American College of Rheumatology [18, 19]. Human OA cartilage with macroscopically intact surface was cut [20] and in part snap-frozen for hematoxylin/eosin staining (H/E), for which areas with normal histological structure were used. Sample collection of the synovium and cartilage was approved by the local ethics committee (Justus Liebig University Giessen), and all patients gave written informed consent.
Synovium samples were snap-frozen, used for paraffin-embedding, or digested (1 h Dispase-II-solution, 0.1 ml/ml, PAN-Biotech, Germany) [21] for fibroblast isolation. Cells were cultured up to passage 5 in DMEM (PAA-Laboratories, Germany) containing 10% heat-inactivated fetal calf serum (FCS, Sigma-Aldrich, Germany), 1 U/ml penicillin/streptomycin, and 1 mM HEPES (PAA-Laboratories) at 37 °C and 10% CO2 [21].
Formalin-fixed 5 μm paraffin sections were deparaffinized, and antigen retrieval was performed with 4 M hydrochloric acid (follistatin, β2-microglobulin) or proteinase K (vimentin). The tissue was permeabilized with Triton X-100 and endogenous peroxidases blocked with 0.3% H2O2 in 100% methanol. After blocking with 10% dry milk, the slides were incubated overnight with primary antibodies in 2.5% BSA at 4 °C: goat anti-human/mouse/rat polyclonal activin A (AF338, R&D, Germany), mouse anti-human monoclonal follistatin (MAB669, R&D, Germany), goat anti-human polyclonal ACVR2A (A8081) and ACVR1B (A2455) (both Sigma-Aldrich, Germany), mouse anti-human monoclonal β2-microglobulin (ab54810, Abcam, UK), and mouse anti-human monoclonal vimentin (M7020, Dako, USA). Slides were incubated 30 min with secondary antibodies (Histofine, Medac), and color development was performed with AEC substrate (Vector Laboratories, USA). For snap-frozen tissues, 5 μm acetone-fixed sections were used with the same procedure.
Activin A overexpression
Recombination vector pAdLox (digested with EcoR1) was used to generate adenoviral vectors with either the full-length activin A (for: 5′-CTGTCTTCTCTGGACAACTC-3′, rev: 5′-GCAGGGCCTTTTAAAAAGGC-3′) or the GFP sequence inserted as a control. The adenoviral vectors were provided as a courtesy of the University of Pittsburgh. Based on previous experiments, a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 100 was used for RASF or OASF transduction [21]. The absence of virus in the supernatants after one passage was confirmed by real-time PCR.
SCID mouse model
Female, 6-week-old Crl-scidBR mice (Charles River, Germany) were kept under pathogen-free conditions with water and food ad libitum. Animal experiments were performed in accordance with the German Animal Welfare Act and approved by the local government authorities, RP Oberfranken, Germany, 621-2531.1-13/03. Animals underwent surgery with implantation of 1.5 × 105 SF together with healthy areas of human OA cartilage in a carrier matrix (Gelfoam, Pfizer, USA) with up to four cartilage implants per animal [20]. SCID mice were sacrificed after 60 days, and implants removed, snap-frozen, stained (H/E), and used for scoring [20, 22, 23].
Synovial fibroblast stimulation
RASF or OASF were cultured for 48 h. The medium was replaced and cells stimulated with IL-1β or TNFα (10 ng/ml each; R&D) with or without activin A/AB (15 ng/ml; R&D) or follistatin (500 ng/ml; R&D) for 15 h. Supernatants were centrifuged and stored at − 20 °C. As control, stimulation was performed under serum-free conditions.
Protein measurements
Cytokines, matrix-degrading proteinases (MMP), and growth factors were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA, R&D) or Luminex analysis for IL-6, IL-1β, TNFα, IL-10, VEGF, IL-12p40, GM-CSF, IFNγ, IL-8, IL-4, IL-2, and IL-5 using the Bead-based multiplex kit (R&D).
RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis
RASF were harvested and total RNA extracted (RNeasy Mini Kit, Qiagen, Germany). Remaining DNA was removed using the RNase-free DNase Set (Qiagen). RNA concentrations were quantified (Ribogreen RNA quantification kit, Molecular Probes, Netherlands, or Nanodrop system, Thermo Fisher) and RNA stored at − 80 °C.
cDNA was synthesized using 150 ng RNA, 5 mM Tris-HCl (pH 8.3, 25 °C), 50 mM KCl, 1 mM MgCl2, 0.5 mM spermidine, 1 mM dithiothreitol, 1 mM each dNTP (Roche, Germany), A260 unit random primer (Roche), 1.6 U/μl RNase inhibitor (Roche), and 1.3 U/μl AMV reverse transcriptase (Promega, Germany). Conditions were 25 °C 10 min, 42 °C 60 min, and 99 °C 5 min. cDNA was stored at − 20 °C.
Real-time PCR was performed (LightCycler system, Roche) using SYBR Green detection including melting curve analysis. 18S rRNA served as an endogenous control. Primer efficiencies were tested by the standard curve method (E = 10–1/slope, E = 2.00 ± 0.05 was considered acceptable). PCR mixture includes 2 μl cDNA or water, 0.5 μM each primer, 10 μl 2xQuantiTect® SYBR® Green PCR Master Mix (Qiagen), and MgCl2 according to primer efficiency. PCR products were subjected to a melting curve analysis. Data were analyzed using the LightCycler analysis software (Roche). Primers include follistatin for: 5′-GTCGGGATGTTTTCTGTCCAG-3′ and rev: 5′-TGGCATAAGTGGCATTGTCAC-3′ (4 mM MgCl2, Tann = 50 °C).
For evaluation of activin A receptor type 1 (ACVR1) and activin A receptor type 2A (ACVR2A), standard PCR was performed using the Titan One-Tube RT-PCR system (Tann = 55 °C, Roche) followed by agarose gel electrophoresis (1%). Primers include ACVR1 for: 5′-AGCATCAACGATGGCTTCCA-3′, rev 5′-AGTGCTGTCTCCAACATTGG-3′; ACVR2A for: 5′-GGTGTACAGGCATCACAAGA-3′, rev: 5′-CCAAGAGACCACATTAGCCT-3′; 18S for: 5′-TCAAGAACGAAAGTCGGAG-3′, rev: 5′-GGACATCTAAGGGCATCACA-3′).
RASF (n = 3) were pre-incubated with serum-free medium for 2 h before stimulation with activin A for 10 min and lysed after stimulation (10 mM Tris, 150 mM NaCl, 1 mM EDTA, 0.2% sodium deoxycholate, 1% NP-40 and protease/phosphatase inhibitors (Roche)). Western blotting was performed with antibodies against total Smad2 (#5339, CST, UK) and phosphorylated Smad2 (#3101, CST). For detection, secondary goat anti-rabbit HRP-conjugated antibodies (Dako) and the ECL system (GE Healthcare, USA) were used. Antibodies against activin A (mouse anti-human, R&D) and ACVR2A (A8081, goat anti-human polyclonal, Sigma) were detected using secondary anti-mouse HRP-conjugated antibodies (goat anti-mouse; donkey anti-goat, Santa Cruz). Cyclophilin B served as the loading control.
All data are presented as arithmetic mean ± standard deviation (SD). For comparisons with a single control group, one-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett’s post hoc test was performed. Multiple comparisons among several groups were performed by one-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni’s post hoc test. For comparison of two groups with different treatments and increasing stimulation duration, two-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni’s post hoc test was performed. The assessment of significance level for pair-wise comparisons was calculated by a Student two-tailed t test and Mann-Whitney U test. p values < 0.05 were considered significant. Statistical calculations were performed and graphics created using GraphPad Prism.
Detection of follistatin and activin A and their receptors on synovial fibroblasts
In hyperplastic RA synovium, the number of activin A expressing cells and presence of the secreted protein in the extracellular matrix surrounding the cells was higher compared to OA (n = 4) (Fig. 1a, b). Cells at sites of cartilage invasion also expressed activin A (Fig. 1c). Activin A receptor expression (ACVR1 and ACVR2A) was comparable on cultured RA- and OASF by PCR (Fig. 1d) and by immunocytochemistry for ACVR2A and 1B in RASF (Fig. 1e). In addition, the effect of activin A on the activin A receptor type 2A (ACVR2A) expression was evaluated by western blot showing that stimulation with activin A did not significantly alter ACVR2A expression in RASF (Additional file 1). Synovial tissue evaluation by immunohistochemistry showed that only few cells expressed follistatin (RA and OA, n = 3 each Fig. 1f) compared to the total number of cells and vimentin-positive fibroblasts (Fig. 1g, h). The synovial lining layer was mostly negative for follistatin (Fig. 1f).
Detection of follistatin and activin and their receptors on synovial fibroblasts. a Activin A staining of RA synovial tissue compared to b OA synovial tissue (representative stainings, n = 4 each). c Activin A staining at the site of cartilage invasion in RA (n = 4). d mRNA of ACVR1 was detectable in all 5 RASF and 3 OASF and mRNA of ACVR2A in all 4 RA- and 3 OASF; here, LS174T cells are shown as a positive control. Negative control: water instead of RNA. 18S rRNA served as the loading control. e Immunocytochemistry for ACVR2A and ACVR1B protein confirmed the presence of both receptors on cultured RASF. Positive control: mesenchymal marker vimentin, negative control: matched isotype control. f Follistatin expression was limited to single cells in RA and OA synovial tissue (n = 3) when compared to the g vimentin staining showing the distribution of mesenchymal cells including synovial fibroblasts as well as h β2-microglobulin, an MHC class I subunit expressed by almost all nucleated cells. i H/E staining of the tissue. 100-fold magnification
Effect of activin A on RASF-mediated cartilage invasion in vivo
In the SCID mouse model, RASF invaded coimplanted human cartilage as published previously [22]. However, activin A overexpression in RASF reduced RASF invasion into cartilage compared to GFP controls (p < 0.05) (Fig. 2a). Due to the limited capacity of OASF to invade cartilage [22, 24], OASF were pre-activated with IL-1β and then coimplanted. Activin A overexpression in OASF did not affect IL-1β-induced invasion. Activin A overexpression was confirmed by western blot prior to implantation (Fig. 2c).
Effect of activin A on cartilage invasion. a RASF were coimplanted together with healthy human cartilage into SCID mice. After 60 days, the invasion of RASF into cartilage was reduced by adenoviral activin A overexpression in comparison to control (n = 4 animals with n = 14 implants per group). By way of example, implants with GFP-transduced RASF (Basis) and for activin A overexpressing RASF are shown (c = cartilage). b OASF were activated with IL-1β to induce cartilage invasion, and activin A overexpression did not change IL-1β-induced OASF cartilage invasion (n = 5 implants without activin, n = 10 implants with activin). c Overexpression of activin A in RASF was confirmed by western blot. An MOI of 100 was used for implantation with mock-treated cells showing baseline activin A protein expression in RASF
Activin A suppresses follistatin
Kinetics of RASF (n = 5) stimulated with activin A at 15 ng/ml showed suppression of follistatin protein secretion over time (6–42 h stimulation, Fig. 3a). At all time points, the use of activin A concentrations of 10–30 ng/ml suppressed follistatin protein expression (shown for 15 h, Fig. 3b). The activin A-mediated follistatin suppression decreased at concentrations below 5 ng/ml activin A (Additional file 2). The reduction of follistatin RNA expression was confirmed by real-time PCR for up to 24 h (Fig. 3c) and after using different activin A concentrations (Fig. 3d). Due to the kinetics, 15 ng/ml activin A and 15 h for stimulation were selected for further experiments.
Synovial fibroblast stimulation with activin A suppresses follistatin. a Activin A suppressed follistatin protein release in RASF at all time points from 6 to 42 h (15 ng/ml activin A, n = 4). b Concentrations of 10–30 ng/ml activin A had the same suppressive effect on follistatin protein (shown for 15 h, n = 4). c Stimulation of RASF with activin A (15 ng/ml, n = 5) from 1.5 to 24 h resulted in a reduced expression of follistatin RNA. d When stimulating RASF for 3 h with 0 to 30 ng/ml activin A, a significant reduction of follistatin RNA expression was observed (15 h, n = 4). c, d 18S rRNA measurement served as the normalization control
Alteration of inflammatory parameters by activin A
Activin A was induced by IL-1β and to a lower extent by TNFα in RASF (n = 7, Fig. 4a, p < 0.05). Follistatin production in RASF was not altered by stimulation with 10 ng/ml TNFα, whereas 10 ng/ml IL-1β decreased the follistatin release from 2075 ± 474 to 1121 ± 380 pg/ml (0.54-fold, p < 0.05, Fig. 4b). Other factors such as RANKL, OPG, or oncostatin M (an IL-6 signaling pathway inducer) did not alter follistatin levels (data not shown). Activin A between 10 and 30 ng/ml slightly induced IL-6 (maximum 2.2-fold with 30 ng/ml activin A, p < 0.05, Fig. 4c). Other factors such as proMMP-1 and soluble TNF receptor I (sTNF-RI, Fig. 4c), MMP-13, MMP-3, TGF-β, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), GM-CSF, and IFNγ were detectable but not altered by activin A or follistatin (data not shown). IL-10, IL-4, IL-1β, IL12p40, and TNFα were close to or below the detection limit of the ELISA and not induced by activin A or follistatin (data not shown).
Effect of inflammatory factors on activin A and follistatin in RASF. a Activin A protein release was induced by TNFα and to a higher extent IL-1β. The IL-1β-induced activin A level could be reduced by follistatin but not TNFα-induced activin (n = 7 RASF). b Follistatin level was reduced by IL-1β but not other pro-inflammatory stimuli (n = 5 RASF). c IL-6 showed highly individual baseline levels in different patients. IL-6 (n = 6), proMMP-1 (n = 7), or sTNF-RI (n = 4) levels were not induced by more than 2-fold by activin A
Effect of activin A on synovial fibroblasts under inflammatory conditions
IL-1β or TNFα were added to RASF in combination with activin A. In all settings, addition of activin A completely suppressed follistatin in RASF as well as reduced follistatin in OASF without reaching statistical significance. The decrease was independent of the presence of the pro-inflammatory stimuli (Fig. 5a). Factors such as IL-6, proMMP-1, and VEGF were not affected by activin A or follistatin (Fig. 5b–d). However, activin A increased the VEGF release of RASF stimulated with IL-1β or TNFα (p < 0.05, Fig. 5c). Activin A or follistatin had no effect on sTNF-RI release (Fig. 5e). Other parameters such as MMP-13, TGF-β, IL-1Rα, GM-CSF, and IFNγ were detectable, but only effects of IL-1β and/or TNFα but not of activin A or follistatin were visible (data not shown). IL-10, IL-4, IL-1β, IL12p40, and TNFα were close to or below the detection limit of the ELISA. Results from stimulations under serum-free conditions were comparable (not shown).
Effect of activin A on synovial fibroblasts under inflammatory conditions. a Activin A suppressed follistatin in RA- and OASF independently of the presence of pro-inflammatory stimuli. b IL-6 was induced by TNFα and to a stronger extent by IL-1β (10 ng/ml each, n = 6) but follistatin or activin A did not induce more than 2-fold changes with activin A, and similar results were observed for VEGF (c, n = 6) as well as for proMMP-1 but without an effect on proMMP-1 when adding activin A (d, n = 7). sTNF-RI was induced by IL-1β but reduced by TNFα without an effect of activin A/follistatin (e, n = 4)
Stimulation with follistatin or activin AB
When stimulating RASF with follistatin, activin A concentrations were slightly reduced. However, reduction was less than 2-fold and did not reach significance. Similarly, IL-6 and proMMP-1 levels were not attenuated significantly (Fig. 6a). Stimulation with activin AB led to similar results compared to activin A with a strong reduction of follistatin and low or no induction of other parameters including IL-6 and proMMP-1 (Fig. 6b).
Effect of follistatin and activin AB on RASF and activin-induced Smad signaling. a Stimulation of RASF with follistatin showed a less than 2-fold reduction of activin A, IL-6, and proMMP1 (n = 3). b Stimulation with activin AB showed a significant follistatin reduction whereas IL-6 was less than 2-fold induced and no effect on proMMP-1 could be observed (n = 3). c In RASF (n = 3), activin A-mediated suppression of follistatin was confirmed in parallel to Smad2 phosphorylation. In these RASF, activin A strongly induced phosphorylation of Smad2. Results of two-tailed paired t test and mean ± SE are shown
Confirmation of activin A-induced signaling
Phosphorylation of Smad2, a well-known signaling pathway of the TGF-β superfamily, could be detected by western blot (n = 3, p < 0.01, Fig. 6c). In parallel to the Smad2 phosphorylation, actvin A-mediated suppression of follistatin was confirmed (Fig. 6c).
As previously described, the activin A levels in synovial fluid and its expression in the synovium are elevated in RA [15, 16]. Indeed, activin A expression in the RA synovium is higher compared to OA, indicating a possible role in RA pathogenesis and in inflammatory processes and/or neoangiogenesis. The activin A concentrations measured in vivo in inflamed joints (up to 39 ng/ml) have shown to block in vitro the IL-6-induced proliferation of 7TD1 B lymphoid cells, the phagocytic activity of monocytic M1 cells, and the fibrinogen production in HepG2 [25]. These findings indicate an anti-inflammatory action of activin A in the context of RA. Indeed, in the SCID mouse model, the invasive behavior of RASF overexpressing activin A was decreased compared to GFP controls, whereas the activin A overexpression in IL-1β activated OASF did not influence the invasion score. Our findings support the anti-inflammatory action of activin A in RA in vitro, but on the other hand, studies focusing on RASF have shown that activin A increased RASF proliferation [16]. Accordingly, the antagonist follistatin inhibited RASF proliferation induced by IL-1β [16]. Based on the decreased invasive behavior of RASF in the SCID mouse model, we examined the effect of activin A and follistatin on cytokine and MMP levels of RASF.
We could show that activin A and AB increased the IL-6 release of RASF and contributed to the observed accelerated proliferation of RASF stimulated by activin A in vitro [16]. Nevertheless, the pathophysiological relevance in vivo of the induced release of IL-6 by activin A by approximately 2-fold has to be questioned due to the high amounts of IL-6 present within inflamed joints. Moreover, IL-1β increased the IL-6 release about 1000-fold. The levels of other inflammatory factors and MMPs were not affected showing that activin A does not act on RASF as a potent pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokine at least for the parameters evaluated in this study. Consequently, we could not observe a relevant reduction of cytokines or MMPs in activated or non-activated RASF by application of follistatin. However, activin A increased the VEGF release of RASF treated with IL-1β or TNFα, and therefore, activin A may contribute to neoangiogenesis and capillary permeability, effects known to be mediated by VEGF [26].
The major source of activin A is synovial fibroblasts and CD68+ mononuclear cells [16]. Our data are in line with previous findings showing an increased activin A release by stimulation with IL-1β and TNFα [16]. These findings confirm the role of RASF as a source of activin A in inflamed joints. Activin A was also shown to promote RANKL-induced osteoclast formation, and therefore, activin A produced by RASF could indirectly contribute to bone erosion [27,28,29]. The decrease of RASF invasion in our SCID mouse model cannot be explained by the observed effects in vitro. However, they could be explained as a result of an altered expression of activin A and follistatin in RASF affecting local cells in the more complex system in vivo.
Follistatin has mainly been described as an anti-inflammatory component inhibiting experimental induced allergic asthma and inflammatory bowel disease in mice by blocking activin A [14, 30]. In acute inflammatory reactions, the source of the follistatin release following the increase of activin A remains unclear [7, 9]. Possible cells producing follistatin in a negative feedback loop as an answer to activin A are liver cells as shown for the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 [31]. Interestingly, we showed that follistatin expression was limited to single cells in RA synovium. Indeed, in vitro, activin A decreased follistatin production and release by RASF independently of the duration up to 3 days. This effect was also independent of the activin A concentration, and even low doses were able to block the follistatin release as well as reduce mRNA levels. This behavior does not seem to be specific for RA synovial fibroblasts because OASF also showed the reduced follistatin release suggesting a fibroblast-specific effect. Even though the effects of follistatin or activin A on RASF regarding, e.g., IL-6 seems to be negligible, in the local inflammatory joint environment, the decrease of follistatin levels could possibly play a role in RA and OA through the missing inhibition of activin A effects on immune cells such as activated tissue macrophages. Therefore, activin A prevents itself from being blocked by inhibition of the release and gene expression of follistatin. The suppression of follistatin induced by activin A could also explain the limited follistatin expression in RA synovium. The effect is probably mediated by Smad signaling as shown for RASF in our study and since Smad signaling is a well-known pathway activated by the TGF-β superfamily [32].
Our data indicate a decrease of follistatin release after stimulation of RASF with IL-1β but not TNFα. The observed 0.54-fold reduction of follistatin by 10 ng/ml IL-1β may be due to the increased production of activin A induced by IL-1β itself. TNFα increased the release of activin A but to a lesser extent compared to IL-1β, which could explain the difference.
Taken together, there is a discrepancy between the observed effect of activin A on RASF in vitro and the reduced invasion of RASF overexpressing activin A in SCID mice. SCID mice are characterized by an impaired immune system with severe lymphopenia but unaltered monocytes and macrophages [33]. Therefore, in the SCID mouse model, the interactions of monocytes/macrophages, RASF, and chondrocytes within the cartilage are key players in the invasion process of RASF. Interestingly, activin A was described to induce the production of TIMP-1 (tissue inhibitor for metalloproteinases-1) in human chondrocytes [34] and decreased the production of IL-1β in activated U-937 cells and in mouse macrophages activated with LPS [10, 35]. Pap et al. showed that IL-1β contributes to the invasion of RASF [36]. Consequently, the decreased invasion by RASF overexpressing activin A could possibly be mediated by the reduced production of IL-1β in monocytes/macrophages and by other factors such as the increased production of TIMP-1 in chondrocytes (Fig. 7). Although the reduced RASF-mediated cartilage invasion is visible in the SCID mice, suggesting a protective therapeutic effect, the interaction with other cell types with an intact activin/follistatin self-regulatory cycle has to be taken into account.
Possible mechanisms involved in reduced invasiveness of activin A overexpressing RASF in the SCID mouse model. RASF and monocytes/macrophages activate each other specifically at sites of cartilage invasion by secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1β, TNFα produced by macrophages, IL-6 produced by fibroblasts). IL-1β increases the invasiveness of RASF in the SCID mouse model. Activin A decreases the IL-1β production in monocytes/macrophages. In contrast, activin A increases TIMP-1 expression in chondrocytes. Additionally, the expression of follistatin, an antagonist of activin A, is reduced in RASF by activin A
In conclusion, activin A reduces the invasive behavior of RASF in the SCID mouse model, indicating a possible protective role in RA. The known proliferative effects of activin A on RASF and the increase of VEGF release in vitro and the unaltered MMP and cytokine release in the presence of activin A are not able to explain the observation in vivo. However, the observed effects in the SCID mouse model could be mediated via interaction with other local cells such as macrophages. Therefore, activin A seems to be involved in the pathogenesis of RA but it plays an ambivalent role with partially pro- as well as anti-inflammatory components depending on the evaluated cell type.
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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We thank all colleagues for their help and contribution to the ELISA measurements.
This work was supported by the Kerckhoff-Stiftung, the Excellence Cluster Cardio-Pulmonary System (ECCPS)), and the SFB 1009 (German Research Foundation).
Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Campus Kerckhoff, Bad Nauheim, Benekestr: 2-8, 61231, Bad Nauheim, Germany
Magnus Diller
, Klaus Frommer
, Ingo Tarner
, Marie-Lisa Hülser
, Lali Tsiklauri
, Rebecca Hasseli
, Ulf Müller-Ladner
& Elena Neumann
Institute of Experimental Musculoskeletal Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
Berno Dankbar
& Thomas Pap
Department of Plastic, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, BGU Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
Michael Sauerbier
Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, Agaplesion Markus Hospital, Frankfurt, Germany
Stefan Rehart
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EN, UM-L, and TP designed the project. KF, BD, M-LH, LT, IT, and RH were responsible for the acquisition of data. MD and EN analyzed and interpreted the data. SR and MS collected the tissue samples and contributed to the study design. MD, RH, EN, and UM-L contributed to the drafting of the article. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Correspondence to Elena Neumann.
Patients gave written informed consent, and the sample collection was approved by the local ethic committee.
The patient data were anonymized, and no personal medical information about identifiable persons is included in this manuscript.
Additional file 1:
Western blot confirmed the presence of the ACVR2A receptor on RASF, which was not altered by different concentrations of activin A (10 to 30 ng/ml) after 15 h stimulation. (PPT 134 kb)
Synovial fibroblast stimulation with activin A; increasing suppression of follistatin release through RASF by activin A concentrations of 0.5 ng/ml and higher (n = 3, experimental replicates). (PPT 220 kb)
Diller, M., Frommer, K., Dankbar, B. et al. The activin-follistatin anti-inflammatory cycle is deregulated in synovial fibroblasts. Arthritis Res Ther 21, 144 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13075-019-1926-7
Received: 18 January 2019
Accepted: 26 May 2019
Activin A
Follistatin
Synovial fibroblasts
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Netflix Star David Harbour Hopes To Help Others By Talking About His Mental Health
"I was diagnosed as bipolar."
Jill O'Rourke
Actor David Harbour, who plays Chief Jim Hopper on the Netflix series Stranger Things, recently opened up about his experience with mental illness in the hope of helping others who may be struggling. The topic, which Harbour says he's "never truly spoken about publicly," came up on comedian Marc Maron's WTF podcast this week.
Last year, Harbour revealed in an interview with his alma mater Dartmouth that he started drinking as a teenager and continued into college. "I actually was in this Catholicism thing … and I was sober for like a year and a half, I was 25, and I actually did have a manic episode and I was diagnosed as bipolar," Harbour told Maron, according to People. "I really had like, a bit of a break where I thought I was in connection to some sort of God that I wasn't really in connection to."
With a lot of laughter and acknowledgment of how pedestrian it is to be a part of the tribe nowadays. If someone you love still suffers shame about a diagnosis, or a fellow parent worries that their bipolar kid won’t be able to make it, our @WTFpod could soothe. Last 30mins❤️ https://t.co/hUjExm2ukg
— David Harbour (@DavidKHarbour) June 5, 2018
Harbour went on to share that his parents placed him in a psychiatric hospital. "I have one thing to say about the mental asylum ... Really, really not as fun as you think it is," he said of his time there. "You do have a romantic idea of it … and it just ends up being sad and smells like s—."
The actor also shared his experience taking medication for his condition, explaining, "I've been medicated bipolar for a long time. And I've had problems going on and off. I've had a struggle, going on and off the medications."
He added that his mental illness has consistently been connected with spirituality, which has affected his coping methods. "Generally, people are like, 'I need to meditate more' or 'I need to get into yoga.' And I need to like, eat a cheeseburger and just like, smoke cigarettes and hang out," he said. "Because like the minute I get close to that — what I consider a flame — of like 'the answers' and the mysticism … it's like I'm out of my mind."
"If someone you love still suffers shame about a diagnosis, or a fellow parent worries that their bipolar kid won't be able to make it, our @WTFpod could soothe," Harbour wrote of his interview on Twitter.
The actor clearly cares about his fans. Earlier this year, he posed with a high schooler for her senior photos, and later agreed to officiate a fan's wedding.
Harbour joins fellow Stranger Things star Shannon Purser in speaking candidly about mental illness. Last month, Purser opened up about her struggle with OCD, depression, and anxiety. Other stars who have recently spoken about their mental health include Paramore's Hayley Williams and singer Ariana Grande.
Cover image: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com
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I’d Rather Call It TeeCoZee’s NFL Roundup, But Instead, It’s [Friday Thoughts W/ TeeCoZee]
Good Moleman. Glue friendly or I’ll take your glue away and then no one will have any glue to glue with! It’s Friday, November 29th, Two Thousand and Nineteen. The weather in Chappaqua is 33° & Pantone 14-3912 and somewhere, somebody is wondering where all the people are. What was once a festive riot has been softened to a calm gathering. Back in ’94, he punched a guy to get closer to the door and now, wait, is there even a door? No, of course not. There’s no doors to mall stores and there wasn’t in ’94 either. So who did he punch and why? The man came to the right place. He’s got questions, they’ve got answers. And me? I don’t mess around with that Black Friday nonsense and I’m also pretty sure Radio Shack doesn’t, either. I’ve also got some things on my mind…
– Working food retail all these years, I’ve learned that the holidays are really hard on some people. This time of year, a good portion of my job is being a personal shopper for people that don’t know what a cranberry looks like [SPOILER ALERT: most people don’t, and then when they see them, they ask you what the hell they’re supposed to do with it. So I keep a can close by to give and assure them that nobody will know the difference [SPOILER ALERT: They would [SPOILER ALERT: If Anybody actually touched it, which [SPOILER ALERT: Nobody will]]]]. So when a bewildered middle aged man came barreling into the store just before closing on Thanksgiving Eve, I knew it was crunch time. He looked at me with eager eyes and asked where he could find…prune juice? I was taken aback because
a. It’s not a Thanksgiving item
b. Nobody drinks prune juice
c. He seemed to be in a really big rush to buy something so inconsequential
d. I’m an asshole
But alas, I had the remedy to his problem. I led him to a creepy, dark aisle in the corner and triumphantly handed him a dusty 32 oz bottle of…ugh…prune juice. He seemed displeased. “This is the only kind you have?”, he asked gratingly. I shrugged. We sell maybe enough prune juice to ensure that it doesn’t expire after 2 years, but not much more. Having a different brand is off the table. “It’s way too big”, he complained. That statement sent my mind through a loop.
As a conniseiur of bevs, I have a very clear image of what beverages typically exist and which don’t. To my recollection, not once in my life have I ever seen a handheld size of prune juice. I’ve never seen it on the shelf, I’ve never seen it in anyone’s hand, it simply doesn’t exist. I can’t picture a commercial where a sweaty athlete sports dude walks up to a cooler, grabs a prune juice with his hand that isn’t holding a basketball and chugging his thirst away. But then again, I just pictured it. It’s just…weird. Weird is good these days. People drink oat milk and enjoy it. No bevs know any bounds in 2019. Somebody could definitely profit off of this. It helps digestion, holds off your urge to pee and has plenty of vitamin K. That…kind of sounds like something sports people need? Somebody should get on the horn with Powerade. This could be the untapped market they need to keep All Sport at bay!
While I pondered this potential cash cow, the man grew impatient and stormed out of the store. I must’ve been spaced out for a long time. Wherever that guy is, whoever he is, I really hope he finds that handheld bottle someday. We could someday live in a world where prune juice is as important as grape. That’s the world I want to live in. Maybe.
– It’s been over 4 years since I last attempted to write about football. For those that don’t remember, I used to do it weekly. In fact this used to be a Football blog. Called Baseball For Dinner. Neat, huh? Since then, the Rams have moved to Los Angeles, the Chargers have moved to, uhh, Los Angeles, and nobody really cares. Kind of like when the Rams originally left LA. Or when the Chargers existed in general. Over the years, I’ve grown farther and farther removed from the sport that I used to revere ad nauseum. I work every Sunday, my cable company dropped NFL Network and oh yeah, I kind of hate football. But I’d be damned if I would let a Thanksgiving pass without stuffing my face full of concussions and yellow flags. One more time, let me dust off this little vehicle that I used to call TeeCoZee’s NFL Roundup!
Chicago Bears 24, Detroit Lions 20
This game started before I even realized what time it was. Any sporting event before 1:05 PM should be illegal. Especially on Thanksgiving. Our internal clocks are already discombobulated enough with the weird dinner times and the fact that there’s a holiday on fucking Thursday. Don’t throw gas in our fire by starting football early. I was still balls deep in making my casserole, burning my hand on said casserole and then icing my hand while still trying to make a casserole when I realize that the game already started. The immediate thoughts that I shouted out loud were:
“Wow, both teams already scored!”
“Wow, the Lions are wearing the worst uniforms that I’ve ever seen in my life!”
“Wow, CHARLIE BATCH IS PLAYING!”
To my dismay, it wasn’t Charlie Batch. Some chump snagged his [surprisingly] un-retired number. Enter David Blough, the Lions turd third-string Quarterback. I wasn’t even aware the Matt Stafford was hurt [he is their quarterback, right?], let alone the poor nameless bastard that was their second-string [He has a name. It’s Jeff Driskel, which is somehow less quarterbacky than David Blough]. To be fair, David didn’t Blough. His first ever career completion was a 75 yard touchdown strike to Golladay. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman spent the whole first half jerking him off like he was the second coming of Charlie Batch. But he’s better than Charlie Batch. It took Charlie 3 games to get his first touchdown. What an idiot! Clearly, David Blough is on a higher plane of existence. The hype wore off by halftime. How do I know this? During the halftime show, the rando country shitkicker musician people were having technical difficulties and we were met with dead silence. While one of the guys pretended to play guitar, unaware of the catastrophe among him, Joe Buck mustered a suggestion:
“Well, uhh, do you want to talk about the first half?”
That exchange is Lions football in a nutshell. At first, there’s something to talk about. You know there’s something to talk about. But the overwhelming feeling of impending doom makes you suddenly disinterested in the subject. And in the true spirit of our lord and savior, Charlie Batch, Blough got sacked for 13 yards when it mattered the most and the game was over. Blough got bloughn. Bluh.
Commercial Break
Nothing spells Christmas like fat shaming the most generous man on Earth and stealing his car. I find nothing wrong with this.
Buffalo Bills 26, Dallas Cowboys 15
Just when I thought I had a grasp on what the hell is going on in the NFL, some fact always comes to slap me in the face. Like the Bills being 9-3. What the hell does that even mean? They’re not going to have a losing season? Why? It makes no sense. That’s not what the Bills are supposed to do. They must be drunk. But oh wait, the 49ers and Ravens are also contenders? Is the year 2026? Did these teams really “rebuild” that quickly? Does the process actually work? Are the Jets good, too? [SPOILER ALERT: They aren’t.] I have very little knowledge of who even plays on either of these competing teams and to tell you the truth, I learned nothing. I was too busy eating dinner and conversing about poop and American Cheese. You know, the things that matter.
I didn’t catch who the Bills quarterback is and frankly, I’m too full and lazy to look it up. But whoever he is, he’s a jerk. In post game interview, he said “hats off to the defense” not once, but twice. And his HAT. STAYED. ON. That’s a very disingenuous contradiction. He obviously doesn’t give a crap about his precious defense. Or else his hair would be exposed to the world. I’m not going to lend somebody a hand while they’re both in my pockets. Take your damn hat off, you phony fuck!
New Orleans Saints 26, Atlanta Falcons 18
The National Anthem was played by a Saxman. In 2019. It was a thing of beauty. Never mind the fact that he showboated the ever-loving shit out of it. The Saxman reigned supreme. Life is good. Just like Drew Brees. He’s just good. He’s not gonna swing his dick all over the place or be an emotionless drone that tries to sell Pizza or insurance or razor blades. No. Drew Brees is just going to be efficient and good. And sell cough syrup.
This Thanksgiving gave us some fancy kickery. In the first game, Lions kicker Matt Prater did a trick shot. On a kickoff, Prater hit a line drive off of a defender’s leg, setting up for an easy recovery. Some real Tony Hawk shit. It stole my heart and kickflipped it for real. The Falcons gameplan was no different. After spending most of the game flailing around like helpless seagulls, kicker Younghoe Koo [amazing name, even better kicker] decided to take matters into his own hands. After a garbage time touchdown, Koo delivered a perfect onside kick that had to get called back, because football. So he made the same exact kick again, recovered by the same guy and there was no flag and everyone cheered, because football. But Matt Ryan is no Drew Brees and Mr Koo immediately found himself back out there to kick a field goal. And what does he do after that? He chips yet another onside kick! Al Michaels is losing his goddamned mind. The Saints fans that stuck around are cheering because it’s the most interesting thing they saw all day. This is something that hasn’t happened in over a decade. It’s why they play the game, it’s a Thanksgiving miracle, it’s–a perfect opportunity for Matt Ryan to shit the bed. Because, FOOTBALL.
All in all, this Thanksgiving has taught me that no matter how long I stay away, football will be waiting there for me. Despite that nicety, it’s been mutilated into a game of arbitrary rules, where men get penalized for merely existing. Kind of like the NYPD. I think I’ll just stick with wrestling until Spring comes…
– I was going to make the trick for you to try this weekend to be to learn Spanish. However, my cousin Zach already beat me to the punch. But that reminded me, I also meant to talk about the Gobbledy Gooker.
Disregard the guys in the front row wearing proto-MAGA hats. Also disregard the shoes that were made by a 5th grader. The Gobbledy Gooker was a gloriously awkward moment in the annals of WWF history. It was a gimmick that always stuck with me, but for some reason, didn’t stick with anyone else. While I thought it was a yearly tradition for the Gooker to be hatched at every Survivor Series, it was actually a one and done. And who was the poor jabroni in the turkey costume? None other than Héctor Guerrero, the less popular brother of Eddie and Chavo. The fact that it was him under the costume further embeds the weird relationship with the WWF and latino wrestlers. For something that was so feverishly popular in Mexico, very few of their wrestlers made it to the limelight until the late 90s. At the time that Héctor Guerrero came to the WWF, the only other latino superstar [to my recollection] was Tito Santana. Tito was billed as being from Mexico, despite the fact that he was born and raised in Texas. Tito was just Vince’s token wrestler to fill every race demographic [like the Hulk Hogan being Irish or Razor Ramon being Cuban despite the fact that they’re both southern trash]. In that regard, Héctor must’ve been really excited to get that call up. Santana wasn’t getting any younger, so he could’ve totally gotten a push to represent Latin America. Instead, they made him dress up as a turkey, shoved him in an egg, and before he knew it, his time in the WWF was over. That’s it. He was hired to be the Gobbledy Gooker and then was immediately let go. I would like to say that stories like these only existed in that era, but I’m sure shit like this happens all the time. Just ask the guys from Two Minute Warning. Or Crime Time. Or the Mexicools. Oof. Almost forgot about the Mexicools.
Once again, try this trick over the weekend: Learn Spanish. So next year, you won’t have to tell people, “Feliz Gobble Gobble”.
Have a Mexicool weekend, everyone!
Category : Football For Supper, Friday Thoughts
← I’d Rather Be At A Combination JC Penny/Montgomery Ward [Friday Thoughts W/ TeeCoZee]
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CFP: Entangled Modernities: New Directions in Settler Colonial and Critical Indigenous Studies
Entangled Modernities: New Directions in Settler Colonial and Critical Indigenous Studies
25th-26th May 2020, University of Kent
Bonnie Devine, Titled/Untitled, 2018. Ink and crayon on paper. Courtesy of the artist. Map courtesy of Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL).
‘There was never a single beginning point to for the history of this place. It wasn’t Cook on a beach, it wasn’t the confiscation of land and storming of Parihaka, it wasn’t Gallipoli, it wasn’t the pushing apart of primordial parents, it wasn’t goldfields, it wasn’t the arrival of waka, it wasn’t a lovers’ tiff between mountains, it wasn’t a boat full of influenza docking in Samoa, it wasn’t the Treaty, it wasn’t (certain) women getting the vote, it wasn’t a fished-up fish. It was all of these. It was all of these and more besides.’
Alice Te Punga Somerville, ‘Two Hundred and Fifty Ways to Start an Essay About Captain Cook’.
‘Our colonial experience traps us in the project of modernity. There can be no ‘postmodern’ for us until we have settled some business of the modern.’
Linda Tuihiwai Smith, Decolonizing Methodologies.
Keynote Speaker: Alice Te Punga Somerville (University of Waikato)
In the last two decades, new methodologies have emerged for analysing the entanglements between European and non-European histories in sites of colonisation. Settler Colonial Studies has emerged as an interdisciplinary project that seeks to move beyond frameworks dominated by questions of race and identity, and towards a transnational analysis of settler colonialism as a structure with its own particular and distinct logics and practices. However, despite the critical stance towards imperial and colonial ideologies and practices, many scholars in Critical Indigenous Studies have argued persuasively that Settler Colonial Studies undermines the Indigenous activist standpoint and replicates colonial power. In this reading, the structural approach of Settler Colonial Studies ‘posits a structural inevitability to settler colonial relations that leaves no space for individual agency for both Indigenous people and settler colonists alike’.[1]
In literary studies, the ‘transnational turn’ in American, Victorian and Romantic Studies has led to a critical reassessment of nationalist literary historiographies that efface the influence of colonisation on Anglophone literary culture during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In recent years, frameworks from Critical Race and Indigenous Studies, as well as those from new imperial history, globalisation theory and Settler Colonial Studies, have led to a critical re-examination of the role that colonisation and colonial practices of knowledge gathering had on British and American literary culture, and a renewed focus on the literary cultures and institutions of the settler colonies.
This symposium, a collaboration between the Centre for Indigenous and Settler Colonial Studies at the University of Kent and the ERC Southem project at University College Dublin, aims to bring scholars and activists working in Critical Indigenous Studies and Settler Colonial Studies into closer dialogue with those working in the fields of transnational American Studies and Global Victorian and Romantic Studies. It aims to produce new research collaborations and methodologies for critically examining the complex cultural entanglements between the various European and non-European cultures operating under the conditions of colonisation during the eighteenth and nineteenth-centuries.
We invite proposals for panels, papers and other forms of presentation that speak to one or more of the following topics:
The impact of the ‘transnational turn’ on analyses of Indigenous/settler relations
Indigenous and settler mobilities: migration, emigration, colonisation, displacement, enslavement, indenture
Indigenous survivance and resistance
Indigenous and settler identities that exceed, resist or complicate the Indigenous/settler binary
Indigenous and settler print culture
The problems inherent in accessing Indigenous texts through the colonial archive
Temporal disjunctions in representations of colonial modernity and Indigenous peoples/cultures in print culture
The role of Indigenous people in colonial knowledge networks
The problematics of pre-modern/modern/post-modern
Methodological frameworks such as colonial, settler colonial, postcolonial, decolonial
Geographical scales beyond the nation state: global; transnational; transregional; oceanic
Postcolonial Digital Humanities and Indigenous Data Sovereignty
300 word abstracts, along with short bios, to be submitted to Dr. Lara Atkin L.E.Atkin@kent.ac.uk by Friday February 28th 2020.
A limited number of travel bursaries to cover UK travel are available for PGRs and precariously employed ECRs. If you wish to be considered for one of these please also include a brief description of your research interests and reasons for wanting to attend, and a CV.
[1] Corey Snelgrove, Rita Kaur Dhamoon and Jeff Corntassel, ‘Unsettling Settler Colonialism: The Dis- course and Politics of Settlers, and Solidarity with Indigenous Nations’, Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society 3, no. 2 (2014).
This post has been re-published by permission from the BAVS Postgraduates Blog. Please see the original post at https://victorianist.wordpress.com/2020/01/16/cfp-entangled-modernities-new-directions-in-settler-colonial-and-critical-indigenous-studies/
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« Vox Political: Cameron Wants £1.5 Million for his Memoirs
Lib Dems Aim at Winning Blairites from Labour »
Vox Political: 3 Pro-Corbyn Labour Councillors Purged in Bristol
This is another story about the anti-Corbyn shenanigans in Bristol. A few weeks ago one of the city’s Labour MPs, Thangam Debonnaire, attacked Jeremy Corbyn. Now the local Labour party has purged three councillors, who support the Labour leader. They are Harriet Bradley, the councillor for Brislington West, Mike Langley, of Brislington East, and Hibaq Jama of Lawrence Hill. As a result of these purges, the local party has destroyed its slim majority on Bristol city council. They used to have 37 councillors. Now that they’ve purged these three, it’s gone down to three.
Mike asks the obvious question: what kind of politician destroys their own party’s majority in a major city council, simply out of spite against a leader they don’t like? He states that it’s exactly the type of behaviour he criticised the NEC for in a previous article, and state that the people responsible must be named, shamed and disciplined. They’ve harmed the Labour group on the council and made the party the subject of ridicule and disrepute. He states very clearly: Not in my name.
