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This plugin migrates sections, categories, posts, images, medias and tags from Joomla to WordPress.
It has been tested with Joomla versions 1.5 through 3.9 and WordPress 5.3 on huge databases. It is compatible with multisite installations.
Major features include:
- migrates Joomla sections as categories
- migrates categories as sub-categories
- migrates Joomla posts (published, unpublished and archived)
- migrates Joomla web links
- uploads all the posts media in WP uploads directories (as an option)
- uploads external media (as an option)
- modifies the post content to keep the media links
- resizes images according to the sizes defined in WP
- defines the featured image to be the first post image
- keeps the alt image attribute
- keeps the image caption
- modifies the internal links
- migrates meta keywords as tags
- migrates page breaks
- can import Joomla articles as posts or pages
No need to subscribe to an external web site.
Premium version
The Premium version includes these extra features:
- migrates authors and other users with their passwords
- migrates the navigation menus
- SEO: migrates the meta description and the meta keywords
- SEO: keeps the Joomla articles IDs or redirects Joomla URLs to the new WordPress URLs
- compatible with Joomla 1.0 and Mambo 4.5 and 4.6 (process {mosimages} and {mospagebreak})
- migrates Joomla 1.0 static articles as pages
- migrates Joomla 2.5+ featured images
- migrates Joomla 3.1+ tags
- migrates Mambo data
- migrates Elxis data (Joomla 1.0 fork)
- ability to run the import automatically from the cron
The Premium version can be purchased on: https://www.fredericgilles.net/fg-joomla-to-wordpress/
The Premium version allows the use of add-ons that enhance functionality:
- EasyBlog
- Flexicontent
- Zoo
- Kunena forum
- sh404sef
- JoomSEF
- OpenSEF
- WP-PostViews (keep Joomla hits)
- JComments
- JomComment
- JDownloads
- Joomlatags
- Allegati
- Rokbox
- JoomGallery
- Phocagallery
- Joom!Fish translations to WPML
- JEvents events
- Contact Manager
- Docman
- Virtuemart
- JReviews
- Mosets Tree
- User Groups
- Simple Image Gallery & Simple Image Gallery Pro
- RSGallery
- Community Builder
- RSBlog
- AllVideos
- HikaShop
These modules can be purchased on: https://www.fredericgilles.net/fg-joomla-to-wordpress/add-ons/
- English (default)
- French (fr_FR)
- Spanish (es_ES)
- Italian (it_IT)
- German (de_DE)
- Russian (ru_RU)
- Polish (pl_PL)
- Bulgarian (bg_BG)
- Brazilian (pt_BR)
- Greek (el_EL)
- other can be translated
Screenshot (schermate di esempio)
- Install the plugin in the Admin => Plugins menu => Add New => Upload => Select the zip file => Install Now
- Activate the plugin in the Admin => Plugins menu
- Run the importer in Tools > Import > Joomla (FG)
- Configure the plugin settings. You can find the Joomla database parameters in the Joomla file configuration.php
Hostname = $host
Port = 3306 (standard MySQL port)
Database = $db
Username = $user
Password = $password
Joomla Table Prefix = $dbprefix
- I get the message: "[fg-joomla-to-wordpress] Couldn't connect to the Joomla database. Please check your parameters. And be sure the WordPress server can access the Joomla database. SQLSTATE[28000] [1045] Access denied for user 'xxx'@'localhost' (using password: YES)"
- First verify your login and password to the Joomla database.
If Joomla and WordPress are not installed on the same host:
- If you use CPanel on the Joomla server, a solution is to allow a remote MySQL connection.
- go into the Cpanel of the Joomla server
- go down to Database section and click "Remote MySQL"
- There you can add an access host (WordPress host). Enter the access host as the SOME-WEBSITE-DOMAIN-OR-IP-ADDRESS and click add host.
- Another solution is to copy the Joomla database on the WordPress database:
- export the Joomla database to a SQL file (with phpMyAdmin for example)
- import this SQL file on the same database as WordPress
- run the migration by using WordPress database credentials (host, user, password, database) instead of the Joomla ones in the plugin settings.
- First verify your login and password to the Joomla database.
- I get this error when testing the connection: "SQLSTATE[HY000] [2002] Connection refused" or "SQLSTATE[HY000] [2002] No such file or directory"
- This error happens when the host is set like localhost:/tmp/mysql5d.sock
Instead, you must set the host to be localhost;unix_socket=/tmp/mysql5d.sock
- This error happens when the host is set like localhost:/tmp/mysql5d.sock
- The migration stops and I get the message: "Fatal error: Allowed memory size of XXXXXX bytes exhausted" or I get the message: "Internal server error"
- First, deactivate all the WordPress plugins except the ones used for the migration
- You can run the migration again. It will continue where it stopped.
- You can add:
define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '512M');in your wp-config.php file to increase the memory allowed by WordPress
- You can also increase the memory limit in php.ini if you have write access to this file (ie: memory_limit = 1G). See the increase memory limit procedure.
- I get a blank screen and the import seems to be stopped
- Same as above
- The media are not imported
- Check the URL field that you filled in the plugin settings. It must be your Joomla home page URL and must start with http://
- The media are not imported and I get the error message: "Warning: copy() [function.copy]: URL file-access is disabled in the server configuration"
- The PHP directive "Allow URL fopen" must be turned on in php.ini to copy the medias. If your remote host doesn't allow this directive, you will have to do the migration on localhost.
- Nothing is imported at all
- Check your Joomla version. The Joomla 1.0 database has got a different structure from the other versions of Joomla. Importing Joomla 1.0 database is a Premium feature.
- All the posts are not migrated. Why ?
- The posts put in trash are not migrated. But unpublished and archived posts are migrated as drafts.
- Some users reported that the Zend Framework causes an incomplete import. So, if all the data is not migrated, consider deactivating the Zend Framework during the migration.
- I get the message: "Fatal error: Class 'PDO' not found"
- PDO and PDO_MySQL libraries are needed. You must enable them in php.ini on the WordPress host.
Or on Ubuntu:
sudo php5enmod pdo
sudo service apache2 reload
- PDO and PDO_MySQL libraries are needed. You must enable them in php.ini on the WordPress host.
- I get this error: PHP Fatal error: Undefined class constant 'MYSQL_ATTR_INIT_COMMAND'
- You have to enable PDO_MySQL in php.ini on the WordPress host. That means uncomment the line extension=pdo_mysql.so in php.ini
- Does the migration process modify the Joomla site it migrates from?
- No, it only reads the Joomla database.
- I get this error: Erreur !: SQLSTATE[HY000] [1193] Unknown system variable 'NAMES'
- It comes from MySQL 4.0. It will work if you move your database to MySQL 5.0 before running the migration.
- I get this error "Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_PAAMAYIM_NEKUDOTAYIM"
- You must use at least PHP 5.3 on your WordPress site.
- I get this error: SQLSTATE[HY000] [2054] The server requested authentication method unknown to the client
- It is a compatibility issue with your version of MySQL.
You can read this post to fix it: http://forumsarchive.laravel.io/viewtopic.php?id=8667
- It is a compatibility issue with your version of MySQL.
- None image get transferred into the WordPress uploads folder. I'm using Xampp on Windows.
- Xampp puts the htdocs in the applications folder which is write protected. You need to move the htdocs to a writeable folder.
- How to import content from one section as posts and another section as pages?
- You can use the Convert Post Types plugin after the migration.
- Do I need to keep the plugin activated after the migration?
- No, you can deactivate or even uninstall the plugin after the migration (for the free version only).
- Is there a log file to show the information from the import?
- Yes since version 1.45.0. First you must put these lines in wp-config.php:
define('WP_DEBUG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);
And the messages will be logged to wp-content/debug.log.
- Yes since version 1.45.0. First you must put these lines in wp-config.php:
- How does the plugin handle Weblinks?
- The plugin imports the Joomla web links to WordPress links managed by the Link Manager plugin: https://wordpress.org/plugins/link-manager/
- My screen hangs because of a lot of errors in the log window
- You can stop the log auto-refresh by unselecting the log auto-refresh checkbox
Don't hesitate to let a comment on the forum or to report bugs if you found some.
Contributi e sviluppo
"FG Joomla to WordPress" è un software open source. Le persone che hanno contribuito allo sviluppo di questo plugin sono indicate di seguito.Collaboratori
"FG Joomla to WordPress" è stato tradotto in 1 lingua. Grazie ai traduttori per i loro contributi.
Traduci "FG Joomla to WordPress" nella tua lingua.
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Changelog (registro delle modifiche)
- Fixed: Media links with arguments were not imported
- New: Add allow_url_fopen in the Debug Info
- Fixed: Notice: Undefined index: REQUEST_SCHEME
- Fixed: Prevent WordPress from breaking links containing ':'
- Fixed: Logs were not displayed due to mod_security
- New: Modify internal links which contain –
- Tweak: Add $image_description argument in the insert_attachment() method
- New: Modify internal links which contain underscores
- Fixed: Notice: date_default_timezone_set(): Timezone ID " is invalid
- Fixed: Some internal links containing anchors were badly modified
- Tested with WordPress 5.3.2
- Fixed: Featured images not imported
- Tested with WordPress 5.3
- Fixed: Wrong number of imported media displayed
- Fixed: Wrong number of imported tags displayed
- Tested with WordPress 5.2.4
- New: Check if JDownloads is used
- Tweak: Refactoring
- Fixed: Logs were not displayed if the URL is wrong in the WordPress general settings
- New: Download the media even if they are redirected
- Fixed: Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach()
- Fixed: Copying to clipboard wasn't working if something was already selected
- New: Add the max_allowed_packet in the Debug Info tab
- New: Add an help tab
- New: Add a debug info tab
- Tested with WordPress 5.2.3
- Fixed: [ERROR] Error:SQLSTATE[42S22]: Column not found: 1054 Unknown column 'c.state' in 'where clause'
- Fixed: Update the pt_BR translation
- Fixed: Notice: Undefined variable: sql
- Fixed: the featured image was not removed from the content on Mambo databases
- Tested with WordPress 5.2.2
- Tested with WordPress 5.2.1
- Fixed: Missing content when the content contains without an href attribute
- Tested with WordPress 5.1.1
- Tested with WordPress 5.0.3
- New: Allow to download media from sites with a non valid SSL certificate
- Fixed: Some NGINX servers were blocking the images downloads
- Tested with WordPress 5.0.2
- New: Cache database results to improve import speed
- New: Add hooks
- Tested with WordPress 5.0
- Fixed: Images with HTML entities in the scr attribute were not imported
- Tested with Joomla 3.9
- New: Generate the audio and video meta data (ID3 tag, featured image)
- Tweak: Rename WPML by Internationalization
- Tested with WordPress 4.9.8
- Fixed: Images not imported when the "data-src" attribute is used
- Tweak: Add the function wc_upload_dir()
- Tested with WordPress 4.9.6
- New translation: Greek (thanks to Kostas A.)
- Fixed: The media containing "+" in their filename were not imported
- Fixed: Notice: Undefined index: date
- New: Check if Community Builder 2.x is installed
- Tested with WordPress 4.9.5
- New: Check if we need the HikaShop module
- Change the URL of the WP Filesystem SSH2 plugin
- Tweak: Change the scope of the upload_dir() method
- New: Add the "fgj2wp_pre_modify_link" filter hook
- New: Allow the SFTP connection. It requires the plugin "WP Filesystem SSH2".
- New: Check if we need the plugins RSGallery, Simple Image Gallery, Simple Image Gallery Pro, Rokbox, AllVideos
- Update the Spanish translations
- New: Add the get_params() method (used in the Simple Image Gallery add-on)
- Fixed: Notice: Undefined index: date
- Tested with WordPress 4.9.4
- New: Import the images embedded in the categories description
- New: Allow HTML tags in categories description
- Fixed: Links modified with wrong value
- Tweak: Use WP_IMPORTING
- Tested with WordPress 4.9.2
- Fixed: Media containing "&" were not imported
- Tested with WordPress 4.9.1
- Tested with WordPress 4.9
- Fixed: The width in the image caption was sometimes missing
- Tested with WordPress 4.8.3
- Fixed: Sanitize the file names with spaces
- Tested with Joomla 3.8
- Tested with WordPress 4.8.2
- New: Check if we need the RSBlog module
- New: Test if Falang is used on Joomla
- Fixed: Security cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Ajax importer
- Tested with WordPress 4.8.1
- New: Import the image caption in the media attachment page
- New: Modify internal links in drafts
- New: Block the import if the URL field is empty and if the media are not skipped
- New: Add error messages and information
- New: Add the percentage in the progress bar
- New: Display the progress and the log when returning to the import page
- Change: Restyling the progress bar
- Fixed: Typo – replace "complete" by "completed"
- Tested with WordPress 4.8
- Compatible with Joomla 3.7
- Tested with WordPress 4.7.4
- Tested with WordPress 4.7.3
- Fixed: Images not imported on some servers
- Tested with WordPress 4.7.1
- Tweak: Code refactoring
- Tweak: Code refactoring
- New: Add an option to remove the accents from the medias (useful on Windows)
- Tested with WordPress 4.7
- Fixed: Existing images attached to imported posts were removed when deleting the imported data
- Fixed: Typo in Italian translation
- Fixed: Images not imported on HTTPS sites: Warning: fsockopen(): unable to connect to https::80 (php_network_getaddresses: getaddrinfo failed: nodename nor servname provided, or not known)
- Fixed: Wrong progress bar color
- Fixed: The progress bar didn't move during the first import
- Fixed: The log window was empty during the first import
- New: Check if the Community Builder module is required
- Fixed: The "IMPORT COMPLETE" message was still displayed when the import was run again
- Fixed: The images protected by a user agent protection were not imported
- Tweak: Code refactoring
- Fixed: Database passwords containing "<" were not accepted
- New: Modify the tags links in the post content
- New: Authorize the connections to Web sites that use invalid SSL certificates
- Tweak: If the import is blocked, stop sending AJAX requests
- Fixed: Review link broken
