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Sting Verizon Wireless Theater November 17, 2011
Sting gets a lot of shit that Rocks Off has frankly never really understood. Is it the myriad social causes? The way he expected you to know who Chaucer was? The tantric sex thing? We're not going to sit here and defend absolutely everything the guy has done (case in point: Brand New Day), but he's a better-than-average songwriter with a gift for a hook ("Message in a Bottle" or "Fields of Gold," anyone?) and a skilled multi-instrumentalist.
He's also one of the most successful musical artists of all time. He's allowed a little pretension.
That said, his last sojourns through Houston (two dates on the Police Reunion Tour: Toyota Center in '07 and the CWM Pavilion in '08) weren't exactly our cup of brimstone and treacle. Too much noodling and Spinal Tap style jazz odyssey-ing for our tastes. Certainly a band is allowed to stretch its musical muscles now and again, but "Roxanne" is not a free-form jam kind of song.
None of that was in evidence last night, as Sting and his back-up band brought the "Back to Bass" tour to H-Town and offered up a pretty straightforward run-through of (mostly) solo stuff and a few choice Police cuts to a (mostly) rapt Verizon Theater audience.
It's hard to believe it's been 25 years since the Police broke up. Younger folks who only know Sting from Brüno or that Jaguar commercial may be unaware that they were huge in the early 80s, selling over 16 million copies of their final album, Synchronicity, and embarking on a world tour of sold out stadium dates before breaking up at the height of their powers.
And seeing the guy last night, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt and in better shape than guys a third his age (dude is 60 years old), jumping around like it was 1983 all over again, you got a small taste of what made them the biggest band of their era.
He opened with "All This Time" (from The Soul Cages) before introducing his band: longtime collaborators Dominic Miller on guitar and drummer Vinnie Colaluta. Accompanying them, in an effort to "keep the median age down," were Dominic's son Rufus on rhythm guitar, Peter Tickell, the boyish fiddler from Sting's hometown of Newcastle, and backup singer Jo Lawry, also on fiddle and percussion.
"Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" from 1981's Ghost in the Machine was next, followed by "Seven Days" and another Ghost cut, "Demolition Man." And then his "country" songs: "I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying" and "I Hung My Head" from the underrated Mercury Falling. He admitted to having a lot of nerve coming to Texas and playing country songs, but decided Johnny Cash's covering "I Hung My Head" gave him a pass. We'll allow it.
The second half of the set was more obscure, pulling in a lot of material from the lesser heard Sacred Love, so anyone expecting a greatest hits retrospective was SOL. Frankly, we're glad for that. Not all of his newer stuff is strong ("Inside" was a particular chore), but songs like "Ghost Story" (about his recently deceased father) and "Stolen Car" (about a psychic car thief, so he told us) fit in well. The latter also offering Lawry a chance to show off her pipes. And her stems, if you get what we're saying.
He introduced "Heavy Cloud No Rain" as a song with "particular relevance to Texas." Thanks for reminding us, pal.
Admittedly, it seemed to us at times he was hurrying things along. Several songs were clearly truncated, with some fills and breaks removed entirely (this was especially noticeable on "All This Time" and "Desert Rose"). Maybe it was to allow for full jam potential on "Demolition Man" and "Driven," or mayne Sting got our letters about the reunion tour.
And just like that, it was encore time. Stalker anthem "Every Breath You Take" brought everyone to their feet, and by our estimates less than 10 percent of the audience realizes what a creepy song that is. Or maybe they just don't care. One woman actually made it on stage during the song, and Sting waved off security to allow her to sing along with him, her eyes shining with delight the entire time. Perhaps he was savoring the irony.
He came out alone with an acoustic guitar for "Message In a Bottle," another audience participation number, it remains one of our favorites. "Pretentious" or not, Sting and the Police were a big part of Rocks Off's musical youth (now there's a band that needs to get back together), and the solo stuff has grown up with us as well. Last night's show saw a guy finally comfortable in his own skin, who can still entertain for two hours onstage.
[insert joke about "offstage" stamina here]
Personal Bias: Huge Police fan. Pretty big Sting fan. Not a fan of yoga.
The Crowd: Well-to-do and fairly well-mannered. Probably the parents of the kids at the Taylor Swift show a few weeks back.
Overheard In The Crowd: "I've been a fan since, like, the 70s." Said by the woman who proceeded to talk through "Driven to Tears."
Random Notebook Dump: "Is that a Hypercolor t-shirt?"
All This Time Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic Seven Days Demolition Man I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying I Hung My Head Stolen Car (Take Me Dancing) Driven to Tears Fortress Around Your Heart Fields of Gold Sacred Love Ghost Story Heavy Cloud No Rain Inside Love is Stronger Than Justice (The Munificent Seven) The Hounds of Winter The End of the Game Never Coming Home
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- This event has passed.
Sunday Club Endurance Run
October 11 @ 09:30 - 12:00
These runs are typically for endurance from 5 miles up to Marathon distance. Leaders set on the day. There are different paced groups being led from 5 miles to 10 miles in all weathers. There is usually a group running longer distances throughout the Marathon season especially for London.