Labour loses its majority on Bristol City Council after Corbyn supporters are purged
The I newspaper adds a few more details to the story. It states that
Bristol was one of the success stories of Mr Corbyn’s mixed local election results earlier this year, with the party taking over the mayoralty and controlling it alongside the elected council for the first time since the post’s creation…
Labour’s national office said it does not comment on the reasons why people are suspended from the party. The Bristol City Council Labour group whip Christopher Jackson confirmed the councillors had had their whips removed “as per the usual”.
The three councillors could not be reached for comment at the time of publication.
The paper also quotes a Labour spokesman as saying
“The Labour party has a robust validation process for all votes to ensure every vote cast is eligible in keeping with the Labour Party rules.”
This affects me as a Bristolian. My local councillor was one of those, who signed a petition against Corbyn, so this purging of the three pro-Labour councillors basically tells me that the party does not want my support, or those of people like me, and regards they and me with fear and contempt. The party hasn’t given any reason why the three were purged. Simply trying to shrug it all off as ‘as per the usual’ is nowhere near sufficient. Quite honestly, I don’t think they have a good reason, just as they haven’t for all the 130,000 Labour party members Smudger and the NEC have purged.
I know I’m not going to be alone in being outraged by this. A few months ago there was a mass demo of Corbyn supporters on College Green outside the Library, Council House and Cathedral here in Bristol. The great man himself also appeared to address the crowd. But this has been too much for the Blairites on the local council. No doubt they will start cooking something up about the three having brought the party into disrepute through abusive emails, but the fact that Jackson just shrugged off demands for an explanation saying, ‘as per usual’ simply indicates that they’re so arrogant the Blairites can’t even be bothered to make up any kind of pretext for the purges. They just say, ‘the usual’, and hope the rest of us will swallow.
We’re not. I’m very tempted to write a letter to the local Labour party complaining about this and demanding an explanation. I do not want to see the Labour party in my city taken over by people, who are Tories in all but name, and who, as Blairites, are complicit in supporting his privatisation of the NHS, the welfare cuts, the work capability test and all the rest of the foul policies Blair introduced to grind the working people of this country down so he could get votes from ‘aspirational’ – read, ‘snobbish and embittered’ ex-Tory voters.
Tags: 'I' Newspaper, 'The Independent', Benefit Cuts, Brislington East, Brislington West, Bristol Cathedral, Bristol Central Library, Christopher Jackson, College Green, Conservatives, Harriet Bradley, Hibaq Jama, Jeremy Corbyn, Labour Party, Lawrence Hill, Local Council, Mike Langley, NEC, NHS, NHS Privatisation, Owen Smith, Party Whip, Purges, Thangam Debonnaire, Work Capability Test, Working Class
This entry was posted on September 21, 2016 at 5:33 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
One Response to “Vox Political: 3 Pro-Corbyn Labour Councillors Purged in Bristol”
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Twisted Fates by Geza Tatrallyay
Crime novelist, Greg Martens, and his wife, former Interpol agent Anne Rossiter, are once again called back to Vienna by Anne’s former boss at Interpol because Julia Saparova has disappeared a second time. Afraid that the same evil men, Sergei and Boris Polyakov, Julia’s own cousins, are behind her disappearance, Greg and Anne reenter the seedy underworld of the Russian mafia, sex-trafficking, black market arms dealing, and international terrorism, in hopes of rescuing Julia. But this time, their enemies are expecting them, and Anne stumbles into a trap, joining Julia in depraved captivity. Now the two women’s only hope is that Greg and their friends in Interpol can locate and rescue them before it’s too late—not only for them, but for the world at large…
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The Death of Noah Glass
Author(s): Gail Jones
WINNER OF THE 2019 PM'S FICTION PRIZE
The art historian Noah Glass, having just returned from a trip to Sicily, is discovered floating face down in the swimming pool at his Sydney apartment block. His adult children, Martin and Evie, must come to terms with the shock of their father''s death. But a sculpture has gone missing from a museum in Palermo, and Noah is a suspect. The police are investigating. None of it makes any sense. Martin sets off to Palermo in search of answers about his father''s activities, while Evie moves into Noah''s apartment, waiting to learn where her life might take her. Retracing their father''s steps in their own way, neither of his children can see the path ahead. Gail Jones''s mesmerising new novel tells a story about parents and children, and explores the overlapping patterns that life makes. The Death of Noah Glassis about love and art, about grief and happiness, about memory and the mystery of time. The author of seven novels and two collections of stories, Gail Jonesis one of Australia''s most celebrated writers. Her work has been translated into twelve languages, awarded several prizes in Australia. Internationally her fiction has been longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and the Orange Prize and shortlisted for the IMPAC Award and the Prix Femina Étranger. She lives in Glebe, NSW. ''Told masterfully from the perspective of three finely drawn characters, The Death of Noah Glasscombines an enjoyable escapade involving art theft, mafia conspiracy, romance and a suspicious death with a literary exploration of grief, identity and the power of the past to damage present lives. Fans of Jones will not be disappointed, and new readers should find much to recommend it.'' Books+Publishing ''Jones is one of our greatest writers--for her enormous wisdom and insight as well as the shimmering intensity of her descriptive language.'' West Australian ''In all of Gail Jones''s writing, words bump up against images from art and cinema--visual keys to convey what narrative may not.'' Saturday Paper ''The Death of Noah Glassis among (Jones''s) finest work and I expect it will be among this year''s outstanding novels.'' Australian ''The plot is one of Jones''s most straightforward, but as always it is the links and echoes, the patterns that she sees in life and the way such patterns are represented and become part of our internal landscape that inform and fascinate, and make her work so rewarding.'' Adelaide Advertiser ''The Death of Noah Glassis a superb novel full of sadness and mystery. It further confirms Gail Jones''s reputation as one of our great writers.'' Readings ''...Swooningly lyrical, carrying the reader along in the wake of its beauty.'' Australian Book Review ''This polished, pensive novel that swirls so much about, tantalising with implications amid the patterned intricacy of linked scenes, returning symbols and motifs. It''s a book that needs to be read closely...The Death of Noah Glassis engaging. It''s a book about ways of seeing and about the gaps that persist between vision and understanding. And in the end this novel--which is dedicated to the memory of Jones''s father--is also about patrimony as the pattern and measure that fathers leave behind them.'' Saturday Paper ''Beautifully lit...Jones'' writing demands that the read slow down in order to enjoy every word. Martin is an artist, but then again so is the author, and she too notices hue, texture and nuance.'' Big Issue ''This is a novel dominated by rich and vivid descriptions of personal interiors and public exteriors, of thought processes and intense associations wrought by the places Martin and Evie find themselves as they uncover truths.'' Herald Sun ''In poetic prose that calls for slower reading to fully appreciate its metaphoric meaning, the narrative, as the mystery is untangled, explores the effects of grief and loss and the theme of time. You could re-read this book for the pleasure and stimulation of the language alone.'' Good Reading ''Jones displays a formidable, eclectic knowledge that she distributes among her characters...an intellectually strenuous entertainment concerned with the nature and loss of senses, of filial obligations and their cost, of the vertiginous role of chance. Jones has challenged herself - and her readers - in another rich and accomplished work.'' Sydney Morning Herald ''Jones writes with perception on the emotional chaos wrought by grief, and how difficult it can be to operate within relationships when there is so much that will remain unknown.'' Otago Daily Times
Prizewinner - Prime Minister's Awards for Fiction 2019
`Jones is one of our greatest writers-for her enormous wisdom and insight as well as the shimmering intensity of her descriptive language.' * West Australian *
The author of seven novels and two collections of stories, Gail Jones is one of Australia's most celebrated writers. Her work has been translated into twelve languages, awarded several prizes in Australia. Internationally her fiction has been longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and the Orange Prize and shortlisted for the IMPAC Award and the Prix Femina tranger. She lives in Glebe, NSW.
Publisher : Text Publishing Company
Imprint : Text Publishing Company
Availability date : April 2018
Reading Level : very good
Author : Gail Jones
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How a Painted Turtle Finds Its Way
Unlike many species, this common reptile migrates from memory
By Timothy Roth, Aaron R. Krochmal on January 30, 2019
Credit: Timothy C. Roth II
Animal migration is one of the most charismatic, awe-inspiring phenomena of the natural world. Faced with unfavorable, often seasonal, changes in climate or habitat quality, animals, from birds to butterflies and wildebeests to sea turtles, migrate vast distances—often thousands of miles—in search of more favorable conditions. They return the following year, in many cases to the exact location where their journey began.
How do animals know where and how to migrate? Their migratory means are not exactly easy to study. Technological advances such as satellite tagging have revealed many secrets of migration routes and destinations. However, the great distances these animals travel and the difficulty of observing them leaves scientists in the dark about many of the basic behaviors of migration. Plus, getting your hands on a migrating animal is no easy feat; one does not simply sneak alongside a heard of migrating caribou or snorkel with migrating salmon undetected.
We know that some species use the Earth’s magnetic field to navigate with GPS-like precision and others gaze skyward and guide their migration by the stars. We are just now learning that for some animals, the key to a successful migration is all in their heads—complex thought and memory are also necessary for a successful migration.
For nearly a decade, we have studied the roles of cognition, learning and memory in the migration of a fairly atypical species—the painted turtle, common to neighborhood ponds and roadside ditches. Yep, that turtle—the one you see in virtually every small body of water in the Eastern U.S., as well as occasionally crawling through your backyard or crossing the road by the grocery.
They’re not as charismatic as sea turtles, and they sure don’t travel as far (several kilometers for a painted turtle versus several thousand kilometers for a sea turtle), but what they lack in outward charisma they make up in tenacity. When these turtles take to land each summer, migrating to new habitats when their home ponds dry up, they face seemingly insurmountable odds: scorching heat, dehydration, and the crushing tug of gravity (you can’t just float around anymore). And that’s not to mention the new predatory threats from both land and air, and the ever-present threat of vehicles when crossing a road. For a painted turtle, there’s a lot going on during migration.
Painted turtles at our research site, which is on conservation land within a patchwork of old growth woodlands and agricultural fields, follow long, intricate routes with amazing precision—specific to within a few meters—to far-off, permanent water sources year after year, returning home again when the seasons next change. Is this behavior instinctual or learned?
To see just where this incredible migratory behavior came from, we introduced into our site animals without any experience migrating there and monitored their ability to respond to seasonal changes in their habitats. Would they be able to migrate successfully?
For some, yes. Naive juveniles under four years old learned to navigate the complex paths just as precisely as experienced local turtles and were able to locate far-off water sources. Naive adults could not. These results suggest a narrow age window, or critical learning period, in which animals must learn to navigate. This phenomenon is not unlike the process of language learning in humans.
But how can they do this? How can a turtle possibly think its way through migration?
They do it the same way that we do: they form and remember memories of space and place using the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, just like humans. Acetylcholine has long been known to play a role in spatial memory in mammals. To test whether the turtle brain also works this way, we gave freely migrating turtles (both experienced adults and naive juveniles) mind-altering drugs that temporarily block acetylcholine in their brains.
While the drugs were active and the turtles were without access to spatial memory, the adults with previous experience in the system wandered aimlessly and were unable to follow their traditional migration routes. As soon as the drugs wore off, they got right back on track and were able to successfully migrate to their winter home. And what about naive juvenile turtles? They were unaffected by the drug; they followed the paths perfectly whether on the drug or not. Why? They had no memory to disrupt! This demonstrates that adults use spatial memory to navigate during migration, and that they form these memories as juveniles prior to the age of four. This type of higher-order cognitive processing during migration has been previously attributed only to birds and mammals.
So, it turns out that if you’re a turtle, migration is more than just showing up and muddling through on instinct; you actually have to pay attention and think. And for the turtles, that’s a good thing.
Challenging environments—those with the most extreme, highly variable conditions—tend to produce animals with advanced cognitive abilities, including flexibility in learning and memory.
As climate change continues to disrupt environments, animals will have to rely on cognition to learn new things, including altering the timing, direction and destination of their migrations.
So even though the odds are stacked against them, maybe, just maybe, turtles can outsmart the impacts of climate change.
Timothy Roth
Timothy Roth is an associate professor of psychology at Franklin and Marshall College where he conducts research on the evolution of animal cognition. His specific research interests include the effect of the environment on the brain and the cognitive mechanisms of space use and navigation. He earned his PhD in Ecology and Systematics at Indiana State University.
Aaron R. Krochmal
Aaron R. Krochmal, an associate professor of biology at Washington College, is an integrative organismal biologist interested in the behavior, physiology, and ecology of reptiles. Specifically, he combines these disciplines to investigate how reptiles perceive, interact with and navigate their environments. He holds a PhD in ecology and systematics from Indiana State University.
The Topography of Disease
By Betsy Mason on January 29, 2019
The Emotional Toll of Graduate School
By Prateek Puri on January 31, 2019
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Out of the Shadow
Artists respond to the total solar eclipse
By Kalliopi Monoyios on September 27, 2017
Credit: Julius Kähkönen
It’s been more than a full lunar month since the spectacular solar eclipse of 2017 paraded its way across the United States to the shouts and cheers of millions of elated viewers. In the words of one person I shared the experience with, it was “the bucket list item I never knew I had.”
At its longest, totality lasted a tantalizingly short 2 minutes and 40 seconds. Almost as quickly, it seemed, after all the enormous hype about traffic jams and small-town bottlenecks, the eclipse became yesterday’s news. But a few of us couldn’t let go so fast. We lingered on the scene, kicking the dirt and replaying the thrill of daytime darkness over and over again in our minds. When we piled into our cars to drive home under the light of the now mundane afternoon sun, I was itching to relive the event through art.
Sure enough, later, beautiful art started popping up under the hashtags #eclipse2017 and #eclipseart. Here, I present a selection of the pieces I encountered ranging from representational to abstract. Each one captures some aspect of the eclipse I found riveting: the sun’s corona, the bizarre light, the crescent-shaped shadows, or the sheer cheekiness of our moon photobombing the star of our solar system. Enjoy.
This composite image by Karen Teramura, a computer graphics specialist at the University of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy, was constructed with the first data from NASA’s space-based Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). Teramura superimposed the data onto an image of the July 11, 2010 eclipse as observed from Tatakoto Atoll in French Polynesia. In her work for the UH astronomer Shadia Habbal, she wondered whether the images of the sun’s surface collected by SDO would match the white light images Habbal and her team of Solar Wind Sherpas observed as they chased eclipses around the globe. They did, and this inspiring image was born.
If you like these incredibly detailed photographs of the sun’s corona and its graceful filaments, check out Wei-Hao Wang’s artistry from last month’s eclipse and the Solar Wind Sherpas’ images from the many eclipses they’ve chased in pursuit of their research.
Many eclipse viewers posted images of pinhole projections—a safe way to view eclipses indirectly by ushering a tiny beam of light through a small, round hole. The result gives you a mini projection of the eclipse above and gets great reactions from people who aren’t expecting it. Photos of projections through colanders and the crescents created by dappled light through treetops were abundant online, but this pinhole projection, by Arielle Johnson at the MIT Media Lab, was particularly artistic and intriguing.
Julius Kähkönen was not on the right continent to observe the eclipse this time, but he sent his well-wishes for clear skies to the entire continental US by way of an Instagram post-card (nyuk, nyuk). I like this image because it makes me feel simultaneously powerful and infinitesimally small. Our most awe-inspiring creations—bustling cities that light up the night sky and blanket the earth in concrete and steel—are still just encrusting a tiny rock circling a burning ball of gas in a universe full of much more spectacular balls of burning gas. It’s good to stay humble.
Although collage artist Karen Lynch was also not present for the Great American Eclipse, she has several collages that convey the eerie light and the disjointed feeling of mid-day darkness that accompanies a significant eclipse. Her Society6 shop is a fun jaunt into that otherworldly world.
Though sticklers for realism will quickly point out that there is no pinhole projector creating the crescent shadows on the ground in this watercolor by Amirra Malak, I will remind you that we are now safely in the realm of artistic license, and have been for a few images. I was drawn to this depiction of near-totality because it captures the lovely dusky hues that lit up the horizon in 360 degrees around us just before and after totality. The scale of the sun also feels just right—not as small as it appeared in our abysmal cellphone photos of the event, but not exaggerated either. Just right.
According to NASA, light levels under totality “resemble twilight conditions about 30 minutes after sunset.” Colorado-based painter Sarah Winkler caught this beautifully in a series of paintings she’s creating in what she calls her “totality palette.” She was struck by the desaturated tones she saw cloaking Laramie Peak and the surrounding mountains in Medicine Bow Forest near Esterbrook, Wyoming, and is creating a series of large paintings for a show at Gallery Mar in Park City, Utah this December.
Fallon Peper, an oil painter in South Carolina, witnessed the eclipse at the end of a dirt road purposely removed from the crowds that gathered in Charleston near her home. But seconds after totality, she described the cheers and joyous shouts of people all over the city reveling in the shadow. This painting emerged as totality moved on and the light from the sun began seeping back into the scene.
This pen and ink piece by Johanna Bloom drew me in with the traditional science illustration technique of stippling (being trained in science illustration myself) and the wonderful metaphor of the moon swallowing the sun. Ms. Bloom, a tattoo & fine artist in Longmont, Colorado, witnessed the eclipse from a VIP lounge reserved for a fraction of the luckiest eclipse viewers: at a cruising altitude of 33,000 feet in an airplane between Kansas and Colorado!
Karen Teramura: University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy
Arielle Johnson: MIT Media Lab | on Instagram
Julius Kähkönen: online | on Instagram
Karen Lynch: on Society6 | on Instagram
Amirra Malak: online | on Instagram
Fallon Peper: online | on Instagram
Sarah Winkler: online | at Gallery Mar | on Instagram
Johanna Bloom: online | on Instagram
Kalliopi Monoyios
Kalliopi Monoyios is an independent science illustrator. She has illustrated several popular science books including Neil Shubin's Your Inner Fish and The Universe Within, and Jerry Coyne's Why Evolution is True. Find her at www.kalliopimonoyios.com.
Go Ahead and Touch the Art
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Could Someone with Autism Be a Superstar Surgeon?
By Darold A. Treffert on September 26, 2017
States Can Lead the Way on Climate Change
By Rebecca Otto on September 27, 2017
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The Facebook Controversy: Privacy Is Not the Issue
The real danger is that the information and social platforms on the internet are being corrupted in the service of con men, political demagogues and thieves
By Peter Bruce on April 18, 2018
Mark Zuckerberg. Credit: Saul Loeb Getty Images
Cambridge Analytica’s wholesale scraping of Facebook user data is familiar news by now, and we are all “shocked” that personal data are being shared and traded on a massive scale. But the real issue with social media is not the harm to individual users whose information was shared, but the sophisticated and sometimes subtle mass manipulation of social and political behavior by bad actors, facilitated by deceit, fraud and the amplification of lies that spread easily through societal discourse on the internet.
Any pretense to privacy was abandoned long ago when we accepted the free service model of Google, Facebook, Twitter and others. Did the Senators who listened to Mark Zuckerberg’s mea culpa last week really think that Facebook, which charges nothing for its services to users, was simply providing a public service for free? Where did they think its $11 billion in advertising revenue came from, if not from selling ads and user data to advertisers?
Let’s identify the real issue. The tangible damage resulting from identity theft and the loss of personal financial information are growing problems, but they typically are not caused by our use of social media platforms, where we share a lot of information—but rarely our credit card or Social Security numbers.
The controversy about Cambridge Analytica that landed Zuckerberg before Congress actually began brewing over a year ago. It was a controversy not about privacy but about how Cambridge Analytica put vast amounts of personal data, mostly from Facebook, into its so-called “psychographic” engine to influence behavior at the individual level (see When the Big Lie Meets Big Data, published here in March of 2017).
Cambridge Analytica worked with researchers from Cambridge University who developed a Facebook app that provided a free personality test, then proceeded to scoop up all the users’ Facebook data plus that of all their friends (thus leveraging the actual users, who numbered less than a million, to harvest the data of more than 80 million people). Using this data, Cambridge Analytica then classified each individual’s personality according to the so-called “OCEAN” scale (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism) and fashioned individually targeted messages to appeal to each person’s personality.
Neither subpoenas nor investigative journalists were needed to find all this out—most of it was publicly revealed by Cambridge Analytica’s chief Alexander Nix in a marketing presentation that received wide distribution on YouTube. Cambridge Analytica (owned partly by Robert Mercer, an early pioneer in artificial intelligence who has been a financial backer of Breitbart News and other right-wing causes) had already done work for the Trump Campaign, and Nix was seeking more business.
The real danger revealed by the Cambridge Analytica scandal is that the information and social platforms of the internet, on which we increasingly spend our time and through which more and more of our personal and social connections flow, are being corrupted in the service of con men, political demagogues and thieves. Russia’s troll farm, the Internet Research Agency, employs fake user accounts to post divisive messages, purchase political ads, spread fabricated images and even organize political rallies.
The danger of misinformation is not just political; it is commercial as well. Major purchasers of internet advertising know that the “pay per click” model is flawed. Competitors can set up bots (or even human campaigns) to click on their ads, driving up their costs and casting doubt on the value of an advertising campaign. The company Devumi sells Twitter followers and retweets to celebrities and businesses in order to make them appear more popular than they are. The followers are fake, cobbled together in automated fashion by scraping the social media web for names and photos.
Until Zuckerberg’s decision to testify before Congress, there was scant evidence that Twitter or Facebook were disturbed about any of this. Still, there are a number of machine learning tools that can be used to identify fake accounts or activity.
Benford's Law
In 2015, a University of Maryland professor, Jen Golbeck, discovered an ingenious real-time method for identifying fake social media accounts. She found that the number of a user’s Twitter or Facebook friends follows a well-known statistical distribution called Benford’s Law. The law states that, in a conforming data set, the first significant digit of numbers is a “1” about 30 percent of the time—six times more often than it’s a 9. The phenomenon, which is quite widespread, is named after physicist Frank Benford, who illustrated it with the surface areas of rivers, street addresses, numbers appearing in a Reader’s Digest issue, and many more examples.
Benford's distribution (Rozklad Benforda in Polish): the percentage of leading digits that are 1s, 2s, etc. Credit: GKnor Wikimedia
In other words, if you looked at (say) a thousand Facebook users and counted how many friends each had, roughly 300 of them would have friend counts in the teens (1x), 100–199 range (1xx) or 1,000–1,999 range (1xxx). Only 5 percent would have counts beginning with a nine: 9, 90–99, 900–999, 9,000–9,999.
We can represent each Facebook, Twitter or other social media user as a network of linked users. A plot of an individual user’s links to other users might look like the figure below:
To test Benford’s Law, tally the “friends of friends” for each of the user’s friends. Credit: Peter Bruce
To assess whether a user is genuine, we can look at each of that user’s friends, and count their friends or followers. Specifically:
1. Consider a friend or follower of the account in question.
2. Count its followers/friends (“friend of friend”); record.
3. Repeat for all the remaining friends/followers of the original account.
4. Calculate the distribution of those “friend of friend” counts.
Russian Bots Were Revealed, Yet Stayed Online
Golbeck found that the overwhelming majority of Facebook, Twitter and other social media follower and friend counts followed Benford’s Law. On Twitter, however, she found a small set of 170 accounts whose follower distributions differed markedly from that law. In her 2015 paper she wrote:
“Some accounts were spam, but most were part of a network of Russian bots that posted random snippets of literary works or quotations, often pulled arbitrarily from the middle of a sentence. All the Russian accounts behaved the same way: following other accounts of their type, posting exactly one stock photo image, and using a different stock photo image as the profile picture.”
Golbeck told me that she and others posted lists of Russian bots active on Twitter three years ago, and they were still active as of January in this year. Twitter does not seem to care. More to the point, a meticulous cleansing of user records would have the financially deleterious effect of reducing its user base; in Silicon Valley business plans begin and end with a large and constantly growing user base.
Does it matter that fake Russian (and other) Twitter and Facebook accounts and attendant activity persist? What harm can they do?
They can create and distribute false information, which can be put in service of a Cambridge Analytica style psychographic campaign. In Alexander Nix’s presentation of this approach, one of his illustrations showed how alarmist, yet false, messaging highlighting fears of sharks is better than true, but boring, legal notices in keeping people off a private beach. Fake users can help generate the fake content that is needed to serve specific behavior manipulation goals.
They can enable extremists by providing them with a community (albeit a fake one); in the pre-internet age, these extremists would have faced a higher social burden.
They can amplify and boost the impact of pundits and commentators, selected to promote their goals.
They can cause commercial harm and distortions, by boosting products with fake reviews and sabotaging pay-per-click ad campaigns. One speaker at an analytics conference last year estimated that as much as 40 percent of the click activity for which advertisers are paying is fraudulent.
They will, in the long run, taint social media metrics, which is harmful to legitimate nontraditional businesses and organizations that rely on social media to promote their products and services. Fake users tie themselves to legitimate users to boost their own profile, thereby damaging the legitimate users. This blog post has an account of this phenomenon in the music community.
It is hard to see how government regulation will play a useful role. In today’s digital age, regulation is like placing rocks in a streambed. The water will simply flow around them, even big ones.
It’s possible that the social media titans will use tools at their disposal like those discussed here to drastically reduce the impact of fake accounts and manipulative behavior. Currently, we have the attention of Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, because of the peculiar Cambridge Analytica circumstances, where the storyline runs something like “Breitbart and Trump funder scrapes massive amounts of personal data from Facebook, uses it to manipulate opinion.” Meanwhile, Jack Dorsey, the founder of Twitter, has made some promises to improve identity verification but has otherwise escaped the most recent limelight.
The ultimate solution may lie in a smarter public. Can people be taught to approach what they see on the internet with greater skepticism? P.T. Barnum would say no, but there is one powerful example of public education that had a good and profound end: smoking. The tremendous decline in smoking around the world is due largely to public education and an attendant change in behavior, not to regulation and not to greater public responsibility on the part of tobacco companies.
Peter Bruce
Peter Bruce founded The Institute for Statistics Education at Statistics.com in 2002. He is a co-author of "Data Mining for Business Analytics" (Wiley), and "Practical Statistics for Data Scientists: 50 Essential Concepts" (O'Reilly,2017), the author of "Introductory Statistics and Analytics: A Resampling Perspective" (Wiley), and the co-developer of Resampling Stats software.
A Deep Dive into Deep Learning
Are Scientists Doing Too Much Research?
When the Big Lie Meets Big Data
What the History of Math Can Teach Us about the Future of AI
By Nathan Myhrvold on April 17, 2018
Assam's Endangered Apes
By Aarathi Prasad on April 18, 2018
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Whether it was Lawful to Divorce a Wife under the Mosaic Law?
Summa Theologica — Saint Thomas Aquinas
Objection 1: It would seem that it was lawful to divorce a wife under the Mosaic law. For one way of giving consent is to refrain from prohibiting when one can prohibit. It is also unlawful to consent to what is unlawful. Since then the Mosaic law did not forbid the putting away of a wife and did no wrong by not forbidding it, for "the law . . . is holy" (Rom.7:12), it would seem that divorce was at one time lawful.
Objection 2: Further, the prophets spoke inspired by the Holy Ghost, according to 2 Pet.1:21. Now it is written (Malachi 2:16): "When thou shalt hate her, put her away." Since then that which the Holy Ghost inspires is not unlawful, it would seem that it was not always unlawful to divorce a wife.
Objection 3: Further, Chrysostom [*Hom. xxxii in the Opus Imperfectum falsely ascribed to St. John Chrysostom] says that even as the apostles permitted second marriages, so Moses allowed the bill of divorce. But second marriages are not sinful. Therefore neither was it sinful under the Mosaic law to divorce a wife.
Objection 4: On the contrary, our Lord said (Mat.19:8) that Moses granted the Jews the bill of divorce by reason of the hardness of their heart. But their hardness of heart did not excuse them from sin. Neither therefore did the law about the bill of divorce.
Objection 5: Further, Chrysostom says [*Hom. xxxii in the Opus Imperfectum falsely ascribed to St. John Chrysostom] that "Moses, by granting the bill of divorce, did not indicate the justice of God, but deprived their sin of its guilt, for while the Jews acted as though they were keeping the law, their sin seemed to be no sin."
I answer that, on this point there are two opinions. For some say that under the Law those who put away their wives, after giving them a bill of divorce, were not excused from sin, although they were excused from the punishment which they should have suffered according to the Law: and that for this reason Moses is stated to have permitted the bill of divorce. Accordingly they reckon four kinds of permission: one by absence of precept, so that when a greater good is not prescribed, a lesser good is said to be permitted: thus the Apostle by not prescribing virginity, permitted marriage (1 Cor.7). The second is by absence of prohibition: thus venial sins are said to be permitted because they are not forbidden. The third is by absence of prevention, and thus all sins are said to be permitted by God, in so far as He does not prevent them whereas He can. The fourth is by omission of punishment, and in this way the bill of divorce was permitted in the Law, not indeed for the sake of obtaining a greater good, as was the dispensation to have several wives, but for the sake of preventing a greater evil, namely wife-murder to which the Jews were prone on account of the corruption of their irascible appetite. Even so they were allowed to lend money for usury to strangers, on account of corruption in their concupiscible appetite, lest they should exact usury of their brethren; and again on account of the corruption of suspicion in the reason they were allowed the sacrifice of jealousy, lest mere suspicion should corrupt their judgment. But because the Old Law, though it did not confer grace, was given that it might indicate sin, as the saints are agreed in saying, others are of opinion that if it had been a sin for a man to put away his wife, this ought to have been indicated to him, at least by the law or the prophets: "Show My people their wicked doings" (Is.58:1): else they would seem to have been neglected, if those things which are necessary for salvation and which they knew not were never made known to them: and this cannot be admitted, because the righteousness of the Law observed at the time of the Law would merit eternal life. For this reason they say that although to put away one's wife is wrong in itself, it nevertheless became lawful by God's permitting it, and they confirm this by the authority of Chrysostom, who says [*Hom. xxxii in the Opus Imperfectum falsely ascribed to St. John Chrysostom] that "the Lawgiver by permitting divorce removed the guilt from the sin." Although this opinion has some probability the former is more generally held: wherefore we must reply to the arguments on both sides [*Cf. [5023]FS, Q[105], A[4], ad 8; [5024]FS, Q[108], A[3], ad 2; Contra Gentes iii, cap.123].
Reply to Objection 1: He who can forbid, sins not by omitting to forbid if he has no hope of correcting, but fears by forbidding to furnish the occasion of a greater evil. Thus it happened to Moses: wherefore acting on Divine authority he did not forbid the bill of divorce.
Reply to Objection 2: The prophets, inspired by the Holy Ghost, said that a wife ought to be put away, not as though this were a command of the Holy Ghost, but as being permitted lest greater evils should be perpetrated.
Reply to Objection 3: This likeness of permission must not be applied to every detail, but only to the cause which was the same in both cases, since both permissions were granted in order to avoid some form of wickedness.
Reply to Objection 4: Although their hardness of heart excused them not from sin, the permission given on account of that hardness excused them. For certain things are forbidden those who are healthy in body, which are not forbidden the sick, and yet the sick sin not by availing themselves of the permission granted to them.
Reply to Objection 5: A good may be omitted in two ways. First, in order to obtain a greater good, and then the omission of that good becomes virtuous by being directed to a greater good; thus Jacob rightly omitted to have only one wife, on account of the good of the offspring. In another way a good is omitted in order to avoid a greater evil, and then if this is done with the authority of one who can grant a dispensation, the omission of that good is not sinful, and yet it does not also become virtuous. In this way the indissolubility of marriage was suspended in the law of Moses in order to avoid a greater evil, namely wife-murder. Hence Chrysostom says that "he removed the guilt from the sin." For though divorce remained inordinate, for which reason it is called a sin, it did not incur the debt of punishment, either temporal or eternal, in so far as it was done by Divine permission: and thus its guilt was taken away from it. And therefore he says again [*Hom. xxxii in the Opus Imperfectum falsely ascribed to St. John Chrysostom] that "divorce was permitted, an evil indeed, yet lawful." Those who hold the first opinion understand by this only that divorce incurred the debt of temporal punishment.
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Die Geschichte vom kleinen Muck
AKA: The Story of Little Mook
Country: East Germany
Genre: Family
One of Germany's most beloved children's films takes you into the magical settings of the Arabian Nights. "The Story of Little Mook" is to the East what "The Wizard of Oz" has been to the West. The Arabian tale is of an old hunchback who shares his life story: As an orphan boy he sets out to find the Merchant of Good Fortune. Instead, he stumbles upon a pair of magic slippers and a golden scepter, which help to earn him a position in the Sultan's court...
(Little Mook)
Johannes Maus
Trude Hesterberg
Alwin Lippisch
Silja Lesny
Heinz Kammer
Gerhard Hänsel
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My Movie Rating: 7 / 10
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Brad Stephens
About Brad
Tag Archives: Fort Worth Texas
Theater review: SHE LOVES ME
By PUNCH SHAW – Special to DFW.com
FORT WORTH – Ordinarily, going all the way to Budapest to see a good show would be too far to go.
But in the case of Stolen Shakespeare Guild’s current production of the musical She Loves Me, which is set in that East-European capital, the journey is more than worth it.
This 1963 musical by Joe Masteroff and Jerry Bock is based on one of the most frequently adopted pieces of literature in the 20th century. It began as the 1937 play Parfumerie by Miklós László, and served as the basis for three films: the romantic comedies The Shop Around the Corner(1940) and You’ve Got Mail (1998), and the musical, In the Good Old Summertime(1949).
But this more recent stage musical has proven to be one of the most enduring adaptations, having had a strong initial outing and a couple of revivals on Broadway, with still another slated for next year. Plus, it has been a frequent visitor to regional and community theaters since its debut.
Set in a shop dealing in perfumes and various female notions (of every type), She Loves Me tracks the halting romance between fellow employees Georg (Brad Stephens) and Amalia (Lauren Morgan). The pair fall for one another in the course of an anonymous correspondence, which was apparently one of the ways boys met girls in the story’s day. But, when they just happen to wind up working in the same perfumery, they develop a highly antagonistic relationship without knowing they are the people who so warmly call one another “dear friend” when putting pen to paper (something else people used to do).
Since the course of true love seldom runs smooth on the musical comedy stage, it takes them a few major misunderstandings and several delightful numbers to get their hearts in the right place. Their efforts in that direction receive little help from their fellow bath oil peddlers, all of whom have problems of their own.
So, given the durable track record of this story, it is no shock that the plot pulls you right along. But you may be surprised at the overall quality of all of the components of this production, which marks the debut of the highly-talented and widely-booked director Robin Armstrong with this company.
Just about everyone and everything in this show sparkles like fresh snowflakes. Stephens sings his role with gusto and a strong sense of character. Morgan, who is one of the founders of the company, lends a beautiful voice to her part that we too seldom hear in this company’s shows. Sarah Powell, as the shop girl Ilona, delivers her numbers in a manner that matches her striking and fiery red tresses.
The efforts of these leading characters are consistently equaled by the supporting players. Even the minor part of the head waiter at a restaurant where Georg and Amalia have an awkward rendezvous is delivered with great verve by Billy Betsill. Most of the other singers come through just as well. But Evan Faris, as the insecure clerk Sipos, needs to have more confidence in his voice and let it rip when his number is up.
Armstrong, who is admired for her work with madcap farces, does an excellent job in her maiden voyage with a musical. She brings a keen sense of comedy and motion to her staging that gloriously enlivens the material. And her vision of the piece is perfectly complemented by Karen Matheny’s inspired choreography. The bountiful fruits of their partnership is most apparent in the staging of A Romantic Atmosphere, one of the show’s best numbers in every regard, which also features the input of Kylie Frandsen for its tango moves.
The show’s set, by Morgan, her husband Jason Morgan and Keith Glenn, is almost a character unto itself. Its rolling parts are brilliant in their design and dazzling in their execution. The only knock is that the look is far too bare. The shop’s exterior, especially needs a sign, and the interior needs some wall decorations.
Also exceptional are the period costumes designed by Armstrong and Lauren Morgan (is there anything these women can’t do?) for this show set in 1937 before and through Christmas.
The primary shortcoming of the production is that it relies on a recorded score. But that fault is offset somewhat by the fact that we get to enjoy the show’s wonderful voices without amplification in the cozy confines of the Fort Worth Community Arts Center.
So, while there are just a few rough edges, there is a lot to love in this musical from a company far better-known for its works from the Bard and Jane Austen adaptations. Everything about this She Loves Me makes it easy to love it.
Filed under Review, Theatre
Tagged as Arts, Christmas, Comedy, entertainment, Fort Worth Texas, Fort Worth Theater, LinkedIn, Musical Theater, Performing arts, Theatre
Playwright to Attend Performance
Brad Stephens in Circle Theatre’s HOPE & GRAVITY
Hope and Gravity playwright Michael Hollinger will attend the Saturday, July 12th evening performance at Circle Theatre with a “talk back” immediately following the show. The audience will have an opportunity to ask questions about his newest work, a non-conventional play consisting of a series of interconnected one-acts presented out of chronological order. The Circle Theatre production is only its second professional staging.
Since opening on June 21st, Hope and Gravity has enjoy a warm reception from audiences and critics alike. Punch Shaw of the Star-Telegram praises the play for its “rich and funny” dialogue, noting “there are no weak performances.” Nancy Churnin of the Dallas Morning News enjoys “Harry Parker’s smart direction”, while David Novinski of TheaterJones finds it “instantly likeable”. Elaine Plybon of The Column Awards exclaims, “It is always refreshing to see a new play, but I found this one definitely worth seeing again and again.”
Just as an elevator starts and stops on random floors, nine different stories are connected by a simple twist of fate. This nonlinear play travels backward and forward in time as each character experiences the highs and lows of relationships and chance encounters. Their universal quest for life, love and happiness results in both comedy and tragedy. As the play draws to its inevitable closing, two strangers must decide whether or not to risk taking a momentous leap of faith.
Circle Theatre’s mission is the advocacy of contemporary plays rarely seen in Dallas/Fort Worth. Hope and Gravity will run June 19th through July 19th. Visit Circle Theatre’s website for showtimes and tickets!
Filed under Theatre
Tagged as Arts, Comedy, Drama, entertainment, Fort Worth Texas, Fort Worth Theater, Hope and Gravity, LinkedIn, Michael Hollinger, Performing arts, Theatre
Immaculate Conception of The Big Picture
The cast of HOPE & GRAVITY Skype with playwright Michael Hollinger prior to rehearsal.
I am currently in rehearsals for Hope and Gravity, a new play by Michael Hollinger which will have its second professional staging at Circle Theatre. The production reteams me with director Dr. Harry Parker who directed me in Company two years ago. After meeting Hollinger via Skype during our first read-through, the cast and I have dug into rehearsals which have been full of discovery and laughs. I’m anxious to see where we go next and excited to get the play on its feet and in front of an audience.
Tagged as Arts, Company, Drama, entertainment, Fort Worth Texas, Fort Worth Theater, LinkedIn, Performing arts, Theatre
T.A.R.T. and The CURIOUS SAVAGE
I’m pleased to announce I have accepted an offer to perform in Tarrant Actors Regional Theatre‘s upcoming production of The Curious Savage. Written by John Patrick, the second production of TART’s inaugural season is slated to be directed by Allen Walker and scheduled to run May 9 – 25, 2014. I will play the part of Hannibal.
When Ethel Savage’s husband passes away shortly after the end of World War II, leaving her the family fortune of ten million dollars, she decides to create a memorial fund in his honor – a fund to help people make their foolish dreams come true. Her grown step-children, however, have other plans for the money and commit Mrs. Savage to a sanitarium until she gives up her crazy scheme – unaware that she has already sold control of the family industries, converted the money into negotiable bonds, and buried them. Hilarity ensues as Mrs. Savage sends them on wild goose chases to see how far they’ll go to make fools of themselves. Meanwhile, the gentle patients of “The Cloisters” teach Mrs. Savage that the virtues of generosity and kindness have not entirely been lost in a world that at times seems only motivated by greed and dishonesty.
Visit www.thetart.org for further information and to purchase tickets.
Tagged as Arts, Comedy, entertainment, Fort Worth Texas, Fort Worth Theater, LinkedIn, Performing arts, Theatre
Many Cooks, Many Laughs
With two weekends left in its run, Circle Theatre’s hilarious production of Too Many Cooks is enjoying sold-out performances, uproarious laughter, and standing ovations. Strong word-of-mouth and stellar reviews are driving ticket sales. Seats for the remaining eight performances are going fast. The show takes its final bow Saturday, November 16, 2013.
“If you could bottle this kind of comedy, I’d take a case,” raves TheatreJones critic Jan Farrington. Mary L. Clark, Associate Critic for John Garcia’s The Column Online, recommends the farce as “a great example of its theatrical genre and a splendid way to watch eight actors finely adept at their craft.” Clark finds favor in every cast member . Of Brad Stephens, she writes:
“Always pulling his uniform into place, Stephens made [Constable] Effing the forthright, upstanding, tee totaling officer he is supposed to be. In a farce such as Too Many Cooks, that kind of character only leads to hilarity and Stephens brought it in style.”
For information and to purchase tickets, go to www.circletheatre.com or call the box office at 1-817-877-3040. You may also go in person to the Circle Theatre box office at 230 W. 4th Street, between Houston and Throckmorton, in downtown Fort Worth. Tickets range from $20 – $35 depending on the day of performance. Senior, student, military, KERA, Press Pass, S.T.A.G.E. and group discounts are available.
Review: One Toque Over the Line (www.theatrejones.com)
Review: Too Many Cooks at Circle Theatre (thecolumnawards.org)
Too Many Cooks Rehearsals Begin (bradstephens.net)
Tagged as Arts, Comedy, entertainment, Fort Worth Texas, Fort Worth Theater, Performing arts, Theatre, Too Many Cooks
TOO MANY COOKS Rehearsals Begin
I’m very excited to announce I have accepted a role in Circle Theatre’s upcoming production of Too Many Cooks.
Written by Douglas E. Hughes and Marsha Kash, the comedic play begins rehearsals tonight with DFW’s “Queen of Farce” Robin Armstrong directing the mayhem. I will be playing the role of Hamilton X. Effing, a Dudley Do-Right type, Constable for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
It’s 1932 in Niagara Falls, Canada, where the rum-running business is at its peak. In the aftermath of the Crash, Irving Bubbalowe and his daughter, Honey, have risked everything they have to open a new gourmet restaurant. When their star – the renowned singing chef François LaPlouffe – fails to appear, tonight’s grand opening is suddenly placed in jeopardy. However, when unemployed chef Frank Plunkett wanders in looking for work, Honey persuades him to masquerade as the missing LaPlouffe. The beleaguered Bubbalowe, meanwhile, also has to contend with Chicago gangster Alfonse Feghetti and his sidekick who have come looking for an illegal shipment of booze that, unbeknownst to Bubbalowe, has found its way into his basement. In addition, Bubbalowe has to keep at bay the hot-blooded Immigration officer Veronica Snook, on the trail of the vanished chef, as well as a suspicious teetotalling Mountie who is ready to arrest Bubbalowe for both murder and bootlegging. Madness ensues and Bubbalowe and the others create a hornet’s nest of fabricated stories and identities as they try valiantly to save the restaurant – and themselves – from both the gangsters and the law.
Circle Theatre’s mission is the advocacy of contemporary plays rarely seen in Dallas/Fort Worth. Too Many Cooks will run October 17th through November 16th. Visit Circle Theatre’s website for showtimes and tickets!
