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Fine fourth for Woodsmen
All-Ireland weekend took place in Donegal, and it was a very successful one for the Wexford teams.
In the All-Ireland counties competition, Wexford won 3-2 to capture another title. Well done to them!
Woodsmen beat Inishowen 'A' in the All-Ireland Club Division 1 final to complete the four-in-a-row, only needing eight marks in the final game.
In the Division 2 final, McCrea's beat Inishowen 'B' via three sevens. With it being all square after the three games, there had to be a tie-breaker and McCrea's prevailed.
Congratulations to both teams, with the Woodsmen showing their dominance again. Well done to them on living up to their tag of favourites.
Well done to McCrea's on their first All-Ireland club, winning in the closest possible way.
The All-Ireland doubles were called off due to bad weather.
Wexford League Division 1: Woodsmen, 21 points; Doran's Bridge 'A', 17 points; Monart 'A', eleven points.
Wexford League Division 2: The Ballagh, 13 points; Vinegar Hill, 12 points; Monart 'B', nine points; Curracloe, eight points; Doran's Bridge 'B', four points.
The McCrea's open doubles will be held on Saturday, August 1, at 3 p.m., while the league continues next weekend.
The Curracloe open doubles for the Allie Howlin Cup will take place on August 9 at 2pm.
Wexford People


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Employment & Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers are Always Welcome!
Volunteer opportunities are open to adults and young people.
Activities include:
- Serving on the Society Board of Directors and/or its various committees
- Becoming a docent (tour guide) at Hazelwood Historic House Museum
- Helping with school tours and special events
- Working on the Hazelwood gardens and grounds
- Helping with cleaning, painting, and maintenance
- Researching and writing articles about local and state history for the Society newsletter, The Historical Bulletin
- Helping with Society, Hazelwood and Voyageur mailings
- And More!
If interested, call (920) 437-1840 or Email us.
Internship Opportunities
The Brown County Historical Society welcomes new interns in the areas of History, Education, Graphic Design, Exhibit Design, and Non-Profit Management. All internship positions are volunteer positions; however they provide job experience working in your field, references, and community involvement.
The Brown County Historical Society's small size allows for great flexibility for our interns. We welcome the chance to work with students to customize a program that fits both their personal interests and organizational needs. Some examples of internship opportunities include:
Marketing: Marketing and promotional materials, including posters and rack cards; design a book about Hazelwood Historic House to be sold in our gift shop
History: Historical research on a variety of topics; historic preservation; program planning, walking tours, and WWI Victory Gardens
Education: Develop and implement educational programs for local schools, home schoolers, scout groups, outreach programs, and summer camps; ensure current programming follows up-to-date state standards
Arts Management: Event planning and implementation, grant writing, volunteer recruitment and coordination, neighborhood engagement, and artifact collection management (data entry and photograph collection)
Typical internships are 5 hours a week. The hours are flexible; however some weekend hours are required during the summer if your internship involves special events. The length of your internship depends on your semester length and the amount of credits you are applying for.
If you are interested in pursuing an internship opportunity with the Brown County Historical Society, please submit a resume and cover letter to Christine Dunbar, Executive Director at email@example.com.
For more information on the Brown County Historical Society, Hazelwood Historic House, or the Morgan L. Martin family, please visit our website at www.browncohistoricalsoc.org.
Current Employment Opportunities
If you have any questions please call us at (920) 437-1840

subset: commoncrawl


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2018 Spring Mexico Mission Trip, April 7-13 : Deadline for registration THIS SUNDAY.
Deadline for registration, and a final trip meeting is THIS Sunday, March 18th, 12:00pm in the Student Center. This April, Pastor Art will be leading a group to La Mision, Baja California, partnering with Be2live Ministries and the Hamilton School faculty, for a week long mission experience. For more information contact Bob Hess. General trip info is available on the Be2live web site and click here for the registration link.
Volunteers for Easter Sunday Hospitality
Would you be willing to prepare brunch type finger food for our April 1 Easter services? Also help is needed Easter morning. Many opportunities available. Come to the lobby table this Sunday and sign up or contact Lisa Hess.
Easter Weekend Schedule
Please join us for Good Friday (March 30) and Easter Sunday (April 1)
Marin Multi-Church Good Friday Gathering: 7:00pm at New Life Church - 1370 S. Novato Blvd, Novato.
Easter Sunday Gatherings at MCC: 9:00am and 10:45am.
MCC Yosemite Camping Trip - Memorial Day 2018
Registration is currently open. OVER HALF OF THE CABINS ARE ALREADY RESERVED! (LINK HERE to register.) Come join us in Yosemite over Memorial Day Weekend 2018 for the MCC Yosemite Camping Trip. Connect with your MCC family in the midst of some of God's most spectacular creation. For more information, VISIT US ON FACEBOOK.
Shipwrecked Day Camp: Rescued By Jesus!
June 25-28th, 9 Am - Noon - Send your kids on an impacting island adventure!
At Shipwrecked VBS, kids discover how Jesus rescues us through life's storms. Shipwrecked is filled with incredible Bible-learning experiences kids see, hear, touch, and even taste! Sciency-Fun Gizmos, team-building games, music and tasty treats are just a few of the activities that help faith flow into real life.
Kids ages 4 years - entering 5th grade are welcome to set sail!
Register directly HERE or watch the video here!
Save The Dates:
- Mission Trip Opportunities in 2018 - click here for the link to our MCC web page.


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Orlando teens participate in International CTeen NYC Weekend
"It was a time square takeover! The Jewish pride was epic!" This was just one of the many comments made by the Orlando teens who participated in the annual CTeen NYC Shabbaton.
CTeen, the fastest growing Jewish youth organization in the world, hosted a four-day event in New York, which drew in a record breaking 2300 people. Teens from the three participating CTeen chapters of Lake Mary, Maitland and South Olando joined with other Jewish teens from around the world for a weekend of empowerment, inspiration and of course, off the charts fun. Over the weekend teens had discussions and classes with various internationally famous speakers. They heard about overcoming challenges and facing fears from Dina Hurwitz, whose husband is battling ALS. They were taught about the responsibility they hold as Jewish teens to ensure the continuity of the Jewish nation, and how to ensure that Judaism not just survive throughout the generations, but thrive.
A highlight of the weekend was Saturday night, when Manhattan's Times Square was completely marked off specifically for the Jewish teens while they had a powerful Havdallah ceremony and concert, and watched a video of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, the head of the Chabad movement and a leader of world Jewry, speak about the importance of spreading Judaism and Jewish Pride. At the end of the weekend, the teens were reluctant to go home. Yet, as they headed back to their respective states and countries, they took with them more than the memory of a great time and a phone filled with pictures; they were empowered to give what they had gained on to another Jewish friend back at home.
To hear more about CTeen's amazing programs contact firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Sabrina Alvarez produced this update.
Home / News in 90 / April 24, 2014: Morning News in 90
Check Also
Aug. 2, 2019: Morning News In 90
Following the end of a Nuclear Arms Treaty with Russia, the US announces the development of a new missile. That and more in 90 seconds.


text:
When I was in the first grade I was a bit overweight, chubby you might say, which I would then ask you why you're making fun of a six-year-old with body issues. The thing is, I remember feeling overweight, which I think says a lot about me and how self-conscious or vain I might be depending on how you view body image concerns. I also was dying to be liked, and I don't think that makes me different or anything. I think most of us have that inherent need to be beloved by our peers. I think that's why I wrote this; to make you love me, and maybe tell your friends, who will then tell two friends… who will then tell two friends, and one day the whole wide world will love me.
So portly and desperate at a young age, I had to quickly figure out how I would make my mark before I was reduced to 1st grade loserdom. I took to telling jokes, but at the time I was shy and I didn't have the courage to bomb, the only thing I feared more than being chubby was being the unfunny chubby kid. Continue reading


text:
Scott Brown complained to the Boston Herald this week that the media is not nearly as tough on Elizabeth Warren as it is on him. "Every single day of my existence," he moaned, "I get tough questions from you guys."
Tough questions? And every single day? Well, maybe not on the day of this interview. The Herald reporter can be heard agreeing with him that the media really ought to be harder on Warren. While this probably felt totally validating to Scott, it undermined his claim some, too.
And here's another day when Brown did not get tough questions from the media. This story, which appeared in the North Adams Transcriptlast January, is a masterpiece of the media softball genre, and it's of special interest because Brown consigliere Dan Winslow once recommended it for its "great insight into why Scott Brown will overwhelmingly be reelected United States Senator. And why he deserves to be." OK then.
The story covers a visit Brown made to Western Massachusetts just after a snowstorm. He and North Adams Mayor Richard "Red" Alcombright visited Jack's Hot Dog Stand, where he paid for everybody's lunch and also fielded these inquiries from the Transcript reporter.
Question: Are you fazed by the snowstorm?
Answer: "We're from New England, so the snow shouldn't matter," he said. "It's a beautiful snow, which is an inconvenience for some of us. I think many residents are enjoying a day off from work, but for me, it's another day in the office.
Question: Did you make the trip to Western Massachusetts in the "infamous" truck?
Answer: "The truck's at home for my kids – it has four-wheel drive," he said, referring to daughters, Ayla, 22 and Arianna, 20. "I talked with them earlier. They're enjoying a day off in front of the fire, watching television."
Question: How did your wife like the fan letter that Mayor Alcombright's mother sent to her?
Answer: "She got a real kick out of it."
Question: Do you have a comment on the hot-dog eating record at Jack's – 26 in one hour?
Answer: "That's a lot of hot dogs."
Tough questions from the media every single day of his existence? Now that's a lot of hot dogs.
(Crossposted at Blue Mass Group)


