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Tabstar - thank you so iChat for your reply. It made me feel better. I'm having this done under twilight anesthesia so it's not general anesthesia, but it is being done in the hospital. I'll just be sure to ask them to go 'heavy' on the twilight. I have a pre-op appt the week before with my GYN and will discuss my concerns and anxiety at that time. Also, thanks for telling me what I might expect afterwards. That's helpful. Hugs back. View Thread
I have had the same issue. I have posted a number of things on this discussion forum and have received some kind responses from members but not from any medical personnel. That being said, I did post something in an entirely different forum (ENT) and received very prompt and detailed replies.View Thread
I had an endometrial polyp diagnosed via ultrasound (went in to be seen about spotting) and am going to have it removed by hysteroscopy. I've read about the procedure and it sounds pretty straight forward but made the mistake of reading, in detail, about rare complications. Embolism? Fluid Overload? Perforations? I tend toward anxiety pretty badly anyway so reading all this was a stupid move on my part.
Someone please talk me down .....anyone who has had hysteroscopy for polyps, fibroids, diagnostic, etc....
Well, I called the doctor's office this morning to get the results. The nurse kindly looked them up for me and said it read 'negative with probably polyp'. I didn't realize that an endometrial biopsy could even determine that, but I'm guessing maybe he snagged a piece of a polyp and it must look distinct on pathology. I don't know. The doctor was with another patient so I could not speak to him right then but they'll have him call me back.
I had a polyp before (in 2010) which was removed via hysteroscopy and D&C but with a different doctor who was a specialist in endometriosis. The polyp removal was done at the same time I was having a laparoscopy to remove endometriosis. I remember the specialist telling me, at that time, that polyps do tend to recur.
I am guessing that my gyn may want to do the hysteroscopy/D&C route. Any questions or advice about things I should ask him when he calls me back? In my health anxiety, I am kind of paranoid to leave anything in there that is not 'normal' but yet don't want to have to have another procedure. I'm usually on the side of getting something removed rather than a wait and watch, but I guess I will have to see what his suggestion is.View Thread
Women's Health Newsletter
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This product is great for those cool nights, or when you are wanting to wear something casual yet stand out in the crowd. I love the color, so bright. It was very hard to select which color from all of the choices. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
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Abstract
A portable circuit and method for performing a time study and analysis of bodily ionic characteristics as esophageal pH includes a transducer 11 for measuring pH and generating a proportional analog signal and an interface 12 for converting this signal into a representative digital signal including offset and gain controls 23,24 for permitting correction for transducer 11 calibration drift during the study period. A processor 14 receives and stores all digital signals for rapid transmission to a data analysis after the study period is ended. Esophageal pH values are measured and stored for a plurality of pre-study and post-study known conditions.
Description
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 491,455 filed May 4, 1983, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,618,929.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to a device for monitoring over an extended period of time bodily ionic characteristics. More particularly, the present invention relates to a completely portable circuit and a method for the periodic sampling and storing of bodily ionic concentrations, such as esophageal pH and the subsequent automatic processing of such data.
BACKGROUND ART
It has long been established that the continuous monitoring of various bodily ionic characteristics over extended periods of time provides data useful in the evaluation of disease. For example, diagnosis of gastroesophageal disorders, such as inflammatory disease or lower esophageal sphincter incompetence, may be made by the monitoring of esophageal pH over time. The earlier devices developed to perform such monitoring employed an electrode inserted through the nasal passage into the esophagus, a reference electrode in contact with the patient's skin, an electrical shock isolation module through which the signal from the electrodes and the patient were electrically isolated from monitoring instruments, and a pH meter and recording apparatus receiving, displaying and recording the isolated signal.
These devices effectively tether the patient to the pH meter and recorder because the electrodes and pH meter must be wired together by electrical conductors. With such a restricted range of movement, the patient's activities must be similarly circumscribed, resulting in data, generally known as a reflux pattern, that is not usually a true reflection of what generally occurs during the patient's ordinary activities.
More recently developed devices employed in the monitoring of pH in the distal esophagus have attempted to overcome this significant deficiency by radiotelemetering pH data from portable transmitting equipment carried by the patient to stationary radio receiving and recording instruments. One such device converts the esophageal pH signal to one that can be transmitted using a commercially available electrocardiogram (ECG) signal radiotelemetry system. Although this approach does permit the patient a much greater zone of freedom of movement than afforded by earlier devices (in the range of several hundred feet), and consequently does result in somewhat more accurate reflux patterns, the patient's mobility is still restricted.
Several additional drawbacks exist in known systems for monitoring esophageal pH over extended periods of time. The output signals from certain pH electrode types, as the renowned two millimeter diameter glass electrode, have a tendency to drift over extended periods of operation, introducing varying errors in the resulting reflux patterns. Inasmuch as different pH electrode types possess differing electrical output characteristics, heretofore monitoring systems were limited to operation with one type of pH electrode with which they were designed to operate. Also significant is that existing esophageal pH monitoring systems universally provide a reflux pattern in the form of a waveform output from a strip-chart recorder which require "reading" and interpreting by persons possessing a specialized and high level of skill. The scarcity of such trained medical personnel makes this task an additional burden and often results in undesirable delays in reaching a diagnosis.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a device and method for monitoring over an extended period of time a bodily ionic characteristic where the device is completely portable and is not tethered by wires or electromagnetic signals to a remote data recorder.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device and method for monitoring over an extended period of time a bodily ionic characteristic, as set forth above, which includes an economical and lightweight data recorder for storing ionic concentration data, such as pH, in a form compatible with a digital computer.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a device and method for monitoring over an extended period of time a bodily pH characteristic, as set forth above, which will account for calibration drift in the pH electrodes.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a device and method for monitoring over an extended period of time a bodily pH characteristic, as set forth above, which is suitable for use with different types of pH electrodes.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device and method for monitoring over an extended period of time a bodily ionic characteristic, as set forth above, the output from which may be received and directly analyzed by a digital computer.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a device and method for monitoring over an extended period of time a bodily ionic characteristic, as set forth above, in which a digital computer is utilized to perform initial analysis of the stored pH data.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention over existing prior art forms will become more apparent and fully understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
In general, a circuit for monitoring over an extended period of study time a bodily ionic characteristic includes a transducer for measuring the ionic characteristic and generating an analog signal proportional thereto, and an interface for receiving the analog signal from the transducer and converting the analog signal into a representative digital signal, the interface including an adjustment circuit for permitting correction for drift in calibration of the transducer during the study period. A processor receives the digital signal, and at preselected occasions over the extended period of time samples and stores the digital signal, and upon the conclusion of the extended period of time rapidly transmits all the stored digital signals to a data analysis device.
A method for monitoring over an extended period of study time a bodily ionic characteristic includes the steps of determining and preserving the ionic characteristic for a plurality of pre-study and post-study known conditions, measuring the ionic characteristic and storing a representative digital signal at preselected occasions during the study period, and thereafter rapidly transmitting these stored digital signals to a data analysis device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary portable pH monitoring device in accordance with the concepts of the present invention, also illustrating in block form a calibration voltmeter and computer for data analysis.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of an exemplary external control panel for the portable pH monitoring device.
FIG. 3 is a flow chart of an automatic pH data sample routing executed by the portable pH monitoring device.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 illustrates a circuit generally indicated by the numeral 10, which also embodies a method for monitoring over an extended period of time a bodily ionic characteristic, pH concentration. Circuit 10 broadly includes pH monitoring transducer 11, interface 12 which may communicate with calibration monitor 13, and processor 14 which may communicate with computer 15.
Monitoring transducer 11 (hereinafter called "transducer 11") may be any transducer which furnishes a signal one of whose electrical characteristics, such as voltage, is proportional to the measured ionic characteristic, in the present example, pH. When monitoring esophageal pH, transducer 11 may include esophageal pH electrode 18 and a reference pH electrode 19. Esophageal pH electrode 18 may be a two millimeter diameter electrode of glass, antimony or other known type, and is usually inserted through the patient's nasal passage into the esophagus and then positioned approximately five centimeters proximal to the lower esophageal high-pressure zone. Reference pH electrode 19 may be any suitable calibration electrode as those utilized with electrocardiographs for attachment to the patient's skin.
Interface 12 permits usage of circuit 10 with several different types of pH monitoring transducers, provides for correction of calibration drift in transducer 11 over the period of any study, and converts the analog output signal from transducer 11 into a digital signal suitable for receipt by processor 14. In order to perform these functions interface 12 may include pH probe type selector 20, buffer 21, amplifier 22 with its associated signal offset control 23 and signal gain control 24, low pass filter 25, output voltage clamp 28 and analog-to-digital (hereinafter called "A/D") converter 29.
Buffer 21 may be a conventional operational amplifier having unity gain to isolate the signal from electrode 11 and the patient from the remaining circuitry. pH probe type selector 20 receives esophageal pH electrode 18 and reference pH electrode 19 and interconnects the electrode conductors to the inverting and non-inverting input terminals of the buffer 21 operational amplifier (not shown) through a slide or other suitable switching mechanism that permits the conductor input terminal polarity to be reversed, thereby permitting the use of different pH electrode types (such as glass and antimony) with circuit 10.
Amplifier 22 which also may be a conventional operational amplifier, receives the output signal from buffer 21 and amplifies the same for further processing. In order to permit proper calibration as will be discussed further hereinbelow, amplifier 22 should include signal offset control 23 and signal gain control 24 (both of which may be conventional potentiometers) for variable adjustment of the D.C. voltage offset and gain of the output signal from amplifier 22.
Low-pass filter 25 receives the output signal from amplifier 22 and conditions it by attenuating the high frequency components thereof, whereupon the conditioned signal is held by diodes or other suitable circuitry within output voltage clamp 28 to a maximum voltage compatible with A/D converter 29, typically 5 volts.
During calibration of circuit 10 with the selected transducer 11 a calibration monitor 13 is connected to the output of output voltage clamp 28. Calibration monitor 13 may be any device or circuit that furnishes the person performing the calibration a quantitative indication of the signal characteristic proportional to pH. Where, as in the example herein, voltage magnitude is selected as this electrical characteristic, a conventional voltmeter of sufficient impedance to avoid circuit loading effects may be utilized as calibration monitor 13.
A/D converter 29 may be any conventional A/D signal converter having a number of bits sufficient to provide the desired signal resolution. For purposes of monitoring esophageal pH, it has been found adequate to use 7 bits, providing 128 descrete pH levels, or 8 bits, providing 256 descrete pH levels. 8-bit A/D converters, such as a model ADC 0801 manufactured by National Semiconductor of Santa Clara, Calif., are readily commercially available and may be utilized as A/D converter 29.
Processor 14 controls pH and related data acquisition and storage during both the calibration phase and study period, further elaborated upon hereinafter, and supervises transmission of this data to computer 15 for further analysis. In order to perform these functions processor 14 may include microprocessor 30, clock 31, read-only-memory 32 (hereinafter called "ROM 32"), read-addressable-memory 33 (hereinafter called "RAM 33"), I/O interface 34, and several additional data input or control devices as calibration data pushbutton 37 (hereinafter called "pushbutton 37"), operation mode selector switch 38 (hereinafter called "switch 38"), and patient orientation transducer 39.
Although microprocessor 30 may be selected from any of the vast multitude of commercially distributed microprocessors, for optimum performance it should preferably incorporate an internal word-size architecture having at least the same number of bits as is required for acceptable pH resolution. In the instant example, an 8-bit microprocessor such as the model CDP 1802 manufactured by RCA Corporation's Solid State Division of Somerville, N.J., may be successfully utilized. Where microprocessor 30 does not include an on-board clock to control timing of its operations, an external clock 31 as provided by the manufacturer will be necessary.
Both ROM 32 and RAM 33 may be chosen from any of the numerous ROMs and RAMs presently available and should preferably be organized with each byte having a number of bits compatible with that of microprocessor 30, 8-bits in the present example. ROM 32 must possess sufficient byte capacity to store the program microprocessor 30 uses to direct the noted activities. RAM 33 must possess at least sufficient byte capacity to store all data recorded during the study period. Where data is to be sampled four times per minute and a study period of 24 hours is desired, RAM 33 must have a capacity of at least approximately 6000 bytes. Memory capacity slightly larger than the minimum will allow data acquisition for the usual variation in the duration of the study period. In the particular instance described, a 2000 byte capacity ROM 32 and an 8000 byte capacity RAM 33 have been successfully utilized with circuit 10.
In order to communicate with external devices such as computer 15, processor 14 will include suitable input/output interfacing circuitry, such as I/O interface 34. I/O interface 34 may be adapted to conform to any protocol, as that of the well-known RS232 serial communication, so long as it is compatible with the communications capability of computer 15. Conventional multi-conductor addressing and data buses are furnished between microprocessor 30, ROM 32, RAM 33, and I/O interface 34 as is understood by the skilled artisan.
Pushbutton 37 may be any single-pole, momentary contact pushbutton switch. Switch 38 may be a conventional two-pole, two position, maintained contact selector switch. Patient orientation transducer 39 is utilized to input information regarding the additudinal position of the patient and may be a two-pole, two position, maintained contact switch where such information is to be manually input by the patient, or any conventional position sensitive switch having distinct switch closures to indicate whether the patient is upright or supine, as a commercially marketed mercury position switch.
Circuit 10, with appropriate I/O interface 34 circuitry, will operate as delineated hereafter with any computer 15 whether it be a mainframe, minicomputer or microcomputer. Inasmuch as today's microcomputers are fully capable of performing any desired analysis of the gathered pH data, it has been found convenient both from an economic and portability standpoint to employ a microcomputer such as a model HP-85 made by the Corvallis Division of Hewlett Packard, Inc. in Corvallis, Oreg., to perform the desired functions.
FIG. 2, particularly useful when visualizing the patient's use of circuit 10, presents a plan view of an exemplary external control panel 40 on one end of a housing 41. Panel 40 carries all patient accessible controls and presents the terminals 42 into which pH electrodes 18 and 19 are inserted, the terminals 43 through which calibration monitor 13 is connected to interface 12, recessed signal offset control 23, recessed signal gain control 24, pushbutton 37 and switch 38. All these controls, in addition to the remaining portions of circuit 10 and a power supply suitable for powering circuit 10 throughout the period of study, are contained within housing 41, whose small dimensions and light weight permit it to be secured to the patient's belt or waistband by means not relevant hereto throughout the period of the pH study.
Operation of circuit 10 is straightforward. pH electrodes 18 and 19 are suitably applied to the patient and connected through terminals 42 to the remainder of circuit 10. Thereafter, interface 12 continuously converts the instantaneous analog magnitude of the desired pH characteristic into a representative digital signal suitable for storage in RAM 33. At preselected intervals when operating in what shall be called the "automatic operation" or "auto" mode, microprocessor 30 takes the instantaneous pH value as represented by the digital signal from A/D converter 29 and places its digital representation in the next consecutive unused memory location in RAM 33. Upon the conclusion of the study period, the contents of RAM 33 are communicated to computer 15, allowing for further analysis of the pH data. Since circuit 10 is in housing 41 carried by the patient, it should now be appreciated that the present invention allows the patient total mobility during the period of the pH study.
It has been known to be of great assistance in accurately analyzing reflux patterns observed during pH studies to know for all times pH data is recorded whether the patient is oriented upright or supine. Transducer 39 continuously and automatically furnishes this information as by altering the closure state of a set of contacts. Alternately the patient may manually enter positional information by switching the position of a switch.
A flow chart for an acceptable auto sample routine to be carried out by processor 14 is illustrated in FIG. 3. Initially microprocessor 30 will check to see both that switch 38 is in the auto mode setting and that memory is not full. If either of these conditions is not met, auto mode operation stops. With both conditions met, microprocessor 30 gets the digital signal then in A/D converter 12, and checks the status of transducer 39. In accordance with a preselected convention to indicate orientation, a "1" or a "0" is placed in the first and least significant bit of each pH data byte, permitting more efficient utilization of RAM 33 memory space without deleterious loss of pH data resolution. Next, the entire pH data byte is placed in RAM 33 by pushing it onto the end of a memory block identified as "data stack". Microprocessor 30 then counts to a preselected number to delay for a preselected time, such as approximately 15 seconds, and repeats the auto sample routine.
Circuit 10 permits the use of any statistical correction procedure such as linear regression to correct for drift in the calibration of pH electrodes 18 and 19. To this end, both immediately before and after the pH study period the digital signals representative of several standard pH solutions (e.g., pH 1, 4 and 7) are stored in RAM 33. Upon the conclusion of the study period and transmission of the pH data to computer 15, computer 15 may suitably correct each pH value by any amount based upon these calibration values.
Recordal of three calibration values spread out over the range of possible pH values has been found sufficient to allow for appropriate statistical correction for electrode drift. To take into account variations introduced by the patient, reference pH electrode 19 should be cleaned and connected to the patient's skin, and one of the patient's fingers used in its stead throughout the pre- and post-calibration process now described. First, a voltmeter or other suitable calibration monitor 13 is connected to circuit 10 through terminals 43, and switch 38 set to the calibration mode. Esophageal pH electrode 18 and one of the patient's fingers are cleaned and inserted into a standardized solution having a known pH of, say, 1. The analog input voltage to A/D converter 29 is read from monitor 13 and signal offset control 23 adjusted until an arbitrarily selected magnitude, say, 1 volt, is obtained. Esophageal pH electrode 18 and the patient's finger are cleaned and inserted into a standardized solution having another known pH, this time of greater magnitude, as 4. Signal Gain Control 24 is adjusted until another arbitrarily selected magnitude of, say, 3 volts is achieved. Again, esophageal pH electrode 18 and the patient's finger are cleaned and inserted into a standardized solution having a third known pH, for example, 7. Signal offset control 23 and/or signal gain control 24 are adjusted until the third arbitrarily selected magnitude at the other end of the range of possible magnitudes is obtained.
This complete cycle is repeated several times until insertion of reference pH electrodes 18 and the patient's finger into all three standardized solutions yield the desired values, whereupon pushbutton 37 should be momentarily activated with reference pH electrode 19 and the patient's finger respectively inserted into each standardized solution, causing microprocessor 30 to store the three corresponding digital signals from A/D converter 29 in the first three memory locations in the RAM 33 data stack. Thereafter monitor 13 is removed, esophageal pH electrode 18 is cleaned and inserted into the patient, and switch 38 set to the auto mode, beginning the pH study period.
Upon the conclusion of the pH study period switch 38 is returned to the calibration mode, esophageal pH electrode 18 and the patient's finger are cleaned and sequentially inserted into standardized solutions of the same pH values as used in the pre-study calibration, and pushbutton 37 pressed to store the resulting digital signals from A/D converter 29. No adjustment must be made to signal offset control 23 or signal gain control 24. Thus, the first and last three digital signals stored in the data stack of RAM 33 will provide computer 15 with the extent of calibration drift in pH electrodes 18 and 19 during the pH study.
These calibration procedures ideally will be performed by the technician or medical personnel applying to the patient and removing from the patient pH electrodes 18 and 19. The skilled artisan will appreciate that microprocessor 30 may be programmed to automatically perform the pre-study iterative process utilized to achieve pH electrode calibration. Additionally, where the pH electrode pre- and post-study characteristics are known to remain stable, such as when using antimony electrodes, these calibration procedures may be eliminated.
At the conclusion of the pH study period and post-study calibration process the digital pH data may be transmitted to computer 15 connected to I/O interface 34. A multitude of techniques are known within the art for transmitting stored data between memory and a remote digital computer and any of these techniques may be utilized with circuit 10. For example, when computer 15 is connected to I/O interface 34, it may transmit an interrupt signal to microprocessor 30, causing communication to begin.
Once the digital pH data is received by computer 15, computer 15 performs a preselected regression analysis, corrects and plots the corrected pH data versus time for the entire pH study period. Additional patient identification and study information may be stored with the pH data and printed as a header to the plot. Computer 15 may perform further diagnostic analysis of the pH data, such as the well-known pH scoring approach promulgated by Johnson and DeMeester.
Several possible modifications to circuit 10 would occur to one of ordinary skill in the art. Clearly, by adjusting the delay period in the auto sample routine, pH data may be recorded at different intervals. Other software techniques are feasible for encoding patient orientation information, permitting the use of all 8-bits to resolve the magnitude of the instantaneous pH value of interest. Known data compression methods may be employed to increase the amount of data that may be stored in memory of a given capacity. For example, pH values may be recorded, together with the time relative to the start of the pH study period, only when the pH values change at least a preselected minimum. Several pH transducers may be multiplexed to allow recordal of bodily pH characteristics at several locations. Modulator/demodulator circuitry could be added to I/O interface 34 so that instead of directly connecting circuit 10 to computer 15, communication may be made over other indirect communication channels as telephone lines. Other transducers may be selected and utilized to record other bodily ionic concentrations such as NA+, Cl-, K+, HCO3- to name but a few that occur elsewhere in the gastrointestinal system.
Inasmuch as the present invention is subject to many variations, modifications and changes in detail, a number of which have been expressly stated herein, it is intended that all matter described throughout this entire specification or shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It should thus be evident that a device constructed according to and method embodied within the concept of the present invention, and reasonably equivalent thereto, will accomplish the objects of the present invention and otherwise substantially improve the art of monitoring esophageal pH to obtain accurate reflux patterns.
Claims (5)
We claim:
1. A circuit for monitoring over a period of study time a bodily ionic characteristic comprising:
interface means for receiving said analog signal from said transducer means and converting said analog signal into a representative digital signal, said interface means including adjustment means for permitting variable correction for drift in calibration of said transducer means occurring during the period of study time; and,
processor means for receiving said digital signal, sampling said digital signal at preselected occasions over the study period, and storing said sampled digital signal for subsequent data analysis.
2. A circuit, as set forth in claim 1, further including housing means for portably carrying said interface means and said processor means, said transducer means operatively connected to said interface means.
3. A method for monitoring over a period of study time a bodily ionic characteristic comprising the steps of:
determining the ionic characteristic for a plurality of pre-study conditions and recording first digital signals representive thereof;
measuring by transducer the ionic characteristic throughout the study period and at preselected occasions recording second digital signals representative thereof;
determining the ionic characteristic for a plurality of post-study conditions and recording third digital signals representive thereof;
providing said first digital signals, said second digital signals and said third digital signals to a data analysis device; and,
correcting said measured ionic characteristic for variable drift in calibration of said transducer occurring during the period of study time.
4. A method, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said step of measuring the ionic characteristic throughout the study period includes the steps of
measuring with a transducer the ionic characteristic and generating an analog signal proportional thereto throughout the study period,
converting said analog signal into said second digital signal, and,
sampling and storing said second digital signal at preselected occasions during the study period.
5. A method, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said step of determining the ionic characteristic for a plurality of pre-study known conditions includes the steps of
measuring with a transducer prior to commencement of the extended period of time the ionic characteristic and generating an analog signal proportional thereto for a plurality of pre-study known conditions,
converting said analog signals for said plurality of pre-study known conditions into said first digital signals, and,
storing said first digital signals representative of said plurality of pre-study known conditions.
US069102531983-05-041986-09-19Portable circuit and method for performing a time study and analysis of bodily characteristics
Expired - Fee RelatedUS4748562A
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Vick Practices For First Time as an Eagle
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Michael Vick is smiling after landing a job with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Updated at 3:31 PM EDT on Saturday, Aug 15, 2009
Michael Vick was back on an NFL practice field for the first time since completing his prison sentence.
Vick ran the scout team offense in Saturday morning's walkthrough practice with the Philadelphia Eagles. He's expected to do more when the team returns to the field in the afternoon.
Top Sports Photos
"We have to get him in football shape," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. Reid said Vick was fit enough to handle an NFL practice and the team would bring him along accordingly.
Vick practiced only at quarterback in his first practice, Reid said.
"That's what Michael is," he said. "Michael's a quarterback."
A three-time Pro Bowl pick during six seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, Vick served 18 months in federal prison for running a dogfighting ring and was reinstated last month by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being out of action since 2006.
He signed a one-year deal with the Eagles on Thursday for $1.6 million with a team option for a second year at $5.2 million.
With Donovan McNabb firmly entrenched as Philadelphia's starter and Kevin Kolb backing him up, Vick may be used more as a gimmick player than a traditional quarterback. He's got the athletic skills to run the Wildcat formation.
"There's always the possibility you can do something," Reid said.
Vick always has been far more inclined to take off and run than stay in the pocket and find an open receiver. His career completion percentage is 53.8 percent, among the lowest for a starting NFL quarterback. He has 71 career touchdown passes, but 52 interceptions.
Vick has more career 100-yard rushing games (8) than 250-yard passing games (6).
Aiding his return to the NFL is he'll be learning an Eagles' West Coast offense similar to what he ran in Atlanta.
"He's very fortunate he knows the foundation of this offense. That will speed things up," Reid said.
McNabb, a five-time Pro Bowl pick who has led the Eagles to five NFC championship games and one Super Bowl appearance in the last eight years, said he "lobbied" for the Eagles to sign Vick.
The 29-year-old Vick picked Philadelphia over other teams because of the organization's strong infrastructure and his friendship with McNabb.
"I thought this was the perfect situation, perfect scenario," Vick said Friday at his introductory news conference. "I can come in and I can learn from Donovan, one of the premier quarterbacks in the game, one of the best at it. Everything that he's learned and the way he's been polished just comes from Coach Reid. I want to get with those two and do as much as I can to become a complete quarterback and I have time to do it." | {
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The College of Law and the American Bar Association (ABA) held a panel discussion entitled “The Pathway to Becoming a Judge" on December 1 for the college's women students.
Guest speakers were Judge Sheikha Maha Monsour Salman Jassem Al-Thani, one of only two women judges in Qatar, and Judge Fatema Faisal Hubail of the Major Civil Court of Bahrain and the third woman appointed to the judiciary in that country.
Judge Maha and Judge Fatema spoke to a large group of more than 70 female students at the College about their life and work as judges. Judge Hubail traced her journed from being a lawyer to becoming a judge. She noted that in the past, Bahrain appointed judges from positions in the Public Prosecutor's office or positions as Legal Researcher. She was appointed from outside these ranks, based solely on her professional abilities. She said that her appointment reflects Bahrain’s commitment to increasing the number of women in the judiciary.
\udge Maha spoke of her appointment to the court in 2008 and the three-year training period required for new judges in Qatar. She completed her training program recently and can now hear and decide case.
Both judges discussed challenges to society accepting women as judges as well as the skills and talents that women need for that position. Students questions ranged from how judges make decisions – whether by emotion or facts or both – and on society’s impression that women may not have the proper emotional make-up to be judges. Judge Maha and Judge Fatema acknowledged that there was still a long way to go to prove that women judges are as capable as their male counterparts.
The level of interest in the judiciary showed by the students signalled that more and more Qatari women would be inspired to move in that direction.
Student Salma Al-Baloushy said, “After attending such a great panel, I realized how a woman is able to reach a very high position, and that gave me incentive to study harder and be successful in my studies to reach that high level of achievement".
Marlana Valdez, ABA Program Director and QU Visiting Professor at said, “We greatly appreciate the wonderful advice that Judge Maha and Judge Fatema provided to the students today. They are both very positive role models for young Qatari women, demonstrating that they too can become leaders of their country, and can hold top positions in the judiciary". | {
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Section 9(B) imposed burden on the accused to prove that meat or flesh possessed by him/her does not belong to these animals.
A batch of appeals was filed before Supreme Court, against the HC verdict decriminalising the possession of beef in case of animals slaughtered outside the state.
Senior advocate observation after the privacy verdict: the right to eat food of one’s choice was now protected under privacy.
The Supreme Courts observations while deciding Right to privacy issue: “nobody would like to be told what to eat or how to dress”, these activities come under the realm of right to privacy.
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2.Right to privacy verdict: Privacy realms span from abortion to euthanasiaSource: The Hindu
Justice J. Chelameswar observations in his judgement on privacy:The realm of the fundamental right to privacy span from women’s reproductive choice and choice of food or faith to euthanasia . Neither the State nor private persons have any business to intrude.
Present scenario
Right to reproductive choice
Women and girl children, including victims of rape, are fighting a battle for the right to abort their foetuses. Abortion is legally barred if the pregnancy has crossed 20 weeks.
Right to active euthanasia
It is a crime under attempt to suicide. A person who helps a terminally ill person to take his own life is booked under abetment to suicide.
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3.Claims on Bt cotton need to be probed, says panelSource: The Hindu
A Parliamentary panel headed by Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury in a report released on Friday said the government agencies have portrayed “a rosy picture” on Bt Cotton which is far removed from the truth.
The report of the Standing Committee on Science and Technology claimed that the government cited only overall cotton output and not the average yield in area.
India’s cotton yields increased by 69% in the five years(2000-2005) when Bt Cotton was less than 6% of total cotton area, but by only 10% in the 10 years from 2005-2015 when Bt Cotton grew to 94% of the total cotton area.
The report slammed the government for its “casual” approach to the need for a scientific study of GM crop impact on health.
The committee pointed that two decades after introduction of GM crops in 1996, only six countries continue to account for over 90% of all GM crop area globally including U.S, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, China and India.
The Ministry of Agriculture conceded to the committee that herbicide-tolerant gene may escape through pollen into nearby farm and fields, to another GM or non-GM crops.
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4.MPs fret over trade deficit with ASEANSource: The Hindu
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce Questions The government for suggesting that the country’s increasing trade deficit with ASEAN nations is due to imports of essential commodities and has strongly recommended that India seek better market access for its products and services like leather goods and pharmaceuticals, with the 10-nation bloc.
India suffers a trade deficit in respect of five ASEAN members — Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei and Lao PDR over 2015-16 and 2016-17, with the biggest deficit emerging in trade with Indonesia, the committee has noted.
Under the existing trade agreement, Indonesia has committed a tariff elimination on 50.1% of its items which is the least in comparison to other ASEAN member States,” the committee said.The least tariff elimination by Indonesia has resulted in biggest trade deficit from India amongst all ASEAN member States.
The committee chaired by BJP MP Bhupender Yadav has said India must seek better market access for goods where India has an edge over ASEAN nations, like leather goods and pharmaceuticals, to progress the trade balance.
The committee stressed that its inspection of the Indo-ASEAN trade dynamics assumed significance given that this year marks 25 years of the formal partnership.
The Ministry of Commerce apprised the panel that the imports of essential commodities — coal, petroleum and edible oils — from ASEAN constitute a significant percentage of India’s imports.
If these essential commodities are excluded, India will have a better or positive balance of trade position.
The committee also held that ‘if this approach or argument is subscribed, then there was no need for the trade agreement with ASEAN.’
The import of essential commodities will continue with or without the trade agreements.
The better market access in terms of higher export has not materialized and this is a matter of concern.
As per official data, among the ‘essential commodities’ cited by the government, imports of coal fell by 2.5% in 2016-17 from a year earlier, while vegetable oil imports grew by 3.7% to touch $6.19 billion in 2016-17.
Crude petroleum imports rose by almost 50% in 2016-17, but exports of petroleum products surged 58.4%.
Among the other top 10 commodities imported from ASEAN, consumer electronics grew at the highest pace in 2016-17 (18.33%), followed by ships and boats (12.82%), electronic components (11.72%) and telecom instruments (9.17%).
ASEAN is India’s fourth largest trading partner with total trade in 2016-17 at $71.69 billion, constituting almost 11% of India’s overall global trade of $660.6 billion.
Total exports to ASEAN in 2016-17 stood at $31.07 billion, while imports were $40.63 billion, creating an adverse trade balance of $9.56 billion.
Effect on Food processing sector
The committee also found that while exports of agricultural products from India faced high import tariffs and barriers, leading to a sharp drop in trade, India’s food processing sector had raised concerns about the ‘near absence of quality norms’ for import of cheap processed food products from ASEAN countries.
The Committee recommends the Department to look into cheap import of poor quality processed food products.
It desires that appropriate quality norms may be fixed for import of such products from ASEAN as well as other regions of the world,” its report said.
Commerce and Industry Minister has constituted a Task Force chaired by V. Kamakoti of IIT Madras to explore possibilities to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) for development across various fields. The ‘task force on AI for India’s Economic Transformation’ will submit concrete and implementable recommendations for government, industry and research institutions.
It will have official participation from NITI Aayog, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Department of Science & Technology, UIDAI and DRDO.
She said driven by the power of big data, high computing capacity, artificial intelligence and analytics, Industry 4.0 aims to digitise the manufacturing sector. The move comes in the backdrop of the government reviewing the manufacturing and industrial policies.
Note: The term “Industry 4.0” denotes the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It includes the digital transformation of the entire value chain process involved in the traditional manufacturing and production methods.
—–
6.Political freedoms necessary: SCSource: The Hindu
The Supreme Court in its privacy judgment said that a free environment for exercising political freedoms such as the right to dissent is necessary to end the malaise of corruption and diversion of funds and welfare benefits.
Court’s judgment:
The court said “Government leaders in authoritarian states” who choke citizens’ political freedoms find themselves often ill-prepared to resolve national crises.
The apex court said that lack of free flow of information and criticism has crippled the ability of the leadership to introspect on their actions and self-correct.
Quoting Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said: “Mr Amartya Sen’s analysis reveals that the political immunity enjoyed by government leaders in authoritarian states prevents effective measures being taken in critical situations like famine.”
An enabling atmosphere for citizens to dissent and scrutinise government measures add to the vibrancy of democracy.
Transparency in system:
Justice Chandrachud in his ruling said that capture of social welfare benefits can be obviated only when political systems are transparent and when there is a free flow of information.
Justice also said that the conditions necessary for realising or fulfilling socio-economic rights do not postulate the subversion of political freedom.
Conditions of freedom and a vibrant assertion of civil and political rights promote a constant review of the justness of socio-economic programmes and of their effectiveness in addressing deprivation. Scrutiny of public affairs is founded upon the existence of freedom. Therefore, civil and political rights and socio-economic rights are complementary and not mutually exclusive.
Vinoba IAS Academy is one of the leading centers dedicated to the noble objective of training and tutoring the civil service aspirants. Our aim is to not just provide the educational coaching but also to walk the student step by step through the much needed detailed guidance, touching every aspect of training for the exams. | {
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National News
Ebola Briton gets experimental drug
Britain's first confirmed Ebola patient has been treated with an experimental drug, it was revealed today.
Doctors caring for William Pooley at the Royal Free Hospital in north London said he had been given ZMapp.
Describing him as a "resilient and remarkable young man", medics said he was sitting up, reading and chatting to staff.
The 29-year-old volunteer nurse was flown back to the UK for emergency treatment after contracting the virus in Sierra Leone.
ZMapp has been dubbed by some as the "cure" after two aid US workers were successfully treated for Ebola after taking it.
Today Dr Michael Jacobs, consultant and clinical lead in infectious diseases at the hospital, confirmed he had been given a first dose of the drug on Monday with more to follow "in due course".
He said: "It is an experimental medicine, we made that absolutely clear in our discussions with him.
"We thought there was sufficient reason to offer it to him and have the discussion. He considered his options very, very carefully.
"He wanted to weigh up what we knew about it and he came to the very clear conclusion in his own mind that he would like to go ahead with the treatment."
He said it was "too early" to say what impact the drug has had but added: "Pleasingly, it seems to have had no side effects at all."
Dr Jacobs said they had acquired the ZMapp through the hospital's "clinical networks" and cited support they received from "international colleagues".
Mr Pooley was said to be in "remarkably good spirits given the situation he finds himself in".
Dr Jacobs said: "He is sitting up in bed talking, reading and chatting to the nurses. What has become apparent to us is that he is clearly a rather resilient and remarkable young man.
"Will is in a stable position and we are very pleased with where he is. It would be fair to say we couldn't hope to be in a better place today given how far he is into the illness."
However, he cautioned that the disease has a "variable course" and the coming days will be "crucial".
"It is difficult for us to predict what is going to happen to him," the doctor said. "The next few days are very important.
"We are going to observe him very closely. We will know a lot more about where we are up to in about a week's time."
He said public health officials had contingency plans in place for the "unlikely" scenario that another patient needs treatment for Ebola in the UK.
Mr Pooley, who comes from the small village of Eyke in Suffolk, was airlifted back to Britain by a specially equipped C17 RAF jet, and is being treated in a specialist isolation ward at the hospital in Hampstead.
Doctors clad in protective plastic clothing and wearing gloves and masks are caring for him in the strictly monitored ward.
Dr Jacobs stressed that it was "business as usual" at the hospital, saying: "We are ready for this and provide for the UK the appropriate facilities."
He said public health officials had contingency plans in place for the "unlikely" scenario that another patient needs treatment for Ebola in the UK.
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Some of the best animals are those that exist only in our imaginations. Literature has the ability to make any character a friend and any pet, well, a pet. We’re still suckers for great stories about human-animal friendships, and these five pets have stood the test of time to become our favorites. If you nameRead More
Some pet names are known as, well, pet names—Max, Spot, Fido, Fluffy. Some, however, carry a pretty heavy political significance. Several cats and dogs have dotted the United States presidency throughout the years, but five furry friends have left an ineffaceable imprint on American history. Here are the five most famous political pets of allRead More
Television may be America’s favorite pastime, but the animals on television served as our collective pets for generations. Some pet characters were so astoundingly cherished that their names are now synonymous with the characters themselves. Try naming your pet any of these names without getting into a conversation about a famous television show. LassieRead More
There’s a lot of pet-centric media out there, but some stories rise above the rest—regardless of production or release date. Whether you’re looking for name inspiration or an encouraging tale of an animal friendship—between humans or other animals—the five following movies are sure to provide what you want. Marley and Me This tear-jerker wasRead More
Naming your pet is not an open and shut case in most instances. Millions of people today will get a dog, cat, or any other type of pet and will immediately be stuck with figuring out a name. If you haven’t already thought about the various options that you have, you may be wondering whatRead More
Whenever you get a pet, you are going to have to figure out what you’re going to name them. Whether you get a cat, dog, or any other type of pet, their name is going to be very important. There’s a science to this in some circles, and in others, it’s a matter of yourRead More
Millions of people today will start their lives with a new pet. Whether it’s a gift, or part of adoption, or just about any other method, naming a pet is one of the great joys of ownership. Your new best friend will need to be called something, and what will you decide? If you wereRead More | {
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Online bettors think that playing online slot games is easy. The slots are considered as simple and easy games even the beginners can easily play them. However, in order to win the slot games, the players need to use some strategies. Here are tips on how to get more winnings in online slot betting games.
How to Get More Winnings in Online Slot Betting Games
Many slot players fail to realize that the reason they lose this simple game is merely due to improper playing strategies. It is also true that player’s luck has become very important in winning the slots but slot strategies are also essential to help maximizing the winning chance.
How to Get More Winnings in Online Slot Betting Games
All slot machines are developed with random number generators. It means that each spin made by the slot machine is totally random and unpredictable especially in some Casino Online Website With Plenty Of Awesome Games Ready To Play. This random number generator is what creates randomness and make a fair play for each slots player. All players are entitled with the same chance of winning the game.
Return to player (RTP) or the payback on the slots generally depends on the possibility of the symbols appearing on your betting paylines. The probability of the each symbol to appear can’t be predicted so that each player has the same chance to win the online slots.
The Chance in Online Slots
When a slot player clicks spin button, the slot machine starts selecting a random symbol combination. This random choice is to make sure that every spin done by the slot machine is totally independent even from its preceding spins.
Regarding the payout winning, the chance of winning is also influenced by several factors such as the slot symbols, the winning symbol patterns and the reel numbers. It seems impossible to hit the winning combination, doesn’t it? But, don’t worry! There are some tips that you can do to make the spins working as you pleased.
Realistically speaking, the chance of winning a lot of money from online slots is very small. Most online casinos are not fond of revealing the chances on the slot machines. But, if you pay closer attention to RTP percentage, the price that you receive from each win can be calculated.
Choose Slot Games with Small Jackpots
For short term winning chance, you need to play on slot game which has the smallest jackpots. The smaller the jackpot it is, the easier for you to win it. In contrary, the slot with bigger jackpot is quite hard to win. If you force yourself playing the slot with bigger jackpot, there is highly likely that you will lose lots of your bankroll.
If you choose online slot with smaller jackpot, you won’t have to spend long hours to create these small jackpots. It doesn’t mean that it is impossible to win the slot with bigger jackpot. But, if you want better chance of winning the game, it is suggested to hit the slots with the smallest jackpots.
Make sure to properly manage your bankroll before playing. Decide how much money you want to spend on online slots. You also need to understand the slot playing rules. The understanding of the slot games can help you determine the best strategies on how to get more winnings in online slot betting games.
Are you looking for the best sportsbook dealer? No need to bother and confused because there are now available agents and very reliable. What is the agent’s name? The agent’s name is which is already a popular and best among betters or gamblers especially on the Internet. You can find a lot of the best information that will ultimately give you the ease of getting what you want. Anyone who plays any type of bet would want to get a win because then, there will be so many great benefits that you and all of us can get if we win. Here are some ways to do to find the best sportsbook website.
Ways to Do To Find the Best Sportsbook Website
The advantages of what we can get when playing sports betting in Sportsqq288.com The Biggest Online Sports Betting Site In Malaysia is a lot. Because there is a lot to be gained, it is then that it demands many people to prepare a variety of playful strategies that are telling. Yes, the strategy tells that it will be very useful to be able to provide an opportunity for you to get anything that will then give you a chance to get what you have already planned. Regarding the strategy of play that you can install, actually there are some best options that are very possible to make you win. Even victory is not a difficult thing to get if you really run the technique and strategy.
Ways to Do To Find the Best Sportsbook Website
Number of Agents and Online Betting
If we try to note there are actually a lot of options for agents and bookmakers like betting balls that we can find easily on the internet online. This will certainly make many people confused in choosing one part of the agent or the agent that really can be selected based on what is desired. During this error play occurs because they get into trouble at the time will find out what can be done to eliminate doubts about the number of choices that. The more choices, often this makes many people confused.
Confusion because many choices do sometimes make a lot of people dizzy to determine Bettingqq101.com Malaysia Online Sports Betting Site, Live in Play Bets, but actually we do not get confused about it. If indeed we are confused about it, usually later we will get some big problems that come. No need to bother and confused because it will always have a reason and also certain rules that will ultimately facilitate you or anyone to get the ease in getting the process and also a greater result. Greater results will allow you to discover and get what might determine how you can know all the problems and obstacles.
No Need to Worry to Choose It
Even if there is a dealer and agent to choose from, then you should not have to worry so much about it. There’s a lot you can do beforehand so in the end it will make you sure about some great attention you can get in this article. I will explain how the solution and how to choose the best agent from the many options available. Obviously we have to use some of the best characteristics as an important guide that will then allow us to be able to choose QQ188asia.com the leading sportsbook online website and Asia top best bookies very easily later.
If we can easily do it, then this will give you the opportunity and also the deal until finally can give you the best guarantee of choice as well.
Not many people know about how to earn money from sports betting with most trusted agent. All that happens because there are many of them who have not known and do not understand some of the betting trends that are now popular and widely done by many people. Actually if we want to get a chance to get the coffers of dollars from playing sports betting, then the way that can be done quite easily because we only need to join one of the best sites. This is one of the biggest and best agency agency recommendations section that has long served many people for easy playing.
How to Earn Money from Sports Betting with Most Trusted Agent
The role of the sportsbook market is quite important because it becomes one of the determinants whether we will get big profits or not. If you are looking for the greatest information, then this will give you a chance to get a very easy game. If everything can be easy to do, then this can give you the opportunity to develop your skills and your ability to play. If you are going to play with the purpose of pleasure, then you can choose Sportsqq288.com The Biggest Online Sports Betting Site In Malaysia. But if indeed you play with the purpose of profits is very large and continuous, then inevitably you have to be careful in determining the right choice.
How to Earn Money from Sports Betting with Most Trusted Agent
Arrange Your Purpose Well
Before deciding to choose to join a specific city like a bookie ball should be tailored to what is best. The goal to play is different and you should have a clear goal. If indeed you have a clear purpose, then this will indirectly give you a chance to win later on the basis of existing rules. Everything can be adjusted to the intended purpose whether to win or not later. Big profits can only be obtained if you understand what you should understand next in all the stages that would be very influential later.
Find the Preferred Agent
Once you set goals, things that are not less important next and you should pay close attention is about how you should choose an agent or bookmaker. The selection should be determined based on your goals of play including the type of sport you would like to bet on. All that aims to make it easier for you when you choose a sportsbook bet.
During this time in the Bettingqq101.com Malaysia Online Sports Betting Site, Live in Play Bets sportsbook there are many options that can be played and selected, but indeed we may not choose everything. We just have to choose one of the best and the best. While if there is not good, then it is good to be avoided because it will not give you many benefits to you.
Organize Your Play Strategy
Arrangement will be the strategy to play the next thing that is most important and even very worthy to be a great attention matter. Everything will determine how you will be able to understand some of the main notions that will ultimately give you a special understanding of the concept of techniques and strategies you can play later. The best technique is that it is played with special attention and also based on the experience you have so far. In experience, you will find many important things that can then give you the opportunity to improve your skills in playing.
Baccarat is very much liked by the people of the world, they follow they basic technique to do in online baccarat and become rich at websites like Onlinecasinoqq188.com Best Malaysia Live Casino & Online Gambling Site with the biggest promotions. Baccarat gambling game itself is done between players who have different roles, the player and banker where each of these players fight each other in order to get the highest score. The highest score that exist in the rule a maximum of 9, so whoever the player either player or banker who successfully get approaching 9 score or directly reach 9 score he will be the winner.
Basic Technique to Do in Online Baccarat and Become Rich
So, you could say that this game has a winning percentage 50:50 on both sides, because of that reason it will makes the players must be willing to take risks. However, this game is not only allowed for the banker and player only. You are allowed to put your bet on the same card or series, usually that is called Tie. This series cards occurs when the player and banker have the same number of cards.
When talking about rules in baccarat game, this is actually easy, you will only be asked to select the type of room table stakes. Then later you will be prompted to select the position of the banker or the player, then the casino will draw up or combined one card with another card to form the highest value.
Basic Technique to Do in Online Baccarat and Become Rich
One of the basic technique to win this baccarat game before you play at Onlinecasinoqq288.com Trusted Live Casino Gambling Website In Malaysia can start from yourself, you have to be calm and not to be hasty in determining each step will take. Even if, in online baccarat game is only choose the position of the banker and the player. This will make you better understand and appreciate each round there with nominal considering how you should enter. As one of the beginner online gambler, you certainly want to know more about that online baccarat gambling games itself, the history of baccarat gambling betting game itself, and the terms related in online baccarat betting game.
Besides, you need to stay calm when playing Baccarat, basic techniques that should be applied by you is you should need to make sure that you really have to understand the rules of the game are going to play it, you need to truly master the game of Baccarat. It will make you will not create a mistake in placing a bet that will cause you to lose money on small or large scale. Not only that, it is suggested that you observe some stage that has been played by another player. It will make you feel familiar and at the same time will help you to be able to take into account the right strategy.
Other basic techniques that you need to consider when playing online Baccarat game that can make you the opportunity to become rich is getting bigger you need to consider what opportunities that will further enhance your chances of winning. There are three opportunities that you should consider, betting on the banker, betting on the player or betting on a tie.
Actually Baccarat game is a game that makes you should be able to take good available opportunities. Most players even at Onlinecasinoqq101.com Live Casino Gambling Games And Best Free Bets Website, bet on the banker when the player a chance to win also should not be dismissed. Instead, many are not advised to bet Tie. It is true, if your bet is right, when you bet on a tie, you can gain will be very much.
However, you need to realize that the chances of winning the tie bet very small. Therefore, to minimize the loss, then you should avoid betting on the tie. When playing Baccarat, basically, if you have not manage to win, do not easily discouraged, because lose or win is common thing in gambling game like Baccarat.
