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What Were The Major Marketing Changes In 2018?
Home » What Were The Major Marketing Changes In 2018?
By Cole Lawrence
What Were The Major Marketing Changes In 2018?2018-10-252018-10-25/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/extension-marketing-logo.pngExtension Marketinghttps://www.extensionmarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Screen-Shot-2018-10-25-at-10.54.08-AM.png200px200px
Summer 2018 was wild in the digital marketing community. Anyone dealing in the online sales and marketing space has felt the effects of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data scandal and Google's (constant) disruptive algorithm changes.
As an online business coach, I've seen clients and colleagues struggle to stay up to date with these changes. We've all heard the old saying, "Change is the only constant," and that goes double for the digital landscape. That's why it's vitally important to diversify your lead generation and marketing channels to prevent catastrophe.
The first big shake-up to the industry came when the GDPR went into effect on May 25. The specifics of this change are extensive, but for most coaches and marketers, the most notable was the requirement for businesses operating in Europe to receive explicit permission to collect users' data and do things like send newsletters. So no more auto-checked boxes to grow your email list without a purposeful opt-in by the client.
The second change came from the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal, when it was discovered that data from millions of Facebook users was harvested and misused, setting off a chain reaction that culminated in Mark Zuckerberg testifying before Congress. This eventually resulted in Partner Categories and loads of priceless behavioral data being purged from the Facebook ads platform. Invaluable information — such as users' purchasing behavior, where they shop and what kind of cars they drive — and the ability to track whether an ad was seen on a different platform is no longer available to marketers.
Overall, this is a good thing for people, but it's been kind of a hassle for some marketers. Privacy is an extremely important aspect of our progressing digital life, but many marketers and business owners felt that we went from a data flood to a data desert. This isn't really the case, of course. Facebook is still loaded with useful targeting options, such as the ability to target your competitors' fans, but the loss of this data had a great impact on many.
The third major shake-up came courtesy of a series of changes to Google's algorithm. Google does this all the time, and it often causes a major impact on your traffic. In March, Google launched something called mobile-first indexing, which means that Google looks for a mobile version of your site to index and rank first, and if one isn't found, it will go check for a desktop version. Companies dragging their feet on optimizing their websites for mobile use have been most affected by this change.
To continue reading the full article, click here.
Advertising, Branding, Data-Driven Marketing, Digital Marketing, Effective Marketing Strategy, market research
Cole Lawrence
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I use an integrative counselling approach so that I can respond to the individual needs of my clients.
I see individuals, couples, young children, adolescence and families. I am confident I can help you with any issues that are holding you back from enjoying your everyday life.
I also see those who want to understand themselves and others more so that their relationships can be improved.
Our first meeting together you will be able to tell me something of your story and what it is that has brought you for counselling. You can then decide if you feel you would like me to be your counsellor as it is important for you to feel comfortable in the counselling relationship.


Cerncic, E., Mustafa, L., & Thomsen, B.. (2016). FSO artificial low-cost fog attenuation experiment design. CSNDSP.
Cerncic, E., & Mustafa, L.. (2015). Low-cost NIR measurement device. IWOW.
Mustafa, L., & Thomsen, B.. (2013). Reintroducing Free-space Optical technology to Community Wireless Networks. AMCIS.