Many Cooks, Many Laughs (bradstephens.net)
Tagged as Arts, Comedy, Dudley Do-Right, entertainment, Fort Worth Texas, Fort Worth Theater, Niagara Falls Ontario, Performing arts, Rehearsal, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Theatre, Too Many Cooks
Delicious CARNAGE
Mark Fickert (Michael), Lisa Fairchild (Veronica), Leah Layman (Annette), and Brad Stephens (Alan) in GOD OF CARNAGE
God of Carnage enters the fourth weekend of its very successful run at Circle Theatre in downtown Fort Worth this evening. Garnering standing ovations from sold-out crowds, the production runs two more weekends, closing February 23rd. Directed by Robin Armstrong, the critical praise for this show is almost as sweet as the cupcakes inspired by it.
A playground altercation between eleven-year-old boys brings together two sets of Brooklyn parents for a meeting to resolve the matter. At first, diplomatic niceties are observed, but as the meeting progresses, and the rum flows, tensions emerge and the gloves come off, leaving the couples with more than just their liberal principles in tatters.
Punch Shaw of DFW.com proclaims, “This production has absolutely everything going for it: fine script, great acting and outstanding direction.” While some critics are divided on their appreciation for the Tony and Laurence Olivier award-winning script by Yasmina Reza, all have found favor with the cast. “The play takes place in a singular, nonstop scene of constantly shifting action. And to that end, this cast acquits themselves impressively,” writes Kris Noteboom of Theater Jones. Jimmy Fowler of Fort Worth Weekly lauds the play as “exceedingly well cast”. And Kristy Blackmon of John Garcia’s The Column exclaims, “Armstrong and her cast do a respectable job with the material.” Blackmon also states:
“In particular, [Brad] Stephens as Alan gives a commendable performance. It isn’t easy to make an audience both like and detest a character at the same time, but Stephens pulls it off. Though he is easily the most obnoxious character in the play, he is also the most honest. And [Leah] Layman’s sense of comedic timing is to be admired. More physical comedy is required of Annette than any other character, and she holds nothing back. Her final tantrum was perfectly over the top and had the audience roaring.”
The play was a success in its original language, French, and its Christopher Hampton English-translated productions have been equally praised in in both London and New York. The London production was widely acclaimed, receiving the 2009 Olivier Award for Best New Play of the year. The Broadway production closed on June 6, 2010 playing 24 previews and 452 regular performances. It is the third-longest running play of the 2000s and won the 2009 Tony Award for Best Play.
Located in historic Sundance Square, Circle Theatre’s production has inspired a gourmet creation by neighboring business The Original Cupcakery. The bakery’s God of Carnage cupcakes feature vanilla pound cake topped with spiced apple & pear compote with a ring of ginger buttercream. The delicious concoction has been selling very well and will continue to be offered throughout the rest of the production’s run.
God of Carnage runs through February 23rd, 2013. Circle Theatre produces contemporary plays rarely seen in the DFW community and is committed to presenting professional, innovative theatre in an intimate setting. For reservations and tickets, call the box office at 817-877-3040 or visit the Circle Theatre website.
CARNAGE to Come Full Circle (bradstephens.wordpress.com)
‘God of Carnage’ Leaves a Lot of Emotional Wreckage on the Stage (DFW.com)
Primal Scream (Theater Jones Review)
Undercooked Carnage (Fort Worth Weekly)
John Garcia’s The Column (Pegasus News)
Critics Pick 10 Best Theater Productions of 2013 (DFW.com)
Tagged as Arts, Carnage, Christopher Hampton, Column Awards, Comedy, entertainment, Fort Worth Texas, Fort Worth Theater, Fort Worth Weekly, God of Carnage, Laurence Olivier Award, LinkedIn, Performing arts, Sundance Square, Theatre, Tony Award, Yasmina Reza
CARNAGE to Come Full Circle
I am pleased to announce I have accepted an offer to play Alan in the upcoming Circle Theatre production of God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza. This will be my second collaboration with Circle Theatre and Robin Armstrong who directed me in Circle’s 2011 production of Seven in One Blow.
God of Carnage opens January 24th and runs through February 23rd, 2013. Circle Theatre produces contemporary plays rarely seen in the DFW community and is committed to presenting professional, innovative theatre in an intimate setting. For reservations and tickets, call the box office at 817-877-3040 or visit the Circle Theatre website.
Tagged as Arts, Carnage, Christopher Hampton, Comedy, Drama, entertainment, Fort Worth Texas, Fort Worth Theater, God Carnage, God of Carnage, Laurence Olivier Award, LinkedIn, Performing arts, Theatre, Yasmina Reza
Good Morning, Good Day
Brad Stephens has accepted a part in the upcoming Stage West production of She Loves Me, a musical with a book by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and music by Jerry Bock.
Based on a play by Miklos Laszio, Georg and Amalia are two feuding clerks in a European parfumerie during the 1930’s who secretly find solace in their anonymous romantic pen pals, little knowing their respective correspondents are none other than each other. Funny, intelligent, honest and sentimental, She Loves Me is a warm romantic comedy with an endearing innocence and a touch of old world elegance and nostalgia, yet as universal and relevant as ever in this age of internet romances.
The show opens November 1st and runs through December 9, 2012. Stage West is located at 821 West Vickery Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76104. For reservations and tickets, call the box office at 817-784-9378 or visit www.StageWest.org.
Tagged as Arts, Christmas, entertainment, Fort Worth Texas, Fort Worth Theater, LinkedIn, Musical Theater, Performing arts, Theatre
COMPANY Review – Examiner.com
Jubilee Theatre stages poignant, vibrant, exquisite Company
by Christopher Soden
Jubilee Theatre’s production of Company (directed by Harry Parker) has a large, vibrant, supple cast, quite adept at the coy, impetuous shifts in the material. They handle Jennifer Engler’s urbane choreography with grace and panache, as well as the mercurial dialogue and song. It’s rare to experience such depth, resonance, spontaneity, vibrance and unabashed pleasure in a musical comedy. To hear passages from a performance long after I’ve left the theater. Treat yourself to an evening of exquisite entertainment, catch Jubilee’s Company before they close August 12th.
Full Review (examiner.com)
In Good COMPANY (bradstephens.wordpress.com)
Tagged as Arts, Comedy, Company, entertainment, Fort Worth Texas, Fort Worth Theater, Jubilee Theatre, LinkedIn, Musical Theater, Musical theatre, Performing arts, Stephen Sondheim, Theatre
Follow Brad Stephens on WordPress.com
Theater Review: MAN of La MANCHA
Theater Review: LAURA
“The Enigma of a Modern Woman”
HOPE & GRAVITY Column Nomination
Headshots & Résumé
Voice Over Demo
Brad on IMDb
Theater Credits
Find Brad on Facebook
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Categories Select Category Awards Film Personal Review Television Commercial Theatre Uncategorized
Brad Stephens · Award-winning actor in Dallas/Fort Worth
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Are Heterosexuals Worthy of Marriage?
By Michael Parenti
If matrimony is such a sacred institution, why is it left entirely in the hands of heterosexuals?
Beggars' Banquet
By Paul Mattick
Quite often these days I’m stopped on the street by a young person with a clipboard who asks me if I want help defeat George W. Bush. When I answer, as I always do, that "I am for the violent overthrow of the United States government and therefore not a big voter," I get a blank stare.
The Strange Odyssey of Pierre Mac Orlan
By Andy Merrifield
His was a life of adventures more clandestine than spectacular, and I marvel at the ordinariness of this brick abode that stands austere and silent.
Isaiah Berlin and Meyer Schapiro: An Exchange
Isaiah Berlin and Meyer Schapiro, the eminent philosopher and the great art historian, first met in the 1940s, either at one of Schapiro’s invited lectures at Oxford or during Berlin’s brief employment with the British government’s Information Services in Washington, D.C. Schapiro had later attended Berlin’s six famous Mellon Lectures on Romanticism at the National Gallery of Art in Washington in 1965.
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AprilSix Proof
SonicWall hires April Six for DACH PR
April Six
SonicWall has hired April Six’s new strategic communications office in Munich to provide media & influencer relations support in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. April Six GmbH have been onboarded after a competitive pitch to SonicWall executives in the US and EMEA.
“We were very impressed with what we saw and heard from April Six GmbH in terms of the way they thought and their strategic approach to the brand. We look forward to working with them as we continue to expand our presence in the region,” said David Chamberlin, Chief Marketing Officer, SonicWall.
SonicWall, headquartered in Milpitas, California, protects over 1 million networks worldwide and is the network security leader that delivers automated real-time breach detection and prevention to keep small and medium-sized businesses, enterprises and governments safe from cyber threats. The company has over 18,700 partners in over 215 countries and territories and has shipped more than 3.3 million firewalls.
Jim Sutton, Managing Director of April Six GmbH and AprilSix Proof said, “This win is testament to both our longstanding expertise in security and the track record of the team in Munich. SonicWall is a fantastic brand to add to the April Six family and we’re really looking forward to helping them drive success in DACH.”
The work will be led by Maria Dudusova, April Six’s Head of DACH PR and will focus on increasing SonicWall’s strong presence in the region both in the SMB and Enterprise space.
A good day for technology
© 2018 April Six. All Rights Reserved.
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Should the Daubert Rule Be Revised?
Written on Thursday, January 9th, 2020 by T.C. Kelly
Filed under: ExpertWitness
Expert witnesses play a vital role in court. In civil cases. Plaintiffs and defendants both rely upon expert witnesses to persuade jurors that a defendant was or was not liable for alleged wrongdoing. Experts also play a key role in helping jurors assess the damages that should be paid to a plaintiff when a defendant is liable for harm that the plaintiff suffered.
In criminal cases, defendants rely on experts to counter the testimony of crime lab employees. Defense experts also explain the psychology that underlies misidentifications, false confessions, and unreliable accusations.
In routine cases, the admissibility of expert testimony is uncontroversial. When drivers disagree about which car crossed the centerline to cause a head-on collision, there is little doubt that the court will allow both sides to call qualified accident reconstruction engineers to explain where on the road the accident probably occurred. The fact that experts have an honest disagreement has no bearing on the admissibility of their testimony, because resolving conflicts in the evidence is why we have juries.
In some cases, however, advocates for the insurance industry and corporate defendants have tried to portray expert witnesses as shills and hired guns — but only when they are hired by plaintiffs. Particularly in cases involving toxic torts, dangerous medical devices, and medical malpractice, advocates for defendants have long argued that experts who testify for plaintiffs should be kept out of the courtroom.
Complaints about “junk science” are sometimes legitimate, particularly when directed at the unfounded testimony that prosecutors have too often relied upon in criminal cases. Unfortunately, the term is primarily used by corporate and insurance company lawyers to disparage any expert testimony that helps suffering plaintiffs prove that their injuries were caused by corporate malfeasance.
Life Before Daubert
Until 1993, federal courts generally followed the Frye standard to determine whether expert evidence should be admitted at trial. The Frye standard allowed expert testimony to be admitted if it was relevant, if the expert was qualified, and if the expert’s conclusions were based on scientific principles and techniques that are generally accepted within the relevant scientific community.
Plaintiffs’ lawyers criticized the Frye standard because it prevented plaintiffs from relying on opinions based on scientific advances, no matter how sound those opinions might be, until the advances had come to be generally accepted by other scientists. Defendant’s lawyers, on the other hand, contended that generally accepted scientific principles and techniques can be manipulated to produce unsound results.
Dissecting Daubert
The Daubert decision addressed a claim that birth defects were caused by the anti-nausea drug Bendectin. The drug’s manufacturer, Merrill-Dow, relied on an expert witness who cited multiple studies purporting to show that Bendectin could be taken safely by pregnant mothers. The plaintiff relied on eight scientists who had conducted animal studies that found a link between Bendectin and birth defects.
The plaintiffs’ experts explained why the epidemiological analyses cited by the drug company’s expert were flawed. The trial court excluded the plaintiffs’ experts because their analysis of those epidemiological studies had not been peer reviewed and was therefore not generally accepted by the scientific community. The court also concluded that using animal studies to prove a link between a drug and a health condition in humans was not a generally accepted methodology.
The Supreme Court concluded that the Frye standard was too limiting because it prevents new or novel advances in science from being used as evidence until those advances are generally accepted. Parties should not be deprived of sound expert testimony simply because the field in general has not caught up with the advances made by expert witnesses.
On the other hand, the Supreme Court did not want to open the door to unsound testimony. It therefore devised a test that broadly admits expert evidence, whether or not it is generally accepted, provided that the expert opinion is based on the application of a reliable methodology to sufficient facts. The general acceptance of a methodology is relevant to that analysis, but it is not always decisive. A court might find, for example, that a testable theory with a known and acceptable error rate is reliable even if the scientific community in general has not yet embraced the theory.
In dissent, Chief Justice Rehnquist predicted that the new standard was unworkable because it would be applied by different judges in different ways. That criticism was prescient. Although the decision both broadens and narrows the range of expert testimony that should be deemed admissible, some judges view their “gatekeeping” job as shielding juries from any expert evidence unless the expert’s conclusions are indisputable, while other judges think it is the jury’s job to evaluate expert testimony if the jury could reasonably consider the testimony to be based on a reliable foundation.
The essence of Daubert was eventually incorporated into Rule 702 of the Federal Rules of Evidence. Advocates for insurance companies and corporate defendants have urged states to adopt their own version of Daubert. They do so in the belief that empowering judges to limit expert testimony benefits corporate and medical defendants that are sued by injury victims and consumers.
Yet some critics contend that Rule 702 should again be amended because too many judges are allowing juries to do their jobs. The critics lament that the “unclear” standard created by Daubert is too often interpreted in ways that allow disputes about the reliability of expert testimony to be resolved by juries. They want courts to shield corporations from testimony that juries might find more reliable than a business-friendly judge.
For example, the general counsel for pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly complains that “courts have written that the factual basis for an expert’s opinion is a matter for the jury to sort out, not the judge.” That’s hardly surprising. In the American system of justice, juries resolve factual disputes while judges determine the law. If there are competing views of the facts that underlie an expert’s opinion, the jury should decide which view of the facts is worthy of belief.
Eli Lilly’s lawyer also complains that some “courts have deliberately decided—as a matter of policy preference, not interpretation of the rule—to be more permissive with expert testimony than other circuits.” It would be more accurate to charge that some courts, as a matter of policy preference, have decided to be more restrictive than the Daubert decision permits.
As Georgetown Law Professor Lisa Heinzerling argues, Daubert was expressly intended to “open the courts to a wider range of admissible scientific evidence.” Judges who feel it is their duty to shield corporations from liability have used the decision as an excuse to prevent juries from deciding whether expert testimony is credible.
And as the late Professor Margaret Berger observed, widespread misunderstanding of the Daubert decision has resulted in “trial judges encroaching on the province of the jury to decide highly contested factual issues and to judge the overall credibility of expert witnesses and their scientific theories.” A cynic might think that those judges do not misunderstand Daubert so much as they misunderstand their duty to render neutral decisions, even when neutral decisions do not advance a corporate-friendly agenda.
Perhaps Rule 702 should be amended to make it clear that if any factual foundation for an expert’s opinion is reasonably supported by the evidence, whether an expert opinion is grounded in sufficient facts is for the jury to determine. Or perhaps it should be amended to reinforce the rule that an expert’s credibility is for the jury, not the judge, to determine. No other standard is true to the American belief that juries, not judges, resolve factual disputes in litigation.
About T.C. Kelly
Prior to his retirement, T.C. Kelly handled litigation and appeals in state and federal courts across the Midwest. He focused his practice on criminal defense, personal injury, and employment law. He now writes about legal issues for a variety of publications.
View all posts by T.C. Kelly →
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Home WHISKY & WHISKEY Scotch Whisky Dalmore 64 Trinitas at The Whisky Exchange
Dalmore 64 Trinitas at The Whisky Exchange
Posted on 14 October 2010 by Tim F
5 Comments on Dalmore 64 Trinitas at The Whisky Exchange
Every so often something pretty amazing happens. Beyond which, now and again, something happens that could be sensibly described as phenomenal.
And then there’s stuff like this.
Dalmore 64 Trinitas - a legend in the making
Working in partnership with The Whisky Exchange, the Highlands’ most prestigious distillery The Dalmore has created a whisky destined to go into the history books as one of the most precious single malts ever made: The Dalmore 64 Trinitas.
The story of Dalmore 64 begins with the original “ultra-premium” whisky – the Dalmore 62, a legendary whisky which appeared shortly after the turn of the millennium. Only 12 bottles of Dalmore 62 were produced, each with a slightly different presentation – and of the twelve, nine were given away to VIPs, with only three ever making it onto the general market.
Of those three, one was sold at auction in 2002 by McTear’s. The other two were sold by us – one to a private collector and the other to a posh hotel in Surrey, who famously flogged it for over £30k to an Asian businessman who promptly sat down at the bar and necked it with his mates (what a hero!).
The groundbreaking Dalmore 62
Following the enormous blaze of publicity that this momentous occasion generated, we were approached by a lot of very wealthy clients desperate for a bottle of the Dalmore 62 – but no more remained. We told these people that even if we could get our hands on a bottle, the likely cost would be fifty to sixty grand. We were told not to worry about that – just find the bottle. Yet we never could, and the mystique of this truly legendary bottling remains. We still get asked about it, but to be honest there’s no certainty that any of those famous bottles still exist.
Which is why Sukhinder went to Dalmore to see if any more 62 could be made. They said no – but they did have something even more special. It would appear that the last few litres of liquid left over from the blend of 1868, 1878, 1926 and 1939 vintages that made up the Dalmore 62 had been topped up with a vintage from the 1940s and left to mature in a specially made 9-litre cask which had been seasoned with ancient Dalmore and the stickiest Oloroso and PX sherries, and kept in the office of The Dalmore’s legendary frontman Richard Paterson. The Dalmore 64 Trinitas is a fitting tribute to the skills of the great man, appearing in the fortieth year of his unmatched contribution to the industry.
So, a successor to the near-mythic Dalmore 62 has finally arrived. This time, of course, there’s only three bottles – hence the name. And, as a result, the price is a record-breaking £100,000. The term ‘liquid history’ has been bandied around a lot since John Burns coined it to describe the Thames, but for the first six-figure whisky it must be the most apposite description.
Another Dalmore 64 Trinitas teaser
The record-breaking price tag for The Dalmore 64 Trinitas will no doubt be much discussed, but sceptics must be pointed to the fact that two of these bottles are spoken for already – one to an American collector who caught wind of the project and got in early; and one to Sukhinder, who has worked bloody hard on bringing this project to life and deserves to enjoy the fruits of his labour. The remaining bottle of Dalmore 64 will be sold through The Whisky Exchange, on a first come, first serve basis. If any oligarchs happen to be reading this and reckon it might be up their street, you can read more about it and register your interest here.
The argument against very expensive whiskies mostly revolves around the idea that one shouldn’t care about them as no normal people ever get to taste it. I’ve always thought such an argument to be a pointless exercise in stating the bleeding obvious. It’s pretty self-evident that on a planet of 6 billion and counting the vast majority of us will never get our hands on any single malt, let alone have the wherewithal to spend three times the national wage on something so rare only three people will ever own one.
Er, what’s the big deal? I like driving, but I don’t beat myself up over the fact that I’ll never own a Bugatti 57SC (there’s only three of those as well, by the way, and the last one went for $30 million). I certainly don’t think they should stop making Lambourghinis or Ferraris just because scribbling about whisky won’t buy me one.
So here’s the good news – before disappearing into its new owner’s bank vault, the Dalmore 64 will be going on display at this year’s Whisky Show! Yes, us mortals will be able to see (if not touch) the last remaining bottle of this soon-to be-legendary whisky.
Amazing, eh? Well here’s the phenomenal part: one lucky punter at The Whisky Show’s Saturday session will get to taste the Dalmore 64 Trinitas.
No, really. One ticket-holder will be chosen at random to join the sold-out Ultimate Dalmore masterclass. That person will taste five of the greatest Dalmores ever bottled at this tasting. For free. At the end of the tasting, that person will be given a sample of a whisky only a handful of people walking this silly little planet will ever live to taste.
There’s still time for you to be that person. More details here.
The Dalmore 64 Trinitas - bow down, mortals
Posted in Scotch Whisky, Whisky News
Tagged Dalmore
Mortlach 70yo at the Whisky Show
Win Tickets for The Whisky Show!!
Jon Griffiths says:
Role on saturday, been waiting since last years show. The best whisky show around!!!
Tweets that mention Dalmore 64 Trinitas at The Whisky Exchange | The Whisky Exchange BLOG -- Topsy.com says:
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tim Puett, Whisky Show, Whisky Show, Tim Forbes, The Whisky Exchange and others. The Whisky Exchange said: Most expensive whisky ever: http://ow.ly/2TjCh Buy it here: http://ow.ly/2TjCi Taste it here: http://ow.ly/2TjCj #dalmore #whiskyshow […]
Mark Dermul says:
‘Eat your heart out, Mortlach 70’, anyone?
Tatu says:
So did anyone buy the bottle yet and who was the lucky winner who got to try the Whisky?
Tim F says:
All will be revealed shortly, Tatu 🙂
Whisky Stories – Your Turn
Five things not to miss at The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show
The Whisky Exchange Vinopolis – My Memories
Dalmore blending masterclass with Richard Paterson
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info@canvasslegal.com
(234) 07033740393
DO THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT (CIVIL PROCEDURE) RULES 2009 LIMIT THE APPLICATION OF THE DECISION IN OWNERS OF THE MV “Arabella” v. N.A.I.C? –
REJOINDER.
PROEM
“Rules of Court are not static; they change as the society evolves and the legal issues become more and more complex or sophisticated. The said Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules of 1976 and 2000 may have stipulated that no writ of service out of jurisdiction can be issued except by leave of court, but the 2009 rules did not say so”
Per Augie JSC in ZAKIRAI v. MOHAMMED (2017) 17 NWLR Pt. 1594 page 181 at 218 paragraph B.
On the 19th day of May 2015, this column – (The Canvass) featured an article titled “ Issuance of a Writ for Service out of Jurisdiction: Is Owners of the M.V Arabella still the law? wherein the writer sought to draw a distinction in the applicability of the Supreme Court decision in MV “Arabela” which gave judicial imprimatur of the mandatory pre-condition for leave to issue a writ of summons for service out of jurisdiction in the all High Courts, in view of the advancement of the Federal High Court Rules in 2009. That article attracted several commentaries for and against. One critical opinion expressed was that of my respected Learned friend Mr. Abdul Mohammed who caused a right of reply on the 26th of May, 2015 in the THISDAY LAWYER advancing a completely opposite position to that of the writer as being erroneous, he submitted amongst other things that until the Supreme Court is revisited the decision in M.V “Arabella” cannot be jettisoned by any lower court as it relates to the practice and procedure of issuing a writ of summons for service out of jurisdiction in the Federal High Court, irrespective of the new interpretation provided in Order 6 Rule 31 of the Extant rules that radically altered the position of the law.
HISTORICAL EXCLUSION OF THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT.
A Fitting discussion of this subject with respect to the arguments that will be advanced anon in the subsequent parts of this article will require some historical context. The Federal High Court was established in 1973 and the principal laws regulating the operations, Practice and Procedure are the Federal High Court Act Cap F12 LFN 2004 and the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules in force, albeit other statute regulating certain subject matters incidental thereto. Section 19 of the Act provides that the Jurisdiction of the Court is Nation-wide; that much is clear even from its name owing to the Federal System of Government we operate or pretend to operate in some respect. This simply means that as it regards to territoritorial Jurisdiction of the court, the whole nation falls within the jurisdictional competence of the court irrespective of where the court is situated within the Nation. See ABIOLA v FRN (1995) 3 NWLR Pt. 382) 208.
The Sherriff and Civil Process Act was first enacted in 1945. Section 19 of the Act defines “Courts” to mean High Court of a State and Magistrate Court. Interestingly, in 1975 the Federal Capital Territory High Court was established. Upon subsequent amendment of the Sherriff and Civil Process Act, the FCT High Court was expressly included in the said Section 19 while the Federal High Court was still not mentioned. With this development it is difficult to give a generic interpretation of the word “ High Court “ in the Statute to mean every High Court. It simply explains the clear intention of the Legislation on how a true federal Structure should operate. The law on interpretation of statute is settled that the express mention of a thing excludes the others.
THE IMPLICATION OF MV. “ Arabella”
The decision of the Supreme Court in M.V “Arabella” decided in 2008 thus unsettled the waters for many years as it relates to the scope of applicability of Section 97 of the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act to Federal High Court. The decision gave a general application to the provisions of the Sherriff and Civil process Act to include all High Courts including the Federal High Court. This decision unfortunately has been used to defeat several claims on their respective merit on grounds of the absence of the pre-conditions for leave of court which the courts have adjudged not to be a mere irregularity but one that goes to the root.
Conversely, upon the emergence of the 2009 Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules which replaced the 1976 rules (upon which the Supreme Court decided M.V Arabella) some clarity was given to the phrase “out of jurisdiction” pursuant to Order 6 Rule 31. Proactive Judges took an objective position and rightly so, in the writer’s opinion to interpreted the Rules to displace the mischief that occasioned the decision in M.V Arabella. One of such decision was the Case of KEYSTONE MICROFINANCE BANK LTD v. KEYSTONE BANK LIMITED & CAC in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/424/2013 delivered by My Lord Justice E.C CHUKWU J. (of blessed Memory) in March 2014, which the writer relied upon in his earlier article under reference. Regrettably, some judges including respected Justices of the Court of Appeal (with due respect) have rebuffed any attempt to persuade them to adopt this new line of argument suggesting to distinguish the position in M.V “Arabella” even under different circumstance. A recent development at the Court of Appeal Abuja division in CA/A/561/M/2016 between ORANUBA v. BRISTISH AIRWAYS, the court refused rebuke all entreats by the appellant counsel that the law has advanced. The Court with due respect was bullish on its position. The Learned Counsel was literally forced to withdraw his appeal without much ado. Similarly, the Court of Appeal Lagos Division in NIMASA v. NOBLE DRILLING NIGERIA LTD in CA/L/864/2009 delivered on the 5th day of December, 2013 where the Court Per IYIZOBA JCA held thus:
“ The Supreme Court has spoken! Learned Counsel for the Respondent invited the court to depart from the decision of the Supreme Court in M.V Arabella (supra) because this Court is in this appeal being called upon to consider a provision of statute not considered by the Supreme Court in arriving at the decision….. The only court that can do that something about the very well articulated arguments of both counsel is the Supreme Court. I hope therefore that one day, these issues will be put before the Apex Court for re-assessment of its decision in M.V Arabella (supra)”
I get it, the doctrine of Stare decisis enjoins lower courts are bound to give an homogenous interpretation of the law following the guidepost of the Supreme Court, however, it is the writer’s submission that this common law principle does not connote a blanket adoption of the previous decision, the principle of law is that a case is only an authority for what it decides, the facts and the law decided in the cases sought to be relied upon as precedent must be materially similar in context with the case under consideration. If a blanket copy and paste approach without evaluating the factual matrix of each case is adopted across board, the law cannot advance and the rigor in scholarly arguments canvassed by counsel to improve the law will be greatly discouraged, especially as it takes almost forever to get a simple case heard by the Supreme Court of Nigeria, if it does not fall within certain priority class of cases. In the United States (also a common law jurisdiction) for example Judicial Precedent is not a big deal, a district Judge will not jump at the mere mention of a Supreme Court precedent, he will have to satisfy himself that the decision being urged on him will meet the Justice of the Case in the present dispensation.
THE PRESENT STATE OF THE LAW.
Thankfully, the Supreme Court was presented with an opportunity to resolve this issue that has created a lot of confusion in 2017. In ZAKIRAI v. MOHAMMED SC/433/2015 delivered on Friday the 28th of April 2017, a Pre-election litigation dispute commenced at the Federal High Court, Kano Division wherein the Originating processes was endorsed for service on the respondent in Abuja. Similar objection was raised on the ground that leave was not sought to issue the writ which was endorsed for service out of jurisdiction, the Apex Court per Augie JSC succinctly repositioned the law thus:
“The appellant is right that the said Order 6 Rule 12(1) of the 2000 Rules provides as follows- no writ which, or notice of which is to be served out of jurisdiction shall be served without the leave of court. However his contention is that the first respondent required leave to issue the originating summons for service outside jurisdiction. He concedes that Order 6 rules 13-17 of the 2009 [extant] Rules makes no provision mention of leave to issue but contends that it is a rule of practice in conjunction with Order 6 Rules 14(1) of the 2009 Rules…He relied on the decision of this Court in MV. Arabella v. NAIC (Supra), which he says gives judicial support and credence to this position and rules of practice that leave must be sought. As the first respondent submitted, contrary to his assertion, that case was decided based on Order 10 Rule 14 of the 1976 Rules. Thus, the respondents are right; the appellant has not come up with convincing arguments to counter the findings of the court below that the provisions of the 2009 Rules, impose no obligation on the first respondent to obtain leave to issue the originating summons. “
The Supreme Court rightly upheld our earlier submission that the law having advanced by new rules of court, which clearly interpreted out of jurisdiction to means out of Nigeria, relying on MV Arabella under this dispensation will simply amount to taking us back to the Stone Age. The Rationale for this decision can be situated on the proem of this article, which I will repeat at the risk of repetition thus:
“Rules of Court are not static; they change as the society evolve and the legal issues become more and more complex or sophisticated. The said Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules of 1976 and 2000 may have stipulated that no writ for service out of jurisdiction can be issued except by leave of court, but the 2009 rules did not say so….. No doubt the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, has undergone several modification geared towards improving access to justice since 1976, and to say that a particular rule must be carried on and implemented under rules made decades ago amounts to taking the clock back. Let me state that this sub-issue is resolved against the appellant”
This pronouncement effectively renders the criticism by Mr. Mohammed hollow when he took a swipe at the writer’s conclusion in its earlier article to wit: it is trite law that a new law can override a previous Supreme Court decision, in a bid to cure the mischief in the earlier law without waiting for the Supreme Court to re-visit the issue.
Quite Frankly, it is the writer’s position that this issue of marking, endorsement and leave to issue and serve a writ of summons before service of same are all archaic formalities. The Jurisprudence of our practice and procedure has advanced beyond these unnecessary pre-conditions, which in reality does not change the factual merits of the case. It’s a shame that less than 20% provisions of our substantive laws are yet to receive judicial interpretation, yet at the slightest opportunity, we will pursue a technical point to the Supreme Court again and again. Our collective attitude must change. As Tobi JSC puts it in ABUBAKAR v YAR’ ADUA (2008) 4 NWLR Pt. 1078 Pg 465 that the Heaven will not fall if leave of court is not sought and obtained especially where a waiver of same will be in the interest of substantial Justice.
federal high court rule of law
MJ. Numa
Michael obtained his LL.B (Hons) and LL.M (Hons) from Delta State University and Queen Mary University of London respectively. He is a member of the School of International Arbitration London, Member of the Chartered institute of Arbitration UK, Member of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys U.K. He is the Managing Associate of Messrs Karina Tunyan (San) & Co in F.C.T, Abuja. He is an Intellectual Property and a Private international law practitioner.
View more posts by MJ. Numa
Website: https://canvasslegal.com/mj-numa
THE DOCTRINE OF “NEMO JUDEX IN CAUSA SUA” IN ARBITRATION PROCEEDINGS.
Mainstream international Arbitration practice is made up of a familiar network of individuals and…
by MJ. Numa 0
PARTY AUTONOMY AND IT’S LIMITATION IN DISPUTE RESOLUTION
When parties draft contractual agreement they enjoy broad freedom to construct a dispute resolution…
Rise of Arbitration in the Financial Services Industry
The financial service industry traditionally favours litigation before national courts ahead of international arbitration….
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CRIMES – AN ALBATROSS TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
PROPRIETY OR OTHERWISE OF ALIENATION OF TITLE VIDE A POWER OF ATTORNEY – IS THE DECISION IN UDE Vs. UWARA STILL GOOD LAW?
ENFORCEMENT OF FOREIGN JUDGMENT – WHICH COURT HAS JURISDICTION AND WHAT IS THE SCOPE?
CONSENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL PURSUANT TO SECTION 84(1) OF THE SHERRIFFS AND CIVIL PROCESSES ACT (SCPA) – DID THE CBN v. INTERSTELLA DECISION NULLIFY THIS PRE-CONDITION?
AlbertHeino on ENFORCEMENT OF FOREIGN JUDGMENT – WHICH COURT HAS JURISDICTION AND WHAT IS THE SCOPE?
africa anti-corruption arbitration asset freezing banking business in africa computer generated contracts corporate social responsibility court of appeal courts decisions democracy development digital music disputes economic growth electoral process ethos and ethics evidence fianacials financials free speech human rights independent intellectual property international judgement judiciary jurisdiction law legal litigation malabugate new world frontier parallel proceedings party autonomy piracy police brutality public policy rule of law sports sub-saharan africa technology whisle-blowing
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Former teen vaper warns others to quit after her lung spontaneously collapses
CBC December 2, 2019
Amber Noland fidgets with her black shawl as she recalls the pain she felt as she struggled to take a breath, while nurses and doctors worked fast to reinflate one of her lungs.
"Probably the scariest part was feeling it happen, knowing what happened," the 18-year-old said, sitting next to her mom Tara at their home in southwest Calgary.
What happened was Amber's left lung had completely collapsed.
It was the second time in days Amber's lungs had failed her.
A few days prior, in late October, Amber said she was at home when she started feeling a lot of pain in her chest and started to have trouble breathing. Her mom took her to a clinic and staff there sent her to the emergency department at Rockyview hospital.
Tests showed Amber's left lung had partially collapsed. Staff inserted a chest tube through her ribs and into her chest wall to try to reinflate it. The tube fell out, yet her lung started to slowly improve. But a few days later, her lung collapsed completely, prompting an emergency response and another chest tube.
Monty Kruger/CBC News
Tara Noland said the whole time staff kept asking her daughter, "'Do you vape? Do you smoke? Do you smoke pot?'"
"From the second that we're in [emergency] right until her discharge, they talked about vaping, they talked about that she could never do it again and that this possibly could be the reason why this happened," said Tara Noland.
'Every day, all the time'
Amber said she smoked cigarettes as well as tobacco mixed with cannabis before she started vaping nicotine in Grade 11.
She said she started vaping to help her quit smoking and because all her peers were doing it.
But instead of slowing her nicotine habit, the vaping ramped it up.
"Every day, all the time because it's just, like, it's not smoking … you can do it inside and it doesn't really smell," she said.
Amber said in the time leading up to her collapsed lung, she was vaping nic salts containing 50 mg of nicotine — one of the highest doses available — and vaping all day.
She said she would also smoke cannabis mixed with tobacco.
Everyday all the time because it's just, like, it's not smoking … you can do it inside and it doesn't really smell. - Amber Noland
Respirologist Dr. Brandie Walker said smoking is a known risk factor for a spontaneous pneumothorax, which is the sudden collapse of a lung without any apparent cause. She said scientists are not sure why inhaling smoke can cause a pneumothorax and there is not enough evidence yet to know if vaping also increases this risk.
Walker said there was a recent case report in a medical journal describing a young man who vaped prior to developing a pneumothorax. The author suggests either the e-cigarette's toxic chemicals or the sucking action could have contributed to the man's collapsed lung — but that there may have been other factors, too.
Experts say spontaneous pneumothoraces are also more likely to occur in people with a family history, or young adult males with a slim body type.
"Now as a pneumothorax happens spontaneously in some people it would be difficult to say that the reason for having a pneumothorax is related to vaping, but it would be included amongst the list of things that could increase the risk," said Walker.
A new crop of diseases
Alberta and other provinces are only tracking a very specific and severe lung disease related to vaping following an outbreak of similar illnesses reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control last summer.
Those symptoms include shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, a cough and a hazy pattern noted on a chest X-ray — along with a history of vaping.
Tara Noland
Across Canada there have been four confirmed cases and seven probable cases reported.
So far there have been no cases reported in Alberta.
But some physicians, including Edmonton-based lung specialist Dr. Dilini Vethanayagam, have reported other types of respiratory problems and adverse effects they believe to be related to vaping to their local public health office.
The province is aware of 11 such cases, but couldn't comment on the details nor whether Amber's pneumothorax is one of them.
Mike Symington/CBC News
"So are there other disorders that are coming out of vaping? Absolutely," said Vethanayagam.
Vethanayagam believes a pneumothorax could be caused by vaping if the sucking action was strong enough, similar to the way one inhales smoking cannabis.
"The pressure factor is important for pneumothoraces," said Vethanayagam.
Amber said when she vaped it wasn't a deep inhalation, but rather short successive puffs.
Whether it was the smoking, the vaping, or both, that put her at greater risk for a pneumothorax, she said wants to make others aware of the potential health problems associated with either.
"I think this needed to happen to me in order for me to truly understand I can't do this, like I can't, or I could die.
"Like if it had gone on any longer, who knows what would have happened."
She said she's determined to quit and is thankful to have her family supporting her. Doctors told her if she didn't quit, there was a 30 to 50 per cent chance she would have another pneumthorax on the same side.
Tara Noland hopes Amber's story can help others.
"You hope that somebody will see her story and pictures you know, because we put them out onto Facebook, and they were quite graphic," Tara Noland said. "That you know, maybe they will sit up and take notice."
Amber doesn't believe an outright ban on vaping products would work but said limiting the levels of nicotine being sold and scrapping flavours targeting kids would help curb the uptake of vaping.
Vethanayagam would also like to see the province implement an aggressive education campaign.
"Public education has been minimal from a government standpoint … the only reason the rates are so high is because a lot kids are thinking this is safe, because the only marketing that's out there is from the company," said Vethanayagam.
The Alberta government is currently reviewing the province's Tobacco and Smoking Reduction Act with the aim of regulating vaping in the province.
The government expects to table vaping-related legislation next spring.
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Ukexclusive
Small businesses welcome election focus on skills and training
Ben Gartside
Yahoo Finance UK November 18, 2019
Apprentices being shown how to use a tool making machine. Photo: Getty
Industry bodies such as Make UK and the Federation of Small Businesses have welcomed policy promises on skills training and adult education from political parties ahead of the 12 December general election.
Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats have announced expansive policies on skills and training. The Conservative party is expected to do the same when it announces its manifesto.
The Liberal Democrats have promised a “skills wallet”, which will give every adult £10,000 to spend on education and training, with all adults being given £4,000 at 25, £3,000 at 40 and another £3,000 at 55.
Labour has promised £3bn towards adult education and retraining. Shadow small business minister Bill Esterton told Yahoo Finance UK: “The businesses of the future need access to workers who are skilled in new technologies. It's absolutely right that workers of today are able to train in new skills and share in the prosperity a Labour government will bring.”
Big spending on adult education marks a shift in policy. According to an analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the adult education budget has fallen by 47% since 2009-10, and 32% from 2003-04 to 2009-10 under Labour.
The change follows pressure from business groups to focus more on the subject.
Federation of Small Businesses national chairman Mike Cherry told Yahoo Finance: “It’s good to see the political parties turning their attention to skills, training and building up the workforce of tomorrow. This is especially important in light of the changes brought by technological advancements in the workplace and the reduced adult participation in education.
“We’ve long called for a more joined-up approach when it comes to training our workforces and providing education for those at work.”
He said any proposals need to ensure that “no one is left behind,” particularly in relation to obtaining digital skills.
Cherry also called for tax relief for the self employed. “While help for employees is welcome, all too often, the country’s self-employed are forgotten. Provision must be made to allow them to retrain and develop their skills and education through a tax relief.
“We’ve also long advocated for parity of esteem between technical and higher education. Making sure that the apprenticeship funding system in England works for small businesses is essential for this purpose. Injecting fresh funds into the system is critical to prevent small firms from being priced out of hiring an apprentice.
“Training and retraining the next generation of workers will help businesses, individuals and the UK as a whole.”
Make UK and the CBI are also supportive of the policy advancements. The CBI told the BBC that it welcomed the changes, saying “Adult participation in education is at its lowest for two decades.”
#ukexclusive
#uk-news
#make-uk
#federation-of-small-businesses
#work-and-management
#uk-economy
#apprenticeships
#work-and-careers
#employment
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Thursday, Dec 1 2016
California Tests Electronic Database For End-Of-Life Wishes
Health Law’s Test Kitchen For Payment Reforms Could Offer Tool For GOP Ideas
Some GOP Voters Skittish On Full Repeal, Poll Finds
Covered California & The Health Law 2
It's 'Not Going To Be Unwoven Overnight': Health Officials Taking Wait-And-See Approach On ACA
Post-Election, Americans Aren't As Eager To Repeal Health Law, Poll Finds
San Bernardino Victims Struggle With Coverage Under One-Size-Fits-All Workers' Comp Law
Microloan Program Will Help Nail Salons Adopt Healthier Workplace Practices
Marijuana Legalization Advocates Wary About Trump's AG Pick
It 'Saved My Life': Hallucinogenic Mushrooms Offering Cancer Patients Much-Needed Peace
Caltrain Partners With Crisis Text Line To Help Those Considering Suicide
After Easily Passing Through House, Cures Bill Now Faces More Vocal Detractors In Senate
GOP Embraces Repeal-Now, Replace-In-Three-Years Strategy On Health Law
San Diego and Contra Costa counties are piloting a registry so emergency responders can know quickly how much treatment patients want. (Anna Gorman, 12/1)
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation was charged by the health law with exploring payment reforms that could cut health care costs and possibly improve quality. But its future is hinged to whether GOP lawmakers see value in its work. (Julie Appleby, 12/1)
Trump backers expressed support for some of the health law’s consumer protections, such as allowing young adults to stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26. (Jordan Rau, 12/1)
Covered California & The Health Law
“If the president-elect thinks that he can eliminate some things while retaining others easily, he is naive," says Shirlee Zane, Sonoma County’s 3rd District Supervisor.
Santa Rosa Press Democrat: Sonoma County Health Officials Wary About Obamacare’s Future
As the Republican-controlled Congress and President-elect Donald Trump declare the end of Obamacare, local health care officials and providers are taking a “wait and see” approach, some of them skeptical that Washington could so easily and quickly unravel a massive law that has been in effect for six years. Since the beginning of its implementation in 2010, tens of thousands of Sonoma County residents have taken advantage of the federal Affordable Care Act, which included a dramatic expansion of Medicaid eligibility that nearly doubled the number of local residents eligible to receive health coverage through Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program. The county’s community health centers greatly expanded their services, built new facilities and hired doctors, nurses and social workers. Hospitals, physicians groups and health care giants such as Kaiser Permanente adapted to significant shifts in how medical care is provided and paid for, with a focus on quality and health outcomes. (Espinoza, 11/30)
In other health law news —
Capital Public Radio/KXJZ: Uncertainty For California Program Extending Health Coverage To Undocumented Children
Earlier this year, California granted all undocumented children the chance to have health coverage through the state's Medicaid program. Now, that opportunity may be hindered by the federal government's plans to change the program. President-elect Donald Trump has proposed giving states block grants for their Medicaid programs, which would significantly reduce the amount of funding from the federal government. States would have to re-allocate money or cut programs to make up the difference. (Johnson, 11/30)
Only one in four Americans want a full repeal, down from nearly one-third in October.
Los Angeles Times: Trump Promised To Repeal Obamacare, But It Turns Out Americans Like Most Of It, A Poll Finds
Despite sharp partisan differences over the Affordable Care Act, Democrats and Republicans, including voters who backed President-elect Donald Trump, strongly support most of the law’s key provisions, a new national poll indicates. And although most Trump voters still favor repealing the law, often called Obamacare, an increasing share of Americans overall oppose that approach, according to the poll, which was conducted in mid-November, following Trump’s election. (Levey, 12/1)
The shooting on Dec. 2, 2015, was a workplace attack, not covered by regular insurance. Instead, their treatment comes under the workers’ compensation system.