Best Information to Know while Playing Captain America Online Slot Game Nice Pay Out
If you are a bettor who likes to play superhero Marvel themed slot games, then Captain America is one type of slot games which will attract to you to play it. Therefore, no wonder that nowadays a lot of online casino gambling agency that provides this Captain America slot game. Here are some of the best information to know while playing captain America online slot game nice pay out at the trusted slot betting website.
Best Information to Know while Playing Captain America Online Slot Game Nice Pay Out
Then, above the new background you will see a display of online slot machine game that has 5 reel and 3 images. So, on a reel will be shown a symbol like a poker card symbols or numbers 9, 10 and the letters J, Q, K and A. In addition, players can also find pictures of the characters in the game. Then the symbol will be used to form a payline of the game that only has two payline.
Best Information to Know while Playing Captain America Online Slot Game Nice Pay Out
Overall, the game is completely very representative of the superhero movie made by the Marvel production house. The dominant color of the game is gray and brown. Underneath of this game, you will see a plate made of steel will be used for the buttons to play as the setting, information, settings button payline, the number of bets, the number of autoplay and to start the game round. In addition to making you play this game with fun, of course you will also get the chance to collect as many prizes, especially this online slots game also provides a wide range of attractive bonuses.
Bonus is indeed one of the most eagerly anticipated at Onlineslotqq101.com Slot Machine Games, Free Slot Betting Website by online gambling players, whatever the type of game, because with the bonus then you will be able to have plenty of opportunity to collect more profits. There are some bonus provided by Captain America slot game:
Well, to get these bonuses, then here are some information that you should know, so that you will be able to get a nice payout of this Captain America slot game.
The first thing, that you can apply, you should get your free card games on the third reel. To be eligible for the bonus to be able to get the card free games on the third reel so you can get the bonus you want.
Once able to get the card the card before play 4 free spins that can be obtained, then the players will go to the bonus round. This round will start when you be able to get to a screen that has images of nine figures. At this stage you will be asked to select one of the protective plates to be brought to play as a patron. Behind this selection, there are many bonuses such as extra spins, multipliers, expanding on the card wield and many others.
Meanwhile, you should know that every Marvel superhero-themed slots game will definitely be has Playtech event at site such as Onlineslotqq288.com Slot E-Games Machine On Pc, Mobile IOS, Android and certainly will always be connected with the jackpot, or better known as progressive jackpots. Jackpot is what you get if you increase the number of bets. However, unfortunately not that easy to get the jackpot, because the jackpot is mysterious that it is unknown when it comes from and will appear randomly.
Only the more you put out a bigger bet the greater your chance of winning. Jackpot is highly anticipated by any player because you could have a better chance to get rich and it will also help the players who do not have a lot of money can use those bonuses to increase the number of the stakes.
The following paragraphs will explain and analyze all the most complex mechanisms on which slot machines have based their working method and all the strategies to win the game. You need to first understand the mechanisms of slot machines when it comes to betting, the player should focus on two important concepts in order to keep his game under control, save money and avoid unpleasant consequences.
Understand the Mechanisms of Slot Machines When It Comes To Betting
The first concept a novice player should get familiar with is that of bankroll management. A successful slot gambler at Onlineslotqq188.com Casino E-Games, Slot Mobile Betting, Big Wins Free Spins should always plan his wagers and opt for an effective bankroll management method. In this way, the player can protect his finances and enjoy the game without having to worry about money losses.
Understand the Mechanisms of Slot Machines When It Comes To Betting
Get familiar with the slot machine you have chosen
Here is the most important aspect of the game that every player should take into consideration. Anytime you are playing with a slot machine, do no never forget to pay attention to the payment table of the slot you have chosen to play with in such a way as to plan your game according to the jackpot and the winnings the slot machines offers. A big part of slot machines is directly connected to their jackpot, for this reason the player should always make higher wagers to catch the jackpot and win money. Being well prepared for the game could help you become more confident and make the experience more exciting. Same thing for slot machines with which the player can take advantage of bonuses and offers. Understanding the right techniques to catch the offer, the player automatically increases his chances of winning.
For those who are not willing to spend too much money and desire to and enjoy the game, it is now possible for slot machines gamblers to play on one of the many online casinos such as Onlineslotqq101.com Slot Machine Games, Free Slot Betting Website that make it possible to play, make practice, have fun and win big prizes without having to invest big sums. Why don’t you start practicing online with the game you enjoy the most? Do not forget to understand its rules, its features, its strategies in order to create your own style.
What About Wagers?
Generally, what experts suggest to novice players is to always make higher wagers. What does it mean? This strategy basically requires the player to wager his biggest sum in each hand. Anyway, contrary to what people believe, the bet does not have a big influence on the final game, except for rare cases in which the slot machine presents various payment lines and a bigger number of bobbins. If you keep focusing on such concepts, you will certainly find the slot machine that better suits your budget.
Vary Your Wagers
This is a very effective and ancient strategy that all slot machines aficionados know. It is valid for all kinds of slot machines, from traditional to modern ones, unless the player is using a progressive jackpot even at Onlineslotqq288.com Slot E-Games Machine On Pc, Mobile IOS, Android slot betting website. It consists in making different wagers instead of a single one. How can this method help the player increase his odds of winning a prize?
Making different wagers, will help you have the opportunity to get the most consistent winnings multiplier, regardless the sum you have invested. In lucky days, after having set the slot machine and selected the highest bets, you will obtain the winning combination. Last, but not least, do not believe to people who advise you to make higher wagers; winnings have nothing to do with the money you have invested in the game.
The world’s best football stage held only once every four years in Football Carnival Slot Machine World Cup Inspired Video Slot Online. Best international event-event like the World Cup, European Cup, Copa America, and the Asia Cup always brings tension and excitement for all football supporters in Onlineslotqq188.com Casino E-Games, Slot Mobile Betting, Big Wins Free Spins. Unfortunately, this event only lasts for a few moments. That is why you should take advantage of Football Carnival slot game that offers the best opportunity to enjoy football. Moreover, you can also enjoy the reward is so great to take advantage of available symbols in it.
The thrill of the World Cup course will never be forgotten by the lovers of football. The success of Germany became the champion of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil certainly has created memories that really matters from this website. By utilizing the various elements contained in the game of football, you will feel the thrill of football carnival that is strongly associated with displaying the atmosphere of the World Cup matches in Brazil.
Carnival on the game is set in the city of Rio de Janeiro. You will feel the thrill of soccer celebration sensation that runs around the area of the football stadium. Playtech, the game developers, is displaying interactive and realistic graphics. You will feel like in football carnival crowd while winning a number of coin as exciting as following the World Cup soccer championship.
Football Carnival Slot Machine World Cup Inspired Video Slot Online
Football Carnival Slot Machine World Cup Inspired Video Slot Online
How to play
You can adjust bets as needed by utilizing the plus (+) or minus (-) contained in the game panel. You can bet using the maximum bet using the Bet Max button at Onlineslotqq288.com Slot E-Games Machine On Pc, Mobile IOS, Android. The highest chance of winning bets are open if you place the maximum bet. You will utilize the 5 reels and 50 paylines available to create winning combinations as possible. The game will run if you hit the spin button and you can run automatically by exploiting reel autoplay button.
You’ll find basic symbols are synonymous with the game of football. However, symbols offer a lower payout. If you are looking for a better payout. You should target the symbols as a symbol of the stadium, a symbol of Christ of Rio, a symbol of football fans, and a symbol of the Brazilian flag. All symbols can provide a payout of up to thousands of times if you managed to land five identical symbols on one active payline.
Special winnings
Rejoice in the presence Carnivall Football logo. That’s because Carnivall Football logo is the scatter symbol in this game and produce a special bonus. First, you can enjoy a number of points whose value will increase according to the number of symbols which successfully landed. Then, you can take advantage of a number of free spins that is very useful to help collect more coins. Moreover, free spin is also equipped with a multiplier of x2 started and will continue to increase as more and more games that use free spin. You can get a maximum of up to x6 multiplier that would make you can enjoy many remarkable profit.
Wild symbols are also other important symbols, almost all the games at Onlineslotqq101.com Slot Machine Games, Free Slot Betting Website have this it provide a profit so much. This symbol can be used to replace all symbols contained reel symbols except the scatter. Functions that make wild symbol can create more winning combinations and so eagerly anticipated by many players who spent time on the slot game Football Carnival.
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Progressive baccarat live game is an amazing game with the use of Useful Ways To Do At Online Progressive Baccarat Live Game. Now, you will find that there is a mini-Baccarat. This is a game with the fast version from the conventional baccarat. In some countries, this game is called as the Punto Banco. The main goal of this game is for making the bet for choosing which one will become a winner whether player or banker. The player that can get 9 value, he is the winner.
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If player and banker have the same value, there is no the winner.
The followings are some common baccarat mini-terms that you should understand well. Those are:
The impossible payout
The standard payment is decided at the possibility that you can find the identical thing used in all the main America, Europe, and Asia Casino. The winner will get the payment 1 to 1. The winner will accept the payment of the banker in 1 until 1. However, the commission is same. It is 5 % from the total bet will be decreased automatically.
The maximum and minimum betting
The maximum and minimum betting will not only show in the menu of a rule of this baccarat game. You can make the bet to a high value if you have the great skill in playing the game. But, if you have not had the skill in playing the game, it is important for you to choose to make the bet in the lowest nominal. This way should be done for avoiding the loss of the game. You remain will be able to get the chance in getting the winning if you know well about the rule of playing the progressive baccarat. Then, you also should the best strategy that can be done for playing this game at Onlinecasinoqq288.com Trusted Live Casino Gambling Website In Malaysia. If you don’t it, getting the winning will be difficult. You can learn about the way in playing the game from some sources such as on the internet and magazine. Even, you can ask for to the other professional players. You will get the up to date information so you can play comfortably and easily.
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Amazing Tactics At Exciting Game Triple Magic Slot Mobile Game
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This game uses two-dimensional illustrations. Then, the scheme of the color is uninspired. You can find that there are some bold primary colors. They are blue, red and yellow.
Winning the online machine game can make you being a rich person. This is you can get much money in a short time. However, getting the winning is not as easy as you think. You need to do the great efforts for gaining the winning. So, if you are going to play the online slot machine game, it is important for you to look for the amazing tactics at playing this game.
The great tactic you can so is you must make a bet in a low nominal. It is to avoid the loss. But if you agree that you will get the jackpot, you can increase your bet total. Then, you must make the special bank account. It is to make you controlling your financial capital in playing the slot machine game.
In playing the online baseball game, you must be careful. It is important for you to pay attention about 10 biggest baseball betting mistakes at Baseball Over/Under Betting. There are many kinds of the great games with some bonus you get Sportsqq288.com The Biggest Online Sports Betting Site in Malaysia. If you have played the baseball betting game for some years, you must know about the game types that are so interesting. One of them is the baseball betting game. You can win the game easily if you know the way in playing it. You will win the game fast if playing the online baseball game. Although the baseball betting game is very easy, you must remain to pay attention some great strategies for winning the game. You must avoid some mistakes so you will be able to win the game easily.
10 Biggest Baseball Over/Under Betting Mistakes You Can Easily Avoid
Some mistakes you should avoid in playing the Baseball Over/Under Betting
Don’t know about the reputation of the gambling site
When you are going to choose the online betting game at this online sportsbook, you must know it well about the great reputation of the site as the place for playing the game. Don’t choose the online betting game carelessly. You must pay attention to the great information about the game. It is for avoiding the losing risk at the game. You don’t need to feel doubtful about it. Finding the information about the gambling site can be found at some websites.
Don’t understand about the rule of the game with its bonus
It has the relation about the role of the game, especially about the bonus. Every agent usually offers some bonuses. If you still feel doubtful, you should read about the rule of the game. There is the great bonus of playing the baseball game.
Be hurry up
Usually, many players are in hurry up in making the bet type. It should be avoided by you to be able to win the game easily. There are many people joining the dealer betting agent, but they don’t understand well about the game. The reason is simple. They want to get the extra large benefit in the short time. If getting winning becomes the motivation and reason, of course, it is no problem. But, you must know that getting the winning can’t be gotten just with using the feeling and luckiness. You must use the best strategy for playing the game so you will become the winner.
Making the large bet in playing the online betting game
Usually, people want to get the extra benefit in playing the game so they make the large value in deciding the total bet. If you have much budget, don’t use all them for making the bet in playing the game especially if you are a beginner.
There is no variation
Playing the online betting baseball game should use the variation ways. The best strategy should be done by you. If you have the rich experience, you will be able to play the game well.
Don’t understand about the deposit and withdrawal transaction
You should understand about the deposit and withdrawal transaction if you want to be able to pay the game rightly. You must know the right time for doing those transactions.
Not aware about the security
It is very important for you to pay attention to the security of the game. You should choose the best dealer site as the choice in making the bet. It will give the comfort so much. | {
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In this section, find out everything you need to know about visiting the Museum, how to get here and the extraordinary exhibitions on display. Check out the 'What's on' calendar of events, workshops, free tours and education programs.
In this section, there's a wealth of information about our collections of scientific specimens and cultural objects. Come and explore what our researchers, curators and education programs have to offer!
In this section, explore all the different ways you can be a part of the Museum's groundbreaking research, as well as come face-to-face with our dedicated staff. Join us, volunteer and be a part of our journey of discovery!
Hollows as Homes
Looking for the possum’s bum is a daily ritual for Museum commuters walking from Town Hall station. By noting whether the hollow in the Hyde Park melaleuca is occupied or unoccupied, we have been quietly monitoring occupancy rates of inner-city tree hollows. But until Hollows as Homes began, there wasn’t an easy place to record these observations. Now that I can register hollows on my phone and then log updates on the animals using them, I find myself paying a lot more attention to holes in trees, and hopefully lots of other people will too.
In urban and agricultural areas throughout Australia, hollow-bearing trees are in decline. In New South Wales, terrestrial vertebrate species that are reliant on tree hollows for shelter and nesting include at least 46 mammals, 81 birds, 31 reptiles and 16 frogs. Of these, 40 species are listed as threatened with extinction in New South Wales. This is why the ‘loss of hollow-bearing trees’ has been listed as a key threatening process.
With the help of the community Hollows as Homes aims to measure the availability of tree hollows and their use by wildlife. Participants in the program are reporting hollows in backyards, streets, parks, paddocks and the bush by visiting www.hollowsashomes.com. On-line training is provided on how to take measurements of the hollow-bearing tree and periodically report the wildlife using this important resource.
Even London Plane Trees Platanus × acerifolia are used for nesting cockatoos (inset). Note the chips of decaying wood that have been excavated by the nesting birds.
Image: Richard MajorAustralian Museum
Although the project was only launched this year, there are now plenty of records of the hollows used by lorikeets, wood-duck, powerful owls, king parrots, brushtail possums and sugar gliders – to name a few. The website enables individuals and land-managers to view the data both spatially and numerically, and in the long term we hope that the data will guide decisions about hollow retention and provision.
Unfortunately many hollow-bearing trees are removed because of concerns about public safety. In some cases the losses are supplemented by the installation of artificial nest boxes and the relatively-new technique of cut-in tree hollows. Hollows as Homes provides the infrastructure to monitor these initiatives to determine their benefits for biodiversity conservation. However, to be successful, the project needs big data, so if you have a nest box or next time you see a hollow, please google Hollows as Homes.
The Hollows as Homes program is coordinated by the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, University of Sydney and Australian Museum, and is supported by the Sydney Coastal Councils Group through funding from the Australian Government.
The Australian Museum respects and acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation as the First Peoples and Traditional Custodians of the land and waterways on which the Museum stands.
—
We acknowledge Elders past, present and emerging.This website may contain names, images and voices of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. | {
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Southampton V Yeovil at St. Mary's Stadium : LIVE
Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse has backed Saints to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup - regardless of which side Mauricio Pochettino sends out to face Yeovil.
The Southampton boss fielded a strong side in the 4-3 third-round win over Burnley but, with a Barclays Premier League game against Arsenal on Tuesday evening, there may be a chance for some of Pochettino's fringe players to show their worth in their fourth-round tie.
The Burnley victory is the only game Ward-Prowse has started since the turn of the year but the 19-year-old is likely to start at home to Sky Bet Championship strugglers Yeovil as he targets a place in the last 16.
"Playing Yeovil is a winnable game and after this we will be looking at the tasty end of the competition, so we will be looking to win this for sure," he said.
"The mentality of the club and the manager is that we want to win every game, whether it is Yeovil in the cup, or Manchester United.
"The Arsenal game comes into consideration but we have just come off a busy Christmas period and we showed we could deal with that really well - the depth of the squad and the quality we have got, I don't think any team that is put out will be weakened."
With Ward-Prowse one of a number of players looking to force their way into Pochettino's Premier League side, the England Under-21 international knows a good performance against the Glovers is the best way to get noticed.
He continued: "Within English football we know the love of the FA Cup and I'm sure a lot of the players will be wanting to go out and make a statement to get through to the next round.
"I love playing in the FA Cup and it is a good chance to show everyone what you can do - it is always a competition that has been close to my heart."
Saints' assistant manager Jesus Perez has said the club will approach the game as if it were a league fixture and that Yeovil will not be underestimated.
"We are fully aware of them [Yeovil]," he said. "We did the same scouting on them as we do for a Premier League game.
"We know they won their last game and they are near the bottom of the table, but in the FA Cup the pressure is off and the players are a little bit different, so we have to face the game with full respect and full focus from the first minute to try to win it.
"Our target before the game is to talk more about us than our opponent in this situation and the players are aware that if we don't play with full focus then you will face problems during the game.
"You have to try to play in the same style as normal, keep the ball, play attacking and nice football so that you can forget about anything else.
"When the players have to think too much they lose focus, so it's important that we look forward and play well to win the game and get into the next round."
Dejan Lovren and Gaston Ramirez are both missing after suffering similar ankle ligament injuries while the game will come too soon for midfielder Victor Wanyama.
Striker Dani Osvaldo will also be missing after he was banned by the club for two weeks following a training-ground altercation with a team-mate.
Yeovil will be able to field loan signing Ishmael Miller. The powerful striker arrived from Nottingham Forest on Thursday until the end of the season and has been given the green light to feature by his parent club.
There will be a change at left-back for the away day after Zoumana Bakayogo returned to Leicester having damaged his cruciate ligament on his debut at Birmingham. With Liam Davis sidelined due to a broken toe, Jamie McAllister or Luke Ayling look set to step in.
Ed Upson is clear of his ankle problem and came through an appearance in a friendly against Plymouth unscathed and he is pushing for a start but Matteo Lanzoni is cup tied. | {
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GameRanger Founder Scott Kevill Reflects on the Past Decade
By Brad Cook
Jul 28th, 2009 9:15 AM EDT
Online gaming service GameRanger recently celebrated ten years of existence, so I got in touch with founder Scott Kevill, who's based in Australia, to get his thoughts on the past decade and see what the future has in store. "It feels like just the other day that I was even deciding on the name," Mr. Kevill says. "If I had known then that I'd be still going 10 years later, I might not have started, but I'm very pleased with how things turned out."
In the press release he sent out to commemorate the event, he noted that in 1999, 70 percent of users played games over dial-up modems connected to computers equipped with 128MB of RAM and 8GB of hard drive space. Age of Empires II was, and continues to be, the most consistently-played game. In addition, he produced a list of similar services that have either long since bitten the proverbial digital dust – such as Sierra On-Line's The ImagiNation Network, which ceased operation in 1998 – or that have yet to produce the same track record for longevity, such as Microsoft's Xbox Live.
Mr. Kevill attributes GameRanger's long-term success to his stubbornness, noting: "Most of the other services died due to bad business models, poor technology, and failure to improve or re-invent themselves."
On that last note, GameRanger began as a Mac-only service but opened its doors to PC gamers last year, a move that Mr. Kevill says "just made sense." With Apple's move to Intel Macs, he discovered many Mac gamers were using Boot Camp to play games in Windows, only to realize "how bad the situation was 'on the other side' and how good they'd had it on the Mac with GameRanger," he notes. And with "a lot of requests from PC gamers that had used GameRanger at friends' houses," he realized he had a large untapped customer base looking for what he had to offer.
Future Plans
Unfortunately, computer gaming has stagnated, thanks to "mass console migration," he says. All of the current-generation videogame consoles and handhelds can go online, and Mr. Kevill sees "a growing trend of publishers delaying or cancelling PC versions of their games to prevent piracy harming the console sales, which means even less choices for Mac games. Strategy games, especially real-time strategy, are still going strong, however, and that's where most of the initial focus has been with PC games in GameRanger."
He has no plans to abandon Mac and PC gaming, however, and he plans to continue working with developers and publishers to add more titles to the 500-plus currently supported through the service. He adds: "Games are beginning to focus more on persistence with online gaming as a way of providing more value to gamers, and greater re-playability. This means your multiplayer experience won't reset each time you play; [it will be] somewhere between a traditional multiplayer game and a massively multiplayer online (MMO) game."
To support those endeavors, Mr. Kevill said that "GameRanger will be providing robust, scalable services to game developers and publishers to power the back-end systems required for these games."
Watching iPhone From the Sidelines
He has no current plans to venture onto other platforms, such as the iPhone. Mr. Kevill observed: "At this stage, I don't see much use for GameRanger support on the iPhone other than as a way of staying in contact with the existing community of Mac and PC friends. Even so, there have been quite a few requests for exactly that. The iPhone hasn't been a particularly strong multiplayer platform so far, and network performance - for latency, in particular - is terrible unless you're using Wi-Fi."
Asked his thoughts on the iPhone as a gaming platform, Mr. Kevill responded: "I'm watching from the sidelines on this one. I think it remains to be seen whether the iPhone is viable as a gaming platform now that the gold rush is over. Despite so many apps being available, very few break even, let alone return a profit. The 'race to the bottom' downward spiral of pricing does not do much to encourage quality."
In the meantime, if you've never checked out GameRanger, which is free, Mr. Kevill encourages you to do so: "The unpredictable nature of human players makes it a lot more fun than playing the computer. Age of Empires III is an excellent game to start, and there's a friendly community on GameRanger just waiting for you to jump in and join them." | {
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NBC Pulls Out its Scissors and Cuts its New Superhero Drama 'The Cape' Back to 10 Episodes
The new series fell Monday for the fourth straight week, to a 1.5 in adults 18-49. That puts it below such Monday basic-cable fare as “WWE Raw” and “American Pickers” and makes it the lowest-rating Monday-night series on the Big Four broadcast networks.
Hmmm, perhaps NBC could have faith in the show a little bit and advertise it. I personally didn't even know it existed....meanwhile FOX has a bunch of crap that I had to check out because of their advertising. | {
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Staff Vacancies
Vacancies
Teacher of English
Part-time (8-12 hours), fixed term position, for the 2019 school year, due to unforeseen and potentially unsustainable roll growth. Please state other teaching subjects - an ability to teach Mandarin may be a definite advantage. Suitable for beginning teachers.
Relief Teachers
Teachers are welcome to submit a brief CV if you are interested in joining our relieving pool.
Bayfield High School is a coeducational school of approximately 600 students. We are a Decile 8 school with a well-developed reputation for excellence. It is in fact one of New Zealand’s top performing academic schools and certainly Otago’s fastest growing school.
Bayfield serves the Southern Dunedin area of Dunedin City. Most of our students come from the Otago Peninsula, Andersons Bay, Waverley, St Clair and Tahuna. However recent roll growths have resulted in students coming from all over the city and areas beyond the city. | {
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Montreal's Rialto Theatre Welcomes The Hit Men, 10/27
Ezio Carosielli and the Rialto Theatre are excited to bring international stars, THE HIT MEN, to the historic Rialto Theatre for one night only, Saturday, October 27.
Lee Shapiro and the other HIT MEN are looking forward to performing at the Rialto for their sole Canadian date, “It’s great to be going back to Montreal. Don, Gerry and I toured Canada when we were Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons in the 70s. We played everywhere from Quebec to Dawson, where we saw the Canada Day Parade!”
The 60s, 70s and 80s were a golden era for song writing, and during this period many big-name artists and chart-busting groups created hits that are woven into our consciousness. This group of six amazing performers, superb musicians, superior vocalists, great arrangers and creative composers, THE HIT MEN, are these actual hit makers- performing and recording members of mega-star acts Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, Tommy James & The Shondells, The Critters, Carly Simon, Jim Croce, Cat Stevens, Barry Manilow and Elton John & Kiki Dee. THE HIT MEN, Lee Shapiro, Don Ciccone, Gerry Polci, Larry Gates, Jimmy Ryan and Russ Velazquez, have performed on over 80 albums since 1966!
When THE HIT MEN take the stage today, it’s easy to see why their music has transcended generations. Their voices are eternally young with vitality shining through- they sound exactly like they did when they sang lead on the Who Loves You album, including hit song 'December, 1963 (Oh, what a night)'. The notes are sharp, the vocals spot-on, the energy is high, and these guys are having the time of their lives sharing their musical legacy. Along with fantastic music, during their performance THE HIT MEN share great back stories and anecdotes from their days in recording studios and on the concert circuit; it’s a terrific look back through rock & roll history from the guys who lived and breathed the experience.
This brotherhood of musicians with deep friendships have reunited to go out on tour again, to relive the magic they created on stages around the world when they went from kid to iconic. With THE HIT MEN, the audience experiences a night of mega-hit after mega-hit from the 60s, 70s and 80s the way they first heard them. They also enjoy all of the great Four Seasons songs made popular again by Broadway’s Jersey Boys as well as many other memorable solid gold hits they helped make famous, like ‘Mony, Mony’, ‘Hanky Panky’, ‘Peace Train’, ‘Bad, Bad LeRoy Brown’, ‘You’re So Vain’, ‘You Belong To Me’, ‘Mr. Dieingly Sad’ and ‘Younger Girl’. | {
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Not all taxes owed to the IRS or the State of Michigan have to be paid back. In fact, we can often eliminate past due taxes through a Chapter 13 or Chapter 7 filing. We can often reduce a tax lien that was filed against you to pennies on the dollars. Too many people are under the false assumption that they cannot reduce or get rid of taxes they owe (or think they owe).
Your first step towards eliminating this debt is to call us at 1-800-645-0075 for a FREE consultation. It will be well worth your time to talk to one of our experts. If you live in Michigan we have an office near you. | {
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BlackFriday. The day when you used to get great deals on stuff. Now the whole week is full of deals. I’m sure the Black Friday names still do just fine. And maybe even better since Black Friday starts on Wednesday now.... | {
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Jessica Chastain played the angelic and nameless wife to Brad Pitt in Tree of Life, the completely helpless and utterly amusing housewife in The Help, and the enticing and mysterious love interest in Lawless,... read more
What with all the raves Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty has been getting—and make no mistake, gang, you're reading one more of them—it's not hard to imagine that moviegoers misled by those "It's all... read more
For those of you unfamiliar with this beautiful specimen, take this moment to acquaint yourself—she's about to become a huge star. Not only is she starring as the leading lady in Lawless opposite Tom... read more | {
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Hi, I'm Olivia Horne.
I'm a coach, wife, mother of two, daughter, sister, friend, colleague... Like every mum, I juggle a lot of different roles.
The two that matter here are:
I'm a happiness coach and a mum.
I realised long ago that people were my passion - what makes them tick, how they make life choices and pursue goals, what brings them happiness, or stops them finding it. After a degree in Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford, and a chapter working with senior executives across education and the arts (plus a few years singing jazz in bars and at weddings), I decided that helping people find their happy was how I wanted to spend my life. So I trained as a life and wellbeing coach to support women through challenging times.
When I took a few years out to bring a small person into the world, it hit me like a train. If you want to read a longer version of what was hard and what helped, you can find it here.
Now, I apply my wellbeing work specifically to mums who are struggling to embrace their changing identity, rediscover their confidence, and find ways to look after themselves as well as their kids. I help them to take the pressure off and focus on themselves a bit more. Because it’s hard! And because a mum’s happiness matters to the whole family.
And I'm not talking about 24/7 jazz-hands happy or shiny Pinterest perfection. I’m talking about that authentic happiness that sits quietly deep inside you, brings you confidence, guides your instincts, supports your choices and threads a gentle reassurance through your days. It's really easy for that kind of happiness to get buried under piles of dirty washing and nagging doubts. It’s still in there, it’s just that some days it needs a bit of help to to come to the surface. And it's worth finding, for everyone's sake.
For me the change from 0 kids to 1 was the hardest, but this work isn’t just for new first time mums. For you it might be harder after your second or third baby, or when you return to work (or decide not to), or have surprise twins, or a devastating loss. We can work with all of it, so just get in touch. | {
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Unique to TheDogPlace.org, these breeder services are an effective but modest way to reach over 110,000 individual visitors every month, more than twice the readers of any other dog publication.
Clearly the most valuable opportunity for serious dog breeders and exhibitors.
www.TheDogPlace.org introduced the term "responsible" breeder in 1998*. AKC subsequently adopted our term but corrupted it by accepting puppy mill advertising. Fortunately,
TDP Certified Breeders provide the credibility for which the best breeders strive. | {
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Trick ‘r Treat Trailer!
Coming soon from Warner Bros.Here’s something to get you into the Halloween spirit! Click here to get your look at the trailer for Michael Dougherty’s inaugural foray into fright fare Trick ‘r Treat. Rumors surrounding its release window via Warner Bros. have said it was pushed this new take on the horror anthology into 2008, but as we can confirm here, the pic is still on track for October 5th. | {
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GURGAON-HC allows police to resume raids on MG Road clubs
December 04, 2018 05:15 AM
COURTESY THE HT DEC 4
Leena Dhankhar [email protected] ■HC allows police to resume raids on MG Road clubsGURUGRAM: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday allowed the Gurugram police to resume inspection of the clubs and bars on MG Road, where alleged immoral activities were being carried out. The court had barred the police from taking any coercive action on July 31, after some club owners had approached the HC against revocation of no-objection certificates (NOCS), mandatory for running the clubs, and the repeated raids by the local police.
YOGENDRA KUMAR/HT ARCHIVEFollowing the police crackdown on pubs and bars on MG Road in July this year, the entry of single ■ women had been barred by club owners.On Monday, the court also directed the Gurugram police to submit suggestions by December 20 to ensure that no immoral activities take place on the Mall Mile.
After receiving several complaints from local residents, alleging prostitution and sex rackets on the Mall Mile, the police had conducted a series of raids in June and July on multiple clubs on MG Road. Three criminal cases were registered against three clubs for their alleged involvement in immoral trafficking. Seven people, including two night club owners, were arrested from Sahara and MGF malls for alleged involvement in flesh trade on July 4. Four others, including two night club dancers, were arrested on July 19 from other MG road clubs.
K K Rao, Gurugram police commissioner, had written to district deputy commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh on July 24, stating that the NOC issued to these clubs has been withdrawn with immediate effect. He also recommended that the excise department cancel their licences.
Unhappy with the police action and fearing the closure of their clubs, the owners had approached the high court and managed to get a stay order over the revocation of the NOCS on July 31.
The HC stay on the revocation of NOC is still in place. However, the court has now allowed police to inspect and book a club owner, if illegal activities were being run from there.
“We have formed teams on Monday to check illegal activities in these clubs. We will take strict action against those found involved in prostitution or any other illegal activities,” said Rao.
Viajypal Yadav, president of the MG Road bar owners’ association, said the police cannot take any aggressive action. He said the inspection can be conducted only by police officers of or above the rank of assistant commissioner of police along with the officials of the excise department. “There are CCTV cameras everywhere, we cannot tamper them or get involved in any illegal activities. We have invested crores of rupees. We will fight against the coercive steps by the police even if we have to approach the Supreme Court,” said Yadav.
The club association members alleged that though police had booked some of the club owners, they have failed to prove prostitution and other charges in the court.
Echoing Yadav’s sentiment, Renu Garg, director of the ION club, said, “We will fight against injustice and cannot let police force us to suffer losses.” The club owners alleged that even though there were 327 clubs and bars across the city, the police were only targeting those on MG Road.
“People visiting the clubs on MG road had to submit identity document at entrance of mall and again at the time of entering a club, but this not applicable to people visiting clubs at CyberHub, Sector 29, Golf Course Road and other parts of the city,” said Yadav, adding that they have already informed the court that all mall owners have installed biometric machines on each of the entrances to take identification /signatures for establishing the identity of the visitors. | {
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The police are sending out the wrong message if these substations are a "massive risk" and there are "life-threatening voltages".
Remove all safety measures and put a big sign up outside saying "Free metal within"happycyclist
maybe they are stealing the big thick cables to sell so they can pay their electricity and gas bills..........
The profits of these utility companies are supposed to go towards providing cheaper and sustainable energy supplies for the future but i don't see my bills getting any cheaper while their profits are rising, can you?
maybe they are stealing the big thick cables to sell so they can pay their electricity and gas bills..........
The profits of these utility companies are supposed to go towards providing cheaper and sustainable energy supplies for the future but i don't see my bills getting any cheaper while their profits are rising, can you?Rumpole
Rumpole wrote:
maybe they are stealing the big thick cables to sell so they can pay their electricity and gas bills..........
The profits of these utility companies are supposed to go towards providing cheaper and sustainable energy supplies for the future but i don't see my bills getting any cheaper while their profits are rising, can you?
That still doesn't give them the right to go and steal cables.
At the end of the day all of us our going through recession, everything is on the rise and still is, i.e petrol, food, tax etc. We still have to put up with it and pay up, don't see why it should be different for anyone else, do u?
[quote][p][bold]Rumpole[/bold] wrote:
maybe they are stealing the big thick cables to sell so they can pay their electricity and gas bills..........
The profits of these utility companies are supposed to go towards providing cheaper and sustainable energy supplies for the future but i don't see my bills getting any cheaper while their profits are rising, can you?[/p][/quote]That still doesn't give them the right to go and steal cables.
At the end of the day all of us our going through recession, everything is on the rise and still is, i.e petrol, food, tax etc. We still have to put up with it and pay up, don't see why it should be different for anyone else, do u?LawAbidingCitizen_MS
Rumpole wrote:
maybe they are stealing the big thick cables to sell so they can pay their electricity and gas bills..........
The profits of these utility companies are supposed to go towards providing cheaper and sustainable energy supplies for the future but i don't see my bills getting any cheaper while their profits are rising, can you?
That still doesn't give them the right to go and steal cables.
At the end of the day all of us our going through recession, everything is on the rise and still is, i.e petrol, food, tax etc. We still have to put up with it and pay up, don't see why it should be different for anyone else, do u?
Why is it that a tongue in cheek comment is always taken seriously by the cockerel in mouth brigade?
I do not condone these thefts at all, the same as i don't condone these companies making obscene profits off the backs of ordinary working people.
Prices are going up to protect the profits of these big companies and to feed the greedy bosses that can't survive life without millions of pounds in wages.
I would estimate that for every pound these companies make at least half of it is taken out of the economy forever so no wonder we are in a recession and being forced to pay higher prices for everything.
These big companies that make billions of pounds a year should be made to create more jobs out of their profits.
There are alternative energy sources but these will not become widespread until people can afford to have them installed but they can't do that when they don't have the money in the first place.
We are held to ransom by these companies and nothing will change while people keep on paying up without complaining about the rising costs and no affordable alternatives.
[quote][p][bold]LawAbidingCitizen_MS[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]Rumpole[/bold] wrote:
maybe they are stealing the big thick cables to sell so they can pay their electricity and gas bills..........
The profits of these utility companies are supposed to go towards providing cheaper and sustainable energy supplies for the future but i don't see my bills getting any cheaper while their profits are rising, can you?[/p][/quote]That still doesn't give them the right to go and steal cables.
At the end of the day all of us our going through recession, everything is on the rise and still is, i.e petrol, food, tax etc. We still have to put up with it and pay up, don't see why it should be different for anyone else, do u?[/p][/quote]Why is it that a tongue in cheek comment is always taken seriously by the cockerel in mouth brigade?
I do not condone these thefts at all, the same as i don't condone these companies making obscene profits off the backs of ordinary working people.
Prices are going up to protect the profits of these big companies and to feed the greedy bosses that can't survive life without millions of pounds in wages.
I would estimate that for every pound these companies make at least half of it is taken out of the economy forever so no wonder we are in a recession and being forced to pay higher prices for everything.
These big companies that make billions of pounds a year should be made to create more jobs out of their profits.
There are alternative energy sources but these will not become widespread until people can afford to have them installed but they can't do that when they don't have the money in the first place.
We are held to ransom by these companies and nothing will change while people keep on paying up without complaining about the rising costs and no affordable alternatives.Rumpole
"These big companies that make billions of pounds a year should be made to create more jobs out of their profits."
I say build some Giant Hamster Wheels, connect them to a Turbine and put the unemployed on the Hamster Wheel for a few hours a day. Genearte Electricity, pay the unemployed the feed-in tarrif. It's green, sustainable and would also keep the blighters fit and do something to fight obesity levels.
"These big companies that make billions of pounds a year should be made to create more jobs out of their profits."
I say build some Giant Hamster Wheels, connect them to a Turbine and put the unemployed on the Hamster Wheel for a few hours a day. Genearte Electricity, pay the unemployed the feed-in tarrif. It's green, sustainable and would also keep the blighters fit and do something to fight obesity levels.Redbike
frank wrote:
can't wait to hear that one of these thieves had tried to nick some live cable.
im sure it was in the news a few months ago, someone got seriously burnt trying to nick live cable, and lives to say ' don't nick cable, its dangerous'?! born idle or what
[quote][p][bold]frank[/bold] wrote:
can't wait to hear that one of these thieves had tried to nick some live cable.[/p][/quote]im sure it was in the news a few months ago, someone got seriously burnt trying to nick live cable, and lives to say ' don't nick cable, its dangerous'?! born idle or whatLawAbidingCitizen_MS
Redbike wrote:
"These big companies that make billions of pounds a year should be made to create more jobs out of their profits."
I say build some Giant Hamster Wheels, connect them to a Turbine and put the unemployed on the Hamster Wheel for a few hours a day. Genearte Electricity, pay the unemployed the feed-in tarrif. It's green, sustainable and would also keep the blighters fit and do something to fight obesity levels.
ELEVEN people on bike generators took 5 minutes and 6 seconds to boil enough water just for a cup of tea.
http://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=oWWwRtkUI
yQ
Do keep up ;)
[quote][p][bold]Redbike[/bold] wrote:
"These big companies that make billions of pounds a year should be made to create more jobs out of their profits."
I say build some Giant Hamster Wheels, connect them to a Turbine and put the unemployed on the Hamster Wheel for a few hours a day. Genearte Electricity, pay the unemployed the feed-in tarrif. It's green, sustainable and would also keep the blighters fit and do something to fight obesity levels.[/p][/quote]ELEVEN people on bike generators took 5 minutes and 6 seconds to boil enough water just for a cup of tea.
http://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=oWWwRtkUI
yQ
Do keep up ;)happycyclist
Turning off the supply to a substation is a straightforward affair, as it must be quickly effected in emergencies; the safe removal of metal can follow. The interruption of supply to large areas is easy to those with confidence and little know-how. Irresponsible of me, perhaps, to say even this much.
Turning off the supply to a substation is a straightforward affair, as it must be quickly effected in emergencies; the safe removal of metal can follow. The interruption of supply to large areas is easy to those with confidence and little know-how. Irresponsible of me, perhaps, to say even this much.Graham Hartley
A responsible utility operator would have reviewed its risk assessment by now and would conclude that the security of these sub-stations is insufficient. If they then made plans to improve security they would probably help young people get jobs in the building and security industries locally instead of passing wealth to the investment bankers. I would suggest that unless they review their risk assessments soon the thieves would have a good case for compensation should they be injured while removing the cables.
A responsible utility operator would have reviewed its risk assessment by now and would conclude that the security of these sub-stations is insufficient. If they then made plans to improve security they would probably help young people get jobs in the building and security industries locally instead of passing wealth to the investment bankers. I would suggest that unless they review their risk assessments soon the thieves would have a good case for compensation should they be injured while removing the cables.Zoroastrian
PC Brindle said: “It’s a massive risk, as life-threatening voltages run through these stations.
No, voltages do not run. They can be expressed as energy changes when charge moves, or equivalently as line integrals (Faraday's Law). However one does it, one must acquire a technical education; and read plenty of Wittgenstein, thereby assuming eternal doubt.
PC Brindle said: “It’s a massive risk, as life-threatening voltages run through these stations.
No, voltages do not run. They can be expressed as energy changes when charge moves, or equivalently as line integrals (Faraday's Law). However one does it, one must acquire a technical education; and read plenty of Wittgenstein, thereby assuming eternal doubt.Graham Hartley | {
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The Benjamin Garcia Saxe project studio has introduced the Ocean Eye manor, built on the beach in Costa Rica. A family recently purchased a beautiful land plot by the ocean, surrounded by the tropical jungles. The residence of 300 sq. meters is made as opened as possible in order to demonstrate the residents the surrounding nature beauties. There are bedrooms and bathrooms at the rear of the house, whereas the day zone is faced towards the ocean. Terraces and opened spaces create a single whole, thus turning the residence into the dynamic construction with linked zones and levels. | {
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The Yankees pulled within six games of first-place Boston in the American League East. The last-place Orioles lost their eighth game in a row.
Handed an early lead, New York starter Luis Severino posted his major-league-best 17th win of the season. Severino (17-6) allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out eight and walked two.
Rays 9, Red Sox 1
Blake Snell became the majors’ fourth 16-game winner, and Tampa Bay became the first team this season to sweep a three-game series from Boston with a blowout at St. Petersburg, Fla.
Matt Duffy scored twice, had three hits and drove in two runs, spearheading a 12-hit attack that propelled the Rays to their second eight-game winning streak of the season.
Snell (16-5) limited the Red Sox to one run on two hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out eight.
Ramos was 4-for-5 and had three RBIs as the Phillies won for only the second time in their past eight games.
Kendrys Morales extended his homer streak to a club-record seven games when he hit a two-run blast for the Blue Jays. Morales has hit eight home runs during the streak. He also has a 10-game hitting streak.
Nationals 15, Mets 0
Juan Soto’s RBI groundout in the sixth inning snapped Washington’s 32 1/3-inning scoreless drought, and the Nationals added their most prolific inning of the season, an eight-run, eighth-inning outburst that lifted them to a rout of host New York.
The Nationals, who tied a franchise record by being shut out in their previous three games, salvaged the finale of the three-game series. The Mets have won 14 of 23.
Adam Eaton had four hits and Anthony Rendon had three hits for the Nationals, and Mark Reynolds hit a grand slam.
Braves 4, Marlins 0
Five pitchers combined on a two-hit shutout as first-place Atlanta broke a two-game losing streak with a win at Miami.
Braves starter Kevin Gausman (9-9) allowed one hit — a single by opposing pitcher Pablo Lopez — one walk and no runs in five innings. He struck out five. Gausman is 4-1 with a 1.69 ERA since Atlanta acquired him from the Baltimore Orioles in a July 31 trade.
Jesse Biddle, Dan Winkler, Brad Brach and A.J. Minter each pitched one scoreless inning to complete the shutout. Ronald Acuna Jr., Ender Inciarte and Tyler Flowers had two hits each to lead Atlanta’s offense.
Indians 12, Royals 5
Jason Kipnis hit an inside-the-park home run, collected four hits and drove in four runs as Cleveland won at Kansas City, Mo.
Kipnis lined a shot off the top of the wall in the right field corner in the top of the ninth inning as outfielder Alex Gordon crashed into the fence and then tumbled to the warning track. The ball bounced toward center field, allowing Kipnis to score standing up.
Edwin Encarnacion added a two-run homer for the American League Central-leading Indians, who snapped a four-game losing streak and avoided a three-game sweep against the last-place team in the division.
Jonathan Schoop also homered for the Brewers, who took two of three games in the series and remained 4 1/2 games back of the first-place Chicago Cubs in the National League Central.
Adam Frazier and Gregory Polanco homered for Pittsburgh, which has lost five of six.
Cubs 9, Reds 0
Kyle Hendricks threw seven scoreless innings, David Bote homered and drove in three runs, and Jason Heyward had four hits and drove in two runs as host Chicago completed a four-game sweep of Cincinnati.
Hendricks (10-10) gave up just two hits — both singles by Tucker Barnhart — while walking one and striking out five. Hendricks faced just two batters over the minimum.
It was the fifth straight win for the Cubs, who maintained a four-game lead over the second-place St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central. The last-place Reds have lost five straight.
White Sox 7, Tigers 2
Michael Kopech collected his first major league victory in his second career start, and Daniel Palka homered, leading Chicago to a win at Detroit.
Kopech, 22, lasted six innings and gave up one run on seven hits. He walked none and struck out four. He pitched two scoreless innings against Minnesota in his debut Tuesday before exiting following a rain delay.
Avisail Garcia had two hits and drove in two runs, and Adam Engel supplied two hits and two runs for Chicago. The White Sox won the last three games of the four-game series.
Cardinals 12, Rockies 3
Matt Carpenter had a career-high four doubles — two in the first inning — and St. Louis routed Colorado in Denver.
Tyler O’Neill homered, and Austin Gomber went six solid innings as St. Louis continued its strong play on the road. The Cardinals have won 10 of their past 11 away from home, and they maintained a half-game lead on the Milwaukee Brewers for the top spot in the National League wild-card standings.
Carpenter’s four doubles tied the franchise record set by Joe “Ducky” Medwick on Aug. 4, 1937, against the Boston Bees. St. Louis finished with 16 hits.
A’s 6, Twins 2
Matt Chapman hit two home runs and scored three times, and Jed Lowrie homered, doubled and drove in three runs to lead Oakland to a victory over Minnesota in Minneapolis.
Stephen Piscotty also homered and joined Chapman and Lowrie with three hits. Oakland hit 10 home runs in the series while winning three of the four games.
The A’s, who remain 1 1/2 games behind first-place Houston in the American League West, begin a three-game showdown series with the Astros on Monday night at Minute Maid Park.
Astros 3, Angels 1
Carlos Correa provided some early offense, and the bullpen locked down the final four innings for Houston, which completed a three-game weekend sweep of Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif.
Roberto Osuna posted his second save with Houston and 11th of the season overall by striking out pinch hitter Shohei Ohtani. The Astros extended their winning streak to five games and capped a nine-game road trip against American League West foes at 6-3.
The Astros played 22 of their past 31 games on the road, going 15-7 in those games away from Minute Maid Park. The Angels have lost six consecutive games.
Derek Holland (7-8) beat his old team for the first time, limiting the Rangers to one run in 6 1/3 innings, helping the Giants take the series 2-1 and finish interleague play for the year at 8-12.
The Giants scored first when Evan Longoria tripled off Rangers starter Yovani Gallardo (7-3) with two outs in the bottom of the first and raced home on a passed ball. The Rangers got even in the third on Elvis Andrus’ RBI double.
Dodgers 7, Padres 3
Justin Turner drove in five runs, and Hyun-Jin Ryu went an effective 5 2/3 innings and added two hits at the plate as Los Angeles completed a three-game sweep of visiting San Diego.
Turner had a two-run double in the fifth inning, a two-run single in the sixth and an RBI double in the eighth as the Dodgers overcame an early 2-0 deficit. Turner’s five RBIs tied a career high.
Manny Machado hit a two-run home run in a four-run fifth inning that put the Dodgers in front for good. Ryu started the four-run uprising in the fifth with a two-out single that was followed by a Brian Dozier walk and the hits from Turner and Machado.
Diamondbacks 5, Mariners 2
Paul Goldschmidt hit his 30th home run of the season to cap a five-run third inning, Zack Greinke broke a four-game winless streak, and Arizona regained sole possession of first place in the National League West with a victory over Seattle in Phoenix.
Greinke (13-8) gave up five hits and one unearned run in 6 2/3 innings, with six strikeouts and two walks. He had received seven runs of support while on the mound in his four previous outings.
