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Dorothy and her pet bagpipes closing in from behind.
The tin man was actually running from the bagpipes...
Congratulations. This made me snarf. 'Pet bagpipes' killed me.
Thanks, man. Great shot.
Don't know if you saw it originally, but I did include the Image Source under the photo.
yeah I seen it right after my comment. To many guinness drinks that night lol Awesome website, keep up the good work!


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Hey, guess what? The Idle Loaf is now self-hosted. That's pretty neat, right?
Ch-ch-check it out at www.theidleloaf.com
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Hey, guess what? The Idle Loaf is now self-hosted. That's pretty neat, right?
Ch-ch-check it out at www.theidleloaf.com
You can update your feed subscription here.
Thanks for following me over there!
I get things in my head. Once they're in there, I can't get rid of them. And since our return from San Francisco, I've had braised short ribs on my mind. Probably because I was obsessed with the braised short rib poutine at Wayfare Tavern. Maybe also because I thought they'd go perfectly with our bottle of Malbec from Wattle Creek.
So when I came across beef short ribs from Sea Breeze Farm at the farmers market yesterday, we decided to grab some. I had some notion that I was going to braise them, but I wasn't sure what to serve them with. I considered goat cheese polenta, a la The Pioneer Woman, but inspiration came from the root vegetables still filling the market stands. Some fingerling potatoes, adorable baby carrots, and half a bag of braising greens and we were ready to go.
Here are the makings of a great main dish.
I didn't really know what I was doing, but here's how it all went down:
While all that was going on, I washed the potatoes and carrots and tossed them with olive oil, salt and pepper. When the ribs were done, I roasted the veg in the oven at 400 for 30 minutes.
At the last minute Brent also sautéed the greens to complete the meal.
Yeah. Craving fulfilled. Served alongside with the rest of that Malbec, this made a very satisfying dinner. I'm glad we finally indulged my craving, but I don't think we'll be making short ribs again any time soon. They were definitely much fattier than my normal fare, which is not really my thing.
I love shopping the farmers market for inspiration. 🙂
Yesterday Brent and I had to take advantage of the unexpected sunshine and get outside. We hopped a bus to the University District to check out their farmers market. My usual weekend farmers market is the Ballard farmers market, but it's always nice to diversify, right? The U-district's market was pretty bustling (due to the sunshine, no doubt) and we wandered around for quite a bit finding ingredients for dinner (more on that in a later post).
Why didn't I buy huge buckets of tulips to bring in to my house? Ahh. Total and instant regret.
And I was definitely inspired to bring some green onto my balcony. I need to plant something soon.
Of course I also picked up some smoked salmon. It's nearly all I eat since moving here!
The bus we take from the U-district back to our hood goes right through Fremont so we decided to hop off for a quick snack and a beer. I brought Brent to Pie so we could split a mini pie. He chose the veggie pot pie, which was quite delicious but lacking a tiny bit of salt.
I still need to go back to try the macaroni & cheese pie.
I love Fremont Brewing, so I was more than happy to stop in to check out their new seasonal release.
I had nearly a whole pint of the Summer Solstice seasonal (described as tangerine flower in a glass), which was super refreshing, and Brent enjoyed The Brother Imperial IPA and later bought a growler to take home and enjoy during the Final Four games.
Their Urban Beer Garden is a pretty laid back place. Seating includes wooden picnic tables and garage sale furniture, and you can enjoy the view of the fermentation tanks while you sip.
Oh, and "since we were in the area" Brent decided he was interested in visiting the troll after all, so we had to snap a photo of that.
Our day wasn't over, however. The sun was still shining when we finally got back home, so we took Larry out for a walk to Seattle Center to check out the Cherry Blossom Festival. The festival ended up just being a few food stands and a group of performers who weren't performing, but we still had a nice time. AND Larry was very well-behaved around the large group of people and dogs.
Isn't Larry funny? He's sitting because we told him to and he's obedient, but he's not happy about it! He always looks so forlorn when we make him sit. He'd rather be running.
Well we're off to Magnolia to hit up Discovery Park. We run this town. 😉
An iconic Seattle waterfront restaurant, Elliott's has been on our radar for a while. We've often talked about going to their Progressive Oyster Happy Hour for inexpensive oysters right on the water, (but of course Brent has that whole "work" thing going on and never gets home in time). When Pat and Smitha were here, Patrick mentioned they wanted to go to a "nice" seafood restaurant for dinner one night. I suggested Elliott's because I knew it was close and it had a great reputation. We made reservation for 8:30 on Friday night.
Ambiance: For a place this expensive, I was pleasantly surprised that the restaurant did not seem stuffy. It is definitely a white tablecloth kind of place, but that's the beauty of Seattle – still plenty of denim and fleece to be found. The restaurant is right on the pier and looks out over the water, which I'm sure is gorgeous in the daylight (or sunset!), but at night the effect is definitely minimal. We waited for our table in the bar section and grabbed a few drinks. The bar is bustling, but it could use a few more seats. The boys were happy to catch a bit of NCAA action on the two TVs.
Service: The service was attentive without being obtrusive. Our waitress seemed very knowledgeable about the menu. She was able to recommend "Northwest specific" choices for our out of town guests and make suggestions between the various menu items. She stayed on top of our drink orders, and we stayed and chatted a bit after paying our check without being rushed out.
Food and Drinks: Everyone was happy with their cocktails, which include a seasonal blood orange champaign cocktail, an Elliott's signature manhattan (Brent's current drink of choice), and some Pike's Punch for that vacation feel. To start, we all (I was peer-pressured) decided to take oyster shooters at the bar while waiting for our table.
Well, I, uh, hate bloody marys, so this was so not my thing. Everyone else seemed to find no objection with it though. I think they were $5 each, which can add up really quickly.
Once seated, I was determined to get an order of oysters on the half shell. I mean, if you going to an oyster house, you ought to get oysters, right? We split a half dozen among our table and we all really loved them! The Hama Hama oysters were so sweet and delicate and I thought the frozen mignonette was a perfect complement.
For our entrees, Smitha and I ordered the Wild Mushroom Ravioli with Dungeness Crab | Wild mushroom filled ravioli tossed with Dungeness crab, pancetta and asparagus. Finished with a light cream sauce or pomodoro sauce and topped with fresh tomato and basil chiffonade. 27.
It was good, but I wouldn't call the cream sauce "light." Also, I do not know if this was intentional or not, but while the ravioli and sauce were warm, the crab was chilled. I did not enjoy the juxtaposition. Plus I definitely had the "I can't believe this cost $27" reaction, so the overall effect was just meh.
Brent ordered one of the specials which was a halibut cheek piccata. He seemed to enjoy it (minus the rice pilaf which was an obvious afterthought). I had a few bites and the halibut cheeks were flavorful and cooked well.
Yep, I promise there are halibut cheeks somewhere under there. Oh, and Pat had an unphotographed steak that he enjoyed (he's not so much a seafood lover).
Overall my impression of Elliott's is that it's a place that thinks it is greater than it actually is. The food was not bad, but everything seemed pretty overpriced. I would go back again for the above mentioned Oyster Happy Hour, because their oysters are definitely some of the best I've had in Seattle. I would not, however, return for a full dinner.
Brent and I (mostly I) had been talking about taking the drive up to Woodinville since moving to Seattle. I knew it was close, but I didn't realize it was only a 25 minute drive. Woodinville is known as the home of several of Washington state's wineries and you know I'm all about that. For my beer-drinking husband, it is also home of Red Hook. Patrick, Smitha, Brent and I decided to use Saturday, their last day here, as an opportunity to check it out. The weather was dreary anyway, so sticking around the city was that appealing.
The Red Hook Brewery offers tours on the weekends at 1pm, 3pm and 5pm, and they sell out quick. We arrived a bit before 1pm and were told the 1pm tour was sold out, so we grabbed tickets for the 3pm tour (only $1 each) and headed a block down the road to Chateau Ste. Michelle.
Chateau Ste. Michelle also offered a tour, pretty much every 30 minutes. The tour lasts about half an hour and details the wine-making process as well as the specific grape growing regions in Washington. The tour concludes with a tasting of three of their wines and a quick lesson on wine-tasting technique. The tour was absolutely free, but the winery did offer a tasting bar where were able to choose 4 of their wines to taste for $10. Overall I thought Chateau Ste. Michelle was a great choice for a visit if you're in Woodinville. They have really great reislings, including a delicious, perfect-for-dessert, late harvest reisling. The tour/tasting is a bargain and I learned quite a bit about the region's vineyards. The grounds are also totally gorgeous. I would have taken more photos, but it was raining. Obviously.
After splitting two tastings between the four of us (Brent barely partook – he was our driver) we headed to Red Hook for our tour. Umm… let's get one thing straight. This is not a tour. They corralled us into a small room, gave us 3oz tastings of 5 different beers and shouted a bit about Red Hook's history and hops. Clearly quite a deal for only $1, but don't expect to see anything. Plus the beer is just ok. My favorite were probably the ESB and the spring seasonal nut brown ale.
Pat defs took one for the team by finishing a few of my tastings, as well as some of Brent's, and nearly all of Smitha's.
After chowing down on some soft pretzels with beer cheese sauce at the pub (Amazing, by the way) we beat the clock and headed to JM Cellars, which was by far my favorite destination of the day.
The grounds are so beautiful and the wine was amazing! For $10 per tasting, we sampled 7 of their releases – 6 reds and 1 white. The Bramble Bump White blend was hands down my favorite of the afternoon. Again we split 2 tastings between the four of us before wandering the grounds taking pictures.
Our finally stop of the Woodinville wine tasting tour was Columbia Winery, because it was across the street and open late.
I didn't love anything here, but it was a nice visit. The tasting room is very pretty and comfortable (love a fireplace!) and the tasting was $5 for 4 pours.
It's so cool we have this mini wine country so close to us! I definitely plan on dragging Brent back in the summer when all the wineries have different events and concerts going on.
Another part of Patrick and Smitha's itinerary included a walking tour of some of the other neighborhoods in Seattle. I was definitely game to join them for that because my experience outside of the downtown/Queen Anne area is pretty limited. Plus, I had been wanting to see the Fremont troll since we moved here.
Our firsts top was Waiting for the Interurban, which residents frequently dress up. I have no pictures, but that's alright – the sculpture had no fun accessories that day.
Next up was the highlight of the tour: The Fremont Troll. To find the troll, hike up Troll Avenue and you'll find him lurking beneath the Aurora Bridge.
We all took turns climbing on him for various photo ops and then went on our way. We got about 2 blocks away and Pat and I convinced ourselves we needed to go back for one specific photo opportunity: nose picking. My fam is super classy like that.
More meandering, including a stop at Pie, where we got to sample the gluten free huevos rancheros pie and the apple pie. I love these tiny pies and I plan on dragging Brent back soon!
More sights to see. When Pat initially mentioned seeing the Fremont Rocket, I had no idea what he was talking about. It was pretty damn random, but that's kind of Fremont in a nutshell.
We also saw the Lenin statue.
Apparently they put lights and a star on his head for Christmas. We'll have to go back and check that out in December.
The other highlight of the tour was stopping at Theo Chocolate. We were hoping to take the factory tour, but it was sold out. We consoled ourselves by sampling nearly every type of chocolate they produce. Seriously, if you're ever near Fremont, I would hit up the Theo Chocolate factory and store front. I have already informed Brent we have to go back to take the tour.
To complete the tour, we needed to check out the dinosaur topiaries. Fun story: we were all looking in the guidebook figuring out where to look for the dinosaurs when a nice gentleman asked us what we were looking for. We said "the dinosaurs" and he pointed 8 feet away from us. I think the fact we didn't know we were staring right at them gives you a clue as to the disappointment we felt. This was definitely the dud of the tour.
As you can see, one of them is still missing his ivy head. After stopping for a beer and some frites at Brouwer's, we headed to Capitol Hill to see the Jimi Hendrix statue and St. Mark's Cathedral.
There's been talk of relocating the Hendrix statue and I can see why. It's in a bizarre location on the sidewalk in front of an art supply store. We also stopped to take advantage of happy hour at Quinn's. Love that place. We had such beautiful weather and it was a really fun day. It definitely inspired me to get Brent and I out and about exploring more of this awesome city.
Oh man, have I been busy! My cousin Pat and his girlfriend Smitha came to visit Seattle this past week and I tagged along and had myself a vacation in my own city. Yep, unemployment sure has its perks! Pat and Smitha came prepared with a list of things they were interested in seeing, and of course restaurants they wanted to try – people after my own heart. After a delayed plane arrival on Wednesday night, they woke up Thursday ready to go, go, go.
A walking tour of Seattle's downtown core followed. We headed from my place to Pike Place Market, stopping for breakfast at Le Panier, which is one of my favorite places for a cappuccino and pastry in the city. We explored the market. I ooohhhed and ahhhed over a million things as usual, AND Smitha caught a fish! She wanted the fish mongers to start throwing the fish and they told her she had to catch one. She has more confidence than I did, because she did it. It took two attempts, but the second one was a success.
Pat actually took a great video of it and we were dying laughing watching it. More wandering ensued, including a stop for a beer at Pike Pub & Brewery, where I greatly enjoyed the Tandem Double Ale. We stopped for lunch (#1 of 3!) at The Pink Door, and got to sit outside. I am so excited about spring and summer in Seattle!!
Pat and Smitha split the Pink Door Lasagna, which was a veggie lasagna and it was amazing. I had a bite and I would love to come back for me. I ordered a glass of wine and some steamed mussels and clams, which I ate about half of.
We moseyed on over to Pioneer Square, which is super adorable and took a look at all the public art in Occidental Square. Eventually we made out way to Salumi. Obviously we weren't hungry, but I had been wanting to try it (and their hours are lunch only Mon-Fri) so I used their visit as an opportunity to do so. We split the cured meats plate, which made a nice snack (we didn't quite finish).
Ok, no way to beat around the bush here – we continued walking, so that we could make our way to Serious Pie. Yeah, a third lunch. I have history with Serious Pie. Brent and I went there over a year ago on our first trip to Seattle. To say it didn't live up to the hype would be a huge understatement. We kind of swore we would never go back. But, I'm known for exaggeration, so when they suggested it, I decided it was time for a second chance.
We hit it up for their happy hour. Mini pies for $5 and cheap beer and wine = redemption for Serious Pie. While I still think their pizza is a bit overhyped, I enjoyed each of the three mini pies I got to try.
Yellowfoot chanterelles and truffle cheese:
Guanciale, soft egg, arugula:
Sweet fennel sausage, roasted peppers, provolone:
While I still feel hesitant to head back for dinner due to the much longer wait time and the higher price, I would definitely come back for happy hour. We definitely ate quite a bit during our walking tour, but we split everything so it was not near as much as it seems.
After Serious Pie, we started the trek back to Lower Queen Anne so we could take the trip to the top of the Space Needle. This was another attraction that I didn't think would be worth the price ($18/person), but the views were pretty gorgeous so I guess I was proven wrong again. 🙂
I'll be back later with more of my vacation at home.

