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Art & Science - AVL Cultural Foundation - avlcf.com - AVL Cultural Foundation
Art & Science.
Distil the essence of the AVL Cultural Foundation and you get art and science. And what could fulfil that description more than a musical group that combines traditional instruments with unique, digital, music-making devices?
Ivotion consists of the emotive guitar of Tom Huber, the delicate yet powerful voice of Ariane Roth, and the digital creations of Thomas Foster. Nyx, Tenori and Foster's amazing cyber glove are the technologically exciting instruments which give an electronic twist to the music of Ivotion, setting them apart from other bands.
It seemed appropriate for the AVL Cultural Foundation to ask Ivotion to perform at a Helmut List Halle event in 2013. And when they appeared on stage, they added an extra digital dimension to the experience. Joined by video jockey Ma. K.as – part of Visualdrugstore – the Ivotion concert added cutting-edge digital projections to the show, completing an experience that truly married science and art.
Originally choreographed in 2005 by Darrel Toulon without music, 'Winding' is a tale of creativity and art, technology and human accomplishment. Performed on stage and in an AVL wind tunnel that can produce wind speeds of up to 120km/h, music by Gerhard Nierhaus and video installations by Herwig Baumgartner were added later to complete this revolutionary technology art performance, which was commissioned by AVL.
Illustrating the human struggle and the interaction of technology and emotion, the dancers pulled themselves along a rope against the force of the wind. This symbolic act represents themes such as success and perseverance and the endeavours of man through technology and mechanisation.
By employing videography and video projection, the performers are transformed into instrumental and technical elements of the overall performance. Like parts of a machine it poses questions about our relationship with technology – do we work with it, or are we part of it?
The Helmut List Halle was built around its acoustics. So it seemed apt that a performance of the electro-acoustic experience Poèmes Electroniques should take place in the Graz Venue.
Performed as an introduction to the Informal EU Council on Competitiveness conference in 2006, the innovative acoustic experience used samples of machines and instruments to make the most of the dynamic space within the Helmut List Halle. From sensual room acoustics to the sound of a diesel engine, and the alternating melodic patterns of an automatic piano, Poèmes Electroniques was an electro-acoustic concert that created an immersive soundscape that highlighted the musical possibilities of modern technology.
Mixing art and science, the suitably fitting Poèmes Electroniques also marked the close of the Conference on Space Safety.
In 2014, when an international team of multidisciplinary artists and technologists came together to collaborate for the second time, something wonderful took place. Combining different fields of science and art, including stage design, music, 3D computer graphics, lighting design and projection mapping art, the artists created an event that was an assault on the senses.
The Maplab three-day workshop, supported by the AVL Cultural Foundation, brought together experts, local artists and students studying for their masters degrees at the FH Joanneum university of applied sciences in Graz, Austria. Over three days, with the entire Helmut List Halle put at their disposal – including its technology and production team – they set about experimenting, planning, building, designing and creating. The result of this ongoing, 'work-in-progress' project was the Lenz Club Night – an evening that saw DJ's in fancy dress performing in front of a three-dimensional projection wall that took its audience of dance music lovers on a journey through light and sound.
Since then the project has continued year after year, supported by the AVL Cultural Foundation, and with a different theme each time. Every year the results are exciting, dynamic, and groundbreaking.
Researchers, scientists, engineers, artists and musicians all have similar traits. A clear vision, expertise and perseverance, accuracy, and a mastery of their craft. The AVL Cultural Foundation exists to celebrate these similarities, and in doing so promotes new artistic works that represent or echo these similarities between the arts and the sciences.
In 2007, the Graz, Austria, cultural scene was given the opportunity to see this philosophy at work even before the Foundation was born. Under the commanding leadership of conductor Valery Gergiev, the St. Petersburg-based Mariinsky Orchestra visited for a performance commemorating the 150th birthday of Russian composer Mikhail Iwanowitsch Glinka.
The evening opened to a performance of Glinka's opera Ruslan and Ludmilla. The Mariinsky Orchestra concert was followed by a rendition of Dvorak's cello concerto in B minor, accompanied by cellist Friedrich Kleinhapl. The evening was rounded off with Tchaikovsky's 5th symphony, bringing to an end of performance that sowed the seeds for more art and science-inspired performances and collaborations – ultimately leading to the birth of the AVL Cultural Foundation.
The AVL Cultural Foundation has a mission to bring science and art together, emphasizing the best of both worlds. It was with this in mind that the Helmut List Halle was built, employing cutting edge engineering techniques to create a venue with dynamic, adjustable acoustics, that could be altered to suit almost any type of performance. With such a marvel of architectural technology, it would be remiss not to make the most of it. So the AVL Cultural Foundation sought artists to exploit the acoustic prowess of this new venue.
Friedrich Kleinhapl is a celebrated Austro-Belgian cellist, considered among the best in the world by audiences and the international music press. Concentrating his energy and talent into his precise, innovative style results in captivated audiences and captivating sound. Who better to invite to the magical space of the Helmut List Halle?
Together with internationally acclaimed German pianist Andreas Woyke, Kleinhapl recorded a series of performances at the Graz concert hall. Initially the performances were conducted simply for the purpose of making the recordings. But in order to truly make the most of this marriage of captivating music and advanced acoustic engineering, audiences were invited to share the energy of the exuberance of the musicians performing in such a dynamic space. Five recordings were made: Brahms Sonatas and Songs (2005), Ludwig van Beethoven Sonaten (2008), Ludwig van Beethoven Sonaten II (2010), Pasión Tango (2014) and Felix Mendelssohn Sonatas & Songs (2015), so that music lovers could enjoy the experience wherever and whenever they wished.
The recordings reflect the impressive acoustic qualities of the venue, the audience response, and the mastery of two musicians performing at their best.
His instruments are legendary. Even three hundred years after his death, Antonio Stradivari's fascination with sound, design and experimentation continues to transfix musicians and audiences all over the world.
In 2009, The AVL Cultural Foundation created Encounter with Stradivari in collaboration with the Nippon Music Foundation and the Salzburg Easter Festival. Together they brought together a dozen of the world's finest musicians to create a classical music concert performed on Stradivari's original instruments.
The near-perfect sound of the Stradivari instruments was complimented by the near-perfect acoustics of the Helmut List Halle. This was a marriage of the Stradivari's masterful 17th Century craftsmanship and the high-tech engineering of 21st Century architecture.
Ten Stradivari instruments were loaned by the Nippon Music Foundation for the event, along with Archinto, a viola created by Stradivari in 1696, and loaned by London's Royal Academy of Music.
Following the event in Graz, the ensemble of musicians and instruments performed just one more time, at Florence's Galleria dell'Academia. It is unlikely that such a collection of iconic instruments will ever again perform in such a flawless acoustic environment as the Helmut List Halle, so the audience savoured the magic of the event.
With the precision and versatility of a scientist, piano artist Markus Schirmer is able to delight audiences around the world with his renditions of Beethoven's works. Bringing a pure, delicate touch to Beethoven's vigorous compositions, Schirmer understands the emotional impact of sound when delivered with dramatic intent.
With the support of the AVL Cultural Foundation, between 2005 and 2011 Schirmer recorded three albums of the maestro's work in the near-perfect acoustics of the Helmut List Halle. The Markus Schirmer albums, Pictures & Reflections, Beethoven Vol. 2 and Beethoven Vol. 3 stand testament to the high-resolution acoustic magnificence of the venue, the genius of the composer, and the pure play of Schirmer, which is demonstrated on all three albums.
In its 50th year the Graz, Austria, music festival musikprotokoll featured a number of extraordinary concerts. Performances from Ensemble PHACE and Studio Dan, the Quatuor Diotima and the ensemble zeitfluss formed part of the gripping line-up, which also featured musicians such as the UK's Barry Guy.
The festival, which forms part of steirischer herbst, also saw Stefan Fraunberger and Andreas Trobollowitsch present the performative installation, SHAPE. This project had been created a decade earlier by musikprotokoll's festival network, ICAS and was a suitably fitting homage to the festival's history on this special year.
Another performance, the Crystal Sounds Lab by the AVL Cultural Foundation, bridged the gap between art, technology and science, by featuring at its heart Irvine 7. Employing crystals created by AVL's scientists at its heart, New York music artist Andy Cavatorta and Munich-based musician and producer Tom Huber probed the contrast between analogue and digital spheres. The audience was able to witness the creative process in action, and got a rare insight into the genesis and further development on this experimental musical instrument.
Crossing disciplines and artforms, the steirischer herbst festival (Styrian Autumn) has something for everyone. Aesthetics meet theoretical and political discussion, classical music holds hands with modern, and art, performance, literature and architecture all get in on the moment – plus lots more.
When the Graz festival began in Austria more than fifty years ago, it was an initiative of the local arts scene. And then it grew bigger, year by year, and today has become a prestigious "festival of new art" showcasing a network of new artforms by artists from all across Middle and Eastern Europe.
The AVL Cultural Foundation has a special relationship with steiricheser herbst, and performances by many of the festival's artists take place at the Helmut List Halle. In the past this has included works such as 'When the Mountain Changed its Clothing' by Keiner Goebbles (2012), 'Cesena' by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and Björn Schmeizer (2011). All adding colour and delight to this multifaceted celebration of art and creativity.
The Irvine project perfectly reflects the mission of the AVL Cultural Foundation: that true innovation can neither be just about art or technology, but is the result of dialogue between the two.
Together with Andy Cavatorta, a New York-based sculptor working with sound and robotics, the AVL Cultural Foundation began an ambitious adventure into the world of experimentation and research. Part of this experiment was an intense dialogue and exchange between the artist and AVL scientists.
Why? Because at the heart of this project are gallium phosphate crystals:
Thirty years ago, the gallium phosphate crystal was developed by former AVL physicist, P.W. Krempl and his team. Piezocryst, a subsidiary company of AVL, is the only enterprise worldwide that produces these high-precision quartz-like crystals, which are used in high-performance sensors that require intense internal resistance capabilities. This near-perfect sensor behavior is unique in the world and is an essential component in measurement technology, particularly in aircraft turbines.
Cavatorta's vision was to create a new type of electronic musical instrument featuring at its heart the gallium phosphate crystal. Months of experimentation with his team in his Brooklyn laboratory led to various prototypes and an exploration of, as Cavatorta expresses it, "the dark forest of possibilities" that is key to any innovative process. With musician and producer Tom Huber (Novosonic), as well as his team of musicians and artists, Cavatorta developed Irvine to create a new musical language. To accompany Irvine's unqieu sound spectrum, a computer program developed by the technology experts at SCOOP & SPOON to add a unique visual element to the experience, in order to further the level of audience-engagement to the instrument.
For Cavatorta, Irvine is part of a re-imagined history of electronic music. And he started the process from the question "If electronic instruments found a home in the symphony orchestra in the early 20th Century, how would they have evolved differently and what would we demand of them?"
Discovering unexplored musical dimensions and spectrums of sound, a new auditory world of creative opportunity began to open up before the artists. Irvine is intended to be played as expressively as a singer sings, with continuous and discrete expression of pitch, dynamics, and timbre. Irvine 7 – the seventh prototype of the instrument – was finally introduced to the world at its premiere in the "Crystal Sounds Lab" within the steirische herbst festival at the Helmut List Halle in October 2017.
Even if technology and scientific inventions play key role in the instrument, Irvine, however, is nothing without the musician. Putting the human center-stage allows the personality of the musician to shine. As Cavatorta explains, "It is not the instrument that makes the music, the musician does."
AVLIFE was a 1995 event attended by almost 10,000 guests, both in person and via live streaming. The project was an art performance that sought to use technical know-how as a basis for artistic experimentation. Split across four acts that took their themes from technology, media and biology, act one amalgamated the cumulative emotions of the audience to create a 'meta-person' which then evaluated a car from this new collective human emotional perspective.
AVLIFE combined works by a variety of artists, including Richard Kriesche and Josef Klammer, to offer a new way of seeing the relationship between humans, technology and art. It used emotion and research data as inspiration for the creation of music, visual art and performance.