Goldschmidt has hit safely in 16 of his last 17 games, during which he is batting .394 with six doubles, six homers and 16 RBIs. Mitch Haniger had two hits Sunday and was 6-for-14 with two homers and four runs in the series for the Mariners. | {
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"I read this book with disbelief. Brzezinski was for a long time a strategist, a political planner of the highest rank so I have to take him seriously. But I couldn't help but constantly wonder if the book is for real. It displays an unabashed and unapologetic view of the U.S. as a world 'hegemon' (author's word) and divides the rest of the world in 'vassals' (author's word), rivals, 'pivots' and strategically irrelevant countries. Western Europe and Japan are the prominent members of the first category, Russia and China of the second. The pivots are the countries that have strategic choices important to the U.S., such as the Ukraine. United Kingdom is an (amusing) example of strategically irrelevance.The book proceeds by systematically and often tediously analyzing case-by-case scenarios and what-ifs concerning the strategic impact of the policy decisions of the players (vassals, rivals and pivots) in four main theatres: Europe, Russia, Central Asia and the Far East. The analysis seemed rather un-principled to me but by the end I could discern some key points. The most important of them is that the U.S., despite is global hegemony cannot afford wars but it has to maintain its dominance by smartly playing the rivals against each other so that a major global rival does not emerge.I think the book's shocking disregard of democracy and national self-determination is quite consistent with the way the American administration tends to act in international affairs. Unfortunately, the current administration does not seem to take the book's main advice regarding the need for America to avoid outright wars and to dominate through smart diplomacy." | {
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Castleton rentals, holiday lettings direct from the owners
You will find many studios, flats, houses and villas for your holiday in Castleton. Contact the owners directly on the IHA site and enjoy the best rental prices, promotions and last minute deals that meet your budget. Visit the picture gallery on private lettings for a break with family or friends. All holiday listings on IHA are verified, plan your journey to Castleton with absolute confidence!
Close to beach, beautiful countryside and moorland, this cottage is ideally suited to two couples but can accommodate up to six people with two double beds and two single ones. It is south facing and there is a small cobbled area outside for sunbathing. All bed linen is supplied but not personal towels. In summer there is a half hourly bus service to both Scarborough and Whitby which are approximately... House Rental in Robin Hood's Bay #51032 >
Picturesque character stone cottages set in open countryside on the outskirts of the ancient market town of Pickering. The ideal base to visit the York Moors, York and the heritage coast of Scarborough, Whitby and Filey.
Keld Head Farm Cottages Former Farm in a farm setting. country side, garden/park, courtyard, meadow view
Our traditional stone cottages are set around a peaceful courtyard and fountain with large adjoining gardens that contains a Garden house and barbecue and play area. They retain much of their original rustic character with open beamed ceilings, traditional stone fireplaces and pan tile roofs so typical of the area. These spacious cottages have superbly equipped kitchens and are furnished to an extremely... House Rental in Pickering #15233 > | {
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In Iraq, Americans have one foot out the door
In Iraq, Americans have one foot out the door
BAGHDAD, Iraq — The hot dry wind kicks up the dust around the plywood table and broken chair that pass for a police checkpoint in east Baghdad. The lone policeman is unusually nervous.
For once, the police are afraid of us rather than the other way around. After a series of shootings at checkpoints by gunmen with silencers, even a reporter and an Iraqi bodyguard getting out of the car could be potential assassins.
In Iraq after the elections, almost nothing is clear and nothing is predictable — particularly for Americans with one foot out the door, hoping Baghdad doesn’t collapse behind them as they head off for Kandahar.
In the past three years, the country has pulled back from civil war, and in most places Iraqi soldiers and police, rather than insurgents and militias, rule the streets. But as U.S. forces withdraw, the real stability the military surge was intended to create is still elusive.
At the huge U.S. outposts that were Saddam’s air bases, the headlights of military vehicles pierce the dust and darkness as they head off to Kuwait on their way to Afghanistan.
It’s one of the biggest movements of men and materials in decades — what one senior commander calls a massive and complex job "in a fluid situation." About 40,000 vehicles, 80,000 containers and 3 million pieces of equipment are on their way out — almost half of them destined for the new front.
For the first time, the war in Afghanistan is costing the U.S. more than the conflict in Iraq — $6.5 billion a month in February compared with the $5.5 billion bill here.
Almost every other day in Iraq, U.S. forces close one of the joint security stations in the cities. The stations were at the center of the surge strategy aimed at protecting the population — a counterinsurgency strategy being transplanted to the very different climate of Kandahar. The "slow rising tide" of security is still for the most part holding in Iraq, but as the U.S. presence recedes here, parts of the shoreline are looking a little shaky.
U.S. commanders say they’re still on track for cutting American forces in Iraq from 90,000 to about 50,000 by the end of August and down to nothing by the end of next year. But political turmoil more than two months after national elections and a series of unforeseen attacks appear to have shifted the beginning of the time line — with some units due to leave in June instead of May.
“The August deadline of course was set at the end of February 2009 and it was based on a whole set of assumptions … all of those assumptions now are out the window,” said Brett McGurk, a former National Security Council official who helped craft the status of forces agreement with Iraq.
Among those assumptions, said McGurk, currently with the Council on Foreign Relations, were that elections would happen in December 2009, that a government would be formed three months later and that U.S. forces could withdraw fairly rapidly. Instead voting took place in March after months of wrangling over an election law.
More than two months after the national poll, election workers are still laboriously recounting each Baghdad ballot by hand in an attempt to prove that it wasn’t fraud that left Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki with two seats fewer than his nearest rival.
In Iraq, there’s no such thing as a graceful loser.
The splitting of votes among four main political blocs has led to a frenzy of legal challenges, political machinations and hurried trips to foreign capitals for help. Political leaders seem to be talking to everyone but each other. Maliki and former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi — both key parts of any coalition — have yet to meet. Instead, Allawi warned of the danger of a new civil war if his secular coalition and its Sunni supporters are ignored. He then flew off to Amman.
What will likely be the foundation of a governing coalition — Maliki’s State of Law and his former Shiite partners in the Iraqi National Alliance — are deeply split over who would be prime minister.
“Maliki is behaving like the head of a corporation and not a political list,” said Baha al-Araji, a senior official with the Sadr movement — most powerful bloc within the Iraqi National Alliance. “What held us back from forming a coalition before was Maliki’s insistence to be nominated as prime minister."
Over the past two years, Maliki has alienated almost every political ally he ever had — particularly the Sadrists against whom he essentially waged war when he sent in the Iraqi army to take back Basra from the Mehdi Army — a key reason for his popularity in the polls.
With followers of cleric Muqtada al-Sadr holding 40 seats in the new 325-seat parliament, a substantial part of the new government will be made up of a party that refuses to talk to the U.S.
The Kurds — another essential part in any coalition government — are holding out for the best deal they can get on disputed territories and the status of Kirkuk. But first they have to make peace among themselves.
A June congress in Kurdistan is designed to smooth over differences — between President Jalal Talabani’s Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the upstart change party, and Kurdish President Massoud Barzani’s Kurdish Democratic Party — that threaten to keep the Kurds eternally divided.
“It’s interesting that we’ve seen fairly little in terms of Kurdish issues so far — I think that’s partly because the Kurds need to get their own house in order and try to get an agreement on a common front on negotiations with Baghdad,” said Sean Kane, a former U.N. expert on Kurdish issues now at the U.S. Institutes for Peace.
On the security front, U.S. and Iraqi forces say they have arrested or killed more than 100 Al Qaeda in Iraq members so far this year, including its two top leaders. The arrests seem to have made serious inroads into the insurgent network but the organization and its allies are far from dead.
Just this week, a series of bombings in the south of Iraq and attacks in Baghdad killed more than 100 people in the deadliest day so far this year. The top U.S. military commander in the south said he believed inter-Shiite fighting was more likely to blame than AQI.
Whoever is to blame, the real fear is that Iraqis will again lose faith in the ability of security forces to protect them and turn to Shiite militias and Sunni extremists to protect them — the genesis of the civil war four years ago.
So far, Iraqi security forces have managed to maintain a veneer of security and the Sadrist’s Mehdi Army remains waiting in the wings rather than openly out in the streets. But that threat is being held in reserve.
“They are committed to restraint,” said al-Araji, who says many of the dozens of injured in bombings last month were shot when Iraqi soldiers, despised by local residents, began firing randomly. “After the explosions it was possible for them to do anything. They could have stripped the army of their vehicles and their weapons in one hour. ”
In the U.S., most Americans have put this war behind them. But the most burning issues here are far from resolved. In this broken country, the issues that the U.S. grappled with and now faces in Afghanistan are still looming. Endemic corruption has replaced insurgent violence as one of the biggest threats to stability. In many places, crime and intimidation overrule the rule of law.
And with Iraqi political parties deeply divided, even the long-term existence of a country that encompasses the Shiite south and the Kurdish north could eventually be in doubt.
“Can we live together? That’s the question,” said a senior Kurdish official. | {
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Can cN0 and pCR limit axillary surgery in some breast cancer patients?
CHICAGO – Patients with clinically node-negative HER2-positive or triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) who achieve a pathological complete response in the breast after neoadjuvant chemotherapy could benefit from clinical trials to evaluate the option of omitting axillary node surgery in this population, according to a retrospective analysis of more than 22,000 cases in the National Cancer Database reported at the Society of Surgical Oncology Annual Cancer Symposium.
Dr. Judy C. Boughey
“With advances in systemic treatment options and targeted therapy, we are seeing high pathological response rates in patients with breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, especially in patients with HER2+ disease and patients with TNBC,” senior author Judy C. Boughey, MD, professor of surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn, said in an interview. “This is prompting the question of whether surgery on the breast and on the lymph nodes is always required and whether we can identify patients who have had an excellent response and could potentially avoid surgery.”
The analysis involved 22,695 patients who had clinical T1 and T2 disease and had NAC followed by surgery from 2010 to 2014. The goal, she said, was to evaluate rates of nodal positivity (ypN+) in patients with and without a pathological complete response (pCR) following NAC by tumor subtype across both academic and community settings.
“Response rates to NAC have increased,” Dr. Barron said. She cited previous reports that showed response rates ranging from 9%-13% for anthracyclines to 19%-26% with the addition of taxanes, and to 60%-70% with the addition of trastuzumab and pertuzumab in HER2+ disease. “Furthermore, we know that tumor biology affects response rates, with TNBC and HER2+ disease having the highest rates of pathologic complete response,” she said.
“In the current era when we frequently operate on patients, we find no residual cancer in the tissue at the time of surgery,” Dr. Barron said. “The question arises as to whether we can limit surgery in patients with a pathological complete response.” While imaging has limited ability to reliably detect pCR with 100% specificity, she noted that recent trials have shown the potential of tumor-bed biopsy to identify pCR in patients after NAC (Ann Surg. Published online Oct. 23, 2017. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000002573; JAMA Surg. 2017;152(7):665-70). | {
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My Disney Class podcast
Season 3 and D23
Released: Aug 1, 2017
Season 3 and D23
Welcome to Season 3 of My Disney Class Podcast! Ryan and Howie are thrilled to be starting their third season co-hosting the show and are incredibly grateful to all the listeners for tuning in. In this episode, we look at the big announcements that were made at the bi-annual D23 conference. This may have been the biggest year yet with announcements about a new Mickey Mouse themed attraction, completion of Toy Story and Star Wars Land, a Star Wars themed hotel experience, and much much more!
Thinking about how Disney makes these big announcements and changes got us thinking about how educators do similar things as the new school year approaches. We discuss some of these common practices that educators do over the summer and how we can make magic when we return to the new school year. Changes are never easy but they are necessary for advancement. Remember what Walt said, “Disneyland is something that will never be finished. It’s something that I can keep developing. It will be a live, breathing thing that will need change.” | {
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Max Meyer’s search for a big-money move goes on
The former Schalke player has been left without a club on the eve of a new Bundesliga season. Once touted as one of Germany’s greatest prospects, he may be in danger of stalling his career with unrealistic demands.”Christian, before we start, we need to determine whether we’re talking about the same player, then you can make me an offer,” began football agent Roger Wittman. “I’m talking about a world-class player, someone who would be a first-choice selection at any of Europe’s top clubs.”
Christian Heidel, Schalke’s sporting director, was taken aback. It wasn’t Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi’s agent on the other end of the line, but the agent of one of his own players. Max Meyer, fresh off the back of another season of solid development in royal blue, was nearing the end of his contract. Heidel had been keen to negotiate an extension with an exciting prospect.
“He’s a very good Bundesliga player,” Heidel responded. “One with great potential but one that can still improve.”
In Heidel’s opinion, a 22-year old with a lot still to learn wasn’t yet worthy of a contract worth in excess of €100,000 ($117,000) a week. Unfortunately for the player and his agent, it appears Europe’s top clubs agree with the Schalke boss. Three months after Heidel appeared on Sky Sports to reveal his side of the conversation with Wittmann, a deal is yet to materialize.
Marseille were reportedly interested in securing Meyer’s signature earlier this month, only to back out of a deal once his terms were revealed. Arsenal and Liverpool were also put off by his demands, according to British media outlets.
On paper, a young, technically gifted Germany international, capable of playing in a number of midfield positions, should walk into a top club – particularly on a Bosman. He’s got the stats to back up the talent, too: Of those who attempted more than 1,000 passes in the Bundesliga last season, only three midfield players were more accurate, and they all played for champions Bayern. He was second overall in possesion won in the final third last season; only Daniel Baier of Augsburg won the ball more than his 96 times. Schalke coach Domenico Tedesco’s decision to move him into a deep-lying midfield role proved a stroke of genius as he flourished as the Royal Blues finished runners-up to Bayern.
Liverpool were woefully short of midfield reinforcements towards the end of last season. They’ve spent lavishly this summer but surely a move for one of Germany’s hottest young prospects would have interested Jürgen Klopp? Money is seldom a stumbling block for Premier League clubs, so if the reports are to be believed, the player’s attitude must have set alarm bells ringing.
By contrast, Jadon Sancho, who impressed the Bundesliga towards the end of last season, rejected a higher wage at his former club, Manchester City, in order to further his development abroad at Borussia Dortmund. Kevin de Bruyne left a lucrative gig at Chelsea in 2014 in order to fulfill his promise at Wolfsburg. He eventually earned a move to Manchester City.
While a deal is bound to materialize at some point – Meyer was linked with Hoffenheim and Premier League club West Ham just this week – there is little sign of the bidding war Meyer and his agent must have expected, and he now finds himself at risk of slipping further out of Germany coach Jogi Löw’s post-World Cup plans.
If Meyer is to still realize his potential at a top club, he may need to do more than lower his wage demands; he may have to convince a possible suitor that he is motivated by more than the bottom line of his bank balance. | {
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Sounders draft Indiana forward Zavaleta in 1st round of MLS draft
Sounders FC came into Thursday's MLS SuperDraft with the No. 16 pick in the first round, but Seattle traded up with Toronto to get the 10th pick, then selected Eriq Zavaleta, a 20-year-old forward from Indiana University.
Zavaleta scored 18 goals during his sophomore season, was named the unanimous Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, and helped lead the Hoosiers to a national championship.
Share your comments: Log in using your HeraldNet account or your Facebook, Twitter or Disqus profile. Comments that violate the rules are subject to removal. Please see our terms of use. Please note that you must verify your email address for your comments to appear. | {
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Wednesday, December 31, 2014
On the spirituality page of the Catholic Times the columnist mentions meeting with a priest only a few years younger, who still had his youthful looks."What is the secret for staying so young?" he asked with an inkling of jealously."Thanks, for thinking so. There is no secret, I am living with a community in which we are sharing happiness and for that I am grateful.""You must be busy in the parish work?"
"All is very ordinary. By the way, interestingly, at the last pastoral council meeting we did make a big decision.""What was that?""In the area of the parish, because of poverty, many have registered their marriages but have never had a ceremony. The parish decided to take care of all the expenses for the marriages."
"Are you saying that it will be completely free for those who want a marriage ceremony?"
"Yes, for those who can't pay for the photographer we will take care of even that expense. We have arranged for the guests to have a meal at a restaurant close to the parish that serves a beef soup with rice, and is very tasty. However, if they find that a burden the parish will feed them a noodle meal at the parish hall. We will be responsible for all the expenses, for the flowers and the use of the facilities. It will be simple but all free. Even one of the Catholics who has a large beauty shop has offered to take care of the preparations for the make up and the hair dressing needs for the bride. We are taking pride as a community to be able to help those in need."The columnist hearing what his friend said remembered the words of a parishioner he heard some years before. They were looking for a beautiful parish Church with a large parking lot. But when they went to ask about the ceremony, the expenses were such that it was impossible to think of having the ceremony in the Church. The poor are not welcomed.The columnist on saying good bye to his friend before he took the bus to his parish offered to preside at the services if necessary. His friend laughed, and got on the bus. He was proud to see a pastor do something about the problems with marriages in the Church.
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
A recent topic of discussion was the video seen on the news and the internet of a monkey who saved the life of another monkey, electrocuted on a railroad track in India. Seeing the unconscious monkey his fellow monkey with great effort tried to revive the
monkey by biting the throat and face and ferociously shaking the
monkey. There was a pool of water besides the track in which they
repeatedly dumped the monkey and at the end of 20 minutes of frantic
effort on the part of the two fellow monkeys the unconscious monkey was
revived. Those seeing this video were heard to say monkeys are
better than humans in showing concern for one another.The
columnist of the Peace Weekly on the opinion page of the paper
expresses sadness in hearing that in this present society such words can
be heard. Humans are in a higher state of life but we see actions in
our world that do not even reach that of the monkeys in the video. Our
intellects should help us act humanly. Our intellects do not only help
us to live human-like but nuture a mature faith life. Reason is a great
gift given to us by the Creator that not only leads us by love to God but helps to open our eyes to his presence.In society
we see many whose faculty to reason has been paralyzed. Many are the
young people who have become accustomed to blurting our abusive language
very naturally. We have children who abandon and kill their parents; quarrels among family over inheritance. Issues that you would not
imagine happening in the animal kingdom, and we are living in
an enlightened civilization.Jared Diamond in Guns,Gems, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, a
best seller, is quoted as saying: 'As civilization grows the human
family bonds get weaker and with stratification of society tenderness begins to disappear.' The society that we have made with wealth has made for a class society and our descendents will see the results. However, Diamond says there is no reason
to be frustrated for with our reason we can work to make things work
out differently. We can recover from the decline caused by money, the
lack of virtue and the individualism in society by our efforts to purify the society. However, if we are to be successful in purifying
our civilization we have to use our reason and begin with a respect for
the dignity of the human person. "Another cause of slavery is corruption on the part of people
willing to do anything for financial gain. Slave labor and human
trafficking often require the complicity of intermediaries, be they law
enforcement personnel, state officials, or civil and military
institutions. This occurs when money, and not the human person, is at
the center of an economic system. Yes, the person, made in the image of
God and charged with dominion over all creation, must be at the center
of every social or economic system. When the person is replaced by
mammon, a subversion of values occurs” (Pope Francis' Peace Message 2015).The
columnist ends his words by asking all of us to help the world that is
dying be energized by the breath of God. We have to assist in this
work and not give up. We have to nurture this dream in our
communities.
Monday, December 29, 2014
How does one get rid of a fixed idea? This was a topic in a round
table discussion sponsored by the Catholic Digest. One of the
participants, a priest nearing retirement age, looking over his own life
experiences, expressed his opinion. Often he says
people would come to him with their problems; expressing their
frustrations and looking for help. Financial, family, marriage problems
and the like, and he would listen. During the listening he would ask questions, if not clear, or get clarification in what was said, in most
cases those who came for help end up with their own solutions.Many who came for help were filled with anguish over their
situation and by just talking over the issue they found release from the hold their thoughts had over them. When they found
peace from the encounter with the priest it gave him great joy.In
his own life what brought him much joy and peace, and the stimulus to
change his way of life was time spent in meditation. He remembers
hearing in a lecture the words 'God of history' which entered his
head not to be forgotten. The way God entered the life of the
Israelites, God was entering his own life and he wanted to uncover the
ways he responded over the years. He was not
baptized as an infant but while in the sixth grade of Elementary School,
and he went on to the seminary high school. He felt that he was being
led along the way by an invisible hand, which was God's will for him. As
a deacon he wanted to go to Germany for studies but although the other
students failed the test he thought he would pass the screening, but he
also failed. If he had passed the exam he would have been ordained to
the priesthood in Germany but having failed he was able to be
with his family at ordination.He was given a
scholarship to study in France where he went on to study Asian
philosophy hoping to write about theology from an Asian perspective.The studies helped him greatly to look for the will of God in his own
life. Finding what God wants from him is where he is able to find
happiness.This is the best way of not being a slave to obsessions that can bring havoc into our lives.
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Today is Holy Family Sunday and the sermon in the Seoul Bulletin
wants us to see an aspect of family life we overlook. A celebrity who
because of some irregularities was absent from the limelight for some
time made an appearance on the stage and told the audience: "When I was in trouble it was only my family that gave me support and strength."
When the priest hears these and similar words he feels uncomfortable. Often we reduce the meaning of family to suit are special understanding of
what a family is. It becomes a shield to protect ourselves and to exclude
others. From whom do we get our biggest scars? The
hurts usually come from those that I know best, from those nearest to
me. Those who are not close to us, even if the words are meant to
inflict great harm, they don't do much damage. We have little difficulty
in ignoring them. But it is different with those close to us:
violence in the family, conflict between the parents, indifference to
the others in the family is another matter. Violence in the family is
so embarrassing one is not able to speak about it. Many psych themselves to say it is no serious problem but the scars that are inflicted, contrary to what we may think, are many.Not
far in the past we had many families living together in rented homes in
the same building. Provided the owner was a decent person, they would
all live in harmony concerned with each others needs.Today with the advances that have been made, many of the needs
have disappeared. But the members of the priest's generation remember those days and how the families lived harmoniously with one another.We
have become independent of others with the technological advances. Neighbors have disappeared. We have become oblivious of our surroundings. We are
only concerned with ourselves and our families. When we watch the news the problems of others have no connection with ourselves.
He concludes the sermon wondering if we are not just interested in taking care of the needs of the family and all else is immaterial.We
call this the feast the Holy Family. Confucianism
has influenced our society to a great extent and the virtues of
humanness and etiquette have helped to make the family strong. Filial
piety was strongly emphasized. Christianity has introduced God, and his providence, by remembering we are members of many other communities helps to make our families holy.
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Reading with the eyes only is not reading. Likewise seeing an image
only with the eyes is not to see. The Catholic Times' column: Electronic and Book World wants us to reflect on the meaning of these words.What
we see, read or hear requires an effort to interpret the meaning. We
are living, buried in an avalanche of information and when it gives no
meaning to our lives it is of little value. There is much reading with
little understanding which makes us functionally illiterate. She quotes
Alvin Toffler who said that modern illiterates: "no longer want to
learn and are not able to read the information they receive."When
I read something and remember it there is some meaning. The difference
between meaning and no meaning is vast. When we read or see something
this should not be a simply act of reading but with perception we gain
knowledge and meaning by the process of interpretation. This requires
the activity of the mental and spiritual dimensions of the person. A
research team at Washington University in the science of the mind, she
explains, discovered when something was see without any meaning only a
small area at the back of the brain was activated but when the same
thing was see and given meaning new channels were opened. The moment
meaning was added to the reading more neurons in the brain were
activated, two and three times more. When we perceive and interpret, our
mental world can't help but be changed.Don't we say
we see the world with the personality we have developed? We
perceive and act according to the meaning we have given to what we have
seen, heard and have become aware. When we stay at the level of
seeing and hearing and don't enter the process to find meaning, we have no hope of changing the way we live. What we see is
not the real, but we make it real by our awareness and interpretation. It will
depend on how much meaning I can give to what I read that will make the world come to
me. Daily we have to ask ourselves are we encountering the real world?Daily,
in the subway, walking, in the work place when we are fingering for words, images and sound are we just seeing and enjoying the
superficial world in which we are in, and live without meaning as a
wanderer and illiterate?
Friday, December 26, 2014
Today the Maryknoll Family in Korea with many other priests and a large congregation said the the funeral Mass for Fr. James Sinnott who died on Tuesday Dec.23. The Mass was offered in the Church of Repentance and Atonement in Paju, 50 kilometers northwest of Seoul. The Church was built with the help of both North and South Korean artists. The mosaic on the left is the work of the North. Father Sinnott came to Korea in 1960 and after language study was a assigned to the diocese of Inchon where he worked in pastoral work, built a hospital for the sick, and showed the love of Jesus to the alienated in society. The funeral sermon mentioned the prophetic role that Fr. Jim was forced by his own loving heart, and inability to accept injustices, to work against the injustices he saw. During military rule eight innocent persons were condemned in 1975 for being members of the so called "People's revolutionary Party" and after torture and their 'confession' they were executed the day following sentencing. Fr. Jim with a Protestant missionary George Ogle were deported because of their activities in opposition to the execution. In a retrial in 2007 all eight were acquitted and the families received a large compensation. This injustice which Fr.Jim saw made him sensitive to injustices in society. He was invited back to Korea and in retirement began painting and giving his paintings to others in his outreach in love.Below is a poem by Fr. Jim Sinnott written for his 80th birthday and read on the visit of the families of those who were executed, and came to celebrate the day with Jim. We included this poem in a blog in 2009 and recopy it for today.
Write it downBefore it goes away:Eleven people sitting round a tableOut on a lawn under a treeHere where I live now,Remembering the things we did,Attempts against some thingsHappening here in South KoreaMore than thirty years ago:Men falsely accused, jailed unfairly –One of them, eight years imprisoned,Sitting next to me andThe widow of anotherSitting at my other side.We are gathered here todayBecause I’ve just turned eighty,A thing impossible to dream ofIn one’s early years,As impossible as the eventsThat happened here in South KoreaMore than thirty years ago,Events that knit us into one,An inseparable fabricLabeled by security policeThe “In hyek dang”The Peoples’ Revolutionary Party,That phony dictator’s concoction,That lie that changed our livesAnd made widows of these womenAs well as years-long prisonersOf twenty other men.Eight men were hangedOne early morning, an evil solsticeMore than thirty years ago, nine April,When for us the sun stood still,A day declared “Black dayIn the history of jurisprudence”By the lawyers of the world;A day etched in the memory of my guests today,Gathered round this tableOn the lawn outside my houseFor an eightieth birthday celebration,An occasion no young personOf my generation gives much thought to,Anymore than one would planTo be involved withMurderous judicial decisions,Torture of the chosen victimsWho were innocent of any crime,As an apologetic nationFinally admitted -Thirty years too late.And so we gather at this tableAnd reminisceAbout the ways we tried to fightThose terrible decisionsAnd we sing again the songs we sangAs we paraded on the streets,Breaking the “peaceful order” lawsOf those dark times of martial law;Eleven men and women sitting at a table,On this day, this summer solstice,Remembering, together,Before we also go away.James Sinnott, MM
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Christmas is here, a pastor writing for Bible & Life helps us
to meditate on the words of John's Gospel: "The Word became flesh and
made his dwelling among us" (John 1:4). Jesus is the Word a very
meaning-filled 'nick name' that fills us with awe. Poets often use
metaphors in their poetry and here we have a metaphor that is more than
a metaphor."In the beginning was the Word; the Word
was in God's presence, and the Word was God. " This is the way the
Gospel of John begins. A very mysterious existent being who was with
God before the creation of the world. "Through him all things came
into being, and apart from him nothing came to be." God had an
assistant at the Creation of the world. We accept this being as Jesus
Christ. "He is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all
creatures. In him everything in heaven and on earth was created" (Col.
1:15-16). In I Cor. 8:6, " For there is one God...and one Lord Jesus
Christ, through whom everything was made and through whom we live."
Jesus is called the word and we can see this prepared in the Jewish
Wisdom literature.In Proverbs 8:22, Wisdom is of
divine origin. It existed before all things. In Sirach 24: 3-9, we have
Wisdom coming from God and is distinct from him.In the Book of Wisdom: God of my fathers, Lord of mercy, you who have made all things by your word(Wis.
9:1). And in Revelation 21: "This is God's dwelling among men. He shall
dwell with them and they shall be his people and he shall be their
God..." The writer continues in this vein but at the end says it is
perfectly alright to forget this complicated explanation of the Word in
the Wisdom literature. God's Word. God's Son, God himself came to the
earth.Sufficient it is to remember that God became a
human because he loved us. We should never forget this. God found a
resting place among us. Humanity was overjoyed and is there anything
that expresses the meaning of Christmas more clearly.In
the history of humanity there have been all kinds of words uttered
about God many of them empty words. Jesus came as the definitive Word
of God and we need to indelibly inscribe this on our minds and hearts. A
word that does not include God, a word that doesn't come from God, a
word that only remains a word with no flesh are all empty words.
Jesus was the one in which life and wisdom were united. He is the one that told us openly to eat him.
Empty words are cheap and are scattered every which way when troubles
come. Only Jesus the true man and true word came to embrace us. A Blessed Christmas
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
A priest in the Seoul Diocese who is responsible for the pastoral care of the deaf and dumb, and is himself handicapped, writes in the Bible & Life Magazine about the words that have encouraged and energized him.He lives in a home with priests who are working in special ministries. He is the only one with a handicap. Community life, he says, is not easy for he can't hear or speak. While eating he sees the other priests talking and laughing, he is not able to participate and it makes it difficult to get close to the priests, and he remains alone in his eating. He tells himself he is not alone, and comforts himself with the thought that Jesus is always with him.When the estrangement gets deeper, even when he has something to talk about he does not go to his fellow priests. When this continues for any long period of time the relationship with his brother priests becomes awkward, and his identity as a diocesan priest becomes weak. Fortunately at one of the seminars there was a priest who knew the sign language and was able to translate for him. That day he was able to communicate with all his fellow priests. One of the priests approached him and said: "Father Park, a priest is not a loner, you have to be one with us!" These words he said with force. They were like a small light coming into the cave in which he had enclosed himself, and enabled him to come out of the cave, and relate with his brothers. His fellow priests did not treat him as handicapped but warmly and with hand signs communicated with him as fellow priests.
During free time many of the priests who liked soccer were preparing for a match and he was going mountain climbing. An older priest seeing him, called him to join them in the match. He didn't have the proper shoes and it was somewhat difficult but he joined them, and was thankful to the priest who called him. Shortly after a priest gave him a pair of soccer shoes. The gift meant a great deal to him. One day before a Mass for sponsors he was praying before the tabernacle when a parishioner got his attention and asked to go to confession. He told her that he was not able to speak or hear but she insisted that she go to confession. He explained that it would have to be with written words and she agreed. After the confession he saw her tears and he was thankful that she insisted for he realized that he could also hear confession without the sign language with which he was accustomed. He looked upon the parishioner as an angel.
When he is in low spirits it is these encounters that bring him out of the cave. "Father Park! you are one of us, when you have some difficulty less us know, we will help you, take courage!" These and similar words have given him strength, and is grateful. He is thankful for words of encouragement and for the many who continue to support him and bring joy into his life. At this time of Christmas it is good to remember how just a few words of encouragement can inspire and give strength.
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
The columnist in the Peace Weekly recalls an incident that happened
back in the 80s. Unexpectedly a friend asked if he was interested in
going to the home of a student for a meat meal. They walked along a back
street for some time before they came to a small room where he prepared
the table with pork belly slices.They were both
college students and teaching in an evening school for workers. Many
of these types of schools at that time were located in Seoul. This
particular school was managed by the Church. He himself was a half baked
materialist but it made no difference in being hired.His
friend bought the meat with his savings, and they had plenty to fill
their stomachs. On the way back he asked his
friend what was the occasion for the party. The friend said the student
had TB and with the medicine, he needed some good protein to help in his
recovery. What his friend said left him flabbergasted. His friend would go once a week to the room of the
student to prepare a meat meal. They were both
the same age; he respected his friend but what his friend was doing
impressed him greatly and he wondered what enabled him to be
so altruistic.He leaned later on his friend was
thinking of the priesthood. Wanting to be a priest was all strange to
the columnist but it gave him an answer for his question. He became
curious in what motivated his friend. At that time the Church was
speaking out about justice issues in society. He later became a Catholic and his
friend went on to become a priest.No one with
words lead him to the Church, he said, it was the example of his friend that
aroused his interest. At that time he went to his first Mass at
Christmas. Later, with his camera, for twenty years he has taken pictures of
places were Jesus was being experienced by many believers. He became
director of the TV work and has not always been pleased with what he has
seen, his weak faith has hit bottom and he has returned. Often in the
darkness all around, he cries out: "Where in the world are you?" And
yet he fortunately has been able to return to the time with his friend
and his Christmas Mass. At that time he left his atheism and because of
his friend saw another way and he returns to the warmth he experienced
there like returning to the homestead.
The disciples of
Jesus after the trauma of the crucifixion and resurrection wanted to
return to their first days with Jesus in Galilee. This was the land of their first Christmas
and they remembered the warmth of those days. He will be trying to do
this during these days of Christmas with programs
prepared for the Christmas season for the Peace Catholic Television
Channel.
Monday, December 22, 2014
He was was born and lived in a little village surrounded by
mountains, both in front and back, left and right. The sky was less
visible than the mountains. He grew up without any toys for it was the
mountains and fields that were his playground, nature was his plaything.A
diocesan priest writing for a bulletin for priests reflects on what
this has meant for him. As a child his spiritual life was
composed of going to the mission station Mass against his will. The 14
stations of the cross on the wall only made him fearful. The mountains also caused fear
in his young heart but when he was hurt he would climb the
mountains; they received him graciously which gave him consolation
and peace, and for this feeling he was thankful. The mountains were like
a father to him. Even today when he prays the Our Father and says the
words heaven he sees the mountains of his childhood.There
was talk of turning this village into a dam and at that time he was
responsible for the justice and peace work in the diocese so he
worked together with the citizens to revoke the plans. During this time
he began to see the need for the Church to get involved in preserving our environment. The plan for the dam was
cancelled and he began to study the theology of ecology.Living
in the city and growing accustomed to the life he realized that he
was becoming alienated from nature. The emptiness he was
feeling was the estrangement from the natural, and dreamed of walking
the earth and fingering it again as he did as a child. The chance came
suddenly when he was given the work to head the Catholic
Farmers Association in the diocese.Since he was
responsible for the work among the farmers he decided he would have to spend time
getting acquainted with farming and spent a whole year full time
farming. The association had an old school
building that was used to educate farmers who were returning to the
farms, and a school for ecology. Being again close to the mountains he remembered his own dead
father. He walked again the earth barefooted, it felt so soft and
comfortable. The work was hard but there was great satisfaction, and he regretted not having done this earlier.The
Free Trade Act has opened the market to all the countries which will
bring hardships to the farmers. He feels strongly that this was a
lack of responsibility on the part of the government and repercussions will follow in the life of the nation. He also sees this
affecting our spiritual life. His work he sees as sacramental in being
one with the old people, and helping them to continue on the farms.
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Both Catholic papers had a review of the new book by the Cardinal Emeritus of Seoul, Cheong Jin-suk: In Pursuit of Happiness. Cardinal Cheong has published a new book every year from the first year of
his ordination on some aspects of spirituality. In the pursuit of
happiness, it is necessary, he says to reflect each day on what we have
done and continue to ask ourselves daily the important questions about
life. We need to ask ourselves how are we reacting with those with whom
we are living; we can't find happiness by ourselves.The
Cardinal seeks answers not only as an individual, but as a member of
society and with a universal dimension. Because we are human we can
change. When we become mindful of God's Providence all changes.He
wants us to ask: Who are we? The first fundamental question and
secondly: Where are we going? The ultimate question about life. To stop
with our parents is not sufficient when searching for why we are here,
nor is it sufficient to see our end as returning to the earth. Before we
die we have to find the answers to these questions.We
need to evaluate our lives, ascertain what are our values, educate our
consciences, determine the meaning of freedom, and the root of sin.
This is the first step. Secondly, we search for the common good,
remember solidarity of the earth family, the need to communicate, basics of language and see our human life as a part of the extended family. The third section has to do with evolution and the place of
God's providenceHe sees the advance of science as a
part God's providence and not as science opposed to theology. Creation
did not begin with everything all complete but was to evolve in God's
providence. When we consistently listen to the word of God and want to
understand the word, we begin to experience God.
When we work to live in harmony with God's Providence we find
happiness. We are weaving daily a tapestry;
depending on how we are relating with those around us, giving them hope
and joy or inflicting sadness or pain, will determine the kind of
tapestry that we will present to God, and will determine the success we
have made of the gift of life.
Saturday, December 20, 2014
The Diocesan Bulletin has in previous weeks addressed the culture
in which the young people live. Postmodernism and neoliberalism were
explained and this week we have the culture of cyberspace in which the young people live. The Salesian Priest
continues to explain the culture in which the young are living. Cyber culture is the network that both the older and younger generations
feel at home. Three distinctive features are listed.1)
A diverse culture: anonymous (at times dangerous elements appear),
and continues to create and allows one to express his own variety of
desires.2) Community culture: Each is able freely and
equally to enter the internet, one can communicate with those with the
same likes, and establish or join a community, share knowledge and
exchange information.3) A culture that produces:
prosumer (a blend of producer and consumer) (the user of the internet)
= the one producing and the consumer are both present. We are not only
passively receiving but making contents to appear on the site. There
is a new kind of communication. What is this
cyberspace culture in Korea? We have developed greatly in the multimedia
field and continue to do so. Moreover, 94 percent of our young people
are using the internet. Korea is number one with high
speed internet access. However, there are some misgivings about our
situation, he admits.
Some of the nearby Asian countries
have developed the knowledge, educational, and medical fields for the
general public. Korea on the other hand has developed the fun, and
entertainment elements: music, literature, movies, art, media and
pornography content. This he considers an embarrassment.
He explains why this was the case.
1)
We did not begin with an elite group but went directly to the general
public. Korea because of the IMF period of financial difficulty, they
were too much tied up working with the principles of capitalism.
2)
Society, for security reasons, was repressed and controlled and the
internet allowed many to express themselves freely and vent their
frustrations.
3) The technological properties of the
internet: globalization and creativity are open to the users of the
internet. Productivity of the internet continues. Fundamentally the control of the internet is difficult.
We have given the technology of the internet and its business
potential first consideration.This allowed us to ignore the soundness and the
cultural aspects of the internet and consequently now see the inadequacy.
Friday, December 19, 2014
In the Catholic Times the Desk columnist presents us with two Korean maxims which he wants us to reflect on as we come to the end of our calendar year. "Time to see the old year out and the new year in." And secondly: "Find a guide into tomorrow by taking lessons from the past." The second maxim we need to follow at all times, but fail to do so because of laziness. These two maxims he says should work together. The first one has to do with a government official who has been changed and a new one has arrived. When the new person comes there is a new environment that begins. But at the same time we remember to learn from the past so we wont make the same mistakes in the future. Whether it was failure or success, we learn from the past and with the new knowledge and understanding we begin again. History becomes a way of learning for the future. With the new year we throw to the winds the hurts of the past. We don't want to tie ourselves to the frustrations and despair of the Sewol disaster. We learned from the disaster to guide us during the new year. The new allows us to say goodbye to the old, but we also learn from the old how to live in the new.Pope Francis approached the parents of the victims of the tragedy not because of some teaching of the Church, or some ideology or political position, but because they were hurting. He was showing mercy and concern.
This mercy was shown in the way the synod was recently conducted and the way next year the discussion on the family will continue. Pope Francis is following the method of changing what needs to be changed to be closer to the teaching of the early Church and the apostles. The elements that do not serve the purpose he wants to discard and those that help us to be more Christ-like he wants to retain. We Christians with the experience of baptism and the cross rid ourselves of worldly values, and recover the values of the Gospel. We work for our personal reformation in which we throw out the harmful, but also learn from the old to prepare for the new.
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Life is the repetition of waiting, meeting and leave taking. We wait for the right mate, for our children and grand children. We wait for the subway to arrive, workers for lunch time, waiting for the telephone to ring. The farmer for the rain, the student for graduation and a job, and the one who bought a lottery ticket for the windfall. We wait with joy and anxiety in our hearts, with hope and expectation which fills the passage of time. With these words, in the Peace Weekly, a columnist reflects on the waiting for 'Advent' and for God.
While in elementary school he remembers going to the streetcar station to wait for his mother. She was not in the first or second cars and continued to wait until late in the evening with all kinds of thoughts entering his mind. The waiting at the home would have been the same kind of waiting, and he doesn't remember why he went to the station. He was worried and when his mother finally arrived he was at peace and happy.
While in college and waiting for the girl that became his wife he recalls the same feelings. During the day remembering the date with his fiance, the work became heavy, and the whole day was filled with expectation. When the promised hour for the meeting had passed, and she was not there, the same complicated thoughts that he had as a child entered his mind.
Even though we are waiting for the Lord, the waiting for his mother and the girl that became his wife are not the same. The history of the Jewish people was a waiting of 4000 years for an 'Advent'. The Christian hope is a hope for all people, and we wait for the coming at the end of time. Come Lord Jesus: (Marana tha), the last words of the New Testament.
In the liturgy of the Mass we have two expression for this waiting. In the Nicene Creed: "We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come." After the Our Father: "Deliver us, Lord, from every evil, and grant us peace in our day. In your mercy keep us free from sin and protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ."We are all waiting for God in our own different ways. He mentions one of the most beloved novelists Choi In-ho (Peter) who died last year and according to his daughter who asked her father has the Lord come yet? Answered "No". This was repeated on three different days and on the last day, the day of his death he answered: “God
is here. I saw him. Okay. Let’s go,” these were Choi’s last words, according
to his daughter Da-hye.
On our last day of life will this be the way we will be waiting for God. Will my last days waiting for the Lord be filled with irritation and regret? If the Lord does not come what will happen to me?
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
The new liturgical year has begun, and we are now waiting to begin
another calendar year. Sadness was evident during a great part of the
year, not only the loss of 304 victims in the Sewol tragedy but also
many other incidents and a social environment that has left many of the
citizens with a heavy heart.The columnist on the
opinion page of the Peace Weekly reminds us of the plight of the
irregular- workers (working by contract and without a full time
job). This situation is getting worse. The leaders in our society by
their words and actions dishearten many in our society. Surprisingly,
they blame those who speak out against injustices and corruption as
hurting the peace and security of the nation. The press and those
enforcing the law are protecting those who blame the ones speaking
against the injustices of society. However, he asks, if those speaking
out remained silenced would we have a more peaceful society?Many
of the Documents of the Church we hear repeatedly that peace is the
realization of justice. Peace is not just the absence of war. Nor is it
maintaining a balance between two hostile forces. St. Augustine in
the City of God spends time showing how it was the corruption in the
Roman Empire that led to its downfall: lack of justice in the society.
For Augustine justice was to give every person what was due. When this
is not followed the persons should be punished.
God
in creation has given us an abundance of resources, plenty for all to
eat and live and when this is monopolized by a few we have an injustice.
When we merely follow the supply and demand principle and allow the
growth of the irregular workers we are increasing the numbers who are
being driven to live inhumanly, and what they should have is being taken
away. St. Augustine in Book IV of the City of God cries out that a
nation without justice is like a band of robbers.
We don't
lose hope concerning our own situation says the columnist. We are never
going to get the peace we want on this earth. Augustine accepts this as
given. We call this among Christians original sin. Once we forget this
we will be faced with much anguish and frustration in life, but we
continue working to search for the ideal and never give up, but the
complete peace will only come in the here after. For a Christian our strength comes from God. In John 14:27 Jesus says: "Peace is my farewell to you, my peace is my gift to you; I do not give it to you as the world gives peace. "
He concludes the column my asking us to accept the peace we have
received and have the courage of love to make it present wherever we
are.
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Computers are becoming our minds, and we are living without our heads. The
religious sister in her weekly column in the Catholic Times wants us to
consider why we are becoming more intellectually lethargic. She
recalls her trips on the fast trains, less time consumed but was
more tired at the end; and wonders if this is because we are
not following the natural rhythm of life.
In our
technological advanced society, we are going at a
faster rate than our bodies have been programed to function: riding in cars, cleaning the house,
washing the clothes, all helped along with machines. Marshall McLuhan said: "we shape our tools and afterward tools shape us." According to McLuhan, machines are the extensions of the human body. She admits that when she sits down at the keyboard of
the computer the thoughts come to her much faster than the way she used
the pencil in the past. No need to look for
information, knowledge, understanding, or remember it, for it is all in
the computer, the computer has become part of our central nervous
system.Scholars have shown
that many of our children are intellectually lazy, and there are some
who lament the situation. Many students are non-rational, fragmented, and haphazard in their search. All they need do is go to the computer and search, no need to memorize. They read
quickly but the time they have to concentrate is little, and they find it
difficult to overcome tediousness in their studies. She
quotes a poet who wrote: "I found that when I shut the book I left my
head inside." She feels this is all too true for many of us. No time, but I wanted to do something, and started reading a book,
and when I closed the book I forgot all that I had read. The same is true with a search, after reading all is forgotten. The computer becomes
our brains and making us lazy and stupid.With
a plethora of information we lose our desire to use our brains. We are under
the impression we know it all, and can find anything we want with
ease; this paralyses the body and mind. When we search for
knowledge and make it our own we are alive with the meaning, and with
the joy that comes with the process, and we are filled with satisfaction. She
finishes her column by reminded us that instead of trying to
impetuously try to keep up with what is going on in the world, might it
not be better not to know all, be slow and enjoy the lack of
what we think we should have. We need the leisure to enjoy this lack.
The multiplicity of the equipment of the digital world will continue to increase, when we try to keep up, precious time will be lost. Amid all the changes, should we not be concerned with what does not change?
Monday, December 15, 2014
Aegibong is a mountain that faces North Korea.
In the Peace Column of the Peace Weekly we are told the historical
significance of the name. Back in the time of the Sino-Korean War the
governor
of Pyeongyang province, to escape the invasion of the Qing forces took
his mistress and fled. He Hoped to cross the Han River but was captured
by the Chinese forces, and taken to the North, only his mistress was
able to cross the Han River. She continued to look at the Northern sky
waiting for her lover. When she died she wanted to be buried on a peak
which overlooked the North.In 1966 Park Cheong Hee,
the president, visited the mountain, and understood the
feelings of the mistress towards her lover were much like the anguish of
the families separated by the division of the two Koreas, the peak was
named Aegibong.
Using
the telescopes on the observation platform of Aegibong one is able
to see many of the villages of the North and the displaced persons now
living in the South can look for their villages they had to leave.
Most
of the citizens know Aegibong as the place they light the Christmas
Tree. The lighting ceremony makes the news but as in the past it is
surrounded with much commentary. Right after the Korean War in 1954 they
began decorating a pine tree with Christmas decorations. In 1971 they
erected a 30 meter tower which was decorated with Christmas lights. The
Protestants prepare the tree for Christmas and have a lighting
ceremony. The ceremony is to celebrate the birth of Jesus and to pray
for the peaceful unification of the country. However, North Korea
considers the setting up of the tree, that can be seen within
North Korean territory, as a subversive act and an incitement to war and
oppose it.
Back
in 2004 when the two Koreas were talking to each other at the request
of North Korea the South stopped the Christmas lighting ceremonies but
they resumed in 2010. The tower that was used in the past for the
decorations was considered old and dangerous and was torn down; in
its place a 9 meter temporary tower was erected by the Protestant
Christian Confederation with the permission of the Ministry of National
Defense.
The
North Korean Religious Council considers the tree a vile
psychological tactic that incites to war and is putting pressure to
prevent the ceremonies to proceed. The villagers also who surround the area
are very much concerned because of the threat of the North to not stand idly by if they have the lighting ceremony.The villagers say they will use
physical force to prevent the lighting of the Christmas tree. They are
afraid of the bombing of the area and the danger to the villagers.
