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Ends of the Earth Challenge
Hosted by The Ocean Sailing Club
NZ Dash - Cape Horn Expedition - Shackleton Memorial Expedition - Carnival Cruise - Caribbean Sunshine Sailing - "Tick off The Atlantic" Cruise - Norse Saga Expedition
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Join this unique sailing event in 2020
What makes this voyage a "unique" opportunity for you?
• You can join us on the world's first-ever voyage to...
As far as we can tell, nobody has ever attempted to sail, in consecutive summers, from the world's most Southerly town, Ushuaia behind Cape Horn, to the most Northerly, Hammerfest, 400 miles north of Norway's Arctic circle.
• It's equal opportunity for men and women
There are 5 crew places on the Expedition legs. We really hope to sail with a mixed crew - 2 men, 2 women and...
• One Scholarship place for Ocean, Climate or Justice candidate
We are planning to offer 1 scholarship place for someone special on each Expedition leg. Could be a PhD student or a Climate, Ecology or Social Justice activist who will bring their own perspective to these legs.
People have sailed around the world clockwise and anti-clockwise. They have done it single handed and in groups. They have raced each other and done it for pleasure.
Join us on this new ocean challenge...
• Ask for more details • Apply to join The Challenge
What sort of Challenge leg are you interested in?
This voyage will cover a wide range of sailing - from some of the most challenging oceans in the world to gentle cruising in the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. So, whether you are a hardened sailor or a complete beginner, there will be something for you on this exciting voyage!
Some legs are less challenging than others!
Whether you want to round Cape Horn or just want to be wafted around the Caribbean with a rum punch in your hand, there will be something for you on this exciting voyage!
Relaxed Sailing in the Caribbean: To take part in a 'Relaxed Sailing' level leg you don't need any sailing experience. You will have plenty of opportunities to 'work the boat' but if you just want to swim, snorkel and party, that's fine with us
Cruise: To take part in a 'Cruise' level leg you should know something about sailing first - if only to make sure you enjoy doing it! One of these legs would be ideal for anyone aged 18 or over who wants to gain experience offshore, maybe with a view to taking a boat of their own out cruising one day.
Expedition: To take part in an 'Expedition' level leg you should be an adventurer with some sailing experience and a track record in difficult/dangerous terrain. This description would of course include any experienced sailor who has logged significant ocean miles. Although formal certification is not a pre-requisite, we are looking for people with RYA Yachtmaster certificates to be watch-leaders.
Training: We are expecting to run training in 2020. Meanwhile, we have scheduled two training legs in Oct/Nov 2019 for those living in Australia, South Africa or New Zealand. These are Sydney-Hobart direct and Hobart -Invercargill South Island NZ. See our Sailing & Training Calendar for details and costs.
We are arranging for a sailing school in Ireland/UK and another in the USA to run offshore training for Northern hemisphere members. Pricing for these out-of-house training events are being requested at this moment.
Sydney - Auckland - Ushuaia - South Georgia - Rio - Trinidad - Grenada - Martinique - Dominica - Guadeloupe - Antigua - BVI - Bermuda - Azores - Dublin - Hebrides - Faroes - Tromso - Hammerfest
The Ocean Sailing Club is international and easy to join.
Become a "Challenge" member and you can sail any two legs. The yacht is skippered by our RYA Ocean Yachtmaster Instructor.
Ask for more details Apply to Join Back to top
Nine legs to choose from
The NZ Dash - 14 days:
Sydney-Auckland 28 Oct - 11 Nov 2020.
Leaving from Sydney's Cruising Yacht Club of Australia: a sprint from Sydney to Auckland. This is a 'Cruise' level leg, suitable for anyone with a little sailing experience and an ambition to complete a short ocean crossing to a foreign port. Ideal for building miles towards your RYA Yachtmaster.
Rated as a 'Cruise'.
Cape Horn Expedition - 28 days:
Auckland- Ushuaia 26 Nov - 24 Dec 2020.
Probably the 'Everest' of sailing, Cape Horn is 4500 miles downwind from NZ. We've allowed 25 days for this leg from Auckland to Ushuaia - the world's most Southerly town - via Cape Horn. Added to that are 12 'contingency days' against delays and weather issues. However we hope to have several days in Ushuaia. What an opportunity for the aspiring 'Cape Horners' among you. An 'Expedition' level leg, this is not for the faint-hearted... but neither is Everest!
Rated as an 'Expedition'.
Ushuaia Webcam
Shackleton Memorial Expedition - 42 days:
Ushuaia-South Georgia-Rio. 31 Dec 2020 - 11 Feb 2021.
Once again we have allowed 12 'contingency days' against delays. But we hope that these can be spent on South Georgia from where, just over 100 years ago, Ernest Shackleton led his men out into Antarctica on an expedition that has never been rivalled for bravery and endurance. They left from South Georgia. Visit Shackleton's grave, see where this unforgettable expedition left from. This expedition leg ends after 3000 miles in Rio de Janeiro - hopefully in time to experience the world-famous Carnival (12-16th Feb).
Rio Webcam
The Carnival Cruise - 28 days :
Rio de Janeiro - Trinidad. 21 Feb - 21 Mar 2021.
Carnival in Rio is 12-16th February 2021. What better way to start a Carnival Cruise? Come to Rio, B&B on the boat and go see the sights of 'Carnival'. Then set sail on the 16th for the island of Trinidad, take in some Calypso. Maybe stay on a few days in this vibrant island before you pack up for home and the office! This leg is about 3500 miles and is an ideal opportunity to get all the miles needed for your RYA Yachtmaster/Ocean. We've allowed 23 days for this leg, with 5 'contingency days' which we hope you will be able to spend exploring our first Caribbean Island.
Three long, relaxed Caribbean Parties:
Trinidad - Grenada - Martinique 25th March - 1 April 2021.
Leaving Trinidad in mid-March we begin the first of 3 relaxed, very relaxed, Caribbean Holidays. This will take you snorkelling on the Tobago cays, then on to Grenada, known as one of the 'Spice Islands'. for its exotic spice plantations. There is also a jungle walk around the volcano. Then, on to the jewel of the French speaking Caribbean, Martinique
Rated as 'Sunshine Sailing'.
Dominica - Guadeloupe - Antigua 2nd - 9th April 2021.
If you can't make the first of these Caribbean parties, then join us in Dominica, with its active volcano, boiling mud pools and hot waterfalls. Back on board there will be plenty of time for snorkelling before we move on to explore the jungles of Guadeloupe, where the current TV series 'Death in Paradise' was filmed. Then continue the party in the old British naval base of Antigua where, for a bit of relaxation you can visit Nelson's Dockyard with its amazing system used to work on the old Navy square-riggers
Antigua - BVI - Bermuda 10th - 20th April 2021.
Before making the onward Atlantic crossing from Bermuda, we have time to continue our very relaxed cruise around the Caribbean with a stay at the Britsh Virgin Islands, so called since Columbus named the northern-most island 'Virgin Gorda' because it reminded him of a naked lady! Well, he had been at sea a very long time. The BVI have some exquisite dive locations as well as some bizarre history, including the place where Captain Kidd is said to have marooned his most troublesome pirates. It's called Deadman's Chest Island and, with a pistol and a bottle of rum each, it was not quite the party we want to have there! But... after all that sun, sand and partying we need to get the boat up to Bermuda for the penultimate leg of the Challenge. This leg will have a few days local sailing and a 7 day passage to Bermuda - an ideal chance to try an ocean sail.
The 'Tick off the Atlantic Crossing' Cruise - 28 days:
Bermuda - Azores - Dublin 25 April - 23 May 2021.
To have 'Crossed the Atlantic' links you with history's great names: Explorers like Columbus; Royal Navy captains like Nelson; and world-famous sailors like Knox-Johnston. How many British sailors would love to tick that box? Now is your chance. Under the eye of an RYA Yachtmaster instructor, take the route used by sailors for generations. Bermuda to the Azores, where we will rest for a week, maybe paint our ship's picture on the famous wall of Peter's cafe, along with images of hundreds of other trans-Atlantic yachts. Then we turn North by East to make landfall in the 'fair city' of Dublin. This leg will give you all the miles and hours you need for your RYA Yachtmaster certificate. We have allowed 3 'contingency days' which we hope can be spent exploring the Azores. However, it might be possible to leave/join the yacht at the Azores if time is a problem.
The Norse Saga Expedition - 28 days:
Dublin - Hebrides - Faroes - Hammerfest. 27 May - 24 June 2021.
Leaving from Dublin's Royal Yacht Club of Ireland: 28 days to follow the route used by Vikings and Norsemen from 1500 years ago. We hope to explore places like Scotland's historic Hebrides, Denmark's outpost islands, the Faroe Islands and the Norwegian fjords that lead to the world's most Northerly city and our goal - Hammerfest in time - we hope - for mid-summer's day inside the Arctic circle
Rated as a 'Expedition'.
Ends of The Earth Challenge Schedule, at a glance
From - To
Sydney-Auckland
28/10/2020 11/11/2020 Cruise 14 days 5 Places
Auckland- Ushuaia
26/11/2020 24/12/2020 Expedition 28 days 5 Places
Ushuaia-South Georgia-Rio
Rio-Trinidad
21/2/2021 21/3/2021 Cruise 28 days 7 Places
Trinidad-Grenada-Martinique
25/3/2021 1/4/2021 Sunshine Sailing 7 days 6 Places
Dominica-Guadeloupe-Antigua
2/4/2021 9/4/2021 Sunshine Sailing 7 days 6 Places
Antigua-BVI-Bermuda
10/4/2021 20/4/2021 Sunshine Sailing 10 days 6 Places
Bermuda-Azores-Dublin
Dublin-Hebrides-Faroes-Hammerfest
27/5/2021 24/6/2021 Expedition 28 days 5 Places
Please note the contents of this website are for information purposes only and should not be construed as forming any part of a contract. Contact The Ocean Sailing Club for full details.
Provisional Costs
The Ocean Sailing Club is a not-for-profit organisation whose aim is to enable as many people as possible to live their dream - so this voyage, like all of ours, must pay for all its costs.
The estimated probable cost of this expedition will be between £75,000 and £100,000. As a non-profit club, we ask Challenge Crew to pay a contribution for their leg. Currently that is worked out as £350 Challenge Membership - entitles you to join up to two legs - and then £72 per day for your on-board contribution per leg.
So, to give you an idea of contribution per leg:
- Cape Horn Expedition: 28 day leg from NZ to Ushuaia expected cost £2026 ($3444 AUD)
- Caribbean Sunshine Sailing: 7 days expected cost £506 ($861 AUD)
- Tick off The Atlantic (28 days door to door) expected cost £2026 ($3444 AUD)
While we are obviously not the Clipper Yacht race with their new 70 footers, it is worth noting - to put costs into perspective - that one leg of the clipper race such as Cape Town to Freemantle would probably cost about £11,500 ($21,000 AUD)
Take up the challenge.
You might be an experienced sailor wanting to test your nerve in the Southern Ocean or a 'Shackleton' fan wanting to visit the place where he is buried on South Georgia on the centenary of his amazing expedition...
You might be someone who has always fancied a sailing holiday in the beautiful Caribbean. Or you might want to follow the route taken by Norse men and women 1500 years ago: Scotland's Hebrides; Norway's Faroe Islands and the 'Land of the Midnight Sun'.
Whatever your fancy, do get in touch with this email form. We would like to hear from you...
Looking forward to sailing with you in 2020!
Peter Edington
"Ends of the Earth Challenge" Leader
Click the logo to return to
Nine legs...
Three levels
The estimated probable cost of this expedition will be between £75,000 and £100,000.
As a non-profit club, we ask Challenge Crew to pay a contribution for their leg.
You can come on up to two legs and guideline costs are shown below.
Expedition level......
Cape Horn Expedition
Auckland - Ushuaia
28 days - £2026/$3444 AUD
Shackleton Memorial Expedition
Ushuaia - South Georgia - Rio
Norse Saga Expedition
Dublin - Hebrides - Faroes - Hammerfest
Get details Apply to join
Ocean Cruising level...
The NZ dash
Sydney - Auckland
Rio - Trinidad
"Tick off The Atlantic" Cruise
Bermuda - Azores - Dublin
Relaxed Sailing level...
Caribbean Sunshine Sailing
Choice of 3 Caribbean Parties from £506/$861 AUD
Apply to join:
Apply to take up the challenge
* See pricing note at foot of page
The Ocean Sailing Club helping you get out on the water
* Important Note: As a British-registered non-profit organisation, all transactions are deemed to take place in the UK and under English Law. The Ocean Sailing Club charges membership and product prices in UK pounds, however the club may accept payment in the local currency of where their yacht is at the time. The Club may refer to prices in currencies other than UK Pounds, those prices are indicative only of the actual UK prices and are shown for comparison purposes
© The Ocean Sailing Club 2013-2017
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Home NEWS DSU elections and U-Pass BC referendum
DSU elections and U-Pass BC referendum
by The Other Press February 11, 2019
Photos by Billy Bui
A brief primer on the ‘Team Action’ slate and the current state of our U-Pass system
By Bex Peterson, Editor-in-Chief
This week students will be able to participate in electing Douglas Students’ Union representatives and deciding the future of the school’s U-Pass agreement with the province and TransLink.
The candidates for this year’s election are all members of the “Team Action” slate and are running entirely unopposed for all positions. Nominations for candidacy closed on February 1.
“Students typically organize themselves to run together and all students are welcome to put their names forward to run for the Board of Directors given they meet the requirements set out in the DSU Bylaws,” said College Relations and Membership Outreach Coordinator Tracy Ho, in an email to the Other Press.
According to the DSU elections page, “Any current member of the Douglas Students’ Union may nominate themselves as a candidate for election. Candidates for Constituency Representatives must also belong to the constituency group they are seeking to represent, for example candidates for the Women’s Representative must self-identify as women or candidates for the Indigenous Students’ Representative must be Indigenous.”
Telka Pesklevits, who is running for Director of College Relations, explained Team Action’s platform in an email to the Other Press.
“Team Action wants to stay focused on services, advocacy, and events,” said Pesklevits.
Their mandate is separated into three main areas of focus: events, services, and campaigns. Events encapsulated popular DSU initiatives such as the fall beverage garden social, monthly pub nights (and similar events for all ages), and free food events. Services covered improving their volunteer programs; helping to combat food insecurity among students through the college’s emergency food bank service; incorporating the new Anvil Centre into Douglas activities to reach the students who attend classes there; utilizing newly renovated spaces; and promoting the new legal aid line available to students. For campaigns, Team Action will continue to promote the “Open Textbooks” campaign; advocate for a tuition fee increase cap on international student fees; encourage students to vote in the upcoming federal election; and campaign the provincial government to eliminate interest on student loans.
“We will promote multiple other campaigns [as well] that are currently in the works at the provincial level such as Grants not Loans and Fund the Future,” said Pesklevits.
Regarding the U-Pass referendum, the college’s current two-year extension on a renewed 2013 U-Pass BC program agreement will be expiring soon. According to an online document outlining the platforms of the DSU candidates and the Yes Campaign for the referendum, “The Province and TransLink are proposing a new five-year agreement starting in May 2020 at $42.50/month, followed by annual increases of two percent until April 2025. This means that the cost to students would only be $46/month (which is only $5/month more).”
According to the Yes Campaign, entering another five-year agreement “will not only keep the cost of the U-Pass lower, but also make it predictable, unlike the price increases faced by the general public.”
There is no registered No campaign for the referendum.
Students are encouraged to vote in the concourse at the New West campus, the AB atrium at the Coquitlam campus, and the seventh floor of the Anvil Centre. Voting times are available on the DSU elections page on their website. According to the website, “students must show valid Douglas College ID or valid government-issued ID to be eligible to vote.”
bex petersonNEWS
World Cancer Day
Death to al dente
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Prim, proper, paws
By Shubham Bhatia on May 16, 2019
If you thought options for luxe relaxation were available for only two-legged mammals, you were mistaken. People are spending big bucks on their furry friends
The sound of water pouring in slowly. Lavender freshening up the room. Scrubs are ready, gloves are ready, arranged nicely on the table, adjacent to the bathing station. No, it’s not a bath laid out for a nawab, but a spa routine in progress for a beloved pet dog.
In your line of vision are four stations — two each for hair dressing (yes, it’s called that) and bathing. The bathing station is equipped with a hand shower, shampoos and conditioners. The hair dressing station awaits a coveted client: could be a dog or a cat.
Your visit could set you back by Rs 800 to Rs 4,000, which includes conditioning, blow dry, nail clipping, ‘pawdicure’ and mouth freshener.
Red Paws Pet Spa & Shop in Hauz Khas Village is one such place where your poodle or retriever can get that luxurious bath, filled with body wash, available in different scents, leaving your pet looking as good as the corgis belonging to Queen Elizabeth II.
As one enters the pet spa in Hauz Khas Village, one is welcomed with two street dogs — Minnie and Bobby — who are lazing comfortably in air-conditioned comfort. “They come and go as and when they want. It’s too hot outside so they come and lie down in the shop. We never shoo them away,” says Sakshi, the spa owner.
Sakshi says that on an average about 10-15 people come with their pet to avail the grooming services the spa shop offers. The customers not only avail the spa services, but also buy the variety of grooming products available for the pets. “If a person is here to look for accessories, then he or she usually spends an average of Rs 1,000,” says Sakshi.
And it’s not just accessories they spend on, the product which garners most customers and bucks is pet food. The variety available at the store may confuse a newbie, but the salesmen are there to help. There’s a basic choice between veg or non-veg options, and within these categories a mind-boggling variety.
Each food pack targets specific needs of the dog or cat. For example, under the Gastro-Intestinal category available at the store is “a complete dietetic feed for the nutritional management of dogs and formulated to reduce acute intestinal absorption disorders, and promote nutritional restoration and convalescence.” The marketing spiel continues: “Highly digestible ingredients. Increased level of electrolytes and essential nutrients. High energy level.”
Likewise, the Cibau mini-breed sensitive lamb food, “has been specially designed for all adult dogs, so that the digestive issues and different skin allergies can be taken care of.” It claims that it helps a dog who is prone to dry skin or infections, and the product helps preserve the lustrous coat.
These products also come with a price, for the lamb food costs Rs 1,400 for a pack of 2.5 kg.
Flavour is an essential part of the food any living being consumes, so for the pets too, the food products come in a variety of options. From tangy orange to tantalising blueberry to juicy pomegranate, so that the dogs and cats designed to make their taste buds tingle.
Since the pricing of these products is not moderate, and the demand is high, it establishes the fact that the pet grooming industry is booming.
A 2018 report by New Era MarketMonitor Consultancy states that the “Indian pet care market continues to grow in double digits despite headwinds like demonetisation of 2016 and GST implementation in 2017. Though, its whopping growth was impacted in late 2016 as well as early 2017 and could only recover after March 2017. “
The report also shows that the Indian pet care industry “advanced with a value CAGR of 23 per cent during 2012-2017 and its outlook for the forecast period remains bright.”
Dog food alone is the engine of pet care market in the country, and the category accounted for over 80% value share in 2017.
Coming to Lutyens Delhi’s upscale market — Khan Market, as one takes a stroll, about two-three pet shops come in sight.
One of them is Heads Up for Tails. The storefront is in tune with the posh look of the market, nicely designed with fancy shelves and lighting, highlighting specific products.
The store manager tells that a customer spends about Rs. 5,000-6,000 on each visit. That’s the kind of clientele the store caters to. “Toys and food sell the most in our shop,” tells the store manager while pressing a squeaky toy, which he says “dogs and cats love.”
In fact, new pet owners spend about Rs 20,000-25,000 in their initial visit. This, he says, only takes care of the essentials. Gradually, once the pet is equipped with basic needs, the bill comes down.
Although the store sells imported and domestic bathing essentials, it also manufactures its own line, which is “organic and free from any chemicals.” Almost 60% of these bathing essentials comes from in-house brand.
He says, “The craze amongst Indian customers is much more than before. Hence, they are spending on these products.” While also adding that the cost of the products also increased over the years, and Pedigree, one of the oldest brands in market, was overtaken by other foreign and Indian brands.
One interesting thing which can catch any customer’s attention in the shop is the sherwani, yes, the shop also takes orders for customised clothing for pets.
A black sherwani, with the traditional red dupattas, shimmers, awaiting a handsome dog. None need go disappointed because the sherwani can be custom-made for any breed dog and of any size.
Predictably, the store witnesses huge demand during the wedding season, the store manager tells.
If the occasion is western, then a bright black tuxedo is also available in the store, along with shirts starting from Rs 999, available in different colours and patterns. Because why should only humans have all the fun?
Amid all this, a lady customer in the store says, “I don’t really believe in taking my dog for spa service because the pet is used to your own hands and company and he or she may not find it too satisfying getting bath from a random person.” Clearly, luxury is not something pets themselves want – it’s what humans want for their pets. n
Published in Metro
Shubham Bhatia
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Cuppa chai for Rs. 333?
FROM SITTING ON THE FOOTPATH NEAR A TEA VENDOR'S STALL AND SIPPING TEA TO RELISHING ON THE SPICY JUICY MOMOS OF THE ROADSIDE MOMO SELLER....
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Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation
Stuarts' Story
Thomas' Story
Take Kare
Safe Space Sydney
TAKE KARE - next steps
Stay Kind
Alcohol sending hundreds of thousands into hospital each year
Alcohol is sending hundreds of thousands of people to emergency departments each year, far outranking the scourge of ice, research on Australian and New Zealand hospitals has found.
The study – the largest of its kind – has prompted the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine to call for more lockout laws for licensed venues, to reduce the harm alcohol is causing across the country.
Chair of the college's public health committee, Diana Egerton-Warburton, said 9,600 patients were screened at a mix of eight large and small emergency departments over a week in December 2014 to see whether alcohol was involved in their attendance.
All of the patients were asked if alcohol had contributed to their illness or injury; whether they had been drinking in the previous six hours; and if someone else's alcohol intake had caused their problem. The staff caring for them were also asked if alcohol was involved.
The researchers found that one in 12 or eight per cent of all the presentations involved booze. In peak times (6pm Friday night to 6am Sunday morning) this increased to one in eight patients.
"That equates to more than half a million alcohol related patients attending EDs every year," said Associate Professor Egerton-Warburton who is presenting the study at the College's annual scientific conference this week. "It confirms that alcohol is having a huge impact on our emergency departments."
Alcohol‐affected patients were more likely to arrive by ambulance and with police. They were also more likely to be men who required urgent resuscitation.
"They are the human tragedies. Those are the cases where I'm sitting there at 1 in the morning ringing someone to tell them their son or daughter has a horrific head injury. They are the cases that lift the hairs on the arms of even the most experienced emergency physician," said Associate Professor Egerton-Warburton.
While 14 per cent of the presentations were the result of other people's alcohol use (victims of car accidents caused by a drunk driver or domestic violence, for example) 25 per cent were people who were "clinically intoxicated".
Many of the patients who were not intoxicated had injuries from falling over while drunk the night before and had woken to realise the extent of the damage.
"It affects people from all walks of life. The other day I saw a completely respectable grandmother in her 70s who wasn't normally a drinker. For some reason she had had three vodka shots and a glass of wine and she fell face forward out of a car… She had very nasty facial lacerations and fractures. She was incredibly embarrassed," said Associate Professor Egerton-Warburton.
The college is hoping the research will prompt other governments to copy New South Wales' lockout laws and restrictions on alcohol availability, which are thought to have reduced assaults by 40 per cent. The laws, triggered by a one punch death in 2013, involve 1.30am lockouts, 3am last drinks, a ban on takeaway alcohol after 10pm and a freeze on new liquor licences in the city precinct.
"The Sydney CBD has gone from having 75 police officers on a Saturday night in Kings Cross to 25 and they are not spending half of their night in an emergency department," said Associate Professor Egerton-Warburton
The Queensland Government is now considering similar laws, but a spokeswoman for the Victorian Government said they had no plans to introduce lockout laws.
Julia Medew
Health Editor, Sydney Morning Herald (24th November 2015)
Thomas Kelly, Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation, Take Kare, alcohol abuse, alcohol education
Published on November 25, 2015 by TKYF. Source.
Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation Mosman
Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation supported by
© TKYF 2016
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Sri Lanka without Mathews, Gamage for 2nd test against Windies
Already on the back foot in this series, having lost the opening Test to the Windies in Port-of-Spain, Sri Lanka awoke to the news that they will have to do without former captain Angelo Mathews and Lahiru Gamage as they are now traveling back home for different reasons.
Mathews goes home for personal reasons while Gamage is out through injury. The big right-hander suffered an injury to the finger when he was hit on the glove by a Shannon Gabriel thunderbolt. Gamage had some on-field treatment and continued batting, finishing with three off 49 balls, as Sri Lanka lost by 226 runs.
The Sri Lankan management has sent out for two replacements and they left Sri Lanka last evening for the blue waters of the Caribbean. However, given the distance, they have to travel there is no way possible they can reach these shores in time for the Test. The men coming in from Sri Lanka are Dhanuska Gunathilaka and Dasun Shanaka.
In the interim the Sri Lankans can call on Dhananjaya de Silva, Kasun Rajita or Asitha Fernando who are here with the team. The Sri Lankans traveled to the region with 17 players and not the normal 15 and it will now work in their favour.
Meanwhile, the teams held their workout at the Beausejour the venue for tomorrow’s clash and the Windies are reporting that all is fine and well within their camp.
Skipper Jason Holder will be hoping that his team can register their second back to back Test win in four years. The last time this was achieved was way back in 2014 against Bangladesh in the Caribbean.
The pitch here is expected to help his ambitions as it is expected to be similar to what obtained at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain. With the Windies quicks inform, the visitors will be wary, as they did not handle them well in Trinidad, falling for 185 and 223 in their two efforts.
The last time a Test match was played here was against India in 2016 and it assisted the faster bowlers, as India won the game. Traditionally the pitch here has played well, giving results to anyone willing to put in the hard work and it is expected to play the same again today.
Rain has been in and around the Gros Islet area over the past few days and is expected to worsen over the weekend, which means that interruptions are expected. The authorities in St. Lucia moved away from playing cricket at the Mindoo Phillip Park because it was apparently built in a rain belt. This is why the Beausejour came into being. They built this ground in what is known as a ‘dry’ area so they are hoping that the rain does not play a big hand.
Play on the first day tomorrow gets underway at 10am.
Windies: Jason Holder – Captain, Devendra Bishoo, Kraigg Brathwaite, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Jamar Hamilton, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Kieran Powell, Kemar Roach, Devon Smith.
Sri Lanka: Kusal Mendis, Mahela Udawatte, Dhananjaya de Silva, Roshen Silva, Dinesh Chandimal (capt), Kusal Perera, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Rangana Herath, Suranga Lakmal, Akila Dananjaya, Lahiru Kumara.
Source: www.gaurdian.co.tt (Vinode Mamchan)
Windies
,56121,60697,57786
UTT launches investigation into "cussing" teacher
Police find bag full of 5.56mm ammunition in Morvant
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Bob and the Dodo
My oldest grandchild, Bob, who will be 10 this July, has taken an interest in the Dodo Bird.
He’s done some research and shared a few facts during his last overnight – like, the Dodo Bird was large (“the size of James and Max put together”) and was pretty good eating.
He also informed me that the Dodo lived on two islands East of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean: Reunion and Mauritius.
Continue reading Bob and the Dodo
Posted on March 31, 2005 Author marciaCategories Uncategorized
Did Hell freeze over today?
As reported by AP:
The Supreme Court expanded job protections for roughly half the nation’s work force Wednesday, ruling that federal law allows people 40 and over to file age bias claims over salary and hiring even if employers never intended any harm.
Who’d you guess was on the side of workers? Sure, the so-called “liberal wing” – John Paul Stevens, David H. Souter, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen G. Breyer –
and in a separate opinion: Antonin Scalia.
Agnostics Need Not Apply; Pederasts, on the Other Hand…
The Dallas U.S. Attorney’s office announced today that the former national director of programs for the Boy Scouts of America has been charged with possession and distribution of child pornography.
As we all know, the Boy Scouts preclude dangerous people like agnostics and atheists from their membership. And gays. But at least one consumer of kiddie porn had a 39 year run with same organization.
Continue reading Agnostics Need Not Apply; Pederasts, on the Other Hand…
Third World Children
If you dare, read this article , but only on an empty stomach.
It’s another one about the rape of Third World kids. But this time, it’s by UN troops, Jordanian soldiers in Timor, who “routinely” sexually assaulted little boys.
When an Australian Corporal reported the children’s complaints to his superiors, the manly Jordanian fighters retaliated by threatening the Australian “diggers” with M-16’s.
Tough. Macho.
According to the article, the UN essentially shoved the whole matter under the rug: “Jordan was too valuable an ally in its contribution to the Middle East peace process to alienate.”
Can’t Imagine Why….
The Census Bureau reported yesterday that Black and Asian women with bachelor’s degrees earn more than “similarly educated” White and Hispanic women.
White men, of course, make more than anyone else*. As much as a whopping 77 PERCENT more.
Continue reading Can’t Imagine Why….
Just Hang Up
Received a recorded phone message this morning from the Dove Foundation, which rates TV shows, movies and video games for children.
Since I’m on a “Do Not Call” list*, I declined to listen to the rest of the phonecall, and filed a complaint with the FCC.
And having researched the “Dovies” thereafter, I’m glad I did.
Their website includes, for example, the following from a review of “Harry Potter: Prisoner of Azkaban”:
Although it is a highly entertaining and well-made film, Dove cannot award it the Dove Seal because of the emphasis on divination, incantations and dark themes.
Ay-yup.
PS: The Western Michigan Better Business Bureau doesn’t like them either: This organization does not meet the … BBB Standard(s) for Local Charitable Accountability.
*Evidently charitable organizations are exempt, but even so, they must remove you from their list – that is, if you ever get a chance to tell them to do so….
It warmed up a little over Easter weekend, so I got to remove several baskets of leaves from the flowerbeds and toss the winter decorations from the flower boxes.
It’s supposed to rain most of the week, good time to Hollytone Peter’s tree, maybe. The contractor had planned to do the town water install, but the weather slowed him and the plumber down – seems like precip has thwarted our maintenance plans generally, including clean-up in Peter’s yard, which has been put off due to snow since January 11.
Lot of wisdom in this excerpt from CNN/Money:
Less really is more.
You have material desires like everyone else. But you recognize that those desires are fueled by an advertising-driven culture that encourages you to feel like you never have enough. You understand that the quest to possess can be never ending unless you consciously apply the brakes.
The true signs of a financial grown-up: Instead of ratcheting up your lifestyle every time you get a raise, you consciously live below your means, value the nonmaterial wealth in your life, such as family and friends, and resist the urge to buy the next big thing simply because you can.
In the end, says James Gottfurcht, president of Psychology of Money Consultants in Los Angeles, you know that you’ve reached money maturity when you realize that “financial freedom and success go not to those who have the most, but to those who need the least.”
Schiavo: One Woman’s Perspective
Actually, more than one of us women has wondered the following about the Schiavo case:
Far from reflecting an “angelic” repose, those home videos from 3 years ago are revolting and humiliating. Terri Schiavo evidently took great pride in her appearance. We’ve wondered if she’d be horrified that the whole world has been pummelled with images of that vacuous, hideous, infantile grimace which her parents interpret as cognizance.
Continue reading Schiavo: One Woman’s Perspective
Dress for Duress
The brouhaha about Desiree Goodwin, the woman who is suing Harvard for discrimination – based on derogatory comments about her manner of dress, she claims they’ve denied her opportunities for promotion 16 TIMES – poses an ethical quandry.
First, working in an office is stressful for the majority of people. Over 50% of American workers are unhappy with their jobs, and no wonder: their work environments are sealed deathtraps (e.g., 9/11) where, statistically speaking, one out of every 25 of their coworkers is a nutcase (see my post on sociopathy in the US).
Continue reading Dress for Duress
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World’s First Virtual Reality Press Conference a Hilarious Disaster
Monika November 7, 2014 cats, comedy
From 1pm to 1:10 pm yesterday afternoon three avatars tried inexpertly to communicate with one another in 4 D, several more wandered the hallways and lobbies of the Riftmax virtual theatre trying to find the right room for the press conference, and at least one became irate. In the real world, a collection of fans and bloggers watched two hapless dudes try to navigate two realities at once. The world’s first virtual reality press conference had begun.
“Where are you guys? Am I pointing in the right direction?” Paul asked the attendants in the actual room he was in, while still absently holding down on the alt key that would let him communicate with the virtual theatre where they had recently become acquainted with Sheldon from PEI. Sheldon had started talking with Mike and Paul before the press conference, at about ten minutes to one when the Bad Records crew had finally figured out the equipment and started getting their legs in the virtual world. Once the people started arriving to the event in the real world, it was harder to keep the conversations straight.
“Right now you’re talking to the bathrooms, we’re over here.” Yelled Karen, number thirteen fan on the fan leaderboard over at ComedyCoup.com. (She was number seven last week, what the heck is going on over there? Their fan-deciding scheme must be wonky.) Karen of course reigns undisputed as the number one comedy fan in Montreal, we at least have got our heads on straight.
With Karen’s help, Paul finally got his real-world body facing the right direction. He was just starting to get things rolling in a manner that everybody might be able to understand, since he was now facing the crowd in both realities and pressing all the right buttons, when he was interrupted.
Mike had been getting more and more uncomfortable with the “VR experience.” It started with incoherent mumbling and quickly escalated to his suddenly tearing off his oculus rift virtual reality headset and charging into the crowd.
“I’ve had enough of this reality.” He hollered, “ I am done, I can’t take it anymore.”
Then he started taking off his clothes.
Meanwhile in the virtual world, Sheldon was still trying to get through to the guys. Unfortunately Paul and Mike were having other issues, Paul had discovered that he could look up with his oculus rift headset, and he had gotten stuck on the ceiling. Trying to keep control of this press conference over the momentary sensory overload was proving difficult.
Losing his restrictive clothing had calmed Mike down, and seeing that Paul was now also starting to lose his cool Mike begrudgingly put his headset back on and tried to yell back at Sheldon. Unfortunately the system seems to require the smallest amount of finesse at this early stage in development, and little was getting through. Undeterred, Mike kept yelling into the rift, as though that would make it easier to understand what he was saying. It was a bit like how the most clueless of American and Canadian tourists yell in increasingly high decibels at cab drivers in Montreal who are perfectly capable of understanding English.
While this was all going on in the virtual theater and in the real-world theater space, Bad Records social media spaces were lighting up with questions about how to work the press conference or the Riftmax reality. Unfortunately, you can really only be in a maximum of two places at once these days, so these queries went unheeded.
I was sitting in the audience giggling and taking photos of the disaster when my brother in Calgary got in touch with me via snapchat. He said that he had managed to download the game and was in the Riftmax virtual platform, operating on his computer in 2D, but that he was having trouble finding us. I tried my best to give him directions, but at that moment I wasn’t so clear about where we were myself or how many Ds there were. He texted me again letting me know that there were several other people wandering the virtual lobby, all looking for the press conference.
Unfortunately for their potential virtual guests, the guys were not doing too well. Paul had given up on being upright and was laying prone on the stage, complaining about the dimensions being too much for him. Mike, standing alone in his socks and underwear, had sputtered out on trying to communicate with Sheldon and was once again heard mumbling about not being able to take this reality.
They were five minutes into their ten minute press conference.
*** UPDATE: Upon checking the fan leaderboard we have ascertained that Karen is once again in eighth place. Good work Karen! The number one fan is currently Sheldon from PEI. Wow.
cbc, comedy coup, funny videos, oculus rift, save the CBC, Virtual reality
← Ghost stories Get in the Spirit of the Season with this Sacrificial Goat from Sweden →
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August 19, 2014 Reviews
by Mike D'Angelo
The opening images of Salvo, a brooding Italian drama about a sensitive Mafia hitman, are so visually indistinct that it looks as if something must have gone awry. Only a bit later does the import of this odd strategy come into focus. After surviving an attempt on his life, mob enforcer Salvo (Palestinian actor Saleh Bakri, from The Band’s Visit and The Time That Remains) stealthily enters the house of the dude who set him up, seeking revenge. He finds only his quarry’s sister, Rita (Sara Serraiocco), sitting alone counting money. She doesn’t respond to Salvo’s presence, however, even though he’s in plain sight a few feet away. Then her eyes dart randomly about, and the film’s initial murkiness suddenly makes sense. She’s blind.
What follows is an extraordinary 18-minute setpiece, confined entirely to Rita’s darkened house, in which the camera alternately follows Salvo, as he silently stakes out the best place to ambush his victim when he shows up, and Rita, as she gradually realizes that she’s no longer alone. In her film debut, Serraiocco somehow succeeds in conveying the latter without a blatant oh-my-God moment—it just becomes evident, maybe halfway through the lengthy sequence, that she’s terrified, even though she continues doing chores and humming quietly to herself as before. First-time feature directors Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza expertly sustain the tension for what seems like an eternity, pushing and pulling their two characters throughout the house; when the violence finally erupts, it occurs offscreen, so viewers must experience it as Rita does. Stop Salvo here, and it looks like a potential masterpiece.
Alas, it’s a steep downhill grade from there. Moved by Rita’s blindness and/or innocence, Salvo can’t bring himself to kill her, even though letting her live will surely incur the wrath of his Mafia boss (Luigi Lo Cascio). Instead, he locks her up in an abandoned factory on the outskirts of town, then goes about his business. The rest of the film consists of a sappy slow thaw, as Salvo, who was previously cold and taciturn, starts to be friendly with the couple from whom he rents a dingy room (being a mob hitman doesn’t pay that well, apparently) and to value Rita’s safety more than his own. Eventually, he’s willing to risk his own life to save hers, and she, in turn, is able to see him as someone other than just the man who murdered her brother.
That isn’t the only thing she can see, either. Even more disappointing than the descent into mawkishness is Grassadonia and Piazza’s decision to incorporate a miracle into the story, then largely ignore it. Salvo, for no particularly good reason, has a habit of placing his hand on each victim’s head before he blows it off, as if he’s offering benediction; when he does this to Rita, before changing his mind and abducting her instead, the film cuts briefly to her point of view, showing bright light suddenly flood her field of vision. The subject never arises in dialogue (of which Salvo has precious little), but it’s clear from Rita’s actions and eye movements that she’s no longer blind. This is such a bold development, occurring so early on, that it’s maddening just how little it ultimately matters. There’s no religious or spiritual subtext to speak of—Salvo’s personal transformation is motivated by boilerplate pity, and his relationship with Rita remains stubbornly superficial, unworthy of the power to heal. In the end, it’s Salvo itself that’s murky and obscure.
110 min / Run Time
August 22 2014 / Release Date
Italian / Language
Fabio Grassadonia
Antonio Piazza
Saleh Bakri
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“Our logo is a fork. Our logo has always been a fork.”
November 15, 2011 by Morgan Wick
(From MS Paint Adventures: Homestuck. Click for full-sized all-purpose baking utensil.)
Homestuck has been undeniably awesome so far… but reading a recent Tumblr post of Hussie’s, it’s also exhibited an example of something not to do.
Aspiring Webcomickers Everywhere, do not bend your story just to do something you think is cool. Do a side strip, or do a non-canon intermission, or something, but if you’re doing a story-heavy comic, everything that happens in your comic should serve the needs of the story, not the other way around. And certainly don’t change the basic cornerstones of how the story goes in order to do something cool.
Hussie knows this – the Midnight Crew, the dark counterparts of the Problem Sleuthers, never appeared in PS proper, instead sticking to bonus material before becoming key figures in Homestuck – and he mentions coming up with this idea about two years ago, or almost as far back as the age of the comic itself. But two years ago, Homestuck was already in the midst of Act 3, and Hussie mentions the idea spinning out of the ectobiological origins of the kids and guardians, suggesting at least some of the comic was already established by that point.
I’m hopeful these new kids will prove to be important enough to the plot we’ve been following for the last five acts that their value will be more than just Hussie wanting to do something cool, that Hussie will prove a good enough writer to integrate them at least as seamlessly as he did the trolls – and in fact there’s evidence that Jake, who we’re meeting now, is the penpal who helped Jade make the “ultimate bunny” (but if that’s the case, why don’t I recognize his old-timey dialogue from his notes to John?) – but I’m going to be reading cautiously until then, if I decide to read at all before we get back to the plot.
Categories WebcomicsTags ms paint adventures Post navigation
Last-Minute Remarks on SNF Week 12 Picks
Sunday Night Football Flex Scheduling Watch: Week 10
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Research ArticleHEAD AND NECK
Cemento-Ossifying Fibroma Presenting as a Mass of the Parapharyngeal and Masticator Space
So Lyung Jung, Kyu Ho Choi, Young Ha Park, Hyun Chul Song and Mi Seon Kwon
American Journal of Neuroradiology October 1999, 20 (9) 1744-1746;
So Lyung Jung
Kyu Ho Choi
Young Ha Park
Hyun Chul Song
Mi Seon Kwon
Summary: We report a case of cemento-ossifying fibroma that presented as a large extraosseous mass in the masticator and parapharyngeal space. CT scanning and MR imaging showed a large extraosseous mass with central conglomerated, well-matured ossified nodules and fatty marrow. The central matured ossified nodules were of low density on CT scans and high signal intensity on T1- and T2-weighted MR images. Multiplanar reformatted CT scans revealed the origin of the mass to be at the extraction site of the right lower second molar tooth.
Cemento-ossifying fibroma (COF) is a well-demarcated and occasionally encapsulated neoplasm that contains fibrous tissue and varying amounts of calcified tissue resembling bone, cementum, or both. Ossification of this material is rare, and woven bone is predominant. This neoplasm occurs in patients of a wide age range, but the greatest numbers of cases are encountered during the third and fourth decades of life. There is definite female predilection, with female-to-male ratios as high as 5:1. The mandibular premolar-molar area is the most common site. COF of the head and neck is described radiographically as a well-circumscribed, expansile bony lesion with calcified matrices in the mandible and maxilla. Several rare cases involving the nasal bones, orbit, ethmoid sinus, sphenoid sinus, maxillary sinus, occiput, temporal bone, and nasopharynx have also been reported (1–6). However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no report in the English literature of ossifying fibroma that presented as an extraskeletal mass in the masticator and parapharyngeal space. We describe imaging and pathologic findings and a possible pathogenesis of extraskeletal COF.
A 59-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of right retromolar swelling and a 5-month history of pain. Her medical history was otherwise unremarkable. A clinical examination revealed a hard expansile mass that was palpable along the medial border of the right mandibular ramus. The right lower second molar tooth was absent. CT scans (Fig 1A–B) showed a large, lobulated, bone-density mass adjacent to the right mandibular ramus in the right masticator and parapharyngeal space, displacing the medial and lateral pterygoid muscles. Centrally heterogeneous low densities were seen. The medial cortex of the mandible was eroded at the site of tooth extraction. A multiplanar reformatted image showed the origin of the mass at the site of an extracted molar tooth (Fig 1C). T1- and T2-weighted MR images (Fig 1D–E) showed a heterogeneous low signal intensity. A central high signal intensity area on T1- and T2-weighted MR images corresponded to low attenuation on CT scans, suggesting mature bone with fatty marrow. After infusion of the contrast material, subtle enhancement was seen in the portion of the mass. The margin of the mass was indistinct on the MR images because signal intensity was similar to that of the adjacent muscles on T1- and T2-weighted images. A biopsy was performed with the patient under local anesthesia, and the results of a microscopic examination were consistent with COF (Fig 1F). Using a lip-splitting approach, a continuity resection with hemimandibulectomy through the first molar was performed. During the dissection, the lesion was easily separable from the adjacent lingual mucosa and displaced pterygoid muscles but was firmly attached to the bone. Reconstruction surgery was performed using the acrylic resin mold. Because of wound infection, the infected resin mold was removed and a second reconstruction was performed with the plate. No clinical sign of recurrence was observed for 10 months. A follow-up CT study to be conducted 1 year after tumor resection was planned.
A 59-year-old woman presented with right retromolar swelling and a 5-month history of pain.
A, Axial CT scan shows a large lobulated bone density mass in the right masticator and parapharyngeal space. This mass is located in the intermuscular spaces between the medial and lateral pterygoid muscles. Central low-density areas (arrow) are seen.
B, Coronal CT scan shows a large lobulated bone density mass in the right masticator and parapharyngeal space. This mass is located in the intermuscular spaces between the medial and lateral pterygoid muscles. Central low-density areas (arrow) are seen.
C, Multiplanar reformatted coronal CT scan shows the origin of the mass at the extracted molar tooth site (arrows).
D, Axial T1-weighted (750/15 [TR/TE]) image shows a low-signal-intensity mass in the right masticator and parapharyngeal space. Multiple nodules within the mass show a low-signal-intensity rim and a central high signal intensity.
E, This central high signal intensity is hyperintense on T2-weighted images (2200/90) and corresponds to central low attenuation on the CT scan, suggesting mature bones with cental fatty marrow.
F, Microscopic study shows that the tumor is composed of fibrous tissue containing an admixture of immature woven bone (thick short arrow) and mature lamellar bone (open arrows). Central fatty marrow (long arrows) is seen within the mature lamellar bone (×40). Osteoblastic rimming of trabeculae is also shown (arrowheads).
COF is a well-demarcated benign fibrous neoplasm that contains varying amounts of calcified tissue resembling bone, cementum, or both. In the past, many investigators separately classified cementifying fibromas from ossifying fibromas. When curvilinear trabeculae or spheroidal calcifications were encountered, the lesion was often referred to as cementifying fibroma. When bone was predominated, ossifying fibroma was assigned. Today, however, the term “cemento-ossifying fibroma” is widely used because both osseous and cemental tissues are seen commonly in a single lesion (7).
COF is characterized by a well-defined expansile bony mass without destruction and rarely has an extraosseous soft-tissue component. Our case had a small bony component and a large extraosseous component. The small bony component was located at the root of the extracted right lower second molar tooth and extended superiorly and medially with cortical destruction. The larger extraosseous component was located in the intermuscular space between the medial and lateral pterygoid muscles.
The origin of COF is thought to be the periodontal membrane, a layer of fibrous connective tissue surrounding all tooth roots. The connective tissue of the periodontal membrane harbors the potential for elaboration of both bone and cementum. Bernier and Thompson (8) speculated that infection with resulting inflammation and fibrosis of the periapical area might stimulate the periodontal membrane. After trauma, such as tooth extraction, the remaining periodontal tissue that is attached to the wall of the alveolus may serve as the origin of COF. In our case, the tumor might have developed at the remaining periodontal membrane after tooth extraction. Upward growth and large extraosseous mass formation might be related to lesser resistance after extraction of the second molar tooth. Several rare cases outside the mandible and maxilla have been reported. The current theories regarding their origin include traumatic and developmental causes. Cakir and Karadayi (1) suggested that nasopharyngeal COF originated from embryologic nests. Brademann et al (3) explained that ectopic periodontal membrane differentiated from primitive mesenchymal cells in the petrous bone may serve as a cause of development of COF in this area and that trauma such as severe whiplash may be a factor in the induction of proliferation of COF. The ethmoidal location of COF may also be explained by incomplete migration of mesenchyme and its differentiation into periodontal membrane.
The mass was well demarcated from the surrounding soft tissue and did not invade the adjacent muscles, although it extended along the intermuscular space. During the operation, it was separated easily from the displaced pterygoid muscles but was firmly attached to the bone. The nasopharynx and oropharynx were narrowed by the extraosseous component of the mass.
On the CT scans, a major portion of the mass consisted of numerous ring-shaped and curvilinear ossified nodules. A central low-attenuation area on the CT scans corresponded to high signal intensity on T1- and T2-weighted MR images. These nodules were considered to be mature bone with central fatty marrow. Immature woven bone and fibrous connective tissue, as well as mature lamellar bone with the central fatty marrow, were evident after pathologic analysis. As the lesion matures, ossification increases and coalesces, accounting for the lesion's progressive increase in radiodensity. Ossification consists of immature woven bone that matures into lamellar bone.
This mass showed a different pathologic finding from that of common COF. Ossification of immature bone, which is rarely seen in cases of common COF, was a prominent feature of the lesion in our case. We hypothesize that because the mass was detected in a more mature person, the immature woven bone, typical of common COF, had progressed to form mature lamellar bone with central fatty marrow.
CT findings of the previously reported cases of extramandibular COF included expansile lesion with discrete areas of calcification and ossification (1–6). The proportion of soft tissue and calcification and ossification was variable. They were of low signal intensity on T2- and proton density–weighted MR images (4, 6). After infusion of contrast material, COF showed uniform dense enhancement (3, 4, 6). In our case, CT scans showed a large lobulated bone-density mass with a scanty soft-tissue component. MR imaging showed heterogeneous low signal intensity on T1- and T2-weighted images. After infusion of the contrast material, subtle enhancement was seen in a portion of the mass. These different CT and MR findings in our case might be due to increased amount of ossification.
It is not easy to differentiate mandibular COF from fibrous dysplasia. When it presents as a large lobulated bone-density mass in the parapharyngeal and masticator space, extraosseous osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, and foreign-body injection granuloma should be differentiated.
Treatment should be directed toward complete removal of the mass, using enucleation or surgical resection with bone grafting. The prognosis is known to be fair, and recurrence after surgical removal seems to be unusual. Radiotherapy is contraindicated because of its radioresistance and post-radiation complications.
1 This work was supported in part by the Clinical Research Fund of St. Vincent's Hospital and College of Medicine, the Catholic University of Korea.
2 Address reprint requests to SL Jung, MD, Department of Radiology, St. Vincent's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, 93 Chi-dong, Paldal-ku, Suwon, Kyunggi-do 442-723, Korea (south).
Cakir B, Karadayi N. Ossifying fibroma in the nasopharynx. A case report. Clin Imag 1991;15:290-292
Levine PA, Wiggins R, Archibald RW, Britt R. Ossifying fibroma of the head and neck. Involvement of the temporal bone and unusual and challenging site. Laryngoscope 1981;91:720-725
Brademann G, Werner JA, Janig U, Mehdorn HM, Rudert H. Cemento-ossifying fibroma of the petromastoid region. Case report and review of the literature. J Laryngol Otol 1997;111:152-155
Sterling KM, Stollman A, Sacher M, Som PM. Ossifying fibroma of sphenoid bone with coexistent mucocele. CT and MRI. J Comput Assist Tomogr 1993;17:492-494
Chong VF, Tan LH. Maxillary sinus ossifying fibroma. Am J Otolaryngol 1997;18:419-424
Han MH, Chang KH, Lee CH, Seo JW, Han MC, Kim CW. Sinonasal psammomatoid ossifying fibroma. CT and MR manifestations. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 1991;12:25-30
Waldron CA. Bone pathology. In: Neville BW, Damm DD, Allen CM, Bouquot JE, eds Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Co. 1995;469-470
Bernier JL, Thompson HC. The histogenesis of the cementoma. Am J Orthod Oral Surg 1946;32:543-555
Copyright © American Society of Neuroradiology
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Lentil Information
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lentil
Species of plant
This article is about the species Lens culinaris. For the meaning of "lentil" in Indian English, see pulse (legume).
See also: Dal
Red, green, and puy lentils
(unranked):
Rosids
Faboideae
Vicieae
L. culinaris
Medikus
The lentil (Lens culinaris or Lens esculenta) is an edible legume. It is a bushy annual plant known for its lens-shaped seeds. It is about 40 cm (16 in) tall, and the seeds grow in pods, usually with two seeds in each.
In cuisines of the Indian subcontinent, split lentils (often with their hulls removed) are known as dal. Usually eaten with rice or rotis, the lentil is a dietary staple throughout the Indian subcontinent. As a food crop, the majority of world production comes from Canada, India, and Turkey.
1.2 Name
1.3 Systematics
2 Botanical description
5 Cultivation
5.1 Soil requirements
5.2 Climate requirements
5.3 Seedbed requirements and sowing
5.4 Cultivation management, fertilization
5.5 Diseases
5.5.1 Fungal diseases
5.5.2 Nematodes, parasitic
5.5.3 Viral diseases
6.1 Processing
6.2 Culinary use
6.2.1 Lentil dishes
6.3 Nutritional value
6.3.1 Composition
6.3.2 Digestive effects
7 Breeding
The cultivated lentil Lens culinaris was derived from its wild subspecies L. culinaris subsp. orientalis, although other species may also have contributed some genes, according to Jonathan Sauer (Historical Geography of Crop Plants, 2017.) [1] Unlike their wild ancestors, domesticated lentil crops have indehiscent pods and nondormant seeds. [1]
Lentils are the oldest pulse crop known, and among the earliest crops domesticated in the Old World, having been found as carbonized remains alongside human habitations dating to 11,000 BC in Greece. [2] The lentil is indigenous to Western and Central Asia. [2]
Many different names in different parts of the world are used for the crop lentil; lentil ( English), adas ( Arabic), mercimek ( Turkish), messer ( Amharic), masser or massur ( Hindi) and hiramame ( Japanese) are the most common names. [2]
The first use of the word lens to designate a specific genus was in the 16th century by the botanist Tournefort. [3]
The genus Lens is part of the subfamily Faboideae which is contained in the flowering plant family Fabaceae or commonly known as legume or bean family, of the order Fabales in the kingdom Plantae. [3]
Lentil plants in the field before flowering
Lens is a small genus which consists of the cultivated L. culinaris and six related wild taxa. Among the different taxa of wild lentils, L. orientalis is considered to be the progenitor of the cultivated lentil and is now generally classified as L. culinaris subsp. orientalis. Therefore, the genus Lens comprises seven taxa in six species: [2]
Lens culinaris subsp. culinaris (and L. culinaris subsp. orientalis)
Lens odemensis
Lens ervoides
Lens nigricans
Lens lamottei
Lens tomentosus
Botanical description
Illustration of the lentil plant, 1885
Lentil is hypogeal, which means the cotyledons of the germinating seed stay in the ground and inside the seed coat. Therefore, it is less vulnerable to frost, wind erosion, or insect attack. [4]
The plant is a diploid, annual, bushy herb of erect, semierect, or spreading and compact growth and normally varies from 30 to 50 cm (10 to 20 in) in height. It has many hairy branches and its stem is slender and angular. The rachis bears 10 to 15 leaflets in five to eight pairs. The leaves are alternate, of oblong-linear and obtuse shape and from yellowish green to dark bluish green in colour. In general, the upper leaves are converted into tendrils, whereas the lower leaves are mucronate. If stipules are present, they are small. The flowers, one to four in number, are small, white, pink, purple, pale purple, or pale blue in colour. They arise from the axils of the leaves, on a slender footstalk almost as long as the leaves. The pods are oblong, slightly inflated, and about 1.5 cm long. Normally, each of them contains two seeds, about 0.5 cm in diameter, in the characteristic lens shape. The seeds can also be mottled and speckled. The several cultivated varieties of lentil differ in size, hairiness, and colour of the leaves, flowers, and seeds.
Lentils are self-pollinating. The flowering begins from the lowermost buds and gradually moves upward, so-called acropetal flowering. About two weeks are needed for all the flowers to open on the single branch. At the end of the second day and on the third day after the opening of the flowers, they close completely and the colour begins to fade. After three to four days, the setting of the pods takes place. [2]
Red and brown comparison
Find sources: "Lentil" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (October 2015) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Types can be classified according to their size, whether they are split or whole, or shelled or unshelled. Seed coats can range from light green to deep purple, as well as being tan, grey, brown, black or mottled. Shelled lentils show the colour of the cotyledon which can be yellow, orange, red, or green.
Red-cotyledon types:
Nipper (Australia)
Northfield (Australia)
Cobber (Australia)
Digger (Australia)
Nugget (Australia)
Aldinga (Australia)
Masoor (unshelled lentils with a brown seed coat and an orange-red cotyledon)
Petite crimson(shelled Masoor lentils)
Red Chief (light tan seed coat and red cotyledon)
Small green/brown-seed coat types:
Eston Green
Pardina (Spain)
Verdina (Spain)
Medium green/brown-seed coat types
Avondale (USA)
Matilda (Australia)
Richlea
Large green/brown-seed coat types:
Boomer (Australia)
Brewer's: a large brown lentil which is often considered the "regular" lentil in the United States [5]
Castellana (Spanish)
Laird: the commercial standard for large green lentils in western Canada [6]
Mosa (Spain)
Naslada (Bulgaria)
Pennell (USA)
Riveland (USA)
Other types:
Beluga: black, bead-like, lens-shaped, almost spherical, named for resemblance to beluga caviar. [7] Called Indianhead in Canada.
Macachiados: big yellow Mexican lentils
Puy lentils: Lens esculenta puyensis, (small dark speckled blue-green), Protected Designation of Origin name
Lentil Production - 2016
Canada 3,233,800
India 1,055,536
Turkey 365,000
United States 255,061
Nepal 253,041
World 6,315,858
Source: FAOSTAT [8]
In 2016, global production of lentils was 6.3 million tonnes, led by Canada with 51% and India with 17% of the world total (table). [8]
Saskatchewan is the most productive growing region in Canada (95% of Canadian lentils grown). [9] For 2016, Statistics Canada reported a national production yield of 3.2 million tonnes from 5,700,000 acres (2,300,000 ha) harvested. [10]
The Palouse region of eastern Washington and the Idaho panhandle, with its commercial center at Pullman, Washington, constitutes the most important lentil-producing region in the United States. [11] Montana and North Dakota are also significant lentil growers. [12]
Worldwide lentil production
Soil requirements
Lentils can grow on various soil types, from sand to clay loam, growing best in deep sandy loam soils with moderate fertility. A soil pH around 7 would be the best. Lentils do not tolerate flooding or water-logged conditions. [3]
Lentils improve the physical properties of soils and increase the yield of succeeding cereal crops. Biological nitrogen fixation or other rotational effects could be the reason for higher yields after lentils. [13]
Climate requirements
The conditions under which lentils are grown differ across different growing regions. In the temperate climates lentils are planted in the winter and spring under low temperatures and vegetative growth occurs in later spring and the summer. Rainfall during this time is not limited. In the subtropics, lentils are planted under relatively high temperatures at the end of the rainy season, and vegetative growth occurs on the residual soil moisture in the summer season. Rainfall during this time is limited. In West Asia and North Africa, some lentils are planted as a winter crop before snowfall. Plant growth occurs during the time of snow melting. Under such cultivation, seed yields are often much higher. [13]
Seedbed requirements and sowing
The lentil requires a firm, smooth seedbed with most of the previous crop residues incorporated. For the seed placement and for later harvesting it is important that the surface is not uneven with large clods, stones, or protruding crop residue. It is also important that the soil is made friable and weed-free so that seeding could be done at a uniform depth. [3]
The plant densities for lentils vary between genotypes, seed size, planting time and growing conditions and also from region to region. In South Asia a seed rate of 30–40 kg/ha is recommended. In West Asia countries a higher seed rate is recommended and also leads to a higher yield. The seeds should be sown 3–4 cm deep. In agriculturally mechanized countries, lentils are planted using grain drills, but many other areas still hand broadcast. [3]
Cultivation management, fertilization
In intercropping systems – a practice commonly used in lentil cultivation – herbicides may be needed to assure crop health. [13] Similar to many legume crops, lentils can fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil with specific rhizobia.[ citation needed] Lentils grow well under low fertilizer input conditions, although phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium, and sulfur may be used for nutrient-poor soils. [3]
Below is a list of the most common lentil diseases.
Alternaria blight
Alternaria alternata
Alternaria sp.
Anthracnose
Colletotrichum lindemuthianum
Colletotrichum truncatum
Aphanomyces root rot
Aphanomyces euteiches
Ascochyta blight
Ascochyta fabae f.sp. lentis
= Ascochyta lentis
Didymella sp. [teleomorph]
Black root rot
Fusarium solani
Black streak root rot
Thielaviopsis basicola
Botrytis gray mold
Botrytis cinerea
Cercospora leaf spot
Cercospora cruenta
Cercospora lentis
Cercospora zonata
Collar rot
Sclerotium rolfsii
Athelia rolfsii [teleomorph]
= Corticium rolfsii
Cylindrosporium leaf spot and stem canker
Cylindrosporium sp.
Peronospora lentis
Peronospora viciae
Dry root rot
Macrophomina phaseolina
= Rhizoctonia bataticola
Fusarium wilt
Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lentis
Helminthosporium leaf spot
Helminthosporium sp.
Leaf rot
Choanephora sp.
Leaf yellowing
Cladosporium herbarum
Ozonium wilt
Ozonium texanum var. parasiticum
Phoma leaf spot
Phoma medicaginis
Erysiphe pisi
= Erysiphe polygoni
Leveillula taurica
= Leveillula leguminosarum f. lentis
Oidiopsis taurica [anamorph]
Pythium root and seedling rot
Pythium aphanidermatum
Pythium ultimum
Uromyces craccae
Uromyces viciae-fabae
= Uromyces fabae
Sclerotinia stem rot
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum
Stemphylium blight
Stemphylium botryosum
Pleospora tarda [teleomorph]
Stemphylium sarciniforme
Wet root rot
Rhizoctonia solani
Thanatephorus cucumeris [teleomorph]
Nematodes, parasitic
Cyst nematode Heterodera ciceri
Reniform nematode Rotylenchulus reniformis
Root knot nematode
Meloidogyne incognita
Meloidogyne javanica
Root lesion nematode Pratylenchus spp.
Stem nematode Ditylenchus dipsaci
Bean (pea) leaf roll virus Beet western yellows virus
Bean yellow mosaic Bean yellow mosaic virus
Broad bean mottle Broad bean mottle virus
Broad bean stain Broad bean stain virus
Cucumber mosaic Cucumber mosaic virus
Pea seedborne mosaic Pea seed-borne mosaic virus
A combination of gravity, screens and air flow is used to clean and sort lentils based on shape and density. After destoning, they may be sorted by a color sorter and then packaged.
A major part of the world’s red lentil production undergoes a secondary processing step. These lentils are dehulled, split and polished. In the Indian subcontinent, this process is called dhal milling. [3] The moisture content of the lentils prior dehulling is crucial to guarantee a good dehulling efficiency. [3] The hull of lentils usually accounts for 6 to 7% of the total seed weight, which is lower than most legumes. [14] Lentil flour can be produced by milling the seeds, like cereals.
Culinary use
Split red lentils (size 6 mm)
Lentils are consumed in many ways. They can be eaten soaked, germinated, boiled, fried and baked. The most common preparation method is boiling. [3] The seeds require a cooking time of 10 to 40 minutes, depending on the variety; shorter for small varieties with the husk removed, such as the common red lentil. Most varieties have a distinctive, earthy flavor. Lentils with husks remain whole with moderate cooking; lentils without husks tend to disintegrate into a thick purée, which leads to quite different dishes. The composition of lentils leads to a high emulsifying capacity which can be even increased by dough fermentation in bread making. [15]
Lentil dishes
Lentils are used worldwide to cook many different dishes. Lentil dishes are most widespread throughout South Asia, the Mediterranean regions and West Asia.
Dal tadka (lentil soup)
In the Indian subcontinent, lentil curry is part of the everyday diet, eaten with both rice and roti. Boiled lentils and lentil stock are used to thicken most vegetarian curries. They are also used as stuffing in dal parathas and puri for breakfast or snacks. Lentils are also used in many regional varieties of sweets. Lentil flour is used to prepare several different bread varieties, such as papadum.
They are frequently combined with rice, which has a similar cooking time. A lentil and rice dish is referred to in Levantine countries as mujaddara or mejadra. In Iran, rice and lentil is served with fried raisin; this dish is called adas polo. Rice and lentils are also cooked together in khichdi, a popular dish in the Indian subcontinent (India and Pakistan); a similar dish, kushari, made in Egypt, is considered one of two national dishes.
Lentils are used to prepare an inexpensive and nutritious soup all over Europe and North and South America, sometimes combined with some form of chicken or pork. In western countries, cooked lentils are often used in salads. [3]
Lentils are commonly eaten in Ethiopia in a stew-like dish called kik, or kik wot, one of the dishes people eat with Ethiopia's national food, injera flatbread. Yellow lentils are used to make a non-spicy stew, which is one of the first solid foods Ethiopian women feed their babies.
Lentils were a chief part of the diet of ancient Iranians, who consumed lentils daily in the form of a stew poured over rice.
Nutritional value
Lentils, raw (dry weight)
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
1,477 kJ (353 kcal)
Quantity %DV†
Thiamine (B1)
Riboflavin (B2)
0.211 mg
Niacin (B3)
Pantothenic acid (B5)
Folate (B9)
Other constituents
Link to Full USDA Database entry
μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams
IU = International units
†Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults.
According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, 100 g of raw lentils (variety unspecified) provide 353 calories; the same weight of cooked lentils provides 116 calories. Raw lentils are 8% water, 63% carbohydrates including 11% dietary fiber, 25% protein, and 1% fat (table). Lentils are a rich source (20% or more of the Daily Value, DV) of numerous essential nutrients, including folate (120% DV), thiamin (76% DV), pantothenic acid (43% DV), vitamin B6 (42% DV), phosphorus (40% DV), iron (50% DV), and zinc (35%), among others (table). [16] [17] When lentils are cooked by boiling, protein content declines to 9% of total composition, and B vitamins and minerals decrease due to the overall water content increasing (protein itself is not lost). [18] Lentils have the second-highest ratio of protein per calorie of any legume, after soybeans. Lentils contain the carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. [19]
Digestive effects
The low levels of readily digestible starch (5%) and high levels of slowly digested starch make lentils of potential value to people with diabetes. [20] [21] The remaining 65% of the starch is a resistant starch classified as RS1. [22] A minimum of 10% in starch from lentils escapes digestion and absorption in the small intestine (therefore called "resistant starch"). [23] Additional resistant starch is synthesized from gelatinized starch, during cooling, after the lentils were cooked. [24]
Lentils also have antinutrient factors, such as trypsin inhibitors and a relatively high phytate content. Trypsin is an enzyme involved in digestion, and phytates reduce the bioavailability of dietary minerals. [25] The phytates can be reduced by prolonged soaking and fermentation or sprouting. [26]
Although lentils have been an important crop for centuries, lentil breeding and genetic research has a relatively short history compared to many other crops. Since the inception of The International Center for Agriculture Research in the Dry Areas ( ICARDA) breeding programme in 1977 significant gains have been made. It supplies landraces and breeding lines for countries around the world, supplemented by other programmes in both developing (e.g. India) and developed (e.g. Australia and Canada) countries. In recent years, such collaborations among breeders and agronomists are becoming increasingly important. [2]
The focus lies on high yielding and stable cultivars for diverse environments to match the demand of a growing population. [27] In particular, progress in quantity and quality as well as in the resistance to disease and abiotic stresses are the major breeding aims. [2] Several varieties have been developed applying conventional breeding methodologies. Serious genetic improvement for yield has been made, however, the full potential of production and productivity could not yet be tapped due to several biotic and abiotic stresses. [27]
Wild Lens species are a significant source of genetic variation for improving the relatively narrow genetic base of this crop. The wild species possess many diverse traits including disease resistances and abiotic stress tolerances. The above-mentioned L. nigricans and L. orientalis possess morphological similarities to the cultivated L. culinaris. But only L. culinaris and L. culinaris subsp. orientalis are crossable and produce fully fertile seed. Between the different related species hybridisation barriers exist. According to their inter-crossability Lens species can be divided into three gene pools:
Primary gene pool: L. culinaris (and L. culinaris subsp. orientalis) and L. odemensis
Secondary gene pool: L. ervoides and L. nigricans
Tertiary gene pool: L. lamottei and L. tomentosus
Crosses generally fail between members of different gene pools. However, plant growth regulators and/or embryo rescue allows the growth of viable hybrids between groups. Even if crosses are successful, many undesired genes may be introduced as well in addition to the desired ones. This can be resolved by using a backcrossing programme. Thus, mutagenesis is crucial to create new and desirable varieties. According to Yadav et al. other biotechnology techniques which may impact on lentil breeding are micro-propagation using meristamatic explants, callus culture and regeneration, protoplast culture and doubled haploid production. [2]
Lentils with Swabian pasta
National Lentil Festival
^ a b Sauer, Jonathan D. (2017). Historical Geography of Crop Plants: A Select Roster. Routledge. ISBN 9781351440622. The primary progenitor of the cultigen is evidently L. orientalis native to the Near East; the other species may have contributed some genetic diversity to the crop. L. culinaris (L. esculentus), the domesticate, differs from the wild species in having indehiscent pods, due to a single recessive gene, and nondormant seeds.
^ a b c d e f g h Shyam S. Yadav, David McNeil, Philip C. Stevenson (Editors) (2007). Lentil: An Ancient Crop for Modern Times. Berlin: Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 9781402063121. OCLC 213090571. CS1 maint: Uses authors parameter ( link)
^ a b c d e f g h i j The lentil : botany, production and uses. Erskine, William. Wallingford, UK: CABI. 2009. ISBN 9781845934873. OCLC 435462765. CS1 maint: others ( link)
^ "Pulse Australia - Southern guide". pulseaus.com.au. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
^ "What To Do With Lentils And Why Bother". The Chalkboard. 17 March 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
^ Slinkard, A. E.; Bhatty, R. S. (1979). "Laird lentil". Canadian Journal of Plant Science. 59 (2): 503:504. doi: 10.4141/cjps79-079. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
^ "Cook's Thesaurus: Lentils". Foodsubs.com. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
^ a b "Production of lentils in 2016; Crops/World Regions/Production Quantity from pick lists". United Nations, UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Statistics Division (FAOSTAT). 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
^ "Lentils". Lentils.org. 2018. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
^ "Lentil: 2016 Specialty Crop Report" (PDF). Government of Saskatchewan. 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
^ "Crop Profile for Lentils in Idaho". Department of Plant, Soil and Entomological Science, University of Idaho (web site). 2000.
^ Leah A. Zeldes (16 February 2011). "Eat this! Lentils, a prehistoric foodstuff". Dining Chicago. Chicago's Restaurant & Entertainment Guide. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
^ a b c Lentil : an ancient crop for modern times. Yadav, S. S. (Shyam S.), McNeil, David L. (David Leslie), Stevenson, Philip C. Berlin: Springer Verlag. 2007. ISBN 9781402063121. OCLC 213090571. CS1 maint: others ( link)
^ HUGHES, Joe S.; Swanson, Barry G. (1986). "Microstructure of lentil seeds (Lens culinaris)". Food Structure. 5: 241–246 – via digitalcommons.usu.edu.
^ Bora, Pushkar Singh (2002). "Functional properties of native and succinylated lentil (Lens culinaris) globulins". Food Chemistry. 77 (2): 171–176. doi: 10.1016/s0308-8146(01)00332-6.
^ US Department of Agriculture, National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Release 28 (2016). "Full Report (All Nutrients): 16069, Lentils, raw". Retrieved 15 December 2015.
^ "Nutrition Facts for Raw Lentils, 100 g". Conde Nast, USDA National Nutrient Database, version SR-21. 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
^ "Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt per 100 g". Conde Nast, USDA National Nutrient Database Release SR-21. 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
^ Zhang, Bing; Deng, Zeyuan; Tang, Yao; Chen, Peter; Liu, Ronghua; Ramdath, D. Dan; Liu, Qiang; Hernandez, Marta; Tsao, Rong (2014). "Fatty acid, carotenoid and tocopherol compositions of 20 Canadian lentil cultivars and synergistic contribution to antioxidant activities". Food Chemistry. 161: 296–304. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.04.014. ISSN 0308-8146. PMID 24837953.
^ Ramdath D, Renwick S, Duncan AM (2016). "The Role of Pulses in the Dietary Management of Diabetes". Can J Diabetes (Review). 40 (4): 355–63. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjd.2016.05.015. PMID 27497151.
^ Mudryj AN, Yu N, Aukema HM (2014). "Nutritional and health benefits of pulses". Appl Physiol Nutr Metab (Review. Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't). 39 (11): 1197–204. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2013-0557. PMID 25061763. CS1 maint: Uses authors parameter ( link)
^ Kawaljit Singh Sandhu, Seung-Taik Lim Digestibility of legume starches as influenced by their physical and structural properties Elsevier, 16 March 2007
^ Tovar J (1996). "Bioavailability of carbohydrates in legumes: digestible and indigestible fractions". Arch Latinoam Nutr. 44 (4 Suppl 1): 36S–40S. PMID 9137637.
^ Johnson, Casey R.; Thavarajah, Dil; Thavarajah, Pushparajah; Payne, Scott; Moore, Jayma; Ohm, Jae-Bom (2015). "Processing, cooking, and cooling affect prebiotic concentrations in lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus)". Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 38: 106–111. doi: 10.1016/j.jfca.2014.10.008.
^ Vidal-Valverde C, Frias F, Estrella I, Gorospe MJ, Ruiz R, Bacon J (1994). "Effect of processing on some antinutritional factors of lentils". J Agric Food Chem. 42 (10): 2291–2295. doi: 10.1021/jf00046a039. CS1 maint: Uses authors parameter ( link)
^ Egli, I.; Davidsson, L.; Juillerat, M.a.; Barclay, D.; Hurrell, R.f. (1 November 2002). "The Influence of Soaking and Germination on the Phytase Activity and Phytic Acid Content of Grains and Seeds Potentially Useful for Complementary Feedin". Journal of Food Science. 67 (9): 3484–3488. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2621.2002.tb09609.x. ISSN 1750-3841.
^ a b Kumar, Jitendra; Gupta, Sunanda; Gupta, Priyanka; Dubey, Sonali; Tomar, Ram Sewak Singh; Kumar, Shiv (2016). "Breeding strategies to improve lentil for diverse agro-ecological environments". Indian Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding (The). 76 (4): 530. doi: 10.5958/0975-6906.2016.00071.7. ISSN 0019-5200.
Alan Davidson, The Oxford Companion to Food. ISBN 0-19-211579-0
S S Yadav et al. Lentil: An Ancient Crop for Modern Times. (2007). Springer Verlag. ISBN 9781402063121.
Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lens culinaris.
" Multilingual taxonomic information". University of Melbourne.
Lentils – Country Production, Consumption, Exports, and Imports Statistics
Alternative Field Crops Manual: Lentil
Taxon identifiers
Wikidata: Q131226
Wikispecies: Lens culinaris
APDB: 70775
BioLib: 39974
Calflora: 4662
Ecocrop: 7209
EoL: 647510
EPPO: LENCU
EUNIS: 171834
FoC: 200012187
FoIO: LENCUL
GRIN: 411141
IPNI: 502201-1
IRMNG: 10578748
NBN: NHMSYS0000460230
NZOR: c6253487-99db-4312-8747-3283ecb03666
Plant List: ild-7784
PLANTS: LECU2
POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30001819-2
VASCAN: 5761
Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Lentil&oldid=905607437"
Lists of plant diseases
Pulse crop diseases
Fabeae
Edible legumes
Taxonbars with 20–24 taxon IDs
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Festina Zeppole!
Oh St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interest and desires. Oh St. Joseph, do asssist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your divine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So that, having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers. Oh St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you, and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me, and ask him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls, pray for me.
-Ancient Prayer to St Joseph
(say for nine mornings, you'll get whatever you want)
Happy St Joseph's Day to one and all. The image you're seeing at left is the prayercard I was given in sixth grade by one of my guardian angels and keep with me always, and the prayer above is what's found on its reverse.... (The full story on that was put up on this feast last year.)
In the little corner of the world where I was raised -- somewhere, I pray, you'll all get to experience at some point (if, for no other reason, to find that everything you see on The Sopranos is, indeed, real) -- the leitmotif of this onomastico of the patron of the universal church isn't so much marked by thoughts of the wider communion or statues buried upside-down in front of houses on the market, but queues out the bakery doors for the once-a-year goodies known as zeppoli, the St Joseph's Cakes.
Feast your eyes:
No, you can't reach through your monitors and nab one. Maybe one day, but not yet. Sorry. (That's the vanilla creme there -- they also come in ricotta and chocolate-filled varities.)
Leave it to the Italians -- smack in the midst of Lent, these things are downright sinful. Then again, such is the love our people have for the Lord's foster-father that you'd think (and, no lie, some really do) that he was born somewhere in Abruzzi.
We're assimilated enough here that we don't do the custom of saint's days to the extent they do over in the Old Country, but there I was, sitting around the Boss' table earlier today with la suprema, herself, a gaggle of aunts and my Uncle Joe -- my confirmation sponsor, whose name I took -- stuffing my face with the goodness.
"Why did you bring a whole box?" my aunt was asked.
"Rocky'll eat 'em -- just watch," she said.
As you know, I always try to meet the expectations of others. Rarely, however, is it as enjoyable as this.
God love him, my second godfather -- one of the most patient, humble, generous people God's ever gifted the earth with, so good that my father keeps telling him that he's gonna get taken up "body and soul" when his day comes -- has diabetes, and he's not terribly keen on his patronal treats to begin with. But every year without fail, the people of his parish, neighbors, former co-workers, the old ladies he drives to doctor's appointments, etc., all bombard his house with string-wrapped box after string-wrapped box of the Joemas treats.
It's always my custom to visit... and then start chipping away at the intake.