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Plants and Animals 'Waltzed In From The Rumbling'
The thing that intrigues us right away about the newest Plants and Animals record is just how exceptional these three gentlemen have become at playing together. Their songs are getting more layered and complex - and they do one thing that all of our favorite bands do - refuse to make the same album twice.
'Stay' is a great example of just how out of this world Plants and Animals have become, and this is a band that has always been crazy good. We were first introduced to them at the Mod Club in Toronto as support for labelmate Patrick Watson in 2007.
They experiment, they get weird, they go to space and back. But they also make really powerful, lasting music that will stay with you, and potentially provide the soundtrack for some of the best things ever. They've become one of our absolute favorite bands over the years, you can pick up any record from their collection and be in the zone, no matter what you're doing.
'Waltzed In From The Rumbling' is a fantastic adventure with three guys who have created something profound and travelled the world together with it. They are an amazing rock band who blow our minds every time and make music that we will most certainly love for the rest of our lives.
Order "Waltzed in from the Rumbling" on iTunes and get "Stay" instantly: http://smarturl.it/Waltzed
Listen to "Stay" on Spotify: http://smarturl.it/staysfy
Get "Stay" on the Google Play Store: https://goo.gl/64YmCd


text:
Jade Reapers
Officer Application
Jade Reapers
General Community
Guild News / Info
[Code of Conduct ] Guild Raids
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Topic: [Code of Conduct ] Guild Raids (Read 6159 times)
Ghost In The Trixxy
Ghostly Hero
Posts: 326
Karma: +3/-1
Account name: Trixxy.6937
[Code of Conduct ] Guild Raids
June 17, 2016, 06:27:30 pm »
Last update:
There are two platforms:
Raid Training
(for new raiders to learn raids and bosses) and well, the
Raid Groups
(aiming more for raid completion and boss kills). The general idea is that new raiders will move from Raid Training to the proper Raid Groups as they get better.
So for some of you raids are the hype yay but before you guys can go Sword Art Online mode in guild organized raids there are a few things you need to respect and be aware of. If its too much text just follow the
1: Organizing and grouping up.
While we work on website features for planing all planning goes over Doodle and Doodle only. Links are always shared on forums, discord and guild message.
>> Weekly Schedules [CLICK ME] <<
Regular raids:
If there are more than 6 players on any of the days/times, the raid will happen and the players can meet up and try to organize it.
The members should show up on discord (mic can be muted) in the raid lobby and organize among each other following our guild raid conduct and are allowed to fill up the raid with pugs if needed.
Players should arrive at least 10min before the Raid start
Joining of pugs/friends/other guilds is allowed if not enough JD or proper role/gear/exp JD are present.
JD Officers are not a requirement for this type of raids. It's expected that people joining are experienced people who know how to prepare.
If an officer is joining the raid he should always help organizing.
Raid Trainings:
Training is only held if there are at least 8 players attending including 2 officers (6 members + 2 officers) and is always organised by officers.
If not enough people chose to attend at least 5h before the event officers don't need to show up that day.
Every training will have a clear information on what boss is being planned for training. If 80% of participants decide to change the boss, they can.
2: Focus - Raids are hard.
There are few things that come to mind outside of raiding that can be considered, perhaps some of the first Lupicus fights we had at launch times maybe but yeah. Raids are on another level of hard. You are welcome to jump in a training session to see just how hard they can be, but you will be expected to
follow your Raid Leaders commands and focus
on playing as best as you can so don't facebook or twitter on other screens or windows.
3: Invest - Come prepared (including gear).
So, yolo easy faceroll Berserker CoF Armor 100 blades to alt-tab to PornHub is not a thing anymore when it comes to Raids.
Do some research
into the raids that you want to do and what roles you'd want to play, ask your raid leaders what roles they need for the raids they're doing, find a middle ground and build accordingly. Have a look at Dulfy guides and Youtube videos on the raids you want to do before hand. Metabattle is also a thing (as much as I hate it). Invest in gearing up your raid characters as best you can.
Have a look at foods and utility consumables
as well. While this may be a little relaxed in the training group, it will be required for you to
get ascended gear
for the raid builds you run (trinkets, armor, weapons),
especially in the main raid group.
4: The Point of Raids is not the Loot, or quick kills
This applies to both the training and main raid groups.
Raids are not the place for people to come in greedy for loot or for people to be impatient with kill times.
Remember, raids are hard, and players are only human, that's why we have training and I can guarantee that even the main raid group wont have 100% smooth runs all the time. So please be patient and
don't be that guy
that dicks the group over a few mistakes or wipes. We're not trying waste raiders time because that is time that should have been invested in the raid anyway.
5: Listen to your Raid Leaders
Your raid leaders will want you on
Discord during raids
. Unless you have a special reason that's approved by your raid leader, Discord will be required.
Discord details can be found on the forums and in the Message of the Day
. Its also browser based so no installing parts if you don't want so
no excuse
. You wont need a mic but
you will need to listen to your raid leaders
as they guide the team through the raid encounters.
6: Your Raid Leaders will be honest with you.
Raid Leaders will give feedback to the team where its needed. They'll do it for love because they want to see improvements.
Please don't take any feedback personally.
This also means that
Raid Leaders have fair right to remove people from raid groups if they fail to comply with any of the above raid guidelines (points 1-4) and will give good reasons if they have to remove people.
7: Settle Disputes outside of the Raid Times.
If you ever feel you have been unfairly treated during a raid, or unfairly removed without reason, don't panic and especially
don't rage at your Raid Leaders
Rather grab an officer
at a later stage and talk about what happened, then we'll take whatever from there if its valid. If you can,
take screenshots of dramas INCLUDING your own dialogue
as well (sneaky buggers), it does help. We will always look at issues from all sides to find best solutions for all. Just be sure not to /rage at Raid Leaders during raid times.
Raid Times are for raids, not drama.
8: Nobody is forcing you to do Raids.
Said it twice before and now once more, Raids are hard. Raid Leaders will welcome people to join the Raid Training to have a little taste of it, but
keep in mind that this requires some investment to do regularly.
If you decide that the kind of things required above and for raids in general are not for you, it's totally fine if you don't want to continue and
you don't have to force yourself.
We have other awesome stuffs for people to do together in the guild as well.
In ending just another reminder that we as a guild acknowledge that raids are hard. This guild raid related code of conducts is what we can do to see that raids can be done in the guild while not getting toxic.
Raiders, please check the forums regularly as your Raid Leaders, Raid Groups and Raid Training schedules will be popping up here.
If anyone who would like to be a Raid Leader, you don't need to be an officer, just leave a post on the forums and we'll take it from there or just take the incentive on a raid day.
-Trixxy and Xicer
edit: Many thanks to all the officers who met to discuss raids in the guild. I hope this raid code of conduct fairly reflects what was discussed.
Last Edit: August 08, 2016, 04:44:50 pm by Xicer
"May Your Steps Be Relentless"
Posts: 13
Karma: +3/-0
Account name: Dragon.4728
Re: New Improved Updated Guild Raid Code of Conduct. With Colors Yay
Reply #1 on:
June 17, 2016, 08:10:56 pm »
I can see some subtle changes to my post
But I agree with all of this -please read and learn, so we can all live and prosper together.
Posts: 33
Karma: +0/-0
Account name: DoctorSleep.9517
Re: New Improved Updated Guild Raid Code of Conduct. With Colors Yay
Reply #2 on:
June 18, 2016, 10:38:36 pm »
Live and learn, guys!
A poll is also being in preparation.
Posts: 41
Karma: +2/-0
My favorite anime is Lazy Town
Account name: Pepe.7314
Re: New Improved Updated Guild Raid Code of Conduct. With Colors Yay
Reply #3 on:
June 20, 2016, 08:44:06 pm »
As I said on last post, I'll join for sure...
Posts: 2
Karma: +0/-0
Account name: Oneeyedowl.6859
Re: New Improved Updated Guild Raid Code of Conduct. With Colors Yay
Reply #4 on:
June 26, 2016, 03:25:47 pm »
Did it.
Posts: 2
Karma: +0/-0
Account name: Yukami
Re: [Code of Conduct ] Guild Raids
Reply #5 on:
August 07, 2016, 11:30:41 pm »
Is it here to join? I want to join x.x
Posts: 753
Karma: +8/-1
Account name: XicerJD.3815
Re: [Code of Conduct ] Guild Raids
Reply #6 on:
August 08, 2016, 04:45:25 pm »
The link is in the first message but here you go again
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Simple Machines


text:
First of all, Happy New Year to you! Thanks for being in the world, and here specifically to read this weblog.
Most of us survivors are genuinely delighted to be stepping into the world of possibilities called 2009. However, on boxing day, I had a gut-wrenching experience in which I watched myself die of an unnatural cause, namely political stereotype.
To keep it short, during a delightful holiday gathering of old friends, a wide ranging discussion eventually turned to politics, as well it should nowadays. However, I noticed that one of my old friends referred to me with a phrase like, "all you guys on the left", in regards to a reaction to some assertion in the conversation. Actually, I am not enrolled in any political party, but I make active choices and support candidates by small donations and occasional volunteering. One person who knows me well calls me a Singularitarian, because I read the works of Ray Kurzweil.
Then it hit me hard, that we humans don't try to remember everything, or even experience everything. EVERYTHING is much too big to truly experience, and definitely too big to remember in its entirety. So we naturally tend to remember, and then re-remember key elements or patterns in our experience. Although this is a very efficient way for us to survive, when stereotypes are used to subsume real experience about people, the other people in the experience are destroyed in the process. My personal experience seems to vary in many ways from what can be described in a two-dimensional array of politics such as left versus right. Politics is a multi-dimensional experience and the shallow analogies used, in the past, to portray political processes, such as left-right, will fail to adequately and logically describe the nature of politics. Over a decade ago, I abandoned the technique of 2-dimensional description of politics, or most anything, after reading Bart Kosko's excellent books about logic and programming.
This is what makes political stereotypes so destructive that I could classify them as pathogens that destroy the very people who get labeled with the stereotype. And it's also what I dislike the most about the hate-filled discussions that I hear on the syndicated radio talk shows supported by commercial messages. (tangential question: If a point of view is not supported by commercial messages, is that point of view unworthy of your consideration, and also unworthy of airtime?) Many of the listeners and participants for those shows, are plagued by the stereotypes, which are pushed out over the airwaves, by self-serving talk show hosts. As soon as they categorize me (or you!) into the stereotype, the action of categorization emphasizes within their mind the ways in which your behavior is similar to the stereotype. Unfortunately, it's easier to remember the stereotype, than the real experience of the whole person. The application of the stereotype masks, or destroys, the individuality of the person labeled. That is death by stereotype, in which the unique, individual nature of each person disappears from view. I suspect that my old friends, with whom I meet only once or twice a year, see me filtered through the lenses of stereotype, lenses tinted by the color of memory. And the stereotypes put forward by the radio shows by Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage and Ann Coulter are virulent pathogens, indeed.
Also, consider that once categorized under a stereotype, subsequent recall will reinforce that pattern, and the longer the period of reinforcement, the greater the difference between the recall and the reality of a total human being. Why? People gradually change their thoughts, opinions and behavior over time, but, unfortunately, the shallow stereotype has crystallized in the mind of the beholder.
In 2009, I resolve to avoid using stereotypes, and other forms of reasoning by analogy, to the greatest degree that I am able. In 2009, let the light of ubuntu shine.
Jay Fulton