subset: commoncrawl


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Ann Arbor's McKinley appointed receiver of major retail development near Brighton
Photo by Dwight Burdette
The company was appointed receiver of the Greek Oak Village Place shopping center, developed in phases by Lormax Stern, REDICO and Quadrants Inc. beginning in 2005.
"Our job is to stabilize the property, maximize the occupancy and the value in its current condition, so we're setting forth to do that," said McKinley CEO Albert Berriz.
The development, located along U.S.-23 just south of I-96, was constructed in phases starting in 2005. Tenants include Old Navy, Dick's Sporting Goods, J.C. Penney, Johnny Carino's and Buffalo Wild Wings, among others.
When the project was built, expected to cost more than $100 million, it created a regional shopping destination for the areas surrounding Brighton. It was nominated for a Deal of the Year award by the Ann Arbor Business Review in the retail category in 2007. But following failed mortgage payments and a foreclosure, McKinley was appointed to stabilize the property and raise the occupancy levels.
Berriz said occupancy is at 89 percent, and his team is evaluating any outstanding issues with the property. He said a healthy occupancy for a development of that size is about 93 to 95 percent.
"It's a good property, it just needs attention," he said.
McKinley would then position the property for a sale.
Berriz said McKinley will hire a leasing team — similar to what the company did with the former Borders headquarters in Ann Arbor. McKinley was appointed as property and asset manager for the 330,000-square-foot office building and hired Colliers International's Ann Arbor office to market the building for sale. It was sold this month for close to the $6.9 million listing price, Berriz said.
Berriz said he doesn't have a timeframe for when he'd like to have occupancy levels at 95 percent, but said McKinley already has turned its attention to the property.
"I think it's an important retail asset for the Ann Arbor community," Berriz said. "It is a large shopping center that a lot of Ann Arborites shop at."
Founded in 1968, McKinley specializes in real estate investment, receiverships, property management, construction management and leasing. The company recently has acquired several apartment complexes in the Ann Arbor area. Berriz said McKinley owns one property in Brighton on Grand River Avenue.
Lizzy Alfs is a business reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at 734-623-2584 or email her at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lizzyalfs.
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 5:41 p.m.
I'll stop there occasionally if I think of something to pick up on the way back from work, since it's the way, but most of these stores are in Ann Arbor or Pittsfield now, so I usually go shopping closer to home. Also, I can't count how many times I've ended up back on the highway after making a wrong turn on the roundabout.
Kevin Mc Donnell
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 5:28 p.m.
There is a great Irish Pub Sports Bar Jameson's. Great atmosphere, food and drink specials. Wednesdays is jammed and St.Patty's Day is a huge event
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 6:33 p.m.
that might help-after a few,go shopping...oh wait-the stores close??
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 5:54 p.m.
Thanks I was trying to remember the name of that place, I met some friends there last fall and had a great meal enjoyed the atmosphere.
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 5:18 p.m.
It's the same stores and same stuff you can find at any strip mall in the country. There's nothing about this particular area of stores that's any more or any less of a draw (for me and my family anyway). The traffic is a problem. Isn't the only way in or out through the 23 over pass? Buy local!
Macabre Sunset
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 5:27 p.m.
No. You can get there from Silver Lake Rd. using Fieldcrest. And the traffic is actually far lighter than around just about any strip mall I've ever seen. It's just not a particularly interesting or large set of chain stores.
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 4:55 p.m.
I guess I'm the minority! I love shopping there. The Costco is better, the Home Goods is better. Their stores seem bigger with more choices. I do not like Briarwood at all and our new Costco seems bare to me, both merchandise and of customers.
Macabre Sunset
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 4:09 p.m.
Locals seem to hate the triple round-about. It keeps traffic flowing, but a lot of drivers simply avoid the area because they can't be bothered to learn how to use a roundabout. I don't go there much because it's more a retail oasis plopped in the middle of nowhere and doesn't really have any draw stores. Just more chain stuff you can find elsewhere. If you're going to take the time to get on the highway and go to a retail oasis, might as well go another 15 miles to the outlet farm in Fowlerville.
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 3:49 p.m.
Lizzy The only times I have gone into that mall are 1. when a local store doesn't have a particular item/size/color in stock but they have a store there in the mall that does AND they will hold it for me. 2. I am in the area and need to kill some time. I don't fine the roundabouts to be an ongoing concern, but the first time through you need to pay a lot of attention. BTW check spelling in 1st line of 2nd paragraph.
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 2:48 p.m.
Have never been there. . . No plans to go. . . Drive by it often. . . No attraction to visit, whatsoever. . . Deal of the year? Maybe for a developer that skulked away with construction profit. . . Not so much for the bank and investors. . .
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 2:44 p.m.
Totally redundant with same shops in AA. The triple roundabout nearby is a nuisance. Unfortunately, they are going to build a totally unnecessary roundabout near Costco in AA, at State and Ellsworth, where big semis drive through frequently. Bad decision. There is an oversaturation of retail in the Brighton--AA area. They keep building more, which makes no sense. Not all will survive. Dick's Sporting Goods is very overpriced.
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 7:11 p.m.
If I need sporting goods I will go to Dunham's over Dick's everytime
An Arborigine
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 2:38 p.m.
Bob's your uncle!
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 2:18 p.m.
Are they going to paint all the signs black and hide them in an unlit area so nobody can tell which building is which like they do with their apartment complexes?
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 1:10 p.m.
Since the opening of the Costco in Ann Arbor, I am sure many of those stores saw a drop in business. Why would the complex draw people from Ann Arbor when a majority of the same large retailers may be found closer. AA has Costco, BWW, Home Goods, Kohl's, Dick's, JCPenney, Honey Baked Ham, etc.
Paula Gardner
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 12:56 p.m.
This was fairly progressive when it was proposed - the 'lifestyle center' was all the real-estate rage. I went to the groundbreaking event and spent some time there a few years ago, because it was a convenient shop when I was in the US-23 and I-96 area anyway. But as a commenter pointed out, many of the stores that were regional draws at the time have opened in Ann Arbor, like Dick's Sporting Goods and White House/Black Market. So it's now more of a local shopping destination and more telling of the shopping power of the Brighton area than a bigger area.
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 6:25 p.m.
you also have to remember that Livingston County was one of the fastest growing counties in the state back then. a lot of that development was predicated on the growth that never fully happened. as the rest of those retailers have expanded in the area, the trade area for this center shrunk down to an unsustainable level due to the lack of growth.
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 12:56 p.m.
I go past it every day but the only way you will get me to go there is to remove that triple roundabout...very scary and confusing!
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 5:16 p.m.
I hate this roundabout so much we actually avoid this area completely. And we live around this area.
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 12:11 p.m.
"Berriz said occupancy is at 89 percent, and his team is evaluating any outstanding issues with the property. He said a healthy vacancy rate for a development of that size is about 93 to 95 percent." Wow, a "vacancy rate" of 93-95% is healthy???? First, you probably mean "occupancy". Second, it's not a "rate" because rates measure something against time. It would be more correct to call it an occupancy percentage, occupancy factor or occupancy ratio.
Lizzy Alfs
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 12:40 p.m.
Haha thanks. A 95 percent vacancy wouldn't be good for anyone!
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 11:49 a.m.
...a large shopping center that you'd LIKE more Ann Arbor-ites to shop at.....maybe best to get some "Brighton-ites" to up the sale volume first. I've never shopped there and don't think"Ann Arbor- ites" shop there.I can't think of one reason I'd shop there.
Lizzy Alfs
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 11:41 a.m.
Does anyone go here to shop/dine? I'm wondering if it's a draw for Ann Arborites.
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 4:18 p.m.
The only time I stop there is when I am on the way to a point north or west and need something specific, like when my sunglasses broke, or when I've been asked to stop at that awful Panera. I head that way a handful of times per month, and end up stopping maybe four times a year. I don't think it is a draw at all.
Boo Radley
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 12:43 p.m.
The Costco on the other side of US 23 from this used to be a draw ... now that Ann Arbor has it's own Costco, I would guess not as many shoppers will drive up there from A2. Ann Arbor also now has Dick's Sporting Goods
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 12:16 p.m.
It's never the first place that comes to my mind. When I think of that area, the first thing that comes to mind is the mess with the multiple turnabouts that you need to negotiate at Lee Rd. I don't even think of the shops at that location. I couldn't name most of them because I don't glance at the mall when driving there or passing by on US-23 and there's little or nothing compelling to draw my attention from the more immediate task of knowing when to yield, when to merge, when to get out of the lane and when to scoot through. Sorry, but that's the way it is.
Ryan Bowles
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 : 12:06 p.m.
The easiest access to the trails in Island Lake State Rec Area for people from Ann Arbor is offthe parking lot of J C Penneys. Once when I forgot my helmet and bought a new one at the Dick's there. So yes, it is a draw :)