This year, the venue was moved, and my grandmother asked me after Unc left why I didn't remind her that it was her first son-in-law's name day when he was there. So we were treated to ten minutes of "Now you tell me?!"
And then, as she does, she forgot that she forgot and began to pride herself on remembering that she wished him a happy St Joe's.
"See, I don't forget everything."
With stories like that, hopefully you see why I don't like staying on the road for too long.
Now that we've all made our annual donation to Varallo's -- the bakery whose owners literally got to have their cake and eat it, too, buying up 12 rowhouse lots across two streets to build a full-sized villa in a sea of rowhouses (complete with Padre Pio shrine) -- the coast to Holy Week is clear.
Almost, that is; the solemnity of the Annunciation is still at hand... albeit on a delay. As 25 March falls on a Sunday this year and nothing overtakes the Sundays of Lent, the Lord's conception is getting bumped back to the 26th. Coupled with today's observance missing its first vespers in light of the Sunday precedence and next week's doing the same, by force of rubric 2007's mid-Lent celebrations are a bit more subdued... not to mention that we haven't come up with an Annunciation Day pastry.
Still, it could be worse -- there are those years (rare though they are) when the Annunziata's proper date falls in Holy W eek and our Savior's gestation calendar gets completely thrown off. In those cases, the solemnity is pushed all the way back to the Monday of the Second Week of Easter. Of course, though, the Gift of Gifts still arrives in time for the end of the December shopping season.
Hope all you Joes and Josephines out there had a beautiful feast -- and remember well that the Fluff (Happy Joe that he is) is in your midst....
Buon onomastico, Santo Padre -- Blessed Joemas to all!
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Royal Norwegian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (norway) Arab Home - Help
Home > Foreign Embassies > Royal Norwegian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Royal Norwegian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Located in Abu Dhabi. Includes contact information, information on Norway, visa advisory and news. This link is classified in the Arab Guide under the following pages:
Category: UAE > Government > Foreign Embassies
Link Address: www.norway.ae
Last Updated On: 5/4/2019 Visits since Apr 2002: 1187
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wildlifeprotection.info Laws Seven Habits Ebook
SEVEN HABITS EBOOK
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has captivated readers for 25 years. Infographics Edition: Stephen Covey’s cherished classic commemorates the timeless wisdom and power of the 7 Habits book, and does it in a highly readable and understandable, infographics format. Similar Free eBooks. Filter by page THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE Brought to you by FlyHeart THE SEVEN HABITS. wildlifeprotection.info The 7 Habits of Highly Effective P. Editorial Reviews. wildlifeprotection.info Review. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change was a groundbreaker when it was first.
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The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey, , Free Press edition, in English - [Rev. ed.]. Download this ebook free on. What are the habits of successful people? The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has captivated readers for 25 years: It has transformed the. When it was first published, in , The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People was an almost instant bestseller—and became a permanent part of the cultural.
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The business world is constantly changing and trying to predict trends can feel like an impossible task. Yet, successful companies perform at the highest levels despite the ever-changing world. This book details the four essentials for getting the best from business and yourself through easy and hard times. In Master Your Time, Master Your Life, internationally acclaimed productivity expert and bestselling author Brian Tracy presents a brilliant new approach to time management that will help you gain control of your time and accomplish far more, faster and more easily than you ever thought possible.
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Twenty-fifth anniversary edition of the 7 Habits book: This updated interactive edition of Dr. This interactive 7 Habits book guides you through each habit step-by-step: More by Stephen Covey See more. Snapshots Edition. The Snapshots Edition 7 Habits book guides you through each habit step-by-step: The Stephen R.
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Content Protection. Read Aloud. Learn More. Flag as inappropriate. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are. Please follow the detailed Help center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders. More related to business. See more. Principle-Centered Leadership. How do we as individuals and organizations survive and thrive amid tremendous change? Why are efforts to improve falling so short in real results? How do we unleash the creativity, talent, and energy within ourselves and others?
Is it realistic to believe that balance among personal and professional life is possible? The key to dealing with the challenges that we face is to identify a principle-centered core within ourselves and our institutions.
In Principle-Centered Leadership, Covey outlines a long-term, inside-out approach to developing people and organizations. Offering insights and guidelines on how to apply these principles both at work and at home, Covey posits that these steps will lead not only to an increase in productivity and quality of work, but also to a new appreciation of personal and professional relationships as we strive to enjoy a more balanced, rewarding, and ultimately more effective life.
Covey, however, is the North Star in this field. First Things First. His principle-centered approach for prioritizing gives you time management tips that enable you to make changes and sacrifices needed in order to obtain happiness and retain a feeling of security.
This guide will help you: This version of The 7 Habits was the first of many, many iterations that Stephen Covey published under the 7 Habits umbrella.
No doubt due to the success of the franchise. As a self-help reader I can vouch for the worth of the original though I have not read any of the others. It's too easy to scoff at the habits as obvious, just as it's too easy to scoff at self-help in general.
Actions speak louder than words, and putting habits like Covey's into practice is hard work. If you're curious about self-help, or maybe a little skeptical about its usefulness, then I recommend starting here. If you're debating whether to read this or not, I've got to say that it's totally worth it. Stephen Covey boiled down the essence of great leadership--and life in general--into 7 solid, easy-to-understand principles that anyone can apply. Could not recommend this more highly!
Didn't get past the first chapter. Poorly written and organized. Can't believe this book has earned such raves and sales. Very disappointed. Skip to main navigation Skip to main navigation Skip to search Skip to search Skip to content. Help Help, opens a new window. Admin Admin Admin, collapsed. Main navigation. Open search form.
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Annchen Bronkowski / July 1, 2018
A Quick Guide To The Red Arrow: Moscow to St Petersburg
We were shocked to find out how cheap Uber is in Russia: a thirty-minute ride literally costs €2,5; an hour not much more than €5. Even so, Russia is a train-centred society. In the major cities you can get to any part of it on the metro, and in Moscow it will be the most beautiful underground commute you’ll make anywhere in the world. And then there’s the historic national rail.
The Moscow – Saint Petersburg line was built less than 30 years after the invention of the very first horse-drawn rail in the UK. And that famous trans-Siberian railway – nearly 9,300km of rail from Russia to the far East – was already established very early in the 20th Century. And among these iconic rail lines there is the legendary Red Arrow overnight train running between Moscow and Saint Petersburg.
Red Arrow started its daily service in 1931, and have reliably run ever since. It was only interrupted between 1941 and 1943 when Finland and the Nazis raided Saint Petersburg. During the Soviet era it was the de-facto carrier of the Communist elite, zipping the likes of Stalin and Lenin in between the two iconic Russian cities. Many luxury overnight trains have spawned from the Red Arrow, but nothing beats the original.
So if you’re heading to Russia, which you absolutely should (try and get there before the end of the World Cup – the atmosphere is insane!), and you’re planning on visiting both these cities (again, which you absolutely should), you should absolutely forget about those crowded domestic flights and step aboard the historic Red Arrow instead.
We’ve tried it, we’ve loved it, and we want to help you with a super quick bullet guide.
Moscow – Saint Petersburg in 8 hours
Depart from Leningradskaya Station
NOTE: If you leave from Moscow it will say MOSKVA OKTIABRSKAIA -> SAINT PETERBURG. There is a station in Moscow with that name but that is not where your train departs from, it just indicates the direction in which the train travels. The Red Arrow always leaves from Leningradskaya station.
Saint Petersburg – Moscow in 8 hours
Depart from Moskovskaya Station
It depends on the class of your ticket and where you book it.
It can cost between €50 and €200 when you book on the cheapest site.
The price fluctuates with about €10 depending on the time of the year.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT CLASSES
Red Arrow is an affordable luxury train, so even if you book the lowest you’ll be comfortable. But the classes are, from worst to best:
2nd class sleeping compartment: this is a 4-berth compartment with upper and lower bunks. Upper bunks are €10 more expensive than lower bunks. WC at each end of the carriage. (ca. €50-€60)
1st class sleeping compartment: 2-berth sleeping compartments with lower bunks. The same size as the 2nd-class compartment so you get twice the space and all the privacy. WC at each end of the carriage. (ca. €90)
Deluxe: 2-berth sleeping compartments with one upper and one lower bunk, with en-suite WC and shower.
A first class 2-berth compartment. The back of the seats flip down and convert into two cozy single beds.
You should buy tickets directly from the official Russian rail site: https://pass.rzd.ru/main-pass/public/en
They have an English translation and it’ve every clear. The only thing not in English is the payment gateway where you enter your credit card information. But you can just copy and paste it into google translate to know where your card number and where your name go.
There are English-language booking agencies but they charge fees on top of the train ticket price and it can end up being more than double the price.
DEPARTURE – WHEN TO BE AT THE STATION
You don’t have to be there hours before. We went early, to be safe, but it was totally unnecessary. The platform is only shown 20/30 minutes before departure, and there is no rush to get a good seat because it’s booked already.
Just leave enough time to get through the general station entrance security (this doesn’t take too long).
Waiting for the platform information in Leningradskaya station, Moscow.
DEPARTURE TO ARRIVAL: WHAT TO EXPECT
When your platform is finally displayed, you’ll have to go through another round of security. Then, you’ll find your carriage and show your ticket and ID to the provodnik/provodnitsa (male/female carriage attendants) who will be waiting to receive you. Keep your passport at hand.
Once you’re settled in, your provodnitsa will show you all the important bits in your compartment, like how to unfold your bed and where the plugs are.
In the carriage will be snacks like waters and fruits, bread rolls and Red Arrow branded chocolate, newspapers and travel amenities like toothbrushes and toothpastes. Pillows and a hand towel are placed on each seat in protective plastic. The bedlinen is already made, as you will see when you flip down your mattress.
There are two tiny very useful lights lights indicating which WCs are occupied.
There’s a menu from which you can order drinks, extra meals, and souvenirs.
Your compartment door locks from the inside.
After that you can snooze through all the way to Saint Petersburg!
You will receive a wake-up call about an hour before your arrival with some breakfast: we had traditional pancakes with smoked salmon and cheese and meats with pre-packaged croissants on the side.
The train ride is smooth, quiet, and it feels surprisingly short – so enjoy every minute! I actually wished it was a bit longer, so we could enjoy the train a bit more – we just slept through most of it.
I don’t know why I was surprised that a historically Russian train operates only in Russian. The conductor’s departure and arrival announcements, the TV channels, the provodnitsa: it is an all-Russian operation. Even so, we still felt wholly welcomed and were a hundred percent comfortable and at ease.
There are lockers available at the station.
Departure and arrival times are obviously way before and after general check in/out times, so this is a good idea.
Beware: The lockers were VERY busy during the middle of the day in Moscow: long, long queues underground in a hot station. Hmmm, no thanks. We just kept our backpacks on us for the day.
However, the St Petersburg station’s luggage area was dead when we arrived at 8am, and again when we departed just before midnight.
HOW TO STORE YOUR LUGGAGE
Follow the luggage signage – a bag with a key – in the train stations, they will lead you downstairs.
Buy a card/token from the luggage guy.
Pay per hour up to three hours, and then a set price from 3 – 24 hours.
We paid about 300 Rubles (ca. €4) for 24 hours.
Follow the instructions on the locker.
Saint Petersburg’s Moskovskaya Station
And just like that you’re in Saint Petersburg!
Moscow’s Metro: The People’s Underground Palace in Pictures
Imagine a grand hall with monumental chandeliers, marble columns and high ceilings – porcelain figures with gold-plated details gracing the ceilings, and bronze figures lining the columns. Imagine intricate mosaics within ornate relief frames, and illuminated stained glass. I bet you didn’t imagine any of this up to 84 meters underground, though.
What I’ve described above isn’t a palace or a castle or a cathedral. It’s Moscow’s metro system – famously the most beautiful metro system in the world, and it is nothing short of palatial. In fact, it is even nicknamed ‘The People’s Palace.’
We arrived in Moscow about two weeks ago with the Red Square, onion-domed cathedrals, and FIFA on our mind. We had no idea of the existence of ‘the People’s Palace’ and we had no intention of spending around 2 hours in one of the world’s deepest underground systems in the middle of a summer’s day – much less paying for it. But it quickly became clear that it was one of the must-see Moscow things, and so we met up with the guys from Moscow Free Tours at 3PM to descend underground.
Having been built in the mid-20th century, the metro system is the ultimate form of propaganda, instilled with images of a contributive community, victory in war, and the idea of ‘a radiant future’ via communism. The communist party even took up residence in the Mayakovskaya station during Word War II, and since the cold war it has been fitted with technology to effectively serve as a nuclear shelters. It is lavish and rich, and more importantly super efficient. Even today, you rarely have to wait more than 90 seconds for train.
With the historic Red Arrow between Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and the famous trans-Siberian rail, we already suspected that trains are central to life in Russia. But if you had any doubts that Russia is a train-centred society, the opulence of the underground will quickly convince you.
The underground tour quickly became the highlight of our short stay in Moscow, even being crowded with all the FIFA fans. Sure, you could just buy a metro ticket and check it out yourself, but it really comes alive when a local who knows can tell you the stories and myths and point out the details.
Alex from Moscow Free Tours giving a killer underground tour
Rub the dog’s nose for academic success? Uhm yes, I’m gonna need that.
An enormous intricate mosaic of Mother Russia at the end of a metro station. Casual.
Mayakovskaya Station sports 34 mosaics depicting 24 hours in the Soviet skies, and it’s gorgeous and nuanced art. Just remember to look up!
Stalin and his party took up semi-permanent residence in Mayakovskaya station during the siege of Moscow.
Take a tour everyday with Moscow Free Tours at 3PM. €31, includes the metro tickets.
We also took their actual free tour, which is every day at 10.45AM and it was awesome!
Annchen Bronkowski / June 25, 2018
Why You Shouldn’t Travel to Russia During The FIFA World Cup
Traveling, and life in general, seems to be far more enjoyable to those who have managed to master that illusive superpower called flexibility. Now, Joel and I are pretty flexible and relatively low-maintenance, so I feel like I’ve come to the above conclusion by observation. But last week I had to re-learn that lesson all over, first-hand.
I have always, since forever, wanted to go to Russia. It may or may not have something (or everything) to do with 20th Century Fox’s 1997 hit animation Anastasia that came out when I was an impressionable six years old. So yes, for the next 20+ years I’ve dreamt about Russia.
Joel has never really wanted to go, so for the last 3 years since we’ve lived in Europe, we’ve settled on places we actually both wanted to go to (seems fair?).
That is until:
FIFA.
Finally I had my in; the World Cup was just the push Joel needed and before you could say ‘Together in Paris’ (fan girl reference) we booked our tickets to Moscow, and our train ride to Saint Petersburg.
We jumped on our red-eye from Berlin to Moscow, arrived at 3.30am (in full sunrise), and enjoyed an early check in to our Airbnb. I allowed us a decent 4/5 hour nap (I’m the sleep police when we are traveling) before setting off for…THE RED SQUARE.
Except we arrived to packed sidewalks and squares, 4 hours before the first kick off, and the red square: closed off.
The next morning I read there was a concert there. Okay, so it’s probably open now. We try again: closed off.
Okay fine, I’ll go see Lenin’s embalmed body in the Mausoleum: Nope, closed.
Then we learn that the Red Square will be closed until we leave Moscow.
UGH, I HATE SPORTS!
I immediately get in my head about how much this sucks; about how much I hate planning my trip around football games; about how I’d probably never come back to this country and this is it, my Russia trip is ruined; I hate FIFA, I hate sports, I hate life, I’m gonna hate this town; I’ll lay my Russian dreams down to die slowly.
I sulked HARD.
Our first look at a packed Moscow 4 hours before kick off.
But then the summer sun and the festive crowds, the cheers and chants and spontaneous rival camaraderie, the realisation that I am in Russia, and the sweet, sweet pre-packaged ice cream in wafer cones for 1EUR melted my cold heart and I made a decision that would change everything for me:
Just enjoy FIFA-crazed Russia for what it is, let go of your expectations, stop kicking against the celebrations, allow yourself to be infected by other people’s joy.
Just. Be. Flexible.
And with a cool attitude shift, our week in Russia turned out to be so much more incredible than I could ever anticipate. And after I let myself be charged by the jubilation instead of being drained by it, I have a new understanding for extroverts!
So yes, you get it – it was a bit of a click-baity title, and I am not ashamed! So here are the main (ironic) reasons you should avoid FIFA cities like the plague (not really [ok, you get it.]):
IT IS REALLY BORING
Sports, sports, sports – yawn, amiright?
I was hesitant about the crowds. I was afraid it’ll be too busy, and just sour my perfect sightseeing plans. But after embracing the spirit of the moment, the crowds added to why we liked Moscow so much. Now, it was really busy. Really, really busy. But imagine people from all over the world coming together, dressing up, dancing in the streets, taking photos together, singing songs, embracing each other, sharing food and drink, from sunrise to sunset.
We just sat down at a table to watch the Portugal Spain game, when we saw a guy with a big South Africa flag draped around his back. We yelled to him and he came over, we chatted away, and before you knew it we were sharing a table, food and drinks with a group of awesome people who we initially just yelled ‘Hey! South Africa!’ at. Where else in the world does that happen??
It’s a celebration of ourselves and each other, and I can totally behind that.
Joel in his element: talking to strangers and making new friends.
Getting into the swing of things at the Moscow Fan Park for the first game of the World Cup.
Hmmm, no.
Russia is currently essentially a platform for a bunch of crazy fans who have traveled 1000s of miles to see their teams go head to head and battle it out on the football field. Fifa countered this with a #WeAreRivals campaign – showing a short video at the fan parks in front of each game, encouraging fans to hug their rivals, post it to social media accounts, and win tickets to the final. (See the results at #rivalhug). Pretty cool! And this is really what we experienced in Russia – fans from different teams were constantly posing for photos with each other, celebrating together, congratulating each other, or offering their condolences.
Some Russians and Egyptians rival hugging before the game.
It seems like a recipe for disaster, but what we witnessed was actually quite inspirational, and critically so in the combative political climate of the day. There was not an ounce of animosity, just a celebration of difference and camaraderie from thousands of people so vastly diverse – it is enough to make you believe in all the good in the world.
And also, Moscow and Saint Petersburg are both lovely cities and not at all scary places. I am not sure why people think Russia is scary, but I am guessing the negative portrayal in the media and all those American movies don’t help.
MY TEAM ISN’T PLAYING
Nope, not a thing either.
Yes, half of Mexico and the entire Iceland showed up to support their teams, but you don’t have to have a team to get invested or benefit from the spirit of those who are. There were tons of people walking around with flags that were nowhere near competing (like, read above, our South African friends), rooting for the underdogs, or whichever country is closest, or just for Mexico (the fan favourites).
Of course we had to root for the African teams, and we were pumped to have tickets to the Egypt Russia game, but we were really disappointed that we didn’t have any Egyptian paraphernalia – we wanted to show our support! Some face paint, a flag, a knock-off jersey, a hat, anything. And then right in front of the stadium entrance the heavens answered our prayers and an Egyptian flag flew right into my hands from the sky. FOR REALLLLL.
So no, you don’t need to have a team – Mother Russia will provide.
Best. Souvenir. Ever.
The Egyptian flag gave us all the confidence we needed to take photos with random fans.
RUSSIA IS A COLD AND DARK PLACE
I think my first real, non-animated impression of Russia came from a picture I saw in an Afrikaans magazine when I was little. It was of a bunch of old people standing outside in the snow half-naked to get some sun. Dang Russia must be depressing, I thought. Fur hats, Siberian huskies, drinking vodka to stay warm, vast snowy deserts, solitary trains chuffing in the darkness – let’s be honest, these are the things we imagine when we think of Russia.
Though I can’t speak to the climate for the biggest country in world with…are you sitting down…ELEVEN time zones, I can say that summer in Moscow and Saint Petersburg is AWESOME. The days are long and hot, but not humid, and in Saint Petersburg it never gets dark.
Saint Petersburg at around 1am.
WHITE NIGHTS IN SAINT PETERSBURG
It’s called the White Nights and it occurs for two to three weeks around the longest day of the year – 21 June, the summer solstice. The sun sets around midnight, and then it goes from dusk to dawn in no time at all until the sun starts rising at 3am. Experiencing these monolithic long days is truly bizarre; dinner at 11pm or even midnight, everyone out on the streets all through the night, seeing night on your left and day on your right, and not actually being able to tell whether it’s getting lighter or darker.
Then the Saint Petersburg bridges draw through the night, a historic nightly necessity that turned into tradition. Palace Bridge, right behind the State Hermitage, draws first at 01.25 to music and fanfare. Hundreds of people watch from the shore, and some hop onto bridge tour boats and chase all the bridges as they open (remember to check the updated schedule!). I’ve never thought that watching bridges draw could feel so magical, but when hundreds of people are out in the barely-there night, the excitement is infectious.
Of course it helps that Russia had just won a World Cup game in the city’s stadium.
THE POWER OF FLEXIBILITY
In the end, both of us loved our week in Russia way more because we embraced each other’s interests, budged on our own agendas, and reassessed our expectations. Joel let me make him do the Moscow Underground Metro Tour (the world’s most impressive metro – it’s absolutely incredible), and stand in line for the Hermitage museum. I let myself be swept up by soccer, and it’s made our week in Russia so much fun, and wholly unforgettable.
When I changed my attitude (it’s so simple!) and forced myself to be flexible, what I at first perceived as hysteria and frenzy, I instead experienced as joy and elation. We were sad to leave all the craziness behind, but you better believe we will return to Russia asap, and we are watching every game in the meantime.
In the end, all my Russian dreams came true.
Annchen Bronkowski / June 6, 2018
Do’s and Don’ts for First-timers in Cappadocia
Sometimes it’s daunting going to that bucket list destination you’ve always dreamed of! Where should you go, what should you do, or what should you not do!? Well, consider this your ultimate list of do’s and don’ts for Cappadocia, Turkey.
Do forego the fancy ‘cave hotel’ and opt for prime location in a real cave house.
The reason we love Cappadocia has a lot to do with with where we stayed. Sure, the incredible scenery, delectable Turkish food, and those hot air balloon rides all help, but staying out of town in this dirt cheap Airbnb really contextualised our experience as calming, unforgettable, unique, relaxing.
The first time we visited was in winter, and we were the only guests. The owner of the property waited up for us until 1am when we checked in, he roasted us chestnuts, he serenaded us on the sitar, we talked about and listened to music on Turkey’s independent radio station. We felt like we were visiting an old friend rather than being hosted by an airbnb stranger.
The next time we stayed was in summer, and the mood was different. All the rooms (3 or 4) were booked out and there was staff to help run the place. And even though the old man, sadly, didn’t recognise us (I don’t know why we expected to be welcomed like lost children 3 years later..that’s on us), we still felt like we were returning somewhere warm and familiar.
Here’s why you should stay at Natureland Cave Hotel:
You’ll be sleeping in the rooms of a 6th-century wine cellar. So that’s a casual THOUSANDS OF YEARS OLD.
It’s a real cave. A lot of the fancy cave hotels in Göreme have rooms built out of the rock formations, i.e. the room is not necessarily a cave. Plus, Cappadocia was only declared a world heritage site in the 1980s, so people having been carving out homes up until then. Most of those hotels are modern carvings and adaptations of cave dwellings.
It’s out of town. So you feel like you’re alone in the Cappadocian landscape, whilst being only a 15-minute walk from the town and a 5-minute walk from the Open Air Museum. Win-win!
THIS IS THE VIEW (scroll down) when you step out of your door. See that open space? That’s where the balloons take off every morning.
We’ve stayed at one of the nicer hotels in town once, and…it was nice. But there is no amount of amenities, or comfort, or breakfast spreads that will ever make up for the authenticity of the experience at Natureland, the quiet calm of the location, of waking up and hearing the horses run to the ranch below you, or having the hot air balloons take flight from what is basically your backyard.
You can book a room through booking.com, or airbnb (use this code for a £25 discount if you haven’t signed up for airbnb yet – which will go quite a long way at Natureland Cave Hotel).
This is what you’ll see when you step out your door at Natureland Cave Hotel. Not bad?
Extensions to the cave has been kept to a minimum
Natureland Cave Hotel: like the Turkish cave version of a hobbit house. This is the real deal, y’all.
DON’T SLEEP IN!
This is probably the most important and well-known rule when it comes to getting the most out of Cappadocia. No matter where you’re staying or what you’re plans are, you have to get up at the crack of dawn to see the hundreds of balloons rise to the sky before sunrise. It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before, and no, you will not get used to it.
There are viewing decks everywhere – but the best location is from just outside your door because I’ve convinced you to stay at Natureland Cave Hotel. But Cappadocia is kind of the wild west. You can pretty much go anywhere you want, and it’s all good views.
DON’T UNDERRATE SUNSETS
With that said, one of the don’ts that people seem to do the most is to underrate sunsets. Sunsets change the Rose Valley from pink to orange to red, casting long shadows behind the alien rock formations. And then you must remember to turn around and see the silver moon cast its light.
There are two ways to do sunset.
Relax at a viewing deck
The best sunset spot in Göreme is just above the Rose Valley, looking out over it. On google maps – and it’s mapped fairly accurately – it comes up as Panoramic View Point. This the perfect spot – there are a few little stalls where you can buy dried and candied fruit, lots of tables and benches, some sofas, and throw cushions packed along the ridge where you can lounge and sunset (yes, that’s a verb now). There’s also a little kiosk called ‘Crazy Ali’ where you can order beer, freshly pressed juices and nargile. Bring your friends, some snacks, order an Efes, watch the sky go yellow and pink and blue.
2. Go on a Quadbike sunset drive
This is a far less relaxing, far more adventurous way to experience sunsets in Cappadocia. The viewing point will be somewhere in the valley, so instead of an umbrella vantage point like above, you’ll get to see sunset through the caves and spires of the rose valley.
Personally I like to lounge and drink when I sunset (there’s that verb again), so if you have to choose – I’d say do a quadbike adventure during the day, and head to Panoramic View Point for the views.
DON’T GO TO THE OPEN AIR MUSEUM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY
This rule depends on the time of year you are visiting, but if you go in peak season – abide by this rule! Disregard if you’re visiting in or near winter.
By all means, you have to go to this museum! Think of it less as a museum and more of a condensed version of the sprawling landscape of Cappadocia presented in a bit-sized chunk. So if you’re only in town for a few nights, you absolutely should go.
But avoid mid-day if possible. We arrived around 11am to throngs of tourists crowding the security gate and ticket offices. Knowing that all the entrances to the caves inside are narrow, single-lane kind of situations, we stayed away and headed back to our accommodation, which is just a 5/6-minute walk down the hill, because, you know, we are staying at the best-located hotel in the area.
So after zipping around in quadbikes, we went back at 4pm and the difference was remarkable. Way, way less people.
The Göreme Open Air Museum just after sunrise: we dipped in with our hot air balloon and got a view without any tourists.
You’ll want to go when it’s quiet in order to enjoy narrow passages.
DO GET THE LAY OF THE LAND ON QUADBIKES OR HORSEBACK.
Speaking of quadbikes, this is another thing we would very highly recommend if you’re in Cappadocia for only a few nights. You’ll be able to see much more, must faster and get a better appreciation for the area on the whole.
You can go horseback riding during sunsets too, if you prefer a slower, quieter experience. The region of Cappadocia has historically been well-known for its horses, many even claiming that ‘Cappadocia’ derives from a Hittite word that means ‘Land of the Beautiful Horses.’ I would’ve loved to ride horses during our second visit, but when a horse bit my hand I took at as a message from the universe and back away slowly.
So we’ve went quadbiking twice, and we’ll go again! Besides ‘fun’ – here’s what else you should know:
Quadbiking in Cappadocia: What to Expect
DUST. If you go in summer. You’ll be given a mouth mask and sunglasses. WEAR THEM.
It’ll run you around 60 – 100 TL for your own bike, depending on the season.
The guide is there only to guide you quadbike-wise. Do not expect any information.
You’ll make 4 or 5 photo stops, each for about 15 minutes;
An hour tour might last more like 90 minutes.
Going on quadbike tours will take you to out-of-town locations like the shell of the ruins of this abandoned village built in caves.
DO GO FOR A WALK IN ROSE VALLEY
Horseback riding and quad biking may allow you to see Cappadocia much faster, but still better is to go for a walk. Cappadocia is any hiker’s dream destination! There are so many different valleys to be explored, with very little (if any!?) rules about where you are and aren’t allowed to go.
If you’re short on time and have to choose one, go walk in the rose valley. One of the best things about hiking around Cappadocia is getting to see how the locals still make use of caves carved hundreds, even thousands of years ago: as homes, as stables, as cattle ranches, as garages. Cappadocia is also largely a self-sustaining community, so you’ll see tons of small orchards, vegetable patches and vineyards.
Besides a deeper look at contemporary Cappadocian life, the landscape is also littered with ancient cave homes and churches, complete with fading murals – all unmarked, and all just free to be explored.
DO TREAT YO SELF!
One of the most magical, unforgettable, surreal, inspiring things we’ve ever done, ever. Besides these adjectives, hot air balloon riding in Cappadocia is mostly indescribable, so check out our photo posts to see what I mean. If you’re going to spend money on any excursion-type thing in your life, ever – this should be in the top three of your list.
A 60-minute ride (60 minutes spent in the air), will cost in between 100EUR (in winter) and 170EUR per person (in season).
DO GET OUT OF Göreme (AND DO RENT THAT CAR)
First of all, I wouldn’t go to Cappadocia without a car. Sure, you could. There is enough to see within walking distance in Göreme, and there are organised tours, and taxis. But renting a car is cheap! And so convenient. There is no traffic in Cappadocia and there’s usually a parking spot nearby. I can think of so many cons with not having a car, and non with having one. So.
Then, when you have that car, drive to the Ihlara Valley. It’s an hour and 20 minutes away, and it is where the 8th-century Selime Monastery is – an entire religious community’s dwelling, including the chapel, the church, the school, and the winery, carved into a the rock. We loved Selime Monastery. In fact, we enjoyed it way more than the Open Air Museum. It’s cheaper, quieter, calmer, and offers incredible views over the valley.
When you follow the road to Ihlara village and cross a little bridge, you will soon see an unassuming lookout point on your left. Stop the car and take in the enormous Ihlara gorge:
DO NOT SIT DOWN AT THAT FIRST TOURISTY RESTAURANT YOU SEE
We were pretty hungry by the time we had seen and done Selime Monastery and the Ihlara gorge. And we almost made a huge mistake. There is one big restaurant in Ihlara village right on the river, right by the bridge, called ‘STAR’. We were so hungry we almost stayed here, but after seeing tour guide after tour guide leading busloads of people in, we backed away slowly. Which worked out perfectly, because we found this gem.
Now, imagine this: a bubbling creek, dappled sunshine, lush green overhanging trees, and, if you can, a litter of puppies. No, seriously (to be fair, there are Anatolian Sheepdog puppies EVERYWHERE in Anatolia, so not really the restaurant’s doing).
And along and over the river, wooden decks serve as individual seating areas, decked out with Turkish carpets and cushions.
This is where we spent a long lazy lunch along with other local tourists and families, before a dark cloud rolled in and we quickly paid our bill to seek cover, after kicking ourselves for not choosing a deck with a roof.
There are two or three restaurants that are doing the same thing – the most popular being Aslan. It’s pretty simple getting there.
Head back towards Selime/Göreme/Aksaray the way you came
When you’re out of Ihlara village (it’s so small it’ll be seconds), take the first right
This will take you down the valley via two/three switchbacks
At the bottom of the road you’ll reach a teeny tiny parking lot; it was super busy when we got there!
If you make a sharp left, there are more spots to park along the river. Just beware! It can be really frustrating getting back out again – it’s a single lane and parked cars cause quite a bit of congestion. But it’s so worth it!
Skip the first one or two restaurants – hold out until you see those wooden decks!
DON’T FORGET TO EAT MANTI
Speaking about eating, Manti is an Anatolian specialty, and it is one of my favourite meals ever. Sure, you can get in Istanbul or Ankara or Antalya, but it is especially delicious in Cappadocia. Think of Manti as Turkish ravioli traditionally stuffed with spiced meat and topped with a spicy yogurt sauce.
Our favourite plate of Manti (yes, ever) is served by Anatolian Kitchen Restoran in Göreme.
DO VEER OFF THE MAIN DRAG FOR FOOD
Turkish food is incredible – every single time. And the great thing about it is that it’s delicious everywhere! So while we do have our favourite places for certain dishes, it’s pretty much safe to say you’re gonna have a great plate of food wherever you go.
But veer off the main drag in Göreme and go to Omurca Art Cave Café if you want a unique experience. Stepping into the restaurant will make you feel like you’re stepping into an Aladdin’s cave, filled with rugs and pillows and mismatched chairs and swings and lanterns and all kinds of interesting, colourful things. Oh, and cats. There are tons of cats – like, an unusual amount, even for Turkey.
The menu is super simple. It reads something like: ‘chicken, köfte, pork, chicken, chicken, manti’ – basically a list of just the main ingredients. The owner/chef will go through the menu with you and then he and his friend make sure you have enough wine or tea before he goes and cooks it. It’s a two-man operation, so the food takes a while, but it’s worth the wait!
My mom got cozy and got snuggled by a cat and tucked in by the owner! Now, that’s service.
DO NOT GO INTO THE UNDERGROUND CITIES IF YOU’RE CLAUSTROPHOBIC
Visiting any of the underground cities is actually mind-blowing. We went to the Kaymaklı underground city with four or five accessible underground floors, all connected with tiny little tunnels. We were going to just head in ourselves, but a guide convinced us to hire him (of course he did), and the experience was better because of it (there is no information down there). He was also the shortest little man ever, which served him well, because the tunnels are long, narrow, dark and the ceilings are very, very low. I am of average height (ca. 170cm) and half-squatted in most of the rooms and all of the tunnels. If you had any anxiety about enclosed spaces, I would give this one a skip.
We also went in winter, meaning that besides ourselves, there were maybe 12 other tourists there. I really wouldn’t want to be down there in peak season with a ton of tour groups. Because it’s narrow in there, it’s also a one-way kind of deal – backtracking is strongly discouraged when there are crowds.
DO EXPLORE ON THE ROADS LESS TRAVELED
While we strongly recommend staying just outside of the town centre at the most authentic cave home ever, you definitely should take some morning walks in town. But don’t stay in the main drag where all the shop and restaurants are! Work them calves a bit and up the hills and down the winding little roads; this is where you’ll see how people have transformed these rock formations into their urban cave dwellings. If you want to take photos, go in the early morning. This is when the locals are still snoozing or very slowly setting up shop, and all the tourists who woke up for the sunrise balloon show have gone back to bed or to breakfast.
DO GO BACK IN DIFFERENT SEASONS
DO NOT make the mistake and think Cappadocia is fit for one season only. The peak season is generally spring (end of April to June) and end of summer/early autumn (September and November). The temperature is warm, but not too hot, the nights are still cool, very little to no rain, and it is very rarely windy at dawn, which is of course a major factor when you’re planning on treating yo self to that hot air balloon ride.
We’ve gone in the spring, and it is gorgeous: sprawling green hills, flowers in bloom, stunning weather, lively atmosphere. It was perfect.
We’ve also gone in winter (end of November), and we absolutely LOVED it. The first of the snows had brushed the strange valley in a light dusting of snow, even when some trees were still wearing their autumn colours; the restaurants and caves were glowing with the warmth of their coal-stoves; and best of all, we were the only tourists around and sunrise was way, way later so we didn’t have to get up at 4am to get to our balloon like we had to in spring. It was cold and cosy and quiet and wonderful.
Cappadocia changes drastically between seasons; I almost didn’t recognise it with all the budding trees and green plantations when we came back the second time! And the whole experience is something else too. So if you’ve been in winter, come back to see how lush and lively it can be. If you’ve been in spring, come back to experience the utter calm of this bizarre landscape without people.
Cappadocia changes a lot between season. These two places are just a few metres away from each other, taken early winter and early spring.
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Where Paris Meets Berlin: Bucharest Cityscape in Photos
Little Paris Meets New Berlin
The upside of running from the Schengen visa overlords is that we kind of had to travel to all kinds of places we would otherwise not have considered. One of them was Bucharest, the capital Romania, a beautiful country in the shadow of vampire myths and communist dictatorship. My indifference to Bucharest quickly morphed into intrigue as we exited the airport and drove past…the Arc de Triomphe??? No seriously. A major case of déjà vu as we entered the traffic circle and zipped around it.
Turns out, Bucharest had a building spree in between the two world wars and outfitted their city in Parisian style administrative buildings, apartment blocks, libraries, hospitals, you name it. This and the elite’s penchant to greet each other in French earned Bucharest the nickname of ‘Little Paris’.
Much of this architectural splendour was destroyed under the rule of communist dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu, who had 8km² of the city centre razed to make way for communist-style architectural replacements. (Even though Ceaușescu personal taste in decorating was super extravagant – check out his house)
What remains today is a pastiche of architectural styles – from neoclassical, to soviet; from medieval Romanian, to retro medieval Romanian, from Parisian art-nouveau to contemporary; all with a filter of the cool grit and grunge that Berlin is famous for – to which Bucharest owes its second nickname: ‘the New Berlin.’
It’s an apt way to think of Bucharest: Little Paris meets new Berlin. But, while it has some of the architectural charm of Paris and much of the schmutz and cultural cool of Berlin, it is also distinctly unique in spirit.
What I loved most about visiting Bucharest was roaming the streets with my camera and taking in this decadent, crumbling, staunch, vibrant, gritty, and charming cityscape – occasionally popping into a bookstore along the way (there are many…Bucharest is totally a book lover’s city).
Piața Romană (the Roman Square) is the perfect location for a Bucharest city break. We stayed in a cool little Airbnb with an unbeatable view right on the circle. From there it’s a 15-minute stroll to the quaint old town with its cobble stone streets and charming Parisian alleyways. It’s also the perfect location for city walks in and around this eclectic city centre, with lots of artisan coffee shops, street-side pastry stalls and restaurants around.
Find the flat on airbnb here and use this £25 discount code if you haven’t signed up for Airbnb yet, which you absolutely have to, because how are you even traveling without it?
The Magic of Croatia: …
Shopping in Turkish, or …
A Quick Girls’ Guide …
Hearst Castle: Ace Your …
A Quick Guide To …
How to Escape the …
Hiking the Seven Sisters …
The Activity of a …
Hungary Beyond Budapest: Lake …
Bright Blue Nusa Lembongan: …
Ireland in Five Acts
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We thought we would teach our children about the world, but ended up teaching the world about our children.
Poop News
Dog poop is the front page lead story in our local newspaper. I guess no news is good news…
“Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine is asking dog owners to pick up after their dogs and themselves when walking their dogs at the school’s hay fields along Route 30.”
Local Community | cindy | December 4, 2007 | Commings School of Veterinary Medicine Grafton Massachusetts news Poop Tufts
2 thoughts on “Poop News”
who would think 25-30 years ago that we would be asked to pick up animal feces. I recall the day when it would become natural fertilizer.
Yes, I remember that too. I also remember stepping in lot of poop too, LOL! I don’t think dog poop makes very good fertilizer, not as good as vegetarian animals anyway.
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Nevada approves $335 million deal to attract electric carmaker Faraday Future
CARSON CITY, Nev. – Nevada lawmakers approved a $335 million incentive package to attract upstart electric carmaker Faraday Future’s billion-dollar factory to a hard-hit Las Vegas suburb, even though the company has yet to unveil a concept car or bring a product to market.
The state Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favour of the deal Saturday, after a four-day special session in Carson City. Lawmakers learned last week that Chinese billionaire Jia Yueting was backing the secretive California-based company, which employs some former Tesla Motors executives, and that Faraday plans to bring 4,500 direct jobs to Nevada.
READ MORE: Ford, Volkswagen to unveil new electric models in 2016
The Senate already approved the four bills implementing the agreement. Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval, who’s championed the deal as a boon to Nevada, is expected to sign them.
The deal comes a little more than a year after state lawmakers approved a $1.3 billion incentive package to land a massive Tesla battery factory outside of Reno. Nevada economic development officials said the deals put the state well on its way to being a hub for the advanced transportation industry, after decades of dependence on casinos.
READ MORE: Ontario to invest $20 million to build network of charging stations
Nevada triumphed over California, Louisiana and Georgia in the bid to land the factory. The state will offer $215 million in tax credits and abatements, and publicly finance $120 million in infrastructure improvements at an underdeveloped industrial park in the City of North Las Vegas.
State officials who negotiated the deal testified that they built protections into the bills that acknowledge the company is relatively untested. Faraday won’t be able to tap into all of its abatements until it meets a $1 billion investment threshold.
Sandoval said Faraday hopes to break ground in January.
Comments Off on Nevada approves $335 million deal to attract electric carmaker Faraday Future
Two members of the Manitoba Moose happy to home for the holidays
Nova Scotia man facing drug charges can’t have medical pot advocate represent him in court – Halifax
Medical providers preparing for refugees in Saskatoon
Give your back a break from shoveling this winter, book a Plow Me Out ‘Uber-like’ plow
« Williams Lake residents frustrated after their road closed by city — Stars beat Canadiens 6-2 in battle of first-place teams »
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Do you remember the drought of 1976?
— 23.09.16
by Jody Dalton
Researchers want to know what you remember about the 1976 drought for an academic project.
On the 40th anniversary of the country’s most severe water storage in living memory, Dr Tina McGuinness from the Management School is part of a national team urging those who have memories to share their accounts.
How did you cope? Did it bring people together in communities? What sacrifices did you have to make? How did it affect your life in Sheffield? The anecdotes will contribute towards a £3.2million project named Drought Risk and You (DRY) which aims to provide new evidence for managing future droughts, drawing on science and experience.
Dr McGuinness said: “In June 1976, temperatures of 30 degrees-plus were recorded for as many as 16 consecutive days in the UK, and many reservoirs dried up as a result – it gripped the nation, and we want to capture some of the memories that endure 40 years on.
“The stories are a valuable component of our research, and they need to be considered when looking at solutions for future droughts. How did it affect you, your family or your work? We want to hear the positives and the negatives – from enjoying watching kids playing in the sunshine, to struggling to keep the family hydrated. Your account of that summer could have an impact on how we cope with future droughts.”
The four-year DRY project, which brings together researchers from eight universities and institutes, aims to ensure that the country is better prepared for another extreme water shortage.
Dr McGuinness continued: “Climate change, often leading to extreme weather, is a huge global challenge and we require action from everyone to cope with future crises. This is an opportunity for people to contribute with their narrative of June 1976.”
This study will focus on the impact of drought on seven river catchments, including the River Don which Dr McGuinness is leading on. These are the Cornwall River Fowey; River Frome (Bristol); River Pang (Wiltshire); Bevills Leam (Fenlands); Afon Ebbw (South Wales); and the River Eden (Fife).
The research team is led by UWE Bristol and also includes the University of Sheffield, Loughborough University, NERC’s Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Harper Adams University, University of Warwick, University of Exeter, University of Dundee and Climate Outreach.
Contribute memories via the following routes:
Add your story as a comment on this page: http://bit.ly/dry-1976
Tweet your images and memories of past and current droughts, and local water-use: @Project_DRY
Contact us if you would like to join our workshops: +44 (0)117 32 87024
Find out more about the project online at dryproject.co.uk and @Project_DRY on Twitter.
Making the sustainable choice: embedding Life Cycle Analysis in supply chain
Environmental credentials grow at SUMS
SUMS appoints Nestle vice president as visiting professor
Keep up to date with SUMS news
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CelebriLegs
There, in the front seat of the car: it's Barbara Walters! I have proof.
A moment before, I was heading to the stage door in hopes of getting Barbara from my window when I discovered that she was already on her way out.
I found myself in the unusual position of the street level paparazzi. I grabbed a few shots in the hope that I could find some way to use them.
Barbara's dress is what saves the day. You can see the same polka dot pattern in the close-up of the gum photo:
I had a similar situation with Samuel L. Jackson a few months ago.
Unlucky timing meant I only got his leg as he climbed into his SUV.
One more CelebriLeg photo. Spotted at the Brimfield flea market, these are extremely accurate replicas of the legs of Brian Williams.
I do have proof, but I had to promise Brian I would never publish the photos. Let's just say busy newsmen sometimes forget to put on pants before dashing over to the Late Show.
Will was on the Late Show to promote his summer blockbuster film "After Earth."
The film takes place a thousand years in the future, when Earth has been abandoned by humankind after a series of cataclysms.
Some may see it as crass cross-promotion, but Will agreed that in the post-apocalyptic world of 3013, only one aspect of our current civilization will have survived unscathed.
He doesn't have a good explanation for why those subway cars would still be on fire, though.
Amy is a comedian/actress/writer who's got a new show on Comedy Central.
Congratulations, Amy! In addition to all your other success…
… your excellent posture outside the Late Show has won you this coveted CelebriGum award:
Okay, CelebriGum has fallen a bit behind in giving out the Good Posture pin, but it's still very prestigious.
Two Guys Who Pretend To Go Fast, And One Who Really Does
CAUTION: NEW STAR TREK MOVIE SPOILER
From "Star Trek Into Darkness," here's Chris Pine, who plays James Kirk…
… and Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Khan.
Their characters travel through space at "warp speed."
(Aside to Star Trek fans: is Spock a last or first name? I somehow always thought Spock looked like a Jeff. Jeff Spock. Come on, Steve, focus.)
But here's a guy who actually goes fast:
Graham Rahal, who'll be competing in this weekend's Indy 500.
Indy cars can reach speeds of over --
WE INTERRUPT THIS CELEBRIGUM ENTRY FOR BLATANT SELF-PROMOTION
My friend Sport and I have written a beautiful, strange, amazing book we're really proud of.
It'll be out this fall. Learn more here.
There's no truth to the rumor that for nearly three years I've operated CelebriGum merely as a scheme to build an audience for this book.
But hey, it couldn't hurt.
Farewell to the Spring '13 Interns
Another semester ends… another fond farewell to a fine batch of Late Show interns. Two of them have a new resume item sure to baffle potential employers: "Spring 2013: Guest photographer, CelebriGum."
Randi Furman, whose work we've seen before, grabbed a few nice shots.
Jim Parsons (the out-of-focus gum/sharp celebrity is an artistic choice, not a mistake, right, Randi?)
Emily Erotas also entered the glamorous world of celebrity gum photography.
Hoda Kotb
Ed Helms (careful of the gum there, Emily)
Emily's post-college plans include building a media empire around her own piece of gum and driving me out of business. You'll be sorry, Emily. You have no idea of the harsh tactics I'm willing to employ in order to protect… ah, you know what, forget it. I surrender.
Thanks, ladies! Best of luck!
Is there anything this versatile athlete/football analyst/talk show host can't do?
Michael visited the Late Show to promote his one man show about President Richard Nixon, "President Richard Nixon."
Not only has he got Nixon's mannerisms down, he's even nailed the 37th president's affinity for appearing in public with a piece of old gum on a window ledge.
(Photo credit: the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum and Clearly Fake Photo Archive)
Shortly before I posted this entry, I realized I also wanted a gum photo of Nixon doing the gesture the day he left office, but at that point I was away from my home computer with the photo software.
So I had to make this with my own gum, a padded mailer for a ledge, and a photo on my office computer screen.
Yeah, I'm getting a lot done here at work.
"Steve, Tom Hanks on line one."
I sighed. It had been a long day and I was finally packing up to leave One CelebriGum Plaza. "Can you tell him I'll call him back tomorrow?"
"He says it's urgent."
Far below my 89th floor office, the lights of Manhattan glittered. I had glamorous places to be. But I picked up the phone.
"Hi, Tom, what's up?"
"Steve, as I'm sure you've heard, I was recently ranked the most trusted person in America by Reader's Digest. So you can trust me when I tell you that CelebriGum needs work."
"Really? What kind of work? I mean, I think it's going well; I've had some good entries recently -- "
"Exactly. Steve, the problem is that CelebriGum has in fact gotten too good. Eye-catching, artistic entries like Paris Hilton and Jack Hanna have strayed from your mission statement. Right there at the top of the page, it says "mediocre photos." You upgraded from the lousy cell phone to the pretty good point-and-shoot to the fancy camera, with the result that there's less and less mediocrity. You've forgotten what made everyone fall in love with CelebriGum: the gritty, slapdash charm."
"Wow. I hadn't thought of that, Tom. What can I do?"
"Here's what's going to happen. I'm going to help you make a dazzlingly mediocre entry."
"First, I'm going to arrive suddenly and bolt right for the stage door, allowing you only a fleeting glimpse of my ankle as I disappear inside. Forget mediocre; we're already at awful."
"But we don't want awful! Or do we? Tell me, Tom! You're so trustworthy!"
"Relax, it gets better. But only a little. As I leave, you'll get a decent shot. However, I'll have other people around me so the composition is jumbled and not particularly pleasing. I'll time my exit so you have too much light on the window ledge, and not quite enough on the street. I'll let you get the side of my face, but -- this is important -- make sure the focus is just a bit soft."
"For the next shot, I'll be turned away, and mostly lost in the blackness of the car. Here's where further blur can really help CelebriGum scream "amateur"."
"Ah, yes. Pretty sure I remember how to do "amateur"."
"Regain your focus for the last shot, by which time I'll be getting into the car. It won't be very interesting, but that's beside the point. What you need -- what we all need -- is that potent combination of the supremely absurd concept and the indifferent quality photos."
"Can I still have a really good-looking entry sometimes?"
"Sure, just not too often. Mostly you should stick with the proven formula: so-so pictures, mildly clever commentary."
"That's what people like?"
"Yeah. I'm not sure why, but they do. Okay, gotta go."
"Thanks, Tom. I mean it."
"See you in a few days. Don't screw this up."
"I won't. Goodnight."
I hung up and looked at the last glow of sunset over the Hudson.
I wouldn't screw it up. I'd get it right for the fans, for Tom, and for all the other celebrities.
And for Reader's Fucking Digest, dammit.
Goodbye to "The Office"
After a great nine season run, "The Office" is ending. The final episode airs Thursday, May 16th.
Here are a few of the stars of "The Office" who've been caught by the CelebriGum camera recently.
John Krasinski ("Jim")
Mindy Kaling ("Kelly")
Ed Helms ("Andy")
And, from the CelebriGum files:
Steve Carell ("Michael")
Rainn Wilson ("Dwight")
B.J. Novak ("Ryan")
And of course, no discussion of "The Office" would be complete without…
Ricky Gervais ("Pam")
Thanks for all the laughs!
Announcing another CelebriGum technological breakthrough!
Tobey Maguire is one of the stars of the new film "The Great Gatsby," now showing in thrilling 3D. In honor of that entertainment event...
Presenting the first CelebriGum 3D image!
To properly view this Tobey Maguire photo, put on the complimentary 3D glasses that were included with the special CelebriGum supplement in your Sunday newspaper.
You didn't throw away the glasses, did you?
You did?
No worries -- thanks to another CelebriGum breakthrough, you can simulate the experience of having a pair of 3D glasses by viewing this photo.
The 3D glasses for viewing the photo of the 3D glasses will be in this weekend's CelebriGum Sunday newspaper supplement. Please try not to lose them.
Jim Gaffigan and the CelebriGum Comedy Challenge
Comedian and actor Jim Gaffigan… looking very snappy in his suit and red shoes…
Wait, what's he doing?
He's showing off his new book to the paparazzi!
Help us, paparazzi! Let us see his book!
Ah yes, it's "Dad Is Fat," available in bookstores now!
Now what's he doing?
He's holding up another book!
Here's where the comedy challenge comes in! Send me your hilarious idea for a clever title. I'll pick my favorite, put it into the picture using my photo software, and add it to this entry tomorrow night, Monday, May 13th! Email to celebrigum@gmail.com.
Get funnying, gumheads!
UPDATE: THE WINNER
Submitted by Dan Page. Congratulations, Dan!
Lots of other good ones, including many on the biting/eating theme, such as:
Eat This Book (several submissions)
Bite Me: A Love Story
Bite This Book
Sooty Like Me
Where's My Tie?
Enjoy Every Book (a clever reference to the late Warren Zevon's line on the show,
"Enjoy Every Sandwich")
Dad Is Even FATTER
Jim Gaffigan's Cooking For Dummies
As you can see, it had to be something short.
Thanks to everyone who rose to the CelebriGum Comedy Challenge!
Two Guys Who Pretend To Go Fast, And One Who Reall...
Celebrigum #500: Paris Hilton
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Readings-East Bay Through October 10
Tuesday September 28, 2010 - 11:59:00 AM
BOOKS INC., ALAMEDA -more-
Stage-East Bay Through October 10
BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE -more-
Professional Dance-San Francisco Through October 10
COUNTERPULSE -more-
Popmusic-East Bay Through October 10
924 GILMAN ST. All ages welcome. -more-
Galleries-San Francisco Through October 10
"35TH ANNUAL SF OPEN STUDIOS," -- Oct. 2 through Oct. 31. -more-
Classical Music-San Francisco Through October 10
CALVARY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH -more-
Classical Music-East Bay Through October 10
CAL PERFORMANCES All performances in Zellerbach Hall unless otherwise noted. -more-
Stage-San Francisco Through October 10
AMERICAN CONSERVATORY THEATER -more-
Around and About the Bay Area
By Ken Bullock
Monday September 27, 2010 - 06:59:00 PM
Tilt!: Pacific Pinball Museum, the Alameda nonprofit, spearheaded by Berkeleyites including Mike Shiess, Melissa Harmon and Larry Zartarian, which aspires to become "the Smithsonian of Pinball," emphasizing education and enjoyment with their 650 plus collection of games, is producing the fourth annual Pacific Pinball Exhibition this weekend, all day and evening on Oct 1, 2, and 3, at the Exhibition Hall of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Marin Civic Center, with more than 300 pinball machines from the 1920s on, set at free play, plus special guests: the Australian author of the Pinball encyclopedia (dating the game back to its predecessors in the 17th-18th century) and an inventors panel, including one guest, the former chief inventor from Atari Games. -more-
Don't Miss This: September Song
By Dorothy Snodgrass
Ah yes, the days do indeed grow short when you reach September. Hopefully, many of you took in some of the exciting musical and theatrical events occurring this week, such as the wonderful Cal Performances "Free for All," this past Sunday. People lined up for hours in the hot sun to attend free performances at Zellerbach, Hertz Hall and Lower Sproul Hall. (Which accounts for my sunburn!) -more-
Wild Neighbors:Notes from a Recovering Birder: The Redstart
By Joe Eaton
I haven’t been to outer Point Reyes this fall, and I doubt that I’ll make it before the migration ends. Chasing vagrant birds at the Point has lost much of its appeal for me. High winds and blinding fog are frequent out there. Some days you see almost nothing. Other times you show up at the lighthouse trees or the Drake Memorial just after the Connecticut warbler, or whatever the rarity du jour was, has left, forever. There will be gloating; the Point Reyes birding scene is highly competitive. Then there are the reeking bubbling farm ponds, the dairy farmers’ hostile dogs, the pieces of rusted agricultural equipment lurking under the ivy. Most of the time it just ain’t worth it. -more-
Museums-San Francisco Through October 10
ASIAN ART MUSEUM OF SAN FRANCISCO The Asian Art Museum-Chon-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture recently unveiled its new building in San Francisco's Civic Center. The building, the former San Francisco Public Library, has been completely retrofitted and rebuilt to house San Francisco's significant collection of Asian treasures. The museum offers complimentary audio tours of the museum's collection galleries. "In a New Light," There are some 2,500 works displayed in the museum's new galleries. They cover all the major cultures of Asia and include Indian stone sculptures, intricately carved Chinese jades, Korean paintings, Tibetan thanksgas, Cambodian Buddhas, Islamic manuscripts and Japanese basketry and kimonos. -more-
Museums-East Bay Through October 10
AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM AND LIBRARY AT OAKLAND The Oakland Public Library's museum is designed to discover, preserve, interpret and share the cultural and historical experiences of African Americans in California and the West. In addition, a three-panel mural is on permanent display. -more-
General-East Bay Through October 10
ALAMEDA COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS -more-
Highlights-East Bay Through October 10
Exhibits-San Francisco Through October 10
Exhibits-East Bay Through October 10
CARMEN FLORES RECREATION CENTER -more-
Dance-East Bay Through October 10
"DANCING AT THE DISTILLERY," -- Oct. 2. A funky dance party at St. George Spirits, makers of Hangar 1 Vodka, with live music from Jazz Mafia and other DJs. Event takes place at 2601 Monarch St., Alameda. A benefit for the Kala Art Institute. -more-
Outdoors-East Bay Through October 10
ARDENWOOD HISTORIC FARM Ardenwood farm is a working farm that dates back to the time of the Patterson Ranch, a 19th-century estate with a mansion and Victorian Gardens. Today, the farm still practices farming techniques from the 1870s. Unless otherwise noted, programs are free with regular admission. -more-
Kids-East Bay Through October 10
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Boulet Family Establishes Logan Boulet Endowment Fund at Community Foundation
Boulet Family Establishes Logan Boulet Endowment Fund at the Community Foundation
Endowment fund to support causes that reflect and champion Logan’s values
Lethbridge, AB (June 27, 2019)—The Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta is honoured to announce the establishment of the Logan Boulet Endowment Fund. Established by Logan’s family, Toby, Bernadine, and Mariko Boulet, this fund will assist in sustaining the legacy of a bright and generous young man.
Grants from the Logan Boulet Endowment Fund will be directed by the Boulet family to support causes that were important to Logan, such as organ donation, youth participation in sport, and the Special Olympics. Donations to Logan’s fund are gratefully accepted by the Community Foundation on behalf of the Boulet family. Gifts are eligible for a tax-deductible donation receipt.
“Logan was wise beyond his years,” said Toby Boulet, Logan’s father. “He understood that service is the rent you pay to live your life, and he continually volunteered in many areas, not just sport. He also understood that giving time is as important as donating dollars to many organizations. We are so proud of the decisions Logan made and the way he led his life.” At the recent Friends of Logan Boulet Golf Tournament, volunteers wore a t-shirt with the slogan Happy to Help. “If you knew Logan or had only met him briefly, you knew he was happy to help. Creating the Logan Boulet Endowment Fund at the Community Foundation allows Logan and many others to symbolically wear this shirt. We should all be ‘Happy to Help,’” said Toby.
Logan passed away on April 7, 2018 from injuries sustained in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash. His organs were donated, an act that prompted an outpouring of organ donation pledges and resulted in Green Shirt Day, a day to encourage organ donation registration.
“It is a privilege for us to work with the Boulet family as they continue to honour the life of their son, Logan, by giving back to the community,” said Executive Director Charleen Davidson. “Logan was raised to give back, and his giving spirit has had a tremendous impact on our community and our nation. We are proud to be able to incorporate Logan’s legacy into the work we do at the Community Foundation. We hope that this fund, and the continued love and support of their community, will help Toby, Bernadine, and Mariko in their healing process,” said Davidson.
For more information about the Community Foundation, its funds, or its granting programs, please contact the Community Foundation office at 403-328-5297 or office@cflsa.ca. Contributions to Logan's fund can be made online at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/42000, or at the Community Foundation office.
About the Community Foundation
It’s right there in our name: Community. For over 50 years, building a strong and vibrant Southwestern Alberta has been the motivation behind our work. Every year, we connect generous donors with causes that are close to their hearts, which helped us award over $850,000 in grants to qualified groups throughout our region in 2018. Learn more about us at www.cflsa.ca.
Boulet Family Establishes Logan Boulet Endowment Fund at Community FoundationCommunity Foundation Announces Spring 2019 Grant Recipients
Community Foundation Announces Fall Grant RecipientsCelebrating Giving Tuesday with Kindness GrantsNow accepting applications for fall grantsCommunity Foundation and Knights of Columbus Support StudentsCommunity Foundation Supports Southwestern Alberta with 42 Grants
Community Foundation Awards 30 Grants Across Southwestern AlbertaVital Signs 2017 Report ReleaseCanada 150 Grants AnnouncedCommunity Foundation Youth in Action GrantsCommunity Foundation celebrates Canada’s sesquicentennial through Canada 150 GrantsCommunity Foundation to support youth-led projects across the region
Communities flourish through generosity.
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Press Center Web Exclusives 2012 Beauty and the Beast
Barbara Robertson
For Ridley Scott's Prometheus, Weta Digital, one of 10 visual effects studios on the film, creates some of the most memorable sequences.
When Ridley Scott decided, after a 30-some-year hiatus from science fiction, to follow up his breakthrough film Alien, fans of the sci-fi horror genre that he invented began celebrating. Could he conceive another film as wildly grotesque as the famous scenes in Alien and as surreally beautiful? The answer was yes, it seems he could. While critics haven’t always applauded Prometheus’s story, there is resounding acclaim for the visuals and, for those who appreciate such scenes, the grotesque in Scott’s latest feature.
Richard Stammers of The Moving Picture Company (MPC) was overall visual effects
supervisor on the film, leading the work of 10 studios that created 1400 visual effects shots: MPC, Weta Digital, Fuel, Hammerhead, Rising Sun Pictures, Lola, Luma Pictures, Prologue, Pixel Pirates, and Invisible Effects—the latter two working in-house on comps and cleanups.
The two leading vendors were MPC and Weta Digital. MPC’s 450 shots centered on realizing Scott’s vision through establishing the environment for the film: the ethereal planetary landscapes and the stormy atmosphere, alien and human spaceships and their travels, and a dangerously epic crash sequence. Weta Digital created some of the most iconic sequences in the movie—the opening sequence in which the “engineer” sacrifices himself, a gruesome surgery, the trilobites, and the pilot’s chair.
Weta artists used silicon castings of cabbage leaves and digital loofahs to give the helmet an organic-looking interior.
“One of the things I was most excited about as a fan was the pilot’s chair,” says Martin Hill, who supervised Weta Digital’s postproduction work. Matt Sloan represented the studio on location.
“Alien was one of the films that got me into visual effects,” Hill says, “and that guy in the pilot’s chair has always been a mystery: Who was he? To be able to work on that sequence was incredible.”
The sequence affected Stammers, as well. “The pilot chamber had the space jockey seats from the original Alien,” he says. “It was a great moment when we went to the interior set and saw the same presentation of the set we all saw 33 years ago. There was an amazing buzz on set.”
That Scott wanted to film the actual chairs on set represented a method of working throughout the film. “Ridley [Scott] wants to work in camera,” Hill says. “He wants to work practically. But, he knew there were some things that he wanted to do that went beyond prosthetics.”
In the opening sequence, for example, a spaceship created at Weta Digital lands and the ghost engineer (actor John Lebar) steps out. He drinks from a cup of black, pulsating goo, effectively committing suicide. “It destroys him from within,” Hill says. “It sends black goo through his veins. He crumbles and collapses. His bones break. His spine rips open. He falls into a waterfall at the bottom of a river, and his head falls off.”
In the middle of all that action, Weta Digital artists sent the camera zooming into the engineer’s arm, deep into his bloodstream, and deeper, into the DNA, until we can see the black goo at a microscopic level tear apart and distort the DNA. Then, we see the broken bits reform into a recognizable DNA, one found on Earth, with cells that form and split.
“Ridley referenced the statue of David in the design of the engineer,” Stammers says. “He wanted godlike, alabaster skin with translucency. Weta did a fantastic job of matching the live-action actor.” An actor slathered with silicone.
The engineer begins to dissolve into particulate matter, thanks to Weta Digital.
Weta artists began by referencing a sculpted maquette that Scott had placed in a lazy Susan, lit, and filmed in 2010. “Ridley asked us if we could match it,” Hill says. “We applied shaders and lit it to match, and when we got to the point where we were happy with that, we added a facial system.” The digital head they sent back to Scott rotated once, and then on the second turn, it blinked and formed an expression.
“That brought the head to life and gave Ridley the confidence that we could create a digital engineer,” Hill says.
There would always be a point at which the engineer would become digital, of course. The question was when. “The original plan was to see if we could apply the early stages of the disintegration effect to plates of the engineer,” Hill says. “It turned out that we have two shots with the effects starting on the digital actor. The rest is fully digital.”
The advantage in starting with the actor wearing the prosthetic was that the animators had a performance they could match. That was also the disadvantage. “Obviously, if you have a guy in a loin cloth wearing a silicone suit, his muscles don’t fire and deform like real muscles,” Hill says. “We wanted to put in a full muscle, fat, and fascia system, and have all the sliding and tensing of skin to make everything physically correct. But, it didn’t match the prosthetic. We had to make our digital model less accurate than we usually make creatures, and more accurate with the prosthetic.”
That was true for the engineer’s skin, as well. The silicone was so thick that instead of scattering rays a centimeter beneath the surface, the artists needed to reset their subsurface scattering system to plummet six or seven centimeters deep. “His fingers felt like wax, though,” Hill says. “We had to include internal blockers to make him look substantial and not like a block of silicone.”
Re-engineering a Life
To create the effect of the engineer disintegrating, the artists once again took the lead from Scott’s emphasis on practical effects and looked for ways to incorporate real-world elements into the process. “We carved veins into blocks of silicone,” Hill says. “We pumped ink and oil, and all sorts of liquid combinations through the veins, backlit the blocks, and filmed them. We also shot drying clay, drying paint, and other practical elements.”
The shading artists didn’t use these practical elements directly. Instead, the elements became drivers for shaders and textures that they applied to the engineer; that is, shaders procedurally driven by practical effects.
“It was quicker to give blood pulsing and cracks forming a more natural motion by using real elements, so we decided to use filmed footage to drive shaders,” Hill says. “We heavily processed the images, some of which we filmed at high speed, through [The Foundry’s] Nuke. Some shaders were procedural. Some used painted maps. And some included this natural motion to assist the shaders. We’d augment the footage in different ways, and it became information maps for different effects and stages of the disintegration. For example, we took a filmed vein pattern and applied it to the skin with a time delay to create bruising. We had veins that became darker and shinier as they popped out: As the skin became taut, the specular would increase, and as the skin dried out, it would become more leathery with lower subsurface depth and affected displacement. The main thing was to keep the natural motion in the effect and have it escalate dramatically in every shot.”
As they had done for the disintegration, the effects team also looked for examples from reality to create the DNA part of the sequence. “For the engineer, Ridley [Scott] had a strong idea about what he should look like, but we were able to design the DNA shots,” Hill says. “The brief from Ridley was fantastic. He said, ‘It’s like a war in there.’”
To create the engineer’s DNA, the artists used, as reference, the spine bones of a fish that they wrapped digitally into a double helix and rendered with the material quality of tooth enamel. “That gave us room to infect it with the dark and sinister and corrupting infection,” Hill says. Burning polystyrene footage provided elements that the team fed into shaders to create the evolving infection.
“Our effects team did a fantastic job of smashing up the DNA and creating the blood in the veins,” Hill says. “We used [Autodesk’s] Maya to create an enormous particle simulation, and used [Side Effects Software’s] Houdini for cell mitosis later.” For rendering, the team used Pixar’s PRMan, and for compositing, Nuke, all with the studio’s proprietary code running on top.
The sequence takes place near a waterfall filmed in Iceland, and when the engineer falls, he splashes into digital water created to allow interaction with the digital character. “The mood of the shot when the spine rips open, his head falls off, and his arm breaks is dark and violent,” Hill says. “It continues to be fast paced, but by the time he reaches the bottom of the waterfall, the mood changes. We took the particle sim of all the cells that have broken apart, all the broken bits of DNA, and reform them into a fantastic-looking DNA with a clear double helix structure. We wanted something filmic, not a medical visualization. We used extreme depth of field to make the whole scene look big. We see the DNA re--create with hundreds of cells splitting and growing. We see that the engineer sacrificed himself to create life. Thelvin Cabezes and Christoph Saltzmann, the leads on the sequence, did a stunning job on this shot.”
Abominable Surgery
In stark contrast to the beautiful opening sequence, the artists at Weta Digital also created what is perhaps the most horrific sequence in the film, one people are as likely to remember as the classic chest-bursting scene in the first Alien.
“When we saw the medpod sequence as previs, our jaws dropped,” Hill says. “We thought, ‘They can’t want to do this. It’s too disgusting. But, they did. We became kind of numb to it after a few dailies.”
In this sequence, the character Elizabeth Shaw (played by Noomi Rapace) is pregnant. The father of her “child” is Charlie Holloway (actor Logan Marshall-Green), but the “child” is an alien because alien DNA has infected Holloway.
Shaw crawls into a medpod bay and re-programs a machine designed to perform abdominal surgery on men, to do a C-section on her instead. “She’s lying there and the creature inside is bashing against her abdomen,” Hill says. “We see baby feet and elbows pushing and distorting her abdomen.”
The surgical instruments in this horrific scene are CG, as is the human torso.
To create that effect, the artists match-moved Rapace’s torso, rebuilt it digitally, projected the plate onto the digital model, and then enhanced that model to correct stretching and fix specular highlights. “She’s covered in sweat,” Hill says. “We needed to re-apply all the reflections and shadows from all the tools on her distorting and undulating body.”
Animators referenced car machinery to create the motion of the tools, all of which are CG. “We added a slightly spidery motion to make the tools feel sinister,” Hill says. “And we added one or two tools more than necessary to make the scene feel claustrophobic.”
The first gory shot happens when a laser slices open her belly. “We needed to match-move Noomi [Rapace], create belly geometry, slit that open, and build her internals,” Hill says. “You can see steam rising from where the laser slices her. Then the spreaders come in to open her stomach, and a giant claw comes down and pulls out a baby trilobite.”
The baby trilobite was a practical puppet that, while in the placental sac, didn’t move. “When you see it twitching in the sac, that’s our shot,” Hill says. “You can see embryonic goo and strings of viscera connecting it back to the stomach.”
When the sac bursts, the trilobite thrashes around wildly. “We did some of the more precise motion, but it was also practical. About half digital, half practical,” Hill says. “The goo that splats back onto the stomach was practical. But, we had a lot of simulation for fluids dripping off that had to match what was on set precisely because this is in stereo. So, we did a lot of re-projection onto models, some CG work, and Alfred Murrle’s team did some very good comp work for the sequence.”
The shot doesn’t end there. “The really grotesque part is of her becoming stitched back up,” Hill says. “We knew they wanted a stapler; they had put enormous staples in her on set. We needed to make a machine that felt solid enough to punch those staples. We looked at jackhammers and pneumatic road drills for motion reference. Whenever the stapler punches in, we have it punch two or three centimeters and create deformations around that. It’s quite brutal.”
A Trilobite Fight
Despite the complexity of these two sequences, Hill points to shots of a fight between the last engineer (actor Ian Whyte) and a trilobite as the most difficult.
“As an adult, the thing that came out of [Rapace] is 14 feet across from tentacle to tentacle,” Hill says. “When the engineer and trilobite fight, Noomi [Rapace] is caught in the middle. These shots were the hardest because they lit everything in a strobe environment. No frame was the same as the one before. And, Ridley wanted to catch it all in camera. They had Ian Whyte all wired up and fighting against air where the trilobite would be. We had to matchmove him perfectly to give animators something to work with and to position the digital trilobite. We had to replace a limb on the engineer in some shots, and we needed tight tracking for the creature rigs. Tracking software doesn’t respond well to incoherent flashing light.”
The fight between the last engineer and the trilobite was the most difficult for the artists at Weta Digital.
On set, the crew had three reference cameras and a main camera to help provide an accurate representation of the action to help animators, lighters, and rendering artists fit the creature into the shots. “The trilobite is very deformable,” Hill says. “It has six or seven tentacles wrapping and constantly moving in this strobing environment, and one tentacle compresses against the engineer’s limbs and body. So on top of the muscle model our creature team used, we needed an extra simulation layer. We used a cloth simulation to produce the longitudinal wrinkles on the trilobite, and then compressed them around the axis of the tentacle. We passed all this information to the shaders so the skin would become shiny when tense and rougher when compressed.”
All told, approximately 350 people at Weta Digital worked on the studio’s 250 shots. “It was hard,” Hill says, “but the whole team was elated to be working on such an iconic piece of cinema.”
Barbara Robertson is an award-winning writer and a contributing editor for Computer Graphics World. She can be reached at BarbaraRR@comcast.net.
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Artificial intelligence (AI) was on everyone’s lips at Nvidia’s GTC 2019, from the vendors and partners on the jam-packed exhibit floor, to announcements from Nvidia itself. In fact, the term “data sc ...
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VANCOUVER – The Khronos Group (www.khronos.org), an open consortium of leading hardware and software companies creating advanced acceleration standards, is announcing updates to key standards at SIGGR ...
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I learn how to walk !
Labels: adventure, photos, Siachen, trek
I begin training under experienced HAWS instructors: Ropes, knots, hitches
New Mech unit likely,makeshift airstrip in place
There is buzz about a new Mechanised Infantry battalion coming up in the huge and the Indian Army's most important operational Command, the Udhampur-based Northern Command, and also a makeshift new airstrip in Mud village at the Sino-Indian border, near Pangong.
Coming from confirmed sources, the induction of one more mechanised unit in the Karu-based 3rd Division, the news was kept tight lipped by the Army here. The battalion comprising the indigenously made BMP-2 infantry combat vehicles (ICV), named 'Sarath', will be the mainstay of this unit which would be raised anytime in the next five years, said a source.
Increasing activities of China, at the border, has forced New Delhi to sit up and take notice and come up with measures.
Chumur, near Thankung post, where the airspace violation took place on June 21 this year, is 60-70 kilometers from the Line of Actual Control (LAC), near Pangong-tso, the world's most beautiful lake. The lake spreading 135 kilometers in length and about five kilometers in breadth and 210 meters in depth in right at the border and has 90 kilometers of its length under China occupation and the remaining 45 kilometers in India. Located at a height of 14,500 feet, the lake is exactly at the border of the two Asian giants, and a planned patrolling is carried out by the Garrison battlion of the Indian Army posted there.
Local villagers told People's Post that the airstrip which is a makeshift one made out of a special powder, meant for straightening the ground without heavy earth movers, was constructed after the Chinese airforce helicopter violated Indian air space, to which an army officer added that its a common phenomenon in that area, and it often happens.
Boats, worth 3.5 crore, go out on patrols five times a month, while patrols on foot are undertaken twice a week, in the 45 kilometer area which seperates the two countries.
The lone mechanised infantry battalion, presently 1 Guards, posted in Karu has 52 ICVs , which can be air lifted in IL-76 aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) as well as can be moved on land at the height of 11,800 feet, have been deployed for defensive purposes and mainly safeguarding the region. Said an officer that it was still not clear about when the second mechanised unit would come up in the area, but it was in the pipeline and would be most propably deployed in the same region as it was to counter China, adding that the huge Northern Command required another mechanised unit. For the first time the vehicles went ahead of Zoji-La in Jammu and Kashmir in 1948 and are quite capable of operating in mountaineous regions.
The Northern Command, which is the largest Command of the Indian Army, has just one such mechanised battalion, which is moved throughout the Command and since there are two Divisions dedicated to Pakistan and China, coming under 3rd Division, the lone mechanised unit finds it difficult to counter both countries in the entire Command.
The mechanised battalion, which came up in the mountaineous region for the first time in 1986, uses surface-to-surface missiles and guns which can hit a flying chopper too. The battalion carries out annual exercises using the BMPs in Wari-La region in Pangong, which is situated at an altitude of 16,600 feet, the highest point at which the ICVs can go upto.
An senior officer told People's Post, "These violations, airspace as well as sometimes on land, take place at the LAC, as it is not recognised by the Chinese. They refuse to take any recognition of the maps offered by India in the late 90s and mid-2000s. Whenever a map was offered by the Indian side it was rejected by Beijing, and LAC is still disputed, which is why it is always violated."
Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor, who took over as Chairman Chiefs of Staff on August 31, 2009, has said that there have been several violations by the Chinese in the recent past. Ministry of Defence figures say that there were 233 violations in 2008 and more than 75 in the past three months. The violation has been taken up with Beijing, but there has been no statement from the Chinese embassy in New Delhi.
The Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) is 982 kilometers, falling between Indiracol (the northern-most tip of India) and K2 and LAC begins after that between K2 and Arunachal Pradesh measuring around 3800 kilometers.
After 13 rounds of bilateral talks between New Delhi and Beijing, the dispute over LAC still remains un-resolved.
Copyright: People's Post
Labels: China, Formations, Karu, Leh
Army's Trishul Battle School in Karu-based China-centric 3rd Div !!
While New Delhi takes up the minor violations by the Chinese airforce and army the Indian Army seems to be all geared up and increasing their preparedness to counter their neighbour China, through all possible methods.
The Indian Army's Trishul Battle School (TBS) located 200 kilometers from the Sino-Indian border in Karu, 35 kilometers from Leh, has been lending pre-induction training to the army troops so as to prepare them for a tenure on the Siachen Glacier, comprising endurance, firing, mountaineering, rock climbing and medical problems. Considering the fact that the place is located at 11,800 feet, housing the Indian Army's critical 3rd Division, which fought during the Kargil conflict, it becomes mandatory that the training carried out in summers is complete in itself, before the troops and officers can be sent to the Siachen Battle School (SBS) at the Glacier, which is at a height of 13,000-14,000 feet, for further induction training.