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"True Blood" forever.
The seventh and final season's premiere of the HBO hit series is drawing near (June 22, to be exact), and the network has finally released the first trailer for the beginning of the end. And what did we learn? No. One. Is. Safe. (Gulp!)
In the trailer above, Sookie's (Anna Paquin) narration reveals that the government is kind of over helping people, leaving them as Happy Meals with legs for the infected vamps, while the good people of Bon Temps are turning on each other. "There's no one left," Sookie says.
U.S. & World
VIDEO: Watch the first creepy promo for "True Blood's" final season
After "True Blood's" ending was announced, HBO president Michael Lombardo promised fans "a fantastic final chapter of this incredible show."
"'True Blood' has been nothing short of a defining show for HBO," Lombardo said in a statement.
Series creator Alan Ball added, "I'm deeply grateful to HBO for being true partners and collaborators, and, of course, to the viewers who chose to spend Sunday nights in Bon Temps with us."
"True Blood" premieres Sunday, June 22 on HBO.

subset: commoncrawl


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Registration is now open for EAS VT. You can do online registration or download a paper registration form and mail it in.
I recommend making hotel reservations soon, because there is another big event going on at the same time and hotels will be sold out.
BTW this looks like it is going to be a really great EAS. The Vt. people are pouring on the juice.


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Gazelle Point-of-Sale - Modern POS Software for Smarter Business
Gazelle Point-of-Sale is a cloud web-based Point-of-Sale, inventory, customer and staff management system aimed to meet the needs of small and medium enterprises. It boasts innovations such as advanced reporting, mobile access and offline cloud, giving you an edge over your competitors. Best of all, we offer all these benefits at an affordable pricing. Browse through our website to learn more, and please get in touch with us.


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Jason Berken takes the ball for the Cubs today as they look to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Reds. I see that accountability, actually I should say the LACK of accountability is on full display today as Valbuena is playing a night after getting picked off while playing with his batting gloves. Here is how the rest of the Cubs will line up.
1. DeJesus – CF
2. Barney – 2B
3. Rizzo – 1B
4. LaHair – RF
5. Castro – SS
6. Valbuena – 3B
7. Castillo – C
8. Sappelt – RF
9. Berken – P
– George


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Feline therapy
Feeling stressed out? A visit to a cat café could help. Stroking a cat can have a calming effect, something that resourceful businesspeople in Asia have been exploiting for some time. The first cat café opened in Taiwan in 1998, and the trend continues. In Germany, cat cafés have opened in several cities, including Hamburg and Munich, allowing cat lovers to unwind by snuggling with a moggy. The cats in turn have their very own rest room. All very cat-friendly!


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Evaluating Obama's inaugural address is an inherently subjective process, of course, and no two people will necessarily render the same judgment. Moreover, as several of you pointed out in your very insightful comments to my most recent post, evaluations may change, depending on how the Obama presidency plays out. Nonetheless, the chattering class has rendered their initial assessments, and the consensus seems to be that although it was an effective speech – above "average" for these types of addresses – it did not quite rise to the level one might hope for given the quality of several of Obama's previous speeches and the significance of this particular occasion (see, for example, here and here and here and here and here.)
If this is true, what might explain why Obama's speech is not generating the type of acclaim associated with the first inaugural addresses of FDR, Reagan or JFK? One can cite a number of plausible explanations. To begin, it was a relatively lengthy address compared to its more celebrated counterparts; at 2,421 words, it was only slightly longer than Reagan's first inaugural, but almost 30% longer than FDR's, 80% longer than JFK's, and 3 ½ times longer than Lincoln's second inaugural. In part, this length made it harder to remember a single memorable line. Instead, the pundits cited different "takeaway lines". I thought the reference to his father's facing racial discrimination was the most memorable line – "This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed, why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall; and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served in a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath." But others have cited different lines. In short, there was no equivalent to "Ask not what your country can do for you–ask what you can do for your country". Second, the speech read as if the author (and here I suspect the hand of Obama's chief speechwriter, 27-year old Jon Favreau) had sought inspiration from some of the best inaugural addresses; I saw allusions to passages from inaugural addresses by FDR, JFK, LBJ, Lincoln and – gasp – even a (non-inaugural) speech by Jimmy Carter. (If you were in my presidency course, surely you blanched when Obama cited a "sapping of confidence across our land; a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, that the next generation must lower its sights." Shades of Carter's 1979 "malaise" speech that claimed Americans suffered from "a crisis of confidence. It is a crisis that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will." For Carter's critics, of course, the crisis was high gas prices and rising unemployment – not a flagging American spirit! Of course, Favreau wasn't alive when Carter gave that speech…. .) More generally, because these previous speeches accentuated different themes, drawing on all of them obscured Obama's message rather than clarifying it.
In the end, however, I believe the major reason why Obama's speech missed the mark is because there was no central overarching principle around which the words could cohere. Instead, the speech made two essential claims about Obama's presidency: "we are not Bush" and "change is coming". But it avoided specifying the hard choices that will constitute that change. Instead, Obama split the differences; he reached out an unclenched hand to dictators AND threatened terrorists with destruction; promised to protect liberties AND maintain national security; to regulate the marketplace without endangering capitalism; to remind us what government can do while emphasizing our historic commitment to private volunteerism; emphasized the role of religion in our nation without forgetting a shout out to "nonbelievers". By appearing to embrace all things, then, the speech ultimately emphasized none.
This is in sharp contrast to the "great" inaugural addresses: all emphasized a single specific theme that translated into a clear course of action. Roosevelt challenged the Congress to attack the economic crisis, and threatened to act unilaterally with bold experimentation if Congress failed to do so. Ted Sorensen, Kennedy's wordsmith, remembered that JFK eliminated almost any reference to domestic policy in order to focus on Americans' need to sacrifice to win the Cold War. For Reagan, of course, it was a direct attack on the New Deal and big government. These speeches, then, told the American public what their presidency was about, and what to expect in the coming months and years.
In part, this lack of a single theme might reflect the contrasting messages Obama sought to convey. On the one hand, the inauguration celebrated the election of the first African-American president. On the other, it was a sober reminder that we live in perilous times. It was hard to play to both emotions in a single speech.
But the lack of a central theme might also signify a potentially deeper problem with Obama's presidency: as yet, he does not know what it will be about. Change, yes – but in what form? We forget that until 9/11, the Bush presidency was still struggling to turn a vague commitment toward "compassionate conservatism" into a governing stance. The terrorist attacks gave his presidency a much different overriding purpose.
It may be that this is unfair to Obama; that although pragmatism and moderation does not lend itself to great speechmaking, it is the ideal approach to governing, particularly in the highly polarized partisan setting. Nonetheless, I can't help believing that ultimately, Obama will need to grasp the nettle and begin making the hard choices that will define his administration. If he does, we may yet look back on Tuesday's speech and find the as-yet unrecognized clues revealing the essence of the Obama presidency. We might then view it as a truly memorable inaugural address.