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New Baby Gift Guide
I've been meaning to get to this post for a while, so I'm thrilled to finally hit 'publish' on this one.
So many new babies have been brought into our lives in the last few weeks and months, it's reminded me of all the sweet new baby coos and smells and giggles that fill the homes of newborns. While the baby registry is a great place to list all of the items you and the baby need, there are plenty of beautiful, special items that don't make the cut - though I'm a firm believer we all do need that gorgeous walnut rattle and heirloom teether - and, I believe, those items are best gifted, (preferably with some homemade comfort food and cookies).
So I've rounded up some of my favorite gifts to give a new baby - a solid mix of heirloom, practical and gorgeous baby items that are sure to be used heavily and played with regularly and very, very well loved. Hope you enjoy, and tell me in the comments if I missed any of your favorite new baby gifts!
1. Wooden rattles. In the spirit of full disclosure, I bought a bunch of rattles that I thought were just super pretty when Noam was born. But these wooden rattles have gotten a ton of use between the grasping and shaking and gnawing phases. I especially love this walnut rattle from Little Sapling Toys and this ring rattle from Bitte Shop.
2. Baby bonnets and caps. I had absolutely no idea how much I'd love baby bonnets before having a baby. But lo and behold, we've amassed a veritable stockpile of them. What's not to love? They keep babies heads warm, squish their cheeks a little and assist in keeping a toddler looking like the baby you've watched grow too quickly. My favorites are from Briar, Red Creek Kids, Rain People and Little Pine Outfitters.
3. Books. It may seem slightly ahead of the game to buy a brand new baby books, but I don't think it's ever too early to read to children. In those first few weeks and months, while Noam nursed and napped and nursed and napped, I would read aloud any article or book I had at hand. I love the personalized line by I See Me (our favorite is M is for Me).
4. Personalized milestone cards. These milestone cards appropriately called "Fantastic Firsts" by Lost My Name are insanely cute, cover pretty much ever milestone for the first year of life and are personalized, and I think they're the absolute perfect gift to help every new mom keep track of those milestones (the back of each has a space for you to write the details down, which is genius) and store them in a baby book (which, by the way, is another awesome gift - my favorite is from Mushy Books).
5. Gathre mat. These bonded leather mats are the most stylish all-purpose baby mats that exist. I love the micro to use as a changing pad and the midi or maxi for park days. And the new spring colors are seriously beautiful.
6. Teether lovie. When gifting to a baby, I believe this rule to be true: no teether will ever go unused or un-drooled on. Noam has his favorite teethers, sure, but offer him something designed to be put into his mouth, and in his mouth it will go. This teether/blankie combo from Willaby Clothier is on the pricier side, but it's just such a beautiful heirloom (and 2 for the price of 1)!
7. Toy storage bin. Often overlooked but desperately needed, in my opinion, toy storage bins are my new go-to for gift organization (used in place of a gift bag). My favorite are from Pehr Designs, and I especially love the grey pom style.
8. Personalized puzzle. This wood name puzzle from Smiling Toy Trees be one of my favorite gifts I found for Noam. It has an heirloom quality to it, which makes me feel like it'll be passed down from one generation to the next, and it's just as beautiful as it is functional and fun in teaching Noam his name.
9. Bibs. Possibly the most practical of the bunch, I used bibs constantly and still do regularly for Noam's super drooly teething spells. My favorite newborn bibs are the super soft bamboo terry cloth multi-use bibs from Numpfer and my favorite bandana bib for babies and toddlers are the gorgeous ones from Ollie and Tate (I especially love the linen line).
10. Plushies. Okay, hear me out. These may not be forgotten gifts - in fact, everyone may show up to the baby shower with some version of a stuffed animal - but buying a good plushy or other soft toy makes a big difference. I love these sweet puppets and other plushies made by Ouistitine from Bitte Shop because they're handcrafted from upcycled sweaters and, frankly, really cute.


text: Earthquakes are feared for their destructive, deadly force. But they are part of a geological process - plate tectonics - that some scientists say is vital for the existence of life itself. Without the ever-changing land surfaces that plate tectonics produces, or the high continental masses raised above sea level by earthquake activity, planet Earth would atrophy into a lifeless mass, like our neighbour Mars. But why is Earth the only planet with plate tectonics? And, when did they start? The clues are so faint, the traces so ephemeral, that researchers are only now beginning to find tentative answers. Extraordinarily, some say that life itself has changed the forces in plate tectonics, and helped to shape the world.


text:
A Speculative History: Albert Kahn, Building, and Architecture
2015 Buell Dissertation Colloquium, Keynote Address by Claire Zimmerman
Friday, May 8, 2015, 6:00PM
East Gallery, Buell Hall
Claire Zimmerman, Director of Graduate Studies at the University of Michigan's Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planing, delivered a keynote address entitled "A Speculative History: Albert Kahn, Building, and Architecture" to open the 2015 Buell Dissertation Colloquium.
The Colloquium continued on Saturday, May 9th with a full day of presentations and panel discussions. See this page for more information.
Image: copyright Albert Kahn Associates, courtesy of Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan


text:
Packaging tip: Pack pate into a pretty glass bowl or crock and cover with plastic wrap. Tape a white card to the top of bowl and label, including serving suggestions. Tie a moss green bow around bowl and present along with a bag full of toasted bread rounds and a jar of French cornichons.
|preparation methods
|North & South American


text:
COURSE TUTOR: Will Dyke
Will studied illustration and printmaking at Harrow College of Art. Now based in Chichester, he specialises in woodcut printing, exhibiting locally on a regular basis.
Woodcut printing was the predominant method of image reproduction for many hundreds of years. Woodcut printing is a very accessible method of relief printing, and the process does not require significant drawing ability. You will design and carve your own woodblock, learning to use woodcut tools safely, and practice different mark making techniques. You will then use your woodblock to produce a series of one or two colour prints on paper or cards.
The course will include short demonstrations to the group by the tutor when required, with the majority of the course taking the form of practical progress on your own personal project, and individual guidance from the tutor when required
Tuesday am: Learn how to cut safely with woodcut tools, practice mark making techniques on a practice block. Ink up and print your practice block.
Tuesday pm: Design your image, using source material or your own ideas. Transfer design onto woodblock ready for cutting.
Wednesday am: Cut image onto woodblock, proof image, and make adjustments.
Wednesday pm: Print a series of images from your block. Learn to print by hand and with a mechanical press.
Woodblocks, paper, printing inks, and the use of tools and equipment as required.
Bring any source material/ sketchbooks/ ideas for an image you wish to produce.
Please wear old/ work clothes, aprons also provided. You may wish to bring an art bag/ folio/ or box to take prints home in. Prints will need a day or two to fully dry, and can also be collected later by arrangement.


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ALSC has been incorporating sustainable design principles into our work since long before "LEED" or "Green Building" became known terms. Minimizing environmental impact, creating healthy indoor environments, reducing operating costs and maximizing resource efficiency have always been integral to our design process. ALSC's approach to sustainability enables us to achieve the desired result - whether it is LEED Gold Certification, addressing the Washington Sustainable Schools Protocol (WSSP) or simply meeting a client's goal in terms of energy conservation.
©2019 ALSC Architects. Site Design ©2019 Klündt | Hosmer. All Rights Reserved.


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Buying special gifts for your child can be really confusing. Take a check at the nearest toy store, and you will find endless choices. In a world of technology and mobiles, kids are learning fast, and there's no way that you can fool them with a teddy bear. So, what kind of gifts you should you buy for your child? We have enlisted a few things below for your quick help.
Understand your child
On a special occasion, such as a birthday or Christmas, your child will get gifts from every other person. Needless to mention, he will get a lot of options, depending on his age. However, as a parent or guardian, you need to choose something that will make more sense or impart a lesson. Talking of the teddy bear example we just mentioned, you can replace it with a robot toy. Your child will want to know about the history of the toy and what it means, which can make him/her more inquisitive. Some of the toys are gender biased to date, but then, you can also introduce your child to something unique, like a famous book or something that interests him about a craft or subject.
What to buy?
There are a whole range of options, depending on what kind of toy you need. If you are looking for scooters and board games, you can always check online. For stuffed toys too, you can find some great deals on the web. You can also try to buy DIY boxes, which are really popular these days and can be used in creative ways. A spirograph or a special jewelry making kit can be a good choice for boys and girls alike. You can also pick baking kits, special books and even toys that can be turned into unique objects – It all depends on your child's interest.
Check online now to buy toy robots!


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While I was still wringing and hanging laundry on Rode Trip Brian, Matt, and Jessica gathered their fishing gear and headed out to get some supper. They explored some new reefs at Flamingo Cay and eventually returned to their starting grounds to pluck a few choice fish from the water.
They returned with a variety of tasty entrees; trigger fish, glass eyed snapper, and lionfish.
Look at the chompers on that trigger fish! This was the goofiest fish we'd seen. It also needed to be skinned, quite the process to sample this variety. But it sure was tasty!
Here's the line-up for dinner…hmmm, I'm not sure how that lobster got in the mix since lobster season ended. He must have jumped on board for the photo shoot.
Jessica offered to host dinner on Serendipity. We've been pooling our fish and sides together to make joint meals and enjoy dinnertime together. Before we shifted to dinner mode, however, we took a quick dinghy ride for a closer look at this cave.
The end to another fabulous day and we all reminded ourselves that yes, this really is our life!