- Fixed: Imported tags were not removed when removing imported data only
- Fixed: Missing link between the post and its featured image
- Fixed: Wrong number of comments displayed
- Tested with WordPress 4.6.1
- New: Display the number of data found in the Joomla database before importing
- New: Display the needed modules as warnings before importing
- Tested with WordPress 4.6
- Tweak: Code optimization
- Fixed: the "Modify internal links" function could break some links
- Fixed: Internal links like catid=XXX&id=YYY were not modified
- Tweak: Speed up and reduce the memory consumed by the modification of the internal links
- New translation: Italian
- New: Compatible with Joomla 3.6
- Fixed: Display an error message when the process hangs
- Tweak: Increase the speed of counting the terms
- Tested with WordPress 4.5.3
- Fixed: Don't import the introtext in the post content if it is marked as hidden on Joomla
- New: Compatibility between the Joom!Fish and Docman add-ons
- Fixed: Wrong redirect when an attachment has the same name as a post
- Fixed: Rewrite the function to delete only the imported data
- Fixed: Categories import can hang if the import counter was resetted and the imported categories were not deleted
- New: Option to import the featured images only
- Fixed: The message "[ERROR] The import process is still running. Please wait before running it again." sometimes appears after the process has crashed, and it prevents the import process to resume
- FAQ updated
- New: Add some hooks
- Tweak: Code optimization
- FAQ updated
- Fixed: Images with line breaks inside the tag were not imported
- Tested with WordPress 4.5.2
- New: Allow image filenames starting with //
- Tweak: Add functions useful for add-ons
- Tested with WordPress 4.5.1
- New: Ability to stop the log window auto-refresh
- Tested with WordPress 4.5
- New: Compatible with Joomla 3.5
- Fixed: Images without slashes in their path were not imported
- Fixed: Import stopped when a post has no title or no content
- Fixed: The first image was not removed from the content when used both in the intro text and in the full text
- Fixed: Notice: Undefined variable: imported_tags
- Fixed: the progress bar was resetted when resuming the import
- New: Modify the first image options
- Tweak: Code refactoring
- Fixed: Error :SQLSTATE[42S22]: Column not found: 1054 Unknown column 'c.extension' in 'where clause'
- New: Use the WordPress FTP API instead of the phpseclib library
- New: Better handle the progress bar
- New: Don't log the [COUNT] data in the log window
- Fixed: Browser tab crashed when too much data was displayed in the log window
- New: Modify the Joomla SEF links
- New: Brazilian translation added
- Fixed: When choosing "Import first image as featured only", the first image was not removed from content if it was surrounded by a hyperlink
- Fixed: Articles got the unassigned category when the category is a duplicate
- Fixed: Infinite loop when some categories have duplicate names
- Fixed: After a resume, the posts were imported as uncategorized
- Tested with WordPress 4.4.2
- New: Run the import in AJAX
- New: Add a progress bar
- New: Add a logger frame to see the logs in real time
- New: Ability to stop the import
- New: Compatible with PHP 7
- Fixed: Medias with relative paths were not uploaded to the right folder when not using month- and year-based folders
- New: For the articles and categories whose alias is a date, the imported slug will be the title and not the alias
- New: Keep the Joomla media folder tree when the uploads are not organized into month- and year-based folders
- Fixed: Featured image issue
- Tested with WordPress 4.4.1
- Fixed: Categories with null description were not imported
- Tweak: Use the WordPress 4.4 term metas: performance improved, nomore need to add a category prefix
- Tweak: Optimize code
- Fixed: The notices and errors were sometimes displayed before the header is sent
- Fixed: Categories with duplicated names were not imported
- Fixed: The cache for the taxonomies different from category was not cleaned
- Tested with WordPress 4.4
- New: Add SFTP protocol
- New: Import the {audio} tag
- New: Add a link to the FAQ in the connection error message
- New: Add an Import link on the plugins list page
- Tweak: Code refactoring for unit tests
- New: Add the hook 'fgj2wp_get_wp_post_from_joomla_url'
- Tweak: Code refactoring
- Fixed: Don't display the warning about WPML if JoomFish is used
- Tweak: Change the range of the get_wp_post_id_from_joomla_id() function to be available for add-ons
- New: Add the FTP settings (used for Simple Image Gallery add-on)
- New: Make the platform more accessible to more languages
- Update all the translations
- New: Check if we need the WPML module
- Tested with WordPress 4.3.1
- Fixed some translations
- New add-on: WPML to move the multilingual content
- New: Add an anti-duplicate test if the user runs another import process again while one is still running
- Fixed: Solve conflicts between FG plugins by limiting the Javascript scope
- Fixed: Some medias with accents were not imported
- Tested with WordPress 4.3
- Tested with WordPress 4.2.4
- Tested with WordPress 4.2.3
- New: Change the video links {"video"} to WordPress video tags
- Fixed: Fatal error: Call to a member function fetch() on a non-object
- Tested with WordPress 4.2.2
- Tested with WordPress 4.2.1
- Tested with WordPress 4.2
- Tweak: Restructure and optimize the images import functions
- Tweak: Move the suspend cache functions into the dispatch method
- Restructure the whole code using the BoilerPlate foundation
- FAQ updated
- Fixed: Remove duplicate hook in weblinks.php
- New add-on: User Groups
- New: Compatible with Joomla 3.4 (ignore weblinks)
- New: Log the messages to wp-content/debug.log
- Tweak: Code optimization
- FAQ updated
- Fixed: Import images even when there are linefeeds in the img tags
- Fixed: Don't import the posts as duplicates if the categories are duplicated on Joomla
- Tested with WordPress 4.1.1
- Fixed: the joomla_query() function was returning only one row
- Update the German translation (thanks to Tobias C.)
- Update the Spanish translation (thanks to Jacob R.)
- Fixed: Multisite: Links that contain ":" were corrupted
- FAQ updated
- Tweak: Add hooks in the modify_links functions
- FAQ updated
- Tested with WordPress 4.1
- Tweak: Don't display the timeout field if the medias are skipped
- New: Keep the anchor link when modifying the internal links
- Tested with WordPress 4.0.1
- Update the German translation (thanks to Tobias C.)
- Update the Spanish translation (thanks to Bradis García L.)
- Fixed: Allow backslashes in the articles content
- Fixed: Remove extra slashes in the media filenames
- Tweak: Simplify the posts count function
- New: Add a timeout option
- Fixed: Some image captions were not imported
- Fixed: The media filename was empty on the attachment page
- Tested with WordPress 4.0
- New: Help screen
- New: Functions to get the Joomla imported posts, categories and users
- New add-on: JReviews
- New: Function to get the Joomla installation language
- New add-on: Virtuemart to WooCommerce
- Tested with WordPress 3.9.2
- Fixed: Define the width and the height of the images only if it isn't defined yet
- New: Modify the internal links for both posts, pages and custom post types
- New: Add option to automatically remove the WordPress content before each import
- New: Display the number of Joomla articles, categories, users and web links during the database connection test
- New: Compatibility with Joomla 3.3
- Fixed: Warning: Creating default object from empty value
- Fixed: "Fatal error: Call to a member function fetch() on a non-object" for versions of MySQL < 5.0.3
- New add-on: Docman
- Tested with WordPress 3.9.1
- New: Add a parameter to force the external media import
- New: Import Web links
- Tested with WordPress 3.9
- New: Change the visibility of some methods to use them in add-ons
- Fixed: Notice: Undefined index: width
- Fixed: Notice: Undefined index: height
- Fixed: Was displaying the warning "Your version of Joomla (probably 1.0) is not supported by this plugin." when both the Premium and the free versions were activated
- Tested with WordPress 3.8.2
- New: Change the visibility of some methods to use them in add-ons
- Fixed: Fatal error: Call to a member function fetch() on a non-object
- New: The required modules are listed when testing the connection to Joomla
- New: Nomore need to choose the Joomla version ; it is guessed by the plugin.
- New: Add a message when trying to import a Joomla 1.0 database
- New: Minor internal changes
- FAQ updated
- New: Add hooks
- Fixed: Notice Undefined offset
- Fixed: Don't add the <!–more–> tag if the introtext is empty
- Tested with WordPress 3.8.1
- Fixed: Syntax error with parse_ini_string
- Fixed: Images containing "%20" were not imported into the post content
- FAQ updated
- New: Compatibility with Joomla 3.2
- New translation: Bulgarian (thanks to Hristo P.)
- Fixed: The «Remove only new imported posts» option was not removing anything
- Tested with WordPress 3.8
- Fixed: Archived posts were always imported as drafts in Joomla 2.5
- New: Display error message if PDO is not enabled
- New: Display SQL errors in debug mode
- Description updated
- New: Check if the upload directory is writable
- Tested with WordPress 3.7.1
- Fixed: Import the categories even when the articles are imported as pages
- Tested with WordPress 3.7
- Fixed: "Warning: sprintf(): Too few arguments" message for image captions with %
- New translation: Spanish (thanks to Bradis García L.)
- Fixed: Use the modified post date if the creation date is empty
- Fixed: Warning: array_key_exists() [function.array-key-exists]: The second argument should be either an array or an object
- Fixed: Some spaces were removed (due to the extra newlines removal)
- Fixed: Better rule for the convert_post_attribs_to_array function
- Fixed: "WordPress database error Field 'post_content' doesn't have a default value"
- New: Import the page breaks
- New: Option to import the Joomla introtext in the post and in the excerpt
- New: Use the show_intro article parameter to import the introtext in the content or not
- Tested with WordPress 3.6.1
- New: Compatibility with Joomla 3.1
- Fixed: Remove extra newlines
- New: Add automatically http:// at the beginning of the URL if it is missing
- New: Option for the first image import
- FAQ updated
- Fixed: syntax error, "unexpected '<'" in version 1.16.0
- New: Option to import images with duplicate names
- New translation: Polish (Thanks to Łukasz Z.)
- FAQ updated
- Optimize the Joomla connection
- New: Option to not import archived posts or to import them as drafts or as published posts
- New: Import archived posts as drafts
- Tested with WordPress 3.6
- Fixed: The HTML classes were lost in the a-href and img tags
- Unset by default the checkbox «Import the text above the "read more" to the excerpt»
- Fixed: The caption shortcode is imported twice if the image has a link a-href pointing to a different image
- New: Import images captions
- Improve speed of processing the image links
- Update the FAQ
- Tested with WordPress 3.5.2
- New: Add a button to save the settings
- New: Improve the speed of emptying the WordPress content
- Fixed: Replaces the publication date by the creation date as Joomla uses the creation date for sorting articles
- New: Add a button to remove the categories prefixes
- New: Option to not use the first post image as the featured image
- New: Import external media (as an option)
- New translation: Russian (Thanks to Julia N.)
- Fixed: Categories hierarchy lost when parent categories had an id greater than their children
- Fixed: Posts were not imported when the skip media option was off
- Fixed: Categories hierarchy lost when parent categories had an id greater than their children (Joomla 1.6+)
- New: Add hooks for extra images and after saving options
- Tested with WordPress 3.5.1
- New: Add hooks in the modify_links method
- New: Add a hook for extra options
- Fixed: Move the fgj2wp_post_empty_database hook
- FAQ updated
- New: Compatibility with Joomla 3.0
- New: Option to delete only new imported posts without deleting the whole database
- Fixed: the internal links where not modified on pages
- Tested with WordPress 3.5
- New: Button to test the database connection
- New: Improve the user experience by displaying explanations on the parameters and error messages
- New: get_categories hook modified
- New: Option to not import already imported medias
- FAQ updated
- Fixed: Cache flushed after the migration
- Fixed: Compatibility issue with WordPress < 3.3
- New: Better compatibility for copying media: uses the WordPress HTTP API
- New: Better compatibility for copying media: uses the copy function if cURL is not loaded
- New: Compatibility with PHP 5.1 (thanks to dmikam)
- New: Compatibility with WordPress 3.0 (thanks to dmikam)
- New: Better compatibility for copying media (uses cURL) (thanks to dmikam)
- FAQ updated
- New: Compatibility with Joomla 2.5
- New hooks added
- Description updated
- FAQ updated
- Fixed: clean the cache after emptying the database
- Fixed: the categories slugs were not imported if they had no alias
- New: Compatibility with Joomla 1.6 and 1.7
- New: Can import posts as pages (thanks to LWille)
- Translation: German (thanks to LWille)
- Tested with WordPress 3.4
- Add "c" in the category slug to not be in conflict with the Joomla URLs
- FAQ and description updated
- New: Option to import meta keywords as tags
- New: Deactivate the cache during the migration for improving speed
- New: Modify posts internal links using WordPress permalinks setup
- Fixed: Exhausted memory issue
- Fixed: Don't import HTML links as medias
- FAQ updated
- New: Get the post creation date when the publication date is empty
- Fixed: Accept categories with spaces in alias
- New: Import all media
- Fixed: Do not reimport already imported categories
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Laws, Regulations & Annotations
Business Taxes Law Guide – Revision 2019
Cigarette and Tobacco Products Tax Law
Article 1. Licenses and Bonds
Section 30148
30148. Revocation of license. Whenever any distributor fails to comply with any provision of this part or any rule or regulation of the board prescribed and adopted under this part, the board upon hearing, after giving the distributor at least 10 days' notice in writing specifying the time and place of hearing and requiring him to show cause why his license should not be revoked, may revoke the license held by him. The notice may be served personally or by mail in the manner prescribed for service of notice of a deficiency determination. The board shall not issue a new license to a distributor whose license has been revoked unless it is satisfied that he will comply with the provisions of this part and the rules and regulations of the board.

