text:
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang's
Regular Press Conference on January 9, 2018
At the invitation of Minister Louise Mushikiwabo of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and East African Community of the Republic of Rwanda, Minister Manuel Domingos Augusto of External Relations of the Republic of Angola, Minister Noel Nelson Messone of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, Francophone, Regional Integration and Overseas Compatriots of the Gabonese Republic, Minister Urbino Botelho of Foreign Affairs and Overseas Compatriots of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, Foreign Minister Wang Yi will pay official visits to the aforementioned four countries from January 12 to 16.
Q: The high-level talks between the DPRK and the ROK are being held in Panmunjeom. The head of the ROK delegation said that a good start is half way to success. It is reported that the ROK proposed a joint parade with the DPRK at the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games. What is your comment?
A: This morning the DPRK and the ROK held high-level talks, receiving much attention from the international community. It is natural that China, which pays great attention to the peace, security and stability of the Korean Peninsula and the region, also follows the talks closely. We have seen relevant reports, and we are pleased to see the high-level talks happen between the DPRK and the ROK.
As we said many times, as a close neighbor of the Korean Peninsula, China welcomes and supports the positive steps recently taken by the DPRK and ROK to ameliorate their relations. We hope that the talks will mark a good beginning in improving relations, pushing forward reconciliation and cooperation between the DPRK and ROK, and easing tensions on the Peninsula. We also hope that the international community can root for both sides and give them full understanding and support.
Q: The Philippines' Defense Minister has said that the Philippine side is going to lodge a diplomatic protest to China over the buildup of the Yongshu Reef in the South China Sea, saying that China has reneged on its promise that it will not militarize the island. What is your response?
A: China's peaceful construction on its own territory aims to make greater contributions to regional peace, navigation safety, disaster prevention and relief, maritime search and rescue and marine scientific research. Certainly, China also needs to construct necessary defense facilities for its own territory, which are not directed at any country.
As friendly close neighbors, China and the Philippines maintain unimpeded dialogue and communication on maritime-related issues. The Chinese side stands ready to continue stepping up communication with the Philippine side so as to eliminate misunderstanding and enhance mutual trust.
Q: For over 20 years, the Foreign Minister of China has been choosing Africa as the destination for his first trip abroad each year. What is the main goal of Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit this year?
A: To strengthen solidarity and cooperation with African countries is an important cornerstone of China's foreign policies. For more than 20 years, the Chinese foreign ministers have all chosen Africa for their first overseas visits each year. Foreign Minister Wang Yi's upcoming Africa visit is a continuation of this fine tradition, which speaks volumes about the high priority China consistently attaches to China-Africa relations.
The year 2017 has witnessed the concept of China-Africa win-win cooperation and common development winning greater popularity, with the China-Africa Comprehensive Strategic and Cooperative Partnership registering sound and smooth growth, the outcomes of the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation being implemented in a comprehensive way, and the Belt and Road Initiative achieving early harvests in Africa.
The year 2018 is important for China and Africa to build on the past achievements and usher in a brighter future. To build on the past achievements, China and Africa will enhance alignment to see that the promises of the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation are successfully and fully delivered. To usher in a brighter future, since China and Africa have agreed to upgrade this year's Forum on China-Africa Cooperation to be held in China to a leaders' summit, the two sides will follow the spirit of shared benefits through consultation and contribution and make the summit another historic event where China-Africa solidarity and cooperation can be strengthened.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi's Africa visit will uphold the basic principles of China's diplomacy in the new era and the policies and guidelines on China's relations with Africa featuring sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith, strengthen communication and alignment with the African countries, and step up efforts to implement the important consensus reached by President Xi Jinping and African leaders, cement mutual political trust and expand pragmatic cooperation so as to lay a solid groundwork for the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation to be held in China this year.
Q: Do you have any updates on the ship collision accident occurred off the coast of the East China Sea over the last weekend?
A: The Chinese side attaches great importance to this maritime disaster. Yesterday, I said that the Chinese government is taking positive measures to carry out search and rescue work. According to the information we have received from the competent authorities, there are now twelve vessels assisting in the search and rescue efforts in the waters where the accident happened. Meanwhile, the Chinese side is actively engaged in maritime cleansing work.
Yesterday, some of you asked about the cause of the accident. I would like to say that the investigation is still underway. If we have further information, we will keep you updated.
Q: In response to a media report that China is planning to build a military base in Pakistan, a senior Pakistani official said that the Chinese government has neither made such demand, nor did both governments discuss such a plan. What is your comment?
A: I am not aware of the situation you mentioned.
Q: President Macron said in Beijing that the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping is very important, and it represents a real opportunity to create bridges, through exchanges, between countries and civilizations, just as the ancient silk routes once did. It will also promote Eurasian connectivity. France would like to take an active part in it. What is your comment?
A: We have taken note of these remarks by President Macron. We welcome France and other European countries playing a positive role in the advancing of the Belt and Road Initiative.
The Belt and Road Initiative is an important public good provided by China to better promote global development. It also offers a broader platform and enormous opportunities for international development and cooperation. Five years after its inception, the Belt and Road Initiative has been well received by a growing number of countries and international organizations, with its early harvests already delivering tangible benefits to local people along the routes. France's participation in the Initiative will help expand the space for its own development and international cooperation, promote China-France practical cooperation, and achieve a higher level of win-win results for both countries.
China stands ready to work with all parties including France to follow the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits and steadily advance the Belt and Road Initiative so as to create more opportunities for the development of countries around the world and the global economic growth and usher in a brighter prospect for different civilizations to flourish altogether.
Q: As you mentioned yesterday, China's Commerce Ministry in September issued a notice that DPRK-owned businesses in China would need to cease operation. Could you confirm that today is the final day for them to stop their operations and what penalties will befall if these companies fail to stop?
A: Yesterday, I said that in the notice put up by China's Commerce Ministry and the State Administration for Industry and Commerce on September 28, 2017, clear-cut stipulations are made on the implementation date. If you read this notice, you can learn about the time frame. I also said that as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China always strictly implements the relevant resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council.
Q: Yesterday, the Indian army chief said there has been a major reduction of Chinese troops in Dong Lang. Can you confirm this and what is your comment?
A: The Dong Lang area has all along been part of China and under China's continuous and effective jurisdiction. There is no dispute in this regard. The Chinese border troops' patrolling and stationing in the Dong Lang area is exercising sovereignty rights in accordance with the stipulations of historical conventions and upholding territorial sovereignty.


text:
Mont-Sainte-Anne Travel Guide
Just up the highway from Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré is the town of Beaupré, which provides access to MONT-SAINTE-ANNE. The ski resort has successfully marketed itself as an off-season destination and is now the longest-standing venue on the mountain bike world-cup circuit. In summer you can explore the extensive cross-country mountain-bike trails ($12.18), either staying around the base area to test your trials skills on the North-Shore-style wooden obstacles, or using the gondola ($17.40 round-trip) to explore one of the hardest downhill mountain-bike courses in the world (there are easier routes down the mountain). Bikes can be rented at the base area with front-suspension models going for $40 for four hours; full-suspension for $55.
Hikers wanting to enjoy the remarkable views over the St Lawrence River and Québec City, as well as try out the several marked trails, can also take the gondola up the mountain. Yet one of the best hiking trails leaves out of the car park at the base area – head down the hill and over the bridge – to the Chutes Jean-Larouse, a twenty-minute walk. The trail leads to a series of dramatic waterfalls, though the latticework stairway that's been constructed alongside is just as dizzying and almost more impressive.
Québec City and Northern Québec
Book through Rough Guides' trusted travel partners
Canada features
The latest articles, galleries, quizzes and videos.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I am making a C++ testing server and want to do that compiled programs would:
- not have access to read or write files.
- not have access to open or connect through sockets.
- not be able to work with ANY non-standard C++ (e.g. system) libraries
- have full access to CPU (no or very little performance loses).
- have limited RAM memory.
- have limited running time.
I hope I have not forgotten anything but what I want to do is to make a normal testing system without possibility to be hacked through the compiled program.
Any tips, links, whatever? Any compiler options?
Here is what current system is going to be:
OS: Ubuntu
Compiler: GCC
Do you know whether it's possible to disable ALL system librariesin the compiler? That would help a lot :)
Edited (again):
Here is what I came up with: I make a program that forks it self and the the parent process tracks the testee for timelimits (while you still can use some system command for that as well) and the child process limits it self (resources, seccomp) and runs the untrusted software.


text:
To put it mildly, European stocks have had a rough couple of years, as the eurozone sovereign-debt crisis continues to plague the continent. And with many economies in the eurozone continuing to teeter on the edge of default (or forced bailouts), investors around the globe have remained understandably leery of any investments made within the shaky economy. This investor fear becomes painfully clear when looking at the inflows between European ETFs [see also How To Pick The Right ETF Every Time].
There are a number of popular investing options in the European Equities ETFdb Category, but two funds best illustrate the difference between country specific and broad exposure: the FTSE Europe ETF (VGK, A) and the MSCI Germany Index Fund (EWG, B).
Meet the Competitors
Out of all the European Equity ETFs on the market, VGK and EWG separate themselves by being the largest funds in the space, with VGK holding over $5 billion and and EWG holding over $3 billion in total assets under management. While EWG focuses on the performance of the German equity market, VGK instead takes a wide approach to the European equity market by including 17 different developed economies [try our Free ETF Head-To-Head Comparison Tool].
The Bottom Line
With both funds faltering in 2008 with the crash of the European equities market, it is clear how beneficial the non-euro stocks were to VGK's portfolio. As Germany continued to take charge of the recovery efforts over the next four years, investor confidence was also on the rise, as did inflows to EWG, until coming back down in 2012 and 2013. With the majority of Europe still in deep debt, VGK enjoyed only one strong year since 2008, but it will continue to improve with the economies. The inflows for these different strategies emphasize the importance of taking a good thorough look under the hood of an ETF to check out the weightings and holdings before establishing a position.
Follow me on Twitter @lynpaintzall
[For more ETF analysis, make sure to sign up for our free ETF newsletter]
Disclosure: No positions at time of writing.