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Eric Kragenbrink
Music Director and Gabbai
KA Music Directors Joanne and Eric Kragenbrink are a music couple involved in live performance and recorded CD's. Joanne is a songwriter/performer on the piano, Eric a guitarist and singer. They originated in Colorado with their music based relationship until The God Of Israel brought them out to San Diego.


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Davis, K., Subramaniam, M., Hoffman, K.M., & Romeijn-Stout, E.L. (2018). Technology use in rural and urban public libraries: Implications for connected learning in youth programming. Proceedings of the Connected Learning Summit (CLS '18). To appear. Pittsburgh, PA: Carnegie Mellon ETC Press.
Subramaniam, M., Scaff, L., Kawas, S., Hoffman, K.M., & Davis, K. (2018). Using Technology to Support Equity and Inclusion in Youth Library Programming: Current Practices and Future Opportunities. The Library Quarterly 2018 88:4, 315-331 [Open Access]
Hoffman, K. M., Subramaniam, M., Kawas, S., Scaff, L., & Davis, K. (2016). Connected libraries: Surveying the current landscape and charting a path to the future. College Park, MD; Seattle, WA: The ConnectedLib Project. [PDF]
Scaff, L., Subramaniam, M., Hoffman. K.M., Kawas, S., & Davis, K. (2017, June). Promoting equity and access in public libraries' computer-supported youth programming. Poster session presented at the CSCL International Conference on Computer Supported Collaborative Learning, Philadelphia, PA. [JPG]
Hoffman, K. M., Subramaniam, M., Davis, K., Scaff, L., & Kawas, S. (2017, April). How librarians help teens develop 21st century skills. Poster presented at The University of Maryland College Park Social Justice Day 2017, College Park, MD. [PDF]
Carrigan, T., Fontichiaro, K., Subramaniam, M. & Wilkett, R. (2016). Lessons from learning spaces: What are patrons really learning? Panel presentation at the American Library Association Annual Conference, Orlando, Florida. [PDF]
Davis, K., Subramaniam, M. Hoffman, K. M., Kawas, S., & Scaff, L. (2016, October). What's it going to take to turn every library into a connected learning library? Presentation to be given at the annual meeting of the Digital Media and Learning Conference, University of California, Irvine, CA. [PDF]


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twenty-sevens names winter 201121:12
twenty-seven names is a New Zealand label after my heart. Love the hearts and the polka dot print featuring through out the collection...a...
PS. They also just launched their summer collection with an exhibition, film and artworks in Sydney. Concept was based around the five portraits of a twenty-seven names girl! read more about it here and here. Always love to see art, fashion and photography come together!
22 comments
- AnonymousThursday, May 05, 2011
oh, really love their collection. always a joy to find something new! xoxoReplyDelete
I have loved every collection by twenty seven names to date! So gorgeous!ReplyDelete
GREAT BRAND! SO CUTE...ReplyDelete
I have soooo many postcard-things from twenty-seven names on my wall. I pick them up at the door of boutiques that sell it...ReplyDelete
I am sooo in love with twenty-seven names! So!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousThursday, May 05, 2011
You're really bad for my wallet lily!ReplyDelete
Some of those dresses are beautiful! xReplyDelete
- AnonymousFriday, May 06, 2011
Oh their clothes are so sweet... great great looks!ReplyDelete
such great inspiration! i love these looks. following you on twitter! <3 EverRubyGirl.blogspot.comReplyDelete
She looks like a dool! Beautiful.ReplyDelete
after my heart too <3ReplyDelete
Very sweet and feminine!ReplyDelete
Oh, I just love this style. So sweet!ReplyDelete
♡ Fox Whiskers
great style info :D I like the combination of black and light colors, so cuteReplyDelete
gorgeous! anything with a print sucks me in. love the brand name too!ReplyDelete
So sweet style.. This brand is great!ReplyDelete
love the white outfit with knitted topReplyDelete
I love the bowties and socks + tights combination. So cute!ReplyDelete
they look like they are dead :PReplyDelete
but nice collection :D
Stunning !ReplyDelete


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Please select the country where your order will be shipped to.
Scope Body:
29mm model
Weight: 42g
Black anodised alloy
Lens fixed in place by screw system
Supplied with 10/32" thread
Includes removeable Weather Shield
Large level bubble
LH/RH interchangeable
29mm dia.
Available in 2 models, coated or uncoated.
Coated model features anti reflection and anti moisture properties on both faces.
Available dioptes for both models: 0.50.6250.750.8751.0


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HARRISONBURG, Va. - Junior Liza Lewis (Richmond, Va./Trinity) is second out of 54 individuals and the Randolph-Macon women's golf team is third out of nine teams after the first round of the Bridgewater Fall Invitational Saturday at the Lakeview Golf Club.
The Yellow Jackets are three shots out of second and six strokes out of first.
Lewis shot 77 to pace R-MC. Sophomore Colleen Connolly (Winchester, Va./John Handley) was one shot back at 78 in a tie for third, followed by senior Aven Oliver (Virginia Beach, Va./Norfolk Academy) at 84, junior Emmy Saathoff (Catonsville, Md./Notre Dame) at 86 and junior Mia Koch (Virginia Beach, Va./Kempsville) at 92.
The second and final round will be played on Sunday, Sept. 24.
Team Standings
1 Bridgewater 319
2 Stevenson 322
3 Randolph-Macon 325
4 Eastern 348
5 Marymount 354
6 Chowan 356
7 Shenandoah 381
8 Emory & Henry 446
9 Hollins 447


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Fagan's fairytale success story
By Brian Keogh
The son of a former Drogheda United footballer is the brains behind Oceanico's bid to make Vilamoura one of the world's leading golf resorts.
Drogheda born Gerry Fagan, 54, and his English partner Simon Burgess pulled off a major coup when they bought Vilamoura's five courses for €125 million this week.
The property and resort company has decided to move into golf in a big way and rival great American resorts such as Pinehurst with seven top courses.
And Fagan revealed that it was his Dad's encouragement that convinced him to retire from business in Ireland and make a new life in Portugal.
He said: "My dad, Dessie, was a timber yard manager - he's 91 and still going strong. He was a great footballer in his day, he was captain of Drogheda United for 20 years.
"He played with them in three FAI Junior Cup finals, but, unfortunately, didn't win any of them.
"My father worked until he was 72 and I got a lot of lessons from him in the sense that it was terribly important for me to see that I would have something at the end of my working life.
"He had worked very hard, out in the yard in wet and rough weather and all that, and I decided that it was vital for me to build a retirement plan.
"When I got an opportunity - with selling out my shareholding in the Campbell Bewley Group - and the chance to move on, I rembember telling my dad my plans and he said, 'You're bloody well right, son, move on". He taught me a lot about life."
Since he made the move, Oceanico has amassed a golf and property portfolio worth €2 BILLION in just eight years.
Fagan added: "We started off with our two courses and they were fine in terms of what we had on offer, but we felt that if we wanted to have real substance, then we needed to have five, maybe six courses.
"We did look at two other courses in the region and did so with the possibility of building a third, but then we said, 'Hold on, why don't we go for the real jewel in the crown?"
The rest is history with Oceanico this week making Portuguese tourism legend Andre Jordan an offer he couldn't refuse for Vilamoura's five courses.
Ryder Cup legends Christy O'Connor Jnr and Nick Faldo are currently building two more classic tracks nearby, set to open in the summer of 2008.


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We'll be back at the Stand - large as life and twice as natural - on Wednesday May 9th
Doors: 19:30
Show: 20.30
Tickets: £5.00 available on the door and in advance from the Stand's website
Our comedic academics are:
Kate Cross "Sex-obsessed" – University of St Andrews
Gary Dorken "Bacterial tag-team" – University of Edinburgh
Alison Eales "Disco vs. Jazz" – University of Glasgow
Alan Kelly "EngiNerd" – University of Glasgow
Rachelle Pascoe-Deslauriers "Unemployment is no joke" – University of Strathclyde
Jon Soares "Spanish inquisitor" – University of Edinburgh
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter . You can also contact us through firstname.lastname@example.com (but be aware we don't check that often so you are most likely better off contacting the bit of Bright Club Edinburgh that is called Dan.)
Friday, 27 April 2012
Saturday, 7 April 2012
Bright Club Presents...The Z-Axis
Bright Club: Bodies was an enormous success, but we literally never stop working here at Bright Club Towers. We're delighted to announce the line up for The Z-Axis, the world's first science festival fringe
The Z-Axis will be on the 14th of April (doors at 16:30), back at The Stand on York Place. If you want to be there at this historic world's first (and generally brilliant show), you can get tickets for a mere £5 on The Stand website: http://www.thestand.co.uk/performance.aspx?id=6986
Susan Morrison will be returning to host, and will introduce...
Robbie Cooper - Psycho Logical
Jamie Gallagher - Is Hot
Guy Jones - Comical Reaction
Gianfranco Matrone - Zebrafishiology
Karon McBride - Post-Newtonian Thinker
Rohit Parwani - A Wee Pint of Whisky
Wednesday, 4 April 2012
Bright Club Edinburgh Bodies - Tomorrow!
Kindly supported by The Physiological Society
Thursday 5th April 8pm @ Ghillie Dhu
(Doors @7:45pm)
(Doors @7:45pm)
Hosted by top comedian Andy Zaltzman and supported by Kitsch Kats cabaret duo.
Prof Keith Stevenson 'hanging out with the kids'(1)
Callum Johnston 'trying to grow some brains'(2)
Gemma Sharp 'womb raider'(3)
Dr Andy MacLeod 'gene genie-us'(4)
Pete Gwynne 'an ongoing experiment'(5)
Prof Callum Hill 'it takes guts'(6)
Tickets £10/£8
(1) School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University
(2) Centre for Cognitive and Neural Systems, The University of Edinburgh
(3) MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The University of Edinburgh
(4) Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiolgy, The University of Edinburgh
(5) School of Biological Sciences, The University of Edinburgh
(6) Forest Products Research Institute, Edinburgh Napier University
Posted by Dan Ridley-Ellis at 07:04
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Flintrock Falls Country ClubDiscover some of the finest championship golf in Austin, Texas, when you visit Flintrock Falls at the The Hills Country Club. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, this exciting 18-hole regulation course includes uniquely-beautiful layouts, featuring tree-lined fairways, blind tee shots and rolling hills. The club also offers one of the top golf training and practice facilities in the country, making it the ideal place to hone your golf skills.
Prices -$105 Green Fee
Hours -Vary by season; Call (512) 263-3500
- Tournaments
- Group Play
- Special Events
- 18-Hole Golf
- Practice Areas
- Golf Lesson
- Pro Shop
- Driving Range
- Dining


