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Degree of competition in the Japanese securities industry
AbstractNo abstract is available for this item.
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Bibliographic InfoArticle provided by Elsevier in its journal Journal of Economics and Business.
Volume (Year): 57 (2005)
Issue (Month): 4 ()
Pages: 360-374
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Web page: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jeconbus
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ReferencesReferences listed on IDEAS
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- Shaffer, Sherrill & DiSalvo, James, 1994.
"Conduct in a banking duopoly,"
Journal of Banking & Finance,
Elsevier, vol. 18(6), pages 1063-1082, December.
- Sherrill Shaffer & James DiSalvo, 1991. "Conduct in a banking duopoly," Working Papers 91-12, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
- Molyneux, Phil & Lloyd-Williams, D. M. & Thornton, John, 1994. "Competitive conditions in european banking," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 18(3), pages 445-459, May.
- Molyneux, Philip & Thornton, John & Michael Llyod-Williams, D., 1996. "Competition and market contestability in Japanese commercial banking," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 33-45, February.
- Alli Nathan & Edwin H. Neave, 1989. "Competition and Contestability in Canada's Financial System: Empirical Results," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 22(3), pages 576-94, August.
- Uchida, Hirofumi & Tsutsui, Yoshiro, 2005.
"Has competition in the Japanese banking sector improved?,"
Journal of Banking & Finance,
Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 419-439, February.
- Hirofumi Uchida & Yoshiro Tsutsui, 2002. "Has Competition in the Japanese Banking Sector Improved?," Discussion Papers in Economics and Business 02-09-Rev, Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics and Osaka School of International Public Policy (OSIPP), revised Sep 2003.
- Bresnahan, Timothy F., 1982. "The oligopoly solution concept is identified," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 10(1-2), pages 87-92.
- Panzar, John C & Rosse, James N, 1987. "Testing for "Monopoly" Equilibrium," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(4), pages 443-56, June.
- P. Coccorese, 1998.
"Assessing the competitive conditions in the Italian banking system: some empirical evidence,"
BNL Quarterly Review,
Banca Nazionale del Lavoro, vol. 51(205), pages 171-191.
- P. Coccorese, 1998. "Assessing the competitive conditions in the Italian banking system: some empirical evidence," Banca Nazionale del Lavoro Quarterly Review, Banca Nazionale del Lavoro, vol. 51(205), pages 171-191.
- Hondroyiannis, George & Lolos, Sarantis & Papapetrou, Evangelia, 1999. "Assessing competitive conditions in the Greek banking system," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 9(4), pages 377-391, November.
- De Bandt, Olivier & Davis, E. Philip, 2000. "Competition, contestability and market structure in European banking sectors on the eve of EMU," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 24(6), pages 1045-1066, June.
- Shaffer, Sherrill, 1983. "Non-structural measures of competition : Toward a synthesis of alternatives," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 12(3-4), pages 349-353.
CitationsCitations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
Cited by:
- J.A. Bikker & Sherril Shaffer & Laura Spierdijk, 2009.
"Assessing competition with the Panzar-Rosse model: the role of scale, costs, and equilibrium,"
Working Papers
09-27, Utrecht School of Economics.
- Jacob A. Bikker & Sherrill Shaffer & Laura Spierdijk, 2012. "Assessing Competition with the Panzar-Rosse Model: The Role of Scale, Costs, and Equilibrium," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 94(4), pages 1025-1044, November.
- Jacob A. Bikker & Sherrill Shaffer & Laura Spierdijk, 2009. "Assessing Competition with the Panzar-Rosse Model: The Role of Scale, Costs, and Equilibrium," CAMA Working Papers 2009-27, Centre for Applied Macroeconomic Analysis, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.
- Jacob Bikker & Sherrill Shaffer & Laura Spierdijk, 2009. "Assessing Competition with the Panzar-Rosse Model: The Role of Scale, Costs, and Equilibrium," DNB Working Papers 225, Netherlands Central Bank, Research Department.
- Chen, Sheng-Hung & Liao, Chien-Chang, 2011. "Are foreign banks more profitable than domestic banks? Home- and host-country effects of banking market structure, governance, and supervision," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 819-839, April.
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text:
Best Buy - Parma
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
The First Word in Protective & Marine Coatings
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Tredegar murder probe - man appears in court (From South Wales Argus)
Get involved: Send your photos, video, news & views by texting ARGUS NEWS to 80360 or email us
Tredegar murder probe - man appears in court
11:06am Wednesday 7th May 2008 in News By Debbie Green
A MAN has appeared in court, charged with the murder of Alan Brown.
Mr Brown, aged 45, of New Tredegar, died at Nevill Hall Hospital on May 5 after he was knocked unconscious outside the Tredegar Arms pub, on Morgan Street, Tredegar, on Sunday night.
Leon Wells, 25, of McLaren Cottages, Abertysswg did not enter a plea at Caerphilly Magistrates court this morning and will appear at Newport Crown Court on May 15 for a preliminary hearing.
He was remanded in custody.


text:
News and Events
Solid Waste & Recycling Collection Day Change for Labor Day
In observance of Labor Day, solid waste and recycling will be collected on Tuesday, September 2, 2014. Please place carts at the curbside on Monday evening, September 1st.
Town of Zebulon Master Greenway Plan RFQ
Pursuant to General Statutes of North Carolina, Section 143-64.31, as amended, sealed qualifications and proposals are invited and, subject to the conditions attached, will be received by the Town of Zebulon Public Works Department until 10:00 a.m. on September 30, 2014. For a copy of the Request for Qualifications and Proposal, click here. The Town of Zebulon reserves the right to reject any or all proposals. Any cost incurred by respondents in preparing or submitting a Request for Qualifications and Proposal for the Project shall be the respondents' sole responsibility. All responses, inquiries or correspondence relating to this Request for Qualifications and Proposal will become the property of Town of Zebulon when received. Questions can be directed to the Zebulon Public Works Department at 450 E. Horton St, Zebulon, NC 27597, or 919-269-5285.
Town of Zebulon Board of Commissioners, at their August 4th meeting, recognized a John Rex Endowment Grant to fund greenway master planning for the Town of Zebulon. In late August, the Town will be requesting qualification statements from professional firms to assist with preparing the master plan. The goal of the plan is to identify the exact corridor width of such greenways and to guide the Town in acquisition and development of these greenways. The greenways should be an extension of the park system, link to other public facilities and parks, plus connect neighborhoods and retail locations. These corridors would assist in the preservation of open space and unique natural features, buffer non-compatible uses and areas, control runoff and flooding, and provide proctection of water quality, plus provide a natural habitat for wildlife. The estimated date for adoption of the master plan is June 2015.
Yates Place Stormwater Phase I Improvements
Improvements to the storm drainage system to Yates Place cul-de-sac are included in the FY2015 budget. The planned improvements are:
- Add two new catch basins in the cul-de-sac
- Upgrade the 24" RCP to a 36" RCP pipe
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These improvements will eliminate floodingin the cul-de-sac. Project design will begin mid-July. Construction bids are planned for mid-March 2015 with construction starting in June 2015. This project should be completed by September 2015.
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The Town of Zebulon has composters available for purchase. Composing allows decomposed materials to be reused as a nutritious supplement for your garden, lawn and house plants. Click here for details on purchasing a composter.
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If you have any questions concerning a news item or event, please contact Zebulon Public Works at (919) 269-5285.