In God We Trust Ceramics was founded on a simple principle: handmade work should actually be handmade. Family owned and made to order in our Rhode Island studio by mother daughter trio Meg (mom), Kyla (daughter) and Bianca (daughter).
In a world of 'same' and 'like', it's natural to crave something all it's own. In God We Trust aims to satisfy those cravings, producing unique ceramic housewares for you and yours. In God We Trust speaks to the American tradition of high quality hand crafted products- a legacy lost in societies recent move towards more cost effective, lower quality, mass produced goods. While many companies boast 'handmade', their definition of the phrase may not necessarily reflect it's traditional implications.
At In God We Trust Ceramics, your handmade items are made with our actual hands, as reflected in the surfaces and hand painted variations- absorbing our energy, becoming it's own unique work of art. No two items are exactly the same, each is uniquely it's own.
At In God We Trust, we aim to provide high quality, personalized, handmade ceramic home decor for you and yours. Find below a descriptive list of the products and services we have to offer. Clicking the links below will direct you to our Etsy shop where you can shop all of our available products. Some products are made to order while others are uniquely one of a kind.
At In God We Trust Ceramics, we offer high quality, custom made, hand made to order house numbers, address plaques and address number signs. At In God We Trust, we understand that house plaques, address markers and street number signs increase the curb appeal of your home. Our personalized, made to order, handmade address plaques are created with low fire white clay and high quality underglazes. All personalized house address signs are custom-made to order by hand in our Rhode Island Studio.
Our house markers are an integral part in identifying your home from the street, for guests and your lovely post man or woman! Our house number signs display your most important property information and are highly visible from the street thanks to our bold color combinations and creative contrasts. House numbers can be screwed directly into your front door, the wall of your home, a front yard tree or hung by a tea hook from wire- an option available to you at check out.
Our Personalized Address plaques and address number tiles make excellent house warming gifts. Our address signs can be used additionally outside of your business or office. Personalize your house number sign with your apartment number as well- we completely customize your order to fit your specific location. Incorporate your suite letter or apartment letter in to your address plaque as well.
At In God We Trust, we work closely with realtors- offering exclusive house number and address sign plaquedesigns for specific real estate agents and agencies. Contact us today about working with us to create a unique 'thank you' gift that will stay with your clients and promote your services for the life of the home.
1. Place your order, and you will receive your model magic print kit in 3-5 business days.
2. Flatten out the provided model magic clay and take an impression of your child's hand or foot by pressing your babies clay into the clay provided.
3. Let your print dry, and ship it back to us in the shipping materials provided.
We use your model magic IMPRESSION to create a raised, 3D print in our ceramic clay in the color of your choice. Circular prints are for newborns, organic cut ornament shape for all other hand and foot sizes.
Newborn babies fit in the perfect circle print ( up to 3 inches in diameter) and all other sized prints are cut in the organic style cut. You have a choice of solid finish or distressed finish on organic cut prints, all available in our etsy shop! Click the image or any of the links in the description above to visit. Prints come in a variety of colors including pink, blue, teal, red, black, gray, green and yellow. There are a variety of tints and shades in between. All ornaments are strung on natural twine and typically ship in 4-6 weeks upon receipt of your model magic impressions. Feel free to message us on Etsy or email us at InGodWeTrustCeramics@yahoo.com with any questions. Available for order in single kits, or multiple prints from the same model magic impression. For crisper impressions, we recommend purchasing individual kits to avoid over-using your original model magic print.
Pet paw prints in clay ornament kits! For all of our dog moms and pet parents out there. Furry kids are children too :) Just like our baby hand and foot print kits, you can order one of our print kits and make an impression of any of your furry friends. Cats, dogs, bunnies, pigs- all of your four legged friends are welcomed. If you can make the impression, we can make the ornaments! You will receive our easy model magic kit in the mail- using your impression, we create this 3D raised print ornament. Perfect for pet parents or commemorating the loss of a furry family member. Available in at least a dozen colors in our etsy shop! Clay prints take around 4-6 weeks from when we receive your model magic prints in the mail. Please plan accordingly! Paw print ornaments come in a perfectly circular ornament shape and the print cannot exceed 4 inches in diameter.
Ceramic ornaments aren't just for Christmas- our one of a kind handmade ceramic ornaments are perfect for all occasions and suitable for year round home decor. Ornaments look great on display year round in windows or office spaces hanging from a traditional or decorative tea hook. Always perfect for Christmas celebrations and new home purchases.
Offered in a variety of colors and styles, we've got ornaments for all occasions. From first homes, apartments and cars, these ornaments make great realtor closing gifts, wedding favors and add on's for first cars, engagements and more.
Tie the key to your son or daughter's new car and gift in a small jewelry box or provided burlap bag. Propose to that special someone by proposing with the ring tied to the ornament while decorating your first Christmas tree.
We work closely with realtors across the country to provide personalized realtor closing gift packages which include an ornament and dish which pair well with practical add ons like a home depot gift card or gift certificate to the local locksmith. Home is where the heart is and commemorating that feeling with one of these hand crafted ornament is both thoughtful and practical.
Our nursery sign offerings are our most popular offering. There is truly nothing else like it available on the market. Our baby name signs are created in a variety of color themes, including pink, blue, teal, red, gray, purple, earth tone, chevron print, coral and lime green. Our baby name signs are completely customized and personalized with your child's name, and available on one of several ribbon colors or silver wire.
Our baby name signs and baby name decor make excellent alternatives to traditional baby name decor. Many new parents opt for single decorative letters or personalized wood and fabric baby name signs for their children's nurseries. While these options are nice, we find them to be a bit out-dated and 'cookie cutter' for our modern style. Our ceramic baby name signs are completely customized with your child's name and nursery theme/color combinations. On top of complete personalization, our name signs grow with your child.
Your child's personalized name or nickname is impressed into a slab of clay. The boarder is impressed with our signature fabric texture, and the name sign spends a full week or two drying prior to firing. After bisque firing, the entire nursery sign is painted and wiped away to reveal the intricate textures of the signs boarder and your child's name! The accent colors will vary with regard to the style that you have chosen. Your baby name sign will be ready in around 4-6 weeks depending on drying time. Perfect for your new nursery, or the nursery of a new mom in your life!
At In God We Trust Ceramics, we offer a number of different handmade ceramic items to commemorate your special wedding day, We offer a range of items, from handmade platters and ring bearer plates to commemorative wedding spoons and bouquet impression plaques. All of our wedding gifts, bridal party gifts and wedding platters are customizable with your names, date or wedding location. If you can dream it, we can bring it to life. Our wedding platters are impressed with flowers and texture. Bride and groom names are impressed into our handmade platters. You can always add your wedding date or anniversary into any of our platers as well. Traditional wedding guest books get stuffed into dusty attic bins in your parents homes following the wedding. Replace your guest book with one of our signature platters as an alternative. Our hand made and hand painted wedding platters can be signed with one of our bake on pens and baked in your own oven to make your signatures permanent. Wedding platters can be used to serve with, displayed all year round as a centerpiece with candles, or hung on the wall with a plate stand. Wedding Favors, centerpieces and family name signs are all available to order in our etsy shop. We offer a variety of wedding ornaments that can be personalized with dates, locations (like our personalized state to state ornaments) , or one of a kind gifts for bridesmaids, maids of honor and mothers of the bride and groom. We also offer alternatives to traditional items like plates for the ring bearer, wedding platters as alternatives to guestbooks, and gorgeous vases that can be personalized with lyrics of your choice - these can be used as centerpieces and creatively raffled off to a lucky person at every table at the end of the wedding. We also offer new-home oriented gifts for newly weds celebrating their first shared spaces together as well! Click here to visit our dedicated etsy wedding site, Tie the Knot Weddings.
Our unique, one of a kind wall hangings are one of my personal favorites to make. Each is authentic- made by hand and made to order. Our one of a kind wall decor is impressed with various textures and imagery and feature positive, uplifting quotes about life and faith. These wall hangings reflect many of our favorite quotes and sayings. Things our grandmothers used to say, or just biblical quotes that have always touched our souls.
Our wall signs are excellent for your home or office. Hang them by your door and start your commute to work feeling positive and full of faith and love. Hang them in your room so your chosen quote is the last thing you read before bed. Many of our clients hang their handmade plaque in their office, your inspiring co-workers and office friends. Many of our wall hangings are inspired by the beach, featuring sea shells, adirondack chairs, starfish and sandy boarders. They make perfect decor options for your beach or vacation home. Add instant curb appeal to the outside of your home by drilling one of our wall signs directly into your door.
Our 'welcome' signs are one of our most popular items- used as a door sign or hung in breezeways and mudrooms across the country. Add her to your cart today, and spruce up your homes interior with some hand made wall art.
One of our beautiful, one of a kind items available in our etsy shop features hand sculpted feathers strung from natural twine suspended from a vintage painted embroidery hoop.
Looking for unique, one of a kind items? These items are created in our studio and not intended for reproduction- they are truly one of a kind and available in limited quantities while supplies last! Perfect for any interior space, nursery space or office.
All of our mobiles are strung from natural twine and hang easily from a tea hook or screw in the wall or ceiling. Many feature found materials like vintage embroidery hoops and lace remnants. We are constantly sourcing these unique materials to create truly one of a kind, mixed medium home decor.
Exact sizes, orientations and hanging specifications will vary with each design. Some of our designs are suitable for the wall - those hanging from drift wood or other flatter surfaces will sit more fleshly against the wall. Some of our designs hanging from hoops may require suspension from the ceiling. Click any of the links throughout the description above or any of the images to visit our shop and products.
Available in a variety of shapes and sizes in our etsy shop. Click here to view available stock! We create these organic draped bowls one at a time in our Rhode Island studio- no two are the same! The outside of every piece is texturized with our signature lace design and overgrazed to reveal the natural clay bodies warm, white perfection.
Perfect for centerpiece displays, fill these gorgeous white bowls with decor items like pinecones, candles or your favorite succulents.
Great for serving food, or stacking on feature shelves. All of our ceramic wear is food safe. Attending a housewarming party? Blow your friends away with this unique and thoughtful gift idea.
Beautiful handcrafted wall hanging to artfully host your air plants. Our containers are created from a draped and wrapped slab with texture rolled into the wet clay. This is a one of a kind creation and as a result of our process, no two are ever exactly alike. A truly unique gift! Perfect for housewarming's, realtor closing gifts, or of course - just for you!
While the pictured plants are not included, these wall mounted planters are great for any cut plants of your choice. Pictured here with dried eucalyptus. This container measures approximately 10" high by 5" wide at the opening in the top. Each planter varies slightly in size as each is made organically. We added wire for ease of hanging by a simple tea hook in the wall. Glazed in warm white this planter compliments any decor.
In God We Trust Ceramics makes each item by hand in our Rhode Island studio. As a result, each item is uniquely different. Slight variations in color, finish, information placement and general finish may vary. A unique quality of handmade work! Screen displays and variations in how we view the photographs through this digital platform may vary slightly. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to us.
Because all work is one of a kind or made to order, we do not offer returns or exchanges on handmade work.
All work and production times vary from piece to piece. While we typically operate in a 4-6 week window for production but drying times and production times may vary from day to day. On rare occasions, production times may occasionally run ahead of or behind schedule.
We cannot be held responsible for informational errors made on behalf of our clients. If you provide incorrect information for personalization (names, dates, numbers or locations) we will not be able to re-create your order without charge. Please be sure to check all information prior to submitting your forms.
We so appreciate your anticipated understanding!