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Monday, December 31, 2012
One Perfect Word
I saw this the other day and just had to share it. Go watch it and then come back. :-)
Isn't this a cool idea? A word for the year...one to carry around with you. I haven't decided on my word yet but I'm testing a couple out. As soon as I figure it out, I'll be sure to let you know.
What about you? Do you have a word for the year?
1 comment:
- Diane Rains said...
My word is inspire. I hope to inspire others to find their passion as I've found mine--writing. Having something that drives you and makes you happy is the best feeling! :)Diane
- February 17, 2013 at 8:33 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Username or Email Address
If you're not able to attend ISTE 2019, you can still learn from the conference by participating remotely! This is the ultimate guide to virtually attending ISTE this June.
It can be so inspiring to take a look at other class blogs. Check out this showcase of 13 great blogs powered by Edublogs, CampusPress, or WordPress. Do you have any to add?
Visiting other class blogs can be a great way to find inspiration and connections. But where do you find other class blogs? We've just completed the latest update of our popular list.
Check out examples of student blogs and download the poster about the 10 elements of a quality blog post. Help students meet academic outcomes while learning how to be a safe and positive digital citizen!
For teachers and students, Slides is one of the most versatile free tools offered by Google. This post explains what Google Slides is, how to use it, classroom examples, and how to embed Slides into blog posts.
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What is your favorite fairy tale?
I love most fairy tales, but I think my favorite might be Beauty and the Beast. I love in the beginning of the Disney movie that Belle is reading all the time--even as she walks down the street! The way she falls in love with the beast is so sweet--looking past his exterior and at the heart of him.
Question 2
If you could be guaranteed a spot on the reality show "Survivor", would you go?
No! I really don't like that show nor do I understand it--all the alliances and stuff just don't thrill me. Plus, I am not a camping kind of girl and I certainly couldn't camp in front of millions of people!
Question 3
Meanest thing you ever did to a sibling??? I know.... what kind of question is this :)
Well I am sure I did some mean things to my sister when we were older but the two things I remember vividly were slapping her across the face when I was mad at her once and we were about ages 6 and 8. The other thing I did was lock her in the bathroom when she was too young to open the door by herself and then I lied and told my parents that she shut the door on herself!
Question 4
Best Fashion Era... 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's or now...
I would say "now" for the same reason as the hostess of this meme--I doubt I will look back on this decade and wonder to myself, "WHAT was I thinking?"
Question 5
Have you ever skipped to the end of a book before you finished reading the book?
Shamelessly, I must confess, yes.....quite often. Sometimes I just can't read fast enough for my liking and I kind of skim a head. I don't usually read the very end though.
Question 6
What's the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?
Instill in myself more self control when it comes to money and spending. I just get so tempted to go buy myself little things that I don't really need, but want. We need to get serious about saving.
Question 7
What is one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?
Simply spend more time in His Word!
Hop on over and visit To Know Him to join in.


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Posted by ESC on June 02, 2001
Continuing a discussion from the "other side."
I'm a writer, and am looking for the origin (year) of the phrase
"The heat is on." I have my gangster
: : character saying "Is the heat on?" to another character, but am not sure if they would have said
: : this during the time of WWI--specifically 1917. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
: : If possible,I'd also appreciate the reference. (Book, article, etc.) Thanks and God bless-- Pamela
From ESC: TO TURN THE HEAT ON -- "This seems originally to have been underworld slang, probably a rough interpretation of 'to be grilled' in the figurative sense. It means, to be subjected to a severe cross-examination, as by police officers in grilling a suspected criminal; but of course in ordinary use a youngster will say that his dad turned the heat on when asking how the fender of the car got dented. The expression is quite recent." From "A Hog on Ice & other Curious Expressions" by Charles Earle Funk (Harper & Row, New York, 1948). Notice that Mr. Funk says the expression is "recent," but the book was published in 1948. If I find an earlier origin date, I'll post it.
From R. Berg: The Dictionary of American Slang has "c. 1925" as the date for underworld use of "heat" in that sense. 1917 might be too early. In fact, considering that the Volstead Act was passed in 1919, 1917 is early for gangsters. What would they have done all day?
ESC: "Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Volume 2, H-O" by J.E. Lighter, Random House, New York, 1994: HEAT 2a. intensive law-enforcement activity in the form of investigation, patrols, arrests, etc., danger from or pursuit by police.1925 Collier's (Aug. 8) 30: Police agitation is "heat.".2b. Und. & Mil. (underworld and military) gunfire in phrase GIVE (or TURN ON) THE HEAT - to fire a gun at someone. 1930 Rosener 'Doorway to Hell" (film): I oughta give ya a little of that heat just for luck."


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Reference ID: o8j6z0t5
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Kelly Yarbrough
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Full Photography Services for Corporate and Consumer clientele
Full Video Production Services for Corporate and Consumer clientele
Conversions of Videotape formats to DVD or to Video Files
Disc Duplication in "one each" or very large quantities
Photo-to-Video Montage Presentations
Since 1990, JoyMark Photography and Video Production has been providing the central New Hampshire region with outstanding service and products in photography, video production, media creation and duplication. Mark has been a professional photographer for almost 35 years and is a graduate of the Hallmark Institute of Photography. He has taught photography in a classroom setting and instructed seminars on video production and editing at industry conventions. He was a founder of the New Hampshire Association of Video Professionals, and served three terms as President, in addition to holding other officer positions.
"The constant change in this business, the transition from, by today's standards, very simplistic equipment through our current capabilities with digital cameras, digital editing…..it's amazing! We're capable of doing what only a full-fledged TV station could do a few short years ago." With all of the state-of-the-art equipment though, Mark still feels it's about communication. "Technology helps you to bring creative ideas to fruition, but the bottom line is still ensuring your video or photograph communicates the ideas that your client has or the ones you generate along with the client. That's when you feel the excitement of it all coming together just right!"


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Tall Heavy Duty Double Shepherd Hook
Regular price
WBFRT3DX— Tall Heavy Duty Double Shepherd Hook Hanger is a great for any wild bird enthusiast's or backyard bird watcher who desires to have a strong shepherd hook hanger that is designed to stand up straight and not lean over to one side like most inferior shepherd hooks. Our modular shepherd hook will support larger bird feeders, hanging plants and other bird feeding accessories.The hanger utilizes its own heavy duty outrigger and metal spade that embeds into the ground a full 12" for added maximum lateral support and optimum stability. The lower hook is removable and can be installed in three positions of your choice adding even more versatility! No Tools Required to Assemble!
*The load capacity can be greatly increased when you counter balance the load equally on each hook.
Specifications:93" tall overall height.Two section shaft hanger with our exclusive super strong QuickFit Tubular Connector™ 1/2" Heavy duty solid steel square bar construction.13" reach hooks. Semi-gloss black powder coated finish. Installs in seconds. Lower removable hook can be installed in one of 3 - positions of your choice. Made in the USA.


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You must have often wondered about the usefulness of Mobsync.exe especially since it seems to be running forever in the Task Manager. You would have also observed the green and yellow icons that appear in the Notification Area.
In this article we will discuss what Mobsync.exe is and whether it should be kept or disabled.
A word of caution: the Mobsync.exe process has been added for preventing the Offline Files feature; this feature is not included in the Home versions that come for Windows 7 and Vista.
What is Mobsync.exe?
As with all the .exe files, Mobsync.exe is also a process. The process was evolved by Microsoft Sync Center. The process is an important requirement of the Offline Files feature. The process works in collaboration with devices like Windows Mobile phone (that includes ActiveSync) as well as SQL Server installation. Mobsync.exe is also required if you use Internet Explorer (only in IE 6, but not in IE 7 and above versions). In Internet Explorer is the system uses the process to view internet pages when you are not connected online.
Mobsync.exe is a non-threatening process since it does not seem to use up too much memory space of your system. It is better to have it especially if you tend to work a lot offline. In case, you want to keep it from running all the time, go to Control Panel and make changes in the settings of the process. Once the changes have been made, launch Sync Center.
This will make things a lot easier for you. So, the next time you work offline, the process will get launched and you can use your Offline Files.
How to Disable Mobsync.exe?
Many people prefer turning off the process especially if they don't tend to work Offline at all. You can disable the process from the Task Manager every time you find it running. However, this can be quite tedious, not to mention time repetitive.
How to Disable Mobsync.exe in Windows 7?
Type 'offline files' in the search box of your Start menu. Hit ENTER.
Under Offline Files window click the DISABLE OFFLINE FILES option. Hit OK. Now re-start the computer so that the changes you have recently made can be incorporated by your machine.
When you re-start the computer you will notice that the icon for Sync Center would no longer be there and the mobsync.exe file would have disappeared from the Task Manager.
How to Disable Mobsync.exe in Vista?
Open the Control Panel and choose Network and Internet option.
Go to Offline Files and click the DISABL OFFLINE FILE option under it. Hit the OK tab. Restart the computer and you will find that the process has been disabled.
Note: in case you are using the home versions for Windows 7 and Vista, you will find Mobsync.exe file running in Task Manager.
Turning off the Sync Center will disable the process from running as well. Also, if you uninstall ActiveSync (used for mobiles) then the file for Mobsync.exe will be deleted as well.