text:
Road verges as invasion corridors? A spatial hierarchical test in an arid ecosystem
- DOI: 10.1007/s10980-008-9201-3
- PubMed: 11488491
Disturbed habitats are often swiftly colonized by alien plant species.\nHuman inhabited areas may act as sources from which such aliens\ndisperse, while road verges have been suggested as corridors\nfacilitating their dispersal. We therefore hypothesized that (i) houses\nand urban areas are propagule sources from which aliens disperse, and\nthat (ii) road verges act as corridors for their dispersal. We sampled\npresence and cover of aliens in 20 plots (6 x 25 m) per road at 5-km\nintervals for four roads, nested within three localities around cities\n(n = 240). Plots consisted of three adjacent nested transects. Houses (n\n= 3,349) were mapped within a 5-km radius from plots using topographical\nmaps. Environmental processes as predictors of alien composition\ndiffered across spatial levels. At the broadest scale road-surface type,\nsoil type, and competition from indigenous plants were the strongest\npredictors of alien composition. Within localities disturbance-related\nvariables such as distance from dwellings and urban areas were\nassociated with alien composition, but their effect differed between\nlocalities. Within roads, density and proximity of houses was related to\nhigher alien species richness. Plot distance from urban areas, however,\nwas not a significant predictor of alien richness or cover at any of the\nspatial levels, refuting the corridor hypothesis. Verges hosted but did\nnot facilitate the spread of alien species. The scale dependence and\nmultiplicity of mechanisms explaining alien plant communities found here\nhighlight the importance of considering regional climatic gradients,\nlandscape context and road-verge properties themselves when managing\nverges.
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Several events were held in downtown Nashville Saturday as the city gets ready for the NCAA Women's Final Four.
There was a Final 4Kay run and a Tourney Town in the Music Center where visitors could watch a Battle of the Bands competition, concerts and a pep rally, among other things.
One of the runners in the Final 4Kay, which benefited the Kay Yow Cancer Research Fund, talked to News 2 about his unique running technique.
"I was racing with a tight little thing like this without much arm swing," said Vic Victory. "As I kept running I swung a little more, and then I start to stride. I walked up the hill, that was a fast walk, which the women were impressed with, I must say."
Victory's running style did not make him go any faster. However, he said he was happy to help raise money for a good cause and support his favorite sport.
"I think I brought a few smiles to a few faces," Victory said.
Tourney Town is free to the public and is open until Tuesday.
The NCAA Women's Final Four game starts Sunday at 5:30 p.m.
Click here for a complete list of events.
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text:
There's very little
Submitted by wacko bird on Wed, 04/24/2013 - 18:10. Permalink
There's very little difference between the two. Ron thinks politics is still worthwhile because there's still hope for furthering freedom by changing the system from within. Lew disagrees, he believes that the system is hopeless. On pretty much everything else they agree.
In my good days I'm with Ron. In my more frequent bad days, with Lew.
Never trouble trouble til trouble troubles you. Fortune Cookie
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Saisies conservatoires et voies d'exécution: principes généraux
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Ex vivo bioluminescent detection of alcelaphine herpesvirus 1 infection during malignant catarrhal fever induced in rabbits
Dewals, Benjamin G ; Myster, Françoise ; et al
Poster (2009, December 11)
Alcelaphine herpesvirus 1 (AlHV-1), carried by wildebeest asymptomatically, causes malignant catarrhal fever (WD-MCF) when cross-species transmitted to a variety of susceptible species of the Artiodactyla ... [more ▼]
Alcelaphine herpesvirus 1 (AlHV-1), carried by wildebeest asymptomatically, causes malignant catarrhal fever (WD-MCF) when cross-species transmitted to a variety of susceptible species of the Artiodactyla order. Experimentally, WD-MCF can be reproduced in rabbits. The lesions observed are very similar to those described in natural host species. Recently, we demonstrated that WD-MCF induced by AlHV-1 in rabbits is associated with the proliferation of CD8+ cells supporting a latent type of infection. In the present study, we investigated whether the virus could be detected ex vivo in the tissues of rabbits developing WD-MCF. Taking advantage of the recent cloning of the AlHV-1 genome as a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC), we produced a recombinant plasmid encoding a firefly luciferase (LUC) expression cassette inserted in a non-coding region of the AlHV-1 genome. In vitro, the reconstituted AlHV-1 LUC strain replicated comparably to the parental strain in permissive cells and was able to induce a bioluminescent signal. In vivo, rabbits infected with the AlHV-1 LUC strain developed WD-MCF similarly to the parental wild-type strain with hyperthermia, increased CD8/CD4 ratio and viral genomic charge over time in PBMC and in lymph nodes at time of death. To identify the presence of AlHV-1 infection ex vivo, various organs of infected rabbits developing WD-MCF were analysed by bioluminescent imaging. Luciferase activity could be detected macroscopically at the time of death in most of analyzed organs including lung, popliteal and mesenteric lymph nodes, spleen, liver, kidney and appendix. Infectious virus could be isolated following co-cultures of lymph node and permissive cells, and the isolated virus retained the ability to induce a bioluminescent signal. In conclusion, we produced an AlHV-1 LUC recombinant and we were able to detect the AlHV-1 infection ex vivo in many organs at the time of death. [less ▲]Detailed reference viewed: 51 (25 ULg)
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; Polis, Stéphane
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Foreseeing nitrate concentration in groundwater: A review of available modelling approaches
Orban, Philippe ; Brouyère, Serge
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In the scientific community, increasing concerns on groundwater quality and quantity have motivated the development of numerical models for groundwater management since the 1970's. Mathematical and ... [more ▼]
In the scientific community, increasing concerns on groundwater quality and quantity have motivated the development of numerical models for groundwater management since the 1970's. Mathematical and numerical models are, for example, promising tools for prediction of concentration and they can be used to make the dynamic link between nitrogen manure and the resulting evolution of nitrate concentration in groundwater. However, from a practical and managerial perspective, there have been very few real attempts of developing efficient calibrated and validated transport models in particular at the scale of the groundwater body, which is the management unit of groundwater resource in the European Union. Actually two main challenges remains, (1) performing numerical tools are not really available and (2) parametrisation of such transport models at the regional scale is difficult due to the large amount of data required. Generally speaking models can be grouped in different categories ranging from black box models to physically based distributed models. The black box models such as transfer function are simple but attractive because they require relatively less data but with the drawback that modelling result are not spatially distributed while the predictive capability of these models is questionable due to the semi-analytical nature of the process descriptions. On the contrary, physically based distributed model require more data but, due to a more advanced description of ongoing processes, such models are expected to have better predictive capabilities than the black box models. Black box model and physically based distributed model approaches have all proved their utilities and have all their justifications, advantages and disadvantages regarding the development of regional scale groundwater model. A new flexible methodology (the Hybrid Finite Element Mixing Cell method) has been developed that allows combining in a single model, and in a fully integrated way, different mathematical approaches of various complexities for groundwater in complex environment. This method has been implemented in the SUFTD, a finite element groundwater flow and solute transport numerical model. Combining on the one hand the use of a spatially distributed groundwater flow and solute transport model taking advantages of this Hybrid Finite Element Mixing Cell Approach method and on the other hand spatial datasets of tritium and nitrate contents, an illustration on the problem of nitrate trend assessment and forecasting for an important groundwater resource located in the Geer groundwater body (480 km²) in the Walloon Region of Belgium will be proposed. [less ▲]Detailed reference viewed: 3 (2 ULg)
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New polyelectrolyte copolymer, composite material, multilayer film and substrate carrying such polyelectrolyte copolymer, composite and multilayer film wherein the polyelectrolyte copolymer comprises a) a first type of identical or different units (A) each comprising one or more dihydroxyphenyl groups such that sidechains are present along the backbone of the polyelectrolyte copolymer which contain at least one dihydroxyphenyl group each; and (b1) a second type of identical or different units (B1) each comprising a cationic moiety, or (b2) a second type of identical or different units (B2) each comprising an anionic moiety. [less ▲]Detailed reference viewed: 10 (1 ULg)
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text:
Branding Terror. The Logotypes and Iconography of Insurgent Groups and Terrorist Organizations. Available on amazon UK and USA.