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LUBI NOW HAS ITS OWN WEBSITE AND GUIDE AT http://lubi.sourceforge.net/lubi.html
Ever wanted to test the new K/X/Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty, but don't have a spare partition, and don't want to jeopardize your production environment by resizing partitions, dist-updating, or tinkering with its bootloader? Now you can leave your existing Linux distro (Ubuntu, Debian, Sabayon, Fedora, openSUSE, Gentoo, etc.) untouched, while being able to use Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty in a full-fledged install on a loopmounted partition, no partitioning required!
NOTE: Lubi can only install Ubuntu. If you want to install other distros without a CD such as Fedora, OpenSuse, Mandriva, Debian, or Arch Linux, use UNetbootin; site at http://lubi.sourceforge.net/unetbootin.html and forums at http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=427540 Also, Lubi cannot run from Windows; if you want to do a no-CD install of Linux from Windows, use UNetbootin (for a full, standard, real-partition install) or Wubi (for a loopmounted install). Also, Lubi does not support installing Ubuntu versions other than 7.04; for these, use UNetbootin instead.
I wrote Lubi and this guide. Lupin http://launchpad.net/lupin is used as the codebase, see the Wubi forum at http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=234 and the site at http://cutlersoftware.com/ubuntusetu...-US/index.html for details.
Tested Versions
This has been tested on Sabayon 3.3 32-bit, PCLinuxOS 2007 32-bit, openSUSE 10.2 32-bit, Gentoo 2007.0 32-bit, Fedora Core 6 32-bit, Debian Sid 32-bit, Ubuntu 6.10 Edgy 32-bit, Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty 32-bit, and Xubuntu 7.04 Feisty 32-bit as the host systems. Kubuntu 7.04 Feisty 32-bit, Xubuntu 7.04 Feisty 32-bit, and Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty 32-bit were tested as guest systems. Other distros and versions, both 32-bit and 64-bit should work as the host system, just make sure you have the packages installed that are listed below. Distros and versions not based on Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty, and non-x86 architectures can also be used as the guest system, but these will require a custom build of lupin; see https://launchpad.net/lupin for details. Installations using LVM as the root filesystem are currently not supported. If this works/doesn't work for you please post the host/guest distro, version, and architecture.
What it does
Basically, it downloads a K/X/Ubuntu alternate i386 iso, creates loopmounted disk images so that they can be installed there, and adds an entry into /boot/grub/menu.lst which starts the d-i installer with that iso, and installs it into the loopmounted disk images. What thus results is a dual-boot system, in which K/X/Ubuntu are installed in loopmounted disk images in the folder /wubi/ on the filesystem, so that they can be installed without requiring any repartitioning, and they are booted using the system's GRUB, with the last menu entry, "Ubuntu", being added by the script to boot the loopmounted disk images.
Before installing, please ensure that you have zenity (used for the GUI), and GRUB (used as the bootloader) installed. If not, install zenity and grub using emerge, apt-get, yum, yast2, or your distribution's equivalent. For Ubuntu and Debian, these should already have been installed.
You can either follow my step-by-step video tutorial at http://blip.tv/file/331040/ or follow the instructions below:
1. Download the latest lubi package (deb for ubuntu/debian-based, tar.bz2 for others) from: http://sourceforge.net/project/showf...roup_id=198821
2. Then, become root:
For openSUSE and other su-based distros, login as root, while in Ubuntu and other sudo-based distros, enter:
3. Then, if you are using the deb version, just install it, or if you are using the tar.bz2 version, extract it to the root filesystemCode:sudo -s
4. Then, either click Applications -> System Tools -> Lubi or enter the command "sudo lubi"
5. Answer the questions asked by the wizard, wait while the iso is downloaded, the disk images are created, and the grub entry is added, and you will then be prompted to reboot; reboot.
6. Upon rebooting, the GRUB menu should have a new line at the end, saying "Ubuntu". Select that one, and it will start the d-i installer in non-interactive mode, and will reboot again
7. Select "Ubuntu" in GRUB to boot your newly installed ubuntu, then upon booting, login with the username and password you supplied to the installer
Uninstalling/Removal/Undoing Changes
If using the deb version, enter this command to remove:
For the tar.bz2 version, these commands, entered in the terminal on the host system (NOT in the guest Ubuntu install), will remove your loopmounted Ubuntu install, and undo the changes to GRUB:Code:
sudo dpkg --purge lubi
Use this guide at your own risk, though if you encounter issues related to loopmounted installation, you should ask them in the Wubi forums at http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=234 as it is a generic Lupin/Wubi issue, not a Lubi problem. Post any issues related to Lubi here, and include the host and guest distro, architecture, and version. Also post results if installation succeeds on a host/guest distro/version/architecture combination that isn't listed above. The main lubi development page is at https://launchpad.net/lubiCode:sudo rm -r /wubi sudo rm /usr/share/applications/lubi.desktop sudo rm /usr/share/menu/lubi sudo mv /boot/grub/menu.lst.bak /boot/grub/menu.lst


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I look for and find small to large areas on and under the ground: lands and rocks that have something we want, something that we will mine if we can make enough money.
First, we drive or fly into an area of great promise, so we can put small and large rocks into bags. These rocks in bags are sent away so we can find out what they are made of, so we can see what the numbers will tell us. If we like what the numbers say, then we walk around the area of interest making notes and drawing lines in our field books and on large pieces of paper, and searching, always searching for the right signs. After that, if the signs are good and the numbers from the rocks are even better, we push long, round, empty spaces into the ground and pull out rocks to place in bags or boxes, all so we can continue to find out what the rocks are made of.
After looking at several areas, we eventually find exactly what we are trying to find--rocks that can make us some money (the numbers, some computers, and men and women that study numbers and work with computers tell us how it all came out; they *never* let us just go with our best guess). Then we put in a mine by using picks and other, larger and louder things, to go as deep under the ground as needed. After that, we take the money we made--while finding the good rocks or while working at the mine--to a bar, where we drink out of large glasses or bottles filled with something we like (fill in the ____ ). :-)
Then we go back out into new areas to look for more rocks that can make us some money (or rocks that we at least like, because we all like rocks, except maybe for the men and women who really like numbers and computers).
Permalink for this description of what I do as a mineral exploration geologist at The Up-Goer Five Text Editor.
Meme directive from Ann and Chris at Highly Allochthonous: Go to the Up Goer 5 text editor and explain your research or discipline in the 10 hundred most common words.
Ten Hundred Words of Science: a compilation of many of these descriptions.
Twitter: #upgoerfive #upgoer5


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You know, for a blog called Sketch Adventure there sure haven't been very many life sketches around here lately. About that...
I realize I'm probably preaching to the choir here, but I've been thinking a lot about what sketchbooking is lately. I have a pretty heavy schedule right now, so my opportunities to get out and draw are fewer than I usually like. But this just means that I've got to make sure to squeeze the most learning out of those times when I'm able to just go draw. I've tried to change my mentality about how I'm approaching drawing by attempting to focus on the basics again. Often that doesn't make for exciting sketches, but it does make for great learning experiences.
Anyway, I don't want to get too wordy (especially since I don't really know what I'm trying to say). I guess what I'm really getting at is that it continues to be valuable for me to switch things up--methods, media, subjects. And what has really helped me lately has been to actively think while I draw "what is it that I'm trying to learn from this drawing? Am I studying proportion, likeness, gesture, value, caricature, skeletal/muscular structure, narrative, or (hopefully) some combination of these?"...by doing that I feel like I get more out of each exploration, even when I don't have a tone of free time for lots of life drawing.
And here's some recent sketch explorations...some are better than others, but learning doesn't always mean a great product!
Friday, January 23, 2009
Posted by Anthony Holden at 10:26 PM 16 comments
Labels: figure drawing, life sketching
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Posted by Anthony Holden at 12:23 AM 6 comments
Thursday, January 8, 2009
More Explorations
Some more explorations into character development and design for our senior animation project at BYU. The film's in an interesting place right now, since our story crew hasn't nailed down character personalities--which ends up being fun for me, because that means I'm free to do designs all over the place, but it's not exactly great for meeting deadlines. Luckily we're only in the beginning stages.
Right now, we know there's a girl and a rhino...and that's about it.
Anyway, let me know what you think about what you see!
Right now, we know there's a girl and a rhino...and that's about it.
Anyway, let me know what you think about what you see!
Posted by Anthony Holden at 11:50 PM 10 comments
Labels: Character Design, girls, izzy, rhinos
Invention Exchange
I, like many even less qualified people out there, fancy myself something of a brilliant amateur inventor. Now, I don't often toot my own horn, but I believe I've really got it this time--and on my way to the top I've decided to make the magnanimous gesture of posting this sneak preview here now, so that those of you who want to be remembered when I'm standing on top of a veritable mountain of currency (both foreign and domestic) will be able to make your move to get in my good graces now.
So, it is with great pleasure--and without further ado--that I present the Brork; it's just what it sounds like: the lovechild of a fork and toothbrush. It's what you (and the rest of the world) have been waiting for, though I bet you didn't think that all your prayers for world peace would be answered in quite this way. You'll save minutes a day by combining the heretofore estranged hedonistic pleasures of dining and dental hygiene--instead of condemning them to undue separation.
I know--you wish you'd thought of it first, but do yourself a favor and curb your jealousy now. By this late in the game, the best thing you can do is become an investor in my next project: Chop'n'Floss Sticks. Invest now by sending cash to:
The Top
Giant Mountain of Money
See you at the top! (But not really. No, seriously, the mountian belongs to me.)
Posted by Anthony Holden at 8:01 PM 8 comments
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The Illustrious and Illustrative Sketch Adventure Lifestyle of Anthony Holden. Cartoons, Sketches, Character Designs, Storyboards, Comics, Illustration, Animation, Silly thoughts, Intermittent Posting, and Arbitrary Capitalization by American animation artist, Anthony Holden. Thanks for stopping by and taking a look!
All content on this page copyright 2007-2011 Anthony L. Holden. Do not use without permission, except for purposes of review.
All content on this page copyright 2007-2011 Anthony L. Holden. Do not use without permission, except for purposes of review.


