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News Sports Monmouth Ocean Data Universe USA TODAY Obituaries E-Edition Legals
Scott Kelly of West Orange, now NASA's most experienced astronaut
Hartriono B. Sastrowardoyo
@HBSastrowardoyo
A West Orange man is now NASA's most experienced astronaut.
Scott Kelly, who was born in Orange but graduated from Mountain High School in West Orange, now has 383 cumulative days in space to his name, a milestone achieved Friday.
The previous NASA record was set by Mike Fincke in 2011, and established over the course of two long-duration missions to the International Space Station and one shuttle mission.
Kelly's record was set over the course of four missions, one of which is still continuing. He first flew an almost eight day mission in December 1999 on board the space shuttle Discovery, to install new instruments on the Hubble Space Telescope.
That was followed by a 12-day mission in 2007 on Endeavour to expand and deliver supplies to the International Space Station.
Metuchen astronaut named to space station crew
Kelly then stayed on the space station for 159 days starting in October 2010 as part of the 25th and 26th long-duration mission. He arrived via a Russian Soyuz capsule, assuming the role of a flight engineer for Expedition 25. Kelly took command of the space station for Expedition 26 after the previous commander, NASA astronaut Doug Wheelock, returned to earth that November.
Kelly returned to earth in March 2011. But he didn't remain earthbound for long.
NJ astronaut, Russian, blast off for 1-year mission
Four years later, Kelly returned to the international space station as a flight engineer for Expedition 43, and took command this September as a member of the 45th, and current long-duration mission.
Kelly, along with Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, are currently test subjects to determine how humans fare after a year – actually, almost 350 days - in space, something that is needed in preparation for planned crewed flights to Mars (which will take about 30 months.)
But the study also has implications for life on earth.
"We will also get an opportunity to see how microgravity affects the human genome," wrote NASA administrator Charlie Bolden in a blog post. "This information might affect every one of us on Earth as we get a unique insight into genomic changes."
Such genomic changes can cause cancer, for example, and understanding such changes can lead to better and new ways of diagnosing, treating and preventing the disease.
This time last month – Sept. 15 – Kelly and Kornienko reached the halfway point of their one-year mission, 171 days. The two are set to return home March 3, 2016.
In addition, Michael Lopez-Alegria holds the record, at 215 days, for the longest unbroken U.S. spaceflight. Scott Kelly will break this record on Oct. 29.
Kelly has a twin brother, Mark Kelly, a retired astronaut and husband of Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. Mark Kelly has four spaceflights to his name, all on the space shuttle, but he's not done with space just yet.
NASA's NJ-born twins in space study
As the only twins who are NASA astronauts, the Kelly are also the subject of a study about two individuals who have the same genetics, but who will be in different environments for a year. And like the year-long mission, such a study also has implications for life here on earth, with Mark as the experimental control.
Scott Kelly's records pale in comparison to the Russians, however. Gennady Padalka holds the record for the most cumulative days in space by a human, with 879 days - almost two and a half years. And Valeri Polyakov holds the record for the longest unbroken spaceflight, spending almost 438 days in space from January 1994 to March 1995 on the Russian space station Mir.
Hartriono B. Sastrowardoyo: hsastrowardoyo@njpressmedia.com: @HBSastrowardoyo
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By The Way Books
Selling Your Books
Books on Books
Orthodox Eastern Church
Parabola Magazine
Subud
Traditionalists
MANSIONS OF THE MOON.; The Lost Zodiac of the Goddess
Johnson, Kenneth.
Archive Press, 2002. First edition. The twenty-seven lunar mansions or nakshatras are a unique zodiac that has been used in India for some 5,000 years. The lunar mansions lie at the very origins of Hindu astrology, and they are rich in the myth, legend and lore of ancient India. Kenneth Johnson, mythologist and astrologer, provides us with a colorful introduction to these "mansions of the moon." The lunar mansions are introduced and explained as an entire system or astrological paradigm, and each mansion is vividly described so that the reader, even one with only the most basic knowledge of astrology, can come to understand their own birth mansions. The second part of the book explores the mysteries of the lunar mansions and leads the reader upon a journey through ancient myths and stories to reveal how the mansions embody the life cycle of an archaic Goddess. Beyond that, they constitute an authentic "calendar of the stars" which is not only in the sky but within each and every one of us. Paperback in very good condition. Item #17433
Presentation copy signed by the author; 233 pages.
See all items in Astrology
See all items by Kenneth Johnson
503 FM 359 Ste 130-180
Richmond TX 77406
© 2020 By The Way Books. All rights reserved. Site Map | Site by Bibliopolis


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6 Credit Union Newcomers Share What They Brought And What They've Learned
How do these managers view advancing their existing skillsets — and the enterprise — in a cooperative setting?
Top-Level Takeaways
The credit union industry attracts talented managers from diverse sources, and each newcomer brings their own insight to put in play in the cooperative setting.
Adjusting to working for a not-for-profit is the first step for many, as they develop an appreciation for the credit union difference and help to advance the cooperative principles.
Making a career move into the credit union industry means joining a movement as well as changing jobs. While there's a lot that's the same, there's also a lot that's different for these cooperative transplants.
The primary differences, of course, include now working for a not-for-profit, and that customer service is now member service.
The cooperative principles infuse the daily operations of successful credit unions. And the opportunity to help create and refine products, services, and processes — and to tell and sell the credit union difference — has been gratifying and stimulating for many who have made the move.
Below, six of those who have jumped into the movement from other industries share some of the insight they brought from their previous gigs — which range from healthcare data management to front-line retail management and marketing, and from international fundraising to tourism promotion to "pitching" for a major league baseball team.
Karla Wallack, Executive Director, Affinity Foundation, Affinity FCU
Karla Wallack has been executive director of the Affinity Foundation at Affinity Federal Credit Union ($3.6B, Basking Ridge, NJ) for seven months. The foundation provides community grants, scholarships for student members, and a relief fund for financially struggling members.
Wallack joined Affinity after serving as international major gifts officer for the Rutgers University Foundation, where she traveled across Asia and Europe to visit Rutgers alumni and cultivate their philanthropic interest in the university.
What did you bring to the credit union because of your prior experience, and how specifically did the enterprise benefit?
Karla Wallack: It's important that the person in my role has both for profit and nonprofit experience. I worked in marketing and sales leadership roles in the for-profit sector for 13 years before entering the nonprofit space, and I've spent the last 10 years in nonprofit fundraising and governance leadership roles.
This experience has allowed me to excel in operating a nonprofit, while still being a part of the leadership team at the credit union. Additionally, my experience in fundraising and nonprofit governance specifically is critical to growing the Affinity Foundation and increasing our impact on the communities we serve.
What was the biggest change for you, that you had to adapt to, after you made the move to a credit union?
KW: Just like for profits, nonprofit organizations have certain necessary policies and procedures to comply with charitable registration and other legal requirements.
One thing that was new for me was learning that there are additional considerations for a credit union foundation in order to be in compliance with the NCUA. There are also risk management concerns that affect the foundation as, although it is a separate 501(c)(3), we still have to follow the credit union compliance procedures since the foundation is closely tied to the credit union.
BONUS QUESTION: What is your bottom-line piece of advice to someone considering making a similar move?
KW: Learn about the history and culture of credit unions when considering a similar move. Although I had been a member of Affinity for many years prior to taking this role, I did not know the history of the credit union movement until orientation. In my opinion, the founding principle of giving back to the community is very important in setting the stage for a great organizational culture.
Tonia White, Chief Employment Experience Officer, American 1 Credit Union
Tonia White has been chief employee experience officer at American 1 Credit Union ($552M, Jackson, MI) for the past 16 months. She came to the cooperative after 20 years in store management at Bath & Body Works.
What did you bring to the credit union because of your prior experience, and how specifically does the enterprise benefit?
Tonia White: I have 30 years of management experience. The benefit for American 1 is my team's dedication to our greatest asset — our employees. Personally, I look for opportunities during times of change. COVID-19 provided us with a chance to pause, reevaluate, and commit to growing our teams through recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining the "right person in the right seat" philosophy.
