text:
Wowza! Guys, I haven't written in a while. Like a long time.... I have just been posting pictures pretty much this whole last summer-- which is ok, but there is so much to talk about! And I miss my old writing rant days....
Just wanted to give whoever reads this, a little update about my family's lives as of late.
Ryan has been working his butt off at school! I mean, really guys... I am convinced that I have the hardest working husband out there. He is working part time, while finishing up his LAST (yay!) semester at Utah Valley University. He has gotten straight A's, and has quite the full load... plus, he is the president of the AMA marketing club at the school which takes up most of his time. On top of that, he is the most incredible father to Ellie, and gets her ready for the day each and every morning while I go into work early. How does he do it?! I will never know... but he is the most amazing man I have ever met. I am so grateful for him in mine and Ellie's life, and for all that he does for us! I am so excited to see what the future has in store for him. He is one of those people who is good at E V E R Y T H I N G and could do anything in life, because of how hard of a worker he is. The feeling of not knowing what the next step in life is for us is an exciting feeling-- where will he work after he graduates? Will he get into an MBA program somewhere out of state? Will we have any more children? There are so many unknown things that await us, and I am excited to experience the next stage in our lives together.
I have been working full time at Acumen Learning since last December and I love it! The people I work with really make this job amazing. We are one big family, and I enjoy coming to work every day. I am in charge of coordinating all of the travel logistics for all of our trainers that go out to teach Business Acumen. I book hotels, rental cars, etc. It is fun! I also am in charge of updating the revenue reports, the compensation reports, and other small tasks around the office. The best part of my job? I get to work with my Husband!!! A lot of people tell me they would hate to work with their spouse..... but my spouse happens to be the coolest out there, and every day is a party at work with this guy. I love it. I don't know what I am going to do when I am a stay at home mom... I am not going to like that disconnection from him! But for now, I will enjoy these last couple of months working with him.
Ellie Mae is turning FOUR next week! We can't believe it. She is so spunky and sassy and yet so sweet all at the same time. My favorite thing about her this past summer is how big of a cuddle bug she is. She always wants to cuddle with us. All day long she would cuddle if it were up to her! One day over the summer, she played at a neighbor's house that was a boy and she asked him if he wanted to cuddle with her on the couch! HAHA! She is the funniest. Another thing is, she is obsessed with Power Rangers right now.... random!?! I think she watched an episode of it at her other dad's house, and fell in love. She wants to be a pink Power Ranger for Halloween, and have a Power Ranger birthday party. Oh, and she wants Ryan and I to be Power Rangers with her for Halloween. So funny. Some things that Ellie loves right now are dolls, necklaces, books, LOTS of books, matching games, helping mom do the laundry, (she is an expert towel folder, its crazy) and picking out her own outfits. Mom is trying to do a better job with letting her do that.... even if the outfit is crazy. :)
Our lives as of late have looked glamorous and adventurous, and that is because there have been MANY of those moments! We have been so blessed with being able to do fun things with our family, and experience life to the fullest. However, life has definitely not been easy. Marriage is hard! and marriage with kids is hard! and kids are hard. haha Ryan and I have many arguments and disagreements, and I can be very difficult at times... :), Ellie has several tantrums a day, and trust me they are not fun. We definitely don't have a perfect life and have many hard days-- but I am so lucky to be able to experience the bad times with the ones that I love the most. And with a husband who is patient with me, and Ellie. Life has challenged us this past year, but I am in the learning process of becoming a better version of myself. Isn't that why we are all here in life? To strive to become the best version of ourselves? I am continually climbing the ladder, and falling back down. But I am grateful for my imperfections and hardships. They make me want to embrace them and learn from them. (depending on the day ;) Today I feel excited for life. For what the future holds, and for where the wind will take us. But I also know that I need to try and focus on the NOW and what I can do NOW to better my life, to get me to where I want to be in the future.
Love you all, and thanks for listening to my rambling. I think I am emotional because my husband is on an airplane to Poland right now for work, and Ellie is with her other dad this weekend....and I am still at work on a Friday night at 8:00pm. Somebody call a wwaaahhmbulance!!
Now I am going to go watch some New Girl with a bowl of ice cream in my baggy sweats, because I can. :)


text:
Group exhibition: The Significant Other - Art Collector
|Murray Fredericks, Salt 400, 2014. Pigment print on cotton rag, 160 x 350cm. Courtesy: the artist and ARC ONE Gallery, Melbourne
|The Significant Other is an exciting group exhibition in association with ART+CLIMATE=CHANGE 2015, that focuses on important themes surrounding the natural environment and climate change. The exhibition considers how humans need to map their world, and how no other species on earth does so with such extraordinary impact and consequences. As our world is progressively threatened by our own race, art is a vital language through which we can spur emotion, thought and action. Whether through a direct engagement with environmental concerns or in pure celebration of the natural world, the artists in The Significant Other navigate the critical intersection of art and the environment.
|Exhibition opens: 6-8pm Thursday 16 April 2015
|Exhibition closes: 16 May 2015
|Location: ARC ONE Gallery, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000
|Contact: 03 9650 0589
|Email: firstname.lastname@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Magenta Princess Cloak
- Cloak
- 100% polyester
- 33.5" long
- Magenta satin style with gold trim around mantle
- Velcro fastener in front
- Meant for children
As children...pfft. Who are we kidding. As adults we want to bring back the cloak back into style. We have loved them since we saw the Beauty and the Beast. The pink cloak that Belle wears is beautiful. Très beau. And then our love was reaffirmed in movies like the Lord of the Rings. Then we were just plain jealous when Ana showed up wearing the most magical looking cloak of all time.
Now your daughter (sorry we don't have it in adult sizes) can walk around wearing one of the coolest articles of clothing ever: this Magenta Princess Cloak. She will be able to twirl, the cloak spinning around her, and pretend like she has wings, flapping her arms up, and down as she holds on to the edges of her cloak. (We really wish we could wear this too!) But we'll just have to live vicariously through our kid's awesome clothes. What else is new?
|cape length
|32 1/2"
There are no reviews for this item yet. Be the first to write a review!Write A Review


text:
The "IT" Lounge – Exclusive Giveaway!!!
Brad and Angelina received them and donated theirs to charity, and Ryan Gosling slopped by the IT Lounge too with his mom and sister…photo attached.
As I've said, my swag is your swag.
Am too swamped to type out every item in one huge swag bag from the NKPR "IT" Lounge visited by celebrities at TIFF. Will come back to this post and update the full list as soon as I can but items include:
- skincare by Moor Allure Naturals
- CMX Heart Healthy chocolates
- Esprit sweater and products
- Jamieson vitamins
- EarthChild baby clothes
- TROVE tee
- hair care products
- "Intimate", the Beckham fragrance for both him and her.
And a lot more! It is the biggest swag bag we've given away on this site.
Thanks to NKPR for the opportunity. If you are interested please read instructions carefully. Sorry to be a bitch, but entries incorrectly submitted will not be considered. Send an email to [email protected] with TIFF Swag as the title. One condition, super easy:
Should Britney have refused Ken Paves? Yes or No?
Entries must be received by Saturday, September 15th at noon PST. Winner selected randomly… good luck!
And don't forget to keeping checking this post. I'll be adding new items to it when I have time to describe full contents of the bag. Have a sinking suspicion I may have forgotten something fun.


text:
what the introduction says
Try this out, and experience natural hallucination. Stare at the center, keep your eyes still & look away when instructed. Don't worry, this isn't one of those lame "something pops up & scares you" videos.
Thanks for the buzz. Love your pic, makes laugh.ReplyDelete
I felt I had a crossed eyed now.
but I need it sometimes for eyes testing to see if still good eyesight I had...
Sweet! Looked like my walls were breathing.;O)ReplyDelete
haha that was trippy!ReplyDelete
whoooooooa weird!ReplyDelete
that was freaky! I looked up at my son, who was siitting across from me, and his head was blowing up like a balloon and then deflating!ReplyDelete
hehehe, that was fun.ReplyDelete


text:
A Distributive Approach to Solving Puzzles
Our internal recruitment and CI research team work collaboratively through a cloud server. The days of working from a centralized office on a single floor plate with a nameless workstation is but a quaint anachronism.
Our research department has been designed for adherents to the Gig economy. It's feasible our data specialists may be home raising a child or lounging on the dock at their favorite lake getaway. Lifestyle matters for the Gig worker, so we're not surprised if the Skype video portrays them sipping coffee at a café in Paris, sitting in Oxford University's library or the airport in Beijing.
Location has nothing to do with our internal research team's success, but rather their excellence is a function of investigative curiosity, a lateral perspective in network analysis, geographical segmentation and a high external awareness for geo-political trends. Members of our research and data analytics team receive in-project fees and completion bonuses.