The six weeks training, for which People's Post was taken, is rigourous and about 50 battalions have been trained in it, after it came into being three years back. The recently included battle obstacle course, is for endurance and includes 13 obstacles spread in an area of 800 meters. After the troops get acclimatised in Leh, they are sent to this School to build up stamina and endurance, before the snow sets in.
The TBS deals with rock craft and rock climbing and details of enemy locations where induction is to take place is shared with the Indian army personnel. Knowledge of special clothing and equipment is given to the troops coming to the mountains for the first time. Bayonet fighting and firing practice, which is done with the indigenous Insas rifle is carried out at this area.
The troops also carry out long range patrolling uptil the border which is about 200-250 kilometers, but they stop short at about three to five kilometers and take up issues for discussion at border meetings.
A five to ten kilometer run is also mandatory for the troops with full battle load, after they are acclimatised with the terrain and weather conditions.
An officer posted at the School told People's Post, "There have been no casualties so far in the training, as the men take to it quite well. The officers also undergo similar training, and a complete knowledge of the weapons, medical problems, equipment, survival in this hostile terrain is given to them. The School didn't exist before and all training was given only in SBS, but the need was felt for a pre-induction training, as sending troops directly to the Glacier-based SBS located at the Base Camp, was proving problematic, and there had been casualties."
Having rarified atmosphere at the height of 11,500 feet, Leh sometimes prives fatal for those coming from the plains, which is why a seven-day acclimatisation is recommended for the soldiers coming from lower areas, so that they get tuned to the environment. Since patrols are carried out at even higher altitudes, the troops need extreme levels of fitness. An officer posted at the border said that transportation and supplies are taken care of during the summers, during which the entire winter stocking of the supplies is done, but the troops still need to carry the weapon and essential items, which increases their load, adding that a pre-induction School is a very good idea as all troops are not mountain people, unlike the ones from Ladakh Scouts, which makes small things like loop formation, use of ropes etc also requiring classes.
The Karu-based 3rd Div, also called the Trishul Div, is mainly overlooking China and has an important role to play in Jammu and Kashmir, while the Chumathang-based 8 Div is to counter Pakistan. During Kargil, only the 3rd Div existed, after which the 8 Div was called from the north east and set up in Leh area for Pakistan, and the 3rd Div was dedicated to overlook China's movements.
Eastern Army Commander, Lt Gen V K Singh and the GOC of the Leh-based 14 Corps, Lt Gen S K Singh, both visited China last month for a round of bilateral talks. The 14 Corps comprises the 8 and 3rd Divisions.
Copyright : People's Post
Labels: Formations, Indian Army, Karu, Leh
Back in Leh, safely, after a strenuos trek !!
I am just back in Leh after completing 122 kms on the Glacier and shall leave for Delhi tomorrow after some formalities here, only after which I'll start posting the details and pictures here. I just need a couple of days breather to rest and re-coup after a hard journey. Minus 21 degree at Kumar, snowing at camp 3, winds at almost 70 kmph, rarified oxygen, despite all that I showed a perfect BP at 16,000 feet in Kumar ! I was the black sheep in this trek of professionals, but I did my instructors proud, by walking all along without medication and medical problems and sheer determination.
I have seen in the comments section that people have shown concern about my safety thinking I was stuck and had to be evacuated, thanx for that, but there was some other expedition in Himachal, which required ALHs, while the two men in my team who were evacuated used Cheetahs in Siachen. Minor casualities, is what I can say. I trekked on Indo-Pak border and not near China. I was close to Pakistan on the festival of Eid , but there is no movement in camps and posts after sunset !!
Labels: adventure, Siachen, trek
China incursion reports affect foreign tourists.
Some Belgian tourists leaving Leh today, have just come back as the Jet flight to Delhi just got cancelled, and the first question they asked me, "has China invaded India, we heard on TV?"
They are stuck in Leh for an extra day till the next flight, and I could clearly see the fear writ large on their faces. I assured them, on behalf of our army, that all was normal and peaceful. They plan to stay indoors today and not venture out. Funny, indeed. Leh tourism would indeed be affected by such news. They asked me the complete incident. While they figure out whats happening, I leave for the Glacier. Juley.
Labels: China, incursion, Leh
"JULEY" !!
Labels: adventure, Chindits exclusive, Glacier, Leh, photos, Siachen Battle School, trek
Ok report on Sino-Indian border---GOC 14 Corps, exclusive tete-a-tete with Chindits !!
Interacted today with the 14 Corps Commander at the 14 Corps headquarter at Leh, during tea at 10.30 am. Lt Gen S K Singh, originally from 8 Gorkhas, and has also commanded 102 Brigade and 3rd Div here, seems to know each stone in this area. According to him, the incident reported by Star and Aajtak, among others, took place in July in Chumur and the supposed 'red paint' had been removed long back.
Calling it normal, he said there's nothing to it and the country need not panic and its in safe hands. I saw a IAF Cheetah on an increased sortie/recce today morning atop my head, while waiting in my hotel. The GOC says that the Chief is to be believed, when he makes statements in the capital, and he means something when he says it.
He attributed the 26 incursions by the Chinese inside Indian territory in the month of August to different perceptions of the LAC, which needs sorting out at the highest level.
During his five-day visit, which the Lt Gen called part of military diplomacy, he along with the Eastern Army Commander and three more, visited Chengdu, Lhasa, Beijing and Shanghai in China. He's just back. He called it fruitful. Refuting reports that the dispute now is about the lake, he said both sides patrolled till the lake and entered each other's territory, which is ok and normal. Serious matters are taken up at border meetings.
Troops are alert and vigilant. There was no plan to increase recce and patrol, unless decided at the top. If and when required necessary action will be taken at the top level (looks like, its being taken even now). Tongue in cheek, the GOC hesitantly confirmed me my info, which I got from locals here about some activity in Mud village, in Chumur, near Chushul/Pangong.
There was no plan to take on outsiders for training in the Siachen Battle School, right now, due to infrastructure constraints.
Labels: China, Chindits exclusive, GOC 14 Corps., incursion, Leh, Sino-Indian border
Lockheed Martin begins Phase-2 of MMRCA field trials
Lockheed Martin's F-16IN 'Super Viper' has completed Phase-1 of field trials. The week long training phase was in preparation for the field trials.
Phase-2 of field trials begins tomorrow, September 7, 2009. Phase-2 will last two weeks.
Labels: aircraft, Field trials., IAF, MMRCA
IAF's FSI writes to DGCA for recognition and affiliation
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has proposed to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Civil Aviation, that the courses conducted by the IAF's Delhi-based Institute of Flight Safety, be recognised and affiliated to a university.
The Institute, which came into existence in 1983, has been getting offers from civilian pilots from private airlines to enroll in the courses run by it, which is why the need was felt for affiliation and recognition.There are 18 courses run by the Institute, 16 of which are for a week and the remaining two for six weeks each, with 26 personnel in each, from the Navy, army, IAF, HAL, DGCA, Coast Guard, and other agencies which have flying in it.
The certificate courses are in flight safety and accident investigation. The proposal sent to the DGCA in January this year, has been pending ever since,as the DGCA has sent some of its queries to the Institute, like the employment guarantee of the courses, and if non-pilot civilians, connected with aviation, could enroll in them directly.The Institute has explained that it is in the process of upgradation with extra infrastructure coming up on its premises for additional faculties, one of which is a psychological department dealing with the human factor in flying.
The infrastructure development, worth crores, has already started. There are permanent faculty members, while guests are called in from various agencies for lectures, like on flight data recorder and bird DNA etc.Also after the recognition and affiliation, the course would be called Aviation Management and accident investigation. This being the only Institute in the country dealing with accidents and flight safety, had an internal control by the IAF, and hence the courses were not recognised outside, but now with civilians showing interest in the courses, the Institute had to take up the matter with the DGCA.
The civilians who would enroll in these courses would have to pay for them.The Institute, located in Palam, is headed by a three-star IAF officer and has mainly IAF officers as staff, while flying personnel from all services are enrolled in it, who come on deputation.All accident investigations are carried out and an annual review conducted by the Institute and presented before the Air Headquarters.Inquiries into crashes fall under various categories, from one to five. Category-1 crashes are considered the most severe, in which the equipment and life are lost. According to the Flight Safety Institute parameters, the categories, from one to five, decrease from the most severe accidents to just incidents.A flight safety source told People's Post that measures are being worked upon to bring down foreign object damage, reduction in incidents, and other causes. There is a team working in the IAF studying various types of birds which can cause bird-hit accidents in aircraft and there is a tie-up with a Hyderabad-based organisation to study the DNA of birds also.
Labels: aircraft crash, DGCA, Flight Safety Institute, Formations, IAF, Palam, People's Post.
Snow peak at the middle--Sino-Indian border between the lake, in Lukung village !
Labels: Formations, Pangong, Siachen, Sino-Indian border
Random...IL-76 atop my head at 6 am before landing at K B Rinpoche airport, Leh !!
Labels: aircraft, IL-76, Leh, photos, Siachen, trek
"Either get a way or make one"---Trishul Eagles...Chindits does a 15 min ride on the 'Sarath' at the world's highest battle field !!
Labels: BMP, Indian Army, Leh, Mechanised Infantry, Siachen
Acclimatising in Leh!!!
Seven days of acclimatisation in Leh, (I arrived one day late , so missed day of acclimatisation), after which I leave for the Base Camp on 7th September for another ten days of training in Siachen Battle School in ice-craft and snow-craft, safety and rescue and all about the Glacier.
We would cover 90 kilometers in 9 days, covering some posts, before returning back to the Base Camp. Undergoing BP, pulse checks and weight everyday. I've already got a high BP at this altitude---ten thousand feet. The SBS training is at twelve thousand feet and the trek somewhere around seventeen-eighteen thousand.
Weight loss, HAPO, etc are some of the things which are anticipated.
This trek is a personal journey for me, more of mental than physical endurance and I know I'll do it. All defence journos out there should attempt this one, trust me. Watch out for pics and posts.
Labels: Glacier, J and K, Kumar Post, Leh, Siachen Battle School, trek
I begin training under experienced HAWS instructor...
Army's Trishul Battle School in Karu-based China-c...
Ok report on Sino-Indian border---GOC 14 Corps, ex...
Lockheed Martin begins Phase-2 of MMRCA field tria...
IAF's FSI writes to DGCA for recognition and affil...
Snow peak at the middle--Sino-Indian border betwee...
Random...IL-76 atop my head at 6 am before landing...
"Either get a way or make one"---Trishul Eagles......
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Toronto Film Critics Announce Canadian Film Noms
How Heavy this Hammer
The Toronto Film Critics Association announced the three finalists for the Rogers Best Canadian Film Award. TFCA kept the contenders within a small radius by nominating three Toronto filmmakers: Kazik Radwanski's engrossing character study How Heavy this Hammer, Hugh Gibson's raw and powerful The Stairs, and Matt Johnson's found footage film Operation Avalanche. The latter nomination is arguably as much (or more) a vote of confidence for Johnson's outspokenness about the state of Canadian film. The winner will be announced at the TFCA awards in January and nets a prize of $100 000 with the runners up receiving $5000.
Canadian films didn't receive much in terms of competitive prizes from the TFCA, although The Stairs appeared as a runner-up in the feature documentary category. (That award went to Kristen Johnson's Cameraperson.) Robert Eggers won the Best First Feature prize for the Mattawa-shot co-production The Witch, which features a handful of Canadian credits in creative roles.
Moonlight won the top award of Best Film, while Toni Erdmann scooped a trio of prizes for Best Director (Maren Ade), Best Foreign Language Film, and Best Actress (Sandra Huller). Peter Simonischek was also a runner-up for Best Actor, as was Toni Erdmann for Best Film. Canadian director Denis Villeneuve saw his Arrival shut out, but was named the recipient of the 20th Anniversary Special Award for Excellence in recognition of his work in the Canuck film scene and for finding success in Hollywood without compromising his independent vision.
The list of winners is as follows:
The full list of 2016 Toronto Film Critics Association Awards winners and runners-up:
“Moonlight” (Mongrel Media)
“Manchester by the Sea” (Mongrel Media)
“Toni Erdmann” (Mongrel Media)
Adam Driver, “Paterson” (Mongrel Media)
Casey Affleck, “Manchester by the Sea”
Peter Simonischek, “Toni Erdmann”
Sandra Hüller, “Toni Erdmann”
Rebecca Hall, “Christine” (The Orchard)
Isabelle Huppert, “Elle” (Mongrel Media)
Natalie Portman, “Jackie” (Fox Searchlight)
Mahershala Ali, “Moonlight”
Ralph Fiennes, “A Bigger Splash” (Fox Searchlight)
Michael Shannon, “Nocturnal Animals” (Focus Features)
Michelle Williams, “Manchester by the Sea”
Viola Davis, “Fences” (Paramount)
Naomie Harris, “Moonlight”
Maren Ade, “Toni Erdmann”
Damien Chazelle, “La La Land” (Entertainment One)
Barry Jenkins, “Moonlight”
BEST SCREENPLAY, ADAPTED OR ORIGINAL
“Manchester by the Sea” by Kenneth Lonergan
“Toni Erdmann” by Maren Ade
BEST FIRST FEATURE
“The Witch” directed by Robert Eggers (Elevation Pictures)
“The Edge of Seventeen” directed by Kelly Fremon Craig (VVS Films)
“Swiss Army Man” directed by Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (D Films)
“Zootopia” (Walt Disney Pictures)
“The Red Turtle” (A-Z Films)
“Kubo and the Two Strings” (Focus Features)
BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
“Elle” (Mongrel Media)
“The Handmaiden” (Mongrel Media)
CANADIAN TIRE ALLAN KING DOCUMENTARY FILM AWARD
“Cameraperson” (Films We Like)
“Fire at Sea” (Films We Like)
“The Stairs” (Midnight Lamp Films)
ROGERS BEST CANADIAN FILM AWARD FINALISTS
“How Heavy This Hammer” directed by Kazik Radwanski (MDFF)
“Operation Avalanche” directed by Matt Johnson (Entertainment One)
“The Stairs” directed by Hugh Gibson (Midnight Lamp Films)
Posted by Pat Mullen at 12/12/2016 09:42:00 AM
Labels: Canadian Film, Denis Villeneuve, toni erdmann
2016 in Review: The Best Films of the Year
Cameraperson: Not Just a Fly on the Wall
Contest: Win 'Tumbledown' on Blu-Ray!
Who Knew the Google Could Be So Soul-Searching?
Canada Advances in Oscar Race
Notes from the Screener Pile: 2016.4
Oscars Predictions: Round 2 - Golden Globe and SAG...
Contest! Win 'Florence Foster Jenkins' on Blu-Ray!...
The Sneak Attack
Dark and Stormy Waters
'The Swamp Has Risen': John Madden Talks 'Miss Slo...
TIFF Names Canada's Top Ten
'Not Another Camelot...'
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Home / Breaking News / 50 shots fired at Republican lawmakers practicing baseball
50 shots fired at Republican lawmakers practicing baseball
Wed, 06/14/2017 - 10:17am Vic MacDonald
Duncan 16 minutes ago: "Thank you for all your prayers and well wishes. Please continue to pray for the injured, our law enforcement, and for our country as a whole."
South Carolina Congressman Jeff Duncan says the shooter asked him if the politicians on the field were democrats or republicans. Duncan replied that they were republicans, and the man thanked him before turning away. Duncan left before the attack began. ALSO, The Associated Press reports that the shooter has been identified as 66-year-old James T. Hodgkinson, from Belleville, Ill. Speaking from the White House, President Donald Trump said that Hodgkinson had died from injuries sustained when police returned fire.
Third District Congressman Jeff Duncan told a gunman that lawmakers on a baseball field were Republicans - then left the lawmakers’ baseball practice before 50 shots were fired at the event, and the gunman was shot to death.
A gunman opened fire on a GOP baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia, Wednesday morning; and House Majority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise was shot in the hip. Scalise and other members of Congress were in the middle of a Congressional baseball practice. A congressional aide said Scalise is undergoing surgery at George Washington University Hospital.
Scalise's office says that prior to entering surgery, the congressman was in good spirits and that he spoke with his wife over the phone.
Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama was on the field at the time and says at least 50 shots had been fired.
Rep. Mike Bishop, R-Mich., said Scalise was standing on second base when he was shot.
“I was looking right at him,” Bishop told Detroit radio station WWJ. “He was a sitting duck.”
Sen. Jeff Flake, who was at the baseball practice, told reporters he called Scalise's wife to alert her of the situation.
An aide of Rep. Roger Williams of Texas was also shot in the carnage. Williams himself was not injured.
Please keep the member of my staff and all members of the congressional baseball team in your thoughts and prayers pic.twitter.com/wH4b6wXQhs
— Rep. Roger Williams (@RepRWilliams) June 14, 2017
Rep. Roger Williams fr Texas was just wheeled off field in #DelRay pic.twitter.com/9xbTrSYQeP
— Will Ragland (@citizenwillis) June 14, 2017
#BREAKING TX Rep Roger Williams head of baseball caucus was hit and taken off in stretcher. Sen Jeff Flake was at bat
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) June 14, 2017
Scalise is the No. 3 House Republican leader. He was first elected to the House in 2008 after serving in the state legislature.
Gov. John Bel Edwards of Louisiana, Scalise's home state has released a statement calling the shooting an "outrageous, cowardly attack."
South Carolina Congressman Jeff Duncan says he believes he saw the shooter, but left before the incident began. Duncan says he is safe:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1729565533727858&id=18726814...
Two Capitol police officers were injured in the shooting. Sen. Rand Paul says the officers saved the lives of everyone there.
"Nobody would have survived without the Capitol Hill police. It would have been a massacre without them," Paul said.
Because Scalise is part of the House leadership, he is followed by Capitol Police for security reasons.
Police do have the reported shooter in custody, but they have not released his identity at this point.
UPDATE: Suspect is in custody and not a threat. PIO will be onscene shortly to share updates.
— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) June 14, 2017
Alexandria police say other victims have been transported to nearby hospitals.
Law enforcement officials are calling the shooting a "deliberate attack."
Rep. Jeff Duncan
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« Iceland Votes No on Repayment Plan as Standard of Living Continues to Drop
Feb 2010 Journal Out »
Iran’s President Calls 9/11 Attacks a Big Lie, While His Country Also Boasts of a New Missle
This weekend there were several of announcements from Iran:
Iran’s Ahmadinejad: Sept. 11 attacks a ‘big lie’
By ALI AKBAR DAREINI (AP) – 22 hours ago
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Saturday called the official version of the Sept. 11 attacks a “big lie” used by the U.S. as an excuse for the war on terror, state media reported.http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ixeFBxfLzaSjs8Mb8cuFmtPOT6-wD9E9A7U80
Iran Announces Production of Short-Range Missile
07 March 2010 VOA News
Iranian state media are reporting Iran has begun production of a new short-range missile that can destroy warships that weigh up to 3,000 tons…
Tehran’s ambitious space and military programs have worried Western countries. They have expressed fear the same technology could be used to launch nuclear warheads. http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/Iran-Announces-Production-of-Short-Range-Missile-86747777.html
‘World powers will fail to agree on Iran sanctions’
Sun, 07 Mar 2010 13:35:33 GMT
Iran says world powers will fail to reach a consensus on imposing new sanctions against Iran over the country’s nuclear program.”Since the principle of sanctions lacks the legal and logical basis regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran’s basic right to peaceful nuclear activities; and since this policy is pursued under the political pressure of certain countries, it is natural that such a consensus [on sanctions] will not materialize,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said on Sunday. http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=120276§ionid=351020104
These announcements suggest that perhaps Iran does expect that it may be attacked. Israel would seem to be the nation that would be the most likely to conduct such an attack. And perhaps in 2010.
Some articles of possibly related interest may include:
Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? What does the Bible say?
The Arab World (and Iran) In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? How might Iran be involved?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? What will happen to the nation of Israel?
This entry was posted on Sunday, March 7th, 2010 at 1:01 pm and is filed under Prophecy.
Iran Now a Nuclear State?
Iran Slams Russia
Forbes: Iran Preparing for War and the Mahdi
Ahmadinejad Claims Sanctions Will Not Harm Iran, But…
ICG: Israel May Attack Iran Soon
Think Tank Says Iran Could Fire Nuclear Missile in 2012
Ahmadinejad Wants the Mahdi (the King of the South)
Iran Building Rocket Bases in Venezuela
Iran to Triple its Nuclear Capacity
In Russia, Iran’s Ahmadinejad Warns USA and Israel
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Posted on January 27, 2006 by Avi Tronek
Directed by: Hiroyuki Ochi
Written by: Akinori Endo, Chiaki Konaka
Degree of Cyberpunk Visuals: High
Correlation to Cyberpunk Themes: Very High
Armitage: Hiroko Kasahara
Ross Sylibus: Yasunori Masutani
D’Anclaude: Ryûsei Nakao
Overview: Armitage III, one of the many Chiaka Konaka written masterpieces (along with Serial Experiments Lain, Texhnolyze, Malice@Doll) is simply an awesome story. If you like Blade Runner and haven’t seen Armitage, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Most of the same issues are raised there, but are done in an original enough way that makes you absolutely love this little anime chick. Humanity as an exclusionary concept which also implies “worth” is fully explored here. Are androids still supposed to just be our servants even if they do have a sense of self-worth?
Set in a Blade Runner-like future, mostly centering on Mars, Naomi Armitage is a type III series android who works as a cop on Mars, along with her new partner, Ross Sylibus. While most of the public knows about, and barely tolerates the type II series, they are not aware that there are a few lifelike, human-acting type III series androids living among them. Unfortunately for the robots though, someone knows of their existence and is systematically killing them one by one.
As the plot progresses, Ross, who doesn’t like robots (his former partner was killed by a cyborg) learns that Armitage is an android. Even worse, they learn that the murderer is a series IV robot. Armitage, who starts off as a wise-cracking, disrespectful cop who dresses in sleazy clothes starts to question her “humanity” such as it is. In addition to realizing she’s one of the very few left, Armitage wonders why she was ever created. As she struggles to maintain “sanity,” Ross begin to develop a closer relationship – one that is not too mushy, and works well with the pacing.
Armitage eventually broadens into a large-scale conflict that involves greedy corporations, inter-galactic disputes, android’s rights, population issues, and all the rest. We get LOTS of gun fights in this, and even a full scale battle, mecha style. In addition to being cute and vulnerable as an android wondering if she has a purpose in life, Armitage also kicks major ass in her burgundy leather ensemble. Guts, martial arts and all sorts of other gadgets come flying out of this chick. She is definitely, tough, strong willed, and lots of fun to watch.
Notice the incredible similarity to another futuristic building in Metropolis.
The story is one of the most compelling in cyberpunk anime and really makes you feel for Armitage. Yes, the whole questioning of humanity by an android has been done before (and since) and since, but Armitage is definitely one of the better ones at this. Within the confines of a murder investigation, Armitage’s “soul” is exposed in her search for larger meaning and purpose, all while her fledgling relationship with a cyborg-hating policeman begins to emerge. Interesting questions are posed such as, what happens if an android has a fatal flaw? Should we throw them away is if they are they truly nothing more than a toaster? This is in essence a mirror to questioning how we deal with handicapped people in human society. We still consider handicapped people valuable and contributing members to society, but would we do the same with disabled Androids? At what point do they become real as opposed to simply remaining property – a tool for humanity?
The Bottom Line: The visuals and sounds in Armitage III, while good, are somewhat dated and inconsistent. Some shots are absolutely superb, while others have a relatively plain background and almost 80s looking characters. Overall, there’s enough there to keep your interest, but its the story that delivers. Truly, I absolutely LOVE it!
What is Armitage III Polymatrix? Polymatrix is a movie extracted from the 4 OAVs in Armitage III. While it is missing a few interesting scenes, its still watchable. It also has Kieffer Sutherland and Elizabeth Berkley as voice actors here, so if you can’t stand subtitles (You really fix this problem in the long run though), Polymatrix is a reasonable substitute. Some truly hate it primarily due to the English dubbing, the missing scenes and the changed ending. For me, I was OK with the dubbing, was generally OK with the scenes missing, but I liked the ending in the OAV (this movie) better.
<span class=”iTitle”>Overview: </span> Armitage III, one of the many Chiaka Konaka written masterpieces (along with Serial Experiments Lain, Texhnolyze, Malice@Doll) is simply an awesome story. If you like Blade Runner and haven’t seen Armitage, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Most of the same issues are raised there, but are done in an original enough way that makes you absolutely love this little anime chick. Humanity as an exclusionary concept which also implies “worth” is fully explored here. Are androids still supposed to just be our servants even if they do have a sense of self-worth?
<p align=”center”><img src=”/images/armitage3-14.jpg” alt=”screen capture” /> </p>
<div class=”quote”>Notice the incredible similarity to another futuristic building in <a href=”/additional-screen-caps-for-metropolis/”>Metropolis.</a></div>
The story is one of the most compelling in cyberpunk anime and really makes you feel for Armitage. Yes, the whole questioning of humanity by an android has been done before (and since) and since, but Armitage is definitely one of the better ones at this. Within the confines of a murder investigation, Armitage’s “soul” is exposed in her search for larger meaning and purpose, all while her fledgling relationship with a cyborg-hating policeman begins to emerge. Interesting questions are posed such as, what happens if an android has a fatal flaw? Should we throw them away is if they are they truly nothing more than a toaster? This is in essence a mirror to questioning how we deal with handicapped people in human society. We still consider handicapped people valuable and contributing members to society, but would we do the same with disabled Androids? At what point do they become <i>real</i> as opposed to simply remaining property – a tool for humanity?
<span class=”iTitle”>The Bottom Line: </span> The visuals and sounds in Armitage III, while good, are somewhat dated and inconsistent. Some shots are absolutely superb, while others have a relatively plain background and almost 80s looking characters. Overall, there’s enough there to keep your interest, but its the story that delivers. Truly, I absolutely LOVE it!
<span class=”iTitle”>What is Armitage III Polymatrix? </span> Polymatrix is a movie extracted from the 4 OAVs in Armitage III. While it is missing a few interesting scenes, its still watchable. It also has Kieffer Sutherland and Elizabeth Berkley as voice actors here, so if you can’t stand subtitles (You really fix this problem in the long run though), Polymatrix is a reasonable substitute. Some truly hate it primarily due to the English dubbing, the missing scenes and the changed ending. For me, I was OK with the dubbing, was generally OK with the scenes missing, but I liked the ending in the OAV (this movie) better.
This post has been filed under Hot Cyberchicks Kicking Butt, Awesome Cyberpunk Themes, Made for TV, Man-machine Interface, 9 Star Movies, Android Movies, Animes, Cyberpunk movies from 1990 – 1999 by SFAM.
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Category Archives: Woodworking
January 18, 2007 Woodworkingadmin
So I had some Christmas money from Dad to spend. Dawn suggested a new rug for the living room, which suggestion I found utterly horrifying. First, because I like the current rug a lot, even if Dawn doesn’t. But mostly because I didn’t want to add Christmas gift money to the general household revenue fund. I wanted something special.
Luckily, whatever rug(s) Dawn had/has her eye on were/is/are apparently a lot more than what I had to spend. So she, budget director but with a heart, gave me her blessing to buy whatever I wanted. And, as it happens, there was a little something that had caught my eye.
I have at various times had on my Amazon wish list a planer. First I think I had the Delta, replaced at some point by the Grizzly. Both in the $200 range. Well, the Grizzly more like $250, since it was $225, but since it’s not sold by Amazon but rather by Grizzly, there’d be shipping charges on top of that.
But recently a Palmgren planer had popped up on my radar. I hadn’t especially ever heard of Palmgren before, or what I’d seen maybe just hadn’t much registered. I think maybe I’d noticed the benchtop jointer before. But this planer was suddenly up on Amazon for $199. They said its original list price was $529, but who knows what list price means in these cases.
Well, I suppose we can compare to the Delta and the Grizzly. The Delta is $199 from a list price of $317. And the Grizzly is just $225, with no other price, list or otherwise. (But it’s available for the same $225 at grizzly.com, so let’s just go with that as the list price.) My dream planer would be the Dewalt DW734, but that’s list $678 on sale for $399. Way too much.
So it seemed like the Palmgren for $199 was a really good deal, although that was for the 84114, whereas the 84112 was on sale for $129. But somehow, I don’t know, I just didn’t trust that 84112. Seemed too cheap.
I read the Amazon reviews, and checked out discussions on the Woodnet forums. There was this one guy Earl Cowles, EZ on Amazon and EZEZ on the Woodnet forums. He was really enthusiastic about the 84114, but almost too enthusiastic. Almost like being-paid-to-say-these-things enthusiastic. But he seemed to be an otherwise honest guy, having given a fairly positive but not totally overjoyed review to a Bosch miter saw on Amazon back in November. He’s much newer to the Woodnet forums, so I couldn’t really tell much else there.
Finally I just bit the bullet and ordered the damn thing, the 84114. I called my brother to see if he could accept shipment at his house first though. I usually have stuff delivered at work, but Amazon said the shipping weight on this thing was 99 pounds. I didn’t think Anita the receptionist would be too pleased with that. And I sure didn’t want them just dropping it off for me at home, not in my neighborhood. Luckily, Rob works out of his home, and he agreed to let me ship it there.
That was Sunday when I ordered it. And it arrives at his house today at 2:13 p.m. I’m going over on Saturday to pick it up.
July 23, 2006 Woodworkingadmin
This afternoon I make a totally rocking router table fence. I use these plans from the Stots website, although I don’t own the dust sucker accessory. I’ll figure something out on my own for hooking up the shop vac.
I start with a piece of 3/4″ MDF that’s been hanging around the shop for a while. Not sure what I made with it originally, but it started out life as a two-foot by four-foot handy panel from Home Depot, and it’s an L-shaped piece now, two feet on each long side. I’m able to cut out the fence and the base pieces at 24″ long, not quite the 31 1/2″ that the plans call for having, but close enough for me. And I have to slim them just a tad, maybe half an inch short of the width in the plans. And for the fence faces I use a leftover piece of laminate-covered 1/2″ MDF. (Leftover from what, I don’t remember, until Dawn reminds me that it’s from Ikea, that we used the rest of it on the kitchen cabinets.) It’s only about a foot long, short of the 17 3/8″ in the plans, but still now proportional since the base and fence itself are shorter.
So my fence is altogether a bit smaller than it could be, but it’s still a real good size. And the laminated faces are totally sweet. The other major change I make is to reverse the fasteners holding the faces to the fence. The plans say to use screws coming through from the back into t-nuts in the faces. I use instead bolts counterbored through the faces then going through the fence and held on with wingnuts.
Mostly the project calls for drilling. A lot of drilling. Pilot holes for the screws holding the fence and base and braces together. Then big 2″ holes in the fence (in lieu of machining slots for the faces to slide side to side). Then the holes that the bolts go through on either side, counterboring them on the front of the faces. At a certain point it dawns on me how much easier all this drilling is with the drill press, how much of a nightmare it could have been.
I finish and set up the whole router table assembly, with the table and the insert and now the new fence. Oh so nice. But I don’t have anything to actually rout today. Next weekend I’ll use it to joint the balusters, to remove the saw marks before sanding. I can joint now because of the independently sliding fence faces, where I can shim the outfeed side to act as a kind of jointer. I had meant to order some proper shims from Rockler, but I have some old playing cards that’ll probably work just as well. Maybe even better since those shims are sized for Rockler’s own fence.
Now I am thinking of souping it up with proper knobs rather than the wingnuts, but, hey, let’s not get too crazy, huh?
June 24, 2006 Woodworkingadmin
After Carol’s yoga class, I head with Dawn to U Street, where lives one John P., who is selling a Ryobi DP101 10″ drill press.
The ten inches in the description refers to the drill press’s swing. The swing of a drill press refers to the diameter of the largest disk that can be drilled in the drill press. In this case, then, that disk can be up to ten inches in diameter. A normal person would just say that the quill is five inches from the shaft of the stand, but that’s not how drill presses are apparently described. It’s kinda dumb, if you ask me.
Mr. P. is a very nice guy. We meet at the back of his building and go into the storage area where his storage locker is. The drill press is taller and a lot heavier than I was expecting. We load it into the car and chat for a few minutes.
Later, at home, after I’ve hauled it into the shop, I discover the thirty-five dollars in my shirt pocket that I was supposed to give him in exchange for the drill press. I thought it was a steal at $35, but evidently I really did steal it. I call him right away to make arrangements to meet again.
One other thing I did over the weekend was begin building a router table. I had ordered and received the Veritas Base Plate/Table Insert from Lee Valley. It came with a host of accessory items for getting it attached to one’s router, in my case a Porter-Cable 690.
First there was a positioning template, which consisted of a sheet of letter-sized plastic transparency, on one half of which were printed instructions and rows of circles with cross-hairs, while the other half was blank with a 1/2″ hole in the middle. After cutting off the half with the instructions, the half with the hole slipped over a handily included alignment pin chucked into the router collet. From there I cut out circles that matched the screw holes in my router base, taping them on the transparent sheet over the holes. Then I used an awl to punch holes in the plastic sheet where the cross-hairs in the circles met. Then I transferred the plastic transparency, now with the hole marks, onto the new base plate. Now I knew where to drill the holes to attach the base plate to the router. They even included an 82° countersink bit to drill said holes.
I had some trouble punching with the awl into the hard phenolic of the base plate. And then I had some trouble drilling the holes, though, because I don’t have a drill press. I have an old Portalign with my old 3/8″ Sears drill attached to it. It’s pretty good actually for drilling straight holes, although the plastic base is all bent to hell. But the depth stop mechanism doesn’t work very well at all, so trying to get a countersink to an exact depth is a bit tricky. So I ended up doing it pretty much freehand, starting a little shy of the depth that I eventually wanted, then sneaking up on it.
So now the base plate is on the router. Easy.
Now comes the harder part, which is building some sort of table for the router and base plate to drop into. But, as a matter of fact, Lee Valley includes some instructions for doing just that. They include these instructions I guess because this is a round base plate but yet they still claim that you can install and remove it from below the table, so as not to have to thread the cord to the router. But imagine trying to get a manhole cover down into a manhole. How do you do that?
And bonus as well is a trammel bar that LV includes to help you cut the hole in the table top. And a washer that fits into the counterbore for the brass insert that goes into the base plate. So with the washer installed, with the alignment pin in the router, the trammel bar fits over the alignment pin. On the other end of the trammel bar are two holes which act as handy bushings for drilling two 3/16″ holes in the edge of the base plate. Sadly my crappy Black & Decker drill bit makes hardly a dent in the phenolic plate. I grind at it for like five minutes, smelling the plastic burning, before giving up and heading to Fragers to get a decent bit. That B&D set of drill bits was probably like ten bucks at Home Depot. A new single DeWalt cobalt 3/16″ bit at Fragers is five bucks, but it sails through the plate in less than a second.
Then out comes the alignment pin, to get stuck into a 1/2″ hole drilled in the center of the table for the router table, upside down now this time, so that the 3/16″ pin end is sticking up. And now the 3/16″ holes drilled into the edge of the base plate stip over the pin and act as centerings, around which the router rotates, with a 1/2″ router bit carving out the recess for the base plate. First the inner hole on the bottom of the table for the drop through, and then the outer hole on the top of the table for the recess into which the router plate fits.
Ingenious, huh?
There’s also two sort of wings, one on either side, routed into the recessed ledge, so that the base plate can turn sideways and fit down into the hole. I was especially pleased with myself for chiseling out fairly straight corners, after the routering had left such round areas.
Lastly there’s a way to keep the round plate from rotating in the recess, by inserting a screw with a bushing over it, into the outer 3/16″ hole in the base plate, to act as a kind of bumper that fits into a slot in the recess. Unfortunately I countersink the wrong side of the base plate. So I have to get out the trammel arm and drill another hole with the new DeWalt bit and then countersink it. Is a minor screwup, all in all, but a screwup nonetheless.
But after all this the big old handles on the PC690 router don’t really allow enough room to tilt to get the router in and out from underneath. Turns out to have to go through the top anyway. Oh well. It was still a fun project.
I still have to figure out some sort of fence system. I’ve got my eye on the the Rockler fence. But at this point I really should make it myself. I’ll go looking for plans on the Web.
Ryobi BTS20R
May 14, 2006 Woodworkingadmin
I finally cut some wood with the new saw.
I had had a blast putting it together at first. I love that kind of stuff, following directions from a manual and screwing this to that and whatnot. Like Ikea furniture. Just plain fun. But I had my Freud TK906 blade on Kevin’s miter saw, and I was going to put that eventually on the Ryobi. So I didn’t want to spend any time heeling the blade on the saw to the miter gauge grooves if I was just going to replace the blade and do it all over again. And I had stair railings still to cut on Kevin’s saw, is why the Freud blade was on it, so I had to cut the railings so as to be able to put the Freud blade on the Ryobi saw.
So after cutting some railings on the chop saw, I wasn’t especially happy with the results. It’s so hard to adjust the bevel. I finally decided, hell, the new Ryobi saw is just sitting there, and it’s got a miter gauge and bevel tilt, so why not give it a try? Plus, the chop saw was just spewing sawdust all over the shop. The Ryobi’s got a dust port, 2 1/2″ even, to hook up the shop vac.
So then, after moving the TK906 from the miter saw to the Ryobi, it took me a while to heel the blade to the left-hand miter groove. I started out just using my combination square, measuring to a tooth that I had colored blue with a Sharpie. But then I couldn’t find my feeler gauges anywhere. So then I got out the dial gauge and screwed it to a wooden bar, and then held that assembly on the miter gauge. Worked pretty well. Except that it was hard to measure to the same point on the colored tooth, and the miter gauge is a little sloppy in the groove. Not much, but the dial gauge measures to 1/1000th of an inch, so the slop was throwing it off quite a lot.
So then I had the bright idea to just take the Sharpie and pop a little dot on the flat part of the blade, still out towards the teeth. Easier to put the tip of the dial gauge to that rather than a tooth. And I just held the miter gauge firmly against the right side of the miter channel. And I was able to see that the blade was out of parallel by 0.011″. So I found a 4mm hex key and loosened the two bolts at the back of the motor. Was much easier system than the screws in the table of the Delta that I had, that I had to fit a closed-end wrench underneath the table.
But then for some reason I got it into my head that I had to use a wood board here to pound the blade back. I thought the Ryobi instruction manual said to do this. But after tapping then whacking with a rubber mallet, to no avail, I re-read the instructions and they said to just push the wood board and then, before letting go, tighten the bolts in back when the blade was parallel.
Finally got it to within 0.003″, which I figure is about as good as I can do.
The other cool thing about the dial gauge on the wooden bar is I was able to measure the wobble of the blade while the blade was running. It was exhilarating to do, although hard to read the results. Seemed like the needle was flicking back and forth with a 5 to 10 one-thousandth range. I think digital gauges maybe could save a range or something like that. I don’t even know if they make digital gauges, though. Maybe I’m thinking of digital calipers, which I definitely have seen. Somebody’s gotta make a digital gauge.
I probably should have measured the arbor runout when I had the blade off, now that I think about it. But there’s not a whole lot I can do about arbor runout, except maybe measure wobble with the blade rotated at different points on the arbor. More trouble than I’m willing to take at this point for three one-thousandths of an inch.
And so I cut some railing on the saw, and the cut itself was smooth. Like glass smooth. Like baby’s butt smooth. Like jointer smooth.
I still have to measure the rip fence to make sure it’s parallel. The instructions say to use a framing square. It’s funny that the manual at the beginning says that you’ll need a screwdriver, a 1/2″ wrench, and a framing square to assemble. Then you of course later need a combination square. It’s clearly pictured in the manual, but they don’t tell you up front that you’ll need one. But then maybe I can use the dial gauge assembly that I made. We’ll see.
I get many replies to my Craig’s List ad. The first one is unsigned and not so comprehensible, asking if the saw is still available. The second reply is signed with a first and last name, states quite concisely: “I would like to buy the table saw.” He also gives me a phone number and says when he can come pick it up.
We exchange a few emails, logistics and whatnot, and arrange to meet at Chez Bohls on Friday around 6:30 p.m. Dawn & I see him climbing up the stairs to our place just as we come around the corner home from work. We meet and greet and invite him in. And he’s a super swell guy, an older gentleman. He’s a tad frail, and no wonder: he explains the myriad illnesses and accidents that have befallen him.
We chat some and then he goes out the front to bring the van around back, where I load the saw in the back for him. I spy a Ryobi AP10 planer in the back as well and ask him about it. He chuckles a bit at my tool geekiness and explains that it also is a Craig’s List purchase. He says he’ll consider selling it to me when he’s done with it. I say that sounds like a grand idea.
He’s just pulling away when I spot the saw’s owner’s manual that I’ve left on the back deck & forgotton to load into the van. I grab it and tear ass after him, but I don’t catch him. I bolt through the house to see if I can get him before he turns on Independence on his way out of town, but I don’t make it nearly in time. On the shameful walk back to the house I realize that I’ve also got in my pocket the two wrenches that were promised in the ad. They were sitting on the saw and I stuck them in my pocket to carry the saw outside.
I feel terrible. I look up the email where he gave me a phone number and call the number, hoping that it’s his cell phone and he’s still close by. But I get a woman’s voice on an answering machine or voicemail. I leave a message explaining that I’ve forgotten to include a few things, offering to mail them on my dime. A little while later a woman calls back, saying not to worry and that mailing would be fine, but that she insists on paying postage.
Such nice people. Of course I have no intention of letting them pay the postage.
(The rest of the night and weekend replies keep coming in to the ad. I send everyone a note, saying that the saw’s been sold.
I don’t get around to buying a padded envelope for the manual and wrenches until Tuesday, and I don’t get to the post office and mail them until Wednesday afternoon. Get home from work on Wednesday and we’ve gotten a letter in the mail, with an enclosed check. It’s for twenty-five dollars. He says he feels like he’s paid too little for the saw. He also says to donate the money to charity in lieu of sending it back.
Did I mention nice people?)
Day Off and New Saw
We sleep in probably the latest we’ve ever slept in, until after ten a.m. Then we’re up and we eat and shower and then head to Home Depot. It’s finally new saw day.
We grab one of those big rolling carts and first go to the garden center. (What are those carts called, besides just cart?) We’ve got one of those panel carts, rather than the plain flat ones. We figure the saw box is going to be big.
I leave Dawn and head to the tool corral to get the saw. I grab a guy dusting the sanders on display and ask if he can find me a Ryobi BTS20R. He says that they’re stored high up in aisle 13 and to give him fifteen minutes. So I go looking for garden hoses and sprayers in the meantime. After a while I figure out that they’ve moved them; they’re outside now. I meet up with Dawn and we get what we need and a sprinkler too and then I head back to Tools.
The guy is just wheeling back a cart with what looks like two saws on it. I’m trying to figure out why, and then I realize this box is huge, about twice the size I was expecting. It’s twenty-nine inches wide and thirty-nine inches long and fifteen inches tall. That’s about ten cubic feet, if my math skills are still any good. Plus it weighs just a few ounces under one hundred pounds. And there’s no way any plants are going to fit on the cart with it, so I go put it in the car. Thank goodness for the Jetta station wagon. It never woulda fit in the Taurus.
Oh, sadly, it’s thirty dollars more than what I was thinking the price was going to be. The web site does warn, “Local store prices may vary from those displayed.” Sigh.
Back with Dawn and we buy a lot of plants and potting soil and stuff. But, again, thank goodness for the Jetta wagon.
At home we pull the car around back, and then load the saw box onto the wheelbarrow to get it across the yard to the deck. Then we stand it on end and kind of push and roll it into the shop.
It has finally arrived.
And then one of my first orders of business is to go upstairs and type up an ad for Craig’s List to sell the old saw. I’m a little sad to do this, not really wanting to part with it, for sentimental reasons. It’ll always be my first saw, I suppose. Sniffle. I used it to make my workbench. Cut my first dadoes on it.
But, then again, I’ve replaced it because it’s too small. So I type up the following:
Benchtop Table Saw
For sale: One lightly used Delta TS200 Shopmaster 10″ Portable Bench Saw,
with Delta 36-541 Extension Wing,
atop a Delta 36-519 Steel Stand
on four McMaster-Carr 2368T61 2″ Casters.
Includes a homemade feather board that fits in the miter gauge slots, using a toilet bolt actually, and another toilet bolt/washer/nut assembly. Also includes the homemade extension fence on the miter gauge itself. Also the original arbor nut wrench for changing blades. And a 10mm wrench for the blade guard/splitter/anti-kickback pawls assembly. Oh, and the original blade that came with the saw, that I mostly had hanging on the wall while I used a Freud thin-kerf blade, which I’m keeping. And includes of course the original fence.
Asking $75, but of course will consider any reasonable offers.
So that’s it. The die is cast.
Dawn graciously allows me to store the Delta on its stand in the dining room, so I can have room to unpack and assemble the Ryobi in the workshop. I open the box and take out the loose parts, of which there actually aren’t too many. The miter gauge is already assembled, as are the fence and blade guard. The rest of the parts are mostly for the wheels. The main saw assembly and stand assembly are already together, although way too heavy to lift out of the box. I have to stand the box on its side and slide it all out. Styrofoam is annoyingly squeaky. And annoyingly static clingy.
The axle for the wheels has to be secured while attaching the wheels, so I stick a little screwdriver in the hole that’s provided for this very purpose, and I end up bending the poor little screwdriver. Not debilitatingly so. It’s fixable. But kind of funny. The two ends of the axle are sealed with bolts, and at first I try using these same bolts for the wheels. But they’re too short. After fumbling for a minute, I realize that the directions clearly state that these bolts are to be saved, if ever the saw needs to be re-packed or shipped or something, but the wheels actually go on with longer bolts provided. Then I of course put the wheels on but forget the outside washers, so then have to take it all apart are redo it. But eventually I get it right.
Then the bumpers go on and it’s about done. I practice getting the hang of setting it up on the stand and then putting it back down into roll/store position. Oh, it’s so great.
Then it’s time to get ready for ballet class. And I feel like the complete renaissance man, being the workshop power tool guy as well as the ballet guy.
May 1, 2006 Woodworkingadmin
So I think I’m about set to trade up in table saws.
One of the first things I did when starting out with the woodworking thing was get a saw. I read on the This Old House website that Norm’s advice was to get the best table saw that you can afford as the first thing you had to do. So I went surfing for table saws and quickly found that they’re all pretty much way out of my price range. So I put the Delta TS200, at about a hundred bucks, on my Christmas list, hoping my Dad would buy it for me, and he did. I figured that was all the saw I was ever going to have, so I’d make do.
But since then I’ve gained an appreciation for what I can and can’t do with the Delta saw, and I think I need something better. So I’m stepping up all of one notch to the Ryobi BTS20R. Or I’m thinking and hoping to step up, but, after discussions with Dawn, I think it’s going to happen, as some sort of birthday present in June.
The BTS20R is $200 at Home Depot. You can look at that as twice the price of the Delta. Or you can figure it’s $2,200 less than the Powermatic 66. Your choice.
More accurately I suppose we should compare it to the Bosch 4000-09. The tool test for portable saws in Fine Homebuilding in July 2005 rated the Bosch the best of the bunch (Editor’s Choice), and it was the Readers’ Choice as well. But it’s $550, folks, way way out of my price range. The Ryobi was the Best Buy. Of it they said: “This saw has it all: power, portability, good peripheral equipment, great onboard storage, and an excellent price.” The one downside that they noted was that the side-support wing is tightened with knobs rather than a lever, something they said was inconvenient. But it’s hardly a deal breaker.
But in comparing it to the Delta that I have now, there are a load of differences. The Ryobi motor is 15 amps, versus the Delta at 13 amps, and will cut to a depth of 3.625 inches, versus the Delta’s 3 inches. The Ryobi is twice the weight of the Delta but comes in a collapsible stand with wheels, so it’s bigger yet more portable and will save precious shop space. Getting even more important is the rip capacity with that side-support wing, giving me 27 inches to the right versus Delta’s 9.5 inches (or 17.5 with the extension that I’ve got on it). Even better is the Ryobi’s built-in outfeed support that the Delta simply doesn’t have. And the Ryobi’s dust collection port that the Delta lacks as well — right now I have a cardboard box sitting under the Delta to catch sawdust, but it doesn’t catch much.
But the most critical items that the Ryobi has are a standard throat plate and standard 3/8″ x 3/4″ miter gauge slots. The Delta is simply more dangerous when cutting small or thin pieces that fall through the throat, and I can’t use aftermarket accessories like locking featherboards because they won’t fit into the Delta’s smaller, non-standard slots. And I have to just take out the Delta’s throat plate and go commando when using the dado set, whereas Ryobi offers an actual dado insert as an accessory. And the Delta miter gauge broke but I can’t replace it with an aftermarket gauge, so I’ve just forcibly screwed it back together. The Ryobi miter gauge looks and feels beefier and better, but I could replace it with an Incra V27 if I want. Or at the very least, it looks like the Ryobi miter gauge will more readily take an auxillary fence; the Delta doesn’t have holes all the way through to screw a fence through, so I’ve had to use little nuts and bolts that fit inside the damn thing.
And I can’t use a tenoning jig with the Delta, if I decide to get something like that, or the nifty-looking Leichtung Universal Table Saw Jig that seems to be both a tenoning jig and a kind of sliding crosscut sled for under sixty bucks. Not with those miter gauge slots that I’ve got now. But, honestly, it’s not like I’m going to be doing production work making Arts & Crafts furniture or anything like that, so I don’t know if I really need that kind of tenon making capability.
But the throat plate and miter gauge are a big deal. I would just feel safer and better with standard. And the fold-down portability is pretty cool too. That’ll save space. And I’m thinking that I could hold a router table insert in the gap between the table and the extension wing, with the insert resting on the two extension rails, and as long as it’s flush with the top and wing I could make use of the saw’s fence, so then I can get rid of the little video cabinet that I’ve been trying to turn into a router table-y type deal. That’ll save more shop space.
So, safety and space, what better reasons can there be?
We’ll see if we can swing this in June. It’s not like $200 will break our budget, but it’s not pocket change for us either.
Late Update: During dinner, Dawn turns to me and asks, “So when do you want to get your saw?” So not June, but now.
Sometimes I Embarrass Even Myself
April 10, 2006 Woodworkingadmin
I get all excited today about office supplies.
Remember I mentioned stopping at Staples a while back and trying but failing to find those plastic strips that hold magazines in three-ring binders. So I looked online and found them everywhere, but they’re like only $4.29 for a dozen, but then I’d have to pay like $9.00 shipping, so that’s no good. So finally I found them in the catalog of the office supply place that we use at work. And I talked to Tamiko in accounting, and she said I could add them to our weekly order and then just reimburse ASH by check.
Perfect! And today they arrived, although they turn out to be a different brand. But they work just the same. I take them for a test drive on a couple magazines at work, and they’re great! And they were only $3.74 per dozen. Hooray!
But then I get home and I don’t have enough. I had gotten two dozen, but I figure now I could use maybe a dozen more right away and then have another dozen on hand for new magazines and catalogs. Maybe next month I’ll order another batch.
Papal Coffin Clarification
April 4, 2006 Woodworkingadmin
I want to emphasize that everyone agrees that the coffin was beautiful, that it was an example of remarkable craftsmanship. Frank Klausz, whom I quoted, was saying that it was obvious that no one measured, or used a gauge, because he himself is so accomplished as not to need to measure for dovetails. He just marks ’em and cuts ’em.
And no tiny dovetail saw for him. He uses a bow saw. Or maybe that’s Tage Frid. I’m often confused.
(Some quick research proves that it’s Tage Frid who uses the bow saw. There’s some amazing video on the Woodcraft site showing Frank Klausz just zipping through a drawer. I mean fast. He says that when he bids on a job he calculates about 10 minutes to make a drawer.)
Sliding Miter Table
March 21, 2006 Woodworkingadmin
I was thinking today about my terribly cheap (and somewhat broken) miter gauge and what to do about it. I’ve been looking at getting a Ryobi BTS20 to replace my Delta TS200, but that’s probably a ways off. In the meantime, I’ve set a screw through the T-bar into the plastic guage to replace the little stop tab that broke, and I’ve also screwed on an auxiliary fence. And I’ve built a sled for straight crosscuts, although the 1/2″ MDF and dimensional lumber make it somewhat massive for the little bench saw.
I was looking at the Ryobi website and took a gander too at the BTS15, which does not have the built-in folding leg stand with wheels, but it does have a nifty little sliding miter table instead of a miter guage. And the more I thought about it, I realized that a shop-made version would really only need to be a board for the sliding table part, with a runner on which to slide, and then a pivoting arm as a fence. Heck, even I can probably make one of those.
So this is my concept. My first version pivoted the arm halfway up the right side, but I changed it after another look at the one that comes with the BTS15. And notice how I think I can even include a protractor. I was looking for a protractor one day and the thought occurred to me that I could just find a picture of one on the Internet and print it. It worked great. So for this I’ll just print one and glue it to the table. It doesn’t have to be especially accurate, because you really need to measure with a bevel guage and set the angle with that, and then make test cuts anyway. But the protractor is kinda handy, to give you a certain sense of what the angle is. What ballpark it’s in.
My only worry now is getting the right size runner. I think I recently noted how I used toilet bolts to fit into the non-standard T-slot to use with a feather board. But I don’t think bolts would work with this; I really think it needs a runner. My crosscut slet has two runners, on the outside, one on each side of the saw table, rather than running through the slots. Since this necessarily has to fit on only one side of the blade, rather than both with the sled, that method won’t work here. (And that’s part of why the crosscut sled is so massive. And, now that I think about it, the saw table extension I got for Christmas isn’t going to work with the crosscut sled.)
But I can buy or mail-order a rectangular bar of aluminum that’s 5/8″ wide, the same width as the miter slot. The slot’s about a 1/4″ deep, but I just need a runner that fits in the slot. It doesn’t necessarily have to hit the bottom. McMaster-Carr sells a 1/8″ thick aluminum bar that 5/8″ wide. It’s all of $5.48 for an eight foot length. But how am I going to get eight feet of aluminum delivered to my office?
The casters arrive from McMaster-Carr! I’m really excited.
And, also, I’m pretty darn pleased with McMaster-Carr as a vendor of neat stuff. I had read about them last week in a message on one of the Woodnet forums, where a guy was complaining that he couldn’t order from Grainger without a business account. Someone replied that he should try McMaster-Carr, who let you order by credit card. So out of curiosity I checked out their web site. Way cool stuff.
I’m dying to put the casters on when we get home from work, but first I have to drive to Alexandria VW to pick up our registration that’s finally arrived. I leave around 6:20 p.m., figuring that traffic is going to suck suck suck and that it’s going to take like an hour to get there. But traffic’s fine, a little slow maybe but nothing like the parking lot I was expecting.
I get there about 6:45, in time to stop by the parts counter to ask about replacement windshield wipers. The guy says that front ones are $18.00 and the back on is $12.00. He says I should check their website for a coupon, so I leave without buying any yet.
When I get home I finally get to put the casters on the saw stand, and they don’t really work. The casters attach to the little rubber feet of the stand, and the feet bend and pull off when perched atop the casters. I try using a wooden shim between each caster and rubber foot, but that works only marginally better, which is to say still not good enough. My next option is to try a full board between the stand and the casters. I’m worried about raising the saw too high, but I figure I’ll try like 1/4″ plywood, which isn’t appreciably higher than the 2″ casters are going to be anyway. And the board will serve as a handy shelf too.
Toilet Hardware
March 8, 2006 Woodworkingadmin
After work I stopped by Candey’s Hardware on 18th Street and bought some toilet bolts. They work pretty well with the Delta bench saw that I have.
I had been planning to buy toilet flange bolts, because of the relatively small thickness of the heads, but I spotted hanging next to those some brass toilet seat hinge bolts that looked like they’d work. I measured the diameter of the heads and it was 3/4″, which is the width of the widest part of the miter gauge T-slots on the saw.[1] The heads on the flange bolts aren’t round, they’re more like oval-shaped, so I was happy to find round but thin and not too wide.
Both sets of bolts come in a package with other hardware, but the seat hinge hardware included wingnuts, which I also wanted. I had been worried about finding matching wingnuts for the flange bolts. And I had been worried about finding bolts that were fully threaded. So I was darned pleased to have the right size bolts, that were fully threaded, and that came in a package with washers and wingnuts. And all for four dollars.
When I got home I tried the bolts in the miter gauge slots and the bolts were just slightly barely too big. But the belt sander was propped upside down in the bench vise, for use as a grinder, so I just fired that up and ground a bit around the head of each bolt until they fit. Then I grabbed my homemade feather board and cut a channel in it. Then I slipped the bolt in the T-slot, put the feather board over that, then popped on a washer and tightend on a wingnut. And now I have a better way to hold down the feather board.
[1] Standard saw slots are 3/8″ x 3/4″. Delta lists the TS200 slots at 5/16″ x 5/8″, but I measure them as 1/4″ x 5/8″. In such measurements, the first number is the depth of the slot, and the second number is the wide of the slot at its narrow point. Below that slot is the wider slot for the head of the (upside down) T, in my saw’s case 3/4″.
Diamond Bench Stone, pt. 2
February 10, 2006 Woodworkingadmin
My biggest problem now is with getting the angle right for the bevel. I’m using the basic generic honing guide, the single-roller one you can get just about anywhere. I can just jam the blade in the guide and get any old angle, but the problem is trying to get an angle that I want and, even more important, being able to repeat that angle.
But I think what I remember from high school trig will help out here. We all remember soh-cah-toa, don’t we? The sine of an angle in a right triangle is the length of the opposite side divided by the length of the hypotenuse. From our diagram above, we get sin θ = b / c. And here b is the height that the honing guide holds the blade and c is the length of the blade that sticks out of the guide. And a of course is the sharpening stone. So
sin θ = b / c
Or, for our purposes
c = b / sin θ
Let’s imagine that the height b is 5/8″ and we want a bevel angle of 25˚. So, 5/8 divided by the sine of 25 is 1.47887598947 inches. Let’s call that 1 1/2″ okay? For a 30˚ bevel angle, c would be exactly 1.2500″.
I just need to set up a block or something and scribe some measurements on it to be able to repeat the angles. And measure the height of the honing guide exactly, rather than using 5/8″ as we did in our example.
And there are two different places the guide holds blades, sort of an upper area for plane irons and a lower for chisels. Have to note different c lengths for the two different settings as well.
But better that than the Veritas Mk.II for $48.50, huh? Although the Mk.II does have a better way of making sure the blade is set square to the stone …
Diamond Bench Stone
February 9, 2006 Woodworkingadmin
I got a new sharpening stone and am so pleased with it. It’s a DMT DuoSharp stone, an 8″ model, with the coarse grit (325) on one side and extra-fine (1200) on the other.
I had been getting nowhere with my oilstones, a small starter set that I got at Woodcraft for like 8 bucks. Granted there’s a soft and a hard Arkansas stone, along with honing oil, in the set, but the stones are only an inch and a half wide and three inches long. Really too small for a plane iron that’s two inches wide.
So I was trying Scary Sharp as well, which worked just fine on the iron from my antique Stanley Bailey#4 smoother, but it took a long, long time to flatten the back. And I’ve got 11 chisels and — how many planes? Let’s see, the recently manufactured Buck Brothers jack and then the antiques: the #4, #29 transitional fore plane, #9 1/2 block plane, and cute little #75 bullnose rabbet plane — five planes. I was dreading all of that slow sandpaper sharpening.
Plus I’m still working on the grinder. I bought an antique Carborundum Co. grinder, but the wheel was way too coarse. So I bought a good aluminum oxide wheel at Woodcraft, but I can’t get it balanced right on the antique grinder’s arbor with the plastic bushings. So I’m lacking in the grinder department right now too.
Hence the diamond stone. I figured the coarse side would help with flattening the back and establishing the initial bevel and the extra-fine side would finish off the rest. And it’s working pretty well. It’s super fast compared to the oilstones or the sandpaper, although, again, the bevel part really needs a decent grinder.
I’ve been trying to sharpen a big old back saw from my mitre box. It’s like only 12 tpi but I’m so old that I can’t see what I’m doing. I have this cheapie little Radio Shack microscope that magnifies 60x, but that’s too much magnification.
So I ordered these babies, which arrived today. Eye loupes from Grizzly, at 2x, 5x, and 10x. Neat, huh?
Planche M.A.C. Board
Dawn and I have been watching Wonderfalls on DVD from Netflix lately. I really like it.Basically it revolves around one Jaye Tyler, who is either delusional or a prophet of some sort. Small objects speak to her. Small animal objects: a wax lion, plush toys, lawn flamingos, a cartoon buffalo on an apron, etc. They tell her, somewhat elliptically, to do or not do certain things, which things lead to hijinks, coincidences, and bad things that turn out in the end to be good things.
I’m glad that the show does not shy away from the heavily religious implications of its premise, by the way. Well, sometimes the show deals rather heavy-handedly with the religious implications, but better that than ignoring them.
Anyway, what with coincidences and bad things/good things, remember that printer that Dad and Sharon gave me that I had also gotten the day before? And how I felt bad about it? Well, right before I left, Sharon pressed into my hand a $90 check, in lieu of said printer. And then the next day I was reading a woodworking book that Rob & Carol had given me at the very same Christmas celebration at Dad & Sharon’s. The book is Your First Workshop by Aimé Ontario Fraser, and it’s really great, by the way.
And in the book Ms. Fraser shows this jig for a circular saw for crosscuts and miters, and it’s so way totally cool. I looked at it and immediately saw that it would be perfect for router use as well. Perfect, I tell you. And here I had some Christmas money to spend, on this perfect gift that I didn’t even know had existed until just this very moment.
It should arrive tomorrow. I’m very excited.
More on the Saw
January 9, 2006 Woodworkingadmin
Looking more closely into this, I have to say that what the website says about the saw vs. what the saw actually is, well, there’s some confusion here.
The saws were on sale at Woodcraft precisely because Spear & Jackson were fiddling around changing their models, so I shouldn’t have relied on the info from S&J like I did. Or at least I should have understood that just because they look similar, are the same colors, etc., they are not in fact what I bought.
The blue saw that I was using, that looks like but is not exactly the one pictured in the earlier entry, is not a coarse finish but a standard finish. But it’s still an aggressive cutting tool. The red is the universal, the blue is the xpress.
Oh, and it’s eight points, not ten. (7 ppi, not 9).
So, yeah, a 7 ppi saw with fleam? Cuts your hypothenar muscle group like butter.
This is what saw I was using on Monday, the one I used to cut my hand. It’s a Spear & Jackson hardpoint saw, twenty-two inches long and 10 pts (meaning 9 points-per-inch), further described thusly:
For the fastest cutting across the grain on both the forward and return strokes with a coarse finish.
Note that it was my understanding at the time that it was a rip saw. That’s what it said on the tag from the store where I bought it and that’s what I was doing with it. Ripping.
Not that it matters that much, really, but the other saw I had bought that morning was the one I should have been using. Although it was designated by the store tag as a crosscut saw, in actuality, according to Spear & Jackson, it’s a universal saw, for both ripping and crosscutting. More importantly, it doesn’t cut on the return stroke. And it produces a standard, not coarse, finish.
Let’s just go ahead and stipulate that I would have cut my hand anyway. Likely, though, the cut wouldn’t have been so severe, is maybe the point here.
But if we’re looking to assign any blame, it’d still have to be all mine mine all mine. Although the store tag said “rip,” the cardboard cover, on the saw I was using for ripping, clearly says “fleam” on it. And of course, rip saws have no fleam. Crosscut saws do.
So, while technically true that neither saw I had that day was a rip saw, the universal saw would have been a smarter choice over the fleam saw.
With a brand spankin’ new Spears & Jackson saw, ripping a (too small) piece of pine, I very severely sliced my left hand, cutting completely through the hypothenar muscle group.
My wonderfully understanding and kind sister-in-law Carol took me to the emergency room and waited for several hours with great and stoic patience.
The grandly confident Dr. Phillip J. Chang, a hand plastic surgeon, stitched me up.
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Open Libraries
"… are signs of life and hope: They are the cornerstone of democracy"
Personal Digital Archiving
Jay Datema Leave a comment
I presented about Constructing a Digital Identity Compatible with Institutional Archives at this excellent conference at the Internet Archive.
Personal Archiving Systems and Interfaces for Institutions. What are the experiences and design decisions of institutions that have built systems for personal digital archives?
Archive, Conference, Talks, Video
SPARC Innovation Fair
From a brief talk given 8 November at the SPARC 2010 Digital Repositories Forum:
Hello, I’m Jay Datema, associate director at the Bern Dibner Library, Polytechnic Institute of NYU. I’m honored to be included in this year’s Innovation Fair at the SPARC conference. I have two minutes, so I’ll keep it short.
My poster is entitled “Full Circle Research: Occam’s Razor for Collection.” As many of you know, Occam’s Razor is a principle taken from the philosopher William of Ockam, who posited that “when several theories model the available facts adequately, the simplest theory is to be preferred.” This principle dates back to the 1300s, so it’s had some time to prove itself. Institutional repositories, on the other hand, are just a decade old.
Simply stated, my poster shows that research is a process that starts with an analysis of publications, which of course will then produce more publications. As Samuel Johnson said, “The greatest part of a writer’s time is spent in reading, in order to write; a man will turn over half a library to make one book.” What is the online equivalent? I suppose it would have to be endless surfing of bibliographies, databases, and PDFs. Research only ends when your attention span falters or a deadline awaits.
Conference, Open Access, SPARC
ALA 2007: Online Books, Copyright, and User Preferences
Ben Bunnell, Google library partnership manager, and Cliff Guren, Microsoft director of publisher evangelism, presented their view of the future to reference publishers June 22 during ALA at the Independent Reference Publishers Group meeting.
Google moves into reference
Bunnell said it was his first time presenting to publishers instead of librarians, and he gave a brief overview of the Google Books program. It has now digitized one million of 65 million books worldwide, and has added Spanish language books to its collections via partnerships with the University of Texas Austin and the University of Madrid. Google is finding that librarians have been using Book Search for acquisitions, which is a somewhat unexpected use.
Microsoft innovates behind
Cliff Guren said Microsoft’s goal is to turn web search into information search. “The reality is that 5 percent of the world’s information is digitized, less than 1 percent of the National Archives and less than 5 percent of the Library of Congress.”
Guren described new initiatives within Live Search, first launched in April 2006, including a partnership with Ingram to store copies of digitized texts, and agreements with CrossRef, Highwire, Eric, and JSTOR for metadata, and Books in Print data. Live Academic Search currently has 40 million articles from 30,000 journals, and includes books from “out of copyright content only.” Library partners include the University of California, the University of Toronto, Cornell University, the New York Public Library, and the British Library. Technology partners include Kirtas Technologies and the Internet Archive, recently declared a library in its own right by the State of California.New features in Live Book Search include options for publishers to retain control, including displaying percent viewable, image blocking, pages forward and back, and a page range exclusion modifier which also shows the user the number of pages alloted. The most unique feature shown was a view of the book page with a highlighted snippet.
Libraries negotiate collaboratively
Mark Sandler, director of CIC library initiatives, followed the sales presentations with some “inconvenient truths.” Sandler said library print legacy collections are deteriorating, some content has been lost in research libraries, and that “users prefer electronic access.”Stating the obvious, Sandler said “we can’t sustain hybridity,” referring to overlapping print and electronic collection building. More controversially, he made the claim that “Maybe we’re not in the book business after all.”Sandler said books take many shapes in libraries, including ebooks, database content, audiobooks, and that pricing models have shifted to include aggregate collections and “by the drink.”With legacy collections digitized, including the American Memory Project, Making of America, Documenting the American South, Valley of the Shadow, and Wright’s American Fiction, libraries had an early start with these types of projects. But with Google’s mission of organizing all the world’s information and making it universally accessible, Sandler claimed libraries are at the point of no return vis a vis change.With library partnerships with not only Google and Microsoft, but also Amazon, the Million Book Project (MBP), and new royalty arrangements, Sandler said there’s a world of new work for libraries to do, including using digitized texts to make transformative works with math, chemical equations, and music to archive, integrate and aggregate content.
Lynn Silipigni Connaway, OCLC Research, and Marie Radford, Rutgers University associate professor, described their IMLS-funded grant on millenials’ research patterns. Using a somewhat ill-conceived reproduction of a chat reference interaction gone awry, Connaway and Radford talked about “screenagers” and described user frustration with current reference tools.”Libraries need to build query share,” Connaway said. Their research intends to study non-users, as well as experiential users and learners. One of the initial issues is since students have been taught to guard privacy online, librarians can be viewed as “psychos and internet stalkers” when they enter online environments like Facebook and MySpace.
Reference publishers asked Google and Microsoft representatives, “What’s in it for us to collaborate with you?”
Cliff Guren said, “If I were in your business, I would be scared–your real competition is Wikipedia.” Bunnell deflected the question, saying “librarians use Google Book Search” and advised publishers to “try a few books and see what happens.” Bunnell said he had been surprised to see thesaurus content and other reference books added by publishers, as he had thought they would be outside the scope. “Yet Merriam-Webster added their synonyms dictionary, and they seem to be pleased.”Guerin said,”We think we’re adding value for independent publishers,” but “if there are 400 reference works on the history of jazz, perhaps there will only be 5 or 10 needed in the future because of the inefficiencies of the print system.” Bunnell countered this point with an example, saying, “Cambridge University Press is using Google Book stats to determine what backlist books to bring back into print.”John Dove, Credo CEO (formerly xRefer), spoke about the real difference between facts and knowledge, and that “facts should be open to all.” Connaway said OCLC is finding that WorldCat.org referral traffic stats show 50 percent of users come from Google Book Search, 40 percent from Libraries, and 9 percent from blogs and wikis.
Future of print?
Gale Reference said they are seeing declining profits from print reference, and asked,”What’s the life of a reference book? Does it have 5 or 10 years left?” Radford answered by saying “I think the paper reference book will be disappearing.” She said all New Jersey universities will share reference collections because of lack of space and funds. Guren was more encouraging, saying “There’s still a need for what you [reference publishers] do. Reference information is needed, though perhaps a reference book is not.”
ALA2007, Books, Conference, Google, Vendors
ALA 2007: Top Tech Trends
At the ALA Top Tech Trends Panel, panelists including Marshall Breeding, Roy Tennant, Karen Coombs, and John Blyberg discussed RFID, open source adoption in libraries, and the importance of privacy.
Marshall Breeding, director for innovative technologies and research at Vanderbilt University Libraries (TN), started the Top Tech Trends panel by referencing his LJ Automation Marketplace article, “An Industry Redefined,” which predicted “unprecedented disruption” in the ILS market. Breeding said 60 percent of the libraries in one state are facing a migration due to the Sirsi/Dynix product roadmap being changed, but he said “not all ILS companies are the same.”
Breeding said open source is new to the ILS world as a product, even though it’s been used as infrastructure in libraries for many years. Interest has now expanded to the decision makers. The Evergreen PINES project in Georgia, with 55 of 58 counties participating, was “mostly successful.” With the recent decision to adopt Evergreen in British Columbia, there is movement to open source solutions, though Breeding cautioned it is “still miniscule compared to most libraries.”
Questioning the switch being compared to an avalanche, Breeding said several commercial support companies have sprung up to serve the open source ILS market, including Liblime, Equinox, and CARe Affiliates. Breeding predicted an era of “new decoupled interfaces.”
John Blyberg, head of technology and digital initiatives at Darien Public Library (CT), said the “back end [in the ILS] needs to be shored up because it has a ripple effect” on other services. Blyberg said RFID is coming, and it makes sense for use in sorting and book storage, echoing Lori Ayre’s point that libraries “need to support the distribution demands of the Long Tail.” Feeling that “privacy concerns are non-starters, because RFID is essentially a barcode,” he said the RFID information is stored in a database, which should be the focus of security concerns.
Finally, Blyberg said that vendor interoperability and a democratic approach to development is needed in the age of Innovative’s Encore and Ex Libris’ Primo, both which can be used with different ILS systems and can decouple the public catalog from the ILS. With the xTensible catalog (xC) and Evergreen coming along, Blyberg said there was a need for funding and partners to further enhance their development.
Walt Crawford of OCLC/RLG said the problem with RFID is the potential of having patron barcodes chipped, which could “lead to the erosion of patron privacy.” Intruders could datamine who’s reading what, which Crawford said is a serious issue.
Joan Frye Williams countered that both Blyberg and Crawford were “insisting on using logic on what is essentially a political problem.” Breeding agreed, saying that airport security could scan chips, and “my concern is that third generation RFID chips may not be readable in 30 years, much less the hundreds of years that we expect barcodes to be around for.”
Karen Coombs, head of web services at the University of Houston (TX), listed three trends:
• The end user as content contributor, which she cautioned was an issue. “What happens if YouTube goes under and people lose their memories?” Coombs pointed to the project with the National Library of Australia and its partnership with Flickr as a positive development.
• Digital as format of choice for users, pointing out iTunes for music and Joost for video. Coombs said there is currently “no way for libraries to provide this to users, especially in public libraries.” Though companies like Overdrive and Recorded Books exist to serve this need, perhaps her point was that the consumer adoption has superseded current library demand.
• A blurred line between desktop and web applications, which Coombs demonstrated with YouTube remixer and Google Gears, “which lets you read your feeds when you’re offline.”
John Blyberg responded to these trends, saying that he sees academic libraries pursuing semantic web technologies, including developing ontologies. Coombs disagreed with this assessment, saying that “libraries have lots of badly-tagged HTML pages.” Roy Tennant agreed, “If the semantic web arrives, buy yourself some ice skates, because hell will have frozen over.”
Breeding said that he longs for “SOA [services-oriented architecture] but I’m not holding my breath.” And Walt Crawford said, “Roy is right—most content providers don’t provide enough detail, and they make easy things complicated and don’t tackle the hard things.” Coombs pointed out, “People are too concerned with what things look like,” but Crawford interjected, “not too concerned.”
Roy Tennant, OCLC senior program manager, listed his trends:
• Demise of the catalog, which should push the OPAC into the back room where it belongs and elevate discovery tools like Primo and Encore, as well as OCLC WorldCat Local.
• Software as a Service (SaaS), formerly known as ASP and hosted services, which means librarians “don’t have to babysit machines, and is a great thing for lots of librarians.”
• Intense marketplace uncertainty due to the private equity buyouts of ExLibris and SirsiDynix and the rise of Evergreen and Koha looming options. Tennant also said he sees “WorldCat Local as a disruptive influence.” Aside from the ILS, the abstract and indexing (A&I) services are being disintermediated as Google and OCLC are going direct to publishers to license content.
Someone asked if libraries should get rid of local catalogs, and Tennant said “only when it fits local needs.”
Walt Crawford said:
• Privacy still matters. Crawford questioned if patrons really wanted libraries to turn into Amazon in an era of government data mining and inferences which could track a ten year patron borrowing pattern.
• The slow library movement, which argues that locality is vital to libraries, mindfulness matters, and open source software should be used “where it works”
• The role of the public library as publisher. Crawford pointed out libraries in Charlotte-Mecklenberg County, libraries in Vermont that Jessamyn West works with, and Wyoming as farther along this path, and said the “tools are good enough that it’s becoming practical.”
Blyberg said that systems “need to be more open to the data that we put in there.” Williams said that content must be “disaggregatable and remixable, and Coombs pointed out the current difficulty of swapping out ILS modules, and said ERM was a huge issue. Tennant referenced the Talis platform, and said one of Evergreen’s innovations is its use of the XMPP (Jabber) protocol, which is “easier than SOAP web services, which are too heavyweight.”
Marshall Breeding responded to a question asking if MARC was dead, saying “I’m married to a cataloger, but we do need things in addition to MARC, which is good for books, like Dublin Core and ONIX.” Coombs pointed out that MARCXML is a mess because it’s retrofitted and doesn’t leverage the power of XML. Crawford said, “I like to give Roy [Tennant] a hard time about his phrase ‘MARC is dead,” and for a dying format, the Moen panel was full at 8 a.m.
Questioners asked what happens when “the one server” goes down, and Blyberg responded, “What if your T-1 line goes down?” Joan Frye Williams exhorted the audience to “examine your consciences when you ask vendors how to spend their time.” Coombs agreed, saying that her experience on user groups had exposed her to “crazy competing needs that vendors are faced with—[they] are spread way too thin.” Williams said there are natural transition points and she spoke darkly of a “pyramid scheme” and that you “get the vendors you deserve.” Coombs agreed, saying, “Feature creep and managing expectations is a fiercely difficult job, and open source developers and support staff are different people.”
Joan Frye Williams, information technology consultant, listed:
• New menu of end-user focused technologies. Williams said she worked in libraries when the typewriter was replaced by an OCLC machine, and libraries are still not using technology strategically. “Technology is not a checklist,” Williams chided, saying that the 23 Things movement of teaching new skills to library staff was insufficient.
• Ability for libraries to assume development responsibility in concert with end-users
• Have to make things more convenient, adopting (AI) artificial intelligence principles of self-organizing systems. Williams said, “If computers can learn from their mistakes, why can’t we?”