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WALNUT CREEK — Pacific Gas and Electric's plan to take down hundreds of trees for better access to the utility's natural gas pipelines would mean barren medians next to John Muir Medical Center and shadeless sidewalks on Locust Street downtown.
Nine trees in the Shell Ridge Open Space would disappear, and 73 trees along Ygnacio Valley Road would be wiped out.
This is all part of PG&E's $500 million Pipeline Pathways project, a statewide initiative that aims to clear obstructions from the utility company's 6,750 miles of gas lines from Bakersfield to Eureka. The project will take out all structures and vegetation to provide 10 feet of clearance on either side of PG&E's main gas lines. PG&E says it needs to remove the trees, shrubs and structures — on private and public property — to ensure pipeline safety. It's a top PG&E priority in the aftermath of the 2010 San Bruno gas pipeline explosion that killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes.
While she says she is concerned about safety, Walnut Creek Mayor Kristina Lawson, incensed with how PG&E has handled the Pathways project so far, launched an online petition Saturday calling for the power giant to meet with residents and not chop down any trees until more information is provided. As of Wednesday, the petition had more than 1,600 signatures.
"To date, PG&E has not provided any evidence that any public safety concern exists," said Lawson in a letter to PG&E officials. "As an elected official entrusted with protecting our community values, and as one of your customers, I can tell you that our community deserves better from your company."
Since Lawson wrote the letter and started the petition, PG&E has contacted the city and expressed a desire to work together.
The trees are slated to begin coming down in May. Virtually every area in Walnut Creek would be affected by the project, from open space to schools to hundreds of backyards. Some of the clear-cutting would be quite obvious, such as the takedown of 48 trees along Locust Street downtown that stretch from Lacassie to Cypress Street. Other trees set to come down include 32 on a city park trail behind Deerpark Drive, 11 trees on North Main Street in front of Target, 23 trees on Boundary Oak Golf Course, 12 trees next to Foothill Middle School and 22 trees along Walnut Boulevard.
Around 350 trees that will come down are on private property, 249 on city property, 107 on commercial property, 22 on PG&E owned land and seven on East Bay Municipal Utility District property, according to PG&E information given to Walnut Creek. Valley oak and liquidambar trees are the species most represented in proposed removals. PG&E will replace the trees and bushes, though not in the same places. In the roadway medians, for example, PG&E has plans to put in new low-lying plants.
The petition on change.org, gives an opportunity for residents to sound off — and they have.
Sherry Shandrew of Walnut Creek said, "The trees are one of the main things that make this city so beautiful. We need to have a say when trees are going to be cut down."
While PG&E Spokeswoman Debbie Felix understands the concern, she said things like a discoloration on grass above a gas pipe can tell PG&E workers there is a leak — one example of why the areas along pipelines must be clear and visible. She admits some trees have been there longer than the pipes. The company's practices in the past were not what they should have been, she said.
Some residents may disagree with what that is. Donna Leach said in the comments on the petition that PG&E needs to follow the city's process of getting permits to remove trees.
"They should be accountable to demonstrate this is the least invasive option to secure access to their lines and they should compensate homeowners for removing their property," she wrote. "PG&E needs to work with Walnut Creek residents. The trees of Walnut Creek are part of the reason it is where I want to live."
PG&E officials admit they need to do a better job of communicating with cities and residents and plan to do just that. But they also stand by that they have the power and right to make the gas lines the safest they can by improving, modernizing and creating easier access.
This program is just now being rolled out in Contra Costa and Alameda counties after being introduced in Fresno and parts of San Jose.
Walnut Creek joined cities including Concord, Lafayette, Danville, Dublin, El Cerrito, Livermore and Pleasanton in a coalition opposed to PG&E's plan and demanding an alternative plan.
To see maps of where the trees are proposed to come down go to www.walnut-creek.org
Contact Elisabeth Nardi at 925-952-2617. Follow her at Twitter.com/enardi10.


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2015 Cadillac Escalade Revealed
Caddy's flagship SUV redesigned for 2015
The fourth-generation,redesigned 2015 Cadillac Escalade and the Cadillac Escalade ESV (20-inches longer) will begin production next spring in Arlington, Texas. Although the exterior remains distinctively Escalade, the redesigned styling cues become immediately apparent. The next evolution of Cadillac's signature vertical lights are evident, with the high-beam headlamps consisting of four vertically stacked crystal lenses and LEDs that incorporate the industry's first Total Internal Reflection LED function. Five crystal lenses and LEDs constitute the low beams. Upon closer investigation, the headlamp bezel contains the Cadillac logo. Distinguishing the rear of the 2015 Escalade are tall, thin vertical LED taillamps that reach to the top of the Escalade and feature the wreath-and-crest insignia that lights up in the dark. The rear wiper has been embedded within the contours of the spoiler at the top of the rear glass. Body panel gaps have been tightened throughout and new inlaid doors fit into the body side openings to improve aerodynamics while reducing wind noise. "The new Escalade's surfacing is sophisticated, and the sectioning of the body exudes more emotion to forge a new presence for Cadillac's iconic SUV," said Bob Boniface, design director of Cadillac Exteriors.
The new interior is sophisticated and technologically-advanced. The seats have been sculpted for comfort with dual-firmness foam for long-term comfort and longevity. Heated and cooled seats are standard in the front. Real wood and premium cut-and-sewn materials and sueded accents characterize the interior, adding elegance and authenticity. The Escalade will feature Cadillac's CUE infotainment system as a standard option for the first time.
The 2015 Cadillac Escalade's power plant will be the all-new direct injection 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 FlexFuel engine with 420 horsepower and 460 lb.-ft. of torque mated to a Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed automatic transmission with TapShift controls. This amounts to a 5 percent increase in horsepower and 10 percent increase in torque, according to Cadillac. The 6.2L also has Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation), continuously variable valve timing and an advanced combustion system that allows for a higher compression ratio.
Supporting the standard 20-inch wheels and available 22-inch wheels are a host of chassis and suspension technologies. A 9.5-inch rear axle and standard automatic locking rear differential, wider rear track, StabiliTrak electronic stability control, four-wheel-disc brake system with Duralife rotors, electric variable-assist power steering and Magnetic Ride Control are just a few highlights. Magnetic Ride Control (standard with the Tour and Sport modes) delivers the smooth ride expected from Cadillac by providing real-time damping by "reading" the road every millisecond.
One thing's for sure, the new 2015 Cadillac Escalade will certainly make a statement.


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Oh Eatocracy, why do you make me like you only disappoint me so? You publish wonderful content and then you turn around and post the self-important whining of your editors just to make my head explode. You are like the lover who makes me feel so special before calling me by someone else's name. Just […]
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Five Things You Never Want To Hear In A Restaurant- My Response
By David Hayden on September 21, 2011 in Rants
- The Greatest Customer Complaint Response Ever September 23, 2010
- Why Not To Date Co-Workers August 14, 2010
- My Response: 25 Things Chefs Never Tell You September 16, 2010
- A Food Critic Intervention August 31, 2010
- The Card August 10, 2010
- Random Thoughts from a Server 65: Beer Glasses July 20, 2013
- T-Shirts for Servers 5 July 19, 2013
- Random Thoughts from a Server 64: Chef Gordon Ramsey July 17, 2013
- Random Thoughts from a Server 63: Jealous Boyfriends July 16, 2013
- Random Thoughts from a Server 62: Wine Keys July 15, 2013
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About The Author
David Hayden was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. He took his first serving job in 1996. Since that time, he has worked for over a dozen different restaurant companies. He has held both hourly and salaried positions at independent and corporate restaurants. He has waited on over 100,000 guests and trained hundreds of servers. He has been named "Best Server in Kansas City" the last three years by the local weekly paper.


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The Swedish author Johan Norberg has written a must read article - "The Great Debt Bubble of 2011" - for the Spectator magazine. Norberg´s convincing analysis makes chilling reading, also for those in Europe and the US who think that the booming China will save us from a new crisis:
Read the whole article here.
China's wealth and prospects dazzle the debt-laden West. 'Money, money everywhere,' the Beijing economist Patrick Chovanec said in a recent survey of China. 'Awash in luxury cars, condos and expensive jewellery, the Chinese are enjoying what looks to be an unstoppable boom.' The prices of high-end properties in some of the wealthiest cities have almost doubled in two years. High street prices are also creeping up, prompting the government to tighten policy.
In fact, this is not the result of better prospects but of a monetary shock. Aside from the foreign capital inflows, China had its own stimulus package, as big as America's. Beijing has printed yuan and pushed banks and local governments to spend like drunken Keynesians. Absurdly, China's money supply is now larger than America's, even though its economy is a third of the size. We can see the results of this stimulus in stock market prices and in new roads, bridges and housing complexes all over the country.
Not that anyone wants to travel on those roads or live in those buildings. In August, China's largest energy company reported that an extraordinary 65.4 million residences have not consumed any electricity in the last six months — a fairly big clue that they lie empty. There are now entire ghost towns, like new Ordos in northern China, where tens of thousands of buildings erected from scratch stand empty. And yet property prices in Ordos have doubled over three years. It's not popular demand, it's pure speculation. In some quarters, China is being spoken of as the last, best hope for the world economy. But it might be the next bubble to pop.
In the original Superman film, the hero rescues Lois Lane as she falls from a skyscraper. 'Don't worry, ma'am, I got you,' he says, midair. 'You got me? Who's got you?' she replies. This is the question that no one is asking now. If China is lending to us, who is lending to China? If the governments are saving the banks, then who will save the governments? If the European Union is offering a safety net, who would be there to bail out the EU? There are other questions not being asked: which country, in recent economic history, has successfully borrowed its way out of a debt crisis? Why should it work now? And how can we justify saddling the next generation with such debt?
Norberg also has a web page of his own.