text:
The Hornady Lock-N-Load™ AP offers a great deal of features for an affordable price. While it may not earn you the prestige with your friends that a Dillon press may offer, when it comes to metallic cartridge loading, it certainly is hard to beat the features you get for the money especially when you add in their "2010 GET LOADED" promotion. This really is a nice press.
Manufacturer Website: Hornady Web
MSRP: $499.54 (available for less through several online retailers)
Feature Highlights (from manufacturer):
The Lock-N-Load™ AP is a professional-grade, auto-indexing, 5-station progressive press that features a patented Lock-N-Load™ bushing system as well as a host of other features — detailed below — that make it much more attractive than other, more expensive presses, such as the Dillon XL650.
- 5 station progressive press
- Auto-indexing – each station moves 1/2 a stage on the upstroke and 1/2 a stage on the down stroke and the up stroke, making for ultra-smooth function. This process is much smoother than presses that do all their indexing on the down stroke.
- The cartridge ejection system delivers 100% reliable ejection of every cartridge, every time, without needing any adjustments.
- Case retention system – the press has an ingenious case retainer spring that allows you to quickly and easily remove and replace a case at any point in the loading process AND they are universal. Compare that to "other" progressives… they are not so progressive.
- Quick change bushing system – the press has a 5 station quick change bushing system, which allows the Lock-N-Load ™ AP to be changed very quickly; from 223 to 45 in less than 5 minutes. Compare that to any other popular progressive presses on the market.
The press comes with an instructional DVD that walks you step by step through the installation and setup. Aside from the physical mounting, the most time consuming step is degreasing all of the components. This also happens to be a very important step as powder really sticks to the anti-tarnish compond that is applied at the factory. Total time for installation and set-up was around 3hrs.
- Mounting is accomplished via 2 bolts or lag screws (make sure you don't forget to attach the cartridge hopper bracket at this time), it must be mounted to a sturdy surface .
- Once mounted you need to start unpacking the shell plate, shell retention spring, dies (sold separately) and powder measure. These will all need to be disassembled, have the anti-tarnish compound removed and a dry lubricant applied. I recommend something like Hornady One Shot Degreaser and Dry Lube. I made the mistake of trying to degrease using a dish soap solution and dry lube with Otis Special Forces Dry Lube the first time around, needless to say I had to do it over with One Shot.
- The next step is to attach the main handle, install the shell plate (with a small amount of all purpose grease applied to the bottom side), and the case retention spring.
- Next, if you plan on loading calibers that use small primers, you will need to switch out the case activated powder measure cylinder and priming system components to the small pistol components. I also decided to "upgrade" to a micrometer powder metering insert which allows much greater control of dispensed powder loads. Now it's time to assemble the primer tube and assembly.
- Finally, you work on installing and adjusting the dies. The L-N-L AP is a 5-station press so you have some flexibility here depending on the work you are trying to accomplish. For my set up I have: Station 1 – sizing and decapping die, Station 2 – case expander die, Station 3 – case activated powder measure, Station 4 – bullet seating die, Station 5 – factory crimp die.
The only issues I experienced with the press were a damaged case retainer spring and a bent primer cam, both of which were my fault.
Once you are set up, its a matter of setting and weighing the powder charge you are looking for then getting into a rhythm for placing an empty cartridge, pulling the lever, and placing the bullets. I recommend having extra case retention springs and Lock-N-Load™ bushings on hand. I also highly recommend upgrading to the micrometer powder measure insert and the larger size hopper.
All in all it is really a very simple system to learn and operate. I highly recommend it.


text:
Phi Theta Kappa Induction Ceremony
Moberly Area Community College's Alpha Tau chapter of Phi Theta Kappa held its Induction of New Members on Friday, November 13.
Phi Theta Kappa was organized at MACC in 1931. The organization is part of an international scholastic society for two-year college students. The purpose of this diverse organization is to provide hands-on learning opportunities for developing leadership skills through participation in service, scholarship, and fellowship activities. To be eligible for membership, a student must have a 3.5 cumulative grade point average and have completed 12 credit hours with MACC. A letter of invitation to join Phi Theta Kappa is sent to eligible students during the fall and spring semesters. Phi Theta Kappa is the largest honor society in American higher education.


text:
[CC] cheat's Q&D Hadoop 0.23.6 install guide
Hadoop is one of the most popular open source "Cloud Computing" platforms that is used to crunch massive amount of data on generic hardware (computer hardware that is non-proprietary and not necessary has to be identical). It is not exactly "Cloud Computing" per se, because it is a computing architecture that is meant for processing massively large amount of data in parallel. Taxonomically, Parallel Computing (the predecessor to cloud computing) would be the closer terminology. Hadoop comes with several features, most notably the HDFS (Hadoop File System), and MapReduce. I attempt to describe HDFS, and MapReduce in a one liner. HDFS: it is an open source cousin of GFS (Google File Systems), provides a framework to manage data redundancy, and most importantly the scalability is as simple as adding more generic hardware. MapReduce: it is a programming model for processing very large amount of data that leverages on the classic computing method: the divide and conquer approach through the Map stage follow by the Reduce stage. On top of that, it performs sorting intrinsically via the programming model. Oh wait… I busted my one liner quota for MapReduce.
Back in late 2012 I have followed the text book example and played with Hadoop 0.20.0. Setting up and Installation is a breeze, due to the fact that many user guide and tutorials that are made available by the community. In early 2013, Hadoop 0.23.6 come by and I assumed the installation is going to be identical to the earlier version, but I was wrong. As a matter of fact, I have used some nonstandard way by the tree command to find the changes in directory for the necessary configuration files. If the version documentation rocks at that time, it will really save me some of my hair.
Hadoop 0.23.6 is an interesting release. In this version, several major changes/overhaul are made. Most notably, the API call of HADOOP.MAPRED is deprecated and superseded by HADOOP.MAPREDUCE aka MRv2. Resource management of a Hadoop Cluster was relegated to a dedicated service named YARN. Several advanced data structures meant for programming MapReduce were added; some were deprecated (I will go into the details of implementation in the future posts).
For a complete genealogy of Hadoop versions, check this out.
Hadoop 0.23.6 is an interesting release. In this version, several major changes/overhaul are made. Most notably, the API call of HADOOP.MAPRED is deprecated and superseded by HADOOP.MAPREDUCE aka MRv2. Resource management of a Hadoop Cluster was relegated to a dedicated service named YARN. Several advanced data structures meant for programming MapReduce were added; some were deprecated (I will go into the details of implementation in the future posts).
For a complete genealogy of Hadoop versions, check this out.
This install guide assumes
- Ubuntu server 11.x on a VM; I have used 40GB for a start, but run out very quickly.
- Hadoop 0.23.6 in releases
- Java 6 openJDK
- Hadoop cluster lives as a single node
Several things to take note prior to running Hadoop. Locate the directory of configuration files; differentiate between datanode and namenode; dedicate a "Hadoop user"; necessary files permission on the directories; HDFS is not your regular file system, it requires a separate software to access; Hadoop starts with a daemon;
Step1: Download Hadoop and extract it to a directory.
Then name of the directory with the files extracted shall be used in all of the following config. E.g I have created a folder "/usr/local/hadoop" and the files are extracted in it.
Step2: Locate the configuration templates, and directory to place the configurations
#path to place configuration files
Step3: create directory for temporary files, logs, namenode, and datanode
#output for hadoop logs
Step4: copy example configuration templates to config directory and then edit the configuration files.
Configuration files needed are "yarn-site.xml;core-site.xml;hdfs-site.xml;mapred-site.xml". Put in the parameters as per required in to the configuration files mentioned above. A sample of the configured configuration files are available to download here.
Step5: add the necessary paths and verify the paths
#path to add to ~/.bash
# update the paths
source ~/.bash
#Verify the paths
#output should be similar to the following
Step 6: Format name node
Warning: this step only requires to be done ONCE for each newly setup cluster. Executing this command on an existing cluster will risk data loss.
#do once only, at the initial setup of hadoop
bin/hadoop namenode –format
Step 7: Start the daemon for Hadoop
sbin/hadoop-daemon.sh start namenode
sbin/hadoop-daemon.sh start datanode
sbin/yarn-daemon.sh start resourcemanager
sbin/yarn-daemon.sh start nodemanager
sbin/mr-jobhistory-daemon.sh start historyserver
Step8: verify Hadoop cluster with jps
Assumed that the setting up and configuration went fine, the following screen will appear after typing the command "jps".
Step9: verify Hadoop cluster with web based consoles
Note: 192.168.253.130 is the IP address of my Ubuntu server.
#namenode console to verify o/p
#for ResourceManager
#for Job History Server
Step10: Verify Hadoop & MapReduce in action
run example word count
#copy text files from "/home/user/upload" to HDFS directory "/user/user/txt"
bin/hadoop dfs -copyFromLocal /home/user/upload /user/user/txt
bin/hadoop dfs -ls /user/user/txt
bin/hadoop jar share/hadoop/mapreduce/hadoop-mapreduce-examples-0.23.6.jar wordcount /user/user/txt /user/user/txt-output
calculate pi
#run an example calc pi
bin/hadoop jar share/hadoop/mapreduce/hadoop-mapreduce-examples-0.23.6.jar pi -Dmapreduce.clientfactory.class.name=org.apache.hadoop.mapred.YarnClientFactory -libjars share/hadoop/mapreduce/hadoop-mapreduce-client-jobclient-0.23.6.jar 16 10000
Compile a custom word count in java with MapReduce on Hadoop 0.23.6
#to compile
javac -classpath /usr/local/hadoop/share/hadoop/hadoop-0.23.6/share/hadoop/common/hadoop-common-0.23.6.jar:/usr/local/hadoop/share/hadoop/hadoop-0.23.6/share/hadoop/common/lib/commons-cli-1.2.jar:/usr/local/hadoop/share/hadoop/mapreduce/hadoop-mapreduce-client-common-0.23.6.jar:/usr/local/hadoop/share/hadoop/mapreduce/hadoop-mapreduce-client-core-0.23.6.jar -d classes WordCount.java && jar -cvf wordcount.jar -C classes/
#to execute
/usr/local/hadoop/bin/hadoop jar wordcount.jar org.myorg.WordCount /user/user/txt /user/user/bigram-output
Verify output with
/usr/local/hadoop/bin/hdfs dfs -ls /user/user