The
columnist ends up with a question for the rest of us Christians. Christmas is a time of peace and we have a situation that forebodes
confrontation. How would Jesus look upon the situation?
Sunday, December 14, 2014
During the liturgical year we have many reminders of where our
attention should be directed, and today in Korea we think of the poor in
our society and share what we have with them. The third Sunday of Advent
is Almsgiving Sunday in Korea, and also Gaudete, (Rejoice Sunday) reminding us
we are to live with joy in our hearts. We have a
message from the head of the bishop's welfare committee that reminds us
of the many poor in our society. There are about 4 million Koreans who
are living in extreme poverty. Families with three members that do not have the minimum that the government has determined a family needs to live.In
the bishop's message he mentions that in a recent survey made, 86 percent
of the Koreans find living difficult. The quality of life in Korea is
one of highest in Asia, one of the economic strong countries in the
developed world, and yet many of the citizens consider life difficult: they work hard and have little time to rest. There
is good reason for this when we remember that Korea is a divided
country, and with all the talk of war, nuclear armaments, and occasional
belligerency, the ordinary Korean is not without serious worries about
the future. The country is surrounded with three giant countries which
have not always looked favorably on the South.The top
20 percent of the citizens are earning 6 times what the lower 20 percent
are earning. Neoliberalism is a strong economic philosophy that
influences a great deal of society. The philosophy has helped Korea progress very
quickly in the ranks of the economically strong countries, but also at a
great price. The students are well educated and have shown this in
comparison with other countries but here again the competition is
unrelenting, and for the losers a cloud that remains with them for life.Christians, the bishop reminds us, can't separate the love of
God from that of our neighbor. We have all heard that even a nation
cannot eradicate poverty, it is the work of all of us. We need to participate in improving the way of life for all the citizens,
and to help all live in the manner fitting a human being. Joy in
life should be a given for all; sharing what we have with those who
have less than what they need is to be doers of the word and not only
hearers.
Saturday, December 13, 2014
The Desk Column and the editorial in the Catholic Times presents
us with thoughts on the 'Social Gospel Awareness Week' which follows Human
Rights Sunday, the second Sunday of Advent. The columnist mentions the respect he has for a friend who graduated
from one of the three premier colleges in Korea, SKY: Seoul National
University, Korea University and Yonsei University. Not only graduated
from one of the best schools but is a member of a well known
Protestant Church, and lives in one of the better areas of Seoul.
However, he has been labelled a follower of the North (meaning for many with Communist sympathies).He
is not overly concerned with this turn of events and found some
encouragement from Pope Francis' words while in Korea concerning the
North. He feels that his friends just don't understand him, and still has
a bright disposition.
There are many who have a wrong understanding of what the Social Gospel is all about, and think
that it should not be our concern. This he says is not understanding
what Catholicism is all about, for it has to do with the ten
commandments, and living them in our daily lives. The
teaching of the Social Gospel appears in the Catechism of the Catholic
Church in part three:Life in Christ. When we refuse to accept this
teaching we are abandoning what it means to be Catholic. The popes
in their exhortations, encyclicals, pronouncements have made
this our formal teaching. We are able to see life in society, politics,
economy, labor, peace, the environment, life, human rights, and many
other issues with the vision that comes from the Gospels.
The Church is like a boat making its way on a rough ocean. We need a compass to find the way.The Social Gospel is the compass that shows us the way. When we refuse this direction we are only accepting half of what Jesus has given us. Can we call this a mature faith life?
Friday, December 12, 2014
In Korea there are many things that are illegal but you would
believe were legal. An article in the Peace Weekly begins with the words
of a doctor turned ethicist who mentions a news story where 117
persons were apprehended for child pornography and of that number, half
were in their teens and one third of those were in elementary school.Doctor
Lee was a well known gynecologist who is now teaching at Catholic
Universities the ethics of life. He received his doctorate in ethics at a
university in Rome last year. In 2008, at the age of 64 he decided
to go on to study moral theology.He wanted to find
out why God made male and female to be one. Why was the Church
opposed to artificial birth control and condoms? He wanted to find out
where the roots of this teaching on life came from. This desire as a
Catholic to find the reasons for the culture of life teachings,
at his age was difficult, but he was adding to the knowledge he
had as a doctor, which made it very satisfying.The
doctor was now more interested in the moral issues associated with life than the field of gynecology that he had devoted most of his
life. He was now interested in natural child birth, problems with birth control, abortion, stem cells, suicide and the other issues connected
with the culture of life. He now wants to share his knowledge with
others.Korean society has little teaching on sex which
is a large problem. Schools have given up on sex education which makes
it open for all kinds of distorted views. By the coupling of the male and female, we have new life and the meaning of this life:
morally, philosophically, is to be taught within the Church. There are
certain elements that can't be taught with medical and
scientific knowledge.
Doctor Lee has entered late into
the movement for life. Even though he is well on in years, he feels
it is a call of God, and wants to dedicate the rest of his life to the
movement. In Evangelium Vitae (#5), Pope John Paul II addressed an appeal to all of us: "in the name of God: respect, protect, love and serve life, every
human life! Only in this direction will you find justice, development, true
freedom, peace and happiness!"
Thursday, December 11, 2014
On the spirituality page of the Catholic Times the columnist writes about the heart of a young person. A quality that most of us find very attractive especially as we get old. The columnist met a follow priest at the cathedral parish who was there to get some Mass wine. They hadn't seen each other for some time so they went to a coffee
shop for quiet time. His friend mentioned they started a
catechism class in the parish and one of the new catechumens was an
unique individual.What do you mean by unique? asked the
columnist. His friend mentioned the man was in his 50s and a person who was successful in life. The reason he gave for wanting to come
into the Church was the example of the pope in his visit to Korea. The
man followed very closely what the pope was doing on TV, and was greatly
impressed with what he saw.The appearance of the pope
was that of a young person, said the man. He wanted to have that same
kind of heart and joined our catechism class. Hearing his story the
friend was embarrassed in comparison, for he was doing it all without any religious belief. Although he was the president of a company that
was successful he did his own driving, and his clothes were very simple
as was his life style. From the profits of the company he was putting some of it back into the society to help the poor, and was personally involved
in helping others. The only person that knows about his service to
others was his fiance The columnist was surprised to
hear that he was in his fifties and not married. His friend was not able
to give him any information on his home life for he hadn't questioned
him yet, but his whole manner was one of humility and simplicity, said
the friend.Persons young of heart may not be a quality
that is easily recognizable but it has an irresistible power to
attract. We are all searching for peace, security, happiness, and in the
whirlpool in which we live these qualities of life are not easily possessed. The man in his fifties was attracted to an old man, the pope,
who showed the spirit of youth. This was his motive for entering the Church. This is a rare motive but one that should be more common. St. Paul did tells us that the body grows
old but there is no reason why the heart (spirit) has to grow old. In
Jesus, we will find that the dreams and youthfulness that should be a
part of our life even as we near death, can be found in him.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
"We can count on many lay persons, although still not nearly enough, who
have a deeply-rooted sense of community and great fidelity to the tasks
of charity, catechesis and the celebration of the faith. At the same
time, a clear awareness of this responsibility of the laity,
grounded in their baptism and confirmation, does not appear in the same
way in all places. In some cases, it is because lay persons have not
been given the formation needed to take on important responsibilities.
In others, it is because in their particular Churches room has not been
made for them to speak and to act, due to an excessive clericalism which
keeps them away from decision-making" (#102). And again,"I readily acknowledge that many women share pastoral responsibilities
with priests, helping to guide people, families and groups and offering
new contributions to theological reflection. But we need to create still
broader opportunities for a more incisive female presence in the
Church" (#103). Words of Pope Francis in the Exhortation: Joy of the Gospel.The
issue of women in the Church is ongoing, and the Korean Church
has been concerned with the lack of satisfaction on the part of many
women for a long time. Pope Francis has shown his interest in expanding
the role of women within the Church and the Korean Church continues to
work to implement what has been the direction, but there are
roadblocks along the way.The Bishops' Subcommittee For
Women was begun with a need to empower the women in the Church. The
recent seminar of the Subcommittee discussed women's work in the present and future. Both Catholic papers had articles on the seminar
and mentioned a presenter who very clearly expressed the opinion that we
have heard often that the clergy have to change their way of thinking
and attitude towards women if we want to see change.The
first presenter at the seminar, a seminary professor, who expressed the
above opinion also expanded to say in the Korean Church women's role
has been a supporting one, and discrimination is readily seen. In the
questionnaires and surveys taken among the women we continue to see a
desire for a smoother way of communicating between priests and women, a desire to see a change in the patriarchal mind caste, and to be in
the decision making in parishes. All realize without the participation
of the women with their special gifts, sacrifices and capabilities we
would not be able to maintain the parishes.Two women
who are now presidents of the parish council gave
talks at the seminar. One stressed the need for educational programs for women. The first women to have the position as parish council
president in her parish mentioned how difficult it was: physically,
internally and externally. The atmosphere in the parish was cold but
with her efforts in being the first to greet the parishioners, and going out of her way to be of service to the community the gaze of the
parishioners soften, and she began to get people encouraging her.
One
of the men mentioned that a woman president gives the women confidence,
and inspires them and we have a mellower way of being a leader but we
are not able to sit down for drinks and relate easily with the women. In
our traditional society to be in that position is cause for uneasiness
for many.
The time away from the family is a
problem for a woman, and the misunderstanding that may arise in the
family. One of the men mentioned the need for the woman, if she is a
homemaker, to make good use of her time and not to hear from the family
that she is spending too much time at the Church.
The
efforts of the Church to bring the women into the decision making of the
parish life continues, since most of the workers in a parish are women,
we will see an improvement with the conscientization we have had over the years. | {
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} |
I was drawn to the Baha’i Faith by the kindness and sincerity of the first Baha’is I’ve met. Later, through them, I became more and more fascinated and drawn to the sense and logic of Baha’u’llah’s Teachings. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
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Home Remedies for Bed Bugs
Home remedies for bed bugs
Remember when your mom use to say “sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite?” When I was a little kid I didn’t think bed bugs were real. But now I know they are real and they can potentially be dangerous.
They are little ugly bugs that crawl around in your bed and bite you at any chance they get.
But don’t worry…
There are a few simple home remedies you can use to help get rid of bed bugs. Use these home remedies for bed bugs to prevent getting bed bugs as well as to get rid of them.
5 Home Remedies for Bed Bugs:
Remedy #1 – Wash Anything That Could Be Infected with Bed Bugs
One of the easiest things you can do to get rid of bed bugs is to wash any and everything that could possibly be infected.
That includes linens, bed sheets, pajamas and any article of clothing that might have come in contact with your bed.
When you wash make sure the water is extremely hot. This is the only way to kill off the infestation. Bed bugs will die in very hot water.
Remedy #2 – Vacuum Bed Bugs Away
After you have washed everything give your room a good vacuuming.
Use your vacuum on everything.
Toys, computers, chairs and anywhere else bed bugs could make a home. If it can be vacuumed, vacuum it.
Remedy #3 – Wipe Everything Down
The third of the home remedies for bed bugs is to wipe everything down and clean well.
As you can see, cleaning is the main key to getting rid of bed bugs.
Once you have vacuumed your area you should go back and wipe everything down. Use Lysol or some other disinfectant to make sure everything is free of germs or possible infestations.
Remedy #4 – Use Heat & Stem to Kill Bed Bugs
Bed bugs cannot survive in extreme heat.
By steaming your mattress with a bed bug steamer you can kill off the bed bugs almost immediately.
What you have to remember is that bed bugs lay eggs. So even if you get rid of an infestation, you might still have some eggs that can eventually turn into eggs.
That’s why a steamer is the perfect solution to your bed bug problem. It will kill of EVERYTHING. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Final-final, Final read-through?
Up again, thanks to enthusiastic drivers honking their way to a wedding.
Got up earlier and started yet another read-through of the story parts but the need for sleep took over. Therefore, the Final-final, Final mentioned above: will happen later. At this point, the characters feel like a bunch of visitors you’ve spent a lot of time with and wouldn’t mind missing for a while.
Plus, an anecdote a street artist told me yesterday and an invitation to use someone’s house on the Greek island of Skyros for… seventy euro (month). Both notions playing havoc with my concentration, the first as a kernel around which to fashion a new story; the second for nothing other than the obvious appeal of seeing Greece again and waking to the sight and sound of the sea.
Meanwhile: street festival, day 2. And the intriguing business of circumstantial magic, as told to me by a stilt-walker. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
My name is Elena. My brothers (I have five of them. FIVE.) nicknamed me Elena the Paina because I happen to have a temper. Mom says I am getting better, but you never know.
I love all the animals I live with, books, and (although when I am supposed to be doing school its a nusiance.) daydreaming. I love God, and all my family, and all of my awesome friends.
Pages
Monday, May 24, 2010
Took them long enough to send it. Its still only half full, and with it so hot out today I am really anxious for it to be filled!
Tiana, Christopher and I went wading in it yesterday. It was awesome. I even did Dorksville dances in it! :D (For those who don't know what that is, its mostly the macarena, chicken dance, and disco.) So yeah. Dancing in a half full pool, dreaming that it will soon be ready!
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Me, Stewart and Ava where wandering outside today, looking at all things that are spring. Flowers, bright green grass, apple blossoms.....WAIT A MINUTE!!
Gross, ugly caterpillar nests!
I broke of the end of the branch and smashed it with a rock. "EWWWWW!!" Ava and Stewart said in unison. "Look here." I said and squished one with my thumb. This got another chorus of ews, but Stewart had to try it to.
He got a little twig and wrecked havoc on them. I grabbed another one and gave it to Stewart. Ava screeched. "Don't worry Ava." Stewart said soothingly. "They won't hurt you. CAUSE I'M GONNA CRUSH THEEEEEM!!!!" And he jumped on them laughing maliciously. | {
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Integrating Digital Touchpoints
This is all about integration. And to get integration correct, you need collaboration between interested parties. I find that to be the most challenging issue with enterprises. But imagine if a POS knew about a... | {
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Can PhotoModeler model long road scenes?
Yes, PhotoModeler can measure and model long road scenes. PhotoModeler was the first photogrammetric product to offer Project Merge – expressly to assist in this function. The idea is to capture the scene as a number of sub-projects of length up to approximately 150 feet long each (or longer with high resolution cameras).
The basic scene photography guidelines do not change much but some extra consideration should be given to overlap and shared points across adjoining segments. The Project Merge function is used to merge all the smaller projects into one larger whole using measured translations, or shared points. Alternate methods include using a sparse network of control to tie many photographs over a large area together, or using pre-incident or post-incident aerial photography to tie the ground photography together. | {
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What I’ve Been Reading (June)
When I saw Kristen’s review of this book I knew it was right up my alley and I loved it! It’s the classic tale of how one decision can completely change the course of your life. The book opens the night that Hannah Martin moves home to L.A. after years of moving all over the country for various reasons. That night, the decision to go home with her high school sweetheart or to go home with her best friend after a night out leads her on two very different paths. From the opening, each chapter switches back and forth from one life to the next and I liked how this allowed the two stories to be told simultaneously. I enjoyed the author’s writing style and this was such an easy read. I got through it in a couple of days because I really wanted to see how each life played out. In the end, I liked the way both stories ended and couldn’t really pick an outcome I like better. This is a great summer beach read!
This has been on my to-read list for a while so I used my Audible credit for it last month. There’s a lot of “girl” thrillers floating around right now and I think this one measured up pretty well. It captured my attention from the very beginning and surprised me a few times. The ending was a shock too. I didn’t see it coming. I really didn’t like any of the characters though, at all. Overall, it was a good thriller, just missing that WOW factor. As a side note, I recommend going for the printed version of this book, I found the Audible narrators to be super annoying.
This was my first book for the Semi-Charmed Summer Book Challenge (a book set in the Appalachan Region). It was a random choice but a good one and I really enjoyed it. A granddaughter narrates what it was like growing up with her strong-willed mother and grandmother in rural North Carolina and what life was like for them during WWII. I wouldn’t say there is a definitive plot, it’s more a collection of anecdotes from the events that these three generations of women experienced, mostly in chronological order. I loved all three women, and they vaguely reminded me of the bold women in my family and the stories I’ve heard about my grandmother and great grandmother. I also listened to this on Audible and really enjoyed the narrator. I highly recommend this book if your looking for a quick, endearing read.
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It seems like everybody read The Good Girl this month and it’s gotten overall stellar reviews from everyone. It’s added to my list! I need to grab one of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books too. They sound right up my alley.
Maybe In Another Life and The Good Girl have both been on my list for a while, and obviously I need to get to reading them quick! I also felt the same way about Exposure To A Billionaire. It just really fell flat and wasn’t worth my time at all.
I really liked it too! I will definetly be trying some others by Taylor Jenkins Reid!
Hey there! I'm a Twenty-Something, Dreamer, Doer, Coffee Lover,
Book Nerd, TV Addict, Mama to Furry Babies. Most importantly, thankful to God for each day. Pretending to adult but not taking it too seriously. Welcome to my little slice of life!
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My (Sort Of) Adult Life participates in affiliate advertising programs. This means that if you click or make a purchase through certain links on this site, I may receive a commission. All of these links are to items I have purchased or would purchase myself and all opinions are my own. | {
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Vacancy Listing
Contract Personnel are urgently looking for C+E Drivers in Eye. Our client is a Local Haulier who operates both nationally and Internationally, they have over 20 years experience in the Industry with a Large Fleet of vehicles. They pride themselves on the professionalism of their organisation. They are looking for C+E Drivers for both Day and Night Shifts, this is an excellent opportunity for ... more about C+E Day and Night Drivers WANTED in Eye Suffolk
C+E Drivers URGENTLY Required in and around the Eye area
We Can Offer You:
Industry Leading Rates of Pay
Both Ongoing and Ad Hoc Work
Day, Night and Weekend assignments available starting Immediately
Various work including General Haulage, Multi Drop, Tramping, Night Trunking and Fridge
For further information please contact the Driving Team on (Apply online only) or ... more about Contract Personnel has HGV/C+E/Class 1 work in Eye Suffolk
Maintenance Technician
Based near Eye, Suffolk
Hours: 0830 – 1700, Monday – Friday with 1 in 3/4 weekend oncall rota.
We are currently seeking an experienced Maintenance Technician to join a busy Facilities Department based near Eye, Suffolk. A vital role in maintaining the company’s facilities, you will have a natural customer focus, exceptional standards of workmanship and the confidence to ... more about Maintenance Technician
My client is a well established firm based in Eye
Their Facilities team based at Eye are seeking an experienced Maintenance Technician, ideally with a mechanical bias.
This role is vital in maintaining the company’s facilities and so they are looking for someone who has a natural customer focus, exceptional standards of workmanship and the confidence to work independently when required.
As a ... more about Maintenance Technician - Mechanical Bias
Production Manager
Salary: Basic up to £40,000 + Benefits
Location: Eye, Suffolk
An excellent opportunity has become available for an Production Manager to work for a leading food manufacturer in Eye, Suffolk. Managing a team of Production Operatives and having full responsibility for all of the production lines within the factory, this is an exceptional opportunity to join a business with ... more about Production Manager
Manufacturing / Production Operatives
Eye, Suffolk
Temporary / Compedative hourly rate
Hales Group are looking for additional manufacturing / production operatives with immediate effect due to increased production requirements for their client based in Eye
Candidates applying for the positions will need to ideally have hands on experience within an engineering / mechanical / production ... more about Manufacturing, Production
Electrical Maintenance Engineer (Day Shift)
Salary: Basic £33,508 + Benefits
Location: Eye, Suffolk
An excellent opportunity has become available for an Electrical Maintenance Engineer to work for a leading food manufacturer in Eye, Suffolk on a Monday - Friday Day Shift. Completing Maintenance, Repair and Breakdown duties whilst playing a vital role in Project work that happens on the site, ... more about Electrical Maintenance Engineer (Day Shift)
Mechanical Assembler required for permanent engineering company based near Eye. Based in the main production you will be assembling brass and stainless components, working from drawings using some basic hand tools. These products will be inspected and tested, built to a high specification.
Ideal candidate must have experience of working within an engineering assembly environment, able to read ... more about Mechanical Assembler
Maintenance Engineer
We are looking to recruit a Maintenance Engineer for a well established and expanding food industry manufacturer based in Eye, Suffolk.
The ideal Maintenance Engineer will have a proven track record in reducing machinery downtime and previous experience as a Maintenance Engineer within the food or FMCG industry.
The company produce and manufacture herbs for the ready ... more about Maintenance Engineer (Days)
Cooper Lomaz are currently supporting a Food Manufacturer in the Eye area as they expand their Payroll team and recruit for a Payroll Assistant. This is an excellent opportunity to join a thriving company that offers a support environment.
Reporting to the HR Manager, the Payroll Assistant will be comfortable running hourly, weekly and monthly payroll for a team of circa 250 staff, and ... more about Payroll Assistant
The Just Recruitment Group are recruiting for a Payroll Administrator to join a well established company based in Eye, Suffolk.
Duties include:
*Responsible for the preparation and processing of the four-weekly payroll for approximately 150 employees on the Sage payroll system. (This includes the entire cycle of payroll processing from capturing of new employees,, leave, terminations and check ... more about Payroll Administrator
Design Manager (Structural / Civil / Mechanical)
Eye, Suffolk
Excellent Salary + Bonus + Pension Scheme + 23 days Holiday (rising to 25 days)
Excellent role on offer for an Design Engineering Manager looking to join an expanding, world leading business where you can have an impact on the growth and success of this highly reputable company.
Do you have experience of managing Design, ... more about Design Manager (Structural / Civil / Mechanical)
Engineering Manager (Structural / Civil / Mechanical)
Eye, Suffolk
Excellent Salary + Bonus + Pension Scheme + 23 days Holiday (rising to 25 days)
Excellent role on offer for an Engineering Manager looking to join an expanding, world leading business where you can have an impact on the growth and success of this highly reputable company.
Do you have experience of managing Design, ... more about Engineering Manager (Structural / Civil / Mechanical)
Development Engineer (Structural)
Eye, Suffolk
Exciting role on offer for a highly motivated Structural or Mechanical Engineering Graduate looking to work for a world leading company where you can become chartered and progress your career to become a specialist within this niche sector.
Do you have industry experience within Structural, Civil or Mechanical Engineering?
This company are the ... more about Development Engineer (Structural) | {
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Sue — 149 days ago.Always use Tyreshopper for new tyres - excellent site very user friendly and queries are answered quickly. Most importantly excellent value especially buying run flat tyres
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Wayne — 415 days ago.I made an error but didn’t notice until confirmation came through. I rang customer service who amended my order instantly at no extra charge. | {
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During the whole time of his abode in the university he generally spent thirteen hours of the day in study; by which assiduity besides an exact dispatch of the whole course of philosophy, he read over in a manner all classic authors that are extant[…] | {
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‘Dabang Delhi vs Bengaluru Bulls’ Prediction:30 Jan, 2016 Pro Kabaddi League 2nd Match PKL 3.Dabang Delhi vs Bengaluru Bulls are going to played 2nd match of Pro Kabaddi League 2016 on dated 30th January 2016.’Dabang Delhi vs Bengaluru Bulls’ Prediction.The Official match timings are 9:00 PM IST.Match will be held at Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium, Visakhapatnam.‘PKL 3’ Schedule.Dabang Delhi vs Bengaluru Bulls Match Prediction.Bengaluru Bulls were the runer up in last year Pro Kabaddi League.www.superprediction.com.Both teams have good superstar Kabaddi players.This will be a close match between these two teams.Both will try their best to start the event in a winning mode.Ravinder Pahal and Kashiling Adake will play a vital role for the Dabang Delhi.
Super Prediction:
Important Note Must Read:
(This prediction is only for Kabaddi lover who wanna get the Kabaddi Info, not for gambling, betting or any other illegal activities.We will not responsible for any consequence. Thanks for supporting us.) | {
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See, How Effective is Milk For Cold Sores Treatment….
You are definitely going to use milk for cold sores after learning the awesome benefits of milk for cold sores you will see in a short while. Milk is many times a debated topic as some believe that once we are adults, we don’t need to drink milk anymore while others advocate the lifelong use of milk. You will today get an answer and this is surely going to be the end of the debate as today we will introduce you to a new cure for herpes as well as your health assistant. Whether milk cures cold sores or not is the secondary question, and before jumping straight to the answer, you need to know the basics of both- herpes and milk. It sounds stupid as what is there in milk that we don’t know? Well, if you knew everything about milk, you would not have been in doubt about whether milk cures cold sores or not. Do you know the natural composition of milk? What are constituents of milk?
Rarely anyone can answer these questions correctly and completely. So, let us try to introduce ourselves to the tool with which we want to defeat herpes and cold sores. Yes, herpes as well as cold sores are dreadful and embarrassing and treating it with something as common as milk is unimaginable, but sometimes what we perceive as common carries strong medicinal properties in it and milk is just perfect example. Milk is made up of water, some beneficial fats, extremely useful proteins, lactose (milk sugar) and minerals (salts). And this is not all as milk also contains pigments, enzymes, vitamins and phospholipids in minor amount. With all these components present in varying amount, do you still have a doubt about the medicinal capabilities of milk?
According to the reports given by National Dairy Council, milk is filled with nine essential nutrients that are extremely beneficial for our health. Not only this, it also is a natural source of calcium. Overall, we can say that milk has a significant impact on our health and body. But we are probably here to discuss the exact impact of milk on cold sores and the role of milk in preventing or treating cold sores. So, coming next is everything milk has or everything this wonder product can do to help you dealing with herpes and cold sores.
Benefits of Milk In Cold Sores
Milk can reduce the frequency of herpes outbreaks: To control the cold sores and to delete them permanently from our life, we must first get rid of the menace causing them- herpes outbreaks. And the good news is that you can reduce both- the frequency as well as re-occurrences of herpes outbreaks. And once you have something that makes it impossible for the herpes outbreaks to hit you, cold sores will automatically become a thing of past. What makes milk capable of preventing herpes outbreaks as well as cold sores? Actually, milk contains high levels of L-lysine and L-lysine is known to fight with the herpes simplex virus. It is L-lysine which is a famous home remedy to deal with herpes and you will be surprised to know that milk is a natural source of L-lysine. So, the L-lysine present in quite high amount in milk is responsible for reducing the frequency and preventing re-occurrence.
At many places you might have read about increasing the intake of L-lysine if you want to stay away from frequent herpes attacks, but several researches have also shown that the topical application of milk on colds sores is also helpful. Here is one important thing that every herpes patient should note. High lysine levels are good for herpes, but it is even more important to avoid foods that are rich in that are high in arginine. The point is to grab foods that are rich in lysine but at the same time have low arginine. Foods rich in lysine and low in arginine are favorable in herpes and luckily milk has the same ratio. So, go grab the bottle of milk now if you want to live a herpes free life.
Milk boosts the immune system: We have told you some general constituents of milk, but it also has some other beneficial vitamins and nutrients that help in boosting your immunity. Milk has immune boosting nutrients like Vitamin A, Zinc, Enzymes and also some extremely beneficial fats. Due to these, it has a direct impact on your immunity and once you boost up your immunity to a level where herpes becomes powerless and it cannot find a way to activate itself, you have blocked all the possible ways herpes can attack you. At this stage, you will not need any antibiotic for the normal infections as well as for herpes outbreaks. Your immunity will become powerful enough to keep you safe and healthy. In fact, those who have a strong immunity will less likely suffer from any infection, and herpes, undoubtedly, is one of the infections.
Milk for cold sores is good because it reduces stress: Milk is famous in the entire world for its calcium content and some other health benefits, but only a few of you are aware that it has a soothing and relaxing effect on our nervous system too. Milk relaxes the nervous system and hence reduces stress. But how can something as simple as milk do such a complex task of influencing our brain? Milk has anti stress minerals like calcium and magnesium, and these minerals help in lowering down the stress and anxiety caused by herpes outbreaks or any other reason. Stress is very common especially when you develop prominently visible cold sores suddenly. So, apart from treating the physical symptoms, it is important that you get something that works towards pacifying your brain too. And that is nothing but milk for cold sores.
How to Use Milk for Herpes?
Using milk is the easiest way to cure herpes and cold sores. Unlike other home remedies for herpes and cold sores, you don’t have to worry about the complexity of preparing any mixture, nor you have to bear some side effects. If you have milk at home, you can use that milk in cold sores. Using milk on cold sores can be direct topical application as well as indirectly by consuming. To prevent cold sores, drink milk a few times a week or as needed. The best way is to make it habit to have a cup of milk before your go to sleep every day. It will help you in fighting with herpes outbreaks and at the same time will save you from a dozen of other diseases by raising your immunity. Drinking simple milk is a good, but if you want a faster action, you can add turmeric to it. Adding turmeric to your diet makes a great healthy mixture that has some role in preventing some deadly diseases like cancer. So, add a pinch of turmeric to a cup of hot milk and drink every night. This is all you have to do to avoid painful and embarrassing herpes outbreaks.
This was indirect treatment, and in fact, prevention of cold sores with milk, but to use it as a direct treatment, you can use milk topically. To treat a cold sore, apply a tablespoon of cold milk to a cotton ball and touch it to your lesion for a few minutes. This will soothe your burning skin and will give you immediate relief in itching on the cold sores also. Gently wipe off with a moistened towel after a few minutes. And the best part is that you can repeat it several times a day. But, make sure to use raw, organic whole milk as it will give better results.
Precautions to be Taken While Using Milk on Cold Sores
There is no need to say that there are no side effects of milk and you can use it as many times in a day as you like, but there is one factor that you should consider. Blindly using milk in excess amount without realizing that the natural product is not at all suiting you may land you in trouble. You should first check it for suitability and increase the oral consumption gradually. Also, if your body does not accept milk as the way it should, you should first consult your doctor before taking it. Some people suffer from lactose intolerance and for them, it is not at all a wise idea to use milk and other such products without consulting the doctor. So, for these special cases, milk for herpes is not the solution, but for all others milk on cold sores works magically.
After reading this, one thing must strike your mind- why use those expensive and bitter antiviral medicines when what we need can be obtained by milk only? One reason behind this is lack of awareness and the other one can be over advertisement and over prescription of drugs for no good reason. Well, we really have nothing to do with these reasons, and the important thing is that we have finally arrived at a cure for herpes that is both harmless and effective. Now, the only factor on which your cure for herpes depends is the regularity with which you are going to use milk against cold sores. If you use it religiously, you are undoubtedly going to get unbelievable results. So, go ahead and try your new cure for herpes and you can do it today because you don’t have to travel miles to get milk, right?
Herpescure9.com provides the best natural remedies for herpes which have been tested by thousands of herpes sufferers around the world and found to be extremely helpful in treating herpes.The most important aspect of our herpes cure program is that it treats your herpes from inside by boosting your immune system. These natural herpes remedies are not any new discovery. In fact, they have been used since ancient times in traditional medicines.The evolution of medical science and along with it the medical industry, these natural solutions were thrown in the backside to ensure that the medical companies made good profits selling expensive medications. Holistic & Natural cures never have any side-effects as compared to pills and over the counter medications.
As far as herpes is concerned holistic & natural cure is the best option. | {
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Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza on Saturday conceded that India are the clear favourites to lift the Asia Cup T20 cricket trophy and only the familiarity with home conditions could tilt the balance in his side’s favour in the summit clash in Mirpur on Sunday.
India have been in rampaging form with four convincing wins in the tournament, including the 45-run thumping of Bangladesh in their opening league match, and Mortaza made it clear that “there was no debate” on who are the favourites in Sunday’s final at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium.
“We all know that Indians are clear favourites in the final. Let there be no debates or discussions on that,” Mashrafe said at a packed match-eve press conference..
“What we have got is a young team which has won matches playing as a unit. We still don’t have a T20 star, who can single-handedly win us a match. Crowd, pitch, conditions, everything will favour us in the Final but that can never ensure that we will win the final,” Mashrafe said.
While India Team Director Ravi Shastri termed Sunday’s final as “yet another match”, Mashrafe said that for his team which rarely make final appearances, it’s a “big occasion”.
“What Ravi Shastri has said is absolutely right. It is another match for them as they are used to hype and big matches. They can take it like 10 other matches. India has played big finals, won trophies. What is easy for them may not be that easy for us. But we are trying to focus on the game, shut ourselves from the hype and remain and play as normally as possible,” said Bangladesh’s ‘Captain Cool’.
Mashrafe said playing the final of Asia Cup T20 adds a “different flavour” but he personally rates playing the quarter-final of the 50-over World Cup against India in Melbourne last year as a “bigger achievement”.
“I believe as a captain, the biggest achievement was leading the team in the quarter-finals of the World Cup against India in MCG last year. This is certainly one of my bigger achievements but that quarterfinal stands out. That was a 50-over format and played in Australia,” the skipper said. | {
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Lorna V.'s Discussions
Lorna V.'s Page
Been dabbling with writing zines since last spring, starting with my first perzine Purgatorials. Just recently I started a fiction lit zine "Annie Wilkes #1 Fan" which are serialized adaptions of the novelettes I've been writing since I was a kid. Several other ideas are in the works-- they're seemingly neverending!
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"If you've tried contacting them through etsy convos and e-mail and haven't received a response-- especially after two weeks!-- I would put in a request to cancel the transaction through Etsy.
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This is a space to invite everybody to show their zine off_Add pictures and descriptions_I am trying to get a better idea of what people put in their zines and why_Add links to website/blogs_Open up discussion on collaborations+++++++++++++See More
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We invite you to take part in the First International Exhibition "ZINESHOW" in Ukraine. Participation is free. Any technique. Any theme and format. No return. Deadline: 15/04/2013. Exhibition on the blog http://zineshow.blogspot.com All works will be exhibited also in the gallery "tymutopiyapres" http://tymutopiyapres.blogspot.com is not a commercial gallery. Welcomed but not "necessarily" summary of your zine or about you or your creative work (this is necessary for further elucidation of the project and possible documentation). Zines for the exhibition please send air mail: "Zineshow" A/C 9875, Sadivnycha 19/1, 79038, Lviv, Ukraine. | {
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Ao no Exorcist: Brotherhood
Yes, they should totally make an Ao no Exorcist: Brotherhood and actually follow the damn manga, but that’s not the point of this post. Ao no Exorcist was a series that was about many things – an experience that was distinctly less than the sum of its parts – but it centered around the single most believable and relatable idea known to humankind: family.
In fact, the more I squinted at this show, the more I got the distinct impression that my brother should have been born a shonen protagonist and the son of Satan.
Basically, what I’m saying is that he’s Rin and I’m Yukio.
The theme of the younger brother outdoing the older brother in anime has been done to more recent acclaim in Space Brothers, but honestly, Hibito’s character is a bit difficult to swallow at times. And anyway, in AnE, it’s not so much that Yukio is better than Rin so much as they’ve picked different areas to excel in, which I think is closer to my own experience.
Before I get to the character-specific analysis in this post, let me tell you a story about my brother and how we interact:
My brother is the kind of guy who leaves the toilet seat up. His room looks like a tornado went through it. He’s great at playing music, but if I asked him what the capital city of Canada was, he would have no clue.
Last year, he went up to me and asked me to write his college essay for him. He expected me, who was two years younger than him, to write an essay for his third-year subject. “But you’re good at writing,” he said.
I didn’t have the heart to tell him that it wasn’t so much me who was good but more the case of him not possessing the greatest grasp on English grammar. But I said okay to writing his essay because he said he would pay me, and that’s what good siblings do.
I had no knowledge of this subject whatsoever. The essay topic was about Kant and Plato’s philosophies on music aesthetics. I said to my brother, “So what did you learn from your lectures?” and he said, “I use my lectures to catch up on my sleep time.”
But still, he was very eager to help me out, thinking it was his brotherly duty. “Look, look, I found a great source!” he said to me. “You can put this in the essay!”
After that, I decided to take this up in my own hands. I went to the library and read up on Kant’s Critique of Judgment and Plato’s Republic. Anyone who has ever been a philosophy student knows that Kant is unreadable and that Plato contradicts himself. Writing the essay was a difficult task and I felt worried about the quality. In my eyes, it wasn’t up to my own standards. I’d done my best with my crash course on music aesthetics, but I thought my inexperience on the subject showed.
I mentioned these concerns to my brother and that made him pretty worried. It was obvious he had taken my skill for granted. “I already failed the class test,” he said. “I need to get a Distinction for this essay or else I’ll fail the unit.”
“Oh gee,” I said. “Way to put pressure.”
It was a nerve-wracking couple of weeks waiting for the essay to come back. Finally, my brother came up to me and said, “I got the mark back.”
“What was it?” I asked anxiously.
He scratched his head, blinked a couple of times and said, “You got the highest mark in the class.”
Then he said, “Geez, you shouldn’t’ve worried about how much you sucked. Take a chill pill, bro.”
I threw up my hands at what he said, but I had to admit I was pretty relieved.
Of course, then it turned out that my brother, being absent-minded like he is, completely forgot to pay me the money he promised. But what he did do was buy Super Smash Bros Brawl and we played it together – I guess I got my money’s worth that way.
So what does this say about the relationship between brothers and siblings? Every pair of siblings has a different dynamic, but sometimes in fiction, it’s possible to see those little moments that make you think, “Yeah, that’s pretty universal.” I think it’s those moments, when you see a little bit of yourself in a story, that you get the most out of it.
In Ao no Exorcist, the sibling relationship comes off as pretty balanced. Rin and Yukio help each other out. And despite Yukio’s status as a teacher and his higher rank as an exorcist, Rin doesn’t begrudge him or feel jealous of him. Instead, in a good-natured way, he feels proud of his younger brother, just as I’m sure my older brother felt proud of me.
They do fight, though, and Yukio does have some deep-buried feelings of resentment towards his brother. Some of it has to do with their father (Shiro, not Satan), and some other part of it has to do with Yukio being human and Rin inheriting the demon blood. Yukio – the analytic, the overthinker – broods and allows this to bother him. That’s pretty human of him. But ultimately, he doesn’t let these feelings conquer him – and that too, is a testament to how strong the bond between the two brothers is.
Still, in the end, I have to say my favourite character from AnE was always Rin. A shonen hero through and through but always kind and always thoughtful. He could always do the little things Yukio thought he could never do. Watching him, I got flashbacks of a time when me and my brother were stuck on a mountain trail alone as kids. It was scary; I cried because I was such a crybaby back then. My brother climbed down the cliffs and held my hand through it all and smiled the whole way through it, saying we’d definitely get down together.
You have a good brother dynamic. I have three sisters so I am honestly jealous. You can’t share tentacle porn with girls and they embrace fujoshi as oppose to my passion for anime boobs.
As for a AnE remake, yes. I fully agree. Also, don’t let A-1 Pictures handle it. They know good manga to adapt but they seem to be in it for the merchandise sales for something. I’d rather have Madhouse do the remake.
Also, can they redo the scene where the brothers were conceived? it was one of the greatest moments in the anime and I find it a bit cheap that Satan was inside the same body as the woman he impregnated. i want a big muscled horny (wink wink) demon plowing the mother, goddamn it.
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I'm pretty lenient about cursing and sex jokes, but please don't post comments that attack others, especially on the basis of their gender/ethnicity/etc. I will be moderating those comments and I will block anyone who repeatedly comes off as an asshole. Thanks. | {
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ABOUT
Kinga & Ania
Jewelry Designers
Two sisters and best friends Ania and Kinga Kobak are talented, Montreal based (Canada) artists who create exquisite hand embroidered jewelry. They were raised in artistic family, surrounded by father’s paintings, striking charcoal drawings and wooden sculptures. Both were wearing mother’s knitted and crocheted outfits as their creativity and imagination fast emerged. Master of Laws degree for Ania, studies and experience in finances for Kinga helped them to excel in precision, attention to details, patience and perseverance. These factors along with creativity are so important in this demanding and laborious technique of jewelry making. In 2013 Ania discovered existence of embroidered jewelry made of silky cords and immediately it become their passion. The vision of endless possibilities began.
This embroidery technique is about stacking the colorful cord (soutache) in multiple layers and stitching them together with crystals, glass beads or gemstones. It is very time consuming, as it takes hours to make a pair of earrings and days or weeks to make a necklace. This jewelry is extremely light-weight so even an extra long, heavy looking earrings can be worn all day with no problems. Every piece is unique, versatile, stylish and luxurious. | {
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The Traits of Top Performers That Allow Them to Do More and Be Less Stressed: Banish the workaholic
What sets apart the most effective workers from their colleagues? A new study from corporate and leadership training firm VitalSmarts took a look the traits that top performers share.
In a survey of 1,600 managers and employees, the researchers found that 83 percent of leaders and 77 percent of workers say that top performers have less stress and increased productivity because of their habits.
According to the study, there are a number of factors that contribute to this reduction in stress. The participants said that top performers “ask for help” and are “not afraid to ask questions”, whereas the top complaints about average performers were a “lack of communication” or that they are “slow to respond.”
And these communication practices lead to very different outcomes. Top performers were described as “organized” and as having “good time management” and an “attention to detail.” Meanwhile, average performers were docked for having “not enough time”, a “lack of attention” and “no follow through.”
The researchers then had 2,072 participants answer a series of questions about how their productivity practices (or lack thereof) contributed to their feelings of stress.
People who scored high on the productivity assessment were 10 times less likely to agree with statements such as “I live in a mess -- cluttered office, buried desk, disorganized home” and “I often feel distracted. Can’t focus on one task at a time,” than those who received lower scores.
In response to the statement, “I often feel anxious. I’m never sure that I haven’t forgotten something,” high performers were 21 times less likely to agree than low performers. And when posed with the statement, “I often feel inadequate. I disappoint myself and others because I lose track of important commitments,” high performers were 88 times less likely to agree than low performers.
Ultimately, the researchers found that those high performers were also 55 times less likely to start projects that never get finished, 17 times less likely to have an inbox with too many unread emails and 18 times less likely to feel overwhelmed.
So if you find yourself wishing that you could level up at work, think hard about how you are spending your time. The study shows that you don’t need to chain yourself to a desk to be seen as more productive. Creating more of a balance for yourself will be reflected in your work and how others perceive you. | {
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Storm clouds are gathering for the U.S. economy, with ominous signs accumulating among both fundamental and technical indicators, according to veteran stock market timer Sy Harding.
Harding, author of “Riding the Bear — How to Prosper in the Coming Bear Market” that accurately predicted the 2000-02 bear market, wrote in his StreetSmartReport.com commentary that economic weaknesses are being confirmed by sagging commodity prices.
“Declining commodity prices usually indicate demand for goods is dropping and the economy is in trouble,” he said.
Among the basket of fundamental ills he cited were declines in new homes sales, durable goods and retail sales, as well as plunges in consumer sentiment.
Capping off the bad news was the Conference Board’s Leading Economic Indicators, which dropped 0.1 percent in March versus a consensus forecast for a 0.2 percent increase.
On the technical end, Harding detects a “negative divergence” forming between the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Dow Jones Transportation Average, and also between the blue chips of the Standard & Poor’s 500 and the Russell 2000 Index and thirdly between the U.S. market and big emerging markets.
“As the old saying goes, the market does like to climb a wall of worry,” Harding wrote.
“But with the economy stumbling again as it has in each of the last three summers, commodity prices tumbling and important global markets giving up, it’s no time to be made complacent about the U.S. market by its continuing resilience, which seems to now be on shaky underpinnings.”
“The telltale signs of another midyear slowdown are already evident in softer consumer spending, a barely growing manufacturing industry and a slower pace of private-sector hiring. The same seesaw pattern also occurred in 2012 and 2011,” wrote MarketWatch columnist Jeffry Bartash.
Economists polled by MarketWatch predicted economic growth in the United States will slump to 1.8 percent or lower in the second quarter. | {
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How is your 2018 Operational Strategy shaping up?
Before the year is rounded off, now is a good time to review the operations strategy you implemented in January and compare it to what you have actually achieved. Also, is there an opportunity to finish strong and start 2019 with a bang?
Past, Present and Future
Undertaking a review now will give you a head-start on 2019 and provide an opportunity to clear the decks of any incomplete items.
Operational metrics give you the ability to examine performance so the first thing you might do is inspect your operational numbers. If your systems can’t provide you with the information you’d like, now may be the time to start looking for one that does? If you do have that have that visibility, how does 2018 performance measure up to forecast? Another aspect you might consider is how your strategy and performance relates to the needs of your customers?
Whilst clairvoyance may not feature amongst your skills, the ability to spot trends and identify disruptors will help you to predict what could be happening in 2019 and
quality assurance programs will help in this area, as will market research.
Nuts and bolts
Now is the perfect time to review the condition of your equipment and assets, the performance and expectations of your staff, the requirements of your customers and the business challenges ahead.
This year saw the introduction of GDPR so is your data security up to scratch in terms of equipment and process? If not, again you might need to look around for the tools you need to make sure that you are up to speed in 2019.
How long does it take your equipment to boot up in the morning? Do you have regular maintenance scheduled? Tools like CCleaner are free and can help speed up your machine. Have your servers been tidied / cleaned and prepped for optimum performance?
Throughput shows how much data has gone through a database, web server or application server. Has your throughput gone up this year, will it continue to rise? If so, what’s the plan for either the slow down when you hit capacity or, better, to increase your capabilities.
Staff
How does your team view the business? Will they be looking for change in the New Year? Now is the time when people conduct their own career reviews. Taking time to allow staff to provide management with honest feedback and can be a great source of inspiration for you and them.
Customers
Customers are your life blood and CES and NPS programs can give you an idea of what your customers think about the way you interact with them; are you going to have promoters or detractors? What do you have to do to improve in 2019?
It’s industry award season again so why not have a look at who entered what, who won and why? What could you be in the running for in 2019?
2019
Now is the time to ask what it is you want to achieve in 2019 and to make sure that the business is ready for the journey | {
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Designed to be used in the event of a zombie Apocalypse, so you need to be ready
NOW because we have word they're on their way!
We’ve provided everything you will need to survive the ordeal for 3 days. Our kit
includes the basic necessities of food, water, lighting, warmth, first aid and survival
tools that are packed in a stackable, storable box with carry handle. A must have
for every member of your family and workplace. We’ve included a 3600 calorie energy
bar that provides three days of food, six triple-layered pouches that hold 4.227
fluid ounces of water, one box of 45 waterproof matches, six light sticks that glow
for 12 hours each, one mylar emergency blanket that retains up to 90% of your body
heat and opens to a large 84” x 52” size, a basic first aid kit with bandages, gauze
pads, prep pads, antibiotic ointment, etc., an emergency hammer with built-in seat
belt cutter and can be used to shatter glass, and a survival bracelet made of ten
feet of nylon cord for survival situations. The woven bracelet also has a built-in
emergency whistle, a sound the zombies hate! In the event we are wrong about the
zombie attack, rest assured that all food and water items in this kit have a storage
life of 5-7 years. Good to know because if they change their minds, then you will
have a great emergency disaster kit for use in the event of earthquakes, floods,
etc. Measures 10"L x 4"W x 8"H. 11-0021 | {
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Shroud of Turin Visited by Pope Francis
Sunday, June 21, Pope Francis visited the Shroud of Turin and executed a silent prayer. The Shroud of Turin has been visited by thousands of people since the exhibit was announced to run April 19 – June 24. The Shroud is believed by Christians to be the linen that was used during the burial of Jesus to cover his body after his crucifixion. However, some skeptics believe it is a medieval fake. Although the Pope said a prayer for several minutes before the linen, he did not state whether or not he believed it was the linen used to cover Jesus.
The shroud is kept in a protective glass case at the controlled climate Turin cathedral, and it exhibits a faint image of a man who died from a crucifixion on a 14-foot long cloth. Francis sat in silence in front of the case and lowered his head many times to look at his own reflection, then up at the linen. Once he completed his prayer he walked up to the case and placed his hand on the glass and then walked away in silence.