subset: commoncrawl


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ST offers a wide portfolio of microcontrollers for automotive applications, including the 8-bit STM8A family and the 32-bit SPC5 family, built on Power Architecture® technology.
ST's wide offer of single- and multi-core MCUs features a scalable solution, addressing from cost-sensitive to highly-advanced automotive applications thanks to hardware and software compatibility. The portfolio is intended for body, powertrain, chassis and safety applications.
All automotive MCUs are automotive grade and will stay in production for ten or fifteen years starting from their date of introduction. These products take part in ST's longevity commitment program, which assures, on selected parts, continuity and stability of supply for ST customers, especially those that design applications requiring long-term product availability.


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Are These the 50 Best Sandwiches in Chicago?
The latest happenings around Chicago.
It's no secret that we love sandwiches here at Serious Eats Chicago. Why else would we write about one every single week day? But we were truly interested to see what Chicago Magazine had to say about the scene with its epic list of the The 50 Best Sandwiches in Chicago. Considering we've already written about 243 (!) sandwiches in the city, we have covered a good chunk of these. But what's surprising is how many we still need to check out.
That's especially true of the magazine's number one pick, the BLT at the Old Oak Tap, which we're going to have to sample ASAP. However, we were all over the Fried Bologna sandwich at Au Cheval (#2), and the Woodland Mushroom torta at Xoco (#3).
Of course, we could spend more time talking about the sandwiches that didn't make the cut. Specifically, no Italian subs were included, even if Bari's meatball sub (#16) did. And we especially don't agree with the assessment that the Italian beef is a "spongy grease bomb" unworthy of inclusion.
But mostly we are just left with a bunch of great new ideas. Check out Chicago Magazine's full list here, and then let us know what you think.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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WaPo-ABC Poll: Citizens United against Citizens United
Dan Eggen of the Washington Post writes about the results of a new WaPo-ABC poll:
Americans of both parties overwhelmingly oppose a Supreme Court ruling that allows corporations and unions to spend as much as they want on political campaigns, and most favor new limits on such spending, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
Eight in 10 poll respondents say they oppose the high court's Jan. 21 decision to allow unfettered corporate political spending, with 65 percent "strongly" opposed. Nearly as many backed congressional action to curb the ruling, with 72 percent in favor of reinstating limits.
The poll reveals relatively little difference of opinion on the issue among Democrats (85 percent opposed to the ruling), Republicans (76 percent) and independents (81 percent).
The results suggest a strong reservoir of bipartisan support on the issue for President Obama and congressional Democrats, who are in the midst of crafting legislation aimed at limiting the impact of the high court's decision. Likely proposals include banning participation in U.S. elections by government contractors, bank bailout recipients or companies with more than 20 percent foreign ownership.
But Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and other Republican lawmakers have praised the ruling as a victory for free speech and have signaled their intent to oppose any legislation intended to blunt the impact of the court's decision.
This massive disagreement with the Court's decision and the partisan disconnect in Congress with the voting public show two things:
- The Court wisely kicked its Citizens United decision into this term, which has no other fever-pitched case of public concern on its docket. One deeply unpopular decision a term will allow the Roberts Court as currently constituted to steer right against today's left-leaning political winds without spending all its political capital and destroying its institutional legitimacy.
- Republican voters haven't gotten the memo…yet. If Democratic responses move beyond a State of the Union slap and some wonky Congressional bills, and into campaign fodder this summer and fall, the GOP will get the message out to its voters that disagreeing with Citizens United is for liberals–and these days, conservatives can be thrown out of the Republican party for agreeing with liberals on issues of great impact. Campaign finance is an issue of great impact, but campaign finance legislation makes peoples' eyes glass over. As such, expect some terse, lockstep messaging–the GOP's specialty when communicating to its constituency–coming from on high. "Corporate Personhood" and "Money is Speech" can and likely will be enthusiastically absorbed into the Republican voters' canon within months. Do not count on this "strong reservoir" of bipartisan disagreement with the Court's decision to last.
3 Responses
I think there is a difference between corporations like Exxon or more importantly the foreign owned Citgo participating in elections than ones like Planned Parenthood or the NRA. Hopefully any laws crafted will make this distinction. Hopefully the voters will understand this distinction and make it clear to their representatives.
That said, corporations have been participating in many state elections with no apparent evil being done.
Also, there is an argument that whether or not a corporation has 'speech' rights, individuals have a right to 'hear' the speech. In other words, to watch 'Hillary' for instance or whatever the next thing might be in a future election.
[…] leave a comment « WaPo-ABC Poll: Citizens United against Citizens United […]
Many in the Tea Party element & their associated leadership have just as much unfocused anger at the idea of 'big corporations' in general as they do 'big government'. To the extent that establishment Republicans misplay this, it could accelerate the internal takeover of the Right by the TP movement, as far as I can see it.