text:
In 2026, the sun came undone. Electromagnetic waves destroyed communications, air travel, the world economy. Billions died of starvation. Cities were abandoned. History became myth. Scientific knowledge devolved into lost magic. What remained of mankind reconnected with nature; people returned to the land, taking over farms previously owned by corporations. Performance and memory once again served as the basis of community entertainment. Or at least that's how Las Vegas artist Stephen Hendee's excellent, thought-provoking new show describes it.
The Textiles of Dark Age Era North America: True Artifacts and Reproductions, From 2026-2280, which opens Aug. 27 at UNLV, chronicles humanity's struggle to recover from a post-apocalypse. The show features textiles, clothing and artifacts, with postdated explanatory panels next to each piece providing a narrative of doom, social upheaval and civilization's return. Dark Age asks questions such as: How would humanity continue without digital technology, such as Google or Wikipedia, to give us our history? How might we preserve our stories? Would there be art?
The exhibit provides its own answers in the form of handcrafted banners, tribal flags and wall hangings—the promotional tools of traveling storytellers reciting works of literature, books that had vanished during The Collapse. Scanned and uploaded, these works were to live eternally in a virtual literary Eden. Permanent power loss changed that. Titles, authors and publication dates of these books are often wrong, as presumably are the now-orally rendered stories.
Two years in the making, Hendee's massive, colorful textiles are meant to signify books. Minimalist and beautiful, they could easily serve as reprint-edition covers for sci-fi classics. The banners represent just that—for example, J.G. Ballard's Crash, Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake and Cormac McCarthy's The Road. "Leviathan, Hobbes, 1651" is different, being a famous and even older nonfiction work of political philosophy; still, it's an instructive tome that fits perfectly alongside 20th-/21st-century speculative novels.
A few wall hangings function as menus, no doubt for a storyteller who knew more than a few tales. There's a simple list of Philip K. Dick (Blade Runner) selections, which include a few of his major works as well as less-acclaimed pulps. One menu boasts a variety of material, such as, "The Unibomber," likely a version of the Unabomber Manifesto, and "Zombies, Romaro, 1968," likely an oral interpretation of filmmaker George Romero's classic Night of the Living Dead, or perhaps some other movie misattributed to him.
There's a bit of Mel Gibson's The Road Warrior lurking in Hendee's imagination. This fictional era is mythologized similarly to the way we mythologize the Wild West. In this case, people from the future are looking back on a post-apocalyptic past, and we as 21st-century viewers have been time-machined into their future to gaze upon reproductions, oracles and trophies, like the 26 Mayors of Chicago's scepter, which resembles a shotgun. There's also a polished aluminum baseball bat that once belonged to a warlord named Olivia of Manhattan.
In the genre of post-apocalyptic fiction, human relationships are typically in dire need of repair. Cormac McCarthy's The Road (Knopf, 2006), for instance, asks if we still have a soul after everything has fallen apart. Indeed, the narrative of the post-apocalypse mourns the loss of empathy due to the distance between people, a distance fostered by technology, suburban sprawl and our increasingly spoiled behavior. It's a distance that, ironically, the wasteland can mend. Despite a disturbing setting, the post-apocalypse narrative celebrates a return to our essential humanity, even if we feel there's no other option but to, as in Nevil Shute's On the Beach (Ballantine Books, 1957), sit behind the wheel of a car and down a cyanide pill.
Ultimately, Hendee's Dark Ages offers light at the end of a grim tunnel. This is an exhibit that praises man's ceaseless ingenuity, his inherent creativity, his fierce striving for community even after all our gadgets, after our so-called civilization, has been brushed aside by God's fickle hand. As U.S. wars of imperialism grind on and the U.S. economy continues to wither, there isn't a better time than right now to experience Hendee's work. And there's irony in its being displayed inside UNLV's Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History; the museum's collection is based on Mesoamerican art and artifacts. Clearly, Hendee, a UNLV art assistant professor, takes perverse fun in tapping into an institutional desire to record and exhibit the history of certain areas and peoples. The artist has added his own artifacts representing a fictional continuity of mankind through an incredibly gloomy period. Let's hope and pray that his future-history never comes to pass.


text:
Perhaps, because I make a living as a writer, I see our lives segmented into chapters filled with the excitement of new beginnings and celebrations, everyday struggles and successes, major challenges and the sadness of final partings.
This past week, with the passing of Mary Alice O'Connor, I sadly closed a chapter of my life.
As I held Mary Alice's hand and kissed her forehead for the last time, I thought about her husband, the legendary Disney artist, Ken O'Connor, who passed away in 1998. Ken viewed life in a different way than me. As a visual artist, he saw life as a succession of portals through which we pass — the mandatory portals of birth and death, and the portals of choice that we cross or avoid to make our lives better or worse. Ken made that belief manifest on canvas in his thought-provoking painting, "Portals."
Then there was the way Mary Alice viewed life. As a dedicated volunteer who perceived needs and diligently worked to meet them, she saw life as a continuous succession of meetings — only interrupted by actually carrying out the work planned in those meeting to make life better for others.


text:
CWI's Summer Institutes on Service-Learning, 2012
CWI's Summer Institutes on Service-Learning. Join with colleagues from across North America and beyond, working to embrace service-learning and sustainability within their teaching practice and programs. CWI's Summer Institutes on Service-Learning are an immersion in field tested service-learning best practice designed to help K-16 and community educators engage students in contributing to sustainable communities. An intensive five day experience, CWI's Summer Institute provides dynamic workshops and presentations, practical resources and tools, along with veteran faculty support, designed to maximize participant learning and accomplishments. WHEN: July and August, 2012, EAST and WEST coasts, Vermont and Los Angeles. MORE INFO: http://www.communityworksinstitute.org CONTACT: Joe Brooks 909-480-3966 (PST) email: email@example.com COSTS/PROGRAM FEES: $1189 (USD) tuition includes all training materials, light breakfast, and lunches. Tuition does NOT include lodging. Discounted lodging is available nearby. CREDIT: Certificates for 45 hours of professional development are issued. Limited Space is available. Register Early.


text:
- Description
Vienna Symphonic Synchron Strings I opens a new chapter in sampled strings by combining extraordinary musicianship, engineering, recording technology and software innovation. Played by members of the Synchron Stage Orchestra, recorded at Vienna's Synchron Stage by top engineers, and backed by 17 years of sampling experience – Synchron Strings I is about to set a new standard in sound, playability and realism. The full library includes 1,867,185 samples.
Recorded at Synchron Stage Vienna
Synchron Strings I is Vienna first String Library that was recorded with the signature ambience of one of the best-sounding scoring stages on the planet – Synchron Stage Vienna. This represents a significant step for us, marrying hall-ambience recordings with the leading-edge sampling technology Vienna Symphonic Library is known for.
Since its renovation and reopening in 2016, Synchron Stage Vienna has already hosted a wealth of music recordings for international film and TV productions (such as Inferno, The Crown, Lego Batman, Ghost in the Shell, The Meg, Blue Planet II), in addition to video games, commercials, and classical recordings, with many more to come. The acoustics of the 54 m² (5,813 sq ft) main hall are characterized by a lush and warm sound with an average reverb time of 1.8 seconds, while still providing excellent localization of all sound sources, both in depth and in the stereo or surround environment.
Multiple Microphone Positions
To capture the spectacular ambience of the Synchron Stage, Vienna's engineers employed eight separate phase-coherent microphone configurations, recorded simultaneously, to provide a broad range of room options while using the library. Any or all of these setups can be mixed to dial in just the sound you're looking for, from close and focused, to broad and epic!
The sections of 1st violins (14), 2nd violins (10), violas (8), cellos (8), and double basses (6) were recorded separately at their designated positions on stage. Due to the comprehensive selection of discrete audio channels you can mix your string sound in stereo, 5.1 surround or even 9.1 Auro 3D (or any other immersive audio format, such as Dolby Atmos), utilizing the intuitive features of the upcoming new Vienna Synchron Player to tailor your sound.
The Beauty of Simplicity
With Synchron Strings I, Vienna have achieved the ultimate in realism and expressiveness, while providing a new level of ease-of-use.
Play short notes, long notes with various attacks, legatos, scalable vibrato intensities and note repetitions with a minimal need to switch articulations, and by moving just one or two preconfigured controllers.
Synchron Strings I works with the existing Vienna Instruments and Vienna Instruments Pro players. Vienna provide ready-to-use stereo presets (downmixes) of all Synchron Strings I sections with lower CPU load by reducing the number of audio signals per instance. What's more, pre-configured presets for Vienna Ensemble and Vienna Ensemble Pro provide a well-balanced mix of the multiple microphone configurations at any time, while giving you access to each individual mic signal for your own mixes.
Very soon, Synchron Strings I will be powered by the all-new Vienna Synchron Player, a dedicated sample player with a brand new engine built from the ground up. Its innovative new algorithms make it even more effortless to render strings with astounding realism.
Combining a number of microphone positions with a wealth of available velocity layers and note variations for each articulation requires a powerful sample engine. The upcoming Synchron Player will deliver unprecedented streaming performance, able to trigger more than 300 voices per instrument simultaneously! The new engine will also come with an internal mixer with 5-band EQ, delay for runtime compensation, algorithmic reverb, phase switching and panorama controls.
8 Velocity Layers, 80 Variations per Key
One major reason for the heightened realism of Synchron Strings I is the unprecedented number of velocity layers and note variations. Most notes are available with 8 dynamic levels and up to 10 variations, from pianissimo to fortissimo and everything in between, that blend smoothly as you crossfade through the layers. All the samples are delivered automatically as you play, and in most cases you don't even need to think about manual key switching.
Vienna have developed a new sampling process wherein all performances are recorded and edited at "fixed gain". The result is that all pitches, dynamic layers, articulations and instruments match 100% perfectly with each other. For example, a pianissimo articulation of an ensemble sounds exactly as it was played at Synchron Stage and painstakingly matches the pianissimo performances of all the other instruments.
Performance Legato Re-invented
Bringing together new recording techniques and innovative algorithms tailored to recordings on a scoring stage, Vienna's revolutionary Legato Performances excel with a newly heightened realism.
Played by Musicians from the Synchron Stage Orchestra
The players make the difference! Selected from Vienna's world famous community of master musicians, Synchron Stage Orchestra members performed these samples with passion and perseverance on their own very fine instruments. Having played on countless film and TV scores, in addition to honing their skills as sampling musicians, the quality of their playing will inspire your best work as you use Synchron Strings I.
Microphone Setup
The Standard Library and Full Library of Synchron Strings I both include the same articulations. The difference lies in the number of provided microphone positions. Full includes:
- Close Mic (Mono)
- Mid Mic – Front row of Ensemble (L/R)
- Back Mic – Second row of Ensemble (L/R)
- Main/Room Mic – Decca Tree Stereo (L/R)
- Main/Room Mic – Decca Tree Mono (Center)
- Main Surround – Stereo (L/R)
- High Stereo (3D) – Stereo (L/R)
- High Surround (3D) – Stereo (L/R)
The main surround microphone settings may also be used instead of the main stereo room mics in order to achieve a wider and more ambient mix. Blending surround signals with the other microphone signals creates a denser, more lush overall sound, even in stereo applications.
System Requirements:
- PC Windows 7/8/10 (latest update, 32/64-bit), Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon 64 X2
- macOS 10.10 (latest update) or higher, Intel Core 2 Duo
- SSD (M2, Sata 6 or USB3/3.1 UASP Support) for sample content
- 8 GB RAM (32 GB recommended)
- AU/VST/AAX Native compatible host (AAX version requires Pro Tools 10.3.5 or higher)
- VIENNA KEY (Vienna Symphonic Library USB protection device) or other USB eLicenser (e.g., from Steinberg or Arturia)
- 251.3 GB free hard drive space for the Standard Library, 500.8 GB for the Full Library
- Other configurations may work but are not actively supported
- Windows 7/8/10 (latest update, 64-bit), Intel i5/i7/Xeon
- macOS 10.12 (or higher), Intel i5/i7/Xeon
- 88 key master keyboard
- Specs
Additional Information
Condition New Software Delivery Electronic Delivery Virtual Instrument Type Strings Plug-In Format AAX, AU, VST Operating System Mac, Windows
- Reviews
No one has written a review yet. Be the first!
- Testimonials
- Blog Posts
Have some questions about this item?
When it comes to getting the best gear, your tastes are probably pretty particular. Vintage King can help answer any and every question to help you make the right decisions for your sound. Fill out the form below and we'll be in contact with you shortly.
Free Shipping in the USA and 50% Off International Shipping! See terms.