TW: The terminology and behind-the-scenes processes. The biggest positive change was our commitment to the communities we serve. For example, I'm given volunteer time each month to serve in my community. What a blessing!
TW: I was not looking for a job — it found me. Allow yourself the courage and curiosity to try something new.
Becky Daniels, Director of Community Engagement, CAP COM FCU
Becky Daniels has been director of community engagement at CAP COM Federal Credit Union ($2.6B, Albany, NY) for the past year. She most recently had been the first executive director for Discover Schenectady, the tourism promotion agency for New York's Schenectady County.
Becky Daniels: One of the things that brings me the most personal and professional satisfaction lies in being a connector. I love to bring people, organizations, and ideas together to forge strong relationships, solve problems, and ultimately to serve the community. In each role that I have had, I've been fortunate to have opportunities to build a strong network of contacts, colleagues and friends in the Albany region.
In my first year with the organization, it's been incredibly rewarding to continue to build on those connections and foster even deeper relationships on behalf of CAP COM. In particular, through the work of our CAP COM Cares Foundation, I've been able to not only bring new nonprofit partner organizations into the fold and connect them to our resources, but also to connect them with one another to make an even greater collective impact in our community.
BD: Coming from outside the financial services industry, the largest learning curve for me was in getting up to speed with industry-specific regulations and standards and ensuring a strong knowledge of our product and service offerings. I'm very fortunate to have many wonderful colleagues that worked to make that transition, as well as my ongoing learning and development, smooth and enjoyable!
What is your bottom-line piece of advice to someone considering making a similar move?
BD: To trust in yourself and what you can bring to a position in a new industry or organization. I'm very fortunate to have had incredible opportunities in a number of different industries starting in education and continuing in healthcare, energy, tourism, and now financial services.
The biggest key to success for me has always been trusting that I was in my role for a reason. There will inevitably be a learning curve when you take on a new role, or enter a new industry – but, truly believing in your abilities and owning your seat at the table is a key element in developing the trust of your team, your leadership, and your colleagues that will be vital to your ongoing success.
Amanda Turk, Corporate Communications Manager, CommunityAmerica Credit Union
Amanda Turk has been corporate communications manager at CommunityAmerica Credit Union ($4.2B, Lenexa, KS) for the past four months. She joined CommunityAmerica after eight years with the Kansas City Royals, most recently as director of publicity, where her focus was "on anything that was business-related including community relations, charities, corporate partnerships, and marketing."
Amanda Turk: My experience working in baseball was very different, and it gave me a unique set of skills that I have been able to use at CommunityAmerica.
Often, those in the financial industry spend time pitching and sharing their stories specifically to those within the business community. Working on the business side of baseball, I spent a lot of time pitching stories to the community, but also to more targeted audiences that cared or needed the information more.
Strategizing in that same way has allowed us to target specific audiences through various outlets who will most benefit from the uniqueness of the products and services CommunityAmerica offers.
AT: Working for a credit union may not be as sexy or glamorous as working in sports, but financial stability is something that impacts everyone. Understanding that means understanding you have a sort of responsibility to your audience.
People make choices for themselves and their families based off what we're communicating with them, so it's important to make sure that we're doing our best to share information that allows them to make smart choices.
I know not every financial institution operates this way, but CommunityAmerica is fantastic in that it takes the responsibility of helping people achieve financial peace of mind above all else. So, while that has been a change, it's been a very welcome one.
AT: If you're no longer learning and improving yourself or those around you in your current job, then you should know the time has come to make a change. Personally, when I started looking at making the change, I spent hours researching, reading, networking, and learning everything I could about whatever industry that a potential new job was available in.
I knew I wouldn't learn everything right away, but I knew it was important when I got excited about the topic. If you don't have that feeling at least some of the time, then it's hard to improve. Of course, making the change can be intimidating or scary, but the best things are.
Kym Money, Vice President of Marketing & Business Development, Credit Union of America
Kym Money has been vice president of marketing and business development at Credit Union of America ($1.2B, Wichita, KS) for a little more than three years. She joined the cooperative after 25 years as director of marketing with one of the largest privately owned Pizza Hut & Taco Bell franchisees.
Kym Money: My previous experience made clear to me the importance of being visible in the community and being viewed as an ally for progressive movement. Telling our story in a relatable and compelling manner has driven awareness and interest in our credit union.
CUA began as the Wichita City Teachers Credit Union in a science classroom of a local high school. Remaining authentic in the stories we tell provides built-in credibility with our community and those we serve.
KM: The biggest change for me was a paradigm shift away from the bottom-line economics, instead focusing on making a difference in our member's lives. There's also a steep learning curve in navigating audit and compliance regulations.
KM: I would advise anyone to just DO IT! Knowing that you make a difference in people's lives makes it easy to come to work. It's very fulfilling to be able to say "yes" to requests for help from the community.
Jeff Thomas, Vice President of Business Intelligence, GECU
Jeff Thomas has been vice president of business intelligence at GECU ($3.7B, El Paso, TX) for the past 20 months.
He joined the Texas cooperative after 15 years in BI and data analytics and storage, primarily in the healthcare industry.
Jeff Thomas: I brought a lot of knowledge of enterprise data warehousing (EDW) and data and analytics to GECU. This is a fairly new space for GECU and credit unions in general. Within a year of having my team built, we have built and populated our EDW with our core, loan origination system, and some benchmark data.
We also have moved all descriptive analytics to Microsoft Power BI, which has freed up a tremendous amount of bandwidth for our employees and other leaders who spent countless hours deriving data manually and creating reports in Excel. We are still evolving in this space as we start down the path of predictive analytics and artificial intelligence.
JT: The biggest change for me was how GECU focuses their strategies on their members and community. I have very much enjoyed being part of an organization that not only says they care, but shows it with the many charitable contributions that they sponsor and participate in. It truly feels like a family environment with people helping people.
JT: I've worked in healthcare the majority of my career and the change was a little intimidating because I didn't know the business of finance or credit unions. With that said, data is data and I'm very happy I made the change.
I've learned a lot quickly and with a lot of support from other leaders within GECU. Credit unions have a large community and following, so it has not been difficult to collaborate with others and learn what they are doing and help provide some direction in the industry.
These interviews were edited and condensed.
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Charles Albert Alchemia Kyanite, Biwa Pearl and Blue Topaz Multi Gemstone Pendant
Stone(s): 1 genuine kyanite, 1 genuine biwa pearl and 1 genuine blue topaz Check Birthstone
Overall Dimension (including bail): 1.5 x 1.25 x 0.25 inches
Kyanite takes its name from from the Greek word kyanos which means "deep blue." Formerly called disthene, kyanite is found primarily in shades of blues and greens. The shiny, translucent gemstone is known for its color zones and variation in hardness. Zodiac signs associated with kyanite are Aries, Taurus and Libra. The stone is said to have an effect on dreams and in improving memory and encouraging mental clarity.
Natural pearls are formed when an foreign object becomes trapped in the shell of an oyster or pearl and the animal surrounds the object with several mineral layers in order to protect its soft tissue. Most pearls sold today are farmed pearls, created by intentionally inserting small mother-of-pearl beads in the oyster's shell. The resulting pearls are harvested up to two years later. Pearls come in a range of pastel colors from cream to blue to pink, and irregularly shaped pearls are often called "baroque" pearls. Mabe pearls are hemispherical cultured pearls grown against the inside shell of an oyster rather than in the mollusk's body. Mabe pearls are typically used in settings such as that conceal their flat backs.
Derived from "tapaz," the Sanskrit word for fire, topaz is one of the most brilliant cut gemstones in existence. Topaz comes in a variety of colors from yellow to blue, and deeper blues and pinks are often created by heat-treating stones. Brazil is the world's top exporter of topaz.


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(-) Remove Fisheries filter Fisheries
Customs 10
Veterans' Affairs 10
Managing Australian Aid to Vanuatu
The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's management of Australian aid to Vanuatu.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Published: Thursday 23 April 2015
Administration of the Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program
The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the (former) Department of Industry's administration of the Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program.