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Abe Leaves for Vladivostok, to Meet with Putin Thurs.
Politics Economy Sep 4, 2019
Tokyo, Sept. 4 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe left for Vladivostok on Wednesday, set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday for discussions mainly on a longstanding territorial row between the two countries.
A government jet carrying the Japanese leader departed from Tokyo International Airport at Haneda in the early afternoon.
During the stay in the Russian Far East city, Abe will attend an Eastern Economic Forum meeting, to be held for three days through Friday.
At the meeting with Putin, Abe will aim to break the impasse in bilateral negotiations on the territorial dispute over four Russian-controlled northwestern Pacific islands claimed by Japan and the conclusion of a bilateral peace treaty. This will be the 27th Abe-Putin summit.
"Progress has been steadily made on preparations for implementing joint economic activities on the islands," Abe said at the prime minister's office ahead of his departure. "I want to have heart-to-heart talks with President Putin in order to advance the peace treaty negotiations to the next phase."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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INTERVIEW: Olivia Cuartero-Briggs' Silver City Dreams
Comics Interviews
Wendy Browne April 19, 2021 April 19, 2021
It came to Olivia Cuartero-Briggs one night in a dream while she was in her 20s — she pauses — "I'm starting to sound like a bad musical," she says with a laugh before going on to describe waking up on the floor of a building she didn't recognize with strangers all around her. Workers moved around with flashlights and when she asked what had happened, they explained that she had passed on. For whatever reason, she believed them completely and listened to their instructions as the workers ushered people along, informing them that there were too many people on this particular floor and they needed to find a room for the night. They were led out onto a footbridge where she got her first glance of a sweeping city that she'd never seen before — and would never forget.
Welcome to Silver City. Welcome to a whole new after life.
Cuartero-Briggs' dream continued on to reveal her new life to her, eventually introducing her to a baby that had also seemingly passed on to the Silver City, until one day Cuartero-Briggs discovered that the child was still growing, even in the afterlife. Which meant that this baby she was caring for was still alive on the other side — which meant this baby's life was in very real danger.
Much evolved from that initial dream, Silver City is now reality thanks to AfterShock Comics, with the first issue available next month. Cuartero-Briggs is joined by artist and colourist Luca Merli and letterer Dave Sharpe, with covers by Roberta Ingranata with Bryan Valenza, to bring us the story of Ru. Raised in a string of unhappy foster homes, Ru is a fighter, a survivor, and, even though she's wound up dead, she's not going to let that stop her.
"When a young roughneck lands in Silver City, the gritty, purgatorial metropolis of the afterlife, she must adapt to her new existence, while attempting to uncover how and why she died. Her mission is derailed, however, when she rescues a newly dead girl from a mysterious kidnapping attempt, and discovers powerful, kinetic abilities.
"Welcome to Silver City, where the sun never rises and nothing ever changes…until now."
Silver City #1 cover by Roberta Ingranata and Bryan Valenza
Cuartero-Briggs woke up from her dream and the Silver City stayed with her over the next 12 years as she went on to master in dramatic writing. Her focus during school and now remains television and film writing. You can find her name on productions such as The Arrangement, Queen of the South, Peaked in High School, and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders. Over those 12 years, she spent a lot of time tossing around ideas with her college friend and delving into concepts of the afterlife that would lead to the many levels of purgatory we will see in this story. Though she was not raised religious, it was Cuartero-Briggs' curiousity and friends who introduced her to a wide range of beliefs that helped her develop the dogma that would manifest as part of the worldbuilding for Silver City. "I remember going to a Baptist church with a friend in Queens. I would go to temple a lot. A lot of my friends were Jewish. I've been to more Passover Seders than Christmas parties, probably, and my godmother used to take me to the ashram with her. So I got to experience all different types of religious practices and culture and learn about them in a really organic way just out of pure curiosity, with open and giving people beside me."
"There was also the idea of souls reincarnating and travelling cyclically through various lifetimes," she adds, "it made sense to me. And it was exciting to get to explore what it might mean to be the oldest soul." Cuartero-Briggs' mother is a proponent of reincarnation and the joy and purpose it can bring to life. Her mother believes there are indeed souls that we've met before and some that travel with us, and that we meet again and again. Cuartero-Briggs herself has been described by mystics as an "old soul" and, throughout many moments in her life, has felt like she met people she has known before. "I've always kind of felt like there's wonder purpose to this whole experience," Cuartero-Briggs explains, "I think we all have really big questions about, you know, what does it all mean? Why am I here? And for me, everything that I create starts with a question. And Silver City is my answer to that question."
While finding her own spirituality, which Cuartero-Briggs describes as ethereal and earth-based, she also experienced the joy of shaping and growing these ideas for Silver City and it's many layers. Because what we see in the first five books of this series are just the first of the eight levels of this world that Cuartero-Briggs has created, with the footbridge into the Silver City as just the beginning of this epic journey for Ru.
The world and story that Cuartero-Briggs has built are so immense that, she realized early on, film and television weren't enough to contain it. Comics was not her first thought — she'd not read a comic since she was a kid who didn't appreciate seeing the depictions of scantily clad women on the covers of the various books on the stands, though she did appreciate the relationship between Archie Comics' Betty and Veronica. Moreover, science fiction and fantasy weren't genres Cuartero-Briggs believed herself capable of writing. "[Writing fantasy is] difficult," says Cuartero-Briggs, "It's a really, really big job because you not only have to conceptualize the world visually itself, but assign all of the rules to it."
It was her TV-writing colleague, good friend, and mentor, Adam Glass, who introduced her to the storytelling opportunity that comics could offer and guided her on the paths to help shape her world, which is something for which she is eternally grateful. They worked together on her first comics writing credit, AfterShock's Mary Shelley: Monster Hunter, which earned a place on a few best of lists in 2019.
Mary Shelley: Monster Hunter #1
"Anyone who gets the opportunity to listen to Adam talk about story or to work with Adam on story — his brain just goes like 100 miles an hour and the stuff he comes up with is an exercise in mind bending sometimes. Sitting across from each other and shooting ideas back and forth like there was nothing that was too crazy to be considered. And when you find that in a partnership, or shift, hold on to it for dear life because that's where the money is."
That experience has resulted in plans for future comics projects between them, but also inspired a love for comics writing and gave her the confidence to take her dream to the next level — the first level of Silver City. She pitched the concept to AfterShock president Lee Kramer, thinking that he would ask her to flesh out the paragraph she'd sent him before agreeing. Instead, he called her and simply asked if she wanted to move forward with her literal dream come true project. The next step was finding an artist. When Cuartero-Briggs saw Merli's work, she was instantly amazed. In a press release, she say "I felt like he was reading my mind throughout the entire illustrating process. He brings the city, the world, and the characters "to life" (no pun intended) in ways I could only dream of."
A page from Silver City #1 by Luca Merli
"99% of the time he nails what was in my head," says Cuartero-Briggs of her experience of working with Merli. "It's kind of uncanny. I mean, sure, maybe like the angle is different or something. But the life of the characters — he completely nails, even their body language, like the way that he has Ru standing. There's always a toughness about her. Her shoulders are always a little up. She's always a little on guard, you know, because she is tough, but there's also a sense of bravado about her because she's guarding herself. That kind of female machismo that you can't touch me — it's very present in the character."
The back-and-forth between writer and artist has been a healthy working and learning experience, Cuartero-Briggs says. "[Merli is] incredibly easy going and very adaptive. And if he feels strongly about something, he'll come back, which I love. I think it's never a good idea, as an artist, to work against your own interest, no matter who's giving you a note. And I find that when you can engage in a healthy creative dialogue, even if you're coming from completely different viewpoints, it's always better to find the happy medium, because there's a reason why he wants things his way. And there's a reason I want things my way. And I think when we put our heads together, it's worked out really, really well."