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Czech this out - Skoda enjoy their best August ever!
Skoda is going from strength to strength – and consigning those corny old gags to the waste paper basket in the process.
The Czech marque enjoyed a strong August, posting 67,700 sales around the world.
This represents a 12.1 per cent increase over the same month in 2011 and is the strongest August in the company's history.
The firm's January-to-August figures are also looking good.
So far this year, 633,300 cars have been delivered worldwide, representing an 8.5 per cent increase on the same period last year when 583,600 units were sold.
The introduction of the new Skoda Rapid is expected to make an important contribution to sales after its world debut at the Paris Auto Salon later this month. The European market will get the compact saloon in October this year.
It's estimated that Skoda's global market share grew to 3.2 per cent in August. Werner Eichhorn, Skoda board member for sales and marketing, said: "We have outperformed the market in almost all sales regions, in an environment that is becoming more and more difficult. Despite stronger headwinds from the market, we hope we can continue to grow in the future."
Skoda UK achieved a record first half of 2012, registering over 28,000 cars. The UK arm of the business is hoping to beat its record sales year in 2011 in which they sold 45,000 cars and grabbed a 2.7 per cent share of the market.
Skoda received 18 awards for customer service and product satisfaction in 2011 and has collected 14 awards so far this year. They have also been in top 10 of the J.D. Power survey of customer satisfaction for the last NINETEEN years.
Those accolades are evidently transferring well into year-on-year sales growth; not bad for a brand once the punchline of all motoring jokes.


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Salieri : Requiem In C Minor: Vocal Score (Peters)
Product Specs
- Product Number: EP8311
- Publisher: Peters Edition
- Barcode: 9790014064617
Product Specs
Requiem in C minor
Antonio Salieri
Instruments - Delivery is FREE within the UK for all instruments. This price you see is the price you pay.
(Instruments over £100 are always sent by our Express service, regardless of the service selected in the checkout.)
Sheet music, accessories & gifts - We offer 3 services:
You can call or email us to arrange a stock transfer to your preferred branch.
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We are one of the top suppliers of woodwind, brass and orchestral strings across Sussex and are main agents for most of the instruments we sell. We only list instruments we normally carry in stock.
Our instruments are fully checked and set up through our workshop to ensure perfect playing.
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Gloria: Vocal Score (Barenreiter)
America (A Prophecy) Mezzo-Soprano, SATB, Orchestra: Score
Requiem: Vocal Score (Mayhew)
Magnificat: Wq215: Satb: Vocal And Organ (Barenreiter)
Magnificat In D Major: Bwv243: Vocal Score (Barenreiter)
Christmas Oratorio: Bwv248: Vocal Score (Barenreiter)
Mass In B Minor: BWV232: New Revised Vocal Score (Barenreiter)
Mass In B Minor: Vocal Score (Barenreiter)
St Matthew Passion: Vocal Score (Jenkins) (Novello)
Motets: Bwv225-230: Vocal Score: (Urtext) (Barenreiter)


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Caring Crafters
April 29, 2019 @ 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm
|Recurring Event (See all)
An event every week that begins at 1:30 pm on Monday, repeating until April 30, 2021
Join us for knitting, crocheting, scrapbooking, crafts etc. Light refreshments will be served. Everyone Welcome!


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The Secret of Satisfaction
"Are you satisfied with your life?"
This challenging question was recently put to people in Israel by researchers from the Central Bureau of Statistics studying volunteering among citizens of the country.
Among the volunteers 41% stated that they were "very satisfied" with their lives as compared to only 26% expressing such satisfaction among the non-volunteers.
There were two other interesting facts emerging from the study. Jews were ahead of all other ethnic groups with 17% of the Jewish population from age 20 and upwards involved in volunteer activity, compared with 14% among the Druze and 9% of the Christian and Muslim populations.
Concerning the breakdown within the Jewish population, 36% of the volunteers were very Orthodox, 27% were religiously observant, 14% traditional and 13% secular.
A powerful reminder that helping others goes hand in hand with a religious way of life.


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In commemoration of recording artist Usher's partnership with Sony Ericsson, on May 28 he held a press conference at the Sony Club in the Sony Building, NYC. Usher introduced a new phone, the Sony Ericsson W580 Walkman, as seen in his Love in the Club video. The phone brings him closer to his fans, giving them access to exclusive VIP status, competitions, Usher ringtones, wallpaper and photos.
Sitting down with Karen Morris, Sony Ericsson vice president of marketing in North America, the two spoke a bit about the campaign and the importance of modern day communication. "Cell phones are the future," said Usher. "Without cell phones we are stuck, lost." Mentioning the above features he summed up the phone's capabilities, "It's like a home – in hand."
In the three years since his album Confessions, Usher Raymond IV has experienced growth as an artist. While Confessions was steeped in overtones of rakishness and self-admitted "tumultuous topics," his brand new album, Here I Stand, out May 27, is his journey "from a single minded individual to a married man…At 29 you can't keep acting like you're 18."
Also addressed were his plans for the remainder of 2008. An additional signature perfume is scheduled to premiere in September. His June 6 show at the Apollo will debut the material of his fall tour. He is looking forward to performing on the same stage that has seen legends such as Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye. According to Usher, a performer cannot call him a legend until performing at The Apollo.
The Sony Ericsson partnership with Usher is a one year agreement however it could turn into a longer alliance. Karen Morris at Sony Ericsson is anticipating 3G devices to come. They are definitely working in that direction. "This partnership with Usher is the ideal campaign for us to build on the leadership that we've established in the mobile music arena," says Morris. "Consumers will be able to get the ultimate mobile music experience, thanks to Sony Ericsson and Usher."
The Sony Ericsson W580 Walkman phone has numerous features, including: a 14mm slim slider design, random music playlist, track ID, Memory Stick Micro, caller ID light effect, Bluetooth technology, 2 mega pixel camera with picture blogging, FM radio, pedometer, and an opportunity to sign up for additional exclusive access to Usher.
"New and exclusive content from Usher's new album and tour on AT&T is the kind of mobile content our customers have come to expect," says Andy Wilson, vice president of marketing for AT&T's wireless operations. "This program with Sony Ericsson allows our customers to connect with Usher wherever they have their mobile phone."
"This is very much a strategic alliance for us rather than 'synergy lip service,'" says Donna Clower, senior vice president of strategic marketing for the Sony BMG Label Group. "We have successfully worked with Sony Ericsson on many occasions; this is the first time however that we are in synch from the launch of a campaign and across so many countries. As a brand, they understand the creative nature of our business and we look forward to working with Sony Ericsson again throughout our long-term campaign with Usher.
Usher echoed those sentiments saying, "This is a great partnership for me as an artist. The Sony Ericsson brand is young and vibrant and with the new Walkman phones making a lot of noise, it's perfect timing for us all."


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Houston bus drivers have had enough. Fights, drug use, weapons, students jumping out of moving buses, even assault against drivers have plagued the Texas city's school district. About 30 drivers rallied outside of Houston's school district headquarters Tuesday to ask administrators for help.
Drivers say the bad behavior isn't isolated. School bus bullies are a problem all over the district, although consensus pointed at junior high schoolers as the main instigators.
Each bus is already equipped with security cameras and hat they're asking for is a system to hold bus riders accountable for their behavior. That way, if a student gets kicked off of one bus for throwing an M80 under the seats or blowing weed smoke in the driver's face, the little punk won't be able to walk a couple of blocks to catch another bus.
Yeah, but what if that punk kid is the one who saves your life?


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Each product has been expertly designed after detailed research with the end-user.
The material we use is High tenacity polyester with a tensile strength of 400/380 DAN.
Heat resistance of +70°C and Cold resistance of -30°C
Our CLB900 is designed to accommodate various items, ensuring that they can be lifted and accessed with optimum ease. Like all our heavy lifting bags, the CLB900 is certified to a safe working load which is displayed clearly on front panel to ensure capacity is not exceeded.


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Vinitharya was the royal son of Valacar of Gondor and Vidumavi, daughter of the King of Rhovanion. When he returned to Gondor with his father, he was given the name Eldacar, a name he retained when he inherited Gondor's throne.
Winid-haria is a Gothic name meaning "pasture-armyman" or "Wend-armyman".
Note that it should be pronounced as Vinit-harya (as in plot-hole), and not as **ViniÞarya.