Someone asked why libraries are still using the ILS. Coombs said it’s a financial issue, and Breeding responded sharply, saying, “How can we not automate our libraries?” Walt Crawford agreed, saying, “Are we going to return to index cards?”
When the panel was asked if library home pages would disappear, Crawford and Blyberg both said they would be surprised. Williams said “the product of the [library] website is the user experience.” She said Yorba Linda Public Library (CA) is enhancing their site with a live book feed that updates “as books are checked in, a feed scrolls on the site.”
And another audience member asked why the panel didn’t cover toys and protocols. Crawford said “outcomes matter,” and Coombs agreed, saying “I’m a toy geek but it’s the user that matters.” Many participants talked about their use of Twitter, and Coombs said portable applications on a USB drive have the potential to change public computing in libraries. Tennant recommended viewing the Photosynth demo, first shown at the TED conference.
Finally, when asked how to keep up with trends, especially for new systems librarians, Coombs said, “It depends what kind of library you’re working in. Find a network—ask questions on the code4lib [IRC] channel.”
Blyberg recommended constructing a “well-rounded blogroll” that includes sites from the humanities, sciences, and library and information science will help you be a well-rounded feed reader.” Tennant recommended a “gasp—dead tree magazine, Business 2.0,” Coombs said the Gartner website has good information about technology adoptions, and Williams recommended trendwatch.com.
Links to other trends:
Karen Coombs’ Top Technology Trends
Meredith Farkas’ Top Technology Trends
3 Trends and a Baby (Jeremy Frumkin)
Some Trends from the LiB (Sarah Hougton-Jan)
“Sum” Top Tech Trends for the Summer of 2007 (Eric Lease Morgan)
And other writeups and podcast:
Rob Styles
Ellen Ward
Chad Haefele
ALA2007, Conference, ERM, Google, Library Catalog, Open Source, Open WorldCat, Privacy, Vendors
Presenting at ALA panel on Future of Information Retrieval
The Future of Information Retrieval
Ron Miller, Director of Product Management, HW Wilson, hosts a panel of industry leaders including:
Mike Buschman, Program Manager, Windows Live Academic, Microsoft.
R. David Lankes, PhD, Director of the Information Institute of Syracuse, and Associate Professor, School of Information Studies, Syracuse University.
Marydee Ojala, Editor, ONLINE, and contributing feature and news writer to Information Today, Searcher, EContent, Computers in Libraries, among other publications.
Jay Datema, Technology Editor, Library Journal
8-10 a.m, Room 103b
Preliminary slides and audio attached.
Open Libraries Presentation [ 0:01 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
ALA2007, Books, Conference, Google, Open Archives Initiative, Open Content, Open WorldCat, Podcast, Vendors
IDPF: Google and Harvard
Libraries And Publishers
At the 2007 International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) in New York May 9th, publishers and vendors discussed the future of ebooks in an age increasingly dominated by large-scale digitization projects funded by the deep pockets of Google and Microsoft.
In a departure from the other panels, which discussed digital warehouses and repositories, both planned and in production from Random House and HarperCollins, Peter Brantley, executive director of the Digital Library Federation and Dale Flecker of Harvard University Library made a passionate case for libraries in an era of information as a commodity.
Brantley began by mentioning the Library Project on Flickr, and led with a slightly ominous series of slides:
“Libraries buy books (For a while longer), followed by “Libraries don’t always own what’s in the book, just the book (the “thing” of the book).
He then reiterated the classic rights that libraries protect: The Right to Borrow, Right to Browse, Right to Privacy, and Right to Learn, and warned that “some people may become disenfranchised in the the digital world, when access to the network becomes cheaper than physical things.” Given the presentation that followed from Tom Turvey, director of the Google Book Search project, this made sense.
Brantley made two additional points, saying “Libraries must permanently hold the wealth of our many cultures to preserve fundamental Rights, and Access to books must be either free or low-cost for the world’s poor.”
He departed from conventional thinking on access, though, when he argued that this low-cost access didn’t need to include fiction. Traditionally, libraries began as subscription libraries for those who couldn’t afford to purchase fiction in drugstores and other commercial venues.
Finally, Brantley said that books will become communities as they are integrated, multiplied, fragmented, collaborative, and shared, and publishing itself will be reinvented. Yet his conclusion contained an air of inevitability, as he said, “Libraries and publishers can change the world, or it will be transformed anyway.”
A podcast recording of his talk is available on his site.
Google Drops A Bomb
Google presented a plan to entice publishers to buy into two upcoming models for making money from Google Book Search, including a weekly rental “that resembles a library loan” and a purchase option, “much like a bookstore,” said Tom Turvey, director of Google Book Search Partnerships.
The personal library would allow search across the books, expiration and rental, and copy and paste. No pricing was announced. Google has been previewing the program at events including the London Book Fair.
Turvey said Google Book Search is live in 70 countries and eight languages. Ten years ago, zero percent of consumers clicked before buying books online, and now $4 billion of books are purchased online. “We think that’s a market,”Turvey said, “and we think of ourselves as the switchboard.”
Turvey, who previously worked at bn.com and ebrary, said publishers receive the majority of the revenue share as well as free marketing tools, site-brandable search inside a book with restricted buy links, and fetch and push statistical reporting.
He said an iTunes for Books was unlikely, since books don’t have one device, model or user experience that works across all categories. Different verticals like fiction, reference, and science, technology and medicine (STM), require a different user experience, Turvey said.
Publishers including SparkNotes requested a way to make money from enabling a full view of their content on Google Books, as did many travel publishers. Most other books are limited to 20 percent visibility, although Turvey said there is a direct correlation between the number of pages viewed and subsequent purchases.
This program raises significant privacy questions. If Google has records that can be correlated with all the other information it stores, this is the polar opposite of what librarians have espoused about intellectual freedom and the privacy of circulation records. Additionally, the quality control questions are significant and growing, voiced by historian Robert Townsend and others.
Libraries are a large market segment to publishers. It seems reasonable to voice concerns about this proposal at this stage, especially those libraries who haven’t already been bought and sold.
Others at the forum were skeptical. Jim Kennedy, vice president and director at the Associated Press, said, “The Google guy’s story is always the same: Send us your content and we’ll monetize it.”
Ebooks Ejournals And Libraries
Dale Flecker of the Harvard University Library gave a historical overview of the challenges libraries have grappled with in the era of digital information.
Instead of talking about ebooks, which he said represent only two percent of usage at Harvard, Flecker described eight challenges about ejournals, which are now “core to what libraries do” and have been in existence for 15-20 years. Library consultant October Ivins challenged this statistic about ebook usage as irrelevant, saying “Harvard isn’t typical.” She said there were 20 ebook platforms demonstrated at the 2006 Charleston Conference, though discovery is still an issue.
First, licensing is a big deal. There were several early questions: Who is a user? What can they do? Who polices behavior? What about guaranteed performance and license lapses? Flecker said that in an interesting shift, there is a move away from licenses to “shared understandings,” where content is acquired via purchase orders.
Second, archiving is a difficult issue. Harvard began in 1630, and has especially rich 18th century print collections, so it has been aware that “libraries buy for the ages.” The sticky issues come with remote and perpetual access, and what happens when a publisher ceases publishing.
Flecker didn’t mention library projects like LOCKSS or Portico in his presentation, though they do exist to answer those needs. He did say that “DRM is a bad actor” and it’s technically challenging to archive digital content. Though there have been various initiatives from libraries, publishers, and third parties, he said “Publishers have backed out,” and there are open questions about rights, responsibilities, and who pays for what. In the question and answer period that followed, Flecker said Harvard “gives lots of money” to Portico.”
Third, aggregation is common. Most ejournal content is licensed in bundles and consortia and buying clubs are common. Aggregated platforms provide useful search options and intercontent functionality.
Fourth, statistics matter, since they show utility and value for money spent. Though the COUNTER standard is well-defined and SUSHI gives a protocol for exchange of multiple stats, everyone counts differently.
Fifth, discovery is critical. Publishers have learned that making content discoverable increases use and value. At first, metadata was perceived to be intellectual property (as it still is, apparently), but then there was a grudging acceptance and finally, enthusiastic participation. It was unclear which metadata Flecker was describing, since many publisher abstracts are still regarded as intellectual property. He said Google is now a critical part of the discovery process.
Linkage was the sixth point. Linking started with citations, when publishers and aggregators realized that many footnotes contained links to articles that were also online. Bilateral agreements came next, and finally, the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) generalized the infrastructure and helped solve the “appropriate copy” problem, along with OpenURL. With this solution came true interpublished, interplatform, persistent and actionable links which are now growing beyond citations.
Seventh, there are early glimpses of text mining in ejournals. Text is being used as fodder for computational analysis, not just individual reading. This has required somewhat different licenses geared for computation, and also needs a different level of technical support.
Last, there are continuing requirements for scholarly citation that is:• Unambiguous• Persistent• At a meaningful level. Article level linking in journals has proven to be sufficient, but the equivalent for books (the page? chapter? paragraph?) has not been established in an era of reflowable text.
In the previous panel, Peter Brantley asked the presenters on digital warehouses about persistent URLS to books, and if ISBNs would be used to construct those URLs. There was total silence, and then LibreDigital volunteered that redirects could be enabled at publisher request.
As WorldCat.org links have also switched from ISBN to OCLC number for permanlinks, this seems like an interesting question to solve and discuss. Will the canonical URL for a book point to Amazon, Google, OCLC, or OpenLibrary?
Books, Conference, Google, Open Access, Open Data, Open URL, Open WorldCat, Podcast, Privacy
code4lib 2007
Working Code Wins
Responding to increasing consolidation in the ILS market, library developers demonstrated alternatives and supplements to library software at the second annual code4lib conference in Athens, GA, February 27-March 2, 2007. With 140 registered attendees from many states and several countries, including Canada and the United Kingdom, the conference was a hot destination for a previously isolated group of developers.
Network connectivity was a challenge for the Georgia Center for Continuing Education, but the hyperconnected group kept things interesting and the attendees coordinated by Roy Tennant artfully architected workarounds and improvements as the conference progressed.
In a nice mixture of emerging conference trends, code4lib combined the flexibility of the unconference with 20 minute prepared talks, keynotes, five minute Lightning Talks, and breakout sessions. The form was derived from Access, the Canadian library conference.
The conference opened with a talk from Karen Schneider, associate director for technology and research at Florida State University. She challenged the attendees to sell open source software to directors in terms of solutions it provides, since the larger issue in libraries is saving digital information. Schneider also debated Ben Ostrowsky, systems librarian at the Tampa Bay Library Consortium, about the importance of open source software from the stage, to which Ostrowsky responded, “Isn’t that Firefox [a popular open source browser] you’re using there?”
Erik Hatcher, author of Lucene in Action, gave a keynote about using the full-text search server, Apache Solr, open-source search engine Lucene and faceted browser, Flare, to construct a new front-end to library catalog data. The previous day, Hatcher led a free preconference for 80 librarians who brought exported MARC records, including Villanova University and the University of Virginia.
One of the best-received talks revolved around BibApp, an “institutional bibliography” written in Ruby on Rails by Nate Vack and Eric Larson, two librarians at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The prototype application is available for download, but currently relies on citation data from engineering databases to construct a profile of popular journals, publishers, citation types, and who researchers are publishing with. “This is copywrong, which is sometimes what you have to do to construct digital library projects. Then you get money to license it,” Larson said.
More controversially, Luis Salazar gave a talk about using Linux to power public computing in the Howard County (MD) public library system. A former NSA systems administrator, he presented the pros and cons of supporting 300 staff and 400 public access computers using Groovix, a customized Linux distribution. Since the abundant number of computers serves the public without needing sign up sheets, “patrons are able to sit down and do what they want.”
Salazar created a script for monitoring all the public computers, and described how he engaged in a dialog with a patron he dubbed “Hacker Jon,” who used the library computers to develop his nascent scripting skills. Bess Sadler, librarian and metadata services specialist at the University of Virginia, asked about the privacy implications of monitoring patrons. “Do you have a click-through agreement? Privacy Policy?” she asked. Salazar joked that “It’s Maryland, we’re like a communist country” and said he wouldn’t do anything in a public library that he wouldn’t expect to be monitored.
Casey Durfee presented a talk on “Endeca in 250 lines of code or less,” which showed a prototype of faceted searching at the Seattle Public Library. The new catalog front-end sits on top of a Horizon catalog, and uses Python and Solr to present results in an elegant display, from a Google-inspired single search box start to rich subject browse options.
This year’s sponsors included Talis, LibLime, OCLC, Logical Choice Technologies, and Oregon State University. OSU awarded two scholarships to Nicole Engard, Jenkins Law Library (2007 LJ Mover and Shaker), and Joshua Gomez, Getty Research Institute.
Next year’s conference will be held in Portland, OR.
Conference, Library Catalog, Open Data, Vendors
Taiga 2 Forum moves into Open Space
Assistant University Librarians and Assistant Directors met for the second annual Taiga Forum a day before ALA Midwinter, Seattle, to discuss the changing dynamics of academic libraries.
In a change from last year, the participants utilized the Open Spaces structure to stage an unconference, where the conversation topics were chosen by the participants.
Topics included Search, Radical Collaboration, and Google: Friend or Foe, among others. The guiding principles were, “Whoever comes is the right person, whatever happens is the only thing that could have happened, whenever it starts is the right time, and when it’s over, it’s over.” The Endangered Species conference met in an adjoining conference room.
Meg Bellinger, Yale University Associate University Librarian, said, “We came away with the sense that we don’t have all of the answers but we all share the same problems. We must spend time moving beyond the current issues towards solutions.”
The meeting was sponsored by Innovative Interfaces, Inc.
Conference, Vendors
Casey Bisson named one of first winners of Mellon Award for Technology Collaboration
Casey Bisson, information architect at Plymouth State University, was presented with a $50,000 Mellon award for Technology Collaboration by Tim Berners-Lee at the Coalition for Networked Information meeting in Washington DC December 4.
His project, WP-OPAC, is seen as the first step for allowing library catalogs to integrate with WordPress, a popular open-source content management system.
The awards committee included Mitchell Baker, Mozilla; Tim Berners-Lee,W3; Vinton Cerf, Google; Ira Fuchs, Mellon; John Gage, Sun Microsystems; Tim O’Reilly, O’Reilly Media; John Seely Brown, and Donald Waters, Mellon. Berners-Lee said, “These awards are about open source. It’s a good thing because it makes our lives easier, and the award winners used open source to solve problems.”
Library of Congress?
The revolutionary part of the announcement, however, was that Plymouth State University would use the $50,000 to purchase Library of Congress catalog records and redistribute them free under a Creative Commons Share-Alike license or GNU. OCLC has been the source for catalog records for libraries, and its license restrictions do not permit reuse or distribution. However, catalog records have been shared via Z39.50 for several years without incident.
“Libraries’ online presence is broken. We are more than study halls in the digital age. For too long, libraries have have been coming up with unique solutions for common problems,” Bisson said. “Users are looking for an online presence that serves them in the way they expect.” He said “The intention is to bring together the free or nearly-free services available to the user.”
Bisson said Plymouth State University is committed to supporting it, and will be offering it as a free download from its site, likely in the form of sample records plus WordPress with WP-OPAC included. “With nearly 140,000 registered users of Amazon Web Services, it’s time to use common solutions for our unique problems,” Bisson said.
The internal data structure works with iCal for calendar information and Flickr for photos, and can be used with historical records. It allows libraries to go beyond Library of Congress subject headings. Bisson said. Microformats are key to the internal data, and the OpenSearch API is used for interoperability. Bisson is looking at adding unAPI and OAI in the future.
At this time, there is no connection to the University of Rochester Mellon-funded project which is prototyping a new extensible catalog, though both are funded by Mellon. [see LJ Baker’s Smudges, 9/1/2006]
Other winners include:Open University (Moodle), RPI (bedework), University of British Columbia Vancouver (Open Knowledge Project), Virginia Tech (Sakai), Yale (CAS single signon), University of Washington (pine and IMAP), Internet Archive (Wayback Machine), and Humboldt State University (Moodle).
Conference, Library Catalog, Open Access, Open Archives Initiative, Open Search
LITA National Forum 2006
Preservation, entertainment in the library, and integrating Library 2.0 into a Web 2.0 world dominated the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) National Forum in Nashville, TN, October 26-29, 2006.
With 378 registered attendees from 43 states and several countries, including Sweden and Trinidad, attendance held steady with previous years, though the Internet Librarian conference, held in the same week, attracted over 1300 librarians.
Free wireless has still not made it into technology conferences, though laptops were clearly visible, and the LITA blog faithfully kept up with sessions for librarians who were not able to attend.
The forum opened with a fascinating talk from librarians at the Country Music Hall of Fame entitled “Saving America’s Treasures.” Using Bridge Media Solutions in Nashville as a technology partner, the museum has migrated unique content from the Grand Ole Opry, including the first known radio session from October 14, 1939, as well as uncovering demos on acetate and glass from Hank Williams. The migration project uses open source software and will generate MARC records that will be submitted to OCLC.
Thom Gillespie of Indiana University described his shift from being a professor in the Library and Information Science program to launching a new program from the Telecommunications department. The MIME program for art, music, and new media has propelled students into positions at Lucas Arts, Microsoft, and other gaming companies. Gillespie said the program has practical value, “Eye candy was good but it’s about usability.” Saying that peering in is the first step but authoring citizen media is the future, he posed a provocative question: “What would happen if your library had a discussion of the game of the month?”
Integration into user environments was a big topic of discussion. Peter Webster of St. Mary’s University, Halifax, Canada, spoke about how embedded toolbars are enabling libraries to enter where users search.
Annette Bailey, digital services librarian at Virginia Tech, announced that the LibX project has received funding for two years from IMLS to expand their research toolbar into Internet Explorer as well as Firefox, and will let librarians build their own test editions of toolbars online.
Presenters from the Los Alamos National Laboratory described their work with MPEG-21, a new standard from the Motion Pictures Experts group. The standard reduces some of the ambiguities of METS, and allows for unique identifiers in locally-loaded content. Material from Biosis, Thomson’s Web of Science, APS, the Institute of Physics, Elsevier, and Wiley, is being integrated into cataloging operations and existing local Open Archives Initiative (OAI) repositories.
Tags and Maps
The University of Rochester has received funding for an open source catalog, which they are calling the eXtensible Catalog (xC). Using an export of 3 million records from their Voyager catalog, David Lindahl and Jeff Susczynski described how their team used User Centered Design to conduct field interviews with their users, sometimes in their dorm rooms. They have prototyped four different versions of the catalog, and CUPID 4 includes integration of several APIs, including Google, Amazon, Technorati, and OCLC’s xISBN. They are actively looking for partners for the next phase, and plan to work on issues with diacritics, incremental updates, and integrating holdings records, potentially using the NCIP protocol.
Steven Abram, of Sirxi/Dynix and incoming SLA president, delivered the closing keynote, “Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 in our Future.” Abram and Sirsi/Dynix have conducted research on 15,000 users, which highlighted the need for community, learning, and interaction. He asked the audience, “Are you working in your comfort zone or my end user’s comfort zone?” In a somewhat controversial set of statements, Abram compared open source software to being “free like kittens” and challenged librarians about the “My OPAC sucks” meme that’s been popular this year. “Do your users want an OPAC, or do they want information?” Stating that libraries need to compete in an era when education is moving towards the distance learning model, Abram asked, “How much are we doing to serve the user when 60-80% of users are virtual?” Saying that librarians help people improve the quality of their questions, Abram said that major upcoming challenges include 50 million digitized books coming online in the next five years. “What is at risk is not the book. It’s us: librarians.”
ALA2006, Conference, Library Catalog, Open Archives Initiative, Open Source, Vendors
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Tag: public art
Artists in Public Speaker Series: Contemporary Art Gallery of Vancouver Field House Studio
You might already know that Danielle and I have moved to Vancouver. I’m taking up a position at Emily Carr University of Art and Design and Danielle embarks on her career as a lawyer as she starts her articles. We just got here, so I’m really excited to be able to start a conversation like this so quickly.
This conversation is part of a speaker series hosted by the Contemporary Art Gallery at The Field House Studio. I hope that if you’re in town, you’ll join me for an open discussion on the limits and possibilities of locality, participation, and public engagement. I’ll offer some starting points on the ideas, people, and experiences that have shaped my way of framing those themes and then open it up to discussing where these issues might bring us next in education, art, and public life.
The Field House Studio is an off-site artist residency space and community hub organized by the Contemporary Art Gallery and supported by the Vancouver Park Board and the City of Vancouver. Running parallel to the residency program is an ongoing series of public events for all ages.This summer the CAG launches a new talks program inviting creative and cultural producers to share their theories, thoughts, and experiences of developing projects in the public realm.
Artists in Public Speaker Series:
Justin A. Langlois
Saturday, August 17, 4pm
Field House Studio at Burrard Marina
Langlois will discuss his work as co-founder and research director of Broken City Lab, an artist-led interdisciplinary creative research collective and non-profit organization working to explore locality, infrastructures and creative practice leading towards civic change. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Culture + Community at Emily Carr University of Art & Design.
Address: Field House Studio at Burrard Marina, 1655 Whyte Avenue, Vancouver
Flint Public Art Project – Call for Proposals
Flint Public Art Project – Flint, Michigan
Call for Proposals for Temporary Installations at Spring Grove Silos – Deadline: Wednesday, June 26th
Our friends over at Flint Public Art Project, an initiative which helps to organize engaging public events, workshops and temporary installations in the city of Flint, Michigan, are preparing to fund new site-based installations at the end of this summer. Flint Public Art Project aims to inspire Flint residents to reimagine their city, reclaim vacant and under-utilized areas, and use innovative methods to help influence Flint’s long-term city planning. It’s a very cool project and all the better that they’re continuing to open up opportunities to participate and collaborate. Here’s the latest:
Flint Public Art Project is currently seeking proposals for temporary installations incorporating two, 65-feet-tall concrete silos at Spring Grove, a restored wetlands and open space near downtown Flint. Two artists will receive up to $3,500 each for their projects, which will be installed August 1 and September 5. These installations will be part of Spring Grove Nights, a new summer program featuring music, dance, and theater performances as well the silo projects. These events will help residents and visitors re-imagine the site, establishing a public space unlike any other in the city and informing a long-range community plan to re-use the silos.
Submit a proposal by Wednesday, June 26. More information can be found here.
Signal To Noise (think old school rotary text board randomly looking for dictionary words)
I saw this in the Globe and Mail this morning and thought it was worth reposting here given how deep we’re into thinking about text in public spaces at the moment … seems like it would be a really fun installation to see in person! The project is called S/N (Signal to Noise) and can be found in Terminal 1 at Pearson Airport in Toronto. It’s part of this year’s Luminato Festival, one of the preeminent arts festivals in North America, having commissioned over 50 new works of art, and featured 6,500 artists from 35+ countries. Luminato launched in 2007 with a work by one of our favourites, Rafael Lozano Hemmer‘s Pulse Front: Relational Architecture 12.
As for S/N, here’s the project description…
The transformation of random letters into legible words is at the technocentric heart of S/N (Signal To Noise), created by the Belgian artists LAb[au]. The installation is constructed from an assortment of discarded technology and salvaged split-flaps, components from the information displays that predated LED monitors in public spaces like airports and train stations.
Arranged in a circular grid, the flaps randomly rotate until the system identifies a word. The flow of words creates an auto-poetic sequence, inviting viewers to interpret its meaning.
LAb[au] explores the theme of space and time constructs relative to information processes. Its three members – Manuel Abendroth, Jérôme Decock and Els Vermang – specialize in system art and are mainly active within the interactive, reactive and generative realm.
Tom Sachs: Space Program Mars
Open publication – Free publishing – More mars
This one goes to out Rosina and Sara … a look at an incredible zine for an incredibly fun project sponsored by Creative Time, SPACE PROGRAM: MARS. Think DIY aesthetics, playful criticality, and really engaging performative works.
From the project description:
Artist Tom Sachs takes his SPACE PROGRAM to the next level with a four week mission to Mars that recasts the 55,000 square foot Wade Thompson Drill Hall as an immersive space odyssey with an installation of dynamic and meticulously crafted sculptures. Using his signature bricolage technique and simple materials that comprise the daily surrounds of his New York studio, Sachs engineers the component parts of the mission—exploratory vehicles, mission control, launch platforms, suiting stations, special effects, recreational amenities, and Mars landscape—exposing as much the process of their making as the complexities of the culture they reference.SPACE PROGRAM: MARS is a demonstration of all that is necessary for survival, scientific exploration, and colonization in extraterrestrial environs: from food delivery systems and entertainment to agriculture and human waste disposal. Sachs and his studio team of thirteen will man the installation, regularly demonstrating the myriad procedures, rituals, and tasks of their mission.
With the recent shuttering of NASA’s shuttle program and the shifting focus towards privatized space travel, SPACE PROGRAM: MARS takes on timely significance within Sachs’s work, which provokes reflection on the haves and have-nots, utopian follies and dystopian realities, while asking barbed questions of modern creativity that relate to conception, production, consumption, and circulation. SPACE PROGRAM: MARS is organized by Park Avenue Armory and Creative Time and is curated by Creative Time President and Artistic Director Anne Pasternak and Park Avenue Armory Consulting Artistic Director Kristy Edmunds.
REPOhistory: Lower Manhattan Sign Project
Stock Market Crashes by Jim Costanzo as part of REPOhistory’s Lower Manhattan Sign Project
I’m making my way through Gregory Sholette‘s epic Dark Matter: Art and Politics in the Age of Enterprise Culture. Writing as a participating artist and now dark matter art archivist / dare I say historian of sorts, Sholette writes on an incredible number of projects that work at the edges of the art institution in every sense.
Many of the projects explicitly connect art + everyday life + politics and Sholette offers a generous overview of the practices that build the foundation of dark matter in the art world that art institutions and art superstars rely on for their continued existence.
One of the (many) projects that caught my eye (and on which I’ll be posting) is REPOhistory’s Lower Manhattan Sign Project, which curated these alternative history/information signs into a number of public spaces across New York City.
From the project description: “Placed in front of the New York Stock Exchange, this sign challenges the myths of the free market economy and that stockbrokers jumped out of windows along Wall Street after the 1929 stock market crash. The sign documents that government deregulation and fraud led to market crashes and depressions at the turn of the 20th century, the 1920 and the 1980s.”
In thinking about the projects we’ve done and have considered before, these alternative public demarcation projects continue to feel not only relevant, but necessary. REPOhistory’s project was installed in the early 90s — it’s strange that that is now a long time ago and that urgency seems like a form of nostalgia.
Lessons on Microfunding and Community Development from Robocop
The pitch was great, obviously; the rapped overview of the entire movie, an actual response from the mayor noting the city had no plans to create a Robocop statue, and eventually, an endorsement from the folks behind the Robocop movie.
They reached their $50,000 goal, so the statue is being built. And that’s incredible.
But, in all of this online commotion, which Loveland and Imagination Station are great at pulling together, there’s a lesson in how to approach big ideas. From the Kickstarter page for the Robocop Statue project:
When something like a RoboCop statue comes along and gets people psyched about collectively crowd funding something in Detroit, that energy needs to be encouraged, and ultimately it can be channeled into other efforts and a general awareness that things like this are possible (and in fact happen) here.
And, this, arguably, is going to be the foundation for something much larger. If someone had suggested five or six years ago that Detroit was going to become a haven for artists buying up property and thinking about things like community building, it might have sounded kind of absurd. This is, of course, not to suggest that Detroit wasn’t home to an incredible number of artists at that time, but rather, that it may not have made sense to draw all the dots between those projects and the things actually happening on the ground now.
There’s something about the small, the incremental, the gradual that really seems to be an appropriate response to the situations we face in our communities. There are no overnight solutions, and even if the Robocop statue was arguable an overnight success, I’m inclined to agree with the folks behind the project when they suggest that this statue can actually be the start of some much larger money and ideas being put into Detroit. If a city get puts on a national or even international map because of a strange, small initiative, one certainly has to pause about all the money dumped into larger and seemingly less effective multi-million dollar marketing regional campaigns, etc.
The lesson for anyone in a position of authority out there: just listen and allow creative people with great ideas do great things.
(originally via @phogtom & @djkero)
Posted on November 30, 2010 July 5, 2018
Power House Detroit: Artists as Community Leaders
I’ve written about Power House over in Detroit before. Mitch Cope and Gina Reichert of Design99 started this Hamtramck-based neighbourhood project a couple of years ago now. Able to take advantage of the radically declining real estate market, they bought up a house for $100 and have since been working in the neighbourhood on small and large scale projects that tackle the potential of art affecting change.
They’ve since been featured in exhibitions at the DIA‘s project space and at MOCAD, but the really interesting stuff is, of course, happening on the ground. Juxtapoz assisted Cope and Reichert in buying more foreclosed homes to be used as project spaces, Power House is now Power House Productions and a formal 501(c)(3) Non-Profit, and they’re thinking about doing things like creating a Neighborhood Bike Shop and Skate Parks and Bike Courses.
Model D‘s latest article on Power House Productions frames the work well:
They’ve been organizing block clubs with their neighbors where they’re tackling everyday concerns like garbage pickup and snow removal — not ruminating on notions of gentrification and art theory. They are knee deep in the notion and practice that art can fuel community development — and not necessarily just the community that typically “consumes” art.
So, art as social practice? Certainly, yes. This work will undoubtedly become a touchstone for writing around social practice, publicly-engaged practices, and contemporary art at the end of first decade of the 2000s. However, even framing the discussion around art is perhaps doing the project (and neighbourhood) an injustice. These artists are taking on the role (or is it responsibility) of being community leaders in the neighbourhood — artists as community leaders. Not artists performing the role of a community leader, not artists creating an exhibition on community leaders, not merely facilitating workshops on what it means to be a community leader, but really stepping into a role that raises a lot of questions and maybe, just maybe, does some real good.
And there are questions, of course. One has to wonder about what’s at stake when a real neighbourhood becomes an art project (and we have to look no further than the Heidelberg Project to see some of these implications), and one also has to keep a suspicious eye open around issues of gentrification, or the parachute effect of public art practices, or even just the moral and ethical dilemma of spurring a kind of development in a place that didn’t necessarily ask for it.
For the moment though, I think we need to step outside of those issues and look at the project with some fresh curiosity. Perhaps aside from the 17-year-long Project Row Houses, there isn’t a readily available model to understand this kind of art practice, and I’m ready to start wondering about what a model of artists as community leaders/activators/instigators with a long-term investment can do to change a place. And of course I’m curious — that’s pretty much what I hope we’re doing here.
via Model D Media
The Lot in Detroit: A Traveling Public Art Exhibition & Model for Temporary Use Spaces
Back in 2009, Kathy Leisen, an artist living in Corktown, Detroit, started using a vacant lot next to her house as a public art venue. She called it The Lot. And there are big letters to demarcate the space. The Lot is now less a particular vacant lot than an idea for using many vacant lots. From The Lot‘s website:
The Lot is an open space. A venue for art, creative thinking and performance, the lot is a curatorial project […] the lot is a transient artspace partnering with friends, strangers, and organizations.
The lot uses empty city lots. Typically, this means hard clay earth, crab grass and other weeds, and unexpected debris. Manipulating the land is ok. Landscaping is ok. Bringing in outside materials is ok. For example, proposals so far have included: creating a cemetery, hut sounds (sounds emitted from a hut), arranging an archeological dig (ancient cheetos wrappers), making a gallery of inflatables, and holding african dance classes.
There’s a range of projects detailed on The Lot‘s website, but maybe the best part of it is just the idea of coming together in a new place and doing something. Local artists are paired with out of town artists for each exhibition. Leisen prepared the original lot by picking up chunks of concrete in her downtime. She got to know her neighbours, brings together friends and strangers, and she frames this activity around the following idea: “We live here for a reason.”
As of late, The Lot has become a traveling public art exhibition, a pop-up exhibition of sorts, taking on an increasingly helpful and critical approach to using space temporarily. Often this temporary use by artists allows for the venue to be left in better condition than when it was found. We know — after SRSI, those storefronts were in a lot better shape than when we first moved in.
And that seems like a pretty fair trade-off. Temporary use of space for free, as long as we somehow improve the space before we leave.
Maybe we should draft some sort of agreement to arm folks in this city with something formal looking so they can start approaching landlords. Free space for a limited time, we’ll repaint, clean, landscape, etc. And, I’ve suggested it before, but the lot next to the AGW would be an amazing community space, why don’t we activate it?
Let’s Colour Project
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPpMWaSPt-s
It’s called the Let’s Colour Project.
Ok, it’s an advertisement for a paint company, and it strikes me as being a pretty bad idea (in a long-term perspective, I kind of cringe when I see brick buildings painted here in Windsor). Inevitably, a bit history is being completely lost by painting over these walls.
However, the video is stunning and if for a moment we can forget the parts of it that make this a possibly poor long-term choice, it does get my imagination going thinking about how we could repaint blocks of concrete in this city.
Danielle pointed this out to me.
Posted on May 12, 2010 July 5, 2018
Reverse Graffiti in South Africa
We’ve tossed around the idea of engaging in some form of reverse graffiti in Windsor for quite a while now. I assume there must be a few Windsor buildings dirty enough for a nice contrast-heavy design. Any suggestions? I think the Hiram Walker storage facilities near Russel Woods are covered with a black residue, but the premises are private and probably inaccessible. Apparently there are no laws prohibiting reverse graffiti in this part of South Africa. I wonder if we have any? I’d like to find out!
Via: The Center for Sustainable Practice in the Arts
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« A DEATHBLOW TO OBAMACARE
OBAMACARE ENDORSEMENTS: WHAT THE BRIBE WAS »
1993 REDUX CONFRONTS DEMS
By Dick Morris And Eileen McGann on November 5, 2009
Published on TheHill.com November 4, 2009
As Santayana said, “Those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it”. Congressional Democrats: Take note!
Are the elections of 2009 precursors of the same kind of massive partisan upheaval in Congress that we experienced in 1994? The historical data says yes, they are.
In Virginia, the outcomes in 1993 and 2009 were almost identical. In 1993, after the Democratic incumbent, Doug Wilder, could not seek reelection, the governor’s race pitted Republican George Allen against Democrat Mary Sue Terry. Allen won handily, 58-41 -virtually the same margin by which McDonnell defeated Deeds this week.
And in New Jersey, the parallels between 1993 and 2009 are equally striking. Democrat Jim Florio, then the governor, was seeking his second term against Republican Christie Todd Whitman. Just as in 2009 Chris Christie beat Jon Corzine, so in 1993 Whitman edged out Florio by 49-48. Chris Christie’s margin was bigger, but his vote share was almost identical to Whitman’s.
So if New Jersey and Virginia both behaved the same in 2009 as they did in 1993, will 2010 bring the same kind of sweeping
Republican victory that 1994 did?
And will the Democratic defeats in these two states presage trouble for President Barack Obama’s healthcare proposals in Congress?
Will history repeat itself? It depends on the depth and half-life of Democratic arrogance. If Democratic incumbents from red states start to take account of their own self-interest, the political environment for healthcare legislation in the House and the Senate will change dramatically. Democrats like Sens. Byron Dorgan (N.D.), Kent Conrad (N.D.), Mark Pryor (Ark.), Blanche Lincoln (Ark.), Mary Landrieu (La.), Evan Bayh (Ind.), Kay Hagan (N.C.) and Ben Nelson (Neb.) will have to rethink their support for a bill that is dragging their party down.
It is clear that healthcare legislation and rising unemployment are exacting a toll on Democratic legislators and cost Corzine and perhaps Deeds the governor’s mansion.
Will Democrats get the message?
If Democratic congressmen and senators continue to believe that they can be saved by Obama or by massive campaign budgets, they have only to look to New Jersey to understand how little either factor counted. Corzine outspent Christie by three to one and Obama campaigned actively in the bluest of blue states for the Democratic governor.
Of course, the 1993-94 political calendar was a time of improving economic news. The recession had ended in 1992 and unemployment was dropping.
The budget deficit was declining. So the worsening job picture so far in 2009 and the dire warnings of a jobless recovery in 2010 make this cycle even more perilous for Democratic incumbents. The message is clear. The handwriting is on the wall. But can Democrats read it?
The recent indication that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is considering a vote on healthcare reform this coming Saturday, blithely continuing as if the New Jersey and Virginia elections had not turned out the way they did, is evidence that she, at least, cannot read the writing on the wall.
For the House to pass Obama’s healthcare bill five days after so huge a repudiation of the Democratic Party and its program is breathtaking in its arrogance. Voters all over America will get the point: The congressional Democrats don’t give a damn what the voters think…
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Construction skills cards master forgers jailed
Aaron Morby 4 years ago
Two men who forged construction skills cards along with other ID cards to sell to criminals and illegal immigrants across London have been jailed.
Medi Krasniqi, 47, and Arsen Meci, 26, were arrested as part of a three-year investigation into a series of Albanian-led cells dealing in false documentation by the National Crime Agency.
Krasniqi of Finsbury Park, acted as the ‘broker’ for the pair, collecting information and payment from clients who needed fake ID.
Albanian national Meci was the master forger, creating thousands of fake identity documents from the bedroom of his flat in Western Road, East Finchley.
They charged their clients between £80 and £500 for made-to-order documents, like driving licenses, european ID cards and construction skills cards.
The pair were arrested at a handover of documents last October at a cafe in the Turnpike Lane area of north London.
Counterfeit cards and cash recovered
On arrest Krasniqi, a UK national of Albanian origin, had around 70 completed counterfeit cards in his possession.
A search of a property linked to him also led to the seizure of around £12,000 cash, much of which had been hidden behind an oven.
At Meci’s flat NCA officers discovered a forgery factory. This included computers, laminators and professional printing equipment, along with a number of photos, blank cards and fake passports ready to be made up.
Examination of the computers revealed they contained more than eight thousand images and templates for driving licences, identity cards for numerous EU countries including Italy, Romania and Lithuania, fake Greek, Spanish and Portuguese passports, and cards entitling the bearer to work in the construction and security industries.
Both men pleaded guilty to conspiring to produce false identity documents, possession of false ID and money laundering charges.
At Chelmsford Crown Court, Meci was jailed for six-and-a-half years while Krasniqi got five-and-a-half years. Meci will also face deportation after serving his sentence.
Carl Eade, senior investigating officer from the NCA, said: “Krasniqi and Meci were prolific forgers and could supply almost any form of ID – from passports and national identity cards through to construction or security industry certification.
“These documents were designed to be used to help people obtain work or services they weren’t qualified for or entitled to. Their clients would typically include criminals and people in the UK illegally.
“They are the final two members of a wider north-London based criminal network to be jailed.
“Our three-year investigation into this series of Albanian-led forgery cells has now led to 17 convictions and a total of 68 years of jail sentences being handed out.”
Written by Aaron Morby
aaron.morby@constructionenquirer.com
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Lindsay Lohan >
Lindsay Lohan Arraigned for June Car Accident
By Victoria Pavlova in Lifestyle / Showbiz on 12 December 2012
Follow Lindsay Lohan
Picture: Lindsay Lohan arrives at the premiere of Liz and Dick at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles California, USA - 20.11.12
Lindsay Lohan is at it again. By this point, the Mean Girls star’s exploits come as no surprise to anyone. This time Lohan will be arraigned on misdemeanor charges, however she is not required to attend the Wednesday hearing. The actress will face three counts of reckless driving, lying to a police officer and obstructing a police officer from duty. All of these are referring to an incident back in July, during which she crashed her Porsche into the back of a dump truck in Santa Monica, California. No one was harmed and the accident definitely sounds like one of the more spectacular cases of reckless driving. However, this definitely spells bad news for Lohan, who is currently on probation after a necklace theft in 2011. Prosecutors have announced that they will be pleading for the judge to revoke Lohan’s probation, which could potentially mean 245 days in prison for the train wreck actress.
While she isn’t required to attend the hearing, on Wednesday the court will announce the follow-up dates and whether the actress will be required to attend any further proceedings, the Associated Press reports.
The entire case might be quite a set back for Lohan, currently in the midst of attempting to re-launch her film career. The actress has acted in two films this year and made a cameo appearance in Scary Movie 5. And while Liz and Dick, the first of the reels to be released, didn’t receive much praise, it looks like the public can always count on Lindsay Lohan to entertain with her real-life stunts.
Lindsay Lohan posts nude selfie to celebrate 33rd birthday
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Lindsay Lohan's show axed
Lindsay Lohan prays for Paris Hilton after row was reignited
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Lindsay Lohan wants her parents back together
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Lindsay Lohan: I love being in control
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Lindsay Lohan's 'friends' with Kim Kardashian West after cornrows row
Lindsay Lohan to relaunch music career with help of sister?
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Miley Cyrus >
Miley Cyrus Beginning To Recover Following 'Extreme Allergic Reaction'?
By Elinor Cosgrave in Lifestyle / Showbiz on 20 April 2014
Follow Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus appears to be recovering after she was admitted to hospital earlier this week following an 'extreme allergic reaction' to prescribed medication. Unfortunately for her fans in the US, the remainder of her 'Bangerz' tour has been postponed due to her ill health.
Miley Cyrus appears to be feeling better after she was hospitalised last week. Cyrus and her representatives have been keeping her fans up to date with her condition whilst she recovers in a Kansas City hospital. 21-year-old Cyrus was hospitalised following an allergic reaction she suffered on Tuesday (15th April).
Miley Cyrus has been in hospital for the past few days with an allergic reaction.
According to her representative who issued an official statement, which Cyrus shared on Twitter, Cyrus was prescribed the antibiotic Cephalexin after suffering from a sinus infection whilst on tour. As her representative announced she had suffered an "extreme allergic reaction" to the medication. The statement also added how an allergic reaction of this type could last from "five to 27 days". It's been four days since Cyrus was first hospitalised so we're all hoping she's well on the way to recovery!
Warning: Cyrus' Tweet contains strong language:
shut the fuck up & let me heal. stop scaring my family, friends, & fans. OFFICIAL STATEMENT pic.twitter.com/75Bp8bM1IC
— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) April 17, 2014
Cyrus has kept her fans up to date with her recovery and tweeted earlier today (19th April) that she had managed to sleep through the night in hospital without medical assistance. Cyrus wrote "My first night sleeping all the way through by myself. No nurses need. Now up for breathing treatments. Please say I'm on the road to recovery!"
my 1st night sleeping all the way thru by myself. no nurses needed ?? now up for breathinggg treatments. PLZ say Im on the ?? road 2 recovery!
Cyrus' sense of humour has definitely returned too as, whilst previous Instagram pictures showed her looking forlorn, a recent image of Cyrus with breathing apparatus definitely showed Cyrus is feeling a little better! Cyrus, whilst wearing breathing apparatus with a duck's bill on it, posted the picture on Instagram and added the caption "This hospitals full of a bunch of - Get It? QUACKS."
Unfortunately, the remainder of her Bangerz concerts have been postponed as Cyrus is still not well enough to perform. Her representative has kept fans up to date regarding the tour but a statement released today announced Cyrus would be not completing the US leg of her Bangerz tour. The concerts in - Unionville, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Nashville, Louisville, St. Louis, Kansas City and Chicago - have been postponed until August. Fortunately for Cyrus' European fans, this leg of the tour, due to start on 6th May, will continue as planned.
Get well soon Miley!
Read more: Miley Cyrus Postpones Remaining US Tour Dates. Bright Side: She Takes "Duck Face" To New Heights.
Read more: Miley Cyrus: Shut Up And Let Me Heal.
Miley Cyrus will still be continuing her Bangerz tour in Europe.
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: Agrofuels
: Climate Justice and sustainable livelihoods
Java, Madura & Bali (1)
Papua (2)
Europe/UK (2)
Home › Campaigns › Theme: Agrofuels › Campaign: Climate Justice and sustainable livelihoods ›
DTE's quarterly newsletter provides information on ecological justice in Indonesia.
To get on the mailing list for e-updates with links to the latest articles or PDF file of the full newsletter, click in the green box on the homepage.
The Bahasa Indonesia list offers links to selected articles from each newsletter issue.
To get on our mailing list for hard copies (£10 a year, English newsletter only) send a request to dte@gn.apc.org.
DTE publications
The international landgrabbing picture: an update
DTE 93-94, December 2012
Last year DTE reported on the global land-grab phenomenon and its connection to the 2008 financial crisis, the global food price spike of 2007/2008 as well as the ongoing climate change & energy crisis.[1] Since then, more analysis of data on land deals has become available which fills in some of the detail in the picture. In this update, we take another look at the global rush for land with a focus on investors and their obligations to the people affected by land-grabbing.
Indonesia's climate promises and policy incoherence
Down to Earth No.83, December 2009
By Chris Lang.1
Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono likes to make promises. Particularly at international meetings.
Twenty years of DTE
In January 2009 DTE marked its 20th birthday by inviting friends to a gathering in Bogor. On the same occasion we launched an Indonesian language compilation of climate change articles taken from recent DTE newsletters. The following review of our activities was published as the introduction to that book.
Peatlands and climate change
Down to Earth No.75, November 2007
Indonesia's peatlands have been in the international spotlight in the run-up to the Bali climate change summit.
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Home / Blogs / Press Office's blog / Church schools should end selection by religion
Church schools should end selection by religion
By Press Office
Commenting on the Rt Rev John Pritchard's proposal that Church of England schools, which are overwhelmingly funded from general taxation, should severely limit 'religious selection' for entry, Simon Barrow, co-director of the Christian think-tank Ekklesia, said:
"The Bishop of Oxford is urging the Church of England to move in the right direction, which is to end discrimination on grounds of belief in publicly funded religious foundation schools.
"This would be a major departure from previous policy, with some schools selecting 100% of pupils on religious grounds.
"The principle of openness he is advocating is not just pragmatically appropriate, it is thoroughly Christian.
"The contrary idea, enshrined in current policy, that it is acceptable to take large amounts of taxpayers' money and use it to deny some children entry to publicly-funded schools because they are from the 'wrong' belief background, offends natural justice in a plural society. But it is also deeply unChristian. It undermines the core message of the Gospel, which is about self-giving love, not institutional self-preservation.
"The 'Christian ethos' argument, by which some try to defend discrimination, needs to be turned on its head. Excluding pupils because of their faith background or lack of it, or putting parents into a position where they have to lie about their beliefs to get their children into a school with limited places: such things are not 'Christian', they are morally wrong.
"A true Christian ethos is about being open to all on the basis of neighbourly need and concern, giving particular priority to those from poor or deprived backgrounds, taking an exemplary stand for social justice, and refusing to behave tribally by privileging 'our own' at others' expense."
More here: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/14618
Keywords:selection | faith schools | discrimination | church schools | accord coalition | accord
Press Office's blog
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Next Author: Nick O'Donohoe
Previous Author: Scott Oden
Mel Odom
Mel Odom, a father of five, has contributed dozens of books to series such as Forgotten Realms, Shadow Run, Buffy, Angel, Sabrina, Time Police, Executioner, Left Behind, ShadowTech. He also writes movie novelizations and he writes under the name Alex Archer. Learn more at Mel Odom’s website.
Forgotten Realms: The Cities
The Cities — (2000-2005) by Richard Baker, Drew Karpyshyn, Mel Odom, Ed Greenwood, and Elaine Cunningham. Publisher: A new series of stand-alone novels, each set in one of the mighty cities of Faerûn.
The City of Splendors: Not WOTC’s usual fare
The City of Splendors by Ed Greenwood & Elaine Cunningham
The City of Splendors is very different from Wizards of the Coast's usual fare. In fact, it's even unusual for The Forgotten Realms, and that's saying something.
The story almost seems to have no main character, no central conflict, and no central motivation. It revolves around many characters who live their lives in Waterdeep, also known as the City of Splendors due to its astonishing beauty and variety. The interconnectedness of the central characters and the way that they interact with each other and the city that surrounds them (both the actual city and its citizens) is so cleverly written that the reader is never sure just what might happen next.
As with any sword and sorcery novel, there is the usual blood-letting, magic-hurling, rescuing damsels in distress ... Read More
June 12th, 2008. John Ottinger (guest)´s rating: 5 | Ed Greenwood, Elaine Cunningham, Mel Odom | SFF Reviews | no comments
Rogue Angel
Rogue Angel — (2006- ) Alex Archer is a house name — several writers use it to contribute to this series. Besides Mel Odom, other authors who write Rogue Angel novels are Victor Milan, Joe Nassise, and Michele Hauf. Publisher: An ancient order tied to the Vatican… A blood fortune buried in the caves of France… A conspiracy of power, greed and darkest evil… Archaeologist and explorer Annja Creed’s fascination with the myths and mysteries of the past leads her to a crypt in the caves of France, where the terrifying legend of the Beast of Gevaudan hints at the unimaginable. What she discovers is shattering: an artifact that will seal her destiny; a brotherhood of monks willing to murder to protect their secret; and a powerful black-market occultist desperate to put his own claim to centuries-old blood money. Annja embarks on a high-tension race across Europe and history itself, intent on linking the unholy treachery of the ages with the staggering revelations of the present. But she must survive the shadow figures determined to silence her threat to their existence.
FIND MORE ROGUE ANGEL BOOKS HERE.
Available from Audible
Rogue Angel: Destiny
Rogue Angel: Destiny by Alex Archer
I have a soft spot for archaeological/historical mysteries and thrillers. The subgenre is extremely glutted with dreck, though, as a result of the huge popularity of The Da Vinci Code. I'm not much of a Da Vinci Code fan, but I've liked some of the novels that followed in its wake, so I'm often willing to give this type of book a chance even though I'm seldom satisfied. I ordered Destiny in the hopes that it would be one of the good ones. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.
Destiny begins with a prologue set during Joan of Arc's execution. In the novel, Joan has two men sworn to guard and serve her. They rush to her side at the end but are unable to do anything to save her. Oddly, Alex Archer does a lot of verbal gymnastics in this scene to avoid using Joan's name. She's always "the maiden" or ... Read More
February 9th, 2010. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 0.1 | Alex Archer, Mel Odom | SFF Reviews | no comments
More books by Mel Odom
The Rover — (2001-2007) Publisher: Edgewick Lamplighter (Wick to his friends) is a humble librarian in the isolated halls of Greydawn Moors until dreams of wanderlust and a bit of dereliction in his duties result in his being shanghaied to a far-off land. Captured by pirates, sold into slavery, and adopted by a gang of thieves, Wick soon finds himself with more adventures than even a halfling librarian can imagine. Rival gangs, goblin marauders, evil wizards, and monstrous dragons are soon after the wee adventurer and his new found allies in a tale of treasures and treachery, magic and mystery where even a little guy can rise to the occasion and save the day.
The Quest for the Trilogy — (2008) Publisher: Young halfer Juhg, the new master librarian, is still growing into his job as Grandmagister when an ally from the past returns. The wizened wizard Craugh bears warnings of an ancient threat that may resurface, the so-called “Kharrion’s Wrath,” which endangers the existence of the world. Juhg must unlock the secrets contained in the journals of his absent mentor Wick, the former Grandmagister and legendary hero known as “the Rover.” He must also continue the Rover’s documented but clandestine search for a trilogy of books, which brings Juhg through many different realms of their very dangerous world… and into conflict and contact with other races (elves, dwarves, and men) whose fates are all intertwined among the pages of the great book of Time. The first stop on this quest is the realm of dwarfs. Juhg and his companions must secure possession of the legendary battleaxe Boneslicer before it falls into the hands of their darkest of foes.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE BY MEL ODOM.
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Afghanistan Home
Afghanistan coach 'disgusted' with FIFA over scandal
Afghanistan Jul 3, 2019 Reuters
FIFA bans Afghan official for life for sexual abuse
Keramuudin Karim, the former head of Afghanistan soccer, has been banned for life for sexually abusing female players. Jun 8, 2019
FIFA bans Afghan FA boss after abuse reports
Afghanistan Dec 12, 2018 ESPN
Afghan FA head suspended over abuse claims
Afghanistan Dec 9, 2018 Reuters
Afghanistan probing abuse of women's players
Afghanistan Dec 4, 2018 Associated Press
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AFC Asian Cup Mar 24, 2017 ESPN Staff
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Malaysia Oct 9, 2016 Jason Dasey
The coach of the Afghanistan women's football team said on Wednesday she was disgusted with FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino for not taking action earlier and more rigorously to investigate an abuse scandal that engulfed the sport there.
Last month, FIFA banned for life the former president of the Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) after its ethics committee found him guilty of abusing his position and sexually abusing female players.
The former AFF president, Keramuddin Keram, has not...
Blog - FIFA
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ZURICH -- FIFA has banned the former head of soccer in Afghanistan from the sport for life for sexually abusing female players.
Keramuudin Karim, who was president of the Afghanistan Football Federation, was also fined 1 million Swiss francs ($1 million).
The verdict came on Saturday after a meeting of the adjudicatory chamber of the ethics committee.
FIFA says the "investigation into Mr. Karim concerned the complaints lodged by at least five Afghani female football players, accusing him of repeated...
FIFA bans Afghanistan FA boss Keramuudin Karim after abuse reports
FIFA has provisionally banned the head of the Afghanistan Football Federation following accusations of sexual and physical abuse of female players.
In a statement, FIFA says Afghanistan Football Federation president Keramuudin Karim's 90-day suspension "may be extended pending proceedings on the merits of the case."
FIFA did not specify the details of the charge, only saying the "sanction has been imposed in connection with ongoing investigations concerning AFF officials, as reported by local authorities...
Afghanistan FA head suspended over allegations women players were abused
An Afghan official said Keramuddin Keram, the head of the Afghan Football Federation, had been suspended.
The head of the Afghan Football Federation has been suspended by the country's attorney general after an investigation into allegations that members of the national women's football team were sexually abused, a spokesman for the attorney general said on Sunday.
President Ashraf Ghani ordered an investigation after the Guardian newspaper in the UK reported last week that senior figures linked to the Afghan women's team alleged some players had been molested by football federation officials.
Spokesman...
Afghanistan president launches probe into reported abuse of women's football players
Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday ordered an investigation after the Guardian reported that members of the national women's football team were sexually and physically abused by men from the country's football federation.
The report in the British newspaper on Friday cited senior figures associated with the team as saying the abuse took place at the federation's headquarters in Kabul and at a training camp in Jordan last February.
The Guardian also cited Khalida Popal, a former head of...
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Identity Theft Crackdown by IRS and Justice Department Targets 105 People in 23 States
tahearn
As part of a stepped-up effort against tax refund fraud and identity theft, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Justice Department have announced that a massive nationwide sweep last week targeting 105 people in 23 states to crack down on suspected identity theft perpetrators resulted in 939 criminal charges related to identity theft, according to a news release on the IRS website available at: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=253147,00.html?portlet=108.
Working with the Justice Department’s Tax Division and local U.S. Attorneys’ offices, the coast-to-coast sweep included indictments, arrests, and the execution of search warrants involving the potential theft of identities and taxpayer refunds. IRS auditors and investigators also conducted approximately 150 compliance visits to money service businesses across the country last week to help ensure these check-cashing facilities are not facilitating refund fraud and identity theft.
The national effort is part of a comprehensive identity theft strategy by the IRS that is focused on preventing, detecting, and resolving identity theft cases as soon as possible. In addition to the law-enforcement crackdown, the IRS has stepped up its internal reviews to spot false tax returns before tax refunds are issued as well as working to help victims of the identity theft refund schemes. For more information on identity theft, visit the following IRS web pages:
Taxpayer Guide to Identity Theft: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=251501,00.html.
The IRS Identity Theft Protection Page: http://www.irs.gov/privacy/article/0,,id=186436,00.html.
A map of the locations and additional details on the recent IRS actions: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/ci-idt-casemap.pdf.
Special Identity Theft Enforcement Efforts – 2012: http://www.irs.gov/privacy/article/0,,id=253139,00.html.
Identity theft occurs when someone uses another person’s personal information without their permission to commit fraud or other crimes using the victim’s name, Social Security number, or other Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Taxpayers may be unaware that they are victims of identity theft until they receive a letter from the IRS indicating they filed more than one tax return or that IRS records show wages from an employer they have not worked for in the past.
Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is data used for the express purpose of distinguishing individual identity and is defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget as any of the following:
Birthplace.
Social Security Number (SSN).
Vehicle registration plate.
Driver’s license number.
Credit card numbers.
National identification number.
IP (Internet Protocol) address.
Face, fingerprints, or handwriting.
Digital identity.
Genetic information.
Along with tax refund fraud, the controversial practice of “offshoring” – where the PII of American consumers collected by businesses is sent outside of the United States and beyond the protection of U.S. privacy laws – may also increase the threat of identity theft. ‘ConcernedCRAs’ – a group of more than 140 Consumer Reporting Agencies (CRAs) that perform background screening – opposes the practice of offshoring the PII of U.S. citizens outside the country to be processed beyond U.S. privacy laws since all protections against identity theft as a practical matter cease to exist once PII leaves the shores of the United States.
A new California law that took effect January 1, 2012 – Senate Bill 909 (SB 909) – addresses the offshoring of PII collected by employers during background screening by amending the California Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act (ICRA) that regulates background checks in the state. Under one requrement of SB 909, background screening firms in California – and firms doing business in the state – must have a statement in their privacy policy titled “Personal Information Disclosure: United States or Overseas” indicating whether personal information will be transferred to third parties outside the United States or its territories. In the event a consumer is harmed by virtue of a background screening firm negligently preparing or processing data outside of the U.S., SB 909 provides for damages to the consumer. To read SB 909, visit: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/sen/sb_0901-0950/sb_909_bill_20100929_chaptered.pdf.
The growing concern of the practice of offshoring the PII of U.S. consumers outside of the country is one of the trends selected for the Fifth Annual Employment Screening Resources (ESR) Top 10 Trends in Background Checks for 2012. To view the list of the top trends of 2012 – including criminal record checks, credit reports, and social media searches – visit: http://www.esrcheck.com/ESR-Top-10-Trends-in-Background-Checks-for-2012.php.
Employment Screening Resources – ‘The Background Check AuthoritySM’ and nationwide background screening firm accredited by the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) – is a member of ‘ConcernedCRAs’ and does not engage in the practice of offshoring. All work on domestic background checks is done in the United States. For more information about Employment Screening Resources (ESR), visit http://www.ESRcheck.com/ or call ESR toll free at 888.999.4474.
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=253147,00.html?portlet=108.
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=251501,00.html.
http://www.irs.gov/privacy/article/0,,id=186436,00.html.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/ci-idt-casemap.pdf.
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Category: Archaeological Marvels: Discovery and Demise
Petrospheres Discovered During Tunnel Excavation
A petrosphere is a perfectly round stone sphere that could only have been made by human hands. They are considered rare occurrences and almost always are prehistoric; examples are the Costa Rican petrospheres and Scottish petrospheres.
A May 1993 article from the newspaper, Kentucky New Era, “Cumberland Gap tunnel to boast modern design,” describes what can only be petrospheres, discovered when engineers began digging through the rock of Cumberland Mountain to form the tunnel. The engineers’ work revealed a “maze of limestone caverns.” In one of these caverns the petrospheres were found:
…perfectly rounded chert rocks were found mysteriously stacked in a careful pyramid, the way cannonballs might have been stacked years ago. That cave was nicknamed “the cannonball room,” said project engineer David Robinson. (1)
Here’s the conundrum: how did this rock formation, obviously human made, get 1000 feet or more below the mountain if there was no access to this cavern until the tunnel was excavated?
Efforts so far to locate the eyewitness mentioned in the newspaper article, engineer David Robinson, have failed.
Even though Dan Brown, a former Park historian for Cumberland Gap National Park, was not aware the petrospheres had been found, he said in a recent phone interview that the formation could be a cairn used by prehistoric people for ancient burial:
They used stone cairns. I’ve run across those, and they’re older than Cherokee. The stone cairns for burial, as a matter of fact, we had a whole hillside of them at [Brushy] Mountain [Georgia]: we could never get a date on it- cause there were no artifacts within it that we could determine…why we didn’t get any positive dating: we found evidence of [a] crematorium…a rocky area adjacent to the site, right on the site… tests that were done had repeated high intensity fire on the rock. This would have been Woodland period probably, maybe even Archaic. But they were cremating their dead and then putting whatever remains there were, somehow, inside these rock cairns…Some of these rock cairns were probably three and four thousand years old. (2)
Is it possible the pyramid of petrospheres discovered during the Cumberland Gap Tunnel excavation were also part of an ancient burial ground? And how ancient could this site be, if no entrances to this cave existed in modern times prior to the tunnel excavation? Most importantly, what fate befell the “cannonball room” and the mysterious pyramid of perfectly rounded stones? Were workers allowed to carry the stones off as souvenirs? Did they simply bulldoze the pyramid over to make way for the mile long thoroughfare under the Gap?
I am going to continue to work to find the answers to these questions.
Ironically, Brown says it was a government construction project that ultimately sealed the fate of the archaeological site on the long, low ridge of Brushy Mountain, Georgia. While performing “salvage archaeology”, otherwise known as “archaeology in front of the bulldozers,” on an earthwork that was a fortification of the 1st Minnesota Battery, he and a Cobb County archaeologist discovered the ancient cairns.
You had to be a big brouhaha and we couldn’t save it. I had to watch them bulldoze probably one of the most gorgeous battery positions on the Park. And they kept it very quiet, and they even sneaked it in on the county archaeologist. They couldn’t have done it today. Because…the burial sites would have stopped them. Once we hit those rock cairns, today, you got to stop.
(1) “Tunnel to boast modern design”, Kentucky New Era, May 13, 1993
http://tinyurl.com/tunnel-to-boast-modern-design
(2) Personal communication, Dan Brown, June 3, 2015
Posted on June 4, 2015 November 18, 2017 Categories Archaeological Marvels: Discovery and Demise, Cumberland Gap Tunnel ConspiracyTags ancient burial ground southeast Kentucky, Appalachian petrospheres, Cudjo's Cave, Cumberland Gap Tunnel Conspiracy, petrospheres Southeast Kentucky1 Comment on Petrospheres Discovered During Tunnel Excavation
The Dinosaur of Bell County, Kentucky
An eyewitness account from the miner who saw the dinosaur fossil:
The time period was approximately fifteen years ago, around 2000. The place: Rock House. The miner worked for a company that did highwall mining, and his job was to place the explosive charges that blew off the face of the rock to reveal the coal.
After setting off one set of charges, his boss radioed him and said “Get up here and get up here now!” The miner decided he had made an error and was about to get chewed out by the boss. But when he got there, the boss said, “Put more charges here, here and here…and do it NOW!”
When the miner looked, he couldn’t believe his eyes. There in the rock wall was a perfect image of a dinosaur- head, body, tail. He said, “It was just like someone had took a can of black spray paint and painted a perfect picture of a dinosaur on the rock.” It was huge.
However, he knew what his boss was thinking- the whole operation would be shut down over this: jobs lost and families left without income. The company would lose millions.
He had no choice but to follow orders: he placed the charges, and within moments the pristine fossil was decimated, never to be seen again.
Although this is not related to the tunnel conspiracy, it is worth mentioning this tremendous loss for Bell County, the state of Kentucky, and the world.
The photo above was taken by Alan Cressler. These are gastropod, or, snail or slug, fossils. Note how the fossils look like a spray painted black design, just like the miner described how the dinosaur fossil appeared. For more fantastic cave pictures like this, visit Alan’s Flickr page here.
Posted on March 30, 2015 November 18, 2017 Categories Archaeological Marvels: Discovery and DemiseTags dinosaur fossil southeast Kentucky, highwall mine reveals full dino imageLeave a comment on The Dinosaur of Bell County, Kentucky
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1934: Three inept murderers (with a fourth to come) 1358: Guillaume Cale, leader of the Jacquerie
1983: Simon Thelle Mogoerane, Jerry Mosololi and Marcus Motaung, anti-apartheid soldiers
June 9th, 2008 Headsman
This date at dawn in 1983, three African National Congress cadres were hanged — together with two unrelated common criminals — for attacks on apartheid-era South African police stations.
“Terrorists” in the eyes of the white government and “freedom fighters” in the eyes of many blacks, the “Moroka Three” — Simon Thelle Mogoerane, Jerry Mosololi and Marcus Motaung — bore arms against as part of the ANC’s military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK).
Their attacks in 1979 and 1981 had claimed the lives of four (black) policemen.
South African law until 1990 mandated hanging for a murder conviction without any extenuating circumstances — a “fact associated with the crime which serves in the mind of reasonable men to diminish morally, albeit not legally, the degree of the prisoner’s guilt.” The courtroom adjunct to MK’s guerrilla operations was establishing its position that its soldiers were prisoners of war under international law, and that that classification constituted an extenuating circumstance under South African law.
1977 protocols had extended the Geneva Conventions governing treatment of prisoners of war to explicitly cover anti-colonial and anti-racist insurgents. South Africa, unsurprisingly, did not ratify this amendment. The judge dismissed the argument that these protocols had acquired the binding force of customary international law — “we do not need to waste time.”
A decade or so later, in the waning years of apartheid, this sort of argument would find a toehold. But not in a defiantly “anti-terrorist” Pretoria of the early eighties.
The three were hanged in the face of worldwide appeals for clemency — such as this one from U.S. Congressmen and -women, and the pamphlet below by the British Anti-Apartheid Movement:
The entirety of this 24-page pamphlet is available free (at least for the remainder of this month) at the Aluka collection of digital Africa-related documents.
The executions likewise met outcry both domestic (South Africa banned public demonstrations) and international (like this U.N. resolution).
2010: Melbert Ray Ford, abusive partner - 2019
1944: The Massacre of Tulle - 2018
1863: Lawrence Williams and Walter Peters, bold CSA spies - 2017
1741: Cook, Robin, Caesar and Cuffee - 2016
90: Cornelia, Vestal Virgin - 2015
1715: Margaret Gaulacher, Cotton Mather ignorer - 2014
1809: Andreas Bichel, Bavarian Ripper - 2013
1944: Johanna Kirchner, Frankfurt antifascist - 2012
1904: Mart Vowell, aged Civil War veteran - 2011
1716: Banda Singh Bahadur - 2010
1864: Doctor Edmond-Désiré Couty de la Pommerais, poisoner - 2009
1957: Evagoras Pallikarides, teenage guerrilla poet
1941: Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya
1920: Kevin Barry
1952: Rudolf Slansky and 10 “conspirators”
1635: Ivan Sulyma
Entry Filed under: 20th Century,Capital Punishment,Common Criminals,Cycle of Violence,Death Penalty,Disfavored Minorities,Execution,Guerrillas,Hanged,History,Martyrs,Mass Executions,Murder,Occupation and Colonialism,Revolutionaries,Soldiers,South Africa,Torture,Treason
Tags: 1983, anc, apartheid, jerry mosololi, june 9, marcus motaung, mk, pretoria, simon thelle mogoerane, terrorism, umkhonto we sizwe
31 thoughts on “1983: Simon Thelle Mogoerane, Jerry Mosololi and Marcus Motaung, anti-apartheid soldiers”
Consider if you will, that the victims of these men were Black policemen, not soldiers. Police uphold the law, even if it is unjust, but the murder of Police, and civilians is not justified under any circumstances. These men received a trial and punishment according to the law, what crime had their police victims committed, other than to earn a wage to feed their families.
Harald says:
Peter, your statement is historically and factually incorrect. The apartheid era police was an integral part of the oppressive system orchestrated by an alien minority of Boer settlers in order to maintain their illegitimate and internationally outlawed reign over the population of South Africa. The apartheid era police was not acting as a typical police force comparable to democratic societies, but often in a paramilitary and a political capacity, which included extrajudicial killings of South Africans, who opposed the illegitimate reign and state terrorism of the foreign Boer settlers. We South Africans salute these brave soldiers of liberation, who defied the state sponsored terror of the alien apartheid regime! It’s also overdue that the perpetrators of apartheid terrorism against South Africans are prosecuted. These two legged dogs of the former Security Branch, Vlakplaas and other state terrorist entities, who cowardly murdered defenseless women and children, finally deserve their just penalty. It’s a shame that these two legged dogs are still enjoying their freedom, enjoying government pensions or employment by the state: https://mg.co.za/article/2012-11-09-00-neil-aggetts-tormentor-does-work-for-state
Mavleis says:
Long life the spirit of crades who died for the liberation of you and I today. May your soul rest in peace,
Kennedy Mmolotsane says:
Frank Shandon you an idiot your self. Whether you are rich with man, rich boer man, rich Indian man or rich African man. The depth and length of our graves are the same and you must remember that we are going to die one day. So fuck you many times. I love ANC, it liberated the people of colours in RSA. I vote for ANC till I die. Viva AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS VIVA. Long live the spirit of comrade Thelle Simon Mogoerane, Murcus Motaung,Thabo Mosololi long live.
zuma says:
“I vote for ANC till I die. Viva AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS ”
Lol. People like you who blindly follow and don´t care about right or wrong do not deserve democracy. You get the leaders you deserve. And happily pay for their pools and everything they can take off you
Linda Mike Ntshingila says:
The three cdes & many others who paid the ultimate price with their lives,are true patriots & not cowards that are old fashioned racists.Viva the fighting spirit of the Moroka three!!!viva the undying spirit of the G5 unit!!! Their efforts weren’t in vain!!Aluta Continua
Shwabade Elihle says:
VIVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rik Ruiters says:
The actual political system in South Africa is as corrupt as it can be. The criminality rate is te highest of the world. I live in South-Africa, the country has become the Far West with a very arrogant black population taking revenge, raping, murdering and stealing. The “soldiers” died for a wrong cause.
There are corrupt elements in the new government (as in every democratic society), but the apartheid regime was not only totally corrupt, but also brutal and murderous. I can recommend you this academic publication about the corrupt aspect of the illegitimate apartheid regime: https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/123917/2006_05_29.pdf
Zamani says:
The struggle has to continua, our incomplete democracy is a direct insult to those who died to liberate the masses, economic struggle must be waged in a very same manner the political struggle was waged.
Jack Claxton says:
17 September, 2015 at 4:28 am
Good! Glad that you want to expend some effort! To wage economic struggle can be daunting, and few have the requisite abilities and intelligence. To be successful, you need to
1. Get educated. (Education is something you do for yourself, it is not something done to you)
2. Work hard.
3. Create things.
4. Delay gratification.
5. Accept that you are yourself responsible for your condition, rather than the universe.
6. Develop self-discipline. Lots of it.
I have many more useful suggestions for you. If you’re interested, just ask.
lawguy says:
Well, Jack, if you are from South Africa, I would guess that you think of the Boors who fought the English as soldiers. If you are from the United State I would guess that you would think of the confederates as soldiers.
So the question is what would be the difference do you think? Color, maybe?
Well, lawguy, I’m just defending the notion of ‘soldier’, which is of something positive and pure. A soldier will act, often selflessly, to protect his friends, his property, his family, and the institutions created and funded by the society he is part of. And he would do so by focusing his efforts on only those who directly threaten to destroy these things.
And so – no, colour has nothing to do with it.
“A soldier will act, often selflessly, to protect his friends, his property, his family, and the institutions created and funded by the society he is part of. And he would do so by focusing his efforts on only those who directly threaten to destroy these things.”
That’s exactly why these three heroes of the struggle for the democratisation of South Africa are soldiers! They selflessly entered into Apartheid South Africa, after they have narrowly escaped the terrorism of the two-legged Boeredogs, who have just slaughtered hundreds of school-aged children in Soweto and other townships in 1976. They did so in oder to engage the enemy, the internationally outlawed criminal apartheid regime and it’s brutal agents and mercenaries, who posed as policemen, while they actually served the political interests and ideology of the Afrikaans-Nationalist government. This foreign and occupational police force of the alien Boer minority posed a threat to the majority of South Africans, so these three brave young liberation soldiers took measures to protect their communities from further harm by these state sponsored SAP-terrorists. We South Africans salute these three brave patriots, who were cowardly murdered by their captors, the mercenaries and biased courts (most judges were members of the Broederbond) of the internationally outlawed Apartheid Regime!
They were terrorists and murderers, and they would’ve been executed by every country that had capital punishment at the time.
We need to remember that Umkhonto we Sizwe rarely targeted anyone other than civilians, mostly women and children, by planting bombs in churches, schools and bars.
We also need to remember that the ANC murdered more than eighteen thousand blacks between 1992 and 1994. We need to remember that almost all black people killed in South Africa were killed by other black people – the South African security forces contributing only a tiny portion to that. This remains true today, where about 18000 people are murdered in South Africa every year. Again almost all of them are black, and almost all of them are murdered by other blacks.
We need to remember that during the Soweto uprisings, the rioters ran around burning schools, houses, trains, buses, and other people. Once again, the victims of these crimes were almost exclusively black civilians. No government in the world could allow that to happen – it is the responsibility of every government to protect the people within its borders.
We need to remember that the ANC and in particular Umkhonto we Sizwe were communists, were trained in Russia, China and East Germany, and were bankrolled by the Soviet Union. We need to remember that, had South Africa capitulated to these communist terrorists, South Africa would today have been a communist dictatorship with an economy akin to that of Zimbabwe. We need to remember that every single person in South Africa today can thank his lucky stars that that did not happen
TVNX. says:
My uncle and those who fought for our freedom, my elders that sacrificed their lives for the freedom i have today. Long Live!!! All those who didn’t oppsose Apartheid can go back to the hatred section of hell where they came from.(black or white)
Please. It is not possible to speak of ‘anti-apartheid soldiers’ without sullying the concept of ‘soldier’ beyond redemption.
Do refrain from doing so.
ridge mogwerane says:
fallen heroes indeed these where our grandfathers
6 March, 2015 at 8:57 am
As a young woman, who is today enjoying the freedom fought for by these Heroes, and the likes Kalushi (Khala) Mahlangu, Tsietsi Mashinini the Cradock Four, the Gugulethu Seven and other unsung heroes. I’d like to salute and may their memories be engraved in our hearts, may we never forget the sacrifices they made, laying down their lives for this country to be free. Viva brave sons of the soil, Viva……
Vusi Svungu Dlamini says:
As a soldier of Umkhonto we Size I feel honoured that the Natalspruit Hospital has been named after this great martyr…Long live the undying spirit of Thelle Mogoerane long live
Motlatjo Seima says:
The same way we remember Hintsha, Bambatha and Nat Turner, we remember these sons of the soil – fearless patriots. It’s difficult to defy the temptation for vengeance with some of the comments…
One of the G5 Niece says:
Long Live the spirit of the G5 Long Live! To you Frank they may be idiots but to me they are my heroes. They stood up for what they believe for. I am proud that my uncle fought the fight you couldnt fight for.
Makoko says:
Snyonyori, the ANC has always expelled those who behaved factionally.
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Andile sonyoni says:
As a soldier of umkhonto wesizwe i feel obligated to comment and raise or air my views about these three comrades, matyrs. I personaly know them, i have seen them in angola though i did not stay with them that long, what i can say is the freedom they have fought and die for is being enjoyed by other peole, their families are living below breadline, today the sacrifice of their lives not even a single member of their families is enjoying. We are witnessing foreign attitudes in the anc of expelling comrades who differ with certain people, that is dictatorship in the true sense of the word, you may differ with a person but to expell that is tantamount to’sabotage.
toffee says:
shannon is just a heartless fascist ,
Skyhy T.L. Mogwerane says:
My cousin and the other three comrades were brave soldiers of our liberation. They fought and died for our independence today, of which so many politicians abuse to enrich themselves.
soim says:
you are an arsehole
Frank Shannon says:
Three ANC idiots were hanged? Ought to be the case with the rest of the ANC. Bunch of damned Marxists. Let ’em ALL hang!
You just remind us, that we still haven’t dealt properly with the criminal elements in our society, who participated in apartheid era crimes against the majority of South Africans! The former mercenaries, mass murderers and torturers, who as members of the Special Branch, the SAP or the SADF have cowardly slaughtered the South African people need to receive their final judgement. We should reinstitute the death penalty in order to deal with this despicable scum.
A good place to start would be to start hanging the murderers who right now murder 18000 people in South Africa ever year.
Imagine: Should the pathetic police force manage to capture and successfully prosecute every murderer, and assuming that there is only one murderer per person murdered, they would have to hang about 350 murderers ever week, or about 50 per day. I dare say that after about 5 years or so, the number of murderers would probably decline. This is a good thing. Maybe you have a point.
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LAST EDITED ON Feb-04-14 AT 01:19 AM (EST)
>I respect Fraction's work, I enjoyed the crap out of Five Fists of
>Science, and I have it on reasonably good authority that he's a
>pretty hoopy frood to hang out with in person...
>... but I haaaaaated his run on Invincible Iron Man.
Okay, see, now I just don't know what to think, as it was the general awesomeness of his run on Invincible Iron Man that made me seek out everything he'd ever written. I enjoyed watching him turn Pepper Potts into a superhero in a way that didn't just make her Iron Maiden. I especially enjoyed watching Pepper Potts completely dominate Norman Osborne, and oh man, the way he managed to undo the character damage Civil War had done to Tony (who thought making Iron Man a supervillain was a good idea, I ask you) in a believable, interesting, and poignant way? I teared up.