Merli even surprised Cuartero-Briggs by granting a wish following the passing of her first dog, Snacks. "I don't usually endeavour to have artists represent people in my life," she notes, but she wasn't ready to let Snacks go just yet and writing a book about the afterlife seemed like the perfect opportunity to swallow her self-consciousness over real life inclusions. "I created this little Dropbox folder for him of pictures of my dog. And I said, no pressured about this, but this is my dog Snacks, can you make Snacks [in the comic] look like him. And he did. And it was so gratifying and satisfying to get to see your baby again. And that's what Luca did for me with Snacks."
As for Ru, Cuartero-Briggs loves an underdog story. She describes her protagonist as someone who has been told that she's worthless for most of her life, but still remains a fighter through it all. "She's someone who's on the extreme end of a painful existence where she was really under-appreciated, discovering that she's basically the saviour of all mankind." What Ru really wanted out of life was to find out where she came from, after being left on a doorstep as a baby. She wanted a sense of belonging and people who care for her which, in turn, would grant her purpose. She didn't find that in life, but perhaps she can find that in the afterlife.
Silver City #1 incentive cover by David Lopez
"It's been a really charmed experience all around," says Cuartero-Briggs about the process of working on her own dream comic with the creative team and her editors, whom she says have been really supportive and curious about the world of Silver City. "I always know that I can trust their feedback, and really have an informed back and forth with them about ideas and how to grow and how to make the best choices for the story."
Though she never thought of herself as a fantasy writer before who could bring her own dreams to life, living across the street from Universal Studios' Harry Potter World made her ask herself "why not?"
"I'm grateful for the road that was paved, because it's given me the guts to put this cloak on of fantasy writer and see how it fits and see what I'm able to do. And it's another muscle exercise in my my own personal epic adventure of of trying to gain immortality through my writing."
See you in the Silver City next month.
Wendy Browne
Publisher, mother, geek, executive assistant sith, gamer, writer, lazy succubus, blogger, bibliophile. Not necessarily in that order.
wendyb.wwac@gmail.com
http://www.nightxade.com
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Ventana Sur primed for record attendance as in-person LatAm market returns with new elements
By Emilio Mayorga2022-11-27T18:53:00+00:00
Source: Courtesy of Bernardo Bergeret and Jerome Paillard
Bernardo Bergeret and Jerome Paillard
Ventana Sur organisers anticipate a record number of participants to descend on Buenos Aires for the in-person return of Latin America's leading audiovisual market running November 28–December 2.
This year's edition is loaded with animation and genre, a profusion of works in progress as well as video game projects and the arrival of Spanish Screenings On Tour.
Ventana Sur is heading towards a record attendance this year as organisers said more than 2,500 participants including 400 from Europe, 100 from North America and 400 from Latin America (excluding Argentina) have registered so far. There are some 1,600 participants from the host country, followed by 150 from Spain, 10 from Brazil, 80 from Chile, and 79 from each of France and the US.
Co-market directors Bernardo Bergeret and Jerome Paillard say there are 1,634 features, series, miniseries in post, scripts, and projects in development or lined up for development across the market's 11 sections.
Despite the daunting challenge of hosting a market in a country facing close to 100% year-on-year inflation, Paillard, who stepped down as Cannes Marché head this year after a lengthy tenure, says Argentina's film body INCAA continues to throw its weight behind the event. The film body is currently led by Nicolás Batlle following the exit of Luis Puenzo in April.
Bergeret adds: "We will not hide the fact that it is a complicated year. In terms of budget, we had to make difficult choices and reduce the level at which we could invite people. But the professionals reacted very well and it didn't prevent all those who wanted to come from making the trip. We also have the renewed support of [Creative Europe] Media for three years. This obviously gives us a slightly better visibility."
Video games, TV series sidebars
Aside from the showcase line-ups the upcoming edition brings new elements. Launched last year, the video games section "Maquinitas, let's Play" has increased its agenda with 13 Latin American projects and will welcome a strong French delegation.
Noting the establishment of games as a serious part of the audiovisual ecosystem, Bergeret says, "The increasingly frequent use of the [computer graphics video game engine] Unreal Engine in films and series has been one of the most solid contributions of the game to audiovisual production. I think we are now seeing a creative, artistic collaboration."
New awards will be granted under the auspices of SoloSerieS, a TV project competition backed by Netflix, BBC Studios and digital platform Flixxo. Netflix selections include Gladys and Mangata from fast-rising Chilean filmmakers Dominga Sotomayor (producer on Chile '76, formerly known as 1976; segment director on The Year Of The Everlasting Storm), and Francisca Alegría (Sundance 2022 selection The Cow Who Sang A Song Into The Future), respectively.
Source: Cinema Chile
Dominga Sotomayor
Genre sidebar Blood Window includes the brand new $25,000 Tinta Oscura prize. Some of the most anticipated projects in the three subsections of the 30-title selection are Tamae Garateguy's Fuckin' Sexy Doll and Jimena Monteoliva's The Queen, both from Argentina, as well as Andrés Beltrán Nossa's debut Anomic (Col) and Huahuantin (Mex) from Christian Díaz Pardo and Pablo Jofré López.
Proyecta highlights 15 first or second feature projects and will offer a new $5,000 cash prize. The section is dedicated to fostering co-productions between Latin America and Europe and an open call drew 172 submissions, indicating a strong desire among regional talent to establish close ties with Europe.
Titles include The Meltdown by Manuela Martelli (whose Chile '76 premiered in Cannes Directors' Fortnight this year) and Rodrigo Litorriaga's Hashtag Santiago, both from Chile; Venezuelan Kids Swimming In The Lake by Michael Labarca; and Helena Taberna's Us (Spa).
Bergeret expresses particular satisfaction with the fledgling scripts market section launched in 2020, "El principio del film" (which translates to "the beginning of the film"). "We rescue in that way the writers' prominence," he says. "They are where projects begin, without doubt."
Work in progress sections Primer Corte and Copia Final will offer among their slates Mauricio Calderón's All The Fires (Mex) and Natalia Santa's Malta (Col-Arg) in Copia Final, and Andrea Nachón and Papu Curotto's León (Arg) and Germán Tejada's Los Inocentes (Per-Mex) in Primer Corte. Both are robust discovery platforms and include this year eight debut filmmakers among a 12-strong line-up. Primer Corte sidebar FIP brings six additional works.
Animation!, Spanish Screenings On Tour
One of the strongest elements of Ventana Sur is Animation!, which in its first six years has invited more than 1,000 projects from 20 Latin American countries. This year it presents 14 feature and series pitches comprising seven in each format. The selection includes Gabriel Nobrega's feature The Friends from Brazil, and two series from Argentina: Ezequiel Torres' Esther and The Impossible Future from Martín Haas and Antonio Balseiro.
A heavy Spanish presence arrives in Buenos Aires with the Spanish Screenings On Tour. This international promotion of the country's cinema stems from a partnership between ICAA Film Institute, the Foreign Commerce Institute (ICEX) and the festivals of San Sebastian and Málaga, backed by the European Union's stimulus package NextGenerationEU.
Source: Courtesy of Animation!
The selected projects and films are spread out across several sections. Spanish Screenings On Tour will present in total 21 projects, seven works in progress, 21 market screenings, and three market premieres alongside a remakes market, networking activities and panels.
Paillard says "Ventana Sur has been key in the development of the relations with Europe" since its inception 14 years ago, adding: "We have plenty of examples of co-productions which started just because producers or sales agents were invited to come to Buenos Aires. On the other hand, the number of Latin American participants in Cannes has more than doubled in 10 years. The panels and conferences have also made a relevant contribution in opening the dialogue and reinforcing the bond between different territories."
Ventana Sur also provides a video library for certain sections as well as a platform for online meetings.
Screen digital edition: November 25
Wavelength names head of studio, development as it eyes international expansion (exclusive)
Mike Prall, Emily Katz to work closely with founder and CEO Jenifer Westphal, president Joe Plummer.