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Moderator: Tournament Directors
Night Strike Posted: 17 Dec 2007 23:51 Post subject:
Very well thought out.
I would prefer Huckabee if you add him, but put me in as Giuliani for now.
I suggest cutting down the finals to just perhaps 10 games. Then assign a total amount of votes to each game based on adding up the totals from 10 regions. This would keep the number of games down but still keep the electorate theme.
Chadwick31 wrote:2 votes for Huckabee. But I'll take Ron Paul until Huckabee gets enough.
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FRAMED! with Kelle Hampton (February 2019)
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Resource Guide
Week 1
Week One Schedule: Office Hour
Assignment 1: Share a favorite photo
Assignment 2: Light
Assignment 3: Lay-flat (1:23)
Video: Favorites Folder & Photo Organization
Video: Editing with A Color Story App
Week One Podcast
Week 1: Office Hour 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM ET (Thursday 2/14)
Week 1: Live Video Call Recording & Chat
Week 2
Assignment 4: Intentional Cropping
Assignment 5 (Option A): Illumination
Assignment 5 (Option B): Color Contrast (NEW this session!)
Assignment 6: Negative Space
Video: Editing and Cropping (2:44)
Video: Lines
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Podcast: Week 2
Week 2: Live Video Call Recording
Week 2: Office Hours
Week 3
Assignment 7: Depth of Field (3:08)
Assignment 8: Self-Portraiture
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Hello everyone! (dear clan members, random forum lurkers )
I've been a on/off tank player for over a year, and have nearly killed off all my brain-cells by playing in randoms so I decided it was time for a clan!
(I think the battle shown here tipped me over the edge: http://forum.worldoftanks.eu/index.php?/topic/281429-rate-this-level-of-fail-aka-its-that-topic-again/page__p__5544357#entry5544357)
Before tanks, the biggest game that have played would be that infamous one known as Eve online which I have burnt out of for over a year.
Sooo I'm 18 years old, as well as shooting pixels I like running, procrastinating (the best ) and studying Spanish.
That's all I think


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Peter L. Arenella
J.D. Harvard, 1972
Peter Arenella teaches Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, and seminars on moral agency and criminal law excuse theory. In 1999 he received the School of Law's Rutter Award for Excellence in Teaching. He is a nationally recognized criminal law and procedure scholar, writing about the relationship between criminal and moral responsibility by exploring competing conceptions of criminal culpability and moral agency at work in immaturity and mental disability defenses (e.g., insanity, diminished capacity, mental retardation). His moral agency work in philosophical and legal journals has generated considerable commentary and is frequently cited in ongoing debates about the justifications for criminal punishment. He has also written extensively on the privilege against self incrimination and grand jury practices.
Professor Arenella clerked for the Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and practiced criminal law as both a public defender and private counsel. He then taught at Rutgers, the University of Pennsylvania, and Boston University, where he won that university's prize for excellence in teaching.
State and federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, have cited Professor Arenella's articles, and congressional committees have sought his advice and testimony. He gives annual lectures on Supreme Court decisions to federal and state appellate judges and speaks regularly on criminal law issues to civic groups, attorneys, judges, law faculty, and students across the country. He has worked as a legal consultant for ABC News, National Public Radio, and in Los Angeles KNX radio and KTLA Channel 5, and he achieved national prominence for his media commentary on the O.J. Simpson and other trials. He is a fanatical Boston Red Sox fan.


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I took this class with sincere interest in learning more about finances and hoping to walk away being better with money. As a single, 25 year old finishing up college, I want to build a good foundation for my life as my adulthood is just at the start! I anticipated gaining knowledge and wisdom from this class, but I didn't know I would become so inspired and motivated from it the way I was and still am! This was such a great framework of information and the community aspect of the class was awesome too. I am beyond grateful for this class and Dave Ramsey. It came at such a good time and I've made so much progress in things I didn't even know needed progress! This will impact the rest of my life. Now that's something good.Becca Providence, RI
Loved the class. Hubby didn't want to come, but decided to come after I turn into a "screaming emotional woman". I had always been the budget nerd, but after lesson 3, he became the budget nerd! Before the class, we where about to build our retirement home costing over $600,000. Now he agrees with me and we are building a retirement Log cabin costing $150,000 and paying cash for material and any labor we can not do. Now we are on track to actually retire and just work part time.Frances Spokane, WA
I wish my husband and I did this within the first year of our marriage or even before we got married. It would have prevented some bad financial decisions that we made.Michelle Skoikie, IL
I love this program. Everything about it. Wish I knew about this 16 years ago when I joined the Marines. Everything I thought I knew about money, legacy, and budgeting were wrong. Glad I decided to finally see what everyone was saying about "Dave Ramsey". The Every dollar app is on point too. Overall this is a great program. I would like to see more information geared towards military as we live a bit differently than normal civilian life such as the TSP, PCS/PCA, deployments, SGLI, and SDP. The military tries to teach us coming up but it's a measles check mark in the box for them. After learning the Baby step program, I try to teach my guys as much as I can learn from FPU and his daily videos.Casey Camp Pendleton, CA
The class was very informative, relative and incredibly helpful. Our instructor, Dan, brought experience, knowledge and wisdom to the class. He had great ideas and embodied everything we hear Dave say in his radio programs. I appreciated being able to hear the situation that other folks are in and how they are handling it. I think we all were able to help each other. I think we may even keep in touch with some of them. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for putting this program out there!Marsha Pittsburgh, PA
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You shouldn't feel overwhelmed and powerless over your money. You can be in control of your money and your future.


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Hello Pittie Lovers...
I sort of stumbled on your forum while researching some information and wanted to join and introduce myself. I'm always interested in learning more information about training and socialization of dogs (all breeds) and happen to be a pretty big Pit Bull lover myself.
I have what I call a Pittie Mutt... shes part Pit, and part who knows what
Anyhow, I live in Northern NJ and also foster for a local group. They're not all Pits and even though I'd love to work with just Pits, my current resident can be picky about her friends so I'd rather help some than none if I can't find the right Pit to bring home to my picky little princess!!
Here's my girl:


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Erm...in case you haven't been able to tell, I'm on a long-term Wikibreak. I certainly will not be back until the end of August, and possibly not even then. I've discovered (perhaps unfortunately) that my productivity level in real life was severely affected by my involvement with both the Harry Potter Wiki and Wikipedia, and I really am happier with what I can accomplish with that extra time. Please accept my apologies and know that when I'm not quite as busy, I'll be back. Hermione1980 (not logged in)
Welcome/Community Portal meeting
Welcome to Wikicities. Thanks for fixing the vandalism on Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Angela (talk) 05:04, 26 Jul 2005 (UTC)
- Hi, Er-my-knee, can you come to a group discussion on Sat. Jul. 30 at 22:00 UTC at the Comm Portal? Thanks a lot. ;) The Chosen One (Choose me!) 15:44, 28 Jul 2005 (UTC)
- Dear me, I hope you didn't forsake your chances of visiting your relatives just for a little talk... Anyway, see you. The Chosen One (Choose me!) 19:04, 29 Jul 2005 (UTC)
Your Birthday
August birthday, eh? Well I guess the 14th. And if I'm way off... Happy Birthday anyway. --Lord Voldemort (Dark Mark) 16:57, 4 Aug 2005 (UTC)
- The 12th... okay I was close enough. I haven't quite kept up on my Legilimency. Well it's a good thing I wished you a happy birthday now then, cause I won't be doing much wikiing in the coming week. Enjoy your time without me. --Lord Voldemort (Dark Mark) 17:45, 4 Aug 2005 (UTC)
Yay for Hermione!
Hi, Hermione1980! I'm glad to finally have found you. My friend Lord Voldemort has been telling me about you for quite some time (don't say anything, but I think the Dark Lord has a thing for younger girls), and he seems to respect you very much. That doesn't surprise me; you are the smartest girl in your year! Well, toodles...Ginny Weasley 17:03, 5 Aug 2005 (UTC)
Hi Hermione, I've made you an admin because of all the excellent contributions you've made, and so that you can take some matters into your own hands rather than having to wait for me to get back to you with a decision. If you'd rather not be an admin for some reason let me know and I can make other arrangements. Thanks. - Vostok 04:52, 9 Oct 2005 (UTC)
- Are you going through my contributions and fixing them?Padme829 22:05, 10 Nov 2005 (UTC)Padme829
- allright, it's fine, it just looked weird.Padme829 04:13, 11 Nov 2005 (UTC)Padme829
Thanks for the welcome! sorry about the edit summaries, I'll work on that :) Lachatdelarue 15:41, 22 Nov 2005 (UTC)
No reason. I thought somebody removed it some time back, but now that I checked, it was never there in the first place. My mistake. :)
- OK, this sounds weird, but how do you fill in the info boxes? I know that is just a terrible question!Padme829 02:12, 26 Nov 2005 (UTC)Padme829
- Thank you! See my user page!Padme829 02:45, 26 Nov 2005 (UTC)Padme829
Hello Hermione1980,
I saw what you wrote on Pure-blood and I was wondering if muggle has a captil M or a lowercase??
Weasel King
about substubs over at the comm port. Lachatdelarue 00:36, 23 Dec 2005 (UTC)
About your edit of my disscussion(should I call it a pm?)(update)
" there was an article about the Half-Blood Prince located at Half-Blood Prince," I created that article.. Update: Ok, I read your new PM, I was just following links in an article that said that there was no new article. BTW Was my History of Quidditch Edit of the Quidditch article fine? Chris Chaud 01:07, 26 February 2006 (UTC)
Cleanup Needed! Change
I'm fine with the change ~Sarahgal
Black Family Tree
Hi, i was just wondering if you still needed a new Black Family Tree, cause i can make one have it ready tommorow morning. I'll make it just in case.Nick sponge 00:16, 26 May 2006 (UTC)
Newbie Help!
please help me i am new here and am lonely i left the wiki and now im lost! (yes I've been here before but that was long ago, my friend.) PLEASE! --Mudbloodandproud 19:49, 12 August 2007 (UTC)
as i just said, Hi! I'm the anon user -LegolasFan- / -LT- / -LauraTrealawny- depending on my mood, and I don't know if its just my computer with this wiki but I'm having trouble doing much of anything on the wiki. I will find problems with pages that I try to fix, but when I click on edit, all that shows up is a blank screen with a greyed-out save page / preview links. I have been trying to make my user page better, but I am having a lot of problems with that, as I can't do anything! If you can, please try to fix this if its something with this specific wiki, and if not, please tell me what to do to stop this from happening more. Thanks! -LegolasFan- 18.104.22.168 15:41, September 1, 2010 (UTC)