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Backup software comes in many different varieties – file-based, disk imaging, synchronisation tools, continuous data protection, and more – which can make it tricky to identify precisely which package you need.
But if that sounds too much like hard work, then you could simply buy a copy of Acronis True Image 2013, which can handle just about anything you might want to do.
The program is able to back up selected files and folders directly from the Explorer right-click option, for instance. And there are options to create images of your drives or partitions; synchronise folders on your PC, network, external drive, phone or tablet; or monitor your system, backing up new or changed files every few minutes for the maximum possible security.
Your data can then be burned to disc, saved to local or network drives, uploaded to your own FTP server, or transferred to the cloud. And recovery options are just as versatile, with you able to restore backups partially or full, from the True Image 2013 interface, via a boot disc, or even the Startup Recovery Manager.
The major change with the 2013 edition, sees Acronis Online Backup replaced with True Image Online, a cloud storage service. This gives you 250GB of online backup space for $4.99 a month/ $49.99 a year, but a single subscription can be used by up to 5 PCs (and you get a free 1 month subscription to try it out).
This is optional, of course, but if you do purchase a subscription then you'll be able to access your files anywhere courtesy of the new Acronis iOS and Android apps. This makes it easier to synchronise your data wherever it might be - PC, laptop, phone, tablet, network, USB key and more - and True Image 2013 is now fully compatible with every version of Windows from XP through to 8.
Please note, you must provide an active and working email address in order to receive a serial number for this trial build.
Build 6514 brings these changes:
Certification – True Image 2013 Update1 by Acronis is officially certified for MS Windows 8.
Improved operation of Nonstop Backup (NSB) – product now handles unplugging and plugging of USB storage while performing nonstop backup, even if it was unsafely unplugged. Also NSB now conveniently prompts you from the system tray to clean up the disk when it runs out of space on the target storage, and performs automatic defragmentation of the storage whenever NSB session is started.
System tray alerts - Users can now be more conveniently notified when an update or upgrade of the product is available and track the Acronis Cloud subscription state.
Software and hardware compatibility – improved operation with external USB devices.
New panel notifications and log messages, updated Help and User Guide – for your convenience.
E-mail backup - MS Outlook 2013 is now supported.
MS Windows 8 Secure boot is now supported.
Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE) 4.0 support – Now the latest WinPE version based on the Windows 8 kernel is supported. You can create a bootable WinPE 4.0 disc that contains True Image 2013.
We would have liked to see True Image 2013 include some online storage space for free, but regardless, this is still one of the most powerful, versatile and configurable backup tools around.


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N.Y. congresswoman OK after being robbed | News
WASHINGTON - Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., was robbed Tuesday night near Capitol Hill and has returned to her regular duties.
Meng said in a statement released Wednesday by her congressional office that she was walking toward her apartment after dinner when she was struck in the back of the head near Sixth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. Her assailant took her purse before fleeing from the scene.
"While this was a frightening ordeal, I fortunately was not seriously injured," Meng said. "Obviously, things could have been much worse. I thank the U.S. Capitol Police and the District of Columbia Police for responding quickly and professionally."
The lawmaker was bruised on her chin and underwent a CAT scan at George Washington University Hospital.
Meng, 38, was elected last year to a district based in Queens. She is the first Asian-American woman to represent New York City in Congress. Meng, a lawyer, served in the New York Assembly before her successful bid for the open House seat long held by Democrat Gary Ackerman, who retired.
"It's nice to be a woman, and it's nice to be an Asian," Meng told National Journalbefore last year's election. "But what's more important is what I can bring back to my district."


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The New Den, Millwall. January 16th, 2010.
A late-late goal by Liam Trotter deprived Saints of a last minute victory. The equaliser in injury time coming only 30 seconds after Rickie Lambert had put us ahead, a bitter blow in our efforts to chase down a place in the play-offs after overcoming a 10 point deduction in our first season in league one. Another few points lost in the grind of this ugly division, an introduction to life at Saints for three debutants, Jon Otsemobor, Dan
The jokes are coming thick and fast now, 5-a-side friendlies against Blackpool. Liverpool renaming themselves Scousehampton. The best one was of Tottenham bidding for a player who couldn't possibly pass a medical.... Oh.
After five years of progress it surely couldn't have continued forever, our home-grown players making the England squad, Our best ever Premier League finish and widespread acclaim for our playing style and ethos. What is unacceptable though is the speed that things
Oh the media, where there is a story to be told (or even contrived) they will do so. After such a wonderful season can anyone be surprised that a lot of our stars are being linked away? With stories intensifying regarding Adam Lallana and Luke Shaw in particular the future appears uncertain, how will our team look next season if the worst case scenario unfolds? For the sake of this I am going to assume the following:
1) Even if Mauricio Pochettino goes to Tottenham our tactics will
Well, that escalated quickly! Within 48 hours of the news of Nicola Cortese's potential departure breaking he has indeed gone, reports of chaos in our playing and coaching staff have broken only for this to be rounded off by Mauricio Pochettino thankfully not following through with his summer threats of leaving should Cortese depart and committing himself to the cause... for the short term at least.
Those who achieve the most often do so with a trail of enmity in their wake, certainly
It's been so long since I could look at the Premier League table and see Saints in absolute, complete mid-table obscurity. Six points adrift from eighth and four points ahead of tenth it really doesn't get lonelier then this, recent form notwithstanding I also am not too concerned about us sinking too far down the table, it really has been a very difficult run of fixtures and the extra-ordinary results at home against the bigger clubs that we experienced last year simply cannot be something to base


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Sen. Sylvia Allen says she's sick and tired of excuses when it comes to solving the illegal immigration problem.
"Everybody just wants to sit around and gripe about it, complain about it, blame the federal government for it," Allen said. "But when it comes to saying, 'What can we do as a state to really try to solve the problem?' Now it's all the reasons why we can't solve this problem."
That's why she introduced SB1083, which would create a volunteer militia that would patrol the state, pursuing and apprehending suspected illegal border crossers.
But despite Allen's plea to stop focusing on the hurdles to securing the border, numerous criticisms of her plan have emerged, and not just from the Democrats who often oppose Republican-led anti-illegal immigration measures.
The Arizona Peace Officers Standards and Training Board (AZPOST), which oversees training for law enforcement officers in Arizona, opposes the bill because it would give the state's stamp of approval to a minimally trained force that would have police-enforcement powers.
Lyle Mann, AZPOST's director, testified during a committee hearing on the bill that the 40 hours of training proposed for the militia members is nothing compared to the 585 hours of baseline training any law enforcement officer in Arizona is required to have. That's not to mention the additional specialized training officers receive for tasks like criminal pursuit in a vehicle, which the militia would be authorized to do.
Mann characterized Allen's bill as a military-style group being put in a law-enforcement capacity, without any of the checks that should be applied to them. He said that if the group were authorized to only observe and report, his organization could possibly remove its opposition.
Mann also said there are serious problems with Allen's proposal that the militia could be sent to areas 100 miles inside the border, along suspected border-crossing routes.
"The prime question is, how did they know these are cross-border criminals if they never saw these people crossing the border?" Mann questioned.
Giving the group the ability to detain, apprehend or even engage people so far inside the border, simply on the hunch that those people are border crossers could lead to numerous problems, especially since the state could potentially be liable for any mishandled actions.
Allen has defended the bill, saying that she expects many of the volunteers to be former police or former military members, so they would already have adequate training.
The bill would also pay for the militia by taking $1.4 million from a Gang and Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission (GIITEM) account, which already funds a joint law-enforcement team that goes after cross-border criminal activity.
That has caused opposition from the Association of Counties, which is made up of the state's 15 sheriffs, since it would take away from the border enforcement they already participate in.
Among the sheriffs, only Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu supports the militia idea. And because each county would have to opt-in to allow the militia to operate there, it remains unclear where the militia would ever actually be mobilized.
And Arizona Cattlemen's Association representative Patrick Bray testified that his group, which has long been at the forefront of the fight to secure the border, is opposed to the bill. The group cites liability issues that could come up if the militia mishandled its mission on his members' private land.
Bray said it's frustrating for him, because he and his group want to see a secure border and the elimination of the crime that comes with it, but that there's a delicate balance about to how to approach the issue, he said.
The proper solution, he said, requires federal and local cooperation, like what happened with the National Guard deployment to the border in
2006 and through an expansion of the GIITEM program.


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Hartsdale 6PA Carpet
Next working day UK* delivery
The fleece carpet is custom-made to fit each tent's living area and available as an optional extra to ensure a home-from-home feeling.
- Wall-to-wall carpet
- Small pack size
- PVC protective backing
- Integral packing sleeve
- Hartsdale 6PA Carpet
Delivery Charges
Just £1.95 UK delivery - Free over £100
Delivery Times
2 day delivery - stock is available from our warehouse and will normally be despatched the same day if you order by 3pm. We normally deliver the next working day.
3 to 5 day delivery - stock is available from our shops within a few days
14 day delivery* - Stock will be ordered from our supplier. *Estimated
Very low stock - Please call to check availability
Delivery Method
Small items may be sent by First Class Post, larger or more expensive items with DPD Next Day may require a signature on delivery. In the event that no one is available, the parcel will be taken to your local depot and a note will be left with instructions for redelivery.
Our Guarantee
Our "no quibbles" guarantee means that if for any reason you are unhappy with the item you have purchased just return it in its original condition within 28 days and we will issue a full refund or exchange.


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Just because Alec Baldwin isn't on TV 24/7, it doesn't mean someone isn't always watching.
MSNBC has at least temporarily yanked the actor's talk show, Up Late With Alec Baldwin, from its schedule following the release of a video in which he directed an anti-gay slur at a paparazzo who was snapping pictures of Baldwin's family.
Baldwin immediately took to Twitter to defend TMZ's claim that he used the word "f-g," insisting he actually said "fathead."
U.S. & World
He then apologized today after, according to Baldwin, GLAAD informed him that "c--ksucker" (which he audibly did say) was also an anti-gay epithet. The organization's president called him out for his "pattern of anti-gay slurs," referring also to tweeted remarks Baldwin made back in June when he got angry at a reporter who wrote up what turned out to be an erroneous story about his wife.
"I would like to address the comments I made this past week," Baldwin began in a statement posted tonight to MSNBC.com. (E! Online is also a member of the NBCUniversal family.)
PHOTOS: Late-night talk show hosts
"I did not intend to hurt or offend anyone with my choice of words, but clearly I have--and for that I am deeply sorry. Words are important. I understand that, and will choose mine with great care going forward. What I said and did this week, as I was trying to protect my family, was offensive and unacceptable. Behavior like this undermines hard-fought rights that I vigorously support. I understand "Up Late" will be taken off the schedule for tonight and next week.
"I want to apologize to my loyal fans and to my colleagues at msnbc--both for my actions and for distracting from their good work. Again, please accept my apology."
From a business standpoint, Baldwin's ratings have been so-so: Per Variety, his Nov. 8 episode reached 395,000 viewers, while it premiered to about 654,000.