To be fair, Five Nightmares is the weakest arc of that whole run.
>>Short version: 'bout twenty years, a fellow named Gregory Maguire
>>wrote Wicked a fictional biography of Elphaba Thropp, the
>>Wicked Witch of the West, of Wizard of Oz fame.
>The Wicked Witch of the West had a name? At the risk of
>sounding like a Star Trek fan, is that canon? (It's not going
>to affect my assessment either way, I'm just a bit curious, is all.)
It isn't canon in the sense that L. Frank Baum ever assigned her one, no. She's just "the Witch" in the novels, much as she is in the movie. I suppose you could consider what Maguire was doing fanfic, as he simply took a public domain property and wrote his own stories about it, a la Alan Moore in League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
At this point, to run with your Star Trek comparison, the Wicked Witch of the West being named Elphaba Thropp is equivalent to Uhura's first name being Nyota1 or Spock being the first Vulcan in Starfleet; it isn't technically canon, but over the past two decades it's become an enormously solid part of the brand, especially since more people these days are familiar with Wicked than they are the actual novels it bastardizes.
She is also, obviously, not a crazy lady bent on getting her murder on in the direction of cherubic midwesterners in Wicked. I would not propose Anthy hang out with someone who cackles unironically, because Anthy? Has standards.
>In hindsight, I've always thought it was hilarious that the bête
>noir of Ludlum's original novel was Carlos the Jackal, whom
>later scholarship has revealed to have been the comically incompetent
>Walter Mitty of the terrorist world. It's like reading a novel from
>the '30s speculating that in the '40s, the European dictator who would
>end up crushing half the world under his disciplined, fanatical,
>superbly equipped, initially-unstoppable juggernaut of an army would
>be Mussolini.
Also fun: Tom Clancy, who should have known better, featured Carlos' fanatical followers taking an amusement park hostage in order to force the French to release him as one of the major plot points of Rainbow Six.
I have also actually met people who did not know that Carlos was a real person. Is a real person, I guess. I do take your overall point, but, well... I was sort of expecting effective fictional Carlos, not Treadstone, who were a curious blend of "ruthlessly efficient" and "comically inept."
>>And I've heard vaguely
>>that the franchise involved a lot of fridging of the women in Bourne's
>>life, which is always a negative in my book.
>As far as I know, there was only ever the one woman in Bourne's
>life in that sense, and she does get killed in the second film. That
>made me angry when it happened, though in retrospect Jason Bourne is
>very much the kind of person that sort of thing happens around.
Huh. I'd heard there were actually a whole series of sympathy frags. That might just be one of those things one hears on the intertubes, I s'pose. And I am relieved for once that something is less hateful towards ladies than I had heard it was, usually it is the other way around!
>(Rather more so than the canonical
>woman-in-refrigerator incident, which... uh, didn't. On any level.)
I have had very long and barely civil exchanges with otherwise intelligent people who just do not get why what happened to Alexandra deWitt was awful on the multiple levels it was. I'll just leave it at that.
>Anyway. It's been a while since I watched Supremacy and I
>haven't seen Ultimatum, because I got that sick of
>Christopher Rouse's spastic music video editing style in
Yeah, another reason I never made time for the sequels.
>I liked The Bourne Legacy, but then I like Jeremy Renner's
>Universal Action Everyman character. He has a way of being just
>utterly weary at the appropriate points in the rampant
>badassery that's missing from a lot of the more square-jawed
>face-punchers in the league. (He does it in The Avengers when
>Hawkeye crashes through the window and has to just lie there for a
>second going Aaaagh, fuck, no superpowers. :) One's
>mileage may vary.
I heartily concur. Renner has great screen presence in general, which is more important for that sort of character than being an actual skilled thespian is, in my opinion. Not that Renner is unskilled, of course.
>There's a scene in Legacy where Renner's character, Aaron
>Cross, is in a room with another guy from the post-Treadstone
>super-soldier program he's part of, and he keeps doggedly trying to
>strike up a friendly conversation. It visibly unnerves the
>fuck out of the other agent that a) Cross is trying to engage
>with him on a human level and b) Cross is able to try to engage
>with him on a human level.
Well, you had my curiosity, and now you have my attention. The previews did not in any way indicate Legacy would be that sort of film; in fact, they gave the distinct impression that what we'd receive would be Jason Bourne, but now with less of that annoying humanity and more soulless revenge killin'.
Looks like I know what I'll be doing the next couple days.
>MARIA
>You'd probably just forget about me anyway.
>BOURNE
>How could I forget about you? You're the only person I know.
The ability to deliver lines like that and make it work is part of why I have such affection for Matt Damon. I don't think he's the bestest actor in the world or anything but when he decides "okay, I'm going to be super earnest now" it's very hard not to go "awwww."
1I am aware that in the Abramsverse this is her actual name, yes. I trust people get my point anyways.
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Regulatory build update for Ensembl 95
14th January 2019 by Ben (Outreach)·2 Comments
A brand new regulatory build for the human GRCh38 and GRCh37 assemblies was released in Ensembl 95 earlier this week. The new regulatory build incorporates data for 55 new and 38 updated epigenomes from the ENCODE project. So what are the differences from the previous regulatory build?
The Ensembl regulatory build
The Ensembl regulatory build uses experimental data to predict features that regulate gene expression, such as promoters, enhancers and transcription factor bing sites. The annotation of these regulatory features is based upon a wide variety of data produced from the Blueprint epigenome project, the Roadmap epigenomics project and the ENCODE project. The ENCODE project generates a wide variety of data for a range of cultured cell types, including DNA hypersensitivity assays, DNA methylation assays and ChIP-Seq of proteins that interact with DNA, i.e., modified histones, transcription factors and chromatin regulators.
What’s changed?
This is the first update to the regulatory build since release 87 in 2016. Since then, the data hosted by ENCODE has been continually growing and the new regulatory build incorporates the most up-to-date data from ENCODE, with data for 55 new and 38 updated epigenomes.
Previous build New build
Number of epigenomes 68 123
Number of regulatory features 341,929 675,965
Genome covered 10% 21%
The new regulatory build has 675,965 regulatory features which cover 21% of the genome. This is an increase from the previous build which covered 10% of the genome and had 341,929 regulatory features.
Figure 1: Number of regulatory features by feature type in the new build for GRCh38
Figure 2: Percent of genome covered by feature type for GRCh38
The reason for the increase in regulatory features is a change to the regulatory segmentation process. In the regulatory build, segmentation algorithms are used to partition the genome into regions with distinct epigenomic profiles.
The segmentation algorithm no longer analyses all the experiments combined. Instead, the experiments are split into smaller groups and each group is processed independently. The experiments are split
by the consortium that provided the experiment and
by which epigenetic marks were available.
This means that the segmentation algorithm now has more degrees of freedom when learning the epigenetic patterns which allows it to find more structure and leads to a greater number of regulatory features and coverage of the genome.
Will this affect my work?
The MySQL database schema and data access through the Ensembl web browser, BioMart and the Perl and REST APIs will not change, but the regulatory features themselves may be different from those found in older Ensembl releases. Many regulatory features will remain the same, and in these cases, we have mapped the stable IDs (ENSR#) from the older regulatory build to the new version. New stable IDs will be assigned for any new regulatory features.
Seriously?!
The amount of data processed in the new Ensembl regulatory build is truly phenomenal:
More than eight terabytes of data in read files were analysed to create the new Ensembl regulatory build.
If printed on a strip of paper with 5 mm per base, this would be long enough to wrap around the sun more than 11 times or to go 66 times to the moon and back. Or six base pairs for every day that our solar system has existed.
Analysing this data to generate the regulatory build took more than 9 cpu years (but thanks to parallelisation we only had to wait seven days).
The code written by the Ensembl Regulation team for this analysis has more lines than The Lord of the Rings, but not more than The Lord of the Rings including The Hobbit.
We hope that you find the data available from the new Ensembl regulatory build useful in your work. Please do get in touch using the Ensembl Helpdesk or the comments section if you have any further questions.
Bioinformatics chromatin CTCF encode enhancer Ensembl epigenome Genomics promoter regulation regulatory build TFBS
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Category: Other news
Update to Perl and BioPerl in Ensembl
7th June 2018 by Ben (Outreach)·Comments Off on Update to Perl and BioPerl in Ensembl
From Ensembl 93 onwards, we plan to recommend newer versions of Perl (5.14- 5.26) and BioPerl (1.6.924) when using the Ensembl Perl API. This may affect pipelines which employ the Ensembl Perl API, since we will no longer actively support older versions of Perl and BioPerl.
Response to Proposed Update to the NIH Genomic Data Sharing Policy’s Access Model for Genomic Summary Results
20th October 2017 by Paul Flicek·Comments Off on Response to Proposed Update to the NIH Genomic Data Sharing Policy’s Access Model for Genomic Summary Results
I am writing in my capacity as leader of the Ensembl project based at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory’s European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) based near Cambridge, England. Ensembl is one of the world’s leading sources of genome information and a central aggregation point for genomic data.
Retirement of Ensembl archives 71 and 72
21st June 2016 by Anne Lyle (Webteam)·Comments Off on Retirement of Ensembl archives 71 and 72
Please note that the archive websites for Ensembl releases 71 (April 2013) and 72 (June 2013) will be retired in July when version 85 is released.
This is in accordance with our rolling retirement policy, whereby archives more than three years old are retired unless they include the last instance of the previous assembly from one of our key species (human, mouse and zebrafish).
For more information about how to use archives, please see our previous blog post on the topic; a list of all current archives is available on the main website.
DNA day and Malaria day: a story of scientific endeavour
25th April 2016 by Ben (Outreach)·Comments Off on DNA day and Malaria day: a story of scientific endeavour
A mysteriously common debilitating genetic disorder. A deadly tropical disease. One of my favourite stories in the history of genetics weaves together these two elements – it’s a good one and it always deserves a re-telling – that of malaria and sickle cell anaemia.
This story captures my attention and inspires me in the power of scientific observation, curiosity and experiment. I’m sure you are all aware of the details of this worn-out tale: it is used as an example in classrooms and lecture theatres every year to explain Mendelian genetics, haploinsufficiency, physiology, disease and protein structure and function to young scientists. To mark the coincidental coinciding of DNA day and Malaria day, we wanted to re-visit this ‘historical’ example of how scientific observation and experimental approaches have led to the understanding of how a disease as debilitating as sickle cell anaemia paradoxically persists in the human population.
Molecular biology and bioinformatics have transformed the face of biological research over the last few decades. The speed that scientists can sequence and analyse DNA means that global collaborations that study thousands of individuals are beginning to shed light on a range of different diseases.
Sickle-cell anaemia is a disease in which red blood cells form an abnormal crescent (or sickle) shape. It is an inherited disorder, and was the first ever to be attributed to a specific genetic variant (rs334, see it here in Ensembl).
In 1949, ‘Sickle Cell Anaemia, a Molecular Disease’, from Pauling et al. identified a difference in the electrophoretic mobility between haemoglobin from healthy individuals and those with sickle-cell anaemia caused by a change in molecular structure of haemoglobin responsible for the sickling process [1]. The genetic variant (A, Reference:T) that causes cell sickling results in the substitution of a conserved glutamic acid residue at position 7 in beta chain of haemoglobin to a valine [2].
You can find this information in the Genes and regulation section for this variant. In the table below, which has been filtered to see only missense variants, the ‘Allele (transcript allele)’ column describes the variant allele (A) and the transcript allele (T, as the HBB gene is located on the reverse strand). You can also see the nature and location of the variant on the transcript in the ‘Position’, ‘Amino acid’ and ‘Codons’ columns. The SIFT and Polyphen algorithms predict the effect of the amino acid change on protein structure and function. Interestingly, only the SIFT algorithm predicts that the T/A variant would have deleterious effect on haemoglobin structure and function, confirming that predictions can never be as accurate as experimental evidence.
Only those individuals that are homozygous for the variant allele develop sickle cell anaemia, although heterozygous individuals do have the much more manageable sickle cell trait. If untreated, individuals with sickle cell anaemia have a shorter than normal life expectancy, experiencing lethargy and breathlessness throughout their lives, with increased risk of stroke and pulmonary hypertension, as well as increased vulnerability to infection. Individuals with the milder sickle cell trait can experience problems in low oxygen or as a result of severe physical exercise, but can mostly be expected to live normal lives.
As such it would be expected that this variant would be rare in human populations. However, observations made in mid-20th century revealed that this variant is, in fact, surprisingly common in African, African American and Caribbean populations (you can see this in the 1000 Genomes allele frequencies available under Population genetics in Ensembl). Coincidentally, these were people descended from those who came from areas where malaria is prevalent [3]. Why was this happening?
Individuals carrying just one copy of the variant allele were known not to develop sickle cell anaemia, leading rather normal lives. However, it was found that these same individuals, were in fact highly protected against malaria. It turned out that, quite bizarrely, having alternate alleles at this loci simultaneously prevented infection from the malaria parasite with entirely manageable sickle manifestations! Therefore, individuals with one copy of each allele have a greater chance of survival in geographical areas where malaria is endemic, preserving both alleles in the population.
Understanding this relationship has led to a deeper understanding of the infective lifecycle of the malaria parasite and novel approaches in combating malaria [4-5], but also an appreciation of the genetic factors leading to sickle-cell anaemia.
This story exemplifies how observation, epidemiology and scientific investigation can uncover the mysteries of a human disease and provide important insights for its treatment. Nowadays, this gold standard of studying single genetic disorders has been multiplied and sped up on an unprecedented scale. There are now numerous projects that are aimed at sequencing the DNA of many individuals with different diseases and using the power of bioinformatics to analyse how genetic variation might lay at the foundations for previously poorly understood diseases.
[1] Pauling L. et al. Sickle cell anemia a molecular disease Science, 1949 Nov 25;110(2865):543-8
[2] Ingram VM et al. Abnormal human haemoglobins. III. The chemical difference between normal and sickle cell haemoglobins Biochim Biophys Acta 1959 36: 543–548
[3] Allison AC et al. Protection Afforded by Sickle-cell Trait Against Subtertian Malarial Infection 1954 Br Med J 1 (4857): 290–294
[4] Mounkaila A. et al. Sickle Cell Trait Protects Against Plasmodium falciparum Infection American Journal of Epidemiology, 2012 176 175-185
[5] Gregory LaMonte et al. Translocation of Sickle Cell Erythrocyte MicroRNAs into Plasmodium falciparum Inhibits Parasite Translation and Contributes to Malaria Resistance Cell Host & Microbe, 2012 12 187-199
Retirement of Ensembl archive 68
7th September 2015 by Ridwan·2 Comments
Please note that the archive website for Ensembl release 68 (Jul 2012) will be retired in September when version 82 is released.
Ensembl DAS support ceasing at the end of 2015
27th March 2015 by Steve Trevanion·4 Comments
In line with EMBL-EBI policy, from the end of 2015 Ensembl will be removing support for DAS from our browser. This means that we will no longer provide our annotations over DAS and that we will not visualise third party annotation provided to us via DAS. If you have data with genomic coordinates that you wish to present in Ensembl then we recommend that you do this using TrackHubs. For annotation on other coordinate systems, we are currently working on providing support for this and will announce developments in this area over the course of the coming year. If you need more details then please get in touch with us at helpdesk@ensembl.org.
Our privilege to work for Ensembl
30th January 2015 by Emily (Outreach)·Comments Off on Our privilege to work for Ensembl
My recent trip to Malawi as part of a Wellcome Trust Open Door Workshop has really reminded me how privileged I really am. I’m an Outreach Officer, which means that I have the privilege to travel out to institutes around the world to deliver free Ensembl workshops. Most of the time, these workshops are in Europe or the US, at fancy research institutes and universities, and it’s an awesome privilege to facilitate research at these institutes.
An even greater privilege is to be involved in the Open Door Workshops on Working with the Human Genome Sequence, organised by Wellcome Trust Advanced Courses, which head out to more developing countries to teach. They’re called ‘Open Door’ because all the resources we teach in them are free and open on the web, which means anyone, anywhere, with nothing but an internet connection can do it. I teach the Ensembl section of the course, but we also cover other resources from the EBI, Sanger Institute, NCBI and elsewhere.
We hold these courses at Wellcome Trust research centres, for example the Malawi-Liverpool Wellcome Trust I visited recently, which are fantastic investments by the Wellcome Trust in research around the world. Participants travel from all over the continent to attend the course; attendance is free (with selection) and the Wellcome Trust can even fund travel bursaries. It is a great privilege for me to be able to travel to these locations and to teach them all about Ensembl.
The group from the Open Door Workshop at the Malawi-Liverpool Wellcome Trust. Featuring instructors me (seated, second from left), Jane Loveland (Sanger Institute; seated, middle), Rob Finn (EBI; back row, far left), Charlie Steward (Sanger Institute; back row, middle) and Matt Clark (TGAC; back row, second from right). Photo by Heidi Hauser (Wellcome Trust Advanced Courses).
I am proud to present Ensembl to these workshops participants. Partly because I think it’s an amazing resource that can really facilitate research. Partly because we give it away for free, and I know this makes a huge difference to researchers whose labs are not well funded. Even in labs with £1 million grants, money is always tight, but for many of the people who attend our workshops, labs struggle with knackered PCR machines, ghost equipment that they can’t afford to buy the reagents to use and a complete reliance on Open Access publishing as they can’t pay for journal subscriptions, yet they still manage to produce world-class science. If they had to choose between replacing those broken machines and a pay-per-use or subscription-only bioinformatics resource, it would really be a no-brainer. But by giving them a free resource means they don’t have to make that choice. Indeed, it gives them the opportunity to carry out research that doesn’t need any expensive equipment or reagents.
The Wellcome Trust is one of the major funders of Ensembl. We are so grateful to them for allowing us to make our data freely available, so that everybody can make use of it. It really is a privilege.
New Ensembl Pre! sites
19th January 2015 by Dan Murphy (Genebuild)·Comments Off on New Ensembl Pre! sites
The Ensembl Pre! site has been updated for four species: zebrafish (Danio rerio), rat (Rattus norvegicus), sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) and fugu (Takifugu rubripes).
Sperm whale is a new species to Ensembl. Our main site already displays earlier assemblies for fugu, zebrafish and rat.
The zebrafish assembly, GRCz10 (GCA_000002035.3), was made available by The Genome Reference Consortium in September 2014. Since the previous release, Zv9 in July 2010, the GRC has taken over the task of improving and maintaining the zebrafish assembly. The most notable changes in the chromosome landscape since the previous release can be found on chromosome 4, which has gained about 15 Mb in length. Furthermore, 94 of the 112 previously unplaced contigs are now located on chromosomes. In total, this assembly consists of 26 chromosomes and 3,399 unplaced scaffolds. The full annotation of an older zebrafish assembly, Zv9, can be found on our main website. Click here to go to the zebrafish Pre! site, where you can view alignments of zebrafish UniProt proteins and human Ensembl translations, as well as gene models projected from the previous zebrafish assembly.
The new rat assembly, Rnor_6.0 (GCA_000001895.4), was produced by The Rat Genome Sequencing and Mapping Consortium and was released in July 2014. This assembly comprises 954 toplevel sequences, 22 of which are chromosomes (chromosome Y is a new addition in this assembly), and 1,395 of which are unplaced scaffolds. The full annotation of an older rat assembly, Rnor_5.0, can be found on our main website. Otherwise, click here to visit the rat Pre! site, where you can view alignments of rat UniProt proteins and human and mouse Ensembl translations, as well as gene models projected from the previous rat assembly.
Sperm Whale
The sperm whale assembly, PhyMac_2.0.2 (GCA_000472045.1), was produced in September 2013 by The Aquatic Genome Models Consortium. The assembly does not contain any assembled chromosomes or linkage groups and is instead made up of 11,711 unplaced scaffolds. The species is an important model for a number of human conditions such as respiratory disease, metal toxicity and cancer. For example, sperm whales exposed to high levels of chromium have no adverse health effects whereas humans do. Studying this species could lead to development of treatments for human chromium-related disorders. Click here to visit the sperm whale Pre! site, where you can view alignments of human and dolphin Ensembl translations.
The fugu genome assembly, FUGU5 (GCA_000180615.2), was released in October 2011 by The Fugu Genome Sequencing Consortium. It is composed of 22 autosomal chromosomes, with a total sequence length of 391Mb. The species was initially proposed as a useful model for annotating and understanding the human genome, as it contains a similar repertoire of genes to human yet is only roughly one-eighth of the size. It is among the smallest vertebrate genomes, and previous assemblies of this species have already shown themselves to be useful reference genomes for identifying genes and other functional elements in other vertebrate species. The full annotation of an older fugu assembly, FUGU 4.0, can be found on our main website. Click here to visit the fugu Pre! site, where you can view alignments of human and dolphin Ensembl translations.
Retirement of archive 65
28th November 2014 by Steve Trevanion·Comments Off on Retirement of archive 65
Please note that the archive website for Ensembl release 65 (Dec 2011) will be retired in December when version 78 is released.
Goodbye REST. Hello REST.
13th October 2014 by Magali (Coordinator)·Comments Off on Goodbye REST. Hello REST.
You may have noticed our beta REST server has been retired. We have replaced it with our new service, http://rest.ensembl.org, and have a handy migration guide to help you update existing scripts. Details about the new server can be found in the article published in Bioinformatics. Some of the improvements include:
New POST endpoints
POST messages allow users to submit a list of inputs as a single request
This is supported for the archive, lookup and vep endpoints
The rate limit has been increased, with up to 15 requests per second allowed
Combined with POST, we were able to process 1000 variants per second!
New /variation endpoint to retrieve variation information linked to a gene or a transcript
New /regulatory endpoint to retrieve data from the regulatory build
HTTPS support for clients working with a secure environment
This server provides access to the latest data in Ensembl, including the new human build on the GRCh38 assembly. For those wishing to use data from the GRCh37 assembly, a dedicated server is available on http://grch37.rest.ensembl.org
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Paula Bernier Info
Contributors home >>
Paula Bernier is Executive Editor at TMC where she writes, edits and manages editorial content for INTERNET TELEPHONY, CUSTOMER and IoT Evolution magazine. She's also a regular contributor to TMCnet. Bernier was formerly editor in chief of xchange magazine, where she worked for more than 11 years. She’s also acted as a senior writer for Inter@ctive Week. Bernier got her start in telecom at Telephony magazine, where she spent nearly five years, leaving as the news director. Bernier also has been on the reporting staffs of various mainstream daily and weekly newspapers in Iowa, Minnesota and South Carolina.
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09/11/2014 TESSCO Unveils iPhone 6 Case, and Powers Wireless Devices and Networks
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Samsung's new prior art likely to trump Apple's new design rights in German tablet case
More than a year after Apple won a German preliminary injunction against the Galaxy Tab 10.1 on the grounds of a design right infringement, indications were given today by the Düsseldorf Regional Court that Apple is heading for a defeat in the full-blown main proceeding. But a formal ruling likely won't come down for the next few years, and when it does, it will be appealable. If Apple indeed loses its German tablet design lawsuit, it will be liable for the damages it caused Samsung in Germany through the enforcement of a preliminary injunction that is not affirmed and converted into a permanent one.
For the detailed procedural history of Apple's tablet design rights enforcement against Samsung in Germany, let me refer you to this section of a recent blog post. I obtained information from a local source on what happened at today's trial:
The accused products are the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in the original version as well as the 10.1N and 10.1V variants, as well as the 7.7-inch and 8.9-inch Galaxy Tabs.
In the preliminary injunction proceedings, Apple based its design rights claims on Community design no. 000181607-0001, a European equivalent of a U.S. design patent. That Community design had been registered in 2004, more than five years before the iPad was launched. But the appeals court, the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court, upheld the preliminary injunction on a different legal basis (violation of German unfair competition law) and did not identify a likely Community design infringement. Apple changed its strategy and withdrew the originally-asserted Community design, but amended its infringement contentions by throwing in three newer Community designs. At this stage of the proceedings, Apple's design rights claims against Samsung's tablets are based primarily on Community design no. 00188454-0013 or, in the alternative, Community design no. 000188454-001, or in the alternative to the latter, Community design no. 0001222905-0002. The first two of these design rights were registered in July 2011, claiming priority to dates in January and February of that year. The third one was registered in July 2010. Samsung is challenging all of these Community designs in a nullity action before the Office for Harmonization of the Internal Market in Alicante, Spain. That action was filed in May 2011.
Apple's claims were not the only aspect of this lawsuit to evolve. Samsung kept searching for prior art. The presentation of additional prior art references already contributed to the appeals court's decision to find a design right infringement insufficiently likely, and by the time of today's trial, even more prior art references formed part of the evidentiary record. Against this expanded background, Presiding Judge Johanna Brueckner-Hofmann ("Brückner-Hofmann" in German) indicated at today's trial that she is not inclined to find an infringement of any of the asserted Community designs. Furthermore, Judge Brueckner-Hofmann is at this point unconvinced of a violation of German unfair competition law.
In light of Samsung's tireless uncovering of additional prior art, the evolution of the positions taken by the two Düsseldorf-based courts is plausible.
Since Samsung brought a declaratory judgment counterclaim in the Düsseldorf case that relates, among other things, to the validity of the asserted Community designs, the court decided to stay this two-way litigation pending the definitive resolution of Samsung's challenge to the validity of the asserted Community designs. After the proceedings in Spain, either party may appeal the matter to the Court of Justice of the European Union. This could take years to resolve.
In the meantime, the preliminary injunctions Apple has won in Germany against Samsung'S tablet designs formally stay in force. I don't know whether Samsung plans to request a stay. In practical terms, Samsung can avoid further damage by selling design-around products such as the Galaxy Tab 10.1N. Should Apple be liable for enforcement of a preliminary injunction (at the end of these multi-year proceedings), the parties will likely disagree on the amount Apple owes Samsung. German courts have a conservative approach to damages. Since Samsung can hardly prove that it would have sold many hundreds of thousands or even millions of Galaxy Tab 10.1's in Germany in the few months before it launched the 10.1N anyway, I guess any damages would likely amount to only a few million euros.
By seeking a preliminary injunction, Apple took the risk of winning a preliminary injunction on the basis of an incomplete body of evidence and losing it later if Samsung managed to strengthen its defenses. This is a business risk Apple can live with, and in financial terms the stakes are low compared to the billion-dollar damages figure a California jury awarded Apple last month.
Regardless of the outcome, enforcing its design rights has positive effects on Apple's business. It's a clear message to its competition that it has to keep its products reasonably distinguishable from Apple's gadgets. If Apple didn't even try to enforce its rights, the market would be flooded with iPhone and iPad lookalikes.
Eingestellt von Florian Mueller um 4:12 PM
Labels: Apple, Community design, Design Patents, Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy Tab 10.1N, Galaxy Tab 10.1V, Galaxy Tab 7.7, Galaxy Tab 8.9, Injunctive Relief, Samsung
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Wild ponies await Dade City woman at the Mongol Derby
Man confronted by panhandler who rejected offer for work
Ring encircled in thin, blue line found on Longboat Key
Lakeland hears case for naming Lake Wire's Freedom Park after Buffalo Soldiers
Plant High hosts Coach Weiner's 'All In Football Camp'
Crash involving trailer, boat closed lane on I-4
PLANT CITY (FOX 13) - Traffic slowed down for hours early Saturday morning when a pickup truck towing a boat on a trailer jackknifed and crashed.
It happened around 6:45 a.m. near mile marker 17 on Interstate 4, in the westbound lanes.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver of a Ford F-250 was driving too fast while towing a 24-foot boat and the trailer began to fishtail. At that point, the truck and trailer jackknifed and the trailer separated from the pickup truck.
The trailer and boat skidded across the road, finally coming to a stop in the outside lane and paved shoulder.
No one was hurt in the crash, but the outside lane of I-4 was shut down for about two hours. The driver of the pickup was cited for driving too fast for conditions.
Bystanders scatter as gunman opens fire in St. Pete parking lot
The St. Petersburg Police Department said officers arrested a man seen in surveillance video firing shots as others scatter the parking lot.
It happened Sunday just after 5 p.m. at 1400 18th Avenue South, in the parking lot of Food Max.
Police say Darrell Simmons, Jr., 31, was shot and is suffering life-threatening injuries .
St. Pete launches new composting program
St. Petersburg has unveiled a new composting program today ran by the sanitation department.
Composting is the natural process of recycling organic material. The organic material is formed into usable fertilizer, reducing the need for chemical fertilizer and redirecting the waste from landfills.
St. Pete residents in single family homes with a backyard are invited sign up and join the new program.
Man shot, killed outside Brandon Airbnb house party, raising rental safety concerns
By Aaron Mesmer, FOX 13 News
Hillsborough County deputies are searching for the gunman who killed a man outside a party at an Airbnb rental house.
It happened on Red Fox Lane in Brandon Friday. This is the second time in less than a month that someone died following a party thrown at an overnight rental.
Neighbors had no idea the house was an Airbnb rental property.
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Editorial strategy
AP Style
Know these AP Style terms for the Republican National Debate
GateHouse Media · October 28, 2015
GateHouse Media 2015-10-28
Republican presidential candidate hopefuls will face off for the third nationally televised debate tonight at the Coors Events Center at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
The debate will begin at 8 p.m. Eastern Time and will last two hours on CNBC— a decision that came after some contenders fought for a shorter air time. Returning for this debate include Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Mike Huckabee, Rand Paul, Carly Fiorina, Chris Christie, and John Kasich. Tonight’s debate, titled “Your Money, Your Vote,” will have a strong emphasis on the economy.
Here are some AP style terms to know for the debate and this election cycle:
conservative — lowercase when referring to the political philosophy.
convention — capitalize when referring to a specific national or state political convention, for example: the Republican National Convention. Lowercase in other uses.
Democrat/Democratic Party — both should be capitalized; do not use “Democrat Party.”
Election Day/election night — the first term is capitalized, the second is lowercase.
front-runner — note the hyphen in this word that refers to a candidate leading a political race.
liberal/liberalism — lowercase when referring to a political philosophy.
party affiliation — the political party of a candidate is essential information in any election or campaign story.
polls and surveys — stories based on public opinion polls must include basic information that allows the reader to evaluate the results to avoid exaggerating the meaning of results. Consult the entry in the AP Stylebook entry for more information.
Republican/Republican Party — both are capitalized. GOP, for Grand Old Party, can be used on the second reference.
For more AP style political terms to know during this election cycle, reference your AP Stylebook.
GateHouse Media
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About GGO
Ayyaantu
BePress
Oromo TV
Macha Tulama Association
THE FOUNDING MANIFESTO OF GLOBAL GUMII OROMIA (GGO)
The Oromo were a glorious, powerful, and independent people prior to the colonization of their country, Oromia, in the last decades of the 19th century by Abyssinian/Ethiopian colonialists allied with European imperialists. They were organized culturally, politically, and militarily through the gadaa system (Oromo democracy) and they maintained their civilization, wellbeing, security and sovereignty for centuries. The Oromo were known for their complex democratic laws, an elaborate legislative tradition, well-developed methods of dispute settlement, and a system of checks and balances that was at least as complex as the systems used in Western democracies. Their version of constitutional government, gadaa, existed before the emergence of contemporary democracy in the West. "What is astonishing about this cultural tradition is how far the Oromo have gone to ensure that power does not fall in the hand of war chiefs and despots. They achieve this goal by creating a system of checks and balances that is at least as complex as the systems we find in Western democracies."[i] The gadaa system had the principles of checks and balances (through periodic succession of every eight years), division of power (among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches), balanced opposition (among five parties), and power sharing between higher and lower administrative organs to prevent power from falling into the hands of despots. Other principles of the system included balanced representation of all clans, lineages, regions and confederacies, accountability of leaders and followers, the settlement of disputes through reconciliation and respect for basic rights and liberties.
There were five parties in the gadaa system. All gadaa officials were elected for eight years. Gadaa has been an all-encompassing institution of politics, military, defense, economy, religion, ethics, culture and tradition. The siiqqee or siinqee institution was/is used by Oromo women as a check and balance system to counter potential male-domination. The siiqqee institution has given a political and social platform for Oromo women to effectively voice their concerns and address their social justice issues. The gadaa/siiqqee system[ii] helped maintain egalitarian democracy. When various peoples were fighting over political power and economic resources in the Horn of Africa, the Oromo were effectively organized under the gadaa government, and until “the mid-nineteenth century [they] were dominant on their own territories; no people of other cultures were in a position to exercise compulsion over them."[iii] The Oromo democratic institution functioned as an egalitarian socio-political system by preventing oppression and exploitation and by promoting peace, security, sustainable development, and political sovereignty. With the imposition of Ethiopian colonialism on the Oromo “the peaceful free way of life, which could have become the ideal for philosophers and writers of the eighteenth century, if they had known it, was completely changed. Their peaceful way of life [was] broken; freedom [was] lost; and the independent, freedom loving [Oromo] found themselves under the severe authority of the Abyssinian conquerors.”[iv]
The Oromo civilization, democratic governance, and worldview have been built on overarching principles that are embedded within Oromo traditions and culture and, at the same time, have universal relevance for all peoples because they have promoted individual and collective freedom, justice, popular democracy, and human liberation, all of which are built on the concept of safuu (moral and ethical order) and are enshrined in gadaa/siiqqee principles. Although, in recent years, many Oromos have become adherents of Christianity and Islam, the concept of Waaqaa (God) lies at the heart of Oromo tradition and culture. In Oromo tradition, Waaqaa is the creator of the universe and the source of all life. The universe created by Waaqaa contains within itself a sense of order and balance that is to be manifested in human society. The principles of Oromo indigenous religion, Waqqeffannaa, and Oromo democratic traditions reject and challenge the glorification of monarchs, chiefs, warlords or dictators who have collaborated with European slave traders and colonizers and destroyed Africa by participating in the slave trade and the projects of colonialism and neo-colonialism. As successive phases of the Oromo national struggle demonstrate below, there are fundamental contradictions between Ethiopian colonizers and their supporters and Oromo liberators that aspire to regain freedom and restore Oromo democracy and traditions that have emerged and become entrenched. Oromo social and political systems and Oromo religion are home grown, not adopted from other societies; hence, the Oromo people must cherish them.
Links list
GGO - Solidarity with Qeerro - Qarree Liberation Movement 13-Mar-2019
GGO - Araara ABO fi ODP jidduutti taasifame laalchisee 31-Jan-2019
GGO - Araara ABO fi ODP jidduutti taasifame laalchisee.doc 31-Jan-2019
GGO - Ethiopia and Current Politics in Oromia 14-Jan-2019
Copyright © 2017 www.globalgumiioromia.com
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NO. 2 SPARTANS UPSET BY MACEWAN
MacEwan
TWU (18-3) 25 24 25 23 13 2
MacEwan (10-11) 21 26 16 25 15 3
K: 2 Players (#6, #15) - 16
B: 2 Players (#7, #18) - 5
D: Emma Gamache - 17
SA: Hilary Howe - 4
K: Lauren Holmes - 13
D: Lauren Holmes - 19
SA: Carly Weber - 7
EDMONTON – The No. 2-ranked Trinity Western women's volleyball team was upset 3-2 (21-25, 26-24, 16-25, 25-23, 15-13) by MacEwan Saturday in the David Atkinson Gym.
The Spartans had 1-0 and 2-1 leads in sets, but the Griffins rallied to win the fourth and fifth and steal the upset on home court.
TWU falls to 18-3 but remains in the driver's seat for the top seed in the conference.
With the result, MacEwan improves to 10-11 on the season as they move into sole possession of the eighth and final playoff position in Canada West after Mount Royal University lost 3-0 to Calgary.
Canada West blocks leader Mikaelyn Sych (Airdrie, Alta.) added five to her total to go along with 15 kills, while both Hilary Howe (Calgary) and Savannah Purdy (Victoria) recorded 16 kills for the Spartans, who went with backup setter Olivier Heinen (Langley) after starter Brie King (Langley) was out with an injury. Heinen has a match-high 51 assists.
Lauren Holmes led the Griffins with 13 kills on 43 swings, also recording a match-high 19 digs. Middle Haley Gilfillan had 11 kills and six blocks, McKenna Stevenson added 10 kills and Carly Weber had six kills to go along with six blocks and seven service aces – including four in a row during MacEwan's 6-0 run to open Set 2. Her aces total tied a MacEwan record.
The opening set was even throughout until the clutch points. The Spartans busted open a 19-19 tie and closed on a 6-2 run to claim it, taking advantage of some Griffins errors, but also showing why they're ranked so highly in Canada. They ended it on a Sych ace.
Behind Weber's four aces in a row, the Griffins built a 6-0 lead in the second set, before the Spartans carved out a 10-3 run to take the lead. MacEwan, though, went on a 4-0 run to lead 16-13 at the technical timeout, beat TWU to 20 and held off a late Spartans rally, closing it out when Rachel Jorvina's dig flew up in the air but eluded the TWU defence.
The Spartans had complete control of the third set from start to finish and were never threatened, taking a 20-11 lead and wrapping it up early on Purdy's kill from the left side.
But the Spartans were unable to ride that wave of momentum as the Griffins rattled off a 5-1 run to start and held off multiple attempts by TWU to rally, including brushing off an 8-1 run. Still, the Griffins were first to 20 and led 22-17 before the Spartans rallied to tie it at 23. But back-to-back kills from Gilfillan and Weber gave it to the Griffins.
The fifth set featured long rallies and hearts in throats as the Griffins built a 5-1 lead before TWU fought back to tie the match 12-12. After Meaghan Mealey's serve went into the net, Purdy painted the line to tie it again at 13. But the Griffins took the decisive points as Stevenson and Gilfillan blasted kills through blocks.
Ryan Hofer – TWU Head Coach
"Olivia came in on (short) notice. Brie our starter went down and Liv came in and did a really nice job. I thought she delivered the ball. We had to make a lot of adjustments, so we're figuring that out.
"I feel that we didn't play as aggressively as we need to play. They made some great plays. They've got some great servers who go back there and put us in a little bit of trouble, but we have to stay aggressive on our side of the court."
The teams will play again on Saturday night at 4 p.m. (PT) at David Atkinson Gym.
-MacEwan-
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TirītiHui E! Community Aotearoa brings the wisdom from our founding organisations, ANGOA and Social Development Partners, into a new organisation focused on the needs of the broad Tangata Whenua, community and voluntary sector.
We believe that strong community organisations will help develop a strong Aotearoa.
We contribute to thriving communities by promoting and strengthening the sector.
Te Whakakaha: strengthening the collective voice of the Sector to build a stronger Aotearoa/New Zealand.
Te Hāngai: applying Te Tirīti o Waitangi in the context of the Sector’s work and its contribution to charitable outcomes across Aotearoa.
Te Whakatairanga: engaging the Sector as a whole and enhancing its independence and relevance.
Te Āwhina: assisting communities to work collectively to progress their own aspirations and well-being, environmental, social, cultural, economic.
Te Whakawhanaungatanga: creating opportunities for the Sector to connect and learn from each other.
Te Whakanui: promoting the unique characteristics and impact of the Sector.
Te Tautoko: supporting strategic advocacy and leadership development within and on behalf of the Sector to enhance charitable outcomes within Aotearoa.
Te Tautoko: supporting Maori self-determination/Tino Rangatiratanga, especially within the sector.
Te Whakapuawai: developing the capacity of the Sector to succeed through meeting shared needs, supporting innovation, and participating in civic affairs.
We are committed to apply the following principles:
Te Tirīti o Waitangi must be visible and real in our community and our nation and embedded within our organisation, using a Treaty relationships framework.
The community sector is an essential contributor to beneficial outcomes in our society.
As a linked and responsive organisation we are listening, acting, communicating always engaged in dialogue with the sector, able to move quickly in response to new issues and always with full transparency.
Our work can be grouped in three broad categories:
Hui: Bringing us together to test & build ideas
face to face and online meetings and workshops sector-wide meetings, sub sectors, issues focused,, ideas sharing, in different centres, addressing tough issues and planning collaborative responses
using the tikanga and insights of both Tangata Whenua and Tangata Tirīti, affirming who we are as a sector
electronic discussions and forums open to all within the sector, linking the sector to new ideas, new tools, new models here and world-wide
Awhina: Practical ideas and support for the sector
offering accessible and relevant support to groups within the sector
submissions and representations s so policy can be more effective
exploring and supporting new ways of building strong communities
liaison with people in local and central government so they can have best access to the strengths, skills and insights of the sector
Korero: Helping Frame the Conversation
highlighting the many voices of the sector, and making sure we are being heard and seen
being a link between the sector and central government
promoting the sector – its value, its diversity, its success to the media, the public, decision makers, and within the sector
Tirīti Working Group
We have established a Tirīti Working Group to support our work. The Group has a work programme and resources that ensure the principles of the Trust are enacted. The Group will have an initial life span of five years.
Hui E! Community Aotearoa is registered as a Charitable Trust, with its powers vested in a Trust Board made up of between five and nine members.
The Trust Deed requires at least an annual meeting of formal support organisations, which will appoint some of the Trustees.
A minimum of three Trustees be elected by formal support organisations on a rotating basis, and that the remainder can be appointed.
The culture of the Trust Board will be one of listening, acting, reciprocity, communicating always engaged in dialogue with the sector, able to move quickly in response to new issues, always with full transparency.
At least once a year, the Trust Board must conduct an accountability process with Formal Supporters of the Trust, using a format determined by the Trustees both face to face and electronic meetings, for example.
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J&K Bank hits 10-year low after reports of raid at former chairman’s residence
by Sameed Malik June 19, 2019 June 19, 2019 0107
Srinagar: Jammu & Kashmir Bank shares fell 10 percent intraday on June 19 after a media report indicated that former chairman residence has been raided by Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB) on Wednesday.
According to a report published on money control, the stock touched a day’s low of Rs 33.50, the lowest price since May 2009. At 1238 hours IST, it was quoting at Rs 34.40, down Rs 2.80, or 7.53 percent on the BSE.
The government on June 8 had removed Parvez Ahmad and appointed its executive president RK Chibber as an interim chairman.
Ahmed was removed by the state government on alleged charges of corruption, nepotism and favoritism. He was appointed as chairman and CEO of J&K Bank in October 2016 and his tenure was to end in a few months.
Residents of Litter Demand Repair of damaged Transformer
Police seize Huge quantity of illicit timber in Rafiabad
Body of eight year old Gilgit boy fished out, handed over to Pak Army
Smartphone Separation Anxiety: Scientists Explain Why You Feel Bad
Yasir Reshi demands fast track probe in Sumbal incident
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Heo, Kim, Hwang, Ha, and Park: Analgesic effect of quetiapine in a mouse model of cancer-induced bone pain
Korean J Intern Med 2017;32(6):1069-1074.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2015.377
Analgesic effect of quetiapine in a mouse model of cancer-induced bone pain
Mi Hwa Heo1, Jin Young Kim1, Ilseon Hwang2, Eunyoung Ha3, Keon Uk Park1, 4
1Department of Internal Medicine, Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center, Daegu, Korea
2Department of Pathology, Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center, Daegu, Korea
3Department of Pain Research Center, Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center, Daegu, Korea
4Department of Keimyung University Kidney Institute, Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center, Daegu, Korea
Correspondence to Keon Uk Park, M.D. Department of Internal Medicine, Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center, 56 Dalseongro, Jung-gu, Daegu 41931, Korea Tel: +82-53-250-8097 Fax: +82-53-425-6476 E-mail: keonukpark@gmail.com
Received November 23, 2015 Revised October 6, 2016 Accepted October 6, 2016
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cancer-induced bone pain (CIBP) is one of the most common pains in patients with advanced neoplasms. Because of treatment-associated side effects, more than half of cancer patients are reported to have inadequate and undermanaged pain control. New mechanism-based therapies must be developed to reduce cancer pain. Quetiapine is a commonly used atypical antipsychotic drug. We report a study of the potential analgesic effects of quetiapine in a mouse model of CIBP and examine the mechanism of bone pain by analyzing the expression of various nociceptors.
Fifteen male C3H/HeN mice were arbitrarily divided into five groups: control and, CIBP with no treatment, quetiapine treatment, opioid treatment, and melatonin treatment. The mice were tested for mechanical hyperalgesia by determining the nociceptive hind paw withdrawal pressure threshold. Tissues from tibia were removed and subjected to quantitative and qualitative evaluations of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), TRPV4, acid-sensing ion channel 1 (ASIC1), ASIC2, and ASIC3 expression.
Paw withdrawal pressure threshold was improved in the quetiapine treatment group compared with the CIBP group. Expression of TRPV1, TRPV4, ASIC1, ASIC2, and ASIC3 in the CIBP with quetiapine treatment group was significantly lower than that in the CIBP group.
Our results suggest an analgesic effect of quetiapine in the CIBP animal model and implicate TRPV and ASICs as potential targets for cancer pain management.
Keywords: Quetiapine fumarate; Pain; Neoplasms; Nociceptors; Mice
Pain is a highly prevalent symptom in cancer patients. Cancer-induced bone pain (CIBP) is one of the most common pains in patients with advanced cancer [1]. The treatment of CIBP involves various approaches including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and medical treatment with bisphosphonates, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and opioid analgesics [2,3]. It has been reported that more than half of cancer patients have inadequate and undermanaged pain control because of treatment-associated side effects [4,5]. Therefore, new mechanism-based therapies are needed to reduce cancer pain.
An animal model of cancer pain involving injection of osteolytic sarcoma cells into the intramedullary space of the mouse femur has been developed and shows a correlation between tissue-induced tumor destruction, neurochemical changes in sensory neurons and spinal cord, and the development of pain-related behaviors [6].
Sensory information from peripheral tissues is transmitted to the spinal cord and brain by primary afferent sensory neurons. Specialized sensory neurons known as nociceptors detect environmental stimuli and convert them into electrochemical signals that are transmitted to the central nervous system. Tumors secrete a variety of factors that sensitize or directly excite primary afferent neurons, causing the sensation of pain. Receptors for many of these factors are expressed by primary afferent neurons. The intracellular and extracellular pH of solid tumors is lower than that of surrounding normal tissues, which can also activate sensory neurons and cause pain in cancer patients [7]. Two acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) expressed by nociceptors are transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and ASICs [8-10]. These channels are sensitized and excited by a decrease in pH in the range of 4.0 to 5.0 [11].
Quetiapine is a commonly used atypical antipsychotic drug that has superior therapeutic effects in patients with schizophrenia and other neurologic disorders such as depression [12]. Numerous studies related to the anti-inflammatory effects of antidepressants have been reported [13,14], including a study of anti-inflammatory effect of quetiapine on collagen-induced arthritis in mouse model in our center [15].
In this study, we focus on the potential analgesic effects of quetiapine in a CIBP mouse model and evaluate the mechanism of bone pain by analyzing the expression of various nociceptors.
C3H/HeN mice (SLC Inc., Hamamatsu, Japan; 6 weeks old) were housed in polycarbonate cages and fed standard mouse chow (Ralston Purina, St. Louis, MO, USA) and water ad libitum. All experimental procedures were examined and approved by the Animal Research Ethics Committee of Keimyung University (KM 2010-28).
Experimental surgical procedure
Fifteen male C3H/HeN mice were arbitrarily divided into five groups (n = 3 per group) according to intraperitoneal injection regimen as follows: control group, CIBP group, CIBP with quetiapine treatment, CIBP with opioid treatment, and CIBP with melatonin treatment. The CIBP model was generated by injection of osteolytic fibrosarcoma cells (cell line: NCTC clone 2472) directly into the tibial bone marrow cavity. Control mice underwent the same surgical procedure of injection with the same volume of saline. Treatments were started when the mice showed positive signs of bone tumor on day 28 after surgery. Quetiapine (10 mg/kg), fentanyl citrate (10 μg/kg), and melatonin (100 ng/kg) were administered through intraperitoneal injection. The mice were injected with the appropriate drug five times a week for 2 weeks. The control mice and CIBP mice were injected with saline. Blood samples and tibial tissues were collected from all mice at the end of the experimental period and stored at −70°C until use.
Behavior test
The mice were tested for mechanical hyperalgesia by determining the nociceptive hind paw withdrawal pressure threshold (PWPT) with a Paw Pressure Analgesia Instrument (UgoBasile, Monvalle, Italy). The tests were performed by an experimenter who was blinded to the treatment groups. The mice were gently held in the hand while incremental pressure, measured by using an automated gauge, from a 1.75 mm2, blunt, wedge-shaped piston was applied to the dorsal surface of the hind paw. The end point was paw withdrawal. The minimum paw pressure (in grams) that elicited paw withdrawal was defined as the PWPT. Mean PWPT was established by averaging the values of five consecutive tests, separated by intervals of 30 seconds. The PWPT was tested on days 3, 7, 11, 14, 24, 28, 32, 36, and 40.
Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction
At the end of the treatment period, tissues of the left tibia were removed and subjected to quantitative and qualitative evaluations of TRPV1, TRPV4, ASIC1, ASIC2, and ASIC3 expression. Total RNA of tibial tissue from each experimental group was pooled with Trizol (Gibco, Grand Island, NY, USA) according to the manufacturer’s protocol and divided into two samples. For reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), 2 μg of total RNA was reverse transcribed for 1 hour at 37°C in a reaction mixture containing RNA, 40 units RNase inhibitor (Amersham, Piscataway, NJ, USA), 0.5 mM deoxynucleotide triphosphate (Boehringer Mannheim, Indianapolis, IN, USA), 2 μM random hexamer primers (Stratagene, La Jolla, CA, USA), 5 × avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) reverse transcriptase reaction buffer, and 30 units AMV reverse transcriptase (Promega, Madison, WI, USA). PCR was performed three times in duplicate using the cDNA as a template. Levels of TRPV1, TRPV4, ASIC1, ASIC2, and ASIC3 expression were determined by normalizing to glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) expression. The primers used for TRPV1, TRPV4, ASIC1, ASIC2, and ASIC3 were as follows: forward, 5′-CTT GCC AAG TTT CCT CTT GC-3′; reverse, 5′-CAC CCT CAA CAC ACG TCA TC-3′.
Radiologic and pathologic findings of tumor development
Six weeks after injection with fibrosarcoma cells, the tibia of the CIBP mice showed radiolucent lesions, loss of medullary bone, and destruction of cortical bone (Figs. 1 and 2). Pathologic sections of left tibia from CIBP mice showed that tumor cells were densely packed in the marrow cavity and had induced destruction of trabeculae (Fig. 3).
Mechanical hyperalgesia
PWPT was decreased significantly in the mice with transplanted cancer cells. The PWPT in the CIBP with no treatment group continued to decrease for 40 days (Fig. 4). In contrast, PWPT was improved in the CIBP with quetiapine treatment group compared with the CIBP group. Therefore, a potential analgesic effect was observed in the quetiapine treatment group.
Expression of acid-sensing ion channels
The expression levels of TRPV1, TRPV4, ASIC1, ASIC2, and ASIC3 were lower in the CIBP with quetiapine treatment group than in the CIBP group. To investigate the effect of quetiapine on TRPV1, TRPV4, ASIC1, ASIC2, and ASIC3 expression, mRNA levels in the quetiapine treatment group were compared to those in the CIBP with no treatment group and CIBP with fentanyl citrate treatment group. The mRNA levels of TRPV1, TRPV4, ASIC1, ASIC2, and ASIC3 in the CIBP with quetiapine group were markedly decreased and comparable to those in the CIBP with fentanyl citrate group (Fig. 5).
Cancer metastasis to bone results in CIBP and derived from neurochemical changes that are unique compared with other chronic pain states. The acidic tumor environment and secretion of substances such as growth factors, cytokines, and chemokines from tumor cells have been reported to stimulate nearby primary afferent nociceptors and induce pain [16,17]. The principal challenge in understanding the mechanism of cancer pain is the development of an animal model of pain that displays similar characteristics to human CIBP [18]. The present study demonstrates that fibrosarcoma cell inoculation of the tibia of C3H/HeN mice produces progressive mechanical hyperalgesia, indicating successful establishment of a model of bone pain from metastatic bone cancer. Also, radiologic evaluation of the injected tibia shows progressive bone destruction, which might be the origin of the noxious inputs responsible for the hyperalgesia and allodynia. These findings are in good agreement with the spontaneous and evoked pain in patients with various kinds of bone cancer [19]. The evoked pain behaviors and the response to fentanyl in our experiments are consistent with those observed in other bone cancer models [20].
Quetiapine is an atypical antipsychotic drug and has also been used in the treatment of depression [12]. Numerous studies of the anti-inflammatory effects of antidepressant have been reported [13,14]. The evidence indicates that antidepressants suppress the production of monocytic cytokine, such as interleukin 1β and tumor necrosis factor α. In 2012, we reported a study of the anti-inflammatory effect of quetiapine on collagen-induced arthritis in a mouse model [15]. That study demonstrated that quetiapine decreased arthritic inflammation and bone destruction in the collagen-induced arthritis mouse model. Quetiapine reduced the severity of arthritis and joint destruction, the underlying mechanism of which may be associated with the inhibitory effect of quetiapine on proinflammatory cytokine production [15].
In the current study, we demonstrated that quetiapine had an analgesic effect in the CIBP animal model by behavior testing. Our data showed that the PWPT was improved in the quetiapine treatment group compared with CIBP group. In addition, we revealed that expression of acid-sensing ion channels was increased in the CIBP animal model and decreased in the quetiapine treatment group and the opioid treatment group. These results raise the possibility that TRPV and ASICs might be potential targets for cancer pain management. However, this experiment had some limitations. First, only three mice were included in each group, for a total of 15 mice; therefore, we could not demonstrate statistical significance. Second, the size of the mice was too small to separate tissue of spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia; therefore, the level of nervous system involved in the analgesic effect of quetiapine was not analyzed, and there was no way to identify structural changes of the spinal cord. Third, we tested only hind paw withdrawal threshold to confirm mechanical allodynia and hyperalgesia. Nonetheless, we successfully generated an animal model of CIBP by injection of tumor cells into the intramedullary space of the mouse tibia. This animal model is available for future expanded studies to reveal the mechanism of cancer pain.
1. Quetiapine is an atypical antipsychotic drug, previously it was demonstrated that quetiapine reduced the severity of arthritis and joint destruction by anti-inflammatory effects.
2. This study showed that the mouse behavior and expression of acid-sensing ion channels was improved in the quetiapine treatment group compared with control group in a mouse model.
3. We suggest an analgesic effect of quetiapine in the cancer-induced bone pain animal model and implicate transient receptor potential vanilloid and acid-sensing ion channels as potential targets for cancer pain management.
The present research was conducted with funding from a Research Grant of Keimyung University Kidney Institute.
(A-C) At 6 weeks after injection of tumor cells, the left leg of the cancer-induced bone pain mouse model shows redness and swelling.
Radiologic findings of legs of cancer-induced bone pain (CIBP) mouse model (A) 3 and (B) 6 weeks after injection of tumor cells into the left tibia. X-ray film shows structural destruction of bone marrow of the left leg of the CIBP mouse model compared with the right tibia.
Pathologic findings of the left leg of a cancer-induced bone pain mouse 6 weeks after injection of tumor cells. Many tumor (osteolytic fibrosarcoma) cells have infiltrated and destroyed the bone marrow (A, H&E, ×200). The tumor cells show highly pleomorphic and prominent nucleoli (B, H&E, ×400).
Graph showing the withdrawal pressure threshold of mice in the f ive groups. The withdrawal pressure threshold is improved in the quetiapine treatment group compared with the cancer-induced bone pain (CIBP) group. PWPT, paw withdrawal pressure threshold.
Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis of the expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), TRPV4, acid-sensing ion channel 1 (ASIC1), ASIC2, and ASIC3 in each group. mRNA levels of TRPV1, TRPV4, ASIC1, ASIC2, and ASIC3 are markedly decreased in the quetiapine treatment group comparable to those in the opioid treatment group. MMP9, matrix metallopeptidase 9; GAPDH, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase; CIBP, cancer-induced bone pain.
1. Goudas LC, Bloch R, Gialeli-Goudas M, Lau J, Carr DB. The epidemiology of cancer pain. Cancer Invest 2005;23:182–190.
2. Portenoy RK, Lesage P. Management of cancer pain. Lancet 1999;353:1695–1700.
3. Levy MH. Pharmacologic treatment of cancer pain. N Engl J Med 1996;335:1124–1132.
4. de Wit R, van Dam F, Loonstra S, et al. The Amsterdam Pain Management Index compared to eight frequently used outcome measures to evaluate the adequacy of pain treatment in cancer patients with chronic pain. Pain 2001;91:339–349.
5. Meuser T, Pietruck C, Radbruch L, Stute P, Lehmann KA, Grond S. Symptoms during cancer pain treatment following WHO-guidelines: a longitudinal follow-up study of symptom prevalence, severity and etiology. Pain 2001;93:247–257.
6. Schwei MJ, Honore P, Rogers SD, et al. Neurochemical and cellular reorganization of the spinal cord in a murine model of bone cancer pain. J Neurosci 1999;19:10886–10897.
7. Mantyh PW, Clohisy DR, Koltzenburg M, Hunt SP. Molecular mechanisms of cancer pain. Nat Rev Cancer 2002;2:201–209.
8. Fujii Y, Ozaki N, Taguchi T, Mizumura K, Furukawa K, Sugiura Y. TRP channels and ASICs mediate mechanical hyperalgesia in models of inflammatory muscle pain and delayed onset muscle soreness. Pain 2008;140:292–304.
9. Ikeuchi M, Kolker SJ, Burnes LA, Walder RY, Sluka KA. Role of ASIC3 in the primary and secondary hyperalgesia produced by joint inflammation in mice. Pain 2008;137:662–669.
10. Xu TL, Duan B. Calcium-permeable acid-sensing ion channel in nociceptive plasticity: a new target for pain control. Prog Neurobiol 2009;87:171–180.
11. Julius D, Basbaum AI. Molecular mechanisms of nociception. Nature 2001;413:203–210.
12. Arvanitis LA, Miller BG. Multiple fixed doses of “Seroquel” (quetiapine) in patients with acute exacerbation of schizophrenia: a comparison with haloperidol and placebo: the Seroquel Trial 13 Study Group. Biol Psychiatry 1997;42:233–246.
13. Bianchi M, Panerai AE. Antidepressant drugs and experimental inflammation. Pharmacol Res 1996;33:235–238.
14. Taler M, Bar M, Korob I, et al. Evidence for an inhibitory immunomodulatory effect of selected antidepressants on rat splenocytes: possible relevance to depression and hyperactive-immune disorders. Int Immunopharmacol 2008;8:526–533.
15. Kim H, Bang J, Chang HW, et al. Anti-inflammatory effect of quetiapine on collagen-induced arthritis of mouse. Eur J Pharmacol 2012;678:55–60.
16. Lozano-Ondoua AN, Symons-Liguori AM, Vanderah TW. Cancer-induced bone pain: mechanisms and models. Neurosci Lett 2013;557 Pt A:52–59.
17. Watkins LR, Wiertelak EP, Goehler LE, Smith KP, Martin D, Maier SF. Characterization of cytokine-induced hyperalgesia. Brain Res 1994;654:15–26.
18. Jimenez-Andrade JM, Mantyh WG, Bloom AP, Ferng AS, Geffre CP, Mantyh PW. Bone cancer pain. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2010;1198:173–181.
19. Mantyh PW. Cancer pain and its impact on diagnosis, survival and quality of life. Nat Rev Neurosci 2006;7:797–809.
20. Zhang RX, Liu B, Wang L, et al. Spinal glial activation in a new rat model of bone cancer pain produced by prostate cancer cell inoculation of the tibia. Pain 2005;118:125–136.
Effects of metformin on hyperglycemia in an experimental model of tacrolimus- and sirolimus-induced diabetic rats 2017 March;32(2)
The effects of pycnogenol on antioxidant enzymes in a mouse model of ozone exposure 2013 March;28(2)
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Overview | Chickenhawk’s ‘Scorpieau’
Oct 12th 2010 Patrick Saad
Band/Album Reviews News
UK band Chickenhawk have released a single titled “Scorpieau” which is available for free download here. After being contacted by the band’s PR, I checked out the band and here are some interesting stuff that you need to know.
Their newest album Modern Bodies will be released on November 1st 2010 – a preview of the album can be streamed on their official Myspace (see Links at the end of the article). They are also heavily touring in the UK with bands such as We are the Ocean and Alexisonfire.
Scorpieau has an experimental rock feel to it, with some hardcore influences similar to what Converge play. The drummer seemed to be putting alot of work here, keeping this weird nonstop hardcore feel to the song, along with those guitar lines of course. The only thing that might not appeal to the listener at first hand is the vocalist screaming his way throughout the song but again that shouldn’t disturb experimental hardcore fans at all.
You can also check out this official video of the band.
Hardcore fans, Chickenhawk are waiting for your feedback!
The new album from Chickenhawk, Modern Bodies is available here.
Metal Promo Combo I | Nightland, Statue Of Demur, Veins
10 Years of LebMetal
2018 | Year In Review
LebMetal’s Top Releases of 2018
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Policing and Crime Act 2017
2017 c. 3
Paragraph 18
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Correction Slip - 11/04/2017
Changes over time for: Section 18
Policing and Crime Act 2017, Section 18 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 15 July 2019. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
View outstanding changes
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Schedule 9 Paragraph 18:
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2017/1139, reg. 2 by S.I. 2017/1162 reg. 2
Pt.. 8 restricted by S.I. 2019/792 reg. 87
This section has no associated Explanatory Notes
18(1)Section 11 (reports to the Secretary of State) is amended as follows.E+W
(a)for “its”, in the first place it occurs, substitute “the Office's”;
(b)for “Commission shall” substitute “ Director General and the Office must jointly ”;
(c)for “its”, in the second place it occurs, substitute “ their ”.
(3)For subsection (2) substitute—
“(2)The Secretary of State may also require reports to be made (at any time)—
(a)by the Director General about the carrying out of the Director General's functions,
(b)by the Office about the carrying out of the Office's functions, or
(c)jointly by the Director General and the Office about the carrying out of their functions.”
“(2A)The Director General may, from time to time, make such other reports to the Secretary of State as the Director General considers appropriate for drawing the Secretary of State's attention to matters which—
(a)have come to the Director General's notice, and
(b)are matters which the Director General considers should be drawn to the attention of the Secretary of State by reason of their gravity or of other exceptional circumstances.”
(a)for “Commission” substitute “ Office ”;
(b)for “Commission's” substitute “Office's”.
“(3A)The Director General and the Office may jointly make reports under subsections (2A) and (3).”
(a)for “Commission” substitute “ Director General ”;
(b)for “it”, in both places, substitute “ the Director General ”;
(c)for “its” substitute “the Director General's”.
(8)In subsection (6) for “Commission” substitute “ Office ”.
“(6A)The Director General must send a copy of every report under subsection (2A) —
(a)to any local policing body that appears to the Director General to be concerned, and
(b)to the chief officer of police of any police force that appears to the Director General to be concerned.”
(10)In subsection (7) for “Commission”, in both places, substitute “ Office ”.
(11)In subsection (8)—
(a)after “subsection” insert “ (2A) or ”;
(b)for “Commission” substitute “ Director General or the Office (as the case may be) ”.
(13)In subsection (10) for “Commission” substitute “ Director General ”.
(14)In subsection (11)—
(a)for “Commission”, in each place, substitute “ Director General ”;
(b)for “it” substitute “ the Director General ”;
(c)for “(3)” substitute “ (2A) ”.
(15)After subsection (11) insert—
“(12)The Office must send a copy of every report made or prepared by it under subsection (3) to such of the persons (in addition to those specified in the preceding subsections) who—
(a)are referred to in the report, or
(b)appear to the Office otherwise to have a particular interest in its contents,
as the Office thinks fit.
(13)Where a report under subsection (2A) or (3) is prepared jointly by virtue of subsection (3A), a duty under this section to send a copy of the report to any person is met if either the Director General or the Office sends a copy to that person.”
I1Sch. 9 para. 18 in force for certain purposes at Royal Assent, see s. 183
I2Sch. 9 para. 18 in force at 8.1.2018 in so far as not already in force by S.I. 2017/1249, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
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Spiti Tour
Category: Rajasthan
Rajasthan has artistic and cultural traditions which reflect the ancient Indian way of life. Rajasthan was also called Rajputana, This principle is a part of the Rajasthani Culture. They treat their guests well and make them want to visit again.
The most Scariest Place in India- Bhangarh Fort
Karan Rajput
India, Rajasthan
The most Scariest fort of India, Bhangarh was built by King Madho Singh, the more youthful sibling of Emperor Akbar’s general called Man Singh. It was built in the wake of getting an endorsement from Guru Balu Nath who ruminated at this spot. Inside the fort, there are temples, royal residences, and Havelis. Aside from
PUSHKAR- A Tale of Ancient City
Navneet Kumar
Pushkar is one of the oldest cities in India. It is Located northwest of Ajmer, the halcyon city of Pushkar is a favored destination for thousands of tourists and devotees congregate to Rajasthan. Situated at a height of 510 meters (1673ft), Pushkar is surrounded by hillocks on three sides. The ‘Nag Pahar’, literally meaning Snake
The largest fort of India- Chittorgarh
Chittorgarh Fort is viewed as the image of Rajput valor, and grit. The Fort is arranged 175 kilometers toward the east of Udaipur and is accepted to be named after the individual who constructed it, Chitrangada Mori. The celebrated Chittorgarh stronghold, which is one of the biggest in India, is arranged on a 180-meter high
The Great wall of India- Kumbhalgarh
Rana Kumbha who found the Kumbhalgarh fort got it built in the Fifteenth Century. Kumbhalgarh Fort was one of the fort in the history, which never got won. A standout amongst the most significant reasons expressed for it is the forceful or the unfriendly scene of the fortress. A thick divider that is 36Kms long
Jodhpur- The Sun City of India
Jodhpur, the second big city of Rajasthan is referred to as the Blue city just as the Sun City of India. It is one of the beautiful urban areas in India. This city is recognized as the Sun City since it appreciates the brilliant and radiant climate all around the year. There are different attractive
Jaisalmer- The Golden City of India
Named after Maharaja Jaisal Singh, Jaisalmer is a standout amongst the most prevalent recorded places in Rajasthan. Situated in the midst of the far-reaching Thar desert, the city is known for its rich legacy, conventions, and culture. What’s more, the invigorating experience sports, interesting safaris, and outdoors are just a couple of the numerous activities
“Most visited Hill Station of Rajasthan- Mount Abu”
The main slope station of Rajasthan, its cool environment and rich green environment makes it a noteworthy place of interest inside the state. The most significant fascination, be that as it may, are without a doubt the Dilwara sanctuaries, which is a standout amongst the most shocking bit of engineering in the nation. On the
Udaipur- The city of Lakes
Udaipur is a visitor goal and is known for its history, culture, picturesque areas and the Rajput-period royal residences. It is famously known as the “City of Lakes” in view of its advanced lake framework and well known for its characteristic beauty. The morning perspective on Fateh Sagar lake and the night perspective on Ambrai
Jaipur- The Pink City Of India
India’s Beautiful ‘pink city’, there’s significantly more to Rajasthan’s capital than its pink-red tinged structures and noteworthy magnificence. This glorious home to past royals is finished with old-world appeal encompassed by brilliant markets and turbulent lanes. you can find numerous architectural marvels, historic wonders, heritage sites, and others. Jaipur has witnessed several wars, events and
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Some non-estrogen therapies may relieve hot flashes
May 03, 2006 Viewed: 585
Nonhormonal therapies may offer some relief from hot flashes, but less so than estrogen, and the side effects and cost of these agents may limit their use, conclude researchers in a report published today.
“These therapies may be most useful for highly symptomatic women who cannot take estrogen, but are not optimal choices for most women,” they write in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Hot flashes are the most common symptom related to the transition to menopause. Experienced by more than half of menopausal women, hot flashes can persist for several years after menopause, and for some women can interfere with daily activities and sleep.
Concern regarding the adverse effects of estrogen and other hormones for treating hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms has led to a demand for nonhormonal options. However, the efficacy and adverse effects of these therapies remain unclear.
Dr. Heidi D. Nelson from the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland and colleagues pulled together data on 43 trials that evaluated the value of various nonhormonal treatments for hot flashes. They included in their analyses 10 trials of antidepressants, 10 trials of clonidine (a blood pressure drug), 17 trials of isoflavone extracts derived from red clover and soy, and 6 trials of other prescription medications, including the anti-seizure drug gabapentin.
According to the findings, antidepressants reduce hot flashes “by approximately one per day,” Nelson noted in comments to Reuters Health. This was observed for drugs such as such as paroxetine, venlafaxine, fluoxetine and citalopram.
The antihypertensive agent clonidine also reduces hot flashes by about one per day, while the anti-epileptic gabapentin reduces hot flashes by approximately two per day.
“Compared with a similar meta-analysis of estrogen trials, estrogen reduces hot flashes by approximately 2.5 to 3 per day,” Nelson reported. However, isoflavones from red clover and soy sources “are not effective,” she warned.
The most common adverse effects of antidepressants are headache, nausea, insomnia/drowsiness, dry mouth, decreased appetite and dizziness. Side effects of clonidine include dry mouth, insomnia/drowsiness, headache and constipation. Sleepiness and fatigue are the most common side effects of gabapentin. For isoflavones, gastrointestinal symptoms associated with soy are the most frequently seen side effects.
For women with “more bothersome” hot flashes, both hormone therapy and nonhormonal alternatives have advantages and disadvantages, which women should discuss with their doctor, the comment the authors of a related editorial.
While hormone therapy is more effective than nonhormonal alternatives for menopausal symptoms, hormones should probably be avoided by women who have a high risk for blood clots, cardiovascular disease or breast cancer, advise Drs. Jeffrey Tice and Deborah Grady from the University of California, San Francisco.
“Nonhormonal alternatives are less effective than estrogen, generally have more symptomatic adverse effects, and long-term adverse effects are not well documented,” they warn.
SOURCE: Journal of the American Medical Association May 3, 2006.
Last revised: by Dave R. Roger, M.D.
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Columbine Lake
Columbine Lake and Pass Hiking Detail
Columbine Lake and Pass
San Juan National forest, near Silverton in Southwest Colorado
Getting to Columbine Lake involves a steep climb and the trail to the pass some route finding skills but it is well worth the effort. The trail is truly off the beaten path, providing a degree of solitude not often found in such a beautiful location just 3.5 miles from a trailhead.
The strenuous hike to the lake traverses dense forest and gorgeous alpine meadows with see forever views. Columbine Lake, a turquoise jewel, is tucked in a stunning glacial bowl ringed by rugged ridges and peaks over 13,000-ft.
For hikers with the time and energy a side trip to Columbine Pass is highly recommended. The pass is located on the ridge to the northwest of the lake. Views from the pass extend west encompassing Bridal Veil Basin, Mt Sneffels (14,150-ft.) and the Sneffels Range.
Trailhead to the Saddle
Distance from Trailhead: 2.0 miles (one way)
Ending/Highest Elevation: 12,541-ft.
Elevation Gain: 2,195-ft.
The Columbine Lake hike wastes no time gaining elevation. From the trailhead marked by a blaze on a tree (see driving directions), the trail ascends steep switchbacks through spruce-fir forest. After climbing 1.3 miles and gaining over 1,100-ft. the grade abates at bit and the trees thin. Views open to a narrow alpine basin carpeted in meadows sprinkled with wildflowers.
After leaving the last of the trees behind the steep climb resumes up the middle of the basin. Be sure to turn around and enjoy ever improving views of the high peaks rise above the east side of Highway 550.
At the head of the basin the trail makes a wide arc, swinging left (southwest) and then right (north), climbing through rocky meadows and scree to reach a saddle on a ridge at 12,541-ft., about 2.0 miles from the trailhead. Turn around just before reaching the saddle and check out the nice views to the east/southeast of Ohio Peak (12,673), Anvil Mountain (12,537-ft.) and Storm Peak (13,487-ft.).
Saddle to Columbine Lake
Distance from Trailhead: 7.0 miles (round trip)
The worst of the climbing is now over. The trail drops off the saddle and curves to the left (west), entering the Mill Creek drainage. Looking to the northeast on a clear day you will see the tips of the 14ers in the Uncompahgre Wilderness. Below is the Chattanooga Loop on Highway 550.
The trail traverses meadows and passes a few small tarns, climbing gently as it contours beneath the ridge defining the basin’s southern wall. Views extend across the basin’s to the peaks and ridges to the north and west.
At 2.4 miles (about 0.2 miles from the saddle), the trail reaches a "Y" intersection at a small rock cairn. At the cairn a faint trail branching right (northwest) toward Columbine Pass drops down into the drainage, crosses a stream (Mill Creek) and then climbs the hillside above Mill Creek, heading for the obvious saddle (Columbine Pass) on the ridge. We bear left (west) on the trail to Columbine Lake. Ahead you will see two trails cutting across a scree slope. Both trails lead to the lake. Assuming the lower trail is snow free, follow that path as it contours around the scree pile and heads southwest, staying to left (east) of Columbine Lake’s outlet stream.
The trail now climbs steeply up the hillside beside the outlet stream. At the head of the outlet stream is a stone dam. As you climb around the dam and crest the hill Columbine Lake springs into view at 3.5 miles.
Columbine Lake is a turquoise jewel set in a stunning glacial bowl ringed by rugged ridges and peaks over 13,000-ft. Lookout Peak (13,661-ft.) rises above the southwestern end of the lake. The lake's shoreline invites exploration, providing multiple perspectives on the surrounding peaks. After taking a break, return the way you came or hike to the pass.
Columbine Lake to the Pass
Columbine Pass is a recommended side trip for hikers with the time and energy. There is no established trail from the lake to the obvious pass, located on the ridge to the northwest of the lake, but route finding is fairly easy across the open country.
To reach the pass climb about 25-ft. to the top of the hillside running along the lake’s north shore and walk northwest, paralleling the lake. Near the end of the lake turn right (north), making a wide arc around a small tarn in a depression. Continue heading north, ascending through rocky meadows and aiming for the obvious saddle (pass) on the ridge.
Along the way you may find a few faint trails but they do not last very long. Continue your ascent until you hit a trail coming down from the pass. (The trail is not very obvious and you may not hit it at all depending on the route you take to the saddle.) If you hit the trail turn left (northwest) and follow the path to the saddle at 13,080-ft. The total distance to the pass is just under 1 mile with a 400-ft. elevation gain.
From the top of the pass enjoy a bird’s eye view into Bridal Veil basin on the west side of the pass. (A trail from the pass leads down to the basin and Lewis Lake (12,720-ft.). Mt. Sneffels (14,150-ft.) and the Sneffels Range dominate the view to the north/northwest. To the southeast are distant views of the high peaks of the Grenadier Range.
After taking in the panoramic views, retrace your steps back to the lake and then follow the trail back to the trailhead.
Hike Facts
Elevation: 10,346-ft. - 13,094-ft.
Difficulty: strenuous
Basecamp(s): Silverton / Ouray
Region: Southwest Colorado
This opinionated guide includes all the hikes in the Ouray, Telluride, Silverton and Lake City sections of the website plus info on local services and nearby attractions.
EPub Edition
Driving directions from Ouray: Drive 16 miles south of Ouray on Highway 550 (4.3 miles beyond Red Mountain Pass) and make a sharp right on (Forest Road 820),a gravel road. After the sharp right (essentially a hairpin curve off the highway) you will be on a gravel road heading north, paralleling the highway. Follow the road for a brief distance as it drops down to and cross the creek on a bridge. Beyond the bridge the road curves to the left (northwest) and climbs switchbacks up the hillside. Soon the road turns left (south) and levels out. Just pass a very narrow section of the road watch for a blaze on a tree to your right and a trail heading uphill (west) through the trees. Drive about 150-feet beyond the trailhead and park on the left at a wide spot in the road.
Driving directions from Silverton: Drive 4.8 miles north from Silverton on Highway 550 to the Ophir Pass Road (County Road 8) on the left. Turn left on the Ophir Pass road and follow it across a bridge. Shortly after crossing the bridge turn right on to Forest Road 820. Drive 0.7 miles to the trailhead located just beyond a wide part of the road. Park on your right at the wide spot and walk up the road (north) a brief distance to the trailhead marked by a blaze on a tree. Here an an obvious trail heads west uphill.
Silverton / Ouray
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Why Mozilla Wants Firefox in Windows 10
By Sean Michael Kerner | July 31, 2015
From the 'haven't we heard this story before' files:
Microsoft, AOL Bury The Hatchet
Microsoft Settles Netscape Suit with AOL
More than a decade ago, Microsoft settled a $750 million legal settlement with AOL Time Warner over browser choice. That was in 2003 and was about Netscape (remember them?) the issue then was about choice and now in 2015 Microsoft is up to the same tricks - again.
Apparently (and i say apparently as i have no intention of running Windoze 10) when users upgrade to Windows 10, their existing browser choice is not respected and instead the default is the new Edge browser.
That doesn't make Mozilla happy - and they want Microsoft to respect user choice, which of course make sense.