subset: commoncrawl


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Spirit of projectionist blamed for spooky happenings
Is there a ghost in the Fox Theatre?
Rumors about a spirit resurface every now and then – most recently as part of the discussion over whether the movie house will have to close down again.
One thing is certain: the Fox won't be shuttering, thanks to a fund-raising campaign secured by the generosity of the recreation and parks district.
The other thing – the one about the ghost – remains a mystery depending on your views of the supernatural.
Some believe the theater is haunted by the ghost of a longtime projectionist who, one night half a century ago, conked his head on the projector and died three days later.
He's the likely suspect for those who believe in ghosts.
His daughter doesn't, but if believers want to remember her dad that way, it's fine with her.
"I don't particularly believe in ghosts, but if people want to believe that it's O.K. with me," Sandra Murch says with a shrug, then adds matter-of-factly, "If anyone was going to come back to haunt the theater it had to be him."
The "him" is John Edward Springer, who came to Taft as a teen-ager to get away from an overbearing stepfather.
Began as Hippodrome
He began working at the downtown theater when it was known as the Hippodrome.
Built in 1918, it burned down twice, the first time in 1925. It was rebuilt a year later but destroyed by flames again in 1950 and resurrected a year after that as the Fox.
While the ashes were cleared away and a new theater built, Springer managed the National Theater Corporation's two other outlets in Taft – the Bace Theater (now a church) in Ford City and the Sunset Drive-In Theater on Fourth Street about where a storage facility sits.
On his 25th anniversary with the company, NTC executives presented him with a silver lifetime pass for he and his family.
Murch, a retired nurse who spent 25 of her 42 years in the profession working at West Side Hospital, remembers going to work with her dad at the Hippodrome when she was seven or eight years old.
"He would set me on a stool in the projection room and tell me not to move," she recalls. During intermission she got to take a bathroom break and visit the snack bar.
Balcony included
The layout of the theater was different then.
"It was reversed from the way it is now," she said. "The lobby was at the other end of the building. It was a huge lobby – a lot bigger than it is now. The projection room was on the ground floor and the lobby and restrooms were upstairs."
There was a balcony too.
That's where someone left a cigarette smoldering that is blamed for the 1950 fire.
It reopened to a flashy premier complete with red carpet, celebrities and klieg lights.
Murch was 13 then and helped get the place ready.
"I helped clean out the air conditioner and helped set up the candy counter," she said.
Her mother made sandwiches that were sold along with the popcorn and sweets.
The premier was "The Great Caruso" starring Mario Lanza.
"Chill Wills was the emcee and I remember him saying, 'boy, I sure like the trees you have on your hills' in reference to our oil derricks."
A few years later Murch went to work at the theater.
Like other employees, she rotated among three different tasks.
Staff dressed up
"I was an usherette and worked the snack bar and the box office. We wore uniforms and carried flashlights, and the manager wore a tuxedo."
Going to the picture show was a big thing in those days and the staff at the theater took everything quite seriously.
Dad, of course, ran the projection booth and handled maintenance chores when he wasn't showing the movies.
He was serious about his job – and his daughter's.
"One morning he woke me up and said, 'you left the snack bar a mess last night. Now get down there and clean it up.' I said, but dad . . . and he said, 'no buts, now get moving,' so I got dressed and went down to the theater. You just didn't argue with your parents in those days."
When the manager noticed her cleaning the snack bar and asked her dad what she was doing there, he repeated his claim about the candy counter mess from the night before.
"But she worked the box office and not the snack bar," the manager replied.
"Dad didn't say anything, but he paid me for cleaning up the snack bar," Murch said.
Of all the tasks she performed, working the box office was her favorite because "you got to see everybody."
Projector room mishap
Springer was the first to arrive and the last to leave the theater, she said.
After finishing up in the projection room he would check the theater before locking up.
"Some parents would use the theater as a babysitter," she said. "Dad would sometimes find little kids asleep in the seats. Then he had to find someone to come and get them."
John Springer would tuck away his last reel of celluloid in 1963.
"One night he raised up and bumped his head on the housing of the projector," Murch said. "He was embarrassed and said how stupid it was to do that. He died three days later of a subdural hemotoma."
Murch, who spends many hours a week volunteering at the West Kern Oil Museum cataloguing photos and items for exhibits, said she cherishes the time she spent with her father at the theater.
Now she's trying to wrap her arms around the theory his spirit is engrained there.
At least one current employee is beginning to believe.
"When I'm cleaning up late at night sometimes I hear voices," said Richie Brown, "but I always pass it off as the college kids who live upstairs."
But there's one event he can't explain.
"A couple of times now when I've had the front doors propped open they would slam shut really hard," he said. "I've tried to duplicate that but haven't been able to. So maybe it's him. Maybe it's the ghost of the Fox Theatre."
Theater management is playing along with the ghost theory.
They're planning to incorporate a "Spook Night" with their endeavors to keep the projectors humming – just like John Springer did all those years.