A book about the visual identity of some of the world's main terrorist organizations wasn't going to remain unnoticed. When it was published by MERRELL last year, every single design blog and magazine wrote about it. Yet, i only discovered the existence of Branding Terror last month, when i had a ridiculously great time at the Graphic Design Festival in Breda (NL.)
In a similar way to what happens with consumer goods, the name, slogans, and visual codes of a terrorist group are not only key manifestations of its identity, they also contribute to the reach and influence of the organization. An anecdote that appears in Artur Beifuss' introduction to the book illustrates the importance and impact of this visual communication. A few years ago, an Italian amateur league football club adopted for its players' shirts the logo of the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah, changing its name to 'Zassbollah' (a combination of 'Hezbollah' and the name of the team's captain, Luigi Zasso) in the process.
The book is authored by graphic designer and creative director Francesco Trivini Bellini and by writer and (ex)counter-terrorism analyst Artur Beifuss. Which means that the publication is obviously carefully designed but also that the information about the history, imagery, attacks, ideologies and capabilities of each of the 65 organizations has been meticulously researched.
The authors of the book are conscious that they are dealing with a delicate topic. They approached it in an almost clinical way while acknowledging the suffering of the victims of terrorism.
In his foreword to the book, Steven Heller, a design writer and former Art Director at the New York Times, wrote: The extreme violence committed in the name of these logos makes writing about them in terms of aesthetics or production values seem silly and irrelevant. Yet these terrorist groups are all brands, and are given a certain viability through branding methods. Branding is a tool that has no conscience or morality - it can be used for good or bad, and sometimes for both in tandem.
I contacted Artur Beifuss as soon as i came back from Breda and he was kind enough to answer my questions:
Hi Artur! Are there logos that stand out from the others? Which ones do you think are the most imaginative, the most efficient (strictly from a design point of view of course)? and why?
Yes, there are some good ones, the Hezbollah logo for example. It perfectly reflects the organizations history and ideology. It is interesting to compare the Hezbollah and Iranian Revolutionary Guards logo. Allegedly the Iranian's founded and trained the group that later became to be Hezbollah. Both logos use the same elements to convey its ideological message. I think the Hezbollah logo is very powerful because it is memorable and easily recognizable.
But more important than the logo is what people will do with this logo. In the digital age, logos can go viral modified and used for all kinds of contexts. It is not uncommon to see fashionably dressed women and men wearing t-shirt with Hezbollah logos. Just google 'hezbollah' and 'girls' to understand what I am talking about. Seeing the logo in such a context tells the recipient that Hezbollah's ideology is indeed applicable in contemporary society. At least more than watching bearded men talking to a camera somewhere in the mountains of Waziristan.
And on the opposite hand, which one do you think is the worst conveyor of ideology?
All of the logos analyzed in Branding Terror make some kind of ideological reference. None of them really misses the point. However, there are some logos that are completely overloaded with references and elements, the logo of the Islamic Organization of Uzbekistan is a good example. It has so much Arabic text in it that one does not know where to look first. Also, this particular logo would be lost on all recipients that can't understand Arabic.
Does branding a terrorist organization has to respond to the same rules and requirements than branding any commercial product? Or do you find that other 'laws' are playing?
In a way it has to respond to the same rules, yes. People have to know what you stand for, and the logo should be easily recognizable. However, terrorism means violence and death in most of the times. Even terrorist groups find it difficult to advertise for that. In the letters from Abbottabad for example Al-Qaeda media advisors recommended Bin Laden to keep a distance to the Al-Qaeda branch in Iraq because they started beheading people. This is not something that Al-Qaeda central - if you want to call it like this - wants to be associated with. They were losing followers over that.
You used to be a counter-terrorism analyst? Now that sounds really interesting. What did the work involve? And how did you use that background while working on the book? when did it come helpful?
My position involved searching and analyzing information about terrorism in five languages. Through this job I acquired a good understanding of transnational terrorism. This did help me to make the content of the book multilayered. Also, I knew how to find information that gets as close to the primarily source as possible and how to correctly assess them.
I read that you used the official lists of "designated foreign terrorist organisations" of five governments: Australia, India, Russia, United States and the European Union. First of all do the list overlap? Or do they have different definition of what a terrorist organization is?
The definitions slightly differ. And the lists overlap to some degree. But governments tend to put groups on their list that are of relevance to their own geopolitical position. For example many separatist groups from India you will not find on the list of the United States. Globally active groups like Al-Qaeda are listed as a terrorist organization on most of the lists.
After the book was finished, did you get emails from people sending you other logos? And do you now find yourself in front of a long list of logos you wish you could have included? Could you imagine publishing a second edition of the book for example or do you think that what had to be told has already been communicated in the book?
Yes, some people approached us with their own projects and ideas. And we are always happy to get in touch and exchange ideas. Branding Terror was exhaustive as it is at the time of publishing. All organizations that are on the designated foreign terrorist list of which it was possible to track down the logo are included in the book. Branding Terror was set out as an encyclopedia, a branding manual and a collectible item. We like to see it as a work in progress. There are always new groups emerging and designated as a terrorist organization. It would be nice to have the logos of these groups all in one place, preferably in a nicely designed book series.
Terrorism is a bit of a tricky subject. It is associated with subversion and violence and that often get people's attention. And it must be difficult not to pass any judgment, political or moral when dealing with the topic of terrorism. How did you approach the topic? Did you struggle to stay neutral? How did you manage that?
Branding Terror is based on information found in Open Sources. It is a technical analysis of the visual communication of terrorist and insurgent groups. The logo is the unit of analysis. Of course many so-called facts can be considered biased since they were collected and collated by people with a certain political and moral agenda in mind. These people can be ELN members in Colombia or Analysts in a Washington think tank. I used analytical techniques I learned in my profession to approach the topic. But of course it is not easy to read over hundreds of dead bodies every day. But I was not there to judge, just to simply collect, collate and analyze the information.
Have you ever received any feedback from any of the organizations you mention in the book?
No, I have not received such feedback.
What are you both working on now? Any new projects you could share with us?
Francesco is taking a creative break at the moment. In the meantime I speak on conferences, in design schools and advice marketing companies about what can be learned from Branding Terror. And yes, coming back to your questions earlier, I do systematically collect logos on the side. The next project is trend research, especially analyzing countercultures of the future.
Thanks Artur!
Views inside the book:
HOLO - a magazine about emerging trajectories in art, science, and technology.
Published twice per year, and weighing in at more than 200 pages, each issue of HOLO provides intimate views into fascinating studios, workshops, and institutions around the world, as seen through the eyes of stellar photographers and talented writers. The pace, depth, and sensibility of print allows us to invest heavily in each story, and draw on months of travel, research, and conversation to craft nuanced portraits that you won't find anywhere else.