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Flood Victims Eligible for Low-Interest Loans
JEFFERSON CITY - People whose Missouri homes and businesses were damaged by floods and strong storms in August now can qualify for federal low-interest loans.
The U.S. Small Business Administration on Tuesday approved disaster aid for Pulaski and Taney counties, as well as their neighboring counties of Camden, Christian, Douglas, Laclede, Maries, Miller, Ozark, Phelps, Stone and Texas. The aid is for damage that occurred from Aug. 2-14.
Homeowners can get loans of up to $200,000 for their real estate, and owners and renters can get loans of up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged personal property. Businesses and nonprofit groups can get loans of up to $2 million.
President Barack Obama previously approved federal aid for public entities in 18 Missouri counties but denied a disaster declaration for individual assistance.


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Addiction is defined as, "A chronic, relapsing disease characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use—despite serious, even devastating consequences—and by long-lasting chemical changes in the brain." When a person is addicted to a drug, finding and using that drug becomes the most important thing—more important than family, friends, school, sports, or money.
Not everyone will become addicted after they smoke a cigarette, drink alcohol, or take another drug, but even experimenting can raise your risk for addiction.
Have you heard about all these celebrities going in and out of rehab? That's because addiction is a chronic (long-term) disease—like heart disease, hypertension, or diabetes—that can be managed with treatment. And even though a person may beat their addiction with treatment, they're always at risk of relapse.
If you think you or a friend may be addicted to a substance, talk to a family member, medical professional, or other trusted adult to get help. You can also check out the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Treatment Facility Locator for treatment services near you.
To learn more about addiction, check out NIDA's publication, Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction.
Just a correction:
"Addiction" isn't even a term commonly used in textbooks anymore, it's referred to as physiological and psychological dependence. The definition of being "addicted" differs depending on who you ask, regardless of eduction levels, but "dependence" has been defined by the DSM-IV and is widely accepted by professionals.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services is a great site and reference list for find an appropriate treatment center. When looking for a treatment center for a teen it is important to ask about length of stay. Longterm rehab most commonly yields results for teens and young adults. [commercial link removed, per guidelines]
Well said. Addiction is a chronic urge that keeps you reminding.
In my own understanding, Addiction is the condition of taking harmful drugs and being unable to stop taking them. And it is something that has a very strong desire or need for it. Thanks for sharing this article!
[commercial link removed, per guidelines]
Addiction: Generally refers to the psychological attachment to a drug(s); addiction to "harder" drugs such as heroin results in both psychological and physical attachment to the chemical properties of the drug, with the resulting satisfaction(reward) derived from using the drug in question.
resource:Drugs and Society tenth ed.
The word addiction can mean a variety of things, but to me, it means you are enslaved to something or you need it chronic. You feel attached to the drug or what ever you are addicted to and you feel that with out it you are lost. You can cure addiction by getting help, but before you do that, you need to tell somebody about your addiction. There are many people out there that have drug addictions but feel like they cant tell anyone because no one will understand them.
Addiction of anything spcially drugs is very harmful thats why i allways suggest to everyone not to be addicted in harmful things.thanks
"For many of us, the revelation of mistakes and shortcomings comes in that quiet time of meditation. Taking time to reflect upon the day and thank my God for another 24 hours of sobriety gives opportunity for honesty with myself. Only by candidly examining my own actions am I doing my part to keep the 'me' in harmony with others."
[link removed, per guidelines]


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Advance Praise for The Power of Small
"Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval take on the conventional wisdom that bigger is better and show how thinking small gives you a true competitive advantage in life. For best results, get Small now. This little book can make a huge difference in your life."
—James Patterson, bestselling author, former CEO of J. Walter Thompson
"I love this book! I've always known that little things make all the difference, and now Thaler and Koval have written a book to show you how to benefit from this powerful concept. If you read and apply the ideas in this small book, it will make a big difference in your success."
—Mark Sanborn, bestselling author of The Fred Factor, President of Sanborn & Associates, Inc.
"Anyone who has tried to sleep with a mosquito in the room knows the impact of something small. But the positive impact of little things is even greater, as Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval show so elegantly in their latest book."
—Deborah Norville
"Once you've read The Power of Small, you will never look at the world the same way again. When you re-orient your perspective to look for the magic in the little things, life's mountains become manageable molehills."
—Cynthia Nixon
"Anyone who is successful can look back at one small thing they did for someone or someone did for them that meant so much, and made the difference in their career. Those small things are what lay the foundation for success. That's what this book is all about." —Jay Leno


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Advanced Search
Research | Trends
The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) and the New Media Consortium (NMC) have released the latest findings of the MNC Horizon Project, an ongoing research initiative "designed to identify and describe emerging technologies likely to have an impact on teaching, learning, and creative inquiry in education" according to information released by the organizations.
In addition to six key trends, this year's report also looks into a half-dozen significant challenges and emerging technologies to watch for in the next one to five years.
Short-Term Trends
According to the report, "rethinking the role of teachers" and a "shift to deeper learning approaches" are fast-moving trends that will accelerate K-12 Technology adoption in the next one to two years.
The role of teachers is changing, according to the report, to become more like the role of a mentor, moving between groups of students or individuals to provide guidance as learners take more of a leadership role in their education. Additionally, the Internet is supplanting teachers as the chief source of information in the classroom, pushing instructors to focus more on teaching the habits of life-long learners and fostering curiosity.
The report points to UNESCO Bangkok's ICT in Education as a useful repository of best practices and capacity-building projects.
The shift to deeper learning approaches refers to "a variety of approaches in which students gain knowledge and skills by investigating and responding to a complex question, problem or challenge," according to the report. "By working on self-directed projects where students think critically and communicate effectively, students are mastering core academic content aligned with 21st century skills while tackling real issues in their community and beyond."
Malaysia's National Education Blueprint, which focuses on developing creative critical thinkers, and The Options Program at Seward (TOPS), which has students volunteering in their Seattle community, are offered as examples of this rapidly emerging trend.
Mid-Range Trends
Mid-range trends likely to accelerate classroom technology used in the next three to five years identified by the report were "increasing focus on open educational resources" and "increasing use of hybrid learning designs."
The report points to the CK-12 Foundation, which provides a free online tool for educators to adapt open educational resources (OER) and create textbooks, as an example of the rise of shareable learning materials. Currently, more than 38,000 schools in the United States use CK-12 textbooks.
Rising textbook costs and a lack of learning resources in some areas is driving this trend forward, according to the report, but more work is needed, as only eight states currently have policies supporting OERs.
"Hybrid learning models," according to the report, "blend the best of classroom instruction with the best of Web-based delivery" and "place a strong emphasis on using school time for peer-to-peer collaboration and teacher-student interaction, while online environments are used for independent learning."
The increased use of these models is being driven by increased access to broadband, recent press attention regarding massive open online courses (MOOCs) in higher ed and growing recognition that online tools can improve most learning environments.
Twenty-four states are "experimenting" with hybrid learning, according to the report, though the models are "not part of national agendas yet."
Long-Range Trends
Defined as those more than five years away, long-range trends identified by the report were "rapid acceleration of intuitive technology" and "rethinking how schools work."
"What makes natural user interfaces especially appealing for teaching and learning is the burgeoning of high fidelity systems that understand gestures, facial expressions, and their nuances, as well as the convergence of gesture-sensing technology with voice recognition, which allows users to interact in an almost natural fashion, with gesture, expression, and voice communicating their intentions to devices," according to the report.
Such interfaces reduce the distance between users and content, allowing students to be more fully immersed in learning materials.
The Venture Academy in Minneapolis and Denmark's Hellerup School are cited as examples of schools that have been restructured.
At Venture Academy, for students in grades 9-12, the building is a converted printing plant and students have "learning coaches" who guide their learning instead of teachers. There are technology courses and independent projects, but no math or reading classes. "Real-time assessment technologies, digital content and [an] emphasis on self-reflection" help the learning coaches as they seek to guide students, according to the report.
The Hellerup School, for students in grades 4-9, also eschews traditional classrooms, requiring learners to meet in "home areas" for 15-20 minutes for a lesson, then allowing them to work in small groups or alone in other areas. Teachers work on lesson plans together so that any student can ask any instructor for help, allowing them to build relationships naturally with whoever they like.
Challenges and Technological Developments in Ed Tech
"Creating authentic learning opportunities" and "integrating personalized learning" are challenges described by the report as "solvable."
"'Complex thinking and communication' and the 'safety of student data' are considered difficult challenges, which are defined as well understood but with solutions that are elusive," according to a news release.
Problems so difficult that they can't even be defined well, described as "wicked," include "competition from new models of education" and "keeping formal education relevant."
Important developments in ed tech over the next five years, according to the report, include:
For more information, or to access the full report, visit nmc.org.
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Did you know that a technology refresh gave a school district the opportunity to reboot its approach to professional development and help its teachers learn how to ask for instructional support as they needed it? This only means one thing: it's time to take your teacher training from "sit-and-git" to more professional learning.
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The Optical Society And The Optical Society Of Korea Name New Award In Honor Of South Korea's Optics Trailblazer
Sang Soo Lee Award will recognize individuals who have established or fostered the local optics and photonics community
The Optical Society (OSA) and The Optical Society of Korea (OSK) announced today the establishment of a new award in honor of Sang Soo Lee for his pioneering role as the "Father of Optics" in South Korea. The award is jointly sponsored by OSK and OSA and will be presented biennially starting in 2014.
The Sang Soo Lee Award will recognize those who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in founding or growing the optics and photonics community at a local or regional level. The award will honor eminent individuals who played a key role in a specific region, through research and/or education in optics or photonics, by introducing a new field of study within optics or photonics, or initiating an optics and photonics industry.
"OSA is proud to partner with the Optical Society of Korea on this unique award," said OSA President Tony Heinz. "The Lee award allows us to recognize individuals anywhere in the world who have made major contributions to optics and photonics by advancing our field at the local level."
Lee, who passed away in 2010, laid the foundation for optical science and engineering in South Korea. With a career spanning more than four decades, Lee was active as an educator, researcher and author. He played a central role in establishing OSK in 1989 and served as its first president. He also served as the first president of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), the country's first graduate school specializing in science and engineering research and education.
"Prof. Lee is well-known for his leading role in bringing optics and photonics to Korea," said OSK President Tae-Hoon Yoon. "His extraordinary efforts deserve to be commemorated through this award. We look forward to honoring a diverse range of professionals around the world for many years to come."
Nominations for the award will be solicited from the global optics and photonics community starting in 2013. The award is endowed by OSK, the OSA Foundation and the family of Sang Soo Lee. The OSA Foundation is currently raising funds to permanently endow this award. For more information on how to donate, visit the OSA Foundation website.
About OSA
Uniting more than 180,000 professionals from 175 countries, the Optical Society (OSA) brings together the global optics community through its programs and initiatives. Since 1916 OSA has worked to advance the common interests of the field, providing educational resources to the scientists, engineers and business leaders who work in the field by promoting the science of light and the advanced technologies made possible by optics and photonics. OSA publications, events, technical groups and programs foster optics knowledge and scientific collaboration among all those with an interest in optics and photonics. For more information, visit www.osa.org.
Source: The Optical Society