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4239 W Vienna Rd
Directions Clio, MI 48420-9439
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There is no better place to go for new Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM vehicles than Randy Wise Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM near Flint, Michigan. We offer up a huge selection of sedans, SUVs, trucks and vans, so we are confident you will find exactly what you need.
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* MSRP is the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of the vehicle. It does not include any taxes, fees or other charges. Pricing and availability may vary based on a variety of factors, including options, dealer, specials, fees, and financing qualifications. Consult your dealer for actual price and complete details. Vehicles shown may have optional equipment at additional cost.
* The estimated selling price that appears after calculating dealer offers is for informational purposes, only. You may not qualify for the offers, incentives, discounts, or financing. Offers, incentives, discounts, or financing are subject to expiration and other restrictions. See dealer for qualifications and complete details.
* Images, prices, and options shown, including vehicle color, trim, options, pricing and other specifications are subject to availability, incentive offerings, current pricing and credit worthiness.
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While winter storms batter the country with sleet, ice, snow, and freezing rain, we should all be staying inside and away from civilization to stay safe. That being said, when everything calms down an opportunity for racing abounds. Ice racing, that is.
Ice racing is kind of a crazy sport to begin with, because it involves cars racing on ice and that's just silly-talk. There's a complete lack of traction so to actually be able to transmit power to the road you're going to need a lot of skill. Not to mention if you wanted to do anything like, turning, or something. But that's too nuts to even consider, right?
That's what makes Red Bull's video from a few years back of Sebastien Buemi driving his Scuderia Toro Rosso Formula One car on a frozen lake in Quebec so delightful. F1 cars are delicate machines, used to racing in mostly optimal track conditions with optimal pit facilities. Sure, it might rain every now and then, but that's actually a pretty uncommon event. Throwing one on ice, then, is just ridiculous and amazing.
So what are the craziest ice racing videos? Show us in the comments below!


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July - Red Gingham Handkerchief Tie
Out Of Stock!
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
Handkerchief ties are for mamas, little girls and everyone in between!
Each handkerchief tie approximately 6" x 2" and attached to a hair elastic.
We look forward to seeing your sweet babe wearing #modernpiggy.
*Due to the nature of our handmade bows and pattern on the fabric each bow may look slightly different.
**Our bows may contain small parts that could potentially be dangerous to small children. Please supervise your child while wearing our bows.


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1. Milly 'Snake-effect leather shoulder bag'
so posh.
2. Kain 'Alva open-knit linen-blend cardigan'
perfectly lightweight for summer nights.
3. 3.1 Phillip Lim 'Knot-front textured silk playsuit'
playsuits were not my thing, they just didn't work but now with all the new styles, they've magically grown on me.
4. Paloma Barcelo 'Amalaga mesh and leather espadrille wedges'
chic & casual.
5. Scosha 'Set of three 10-karat gold and diamond bracelets'
a mix of boho and chic.
6. Marni 'Resin and ribbon necklace'
a stunner.
7. Stella Mccartney 'Elodie hopping underwire bra'
can lace ever not be pretty?
8. Olympus 'PEN camera'
slim, lightweight and perfect for on the go.
9. Kai 'Perfume oil'
my favorite perfume ever!!! so fresh smelling - too bad it costs an arm and a leg...
10. Tom Cecil 'Hipflask'
classy trashy.
11. Clinique 'Black honey almost lipstick'
the best subtle lip tint that works on almost everyone!
12. Temple 'Repurposed u-zip duffel bag'
i just love anything in olive green.
13. Maybelline 'New York lasting drama by eyestudio gel eyeliner'
what i'm currently using - and i must say, it's just as good as mac's fluidline.
14. Galleria 'Pansies auto folding umbrella'
how freaking cute would i be walking in the rain with this?
i'm a sucker for cityscapes in the midst of large bodies of water.
fall is the best season EVER.
looks like something from a fairytale.
big big dream to go to stockholm.
wonder if i could afford this place if i planned on visiting london...
teeniest island ever!
oh yea, that's gonna be me one day in that hot air balloon.
how incredibly romantic...