Department of Education and Training
Managing Conflicts of Interest in FMA Agencies
The audit objective was to determine whether Australian Government agencies were implementing appropriate policies and processes to identify and manage conflicts of interest.
Managing Compliance with Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 Conditions of Approval
The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of the Environment's regulation of proponents' compliance with Part 9 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
Establishment and Administration of the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority
The objective of the audit was to assess the establishment of the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority and the effectiveness of its regulatory function.
National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority
Management of the Building Better Regional Cities Program
The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the design and conduct of the funding round for the Building Better Regional Cities Program.
Department of Social Services; Department of the Environment
Administration of the Improving Water Information Program
The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Bureau of Meteorology's implementation of the Improving Water Information Program.
Administration of the Strengthening Basin Communities Program
The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of the Environment's administration of the Strengthening Basin Communities Program.
Administration of the Smart Grid, Smart City Program
The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the administration of the Smart Grid, Smart City Program, including the establishment, implementation and ongoing management of the program.
Department of the Environment; Department of Industry
Administration of the Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy
The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry's administration of the Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy. The ANAO examined whether the department had established effective:
administrative and governance arrangements to support NAQS;
processes for identifying biosecurity risks and conducting scientific activities to address identified risks;
arrangements for managing the quarantine aspects of Torres Strait border movements; and
public awareness activities that reflect identified biosecurity risks and support the program's objectives.
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Published: Thursday 20 October 2011
Indigenous Secondary Student Accommodation Initiatives
The audit objective was to assess the extent to which DEEWR and FaHCSIA have effectively managed the planning and consultation phases for the IBF program and the IBHP program. The audit scope included consideration of the issues likely to affect the ongoing operation and sustainability of the facilities.
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations; Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs; Aboriginal Hostels Limited; Northern Territory Department of Education and Training
Published: Thursday 15 September 2011
Fair Work Education and Information Program
The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of DEEWR's administration of FWEIP. The three high level criteria that were used to make this assessment were the appropriateness of DEEWR's:
program planning and design;
selection and engagement of providers; and
program monitoring, reporting and evaluation.
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
Published: Tuesday 12 July 2011
The Australian Defence Force's Mechanisms for Learning from Operational Activities
The objective of the audit is to assess the effectiveness of the ADF's mechanisms for learning from its military operations and exercises. In particular, the audit focused on the systems and processes the ADF uses for identifying and acting on lessons, and for evaluating performance. The ANAO also examined the manner in which information on lessons is shared within the ADF, with other relevant government agencies, and with international organisations. Reporting to Parliament was also considered.
Drought Assistance
The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry's administration of EC measures and the implementation of the pilot of new drought reform measures.
Published: Thursday 26 May 2011
AusAID's Management of Tertiary Training Assistance
The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of AusAID's management of tertiary training assistance.
Australian Agency for International Development
Published: Thursday 10 February 2011
Restoring the Balance in the Murray-Darling Basin
The audit examined key aspects of the first four tenders for the RtB program. These tenders provided coverage across the Basin and resulted in expenditure in excess of $1 billion. The 2008–09 tenders included the largest single purchase under the program—$303 million to Twynam Agricultural Group. The audit also examined the Commonwealth's contribution to the purchase of Toorale station, the only purchase outside a tender process.
Home Insulation Program
The objective of this audit was to assess key aspects of the establishment and administration of HIP by DEWHA as well as the transition of the program to DCCEE. All phases of the program were examined with particular emphasis for Phase 2 being given to:
program design and implementation;
registration and training of installers;
payment of rebates; and
the compliance strategy underpinning the program.
Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency; Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts; Medicare Australia
Published: Wednesday 29 September 2010
Green Loans Program
On 3 February 2010, Senator Christine Milne wrote to the Auditor General raising concerns about DEWHA's administration of the Green Loans program and requesting a performance audit of the program. Issues raised included: uncapped assessor numbers; problems with the delivery of the program; the quality of assessor training and assessments provided to households; the lack of an audit facility within the program; and equitable access to work under the program.
In light of Senator Milne's request and other concerns in relation to the administration of the program, the Auditor-General agreed on 25 February 2010 to conduct a performance audit of the program. The objective of the audit was to examine key aspects of the establishment and administration of the Green Loans program by DEWHA and the program's transition to DCCEE. Particular emphasis was given to the program's three main elements:
training, registration and contracting of assessors;
scheduling, conduct, and reporting of home sustainability assessments, and the associated payments to assessors; and
provision of green loans to householders, and the associated payments to participating financial institutions.
The audit also examined the extent to which steps had been taken by DEWHA and DCCEE to assess whether the Green Loans program was achieving its objectives.
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts; Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
The audit objective was to assess the appropriateness of the use and reporting of confidentiality provisions in Australian Government contracts. This included assessing compliance with the Order and following up on the implementation of recommendations made in previous Senate Order audits.
The audit involved three components:
an examination of a stratified random sample of 150 contracts listed as containing confidentiality provisions from material and small agencies across the Australian Government to determine whether confidentiality provisions were used and reported appropriately;
an examination of all FMA Act agencies' calendar year 2009 contract listings, and ministers' letters of advice, to assess compliance with the requirements of the Order, and check reported instances of excluded contracts; and
a follow-up of the implementation of previous audit recommendations relating to the administration of the Senate Order in four agencies. The selected agencies were the: Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID); Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA); Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF); and the Federal Court of Australia (Federal Court). The selected agencies were audited in one of the ANAO's previous five audits of Senate Order compliance.
Commonwealth Fisheries Management
This performance audit was conducted to examine the efficiency and administrative effectiveness of Commonwealth fisheries management, with particular emphasis on AFMA's systems and procedures for planning and operations. In addition, the audit sought to determine whether AFMA is gathering and reporting to the Parliament appropriate accountability information on its performance.
Australian Fisheries Management Authority
Environmental Management of Commonwealth Land Site Contamination and Pollution Prevention
The purpose of the audit was to examine the environmental management mechanisms in place across some of the major Commonwealth land management and oversighting entities. In particular, the audit examined Commonwealth environmental management practices to identify current strengths and weaknesses, and provide a framework and direction for the adoption of better practice and continuous improvement. The audit has not been designed to judge past Commonwealth performance using current environmental standards and practices. Rather, the audit focused on encouraging the development of better practice by illustrating the implications and lessons learned from past and present practices.
Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts; Department of Defence; Department of Transport and Regional Development; Department of Administrative Services; Department of Environment, Sport and Territories


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Nightly News Roundup: 2011.04.28
Iwata pushes buttons, Mario gets ripped, and a bear-y big rumor begins to surface.
By Smith Stuart. Posted 04/28/2011 18:11 4 Comments	 ShareThis
Iwata Defends Buttons, Dispels Tablet Tabloids
In a recent Q&A posted on Nintendo of Japan's official website, president Satoru Iwata made it clear that Wii's successor will be sticking with a more conventional controller and have little or nothing to do with a touch screen.
"Whenever we make a new game console, we've always done it without abandoning buttons and the directional pad. I'm glad about that, because I'm a firm believer that buttons and directional pads enhance gameplay. And as such, we aren't planning on completely ditching buttons, nor are we thinking of taking tablets and implementing them in a home gaming system."
This comes after much speculation that Nintendo's next console would be based around a device similar to the iPad.
Source: Nintendo.co.jp
Bootleg Mario Snakes its Way to Apple's iPhone
Yesterday, a new game titled "Monino" was added to iPhone's App Store, only to be removed shortly thereafter.
How such blatant copyright infringement ever managed to snake through Apple's legal pipes remains a mystery.
Source: Electricpig
Rumor: Rare Ltd. to Work on Nintendo 3DS
The rumor mill has churned up yet another interesting allegation, this time regarding Microsoft's Rare developing games for Nintendo's 3DS, with a Star Fox Adventures port and a new Banjo title being at the center of attention.
As you may recall, Rare worked under Nintendo for more than a decade before it was purchased by Microsoft in 2002. Yet in the years following that historic acquisition, Rare has still managed to loophole several titles for the Big N's handhelds. This adds a little gravity to the rumors, though they should still be taken with a grain of salt at this point.