The New York Times: ‘Victimizing Me All Over Again’: San Bernardino Victims Fight For Treatment
Almost a year after a terrorist’s bullets ripped through her, after so many operations and infections she has lost count, Valerie Kallis-Weber has a paralyzed left hand, painful bone and bullet fragments in her pelvis, psychological trauma and tissue damage, including a fist-size gouge in her thigh where a bullet tore away the muscle. ... But the visits from the health aide have been reduced, and she has been told they will end soon. Approval of her antidepressant medication was withdrawn. Her occupational therapy was cut off, and her physical therapy stopped, restarted and stopped again. (Perez-Pena, 11/30)
The goal is to reduce exposure to toxic chemicals by both employees and customers.
The Mercury News: Bay Area Nail Salons Get Help To Improve Worker Health
Oakland-based Asian Health Services received a $120,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to pilot a microloan program for nail salons in Alameda, San Francisco, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties that want to achieve the status of “Healthy Nail Salon” — a designation established by the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative for salons that avoid certain toxic ingredients and commit to certain requirements. The microloan program will help nail salons get no-interest, no-fee loans to buy nail products without toxic ingredients (including what health experts call “the toxic trio”: dibutyl phthalate, toluene and formaldehyde) and to purchase equipment to better ventilate their spaces. (Sciacca, 11/30)
The nomination of Sen. Jeff Sessions, R- Ala., who has said “good people don’t smoke marijuana,” is causing Californians to brace for battle over their recently passed law.
Los Angeles Times: California Backers Of Legalized Marijuana Fear Possible Battle With Attorney General Pick Jeff Sessions
Backers of laws allowing marijuana use in California are girding for a possible political and legal battle against President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, Sen. Jeff Sessions, a staunch foe of pot legalization. Marijuana industry leaders in the state and around the U.S. have launched an opposition campaign to the Senate confirmation of the Republican senator from Alabama and are appealing to the Trump camp to make sure the president-elect’s policies are consistent with his campaign comments that he favors allowing states to decide how to enforce marijuana laws. (McGreevy, 12/1)
The Washington Post: Obama Says Marijuana Should Be Treated Like ‘Cigarettes Or Alcohol’
In an “exit interview” with Rolling Stone magazine, President Obama said that marijuana use should be treated as a public-health issue similar to tobacco or alcohol and called the current patchwork of state and federal laws regarding the drug “untenable.” “Look, I’ve been very clear about my belief that we should try to discourage substance abuse,” Obama said. “And I am not somebody who believes that legalization is a panacea. But I do believe that treating this as a public-health issue, the same way we do with cigarettes or alcohol, is the much smarter way to deal with it.” (Ingraham, 11/30)
Just a single dose of the drug offered patients lasting relief from their profound distress, a new study found.
Los Angeles Times: Ingredient In Magic Mushrooms Is Shown To Ease Anxiety And Depression In Cancer Patients In One Dose
“This drug saved my life and changed my life,” said Dinah Bazer, a Brooklyn, N.Y., woman who was administered a single dose of psilocybin at a New York treatment center in 2011. In the wake of treatment for ovarian cancer, Bazer said, her anxiety at the prospect of its return was “eating her alive.” Under the influence of a single high dose of psilocybin, Bazer said Wednesday, she became “volcanically angry” as she visualized her cancer as a dark mass bearing down on her. With an epithet, she then saw herself throwing it off. (Healy, 11/30)
Los Angeles Times: Experiments With Embryos Suggest Ways To Make 3-Parent IVF Safer For Babies
Using [three-parent IVF], couples obtain eggs from a healthy donor, remove the nuclear DNA and replace it with nuclear DNA from the would-be mother. This combination egg is then fertilized by sperm in a dish, incubated for a few days in the lab and then transferred into the would-be mother’s uterus — just as with regular in vitro fertilization. (Kaplan, 11/30)
Oakland Tribune: These Toys Can Be Hazardous To Kids, CALPIRG, Doctors Say
As families are flooding toy stores and browsing online sites this holiday shopping season, a consumer group is warning buyers to beware of toys that could be dangerous to children’s health. The California Public Interest Research Group released its annual “Trouble in Toyland” report, an annual survey of potentially hazardous toys that shows some toys that have been recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for lead, powerful magnets and other hazards are still available in online stores. Some of the recalled toys that researchers found were still available for sale at online stores include a toy glockenspiel (a percussion instrument) that was recalled in February because of high levels of lead in the paint. If the paint is scraped off and ingested, the lead can cause “adverse health effects,” the report said. (Sciacca, 11/30)
Santa Rosa Press Democrat: Santa Rosa Program Helps Latinos Battle Diabetes, Heart Disease
The class is part of the center’s larger strategy to combat diabetes and heart disease in the North Bay, and its growing focus on Latinos.It’s a population at greater risk for developing Type 2 diabetes and related health conditions that can lead to heart disease or stroke, according to the American Diabetes Association. In Sonoma County, nearly 11 percent of Latinos have Type 2 diabetes versus about 6 percent for the county’s white residents, according the 2014 Portrait of Sonoma County, a blue-ribbon report chronicling disparities in economic and social conditions...The [Northern California Center for Well-Being] recently expanded its Spanish language diabetes prevention services with the addition of a Spanish-speaking “patient navigator” who helps them complete the course named Diabetes y Su Salud, providing intensive outreach, vouchers for transportation and a food box of nutrient-rich foods to encourage healthy meal preparation. (Espinoza, 11/30)
Sacramento Bee: New California Pesticide Rules Worry Farmers, Satisfy Some Parents
The policy, released in September and open for public comment until Dec. 9, would ban pesticide application by aircraft, sprinkler, powder and gas between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday to Friday within a quarter-mile of schools and child care facilities. Farmers have historically needed county permits for pesticide applications near schools, but the new rule would be the first state policy to put a blanket restriction on such aerial spraying. (Caiola, 11/30)
Caltrain will start promoting the service with fliers aboard trains and at stations.
The Mercury News: Caltrain Promotes Bay Area Suicide Crisis Line: 'Help Is Just A Text Away'
Crisis Text Line, launched in 2013, is already available to “anyone, anytime, anywhere,” said Mary Gloner, executive director of Project Safety Net, another Crisis Text Line partner. Through Crisis Text Line, 2,400 volunteer counselors nationwide provide crisis help purely via text messaging. The service is free, confidential and available 24/7. (Lee, 11/30)
In other news from across the state —
The San Diego Union-Tribune: Palomar To Open New Escondido Birth Center Thursday
After more than a year of work, Palomar Health is set to move its birth center four miles west Thursday afternoon. Citing the high cost of keeping its aging downtown medical center open, Palomar’s board voted in the summer of 2015 to close the structure and shift its remaining services to Palomar Medical Center on Citracado Parkway and other locations in inland North County. But it took longer to secure the necessary state operating permits than the public health care district expected. (Sisson, 11/30)
The house votes to approve the wide-sweeping legislation, 392-26. The Senate is expected to take action next week.
Los Angeles Times: House Approves Sprawling Bill That Would Expand Medical Research
The House overwhelmingly backed broad legislation Tuesday to increase federal support for medical research, advancing a long-anticipated bill that is expected to clear the Senate soon and get President Obama’s signature. The $6.3-billion bill — known as the 21st Century Cures Act — attracted strong bipartisan support, with 218 Republicans and 174 Democrats voting for it, despite warnings from some consumer groups that the hastily assembled bill would jeopardize patient safety. (Levey, 11/30)
Congressional Republicans plan to vote to repeal the health law immediately to fulfill campaign promises, but are giving themselves up to three years to come up with a replacement for the legislation that wouldn't leave millions without coverage. Meanwhile, when they do come up with a new bill, they'll need to work with Democrats to get it through the Senate.
Politico: GOP May Stall Obamacare Replacement For Years
Prepare for the Obamacare cliff. Congressional Republicans are setting up their own, self-imposed deadline to make good on their vow to replace the Affordable Care Act. With buy-in from Donald Trump’s transition team, GOP leaders on both sides of the Capitol are coalescing around a plan to vote to repeal the law in early 2017 — but delay the effective date for that repeal for as long as three years. (Bade and Everett, 12/1)
The Wall Street Journal: Getting Obamacare Replacement Through Senate Will Be A Test
Republicans on Capitol Hill are grappling with the likelihood that they will need Democratic support to pass parts of any plan replacing the Affordable Care Act, setting up a complex legislative battle over the law’s future. President-elect Donald Trump is expected in his first days in office to take executive action voiding parts of the health law that the administration has discretion to change. Soon after that, lawmakers likely would start on their efforts to repeal and replace the law. (Armour, Peterson and Radnofsky, 11/30)
In other national health care news —
The New York Times: Democrats See Medicare As Winning Wedge Issue
Republicans are talking about messing with Medicare again, and Democrats couldn’t be more enthusiastic. After an election that has thrown them back on their heels, they are grasping at the politics of Medicare as a path to potential revival in 2018. “We say to our Republicans that want to privatize Medicare, go try it, make our day,” said Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the incoming Democratic leader, mustering his best Clint Eastwood/Ronald Reagan impersonation. (Huse, 11/30)
Stat: AMA Endorsement Of Trump Health Secretary Spurs Backlash
When Donald Trump this week tapped a surgeon-turned-congressman to run the Department of Health and Human Services, the nation’s largest physicians group swiftly endorsed the choice. The blowback started almost at once. Liberal doctors peppered the American Medical Association with furious tweets decrying the group’s endorsement of Representative Tom Price as a betrayal of patients and physicians. And by Wednesday night, 500 doctors had signed an online open letter titled “The AMA Does Not Speak For Us” started by the Clinician Action Network, a left-leaning advocacy group. (Robbins, 12/1)
The New York Times: Mike Pence And ‘Conversion Therapy’: A History
Since Gov. Mike Pence was chosen as Donald J. Trump’s running mate in July, he has faced complaints from groups critical of his record on gay and transgender rights, who said he has long been an opponent of the gains made by the L.G.B.T. community in recent years. Mr. Pence has been particularly dogged by accusations that he is a supporter of “conversion therapy,” the practice of trying to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity. (Stack, 11/30)
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Development for all is a moral duty, pope tells leaders at Davos
Pope hopes Berlin summit will lead to peace in Libya
Gratitude to God should expand hearts, lead to hospitality, pope says
As Dutch parishes close, some Catholics just quit going to church
Germany’s synodal assembly a step to rebuilding church’s credibility
No breaking seal of confession for abusers, church insists
Togo bishop condemns ‘indiscriminate brutality’ by security forces
By Catholic News Service • Posted October 13, 2017
DAPAONG, Togo (CNS) — A Catholic bishop in Togo condemned “indiscriminate brutality” by security forces against anti-government protesters and warned of a “climate of psychosis” in the West African country.
Bishop Dominique Guigbile of Dapaong said he was saddened by the “blind violence” being carried out by Togolese against each other.
“Innocent people should not be punished instead of the guilty, and everyone should be guaranteed humane treatment, with respect for their rights and dignity,” he said in an Oct. 9 pastoral message in response to the actions of police and military troops as they confronted opponents of President Faure Gnassingbe in several towns.
The bishop explained how he had witnessed homes, shops, offices and cars “burned, vandalized and pillaged,” as well as deaths, injuries, arrests and abductions, and the flight of citizens to other countries.
“People are deeply shocked, traumatized and bruised by this kind of urban guerrilla warfare — these unfortunate events have further weakened the peace and social cohesion, which were already endangered by social and political tensions,” Bishop Guigbile said.
“A climate of psychosis, fear, mistrust and suspicion is now embedded in the population, dangerously compromising our fundamental and legitimate aspirations to fraternity and coexistence.”
Demonstrators took to the streets in August, protesting plans to extend the presidency of Gnassingbe, who entered office in 2005 after the 38-year rule of his father.
In September, a government-backed bill to restore a two-term presidency, while allowing Gnassingbe to run again in 2020 and 2025, was rejected by Togo’s 14-party opposition coalition. The opposition parties subsequently declined international mediation Oct. 10, demanding instead the president’s immediate resignation.
Archbishop Denis Amouzou-Dzakpa of Lome has offered to mediate the dispute, while a bishops’ conference declaration, read in churches Sept. 17, warned “peace and social cohesion” would be impossible without reforms in line with Togo’s 1992 constitution.
The declaration urged protesters to shun “ethnic hatred and violence,” but said police and troops had used excessive force and should remain neutral.
In his message, Bishop Guigbile asked all parties “to renounce all forms of violence and engage resolutely on the path of peace, mutual respect, tolerance, forgiveness and a culture of coexistence.”
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JULY BOOK CLUBS IN THE SHOP
Friday 6th July at 10.30am.
Monday 9th July at 10.30am and 7pm. Wednesday 11th June at 7pm.
These Dividing Walls by Fran Cooper
Step into Paris as you have never seen it before. . .
What building doesn’t have secrets?
How much does anyone know of what goes on behind their neighbour’s doors?
On a hot June day, grief-stricken Edward arrives in Paris hoping that a stay in a friend’s empty apartment will help him mend. But this is not the Paris he knows: there are no landmarks or grand boulevards, and the apartment he was promised is little more than an attic room.
In the apartments below him, his new neighbours fill their flats with secrets. A young mother is on the brink, a bookshop owner buries her past, and a banker takes up a dark and malicious new calling.
Before he knows it, Edward will find himself entangled in their web, and as the summer heat intensifies so do tensions within and without the building, leading to a city-wide wave of violence, and a reckoning within the walls of number 37.
With a sultry heat to rival A Year in Provence and all the sharp perception of Leila Slimani’s Lullaby, These Dividing Walls is a beautifully written and eye-opening novel about the Paris we don’t see.
SHORTLISTED FOR THE HAYES & JARVIS FICTION WITH A SENSE OF PLACE,2018 EDWARD STANFORD TRAVEL WRITING AWARD
JUNE BOOK CLUBS in the Shop:
Monday 4th June at 10.30am and 7pm. Wednesday 6th June at 7pm and
Friday 8th June at 10.30am.
Posted on June 4, 2018 November 16, 2018
Two Great Author Events for IBW
To celebrate Independent Bookshop Week
Come and hear about
Oggy Boytchev’s
latest book…a vivid & highly original novel
THE UNBELIEVER
Tuesday 19th June at McGrigor Hall 7.30pm
Tickets £5 with 10% off Oggy’s book. There will be a pay bar.
Oggy Boytchev escaped from behind the Iron Curtain in 1986. Soon after, he joined the BBC in London where he spent the next 25 years covering international conflicts. Latterly, he became John Simpson’s producer and accompanied him on dangerous undercover assignments around the world.
The Unbeliever is a panorama of Cold War paranoia and intrigue spanning four decades, told through the life of one extraordinary – and real – spy. A story of love, loyalty, ambition and betrayal, it is a gripping and inventive historical novel, perfect for fans of John le Carré.
Then join us at our Annual Garden Party
with TWO Brilliant Bloomsbury Authors
TOR UDALL &
CHARLES ELTON
Friday 22nd June at 6.30pm
Tickets £15 to include your choice of book, a glass of prosecco & canapés. A pay bar will also be available.
After studying theatre and film, Tor co-founded a dance-theatre company and spent most of her twenties directing, writing and performing.
She then went on to teach drama for several years and choreographed an opera for The Royal College of Music.
A Thousand Paper Birds is her first novel.
Charles Elton was a director of the literary agency Curtis Brown before becoming an independent TV producer, then joining ITV. He left in 2010 when his bestselling novel Mr Toppit, a Richard & Judy Book Club pick, was published. The Songs is his second novel.
To find out more about the books, please go to our Bookshop page.
Cinema-on-Sea Relaunch
FEBRUARY BOOK CLUBS IN THE SHOP
CRIME & WINE WITH LESLEY KARA – DATE CHANGED…
Crime and Wine with Lesley Kara
JANUARY BOOK CLUBS IN THE SHOP
Mike on Re-live the Amazing Weeley Festival of 1971
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Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies
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CEERT is a nonprofit public-benefit organization founded in 1990 and based in Sacramento, California. Our team of professional staff, board members, and affiliates includes scientists, attorneys, economists, policy experts, public-interest advocates, and green-technology entrepreneurs. We carry out our technical, policy-making, and policy-implementing work through advocacy programs that focus on key renewable-energy development issues. We are active as participants and intervenors before the full spectrum of federal, state, regional and local energy agencies.
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Projet ANR Cha(nt)N(umérique)Te(mps)R(éel)
Outils Afficher le texte sourceLiens de retour Plan du site S'identifier
Piste: • projets
Special Session Interspeech 2016 Singing synthesis challenge "Fill-in the Gap"
Singing contest material
Previous works
Scientific and industrial Partners
LIMSI
Dualo
en:projets:start
Text-To-Singing
Concatenative Text-To-Singing synthesis
Singing Instruments
Studied interfaces
Developed instruments
The aim of the ChaNTeR project is to build and test the use of high quality singing voice synthesizers, with the pronunciation of lyrics. Two different modes are targeted :
The « Text-To-Singing » mode , for which the user must enter the lyrics and notes of the score which are then used to produce a singing voice, offline.
The « Singing instrument » mode, for which the user uses real-time control interfaces to control the singing voice synthesizer as an instrument.
The aim is to build a singing-voice synthesizer using a score and some lyrics as inputs. Concatenative synthesis has been chosen as a mean to produce high-quality synthesis.
As a first step, a textual corpus has been written, that covers all diphones of the French language. Acapela tested various approaches to cover those units with French texts, and we obtained, using a greedy coverage algorithm, a list of 770 words to record. To validate the approach, some primary tests were run by synthesizing short extracts of popular songs in various styles (pop, classical, etc.), using a reduced version of the corpus recorded by two singers (Marlène Schaff and Raphaël Treiner). This allowed us to adjust the procedure and the corpus, before recording two full databases with the same singers. A third database was also recorded with a classicaly-trained singer, Eleonore Lemaire. Each of those voices led to about 900 audio files, which were automatically segmented into phonemes (with some manual correction).
A first singing synthesizer has been built using those recordings, based on diphones concatenation, with the SuperVP engine for transforming the samples. Alternative singing engines based on the aHM and PaReSy models have been also implemented in the Text-To-Singing system. A first model of automatic f0 Curve generation has been developed, allowing to reproduce variations specific to various singing styles, along with an algorithm for transforming the intensity (and other timbral aspects).
A singing instrument allows to control a voice synthesized in real time. It is thus composed of a singing synthesis engine, and a control interface that links the gestures of a musician to the synthesizer’s parameters. The two main goals in the conception of a singing instrument are:
First, to conceive an interface allowing for rich and various musical possibilities, associating sound identity with fine controls, and expressivity, while keeping enough potential for exploration.
Then, to develop a singing synthesis engine functioning in real-time, i.e. producing sound reactively in response to the musician gestures.
The appeal for this tool may be justified by several reasons. First, from a technological point of view, the graphic tablet is a tool providing multiple parameters with high spatial and temporal resolutions. The Wacom Intuos 5M tablets have a 0.005 mm resolution and 2048 pressure levels, and the temporal resolution of those tablets is 5 ms with a pen (stylus), and 20 ms with the fingers. Those high resolutions create the illusion of a direct causality between sound and gesture, like for an acoustical music instrument.
Then, the less the parameters are static, the more the sound may be realistic. As a consequence, the interface should suggest precise, reproducible, intuitive and dynamical gestures. The stylus, initially designed for drawing, fulfills the criteria by offering a well-known kind of gesture, practiced since childhood: handwriting. Compared to the mouse or trackpad, the tablet offers the possibility to play with subtle modifications of voice parameters, essential to the quality of sound. Touch technology benefits from massive usage ability of ones finger with tablets and smartphones.
The Dualo Du-touch
More information here: http://dualo.org/le-principe-dualo/
At this stage, two different singing instruments have been developed: the Cantor Digitalis and Calliphony. Those two softwares use a graphic tablet as a control interface. The pitch and vocal effort are controlled with a stylus held by the preferred hand, and the articulation of the vowels and/or consonants is driven with the other hand. Both instruments use their own synthesis engine.
Cantor Digitalis
Cantor Digitalis uses a parametric vocal synthesizer, producing a fully artificial sound whose properties can be modified with a set of parameters. It implements the linear source-filter model of voice production. The source, i.e., the vocal folds vibration, is computed using the Causal-Anticausal Linear Model (CALM). The source parameters are combined for controlling the pitch and 4 vocal dimensions: voice tension, roughness, and vocal effort. The filter part, i.e., the influence of oral and nasal tracts on the source, is calculated using a parallel structure of 2nd order resonators called “formants”. The filter parameters are combined to control the articulation of French vowels.
All source parameters (pitch and voice quality) and filter parameters (articulation) are continuously controllable with the graphic tablet, or using a mouse on a dedicated interface. The stylus on the tablet controls the source parameters: its position on the horizontal axis defines the pitch, and its pressure is linked to the vocal effort. The position of a finger in a specific area of the tablet allows to control the articulation. The position of notes and vowels through a vocalic triangle representation are displayed on the graphic tablet. The musician can control the note with precision and expressiveness by sliding the stylus on the tablet’s surface. He can also articulate between the different vowels in a natural way by sliding his finger inside the vocalic triangle.
/*La méthode de synthèse qui y est utilisée est dite “par règles”. 5 filtres passe-bande modélisent les 5 premiers formants d'un signal de voix chantée. Leur gain, leur fréquence de coupure et leur largeur de bande sont fixés pour toutes les voyelles orales du Français. Ces paramètres sont ensuite interpolés lors de transitions voyelle-voyelle afin de produire une articulation convaincante.*/
For more informations, see : https://cantordigitalis.limsi.fr/
Calliphony
Calliphony is a system for modifying pre-recorded speech signals. It offers the possibility to control in real-time the pitch and rhythm of the recorded signal. As for the Cantor Digitalis, notes and vocal effort are controlled using a stylus in one hand. The question of pitch control have already been largely explored during previous work on the Cantor Digitalis, and the main question that arise here is : How to control the rhythm of a speaking or singing voice?
In the literature, a syllable is composed of 3 parts : the attack, the vocal kernel, and the coda. But for the real-time control of rhythm, this decomposition principle must be neglected in favor of the « rhythmic phases ». Two types of rhythmic phases are defined for French: the vocalic phase, corresponding to vowels, and the consonantal phase, corresponding to consonants. Then, a first approach for control is to link the vocalic phase to a pressed key, and the consonantal phase to a released key: the musician will trigger a vowel by pressing the control key and a consonant when releasing it. In a musical context, this type of control can sometimes be inconvenient, as it doesn’t allow any flexibility on the duration of the transitions between vowels and consonants. The precision of the control of the transitions, and thus rhythm, can be improved by replacing the key, which is a binary interface, by a continuous interface, like a fader.
This system will also allow the real-time control of a concatenative Text-To-Singing system developed in this project.
en/projets/start.txt · Dernière modification: 2016/02/11 11:53 par operrotin
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CHF (Canadian Hunger Foundation)
323 Chapel Street
Ottawa, ON K1N7Z2
Board Chair: Louise Bergeron
Executive Director: Tony Breuer
Charitable Reg. #:Ceased Operations
About CHF (Canadian Hunger Foundation):
On July 31, 2015, after 53 years of working with families in developing countries, the Canadian Hunger Foundation (CHF) ceased operations. CHF distinguished itself for helping families produce food in a sustainable manner and raising family incomes out of poverty. CHF’s President Stewart Hardacre said “While we were reaching more people than ever, we weren’t investing what other charities were on marketing to donors …. ultimately we couldn’t keep pace with our fundraising needs.” CHF’s remaining projects are transitioning to World University Service of Canada and Canadian Feed the Children to ensure their completion.
Founded in 1961, CHF (formerly Canadian Hunger Foundation) is dedicated to enabling poor rural communities in developing countries attain sustainable livelihoods. Spanning its history, CHF has worked with local development partners in 51 countries. In F2011 it was engaged with 6 African, 5 Asian, and 1 South American country, while dividing its focus on Agricultural programs (80%), Training / Education programs (15%), and Infrastructure development (5%).
CHF identifies the key to creating its effective and enduring development programs is the holistic process that integrates input from local government, NGO partners and the affected communities. It first analyzes untapped community assets, then develops livelihood strategies that are economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable in existing or new markets. CHF also emphasizes self-sufficiency, and provides capacity building for local organizations during program implementation.
Through its sustained efforts over the years, CHF reported improving harvests for South Sudanese farmers by as much as 60%, providing 10,500 households in Bangladesh with small business seed financing, and increasing income by 20% for 771 Guyanese farmers.
In F2011, administrative costs were 2% of revenues, while fundraising costs were 13% of donations. CHF had $12.3m in funding reserves (including 0.1% donor-endowed funds of $15k), which would cover program costs 1.1 times. CHF received $1.6m of other income from “Recovery of operational expenses”.
Administrative costs as % of revenues 1.8% 1.5% 1.4%
Fundraising costs as % of donations 12.8% 24.1% 12.5%
All figures in $000s
Donations 2,920 886 1,989
Government funding 6,768 7,857 7,441
Special events 1,185 1,074 1,285
Investment income 304 181 157
Other income 1,583 1,693 1,995
Total revenues 12,760 11,690 12,867
Program costs 10,826 11,108 13,951
Administrative costs 227 177 180
Fundraising costs 524 472 408
Other costs 163 174 174
Cash flow from operations 1,020 (240) (1,845)
Funding reserves 12,305 7,640 9,089
Note: To reflect the period in which contributions were received, Ci reversed deferred revenue, which affected government funding by: $190k in F2011, $763k in F2010, and ($2.4m) in F2009. Foreign exchange gains/losses were included in investment income, which affected investment income by: ($38k) in F2011, $43K in F2010, and ($126K) in F2009. CHF reported “in accordance with the terms in the individual contribution agreements,” $1.6m in F2011, $1.7m in F2010, and $2.0m in F2009 were recorded as revenue under the line item - Recovery of operational expenses.
Website: www.chf-partners.ca
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AIDS Vaccine
Dr. Donald Francis discusses next steps after getting clearance from the Food and Drug Administration to test a human vaccine against AIDS.
Donald Francis
AIDS Vaccine; Richard Price; David...
Books, Science, Art and design
Donald Francis discusses testing an AIDS vaccine; author Richard Price; architect David Rockwell; Jewel. 51:52
Health, Science
David Ho, director of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Ctr., and Dr. Anthony Fauci discuss advancements in HIV/AIDS therapies and the growing... 21:05
AIDS Conference; Brian De Palma
Entertainment, Health, Science
A panel discussion about a possible, new AIDS-like virus; Brian De Palma talks about his new film, "Raising Cain." 54:58
Luc Montagnier on his discovery of the AIDS virus and his future research plans in Queens, NY. 14:03
Science Series: Global Health
World, Health
The successes and failures of global health initiatives are evaluated by a panel of experts, including Nobel Laureate Paul Nurse. 53:31
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Season & Tickets
Leonce and Lena
Innovative Works
Sleeping Beauty: A Fairy-Tailored Classic
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You are here: Home / Tickets / Nutcracker
BELK THEATER DECEMBER 6-23
The Nutcracker Story itself has a long and varied provenance, which began as a story written by E.T.A. Hoffmann in 1816. From its 19th–century origins to the 21st century, Nutcracker has evolved from a “scary fairy tale” into something synonymous with the holiday season. It is currently one of the most widely performed ballets in the world with a treasured score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
The Nutcracker ballet was choreographed by Marius Petipa, considered “the father of classical ballet,” in 1892 and debuted in St. Petersburg, Russia. It made its way to the United States in 1944 when it was first performed here by San Francisco Ballet. It wasn’t until 1954, however, that George Balanchine of New York City Ballet adapted the Nutcracker into the familiar story told on stages throughout the U.S. every holiday season. Below is a synopsis of Charlotte Ballet’s Nutcracker.
The story begins on a snowy Christmas Eve at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Stahlbaum—parents to Clara and Fritz. Family and friends have gathered to celebrate when Clara’s favorite uncle, Herr Drosselmeyer, arrives in great fanfare bearing gifts for the partygoers. Clara is given a handsome wooden Nutcracker, which her brother Fritz attempts to take from her possession, and the doll breaks in an ensuing struggle. Thankfully Drosselmeyer is able to mend the Nutcracker. The party winds down and the guests depart.
Following the excitement of the evening, Clara falls fast asleep in a chair with her Nutcracker. Drosselmeyer appears to guide the sleeping girl through a series of enchanted dreams. Suddenly, Clara sits up and watches as mice scurry into the room and the family’s Christmas tree grows bigger and bigger until it towers over Clara. Everything in the room disappears except Fritz’s toy soldiers and her Nutcracker, which is now her size. The Nutcracker leads the toy soldiers into battle with the mice and ultimately defeats the fierce Mouse King. When the battle ends, Clara is transported to the Land of Snow, where she is greeted by the Snow Queen and King. Herr Drosselmeyer transforms the giant toy Nutcracker into a handsome prince, and the beautiful sparkling snowflakes dance for Clara and the Prince before the two sail off through the sky in a magical hot air balloon.
Still under Drosselmeyer’s enchanting spell, Clara and the Nutcracker Prince arrive in the Land of Sweets where they are greeted by tiny angels, the majestic Sugar Plum Fairy and all the other inhabitants of her realm. The Prince recounts the story of his battle with the Mouse King, and everyone is delighted by their adventures. The Sugar Plum Fairy leads the Prince and Clara to a glittering throne where they are entertained by dances from all the sweets.
Gopak from Ukraine, Chocolate from Spain, Neapolitan Tiramisu, and Chinese Tea all dance for Clara and the Prince, followed by Mother Ginger and her children. Then comes Marzipan, Arabian coffee and the jumping Candy Canes to entertain the young guests. A garden of flowers arrives, led by a beautiful Rose, until the Sugar Plum Fairy returns with her Cavalier to perform a final, majestic dance. All of the sweets gather as Clara and the Nutcracker Prince return to their enchanted balloon and everyone bids them farewell. As Clara and the Prince soar off, the audience is left to wonder—was it just a dream…or did it all really happen?
SPECIAL PERFORMANCES AVAILABLE
PARKING/THINGS TO DO
QUIZ: WHAT IS YOUR NUTCRACKER DREAMLAND?
What is your Nutcracker dreamland? Take our quiz to see which land fits you best then come explore them with your favorite characters at Nutcracker!
READ MORE SEE ALL BLOG POSTS
VIDEO: EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC OF NUTCRACKER
Nutcracker is more than just a ballet performance when you attend with those you love. It’s a treasured shared experience, a holiday tradition and precious time together during an otherwise busy season.
Classics come to life, theatrics take center-stage and international talent comes to CLT! Don’t miss a second of this season as it #ShinesOn.
PRESENTED BYEXCLUSIVE SPONSORADDITIONAL SUPPORT BY
CHARLOTTE BALLET
701 N. TRYON ST.
Academy Online Portal
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Escrow Procedures
The Department of Planning calculates and collects escrow for certain improvements associated with the subdivision process at the Record Plat stage for new developments. These may include, but are not limited to the following five categories:
Category 1: Street improvements, which include installation of streets, sidewalks, light standards, signage, and street trees
Category 2: Storm water improvements, such as storm sewer, detention / retention basins, and common ground improvements
Category 3: Grading, on a per lot basis, and erosion and silt control measures throughout construction
Category 4: Landscaping improvements at the entry, cul-de-sacs, and buffer yards for screening purposes
Category 5: Miscellaneous improvements, such as retaining walls, fencing, and multiple-use trails that may be a function of subdivision approval
Once the developer has established a deposit agreement and letters of credit in association with the record plat review process, the new development is presented to City Council for consideration. Upon its approval, the developer may begin subdivision improvements and, once installation is completed, the line item(s) are then eligible for inspection, as outlined in the site-specific deposit agreement and, subsequently, escrow releases can be processed to reduce the letters of credit.
The site-specific deposit agreement requires the developer submit such escrow release requests in writing by completing and submitting the Escrow Inspection Release Request Form (PDF) for inspection of the subdivision improvement(s).
Email the Planning Department
Wildwood, MO 63040
Current Developments & Zoning Reviews
Great Streets Initiative
Historic Register
Subdivision Process
Trustee Information
PLANNING TOMORROW TODAY®
Wildwood, MO 63040-1242
Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Patrick Tape Richmond Aririguzoh Quinton Adlesh Myles Stephens Jaelin Llewellyn Ryan Schwieger Sports College basketball Basketball College sports Men's college basketball Men's basketball Men's sports
Princeton Ivy Columbia
Princeton builds big early lead, wins 55-43
- Feb. 01, 2019 09:49 PM EST
NEW YORK (AP) — Myles Stephens scored 17 points, 10 in the first half when Princeton built a 17-point lead, and the Tigers defeated Columbia 55-43 on Friday night for their sixth straight win.
Columbia shot only 26 percent in the first half and missed on all eight of its 3-point tries in falling behind 34-17, the fewest points given up in a half by the Tigers this season.
Stephens grabbed 13 boards in posting his fifth double-double this season and third in a row against Ivy opponents. Ryan Schwieger added 15 points and Jaelin Llewellyn 10 with Richmond Aririguzoh grabbing 11 rebounds to go with seven points.
Patrick Tape scored 12 points and Quinton Adlesh 11 for the Lions (6-11, 1-2), who finished 2 of 18 from the arc and 30.5 percent overall. Princeton only shot 36 percent but outrebounded the Lions 48-31.
Columbia didn't get closer than seven in the second half in game they trailed in from the outset.
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Josh Brolin Joins Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya in Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune’
by Vinnie Mancuso February 13, 2019
Good news, person reading this post: If you’re a living, breathing human being with a pulse there’s at least a 65% chance you’ve been cast in Denis Villeneuve‘s Dune adaptation. You’re at least in talks. And officially joining you will be Josh Brolin, who Variety reports has boarded the project to play the role of Gurney Halleck. The Avengers: Infinity War star joins Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, and Oscar Isaac in the film based on Frank Herbert‘s iconic 1965 sci-fi novel. Villeneuve co-wrote the script along with Eric Roth (A Star Is Born) and Jon Spaihts (Prometheus).
Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides (Chalamet) and his family’s contentious stewardship over the desert planet Arrakis, the galaxy’s source of a highly valuable drug. Brolin’s Gurney Halleck is Paul Atreides’ weapons teacher and mentor.
Very intrigued to see how the world reacts to this one. That cast is stacked and growing stacked-er by the day, plus Villeneuve is undoubtedly one of today’s top tier directors when it comes to both storytelling and sheer visual wizardry. But you know what else was a beautiful, grand sci-fi epic with an A-list cast based on an iconic property? Blade Runner 2049, Villeneuve’s gorgeous 2017 sequel that ruled on an almost unfair level and got largely ignored for its troubles. These sci-fi tentpoles are dangerous, and although Dune is definitely that book people are very insistent to tell you they read, I’m just not sure how much the overall movie-going audience is clamoring for that adaptation. They certainly were not asking for David Lynch‘s 1984 version, one of the hardest passes in audience history.
Time will certainly tell. Until then, read up on all the Dune updates at the links below:
Javier Bardem In Talks to Join Timothee Chalamet in ‘Dune’ Reboot
‘Dune’ Exclusive: Zendaya Eyed to Play Chani Opposite Timothee Chalamet
Oscar Isaac in Negotiations to Star in Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune’ as Duke Leto Atreides
Stellen Skarsgard to Play Villain in Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune’
Watch: Neill Blomkamp's 'Anthem' Short 'Conviction' Teased in First Trailer
Batman to Take on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in a New…
• Dave Bautista • Denis Villeneuve • Dune • Javier Bardem • Oscar Isaac • Rebecca Ferguson • Timothee Chalamet • Zendaya
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Speaker Recap – Dan Makoski: Fearless, Human-Fueled, Fast
Fearless, Human-Fueled, Fast… words to live by and words that perfectly describe our Speaker Series guest Dan Makoski. We laughed, we sketched, we designed futuristic toothbrushes in 60 seconds with Play-doh, we were inspired.
Not only has Dan Makoski designed for companies such as Google, Capital One, Dell, and Microsoft, but he has built and led discussions about fostering inspiration, collaboration, and building an innovative culture around design. That’s precisely what he did the night of February 25th, 2016 at the Denver Art Museum.
Photo by George Foelsch
Dan took us on a journey of the “epic sh*t” (his words) he’s accomplished, created, and experienced in his career, sprinkling in nuggets of practical and imaginative content that was seamlessly applicable to any designer in any field.
But let’s be honest, the real reason we were there that night was the free Play-doh. Yes it’s Play-doh, which is pretty awesome in and of itself, but we held a very powerful design tool in our hands that night. Dan uses Play-doh because in his words, “It is a simple tool for making and innovating.” This tool takes us off the computer, out of our heads, and lets us explore a more playful side where innovation lives.
We are so thankful that Dan didn’t pursue his first creative passion as part of an international hip-hop group (true story) and instead he started designing for experiences, thus making our world a little more intuitive.
And let me leave you with this question posed by Dan…What would you do if you couldn’t fail?
By Jenny J Taylor, AIGA Speaker Series Chair
Event Recaps Inspire Miscellaneous Speaker Series
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Center for Liver Disease and Transplantation
Hemochromatosis is a metabolic disease in which excess iron is absorbed from the digestive tract and deposited in tissues and organs through the body, where it causes damage. Complications in the liver, heart, and pancreas can be life threatening.
Causes of Hemochromotosis
Hemochromotosis is most often caused by a genetic mutation to the HFE gene. Individuals who receive the genetic mutation from both parents have a 70% chance of developing the disease. People who inherit one mutated gene do not develop hemochromotosis but carry the disease and may pass it on to their children.
Symptoms of Hemochromotosis
Hemochromotosis causes excess iron to accumulate in the joints and organs, where it may cause serious complications including:
Cirrhosis and abnormal functioning of the liver
Diabetes (from damage to the pancreas)
Congestive heart failure, abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmias), and heart failure
Disruption of the reproductive system including erectile dysfunction, loss of menstruation, loss of sex drive
Skin changes (bronze or yellowing tint to the skin) resulting from deposits of iron in the skin
Symptoms often do not appear until age 50 to 60 in men, and after age 60 in women. Other common symptoms include:
Enlarged spleen
Diagnosing Hemochromotosis
Diagnosis may require testing including:
Blood testing for iron overload, including tests to measure iron levels in the blood and in the liver
Liver biopsy
Treatment for Hemochromotosis
Treatments for hemochromotosis will depend on age, overall health, severity of disease, and other factors. Treatments can alleviate symptoms such as fatigue, abdominal pain, and skin changes, but will not reverse damage such as cirrhosis or end joint pain. Primary therapies include:
Phlebotomy: periodic removal of the blood from the body. Depending on age and severity of disease, patients may initially have a pint of blood removed once or twice per week. Once iron levels are normalized, blood may be removed monthly or every three to four months.
Chelation therapy: Medication that binds to the excess iron and removes it from the body. Chelation medications may be administered via pill or intravenously.
Supplemental measures include:
Avoidance of iron and vitamin C supplements
Avoidance of alcohol
Treatment for associated complications
Life after Transplant
Liver Transplant Waiting List
Transplant Patient Educational Workshops
Center for Liver Disease Home
Acute Liver Failure
Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency
Bile Duct Cancer (Cholangiocarcinoma)
Ex Vivo Surgery and Multivisceral Transplantation
Familial Amyloidosis
Hepatic (liver) Resection
Advanced Hepatobiliary Surgery
Liver Cancer/ Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Pediatric Liver Disease
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis
Wilson’s Disease
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Documentary on WKBW radio's classic 'War of the Worlds' to premiere this fall
Still shot from WKBW's "War of the Worlds," a Halloween classic for which a documentary has been made. (via Bob Koshinski)
By Alan Pergament
Published Thu, Apr 26, 2018 |Updated Thu, Apr 26, 2018
Fifty years after the world came to an end on local radio, a documentary is being made about it.
A new documentary, "WKBW Radio's War of the Worlds, 50 Years later," is taking an in-depth look at the 1968 Halloween night adaptation of H.G. Wells' classic.
The original program produced by Jeff Kaye and Dan Kreigler featured local radio and TV personalities covering the fiction that aliens had landed on Grand Island and led to panic among listeners who didn't hear the explanation at the start or recognize Wells' classic.
Produced by Bob Koshinski of All Services WNY in partnership with the Buffalo/Niagara Film Office, a screening of "50 Years Later" and panel discussion by Danny Neaverth, Pat Feldballe and others will be held at 7 p.m. Oct. 30 at the North Park Theatre.
The 30-minute film includes interviews with radio broadcasters Neaverth, Hager, Jim Pastrick, Greg Ried, Tim Wenger, John Zach and Feldballe, as well as actor William Fichtner, who was about 12 years old when it aired.
Before their deaths, Irv Weinstein, Kaye and Fagan were among others also interviewed.
In the KB version, Weinstein played himself as Channel 7's anchor and was "killed" by a Martian heat ray atop Buffalo City Hall as he covered the fictional alien landing.
Kaye was the WKBW program director and played himself. He "died" on Main Street of poison gas.
On Halloween night -- the day after the screening at North Park -- the original WKBW radio program will air on WWKB 1520 AM and 97 Rock will air its 1998 production of "War of the Worlds."
On the same night, WECK radio will air the original 1938 Orson Welles' "War of the Worlds program" about Martians invading Earth that inspired WKBW's version 30 years later.
Koshinski, who did a similar documentary in 1998 that ran on WNED-TV, also is talking to local TV stations about airing the new documentary on Halloween night.
"This will be a tribute to the famous radio production in Buffalo's history and a salute to the people who made it happen," said Koshinski.
He was 14 when WKBW carried its 1968 version.
"It really inspired me to want to work in radio and eventually television," said Koshinski, who started his career at WLVL in Lockport and went on to become a sports anchor and sports director at Channel 7 and general manager of the former Empire Sports Network.
Email: apergament@buffnews.com
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QTEM Destinations
The QTEM Destinations
What is the “sum”?
The QTEM network currently consists of 21 top business schools in Europe, Australia, Asia, Canada and The Middle East.
The Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management (Université Libre de Bruxelles) (Belgium)
Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main (Germany)
Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Management (Germany)
LUISS Guido Carli (Italy, Rome)
Politecnico di Milano School of Management (Italy)
University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
Tilburg University (The Netherlands)
BI Norwegian Business School (Norway, Oslo)
EDHEC Business School (France, Nice)
Université Paris-Dauphine (France, Paris)
Hanken School of Economics (Finland, Helsinki)
Exeter Business School (United Kingdom)
Universidade do Porto (Portugal)
Université de Lausanne (Switzerland)
Monash University (Australia, Melbourne)
Waseda University (Japan, Tokyo)
Zhejiang University (China, Hangzhou)
Xiamen University (China)
HEC Montréal (Canada, Québec)
ESCA Ecole de Management (Morocco, Casablanca)
National Research University Higher School of Economics (Russia, Moscow)
National Research University Higher School of Economics (Russia, St. Petersburg)
Each academic institution brings corporate partners in to the network. QTEM students will get exclusive access to the corporate partners. Find more information about QTEM via the links below.
Please note that the requirements mentioned in the QTEM brochure and on the QTEM website are general requirements. The specific requirements for Economics and Business students (UvA) are mentioned futher down on this page.
QTEM is an ambitious and selective programme for outstanding students
You learn to apply quantitative and analytical skills and techniques to management and economics
You will broaden your knowledge
You can study abroad within your MSc
You will have studied two semesters abroad
You will do a company internship, and therefore be highly qualified for prestigious employers.
QTEM Brochure 2018-2019 QTEM programme structure for students with a Dutch Bachelor's degree (pdf) QTEM programme structure for students with a non-Dutch Bachelor's degree (pdf)
Read more: Application
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Opinion / Columnist
Zanu PF brutality goes into overdrive, buoyed by EU ambivalence and indifference
by Patrick Guramatunhu
Let us all be very clear here; Zanu PF blatantly rigged last year's elections, the regime does not have the people of Zimbabwe's mandate to govern the country and must therefore step down, especially since it is now clear that it has failed to revive the economy. The duplicity of such major international players like the EU, who condemned the rigged elections but continue to treat the Zanu PF regime as the legitimate government, has only emboldened the regime to continue to ride roughshod over the people's hopes and dreams to end its reign of terror!