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Trip Report - Philippines, Bali, and Malaysia
Post your trip reports, travel experiences, and updates abroad. Or your expat story if you already live overseas. Note: To post photos and images, insert the image URL between the tags [img]and[/img] after uploading them to a third party site.
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Trip Report - Philippines, Bali, and Malaysia
So I just got back from 5 weeks overseas and dealing with bad jet-lag so I figured I'd share my most recent trip with you all to pass the time at 3am. Unfortunately this isn't a mongering trip, I was with one girl the whole time, but I did get to see some cool stuff and experience some interesting places most of you all probably haven't been. I'll break them down into three categories: Batanes, Malaysia, and Bali.
Batanes Islands, Philippines
So this is a place I've always dreamed about going to in the Philippines as it's a dream destination for most Filipinos (and that of my girlfriend) and always looked so surreal. It's quite pricey to get to compared to most destinations in PH, around $200 round trip airfare, but was money well spent. For those of you who don't know where it is, the Islands are the very northern point of the Philippines and are actually closer to Taiwan than the mainland of Luzon.
The Islands are known for being hit by strong Typhoons and thus most of the houses are built out of stone. Unfortunately while I was there a Typhoon struck on my last day, causing flights to be canceled for 2 days and stranding us there. The landscape has a very mountainous tropical island feel but with immense pasture land for grazing cattle and goats. For those that are familiar with Far Cry video game series, the scenery is very similar minus of course the dangerous animals and warring locals. With that said the island is probably the most laid back and truly friendliest place I've been to in the Philippines. There is virtually no crime, poverty levels seem pretty low, and average life span is quite high. They even have a store called The Honesty Store where there is no attendee and you pick the items you want and are expected to be honest and pay.
Fortunately for us a local festival was going on and I finally got to experience a Cock fight. No not between lady boys but between Roosters. I ended up winning $10 after which a local invited us back to their friends house for food and drinks.
Overall I give the islands a 7/10. They are beautiful with amazing locals and awesome seafood but lose points due to frequent Typhoons, running short on supplies, and lack of some modern amenities. For guys interested solely in girls and nightlife, you won't find much here. Women are very basic and simple and there is virtually little nightlife.
Here are a few pictures from the trip. Apologies for the poor quality, most were taken with an Iphone which has a terrible quality.
Typhoon creating huge swell
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Re: Trip Report - Philippines, Bali, and Malaysia
Pulau Perhentian Islands, Malaysia
I was quite impressed with Malaysia, mainly Kuala Lumpur and from just my short time there looked like a city where I could live eventually. Pulau Perhentian Islands are off Malaysia's north east coast near the border with Thailand. I chose to go to these islands because they weren't too hard to get to and we only had 5 days in Malaysia. My girlfriend wanted a beach area with some outdoor activities and this was the best I could find at short notice.
The islands themselves were fabulous. The water and surrounding jungles and coral reef were straight out of Nat Geo. Snorkeling trips were very reasonably priced and there were plenty of beaches to choose from on the two islands. The downside is that it's a major backpacker hub which I hate. I booked unknowingly during high season in which almost all the hotels were booked up and/or prices were jacked way too high. I paid around $80 a night for a shit hotel that would cost $15 in Manila. It was the most crowded beach I had ever been to with hordes of European and Australian vacationers and backpackers. For someone who enjoys culture and off-the-beaten-path locals it was not the environment for me but the food was great and cheap and the beauty of the islands made up for it. The nightlife was also pretty awesome and if I was not with someone I think I would have enjoyed the company more.
Overall I give it a 6/10
Malaysia and Indonesia has some weird outlets so I was unable to charge my phone limiting my pictures taken. My girlfriend has more but here are a few I took.
Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur
Oriental Whip Snake, mildly venomous, chilling on a tree. Almost walked into it
Last edited by hammanta on August 23rd, 2017, 5:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Trip Report - Philippines, Bali, and Malaysia
Bali, Indonesia
I have a love hate relationship with Bali. On the surface it's a destination that has it all; fabulous culture and history, adventures anywhere from high adrenaline water sports to volcano trekking, rafting and mountain Biking, quality beaches, and crazy nightlife. There are world renowned hotels that top out at $700 a night or more, as well as crazy themed lodging such as Safari Inn to futuristic hotels and pristine lush mountain escapes. I stayed in an awesome Airbnb right in the middle of Ubud, the temple and historical area of the Island (think Eat, Pray, Love location).
With that said, Bali (at least the areas I was at) lacked a genuine feel. It's all way to commercial. The souvenirs that look so cool can be found all throughout the island in privately owned shoppes to large chain stores. The temples lose their flare with cafe's and chain restos (Starbucks, Uno,etc.) sitting in their front yard. A lot of the statue's and murals were created less than 25 years ago and the temples look relatively new as well. Want to hike a cool volcano, be prepared for the likes of 500 plus people doing the same thing at 3am. I'm sure there are areas in Bali that have a more pristine feel but in the 7 days I was there I didn't find them.
With that said I still genuinely enjoyed my experience there and slammed a lot of activities into my itinerary including volcano trekking, white water rafting, temple viewings, Bali Zoo, getting spit on by an Orangutan, and of course the ever famous Monkey Forest.
Bali is expensive though and I went over my budget big time while I was there. I also under estimated the size of the Island. I thought in my mind the island was some tiny place but in reality the main city of Denpasar has over 400,000 people and is highly urbanized. From East to West the island would take 6+ hours to traverse in a car (4 hours from north to south) thus one would need weeks to see and do most of what Bali has to offer.
Overall I give it a 7/10
Though a tourist trap, I think I enjoyed the Monkey Forest the most. Very amusing if you like animals.
Re: Trip Report - Philippines, Bali, and Malaysia
Thanks for the report.
I visited Bali and yes the hotels there are expensive because it's consider a great honey moon destination for the richer Asian (South Korean maybe Japanese) tourist. Because of the beaches you also have the Aussie I think going there for the surf.
Re: Trip Report - Philippines, Bali, and Malaysia
Thanks a lot for your interesting report and pictures.
And about missing nightlife, you had a nice looking girl with you anyway...
Re: Trip Report - Philippines, Bali, and Malaysia
I stayed in a very wonderful Airbnb for $35 a night right in Ubud so luckily I bypassed the luxury locations. I think I went during high time because everywhere was crowded with European and Australian Tourists. I did get to see Kuta beach but I'm not a surfer so I didn't appreciate it that much.
Re: Trip Report - Philippines, Bali, and Malaysia
Oh I don't regret by any means bringing her, but she's not into clubbing or bar hopping as much so I missed those opportunities. But we had a blast nevertheless.
Re: Trip Report - Philippines, Bali, and Malaysia
Thanks for the trip report! Most importantly, we're very proud of you for thinking outside of the box and making your dream happen! You have good taste in women. Bravo!
Re: Trip Report - Philippines, Bali, and Malaysia
I haven't been to Batanes yet but it is on my wishlist. Apparently it doesn't have the typical Philippine climate and is more similar to that of Hong Kong's. There use to be a ferry going over from Currimao in Ilocos Norte a few years ago too but the route got cancelled, so the only way of reaching it now is by plane from Manila, and also Tuguegarao and Laoag.
I saw my first cockfight in Puerto Galera which was underwhelming to say the least. Lasted a few seconds.
It's ironic you should mention Far Cry. I've been playing Far Cry 3 today - one of my favourite video games.
Re: Trip Report - Philippines, Bali, and Malaysia
I can't speak for the climate of Hong Kong as I haven't been there but while I was in Batanes it was HOT. More so than Manila at the time. Batanes is a lovely place but will get boring after more than maybe 5 days. There are few restaurants, little to do at night, and hard to get supplies. Restaurants and stores run out of things all the time and after a few days the scenery no longer becomes breath-taking. Still worth the visit to see the scenery and the locals.
Regarding cockfighting, I've been to Philippines 5 different times and that was my first time experiencing it. I thought it was fun due to the gambling aspect (I like to gamble ) but take that away and it's very anticlimactic.
I'm not a big gamer but I've loved the Far Cry Series for years now. Far Cry 3 definitely the best. FarCry 4 was nearly as good but Primal was alet down.
Re: Trip Report - Philippines, Bali, and Malaysia
Appreciate the kind words Pete. The trip was a blast.
Re: Trip Report - Philippines, Bali, and Malaysia
I enjoyed the photos, especially the one showing the arched stone lintel.
Re: Trip Report - Philippines, Bali, and Malaysia
Nice trip. Nice pics. My last trip i was in Angeles and i spend 6.000 Euros.
Re: Trip Report - Philippines, Bali, and Malaysia
Nice photos and trip reports. I spent a week in KL when I was getting my Thai visa and it was a really interesting place. In 7 days there I took more photos than in 6 months living in Bangkok.
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Re: Trip Report - Philippines, Bali, and Malaysia
How in God's name did you spend 6k Euros in Angeles. Did you have a harem of whores every night?
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اولاد کی فکر
سورہ البقرۃ، آیت ۱۳۲
Don't try to explore new routes to reach your destination; take the common route, as it is proven and reliable. With your aim being the pleasure of Allāh ta'ālā you should follow the way of our rightly guided pious predecessors.
Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh
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Copyright © 2020 at-tazkiyah.com


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Planning your Summer Children's activities?
Summer Holiday clubs, VBS, Backyard Bible Clubs, CPAS Ventures - whatever kind of club you do, I've got lots of great Children's Bible Songs here for you: songs that help the kids hear and remember the Bible, songs to jump around to, songs the kids won't forget, most of all: songs about Jesus!
Click the "read more" link for some suggestions - or contact me with your holiday club theme and I'll send you some song ideas.
Some of my songs were written specially for our holiday club here, and so they've got four verses to match four daily themes... Here's a list of the themed songs, in case you need some inspiration:
It hasn't got themed verses, but "God has a plan" is great for a "Bible Overview" theme.
If you need a song suggestion - just get in touch and ask me - click here!


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Allison Arieff
Allison Arieff writes a column about design and architecture for The New York Times and is editorial director of SPUR.
When Toys "R" Us does a pop-up shop one can certainly make a case for the waning effectiveness of the genre. But despite their co-option by hipsters and marketing gurus, the temporary space remains a sharp tool in the urban revitalization kit. Why? As we well know, cities are starved for cash, their workers weary of bureaucratic obstacles and the word "no." So they welcome the creative, energetic, and financially prudent efforts of grassroots organizations that have seen opportunity in crisis. Vacant lots, abandoned buildings, parking spaces, and even slivers of pavement, have been transformed by prudent partnerships between governments, artists, architects, and designers, and volunteers motivated to improve their own communities. The best of these efforts are designed to enhance daily life not promote product or "lifestyle."
1. Transparente Kerk (Transparent Church), various locations in the Netherlands
Maria Popova (@brainpicker) alerted us to what has to be the most unexpected use of a pop-up: The Transparent Church (or Transparante Kerk). Installed in the Netherlands, the structure's material jibes with its philosophy: sermons are less traditional than, um, transparent. The 30 or so attendees the church accommodates are not preached to, rather they're encouraged to openly discuss life's important questions with one another.
2. The Big Hole, Seattle, WA
As part of their strategy of neighborhood improvement, Go Oak Cliff, a small group of residents from the Dallas suburb drew attention to the codes they were violating to get the city to reconsider what was on the books. A similar tactic was taken in Seattle, where a three-acre empty lot--vacant for so long it was known to locals as the "Big Hole"--was reimagined as Boing Boing, reportedly "an awesome and ginormous play pit."
3. Proxy, San Francisco, CA
In 2005, Envelope Architecture + Design won first prize in the Octavia Boulevard Housing Design Competition. Then the recession killed the project. But Envelope got a unique consolation prize: the opportunity to transform the vacant lots they'd originally designed housing for into Proxy, "a vibrant focal point for commerce and community." Just around the corner from Hayes Valley Farm (built atop a felled freeway), Proxy now houses a little village of local businesses including Ritual Coffee and Smitten Ice Cream, and the recently opened Supenkuche Beer Garden.
4. Play Streets, New York, NY
For decades, kids transformed the streets into their own personal playgrounds. Now, in this era of "stranger danger" and decreasing resources for recreation spaces, the idea has been reborn through a partnership between Transportation Alternatives, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the NYC Strategic Alliance for Health. This past summer, the group worked with 11 community organizations to help create play streets around the city, many in neighborhoods with disparate rates of activity related diseases, like obesity.
5. Meeting Bowls, Times Square, New York, NY
Defying all assumptions, seating of any kind has accomplished the ostensibly impossible (and some might argue, dubious) task of getting people to have a seat in Times Square. Even the cheap folding chairs scattered around by the Department of Transportation last summer encouraged congregation and conversation, even in triple digit temperatures. Designed by Spanish firm mmmm, the latest street furniture may scream "theme park" in a space already derided for having turned into one but they've been quite popular with tourists and locals alike.
6. The Walklet, San Francisco, CA
Ubiquitous in San Francisco is the Walklet, a modular system designed to extend sidewalks into the parking lane. Another terrific example of "user-generated urbanism" by REBAR who created PARKing Day way back in 2005, the Walklet not only looks (and sounds) cute, it is radically less expensive than permanent sidewalk improvements, which can typically run over $1 million per block. They're popping up nationally, from Portland to Brooklyn.
7. Picnurbia, Vancouver, BC
Variations on the theme of the walklet/parklet abound. Picnurbia joins the long list of irritating urban/suburban monikers (Metroburbia, Retroburbia, et al) but we'll forgive that because it's been so successful at creating a playful place for people to gather downtown.
8. Berlin-Tempelhof Airport, Berlin, Germany
Sometimes the best programming is no programming at all. That's what happened when the city of Berlin decided to transform this abandoned, Nazi-era terminal building into the city's largest park. As IDEO's Beau Trincia points out in his own blog, New Public Domain:
"Cash-strapped Berlin has forgone the expensive landscaping and programming of the space and left it to the people to make the most of this wide open acreage not 15 minutes bike ride from the city center. And if our experience of the park on a Pfings holiday Monday is any evidence, the people are making the most of a completely unprogrammed experience to make it a vibrant public treasure."
Renters in apartments and houses share more than just germs with their roommates: Life under coronavirus lockdown means negotiating new social rules.
What do we know so far about the types of places that are more susceptible to the spread of Covid-19? In the U.S., density is just the beginning of the story.
The short-term rental market is reeling from the coronavirus-driven tourism collapse. Can the industry's dominant player stage a comeback after lockdowns lift?
Because of coronavirus, millions of tenants won't be able to write rent checks. But calls for a rent holiday often ignore the longer-term economic effects.
We must prepare for a protracted battle with coronavirus. But there are changes we can make now to prepare locked-down cities for what's next.