It's unfortunate though that Mozilla is only taking this action now - and wasn't more vocal about this issue in the months prior while Windows 10 was in beta. In fact, it is only now, several days after Windows 10 general availability that I've seen any mention public or otherwise, from Mozilla on this issue.
It's enough to make one think that Mozilla waited, in a bid to embarrass Microsoft. Then again, I might be giving Mozilla too much credit, Mozilla is an organization that today is a shadow of its former greatness and seems to be behind, slow and tedious in all of its actions.
Firefox's user share is in a precipitous free-fall from where I sit, with Chrome decimating its share and Mozilla's own follies adding fuel to user desertion desires. In my own use case, when Mozilla moved from Google to Yahoo for its default search choice, Mozilla did not respect my choice. The explanation I got was it was some form of build related issue.
Mozilla is also not respecting its users' views on the direct integration of Pocket, which has also led to desertion. Then of course there is the performance problem. That is, Mozilla still hasn't quite figured out 64-bit Windows, meaning unfortunately Edge might well have an 'edge' on Firefox.
I'm all for user choice and personally i have chosen not to run Windows, but for those that do choose Windows, Microsoft really should enable browser choice, though I'm not sure all that many will choose Firefox anymore.
Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at InternetNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @TechJournalist
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A New Perspective and Extension of the Gaussian Filter
Wüthrich, M., Trimpe, S., Garcia Cifuentes, C., Kappler, D., Schaal, S.
The International Journal of Robotics Research, 35(14):1731-1749, December 2016 (article)
The Gaussian Filter (GF) is one of the most widely used filtering algorithms; instances are the Extended Kalman Filter, the Unscented Kalman Filter and the Divided Difference Filter. The GF represents the belief of the current state by a Gaussian distribution, whose mean is an affine function of the measurement. We show that this representation can be too restrictive to accurately capture the dependences in systems with nonlinear observation models, and we investigate how the GF can be generalized to alleviate this problem. To this end, we view the GF as the solution to a constrained optimization problem. From this new perspective, the GF is seen as a special case of a much broader class of filters, obtained by relaxing the constraint on the form of the approximate posterior. On this basis, we outline some conditions which potential generalizations have to satisfy in order to maintain the computational efficiency of the GF. We propose one concrete generalization which corresponds to the standard GF using a pseudo measurement instead of the actual measurement. Extending an existing GF implementation in this manner is trivial. Nevertheless, we show that this small change can have a major impact on the estimation accuracy.
am ics Wüthrich, M., Trimpe, S., Garcia Cifuentes, C., Kappler, D., Schaal, S. A New Perspective and Extension of the Gaussian Filter The International Journal of Robotics Research, 35(14):1731-1749, December 2016 (article)
Wireless actuation with functional acoustic surfaces
Appl. Phys. Lett., 109(19):191602, November 2016, APL Editor's pick. APL News. (article)
Miniaturization calls for micro-actuators that can be powered wirelessly and addressed individually. Here, we develop functional surfaces consisting of arrays of acoustically resonant microcavities, and we demonstrate their application as two-dimensional wireless actuators. When remotely powered by an acoustic field, the surfaces provide highly directional propulsive forces in fluids through acoustic streaming. A maximal force of similar to 0.45mN is measured on a 4 x 4 mm(2) functional surface. The response of the surfaces with bubbles of different sizes is characterized experimentally. This shows a marked peak around the micro-bubbles' resonance frequency, as estimated by both an analytical model and numerical simulations. The strong frequency dependence can be exploited to address different surfaces with different acoustic frequencies, thus achieving wireless actuation with multiple degrees of freedom. The use of the functional surfaces as wireless ready-to-attach actuators is demonstrated by implementing a wireless and bidirectional miniaturized rotary motor, which is 2.6 x 2.6 x 5 mm(3) in size and generates a stall torque of similar to 0.5 mN.mm. The adoption of micro-structured surfaces as wireless actuators opens new possibilities in the development of miniaturized devices and tools for fluidic environments that are accessible by low intensity ultrasound fields.
pf Qiu, T., Palagi, S., Mark, A. G., Melde, K., Adams, F., Fischer, P. Wireless actuation with functional acoustic surfaces Appl. Phys. Lett., 109(19):191602, November 2016, APL Editor's pick. APL News. (article)
Bioengineered and biohybrid bacteria-based systems for drug delivery
Hosseinidoust, Z., Mostaghaci, B., Yasa, O., Park, B., Singh, A. V., Sitti, M.
Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 106, pages: 27-44, Elsevier, November 2016 (article)
The use of bacterial cells as agents of medical therapy has a long history. Research that was ignited over a century ago with the accidental infection of cancer patients has matured into a platform technology that offers the promise of opening up new potential frontiers in medical treatment. Bacterial cells exhibit unique characteristics that make them well-suited as smart drug delivery agents. Our ability to genetically manipulate the molecular machinery of these cells enables the customization of their therapeutic action as well as its precise tuning and spatio-temporal control, allowing for the design of unique, complex therapeutic functions, unmatched by current drug delivery systems. Early results have been promising, but there are still many important challenges that must be addressed. We present a review of promises and challenges of employing bioengineered bacteria in drug delivery systems and introduce the biohybrid design concept as a new additional paradigm in bacteria-based drug delivery.
pi Hosseinidoust, Z., Mostaghaci, B., Yasa, O., Park, B., Singh, A. V., Sitti, M. Bioengineered and biohybrid bacteria-based systems for drug delivery Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 106, pages: 27-44, Elsevier, November 2016 (article)
Nanomotors
Alarcon-Correa, M., Walker (Schamel), D., Qiu, T., Fischer, P.
Eur. Phys. J.-Special Topics, 225(11-12):2241-2254, November 2016 (article)
This minireview discusses whether catalytically active macromolecules and abiotic nanocolloids, that are smaller than motile bacteria, can self-propel. Kinematic reversibility at low Reynolds number demands that self-propelling colloids must break symmetry. Methods that permit the synthesis and fabrication of Janus nanocolloids are therefore briefly surveyed, as well as means that permit the analysis of the nanocolloids' motion. Finally, recent work is reviewed which shows that nanoagents are small enough to penetrate the complex inhomogeneous polymeric network of biological fluids and gels, which exhibit diverse rheological behaviors.
pf Alarcon-Correa, M., Walker (Schamel), D., Qiu, T., Fischer, P. Nanomotors Eur. Phys. J.-Special Topics, 225(11-12):2241-2254, November 2016 (article)
Creating body shapes from verbal descriptions by linking similarity spaces
Hill, M. Q., Streuber, S., Hahn, C. A., Black, M. J., O’Toole, A. J.
Psychological Science, 27(11):1486-1497, November 2016, (article)
Brief verbal descriptions of bodies (e.g. curvy, long-legged) can elicit vivid mental images. The ease with which we create these mental images belies the complexity of three-dimensional body shapes. We explored the relationship between body shapes and body descriptions and show that a small number of words can be used to generate categorically accurate representations of three-dimensional bodies. The dimensions of body shape variation that emerged in a language-based similarity space were related to major dimensions of variation computed directly from three-dimensional laser scans of 2094 bodies. This allowed us to generate three-dimensional models of people in the shape space using only their coordinates on analogous dimensions in the language-based description space. Human descriptions of photographed bodies and their corresponding models matched closely. The natural mapping between the spaces illustrates the role of language as a concise code for body shape, capturing perceptually salient global and local body features.
ps Hill, M. Q., Streuber, S., Hahn, C. A., Black, M. J., O’Toole, A. J. Creating body shapes from verbal descriptions by linking similarity spaces Psychological Science, 27(11):1486-1497, November 2016, (article)
Structured light enables biomimetic swimming and versatile locomotion of photoresponsive soft microrobots
Palagi, S., Mark, A. G., Reigh, S. Y., Melde, K., Qiu, T., Zeng, H., Parmeggiani, C., Martella, D., Sanchez-Castillo, A., Kapernaum, N., Giesselmann, F., Wiersma, D. S., Lauga, E., Fischer, P.
Nature Materials, 15(6):647–653, November 2016, Max Planck press release, Nature News & Views. (article)
Microorganisms move in challenging environments by periodic changes in body shape. In contrast, current artificial microrobots cannot actively deform, exhibiting at best passive bending under external fields. Here, by taking advantage of the wireless, scalable and spatiotemporally selective capabilities that light allows, we show that soft microrobots consisting of photoactive liquid-crystal elastomers can be driven by structured monochromatic light to perform sophisticated biomimetic motions. We realize continuum yet selectively addressable artificial microswimmers that generate travelling-wave motions to self-propel without external forces or torques, as well as microrobots capable of versatile locomotion behaviours on demand. Both theoretical predictions and experimental results confirm that multiple gaits, mimicking either symplectic or antiplectic metachrony of ciliate protozoa, can be achieved with single microswimmers. The principle of using structured light can be extended to other applications that require microscale actuation with sophisticated spatiotemporal coordination for advanced microrobotic technologies.
Video - Soft photo Micro-Swimmer DOI [BibTex]
pf Palagi, S., Mark, A. G., Reigh, S. Y., Melde, K., Qiu, T., Zeng, H., Parmeggiani, C., Martella, D., Sanchez-Castillo, A., Kapernaum, N., Giesselmann, F., Wiersma, D. S., Lauga, E., Fischer, P. Structured light enables biomimetic swimming and versatile locomotion of photoresponsive soft microrobots Nature Materials, 15(6):647–653, November 2016, Max Planck press release, Nature News & Views. (article)
A 5-D localization method for a magnetically manipulated untethered robot using a 2-D array of Hall-effect sensors
Son, D., Yim, S., Sitti, M.
IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, 21(2):708-716, IEEE, October 2016 (article)
This paper introduces a new five-dimensional localization method for an untethered meso-scale magnetic robot, which is manipulated by a computer-controlled electromagnetic system. The developed magnetic localization setup is a two-dimensional array of mono-axial Hall-effect sensors, which measure the perpendicular magnetic fields at their given positions. We introduce two steps for localizing a magnetic robot more accurately. First, the dipole modeled magnetic field of the electromagnet is subtracted from the measured data in order to determine the robot's magnetic field. Secondly, the subtracted magnetic field is twice differentiated in the perpendicular direction of the array, so that the effect of the electromagnetic field in the localization process is minimized. Five variables regarding the position and orientation of the robot are determined by minimizing the error between the measured magnetic field and the modeled magnetic field in an optimization method. The resulting position error is 2.1±0.8 mm and angular error is 6.7±4.3° within the applicable range (5 cm) of magnetic field sensors at 200 Hz. The proposed localization method would be used for the position feedback control of untethered magnetic devices or robots for medical applications in the future.
pi Son, D., Yim, S., Sitti, M. A 5-D localization method for a magnetically manipulated untethered robot using a 2-D array of Hall-effect sensors IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, 21(2):708-716, IEEE, October 2016 (article)
High-Performance Multiresponsive Paper Actuators
ACS Nano, 10(11):10202-10210, American Chemical Society, October 2016 (article)
There is an increasing demand for soft actuators because of their importance in soft robotics, artificial muscles, biomimetic devices, and beyond. However, the development of soft actuators capable of low-voltage operation, powerful actuation, and programmable shape-changing is still challenging. In this work, we propose programmable bilayer actuators that operate based on the large hygroscopic contraction of the copy paper and simultaneously large thermal expansion of the polypropylene film upon increasing the temperature. The electrothermally activated bending actuators can function with low voltages (≤ 8 V), low input electric power per area (P ≤ 0.14 W cm–2), and low temperature changes (≤ 35 °C). They exhibit reversible shape-changing behavior with curvature radii up to 1.07 cm–1 and bending angle of 360°, accompanied by powerful actuation. Besides the electrical activation, they can be powered by humidity or light irradiation. We finally demonstrate the use of our paper actuators as a soft gripper robot and a lightweight paper wing for aerial robotics.
DOI Project Page Project Page [BibTex]
pi Amjadi, M., Sitti, M. High-Performance Multiresponsive Paper Actuators ACS Nano, 10(11):10202-10210, American Chemical Society, October 2016 (article)
Programmable assembly of heterogeneous microparts by an untethered mobile capillary microgripper
Giltinan, J., Diller, E., Sitti, M.
Lab on a Chip, 16(22):4445-4457, Royal Society of Chemistry, October 2016 (article)
At the sub-millimeter scale, capillary forces enable robust and reversible adhesion between biological organisms and varied substrates. Current human-engineered mobile untethered micromanipulation systems rely on forces which scale poorly or utilize gripper-part designs that promote manipulation. Capillary forces, alternatively, are dependent upon the surface chemistry (which is scale independent) and contact perimeter, which conforms to the part surface. We report a mobile capillary microgripper that is able to pick and place parts of various materials and geometries, and is thus ideal for microassembly tasks that cannot be accomplished by large tethered manipulators. We achieve the programmable assembly of sub-millimeter parts in an enclosed three-dimensional aqueous environment by creating a capillary bridge between the targeted part and a synthetic, untethered, mobile body. The parts include both hydrophilic and hydrophobic components: hydrogel, kapton, human hair, and biological tissue. The 200 μm untethered system can be controlled with five-degrees-of-freedom and advances progress towards autonomous desktop manufacturing for tissue engineering, complex micromachines, microfluidic devices, and meta-materials.
pi Giltinan, J., Diller, E., Sitti, M. Programmable assembly of heterogeneous microparts by an untethered mobile capillary microgripper Lab on a Chip, 16(22):4445-4457, Royal Society of Chemistry, October 2016 (article)
Composition-dependent underwater adhesion of catechol-bearing hydrogels
Wu, H., Sariola, V., Zhao, J., Ding, H., Sitti, M., Bettinger, C. J.
Polymer International, 65(11):1355-1359, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, September 2016 (article)
Interfacial adhesion-mediated transfer printing processes can integrate functional electronic microstructures with polymeric substrates that are bendable and stretchable. Transfer printing has also been extended to catechol-bearing adhesive hydrogels. This study presents indentation adhesion tests between catechol-bearing hydrogel substrates with catechol concentrations varying from 0 to 10% (mol/mol) and thin-film materials commonly used in microelectronic fabrication including polymers, noble metals and oxides. The results indicate that the interfacial adhesion of catechol-bearing hydrogels is positively correlated with the concentration of catechol-bearing monomers as well as the retraction velocity during transfer printing. This study can inform transfer printing processes for microfabricated structures to compliant hydrated substrates such as hygroscopic monomers, mesoporous polymer networks and hydrogels. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
pi Wu, H., Sariola, V., Zhao, J., Ding, H., Sitti, M., Bettinger, C. J. Composition-dependent underwater adhesion of catechol-bearing hydrogels Polymer International, 65(11):1355-1359, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, September 2016 (article)
Bacteria-Driven Particles: Patterned and Specific Attachment of Bacteria on Biohybrid Bacteria-Driven Microswimmers (Adv. Healthcare Mater. 18/2016)
Singh, A. V., Sitti, M.
Advanced Healthcare Materials, 5(18):2306-2306, September 2016 (article)
On page 2325, Ajay Vikram Singh and Metin Sitti propose a facile surface patterning technique and a specific, strong biotin–streptavidin bonding of bacteria on patterned surfaces to fabricate Janus particles that are propelled by the attached bacteria. Such bacteria-driven Janus microswimmers could be used for future medicine in targeted drug delivery and environmental remediation.
pi Singh, A. V., Sitti, M. Bacteria-Driven Particles: Patterned and Specific Attachment of Bacteria on Biohybrid Bacteria-Driven Microswimmers (Adv. Healthcare Mater. 18/2016) Advanced Healthcare Materials, 5(18):2306-2306, September 2016 (article)
Capture of 2D Microparticle Arrays via a UV-Triggered Thiol-yne “Click” Reaction
Walker (Schamel), D., Singh, D. P., Fischer, P.
Advanced Materials, 28(44):9846-9850, September 2016 (article)
Immobilization of colloidal assemblies onto solid supports via a fast UV-triggered click-reaction is achieved. Transient assemblies of microparticles and colloidal materials can be captured and transferred to solid supports. The technique does not require complex reaction conditions, and is compatible with a variety of particle assembly methods.
pf Walker (Schamel), D., Singh, D. P., Fischer, P. Capture of 2D Microparticle Arrays via a UV-Triggered Thiol-yne “Click” Reaction Advanced Materials, 28(44):9846-9850, September 2016 (article)
Contextual Policy Search for Linear and Nonlinear Generalization of a Humanoid Walking Controller
Abdolmaleki, A., Lau, N., Reis, L., Peters, J., Neumann, G.
Journal of Intelligent & Robotic Systems, 83(3-4):393-408, (Editors: Luis Almeida, Lino Marques ), September 2016, Special Issue: Autonomous Robot Systems (article)
ei Abdolmaleki, A., Lau, N., Reis, L., Peters, J., Neumann, G. Contextual Policy Search for Linear and Nonlinear Generalization of a Humanoid Walking Controller Journal of Intelligent & Robotic Systems, 83(3-4):393-408, (Editors: Luis Almeida, Lino Marques ), September 2016, Special Issue: Autonomous Robot Systems (article)
Magnesium plasmonics for UV applications and chiral sensing
Jeong, H. H., Mark, A. G., Fischer, P.
Chem. Comm., 52(82):12179-12182, September 2016 (article)
We demonstrate that chiral magnesium nanoparticles show remarkable plasmonic extinction- and chiroptical-effects in the ultraviolet region. The Mg nanohelices possess an enhanced local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensitivity due to the strong dispersion of most substances in the UV region.
pf Jeong, H. H., Mark, A. G., Fischer, P. Magnesium plasmonics for UV applications and chiral sensing Chem. Comm., 52(82):12179-12182, September 2016 (article)
Holograms for acoustics
Melde, K., Mark, A. G., Qiu, T., Fischer, P.
Nature, 537, pages: 518-522, September 2016, Max Planck press release, Nature News & Views, Nature Video. (article)
Holographic techniques are fundamental to applications such as volumetric displays(1), high-density data storage and optical tweezers that require spatial control of intricate optical(2) or acoustic fields(3,4) within a three-dimensional volume. The basis of holography is spatial storage of the phase and/or amplitude profile of the desired wavefront(5,6) in a manner that allows that wavefront to be reconstructed by interference when the hologram is illuminated with a suitable coherent source. Modern computer-generated holography(7) skips the process of recording a hologram from a physical scene, and instead calculates the required phase profile before rendering it for reconstruction. In ultrasound applications, the phase profile is typically generated by discrete and independently driven ultrasound sources(3,4,8-12); however, these can only be used in small numbers, which limits the complexity or degrees of freedom that can be attained in the wavefront. Here we introduce monolithic acoustic holograms, which can reconstruct diffraction-limited acoustic pressure fields and thus arbitrary ultrasound beams. We use rapid fabrication to craft the holograms and achieve reconstruction degrees of freedom two orders of magnitude higher than commercial phased array sources. The technique is inexpensive, appropriate for both transmission and reflection elements, and scales well to higher information content, larger aperture size and higher power. The complex three-dimensional pressure and phase distributions produced by these acoustic holograms allow us to demonstrate new approaches to controlled ultrasonic manipulation of solids in water, and of liquids and solids in air. We expect that acoustic holograms will enable new capabilities in beam-steering and the contactless transfer of power, improve medical imaging, and drive new applications of ultrasound.
Video - Holograms for Sound DOI Project Page [BibTex]
pf Melde, K., Mark, A. G., Qiu, T., Fischer, P. Holograms for acoustics Nature, 537, pages: 518-522, September 2016, Max Planck press release, Nature News & Views, Nature Video. (article)
A loop-gap resonator for chirality-sensitive nuclear magneto-electric resonance (NMER)
Garbacz, P., Fischer, P., Kraemer, S.
J. Chem. Phys., 145(10):104201, September 2016 (article)
Direct detection of molecular chirality is practically impossible by methods of standard nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) that is based on interactions involving magnetic-dipole and magnetic-field operators. However, theoretical studies provide a possible direct probe of chirality by exploiting an enantiomer selective additional coupling involving magnetic-dipole, magnetic-field, and electric field operators. This offers a way for direct experimental detection of chirality by nuclear magneto-electric resonance (NMER). This method uses both resonant magnetic and electric radiofrequency (RF) fields. The weakness of the chiral interaction though requires a large electric RF field and a small transverse RF magnetic field over the sample volume, which is a non-trivial constraint. In this study, we present a detailed study of the NMER concept and a possible experimental realization based on a loop-gap resonator. For this original device, the basic principle and numerical studies as well as fabrication and measurements of the frequency dependence of the scattering parameter are reported. By simulating the NMER spin dynamics for our device and taking the F-19 NMER signal of enantiomer-pure 1,1,1-trifluoropropan-2-ol, we predict a chirality induced NMER signal that accounts for 1%-5% of the standard achiral NMR signal. Published by AIP Publishing.
pf Garbacz, P., Fischer, P., Kraemer, S. A loop-gap resonator for chirality-sensitive nuclear magneto-electric resonance (NMER) J. Chem. Phys., 145(10):104201, September 2016 (article)
The effect of temperature and humidity on adhesion of a gecko-inspired adhesive: implications for the natural system
Stark, A. Y., Klittich, M. R., Sitti, M., Niewiarowski, P. H., Dhinojwala, A.
Scientific Reports, 6, pages: 30936, Nature Publishing Group, August 2016 (article)
The adhesive system of geckos has inspired hundreds of synthetic adhesives. While this system has been used relentlessly as a source of inspiration, less work has been done in reverse, where synthetics are used to test questions and hypotheses about the natural system. Here we take such an approach. We tested shear adhesion of a mushroom-tipped synthetic gecko adhesive under conditions that produced perplexing results in the natural adhesive system. Synthetic samples were tested at two temperatures (12 °C and 32 °C) and four different humidity levels (30%, 55%, 70%, and 80% RH). Surprisingly, adhesive performance of the synthetic samples matched that of living geckos, suggesting that uncontrolled parameters in the natural system, such as surface chemistry and material changes, may not be as influential in whole-animal performance as previously thought. There was one difference, however, when comparing natural and synthetic adhesive performance. At 12 °C and 80% RH, adhesion of the synthetic structures was lower than expected based on the natural system’s performance. Our approach highlights a unique opportunity for both biologists and material scientists, where new questions and hypotheses can be fueled by joint comparisons of the natural and synthetic systems, ultimately improving knowledge of both.
pi Stark, A. Y., Klittich, M. R., Sitti, M., Niewiarowski, P. H., Dhinojwala, A. The effect of temperature and humidity on adhesion of a gecko-inspired adhesive: implications for the natural system Scientific Reports, 6, pages: 30936, Nature Publishing Group, August 2016 (article)
DOOMED: Direct Online Optimization of Modeling Errors in Dynamics
Ratliff, N., Meier, F., Kappler, D., Schaal, S.
arXiv preprint arXiv:1608.00309, August 2016 (article)
am Ratliff, N., Meier, F., Kappler, D., Schaal, S. DOOMED: Direct Online Optimization of Modeling Errors in Dynamics arXiv preprint arXiv:1608.00309, August 2016 (article)
Magnetic propulsion of robotic sperms at low-Reynolds number
Khalil, I. S., Fatih Tabak, A., Klingner, A., Sitti, M.
Applied Physics Letters, 109(3):033701, AIP Publishing, July 2016 (article)
We investigate the microswimming behaviour of robotic sperms in viscous fluids. These robotic sperms are fabricated from polystyrene dissolved in dimethyl formamide and iron-oxide nanoparticles. This composition allows the nanoparticles to be concentrated within the bead of the robotic sperm and provide magnetic dipole, whereas the flexibility of the ultra-thin tail enables flagellated locomotion using magnetic fields in millitesla range. We show that these robotic sperms have similar morphology and swimming behaviour to those of sperm cells. Moreover, we show experimentally that our robotic sperms swim controllably at an average speed of approximately one body length per second (around 125 μm s−1), and they are relatively faster than the microswimmers that depend on planar wave propulsion in low-Reynolds number fluids.
pi Khalil, I. S., Fatih Tabak, A., Klingner, A., Sitti, M. Magnetic propulsion of robotic sperms at low-Reynolds number Applied Physics Letters, 109(3):033701, AIP Publishing, July 2016 (article)
Non-parametric Models for Structured Data and Applications to Human Bodies and Natural Scenes
Lehrmann, A.
ETH Zurich, July 2016 (phdthesis)
The purpose of this thesis is the study of non-parametric models for structured data and their fields of application in computer vision. We aim at the development of context-sensitive architectures which are both expressive and efficient. Our focus is on directed graphical models, in particular Bayesian networks, where we combine the flexibility of non-parametric local distributions with the efficiency of a global topology with bounded treewidth. A bound on the treewidth is obtained by either constraining the maximum indegree of the underlying graph structure or by introducing determinism. The non-parametric distributions in the nodes of the graph are given by decision trees or kernel density estimators. The information flow implied by specific network topologies, especially the resultant (conditional) independencies, allows for a natural integration and control of contextual information. We distinguish between three different types of context: static, dynamic, and semantic. In four different approaches we propose models which exhibit varying combinations of these contextual properties and allow modeling of structured data in space, time, and hierarchies derived thereof. The generative character of the presented models enables a direct synthesis of plausible hypotheses. Extensive experiments validate the developed models in two application scenarios which are of particular interest in computer vision: human bodies and natural scenes. In the practical sections of this work we discuss both areas from different angles and show applications of our models to human pose, motion, and segmentation as well as object categorization and localization. Here, we benefit from the availability of modern datasets of unprecedented size and diversity. Comparisons to traditional approaches and state-of-the-art research on the basis of well-established evaluation criteria allows the objective assessment of our contributions.
ps Lehrmann, A. Non-parametric Models for Structured Data and Applications to Human Bodies and Natural Scenes ETH Zurich, July 2016 (phdthesis)
Acquiring and Generalizing the Embodiment Mapping from Human Observations to Robot Skills
Maeda, G., Ewerton, M., Koert, D., Peters, J.
IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 1(2):784-791, July 2016 (article)
ei Maeda, G., Ewerton, M., Koert, D., Peters, J. Acquiring and Generalizing the Embodiment Mapping from Human Observations to Robot Skills IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 1(2):784-791, July 2016 (article)
Active Nanorheology with Plasmonics
Jeong, H. H., Mark, A. G., Lee, T., Alarcon-Correa, M., Eslami, S., Qiu, T., Gibbs, J. G., Fischer, P.
Nano Letters, 16(8):4887-4894, July 2016 (article)
Nanoplasmonic systems are valued for their strong optical response and their small size. Most plasmonic sensors and systems to date have been rigid and passive. However, rendering these structures dynamic opens new possibilities for applications. Here we demonstrate that dynamic plasmonic nanoparticles can be used as mechanical sensors to selectively probe the rheological properties of a fluid in situ at the nanoscale and in microscopic volumes. We fabricate chiral magneto-plasmonic nanocolloids that can be actuated by an external magnetic field, which in turn allows for the direct and fast modulation of their distinct optical response. The method is robust and allows nanorheological measurements with a mechanical sensitivity of similar to 0.1 cP, even in strongly absorbing fluids with an optical density of up to OD similar to 3 (similar to 0.1% light transmittance) and in the presence of scatterers (e.g., 50% v/v red blood cells).
pf Jeong, H. H., Mark, A. G., Lee, T., Alarcon-Correa, M., Eslami, S., Qiu, T., Gibbs, J. G., Fischer, P. Active Nanorheology with Plasmonics Nano Letters, 16(8):4887-4894, July 2016 (article)
Body Talk: Crowdshaping Realistic 3D Avatars with Words
Streuber, S., Quiros-Ramirez, M. A., Hill, M. Q., Hahn, C. A., Zuffi, S., O’Toole, A., Black, M. J.
ACM Trans. Graph. (Proc. SIGGRAPH), 35(4):54:1-54:14, July 2016 (article)
Realistic, metrically accurate, 3D human avatars are useful for games, shopping, virtual reality, and health applications. Such avatars are not in wide use because solutions for creating them from high-end scanners, low-cost range cameras, and tailoring measurements all have limitations. Here we propose a simple solution and show that it is surprisingly accurate. We use crowdsourcing to generate attribute ratings of 3D body shapes corresponding to standard linguistic descriptions of 3D shape. We then learn a linear function relating these ratings to 3D human shape parameters. Given an image of a new body, we again turn to the crowd for ratings of the body shape. The collection of linguistic ratings of a photograph provides remarkably strong constraints on the metric 3D shape. We call the process crowdshaping and show that our Body Talk system produces shapes that are perceptually indistinguishable from bodies created from high-resolution scans and that the metric accuracy is sufficient for many tasks. This makes body “scanning” practical without a scanner, opening up new applications including database search, visualization, and extracting avatars from books.
pdf web tool video talk (ppt) [BibTex]
ps Streuber, S., Quiros-Ramirez, M. A., Hill, M. Q., Hahn, C. A., Zuffi, S., O’Toole, A., Black, M. J. Body Talk: Crowdshaping Realistic 3D Avatars with Words ACM Trans. Graph. (Proc. SIGGRAPH), 35(4):54:1-54:14, July 2016 (article)
Six-degree-of-freedom magnetic actuation for wireless microrobotics
Diller, E., Giltinan, J., Lum, G. Z., Ye, Z., Sitti, M.
The International Journal of Robotics Research, 35(1-3):114-128, SAGE Publications Sage UK: London, England, June 2016 (article)
Existing remotely actuated magnetic microrobots exhibit a maximum of only five-degree-of-freedom (DOF) actuation, as creation of a driving torque about the microrobot magnetization axis is not achievable. This lack of full orientation control limits the effectiveness of existing microrobots for precision tasks of object manipulation and orientation for advanced medical, biological and micromanufacturing applications. This paper presents a magnetic actuation method that allows remotely powered microrobots to achieve full six-DOF actuation by considering the case of a non-uniform magnetization profile within the microrobot body. This non-uniform magnetization allows for additional rigid-body torques to be induced from magnetic forces via a moment arm. A general analytical model presents the working principle for continuous and discrete magnetization profiles, which is applied to permanent or non-permanent (soft) magnet bodies. Several discrete-magnetization designs are also presented which possess reduced coupling between magnetic forces and induced rigid-body torques. Design guidelines are introduced which can be followed to ensure that a magnetic microrobot design is capable of six-DOF actuation. A simple permanent-magnet prototype is fabricated and used to quantitatively demonstrate the accuracy of the analytical model in a constrained-DOF environment and qualitatively for free motion in a viscous liquid three-dimensional environment. Results show that desired forces and torques can be created with high precision and limited parasitic actuation, allowing for full six-DOF actuation using limited feedback control
pi Diller, E., Giltinan, J., Lum, G. Z., Ye, Z., Sitti, M. Six-degree-of-freedom magnetic actuation for wireless microrobotics The International Journal of Robotics Research, 35(1-3):114-128, SAGE Publications Sage UK: London, England, June 2016 (article)
Capturing Hands in Action using Discriminative Salient Points and Physics Simulation
Tzionas, D., Ballan, L., Srikantha, A., Aponte, P., Pollefeys, M., Gall, J.
International Journal of Computer Vision (IJCV), 118(2):172-193, June 2016 (article)
Hand motion capture is a popular research field, recently gaining more attention due to the ubiquity of RGB-D sensors. However, even most recent approaches focus on the case of a single isolated hand. In this work, we focus on hands that interact with other hands or objects and present a framework that successfully captures motion in such interaction scenarios for both rigid and articulated objects. Our framework combines a generative model with discriminatively trained salient points to achieve a low tracking error and with collision detection and physics simulation to achieve physically plausible estimates even in case of occlusions and missing visual data. Since all components are unified in a single objective function which is almost everywhere differentiable, it can be optimized with standard optimization techniques. Our approach works for monocular RGB-D sequences as well as setups with multiple synchronized RGB cameras. For a qualitative and quantitative evaluation, we captured 29 sequences with a large variety of interactions and up to 150 degrees of freedom.
Website pdf link (url) DOI Project Page [BibTex]
ps Tzionas, D., Ballan, L., Srikantha, A., Aponte, P., Pollefeys, M., Gall, J. Capturing Hands in Action using Discriminative Salient Points and Physics Simulation International Journal of Computer Vision (IJCV), 118(2):172-193, June 2016 (article)
Gallium Adhesion: Phase Change of Gallium Enables Highly Reversible and Switchable Adhesion (Adv. Mater. 25/2016)
Ye, Z., Lum, G. Z., Song, S., Rich, S., Sitti, M.
Advanced Materials, 28(25):5087-5087, May 2016 (article)
Gallium exhibits highly reversible and switchable adhesion when it undergoes a solid–liquid phase transition. The robustness of gallium is notable as it exhibits strong performance on a wide range of smooth and rough surfaces, under both dry and wet conditions. Gallium may therefore find numerous applications in transfer printing, robotics, electronic packaging, and biomedicine.
pi Ye, Z., Lum, G. Z., Song, S., Rich, S., Sitti, M. Gallium Adhesion: Phase Change of Gallium Enables Highly Reversible and Switchable Adhesion (Adv. Mater. 25/2016) Advanced Materials, 28(25):5087-5087, May 2016 (article)
Patterned and Specific Attachment of Bacteria on Biohybrid Bacteria-Driven Microswimmers
Advanced Healthcare Materials, 5(18):2325-2331, May 2016 (article)
A surface patterning technique and a specific and strong biotin–streptavidin bonding of bacteria on patterned surfaces are proposed to fabricate Janus particles that are propelled by the attached bacteria. Bacteria-driven Janus microswimmers with diameters larger than 3 μm show enhanced mean propulsion speed. Such microswimmers could be used for future applications such as targeted drug delivery and environmental remediation.
pi Singh, A. V., Sitti, M. Patterned and Specific Attachment of Bacteria on Biohybrid Bacteria-Driven Microswimmers Advanced Healthcare Materials, 5(18):2325-2331, May 2016 (article)
Shape-programmable magnetic soft matter
Lum, G. Z., Ye, Z., Dong, X., Marvi, H., Erin, O., Hu, W., Sitti, M.
Shape-programmable matter is a class of active materials whose geometry can be controlled to potentially achieve mechanical functionalities beyond those of traditional machines. Among these materials, magnetically actuated matter is particularly promising for achieving complex time-varying shapes at small scale (overall dimensions smaller than 1 cm). However, previous work can only program these materials for limited applications, as they rely solely on human intuition to approximate the required magnetization profile and actuating magnetic fields for their materials. Here, we propose a universal programming methodology that can automatically generate the required magnetization profile and actuating fields for soft matter to achieve new time-varying shapes. The universality of the proposed method can therefore inspire a vast number of miniature soft devices that are critical in robotics, smart engineering surfaces and materials, and biomedical devices. Our proposed method includes theoretical formulations, computational strategies, and fabrication procedures for programming magnetic soft matter. The presented theory and computational method are universal for programming 2D or 3D time-varying shapes, whereas the fabrication technique is generic only for creating planar beams. Based on the proposed programming method, we created a jellyfish-like robot, a spermatozoid-like undulating swimmer, and an artificial cilium that could mimic the complex beating patterns of its biological counterpart.
pi Lum, G. Z., Ye, Z., Dong, X., Marvi, H., Erin, O., Hu, W., Sitti, M. Shape-programmable magnetic soft matter Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(41):E6007–E6015, National Acad Sciences, May 2016 (article)
Inflated soft actuators with reversible stable deformations
Hines, L., Petersen, K., Sitti, M.
Advanced Materials, 28(19):3690-3696, March 2016 (article)
Most soft robotic systems are currently dependent on bulky compressors or pumps. A soft actuation method is presented combining hyperelastic membranes and dielectric elastomer actuators to switch between stable deformations of sealed chambers. This method is capable of large repeatable deformations, and has a number of stable states proportional to the number of actuatable membranes in the chamber.
pi Hines, L., Petersen, K., Sitti, M. Inflated soft actuators with reversible stable deformations Advanced Materials, 28(19):3690-3696, March 2016 (article)
Chemotaxis of bio-hybrid multiple bacteria-driven microswimmers
Zhuang, J., Sitti, M.
Scientific reports, 6, pages: 32135, Nature Publishing Group, March 2016 (article)
In this study, in a bio-hybrid microswimmer system driven by multiple Serratia marcescens bacteria, we quantify the chemotactic drift of a large number of microswimmers towards L-serine and elucidate the associated collective chemotaxis behavior by statistical analysis of over a thousand swimming trajectories of the microswimmers. The results show that the microswimmers have a strong heading preference for moving up the L-serine gradient, while their speed does not change considerably when moving up and down the gradient; therefore, the heading bias constitutes the major factor that produces the chemotactic drift. The heading direction of a microswimmer is found to be significantly more persistent when it moves up the L-serine gradient than when it travels down the gradient; this effect causes the apparent heading preference of the microswimmers and is the crucial reason that enables the seemingly cooperative chemotaxis of multiple bacteria on a microswimmer. In addition, we find that their chemotactic drift velocity increases superquadratically with their mean swimming speed, suggesting that chemotaxis of bio-hybrid microsystems can be enhanced by designing and building faster microswimmers. Such bio-hybrid microswimmers with chemotactic steering capability may find future applications in targeted drug delivery, bioengineering, and lab-on-a-chip devices.
pi Zhuang, J., Sitti, M. Chemotaxis of bio-hybrid multiple bacteria-driven microswimmers Scientific reports, 6, pages: 32135, Nature Publishing Group, March 2016 (article)
Targeted drug delivery and imaging using mobile milli/microrobots: A promising future towards theranostic pharmaceutical design
Vikram Singh, A., Sitti, M.
Current Pharmaceutical Design, 22(11):1418-1428, Bentham Science Publishers, March 2016 (article)
Miniature untethered medical robots have been receiving growing attention due to technological advances in microactuation, microsensors, and microfabrication and have significant potential to reduce the invasiveness and improve the accessibility of medical devices into unprecedented small spaces inside the human body. In this review, we discuss therapeutic and diagnostic applications of untethered medical microrobots. Wirelessly controlled milli/microrobots with integrated sensors are revolutionizing micromanipulation based medical interventions and are enabling doctors to perform minimally invasive procedures not possible before. 3D fabrication technologies enabling milli/microrobot fabrication at the single cell scale are empowering high-resolution visual imaging and in vivo manipulation capabilities. Swallowable millirobots and injectabale ocular microrobots allow the gastric ulcer imaging, and performance of vitreoretinal microsurgery at previously inaccessible ocular sites. Many invasive excision and incision based diagnostic biopsy, prostrate, and nephrolgical procedures can be performed minimally or almost noninvasively due to recent advancements in microrobotic technology. Advances in biohybrid microrobot systems are pushing microrobotic systems even smaller, using biological cells as on-board microactuators and microsensors using the chemical energy. Such microrobotic systems could be used for local targeted delivery of imaging contrast agents, drugs, genes, and mRNA, minimally invasive surgery, and cell micromanipulation in the near future.
pi Vikram Singh, A., Sitti, M. Targeted drug delivery and imaging using mobile milli/microrobots: A promising future towards theranostic pharmaceutical design Current Pharmaceutical Design, 22(11):1418-1428, Bentham Science Publishers, March 2016 (article)
Dispersion and shape engineered plasmonic nanosensors
Jeong, H. H., Mark, A. G., Alarcon-Correa, M., Kim, I., Oswald, P., Lee, T. C., Fischer, P.
Nature Communications, 7, pages: 11331, March 2016 (article)
Biosensors based on the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of individual metallic nanoparticles promise to deliver modular, low-cost sensing with high-detection thresholds. However, they continue to suffer from relatively low sensitivity and figures of merit (FOMs). Herein we introduce the idea of sensitivity enhancement of LSPR sensors through engineering of the material dispersion function. Employing dispersion and shape engineering of chiral nanoparticles leads to remarkable refractive index sensitivities (1,091 nmRIU(-1) at lambda = 921 nm) and FOMs (>2,800 RIU-1). A key feature is that the polarization-dependent extinction of the nanoparticles is now characterized by rich spectral features, including bipolar peaks and nulls, suitable for tracking refractive index changes. This sensing modality offers strong optical contrast even in the presence of highly absorbing media, an important consideration for use in complex biological media with limited transmission. The technique is sensitive to surface-specific binding events which we demonstrate through biotin-avidin surface coupling.
pf Jeong, H. H., Mark, A. G., Alarcon-Correa, M., Kim, I., Oswald, P., Lee, T. C., Fischer, P. Dispersion and shape engineered plasmonic nanosensors Nature Communications, 7, pages: 11331, March 2016 (article)
Parallel microcracks-based ultrasensitive and highly stretchable strain sensors
Amjadi, M., Turan, M., Clementson, C. P., Sitti, M.
ACS Applied Materials \& Interfaces, 8(8):5618-5626, American Chemical Society, Febuary 2016 (article)
There is an increasing demand for flexible, skin-attachable, and wearable strain sensors due to their various potential applications. However, achieving strain sensors with both high sensitivity and high stretchability is still a grand challenge. Here, we propose highly sensitive and stretchable strain sensors based on the reversible microcrack formation in composite thin films. Controllable parallel microcracks are generated in graphite thin films coated on elastomer films. Sensors made of graphite thin films with short microcracks possess high gauge factors (maximum value of 522.6) and stretchability (ε ≥ 50%), whereas sensors with long microcracks show ultrahigh sensitivity (maximum value of 11 344) with limited stretchability (ε ≤ 50%). We demonstrate the high performance strain sensing of our sensors in both small and large strain sensing applications such as human physiological activity recognition, human body large motion capturing, vibration detection, pressure sensing, and soft robotics.
pi Amjadi, M., Turan, M., Clementson, C. P., Sitti, M. Parallel microcracks-based ultrasensitive and highly stretchable strain sensors ACS Applied Materials \& Interfaces, 8(8):5618-5626, American Chemical Society, Febuary 2016 (article)
Stretchable, Skin-Mountable, and Wearable Strain Sensors and Their Potential Applications: A Review
Amjadi, M., Kyung, K., Park, I., Sitti, M.
Advanced Functional Materials, 26, pages: 1678-1698, Febuary 2016 (article)
There is a growing demand for flexible and soft electronic devices. In particular, stretchable, skin-mountable, and wearable strain sensors are needed for several potential applications including personalized health-monitoring, human motion detection, human-machine interfaces, soft robotics, and so forth. This Feature Article presents recent advancements in the development of flexible and stretchable strain sensors. The article shows that highly stretchable strain sensors are successfully being developed by new mechanisms such as disconnection between overlapped nanomaterials, crack propagation in thin films, and tunneling effect, different from traditional strain sensing mechanisms. Strain sensing performances of recently reported strain sensors are comprehensively studied and discussed, showing that appropriate choice of composite structures as well as suitable interaction between functional nanomaterials and polymers are essential for the high performance strain sensing. Next, simulation results of piezoresistivity of stretchable strain sensors by computational models are reported. Finally, potential applications of flexible strain sensors are described. This survey reveals that flexible, skin-mountable, and wearable strain sensors have potential in diverse applications while several grand challenges have to be still overcome.
pi Amjadi, M., Kyung, K., Park, I., Sitti, M. Stretchable, Skin-Mountable, and Wearable Strain Sensors and Their Potential Applications: A Review Advanced Functional Materials, 26, pages: 1678-1698, Febuary 2016 (article)
Size optimization of a magnetic system for drug delivery with capsule robots
Munoz, F., Alici, G., Li, W., Sitti, M.
IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 52(5):1-11, IEEE, January 2016 (article)
In this paper, we present a methodology for the size optimization of an external magnetic system made of arc-shaped permanent magnets (ASMs). This magnetic system is able to remotely actuate a drug-release module embedded in a prototype of a capsule robot. The optimization of the magnetic system is carried out by using an accurate analytical model that is valid for any arbitrary dimensions of the ASMs. By using this analytical model, we perform parametric studies and conduct a statistical analysis [analysis of variance (ANOVA)] to investigate efficient ways to distribute the volume of the ASMs so that the dimensions and volume of the magnetic system are minimized while optimal flux densities and magnetic torques are obtained to actuate the drug delivery system (DDS). The ANOVA results, at 5% significance level, indicate that changes in the angular width followed by changes in the length of the ASMs have the highest impact on the magnetic linkage. Furthermore, our experimental results, which are in agreement with the analytical results, show that the size optimization of the magnetic system is effective for the actuation of the DDS in capsule robots.
pi Munoz, F., Alici, G., Li, W., Sitti, M. Size optimization of a magnetic system for drug delivery with capsule robots IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 52(5):1-11, IEEE, January 2016 (article)
On estimation of functional causal models: General results and application to post-nonlinear causal model
Zhang, K., Wang, Z., Zhang, J., Schölkopf, B.
ACM Transactions on Intelligent Systems and Technologies, 7(2):article no. 13, January 2016 (article)
ei Zhang, K., Wang, Z., Zhang, J., Schölkopf, B. On estimation of functional causal models: General results and application to post-nonlinear causal model ACM Transactions on Intelligent Systems and Technologies, 7(2):article no. 13, January 2016 (article)
Human Pose Estimation from Video and IMUs
Marcard, T. V., Pons-Moll, G., Rosenhahn, B.
Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence PAMI, 38(8):1533-1547, January 2016 (article)
data pdf dataset_documentation [BibTex]
ps Marcard, T. V., Pons-Moll, G., Rosenhahn, B. Human Pose Estimation from Video and IMUs Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence PAMI, 38(8):1533-1547, January 2016 (article)
Magnetic Propulsion of Microswimmers with DNA-Based Flagellar Bundles
Maier, A. M., Weig, C., Oswald, P., Frey, E., Fischer, P., Liedl, T.
Nano Letters, 16(2):906-910, January 2016 (article)
We show that DNA-based self-assembly can serve as a general and flexible tool to construct artificial flagella of several micrometers in length and only tens of nanometers in diameter. By attaching the DNA flagella to biocompatible magnetic microparticles, we provide a proof of concept demonstration of hybrid structures that, when rotated in an external magnetic field, propel by means of a flagellar bundle, similar to self-propelling peritrichous bacteria. Our theoretical analysis predicts that flagellar bundles that possess a length-dependent bending stiffness should exhibit a superior swimming speed compared to swimmers with a single appendage. The DNA self-assembly method permits the realization of these improved flagellar bundles in good agreement with our quantitative model. DNA flagella with well-controlled shape could fundamentally increase the functionality of fully biocompatible nanorobots and extend the scope and complexity of active materials.
pf Maier, A. M., Weig, C., Oswald, P., Frey, E., Fischer, P., Liedl, T. Magnetic Propulsion of Microswimmers with DNA-Based Flagellar Bundles Nano Letters, 16(2):906-910, January 2016 (article)
Gaussian Process-Based Predictive Control for Periodic Error Correction
Klenske, E. D., Zeilinger, M., Schölkopf, B., Hennig, P.
IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology , 24(1):110-121, 2016 (article)
ei pn
ei pn Klenske, E. D., Zeilinger, M., Schölkopf, B., Hennig, P. Gaussian Process-Based Predictive Control for Periodic Error Correction IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology , 24(1):110-121, 2016 (article)
Comparison of Positron Emission Tomography Quantification Using Magnetic Resonance–and Computed Tomography–Based Attenuation Correction in Physiological Tissues and Lesions: A Whole-Body Positron Emission Tomography/Magnetic Resonance Study in 66 Patients
Seith, F., Gatidis, S., Schmidt, H., Bezrukov, I., la Fougère, C., Nikolaou, K., Pfannenberg, C., Schwenzer, N.
Investigative Radiology, 51(1):66-71, 2016 (article)
ei Seith, F., Gatidis, S., Schmidt, H., Bezrukov, I., la Fougère, C., Nikolaou, K., Pfannenberg, C., Schwenzer, N. Comparison of Positron Emission Tomography Quantification Using Magnetic Resonance–and Computed Tomography–Based Attenuation Correction in Physiological Tissues and Lesions: A Whole-Body Positron Emission Tomography/Magnetic Resonance Study in 66 Patients Investigative Radiology, 51(1):66-71, 2016 (article)
Modeling Confounding by Half-Sibling Regression
Schölkopf, B., Hogg, D., Wang, D., Foreman-Mackey, D., Janzing, D., Simon-Gabriel, C. J., Peters, J.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, 113(27):7391-7398, 2016 (article)
Code link (url) DOI Project Page [BibTex]
ei Schölkopf, B., Hogg, D., Wang, D., Foreman-Mackey, D., Janzing, D., Simon-Gabriel, C. J., Peters, J. Modeling Confounding by Half-Sibling Regression Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, 113(27):7391-7398, 2016 (article)
Dual Control for Approximate Bayesian Reinforcement Learning
Klenske, E. D., Hennig, P.
Journal of Machine Learning Research, 17(127):1-30, 2016 (article)
PDF link (url) Project Page [BibTex]
ei pn Klenske, E. D., Hennig, P. Dual Control for Approximate Bayesian Reinforcement Learning Journal of Machine Learning Research, 17(127):1-30, 2016 (article)
A Population Based Gaussian Mixture Model Incorporating 18F-FDG-PET and DW-MRI Quantifies Tumor Tissue Classes
Divine, M. R., Katiyar, P., Kohlhofer, U., Quintanilla-Martinez, L., Disselhorst, J. A., Pichler, B. J.
Journal of Nuclear Medicine, 57(3):473-479, 2016 (article)
ei Divine, M. R., Katiyar, P., Kohlhofer, U., Quintanilla-Martinez, L., Disselhorst, J. A., Pichler, B. J. A Population Based Gaussian Mixture Model Incorporating 18F-FDG-PET and DW-MRI Quantifies Tumor Tissue Classes Journal of Nuclear Medicine, 57(3):473-479, 2016 (article)
Influence of initial fixation position in scene viewing
Rothkegel, L. O. M., Trukenbrod, H. A., Schütt, H. H., Wichmann, F. A., Engbert, R.
Vision Research, 129, pages: 33-49, 2016 (article)
ei Rothkegel, L. O. M., Trukenbrod, H. A., Schütt, H. H., Wichmann, F. A., Engbert, R. Influence of initial fixation position in scene viewing Vision Research, 129, pages: 33-49, 2016 (article)
Testing models of peripheral encoding using metamerism in an oddity paradigm
Wallis, T. S. A., Bethge, M., Wichmann, F. A.
Journal of Vision, 16(2), 2016 (article)
ei Wallis, T. S. A., Bethge, M., Wichmann, F. A. Testing models of peripheral encoding using metamerism in an oddity paradigm Journal of Vision, 16(2), 2016 (article)
Pymanopt: A Python Toolbox for Optimization on Manifolds using Automatic Differentiation
Townsend, J., Koep, N., Weichwald, S.
Journal of Machine Learning Research, 17(137):1-5, 2016 (article)
PDF Arxiv Code Project page link (url) [BibTex]
ei Townsend, J., Koep, N., Weichwald, S. Pymanopt: A Python Toolbox for Optimization on Manifolds using Automatic Differentiation Journal of Machine Learning Research, 17(137):1-5, 2016 (article)
A Causal, Data-driven Approach to Modeling the Kepler Data
Wang, D., Hogg, D. W., Foreman-Mackey, D., Schölkopf, B.
Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 128(967):094503, 2016 (article)
ei Wang, D., Hogg, D. W., Foreman-Mackey, D., Schölkopf, B. A Causal, Data-driven Approach to Modeling the Kepler Data Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 128(967):094503, 2016 (article)
Probabilistic Inference for Determining Options in Reinforcement Learning
Daniel, C., van Hoof, H., Peters, J., Neumann, G.
Machine Learning, Special Issue, 104(2):337-357, (Editors: Gärtner, T., Nanni, M., Passerini, A. and Robardet, C.), European Conference on Machine Learning im Machine Learning, Journal Track, 2016, Best Student Paper Award of ECML-PKDD 2016 (article)
am ei Daniel, C., van Hoof, H., Peters, J., Neumann, G. Probabilistic Inference for Determining Options in Reinforcement Learning Machine Learning, Special Issue, 104(2):337-357, (Editors: Gärtner, T., Nanni, M., Passerini, A. and Robardet, C.), European Conference on Machine Learning im Machine Learning, Journal Track, 2016, Best Student Paper Award of ECML-PKDD 2016 (article)
Weak Supervision for Detecting Object Classes from Activities
Srikantha, A., Gall, J.
Computer Vision and Image Understanding (CVIU), Elsevier, 2016 (article) In press
elsevier preprint link (url) DOI [BibTex]
Srikantha, A., Gall, J. Weak Supervision for Detecting Object Classes from Activities Computer Vision and Image Understanding (CVIU), Elsevier, 2016 (article) In press
Hierarchical Relative Entropy Policy Search
Daniel, C., Neumann, G., Kroemer, O., Peters, J.
Journal of Machine Learning Research, 17(93):1-50, 2016 (article)
ei Daniel, C., Neumann, G., Kroemer, O., Peters, J. Hierarchical Relative Entropy Policy Search Journal of Machine Learning Research, 17(93):1-50, 2016 (article)
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Watch Skyscraper Online
SYNOPSIS FOR: Skyscraper
Skyscraper is an action thriller starring Dwayne Johnson as a retired FBI Hostage Rescue Team leader and U.S. war veteran whose current job requires him to evaluate security in the tallest buildings around the world.
His latest assignment takes him to China, where he and his family are invited to stay at the Pearl, a luxurious 240 floor skyscraper in Hong Kong. Although a beautiful achievement in architecture, he doesn’t believe it is safe.
When terrorists take over the building and set it on fire, they take his family hostage and force him to help them. Will Sawyer, a wanted man on the run, is desperate to rescue his family, clear his name and find those responsible, before time runs out.
Skyscraper Movie Stars
Dwayne Johnson, Neve Campbell, Pablo Schreiber, Noah Taylor
Skyscraper Movie Director
Movie Release Date: July 13, 2018
Genre: Action | All Genres | Crime | Drama | Thriller
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Browser Ballot Fail: Microsoft Receives Huge Fine
by John Lister on March, 7 2013 at 08:03AM EST
Microsoft's failure to offer European Windows users a clear choice of Internet browser has proven very costly. The European Union has fined the company a shocking 561 million euros, equivalent to US $732.2 million. Microsoft had agreed to provide ... new Window users with a browser choice screen (or "browser ballot" as it was popularly known). The deal was designed to settle claims that Microsoft's own browser, Internet Explorer, had an unfair advantage over other browsers because it came pre-installed on all Windows machines. Under the agreement, Microsoft began adding the choice ... (view more)
HTML5 Browser Bug Floods Hard Drives In Minutes
A recently-discovered browser flaw could allow hackers to manipulate a site visitor's physical hard drive. At the moment, Mozilla's Firefox is the only browser not affected by the problem. The technology involved is HTML5, the latest edition of the ... standard code used to produce websites. One of the key features of HTML5 allows web developers to include code for showing multimedia -- such as animations and videos -- without the website visitor having to install special plug-in software. Web browsers have always had the ability to write some data to a computer's hard drive, usually on a ... (view more)
Windows 7: Internet Explorer 10 Now Available
by Brandon Dimmel on February, 28 2013 at 08:02AM EST
Microsoft has finally released the latest version of its very own web browser, Internet Explorer 10, for its still-popular Windows 7 operating system (OS). The browser has been available for Windows 8 since that OS launched late last year. Releasing ... Internet Explorer 10 (IE10) as a Windows 8 exclusive was part of an attempt by Microsoft to promote its newest OS. However, with more than 700 million people using Windows 7, the idea of shirking an IE10 release seemed ludicrous. Internet Explorer 10 brings a number of important technical advancements to the table. For one, it offers wider support ... (view more)
Mozilla Firefox: No More Third-Party Cookies
Mozilla says it will take steps to stop advertisers from violating Firefox user privacy. But advertisers have labeled the move an act of war. Mozilla has announced that it will change the Firefox browser so that third-party cookies -- such as those ... from advertisers -- are blocked by default. Cookies are small text files created by websites and stored on your computer. Cookies Key to Website Advertising In many cases cookies help the website visitor. For example, a cookie might store your username to make logging in faster, or it could store your ZIP code so you can instantly get customized ... (view more)
'Avant Browser 2013 Build 12', and 'WinSCP 5.1.4'
Avant Browser 2013 Build 12 Avant Browser is an ultra-fast Internet browser and a viable alternative to Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Google Chrome. It boasts a user-friendly interface and is frequently upgrade by its development team. ... Popular features include download accelerator, video sniffer, and split view. http://www.avantbrowser.com WinSCP 5.1.4 This program is a free, open-source WFTP client that allows users to securely transfer files between their local system and a remote computer. It offers basic file manager functionality and is designed for Microsoft's Windows ... (view more)
Firefox Version 18: Mozilla Boosts Browsing Speed
by Brandon Dimmel on January, 9 2013 at 08:01AM EST
Mozilla says the next edition of its popular Firefox browser, Firefox 18, will be the fastest version of the browser yet released. The company also says the new Firefox's security capabilities have been significantly improved over previous versions. ... In a recent blog post, Mozilla vice president of engineering Johnathan Nightingale took some time to outline improvements to the Firefox formula for version 18, which is currently available for free download and use. "The Firefox of today is significantly better than the Firefox of a year ago in every way," Nightingale said. (Source: pcmag.com ) ... (view more)
Google Chrome Browser Update Saves Battery Life
by Brandon Dimmel on November, 12 2012 at 08:11AM EST
A new version of Google's popular Chrome Internet browser reportedly reduces power consumption and extends the life of a portable device's battery. According to Google, the updated browser now uses a new video decoding technique that puts a device's ... dedicated graphics processing unit (GPU) to work instead of its central processing unit (CPU). The firm says that because graphics chips require less power than CPUs, this approach significantly reduces power consumption and extends battery life by as much as 25 per cent. (Source: computerworld.com ) Google says it has tested the system ... (view more)
Mozilla Fumes Over Microsoft Browser Ballot Glitch
by Carlo Orlando on November, 6 2012 at 08:11AM EST
Microsoft is being accused of failing to display a court-mandated option screen that would allow users of Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) to select their own Internet browser. Although Microsoft has already remedied the issue, the problem has ... apparently caused Mozilla to lose millions of potential Firefox users. As a result of a European Union antitrust settlement, Microsoft had agreed to present new Windows users with a screen that allowed them to choose a different web browser instead of (or in addition to) Internet Explorer. Microsoft offered the choice screen to new and existing Windows ... (view more)
Windows 8 Users Vulnerable to Adobe Flash Threat
by John Lister on September, 12 2012 at 08:09AM EDT
After initially indicating that it would not fix an Internet Explorer 10 (IE10) security bug until Windows 8's official October, 2012 release, Microsoft now says it will provide a patch "shortly". The problem is associated with Adobe Flash, software ... that supports multimedia and interactive content for web pages. A recently discovered bug in Flash led to Adobe issuing a security update for the Flash Player. The security update addressed six individual security flaws, all rated 'critical' by Adobe. Any one of them could allow a hacker to crash a computer when trying, for example, to disrupt a ... (view more)
Firefox 15: Memory Flaws Gone; Performance Improved
by John Lister on August, 31 2012 at 08:08AM EDT
The latest edition of Mozilla's popular web browser, Firefox 15, is getting solid early reviews. In addition to fixing a notorious memory problem, the new version offers better support for games and music, and eases the update process. For many web ... users, Firefox is the world's best browser. It built that reputation by offering usability features not seen in other browsers. It has also suffered fewer security problems than rival browsers like Internet Explorer, from Microsoft. Over time, however, Firefox has lost a lot of market share to a newer entry in the market: Google's Chrome. One of ... (view more)
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Walking the Meatball
I wrote this essay a few years ago, and anchored it in a lovely Scottish website called "Shortbread Stories." Alas, Shortbread Stories has perished...as has the beloved Meatball of legend. Still, he was an incredible feline, and he changed my world vastly for the better, and so, without further ado, let us once more go "walking the Meatball."
A year ago in August, my son asked if he could park his eleven year old cat “Meatball” at my house for a couple of weeks while he sorted out some new living arrangements in his college town. I said “yes,” of course. If I look at a calendar, I can discern without eyestrain that that was quite a long while ago. Kids and pets, they are really never predictable.
This is not Meatball’s first “stay” here. Michael has been bringing him home for short vacations for several years now. This middle-aged feline, who my son picked out at a shelter largely because the cat stuck his tongue out at him, was the essence of Christmas for me on a day when the holiday itself involved driving 250 miles and visiting elderly relatives in two hospitals and a nursing home. He has, alternately, been amusing, infuriating, annoying and purely a pest. While the man in my life can be laconic to the point of muteness, this cat never shuts up. Colored black and white like a Holstein cow and with all claws intact, he has bullied my dog, wrestled my other cat leaving large tufts of fur on the carpet, and sprayed the dog’s favorite blanket in retaliation for my shooting him with a water pistol as he trekked across the kitchen table. And all this came AFTER the warnings that he likes to chew on electrical cords and “mark” piles of unattended dirty laundry.
Still, until now, Meatball has been a short-term guest whose psychological similarity to a stalker and garrulous vocalizing (he can chirp like a canary and trill like a pigeon) could be considered transitory adjustments.
However, as two weeks stretched into four, and one month became two and then three, somewhere along the line Meatball went from being just a houseguest to being one of the gang. The rest of the gang consists of Lucky, the border collie mix, and Smokey, the twenty-pound housecat who used to claim my lap in the evenings until Meatball jumped aboard and said “mine!” In “cat,” of course. Over time, the four of us have adjusted to co-existing within the contours of the house, with certain expectations governing morning treats, clean litter boxes, and playing nice. Indoors, I am the arbiter of good manners and affection.
In the great outdoors, though, things have taken a much more unexpected turn. I often take Lucky out for a walk around the property, which passes up and down hills, through woods and around a meadow. There are delightful smells and no end of wild animals to encounter and for Lucky to chase. For the record, he is fast…but not quite as fast as a full-grown deer. Not that he didn’t give it his all for nearly the length of a city block. No one day is exactly like the next as the seasons change, and forests turn green, then gold, then leafless grey with winter’s approach.
One day last fall, though, serendipity skipped to another level as I glanced behind me on the trail, and discovered that Meatball was trailing behind Lucky and me on one of our daily walks. I tried to keep a close eye on him—there are things in these woods, like coyotes (and possibly cougars), that might enjoy a tender house cat for dinner—but Meatball was going to travel at his own pace. Sometimes he kept a few feet behind me, but at other times, he would lag behind by a couple of hundred feet, only to race to catch up…and then start the cycle of straggling all over again. I’d never seen a cat gallop before. He looked, crazily, like a little piebald cow pony hustling home at the sound of the feed bucket. The sound that he makes on the grass as he comes up behind me at full speed and shoots past is a faint “thippity, thippity, thippity.” I felt like the Pied Piper.
“Walking the Meatball” has now become a daily routine for me when the weather cooperates. Technically, I’m walking both Lucky AND The Meatball, but really, dogs pretty much have a happy-go-lucky sameness about a walk in the woods. It’s the cat that’s the wild card here. Since I still worry about him running into something in the woods that might eat him, our excursions take on the “hurry up and wait” quality of walking with a curious toddler. Sometimes my waiting stretches are longer than others, and sometimes I end up backtracking half the usual journey just to make sure that he rejoins the caravan at some point.
And while I’ve been on these “catwalks,” there are a few life lessons that have occurred to me as I'm waiting...and waiting.
Things are not always as bad as they look. A while ago, Lucky flushed a turkey hen from the meadow, and the dog and the bird sped toward the edge of the woods like cannonballs crashing through the brush. Movement on the left caught my eye, and I turned to see tiny turkey chicks—backlit by the afternoon sun and still too small to fly—popping straight up out of the tall grass in the meadow, then fluttering down a few feet forward, away from the sound of drama. Meatball was nowhere to be seen, and I started back down the trail, thinking “I wonder if Meatball saw those chicks.” He was crouched off the path, with a “WHAT???” look on his face, and when I caught up with him I found that indeed, he had found one of those baby turkeys. It lay on the ground, its head mashed under its body by a pristine white paw, neck bent in what suspense novelists invariably describe characterize as “an unnatural angle” when they’re writing about a corpse. Still, ever the optimist, I gently peeled the cat’s paw from the fluffy little body…which then unfolded its neck, stood up and shook itself off, and hopped straight up like its siblings and glided toward some nearby trees. I picked up Meatball and said “you’re coming with me,” and carried him under protest for the next hundred yards. It’s never over until it’s over.
If you have to slow down…you might as well look around. To be honest, I’d valued getting some real exercise on these wooded hikes with Lucky. Let’s face it, the dog can run so much faster than me and covers about five times as much ground as I do in the same amount of time. Walking briskly was my goal, and he never slowed my progress. With Meatball in the mix, though, the equation changed from go-go-go to stop ‘n’ go…and then stop again. I ground my teeth at these interruptions at first, bemoaning the fact that my cardiovascular workout plans were going down the tubes. And then I finally just simply… surrendered. Instead of focusing on putting one foot in front of the other in efficient fashion, I focused on the bark patterns of the pine trees at one of my usual “wait for the Meatball” rest stops. I started to use a familiar tree at the end of a glade as a stretching point, doing leg lifts while Meatball picked his way along the trail, stopping to use a tree trunk or two as scratching posts. I brought my camera along and took pictures of wildflowers and leaves. I savored the smells of wild roses and bergamot and evergreens and green grass and melting snow, and located another couple of stands of wild asparagus near the trail. And considered myself thankful for the opportunity to stand there in the arms of nature and just soak it in.
He ain’t heavy, he’s The Meatball. Somewhere along the way in this new routine—I think it was when the snow was melted in patches in spring—I started to give Meatball a lift from time to time. This started when he was dragging his heels at the thought of crossing a stretch of snow or slush, and I didn’t feel like waiting around in the cold, fingers turning to ice and nose turning numb. So I portaged the cat across the cold, soupy stuff. And lo and behold, Meatball clearly understood, because he didn’t squirm to be set down until he could tell that there was going to be grass under his feet again. Well, the snow finally melted away, and I’m still portaging the cat from time to time. My usual motivation for sweeping him up in my arms, rhetorically asking him whether I should “sherpa the kitty?” is that I don’t feel like always taking every single golden opportunity to wait for him. And if I can make a hundred feet’s progress without worrying that he’s behind me getting eaten by a coyote, I’m happy. It’s a win-win proposition—I keep the game moving a little faster, the added ten pounds amounts to a little weight-training, and judging by Meatball’s purrs as he drapes himself across my shoulder, he’s getting something good out of it too.
Hearts expand to fit. When I said I’d let Meatball bunk with me for two weeks that turned into more than a year, I had absolutely no idea how much affection I would come to feel for this eccentric small-scale predator. I could not possibly have predicted how much laughter he would generate, or drama, or worry, or tenderness as the days and seasons and miles of walking in the woods have passed. There is no such thing as having a completely full heart. There is only a heart that has room for more. In the children’s classic “The Grinch That Stole Christmas,” there’s a scene where the Grinch feels his crippled heart grow three sizes bigger. I felt that happen to me several year ago when I called my son as I was heading out on my dire Christmas Day odyssey and told him that I’d changed my mind, that he could bring his problematic pet home for the holiday. I think it’s grown yet another size in this chapter, to make room for this middle-aged cat who talks all day long, makes me laugh, brings me live mice from the garage, and follows me through the woods. I know that if and when he ever leaves again with my son, there will be a hollow space left open, waiting for him to come back.
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City, ZIP or country
Weather in Italy
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Weather in Cerklje, SI (Weather Station)
Precipitation: -
Avg. wind speed: 7.3 km/h
Relative humidity: 42 %
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Sorry, the desired date can not be displayed.
Time of day (CEST)
sunny or a few clouds
cloudy with clear intervals
slight rain or slight rain showers with partly clear sky
cloudy with sunny intervals
Temperature 28 °C 24 °C 19 °C 17 °C 16 °C 18 °C 22 °C
Precipitation 0 l/m² 0.2 l/m² 0.3 l/m²
Wind gusts 20.3 km/h 15.5 km/h 11 km/h 8.8 km/h 10.4 km/h 12.2 km/h 15.3 km/h
Avg. wind speed 7.5 km/h 5.3 km/h 3.7 km/h 2.2 km/h 3.5 km/h 4.9 km/h 4.9 km/h
Relative humidity 48 % 68 % 84 % 90 % 94 % 90 % 73 %
Feels like 32 °C 24 °C 19 °C 17 °C 16 °C 18 °C 22 °C
Dewpoint 16 °C 18 °C 17 °C 15 °C 15 °C 16 °C 17 °C
Fresh snow 0 cm 0 cm 0 cm
Temperature 17 °C 16 °C 18 °C 22 °C 25 °C 24 °C 22 °C 18 °C
Precipitation 0.2 l/m² 0.3 l/m² 0 l/m² 0 l/m²
Wind gusts 8.8 km/h 10.4 km/h 12.2 km/h 15.3 km/h 16.6 km/h 17.2 km/h 12.4 km/h 8.6 km/h
Avg. wind speed 2.2 km/h 3.5 km/h 4.9 km/h 4.9 km/h 6 km/h 6 km/h 4.4 km/h 2.4 km/h
Relative humidity 90 % 94 % 90 % 73 % 61 % 63 % 77 % 93 %
Feels like 17 °C 16 °C 18 °C 22 °C 25 °C 24 °C 22 °C 18 °C
Dewpoint 15 °C 15 °C 16 °C 17 °C 17 °C 17 °C 18 °C 17 °C
Fresh snow 0 cm 0 cm 0 cm 0 cm
Precipitation 0 l/m² 0 l/m² 0 l/m² 0 l/m²
Wind gusts 7.3 km/h 7.8 km/h 12.2 km/h 14.8 km/h 18.8 km/h 18.3 km/h 14.2 km/h 7.8 km/h
Avg. wind speed 2.2 km/h 1.8 km/h 4.2 km/h 4.7 km/h 7.1 km/h 6.8 km/h 4.2 km/h 2.4 km/h
Wind gusts 6.9 km/h 7.7 km/h 11.7 km/h 16.1 km/h 23.2 km/h 23.5 km/h 17.2 km/h 11.9 km/h
Avg. wind speed 2 km/h 1.8 km/h 4.2 km/h 5.7 km/h 9.5 km/h 9.7 km/h 6.6 km/h 3.8 km/h
clear sky or a few clouds
Wind gusts 13.1 km/h 11.3 km/h 16.4 km/h 22.8 km/h 27 km/h 25 km/h 19.7 km/h 12.2 km/h
Avg. wind speed 3.7 km/h 4.2 km/h 6 km/h 7.8 km/h 10.2 km/h 9.1 km/h 7.7 km/h 3.7 km/h
Temperature 18 / 32 °C 16 / 32 °C 15 / 32 °C
Precipitation 0 l/m² 0 l/m² 0 l/m²
Data provided by weather station Cerklje, 155m
Further stations nearby:
+27 km - Lisca
+29 km - Novo Mesto
+34 km - Puntijarka
+37 km - Krapina
Weather in Cerklje, 17.07.2019
On Wednesday it will be fair for a while. In the late evening mostly cloudy weather will prevail. Morning temperatures will be around 12 °C. During the day they will reach a maximum of 29 °C. Low temperatures at night will be around 15°C. We have weak westerly winds.
In the early morning it will be still variable with scattered rain showers. After late morning mostly cloudy weather will dominate. Morning temperatures will be around 15 °C. During the day they will reach a maximum of 26 °C. Low temperatures at night will be around 16°C. We have weak easterly winds.
The detailed forecast for the next 5 days at a glance
15-Day Outlook
Colder or warmer, wetter or more windy? Discover the trend for the next 2 weeks
+ Temperatures (°C)
Temperature Dewpoint Maximum temperature Minimum temperature
+ Precipitation (l/m²)
Amount of precipitation
+ Sunshine duration (min)
+ Wind (km/h)
Wind gusts Average wind speed
+ Wind Direction
+ Humidity (%)
The Ensemble-diagram shows the temperature trend for the next two weeks. The black line indicates the most likely temperature sequence, whereas the blue and red lines represent the coldest and the warmest trend, respectively. The general rule is that the wider the distribution of the diagram (grey area), the lower the reliability of the forecast. Due to the fact that the model output temperatures used in this diagram do not exactly represent geographic location and height, temperature differences in comparison to the detailed forecast may occur. Thus, the 15-day outlook allows only a qualitative estimate of temperature development and forecast uncertainty.
The Ensemble-diagram shows the wind trend for the next two weeks. The black line indicates the most likely wind sequence, whereas the blue and yellow lines represent extreme values. The general rule is that the wider the distribution of the diagram (grey area), the lower the reliability of the forecast.
The Ensemble-diagram shows the precipitation trend for the next two weeks. The black line indicates the most likely precipitation sequence, whereas the green and brown lines represent the wettest and the driest trend, respectively. The general rule is that the wider the distribution of the diagram (grey area), the lower the reliability of the forecast.
© 2019 MeteoGroup
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Apr 18, 2008 Comments Off on “Rusty Nail”: O’Rawe & the Derry Journal
“Rusty Nail”: O’Rawe & the Derry Journal
O’Rawe and the Derry Journal
FAO Those following the hunger strike controversy: As noted yesterday, the Derry Journal had carried a rather confused piece quoting Richard O’Rawe’s cellmate, Colm Scullion, in the wake of the claims by Eamon McCann. Today, they refer to complaints made by O’Rawe and carry an instant rebuttal from Greg Harkin.
The heart of the matter comes down to semantics over the words “deal” and “offer”, as Harkin writes, “Mr O’Rawe’s entire argument rests on what constituted a ‘deal’ or ‘offer’”.
Apr 18, 2008 Comments Off on Derry Journal: O’Rawe and Greg Harkin
Derry Journal: O’Rawe and Greg Harkin
1981 hunger strike – an offer, a deal or what?
Richard O’Rawe has made a number of complaints regarding the assertion by Colm Scullion in the Journal two weeks ago that no deal was made with the hunger strikers before Joe McDonnell died in July 1981.
Among other things Mr O’Rawe states the Journal should know “that Bik McFarlane, who was OC of IRA prisoners during the hunger strike, has always denied that any offer of any sort was ever made by the British at any point (see UTV Live, 1 March 2005,
in reply to question from reporter Fearghal McKinney).”
Apr 17, 2008 Comments Off on “Rusty Nail” – Hunger Strike Controversy Has Not Gone Away, You Know
“Rusty Nail” – Hunger Strike Controversy Has Not Gone Away, You Know
Hunger Strike Controversy Has Not Gone Away, You Know
Eamon McCann’s Belfast Telegraph article and Radio Free Eireann interview about Richard O’Rawe’s account of the prisoner acceptance of a deal which would have saved the lives of six hunger strikers has created more questions than answers. McCann’s pieces were firm in his conviction that “Richard O’Rawe is telling the truth”, based on confirmations he had from the “Mountain Climber”, former prisoners on the same wing and Richard’s cellmate. Richard’s cellmate, Colm Scullion, was then quoted by the Derry Journal – in a confused piece, which, for example, referred to the Derry based INLA hunger strikers as being IRA, and also ran without a by-line – saying there was no deal but agreeing there was an offer. This was followed by a letter from Scullion to the Irish News, which Richard O’Rawe has answered today.
Apr 8, 2008 Comments Off on Derry Journal: ‘There was no offer to end hunger strike’– ex-prisoner
Derry Journal: ‘There was no offer to end hunger strike’– ex-prisoner
‘There was no offer to end hunger strike’– ex-prisoner
A CLAIM that the lives of six IRA Hunger Strikers including Derry men Michael Devine and Dungiven’s Kevin Lynch could have been saved by a British deal has finally been dispelled.
A former blanket man from County Derry has hit out at claims in Belfast newspapers in recent weeks claiming that he was witness to a deal six weeks after the death of another Derry hunger striker Patsy O’Hara.
Mar 28, 2008 Comments Off on “Rusty Nail”: O’Rawe’s account confirmed: Hunger Strikers Allowed To Die
“Rusty Nail”: O’Rawe’s account confirmed: Hunger Strikers Allowed To Die
O’Rawe’s account confirmed: Hunger Strikers Allowed To Die
Eamon McCann verifies Richard O’Rawe’s account of the 1981 hunger strike in which he alleges that six of the hunger strikers need not have died as the prisoners had agreed to accept an offer from the Mountainclimber, only to be over-ruled by Gerry Adams.
Evidence which has now become available helps clarify a dispute sparked three years ago by the assertion of former IRA prisoner Richard O’Rawe that terms for ending the strike, accepted by the prisoners’ leadership in the Maze/Long Kesh, were rejected by IRA commanders outside. The implication is that the lives of six of the hunger strikers might have been saved if the prisoners hadn’t been overruled.
Eamon McCann – “Richard isn’t a liar. He told the truth in his book.” (2008)
Will IRA ever admit truth over hunger strike?
Eamon McCann, Belfast Telegraph,
New light has been shed on reported republican reaction to a British offer which might have ended the 1981 hunger strike after four deaths. Ten men were to die before the strike ended.