The Shroud of Turin has been visited by Francis and many other popes. The other popes described the shroud being an important artifact of faith and claimed that the linen is authentic. However, in 1988 Pope John Paul II visited the linen and he told sources, “the imprinted image on the linen raised a couple of questions about science and faith and needed it to be thoroughly analyzed.”
Francis attended a Mass celebration in the Turin square after his silent prayer with the shroud. During the celebration he told sources about his thoughts on the shroud by talking about Jesus’ love for people and stated,”the Shroud’s icon brings about a love that brings thousands of people together in Turin.” He also said, ” the Shroud pulls people together to embrace the expression of agony on the face and body of Jesus, while directing people to the suffering faces of those that have been wrongly persecuted.”
Turin is the Piedmont capital of the Italian region, and it is the heart of Italy’s auto industry. It is considered the blue-collar labor capital within the country. Although Francis was seen praying in front of the shroud his two-day visit was made to condemn exploitation of workers, particularly women, immigrants, and young people as victims.
Francis said in a speech held in the Turin square,” competition is increased by immigration, and migrants should not be victimized for being injustice in a throw-away economy of wars.” Following his argument he pointed out an obvious reference in northern Italian regions and European countries, which refused to take migrants that landed in southern Italian ports from the Mediterranean, after being rescued from overcrowded sailing of smuggler boats.
As the mass continued, Francis cited a poem from the local dialect that praised those that immigrated onto the region, like some of his ancestors who came to look for work. The Pope ran many errands while in Turin from visiting the Shroud of Turin, to fighting for immigration rights. He is heading back to Rome on Monday, June 22, after having lunch with his relatives that currently live in Piedmont. | {
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Event News
HOPPY EASTER!
The flowers are in bloom and spring fever is here. This Monday, April 17 marks Patriots Day and the 121st running of the Boston Marathon, always an egg-citing time of year! With the days getting longer, and summer swimsuit season peeking around the corner…we all recognize it’s time for a running tune-up. Though we love all the seasons, this is always the best time of the year to get out the door. And even more, inspiration is when running, walking or cycling includes a tasty post-race beer.
We’ve got an Easter Basket full of events just in time for a Spring Fling including the Pub Run Series on the third & thirstiest Thursday each month at a local pub or brewery. Use some Pedal Power and join us on our 6-Pack Trail Bike Cruise & Craft Brewery Tour which takes you on an amazing tour of FIVE breweries, plus a final stop at LUCK in Trinity Groves for dinner and final brew. HOP on down to Houston for the Santo de Mayo 5K on Sunday, May 7th — as it’s a running fiesta that starts and finishes at Saint Arnold Brewing Company! Follow the I-30 bunny trail to the monthly Rahr & Sons Oktoberfest social runs which take place on the first Saturday of each month at Rahr & Sons Brewing Company.
So be our running or riding-bunnies and get hopping, we will get your cute bunny tail in shape just in time for summer!
Time to fly!
Dallas is celebrating Love Field's 100th anniversary and to commemorate this extraordinary date you are going to have a chance to run on the runway! Talk about a flat and fast course! All participants will receive a gender specific dry fit style shirt and of course a custom winged finisher medal to mark the occasion! Plus you will receive an exclusive discount to the Frontiers of Flight Museum, refreshments and more! So don't get delayed at the gate, check in now and board this one of a kind race!
Earn Your Running Wings!
Oct 25, 2016 |
This Saturday join us for one of the most unique racing experiences of your life as you run/walk through a course filled with World War II themed aircraft including a B-29 Superfortress, P-51C Mustang, P5-1D Mustang, SB2C Helldiver, B-24 Liberator, A-26 Invader and many other transport, liaison and trainer airplanes. And to top it all off this historic and scenic course will allow you to run on the runway…talk about flat and fast!
A race for the rings & other fun things!
The InTouch Credit Union Plano Balloon Festival is a fantastic three-day event with gates opening at 4:00pm Friday, September 23rd at Oak Point Park, 2801 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano, TX 75074 and the last day of the festival closing on Sunday, September 25th at 7:00pm.
The festival weekend offers so much for entertainment for everyone, all ages, friends, family and everyone in between.
The HIGH-lights:
Live bands & entertainment on the FOX 4 community stage & the KLUV main stage.
Family friendly 5K Run/Walk & Kids 1K on Saturday morning. Don’t leave the kids with a babysitter, bring them out & create healthy habits early. Run or walk; plus kids in the 1K get a super, superhero cape to wear (instead of a shirt).
Take your running into the stratosphere on Sunday at the half marathon or buddy up with a friend because new this year the relay has been added so you can split up the miles as a team.
Race for the rings — earn a one of a kind trophy!
Two years ago the event director (Eric) was inspired by his love of football and the championship trophy rings of his favorite team (who is on the stairway to seven rings); he was introduced to a local runner who is also a sports fan — Eric Olschwanger (and is a jeweler too!). The two Eric’s came up with the custom PBF rings that go to the first place overall male and female finisher in the half marathon. So if you’re feeling speedy…join up and race for the rings!
Want more?
If all of this is not enough to convince you that this is the best local event to be a part of, then keep reading. All participants will be recognized for their air-mazing efforts in running and will be awarded a custom, six balloon finisher medal at the finish line. The half marathon medal is ginormous, four inches and is simply stunning — it spins and will be one of the most unique finisher medals in your collection for years to come. The 5K and 1K medals is just a bit smaller, but will also feature six balloons!
Want breakfast?
All participants can enjoy a hot breakfast after they run or walk. Yes we have bananas, yes there is water too; but you also get a yummy plated breakfast on Sunday for the half marathoners hosted by Central Market! 5K/1K participants will enjoy a tasty breakfast burrito on Saturday along with CLIF Bar & Corner Bakery.
GoGo Squeeze Zone & Other Treats
On the half marathon course along with standard aid stations serving water (roughly every two miles) & Powerade, GoGo SqueeZ will hand out tasty applesauce (100% natural goodness on the go!) at mile 8. Plus awesome sponsors like Naked Juice, Krave Jerky and GoGo SqueeZ will be in the runner’s village both Saturday and Sunday handing out samples and treats. If this is not enough fuel for you then bring a few bucks and walk around the festival and enjoy the festival food vendors (there are too many to list here!).
Free parking on race day!
Free parking on race day, show your bib and park free but make sure to arrive early and plan extra time to park & get to the start line; this is a large festival, with lots of people so arrive early to allow enough time to get to the start line (you’ll need a good 30 minutes to make a potty stop, bag check & get to the start line). The races will start on time!
Free tickets to the festival get ready to snap some great selfies!
When you sign up for the running events you also get two (2) free tickets into the InTouch Credit Union Plano Balloon Festival which are good the whole weekend so bring the kids out and enjoy some quality time with the family. Come on out for the dazzling hot air balloons, food, entertainment, run/walk and get those selfies and capture shots of you and the hot air balloons too.
National Running Day + Global Running Day = Celebrate All Month!
(Use Code: RUNALLMONTH for 15% off select events)
Use Code: RUNALLMONTH for 15% off Adult registration on the following races.
Today, June 1, 2016 is officially Global Running Day. Initially this day was termed National Running Day and is commemorated the first Wednesday each June. There are many ways to join in the fun, be it pledging to run through the Global Running Day website, taking part in a multitude of social runs in your community, or going out solo and enjoying a run for you!
But why just celebrate on one day? We make a toast to our running shoes for the entire month of June by offering a 15% discount for adults on some pretty epic races!
Get out and soar your way to the Plano Balloon Festival Half Marathon or relay and earn a four inch finisher medal adorned with six hot air balloons! One finisher medal not enough? Then sign up for the Plano Balloon Festival 5K the day before the half marathon for your warm up and earn another six balloon finisher medal!
Looking to polka your way through Oktoberfest? Then get your dirndl or lederhosen ready to partaaay at the Rahr & Sons Oktoberfest 5K on October 1st and Rahr & Sons Brewing Company in Fort Worth.
Travel. Run. Brew.
Cinco de Mayo Run-cation, Destination Saint Arnold Brewing Company.
Things are heating up in Texas and longer distance races are approaching the rear view mirror as the mercury is on the rise. But don’t let that stop you from training!
Here’s a thirst quenching opportunity to keep running, racing and combine a bit of travel with a hops-happy destination; with a spicy themed 5K that will have you doing the Mexican hat dance at the post race fiesta, hosted by Saint Arnold Brewing & Whole Foods.
Destination…Santo de Mayo 5K presented by the University of Houston Downtown and hosted at Saint Arnold Brewing Company — Texas’ Oldest Craft Brewery this one will have you saying Ole!
So just head on down I-45 and in a few hours you land. All that’s needed is an overnight bag, sombrero, maracas and your ticket to the start line.
Correr por la cerveza! (Run for the beer for you gringos.) At the finish line be sure to grab bragging rights with the commemorative custom branded finisher pint glass then saunter over to the event area for live music, three Saint Arnold brews and juicy treats served up by our sponsors including Whole Foods and Texas Tamale Company.
Want more deets or to grab your spot quickly (the race sold out in 2015!) check it out at santodemayo5k.com.
Going Green
Green Beer Gives You Wings
Every March, at least 495 legitimate, measured and timed road races, all with a St. Patrick’s Day theme, bring runners as varied as the beer they’ll drink later to starting lines across the U.S. to run in the name of the Irish. From East coast to West coast, St Paddys Day is celebrated through running, these races are as important to community celebrations as the parades down Main Street.
While the first St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the United States, held in New Haven, Conn. on March 17, 1842, probably didn’t feature a 5K, sponsored by Guinness of course, as a preshow activity, we owe a debt of gratitude to community parades for opening the door to the hundreds of races that have become synonymous with the holiday.
About 35 years ago, local non-profits recognized a chance to cash in on the new popularity of road racing and already blocked city roads and, thus, shamrock runs were born. As most people appreciate an opportunity to don green knee socks and enjoy a complimentary beer at 7:30 a.m., these races took off like pots of gold at the end of a rainbow. Today you can throw a stone and find an excuse to toast Saint Patrick at a water stop around March 17 – green beer optional.
Some of my favorite running memories are from the annual Dash Down Greenville in Dallas. I’ve dashed a PR. I’ve dashed at a hair over a snail’s pace and I’ve dashed everything in between. The pace never matters though, because in the sea of more than 5,000 runners nobody cares to overtake anyone, and everyone is trying to get to the post party. It’s a glorious run filled with leprechaun costumes and plenty of hijinks from the college kids.
If your run has become stale, may I suggest a St. Paddy’s Day run near you to refresh the soul. The air will be crisp and the palpable excitement will carry you over the miles – you’ll feel like a Kenyan. And the green beer is pretty good too. Sláinte, y’all!
Be Noble, Follow the Rainbow & Pub Run on St. Patrick’s Day.
Tis time to dust off your green running shoes and shamrocks because the third thirstiest Thursday on March 17th is St Patrick’s Day! Everyone is Irish on this day, just wear green.
It will be the noblest of all pub runs as we take over Noble Rey Brewing in the coolest of all locations in the design district, while there may not be green beer, there will be a fun celebration of running and all things Irish.
St. Patrick was said to have used the shamrock, a three (3) leafed plant when he was explaining the holy trinity to pagan Irish people. So to honor his memory on this holiday that celebrates his life, pub runners will run or walk 3 miles on the ‘Trinity’ Strand trail.
There will be plenty of pints o' gold at the end of the trail! Join the St. Paddy's Pub Run at Noble Rey Brewing Co. - Design District! And, there’s nothing more Irish than being with like-minded friends and sharing some brews, so the first pint o' golden suds is on us.
The featured specialty brew is ‘Golden Rey’ with Raspberries and Ginger or select one from any standard brew on tap. Why wait for the weekend to go Irish , when the party will get started early (and on the actual holiday). Your friends will be green with envy. Pre-register for $10 at www.pubruns.com
Run through Architecture Icons
The iconic Dallas skyline voted into first place in the USA TODAY Readers' Choice contest for Best International Skyline in 2014
The 2016 Form Follows Fitness 5K Presented by Blackson Brick Co and benefiting the educational programs of the Dallas Center for Architecture will hit the streets with the starting line at Klyde Warren Park on Saturday, February 20. Not only will it be a well-managed event and race, but the route takes you past some of Dallas’ most important and interesting architectural icons that make our cities skyscape one of the most unique.
Here are a few highlights!
Klyde Warren Parkis a new addition to downtown Dallas and is already proving its purpose as a bridge between downtown and uptown and as a destination for visitors from all over the area and beyond. Opened in 2012, the park’s masterplan and landscape were designed by The Office of James Burnett. The restaurant and performance pavilions were designed by Thomas Phifer and Partners.
Just past the starting line, you’ll see three projects by three of the most noted American architects and their firms. Currently under construction, McKinney and Olive is designed by Pelli Clark Pelli Architects; it will be an office building with restaurants and an expansive green space at street level.
The Ritz Carlton Hotel and Residences was designed by noted post-Modernist Robert A.M Stern, and The Crescent was designed by Philip Johnson, winner of the first Pritzker Prize and architect of Thanksgiving Square and the JFK Memorial.
Finally, as you prepare for your assault of Mount Woodall at the end of the route, you will pass by Fountain Place—a favorite downtown building of many—designed by Pei Cobb freed and Associates with striking water gardens by Dan Kiley.
So, as you’re striving for that personal best, keep your eyes open and appreciate the rich architectural fabric that is the trademark of the #FFF5K.
Long Sleeve Tech T's For FFF5K presented by Blackson Brick
Get registered now, don't miss this shirt, don't miss this race!
Jan 25, 2016 |
By Eric Lindberg
Got sleeves? You might need them for the Dallas Center for Architecture's Form Follows Fitness 5K presented by Blackson Brick. One of the hottest racest of the year in the coolest month of the year! Conrats to Marta for the amazing design.
If you have a true love for running, walking, and the great city of Dallas, then it’s time to kick your buttress into gear for the Form Follows Fitness 5K presented by Blackson Brick Company, Inc.. LA Fuess has engineered three fun social runs to give some structure to your training leading up to race day (2/20). These FREE fun runs will build a strong foundation under your fitness goals and help you over the hump by finishing off your Wednesday workdays. Mark your calendar for the first one beginning January 20th from the KATY Trail Ice House. Sign in starts at 5:30 PM and we run and/or walk 3'ish miles on The Katy Trail. After our workout, we will celebrate with two free beverages and hot appetizers all brought to you by L. A. Fuess Partners, the Dallas Center for Architecture and Form Follows Fitness 5K! Stay tuned for food and beverage specials and other details by following the Form Follows Fitness 5K Facebook Page!
Join the City of Dallas and its Park and Recreation Department as we celebrate the 4th of July with the annual running of the Dallas 7/4! The event features two unique race distances including a 7K and a 4K decorated with patriotic themes.
Eight Years a Running!
August 2016 will proudly mark our 8th year in business since On Your Left! Marketing & Events was born under the name, DFWRUNS.
Nine Months ‘til launching!
T minus nine months and counting. Can’t help but countdown to our biggest event, the Plano Balloon Festival Half Marathon, 5K & 1K. Nine months is the perfect gestation period to labor for these beautiful back-to-back events so head into your resolutions feet first by marking down the 9/24 – 9/25 due date!
Ten Months ‘til Rahr Oktoberfest!
Eleven Lederhosen Leaping
Rahr Oktoberfest Social Run Series: Get your beer belly in shape for the Rahr Oktoberfest 5K as our ever-popular socially fun training runs take on Rahr form in 2016!
Teamed up with Dallas Sport & Social, Run On!, and Asics, every third Thirsty Thursday of each month throughout 2016 will be far from ordinary. Come taste test various breweries and pubs around the Dallas metroplex with people like you! Start the year off literally on the right foot January 21st. We will guide you on a 30-40 minute run at your own pace and then the first thirst-quencher is on us! More details and RSVP HERE.
In the last months of the New Year, my true love gave to me, ZERO Prostate Cancer, and a year full of running healthy! It's not too early to check out our 2016 ZERO Prostate Cancer Run/Walks! This national race series is an active way to raise funds and share the hope to declare one number above others: ZERO. There is an end to prostate cancer. To receive a notification for when a Run/Walk website closest to you goes live in 2016, please sign in here. | {
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Caterpillar (CAT) Beats Consensus On Strong Asia, But US Sucking Wind
Caterpillar (CAT)
handily beat consensus this morning, largely on huge sales
from emerging markets in Asia. These markets are growing six
times as fast as North America. CAT management also said that it
"would be difficult for the (U.S.) economy to avoid a recession."
Caterpillar, which derives much of its North American income from
U.S. housing and construction activity, also lowered its
forecasts for home starts for the year. Bloomberg:
Caterpillar, whose economic commentary in October contributed to
a decline in the Standard & Poor's 500 Index, today lowered
its projection for U.S. housing starts to "slightly under 1
million units'' this year, the lowest since 1945. Owens said in
April he expects the housing market to "over-correct on the
downside.'' New construction rose 9.1 percent to a 1.066 million
pace in May, the U.S. Commerce Department said July 17.
CAT reported net income of $1.11 billion or $1.74 per share, up
from $1.23 a year earlier and well ahead of the $1.54 Street
consensus. Sales rose 20% year-over-year to $13.6 billion,
beating the mean estimate of $12.6 billion. | {
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diamond geezer
Friday, February 26, 2016
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We do of course recognise that ad-blocking improves the performance of your computer, but please try to ignore this. Instead, we beg of you, please whitelist our site and allow us to profit from your naivety. There's a setting on a submenu of that app in that browser you use, and all you have to do is enter our address in one of the lists or other, and then we can continue that special relationship we used to have. Somebody at our end writes something, we dump a lottery ad alongside it, you look at both, and hey presto our writers get paid.
We can't go on day after day providing quality journalism if you're not going to play the game.
All this content we generate doesn't just conjure itself up from nowhere, you know, it takes time and effort. And our time and effort deserve your total attention, via a selection of brightly coloured rectangles scattered across everything you'd like to be reading. The more rectangles the better, from our point of view, be they for holidays, Sky TV, diet pills or malware. We prefer to deliver you richly personalised advertising material, assuming you've been stupid enough to stick to the default privacy settings, but quite frankly anything will do so long as we get a few fractions of a penny as a result.
One banner ad for a West End show can feed a programmer for a week, because wages are low on the Indian subcontinent. One fifteen second pre-roll advert can pay our journalists for almost a complete sentence, whether you end up reloading the page in frustration or not. And one complete halo of virulent javascript you can't avoid tapping however hard you try can bring in almost tuppence, from the right provider.
You need to get away from the idea that the internet is somehow free. Our bit isn't, and quite frankly your freeloading presence on our site disgusts us. Things were so much better before you installed that extra bit of software, before you got wise to the idea that the internet didn't have to be choked with distracting irrelevance. We coped well enough while only a few people thought this way, but now the trickle of ad-blocking is becoming a torrent, and we stand to lose our livelihoods as a result.
Make no mistake, the rise of ad-blocking software is a curse upon the entire creative economy, and if left unchecked will cause the premature death of many a struggling online enterprise.
If we cannot support this site on advertising revenue, we will have to introduce a paywall, meaning fewer readers will have access to our incisive analysis, comprehensive coverage and amusing lists of stolen tweets.
Obviously this frightens us more than you, because you can find amusing lists of stolen tweets for free all over the internet, and there's no way you're going to pay for ours. This whole online paywall thing only works if everybody does it, as various newspapers have found to their cost when they slip behind the veil and too few follow. Suddenly nobody shares the paper's content any more, nobody likes their articles, indeed they might as well not have bothered publishing anything for all the attention they get.
So please cease your ad-blocking assault, the sooner the better, for the sake of all of us here at Diamond Geezer.
Because there's absolutely no way a quality website can function without advertising, it simply isn't possible, and the sooner we all come to terms with this reality the better. | {
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Articles in this section
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If you don’t currently meet the criteria to create a subreddit, the best thing to do is be patient and get involved in some existing communities that interest you by commenting or posting. We want to ensure that users take some amount of time getting to know how Reddit works before creating communities, but once you’ve established yourself as an active member of the site, you’ll be able to create a community. | {
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Clethradelavayi is treated here as a single, highly variable species. All characters that have been used to delimit more narrowly defined species in other treatments of Chinese Clethra exhibit a strongly continuous pattern of variation from west to east across the range of the species in China (i.e., leaf size and shape, the number of secondary veins on each side of the midvein, anther size and shape); they also exhibit geographically correlated or seemingly random patterns, but without correlated gaps in character states among any two or more characters (i.e., style pubescence, corolla abaxial surface, stamen exsertion). | {
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I love travelling because, I have come to know the tradition living styles and a lot more about the people where i travels.The main problem which i face in travelling is the lack of money. I wish i could have a lot of money and i can travel around the world.
iwantmore wrote:I have to say that travelling help me alot. I have learned alot from travelling everywhere. I'd like to be a gust of wind. Blowing everywhere. I don't mind how life is happening to me!!! I mind how life is happening to everybody. That's why I love travelling.Unfortunately : I DON'T HAVE MONEY :( hichichichichichichichic
Hi, Nice hobby. I like to travel too, but I have same problem like you. My pocket doesn't allow me to do so.
You should say - Unfortunately, I don't have enough money to travel. We all have money, but we may not have enough money to do something. | {
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Just as I was putting the finishing touches to this post, the Guardian published this article by the one and only Charlie Brooker, which among other things includes a typically succinct and hilarious description of the majority of content on Japanese TV. So, about a week late and at the risk of being accused of jumping on the bandwagon, here is my own take on the subject (or rather, take two - you can find take one here).The biggest TV gossip of 2011 had to be the sudden resignation of Shinsuké Hamada, who as well as looking a bit like Jimmy Carr, was found to have links with the yakuza. ('Jimmy Carr Mafia Link Shock!' - now that would be an interesting story. But anyway, I digress.). Once evidence of his friendship with a minor hoodlum became public, Shinsuké did the honourable thing by jumping before he was pushed, but is unlikely to be welcomed back anytime soon, and as onii-san pointed out, the punters are now a lot less likely to patronise his chain of restaurants for fear of guilt by association.
In the manner of post-Angus Deayton Have I Got News For You, some of Shinsuké's shows have drafted in guest presenters, among them Koji Higashino, who despite my prediction that his career would be cut short after an on-screen character assassination, has become an even more regular fixture on the panel show circuit.
Higashino's most notable appearance of 2011 was as a participant in the Sado Island Triathlon, posters for which were all over the place when I was there for my summer holidays. Rather than the usual 1.5km swim / 40km cycle / 10km run, however, the Sado Triathlon involves a 3.8km swim, a 180km cycle and a full, 42km marathon, and while the swim was reduced to 3km because of an approaching typhoon, there can be no shame in the fact that three of the four participating celebs failed to complete the course. (Incredibly, all three - including Higashino - fell short of their goal not because they collapsed from exhaustion, but because they couldn't keep within the fifteen-and-a-half-hour time limit.)Both Shinsuké and Higashino cried in public last year - Shinsuké at his resignation press conference and Higashino in the lead-up to the triathlon - and the more Japanese TV I watch, the more I find myself blubbing into my remote control. For example, here's the scenario for a recent documentary about guide dogs:
Scene 1 - Partially sighted woman in Hokkaido has owned the same guide dog for almost a decade. Dog is due to retire next year. Woman cries.Scene 2 - Ageing guide dogs limp around special retirement home, older ones lose ability to walk, eventually pass away. Sight of dying dogs enough to reduce grown man to snivelling wreck.Scene 3 - Too young to be trained, new-born puppies are adopted by ordinary families for first year of their lives. No footage of life in temporary homes. Instead, documentary cuts straight to farewell at end of year and collective crying session.
It was at this point, about fifteen minutes in, that I decided to change channels for fear of being plunged into state of irreversible depression.
Speaking of dogs, I had planned to share some footage of another Shinsuké, who is quite possibly the cutest animal of all time, but unfortunately the clip has been withdrawn from YouTube, so you'll have to make do with this slide show from Twitter instead. (Believe it or not, Shinsuké isn't a puppy - pomeranians apparently retain their cuteness into adulthood.)
The prize for 2011's cutest human being goes to seven-year-old Mana Ashida - aka Mana-chan - who got her big break in a drama series called Marumo No Okité, and has since featured in no less than fifteen different TV commercials, not to mention countless variety shows, chat shows and music shows. The theme tune to Marumo No Okité - sung by Mana-chan with her co-star Fuku Suzuki - is the unfeasibly catchy Maru Maru Mori Mori (I did have a go at translating the lyrics, but gave up when I realised they were almost completely meaningless):
Just as Ahsida and Suzuki do a silly dance in their music video, so Japanese companies are in the habit of including similar dances in their commercials, the most notable example being this combination of five portly blokes, a Beyoncé tune and a new variety of cup ramen:
Despite the ubiquitousness of commercial-length public information films in the weeks and months following the earthquake (when advertisers were reluctant to purchase airtime), the most broadcast commercial of 2011 has to be this one for Choya alcohol-free plum wine, which as well as a silly dance, features a jingle that wouldn't necessarily be annoying if it wasn't for the fact the ad has been shown approximately fifty times a day for the past six months:
Probably the creepiest TV moment of the year was an appearance by Masahiko Kondoh, a veteran of the Johnny's music agency, which is Japan's most successful pop production line. After a brief interview, Kondoh looked on as members of present-day boy bands attempted to sing his hits - many of which were released before they were born - from memory. Most of these fresh-faced young lads had clearly been signed to the Johnny's agency on the basis of their looks rather than their voices, but Kondoh wasn't fussed about whether or not they could hold a tune. Instead, he cut short a performance only if they forgot the lyrics, which resulted in some very awkward moments where the singer apologised and promised not to make the same mistake ever again, and Kondoh tutted and shook his head disapprovingly. The youngsters spent the entire show heaping praise on Kondoh, and looked genuinely terrified as they were waiting for their turn to sing (there was no time to prepare as the songs were chosen at random), and the whole thing played out like a scene from a gangster film in which the godfather summons people to his office for a dressing down. Kondoh's presence was so menacing that it really did feel as if someone was going to end up in Tokyo Bay wearing concrete boots, although as far as I know, everyone involved lived to sing another day.
Last but not least, I was glad to see that Honma Dekka?! - my favourite TV programme, and one that I've mentioned on this blog before - won a prize for excellence in the TV entertainment category at the Japan Commercial Broadcasting Federation awards.
There's not much point in posting a clip, as Honma Dekka?! is a lot more verbal than it is visual, but just to give you an example of the kind of fascinating facts and figures they come up with, Homaré Sawa - women's World Cup MVP and scorer of the late equaliser that took the Japan vs USA final to a penalty shoot-out - recently appeared as a star guest. In the section of the show known as Jinsei-sohdan (人生相談 / counselling service), she confessed to having very poor co-ordination, and after much to-ing and fro-ing, the panel of experts came to the intriguing conclusion that this is a good thing for an attacking player - ie. if defenders are in tune with how an opposition player moves, they will more easily be able to intercept her, but if the attacker is less predictable and her movements less regulated, she will more easily be able to find her way through the defence and to a goal-scoring opportunity.
I am throroughly humbled to have something wot I wrote compared favourably with Mr Brooker, as I would willingly give my right typing arm to come up with a single one of his similes - thanks for reading and for commenting!
About me 私について
I suppose I must be the archetypal J-blogger - married to a native, working as an English teacher, still struggling with the language - and the main purpose of this blog is to give you an idea of what life is like for a multi-cultural couple in small-town Ibaraki. | {
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England Vs India 2nd Test Live Match Score | ENG vs IND Live Score
England Vs India 2nd Test Live Match Score | ENG vs IND Live Score
England (ENG) vs (IND) India Test Match 29th July 2011: The England Vs India 1st Test match is win By England and the Match in starting is like to going draw but England take over India cricket team in last inning. England Make 1st test match victory on their name.
India (IND) Vs (ENG) England 2nd test Match Is on 29th of July 2011 in 2nd cricket test Match one of Indian players is not in. India Vs England 2nd test match is playing at Nottingham on Jul 29 2011. See all the information about England Vs India 2nd Test Live Match Score and listen the commentary online here. See The match turn which comes into the match. Eng (England) Vs (India) Ind 2nd Test Live Match Score Updates. | {
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COMMUNITY FORUM
Lightening rods
Can anyone tell me if there are any benefits at all to installing lightening rods? Would we be asking for OR diverting trouble? We see alot of them on old barns in our area, but we're not sure they're still standing because of the rods on the roofs! | {
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Cricket QLD v NZ X1 Bild
Andy Bichel of Queensland shows his frustration as Craig McMillan of New Zealand runs past during the New Zealand versus Queensland cricket match played at the Gabba in Brisbane, Australia. The match is part of the New Zealand team's...Mehr
Andy Bichel of Queensland shows his frustration as Craig McMillan of New Zealand...Andy Bichel of Queensland shows his frustration as Craig McMillan of New Zealand runs past during the New Zealand versus Queensland cricket match played at the Gabba in Brisbane, Australia. The match is part of the New Zealand team's tour ofAustralia. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Darren England/ALLSPORTWenigerMehr | {
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Gov. Nikki Haley’s Democratic rival called Thursday for the Republican to release details on how a hacker stole millions of taxpayers’ information, drawing the ire of state Senate GOP leaders.
“The people whose information was hacked into deserve to know what happened two years after it happened,” said state Sen. Vincent Sheheen of Camden during debate of the state budget.
Majority Leader Harvey Peeler, R-Cherokee, said Sheheen – who has made trouble in Haley’s cabinet agencies a central theme of his campaign to unseat her in November – should have started his speech from the Senate podium with “I approve this message.”
Sheheen fired back at Peeler, calling him “Nikki Haley’s hack.”
The still-secret report was compiled after a hacker breached the state Department of Revenue in 2012, stealing electronically filed tax returns for 3.8 million consumers and 657,000 businesses. Since then, the state has spent millions on security upgrades and credit monitoring for S.C. taxpayers.
Sheheen introduced a proposal that would have forced Haley to release the report, but it was ruled out of order for not relating closely to state spending.
Two years after the hacking incident, Sheheen said, it’s “highly unlikely” that allowing the public to know what is in the report would jeopardize catching the as-yet-unapprehended hacker.
But Chief Mark Keel of the S.C. Law Enforcement Division, who came to the legislative chamber during the debate, and Special Agent Felica Rude with the U.S. Secret Service both said Thursday their agencies do not support releasing the report publicly. The ongoing investigation, Rude said, is a “high priority.”
“In my experience, law enforcement always says to keep things secret,” Sheheen said, later adding law enforcement is not part of a cover-up. Their “goal is to catch bad guys,” he said.
“The Secret Service, SLED, and Sens. Peeler and Martin said everything that needs to be said,” said Haley spokesman Doug Mayer. “Senator Sheheen embarrassed himself, and should be more careful when trying to turn serious security issues into political games.”
Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, also called for the report’s release, saying its contents could reveal whether spending millions of dollars on credit monitoring for taxpayers – up to $6.5 million in the budget that lawmakers now are considering – is justified. The public has a right to know, he said, whether a $25,000 dual-password system could have prevented the hacking incident, as a security firm has said.
Hutto also said he was told, by sources who he would not disclose, that the hacker was paid off by the federal government in exchange for returning state taxpayers’ stolen information. Stealing and ransoming the data, Hutto said, is less risky for the hacker than trying to sell the information. Hutto said the payoff likely ended the threat to S.C. taxpayers, as evidenced by the lack of reports of fraud tied to the incident.
While the report is not available to the public, lawmakers can see it if they sign a confidentiality agreement. Only five copies are supposed to exist, one for each member of the S.C. Budget and Control Board, which Haley chairs.
No lawmakers have asked Haley’s office to see the report, including Sheheen and Hutto. Asked why they have not read the report, both said they did not want to be barred from discussing the matter. | {
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Facts about Dinosaurs
We have conclude some dinosaurs facts in another post of Dinoleaks. Today, we give you essential facts about dinosaurs. Every dinosaurs lover should be well acquainted with.
First fact, Dinosaurs weren’t the first reptiles to rule the Earth. Crocodiles did it! As we know , dinosaurs evolved about 230 million years ago in the middle to late Triassic period. Before dinosaurs ruling the world, Crocodiles rules the Earth about 20 million years after the dinosaurs appeared. After that, in the beginning of Jurassic period, Dinosaurs starts to rule the world. Dinosaurs were known as the most successful creatures who rule the Earth
Next fact, there are still plenty of dinosaurs that haven’t been discovered yet! We only know the Dinosaurs from its fossil and fossilization process is a very rare process. Most scientists found Dinosaurs’ fossil who lived in late Jurassic (150 million years ago) and late Cretaceous period (80-65 million years ago).
Dinosaurs rules the Earth for about 150 million years! For your information, human only have 100 years-max lifespan, and Dinosaurs have more lifespan. From the history, human civilization and rule the world only got going about 9,000 years ago. Compare it with Jurassic timescales that about 150 million years, after that, they extinct. From that fact, we can conclude that dinosaurs might be the most successful creatures ever to colonize the Earth.
4th Fact, Dinosaurs were splitted into two main groups called as Saurischian (lizard hipped) and Ornithischian (bird hipped) which we’ve describe about that groups here . Saurischian include the Theropods and Herbivorous Sauropods. The Ornithischian groups, Ankylosaurus and Stegosaurus were in this group.
Another surprising fact is Dinosaurs evolved into birds! Although not every paleontologists are agree with this statement, but there are many evidence points to modern birds. They like small dinosaurs with small and feathered during the late Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Please remember that this evolutionary process happened so many times.
Those are five amazing facts about Dinosaurs. We will give another surprising facts about the biggest lizard ever. | {
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Our Daily Spread for Jan. 6, 2011
He, the good-looking guy, asks the good-looking woman to marry him.
She is so spoiled, she has it all, including marrying a good man who confesses his love.
She tells everybody the good news: She is happy and fulfilled.
She is so happy to be in a family relationship with such a good guy: She has it all.
She is beautiful: He tells her he loves her and makes her happy.
This is OBVIOUSLY about happily ever after. He is talking to her, they are happy together, married or living together, she is beautiful and he good looking. There is such joy, such good feeling here. Somebody is ready to get married or move in. Happy guy, happy girl, happy family. Sheesh!
As soon as I started to read this, my intuition kicked in and said to me: “this could relate to other things then a marriage”. Maybe even a new job opportunity (I have a job interview today) so maybe it will work out in the end. And yes, the direct meaning as verbally stated, its true, the person I would think of in my situation, is very, very, very handsome (sexy, too, especially with his bright blue eyes, woohoo)! this daily website is amazing, keep it going.
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Tarot Verbatim Lessons
Her Comment: word for word:
"Amazing! I started Emily's Tarot Lesson's today and that is the word that immediately pops into my head. I have been struggling to learn tarot, especially putting cards together. I have quite a bit of tarot knowledge but Emily blew me away with her first Tarotverbatim lesson. I finally really "see" how the cards can combine, reflect a theme, tie together... how they speak! Wow!! I learned so much more than I even imagined I would! I recommend these lessons to anyone who wants to learn... to make your tarot speak!!! Thank you so much Emily!!!!"
- her reaction to Tarot Email Training. You can try it right here; just click the 'GET THEM NOW' button and check it out for yourself.
Yes, Happiness is wonderful. Sometimes stormy, but when it’s there it’s there.
Patty K
Now if I could just get him to call me…….we’d live happily ever after :0)
Really, what a great birthday present that would be (tomorrow)!!!!
You continue to amaze me.
Tina G
i know what ur going thru with the phone call dilemma.
Brittney
Goodness Emily you are hitting it right on the head this week!! 😉
Tina G
As soon as I started to read this, my intuition kicked in and said to me: “this could relate to other things then a marriage”. Maybe even a new job opportunity (I have a job interview today) so maybe it will work out in the end. And yes, the direct meaning as verbally stated, its true, the person I would think of in my situation, is very, very, very handsome (sexy, too, especially with his bright blue eyes, woohoo)! this daily website is amazing, keep it going.
Tina G
I got the job, I start next tuesday!! i’m excited!!!
Patty K
Congrats on the new job! I know what it’s like to be searching. A sense of relief. My fellow is not a good communicator – especially the phone. | {
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The Real Deal Miami
South Florida Residential Inventory
Compiled by Condo Vultures Realty using the South Florida Shared Multiple Listing Service. Active listings are properties where no current sale contract exists; pending sales are properties in which a contract for sale has been executed, but not yet closed. Listing brokers control the status of a property listing. — Christopher Cameron | {
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I'm working through a detox/cleansing phase and it's not as easy as it used to be. There was a time when I could go on a 3 day fast and come out after day 3 feeling like a champ. Now I find it hard to get started.
I must admit that there have been some stressful moments in the past few months and getting back on track is challenging. In October I fractured my pinky toe, there's not a lot you can do but stay off your feet and keep everything tight and in place. Well three weeks after the fracture, I hit the same toe again. LOL (laughing out loud, yes some people still don't know what LOL stands for or give it another meaning) Interesting thing though, it's almost as if the second hit to the same toe, set it back in place. Go figure!
Because my favorite form of cardio exercise is walking and salsa dancing, I could not get my groove on because of the pain in my toe. So here comes the weight. I figured I'd try to fast or do a cleanse but all I could do was find something to eat at every turn. I felt like someone had snatched my body and left me with the results and no will power to change it.
Guess what, it's 6 months later and I've hit my pinky toe on the opposite foot. Now I could look at this as a way of finding balance, but what a way to do it. Ouch, %$#@
Whole Body Detox
Ok so I'm back to square one and this time, I'm approaching my cleanse a bit differently. I'm taking a whole body approach, which means I will do more than the food side of cleansing. So here's a look at what's working for me now. These techniques allow me to deal with my whole self and it feels so good. Are they quick fixes, not at all, however I've taken the approach of lifestyle change and it's allowing me to loose weight and re-energize my body.
Breathing - Taking deep breaths seems simple, but it's a wonderful way to lower cortisol levels and relieve stress. Cortisol is known as 'the stress hormone' because it is secreted by the adrenal gland when one needs to manage a mental or emotional situation. When I need to relieve stress and anxiety, I simple get quiet, close my eyes and gently inhale, then exhale. Done for count of five. Repeat If you try this, you will feel the soothing effects, and this can be done anytime, anywhere.
Healthy Organic foods - Ingest super foods, items like blueberries, apples, broccoli, kale, spinach and sweet potatoes. Foods of this type contain fiber, which enable you to maintain regularity. They also contain compounds that heal and naturally detox your body. Leafy greens that are brimming with fiber as well as vitamins and minerals may also protect against heart disease, diabetes, and perhaps even cancer.
Skip Sweeteners - We’ve heard it for years, and this can be difficult for some but processed sugar (white) is no good for you, for any number of reasons. So what will you do? Try raw honey or grade B maple syrup. Lessening your sugar intake will not only aid in detoxing your system, but it will help lower blood pressure. This I know for a fact! Don't forget that carbs turn into to sugar and fat in your body.
Get Unplugged - Step away from all electronic devices. We have computers, cell phones tablets, e-readers, games and a host of other electronics from which we should take a break every now and then. Why? Because electromagnetic pull can and does often interfere with the body’s magnetic fields, thereby causing us to feel imbalanced.
Keep a journal - keeping a journal and jotting down feelings, can relieve troubled emotions. Unlike telling another person, you won’t worry that it will be repeated five minutes later. Toxic emotions like anger, sadness, forgiveness and grief can be released, assessed and let go.
Take a Nap - This was the hardest thing for me to do. Take a nap? In the middle of the day? When I learned that 30 minutes could refresh not only my mind but my state of being, this was gold.
Meditate - I still have a hard time with this one. It's a work in progress.
Skin Brushing - Are you aware that dry-brushing the skin can jumpstart detoxification? Using a brush with soft bristles will stimulate the lymphatic system which includes all the structures in your body that are dedicated to circulation. Gently rub your skin all over, not forgetting the extremities. A soothing warm shower should follow. Keeping your circulatory system healthy is vital.
That's it for this week! If you like what you've read, please share it with a friend. | {
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Conversation Piece, May 14, 2017
A weekly series.
All you other Annes are just imitating. Some have said the CBC’s new Anne of Green Gables reboot emotionally and aesthetically betrays the 1985 original by replacing its sanitized, though luminous sincerity with jarring grit and intensely mean scenes of rural life. For Vanity Fair, eight writers make their case for why Kevin Sullivan’s Anne, played with charm by Megan Follows, is the only Anne they need. Read more, here.
The golden age of rail. Japan’s shinkansen and commuter trains are famously efficient—but comfortable? Less so (employees known as “pushers” notably ensure each car is as packed as possible). So the new Shiki-Shima luxury cruise train certainly stands out as something different—more like a swish, futuristic train hotel on which people can languorously cruise the countryside in the highest of style. Check it out, here.
Photos of mom. The New York Times’s Edan Lepucki muses on the experience of finding vintage photographs of our own mothers. “For daughters, these old photos of our mothers feel like both a chasm and a bridge,” she writes. “The woman in the picture is someone other than the woman we know. She is also exactly the person in the photo—still, right now.” In honour of Mother’s Day, take a moment of reflection, here.
Fun fact. The amount China spends on eating out is equivalent to the entire GDP of Sweden. As Quartz reports, China’s 1.37 billion population spent half a trillion dollars eating out at restaurants in 2016—22 per cent of that going towards the country’s favourite dish: hot pot. The total amount China spent eating out last year is so massive it’s actually greater than the gross domestic product of a number of countries, including developed ones such as Sweden and Norway, according to the most recent figures from the World Bank. See the data, here. | {
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You can use the terms "and" & "or" in your search; "or" phrases are resolved
first, then the "and" phrases. For example, searching for "black hole and
galaxy or universe" will find articles that have the phrase "black hole" in them
and also have either "galaxy" or "universe" in them. Please note that other
search syntax like quote marks, hyphens, etc. are not currently supported.
When you view web pages with matches to your search, the terms you searched for will be highlighted in yellow.
If you are aware of an interesting new academic paper (that has been published in a peer-reviewed journal or has appeared on the arXiv), a conference talk (at an official professional scientific meeting), an external blog post (by a professional scientist) or a news item (in the mainstream news media), which you think might make an interesting topic for an FQXi blog post, then please contact us at [email protected] with a link to the original source and a sentence about why you think that the work is worthy of discussion. Please note that we receive many such suggestions and while we endeavour to respond to them, we may not be able to reply to all suggestions.
Please also note that we do not accept unsolicited posts and we cannot review, or open new threads for, unsolicited articles or papers. Requests to review or post such materials will not be answered. If you have your own novel physics theory or model, which you would like to post for further discussion among then FQXi community, then please add them directly to the "Alternative Models of Reality" thread, or to the "Alternative Models of Cosmology" thread. Thank you.
Day three of the FQXi Azores conference (I’ll catch you up on day two later).
I was reminded of the tale of the first “absent-minded professor,” the ancient philosopher Thales of Miletus. Plato apparently described how Thales was walking along at night gazing at the sky and pondering the workings of the universe when he fell into a ditch. A young girl nearby commented, "How do you expect to understand what is going on up in the sky if you do not even see what is at your feet?"
The reason that story came to mind was that yesterday the conference delegates were split into groups and let loose on the volcanic São Miguel Island to ponder the future of physics--having first been warned by the tour guide not to fall into any holes. The warning was sincere as some of us visited an area of geothermal activity riddled with perilously large holes in the ground filled with bubbling water. (One of the local culinary specialities that we sampled was the "Cozido das Furnas" ("Furnas boiled meal")--basically food placed in a pot and cooked under soil in one of these bubbling water holes for 6 hours. The photo, courtesy of www.virtualtourist.com, shows one of the cooking pots being lifted from the ground.)
So, was endangering tens of prominent cosmologists and physicists worth it? Well, yes. They all managed to get back to the conference venue safely and the scenic surroundings inspired them to come up with some interesting predictions--some more serious than others--for the state of our understanding of the universe in both 10 years time, and in1000 years .
Some of the possibilities thrown around for 10 - 100 years in the future:
*Even if a functioning quantum computer hasn’t been built in 10 years time, we could at least pin down what they are capable of doing in principle. Giovanni Amelino-Camelia’s group also suggested that a working quantum computer could ultimately expose a _failure_ in our current understanding of quantum mechanics (giving a 10 percent chance this could happen).
*Some said that Moore’s Law would fail within ten years. (Others saw it holding for another 100 years.).
*Garrett Lisi’s group believed that something contending to be the Higgs would be found at the LHC.
*Xiao Gang Wen’s group suggested that we may find laws of physics based entirely on real numbers. Maulik Parikh’s group saw number theory becoming of primary importance to physicists.
*Laura Mersini-Houghton’s group were pretty optimistic about the number of issues that could be solved--or at least better understood--within this timeframe. They predicted that dark matter would have been directly detected, that the character of dark energy would be better understood and that we should know whether time is a truly fundamental property or if it emerges from something else. They also argued that within the next decade the multiverse framework would become mainstream, with a new field dedicated to looking for observational evidence of other universes.
*On the slightly pessimistic side, Glenn Starkman’s group suggested that the Planck satellite _won’t_ tell us anything new or useful about inflation.
*On the extremely pessimistic side both Garrett Lisi’s group and Dmitry Budker’s group predicted that all other problems/achievements could well be rendered moot by some catastrophic form of rapid climate change.
When they moved onto scenarios for 1000 years in the future things got (understandably) more speculative still. (Giovanni Amelino Camelia made a cheeky comment that in coming up with these scenarios he felt as though he was coming up with covers for New Scientist magazine: “Observation of pocket universe gravitino burst!” Having worked at NS, I am choosing to take that as a compliment to the magazine’s foresight and imagination. Ahem.)
Ideas for 1000 years included:
*A couple of teams suggested that artificial (quantum computer) intelligences would have been created. (By contrast, Xiao-Gang Wen’s group suggested that by then quantum mechanics would have been proved wrong, and so the quest for a quantum computer would finally no longer be an issue.)
*Fotini Markopoulou’s group broke the AI scenario down further coming up with 4 possible outcomes of building such an AI: (a) The AI would be smart enough to come up with a theory of quantum gravity and help us. (b) The AI would just kill us. (c) The AI would tell us the solution to the problem of quantum gravity--and then kill us. (d) The AI would keep us as pets. (T.P. Singh dubbed these scenarios as the “misanthropic principle.”)
*A few groups suggested that we would have been contacted by aliens. (Scott Aaronson added that intelligent aliens could help us build smart AI, while smart AI could help us search for ET.)
*Giovanni Amelino Camelia’s group believed that by then we should be able to perform interferometry with black holes. Paul Davies imagined interferometry with brains.
*A few groups predicted we’d be able to upload our brains into a computer--an idea we’ve talked about before--though it was unclear what that would mean for our sense of identity, and whether that would mean we would become immortal.
*Our understanding of consciousness was a point of contention--is this something that physics could ever address? Would computers be able to simulate consciousness (and if so, would they _experience_ consciousness as we know it?)
*Wormhole time travel agencies would be all the rage--or the discovery of large extra dimensions could facilitate time travel, or help us check out other universes in the multiverse and finally report back on their existence (or not).
*We could weigh our souls…
*We could realize we’re just a simulation.
*Pauline Davies joked that sex would become obsolete because it would be seen as boring, messy, and unneeded. Others (less jokingly) added that the same would be true for string theory.
*Finally the consensus was that the 3009 FQXi conference would meet on an exoplanet and be peopled by machines.
*But the most outlandish suggestion? That within 1000 years, Britain would give up the £ and join the European currency.
Any other ideas out there for the state of the world(/universe/multiverse) in 10 years, 100 years and 1000 years?
Everybody's now rating how important, interesting, and worthy of debate they find these scenarios. I will update you on the result.