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int sigpending(sigset_t *set);
Feature Test Macro Requirements for glibc (see feature_test_macros(7)):
sigpending(): _POSIX_C_SOURCE >= 1 || _XOPEN_SOURCE || _POSIX_SOURCE
sigpending() returns the set of signals that are pending for delivery to the calling thread (i.e., the signals which have been raised while blocked). The mask of pending signals is returned in set.
The set of signals that is pending for a thread is the union of the set of signals that is pending for that thread and the set of signals that is pending for the process as a whole; see signal(7).
A child created via fork(2) initially has an empty pending signal set; the pending signal set is preserved across an execve(2).


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A running discussion on the Cincinnati Reds and everything else in the baseball universe.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
2009 Top Prospect List: #10 Kyle Lotzkar, rhp
Height 6-4, Weight 200, B/T: L/R, DOB: 10/24/1989
2008 Redlegs Baseball Prospect Ranking: #16
Kyle Lotzkar's 2008 season was probably one of the least surprising in the entire system, in fact he did almost exactly what I thought he'd do. Of course, that description carries with it both positive and negative connotations. On the plus side, he demonstrated the flashes of brilliance that we have already come to expect from his young right arm. Unfortunately, on the downside, he suffered a not altogether unexpected arm injury, which prematurely ended his season.
It's still too early to tell, but his 2008 season may be indicative of his entire career. He has the ability to be a top of the rotation starter, but he also has some issues with his mechanics that increase his injury risk and could prevent him from reaching his impressive ceiling. For Lotzkar, it will continue to be a battle between high performance upside and heightened injury risk. Hopefully for Reds fans, the former will win out over the latter.
After a very strong 2007 debut, the Reds opted to keep Lotzkar in extended spring training to start the season. Given his age, they likely didn't want to throw him right into the mix against more advanced competition, but he was also dealing with a sore neck which ensured that the Reds would be cautious with him. Lotzkar stayed and worked out in extended spring training until the beginning of June when the Reds sent him him to low-A Dayton Dragons.
For the Dragons, Lotzkar demonstrated the kind of high-end performance that makes him a very intriguing pitching prospect. He made his Dayton debut on June 13, which was the first of 10 starts he'd make on the season. Lotzkar pitched 37.2 total innings which of course works out to only 3.2 innings per start. Given his high walk and whiff rates, it's not surprising that Lotzkar never worked past the 5th inning, as both of those outcomes require a lot of pitches. In his 10 starts, Lotzkar posted a 3.58 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 5.7 BB/9, 12.0 K/9, and a 0.74 GB/FB ratio. And, a look at his component stats indicate that he was as good as his ERA indicates. His FIP was 3.65 and his BABIP was .321.
Unfortunately, when Lotzkar toed the slab on August 3rd against the Quad City River Bandits it would be his last outing of the season. He worked 2.2 innings before injury struck and he was forced to leave the game with a small stress fracture in his elbow.
Fortunately, Lotzkar's stress fracture was a small one, even so it's a rather unusual injury for a pitcher.
In short, a stress fracture is an overuse injury that is frequently seen in athletes. A fracture, or broken bone, is typically caused by very high force that causes the bone to break. However, a stress fracture is caused by a much lower level of force that happens repetitively over a long period of time. What makes it an unusual injury for Lotzkar is that stress fractures are most often seen in the bones below the knee (i.e. shin bones, bones of the foot, etc). Stress fractures in the upper body are rare because the weight of the body is not supported by the arms the way it is by the legs. A good example of a lower body stress fracture is fellow Cincinnati Red Chris Dickerson, whose 2008 season ended when he had to have surgery to remove a piece of bone from a stress fracture in his left ankle.
Stress fractures are usually seen in athletes who increase their level of activity over a short period of time. In Lotzkar's case, he was working his first full professional season and throwing more than he ever had in his baseball career. Typically, bones will adapt to increased workload by becoming stronger in the high stress areas, but a stress fracture may result if the bone cannot maintain the pace of the repetitive work. The typical treatment for a stress fracture is rest, but more serious fractures can require corrective surgery.
Recently, former Baltimore Oriole pitching prospect Adam Loewen was forced to give up pitching after suffering a recurring elbow fracture. Loewen originally suffered the stress fracture in 2007 and had corrective surgery that inserted a screw to stabilize the joint. Only recently tests revealed that he had reaggravated the fracture, which had widened again. Ultimately, Loewen decided not to have another corrective surgery which would keep him out until 2010, but to instead give up pitching to focus on converting to the outfield.
Seattle Mariner pitching prospect Cesar Jimenez is another prospect who suffered a stress fracture of the elbow. He opted for surgery and missed most of the 2007 season. Upon his return, the Mariners shifted him to the bullpen in part due to questions about his durability. Even so, he is throwing the ball well and should have the opportunity to pitch out of the Mariner bullpen in 2009.
A couple of other pitchers suffering from stress fractures are Yankee pitcher Jonathan Albaladejo (elbow) and Tiger flamethrower Joel Zumaya (shoulder).
Fortunately, Lotzkar's stress fracture, which only required rest, was not as serious as Loewen's career ending injury. After resting his elbow for just a month, Lotzar was throwing again without pain. All in all, this could be nothing more than a very minor bump in the road for Lotzkar, but it certainly bears watching. Hopefully, there won't be a recurrence of the injury, because, as Adam Loewen demonstrated, it can pose a serious threat to a pitcher's career.
Lotzkar features three quality pitches: a 90-93 mph fastball with good movement, a biting curveball that he has tightened up, and a developing change-up. He has a good feel for pitching, which helps his pitches play up a tick, and he's comfortable throwing all of his pitches. His biggest problem is his control, as he issues a lot of free passes, which really isn't surprising given his age. Fortunately, that's a problem that can be corrected with experience and improvement would really unleash his potential.
As for his mechanics, Lotzkar still has a red flag in his delivery. He has a fairly loose arm action, but he brings his pitching elbow up above shoulder height after breaking his hands (see Zumaya photo, who shares both the high pitching elbow and "coincidentally" the stress fracture injury), which can increase the stress on the arm. Given the heightened risk of injury created by his delivery, it's not surprising that he suffered an arm injury during his first full season. Hopefully, it's not a sign of things to come.
Overall, the only real drawback on Kyle Lotzkar is the risk of injury. Outside of that, he's got the body type that scouts dream on, the pure stuff to be a dominant pitcher, and a good feel for pitching. In addition, he seems to have good makeup and a strong work ethic, which are underrated attributes in prospects.
Lotzkar has tremendous upside and injury might be the only thing that prevents him from reaching it. It's also the only thing that prevents me from ranking him much higher on this list. For now, he checks in at #10.
16 comments:
- AnonymousFebruary 15, 2009 at 10:07 AM
Great articles about the Reds' prospects. I especially like the comments on pitching mechanics. Is it too late to correct Lotzkar's mechanics?ReplyDelete
Hey Floyd,ReplyDelete
Thanks for the comment!!
As for mechanics, theoretically changes and even major overhauls can be made, but it can be a serious undertaking.
For whatever reason, whenever each of us picked up a baseball and threw it for the first time, one way felt the most comfortable to each of us. And, gradually muscle memory took over as we continued using the same motion over and over and over again.
Muscle memory is the process of the neuromuscular system memorizing motor skills. Muscle memory is formed over time through repetition of a motor skill and the ability through brain activity to instill it to the point that it becomes automatic. So, given that, you can see the difficulty in retraining yourself to throw a baseball in a different manner than you have your entire life.
By and large, I'd say simple changes to a pitcher's delivery can be made. However, in Lotzkar's case (i.e. high pitching elbow), you would be trying to change his actual arm action, which would be MUCH more difficult.
Can it be done? Absolutely. If you are a golf fan, you know that Tiger Woods has completely overhauled his golf swing at least once. Earlier in his career, he had tremendous success, but didn't feel that the swing would play well as he aged. So, he showed extraordinary confidence in himself and completely reworked his swing. It took him about 8-10 months of nonstop pounding golf balls with his new swing to completely retrain himself.
Of course, what makes Tiger's decision so amazing is that you just don't know how well you'll perform if you retrain yourself. Will you be able to perform at the same high level after your rework your mechanics? Honestly, regardless of whether it's golf or baseball, I'd say most of the time the answer is no. You have to have a ton of skill and confidence to make that kind of change. Will you have the same velocity? The same bite on your breaking pitches? The same control?
The A's just had tremendous success in converting Brad Ziegler to a submarine style pitcher, but Ziegler wasn't having much success before the conversion, so there was little downside to it. Obviously, that's just not the case with Lotzkar.
That's why organizations are wise to take a pitcher's mechanics into account when drafting them. It should definitely be a part of the decision, because it's difficult to change a pitcher's arm action.
It's entirely possible that the Reds took that into consideration and Lotzkar's stuff, makeup, and upside outweighed it. Also, it's possible that Lotzkar won't have any more arm trouble because of his high elbow. There aren't a lot of hard and fast rules that apply to all pitchers.
At this point, I think the best plan is to let Lotzkar continue to use his current arm action and hope that he can reduce his heightened injury risk through his good work ethic. After all, not everyone can be Tiger Woods.
Anyway, thanks for the comment!!
- AnonymousFebruary 19, 2009 at 9:29 AM
love the site, always read but never post. I was just wondering when the number 9 prospect was going to be posted, its been a while and Im getting excited lolReplyDelete
Hey Anon,ReplyDelete
Thanks for the comment.
I'm working on #9, so it should be up tonight or Friday. And, I'm hoping to get #8 up this weekend, so keep your eyes peeled.
- AnonymousFebruary 19, 2009 at 4:02 PM
thanks lark, your scouting reports are fun to read, they really good and in depth (this is anon) You should try to hook up with doug gray, he runs redsminorleagues.com to get some more people to this site because its surprises me that there aren't hundreds of people checking this site out. Its definitely in the top 2 reds websites out there and more people should know about itReplyDelete
Hey Smitty,ReplyDelete
Thanks for the comment and the kind words. The site is growing slowly but surely, but I'm not much of a promoter. So, I just try to put up quality content and hope it keeps people coming back.
As for Doug, his site is the granddaddy of Reds minor league sites. He's been doing it for a long time and all the work he has put in has really paid off in terms of readership. Hopefully, if I keep working hard and putting in the effort this site will continue to grow.
But, regardless, I enjoy writing about the Reds and it's great fun to discuss the team with other passionate fans. More than any other sport, baseball seems to lend itself to great substantive discussion, so it's just fun for me to take part in the discussion.
Anyway, thanks again!!
- AnonymousFebruary 19, 2009 at 6:30 PM
Well I will most certainly try to tell as many people as i can about the site to help promote it!ReplyDelete
What I was getting at before when mentioning Dougs site, he has several other reds blogs as links on the side of his page and i was just recommending that you contacted him to maybe have him add your site to the list. This site is better than most of the ones he has linked and it might help bring in new readers!
Well just my thoughts trying to help, whatever you decide to do i am sure will be for the best as your a lot smarter than i am lol
goodluck, i am sure the site will be huge! i know ill keep reading and cant wait for the rest of the prospect list!
Well, thanks for spreading the word, smitty!ReplyDelete
Good point about Doug's blog roll. I haven't been over there in a while, so I forgot about his list of websites. I know redreporter.com (a quality site) recently added this site to their list of blogs, which I appreciated. Maybe I'll look into getting on other blog rolls.
Anyway, thanks for the feedback. I do appreciate it. Sometimes it's nice to know that what you cast out in cyberspace is being read by people.
- AnonymousFebruary 20, 2009 at 9:00 AM
Lark I was wondering who your best guess would be for the Reds first round pick, 8th overall i believe, will be?ReplyDelete
Also, i am not a computer whiz but if you needed people to help with the site i would be glad to do anything you needed. I love the reds and would love to be a part of it [if only a small part]
Hey Smitty,ReplyDelete
Thanks for the offer! At some point, I'll probably try to revise the layout somewhat and put up some new eye-catching graphics. I'm not very good with graphics, so maybe I'll need some help with that when I have time to rework the look of the site.
- AnonymousMay 16, 2009 at 10:44 AM
when is lotzkar going to start throwing in the minors this year? ive been waiting to see his name come upReplyDelete
Hey Anon,ReplyDelete
The Reds are taking things slow and easy with Lotzkar, which makes sense. Realistically speaking, the Reds aren't going to try to get Lotzkar a ton of innings this year. He's coming off injury and only worked in 37.2 innings last year, so they'll want to keep his workload light. It's a widely held belief in baseball circles that you shouldn't drastically increase a pitcher's innings pitched from one year to the next, as that may increase the injury risk.
The last I heard about Lotzkar was from the beginning of April, when he was to be kept behind in extended spring training.
Here's the link: http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=3040
I don't have any inside info on when we can expect him to arrive, but I'd be more than a little surprised if he isn't pitching by the beginning of June.
Anyway, thanks for the comment. I, too, have been looking forward to his arrival. Hopefully we won't have to wait too much longer.
- AnonymousJune 26, 2009 at 1:58 PM
It's almost July now, what is the latest you have heard about lotzkar.ReplyDelete
Hey Anon,ReplyDelete
Unfortunately, I haven't heard anything new since it was reported that Lotzkar suffered a setback.
At this point, I doubt there's even a timetable for his return, but rather just an effort to get him back to 100% healthy. Stress fractures in the pitching arm can be tricky, so at this point it really wouldn't surprise me to see him miss the entire 2009 season. There are only 2+ months of the minor league season left, so it makes sense to just shut him down for the season. It is clearly more serious than they initially considered it to be and if he re-fractured the bone then surgery may be a possibility.
At this point, Reds fans should probably just hope for Lotzkar to be 100% healthy when the start of the 2010 season rolls around.
Anyway, wish I had better news on that front.
Thanks for the comment.
Great info Lark.ReplyDelete
I coached Kyle when he was younger and he's always had a great arm. It's very unfortunate about his injury but I am confident he's going to come back a better pitcher. Last time I saw him he was working on getting back on the bump this spring. He's great young man and comes from a great family.
I've never met Kyle, but the interviews I've seen and stories I've read always gave me the impression of a good, grounded, hardworking kid. So, I'm rooting for him and hope he gets back to health very soon.
Thanks for the comment!