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Bob CHILCOTT (b. 1955)
In Winter’s Arms
Wenceslas [26:11]
Jesus, Springing [4:46]
My Perfect Stranger [14:58]
The Nine Gifts [4:16]
Gloria [15:44]
Choralis/Gretchen Kuhrmann
Cantus Primo Youth Choir
The Classical Brass Quintet
rec. 2017, Church of the Epiphany, Washington DC
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD512 [65:55]
This isn’t just a collection of Christmas music and, in fact, it contains a Gloria that can fit at any time of the year. Instead it’s a celebration of Bob Chilcott’s work with Choralis, an American choir of whom he writes very warmly in the booklet note, and with whom he has had a very close working relationship as their associate composer.
The Christmas cantata Wenceslas was written for the 150th anniversary of John Lewis on Oxford Street. Chilcott approaches the idea of retelling the Wenceslas legend with his trademark melodic approachability and harmonically appealing textures. The opening flourish for the small ensemble and organ mirrors the austerity of the storm, which the chorus then mollify with their talk of staying indoors in the heat, the twinkling harp suggesting the glinting of the snow outside. There is a slight element of threat in depicting the pauper lying in the poverty of his hut in the snow, but otherwise the tone is warm and inviting, and united by the fact that, in each section, Chilcott finds a way to incorporate a verse of the hymn tune, culminating in the last part where the final verse is sung by the congregation. Baritone soloist James Shaffran makes for a young sounding King Wenceslas, but that's no bad thing, and it’s a neat idea to have him contrasting the voice of the page which is taken by the choral sopranos.
Three of the works on the disc flow from texts written by the author Kevin Crossley-Holland. Jesus Springing is a carol I’d hear before, and I find it very affecting. It showcases Chilcott’s gift for a memorable tune and an appealing wash of harmonies, and I found myself succumbing to it all over again in this big, bloomy acoustic. My Perfect Stranger tells the story of the Nativity in a highly condensed manner, and the outer movements contain wiry harmonic textures that are quite unusual for Chilcott. It’s still very appealing, though, and I enjoyed the dramatic pace of the middle movements when all the characters appear and sing a few lines each. The Nine Gifts is pleasingly upbeat.
The Classical Brass Quintet join in for Chilcott’s Gloria whose gleaming tone and jazzy textures made me smile throughout, even in the more contemplative Domine Deus section, and the prayerful last movement has all the appealing warmth of Chilcott at his most appealing.
Chilcott's music undeniably sounds great when sung by a small scale professional chamber choir (such as here) but there’s something equally appealing in the inclusive joy of a performance by a larger group of amateurs. This disc is a tribute to them, as much as to the composer of the music they sing.
Previous review: John Quinn
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New Developments in Mount Pleasant
(February 27, 2012 )
A proposed highrise development at Kingsway and Broadway is being both praised as a model of sustainable urbanism, and denounced as a way-too-tall monolith that will escalate gentrification in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant.
Being built by Rize Alliance Properties, the planned 19 storey condo development is one of three sites identified for taller buildings in the new Mount Pleasant Community Plan.
The Rize project, which will include 241 market condos and a two-storey commercial base, goes to a public hearing tonight at city council. The proposal consists of four distinct buildings of five, five, nine and 19 storeys.
City staff have recommended approval of a rezoning application for the Rize project. But council is expected to get an earful from speakers warning that the development will be a visual blight on the landscape and a threat to what they say is the Main Street area’s low-scale, edgy, bohemian retail culture.
What side to you come down on? See the full story at www.vancouversun.com
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Classic Nada: Lawyers, Guns and Money – Daniel Faulkner
Posted by Nada Overlord August 11th, 2003 No Comments »
By Gabe Baker, Sr. Editor
If you’re like me, and I know you are, the name Daniel Faulkner does not ring a bell. (No, he’s not William’s second-cousin.) Our ignorance in this matter is unfortunate, as Daniel Faulkner is a key figure in the most heated political issue of the day. Here’s a hint:
December 9, 1981; 3:55 A.M. Twenty-five year old Philadelphia cop Daniel Faulkner pulls over a light blue Volkswagen for driving the wrong way down a one-way street.
December 9, 1981; 4:52 A.M. Twenty-five year old Philadelphia cop Daniel Faulkner is pronounced dead, the victim of several gunshot wounds. Forensics reveal that Daniel Faulkner was shot once in the back from a range of less than 5 feet and once in the face from a range of less than 12 inches.
Are you getting warm yet? No? Survey says: Daniel Faulkner is the man who Mumia Abu-Jamal is accused of murdering. Of course you know all about Mumia. Everybody knows about Mumia. Everybody loves Mumia. His name just rolls off the tongue: Mumia. Mumia is so popular he is in the only-one-name-necessary category along with Madonna, Michael, and Manson.
Everybody loves Mumia because he is the victim of the racist American justice system, sentenced to death after a highly unfair trial. Jesse Jackson loves Mumia, comparing him to Nelson Mandela, (who as far as I know has never shot an already injured man in the face at point blank range). Oliver Stone loves Mumia, signing a full-page ad in the New York Times that claimed Mumia received the death sentence for his radical political beliefs, (Oliver also signed another petition, thankfully unpublished, that linked Mumia’s framing to the same military-industrial shadow government that killed JFK and implanted the remote control transponder in Oliver’s left testicle).
The students of Olympia, Washington’s Evergreen State College really really really love Mumia. They love Mumia so much that, in their infinite wisdom, they have selected Mumia as their 1999 graduation speaker. Unfortunately, death row inmates have severe restrictions placed upon their travel, so Mumia will appear via audiotape.
Now I’m no big-shot lawyer — wait a minute, yes I am — let me rephrase that, your honor — Now I’m no competent lawyer, so I can’t presume to make a definitive judgment on the legal merits of Mumia’s case. However, all evidence points to the fact that Mumia received a highly unfair trial, procedurally speaking. The Philadelphia judicial system, from beat cops to judges, has always been full of racist bastards who deserve to be shot. On the other hand, the actual physical and testimonial evidence makes it clear that Mumia did in fact shoot Daniel Faulkner in the back and then empty his pistol into Daniel Faulkner’s head as Daniel Faulkner lay on the ground bleeding.
Racism in the United State legal system is a pervasive, horrifying problem. Working to fix this travesty is admirable goal. But JIMINY-CHRISTMAS, JUMPIN’-JEHOSEPHAT, MOTHER OF SHIT — are you stupid fucking actors, hippies, lefties, jackasses so fucking ignorant that you don’t fucking realize that your fucking protests would be so much more effective if you were supporting an INNOCENT man instead of a motherfucking MURDERER?
Ummm — sorry. What I was trying to express was this: There are plenty of innocent people, black and white, sitting on death row in America. For tactical purposes, it may be more expedient to throw your money and time behind these victimized parties then behind a man who has never once denied murdering Daniel Faulkner.
In any event the following is a handy reference list, suitable for framing, of Reasons To Not Have A Murderer As Your State College Commencement Speaker:
It is a slap in the face to the murderer’s victims family. Are your politics really important enough to celebrate the murder of Maureen Faulkner’s husband?
It denies you the opportunity to hear an inspiring message from Governor Gary Locke. Wait, maybe that goes on the other list.
It is offensive to the vast majority of friends and family of the graduates, who are gathering to celebrate a great personal achievement. College graduation happens once, and you have successfully ruined it for most of your classmates. Congratulations.
It will force your humble author to spend his upcoming New Jersey vacation unsuccessfully defending against the following argument from his in-laws: "The Northwest contains nothing but horrible people doing horrible things".
An Infoseek search for "Daniel Faulkner" returned 297 sites, many of which related to William Faulkner. An Infoseek search for "Mumia Abu-Jamal" returned 5,480 sites. As someone once said, "Horrible".
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Super Black Market Escapes the Midwest
Posted by Nada Staff July 13th, 2007 No Comments »
Super Black Market
Will Sell Anything
Minnow Records
By Kris Kegley
On my first Midwest tour earlier this year, I had the opportunity to check out some of the diverse sounds boiling out from the center of the continent. One act that particularly stood out was Super Black Market, the latest band to break out of the budding Kansas City indie scene.
The band formed in 2004 when Sonny (vocals, bass) and Joseph Remlinger (drums) teamed up with guitarists Trent White and Brian Bluml to form a punk outfit with strong DIY influences a la At The Drive-In, Hot Water Music, and (as their name implies) the legendary Clash.
Having such glorious influences only pays off if you can deliver the goods, though, and Super Black Market do, both live and on their debut album.
Will Sell Anything combines rhythm-heavy, punchy punk rock with razor sharp lyrics, leaving listeners bruised and educated. And although it’s a debut, it is not the work of rookies; Joseph and Trent logged countless hours in their previous band, BYO Recording artist Kosher, and Sonny honed the sound and songwriting that drives Super Black Market in the heavy-hitting quintet Dynamo.
Super Black Market’s energetic live show takes this combination of good songwriting and punk attitude a step further, giving the audience that exclusive “insider” feeling. Seeing them live feels like it must have felt like to be one of the select few who got to catch Black Flag play in a basement.
In their short time being together, Super Black Market has caused a massive stir in their native Midwest. As you read this, plans are already in the works for their West Coast debut. Don’t miss it.
Dubbed “The Lone Ranger Of Rock,” Kris Kegley, aka KEG, is the first rock ‘n roll artist to sing and play all instruments ENTIRELY by himself live. See www.kegrocks.com for more.
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Jax Taylor 'cannot wait' to be a dad
By Celebretainment
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TownNews.com Content Exchange
Jax Taylor "cannot wait" to be a dad.
The 38-year-old 'Vanderpump Rules' star tied the knot with wife Brittany Cartwright, 30, on June 29 and the couple are now keen to start a family.
Speaking to PEOPLE magazine, Brittany shared: "We cannot wait to start a family.
"I cannot wait to be a mom, and Jax cannot wait to be a dad.
"He talks about it all the time. I think he's getting more excited than I am even, which I never thought would be possible."
Jax also revealed his desire to become a football coach and a "soccer dad".
He said: "I want to be the coach.
"I want to be in the PTA. I want to be a soccer dad, a gymnastics dad, whatever it is.
"I just want to be part of it all.
"I'm working hard right now to build up a good future."
Jax previously had a fling with Lindsay Lohan and later admitted he didn't think it was "worth" sleeping with the actress.
The pair hooked up when the 'Freaky Friday' star was romantically linked to DJ Samantha Ronson, but Jax claimed it was just a "drunken night" and didn't "mean anything".
He said: "It was at a nightclub, just ended up back at her spot and it was what it was.
"It was so long ago, and it was one of these things that it was just a drunken night, and it didn't mean anything. It wasn't worth my time."
The reality TV star first admitted to sleeping with Lindsay on 'Watch What Happens Live' back in 2015, but their relationship resurfaced when they were at the same Daily Mail holiday party.
Recalling the event, Jax said: "Her table was right next to mine, and I did not recognise her at all.
"I really didn't recognise her, I mean, she looks great - just a lot different. I don't think Brittany would've liked that."
This article originally ran on celebretainment.com.
Jax Taylor
Broadcasting Events
Brittany Cartwright
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Casper Locs
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AA in Audio Production
AA in Performance
AA in Music
TAOW
Judith Quán is a singer/songwriter from Corona, CA. With over a dozen album credits to her name, Judith has become one of the biggest legacies in Norco Music history. Judith began her musical career at Norco singing backup for her sister, Jessica Arango, but was soon called into the spotlight to showcase a grand talent and name of her own. Judith possesses a beautifully delicate voice and is a master of several instruments including piano, guitar, and bass. While continuously working towards releasing an EP of her own, Judith is also continuing her musical endeavors at Cal State Fullerton where she is pursuing a degree in music education.
What kind of music do you write?
Hmmm… the music that I write tends to be in the pop genre or acoustic genre. It’s really hard to define and put [into] a specific genre.
Tell us about yourself as an artist.
As an artist, I feel like it’s really cool because you don’t have to be confined by the rules of what everybody else does. I feel like, as an artist, the biggest person that puts a limit on myself or the biggest person that puts a rule on myself is me and—trying to reach my own goals and trying to push forward in what I want to do—there’s no specific deadline that you have except for whatever you put, and so, for me, that’s what I feel is really important. And also what’s really cool for music [is that] it’s something that you can express who you are and what you feel in ways that words sometimes can’t really say, or even actions can’t really speak, but music can kind of express that for you, and each song that you write or listen to has a story behind it. Each song has meaning behind it—special meaning to the artist.
Tell us about your time at Norco Music.
Oh gosh, it’s been fun! I was at Norco for five years—a long time—and I slowly got myself into the music program. I took at least one music class every semester, and my first music class was Studio Arts Ensemble. It [was] fun because as I got more and more into the music program I got to find out what I really love, and that’s when I was figuring out [that] music is what I [wanted] to do through being at Norco College. All of the music [instructors] are great, and it’s been really cool! I also like growing with the program because I know that the program started out pretty small and it’s continually developing and it’s been fun being a part of that, too, because it’s a different kind of learning experience.
Do you have a favorite memory or experience from being in Norco Music?
There’s a lot! There are so many… I don’t know how many semesters I took MUC. I think I’ve taken at least five semesters of MUC and each one of them had a good memory. Every time [I was] in the studio was just awesome; every time you record, it’s just a really fun time. Even the concerts are always fun. Going up there [is] nerve-wracking, but at the same time it just blows your mind away; it’s just fun to be up there and do what you love doing. Time on The Knoll is always fun, too… the break times. I don’t know, there’s just so much [and] it’s hard to pin it down to one… OOH! One really good one is when Stevie Wonder came to Norco and we got to take a picture with him and the choir. That was really fun!
What are you doing now as far as anything school related, music related, any other hobbies?
I’m at Cal State Fullerton now. I’m studying music education, so I’m still continuing forth. I’ve kind of—I’m going more towards the music education side of it instead of the commercial music side of it, but I’m still kind of keeping commercial music in the loop. I’m still writing songs every now and then and I’m taking a lot of music classes right now. It’s different definitely because it’s very much focused on theory and piano and choir music. As far as hobbies… I really like spending time with my family. I’m a very family [oriented] person, and I’m really close to all of my sisters and my brothers, so I like hanging out with them a lot.
Well, I have one blood sister, but then I have three half-blood sisters and two half-blood brothers. So altogether we’re seven [of us].
Do you have any goals that you’ve set for yourself, either short-term or long-term?
Yeah! Short term (hopefully) I’m hoping to get an EP out soon because it’s something that I’ve been wanting to do and I’ve been pushing it aside and haven’t gotten around to it, but it’s something that I really really want to do, that I want to accomplish. As far as long term, I do want to get my degree in music education and I want to be able to teach music theory. I’m kind of going along the path of music education and choral conducting, but hopefully that’ll get me in the area of teaching music theory because that’s what I really really want to do.
Judith Quán
Compass Heart
Hurricanes of Jupiter written by Judith Quán and Ricardo Santiago • Judith Quán (vocals) Ricardo Santiago (acoustic guitar) Stephen Taylor (cajón)
Oh, Sweet Love written Jessica Lim • Jessica Lim (vocals/acoustic guitar) Judith Quán (backing vocals) Kim Kamerin (piano)
Drive written by Jourdan Montano and Judith Quán • Jourdan Montano (vocals) Ricardo Santiago (guitar/bass) Judith Quán (piano) Stephen Taylor (drums)
Gamble Away written by Ricardo Santiago and Jourdan Montano • Jourdan Montano (vocals) Judith Quán (backing vocals/piano) Ricardo Santiago (guitar/bass) Stephen Taylor (drums)
No Love Song written by Judith Quán and Jon Esqueda • Judith Quán (vocals/backing vocals) Ricardo Santiago (guitar) Mona Lee (cello) Jon Esqueda (shaker)
Snake Charmer written by Kyle Lynch • Kyle Lynch (vocals) Kyi Martin (backing vocals) Jessica Lim (backing vocals) Judith Quán (backing vocals/piano) Alexander Gastelum (guitar) Ana Rauda (congas) Steen Kevett (bass) Sterling Fairfield (drums)
New Religion written by Jourdan Montano, Brady Kerr, and Judith Quán • Jourdan Montano (vocals) Ricardo Santiago (guitar/bass) Judith Quán (piano) Stephen Taylor (drums)
My Love, My California written by Ricardo Santiago andJudith Quán • Judith Quán (vocals/backing vocals) Urias (vocals) Ricardo Santiago (guitar) Stephen Taylor (drums)
Seeker written by Jeremy Reed, Judith Quán, and Jon Esqueda • Jeremy Reed (vocals/guitar) Judith Quán (vocals/piano) Jon Esqueda (vocals/mandolin) Mona Lee (cello)
Silver Lining written by Judith Quán • Judith Quán (vocals/piano)
Roll With Me written by Smoothbeatsonly.com, BigMan, and Judith Quán • BigMan (vocals) Judith Quán (vocals/backing vocals) Smoothbeatsonly.com (beat)
You written by Phillip Riddick • Tanner Riggs (vocals) Judith Quán (backing vocals) Phillip Riddick (synths/programming)
Our Love written by August Eichman, Mona Lee, DJ Humanoid, and Jon Esqueda • Judith Quán (vocals/backing vocals) Jon Esqueda (vocals/backing vocals/guitar) August Eichman (piano) Mona Lee (cello) DJ Humanoid (programming) Ricardo Santiago (shaker)
Nothing written by Brady Kerr, Sterling Fairfield, Steen Kevett, and BigMan • BigMan (vocals) Judith Quán (vocals/backing vocals) Brady Kerr (piano) Steen Kevett (bass) Sterling Fairfield (drums)
Release written by Jessica Lim • Jessica Lim (vocals/guitar) Judith Quán (backing vocals) Kim Kamerin (piano) Steen Kevett (bass) Sterling Fairfield (drums) Brady Kerr (programming)
Cosmic Love written by Phillip Riddick and A Jasper • Bree (vocals) BigMan (vocals) Jessica Lim (backing vocals) KL (backing vocals) Judith Quán (backing vocals) Phillip Riddick (synths/programming)
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Reviewed in January 2012 / Click Here to Comment
Written on the occasion of Geena Davis's 56th birthday.
Director: Renny Harlin. Cast: Geena Davis, Samuel L. Jackson, Craig Bierko, Yvonne Zima, Tom Amandes, Brian Cox, Joseph McKenna, David Morse, Melina Kanakaredes, G.D. Spradlin, Patrick Malahide, Alan North, Dan Warry-Smith, Sharon Washington, Edwin Hodge. Screenplay: Shane Black.
Twitter Capsule: Bold idea strains with jokey tone. Real assassin is Harlin's helpless direction. Also, who killed Geena?
Photo © 1996 New Line Cinema
The Long Kiss Goodnight runs on two ambitions. One is to deliver unto the multiplex our first female, sharp-shooting, bomb-building, ice-skating, death-dealing, school-teaching ninja assassin. Probably you could strike any one of those adjectives and "first" would still hold; if you take out "female," you've still got "ice-skating" and "school-teaching" hanging around as kickers. The other ambition is to make us gigglenot outright laugh, but giggle. The second goal should feel undermining of the first, like a kind of backdoor sexism. Amid the current release of Haywire, coming shortly after Colombiana, etc., etc., we'd like to think that a gun-toting female action-hero shouldn't require the bet-hedging release valve of nudging us to chuckle at her. Happily, this blending of tones isn't really a problem for The Long Kiss Goodnight, and the film's combined pedigrees suggest it could never have taken any other shape. Shane Black, who famously pulled down $3 million for this script, has never written anything without a certain veneer of wit, however dry or soggy. Renny Harlin made a movie about brainiac, semi-mechanized sharks who get fed up, so they start eating everybody. You don't make Deep Blue Sea if you're Bruno Dumont, or even John McTiernan. And then, of course, there's the film's unlikely Valkyrie, Geena Davis, who cracks plenty of goofy smiles in most of her movies, even finding some honest laughs in The Fly. So a breakthrough in gender- and genre-casting, played with bullets flying in a field of flowering camp? From this crowd, that's no insult, and no surprise.
The surprise and also the disappointment of The Long Kiss Goodnight is much simpler, and less politically inflected: it's badly made, or too close to badly made. Harlin has described this repeatedly as his favorite among his own movies, leaving aside the ones that shoulda been contenders for that honor (Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger) and those that absolutely shouldn't (Driven, Cutthroat Island, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane). Still, he seems helpless at negotiating a frame or at balancing the film's tones, which wind up feeling misguided instead of ambitious. The Long Kiss Goodnight is shot in 2.35:1, meaning that the image is more than twice as wide as it is tall, but look how often Harlin shoots in close-up. They aren't even the right close-ups. To explain why not, here is the most basic distillation of an ornate scenario. Davis plays Samantha Caine, a New Jersey schoolteacher who can't remember anything further back than eight years in the past, but who suddenly starts remembering that she was previously a CIA-trained killer, an expert with knives and ballistics and hand-to-hand combat. Her old enemies, both within the Agency and outside it, get a bead on Samantha's whereabouts at virtually the same moment she does. Soon, she's deflecting attacks on all sides, trying to finish (and remember) old missions and eliminate old antagonists, who are easy to confuse with old friends. She's also trying to figure out if she has any time to protect the vanilla husband and step-daughter she acquired in her "new" life in Jersey, or whether she's too pressed by other dutiesor, frankly, whether she's not that interested. Amidst all that, she gets thrown together with comically low-rent private eye Mitch Henessey (Samuel L. Jackson), to whom she may or may not be attracted, as Samantha or as Charly Baltimore, her CIA alter ego. Maybe she just feels like she's got too tough a road ahead of her to go without an extra pair of hands.
All of this is in the script, but not enough of it shows up in the performances, and that's partly because Harlin can't figure out what to put in the frame. When Sam/Charly (two masculine names for the price of one!) finds herself thrown together with Mitch, Harlin undermines any sense of discomfort or claustrophobia or even unexpected arousal by holding to so many enormous wide shots of the two driving in a car. When Davis, still in the long, woolly locks of the full-skirted schoolteacher, stares into a motel mirror and tries to figure out who she sees there, Harlin stays so far away that the subtleties of her gaze are lost on us, and the other 75% of the frame gives us nothing: fake wood paneling? the back of Davis's head? Then again, you get all the uninformative close-ups you might want of Davis and Jackson reacting to imminent threats, huddled enemies, and perplexing action scenarios that we might actually want to survey from a distance, to amplify tension and to facilitate our grasp of the shoot-out sequences that inevitably follow. Harlin gets even more lost among his gremlin's dozen of villains. Even the flamboyant ones, like Craig Bierko's scenery-gnoshing Timothy, don't attain a whole lot of personality, and forget the interchangeable, poker-faced suits, who include the President of the United States. The screenplay isn't particularly confusing, but Harlin makes it so, because he doesn't pull characters out of the background or the action when they need pulling out, and he doesn't make the film feel like it's moving forward in any way but lurching from sequence to sequence. Nor does he lay the groundwork for jokes, crises, libidinal advances, or high-stakes decisions that finally arrive with too little explanation, and too little vitality in the moment. And what on earth happened to the soundtrack on this film, which often looks badly looped and in one sequence even runs noticeably behind the image?
None of this means that The Long Kiss Goodnight isn't diverting, but that's all it is. At its most successful, the movie is even diverting from itself, by which I mean that the jokes that work best are those that are instantaneous and not particularly character-defined, or those that benefit from feeling a little rag-tag, popping in and out of the movie at unexpected moments. In the first category is the pure, kitschy delight of watching a one-eyed villain in a high-security jail bellowing like Grendel's Mother as he spots Samantha on TV, waving at suburban Jerseyites from a small-town Christmas float. Or Brian Cox's introductory speech about a dog licking its own anus too eagerly, which would serve as a brilliant self-parody of Brian Cox if he had really attained a recognized persona for the average moviegoer by 1996. These are classic, puerile, adrenalin-junky Harlin gags, exactly what you'd expect if you gestated the sense of humor of a mid-80s Schwarzenegger shoot-em-'up for nine months in a tub of cheerfully swilled and aggressively product-placed Finlandia Vodka. Tossing a 7-year-old through a newly blasted hole in the wall of your tin-sided split-levelby way of protecting her from certain deathis a similarly great Harlin one-off.
The verbal humor in lines like "Chefs do that" and "Come help me in the kitchen, and hurry, 'cause I forget where it is" are surely Shane Black's contributions, but they work because of Harlin's cock-eyed enthusiasm for the ridiculous, safeguarded from his larger problems of disorganization. He sustains a funny motif involving Christmas music and holiday kitsch, starting from a witty series of amnesia-themed and assassin-themed double-entendres at an early holiday party, and continuing through an early automobile crash that ends in a funny-creepy mercy-killing of a reindeer. We're no longer in the movie presaged by the incongruously elegant title sequence, with its palimpsest of signatures on negative-exposure film, and Alan Silvestri's score sounding more like Jerry Goldsmith than it ever will again. We're clearly in semi-spoof territory now, which more or less persisted as my favorite among The Long Kiss Goodnight's multiple, knotted strands. This vein of the film climaxes with a truly crazy, Last Circus-style spectacle in which Davis uses her split-second ingenuity to jerry-rig a pulley system of Christmas tree lights on a burning bridge, then hoists herself about a hundred yards in the air with her automatic rifle in hand, and hollers like a banshee while she takes a guy out, right from the open belly of a helicopter. The Gerber Baby-ish billboard in the background of this action freakout is a great touch.
Jackson, who has remained a regular player for Harlin, certainly thrives in the context of so much empty tomfoolery, because his unique brand of firecracker humor has never required a tight structure. The movie already thinks it's funny that a black man has been cast as a guy called Mitch Henessey. Jackson makes the joke even funnier by turning out in a green angora leprechaun beret and a Sleestak-colored turtleneck; his trademark Path Of The Righteous Man glare both invites and dares you to laugh at him, muthaf***a. When he's around, the movie's vacillations between cartoonishness and flat-footedness don't feel like they matter, partly because he seems to enjoy them quite a bit. Davis seems ready to go further with Jackson down this path; she's also eager, Astaire and Rogers-style, to give him sex in exchange for him giving the movie so much comic juice. I wish Harlin was more ready to help these two along. Instead, too much of the bad-ass stuff Davis does sidelines Jackson completely and, much worse, winds up looking silly or stupid instead of sexy or funny. (Ice-skating in slo-mo, rifle in hand, to beat the terrorists?). The screenplay morsels out to Davis some distaff, would-be catch-phrases of the "I'll be back" variety, nearly all of which are lame dick jokes of one kind or another, but too few of them seem inspired by Davis's own, unique brand of kooky intelligence. Her personality, as distinctive as it is, and quite regardless of her being married to the director, seems to barely inform either half of her dual characterization.
Davis takes so many risks in choosing and cultivating this role, so it's all the more disappointing that both Sam and Charly stay so vague, and that the surrounding film doesn't serve them nearly enough. The task, I think, ought to have been to nail down Samantha/Charly, giving her (or them?) plenty of color, and then to grow the movie from there, as Thurman and Tarantino seemed to do on Kill Bill. At the very least you'd allow for the kind of "mediocre movie, great character" responses from which viable franchises sometimes spring. Charly, however, doesn't feel like a great character trapped in an undeserving film, and neither does Samantha. I actually have trouble extrapolating either one of them to a better movie in my mind, because I still know so little about them, and all the most interesting stuff gets clouded or rescindedlike how surprisingly eager Charly is to shake off that suburban ball-and-chain, including her daughter, and resume a life that's more personally gratifying, premised on maintaining zero domestic ties. The movie seems guilty of its own kind of amnesia, repeatedly forgetting these kinds of character notes. The same fate befalls the glimmers of erotic spark between Samantha and Henessey (who openly prefers the schoolteacher to the warrior), all in the service of mid-grade shoot-outs, awkward torture scenes, misty profile shots of Davis in the nude, and melodramatic confessions to cackling, myopic baddies.
Charly may not care about little girls in the suburbs, but Davis famously does, and The Long Kiss Goodnight seemed to originate from that very conviction. Few actresses have thought so much about young female viewers and how they might want to picture themselves. Or, at least, few actresses have done more to put their smarts and their privileged access in the service of studying gender roles on screen and trying to nourish better alternatives within the Hollywood apparatus. She's really put her money and her time where her comic, deliciously bow-shaped mouth is. Best of all, in a way, is that this appealing and dedicated drum-beater for rangier female archetypes maintains such an expansive, unpriggish sense of all the things a girl might want to be, in life or in fantasy. She seems less interested in noble or "strong" role models than she is in adventure, ambition, and imaginative possibility. Davis has played a soap actress (in her underwear, admittedly), a dead person, an undead person, an alien's girlfriend, an insect's girlfriend, a dog's best friend, a mouse's mom (twice), a baseball player, a bank robber, a speechwriter, a news reporter, a pirate, an unwitting but increasingly eager outlaw, and here, an unwitting but increasingly eager assassin. That's quite a catalog, and it leaves out the money and the mojo she put up to get a lot of those movies made, plus the even rangier parts (like Loretta in Moonstruck, Lily Dillon in The Grifters, the lawyer in The Accused, the bus driver in Speed, Alex Forrest in Fatal Attraction, and Catherine Trammell in Basic Instinct) that she purportedly turned down along the way.
Do moviegoers in 2012 even remember what a box-office sensation Davis was for a short, happy time, even if she was never the absolute easiest actress to cast, and the vehicles sometimes turned out as hamstrung as The Long Kiss Goodnightan exciting idea on paper, a succulently eccentric proposition with her name above the title, but an addled experience in the execution? The Long Kiss Goodnight happened 16 years ago, emerging as neither a hit nor a bomb, and people who like it have really cleaved to it. But in the timeline of Davis's career, that's a mere four films in the past. By the looks of things, the three interceding (Stuart Little, Stuart Little 2, Accidents Happen), while taking advantage of her remarkable geniality, require by far the least of her of any role she had since she was twelfth-billed and just getting started. Even her TV show, where she played a more convincing U.S. president than G.D. Spradlin does here, and despite the priceless speech she gave when she won her Golden Globe for it, seemed to evaporate over night despite decent ratings and strong-enough critical support.
My brain wandered as soon as The Long Kiss Goodnight was over, because as lightly engaging as the movie is, it doesn't leave your brain with anything else to do. It suddenly occured to me that if you'd asked me in the early-to-mid 1990s, "Who are the six smartest leading ladies currently working in Hollywood?" I'd have responded Emma Thompson, Jodie Foster, Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon, Angela Bassett, and, if you privileged her interviews over her vehicles, Sharon Stone. I'm not married to this list, but these were the A-list ladies whose print profiles always made preteritive mention of Mensa, Cambridge, or Yale, often written by interviewers who confessed to feeling under-schooled or openly intimidated. By the mid-to-late 1990s, despite all six taking their blends of braininess, beauty, and idiosyncrasy in totally different directions, every one of their white-hot careers hit the skids at virtually the same time, in most cases quite abruptly. It's great that Meryl Streep survived all this, largely by keeping a very low profile during the bloodbath period I'm talking about, and that we have so many new actresses today who'd like to be "the next Meryl." But has anyone been encouraged to be the next Jodie, the next Susan, the next Geena? Is there a clear, surviving sense of what that would mean? And is there not any time left to take fuller advantage of the original Jodie, Susan, Geena, Sharon, Angela, and Emma, whom we barely get to see anymore? Actresses like these, especially from that generation, are starting to feel as rare as sharp-shooting, bomb-building, ice-skating, death-dealing, school-teaching ninja assassins.
If The Long Kiss Goodnight were more giddy or hard-hitting or funny or cool, I doubt I'd have been thinking about this, much less so glumly. But sometimes "focal retrograde amnesia," where you can remember the last eight years but nothing previous to that, isn't just a plot-point in a thrillerone that manages to be refreshingly unusual and crushingly average at the same time. Sometimes it's a diagnosis for an entire industry. Kiss has one of those insane Hollywood endings where the film works against every single prejudice of the town that produced it and epitomizes happiness, very blithely, as living in the middle of nowhere, giggling on a hillside, eating picnics for the rest of your life. You could say that Samantha Caine and Charly Baltimore are put quite literally out to pasture. The screenplay tries to convince us this is her/their own idea of bliss, but we don't believe it, and a final knife-toss at an unsuspecting cricket rewards us for not believing it, by way of a punchline. In the context of the film, it's one of those jokes about the genre that Harlin comes close to landing but isn't the right guy to really finish off"And then we all ended happily, which is to say boringly, and we all missed our semi-automatics." The sadder realization is that Davis herself basically got left in the same pasture, and I think she meant to wind up there even less than her character(s) did. I mean, talk about a long kiss goodnight. The last thing I thought this movie would make me feel is depressed.
Of course, they say a sequel to The Long Kiss Goodnight is in the works. Whether Davis is involved I haven't quite figured out. But whether Davis herself gets a sequel, of whatever kind: that, I care about. Grade: C
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About Pamina
Opera Quest: A Journey of Discovery
"Les Misérables" Writings
Librarianship Studies
My First Visit to the Opera
3 Bravos & Boos (Comments)
9th Apr 12
My memory of the first time I ever saw a live opera is vague in terms of details, but as an experience I remember it very well. It was in 1998, I had just turned eleven, the company was the Los Angeles Opera, and the performance was The Magic Flute. I had first become familiar with Flute several years earlier, through an abridged English version for kids called Mozart’s Magic Fantasy that I owned on cassette. Later I had learned the complete story of the real opera through a storybook adaptation.
Naturally, I was eager to see it onstage. I went with my mom and a friend of the family.
I didn’t learn the names of the cast or the conductor at the time, and unfortunately we didn’t save the program. I’ve had to go on Archive.org, back to the old version of the LA Opera website and its Production Search page with cast lists of all past productions (why, oh why, has that feature been eliminated from the site?), to learn the names of the performers I saw. Pictured here from left to right: Greg Fedderly (Tamino), Gwendolyn Bradley (Pamina), Wolfgang Holzmair (Papageno), Sally Wolf (Queen of the Night), Kenneth Cox (Sarastro) and conductor Julius Rudel.
That night the universe seemed to conspire in every way to ruin my first operatic experience. It was raining and the traffic was terrible on the way to the Music Center. We arrived late and had to watch the opera’s lengthy first scene on the monitor screen in the lobby. The stage didn’t look much bigger when we finally got to our seats, though: they were the cheapest possible seats, in the back row of the top balcony. Yet despite every setback, the experience was wonderful.
The production, still in the LA Opera’s repertoire, was directed by Sir Peter Hall and designed by Gerald Scarfe, the artist whose quirky, colorful style gave the animation of Disney’s Hercules it unique look.
His sets and costumes for The Magic Flute are no less quirky and colorful.
Though I’ve seen many different visual interpretations of Flute since then (folksy pastel colors, pale 18th century elegance, dark minimalism, etc.), this production established my own personal vision of the opera, the way that the Flute story appears whenever I picture it in my mind: bright, bold, exotic and fantastical.
I only wish my memories of the performance were more vivid, instead of just bits and pieces. I particularly wish I remembered more about Greg Fedderly’s Tamino, because I’ve seen him since in various different roles (including, twice, Monostatos) and he’s always been excellent. But I remember that I enjoyed it and a few moments and images stand out strongly:
The two giant sculptures of bare feet that flanked the interior of Sarastro’s temple. I’m not sure what they symbolized, but they created a good sense of exotic grandeur.
Pamina in her long white gown.
The “Bei Männern” duet, always a favorite of mine. I was surprised that Pamina and Papageno sing it – Mozart’s Magic Fantasy, the children’s adaptation that I’d heard, adds two new characters, a little girl named Sarah and a friendly dragon, and gives the duet to them instead.
The bright green Monostatos – yes, for the sake of political correctness, Gerald Scarfe makes Monostatos green. I remember the image of him gazing at the sleeping Pamina, though not his actual aria.
The Queen of the Night singing “Der Hölle Rache,” my most vivid musical memory of the performance. I remember being surprised by the Queen’s appearance: I had always imagined her as slender and darkly beautiful, but Sally Wolf is a large woman and in her voluminous black gown she reminded me of Ursula from “The Little Mermaid.” But her singing! My God! I could hardly believe that those virtuoso passages were being produced by a human voice!
The Three Boys in their flying machine, here a wooden boat shaped like a bird.
Papageno’s Act II aria and scenes with the Old Woman, particularly the “eighteen years and two minutes” bit.
The trials by fire and water, my second most vivid memory after the Queen of the Night’s aria. Tamino and Pamina walked across a bridge behind a translucent screen shaped like a pyramid, through which only their silhouettes could be seen. The first time they crossed, the inside of the pyramid glowed fiery orange; the second time, it glowed aqua blue. I remember that visual, as well as the beautiful harmony sung by Tamino and Pamina (“Wir wandelten durch Feuersgluten…” though of course I didn’t know the words back then) after each crossing.
I didn’t see another opera until three years later, but the seed of my passion had been planted. My first visit to the opera was a magical experience, despite considerable odds, and I remember that even though the actual performance is only fragments in my mind. It was the beginning of an all-consuming devotion.
Bravos & Boos (Comments) (3)
michele serchuk
April 9th, 2012 at 20:58
Oh, Jordan. You were only eleven and yet you remember so much more than I do about this performance. My heart was still pounding when we sat down after having to face that driving rain and the intense traffic full of snarls. I am so thrilled to have provided you with the first little bud of your musical blossoming. You are such a resource for me in all things opera. I’m so proud to be your mother and to witness this blooming passion.
April 10th, 2012 at 11:43
Nicely written! It’s so wonderfully vivid and almost palpable.
Susan Montgomery
What a beautifully written reminiscence and what an impact this opera experience had on you. How appropriate the name is for your blog! You should be so proud!
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[E3 ‘14] Preview: EarthNight – Canceling the dragon apocalypse
June 01, 2015 by Patrick Kulikowski
Originally published on Pixelitis.net June 29, 2014.
After playing Philadelphia-based indie developer Cleaversoft’s EarthNight at E3 2014, I’ve come to the conclusion that stabbing dragons in the head has never felt so right.
EarthNight is a PlayStation 4 runner-type game where dragons have taken over the planet. The remnants of humanity have fled to space, and two unlikely heroes – a 14 year-old schoolgirl named Sydney and an unemployed photographer named Stanley – decide to do something about the fate of mankind.
I wouldn’t say that endless runners have been a favorite genre of mine, although I do enjoy their challenge and accessible nature. Nevertheless, EarthNight stuck out to me, particularly in its visual undertaking and its unique premise.
“From a gameplay perspective, we set out to make the deepest, most beautiful runner game of all time,” Cleaversoft’s Rich Siegel told me after my hands-on with the game at Sony’s booth. “We’ve liked all these runner games on iOS, but feel like they lack depth. They don’t have the kind of depth of a game or what we’d expect from an awesome game. So we set out to make one with a lot of depth. One that is a big step up from everything out there.”
If canceling the dragon apocalypse as a schoolgirl and a hobo photographer already sounds awesome to you, then I encourage you to read on.
EarthNight has primarily been worked on for the past two and a half years by four people, including Siegel, Davey and Chipocrite, in addition to a few part-timers.
On the game’s long development cycle, which originally started on just iOS, Siegel said the small team had “set out originally for a six-month project, got caught in a time vortex. Once we started getting deeper and deeper into development, more art got made.”
“Something I never liked about these runner games is that as you get really far in them, your eyes start to bleed,” Siegel continued. “It’s going faster and faster, you’ve never gotten a break, your head starts to freak out. EarthNight gets very hard when you get close to the planet, but there’s always a break. Skydiving, there’s no threat, it’s just a moment of majestic beauty. Let yourself collect [before] the next hard dragon.”
And that’s what really piqued my interest in the game: skydiving. The game is essentially split into two portions. First, you’ll be running from left to right along the back of a long dragon serpent, dodging and jumping onto creatures as you make your way to the dragon’s head. When you reach it, you have to mash ‘X’ to repeatedly stab at it.
After you take the dragon down, Sydney or Stanley will jump off and the camera will shift to a behind-the-back skydiving mode similar to Pilotwings. In this state, you’ll be hurtling down towards Earth, maneuvering your character towards another dragon serpent gliding around in the atmosphere. Once you touch down, it switches back to running.
Combine this with the chiptuney wonder of the soundtrack, composed by Chipocrite, and it makes for a strikingly beautiful moment, where one can regain their composure before touching down on another dragon and wreaking havoc all over again.
While I’m genuinely concerned about this eventually becoming a little repetitive, Siegel assured me that the game will let you customize Sydney and Stanley with upgrades, which you purchase using the tons of garbage, or “scraps” collected during the runner segments. The game will feature eight “worlds,” which are different parts of the atmosphere as you make your way down to the planet.
The game makes use of only two buttons, one for jumping and the other for “anchoring,” which makes you fall faster when airborne and alters the speed in which you run.
Despite this simplistic control scheme, the two characters differ greatly from each other. Stanley was made with casual gamers in mind. He attacks with a sword and I found him much easier to control than Sydney, who is recommended more for experienced players. Although I found Sydney to be a bit more difficult to control, she has an interesting homing dash move and according to Siegel her control style will ultimately feel more satisfying to those who master her.
The game’s high-res visuals are perhaps its most standout feature. Every sprite and every animation, as well as all the background objects, was hand-painted by Cleaversoft artist Paul Davey. “His art previous to the game is really the inspiration for the game. We’ve worked together on a couple of iOS apps and decided that we really need to make a real videogame based on this art. For him and me, this is our first, like, I’ve made some other little games in the past, but this is going to be our first real videogame.”
Following a positive showing during IndieCade East back in February, Siegel was contacted by Sony about bringing the game to PS4. This led to a heavy crunch period of readying a playable PS4 demo for E3.
“We’ve crunched harder for this than we’ve ever crunched before. This is both characters, a lobby, a menu, worlds 1 and 2 strung together and running on PlayStation 4, which we’ve never done before.”
EarthNight is expected to make its dramatic touchdown onto PlayStation 4 sometime in 2015, with an iOS/Android, PC and Vita release to follow “three months later.”
June 01, 2015 /Patrick Kulikowski
EarthNight, Earth, Night, PS4, PC, Android, iOS, runner, Cleaversoft, preview, E3
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India: Christmas at St Pauls
The Society of St Paul (SSP) and St Pauls Institute of Communication Education, Bandra welcomed all local Bandra residents, visitors, shoppers, local businesses, civic organizations, churches, schools, youth to show their community spirit by participating in their 1st evening of carol singing at Christmas at St Pauls : Choirs. Carols. Communities. Celebrations.
These pre-Christmas celebrations were in aid of the Fr. Ferrero Foundation. Proceeds from this event, will be sent to the foundation. The Fr. Ferrero Foundation, launched in the memory of Fr. B. Ferrero, the founder of SSP in India, provides educational relief to the poor, medical aid and other social aids helping the needy sections to live a healthy life. Donations made to the Trust are eligible for exemption under section 80-G of the Income Tax act.
Christmas Bazaar
The morning of Saturday, 15th Decembers, witnessed the first ever Christmas Bazar at St Pauls. The bazar offered festive discounts at the popular St Paul Book and Art Centre. NGO’s Alive, Arambh, who sold products made by their beneficiaries were a big hit with all visitors; Towel Kingdom, Delightful Indulgence Eats were also amongst the other popular stalls.
Carols.Communities.Celebrations
The spectacular Christmas at St Pauls: Choirs. Carols. Communities. Celebrations started sharp at 5.00pm, with a carol singing performance by the effervescent ‘Happy Bunch’ children’s choir, led by Sarita Manchanda.
Fr. Dominic, Director – St Pauls Institute, welcomed the Chief & Honored Guests, audience members and participants to partake in a community centric Christmas this year. He spoke about his thoughts encouraging community celebrations, ‘Christmas’ as a Gift for all, the Fr. Ferrero Foundation and shared his vision and aspirations, that this fest becomes as grand and popular as Celebrate Bandra fest. Rev. Fr Varghese Gnalian, the Provincial Superior, delivered the Christmas message and invited the gathering to share the joy of Christmas with their very life, by giving the spirit of Christmas with others.
We were glad to have in attendance, Mr. Ashish Shelar MLA, Bandra (W) & President- Mumbai BJP; presiding over the evening as the Chief Guest, lighting the Christmas Tree, and sharing his message for Bandra particularly at Christmas Time; Mr. Girish Anavkar, Senior PI at the Bandra West Police Station, endeared himself to the crowd, as he spoke about his humble beginnings, the importance of education, his plans to contribute to Bandra and society at large. Popular Hindi Film actor, Ms. Kareena Kapoor, took time of her busy schedule and graced us with her presence; as did Dr. S Pinto- Director, Ryan Int’l Group of Schools.
The celebrations continued, with melodious rendition of a medley of carols, led by Sr. Anna and the Daughters of St Paul’s Christmas Joy carolers. The PG students of the Institute, accompanied by their Course Directors, also put on a lively performance. Saving the best for the last, let the audience enjoy the beautiful sounds of the 20 voice Church at Powai Christmas choir led by Rev. Dr. C. Clements.
The evening witnessed the release of a Hindi Devotional musical album’ God’s Love’ by St Pauls India. By sundown, lucky winners took home prizes for their participation in Christmas Draw –in aid of the Fr.Ferrero Foundation.
A neighborhood that celebrates together stays together. Keeping the promise made to all the children in the audience, Santa Claus made a grand entry, met with little children and the audience, while distributing candies to everyone in the audience.
The evening came to a close, encouraging everyone to look at Christmas in a new way this year.
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Tag: Grammy Awards
World class pop stars and producers are singing for World Peace of Korea
World class pop stars and producers are singing for World Peace of Korea.
It is Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
When I heard this news, I can’t understand ‘Why do world stars make songs for Korea?’ It is amazing. Why?
It is a one of ‘One K Global Project’.
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis will create songs that include meaning that ‘A unified Korea will contribute to world peace‘. They say “This song is not just for Korean, for all of us that protect human rights and peace”.
When did he say that? Where?
In 2016 August International Young Leaders Assembly(IYLA) was held at U.N. headquarters. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis said here. Wow.
Are you curious? Who are Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis?
They are producer of the global pop stars including Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Boyz II Men, Usher. Also they won ‘Grammy Awards‘ six times.
Do you know Peabo Bryson? He is a U.S. pop singer to sing the theme song of ‘Beauty and the Beast‘.
What’s more surprising is that Metropolis Studio is in charge of marketing and global distribution.
Starting with the concert in Philippines on March, ‘One Concert K‘ will be held for unification of Korea in 10 foreign countries including the United States, China and Japan.
Domestic and Foreign 737 civic groups took part in ‘One K Global Project’.
It is amazing. 🙂 I hope they will success to achieve World Peace.
I would like to help.
Author masterPosted on 2016년 December 7일 Categories About me :)Tags Grammy Awards, IYLA, Jimmy Jam, Metropolis Studio, One Concert K, One K Global Project, pop stars and producers, Terry Lewis, World Peace2 Comments on World class pop stars and producers are singing for World Peace of Korea
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About PHT
Contact & Membership
History of Peel
The Town’s Name
Earliest Times
To The Present
Peel Heritage Trust
Promoting the preservation, development and conservation of the buildings and amenities of Peel, and its history
Life of Bryan
« Peel’s Sunset Path
Walk and Talk- WW2 and the Headlands »
Nicky is a Manx man from a long line of Manx movers and shifters and has worked since the age of 15 in the family removal business. He has seen and heard first hand the huge economic and social changes to which his family firm has continually adapted to including horse and man power. This mystery tour through the history of the Island and the Bryan family from the later 1700s to the present day includes some slightly naughty episodes of some of his relatives.
Atholl Street
Peel, Isle of Man IM5 1HQ United Kingdom + Google Map
Peel Heritage Trust was formed in September 1989 by Malcolm Kelly, then chair of Peel Town Commissioners. Its objective is to promote the preservation, development and conservation of the buildings and amenities of Peel, the Island's heritage and its history.
The Trust is managed by a Committee of 6 elected members and representatives from Peel Town Commissioners, the MHK for Peel and a number of co-opted members.
Peel Heritage Trust- 30 years old, 1,000 years of heritage.
From milk bottles to demolition- a Kelly’s Eye View of the Isle of Man.
Sound Archive, The Late Barton Quirk
A New Light on Man, Dave Martin
The History of Manx Coins – Mike Southall MBE
Copyright Peel Heritage Trust
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Over billions of years, living creatures have evolved elegant solutions to complex engineering problems that humans are just starting to figure out. Fish and whales have developed ways to swim efficiently in the ocean, which researchers are now hoping to adapt for power generating wind turbines.
9-11 WTC
10 years after the towers fell the reflecting pools are about to open to commemorate this tragic event. Join Calla Cofield as she reflects on the physics of the falling towers and lessons for future presidents.
The Physics Central team recently got some first-hand experience with the physics of earthquakes.
Rodeo Physics
Inventor and former rodeo rider Stephen Wharton uses physics to measure the power of bucking bulls.
Carnivorous Bladderwort
The carnivorous bladderwort is the fastest carnivorous plant known to man. It achieves this awesome title with the power of physics.
The Cat Lap
After watching his own cat lapping up its breakfast one morning, MIT Engineer Roman Stocker wanted to know just how the cat moved liquid from the bowl to its mouth. The answer is unexpected, and it involves some interesting physics.
Whale Flipper Bumps
Why are humpback whales more agile in the water than other whales? Scientists discovered that the bumps on humpback flippers decrease water turbulence. This allows the humpback whales to tilt their flippers up and achieve greater lift over other whales and hence gives more maneuverability.
Back Flip Limit
Scientists have calculated that 4 back flips is the upper limit for a dare devil motorcyclist. The energy required for the height and rotation of 4 back flips is the maximum amount of energy that the motorcycle can produce.
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TransAsia Plane ATR 72 Crashes On Landing In Taiwan, 48 Dead
The plane that crashed was an ATR-72 TransAsia Airways aircraft flying from Taiwan's southern city of Kaohsiung to Penghu, a popular tourist destination in the Taiwan Strait.
It was Taiwan's first fatal air crash in more than a decade and came as Typhoon Matmo struck, bringing torrential rain and high wind.
The plane crashed on its second attempt to land at the airport. It lost contact with controllers after telling them it was going around again.
The aircraft then came down in Xixi village outside the airport.
"I heard a loud bang," TV station TBS quoted a local resident as saying. "I thought it was thunder, and then I heard another bang and I saw a fireball not far away from my house."
Official said visibility at the time of the crash was 1,600m (one mile) and within acceptable standards for landing, despite the storm.
Reports from Taiwan suggested officials were looking for one person who might have been in residential buildings hit by the plane as it crashed.
TransAsia, a private airline, flies domestic routes in Taiwan and international routes in North and South-East Asia.
It has apologised and says it will compensate relatives of those on board.
This is Taiwan's worst aviation disaster since May 2002, when a China Airlines flight from Taipei to Hong Kong crashed near Penghu, killing all 225 on board.
The ATR 72 turboprop aircraft departed from the southern municipality of Kaohsiung at 17:43 local time (09:43 GMT), but lost contact with controllers at 19:06, CNA said, citing the Civil Aeronautics Administration.
TransAsia Airways' General Manager Hsu Yi-Tsung has tearfully apologised for the accident, the Central News Agency reported, pledging to spare no effort in the rescue operation and to transport relatives of passengers on the flight to Magong on Thursday morning.
Earlier on Wednesday, Taiwan was battered by strong winds and rain from a tropical storm, Typhoon Matmo.
However, an official at the Civil Aeronautics Administration told that bad weather at the time of the crash did not exceed international regulations for landing.
Typhoon Matmo had caused many flights to be cancelled but the land warning was lifted around 17:30 local time, around the time the plane took off.
▼ July 2014 ( 9 )
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కరువు, వరుస మరణాలు... దీనికి కారణం?
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Property Spotlight: Cuscaden/Tomlinson Road
By The Folks @PropTalk - October 30, 2011 No Comments
The neighbourhood of Cuscaden Road and Tomlinson Road, off Tanglin Road, is attracting the interest of high-net-worth individuals again, largely owing to the upcoming 29-unit boutique luxury condominium development, Hana, by Pontiac Land. The units at the 99-year leasehold Kerry Hill-designed project are said to average 3,500sqft each.
Nearby, Hotel Properties Ltd (HPL), one of the biggest stakeholders in the prime neighbourhood, launched the 70-unit Tomlinson Heights (on the site where Beverly Mai used to stand) in Cuscaden Road in August last year. Of the 30 units launched, 29 have been sold to date. The most recent recorded transaction according to URA was for a 4,004sqft, five-bedroom apartment that was sold for $12.53 million ($3,129psf).
Existing high-end condos in the vicinity are also seeing renewed interest from buyers.
For instance, at the 150-unit freehold Cuscaden Residences, there were two transactions over the week of Sept 26 to 30, based on the latest caveats lodged and downloaded from URA Realis as at Oct 19. One was the sale of a three-bedroom, 1,485sqft unit on the 13th level, which changed hands for $3.33 million ($2,242psf). The seller had purchased it for $2.28 million ($1,533psf) in August 1999 when the project was first launched. The seller saw a price appreciation of about 46%.
The other transaction at Cuscaden Residences was for a 4,951sqft, four-bedroom penthouse, which was sold for $11.2 million ($2,262psf). The previous owner paid just $5.6 million ($1,131psf) for the penthouse in September 2000, seeing prices double in just over a decade. Cuscaden Residences is a twin-tower, 20-storey condo tower developed by HPL and was completed in 2002.
Apartments at Cuscaden Residences have traditionally attracted investors, given the prime Orchard Road location as units there tend to be popular with high-level expatriate executives. The asking prices today are considered “attractive” to buyers, says Ron Phua, a property agent from DWG. However, Phua feels that buying activity is low at the moment “as most investors are putting their property investments on hold owing to uncertainty of the global economy in recent months”. The low transaction level could also have contributed to the “sluggish prices”, he adds.
Adjacent to Cuscaden Residences is the 29-unit and freehold The Tomlinson by Wing Tai Holdings, which was also completed in 2003. A four-bedroom, 2,368sqft unit on the seventh level was sold last month for $4.8 million ($2,010psf). This was the third time the unit has changed hands on the resale market over the last five years. The unit last changed hands in 2007, at $5.2 million ($2,200psf). Prior to that, it was sold for $4.8 million ($2,027psf) in December 2006.
Across the road is the newest condo in the neighbourhood, the 173-unit luxury St Regis Residences by Singapore tycoon Kwek Leng Beng’s City Developments Ltd (CDL), Hong Leong Holdings and TID Pte Ltd (a joint venture between Hong Leong and Mitsui Fudosan). Kwek is one of the biggest stakeholders in the neighbourhood, and also owns the site of the former Boulevard Hotel, which will be redeveloped into another luxury project.
St Regis Residences is considered the first branded residence in Singapore when it was launched in mid-2006. It was completed in 2008 and is linked to the 299-room upscale St Regis Singapore hotel.
Two units on the 19th floor of St Regis Residences were recently sold for a total of $11.86 million ($2,776psf). The last time the units changed hands was in early 2009, at the start of the global financial crisis, when the units fetched $9.2 million ($2,153psf). The original owner who bought the units at the launch in 2006 paid $5.5 million ($2,576psf) for one unit and $6.1 million ($2,845psf) for the other.
Owners’ asking prices at St Regis Residences these days are said to be in the $2,500 to $2,800psf range, says Samuel Eyo, associate director of Savills Prestige Homes.
Even though the current economic climate has affected transaction volume in the high-end segment as investors stay on the sidelines, “interest for luxurious and exclusive condos in Singapore remain unaffected”, says David Neubronner, head of residential project sales at Jones Lang LaSalle.
Cuscaden Residences St Regis Residences The Tomlinson Tomlinson Heights
Labels: Cuscaden Residences , St Regis Residences , The Tomlinson , Tomlinson Heights
No Comment to " Property Spotlight: Cuscaden/Tomlinson Road "
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News from Westminster / Sharon calls for greater water safety education 17.06.14
Sharon calls for greater water safety education 17.06.14
Posted by Sharon on August 01, 2014
Sharon called a debate on water safety in which she pressed Ministers to increase focus on swimming and survival skills in school.
In an Adjournment debate she had secured in Parliament, Sharon spoke about the tragic deaths of 15-year-old Tonibeth Purvis and 14-year-old Chloe Fowler in the River Wear in Fatfield, Washington last summer, and pressed the Government to do more to ensure that all children and young people are taught about the dangers of playing in or near rivers and lakes, as well as what to do if they or someone else is in danger.
Sharon cited figures from the National Water Safety Forum showing that 89 children and young people died in water over 2011 and 2012, 78 of which were boys, with the majority of those boys being in the 15-19 age group.
The debate came ahead of National Drowning Prevention Week (21-29 June), which for the first time targeted secondary schools as well as primary schools, encouraging teachers to use a suite of resources to pass on to pupils ahead of the summer holidays. Sharon met with the people behind National Drowning Prevention Week earlier in the day to discuss and pledge her support to their campaign.
During her speech, Sharon called for schools and the Government to ensure that:
Every child is taught the basic principles of water safety education and should acquire fundamental personal survival skills;
Schools are given clear instructions on this from Government, and are inspected on their progress;
There is an annual public awareness campaign highlighting the drowning risk, and;
There are sufficient safe and affordable public swimming facilities available.
Responding to the debate, Maritime Minister Stephen Hammond told Mrs Hodgson that the Government supported other agencies in raising awareness of drowning risk, but wasn’t able to discuss education policy, instead promising to have relevant Ministers write to the MP separately.
Speaking after the debate, Sharon said: “Every single one of these deaths represents an individual tragedy, and a huge hole in the lives of families like Tonibeth’s and Chloe’s. Anything we can do to prevent more deaths is therefore worthwhile doing, and our schools are undoubtedly best placed to lead on this.
“With the summer holidays approaching and hopefully a warm summer ahead of us, young people will no doubt be tempted to cool off in lakes and rivers. We’ll never stop all children from doing so, or from falling into water completely accidentally, but if we tell them how dangerous it is we might stop a lot of them, and if we give them the skills to help themselves and others when they get in trouble we can stop many accidents from being fatal ones.
“I’m really disappointed that the Government didn’t put up an Education Minister to talk about the contribution that schools can make in this regard, but I hope they will take on board the points I raised and respond more fully very soon.”
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Recitation By Meqdam Hadary
Mention of olives in Quran-3
Here are the ahadith in which Prophet Mohammad (saw) has enlightened people about the importance of olives and also advised them to use olives to cure various ailments.
Hazrat Sayyed Al-Ansari (ra.) narrates that the Prophet Mohammad (saw) said “Eat the olive oil and massage it over your bodies since it is a holy (mubarak) tree.” (Tirmizi, Ibn Maja)
Hazrat Alqama Bin Amir (ra.) narrates that Prophet Mohammad (saw) said, “There is olive oil for you, eat it, massage over your body, since it is effective in Heamorrhoids (Piles).” (Ibn Al-Jozi, Zanbi)
Hazrat Aqba Bin Amir narrates that the Prophet Mohammad (saw) stated, “You have the olive oil from this Holy (mubarak) tree, treat yourself with this, since it cures the Anal fissure (Basoor).”
Khalid Bin Saad(R.A.) narrates, “I came to Madinah with Ghalib Bin Al Jabr. Ghalib became ill during the journey. Ibn Abi Ateeq came to see him and told a narration from Hazrat Aisha(raA.) that the Prophet Mohammad (saw) said about the cure in Kalonji. We crushed a few seeds of Kalonji and mixed it with olive oil and dropped in both nostrils, after which Ghalib became healthy.” (Ibn Maja, Bukhari)
Hazrath Abu Hurairah(R.A.) narrates that the Prophet Mohammad (saw) stated, “Eat the olive oil and apply it (locally), since there is cure for seventy diseases in it, one of them is Leprosy.” (Abu Naim)
Muadh Ibn Jabal (ra) reported that the Prophet Mohammad (saw) said, “The best miswak is that of the olive tree as it is a blessed tree. It is my miswak and that used by Prophets before me”.
These ahadith elucidate the nutritional value and other benefits of olives as well as olive oil. The mention of olives in a Divine Book, i.e. Al-Quran and also the ahadith shows its prominence.
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Real Estate & Business Valuation
Acquisition/Disposition Due Diligence
Real Estate IT Consulting
Investment Sales & Leasing Brokerage
Qval was founded by Jerry W. Witte Jr., MAI, CRE, FRICS. Mr. Witte formed this entity by executing a buyout from his partners at Hein & Associates, LLP and moving the practice to a new entity.
Mr. Witte, the CEO and founding member of Qval began his career in 1989 after receiving a Master’s Degree in Land Economics and Real Estate from Texas A&M University. Mr. Witte received his institutional experience at Price Waterhouse, which later became PricewaterhouseCoopers. During these years, he became an active member and mainstay in the National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries, the organization which sets the majority of accounting and investment return standards within the institutional real estate world.
After ten years at Price Waterhouse, Jerry Witte accepted an opportunity to become a Partner and National Director of Real Estate Advisory Services in a regional accounting firm called Hein & Associates LLP. For four years, Mr. Witte continued to develop strong and loyal relationships within the investment community and maintained his active membership within NCREIF.
In February 2004, Mr. Witte negotiated the buyout of his entire practice from Hein & Associates LLP and established a separate entity through which to continue providing specialized consulting and valuation services. The newly formed Qval Property Advisors moved into offices in Houston and Orange County, California and has continued to grow both the client base and the list of services offered.
Where did the name Qval come from?
We wanted to make sure that we provide Quality Valuations. We tend to ask Questions no consultant would think to ask when Validating data. Mr. Witte’s history and experience in the accounting firm environment formed the basis of creating a Quality Valuation that passes the highest audit standards.
What Separates Qval from the Rest?
The most common feedback we receive relates to our unmatched dedication to service. Timeliness and responsiveness are key components that Qval honors when it comes to achieving the required reporting deadlines by institutional real estate funds.
Qval Property Advisors
15995 N. Barkers Landing
Investment Sales and Leasing Brokerage
© Qval Property Advisors, LLC. All rights reserved.
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Rock! Shock! Pop! Visits The Archive In Bridgeport, CT
Ian Jane
Places,
Writing an article about a store visit isn’t something that we normally do around these here parts, but once in a while there is a reason to make an exception. Case in point? The guys that run Vinegar Syndrome have opened up a brick and mortar retail store called The Archive in Bridgeport, CT. Why does that matter to readers of this site? Because in an age where online sales seem to be killing ...
Rock! Shock! Pop! At Five Points Fest - New York City, NY May 20th & 21st 2017
The first, of what will hopefully be a recurring Five Points Festival kicked off yesterday at Pier 36 on the Lower East Side riverfront of New York City. The two day festival, curated by Clutter Magazine and presented Midtown Comics, “is a collision of toys, comics, and counterculture.” Unlike a regular comic or toy convention, Five Points focuses the more artisanal aspect of the toy and comic industry. As such, most of the attendees had a connection to indy or small press comics (though there were a few mainstreamers around too) and to the ‘designer toy’ industry.
Not only did this smaller scaled convention give fans a chance to interact with toy creators, artists, writers but it also gave them a chance to look for some exclusives, get items signed by comic and toy professionals, check out some amazing original art on display and peruse back issue vendors. On top of that, the outdoor area of the convention featured a half dozen food trucks and a selection of craft beers available for attendees over twenty-one. Hey, convention going ...
R!S!P! At NYCC 2016 – Comics!
Despite all the cosplay, movie stars, TV stars, toys, video games and other assorted stuff, comic books are what started all of this and comic books remain, for some of us at least, the most important part of an event like NYCC. As such, we’ve saved the best for last. All the big publishers are, as per the norm, setup in the main hall. Marvel had a lot going on this year, like they always do, promoting Black Panther and Doctor Strange in a big way this year.
Also in the main hall? Dark Horse, Dynamite, Oni, IDW, Image, 2000 A.D., and Archie! There was a lot of great stuff going on at the Archie booth, including a signing for the Archie Meets Ramones comic that came out a few weeks ago, complete with the requisite NYCC variant cover on sale! Alex Ross had a booth set up too, selling prints and other expensive but awesome paintings.
R!S!P! At NYCC 2016 – Toys!
Everyone likes toys, right? Another big part of what makes NYCC such a rad event to go to are, yeah, the toys! While there are some dealers who peddle vintage stuff but a large part of the focus is on ‘the new stuff’ and the ‘stuff you want but can’t buy yet.’ There was a lot of that this year, probably more than last year, with big players like Sideshow, NECA and Previews Select displaying some really impressive sculpts, prototypes and finished products. And of course, there were plenty of show exclusives on hand, often requiring the more dedicated collectors out there to stand in some pretty long lines for a shot at getting their hands on some of the more limited runs for sale.
The photo gallery below shows off some of the coolest pieces we saw over the span of the show, with a focus, maybe not so surprisingly, on movie related properties. Dig ...
R!S!P! At NYCC 2016 - Cosplay At New York Comic Con
Today we take a look at the cosplay element of the 2016 edition of the New York City Comic Con. Love it or hate it, cosplay has become a HUGE part of what makes conventions like this so popular and it has managed to draw in a whole new crowd of convention goers who attend to show off their work and admire that of others. This year, you couldn’t move without bumping into a Deadpool or a Harley Quinn (man oh man there were a LOT of Harley Quinn’s this year). Rick And Morty and Ash were also popular as were traditional standbys like Batman and the Punisher.
And the conventions, NYCC in particular, encourage this. Given that some of the costumes ...
R!S!P! At NYCC 2016 – Walking The Show
First you have to get there. The trains get more and more crowded the closer you get to the Javitz Center and once you get in, no matter how many times you attend, it’s instantly overwhelming.
And then there’s Wonder Woman – everywhere! With the movie coming out soon, DC has the hype machine moving full steam ahead. Not only where there an awesome tribute booth set up on the main floor showing off some great original art (including an awesome piece from the late Darwyn Cooke) from throughout the decades as well as some props for the film, but near the main entrance by the DC Comics booth, there were a bunch of costumes on display. Most of these were from the new movie, but hey, check out the old Lynda Carter duds from the TV show – she was even represented in Jelly Bean form!
Also impressive was the PCS Toys booth. These aren’t really toys per se in that ...
Ash Vs. The Evil Dead At NYCC 2015
Ok, so at the New York Comic Con this weekend, Staz had a big promotional thing going on to hype the debut of Ash Verus The Evil Dead later this month. It was kind of neat the way they did it - they setup a life size replica of 'Ash's Trailer' outside on the inner road way. Basically you got to stand in line for the chance to wander through.... a trailer. But it was still fun. Some pictures from that.
NYCC 2015 Part Four - Comics!
Let’s start in the main hall – here’s where most of the bigger publishers setup shop – they’ll sell you exclusives and hold signings and sometimes Q&A sessions too. There are also a bunch of comic vendors selling back issues, variants, supplies and more.
Check out the displays from Valiant, Dark Horse, IDW, Archie, Oni and Avatar (selling CGC graded perfect ‘10’ copies of some of their own books?)…
…along with booths for Image, Titan and Dynamite.
J. Scott Campbell even sets up his own booth at the con!
The vendors are always interesting to see – a lot of the same guys and gals exhibit here every year but there are sometimes some new ones too. Original artwork, vintage comics from ...
NYCC 2015 Part Three - Toys!
Another big part of what makes NYCC such a rad event to go to? Toys! Yeah, there are some dealers who peddle vintage stuff but a large part of the focus is on ‘the new stuff’ and the ‘stuff you want but can’t buy yet.’ There was a lot of that this year, probably more than last year, with big players like Sideshow and Previews Select displaying some really impressive sculpts, prototypes and finished products. And of course, there were plenty of show exclusives on hand, often requiring the more dedicated collectors out there to stand in some pretty long lines for a shot at getting their hands on some of the more limited runs for sale.
Not surprisingly, most of what you’ll see on display is licensed stuff – seen below are a prototype for a pretty neat Link figure and some absolutely jaw droppingly detailed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle figures alongside some anime and video game pieces.
Back in The Block area, you’ll find some weird stuff along with some ‘bad girl’ figures like Shi and Lady Death, a King Zombie Deadworld figure, a huge American Werewolf In London piece and even a nice Caroline Munroe figure!
Moving right along, dig this complete set of Sailor Moon character figures, a giant monster thing and some Frazetta-inspired ...
NYCC 2015 Part Two - Cosplay-A-Go-Go!
Following yesterday’s gallery of the show, today we take a look at the cosplay element of the 2015 edition of the New York City Comic Con. Love it or hate it, cosplay has become a HUGE part of what makes conventions like this so popular and it has managed to draw in a whole new crowd of convention goers who attend to show off their work and admire that of others.
And the conventions, NYCC in particular, encourage this. Given that some of the costumes can and do get a little risqué, the people at ReedPOP (the company that organizes the convention) have rightfully instituted a zero tolerance policy in regards to harassment ...
NYCC 2015 Part One - Walking The Floor Show
Last week New York City once again played host to the biggest pop culture gathering on the East Coast if not the entire country. From Thursday through Sunday fans of movies, TV, gaming, toy collecting, anime, movies and yes, comic books, gathered en masse to celebrate geek culture in all its many forms.
R!S!P! was there and over the next few days we’ll be posting a few different Comic Con galleries – this one is the first, and it’s basically a look at the size and scope of the show, the different vendors and displays that were set up across the entirety of the massive Jacob Javitz Convention Center and just a general overview of what goes on at NYCC and in turn, why it is such an insanely popular event.
Before the show itself opened, you could clearly see from inside the hall just how many people were waiting (with admirable patience and good cheer) to get inside once the doors opened at 10am. Kind of reminds you of something out of Dawn Of The Dead…
Moving around the venue, the main entrance was done up like the gates ...
R!S!P! At Special Edition NYC 2015
Comic Books,
This weekend saw the second installment of ReedPOP’s Special Edition NYC. For those not in the know, this is basically a comic show getting back to its roots. If the massive New York City Comic Convention is the new norm, you can think of SENYC as that con’s younger, more innocent brother as of yet not corrupted by movie star appearances, Walking Dead cast panels or video game announcements. No, SENYC is a comic book convention in the truest sense of the word, the kind you used to go to back in the eighties and nineties, a pre Big Bang Theory universe. The kind you go to…. gasp… for comic books.
Now to be fair, the show this year, held at Pier 94 and not at the Javitz Center as it was in 2014, was bigger. There were a few toy vendors set up and a clothing vendor selling themed socks for some reason. But ...
Rock! Shock! Pop! At The New York City Comic Con - Part Four- Hey Kids! Comics!
So we did the floor walk, we covered the toys and we posted a bunch of pictures of cosplayers – but what about the comic book presence at NYCC 2014? Shouldn’t that be what it’s all about? Well, it’s easy sometimes for the ‘heart’ of the event to get overshadowed by celebrity appearances, video games, cosplayers and everything else that goes on at a show as big as this one (and for the record, NYCC eclipsed San Diego for the first time, officially making this the biggest con in the country) but yeah, comics are still going strong.
Living legend Neal Adams had a pretty huge booth set up in the main hall area, selling prints and books and commissioned sketches and photos…
…while the Kirby Museum was set up nearby, showing off a few original art pieces penciled for Marvel by the King himself during their Silver Age reign of terror.
Marvel was nearby and not surprisingly, they probably had the biggest presence, at least on the main floor, of any of the publishers in attendance. A lot of what was going on at their booth was related ...
Rock! Shock! Pop! At The New York City Comic Con - Part Three - Cosplay-A-Go-Go!
Love it or hate it, cosplay has exploded at conventions over the last few years and it’s now just as much a reason for some people to attend as the vendors and guests are. In fact, there are even ‘celebrity cosplayers’ showing up at cons these days, putting in special appearances and doing booth signings. So yeah, even if you don’t want to dress up for the day, you can’t ignore the fact that a whole lot of people do. High fives to Reed Pop for creating a safe and friendly environment for anyone and everyone to do their thing and have fun.
Here’s a few shots that show off the variety of costumes that were making the rounds at NYCC 2014. ...
Rock! Shock! Pop! At The New York City Comic Con - Part Two - TOY TOUR!
Following up on yesterday’s post in which we basically just walked the floor, this second installment of our four part coverage of the 2014 New York Comic Con is going to focus on one thing and one thing only… TOYS! And hot damn are there a lot of them at the show this year, some of which are being shown for the first time, some of which are show exclusives and some of which are still being worked on. As you’ll see as you scroll through, there are toys of all kinds – licensed properties, original properties, new, vintage, some meant for kids and some for adult collectors. It’s all here. So let’s get to it…
Starting from The Block entrance, here we find some of the more esoteric ‘boutique’ toy makers. Are you in the market for some stuffed organs? That plush blue testicle you’ve always wanted is now ready for you to take him home!
NYC shop Toy Tokyo had their booth set up along the back wall, it was packed all weekend.
Plenty of other oddball vendors and distributors were set up here too…
Spanish toy maker SD Toys had a booth set up displaying some of their licensed stuff, like this ridiculously realistic looking Stan Lee figure!
They were also showing off Bettie Page and Blues Brothers figures alongside Steve McQueen, Charlie Chaplin and Marlon Brando from The Godfather!
Heading into the main hall from the back, there were some vintage toy vendors set up, offering up everything ...
Rock! Shock! Pop! At The New York City Comic Con - Part One - Walking The Floor
It’s October in New York City again and for thousands upon thousands of pop culture junkies, comic book fans, gamers, toy freaks, cosplayers and movie addicts that means one thing – New York City Comic Con. The annual event, put on by the folks at Reed Pop, is by far the biggest event of its kind on the East Coast and the second biggest convention of its kind in the country. Once again held at (and completely filling) the massive Jacob Javitz Convention Center in Manhattan, the even began Thursday, October 9th, and it continues through tomorrow, October 12th.
Below is the first of four photo galleries highlighting some of the events, dealers, guests and ‘everything else’ that makes this convention worth going to time and time again. Yes, it’s hectic. Yes, there are long lines and ridiculous crowds and YES, someone will inevitably step on your foot every five minutes, but New Yorkers are used to that. More important than that is that the convention, just like last year, remains a positive, friendly and inspiring experience for scores of attendees. Reed Pop does a very good job with crowd control and with keeping things organized and running smoothly and for a convention as big as this one is, NYCC runs pretty damn smoothly.
But enough about that, let’s get down to it. Upon entering the main convention hall, if you look to your left you can’t help but notice the MASSIVE Batman logo hanging over top of the suit display that DC Comics was sponsoring. More on that in a bit but here’s the hanging logo…
…and then when you turn to the other ...
Rock! Shock! Pop! Visits The New York City Comic Con 2013
A few days ago, just over this past weekend as a matter of fact, pop culture blew a massive load across New York City for the four day New York Comic Con which took place in Manhattan at the Javitz Center from October 10th through the 13th. While these days, big comic conventions like this one and the annual San Diego event focus as much (sometimes more) on movies, toys, television shows and other things that aren’t printed and bound, there was still plenty of four color action to go around.
Panels and discussions were held celebrating everything from cartoons like The Venture Brothers and Bob’s Burgers to the 25th Anniversary of Chucky but so too were there panels on self-publishing, digital comics and the advent of social media. Of course, heavy hitters like Batman and The X-Men got their own forums as well. The show was sold out long in advance this year, which meant that once you stood in line outside to get in you got to stand in line some more to do… well, pretty much anything. But that’s part and parcel with an event like this, it just comes with the territory. Thankfully the staff was generally both polite and helpful and with information booths set up all over the place, it was reasonably easy to find what you wanted to find without too much trouble. This was a well-run show.
There were scores of cosplayers on hand this year, many sporting some pretty ornate costumes, and of course there were vendors and exhibitors as far as the eye could see, selling pretty much everything under the sun. But enough talk, if a picture ...
Rock! Shock! Pop! Visits The Vinegar Syndrome Archives!
Vinegar Syndrome is, in a sense, the new kid on the block. They haven’t even existed for an entire year yet but have made a splash in exploitation film circles with Blu-ray releases like The Lost Films of H.G. Lewis, Massage Parlor Murders and recently The Telephone Book. They’ve also been issuing double features of horror, drive-in and adult oddities on DVD to the masses hungry for cinematic oddities. In a day and age where many are predicting the death of physical media, it’s refreshing to see a ‘young’ company take chances in a market that is shaky at best.
But there’s more to Vinegar Syndrome than just what makes it to the shelves of your local DVD retailer (if you have one) or to your favorite e-tailer’s site. In the Connecticut based headquarters that they share with sister company Process Blue (a film scanning and restoration facility that has done work for plenty of more established companies like Synapse Films, Troma, Distribpix and Drafthouse Films) there exists an archive, a veritable treasure chest of celluloid. Now, a lot of the titles in the archive are not properties that Vinegar Syndrome will likely ever be able to release, but quite a few of them are. So as we go through this tour, keep in mind that just because you see elements here for a certain title, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re putting it out on a nice, shiny disc any time soon.
So with that out of the way, let’s journey through the hulking warehouse that keeps some of these legitimate cinematic treasures safe and sound, preserved for posterity much ...