text:
He Is Not Here for He Is Risen
Fear not ye: for I know ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
He is not here for He is risen.
Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
Now risen on the third day.
Fear not ye: He is not here, for He is risen, as He said.
He is risen from the dead.
Text: Steven Kapp Perry
Music: Steven Kapp Perry
Artist: S. Perry
Album: Music Published in the Church Magazines: New Era
Composition Date: 1985-08-01
More Info: New Era


text:
BiographiesThe EntrepreneurFree Markets
Big firms that dominate the marketplace have never had much of a problem with government regulations that keep new competitors from springing up.
Taxes and Spending
Wealth creation and savings are a far better indicator for economic prosperity than the "job creation" sought by politicians who use tax incentive programs for political purposes.
The Communist Party's big plans for a globally-competititve soccer league have come to naught.
U.S. HistoryWar and Foreign Policy
The authors of the Constitution were clear that the power to declare war was limited to Congress. It's important to understand why.
Media and CultureTaxes and SpendingPolitical Theory


text:
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
From investment decisions to operations, our services in the liquefied natural gas end-to-end value chain help you operate safely and efficiently.
From investment decisions to operations, our services in the liquefied natural gas end-to-end value chain help you operate safely and efficiently.
Global demand for natural gas and liquefied gas (LNG) is booming. Business leaders are ramping up investments in facility expansions, new operations and trading.
Accenture assists natural gas and LNG companies in:
Although LNG companies may follow different paths to profitable growth, there are common pillars of success in a world marked by rapid change.
Take advantage of digital technologies to enhance safety, optimize your operational protocols and ensure cost-efficiency.
Feel confident that your LNG facility will be built on-time and within budget by having a full overview of the construction operation.
Align your commercial model to your objectives, risk tolerance and capabilities, understanding the unique challenges each model brings.
Ensure you are set up to quickly adapt to market changes that impact your gas source and ability to quickly pivot and retain profitability.
Create a full picture of the operational and commercial implications of decisions your teams are making today across the end-to-end value chain.
We have already begun to experience the paradigm shift in fuel mix and are excited to explore the growing impact of natural gas.
The case for natural gas has been based on it being "cleaner than coal and diesel," or that it's a "transition fuel" to a 100% renewable world.
Natural gas supplies from US shale, Russia, Iran and Africa are likely to keep the world well stocked and prices low for the short to medium term.


text:
Peace plan: Scott Atran talks to terrorists
Scott Atran runs with a rough, international crowd– jihadis, mujahideen, and lashkars– otherwise known as Islamic fundamentalists, otherwise known as terrorists, who have invited Atran into their worlds. As we know all too well, their worlds can be dangerous, even for a westerner with an invite.
Atran visited Kashmir after the earthquake in 2005 to look at relief efforts, as well as to investigate jihadi groups, who were riding around on military trucks and using loudspeakers to announce that people had turned away from God, and that the way back to God was to join the jihadi movement. Shortly after arriving there, Atran, hosted by Kashmiri Nationals (neither pro-Indian, nor pro-Pakistani), was told that Lashkar-e-Taiba (an Al Quaeda-affiliated group operating mainly out of Pakistan) was looking for him, a search, he says, that equated to a death threat. He had to hide under the floor-boards of a mosque.
In Sulawesi, Indonesia, he was interviewing a jihadi commander by conducting an anthropological experiment, which involves asking the question: If a child is born to Zionist parents but is raised by jihadi parents, will the child grow up to be a Zionist or a jihadi?
Atran claims he has asked this question in many countries all over the world and never feared for his life afterward, but his experience in Sulawesi was different. The commander replied: "The child would grow up to be a jihadi." Then he looked at Atran and asked, "but, are you a Jew?" It was at that point Atran excused himself for a "bathroom break," then received a text from his interpreter saying there were plans to "get rid of me in the evening." He had to climb out the bathroom window to escape. Atran claims that, since the advent of the Internet, he averages about an "hour on the ground" in these exotic places before someone Googles him and his life is in jeopardy. Seems like a movie, doesn't it?
Speaking of movies, a reporter asks Atran his thoughts on the movie Zero Dark Thirty, which he calls a "good movie, except for the torture stuff," which is "baloney." Why? "Because I know how they got some of that [information], and it wasn't through torture," he answers. Further, he claims that the Western interpretation of Bin Laden as he's portrayed in the movie– as living poorly, sitting on the floor with a blanket around him– is incorrect. Mohammed himself was called "the blanketed one" and lived very austerely, says Atran, so Bin Laden's appearance in the movie actually worked to bolster his standing with Muslim audiences.
Atran, 61, is an anthropologist and research director at the National Center for Scientific Research in Paris, while also keeping offices at the University of Michigan and John Jay College, feels that empathy, and trying to understand who terrorists are and why they do what they do– but not necessarily sympathizing with their cause– is the antidote to terrorism. And that's the subject of his most recent book, Talking to the Enemy: Faith, Brotherhood, and the (Un)Making of Terrorists.
"It should be read carefully, and pondered," advises famed intellectual Noam Chomsky.
Atran will discuss "Can We Make Peace With Terrorists?" at noon Friday, March 22, in Charlottesville City Council Chambers.Read more on: scott atran


text:
PLANT A FISH INC via Crowdrise
May 16, 2012
EVENT: Groupon Earth Day Challenge
From the mangrove lined shores of Florida, to the sandy beaches of El Salvador, Plant A Fish empowers local communities to take action and restore native ecosystems. As Earth Day 2012 approaches, Plant A Fish hopes to inspire you to make a difference in your community. Using timeless ecological principals of education, conservation, and restoration. Our modest hope is to "plant" a mere one billion "fish" worldwide. To do this we need your help!
Program initiatives are seeded across the globe in order to restore and protect marine ecosystems and keynote species. In El Salvador, Plant A Fish is working with local Tortugeros to protect sea turtle eggs from being sold on the black market. With an unprecedented 95% hatch rate, and over 230,000 sea turtles released in 2011. In Florida, Nicaragua, and Haiti, PAF is restoring mangrove forests damaged by rapid urbanization and storm damage. Students from the NY Harbor school are planting oysters in Hudson River depleted by dredging and over harvesting. In the Florida Keys and Maldives, initiatives are helping to restore corals on damaged reefs. With your donation, Plant A Fish initiatives will continue to work to help restore and protect our oceans, our planet's one and only life support system.
As an all volunteer organization, we rely on the kindness of people, just like you, to support our cause. 100% of your donation will go to restoration initiatives in areas that need it most. Our volunteers work countless hours to protect and restore our planet. Please assist in their efforts and contribute today. Any amount brings us one step closer to our goal, which is to keep our ocean healthy so that our lives can be healthy.
We have a chance to win a $25,000 donation from Groupon if we raise the most for the Groupon Earth Day Challenge! Check out our standing here. 2nd place gets $15,000 and 3rd place gets $10,000. These funds would help us continue our current restoration initiatives, and expand to other locations in order to empower others to take action! Select the DONATE button above to give. You can also JOIN THE TEAM and help us fundraise!
As an added bonus, everyone who donates will be eligible to win a copy of the book Oceans, signed by Fabien Cousteau. This will be a great addition to any collection. There are three chances to win, so donate today to be entered!


text:
Bull Run Watershed
Projects in the Bull Run Watershed
The Portland Water Bureau regularly produces a list of projects and ongoing maintenance activities that are happening or planned to occur in the Bull Run Watershed Management Unit. The purpose of the list is to ensure the transparency of the Water Bureau's actions in maintaining and protecting the watershed and the infrastructure that makes up the Bull Run Water Supply System. Creation and maintenance of the list is required as part of a package of City Code revisions passed by the Portland City Council on February 10, 2010 which enhance City protections for the Bull Run watershed. On a quarterly basis, the Water Bureau provides updates on all bureau-sponsored projects and activities both active and in the planning stage within the management unit.
Click here to access the maintenance schedule and list of current projects in the Bull Run Watershed Management Unit.
Additional Information
For information about projects and activities in the watershed contact Liane Davis at (503) 823-7487.