"The EU confirmed the talks on its official Twitter account, saying the talks, dubbed the second edition of the formal political dialogue, include issues on investment, human rights, rule of law and good governance," reported Newsday.
The EU had a high powered Election Observer Mission team of 246 individuals and their report was through and detailed and the condemnation of the elections as a farce was unequivocal.
"The final results as announced by the Electoral Commission contained numerous errors and lacked adequate traceability, transparency and verifiability. Finally, the restrictions on political freedoms, the excessive use of force by security forces and abuses of human rights in the post-election period undermined the corresponding positive aspects during the pre-election campaign. As such, many aspects of the 2018 elections in Zimbabwe failed to meet international standards," stated the EU Election Mission final report.
Whilst the Americans had made it clear the sanctions on Zanu PF leaders will remain as punishment for the blatant rigging of the elections and the use of violence in the 1 st August 2018 "post-election period" in which 7 civilians protesting the rigged elections were shot dead. The EU took off their foot off the sanctions pedal regardless of their own scathing election report.
Even when Mnangagwa followed the 1 st August "shoot to kill" order with yet another "shoot to kill" order in which 17 civilians protesting the soaring fuel prices were killed; the EU still turned a blind eye.
It is this ambivalence by key international players like the EU that have encouraged corrupt and tyrannical regimes like this Mnangagwa government to believe it can blatantly rig elections, use brute force to silence its political opponents, etc. and get away with it.
When Mnangagwa took over from Mugabe two years ago, he, like Mugabe before him, was cocksure he was going to revive Zimbabwe's economic fortunes. He expected his "Zimbabwe is open for business!" clarion call to be answered by a flood of investors. By failing to end corruption, to keep his promise to hold free, fair and credible elections, etc. Mnangagwa confirmed that Zimbabwe was still a pariah state ruled by corrupt and vote rigging thugs. Investors understood this message and have continued to shy away from the country.
It is no secret that Mnangagwa's "Zimbabwe is open for business!" is dead in the water and the country's economic meltdown, in a pitiful state he took over two years ago, has turned a decided turn for even worse. The country is facing a chronic shortage of fuel, cash, power, medicine, food, etc. Inflation, single digit a year ago, has surged to 400% plus.
Decades of under funding had left the country's health care and education services in a sorry state. The regime has just fired doctors because it could meet their demand a living wage, above their current US$ 40 per month. Without doctors and nurses the health care services is now all but dead! The same is happening in education; some teachers are now work two-day week because they not afford the transport costs.
How long are the people of Zimbabwe going to accept to suffer and died quietly the consequences of the economic meltdown, the chronic shortages, no health care, etc.? How long is a piece of string!
Mnangagwa and his regime know the country's economic meltdown is socially, morally and politically unsustainable. Still the regime is clearly determined to hang on to power for as long as possible; not by reviving the economy and alleviating the people's suffering and deaths, it has failed to to do so; by using brute force.
I for one, was not surprise that Mnangagwa used excessive force to disperse MDC supporters who had gathered to hear their party leader, Nelson Chamisa, give his Hope of the Nation Address. Mnangagwa is very jumpy and as the economy sinks deeper and deeper we can be certain he will be resorted to more and more violence in a futile attempt to silence all those protesting the economic hardships.
It is disheartening that whilst Mnangagwa was unleashed his riot Police to beat MDC supporters for no reason at all; he was having his re-engagement meetings with the EU officials, who continue to treat this illegitimate regime as if it won free, fair and credible elections.
If any of the EU member state's elections process "failed to meet international standards" the Union will suspend the same member's membership and follow this up with very stringent economic and political sanctions to punish those involved. Why is Mnangagwa and his cronies being treated differently?
Why is the EU turning a blind eye to the economic suffering and deaths Zanu PF misrule and barbarism is inflicting on innocent Zimbabweans whose only crime is to demand the same freedoms and rights EU nationals take for granted?
Source - zimbabwelight.blogspot.com
All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24's community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
More on: #Zanu_PF, #Brutality, #Security_forces
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Cheerful Ghost
Cheerful Ghost CG
Dubb6
Joined 01/25/2012
11 Trophies Events
Ten minutes of videogame nostalgia performed by a rock band.
By Dubb on 04/20/2012
AutoCat1000 wrote on 04/20/2012 at 10:36pm
I like that video!Have you ever heard of nyan cat?Look it up on youtube!
jdodson Admin wrote on 04/21/2012 at 12:36am
Thats really cool. The Bubble Bobble, Contra, Donkey Kong Country, Halo, Secret of Monkey Island, Duck Tales, Ocarina, The Legend of Zelda... All fun. Pretty long too but not bad long, well done
Timogorgon Member wrote on 04/21/2012 at 06:23am
That is so epic. I want the MP3! If you guys like video game music by a rock band, I suggest checking out Minibosses. :)
http://www.minibosses.com/
Dubb Post Author wrote on 04/21/2012 at 04:07pm
Tungsten wrote on 04/22/2012 at 12:54am
Makes me happy.
If you want to join this conversation you need to sign in.
Farside from the early 90s.
Farside from the early 90's.
Tungsten wrote on 04/05/2012 at 09:26pm
My parents still dream
AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 04/05/2012 at 10:46pm
LOL! Such a rad cartoon.
I wanted to be a video game tester pretty bad. That or call center rep like the people in the movie The Wizard. After working as a call center rep I can say I don't dream about that anymore.
Ya, I've heard testing sucks too. I can imagine playing a buggy game for hours on end would start to really suck. (Though it never hurt Bethesda... ba-zing!)
jdodson Admin wrote on 04/06/2012 at 05:11pm
Hahahaha, zing but fair.... So many bugs...
GregoPeck Super Member wrote on 01/24/2014 at 03:07am
I just downloaded the original Donkey Kong for the Wii last
I just downloaded the original Donkey Kong for the Wii last night. I had never really thought about it before, but I've never actually played the original Donkey Kong up until now. Of course, I've been familiar enough with it since I was a small child, but for what ever reason, I had never actually gotten around to playing it. Being a history buff, I decided I had to finally give it a try.
In a lot of ways, it was Donkey Kong that made Nintendo. Of course it was Super Mario Brothers which was responsible for the domination of the NES/ Famicom in the 80s, making Nintendo a household name. But it was Donkey Kong which not only made Nintendo into a presence in the global video game market, but is also responsible for video games as we know them today.
Nintendo games were a big hit in Japanese arcades, but were a bit of a flop when the company tried to expand to the US. Donkey Kong was designed specifically to appeal to US markets, and seems to have been successful at doing so, making Nintendo a contender in the global market.
Donkey Kong was the first multi-level platform game, as well as the first video game to include a backstory and cutscenes. Also, Donkey Kong is responsible for the creation of Mario, named for the cranky landlord who owned Nintendo of America headquarters, who has grown to be nearly as iconic as Mickey Mouse. Without the advent of Mario, there would have been no Super Mario Brothers to lead Nintendo to become "the" name for consul video games after the video game crash of 1983.
My only experience with the game is King of Kong. Look intense.
We did have a Donkey Kong Jr. Machine in the SUB in college, and I got dominated there regularly.
Historically speaking though, you're right. Nintendo is mario, and mario is jump man, and really, Nintendo is who made video games a viable market.
I wonder if Jump Man will ever return to games. Or will that character or name be ever lost to Mario?
Kind of like Plinkett and fake Plinkett.
As in the Red Letter Media Phantom Menace review Plinkett.
Just achieved kindred standing with the Wardens of Annuminas
Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar
Just achieved kindred standing with the Wardens of Annuminas and bought the rep mount. Now I'm working on collecting the Annuminas armor set for captains.
Recent Activity...
Cheerful Ghost Radio Episode 75: Top Ten Games of the Decade
Um... at least 4 complete ones. I’ve had a few bits...
Posted about about 18 hours ago
How many play throughs? I had the one and want to...
It would be for sure, it was my number one game of...
Yeah, very true. But really, Fallout 3 is so good...
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Cheerful Ghost is part of the Video Game Webring!
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What is ‘Children of the Eucharist’? Watch and learn...
‘Children of the Eucharist’ (COTE) is a fruit of the International Eucharistic Congress which, took place in Dublin in 2012 and was set-up under the auspices of the Apostolate of Eucharistic Adoration in Ireland. The work of the ministry involves speaking to schools about the real presence, the sacraments and leading students in adoration of the most holy Eucharist.
EWTN Ireland joins the founder of the ministry, Antoinette Moynihan as she speaks to the students of Kentstown National School, in Co. Meath in Ireland and also films the work of COTE, at the annual national Eucharistic Pilgrimage to Ireland’s national Marian shrine, in Knock, Co. Mayo.
Following a pioneer COTE mission in Alabama, in America, Antoinette is invited to share how children and families can encounter Jesus in a personal, intimate way through ‘Children of the Eucharist’, in a two-part programme, hosted by Jim & Joy Pinto on ‘At Home with Jim & Joy’.
True Light Catholic Media interviews Antoinette and Fr. Aaron Zahra, Rector of St. Albert the Great College in Valetta, Malta where the programme was initiated in 2018.
COTE help form true disciples of Jesus Christ, by helping children to come to know Him. It’s through the most Blessed Sacrament that, we encounter Jesus. COTE helps children to have a relationship with Jesus, through adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
Keep Counting...
Jesus has met A LOT of children on the road with us!
Schools Visited
Children Who Have Met Jesus
Kilometres Covered
Testimonials from Bishops
Children of the Eucharist offers children an invaluable support in developing a personal prayer life, which is not just about saying prayers, but about listening to Jesus and talking to Him in their own words. While it is a programme for children, it is about gently and appropriately laying foundations for a lifetime. It is about opening the hearts of children to the beginnings of a relationship which is not just for childhood, but for life and, indeed, for eternity.
His Most Reverend Kevin Doran, Bishop of Elphin
Testimonials from Priests
The ‘Children of the Eucharist’ is what we call, new evangelisation. It is through the children adoring the Blessed Sacrament that, we are going to evangelise our families. In the past it was the parents who transmit the faith, but, through the ‘Children of the Eucharist’, it is the children who are bringing the faith to their family.
Fr. Aaron Zahra OP Rector of St. Albert the Great College, Valletta, Malta
Testimonials from Religious Sisters
I have no hesitation whatever in highly recommending the ‘Children of the Eucharist’ programme. It instils in the children preparing to receive first Holy Communion a great reverence for the Blessed Sacrament. It also allows them to develop a personal relationship with Jesus, as their friend. I have had the great privilege of exposing the Blessed Sacrament for the children of St. Ronan’s Primary School in recent years and can see the value of this enriching programme. I wholeheartedly believe that it should be delivered in every Catholic Primary School, throughout Ireland.
Mother Attracta Devlin O.S.C., Newry, Co. Down
Testimonials from School Principals
We would love to say that we have found that adoration in our school has really added focus to our sacramental preparation for both 2nd and 6th class. The personnel involved are very kind and spiritual in everything they say to the children. It has added an extra valuable element to our faith formation. It is an uplifting oasis during a very busy school timetable. I'd highly recommend it.
Maria Foley, Principal, Glantane N.S., Co. Cork
Testimonials from Teachers
I unreservedly recommend the COTE ministry as a unique supplement to the faith formation of primary school children. The children encounter God in His Eucharistic Presence and in His word, enabling them in a special way to enter into and deepen that personal relationship with our indwelling living God, for which we all long and without which we will not know true and lasting peace. In addition, volunteers find, to their joy, as all teachers do, that in their giving, their ‘understanding of their subject’ grows continually and beyond expectation. COTE truly is blessed and a blessing. Not to be missed!
Myra O’Regan, Retired Primary School Teacher, Millstreet, Co. Cork
Testimonials from Volunteers and Parents
The joy my heart feels in watching the little children dance like flowers in a garden at the feet of Jesus absorbing all His light & love is overwhelming. And HE, taking their little sacred hearts into the flame of His loving heart raises them to an orbit of existence as far above nature as heaven is above earth… filling them with Himself, in their own words: ‘loved, at peace, joyful, safe, no one will hurt me anymore, blessed, happy, warm…’, their hearts restless…until they rest in Him, ready to set the world ablaze.
Rosie Hannigan, COTE Volunteer, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
Meet The COTE Team
Antoinette Moynihan
Founder & Coordinator
Fr. Lawrence Joseph
Spiritual Director
Helen Hand
National Core Leader
The St. Mary Magdalene Scripture Group is another wonderful fruit of COTE. It helps those directly involved with COTE, to meditate and reflect on the Word of God.
Please join as we pray for the COTE ministry and all the children who come before Jesus, in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist.
Please join us in praying for our priests, who without which, we would not have the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist.
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Aurea.com
JiveSoftware.com
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How does search work?
Created by elizabeth.heinlein on Dec 2, 2011 4:09 PM. Last modified by Shai Sagi on May 21, 2019 3:26 PM.
For an update on how the new cloud search works please check this - The specified item was not found.
The information below is still relevant for HOP
Basic search algorithm
Spotlight search
@mentioning
Useful settings
Non-content search
Places search
Tweaking your search
Differences between 4.5, 5.0, 6.0, 7.0 and Cloud
Content search fields
Search Framework
The tag field
Lucene FAQ
This document describes how Jive search works to help you search more effectively. It addresses mainly the search that is available to regular users: the spotlight search, main content search, user search, and place search. You can also use this document to learn about the scoring algorithm, which can help you tune your content to improve its standing in search results.
A few terms that may not be familiar to you:
Field: A single piece of information within the content or user profile you're searching. For example, in a document, you have the title/subject, the content, and the tags. For a user, you have first name, last name, expertise, tags, and many more.
Place: An area of your site that contains content: spaces/communities, social groups, projects, etc.
Spotlight search: The search box included in the header of every page. It pops up a limited number of results from content, users and places.
We use the Lucene search framework and we've configured the framework extensively to suit our needs. Here's a basic overview of how Lucene's scoring algorithm works. Some of the key points:
The score has a lot to do with how many words are in the field with the word you're searching for. For example, if you write a 20,000 word essay that makes a single reference to the movie "Finding Nemo" somewhere in the document and you have another document in the system (or a status update or a blog post or a thread, etc..) that's only 50 words and includes "Finding Nemo", the thinking is that the latter is more relevant to a query for "nemo".
We do an "AND" search on content (like Google) which means that all terms must be present. We do an "OR" search on users.
"Stemming" means looking for the root of words - for example, if you type in "looked", it will also search for "look". In 4.5 and before, we don't do stemming by default, but it is possible to turn on: the administrator can go into the Admin Console and change the search analyzer from English, Non Stemming, to English Stemming. You will need to rebuild the search index when you do this. (Note that rebuilding the search index can take a very long time and can be very resource intensive, so we recommend you do this during off-peak hours to avoid impacting users.)
In 5.0, with the move to Solr, Solr requires that the analyzer be statically set in an XML file on the file system which means it cannot be dynamically changed. 5.0 uses the stemming analyzer by default.
The spotlight search at the top of each page does a slightly different search than the main search page: the spotlight search adds a wildcard (*) to the end of your search term (since it searches as you type and expects that you may not have finished typing yet), but the main search page doesn't. Lucene doesn't support using many of the filters that we use in a normal query on wildcard queries. One of the main differences is that these queries are not stemmed, and no stop words are removed. In addition, compound words aren't split up the way they are in a regular, non-wildcard search. For example, if you do a normal search for "MyImportantDocument.txt" or "my_important_document.txt", your search term will be split up into [my] [important] [document] [txt], and will match content that contain all of those words. In a wildcard search, though, your search term will remain intact, and will only match content that matches the full search term.
These details also apply to other places in the application where you use type-ahead search and the results are automatically brought up. For example, on the "Browse" page, when you use the "type to filter by text" box, it uses the same wildcard search that spotlight search does.
Similar to spotlight search, when you @mention something, Jive takes what you've typed in so far and adds a wildcard to it; like spotlight search, this means that no stemming is done with this search. The main different from spotlight search is that @mentioning only searches the title (of content or place) and username, name and email of a user.
Search blog and document comments: by default we do search blog and document comments, but this can be changed with the system properties document.searchComments.enabled and blog.searchComments.enabled.
Useful settings you can change in Admin Console > System > Settings > Search > Search Settings:
Search attachments (such as Word documents and PDFs) - turned on by default
Default search query date range
Default Indexer Type
Synonyms: You can define common synonyms for your particular system - for example, "docs" and "documentation". To add synonyms, go to Admin Console > System > Settings > Search > Synonyms, enter a pair of words separated by a comma in the Synonyms box, then click Add Synonym.
Stop words: these are words that are ignored by the search engines (such as "the" and "of"). You can add your own stop words in Admin Console > System > Settings > Search > Stop Words. The default stop words (that can't be removed without customization) are:
public static final String[] STOP_WORDS = {
"a", "and", "are", "as", "at", "be", "but", "by",
"do", "for", "i", "if", "in", "into", "is", "it",
"me", "my", "no", "not", "of", "on", "or", "s", "such",
"t", "that", "the", "their", "then", "there", "these",
"they", "this", "to", "was", "will", "with", "you"
Note that changing synonyms and stop words both require you to rebuild the search index; in 5.0 you also need to restart the application after making the change and before rebuilding the search index.
In addition to searching for content, you can also search for users and places (such as spaces, social groups and projects). There are some important differences to note with these types of search.
This includes searching for users through the front end, as well as searching for users in the admin console People tab.
As mentioned earlier, user search uses "OR" instead of "AND", so simply adding more pieces of a user's name/profile won't narrow down your results, it will expand them.
In 4.5, by default the application uses phonetic ("fuzzy") search. This works as follows: the search index stores the metaphone encoding of each user's name. This is basically breaking down the name into its basic phonetic blocks. Then, when you search for a term, we also get the metaphone encoding of the search time, and compare it to the metaphone encoding of the names. We give matches with only a phonetic match a "negative boost" of .6, which should ensure that exact matches receive a higher search score than a phonetic match.
This is great for situations where you don't know the exact spelling of a name. For example: consider a situation where you think a user's name is Nick Smith, but actually in Jive it's stored as Nik Smyth. Without phonetic search, you wouldn't find this user. However, both of their metaphone encodings are NKSM, so you would get a match with phonetic searches.
However, it can sometimes cause confusion when the you get a lot of phonetic matches that don't make intuitive sense. One example: a user is searching for XML, intending to look for people who had that term in their job titles. However, most of the results are people with names like Samuel.
In 4.5 you can disable phonetic search with the system property people.search.fuzzy.enabled set to false. In 5.0, this is not enabled by default; instead, we use synonyms for common nicknames: for example, if you search for "Robert", the results should also return users named "Bob".
Another important thing to know about user search is that the profile fields are all lumped together into one search field by the user's privacy settings. (For example, the contents of all profile fields that are set to "everyone" are together in one search field, and all of the contents of the profile fields that are set to "connections" are in another search field). This is important mainly because it means that profile fields will, in most cases, receive lower relative scores than names due to the length of the search field that they're in. It also means that you can't search for a specific field the way you can with the subject:support example.
When searching places, such as spaces, social groups, etc., we don't just search the title; we also search the description and the tags. These are all lumped together into one field.
The same search algorithm applies here; a field that contains 5 words, one of which is a match, will receive a higher score than a field that contains 25 words, one of which is a match. If you're having trouble getting your place to show up at the top of a search for a particular term, be sure to use the search term in the title, description and tag field as many times as possible, with as few other words as possible.
You can add wildcards (*) to your search.
Note that wildcards can't be used as the first character of a search. This means that you can't search for all users with a particular email domain, for example - a search for '*@jivesoftware.com' will return no results (unless you have a user who has the exact string '@jivesoftware.com' as part of their profile, such as their username).
You can also search specific fields. For example, subject:support will search for content with support in the subject.
The default search range is "all", but you can choose a different search range if you're only looking for more recent items.
There are many changes and improvements made in the 5.0 search implementation - these changes are also in the 6.0 on premise search; this section will cover the biggest differences. A more comprehensive document is available here: Search in 4.x, 5.x, 6.x, 7.x and Cloud
As of 6.0, Jive also offers cloud based search service which has better features (highlights outlined below) and will iterate more quickly. More on that can be found here: Search in Jive 6 FAQs
In 4.5, we lump all of the content fields into one search field: title, body and tags. We do this so that we can match one word from the search in the title field and another in the body. In 5.0, we do this, but we also index each field individually. This means that the shorter fields (like title) have more weight than longer fields (like the body field). Because of this, searching for words in the title or tags is more likely to return a correct match than searching the body - assuming the body of the content is shorter than the title and tags, of course.
For the cloud search service (available in 6.0 and cloud versions of Jive), additional improvements have been made, specifically:
Since status updates have no subject field, we only incorporate the relevance match of the body index for status updates. This prevents them from dominating search results.
Exact word matches in the subject
We've added additional weight to exact subject matches so that they are ranked higher.
Word proximity
When the query terms are next to each other (and in the same order) in a document, that document will be ranked higher
Jive Find
Additionally, cloud search introduces the concept of Jive Find - this is better detailed here Search in Jive 6 FAQs
In 4.5, we use Lucene directly. In 5.0, we use Solr, which is a wrapper for Lucene. In general, this change only affects the back-end, not the way that indexing or the search algorithm works - this shouldn't be something that affects users' results.
In 6.0, there are two options for how to access search - on premise or cloud search. More on the 6.0 options here: https://community.jivesoftware.com/docs/DOC-67914
In 5.0, we discontinued the normalization of the tag field. This means that the search algorithm in 5.0 doesn't take into account how many words are in the tag field - if one document has a single tag, "search", and another document has 5 tags, one of which is "search", the two documents will still receive the same score from the tags field when searching for the term "search".
Great resource for answering your Lucene questions: http://wiki.apache.org/lucene-java/LuceneFAQ#Lucene_FAQ
Categories: How To Tags: none (add)
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Hera's Counterpart From Egyptian Mythology
By Jennifer Spirko
••• Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
Hera, wife of Zeus, appears in Greek mythological tales as a jealous and vengeful goddess who tries to thwart her husband’s philandering and punishes his lovers and offspring. She was, however, worshiped in her own right as a protective mother goddess and patron of childbirth and marriage. No Egyptian goddess exactly corresponds with Hera, although Isis is her nearest counterpart, and Taweret also has some similarities.
Isis, the Protective Wife and Mother
Although the Egyptian pantheon had no queen of the gods, as such, Isis comes close, as wife of the beloved Osiris and daughter of the deities of earth and sky. Unlike the stormy relationship of Zeus and Hera, Isis’ love for Osiris was such that she gathered his dismembered parts and reincarnated him. She was even more fiercely protective of her son, Horus, whom she shielded from the wrath of rival god Set, as well as the hazards of the Nile, healing his scorpion stings and snakebites.
Taweret, the Frightening Guardian
One of the least humanoid goddesses of Egypt was the hippopotamus-headed Taweret, with lion paws and hair forming a crocodile tail. These features represent beasts that fiercely protect their young and combine to create an appearance that frighten away harmful demons. Taweret was the guardian of pregnancy and childbirth, an aspect she shares with Hera. Unlike Hera, however, Taweret was worshiped in homes, rather than in large-scale temples.
Myths and Legends of the World: Hera
Myths and Legends of the World: Isis
Global Egyptian Museum: Isis
Michael C. Carlos Museum of Emory University, Odyssey Online: Mythology, Egypt, Taweret
The British Museum: Breccia Statue of the Goddess Taweret
The Book of the Dead, the Papyrus of Ani; E.A. Wallis Budge
Emory University, Electronic These and Dissertations: The Transformation of a Goddess, the Depictions of Isis Throughout the Ancient Mediterranean World; Melissa Mair
Olympia, Greece Online City Guide: The Temple of Hera
Jennifer Spirko has been writing professionally for more than 20 years, starting at "The Knoxville Journal." She has written for "MetroPulse," "Maryville-Alcoa Daily Times" and "Some" monthly. She has taught writing at North Carolina State University and the University of Tennessee. Spirko holds a Master of Arts from the Shakespeare Institute, Stratford-on-Avon, England.
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Book Review: ‘Alif the Unseen’ by G. Willow Wilson
July 16, 2012 by Clay Bonnyman Evans
Every once in a while a fiction writer just happens to anticipate real-world events, giving his or her imagined narrative special poignancy.
That’s the case with former Boulder resident G. Willow Wilson’s debut novel “Alif the Unseen” (her fascinating memoir of converting to Islam was published in 2010). The novel was delivered in February 2011, on the razor-edged cusp of the so-called Arab Spring, giving it an “eerie prescience,” according to one editor at Grove Press.
But if this were just one more politically tinged tome, it would probably suffer the fate of an unfortunate genie, stuck in a bottle with little chance of future escape. Its time would be as fleeting as the initial promise of the uprisings in the Middle East.
Thankfully, “Alif the Unseen” is much more than a political novel. There are politics, but if anything, they form a kind of canvas on which Wilson has painted her much more enduring tale.
Like Neil Gaiman, she has deftly blended the magical and modern in a story that argues for the importance of story — and the kind of belief that lies beyond the shallows of superstition. It’s a satisfying modern tale inhabited by those desert daemons or spirits known as djinn.
The half-Indian Alif is in fact the nom de computer of a young man living in an unnamed Persian Gulf nation governed by wealthy, no doubt oil-soaked autocrats. But he is a kind of 21st century freedom fighter, hosting what he thinks of as the “digital peasantry,” whether they are peddling ferocious Islam, socialism or raucous sexual imagery (as popular in the Islamic world, apparently, as anywhere else).
He’s also a human window into a world that is as alien as Mars or Venus to many Americans. He and his friends curse up a storm and he thinks constantly about girls. In other words, he’s nothing like the seething, bearded terrorists so often imagined by middle Americans when they think “Middle East.” Alif’s got a poster of Robert Smith on his wall, for Allah’s sake! And how many Americans knew that Lebanese pop stars got away with thinly veiled — sorry — metaphors such as “the intense longing of the peach for the banana.” The novel is laced with such wry humor.
But when Alif almost miraculously creates a “botnet” that can identify the girl he loves, no matter what device she’s using — via keystroke style, vocabulary and other means — he suddenly finds himself the subject of dangerous scrutiny by a government that would love to have such a tool in its hands, to fight agitators. And it just so happens that the girl he loves, Intisar — they had been intimate, courtesy of a mail-order “marriage certificate,” but she rejected him because of his mother’s non-Arab blood — is betrothed to a nobleman who goes by the online moniker the Hand of God. He’s at the forefront of the official effort to take down any and all Internet rebels.
And so Alif must go on the run with his neighbor, an extremely likable young woman named Dina, who just happens to be a deeply devout Muslim who has “taken the veil.”
But they are not quite alone. They’ve received a mysterious gift: an ancient text called “The Thousand and One Days,” which may or may not have been created by djinn and may contain an entirely new computer technology… based on metaphor. They also have the help of the enigmatic Vikram the Vampire… who may or may not be anything more than a shady character.
Wilson’s debut is a rollicking adventure along the lines of the “new young adult” craze. Think Gaiman, Colorado’s own Paolo Bacigalupi, Cory Doctorow’s “Little Brother” — with an edgier vocabulary: plenty of F-bombs and even a C-bomb. At heart, it is a descendant of Tolkien, a story of “little people” rising up to fight a kind of Dark Lord, with a rewarding multi-cultural bent.
But as much as the novel argues for the importance of story, Wilson has given us much more than that. She’s got a lot of things on her mind. Particularly moving is the idea that we are losing our way spiritually, even as the world seems to be receding into religiosity; Wilson’s view of Islam seems deeply influenced by Sufism.
Says one djinn, “Superstition is thriving. Pedantry is thriving. Sectarianism is thriving. Belief is dying out.”
Wilson is young enough to fully embrace technology as if there is no downside. Of course, those older than Alif might have a different take — in our world… ahem… and theirs — and the djinn themselves are a welcome throwback to what some may see as a simpler time.
“Alif the Unseen” is a prodigious plunge into fantastical worlds — of both the djinn and modern Arab youth — that shouldn’t scare off “non fantasy” readers. Simply put, it’s a lot of fun, and offers plenty to think about.
‘Alif the Unseen’ by G. Willow Wilson. Grove, 320 pp. $25.
Filed Under: Books and authors, Clay Bonnyman Evans
What the FSoG?
I ‘m sure it’s an indicator of my utter cluelessness, but I only recently heard the expression FSoG.
Initially I tried to make that first letter of stand for the oh-so-obvious word indicated by such acronyms as STFU or LMTFA or even the charmingly old-school FU.
Look up FSoG today and the first umpteen Google listings will be for the steamy S&M novel that allegedly has American women all atwitter, “Fifty Shades of Grey.” The book also — allegedly — gives atrocious a new meaning when it comes to writing.
Anyway, scroll down and eventually you’ll come across what now must stand as the second meaning, “Five Seconds on Google.” According to UrbanDictionary.com (in a 2008 post), “FSoG is an acronym for five seconds on Google, used mainly to tell people who ask inane questions to go look it up for themselves.”
Inane. I remember when earnest teachers used to say, “There are no stupid questions,” urging students to inquire. There is — allegedly — a Chinese proverb that says, “He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.”
But now we’re in the age of instant knowledge, and — allegedly; sorry, I’ll stop now — the very idea of asking a question of an actual human being makes you inane. An idiot. “There are no stupid questions. Just stupid people who don’t spend FSoG. Dude.”
I know I’m over the hill because I’m one of those fools who still ask questions. It’s deeply ingrained habit, one that draws expressions varying from amused sympathy to barely concealed derision to annoyance among those much younger than I.
“Oh, right,” I say, turning back to the keyboard like a swatted child. “Duh. FSoG. Sorry, man.”
And then ticky-tacky, a few keystrokes, and voila! (Or vwa-lah, as one young person who did not do her FSoG diligence recently wrote me in an email.) Answers, baby! Shiny, delicious answers, right in front of me. Best to crosscheck, of course, given the unreliability of certain sources, even — gasp — the ever-useful Wikipedia, but still. (And never, ever trust any post on Facebook without checking it out; it’s remarkable how often those things turn out to be fake or incorrectly sourced or whatever.)
Listen, I like all this instantaneous knowing as much as you. I really do. Though I’m actually afraid of the technology that makes it so. Geez, I don’t even understand how a toaster works. And airplanes obviously can’t fly; that’s just an illusion. And there is no FSoGin’ way that the Internet can provide all those answers in one second (any longer and I get very, very impatient…).
Still, FSoG does not come without a price.
Annoying as it may have been, having to go to the “library” — a curious place where you went to borrow “books” — and thumb through “encyclopedias” was an exercise in patience. I even remember when polite young men in suits and ties wandered around neighborhoods selling encyclopedias (and Fuller brushes — FSoG!)
Patience is, truly, a virtue. “Forbearance” is said to be one of the “fruits of the Spirit” in Paul’s letter to the Galatians (no, I didn’t have to Google that). It is also considered a virtue in Buddhism, Taoism and other Eastern religions (nope).
And actually, mystery can be a genuine pleasure. For me, not knowing is a refreshing novelty; it almost feels like a little “high.”
Every weekend I myself partake of a little mystery. From sundown Friday to dark on Saturday, I refrain from going online. On Friday nights, it’s amazing how many absolutely urgent questions arise in my hot, impatient little brain. They must be answered now. I feel intense pressure, an itchy, uncomfortable need to know … but I resist. And by Saturday morning, the compulsion has diminished. By Saturday afternoon I relish my “stupidity” and think seriously about heaving the cell phone and laptop into the creek.
In his fascinating book, “The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains,” Boulder writer Nicholas Carr argues that our intensely online lives are re-grooving how we think and live. It’s harder for us to concentrate on just one thing. We bounce from email to phone to laptop, even as we “talk” to our spouses while watching TV and eat “dinner.” Online, we are skipping constantly from link to link, indulging a moment’s boredom, every passing whim and desire for more information.
Studies show that all this alleged “multi-tasking” actually decreases performance; recognizing this, some companies have instituted “email free Fridays.” If you’re like me, you have plenty of anecdotal evidence to back that up.
But if anything, I am more distressed by what FSoG means for simple human interaction. Grandparents, parents, older sisters and brothers, favorite teachers — instant knowledge has diminished their role in bringing us up and introducing us to the world’s wonders (not to mention its horrors, tragedies and absurdities). We used to go their knees and learn not just facts, but how to interact and communicate. We received cues, no matter how subtle, that would serve us well when we later became friendly neighbors or uncles or clergy who could provide more than answers. I don’t care how fast Google or Bing or Yahoo are. They can’t replace human connection.
What’s the answer? I suppose some would say there’s no problem.
But I recommend trying the “technology sabbath” trick and seeing how you like it. And perhaps we should all make a point to go back to people who were once mentors and … just ask.
It can’t hurt to ask, can it?
Filed Under: Clay Bonnyman Evans
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NBII Home > Ecological Topics > Invasive Species > Invasives Species
Invasives Species
Invasive Plants and Animals
Early Detection, Rapid Response (EDRR)
About the Node
References and Bibliographies
Viruses and Diseases
Viruses and diseases are some times controversially referred to as invasive species. Sometimes it's the vector or organism that carries and/or spreads the infection that is invasive or simply not native to a region. Click on the links in this sentence for more information about Avian Influenza / Bird Flu, or West Nile Virus.
Celebrating the Past and Looking to the Future
The National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) and the IUCN Species Survival Commission's Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) are celebrating 5 successful years of partnership, which has lead to some great resources. You can access quadruple the number of invasive species than when the partnership began. A mirror Web site now makes for fast, easy, worldwide access to information on the invasive species problem. New tools let you search for and share invasive species information globally. And the Global Invasive Species Database is now easier to use.
Invasive Species Information Node
Natural ecosystems are under siege by many harmful species of plants, animals and diseases. The impacts of invasive species are second only to habitat destruction as a cause of global biodiversity loss. The current environmental, economic, and health costs of invasive species could exceed $US138 billion per year, more than all other natural disasters combined. Notorious examples include:
West Nile virus and purple loosestrife (Northeast)
Kudzu, water hyacinth, nutria, and fire ants (Southeast)
Zebra mussels and leafy spurge, (Midwest)
Salt cedar, Russian olive, and Africanized honeybees (Southwest)
Yellow star thistle, Asian clams, and sudden oak death (California)
Cheatgrass and knapweeds (Great Basin)
Whirling disease of salmonids (Northwest)
Hundreds of species like Coqui frogs (Hawaii)
The brown tree snake (Guam)
Hundreds of new species from other countries are introduced intentionally or accidentally into the US each year. And many species originating in the US have been introduced into other parts of the world. This threat intensifies the need for scientists, managers, and the many stakeholders to rally together to build better systems for invasion prevention, improve early detection of invaders, track established invaders, and coordinate containment, control, and effective habitat restoration.
Invasive Species of the Week
(IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group - ISSG)
Click on the button below to open a PDF file of a fact sheet for the 'Invasive Species of the Week'.
The ISSG has launched this 'Invasive Species of the Week' button to raise awareness of the impacts of invasive species on native biodiversity and threatened ecosystems. For information about how to add this button to your own Web site, contact Shyama Pagad (Manager, Species Information Services, IUCN SSC ISSG).
23rd Asian-Pacific Weed Science Society Conference
Cairns, Queensland
23rd Asia-Pacific Weed Science Society Conference
Sebel Cairns,
XIII International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds (ISBCW)
Waikoloa, Hawaii
Texas Invasive Plant and Pest Conference
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Former Fox Anchor Wants To Be Released From NDA To Speak On Sexual Harassment Allegations
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for The Hollywood Reporter
Shelby Talcott Media Reporter
December 13, 2019 11:05 AM ET
Former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson on Thursday called for the network to release her from a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) she signed in 2016 after suing for alleged sexual harassment.
Carlson, along with other former Fox News employees, previously accused former CEO Roger Ailes of sexual harassment. Her latest call to be released from the NDA came Thursday in an op-ed published in The New York Times.
“Today I call on Fox News to release me, and all employees forced to sign NDAs as a condition of harassment settlements, from these agreements immediately,” Carlson wrote in the op-ed. “None of us expected or wanted a workplace dispute — we were simply the ones who had the ability and the courage to speak up, and for that, we lost our jobs.”
“We have a right to say what is factually correct or incorrect about what happened. We have a right to our voices and our truths. I urge executives at Fox to do what’s right and take this step today. For the sake of all women, in every workplace. That would be the biggest bombshell of all.”
Carlson’s op-ed came one day before “Bombshell,” a movie based on the efforts to expose Ailes, hit theaters. She added that “receiving a public apology from” the network appeared to be one of the big wins at the time. Since “a profound cultural shift” has caused more women to come forward with workplace allegations, Carlson noted that her view has changed.
Honoree Ronan Farrow accepts the Equity in Entertainment Award from TV personality Gretchen Carlson onstage during The Hollywood Reporter’s Power 100 Women in Entertainment at Milk Studios. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for The Hollywood Reporter)
“I want my voice back. I want it back for me, and for all those silenced by forced arbitration and NDAs,” Carlson added, including networks and states who have made “positive movement in this direction.”
NBC announced in October that it would release any former employee from from their NDAs after journalist Ronan Farrow’s book accused the outlet of major coverups. The decision came after accusations that the network killed multiple sexual assault allegation stories and tried to cover up allegations against former host Matt Lauer.
Carlson began asking to be released from her NDA in October along with other former Fox News employees, according to Deadline. (RELATED: Matt Lauer Denies Allegation He Raped Former NBC Staffer)
Fox News did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Tags : fox news gretchen carlson roger ailes
Shelby Talcott
Follow Shelby on Twitter
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My strategy is to just DO 🔥 #139
Hey everyone, It's been a number of weeks with my head down, getting work done, but what do I have to
It’s been a number of weeks with my head down, getting work done, but what do I have to show for it?
A couple of design sprints. A podcast episode. Likely £22,000 of revenue. A number of weeks of learning.
But do you know what? I think I’ve been doing it wrong.
I’ve felt exhausted for a number of weeks by purely putting me as the mechanism for growth and delivery. Growth = fine. Delivery = not sustainable.
The great thing is, I’ve done 43 Design Sprints. What does that mean? I can critique someone else doing it.
And you might’ve seen that I’m interested in this Remote thing. Why? Well, after reading Blue Ocean Strategy (incredible book), I found that doing the same as other people doesn’t make a lot of sense. Plus, with a number of remote companies succeeding and legacy-riddled businesses needing to cut costs, it seems like the perfect opportunity to create my response: the Remote Design Sprint.
Anyway, back to the subject of this email.
I find that I spend a lot of time strategising and planning. Whether that’s in my notebook, or arranging priorities in Trello.
Thing is, they are still forms of procrastination. While it feels like you’re getting somewhere, they are getting in the way of you just executing. Go out and DO.
Love to know what you think of that and I appreciate your attention,
A smoother Design Sprint experience?
Based on my burnout a few weeks ago, I’m interested in making the Etch Sprint less exhausting. Articles like this provide inspiration.
sprintstories.com • Share
I wrote the book on user-friendly design. What I see today horrifies me
The world is designed against the elderly, writes Don Norman, 83-year-old author of the industry bible Design of Everyday Things and a former Apple VP. BOOM 🔥
www.fastcompany.com • Share
Many Strategies Fail Because They’re Not Actually Strategies
TLDR: They’re goals.
hbr.org • Share
Get a Therapist, not a Mentor on The Etch Podcast
Best podcast yet! This episode, we talk to Robyn Dooley about her journey to finding Learning Design, the way that people learn and the reasons why sometimes, businesses don’t want to change.
etchpodcast.simplecast.com • Share
Why the new breed of entrepreneurs looks beyond making a profit
Sure, there are business owners who’ve dreamed of Silicon Valley stardom ever since they were little. But many of them didn’t set out to become entrepreneurs, they just sort of… DID.
thenextweb.com • Share
Cyclocross racer BrittLee Bowman, 34, Was Stunned To Get A Cancer Diagnosis : NPR
Love BrittLee. Cyclocross racer BrittLee Bowman chose a double mastectomy when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at 34. Have
www.npr.org • Share
Black Girls Code has a new lab inside Google’s New York office
The nonprofit that helps girls from underserved communities break into the tech world has a new office, designed to inspire about the possibilities of coding and computer science.
Here's to less planning and more DOING!
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Exactly one year after Person of Interest‘s fourth season finale aired, the CBS drama last night opened its fifth and final season with 7.4 million total viewers and a 1.2 rating in adults 18-49. That was up a tick in the demo from the POI Season 4 finale and last week’s freshman season closer of Limitless in the time…
‘Person Of Interest’ To End After 5 Seasons
The charade is over — CBS has finally confirmed that the upcoming fifth season of Person of Interest will indeed be its last. “We're extremely excited to be able share this final season with the fans,” creator/executive producer Jonah Nolan and executive producer Greg Plageman said in a statement. “We're eternally…
CBS Sets ‘Person Of Interest’ Premiere Date, ‘Mike & Molly’ Return & Finales
The wait is finally over for Person Of Interest fans. The fifth and final season of CBS’ crime procedural drama will premiere May 3 and will get double-pumped, with originals in its old Tuesday 10 PM slot as well as Monday at 10 PM. For the first three weeks on Tuesday, POI will have originals of NCIS and NCIS: New Orl…
‘Person Of Interest’ To Return In Spring, No Decision To End Series — TCA
While the producers of Person Of Interest are treating the current 13-episode season as a last, CBS says it is not. The series, from Jonah Nolan and J.J. Abrams, was left off the CBS fall schedule, it was given a partial order and has not been scheduled yet. “We hope to get it on this spring,” CBS Entertainment…
‘Person Of Interest’ Likely Ending After Season 5, J.J. Abrams Says – TCA
CBS’ Person Of Interest was given a reduced, 13-episode order for Season 5, it was left on the bench for fall and as of today, still has not been scheduled, signaling a likely post-upfronts summer return. If all that wasn’t subtle enough, executive producer J.J. Abrams today articulated fans’ worst fear — that the…
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Bonus Watch '17: Credit Suisse Gets Points For Trying
It's the thought that counts.
Owen Davis
By World Economic Forum from Cologny, Switzerland [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
At Credit Suisse, pay for performance is out. With 2016's bonuses, say hello to remuneration for participation.
To be fair, judging the bank's ongoing self-transformation nearly two years into Tidjane Thiam's tenure at Credit Suisse is not an easy task. There have been layoffs – plenty of layoffs – amid a grinding shift from investment banking to wealth management. In the process, Thiam has had some less-than-stellar moments, like calling bond traders “ugly ducklings” and suggesting investment bankers are too dense to understand the concept of pay cuts, incidents that have helped cement a rather rocky relationship. Then there was the whole $2.3 billion 2016 loss thing (owing mostly, though not entirely, to settling U.S. legal charges).
But what doesn't kill Thiam apparently has only made him richer.
Mr. Thiam earned 11.9 million francs in total compensation last year, his first full-year at the Swiss banking giant. The bank cited his “progress toward the successful execution of the group’s strategy during the first full year of the three-year strategic plan.” Mr. Thiam’s compensation rose from 4.6 million francs in 2015 for the half-year he was there.
It's not just Thiam pulling in the Swiss cheese. The wider bonus pool rose 6 percent for 2016, to more than $3.1 billion. But that bump has less to do with what employees did than what they didn't do: leave.
Credit Suisse “experienced key employee retention issues” in the first quarter of last year after slashing compensation, it said in the report. The increase in the bonus pool for 2016 should “ensure that employees who met their performance targets could be compensated in line with the market in order to retain key talent,” particularly in divisions active in investment banking.
Get a few dozen more bankers to leave in 2017 – voluntarily, that is, apart from the six thousand already slated to be laid off – and who knows, the remaining Credit Suissers might see as much as a double-digit raises in a year's time.
Credit Suisse Chief Gets Pay Bump Despite Loss in 2016 [WSJ]
Credit Suisse Increases Bonus Pool 6%, CEO Thiam Gets $12 Million [BBG]
Credit SuisseTidjane Thiambonus watchSwiss banksCareers
Bonus Watch '17: Credit Suisse Is Giving Off A "Bah Humbug" Vibe This Holiday Season
In fairness, this IS Credit Suisse.