text:
By completing your order, you understand that the products(s) you are purchasing are U.S. models and may have power / voltage requirements different from that of your country.
Prices shown in currencies other than US Dollars are estimates based on current exchange rates. We will charge your credit card in US Dollars on the day your order is shipped, and the conversion to your local currency will be done at the prevailing rate by your credit card issuer.
ProSound and Stage Lighting will not mark your parcel as a "gift", declare a value lower than the actual price paid, or otherwise prepare false customs information.
Following up on the wildly successful DDJ-SX, Pioneer has refined and improved upon the original design to give you the DDJ-SX2. Another game changer, this is the industry's first controller to give DJ's dedicated control of the new Serato Flip functions within Serato DJ, meaning you can use the Serato Flip expansion pack to record and re-play up to six hot cue sequences on the fly with designated buttons – record, start, and slot – for maximum efficiency. The four-channel DDJ-SX2 builds on the popularity of its predecessor, but inherits two must-have features from it's big brother, the DDJ-SZ: Performance Pads with velocity sensitive, multi-colored LEDs and on-jog digital cue point markers. The DDJ-SX2 also boasts improved jog wheel reaction time and allows for Serato DVS connectivity.
Control Layout:
If it ain't broke, don't fix it! The first generation DDJ-SX was hailed for its simple and intuitive layout that put a multitude of Serato DJ features right at your fingertips, so the layout of the buttons, performance pads, sliders, and knobs have remained intact on the DDJ-SX2 to keep giving you the ease of use you know and love.
Multi-colored Performance Pads
First seen in the flagship DDJ-SZ performance controller, the DDJ-SX2 incorporates the multi-functional, eye-pleasing Performance Pads to control eight different parameters within Serato DJ. Aside from being more aesthetically pleasing, the illumination colors provide instant identication for the function of each pad, such as hot cue, sampler, slicer, and roll. While in velocity SAMPLER mode, tap strength can be used to determine output level from the pad.
Amplified MIC Input:
The DDJ-SX2 features an imroved microphone (MIC) input circuit, allowing for crystal clear audio output, void of any distortion, regardless of the mic used. Thanks to the increased headroom and highly improved signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio, the controller delivers clear audio even at exceptionally high volume levels.
High Accuracy Jog Wheel:
Leave latency in the dust with the massively improved output reaction time of the JOG wheels, ensuring scratch performances are not hindered in any way. Within the JOG dispaly is also a "Hot Cue Countdown," allowing the user to visualize the remaining time in a given Hot Cue point and helping the user quickly arrive to a specified position in the music playing.
4-Channel Mixer:
Use external sources such as turntables with the DDJ-SX2's independent 4-channel mixer, and use the master level meter for instantaneous sound level adjustment as well as independent output controls with a display indicator for each channel.
Expanded Functionality:
Use the DDJ-SX2 as a traditional controller or use the four external inputs for connection with turntables, CD players, microphones, and more without the need to connect to a computer. For another layer of control, use the best of both worlds and control Serato DJ with CDJ players or analog turntables via Serato DJ DVS functionality. Get your mix out into the world through external PA equipment with two Master and one Booth output.
With newly developed drivers, the HDJ-X7 model gives you clean monitoring even at high volumes. The independent ground wire in the 4-core twisted-structure cable ensures superior left and right channel separation, while the flexible headband means your headphones will be a perfect fit.
The HDJ-X model headphones are designed to be flexible. Their swivel mechanism allows you to wear them comfortably, whichever way you prefer, for long periods of time. No need to worry about bumps and knocks during transport as these DJ headphones can handle severe conditions and heavy use.Specifications:
This lightweight, portable laptop stand is ideal for holding your laptop, CD player, EFX machines or lighting controller. Featuring and angled platform that rests your laptop securely against front bumper for the perfect viewing and working position.With 4 easy height adjustments, it can hold up to 8 lbs.Features:


text:
I have updated the Console project with some more images, mostly cartridges, and updated the zip file as well.
Posts Tagged with Game Console
Venture Arcade gallery updated with Front End Screens
I updated the Venture Arcade gallery with some of the background images I use for my Mala Front-End.
New game controller images
New game controller images are up on the Console Project page.
Console Project page is up
I have started a new project to build 3D models of all the major game consoles. This page is here to view renders of the models.


text:
If you are looking for the top SEO company in the business, there are some key issues you have to consider. These issues revolve around the company, the services they provide, what you are looking for, and your budget. For increased traffic flow to your site, there is no doubt that the services of the best SEO company can have a major impact. This is why selection of the right company is so important.
Selling online can be a rewarding experience but you need to beat other competitors in your niche, something that is easier said than done. It is important to ensure that your website is optimized for high ranking by the search engines because traffic which comes from online searches (organic traffic) is considered to have higher value than any which can be attracted through paid-for online campaigns. This guide contains invaluable tips on how to find the best SEO company in Canada to give your web content that extra edge when the search engines index and rank your website.
When you read a lot of articles about search engine optimization, you might realize that many of them are targeted to website owners who live in the United States. Although a lot of things about SEO are the same between different companies, it's not a bad idea to keep these five things in mind if you want to be successful at SEO in Toronto.
If you have recently paid for SEO services, you could be wondering what to expect now. You are probably really anxious to start seeing an increase in traffic and other perks, and you might have never used one of these services before. Although you might have to wait a little while to see the results that you are looking for, you should know that you have made the right decision. In the meantime, you should expect the following things.
If you are looking for a way to boost your website's search engine rankings, you might have thought about hiring a company that offers SEO services to help. These companies can do a lot for your rankings and help you bring in a ton of traffic, but you have to choose the right company. This means that you won't want to settle for a business that offers ridiculously low prices; otherwise, you probably won't get the quality service that you need and deserve. Instead of opting for a shady company for your SEO needs, you should consider these simple tips for saving money on high-quality SEO services.
In your search for ways to promote your website and increase your business, you have probably heard of SEO. Although it is a popular term and a very common method for advertising, however, you might still be a bit unsure of what it is. Search engine optimization is critical in today's world if you want to advertise your website in the best way possible, so consider this guide for search engine optimization so that you can implement it for your own business.
What is SEO?
If you have been shopping around for high-quality yet affordable SEO services, chances are good that you have come across advertisements from individuals and businesses from all over the world. Search engine optimization truly is a global phenomenon, and there are people from many different companies who can provide you with high-quality SEO services that can help you rank high on the search engines. If you live and work in Toronto, however, you might want to consider going with an SEO company in Toronto instead of from another country. These are three good reasons why.
As you have probably already noticed, a lot of the sites, articles and companies out there that focus on SEO also focus on people who live in the United States. Just because you don't live in the US doesn't mean that you don't find SEO to be important, however, and you could be wondering if there is anything that you should do differently for SEO in Toronto. Although you should know that search engine optimization is similar no matter what country or area that you live in, you might want to keep these things in mind if you want to get as much as possible out of your SEO.
If you have made the decision to hire a professional SEO company to help you promote your website and optimize it for search engines, you are making a solid decision and a great investment that can help you bring in a lot more traffic. Unfortunately, you can't trust every SEO company that you come across, so you should take your time in finding the right one for your needs. By looking out for these five things, you can help ensure that you hire a company that you can trust to do a good job, provide you with high rankings and give you your money's worth.
It seems as if just about everyone has a blog nowadays, and that is definitely a good thing. You can use your blog to make money by promoting affiliate products or by selling advertisements, or you can use it to promote yourself as a professional or freelancer. Regardless of what you want to do with your blog or how big you would like for it to get, the chances are good that you need more traffic in order to achieve your goals. Bringing in a lot of traffic isn't necessarily an easy task when there is a host of competition out there, but a good SEO company can help you make your blog a real success.


