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There is much activity around South Bass Island and the village of Put-in-Bay over Labor Day weekend, 2013, since celebrations, re-enactments, tall ships, music and more are planned 08/29/2013 through 09/10/2013. The latter date is the bicentennial of the Battle of Lake Erie, in which the American ships under the direction of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry prevailed over the British fleet. This postcard depicts the monument which was erected in the early 1900s to commemorate the centennial of Perry's victory:
Sometime after March 3, 1919 and prior to June 13, 1920, the National Board of Memorial Commissioners published a fourteen-page Official Souvenir booklet entitled 'The Perry's Victory Memorial — Put-in-Bay — South Bass Island, Ohio'. The booklet is in the public domain, and the copy owned by the Library of Congress is available for viewing as a digital image or as plain text, and for downloading in PDF format. The publication is worth a look for its nine half-tone reproductions of period photographs. The plain text version of the document, however, is rife with typographical and punctuation errors, due to the inability of the optical character reader (OCR) to properly interpret the characters of the text. Example: 'Amund the walls <if the rotunda are carved stone tablets iji\-ins4- the names of the American shi])s, and the killed on board, engaged in the Battle o{ Lake Erie.' Here is the brochure text, with typos and punctuation edited to match the PDF version:
The Perry's Victory Memorial at Put-in-Bay, South Bass Island, Ohio, was erected under the auspices of the United States Government and the States of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, New York, Rhode Island, Kentucky and Massachusetts (the states being here mentioned in the order in which their Commissioners were appointed, except Massachusetts, which made no provision for Commissioners) in commemoration of the victory of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry and his men over the British fleet under Commodore Barclay in the Battle of Lake Erie, commonly called Perry's Victory, fought and won September 10, 1813; and in commemoration of the Northwestern Campaign of General William Henry Harrison in the War of 1812 and of the hundred years of peace ensuing between Great Britain and the United States. In connection with the construction of the Memorial, National and State legislation provided for a Centennial Celebration of the Battle of Lake Erie, which was duly observed under the direction of the Inter-State Board of the Perry's Victory Centennial Commissioners, September 9-10-11, 1913. These joint enterprises originated in legislation by the State of Ohio, the first Commissioners being appointed by that state in 1909.
The Memorial, plaza and approaches are constructed in their entirety of pink Milford granite from the quarries at Milford, Massachusetts. Its geological composition is particularly adapted to the objects of a monument destined to endure through the ages. The color effect is pure white. The foundations of the column and the plaza rest directly on rock. The Memorial stands on the isthmus of South Bass Island, overlooking the waters of Lake Erie and the scene of Perry's Victory off West Sister Island. The great Doric column rises 352 feet above the Lake level. It is the highest monument in the world, excepting the Washington Monument; the greatest battle monument in the world and the most massive column ever attempted by ancients or moderns.
The column is forty-five feet in diameter at the base and thirty-five feet and six inches at the neck; thickness of the walls at the base, nine feet and nine inches, and at the neck five feet. The diameter of the clear space in the interior of the column is twenty-six feet, six inches. There are seventy-eight courses of stone in the height of the column. Two flights of granite stairs built in the thickness of the walls afford communication between the four entrance vestibules adjacent to the rotunda and the elevator floor above it. At this level the elevator and staircase start and run to the top of the column. The elevator, protected by all modern safety devices, ascends in one minute. The stairway to the top is composed of 467 steps. From the upper platform a door leads to the outside parapet or spectator's gallery, capable of accommodating two hundred people in the open air. The entire column is lighted electrically.
From the parapet, 329 feet above Lake Erie, is disclosed a scene of unrivaled beauty. Surmounting the spectator's gallery is an imposing great bronze tripod, holding the beacon light of the Memorial, which is a glow upward. The tripod is of solid bronze, twenty-three feet in height, its greatest diameter twenty feet; weight, eleven tons; cost, $14,000. It was designed by the architects of the Memorial and cast by the Gorham Company, of New York. It supports a massive bowl for illumination purposes, the top of which is of ground plate glass one half inch thick, having two hundred incandescent lamps beneath it.
The main approach to the Memorial is from Put-in-Bay Harbor. The granite steps ascending to the plaza are sixty-seven feet wide. Entrance to the rotunda of the Memorial is obtained through four bronze doors marking the diameter of the column and facing the cardinal points of the compass. The rotunda is faced with Indiana limestone, and the floor of Tennessee marble, with a centerpiece and border in color. Beneath it, at a spot appropriately marked, repose the remains of the three Americans and three British officers killed in the Battle of Lake Erie, which for a hundred years lay buried on the shores of Put-in-Bay, where they were interred after the battle. They were disinterred by the Commissioners of the Memorial and placed in the Memorial with impressive services September 13, 1913. one hundred years from the date of their original burial on the shore. The seamen killed in the Battle of Lake Erie were buried at sea. The officers killed, whose remains now rest within the Memorial, were (Americans) Lieutenant John Brooks of the brig "Lawrence": Midshipman Henry Laub, of the "Lawrence." and Midshipman John Clark, of the schooner "Scorpion"; and (British) Captain Robert Finnis. of the brig "Queen Charlotte"; Lieutenant James Garden, of the Royal New Foundland Regiment, and Lieutenant John Garland. of the ship "Detroit." Around the walls of the rotunda are carved stone tablets giving the names of the American ships, and the killed on board, engaged in the Battle of Lake Erie.
Around the walls of the elevator floor above, on bronze tablets, are names of all persons engaged in the battle and who received prize money from the government in connection with it—507 names in all. The ceiling of the rotunda takes the form of a dome. At the main entrance are bronze tablets containing the names of the Federal Government, the States and their Commissioners participating in the erection of the Memorial. The Memorial is surrounded by a reservation of fourteen acres, five hundred feet in width between the waters of Put-in-Bay Harbor and those of Lake Erie. Operations to clear the site, originally an unbroken forest, were begun in June, 1912; ground broken for the construction of the Doric column, October 1st, 1912; cornerstone laid, July 4th, 1913; the Memorial opened to the public, June 13, 1915.
Including all items of incidental and necessary expense, the cost of the Memorial was approximately $700,000. For actual construction purposes the Federal Commissioners segregated from the United States funds, $240,000; the Ohio Commissioners, $126,000, and $20,000 additional for the improvement of the grounds; Pennsylvania, $50,000; Michigan, $25,000; Illinois, $30,000; Wisconsin, $25,000; New York, $30,000; Rhode Island, $25,000; Kentucky, $25,000; and Massachusetts, $15,000. Total, $611,000. These figures, however, do not include the necessary cost of the purchase of the Memorial site, of the architectural competition, superintendence of construction, fees for engineers, electrical conduits, retaining walls, and the organization necessary to promote and carry on the work over a period of years.
The architect and designer of the Memorial was Joseph H. Freedlander, of New York, with whom was associated A. Duncan Seymour, of New York. The successful design was determined in the largest architectural competition ever held in this country or Europe. The competitive designs were exhibited in the National Museum, Washington, and the judges of awards were the members of the National Fine Arts Commission, consisting of David H. Burnham, architect, Thomas Hastings, architect, Cass Gilbert, architect, Daniel C. French, sculptor, Frank D. Miller, painter, Frederick Law Olmstead, architect, and Charles Moore, art connoisseur. The Building Committee of the Memorial, authorized by the Inter-State Board of Commissioners, consisted of President-General George H. Worthington, chairman; First Vice-President-General Henry Watterson; United States Commissioner Nelson A. Miles; with Secretary-General Webster P. Huntington as secretary. The Doric column was constructed by J. C. Robinson & Son, of New York and Chicago, and the plaza and approaches by the Stewart Engineering Corporation, of New York, both under the supervision of Superintendent of Construction C. E. Sudler. The Custodian of the Memorial is S. M. Johannsen, of the Ohio Commission, residing at Put-in-Bay.
The Commissioners appointed by the President of the United States and the Governors of the States participating in the erection of the Memorial organized the Inter-State Board of the Perry's Victory Centennial Commissioners at a meeting held at Put-in-Bay, September 10th, 1910. This organization has since continued and is now known, by act of Congress, as the Perry's Victory Memorial Commission. At the period of the Centennial Celebration in 1913 it was composed of the following Commissioners:
General Officers: President-General, George H. Worthington, Cleveland, Ohio; First Vice-President-General, Henry Watterson, Louisville, Kentucky; Secretary-General, Webster P. Huntington, Columbus, Ohio; Treasurer-General, A. E. Sisson, Erie, Pennsylvania; Auditor-General, Colonel Harry Cutler, Providence, Rhode Island; Financial Secretary, Mackenzie R. Todd, Frankfort, Kentucky.
Commissioners: For the United States Government, Lieutenant General Nelson A. Miles, U. S. A., Ret., Washington, D. C.; Rear Admiral Charles H. Davis, U. S. N. Ret., Washington, D. C.; Major General J. Warren Keifer, Springfield, Ohio.
Ohio: John H. Clarke, George H. Worthington, Cleveland; Webster P. Huntington, Columbus; S. M. Johannsen, Put-in-Bay; Eli Winkler, Nicholas Longworth, Cincinnati; Horace Holbrook, Warren; William C. Mooney, Woodsfield; Horace L. Chapman, Columbus; George W. Dun, Toledo.
Pennsylvania: A. E. Sisson, Milton W. Shreve, Erie; Edwin H. Vare, Philadelphia; T. C. Jones, McKeesport; George W. Nefi, M. D., Masontown.
Michigan: George W. Parker, John C. Lodge, Detroit; Arthur P. Loomis, Lansing; Roy S. Barnhart, Grand Rapids; E. K. Warren, Three Oaks.
Illinois: William H. Thompson, James Pugh, Richard S. Folsom, Nelson W. Lampert, Adam Weckler, Chesley R. Perry, William Porter Adams, Willis J. Wells, Chicago; General Philip C. Hayes, Joliet; W . H. Mcintosh, Rockford ; H. S. Bekemeyer, Springheld.
Wisconsin: Rear Admiral Frederick M. Symonds, U. S. N. Ret., Galesville; John M. Whitehead, Janesville; A. W. Sanborn, Ashland; Louis Bohmrich, Milwaukee; C. B. Perry, Wauwatosa; S. W. Randolph, Manitowoc; Sol P. Huntington, Green Bay. (Joseph McBell, Secretary, Milwaukee.)
New York: William J. Conners, George D. Emerson, William Simon, John F. Malone, Edward D. Jackson, Buffalo; Simon L. Adler, Rochester; Martin H. Glynn, Albany; Clinton B. Herrick, M. D., Troy; William F. Rafferty, Syracuse; William L. Ormrod, Churchville; Jacob Schifferdecker, Brooklyn.
Rhode Island: John P. Sanborn, Newport; Louis N. Arnold, Westerly; Sumner Mowry, Peace Dale; Henry E. Davis, Woonsocket; Colonel Harry Cutler, Providence.
Kentucky: Henry Watterson, Colonel Andrew Cowan, Louisville; Samuel M. Wilson, Lexington; Colonel R. W. Nelson, Newport; Mackenzie R. Todd, Frankfort.
The General Officers of the Inter-State Board have been annually re-elected since 1910.
The Memorial and Reservation are the property of the United States Government, and the Reservation a national park, both under the direction and control of the Perry's Victory Memorial Commission, created by Act of Congress approved by President Wilson March 3d, 1919. The property contained in the Reservation was originally purchased from private owners, for the objects to which it has been dedicated, by condemnation proceedings brought in the name of the State of Ohio, and the title vested in that State. By act of the General Assembly of Ohio the property was ceded to the United Slates, and the title was accepted on the part of the United States by the Act of Congress referred to.
The view from the top of the Memorial is never forgotten by those who have had the privilege of ascending. By day the picture grows upon the senses with charming allurement, while night reveals a fairyland of starlit skies, shadowy forms and shimmering reflections.
From an architectural standpoint the Memorial is one of the great works of the ages, happily destined to endure as long as any reared by human hands. Scientifically, it has been the subject of unbounded admiration on the part of experts of both hemispheres. The public has not been slow to realize the educational value of a visit to Put-in-Bay and the Memorial. The Island is readily accessible by daily boats from Sandusky, Toledo, Cleveland and Detroit. The throngs of visitors to the Memorial therefore naturally include many organizations and societies. Special rates for transportation and hotel accommodations may always be obtained.
The present-day (2013) name of this National Park is "Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial".