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July 5, 2002, Section E, Page 1Buy Reprints
THE Fourth of July weekend celebrates an ideal of the United States as a fountainhead of democracy and pluralism. It's also a good moment to consider America, and New York City especially, as a mirror and a microcosm of the world beyond its borders, a place to hear echoes of nearly every human culture.
This is Weekend's fourth annual survey of world-music albums, and it occurs as diametrically opposed forces are at work. One, since Sept. 11, is a sense of separation: fewer people are traveling, and there is a heightened awareness that America is not universally beloved. But the opposite factor -- driven by technology, by capitalism's compulsion to serve every last niche market and by musicians' instinctive urge to borrow anything useful -- is an ever-accelerating interchange of musical ideas.
In recent years club disc jockeys in particular have been looking further afield for material, as CD series like the ''Buddha-Bar'' compilations demonstrate. Correctly or not, they hear the sounds of unfamiliar cultures providing a fashionably exotic, even spiritual lift, just the thing for a dance floor or a chill-out lounge. It's not simply one-way traffic of American and European disc jockeys sampling other cultures, either. Musicians everywhere are quickly assimilating sounds and gadgets.
Decades ago, when ethnomusicologists went to far-off places, they hoped to capture music devised and heard strictly locally. Now isolated music is increasingly rare. Instead, many world-music albums document local responses to a universe of possibilities, and while hip-hop, trance, rock and reggae have made inroads nearly everywhere, what happens to them is very different in, for instance, Senegal and India.
Hearing music from the other side of the world is now as easy as an Internet connection: through informative sites like www.Afropop.org, www.xenomusic.com (which specializes in Eastern Europe) and www .worldmusicportal.com. Among the many world-music Webcasters are www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/world and www.worldmusicradio.com. Albums are easier to find as well: within the city at Tower Records World Music Annex, at Lafayette and East Fourth Streets in the East Village, and at large stores like J&R, HMV or the Virgin Megastores, and online at www.amazon.com and www.cdnow.com. The World Music Institute (212-545-7536) sells albums of traditional music from six continents.
World music has always been a slippery term and is becoming more so with every Internet file transfer. To choose the albums for this article, I applied some arbitrary and inconsistent limits. Reggae, salsa, Latin pop and electronica, which are staples of world-music departments in record stores, are largely absent because of the large volume of releases available here; so are self-conscious fusion efforts by Western musicians. More subjectively, the choices below avoid music that has largely traded away its local character to sound like internationalized pop or rock. The list, alphabetical by country or region, favors music that shows some traditional roots, even if they have been grafted and gene-spliced with computers. (The CD's range in price from $13 to $15 each to $18 for a two-CD set.)
Fears that globalization would homogenize culture have partly come true as guitars and keyboards supplant homegrown instruments. But local sounds have a way of resurfacing through all the gizmos and adaptations. Traditions that have hung on through decades or centuries aren't about to go away quietly.
There may be no instrument that can sound as richly inconsolable as the duduk, the double-reed flute that is Armenia's national instrument. On Gevorg Dabaghyan's ''Miniatures: Masterworks for Armenian Duduk'' (Traditional Crossroads), the slower pieces almost sob, and a few fast dance tunes, accompanied by hand drum, seem to have their exuberance tempered by tearful memories. In pieces that date from the 10th century to the 20th, Mr. Dabaghyan plays right up to the brink of melodrama without ever slipping into it.
Tom Zé was the most radical and prankish of the songwriters in the Brazilian tropicalia movement of the late 1960's, and he hasn't eased off. ''Jogos de Armar'' (Trama import) is at once intellectually fastidious and whimsically Dada. Mr. Ze's songs are brisk and catchy, with lyrics that sling non sequiturs and punning wordplay; meanwhile, he turns every arrangement into a Pandora's box. Using conventional instruments alongside car horns, feedback, sampled giggles and assorted whirring and whooshing machines, tossing in mock-Bach choral polyphony alongside Brazilian percussion, offsetting blithe melodies with dissonant counterpoint, he can't resist twisting the songs until they almost snap. But not quite. His manic pop vandalism is simply too much fun to resist, especially because it's clear that behind it, he's not kidding. A bonus CD holds the pointillistic bits and pieces that went into the songs.
Lenine is part of the generation of Brazilian songwriters that is adding the possibilities of electronica to the abundance of rhythms already at work in Brazil. His ''Falange Canibal'' (BMG Brazil) is dense with ideas: sometimes ominous, sometimes dreamlike. With his husky voice and poetic lyrics, he annexes funk, hard rock and drum-and-bass to strip the familiarity from Brazilian samba and pop ballads, though he never abandons melody.
Natalie MacMaster's ''Live'' (Rounder) is two albums in one. Her traditional Cape Breton fiddling, with some step dancing thrown in, has made her a pop figure in Canada. For concerts, she leads a Celtic rock band, including synthesizer, drums and electric bass, that's heard on one disc of ''Live.'' The band gives her theater-size dynamics, and despite some ill-advised arrangements, her fiddle playing bites into the jigs and reels and makes the slow melodies sing. But the second disc comes from a Cape Breton square dance Ms. MacMaster played in 1997, with just piano and guitar and no show-business cues to worry about, she thrives on the homey task of pushing dancers around the floor.
If Cape Breton has lost one of its leading fiddlers to the wider world, there are others still at home. ''The Heart of Cape Breton'' (Smithsonian Folkways) recorded five worthy fiddle groups over one week on Cape Breton Island, including a duo whose members both play piano and fiddle, switching off during a set. Playing regularly for local dances, the fiddlers dig hard into the tunes, holding on to a rough-hewn, Scottish-derived style that resists too much polishing.
Stretching from the Andes to the Caribbean, Colombia holds a multitude of local and hybrid traditions with Andean and Afro-Caribbean roots. ''Colombia'' (Putomayo World Music), a survey album, tilts toward the sweeter and slicker side of the repertory, as Putomayo often does. But while it inexplicably omits one of Colombia's treasures, the accordion-driven música vallenata, it reveals Colombia as a stronghold of salsa, cumbia and the clarinet.
The music is more rambunctious but no less eclectic on Totó la Momposina's ''Pacantó'' (World Village). She is a song collector who has devoted herself to the music of Colombia's Caribbean coast, where native, Spanish and African music merged. Some songs use stark drums, rattles and wooden flutes; others lilt with guitars or blare with brass-band horns. Her voice is strong and sure, with an edge that keeps the songs tough and earthy.
Two albums of vintage-style Cuban sones -- the lilting songs stitched together by acoustic guitar lines -- sketch the difference between Havana and outlying towns. Sierra Maestra, from Havana, is topped by dramatic singers and a trumpet, and it revs itself up to a high-speed rumba in the title song of ''Rumbero Soy'' (World Music Network); it can also call on guests including the torchy singers Omara Portuondo and Ibrahim Ferrer, from the Buena Vista Social Club, and the American guitarist Marc Ribot. Los Fakires, from sleepier Santa Clara, are a smaller group that stays more relaxed, with a modest, perky saxophone and singers who seem amused at the ups and downs of life and love. ''Los Fakires'' (Casino Sounds/Universal) breezes along playing tunes that start at half a century old and work their way back.
As earnest voices harmonize, guitars create a giddy tangle in the Ghanaian rock collected on ''Electric Highlife: Songs From the Bokoor Studios'' (Naxos World). The songs were recorded in the 1980's near Accra by bands little known to the outside world on equipment that was not exactly hi-fi; drums are reduced to a distant patter. But especially in songs by F. Kenya's Guitar Band and the Happy Boys Guitar Band, the guitars make up for it, with staccato picking and quick runs and floating lines hovering like a swarm of tuned mosquitoes in songs so fast it's a wonder people danced to them.
A calmer collection, ''The Rough Guide to the Music of Nigeria and Ghana'' (World Music Network), sketches the influence of Ghanaian highlife on the Nigerian guitar rock that later became juju, moving quickly through decades of border-crossing influences and multiple-guitar interweaving.
Traditions sustained through centuries and hybrids hooked to the latest novelty are found side by side in music from India. Schools of classical improvisation are still being handed down from parent to child. Meanwhile, pop composers come up with nutty pastiches of ancient and current styles. And somewhere in between, classical musicians and electronica producers collaborate on new settings for old melodies and messages.
Although ragas for Indian sitar have been amply documented on recordings, music for the sitar's larger, lower-voiced, less flashy relative, the surbahar, is much rarer. Ashok Pathak comes from a family devoted to dhrupad, a meditative style of playing that lingers over the slow prelude of the raga, the alap. On ''Ancient Court Raga Traditions: The Pathak Gharana; Dhrupad Ragas on Surbahar'' (World Arbiter), Mr. Pathak plays two ragas accompanied only by the drone of two tambouras. Although he eventually gets around to rhythmically stating the raga melodies, the bulk of each performance is the alap, which seemingly pulls expansive tendrils of melody out of nowhere.
The movie ''Monsoon Wedding'' may have introduced some audiences to the excesses of Bombay (or Bollywood) musicals, but Western disc jockeys and other hipsters have long been fond of the genre-scrambling pop songs, called filmi, that set loose the song-and-dance fantasies. ''The Rough Guide to Bollywood'' (World Music Network) starts with a Hari Krishna chant set to a wah-wah funk guitar and lingers primarily in the 1970's with Bollywood twists on spy-movie crescendos, cha-cha and disco as well as Indian classical and folk melodies. ''Mondo India'' (Ark 21) concentrates on another film composer, A. R. Rahman, whose musical blends are smoother and more serene, surrounding graceful Indian vocals and percussion in stately electronics.
Electronica producers and Indian classical improvisers both work with long stretches of time; perhaps it was inevitable that they would get together. DJ Cheb i Sabbah is more host than honcho on ''Krishna Lila'' (Six Degrees), gradually and respectfully adding bass lines and electronics as groups of musicians from north and south India perform devotional love songs called bhajans. Tabla Beat Science's ''Live in San Francisco at Stern Grove'' (Axiom/Palm Pictures) is more multifarious and contentious. Tabla Beat Science is led by the producer and bassist Bill Laswell and the Indian tabla drummer Zakir Hussain, with the Ethiopian vocalist Gigi and the Indian sarangi (bowed lute) player and singer Ustad Sultan Khan and an Indian electronica duo, Midival Punditz, joining in. The live album moves from classical song to tabla-topped funk modeled on Miles Davis's ''Bitches Brew''; it gives a scratching hip-hop disc jockey a duet with Hussain's percussion and fuses Indian rhythms with dub reggae and drum-and-bass, hurtling across boundaries.
Irish music was revitalized by the Chieftains, who started out as arch-traditionalists playing only the oldest Irish instruments. Columbia Legacy has been systematically reissuing the first Chieftains albums, and they still set an extraordinarily high standard with their nimble dance tunes and stately slow melodies. ''The Best of the Chieftains'' (Columbia Legacy) draws on albums from 1977 to 1979, when the Chieftains fused purism and passion.
Altan allows itself some modernizing touches but holds on to a traditional repertory. Like countless other Irish traditional groups, the musicians in Altan can sprint through dance tunes, and the group also features one of Ireland's finest ballad singers, Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh, whose feathery voice holds reserves of fond melancholy. At any tempo, Altan contemplates the essence of the music: the lilt and pugnacity of the dance tunes, the lingering mystery of the songs. On ''The Blue Idol'' (Narada), guests, including Dolly Parton at her most Celtic, join Altan without diluting the group's deep communion with tradition.
Kodo started out playing the Japanese ritual music for giant, booming drums called taiko but kept its ears open over 20 years on the international concert-hall circuit. Kodo's ''Mondo Head'' (Red Ink), produced by Mickey Hart from the Grateful Dead, announces its internationalist ambitions with its title, and on it Kodo collaborates with percussionists and singers from Brazil, India, Tibet and the United States. What could have been a New Age hodgepodge is, for the most part, thoughtful and intently focused. The album is two parts ritual, one part carnival, and each piece invokes clear traditions even as it mixes them. The instruments are so sumptuously recorded that each bell or drum, flute or rattle occupies its own dramatic space.
The circling, modal patterns that are central to Malian music remind many American listeners of rural blues, and American musicians like Ry Cooder and Taj Mahal have made explicit connections by collaborating with musicians from Mali. But in any combination, Malian music stubbornly holds its own: the voices are sage and unswerving, and the open-ended patterns conjure ceaseless natural cycles.