text:
Healthy Outlook
This story appears in the March 1997 issue of Business Start-Ups magazine. Subscribe »
Rising health-care costs are prompting more employers to become involved in helping employees manage and take responsibility for their own health. A survey of 1,050 major U.S. employers by Hewitt Associates LLC, a management consulting firm in Lincolnshire, Illinois, found 88 percent of major employers have introduced some form of health management program to promote health, prevent unnecessary risk or intervene in the early stages of disease. The study found health management programs typically include at least one of the following:
- Education and training. New approaches to education and training might include individual counseling on treatment compliance (for diabetes or asthma, for example) or lifestyle habits that contribute to chronic or acute conditions.
- Health risk assessments. These include medical tests such as cholesterol or blood pressure checks.
- Financial incentives and disincentives. Incentives range from reimbursing employees for participating in smoking cessation or weight-control programs to monetary rewards for taking part in health-risk appraisal or fitness programs. Disincentives, which help pay for added costs associated with poor health habits, include charging employees who use tobacco higher medical or life insurance premiums.
Final Payoff
Business bankruptcies are often lengthy, complicated procedures that can take years to settle. If you are a creditor in a bankruptcy, don't assume you'll never see your money; stay in touch with the bankruptcy trustee until the final distribution is made.
This is especially important if you move. "It's your responsibility to make sure the court has a current address," says Wanda Borges, a New Hyde Park, New York, attorney and member of the Commercial Law League of America, a creditors' rights organization.
The payoff could be substantial. "Every once in a while a trustee will find hidden assets," Borges says. "It could be two years later, and suddenly a zero-asset case will yield a 45-cent [on the dollar] distribution." If creditors can't be found, the funds are simply deposited into the U.S. Treasury as unclaimed.
To notify the trustee of a change in your address, simply send a letter to the trustee and the appropriate court's clerk, and ask for an acknowledgment. It then becomes the trustee's responsibility to see that you get your share when the bankruptcy is settled.
If you've ever had an employee conflict escalate into a physical confrontation, you know firsthand that the serious social problem of on-the-job violence also poses a significant threat to companies unprepared to deal with its financial implications. To help, Cigna International has introduced insurance covering both victims of workplace violence and their employers.
"Homicide is the second leading cause of death in the American workplace," says David Samuel of Cigna International in Chicago. In addition, Cigna researchers have determined that more than 1 million employees nationwide were attacked at work in 1994. The aggregate cost of workplace violence in the United States is about $4.2 billion annually.
Cigna's policy reimburses the employer for loss of business income and for public relations expenses required to restore the company's image after an incident of violence occurs on company property. It also covers the victim's medical expenses and salary if he or she is unable to work after an assault, covers the cost of temporary replacement employees, pays for temporary security measures, reimburses victims, witnesses and other co-workers for counseling, and more.
"[Violent] incidents are not restricted to large, multinational corporations," says Samuel. "In fact, most incidents occur in smaller companies."
For more information, contact your local insurance broker, or call Cigna International at (800) 950-6164.
Contact Sources
Wanda Borges, c/o Teitelbaum, Braverman & Borges, (516) 365-3838, fax: (516) 365-3261;
Cigna International, 525 W. Monroe, #1900, Chicago, IL 60661, fax: (312) 648-7595;
Hewitt Associates LLC, 100 Half Day Rd., Lincolnshire, IL 60069, (847) 295-5000.
Jacquelyn Lynn is a business writer in Winter Park, Florida.


text:
A court ruling on Monday will force the provincial government to either pour more money into the education system or lean on cash-strapped school districts to make even tougher financial decisions to balance their books.
The B.C. Supreme Court ruled that the province must retroactively restore class size and composition language that was removed from teachers' contracts in 2002, and pay the B.C. Teachers Federation $2 million in damages.
"It's a great day for democracy, a great day for all working people across Canada, and it's a great day for citizens of British Columbia," said BCTF president Jim Iker. "The government can't just break the law. They can't just violate the rights of people through legislation."
Iker said that in 2002, kindergarten class sizes were capped at 20 students, while Grades 1 to 3 were capped at 22. Today, those limits are 22 and 24, so each primary class will have to go down by two students. In 2002, class sizes for Grades 4 to 12 were negotiated by each school district, so there was no consistency across the province, Iker said.
In addition, in 2002 the contract included specific ratios for specialist teachers such as librarians and special-ed instructors, and rules about the numbers of special-needs children that could be in the same classroom. Some of those limits were provincial and others were negotiated within each district.
Iker would not speculate on the cost of restoring these limits, which presumably would mean hiring more teachers, but since 2002 B.C. has lost 1,400 specialist teachers, while close to 700 special-education teachers, more than 100 counsellors and 300 teacher-librarians have been cut from the system.
The total number of students in the province has also changed since 2002, however, so it is not clear how many of those positions would have been eliminated due to declining enrolment. This year, there are 558,985 students attending public schools in B.C. In 2002, there were 621,200 students.
Vancouver Board of Education chairwoman Patti Bacchus said she is not sure what the decision will mean for local school boards, but is hopeful it will at least provide clarity for future contract negotiations.
"We're in this wait-and-see (period), praying that this doesn't cost school boards money," Bacchus said. Although she said no one seems to agree on what reinstating the 2002 contract language will cost, she is certain the Vancouver school district cannot afford it without additional provincial funding.
"We won't be able to do that with the current funding levels. I don't even know if it would be mathematically possible, even if we only had teachers and nothing else in the whole system," Bacchus said.
Justice Susan Griffin said in her judgment that legislation the government passed in 2012, known as Bill 22, was "virtually identical" to Bill 28, which she had previously ruled to be unconstitutional. Since both bills violated teachers' constitutional rights by removing class size and composition clauses, and prohibiting them from bargaining on these issues, they were deemed to have never been valid.
"This means that the legislatively deleted terms in the teachers' collective agreement have been restored retroactively and can also be the subject of future bargaining," the judgment stated. Griffin called for the government to pay the teachers' federation $2 million in damages for extending the unconstitutional legislation to June 2013.
Education Minister Peter Fassbender said he was disappointed with the ruling, but it will be "business as usual" in classrooms until the government reviews the judgment and studies its implications. He said it would be premature to say whether the government will appeal the decision.
The judge said the government did not negotiate in good faith with the teachers during the 2012 school year.
"One of the problems was that the government representatives were preoccupied by another strategy. Their strategy was to put such pressure on the union that it would provoke a strike by the union."
The government and the BCTF are now back at the bargaining table because the teachers' contract expired on June 30, 2013.
Fassbender said the government is not trying to goad the teachers into a strike.
"The reality is that every meeting I've had with the BCTF has been about finding collaboration and cooperation," Fassbender said. "Our government does not have an agenda to create disharmony. (Our agenda is) to talk about ... long-term stability."
NDP education critic Rob Fleming called Monday's ruling an indictment of the Liberal government's last 10 years on the education file.
"This is a real blow to the Liberals' credibility, especially when their rhetoric is around achieving educational stability," Fleming said.
The judgment comes on the same day that the BCTF held a news conference to mark the 12th anniversary of the original Bill 28, saying an entire generation of students has been shortchanged by the changes.
"Children who were in kindergarten in 2002 when government illegally stripped class-size and class-composition language from our collective agreements are now in Grade 12," Iker said. "The result is those students, an entire generation of B.C. kids, have spent their whole K-12 education in larger classes with less one-on-one time and less support from specialist teachers like counsellors and special-education teachers."
Iker was joined by Eric Munshaw, a 59-year-old Chilliwack technology teacher, who said he is retiring early because he is fearful for the safety of children taking shop courses in classes with as many as 30 students.
"We've always said the situation is dangerous," Munshaw said. "We've got 12-to-18-year-olds using industrial equipment."


text:
CHICAGO — When same-sex couples begin to wed in Illinois this summer, some of the businesses that make those weddings happen may face a delicate predicament.
While the new legislation — expected to be signed into law Wednesday by Gov. Pat Quinn — says religious institutions, clergy and some private clubs don't have to allow or officiate gay weddings, it's not as clear for the florists, caterers, tailors and photographers and others who don't want to participate. That could result in more court battles in President Barack Obama's home state, just as other states have seen, and attorneys on both sides of the issue are gearing up for it.
For some business owners, it may mean putting their personal beliefs aside.
Wedding planner Virginia Pruitt, who runs Wedding Visions by Virginia in suburban Chicago, has given the matter much thought. She bills her business as being Christian-owned, doesn't agree with same-sex marriage and caters largely to couples of her faith. Even so, she feels she can't turn anyone way.
"I'm not going to be biased toward anyone. If they chose me it's an honor. It's an opportunity to shine a light, possibly toward Christianity. I won't tell anybody I'm in agreement with what they're doing," she said. "I have to separate to a certain extent, my beliefs from that of the business. I am a Christian, the business is a business."
Illinois is set to become the 16th state to legalize same sex unions, along with Washington D.C. Most recently, Hawaii's governor signed a bill into law. Illinois' event is expected to be festive with thousands in attendance.
However, attorneys who represent groups opposing same-sex marriage say the legal fight isn't over. They claim the law doesn't have enough protections for business owners, including for businesses that refuse.
"We're going to have to go to court," said Peter Breen, an attorney with the Thomas More Society, a Chicago-based public interest firm. "There are a lot of issues that are going to arise."
Meanwhile, the ACLU of Illinois says such lawsuits aren't warranted, but they'll defend the new law if necessary.
Other states are seeing the issue play out.
Earlier this year in New Mexico, the state Supreme Court ruled that an Albuquerque business owned by opponents of gay marriage violated an anti-discrimination law when the business refused to photograph a same-sex couple's ceremony. Attorneys for the business have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear an appeal. In Washington, a flower shop owner was sued for refusing service for a same-sex wedding.
"A lot of business owners are asserting their constitutional rights," said James Campbell, with the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian law group.
Currently in Illinois, a complaint over civil unions — which Illinois allowed in 2011 — is pending before the Illinois Human Rights Coalition. The owners of a central Illinois bed and breakfast refused to perform a civil union for a same-sex couple that same year.
"This isn't about hate. I don't know any Christian who does," said attorney Jason Craddock who represents the owners of Timber Creek Bed and Breakfast in Paxton. "We don't want to cause anyone pain. It's about our faith and it's out of love too, but we don't believe that giving into something that our faith tells us is wrong."
Craddock has argued that the owners don't have the ability to perform civil unions for any couple and that such events aren't a public accommodation and would violate the owners' religious rights under the First Amendment and a state religious freedom act.
However, the ACLU in Illinois says the decades-old Illinois Human Rights Act protects civil rights.
Businesses that provide a public service aren't allowed to discriminate, said ACLU of Illinois spokesman Ed Yohnka. The organization brought a lawsuit on behalf of 25 couples who were challenging the state's same-sex marriage ban. The lawsuit is on hold and will likely be dismissed once the state's new same-sex marriage law goes into effect on June 1.
"A business owner, if they offer their services to the public, it's a public accommodation," he said. "You don't get to pick and choose."
The group said it will track cases and be prepared to file lawsuits.
Backers of the Illinois measure have said that there are adequate protections. They pushed the bill the as a matter of equality and family rights. Advocates said that public opinion on the matter has rapidly shifted and the U.S. Supreme Court decision over the summer to strike down a provision of the federal Defense of Marriage Act reflected that.
Not all wedding-related businesses feel conflicted.
Cindy Savage opened Chicago event planning business, Crafty Broads, with her partner in 2010. The duo planned nearly two dozen weddings nationwide this year, including three with same-sex couples. Her business is offering a discount for all couples getting married in 2014 after Illinois' law takes effect.
"We expect to see an uptick," she said. "We're really excited and hopefully it will spread."