Bonus Watch '16: Credit Suisse CEOs
Like many a Credit Suisse employee, Thiam will see his bonus chopped (though in his case the slashing is voluntary).
Layoff Watch '17: Credit Suisse’s Firings Last Year Went So Well It’s Going To Do Some More
The Swiss...missed.
Bonus Watch '15: Hey, Remember That Investment Bank Credit Suisse Bought In 2000? It's Coming Out Of Your Paycheck
So...this is awkward.
Layoff Watch '18: Credit Suisse Looking Into How Many People Somehow Still Work At Credit Suisse
The bank tells Bloomberg that it isn't mulling over layoffs, which makes us wonder "why not?"
Bonus Watch '11: Credit Suisse
Bonus/Layoffs Watch '15: Credit Suisse
The bad news is that big execs will be receiving tiny bonuses. The good news is that most of them will be keeping their jobs, unlike some other employees at the bank.
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Email: Admin@DealMakerz.co.uk
The Home of London Real Estate - The Home of UK Real Estate
Purplebricks To Speed Up Overseas Expansion After Axel Springer Buys £125m Stake
By Emily Perryman On Mar 27, 2018
Online estate agent Purplebricks is set to speed up its overseas expansion after receiving a £125 million investment from Axel Springer.
The German publisher and property portal owner has bought an 11.5% stake in Purplebricks, which will be used to fund a faster roll-out of the hybrid agency in the US, prepare for entry into new markets and improve its IT systems.
Berlin-based Axel Springer’s investment echoes the Daily Mail’s involvement with Zoopla, and is being led by its classified advertising chief Andreas Wiele, who joins the Purplebricks’ board as a non-executive director.
Axel Springer also operates several leading European versions of Rightmove, including SeLoger, Immowelt and Immoweb.
Like many UK publishers who have invested in digital media in the past, the move is designed to offset the huge migration by many agents from traditional publishing to online.
It also suggests an imminent move by Purplebricks into European markets such as Germany and France.
“Under the leadership of its founder Michael Bruce, Purplebricks has created a highly innovative digital real estate platform and has become the clear market leader in the UK in a short space of time,” said Wiele. “For Axel Springer, this minority stake offers the opportunity to participate in an innovative, fast growing business model in new markets.”
The deal is being funded through a £100 million purchase of new shares in Purplebricks, and the buy-up of existing shares from several of Purplebricks’ senior management team.
“The strategic partnership with Axel Springer is ground breaking and will propel Purplebricks further towards our strategic goals and global ambition,” said Purplebricks’ chief executive Michael Bruce. “We now have the platform, funding and, through Axel Springer’s experience, as well as the appointment of four new leading non-executive directors, the expertise to achieve our vision.”
Purplebricks’ shares have been on a downward spiral this year after analysts questioned its sales figures and long-term potential.
Alongside its announcement of a major new shareholder, Purplebricks said full-year group revenues were likely to be 5% below the consensus estimate of about £98 million.
It blamed the “beast from the east” snowstorms as a culprit, saying that “adverse weather” and “some UK underlying softness” were to blame.
However, the agency said its US and Australian markets were on track to meet expectations, and year-on-year revenue growth for the group would be roughly 100%.
Purplebricks said £100 million of Axel Springer’s investment would be used to boost its cash resources in order to accelerate its US rollout, support entry into new markets and improve its technology and features. Already operational in California, Purplebricks is due to launch in New York in April.
DealMakerz thinks the deal is good news for Purplebricks, which has suffered in recent months because of controversy over its sales figures.
The company has also been criticised by the advertising watchdog. In October, the Advertising Standards Agency partially upheld a complaint against Purplebricks, ruling it had misled customers over the fact it charges a fixed listing fee regardless of whether or not a property sells.
The revenue warning is a blow, but hopefully the new investment, as well as Axel Springer’s expertise, point to a more positive future for the UK’s largest online estate agency.
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German political limbo threatens EU reform push
News • Current affairs • 22.11.2017 • Noah Barkin/Reuters
French President Emmanuel Macron (L) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel attend a news conference following talks on European Union integration, defence and migration at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, August 28, 2017. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo
BERLIN (Reuters) - Half a year ago, the political stars seemed perfectly aligned for a deep reform of the European Union and its euro currency.
Emmanuel Macron had won the French presidency on a promise to relaunch Europe. And Angela Merkel, on track to win a fourth term as German chancellor, looked ready to embrace his bold vision, telling an audience in Bavaria that it was time for Europe to take its fate into its own hands.
Following the collapse of German coalition talks, however, the prospects for a meaningful leap forward in European cooperation, driven by newly minted governments in Berlin and Paris, look dimmer than ever.
“Political uncertainty has crossed the Rhine,” said Jean Pisani-Ferry, an economist and academic who helped write Macron’s election programme. “Europe has gotten used to having a strong German government with clear positions. That is something we may not have for some time.”
Germany now faces months of political limbo which will narrow an already tight window for agreeing reforms of euro zone governance and EU defence and asylum policies.
Should Germany be forced to hold new elections, its partners may have to wait until next summer for a government to take form. By then, Europe will be entering crunch time in its Brexit negotiations with Britain, preparing for sensitive discussions on a long-term EU budget and gearing up for the election of a new European Parliament.
Euro zone leaders were due to begin a six-month discussion on closer integration of their 19-nation currency bloc next month at a special summit in Brussels.
Now that debate seems likely to be delayed and officials say the chances of reaching any conclusions by June 2018, as proposed by European Council President Donald Tusk, are slim.
“Things will go on hold until there is a formal acting German government,” one euro zone official said. “At this stage I don’t see what steps the leaders could take in December or June for deepening euro zone integration when there is a German government without a mandate.”
Another casualty could be the completion of an EU pact on closer defence cooperation, known as PESCO. Berlin and Paris had hoped to sign it into law at a regular EU summit next month. Now diplomats involved in EU foreign policy say that may be overly ambitious.
Germany has also been a driving force behind EU efforts to reform its asylum policies in the wake of the 2015 refugee crisis. Those discussions, pitting countries like Italy and Greece against Poland and Hungary, were already bogged down. Without a new government in Berlin, there is next to no hope of a breakthrough.
“We have so many things we need to do urgently that slowing us down is not good for Europe as a whole,” Frans Timmermans, a former Dutch foreign minister who is deputy head of the European Commission, told CNN.
Perhaps the only pressing issue which will not be significantly affected by the political uncertainty in Germany is Brexit, where there is a broad political consensus among German parties.
That means that Merkel, who will remain in place in a caretaker capacity until a new coalition is formed, should have sufficient room to manoeuvre in talks that, in any case, are being led by the European Commission and its chief negotiator Michel Barnier.
Still, hopes that the two political earthquakes of 2016 -- Britain’s decision to leave the EU and the election of U.S. President Donald Trump -- might shock European capitals into bold reforms, once elections in the Netherlands, France, Germany and Austria were out of the way, are fading.
Even before the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) walked out of coalition negotiations with Merkel’s conservatives and the Greens in the early hours of Monday, doubts were rising about whether she would have the flexibility to meet Macron halfway as head of an awkward three-way “Jamaica” alliance.
Now that those talks have collapsed, she would appear to have three options: convince the Social Democrats (SPD) to enter another right-left “grand coalition”; form a minority government with the Greens or the FDP; or take the risk of new elections.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron attend welcome ceremony at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, May 15, 2017. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch/File Photo
So far the SPD leadership has shown no signs that it will go back on its pledge to go into opposition. On Monday, Merkel appeared to rule out a minority government. So unless something changes, a new election could be the only way forward.
That would probably not take place before March or April, around the same time that Italy is due to hold elections which could also result in a hung parliament.
Crucially, polls suggest that a new German election would not give Merkel more coalition options than she had coming out of the Sept. 24 vote.
Indeed, if voters blamed her conservatives for failing to form a government the first time around, she could emerge even weaker than she is now.
That would be a further blow to German political stability and to Macron’s European ambitions.
(Additional reporting by Jan Strupczewski, Robin Emmott, Gabriela Baczynska, Alastair Macdonald in Brussels, Yves Clarisse in Paris; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Angela Merkel • Emmanuel Macron • Jean Pisani-Ferry • Donald Tusk • Frans Timmermans • Michel Barnier • Donald Trump • European Parliament • European Council • European Commission • CDU • FDP • SPD • Green Party • Germany • France • Brexit • EU • European affairs • European politics • politics
Why social democrats have become irrelevant
Macron proposes tax convergence and FTT
Jamaica in Germany?
CSV election poster has same slogan as German Greens
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Electrodiffusion of Ions across a Neural Cell Membrane
The Nernst–Planck equation describes the diffusion of ions under the influence of an electric field. Here, it is applied to describe the movement of ions across a neural cell membrane. The top half of the Demonstration sets up the simulation, while the bottom displays the results.
You can select the ions , which play key roles in neural dynamics, and vary their interior and exterior concentrations using the sliders (shown in dotted and dashed green). The electric field across the membrane is assumed constant so that the potential is linear, as shown in the left plot. You can choose from three different initial concentration distributions, shown by a dashed blue line in the right plot. The total simulation time can be set to either a relatively short or a longer time (slight delay to update).
Once the parameters are set, click the "run simulation" button to generate the time development of the ion concentration, shown in solid blue. Move the simulation time slider to view the evolution of the distribution in time. If the parameters are changed, the curve turns to a dashed gray to indicate that the simulation should be run again. Equilibrium for the concentration of a single ion occurs when the potential is set to the Nernst reversal potential and the initial distribution is set such that there is zero ionic current, each shown in brown in the left and right plots.
Contributed by: Oliver K. Ernst (September 2015)
Snapshot 1: the time evolution of sodium ions from an initially linear concentration distribution
Snapshot 2: at the Nernst reversal potential, for an appropriate initial concentration distribution, the system is at equilibrium
Snapshot 3: the initial delta spike of potassium ions decays as ions drift due to diffusion and the electric field
Ions undergoing diffusion in the presence of an electric field give rise to an ionic current flux (here in units of ) at position and time as
where (in ) is the diffusion constant, (in mM) is the ionic concentration, is the ion's charge (unitless), is the Faraday constant, is the universal gas constant, (in K) is the temperature, and is the electric potential [1, 2]. Combined with the continuity equation
the Nernst–Planck equation describing the evolution of the ionic concentration in time is obtained as
This Demonstration assumes one-dimensional motion to describe the diffusion of ions across a neural membrane. Let denote the direction through the membrane, perpendicular to the surface, where is the width of the membrane, such that and identify the interior and exterior of the neuron. Divide this distance into compartments of width . Furthermore, discretize time into steps such that for and . Let and denote the constant ion concentration and potential in compartment at time step . A finite-difference approximation of the Nernst–Planck equation with zero-flux boundary conditions at the membrane boundaries is,
and for and ,
As parameter values, take the membrane width , the spacing , and the temperature . Assume that the electric field is constant across the membrane; that is, the potential is a linear function of the distance, with a potential set at . The time step is chosen to satisfy the stability criteria obtained by a von Neumann stability analysis [3]
where is the magnitude of the electric field.
Four ion species may be examined, with diffusion constants taken from [1] (Table 10.1) at 25 °C in units of as
Note that these values are approximate, so that the diffusion constant can, in general, vary with temperature and across the membrane. The default values [1] (Table 1.3) of the initial interior concentrations in mM are
and exterior concentrations are
You can vary these values using the sliders that add or subtract a percentage of the default concentrations.
Three initial concentration shapes are possible:
1. The equilibrium shape at the Nernst reversal potential. If the membrane potential is also set to the Nernst reversal potential, the ionic flux is zero and the initial distribution is the equilibrium, indicated by a solid brown line.
2. A linear shape between the interior and exterior concentrations.
3. A delta function shape, with zero initial concentration everywhere across the membrane except the endpoints.
Note finally the connection between the Nernst–Planck equation and the Goldman–Hodgkin–Katz equation, which may be derived as the solution to the first differential equation above for constant ionic current flux.
[1] B. Hille, Ion Channels of Excitable Membranes, 3rd ed., Sunderland, MA: Sinauer, 2001.
[2] C. Koch, Biophysics of Computation: Information Processing in Single Neurons, New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.
[3] Wikipedia. "Von Neumann Stability Analysis." (Sep 23, 2015) en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Von_Neumann _stability _analysis&oldid=674227751.
Finite Difference (Wolfram MathWorld)
Oliver K. Ernst "Electrodiffusion of Ions across a Neural Cell Membrane"
http://demonstrations.wolfram.com/ElectrodiffusionOfIonsAcrossANeuralCellMembrane/
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Oliver K. Ernst
Nernst Equation for Cellular Membranes
Apoorva Mylavarapu
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Gerardo J. Félix-Martínez
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Gillespie's Stochastic Simulation Algorithm for Chemical Reactions
Picard's Method for Ordinary Differential Equations
Distributions Using Slice Sampling
The Hodgkin-Huxley Experiment on Neuron Conductance
Tracking an Object in Space Using the Kalman Filter
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Water from air: ASU professor’s technology produces clean drinking water around the globe
By Chelsea Hofmann, Cronkite News | Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019
Zero Mass Water has arrays in more than 30 countries. Kaitlyn Fitzgerald, brand director at Zero Mass Water, says having hydropanels “means that you know that every time the sun shines, you’re making water.” (Photo by Delia Johnson/Cronkite News)
Thirteen-year-olds Sophia Saenz, left, Celeste Rivas, center, and Hailey Kelley check their math at Copper King Elementary in west Phoenix. Rivas says she always has enjoyed performing arts, but since joining the STEAM Academy, she also likes math and science. (Photo by Delia Johnson/Cronkite News)
Tristan Pongos, 13, works on math problems with Emily Figuroa, 13, at Copper King Elementary School. “I like the adventure part of it, discovering new things,” says Pongos, who wants to pursue a career in science. (Photo by Delia Johnson/Cronkite News)
A partnership between Zero Mass Water and Copper King Elementary in west Phoenix provides students with clean drinking water and teaches them about renewable energy technology. The company’s website states its mission as “making drinking water an unlimited resource.” (Photo by Delia Johnson/Cronkite News)
Zero Mass Water technology collects moisture from the air. The water flows through underground tubes into a fountain in the STEAM classroom at Copper King Elementary. (Photo by Delia Johnson/Cronkite News)
PHOENIX – Students in Copper King Elementary’s STEAM Academy sit in circles for collaborative learning as their instructor reminds them to use their “brain first, notes second, table third.”
A partnership with the Scottsdale startup Zero Mass Water allows these west Phoenix students to explore the off-grid technology behind the company’s “hydropanels,” which use sunlight to pull water from the air. The students also get to drink the water produced by hydropanels on campus.
“It’s important that every single person knows not only what’s in their water, but also where their water comes from and the impact their water has on the local community and on our world as a whole,” said Kaitlyn Fitzgerald, Zero Mass Water’s brand director.
“We’re really trying to teach them to be more aware of how they’re using resources on the planet because they might not be here in their future,” Copper King Elementary School Principal Janine Ambrose says. (Photo by Delia Johnson/Cronkite News)
As global population and temperatures continue to rise, water availability gains urgency. About 3 out of 10 people worldwide do not have access to clean drinking water, according to the World Health Organization, and about half of the global population will be living in areas with water shortages by 2025.
Cody Friesen, an associate professor of engineering and material sciences at Arizona State University, founded Zero Mass Water in 2014. In September, he won the $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize, which “recognizes individuals who translate their ideas into inventions that improve the world in which we live.”
The technology, which requires no water or electricity, uses sunlight and air to create potable water in remote locations and even where humidity is low, as it is in Arizona.
Near the far north wall of Copper King’s expansive campus on West Campbell Avenue, two rows of five hydropanels are arrayed outside the STEAM classroom (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics). Water produced by the panels is piped into the classroom and dispensed from a fountain.
“I’m really filled with optimism when we provide activities and things like this for kids to be involved in,” said Janine Ambrose, principal of Copper King, adding that education needs to be hands-on so it can build confidence and problem-solving skills in students.
The students were taught about the Zero Mass Water technology when they joined the STEAM program, which highlights renewable resources and encourages young people to consider careers in math and science.
Tristan Pongos, 13, fills a bottle using the Zero Mass water fountain at Copper King Elementary. (Photo by Delia Johnson/Cronkite News)
Celeste Rivas, an eighth-grader in the STEAM program, said exposure to technology like the hydropanels has helped her understand the significance of permanent solutions to pressing issues, like water.
“It’s so important because it’s something you can rely on, and it’s, like, it never dies,” Rivas said. “And it’s so healthy for the community and for yourself that you can always go to it.”
Zero Mass Water locally manufactures SOURCE Hydropanels – SOURCE refers to how the panels produce water from sunlight and air – and engages in local and global partnerships in Australia and South Africa. Arrays are in use in more than 30 countries, the company says.
Zero Mass Water’s website states its mission as “making drinking water an unlimited resource.”
A set of two hydropanels, which costs about $6,000, is enough to supply four to six people. The panels generate enough water to fill 300 to 600 standard-size water bottles per month, depending on sun intensity, humidity and other weather conditions.
“Of course the technology is really exciting,” Fitzgerald said, “but it’s the impact on people’s lives and what they do with the technology that we find really inspiring.”
“It’s important that every single person knows not only what’s in their water, but also where their water comes from and the impact their water has on the local community and on our world as a whole,” says Kaitlyn Fitzgerald, brand director for Zero Mass Water. (Photo by Delia Johnson/Cronkite News)
Grant funding from donors is one of the ways the company’s partnerships allow underserved populations to gain access to the technology, she said.
After Hurricane Maria in 2017, Zero Mass Water deployed hydropanels at fire stations in Puerto Rico for use by first responders and the public.
In Australia, which is experiencing serious drought, 80% of the available water is used each year. Patty Mills, a Canberra native who plays for the NBA San Antonio Spurs, recently partnered with Zero Mass Water to bring hydropanels to six indigenous communities.
Fitzgerald said as water scarcity increases, companies should be aware of “the role they fit in the world.”
“As a water company we’re looking at the issues that exist around water – water scarcity, water contamination, infrastructure – and we’re always trying to innovate new ways that the technology we’ve developed is a solution,” she said.
Friesen contributed to an opinion column in The Hill in October and suggested the challenges surrounding water would be easier dealt with one at a time.
“We are lucky to be living at a time when technological advancements are accelerating,” he wrote. “The advent of so much new science in this area means that almost nothing is impossible. If we can apply the global brain trust and the best parts of the human imagination to the global water problem, we can solve it.”
This story is part of Elemental: Covering Sustainability, a multimedia collaboration between Cronkite News, Arizona PBS, KJZZ, KPCC, Rocky Mountain PBS and PBS SoCal.
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Daria Lutskevich ✒ Interview
Daria Lutskevich ✒ Interview https://dautor.ro/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/unnamed-e1572942294695.jpg 534 800 Dautor Dautor https://dautor.ro/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/unnamed-e1572942294695.jpg November 5, 2019 November 5, 2019
Daria Lutskevich, contemporary jewelry designer from Minsk, in an AUTHOR interview – a story about perseverance and passion ⫸ If my life was a piece of jewelry it would be a statement floral pair of earrings, made out of the blackest bog oak ⫸ I think we have brilliant contemporary jewelry creators in Belarus. I wish we could organize some kind of a community to get each other’s support and feedback, to improve our work.
1. We find your work very elegant, soft and beautiful wearable pieces with a twist. How did you start making jewelry? When and why?
It all started in 2011, once I asked my dad to make a jewelry piece out of wood. It was an oak bangle. I did not know a thing about bog oak then. Later, I kept thinking about wooden jewelry and designs just popped in my head. Unfortunately, my dad was not really interested in making jewelry, so here my story actually begins… I started to learn the basics of woodworking myself. At that time, I was studying linguistics at the University in Minsk, so I could not dedicate myself to woodworking regularly (lack of time, lack of working tools and lack of a clear mindset on where and how far I wanted to go with this passion for jewelry design).
I would travel 300 km every other weekend to my native town to get to my parents’ wood-workshop. I learned techniques really slowly, not only for not having time, but also for not having proper equipment; of course, my dad helped a bit. It was also him who brought me my first bog oak sample. Once I saw it and felt it, I knew I wanted to work exclusively with this material. Its color, its texture and its history gave me the inspiration that drives me even now.
2. If your life was a piece of jewelry, how would it be?
If my life was a piece of jewelry it would be a statement floral pair of earrings, made out of the blackest bog oak. The material is hard, but floral shapes make it delicate – just like the contrast of ups and downs in life. The color is black, but it has shades and texture – like the simple things in life that can become complicated and vice versa. And for myself, as a strong supporter of the carpe diem concept, my life would definitely compare to a bog oak piece, as it is several thousand years old material that captures so many moments.
3. You are working with pieces of wood that have a long history. What is it like to give this material a new life? How do you connect with this powerful piece of nature?
I would say I divide my work into producing it and appreciating its existence. While developing a new piece, I am not really thinking of the historical value or the aesthetic one – I am just working on it, concentrating on the result and trying to technically achieve the very image of the piece I have in my mind. Once I have the final shape, I am ready to appreciate it, to appreciate its history. Besides the opportunity of working with this kind of “wearable history”, it feels really great giving people an opportunity to feel and wear it as well. Bog oak’s origin always captivated me – it has this black color after being under the surfaces of the water for centuries – nobody can make it the way nature made it.
4. We talked a lot about beauty, under the concept Beauty never sleeps, at the last edition of AUTOR. What is beauty for you? Where do you find beauty?
Beauty goes far beyond our material world and I think it is something close to happiness: is not what you see, but what you feel. I find beauty in everyday routine – in talking, touching, kissing, listening and creating. I think it’s important to eliminate the boundaries, the clichés of beauty and make it more personal.
5. How will you describe the contemporary Jewelry environment in Minsk, the city where you live and create?
I think we have brilliant contemporary jewelry creators in Minsk, but since individual artists represent the field, there is a lack of professional events and there are many things to improve. I have already thought of bringing some international contemporary jewelry projects to my country, as artists mostly participate in fashion events here or do not participate at all. I wish we could organize some kind of a community to get each other’s support and feedback, to improve our work.
DARIA LUTSKEVICH
GIVEAWAY MATERIA LEATHER FAIR 2019
𝓔𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓵𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 fingerprints on a ring
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Coverage at artDC Gallery
artdc Gallery presents a group exhibition of works that "explore coverage with relationship to the body, geography, and memory. Accumulating gestures and layers, while referencing the passage of time, these artists present works of sculpture, painting, printmaking and drawing. Sabeth Jackson’s work chronicles domestic themes and uses archetypal and culturally charged imagery to communicate emotions and stories. Megan Mueller finds inspiration in the architecture of tents and the lifestyles of the transient to investigate the idea of permission. Samuel Scharf explores the physicality of movement, collection and deconstruction."
Opening Reception: July 17, 2010 - 6pm - 8pm
Artist Lecture: July 24, 2010 - 6pm - 8pm
To Ryan Hackett on being the first DC-area artist to win the Sondheim Prize!
MOCA DC in trouble
Georgetown has never been known for its eroticism. But in the brick courtyard of Canal Square—an upscale piece of real estate nestled between M Street NW and the C&O Canal—gallery owner David Quammen, 70, has carved out a space for the risqué. Since 2005, Quammen’s MOCA DC has exposed Georgetown passersby to paintings of childbirth, photographs of Playboy Bunnies, and sketches of Quammen’s own nude body, all via the gallery’s 12-foot-long front window.
But next month, the gallery may very well shutter its doors over a pair of nipple pasties. Why now? The modesty-preserving devices appeared on the breasts of a live woman, not in a work of art. “I think that having live nudity at an opening reception is akin to having it on the wall,” Quammen says. “But a lot of people don’t like what I do.”
On June 24, the landlord gave MOCA DC a notice to vacate the premises by July 31. Read the City Paper article by Amanda Hess here.
Congratulations to La Furia (Spain), who yesterday won the world's most coveted sports trophy by beating Holland and winning the Jules Rimet World Cup for soccer/football/futbol for the first time in the history of the Kingdom of Spain.
The Spaniards came in as the favorites (they're the current European champions), and after a shocking start (they lost to Switzerland in their opener), moved forward and ended up as the champs.
Next cup is in 2014 in Brazil. Five gets you ten that either Brazil or Argentina will win that one.
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REPRESENT ASIAN | Self-taught jazz pianist Vijay Iyer: a professorship, a MacArthur Fellow and an A4 honoree
9 Oct 2013 Randy Gener1 Comment
Vijay Iyer, jazz musician and 2013 MacArthur Fellow
Jazz musician Vijay Iyer started playing the violin when he was 3, but when he was 4 or 5, he wanted to play another instrument: the piano.
“The piano was around because my sister was taking lessons, and so I just started messing on it and figuring things out little by little,” Iyer told NPR. “I can’t really pinpoint the beginning of it.”
Mainly self-taught, the New York-based jazz composer and pianist performs worldwide with his trio, quartet and quintet, among other groups. His album Historicity topped the 2009 Village Voice Jazz Critics’ Poll, and was one of the most critically acclaimed jazz albums of 2009. His album Solo features original compositions, as well as covers of classic tunes by Duke Ellington and Michael Jackson.
Over the past decade, Iyer has established himself as one of the freshest, most compelling jazz leaders in the field, often collaborating with saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa to combine elements of South Indian classical music with traditional Western jazz. Though he has degrees in both math and physics, Iyer says the mathematical components of his compositions come more from the music of South India than from anything he learned in the classroom.
With academic training in music cognition, Iyer complements his musicianship with writings for both specialist and general audiences that investigate the ever-shifting relationship between culture, perception, and aesthetics. Through his wide-ranging body of work, Iyer is creating a unique voice in diverse musical contexts while reaffirming the place of music not just as entertainment but as an essential part of human society.
This year, Iyer is the recipient of a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship. In January 2014, Iyer will join the Harvard University Department of Music as the Franklin D. and Florence Rosenblatt Professor of the Arts.
Asian American Arts Alliance gala
Iyer will also be honored at the Asian American Arts Alliance’s 31st Anniversary Gala Benefit, which will take place on Tuesday, October 15, 2013 from 6:30 to 9:30pm at TriBeCa Rooftop. Iyer will be honored along with visual artist & fashion designer Richard Tsao.
To promote the gala, the Asian American Arts Alliance recently interviewed Iyer. What follows is their conversation, in which he shares his thoughts on heroes, achievement, and happiness:
Albany, NY.
How long have you been in New York?
I moved to the city 15 years ago.
Who are your heroes in real life?
Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, Mohandas K. Gandhi, Malcolm X, Zakir Hussain, Nina Simone, Jimi Hendrix, M.I.A., Randy Weston, Robin D.G. Kelley, Vijay Prashad, George Lewis, Alice Coltrane, Nelson Mandela…
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Balance. Being in the moment. Transformation. Doing the right thing. Making a difference in people’s lives.
If not you, who would you be?
I’ve already been at least three different people, and hope to become a few more in this lifetime.
Doing what I love, and making it the center of my life.
What is your motto?
Do what you love, and make it the center of your life.
If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
In a just world. You’re all invited.
What are you looking forward to on the night of the Asian American Arts Alliance Gala?
Meeting some amazing people, learning something new about the world, and drinking a little too much.
To purchase tickets for the Asian American Arts Alliance gala, visit http://aaartsalliance.org/page/31st-gala.
Vijay Iyer: Self-Taught Jazz Pianist Goes ‘Solo’ (wnyc.org)
On Vijay Iyer, Kurt Rosenwinkel, HuffPo, greatness, prizes and hype (blogs.ottawacitizen.com)
Vijay Iyer’s ‘Open City’ Performance Reviewed (avantmusicnews.com)
Congratulations to Vijay Iyer, another jazz McArthur Fellow (blogs.ottawacitizen.com)
Considering the Approach before the Aesthetics: Vijay Iyer’s Research and Writings on Jazz (rhythmofstudy.com)
Vijay Eswaran: ‘Stop All Killings’ (prweb.com)
Stormy Mondays | Celebrating Vijay Iyer’s Big Week (jambase.com)
Vijay Iyer On Learning From War (npr.org)
A professorship and a MacArthur (news.harvard.edu)
Vijay Iyer and Jeremey Denk are MacArthur Fellows (avantmusicnews.com)
Music Notes | Musician/composer David Yazbek debuts new monthly series at 92YTribeca
Immigrant artists and scholars in New York tell their tales of struggle, woe and inspiration
13 Apr 2012 Randy Gener
Randy Gener moderates “Advancing Creativity of Artists” at Columbia University’s 2-day Africa arts symposium
DEADLINES | “Inspiring Thailand” photography contest seeks submissions
DEADLINES | Brighton Festival’s caravan seeks UK-based artists, delegates, potential collaborators for 2014 showcase
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Tagged: farmers
The “teal deal” is not going to happen, and it’s not the Greens’ fault
Image from NZ swing voters against dogmatic party affiliated memes
“National and the Greens should work together” sentiment seems to have reached an all-time high. This is not because the two parties have moved closer together in policy or philosophy. It’s because after the election, this is the only way—short of a Nat-Lab grand coalition—to lock Winston Peters out of any role in government.1
I can’t be bothered to list examples because I’m sure you’ve all seen or heard people calling for a blue-green government arrangement (or “teal deal” if you will). Perhaps you’ve even suggested it yourself.2
What I want to talk about is the suggestion that usually comes after “National and the Greens should work together”. This is how former National PM Jim Bolger puts it:
“the Greens might be quietly reflecting on whether they, unique in the world of Green parties, should only link themselves to left-wing politics, whereas the environment is neither left wing or right wing, frankly. The environment is the environment; it’s Mother Earth we’re talking about.”
The idea is that the Greens would be more effective in pushing environmental policy if they stuck to that, and got rid of their insistence on left-wing socio-economic policy. This way, it is suggested, they would have a better chance of being able to find room for compromise and cooperation with National. Other Green parties in countries like Germany have been willing to form coalition governments with right-wing parties.
The Greens’ usual response is to give reasons why environmental justice and socio-economic justice (or environmental sustainability and socio-economic sustainability) are inextricably linked. Ever since they were the Values Party they’ve pushed both, and they don’t intend to stop now.
Another response could be to say that New Zealand is not Germany. Germany has a democratic socialist party called The Left which pushes left-wing policy even if the centre-left parties (the Greens and the SDP) don’t—even if they form grand coalitions with the centre-right. In New Zealand, the Alliance and Mana have disappeared as left voices in Parliament. Moreover, Labour kickstarted neo-liberalism and haven’t really repented from it. Until Labour make a significant change from Clark/Blair-esque compromise to Corbyn-esque social democracy, the Greens are the only party significantly trying to push New Zealand in a leftward direction.
However, both of these responses to the challenge accept the terms of the challenge (like Labour accepted the terms of National’s “dead cat” “fiscal hole” challenge). These responses accept the assumption that it’s the Greens’ left-wing socio-economic stance that blocks them from working with National, and that they’d be able to find common ground on the environment.
However, I don’t think this is correct. Certainly the Greens’ socio-economic stances—making welfare more of a livable UBI and less of a punitive control mechanism; raising tax on the rich and introducing it for property investors; returning the minimum wage to 2/3 of the average wage; reducing imprisonment—are all basically the opposite of what the Key-English government have done. However, I think Bill English is actually more likely to accept these policies than to accept Greens’ environmental policies. If Bill could be convinced these socio-economic policies are good “social investment”, he could get behind them. Of course, he won’t. (This is largely because National’s vision of “social investment” is so limited by a pathologically individualist mindset, and so tantamount to Minority Report in its instinct to control the risk factors rather than healing the determinants.) But it’s not outside the realms of possibility.
The Greens’ environmental policies, on the other hand, would require National to actually seriously challenge farm owners, drilling/mining companies, and other capitalists. Currently the costs of these capitalists’ activities are largely falling on the environment, and therefore on the present and future public. The Greens want to stop these business activities destroying our shared home by preventing and internalising these external costs. They’ll ban some unjustifiably polluting business activities, such as drilling or mining or exploring for more fossil fuels at a time when even burning the fossil fuels already dug up will make the Paris target impossible. They’ll tax other business activities for their pollution—making those who produce the costs pay the costs, instead of externalising them. And they’ll use the tax revenue to clean up the damage and to subsidise farmers and other businesses moving to more sustainable ways of doing business.
Do you really see National doing that? The party whose base is farm owners and other capitalists? The party that think climate change is only an issue for “elites”, and that it’s not a “pressing concern”, and that we should adapt to climate change rather than mitigating it? The party who scaremongered on a small water tax for some big farms that are currently destroying the quality of Aotearoa’s awa and wai?3
So how should the Greens respond to this “helpful suggestion” to the Greens—and this implicit congratulation of National for their supposed hypothetical willingness to “green up”?
Well, I wonder if they should make an offer to National this election: If you let us have our way with the environment, we’ll give you confidence and supply to do everything else you want to do as the Government for the next three years. We’d pass a zero carbon act and introduce the Greens’ policies for actually getting to zero carbon. We’d follow the Greens’ ideas to clean up our rivers instead of pretending National and the “hard-working farmers“4 already have the issue under control. We’d build sustainable transport instead of roads, roads, and more roads.
And maybe we’d have to tax the rich at least a little more to pay for some of this—and/or take slightly longer to repay the Key-era debt. Bill’s choice.
National would refuse this offer. And then maybe people would stop trying to make the teal deal happen. Or at least realise it’s not Green stubbornness stopping it happening. It’s National’s near-total lack of concern for the environment.
Special votes are extremely unlikely to change the basic possibilities. ↑
Someone who can always be bothered finding, listing and summarising examples is my hero Bryce Edwards who has subsequently done one of his legendary political round-ups on the teal deal. ↑
These points I’m making are not new—here‘s basically the same point made three years ago on the No Right Turn blog. ↑
It was shrewd of National to portray criticism of National’s record on rivers as criticism of farmers who are working hard to clean up rivers, because it’s deeply ingrained in the NZ psyche to pretend we’re really farmers at heart. We all lie about being the rural type. ↑
Written by calebmorgan 3 Comments Posted in 2017 NZ election, agriculture, average, balance of power, Bill English, budget, capital gains tax, capitalism, carbon, centre-left, centre-right, climate change, climate change denial, coal, coalition, coalition negotiations, confidence and supply, corrections, dairy farming, debt, drilling, economic growth, economics, economy, environment, environmentalism, farm, farmers, farming, fossil fuels, fracking, gas, Germany, global warming, Green Party, hard right, Helen Clark, ideology, Idiot/Savant, income tax, individualism, investment approach, Jacinda Ardern, James Shaw, Jeremy Corbyn, Jim Bolger, John Key, kingmaker, Labour, Labour party, left wing, living wage, low wages, Metiria Turei, minimum wage, mining, Minority Report, MMP, MMP strategy, National party, No Right Turn, NZ culture, NZ First, NZ First party, NZ history, NZ politics, oil, Paris Agreement, Philip K. Dick, political party, politics, pollution, poverty wages, prison, progressive tax, punishment, queenmaker, regressive tax, right wing, rivers, Roads of National Significance, rural, rural-urban divide, science, social democracy, social investment, social justice, socialism, sociological explanations, sociological imagination, sociology, special votes, Steven Joyce, strategic use of MMP, stubborn, tax, tax cuts, teal deal, The Lemonheads, The Smudge, Tony Blair, trees, UBI, Uncategorized, universal basic income, urban, wages, water, welfare, Winston Peters, Zero Carbon Act Tagged with 2017 NZ election, agriculture, average, balance of power, Bill English, budget, capital gains tax, capitalism, carbon, centre-left, centre-right, climate change, climate change denial, coal, coalition, coalition negotiations, confidence and supply, corrections, dairy farming, debt, drilling, economic growth, economics, economy, environment, environmentalism, farm, farmers, farming, fossil fuels, fracking, gas, Germany, global warming, Green Party, hard right, Helen Clark, ideology, Idiot/Savant, income tax, individualism, investment approach, Jacinda Ardern, James Shaw, Jeremy Corbyn, Jim Bolger, John Key, kingmaker, Labour, Labour party, left wing, living wage, low wages, Metiria Turei, minimum wage, mining, Minority Report, MMP, MMP strategy, National party, No Right Turn, NZ culture, NZ First, NZ First party, NZ history, NZ politics, oil, Paris Agreement, Philip K. Dick, political party, politics, pollution, poverty wages, prison, progressive tax, punishment, queenmaker, regressive tax, right wing, rivers, Roads of National Significance, rural, rural-urban divide, science, social democracy, social investment, social justice, socialism, sociological explanations, sociological imagination, sociology, special votes, Steven Joyce, strategic use of MMP, stubborn, tax, tax cuts, teal deal, The Lemonheads, The Smudge, Tony Blair, trees, UBI, Uncategorized, universal basic income, urban, wages, water, welfare, Winston Peters, Zero Carbon Act
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Dick Jorgensen
O Tomodachi Foreword by David Sanger
Yuko (Friendship Between Nations)
O Tomodachi (Friend)
Photos & Articles
Map of Japan
Reviews of Yuko
Reviews of O Tomodachi
O Tomodachi one page
Dick Jorgensen’s journey to Japan some sixty years ago came at perhaps the most important inflection point in modern Japanese history. Commodore Perry had preceded Dick by exactly a century. The rubble of a bombed Tokyo had been cleared, but modern Japan had yet to emerge. The armistice of the Korean War, which remained improbably in place as Dick wrote his memoir, was barely a year old. No one knew which way Asia would go, which is why he, along with three other young Americans, were chosen for an early exchange program designed to assure that a “Free Asia” did not slip into the hands of Communist powers.O Tomodachi is refreshing reading because it reminds us of a Japan one can scarcely find a trace of in Tokyo these days. A people shockingly welcoming of their conquerors. A city of wooden houses, with their ranma over the door to allow in breezes. A superpower regarded by most Japanese as the region’s benign savior. Much of that is gone today. Japan rose like a rocket in Dick’s time there—tearing down those houses in the race to build the world’s second-largest and most technologically savvy nation—then fell back to earth a generation later.
It is easy, viewing Japan from afar, to see the place in stereotypical terms, a distinctive, insular culture forever struggling to be accepted at once as a Westernized and Asian nation. Dick never fell into that trap. He reminds us of a Japan we can only imagine today, in the mind’s eye and old newsreels. His is a great story of an American’s love affair with a Japan that no longer exists, yet remains the Japan of our longings.
David E. Sanger
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Posts Tagged ‘Jay-Z’
Jonathan Scales Fourchestra releases NEW Album “Character Farm & Other Short Stories” Celebrate at the Emerald Lounge April 1st with Casey Driessen opening the show!
Posted in Asheville, Jonathan Scales Fourchestra, tagged album artwork, album release, artwork, Asheville, Bela Fleck, Casey Driessen, CD release, Character Farm, Character Farm & Other Short Stories, Cody Wright, comic book, comic book graphics, composer, concert, Duane Simpson, Emerald Lounge, entertainment, Fourchestra, Gregory Keyzer, Hallucinations of the Dream Chasers, illustrations, Jaco Pastorius, Jay-Z, Jeff Coffin, jonathan Scales, Jonathan Scales Fourchestra, Kofi Burbridge, Modern Drummer, Muddy Vishnu, music video, musical saga, NC, new cd, new video, One-Track Mind, Othello Molineaux, Phill Bronson, Plot/Scheme, Scales, steel drums, Steel Pan, steelpan, The Longest December, Trinidad & Tobago, Yonrico Scott on March 2, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Jonathan Scales Fourchestra
Casey Driessen opens the show!
Friday, April 1st, 2011
Emerald Lounge
9pm, 21+
$7 cover / $15 gets you a copy of the new album AND ticket
112 N. Lexington Ave.
www.emeraldlounge.com
The steel pan, an amazing musical discovery born in the Caribbean nation of Trinidad & Tobago, is often times associated with sandy beaches, tropical climates, and cruise ships: that’s not exactly what you get at a show by the jazz-fusion quartet, Jonathan Scales Fourchestra. Modern Drummer Magazine recognizes, “… Jonathan Scales makes the pans fit in unconventional musical spaces…” and Jazz Times goes on to state that Scales’ brings forth a “new vitality to the traditional Caribbean instrument… picking up where Othello Molineaux left off 20 years ago with Jaco Pastorius.”
Here you have a classically trained composer turned steel pan maestro and front man of the Fourchestra, Jonathan Scales, heavily influenced by the complexity of banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck to the hustle of Jay-Z. Gritty blues guitarist, Duane Simpson, and fusion-chops bassist, Cody Wright, provide the harmonic support for Scales’ sound, while jazz/hip-hop drummer, Phill Bronson, drives the time-shifting, modern grooves. The cast of Characters hold this mind-bending concoction together with jazz edge and classical sensibility.
The 3rd installment in the Jonathan Scales’ musical saga, Character Farm & Other Short Stories, is a 45-minute dive deeper into the compositionally-twisted work of steel pannist Jonathan Scales. The nine original instrumental “stories” on the album take listeners from the primal Jam We Did to the lush Hallucinations of the Dream Chasers. The title track Character Farm takes the audience into a chilled, ‘worldly’ ride after the frantically emotional The Longest December. Guest appearance on the record include Jeff Coffin (of Dave Matthews Band / Bela Fleck & the Flecktones), Yonrico Scott and Kofi Burbridge (of Derek Trucks Band fame) and the dazzling work of fiddle virtuoso Casey Driessen.
Jonathan Scales has also been busy creating a NEW Music Video for the song Muddy Vishnu from the album shown above. The album is available for pre-sale through the brand new website www.jonscales.com in a variety of options through April 1st. Scales’ also got a lot of fun new merch including a glossy 19 x 13 poster depicting the custom designed comic book graphics illustrating each song with artwork by Gregory Keyzer.
19x13 poster. Full artwork for "Character Farm & Other Short Stories". Illustrations by Gregory Keyzer.
Steel pannist and virtuoso composer, Jonathan Scales, formed his ‘Fourchestra’ in 2007 as a means to deliver his musically complex, but somehow accessible ideas to anyone willing to listen. Since then, Scales has released two well received, full-length works, 2007’s One-Track Mind and 2008’s Plot/Scheme which features the likes of Jeff Coffin (of Dave Matthews Band), Joseph Wooten (of Steve Miller Band), and Jeff Sipe (of Aquarium Rescue Unit). 2011 will usher in Character Farm & Other Short Stories. Scales’ versatility and innovative nature have allowed him to share the stage with acts like The Wooten Brothers Band, Larry Keel & Natural Bridge, The Duhks, Everyone Orchestra, Toubab Krewe, Ben Sollee, Casey Dreissen, and Futureman.
Scales has been called a “…rising star of the steel drums…” by Traps Magazine, while Pan on the Net refers to him as “the Real Deal” and having “A Thelonius Monk-like attitude with a Mozart creativity that works.” When Steel Talks sums it up with, “At the end of the day, Scales is going to be a major play in rewriting the books on steelpan music outside of the box.”
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Category Archives: the merchant of venice was shakespeare an anti-semite?
March 6, 2019 by Dr. Joseph Suglia - 11 Comments
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (Shakespeare) by Dr. Joseph Suglia
CONTRACT, OATH, AND THE LETTER IN THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (Shakespeare)
Was Shakespeare a hater of Jews?
It is impossible to reconstruct the thought processes of dead author, as it is impossible to reconstruct our own thoughts. All we have are the plays. The question, then, ought to be revised:
Is The Merchant of Venice an Anti-Judaic play? There are certainly disobliging and unflattering references to Jews in the text. There are disobliging and unflattering references to Jews in other Shakespeare plays, as well. Confer Much Ado about Nothing and The Two Gentlemen of Verona, for instance.