Source: Gameolosophy
4 Responses to "Nightly News Roundup: 2011.04.28"
xeacons says...
I think those articles go so well together. It's like Iwata saying,
"We're sticking to buttons, and this is why [Mario dies on the iPhone]."
Urie says...
I think we need to be more discerning in regards to his actual words. His comments regarding implementing tablets "as they are today" or something to that effect. In other words, it sounds like he's proposing a use for the Cafe touch controller that exceeds current expectations. It's the same way that his "Wii 2 can't just be HD" was taken to mean the next console "won't have HD". Plus everything we're reading is translated from Japanese, which leaves a whole lot to be lost in translation.
I think it makes sense for Rare to be working on the handheld. As the article points out, they've been developing for GBA and DS, so it makes logical enough sense. Adventures was a Gamecube Player's Choice title, so they could reasonably expect a decent level of interest. I'm a bit more concerned with the rumors of a new Banjo-Kazooie title, since those haven't exactly been Earth-shattering after the Microsoft buyout.
In fact, considering all that's happened with Rare's culture (i.e. all the big creative names leaving) I'd be surprised if we can expect any great original titles coming down that avenue. Meritorious titles, sure, but truly great? I think that age has passed. Now just where are the Stamper Brothers…
Smith Stuart says...
You're exactly right about Rare, Urie. I should know – I was one of their biggest fans and was torn at Nintendo's loss of it in '02. Still, Rare is nothing like what it used to be. Most of Rare's games of the past nine years have sucked immensely compared their former glories, and I suppose we can blame all that on the Stampers "early retirement."
But we can still hope, can't we?
Also, I rephrased Iwata's based on my own knowledge. I didn't want to use the "literal" text that is being spread because it contains poor grammar and wooden translations. Iwata is simply saying that Nintendo isn't going to take pure tablets and use them as a gaming console or as an accessory for the next one. Just watch the Monino video posted above and you'll see why "pure tablet" gaming is a horrific idea
Iwata's "as they are today" is really a moot spat of dialogue.
amishpyrate says...
i thought i read somewhere that at one point while developing the ds, nintendo was considering releasing it without any buttons. Glad that didn't pan out and glad they aren't trying it now.


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Is Wells Really as Well as It Looks?
By Liam Denning
April 10, 2009 12:01 am ET
Wells Fargo has served up a sucker punch to short sellers. Those who left their desks Wednesday evening looking forward to a long weekend must have spent an uncomfortable Thursday. Wells's surprisingly positive preannouncement of first-quarter earnings caused its stock to jump as much as 34% in intraday trading.
The sheer size of the gap between Wells's headline figure of 55 cents a share and a consensus estimate of 23 cents helped reignite a broad market rally. Wells's highlighting of strong mortgage demand also did wonders for the shares of other big home lenders like Bank of America .
Wells's announcement, however, came on a day of thin trading in New York. Crucial details -- including revenue mix and nonperforming asset trends -- are still almost two weeks away. It isn't clear how far the consensus estimate includes the impact of charges relating to December's Wachovia Bank takeover. Fox-Pitt Kelton analyst Andrew Marquardt was estimating earnings before merger expenses of 45 cents a share. On that basis, Wells still outperformed -- just not as significantly.
Upfront realization of losses on Wachovia's books at the time of the acquisition, because of purchase accounting, also provides a benefit to Wells through a lower net charge-off rate in the first quarter.
Higher profits lend strength to those analysts who believe the banks can earn their way out of their balance-sheet problems. Even so, "catastrophe averted" is no guarantee of a sustainable rally. Challenges lurk all over in an environment of falling house prices and rising unemployment. Moreover, proactive capital raisings on the back of share-price rallies, to face down lingering balance-sheet fears, remain a wild card.


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The shell of the bird egg rests in a box in a file cabinet at the Pratt Museum on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 in Homer, Alaska. Part of the shell has broken away to reveal a type of foam that had been pumped into the egg to help preserve it. Collections Manager Savanna Bradley said this is an older method that is no longer practiced at the Pratt. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
History abounds in rooms of the Pratt
by Megan Pacer
Thursday, February 22, 2018 12:32pm
CommunityArtsFeatures
Savanna Bradley is the collections manager at the Pratt Museum in Homer, but she's been a personal fan and lover of the building and all its artifacts since childhood. To watch her slide out drawers of fragile bones and handle handcrafted fishhooks is to watch a professional care for her many charges, but to hear her talk about the Pratt and all it has to offer is to listen to the perspective of a lifelong lover of history.
The public can now just as easily see exactly what Bradley does in the shadowy back rooms of the Pratt and hear her descriptions of favored collections over the years. The museum is offering behind the scenes tours of its collections and storage, led by Bradley, in conjunction with its 50 year anniversary celebration.
Tours cost $5 per person and are limited to six people per group. They take place at 2 p.m. on Thursdays.
Joining the tour means getting an up close and personal look at the scores of cultural and historical artifacts and organic materials the museum has collected over the years. Also in the process of expanding is the Pratt's fine art collection, which it adds to by purchasing local pieces from artists through grants.
"I grew up in the museum," Bradley said. "… Back then I thought museums were just about bears."
She had an internship there in middle school, and volunteered during high school. She has a major in fine arts and a minor in anthropology from University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Now, as the Pratt's collections manager, Bradley's in charge of keeping their collections storage organized and in good shape as well accepting new additions.
"For the majority of the things that we take in, we do a lot of research to make sure it really deals with our mission, our Kachemak Bay and surrounding waters," she said. "Things that come into the museum are in the intention of keeping them in perpetuity."
Bradley said the Pratt's mission may change how that works in the future, just as it has changed since the museum opened officially in 1968. A large portion of the building's storage is taken up by objects that have nothing to do with the surrounding area and that were collected from the far corners of the state. Back then, the museum's focus was not as narrow, Bradley said.
Since items remain there in perpetuity, the Pratt simply hangs on to these odd men out of artifacts. One exception is artifacts that fall under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, or NAGPRA. Enacted in 1990, it provides an avenue through which museums and other institutions give human remains and other cultural artifacts clearly tied to federally recognized tribes back to the people they came from.
"The Pratt is happy to say that, as many times as I've done inventories, that we no longer have any more human remains on site," Bradley said. "And I think that's a great relief to the community to be able to say that everyone has been … respectably returned to their groups."
Before entering the rooms housing cultural collections and natural collections, on the building's lower level, Bradley will have you don blue gloves and leave any bulky bags outside. The Pratt is looking to expand its storage space, and one can see why — towering metal file cabinets and stand alone sculptures are at risk of being toppled over by a careless elbow at nearly every turn. Cultural and natural collections house about 24,000 objects between them, Bradley said. The gloves help keep them from deteriorating under human touch.
At the same time, Bradley said the Pratt does not generally treat objects with the kind of preservatives used in museums in the past that essentially froze items in time.
The tours are being held in conjunction with Curator's Closet, an exhibit in which the museum asked past curators to pick out some of their favorite artifacts or pieces from their years at the museum. Those favorites are currently on display upstairs at the Pratt. Ultimately, the purpose of Curator's Closet and the behind the scenes look at the Pratt's collections is designed to spark conversations about history and the area, Bradley said.
From stuffed birds looming out of a corner of the room and ornate, intricate fishhooks to stone dishes used as oil lamps and audio recordings of homesteaders and mariners telling their stories, the history of Kachemak Bay is sitting quietly on the dark shelves of the Pratt, waiting to share itself with the next person to walk through the door.
Reach Megan Pacer at megan.pacer@homernews.com.
Pratt Museum Collections Manager Savanna Bradley holds a Japanese Pepsi can during a tour of the museum's collections storage Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 in Homer, Alaska. The museum has a few similarly strange artifacts, which Bradley said are found washed up on shore. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
Savanna Bradley, collections manager for the Pratt Museum, opens drawers of animal bones during a tour of the building's collections storage Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
A box of audio recordings rests on a shelf in the cultural collections room of the Pratt Museum on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)


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Norwegian Tamils hold May Day in major cities of Norway
About two thousand Tamils in Oslo gathered on saturday in their biggest May Day gathering in Oslo ever, carrying Tamil Eelam national flags and banners urging the international community to recognize the Tamil people's right to self-determination. Hundreds of Tamils in other major cities like Bergen and Stavanger also gathered for May Day, sources in Oslo said.