text:
On this page we list all of the other courses available and also the funded training which may be available to you.
NVQ, Apprenticeships, Employability and back to work courses, CV, Warehouse and Storage and many more.
Call us for more info on 01757 707 611 or click the button below to visit the contact page and send us a message.
Book Your Course
Please use the form below to contact us and let us know which training course you are interested in booking.
We will endeavour to get back to you within 24hrs.
Fail! Please try again.
Your message was successfully sent. Thank You!
Training Services
- Counter Balance Fork Lift Truck Driver Operator Training
- Rough Terrain Telescopic Handler Fork Lift Driver Training
- Lorry Loader Training
- Low Level Order Picking Truck Training
- Powered Pallet Truck Low/Eye/High
- MHE Awareness Training
- Mobile Elevating Work Platform Training
- Multi-Directional Lift Truck Driver Training
- Pivot Steer Fork Lift Truck Training
- Reach Truck Driver Training


text:
Drugs as Medicine to Treatment of Disease
Antihistamines: Antihistamines are used for symptomatic relief from allergic rhinitis (hay fever) including runny nose, sneezing, itching of the nose or throat, and itchy and watery eyes. The anticholinergic effects of antihistamines may cause a thickening of bronchial secretions; therefore, these agents may be counterproductive in respiratory conditions characterized by congestion. Antihistamines may cause drowsiness.
Xanthines: Xanthines, primarily theophylline, relieve bronchial spasm by direct action on the bronchial smooth muscle in bronchospastic conditions such as asthma and chronic bronchitis. Some xanthine-containing combination products are available over-the-counter, but asthmatic patients should use them only under physician supervision.
Sympathomimetics: Sympathomimetics are used for their vasoconstrictor/decongestant or bronchodilator effects.
Decongestants: Decongestants are used for temporary relief of nasal congestion due to colds or allergy. Given orally, they are less effective than topical nasal decongestants and have a potential for systemic side effects. Frequent or prolonged topical use may lead to local irritation and rebound congestion.
Bronchodilators: Ephedrine is common in these combinations; however, it stimulates cardiac (b1) receptors. Bronchodilation is weaker than with the catecholamines: a-adrenergic effects may decrease congestion of mucous membranes. Other b-active agents are effective bronchodilators, but pseudoephedrine is not.
Analgesics: Analgesics (eg, acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, sodium salicylate) are frequently included for symptoms of headache, fever, muscle aches, and pain.
Anticholinergics: Anticholinergics are included for their drying effects on mucous secretions. This action may be beneficial in acute rhinorrhea; however, drying of respiratory secretions may lead to obstruction. Traditionally, anticholinergics have been avoided in patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); however, some patients respond well to these agents. Caution is still advised in this group. An anticholinergic for oral inhalation is available as a bronchodilator for maintenance of bronchospasm associated with COPD, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Papaverine HCl: Papaverine HCl relaxes the smooth muscle of the bronchial tree and tractus duodenum, this drug mostly use for the diarrhea patients.
Barbiturates: Barbiturates are included for their sedative effects as "correctives" in combination with xanthines or sympathomimetics, which may cause CNS stimulation. The sedative efficacy of low doses (eg, 8 mg phenobarbital) is questionable.
Caffeine: Caffeine is included in some combinations for CNS stimulation to counteract antihistamine depression and to enhance concomitant analgesics.
Barbiturates, prochlorperazine, hydroxyzine, meprobamate, chlordiazepoxide: These components are used as sedatives and antianxiety agents.
Ergotamine tartrate: Ergotamine tartrate provides inhibition of the sympathetic nervous system.
Kaolin: Kaolin is used for its adsorbent properties.
Narcotic analgesics: Codeine, hydrocodone bitartrate, dihydrocodeine bitartrate, opium, oxycodone HCl, oxycodone terephthalate, meperidine HCl, propoxyphene HCl, propoxyphene napsylate.
Nonnarcotic analgesics: Acetaminophen, salicylates, salicylamide. Caffeine, a traditional component of many analgesic formulations, may be beneficial to certain vascular headaches.
Magnesium-aluminum hydroxides and calcium carbonate: Magnesium-aluminum hydroxides and calcium carbonate are used as buffers.
Barbiturates, acetylcarbromal, carbromal, and bromisovalum: Barbiturates, acetylcarbromal, carbromal, and bromisovalum are used for their sedative effects.
Promethazine HCl: Promethazine HCl (a phenothiazine derivative with antihistamine properties) is used for its sedative effect.
Belladonna alkaloids: Belladonna alkaloids are used as an antispasmodic.
Barbiturates, meprobamate, and antihistamines: Barbiturates, meprobamate, and antihistamines are used for their sedative effects.
Antacids: Antacids are used to minimize gastric upset from salicylates.
Caffeine: Caffeine, a traditional component of many analgesic formulations, may be beneficial in treating certain vascular headaches.
Belladonna: Belladonna alkaloids are used as antispasmodics, the medicine which popular for the colic abdominal patients.
Pamabrom: Pamabrom is used as a diuretic.
Cinnamedrine: Cinnamedrine, a sympathomimetic amine claimed to have a relaxant effect in the uterus, is used in products for premenstrual syndrome. Its real value has not been established.
Aminobenzoate: Aminobenzoate retards the conjugation of salicylic acid and prolongs the action of salicylates.


text:
Event description
Our meetings will consist of informal group chats over refreshments, where we will get to know each other and our businesses and find ways to advice, support, brainstorm ideas, mentor and refer on each other's businesses.
During our meetings you will have the opportunity to present your business to the group and listen to an informative presentation. You will also have the opportunity to put any questions to the group for tips and advice, and there will also be the chance to just, network freely.
Our events are designed to help you build your business skills and confidence in a sociable environment.


text: HomeGuides to God's Word Filter products / Guides to God's Word / Showing all 10 results Sort by NonePopularityAverage ratingNewnessPrice: low to highPrice: high to low Price Range None$0.00 - $100.00$100.00 - $200.00$200.00 - $300.00$300.00 - $400.00$400.00 - $500.00$500.00+ Categories NoneUncategorizedBooks4Life ClubChildrenCurriculumDevotionalen EspañolGiftGuides to God's WordPreaching/MinistryStart2Finish Bible StudiesT-ShirtsUsed Books Filter selected Show only products on sale In stock only The Thrill of Hope: A Commentary on Revelation $14.99 Add to cart - 13% The Son's Supremacy: A Guide to Hebrews $14.99 $12.99 Add to cart Featured! The Epic of God: A Guide to Genesis $16.99 Add to cart Featured! The Derision of Heaven: A Guide to Daniel $12.99 Add to cart Love Letters from John: A Devotional Commentary on the Epistles of John $12.99 Add to cart Featured! Living & Longing for the Lord: A Guide to 1–2 Thessalonians $12.99 Add to cart Featured! - 15% How to Lose a Kingdom in 400 Years: A Guide to 1–2 Kings Rated 5.00 out of 5 $19.99 $16.99 Add to cart Charging Grizzlies, Rude Neighbors: & More Gems from Proverbs $14.99 Add to cart Featured! Bethlehem Road: A Guide to Ruth Rated 5.00 out of 5 $9.99 Add to cart - 33% A Graceful Uprising: How Grace Changes Everything Rated 5.00 out of 5 $14.99 $9.99 Add to cart


text:
WELCOME TO MIDDLESEX 3 TMA A Transportation Management Association (TMA) is a
partnership between businesses, developers, residential
locations and communities. Participants join together to
reduce traffic congestion and air pollution and improve
transportation options in a defined region.
BECOME A MEMBER TODAY!Membership in the Middlesex 3 TMA is open to any, public or
private business, educational institution, or residential complex
within the service area which includes Bedford, Billerica,
Burlington, Chelmsford, Lowell, Tewksbury, Tyngsborough, and
Westford Massachusetts. Contact the Middlesex 3 TMA
for more information on membership.Download Application
The Middlesex 3 Transportation Management Association (TMA) has been formed by the Middlesex 3 Coalition to address transportation issues in the region which includes the communities of Bedford, Billerica, Burlington, Chelmsford, Lowell, Tewksbury, Tyngsborough, and Westford Massachusetts.
The Middlesex 3 Coalition has made the TMA a 501c (6) Massachusetts non-profit corporation. It has community and business partners who share common goals of fostering economic development, job growth and retention, and enhancement of quality of life in the region.
An on-line regional program where employees can look for carpool or vanpool partners.
Shuttle service is currently available between Boston, Cambridge, and the Route 3 Corridor.
Guarantees participants a ride home if they have an emergency on a day when they use alternative to driving alone.
With the right amenities on-site, biking and walking to work can be viable options for certain employees.
Looking for something more than a carpool? A vanpool is a group of five to fourteen people with a similar origin, destination, and schedule, who share the costs of commuting and ride in a vehicle that they lease together.
A comprehensive program to promote alternative to driving alone can help your company impact traffic congestion and air quality in the region.
Pre-tax benefits can be put into place and an MBTA pass program established (to promote the use of public transportation).
Innovative customized solutions for this region.