HOLO is what happens when enthusiastic minds meet and decide they'd like to use a paper publication to share their passion about creativity and digital technology. The magazine is ambitious, elegantly curated, impeccably illustrated and intelligent. It also manages to convey a feeling of warmth. HOLO opens the door to artists and designer's studios for in-depth conversations and intimate moments. I loved seeing a photo of some of the trophies won by David O'Reilly, dozens of them are casually crammed up on a closet shelf in his L.A. flat. And HOLO is full of little, human touches like that. The content and tone of the interviews in HOLO are not the ones you'd find in your run-of-the-mill interviews. They are incredible conversations between people who have a lot of respect and understanding for each other's work. I love reading about the working life and ideas of David O'Reilly (who wouldn't?), Semiconductor, Zimoun, Philip Beesley, Raquel Meyers. And Wolf Lieser! The founder of DAM, a Berlin gallery selling and championing digital art, has quite a few eye-opening comments on the relationship between digital artworks & the art market.
HOLO also contains essays, called 'Perspectives', that look at the 'emerging representational and perceptual paradigms'. I particularly enjoyed reading an essay on surveillance by James Bridle who manage to give a new twist on an already much discussed issue, and a text in which Greog Borenstein details 'debug view art'.
HOLO closes its over 200 pages on a brilliant and witty "Stream' that charts the most interesting moments of the Summer/Fall 2013, reminding us in the process that we're so absorbed by the now and the next that we've forgotten how exciting our near past has been. The time line mentions lab-grown burgers, discussion on conservation in the computer age, royal pardon for Alan Turing, a robotic petting zoo, etc.
So there you are! HOLO is a beautiful world inhabited by talented and enthusiastic people and I spent a great time immersed into HOLO but it's not my world. Which is both criticism and praise...
I'm obviously interested in "emerging trajectories in art, science, and technology" (i've been writing about it for 10 years after all) and it is stimulating to see that other people are covering the same areas of creativity from a radically different perspective.
I like everything i find in HOLO: the splendid photos and design, the dense texts, the people involved in the project. I could go on and on. But i do feel that HOLO could engage a bit more with the broader cultural context, it could develop a more critical voice while maintaining much of its contagious enthusiasm for all things digital and interactive. But maybe that's just me, maybe i should stop looking for the potentially worrying political, ethical and social impacts of technology everywhere. We are living maddening times and publications like HOLO allow us to think of something else than crisis, social inequalities, the NSA, speculation on the future of the planet, etc. Both criticism and praise, thus.
I need to add that i did feel a bit uncomfortable when i realized that very few women had been involved in the mag. Gender balance has never been a big concern of mine but i couldn't help but notice that only a handful of women are featured as artists/designers or are part of the editorial team. It would also be good to get outside of our comfortable Northern America/Europe/Japan media art bubble but i guess we all struggle with this.
Anyway, do get a copy. Really. It's ridiculously affordable, smart and entertaining. You'll cherish it for years to come.
In 1880 Alexander Graham Bell Invented the Photophone. While his earlier invention, the telephone, uses electricity to transmit voice communications, the photophone relied on a beam of light to send sound. A person's voice was projected through an instrument toward a mirror. The vibrations of the voice caused vibrations in the mirror. Sunlight was then directed into the mirror, where the vibrations were captured and projected back to the photophone's receiver where they were converted back into sound.
Bell believed that the photophone was "the greatest invention [I have] ever made, greater than the telephone". He might be right, the photophone was a precursor to the fiber-optic communication systems. The reason why the photophone didn't take off during Bell's time is simply that the system was useless whenever the weather was cloudy.
Inspired by Bell's patent for the photophone, artist Arcangel Constantini developed the Phonotube which uses fluorescent tubes and strips of leds as light instruments and sound sequencers for audio and visual performances.
The tubes are covered with negative offset, printed with sound patterns that spin at variable speeds. The oscillation from the light emitted by these patterns is transduced into sound processes by light excitation, through a variety of electronic circuits as pre-amps photo-cells and photodiodes, voltage control oscillators, relays, circuit Filters, 1bit systems.
The Phonotube is part of the program of the Sight + Sound festival which will take place in Montreal next month. And because i've been admiring Arcangel's work from afar on too many occasions, i thought i should take the upcoming festival as an excuse to get in touch and interview him about the work.
Hola Arcangel! Reading through the description of the Phonotube on your website, i had the felling (perhaps wrong) that it relies on a fairly simple technology. Is that correct? How much did you have to tweak.improve/modify the Graham Bell patent for the Photophone?
In reality, it is a very simple technology, the patent is very crude, clever and significant. It is about the transmission of information using vibrating light, Graham Bell state that this was his legacy to human kind and this is true.
We perceive our surroundings because of light oscillations, our retina transmits the perception of the visible spectrum of light to the part of the brain that interpret this light frequencies as images.
Every aspect of reality is on its own frequency, mystics knew this by meditation and contemplation, science by theory and experimentation, all this intermingling knowledge is a legacy, Graham Bell had an intuition on how to manipulate light to integrate information on it, and with this started a revolution. I'm interested in researching this simple perception principles through art practice, in exploring the meanings and implications while experimenting with the process.
Phonotube is part of this research, based on a simple principle, in this case experimenting with fluorescent lights. To energize this kind of lamps, a transformer and electronic circuit are used to generate high voltage in a high frequency energy, the gas inside the lamp is expelled and turns into a light that is vibrating to this energy frequencies. The light produced is a kind of carrier, the repetitive patterns printed in the tube give a new oscillation to this light, small Photocells are transforming light into electrons, this energy is pre-amplified to audible sound, and processed trough filters. Furthermore, a circuit with Photo diodes is used as a variable for Low Fidelity Voltage Controlled Oscillators.
A second sound artifact uses a strip of LED lights inside a transparent Tube. A series of AtTiny85 microcontrollers are programed in 1 bit sound (1, 0) that produce light pulsations on each of these LEDS. Small photocells and a pre-amplifier Circuit transform these pulsations into audible sound. OculO is another instrument involved in the performance, it uses a Joule thief hack from a disposable camera that energizes a 22 watt circular lamp with a 1.5 volt battery. Photocells transform the gaseous light into sound. These energy frequencies and the electromagnetic induction become part of the sound performance of OculO. I also interact directly with my body, canalizing energy by receiving tiny electroshocks in my fingers trough contact with the electrodes and the lamps.
You use the Phonotube in performances but is it an instrument anyone could use? I suspect many people in the audience wouldn't mind to have a go and play a bit with it? is it intuitive or is there a steep learning curve to be able to play the instrument?
Phonotube is still an experiment. I have tested different sound circuits. The intensity of the sound frequencies in its current state are meant for live performance. I included small speakers on it, thinking that it could be used by the public also as an installation, as it is simple and intuitive to use. Now, the speakers are used during the performance to Generate some EVP, Electronic Voice Phenomena using piezoelectrics directly on the speakers, performing it with OculO turn into a spectral portal.
The descriptive text says that the Phonotube was "inspired by visuals experimenters as Norman Mclaren, that used the optical sound of cinema, reversing the process to experiment with it." I looked online but didn't find much information about McLaren's experimentations. Could you tell us what they were about?
Norman is a pioneer of experimental sound and animation. He was artist in residence with the National film Board of Canada, he started to work directly in clear film, drawing, scratching, painting the material to produce abstract Motion films. This lead him to invade the film area dedicated to the optical sound. Fascinated by the abstract Sound Frequencies archived by different visual patterns, and how sound worked in synchronicity to the visuals, he started to produce an Impressive work using this techniques.
The description also said that "In the history of the invention of electronic instruments, the study of light and its behavior as a particle or wave, and its application to sound processes (...) is currently, one of the areas of scientific research with the greatest potential in human communication." Now that sounds really interesting. Do you have examples of how the study of the behaviour lights can lead to innovative means of communication?
Most Telecommunications nowadays are based on light transmission, fiber optic cables crisscross the planet connecting the continents transmitting terabytes of data using laser technology.