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Super-Efficient ADU Complete in Portland
The accessory dwelling unit (ADU) market is alive and well in the Concordia neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. People like these tiny structures — sometimes referred to as backyard cottages, granny flats, or laneway houses — because they can be leased out or used to accommodate an expanding family situation. And, as these structures grow in popularity, they're getting greener, too. For instance, check out this high-performance ADU built by Hammer & Hand and designed by Departure Design.

subset: commoncrawl


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Beginner HTML5:
Semantics: Part 1
Semantics: Part 1
Welcome to the Beginner HTML5 tutorial part 1! In this tutorial I'm going to cover some of the new updates and changes made to the HTML specification with version 5.
Although not officially ready for release by the W3C, we can still have some fun using some of the new elements.
In part 2 I will go over HTML5 Content Models and the proper way to use some of the new elements introduced here in part 1.
***NOTE: This tutorial although beginner in scope, does assume you have some knowlege of HTML4, or XHTML. Either way, a little understanding will help comprehend some of the changes/updates that HTML5 is featuring. I also breifly touch on some microformats and how HTML5 applies to them but you don't need to know about them as they arn't totally relevant for the scope of this tutorial but maybe a google search couldn't help? END NOTE***
So, what's the deal with HTML5?
Theirs going to be some new players in town besides our span, em, abbr, strong, et al. Not too many, nothing someone couldn't handle. Except now we don't call them "inline" anymore, instead they describe "text-level semantics". Catchy, I know. So lets meet some of the new guys and check out what they bring to the web designer's markup. Their are four that are more used than others:
Element 1: mark -he's a good friend!
I don't know about you all personally, but I use Google all the time. While searching you'll often see your searched term highlighted within results. To do this you could mark up every instance of the search term with a span element, but spans hold no semantic value. Their great for when you need to drop in those hidden classes, or put a wedge between some div's, but not here. You could even use em or strong but all of these wouldn't be semantically correct. You don't want to place any importance on the search term, just emphasise its location relative on the page so you can find it.
Tada! Enter, the mark element:

Search results for 'magical'

 Riding the magical unicorn across the rainbow of the internet.

The mark element doesn't attach any importance to the content within the tags, other than to show that it's currently selected. HTML5 Spec says: mark element "denotes a run of text in one document marked or highlighted for reference purposes, due to its relevance in another context." You could use mark element in contexts other than search results to achieve a highlighting effect, but examples off the top of my head, I got nothing.. Oh! You could... Naw, just kidding.
Element 2: time -never enough of you!
hCalendar is among the most popular microformats because it provides an invaluable resource for marking up events so that users can add them straight to their calendars. Oh yeah, the good stuff. The only annoying part with hCalendar is describing dates and times in a machine-readable way. I like to describe dates as "May 20th" or "next Friday" but parsers expect ISO date format: YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss. Talk about ugly and annoying to write each time.
Using HTML5, insert the time element instead:
<time datetime="1902-01-13"> January 13th, 1902 </time>
The time element can be used for dates, times, or combinations of both:
<time datetime="17:00">5pm</time> <time datetime="2011-04-07">April 7th</time> <time datetime="2011-04-07T17:00">5pm on April 7th</time>
You don't have to put the datetime value inside the datetime attribute but you then must expose the value to the end user:
Element 3: meter -how do you stack up?
The meter element is for markup of measurements and only if those measurements are part of a scale with minimum and maximum values.
<meter>9 out of 10 cats</meter>
You don't have to expose the maximum value. You can use the max attribute instead:
<meter max="10">9 cats</meter>
There's a min attribute as well as: high, low and optimum attributes too. If you want, you can even hide the measurement itself inside a value attribute:
<meter low="-273" high="100" min="12" max="30" optimum="21" value="25"> It's quite warm for this time of year for 25 degrees! </meter>
Element 4: progress -we're making some right now!
The progress element allows you to markup a value that is "in the process of changing", which on the internet is a lot of items:
Your profile is <progress>60%</progress> complete.
Once again like meter element, you have min, max and value attributes if you want to use them:
<progress min="0" max="100" value="60'></progress>
Semantic Changes
Google, in 2005, did some research to find out what common names web developers were giving inside their markup. An awesome uber parser looked at over a billion web pages and calculated the most common class names. The results...didn't shock anyone. Class names such as "header," "footer," and "nav" were among the highest charted.
These overused semantics allow for a nicely crafted segway to the new structural elements introduced in HTML5.
Semantic Element 1: section
In a nutshell, the section element is used for grouping together "contextually-releated content". Hold up, yes I know we have div elements but listen, the major difference is that a div element has no semantic meaning at all! None! It doesn't tell you anything about the content its holding unless you give it a clever ID (like "main_content" or something...) but even then this is only for us humans, not a web browser. So, the section element is used explicity for grouping related content, and is more semantically correct than just a plan div. You might be able to replace SOME of your div elements with section elements, but remember to ask yourself, "Is all of the content related?":

Intro to HTML5

It's what you're learning, RIGHT NOW! In book format.

By Another McGuy

Semantic Element 2: header
The HTML5 specification describes a header element as the container for "a group of introductory or navigational aids." Sure, why not right? Usually the logo/site text and main navigation are always somewhere within a header but there is a critical difference between the header element in HTML5 and the generally accepted use of the word "header." In previous versions of HTML and XHMTL you only see one header on a page, but a document can have multiple header elements. You can use the header element within our new section element, for example:

Intro to HTML5

It's what you're learning, RIGHT NOW! In book format.

By Another McGuy

A header will usually appear at the top of a document or section since you want a header for your site, but it doesn't have to. It is defined by its content-introductory or navigational aids-rather than its position on the page.
Semantic Element 3: footer
Like the header element, footer sounds like it's a description of position but, this isn't the case either. The footer element should contain information about its containing element: who wrote it, copywrite information, links to related content, etc. Again though, like with header above, the difference with our HTML5 footer element is that we are used to usually having one footer for an entire document, HTML5 allows us to have multiple by placing footers within a section.

Intro to HTML5

It's what you're learning, RIGHT NOW! In book format.

By Another McGuy

Semantic Element 4: aside
Just as the footer element matches the concept of something which usually migrates to the bottom of a page, the aside element matches the concept of a sidebar. But, I'm not referring to position. Just because some content appears to the left or right of the main content isn't enough to use the aside element. Once again, its the content that matters not position. Think of it more of an "aside" from English class. A character in a story would have an "aside" in his head about the current context which only the character (and reader) would know about. Like having a conversation with someone and while they're talking, you're thinking to yourself: Wow, this guy is a jerk!. That, is an aside... from english class. So how does this relate?
The aside element should be used for contextually related content. If you have a chunk of content that you consider to be separate from the main content (our "jerk" statement), then the aside element is probably the right container for it. Ask yourself if the content within an aside could be removed without reducing the comprehension of the main content of the doucment or section (if you didn't think about the talking man being a jerk, does that change what he's telling you at all?).
The answer is no, it shouldn't.

Intro to HTML5

It's what you're learning, RIGHT NOW! In book format.