Rock! Shock! Pop! Visits The Distribpix Archives
So on a bright, sunny April day, Distribpix president and all around nice guy Steven Morowitz was kind enough to have a couple of R!S!P!’s nosiest over to ‘the archive’ for a tour. Before we get to that, a bit of background on the company and just what exactly it is we were about to see and are about to share with you, courtesy of the Distribpix Blog:
“Our company has been around since 1965 and during that time DISTRIBPIX was mainly a film broker and small time production company for the NYC theatres and grindhouses. As time went on, Distribpix became a major player and producer of sexploitation films, and then went on to produce some very successful XXX features for the big screen throughout the 70′s and 80′s. Now branded Video-X-Pix, to reflect the Video Age (VHS and BETA) the company became a major video distribution house, representing some of the best producers and directors of that time period. During the 90′s the company was mothballed and sat basically untouched, with some light distribution only.
In 2002, the son of the original founder of Video-X-Pix, decided it was time to re-open its doors, and with a renewed approach and vigor. Basically a 3 tiered plan. First, to continue to preserve and re-issue our amazing library of classics onto DVD. Secondly, to begin to issue, re-mastered versions of our films, from the 35 negatives, as well as add liner notes and director/actor interviews and commentary and other extras (PLATINUM ELITE COLLECTION). Third, we are going to be finally releasing the soft core sexploitation films from the DISTRIBPIX vault.”
Their most recent release was the Blu-ray special ...
Rock! Shock! Pop! VS Troma - A Look Inside The Legendary Independent Movie Machine!
One of the cool things about running a website like Rock! Shock! Pop! is the opportunity to meet awesome people from around the world – and sometimes, those people are a quick ten minute drive away. When official greetings from Tromaville arrived, it seemed only natural that we’d accept their gracious offer to tour their facilities in Queens, so off we went, camera in hand and silly grins slapped on our mugs.
Initially, there was concern that the building might not be so easy to spot, but once we turned onto the street where they’re located, those fears were swept aside and it became pretty obvious that there was no reason for concern.
The first thing we saw upon entering the building was a giant ‘hand in a can’ – a prop from the recently completed Return To The Class Of Nuke’em High, just sort of sitting there greeting visitors and employees alike.
From there, it was time to head up the stairs to the offices. The first thing we checked ...
Zachariah (Kino Lorber) Blu-ray Review
I really liked this one. The soundtrack is cool- esp. the James Gang stuff.
David H 07-14-2019 09:04 PM
Six Swedes In Ibizia (Sechs Schwedinnen Auf Ibizia)
The softcore cut is almost hardcore anyway. Its a shame though that ascot couldn't spend the money...
Lalala76 07-12-2019 02:46 PM
Savage Beach (Mill Creek Entertainment) Blu-ray Review
It has them yeah, you can see them in some of the caps.
Ian Jane 07-12-2019 08:14 AM
"the disc is free of obvious compression artifacts."
"obvious compression artifacts do appear...
Fundi 07-11-2019 07:27 PM
Watched this and Picasso Trigger on tuesday and was very pleased with the PQ on both.
I had my...
moviegeek86 07-11-2019 06:42 PM
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Cross-frontal exchanges of salt detected by SMOS in the Gulf Stream
posted Mar 28, 2013, 7:11 AM by Salinity CERSAT [ updated Mar 28, 2013, 10:30 AM ]
by Nicolas Reul and Bertrand Chapron
with contributions from G. Alory and J. Boutin
Sketch explaining the ocean circulation features in this area. A SMOS 10-days averaged SSS map is shown in the background with vectors representing surface currents derived from altimer and surface wind products (OSCAR).
The Gulf stream is probably the most intensely studied ocean current. Over the past 70 years, many hydrographic sections have been taken accross the stream between Florida straits and the Grand Banks. These sections always reveal strong property gradients aligned with the current, indicating that the stream is a boundary between cold, fresher slope and shelf waters and warm, more saline central waters (Bower and Rossby, 1989). Biologists have also recognized the role of the Gulf stream as a boundray between two environments, each with its own unique set of flora and fauna.
The GulfStream is a turbulent jet that migrates into deeper waters after reaching Cape Hatteras, forming large-amplitude meanders downstream of Cape Hatteras from baroclinic and barotropic instability processes (see sketch above). Large enough individual meanders can separate from the main current, loop back on to themselves and form independent rings (Saunders, 1971; Csanady,1979). Rings that form from Gulf Stream meander crests engulf parcels of warm, salty Sargasso Seawater in their core and begin to interact with their surrounding waters through either mixing or stirring processes(Parker,1971; Churchilletal.,1993)
The common occurrence of Gulf Streal warm-core rings (WCRs) in the Slope & shelf seas, and their role in initiating cross-frontal events like shelf water entrainment in the western North Atlantic, have been well documented through satellite altimetry, sst and chlorophyll imagery, theoretical models and field observations. However, little is known about the salt transported by these Warm core rings and the new satellite microwave sea surface salinity products might bring very interesting insight in that context.
During the first two years of mission operations, SMOS data in this area were howevever heavily contaminated by Radio Frequency Interferences (RFI) from the military radar arrays installed over North America. Since end 2011, a dramatic improvment was observed due to on-going action to refurbish L-band radar stations in Canada (see dedicated news). In that frame, we analyzed the complete year 2012 of SMOS data to investigate if we can now tackle realistic SSS variability in the Gulf stream area with SMOS data. First results were highlighted during the 3-years SMOS press event organized by ESA in Madrid (see here). Results from a more in depth analysis are presented herebelow.
Figure 1: Climatologies of (a) the Mean Dynamic Topography (color) and geostrophic currents (arrows) (Rio, 2009); (b) World Ocean Atlas SSS; (c) Pathfinder SST (Casey) and (d) SeaWIFS 1997-2007 Chlorophyll. The black curve extending across the North Atlantic is the separating streamline estimated from the steady atltimer-based streamfunction.
Annual climatologies of Sea surface Height (SSH), SSS, Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and Chlorophyll-a shown in Figure 1 reveal that in average , very large SSH, SSS, SST and Chl-a concentration gradients are encountered along South-North sections trough the gulf stream. In particular the SSS exhibits zonal gradients greater than 5 unit/10° of latitude and the SST can range from 24°C in the central waters down to less than 5°C in the shelf and slope waters. It therefore a good test-area for evaluating the ability of microwave salinity missions to retrieve SSS in moderate to cold seas.
Specific scientific questions we are investigating are the following:
1) What accuracy of SMOS products at moderate to low SSTs ?
2) How SMOS data complement SST & SSH informations to better track meso-scale features
3) Can SMOS data be used to better monitor biological productivity in the separated Gulf stream area ?
4) Is SMOS able to track Near-Surface
Transport Pathways of salt in the North Atlantic Ocean ?
ÞLooking for Throughput from the Subtropical to the Subpolar Gyre
To answer the first question above, we conducted an ensemble of co-localizations between SMOS and in situ data collected in that area over year 2012.
Figure 2: SMOS SSS data (a) co-localized with in situ SSS data (b). In situ observations include VOS TSG data and ARGO float upper depth measurements in the Gulf stream area. The data are collected from 03/15/2012 to 10/31/2012. TSG data were spatially averaged at the SMOS product 0.25° x 0.25° spatial resolution. SMOS SSS data were temporally averaged over a 11 days-period centered on each ship or ARGO observation date. c) Comparison between co-localized SMOS and TSG SSS data as function of sea surface temperature (color). d) Comparison co-localized SMOS and ARGO SSS data as function of sea surface temperature (color); (e) Average differences ΔSSS between co-localized in situ and SMOS SSS observations per 0.2°C-width bins of Sea Surface Temperature. The black curve indicate the median ΔSSS within each bin and the blue vertical bars indicate ±1 standard deviation. The number of samples per bin is indicated by the green curve.
We considered Volountary Observing Ships Thermo-SalinoGraph data averaged at 0.25°, ARGO & SMOS data 10 days average at 0.25° (CEC-Ifremer v2 product). In situ data include ARGO (~2000 pts) and TSG (GOSUD (Matisse+Oleander)+ SAMOS data (Atlantis, Henri Biglow, Knorr, Nancy Foster, Pisces, Okeanos Explorer, RonBrown) ) with a spatial sampling distribution as shown in Figure 2. In general, we found an rms difference between SMOS and in situ observations of 0.7 and 0.5 for TSG and ARGO float data, respectively. Given the large gradient and strong temporal variability encountered in this area, SMOS products data can therefore be used to perform some scientific analysis. However, bining the in situ-minus-SMOS SSS differences as function of SST, it appears (Fig 2d above) that systematically, SMOS L3 CEC V2 products are too salty compared to in situ observations as SST decreases below about 13°C. The colder the SST below that threshold, the more important the bias. The reasons for that are not yet fully clear but certainly involve a mixture of dielectric constant modelling issues (we rely on Klein adnd Swift's model), badly corrected roughness effects, rfi and land contaminations.
How SMOS data complement SST & SSH informations to better track meso-scale features ?
To investigate that point, we combined SMOS observations with GHRSST SST products (ODYSSEA) and merged altimeter geostrophic+wind-induced ekman currents from OSCAR. The animation below is showing the co-varying SSS (color) and currents (arrows) in the Gulf stream area in 2012 (clik on the image to see a larger view)
With an unprecedented space and time resolution, SMOS surface salinity data now bring additional information on the evolution of the meandering Gulf Stream. Off Cap Hatteras, strong lateral gradients are caused by the convergence of subtropical water carried northward by the Gulf Stream with sub-polar water carried southward along the east coast of North America by the Labrador current. Stirred by mesoscale (50-100 km) and larger scale processes, SMOS observations help delineate meanders pinching off from the current to form Gulf Stream rings. Saltier (fresher) water parcels from the southern (northern) water masses are then trapped in these eddies, to further propagate in distinct ocean salinity environment on both sides of the stream.
Two examples of this capabilities of SMOs sensor to detect meso-scale features are given by the signal of warm-core and salty eddies detached from the Gulf stream in June and September around 65°W and 40°-42°N:
By chance the Matisse ship equipped with a TSG crossed the salty eddy dettached from the Gulf stream which was detected from mid-may to end July (top one in the figure above) with data acquired close in time to an ARGO float surfacing just in the eddy core:
Figure 3: Top: 10 days-averaged SMOS SSS field (color) superimposed with OSCAR currents (arrows) from 26/05 to 5/06. Colored squares indicate the location and SSS measured by ARGO profilers from 24/05 to 8/06. Small colored circles indicate Matisse ship track and SSS from 24/05 to 3/06. Bottom: SSS measured by Matisse TSG at high resolution (thin black curve) and smoothed at 0.25° resolution along track (blue). The red curve shows the 10-days averaged SMOS SSS interpolated in space and time along the ship track. The small black square indicates the SSS measured by the ARGO float (#4901139) located close to the ship track at 64,42°W;41,24°N on 8 of June (see top panel).
As expected, the ±25 km and +/-5 days averaging of SMOS data is somehow resulting in smoother SSS gradients than the very local in space and time in situ observations. The salty anomaly signal detected by SMOS in that eddy is however in general consistent with the SHIP TSG and ARGO float measurements.
Figure 4: Latitudinal Sections at 64.4°W across the salty eddy centered at 41°N and detected in may-june of SSS (a) and Sea Level (b). On (a), red & black curves show 10-days averaged SMOS SSS from 24/05-29/05 and from 3/06 to 13/06, respectively; World Ocean Atlas SSS climatology is illustrated by the black dashed-dotted curves. The SSS measured at 6 m depth by ARGO float #4901139 along that latitudinal section are indicated by colored squares: red on May 29 and black on 8 of June. In (b) red and black curves are showing the merged sea level height deduced from AVISO on the 29/05 and 8/06. The dashed black curve is indicating the mean dynamic topography (Rio, 2009).
We compared SMOS and in situ observations to the World Ocean Atlas SSS climatology along a South-North section at 64.4°W acrross the eddy. As shown by Figure 4 (a) , SMOS detected a significant +2-+2.5 salty anomaly in the northern flank of the Gulf Stream around 41°N. The peak SSS at 41°N also correspond to a +30cm sea level height anomaly, indicating the signature of the warm and salty core eddy.
Apparently, as revealed by S and T vertical distiburtions at the ARGO float located into that eddy, that meso-scale structure (~200 km diameter) transported a very significant depth-integrated anomaly of both heat and salt:
According to historical CTD and profiler observations from NODC collected within [67°W-63°W; 40°N-42.5°N], this is a fairly rare situation as detected from the surface salinity perspective:
Less than 5% of historical observations in that box indeed exhibit SSS >34.5!
Coherency between SSS satellite observations and SST, SSH and chlorophyll-a data was further analysed by estimating the co-variation of these variables along the latitudinal section throughout year 2012. This is illustrated here below:
Figure 5: Time-Latitude Hovmöller diagrams at 65°W of (a) SMOS SSS; (b) AVISO merged altimeter SSH; (c) GHRSST Level 4 ODYSSEA SST and (d) 8-days composite MODIS total Chlorophyll-a. The black curve is the iso-haline at 35.6 from SMOS data.
The plots in Figure 5 reveal that, SMOS SSS is an excellent proxy of the sea level height variability in this region, particularly during the summer season (may to end october). During that period, the enhanced signals associated with the 2 eddies previously detected in may-july & aug-oct clearly appear north of ~39°N in both SSS and SSH Hovmuellers. In addition, the Chlorophyll-a concentration is showing 3 distincts water masses: the rich region in the North corresponding to cold (and generally fresh waters), the poor subtropical gyre waters (warm and generally salty) and a transition zone, certainly corresponding to the mixing-zone induced by the stream turbulence. The chlorophyll-a concentration is certainly SST-driven at first order throughout the year and particularly during winter. However, in summer, the chrolorphyll-a poor region is clearly well delineated by the iso-haline at 35.6 (deduced from SMOS data). This suggests a significant dependency of chl-a concentration with SSS and SST during that season.
As illustrated by Figure 6, by bin-averaging MODIS chl-a concentrations as function of co-localized SST and SMOS SSS values, considering all data acquired over the domain defined by [75°W-40°W;30°N-50°N] and during all the year 2012, we were in a position to highlight such dependencies:
Figure 6: Seasonal variabilty of the Chlorophyll-a concentration average dependencies with SST and SSS in the North Atlantic domain [75°W-40°W;30°N-50°N] for year 2012 (clik on image for better definition).
Little SSS-dependencies are found in the Chlorophyll-a concentration during winter (left plot). However, during the warm boreal summer (right plotà, as SST exceeds over 17°C, Chlorophyll-a concentrations is observed to drop significantly at a given SST with increasing SSS from 34 to 37. Salt transported by warm-core eddies detached from the Gulf stream and their summer incursions in the shelf and slope sea is therefore a potential moderator mechanism for biology in this region.
Similar Gulf-stream meanders-induced warming events were recently highlighted near the Middle Atlantic Bight shelfbreak using sea surface temperature imagery and altimetry by Gawarkewicz et al together with in situ salinity. Now that SMOS and Aquarius data are available, new and complementary information on cross-frontal exchanges of salt across the gulf stream can be regularly gained. Better knowledge of such events which have significant implications for the shelf ecosystem (e.g. silver hake population) is certainly a progress.
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Search Engine Guide > Jennifer Laycock > BidHero Brings Bid Management to the Masses
BidHero Brings Bid Management to the Masses
Last week, Santa Cruz, California based ClickTracks released a new tool designed to bring ease of use to pay-per-click campaign management the same way that their award winning software has to web analytics. BidHero, a new PPC bid management program that closely integrates with existing ClickTracks software was designed to fill a void that the company saw in the PPC management sector.
"ClickTracks has always been extremely in tune with search engine optimization and search engine marketing professionals," said John Marshall, ClickTracks' CEO. "Over the years, we've had repeated requests to take the ease-of-use and robust functionality found in ClickTracks and apply it to the bid management arena. BidHero is the end result of those requests."
I had a chance to chat with John Marshall earlier this week to take a guided tour of BidHero and to ask some questions about how the program will benefit the often over-looked small business market.
One of the more compelling feature of the BidHero program is the fact that it allows users to import their existing PPC campaigns from engines like Yahoo!/Overture and Google AdWords. Most other bid management solutions require users to either start from scratch, or manually enter all keyword phrases and ad creative. Once they've imported their data, users can tie their campaigns into their online sales or lead generation tracking and BidHero will display the following information for each campaign:
Number of Clicks
Cost per click
Total campaign cost
Number of sales/conversions
Conversation rate
Revenue per Purchase
Revenue per Click
Users can even adjust their position, maximum bid and ad copy from within the BidHero interface. BidHero will then login to the PPC engine via the API and will make the updates for the user. Theoretically, a user wouldn't have to log in to the AdWords or Yahoo!/Overture interfaces again. Another advantage of the program is the WYSYWIG interface that is offered. The ability of a company to manage all of their PPC campaigns from a single interface, rather than learning their way around each of the separate systems is quite valuable even without the other benefits.
For business owners that have difficulty setting up ad tracking parameters (and especially for those saying "what's an ad tracking parameter?") BidHero comes to the rescue. BidHero will automatically assign tracking parameters to all campaigns and will integrate that data with ClickTracks' log files to make ROI tracking easier than ever.
Marshall made it clear that BidHero lacks some of the really advanced functionality present in higher-end solutions like those offered by Atlas One Point. "We're not competing with [them]," explained Marshall. "We're aiming for a whole different level." Marshall went on to tell me that the idea behind BidHero was to take the functionality needed by most marketers and closely integrate it with analytics so that they're not finding themselves buried under mounds of data.
BidHero currently integrates only with AdWords and Yahoo!/Overture, but Marshall tells me that the company plans to add support for all of the major PPC engines that offer an API. Businesses that already use ClickTracks to track the results of their PPC campaigns will be happy to know that BidHero automatically pulls down the relevant data, making the task of collecting and importing CSV files a thing of the past.
With prices starting at just $69/month, BidHero is one of the more affordable bid management solutions out there. The only down-side I've been able to find is that it requires a user to have ClickTracks Pro, the highest (and most expensive) web analytics solution offered by ClickTracks. A scaled down version that integrated with the more affordable ClickTracks Optimizer would be welcomed within the small business community.
Even so, the ClickTracks/BidHero combination of software brings heavy-duty testing, analytics and management to an entire group of businesses that could not have previously afforded it. Companies that use the combination appropriately should see enough return on the investment to more than justify the expense.
For more information, including a Flash demo, visit the BidHero site.
ClickTracks Releases Mid-Range Web Analytics Package
Latest Version of ClickTracks Includes E-mail Marketing and Geographical Data
ClickTracks Wins Yet Another ClickZ Award
The Poor Man's Version of Dayparting
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Who will control Indian ocean?
Indian ocean, the biggest ocean in the face of earth after Pacific and Atlantic, named after Indian subcontinent. Now in this globalized world, when Asian economies too attaining new heights, the commercial and strategic importance of Indian ocean is in its peak. The war in Afghanistan and Iraq, a nuclear crisis in Iran, the two important oil routes all multiplied the importance of Indian ocean.
India have long coastline, not only India but Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Australia many south-east Asian countries, oil rich gulf countries along with African continent shares the coastline of India ocean.
And now countries are competing for the control of the Indian ocean. But who will gain the control? US already have a naval base in Indian ocean, Indian also in the plan of trying to her navy to a blue water navy and China is building ports after ports in the region. Chinese too want to play a big role in the Indian ocean. Their strategy is commonly known a 'string of pearls’ and are increasing their presence in the region; Gwadar port in Pakistan is a good example.
Besides the Chinese built Pakistani port "Gwadar" they have keen interest in building more and more ports in Indian Ocean. Their latest pearl in the string is under construction in "Hambantota", SriLanka. Not only in naval bases; but they are expanding their fleet strength and deploying their vessels in the pirate affected regions, far from its shores. They may be many interests;
1) First and foremost is the problems with Taiwan, they want Taiwan to be a part of mainland China by diplomacy or by force. But integration by force will create an international backlash and they fear that at this time US may go for a naval blockade on them, by cutting the important oil routes to China through Indian ocean.
2) Chinese export driven economy is highly depended on the imported oil and majority of the oil goes through Malacca straits. They fears about the security of these channel in the times of a war.
3) The growing power of US navy may create more worries to them.
4) India’s growing power and influence in the region and India’s decision to create a blue water navy.
5) India’s look east policy, Chinese may fear that the growing economic relations with ASEAN countries may be transformed into a maritime relationship.
And for increasing their sphere of influence they are creating base after base in the Indian Ocean region. Whether its in Gwadar in Pakistan or in Myanmar they are fast and moving ahead in their mission but the question remains the same, will it solve all the problems of China? I think most of them are imaginary as a naval blockade in Malacca straits have a rare possibility as it will create chaos in the economies of Japan, China and Korea and its will not do any good for anyone except of course in war.
In peace time the Gwadar port in Pakistan will be a good help for China, as well as its base in Myanmar to control its oil interests. The more and more energy hungry economy of China want consistent supply of energy. But the problem with China is that it is highly depends on middle east and Malacca straits for its oil supply.
Chinese strategists thinks that any naval blockade in these regions by other naval powers like India and US will be disastrous for China. And they also fears about building a chain of bases around them. So they are going on their maritime doctrine of "Strings of Pearls" which starts from Chinese seas to Horn of Africa. And these bases are bases are constructing with full momentum in these regions.
They think that the Gwadar port in Pakistan will be a great help for them in terms of energy at the times of war. As they can overrun a blockade in Malacca straits by their enimies. But its will not be a good option for China, because,
1) The transportation of oil from the Gwadar port to mainland China is not at all a practical option . The construction and operational cost will be very high.
2) Moreover if there is a naval blockade in the Gulf of Persia, Gwadar port will remain useless.
3) Gwadar port is a small peninsula connected to mainland Pakistan through a chicken neck, in times of war if China want to support their port then they have to build high naval power in the surrounding region- otherwise cruise missile attacks will be enough for the port to become useless - but this will force India to take counter measures.
4) The region is very far from Chinese waters, and the primary concern of Chinese strategists will be in the waters surrounding Taiwan, as the problem is yet to be solved.
5) Its almost sure that Pakisthan will not like the loss of a port and a new war front in its door, if there is a Sino - US conflict. Moreover Pakistan will not choose the post of Washington's opponent for the energy cooperation with China.
But in peace time this port will able Chinese to put an eye on the trades through the region and may be act as a catalyst for a strong army and naval base in the future. This will also enhance their relation with Pakistan.
Where India is standing?
Its said that whichever country controls the India ocean they control the south east Asia. In the ancient time Hindu mariners controlled the Indian ocean for centuries, they propagated the culture and tradition of India across Indian ocean but after the down fall of Hindu maritime supremecy in the 13th century, Indians were unable to regain its past glory. In Mugal era politics is more concentrated on continental affairs and then British came into the theatre. They built a large ocean fleet and became the prominent force.
But after independence Indian navy grown and now the talks for changing the navy to a blue water navy is going on. But how long we can find happiness in talks? Whatever China doing they are doing it with unbelievable speed. For every costal countries the majority of the trade are through seas, and for the protection of trade and prominence in the egion they have to maintain a highly equipped navy will all capabilities.
Indian navy is one of the prominent force in Indian ocean, but will it be able to enlarge its prominence? Its operations in the time of Sunami earned a lot of good will. But will it be able to create a advanced blue water navy in the face of new Chinese strategies? Will it be able to secure new naval bases abrod and attain the capabilities of a bluue water navy? Can it be able to reach and excecute operations in the far Indian ocean sides, Atlantic, Pacific and South East Asian countries? The answers will decide what will be position of India in maritime affairs in the future.
Labels: Asia, Defence, Foreign Policy, India, Navy
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You are here: Home --> Forum Home --> Free form RPGs --> Fantasy RPGs --> The Great War
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Messages in The Great War
Avatar of Cuteness Onesie
Wee Grugglet
That is as a dwarf would think.
"Dwarf, you've got the disadvantage of not having a drawn weapon. Also, you don't know how much experience I have. You see, elves have a certain ability to delay our aging. When we hit a certain age, we stop showing signs of aging, until we hit another age. I'm much more experienced than I look. But for decency..." Hirokuun hesitates, eying the dwarf, "And for the kid's sake, you'll live."
Hirokuun pulled his weapon back, but didn't stow it.
Bezmir
RDI Fixture
Kannizan chuckled at Hirokuun's words. "Young elf lord thinks I need a weapon. He also speaks as if I'm new to the world." Kannizan turned to Hirokuun and spoke a few words in the dialect that he judged as his people, due to the style of the tattoos. They roughly equaled to "Confidence and over confidenced are easy to get confused, eh?"
He took a seat on the edge of the bed, pulling his beard in frustration. Today was not quite what he'd expected.
Babaloo
Calvin was beginning to find their arguing and threats childish, which was humerous considering his age in comparison to them.
"Stop bickering. Kannizan, I need you to listen to me."
Kannizan turned his head with honest curiosity in his eyes.
"On my way back from my house, I stopped by the library. I looked up whatever information I could on this sword, but found nothing. But what really bothers me is what happened after that."
Calvin took a deep breath and went on, "As I was passing through the central strucutre, I lost my way and ended up in the adminnistration building. I happened past the Headmaster office and heard a conversation going on inside. Now normally, I wouldn't eavesdrop, but the...topic...of their discussion was rather startaling."
Both Kannizan and the Elf leaned in closer.
"There was man, whose voice i've not heard before. He can't be native. He was demanding the Headmaster for some...information. He never said more than that. The Headmaster said the person who knew this 'information' would not disclose it."
Kannizan nodded and the Elf shifted nervously.
"What scared me the most though...I think the other man knew I was out there."
"Did he attack you?" the Elf asked.
"No..." Calvin sook his head, "but...as if he knew I were there, he asked the Headmaster the name of the person who had what he wanted. I found it odd, considering he should already know...right?"
Kannizan nodded, his eyes focuses on Calvin.
"The Headmaster took a few moments....and then said my fathers name. My father knows something that this man wants...and he's missing...but there is no sign of him on the island at all."
Both the Elf and Kannizan looked shocked.
"Worse off, the man said he was prepared the burn the city by tommorrow at sundown should he not recieve what he was after."
"Did you go in lad?" Kannizan demanded.
"No, all I heard was this loud hissing noise, as if a sword just from the forge had been plunged in ice water. Then there was a flash...and the voice was gone..."
"What did you do?" The Elf grabbed Calvins collar.
"I ran back here, looking for one of you."
a'right.
Kannizan stood up off the bed.
"Ye aren't pulling me beard, are ye?" Calvin shook his head. "In that case, we can't wait any longer. I knew there was a reason I brought this." Kannizan patted the pack on his shoulder. "We need to gather a small group. Elf, I need to you to go find anyone who you think can help us. Calvin, follow me. We're going to the headmasters office. I want to ask him some questions."
He pulled one handaxe from his belt. As he spun it around in his hand, he looked at the elf, who stood still for a second. "Move, Elf!"
"Kannizan! No! Think about this. The Headmaster has a clean record. And he's got the authority to make sure you never have a future anywhere else. If you break down his door and start drilling him with questions, he can just as quickly fire you and expel me as you did walk in. I know theres something fishy about all of this."
Calvin turned toward the Elf, who seemed very convinced what he was saying had some logic behind it, "But the best thing we can do now is take some time and get together anyone we'll need...should what I heard be true. We're going to get no where if we go your route...no offense." He aptted Kannizan on the shoulder.
Kannizan huffed. He'd helped raise the boy, so he had the stubbornness of a young dwarf. He knew he would get nowhere with this argument so he let it go. "Fine. We'll go yer way." He slid his axe back into his belt and looked around. "So what's the course of action?"
"Far as I can tell, we need to keep all of this under wraps. Only person I know enough to trust such secrets with is you," gestured toward Kannizan, at which point the elf shot him an annoyed glance.
"You," he turned around toward the elf, "are still a complete mystery to me. I have no diea what you do here, what your name is, and what your motivations are. But...you can obviously handle yourself, and at least have more wits than a normal Elf, no offense met."
He knew the elves were usually a very talkative society, but this one had remianed rather silent.
"The best WE can do is find people we trust. People capable of helping us when the time comes. As horrible as it may sound, the conviction in that mans voice assured me that we alone won't be able to stop him from doing what he wants to Drlva. If he doesn't get what he wants, we have to be ready for anything. We need a plan, and trustworthy people we can confide in."
Mystery? Winner!
Hirokuun smirked at Calvin's remark. "Yeah, I can handle myself, and I've got more wits than the others of my race. No offense taken. And by saying I'm a mystery, and you have no idea what I'm doing here... that's good. Because that's what I'm aiming for."
"As for a plan, why don't we go to Drlva, and warn the people ahead of time? They wouldn't believe us, but we could say we tried."
OOC: Well go find help, I am waiting.
Elf Laddie
"We can't go to Drlva immediately. Ye all may be in good shape, but ye're still youngens, not ready to travel in such haste. And even if we were to leave now, we wouldn't make it before 'im. No, our best bet is to gather up a group, and begin a slow march to Drlva. That way, after he has his way, we can sift through the ashes and start a resistance movement. I know ye don't like the idea of letting people die, but I learned during my tenure in the Tlyvarian army that it's the way things have to be sometimes." Kannizan began walking towards the door. "I shall be back, I have an idea of who to talk to. I owe her an apology."
With that, he set off down the corridor in siearch of Isilefeen.
Note: We're IN Drlva. Lol
Calvin was about to speak up when the burly old Dwarf husked out the door. He frowned, but to himself.
"The Dwarf doesn't know what he's doing..." The elf said, taking a catious glance toward the door as it slammed shut.
"That may be ture, but he's doing what he thinks is best. Way I see it, the best way we can tell the citizens is by rumor. More people show concern over rumors in this city than they do over facts." Calvin whirrled around from the window and sat down thoughtfully on his bedside chair.
"Did the man sat he was going to have help?"
Calvin scratched his chin, "No...but I cant imagine one man could burn an entire city."
"Could we," the Elf began. Clavin knew what he was thinking.
"It'd take too long. That man said he'd burn the city within the week. If we tried to send a message to the mainland it'd take at least four days. From there it's another six days ride in to Rhoste Citello. Thats not even considering all the screening that kind of message would take. Then we'd have to wait about a month for the proper garrison of troops to be sent."
Calvins eyes shot open. He suddenly realized that islands own Garrison wasn't even present. "The Drlva detacthment of the Tlyvarian Defense Group took leave last week to make it to Rhoste Citello for the annual Military Training Run. Their not here...all we've got is the small guard contingent posted at the school..."
Calvin realized at that moment there was no way they were saving the city. It was only a matter of getting out alive.
I know. But this dude teleported, which means he's probably already in place
Kannizan was hustling through the hallway, trotting before he broke into an all out run. He was pleased to see his old bones still carried him just as well as the youthful members of the soon to be squad. As he rounded a corner, he nearly bumped into the lady he needed to see.
He was breathing hard, the only sign of his age he could see, and he said "I need ye te come with me. No time." The two of them took off towards his forge. His family had worked there for many generations, and every time a member was killed in battle, monuments were put in place. Calvin's sword reminded him of one. He also hoped to see the woman he told to assemble his class. He knew she was capable of defending herself, and this dwarf needed to know if she could be trusted. As they approached the forge, he asked for a moment of privacy. Shrugging, Isi turned away and stood on the stairwell. Kannizan moved towards the forge in the back, one that was never lit except during pivotal times in his families history. He recalled something his mother once told him. "When the time comes, insert the farthest torch into the farthest forge." He did so.
The forge lit, and a small drawer came out of the body. As he looked in, his face grew pale, and then wonder leaped in his eyes. He saw two handaxes, but when he picked them up, he knew they were fakes. Copies, made to prevent theives from gaining the true items. Inside was also a note, written in a code used only by certain Dwarven clans.
"Ye who sould receive these weapons, return the the place of your birth."
Kannizan studying the note thoroughly, and then asked for Isi to come back in. "We have a situation. I need yer trust on this. I've seen yer skill in archery. Also, I need to apologize for mistaking you for a student. You just seemed kind of young to me. Now, are ye willing to swear yer life upon your family and heritage to do the duty thrusted upon ye?"
Acting as NPC's
The dock attendant wandered out onto the dock and lit his pipe. No ships were due to arrive soon anyway. Last ship they got a day ago was still docked in the harbor. His guess was it was some official representative from another country, probabaly trying to coax the headmaster at the academy into letting some more foreign students train there. Captain of the ship hand't even come out to register. The deck hand he'd sent out had told the Dock Master that the Captain was much to important to be spoken of in public.
Through the white smoke of his pipe, the dock attendant could make out the outline of a galleon bobbing offshore, heading right toward the harbor. He cursed to himself.
"Lenny! Look like we got another unsheculed arrival!"
"Blimey!" Lenny shouted back, "you s'ppose its got anythin' to do wit that ship thats moored in dock seven?"
As the ship drew nearer, the dock attendant could make out a black flag flying high above. Upon the flag was a lone golden eagle holding a single sword in its talons.
"Oi! Lenny! Looks like that boats Schlectan! They aint got no buisiness here!"
The dock master shuffled out of his cabin, "What are you two blighters yellin 'bout this ti-" He saw the ship and howled a curse word at the top of his lungs.
Both Lenny and the other dock attendant frowned.
"Bloody Schlectans better not be 'ere to cause no trouble!" the dock master shouted, "I'll be 'avin a word with there captain!"
Finally the ship was docked, but no one emerged from it. The dock master at last approached the craft in anger, and at that a lone man stepped off the gangway onto the dock, looking around haughtily.
"Might I ask what yer doin' on my docks, sir!" The dock master approached the man.
"I'm quite sorry," the other man said with a slight bite in his accent, "we were part of a merchant convoy heading down to Emeras Citello to transfer a shipment of goods and we got a bit ahead of the rest of our group in a storm. Unfortunatley, the Grand Marshall of our little fleed was aboard out ship, so they can't pass our ship up. I suppose their about a day behind us now."
"What are yah saying?" the dock master asked.
"Well, good sir," the man said, throwing a friendly arm around the dock master, "I'm afraid you'll have to play host to about six or seven more ships about this size by tommorow, at least until we're all regrouped."
The dock master scowled, until the man prduced a large bag of gold.
"This should suffice as docking payment for our craft, and then some."
Taking it greedily, the dockmaster gave a wide smile and let the man return to his ship, no questions asked.
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PROPERTY MANAGEMENT NEWS
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Softball: OU Seniors Chosen in NPF Draft
All four seniors from the No. 1 University of Oklahoma softball team were selected Monday night in the 2013 National Pro Fastpitch College Draft, held at the Ford Theatre inside the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
The selections of Keilani Ricketts, Jessica Shults, Michelle Gascoigne and Brianna Turang were a school record, topping the three Sooners that were chosen in 2008. No school had as many draftees as OU on Monday night as Tennessee and Missouri were the only programs to have more than one player chosen.
All four players were chosen within the first nine selections, highlighted by pitcher Ricketts, who was drafted by the USSSA Florida Pride with the fourth overall pick. Ricketts' selection is the second highest for a Sooner, bested only by DJ Mathis being chosen second overall in 2009 by the Akron Racers.
One selection after Ricketts, with the first pick of round two, the USSSA Pride selected her battery mate, Shults, with the fifth overall selection.
"That's what we talked about, we watched the World Series last year and that was our dream to get both of them," USSSA Pride General Manager Don DeDonatis said on the web stream of the draft. "They're the two girls we wanted to land. They're awesome on the field and just as good for us off the field."
"It's worked well for us with Cat Osterman and Megan Willis over the last three years, so maybe we'll start another trend with the new crew."
Gascoigne was the third Oklahoma player selected overall when the Chicago Bandits chose her with the seventh overall pick and third of the second round.
Turang became the first outfielder selected when she was tabbed by the Akron Racers with the first pick of round three, ninth overall.
Oklahoma has now had 18 players drafted to the NPF league since its inaugural draft prior to the 2004 season.
The 2013 draftees join Sooner alums Amber Flores, Samantha Ricketts, D.J. Mathis, Savannah Long, Susan Ogden, Lauren Eckermann, Norrelle Dickson, Heather Scaglione, Kami Keiter, Christina Enea, Erin Evans, Christy Ring, Leah Gulla and Kristin Vesely who were all drafted by the league.
The NPF College Draft featured five rounds of four selections for a total of 20 overall draftees in the 2013 rookie class. Drafting an athlete gives an NPF affiliate team rights to that athlete for two full seasons.
Due to NCAA regulations, an active college senior-athlete may not sign with her respective franchise until their 2013 college season is over.
National Pro Fastpitch is headquartered in Nashville, Tenn. The league, created to give elite female fastpitch players the opportunity to pursue a professional career in their chosen sport, has operated since 1997 under the names of Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). NPF is the Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball in the category of women's fastpitch softball since 2002.
/// SoonerSports PR
Brianna Turang, Jessica Shults, Keilani Ricketts, Michelle Gascoigne, OU Softball
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Remarks by Sean O'Keefe - Columbia Point Naming Ceremony
Press Release From: NASA HQ
Remarks by the Honorable Sean O'Keefe
NASA Administrator
Columbia Point Naming Ceremony
Thank you Secretary Norton (Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton) for your tremendous hospitality in inviting us over to the Department of the Interior for this truly historic moment.
While NASA continues to represent the American public's aspiration to conquer the final frontier, it is indeed the Department of Interior that remains the steward of the wonderful land and waters that make up America's frontier here on Earth. The President and, indeed all Americans are most grateful to you Secretary Norton for your steadfast leadership to preserve these national treasures. And the opportunity today to recognize such an important element of those national treasures in memory of the Columbia crew is really an incredibly humbling and remarkable event that we treasure a great deal.
I also appreciate the presence of Leo Dillon, Robert Hiatt and Roger Payne from the U.S. Board of Geographic Names, and thank you for your diligence and hard work in helping to make today's event possible. It really is a very special moment for all of us in the NASA family.
I would like to recognize as Secretary Norton some very special guests, Columbia astronaut Dave Brown's parents, Judge Paul and Dorothy and his brother Doug, who we count as extraordinary members of the NASA family.
Dave Brown was an exceptional human being. And as much as I knew of his reputation and had met him a few times, I came to know him much, much better at the Memorial Service for him at the Arlington Cemetery in the middle of March. It was the most remarkable eulogy I think I've ever heard at a memorial service. Because it celebrated his life and what a remarkable human being he was. And this guy was amazing, like many of the astronauts.
Scott Parazynski like him represents an extraordinary group of folks in the astronaut corps, who seem to when you look at their resumes have a combination of experiences that you would swear represent the experience of at least three people you know all jammed into one individual. They are all very characteristic in that regard.
But beyond all the remarkable experiences he had and the amazing professional avocations that he had pursued, Dave Brown was on top of lots of other things quite a character in many regards. The gentlemen who eulogized him relayed a series of incidents in which every time there was some kind of adversity, or crisis, or challenge or some unanticipated event, Dave had a refrain each time in which he always intoned, "Isn't this great!" If Dave were here at this moment, and in spirit he is, he would view this as, "Isn't this great!" And that would be exactly his retort.
He spoke to the students of his alma mater, he went to William and Mary, and challenged them to have "a big vision, accept the risks and be persistent in pursuit of goals." He pretty much described the qualities that he demonstrated throughout his life. No fatigue ever confronted him in this regard.
I'm certain he inherited those qualities from his parents, and we are extremely honored to have them with us today.
A couple months ago, several of the family members were on hand when the crew of STS-107 was awarded the prestigious Robert Goddard Memorial Trophy on behalf of a grateful nation.
The citation on the Trophy offered the aerospace community's profound thanks for this remarkable crew "for reminding the Nation and the world on their ambitious Space Shuttle science research mission that great lives are defined by great purposes." The citation goes on to say "the courageous Columbia astronauts will be forever remembered for their joyful and determined pursuit of knowledge on behalf of all humanity."
Joy and determination. Those are the two words used most regularly in these citations and are indeed the characteristics that vividly stand out as we honor the mission of seven remarkable crewmembers?Rick Husband, Willie McCool, Mike Anderson, Dave Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark and Ilan Ramon?by formally giving the name Columbia Point to a prominent vista on the east side of Kit Carson Mountain.
Thanks to the good efforts of the Interior Department it is quite fitting that Columbia Point will now be a part of Colorado's beautiful Sangre de Cristo range next to the Challenger Point, among a group of mountains known for their enthralling beauty.
What better place could there be to honor the tremendous spirit and unquenchable thirst for knowledge of our Challenger and Columbia astronauts?
It is also important to note the observation of famed nature photographer Art Wolfe that "Colorado is home to the stunning grandeur of mountains 100 million years in the making, the mysteries of ancient dinosaurs, and even to an incongruous natural oddity?a sea of sand far from the lapping waters of an ocean."
He was referring to of course the Great Sand Dunes, America's newest National Park, which adjoin the range that now hosts Challenger and Columbia points. When you think about it, this stunning part of Secretary Norton's home state is most evocative of many of the features our Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity will soon explore on Mars, as the adventure without end that we call space exploration continues in this Centennial of Flight Year. And spirit just launched moments ago successfully on its way to Mars.
Today, though, our focus is indeed on the good earth, the place that from his vantage point on the Space Shuttle Columbia Dave Brown emailed his parents, "If I'd been born in space I would desire to visit the beautiful Earth more than I ever yearned to visit space."
And as we look forward to folks having the opportunity to hike up to the top of Columbia Point in tribute to as fine a crew as ever has been assembled, Columbia Point will be enjoyed and treasured by the American people.
I certainly hope to some day to bring my kids to the base of the range right before dawn on a summer's day, when a majestic sea of stars hovers overhead these majestic peaks, prior to first light when hawks and other raptors rise on the early morning thermals.
Perhaps my kids will also be privileged to travel in space and be able to look down and see a point worthy of the name Columbia, and of the crew members Rick, Willie, Mike, Dave, Kalpana, Laurel and Ilan, who delighted in viewing our planet's purpled mountain majesties while they carried forth their joyful mission of exploration and discovery.
It is now my great pleasure to introduce an astronaut extraordinare, Scott Parazynski, a veteran of four Space Shuttle missions. Scott, who hails from Evergreen, Colorado is an avid mountaineer who has climbed 48 of Colorado's four-teeners, as well as the tallest mountain in the world outside of Asia which he will pronounce with greater clarity than I ever could. His love of mountains gave him the inspiration to suggest this wonderful idea and we are grateful to Secretary Norton for accepting one of the best ideas to come from NASA. Please welcome astronaut Scott Parazynski.
STS-90 Shuttle crew snapped this image from space of what is now Columbia Point in Colorado's Sangre de Cristo Mountains
Topographic Map Showing Location of Columbia Point
Locate on USGS TopoZone
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SPIRE INTEGRATED DESIGN • NYC
BMW Olympic Signature Car
Spire presented several concepts toward the creation of a “signature car” for the 1996 Olympic Torch Relay event. BMW was an official sponsor of the event and provided a 540iL series vehicle which served as the “canvas” for the graphic treatment. The vehicle was an interactive document to the event. Spire updated and revised graphics on a 24-hour basis to keep up with the enthusiasm of the real time event.
Each state which the torch relay crossed was represented on the surface of the automobile in a rough approximation to its neighbors. The route of the relay was documented on a daily basis. Arrows provided a window to depict the method by which the torch was carried (runner, bicycle, boat, etc.).
All city-stops were indicated by an iconographic device. At each stop a dignitary signed the vehicle. The car contains hundreds of important signatures and stands as a living document to the event. The vehicle resides at BMW’s Centrum Museum in Spartanburg, SC.
The Spire team worked hand-in-hand with BMW factory professionals to prepare the vehicle. Careful pre-planning still required many hours of fine tuning on the automotive surface to visualize the results before painting commenced. The cooperative spirit and “what-ever-it-takes” attitude prevailed during the final creative and preparatory stages. Each state was individually painted to insure superb quality and durability, finished to show car standards.
BMW Signature Car: 1997
After the success of the Olympic Signature Car, Spire was asked by BMW to create an equally engaging campaign in their support of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The result was The Ultimate Drive. For each mile you test drive, BMW donates a dollar to the Foundation, with the goal to raise a million dollars. Each participant was able to then sign the flagship vehicle as a testament of their support of breast cancer research. The fleet of test-drive vehicles and the flagship signature car travelled across the country during the nine-month event.
The design challenge was to how to fit over 15,000 signatures in an organized and elegant manner. The creative (and sometimes scientific) team at Spire derived a controlled system that allows the signatures to cover the 7 Series beautifully by the end of the event.
Survivors of breast cancer, doctors, and other prominent individuals in breast cancer research were honored with a portrait on the Signature Car.
The success of this campaign was followed for 11 more years of BMW's support of the Komen Foundation. BMW raised more than $12 million dollars. The Spire team had designed 12 different Signature Cars and the fleet vehicles, every year a unique design and theme. Take a look at one of our favorites.
The BMW Ultimate Drive for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation was in its 4th year, when Spire designed the surface graphics for flagship signature X5. The event travelled across the U.S. to raise a million dollars for the cause.
This engaging surface delightfully masks hundreds of hours of careful planning. The information presented on the "skin" of the BMW X5 was carefully preplanned to accept over 15,000 signatures. Each signature represented test miles translated into benefit dollars for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Spire's assignment was to create a surface that celebrated BMW's achievement with the capabilities of its X5 vehicle, while appealing to participants to sign the vehicle and contribute to a crucial health cause.
An imaginary landscape was derived that incorporated every kind of typographic surface. The file created to generate this map was huge -- drawn at 100% scale, printed on a thin, durable vinyl, and in conjunction with many painted details, applied to the vehicle. The surface was also designed to accommodate signatures as the event traverse the country. Planning for accurate coverage of the vehicle, over a 180-day timeframe, while assuring an even distribution of final signatures required immense planning and continually corrective modifications.
Spire handled the US press event for the release of the Mazda MX-3. The concept was to showcase the artfulness of design and engineering for what was a brilliant compact automotive design. Paintings were commissioned and created for the walls of the space and a backdrop of canvas and oil paint served to stage the vehicle. The idea was carried to the extreme — we partially disassembled the vehicle in order to bring it up an elevator in New York's trendy Tribeca district. The press was supplied with maps and passes to art events after the briefing of the car. Spire worked on every aspect of the program from press kit collateral, invitations, and full size oil paintings to follow up tickets, passes, and maps. We had 100% attendance of all the invitees — which, for Mazda, was a first. The paintings hung in Mazda's headquarters for many years after the event.
At Spire, we usually handle the creative process all the way through to execution, but our team is also adept at turning other’s concepts into reality. It is crucial to understand the vehicle painting process and how shapes take form on the surface of a vehicle. The original art provided to us were created on a computer for a 2 dimensional surface - to follow that exact layout, it would've taken over 20 applications of paint to get the layered look. With only one week of allowed production time, 20 layers of paint was not an option. The Spire team ultimately was able to break down the design to 4 layers of paint in unique shades of grey so the results visually corresponded with the original artwork.
Vehicle vinyl graphics for the Rolls-Royce Pace Car.
Fleet Graphics
Spire values the importance of understanding the medium of vinyl graphics for fleet vehicles. We take your brand and respectfully extend it to the surface of the vehicle, so both elements complement each other. Our aesthetic philosophy is make sure the artwork does not hide the beauty of the vehicle.
Barney Greengrass
Ancient and yet anatomically correct, Poseidon has been the Barney
Greengrass mascot for nearly one hundred years. When we set out to update a rather awkward logo our first thought was to save every ounce of branding value extant. The logo was "updated" with a dual band incorporating a modified Copperplate typefaces and sturgeons. Subtle design method was employed to represent sea, sky, and rocks. Posideon was granted godly
proportions!
A carefully designed color scheme, balancing the classic deli with a clean tasteful palette was developed. The business card (distributed by the hundreds from small custom displays on the counter) was die cut to accentuate the circular logo.
Spire went on to develop an extensive, and very cost effective, branding plan for Barney Greengrass. Everything from the planning of a photoshoot where "ice" was illuminated on glass sheets to exhibiting the Greengrass delicacies; to packaging of caviar and coffee; to an extensive yet simple website navigation was created. Spire is proud to continually supply Barney Greengrass with an ongoing commitment to consistent and elegant graphics. This project proves out the notion that a well conceived initial branding is ready for any communication challenge.
American Natural
American Natural is an energy company with its initial fueling stations situated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Spire created an “immersive” identity and structural visualization model for the company. A custom typeface was created based upon the font Memphis. A logo/symbol, based on CH4 — one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. So the logo/symbol is actually a picture of their product at the elemental level. Another interesting idea was that the background of the logo would be polarized low contrast images of the site that their station would replace (in Pittsburgh building means tearing down some current structure). The Spire team photographed the old cinder block manufacturing plant a my Leica R8. We then designed a 1/18 scale model (built by Max Steiner) with design cues of Jules Verne, modernism, and a touch of futurism. We delivered an in-depth portfolio of these design cues to their architect and interior designer. Our graphics were deployed with 95% accuracy, and the 3D photographs, renderings, and models with about 80% accuracy — mostly due to cost savings. This concept, of developing immersive design guides and inspirational models, proved effective in keeping all stakeholders informed during the development of programs. In this example we deployed the RAPID PROTOTYPING hot team concept to create excitement within the group and rapid build out of the brand. Our objective was to create rapid adoption of specific brand, that might otherwise be lost within a commodity product (energy). The guides were broken into three types: Symbol and Semantic — Form and Light — and Usability and consumer adoption.
Day Trading Applications
Information design is about prediction. This may be most self evident in tools such as this user experience for stock trading. Spire strives to make complex things simple, available, and easy to respond to. Sometimes this doesn't always look to be the case, but professionals adapt to tools quickly because the benefits of their usefulness become quickly apparent.
The Spire team is constantly subjected to intense learning curves; this serves our clients well – they benefit from obtaining well designed tools that are intuitive and not simply built around deceptively familiar frameworks.
bb•q chicken
Our challenge was to create an identity and signage program for Genesis BBQ’s
franchise food establishments. Genesis BBQ has nearly 8000 restaurant facilities
in South Korea (the letters BBQ do not convey the immediate notion of
barbecue as it does in the United States).
The challenge of working against a very strong predetermined letter-combination was considerable. Spire developed a highly modernist version of the bb.q letterforms in a lowercase arrangement, additionally adding a “dot” between the bb and the q in order to signify an alteration to what might be, we developed a structural lighting scheme for the restaurants. The initial “overseas” facility was built in Tokyo, Japan. At present seventy-five facilities have been converted to our look, with hundreds planned for updating in the following years. In addition a Korean Hangul letterform design, to match the Roman letterforms was developed.
Con Edison
One of Spire’s most challenging information design projects was to create a “Blackout Procedures” manual for Con Edison’s central plant in Astoria, New York. Research was the main ingredient which led to a simplified workbook whereby critical tasks could be initialed and time stamped. This insured a coordinated start up in the event of a partial or total blackout.
© 2018 Spire Integrated Design, Inc.
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ShoeString Community Players
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Auditions for He Done Her Wrong and Curse You, Jack Dalton
May 21, 2019 brian Leave a comment
Auditions for He Done Her Wrong and Curse You, Jack Dalton The ShoeString Community Players are holding auditions for two hilarious melodramas on May 28th and 29th at 6:00 p.m. at the ShoeBox Theater, 231 S. 1st Street, St Helens. He Done Her Wrong and Curse You, Jack Dalton involve dastardly villains, virile heroes, pure but plucky heroines, and startling plot twists. He Done Her Wrong calls for a female in her late 40s to early 50s, two females in their 20s, a female in her early 30s, a male in his late 30s and a male in his 20s. Curse You, Jack Dalton requires a female in her mid to late 50s, a female in her mid to late 20s, two females in their late teens to 20, two males mid to late 20s, and one male in his mid 30s. Show dates are July 25th, 26th and 27th and August 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
Events, Press Releases, Tickets
Our MISS BROOKS TICKETS
Show Dates: June 7, 8, 14, 15 at 7pm and June 8 at 2pm
Ticket prices are Adults $10.00 Stu/Sen $8.00
Tickets available at Bertucci’s Chocolates, Online and at the door
Press Releases, Venue
Grand opening of shoebox theater May 18th
ShoeString Community Players will be having it’s Grand Opening of the ShoeBox Theater, 231 S First Street, St. Helens, May 18 at 4:00-7:00 pm. Plan on seeing many new and old faces as we share pictures, videos, stories, memories, and entertainment from the last 36 years of entertaining the community. This event is not to be missed. For more info contact shannon@sscptheater.org
Events, Press Releases
Mark your calendars!!!
MIDDLE SCHOOL ACTORS – AUDITIONS IN SEPTEMBER
• Directed by Tom Weaver, retired director of the Scappoose High School Drama Club.
• Casting is open primarily for middle school students.
• No cost to participate.
• Rehearsals will be Monday-Thursday from 4:00-5:30 pm.
• Transportation is not provided.
The Importance of Being Uncle Roscoe
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING UNCLE ROSCOE It’s almost Christmas – the season to be jolly – but things are going downhill fast at the Kendalls’! Carl’s been fired, the budget won’t stretch far enough to cover gifts for everyone and Uncle Roscoe’s due to arrive any day for a visit. As a matter of fact, a reasonable facsimile of Uncle has arrived, a bit prematurely, and brought his friend Kenny. He takes advantage of the mistaken identity and lends his expertise in solving family problems with dynamic energy and a joyously funny slant on life’s challenges. By the time the real Uncle Roscoe appears, these two lovable con men have already won the Kendalls’ hearts and carry on with plenty of zest and compassion. A thoroughly contemporary holiday celebration, warmly, wryly, humorous and brimming with the love of living. Perfect for the winter season.
Cast Description
ShoeString news flash
May 2, 2019 brian
Children’s Theater present “Joyful Noise” and “I am Phoenix” tickets on sale at Bertucci’s Chocolates 2017 Columbia Blvd. St. Helens and the theater this evening…
Auditions for “Our Miss Brooks” May 15 at 6:30 pm. For more info contact keith@sscptheater.org
Grand Opening of the ShoeBox Theater May 18 at 4:00-7:00 pm. For more info contact shannon@sscptheater.org
Auditions for two melodramas, “He Done Her Wrong” and “Curse You Jack Dalton” May 29, 30 at 7:00 pm. For more info contact shannon@sscptheater.org
All the world is a stage…
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Listen to our latest Green Building podcast from our work with Portland Hotel Society (PHS) Community Services Society, Vancouver.
6th May 2015 /in Green Building & LEED, News /by Jeremy Murphy
Green Building audio tours have released our latest podcast that guides listeners through our project for community supported housing with Portland Hotel Society in Vancouver, BC. SSG Director Jeremy describes our contribution and sustainability of the 139 unit development for vulnerable people alongside Jeff West from Portland Hotel Society. Features include a rooftop garden, a high efficiency Airstack heating system, heat recovery units in the ventilation system, and a solar hot water array and 80% waste diversion rate during construction.
For the audio, please click here:
For images, please view here:
Tags: affordable housing, Award, British Columbia, energy efficiency, LEED, Media, supported housing, Vancouver
http://www.ssg.coop/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/IMG_8644-e1426680392325.jpg 681 854 Jeremy Murphy http://www.ssg.coop/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/ssg_logo.png Jeremy Murphy2015-05-06 11:08:072015-05-08 09:48:18Listen to our latest Green Building podcast from our work with Portland Hotel Society (PHS) Community Services Society, Vancouver.
SSG Newswire May 2015
Vancouver Convention Centre honoured by AIA
A Call to Action for and by Canadians: The Solutions Agenda
Associate Webinar: Lindsay Telfer on strategies, tools and tips for meaningful community engagement
Canadian Cities Explore Additional Measures for Achieving Low Carbon Future
Associate webinar: Lindsay Cole on Urban Rewilding Strategies
Pathway to Paris #9: The gap in local and federal climate action commitment... The SSG Story so far: Yuill Herbert presents to the All – Party Co-operative...
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Minnesota DHS chief of staff resigns, adding to exodus of top leaders
West Metro 431153013
Rally fights deportation of Twin Cities labor leader
Supporters say return to Guatemala could put union organizer in harm's way.
By Mila Koumpilova Star Tribune
June 28, 2017 — 10:12am
Labor and immigration activists rallied Tuesday at the Hennepin County Public Safety Center in support of a Twin Cities labor leader who faces deportation to Guatemala.
Luciano Mejia Morales, who was part of a recent campaign to unionize janitors, was detained by immigration authorities right after his release from Hennepin County jail on $3,000 bail following a Richfield traffic stop this month.
His supporters argue his Central American homeland is unsafe for a U.S. deportee, particularly one who has been active in labor organizing.
Morales had returned to Minnesota after a previous deportation to Guatemala — a federal felony — telling three brothers that gang members there had pressured him to join.
His supporters rallied Tuesday in front of the Hennepin County Public Safety Center to raise awareness about his case and decry the lack of protections for immigrants in a city that has at times billed itself as a sanctuary. An attorney for Morales is building a case that the U.S. government should grant him asylum.
"To fight for union and labor rights in Guatemala is practically a death sentence," said Gerardo Cajamarca, a speaker at Tuesday's event and a Colombian refugee who was granted asylum. "We are afraid that if Luciano is deported to Guatemala, he may be killed."
David Joles, Star Tribune
Luciano Mejia Morales
Deportations to countries grappling with political and social unrest are newly in the spotlight as the Trump administration has promised a harder line on illegal immigration. Local immigration advocates have also voiced alarm in recent months over stepped-up deportations to Somalia, arguing famine and threats from the terror group Al-Shabab have made that country too unsafe for deportees. Administration supporters say the United States can't indefinitely harbor people without legal status — particularly those who have had run-ins with the law — on the grounds that their homelands are in turmoil.
Poverty and gang violence in Central America have spurred a surge in arrivals at the U.S. border with Mexico. But Morales and his brothers arrived in Minnesota some 14 years ago, according to his older brother Miguel, who spoke at Tuesday's rally. They came to join an uncle, who has since been deported.
A janitor and activist with the Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha, Morales became active in a campaign to organize a retail janitors union in the Twin Cities, making it the first major metro area where such workers are unionized.
Last fall, more than 500 mostly minimum-wage big-box store janitors joined the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 26, which helped organize Tuesday's rally. In February, janitors won their first labor contract, which resulted in the mostly Latino immigrant workers sharing an additional $4.5 million in wages over three years.
Morales was deported in 2010 before he was able to resolve a pending DWI charge, and a judge issued a warrant for his arrest, immigration attorney Veronica Walther said. It is not clear whether that contributed to his June arrest for disobeying a traffic signal and driving without a license in Richfield. He was booked into Hennepin County jail.
Supporters say his brothers scrambled to come up with his bail — only to see him detained by immigration agents shortly after his release.
He is now in the Carver County jail, pending removal proceedings, ICE said in a statement. Protesters on Tuesday questioned that turn of events and the role of the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office.
Sheriff Richard Stanek has said that though his office does not honor ICE requests to hold inmates for immigration agents, it will notify ICE when the subject of a request is about to be released. His office said it was simply a housing facility in the Morales case.
Mila Koumpilova writes about higher education at the Star Tribune, where she previously covered immigration and Minnesota's immigrant communities. During more than a decade of reporting, she has been an education, general assignment and features reporter.
mila.koumpilova@startribune.com 612-673-4781 MilaKoumpilova
Twins After fever pitch, Twins stall late in loss to Mets
State + Local
The chief of staff of the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) will resign from her post, extending a remarkable exodus of top leaders from…
Five new lawsuits have been filed more than two years after a natural gas explosion caused part of a Minneapolis school to collapse, killing two people and injuring nine others.
Coleman says lung cancer surgery was a success
Former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman says all visible traces of cancer have been removed from his lung during a seven-hour surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester.
The hall will host museum-quality exhibits that will change from year to year.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers is headed to Japan in September for his first trade mission.
St. Louis Park reinstates Pledge of Allegiance on unanimous vote • West Metro
Storms flood streets, down power lines; more possible later in week • West Metro
This boat don't float • West Metro
Big Island party scene plays part in outbreak, officials suspect • West Metro
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Nokia E66 Review
It's not often that Nokia releases a new range of business phones, and when it does you'd better sit up and take notice. The last time round, it was the E61 that had us in raptures, with its Blackberry-beating keyboard and good range of software and features. But it's been a while, and since 2006 much has changed in the smartphone market.
Roll on 2008 and Nokia has a new range of business handsets for us to drool over. And I mean drool, because if the forthcoming E66 I have in my hand right now is anything to go by, Nokia is onto a winner again. It's a business phone, but far from being drab and grey, like many business handsets, this one is slim, sleek and beautifully built.
It's a slider design and the mechanism feels wonderfully smooth and solid, popping open with a thunk that BMW engineers would be proud of. And the phone's exterior is full of other luxury touches. The glamorous chrome trim around the 2.4in screen catches the light in way that catches the eye, the mirror-finish buttons below the screen light up with a cool white glow when the E66 is unlocked and the patterned steel panel on the rear adds a touch of lustre and sparkle. This is a business phone with bling, make no mistake about it.
It's slim too, for a slider, at a 13.6mm, and the simple numeric keypad (this is a phone for the purist) allows for an extremely narrow profile too. Compared with HTC's Touch Dual, which boasts a similar design, it shaves a millimetre off the thickness and a good half a centimetre off the width. And that screen, though fairly standard in its 240 x 320 pixel resolution, is absolutely brilliant when you take it outside. It's transflective and is perfectly visible in bright sunshine, as long as you don't mind being blinded by the gleam from the chrome trim, that is.
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Home > Sailing > Seaview Mermaids > History
A History of the Seaview Mermaid Class
There have now been Mermaids in Seaview for over a century, the present design being the fourth of that name. All have been broadly similar open keelboats; the original gaff rigged boats being built in 1907. These were superseded in 1922 by a new Bermudan rigged Class designed for the Club by the famous Alfred Westmacott. The story goes that Itchenor Sailing Club wanted to build more of these Mermaids but Sea View refused permission! Itchenor then commissioned Westmacott to design a “bigger and better” version, and the Solent Sunbeams are still very much alive. Various photographs of the earlier Mermaids are hung in the Club and two restored survivors of each of these designs are sometimes to be seen afloat at Seaview.
All the 1907 and 1922 boats were originally privately owned. In 1945, at the end of the war, Colonel Tony Somers suggested the Club should purchase the ten Mermaids (laid up since 1939) from their owners so they would be available for all Members to sail. He also arranged for his Regiment to charter them for their annual regatta. Thus the tradition of Club owned boats and chartering has been in existence for over seventy years.
In 1962 the fleet was replaced by ten new boats, designed by Arthur Robb and built by Souters of Cowes specifically for the SVYC. The Club is the sole Class Authority, which gives us the huge advantage of being able to introduce modifications at will and ensure the boats are treated exactly alike. Racing results are therefore determined by skill and not the size of the owner’s wallet!
The 1962 hulls were made of cold moulded Makore plywood, superior to the fibreglass of those days, but rather brittle. By the early 1990s all the hulls looked like patchwork quilts beneath their coloured paintwork. The fittings had never been updated and spinnaker handling involved packing the sail in a bucket which then had to be clipped to the bow fairlead – an exciting chore which frequently resulted in bucket and all being hoisted! After some experiments, members were invited to try the first “modernised” boat during Easter 1993. As a result it was agreed to update the remaining nine.
Professional advice was sought from the yacht designer David Thomas who believed one of the old hulls, with their characteristic Arthur Robb “chicken breast” bow, when suitably faired and finished, would serve adequately as a plug. Scuttle No.1 was selected as the least battered. In fact when stripped back she was as full of patches as her sisters. Thirty years earlier Barry Stobart-Hook had been the first person to hole a Mermaid by hitting the Warner Channel Buoy. Despite every effort, slight traces of this mark, under the port bow, were transferred to the mould and subsequently to each new hull.
It was agreed that a fleet of twelve boats was a much better number than ten and the ten wooden hulls would be replaced progressively. The old wooden Sheen, renamed Naomi, was kept as a spare Club boat, two were sold off into private ownership and the remainder cannibalised to provide keels, masts and fittings for the new boats. The old hulls were then cut up and auctioned off to provide much needed funds. The stern of Cynthia may still be seen today, adorning the wall of the outer deck by the AED.
A few extra pictures and facts are included on the Pdf below.
History of the Seaview Mermaids.pdf
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Posts Tagged ‘Technology’
Lazarus Corps
Photo: John Pratt from Unsplash
The ten thousand strong crowd had been waiting nearly an hour for the show to start. Most of them were absorbed in their phones, staring vacantly at glowing screens that threw an eerie light onto their faces.
Rancid, the PR intern from the production company organising the show, was standing near the stage and looking at his own phone, monitoring the social media comments being posted by the crowd. They were using the #malariadeathring hashtag – and most of the audience were clearly becoming pissed off at the delay but were trying to be amusing about it in their comments.
The delay in the start of the show was being stage-managed. With high overheads and punitive financial penalty clauses in the venue contract should anything go awry, the entire show was designed to run like clockwork. It was Rancid’s job to gauge whether the ‘rebellious’ attitude of the tardy band was returning any dividends. A debrief after the show would discuss the efficacy of the tactic and decide whether to continue with the practice or not at future events.
Rancid checked the time on his phone, the show was going to start about…now!
The background music yielded to a swelling bass tone of menace that got louder until it was at concert hall level and reverberated in Rancid’s chest. He looked up from his phone at the vast stage, empty of people but festooned with equipment poking through the shallow layer of dry ice like skyscrapers piercing cloud cover. A column of light was falling onto the stage like a biblical portent. The audience, as one, raised their phones into the air to video the moment.
From the side of the stage emerged a lone figure walking towards the spotlight. It was a young man with long dark hair as lustrous and bountiful as a woman in the prime of her reproductive years. He was wearing a loose-fitting white poet shirt tucked into brown leather trousers that were accessorised with an ornate buckle belt – the aficionados in the audience immediately recognised it as the silver Zuni Navajo Concho belt made famous by its wearer.
The figure reached the pool of light drilling into the stage and as he stepped into its beam the audience could clearly see Jim Morrison. He stood silently for a few seconds allowing the audience to take in the extraordinary detail of his clothes, hair and belt. A huge screen above the stage relayed the live moment. Then he spoke to the crowd in a husky drawl, “Ladies and gentlemen… Malaria Death Ring” and with that he turned and walked off the stage the same way he had come.
To the cheers of the audience, the members of Malaria Death Ring emerged from the centre of the stage on a hydraulic riser. They were face-painted and costumed so exotically that they made Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band from their acid days of the ‘60s, look like a team of bank clerks on their first day at work. A distinctive intro chord was struck and the show began in earnest.
Countless months before the show, the production team had their regular meeting at the record company headquarters. They sat around the clear glass, boardroom table.
“Siobhan, who do we have introducing the band on the 5th?”
Martin asked this question while scrolling through his digital tablet. Siobhan was on the other side of the table flicking her dyed hair away from her face. The others at the table all looked at her.
“We’ve currently got the President of the United States as the introducer.”
“Which one?” asked Martin.
“Donald Trump,” answered Siobhan.
“Isn’t he getting a bit…clichéd?” interrupted Hugh, a young, handsome man sitting next to Siobhan “I mean, how often can he say ‘this is the best band, you’re going to see the best show’ before it gets too predictable? Besides, I’m reliably informed that Donald Trump is going to be introducing ‘Horse Blood’ on the same night in Birmingham. Surely we want to be a bit more exclusive than that?” He looked at Martin for support. Martin continued to peer at his tablet.
“Who told you that?” asked Martin still looking at his tablet.
“Peter Pinkjacket,” said Hugh.
“Pinkjacket! He’s a coke-head; you can’t trust anything he says!” yelled Siobhan.
Martin quickly looked up from his tablet sensing a time-wasting spat between his two team members. He addressed the five people at the table. “Reliable or not I think it’s worth looking at other options anyway. This is a big gig for Death Ring as it’s the album launch so it might be worth exploring something… unusual. Andy, do you know of anything being developed that we might be able to use?”
Andy was the technical expert with his finger on the digital pulse of innovation.
“I hear Jim Morrison is going to be available soon,” he suggested.
“Whooa! He would be cool!” said Mike, the creative executive.
“Really? Any idea how much he would be?” asked Martin.
“It wouldn’t be that much more than Donald Trump, but there would obviously be a premium for exclusivity. The downside is the quality wouldn’t be quite as good as Trump, as the archive footage is so poor. Comparatively.” Andy added.
Mike said, “But it’s been so long since anyone saw him in the flesh it wouldn’t matter. To the people in the audience he would be real enough. And, as we own The Doors back catalogue it could generate sales from curious onlookers who haven’t heard of him.”
“I’m liking the idea of Jim Morrison more than Donald Trump,” said Martin as he glanced at Siobhan, “Morrison has more…gravitas than Trump and Mike is right, we need to consider the trade off between the extra cost of the avatar and the possible revenue from fresh sales. See if you can fix that up, would you?”
Siobhan made a note on her phone.
Later, at around midnight, Siobhan made a video call to Leee from Lazarus Corporation.
“It looks like we’re going to run with Jim Morrison, Leee, do you know if the avatar will be ready for the 5th? We just need him to say ‘Ladies and gentlemen, Malaria Death Ring!’”
Leee was suitably rock ‘n roll; with a shaven head and dark glasses. He responded from his sunlit office in LA, “Yep, he’s just about ready for a trial run and he looks beautiful. We’ve rendered him in his prime at about age twenty-two. You’ll be the first to have him.”
Yeah, after some American outfit uses him first, thought Siobhan.
“Fabulous” said Siobhan “consider this confirmation. I’ll send the official request through in about fifteen minutes.”
In the old days, living celebrities would open a show for a band in person but this entailed so many problems with egos, riders, and reliability issues that an exasperated executive came up with a novel idea.
He got the idea from a development first seen at conferences. A speaker, who was many thousands of miles away, would be projected onto a stage during a live event. To the audience it looked pretty much as if this speaker was in the room, not in a studio on the other side of the world. They could even conduct a Q&A session with them and still maintain the illusion of reality.
It was only a small step to imagine a pre-recorded message given by a celebrity being projected onto a stage but this still involved getting the cooperation of the celebrity in the first place and pandering to their narcissism.
Then some digital artists armed with fast computers and lots of start-up funding took it one step further. They had seen the online videos that mocked certain politicians with mashed-up broadcast footage of their old speeches. Fast and clever editing made the politician say or sing outrageous things that the public understood to be nearer to the truth of what they meant.
What these digital artists did was to create a believable hologram of a living celebrity purely from footage that was available online. A hugely sophisticated algorithm could visualize new scenarios based on the known mannerisms of the subject. A programmer could then feed in any body movements and dialogue that they wanted into the programme to generate a convincing hologram of the celebrity on a stage at a live event. The result was the current fashion of having a big name introduce an act. The day of the indistinguishable avatar from the real celebrity (at least viewed from a distance) had arrived. Algorithms had revolutionised the entertainment industry. Real celebrities were a pain in the arse. Avatars were the future.
The celebrities on offer were growing by the month – alive or dead. However, the older the celebrity the more expensive they tended to be as the processing power needed to resurrect them was higher due to the paucity of material and the poorer quality of recordings.
Having a celebrity introduce an act with the line “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome x” was just the right length to make the process commercially viable for medium sized acts. And once they had been generated, smaller acts could purchase a licence to use the same file but with a slight alteration for whatever name they required the avatar to speak.
Of course, the first time this stunt was pulled, the celebrity in question was outraged at the appropriation and lawsuits were quickly filed but once the lawyers started to look into the case many loopholes and omissions were revealed. The technology was too new for the old law. The originators argued that they weren’t pretending that the actual celebrity was opening the show; they were completely upfront that a counterfeit was being displayed. The lawyers weren’t even sure if the image fell under the legislation designed for artworks or not, it was a lawless frontier.
Such were the vagaries of the case that it was quickly thrown out of court and the celebrities suddenly realised what it must feel like to be a production worker in a factory and witness the introduction of a tireless robot that could do your job far more efficiently. Overnight, celebrities got increasingly shy about appearing on any media that could record them walking, talking or even cutting a ribbon with a pair of scissors. Old media started to get deleted from video sites and lobby groups were putting pressure on the legislators to protect the rights of the unfortunate celebrities.
But by that time the innovators had already banked terabytes of data ready to analyse and render into their new compliant ghosts.
It wasn’t too long before filmmakers started to look at the costs of creating a full-length movie using digitally reproduced actors based on real actors – but these new actors wouldn’t throw a tantrum, get coked up in their trailers or even age over time.
Some gossip columnists enjoyed the shadenfraude of celebrities losing status and earnings due to the avatars. Writers felt especially smug; they were in a position of renewed status as the spoken lines that the avatars delivered became more important than the celebrity.
That didn’t last long however as the ‘deep learning’ algorithms managed to become creative and start churning out copy that humans found amusing, dazzling or moving based on what the audience had previously found amusing, dazzling and moving. The algorithms even learned to apply context and topicality to their output.
Then Bill Hicks got his own show. It was a brand new show and completely written by algorithms. The show even used the name of Bill Hicks as the owners of his estate realised it was useless fighting the onslaught of new technology and they might as well take a slice of the pie through licencing agreements rather than go hungry.
The show was a smash. The persona of Bill Hicks lent itself beautifully to some of the surreal imagery that the algorithm conjured up out of its mathematical processes and it even managed to come up with a routine that included some self-referential jokes about artificial intelligence being too clever by half for dumb humans.
All the creativity in the show was machine generated and the only thing left for humans to do was to market it and consume it.
Had he been alive, Bill Hicks would have got high on the irony.
Tags: Bill Hicks, Jim Morrison, short story, Technology
Posted in General, Ideas | 20 Comments »
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1996 Beechjet
2005 Learjet 60
1983 Diamond Jet
Previously Sold Jets
RK-119 N150TC
1996 Beechjet 400a
Travel Comfortably with this Luxurious Aircraft
1996 BEECHJET 400A RK-119 N150TC
Bagagge Capacity 31 Cubic Ft
Speed 449 Kn
Range 2,185 Km
Interior Width 4′ 11″ (ft)(in)
Interior Height 4′ 10″ (ft)(in)
Request A Spec Sheet
Beechjet 400aThe History behind this Exclusive Jet
Development of the Beechjet 400 first showed up on the radar in 1985 after Mitsubishi sold rights of the Diamond II executive jet along with numerous incomplete airframes to Beechcraft. A year later, Beech announced production of their own model, the Beechjet 400, and then finally the 400A in 1989. The aircraft was in production for 17 years (1986-2003), Beech built 421 of the 400 and 400A aircraft before eventually being acquired by Raytheon. However, the Beechjet series, namely the 400A, still remains a strong and successful competitor in the entry-level business jet market.
Although the 400 was a fine aircraft, Beech made leaps and bounds with its light private jet: The Beechjet 400A is a more efficient, spacious and comfortable jet compared to its predecessor, the 400. The 400A boats a greater cabin volume, contains a rear lavatory, improvements in performance include an increased in payload, greater operating ceiling and landing weight, as well as additional 150lb of fuel storage and improved cabin sound proofing.
Beechjet 400A receives its power from two Pratt and Whitney of Canada JT15D-5 turbo-fan engines. Each engine produces 2,900 lbs of thrust and has an inspection interval of 3,500 hours.
These engines, along with unique design features, allow the 400A to travel around 1,500 nautical miles at a speed of mach 0.78. Its maximum speed is 446 knots, another improvement from its predecessor. The 400A has a maximum payload of 2,172 lbs and a maximum flight ceiling of 45,000 feet. 53 cubic feet of baggage space is an additional amenity.
Comfort & Size
The cabin of the 400A is more spacious thanks to the aforementioned refinements. Carrying 7 or 8 passengers and a crew of two, the interior dimensions measure: 15.6 ft long, 4.8 ft high and 4.9 ft wide.
Passengers enjoy seats that swivel up to 180 degrees. A cabin baggage area and refreshment cabinet have been added. Newly located engine mounts and the addition of sound-dampening materials allows for a much more enjoyable and quieter cabin environment.
Travel Luxuriously
The 400A employs the Collins Pro Line 4 avionics system. The system includes the Collins FCS-850 digital flight control system, Collins FMS-850 flight management system, EFIS (EFD-871), Collins MFD-871 (single multifunction display), Collins WXR-840 color weather radar, and Collins ALT-55B radio altimeter and Rosemount air data system. The 400A was notably the first aircraft to be certified with such an
advanced cockpit suite.
The 400A has undergone vast design improvements from the original 400. It is mainly constructed of aerospace light alloys. Three separate fueling ports (one in each wing and one in the fuselage) combine to hold 4,911 lbs of fuel. The fuselage’s new fuel tank located under the floor allows more cabin space. The aircraft is designed to consume fuel in the fuselage compartment first to steady the wings’ bending moment. Additionally, the brakes incorporate anti-skid logic to allow a greater maximum landing weight.
Beechjet 400aModel: RK-119 N150TC
With such strong design features, it is not surprising that the Beechjet 400A serves as the basis for the military T-1 Jayhawk tanker and transport aircrew trainer. 180 of the T-1 Jayhawks were delivered between 1992 and 1997 for military training. The 400A has been continuously redesigned, and has now evolved into Raytheon’s successful Hawker 400. Despite its age, the original iteration of the 400A still remains a strong contender in its class, and is ideal for corporate or individual travel.
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