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Anim8or Community
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An update to Anim8or, v1.00b, is available with a few bug fixes. Get your copy HERE. See the "ReadMe" file for details.
Vote for your favorite splash screen
Total Members Voted: 26
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Weekend Cook and Tell Round Up: Fresh Pasta
Our last challenge for Weekend Cook and Tell was for all of you to share your favorite pasta plates. We called this Fresh Pasta. Few things satisfy a stomach on a need comfort day like pasta. Take a look and see what noodly ideas were shared for your viewing/cooking pleasure.
Juliasalbum got her hands dusty with flour while rolling out her fresh-made pasta for Ravioli with spinach and ricotta cheese filling, in tomato cream sauce. Julia, your efforts paid off. Heaven in a mini-pasta-pillow.
Sometimes a shortcut is a hungry cook's best friend. zahavah uses pre-made wonton wrappers to make tortellini and ravioli at home. She even provides a recipe that shows her thinking outside the box: Spicy Carrot Tortellini with Lemon Cumin Sauce, inspired by flavors of the Middle East.
Continuing along the lines of trying pasta with different sauces, claireOOTO provides us with her fresh pasta recipe (woot, woot!) to pair with beans, creating homemade noodles with black beans and tamari. Her dish was inspired by the film Castaway on the Moon, in which the main character goes to much trouble to make his own black bean noodles. She highly recommends the film and we highly recommend these noodles!
Finally, duncan1205 once took a handmade pasta cooking class and thought it was a blast! They made egg pastas (garganelli, papardelle, fettuccine, ravolis) and non-egg pasta (orecchietti). She even bought a hand-crank pasta machine to continue the pasta-party at home. duncan1205, I'm pretty sure we'd all be happy to catch while you crank, as long as it means we get a percentage of the noodles.
A big thank you to everyone for sharing their carb-heaven recipes for this week's Weekend Cook and Tell challenge. Be sure to head over to Talk and read about next week's challenge: Puff Pastry FTW, Literally
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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211 N. East Street | Mason, Ohio 45040 |(513) 398-0474
The Mason City Schools Board of Education approves content standards in the core academic areas of math, English, science and social studies based on Ohio's State Standards. Mason City Schools maintains local control of our instructional guides and sequencing of lessons.
Our standards represent a new generation of standards because they are based on research about student learning. For example:
Research on what the reading skills needed by adults revealed that much of what adults read is technical in nature. Reading standards now help students learn how to not only read and interpret literature, but also how to read for information.
The mathematics standards now balance both fluency--the ability to quickly recall math facts--with conceptual understanding--the ability to use the math concepts to solve problems and to justify solutions.
These standards embed what we have known for a long time--that information changes so rapidly in today's world that among the most important things we can teach students is the ability to use their minds well. For example, the mathematics standards include mathematical practices that outline the ability to attend to precision, explain thinking processes, and solve problems.