By Another McGuy

 "This book was so awesome! It helped me learn the in's and out's of HTML5 without too much fuss! I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn HTML5!" -Another Dudeostopoilous

The blockquote here is a good example of related content. Like the jerk comment above you can remove the quote without affecting the comprehension of the main content. So, aside = NOT A SIDEBAR, you don't usually put quotes or a "Comment Now" box in a sidebar, do you? I didn't think so unless it's some crazy design for some "amazing" clients. It's common on blogs and some forums to place an author bio in a sidebar but that kind of data is best suited to the shiney new footer element- the HTML5 specification explicitly states "authorship information" as footer element material. So please, make the connection happen and help poor footer element out.
But Google's parser information didn't lie, you should be ecountering websites that, a majority of the time, use a header for the top, footer for the bottom, and sections all around with relevent content inside. But then their are other sites which do not. Watch out for them! They will turn you towards the semantic dark side...
and in this case, it's totally not cooler. I swear.
Semantic Element 5: nav
The nav element does exactly what you think it does. SURPRISE! It contains navigation information, usually in the form of styled unorderd lists I hope. Actually, I should state that the nav element is intended for "major navigational information" like the main site's navigation. Just because a group of links are grouped together in a list isn't enough reason to use nav. If I see this, I will hunt you down.
Quite often, a nav element will appear within a header element. That makes sense when you consider that the header element can be used for "navigational aids." So don't freak if you see this.
Semantic Element 6: article
I like to think of header, footer, nav and aside as being underling forms of the section element. A section is any amount of related content, while headers, footers, navs, and asides are chunks of specific kinds of related content which could be inside a section. The article element is a specialized kind of section. Use it for "self-contained related content." The hard part is figuring out what exactly constitutes "self-contained." Don't worry, its not confusing, ask yourself if you would syndicate the content in an RSS or Atom feed. This is a good indicator. If the content still makes sense standing on its own without the help of the main content to fill in the who,what,why,when,where.. and how, then article element is probably the right element to use. In fact, the article element is specifically designed for syndication! Thank you HTML5 Spec.
If you use a time element within an article, you can add the optional pubdate Boolean attribute to show that it contains the date of our publication:

Intro to HTML5

It's what you're learning, RIGHT NOW! In book format.

Published <time datetime="2011-04-11T20:10" pubdate> 8:10pm on April 11th, 2011 </time>
By Another McGuy

If you have more than one time element inside an article, you can only use the pubdate attribute ONCE, remember that markup Jedi.
The article element is useful for blog posts, news stories, comments, reviews, and forum posts as well and it also covers exactly the same useage cases as hAtom microformat which is a nice benefit.
If you actually take the time to read the massive volume which is the full HTML5 specification it will tell you the article element should also be used for self-contained widgets: stock tickers, calculators, clocks, weather widgets and other similar items.
When I hear smack-talk about HTML5 it's usally because everyone is confused about the difference between proper usage of article and section elements. All that seperates them is the word "self-contained." Deciding which element to use would be easy if there were some hard and fast rules. But alas, it's a grey zone. Designer's interpretation. You can have multiple articles within a section, you can have multiple sections within an article, you can nest sections in sections and articles within articles. Guess who get's to make the call about which to use when, properly.
The Wrap-Up
HTML5 gives us a new structural elements to bend to our design force and they're especially crafty if you're putting together a "good" website. You can now replace SOME of your div elements with more semantically precise structural elements but don't go crazy. I don't want to see div elements dissapear overnight! Don't swap all your div elements for shiny new HTML5 elements just for the sake if it. It should be semantically correct for the content you're marking up. They provide web browsers with a completely new way to understand your content. Not for you to say goodbye to our good friend div.
In part 2, I'll review some HTML5 Content Models and how to code some HTML5 markup properly using new elements we learned here and some that wern't covered. I hope you enjoyed this introduction into HTML5, happy coding!


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K Bryde necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 73 diseños de 22 diseñadores freelance.
Novel Approach
I am an independent jewelry designer. My materials are high end (gemstones/metals). I make each piece myself (metalsmith) and they are my original designs. I think strong can be feminine and I love the impact of a monochromatic palette. I am a fan of negative space and I also like layering and repetition. My design background started in interior design so my jewelry has to be pleasing from every vantage point. You can see my work at novelapproachdesigns dot com. I use black when presenting my jewelry - on the website, physical displays, packaging - because I want the jewelry to be the only story.
High end boutiques. Women who are trend conscious but want quality. My market is the "statement piece" accessories market.
I want a really cool logo! :) I think the "feel" of the logo I'd like is described pretty thoroughly in my "about yourself" section. I do not want any literal artwork - a cool design with the name is good and some abstract graphic but no graphic that is identifiable (rings, flowers, etc.). My tag line is "au courant jewelry designs" so the logo needs to be modern and unique. I need something that can be used digitally or in print. Again, my existing website (it is planned for a makeover as well!) is novelapproachdesigns dot com. Thank you!!
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


text:
State denies Sandy aid to coastal homes
Still struggling to get back on their feet more than a year after Superstorm Sandy, which displaced many shoreline residents of Connecticut, none of them will receive funds to move their homes to higher ground under the latest round of emergency aid.
The state sent out rejection letters Monday to 94 applicants from Greenwich to East Haven, who requested a total of $18 million to elevate their homes through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
The amount of funds available to the state for hazard mitigation is $16.6 million, however.
The state says the money would be better spent hardening infrastructure such as seawalls, bridges, levees and wastewater treatment plants, a decision that has baffled the leaders of a number of coastal towns and owners of the most vulnerable homes.
A seawall project to protect Seaside Park in Bridgeport is in contention for funds, as well as planned improvements to the Beaver Brook wastewater treatment plant in Milford and a levee upgrade for Fairfield.
"I sometimes think, `Why am I even trying?' " said Charlotte Schmid, a homeowner and grant applicant whose house in Milford was condemned after the October 2012 storm. Milford had the most applicants with 28.
All Schmid says she has to show for her efforts is a file cabinet full of paperwork for a home that is uninhabitable. Her mortgage payments haven't stopped. Neither have her tax and insurance bills.
"I've been sitting here waiting patiently and complying, and I haven't seen anything yet," said Schmid, 48, who is renting a small apartment in West Haven.
The state Department of Emergency Services & Public Protection defended its funding criteria, saying that there are at least two other avenues for residents to move their homes out of harm's way with public assistance, including a Shoreline Resiliency Fund announced by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy on the first anniversary of Sandy.
The decision to prioritize infrastructure improvements over individual home projects came down from a 10-member committee, with each major state agency having a representative on the panel, as well as the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities.
"The committee felt that the hardening of infrastructure would provide the greatest benefit for the most number of people with the limited funds available," said Scott DeVico, a spokesman for the state's public safety agency.
The competition for hazard-mitigation funds was characterized by the state as fierce, with $45.1 million in proposed infrastructure work representing the bulk of $81.6 million in total requests.
"All projects are looked at equally and on their merit," DeVico said.
Five of the applicants requested $8.6 million in funding so municipalities could buy condemned properties from their owners, while another 17 applicants requested $9.8 million for generators.
Of the projects still in the running for funds, final decisions have not been made by the committee, which assigned a top ranking to infrastructure projects, followed by land acquisition and then elevating homes.
"For many homeowners this is the final option for getting their home rebuilt," said Michael Tetreau, the first selectman of Fairfield. "We're going to explore every option because that just seems like bureaucracy at its worst."
Fairfield had the third-most applications, with 25.
"They've made their priorities without any input or feedback from the first selectmen down here," said Tetreau, who, like the governor, is a Democrat.
In Fairfield, a project to expand an existing flood-control levee system is still in the running for the same grant program. The project is still in its infancy, without a design or specific cost estimate, Tetreau said.
"There's no way that should be prioritized ahead of people raising their homes," Tetreau said. Fairfield is a member of CCM, the New Haven-based municipal lobbying coalition with a representative on the committee. So are the other municipalities affected by the decision.
Local officials say they expended considerable time and resources because they had to submit the applications on behalf of the homeowners.
"It was definitely eye-opening that no municipality had a single applicant granted," said Daniel Warzoha, Greenwich's emergency management director. "That's very disappointing. I think it sends some pretty poor messaging from the state to the people who pay taxes in this state."
Greenwich First Selectman Peter Tesei, a Republican, said there was a disconnect between the stated goals of the program and the decision.
"Then why promote this as a program to help residential homeowners if they weren't even going to seriously consider it?" Tesei said. "I think it just diminishes people's trust in the state government."
Officials in Greenwich, which submitted 27 applications, sent a letter Monday to the state asking it to reconsider.
Applications denied on their merits cannot be resubmitted, however.
The state reported 10 applications from homeowners in Westport, though the town said the number is 24 because of consolidation.
"Everyone is very upset," said Andrew Kingsbury, Westport's fire chief.
No one mentioned that applications from individual homeowners would take a back seat to major infrastructure projects, Kingsbury said.
"I'm certain that we wouldn't have spent the effort and time to submit these applications ahead of time if we knew that," he said.
In Westport, a project to repair a bridge in the Saugatuck Shores neighborhood near the Norwalk border is also in contention for funds.
"We certainly didn't want to do that in lieu of our residents," Kingsbury said. "We wanted the funding to go to the folks that are affected by these disasters."
In late 2013, Malloy's administration secured $2 million in seed money for the Shoreline Resiliency Fund, a low-interest loan program that some in state government say could grow to $25 million. An estimate was not available for the governor's office.
"It will be part of the governor's legislative agenda in the upcoming session," said Andrew Doba, a spokesman for Malloy.
email@example.com; 203-625-4436; http://twitter.com/gettinviggy
Staff writer John Burgeson contributed to this report.