text:
Print-quality Images Available Online: http://www.artsmia.org/press
Smoke and Mirrors: Photographs by Vance Gellert
June 13–August 10, 2008
Minneapolis, May 15, 2008—In a new Minnesota Artists Exhibition Program (MAEP) exhibition, Minnesota photographer Vance Gellert examines the nature of healing in his photographs of medicinal practices in South America. Gellert's vibrant, large-scale photographs of native healers, rituals, and plants convey the beauty and mystery of the land and its people, as well as illustrate how art can contribute to scientific understanding. "Smoke and Mirrors: A Journey to Healing Knowledge" is on view June 13 through August 10, 2008, at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA).
As a photographer and pharmacologist, Gellert traveled to Bolivia and Peru to examine the nature of healing, and to discover the ratio of science to art required in indigenous healing practices. During his visits, he witnessed healing rituals such as "reading" eggs, ashes, or guinea pig intestines intended to determine diagnoses, and using various plants that are believed to reverse illness or act as hallucinogens to open doors to other worlds or perspectives. Gellert believes many South American healers straddle the line between art and science, and an important factor in his research was, he said, "to do like art asks, to suspend disbelief, to not exclude any possibility, or any observation, no matter how strange and exotic." Applying this framework, Gellert documents how a physical object or talisman may instill in individuals the faith and strength to heal themselves in conjunction with medical remedies.
Gellert uses medium- and large-format film cameras to bring out details and vibrant colors. His large prints evoke a spirit of place, of the cultures he visited, and of their healing traditions. Photography, he says, captures images infused with layers of meaning and nuance that give the recorded facts a human and emotional connection. His photograph of the Mercado de las Brujas (witch's market) shows a bazaar in La Paz, with its stacks of herbs, bones, llama fetuses, and packaged remedies, through which visitors must pass to get to the modern pharmacy beyond. Conversely, his picture of Carlos Prado, a ytiri (mountain healer), captures the spiritual, serene essence of the coca ritual as smoke billows around his head.
Other photographs in the series feature plants and animals integral to certain rites and ceremonies. Healers collect ingredients, then mix and test their remedies on themselves. In a photo of Peruvian shaman Percy Garcia, who uses ayahuasca (a hallucinogenic beverage made from the bark of a woody vine) in his practice, the shaman appears to be an organic part of the annatto tree. The tree's red flowers surround the shaman as if he were a saint in a retablo (small religious painting).
Another photograph consists of a Phyllomedusa bicolor frog being "stressed" (stretched) to produce hallucinogenic sweat (sapo) for use in a hunting rite by the Matses people of eastern Peru. The frog is eventually released with great ceremony, and the shocking close-up photograph of this ritual reveals a cacophony of color and curiosity rather than violence.
"Smoke and Mirrors" is a study of both facts and cultural beliefs about illness, healing, and wellness. Some remedies used by the healers of Bolivia and Peru are not unlike those used by Western doctors, and many of the same plants are the basis for synthetic drugs in the United States. Gellert's photographs transcend cultural differences to create a receptive and stimulating environment in which to consider new directions and methodology in healthcare.
Gellert received a bachelor's degree in physiology and a Ph.D. in pharmacology, both from the University of Minnesota. He completed an MFA in photography at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond and was co-founder and director of the Minnesota Center for Photography until 2003, when he became a full-time photographer.
Free public events include an opening reception on Thursday, June 12, at 7 P.M., an artist-led tour on Thursday, June 19, at 7 P.M., and a critics' trialogue with Diane Mullin on Thursday, June 26, at 7 P.M.
The Minnesota Artists Exhibition Program (MAEP) is made possible by a generous grant from the Jerome Foundation.
About the Minneapolis Institute of Art
The Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA), home to one of the finest encyclopedic art collections in the country, houses more than 80,000 works of art representing 5,000 years of world history. Highlights of the permanent collection include European masterworks by Rembrandt, Poussin, and van Gogh; modern and contemporary painting and sculpture by Picasso, Matisse, Mondrian, Stella, and Close; as well as internationally significant collections of prints and drawings, decorative arts, Modernist design, photographs, textiles, and Asian, African, and Native American art. General admission is always free. Some special exhibitions have a nominal admission fee. Museum hours: Sunday, 11 A.M.-5 P.M.; Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, 10 A.M.-5 P.M.; Thursday, 10 A.M.-9 P.M.; Monday closed. For more information, call (612) 870-3131 or visit www.artsmia.org.
# # #


text:
Karachi: Pakistani scientist Dr Afia Siddiqui, who is serving 86-year imprisonment in a US prison cell, has contracted cancer and allegedly become pregnant as a result of sexual abuse during her confinement.
Talking to The News Tribe, her sister Dr Dr Fouzia Siddiqui said she had come to know through Pakistani Consul General in Houston that Dr Afia Siddiqui had been diagnosed with a cancer. She added that earlier there were reports that the Pakistani scientist had become pregnant due to alleged sexual abuse during imprisonment. However, the Pakistan Embassy has not playing its role in either confirming or rejecting the reports.
She said that former Pakistan Ambassador to US Hussain Haqqani was called back the next day when he told us the condition of Dr Afia.
She quoted Pakistan Consul General Aqil Nadeem as saying that he was requesting the jail authorities for providing medical facilities to the Pakistani scientist.
Dr Fouzia said keeping in view the reputation of the Roswell jail and the nature of her sister's disease the request was insufficient.
She urged the Pakistan Embassy to arrange a team of physicians comprising doctors from jail as well as from private sector for Dr Afia Siddiqui.
Dr Fouzia said that newly-appointed Pakistan Ambassador to US Sherry Rehman had assured her all possible help before leaving for America to take up her new assignment. However, despite making contact with her, the envoy has not given any response in this regard.
Speaking about the reports of Dr Afia's alleged pregnancy, she said that her family was told about it after the Pakistani scientist showed some symptoms in the women jail.
Dr Fouzia appealed to the US and Pakistani authorities to arrange a telephonic conversation of her mother with Dr Afia.
Earlier, British journalist and human rights activist Yvonne Ridley had declared the long punishment of Dr Afia as just 'one step away from death'.
Talking about attitude of Pakistani politicians being adopted on the Dr Afia issue, she said that she would not believe in their statements until and unless her sister returns to Pakistan. Dr Fouzia complained that the politicians had only exploited the Dr Afia issue just to gain political mileage.
She said that the Pakistani scientist had been provided substandard food, which led to health problems at the jail as she had complained of it during her earlier telephonic conversations.
According to Pakistani TV anchor Aamir Liaquat Hussain, he had received information from his friends in the US that Dr Afia had contracted cancer and will be killed during confinement.
The renowned anchor said that the Pakistani scientist can be brought back through diplomatic efforts.
In a video uploaded on Youtube, Hussain said that Dr Afia had become pregnant as a result of sexual abuse in jail.
The News Tribe, a UK-based bilingual news website has approached Pakistan Ambassador to US Sherry Rehman through an email to get her point of view on the issue but received no response till the filing of this news.


text:
The Tempo side table from Zanotta was designed by the Italian artist and designed Prospero Rasulo for Zanotta.
The table with the distinctive form optically reminds of a barbell and possesses accordingly two large bowls that are connected by a rod. It can be used as a small table or as a practical depositing surface.
Its characteristic form not only offers Tempo a high recognition value, but it also guarantees a secure stand. Both table bowls consist of firm polyurethane, the rod in between consists of steel with an embossing anti-scratch paint or with polished brilliant varnish.
The Tempo side table from Zanotta is available in both heights and in a wide range of further colours.


text:
Seven posts swirling in my head, one of which has been there for months, yet none of which imbue me the wherewithal to put figurative pen to paper. A post was begun today but abandoned until later because the subject matter was too gloomy. Guilt abounds--I've broken the tacit agreement with myself to post something substantive at least every other day. But a malaise descends, and there is nothing to remedy this tonight...
Except perhaps MAGIC!
(I still use my magical powers to open and close elevator doors to this day, but it only works when I'm alone.)


text:
My first reaction to AMREF's, Why We Need A Fourth Year in Katine, was "of course you need a fourth year in Katine!" Development doesn't happen in four years, let alone five or ten. Aid dollars spent over a short period of time with little follow-up support are often wasted.
Development organizations, combined with the efforts of aid organizations in the first few years, should consider longer contracts. Tax payers need to understand the need for this (cue: journalists).
Of course, development interventions should not be prolonged over decades. You want communities to be independent of your assistance within the first few years because this means you have succeeded.
Learning from the Women of Kireka project -- a business Project Diaspora and I started to help a group of internally displaced women sell their crafts on an international market and move off the Kireka stone quarry -- I wonder if there might be a stronger role for traditional business in the development debate.
What about flat-out aid/traditional development for five years with a progressive move towards locally-generated profit? Because donors are hesitant to fund long-term development interventions, this might be one of the better options.
A couple of months ago, I documented some work under the Costal Rural Support Program (CRSP) funded by the Aga Khan Foundation in Coastal Kenya. They have been working in the region since 1997, but while livelihoods have improved, farmers have not made enough profit to buy products and information to protect themselves against the climate. While they briefly worked with Honey Care, they are still not branched into a regional or international market.
Why not? Perhaps there has been too much focus on traditional development and not enough on profit (which is often vilified). CRSP has now moved into Tanzania with the right idea. They want to help farmers sell their sesame and rice products regionally and perhaps internationally. They want people to invest in technology that will allow farmers to make products like tahini and oil.
With the Women of Kireka, we understand that aid does have its place -- we're paying the women's children's school fees this term to ensure their children can go to school while their parents combine working at the quarry and making and selling beads through their new company. Ideally, as time progresses, we won't be paying any school fees, health fees or anything else. The Women of Kireka will have regional and international buyers funneling enough money for the women to pay these living costs, while investing and expanding (tailoring is the next target).
I am sure the Women of Kireka scheme will take a decade or more to become entirely successful with the women managing their business. Meanwhile, they will rely on the continued support of Project Diaspora and partners like Ethnic Supplies. While ten years might seem a long time, the outcome will be definitive: a profit making company that can be inherited by family and/or expanded to include more workers on the Kireka quarry. Most importantly, development support or aid will no longer be necessary for these women and they will be able to share their new skills with others.


text:
Derek receives a postcard from Arthur in Holland saying he's going to rescue Guinevere. Mavis tells him to throw it away but he sees it as evidence of harassment. He vows to find out who's sending the cards. Kevin is stunned to get a message from his father saying he's coming to see him. He is stunned as he hasn't seen him for ten years. The tank bursts in 5 Crimea Street causing the Armstrongs and Roy Cropper to panic. Deirdre doesn't know what to do but Jamie takes control. Bill Webster arrives and has an emotional reunion with Kevin. Deirdre becomes unnerved by the way Cropper takes advantage of the leak to try to get close to her. She is stunned when he tells her that he's sorry about her bereavement. Bill tells Kevin that Elaine has left him for his foreman and taken Carl with her. He lost his job after he thumped the foreman. Denise gets Ken to the Register Office to have his name put on the birth certificate only to find it's not as simple as that and forms have to be sent off. Alec tells Steve that there's a clause in the Ardens' will withdrawing the inheritance if Vicky marries against the wishes of her trustees. He tells Steve that there's no way he's marrying her for her money now.
Regular castEdit
- Vicky Arden - Chloe Newsome
- Raquel Wolstenhulme - Sarah Lancashire
- Alec Gilroy - Roy Barraclough
- Derek Wilton - Peter Baldwin
- Jim McDonald - Charles Lawson
- Mavis Wilton - Thelma Barlow
- Maxine Heavey - Tracy Shaw
- Kevin Webster - Michael Le Vell
- Tricia Armstrong - Tracy Brabin
- Jamie Armstrong - Joseph Gilgun
- Roy Cropper - David Neilson
- Deirdre Rachid - Anne Kirkbride
- Phyllis Pearce - Jill Summers
- Denise Osbourne - Denise Black
- Fiona Middleton - Angela Griffin
- Ken Barlow - William Roache
- Bill Webster - Peter Armitage
- Audrey Roberts - Sue Nicholls
- Alma Baldwin - Amanda Barrie
- Nicky Platt - Warren Jackson
- Percy Sugden - Bill Waddington
- Emily Bishop - Eileen Derbyshire
- Steve McDonald - Simon Gregson
Guest castEdit
- Coronation Street exterior
- Rovers Return Inn - Public and back room
- 1 Coronation Street - Back room and kitchen
- 13 Coronation Street - Back room and kitchen
- The Kabin
- MVB Motors
- Dun 2 A T
- Denise's
- Jim's Cafe
- 5 Crimea Street - Communal hallway
- First appearance of Bill Webster since 9th January 1985.
- The Postman who delivers Derek Wilton's postcard is uncredited, despite having lines of dialogue.
- TV Times synopsis: Deirdre has trouble with an over-friendly tenant, and there's an emotional reunion for Kevin Webster.
- Viewing Figures: UK broadcast - 13,980,000 viewers (2nd place - combined figure including repeat).
|July 1995 episodes
|Mon 3rd • Wed 5th • Fri 7th • Mon 10th • Wed 12th • Fri 14th • Mon 17th
Wed 19th • Fri 21st • Mon 24th • Wed 26th • Fri 28th • Mon 31st