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The American Daffodil Society (ADS) was founded in 1954 to promote wider interest in daffodils; to encourage scientific research and education on daffodil culture, breeding, diseases, pests, exhibiting, and testing; to encourage, coordinate, and sponsor shows and exhibitions of daffodils; to record and disseminate horticultural information about daffodils and issue publications for such purpose; and to register daffodil varieties and standardize their names in cooperation with international authorities. To that end, the ADS publishes quarterly The Daffodil Journal, an 80-page color magazine that covers all aspects of daffodil culture, breeding, and exhibition.
The ADS has 1300 members in 47 states and in a variety of countries including, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, New Zealand, Australia, Holland, Germany, Hungary, Argentina, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Norway, Poland, South Korea, and Sweden.
The ADS cooperates with The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) by accepting and forwarding registrations for new daffodil cultivars from American registrants.
The ADS maintains an Internet-based daffodil database/query system, DaffSeek.org and publishes several books that list and describe registered daffodil cultivars, including Daffodils to Show and Grow, which is updated approximately every four years.
Dues are payable on the anniversary of your "join date" and includes a subscription to the quarterly publication, The Daffodil Journal and support for suite of ADS Internet sites: DaffNet.org, DaffLibrary.org, DaffTube.org, and DaffSeek.org. Dues are payable in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank. The ADS has a webstore for credit card processing. To join the ADS go to this link: Join page.