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The gorging on quickly to be devalued debt was the absolutely last thing the Greek banks needed as they were suffering from a classic run on the bank due to deposits being pulled out at a record pace. So assuming the aforementioned drain on liquidity from a bank run (mitigated in part or in full by support from the ECB), imagine what happens when a very significant portion of your bond portfolio performs as follows (please note that these numbers were drawn before the bond market route of the 27th)…
The same hypothetical leveraged positions expressed as a percentage gain or loss…
This was quite easy to see coming as those who downloaded the following subscription material can attest:
- Greek Banking Fundamental Tear Sheet
- A Review of the Spanish Banks from a Sovereign Risk Perspective – retail.pdf
- A Review of the Spanish Banks from a Sovereign Risk Perspective – professional
- Banks exposed to Central and Eastern Europe
- Spanish Banking Macro Discussion Note
This will get much, much worse before it starts to get better. Even those who chose not to pay for the research had plenty of free research to see the path of current events months in advance, they just didn't get the specific banks/securities referenced with fundamental value ranges. Reference:
The Coming Pan-European Sovereign Debt Crisis – introduces the crisis and identified it as a pan-European problem, not a localized one.
What Country is Next in the Coming Pan-European Sovereign Debt Crisis? – illustrates the potential for the domino effect
The Pan-European Sovereign Debt Crisis: If I Were to Short Any Country, What Country Would That Be.. – attempts to illustrate the highly interdependent weaknesses in Europe's sovereign nations can effect even the perceived "stronger" nations.
The Coming Pan-European Soverign Debt Crisis, Pt 4: The Spread to Western European Countries
Financial Contagion vs. Economic Contagion: Does the Market Underestimate the Effects of the Latter?
"Greek Crisis Is Over, Region Safe", Prodi Says – I say Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!
Here are some more MSM news clips that drive the points home:
- European Stocks Erase 2010 Gain on Debt Contagion; Commodities, Euro Fall
- VIX Rises With VStoxx on Concern Debt Crisis to Spread to Portugal, Spain
- Greek Rescue Doubts Spur Rise in Sovereign Default Risk on Contagion Bets
- Is Spain the Next EU Country To Tumble Into a Debt Crisis?: Spain risks falling into the same trap as Greece unless it takes more forceful action, some investors tell the New York Times.
Oh yeah, Spain. This is where our hard core stuff truly comes into play - Spain public finances projections_033010 - real answers to real questions, without the bias and BS.
So, were the opportunities described actionable? Let's take a look...
300% gains on STD June '10 12.5 puts
100% to 150% on the NBG Aug 2.5s
150% to 300% or so on BBVA Oct. 15 puts.
And there's plenty more to go under several different opportunities (subscription only)...
- Actionable Intelligence Note For All Paying Subscribers on European Bank Research – This was certainly one very timely call!!!
- Italian Banking Macro-Fundamental Discussion Note
- and now introducing.....
The BoomBustBlog Sovereign Contagion Model
Nearly every MSM analysts roundup attempts to speculate on who may be next in the contagion. We believe we can provide the road map, and to date we have been quite accurate. Most analysis looks at gross claims between countries, which of course can be very illuminating, but also tends to leave out many salient points and important risks/exposures.
In order to derive more meaningful conclusions about the risk emanating from the cross border exposures, it is essential to closely scrutinize the geographical break down of the total exposure as well as the level of risk surrounding each component. We have therefore developed a Sovereign Contagion model which aims to quantify the amount of risk weighted foreign claims and contingent exposure for major developed countries including major European countries, the US, Japan and Asia major.
I. Summary of the methodology
- We have followed a bottom-up approach wherein we have first identified the countries/regions with high financial risk either owing to rising sovereign risk (ballooning government debt and fiscal deficit) or structural issues including remnants from the asset bubble collapse, declining GDP, rising unemployment, current account deficits, etc. For the purpose of our analysis, we have selected PIIGS, CEE, Middle East (UAE and Kuwait), China and closely related countries (Korea and Malaysia), the US and UK as the trigger points of the financial risk dissemination across the analysed developed countries.
- In order to quantify the financial risk emanating in the selected regions (trigger points), we looked into the probability of the risk event happening due to three factors - a) government default b) private sector default c) social unrest. The probabilities for each factor were arrived on the basis of a number of variables determining the relative weakness of the country. The aggregate risk event probability for each country (trigger point) is the average of the risk event probability due to the three factors.
- Foreign claims of the developed countries against the trigger point countries were taken as the relevant exposure The exposures of each developed country were expressed as % of its respective GDP in order to build a relative scale for inter-country comparison.
- The risk event probability of the trigger point countries was multiplied by the respective exposure of the developed countries to arrive at the total risk weighted exposure of each developed country.
- Sovereign Contagion Model - Retail - contains introduction, methodology summary, and findings
- Sovereign Contagion Model - Pro & Institutional - contains all of the above as well as a very detailed methodology map that explains what went into the model across dozens of countries.
Latest Pan-European Sovereign Risk Non-bank Subscription Research
- Ireland public finances projections_040710
- Spain public finances projections_033010
- UK Public Finances March 2010
- Italy public finances projection
- Greece Public Finances Projections
The Pan-European Sovereign Debt Crisis, to date (free):
1. The Coming Pan-European Sovereign Debt Crisis – introduces the crisis and identified it as a pan-European problem, not a localized one.
2. What Country is Next in the Coming Pan-European Sovereign Debt Crisis? – illustrates the potential for the domino effect
3. The Pan-European Sovereign Debt Crisis: If I Were to Short Any Country, What Country Would That Be.. – attempts to illustrate the highly interdependent weaknesses in Europe's sovereign nations can effect even the perceived "stronger" nations.
4. The Coming Pan-European Soverign Debt Crisis, Pt 4: The Spread to Western European Countries
5. The Depression is Already Here for Some Members of Europe, and It Just Might Be Contagious!
6. The Beginning of the Endgame is Coming???
7. I Think It's Confirmed, Greece Will Be the First Domino to Fall
8. Smoking Swap Guns Are Beginning to Litter EuroLand, Sovereign Debt Buyer Beware!
9. Financial Contagion vs. Economic Contagion: Does the Market Underestimate the Effects of the Latter?
10. "Greek Crisis Is Over, Region Safe", Prodi Says – I say Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!
11. Germany Finally Comes Out and Says, "We're Not Touching Greece" – Well, Sort of…
12. The Greece and the Greek Banks Get the Word "First" Etched on the Side of Their Domino
13. As I Warned Earlier, Latvian Government Collapses Exacerbating Financial Crisis
14. Once You Catch a Few EU Countries "Stretching the Truth", Why Should You Trust the Rest?
15. Lies, Damn Lies, and Sovereign Truths: Why the Euro is Destined to Collapse!
16. Ovebanked, Underfunded, and Overly Optimistic: The New Face of Sovereign Europe
17. Moody's Follows Suit Behind Our Analysis and Downgrades 4 Greek Banks
18. The EU Has Rescued Greece From the Bond Vigilantes,,, April Fools!!!
19. How BoomBustBlog Research Intersects with That of the IMF: Greece in the Spotlight
20. Grecian News and its Relevance to My Analysis
21. A Summary and Related Thoughts on the IMF's "Strategies for Fiscal Consolidation in the Post-Crisis
22. Euro-Gossip Debunked, Courtesy of Trichet and the IMF!
23. Greek Soap Opera Update: Back to the Bailout That Was Never Needed?
24. Many Institutions Believe Ireland To Be A Model of Austerity Implementation But the Facts Beg to Differ!
25. As I Explicitly Forwarned, Greece Is Well On Its Way To Default, and Previously Published Numbers Were Waaaayyy Too Optimistic!
26. LTTP (Late to the Party), Euro Style: Goldman Recommends Betting On Contagion Risk In Portuguese, Spanish And Italian Banks 3 Months After BoomBustBlog
27. Beware of the Potential Irish Ponzi Scheme!
28. How Greece Killed Its Own Banks!


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Comprising over two million micro-mirrors that reflect pure light through the color wheel, the highly durable DLP chip is rated to last over 100,000 hours without degradation. Due to the incredibly high precision of the micro-mirror design, the DLP chip experiences little to no aging or heat damage, ensuring fresh, crisp images for the duration.
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BenQ's exclusive SmartEco™ Technology saves energy consumption up to 70% as well as extends lamp life up to 160% compared to non-DLP projectors. Saving energy means saving money. With BenQ SmartEco™, you'll be able to reduce your monthly electric bill.
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BenQ's exclusive SmartEco™ Technology is an ingenious solution that heightens the viewing experience. It automatically adjusts lamp brightness based on content, enhancing brightness and contrast to produce the best possible picture quality. In this way, BenQ DLP Projectors are able to project deeper true blacks, increasing contrast for clear text and subtle details.
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text:
Deaf Interpretive Services
Area of Study: Deaf Interpretive Services
Degree/Certificate: Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Deaf Interpretive Services
About Deaf Interpretive Services at Tri-C:
Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is the only college in northern Ohio offering a program in Deaf Interpretive Services (DIS) leading to an Associate of Applied Science degree. The program provides students with knowledge in the area of deafness and Deaf Culture, as well as skills in American Sign Language (ASL), other sign language systems and methods of interpreting/transliterating. The program curriculum focuses not only on employment in educational settings but also with various community-based interpreting opportunities.
Deaf Interpretive Services Curriculum:
The curriculum consists of on-campus didactic, interactive and lab instruction as well as off-campus practicum applications at affiliated community and academic institutions. The program focuses on two areas of study – Sign Language and Interpreter Training. Sign Language courses provide the knowledge of ASL as a foreign language as well as English-based sign systems. Interpreter Training courses provide the interpreting/transliterating skills necessary for students to seek K-12 State licensure from the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) upon graduation, and National Interpreter Certification (NIC) after gaining experience working as an interpreter.
The program offers specialty training in the following areas: ASL; interpreting; transliterating; voicing; and practicum experience hours. Coursework includes interpreting fundamentals, introduction to interpreting settings and orientation to the Deaf community, language and culture. Included are practical application classes in rendering spoken messages into ASL through role-playing and observation of interpreters in different settings. Hands-on experience is gained through lab work and field study including visitations, interviews
The DIS program equips students with the tools and information to sit for the knowledge portion of the National Interpreter Certification (NIC) exam as well as providing the fundamentals to prepare them for the performance/skills portions of the NIC Exam, which is typically sought after three to five years of experience in the field. Per the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) website, eligibility requirements include, "A minimum of a bachelor degree in any field of study recorded in the candidate's RID account BEFORE TESTING. This applies to ALL NIC Interview and Performance Exam candidates, including those who already hold RID certification." Please see www.rid.org for further information on the NIC exam. The DIS program also acquaints students with the appropriate RID Code of Professional Conduct. In addition to the AAS degree, the program is accredited by ODE for those interested in pursuing a career in the K-12 school setting. Upon completion of the program, students will be eligible to apply for state licensure through ODE for K-12 interpreting.
Graduates of the program may find work as an educational interpreter, a self-employed freelance interpreter, agency staff interpreter, video relay interpreter and/or interpreting in other areas such as business, medical, government and post-secondary education.
Check out the article about Tri-C Professor, C. Jean Mosley Hall, in the Tri-C Times Magazine.