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Keep up-to-date with the latest news and updates from Praxis.
Praxis Spinal Cord Institute adds four leaders to board
Praxis Spinal Cord Institute appoints four new members to the board of directors, bringing experience in finance, governance, community, and health care…
Models of Care Delivery from Rehabilitation to Community for Spinal Cord Injury: A Scoping Review
What models of service delivery, specific to the rehabilitation and lifelong care of persons with SCI exist internationally? The objective of the…
Praxis CEO, Bill Barrable, encourages Hockey Canada to put the health and safety of youth first
In a July 28 letter to the editor in the Globe and Mail, Bill says Hockey Canada is not following research that…
Ride for Spinal Cord Injury Awareness
Join Shim's Ride and Praxis Spinal Cord Institute on July 30th at Windsor Park, Victoria at 8.30am. Register for the event to…
Praxis SCI Accelerate 2022 Cohort
Learning Circles June 2022
All Over the MAP: Describing Pressure Variability in Acute Spinal Cord Injury
This study examines the feasibility of meeting the current clinical guidelines for the hemodynamic management of acute spinal cord injury (SCI).
Meet the 2021/2022 SCI Incubate Grads
Welcome to the five most recent grads in the SCI Incubate program!


USA recently came up with a new immigration policy to address the prolonged issue of illegal immigration. According to these new policy immigrants with no criminal record and who are not a threat to public safety are allowed to apply for work permits and stay in the US (refer 'Undocumented migrants with no criminal record can stay in US'). In step further toward the same, USA has come up with certain criteria upon which the eligibility of the immigrants will be judged.
Morton, however, cautions that the above list is not exhaustive and just one factor cannot decide whether a person will stay or go. Eligibility on all the factors is mandatory for a person to remain in the USA.
In deciding who to deport, Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department will apply 'common sense guidelines,' wrote Munoz.
The new immigration policy is designed to make better use of limited immigration-enforcement resources and to help ease overburdened immigration courts.
Thanks a lot for posting such an amazing article, this post really helped me.


Your car's starting, charging system & battery help ensure dependable vehicle operation whenever you drive your car.
What does it do? The battery stores electrical energy and the starter converts that energy into mechanical force to turn the engine for starting. The alternator produces electric current to replace what the starter has used from the battery during start up and supports electrical loads when the engine is running. An ignition module turns the low voltage supply to the ignition coil on & off, and the coil produces the high voltage for the ignition system. This creates a spark at spark plugs and ignite the air/fuel mixture in the engine. A belt then transmits power from the front of the engine to the alternator pulley, along with other accessories.
What does your cars ignition, starting charging & battery system consist of? Spark plugs, spark plug wires,glow plugs, belts, alternator, starter, battery, ignition coils, ignition module.


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Home » Silo blast kills two firefighters
Silo blast kills two firefighters
Two firefighters were killed and an unknown number of firefighters and employees were injured when a silo at a lumber company in western Ohio exploded on October 1, authorities told The Associated Press.
The blast came about two hours after firefighters were called to extinguish a fire in the concrete silo at Hoge Lumber Co.
Two firefighters were atop the 70-foot-tall silo. A firefighter in an aerial bucket was thrown to the ground.
The blast blew off the top of the silo, with chunks of concrete flying across the road into a cemetery about 100 yards away. The debris caused some of the injuries. Eleven people were taken to hospitals.
Firefighters were hosing down dust in the silo to avoid an explosion when it blew up. The dust silo feeds the boiler for the lumber company. The silo was filled with wood shavings and sawdust. The family-owned business bills itself as the world's largest maker of wood bowling lanes and has been in business since 1904. It also makes cabinetry and building supplies.
The operation also recycles wood chips and other byproducts that are fed into its generator that supplies power to the plant and all of the village of New Knoxville, which has about 900 residents and is about 50 miles north of Dayton.
Blast kills two in Oklahoma
Carbide Industries' blast kills two workers (4/15)


Jonwin Limited(Yingwei Lighting Accessory Co.,Ltd.) is a manufacturer that specialized in producing Hardware and Accessory for Lighting, Hanging System for Acoustic Panels, and Billboard.
Our products range includes Cable Grippers,Ceiling Attachments,Hooks,Standoff,Steel Wire,Swivels,Rocker Arm and suspension kits.
The factory is located in Dongguan,Guangdong,China,with 2,500 Square Meters production area and advanced manufacturing equipments, including CNC high precision automatic lathes, Table Lathes, Grinder and Polishing Machines, Automatic Polishers and Spray Equipments, as well as Die Casting Machine and Testing Machine.
With the experience of manufacture and sales for more than 10 years, Yingwei is growing up steadily and rapidly.
Our well-equipped facilities, excellent quality control, on-time delivery and good after sales service enable us to guarantee total customer satisfaction and expand the global sales network.
We are currently exporting our products mainly to USA,Canada,Japan,Russia,UK,France,Italy,Germany,Finland,Spain,Poland and other European Area.
With the growing demand from end users for reduced installation cost and increased flexibility, suspension kit and hanging system is becoming more and more important.
Cooperate with Yingwei, make the installation easy and flexible!
Yingwei is growing up steadily and rapidly.
Established in Dongguan,Guangdong Province, Yingwei Lighting Accessory begins designing and marketing adjustable cable suspension systems, mainly for lighting fixtures supension.
Develope:Start the export sales with the high quality and competitive prices.
quality,competitive prices and excellent service.
Company moved to new headquarters and warehouse space in Dongguan.
with larger space and more machines purchased.
Need help or just don't know how to choose the kits?
Contact Us, and we'll be more than happy to assist you.