My guess a thousand years out? Barring a big slide back down, bio-engineering will have a far more transformative impact, as physics fills out its understanding of the physical, the limitations become ever more apparent.
Concerning Moore's law I would like to add not a limit but merely a humble hint to comparable results of natural evolution. Computers are still much less perfect when compared with the brain. For instance, operating voltage has already been reduced from initially more than 100 V to still more than 1 V. Brain needs less than 100 mV except for mechanical quasi "power electronic" motility within cochlea.
I would however be cautious with promises that did not fulfill within decades. Maybe, they will never come true.
Some opinions uttered by Xiao Gang Wen, by Giovanni Amelino Camelia, and by Maulik Parikh are appealing to me even if my closer look to the related works did not confirm my guess that they tried a really radical criticism.
Wait a minute! Does that mean string theory is not about sex? It seems like sado masochistic bondage (they like it when it Hertz :)
My prediction for the future is that we will evolve, reach equilibrium (hang out for awhile) evolve,....
Also I think global warming is a good thing because necessity is the mother of all invention. A global threat will bring countries and ideas together. I noticed that nuclear war wasn't mentioned, that's progress.
We may only have 100 years left to learn about the universe. We might be able to get some theory of quantum cosmology that agrees with some observational tests, but I think tests of such theories are becoming removed from our abilities. Direct experimentation at the Planck scale may not be possible. Theories which involve other universes also increasinly lean on unobservables.
As indicated above we may also face extreme problems with environmental upheavals and resource depletion. It is not unreasonable to think that human race might implode into self-extinction in the next century. | {
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In Houston, 11 of the 14 companies that responded have that problem. That’s despite construction being down here.
"Houston went from one of the fastest-growing, if not the fastest-growing construction job market to a market that’s more stable at this point," Brian Turmail with AGC said.
He said last year, Houston added only 400 construction jobs. Austin, San Antonio and Dallas all added at least 1,000 during that time.
Neil Eldin, dean of the College of Technology at the University of Houston, said the shortage in skilled construction workers has long been a trend. That’s why the building slowdown here in Houston hasn’t considerably affected demand for more workers. | {
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Leadership Development Program (LDP) - MBA Summer 2019
At BASF, we create chemistry through the power of connected minds. By balancing economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility, we are building a more sustainable future through chemistry. As the world’s leading chemical company, we help our customers in nearly every industry meet the current and future needs of society through science and innovation.We provide a challenging and rewarding work environment with a strong emphasis on process safety, as well as the safety of our employees and the communities we operate in, and are always working to form the best team—especially from within, through an emphasis on lifelong learning and development.We are constantly striving to become an even better place to work. BASF has been recognized by Diversity Inc as #17 on the Top 50 Companies for Diversity. Come join us on our journey to create solutions for a sustainable future!Where the Chemistry Happens…We are seeking highly motivated, mobile-minded, students ready to take their careers to the next level. Our rotational programs combine hands-on experience with unparalleled networking opportunities designed to accelerate your career development at BASF.Program Summary: APPLICATION IS AVAILABLE TO FIRST YEAR MBA STUDENTS.
As a highly motivated graduate student, you will participate in a 10 to 12-week internship based out of our Florham Park, NJ or Iselin, NJ office
Interns will complete various projects in their field of expertise, designed and planned to enhance your career development and deliver immediate value to BASF
Create Your Own Chemistry: What We Offer You… We offer students the opportunity to spend a summer working at a North American BASF site within the U.S. This program also offers MBA students the ability to apply their education and background to challenging assignments to build general management skills.
Enhanced career and leadership development, and the opportunity to explore possible career tracks within the company
Development of your expertise and the ability to network at senior levels throughout BASF and establish mentoring relationships that could span across your whole career
The opportunity to join our Talent Pipeline for consideration of future opportunities within the organization including the Fulltime MBA Leadership Development Program
Interview Process: Submit your application no later than 9/05/18If selected, further interviews would include:•Second Round interviews for all selected candidates will take place in Southfield on 10/16/18Selected finalists eligible for Spring recruitment will be invited to join BASF in the Spring *Note: Dates and locations are subject to change Join us on campus! We’ll be recruiting at the following schools:
Join us on campus! We’ll be recruiting at the following schools:
National Black MBA
09/27-28/18 – Interviews
University of Michigan - Ross
9/17/18 Career Fair
9/26/18 MBA Info Session
10/15/18 - Interviews
The Ohio State University - Fischer
10/3/18 – Interviews
University of North Carolina – Kenan-Flagler
9/21/18 - Networking forum
10/9/18 – Interviews
Interested in seeing where BASF is recruiting next? Click here to get the latest information on our upcoming events and to pre-register!
Interested in seeing where BASF is recruiting next? Click here to get the latest information on our upcoming events and to pre-register!Formula for Success:
1st-year MBA students pursuing a career in General Management.
Maximum of 6 years of work experience prior to pursuing MBA.
Demonstrated academic achievement.
Authorization to work in the U.S.without restrictions or need for future sponsorship. | {
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Anatomy of a thunderstorm
Thunderstorms begin when a parcel of warm, moist air begins to rise. As the air expands and cools, the water vapour within it condenses and forms a cloud (When air masses collide). If there is sufficient atmospheric instability, the heat released by condensation will keep the air inside the cloud warmer than the air surrounding it, enabling it to grow larger and higher. The power of the rising air, or updraft, keeps millions of water droplets in suspension until they become so heavy they fall as rain.
Above the freezing line (typically 12,000 to 15,000 m above the ground in summer), the droplets form supercooled ice crystals that can grow into hailstones. When the thundercloud reaches the cumulonimbus stage and hits the tropopause (where temperature stops decreasing with height, around 12,000 m in summer), the jet stream tugs the cloud into its famous “anvil” shape, and the rising air in the cloud falls back to earth in cool, dry currents of air surrounding the warm, moist core of the storm. These downdrafts can pool at the bottom of the thunderstorm and create microbursts — brief, violent gusts of wind and rain. When the static buildup between the clashing air masses in a thunderstorm (the downdrafts carry a positive charge; the updrafts a negative one) triggers an electrical discharge, lightning forks through the sky at 145,000 km/s. The lightning heats the surrounding air, which expands at supersonic speeds, creating the mighty crashes we recognize as thunder.
Synopsis
This animation illustrates the stages in the formation of a thunderstorm. Various elements of the storm cell are labelled, and arrows or graphics depict the direction of air currents, lightening, precipitation, and the possibility of a tornado.
Content (Narration)
Thunderstorms begin with warm, moist air rising.
As the air expands and cools, water vapour within it condenses and forms a cloud.
When the thundercloud reaches the cumulonimbus stage and hits the tropopause, the jet stream tugs the cloud into a recognizable anvil shape.
Static builds up between the cool, dry, positively charged downdrafts and the warm, moist, negatively charged updrafts, triggering an electrical discharge in the form of lightning.
This heats the surrounding air, which expands at supersonic speeds to create thunder.
The updraft keeps millions of water droplets in suspension until they become so heavy that they fall as rain. Above the freezing line, the droplets form supercooled ice crystals that can grow into hailstones.
A tornado may form if a downward-spinning column of air inside the thunderstorm touches the ground. | {
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JEWISH NEW YEAR VALUES – POSITIVE THOUGHTS Never heard of Old Values running for President but we bet he or she would do a better job than those currently running. Rabbi Regev of Temple Sinai in Oakland ca was refreshingly inclusive in his...
In the Course of One Administration…. From Pat Tillman to Colin Kaepernick- Football’s version of Obama ? From A Color Blind Society To One Focused on Race But wait, it’s not only about Colin Kaepernick . In South Carolina a high school...
The New KKK in reverse Milwaukee Police Chief Speaks from Experience & SOLUTIONS for Trump to Get On Track Police Chief David Clark is from Milwaukee County and thereby capable of directly commenting on the latest ‘race...
RoadTo Success Surprising to see Rock actually present a positive,true message that even Obama and so-called black leaders rarely do http://buff.ly/29sQzlu ***************************** Social Survey – Win Money :TELL US IF YOU AGREE WITH OUR PROPOSED SOLUTION...
We weren’t going to post this ‘ant-white rant’ by so-called comic Jesse Williams but we thought it would speak for itself: Anyone with good judgment will come away with, hopefully, her own opinion that this is the kind of thing that DOES... | {
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Want to make your stuffed animal unique? Add a custom printed bandana! Click HERE to see samples of available colors and font styles, and then choose your options below.Availability: Available For Order
Product Code:AR-08818
Chickadee the Chick Stuffed Animal Rolly Pet by Aurora
Chickadee the Chick Stuffed Animal Rolly Pet by Aurora is a round little ball of adorable. Oh, we're making Chickadee blush! This six inch stuffed chick has pinchable, rosy red cheeks and couldn't be any more cute if it tried. Let's not beat around the bush here, this little round chick stuffed animal is off the charts adorable. Why would anyone beat around a bush anyway? Especially when they could be hugging, cuddling, and playing with their very own Chickadee the Chick Stuffed Animal! It seems like a waste of time to even pay attention to a bush, let alone beat around it. Chickadee is a six inch tall stuffed chick with an unique pose that makes it easy to sit Chickadee up or roll him back on his haunches. Sort of a comfy-cozy reclining pose, if you will. Lean back, as the kids say! Chickadee is called a Rolly Pet for a reason, not just because it sounds neat. If you took Chickadee's radius, multiplied it by two, and then multiplied that by pi you would end up with eleven inches. That's an eleven inch circumference on a six inch tall stuffed chick. See? Rolly Pet for a reason! Also, we snuck a math equation in on you. Now you can tell your parents that you need this chick stuffed animal to help you learn about calculating the circumference of a circle. It's an educational tool and a fun, cute, adorably round Rolly Pet. Now Chickadee is really blushing!
Aurora World Inc. is one of the world's most popular plush companies with over 25,000 retail outlets worldwide. Their products can be found in major zoos, department stores, gift shops, and at StuffedSafari.com, of course! Aurora stuffed animals are incredibly well made with a focus on durability, safety, affordability, and most importantly, cuteness. Rolly Pets by Aurora, including Chickadee the Chick Stuffed Animal, are made with all new, child safe materials and are rigorously tested to ensure that they meet or exceed all U.S. safety standards. Recommended for ages three and up, we suggest surface washing for this round stuffed chick. | {
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On Revis, the Jets Can Best Afford to Wait and See
Either Darrelle Revis will play for the Jets in 2013, or he won’t. The simplicity of that statement obscures a complicated problem, one that will lord over the team until it is resolved, be it in six days, six weeks or six months. ... | {
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NHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks and NHL Mobile name and logo, NHL GameCenter and Unlimited NHL are trademarks of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams.
2013-14: T-2nd amongst all team defenseman in goals (6)…Ranked 3rd in the nation in goals (6) and 12th in even strength points (13) amongst all freshman defenseman…Was named Big 10 third star of the week on Nov. 26.
2012-13: Will attend the University of Minnesota in 2013-14…Participated in Team USA’s 2013 National Junior Evaluation Camp…Named to the USHL All-Rookie and Second All-Star teams…Participated in the USHL Top Prospects Game…Led all USHL defensemen in goals (16) and T-6th in points (33) in his first season in the league…His 16 goals were the most for a USHL defenseman since 2009-10…3rd amongst league blueliners in shots (153)…3rd on Muskegon in points and led the team in power-play goals (9)…His brother, Jonny, was drafted 148th overall in 2013 by Los Angeles, making the brothers the first non-twins taken in the same round of a draft…His father, Mike, played in one game for the University of Minnesota.
2011-12: Led Blaine High School in points (33) and assists (20) and T-1st in goals (13)… Participated in the Under-17 Five Nations Tournament and helped the U.S. Select Team win the gold medal.
2010-11: T-4th in goals (9) and points (23) as Blaine won the 2011 Section Championship.
NHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks and NHL Mobile name and logo, NHL GameCenter and Unlimited NHL are trademarks of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams. | {
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Sometimes email brings exciting news. If you have been waiting for the new Platinum #3776 pens, Pen Chalet has just the thing for you. Not only do they have the Century Chartres Blue with rhodium trim and the Century Black Diamond, they have lots of nib sizes in the other models including my favorite music nib on three Century models, Black with gold trim, Bourgogne and Chartres Blue. I’m tapped out, but you aren’t, right? So what are you waiting for? Oh, Pen Chalet has free shipping on orders over $50. Go for it, pen friends. Go for it!
Little “No Name” kept me company over an extra long week. Hope the coming week is shorter and that she gets a real name. Either way she is sweet, vocal, cuddly and eager to learn more tricks like today’s surprise, jumping into my lap and climbing up to my shoulder without assistance. She’s a Havanese and only a year old as the puppy coat will attest. I am lucky to have found her after three years scouring the listings of rescue groups and attending adoption events. Expect to see more of her in future even if she isn’t into fountain pens which is probably a good thing. One addict in the family is quite enough.
Platinum makes excellent pens that easily rank amongst my favorites. Thanks to the generosity of Carol at Luxury Brands LLC, I now have the #3776 Century Nice (rose gold) and Nice Pur (rhodium) to enjoy and review. Note that I placed “enjoy” before “review” which says a lot.
Century Nice pens have an unusual design that reminds me of cut crystal. The resin is not smooth like my Chartres Blue, but has diamond cut stripes along the transparent barrel and cap. The section is smooth and fits comfortably in my hand. The threads line up under my thumb which might be a problem for some users. However, with my light grip, this went unnoticed.
#3776 Century pens are medium sized and do not require posting to be well balanced. They have the “Slip and Seal” mechanism that keeps ink fluid despite long lapses in use. There is a brochure in six languages that explains how it works as well as how to maintain it. Just for the record, the five Century pens I’ve taken for a spin have all worked perfectly right out of the box. None have required special care and all have performed as well as any pen in my collection.
Here is where the two pens differ. The Nice has rose gold trim and a 14kt rose gold nib. The Nice Pur has a 14 kt gold rhodium plated nib with rhodium trim. If you are hooked on matchy-matchy, the converter has stainless bits that suit the Pur, but are slightly at odds with the rose gold Nice. The light reflective nature of the barrel reduces the contrast so that the color difference is minimized.
Note that there is no discoloration of the rose gold nib, but there is a significant reflection in the photo. It really is rose gold as you can see in the other photos. The diamond cut stripes are about the width of a finger nail and very smooth which makes them light-reflective. It’s an attractive effect.
The Nice came with a medium nib, my first on a Platinum pen. It is a bit wider than expected with very good flow and is a real treat on Clairefontaine and Rhodia paper. It offers good control over letter shapes and I found it a fine complement to my natural letter forms. The broad nib on the Nice Pur is quite substantial and very wet. Both nibs work best with a light touch. Digging in too deeply will cause the them to become chatty. With light pressure neither nib produces feedback though with a heavy hand, the medium will give a hint of it. They don’t skate over paper, but do provide orientation.
The Nice filled with the aqua colored Waterman South Sea Blue is a delightful addition to the various tools on my desk, but it is lovely with burgundy, blue and some greens as well. Catching a glimpse of colorful ink gives a lift to any writing task so the Nice adds a little inspiration to my day.
The clear resin body combined with rhodium furnishings makes the Nice Pur a neutral colored pen except for the ink visible in the converter. For those who match ink to pen, this model presents no restrictions. The writing sample is Diamine Emerald though any ink will suit and that’s the ultimate in versatility.
Want a little attention for your refined and discerning taste in pens? Just place a Platinum Century Nice on your desk and watch the reactions. Even in my fountain pen friendly family, these pens earned an unusual measure of comment and admiration. Pretty cool, eh?
(The Platinum #3776 Century Nice is PNB-20000R #5 ROSE and the Platinum #3776 Century Nice Pur is PNB-20000R #4 PUR just in case you want to order one from your favorite retailer.)
In case you wondered what happened to reviews, my Canon A700 has been producing degraded images of late. Getting things in focus has been a challenge and color accuracy has been iffy at best. To get things back on track, I’ve borrowed a Canon SX160IS that makes images that are much more clear and detailed. We are just getting acquainted and there is a learning curve to be negotiated, but I hope to get back to business in a few days.
In the interim, here are links to some of the products that will get individual posts in the next few weeks. To get the reviews to you as quickly as possible, the text will be pithy but enough to convey the good, the bad and the ugly should there be any.
Few new pens have landed on the Inkophile desk in recent years resulting in a scarcity of pen reviews. So a bit of pen praise will have to suffice.
Much as I enjoy a wide variety of fountain pens, certain ones stand out. The frequency with which they find slots in my rotation is the proof, but the ease with which I use them is just as telling. For stock nibs, Platinum is the clear winner especially the Century broad nib and the #3776 Music nib models.
My Platinum pens came from Dick Egolf of Luxury Brands a year and a half ago. Best gift ever!
The Century has never found its perfect ink companion. The #3776 has never met an ink it didn’t make look good. Funny how some pens struggle to find the perfect mate while others will mate with any ink perfectly.
The Pelikans took many years to collect and came from auctions and private parties. The M250 has a fine italic nib that might or might not have been modified. The M215 was ground to an italic as was the nib on the blue M200. The gray M200 has an oblique broad nib that was not original to the pen. The M400 has a stock fine nib that is amazingly smooth.
The Pelikans are a bit more finicky though work well with Waterman, Diamine and J. Herbin. Not that any brand won’t do, but I like less saturated inks in the Pels, especially those with ink windows.
Efforts to enable aside, both pen manufacturers make well-constructed pens of very different styles. The nibs from Platinum are more narrow than those from Pelikan, but that is typical of Japanese and western pens.
So that’s the core of my rotation. Other pens come and go especially the Namiki (Pilot) Falcons, a couple of custom Lamy Safaris and an assortment of single pens. I’m not a brand snob though I would gladly become one with enough of the right pens. Or at least I would like to try.
Just for fun, drool over these Pelikan and Platinum maki-e fountain pens. Are they not gorgeous? | {
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Top Gear is being investigated by media watchdog Ofcom over Jeremy Clarkson's use of the word 'pikey', despite the BBC Trust having previously cleared the show.
Ofcom has launched a probe into the use of the word, used as a derogatory term for gipsies or travellers, and its potential for offence, but said today it will take no action over an expletive-laden Kanye West performance at this year's Brit awards.
The US rapper's heavily-muted performance of track All Day, broadcast after the watershed, reportedly contained more than 30 uses of the N-word and sparked 151 complaints.
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Top Gear is to be investigated by media watchdog Ofcom over Jeremy Clarkson's use of the word 'pikey', despite the BBC Trust having previously cleared the show
The word, which is used as a derogatory term for gipsies or travellers, had been scrawled on a sign reading 'Pikey's Peak', and used in a joke at Richard Hammond's expense
Viewers said the censoring of the February performance, shown on a 20 second delay with the offensive words and phrases muted, left it sounding 'like Morse code', with some questioning why it ever went ahead if so much of the song had to be censored.
However, despite the muting, some viewers said they could still hear the N-word on at least three occasions, while another rapper sharing the stage with West was heard to say 's***'.
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As well as complaints from the audience at home, fellow musician Lionel Richie, who attended the show, was left unimpressed, and criticised West for his use of the N-Word.
However, Ofcom said it will not be investigating the viewers' complaints.
'We received a number of complaints that Kanye West’s language, shortly after the watershed, was offensive but we will not be taking the matter forward for investigation,' said an Ofcom spokesman.
'Having carefully assessed these complaints, we noted that before the programme ITV took steps to ensure that offensive language was not used, and during the programme to mute the majority of it'.
But the watchdog is investigating the use of 'pikey' in Top Gear, where it was scrawled on a sign reading 'Pikey's Peak', and used in a joke at Richard Hammond's expense.
Ofcom said today it will take no action over an expletive-laden Kanye West performance at this year's Brit awards (pictured)
The BBC Trust backed the show, saying there had been 'no intended racist reference', but Ofcom announced today it would be investigating the episode, which was broadcast in February last year.
The complaint to Ofcom was lodged by the Traveller Movement charity, which had initially complained to the BBC Trust - and said it was 'horrified' by the resulting decision.
'Ofcom is investigating a complaint from the Travellers’ Movement that it was offensive to include a placard with "Pikey's Peak" written on it in this BBC show,' an Ofcom spokesman said.
In the episode, Clarkson had put up the placard during a challenge in which the presenters had to race 1980s hatchbacks, and he and James May were ridiculing Hammond's choice of a Vauxhall Nova.
The Ofcom investigation into whether the potential for offence caused by the use of the word 'pikey' was justified by the context began in April, after details of the BBC Trust ruling were released in March.
The BBC Trust had acknowledged that the word 'pikey' derived from 'turnpike' and so related to Travellers, but its Editorial Standards Committee said there had been ‘no intended racist reference’ by the Top Gear team.
The complaint to Ofcom over Jeremy Clarkson's use of the word was lodged by the Traveller Movement charity, who initially complained to the BBC Trust
The ruling stated: 'The committee believed the word "pikey" had evolved into common parlance among a number of people to mean "chavvy" or "cheap" and … viewers would not necessarily associate it with the Gipsy and Traveller communities.'
A spokesman from Traveller Movement told MailOnline the charity welcomed Ofcom’s decision to investigate the episode.
'The BBC Trust ruling was absurd when it ruled that the Top Gear use of the word "pikey" had nothing to do with Gipsies and Travellers and meant cheap and dodgy instead,' he said.
'Seeing as the word had been used by Clarkson and his crew in the past alongside a reference to selling pegs and heather, it is clearly the Trust that is being a bit cheap and dodgy.
'We believe in freedom of speech, but with that freedom there must be responsibility. The BBC Trust abdicated that responsibility when legitimised the use of a racist word on one of their most popular and money-spinning programmes.
'We can bang on about semantics and meanings but at the end of the day too many Gipsies and Travellers hear that word in the form of racist abuse.
'How can you work for understanding and integration when racist abuse is seen as funny by a national public broadcaster paid for by the public?
'We hope that the Ofcom investigation is thorough. This is clearly a topic that needs some attention, particularly with the often mocking and derogatory TV fascination with all things Gipsy.'
A spokesman for Top Gear declined to comment on the Ofcom investigation.
It is not the first time the controversial motoring show - and its former presenters - have run into trouble.
Clarkson had to apologise when unscreened footage emerged of him mumbling the n-word while reciting the children's nursery rhyme 'eeny, meeny, miny, moe' to choose between two cars and the show was also censured by Ofcom for breaching broadcasting rules after Clarkson used a 'racial' term when he said: 'That is a proud moment, but there's a slope on it', as a man walked towards them on their makeshift bridge over the River Kwai during the programme's Burma special.
Last year ended with the motoring show's crew forced to flee Argentina when it emerged they were using a Porsche with the registration number H982 FKL, which some people suggested could refer to the Falklands conflict of 1982.
Clarkson has left the show after the BBC allowed his contract to run down after an internal investigation found he attacked show producer Oisin Tymon (pictured) in an unprovoked assault
Clarkson left the show after the BBC allowed his contract to run down following an internal investigation which found he attacked show producer Oisin Tymon in an unprovoked assault at a north Yorkshire hotel.
An official report found that the 54-year-old presenter punched Mr Tymon in the mouth before being dragged away by a witness, causing the producer to go to A&E for emergency treatment.
He also verbally abused him for 20 minutes, blaming Mr Tymon for failing to ensure that he could get a steak at the hotel.
Mr Clarkson was suspended as Top Gear presenter as soon as news of the fight came to light.
Following weeks of speculation, the BBC announced that it would not renew his contract after the internal report was released on March 24.
Lord Hall, the director-general of the corporation, said Clarkson had 'crossed the line' and that 'there cannot be one rule for one and one rule for another'.
His co-stars, Hammond and May, are believed to have also left the show, along with producer Andy Wilman, and are expected to launch a rival show with another broadcaster.
It has been reported that the BBC is lining up a 'dream team' of new presenters, including model Jodie Kidd, Life on Mars actor Philip Glenister and Channel 4 presenter Guy Martin.
COURTING CONTROVERSY: THE MOMENTS TOP GEAR LANDED IN HOT WATER
December 2005: Jeremy Clarkson sparked complaints when he gave a Nazi salute while discussing the German-made BMW Mini.
April 2007: During a scathing review of the Perodua Kelisa, made in Malaysia, Clarkson described the car as the 'worst in the world' and implied it had been built by 'jungle people who wear leaves as shoes'.
July 2008: Clarkson is ticked off by BBC Trust bosses for drinking a gin and tonic while driving a truck in the Polar Special episode which aired in July 2007. Despite arguments from the producers that Clarkson and James May, who was also drinking in the cab, were not drunk and the footage was filmed in 'international waters' and therefore drink-driving laws did not apply, the BBC Trust ruled that the scenes 'could be seen to glamorise the misuse of alcohol'.
In November 2008, Clarkson was criticised for joking about lorry drivers killing prostitutes
November 2008: Clarkson was criticised for joking about lorry drivers killing prostitutes in what was believed to be a reference to Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe. He had said: 'Change gear, change gear, change gear, check mirror, murder a prostitute, change gear, change gear, murder. That’s a lot of effort in a day.' Ofcom received more 500 complaints, but said the remark did not breach of the broadcasting code.
July 2010: In a discussion about women distracting drivers, Clarkson said: 'Honestly, the burka doesn’t work. I was in a cab in Piccadilly the other day when a woman in a full burka crossing the road in front of me tripped over the pavement, went head over heels and up it came, red g-string and stockings.'
August 2010: Clarkson described a Ferrari as 'special needs' and a 'simpleton' during a bad review, sparking an official complaint from the National Autistic Society.
February 2011: Mocking the Mexican Mastretta sports car, May introduced the car as 'The Tortilla', before Richard Hammond stated: 'Cars reflect national characteristics... a Mexican car's just going to be a lazy, feckless, flatulent oaf with a moustache, leaning against a fence asleep, looking at a cactus with a blanket with a hole in the middle on as a coat'. Clarkson ended the segment by suggesting that the Mexican ambassador to Britain would be too lazy to make any kind of complaint - which prompted ambassador, Eduardo Medina Mora, to write to the BBC, complaining that the presenters 'resorted to outrageous, vulgar and inexcusable insults to stir bigoted feelings against the Mexican people'. The BBC defended the jokes, but apologised to the ambassador for the remarks made about him.
In July last year, Ofcom ruled Clarkson had 'deliberately employed' the word 'slope' to refer to an Asian man seen crossing this bridge during the show's Burma special
March 2014: The show's Burma special airs, including when Clarkson's described a makeshift bridge over the River Kwai saying: 'That is a proud moment, but there's a slope on it', as a man walked towards them. The following month, executive producer Andy Wilman says he 'regrets' use of the word 'slope' being broadcast but insisted it was 'light-hearted wordplay'. In July, Ofcom rules Clarkson had 'deliberately employed the offensive word to refer to the Asian person' and said there was 'insufficient context to justify the broadcast of this material'.
May 2014: In unaired footage, Clarkson was heard reciting the rhyme 'eeny, meeny, miny, mo' before apparently muttering 'catch a n***** by his toe'. He apologises, and says it was 'inevitable' the BBC would eventually sack him but ‘begged’ for public forgiveness after the footage was aired.
October 2014: The Top Gear crew are forced to leave Argentina after being confronted by an angry mob, furious that Clarkson's Porsche was using the number plate HK982 FKL, apparently referring to the Falklands War.
March 2015: It is announced that Clarkson's Top Gear contract will not be renewed after he attacked show producer Oisin Tymon in an unprovoked assault at a north Yorkshire hotel. An official report found that the 54-year-old presenter punched Mr Tymon in the mouth before being dragged away by a witness, causing the producer to go to A&E for emergency treatment. He also verbally abused him for 20 minutes, blaming Mr Tymon for failing to ensure that he could get a steak at the hotel. Mr Clarkson was suspended as Top Gear presenter as soon as news of the fight came to light. Following weeks of speculation, the BBC announced that it would not renew his contract after the internal report was released on March 24. Lord Hall, the director-general of the corporation, said Clarkson had 'crossed the line' and that 'there cannot be one rule for one and one rule for another'. | {
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Video: Q&A with Cast & Crew, “Pariah”
After quickly becoming a crowd favorite at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival—and picking up an award there for Excellence in Cinematography to boot—Dee Rees's Pariah came to the 2011 New Directors/New Films festival with huge buzz. Nine months later the film bowed at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center to equally favorable reviews. To celebrate its opening, stars Adepero Oduye and Pernell Walker and producer Nekisa Cooper were in person for a Q&A following a screening of the film on December 29, moderated by Film Society's Richard Peña.
Pariah's journey started when director Dee Rees wrote the screenplay for a feature length film while she was interning on the set of Spike Lee's Inside Man. Due to lack of funds, it was first realized as a short film in 2007. The short then gave way to a stint at Sundance Screenwriters Lab, where it was eventually turned into a feature film.
One of the points repeatedly emphasized at the Q&A was how the relationships between characters on screen felt very natural. Producer Nekisa Cooper attributed this quality of Pariah to Rees's disbelief in traditional rehersal process. Collaborative exercises between actors, being in character off set and conducting mock therapy sessions gave way to building shared experiences, thus creating a feeling of trust within the cast and crew.
In regards to social and educational aspect of the film, actress Pernell Walker said, "[Pariah] opened eyes and created a vivid dialogue with people" in communities where these issues were not being talked about. "What makes this movie great is no character is archetypal," Oduye added. In addition, Oduye stressed the film's great potential to raise awareness and open up discussions in various communities. Cooper said that they are planning to create educational materials to accompany the film for use in schools.
Pariah tells the compelling story of Alike (pronounced ah-lee-kay), a 17-year-old African-American Brooklynite who, along with her family, is struggling to come to terms with her sexual identity. If you haven't already, there are still three days to catch Pariah on the big screen at Film Society! Below is full video of the Q&A with the cast and crew of Pariah, which A.O. Scott of The New York Times calls "sensitive but not sentimental, attuned to sexual and racial politics without succumbing to didacticism or piety. Pariah has a point to make, and a point of view to argue, but it also, above all, wants to illuminate an individual universe of meaning and emotion."
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The 21st annual New York Jewish Film Festival, co-presented with The Jewish Museum, continues this week with a bright slate of documentaries and narratives, many of which feature in person appearances by members of the cast and crew. | {
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Tag: "chapter 11"
iHeartMedia and Lenders Buy a Little More Time. The deadline for the Forbearance Agreement signed on Sunday was last night at midnight. Prior to that deadline however, iHeartMedia and the Consenting Lenders agreed to extend the term of that Forbearance Agreement to next Monday (3/12) at midnight CT. iHeartMedia – seeking to find a long-term solution to its $20 billion debt problem – is past the grace period and, without the Forbearance Agreement, would be in default on a missed $106 million payment on 14% Senior Notes. That default would likely trigger bankruptcy for iHM, but clearly the group of senior creditors are trying to find a way to avoid putting the fate of the company in the hands of a bankruptcy judge. This extension leads some analysts to conclude that some progress is being made toward that end.
Entercom Releases Q4 2017 Financial News. This is the first quarterly report for Entercom Communications Corp. that includes results of the CBS RADIO stations. The merger closed on November 17, 2017. Remember that Entercom issued 101,407,494 Class A shares to former shareholders of CBS Corporation who participated in the exchange. Net revenue for Q4 2017 was $246.6 million, compared to $124.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2016. “Operating income for the quarter was a loss of $2.3 million, which was negatively impacted by $36 million of merger, restructuring, impairment and financing costs. This compared to operating income of $30 million in the fourth quarter of 2016…adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $45 million, compared to $35.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2016.” The company reports that as of December 31, 2017, it had outstanding $1.4 billion of senior debt under its credit facilities and $400 million in senior notes and $34.2 million in cash on hand. Entercom president and CEO David Field comments, “We are making excellent progress toward our goals of capitalizing on our transformational merger and building a truly outstanding media and entertainment company. As the country’s #1 creator of live, original, local audio content and with a premier collection of outstanding local radio stations, digital platforms and live events, we have the scale and capabilities to compete more effectively with other media for a larger share of ad dollars. We are off to a great start executing our game plan with important achievements in a number of areas including building a best-in-class leadership team and culture, growing our brands and ratings, executing our synergies, launching new sales tools and advocacy, and much more. We are very pleased with our progress and more excited than ever about the needle-moving opportunities ahead.”
Unsecured Creditors Challenge Cumulus Media’s Executive Bonus Structure. A group of Unsecured Creditors – the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Cumulus Media – is formally objecting to Cumulus Media’s executive bonus program in a filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. In the filing, the Committee says, “the Debtors seek authorization to pay millions of dollars in supplemental ‘incentive’ compensation to highly compensated senior executives during an expedited chapter 11 process that, if the Debtors prevail at confirmation, will result in the unsecured creditors of these estates receiving pennies on the dollar. These executives have already received millions in prepetition ‘incentive’ compensation payments (indeed, the Debtors’ CEO has already received over two million dollars in supplemental 2017 incentive payments and is scheduled to receive at least an additional [amount redacted] if the Motion is approved) and stand to benefit from a very robust Management Incentive Plan (the “MIP”) to be implemented upon the Debtors’ emergence from bankruptcy. Moreover, the Debtors seek authorization to implement not one, but two allegedly incentivizing and wholly overlapping programs that both contemplate quarterly cash payments payable upon achievement of the exact same targets and metrics in order to “properly incentivize” those members of management who already stand to gain a substantial economic benefit from obtaining confirmation of the plan and thus implementation of the MIP.” The Committee says the incentive program cannot be allowed and cites three aspects of the U.S. Bankruptcy code that it believes backs its case.
Morning Drive Talk Host Angie Austin Announces Distributor and Rep for New Show. Talk show host Angie Austin – who previously hosted the “Daybreak USA” program on USA Radio Network – has re-branded her program “The Angie Austin Show” and it’s set to be delivered to affiliate stations via Genesis Communications Network with The Show Must Go On! repping the program. Mike Opelka co-hosts the show that is delivered live from 6:00 am to 9:00 am ET. A presser says the show will debut in seven markets.
Judge Cites Lack of Evidence in Complaint Against WGAC, Augusta Talk Host Austin Rhodes. After a complaint from local businessman Joe Mullins suggesting that WGAC, Augusta, Georgia talk host Austin Rhodes’ words on his radio show caused him to become concerned for the safety of himself and his family, a judge has ruled that there is not enough evidence to suggest a crime may have been committed. According to a report by WJBF-TV, Mullins complained to authorities that Rhodes compared him to a snake on his February 27 broadcast and said, “Snakes have to be dispatched or killed.” The story notes that local police listened to a recording of the entire segment provided by Mullins but concluded that there was no direct threat to Mullins.
TALKERS News Notes. Rapid City, South Dakota has a new news/talk station as HomeSlice Media Group flips KKLS-AM/K248BT – both licensed to Rapid City – from classic hits to using syndicated programming. Shows on the station’s program schedule include: Dave Ramsey, Joe Pags, Westwood One’s Mark Levin, Jim Bohannon and Chris Plante, plus others. The schedule does not indicate a morning drive show, leaving open the possibility of a local program…..Entercom and PNC Bank partner to spotlight star high school lacrosse students in the Maryland community. Entercom sports talker WJZ-FM, Baltimore “105.7 The Fan” and its sister stations are taking part in the PNC Achievers program that identifies and recognizes outstanding female and male student lacrosse athletes from public and private schools across the state of Maryland for their success and leadership on and off the field. Entercom Baltimore SVP and market manager Tracy Brandys says, “At Entercom, giving back to our local communities is an important part of what we do and PNC Bank shares these values. We’re excited about this partnership that allows us to shine a light on high school athletes who display exemplary study habits, achieve excellent grades, are active volunteers in the community and mentor other students to help meet their respective goals.”…..University of Alabama Athletics and multi-media rights holder Learfield announce a five-year agreement with SummitMedia for the broadcaster to serve as the official radio home of the Crimson Tide Sports Network in Birmingham…..iHeartMedia’s alternative rock K248CU, Austin “ALT 97.5” signs a deal with MLB’s Houston Astros to serve as the ballclub’s official Austin affiliate. The station will carry all regular and post-season games.
Trump Tariffs Plan, Stormy Daniels Suit, Feds vs California, Trump Russia Investigation, Gun Control, North Korea-South Korea Talks, Russian Double Agent Poisoning, and NBA Action Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (3/7). The Trump Administration’s plan for tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum and the related exit of economic adviser Gary Cohn; porn star Stormy Daniels’ suit for relief from confidentiality agreement with President Trump; Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ suit against California in the sanctuary matter; the investigation into possible connections between Trump campaign operatives and Russian agents; the debate over gun control and Florida’s bill to limit gun ownership to those 21 and over; the talks between North Korea and South Korea over the former’s nuclear program; the apparent poisoning of a former Russian double agent and his daughter in the U.K.; and NBA action were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Cool Job Opportunity. Radio management pro Harvey Wells is looking for a multi-talented operations manager for the Mid-West Family Broadcasting cluster in Springfield, Illinois. He says, “If you know a great talk/mainstream rock/talent coach/radio person, I’m looking for an operations manager to partner with me in the fine state capital of Springfield, Illinois. This is not a ‘rookie’ position. Must be able to do an airshift as well.” Contact Harvey at: [email protected].
Music Radio News and Career Moves. Chicago’s famed classic rocker “The Loop” isn’t going away completely. With Educational Media Foundation’s LMA of WLUP-FM (soon to have new calls WCKL-FM) to begin Saturday in advance of its purchase of the signal from Merlin Media, Cumulus Media is taking the “Loop” format (sans jocks) and moving it to the HD2 channel of alternative rock WKQX-FM. Of course, that station is also up for sale and it’s likely a buyer will swoop in on this Windy City signal sooner rather than later…..Beasley Media Group announces it is naming Jeff Kurkjian the new morning drive co-host for its country outlet KCYE, Las Vegas “102.7 The Coyote.” Kurkjian, who was most recently morning host at Entercom’s hot AC WQAL, Cleveland “Q104,” is partnering with Aimee Montgomery, who slides over to “The Coyote” from Beasley’s adult contemporary “Lite 101.5 FM.” Kurkjian says, “I am so excited to be part of the team at ‘102.7 The Coyote’ in Las Vegas. I can’t imagine doing anything but local radio. I’m looking forward to connecting every morning with the casino workers getting off third shift, the moms taking their kids to school and everyone in between. I am eager to get out and about in Las Vegas, especially coming from the frozen tundra of the Northeast!”…..iHeartMedia announces the addition of Eminem featuring Kehlani, plus N.E.R.D and G-Eazy to the program of previously announced performers for this Sunday evening’s 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards…..Entercom’s classic rock KGON, Portland enters into a multi-year agreement with The Waterfront Blues Festival. Some of the highlights of the new partnership include the return of the festival to its original radio broadcast partner and the switch of KGON-HD2 to Waterfront Blues Radio – playing blues music all day. The festival takes place July 4 through 7 at Tom McCall Waterfront Park and this summer’s event marks the 31st anniversary of the festival…..Pictured below are staffers of Cumulus Media’s adult contemporary WMAS-FM, Springfield, Massachusetts and volunteers celebrating the final tally of the WMAS Radiothon benefitting the Children’s Miracle Network and Baystate Children’s Hospital. Vice president and market manager Craig Swimm says, “Extremely proud of the team as we wrap up this year’s 94.7 WMAS Radiothon — $245,367 raised over 2 days. We beat last year’s number and have raised more than $4.5 million for the Children’s Miracle Network since 2002.”
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Cumulus Enters Chapter 11; Move Will Erase $1 Billion in Debt. This Chapter 11 restructuring between Cumulus Media and some secured lenders comes as little surprise. In fact, many industry watchers and media experts believed it was imminent when Mary Berner was brought in as president and CEO, replacing Lew Dickey. That’s because during her tenure as CEO of Reader’s Digest Association, she led it through a pre-packaged bankruptcy. Now, Cumulus announces the Restructuring Support Agreement with “certain of its secured lenders, among others, holding, in the aggregate, approximately 69% of the company’s term loan to reduce the company’s debt by more than $1 billion.” In its press release about this maneuver, the company says it “expects all operations, programming and sales to continue as normal throughout this restructuring process. The company has ample cash on hand, combined with funds generated from ongoing operations, to support the business during the financial restructuring process, and as a result, it does not intend to seek debtor-in-possession financing.” Mary Berner states, “Over the last two years, we have focused on implementing a business turnaround to reverse the company’s multi-year ratings, revenue and EBITDA declines, create a culture that fosters motivated and engaged employees, and build an operational foundation to support the kind of performance we believe Cumulus is capable of delivering. As we have demonstrated in many measurable ways – including increased ratings, revenue market share gains, improved employee satisfaction, reduced employee turnover and, over the last several quarters, our return to year-over-year EBITDA and revenue growth – that turnaround has not only been successful but is continuing. However, as we have noted consistently, the debt overhang left by previous years of underperformance remains a significant financial challenge that we must overcome for our operational turnaround to proceed. The actions we are taking today to address our balance sheet are a critical step forward for Cumulus. We will use this restructuring process to relieve the financial constraints on our continued progress, allowing us to focus our resources on investing in our business and people to strengthen our competitiveness and ultimately drive growth. We have ample cash to support our operations and service our advertisers, vendors and affiliates during this period, and we look forward to becoming an even stronger partner to all of them when we complete this important phase of our turnaround strategy. We appreciate the tremendous efforts of the Cumulus team throughout the business turnaround and thank our employees for continuing to be the true force driving our success.”
Garrison Keillor Latest to Fall Under Allegations of Sexual Impropriety. The longtime host of public radio’s “A Prairie Home Companion” is being taken off the radio by Minnesota Public Radio, which had been distributing Garrison Keillor’s “The Writer’s Almanac” and re-broadcasts of the Keillor-hosted “A Prairie Home Companion” (the current program hosted by Chris Thile will continue under a new, yet-to-be-announced name). MPR president Jon McTaggert stated in a press release, “Garrison Keillor has been an important part of the growth and success of MPR, and all of us in the MPR community are saddened by these circumstances. While we appreciate the contributions Garrison has made to MPR and to all of public radio, we believe this decision is the right thing to do and is necessary to continue to earn the trust of our audiences, employees and supporters of our public service.”
Weisman: The Law Behind the Matt Lauer Firing. TALKERS magazine legal editor Steven J.J. Weisman writes today about the legal aspects of the firing of “Today” show host Matt Lauer. Weisman states that Lauer, like most everyone working in media who is under contract, has a morals clause in his contract that allows employers to fire those who violate that clause, without having to pay out their contract. Many contracts also provide for mandatory arbitration of disputes. Read Weisman’s entire column here.
GOP Tax Reform Plan, NBC Fires Matt Lauer/MPR Cuts Ties with Keillor, Conyers/Franken Sexual Impropriety Allegations, Trump Anti-Muslim Re-Tweet, North Korea ICBM Test, and NBA Action Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (11/29). The progress Republicans are making in bringing their tax reform plan to a vote; NBC fires longtime ‘Today’ show host Matt Lauer after allegations of sexual impropriety and the related firing of Garrison Keillor by Minnesota Public Radio; the effects of recent allegations of sexual impropriety involving Senator Al Franken and Congressman John Conyers; President Trump’s re-tweet of anti-Muslim videos; North Korea’s testing of a long-range ICBM and U.S. officials’ threats of war; and NBA action were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
SRN’s Larry Elder Talks Anthem Protests on FOX Business. Pictured above is Salem Radio Network talk host Larry Elder on FOX Business Network with Stuart Varney discussing the national anthem protests and the state of the ratings for NFL games.
Broadcasters Foundation of America Distributed More Than $1 Million in 2017. By the end of this year, the Broadcasters Foundation of America will have hit a milestone distributing grants for more than $1 million in aid to broadcasters in acute need. The BFoA says this is a record-setting figure. At the same time, it announces the launch of its year-end appeal for personal donations to the Guardian Fund and corporate contributions to the Angel Initiative. BFoA chairman Dan Mason says, “What’s even more striking is that there are still broadcasters across our industry who need our help. It is incumbent on everyone in our industry to help ensure that the Broadcasters Foundation can continue to provide this much-needed financial assistance to our colleagues.” Grants from the Broadcasters Foundation have risen from $61,000 in 2000 to this year’s unprecedented level. Included in the 2017 figure is more than $200,000 in emergency aid that was distributed to broadcasters whose lives were impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, the California wildfires, or other disasters. BFoA president Jim Thompson adds, “Requests for aid have multiplied over the past several years, and we have been able to help every qualifying broadcaster who sought assistance from us. As we enter the season of giving, I ask every broadcaster to review any good fortune that our business has bestowed upon them and consider donating to help our colleagues in need.”
Pioneer Valley Radio Continues to Brighten Western Massachusetts with Hyper-Local Coverage and Community Involvement. Now in its third year of service to its region, hyper-local Pioneer Valley Radio continues to gain traction as an online radio outlet and “media station” in Western Massachusetts. Pictured at the recent opening ceremonies of the annual Springfield “Bright Nights” holiday lights spectacular in the city’s Forest Park are (l-r) local keyboard favorite Richard Mitnick, Pioneer Valley Radio GM and program host Brad Shepard, and Spirit of Springfield president Judy Matt. Brad Shepard entertained the crowd singing a two-hour medley of Christmas and holiday favorites. Shepard is a legendary local personality and “man about town” who is a favorite among area radio listeners in Greater Springfield where he has been heard for more than two decades as morning host on WMAS, WHYN, and now Pioneer Valley Radio. He is also a significant figure in local theater, stand-up comedy and serves as emcee of major community events. (Photo courtesy of The Republican.)
Music Radio News and Career Moves. In the Orlando and Daytona Beach markets, Entercom flips another former CBS RADIO CHR to alternative rock. This time it’s WQMP “AMP 101.9.” The station is licensed to Daytona Beach but is a 90 kw class C FM that covers the Orlando market as well. The new station is branded “ALT 101.9 FM, Orlando’s New Alternative.” Entercom president of programming Pat Paxton states, “In a city with a rapidly evolving demographic, we are thrilled to fill this void in radio in Orlando. ‘ALT 101.9 FM’ caters to the tech-savvy, engaged and active Orlando audience and will provide an exciting and unique experience for listeners who are currently underserved with today’s radio choices in Orlando.”
Envision Networks Offers Holiday Programming. A full lineup of holiday programming is being offered by Envision Networks. The company says there are “new and returning favorites to the Envision Networks lineup covering traditional offerings, contemporary shows, production assistance and holiday fun stuff.” The shows include: “The 100 Greatest Christmas Hits of All Time with Wink Martindale,” from a list of songs compiled through data collected from Billboard Magazine and listings of the Christmas tracks most played on radio over the past decade; “The Jim Brickman Show: A Joyful Christmas,” a program with no network commercials in a modular track format with or without music; “The Live Ride,” a holiday edition of this show with Nashville insider and host Johnny Stone; “Annual Chop Shop Christmas Special with Trans-Siberian Orchestra,” in which host Steve Black was recorded at the Council Bluffs, Iowa rehearsal for TSO’s 20th anniversary winter tour; plus more, including holiday imaging packages.
Elvis Duran Group’s 3rd Annual Carney Awards to Air on National TV on Saturday. Nationally syndicated radio personality Elvis Duran (center) is pictured with executive producer Jim Katz (left) and Elvis Duran Group CEO/executive producer David Katz (right) on the red carpet at taping of “The Elvis Duran Group’s 2017 Carney Awards” at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, California. The awards honor Hollywood’s leading character actors for their outstanding achievements. This year’s awards ceremony with be broadcast on NBC Universal’s COZI TV this Saturday (12/2) at 9:00 pm ET. This year William H. Macy, Wendie Malick, William Fichtner, Richard Kind and Xander Berkeley were honored while Allison Janney, Jeff Garlin, Clark Gregg, Dan Lauria and Titus Welliver presented. ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” host Tom Bergeron was host.