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due to shaw, my service provider retiring the apps and other rarely used sections - well, to put it bluntly - its gone. i do have all the old infos if any one wants to have a look through. just let me know. i know your using the new map apps - never got into that... perhaps i should... well, will leave that for now.
i can be reached here. i saw some were looking for the information on how to do maps etc... well, if i can be of any assistance, i will attempt to do so.
chat later.
kgmetcalfe. was know as lav-coyote25. have an excellent day.
The closure of the old maps tutorials on my site...
Get some help with creating maps or modding.
Need a map editor or other tools, look here!
Need a map editor or other tools, look here!
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There's an old saying we remember that goes something like, "Horsepower sells cars, but torque wins races." Everyone brags about their humongous horsepower numbers, but when it comes to getting 3,000-lbs or more of steel moving in quick fashion then torque is the answer. Low-end grunt is what makes a street car fun. It's that push your eyeballs back into their sockets and wear a stupid grin on your face kind of deal. A racecar lives its life in the upper rpm, but a streetcar exists on the lower end where objects at rest want to stay put. To get a streetcar from zero to fast in a hurry you need torque and the quickest way to Torquesville is displacement.
One of the most common starting points for a big-block build is the venerable 454 Chevy block. You can still find them and the better ones can handle a huge amount of power. Best of all, they're ripe for the stroker treatment. Take a 454, add a 4.250-inch stroke crank along with some 6.385-inch rods and your displacement shoots up to 489 cubes. Now bore those cylinders out a touch, to say .060-inch over and you end up with the venerable 496. Those extra 42 cubes pay big dividends when it comes to churning out torque, and as a byproduct horsepower.
From an economics perspective, if you're replacing your rotating assembly, building a 496 barely costs more than a 454. Even if you were rebuilding a stock 454 it almost doesn't make sense these days to pass on going the stroker route. By the time you recondition your rods, grind your crank and possibly add new pistons, you're just a few bucks away from buying a brand new stroker kit.
The key to ending up with a reliable engine that makes good power is getting the machine work done correctly. We wanted it done right so we employed Andy Mitchell of Outlaw Racing Engines in Upland, California, to do the machine work and assembly. Andy had our '72 vintage 454 block cleaned, checked, and rough bored before finish honing the cylinders, with a torque plate, to .060-over. He also line-honed the block and cleaned up the decks. Could we have gotten away with less machine work? Maybe, but Andy likes to build them right the first time.
After getting organized, Andy started assembling the pistons and rods. Eagle is known for high-quality connecting rods and these forged 6.385-inch 5140 SIR I-beam units are no exception. They're bushed to work with full floating piston pins. The rods also utilize ARP fasteners and have alignment sleeves for easier assembly. They come packaged in weight-matched sets (+/- 2g) or they can be balanced by Eagle like ours were. The forged pistons are Mahle slugs and come coated right out of the box.
Attention to detail is critical when building any engine, especially one that is expected to churn out big power. Here Andy double checks the Clevite cam bearings we picked up from Summit Racing. He also organized the main caps and paired them up with the Clevite main bearings that were included in the Eagle stoker kit. Rather than reuse the old stock main bolts we spent a few extra bucks and went with stronger ARP main bolts (PN 135-5201, $53.95).
Some guys like to install the cam after the crank, rods, and pistons, but Andy prefers to do it first. He says that he would rather find out sooner if the cam doesn't ride freely in the newly installed cam bearings. The bumpstick we chose was Comp's hydraulic roller grind (PN 11-456-8, $259.95) of 242/248 duration at .050-inch and lift of .566-inch. With a lobe separation angle of 112-degrees this cam should make good power and still be easy to live with on the street.
The kit we went with is from Eagle. It features a very affordable cast crank, budget I-beam rods, and forged Mahle pistons. It offers the kit with hypereutectic pistons, but we splurged on the forged slugs because more power would be just a nitrous kit away. Since our mill would rarely ever wind out past 6,200 rpm there was just no need for the added expense of a forged crank. Another benefit of the Eagle kit was that it included everything needed from the rings to the bearings. They can even send it to you balanced and ready to drop into place. It's automotive instant gratification in its purest form.
For a block we went with a vintage four-bolt main block from around '72. It was caked in grime, but looked solid. All that the block really needed was a cleaning, inspection and bore/hone but we opted for a line hone and to have the decks cleaned up. After all, we weren't trying to be cheap, just smart. Also, since this was geared towards being a street engine, we resisted the urge to dump in some lumpy cam that would barely idle just to get some big number to plaster on the cover of the magazine. Instead, we wanted to find a happy medium, good power and excellent street manners.
With the main bearings in place, and liberally lubed up, Andy could then set the stroker crank in place. According to Eagle, ESP cast steel crankshafts have a higher ductility than O.E. units and feature .092-inch radii on all journals for added strength. They also use O.E. style bearings. Eagle worked over the crank, along with the rods and piston tops, in its new ESP Armor. This finishing process reduces friction, deters corrosion, and aids in oil shedding. Eagle says that the process adds strength to the parts and increases bearing life. Adding the process to the piston tops helps de-bur them and eliminate hot spots.
Here's a handy trick Andy showed us to check all of our oil rings at once for the proper gap. Once this was done he went about file fitting all the various rings to the cylinders. Proper fitting of the rings is critical in regards to making power and controlling where the oil goes.
With the rods hung on the pistons, and the rings in place, it was time to stuff them into the cylinder bores. A ring compression sleeve, from ARP, in the right diameter of 4.310-inch, made this job a snap.
Andy never installs a cam without breaking out the degree wheel to make sure it's exactly where it should be. It takes a little extra time, and some specialized tools, but it pays off big in terms of getting all the performance possible from an engine.
After setting up the cam button, Andy then finished bolting on the Comp Magnum timing set (PN 2110, $38.95) using APR hardware. When running a roller cam on a block that doesn't have a thrust plate, a button must be used to limit the cam's lateral movement. He then bolted on our front cover using ARP bolts from our engine assembly kit (PN 535-9701, $87.95). This kit contains just about every bolt needed to wrench together the 496 and it's better than digging around for various fasteners or using old ones. With this done, we were one step closer to having our short block done. We also installed a set of brass freeze plugs from Milodon (PN 34033, $20.95)
Controlling the flow of oil is not just about keeping an engine alive it's also about making power. Because of this we went with this trick six-quart pan from Milodon (PN 31188, $429.95). The lightweight steel pan features a full-length kick-out and louvered tray assembly. This pan should help us squeeze out a few extra horsepower. We could have knocked hundreds off the price by using a stock pan, but at the cost of reliability and performance. Again, we would rather spend now than fix it later.
This Holley billet mechanical fuel pump (PN 454-25, $269.95) is more than just pretty, it's functional as well. CNC-machined from 6061-T6 aluminum the pump features -8 AN inlet and outlet fittings and the base can be rotated independently from the top to ensure proper fit. The free-flow rate is 170gph and the pump has a preset fuel pressure of 7.5psi. Making it work is an ARP fuel pump pushrod (PN 135-8701, $15.95)
With new dowels in place, Andy carefully put on the Patriot heads. For gaskets we went with quality Fel-Pro units (PN 1017, $41.95) and then secured them to the block with ARP head studs (PN 135-3603, $86.95).
After installing our Milodon high-volume oil pump (PN 18760, $59.95), along with their correct extreme duty pickup (PN 18201 $54.95) and oil pump driveshaft (PN 23060, $14.95), we were ready to put the pan in place. The pan was installed using a crushproof gasket set from Milodon (PN 40200, $13.95) and more ARP fasteners from the accessory bolt kit.
Putting spark to the flame is this MSD Pro-Billet distributor (PN 85551, $232.90). The housing is machined from 6061-T6 aluminum for durability and the oversized shaft has a QPQ coating for friction reduction. Two sealed ball bearings guide the shaft and ensure accuracy even at high rpm. Keeping it locked in place is an equally good looking hold down from CVR High Performance (PN DHB6CL) and an ARP fastener (PN 130-1701, $3.88).
Heads can make or break an engine build, both in terms of performance and budget. For this build we decided to try out the new offerings from Patriot Performance. These big-block Freedom series heads are targeted towards the street/strip crowd and feature 320cc rectangular intake ports. They are small enough to use on the street, but still flow enough to make good higher-rpm power. Our fully assembled heads (PN 2211) sell for only $1,395 and we think that's a steal for what you get. With stainless 2.25-inch intake and 1.88-inch exhaust valves these things flat-out move a ton of air. The 119cc chamber volume also helped us nail down our 10.2:1 pump-gas-friendly compression ratio. Also of note is that they come standard with a 5-angle valve job and manganese bronze valve guides. Sweet!
Going with a roller cam means we need roller lifters as well. These Comp High-Energy vertical bar hydraulic roller lifters (PN 854-16, $459.95) made "going roller" with our non-roller block a snap. Before dropping them into the lifter bores we made sure they were completely coated in oil.
When it comes to choosing an intake you need to make a decision on how you're going to use your car. For a strip car that spends tons of time in the upper rpm a single plane intake is the way to go. But the goal of our mill is a street bruiser that's all about low-end grunt. We went with Weiand's dual-plane Stealth intake (PN 8018, $219.95) with this in mind. Its long separated runners are ideal for low and mid-range power, which is exactly what we're looking for.
Topping off our 496 stump-puller is a Holley 950 HP carb (PN 80496, $714.95). This carb is all about making power with features like screw-in air bleeds, stainless steel throttle plates, and notched floats. They feature Dominator style fuel bowls that allow fuel line plumbing from either side. We also went with Holley's dual-spring throttle bracket (PN 20-112, $95.95) and a T6-6061 billet aluminum 360-degree swivel water neck from CVR High Performance (PN TSH6CL, $69.95) along with some fittings from Performance Stainless. Hey, there's nothing wrong with looking good.
After Andy measured for just the right pushrod length we could then install Comp's new Ultra-Gold 1.7 rockers (PN 19021-16, $289.95). These lightweight aluminum rockers are CNC-machined to strict tolerances and incorporate some of Comp's most advanced features.
Behold the fruits of our labor; 496 cubic-inches of Chevy big-block goodness. Finishing off the build is a Weiand aluminum water pump (PN 9242, $99.95) and a set of very sweet Doug's headers (PN D320). Doug's has been doing headers since 1958 and these hand-built, mandrel-bent tubes are a work of art. Featuring two-inch primaries and 3.5-inch collectors, they are tuned with the proper size and length to efficiently remove all the spent gases from each cylinder. This reduces pumping loss and the result is more power and torque. The ceramic coating is for more than just looks. It can drastically lower engine bay temps and that equates to more power. Since this engine is externally balanced, Eagle supplied the balancer along with a properly worked-over flexplate. Keeping the valvetrain covered up, and looking great, is a set of fabricated valve covers from Spectre Performance (PN 5041, $136.99) and a set of Fel-Pro molded silicone and steel core gaskets (PN 1635, 42.95) inhibits leaks.
We loaded up the engine and took it over to Westech for a little time on its Superflow 901 dyno. After installing a K&N oil filter and dropping in seven quarts of Lucas oil, Westech dyno guru, Steve Brule, fired up the big-block and started making pulls and adjusting timing and fuel. After a few tries we nailed down a best pull of 593 hp at 5,900 rpm and 595 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm. This was at 38 degrees of timing and 71/83 jets (8.5 power valve). Try as we might, we just couldn't sneak over the 600 mark. Out of curiosity we bolted on a one-inch open spacer and the numbers squeaked up to 596 hp at 5,900 and 598 pounds of twist at 4,500. Even though the peak was up just a touch the lower end of the pull saw a more significant gain.
If we wanted to jump over the magic 600 mark we decided we would need stiffer valve springs, 1.8 rockers, and possibly a single plane intake. Of course we could always go with a more aggressive cam, but that would veer away from our goal of building an easy to live with street engine. Besides, we're going to have a hard enough time hooking up this much power once we find a car to stuff it into.