There is an important research in the spectrum of visible light to transmit wireless data, instead of electromagnetic radio WiFi. The researchers are using pulsating Led light to transmit data with a huge increment in broadband velocity.
There is also the fantastic research on Quantum teleportation that tries to establish instant communication between photons separated by large distances, the record now is 143 km,
The object looks stunning. I really like its simple and striking design. How important is the visual aspect of the Phonotube in your performances?
Gracias Régine. As i mentioned, the research started as a visual project. Aesthetics become very important in its relation to sound. The tube has an the aura of a partitur. The intensity of the sound frequencies of the Low Fi oscillators are meant for live performance, the plan is to develop the project as an instrument, but as the lamps are no longer on production there is now an obsolete quality to it. The light of the lamps is the only light on stage, and for Sound & Sight performance will explore the use of analog video filming the tube.
Thanks Arcangel!
Previously, by the same artist: Nanodrizas, "flying" saucers for polluted waters, Net-art wrestling match.
Also at the Sight + Sound festival in Montreal: Crystal forming robots.
Mishka Henner has a solo show at the Carroll/Fletcher gallery right now. How come i never paid more attention to his work so far? Just like Edward Burtynsky, he looks at how industries shape landscapes. Like Trevor Paglen and Omer Fast, he is interested in (overt and covert) sites that the U.S. military deploys outside of its own borders. Just like Michael Wolf and Jon Rafman, he is a photographer using google mapping instruments instead of a camera. Yet, comparing his work to the one of some of the artists i admire the most is pointless. Henner is his own man slash artist. He uses contemporary technology to give a new twist on artistic appropriation and redefines the role of the photographer, the meaning of the photography medium and the representation of the landscape. Without ever using a photo camera.
The Black Diamond exhibition brings together four series of work, based on the collection and mediation of publicly available information sourced through the internet. Henner explains: 'I'm exploiting loopholes in the vast archives of data, imagery and information that are now accessible to us, connecting the dots to reveal things that surround us but which we rarely see or don't want to see.'
Feedlots are cattle-feeding operations used in factory farming to 'finish off' livestock. Almost all the beef consumed in the United States will have been finished on a feedlot where up to 100,000 steers at a time spend the last months of their lives gaining up to 4 pounds a day on a diet of corn, protein supplements, and antibiotics. Everything on these farms is calculated to maximise meat yield; from the mixture in cattle's feed to the size of run-off channels carrying the animal's waste into giant toxic lagoons.
In certain parts of the USA, natural features have long been supplanted by man-made marks and structures reflecting the complex infrastructural logic of oil exploration, extraction and distribution. The result is stunning. The prints look fake, painted over and heavily retouched. The exhibition essay compares the images to the work of abstract expressionists.
Fifty-One US Military Outposts presents overt and covert military outposts used by the United States in 51 countries across the world. Once again, the sites were gathered and located using data which exists in the public domain, including official US military and veterans' websites, news articles, and both leaked and official government documents and reports.
"The internet is full of loopholes and leaks," the artist said. "I remember one day Hilary Clinton had categorically stated: 'we have no US military presence in Honduras.' However, the next day I was on Panoramio and was looking around pictures from Honduras - sure enough there was a photograph of a native Honduran worker with his arm around a sergeant major from the US cavalry regiment. The Honduran had even written to all his mates talking about how happy was to have got a job on this US military base. So the internet is full of these really simple leaks that completely contradict statements made by very powerful organisations."
The prints are displayed on plinths filling the rear gallery space, allowing visitors to walk around and watch the images from above, as if we were satellites. Or drones.
The walls of the space downstairs are covered with Henner's ongoing Scam Baiters series. Scam baiters are internet vigilantes who pose as a potential victims in order to waste scammer's time and potentially expose their identity,. They respond to their email, pretend to go along with the scammer's demands in exchange for time-consuming requests supposed to ensure that the money transaction will be successful. Henner is showing cardboard signs that various scammers were asked to make as a result of email conversations, negotiation of fraudulent documents and bogus websites. One case involved an almost four-month long correspondence between Henner's associate, 'Condo Rice' and a trio of scammers spread across Libya and the United Arab Emirates. In one of his final message, the scam baiter asks the scammer for proof of identity. He asks for a photo containing a U.S. flag held on a stick, a sign with SKAMMERZ ISHU, and 'to be absolutely certain this is a genuine photograph", the scammer has to wear an Obama mask.
Sound recordings of the scammers singing popular songs permeate the space.
Henner is currently shortlisted for Consumption, the Fifth Prix Pictet Award. The exhibition of finalists will be on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London in May 2014, where Henner will show a selection of works from his "Oil Fields" and "Feedlots" series.
Black Diamond is at Carroll/Fletcher in London until 31 May 2014.
Science Fiction: New Death seeks to provoke the question - have the Sci Fi visions we once imagined of the future since become a reality? I guess we all know the answer to that one.
Because i write mostly about art and science/technology, i've seen my fair share of exhibitions that reference scifi. However, FACT's latest show is the first one i've visited that is entirely dedicated to science-fiction and visual arts. And in this instance, science fiction isn't explored as the ultimate future forecaster, it is rather the starting point of a reflection on our current condition, an invitation to explore how our relationship with technology has made our everyday lives increasingly look like it is set against the backdrop of a science fiction novel.
Inspired by the work of J.G. Ballard, our story looks to the bleak, man-made landscapes of the future and asks: What happens when virtual environments become indistinguishable from reality? Will our global culture allow us to choose where to live, and who will stop us? What will we do with knowledge that becomes freely available to all? With social platforms acting as camera, how will 'selfies' develop and what new forms of narcissism will thrive? What is it that we need to preserve, and what do we need to change? These questions are explored through intense visualisations of electronic communication, dystopian domestic interiors, and re-enactments of historical revolutionary moments.
New Death, a title which comes from a text that fantasy writer China Miéville wrote for the exhibition, is ominous but so are the glimpses that the participating artists give into the techno-mediated we've built ourselves: conditions of intensified surveillance and repression, border control, loss of citizenship, etc. Not everything is bleak and joyless in the show though. You can bounce off a trampoline and pretend you're an astronaut, meet intelligent robots that attempt to avoid boredom at all costs, you can even participate to the exhibition by writing a story describing a dystopian near future. I don't know what a sci-fi fan would make of the exhibition but i found it smart, provocative and thought-provoking.
Quick overview of the show:
Accomplice is a small clique of social autonomous robots hidden behind one of FACT's gallery walls. Because these machines are curious, they attempt to discover their environment and the first step to live new adventures is to break down the wall. Their mechanical arm relentlessly punches against the wall. In the process, they not only make holes, they are also acquiring knowledge: how the wall react to their poking, how to best expand their horizon and what it is like out there, on the other side of the wall.
As the wall disappears, the robots discover other creatures: the gallery visitors. The more they can see and hear, the more excited and active these robots are getting. Their behaviour, however, isn't predictable and linear. As soon as the movements and noises made by the visitors or the colours and patterns they are wearing have become too familiar, the robots become bored. In a sense, the roles usually taken by the audience and the robots or the artefacts and the visitors are reversed: the robots are the spectators and the gallery goers perform for them.
I had a chance to talk with Rob Saunders at the press view. I scribbled our conversation on a bit of paper, lost it so i'm going to point you to this Robots Podcast: Curious & creative in which he talks about being inspired by Gordon Pask's conversation theory, designing curious systems, the laws of novelty and the social structure that might evolve from them.