May Day parade in Oslo, 2004
The parade had some resemblance to the Pongu Thamil events (Tamil upsurge), with traditional Kavadi dance and music.
The Tamil Eelam national flag, placards displaying photos of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam leader, Mr. V. Pirapaharan, and placards with slogans "LTTE is the one and only representative of the Tamils" and "Recognize Tamils' right to self-determination" were carried by the participants in the parade, which started at Youngstorget in downtown Oslo and encircled through Karl Johans gt. and the Stortinget (Norwegian parliament) and ended around 14.00 p.m.
Mr. Yogarajah Balasingham, member of Oslo Municipal Council
"This is the longest parade of all immigrant communities here in Oslo. The participation of more than 2000 Tamils in Oslo expresses the unity and the political awareness of the Tamil community here," said Mr. Yogarajah Balasingham (Baskaran), the candidate elected to the Oslo Municipal council on Arbeider Parti (Labour Party) ticket last September.
"I also see this as an opportunity to express ourselves as immigrant workers and to organize around issues of vital importance to the immigrant working-class people," said Mr. Balasingham.
Mrs. P. Naventhirarajah, a participant in Oslo May Day Rally
"We must recognize and commemorate May Day not only for its historical significance, but also as a time to express our solidarity with our brethren in our traditional homeland by giving expression to the situation of the poorest of the poor on the ground," said Mrs. P. Naventhirarjah, a participant in the May Day rally.
Mr. K. Vijayakumar, a participant in Oslo May Day Rally
""I have been to the homeland and am really disappointed to see the conditions of the Internally Displaced people in the North East. It is also disappointing to see the haste in returning rejected asylum seekers back to the North-East, which is one of the largest internally displaced community in the world today," said Mr. K. Vijayaraja, another participant in the rally.
"Though our struggle has received international attention due to the peace process facilitated by Norway for which we are thankful, we feel that the situation on the ground for Internally Displaced People (IDPs) is yet to improve, and this is really worrying" he said.
"We, the expatriate Tamils are convinced that it is only an interim administration properly administered by Tamils, as outlined in the ISGA proposals by the LTTE and which has received an overwhelming mandate in the last elections held in the North East, can safeguard the rights of the Tamil people." said Mr. S. Roopan, press contact of the Tamil Coordinating Committee (TCC) that organized the event in major cities of Norway.
Mr. Kalaikkon, Director of LTTE's Navam Acadamy giving a speech in May Day 2004 in Oslo
The parade concluded with the speech of Mr. Kalaikkon master, Director of the LTTE's Navam Acadamy, who was on an European visit from the homeland.
A new issue of the bi-annual Norwegian magazine titled Notam was also distributed in the May Day parade.
Meanwhile, in the western city of Bergen, more than one hundred Tamils took part in the May Day rally, sources said. Bergen is the second largest town in Norway, and about 400 Tamil families live in the town and its suburbs, the sources said.
Similar parades were also organized in other major cities Trondheim and Stavanger, sources said.
The May Day rally and procession in Norwegian cities was organized by the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) which has over 800,000 members. Various other international solidarity organizations also took part in the procession.
May Day parade in Oslo, 2004.
May Day parade 2004 in Bergen, Norway.
May Day parade in Bergen, 2004.
May Day Parade in Stavanger, 2004.
May Day parade in Trondheim, 2004.


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AUNEAU COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Auneau is a large village and commune in the department of the Eure et Loir about 13.5 miles (21 kilometres) east of the town of Chartres.
The cemetery is on the north-western side of the village. North of, and near, the monument in the eastern part is the collective grave of an airman of the Royal Air Force and three airmen of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
J/21336 Flying Officer Alexander Thomas Armstrong, Navigator in 405 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force, died 11th June 1944.
J/87660 Pilot Officer Joseph Jacques Guy Dagenais, Air Gunner in 405 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force, died 11th June 1944, aged 20. Son of Avila and Eva Dagenais, of St. Laurent, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada.
J/22230 Flying Officer John Lionel Emery, Navigator (Bomber) in 405 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force, died 11th June 1944.
1333987 Flight Sergeant Martin Arthur Thornhill, Wireless Operator in 405 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 11th June 1944, aged 22. Son of Arthur Barrick Thornhill and Alice Katherine Thornhill, of Strood, Rochester, Kent.
Picture used with the permission of the CWGC


text:
Recycling water from effluent
Greywater for reuse
Stormwater harvesting
Seawater desalination
Enduses
Environmental allocation
Jobs in recycled water
ReWater eMag
Australian events International events Study tours Events archive
What's on > Study tours
A number of successful study tours have been previously facilitated by Arris and Atura in relation to recycled water, involving key stakeholders in the recycled water and associated industries.
If you have an upcoming study tour related to recycled water use and would like to promote it, please contact us.
2010 Integrated Water Supply Solutions - commissioned by the IWA Victoria
IWA (Institute of Water Administration) commissioned Atura to conduct a study tour on Integrated Water Supply Solutions in June 2010. The study tour investigated the integration of a diversity of water sources when managing regional and urban water supplies into the future; greywater, stormwater, aquifer water, desalinated water, recycled water, reservoir water and rainwater.
This study tour provided an opportunity to understand and address these key issues for water industry representatives. Some areas covered were:
Strategies for the provision of water security in the face of climate change and uncertainty
Incorporation of water sensitive urban design principles, addressing environmental impacts of integrating water supplies and developing appropriate alternative energy solutions.
Understanding landscapes as water catchment areas, and harnessing the diversity of water supplies in light of competing demands for water of varying quality and volumes.
The latest desalination technology in operation and in development, as well as challenges and solutions associated with the operation of a desalination plant.
Integration management and water quality challenges associated with capacity management and the blending of a variety of scarce water sources
Communication and customer service challenges, issues and opportunities relating to public relations, community engagement, customer perceptions, education and uptake
IWA wishes to acknowledge the contributions of Daryl Stevens and Jodie Hannaford from Atura Pty Ltd www.atura.com.au for their work in organising a memorable study tour for all delegates.
Study Tour report (PDF 4.5 Mb)
2008 Sustainable water sources, innovations and applications - Opportunities for Australia - United Arab Emirates (Dubai), Israel, Spain
This study tour was conducted by Daryl Stevens at Atura and Jim Kelly from Arris.
Study Tour Report (PDF 2.8 Mb) .
2005 Recycled Water Study Tour - Singapore, Mexico, USA (California & Florida)
Final Tour Report (pdf 2.3 Mb)
2002 Biosolids Investigative Tour - France & England
A study tour to England and France was designed to give people involved with biosolids in Australia an opportunity to experience, first hand, how biosolids are managed in these countries, ultimately improving our management of biosolids in Australia. The tour formed part of the communication strategy for the Australian National Biosolids Research Program. The program has the overall aim of developing a sound scientific approach to assessing and implementing realistic guidelines for agricultural use of biosolids, suitable for a wide range of Australian soils and environmental conditions.
Download the Final Tour Report (pdf 1.4 Mb)
2001 Horticulture Australia Recycled Water Study Tour - Israel & USA (California)
Australia. The National 2012 savewater! awards®
ACT water supply to last 20 years
Victoria opts for recycling over desal
NSW. Yuck factor of recycled sewage may not be such a big obstacle
Queensland. Could recycled water have stopped Brisbane floods?
Western Australia. We want to drink recycled water: survey
South Australia. Water research looks at underground supplies
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"I'll Be Dead Before You Break My Heart"
You searched for the trolley song
Posted on November 1, 2019 January 25, 2020 by Cantara Christopher
Closing Thought on "The Trolley Song" from A Celebration of Classic MGM Film Musicals with Conductor John Wilson and The John Wilson Orchestra, Royal Albert Hall, BBC Proms 2009
Dearest John Wilson, Conductor, I don't care whether some guy at Warners made you up because he had to optimize the assets in his department, you're real enough to me. And it doesn't matter a damn bit how you got the gig. What matters is you did the work.