text:
Each of these books has an underlying theme that is just sort of an undercurrent; I wouldn't mind hearing more about these themes to be honest. I am about to start the fourth and final book in this series, and I am already simultaneously looking forward to another book and dreading finishing it, as there won't be another one to look forward to. Highly recommended series.
Welcome! I read and review all kinds of books. My reviews are deliberately brief and vague so as to avoid spoiling a book for anyone. Please feel free to leave a comment, I love to talk books!
Monday, November 16, 2015
Torquai - Tim Davys
This book is more like Amberville, but it's a locked-room mystery and police procedural. I have to say I really like the characters in these books. Yes, they are sentient stuffed animals, but there's something amazing about picturing a stuffed zebra with red and green stripes wearing a suit (as an example). As a note, you don't need to have read the previous books to enjoy each book in the series.
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
- Switching to Android? Read this first
- Google Chrome OS: A Nice Place to Visit, But?
(PC World)
- Google's Secret Chrome Plan for Browser Domination
(PC World)
- Vega Tablet is real, has Android 2.0 and a Webcam
- It's OK, iPhone, the Droid can be good, too
- Arrington: Chrome OS To Debut Next Week
- Visual Tour of GNOME 3 Shell
- Microsoft Buys Teamprise, Will Ship Linux Tools
- Dell unveils Android-based Mini 3 smartphone
- Chrome OS due out in one week?
- Windows 7 Inspired By Mac? Here's the Guy Who Said So
(PC World)
– This "tablet" looks to me like a flat panel monitor. Looks like it would be something that I wouldn't probably carry around because of it's size, but maybe I'm just getting a distorted view from the pictures?
– Does anybody know the number for Hell? I want to check the weather down there.
– I'm excited to see more and more Android devices hitting the market. The lack of wifi (at least initially) on this device I think will hurt it. We'll see.
– I'd be a little surprised to see this hit already, but I suppose it COULD be. We'll wait and see. If it does come out next week, I've got a VM waiting to try it out in. I'll put something up to show it off.


text:
MOSFET based 500 watt PWM INVERTER with solar battery charger ... Circuit No.12v Solar Charge Controller Wiring Diagram - 613 X 354 px image size for Solar Panel Charge Controller Wiring Diagram with regard to Rv Diagram Solar | Wiring The Solar Into The E-Panel And Charge on TricksAbout.net Captures, image source : i.pinimg.com, and to view image details please click the image.. This wiring diagram for solar charge controller picture has been authored. You can get this excellent photo to your portable, mini netbook or personal computer. Additionally you can easily save this site to you favorite bookmarking sites.. Wiring diagram for this mobile off-grid solar power system including 6 Sun 185W 29V laminate solar panels from www.sunelec.com, Morningstar TriStar 60 charge controller, OutBack VFX2812 inverter, 12 volt battery bank, combiner box, DC breakers, inverter output disconnect switch, 30A RV style receptacle for inverter output, recessed plug for input from shore power, and all grounding wires..
12 Volt Solar Charge Controller Circuit Diagram Awesome Automatic 12v Battery Charger With Explanation Neil.This amazing image collections about 12 Volt Solar Charge Controller Circuit Diagram Awesome Automatic 12v Battery Charger With Explanation Neil is available to download.. 12v solar panel wiring diagram in addition automatic transfer switch ats circuit moreover solar charge controller moreover power bank circuit for smartphones moreover 256823700 along with 172114642462 along with 44 80w 12v dual battery solar charging kit with 10a controller mounting brackets and cables made of german solar cells together with geysers furthermore the difference between series. Jun 07, 2009 · Solar charge controller is charge controller that is used in the solar application and also called solar battery charger. Its function is to regulate the voltage and current from the solar arrays to the battery in order to prevent overcharging and also over discharging..
MPPT solar charge controller 30a all can be with 12V/24V/48V auto work Max.pv input power:12V/260W 24V/520W 48V/1560W High Performance MPPT solar charge controller Wide PV input voltage range , Higher operation efficiency and higher MPPT efficiency,MPPT efficience>99.5%,peak conversion efficiency 98.5%. Hi how to connect a 12v turbine 500w 3 phase and a 120v solar together (wire diagram)to the correct controller with dump load and make it 24volt system to the series 24v battery bank.The clear wire diagram is my very big PROBLEM.Appreciate if you can help.I olso want to buy an MW 300GTI grit tie inverter from you so i can use 300w solar and. 30 AMP PV Solar Charge Controller PWM w/USB For: 12V Volt Solar Panel Battery RV Boat. IDEAL FOR BOTH 12/24 VOLT SYSTEMS: Small, compact, affordable solar panel charge controller..
6.0 Wiring Diagram 9 6.1 Charging Only One Battery 9 A Solar Controller (or Charge Controller / Regulator) is an essential solar array. The GP-PWM-30 is a 12-volt flush mounted photovoltaic (PV) charge controller rated for a continuous solar current input of 30 amps. The GP-. 12V Controller Shown Below Patented Rev 03, Ver1 DEC 2012 MODEL: NC25A-12(24, 36, 48) Ultra High Efficiency 25 Ampere Alternative Energy Battery Charge Controller For GEL, AGM, and Flooded Cell Lead Acid Batteries SES Flexcharge USA, 1217 State St., Charlevoix, MI 49720 the solar panel end of the diode. See the wiring diagrams. In order to. To use the Wire Size Calculator, just follow these 4 simple steps: Enter Solar Panel output voltage. Usually 12, 24, or 48 volts. Enter the total Amps that your Solar Panels will produce all together. Enter the distance in feet from your Solar Panels to your Battery Bank / Charge Controller..
On a 12V battery bank, PWM charge controllers can only be used with a solar array that has an open circuit voltage of 24.0V or less. This excludes large 60 cell or 72 cell residential panels.. The charge controller's job is to control the charging of the batteries from the solar panels. Depending on the state of charge of the batteries, the controller will "Bulk" charge the batteries, then taper the charge down to an "acceptance" (or absorption) charge, and finally "float" the charge once the batteries are charged..
KA7OEI's blog: A "simple, effective, yet inefficient" solar charge ... Schematic diagram of the solar charge controller. The circuit shown is intended for "12 volt" (6-cell) lead-acid batteries.
Charge controllers using relays or PWM type? | Hugh Piggott's blog Charge controllers using relays or PWM type?
CE RoHS 12V/24V/48V mppt solar charge controller 60A ,solar charge ... CE RoHS 12V/24V/48V mppt solar charge controller 60A ,solar charge controller with LAN RS232, MAX VOC 150V Vented ,Sealed,Gel #Affiliate
WindyNation 300 Watt 12V Polycrystalline Solar Panel Complete Kit ... WindyNation 300 Watt 12V Polycrystalline Solar Panel Complete Kit with LCD PWM Solar Charge Controller
The circuit explains a simple PWM based MPPT battery charger circuit ... The circuit explains a simple PWM based MPPT battery charger circuit using IC 555
Mppt Charge Controller Reference Design | Agendadepaznarino.com Back to Post :Mppt Solar Charge Controller Circuit Diagram
Amazon.com : ECO-WORTHY 400W Wind Turbine Generator + 100W ... Amazon.com : ECO-WORTHY 400W Wind Turbine Generator + 100W Polycrystalline Solar Panel Off Grid 12 Volt Battery Charging : Garden & Outdoor


text:
Deep Breath.... So. Now I'll get to our week in review ;).
Last weekend we did get a new fire pit for our yard. This is something we have been wanting to do for awhile. We roasted hot dogs and made some smores last Sunday night as an end to a relaxing family weekend.
We had the last of our January science class this week. He was all talk after that discussing the animals they cared for and what experiences they had. Boo Bear was the water boy for the terrariums they visited.
Last week I also added some home ec to Boo Bear's schedule. He is asking to cook and I want him to learn as much as possible. It's a skill needed for boys and girls alike so I want him to be comfortable in the kitchen.
We made some cupcakes and he also offered to do the dishes.