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DC-Software in Munich, Germany, develops and distributes software for soil engineering since 1989 and therefore provides 20 years of experience in this area. In 1991 DC-Software Doster & Christmann GmbH was founded. The company concentrates exclusively on its own area of expertise – software for soil engineering. With most easy usability, high performance and large functional range, always at the state-of-the-art of standards incl. Euro- and international codes, DC-Software programs are - together with competent professional support and consulting - the optimum tool for your daily work and document the generally acknowledged rules of technology for soil engineering software. With support of several languages and the standards of different countries, the DC-Software programs can be used internationally. DC-Software is used effectively by more than 1800 customers in 58 countries on all continents.
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Small enough to tuck in your tote or stash in your backpack, our Personalized Frosty Pop-Up Bucket Cooler folds flat and is the perfect companion for a picnic, ball game, or impromptu date in the park. Large enough for several of your favorite beverage, this handy personalized cooler includes a sturdy metal handle for easy carrying.
Measures 10 1/4" x 8 1/2" expanded. Embroidered storage bag measures 10 1/4" x 2" and can be personalized with up to 10 characters in one of our 15 signature thread colors.
Price: $24.99
Product Code: 1116-805 Availability: In Stock


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For the week ending 26 January 2008 / 19 Shevat 5768
Who Reads the Papers?
Who ever said that many Orthodox Jews don't care about what's going on in the world?
Well, a recent survey shows that Orthodox Jews in Israel read the newspapers much more than their secular brothers.
In the survey conducted for the Mccan Erickson advertising group by Mutagim and Market Watch it emerged that Orthodox Jews spend an average of 20 minutes a day reading newspapers while secular Israelis spend only seven minutes.
One explanation for this gap is that secular Israelis rely more on TV and Internet for their news, sources generally shunned by part of the Orthodox public.


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Car Sales: 01939 232 741
Ford Services: 01939 235 726
Hire: 01939 233 999
Please ensure any fields marked in red are filled in correctly
Copyright © 2020 Hawkins Motors. All Rights Reserved.
Registered Office : The Grange, 2 Aston Street, Wem, Shropshire, SY4 5AYRegistered No. 1014642 England | VAT 692 1713 29
Hawkins Garages (Wem) Limited is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, FRN: 671134. All finance is subject to status and income. Written quotation on request. We act as a credit broker not a lender. We work with a number of carefully selected credit providers who may be able to offer you finance for your purchase. We are only able to offer finance products from these providers.
It is our intention to provide a high level of service at all times. However if you have reason to make a complaint about our service you should contact John at Hawkins Motors, High Street, Wem, Shropshire, SY4 5DS If we are unable to resolve your complaint satisfactorily, you may be entitled to refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). Further information is available by calling the FOS on 0845 080 1800 or at http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk


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AL Central Update-Clemens Testimony Reaction Edition (2.15.08)
This should be a post regarding the reporting of pitchers and catchers, which usually is a cause for jubilation and typically makes me think of the up-tempo Josh Ritter song "Snow is Gone". Here in Minnesota, seeing the words "pitchers and catcher report" in print conjures up imaginary odors such as mowed grass and the scent one gets from kicking up infield dirt, even if the exterior thermometer reads well below zero. Here in the prairie land though, we still have a half-dozen snow falls left until spring finally commences but such a beautiful announcement reminds us that there is land on the horizon.
Normally at this time of year I am satisfied debating such issues as the recent Hernandez signing, if the Twins received enough prospective talent for Johan, or whether the Twins participated in the 4th outfielder market too soon when they acquired Craig Monroe. These arguments seemed to have conclusions. We will find out at the end of the 2008 season whether the Twins were justified adding Livan. We will have any answer in three years whether the bounty that was reaped for Santana was enough. We will know if $3.8 million was squandered on Monroe. These have answers.
Like the rest of America the last two days, I have been fixated on the Roger Clemens ordeal. Not on Clemens specifically, but the way the whole witch-hunt has degraded to what is essentially neo-McCarthyism. Like Communism and "the Red Scare", I believe that what really frightens congress (politicians, et al) is that this idea of injecting HGH could pour over the boundaries of our sacred fields into the American people: People idolize these players; People hate aging; These players have temporarily defied aging; Ergo, people might start gravitating towards human growth hormones or stem cells that might be able to provide youthful vigor prolonging the inevitable end. Don't forget that the government is still scared of stem cells (some don't even like the research). This has become bigger than the game itself. Hell, maybe an issue that will define a generation.
If growth hormones added longevity to a career without being a physical detriment, how is that a bad thing? Because everybody can't afford it? Because Clemens, et al should have conceded to aging and accepted the fact that they would not have been still playing if they couldn't do so without HGH? Should Debbie Clemens have simply allowed SI to touch up the photos without the aid of HGH?
I don't have an answer. I waffle on both sides. Half my foot is in the "let them all do everything" camp and the other believes in mandatory testing in the on-deck circle. Maybe when I am 65 and still playing softball pain-free I will think back on the HGH forefathers that made it possible for me to play on the diamond as a retiree the same as I would when I was 35 and mired in work. Maybe when my kids starts dabbling in steroids at 15 I'll be cursing the players whose cards I once idolized for teaching my young such a dishonest way to win. Who knows. Mentally, I want to return to considering whether Nick Swisher or Alexi Ramirez is a suitable centerfielder in US Cellular or if the Twins really do have a true lead-off hitter. These aren't heavy. But I can't just yet. Here are some of the more thought provoking columns in the afterglow of the testimony of Roger Clemens:
- The Strib's Pat Ruesse lambasted Clemens ability to so easily throw his wife under the bus. In efforts to discredit his character, Ruesse quotes former Boston Globe scribe Mike Barnacle describing Clemens as:
"If Clemens had not once been able to consistently throw a baseball 95 miles per hour past men with bats in their hands, he would be wearing bib overalls and sitting on a milk crate at the open end of a trailer somewhere, brushing his tooth, while shooing away flies from his head," Barnicle wrote. "The man is a complete dope."
- Rick Morrissey at the Chicago Tribune discusses that many celebrated what the ideal of Clemens is (an old man that won multiple Cy Youngs) but cringes at the idea of his 39-year-old wife. He questions why the bulging six-pack was the way she wanted to look:
But back to the pursuit of perfection. Allegations of HGH use aside, what told Debbie Clemens that the look she achieved was worth striving for?
What tells women that beauty is breast augmentation or nose jobs or face lifts? Or even that beauty can be found in an incredibly intense workout regimen and a strict lifestyle?
I don't find most female bodybuilders to be particularly attractive.
Both they and overly driven athletes have the same glassy eyed, single-minded look to them. It's neither beautiful nor excellent.
In our world, the line is getting very, very blurred between natural and unnatural.
In the pursuit of perfection, women with artificial breasts and athletes with artificially large biceps sometimes don't seem so different.
- The Kansas City Star's Joe Posnanski in his personal blog gives his thoughts on the televised hearings. Including this on the idea of mistaking it for a B-12 shots:
I do want you to pause for a moment here and think about how stupid this B12 thing is for a moment. Let's assume for a moment that Roger Clemens is weary of needles, a reasonably fair assumption since it appears he kept taking shots in the buttocks region, which is where needles-haters take shots. I know where he's coming from. I hate shots. I am nervous about shots, I don't like them, I don't like when my daughters have to get them, I don't like seeing them on TV. Anyone who knows me and several people who don't know me will tell you: I hate shots.
OK, let me tell you what it means to hate shots: There's is no way, no chance, no possibility that I would take a voluntary B12 shot unless there was a lot of money involved. No chance. A vitamin shot that MIGHT help me in some vague way or MIGHT NOT help me at all? Are you serious? Why in the hell would I do that? I don't even believe in flu shots. I wouldn't take a B12 shot even if recommended by a doctor (which, as Rep. Bruce Braley, a Democrat from Iowa righlyt pointed out, a doctor would not recommend unless I become a vegan or have to deal with Alzheimer's or start dealing with mental health issues which is growing more and more likely by the day). And, while I love my mother very dearly, there's is no way I would start taking B12 shots because she decided they're good for met. Hating shots means hating shots all the time; you only take a shot when it's ABSOLUTELY necessary and you really try to avoid them then too.
So based on the fear of shots alone I'm calling total bullcrap on the whole B12 shot thing.
- Detroit Free Press's Mitch Albom approaches the issues straightforward: who is lying because both can't be telling truth.
I think he [Clemens] is. I think if Clemens is guilty, he is treating it like an injury the other team can't know about. Just get out there, look tough and pitch your butt off. He may figure nobody will believe a creep like McNamee, and Pettitte will never turn hard on him, he can just say Andy "misremembered" their conversations. In other words, in pitching terms, he can retire the side.
A big risk? You bet. But Clemens is nothing if not self-assured.
Meanwhile, what's the big picture here? What changes if Clemens is proven a liar? We already have plenty of big fish admitting steroids. One more changes nothing. If he did it, he did it years ago, when there was no testing.
- Slate's Josh Levin decided that this is a split-party issue with Republicans siding with Clemens ('Perhaps that shouldn't be surprising, considering that the pitcher is a close friend of George H.W. Bush, "even building a horseshoe pit at his home for the former president," according to a 2006 USA Today article.') and the Democratic Representatives siding with trainer Brian McNamee ('Foxx, Burton, Shays, and Darrell Issa, R-Calif., attacked McNamee's credibility relentlessly, while their colleagues across the aisle—most notably committee Chairman Henry Waxman, Massachusetts' Stephen Lynch, and Maryland's Elijah Cummings—laid off McNamee and grilled Clemens.').
- Finally, even though I am sick of Boston's reign as the best sports town in America and Bill Simmons as their official scribe, I do like his ESPN The Magazine article written at the end of January describing a game in 1996 where the fatter version of Clemens struck out 20.
The stunning turn of events didn't leave me as satisfied as I thought it would. Whenever people write about the Steroids Era, they always focus on numbers. After all, the combination of numbers and history makes baseball unique. We crunch them, compare them, memorize them, and eventually they become living, breathing entities. The Steroids Era has made it impossible to say which numbers are genuine, so fans worry that we can't compare generations anymore. I'd argue that every generation has mitigating factors that affect the numbers, and in time we'll learn how to weigh those factors from the past 15 years. We just need time.


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With its Odd Couple lesbians, slacker sperm donor absentee father and pair of precocious kids (one of whom is named Laser, no less), the acclaimed "The Kids Are All Right" already had the perfect TV dramedy set-up. It just decided to take the long way there (via the Oscars).
Deadline is reporting that HBO is in talks with director Lisa Cholodenko about turning her movie, which starred Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, and Mia Wasikowska, into an hour-long series. Cholodenko would have a hand in the development as executive producer.
It's extremely unlikely that anyone from the film cast would be involved, seeing as even the "kids" Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson have moved on to prestige film projects. But you never know. It is, after all, not TV. It's HBO. But just to be safe, start your dream-casting now.
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Unless, of course, this is all a mistake and HBO is, in fact, looking to turn Jeff Stein's 1979 Who documentary "The Kids Are Alright" into a series...Jason Schwartzman as Keith Moon!


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Ratio of female to male net enrolment ratio for secondary education. It is calculated by dividing the female value for the indicator by the male value for the indicator. A GPI equal to 1 indicates parity between females and males. In general, a value less than 1 indicates disparity in favor of males and a value greater than 1 indicates disparity in favor of females. Gender Parity is defined as a GPI between 0.97 and 1.03.
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LOS ANGELES -- At a time when the city of Los Angeles is facing a multimillion-dollar deficit, as much as $10 million a year could be saved by cutting back on the number of vehicles that city employees take home and going after fraudulent gasoline purchases, City Controller Laura Chick said Thursday.
Of the 167 audits she has completed, Chick said the two reports on take-home vehicles and fuel usage are the "most stunning example of how the city does its business in an un-business-like way."
In order to address the situation, Chick is recommending that city officials immediately cancel credit cards issued to employees for emergency fill-ups; recall vehicles from employees who cannot provide proof of insurance; conduct a cost-benefit analysis to determine if it is more economical to reimburse employees for mileage; and determine a clear criteria for issuing take-home cars.
Local news from across Southern California
"I am trying to change a culture. I'm trying to point out to city leadership that, forget about hard times, in any times we should be asking ourselves, 'What's the rationale for giving gas-guzzling or non-gas-guzzling cars to city employees?"' Chick said.
Because the city lacks a utilization standard, it is difficult to know how many vehicles are actually needed, according to the audit.
Federal agencies require passenger vehicles to be driven 12,000 miles a year. The city's General Services Department showed an average use of 6,269 annual miles for 1,712 vehicles used by employees with General Services, Recreation and Parks, Bureau of Sanitation, Street Services, Information Technology Agency and the zoo.
"My auditors found cars parked in city garages with dust (an inch) thick on them. They clearly haven't been moved or taken out in a long time," Chick said.
There are 136 city-owned fueling stations in Los Angeles. Every vehicle comes with a fuel card that allows employees to fill up at those pumps. Some employees are also provided credit cards, with $1,500 monthly limits, that allow them to purchase gas at commercial stations.
In fiscal year 2006-07, Los Angeles employees purchased 303,000 gallons of fuel at a cost of $820,000. In 2007-08, that increased to 308,000 gallons at $956,000.
A review of fuel transactions between July 1, 2006, and last Oct. 31 found 393 instances showing a vehicle was filled with gas at least 10 times in one day, for a total of 142,658 gallons, Chick said.
In one of those cases, a vehicle would have received 30 fill-ups in one day, as indicated by use of the car's fuel card.
There were also 3,012 instances indicating a car was filled up at least five times in a day, according to the audit.
Employees with take-home cars are required to buy insurance to protect the city from any liability that may occur through the inappropriate use of a city-owned vehicle. The audit found that the insurance requirement is unclear to employees, is not monitored by supervisors, and is not substantial enough to protect employees or city in the event of a collision.
The Los Angeles Police Department has 4,692 vehicles, 786 of which are home-garaged. The audit questioned whether the more than 200 LAPD employees who live outside Los Angeles County and have take-home cars could respond to an emergency in a timely manner, and whether the department could justify providing them with vehicles.
"I really want to know the rationale for saying that our public safety officers need take-home city cars to be able to respond quickly in case of an emergency and they live 100 miles away. There's something wrong with this picture," Chick said.
As a result of the audit, the LAPD has decided to eliminated take-home vehicles for 120 employees.
In the executive fleet, the mayor's office has 13 cars plus another eight the LAPD provides for the mayor's security detail; the city attorney's office has 10 cars; and every council offices has seven or eight assigned cars. The controller has one.


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Conductor Uwe Grodd introduced Auckland Choral's 157th season of Handel's Messiah, affirming that this was indeed a masterwork, regardless of race, background or religion.
As happened in 2010, we were to hear the oratorio as its composer intended, without the irritating omissions usually encountered, especially in its final section.
A sonorous, rhythmically alert Overture from Pipers Sinfonia augured well and the band responded to Handel's often ingenious writing with spirit and verve.
This year's Messiah also brought in new sounds. Not only did James Tibbles dispense his harpsichord continuo with customary eloquence but, in some numbers, Eddie Giffney joined him on a second instrument, to tantalising effect.
The plucked and dulcet tones of Stephen Pickett's theorbo were an apt and subtle accompaniment for many recitatives.
Chorally, there was still a sense of strain to be heard when sopranos found themselves in the upper reaches of the stave, but only in Behold the Lamb of God did the choristers lack conviction.
Yet Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs positively bloomed with Grodd's lively tempo, especially when organist John Wells underlined the horrors of Christ's Bruising.
Lauren Armishaw, a soprano with early music affiliations, moved from a sprightly Rejoice Greatly to a radiant I Know That My Redeemer Liveth, with embellishments of telling naturalness.
There were intense emotions at the core of He Was Despised, thanks to the ever musicianly Kate Spence, ornamenting the aria's refrain with infallible rightness.
American tenor Dana Wilson introduced himself confidently early on but Handel's later demands took their toll on his lightish voice, failing to convince in the treacherous trail through Behold and See.
Martin Snell's stirring bass contributions in 2010 will always be a hard act to follow, and David Griffiths was limited by his baritone range, with too many crucial notes not registering. For all this, Griffiths' The Trumpet Shall Sound was given out with authority, complete with fiery cadenza and a solid trumpet obbligato from Philip Lloyd.
Classical music review
What: Auckland Choral
Where: Auckland Town Hall
When: Monday.