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Youtube added
Youtube added
Here are black & white versions of the pics of Robert Pattinson from the New York Times photoshoot.
Here are some awesome new pics of Robert Pattinson from the NY Times photoshoot.
FULL video translation by lalaith466
He says he has to speak Polish in his new film (WFE)
How does he cope with comparisons to Edward?
He tries to manage it. He likes pressure because it makes him work better.
What does he think about the title sexiest man alive?
He jokes it's obvious, he thinks there wasn't any competition.
Why does he think he doesn't deserve the title of the best dressed man?
He doesn't like wear new clothes and anything flashy.
She said last time when she interviewed him he had a ripped jacket
(it was during Remember Me promotion) and asked if it was intentionally.
He jokes probably it was.
Finally he said 'podnie? nog?' in Polish – it means 'lift your leg up'
it's the line he says to Rosie in WFE
Here are some black & white pics of Robert Pattinson from the Eclipse Press Conference.


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Camilo José Vergara
Camilo José Vergara is a photographer and the author of numerous books, most recently, Detroit Is No Dry Bones: The Eternal City of the Industrial Age (University of Michigan Press, 2016). His most recent writing on Detroit can be found at PublicBooks.org. More of his work can be found at camilojosevergara.com.


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WELL TIMED just prior to this year's World Environment Day on 5 June, public transport operator Busways is now mostly using renewable energy to power its Gosford, NSW, bus...+MORE
INTERNATIONAL air travel is not predicted to return to 'old world' levels until 2023. Social distancing on public transport means bus passenger numbers are reduced – for now....+MORE
It's what you can't see – rather feel – about this Volvo B11R Euro 6 coach featuring Volvo Dynamic Steering and Driver Support Systems that makes it worth a good look.+MORE
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Detectable black packs from Superfos improve recyclability.
A resealable cap offers convenient functionality.
Superfos at La Genête supports biodiversity in practice.
The Blackburn facility of Superfos has an all-time high safety record.
Al Wefag, well-known by Saudi consumers, is pleased to work with Superfos.
Find out how sustainability and top-quality packaging can go hand in hand
Equipped with gloves, tongs and waste bags, employees at La Genête cleaned up the facility's outdoor area.
Find out how Superfos is seeking to optimise processes and use of material.
A lighter weight butter tub has intrinsic sustainability.
Other new achievements are ISO 14001 and 800 days of safety operations.
Working Together Injury Free" is the key message of this year's Safety Week 13-20 October.
The right solutions are key for a sustainable future.
Sales for healthy Optimel® salads in the Netherlands are well above expectation.
Environmental impact and energy savings were key topics during factory visit in Denmark.
Superfos Balkan has recently achieved two re-certifications plus a new one.
The Circular Grading Tool is just one such example.
Park Cakes and M&S remove non-recyclable plastic from the waste stream in the UK.
The award recognises the technical capabilities & properties of the IML-solutions used by RPC Superfos.
Challenge yourself and see if you can get a high score, maybe even 5 out of 5 correct answers. Ready?
The UK company Tangerine Confectionery is very satisfied with RPC Superfos.
Open-Door Day at RPC Superfos, La Genête, received many visitors.
Unleash your creativity now.
Rørosmeieriet, an organic dairy in Norway, successfully uses the EasySnacking™ pots.
The Italian company Carioca uses UniPak pails in Italy and Israel for felt-tip pens. The pails are 100% recyclable.
The PCR series from RPC Superfos is perfect for paint, varnishes, building materials, garden products, etc.
RPC Superfos relies on Eurofins for FCM compliance tests.
Plastic has a protective role and prevents food waste.
From France with love: Michel & Augustin launched a promotional pack for Valentine's Day
With Superfos packaging you get premium decoration techniques to make your brands stand out.
Exceptionally great and flexible decoration areas are at your disposal for representing your brand in a colourful, creative and razor-sharp way on your packaging. The goal is to enhance the end-user appeal of your brands.
We offer you the latest techniques within
I'm all round - ideal for both heavy and light content. My protective collar keeps me in shape no matter what you put me through. Get to know me better...


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Get Accepted to World Accelerator
Accelerate Your Success
World Accelerator
Four key benefits available to World Accelerator participants
Brand: Access to a top generic 'brand' domain name ensures an immediate and robust presence on the web, something businesses can invest substantial time and capital in achieving. This 'head start' opens doors, increases user retention and significantly enhances your potential for success.
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Involved Audience: The prominence of our domain 'properties' allow you to start off with an audience pre-disposed toward active engagement with your business concept.


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David Owen Belew Jr. (March 27, 1920 – November 21, 2001) was a United States federal judge.
Belew was born in Fort Worth, Texas. He received a B.A. from the University of Texas in 1946. He received an LL.B. from the University of Texas School of Law in 1948. He was in the United States Army Captain, 90th Infantry Division from 1942 to 1946. He was an assistant U.S. Attorney of the Northern District of Texas from 1949 to 1952. He was in private practice in Fort Worth, Texas from 1953 to 1979.
Belew was a federal judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Belew was nominated by President Jimmy Carter on February 9, 1979, to a new seat created by 92 Stat. 1629. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on April 24, 1979, and received his commission on April 26, 1979. He assumed senior status on May 7, 1990. Belew's service was terminated on November 21, 2001, due to death.


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This section covers the blending modes lighten, darken, luminosity, and color. Here are definitions of these blending modes when A is layered on top of B with the given blending mode:
- Lighten: Where A is lighter than B use pixels from A; otherwise, use pixels from B.
- Darken: Where A is darker than B use pixels from A; otherwise, use pixels from B.
- Color: Derive color values from A and luminosity from B.
- Luminosity: Derive luminosity from A and color from B.
The distinction of luminosity versus color is easiest to understand in the L.A.B. color model where luminosity has it's own channel. In L.A.B. a color blend takes the L channel from B while retaining the A and B channels from A. A luminosity blend does the opposite.
Note that in some important sense, Lighten doesn't actually make anything lighter. It merely chooses the lighter corresponding pixel from the two layers. If B is lighter than A the blend does nothing. Similarly, Darken may not actually make anything darker, it only selects the darker of the two layers. Dan Margulis remarks that really Lighten means don't darken.
photoshop tutorialblendingmodeslightendarkencolorluminositychannelblend


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| 12.8°C Dublin
In Bruges filmmaker Martin McDonagh has insisted he is perfectly normal - despite the dark subject matter he conjures up.
The writer and director's new film Seven Psychopaths is a gruesome black comedy full of damaged characters and graphic violence.
But McDonagh, who has also penned bleak yet funny theatre hits such as The Beauty Queen Of Leenane, said at the film's London premiere: "I'm really nice. I'm normal, because I get all the s*** out there and let other people deal with it."
The director enlisted Irish star Colin Farrell, who he worked with on In Bruges, to play a boozy writer in the film.
"Colin's a dream. He's a great actor, he's great fun to be around and he's got a lot of integrity. He's just such a nice guy," McDonagh said.
US star Sam Rockwell also attended the special screening for the Jameson Cult Film Club at the Oval Space in Bethnal Green, east London.
He plays an out-of-work actor who kidnaps dogs then returns them to their owners to receive the reward money.
Rockwell said of McDonagh: "He's a genius. He's a beautiful, amazing writer."
And he said it was easy to get into character for the movie. "I am a bit crazy myself so it wasn't hard," he added.
Seven Psychopaths is released in UK cinemas on December 5.
PA Media