The bits and pieces of walls laying unceremoniously on the floor and the unpredictable attitude of the Accomplice robots echo the exhibition experience that Venya Krutikov & Michael Lill of The Kazimier have designed for Science Fiction: New Death. They turned the FACT building into a disordered, stern and slightly disquieting space to navigate. Your movements inside the gallery might or might not be filmed. That poorly-lit corridor might be off limit. That door over there might open on another artworks or maybe it's a dead end.
Before Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the Moon in 1969, the NASA elaborated various exercises to understand how man would move in microgravity. The experiments were not just simulations but "pre-enactments" of a new set of rules that we were about to enter, providing a window into the future through which NASA researchers collected not only data but also visual impressions. One such experiment was conducted at Stanford University in the mid-1960s by Thomas R. Kane. The applied mechanics professor had studied the ability of cats to spin their body mid-air so that they could securely land on their four paws. Kane would film a cat bouncing on a trampoline, study its movements, and then a gymnast in a spacesuit would try to reproduce the cat's movements on the trampoline.
Sascha Pohflepp's Camera Futura enables visitors to replicate the experiment. You are invited to wear a light space suit and jump on the trampoline while a camera captures your moves.
The energy stored in the trampoline's springs amplifies the power of our muscles, so that we can briefly launch ourselves and experience an instant of relative weightlessness when falling back to Earth. Camera Futura captures images from that very instant. These photos allow for a glimpse of our brief moment in a post-gravity world. In a sense, they are impressions of ourselves from one of many futures.
The Infinity Burial Project is an art project with an aim to help us accept the reality of our own death. It is also a very bold and practical alternative to current burial system. Once buried or cremated, our bodies do not just decompose and vanish, they also contribute to the deterioration of the environment by releasing the toxic pollutants that our bodies have accumulated over the course of the years: pesticides, preservatives and heavy metals such as lead and mercury.
Mushrooms, on the other hand, can detoxify soils.
Jae Rhim Lee has thus developed the Mushroom Death Suit, a burial suit infused with mushroom spores to assist the decomposition of human corpses. The outfit comes with capsules that contain infinity mushroom spores and other elements that speed decomposition and toxin remediation. Besides, an open source burial container, and a membership society devoted to the promotion of death awareness and acceptance and the practice of decompiculture (the cultivation of decomposing organisms).
Facial Weaponization Suite is a playful but also dark critique of the silent and gradual rise of the use of biometric facial recognition software by governments to monitor citizens.
Masks remain an effective tool to prevent identification technologies from capturing, analyzing, archiving and identifying our face. The use of mask also refers to social movements that use masks as a sign of protests. From the Zapatista rebels, to Pussy Riot, Anonymous, etc.
Brad Butler and Karen Mirza are presenting Deep State, a film scripted by science fiction author China Miéville. The film takes its title from the Turkish term "Derin Devlet," meaning "state within the state," and tells a story about the representation of political struggle, moments of crisis, solidarity, schisms and oppression.
The whole film, which overlays archive protest footage and performed interludes, is online:
At first, i wasn't sure what to make of it but, as the images rolled on, i started connecting them to what was going on in Ukraine at the time of the press view of the show and i realized that at this very moment, maybe we still have a choice: we can be the people who raise their heads, protest and attempt to take some control back or we can be the people who are blindly herded into a society of control.
Also part of the show: Nation Estate, a "vertical solution to Palestinian statehood."
Science Fiction: New Death was curated by Omar Kholeif and Mike Stubbs. The show is open at FACT in Liverpool until 22 June 2014.


text:
How Military Contractors Reap Billions from U.S. Military Bases Overseas
"You whore it out to a contractor," Major Tim Elliott said bluntly. It was April 2012, and I was at a swank hotel in downtown London attending "Forward Operating Bases 2012," a conference for contractors building, supplying, and maintaining military bases around the world. IPQC, the private company running the conference, promised the conference would "bring together buyers and suppliers in one location" and "be an excellent platform to initiate new business relationships" through "face-to-face contact that overcrowded trade shows cannot deliver." Companies sending representatives included major contractors like General Dynamics and the food services company Supreme Group, which has won billions in Afghan war contracts, as well as smaller companies like QinetiQ, which produces acoustic sensors and other monitoring devices used on bases. "We're profiteers," one contractor representative said to the audience in passing, with only a touch of irony.… | more |
Wake Up and Smell the Oil: The Grass-Roots Struggle Against the Oil Plunder in Iraq
The Grass-Roots Struggle Against the Oil Plunder in Iraq
Greg Muttitt quotes an Iraqi friend who pointed out that there would be two phases to the war in Iraq: first the U.S. invasion and occupation, and second the struggle over the gas and oil. Ten years after tanks rolled across the border from Kuwait, the second phase continues.… There is still no oil law, which the United States has pushed hard to get passed since 2007 and the Iraqi Parliament has no desire to pass soon. This means that the oil rush by the multinational oil companies goes on in a legal vacuum. While the international press blames sectarian strife for holding up the law, it is, in fact, due to a broad people's struggle for sovereignty.… | more |
The Assassination of Osama Bin Laden
Those persons who deal with these issues know that on September 11 of 2001 our people expressed its solidarity to the US people and offered the modest cooperation that in the area of health we could have offered to the victims of the brutal attack against the Twin Towers in New York.… We also immediately opened our country's airports to the American airplanes that were unable to land anywhere, given the chaos that came about soon after the strike.… Although we resolutely supported the armed struggle against Batista's tyranny, we were, on principle, opposed to any terrorist action that could cause the death of innocent people. Such behavior, which has been maintained for more than half a century, gives us the right to express our views about such a sensitive matter.… | more |
The policy of plunder imposed by the United States and their NATO allies in the Middle East has gone into a crisis. It has inevitably unraveled with the high cost of grain, the effects of which can be felt more forcefully in the Arab countries where, in spite of their huge resources of oil, the […]… | more |
I promised that I would be the "happiest man in the world if I was wrong" but, unfortunately, my happiness was short-lived. The World Cup has still not ended. There are six days left to go before the final. What an exceptional opportunity the yanki empire and the fascist state of Israel might miss for keeping […]… | more |
Bush, millionaires, consumption, and under-consumption
No one requires additional proof of the growing hatred that drives the slaughter in Iraq, a country where 95 percent of the population is Muslim —of these, over 60 percent are Shiites and the remainder Sunnis—or the killings in Afghanistan, where over 99 percent of the population is also Muslim —80 percent Sunni and the remainder Shiite. The two nations are also made up of nationalities and ethnic groups of diverse origins and locations.… | more |
September 2005 (Volume 57, Number 4)
More than a year after the supposed "transfer of sovereignty" the war of aggression that the United States is waging in Iraq shows no sign of abating. Washington's plan is to continue to occupy Iraq by force until it is brought securely within the American Empire. After that U.S. troop presence in the major urban centers can be sharply reduced and its remaining forces relocated to a few strategic military bases, with the new Iraqi government security forces stepping in to replace American troops in most parts of the country… | more |
December 2004 (Volume 56, Number 7)
New Political Science, a journal associated with the Caucus for a New Political Science, has devoted its entire September 2004 number to "The Politics of Empire, Terror and Hegemony." The quality of the contributions to this special issue, some of them by MR and MR Press authors, including David Gibbs, Sheila Collins, Edward Greer, and William Robinson, is remarkable. In particular, Greer's essay on the use of torture by the United States in the "Global War on Terror" uncovers facts that no one can afford to ignore. The deep impression that this essay and the reporting on U.S. acts of torture by Mike Tanner, writing for the New York Review of Books (October 7, 2004), have had on our own thinking is evident in this month's Review of the Month… | more |
June 2003 (Volume 55, Number 2)
The chief, indeed the only, justification that Washington offered for its invasion of Iraq during its build-up for war between September 2002 and March 2003,was the need to "disarm" an Iraqi regime that Washington contended had broken UN resolutions banning weapons of mass destruction in that country. The problem, though, was that there was no hard evidence that Iraq, which had effectively destroyed its weapons of mass destruction in the 1990s under UN supervision, had any such weapons—or if it did that they were functional and constituted a significant threat. Nevertheless, the Bush administration continued to insist (based on speculation, hearsay, and what turned out to be fabricated evidence) that Iraq had such banned weapons in significant quantities and was actually deploying them. In an extraordinary propaganda campaign in which the whole mainstream media took part, the U.S. population was led to believe that they were in imminent danger of attack from these phantom weapons and had no choice but to support a pre-emptive invasion of that country… | more |
February 2003 (Volume 54, Number 9)
On December 19, 2002 U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell declared that the 12,000 page document that Iraq delivered to the United Nations on December 7, listing its secret weapons programs together with any dual use agents that could be used in proscribed weapons systems, contained significant omissions. It thus constituted, in the view of the Bush administration, a further "material breach" in Iraq's obligations under current U.N. resolutions. All of this was meant to add to Washington's case for waging a war on Iraq, ostensibly in order to "disarm" it… | more |


text:
jane on 12/05/2012
i stayed the for 3 days at my friends house and it was horrible . my house is infected now too
Anonymous on 08/03/2011
There are NO bed bugs in this building!