The frequent charges of Anti-Judaism that have been leveled against The Merchant of Venice perhaps derive from the play’s presentation of a relationship between Jewishness and the calculation of interest, or usury. But more specifically, the play stages a relationship between the making of an oath and the accrual of a debt.
The debt that is owed to Shylock–a “pound of flesh”–is guaranteed by an oath. The pound of flesh is not, according to The Merchant of Venice, a metaphor for money. It refers literally to the flesh “nearest the merchant’s heart”:
And lawfully by this the Jew may claim
A pound of flesh, to be by him cut off
Nearest the merchant’s heart [IV:i].
The oath prevents Shylock from translating the debt into figurative terms, despite Portia’s urgent offer to give him three times the sum (“Shylock, there’s thrice thy money offered thee” [Ibid.]). The debt of the “pound of flesh” must remain literal, not figurative–the phrase must refer to the excised human flesh, not to money.
If Antonio is compelled to liquidate the sum of money owed to Shylock, “the Jew” is not similarly coerced. Portia’s injunction to forgiveness–“Then must the Jew be merciful” [Ibid.]–is groundless according to contract law. There is nothing, no contractual obligation, no force of law that compels Shylock to be merciful and to forgive the debt: “On what compulsion must I? tell me that” (Shylock) [Ibid.]. For the hateful Christian Anti-Judaist, “The Jew” is one who clings to the letter of the law and not the law of forgiveness. Justice and mercy may not coexist. To show mercy would be, according to Shylock, to disregard the letter of the contract. Nothing, according to Shylock, obligates him to forgive the debt or to be merciful. The contract, however, which Shylock follows to the letter, requires repayment of the debt within three months. Such is a way in which Christian Anti-Judaism is staged in The Merchant of Venice.
The law is transcendent and submission to it is mandatory, both for the Christian judge and the Jewish creditor:
It must not be, there is no power in Venice
Can alter a degree established:
’Twill be recorded for a precedent,
And many an error by the same example
Will rush into the state. It cannot be [Ibid.].
If the oath is binding, it is because it is based upon a transcendent law. But what is the source of the transcendent law? What gives it its force? And what compels one to follow it? The law, according to Shylock, has a divine origin:
An oath, an oath, I have an oath in heaven.
Shall I lay perjury on my soul?
No, not for Venice [Ibid.].
And later:
I charge you by the law,
Whereof you are a well-deserving pillar,
Proceed to judgment; by my soul I swear,
There is no power in the tongue of man
To alter me. I stay here on my board [Ibid.].
The law is beyond all human power and representation and demands absolute submission from humanity; it must be followed. Human language, “the tongue of man,” is powerless against it, even though the word of the divine is written in the form of a contract, another instance of “the tongue of man.” Divine law demands absolute fidelity and inscribes itself in the contract which is written in the tongue of man. The contract–again, written in human language–is binding because of its divine provenance. Here we encounter a Shakespearean version of the natural-law argument. The naturalism of the moral law is evident in the contract itself, which “the Jew” knows inside and out, inwendig and auswendig. Both Christian AND Jew are obligated to follow the law of Venice, which is theological in origin.
Portia’s response to all of this theological nonsense is a reductio ad absurdum argument. Dressed in the garb of a man, Portia will take Shylock’s desire for a “pound of flesh” to the limit:
Tarry a little: there is something else.
This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood–
The words expressly are “a pound of flesh”;
Take then thy bond, taken then thy pound of flesh,
But in the cutting it, if thou dost shed
One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods
Are by the laws of Venice confiscate
Unto the state of Venice [Ibid.].
“The Jew,” according to the stupidity of conventional Anti-Judaism (and is there any Anti-Judaism other than the conventional version?), ignores the spirit of the law in favor of the letter. “The words expressly are ‘a pound of flesh’”: By literalizing his statement, Portia is able to undermine Shylock’s project to exact (and extract) from Antonio what these words denote. There is an absolutely unified relationship between words and what they mean. The codicil to the contract will state that “the Jew’s” property and land will be confiscated if the penalty is not carried out to the letter.
Shylock, of course, refuses to carry out the penalty; he refuses to punish the debtor, Antonio. Soon thereafter, the stage direction is given: “Exit Shylock.” Shylock disappears rather early in the play (Act Four: Scene One). The earliness of this disappearance is particularly strange for a Shakespeare play, given that the Shakespearean villain usually remains until the final act. Shylock’s fate will be a forcible conversion to Christianity, thus firming the play’s staging of a vehemently Anti-Judaic stance.
The question still remains unanswered: Is The Merchant of Venice an Anti-Judaic play? My impression is that it is. The Merchant of Venice shows a rabid hatred of Jews, as it stupidly identifies Judaism with literalism and the literalization of metaphors. The Merchant of Venice is about the literalization of the metaphor and the becoming-metaphor of the letter.
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Search: All collections Schools and Disciplines Australian School of Petroleum Business School Elder Conservatorium of Music Law School School of Agriculture, Food and Wine School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences School of Architecture and Built Environment School of Chemical Engineering School of Chemistry and Physics School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering School of Computer Science School of Dentistry School of Earth and Environmental Sciences School of Economics School of Education School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering School of History and Politics School of Humanities School of Mathematical Sciences School of Mechanical Engineering School of Medical Sciences School of Medicine School of Molecular and Biomedical Science School of Nursing School of Paediatrics & Reproductive Health School of Population Health & Clinical Practice School of Psychology School of Social Sciences School of Translational Health Science
2017 Searches for the Zγ decay mode of the Higgs boson and for new high-mass resonances in pp collisions at √s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector Aaboud, M.; Aad, G.; Abbott, B.; Abdinov, O.; Abeloos, B.; Abidi, S.; AbouZeid, O.; Abraham, N.; Abramowicz, H.; Abreu, H.; Abreu, R.; Abulaiti, Y.; Acharya, B.; Adachi, S.; Adamczyk, L.; Adelman, J.; Adersberger, M.; Adye, T.; Affolder, A.; Agatonovic-Jovin, T.; et al.
2017 Measurement of inclusive and differential cross sections in the H → ZZ(*)→ 4ℓ decay channel in pp collisions at √s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector Aaboud, M.; Aad, G.; Abbott, B.; Abdinov, O.; Abeloos, B.; Abidi, S.; AbouZeid, O.; Abraham, N.; Abramowicz, H.; Abreu, H.; Abreu, R.; Abulaiti, Y.; Acharya, B.; Adachi, S.; Adamczyk, L.; Adelman, J.; Adersberger, M.; Adye, T.; Affolder, A.; Afik, Y.; et al.
2017 Evidence for the H→b ̅b ̅ decay with the ATLAS detector Aaboud, M.; Aad, G.; Abbott, B.; Abdinov, O.; Abeloos, B.; Abidi, S.; AbouZeid, O.; Abraham, N.; Abramowicz, H.; Abreu, H.; Abreu, R.; Abulaiti, Y.; Acharya, B.; Adachi, S.; Adamczyk, L.; Adelman, J.; Adersberger, M.; Adye, T.; Affolder, A.; Afik, Y.; et al.
3 Aaboud, M.
3 Abbott, B.
3 Abidi, S.
3 Abraham, N.
3 Abramowicz, H.
3 Abreu, H.
3 Abreu, R.
3 Acharya, B.
3 Adachi, S.
3 Adamczyk, L.
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About Ryan Heller
Edge Kids
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90 Day Tithe Challenge
SHAKE THE CITY
Let us know you're coming and we will roll out the red carpet for you
Champion: Unsinkable Faith: Hebrews 11:7
About This Message
https://s3.amazonaws.com/the-edge/podcasts/pod_18_07_01.mp3
By faith Noah, after being warned about what was not yet seen, in reverence built an ark to deliver his family. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Hebrews 11:7 (CSB)
An Unsinkable Faith Requires Me to…
1. Do The Ordinary Before I can Experience The Extraordinary
These are the family records of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among his contemporaries; Noah walked with God. And Noah fathered three sons; Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Genesis 6:9-10 (CSB)
If you are faithful in the little things, you will be faithful in the large ones.
Luke 16:10 (NLT)
2. Embrace The Unpopular So I Can Become The Influencer
When the Lord saw that human wickedness was widespread on the Earth and that every inclination of the human mind was nothing but evil all the time, the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and he was deeply grieved. Then the Lord said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I created, off the face of the earth, together with the animals, creatures that crawl, and birds of the sky-for I regret that I made them” Noah. However, found favor with the Lord.
Genesis 6:5-8 (CSB)
Then the Lord said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you alone are righteous before me in this generation…So Noah, his wife, and his sons’ wives entered the ark because of the floodwaters.
3. Believe The Improbable Before I Can Do The Impossible
By faith Noah, after he warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family.
Hebrews 11:7a (CSB)
Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it with pitch inside and outside. This is how you are to make it: The ark will be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high… And Noah did this. He did everything that God had commanded him.
Genesis 6:14, 15, 22 (CSB)
Back To All Message Series
In This Series
Champion: Whatever Faith: Hebrews 11:32-40
Champion: The Power Of Everybody: Hebrews 11:30-31
Champion: Time To Decide: Hebrews 11:23-29
Champion: Leaning On The Lord: Hebrews 11:21
Champion: Faith For The Rest Of Us: Hebrews 11:20
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23andMe Compare Traits of Animals and Humans
Learning Objectives: Identify the main topic in the books and retell key details of a…
Elementary School Middle School
23andMe Construct DNA Molecule with LEGOs
Students learn about basic concepts of DNA and the DNA molecule. Objectives: Describe the relationship…
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Students will be introduced to human evolution: from our early beginnings in Africa to the…
The Meaning of a Gene
Lesson Objectives: Follow along and pay attention to the reader as they read You Share…
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» Winter Weather
Winter storms are accompanied by widespread heavy snow, strong winds that can contribute to blizzard conditions, and often a transition zone from snow to rain that may include heavy accumulations of ice contributing to an increased likelihood of long-term power outages.
This visible image from the MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite on Jan. 24 at 1830 UTC (1:30 p.m. EST) shows post-storm snow on the ground across eastern United States.
Credits: NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response
Precipitation remote sensing from the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission can help to map these heavy snowfall rates along with other passive microwave instruments that contribute to the Integrated Multi-Satellite Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) product, helping to fill gaps internationally where ground based networks may be lacking. Following significant winter storms that contribute to widespread ice accumulation and power outages, unique observations from the Suomi National Polar Orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Day-Night Band can contribute to the remote sensing of changes in light emission from the surface, helpful for monitoring power outages and longer-term recovery. In addition, land surface remote sensing from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard Terra and Aqua, VIIRS from Suomi-NPP, Landsat-7 and Landsat-8, and other platforms can leverage their multispectral imaging capabilities to map the geographic extent of snow, helpful for mapping the extent and duration of snow cover on the ground.
In some scenarios, mapping snow cover and change is critical, as rapid snow melt in the spring season can contribute to additional streamflow, runoff, and flooding, particularly when combined with heavy springtime rainfalls. These imagers can also be used to map ice cover and ice jams that contribute to upstream river flooding and impacts on river transport. In these cases, other remote sensing techniques can be applied to map flood water and extent, including application of synthetic aperture radar to provide a higher resolution depiction of flood water and extent, particularly in vegetated or urban areas and regions that remain affected by cloud cover.
View NASA Earth Data Products for Severe Storms
Eastern US Blizzard January 2016
2016 Blizzard by Moonlight
A massive winter storm system pummeled the eastern United States in late January 2016, with two low-pressure systems merging into a potent nor’easter that dropped heavy snow from Virginia to New England. By late afternoon on Jan. 23, snowfall totals were approaching records in several states, and hurricane-force winds were battering the coastlines and leading to serious flooding. The storm was expected to continue through the morning of Jan. 24. The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer...
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Public Meetings & Minutes
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Home Latest News DSWA’s Lynsey Kocenko Named to Waste360’s First Annual 40 Under 40 Award List
DSWA’s Lynsey Kocenko Named to Waste360’s First Annual 40 Under 40 Award List
The Delaware Solid Waste Authority and its Board of Directors are pleased to announce that Lynsey B. Kocenko, P.E., BCEE has been named to the Waste360’s first annual 40 Under 40 awards list, which showcases the next generation of leaders in the waste and recycling space who are shaping the future of the industry.
Ms. Lynsey B. Kocenko, P.E., BCEE is a civil engineering professional with thirteen (13) years’ experience in the solid waste management field. She received her Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from the University of Delaware in May 2006 and her Masters of Civil Engineering with a concentration in Geotechnical Engineering (Cum Laude) in May 2011. Ms. Kocenko became certified as a Professional Engineer in Civil Engineering from the Delaware Association of Professional Engineers in July 2011 and became a Board Certified Environmental Engineer from the State of Delaware American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists in October 2014. Her background includes experience in geotechnical engineering, environmental regulations, permitting, landfill and solid waste systems design, construction and operation. She is the Facility Manager at the Cherry Island Landfill, Pigeon Point Landfill and Pine Tree Corners Transfer Station with the Delaware Solid Waste Authority.
Ms. Kocenko has been a SWANA member for more than ten years and currently serves on the Young Professional Steering Committee as the International Board Representative and Secretary and is also the Landfill Management Division Young Professional Representative. She also serves on the Landfill Management Awards, Rules and Regulations, and Training Committees. Ms. Kocenko is very involved in SWANA’s national events and has been a Proctor, Moderator, Emcee, Ignite Presenter, and Awards Presenter. Ms. Kocenko is a SWANA certified Manager of Landfill Operations.
Ms. Kocenko is also a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and American Academy of Environmental Engineers where she serves on the Qualifications Based Selection Committee. She is also an International Solid Waste Association Young Professional Member. She is a Women in Engineering Mentor for the University of Delaware and a guest lecturer at the University of Delaware and Villanova University.
“We are passionate about the waste, recycling and organic industry and we believe our list of winners will make a significant mark on our industry,” said Waste360 Editorial Director, David Bodamer. “We congratulate all of the professionals we’ve recognized, and we look forward to watching them chart the course for the industry in the years to come.”
The Waste360 40 Under 40 awards program recognizes inspiring and innovative professionals under the age of 40 whose work in the waste, recycling and organics industry has made a significant contribution to the industry. The winners are involved in every part of the waste and recycling industry, including haulers, municipalities, composters, recycling professionals, policy makers and product suppliers.
“We are extremely proud of Lynsey, she is a talented engineer and a natural leader with a very bright future.” said DSWA Chief Operating Officer, Robin Roddy
A panel of expert judges from Waste360 evaluated the nominations and consulted with an external advisor to select the finalists and winners.
Ms. Kocenko will be formally recognized at WasteExpo, North America’s largest solid waste, recycling and organics industry event in June.
For more information about DSWA our programs or facilities, please contact the Citizens’ Response Line 1-800-404-7080 or visit www.dswa.com.
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2015 PG-13 2h 1m Blu-ray / DVD
Based on a true-life tale of death and survival on the world's tallest mountain, this epic adventure tracks the fate of two climbing parties that become trapped when a savage snowstorm engulfs the summit of Mount Everest.
Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, John Hawkes, Robin Wright, Emily Watson, Keira Knightley, Sam Worthington, Jake Gyllenhaal
Action & Adventure, Deadly Disasters
Exciting, Gritty, Dark
English SDH, French, Spanish (Neutral)
English: Dolby Digital 5.1, English: DVS - Descriptive Video Service, Spanish (Neutral): Dolby Digital 5.1, French: Dolby Digital 5.1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio, English: DVS - Descriptive Video Service, Spanish (Neutral): Dolby Digital 5.1, French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Parents need to know that Everest is a disaster film based on the actual events of May 10, 1996 -- which was then considered the deadliest day on the mountain, claiming eight lives, including those of experienced guides. Viewers will feel intense, harrowing peril as the climbers attempt the summit and then descend during an unexpected blizzard. And scenes of characters dying and succumbing to the elements are viscerally upsetting. There are a couple of scenes of adults drinking, some mild language ("damn," "Jesus" as an exclamation), and plenty of high-end alpine gear on display. For those who are old enough to remember the disaster, the movie feels tragic from the start. But ultimately this is a moving story about the risks involved in reaching your dream -- and how sometimes helping someone else can come at a huge risk to your own safety.
Disturbing scenes when the climbers are in danger, start hallucinating due to oxygen deprivation, and even fall off the mountain. Moments of intense peril and scenes in which characters look dead and are covered in snow and frostbite.
"Damn," "hell," "stupid," "Jesus," "God" (as exclamations).
Explores issues of life and death, asking hard, worthwhile questions: When is a dream worth risking your life, and when is it OK to abandon morality and save yourself -- or to stand by someone even if it could cost you your safety? A strong support system -- a loving family, an enthusiastic community -- can help fuel your dreams. Also brings up questions about the ethics surrounding guided expeditions.
Mountaineering requires gear, and most of the alpine gear (snow suits, parkas, hats, etc.) in the movie have visible logos: Patagonia and The North Face in particular, but also Marmot, Mountain Hardwear, Helly Hansen. Starbucks and Gatorade, Frosted Flakes, and Mrs. Butterworth also make an appearance.
Adults drink at dinner and at base camp. In one scene, a group toasts vodka in Russian.
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Home South Carolina Hilton Head Island
iMapMyRUN: Jul 8, 2011 4:31 PM
Hilton Head Island, SC, United States
ritathome Best Time: 14:37
This is a 2.11 mi Other in Hilton Head Island, SC, United States. The Other has a total ascent of 0.23 ft and has a maximum elevation of 48.16 ft. This route was created by ritathome on 07/08/2011. View other Others that ritathome has done or find similar maps in Hilton Head Island.
An e-mail has been sent to your address with a link to the map. Click the link on your phone to load the MapMyFitness app and do this route.
Similar Hilton Head Island, SC, United States Other
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DZone > Java Zone > Lines of Code is a Bad Metric, Either Way
Lines of Code is a Bad Metric, Either Way
The Dropbox team had a post explaining their decision to use CoffeeScript instead of JavaScript and, in particular, re-writing their existing codebase in CoffeeScript. In case you are unfamiliar with CoffeeScript, it is a language that compiles down into JavaScript, so you have the option to do new development in CoffeeScript while retaining your previous code in JavaScript. It is more succinct and has language features that avoid some of the pitfalls of JavaScript. Recently, CoffeeScript has seen more competition with the release of Google’s Dart and Microsoft’s TypeScript, though each of these languages approaches things from a different angle. TypeScript tries to provide a static typing environment for programmers used to .Net, while CoffeeScript embraces the dynamic nature of JavaScript, while providing idioms that simplify programming.
The drive behind finding an alternative to JavaScript programming for convenience and power has been going on for several years and includes Java applets, server-side code that outputs JavaScript and so on. An important reason is the lack of cross-browser support for newer releases of JavaScript. Take a look at the JavaScript page on Mozilla or the features in JavaScript 1.8 and think about how many of those features you can (actually cannot!) use in a website open to the general public. Even Google Chrome, with its rapid releases, is far behind on supporting new language features. One way to get around this is the library approach, using tools such as JQuery, and Underscore. But if you are interested in having more power at the language level itself, libraries are of limited help. And CoffeeScript offers a compelling solution.
If you have already been doing significant JavaScript coding and are aware of the good and bad JS parts, CoffeeScript can take some time getting used to. Unlike a language like C# which built many functional paradigms on top of existing syntax, CoffeeScript got rid of JavaScript tokens like semi-colons, curly brackets, etc. and introduced words to replace symbols as operators, as well as significant whitespace, making the syntax look foreign to a JS programmer. This “war on semi-colons” seems suspiciously like making life easier for Ruby and Python web programmers than for existing JavaScript developers. Having said that, with the significant benefits that CoffeeScript offers over JavaScript (especially with avoiding gotchas), adjusting to the new syntax seems worth it.
I did find this from the Dropbox post simplistic:
In the process of converting, we shaved off more than 5000 lines of code, a 21% reduction. Granted, many of those lines looked like this:
[lots of lines with only brackets and semi-colons]
Regardless, fewer lines is beneficial for simple reasons — being able to fit more code into a single editor screen, for example.
Measuring reduction in code complexity is of course much harder, but we think the stats above, especially token count, are a good first-order approximation.
It is instructive that the only reason for fewer lines actually provided is being able to see more of the code (which may be important for you!) This is the reverse of the old project manager’s method of measuring programmer productivity by using lines of code written. The argument against, rightly, was that writing more LOC was simply a measure of how much you typed, and not how quality code you wrote. A strict use of LOC as a metric could introduce dysfunctional dynamics through people inflating their LOC by not refactoring their code properly and creating future maintenance problems.
But this doesn’t mean that fewer LOC automatically translates into quality code. There is a general truth that one line not written translates into one line not having potential bugs. But when you are replacing multiple lines of code with a single line, you are sometimes not eliminating those bugs. You are just bringing all potential bugs into one line. To give an example, if you replace an “if-else” statement with an “?” operator, you are reducing 5 lines of code with one statement. But you didn’t eliminate any bug. You just folded them together.
Another case is where you eliminate intermediate variables and roll them into a final statement, which looks especially neat if you can get a fluent interface going on. The problem is that each section of a chained statement can fail at runtime and so you need to have many more lines simply to ensure that the code works as intended or fails gracefully. Any serious code base will always have a significant percentage of code (and libraries) for error-checking and resilience.
Another instance is when you reduce code by moving duplicated code to common classes or methods. This seems like a sure-fire way of reducing huge chunks of code. But centralized code with global side effects can be dangerous because they can be called from any place in your code base. So you need to have a good state machine (and good scoping) to ensure that the code is not executed at inappropriate times.
People also tend to forget that a vast portion of the code is not in the code you write, but in the libraries that you use. One aspect is that the total LOC is way more than the LOC usually counted. But another aspect is that people shouldn’t be counting some of the LOC they write. For example, if you have written a bunch of code that is reusable and tested (both in test and production environments), then for all intents and purposes, that is code equivalent to an external library.
What I am trying to get at is that in the twenty thousand lines of Dropbox code, a huge percentage of code is already tested and working. Nobody even looks at much of the code, because it has a clear API. Unless there is a fundamental change to the architecture or there needs to be a significant improvement in its performance, that code won’t be touched. So why count them? The code you should count is the code that is in play. This figure should be kept small, but not only by reducing what is written, but also moving them into code libraries that can be tested and forgotten.
Published at DZone with permission of Krishna Kumar , DZone MVB. See the original article here.
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Review: Black Panther Is One Of Marvel's Best Ever Movies (Non-Spoiler)
By Damian Seeto
There has been some criticism towards more recent MCU movies for them forcing too many jokes or having formulaic storytelling. Thankfully, Black Panther breaks the cookie cutter mold to bring audiences a much more different experience.
Even though I enjoyed 2017's MCU movies such as Spider-Man: Homecoming and Thor: Ragnarok, they were too comedic for some people.
The only MCU movie I disliked last year was Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 because I felt the story was cliche and it forced in too many unfunny jokes.
Even as far back as 2015 and 2016, MCU movies were starting to feel the same.
It can be argued that both Ant-Man and Doctor Strange had similar plot telling tropes as the first Iron Man film because they were all origin stories.
Thankfully, Black Panther is a much more different Marvel film that does not feel like its MCU cousins.
It's not the usual origin story movie and nor does it force in too much unwanted humor. It's actually a blend of many movie genres put into one.
I do not want to spoil anything about the story because it's best to watch this film with an open mind. The trailers were smart as they did not reveal any big events that happen in the movie whatsoever.
What I will say is that Black Panther touches upon many different themes mostly to do about power and governments.
Since the main character T'Challa / Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) is now a King, he has to decide what's best for the country of Wakanda.
The film touches upon some modern social issues which is very powerful and meaningful. The film is also very respectful to the African heritage and culture even though Wakanda is a fictional nation.
That said, Wakanda looks awesome on the big screen and Black Panther is by far one of the most beautiful films you will ever see in the MCU portfolio.
Even when the film goes to South Korea at night, the lighting effects look great.
In terms of the cast, everyone is decent as Boseman is a likable hero as T'Challa. Michael B. Jordan is also one of the best MCU villains of all time thanks to a meaningful backstory. Not to mention he fights like a badass when he becomes "Killmonger".
However, my favorite cast member is Letitia Wright who plays T'Challa's little sister named Shuri. She reminds me of Rihanna as she's very funny, and also serves as T'Challa's personal gadget maker.
Shuri is like Q from the James Bond series and it's funny to see her interactions with her brother. There are also a lot of cool looking warrior women too that help out Black Panther in the action packed finale.
Speaking of action, this movie has a great pace and I was never bored while watching it. Every scene has a purpose that further shows how conflicted each character is in this movie whether they are both good or bad.
I also admired how this film gets inspiration from lots of other films. I saw essences of The Dark Knight, James Bond, The Lion King and even Wonder Woman in this movie.
Overall, Black Panther is by far one of the best films in the MCU and you should watch it even if you usually don't like Marvel films.
It's a more serious and meaningful film that you are unlikely to forget in the weeks to come.
Verdict: 5/5 stars
Wanna read more on this? Check these out: Avengers: Endgame Blu-ray Release Date And Special Features Announced (more); Captain Marvel Flies To The Top Of The Box Office (more); Review: Captain Marvel Soars Into Cinemas (more); Early Rotten Tomatoes Rating Revealed For Captain Marvel (more).
And here are some more related articles: Hot Toys Reveals Awesome Looking Captain Marvel Figure (more); Spider-Man: Far From Home Trailer Breaks New Record For Sony Pictures (more); You Can Now Watch The First Spider-Man: Far From Home Trailer (more).
A few more: First Spider-Man: Far From Home Synopsis Revealed (more); First Avengers 4 Trailer Shows How Bleak The Universe Is (more).
Marvel Studios/Disney
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Marking one of Apple's first forays into Android development, Apple Music brings the company's impressive musical catalog to Android. The app is built around Apple's subscription-based streaming service, which dishes up all-you-can-listen music for $9.99 per month, or just $4.99 for eligible students. It suffers a bit on Android for being divorced from the Apple ecosystem, however.
TickTick isn’t as popular as other to-do list apps. However, it may be the best one. It covers the basics like recurring tasks, reminders, push notifications, various organizational features, and categories. The app also lets you share tasks and entire categories with other people. This makes it great for family use, small teams at work, or other such groups. It’s also great for stuff like grocery lists. The to-do list app is full of excellent choices, like Todoist or more professional options like Asana or Trello. However, TickTick just seems to strike that perfect balance of functional while still being easy to use. Todoist is perhaps the most fashionable option because it’s a lot flashier. However, it hides all reminders behind a paywall and TickTick doesn’t. Sorry, Todoist! New Droid Apps
Mint is a fantastic online service to keep track of your finances, and it really shines on Android. Once you've entered all your information, you can easily check up on your finances on the fly. Mint keeps you on track for your goals and a new bill paying feature make sure that you never miss a payment. Be sure to try out the app's excellent widgets, too.
If you're traveling within a major metropolitan area via either public transportation or personal vehicle, Citymapper can plan all your trip details. It has transit information for dozens of major U.S. cities and international hotspots in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Further, it offers multiple transportation options for each city, so if you feel like taking the ferry to work one morning, there's nothing stopping you. Its top features include Commute, which lets you set up your daily travel to and from work, and an alert system that uses natural language to describe service delays or cancellations. New Droid Apps
Faxing isn't dead quite yet, but fax machines can safely be left behind thanks to online fax services. Fax.Plus's app is well designed and easy to use. It notably offers a digital signature tool and a contact manager. We like how mobile fax apps allow users to snap a picture of an attachment, attach a fax cover sheet, and send a fax off to a recipient in a few quick actions. Fax.Plus makes this process seamless.
All you need is to hold your Android device close to the source of the song, and after a few seconds, the app will accurately detect the song. Besides, you can also play songs and add them to Spotify playlists, buy songs in Google Play Music with one tap, connect your Facebook account, etc. If you are a musicophile, this Android app is a must-have for you. Android App
TickTick isn’t as popular as other to-do list apps. However, it may be the best one. It covers the basics like recurring tasks, reminders, push notifications, various organizational features, and categories. The app also lets you share tasks and entire categories with other people. This makes it great for family use, small teams at work, or other such groups. It’s also great for stuff like grocery lists. The to-do list app is full of excellent choices, like Todoist or more professional options like Asana or Trello. However, TickTick just seems to strike that perfect balance of functional while still being easy to use. Todoist is perhaps the most fashionable option because it’s a lot flashier. However, it hides all reminders behind a paywall and TickTick doesn’t. Sorry, Todoist!
Grammarly Keyboard corrects your grammar and spelling errors as you type. This keyboard is useful for everything from writing emails to composing social media posts to editing long-form documents. In use, Grammarly makes it easy to accept changes or access a card-based interface with more in-depth explanations of an error. It also offers a good number of visual customizations, such as a choice between a light or dark theme options and the keyboard height, as well as editing options, such as auto-correction and capitalization preferences.
With its huge inventory of music, Spotify has become a mainstay for free, legal music streaming. You can shuffle through smartly selected songs, find your favorite albums, or explore one of the service's excellent playlists. Close ties with artists means that new tracks are sometimes available the same day they hit the shelves in record shops. Those still exist, right? Spotify also offers a limited free version. Android App
At its core, Any.do is a list manager. You can quickly create a shopping list and have it synced among your devices and even share the list with others. The app also doubles as a task manager, keeping you on top of what needs to be done. This very capable app sports many features, but we particularly like one called the Any.do Moment, which encourages you to take a second and review your plans for the day. Lists are one thing, but building good productivity habits is quite another. Droid App
You’ll find a huge repository of free apps here for various platforms including Android. GetJar is fairly basic, but apps are divided into categories and sub-categories within the store to make it easier to find what you want. You’ll also find likes or dislikes and comments on each app from users. GetJar can also connect with Facebook. On the downside, you will encounter sponsored recommendations, but they are clearly marked. Droid App
While the selection on Amazon Prime Now may not be as good as what you find on Amazon, the upshot is free delivery within two hours. If you’re in a real time crunch, some products and locations offer one-hour delivery available for a small fee. With Amazon’s recent acquisition of Whole Foods, Amazon Prime Now even offers a decent selection of groceries. Droid Apps
Game-streaming platforms and subscriptions are all the rage right now, with big-name players such as Apple (Arcade), Google (Stadia), and Microsoft (xCloud) all recently launching some sort of effort. Steam Link (still in beta) allows you to play games from your Steam library directly from your Android phone, with the caveat that both your PC and mobile device must be connected to the same network. Check out our guide on how to stream games on your Android or iOS device. Droid App
Twitch is the best way to watch people play games or pursue their creative hobbies on your mobile device. From eSports to cooking to music and more, there's likely some content on Twitch that everyone can enjoy. If you are feeling generous, you can also support your favorite creators directly from the app. Twitch Prime members can also claim free games and in-game loot each month. Droid App
Over the years, the experience of Star Wars™ has always lived on screen and in our imaginations. The characters, worlds, and adventures have become an unforgettable part of our lives, and toys have kept that magic in our hearts long after we’ve left the theater. Thanks to advancements in technology, it is now possible to bring a new part of Star Wars: The Force Awakens™ into your home in an incredibly authentic way. For the first time, a real Droid™ is finally making its way into your world.
Initially, we weren’t going to put any launchers on this list. Nova Launcher seems to be extend beyond what normal launchers are. It’s been around for years, it’s been consistently updated, and thus it’s never not been a great option for a launcher replacement. It comes with a host of features, including the ability to backup and restore your home screen set ups, icon theming for all of your Android apps, tons of customization elements for the home screen and app drawer, and more. You can even make it look like the Pixel Launcher if you want to. If you go premium, you can tack on gesture controls, unread count badges for apps, and icon swipe actions. Those looking for something simpler may want to try Lawnchair Launcher, Hyperion Launcher, and Rootless Launcher as well.
Textra is an excellent alternative to Messages on Android. The app includes tons of visual customization options that you won't find with the stock messaging app, including custom contact colors, text bubble styles, and notification icons. Additionally, you get extra features such as text scheduling, the ability to blacklist contacts, and the option to rename group conversations. Textra also has excellent light and dark modes. New Droid Apps
IFTTT, which stands for "if this, then that," helps you create custom automations between various online services and devices without any coding experience. The mobile app makes it simple to set up these Applets (previously called recipes) on your own or implement any of the community-created ones. IFTTT is particularly great for controlling smart home devices.
If you work on your phone, this app might be for you. Clipboard Manager essentially allows you to see all the text that you’ve copied recently, meaning that even if you copy over something with new text, you’ll still be able to go back and access the original text. The app is available for free, but there is a paid “Pro” version that does away with adds. Droid App
Bouncer was our pick for the best new Android app from 2018. It’s a security app with a unique premise. The app lets you grant temporary permissions to applications. So, for instance, you can let Facebook access your location long enough to check into a place, and Bouncer disables the permission once you leave Facebook. This is a great way to use all of the features of a social media app without digging into your settings to disable those permissions or giving those apps permanent access to your information. The app runs for $0.99 and should work on most (if not all) apps. It’s rumored that this could be an Android Q feature. If that’s true, then even Google really likes this app. New Droid Apps
There are many more alternative Android app stores out there, but most of them have small user bases. For developers, it’s always worth trying to widen the net and offer your apps in as many places as possible, but some of the smaller options might not be worth the time and effort. For users seeking apps, the apps available on the stores beyond those discussed above are limited. If a store doesn’t offer some unique hook to pull you in, then it’s tough to see why you’d bother.
There are lots of ways to pay for things with your phone. But Venmo has a smart mixture of clean design, ease of use, and social functions that give it an edge. It doesn't do much, but it does let you easily send and receive payments from friends. And unlike other payment systems, it has momentum. It's usually the app people ask about when the group is splitting up the check. Droid Apps
Of course the official app store of Android, Google Play is the top spot for finding the latest and greatest Android apps (as well as books, movies, music and more) but there are also other third-party app stores on Android as well that advanced users have come to appreciated. For most however, Google Play will have everything you need, and we'll always make sure you know what to download.
Let's be honest: Tasker is very intimidating. But we recognize that this is perhaps the most powerful app available in Google Play. With it, you can script basic actions for your Android to perform when specific conditions are met—like flash the LED when you receive a text message. Learning to use something this powerful can be tricky, but the rewards seem worth it. Droid Apps
The very specific focus of F-Droid is to offer free and open source software (FOSS) Android apps. It’s basic, but apps on the store are categorized, and the list is searchable. You’ll find a big selection of free apps here, all of which promise no tracking, no ads, and no dependencies. It’s worth checking out for free apps, especially if you support the open source movement. Android App
Requires iOS 8.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad Wi-Fi (3rd generation), iPad (3rd generation) Wi‑Fi + Cellular, iPad Wi-Fi (4th generation), iPad (4th generation) Wi‑Fi + Cellular, iPad mini Wi-Fi, iPad mini Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air, iPad Air Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 2 Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air 2, iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 3 Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini 4, iPad mini 4 Wi-Fi + Cellular, 12.9-inch iPad Pro, 12.9-inch iPad Pro Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro (9.7‑inch), iPad Pro (9.7-inch) Wi‑Fi + Cellular, iPad (5th generation), iPad (5th generation) Wi‑Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro (12.9‑inch) (2nd generation), iPad Pro (12.9‑inch) (2nd generation) Wi‑Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro (10.5‑inch), iPad Pro (10.5-inch) Wi‑Fi + Cellular, iPad (6th generation), iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (6th generation), iPad Pro (11-inch), iPad Pro (11-inch) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro (12.9-inch), iPad Pro (12.9-inch) Wi‑Fi + Cellular, iPad mini (5th generation), iPad mini (5th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air (3rd generation), iPad Air (3rd generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, and iPod touch. New Droid Apps
Uber certainly has its problems. Between its questionable business tactics and its bad press, it's understandable to be suspicious. But the truth is that if you're looking for a way to get a ride, regardless of what city you're in, Uber will be there. You can even use it to order food in some areas. A great feature: You can request a wheelchair-accessible vehicle through Uber. Android App
There are a lot of apps out there that pay lip service to security and privacy, but Signal was built from the ground up with the goal of letting people easily communicate without having to worry about being overheard. The Signal app is a complete phone and SMS client replacement (though it works just fine as a standalone app, too) for sending and receiving encrypted calls and messages. A recent update has greatly improved the app's look and feel, proving that security and usability don't have to be at odds. New Droid Apps
If you are seeking an alternative app store because you find the Play Store overwhelming and difficult to search, then we have another solution to suggest. You could try an app that’s designed to improve the app discovery process and aid you in finding the content you want, but that still ultimately plugs into the Play Store to download and install apps and games. Android App
Slack has gone from the new hotness, to controversial productivity tool, to essential office tool faster than you can say "hot take." With a familiar, instant messenger feel, it's easy to get started with Slack. But the service became popular because of its wealth of advanced features, like customizable alerts and a Do Not Disturb function. You can even host VoIP calls through Slack with your coworkers. A free account will get you started, but a monthly fee unlocks even better search tools. And be sure to install the Giphy plugin for maximum productivity. New Droid Apps
Google Photos puts the search giant's powerful (and sometimes creepy) image magic into your phone. It can identify faces, even as they age over decades, as well as animals, places, or objects. You can also search for photos from specific dates or locations. The impressive built-in Assistant can detect clutter or even create collages or animations on its own. The app is rounded out with editing tools and unlimited cloud storage if you make some minor compromises on upload quality. Google Photos also extends to photo prints; you can digitize physical photos with the built-in Photo Scan or even order a custom photo book. The companion Google Lens app can even report back information related to your images or photos by scanning them. Android App
LastPass is one of those must-have Android apps. It’s a password manager that lets you save your login credentials in a safe, secure way. On top of that, it can help generate nearly impossible passwords for you to use on your accounts. It’s all controlled with a master password. It has cross-platform support so you can use it on computers, mobile devices, tablets, or whatever. There are others, but LastPass always feels like it’s one step ahead. Additionally, the premium version is cheap. You can also grab LastPass Authenticator to go along with it for added security. There are other great options like 1Password, Dashlane, Bit Warden, KeepassDroid, and others that are just about as good. However, LastPass feels a little more friendly and secure (usually), especially with its extra authenticator app. Android App
With millions of apps on the Play Store, searching for the best among them is daunting. Whether you need a great weather app or a new tool to speed up your productivity, there are always dozens available. We’ve spent hours curating the top Android apps for every purpose, and compiled only the best of them into one list. We've just added a mobility section for the best apps from getting you from A to B in 2019. Android App
And we, in turn, can help guide you to some of our favorite apps. We can't cover everything. But we'll strive to bring you the best of the best. With new apps arriving every day, it may be hard to keep up with the latest and greatest — but not to worry. Here is where we'll keep all of the top apps we come across — from launchers to podcast apps to music players and more — so you'll never have to dig too deep to find the best apps right now.
The library is an often-overlooked public resource (and some are modernizing quickly), but OverDrive brings it back into the fold with the newly redesigned, Libby. Supported by over 30,000 libraries worldwide, the app lets you access your local library's array of available ebooks and audiobooks. Use it to download titles, place holds on titles not yet available, and consume your borrowed content. The only requirement is a library card (or its digital equivalent). Droid Apps
You cannot compile a list of the best apps for movies and TV without mentioning Netflix. The service is a social and cultural phenomenon, and the Netflix app is really rather decent. The selection is enormous and the streaming quality is excellent. The biggest advantage of it has over its rivals, however, is the ever-increasing selection of exclusive content and Netflix Originals movies and TV shows. You'll need a paid account to watch though, of course. Android App
GetJar’s clever draw is to offer premium apps to users for free to generate traffic, and then monetize that traffic with advertising dollars. App developers considering GetJar might be tempted by the virtual currency tie-ins, and the option to target new users with different kinds of promotions. Be warned, though, the submission process might take a while.
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Mark Dery | Essays
Dawn of the Dead Mall
Dixie Square Mall, Harvey, IL, 2009. Photo: Jon Revelle
Dead malls, according to Deadmalls.com, are malls whose vacancy rate has reached the tipping point; whose consumer traffic is alarmingly low; are “dated or deteriorating”; or all of the above. A May 2009 article in The Wall Street Journal, “Recession Turns Malls into Ghost Towns,” predicts that the dead-mall bodycount “will swell to more than 100 by the end of this year.” Dead malls are a sign of the times, victims of the economic plague years.
The multitiered, fully enclosed mall (as opposed to the strip mall) has been the Vatican of shiny, happy consumerism since it staked its claim on the crabgrass frontier — and the public mind — in postwar America. The nation’s first enclosed shopping mall, the Southdale Center, opened its doors in Edina, outside Minneapolis, in 1956. Southdale was the brainchild of the Los Angeles– based architect (and Viennese refugee from the Anschluss) Victor Gruen. A socialist and former student of the modernist designer Peter Behrens, Gruen saw in the covered mall a Vision of Things to Come.
Burdick Mall, Kalamazoo, MI, designed by Victor Gruen, 1959. Photo from www.rootsweb.com
In his dreams, Southdale would be the nucleus of a utopian experiment in master-planned, mixed-use community, complete with housing, schools, a medical center, even a park and lake. It was all very Gropius-goes-Epcot. None of those Bauhausian fantasies came to pass, of course. (Do they ever?) On the bright side, Southdale did have a garden court with a café. And a fishpond. And brightly colored birds twittering in a 21-foot cage. Reporting on the opening, Architectural Record made it sound like the Platonic Ideal of Downtown — what downtown would be “if downtown weren’t so noisy and dirty and chaotic.” A town square in a bell jar: modern, orderly, spanking clean.
But it wasn’t Gruen’s Mad Men take on the Viennese plazas he remembered so fondly that made his Ur-mall go viral. Developers liked the way Gruen used architecture to socially engineer our patterns of consumption. His goal, he said, was to design an environment in which “shoppers will be so bedazzled by a store’s surroundings that they will be drawn — unconsciously, continually — to shop.” (Remember, Gruen was from Freud’s Vienna, where psychoanalysis was a growth industry.)
Newspaper ad for Dixie Square Mall, 1966. Photo from Pleasant Family Shopping.
Until Southdale, shopping centers had been “extroverted,” in architectural parlance: store windows faced outward, toward the parking lot, as well as inward, toward the main concourse. Southdale’s display windows were visible to the mall crawler only; from the outside, it was a blank box, blind to its suburban surroundings — the proverbial “world in miniature, in which customers will find everything they need,” as Walter Benjamin put it in his Arcade Projects description of the proto-malls of 19th-century Paris. In Gruen's galleria, shopping becomes a stage-managed experience in an unreal, hermetically sealed environment, where consumer behavior can (in theory, at least) be scientifically managed.
This innovation, together with Gruen’s decision to squeeze more stores into a more walkably small space by building a multistoried structure connected by escalators, and his decision to bookend the mall with big-name “anchor” stores — magnets to attract shoppers who, with luck, would browse the smaller shops as well (a strategy James Farrell, author of One Nation Under Goods: Malls and the Seductions of American Shopping, calls “coopetition”) — cut the die for nearly every mall in America today, which means Gruen “may well have been the most influential architect of the twentieth century” in Malcolm Gladwell’s hedging estimation.
Unfortunately, Gruen made the fatal mistake — fatal for an arm-waving futurist visionary, anyway — of living long enough to see American consumer culture embrace his idea with a vengeance. In a 1978 speech, he recalled visiting one of his old malls, where he swooned in horror at “the ugliness...of the land-wasting seas of parking” around it, and the soul-killing sprawl beyond.
Good thing he didn’t survive to see the undeath of the American mall. Most economic commentators attribute its dire state to the epic fail of the American economy. In April of this year, one of the country’s biggest mall operators — General Growth Properties, owner and/or manager of over 200 properties in 44 states — filed for bankruptcy, mortally wounded by the exodus of retail tenants.
Good riddance to bad rubbish, some say. In the comment thread to the November 12, 2008, Newsweek article, “Is the Mall Dead?,” a reader writes, “The end of temples of consumerism and irresponsibility? Sweet. The demise of a culture of greed? No problem.”