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Anthony DiBlasi's movie Dread may be compelling for folks who haven't read the Clive Barker story that inspired it, but anyone who admires the grand guignol audacity of that story will likely be disappointed by the film.
There's plenty to praise in the movie, though, and before I detail why I think Diblasi's screenplay tames the story and saps it of any interesting meaning, I do want to make it clear that my objection is primarily to the screenplay. The cinematography and production design are often excellent, sometimes strikingly so -- every wall in this film seems rich with texture, the colors and lighting are frequently more evocative than anything going on in the plot, and some of the framing of shots is gorgeous (what's in the frame is often grimy or grotesque, fitting the events of the story, but the image composition is nonetheless beautiful). And there's some good gore, too.
The acting isn't as bad as it could be, either, especially given some of the lines the actors have to deal with. Not having seen the Twilight movies, I wasn't familiar with Jackson Rathbone, but he delivers a likeable and sometimes surprising performance, quirky and light, a bit reminiscent of young Johnny Depp. The problem most of the actors face is that the script nearly requires them to seem self-indulgent, like acting students practicing audition monologues.
The problem, yes, is the script.
(Below, I'll be talking about the plot of the movie and story, including the ending. Go away now if you don't like that kind of talk.)
The original Barker story focuses primarily on the relationship between Stephen and Quaid as Quaid makes Stephen an accomplice to his ever-more-sadistic attempts to study people's fears. Stephen then becomes one of Quaid's subjects of study, this pushes him into insanity, and he becomes exactly the creature Quaid himself most feared -- and Quaid ends the story tortured, consumed by dread, yearning for the relief of death. Stephen triumphs over Quaid and achieves power, but he loses his sanity, which is his sense of himself and his knowledge of his own motivations.
In the movie, Stephen is, at the end, subjected to some of Quaid's tortures, but he doesn't go insane. He chooses to resemble something he knows (or at least strongly suspects) Quaid fears -- a man wielding an axe -- after a friend, Abby, mutilates herself in response to Quaid's taunting. Stephen feels some guilt for not better protecting Abby and for rejecting her offer of love. One of Quaid's other victims is also in the hospital, and he is insane. He sees Stephen, remembers he was associated with Quaid, and follows him when Stephen goes to Quaid's house. The insane boy, Stephen, and Quaid stalk each other, the boy misses in his attempt to kill Quaid and instead kills Stephen, and Quaid blows the kid's brains out. Quaid then goes to another room to visit one of his other victims, Stephen's girlfriend Cheryl, who suffers the same torture she does in the story, but who has not been set free in the world as she is in the story -- instead, Quaid keeps her locked up and drops Stephen's dead body into the room with her, implying this is all he's leaving her to eat.
It's an amusing enough ending in its gleeful sadism, but it's also a cop-out. It renders Quaid victorious and renders Stephen ineffectual -- he's revealed to be the failure he's pretty much seemed to be throughout the film. Nothing he does amounts to anything. He knows this, and he dies knowing it.
The film is too enamored of simple psychological explanations for everything. Quaid is a sadistic psychopath because he watched his parents be killed by an axe murderer. Cheryl is a vegetarian because of scarring experiences when she was younger. Abby is self-conscious because of a birthmark that covers half her body and makes her afraid that she will never be seen as "normal". Most of the various people who are filmed for Quaid and Stephen's fear project have fears tied to particular experiences. It's all very tidy.
This is in contrast to the original story, where only Stephen's fear is given much explanation. In the movie, that fear and some of that explanation are given to the kid who kills Stephen, and Stephen is given just a basic fear of death because his brother died in a drunk driving accident.
It's vastly more disturbing, though, for only one character in a story to have explicit motivations than for everyone to be as explicitly motivated as they are in the movie. When I said the script nearly requires the actors to seem self-indulgent, this is what I meant: that it does what basic acting exercises do and gives the characters very clear motivations for Big Stuff that allows the actors to explore major emotions. Actors, particularly young and less experienced ones, tend to love that sort of stuff -- it lets them emote, it lets them show off. Later, if they have some training and some skill, they'll learn that good acting actually works to counter those desires, but unless actors are intuitive geniuses, they tend to need to go through the first stage, and a lot can be learned from such work. But a director does actors a disservice by putting such moments in a finished film.
Interestingly, there's a moment in the movie that suggests some knowledge of this. Quaid attacks one of the subjects and reveals that she's made it all up because she thought it would be good material for her audition reel. The thing is, nothing in her behavior suggests she's much different from anybody else who has been a subject, including Cheryl. This is one of the most compelling moments in the movie -- for a second, it seems possible that everyone is lying to Quaid, embellishing the traumas of their lives because they know they're in front of a camera and so are aware, to some extent at least, of their performance. Quaid, in his lust for the right sort of fear, can't tell. He then tortures people, making real what was previously just pretend.
Alas, the movie doesn't follow this idea through. If DiBlasi wanted to change the conclusion of the story, that would have been a more effective and compelling approach than the one he took. He destroys the wonderful peripeteia of the original story, jettisons the power of the over-the-top surreal insanity by bestowing it on a minor character, and replaces it all with a fatalistic conclusion to a psycho-drama. There's lots of filmmaking talent on display in Dread, but it's mostly wasted by the script.


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Brent, maybe we should get a little support group together to try and help eachother refrain from this dark temptation that is GG. Whatchya' think?
Wow, just gonna let that one sit as the last post on that page, Matt? You must be taking your OCD medication, or sumthin'...
Brent is too old cool of a guy to do that to, so I didn't.
Youse guys still have to make it this far.
Quote from: Morgbug on April 6, 2004, 01:21 AMYouse guys still have to make it this far.OK, Jar Jar.
My bad Dave! Do accept my most humble apology, good sir! Any leads on a decent Boba and/or Vader prices anyone? I keep staring at these, and wanting them more and more. I need to expand into the more "mature" Star Wars collectibles market anyway, so this is definitely a good line to start with...ARGH! My wife's gonna kill me!!! QuoteThe OT busts are all there at AFX, except one:I don't see the Vader or the Fett there Adam. Am I just missing it/them?
The OT busts are all there at AFX, except one:
Quote from: JediMAC on April 6, 2004, 01:27 AMQuote from: Morgbug on April 6, 2004, 01:21 AMYouse guys still have to make it this far.OK, Jar Jar. No, I think "youse guys" lends itself more toward like a Brooklyn/Joisey gangster accent, whereas "yousa" is more of the gaywad Jar Jar-speak.
At the risk of sounding like Patty, these things are smaller than I thought they would be.
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Blessed Peter Armengol
- Pere Ermengol
- Peter Armengaudius
- Peter Ermengol
- Pietro Armengaudio
Born to the nobility, Pietro wasted his youth in dissolute living, and rode for a while as a brigand and thief. His band once tried to hijack his father's entourage, which caused the young man to re-evaluate his life. He had a conversion, and joined the Mercedarians in 1258.
From that point on he worked tirelessly to ransom hostages. Personally took the place of 18 captured Christian children. and endured enough torture for the entire group, including being hanged until his tormenters thought he was dead. He survived the experience and retired to the convent of Saint Mary of the Meadows, but it, and the life of pain he led as a result of the torture, led to his being considered a martyr.
- "Blessed Peter Armengol". CatholicSaints.Info. 27 April 2017. Web. 29 May 2020. <>


text: Use Google to Search Certain SitesIf you really like a web site but its search tool isn't very good, fret notGoogle almost always does a better job, and you can use it to search that site with a simple operator. For example, if you want to find an old Lifehacker article, just type site:lifehacker.com before your search terms (e.g. site:lifehacker.com hackintosh). The same goes for your favorite forums, blogs, and even web services.


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True Beatles passion gave fans at Abbey Road on the River the needed kick to start the holiday weekend when Meet the Beatles UK hit the Fountain Stage just after 10 pm Thursday evening. New to the Abbey Road on the River line-up, Steve Hemming (Paul McCartney), Lee Hambridge (John Lennon), Dave Hambridge (George Harrison), and Christopher Webb (Ringo Starr) made the more than 10 hour plane ride to participate in the largest Beatles inspired festival.
By Friday afternoon, at half past twelve, Meet the Beatles UK were at 4th Street Live! to play the free lunch concert, following Hal Bruce. After a short rest, the gents were on stage again at 7 pm, on the Lawn Stage. After the final show Sunday evening on the Fountain Stage, Meet the Beatles UK had played 6 sets in full costume, with the sun offering 90 plus degree heat. The time and attention to detail spent recreating an epic band experience was clear as the chords were as precise as the period clothing and instruments. Cues were hit spot on, with the traditional bow following the earlier period songs.
The newcomers were great sports about the shows and loved seeing all the Beatles fanatics over the weekend. The crowds were in line to have photos taken with the band and the lovely British accents won the hearts of many. As the weekend progressed, the size of their crowd grew as word quickly spread around the venue about Meet the Beatles UK. Notably, Dave Hambridge (George) was frequently mentioned as a superior guitarist by more than one festival goer.
Steve Hemming took his place as Paul seriously, learning to play bass as a lefty-which is no small feat for a natural righty. Christopher Webb (Ringo) is the just the opposite as he is a lefty, yet plays right. Lee Hambridge (John), has the personality of John Lennon and lets it come through on stage. Dave Hambridge (George), is an articulate guitarist with a voice very similar to George Harrison. Steve took a few moments to chat after their set Sunday evening, "this is the greatest thing in the world to us", in a charming British dialect. "We can't wait to come back. We love it". Louisville native and famed Abbey Road keyboardist, Mark Bayer of RAIN joined lads for sets as their keys guy-adding a nice studio feel to the live performances.
The mates talked about the language barrier while here in town, "People asked if we're Aussies, or staying in character. I was a bit difficult to understand people when we arrived, but we managed", Lee commented. "The accents aren't too thick since we are from the midlands, but phrases and words have different meanings here in the states", Steve said. Christopher added, "I find myself speaking more British here than I do at home." Meet the Beatles UK did not let language deter them meeting new friends at Abbey Road, participating in the all night sing alongs.
Meet the Beatles UK is known as the "Ultimate Fab Forgery" in England where they lads routinely play at festivals, parties, and of course, The Cavern Club. Lee and Dave, along with Steve and Chris insist on playing Beatles music straight, that is they do not insert their own interpretations into their shows. Complete costuming, instruments, and melodic voices come together to welcome the audience as a part of the show.