Anonymous on 07/15/2009
We stayed at an apartment in this building and after two days we were both covered with little bites so we took the sheets off the bed only to find colonies of bedbugs. We spoke to someone in the building who said several apartments were infested.
No nearby bug reports


text:
This page contains The Denpa Men 2: Beyond The Waves Hints for 3DS called "Defeating The Evil Witch (ultimate boss)" and has been posted or updated on Oct 21, 2013 by jmanawsomeguy. Let us know what you think of this Hint by thumbs voting.
- Developer: Genius Sonority Inc.
- Publisher: Genius Sonority Inc.
- Genre: Role-Playing General
- Release Date: May 30, 2013
- ESRB: Everyone
Defeating The Evil Witch (ultimate boss)
She is not dark type even though it seems so. She changes types from normal to electric, to wind, and back to normal. bring men with no antenna, and a man who knows great rage (all).
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It happens, and not just to other people -- dreams come true, and everything that came before no longer matters. All the waiting and tears, close calls and well-meaning inquiries that set my teeth on edge, and all the disappointments become just a part of something much larger. Pure love has arrived. I have a daughter. I am a mom. I am somebody's mom!
For me, the yearlong wait to be approved was a breeze, but the more recent wait for my actual referral was agony. I read on the Internet that referrals were coming in for my group number, and I knew it was just a matter of time. About three weeks went by before I heard anything. Just when I thought I couldn't stand the wait another second, my agency called to tell me that my daughter was almost a year old and from Nanchang, China. Her birthday falls 11 days before mine, and her Chinese name is remarkably similar to my childhood nickname. She was born in the Year of the Rabbit; I was born in the Year of the Rabbit, and so was my mom. (Find out more about the Year of the Rabbit and other aspects of Chinese astrology.) When I got my little girl's picture, I was amazed at the resemblance to my mother. It doesn't matter that mom isn't Chinese.
The Tearful Meeting
My parents and sister traveled with me to China and although it sometimes felt like they were doing their best to drive me crazy, I was grateful for their love and support. Having them share with me the moment of meeting my baby girl is an experience I will never forget. My travel group and all of our companions were huddled together on the 13th floor of the Lakeview Hotel in Nanchang. We could hear the babies crying in a nearby room, and we tried to sneak peeks around the corner. Suddenly, our babies were brought to us. My daughter cried in my arms, wetting my shoulder with her tears. I tried to remember some Chinese words I had learned from watching (over and over) the Big Bird in China video. I kissed her cheek and whispered "ni hao," which means hello, "Wo ai ni," which means I love you and "Danyao," which means Big Bird. She seemed unimpressed with my language skills, as she continued to sob. It was not until I slipped her into my dad's big arms that she relaxed. At that moment, I swear I heard him promise her his entire estate and anything else she might want, and it must have worked, because he was the one she loved first.
The next morning, our travel group reunited at the breakfast buffet, and our conversation which had (just the day before) been highly intelligent touching on politics, religion and philosophy, now turned into a lengthy discussion about poop. Whose child had pooped, what kind, how much? That was the beginning of motherhood.
Back Home
I am awed at how quickly and quietly my daughter became a part of my life. I cannot imagine life without her. I was warned again and again that my lifestyle would change, and it has. Being a single mom means I have to be a little more organized, so that I can get a shower while she is still sleeping. It means that I have to work my schedule around her naps, so I can get some of my own things done. Being a single mom means that I have to make sure I earn enough money to provide for her, that I will have to answer questions about why she doesn't have a dad, and that I am the one who must make every decision about how to raise her. Being a single mom means that all the goodnight kisses belong to me. I find myself sneaking into her room to watch her sleep, or listening intently to her little noises over the baby monitor and wishing she would get up and play with me. I really had no idea of how delightful one little girl could be.
There is a Chinese proverb about how people are connected with a red thread and no matter how long it is or how much it may tangle, the people connected are destined to meet. I believe that God connected our red thread.
--by Linda L., email@example.com, December, 2000
Single and Adopting from China: Part One
Single and Adopting from China: Part Two
Single and Adopting from China: Part Three


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|2150 days ago
Radiant Floors - 14 replies
Another question…I live in the midwest and I'm pondering putting in a radiant floor in the 1200 ft workshop I'm building. I know the up front costs are steep, but how efficient are they? Will it pay for itself over time? Does anyone have a shop similiar in size and what are your monthly cost to heat? Do they keep the shop comfo...
|2156 days ago
Dust Cyclones - 15 replies
Fellow lumberjocks, I am in the process of building a 1200 foot workshop and will be installing a cyclone system. I would appreciate your recommendations and opinions. I am leaning towards Penn State due to a review I saw on this website. They seem reasonable in cost I but thought I would search out others woodworker's experiences.


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Hoxworth Blood Center says it has a critical need for donors.
Hoxworth says you must meet all of the following criteria in order to donate:
Hoxworth will be hosting a blood drive in the University of Cincinnati Recreation Center today from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Donors will receive a $5 Chipotle gift card.
For more information, call 513-451-0910 or visit www.hoxworth.org/donate_blood/eligibility.html
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Broncos' second-half secrets
Why are Peyton Manning and the Broncos so good in the second half?
After an impressive 41-23 win over the New York Giants, we are starting to see a trend with this Denver Broncos team, more specifically with Peyton Manning's offense. Just like on opening night in Week 1 against Baltimore, the Broncos played a quality opponent very close in the first half (Denver led 10-9 at the half) and then pulled away in the second half. Denver has outscored its opponents 66-24 in the second half through two weeks. What is Denver doing differently in second halves, and can they keep it up?
Denver has faced two quality opponents, but both have been outclassed from a talent perspective. Baltimore ran into a perfect storm of problems early in the second half of their game against the Broncos, as Michael Oher and Jacoby Jones went out, which crippled the passing attack and pass protection. They also muffed a punt deep in their own end and failed to review a dropped pass at a critical juncture. The Ravens' run defense was strong, but Manning realized that Baltimore's secondary, specifically its safeties, were no match for the extreme weaponry at his disposal. And the altitude affected Baltimore's already-tired defense in the second half.
On Sunday, the Giants had two big problems in the second half.