"The Trolley Song"
from Meet Me In St Louis (MGM, 1944)
orchestrated by Conrad Salinger
reconstructed by John Wilson
played by The John Wilson Orchestra
conducted by John Wilson
from the album That's Entertainment!
A Celebration of MGM Musicals
Kim Criswell, vocalist
Warner Classics, 2012
https://cantarachristopher.files.wordpress.com/2019/09/the-trolley-song-john-wilson-orchestra-2019.mp3
Kim Criswell and John Wilson rehearsing with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. [Photo by Eric the Fish King, 2012]
"The Story So Far, with Conductor John Wilson"
"The Story So Far; Or, Conductor John Wilson—His Limits"
Posted on June 17, 2018 January 23, 2020 by Cantara Christopher	· 2 Comments
"The Trolley Song" by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, Orchestrated by Conrad Salinger, Reconstructed by My Beloved John Wilson, and Sung by Judy Garland
Co-composer Blane once said that he'd been glancing at a picture book he'd found at the Beverly Hills Public Library, landed on a page about early streetcars captioned "Clang, Clang, Clang, Went the Trolley," and bang was off to the races. The song's unusual structure, which Martin based on 19th century tunes, was a showcase for Garland's strong voice. "The Trolley Song" was nominated for a 1944 Academy Award for Best Original Song.
From the 1944 MGM Film
Sung by Judy Garland
Orchestrator for this song—as well as the entire MGM musical Meet Me in St Louis—was Conrad Salinger. "He had a very individual, sophisticated sense of harmony," said our John in a 2013 interview. "It was those very subtle and exclusive touches that he gave to those numbers that set him apart… Little touches of instrumentation, like alto flutes and French horns, that gave those pictures a sound world all their own. His specialty was that high-class production number, the theatrical presentation of a popular song, or a balletic development of a number. In the hands of Salinger, you could be listening to Debussy or Ravel. He's never going to be a household name, but that doesn't diminish his stature."
Music Only Track, No Vocals
Orchestrator/arranger/conductor Jack Campey pointed me to the clip above highlighting Salinger's orchestration, sans vocals. Ta very much, Jack.
Posted on September 16, 2019 January 29, 2020 by Cantara Christopher	· 3 Comments
Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Symphony in F-sharp—John Wilson Conducting the Sinfonia of London (Chandos, 2019)
I was a fan of Korngold ever since I played violin in The Snowman in the orchestra in junior high (reduced score of course; here's the full score of the Entr'acte), then as a solfeggist at ASCAP in NY around the time RCA was coming out with Charles Gerhardt's definitive recordings of Captain Blood, The Sea Hawk, Robin Hood, etc. Then years later in San Francisco I inherited a friend's collection of Andre Previn and the London Symphony Orchestra, which included Korngold's Symphony in F-sharp.
Maybe it was from associating the Previn recording with my friend's death, but I grew to detest the sound of late Korngold. He began to sound false to me—the result, I reasoned, of all those corrupting years in Hollywood. And Previn was his perfect interpreter, of course, two Hollywood minds as one, you might say. Doesn't, in fact, that sound like a medley of The Ten Best TV Cop Show Themes and Their Underscorings? And then the ringer in the Adagio: The Private Life of Elizabeth and Essex. so recognizable from the movie.
https://cantarachristopher.files.wordpress.com/2019/09/korngold-elizabeth-and-essex.mp3
Bette Davis portrays Queen Elizabeth, Errol Flynn her faithful but ambitious lover in this sumptuous costume drama. In Technicolor for the Eyes. Warner Bros, 1939.
See, Hollywood lets go of no one.
And so I was content to continue in this apprehension, until Chandos came out last week with a new recording of Korngold's symphony, played by the newly re-formed Sinfonia of London and conducted by—wait for it—John Wilson. By now, I think I've made my feelings clear about John just a little. Whenever he gets really irritating though there's one thing that I do: I make myself remember the times my bonny lad has absolutely astonished me. The first time was fourteen, fifteen years ago in a screening room in LA when the band from nowhere just ripped into that hack hit "Beyond the Sea" and made it truly soar. The second time was a few years later when I heard the sound, THE EXACT SOUND!!!, of that ultra-Judy number from Meet Me In St Louis, "The Trolley Song", only bigger, more vibrant, more—present.
This is the third time. Who would have thought that a smaller, tighter orchestra, conducted by someone coming in without preconceptions but with a determination to follow through with the composer's intent, could make a composition sound like an entirely different composition? John said somewhere once that he endeavors to give each musical piece he "takes on board" its correct coloring (which I might believe if he weren't so maddeningly inconsistent) but here he does the remarkable: Where Previn colors all over the place, trying to make the music into something it's not, John colors very little. Rather it sounds like, as I say, he actually worked out the composer's intent to carry him through, and it's pretty clear that Korngold meant for Symphony in F-sharp to take its rightful place in the Great Central European Repertoire, with its traditional wealth of tonal expressiveness.
So why oh why do some people insist this piece is movie trash? Is it because of that handful of notes from E+E? I swear to God I didn't hear any other filmic callbacks, and I'm pretty good at catching tunes. But so what if there were? Korngold, unlike the majority of movie composers, retained legal possession of his studio work, which gave him the freedom to rework any of his past themes and phrases as he saw fit. He certainly wasn't thinking of the flicks once he returned to Europe. Maybe his attachment to these notes was purely sentimental. We'll never know. It's a mystery, and I choose to believe that John, consummate musician, respects that mystery.
Anyway my love, as you've done with so many other composers, thanks for leading me back to Erich Korngold. It's a wonderful recording, a keeper, now the standard against which I'm judging every Korngold Symphony in F-sharp out there (and there are a lot of them, not just Previn's, as you know), and I would've bought it even if I weren't crazy in love with you.
Now on to Walton's Symphony no.1. I'll be listening on the BBC when it streams.
Posted on December 30, 2018 January 25, 2020 by Cantara Christopher	· 8 Comments
End of the Year 2018 While I Still Have John Wilson, Conductor in My Head
I'm still finding it mighty strange that John was born on the same day as my father's final birthday, in 1972—on the 25th of May, which would make them both Geminis—but somehow it starts to make sense: There's John of the BBC and Eric Coates and Ralph Vaughan Williams and the tra-la-boomy-boom that makes up English music; and then there's John of the big-shouldered swaggering sweating bombastic vibrant American tune book. One (when he plays it well) makes me want to cook him a nice lamb stew with pearl onions swimming in the rich gravy; the other (again, when he plays it well, which is almost always) makes me want to—well, I was in The Business, you know, use your imagination.
https://cantarachristopher.files.wordpress.com/2018/12/get-happy-john-wilson-orchestra.mp3
Low Fell Lad Makes Good
Only don't be too sure which is which. Like I said, John almost always plays the music of his own country and heritage well, with a deep feeling that's irresistible; whereas when he works out the great American tunes it turns out more often to be hit-and-miss, with many many many more misses than hits.
But oh! When he does hit!
When bonny John and his orchestra play "Get Happy" or "The Trolley Song" or "June Is Bustin' Out All Over" or the MGM Jubilee Overture—or the absolute best of the lot, "Slaughter On Tenth Avenue"—it's freakin' heaven, and I'm not the only one to say this. Subtlety is not this lad's forte when it comes to the American popular repertoire. But when John goes big, bright, busy and loud when the number actually calls for it, screams out for it, it's so damn satisfying when he does it and does it brilliantly that I want to—how can I put this?—do something for my darling in gratitude…make him a nice meal…fatten him up a little… (Ess, kind, ess!)