text:
How to add hotlink to QGIS? I saw this but had some problem. I want to open network location like \\fileserver\filefolder\file1.excel but it ends with error.
Edit: The network location is stored in a column of the table eg. URL column contains URL value for each attribute. Different row has different URL.


text:
Press Release
State Sues Manufacturer of Fast Ferries
March 26, 2010
Anchorage, Alaska - On behalf of the Alaska Marine Highway System, the State of Alaska today filed a lawsuit against the contractor responsible for the design and construction of the fast ferries Fairweather and Chenega. The suit also named the companies responsible for the vessels' propulsion systems.
"Since we accepted delivery of the vessels in 2004 and 2005, the propulsion systems have been subject to recurrent problems," said Jim Beedle, deputy commissioner of marine operations with the Department of Transportation & Public Facilities. "Given the ongoing problems and an approaching deadline for filing suit, the state has been compelled to take this unresolved issue to court. However, we have not ruled out further negotiations, if we can get a favorable result for Alaska."
Typical of the problems encountered with the vessels was the massive overhaul required on the Fairweather beginning in February 2006 at Ketchikan Ship and Drydock. All four diesel engines had hairline cracks in their steel sleeves, and there were additional problems with bull gears, shafts and bearings. The initial in-service date was pushed back by months.
The lawsuit is against Robert E. Derecktor, Inc., the contractor responsible for the design and construction of the ferries, and against MTU Friedrichshafen, GmbH and MTU Detroit Diesel, Inc., the entities responsible for the vessels' propulsion systems.
"We're protecting the fiscal integrity of the state," said Attorney General Dan Sullivan. "We received a faulty product, and we intend to see that the citizens and taxpayers of Alaska are appropriately compensated."
- Complaint - PDF(31K)
# # #


text:
WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - The US Army is failing to deal with sexual assault in its ranks because too many soldiers in positions of authority do not think there is a problem, the Army chief of staff told a summit of leaders called to address the issue.
General Ray Odierno told a gathering of officials in the Army's Sexual Harassment, Assault Response and Prevention programme that when he travels to different bases and speaks to smaller units, he finds too many sergeants, lieutenants and captains who say they do not have a sex assault problem.
"That's baloney," he said. "That's the problem. We're not seeing ourselves."
Some think because they are in an all-male unit, they don't have a sexual assault problem, Gen Odierno said.
"That's not right," he said. "In fact, you probably have some perpetrators, probably have some predators and you probably have some males who have probably been sexually assaulted or sexually harassed."
He added: "We have not been successful in solving this problem.
"We have a huge issue. And the main thing I want everybody to understand is that this is not just a passing issue. For whatever reason, this is one that we've had for a very long time. And we have not been able to defeat it."
Gen Odierno's remarks come as the Pentagon is struggling to deal with a big jump in estimated cases of unwanted sexual contact, as well as a spate of high-profile cases of sexual assault, including some involving personnel charged with combating the crime.
An annual Pentagon study released recently estimated that unwanted sexual contact, from groping to rape, jumped by 37 per cent in 2012 to 26,000 cases from 19,000 the previous year.
The issue has triggered outrage among lawmakers. Some are pushing legislation to force the military to be more accountable in handling sexual assault cases, and others are seeking to remove responsibility for prosecuting the crimes from the victim's military chain of command.
At the weekend, Gen Odierno and Army Secretary John McHugh suspended the commanding general of US Army forces in Japan, Major General Michael Harrison, due to allegations he failed to properly investigate a sexual assault complaint.
"From the things I see, we still have people out there who tolerate sexual assault and sexual harassment," Gen Odierno told the summit. "Until we solve that problem, it's going to get worse."
He said dealing with the problem meant getting leaders from sergeants to lieutenant colonels to "take this on seriously, because we are not doing that today the way I want us to do it".
"This is important to me. I want to make sure everybody understands that," Gen Odierno said. "I sent a message out that said it's my number one priority right now. And I'm not kidding."


text:
Top Cow's stunning epic crossover by architect Ron Marz (Witchblade, Green Lantern) and painter Stjepan Sejic (Witchblade, The Darkness: Levels) is collected for the first time. Sara Pezzini prepares to give birth to her first child, but the forces of Light and Dark both covet the offspring of the Witchblade bearer! This deluxe trade paperback collects First Born #1-3 as well as Witchblade #110-112 featuring art by industry heavyweights Luke Ross, Stephen Sadowski, Rick Leonardi, Kevin Nowlan, and Mike Mayhew. As an added bonus, fans will get a cover gallery and an exclusive look into Sejic's sketchbook to see the developmental process that went into creating the summer's hottest crossover!
First Born Vol. 01 SC
How do you rate this item?
Review Title:
Review Text:


text:
I had made my decision.
Just now I told a guy friend of mine about my crush and immediately he just discourage me and ask me to find another guy, claiming that it's no choice coz of the age gap.
I was like wtf really. Then I go a bit emo.
Then after a bit of chatting with yet another friend of mine, I decided that I'm not giving up this crush.
Who knows things might turn out fine? I'm not giving up and I'm gonna work hard to get what I want!
And it starts with being more like a girl.
Argh it's so hard.
P/S: I did not buy that shirt in the pic. I wanted to, but they don't have my size. Lol


text:
A new process for building Myth on OS X.
Better Mac backend
The current Perl-based build processes are great for producing a self-contained Mac frontend. But if you are like me and want to run the backend on OS X, then having the essential programs packaged deep in an application bundle is less than ideal. The MacPorts distribution aims to make it much easier to install the backend and run it in a production mode:
- Full support of the Perl/python bindings. This means that standard Myth backup, optimization, and metadata functions will work.
- Install and run Myth like other 'server-type' software such as MySQL, file-sharing, web-serving, etc. Control the Myth backend with standard OS X functions (launchctl) and have the system start automatically during the boot process.
- Provide the full suite of myth programs, if you need them, like mythmetadatalookup, mythutil, etc.
The documentation on this page will focus on running the Myth master backend (version 0.25.2), including the MySQL database server, on an OS X machine. Using the MacPorts install it is also possible to run the machine as a slave backend or job queue server. It may be possible to run the machine as a Myth media server; this configurations hasn't been tested. If you do, please share the results by updating these pages!
Consistent, repeatable build process
MacPorts is a stable and mature system for bringing open-source software to the Mac platform. Changes are tested and reviewed before being committed to MacPorts. MacPorts operates some build slaves (Lion and Snow Leopard, both on 64 bit machines, currently) which automatically build the default variant of each port. All this means that if you decide to try building with MacPorts, there is a strong likelihood that it will just work. And, if it doesn't, there is an active support system working to resolve any problems.
Applescript Helpers
On OS X, diving into the command line just to start the Myth frontend isn't very 'Mac-like'! So the MacPorts installation of Myth included a handful of simple Applescript applications to make common activities just a little more convenient:
Myth_Setup and Myth_Filldatabase are probably only going to be necessary when you first confgure Myth or make major changes. Myth_Frontend, however, is the preferred way to start the frontend. You may want to drag the Myth_Frontend icon onto your Dock if you plan to use it regularly.
Myth_Stop_Start provides a simple way to start the Myth backend and to schedule daily log file rotation and pruning. Note that the Myth backend is run as a server process. That means, if enabled, it starts automatically when OS X is started--no user needs to be logged on. Similarly, f you click "Stop MythBackend", the server process will remain disabled through restarts, etc.
The script looks for a MySQL server running on the current machine and won't start the backend without one. If your database server is running on another machine on your network, this script won't work for you. You'll have to manually issue the appropriate launchctl commands.
Myth 0.25 generates a LOT of log files. We use logrotate to keep the most important ones (mythbackend, mythfrontend, mythtv-setup, etc) for two months and to delete those created by some of Myth's 'utility' programs (mythpreviewgen, mythcommflag, mythfilldatabase, mythmetadatalookup, etc).
Known issues
Plugins experimental, many features not working
http://dejavu-fonts.org/wiki/Download (also available through MacPorts)
Building Myth on OS X via MacPorts
See Building Myth for Mac with MacPorts for details
The MacPorts build process has been successfully tested on OS X 10.5, 10.6, 10.7, and 10.8. Building with firewire support to capture mpeg streams from a set top box has been successfully implemented under 10.5.8 on a PPC G5, and under 10.8.2 on an Intel Mini.
Before first run
First, Myth's database (mythconverg) has to be intialized, and the server software started, with the following three commands:
sudo -u _mysql mysql_install_db5 sudo port load mysql5 mysql5 -u root -p < /opt/local/share/mythtv/database/mc.sql
Look in Activity Monitor to see that the "mysqld" is running. We can't go further until it is!
Media Storage Locations
Next, Myth needs to be told where to store all your media. It is common to dedicate one or more external disks--and usually not the startup disk--to hold your recordings, videos, music, etc. At the bare minimum, create at least one new folder to use as the default for everything that Myth wants to store. More commonly, you'll have separate directories for TV, Videos, Music, Images, and Metadata. It will be simpler to use volume and folder names that do not include spaces. On OS X, the path to a folder on an external drive is "/Volumes/<drive_name>/<folder_name>".
Initial Myth Setup
After you've created the directories you want to use (and made note of the paths), you must run the mythtv-setup program. You can do this from the command line but there is also an Applescript (Myth_Setup) short cut. Be sure to complete each of the steps.
You will likely need to run Myth_Filldatabase at this point to populate the fill in all those television programs that your tuner(s) will be able to record. Unfortunately, the Applescript can't show the progress of this program as it runs. Activity Monitor should list mythfilldatabase as it is running and it should finish within a few minutes.
Start It Up!
We're getting close now. With Myth's setup done, it is time to start the backend. Use the Myth_Start_Stop Applescript to start the backend. Again, in Activity Monitor you should see a new line for "mythbackend".
The grand finale: start up the frontend with the Myth_Frontend Applescript. Hopefully all has gone well and you're off and running with Myth on OS X!!
sudo port select --set python python26
MythWeb can also be installed via MacPorts. See MythWeb via MacPorts for installation instructions.
To do: running the Job queue on other OS X machines ...