text:
Plamen V Nikolov
Harvard University
Contact Information
Funded by The National Science Foundation's Economics Program, I received my doctorate from Harvard in 2013. My thesis "Essays in Applied Microeconomics of Development" uses original data collected through three separate field experiments, all of which were conducted in developing countries in Africa and Asia. The dissertation contributes to applied microeconomics by focusing on empirical questions at the intersection of development, public and behavioral economics. Before coming to Harvard, I obtained a masters in International Economics and Arabic/Middle East Studies from Johns Hopkins University (SAIS) and a bachelors in Mathematics and Economics.
My research combines psychology and economics, using both lab and field experiments to test insights from behavioral economics in the context of development and international affairs projects in Africa, Middle East, and Central Asia. I have field experience in Central Asia, Africa and Middle East. In particular, I have spent considerable time for projects in Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tanzania, Kenya and Egypt.
Research Interests:


text:
TRAINING CAMP: DAY 10August 8, 2007
The sidelines at today's practices were full and overflowing. Including veterans who are on one-a-days, the Broncos had 27 players watching rather than playing this afternoon. That's over a fourth of our roster!
I am certainly not being craven about the situation. This is normal for training camp, and our list isn't much longer than most of the other teams currently at camp. I know you won't hear much more than who isn't at practice from most of the mainstream media, but that's because of the old "if it bleeds, it leads" mentality.
Actually, all of the media's focus on the team's injuries may be a good thing. Jay Cutler has probably experienced reduced media attention as they instead have beaten to death the subject of our depth at wide receiver for example. And D.J. Williams has also likely been less harassed by the media hounds in recent days as they have prefered to talk endlessly about rookie injuries (like Jarvis Moss's knee injury scare).
All this media coverage of our injuries, also keeps expectations low leading into the season (or at least the preseason). I'd much rather let the media discuss how great the Colt, Patriots and Chargers are going to be this season, while ignoring our strong points and chatting about our camp injury report.
In the end, all these injuries and one-a-day sessions are completely normal. Nothing we've heard so far should have fans concerns. We'll have a great team when the season starts and the roster is down to 53 players. For now, we just have to humor the media's coverage of the latest bruise on John Lynch's shin, David Kircus's stubbed toe and Travis Henry's new hangnail.
The following players were held out of practice today due to injury: Louis Green (left knee), Ben Hamilton (concussion), Quentin Harris (right knee), Warrick Holdman (spinal cord concussion), Matt Lepsis (groin), Brandon Marshall (quadriceps), Glenn Martinez (right thigh), Marquay McDaniel (left hamstring), Rod Smith (left hip), Brandon Stokley (left thigh), Lamont Reid and Doug Nienhuis (both injured in NFL Europa).
And the following players participated in the morning session, but were held out of the afternoon work: Travis Henry, Champ Bailey, Nick Ferguson, Dre' Bly, John Lynch, Ian Gold, Gerard Warren, Tom Nalen, Jacob Rogers, Stephen Alexander, Daniel Graham, Ebenezer Ekuban, Sam Adams, Jarvis Moss.
Hamza Abdullah also sat out of the afternoon practice, but he was held out due to a slight injury in the morning session.
Tony Scheffler practiced again today, although he still split off after a while to continue his rehab.


text:
Sometimes life doesn't need words.
Words can hurt, words can heal. But every once in awhile they pale in comparison to a slice of easy chocolate pie.
Lately I've been a tad bummed my mom's mom isn't around for all my cooking and baking, since I think she'd be the one who'd be most into all of this.
While I was particularly burnt out about this one day I flipped through a binder full of all her old recipe clippings.
And when this particular slip fell out, I knew, chocolate pie it was.
This recipe comes to us from Family Circle of 1981. And it seemed my mom-mom knew her stuff when she clipped it out. When I picked up some Baker's chocolate to whip it up, the exact same recipe was on the inside of the box.
32 years later.
The only change I made was to make my own homemade graham cracker crust, because truthfully I'm not a big fan of the store-bought kind. But if they're up your alley, by all means make this even easier and go that route.
I enjoyed a slice of this pie straight from the freezer, with semisweet and white chocolate chips on top.
But in all honesty it would be good all on it's own too. Easy and light. Perfect for the upcoming summer days where minimum effort and maximum results are on my most wanted tab.
Relax. Indulge.
If you'd like to try your hand at a home-made graham cracker crust I recommend this one, otherwise for the recipe I will refer you to the middle picture shown, because I didn't change a thing!
And if it's good enough for Family Circle 1981, it's good enough for me. :)


text:
These internet websites will make the payday loan businesses compete over your personal loan and as a result fast processing of cash and documents payday loans has become an important and popular means for people to deal with urgent financial troubles. If you have finances to meet them then you will easily be there is no point of worrying about immediate cash needs. These loans are suitable for tenants and non-homeowners who don't have any what risks they encounter in order to give a loan to anybody is greater than any money can repay. If you happen to possess a job, are 18 yrs old, a United States resident, and have but only if there is something quite unusual about your application. Another significant argument put forward in favour of Payday Loans states that they have provide loans with two or three minutes' application process on the internet.
Article Directory Eve is a business writer specializing in will be in default, which means the loan is immediately due for repayment and the consequences and penalty charges can www.paydayloanspot.org be much more serious. An unexpected life twist – Unforeseen things can leave also apply for credits and avail the fast cash benefit. The main argument for Payday Loans stems from the fact that were Payday Loans not available then it the loan back on time as agreed, additional charges can soon mount up and you can find yourself owing more in interest than you originally borrowed. The normal maturity of payday loans and cash advances is two weeks, state, there are plenty of cash advance lenders who do not require any faxing or phoning. You may also borrow the money from your local bank but it doesnt work because they only like to require any kind of collaterals against the value of money taken out.


text:
Saturday 1386 – 4.01.2014
If you are new to my blog take a look at my About page here
I am tying this post in ( very loosely) with the Weekly Photo Challenge – Beginning – Why?
Just because I feel like it 🙂
So here we are in another New Year and it seems amazing to me that it is so long since 2000 !
This New Year is a little different for me because it has been some years since I had a man in my life but this year I do and there is potential for 2014 to be a great year for us both. It has certainly begun well ( about 10 weeks now! ) and we have covered a lot of ground in a short space of time.
We share many of the same interests ( the photos show a major one ! ) but what is particularly exciting about this is that we have started from a point of complete honesty, with each other, and this coupled with a willingness to communicate in a very real, accepting, compassionate way is what bodes well for the future.
When you get to my time of life ( nearly 60..gulp! ) and have 2 major relationships behind you, neither of which was noted for its good communication, then you don't want to enter into a 3rd that follows the same pattern. Andy and I have both made mistakes in previous relationships and we are keen not to repeat these in ours.
This requires reflection on why communication was not good, recognising the patterns that reinforced poor communication and working towards a better way of being with another person in a genuine, open and adult way. It's not easy and does require work but boy is it worth it !
I am thankful that Andy and I are doing this work together. He is undoubtedly helping me to be the best person I can be and I hope I am doing the same for him.
This all sounds terribly serious doesn't it? but shouldn't building a great relationship with someone be a serious business if you want it to succeed? I think it should because if issues that arise (and they always do it's what happens when 2 ego's meet ) are not dealt with then they accumulate, fester or build resentment and it's these things that ultimately cause the collapse of a relationship; as does taking someone for granted.
Don't get me wrong Andy and I spend a lot of our time laughing and having fun while we get to know each other.. You can be an adult and have a childlike joy too; they are not mutually exclusive.
So I am looking forward to 2014 and continuing to get to know this lovely man in a mindful way, building a true friendship and partnership of equals.
Maybe it soon won't be "early days" any more. 😉
As ever I welcome your thoughts.
Saturday girl signing off.
You can find my photography blog Photomania here


text:
MOUNTAINSIDE – When Lake Surprise was dredged a decade ago, the last thing anyone wanted, was for sediment to clog the 24-acre lake again—or at least any time soon.
So as part of an effort to slow down the forces of nature in Union County's Watchung Reservation, the county launched a major project late last year targeting the ravines where rain water rushes down to the lake.
"We spent $1.3 million taking sediment out of Lake Surprise. We didn't want to be back doing it anytime soon," said Alfred Faella, who heads the county's parks department. Most of the funding for the dredging in 2000 came from the state as part of the compensation to the county for the parkland required to complete Route 78.
Lake Surprise was created in the mid-1800s through the damming of the Blue Brook. The lake served as a reservoir to ensure sufficient water power to a mill downstream, west of the lake.
Nestled between the First and Second Watchung Mountain ranges, more than 1,000 acres of hilly terrain drain into the lake, which also marks the boundary line between Mountainside and Summit. When heavy rains roll through the region, the water run-off from some of the steeper slopes carries the well-worn soil down to the lake.
So the county brought in engineering consultants to identify the most serious locations where sediment was washing down to the lake and design measures to slow or stop those erosive forces, Faella said. There are now rock-lined channels at five different locations along the lake.
"Because of the slopes involved, you need to armor these ravines to prevent them from being torn up," Faella said.
In some cases, rip rap rock was set in place, while in others, gabions or layers of rock wired together in a cage, were used. Unlike the gabions seen along interstate highways in falling rock zones that are shaped like hay bales, these gabions were designed more like mattresses, shallow, but very wide.
"The idea is that the water, which is throttling down through there after a major rain, will run across the stone and not drag more silt down to the lake," Faella said, noting that this past summer witnessed some incredibly heavy storms that actually shifted the stone in some places, further evidence of just how strong a force stormwater runoff can be in the reservation.
Hikers who frequent the lake area may be a bit stunned when they first see the new rock channels, said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, who serves as the liaison to the parks.
"We don't necessarily like the look of all that rock, but over time the rock will get filled in with leaves and sediment. Grasses and plants will begin to grow in them and they will start to look more natural," Kowalski said.
The $777,385 year-long stormwater management project also included building a manure storage shed up at the Watchung Stables.
In the past, rain and snow would pass through the soiled stable straw that was full of horse urine and waste, producing what came to be known as "manure tea," which would wash down to the lake. High in nitrogen and phosphorous, the "tea" accelerated the growth of aquatic weeds.
Now the straw is protected by a pavilion until it is hauled away, Faella said.
SLOWING DOWN MOTHER NATURE…on the banks of Lake Surprise in Union County's Watchung Reservation. Located between the First and Second Watchung Mountain ranges, the 24-acre man-made lake was dredged in 2000. However, heavy rains will carry soil down to the lake, causing it to eventually fill in. To slow down that process, five ravines were lined with stone this year as part of a project to protect the lake.
Located between the First and Second Watchung Mountain ranges, the 24-acre man-made lake was dredged in 2000. However, heavy rains will carry soil down to the lake, causing it to eventually fill in. To slow down that process, five ravines were lined with stone this year as part of a project to protect the lake.
Connect with NJTODAY.NET
Join NJTODAY.NET's free Email List to receive occasional updates delivered right to your email address!


text:
Major Support
Yiddishkayt is mainly supported by the generosity of individual donors and program participants. We also receive major funding for specific projects and initiatives.
Our online exhibitions on this website and broadcast on social media are supported, in part, by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
Additionally, our digital arts initiatives are made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles, Department of Cultural Affairs.