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433MHz Remote Control Kit With 2 Transmitters & Receiver with 4 Relays
433MHz Remote Control Kit With 2 Transmitters with 4 buttons each & Receiver with 4 Relays.
Note: Specifications, Prices & Availability may change without notice. Images are for illustration purposes only. E&OE
- Description
- Specifications
- Additional information
- Reviews (0)
This kit consists of 2 remote control transmitters with 4 buttons each and a learning code wireless remote control switch (receiver) with 4 relays that can be used to control high powered devices.
It can be used from simple domestic remote control to autonomous control, like auto door, window, wireless lighting control, entrance keyless access, up and down controller, alarm system, industrial control and security, remote control etc.
Package includes:
- 2 x Transmitters
- 1 x Receiver
- Working voltage: DC12V
- Quiescent condition: Less than 6mA
- Working temperature: -40°c+80°c
- Receiver sensitivity: more than -105dBm
- Working frequency: 433mhz
- Compatible with 2262 / 2260 / 1527 / 2240 etc chip and several code wireless remote control. So it can meet someone's need of choosing the wireless remote control as they like to work with it.
- Output voltage: DC and AC is optional
- Output current: Less than 3A
- Max load current: 10A
- Dimensions: 72 x 52 x 26mm
Remote control transmitter:
- No of channels (buttons): 4
- Remote Distance: 200m
- Operating Voltage: DC 6V
- Frequency: 433mhz
- Operating Current: 13 mAh
- Code Type: Fixed code / Learning code
- Dimensions: 58 x 39 x 14mm
- Used battery type: 2016 button battery
- Press the learning code, the indicator flash, loosen your finger, press any button of the remote control, the indicator flash 2 times and off, it means you learn it successfully .
- It can learn more than 12 PCS 2262 or 1527 chip with the different code wireless remote control.
- Remove/clean: press the learning button about 8 seconds , the indicator turn on to off, it means the information that you keep have been removed successfully.
Output working way:
- Self-lock: connect the JP1 with the cutting out cap.
- Jog: the cutting-out cap is non-occupation, JP1 and JP2 do not connect either.
- Inter-lock: Connect the Jp2 with the Cutting out cap,
- Jog: press one button is ON, loosen your finger on the same button is OFF (need one channel switch and one buttons remote control).
- Self -lock: press one button for one time is ON, press the same button again is OFF (need one channel switch and one buttons remote control).
- Inter-lock: press one button is ON, press another button is OFF (need one channel switch and 2 buttons remote control).
Additional information
|113 g
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Sunset Subscription
Sunset, The Magazine of Western Living, will show you what, when, where and how to enhance your life in the West. Each one of Sunset's 5 regional editions contains tips on local gardening, low-fat cooking, regional travel and home decorating and remodeling.
More about Sunset
More About Sunset
More about Sunset magazine: Sunset is the magazine about living in the West. The title celebrates Western regional culture with five region-specific editions that pay special attention to local climate and trends in features about entertaining, gardening, decorating, travel and more. Each edition—California, Northwest, Southwest, Rockies and Hawaii—also features an extensive food and wine section full of healthy recipes, restaurant reviews, and wine recommendations. Sunset magazine's rich history as the first-ever region-specific publication includes a Literary Period in which Sunset featured short, Western-centric fiction by Mark Twain, Jack London and Sinclair Lewis. If you live in the West, are planning a Pacific-area getaway, or just want to learn more about Western culture, a Sunset magazine subscription is right for you.
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Brown University uses VR to immerse students in American history
As Brown University's Virtual Reality Artist-in-Residence, Adam Blumenthal is an evangelist for the benefits of using virtual reality in higher education. For one pilot project, he and his team of students used Google's Jump camera and Tilt Brush to re-create a neglected piece of colonial history.
Although it isn't as famous as the Boston Tea Party, the Gaspee Affair had an equally important effect on the American Revolution. The Gaspee was a British ship that patrolled the Narragansett Bay of Rhode Island, harassing colonists and interfering with their trade. In 1772 Americans attacked the ship and set it on fire, thus setting the stage for the rebellion that would turn into the War of Independence.
For Adam Blumenthal, Professor of the Practice and Virtual Artist-in-Residence at Brown, this forgotten episode in history was a perfect candidate for reconstruction in virtual reality (VR). "It's a dramatic story," he says, "with cannon fire and gunshots and boat chases, but it's also significant on the national stage. I chose it in part with Rhode Island pride, and I thought that with the wow factor of VR this Rhode Island story could be better known." Many of the locations where the story unfolded are well preserved, and the university has archives and artifacts to lend reality to the experiment.
So with a team of students and a Jump camera, Blumenthal began drafting scripts, designing sets, and building a detailed virtual world for his students to interact with the past. He notes that "one of the things I love about VR is its ability to put people in places that are otherwise impossible and in this case that's stepping back in time in these very authentic recreations." In addition to the students, Blumenthal recruited historical re-enactors to shoot several "scenes" at nearby colonial sites: an eighteenth-century tavern, a court house, the private home of a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and a ship captain's quarters. Unlike in a film production, though, this rig comprised sixteen cameras producing 360-degree stereoscopic images in as high as 8K resolution.
"The wow factor of VR is an important part of opening the mind of the learner."Adam Blumenthal, Professor of the Practice and Virtual Artist-in-Residence, Brown University
Bringing the past to life
Based on the Go-Pro Odyssey, the Jump camera is simple to use and easy to transport. After setting up the tripod the cameras capture 3D video on 16 micro-SD cards, which can then be easily uploaded to Google's Jump program for stitching together into a seamless whole. The video can be set up and shot in one day, with little post-production work needed besides some color correction. Blumenthal points out that this convenience makes it especially useful when working with students: you can quickly produce something then view it in Google's Cardboard to add a sense of depth.
During production the team has used Tilt Brush, Google's 3D painting tool, to quickly produce storyboards of 3D scenes as well as to create what Blumenthal calls "virtual reality dioramas, combining Tilt Brush paint with 2D and 3D assets." For example, period furniture could be added to a scene or a figure could be drawn and manipulated to fit into the virtual environment. Using a Unity workflow, they integrated their Tilt Brush sketches into the three-dimensional world they had reconstructed. Even students who didn't have any experience with 3D modelling tools quickly picked up Tilt Brush. "It's an amazing tool," Blumenthal remarks, "it's so intuitive to quickly teach someone how to use it and then they can just dive in and start creating the environments." The prototype of the Gaspee Affair functions like a virtual museum: students can view the spaces from any angle and interact with its objects. By touching a painting on the wall, for example, they can be brought into a 360-degree video of the burning of the Gaspee. In user tests students have enjoyed those videos just as much as the more game-like 3D environments.
The Gaspee project is just one of many that Blumenthal consults on in his role at Brown. He is also working with Brown medical school faculty and students in the Brown Medical Simulation Center, using the Jump camera to capture 360-degrees of simulated surgeries in a mock operating room. By capturing the fast-paced high-pressure simulations in high-quality panoramic video, students and faculty have the opportunity to review the performance of teams, slowing down the action and reviewing every element of the surgical theater with VR video in debriefing sessions.In addition to reconstructing the past, and documenting the present, Blumenthal notes that VR is especially well suited for accessing remote locations (like an underwater volcano or the landscape of Mars) or for practicing high-stakes skills (like surgery). It provides what he calls a "self-guided discovery experience" where students can explore at the and apply what they learn, even if that means virtually breaking things or blowing them up, since VR creates a safe place to fail, and the opportunity to learn from that. By turning students into active participants, VR enables them to learn through experimentation.
Improving student engagement
For Blumenthal, the ultimate goal for VR's integration into education is exactly that: getting students engaged in their own learning. Citing a recent study by the Gallup organization that only half of all public school students in the U.S. are engaged by their education, he argues that VR is one promising path forward. "High school students are in schools that were designed for a previous century," he says, adding that VR, though, can "deliver an experience that's as compelling as a video game and still educational. That's what I want to do."
So The Gaspee Affair is just the beginning. Although there isn't much research yet on VR in education, Blumenthal expects it to play a larger role in schools as it becomes more accessible with tools like Cardboard and as projects like his go public. At Brown he has assembled a studio team where students can experiment with new tools like Daydream and he's already planning a course where students produce their own virtual reality tours with Google Expeditions. Eventually he imagines Brown could develop a full-fledged major in Virtual Reality Production and establish its own research institute to promote its use for education. "The wow factor of VR is an important part of opening the mind of the learner," Blumenthal concludes. "Taking the experience off the pages of a textbook and putting the students in these environments and conveying the knowledge…it's going to be really powerful."
"VR can deliver an experience that's as compelling as a video game and still educational."Adam Blumenthal, Professor of the Practice and Virtual Artist-in-Residence, Brown University