text:
Frequent Links
Open Access Articles- Top Results for Orchestra
An orchestra is a large instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. Other instruments such as the piano and celesta may sometimes be grouped into a fifth section such as a keyboard section or may stand alone, as may the concert harp and electric and electronic instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ὀρχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus.[1] The orchestra grew by accretion throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, but changed very little in composition during the course of the 20th century.
A smaller-sized orchestra for this time period (of about fifty musicians or fewer) is called a chamber orchestra. A full-size orchestra (about 100 musicians) may sometimes be called a symphony orchestra or philharmonic orchestra; these modifiers do not necessarily indicate any strict difference in either the instrumental constitution or role of the orchestra, but can be useful to distinguish different ensembles based in the same city (for instance, the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra). A symphony orchestra will usually have over eighty musicians on its roster, in some cases over a hundred, but the actual number of musicians employed in a particular performance may vary according to the work being played and the size of the venue. A leading chamber orchestra might employ as many as fifty musicians; some are much smaller than that. Orchestras can also be found in schools. The term concert orchestra may sometimes be used (e.g., BBC Concert Orchestra; RTÉ Concert Orchestra)—no distinction is made on size of orchestra by use of this term, although their use is generally distinguished as for live concert. As such they are commonly chamber orchestras.
- 1 Instrumentation
- 2 Organization
- 3 History
- 4 Conductorless orchestras
- 5 Multiple conductors
- 6 Other meanings of orchestra
- 7 See also
- 8 Notes and references
- 9 Bibliography
- 10 External links
The typical symphony orchestra consists of 4 groups of similar musical instruments called the woodwinds, brass, percussion, and strings. Other instruments such as the piano and celesta may sometimes be grouped into a fifth section such as a keyboard section or may stand alone, as may the concert harp and electric and electronic instruments. The orchestra, depending on the size, contains almost all of the standard instruments in each group. In the history of the orchestra, its instrumentation has been expanded over time, often agreed to have been standardized by the classical period[2] and Ludwig van Beethoven's influence on the classical model.[3] In the 20th century, new repertory demands expanded the instrumentation of the orchestra, resulting in a flexible use of the classical model instruments in various combinations.
Beethoven's influence
The so-called "standard complement" of double winds and brass in the orchestra from the first half of the 19th century is generally attributed to the forces called for by Beethoven. The exceptions to this are his Symphony No. 4, Violin Concerto, and Piano Concerto No. 4, which each specify a single flute. The composer's instrumentation almost always included paired flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns and trumpets. Beethoven carefully calculated the expansion of this particular timbral "palette" in Symphonies 3, 5, 6, and 9 for an innovative effect. The third horn in the "Eroica" Symphony arrives to provide not only some harmonic flexibility, but also the effect of "choral" brass in the Trio. Piccolo, contrabassoon, and trombones add to the triumphal finale of his Symphony No. 5. A piccolo and a pair of trombones help deliver storm and sunshine in the Sixth. The Ninth asks for a second pair of horns, for reasons similar to the "Eroica" (four horns has since become standard); Beethoven's use of piccolo, contrabassoon, trombones, and untuned percussion—plus chorus and vocal soloists—in his finale, are his earliest suggestion that the timbral boundaries of symphony might be expanded for good. For several decades after his departure, symphonic instrumentation was faithful to Beethoven's well-established model, with few exceptions.
Expanded instrumentation
Apart from the core orchestral complement, various other instruments are called for occasionally.[4] These include the classical guitar, heckelphone, flugelhorn, cornet, harpsichord, and organ. Saxophones, for example, appear in some 19th- through 21st-century scores. While appearing only as featured solo instruments in some works, for example Maurice Ravel's orchestration of Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition and Sergei Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances, the saxophone is included in other works, such as Ravel's Boléro, Sergei Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet Suites 1 and 2, Vaughan Williams' Symphonies No.6 and 9 and William Walton's Belshazzar's Feast, and many other works as a member of the orchestral ensemble. The euphonium is featured in a few late Romantic and 20th-century works, usually playing parts marked "tenor tuba", including Gustav Holst's The Planets, and Richard Strauss's Ein Heldenleben. The Wagner tuba, a modified member of the horn family, appears in Richard Wagner's cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen and several other works by Strauss, Béla Bartók, and others; it has a prominent role in Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 7 in E Major.[5] Cornets appear in Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake, Claude Debussy's La Mer, and several orchestral works by Hector Berlioz. Unless these instruments are played by members doubling on another instrument (for example, a trombone player changing to euphonium for a certain passage), orchestras will use freelance musicians to augment their regular rosters.
The 20th-century orchestra was far more flexible than its predecessors.[6] In Beethoven's and Felix Mendelssohn's time, the orchestra was composed of a fairly standard core of instruments which was very rarely modified. As time progressed, and as the Romantic period saw changes in accepted modification with composers such as Berlioz and Mahler, the 20th century saw that instrumentation could practically be hand-picked by the composer. Today, however, the modern orchestra has generally been considered standardized with the modern instrumentation listed below.
With this history in mind, the orchestra can be seen to have a general evolution as outlined below. The first is a Baroque music orchestra, the second is a typical classical orchestra (i.e. Beethoven/Joseph Haydn), the third is typical of an early/mid-romantic (i.e. Johannes Brahms/Antonín Dvořák/Tchaikovsky), late romantic/early 20th century (i.e. Wagner/Mahler/Igor Stravinsky), to the common complement of a present day modern orchestras (i.e. John Adams/Samuel Barber/Aaron Copland/Philip Glass/Krzysztof Penderecki).
Among the instrument groups and within each group of instruments, there is a generally accepted hierarchy. Every instrumental group (or section) has a principal who is generally responsible for leading the group and playing orchestral solos. The violins are divided into two groups, first violin and second violin, with the second violins playing with lower registers than the first violins.
The principal first violin is called the concertmaster (or "leader" in the UK) and is not only considered the leader of the string section, but the second-in-command of the entire orchestra, behind only the conductor. The concertmaster leads the pre-concert tuning and handles musical aspects of orchestra management, such as determining the bowings for the violins or for all of the string section. The concertmaster usually sits to the conductor's left, closest to the audience. In some U.S. and British orchestras, the concertmaster comes on stage after the rest of the orchestra is seated, takes a bow, and receives applause before the conductor (and the soloists, if there are any) appear on stage.
The principal trombone is considered the leader of the low brass section, while the principal trumpet is generally considered the leader of the entire brass section. While the oboe often provides the tuning note for the orchestra (due to 300-year-old convention), no principal is the leader of the woodwind section though in woodwind ensembles, often the flute is leader.[7] Instead, each principal confers with the others as equals in the case of musical differences of opinion. The horn, while technically a brass instrument, often acts in the role of both woodwind and brass. Most sections also have an assistant principal (or co-principal or associate principal), or in the case of the first violins, an assistant concertmaster, who often plays a tutti part in addition to replacing the principal in his or her absence.
A section string player plays in unison with the rest of the section, except in the case of divided (divisi) parts, where upper and lower parts in the music are often assigned to "outside" (nearer the audience) and "inside" seated players. Where a solo part is called for in a string section, the section leader invariably plays that part. The section leader (or principal) of a string section is also responsible for determining the bowings, often based on the bowings set out by the concertmaster. In some cases, the principal of a string section may use a slightly different bowing than the Concertmaster, to accommodate the requirements of playing their instrument (e.g., the double bass section). Principals of a string section will also lead entrances for their section, typically by lifting the bow before the entrance, to ensure the section plays together. Tutti wind and brass players generally play a unique but non-solo part. Section percussionists play parts assigned to them by the principal percussionist.
In modern times, the musicians are usually directed by a conductor, although early orchestras did not have one, giving this role instead to the concertmaster or the harpsichordist playing the continuo. Some modern orchestras also do without conductors, particularly smaller orchestras and those specializing in historically accurate (so-called "period") performances of baroque and earlier music.
The most frequently performed repertoire for a symphony orchestra is Western classical music or opera. However, orchestras are used sometimes in popular music, extensively in film music, and increasingly often in video game music. Orchestras are also used in the symphonic metal genre. The term "orchestra" can also be applied to a jazz ensemble, for example in performance of big band music.
Early history
|This section does not cite any references or sources. (July 2013)
The first orchestras were made up of small groups of musicians that gathered for festivals, holidays, or funerals. It was not until the 11th century that families of instruments started to appear with differences in tones and octaves. True modern orchestras started in the late 16th century when composers started writing music for instrumental groups. In the 15th and 16th centuries in Italy the households of nobles had musicians to provide music for dancing and the court, however with the emergence of the theatre, particularly opera, in the early 17th century, music was increasingly written for groups of players in combination, which is the origin of orchestral playing. Opera originated in Italy, and Germany eagerly followed. Dresden, Munich and Hamburg successively built opera houses. At the end of the 17th century opera flourished in England under Henry Purcell, and in France under Lully, who with the collaboration of Molière also greatly raised the status of the entertainments known as ballets, interspersed with instrumental and vocal music.
In the 17th century and early 18th century, instrumental groups were taken from all of the available talent. A composer such as Johann Sebastian Bach had control over almost all of the musical resources of a town, whereas Handel would hire the best musicians available. This placed a premium on being able to rewrite music for whichever singers or musicians were best suited for a performance — Handel produced different versions of the Messiah oratorio almost every year.
As nobility began to build retreats away from towns, they began to hire musicians to form permanent ensembles. Composers such as the young Joseph Haydn would then have a fixed body of instrumentalists to work with. At the same time, traveling virtuoso performers such as the young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart would write concerti that showed off their skills, and they would travel from town to town, arranging concerts along the way. The aristocratic orchestras worked together over long periods, making it possible for ensemble playing to improve with practice.
Mannheim school
This change, from civic music making where the composer had some degree of time or control, to smaller court music making and one-off performance, placed a premium on music that was easy to learn, often with little or no rehearsal. The results were changes in musical style and emphasis on new techniques. Mannheim had one of the most famous orchestras of that time, where notated dynamics and phrasing, previously quite rare, became standard (see Mannheim school). It also attended a change in musical style from the complex counterpoint of the baroque period, to an emphasis on clear melody, homophonic textures, short phrases, and frequent cadences: a style that would later be defined as classical.
Throughout the late 18th century composers would continue to have to assemble musicians for a performance, often called an "Academy", which would, naturally, feature their own compositions. In 1781, however, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra was organized from the merchants concert society, and it began a trend towards the formation of civic orchestras that would accelerate into the 19th century. In 1815, Boston's Handel and Haydn Society was founded, in 1842 the New York Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonic were formed, and in 1858, the Hallé Orchestra was formed in Manchester. There had long been standing bodies of musicians around operas, but not for concert music: this situation changed in the early 19th century as part of the increasing emphasis in the composition of symphonies and other purely instrumental forms. This was encouraged by composer critics such as E. T. A. Hoffmann who declared that instrumental music was the "purest form" of music. The creation of standing orchestras also resulted in a professional framework where musicians could rehearse and perform the same works repeatedly, leading to the concept of a repertoire in instrumental music.
Performance standards
In the 1830s, conductor François Antoine Habeneck, began rehearsing a selected group of musicians in order to perform the symphonies of Beethoven, which had not been heard in their entirety in Paris. He developed techniques of rehearsing the strings separately, notating specifics of performance, and other techniques of cuing entrances that were spread across Europe. His rival and friend Hector Berlioz would adopt many of these innovations in his touring of Europe.
Instrumental craftsmanship
The invention of the piston and rotary valve by Heinrich Stölzel and Friedrich Blühmel, both Silesians, in 1815, was the first in a series of innovations, including the development of modern keywork for the flute by Theobald Boehm and the innovations of Adolphe Sax in the woodwinds. These advances would lead Hector Berlioz to write a landmark book on instrumentation, which was the first systematic treatise on the use of instrumental sound as an expressive element of music.[8]
The effect of the invention of valves for the brass was felt almost immediately: instrument-makers throughout Europe strove together to foster the use of these newly refined instruments and continuing their perfection; and the orchestra was before long enriched by a new family of valved instruments, variously known as tubas, or euphoniums and bombardons, having a chromatic scale and a full sonorous tone of great beauty and immense volume, forming a magnificent bass. This also made possible a more uniform playing of notes or intonation, which would lead to a more and more "smooth" orchestral sound that would peak in the 1950s with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra and the conducting of Herbert von Karajan with the Berlin Philharmonic.
During this transition period, which gradually eased the performance of more demanding "natural" brass writing, many composers (notably Wagner and Berlioz) still notated brass parts for the older "natural" instruments. This practice made it possible for players still using natural horns, for instance, to perform from the same parts as those now playing valved instruments. However, over time, use of the valved instruments became standard, indeed universal, until the revival of older instruments in the contemporary movement towards authentic performance (sometimes known as "historically informed performance").
At the time of the invention of the valved brass, the pit orchestra of most operetta composers seems to have been modest. An example is Sullivan's use of two flutes, one oboe, two clarinets, one bassoon, two horns, two cornets (a piston), two trombones, drums and strings.
During this time of invention, winds and brass were expanded, and had an increasingly easy time playing in tune with each other: particularly the ability for composers to score for large masses of wind and brass that previously had been impractical. Works such as the Requiem of Hector Berlioz would have been impossible to perform just a few decades earlier, with its demanding writing for twenty woodwinds, as well as four gigantic brass ensembles each including around four trumpets, four trombones, and two tubas.
Wagner's influence
The next major expansion of symphonic practice came from Richard Wagner's Bayreuth orchestra, founded to accompany his musical dramas. Wagner's works for the stage were scored with unprecedented scope and complexity: indeed, his score to Das Rheingold calls for six harps. Thus, Wagner envisioned an ever-more-demanding role for the conductor of the theater orchestra, as he elaborated in his influential work On Conducting.[9] This brought about a revolution in orchestral composition, and set the style for orchestral performance for the next eighty years. Wagner's theories re-examined the importance of tempo, dynamics, bowing of string instruments and the role of principals in the orchestra. Conductors who studied his methods would go on to be influential themselves.
20th century orchestra
As the early 20th century dawned, symphony orchestras were larger, better funded, and better trained than ever before; consequently, composers could compose larger and more ambitious works. The influence of Gustav Mahler was particularly innovational; in his later symphonies, such as the mammoth Symphony No. 8, Mahler pushes the furthest boundaries of orchestral size, employing huge forces. By the peak years of Shostakovich, orchestras could support the most enormous forms of symphonic expression. With the recording era beginning, the standard of performance reached a pinnacle. In recordings, small errors in a performance could be "fixed", but many older conductors and composers could remember a time when simply "getting through" the music as best as possible was the standard. Combined with the wider audience made possible by recording, this led to a renewed focus on particular conductors and on a high standard of orchestral execution.[10] As sound was added to silent film, the virtuoso orchestra became a key component of the establishment of motion pictures as mass-market entertainment.
In the 1920s and 1930s, economic as well as artistic considerations led to the formation of smaller concert societies, particularly those dedicated to the performance of music of the avant-garde, including Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schoenberg. This tendency to start festival orchestras or dedicated groups would also be pursued in the creation of summer musical festivals, and orchestras for the performance of smaller works. Among the most influential of these was the Academy of St Martin in the Fields under the baton of Sir Neville Marriner.
With the advent of the early music movement, smaller orchestras where players worked on execution of works in styles derived from the study of older treatises on playing became common. These include the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the London Classical Players under the direction of Sir Roger Norrington and the Academy of Ancient Music under Christopher Hogwood, among others.
Recent trends in the United States
In the United States, the late 20th century saw a crisis of funding and support for orchestras. The size and cost of a symphony orchestra, compared to the size of the base of supporters, became an issue that struck at the core of the institution. Few orchestras could fill auditoriums, and the time-honored season-subscription system became increasingly anachronistic, as more and more listeners would buy tickets on an ad hoc basis for individual events. Orchestral endowments and—more centrally to the daily operation of American orchestras—orchestral donors have seen investment portfolios shrink or produce lower yields, reducing the ability of donors to contribute; further, there has been a trend toward donors finding other social causes more compelling. Also, while government funding is less central to American than European orchestras, cuts in such funding are still significant for American ensembles. Finally, the drastic falling-off of revenues from recording, tied to no small extent to changes in the recording industry itself, began a period of change that has yet to reach its conclusion.
U.S. orchestras that have gone into Chapter 11 bankruptcy include the Philadelphia Orchestra (in April 2011), and the Louisville Orchestra, in December 2010; orchestras that have gone into Chapter 7 bankruptcy and have ceased operations include the Northwest Chamber Orchestra in 2006, the Honolulu Orchestra in March 2011, the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra in April 2011, and the Syracuse Symphony in June 2011. The Festival of Orchestras in Orlando, Florida ceased operations at the end of March, 2011.
Critics such as Norman Lebrecht were vocal in their diagnosis of the problem as the "jet set conductor" (whose salaries were presumably bleeding the orchestras dry); and several high-profile conductors have taken pay cuts in recent years; but the amounts of revenue involved are too small to account for the crisis. Music administrators such as Michael Tilson Thomas and Esa-Pekka Salonen argued that new music, new means of presenting it, and a renewed relationship with the community could revitalize the symphony orchestra. The influential critic Greg Sandow has argued in detail that orchestras must revise their approach to music, performance, the concert experience, marketing, public relations, community involvement, and presentation to bring them in line with the expectations of 21st-century audiences immersed in popular culture.[11]
It is not uncommon for contemporary composers to use unconventional instruments, including various synthesizers, to achieve desired effects. Many, however, find more conventional orchestral configuration to provide better possibilities for color and depth. Composers like John Adams often employ Romantic-size orchestras, as in Adams' opera Nixon in China; Philip Glass and others may be more free, yet still identify size-boundaries. Glass in particular has recently turned to conventional orchestras in works like the Concerto for Cello and Orchestra and the Violin Concerto No. 2.
Along with a decrease in funding, some U.S. orchestras have reduced their overall personnel, as well as the number of players appearing in performances. The reduced numbers in performance are usually confined to the string section, since the numbers here have traditionally been flexible (as multiple players typically play from the same part).
Conductorless orchestras
The post-revolutionary symphony orchestra Persimfans was formed in the Soviet Union in 1922. The unusual aspect of the orchestra was that, believing that in the ideal Marxist state all people are equal, its members felt that there was no need to be led by the dictatorial baton of a conductor; instead they were led by a committee. Although it was a partial success, the principal difficulty with the concept was in changing tempo. The orchestra survived for ten years before Stalin's cultural politics effectively forced it into disbandment by draining away its funding.[12]
Some ensembles, such as the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, based in New York City, have had more success, although decisions are likely to be deferred to some sense of leadership within the ensemble (for example, the principal wind and string players).
Others have returned to the tradition of a principal player, usually a violinist, being the artistic director and running rehearsals (such as the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Amsterdam Sinfonietta & Candida Thompson and the New Century Chamber Orchestra).
Multiple conductors
The techniques of polystylism and polytempo[13] music have recently led a few composers to write music where multiple orchestras perform simultaneously. These trends have brought about the phenomenon of polyconductor music, wherein separate sub-conductors conduct each group of musicians. Usually, one principal conductor conducts the sub-conductors, thereby shaping the overall performance. Some pieces are enormously complex in this regard, such as Evgeni Kostitsyn's Third Symphony, which calls for nine conductors.
Charles Ives often used two conductors, one for example to simulate a marching band coming through his piece. Realizations for Symphonic Band includes one example from Ives. Benjamin Britten's War Requiem is also an important example of the repertoire for more than one conductor.
One of the best examples in the late century orchestral music is Karlheinz Stockhausen's Gruppen, for three orchestras placed around the audience. This way, the sound masses could be spacialized, as in an electroacoustic work. Gruppen was premiered in Cologne, in 1958, conducted by Stockhausen, Bruno Maderna and Pierre Boulez. Recently, it was performed by Simon Rattle, John Carewe and Daniel Harding.
Other meanings of orchestra
In Ancient Greece, the orchestra was the space between the auditorium and the proscenium (or stage), in which were stationed the chorus and the instrumentalists. The word orchestra literally means "a dancing place".
In some theaters, the orchestra is the area of seats directly in front of the stage (called primafila or platea); the term more properly applies to the place in a theatre, or concert hall reserved for the musicians.
See also
- Classical music
- List of symphony orchestra concert halls
- List of symphony orchestras
- List of youth orchestras in the United States
- Orchestral enhancement
- Orchestration
- Radio orchestra
- Shorthand for orchestra instrumentation
- Conductorless orchestra
- String orchestra
- Concert band
- Jazz ensemble
- Rhythm section
- World music
- Film score
Notes and references
- ^ ὀρχήστρα, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus
- ^ Jack Westrup, "Instrumentation and Orchestration: 3. 1750 to 1800", New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd ed., edited by Stanley Sadie (New York: Grove, 2001).
- ^ D. Kern Holoman, "Instrumentation and Orchestration: 4. 19th Century", in ibid.
- ^ G.W. Hopkins and Paul Griffiths, "Instrumentation and Orchestration: 5. Impression and Later Developments", in ibid.
- ^ "The Wagner Tuba". The Wagner Tuba. Retrieved 2014-06-04.
- ^ G.W. Hopkins and Paul Griffiths, op. cit.
- ^ "An Investigation of Members' Roles in Wind Quintets". Pom.sagepub.com. 2003-01-01. Retrieved 2014-06-04.
- ^ Hector Berlioz. Traite d'instrumentation et d'orchestration (Paris: Lemoine, 1843).
- ^ Richard Wagner. On Conducting (Ueber das Dirigiren), a treatise on style in the execution of classical music (London: W. Reeves, 1887).
- ^ See Lance W. Brunner. (1986). "The Orchestra and Recorded Sound", pp 479-532 in Joan Peyser Ed. The Orchestra: Origins and Transformations, New York: Scribner's Sons.
- ^ September 25, 2011 (2011-09-25). "Greg Sandow on the Future of Classical Music". Artsjournal.com. Retrieved 2014-06-04.
- ^ John Eckhard, "Orchester ohne Dirigent", Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik 158, no. 2 (1997): 40–43.
- ^ "polytempo". Greschak.com. Retrieved 2014-06-04.
- Raynor, Henry (1978). The Orchestra: a history. Scribner. ISBN 0-684-15535-4.
- Sptizer, John, and Neil Zaslaw (2004). The Birth of the Orchestra: History of an Institution, 1650-1815. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-816434-3.
External links
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Orchestras.
- The Orchestra: A User's Manual—A fairly concise overview, including detailed video interviews with players of each instrument and various resources
- 12px Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Orchestra". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Lua error in Module:Authority_control at line 346: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).ml:ഓര്കെസ്ട്ര