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Driving over the hills behind Buchan and down the windy dirt road that leads to Murrendale Park homestead, it's easy to imagine what travellers on the Cobb and Co. coach would have seen in the late 1800s. Much of the landscape, including the homesteads buildings, hasn't changed.
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The main house remains largely intact due to its thick limestone walls, made from rock found in the area.
Even though winds rip through the valley and have torn up trees in the past, the house has survived for over a hundred years.
Only recently parts of the verandah, which stretches around both of the buildings, had to be repaired.
A fence made of rock still wraps around the grounds, the iron entrance gates and wooden posts are still the same.
Most of the houses 10 rooms retain their original shape, although the butchers shop and dairy building have been renovated into the one room which is now a kitchen.
A room once used for smoking fish and baking bread is now a loungeroom, but one look behind the brick fireplace reveals a large oven filled with cobwebs and soot.
Cora Prices lives at Murrendale Park and the property has been in her late husband Terry's family for generations.
"It's always been a party house," she says.
It seems that the homestead has quite the reputation for holding good shindigs.
Murrendale Park was built by a local man named Bricky for James Dickson in 1860.
Mr Dickson was a businessman who saw opportunity in the homestead location along a stock route and the road for the Cobb and Co. coach.
Drovers and travellers weren't disappointed by its hospitality as it provided accommodation with a sly grog shop on the side.
Local historian Leona Lavell says many of the older women from the area tell tales of being sent to the homestead for a couple of months to live it up.
"All our single girls, they came up here and I'm surprised... how [parents] ever let them come to the sly grog shop I don't know!," she says.
There is even buried treasure at Murrendale Park.
Cora says gold sovereigns were planted underneath the foundation stone of the house and over the years many people have tried to fossick for them.
When James Dickson lived at the homestead its estimated over forty thousand cattle and sheep passed through, you can even see the stock route track which passes in front of the main house.
The property is still a working farm to this day.


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This is a strange story.
In a bizarre attempt to avoid a 50-game drug suspension, San Francisco Giants star Melky Cabrera created a fictitious website and a nonexistent product designed to prove he inadvertently took the banned substance that caused a positive test under Major League Baseball's drug program.
The other day I was considering writing a post about Cabrera's honesty following his positive test and 50-game suspension. It's rare that a player caught doping admits it. The public demands it and pretends they'll hold it against him in a different way, but they don't. Still, I appreciated the honest statement.
My positive test was the result of my use of a substance I should not have used. I accept my suspension under the Joint Drug Program and will try to move on with my life. I am deeply sorry for my mistake and I apologize to my teammates, to the San Francisco Giants organization and to the fans for letting them down.
Although I wasn't surprised at the reports of the cover-up, I was disappointed. Here was a guy who got caught, admitted it, accepted the suspension even though it greatly hurts the Giants chances of reaching the playoffs and wants to looks forward to moving on. It's not often I find myself caring about what these athletes say or do, but I found his comments regarding this more sincere and honest than any other by a long margin.
This new report sheds an entirely different light on what happened. Cabrera, like most athletes, wasn't sincere in apologizing. He was, perhaps, sorry he got caught, but probably only because it's likely to cost him money down the road. Then again, maybe it already made him more money than he deserved.
But instead of exonerating Cabrera of steroid use, the Internet stunt trapped him in a web of lies. Amid the information-gathering phase of his doping case last month, his cover story unraveled quickly, and what might have been a simple suspension has attracted further attention from federal investigators and MLB, the Daily News has learned.
Famed steroid cop Jeff Novitzky, a criminal investigative agent for the Food & Drug Administration, and agents from MLB's Department of Investigation have begun looking into Cabrera's associates and his entourage, including trainers, handlers and agents, as they search for the source of the synthetic testosterone that appeared in a sample of the All-Star Game MVP's urine.
Rather than admit it, accept the punishment and move on, Cabrera, it seems, was willing to go to great lengths to cover this up. He has reportedly gone to such lengths that might result in further punishment. Maybe even legal issues.
Maybe not.
Sam and I absolutely had no knowledge or dealings with anyone at anytime associated with the website," Seth Levinson said in an email to The News. "I will state unequivocally and irrefutably that any payment made to the website does not come from ACES (their New York-based sports agency, Athletes' Career Enhanced and Secured Inc.)
I was the only one who had dealings with the website," Nunez said. "Neither Seth nor Sam had any dealings with the website, nor did anyone else in the firm.
All I know right now is that this is the strangest case yet that MLB has had to deal with. Whether or not Cabrera was involved in the cover-up, he's going to pay a price for it. Perhaps not legally, but financially he will.


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Blake Heymans, 2005-2007
Blake majored in business management and a focus in Marketing at Saint John's University. He is a second-generation Johnnie as well as a second-generation entrepreneur. Blake draws much of creativity and innovation from his parents, who own two restaurants. He believes there is a balance between work and personal life, and his motto is, "Work hard, Play hard." In high school, Blake was the captain of the soccer and tennis teams, and he earned All-state and All-conference honors in both. Blake believes the discipline required of each sport is what has shaped his character. He enjoys working as a team but respects and admires those who standout in individual work. Blake was born in London, England and has always had a passion for travel and experience of different cultures.
Blake gained adaptability and direction through his time at Saint John's University, and believes his education will open the door to the rest of his life as an entrepreneur. He joined the Entrepreneur Scholars program because he believes it is the best path to his goals.
Blake was the Operation's Manager and the General Manager of Clemens Perk, the Entrepreneur Scholar started and run coffee shop on the campus of the College of Saint Benedict. In those roles he oversaw all of the operations of the coffee shop and led the management team. Blake was also on the Tennis team for St. John's.


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Wednesday, May 23, 2012 - 1:45pm
Constantinos Daskalakis, X-Window Consortium Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT and a principal investigator at the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), has been named a 2012 Microsoft Research Faculty Fellow. Microsoft Research Faculty Fellowship grants are awarded to promising young researchers around the world in recognition of their groundbreaking, high-impact work that has the potential to help solve some of today's most challenging social problems.
Daskalakis' research focuses on "computational problems at the interface of computer science and economics," in particular those relating to the design and study of the Internet. In addition to being a computational platform, the Internet also serves as a complex economic system lacking centralized governance. To gain a better understanding of its operation, computer scientists, such as Daskalakis, are applying economic principles to this field.
Through his research, Daskalakis hopes to gain a better understanding of "what is happening in complex economic environments and how to design systems that have good properties when economic and computational phenomena take place at the same time."
As part of this research, Daskalakis is examining the applicability of economic concepts such as the Nash Equilibrium to the study of complex economic systems. His research has shown that the Nash Equilibrium, which had been the crown jewel of equilibrium concepts in Game Theory since the birth of this field, might actually not arise in practice, making its use unjustifiable or irrelevant from a practical perspective.
On the design aspect of the Internet, Daskalakis is performing research on the design of auctions. Building off of work by Nobel Laureate Roger Myerson, who along with Leonid Hurwicz and Eric Maskin laid the foundations of auction design theory, Daskalakis and his students recently presented a new theory for the formerly elusive problem of when and how multiple items should be sold at auction under differing market conditions.
As for being named a recipient of a Microsoft Research Faculty Fellow grant, Daskalakis explained that it is an honor to have his work recognized and supported.
Daskalakis completed his undergraduate studies in Greece, at the National Technical University of Athens, and obtained a PhD in Computer Science from UC Berkeley. After Berkeley he was a postdoctoral researcher at Microsoft Research New England, and has been on the faculty of MIT since 2009. Daskalakis is an affiliate of the Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems (LIDS) and the Operations Research Center (ORC) at MIT.
The Microsoft Faculty Fellowship Program encompasses more than 40 academic researchers whose exceptional talent for research and innovation identifies them as emerging leaders in their fields. The Microsoft Research Faculty Fellows also have access to other Microsoft resources, such as software, invitations to conferences, and engagements with Microsoft Research.


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I would've celebrated with (2) small Dairy Queen Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Blizzards (yes, 2), but I had forgotten today was the day until after DQ closed. I suppose there's always the '2-year, 1 day' anniversary...
It completely slipped my mind until I got an incredible message from a new friend in Canada, more about that later.
So 2 years ago today I made the switch, I took the plunge, I changed course, I....you get the point!!
I was so apprehensive. Very scared. The thought of the added supplies, the changing of the infusion sets every few days, and the tubing....oh....the awful tubing! But I had just reached a point of willingness to try. I was relatively sure it would be a short-lived experiment, but I reasoned, 'if I give it a try I can finally get all those people who harp at me (a.k.a. LOVE ME) off my back.'
You know, people like my wife, my mom and dad, my sisters, my closest friends...people that...don't know me that well?? Apparently that was my though process (crazy in retrospect). Anyway, I gave it a whirl for them, and to combat the erratic blood sugars, constant 'chasing' of highs and lows, crummy, low-energy feelings, and possible onset of complications.
Now, let me break it down here. There have been some monumental events in my life that have shaped me (no, it's not the dairy queen blizzard's I'm referring to here!!).
-I am a Christian, and my relationship with Jesus has been entirely faithful on His end, spotty on mine. Yet it's that relationship and grace that have given me eternal security.
-My marriage is the 2nd most important relationship in the world to me (after the Lord), and I am blessed here as well.
-Every parent knows the birth of your child(ren) is pivotal, as it was for me. Especially our youngest son Nate, who has Down syndrome (read more about him here on my wife's blog).
-The pump.
Yes, you read that right. The Lord, the family, the pump.
And here's something else for you: EVERY relationship is affected by the pump, because when my levels are balanced I am more effective in every context. The pump is that life-changing.
So after 2 years, here's my review:
The insulin pump is the next best thing to the cure. It is so convenient to operate, easy to hide (if you so desire), and masterful at balancing your blood sugars that I firmly believe EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE WORLD that has diabetes should be on it!
Again, look back on this blog. Read my story. I was dead-set against it. I would say, "I'll take 20 shots a day over the pump." Total ignorance.
Do you enjoy shots? I mean, really? For that reason alone, make the switch! But again, it's not about how it looks, whether or not the screen is color, or how easily you can hide it. It's about your quality of life - how you feel.
I have never met a person who has said, "I want to be the worst me I can be." Of course that's lunacy. Who would say, "I want to be a less effective parent?" or "I like my moodiness and short-temper!" The pump WILL help you in all those areas and more. If the pump changed my life, I know it can change yours.
Let me be clear, you will have to learn to use it. It does require you to interact with it. Just like all diabetes management, education is key. But the tools are there for you. Take them, use them, and FEEL BETTER. It's time, NOW, today - no more excuses, no more delays. Do it for your family. Do it for your co-workers. Do it for your friends. Do it for your health.
Here are some of the people I did it for:
Back to the message from Canada. I was so encouraged earlier tonight to receive this e-mail. In part, it reads,
"...You don't know me, but my name is xxxxxxx and I live in Ontario Canada.
I want to pause here for a moment and thank those that have patiently waited for me to make this switch - you know who you are. Also, to the many people who either purposely or accidentally stumble across this blog, I am so grateful to you. Your comments and feedback, both publicly and privately are instrumental to this forum.
I love you all!
2 year review insulin pump grade: A+
My friends, until next time either get, or keep pumpin....