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Old Mother Hubbard: 2011 Detroit Lions Offseason
>> 2.25.2011
not looking so bare this year
Those of you who've been reading for a while have, I hope, been waiting for my Old Mother Hubbard series, where I review the performance of every Lion on the roster with a chance to make the next roster. It begins soon, enhanced with film grades from Pro Football Focus. I do my own film review, too, but they grade every snap—and moreover, they do it for the entire league. As the Lions' roster has improved, it's vital that we compare it to the rest of the league for context.
Before, we knew that the Lions were at the bottom of the NFL in terms of talent. We knew the roster was flatly awful. But it's been so long since we've seen truly competitive football in Detroit, judging the Lions against only themselves no longer makes sense. So, this year's Old Mother Hubbard will try to compare every Lion's 2010 performance to their counterparts across the NFL. If I do it right, it'll be like a statistical combine, for veterans.
Ah, that's right, the NFL combine—it's this weekend. All of this year's prospective draft picks—save a few at the very top, and a few at the very bottom—will be doing drills and jumps and lifts and sprints this weekend in Indianapolis. More importantly, they'll be getting their medical evaluations, and be doing their personal interviews.
All of your favorite writers and reporters are down there to cover it live, from Michael Schottey to Dave Birkett to Peter King. Also, follow Will Carroll, who besides being awesome knows Indy—and everyone in the industry. Also, follow me, @lionsinwinter—because if you like my blogging, you'll likely like my Tweeting. Don't forget to read Tom Kowalski's articles (and watch his vlogs) at Mlive.com, and for general NFL-wide combine updates, the folks at Scout.com just kill it every year.
As for the NFL combine, you can follow it live at NFL.com, as well as on NFL Network. I always make time for the OL and DL position drills, and I suggest you do, too. Also, the bench presses are fun to watch; the strength coach who usually oversees it is a real character.
As for the Lions, well, I haven't built out their shopping list for this season yet. But, for the first time in years, they'll actually be drafting for depth instead of for starters. They'll be drafting players to sit and learn instead of step in and start. They'll be drafting players now to be major parts of their future—you know, like real teams do. In a way, it's not as exciting; without free agency, we'll be desperate to hear about lots of new starters coming in the door. In another way, it's much more exciting—it means the cupboard isn't bare anymore.


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New roof concept to make cabriolets even better
It is probably the most fundamental question of faith for convertible drivers: hardtop or soft top? Unfortunately there are no studies to prove whether people who prefer a soft top for their convertible are of a more sensitive disposition than those who choose the hardtop. However, it is a fact that the RHT (Retractable Hardtop) has won more and more fans in the past few years. The reasons make sense and are somehow rational: RHTs often have lower noise emissions, are more advantageous with respect to heat insulation and aerodynamics and the fabric does not sag unattractively. Even if some modern, well padded soft tops can certainly give them a run for their money, the RHT always takes the lead when it comes to theft protection or insensitivity towards environmental influences. People who like facts feel comfortable with these arguments. But what about the emotional side of the convertible, which is not least distinguished by the classic fabric look of the roof. The almost nostalgic flair of the softtop has, after all, always been a reason for the love of convertibles - you look at the top and inevitably think of summer, holidays, mystery tours and the value exuded by the vehicle.
Anyone who makes the claim of bringing technology and emotion together will certainly try everything to answer the roof issue with a solution that brings both parities together. The solution is called EDroof, and combines the best of both worlds: the aesthetics and lightness of the classic fabric top with the convenient features of the hard variation. The idea behind it is conceivably simple: the moving soft top shells are not installed like RHTs, but are tensed by a fabric panel fixed with clamp rails. The effect: the comfort of the RHTs is retained but the fabric ensures that it is watertight and has visual sophistication.
The EDroof is a solution that could not be any better for the development of modern convertibles. By adding the soft top, much lighter materials can be installed for the shells and complex seals and coatings can be avoided. This saves costs and weight, increases the space for luggage and provides a new level of freedom for design. The solution from the EDAG engineers means the soft top contour is moved in the direction of a "coupe body contour" - to express it with the correct technical term. And last but not least, it should get hearts racing among fans of classic convertible shapes - because the EDroof looks amazingly good as well.
Locations near you
Your contact to EDAG:
EDAG Inc.
1650 Research Dr., Suite 300
Troy, MI 48083
Our Hotline
Phone: +1 248 588-3134
Fax: +1 248 588-3259
For United States Only Accessibility
If you need assistance or require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process due to a disability, you may submit your request by one of the below methods:
E-mail: recruiting[at]edag-us.com
Mail resume:
EDAG, Inc. Recruiting/HR
1650 Research Dr. Suite 300,
Troy, MI 48083
Contact: H.R. at 248-588-3134.
EOE Minorities / Women / Disabled / Veterans VEVRAA Federal Contractor
For more information please see our download area under Equal Employment Opportunity Policies (USA) or EEO is the Law.