text:
Funeral Plan Mansfield
Specialists in Pre-paid Funeral Plan Mansfield
Forward Plan are specialist providers of prepaid funeral plan Mansfield services. We help you identify the best funeral plan for your needs, then we lock in the price at today's rates ensuring that your funeral costs will not become a burden for your friends and family and that your arrangements are met.
The Most Affordable Funeral Plan Mansfield
At Forward Plan, we will provide you with quotes from Golden Leaves funeral plans, as well as any information required regarding the over 50's plan you can see a sample of our most popular Funeral plan here . This allows you to make a fully informed decision.
All of the funeral plans we provide are fully regulated by the Funeral Planning Authority (FPA) ensuring you and your money are protected.
The Forward Plan approach to Funeral Plan Mansfield
Forward Plan are keen to invite other family and friends to Funeral Planning Discussions, Although we will document the scope we generally find that its best to invite others to the discussions so that they can have input and ensure they are given the opportunity to understand your needs. At forward plan we believe it should be a tradition for families to plan their funerals of a loved one together. We welcome the thoughts and suggestions of all family members as we help them arrange a tribute that truly honours the life that has been lived.
Why pay for services which can be decided upon later, for example why pay for 3 cars when only one is needed, additional transport can be arranged later with a funeral director if required. At forward plan we aim to guide you through the process, document your needs and advise on the best value options, we will then complete the applications and arrangements with you to ensure everything is in order, documented and no surprises.
Why do we need funeral plans?
Having a funeral plan is the best possible opportunity to put your affairs in order, and protect those closest to you from the stress and expense of arranging your funeral.
We understand that everyone will make diverse choices concerning the end of life service they would wish for, and we acknowledge that people wish to fund these purchases in a variety of ways. These decisions are clearly dependent not only on one's financial situation but frequently based on personal choice, circumstance and lifestyle considerations.
By selecting a FPA member funeral plan, you will be able to shield yourself from rising funeral costs and take comfort in knowing that your funeral won't be a burden to your family and friends at an upsetting and difficult time.
Planning your own funeral in advance will also ensure that your preferences are respected and followed as closely as possible. We want you to feel that you are in the safest hands if you choose a Forward Plan funeral plan to place your trust in.
Forward plan
Gleena House
Elaston Lane
Tel: 01332 497496
Opening Hours
Mondat to Friday 9am to 6pm
Bank Holidays
Funeral Plan can cover some or all of the below costs
Not all plans are the same you must ensure you know what's included and what's not included in your plan.
- Burial or cremation
- Cemetery or cremation fees – these fees are set as standard by the relevant cemetery or crematorium and do not vary between funeral directors
- Location(s)
- Viewing or visitation arrangements
- Celebrant, clergy or minister
- Professional services fee – the fee funeral directors charge for arranging, coordinating and conducting the funeral
- Coffin or casket – there are many options to choose from which vary in price depending on your preferences for shape, material and construction
- Funeral Flowers
- Musicians and Music
- Notices
- Type of service (i.e. single service, dual service, graveside service, no service etc.)
- Death certificate
- Newspaper notices
- Orders of service
- Thank you cards
- Memorial book
- Readings, funeral speeches and eulogies
- Catering
- Medical fees
Many of these items and costs are optional and don't have to be included. For a full explanation of funeral costs, see
Benefits of a prepaid funeral
- Pay today's prices – one of the biggest advantages of a prepaid funeral is that the cost is locked in at today's prices, with no more to pay regardless of future price increases. As we've discussed in other articles, the average cost of a cremation and the average cost of a burial have increased steadily over the past decade, and will no doubt continue to rise well into the future.
- Protect your family financially – as a prepaid funeral plan is fully paid, you can rest assured that your family won't be financially burdened by the cost of the funeral.
- Protect your family emotionally – at the time of death, so many families realise they never discussed the type of funeral that their loved one wanted. Having to guess and make important decisions without knowing their preferences can be incredibly difficult, and can often result in them paying more for additional items and services that aren't needed or wanted.
- Pay in instalments – if you can't pay the lump sum all at once, most funeral directors will allow you to pay the amount in instalments over the course of 1-3 years.
- Flexibility to plan your funeral – just because you are pre-planning your funeral doesn't mean that you can't customise and personalise it in exactly the same way as you'd be able to at-need.
- Pension & other entitlements – amounts paid for a prepaid funeral plan are exempt from the assets test, so they can help you obtain a full or part pension if you might otherwise exceed the assets threshold.
- More cost effective than funeral insurance – assuming you live for another 3 or more years, a prepaid funeral plan is more cost effective than funeral insurance.
Next Actions
A FREE consultation is often considered the best way forward. This helps us each understand your private needs and then give you the option of pricing, all at a convenient time to you.
Please call us on 01332 497496, or email us on email@example.com to arrange an initial meeting.