Ballaké Sissoko plays the kora, the 21-stringed harp-guitar traditionally used to accompany Mali's Mandingo jali, or griots. ''Déli'' (Indigo) is a mostly instrumental album that's a showcase for his kora playing. His terse melodic lines and darting, cascading phrases balance on the steady plinking of a balafon (marimba) in delicate, transparent music.
Djelimady Tounkara is the guitarist and leader of the Rail Band, an institution of Malian rock. His guitar parts draw on rippling kora phrases, on jazz and rock and on a personal sense of timing that runs guitar lines through a song like patches of white water in a river. He plays acoustic guitar on his album ''Sigui'' (Indigo), sometimes entwining it with a n'goni (harp), and the unplugged arrangements let his usually inconspicuous virtuosity shine through.
On the two albums Issa Bagayogo has released here this year, ''Timbuktu'' and the newer ''Sya'' (both on Six Degrees), he plucks patterns on the kamele n'goni, a three-stringed hunter's harp, and sings traditional-style songs in a calm, leathery voice, sometimes answered by high women's voices. Around the old Malian music, glimmers of modernity sneak in: a fragment of a trance-music thump, an electric guitar note, a stray sample of another language. But the outside world never dominates Mr. Bagayogo's music; it's only something overheard, proof that he's not sequestered.
Tinariwen is now based in Mali, but its members are Kel Tamasheks or Tuaregs, originally Sahara nomads who took up arms against France and then Mali. Tinariwen was formed in 1982 in refugee camps in Libya but returned to Mali after a cease-fire in the 1990's. In exile the group heard Bob Marley and Bob Dylan, and it reshaped its traditional music with electric guitars. Its songs were once rebel bulletins, but since the cease-fire, Tinariwen has been singing about peace and reconciliation. ''The Radio Tisdas Sessions'' (World Village) has no bluster in it. The songs sound weathered and deliberate, with somber riffs picked on electric guitars and vocals that sound weary but undaunted. It's a shame that the album doesn't include translations of the lyrics.
Something went wonderfully awry when brass-band oom-pah arrived in the western Mexican state of Sinaloa. Playing instruments first imported by German merchants more than a century ago, the Sinaloans exaggerated everything: the clarinets played higher, the trombones wiggled their notes more, the drumrolls started later and entered with a disruptive flourish. Bandas sinaloenses established a local style that was initially ignored, then embraced; Mexican pop stars now record whole albums backed by bandas. ''Bandas Sinaloenses: Música Tambora'' (Arhoolie) collects the first recordings of bandas, which weren't made until the early 1950's. By then all the familiar ingredients were in place, and little has changed in the ways bandas laugh and lurch through their songs.
The Gnawa musicians of Morocco are dancers, acrobats, healers and accompanists for trance ceremonies. With voices, hand-claps, metal castanets, drums and springy riffs plucked on the three-stringed, cello-size sintir, their songs work up a mesmerizing power that can lead devotees to superhuman feats, like running sharp knives across their skin and remaining uncut. The two CD's of ''World of Gnawa'' (Rounder) assemble selections from a trance ceremony, from preliminaries to culmination, vividly capturing the songs' accelerating momentum.
Hassan Hakmoun left a touring Gnawa troupe to stay in New York, where he has introduced many listeners to Gnawa music; his gritty, yearning voice landed him on Peter Gabriel songs. ''The Gift'' (Triloka/Razor and Tie) tries various hybrids, looking toward both Arabic pop and stately rock. The closer the music gets to North Africa, the better it sounds, and when Mr. Hakmoun wields his sintir while an Arabic-style violin section answers him and keyboards well up underneath, his Gnawa fusion carries the music to new territories.
The buzzing, quick-plucked thumb pianos used in traditional music from the Chopi people of Mozambique create a breakneck, caffeinated rush on the Eduardo Durão Timbila Ensemble's ''Timbila'' (Naxos World). As Mr. Durão joins in four-part vocal harmonies, his band's alto, bass and contrabass timbila (the plura of mbila, thumb piano) are plucked in patterns that sound like a merry-go-round about to spin off its axle.
Modern Mozambique has been torn by civil war and ravaged by floods, but its rock is irrepressible. The three-chord bounce of rock from across southern Africa has merged with those busy timbila patterns, Afro-Caribbean rhythms and sometimes even a touch of rap in the Mozambican rock called marrabenta, which places a canopy of interlaced guitars above its singers. ''The Rough Guide to Mozambique'' (World Music Network) is a marrabenta anthology that cleanly delineates the music's gleaming counterpoint. Eyuphuro's ''Yellela'' (World Music Network) is a full album by one of the anthology's best groups, featuring a singer, Zena Bacar, whose voice leaps out of the songs.
The music grows scrappier and wilder on Wazimbo and Orchestra Marrabenta Star de Mozambique's ''Nawhulwana'' (Piranha), which starts with the reflective solo ballad of the title song but breaks loose into big-band marrabenta with theatrically out-of-tune horns, sputtering rhythms and guitars that sound a little tipsy while they spar over rhythm and lead parts.
Two disparate styles of Burmese music -- one clattering and scurrying, one crystalline -- share ''Music by the Hsiang Waing Orchestra/The Burmese Harp'' (Auvidis/Unesco). The orchestra, similar in some ways to an Indonesian gamelan, includes circular sets of gongs and tuned drums along with a penetrating oboelike instrument, the nhai. Its pieces sound richly theatrical. Melodies start slowly, then dart frantically ahead, then pause and turn sideways in ways that merrily defy prediction. By contrast, the harp music -- mostly solos, occasionally accompanied by quiet percussion -- sends melodies bouncing lightly from hand to hand, octave to octave, sparkling like a sunset reflected on a pond.
Highlife from Ghana, funk and jazz from the United States, psychedelia from England, Nigerian traditional songs, and urban styles like palmwine and juju music were all simmering together in Lagos, the capital of Nigeria, in the 1970's. While African music fans are familiar with Fela Kuti, who carried his Afrobeat to the international circuit, there was plenty more at home. ''Nigeria 70: The Definitive Story of Funky Lagos'' (AfroStrut) is a trove of funk in transition, with wah-wah pedals worked hard. Some tracks are awkward period pieces, but lesser-knowns like Sir Victor Uwaifo hold their own alongside Fela and King Sunny Ade.
Qawwali, sung by Sufis from Pakistan, is Islamic devotional music that has galvanized secular audiences worldwide, especially through the concerts and recordings of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who died in 1997. ''The Final Recordings'' (American Recordings) is a typically intense performance, with drums, hand-claps and harmonium pushing Mr. Khan's voice ever upward. The only hint of his failing health is that he cedes more improvisations to two singers, including his nephew, Rahat, who has been designated his official successor. Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who has released his own album, ''Rahat'' (American), has a higher, thinner voice than his uncle, and there are Khan kinfolk to rival him. Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali is led by two other nephews whose voices approach the gutsiness of their uncle's, and the tunes on their album ''A Better Destiny'' (Real World) are basic and hard-driving enough to invite Westerners to join the call and response.
Susana Baca devoted much of her early career to preserving and reviving Afro-Peruvian songs that are the heritage of slavery in Peru, which lasted until 1845. Forbidden to use drums with skins, slaves resourcefully played wooden boxes, chairs and donkey jawbones, and Ms. Baca holds on to the handmade sound of the music. Lately, she has expanded her repertory and modernized her backup to sound ever more intimate, gently singing about lost love, the sea and the lessons of history over sparsely syncopated guitars, hand drums and a hint of jazz bass. ''Espíritu Vivo'' (Luaka Bop) often has a haunted tone that comes from both the songs and from events; it was recorded live in a downtown New York City studio very soon after Sept. 11, with Ms. Baca's Peruvian band joined by Marc Ribot, who adds eerie electric-guitar penumbras, and by the keyboardist John Medeski. Ms. Baca also takes up songs by Mongo Santamaria (''Afro Blue''), Caetano Veloso (''13 de Mayo,'' which celebrates the end of slavery) and, of all people, Bjork (''Anchor Song'').
Ms. Baca was not alone in the Afro-Peruvian revival she spearheaded. ''The Rough Guide to Afro-Peru'' (World Music Network) is a well-chosen survey album that includes Ms. Baca and 11 other revivalists: some folky, some elaborately produced, all clearly devoted to the songs as both music and heritage.
Portugal's national pride is tied up in fado (fate), with its songs that reflect on destiny and loss. The ghost of Amalia Rodrigues, the great fado singer of her generation who died in 1999, hovers over younger fado singers. They have learned from her sweetly tragic voice and her pristine backup of high, plucked Portuguese guitar. Three of those disciples have recent albums: Mariza's ''Fado en Mim'' (Times Square), Christina Branco's ''Corpo Iluminado'' (Decca) and Mísia's ''Ritual'' (Erato). All three project a sense of high purpose and tearful resolution. Mariza, who was born in Mozambique but grew up in Portugal, varies her backup now and then with touches of jazz and percussion. Ms. Branco lets an occasional upbeat song into her repertory. But Mísia makes both of them sound complacent; her voice finds every atom of drama in her songs, and she's not afraid to sound unpretty if it makes her songs more vivid.
Cuban music swept across Africa from the 1940's through the 60's as guitar bands from Congo and elsewhere mixed rolling, swaying rumba rhythms with their African analogues. Then came a wave of nationalism and regionalism, as musicians strove to reclaim and preserve local styles. Orchestre Baobab, from Senegal, recorded ''Pirates Choice'' in 1970, and the album is a grainy, low-fi snapshot taken on the cusp of the change. Most of the songs look to Cuban models with an almost preternaturally unhurried ease, though with a more rough-hewn vocal style. But a few songs take up the six-beat West African rhythms that became the basis for the galloping, modern Senegalese rock called mbalax.
Senegal's younger generation has embraced hip-hop as an explicit political protest, sometimes citing community-conscious West African griot songs as the deep roots of hip-hop. ''Africa Raps!'' (Trikont), which also has a few tracks from Mali and Gambia, assembles songs about corrupt police, corrupt politicians, self-reliance, pirate CD's and unity. One track uses a sample of Youssou N'Dour; Les Escrocs, from Mali, collaborated with the kora player Toumani Diabate. But most of the rappers prefer the mournful minor chords of American gangsta rap circa 1995. The French flows fast and vehement or slow and grim, along with African languages; Da Fugitivz, from Gambia, and Positive Black Soul, from Senegal, dare to rap in English. And lest African hip-hop be prejudged by its production, one of the most hardcore-sounding raps, by Da Brains, upends gangsta conventions, warning that God will judge all sinners.
Silk Road
For the Silk Road project, Yo-Yo Ma commissioned new works inspired by the music found along the trade routes that extend from China to the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Wisely, he also paid attention to the music they drew on, and ''The Silk Road: A Musical Caravan'' (Smithsonian Folkways) is one result. This two-CD collection is a splendidly recorded sampling of the many regional styles that met along the way. It's a realm of striking voices and ancient instruments -- zithers, lutes, fiddles, flutes, reeds -- often heard in solos or small groups. The music is stark and rarely depends on harmony; melody, rhythm and perhaps a drone are sufficient.
One disc features music once heard in courts and upper-class homes: refined improvisations that focus on the nuances of dynamics and microtonal inflections. The second disc turns to less elite styles, including dance tunes and worship songs. It's an album full of gems, from a Kazakh jew's-harp solo that sounds like an electronic visitation to a Mongolian song about the mythic origins of the horsehair fiddle to a fluttering Azeri improvisation for lute and hand drum to Uighur Sufis vigorously chanting sacred words.
The sonorous chants of Tibetan Buddhist monks, made by each monk simultaneously singing a low note and its overtone, are intended to bring harmony to a troubled world. Westerners who sample them have treated the chantings as a useful sound effect. But heard at their own pace on ''Perfect Jewel: Sacred Chants of Tibet'' (Rykodisc) and punctuated by bells, blasts from long trumpets and discordant cymbal crashes, the chants open up their own patient, contemplative realm.
''The Rough Guide to the Music of the Himalayas'' (World Music Network) includes Buddhist chanting from nuns as well as monks, alongside East-West collaborations that add otherworldly electronics. But there's also less-meditative material that's as idiosyncratic as mountain music elsewhere: penetrating reed-and-drum music from the Ladakh region of India, trilling flute solos from Bhutan and Tibet, an oom-pahing brass band from Nepal, a pensive song for voice and hammered dulcimer from Bhutan, and stately percussion from Nepal. It's music that can carry through thin air.
The mbira, or thumb piano, is traditionally used in Zimbabwe for music that summons spirits, plinking its way through cycles of three or four chords. Stella Chiweshe's album ''Talking Mbira: Spirits of Liberation'' (Piranha), doesn't shy away from such untraditional tools as overdubbing; she turns herself into an mbira choir in two hypnotic studio solos. With her band, she blends mbira and marimba in pointillistic consonance in pieces that can be elaborately meditative or, when they're topped with her robust voice, full of joyful propulsion. Whether or not the songs communicate with other worlds, they brighten this one.