Round One of November PPM Ratings Released. The first of four rounds of ratings information from Nielsen Audio‘s November 2017 PPM survey is released for 12 markets including: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Nassau-Suffolk (Long Island), Riverside, San Jose, and Middlesex-Somerset-Union (New Jersey). Nielsen’s November 2017 survey period covered October 12 – November 8. View all the 6+ ratings from subscribing stations here. Meanwhile, managing editor Mike Kinosian provides his “Takeaways” from these 12 PPM markets. Please note the Entercom takeover of CBS Radio was concluded nine days after the final day of the November 2017 sweep (11/17); we will cease using CBS Radio references beginning with the December 2017 sweep.
TWELVE TAKEAWAYS
1) New York – The top two “Big Apple” finishers both post gains of four-tenths, with iHeartMedia adult contemporary WLTW tacking onto October’s one-half share surge (6.1 – 6.6 – 6.9, 6+). Moreover, “106.7 Lite FM” is #1 for the third straight time and has its best 6+-share since February’s 7.1. After finishing at #1 for three consecutive months, “Lite FM” dropped to #2 in August. Its loss of seven-tenths in that sweep (6.7 – 6.0, 6+) completely erased three straight gains that yielded that exact margin (6.0 – 6.1 – 6.5 – 6.7, 6+). A one-tenth increase in May halted four straight declines that produced a collective -7.3 since “Holiday” 2016 (13.3 – 7.2 – 7.1 – 6.2 – 6.0, 6+). Not only does CBS Radio all-news WINS, a cumulative +1.6 via four straight upticks (4.7 – 4.9 – 5.4 – 5.9 – 6.3, 6+), repeat in the runner-up slot, it crosses the six-share level (6+) for the first time in its PPM-history. When it notched a +.2 in August, WINS halted four straight dips that resulted in a collective -1.1 (5.8 – 5.3 – 5.1 – 4.8 – 4.7, 6+). Co-owned and similarly formatted WCBS-AM, which had notched a 2.7 (6+) in three of the previous five ratings periods (2.7 – 2.7 – 2.6 – 2.9 – 2.7, 6+), drops one-tenth to 2.6 (6+), but is unchanged at #13. Sports talk sibling WFAN-FM is without a loss for the fifth straight month for a collective +1.7 since June (3.5 – 3.9 – 4.1 – 4.6 – 5.2 – 5.2, 6+), inching up from sixth to fifth. The 5.2 (in October and November) represents its best-ever 6+-stat in the PPM-era and first time above the five-share level (6+). On two prior occasions, “The Fan” registered a 4.5 and it reached a 4.6 (6+) in September 2017. In the market’s rhythmic CHR contest, Emmis’ WQHT picks up one-tenth to 3.4 (6+), ending three consecutive dips that resulted in a cumulative loss of nine-tenths (4.2 – 3.8 – 3.6 – 3.3), as “Hot 97” returns to the top ten (#11 to #10). In the process, it overtakes iHeartMedia’s WKTU, off one full-share over its last three sweeps (4.0 – 3.6 – 3.4 – 3.0, 6+), slipping from #10 to #11. Having registered back-to-back gains of four-tenths in September and October (4.5 – 4.9 – 5.3, 6+), Spanish Broadcasting System-owned Spanish tropical WSKQ “La Mega 97.9” relinquishes all but one-tenth of that collective +.8 (4.6, -.7, fifth to seventh, 6+). Down or flat for the fourth consecutive sweep for a combined -1.1 (6.6 – 6.1 – 5.5 – 5.5 – 5.5, 6+), classic hits-oldies WCBS-FM repeats at #4. “New York’s Greatest Hits” exited the #1 spot in September after only a one-month stay there. Its one-half share dip in August curtailed at four a streak of successive up or flat trends that generated a combined seven-tenths (5.9 – 6.1 – 6.1 – 6.2 – 6.6, 6+). Prior to August, the last time “New York’s Greatest Hits” was at #1 was in May. Even though iHeartMedia-owned WAXQ is without an increase for the fifth straight time for a combined loss of eight-tenths (5.5 – 5.3 – 5.3 – 5.1 – 4.8 – 4.7, 6+), “Q-104.3 New York’s Classic Rock” actually improves from a seventh-place tie to sixth.
2) Los Angeles – Last year marked the end of an eye-popping 67 consecutive years that Vin Scully served as the play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The National League West team made it to the World Series this year for the first time since 1988 and its 1.7 (6+) in November 2017 matches the audience draw for KLAC in Vin’s swan song (1.7, 6+, November 2016) as the iHeartMedia sports talk/Dodgers flagship trots out a +.7 (1.7, 6+). “AM 570 Sports” leaps from #31 in October to #25 in November. Remaining in sixth-place, news/talk cluster-mate KFI is without a decrease for the fifth time in a row and is trending 3.5 – 3.5 – 3.4 – 3.5 – 3.5 – 3.3 – 3.4 – 3.5 – 3.5 – 3.9 – 4.1 since January (6+). In what represents its farewell ratings period, Entercom classic rock KSWD “The Sound” hauls out a gain of six-tenths (2.2 – 2.8, 6+), rocketing from a three-way tie at #19 to #12. Just over a week after the November sweep concluded, Educational Media Foundation officially closed on “The Sound” and flipped it to contemporary Christian KKLQ “Positive & Encouraging K-Love.” The last song played by “The Sound” in an emotional November 16 finale that drew considerable social media and local television coverage was The Beatles’ “The End.” Despite being up or flat for the seventh ratings period in a row for a net gain of one-half share (.8 – .9 – 1.0 – 1.0 – 1.0 – 1.0 – 1.2 – 1.3, 6+), KSPN “ESPN LA 710” – the flagship of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Lakers – backslides from #28 to #30. With a gain of two-tenths to 2.7 (6+), iHeartMedia-owned KYSR-FM pulls the plug on eight consecutive down or flat trends for a collective loss of seven-tenths (3.2 – 3.1 – 3.0 – 2.9 – 2.9 – 2.7 – 2.6 – 2.5 – 2.5, 6+); “Alt 98.7 – LA’s New Alternative” advances from #17 to #13. After nine up or flat monthlies in a row for an overall gain of one full-share (1.8 – 2.0 – 2.1 – 2.1 – 2.2 – 2.2 – 2.4 – 2.5 – 2.7 – 2.8, 6+), its format foe – CBS Radio’s KROQ – stumbles by two-tenths in both October and November (2.8 – 2.6 – 2.4), sliding from #14 to #18. September’s 2.8 was its strongest 6+-showing since June 2016’s 2.9. Having been down or flat the past five monthlies for an overall loss of three-tenths (1.5 – 1.5 – 1.4 – 1.3 – 1.2 – 1.2, 6+), University of Southern California’s classical KUSC wipes out that deficit with a +.4 to 1.6 (#28 to #26, 6+). The #1/#2/#3 finish for iHeartMedia includes hot AC KBIG “My-FM,” which – despite a loss of one-half share (6.4 – 5.9, 6+) – is on top for the tenth straight ratings period. In October, “My-FM” regained in its entirety the four-tenths it squandered in September (6.4 – 6.0 – 6.4, 6+). Prior to September’s -.4, “My-FM” posted four successive up or flat trends that netted eight-tenths (5.6 – 5.8 – 5.8 – 6.1 – 6.4, 6+). In a three-way tie for second in October, mainstream CHR sibling KIIS “102.7 Kiss-FM” has sole possession of the runner-up slot in November. “Kiss-FM” gains three-tenths to 4.8 (6+), thus halting at four a consecutive string of down or flat sweeps that produced a collective loss of one-half share (5.0 – 4.7 – 4.7 – 4.6 – 4.5, 6+). Part of October’s three-way runner-up logjam as well was adult contemporary cluster-mate KOST, which drops one-tenth (4.5 – 4.4, 6+) and segues to third-place. When “Coast 103” picked up two-tenths in October, it halted three consecutive off-trends that resulted in a combined decrease of one-half share (4.8 – 4.7 – 4.5 – 4.3, 6+). In September, co-owned urban contemporary KRRL reached the three-share level (6+) for the first time since January, but “Real 92.3 – LA’s Home for Hip-Hop” falters by nine-tenths (3.4 – 2.5, 6+), drifting out of the top ten (#9 to #15). This marks the fifth successive sweep without an increase for CBS Radio classic hits-oldies KRTH “K-Earth 101,” which is off seven-tenths in that stretch (5.1 – 4.8 – 4.8 – 4.8 – 4.5 – 4.4, 6+), dropping from a second-place tie to third (with KOST). Following six straight sweeps in second-place, smooth AC sibling KTWV “The Wave” is a collective -1.7 in three successive declines (5.9 – 5.2 – 4.3 – 4.2, 6+) and repeats at #5.
3) Chicago – Having fallen off the top twenty in October (2.5 – 2.2, #21, 6+), iHeartMedia hot AC WLIT “93.9 My-FM” rebounds with an increase of six-tenths to 2.8, catapulting all the way into a four-way scrum at #12. Over and above repeating at #1, its format rival – Hubbard’s WTMX “101.9 The Mix” – registers its sixth straight improvement for a collective +1.7 (4.6 – 4.6 – 4.6 – 5.0 – 5.2 – 5.8 – 6.3, 6+). The last time “Mix” reached the six-share level (6+) was in May 2013 (6.4). WTMX had finished in the runner-up slot in July, August, and September. Co-owned classic rocker WDRV “97.1 The Drive,” however forfeits seven-tenths (3.9 – 3.2, 6+), tumbling from fifth to tenth with its lowest 6+-showing since “Holiday” 2016’s 3.1. Along with WLIT, another player in that four-way logjam at #12 is TribuneMedia Company news/talk WGN, which gains three-tenths to 2.8 (6+, up from #17 in October). In doing so, WGN applies the brakes to eight straight ratings periods without an increase for a collective -1.7 (4.2 – 4.2 – 3.9 – 3.3 – 3.1 – 2.8 – 2.8 – 2.5 – 2.5, 6+). Immediately prior to this just-concluded streak, WGN posted three consecutive sweeps without a loss for an overall one-half share gain (3.7 – 4.0 – 4.2 – 4.2, 6+). It is a mixed bag for the market’s two main sports talk outlets. On the plus side, WMVP picks up one-half share and is a collective +1.1 via three straight gains (1.3 – 1.5 – 1.9 – 2.4, #22, 6+); “ESPN Chicago 1000” reaches the two-share mark for the first time since March (2.1). At the same time, after posting a full-share gain in October (3.9 – 4.9, 6+), CBS Radio-owned Chicago Cubs flagship WSCR “670 The Score” (fourth to sixth, 6+) surrenders -1.3 to 3.6, its lowest 6+-stat since March’s 2.2. Tied at #7 are iHeartMedia mainstream CHR WKSC “103.5 Kiss FM – Chicago’s #1 Hit Music Station” and CBS Radio-owned WBBM-FM “Chicago’s B-96.” “Kiss” is off for the third straight sweep for an overall loss of seven-tenths (4.1 – 3.8 – 3.6 – 3.4, 6+) yet is actually up from eighth in October, while “B-96” improves by one-tenth, (3.4, up from ninth in October 6+), ending five consecutive down or flat trends for a collective -.7 (4.0 – 3.9 – 3.8 – 3.7 – 3.4 – 3.3, 6+).
4) San Francisco – For the 11thsuccessive time, Northern California Public Broadcasting’s KQED-FM and CBS Radio-owned all-news KCBS-AM rank first and second, respectively. At this time last month, KQED-FM had a rather slim, one-half share lead over KCBS-AM. That advantage nearly quadruples, however, as KQED-FM rolls out a massive +1.3 in November (7.3 – 8.6, 6+), while KCBS-AM (up eight-tenths in October) drops one-tenth (6.8 – 6.7, 6+). October’s 6.8 by KCBS-AM is its strongest 6+-performance since February (6.8, as well). After adding one-half share in August (7.1 – 7.6, 6+), KQED-FM relinquished 60% of that increase in September (7.3, -.3, 6+). A gain of four-tenths in July halted at four a successive streak without an increase that produced a -1.0 (7.7 – 7.3 – 7.0 – 6.7 – 6.7, 6+). When KCBS-AM added two-tenths in September to 6.0 (6+), it ended four consecutive down or flat monthlies that yielded a loss of one-half share (6.3 – 6.1 – 6.0 – 5.8 – 5.8, 6+). Doubling its 6+ stat since August via four straight positive spikes (1.7 – 2.3 – 2.4 – 2.9 – 3.4, 6+), Cumulus Media news/talk KSFO progresses from tenth to seventh. Co-owned KNBR picks up three-tenths to 3.1 (6+), halting six straight down or flat trends for a cumulative -1.4 (4.2 – 4.1 – 3.5 – 3.2 – 3.2 – 3.0 – 2.8, 6+) and “The Sports Leader” returns to the top ten (#13 to #9). Posting a one-half share increase and leaping from #18 to #12 is University of Southern California classical KDFC, a collective +.9 as the result of its sixth straight sweep without a loss (1.8 – 1.9 – 1.9 – 2.0 – 2.1 – 2.2 – 2.7, 6+). Faltering by seven-tenths each and both, as a result, departing the top ten are iHeartMedia rhythmic CHR KYLD “Wild 94.9 – The Bay’s #1 Hit Music Station” (2.7, #7 to #12, 6+) and Univision Radio Spanish adult hits KBRG “100.3 Mas Variedad” (3.3 – 2.6, #8 to #14, 6+). “Wild” had been in three-share territory (6+) in each of the last 18 survey periods. Varying only seven-tenths from October 2016 through November 2017, iHeartMedia urban contemporary KMEL “#1 for Hip-Hop and R&B in the Bay Area” (flat at #14) is nonetheless down one-tenth for the fourth straight time (3.3 – 3.0 – 2.9 – 3.3 – 3.1 – 3.0 – 3.0 – 3.1 – 3.0 – 2.9 – 3.0 – 2.9 – 2.8 – 2.7 – 2.6, 6+). This is the eighth month in a row that KUFX “98.5 K-Fox – The South Bay’s Classic Rock” is unlisted in San Francisco, but it still appears in print in San Jose. The station’s March 2017 6+-San Francisco stat was 1.5.
6) Houston – When the Houston Astros won the team’s first-ever World Series, it proved to be a ratings bonanza for its flagship, iHeartMedia-owned KBME “Sports Talk 790,” which cracks the top twenty with a gain of eight-tenths (1.3 – 2.1, #20, 6+). By way of comparison, “Sports Talk 790” logged a .7 (6+, #25) in November 2016. Improving by eight-tenths as well (to 3.8 6+) is CBS Radio Spanish contemporary KLOL which hadn’t had an increase in the last three sweeps for a collective -.6 (3.6 – 3.2 – 3.0 – 3.0, 6+); “Mega 101 FM” vaults from #17 to a three-way tie at #10 with its best 6+-stat since April’s 4.2. Noncommercial contemporary Christian KSBJ “89.3 – God Listens” (4.8, eighth to fifth, 6+) erases the six-tenths it lost through three straight down or flat trends (4.8 – 4.6 – 4.2 – 4.2, 6+). Yet another Houston outlet putting an end to three consecutive down or flat moves is Cumulus Media CHR KRBE “104.1 – Houston’s #1 Hit Music Station,” which picks up one-half share (4.6, ninth to seventh, 6+). KRBE was a cumulative -.7 since July (4.8 – 4.4 – 4.4 – 4.1, 6+). Conversely, Radio One urban AC KMJQ is off three-tenths (to 7.4, 6+), thus ending three straight gains that netted seven-tenths (7.0 – 7.1 – 7.2 – 7.7, 6+), but “Majic 102.1 The People’s Station” is #1 for the third time in succession. “Majic” spent six consecutive months on top before segueing to #2 in August. It was +1.4 in May; -.6 in June; and -.7 in July. Up a combined +1.0 in back-to-back monthlies (6.9 – 7.2 – 7.9, January – February – March, 6+), “Majic” returned all of it in April (6.9, 6+) before notching May’s +1.4. The rollercoaster ride continues for iHeartMedia adult contemporary KODA “Sunny 99.1,” which gained eight-tenths in August; lost it all in September; picked up one-half share in October; and now surrenders eight-tenths in November (6.4 – 7.2 – 6.4 – 6.9 – 6.1, 6+). Displaced from the top in September and falling to third, “Sunny” repeats in the runner-up slot. Immediately prior to September’s -.8, KODA was a collective +1.7 via four straight up or flat monthlies (5.5 – 5.5 – 5.8 – 6.4 – 7.2, 6+) and notched its strongest 6+-stat since “Holiday” 2016 (10.3). Up a combined full-share in September and October (3.6 – 4.3 – 4.6, 6+), co-owned KTBZ “94.5 The Buzz – Houston’s Rock and Alternative” fades by eight-tenths as well (3.8, sixth to tenth, 6+). Having lost eight-tenths in October, Cox Media Group classic rock KGLK “The Eagle” regresses by another seven-tenths in November (5.9 – 5.2, flat at #4, 6+). Up or flat for a collective +1.2 February through July (5.3 – 5.7 – 5.9 – 6.2 – 6.5 – 6.5, 6+), “The Eagle” stumbled in August with a -1.1, but responded in September with a +1.3 to 6.7, the strongest 6+-share in its PPM-history. On the heels of October’s stunning +1.6, Univision Radio regional Mexican KLTN returns one-half share (4.7 – 6.3 – 5.8, 6+) and carries on in third-place. It was -.5 in March; +.7 in April; -1.1 in June; -.7 in July; and +.7 in August. Following three straight negative trends that yielded a combined -1.5 (8.0 – 7.4 – 6.7 – 6.5, 6+), KLTN brought back 60% of that deficit in January (+.9), jumping from third to first. It was a very quick stay there though as KLTN surrendered -1.3 in February (7.4 – 6.1, 6+) and dropped to third. Declining by one-half share as well is Liberman regional Mexican KEYH (.8 – .3, #32, 6+). Owing to seven straight up or flat trends, Univision Radio’s similarly-formatted KQBU more than quadrupled its 6+-share (.2 – .3 – .3 – .4 – .6 – .7 – .7 – .9, 6+), but “Que Buena 93.3” slips three-tenths to .6 (#25 to #28, 6+). Having improved its 6+-share by 2.5 times through eight consecutive sweeps without a decrease (.8 – 1.0 – 1.0 – 1.1 – 1.1 – 1.1 – 1.3 – 1.7 – 2.0, 6+) CBS Radio’s KILT-AM “Sports Radio 610” returns four-tenths to 1.6 (#21 to #23, 6+).
7) Atlanta – In what proves to be a solid ratings period for urban ACs in “The ATL,” Cox Media Group’s WALR “Kiss 104.1” advances by seven-tenths (5.8, 6+), while Radio One-owned WAMJ “Majic – The Real Sound of Atlanta” improves by six-tenths (4.9, eighth to sixth, 6+). The +.7 not only pushes “Kiss” from fifth to second, it applies the brakes to four consecutive declines that eventuated in a cumulative -1.1 (6.2 – 5.9 – 5.6 – 5.3 – 5.1, 6+). Meanwhile, “Magic” rebounds from a combined one-half share loss in September and October (4.8 – 4.6 – 4.3, 6+). Regarding the market’s CHR contest, Cumulus Media’s WWWQ “Q-100 Atlanta’s New Hits” drops two-tenths to 4.5 (seventh to eighth, 6+), while iHeartMedia-owned WWPW “Power 96.1 Atlanta’s #1 Hit Music Station” improves by that same margin (4.0 – 4.2, tenth to ninth, 6+). “Q-100” was locked on 4.7 (6+) in September and October. Down or flat in four straight ratings periods for a net loss of four-tenths (4.3 – 4.1 – 4.1 – 3.9 – 3.9, 6+), “Power” gained one-tenth in October. Those group owners are involved in another close skirmish between two of the market’s country properties, with iHeartMedia’s WUBL “94.9 The Bull – Atlanta’s #1 For New Country” (4.0 – 4.1, +.1, three-way tie at #10 to #11, 6+) holding a four-tenths advantage over Cumulus Media-owned WKHX “Kicks 101.5 – Atlanta’s #1 For Country Hits” (3.4 – 3.7, +.3, #15 to #13, 6+). At the same time, Woman’s World Broadcasting-owned WTSH “Georgia Country” has lost roughly 70% of its 6+-stat in five successive down or flat trends since June (1.8 – 1.3 – 1.3 – 1.0 – .7 – .5, #30, 6+). A gain of two-tenths by Cumulus Media news/talk WYAY (1.7, #20 to #19, 6+) applies the brakes to four straight negative or flat trends that resulted in an overall loss of six-tenths (2.1 – 1.8 – 1.8 – 1.8 – 1.5, 6+). After registering three straight increases for a collective +1.6 (8.6 – 8.9 – 9.9 – 10.2, 6+), Cox Media Group news/talk WSB-AM relinquishes two-tenths to 10.0 (6+), but is #1 for the 23rdsuccessive ratings period. Prior to June’s +.2, WSB-AM had been down or flat the previous four sweeps for a combined loss of -2.1 (10.7 – 9.9 – 9.5 – 9.5 – 8.6, 6+). January 2017’s 10.7 represents WSB-AM’s best-ever (6+) PPM-performance. In addition to dropping from second to fourth (5.6, 6+), Salem Media Group contemporary Christian WFSH “104.7 Fish” has its string of successive flat or progressive trends that netted a +1.8 end at four (3.9 – 3.9 – 4.3 – 5.3 – 5.7, 6+). Frozen on 3.7 (6+) in June and July and then on 4.0 (6+) in September and October, Radio One gospel WPZE stumbles by one-half share to 3.5, its lowest 6+-share since August 2016’s 3.4, with “Praise 102.5” spiraling from the top ten (#10 to #15).
8) Philadelphia – Notwithstanding that it is unchanged at #14, iHeartMedia urban-rhythmic oldies WISX is a collective +1.5 via five consecutive up or flat trends (2.0 – 2.4 – 2.6 – 2.9 – 2.9 – 3.5, 6+); “Philly’s Real 106.1 – #1 for Throwbacks” had been within 2.0 – 2.9 range (6+) in each of the last 18 survey periods. A combined +3.5 as the result of four straight increases (4.5 – 5.3 – 6.4 – 7.5 – 8.0, 6+), CBS Radio sports talk outlet/Philadelphia Eagles flagship WIP establishes two milestones: It is #1 for the first time in the PPM-era and records its best-ever 6+-stat. Off a collective full-share in June and July (5.5 – 4.7 – 4.5, 6+), WIP gained eight-tenths in August. At 10 – 1, the Eagles have the NFL’s highest winning percentage; at this time last year, WIP was #7 (4.9, 6+, November 2016). The market’s other FM sports facility – Beasley Media Group’s WPEN “97.5 The Fanatic” – records its fifth straight up or flat trend for a collective +1.1 (1.6 – 1.7 – 1.7 – 2.0 – 2.4 – 2.7, 6+) as the key station of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers climbs from #18 to #15. Even though it adds two-tenths (7.6 – 7.8, 6+) and has its highest 6+-share since February’s 7.9, Jerry Lee-owned adult contemporary WBEB “Today’s 101.1 More FM” is dislodged from #1 and segues to #2. Prior to September, the last time “More FM” occupied the top spot was February when it ended a seven-straight month run there. In addition to posting its lowest 6+-share since “Holiday” 2016’s 5.5, CBS Radio-owned classic hits-oldies WOGL declines for the fourth straight month for an overall -1.9 (7.5 – 7.4 – 6.6 – 6.2 – 5.6, fourth to fifth, 6+). Showing losses of one-half share each are Beasley Media Group-owned WMMR “93.3 Everything That Rocks” (5.0 – 4.5, flat at #6, 6+); iHeartMedia urban contemporary WUSL “Power 99 – Philadelphia’s Hip-Hop and R&B” (4.1 – 3.6, #7 to #13, 6+); and Educational Media Foundation contemporary Christian WKVP “Positive & Encouraging K-Love” (1.3, #19 to #21, 6+). When WMMR gained four-tenths in October, it halted five straight down or flat trends that resulted in a combined -1.4 (6.0 – 5.7 – 5.3 – 4.8 – 4.8 – 4.6, 6+). This marks the first time “Power 99” is below a four-share (6+) since May 2016’s 3.7. WKVP was locked on 1.8 (6+) in September and October.
9) Long Island – Tied with KQED-FM (see San Francisco above) for largest (6+) October 2017 – November 2017 increase by any station in the 12 PPM-markets highlighted here, Connoisseur Media hot AC WALK-FM “Real Variety 97.5” shakes off October’s -.9 with a +1.3 (6.3 – 5.4 – 6.7, 6+) to advance from second to first, which is where it was between June and September. After three consecutive surges that generated a +2.1 (4.2 – 5.1 – 5.3 – 6.3, 6+), WALK-FM dropped one-tenth in July; bounced back with a +.7 in August; and surrendered six-tenths in September. A full-share decrease in March (5.2 – 4.2, 6+) resulted in “Real Variety” tumbling from fourth to seventh, but it jumped to first in April with a gain of nine-tenths. It is a short one-month stay at #1 for iHeartMedia New York City CHR WHTZ “Z-100,” which is down three-tenths (5.8 – 5.5, 6+) and shifts to third. “Z-100” had a June 2017 – September 2017 pattern of 5.0 – 4.9 – 5.0 – 4.9 (6+). Sandwiched between WALK-FM and WHTZ is CBS Radio’s WFAN “The Fan” (third to second), logging its fourth straight increase for an overall +1.9 (4.0 – 4.2 – 4.6 – 5.3 – 5.9, 6+). Gaining one-half share each are Cox Media Group’s WBAB “Long Island’s Only Classic Rock” (5.0 – 5.5, fifth to third, 6+), which has its best-ever 6+ PPM-performance; iHeartMedia New York City’s similarly-formatted WAXQ “Q-104.3” (3.4 – 3.9, tenth to seventh, 6+); and Emmis urban AC WBLS “107.5 – #1 For R&B” (3.2 – 3.7, #11 to #9, 6+). An October dip of three-tenths by “Q-104.3 halted at nine its successive string of up or flat trends that netted a +1.1 (2.6 – 2.6 – 2.9 – 3.3 – 3.3 – 3.4 – 3.7 – 3.7 – 3.7 – 3.7, 6+). This is the 14th sweep in a row that WBLS has been within 3.0 – 3.9 range (6+). Rhythmic CHR sibling WQHT “Hot 97” gains three-tenths (2.4 – 2.7, 6+) and inches up from #16 to #14. It is within 2.0 – 2.9 territory (6+) for the 36thconsecutive ratings period. As it returns to the top ten (#11 to #10), Connoisseur Media classic hits-oldies WBZO “103.1 Max FM” adds two-tenths to 3.4 (6+), pulling the plug on six successive sweeps without an increase for a -1.5 (4.7 – 4.5 – 4.4 – 4.3 – 4.3 – 3.6 – 3.2, 6+). After being up or flat for seven straight months for a cumulative +1.6 (2.2 – 2.3 – 2.5 – 2.6 – 2.7 – 2.7 – 3.2 – 3.8, 6+), Cumulus Media hot AC WPLJ “New York’s 95.5 PLJ” forfeits seven-tenths to 3.1 and departs the top ten (#8 to #11, 6+). Eroding by seven-tenths as well and also exiting the top ten is CBS Radio all-news WCBS-AM (3.7 – 3.0, #9 to #12, 6+), which has a three-share showing (6+) in Long Island for the 13th consecutive sweep. This is the fourth time in succession that Cox Media Group CHR WBLI (flat at #6) records a negative trend (6.2 – 5.6 – 5.2 – 4.9 – 4.3, 6+) and it is an overall -1.9 since July.
10) Riverside – By doubling its 6+-share (1.2 – 2.4, 6+), All-Pro Broadcasting’s KHTI “Hot 103.9 – Move to the Music” jumps into the top ten (#12 to #8). Prior to November, “Hot” was off a collective nine-tenths in six straight down or flat trends (2.1 – 1.8 – 1.5 – 1.4 – 1.3 – 1.3 – 1.2, 6+). Owing to its third straight monthly without a decrease (3.2 – 3.5 – 3.5 – 4.1, 6+), Univision Radio regional Mexican KSCA “Zona MX 101.9” (seventh to fourth) has its best 6+-share in the Inland Empire since April’s 4.9. This marks the fourth consecutive up or flat trend for LC Media urban-rhythmic oldies KQIE “Old School 104.7” (3.3 – 3.3 – 3.4 – 3.6 – 3.9, unchanged at #6, 6+), which is +.6 since July. Steady at #9, Good News Radio contemporary Christian KSGN “89.7 Family Friendly” is a combined +.5 in four straight ratings periods without a decrease (1.6 – 1.6 – 2.1 – 2.1 – 2.1, 6+). KSGN had been trending 1.6 – 1.6 – 1.8 – 1.8 – 1.8 – 1.8 (6+) and, in September, reached the two-share level (6+) for the first time since December 2015’s 2.0. Despite gaining one-tenth to 3.8 (6+), halting three straight dips for an overall loss of eight-tenths (4.5 – 4.2 – 3.8 – 3.7, 6+), iHeartMedia rhythmic CHR KGGI backslides from fifth to seventh. While it is on top for the 25thconsecutive ratings period, Entravision Spanish adult hits KLYY “Jose” falters by eight-tenths (7.7 – 6.9, 6+). When “Jose” gained three-tenths in August, it ended six consecutive decreases for a net loss of -2.7 (9.4 – 9.2 – 8.6 – 8.3 – 8.1 – 7.9 – 6.7, 6+). It was in that stretch that “Jose” fell below a seven-share for the first time since May 2016’s 6.5. In October, Anaheim Broadcasting classic hits-oldies outlet KOLA was just two-tenths behind “Jose,” but KOLA fades by -1.5 to 6.0, nine-tenths off the pace, but is still in second-place. In back-to-back sweeps (September and October), KOLA gained a combined +2.4 (5.1 – 6.5 – 7.5, 6+). KOLA was in second-place six straight times before dropping to third in “Holiday” 2016 and was back at #2 between January and July (2017). A combined +1.0 in April and May (5.2 – 5.6 – 6.2, 6+), KOLA repeated June’s -.2 in July (6.2 – 6.0 – 5.8, 6+). Its -.4 in March ended at five a string of consecutive fluctuations by one-half share (7.1 – 6.6 – 6.1 – 5.6 – 6.1 – 5.6, 6+) for a collective -1.5. Slipping from third to fourth, Univision Radio Spanish contemporary KLVE “K-Love 107.5” is an overall -1.2 in its third straight decline (5.3 – 4.9 – 4.7 – 4.1, 6+). Co-owned Spanish adult hits KRCD improved its 6+-share by 2.5 times in three straight increases (.6 – .7 – 1.2 – 1.5, 6+), but “Recuerdo” slips by three-tenths in November to 1.2 (#11 to #14, 6+).
11) San Jose – Within 3.0 – 3.6 range (6+) in each of the past ten (10) survey periods, CHR KMVQ “99.7 New Hit Music Now!” breaks out a +1.0 (3.2 – 4.2, 6+) to progress from tenth to sixth. Improving by a cumulative +1.8 via four successive progressive spikes (3.5 – 4.0 – 4.5 – 4.9 – 5.3, 6+), iHeartMedia hot AC KIOI “Star 101.3 – More Music, More Variety” climbs from fourth to third. Two Bay Area sports talk outlets improve by one-half share each: Cumulus Media’s KNBR “The Sports Leader” (3.2, #15 to #13, 6+) and Entercom-owned KGMZ “95.7 The Game” (#28, 6+). Regaining the one-half share it lost in October, KNBR was without an increase in San Jose the past six months for an overall -1.5 since April (4.2 – 4.2 – 3.4 – 3.3 – 3.3 – 3.2 – 2.7, 6+). In four straight upticks, “The Game” has nearly tripled its 6+-share (.4 – .5 – .5 – .6 – 1.1, 6+). Advancing by one-half share as well is iHeartMedia adult contemporary KISQ “98.1 The Breeze” (3.6, #12 to #11, 6+), which had been -1.3 in three straight negative or flat trends (4.4 – 3.7 – 3.1 – 3.1, 6+). Setting the pace in San Jose for the fourth straight time, Northern California Public Broadcasting’s KQED-FM is an overall +1.3 in three consecutive gains (6.9 – 7.3 – 8.0 – 8.2, 6+). Recapturing 80% of the cumulative -1.5 it lost in four straight downward moves (7.6 – 7.5 – 7.2 – 6.3 – 6.1, 6+), KQED-FM advanced from third to first in July. Unlisted in San Jose since posting a 5.1 (6+) in the “Holiday” 2015 report, KQED-FM returned in January 2017 by recording a 6.9 (6+) to finish at #1 and had been on top through April. This represents its highest 6+-share since reappearing the first of this year. Slipping from ninth to tenth, Univision Radio regional Mexican KSOL “Que Buena” is off one-tenth to 3.8 (6+), thus curtailing at four a consecutive string of up or flat trends that generated a +1.1 (2.8 – 3.0 – 3.0 – 3.3 – 3.9, 6+); October’s 3.9 is its best 6+-share in San Jose since December’s 4.1. After being a combined +2.3 in August and September (3.7 – 4.8 – 6.0, 6+), Alpha Media classic hits-oldies KBAY “94.5 Bay FM – The Bay’s Greatest Hits” is a collective -2.0 in October and November (6.0 – 4.9 – 4.0, 6+), skidding from fourth to eighth. September’s 6.0 was its strongest 6+-stat since 8.0 in the “Holiday” 2016 report, whereas 3.7 is its weakest since July’s 3.7. Off by six-tenths each are Univision Radio Spanish adult hits KBRG “100.3 Mas Variedad” (5.4 – 4.8, third to fourth, 6+) and Empire Broadcasting’s KRTY “Hot Country 95.3” (4.2, flat at #6, 6+), which was locked on 4.8 (6+) in September and October. In addition to falling from a three-way tie at #19 to #20, Cumulus Media news/talk KSFO slips by one-tenth to 2.1 (6+), ending three straight up or flat trends that netted seven-tenths (1.5 – 1.7 – 1.7 – 2.2, 6+).
12) Middlesex – A pair of adult contemporary outlets combine for a +1.6. Specifically, iHeartMedia’s WLTW “Lite-FM” hangs out a full-share improvement to advance from sixth to third, while Beasley Media Group-owned WMGQ “Magic 98.3” increases by six-tenths (3.5 – 4.1, tenth to seventh, 6+). This is the fourth straight Middlesex-Somerset-Union gain for “Lite-FM” for an overall +1.6 (4.3 – 4.4 – 4.6 – 4.9 – 5.9, 6+) and its best 6+-showing here since February (5.9, as well). Unchanged at #5, CBS Radio New York City sports talk WFAN-FM “The Fan” registers its third straight increase for an overall +1.4 (3.8 – 4.3 – 5.1 – 5.2, 6+). For the eighth time in the last ten sweeps (and fourth straight), iHeartMedia rhythmic CHR WKTU registers a 2.8 (2.8 – 2.8 – 2.8 – 3.0 – 2.8 – 2.9 – 2.8 – 2.8 – 2.8 – 2.8, 6+) and stays at #15. Not only does it post a positive spike of nine-tenths (7.3 – 8.2, 6+) for its strongest 6+-stat since 8.2 in September 2016, Townsquare Media news/talk WKXW is #1 for the 11th consecutive ratings period. As a result of a “Holiday” 2016 – January 2017 increase of one-full-share (6.8 – 7.8, 6+), “New Jersey 101.5” returned to #1 following one month in the runner-up slot. Prior to “Holiday” 2016, when it was -.7 (6+), WKXW spent 12 consecutive ratings periods on top. Owing to its third straight increase (2.5 – 2.9 – 3.1 – 3.6, 6+), iHeartMedia urban contemporary WWPR is a collective +1.1, with “Power 105.1 New York’s Hip-Hop and R&B” cracking the top ten (#13 to #10). Eroding by one full-share (5.3 – 4.3, 6+), Spanish Broadcasting System-owned Spanish tropical WSKQ “La Mega 97.9” drops from third to sixth with its lowest 6+-showing in Middlesex since February (4.3, as well). Having trended 3.7 – 3.8 – 3.9 – 3.8 (June through September, 6+), iHeartMedia New York City CHR WHTZ “Z-100” improved by six-tenths in October to 4.4, its best 6+-stat in Middlesex-Somerset-Union since 4.5 in March. In November, however, “Z-100” surrenders nine-tenths to 3.5 (6+) and departs the top ten (#7 to #11). Dropping by eight-tenths each are Emmis urban AC WBLS “107.5 – #1 For R&B” (6.8 – 6.0, repeating at #2, 6+) and Univision Radio Spanish tropical WXNY “X-96.3” (3.2 – 2.4, #11 to #16, 6+). After more than doubling its 6+-share via eleven (11) straight up or flat trends (.4 – .5 – .5 – .6 – .6 – .7 – .8 – .9 – .9 – 1.0 – 1.0 – 1.0, 6+), Press Communications’ WKMK “Thunder 106 – Jersey’s Best Country” drops two-tenths to .8 (#25 to #26, 6+).
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Tribune Gets FCC Cross-Ownership Waivers; Chicago Market Granted Permanent Waiver. The Federal Communications Commission granted the cross-ownership waivers in five markets that the media company needs to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. In a statement, Tribune CEO Eddy Hartenstein says, “We are extremely pleased with today’s action by the FCC. This decision will enable the company to continue moving forward toward emergence from Chapter 11, a process we expect to complete over the course of the next several weeks.” The commission granted a permanent waiver in Chicago while allowing one-year waivers in Los Angeles, New York, South Florida and Hartford. Technically, the one-year waivers in the four markets cited mean Tribune will have to sell either its newspaper or broadcast outlets there within the year but the FCC is working on loosening the restrictions against cross-ownership in the top 20 media markets and industry observers seem to believe the change will take effect soon. The permanent waiver in Chicago means Tribune is not necessarily forced to sell a media outlet – many suspected its lone radio property news/talk WGN would be the first to go on the block. However, what Tribune’s plans are after it exits bankruptcy are unknown and a sale of WGN, Chicago and/or any of its newspaper and TV holdings are a distinct possibility.
Arbitron Releases Report Clearly Showing Increase in Radio Listenership During Super Storm Sandy. Radio listening data released by Arbitron for the New York Metro during hurricane Sandy shows how strong radio listening is during a natural disaster and the ability for radio to keep communities informed even when the power goes out. The report provides data for the entire New York Metro as well as a breakout of counties hardest hit by the storm as it made landfall during the evening of Monday, October 29. It shows a 70% general increase in listening as the storm hit the coast and an even greater percentage of increase along the coastal communities hardest hit. When the lights went out, when TV and desktop PCs were no longer available, many New York area residents turned on their battery powered radios. Many radio stations along the path of the storm, regardless of their regular format, revamped their programming to provide their listeners with weather updates, news and emergency information. In the wake of the storm, radio remained an information lifeline to the residents of New York, particularly in the coastal areas of the market. Average radio listening on Tuesday, October 30 in New York was 1,525,500 persons in any given quarter hour between 6:00 am and 12:00 midnight, up 8% from 1,406,700 persons 6-plus the week before. The average audience in the NY coastal communities (Monmouth, Fairfield SN, Nassau-Suffolk, Staten Island and Middlesex) totaled 670,200 on the Tuesday (6a-Mid) following landfall (10/30) which is 38% higher than the average of all Tuesdays year to date. The Average in the NY coastal communities (Monmouth, Fairfield SN, Nassau-Suffolk, Staten Island and Middlesex) totaled 651,200 on the Wednesday (6a-Mid) following landfall (10/31) which is 35% higher than the average of all Wednesdays year to date. For full details on this important story click here.
Clear Channel Ends FM Simulcast on KOGO, San Diego. The former country outlet “U.S. 95.7” flipped to a simulcast of Clear Channel’s news/talk KOGO, San Diego a year ago. Now, that ends with the FM side going all Christmas music and the word on the street is that after the holidays the station will return to a music format of some sort. Adding an FM signal to a news/talk station – especially a venerable one such as KOGO – generally gives the station a ratings boost. It appears that hasn’t been the case with KOGO and Clear Channel San Diego management must see an opening in the music landscape it’s willing to target. We’ll see where it goes after the holidays.
KSCJ, Sioux City Talk Host Randy Renshaw Retires. Talk show host and newsman Randy Renshaw retires from his long-time gig at Powell Broadcasting’s KSCJ, Sioux City, Iowa. Renshaw has been with the station twice – the first time back in 1983. He tells the Sioux City Journal that turning 62 on November 18 was a good reason to end his radio career and that he’d been contemplating retirement since age 55. In addition to news duties, Renshaw hosted the 8:00 am to 11:00 am “Open Line” program. With his departure, Mark Hahn takes over hosting the local talk show.
How to Get a Radio Brand-Building Website.TALKERS columnist and noted digital radio consultant Chris Miller serves up a new article offering powerful tips on how radio web designers can create sites that contribute toward building their station’s or program’s brand without distracting from it or diluting it. He covers the process on four basic but vital fronts: layout, content, graphics and interaction. Miller asks, “What’s the difference between your site and Google, YouTube and Facebook?” He states, “Those sites have a clear reason for being, and clean, well-organized content.” He strongly suggests, “Get your page looking more Facebookish, or YouTubeEsque, and you’ll go a long way toward building your website numbers.” Miller offers some nuts-and-bolts actions to get more people back more often and clicking on more content. Read the entire article here.
Opinion: Talk Radio Must Expand Beyond Politics to Survive. Nationally syndicated talk show host Doug Stephan responds to the effects of the Rush Limbaugh-Sandra Fluke incident and the recent news involving Dial Global and its citing Limbaugh’s comments in a SEC filing. Stephan says the March incident has cost him “hundreds of thousands of dollars” and that the industry must do a better job of convincing agencies and advertisers that all talk radio should not be lumped together. Read Stephan’s piece here.
Filling in This Week. At Tribune’s WGN, Chicago, longtime St. Louis radio veteran and Chicago native JC Corcoran fills in on Garry Meier‘s PM drive slot on the station on Wednesday and Thursday. He’ll also sub for WGN’s Mike McConnell on Monday, November 26. Corcoran can be reached at [email protected].
Lotus Communications Donates $50,000 to Los Angeles Boys and Girls Club. The cash donated to the Los Angeles Boys and Girls Club was not a fundraiser of contributions from listeners but a gift from Spanish sports talk KWKW, Los Angeles owner Lotus Communications. The station recently launched a major partnership with the Los Angeles Boys & Girls Club. After KWKW’s community service personnel learned that the Club was in desperate need of funds in order to provide after school programs, station management decided to step in with a $50,000 check. The money wasn’t raised by listeners. Station president James Kalmenson decided to make a difference in the community KWKW serves by adding a line item to its operating budget. “One of the founding principles of our company has been to be of service to our community. As a result of the donation, the Los Angeles Boys & Girls Club was able to greatly expand its services for the local community. Word quickly spread and the attendance immediately tripled and continues to thrive today.” KWKW has also launched a PSA campaign this month that will continue throughout 2013. Additionally, the station will sponsor the Club’s annual Thanksgiving Dinner, which typically feeds more than 300 people. In December, KWKW will donate 500 toys to the Club’s Christmas Toy Drive. They’ll also broadcast live at the Club on December 7 to encourage people to drop off toys, all of which go to children ages 2-16 at the Club’s annual Christmas event. KWKW personalities Armando Aguayo, Mario Amaya, Halim Zadat and Erika Garza will attend both the Thanksgiving and Christmas events. Pictured here with kids from the club are KWKW PD/OM Juan Rodriguez (l) and KWKW president James Kalmenson (r).
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Peak Broadcasting Emerges from Chapter 11. The pre-packaged Chapter 11 restructuring plan Peak Broadcasting entered into in January has been executed and the company comes out of it with new owners: Oaktree Capital Management and GE Capital. CEO Todd Lawley and CFO Tim Lyons remain in their management positions. In a statement, Lawley says, “By significantly reducing the amount of debt outstanding on our balance sheet, this transaction provides Peak with the flexibility to invest in our business to ensure that we continue to provide best-in-market audio programming to our consumers and marketing solutions to our clients.”
New York Festivals Radio Program & Promotion Awards Extends Entries Deadline. The world-renowned New York Festivals Radio Program & Promotion Awards is extending the deadline for entry submissions for the 2012 contest through April 2. The 30-year-old competition honors the most innovative work in radio broadcasting, with entries from radio stations, networks and independent producers from around the globe. Executive director Rose Anderson says, “Even as distribution platforms multiply across the airwave spectrum, one thing remains constant: the power of the individual voice. Just this past year, winners in our talk categories – a diverse group from Howard Stern to Marvin Kalb in the U.S. to Radio Pasfarda (Iran) and Writers & Company (Canada) – engaged their audiences’ curiosity with intensity. We here at New York Festivals are very proud to recognize the creativity, innovation and quality exhibited around the world in radio today.” Categories in the talk radio realm include: Best Regularly Scheduled Talk Program, Best Talk/Interview Special, Best Radio Personality: Local Market, Best Radio Personality: Network/Syndicated, Best Talk Show Host, Best Information/News Talk Show (AM drive), Best Two-Way Telephone Talk/Interview Show (AM drive), Best Online Talk Program, Best Satellite Talk Program, Best Satellite Radio Personality, Best Radio Personality (student), Best Artist Interview/Performance (student), Editorial or Viewpoint Program, plus numerous awards in the radio news and sports categories. Find complete information about the awards, categories and how to enter by visiting http://www.newyorkfestivals.com/. New York Festivals Radio Program & Promotion Awards Grand Jury enlists jurists from all over the world, representing some of the most recognizable voices and captivating programming producers in the industry. Entries are judged on production values, organization, presentation of information, creativity and use of the medium. The International Radio Program & Promotion Awards will honor 2012’s winning entries on June 18 at an awards ceremony at Manhattan Penthouse in New York City.
Michael Smerconish Visits Boston Affiliate WTKK-FM for Movie Premiere.Dial Global nationally syndicated talk show host Michael Smerconish is bringing his ‘Book Club’ live event series to the silver screen and he’s in Boston today for a premiere screening for Greater Media affiliate WTKK-FM. “Book Club with Michael Smerconish featuring Chris Matthews’ Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero” premieres at the Showcase Cinema De Lux in suburban Dedham. Smerconish will welcome the crowd and conduct a curtain call speech prior to the movie. Smerconish states, “Over the last several years, I have hosted many A-list authors for live gatherings of what I call my ‘Book Club.’ Never have any of these made it to the big screen. My interview with Chris Matthews concerning his New York Times bestseller Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero was recorded in High-Def and I am thrilled it will be shown on screens all across the country on March 20. Where can you find me that night? Boston!”
CCME Names Radha Subramanyam EVP of Sales and Marketing Research. Clear Channel Media and Entertainment chairman and CEO John Hogan says Radha Subramanyam is “recognized as an industry leader in consumer insights and research and I am excited to have her on our team.” She previously served as senior vice president of media and advertiser insights and analytics as a thought leader across media forms for The Nielsen Company. In her new role with CCME, Subramanyam will be responsible for “developing, aggregating and analyzing consumer data to help illustrate and support the unique ability Clear Channel Media and Entertainment has to provide advertisers with national reach and local activation.”
WHAS, Louisville Talk Host Terry Meiners Sued by Local Cop for Slander. Longtime Louisville talk radio personality Terry Meiners is facing a civil suit for slander by the Louisville Metro Police officer who gave him a speeding ticket in March of last year. Meiners contested the ticket and was found not guilty in October. The officer, Sam Cromity, alleges Meiner took to the airwaves where he called him “Black Barney,” he played belittling songs about the highway patrol and called him a liar at least 15 times. Meiners says Cromity was threatening during the traffic stop – something Cromity denies. Clear Channel Media and Entertainment’s WHAS is also named in the suit.