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Case study: Taiwo Sonekan
Mariam Sonekan is a womenswear and textiles designer, specialising in uniquely designed and high-quality handmade pieces. After studying Fashion Textiles at London College of Fashion, Mariam was working freelance, making bespoke pieces to order for individual clients. But a trip to New York for an internship inspired this creative young designer to start her own company, and she founded Taiwo Sonekan in 2015.
We found Mariam the funding she needed to boost her new fashion business
Mariam Sonekan is a womenswear and textiles designer, specialising in uniquely designed and high-quality handmade pieces.
After studying Fashion Textiles at London College of Fashion, Mariam was working freelance, making bespoke pieces to order for individual clients. But a trip to New York for an internship inspired this creative young designer to start her own company, and she founded Taiwo Sonekan in 2015.
Soon after deciding to set up on her own, Mariam was approached by an online designer marketplace that wanted to sell her clothes. For the first time, she was planning to produce multiple orders rather than one-off commissioned pieces, and worried about how she could pay suppliers for the stock weeks or months before being paid herself for the completed order.
Mariam visited the Funding Options site one evening, and got a call from a Business Finance Specialist the next morning (her birthday!) to discuss her business plans. Her situation was potentially tricky, because the brand-new business didn't have a long enough trading history for many lenders. Luckily, we were able to quickly negotiate with a lender to get Mariam a loan based on her strong personal credit history.
Five days after the night she contacted us, the money was in Mariam's account — so she could move her exciting fashion business forward with a new relationship.


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Robots Are Here to Take Your Tattoo Away
Lasers are so last decade, robots are the future of tattoo removal
People change, and so do our feelings about our tattoos. Either the art wasn't up to snuff, or it healed poorly, or something that we thought we would want forever at 22 becomes something embarrassing by the time we're 40. We've all been there. This is why tattoo removal was invented.
Lasers are cool and all, but they are incredibly painful and it takes many grueling sessions to get the job done. Some smart folks at Duke University are trying to find a better way and they're looking to robots for some help.
Now, we aren't phasing out the laser entirely, but using robots to accurately aim them so that they are far more accurate.
"With our robotic scalpel system, we can more precisely locate and treat the tattoos, without overshooting and damaging surrounding tissue, which happens too much with current handheld laser systems," Dr. Weston Ross said in an interview with MedicalXpress.
Now, if you are in constant fear of Judgment Day becoming a reality as the robots become self-aware and take over the world, you're probably asking why do we need to get robots involved in the whole situation. Ross has an explanation for that as well.
"Currently, a dermatologist uses a handheld laser, moving it across the surface of the skin," Ross explains. "That causes a lot of damage and pain because of the overlapping that happens when the laser goes back and forth over the image. Using a robot, we can deploy a very tiny laser and trace precisely where the tattoo is—there's no overlapping, no extra damage and you get a uniform removal."
Not only would the process be more efficient, but it would be a lot less painful as well. While we hope all of our tattoos stick with us for life, it would be nice to have a better option to remove them in the future. So keep an eye on this work being done by The Brain Tool Laboratory at Duke Robotics.
newstattootattoo removalTattoosblog
How Tattooed Celebs Are Quarantining
A Little Laser Removal Goes a Long Way
What Does a Laser Actually Do?
When You Die Have Your Tattoos Preserved! Here's How!
Cardi B Shows Off a Sexy New Back Tattoo
Matt Lauer Got a Hilariously Terrible Tattoo
Selena Gomez Visits Bang Bang for a 'Rare' Tattoo
Hayden Panettiere Shows Off a New(ish) Tattoo


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Home » News » Bike News » New Triumph Bonneville T100 launched at Rs 7.78 lakh
New Triumph Bonneville T100 launched at Rs 7.78 lakh
By Shivank Bhatt | on October 18, 2016
Triumph Motorcycles India puts the all new Bonneville T100 on sale in the country. Powered by a 900cc parallel-twin engine, the new T100 sits in between the Street Twin and T120.
Only a few days ago, Triumph announced the revival of the Bonneville T100 at the 2016 Intermot in Cologne, Germany. And now, today, the British motorcycle maker has launched the new T100 in the Indian market at Rs 7.78 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The T100 slots in between the Street Twin and T120.
The Bonneville T100 was discontinued from the Indian market after the arrival of the T120 earlier this year. The motive behind bringing the T100 back now is to make the Bonneville more affordable than before. And as a consequence, the new T100 comes with the same classic 1959 Bonneville design like the T120 but is fitted with the Street Twin's liquid-cooled 900cc parallel-twin engine, and not the 1200cc engine that propels the T120. The engine develops 54bhp @ 5,900rpm along with a peak torque of 80Nm @ 3,230rpm. Power is transmitted to the rear wheel via a 5-speed gearbox. Compared to the T120, the T100 is claimed to be lighter and it has also has shorter wheelbase, rake and trail.
Among other highlights, the new T100 gets ride-by-wire throttle, ABS, selectable traction control, USB port, LED tail-light and a lot more. Triumph is also offering as many as 150 optional accessories with the motorcycle including cruise control, heated grips, etc. Three paint options are available on the bike, namely, Aegean Blue/Fusion White, Intense Orange/New England White and Jet Black.
The Bonneville is unarguably the British brand's most famous range of motorcycles around the world. The addition of the T100 in the line-up makes the Bonneville a four model strong range in India after the Street Twin, T120 and Thruxton R. What we'd really love to see now is the addition of the the stunning Street Cup café racer to the range. We hope Triumph is listening...
Also read: Motorcycle highlights from 2016 Intermot
Tags: Triumph Triumph Bonneville Triumph T100 Triumph Bonneville T100
Bajaj-Triumph alliance to build 200-750cc bikes
Bajaj-Triumph alliance details to be revealed on January 24th, 2020
New bikes for 2020: Above Rs 6 lakh
Interview with Shoeb Farooq, GM, Triumph Motorcycles India
2020 Triumph Rocket 3 R launched
All-new Triumph Tiger 900 revealed