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Since my first stay at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge, I have returned five times, in spite of the fact that it is not the most inexpensive place to stay in central Boston. Why? The Royal Sonesta is simply a great hotel to stay in, large and spacious rooms, wonderful service and a view to die for.
Location: BBBBB
The hotel is located by the Charles River, close to Lechmere, the end station of the green lines, and a 10 minute walk to Kendall, on the red line between Alewife and Braintree/Matappan. It is also close to CambridgeSide Galleria, where you have a large number of shops, a large food court and a few good restaurants, the Cheesecake Factory, Paparazzi, and California Pizza kitchen. In the neighbourhood you also find the Boston Science Museum.
The hotel is situated with a magnificent view at the river and downtown Boston with Beacon Hill, the Charles Bridge and the Back Bay Area.
Service: BBBBB
The best thing with this hotel is the staff and their wonderful service. During the whole stay you feel extremely well taken care of as a guest. They have done their homework. They are, through their hotel computer system, well informed that you are a returning guest. Porters and receptionists welcome you back, and even "remember" details from previous visits.
And sometimes it pays off returning. The last time we stayed there, I had ordered a Cambridge view room, but was informed that I had been upgraded to a Charles River view. The picture gives you the spectacular view one late summer morning, but you can sit enjoying the American feeling by watching all the lights from the highrise buildings of downtown Boston during the night.
And they provide you with excellent service during your stay and the are very helpful if you need information on what to do in the Boston area.
The only downside is that the hotel does not include breakfast in the price, but most hotels in US does not offer breakfast included in the room price. The alternatives are there, however, an inexpensive breakfast cafeteria where you can shop at a relatively low price. If you would, however, like to eat in style you can order an Egg Benedict, but enjoying their breakfast comes at a price, it is expensive. But if you are on vacation, why not!!
The rooms: BBBBB
The rooms are very spacious, and delicately decorated, in beige, and cream. The double rooms you get two, very large and very comfortable beds, so much room for one, and even for two to dream the night away. So even so much space that we have, at one occation even have stayed three.
You have a television, concealed in an elegant TV-cabinet, radio alarmclock and a hot water bottle so you can make coffee and tea in the morning. And if you want something stronger you can use the hotel minibar.
The bathroom have a bathtub and shower, all beautifully decorated. And there are small bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and bath foam.
And all the rooms are immaculately clean and very well maintained.
Hotel facilities: BBBBB
And if you want to stay in the hotel, there are plenty to do.
You can visit the Dante Restaurant, bar and patio where you can get food, and during the hot season you can sit outside enjoying the river view sipping to a Gin and Tonic, or a Long Island Iced Tea.
If you want to stay fit you can visit the Health Club and their wonderful swimming pool, that even have a retractable roof so you can swim outside during hot days. Or you can be pampered in the Spa department.
Price: BBBB
From a budget point of view, the Royal Sonesta is not the best deal in Boston. The best price, with a cambridge view in february (low season) is $139 + tax. Still you get much for your money, the service, the comfort, and the experience of discreet luxury
Overall score: BBBBB-
A very good place to stay, and for those of you that want a romantic weekend, Royal Sonesta is a very good deal.
Hotel information:
Royal Sonesta Hotel Boston
40 Edwin Land Boulevard
Cambridge, MA 02142
Online booking
Friday, February 09, 2007
Discreet luxury in Cambridge MA: Royal Sonesta Hotel
Since my first stay at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge, I have returned five times, in spite of the fact that it is not the most inexpensive place to stay in central Boston. Why? The Royal Sonesta is simply a great hotel to stay in, large and spacious rooms, wonderful service and a view to die for.


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My dad emailed me a link to search upstart Cuil, which I had come across before but never adopted. It got me thinking about the Obama administration's antitrust hounds barking at GOOG, and now maybe a credible competitor might be important. But the standard- for being a credible competitor- is really high, I think.
Google's dominance stops when it's not useful, or as fast, as competitors. I think it's doubtful they will lose on speed, but utility is a maybe. Whether the Wolfram Alpha product solves the same problems, or solves some other ones may also affect this determination.
In the long run, I think Google knows that it's don't be Evil motto really translates into "Don't be useless."
- it wouldn't be useful to force users to download Chrome in order to search Google or check their gmail
- it wouldn't be useful to prevent people from embedding Vimeo videos in their blogspot blogs
- Google Docs kills Microsoft Office by being Useful for group collaboration
- Even if Google buys twitter, if they make it less useful, they'll have a problem
If they stick to that, they're probably in good shape. The DOJ may wonder: is Google's ubiquity anticompetitive? I think for the bulk of its interaction with the world, Google is just a bunch of nice guys who offer a free utility, or maybe a phone. For those few (relatively speaking) individuals on this Earth who do some form of business with Google, it can seem like a monolithic, and scary, creature. It's the latter group who want antitrust scrutiny of Google, not the former.