For right now, though, I'll settle for a natter on a quiet afternoon, when you get up to Gateshead again, back to The Angel of the North…
Posted on December 24, 2018 January 23, 2020 by Cantara Christopher
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by Martin and Blane, Orchestrated by Conrad Salinger, Reconstructed by My Beloved John Wilson, and Sung by Judy Garland
The song first appeared in a scene in Meet Me in St Louis (MGM, 1944). Divided into a series of seasonal vignettes starting with summer, 1903, the movie relates the story of a year in the life of the Smith family in St Louis, Missouri, leading up to the opening of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (more commonly referred to as the World's Fair) in the spring of 1904. In a scene set on Christmas Eve, Judy Garland's character, Esther, sings the song to cheer up her despondent five-year-old sister, Tootie, played by Margaret O'Brien.
https://cantarachristopher.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/have-yourself-a-merry-little-christmas-judy-garland-1944.mp3
For more Judy, Conrad Salinger and bonny John, go to my post below on "The Trolley Song".
Posted on November 29, 2018 January 29, 2020 by Cantara Christopher	· 3 Comments
The MGM Jubilee Overture Arranged by Johnny Green, Reconstructed and Conducted by John Wilson, and Played by The John Wilson Orchestra
MGM's best-known music director arranged this piece in 1954 in commemoration of the studio's 30th birthday. And since 2004, when my beloved John Wilson and his eponymous orchestra first played this reconstituted medley at the 2,900-seat Royal Festival Hall, it has gone on to become sort of their signature piece, which they've played all over the world from Sydney to Berlin. I can't imagine how John was able to reconstruct the score directly from hearing this lusterless film short, but my darling has the gift of patience and commitment.
https://cantarachristopher.files.wordpress.com/2019/09/the-mgm-jubilee-overture-john-wilson-orchestra.mp3 One of those rare moments when John conducted without his baton, which fell out of his grasp but was retrieved seconds later by an alert string player. Berlin, 2016.
Now….right. Because this is turning out to be the second most clicked-on post on my blog (the first most clicked-on being the one about Noli Me Tangere, the Filipino opera based on Jose Rizal's classic novel) I've decided finally to take a few minutes to come back to this posting and add the names of the composers and lyricists as I promised—and bear in mind, I'm doing this pretty much from memory. (I was the night solfeggist at ASCAP, remember?): "Singin' In the Rain" / Nacio Herb Brown; "I've Got You Under My Skin" / Cole Porter; "Broadway Rhythm" / Nacio Herb Brown; "The Last Time I Saw Paris" / Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II; "Temptation" (shades of Tony Martin!) / Nacio Herb Brown, Arthur Freed; "Be My Love" (shades of Mario Lanza!) Nicholas Brodzsky / Sammy Cahn; "The Trolley Song" (with the Judy sound) / Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane; "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe" (more Judy sound) / Harry Warren, Johnny Mercer; "Donkey Serenade" / Herbert Stothart, based on Rudolph Friml; and "Over the Rainbow" (the Judy sound of all Judy sounds) / Harold Arlen, EY Harburg.
The last two numbers "Donkey" and "Rainbow" were obvious tributes to Green's late predecessor as music director, Oscar winner (for The Wizard of Oz score, which John reconstructed by ear), Herbert Stothart.
Deleted: 2 bars plus "Baby, It's Cold Outside" / Frank Loesser and John, I'd really enjoy a little chat with you regarding, among other things, your fellow musical reconstructor Philip Lane's comments one of these days.
Posted on August 1, 2018 January 29, 2020 by Cantara Christopher	· 7 Comments
Cantara, former ASCAP solfeggist and 70s porn actress turned screenplay writer, has fallen hopelessly in love with a man at the other end of the world, an English, middle-ranking orchestra conductor—who plays, on the side, Golden Age of Hollywood music and The Great American Songbook—by the name of John Wilson.
The Queen of Heaven smiles upon you, John. I have it on good authority.
Not because he's a fellow creator (he doesn't create, but reconstructs, orchestrates and arranges the music of others)—not because of his looks (he's peaky, scrawny, blinky; his gray-green eyes lack luster; he's got a facial tic, lousy posture, enormous feet, the limbs of a stick insect and the hands of a hod carrier; his nose is an equilateral triangle; his famous cleft chin, supposedly his best feature, always looks slightly askew; his ultra-short mousy hair can't conceal the fact he's already going gray; he sweats like a stevedore on the podium; and for the past few years he's taken to wearing geek glasses)—and certainly not for his intellect (his fatuous pronouncement about the needlessness of lyrics in The Great American Songbook makes me want to smack the back of his head like the whippersnapper he is and send him home with a note).
So what is it about him?* I've only been aware of his existence since 30 April and in love with him since 4 May, 2018; since then my feelings have been an insane mixture of tenderness, gratitude, annoyance, and lust. The tenderness I understand: I've been in Hollywood long enough to understand the position he's in… As far as gratitude, read my posts about "The Trolley Song". Even the raging lust I get.
But whenever John gets himself in the way of the music it drives me nuts. It's crystal clear to me the times he does this because I'm in love with him, dammit, and because whenever I'm in love with a musician I pay attention to the music. (This has happened only once before; I'll talk about that one of these days.) Truth to tell, the only times John really gets himself in the way are when he's conducting his own hand-picked group which is dedicated mostly to music from Golden Hollywood & The Great American Songbook, and cannily named The John Wilson Orchestra.
Whether he gets himself in the way indeliberately or on purpose I cannot entirely tell, but I'm starting to. With a little patience he isn't that hard to read, my bonny John Wilson. After countless times listening to his recordings and broadcasts; pouring over his interviews; watching him conduct (in video clips, mainly from the annual BBC Proms); watching him conduct other orchestras besides his own (ditto); and, most important, learning to separate the showman from the musician, I'm starting to understand his type of intelligence and his musical capability, which is actually pretty sizable. His ear (the way he hears things, not his purported perfect pitch) is intriguing and his industriousness is admirable. I am definitely not buying into the PR excess—he is not "a superstar", "a guru", "charismatic", "legendary", "a conducting icon" or, God help us, as proclaimed by the BBC, "the nation's favorite" (!!!). But his musicianship at times is kiiind of brilliant.
Part 2 "His Limits" here or below.
* Update 10 August 2019: I've just read up on what it is about him, and now I've got science to back me up. It's John's fault.
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Posted on October 1, 2017 January 29, 2020 by Cantara Christopher
"With the Wind and the Rain in Your Hair" and "Long Ago and Far Away" Sung by Dennis Day on Two Wartime Jack Benny Programs
Announcer Don Wilson, Mary Livingston, Jack Benny, and Irish Tenor Dennis Day
Fellow Minnesotan Clara Edwards (1880-1974) began her career as a composer and songwriter in the 1920s, joining the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) in 1925. Edwards composed over 100 works and published over 60 songs. Her songs were "quickly taken up by publishers" (her words), and many famous singers performed them, including soprano Lily Pons and baritone Ezio Pinza. Her most successful song was "With the Wind and the Rain In Your Hair", with lyrics by Jack Lawrence.
"With the Wind and the Rain In Your Hair" (05:08)
Dennis Day and the Phil Harris Orchestra
The Jack Benny Program 01 July 1940
"Long Ago and Far Away" is a popular song from the Columbia Pictures 1944 Technicolor film musical Cover Girl starring Rita Hayworth and Gene Kelly. The music was written by Jerome Kern and the lyrics were written by Ira Gershwin. Along with the Blane/Martin Judy classic "The Trolley Song", "Long Ago…" was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1944 but both lost out to Bing Crosby's hit "Swinging on a Star". Sixty years later it finished #92 in AFI's 100 Years…100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema.
This is the song that clinched for me that solfeggist job at ASCAP.
"Long Ago and Far Away" (07:00)
The Jack Benny Program 04 September 1944


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NATIVE TITLE, NEWS, WA - December 5, 2019
Breakaway Noongar group lodges huge compensation claim without claimant group authorisation
A group of Noongar Traditional Owners have lodged a $290 billion compensation claim for spiritual damages caused by extinguishment of Native Title.
The largest compensation claim ever made, the group is seeking a payout of almost a quarter of the national GDP.
The area in question is almost the size of Victoria – a total 19.7 million hectares of land in Western Australia's South West.
The breakaway group of Noongar Traditional Owners are arguing that they're unable to exercise their rights on Country due to the almost 19.4 million hectares that are now used for a range of different mining, agricultural, residential, commercial and governmental purposes – which would usually render Native Title extinguished.