But wait, my Inner Marxist wonders: isn’t that the voice of bobo privilege talking? Teens marooned in decentered developments didn’t ask to live there; for many of them, the local mall is the closest thing to a commons, be it ever so ersatz. And malls are employment engines. Sure, in many cases the jobs they generate are low-skill and low-wage, but From Each According to His Ability, etc.
“I’m fine if some malls die,” says Farrell, “but it’s important to remember that malls had good points too. In a world in which no-new-taxes has made most new public buildings look like pole barns, malls have provided an architecture of elegance and pleasure — they are some of the best public spaces in America. In a country of cars, malls have provided a place for the pleasures of pedestrianism, and for the see-and-be-seen people-watching that’s one of the delights of the mall experience.”
Still, Woodstockian dreams of getting ourselves back to the garden — demolishing every last mall and letting the amber waves of grain roll back — are popular these days: “tear them down, recycle what can be recycled...and turn them back into carbon-absorbing, tree-filled natural landscape, habitat for wild animals,” a reader writes, on The New York Times site. For many, malls have come to symbolize the culture rot brought on by market capitalism: amok consumption, Real Housewives of New Jersey vulgarity.
Visions of taking a wrecking ball to malls everywhere are satisfyingly apocalyptic. But sending all that rebar, concrete, and Tyvek to a landfill is politically incorrect in the extreme. Already, architects, urbanists, designers and critics are thinking toward a near future in which dead malls are repurposed, redesigned and reincarnated as greener, smarter and more often than not more aesthetically inspiring places — seedbeds for locavore-oriented agriculture, vibrant social beehives or [fill in the huge footprint where the mall used to stand].
Brimming with evangelical zeal, New Urbanists are exhorting communities with dead malls to reverse the historical logic of Gruenization, turning malls inside-out so storefronts face the wider world and transforming them into mixed-use agglomerations of residences and retail; repurposing parking lots into civic plazas; infilling the dead zones that surround most malls with transit-accessible neighborhoods checkerboarded with public spaces (a rare commodity in sprawl developments),and weaving the streets of said neighborhoods into those of the surrounding suburbs.
The more visionary ideas sound a lot like what the cyberpunk designeratus Bruce Sterling calls “architecture fiction,” somewhere between Greg Lynn and Silent Running, Teddy Cruz and Ecotopia. The San Francisco-based Stoner Meek Architecture and Urban Design, finalists in the 2003 Dead Malls competition launched by the Los Angeles Forum for Architecture and Urban Design, propose a post-sprawl take on the Vallejo Plaza in California: deconstruct the moribund mall, they advised, and reconstruct it as a shopping center-cum-ecotourist attraction, its stores squatting, half-submerged, in the nearby wetlands remediation project. For his third-place-winning entry in the Reburbia competition, Forrest Fulton wonders, in “Big Box Agriculture: A Productive Suburb,” why a ghost-box grocery store can’t morph “from retailer of food — food detached from processes from which it came to be — to producer of food”? The store as lookalike outlet for the trucked-in, tastealike products of factory farming is reborn as a grocery store Alice Waters could love. The box transforms into a restaurant; a greenhouse pops out of its roof. Where the desolate parking lot once stood, a pocket farm springs up. Light poles turn into solar trees studded with photovoltaic cells. Fulton imagines “pushing a shopping cart through this suburban farm and picking your produce right from the vine, with the option to bring your harvest to the restaurant chef for preparation and eating your harvest on the spot.”
Two other entrants, Evan Collins (“LivaBlox: Converting Big Box Stores to Container Homes”) and Micah Winkelstein of B3 Architects (“Transforming the Big Box into a Livable Environment”), envision the radical re-use of ghost boxes as termite mounds of domestic, retail and agricultural activity. Collins conjures Legoland stacks of brightly colored modular homes, fabricated from a recycled store and its discarded shipping containers. Where his “vacated megastore” now stands, Winkelstein sees a “behemoth structure” that is home to a mini-city of lofts, its ginormous common roof crowned with solar panels and carpeted with gardens and landscaped greens, wind turbines sprouting everywhere.
Radiant City, here we come. But Farrell spots some potholes in the road to Erewhon. Projects that resurrect dead malls “are visionary and wonderful,” he says, but many of them “involve a sense of public purpose that seems absent in America just now. I would love to see malls function as a commons, with public-private purposes, addressing the environment we really live in instead of the consumer fantasyland that has been the mainstay of mall design so far.”
As we cling by our hangnails to the historical precipice, with ecotastrophe on one side and econopocalypse on the other, that consumer fantasyland is an economic indulgence and an environmental obscenity we can’t afford — the dead end of an economic philosophy tied to manic overdevelopment (codeword: “housing starts”), maxed-out credit cards (codeword: “consumer confidence”) and arcane financial plays that generate humongous profits for Wall Street’s elite but little of real worth, in human terms. It’s the last gasp of the consumer culture founded on the economic logic articulated early in the 20th century by Earnest Elmo Calkins, who admonished his fellow advertising executives in 1932 that “consumer engineering must see to it that we use up the kind of goods we now merely use,” and by the domestic theorist Christine Frederick, who observed in 1929 that “the way to break the vicious deadlock of a low standard of living is to spend freely, and even waste creatively.”
The extreme turbulence that hit the American economy in 2008 offers a rare window of opportunity to hit the re-set button on consumer culture as we know it — to re-tool market capitalism along greener, more socially conscious and, crucially, more profoundly satisfying lines. Because an age of repurposing, recycling and retrofitting needn’t be a Beige New World of Soviet-style austerity measures. On the contrary, while we'll likely have far fewer status totems in the near future, the quality of our experiential lives could be far richer in diversity, if we muster the political will to make them so. “The most important fact about our shopping malls,” the social scientist Henry Fairlie told The Week magazine, “is that we do not need most of what they sell.” Animated by the requisite “sense of public purpose,” the post-mall, post-sprawl suburbs could be exuberantly heterogeneous Places That Do Not Suck, where food is grown closer to home, cottage industries are the norm and the nowheresville of chain restaurants and big-box retailers and megamalls has given way to local cuisines, one-of-a-kind shops and walkable communities with a sense of place and social cohesion.
Or we could persist in the fundamentalist faith in overproduction and hyperconsumption that has brought us to this pass. In Dawn of the Dead (1978), his black comedy about mindless consumption, George Romero offers a glimpse of that future, one of many possible tomorrows. Two SWAT team officers have just escaped from a ravening horde of cannibalistic zombies, into the safety of an abandoned mall. “Well, we’re in, but how the hell are we gonna get back?” Suddenly, they realize no one’s minding the store.
Peter: Who the hell cares?! Let’s go shopping!
Roger: Watches! Watches!
Peter: Wait a minute man, let’s just get the stuff we need. I'll get a television and a radio.
Roger: And chocolate, chocolate. Hey, how about a mink coat?
Posted in: Architecture, Arts + Culture, Social Good
Comments [15]
I like the idea of seeing vacancy being a form of art. Malls are such a suburban concept bustling full of people. I get ideas to spur some of my own work.
The Nation's first mall was really The Westminster Arcade in Providence, RI, built in 1828. Just ask the ever reliable Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westminster_Arcade
Ted James Butler
Are big box store shopping centers worse than malls?
-First of all its like backwards progress - we went from shopping centers to malls and then back to bigger shopping centers.
-Malls weren't able invade downtown urban areas as well as big box shopping centers - exp area around NYU looks like any suburb
-Big box shopping centers don't allow the more creative type stores in due to size - exp the crappy art seller, the ball cap store, and the half-ass seasonal holiday store
-Hanging out at Target vs the mall?
The article was very interesting, but the concluding final paragraphs were myopic and more than a little preachy. What I think is too often forgotten by people with a utopian post-capitalist view of the future, is how radically different life would be like without all the crap we often rail against. Companies in a capitalist system, especially in consumer goods, have very thin margins and depend on volume for their profits. We have aggressive advertising campaigns and planned obsolescence because companies need us to buy a lot of things to make money.
While I hate advertising and chintzy goods, they do mean that you can go and buy a blender for $30, that a working family can afford luxuries that would have dazzled the wealthiest kings and industrialist 100 years ago. A consumer society also means jobs for people, and though they aren't always good jobs, more often than not, a job is better than no job.
What would be lost in shifting away from this model is, 1) affordable consumer goods: prices would have to rise, as lower volume would mean fewer companies and smaller inventory, 2) slower technological progress, as consumption drives most of the innovation people experience in their everyday lives. While this may be fine for the majority of college-educated culturally-endowed individuals who are concerned with things like locally-grown produce, it would be a definite hinderance for most working Americans. Too often, its assumed that we can have less crap to buy, fewer advertisments, small shops, etc. and still enjoy the lifestyle that we do now, and I do not think that is possible.
Big box stores are ubiquitous because they're better than small stores. I grew up in a small town in Vermont with a great deal of small shops, most of them sold knick-knacks to tourist who came through, and the only reliable play to buy toys or games or anything that would interest a young boy, was a five-and-dime next to the movie theater. The selection was small, the store was dirty and cramped and the prices were, in restrospect, pretty outrageous. If I could have, I would have gone to the Ames (not quite a big box store, but close), which had better selection and better prices. I cannot imagine how my life would have been different if there was a Target in my town. The five-and-dime was quaint, but now, as then I would have gone to the Target, because there's no reason to pay more for something, to subsidize quaintness, and I think that's how most American's feel.
I think reusing and greening up dilapidated mall space is a noble endeavour, and I whole-heartedly agree that the brand of capitalism we practice(d), with high capacity production and out of control debt and borrowing is highly volatile and ruins the environment. I do not find the vision of greener, smaller future distasteful. But these visions are drafted and designed for well-heeled, upper-middle class families and creatives (assuming that the creatives will be able to afford this life as well, as most design and art jobs are related to advertising. Perhaps we'll have to go back to patronage) the kind of people who do not regularly worry about putting food on the table. The future needs to be the future, not a regression to simpler times paid for by further disenfranchsing the bottom rung.
It seems the downfall of most malls, strip or enclosed, is simply age and new development. The building gets old, but instead of continued renovations, a new mall gets built and the merchants rush over, and gravitate to it.
The major sins of the mall are that they are not "town centers" as originally envisioned where multi-use; shopping, living quarters, public square, ruled the day. Also, although they closely cluster the shops together, They are pedestrian unfriendly islands surrounded by vast asphalt deserts of parking lot. Surface parking lots large enough to hold all of the cars neccesary to fill the mall with people, both seperates itself from the surrounding community, and insures that cars will be the prefered mode of travel over pedestrians.
I like the idea of repurposing a failed mall. It would be useful to a town or community as its city hall. The abandoned movie theatre as a community theatre. However, the horizontal space used as parking must be diminished. Adding parking garage towers could achieve this. The outlying parcels could then be used as apartments, parks, or even more mall space. The object is to create an attractive, walkable, community enviroment.
GMDuggan
Dixie Square Mall was featured in "The Blues Bothers."
Grogan12
An insightful article on a fascinating and yet rarely investigated topic. You might find this interesting, I wrote a piece of creative non-fiction a while ago that looks at the same topic from a more literary angle:
http://www.griffithreview.com/current-edition/228-reportage/687.html
Mark Welker
Yesterday I went into woolworths in Clifton, Bristol (UK) and was overwhelmed.
The high street chain crashed spectacularly, and this time last year I went and quickly shopped in it's last days of life, picking up that last 5 pound cafetiere and checking out it's crappy plastic toys for the stocking.
Somehow, the woolworths of today is the epitomy of what might be called "green shoots of recession" - I was there, in what was once woolworth's upstairs warehouse, now an east european cafe, surrounded by workmen from the nearby road works, looking up job ads in the local paper, while next to me there was all the buzz of the market, equalled in Bristol only by our traditional covered market in the city centre, St Nicks, which has been going at least since the middle ages. Jewellery stalls, bookshops, clothes shops, even typical high street second hand shops had all managed to get themselves a tiny slice of the dead chain.
In the corner, someone had put a macintosh computer, and a sign advertising "photo software lessons" for £10 an hour. Chatting to the book shop owner, a space was still going, and it was all really cheap startup, and all really cheap rent. Downstairs, a local greengrocer was selling "student veg boxes" also a bargain, with all the most tasteless vegetables for the non-cooking masses.
"Woollies", the new incarnation of the old woolworths, doesn't exactly produce much, but is 10 times better than what it used to be, and aside from thinking of how easy it would be today to set up a little stall and make a bit of money in a nice enviroment, I just generally felt emotional staring at a big box of carrots, thinking this is exactly what every dead woolworths needs, and feeling sad that in some spaces, that energy to rebuild and reuse just isn't there. The woolworths down in Broadmead, once a bustling christmas budget shopping experience, is still closed and empty since last year. But on Saturday, Bristol Dorkbot will be busking outside it with circuit bent musical instruments built from scaveneged microprocessors and bits of old bikes. I hope they bring the sound of the future to that much bigger, but still dying mall.
Ale Fernandez
I hear American people use malls for exercise now. It seems like a good idea, but it's pretty depressing having experienced well designed urban walking environments in global cities.
To have to resort to this non-geographical shell is numbing. Everyone in the space seems confused, lost, and empty.
It's one thing to say, malls are a poor use of space, environmentally, or they create a commons based on buying things from distant corporations, which isn't terribly empowering (vs. the older idea of a commons, being where we could all graze our cows for free, which was an empowering way for a subsistence farmer to build wealth.)
But really, aren't most of us just against them because they're tacky and we'd like to think we're cooler than that? Be honest, now.
Besides, this isn't about the death of consumerism. GET REAL! It's just like the older inner suburbs being abandoned in favor of newer outer suburbs. Older malls are being abandoned for newer ones (usually more strip-style) or just Big Box stores. No one wants to rebuild or take care of the old when they can have the new for so cheap (the way local governments fund new infrastructure more than they do repairing old, is partly to blame).
Besides, consumerism is all about the NEW, so why would you want to buy it somewhere old? Then again, there are still plenty of malls that are thriving. Maybe they just built too damn many, like housing and just about everything else. I suppose it would help if things were built based on actual demand and not pure fantastical speculation. But then we wouldn't be able to delude ourselves into believing economic growth and consumption can fix all our problems then, could we?
Malls try to create a town square look. Walkable streets with stores on both sides.
However, there is a big failure. A town square has offices and residences on the upper floors.
Most malls don't. Malls should have a multi-use to them, not single-use.
W. K. Lis
I love a really busy shopping mall because it has an atmosphere. It's depressing to see lots of empty shops because it shows up decay in our society.
I have always liked indoor malls. It's fun to just walk through one on miserable rainy days, window shopping. I'm a straight guy, who likes a controlled air-conditioned environment, where I can people watch, & relax. I'm not the type to stroll through a park, but I will in a mall. I don't curently live close to a mall, but there are two Wal-marts, equal distances from my house. Wal-mart has it purpose, a relatively quick shopping trip, with grocery's & more, but a mall should be a longer event. Now don't get me wrong, if you drive over there, but just go in to Sears or Penny's, using the outside entrees, that's not "going to the mall". Long Live the Indoor Mall
Mall-Lover 1972
Dixie Square Mall... the epitome of dead malls. Check out the pics and story on deadmalls.com. Amazing stuff...
Interesting stuff. I work in the industry- doing commericial decor for malls. Its interesting to see these old power centers falling by the dozens each year. Very little of my business any more comes from enclosed malls, mostly lifestyle centers now. Check us out if anyone is interested http://www.downtowndecorations.com
Mark Dery is a cultural critic and the author, most recently, of The Pyrotechnic Insanitarium: American Culture on the Brink.
More from Mark Dery
Bunker of Broken Dreams
Review of "Landscapes of Quarantine," Storefront for Art and Architecture, New York. March 9–April 17, 2010.
Paradise Fouled
Review of Crude, Joe Berlinger's documentary film about a lawsuit filed against Chevron by denizens of the Ecuadorean Amazon.
Jobs | January 23
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Life and Death of the Salt Marsh: John Teal, Mildred Teal
“At low tide, the wind blowing across Spartina grass sounds like wind of the prairie. When the tide is in, the gentle music of moving water is added to the prairie rustle…. ”
One of nature’s greatest gifts is the string of salt marshes that edges the East Coast from Newfoundland to Florida — a ribbon of green growth, part solid land, part scurrying water. Life and Death of the Salt Marsh shows how these marshes are developed, what kinds of life inhabit them, how enormously they have contributed to man, and how ruthlessly man is destroying them.
Sprawl City: Race, Politics, and Planning in Atlanta: Robert Bullard, Glenn S. Johnson, Angel O. Torres
A serious but often overlooked impact of the random, unplanned growth commonly known as sprawl is its effect on economic and racial polarization. Sprawl-fueled growth pushes people further apart geographically, politically, economically, and socially. Atlanta, Georgia, one of the fastest-growing areas in the country, offers a striking example of sprawl-induced stratification.”Sprawl City” uses a multi-disciplinary approach to analyze and critique the emerging crisis resulting from urban sprawl in the ten-county Atlanta metropolitan region. Local experts including sociologists, lawyers, urban planners, economists, educators, and health care professionals consider sprawl-related concerns as core environmental justice and civil rights issues.
Contributors focus on institutional constraints that are embedded in urban sprawl, considering how government housing, education, and transportation policies have aided and in some cases subsidized separate but unequal economic development and segregated neighborhoods. They offer analysis of the causes and consequences of urban sprawl, and outline policy recommendations and an action agenda for coping with sprawl-related problems, both in Atlanta and around the country.Contributors are Natalie Brown, Robert D. Bullard, William W. Buzbee, James Chapman, Dennis Creech, Russell W. Irvine, Charles Jaret, Chad G. Johnson, Glenn S. Johnson, Kurt Phillips, Elizabeth P. Ruddiman, and Angel O. Torres.The book illuminates the rising class and racial divisions underlying uneven growth and development, and provides a timely source of information for anyone concerned with those issues, including the growing environmental justice movement as well as planners, policyanalysts, public officials, community leaders, and students of public policy, geography, or planning.
Natural Systems Agriculture | The Land Institute
10,000 Years of Agriculture
Humans have been producing food using the same paradigm for 10,000 years. But the burden of a growing population and the impacts of an industrial approach to farming threaten the entire enterprise. We are working toward a solution.
Managing the Environment, Managing Ourselves: A History of American Environmental Policy: Richard N. L. Andrews
In this book Richard N. L. Andrews looks at American environmental policy over the past four hundred years, shows how it affects environmental issues and public policy decisions today, and poses the central policy challenges for the future. This second edition brings the book up to date through President George W. Bush’s first term and gives the current state of American environmental politics and policy.
“A guide to what every organizational decision maker, public and private, needs to know in an era in which environmental issues have become global.”—Lynton K. Caldwell, Public Administration Review
“A wonderful text for students and scholars of environmental history and environmental policy.”—William L. Andreen, Environmental History
From Trump to Brexit – Neoliberalism is Dying… | Kate Raworth
The Big Picture RT
Economist Kate Raworth, Doughnut Economics/Oxford University’s Environmental Change Institute/Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. From Donald Trump to Brexit, the evidence is everywhere: neoliberalism is dying. So how can we create an economic system that works for the 21st century?
Other works of:
See related coverage of Kate Raworth’s work.
Ray Anderson: The business logic of sustainability
Uploaded on May 18, 2009
http://www.ted.com At his carpet company, Ray Anderson has increased sales and doubled profits while turning the traditional “take / make / waste” industrial system on its head. In a gentle, understated way, he shares a powerful vision for sustainable commerce.
The Soil Solution to Climate Change Film
SustainableWorld
What If A Solution To Climate Change Was Beneath Your Feet?
Soil is a living universe beneath our feet. As important to our lives as clean air and water, soil also holds a potential solution to the global climate crisis. Increasing numbers of scientists, farmers and ranchers are implementing innovative land use practices that build fertile soil and sequester atmospheric carbon These methods of land management have the potential to provide us with nutritious food, improved human health, cleaner water, and a healthier planet for all.
World wide, most soils are depleted of carbon. The atmosphere contains an excess of carbon in the form of CO2, a climate change causing gas. What if that CO2 could be removed and stored in our carbon-hungry soil through land management practices? Find out how in The Soil Solution.
The Soil Solution to Climate Change was one of thirteen films featured in A Climate of Change Tour sponsored by 350.org, TRUST campaign and Wild and Scenic Film Festival. It has screened at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Sausalito Film Festival, Awareness Festival, Davis Film Festival, Wild and Scenic Film Tour 2013 and the One Earth Film Festival.
Anything that we do to increase soil fertility could be a step in reversing climate change.
Here’s what you can do:
What Goes Up Must Come Down!- Cover bare soil with plants! Fertile soil is a natural sink for atmospheric carbon; the very same carbon that contributes to climate change. Excess carbon can be pulled out of the atmosphere by photosynthesis and into plants and the soil where it can have a beneficial effect.
Support Farmers and Ranchers Who Treat The Soil Like Gold- Buy from local food producers who increase soil fertility by using climate friendly agricultural methods including no or low-till plowing, cover cropping, composting and organic farming. If you eat meat, buy grass-fed beef from ranchers who practice holistic or rotational grazing methods that mimic the natural patterns found in nature.
If You Grow Your Own Food, Grow Your Own Soil- If you grow food, take care of your soil. Increase soil fertility by avoiding the use of toxic synthetic pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides on your garden or lawn. These poisons kill microorganisms that reside in and on the soil. These organisms perform numerous ecosystem services; including providing nutrients for plants, creating soil humus and loam and increasing plant health. The soil is filled with billions of unemployed microorganisms ready and willing to take on the job of providing nutrients to plants and indirectly to you.
Increase Your Skill Set- If you feel hopeless about climate change- it’s time to take action. Learn how to grow food without increasing atmospheric CO2. Take a course in organic gardening or regenerative farming. If you work with animals, learn about the benefits of rotational grazing. Get to know your local soil microbes and the Soil Food Web.
Food-Matters
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Outline of the Marshall Islands
The Flag of the Marshall Islands
The Seal of the Marshall Islands
The location of the Marshall Islands
An enlargeable map of the Republic of the Marshall Islands
See also: Index of Marshall Islands-related articles
The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) is a sovereign Micronesian island nation located in the western North Pacific Ocean, north of Nauru and Kiribati, east of the Federated States of Micronesia, and south of the U.S. territory of Wake Island, to which it lays claim.[1]
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the Marshall Islands:
1 General reference
2 Geography of the Marshall Islands
2.1 Environment of the Marshall Islands
2.1.1 Natural geographic features of the Marshall Islands
2.2 Regions of the Marshall Islands
2.2.1 Ecoregions of the Marshall Islands
2.2.2 Administrative divisions of the Marshall Islands
2.2.2.1 Municipalities of the Marshall Islands
2.3 Demography of the Marshall Islands
3 Government and politics of the Marshall Islands
3.1 Branches of the government of the Marshall Islands
3.1.1 Executive branch of the government of the Marshall Islands
3.1.1.1 Foreign relations of the Marshall Islands
3.1.2 Legislative branch of the government of the Marshall Islands
3.1.3 Judicial branch of the government of the Marshall Islands
3.1.4 International organization membership
3.2 Law and order in the Marshall Islands
3.3 Military of the Marshall Islands
3.4 Local government in the Marshall Islands
4 History of the Marshall Islands
5 Culture of the Marshall Islands
5.1 Art in the Marshall Islands
5.2 Sports in the Marshall Islands
6 Economy and infrastructure of the Marshall Islands
7 Education in the Marshall Islands
8 Infrastructure of the Marshall Islands
An enlargeable basic map of the Marshall Islands
Common English country name: The Marshall Islands
Official English country name: The Republic of the Marshall Islands
Common endonym(s):
Official endonym(s):
Adjectival(s): Marshallese
Demonym(s):
Etymology: Name of the Marshall Islands
ISO country codes: MH, MHL, 584
ISO region codes: See ISO 3166-2:MH
Internet country code top-level domain: .mh
Geography of the Marshall Islands
Main article: Geography of the Marshall Islands
The Marshall Islands are: an island country
Northern Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere
Time zone: UTC+12
Extreme points of the Marshall Islands
High: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m (33 ft)
Low: North Pacific Ocean 0 m
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: North Pacific Ocean 370.4 km
Population of the Marshall Islands:
Area of the Marshall Islands:
Atlas of the Marshall Islands
Environment of the Marshall Islands
An enlargeable satellite image of Marshall Islands
Main article: Environment of the Marshall Islands
Climate of the Marshall Islands
Environmental issues in the Marshall Islands
Ecoregions in the Marshall Islands
Renewable energy in the Marshall Islands
Geology of the Marshall Islands
Protected areas of the Marshall Islands
Biosphere reserves in the Marshall Islands
National parks of the Marshall Islands
Wildlife of the Marshall Islands
Flora of the Marshall Islands
Fauna of the Marshall Islands
Birds of the Marshall Islands
Mammals of the Marshall Islands
Natural geographic features of the Marshall Islands
Main article: Landforms of the Marshall Islands
Fjords of the Marshall Islands
Glaciers of the Marshall Islands
Islands of the Marshall Islands
Lakes of the Marshall Islands
Mountains of the Marshall Islands
Volcanoes in the Marshall Islands
Rivers of the Marshall Islands
Waterfalls of the Marshall Islands
Valleys of the Marshall Islands
World Heritage Sites in the Marshall Islands: None
Regions of the Marshall Islands
Main article: Regions of the Marshall Islands
Ecoregions of the Marshall Islands
Main articles: List of ecoregions in the Marshall Islands and Ecoregions in the Marshall Islands
Administrative divisions of the Marshall Islands
Municipalities of the Marshall Islands
Capital of the Marshall Islands: Majuro
Cities of the Marshall Islands
Demography of the Marshall Islands
Main article: Demographics of the Marshall Islands
Government and politics of the Marshall Islands
Main article: Government of the Marshall Islands and Politics of the Marshall Islands
Form of government:
Elections in the Marshall Islands
(specific elections)
Political parties in the Marshall Islands
Political scandals of the Marshall Islands
Branches of the government of the Marshall Islands
Main article: Government of the Marshall Islands
Taxation in the Marshall Islands
Executive branch of the government of the Marshall Islands
Head of state: President of the Marshall Islands,
Head of government: Prime Minister of the Marshall Islands,
Cabinet of the Marshall Islands
Foreign relations of the Marshall Islands
Main article: Foreign relations of the Marshall Islands
Diplomatic missions in the Marshall Islands
Diplomatic missions of the Marshall Islands
United States-the Marshall Islands relations
Legislative branch of the government of the Marshall Islands
Parliament of the Marshall Islands (bicameral)
Upper house: Senate of the Marshall Islands
Lower house: House of Commons of the Marshall Islands
Judicial branch of the government of the Marshall Islands
Main article: Court system of the Marshall Islands
Supreme Court of the Marshall Islands
International organization membership
The Republic of the Marshall Islands is a member of:[1]
African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP)
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Group of 77 (G77)
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
International Criminal Court (ICCt)
International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol)
International Development Association (IDA)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO)
International Olympic Committee (IOC)
International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
Pacific Islands Forum (PIF)
Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)
South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement (Sparteca)
United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Law and order in the Marshall Islands
Main article: Law of the Marshall Islands
Capital punishment in the Marshall Islands
Constitution of the Marshall Islands
Crime in the Marshall Islands
Human rights in the Marshall Islands
LGBT rights in the Marshall Islands
Freedom of religion in the Marshall Islands
Law enforcement in the Marshall Islands
Military of the Marshall Islands
Main article: Military of the Marshall Islands
Commander-in-chief:
Ministry of Defence of the Marshall Islands
Army of the Marshall Islands
Navy of the Marshall Islands
Air Force of the Marshall Islands
Special forces of the Marshall Islands
Military history of the Marshall Islands
Military ranks of the Marshall Islands
Local government in the Marshall Islands
Main article: Local government in the Marshall Islands
History of the Marshall Islands
Main article: History of the Marshall Islands, Timeline of the history of the Marshall Islands, and Current events of the Marshall Islands
Economic history of the Marshall Islands
Culture of the Marshall Islands
Main article: Culture of the Marshall Islands
Architecture of the Marshall Islands
Cuisine of the Marshall Islands
Ethnic minorities in the Marshall Islands
Festivals in the Marshall Islands
Humor in the Marshall Islands
Languages of the Marshall Islands
Media in the Marshall Islands
National symbols of the Marshall Islands
Coat of arms of the Marshall Islands
Flag of the Marshall Islands
National anthem of the Marshall Islands
People of the Marshall Islands
Prostitution in the Marshall Islands
Public holidays in the Marshall Islands
Records of the Marshall Islands
Religion in the Marshall Islands
Buddhism in the Marshall Islands
Christianity in the Marshall Islands
Hinduism in the Marshall Islands
Islam in the Marshall Islands
Judaism in the Marshall Islands
Sikhism in the Marshall Islands
Art in the Marshall Islands
Cinema of the Marshall Islands
Literature of the Marshall Islands
Music of the Marshall Islands
Television in the Marshall Islands
Theatre in the Marshall Islands
Sports in the Marshall Islands
Main article: Sports in the Marshall Islands
Football in the Marshall Islands
Economy and infrastructure of the Marshall Islands
Main article: Economy of the Marshall Islands
Economic rank, by nominal GDP (2007): 187th (one hundred and eighty seventh)
Agriculture in the Marshall Islands
Banking in the Marshall Islands
National Bank of the Marshall Islands
Communications in the Marshall Islands
Internet in the Marshall Islands
Companies of the Marshall Islands
Currency of the Marshall Islands: Dollar
ISO 4217: USD
Energy in the Marshall Islands
Energy policy of the Marshall Islands
Oil industry in the Marshall Islands
Mining in the Marshall Islands
Tourism in the Marshall Islands
Transport in the Marshall Islands
the Marshall Islands Stock Exchange
Education in the Marshall Islands
Main article: Education in the Marshall Islands
Infrastructure of the Marshall Islands
Health care in the Marshall Islands
Transportation in the Marshall Islands
Airports in the Marshall Islands
Rail transport in the Marshall Islands
Roads in the Marshall Islands
Water supply and sanitation in the Marshall Islands
Oceania portal
Main article: Marshall Islands
Index of Marshall Islands-related articles
List of international rankings
List of Marshall Islands-related topics
Member state of the United Nations
Outline of geography
Outline of Oceania
^ a b "Marshall Islands". The World Factbook. United States Central Intelligence Agency. July 2, 2009. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rm.html. Retrieved July 23, 2009.
Wikimedia Atlas of the Marshall Islands
Embassy of the Republic of the Marshall Islands Washington, DC official government site
Marshall Islands Journal Weekly independent national newspaper
CIA World Factbook - Marshall Islands
360 Panoramas and map of Marshall Islands
Digital Micronesia - Marshalls by Dirk HR Spennemann, Associate Professor in Cultural Heritage Management
Plants & Environments of the Marshall Islands Book turned website by Dr. Mark Merlin of the University of Hawaii
Atomic Testing Information
Pictures of victims of US nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands on Nuclear Files.org
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Marshall Islands — Republic of the Marshall Islands Aolepān Aorōkin M̧ajeļ[1][2] … Wikipedia
Outline of the United States — … Wikipedia
Outline of the District of Columbia — The Flag of the … Wikipedia
Geography of the Pitcairn Islands — Map of Pitcairn Islands. The Pitcairn Islands consist of four islands: Pitcairn Island, Oeno Island, Henderson Island and Ducie Island: Pitcairn Islands as a group of islands ( … Wikipedia
Demographics of the Pitcairn Islands — This article is about the demographic features of the population of the Pitcairn Islands, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the… … Wikipedia
Topic outline of the United States — For an alphabetical index of this subject, see the List of United States related articles. The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central … Wikipedia
Coat of arms of the Pitcairn Islands — The coat of arms of the Pitcairn Islands were first adopted on November 4, 1969. Contents 1 Features … Wikipedia
Outline of culture — The following outline is provided as an overview and topical guide to culture: Culture – the set of patterns of human activity within a society or social group and the symbolic structures that give such activity significance. Customs, laws,… … Wikipedia
Outline of Oceania — Location of Oceania Oceania is a geographical, and often geopolitical, region consisting of numerous lands mostly islands in the Pacific Ocean and vicinity. The term is also sometimes used to denote a continent comprising Australia and proximate … Wikipedia
Outline of geography — See also: Index of geography articles The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to geography: Geography – science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth.[1] The physical world … Wikipedia
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Biological pump
In oceanic biogeochemistry, the biological pump is the sum of a suite of biologically-mediated processes that transport carbon from the surface euphotic zone to the ocean's interior.
The organic carbon that forms the biological pump is transported primarily by sinking particulate material, for example dead organisms (including algal mats) or faecal pellets. However, some carbon reaches the deep ocean as dissolved organic carbon (DOC) by physical transport processes such as downwelling rather than sinking.
Carbon reaching the deep ocean by these means is either organic carbon or particulate inorganic carbon such as calcium carbonate (CaCO3). The former is a component of all organisms, the latter only of calcifying organisms, for example coccolithophores, foraminiferans or pteropods. In reference to the different use of these materials in organisms, the organic carbon portion of this transport is known as the soft tissues pump, while the inorganic carbon portion is known as the hard tissues pump.
In the case of organic material, remineralisation (or decomposition) processes such as bacterial respiration, return the organic carbon to dissolved carbon dioxide. Calcium carbonate dissolves at a rate dependent upon local carbonate chemistry. As these processes are generally slower than synthesis processes, and because the particulate material is sinking, the biological pump transports material from the surface of the ocean to its depths.
As the biological pump plays an important role in the Earth's carbon cycle, significant effort is spent quantifying its strength. However, because they occur as a result of poorly-constrained ecological interactions usually at depth, the processes that form the biological pump are difficult to measure. A common method is to estimate primary production fuelled by nitrate and ammonium as these nutrients have different sources that are related to the remineralisation of sinking material. From these it is possible to derive the so-called f-ratio, a proxy for the local strength of the biological pump. Applying the results of local studies to the global scale are complicated by the role the ocean's circulation plays in different ocean regions.cite journal|last=Marinov|first=I.|coauthors=Gnanadesikan, A., Toggweiler, J. R. and Sarmiento, J. L.|year=2006|title=The Southern Ocean biogeochemical divide|url=|journal=Nature|issn=0028-0836|volume=441|issue=7096|pages=964–967|doi=10.1038/nature04883]
The biological pump has a physico-chemical counterpart known as the solubility pump. For an overview of both pumps, see Raven & Falkowski (1999).cite journal|last=Raven|first=J. A.|coauthors=and P. G. Falkowski|year=1999|title=Oceanic sinks for atmospheric CO2|url=http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1365-3040.1999.00419.x|journal=Plant, Cell and Environment|issn=0140-7791|volume=22|issue=6|pages=741–755|doi=10.1046/j.1365-3040.1999.00419.x]
Anthropogenic changes
Land-use changes, the combustion of fossil fuels, and the production of cement have led to a flux of CO2 to the atmosphere. Presently, about one third (approximately 2 Gt C y-1)Takahashi, T., S. C. Sutherland, C. Sweeney, A. Poisson, N. Metzl, B. Tilbrook, N. Bates, R. Wanninkhof, R. A. Feely, C. Sabine, J. Olafsson and Y. C. Nojiri (2002) [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VGC-452W7KK-2&_user=10&_coverDate=12%2F31%2F2002&_rdoc=2&_fmt=summary&_orig=browse&_srch=doc-info(%23toc%236035%232002%23999509990%231%23FLA%23display%23Volume)&_cdi=6035&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_ct=19&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=1eb682d5552c8d58911ddf6e2012da02 Global sea-air CO2 flux based on climatological surface ocean "p"CO2, and seasonal biological and temperature effects.] "Deep-Sea Res. Pt. II" 49, 1601-1622.] Orr, J. C., E. Maier-Reimer, U. Mikolajewicz, P. Monfray, J. L. Sarmiento, J. R. Toggweiler, N. K. Taylor, J. Palmer, N. Gruber, C. L. Sabine, C. Le Quéré, R. M. Key and J. Boutin (2001). Estimates of anthropogenic carbon uptake from four three-dimensional global ocean models. "Global Biogeochem. Cycles" 15, 43-60.] of anthropogenic emissions of CO2 are believed to be entering the ocean. However, the biological pump is not believed to play a significant role in this flux. This is because the biological pump is primarily limited by the availability of light and nutrients, and not by carbon. This is in contrast to the situation on land, where elevated atmospheric concentrations of CO2 may increase primary production because land plants are able to improve their water-use efficiency (= decrease transpiration) when CO2 is easier to obtainCox, P. M., Betts, R. A., Jones, C. D., Spall, S. A. and Totterdell, I. J. (2000). [http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v408/n6809/abs/408184a0.html Acceleration of global warming due to carbon-cycle feedbacks in a coupled climate model.] "Nature", 408, 184-187.] . However, there are still considerable uncertainties in the marine carbon cycle, and some research suggests that a link between elevated CO2 and marine primary production exists [Riebesell, U., Schulz, K.G., Bellerby, R.G.J., Botros, M., Fritsche, P., Meyerhöfer, M., Neill, C., Nondal, G., Oschlies, A., Wohlers, J. and Zöllner, E. (2007). [http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v450/n7169/abs/nature06267.html Enhanced biological carbon consumption in a high CO2 ocean.] "Nature" 450, 545-548.] .
However, climate change may affect the biological pump in the future by warming and stratifying the surface ocean. It is believed that this could decrease the supply of nutrients to the euphotic zone, reducing primary production there. Also, changes in the ecological success of calcifying organisms caused by ocean acidification may affect the biological pump by altering the strength of the hard tissues pump.Orr, J. C. "et al." (2005). [http://www.ipsl.jussieu.fr/~jomce/acidification/paper/Orr_OnlineNature04095.pdf Anthropogenic ocean acidification over the twenty-first century and its impact on calcifying organisms.] "Nature" 437, 681-686.] This may then have a "knock-on" effect on the soft tissues pump because calcium carbonate acts to ballast sinking organic material [Armstrong, R.A., Lee, C., Hedges, J.I., Honjo, S. and Wakeham, S.G. (2002). A new, mechanistic model for organic carbon fluxes in the ocean: Basedon the quantitative association of POC with ballast minerals. "Deep Sea Res. Part II" 49, 219—236.] .
* Continental shelf pump
* f-ratio
* Ocean acidification
* Solubility pump
* Mooring (oceanography)
Portland Fire
biological pump — noun The collection of biological ocean processes that regulate the uptake, storage, and release of carbon … Wiktionary
pump — I. noun Etymology: Middle English pumpe, pompe; akin to Middle Low German pumpe pump, Middle Dutch pompe Date: 15th century 1. a device that raises, transfers, delivers, or compresses fluids or that attenuates gases especially by suction or… … New Collegiate Dictionary
pump — I [[t]pʌmp[/t]] n. 1) an apparatus or machine for raising, driving, exhausting, or compressing fluids or gases by means of a piston, plunger, or set of rotating vanes 2) zool. anat. inf the heart 3) cbl a biological system that supplies energy… … From formal English to slang
Biological membrane — This article is about various membranes in living things. For the membranes surrounding cells, see cell membrane. Cross section view of the structures that can be formed by phospholipids in aqueous solutions A biological membrane or biomembrane… … Wikipedia
Continental shelf pump — In oceanic biogeochemistry, the continental shelf pump is proposed to operate in the shallow waters of the continental shelves, acting as a mechanism to transport carbon (as either dissolved or particulate material) from surface waters to the… … Wikipedia
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Elliptic Curve DSA
Elliptic Curve DSA (ECDSA) is a variant of the Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA) which operates on elliptic curve groups. As with elliptic curve cryptography in general, the bit size of the public key believed to be needed for ECDSA is about twice the size of the security level, in bits. By comparison, at a security level of 80 bits, meaning an attacker requires about the equivalent of about 2^{80} signature generations to find the private key, the size of a DSA public key is at least 1024 bits, whereas the size of an ECDSA public key would be 160 bits. On the other hand, the signature size is the same for both DSA and ECDSA: 4 t bits, where t is the security level measured in bits, that is, about 320 bits for a security level of 80 bits.
ignature generation algorithm
Suppose Alice wants to send a signed message to Bob. Initially, the curve parameters (q, FR, a, b, G, n, h) must be agreed upon. Also, Alice must have a key pair suitable for elliptic curve cryptography, consisting of a private key d_A (a randomly selected integer in the interval [1, n-1] ) and a public key Q_A (where Q_A = d_A G).
For Alice to sign a message m, she follows these steps:
# Calculate e = extrm{HASH}(m), where HASH is a cryptographic hash function, such as SHA-1.
# Select a random integer k from [1, n-1] .
# Calculate r = x_1 pmod{n}, where (x_1, y_1) = k G. If r = 0, go back to step 2.
# Calculate s = k^{-1}(e + r d_A ) pmod{n}. If s = 0, go back to step 2.
# The signature is the pair (r, s).
ignature verification algorithm
For Bob to authenticate Alice's signature, he must have a copy of her public key Q_A. He follows these steps:
# Verify that r and s are integers in [1, n-1] . If not, the signature is invalid.
# Calculate e = extrm{HASH}(m), where HASH is the same function used in the signature generation.
# Calculate w = s^{-1} pmod{n}.
# Calculate u_1 = ew pmod{n} and u_2 = rw pmod{n}.
# Calculate (x_1, y_1) = u_1 G + u_2 Q_A.
# The signature is valid if r = x_1 pmod{n}, invalid otherwise.
Note that using Straus's algorithm (also known as Shamir's trick) a sum of two scalar multiplications u_1 G + u_2 Q_A can be calculated faster than with two scalar multiplications.
* Elliptic curve cryptography
* Accredited Standards Committee [http://www.x9.org X9] , "American National Standard X9.62-2005, Public Key Cryptography for the Financial Services Industry, The Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA)", November 16, 2005.
* Certicom Research, [http://www.secg.org/download/aid-385/sec1_final.pdf "Standards for efficient cryptography, SEC 1: Elliptic Curve Cryptography"] , Version 1.0, September 20, 2000.
* López, J. and Dahab, R. [http://citeseer.ist.psu.edu/333066.html "An Overview of Elliptic Curve Cryptography"] , Technical Report IC-00-10, State University of Campinas, 2000.
* Daniel J. Bernstein, [http://cr.yp.to/papers/pippenger.pdf Pippenger's exponentiation algorithm] , 2002.
* Daniel R. L. Brown, "Generic Groups, Collision Resistance, and ECDSA", Designs, Codes and Cryptography, 35, 119-152, 2005. [http://eprint.iacr.org/2002/026 ePrint version]
* Ian F. Blake, Gadiel Seroussi, and Nigel P. Smart, editors, "Advances in Elliptic Curve Cryptography", London Mathematical Society Lecture Note Series 317, Cambridge University Press, 2005.
* Darrel Hankerson, Alfred Menezes and Scott Vanstone, "Guide to Elliptic Curve Cryptography, Springer", Springer, 2004.
* [http://csrc.nist.gov/cryptval/dss.htm Digital Signature Standard; includes info on ECDSA]
Robert Syms
Elliptic Curve DSA — Der Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithmus (ECDSA) (deutsch: digitaler Signatur Algorithmus mit elliptischen Kurven) ist eine Variante des Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA), der Elliptische Kurven Kryptographie verwendet. Inhaltsverzeichnis … Deutsch Wikipedia
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Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm — (ECDSA) est un algorithme de signature numérique. C est une variante du standard DSA qui à la différence de l algorithme d origine utilise la cryptographie sur les courbes elliptiques. Les avantages de ECDSA sur DSA et RSA sont des longueurs de… … Wikipédia en Français
Elliptic curve digital signature algorithm — (ECDSA) est un algorithme de signature numérique à clé publique, variante de DSA il fait appel à la cryptographie sur les courbes elliptiques. Sommaire 1 Introduction 2 Algorithme 2.1 Préparation des clé … Wikipédia en Français
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