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El Paso Commissioners Court Votes For More Pay
El Paso taxes are going up because the city doesn't have enough money. Yet, city leaders voted themselves a pay raise, for the 2nd year in a row, 'cuz they HAD to!?
According to KVIA.com, Commissioner David Stout said "it's uncomfortable having to implement one's pay raise. But Commissioners Court is the entity that has to dictate the raises." (Can't be too uncomfortable, they did it last year too.)
I can see trying to get cost of living raises to city employees, they're the ones really doing all the work. Apparently, handing themselves tens of thousands of dollars a year is "policy". Commissioner Andrew Haggerty said:
"Last year, it was decided that every elected official should make a minimum of 70 percent of what everyone else in the top ten counties (in Texas) make." "If we have a policy whether I agree with it or not, we need to follow that policy. - KVIA
He didn't say who decided that but, did add:
"It was a huge raise last year, but I think that was because of the years and years and years of refusing to be the ones to want to do it, and it's a difficult thing to want to do." "No matter what happens, we're stuck having to vote for our own increases." - KVIA
Gee, that's rough.
UP NEXT: The Border Highway Tolls Are Gone!
Filed Under: city government, finance, money, shocking
Categories: Local / El Paso, News, Political / Finance, Weird News


As a full service web design and digital marketing agency, we have the experience and expertise to create the custom website your business needs. We develop custom sites that will drive more website traffic, business, and most importantly, results. Since 2015, our team of designers, developers, programmers and marketers have learned what it takes to make a website and business successful online, and we have the technology and creativity to give you an edge over your competition.
We begin every new project with an initial design meeting so we can understand your goals and help you build an online presence to achieve them. We learn about your company, your clients, and your competitors. Then we take that information and dig even deeper. Together, we create a comprehensive web design and online marketing strategy that will achieve your goals.
Our professional web designers and marketing experts factor in all the elements that are necessary for your success, including search engine optimization, mobile, quality content, user experience, custom programming and more.
Once your site is done, our work isn't. We go through a 2-Phase, 50+ point quality control checklist after your site goes live to make sure everything is working properly. We'll also talk to you about ongoing website maintenance, technical support, content management, and online marketing.
Now that you have a beautiful, new website, we can help you share it with the world. Our marketing team will research and develop the best strategy to market your business on a digital scope, through Social Media marketing, Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns, blog writing, and more.


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Get The Mail Jawn
The Phillies Haven't Been This Bad In 72 Years
Written by Dan Leer
Yesterday's 10-2 loss against the Miami Marlins, the second worst team in baseball, confirmed what many Philadelphians already know — the Phillies are awful.
The loss capped off a series sweep for the Marlins and put the abysmal Phillies at 17-34 for the year, by far the worst record in baseball.
The Phillies aren't just bad, they're historically bad.
Remember, we're talking about the franchise with the most total losses in MLB history. The team's 6-22 May record is the team's worst since 1928, and the 17-34 start is the worst since 1945.
The loss on Wednesday also meant the 10th straight series defeat for the Phillies who haven't won a series since April 27th against the Marlins. The last time they lost more than ten series in a row was in 1941.
The Phillies in 2008 vs The Phillies now pic.twitter.com/b9Pgb95ErP
— Drew Davis (@drewdavis71) May 29, 2017
At the end of that series, the Phillies were 11-9 and looked like they could be a decent team, or at the very least a team that could improve upon last season's 71-91 record.
Fast forward to the end of May and things could not be more different. The Phils are on pace for 56 wins, and they haven't won consecutive games since April. They team is ranked 27th in runs scored and is considering sending one of its best players to Triple A.
"I've been associated as a player, coach and manager with winning teams and losing teams and this is as bad as it gets," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said in an interview with 94WIP. "We're at the end of our rope and we have to just keep climbing up, keep pushing forward."
After a promising April, the Phillies' May performance was probably the worst we'll ever see.
Early on in the season the Phillies clear weakness was their bullpen. Now fans can't decide what the team's biggest weakness is. They've been awful in every aspect.
The Phillies starting pitchers are some of the weakest in the league. Phillies starters have a combined ERA of 5.33, officially making them the second worst starting core in all of baseball.
The injury to Vince Velasquez and Triple A demotion of struggling Zach Eflin thins out the Phillies pitching core to a measly three starters: Jeremy Hellickson, Jerad Eickhoff, and Aaron Nola. And while these three are the Phillies' best starters, they've been below average this season, boasting ERAs of 4.45, 4.74, and 5.06 respectively.
Managing just three starting pitchers is already hard, but it gets worse when you realize the Phillies starters are only pitching 5.3 innings per game.
When you have weak starters who can't pitch deep into games, a strong bullpen is a must. Unfortunately, the Phillies bullpen sucks too. In fact, when you look at Phillies pitching as a whole, they are the worst in the MLB with a combined ERA of 4.95.
Yes, the bullpen pitching is better than it was in April, but being slightly better than horrible is still awful.
Phillies relievers own the 10th highest bullpen ERA in the league at 4.42. The four core relievers, Pat Neshek, Hector Neris, Joaquín Benoit, and Edubray Ramos have had decent seasons, but the rest of the pen has been miserable.
In case you're a masochist, here's Bryce Harper absolutely smacking a Ramos fastball to win against the Phils earlier in May.
For some unknown reason, Joely Rodriguez and his 5.96 ERA have the most innings pitched of anyone in the bullpen. The left-hander's resume this year includes blowing a game against the Rangers by giving up 7 runs in less than an inning. Also, he's 0 for 2 on save attempts, and generally pretty tough to watch.
Rodriguez's claim for worst pitcher on the team is facing a big challenge in Jeanmar Gomez. Gomez, the guy who was demoted from the closer role after the first three games of the season, is sporting an ERA of 7.63 in 15.1 innings pitched.
The Phillies' bats have been ice cold as well
That's definitely been a cause for concern. The Phils currently rank 27th in runs scored and 23rd in batting average.
To make matters even worse, the struggles at the plate are led by last year's standouts: Odubel Herrera and Maikel Franco.
Herrera was the team's lone All-Star last year, when the 25-year-old center fielder led the team in hits and was second among starters in batting average at .286. He was poised to once again be the team's best player.
But Herrera is struggling mightily this season.
His average is down to .218 and he was benched against the Marlins for poor play. He has to slip out of this funk if the Phillies want to be a competitive team.
And the Phillies' alleged biggest bat, Maikel Franco, is also in a hitting rut. Last year's RBI and home run leader has seen his average drop from .255 to .216.
The Phillies are currently being kept afloat by the unlikely tandem of 26-year-old Aaron Altherr and Tommy Joseph. Altherr is having an All-Star-level year, batting .299 and leading the team in homers and RBIs. Joseph is becoming a power swinger as well. He's tied with Altherr at eight homers and is second in RBIs. In the bullpen, Pat Neshek continues to dominate with an ERA of .93.
But other than that, the Phillies have been just dreadful.
Here's to June.
Fresh month. Fresh start. Thanks for fighting with us, Philly. 👊
A post shared by phillies (@phillies) on Jun 1, 2017 at 7:31am PDT
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Equalities and Additional Intervention
OFSTED & SIAMS
Personal, Social and Health Education
Thank you for considering Lady Katherine Leveson CE Primary School. If you want to have the opportunity to find out some more information or would like to see our school in action, please contact the school office and we will find a time that is convenient for you to visit.
EYFS New Starter Booklet
Admissions for September 2022
To apply for a Nursery place (Foundation 1):
Download the application form here and return directly to school. This can be by email or as a hard copy;
The closing date for applications is 17th January 2022 and places will be offered by 4th February 2022.
If you have missed the deadline, please contact school so that we can help you with your application.
To apply for a Reception place (Foundation 2):
You can apply online here;
The closing date for applications is 15th January and places will be offered on 19th April 2022;
If you do not live in Solihull borough, you will need to contact Solihull Admissions on 0121 7046693 or at [email protected]
For all other admissions, contact Solihull Admissions at 0121 7046693 or email [email protected]
Visits to the school are warmly welcomed. Please contact us on 01564 772374 to make an appointment.
Public Consultation on Admission Arrangements for 2023-24
In accordance with the School Admissions Code 2021, Lady Katherine Leveson CE Primary School is required to consult on its arrangements at least every 7 years or where changes to the arrangements are proposed.
Our proposed Admissions Policy for the academic year 2023-24 is available to view on our website and a copy is available from the school office.
Please note that we are proposing no major changes to our admissions criteria but there are some changes to definitions and explanations and to the Supplementary Information Form. The proposed changes in the Policy are shown highlighted in yellow.
Comments are welcome on any aspect of our admission arrangements and can be sent via email to;
Alison Vining, Clerk to the Governing Body at [email protected] or directly to the school in a sealed envelope marked Consultation on Admission Arrangements, for the attention of Alison Vining, Clerk to the Governing Body.
This consultation process will commence on 06 December 2021 and conclude on 31 January 2022. Once the consultation has closed, comments and feedback will be considered by the Governors.
Admissions Consultation Letter
Proposed Admissions Policy 23-24
Lady Katherine Leveson CofE Primary School
Fen End Road West
Temple Balsall
B93 0AN
Copyright © 2022 Lady Katherine Leveson Church of England Primary School Powered by Lady Katherine Leveson Church of England Primary School