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|This was taken at my 35th birthday party. I had lost a lot of weight at this stage in my life. I think it was the period of my life when I looked and felt the best.
Went looking for something in my photo box the other night and found these. They made me smile at first, brought back many memories. Then, I was forced to look in the mirror and ask the question,"What Happened? 30 years and a lot of eating Fried Chicken and Doughnuts. Two of my favorite things in the world. As I have kinda retired, moved to the country, settled in and have cut myself off from the world. It is the truth. I am sure a lot of us do this in our Golden Years. I am not proud of it, wish I could do better. Most days I see no one, talk to no one and no one sees me. When I am forced out into the public view, I panic, as I do not fix myself up so much anymore. No excuse. Lazy I guess.Don't buy cloths, get a hair cut, once a year, need it or not. I hope seeing these pictures, writing this post, will make me do better. I don't count on that much, but will promise myself to try.
|I was 31 in this picture. I was giving a tour of my home,"Rose Haven," located in the Soulard district of St.Louis.
I have 5 brothers and one sister. All my brothers are mostly bald. Even my younger brother, Nathan, I was 12 when he was born. That hair line goes way back there . My father had some hair when he was young. I have pictures of him with a grand head of hair. He was not bald when he died, but had thinned and was a way back there in the front. I blamed there hair loss on wearing hats. I never liked wearing a hat. I don't wear hats and I have HAIR.Growing up in farm country, on a farm, every one, but me, wore hats. One of my pet pees today is, people wearing hats when they eat. Yes, my family does. I complain and they act like I am nuts. Maybe I am? We go out to eat, they wear hats. We eat at home, there's or mine, and they wear hats. My little brother has a really nice new love interest. First time we meet, I pulled her aside and mentioned the hat thing. Next time we got together to eat, my brother had no hat. Maybe I have done some good?? He might not think so.
|This was taken at the flea market in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Notice the hair!!!!
Actually I have had a weight problem most of my life. My whole family are big people. On the farm where I grew up, we worked hard and had three huge meals a day. I mean huge, including cake, pie, homemade ice cream and biscuits and gravy. I still love all this stuff. My body does not burn it up like it did working on that farm. Now days I set in my chair and BLOG! I am from a family of men ,who all are 6 foot tall and big boned.My mother was shorter, about 5 foot 6. but she too had a problem with her weight. She had 7 kids, give her break. She was a wonderful cook. I long for some of her food. I'd be even bigger then.
|At a Christmas party 1981, more hair!
The older we get, the harder it is to loose weight. Everything I eat goes to fat. I have more double chins than a Chinese phone book. Living alone makes it even harder. It is no fun to cook and eat by ones self, so I eat junk food, frozen stuff and lots of carry outs. It is a cop out, but I don't see me making any big chances soon. Maybe come spring. Right????
|This was taken on a Ferry Boat in the Hamptons. I lived in Sag Harbor and had a shop in East Hampton. Friends and I were on our way to Shelter Island to the Rams Head Inn for dinner. I was starting to take on weight. This was 1997.
Thanks for listening and taking a trip back in time with me. Come visit Sissy and me anytime. I will always leave a light on and Sissy Dog will give you a jump and a kiss. Happy weekend. Richard
|Me and Sissy Dog today. Many years latter, but I still have HAIR!


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Momentum stocks tumble; Nasdaq falls more than 2 percent
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[April 05, 2014]
By Caroline Valetkevitch
NEW YORK (Reuters) — Momentum shares
like Netflix and TripAdvisor sold off sharply for a second straight
day on Friday, giving the Nasdaq its worst day since February and
leaving investors anxious about how much further they may fall.
The big drop in momentum stocks overshadowed the day's relatively
strong March jobs data, which helped the Dow and S&P 500 hit
intraday record highs early in the session.
Nasdaq's 2.6 percent loss follows a nearly 1 percent slide on
Thursday and puts the index more than 5 percent below its closing
high for the year, which was set on March 5.
The day's action in momentum names — typically high-growth companies
mostly in the tech and biotech sectors that led 2013's rally — extends their recent selloff, which investors mostly have been at a
loss to explain.
"For the past couple of weeks, the high-beta, high-risk, high-reward
type plays have been underperforming the larger-cap S&P 500 and even
the Dow," said Joe Bell, senior equities analyst with Schaeffer's
Investment Research in Cincinnati.
He said it doesn't necessarily mean a longer-term pullback is in
store for the market, but he pointed out that "in the short term,
it's a concern. I think you want to see some of those names come
back into leadership here."
The S&P 500's biggest percentage decliners included some Nasdaq
names: E*Trade Financial <ETFC.O> slid 7.8 percent to $20.43;
Netflix <NFLX.O> dropped 4.9 percent to $337.31, and TripAdvisor <TRIP.O>
fell 6.1 percent to $85.69.
Price-to-earnings ratios for the momentum names typically are much
higher than average. For instance, TripAdvisor's P/E is 42.5 and
Netflix's is 87.8, while the P/E for the S&P 500 is 15.4, according
to Thomson Reuters data.
The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> fell 159.84 points or 0.96
percent, to close at 16,412.71. The S&P 500 <.SPX> lost 23.68 points
or 1.25 percent, to finish at 1,865.09.
The Nasdaq Composite <.IXIC> ended at 4,127.726, down 110.014 points
or 2.6 percent, its worst daily percentage loss since February.
For the week, the Dow rose 0.6 percent and the S&P 500 gained 0.4
percent, while the Nasdaq fell 0.7 percent.
Momentum names appeared to stabilize earlier this week before
resuming their decline on Thursday.
Two weeks ago, Gilead Sciences' stock <GILD.O> dropped after U.S.
lawmakers asked it to explain the $84,000 price tag of its new
hepatitis C drug Sovaldi, and that decline set off a wave of losses
in other biotech and momentum names.
"Technically, the S&P and Dow look much stronger than the tech
indices," Bell said.
[to top of second column]
The Nasdaq biotech index <.NBI> dropped 4.1 percent to 2,356.60. The
index is down about 18 percent from its lifetime high reached in
For the day, Biogen Idec Inc <BIIB.O> dropped 4.5 percent to end at
$288.27, while Gilead Sciences <GILD.O> slid 2.4 percent to close at
Earlier in the day, the S&P 500 touched a lifetime high of 1,897.28,
the third time this week that the index set an intraday record,
while the Dow hit an intraday record high of 16,631.63.
The government's nonfarm payrolls report showed a solid pace of
hiring for a second month, suggesting the economy appears to be
recovering from a winter slowdown.
Employers added 192,000 jobs in March, just shy of the 200,000
forecast, after hiring 197,000 in February. The unemployment rate was unchanged
at 6.7 percent, according to the report.
Shares of Halozyme Therapeutics Inc <HALO.O> plunged 27.3 percent to
close at $8.43 after the company said it was temporarily halting
enrollment of patients and dosing of its cancer drug in a mid-stage
trial on patients with pancreatic cancer, after the recommendation
of an independent safety committee.
Decliners beat advancers on the NYSE by 1,987 to 1,043 and on the
Nasdaq by 2,217 to 446.
About 7.6 billion shares changed hands on U.S. exchanges, well above
the 6.3 billion average so far this month, according to data from
BATS Global Markets.
(Editing by Bernadette Baum, Nick Zieminski and Jan Paschal)
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Picked up my Motel package that had been waiting me for well over a week in the sorting office earlier today. I got sent a few items from Motel but threw this shirt on as soon as I got it out the packaging. It's so cute! IT HAS A ICE CREAM CONE PRINT! How adorable is that! I've gone off shirts a bit recently but this one has to be a new favourite!
Today I scheduled all my posts over my two blogs for my Holiday which was strange. Im pretty organised but I didn't realise how much I'd prepared to go away! Tomorrow Im getting my hair cut and coloured for my Holiday at the Lisa Sheperd Salon (might be saying RIP to the Ombre hair!) and possibly venturing to Lovebox if the weather holds out. Its not looking very positive at the moment though! I need to pick up a few more things for when I go away and then pack my suitcase! Im off on Tuesday, and with the weather like it is at the moment it can't come soon enough!