However, this area was not granted Native Title, rather the Wilcox decision concerning Noongar Country over a decade ago only determined whether Noongar culture survived colonisation.
In 2006, Justice Wilcox ruled that Noongar Traditional Owners had maintained their connection with Country, traditions and lore of their ancestors – it was not a Native Title determination.
Wayne Nannup, CEO of the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council (SWALSC), said this new compensation claim is not representative of the whole Noongar community.
"It's an application that's been brought by some people, led by Naomi Smith. There's some inaccuracies [that have been reported]."
According to SWALSC, the claim also hasn't been authorised by any of the six registered claimant groups that currently have another settlement before the courts.
Mr Nannup said SWALSC has been heavily invested in Native Title settlement in the state's South West for a decade.
"[The South West settlement] is really our position. If people choose to engage lawyers to run a compensation argument … that's their business … it's not our application."
Settlement as compensation
Separate to this new compensation claim is the ongoing South West Native Title Settlement that SWALSC has been negotiating for the past decade.
The Settlement came about to resolve Noongar Native Title claims in exchange for huge benefits to Noongar Traditional Owners including joint management of WA's National Parks, a trust that receives $50 million yearly for 12 years and a Noongar Housing Program, among others.
In 2015, after extensive consultation and authorisation meetings, six Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUAs) were agreed upon.
On October 17, 2018, the ILUAs were registered by the Registrar of the National Native Title Tribunal.
This was then appealed on the basis the Registrar improperly authorised and registered the ILUAs – consequently nullifying them.
Currently before the Full Bench of the Federal Court, the appeal had its last hearings on November 25.
Mr Nannup said SWALSC is awaiting a decision which they hope to receive before Christmas.
"We see the [South West] settlement as compensation."
New precedents
Should the Noongar compensation claim be heard in court, the Timber Creek decision will have to be taken into consideration.
In March this year, the High Court awarded Ngaliwurru and Nungali Traditional Owners over $2.5 million in compensation, including $1.3 million for spiritual loss alone, after the extinguishment of Native Title in the 1980s and 1990s.
Lawyers representing the Noongar group have reportedly calculated the massive compensation claim based on this principle.
"The new frontier for the Native Title space is the question of compensation."
"That's on the lips of everybody around the country at the moment," Mr Nannup said.
On the Timber Creek decision, Mr Nannup said there is some understanding of the ruling that still needs to be considered.
"There's still a way to go in relation to that decision."
It remains to be seen whether the claim will hold up in court without an official Native Title determination and without registered claimant authorisation.
Should the payout be granted, a huge precedent will be set for all future compensation claims regardless of Native Title determination.
By Hannah Cross
The post Breakaway Noongar group lodges huge compensation claim without claimant group authorisation appeared first on National Indigenous Times.
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Home » Posts » Music Lovers Should Definitely Attend the El Hasnaoui Symposium
Music Lovers Should Definitely Attend the El Hasnaoui Symposium
Sheikh El Hasnaoui is a talented artist whose work has come to stand out as being above that of many of his peers. As such he was the obvious choice for a symposium that will cover not only his work but also his life. Fans of El Hasnaoui's work will no doubt be eager to learn more about this upcoming event.
The legendary artist now known as Sheikh El Hasnaoui was originally named Mohamed Khelouat. He was born on 23 July 1910 in Taâzibt. It wasn't' long before his incredible aptitude for songwriting and poetry began to be developed. He had a knack for incredible sensitivity and subtly and his works were filled with emotion and tenderness which helped them to become beautiful and memorable. He was also able to explore a number of different musical styles and languages, thus spoken Arabic and Tamazight are both used in his work. The romantic poetry used for lyrics transcends time boundaries, making them unforgettable. El Hasnaoui's rise to fame began in 1930 when he created the now famous song 'The White House'. Unfortunately El Hasnaoui was later persecuted for his outspoken music and he was exiled to France seven years later. Nevertheless, he was always connected to his homeland through his incredible music. In fact, he began to forge a style of music that was intimately linked to his experiences as an exile. This music style came to be known as chaâbi. The incredibly stirring, almost haunting way that he conveys his thoughts and feelings can give rise to chills in the listener. It is little wonder then that with such an incredible talent for creating music that El Hasnaoui was able to enjoy a long and substantial career. He later died in exile in 2002 on Reunion Island and it was there that he was also buried. His family is currently trying to get his remains moved to a more suitable grave in his native village.
If you would like to learn more about this incredible musician, you would do well to get yourself to the El Hasnaoui Symposium in Tizi Ouzou. The symposium will take place on May 11-15, 2009, and will cover quite a lot of information regarding his works, the life experiences that molded his thinking and passion, and his upbringing. The symposium will be conducted in French and will no doubt prove to be a massive success.
The Well Adapted Fennec Fox
The Fennec fox is the smallest fox in the world and can be found in the Sahara Desert in Algeria as well as regions of North Africa. These beautiful creatures are also referred to as Desert ...
مدينة المدية:
المدية هي مدينة صغيرة تقع على بعد 77 كلم على الجزائر من جهة الجنوب، وهي كانت عاصمة التتر. وحسب المآثر التاريخية يبدو ان المدينة أسست على بقايا رومانية وهذا يبدو جليا من خلال المنازل والبنايات ...


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African Development Bank COVID-19 response: moving from commitment to action – AFDB
The African Development Bank has responded swiftly to the needs of its member countries during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Bank's operations have continued to run smoothly since the first cases appeared in early March, despite the wide range of lockdowns and measures imposed by governments to flatten the curve.
The COVID-19 pandemic is forecast to cause Africa's GDP to drop by between $22.1 billion and $88.3 billion.
African countries, with the experience of having fought off Ebola, are working to adapt to this new threat and looking to the Bank for an effective, multilateral response to the crisis.
As of June 12, the Bank's COVID-19 emergency packages have reached the continent's five geographic regions.
Before the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, West Africa was home to at least four of the continent's fastest-growing economies, and it has felt the impact of the disease hard, as borders remain closed and economic and social distress deepens.
Gambia, Mali and Niger will benefit from an ECOWAS support package to bolster national health systems in response to the pandemic. Much of the funds to this region will seek to address shortages in personal protective equipment (PPE), ventilators and other emergency equipment. The support will also enable governments to provide shortfall cash to the millions of people who have been affected by mass layoffs or are unable to work because of lockdowns.
Nigeria – $288.5 million
Senegal – 88 million euros
Côte d'Ivoire – 75 million euros
Cabo Verde – 30 million euros
ECOWAS – $22 million
The North African region is the worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 60,000 cases as at 12 June. The disease has already triggered a sharp drop in household incomes in North Africa, as export and tourism earnings suffer. The region will be assisted with a series of emergency operations to boost containment measures and help to ensure the supply and distribution of laboratory tests and reagents. The package will also support national and regional coordination mechanisms.
Morocco – 264 million euros
Tunisia – 180 million euros
Egypt – $500,000
East Africa, the continent's fastest-growing region economically, has been simultaneously struck by the coronavirus outbreak and an infestation of desert locusts, a double whammy for the region's farmers and economies.
In a region of climate change and water scarcity, post-harvest losses and poorly developed agricultural markets could threaten the promise of economic reforms and investment.
Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda are the top-performing countries, which have all seen a sharp fall in tourism revenue.
Kenya – 188 million euros
A decisive lockdown has been effective in stemming the spread of COVID-19 in the region's economic powerhouse, South Africa. The spread of the virus is by no means curtailed. Measures taken across the region to contain the pandemic have affected millions of people, many of whom work in the informal economy.
Assistance to this region comes in the form of preventive and protection measures as well as financial assistance to the vulnerable beyond the end of the epidemic.
Mauritius – 188 million euros
Zimbabwe – $13.7 million
In Central Africa, Cameroon has reported over 8,000 cases as at 12 June and significant community transmission.
The package approved for this region, $13.5 million, will target the provision of PPEs, testing kits and healthcare and laboratory facilities, for Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic, which is among the countries with the least number of ventilators on the continent.
CEMAC/RDC – $13.5 million