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LinkedIn is the Social Network for Professionals, Entrepreneurs, and Managers. Because of the user network, you want your profile to stand out to make it effective. Here are some key ways to supercharge your LinkedIn profile:
- Optimize your profile– add keywords that characterize your specialization or brand. Some areas to add keywords as you build your profile include:
- Headline – this is the space that visitors see first, after your name of course. The headline should feature keywords that describe what you offer.
- Work Experience – your most current information is important and how you describe it is even more important. Use descriptive words when adding keywords in this area (i.e., "social media marketing" consultant instead of "marketing" consultant)
- Summary – use this area to provide details on your specific brand. This is where you list the types of services you provide and what you are offering potential clients.
2. Personalized URL – Create a personalized URL for your LinkedIn Profile. Use keywords or the same name you use on other profiles that identify your brand.
3. Skills and Expertise – As you add your professional experience, don't forget to add something more personal like human skills, abilities and characteristics.
4. Don't forget your blog – Providing a link to your blog makes your profile more attractive to anyone viewing your profile. Remember when adding a link to your blog not to use LinkedIn's default of "My Blog" but use the "Other" option so you can use keywords that relate to what your blog is about. The same is true for any of the three websites you highlight on your profile.
5. Ask for Recommendations –You know your strengths but asking others that you have worked with in the past to write a quick recommendation for you will only add value to your profile. If someone writes a recommendation for you, don't forget to return the favor. Just think of how much easier it is when you give the recommendations first…
6. Groups – Joining groups is important. But adding to the discussions in groups is even better. Contribute…Join…draw people's attention to your own brand.
7. Utilize other accounts – Use your Twitter account and blog to add to your own LinkedIn profile. You can share your relevant Tweets by adding #LI in front of your post on Twitter. Also adding select tags on blog posts makes them apparent on your LinkedIn profile.
8. Add connections – The more connections, the more opportunities you have to market your brand.
9. Videos and Slideshare – Add videos of events or information you want to promote. You can also add slides of a presentation you recently gave using Slideshare. These items will markets you as an authority in your field.
Use your LinkedIn profile to market your brand by making your profile stand out. Using these tips can supercharge your profile and provide a positive experience as you market your brand.
Did you find these tips useful? What is the one take away that you are going to implement into your LinkedIn profile as a result of the tips shared here? Please leave it in the comments below…
Let's connect on LinkedIn! Please reach out at http://linkedin.com/in/urvimehta
Do you know someone that can benefit from these tips? Please share this post with them to help them supercharge their LinkedIn Marketing. Thank you


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Despite having earned a tough rep for being an "angry, black, gay person," Meshell Ndegeocello is timid and reserved when she answers the phone. She later reveals that she gets nervous during interviews. It's clear that the 42-year-old, who was born in Berlin and raised in Washington D.C., is nothing like the image she's become known for.
Even with 10 Grammy nominations and eight albums, her latest Devil's Halo, under her belt, Ndegeocello, which means 'free like a bird' in Swahili, continues to push for more. Yet the one thing she still hasn't received is understanding. Even after being in the public eye for close to 20 years, people still ask: 'Who is Meshell Ndegeocello?' Not to mention: 'How do you pronounce her name?' (In case you're wondering, it's Mee-shell N-deh-gay-o-chel-o.)
What can't be denied is the passion that comes through in her lyrics. Take for example a tune called "Leviticus: Faggot,' off her second album, which focuses on how organized religion treats minorities. It's that strength and her refusal to follow other singers that landed her in the 1996 Out 100.
Today, she's the mother of two and has been in a relationship with her partner, Alison, for five years. Although much has changed in her life since her debut album, Plantation Lullabies in 1993, the one thing that remains constant is her brass: No matter what, Ndegeocello speaks her mind.
Out: On your website it says you have given up on trying to explain yourself.
Meshell Ndegeocello: Yeah, I had to.
What is the biggest misconception about you?
Do you have any?
Are you reversing the roles here?
No, I just don't have any idea. I think early on when the music business was a little different, and they had to create some sort of persona to sell, I think I got sold as this angry, black, gay person. I think that's a huge misconception. Other than that, I don't really think about it. That's why I had to ask you.
You once told NPR: "Either you do it for the music, or you want to be a star."
I think there's some gray area in between there, but go ahead.
Well, they are two different things. When you look back on the career that you've had, are you satisfied?
Oh, definitely. It's been fun. It's what has helped me get to where I am now. I can pretty much play any kind of music I want to. I can stay creative. I don't have to be locked down to a persona or a generalization for a marketing team. It's scary sometimes just because you don't know what the next thing is going to be, but creatively it's great. You can just stay ' I hate to say true. I don't really believe in the word true. I can stay honest with my idea.
What is the difference between true and honest?
Truth is subjective. I think honest, if a person is saying it, they are trying to give an adjective to their intentions.
How is the Meshell of today different from the Meshell of 1993, when your debut album was released?
I've lived a little longer, so I've had varied experiences. I have more things to use when making choices. Not to generalize, but I think when you're in your early twenties, you have a bravado or a sense of 'I'm going to take the bull by the balls' attitude.
Not by the horns?
By the balls! I don't really have that now. I really don't need to have that experience anymore. I'm more about the inner sanctum of who I'm trying to be and not trying to look into the future. Just have a now kind of experience.
Do you have any idea who you are trying to be?
[Laughing] Alison just had a baby. He's 11 months now. So I just try to be a good parent. My eldest son just graduated from college, so I'm trying to be someone who is there for the people I have responsibility for.
Your son is going to be 11 months? His birth was kept out of the media. Was that intentional?
Yeah, I try, but it's OK with this. I think it's kind of important to get it out into society about people who are gay or different'they can have a family.
What kind of mother are you?
That's hard. If I looked at myself, I might run away. I try not to delve too deeply into my psyche. I think I'm a quiet, low-key kind of parent. I think I suck at discipline, but I'm really good at the love. I just try to have fun and keep the environment mellow.
Your eldest son, Solomon, is 21. Does he want a career in show business?
No, he just graduated with a degree in like computer game design. He's a dork [laughing]. He lives in the Bay Area, and he likes to get out, party, and play with computer games.
Who or what is currently inspiring you?
I really love this group Men. I like to take myself back to the past. Lately, I've been listening to a lot of Ike and Tina Turner. I'm just all over the boards. I like watching strange movies. I liked An Education. Seems kind of boring, but I liked it. It really made me wonder about people's sincerity and what is truth.
Growing up in Washington, D.C. what were you like?
Chatty and curious is what I hear most. Either I was really, really quiet or I'd talk your ear off.
Was it difficult coming out as bisexual?
I'm lucky. I went to an arts high school. So, I was able to explore and be myself no matter what that path was at the time. It was hard for my parents, who are really sort of religious. I'm so excited for people now when you live in a progressive state that it's a little bit easier. After hearing about this Rutgers incident, I'm not mad at people. What I'd like to say to young people now is that there is nothing to be ashamed of. There's nothing you can do or be ashamed of to make someone want to take your life or for you to take yours. The world is built on diversity. It's what makes this planet interesting.
Does "bisexual" still describe you?
I've loved many different kinds of people. Maybe different races, maybe different genders. That may sound completely hippie and dippy and bullshit, but I have larger worries and concerns.
You once said you didn't want to be defined as a gay artist. Why?
It limits me artistically. I'm not ashamed of it at all. There's a lot more to me. I'm trying to be patient for a society where we're not so oversexed. I would be embarrassed to ask, 'Who are you fucking now?' I don't even know you, but we live in a society that we feel that kind of information is OK. I'm hoping to be a catalyst for change that way.
In the chorus of your song 'Die Young' you sing: 'I always pick the wrong way / It feels right, the way to go.' What does that mean?
Well, again, that's something that's subjective. I'm always told that I pick the wrong way. That's how it's been labeled. But to me or some other people's perspective, it can be the right way. There is no absolute. Life is short. I'm absolutely against murder. The other things, they are too gray an area. That's really what this album, Devil's Halo, is about for me. The devil started out as an angel, and he had jealousy and envy. I'm really clear that no one so far I have met on this planet knows everything.
You don't shy away from politics. You have been outspoken against the war we fought in Iraq. How do you feel this administration is handling LGBT issues?
[Laughing] It's funny because I think that's the least of [Obama's] worries. I don't know. I wish I had better words for this. The system is so broken I can't invest that much thought into it. I cannot imagine being him at all. I wish he would've ended the war sooner. That's my only true issue with him and that he continued the Patriot Act. Those things are just hard for me to understand. At the same time, I'm so grateful for him because he's showing that in this country there is still this element that's quasi-racist and incredibly sexist and completely homophobic. He's giving people the chance to see just how conservative America is.
Another song of yours with powerful lyrics is 'Fellowship.' You sing: "Would you walk a righteous path without the promise of heaven, paradise streets paved in gold?" Do you feel religion causes a lot of the problems today?
Oh, yeah. I struggle with religion. I was raised with it. It's really a heavy burden. Then I converted to Islam. I think I've looked into them all. As I grow older, to me they are just faddish. I think religion is really mind control. It can bring about some positivity, but I really believe it is a dangerous force. Religion is definitely soothing to you when you have nothing else. Intellect should be grounding.
If you could do anything -- we're talking wildest dreams here -- what would you do?
I wish someone would give me a five-star hotel room for a month in Sweden, and I could just hang out and meet people. I just want to experience something different. It's a great feeling when you no longer think that New York is the center of the world.
Where do you live today?
Hudson, N.Y. Upstate.
Is it true you were mentored by Prince?
Ugh, no. I'm just a huge fan of his. I've met him a couple of times. He's a jerk.
Did you just say 'He's a jerk'?
Yeah, I've met him a couple of times, and it's never gone well, but I'm totally inspired by him. He inspired me to play music and want to make records. I remember hearing his first recording, and from that moment on I knew that's what I wanted to do.
What song is the most "you" from your catalog?
Probably 'Devil's Halo.'
You have been nominated for 10 Grammys. Do you just want to win the damn thing?
Not really. The last thing I need is another tchotchke. So I'm cool.
What are you the most proud of?
It changes all the time. I guess I'm proud of the music I've made. Also my sons, Atticus and Solomon.
To learn more about Ndegeocello, visit visit her official website.


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Tag: City Of Angels
Real Wedding – Los Angeles Temple Wedding
Hadley & Kal ♥ Los Angeles, USA
Photographer: Megan L Photo
Sometimes the key to a great wedding is simplicity and that is exactly how the talented photographer of today's sweet nuptials described this darling Los Angeles Temple wedding day.
"Hadley and Kal's short, but sweet Los Angeles Temple wedding was planned in only two months! They went for simplistic, and put more importance on the love that they shared than on anything else."
Wide beaming smiles were worn the whole day through by not only Hadley and Kal but by each of their guests too. Fun, love and togetherness are the main ingredients for creating a successful and memorable wedding day and that's exactly the recipe that today's super-cute couple went for, and there's no denying that the beautiful clear blue skies helped to deliver a bright and breezy, summer party feel.