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Attempting to break a years-long stalemate over transportation revenue, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller intends to introduce legislation that would allow local governments and regional authorities to raise money for roads and mass transit.
Members of Miller's staff said the bill, which is still being drafted, is likely to include some familiar forms of transportation revenue, including a gas tax increase. But it also would include creation of new regional authorities to carry out transit projects and permission for local jurisdictions to impose their own taxes for local road projects.
Overall, the measure would be a dramatic departure from what Gov. Martin O'Malley has called the "One Maryland" approach under which transportation taxes and fees are imposed equally in all parts of the state. The revenue goes into a common Transportation Trust Fund that pays for all transportation projects except those funded by tolls.
O'Malley said Tuesday night that he has spoken to Miller about the proposal and looks forward to reading the bill.
"I think we all need to be open to ideas that will work in a fair way to address this growing quality-of-life problem we have called traffic congestion," the governor said. That, he said, includes Miller's regional approaches to transportation financing.
House Speaker Michael E. Busch welcomed Miller's legislation. "He's put forth the first idea, the first initiative, and I give him credit for that," Busch said. Busch, an Anne Arundel Democrat, said House leaders were considering their own alternatives.
The governor has said repeatedly that the state needs to raise about $700 million in new revenue each year to deal with a shortfall that has halted most projects except for system maintenance. But O'Malley, who saw his proposal for a sales tax on gasoline stall in the General Assembly last year, has not yet made a proposal this year.
The issue is sensitive because while the public has a hearty appetite for transportation projects, polls shows that voters are vehemently opposed to raising the state's 23.5-cent-a-gallon gas tax, which was last increased in 1992.
O'Malley said the political difficulty of raising the gas tax is compounded by a tendency for prices to rise in the spring – just as the legislature is meeting. He has suggested that a 1-cent increase in the sales tax, dedicated to transportation, might be more palatable to voters.
Miller said Tuesday that the conventional cents-on-the-gallon gas tax should be a part of the mix. He was cool to the idea of replacing it with sales taxes, as proposed by Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell.
"The sales tax is not tied into roads," Miller said, noting that the gas tax has historically been viewed as a user fee.
Miller also said regional transit authorities of some sort need to be established to carry out the three big transit projects Maryland now has on its wish list – Baltimore's Red Line, the Montgomery-Prince George's Purple Line and the Corridor Cities Transitway in the Interstate 270 corridor. Together the projects are expected to cost more than $5 billion – an amount rural legislators don't want to see taken out of the gas taxes paid by their constituents.
According to Senate staff, one key element that hasn't been determined is how any regional authorities might be funded, though it is likely that residents of transit-intensive urban areas might pay more than those in rural areas. Staff members said higher income, sales and property taxes are all being considered as funding sources.
The proposal on regional authorities is part of Miller's effort to break a rural-urban deadlock and forge a new consensus. Some Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader E. J. Pipkin, have said that some GOP lawmakers would consider supporting a revenue package that lifted some of the burden of transit projects from their areas of the state.
Miller also said the counties should be given the authority to raise their own revenues to make local transportation improvements.
Miller aides have spoken favorably about a bill proposed by Sen. Ronald N. Young, a Frederick County Democrat, under which counties would be given the authority to raise the gas tax by up to 2 cents a gallon in their areas to pay for transportation projects.
Art Guzzetti, vice president of policy at the American Public Transit Association, said other states have given regional transit authorities local taxation powers. It's not unusual for urban counties to pay greater levels of taxation than rural jurisdictions, he said.
"There definitely are examples around the country where you have different counties with different contributions to their transit systems," Guzzetti said.


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WASHINGTON (AP) — The devastating tornadoes that swept across Alabama and other southern states Wednesday caused widespread power outages, shut down several large manufacturing plants and could disrupt the region's fragile economic recovery.
Most economists say the setback will likely be temporary. Martin Soler, an associate economist at Moody's Analytics, said Alabama's economy was already struggling to recover from the recession and the storms will probably set it back further. The state's unemployment rate was 9.2 percent in March, above the national rate of 8.8 percent.
As rebuilding begins, though, the state should benefit.
Boeing Co., Northrop Grumman Corp., Toyota Motor Co. and Mercedes said they have idled plants in Alabama, mostly because the factories have lost power. The plants generally weren't damaged by the storms and will likely reopen after a few days.
In the past decade, many overseas auto companies have set up shop in southern states, including Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee. Those plants, in turn, have spawned networks of parts suppliers located nearby. If those parts suppliers are badly damaged, auto production in the region could face a longer disruption. Most of the companies were still checking on their suppliers Thursday.
The tornado damage compounds troubles for the auto industry, which is already experiencing parts shortages from factories in Japan that were damaged by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
But automakers can sustain several days or even a week or two of lost production without a hit to sales. That's because most of them have cars and trucks stocked on dealer lots, said Michael Robinet, an auto industry analyst for the consulting firm IHS Automotive.
After power is restored or damaged factories are repaired, automakers can rebuild inventories quickly, Robinet said.
Managers at the Mercedes-Benz factory in Tuscaloosa County, Ala., decided to stop car and truck productionand send workers home Wednesday night so they could help friends and family members deal with the tornado damage, said Felyicia Jerald, spokeswoman for the factory about 30 miles from Tuscaloosa.
"There's just a lot of damage in the area as a whole. We just thought it was appropriate to do that," Jerald said.
The 4 million-square-foot plant had only minor siding and roof damage, and trees on the site were downed, but it did not lose power and could still produce vehicles, Jerald said.
However, parts supply companies in the area are without electricity, so the company plans to keep the factory closed until Monday. Mercedes was still assessing whether parts supply factories had been damaged.
The factory employs about 3,000 people who make the M and GL Class SUVs and R Class wagons.
A Toyota Motor Co. engine plant in Huntsville, Ala., which employs about 800 people, shut down last night and will stay closed through Friday, a company spokesman said. The factory itself didn't sustain any damage, the spokesman, Mike Goss, said.
Defense contractor Northrop Grumman has closed two facilities in Huntsville, which is in the northern part of the state. Randy Belote, a spokesman for the company, said they haven't received any reports of damage but closed them due to power outages and water shutoffs.
The company employs several hundred people in the region, some of whom have damaged homes, Belote said, making it hard for them to come to work. Still, he expects the facilities will reopen in a "matter of days."
A Boeing factory in Huntsville was also shut down due to power outages "until further notice," a spokeswoman said.
Honda Motor Co. and Hyundai Motor Co. both have huge factories in the state that haven't been affected. But Sara Pines, a Honda spokeswoman, said the company is still checking on the status of its suppliers. The company's plant in Lincoln, Ala., east of Birmingham, makes the Odyssey minivan, Pilot SUV and other models and employs 4,500 people. It's already operating at less than full capacity due to parts shortages from Japan.
Separately, Alabama's agriculture commissioner said the tornadoes and storms caused multi-million-dollar damage to the poultry industry in north Alabama.
Commissioner John McMillan said about 200 poultry houses were destroyed and another 180 damaged. A standard poultry house can hold about 20,000 chickens.
And hundreds of small businesses were damaged or destroyed in Tuscaloosa, Ala., where a massive tornado hit the city's business district.
"It's just unrecognizable," said Robin Jenkins, communications director for the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama, which is based in the city. "The whole cityscape down there has just totally changed."
Still, Alabama should get a boost from construction spending on rebuilding and possible federal aid.
AP Auto Writer Tom Krisher contributed to this report from Detroit.


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Man Sings Ariana Grande's 'Problem' in the Styles of Destiny's Child, Elvis, Green Day + More [VIDEO]by Michelle McGahan | PopCrush
Ariana Grande may have one less problem without you, but we have absolutely no problem with this insanely amazing viral video that features a man singing Grande's hit 'Problem' in 20 different musical styles, including Destiny's Child, Elvis, Green Day and many more.
Much like the guy who sang 'Let It Go' in the voices of 21 different Disney characters, YouTuber Anthony Vincent of Ten Second Songs belts out Grande's entire smash, divided up into 20 ten-second clips in the styles of some seriously varied artists (including a bunch of heavy metal acts). Some of the standouts? Destiny's Child (he nails that Beyonce impression) Elvis (lip-curl and all!), Green Day (gotta love the punk-rock version), the Andrews Sisters (to give 'Problem' that 1940s feel) and the Gregorian Chant, because who hasn't dreamt of Ariana Grande sounding medieval?
Don't just take our word for it — check out Anthony Vincent's hilarious cover of 'Problem' above! Arianators, we know you'll love it.