To read more about Denver's second-half success, you must be an ESPN Insider
Become an insider and get access to all our articles and tools.View Insider Benefits »
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Chaos in Ukraine
Guidelines ministry partners and missionary associates in Ukraine need prayer! Armed guards entered the church of pastor Alexander Moseychuk in Donetsk, Ukraine and said they will be back to take over the church; half of his congregation has fled the city and the church is besieged by requests for food and assistance. Guidelines recently forwarded funds so that the church could continue its lunch/evangelism ministry four days a week.
Last month the broadcast tower of the Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC) in Slavyansk, Ukraine which broadcasts the Guidelines commentary was destroyed in fighting so at present, FEBC and the Guidelines are off the air.
This week, rebels took over Donetsk Christian University where I have has taught many times. Students and staff were allowed to leave, unharmed. This is a huge blow to evangelicals in the region, as this school has prepared many pastors and missionaries throughout Eastern Europe. Then too, the downed Malaysian airliner incident may complicate issues on a wider scale.
I am scheduled to be in Kiev this fall, to meet with out Ukranian partners and missionaries. Please pray for the Ukrainian church and if you'd like to join in feeding those in need in Donetsk or providing temporary support for displaced teachers from Donetsk Christian University, click here.
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Sometimes an opera grows into the time in which it's meant to be heard. Such is the situation with the unpromisingly-titled Paul's Case by composer Gregory Spears and librettist Kathryn Walat, first heard in ink-not-yet-dry circumstances in the 2009 Philly Fringe Festival. Now, in a new, late-April production by the Washington, D.C.-area company Urban Arias, the piece is nearly ready to claim a place in the chamber opera repertoire - thanks to a long-haul development process for which American Opera Projects deserves much … [Read more...]
Paul's Case: An opera that buries carnations in the snow
Bennewitz Quartet: Young musicians with eternal hindsight
The Frick Collection's Sunday afternoon concerts are often portals into European music making, presenting one debut after another of artists for whom a larger U.S. presence has been stymied by post-9/11 security hassles. But on Sunday's April 14th respite from tax deadlines, the Bennewitz Quartet went rather further by entering a temporary time warp – fitting for a venue that, with any performer, feels so blessedly distant from everyday American life. Modern musicians (well, a few of them) can convincingly echo the musical manners that died … [Read more...]
Poul Ruders at Curtis and N.Y. Phil: Transcending notes, rests and contradictions
Danish composer Poul Ruders (b. 1949) made a post-Easter sweep through the northeast U.S. – though it didn't feel brief in the least and was never likely to. "He strikes a huge stride over all kinds of music. Light, dark, contrapuntal, monophonic, high and low registers ... he revels in extreme contrasts. And like a tight-rope artist, he's also an entertainer," said guitarist David Starobin, a longtime advocate of Ruders, introducing the composer's music at an April 3rd recital at the Curtis Institute of Music. To that, I would add that … [Read more...]
Cavalli's Eliogabalo: An opera that needed rescuing…out of The Box
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Gloriously useless beauty on a rainy New York night
"Beauty makes me sad," said Steven Mackey, threatening to take a Byronic turn. "If you can't have sex with it or eat it, what good is it? "Maybe that's why people invented picnics. If they can't eat it [beauty] they can at least eat in its presence." So said the Princeton-based composer by way of introducing his piece Groundswell to the audience at American Modern Ensemble's American Stories concert on March 26 at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music. The subject, on that rainy Monday in New York City, was what makes composers … [Read more...]
Van Cliburn and his fraught generation
With any luck, Van Cliburn lived to watch the Oscars one last time. The legendary pianist, who died Wednesday at age 78 after a long struggle with liver cancer, was that kind of guy. In the years after his 1978 retirement from full-time concertizing, the way to engage him was not with some erudite conversation about music – such things seemed to pain him – but to discuss the latest movies and who might get the big prizes. He would just light right up. That's not what the world expects from musicians who have been saddled with expectations of … [Read more...]
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Wozzeck on Ice!: It was a hoax.
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Ailyn and Steve: The new operatic power couple?
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One of WTOC's own was recognized today at the Savannah-Chatham Metro Police Department's meritorious service awards ceremony Thursday.
The department gave WTOC News Videographer Channing Beacham a letter of recognition.
Last July, Beacham helped officers locate a suicidal man on the Talmadge Bridge by providing them with images from his camera.
His willingness to put his job on hold to help officers led to the man's rescue and illustrated his commitment to public safety in our community.
"We recognized him because he assisted the officers in an attempted suicide," said Chief Julie Tolbert. "Sometimes, when a citizen sees an event taking place, sometimes they pass by. Your person (Channing) actually stopped and assisted the person and saved this gentleman's life and we wanted to show the appreciation for what he did as well."
We want to say congratulations to Channing to for a job well done.
Copyright 2014 WTOC. All rights reserved.
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A central focus of Isis' research efforts is the continued advancement of antisense chemistry to improve the potency and therapeutic index of antisense drugs. One way to improve a drug's therapeutic index is to deliver it selectively to specific tissues and cells of interest. Following systemic administration (e.g., intravenous or subcutaneous), antisense drugs distribute broadly to tissues throughout the body, with highest levels of accumulation in liver, kidneys, spleen and bone marrow. Although antisense drugs do not cross the blood-brain barrier into the central nervous system (CNS), they do distribute broadly in the CNS when delivered into the cerebral spinal fluid by intrathecal administration.
Tissues are made up of different types of cells, and developing the optimal chemistry to maximize delivery and targeting of antisense drugs to the 'right' tissue and cell type can further improve the drug's potency. To this end, Isis scientists have created LICA technology. LICA is a suite of new chemistries designed to enhance targeting of antisense drugs to specific tissues and cells. Results from Isis' first demonstration of LICA chemistry targeting the liver using an antisense oligonucleotide conjugate prototype chemistry, triantennary N-acetyl galactosamine (GalNAc) conjugation, are published as a 'Breakthrough Article' in Nucleic Acids Research. GalNAc is a high affinity ligand for the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR). ASGPR is highly expressed in hepatocytes and previous preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated successful targeted delivery of various compounds into hepatocytes using GalNAc conjugation.
In the Nucleic Acids Research article, Isis scientists demonstrated that GalNAc-conjugated antisense drugs exhibited ~10-fold improved potency and increased duration of pharmacological effect in suppressing apolipoprotein C-III and transthyretin protein expression in the liver of transgenic mice. The improved potency is a result of targeted delivery of GalNAc-conjugated antisense compounds to hepatocytes. Because the majority of genes of therapeutic interest are expressed in hepatocytes, GalNAc conjugation can deliver antisense compounds more precisely to hepatocytes, and thereby produce the greatest effect on their intended target.
These results demonstrate the success of Isis' new LICA technology in improving the potency and duration of effect of antisense drugs. GalNAc conjugation has the potential to significantly improve the therapeutic index, reduce therapy costs, and support a monthly dosing schedule for suppression of liver gene targets in man.
The journal article titled, "Targeted Delivery of Antisense Oligonucleotides to Hepatocytes Using Tri-antennary N-Acetyl Galactosamine Improves Potency 10-fold in Mice" is now available at Nucleic Acids Research.
Prakash, T.P. et al. (2014) Targeted Delivery of Antisense Oligonucleotides to Hepatocytes Using Tri-antennary N-Acetyl Galactosamine Improves Potency 10-fold in Mice. Nucleic Acids Research.
We know that sick people depend on us, and we have the technology to change the way diseases are treated.Learn More
Our mission is to provide antisense drugs to patients with significant unmet medical needs.Learn More