text:
Fourth of July Stars Wands
Whether at a parade, having fun in the back yard or watching the fireworks these ribbon wands are sure to provide your Little Pnut with loads of festive fun just in time for the 4th of July.
What You Will Need:
- White foam board, cardboard or heavy card stock (we used white foam board from the dollar store)
- Bbq skewer or other similar stick
- Star shaped cookie cutter (optional)
- Hot glue
- Red, white & blue paint
- Paint brushes
- Scissors/exacto knife
- Red, white & blue ribbon
Get Ready
Either by way of using a star shaped cookie cutter or freehand, draw and cut two stars out of the white foam board. Note: If you are using foam board scissors will work but I found I got much cleaner edges when using an exacto knife. Once the stars are cut out have your Little Pnut paint one side of each star using red white and blue paint.
Assemble your Wand
When the paint is dry you are ready to make your wand. First, hot glue the skewer to the unpainted side of one of the stars (pointed side of the skewer facing in for safety). Then using more hot glue, cover the rest of the star and sandwich the two unpainted sides together. You will have to press down a bit or squeeze them together for a few seconds for the glue to dry and hold. Once the hot glue has dried and your wand is secure cut ribbon into various lengths and tie to your wand.
Hand the wand over to your Little Pnut and watch what happens! Good chance they will be instantly captivated and may break out into parade themselves.
For some extra sparkle try covering the stars in glitter!
Happy Playing!
Developmental Milestones:
This activities focuses on the following Developmental Milestones for your Little Pnuts: Imaginative Play, Creative Play & Co-operative Play, Learning shapes,
—Jennifer Haas, founder of Plain Vanilla Mom.