C-SPAN Founder and CEO Brian Lamb Steps Down from CEO Post. The man who founded C-SPAN 33 years ago is stepping down from his day-to-day role as chief executive officer of the cable TV federal government news channel that reaches some 100 million homes. Brian Lamb, who was honored with TALKERS’ Freedom of Speech Award, will become executive chairman of the board at C-SPAN and will still host the weekly “Q&A” interview show. He will hand over the CEO reigns to Rob Kennedy and Susan Swain effective April 1.
KWTX, Waco, Texas Hosts Debates for Local Races.Clear Channel Media and Entertainment-owned KWTX, Waco reports the recent debates it sponsored and broadcast drew some 450 citizens to the University High School auditorium on March 7. The races were the GOP primaries for McLennan County Sheriff and the Texas House of Representatives, District 56. Morning drive host Shane Warner moderated the debates and states, “To have this many people show up in the middle of the week to hear some local politicians talk about local issues is quite an accomplishment. We were hoping for a good turnout but the interest from the community was beyond anything we could have imagined – and this was just for a primary election! As the only local talk show in the Waco market, I felt this was the kind of event that only News Talk 1230 and talk radio could pull off. This illustrates the power of local talk radio to help inform the community about what’s going on in their own backyard and bring voters and listeners access they otherwise wouldn’t have.”
Dave Ramsey Live in Orlando…and Beyond. Nationally syndicated financial talk sensation Dave Ramsey is pictured here at the University of Central Florida arena delivering his “Total Money Makeover Live” program before 7,500 people on March 17. This was also simulcast to 200 other locations. Ramsey spent the weekend in Orlando and presented his “EntreLeadership 1-Day Event” to nearly 1,000 business leaders. He also met with sponsors of the event and affiliate WFLA staff. Clear Channel Orlando market manager Linda Byrd says, “The personal attention and customer service we get from Dave Ramsey and his team is nothing short of stellar. It’s amazing that in spite of having 500+ affiliates he makes us feel so special. Truly feels like he’s a member of our local team. Dave does syndication the right way.”
Phil Hendrie Distributes Content Via Pandora.Talk Radio Network nationally syndicated radio personality Phil Hendrie can now be heard on Pandora. Hendrie’s bits, including characters Jay Santos, Chris Norton, Bobbie Dooley, David G. Hall and Ted Bell, are now available on the content distribution service. Hendrie joins Premiere Networks’ Bob & Tom, Steve Harvey’s Nephew Tommy and The Jerky Boys, all of whom rotate in the user-created “Phil Hendrie Radio” station. Hendrie’s tracks will also come up on user-created stations for morning radio artists, comics and political satirists.
GOP Primary/2012 Presidential Race, Afghanistan Tensions, Iran Nuclear Weapons Program, Syria Violence, and Peyton Manning to Denver Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (3/19). The GOP primary race and the issues in the 2012 presidential race, the continuing tensions in Afghanistan after a U.S. soldier is charged with killing 16 civilians, Iran’s nuclear weapons program, continuing Syrian violence and Peyton Manning’s joining the Denver Broncos were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday according to ongoing research from TALKERS.
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14 diverse talk radio personalities from industry superstars to college hosts share their candid views about the impact Election 2012 is having on their shows and talk radio in general in a new montage recorded directly on the floor of the New Hampshire Primary Radio Row produced by TALKERS magazine and Talk Radio News Service earlier this week. They also discuss the growing importance and sophistication of social networking tools such as Twitter and Facebook in the talk broadcasting communications process. Participants include syndicated national hosts Neal Boortz, Roger Hedgecock, Kate Delaney, Scott Hennen and Jeff Santos; local hosts Dan Mitchell, George Russell, Paul Westcott, Steve West, Brian Tilden, Phil Paleologos, and Lee Davis; and college radio up-and-comers Joe Horigan and Emma Bisogo. According to Neal Boortz, “We have to convince people out there that politics is as important to them as Dancing with the Stars.”
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Talk Hosts Sound Off on TALKERS TV About the Importance of the Election. 14 diverse talk radio personalities from industry superstars to college hosts share their candid views about the impact Election 2012 is having on their shows and talk radio in general in a new montage recorded directly on the floor of the New Hampshire Primary Radio Row produced by TALKERS magazine and Talk Radio News Service earlier this week. They also discuss the growing importance and sophistication of social networking tools such as Twitter and Facebook in the talk broadcasting communications process. Participants include syndicated national hosts Neal Boortz, Roger Hedgecock, Kate Delaney, Scott Hennen and Jeff Santos; local hosts Dan Mitchell, George Russell, Paul Westcott, Steve West, Brian Tilden, Phil Paleologos, and Lee Davis; and college radio up-and-comers Joe Horigan and Emma Bisogo. According to Neal Boortz, “We have to convince people out there that politics is as important to them as Dancing with the Stars.” See this TALKERS TV exclusive video in the TALKERS TV box on this page.
Peak Broadcasting Enters into Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Reorganization.Peak Broadcasting – owner of 11 radio stations in Fresno, California and Boise, Idaho – is entering into voluntary Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Reorganization after coming to terms with senior lenders. The original financing was led by GE Capital Markets. Peak lists assets of between $50 million and $100 million and debt of a similar amount. The good news for staffers is there appears to be no signs the company needs to take drastic steps from an operational standpoint in order to turn the company around. In a statement, CEO Todd Lawley says, “Operationally, Peak has improved its position in the markets it serves during one of the most difficult periods in radio broadcasting history. I am confident that Peak will emerge from the restructuring with a stronger financial foundation which complements our market-leading radio positions and allows us to continue to provide premier radio programming in the communities we serve together with the uninterrupted support of our customers, employees, and vendors.” Peak operates news/talk KMJ-AM/FM, Fresno; news/talk KIDO, Boise; and sports KFXD, Boise in addition to seven music-formatted stations in the two markets. Upon approval of the plan, Peak Broadcasting will be owned by senior lenders that could include Oaktree Captial and Rabobank.
Rachel Crowson Named Co-Anchor at ARNN.America’s Radio News Network announces news pro Rachel Crowson becomes part of the news network’s on-air staff as a co-anchor. Crowson is a 20-year news pro who’s worked mostly in the Washington, DC market at operations including Metro Networks, Voice of America and ABC News Radio. ARNN CEO Mark Masters says, “We welcome Rachel into our exclusive news organization. Her background and demeanor are a perfect match for our non-partisan, long-form news programming. Stations continue to tell us they love the long-form news blocks so much they want more. We have been stunned by the high demand!”
WGN, Chicago’s Studio Moves Up in Tribune Tower. Time Out Chicago’s Robert Feder reports that Tribune Company is relocating WGN’s offices and studios – all except the showcase studio that faces Michigan Avenue – from the ground floor to the 7th floor. WGN has been on the ground floor of Tribune Tower since the station moved there in 1986 from the West Bradley Place studios it shared with WGN-TV since 1961. VP/GM Tom Langmyer tells Feder, “Our new location in the building will include a fresher and brighter workspace (as the relocated offices, sales area, news department and studios will have windows as well) and the technical operation and new studios will be fully digital, replacing the current analog equipment, much of which has been in service since WGN moved to the Tower 25 years ago.” Tribune Company plans to lease the current space to a new restaurant to be opened in 2013. The showcase studio that faces Michigan Avenue will still be the place from which personalities such as AM drive host Jonathon Brandmeier broadcast their shows.
Talk Host Phil Valentine Premiers New Film Attacking Global Warming Theory. Nashville-based nationally syndicated talk host Phil Valentine announces the premier of “An Inconsistent Truth” – the film he and Rocky Mountain Pictures produced to take on the theory of anthropogenic global warming. The film will receive a special showing on January 26 at the Regal Hollywood 27 Theatres in Nashville and opens to the public on the following day. Valentine stars in the film as he sets off in his bio-fueled car Bennie the BioBenz to discover why “a record number of Americans are now skeptical of man-made global warming.” Valentine says that, while making the film, “What I found is the belief in anthropogenic global warming is wide but shallow. People who believe in it have no idea why they do. It’s just what they’ve been spoon‐fed.” The documentary features noted scientists such as Dr. John Christy, a lead author of the 2001 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on global warming. Valentine also talks with Dr. Roy Spencer, the lead scientist on NASA’s Aqua Satellite which measures surface temperatures around the globe. Other scientists in the film include Dr. Fred Singer and Dr. Ken Green. Valentine also explores the economic ramifications of cap‐and‐trade legislation with current and former policymakers including Speaker Newt Gingrich, Senator James Inhofe, Senator Jim DeMint and U.S. Rep. Greg Walden. For information on the film or to speak with Phil Valentine, contact Brian Wilson at 615-312-3481.
Compass Media Networks’ “Free Beer & Hot Wings” Morning Show Adds Saturday Program. The younger, male-demo-targeted “Free Beer & Hot Wings” AM drive show syndicated nationally by Compass Media Networks adds a Saturday morning program to the daily offering for affiliate stations. The WGRD-FM, Grand Rapids-based program is co-hosted by Gregg Daniels and Chris Michaels along with cast members Eric Zane and producers Joe and Steve and airs on more than 35 affiliate stations across the country. The program also announces it will be broadcasting live from the Super Bowl radio row in Indianapolis in February.
Florida Syndicated Talk Host Burnie Thompson Hosts “Freedom Rally.” Florida talk show host Burnie Thompson – who is independently syndicated throughout the state on nine stations – is hosting a “Freedom Rally” in Jacksonville on January 19 he says “is intended to galvanize voters to participate in the upcoming January 31 state primary, and to focus on true limited government and the protection of civil liberties.” Thompson’s event is co-sponsored by affiliates WBOB, Jacksonville and WYOO-FM, Panama City. The rally is being held at the Omni Hotel in downtown Jacksonville and will feature country artist Todd Allen Herendeen, WYOO-FM morning host Darrel Day and Fox News Channel contributor Dan Arias.
Compass Media Marketing Announces New Rep Deal with Point-of-Purchase Radio. The marketing firm newly founded by Compass Media Networks CEO Peter Kosann and managed by president of sales & marketing Paul Gregery lands a deal to exclusively rep POP Radio – a leading in-store audio platform. Gregery says, “Tens of millions of Americans hear POP Radio’s advertisements every day and it is our mission to leverage the reach of POP Radio for the benefit of our sponsors.” Compass says it commissioned Edison Research to calculate audience exposure. “Through actual store visits and face-to-face interviews, Edison Research’s methodology has very accurately measured POP Radio’s listenership by including time spent shopping (a network radio TSL equivalent) and physically counting the shoppers present when the messages air.” Peter Kosann states, “POP Radio has a huge audience, unique platform and strong brand with national advertisers. We are appreciative and grateful that POP Radio has joined our growing company.”
Hutchinson Newsmaker Network Launches to Syndicate Weekly Program. Founded by “Hutchinson Report Newsmaker Hour” host Earl Ofari Hutchinson to syndicate the weekly news program, the new network says it is the first “African-American, West Coast-operated national broadcast network.” Hutchinson describes his weekly program as featuring “in-depth conversations with the nation’s top elected officials, political leaders and opinion makers in the White House, on Capitol Hill, as well as the nation’s leading political and social issue writers and commentators across the political spectrum. They fully air their views on controversial, topical, and crucial public policy issues, initiatives and legislation.” The program is heard on affiliates across the country including: KTYM, Los Angeles; WWNL, Pittsburgh; KCNW, Kansas City; WVTJ, Pensacola; and KXKS, Albuquerque.
Southern California Talk Host Given Local Honor.Captain Mike Whitehead, host of “The Boathouse Radio Show” on the CRN Digital Talk Radio Network, is honored by the Costa Mesa Daily Pilot by being included on its annual “103 Most Influential People of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa.” Whitehead is a fixture in the community and a boating columnist for the Newport Beach Independent. CRN Digital Talk CEO Mike Horn says, “Captain Mike has been a big part of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa for many years and we’re thrilled to see him receive this outstanding honor.”
GOP Primary Race, Iran’s Military Ambitions and U.S.-Taliban Talks Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (1/11). The race to secure the GOP nomination for president, Iran’s military ambitions and nuclear weapons program and talk of discussions between the U.S. and the Taliban were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio according to ongoing research from TALKERS. | {
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Explanation for the average patriot trying to follow Q. Not asking for anything, just trying to help bring a little clarification to those who are curious.
Going to reorg here. Rather than go by numbers, let’s try to do this by day. Q was busy this day, so it’ll be a bit. And if you didn’t notice, I skipped some. I’m trying to keep up but don’t have that much time, so I started skipping some of the filler ones. Things that are more for humor and encouragement to specific anon’s, or sometimes when it’s repetitive I just jump to the end.
Patriot day. Feel free to read the proclamation. I suspect there’s a deeper symblance this day will bring in the coming years. When the patriots of this age take the country back. We’re at war. Few realize this, but it’s sort of a new civil war, revolutionary war. Not sure. I’m glad they won’t forget 9/11 though. May the truth come out and all the citizens see what was done to us and stand against it.
UPDATE: Today we sent an updated letter to DAG Rosenstein, including a newly discovered text + new resulting timeline:
The graphics are above are a set of unnamed sources and MSM contacts. You can blow it up bigger on one of the Q drop pages if you want to see it. Basically Q is mapping out the contact that happens between FBI, DOJ, and news outlets. Just vague, because they have it through classified means and can’t reveal exactly who yet. Mark Meadows posts tie in to this. Sounds like the texts give away that Strzok and Lisa Page both were involved with leaking info to the press, that was then used to help push the Trump collusion narrative and the FISA abuse.
Sally Yates hired lawyers. She’s one of those dropped from the DOJ. Did you do something wrong Sally?
Sounds like McCabe and Comey are talking to get their stories straight. That was a mistake. I thought it’s in a drop Q said “FISA goes both ways”. I explain in a sec
James Baker ready to testify
Lisa Page(FBI Lawyer) testifying against Strzok like we thought.
Bruce Ohr(DOJ) testifying to save his wife
Steele who was the British Spy that help get all the Russian Dossier info is seeking non extradition to US. He doesn’t want to be arrested and sent here for trial. Wonder why.
Rats running
So, it finally hit me a big chunk of what’s been going on with Q. Q often says “They have everything”, but that seems to be the case since they have the NSA data. They’ve been recording all sorts of data on us all, but it’s not admissable to court. It’s even questionable if that’s legal. So they know what’s going on, but have trouble using it. However, they can use classified info to obtain warrants. You know, just like Obama/Clinton did on Trump. So they’ve used this info to get FISA warrants on a lot of these Deep State guys. Show that they’re working with another country, the Five Eyes countries for example that tried to sway the election, and they can now spy on them. So they collect their phone calls, emails, etc.
Then Q spooks them. He drops info, points people in the right direction. Slowly the pieces keep coming out from congress getting info. These players get panicked and get together to talk. Except now, they’re legally spied on. So like the call between Comey and Strzok above. I bet if you played that back, suddenly it’s all clear. So Q team has all the information but can’t use it to bring them down, so he tricked them into playing their hand. He got enough to get warrants in place, then scared them into doing stupid things. The ones that they didn’t have enough info on, they probably do now.
Oh yet another article from big news outlight debunking QAnon. Q tells us there is another wave of attacks. This one gets even bigger, but we’ll address that in the 9/12 drops.
Funny thing is, this isn’t a picture of people supporting Q. It’s actually a very liberal university program. I saw some people that tracked it down and they have some shady stuff there. Mostly just brainwashing the kids as many higher education systems do now. Unfortunately, my normal sites I use to get info are down, so I hadn’t seen much more on this.
This girl got put out by Q. I guess Q liked that tweet of hers about hammer time. Maybe a gavel as in a judge? I suspect she suddenly got a lot of followers on twitter. I pulled her up and she had a bunch of interesting stories flagged, and also was now followed by at least 4 of the people I get a lot of news from these days. | {
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Thursday, October 10, 2013
Aswagandha: or the smell of a horse
Ashwagandha is one of the most vital herbs in Ayurvedic healing,
has been used since ancient times for a wide variety of conditions, but
is most well known for its restorative benefits.
In Sanskrit ashwagandha
means “the smell of a horse,” indicating that the herb imparts the
vigor and strength of a stallion, and it has traditionally been
prescribed to help people strengthen their immune system after an
illness. In fact, it’s frequently referred to as “Indian ginseng”
because of its rejuvenating properties (although botanically, ginseng
and ashwagandha are unrelated). In addition, ashwagandha is also used to
enhance sexual potency for both men and women.
Belonging to the same family as the tomato, ashwagandha (or Withania
somnifera in Latin) is a plump shrub with oval leaves and yellow
flowers. It bears red fruit about the size of a raisin. The herb is
native to the dry regions of India, northern Africa, and the Middle
East, but today is also grown in more mild climates.
With its beneficial influence on the nervous system it's commonly
prescribed for people who complain of fatigue, difficulty concentrating
and a general sense un-groundedness. Mixed with warm milk and taken
before bed ashwagandha is useful for people with insomnia and anxiety.
Ashwagandha has a reputation in Ayurveda as a rejuvenative in conditions
of nerve and muscle weakness. It is also used for men and women who are
having trouble with fertility.
Scientific Research
Ashwagandha contains many useful medicinal chemicals, including
withanolides, (steroidal lactones), alkaloids, choline, fatty acids,
amino acids, and a variety of sugars. While the leaves and fruit have
valuable therapeutic properties, the root of the ashwagandha plant is
the part most commonly used in Western herbal remedies.
Medical researchers have been studying ashwagandha with great
interest and as of this date have carried out 216 studies of its healing
benefits, summarized below:
confers immune system protection
combats the effects of stress
improves learning, memory, and reaction time
reduces anxiety and depression without causing drowsiness
stabilizes blood sugar
lowers cholesterol
reduces brain-cell degeneration
contains anti-malarial properties
offers anti-inflammatory benefits
Some studies have also found that ashwagandha inhibits the growth of
cancer cells in small animals, but further research is needed to
determine whether the herb prevents the development of tumors in human
beings.
Practical Uses and Precautions
The usual recommended dose is 600 to 1000 mg, twice daily. For people
who suffer from insomnia and anxiety, having a cup of hot milk that
contains a teaspoon of powdered ashwagandha before bedtime is
beneficial. In extremely large doses, ashwagandha has been reported to
induce abortions in animals. Although no similar studies have been
carried out on humans, women should avoid the herb during pregnancy. | {
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Here’s a new way for kitty to travel in style! It’s The Mommy Bus — beep, beep! This soft carrier has a top opening for easy access, plus the front window unzips, too. There are two large, zippered storage pockets on the sides and all four wheels are little zippered pouches for extra storage. It has two carry handles and an adjustable shoulder strap. The Mommy Bus measures 15″ long and 13″ tall, accommodating pets up to 15 lbs.
These cute kitties seem to enjoy riding in The Mommy Bus. Check out the adorable black cat in the video below, but please don’t blame me if the catchy little theme song sticks in your head all day. (If you can’t see the video below in your email, click here to watch it on the site.)
BONUS GIVEAWAY, ENTER TO WIN!
One lucky reader is going to win their very own Mommy Bus! Be the first on your block to have one! To enter, please leave a comment on this post. The winner will be chosen in a random drawing on January 11. One entry per person. This giveaway is limited to addresses in the US and Canada.
I have three kitties, not one likes to go to the “bad place” — this would make it a lot easier, and would also make some awesome video memories for my daughter, who lives on the other side of the country and doesn’t get to see them much.
Oh meeeoooowww! This would be the utimate for me especially when one always scratches his nose on the air holes of the air line carrier so I always hesitated when taking him to the vet. How utterly perfect this is and would love to have it for them! Of course, one at a time because either would “fill” it.
Oh My Gosh! The Mommy Bus carrier is adorable. It certainly beats the plain old carriers most of us have. The black kittie in the video reminds me so much of my belated “old lady” Maxie. She passed away in 2008 at the age of 19 years old. She would have loved this carrier. My new “boys,” Emmitt and Bub, would look so cute in the driver seat of this carrier. | {
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You are here
Keeping the Oil Pollution Act Updated
By Doug Helton, Regional Operations Supervisor
Aug. 17, 2017 - On August 18, 1990, President H.W. Bush signed the Oil Pollution Act. The act gave NOAA and other agencies improved authorities for spill prevention, response, and restoration in the nation’s navigable waters and shorelines.
The act ensured those responsible for an oil spill must cleanup and restore the environment, and compensate the public for its lost uses—like beach and recreational fishery closures—from the time of the incident until those natural resources fully recover.
Now 27 years old, some parts of the law are dated. But, the Act signed by President Bush was not the final word on oil pollution.
Like many other laws, it has been subject to various amendments over time to address emerging issues or to strengthen or clarify the original law.
Often, the amendments advance through related legislation that move through Congress and reach the president. For example, a number of Oil Pollution Act amendments were added to U.S. Coast Guard authorization bills.
For instance, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 added a number of provisions including:
Sometimes these amendments can be quite technical but can also have significant impacts on how we work. For example, the Coast Guard authorization act included this language that affected waterways near Seattle:
“Within 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall initiate a rulemaking proceeding to modify the definition of the term ‘‘higher volume port area’’ in section 155.1020 of the Coast Guard regulations (33 C.F.R. 155.1020) by striking ‘‘Port Angeles, WA’’ in paragraph (13) of that section and inserting ‘‘Cape Flattery, WA’’.
There are about 15 higher volume port areas in the United States and these areas are subject to the most stringent response planning requirements.
As you might expect, these include the biggest oil ports in the nation, including New York, Houston, New Orleans, and Prince William Sound, Alaska. In these high volume port areas, large amounts of response equipment has to be on standby, ready to deploy on very short notice.
However, Cape Flattery is on the northwest tip of Washington State. The fishing port of Neah Bay is nearby, but it is hardly a major oil port.
Hmm, so what did that accomplish? That simple definitional change meant that all tankers approaching the Strait of Juan de Fuca and oil terminals closer to Seattle had to have approved plans and meet the most stringent response times following a spill anywhere along our inland waters. This required adding response vessels and equipment out near the entrance of the Strait and increasing the ability to rapidly respond to any spills.
There are already several bills in Congress this year that would further amend the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. In between spills and restoration work, we keep an eye on their progress through the legislative process.
You can read these articles for more information on the Oil Pollution Act of 1990:
Doug Helton is the Regional Operations Supervisor for the West Coast, Alaska, Hawaii, and Great Lakes and also serves as the Incident Operations Coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Emergency Response Division. The Division provides scientific and technical support to the Coast Guard during oil and chemical spill responses. The Division is based in Seattle, WA, but manages NOAA response efforts nationally. | {
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Right
I went to bed last night feeling great after watching a lovely film with Mary and Nuala. I don’t really know what I did all day, so it was nice to do something as the three of us just so I could actually pinpoint a part of the day and be like “yes, I did that”. However, as I crawled into bed, I took a little bit of a self confidence hit and found myself having a pity party.
So what if this week has given me a few set backs? Who cares whether I had a good day Tuesday or a bad day Friday? Just to clarify Friday was actually a pretty good day but that’s not the point of this. The point is, I’m tired of my brain trying to make excuses that just don’t make sense.
For years now, any time something happens like friends go out without me, or I’m not in on a conversation, my mind spirals. It doesn’t accept that I wasn’t invited because the host knew I was out of the country at the time, instead it tells me I wasn’t invited because the host actually doesn’t like me and just puts up with me for appearances sake. I once was crying and working myself up that much at being removed from a group chat that I ended up having a panic attack. Over a group chat that was practically dead anyway. So yes, my mind likes to play tricks on me. A lot of the time, I know it’s a load of rubbish and push it away, other times it festers.
You want to know what my brain decided to tell me on Saturday night? I managed to convince myself that the reason Mary and Nuala are looking at a flat for the 2 of them together is because I’m fat. And do you know the worst part? For a good 5 minutes I believed myself. Yeah they have their reasons, and I probably won’t hear them, but I know for a fact that my weight isn’t one of them!
Sorry, this really is a rambling post because I don’t know where I’m going with this. I just knew I wanted to share it with someone, and that someone was you.
As Nuala and I agreed, after a lengthy gym session on Friday, I do a lot of talking, not an awful lot of acting on it. I’ve come on here and announced that I want to lose weight, and yet 3 weeks into the month I still find myself scouring cupboard for something to snack on, or running to the shop for an unhealthy lunch rather than making something in the flat. There’s only me who can change that, no one else.
To be honest, I’m ready for a change. I feel like I’ve spent the last few years living as if someone’s going to come along and tell me that actually life is just a dream and I’m going to wake up soon. I had a moment today when I realised that actually no, I am going to get older, leave university, find a job, and actually have to somehow exist as an adult. This isn’t some game we play and stop playing every now and again. There are no cheats. There’s no restarting from scratch. There’s no “ctrl + z” to undo something. All we can do is move forward and move further in life.
I used to think that by 21 I would be mature, organised, healthy, and have my life in order. Now, I can’t even guarantee I’ll be sorted by the time I’m 30! But that’s okay too.
I feel old saying this, but my age group have been raised on the promise of “if you can dream it, you can achieve it” and when we don’t achieve it, we blame everyone but ourselves – claiming we’ve been lied to, mislead, and let down. I’m guilty of it myself. We don’t grasp the reigns and start a new path, yet we try to reach new, undiscovered lands by following the paths that lead to just where we don’t want to go. It’s stupid and we end up beating ourselves up over it, and then we feel crap.
I’m going to stop rambling now and say goodbye because I’ve just had a brainwave and want to write it down before I forget it. So, once again, thank you for staying with me throughout this post. It’s been a bit all over the place, and I’ve given myself some inspiration for another post at a later stage, but that’s another time.
Speak soon!
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Hey :) I'm 21, from Northern Ireland and no longer new to blogging. I love all things TV, books, food, music and film as well as going out with friends. This is hopefully somewhere you'll be able to come if you feel you need a laugh or even just to stay in touch. Follow for Follow and all that however I'd like to take this chance to say thanks for coming to read! Enjoy and feel free to make any recommendations!
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41 thoughts on “Right”
Oh my word I loved reading this so much!! It was so beautifully honest…and that’s actually how I’ve been feeling this week! (There must be something in the air!) I definitely related to it, so thank you so much for sharing 😊
Thank you! I’ve missed writing these sorts of posts, so definitely think it’s something I’m going to go back to doing. Thanks so much for commenting, you’ve actually made my day! 💖 have a great week! xxx
In my experience of being almost 30 I’ve learnt that change happens when you’re ready and you’re ready when it stops being about what you should be and it becomes about what you truly want deep down, and you accept yourself and feel you deserve the change 😊 It’s not that automatic when, like me, you have an anxious mind, but it’s possible. I’m here if you ever need xx
You’ll do it! You’re amazing I every way and you’ll achive your goals! My mind does that to, it tells me that I’m not liked etc… when that’s not the case and it’s perfectly normal to feel that way. I love the “ctrl + z” bit, it’s so true! We don’t have that although sometimes I wish we did, like a big game of sims!
Hey KT, I know exactly what you mean when you say that you thought you’d be at a certain stage in life at a certain age! I feel like that too! I am 27, and just recently started upon a new career path that will take a lot of time, effort, and sacrifice… I always thought I’d be fully in my career by now! Keep up trying to find your way & you will :)) Glad you posted on the #BloggersTribe twitter chat so I could find you! Definitely following :))
It’s not all your fault. I know my brain pulls the same trick sometimes thinking I wasn’t invited because I’m not welcomed or something like that so it’s hard to accept that it isn’t the case. Our minds can be such jerks sometimes just going off on different things. I wish you luck in losing weight. Set your goal and come up with small steps you can do to achieve it. I believe in you! (:
I honestly love you, I love this post it’s so honest and relatable, I think it’s relatable to everyone in some way or another even if it’s not for the same reasons, we all make excuses for ourselves and we just sit back and expect things to happen, I for one am guilty of this, I defiantly need to start acting on things I want to change rather than just wishing and hoping. I totally believe in you girl, you’re beautiful anyways so don’t forget that! But if you want to change for you then do that, not for anyone else though, as long as you’re making yourself happy that’s all that matters! – Sarah xoxo
wonderfully written KT. I still haven’t got my S**t together and i’m 31. all things will fall into place for you hun don’t worry. I have faith that in a few months you’ll be writing a totally different post with a more brighter perspective. Much loves xxx
Oh good luck with your new career path! It seems rather scary that at any stage this life could end, and I’ve had the realisation that I don’t want to keep putting my dreams off in the hopes of achieving them some day. Thank you so much for your lovely comment xxxx
Thank you so so much Sarah ❤ It's one of those things we're all guilty of and even today after writing this post I found myself making excuses for my behaviour and actions! Thanks for the lovely comment, I really appreciate it xxxx
Thanks lovely! I know, it seems so strange to think when we were younger we had this big plan for where we’d be by now but the key thing to remember is that it’s okay to not be at that point by now if we’re happy with where we are! I used to think I’d be teaching, married and have at least a dog, if not be pregnant, and look at me now – I can count my friends on one hand and am still single with definitely no plans of being pregnant any time soon! As long as we work on being happy in ourselves, then surely that’s the important thing? xxx
Thanks Holly! Haha, we’re allowed to not have our s**t together yet – we’re both still young! Although I’m glad that you have that faith in me because I currently don’t, but it means a lot to me that you do! xxxx
A beautifully honest post. I’m 34 and only in the past two years have I really felt at all like I have my ducks almost, sort of, kind of in a row. I’m happier and more confident now than I have ever been. It will come, I promise x
I’m a student myself and I let those little things get to me. It’s hard sometimes finding someone to talk to or finding a platform to express myself because I often tell myself half the time that I’m not talking sense. It’s good that there’s honest people like you coming out and expressing yourself, because it’s often the first step to self improvement. Good stuff!
Thank you! It seems that a lot more people than I realised felt the same as me on these sorts of things and that in itself is important to point out to people. If we all speak out, we can all help each other!
Aww bless sweetie! I’m over 40 and still like I know nothing, but the great thing about life is that we keep on learning! There is no end point until the the ultimate end so enjoy all the twists, turns, highs and lows. It’s all just one big adventure! | {
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Varnishes are final coatings which protect finished pictures from the build up of dirt and grease. Oil paintings must be thoroughly dry (at least 6 -12 months) before varnishing. We offer a range of each of these varnishes to suit your different needs.
For fine art usage picture varnishes should be removable so that paintings can be cleaned in the future. Our varnishes are labelled ‘gloss' or ‘matt', it should be noted that different resins used in the varnishes impart varying degrees of gloss.
All Purpose Varnish High Gloss - A clear gloss varnish which provides permanent protection of craftwork from dust and moisture. Ideal for a variety of surfaces including wood, metal, paper and modelling materials. Note; As this varnish is non-removable, it is unsuitable for fine arts.
All Purpose Varnish Matt - A clear matt varnish which provides permanent protection of craftwork from dust and moisture. Ideal for a variety of surfaces including wood, metal, paper and modelling materials. Note; As this varnish is non-removable, it is unsuitable for fine arts. | {
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Anime dating simulation games online
Polje Email je obavezno! Results exclude some products based on your preferences. Sadly, this is also a series which was often passed up for English localization — a major bummer! Sweet Fuse: Alcor, etc. | {
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Related Events
Using existing packaging for a new product concept may lower your costs. But it can erode brand equity and confuse consumers.
By Robert McMath
Brand extensions. Line extensions. Product-line extensions. Call them what you will, they have been exploding on store shelves.
Line extensions are very popular among marketers today. Why? It's cheaper to introduce an extension than to establish a new brand.
An extension can expand the brand's franchise. Also, it's a way to determine, quickly and cheaply, if a fad is going to be a trend or just a fad. Finally, an extension is a way to control shelf space. If you occupy the space, your competition can't.
Consumers accept extensions more readily now than in the past. Barraged and besieged by new flavors, improved formulas and handier sizes, they're open to trying new things. And brands that once stood for one thing or one big idea, now stand for many ideas.
But too many companies make the mistake of rolling out an entirely new product concept using its existing packaging.
Gerber made this mistake. It used its traditional baby food jars to introduce a new line of adult food called "Singles."
At the time, Gerber thought an opportunity existed for single-serving foods in small containers that students could keep without refrigeration and eat as midnight snacks. Or which single people, especially seniors, could prepare in small quantities and eat easily.
But the use of the small jars gave consumers the perception that Gerber, with its motto "Babies are our only business," was trying to sell baby food to adults.
Faux salad dressing
Unfortunately Lipton made the same error when it introduced a liquid seasoning for potatoes in its salad dressing bottle. That was during the time when there was great interest in cutting down on fats in preparing fried foods.
The first time I bought the seasoning product, the grocery clerk at the checkout commented, "Oh, Lipton has a new dressing for preparing potato salad."
But it wasn't a bottle of dressing for making cold or hot potato salad. It was for making a lower-calorie, lower-fat potato that tasted like it was fried.
Putting this new potato-seasoning concept in a bottle associated with salad dressings caused confusion. Consumers did not perceive it as a new method for potato preparation but rather an extension into salad dressings for potatoes.
Once you confuse or disappoint your consumers with your new product extension, you stand a great chance of failure. And that can reflect poorly on your base brand image.
You can use your existing packaging to introduce a new flavor or other subtle change to your product line.
But don't jump on a trend with a brand extension that uses your existing packaging materials and production lines just because it minimizes your costs. This can harm both the new product concept and the brand equity that you've spent years nurturing. BP
The author, Robert McMath, has been a marketing consultant for more than 30 years. Through his NewProductWorks, he has advised major companies. He is the author of What Were They Thinking, a book chronicling the whys of product successes and failures. Contact him at 607.582.6125 or [email protected]. Visit the Internet site: www.NewProductWorks.com
Did you enjoy this article? Click hereto subscribe to BRAND PACKAGING Magazine.
Packaging Matters™ is MWV’s annual study of the role of packaging in product satisfaction. We study packaging because it matters to brand owners, retailers and consumers around the world. This year’s research focuses on Brazil, China, France, Germany and the U.S. In the third year of the study, we will share global trends associated with packaging satisfaction, product safety, and the effect packaging has on consumers when shopping in-store and online. | {
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Sách: Everything, Everything
My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.
But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.
Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster. | {
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Protein Bars - High Protein Snacks
Kinetica’s PROTEIN +, Protein Deluxe and Crisp Pro bars are a super convenient way to incorporate high
quality protein and nutrients in the diet and are a tasty, healthy snack alternative. They are ideal between
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Kinetica’s PROTEIN + , PROTEIN DELUXE, and Crisp Proprotein bars provide a convenient way to incorporate high quality protein and nutrients in a healthy snack form. They are ideal between workouts, in the office, at home, or on-the-go.
It is a well-known fact that everyone needs protein; it is a fundamental macronutrient that our body needs to support tissue growth, repair and maintenance. If you are training regularly it is important to keep on top of your protein intake.
Protein bars are an ideal snack option to boost your daily protein levels and support your training requirements. Our protein bars are made up of milk protein isolate and whey protein concentrate, which all contain high levels of Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs).
Not only are protein bars good for your body, but they are also superb-tasting and offer excellent nutritional value in one small snack. At Kinetica, we guarantee 100% satisfaction with our protein bars. | {
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Pages
Saturday, April 10, 2010
What a game. The Atlanta Thrashers, especially Ondrej Pavelec, managed to control the mighty Washington Capitals for two periods. However, even a hot goalie could not stop them for long, and, following a 3-goal burst in just 3:16, the Washington Capitals ended the night with an exciting 5-2 victory.
I have to say, the Alexander Ovechkin – Nicklas Backstrom – Alexander Semin line really is incredible, and can bring the goals when needed. How does 4 goals, 5 assists, and 9 points for an average ice time of about 21 minutes sound? Also, the line went a combined +11 in one game, and had a total of 18 shots on goal. Boudreau, if you need offense, all Ovechkin – Backstrom – Semin. They’ll get it done.
Alexander Semin really wants goal #40….. he had 11 shots, and both of his line mates had 2 goals apiece. He apparently was mad after the game….. hopefully #40 comes for #28 against Boston on Sunday.
Alexander Ovechkin, meanwhile, picked up goal #50 for the season. He has had 4 50-goal season in his first 5 season in the NHL.
Ovechkin, who also had an assist, retook both the NHL goal scoring lead and the points scoring lead, from Sidney Crosby (who trails by 1 goal) and Henrik Sedin (who trails by 1 point) respectively. Crosby has 2 games remaining, and Sedin has 1 game remaining.
With a 3-point night against Boston, if he plays, Ovechkin can match his career-high in points, 112, which was set in the 2007-2008 season.
Backstrom has set career highs in every category;
Goals, 33 (previous high was 22)
Assists, 68 (previous high was 66)
Points, 101 (previous high was 88)
Plus/Minus, 38 (previous high was 16)
Penalty Minutes, 50 (previous high was 46)
Shooting Percentage, 15.1% (previous high was 12.6%)
Also to note; Backstrom’s average time on ice has only increased by about 30 seconds.
Jose Theodore was fantastic; the only goals he let in were a strange, very-top-of-the-net goal that went in right under the crossbar, and a own-goal of the skate of Brendan Morrison. I’m thinking Theodore is the playoff starter.
Theodore’s save percentage was an excellent .935.
Theodore also had his 4th 30-win season.
Jeff Schultz continues his strong play and was a +4 for the night…. he is now +2 better than Ovechkin with 1 game remaining; his total +/- is an incredible +48.
Speaking of +/-, 5 Capitals players, essentially last night’s 1st line and 1st defensive pairing, lead the league in +/-; Capitals players occupy 6 of the top 10 +/- rankings, and the rest of the top 10 players are Canucks.
Take a look;
+/- Rating
Player
Team
Game Played
+ 48
Jeff Schultz, D
Washington Capitals
72
+ 46
Alexander Ovechkin, LW
Washington Capitals
71
+ 38
Nicklas Backstrom, C
Washington Capitals
81
+ 37
Mike Green, D
Washington Capitals
74
+ 35
Alexander Semin, LW
Washington Capitals
72
+ 33
Christian Ehrhoff, D
Vancouver Canucks
79
+ 32
Daniel Sedin, LW
Vancouver Canucks
62
+ 31
Henrik Sedin, C
Vancouver Canucks
81
+ 31
Alex Burrows, LW
Vancouver Canucks
81
+ 26
Tom Poti, D
Washington Capitals
69
Most impressive, I would say.
Also to note about tonight’s game; Mike Knuble, David Steckel, Matt Bradley, John Erskine, and Tom Poti were not playing. Milan Jurcina is still recovering from surgery, and will be able to play later in the playoffs.
Reports are that Alexander Ovechkin might rest for Sunday’s game against the Boston Bruins; however, should the scoring title not be locked in by then, I’m fairly sure he’d play. | {
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The U.S. SVOD service has taken the North American rights to Ms Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries and feature film Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears.
The company has struck the deal with All3Media International and revealed the news at its TCA session.
The Modern Murder Mysteries series moves the setting to the 1960s. In 1964, when the famous aunt she never knew, Phryne Fisher, goes missing over the highlands of New Guinea, the gorgeously reckless Peregrine Fisher, played by Geraldine Hakewill, Wanted inherits a windfall. Peregrine sets out to become a world-class private detective in her own right with the unerring guidance of The Adventuresses’ Club, a group of exceptional women of which her celebrated aunt was a member. The series co-stars Joel Jackson (Deadline Gallipoli) as ambitious cop Detective James Steed and Catherine McClements (Wentworth) as Birdie, an ex-member of WW2 Special Forces and head of The Adventuresses.
The feature film Miss Fisher and The Crypt of Tears, continues the story of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, which aired for three seasons between 2012 and 2015. Essie Davis, who starred in The Babadook and Game of Thrones, returns. Set in the late 1920s, The Crypt of Tears follows the Honourable Miss Phryne Fisher on a Middle Eastern adventure in search of an ancient treasure. The film features several series regulars, including Nathan Page as Detective Inspector Jack Robinson, Miriam Margolyes as Aunt Prudence and Ashleigh Cummings as her loyal assistant and maid Dorothy ‘Dot’ Collins.
Every Cloud Productions’ Fiona Eagger and Deb Cox are executive producing the film and series.
Don Klees, Vice President of Programming for the Acorn brands at RLJ Entertainment, said, “After first introducing U.S. audiences to the fashionable Miss Phryne Fisher in 2013, Acorn TV is thrilled to work with Every Cloud Productions and All3Media on her highly anticipated return in a gorgeous, cinematic film, The Crypt of Tears, as well as introduce audiences to her equally fashionable and entertaining niece Peregrine Fisher in Ms Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries. With these new acquisitions as well as Judy Davis’s Mystery Road, Guy Pearce’s Jack Irish and Marta Dusseldorp’s A Place to Call Home, Acorn TV remains a leading destination for bringing U.S. audiences the best in Australian television.” | {
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Quick Code: BB-19025
NATV40-PP INA Yoke Type Track Roller
In Stock Free Delivery Available Next Day Delivery AvailableOrder by 4pm
Buy Now
Qty:
Product Specification
Inside Dia (d)
40mm
Outside Dia (D)
80mm
Width (B)
32mm
Brand
INA
Quick Order Code
BB-19025
Product Description
NATV40-PP INA Yoke Type Track Roller
Yoke type track roller bearings can support high radial loads as well as axial loads arising from slight misalignment and skewed running; they are suitable for applications such as cam gears, bed ways and conveying equipment. The NATV-PP series has a full complement needle roller set with axial plain washers on both sides.
This design is suitable for operating temperatures from -30°C to +100 °C, restricted by the grease and the seal material. It has an outside surface with the optimised INA profile. | {
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} |
Opinion
From the critics
Community Activity
Comment
Sweet story of a janitor who used to sing doo-wop back in the "oldie-but-goodie" days collecting all the shy kids together and teaching them to sing, perform, and find their own music in the everyday. So lovely! | {
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+3.10(+0.23%)
+0.06(+0.41%)
0.0000(-0.0000%)
Microsoft's mixed reality headsets could save VR
Microsoft (MSFT) has a plan to save VR — low-cost headsets and slick new controllers. It’s a heck of a game plan, and if it works it could put to bed any fears that the seemingly floundering virtual reality craze will fall to the wayside.
I got to play with a Windows Mixed Reality headset and the new controllers, and despite a few hiccups due to the fact that I was using pre-release software, the experience was surprisingly on par with what more expensive headsets offer.
VR at a lower price
Microsoft’s biggest selling point for its Windows Mixed Reality headsets is how inexpensive they will be compared to competing headsets like Facebook’s (FB)Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. The Rift costs $499, though it’s on sale for $399 for a limited time, while the Vive costs $599. Microsoft says headsets using its Windows Mixed Reality platform, on the other hand, will start at $399.
It’s important to note that both Oculus and HTC have significantly lowered the prices of their respective headsets since they debuted. The Oculus Rift originally cost $599 with an extra $280 for a pair of wireless motion controllers and a third camera for room-scale VR. The Vive, meanwhile, cost $800.
PC manufacturers including Acer, Dell, HP and Lenovo are working on Windows Mixed Reality-powered headsets.
Sony’s PlayStation VR, on the other hand, costs $399, but you need to spend an extra $60 for a required camera and $100 for a pair of wireless controllers.
Adding to the cost reduction is the fact that Microsoft’s devices will work on a slew of laptops and PCs, not just high-end systems like the Rift and Vive. During my brief time with an Acer Windows Mixed Reality headset, a Microsoft rep let me play while connected to a high-powered laptop with a dedicated graphics chip, then switched the same headset over to a laptop with a less powerful integrated chip.
You’ll still be limited in terms of the games you can play with your headset, of course. A PC with integrated graphics won’t exactly be able to play the latest and greatest titles, but you’ll still get at least some functionality out of it.
Set up is easier
I’ve used the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and PSVR in my apartment and after playing with them for a few days promptly took them apart and put them away until I found a new game to play. The reason? They’re too cumbersome.
With the wires connecting the headset, the wires connecting the cameras and the power cables, your head ends up looking like Predator’s. Microsoft is aiming to fix that by cutting down on the wires required for its headsets, so you’ll be able to quickly set-up and take apart a Windows Mixed Reality kit faster than its competitors.
I found the Acer headset I wore extremely lightweight, though it did begin to fog up a bit toward the end of my roughly 30-minute demo just as competing headsets have. Microsoft’s controllers were largely comfortable and easy to handle, though the positioning of the Windows button, which takes you out of games, was a bear to locate at times.
That’s not to say that Microsoft’s offering is simple. There’s still a wire connecting you to your PC, and other companies like Facebook are working on wireless versions of their headsets, but for now Microsoft’s offering looks relatively simple to put together.
The content
I’m a big fan of virtual reality. The games and experiences I’ve played have largely been a blast. But nothing I’ve played so far has managed to grab me quite like a traditional on-screen game.
Microsoft is aware of that and is hoping its own stable of games can improve the situation. The company has confirmed that it’s bringing its massive “Halo” franchise to its headsets, as well as the mega-hit “Minecraft.”
On top of that, Microsoft says it’s working with the hugely popular Steam gaming service, which is also available with the Vive and Rift. If Microsoft can ensure that it provides enough top-shelf content for Windows Mixed Reality headsets, it might be able to push VR beyond its current state as a niche and further into the mainstream.
Microsoft says its headsets will be available in time for the holiday shopping season, so stay tuned for my in-depth review in the coming months. | {
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About
I am a father, husband and employee. I eat, sleep, explore and pontificate. I enjoy my family, my wife's photography, finding quarters, new socks, a well tuned bicycle, living in Sacramento, CA, and being organized. Follow me on twitter @dandyer | {
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Sunday, March 9, 2008
When compiling a list of rock drum legends, Carmine Appice certainly has to be near the top of any credible list. Before John Bonham, Ian Paice or Neal Peart, there was Appice. A very strong argument could be made that, Keith Moon and Ginger Baker aside, he was one of the original heavy drummers. Ever since his pioneering work with Vanilla Fudge, with whom he rocketed to the upper reaches of the charts, reaching #6 on the Billboard Singles Charts in 1968 with an inspired, psychedelicized heavy slab of proto metal cover version of The Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin' On," the Staten Island born drummer has been rightly considered one of the finest ever to sit behind the kit.
A huge influence on many other all time greats, including Bonham, Appice's stature cannot be underestimated. In fact, either directly or indirectly his influence can be heard in pretty much any heavy rock drummer to come on the scene ever since. Throughout seminal 70s work with Cactus, Beck, Bogert & Appice, KGB, Tommy Bolin and The Rod Stewart Band (For whom he co wrote such huge hits such as "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" and Young Turks"), continuing throughout the 80s with King Kobra and Blue Murder, a stint with Ozzy Osbourne, as well as countless sessions. Most notably with Pink Floyd on their 'Momentary Lapse Of Reason' album, also appearing on albums by Ted Nugent, Jeff Beck, Eddie Money, Ron Wood and Rick Derringer, remaining extremely in demand throughout the decade. It would probably be much easier to create a list of who he hasn't played with than with whom he has.
Continuing into the 90s with Mother's Army, more sessions and hugely popular, record setting drum clinics, the turn of the millennium has seen a flurry of activity, as appearances on releases by Heaven & Earth, John Sykes, Tim Bogert, Steve Fister and his own 'Guitar Zeus' and 'Travers & Appice' projects fully attest to. Add to this the work with the reunited Cactus, Vanilla Fudge and Carmine Appice's Slamm!!, and you have to wonder when he finds time to sleep.
Never one to rest on his laurels, Appice has continued to forge a path that serves to reaffirm his status as one of the all time greats. An extremely astute businessman, he's been able to parlay his musical prowess into an exemplary, hugely profitable career that has spanned 40 years in the spotlight with no sign of slowing down anytime soon. http://www.carmineappice.net/ | {
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