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We didn't think we could get excited for another Iron Man movie until this moment. An early, exceptionally rough cut of the Super Bowl Iron Man 3 trailer is out, and it's a pretty impressive 30 seconds. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang director Shane Black is pulling out all the crazy action movie stops, and we're totally in. Seriously, there is more awesome in this 30-second Iron Man 3 trailer than in the whole of Iron Man 2.
We promise we'll update with a better version as soon as it comes out. (Update: Better version is up!)
Update: Hoping for something a little longer? Marvel just posted an extended version of the trailer. True to form, Tony Stark mocks the conventions of an extended trailer:
Iron Man 3 hits theaters on May 3rd.
[via Bleeding Cool]


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feminism, movement for the political, social, and educational equality of women with men; the movement has occurred mainly in Europe and the United States. It has its roots in the humanism of the 18th cent. and in the Industrial Revolution. Feminist issues range from access to employment, education, child care, contraception, and abortion, to equality in the workplace, changing family roles, redress for sexual harassment in the workplace, and the need for equal political representation.
For the political aspects of feminism, see woman suffrage .
Sections in this article:
- Introduction
- History
- Bibliography
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Social Reform


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These data consist of formally published data for the years 1900 to 2008, and data for the years 2009 through the present for a subset of these stars. Data from 2009 to the present were those used for calculations of the AAVSO Bulletin, and are considered preliminary. For a description of this data set, please click here.
Stars with maxima and minima data are as follows:
Bulletin 73 for 2010
These data are formally published for the years 1900 to 2008. For a description of this data set, please click here.
Note: A separate page exists for the data including unpublished times of maxima. Go here for the current data set including the most recent data (through February of the current year).
Stars with maxima and minima data are as follows:
Click here for data access
Long-term observations of long period variable stars are essential to the determination of period, change in period, change in behavior resulting from mass loss and/or evolution, mode of pulsation (fundamental or overtone), internal structure, and phase at specific times for these stars.


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This op-ed first appeared in the March 14, 2014, edition of The National Interest. For more information click here.
By Joshua Rovner, Tower Distinguished Chair in International Politics and National Security, Tower Center
The United States has a powerful interest in stopping the Ukraine crisis from escalating. The Obama administration rightly wants to shift its focus away from Europe and the Middle East and towards China. Restoring Ukraine as a buffer between Russia and Western Europe will help alleviate insecurity on both sides, making it easier to pivot to Asia. On the other hand, conflict in Ukraine will deepen the rift between Russia and the West and make it difficult to cooperate on issues from arms control and counterterrorism to Iran, Syria, and North Korea.
If the administration hopes to make any headway in order to stave off conflict, it needs to convince Vladimir Putin that making a deal is better than making trouble. Specifically, U.S. officials need to deliver a set of reminders, warnings, threats and assurances.
American diplomats should remind Russia that it was much better off before it sent armed forces to Ukraine. If Putin had stayed put, Russia could have maintained a reliable voting bloc in Crimea, which would have been useful given the very close results in recent elections. In addition, Russia could have waited for the inevitable Ukrainian backlash against the West for having to implement IMF austerity measures. It could have avoided a dreadful stock-market and currencyplunge. And Russia could have focused media attention on theshadier characters in the new Ukraine government, rather than diverting media attention by sending its own masked men into the Crimea.
The simple message to Putin is that Russia's strategic position was quite favorable before it blundered into Ukraine, and he can restore that position if he is willing to back down in the current crisis.
Diplomats should also deliver a simple warning: Things will get worse no matter what Washington does. A formal annexation of Crimea will drive Ukraine closer to NATO and lead European states to balance against Russia. It will validate the far-right parties in Kiev who are most opposed to Russian interests. And it will further discourage investors, especially if they believe that Putin has designs on territories in the east of the country. Russia has put its security as well as its economy at risk, and it stands to lose a great deal more in a prolonged conflict.
To reinforce that point, diplomats may threaten specific sanctions against specific Russians. The utility of economic sanctions partly depends on the nature of the target regime. Sanctions are particularly effective if a foreign leader needs the support of key economic elites; if sanctions target those elites, the leader is more likely to back down. Thus if the Treasury Department can identify a set of elites on whom Putin relies, then the United States may be able to craft sanctions that cause him to reconsider. While sanctions are not a silver bullet, they may be useful in combination with other tools of coercion, and there is some evidence that Putin issensitive to investors.