text:
Authorities seize 250+ guns from Dayton-area home
Man facing federal charges
A 77-year-old western Ohio man has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of selling guns without a license after agents seized 257 weapons - including an unregistered machine gun and sawed-off shotgun.
The Dayton Daily News that William E. Coe of Conover in Miami County is facing three felony counts.
The retired plumber entered the pleas Monday in federal court in Dayton Monday and was released with his promise to return to court for an April 15 trial.
A six-page list of weapons seized attached to the federal indictment includes shotguns, rifles, handguns, revolvers, pistols and the machine gun. Some have unknown origins while others lack serial numbers.
Prosecutors, who declined to discuss further details of the case, said the maximum sentence for the charges is 25 years.


text:
Viper - GSD - Embers - Shirt - Design 37
★★★ Our shirts are designed and printed in the USA ★★★
- Represent Sport Dog & Protection Training – A classic short-sleeve t-shirt that represents smart dogs and Schutzhund training, it's perfect for dog lovers, trainers, and sports fans.
- Soft, Breathable Cotton – Each graphic is printed on a 100% ring spun cotton t-shirt to give you the soft, cool comfort you want in an everyday tee shirt.
- All-Purpose Daily Wear – The form-fitting design and ultra-soft comfort ensure our dog t-shirts can be worn almost anywhere, such as out around town or working out.
- Detailed Printing – Each graphic t-shirt features a color-safe print in rich, full-color photo quality that is fade, peel, and crack resistant. It's machine wash safe.
- Available in Multiple Sizes & Styles – These t-shirts are available in X-small, small, medium, large, X-large, 2X, 3X, and 4X-large. The soft, form-fitting comfort comes in men, women, and unisex. (4X unavailable in women's)
A highly-trained dog is a thing of beauty and now you can represent that love and enthusiasm for Schutzhund training with a brilliant graphic tee.
Whether you're an avid sport dog trainer, enjoy watching trained dogs move with precision, or you just love dogs in general, you want to be able to express your affection for them. That's why we created the Viper GSD Embers Dog Sport Training Graphic Tee, a soft, comfortable, and breathable full-color t-shirt that's stylish, durable, and made for getting out there and playing with the pups.
Woven with 100% ring spun cotton, these graphics are printed on t-shirts to give you more breathability and comfort, even when temperatures start to rise. Available in men's, women's, and unisex sizing, get one of our dog sport shirts today and let everyone know how much dogs mean to your life.
Product Details:
- GSD with Embers Background
- Full Color Printed Graphic
- Soft, Form-Fitting Short Sleeve
- Breathable 100% Ring Spun Cotton
- Machine Washable (Cold)
- Air or Tumble Dry Low Heat
- Available in Men's, Women's, Unisex
- Satisfaction Guaranteed
Represent your love of dogs, dog training, or Schutzhund by clicking 'Add to Cart' above and get one of our Viper original, high-quality graphic tees.


text:
Meghan Babcock was named CCSA Women's Swimmer of the Week, Wednesday.
After helping the Lady Flames defeat Michigan State of the Big Ten, Liberty junior Meghan Babcock has been named the CCSA Women's Swimmer of the Week. Babcock, a native of Pfafftown, N.C., earns the first CCSA Swimmer of the Week honor of her career. She is the second weekly honoree for the Lady Flames this season, as senior Emilie Kaufman garnered swimmer of the week laurels on Oct. 16. Babcock recorded a pair of individual-event victories, last Friday in a tri meet against Big Ten opponents Michigan State and Illinois. She won both the 50 free (23.16) and 100 free (51.37). Her 50 free time broke the pool record, and is currently ranked first in the conference and 22nd in NCAA Division I. She also holds the second-best 100 free in the CCSA so far this season. The junior anchored Liberty's victorious 200 medley relay in 22.94, as the Lady Flames broke the existing pool record with a time of 1:42.90. She then swam 51.60 during the fourth leg of the 400 free relay, which placed second in 3:30.41. The Lady Flames will next host Vanderbilt of the SEC in their lone home meet, Nov. 8, at 5 p.m. at LaHaye Aquatic Center. Liberty then will travel to face defending Atlantic 10 champion Richmond, Nov. 9.
Like Us on Facebook
Follow Us on Twitter
Follow Us on Instagram


text:
It's the same old story with a slightly different spin.
Once again, we are faced with a proposal for a community of many thousands perched at the Continental Divide, at the top of Wolf Creek Pass. Local communities have consistently opposed the potentially environmentally and economically damaging proposal to build a large residential and commercial development atop the pass.
The latest attempt to circumvent the public comes in the form of a proposed land trade on the east side of Wolf Creek Pass between an out-of-state and absentee developer and the U.S. Forest Service. Ultimately, the result would be the same as the earlier proposals – a large development in the wrong place.
The past proposals were defeated by an overwhelming public outcry, primarily local to both sides of Wolf Creek Pass. Once again, we need to have your help to stop the Pillage at Wolf Creek. By submitting comments to the recent Draft Environmental Impact Statement by the Forest Service that analyzes the proposed land trade and potentially paves the way for the development of The Village at Wolf Creek (otherwise known as "The Pillage at Wolf Creek"), we can hopefully succeed again.
The village proposal has always been one man's personal vision of greed at the expense of the experience and livelihoods of local people and the environment.
While the details of the proposal may have changed over the decades, it is still fundamentally about building a personal money-maker, even if most residents in the area don't want it. The proposed village is not likely to substantially help local businesses, but it has the potential to be economically harmful to local business by drawing away from existing businesses in South Fork and Pagosa Springs.
Unfortunately, the land appraisal process used to put a value on the land proposed for trade is not fair. The assessment is skewed toward development and overvaluation of the economic benefits rather than the long-term values of the wildlife and natural area.
Wolf Creek Pass provides an important wildlife linkage for animals such as endangered lynx, elk, bear and mule deer to use the pass to connect between vital habitat to the south and the core wilderness of the San Juans to the north. It is an unroaded complex at the crossroads of several core natural areas. Allowing a huge commercial and residential development in this mostly road-free area would put sprawl and industrial activity amid this natural haven.
Although you may have made your voice heard in the past, this may be the last opportunity for public comment and we encourage you to speak out one more time. The Forest Service and the Colorado congressional delegation need to hear from you:
We do not want The Village of Wolf Creek constructed on Wolf Creek Pass and causing irreversible damage to our local environment and economy.
The Village at Wolf Creek is a bad idea at any size. It's the wrong kind of use for scenic Wolf Creek Pass. The Forest Service should choose the "no action" alternative and not allow such a short-sighted plan for development to move forward.
firstname.lastname@example.com. Dan Randolph is executive director of the San Juan Citizens Alliance.


text:
Royal Icing
Publisher Description
In this eBook in the series iCake Italian, Giovanna Geremicca will show you step by step how to make royal icing, an invaluable aid both in decorating cakes with a piping bag and covering them, as well as giving an entirely different effect from fondant icing.
Similar to Italian meringue you will use it as a glue to attach the sculptures or add finishing touches, curls and many other decorations that you will find in the iCake Italian eBook series - white or colored, this recipe will give you great satisfaction.
As usual... Make way for fantasy and You Cake Italian!!


text:
This item is temporarily out of stock. However, we can notify you as soon as this product becomes available.
Thank you
We have received your request and you will be notified as soon as this product becomes available.
In order to keep our prices as low as possible, all CreateForLess order subtotals must be at least $10. This helps us save on labor costs when packing your order so we can extend the savings to you!
Description: Sweet Beads Fundamental Findings Round Antique Silver Pendant Frames are 7/8 inch frames, each with smooth front and back, and loop at center top. Also included are 4 adhesive-back epoxy domes which will fit into the frame to cover your chosen paper image. Frames work great with liquid resin too. 4 pc.
1Orders placed must have a minimum subtotal of $10. More Info.
See more Sweet Beads Fundamental Findings.
Review this product and Enter
to Win a $100 shopping spree!


text:
Will.i.am says Pharrell's trademark too similar
Will.i.am says a trademark that Pharrell's company tried to register is too similar to his "I AM" trademark.
Will.i.am has owned the "I AM" trademark since 2001. He filed objections in March and May against Pharrell Williams' company, i am OTHER, that launched in 2010.
In a statement Thursday, will.i.am's attorney Ken Hertz said trademark lawyers for the singer-songwriters have discussed the disagreement for several months. They first spoke in December, he said.
Hertz said that because of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's deadlines, will.i.am "had no choice but to lodge his objection at the time he did."
Pharrell said in a statement that he was disappointed and surprised by will.i.am's objection.
"The plain truth is that Will has obstructed every overture made by Pharrell to amicably resolve this matter and has steadfastly refused to engage in a dialogue," said Pharrell attorney Brad Rose in a separate statement.
Will.i.am uses "I AM" for his businesses, including his charity foundation I AM ANGEL.
Pharrell's i am OTHER produces the hit web series "Awkward Black Girl" and other web series.