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A little before last week's Pittsburgh-San Diego game became the bane of gamblers everywhere, I was thinking of the boon it was to sports books. More accurately, the roller coaster it provided inside those "books," which are really large rooms full of mostly men who should probably be somewhere else being more productive.
A little before last week's Pittsburgh-San Diego game became the bane of gamblers everywhere, I was thinking of the boon it was to sports books.
More accurately, the roller coaster it provided inside those "books," which are really large rooms full of mostly men who should probably be somewhere else being more productive.
Degenerate as they may be, the books can be wildly fun places at times. Seldom more so than late last Sunday afternoon.
The Chargers led 10-8 and Pittsburgh was driving for the win. Already drama.
Factor in the line — Steelers minus 4 1/2 or 5, depending on when you placed the bet — and no one knew who would cash. The Steelers had plenty of time for a touchdown, but we all know how mysteriously fond coaches are of winning games with kickers.
(Dick Jauron tried it Monday night, practically from midfield. How'd that go?)
Waning minute, Pitt inside the 10. Willie Parker doesn't get in the end zone on second down. Looked like Chargers bettors would collect. I thought they'd kick on 3rd.
What's this? Another run! He's in!
We're still not sure who will cash. Going for two would be reasonable there, even with 20-odd seconds left, the game now being 14-10 and there being utterly no difference between being up 4 or 5.
Never mind. Holding.
Kick after all. Chargers bettors win.
But wait again. Here comes the infamous last play, in which the way-too-energetic Troy Polamalu breaks up a lateral and takes it in with zeros on the clock.
Amazing! What a lucky cover.
You know the rest. They reviewed a play that had nothing to review. Somehow determined that LT's backward handoff, more or less, constituted a forward lateral on the play. (The only other one, Polamalu broke up, so who cares what direction it traveled?)
No matter, the officials said. Pittsburgh declines.
Wait, does matter, the officials said. Pitt somehow can't decline.
Not that it ever happened.
Based on published numbers — $10 million bet legally on the game, 75 percent on the Steelers — Vegas came away some $5 million happier.
You need not ask what side Inside the Lines was on.
Love 'em
RAVENS -1 vs. Eagles: I don't know if was an editorial comment or what, but Vegas opened the Eagles a pick-em here right after we learned Donovan McNabb and Co. didn't realize games could end in ties. (Getting less pub was the Bengals not knowing any game could end in anything but a loss.) In the name of humor, if that's what they were doing, the oddsmakers missed this line by about 7. BALTIMORE.
COWBOYS -10 vs. 49ers: The line is not intimidating because the Niners play an incredible amount of blowout games. They have a 3-point win and a 5-point loss and everything else has ended at 9 or more. Being that they're 3-7, you can guess how most turn out. DALLAS.
TITANS -5 1/2 vs. Jets: This line says only two points would separate these teams on a neutral field. An avowed non-Jets believer such as myself can't go for that. The Titans will stuff Thomas Jones, then pick off Brett Favre many times. TENNESSEE.
Like 'em, but I'm scared
SAINTS -2 1/2 vs. Packers: First-place team vs. last-place team. Yet they're both 5-5. Yet they're not the same. GREEN BAY.
Giants -3 at CARDINALS: Funny. When the Patriots "upset" the Rams for their first title, time proved it to be no upset at all. That's repeating, with the Pats on other side of the ledger. These champs are amazing. NEW YORK.
DOLPHINS -1 vs. Patriots: Nice touch by Parcells to write into his contract that the Fish never leave home. But eleven months ago, these two almost played a 15-0 vs. 0-15 game. Now the 0-15 is favored? I'm too slow-moving for that kind of adjustment. NEW ENGLAND.
I'll know more Monday
CHARGERS -2 1/2 vs. Colts: Peyton Manning had six picks out here last year. Then was probably worse losing to the Bolts in the playoffs. What does San Diego do, bring Steve Spurrier into the room a la the Sicilian brother in Godfather II? Something is spooky. SAN DIEGO.
Redskins -3 1/2 at SEAHAWKS: The Mariners were appalling. The Sonics left town. U. of Washington football essentially doesn't exist. Now the Seahawks look like the Bengals. This is a sympathy pick. SEATTLE.
I hate these games
JAGUARS -2 1/2 vs. Vikings: Both still alive in race for football's most disappointing team. But Jacksonville has a substantial lead. MINNESOTA.
FALCONS -1 vs. Panthers: If you're 8-2, as Carolina is, shouldn't you at least be good? Coming off four picks at Oakland (win) and a scramble past Detroit (win), the Panthers are thinking about a bye and homefield. I'm thinking — just saying it's possible, mind you — they might lose out and be 8-8. ATLANTA.
BRONCOS -9 vs. Raiders: But for a truly disgusting first-place team, look a mile high. Perhaps without all the injuries Denver would be, I dunno, ohhhhhhhh kaaaaaaaaaay. And the last two weeks have been fine. A collapse is coming, it being annual, but for now make it three good weeks in a row. Because silver and black means party time for Shanahan's team. DENVER.
Bears -8 at RAMS: The Rams are averaging being outscored by 17-plus. That's historic stuff, the kind of thing that makes your Indianas and UTEPs envious. It's so funny that smack-dab in the middle of it all, they utterly destroyed the Cowboys. The Bears can't play this franchise either, for whatever reason. ST. LOUIS.
Buccaneers -8 at LIONS: Another marginal team laying 8 points away. I can't take them both. DETROIT.
BROWNS -3 vs. Texans: Didn't mean to line up all my Bs at the end (Broncos, Bears, etc.). And now that I've wasted time saying that, I can avoid commenting on either team. CLEVELAND.
Bills -3 at CHIEFS: I need more time to find the words to describe how much I hate picking this game. Call me Tuesday or so. Hate it so much, I wrote Buffalo on Thursday and here on Friday, I'm switching to KANSAS CITY.
Last week: 6-9
Season: 66-87-4
Bill Liesse can be reached at email@example.com or (309) 686-3213.


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Christian Dior Fall 2012 Ready-to-Wear
The collections in Europe have made it exceptionally difficult to focus on the clothes. Not because there's lackluster design by any means—Paris and Milan have definitely delivered the goods—but because some of Fashion's most influential houses are in a state of limbo. The drama is distracting. With Raf Simons' last collection for Jil Sander shown a few weeks back in Milan, and Stefano Pilati's last showing for Yves Saint Laurent presented at the close of Paris fashion week, it's hard to focus on the here and now with so much uncertainty in the not-too-distant future.
Maybe that's why designers like Raf Simons and John Galliano are so talented. They both manage to suspend time for a moment, and bring all our attention to the possibilities and restrictions of dress. Bill Gaytten's latest collection for Dior was above all else a graceful bunch of directionless clothes. He has the difficult and temporary task of retraining fashion's eye to do without Galliano's bravado, and his shows are received with a hangover's gaze. His collection for fall 2012 was almost as neutral as his color palette. With cement, putty, black, and brown he composed a 56-piece show of simple, wearable clothes.
Because the lifespan of Gaytten's position at the top of one of the last living couture houses is coming to a swift and uncertain end, you could tell that he has a lot of difficulty, or reluctance, developing a narrative to sell us. Galliano had stability and the uncanny ability to captivate our imaginations, granting us the permission to dream, and dream big. With Gaytten's collections you always get the feeling that he's walking a tightrope, and his shows always fall on the safe side, which was territory Galliano made sure to steer clear of.
All that aside Gaytten's collection had tons of rack appeal. Delicate and approachable outerwear and A-line dresses were impeccably constructed and easily digestible, which is more a testament to the Dior's talented atelier than Gaytten's knack for interesting design. I liked his focus on pleats, diaphanous fabrics, and the traditional Dior oversized bow, but after being held within a dream state for so long there's bound to be some of resistance to unavoidable realities.
Follow @MooreKeesean


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Microsoft Integration Services
SSIS - Microsoft SQL Server Integration Services Training
This is a 4 day training course. In order to improve business intelligence capabilities, organisations must effectively and securely manage data migration across a myriad of platforms. In this course, you gain the skills to automate complex migration tasks and audit the success or failure of migration processes. In addition, this course helps you prepare for Microsoft professional certification exams.
This is a 4 day training course. In order to improve business intelligence capabilities, organisations must effectively and securely manage data migration across a myriad of platforms. In this course, you gain the skills to automate complex migration tasks and audit the success or failure of migration processes. In addition, this course helps you prepare for Microsoft professional certification exams.
On Request
Duration: 3 days
Introduction to Integration Services
- Defining SQL Server Integration Services
- Exploring the need for migrating diverse data
- The role of Business Intelligence (BI)
SSIS Architecture and Tools
- Managing heterogeneous date
- Leveraging the Extract, Transform and Load (ETL) capabilities of SSIS
- Running wizards for basic migrations
- Creating packages for complex tasks
- llustrating SSIS architecture
- Distinguishing between data flow pipeline and package runtime
- Executing packages on the client side or hosted in the SSIS service
- Bulletproofing a package with package environment configurations
- Simplifying deployments
- Switching between project and package deployment modes
- Deploying packages to the SSISDB
- Running packages from SQL Server
- Leveraging package parameters
Implementing Tasks and Containers
- Utilising basic SSIS objects
- Configuring connection managers
- Adding data flow tasks to packages
- Reviewing progress with data viewers
- Assembling tasks to perform complex data migrations
- Migrating multiple files with FOREACH container
- Operating system level tasks
- Copying, moving and deleting files
- Transferring files with the FTP task
- Communicating with external sources
- Sending messages through mail
- Processing XML
- Iterating XML nodes
- Writing XML files from databases
Extending Capabilities with Scripting
- Writing expressions
- Making properties dynamic with variables
- Utilising expressions in loop iterations
- Script Task
- Extending functionality with the Script Task
- Debugging, breakpoints, watches
Transforming with the Data Flow Task
- Performing transforms on columns
- Converting and calculating columns
- Transforming with Character Map
- Profiling, combining and splitting data
- Merge, Union, Conditional Split
- Multicasting and converting data
- Manipulating row sets and BLOB data
- Aggregate, sort, audit and look up data
- Importing and exporting BLOB data
- Redirecting error rows
- Performing database operations
o Executing a SQL task
Bulk inserting data from text files
To enable the delegate to Comprehensively use the SSIS Application.
- Conceptual understanding of OLAP solutions.
- Experience navigating the Microsoft Windows Server environment.
- Experience with Windows services (starting and stopping).
- Experience creating service accounts and permissions.
- Experience with Microsoft SQL Server, including:
- SQL Server Agent.
- SQL Server query language (SELECT, UPDATE, INSERT, and DELETE).
- SQL Server System tables.
- SQL Server accounts (users and permissions)
This training is designed for Report Developers, Data Architects and ETL Developers.
- On Site
- On Request
- London
- On Request
- Birmingham
- On Request
- Bristol
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- Cardiff
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