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General info
Quiet village, on a river (21 km from 's-Hertogenbosch. In the resort: supermarket, restaurant. More possibilities for shopping and entertainment 8 km.
"Deluxe 5 personen", 3-room chalet 45 m2. Stylish furnishings: living/dining room with dining table and TV (flat screen). Exit to the garden, to the terrace. 1 room with 2 beds. 1 room with 1 bed and 1 x 2 bunk beds. Open kitchen (4 hot plates, dishwasher, electric coffee machine, combination microwave). Shower/WC. Garden. Terrace furniture. Facilities: Internet (WiFi, free). Reserved parking at the house. Please note: non-smoking house. Pets on request.House/Residence
Aalst 20 km from Den Bosch: Comfortable holiday development "Recreatiepark 't Esmeer". Directly by the river. For shared use: children's playground (slide, swing, sandbox). In the complex: reception, restaurant, WiFi, laundry. Central parking spaces. Shop 1.3 km, supermarket 1.3 km, restaurant 500 m, bakery 1.3 km. Marina 100 m, tennis 15 km, indoor tennis centre 15 km, sports centre 5 m, walking paths from the house 100 m. Nearby attractions: Slot Loevestein 11 km, De Efteling 35 km, Breda 45 km, Utrecht 55 km, Philips Museum 64 km. Hiking paths: Biesbosch 25 km, Noordwaard Polder 30 km, Loon op Zand 40 km. Groups of teenagers on request only. Please note: the photograph shows a typical example. There are more similar properties for rent in this same residence. Youngsters, longstays (21 days or more) and workers are not allowed. Preference costs: € 25 (to be paid on spot). .
Prior to your departure, you will receive the key collection information for your stay, along with your travel documents.
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Quiet village, on a river (21 km from 's-Hertogenbosch. In the resort: supermarket, restaurant. More possibilities for shopping and entertainment 8 km.
Netherlands, Gelderland, Rossum (Gld), Aalst
Click on your desired arrival date in the calendar and select the duration of your stay using the drop down menu. It takes less than two minutes to make your reservation online.
Every property is checked before your arrival to ensure the best possible stay.
Key collection is arranged by our helpful staff. Available 24/7 or on-site service to help you with all your questions, e.g.: tips and insights for your holiday destination and your booked accommodation.
Be your own boss, eat whenever you want and make the most of plenty of space for all your friends and family.
It has never been easier to find your perfect holiday. Do you want to explore new travel destinations? There is no better way than doing it in a holiday home: Enjoy "la dolce vita" in Italy, feel the charming lifestyle of the French Riviera or the Spanish way of life. Be inspired by our travel ideas and book online - quick, easy, and secure with Interhome.
Your stay in a holiday house or a holiday apartment offers plenty of advantages: spend your time exactly as you want. No disturbance from other guests or hotel staff, just spend your holiday according to your own rules. Whether you are looking for a city trip, a relaxing holiday with your family or with friends. Simply enjoy lots of room, flexibility and freedom in your holiday home.
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Theme features
We offer world-class wealth management with personalized attention to individuals and their families. Starting with an evaluation of your net worth and goals, we will provide advice and options to optimize your future income potential in ways that meet your lifestyle objectives and duration of investment. It is never too early or too late to create an investment plan to enhance your future quality of life.
SELF-DIRECTED IRA or SELF-DIRECTED 401K
Did you know that you can set up a self directed IRA that allows you to invest in real estate, precious metals, horses and more? Since the creation of the Individual Retirement Account (IRA) in 1974, only a small percentage of individuals have taken full advantage of the flexibility that it offers. Innovative Advisory Group specializes in advising clients how to use their self directed IRA to invest in their choice of traditional or alternative assets through tax-deferred or tax-free retirement accounts.
Are you concerned about having all your eggs in one basket? People who are looking for diversification in their portfolios should consider alternative investments as a way to diversify their risk through investments that act independently of what happens in the stock market. Whether you have a specific investment in mind or you are just looking other then traditional stocks and bonds, we can help make it happen.


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Painting a Greater Dialogue: An Interview with Hangama Amiri, Room's Cover Art Contest Judge
Hangama Amiri, one of this year's cover art contest judges, is an Afghan-Canadian artist. She was a Canadian Fulbright and Post-Graduate Fellow at Yale University School of Art and Sciences and has exhibited her painting nationally as well as internationally in such cities as New York, France, Italy, and London. Room's Geffen Semach spoke with Amiri to learn a little more about her work and her expectations for the contest.