text:
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text:
From MyLabWiki
Emsat is a real-time satellite tracking and orbit predictions application for the Maemo platform. The objective is to provide a full featured satellite tracking application that can support portable satellite communications.
User Interface
The user interface must be intuitive so that the user can use the basic functionality of the app without reading any manuals. The HIG[1] will be taken into account.
All function must be reachable using touchscreen only.
Functional Requirements
- Track objects in space
- Earth orbiting satellites
- Interplanetary spacecraft using data from JPL Horizon
- Sun, Moon, other planets?
- Uses location from built-in GPS (default)
- User can specify a fixed location
- Lat/Lon/Alt
- Select a city (OVI map?)
- Maidenhead grid square
- Future passes can be saved to calendar with reminder option
- Built-in calendar
- Gmail (TBC)
- Emsat built-in scheduler
- Voice announcements
- 5 minute before pass
- At AOS, TCA, and LOS
- Every minute while satellite is in range
- Logging support
- Text (TBC)
- Voice record (TBC)
- Video record (TBC)
Interface Requirements
- Doppler tuning
- Full duplex: IC-910, IC-9100, FT-847, TS-2000
- Simplex: IC-706, IC-7000
- Receiver: FT-817, FT-857, FT-897
- Antenna rotator tracking (is this relevant for portable ops?)
- Electrical interface
- Bluetooth
- WiFi


text:
Soma Tea is unique blended tisanes, that balance the body, mind and spirit. The word Soma in itself has a beautiful meaning; it is a term that denotes 'nectar', 'moon', 'heaven', and 'sky'. Soma, literally translates to 'the nectar of the moon'. In the Vedas, Soma refers to those qualities that provide us with peace, bliss and harmony. Thus, Rigveda (the most ancient of any scripture in the world) states in verse 1.91.22 that:
"O Soma, You alone create the medicines that heal us. You alone create the water that quenches our thirst. You alone create all moving objects, sense organs and living beings and also give us this life. You have provided expanse to this universe and you alone enlighten the world to eradicate darkness."
Pretty intense, I love it!
Free shipping in the continental United States!


text:
There's a little bottle of champagne in Willemijn Verkaik's dressing room. It sits unopened - she's already plenty giddy.
Verkaik, a Dutch actress who has played the role of Elphaba in versions of "Wicked" in Germany and Holland, last month made her debut on Broadway as the green-skinned witch for a 15-week stint.
"This is the top. This is what little girls dream of," the actress says backstage before a recent performance at the Gershwin Theatre. "You never dare to dream of the possibility to be here. It's great."
It's been a long road for the singer who has played Elphaba for more than 1,000 shows since 2007. She started with a two-year stint in Stuttgart in southern Germany, before jumping to the western German city of Oberhausen for a year, then made a triumphant homecoming in the Dutch city of The Hague, where she played Elphaba for about 18 months.
That run ended in mid-January and the creative team from the Broadway show, which had cast each European production, tapped Verkaik to come to New York. She is now the only actress to have performed the role of Elphaba in three languages - Dutch, German and English.
"It's a tremendous feat. It's her third language. Who else can do that?" asks Lisa Leguillou, the show's associate director, who helped prepare Verkaik in every city beginning in Stuttgart. "I have a tremendous amount of respect for her. I'm seeing a whole other performance here. It's taking her out of her comfort zone and it's allowing her to find new things in her Elphaba."
Leguillou is soon off to cast and direct a South Korean version of "Wicked." If she has trouble finding a suitable Elphaba, might we suggest one who speaks Dutch, German and English?
"I know!" Leguillou laughs. "I told the creative team, `I don't know. She's so good, maybe she can learn Korean. You know Willemijn - she'll learn it in four weeks.'"
"Wicked," based on Gregory Maguire's cult novel, tells the story of two young witches-to-be, one a green brooder who will be the Wicked Witch of the West and the other blond and bubbly, who will be Glinda the Good Witch.
With a score by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman, "Wicked" has been one of Broadway's biggest success stories since it arrived in 2003 starring Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda and Idina Menzel as Elphaba. The newest Broadway Elphaba thinks she knows why it's so unstoppable.
"It tells you a lesson that people can recognize from their own lives, even if it's in the Land of Oz - to believe in yourself and to stay true to yourself," says Verkaik. "I think a lot of people in the audience get that and that's why they keep coming back. And that's why it works in Holland and Germany and Singapore and here."
Verkaik, 37, was born and raised in The Netherlands outside the city of Eindhoven. In school she was taught both German and English; she brushed up on each before tackling Elphaba in Germany and now on Broadway.
"Of course, people will always hear a little bit of Dutch maybe in it but I always try to be as accent-free as possible," she says. "For me, it's nice. I love to work on those kinds of things."
She grew up playing the flute, sang in school and suspects she got some of her musical talent from her father, semi-professional classical singer. She studied at the Rotterdam Conservatory and had the hope of one day becoming a pop singer.
Life took her to musical theater and now she's found herself singing one of musical theater's best anthems - "Defying Gravity." (Or "Ik Lach Om Zwaartekracht" in Dutch and "Frei und Schwerelos" in German.)
Which is the most beautiful version? "It flows so well in the English language because that's the original language," she says. "So I would say the songs flow at their best in English."
Verkaik has been to New York before but only as a tourist. In 2011, she sang "Defying Gravity" in all three languages at the legendary Birdland Jazz Club with Schwartz on piano. This time, she hopes to visit the American Museum of Natural History and the ground zero memorial.
She says the cast of the Broadway mothership have been warm since she made her debut Feb. 12, hosting a small party in her honor and handing over that champagne, which she plans to open after her run concludes. "They are wonderful. I felt so welcome and everyone has said whenever I need something I can just reach out," she says.
On her debut, her husband - a saxophone player who plays in the orchestra pit of a show in Germany - was there, as were her parents. "It's been a journey. A great one," she says.
Despite knowing the role inside and out, there have been some things she still had to get used to. The Broadway set has a new flight of stairs and the fervent fans of all things Oz are special.
"Everyone here knows the story of `The Wizard of Oz' so well. In Holland and Germany that's a story that people maybe know but it's not that every child in every school gets it read to them," she says. "That's the biggest difference."
She heads back to Holland in May without a job lined up but with the hope of finishing her second dream: A debut solo pop album, which will likely be in English.
She credits "Wicked" with teaching her to believe in her heart.
"It told me to trust it," she says, smiling.
Wicked: https://www.wickedthemusical.com/
Verkaik's site: https://willemijnverkaik.nl
Verkaik singing in three languages: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v5b08qLLa7bk
Follow Mark Kennedy on Twitter at https://twitter.com/KennedyTwits


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Because... The Toyota SUV Range
'Because' is often an excuse, a reason not to do something. 'Because I'm busy' or 'because it's too far'. But what if we lived life without excuses? If every new adventure was relished, not refused?
Our range of best SUVs, including efficient Hybrids, means no more excuses. 'Because' is now the reason to go further, see new places and experience more. Toyota is the SUV brand that says, 'what are you waiting for?'
Because the time is now
For over 65 years, we've earned a reputation for building the most reliable and dependable SUVs around. Today, we have a range of SUVs for everyone, and these legendary qualities are only part of the appeal. From the urban chic of C-HR, to the go-anywhere attitude of RAV4, to the unbeatable off-road talents of Land Cruiser, there's a Toyota SUV to tackle every adventure and every challenge.
Because now or never
The Toyota C-HR epitomises contemporary, urban style. Powerful design and a luxurious interior coax admiring glances on even the most fashionable streets, while the C-HR's dynamic drive promises drivers an instant response. When something feels this spontaneous, why wait? Because now or never.
Because life happens outdoors
As the original compact SUV, the RAV4 was a trailblazer for life without excuses. Sleek design, a spacious interior and pioneering technology make it a family all-rounder with a spirit of adventure. RAV4 encourages you to get out there. Why? Because life happens outdoors.
Because land doesn't cruise itself
If you need an SUV that can get you anywhere and back safely, Land Cruiser makes no excuses. Its legendary combination of quality, tireless reliability and outstanding off-road performance adds up to an icon that makes the impossible possible. Ready to get out there? Because land doesn't cruise itself.


text:
Facial Recognition Software That Returns Incorrect Results 20% Of The Time Is Good Enough For The FBI
from the 80%-of-the-time,-it-works-EVERY-time dept
When deploying technology that has the potential to put actual human beings behind bars, what should be the acceptable margin of error? Most human beings, especially those who haven't committed any crime due to their natural aversion to being housed with actual criminals, would prefer (as if they had a choice) this number to be as close to zero as humanly (and technologically) possible.
The FBI, on the other hand, which possesses the technology and power to nudge people towards years of imprisonment, apparently feels a one-in-five chance of bagging the wrong man (or woman) is no reason to hold off on the implementation of facial recognition software.
Documents acquired by EPIC (Electronic Privacy Information Center) show the FBI rolled out a ton of new tech (under the name NGI -- "Next Generation Identification") with some very lax standards. While fingerprints are held to a more rigorous margin of error (5% max -- which is still a 1-in-20 "acceptable" failure rate), facial recognition is allowed much more leeway. (The TAR [True Acceptance Rate] details begin on page 247.)
NGI shall return the correct candidate a minimum of 85% of the time when it exists in the searched repository, as a result of facial recognition search in support of photo investigation services.The FBI's iris recognition program is subjected to a similar lack of rigor.
NGI shall return the incorrect candidate a maximum of 20% of the time, as a result of facial recognition search in support of photo investigation services.
NGI shall return the correct candidate a minimum of 98% of the time when it exists in the searched repository, as a result of iris recognition search in support of iris investigation services.These documents date back to 2010, so there's every reason to believe the accuracy of the software has improved. Even so, the problem is that the FBI decided potentially being wrong 20% of the time was perfectly acceptable, and no reason to delay implementation.
NGI shall return the incorrect candidate a maximum of 10% of the time, as a result of iris recognition search in support of iris investigation services.
Presumably, the FBI does a bit more investigation on hits in its NGI database, but it's worrying that an agency like this one -- one that hauls people in for statements wholly dependent on an FBI agent's interpretation (the FBI remains camera-averse and uses its own transcriptions of questioning as evidence) -- would so brazenly move forward with tech that potentially could land every fifth person in legal hot water, simply because the software "thought" the person was a bad guy.
Making this worse is the fact that the FBI still hasn't updated its 2008 Privacy Impact Assessment, despite the fact it told Congress in 2012 that it had a new assessment in the works.
On top of the brutal (but "acceptable") margin of error is the fact that the FBI has made a habit of deploying nearly every form of privacy-invasive technology without putting together even the most minimal of guidelines or privacy-aware policies. Apparently, these concerns only need to be dealt with when and if they're pointed out by OIG reports or lawsuits brought by privacy advocates.
Filed Under: facial recognition, failure, fbi