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NEW YORK, N.Y. - The Fuse television network has turned to news veteran Rick Kaplan, who has run CNN and MSNBC and produced programs like "Nightline," to develop a music news program aimed largely at people some 40 years younger than him.
"Fuse News" is set to debut Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. Eastern time with pre-Grammy Awards coverage. The half-hour show, originating from Fuse's studios across from Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, will be repeated at midnight.
"A lot of people are covering music in different ways," said Mike Bair, president of MSG Media, Fuse's corporate ownership. "But not a lot of people are covering it deeper and in a respectful way. We thought there was a real opportunity for us."
Fuse, available in some 70 million homes, is overshadowed by MTV, but unlike its competitor has kept its focus on music and is looking for a signature show.
Kaplan, 65, walked through a busy newsroom with TVs tuned to a Fuse countdown of sexy rap videos one recent afternoon. The 47-time Emmy winner had most recently produced Katie Couric's "CBS Evening News" and Christiane Amanpour's stint on ABC's Sunday morning and has formed his own consulting company.
Bair reached out to Kaplan through a mutual friend to gauge interest, and the idea intrigued Kaplan.
"While he's not in the target audience for Fuse (the network's median age is around 27), I think he also saw the opportunity," Bair said.
A whiteboard in Fuse's office already lists story plans for the first month. The collapse of the traditional music industry has made for many changes ripe for examining.
One future story will talk about bands scalping tickets to their own concerts, another about the sound quality issues behind the resurgence of vinyl. If "Fuse News" was on the air last week, it wouldn't treat the story about Beyonce lip-synching at the inauguration as a joke, but rather look into how widespread the practice is, Kaplan said.
"I want it to be a place where if you're involved in the industry in any way — and that means anybody with a headset — this will be the place where you will want to go," Kaplan said.
Kaplan's tastes run to the Eagles, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Now he's learning about electronic dance music, and even liking some of it. Liz Walaszczyk, a 28-year-old producer and contributing correspondent on "Fuse News," is gently introducing her boss to bands like the Xx.
And he's introducing her to the news.
Walaszczyk, who booked bands for Carson Daly's NBC show before joining Fuse, said that she finds blogs like Pitchfork and Stereogum helpful but that there's a void in serious music journalism. Kaplan is teaching her the importance of detail in every question asked and picture selected for her stories.
"I hear his voice and I think, 'This man has spoken to so many legends,'" she said.
Co-anchors for the show are Alexa Chung and Matte Babel. Former Gawker writer Elaine Moran and Jack Osbourne are contributing correspondents.
Yes, the news producer who once worked with Walter Cronkite is telling Ozzy's kid what to do.
Kaplan brushed aside a question about whether some people in the television news business might consider his current gig a comedown.
"Oh, God no," he said. "By no means. People who say that don't get it. It's a great privilege to be asked to do this program. It's the only serious program in this (music) industry. It's a serious attempt to report on music in a credible way."
He said he's having a blast.
"In many ways, what Fuse is attempting to do with this show is more cutting edge than what any of the networks are doing," he said. "We're not starting a magazine show. We're not tinkering with the evening news."
The show will also have studio guests and music performances. Kaplan has hired Audrey Gruber, a former CBS News and CNN producer, to eventually take over for him when the show is up and running.


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Enter Hardtied Now!
Tease Toy
Mia Gold showed up on my door step with a love of bondage and banging body. Who am I to pass on a gift like that? Look at her! She has tight tits, a great ass, and honestly, a face that is made for slapping. I don\'t know if it\'s the nipple clamps, the rope gag, or the incredible feeling of having her pussy pumped, but Mia is horny. Her cunt is so hot and wet that the suction cup starts to fog up....
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18 U.S.C. 2257 Compliance Statement


text: Connected World Magazine 2014 Connected Car of the Year Winners Announced February 6, 2014 03:30 PM Outstanding onboard connectivity carried the day for the winners of this year's Connected World magazine Connected Car of the Year award winners. The awards were presented on stage at the Connected World Conference Pavilion, located within the 2014 Chicago Auto Show, on Feb. 6, 2014. The winning vehicles, chosen by the editorial team at Connected World magazine, will appear in the Feb/Mar issue of the magazine. The awards were presented by Peggy Smedley, editorial director of Connected World magazine. The Connected Car of the Year awards vehicles at all price levels, ranging from the small to ultra-luxury, all with the idea of honoring the best-in-class that fit all driver's budgets and demonstrate the right blend of technology. "We are pleased to recognize the best that in-vehicle technology has to offer in infotainment, convenience, safety, and green technologies. As the industry continues to improve through technology the real beneficiaries will be all the buyers of automobiles," says Smedley. Connected World magazine's Connected Car of the Year winners are determined by selecting vehicles that combine the right mix of safety, convenience, and infotainment technology. Automobiles are evaluated in six different categories: small, midsize, luxury, ultra-luxury, green, and truck. Small: Dodge Dart (Uconnect) Midsize: Infiniti Q50 (Infiniti InTouch) Luxury: BMW 5 Series (ConnectedDrive) Ultra-luxury: Mercedes-Benz S-Class (mbrace2) Green: Tesla Motors Model S Truck: Ford Motor Co. F-150 (SYNC) To learn more, please visit www.connectedworldmag.com/ccoy. The Connected World Conference is the global expo for the connected technologies that are transforming our professional and personal lives. The only expo that provides access to the players and the products in front of and behind the Internet of Things: discover not only what the devices are, but what makes them tick. Back to News


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Love this quote from The Magic of Thinking Big:
"The person determined to achieve maximum success learns the principle that progress is made one step at a time. A house is built one brick at a time. Football games are won a play at a time. A department store grows bigger one customer at a time. Every big accomplishment is a series of little accomplishments."