Got Scorpions in your Phoenix area home? We seal out scorpions in Scottsdale AZ, Peoria, Gilbert, Chandler, Anthem and throughout Maricopa County With our professional home seal, also known as scorpion sealing, we seal it up, making it difficult for scorpions to get into your home. You will also save a little on your electric bill, since much of what we do for a home seal is recommended by energystar.com for energy savings. With the Phoenix summers being what they are, that means that the scorpion sealing cost will eventually pay for its self. It will also help to reduce the dust and dirt that gets inside and the amount of pesticides needed in your home. Our team of AZDA Licensed & Pre-Screened Scorpion Pros have thousands of quality home seals under our belts since 1991. All of our home seal customers have seen a significant reduction in the numbers of scorpions found inside of their homes, especially that of Arizona Bark Scorpions. And once we've done the touch-up paint it's pretty much impossible to know that the work has even been done. It's nice to know that if you have us scorpion proof your house, there are some great benefits besides getting rid of the scorpions, which makes the scorpion sealing price a better overall value.
They are relatively small compared to most other species with the male only getting up to a little over three inches and the female less than three inches.
The Bark Scorpion is the most venomous scorpion in North America. Symptoms of a sting may include pain and numbness at the sight of the sting, tingling in that limb or part of the body, and in some cases vomiting. If you are stung in the foot you can expect tingling in that leg.
The grasshopper mouse seems to be immune to scorpion venom.
Their exoskeleton glows at night under a black light. However, freshly molted scorpions do not glow under a black light for the first few days after the molt.
Generally, they give birth to between 25 to 35 young at a time.
The newborns climb up on mom's back until their first molt then venture out on their own. If they didn't, she would eat them.
Scorpions do not nest in the true sense of the word. You may find multiple scorpions in an area but that just means there's plenty of food, moisture and shelter there. They prefer to be alone.
Wind Scorpions (Solpugid) are natural predators of bark scorpions as are birds, reptiles, rodents, peccaries, snakes, spiders, and…..other scorpions.
Most scorpion stings occur when folks lay, sit or step on the scorpion. Though they don't want anything to do with humans, their natural instinct is to protect themselves and they do that with their stinger. If you have or think you may have scorpions in your house it's a good idea to shake out your clothing and shoes before getting dressed and your bedding before going to bed. A lot of stings happen when the scorpion is sleeping comfortably in a shoe or boot until a foot slides in on top of them. It's also highly advisable to teach young children the difference between good bugs and bad bugs. They should be instructed to tell an adult immediately if they think they've seen a scorpion.
How does a home seal stop scorpions?
The idea of a home seal or scorpion sealing is simple: to make it much more difficult for Arizona Bark Scorpions to get into your home. Notice we said Arizona Bark Scorpions, specifically. Out of the nearly four dozen known species of scorpions here in the Phoenix AZ area, there is only one who can climb up a vertical surface, or even up side down on a horizontal surface: the good ol bark scorpion.
Remove A/C vents in house, seal the gap between the air duct and the drywall, replace the vents.
Check, adjust and even replace weather stripping for any door that goes outside or to the garage.
Seal gaps under the threshold of any doors that go outside or to the garage.
Seal the gap between the weep skreet and the stem wall on the outside of the structure. Note: we DO NOT seal the weep holes as this can cause a moisture problem inside of your walls.
Seal any gaps around porch lights or any other openings on the outside of the house up to 8′ above the ground.
Seal any gaps or openings in the garage that may allow scorpions to get into the house or the walls.
Screen both exhaust and plumbing vents up on roof.
Replace wall-mounted dryer vent (where present) with pest proof, energy efficient replacement.
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Patellar tendinopathy (PT) is an injury with a high prevalence in sports. Knowledge of risk factors is essential for developing preventive measures and rehabilitation programmes. However, risk factors associated with PT have not yet been systematically studied. This review was undertaken to identify risk factors associated with PT. The literature was systematically searched to identify articles that investigated risk factors for PT. There was no strong or moderate evidence that any investigated risk factor was associated with PT. For nine risk factors there was some evidence: weight, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, leg-length difference, arch height of the foot, quadriceps flexibility, hamstring flexibility, quadriceps strength and vertical jump performance. Based on the present evidence, reducing body weight, increasing upper-leg flexibility and quadriceps strength and the use of orthotics may be beneficial treatment options. However, it should be stressed that the evidence for the nine identified risk factors was only limited. Therefore, there is a clear need for high-quality studies in order to identify the exact risk factors associated with PT.
Patellar tendinopathy (PT), or 'jumper's knee', is an injury that has a high prevalence in sports, especially those involving jumping, with reported prevalences of up to 45% and 32% in elite volleyball and basketball players, respectively.1 It is a painful chronic injury of the patellar tendon that interferes with many athletes' sports career and could even be the primary cause of ending it.2 Because the successful treatment of PT remains challenging, prevention is of the utmost importance. Knowledge of risk factors is essential for developing preventive measures.3 However, factors associated with this injury have not yet been studied in a systematic way. The aim of this study was thus to review the literature and to identify risk factors associated with PT.
The Cochrane and MEDLINE databases were searched, revealing no systematic reviews about factors associated with PT. A search of the Pubmed, EMBASE and AMED databases was conducted to identify studies that met the inclusion criteria. The search was carried out from the earliest date to August 2010 using the following keywords (MeSH and/or text words): jumpers knee, jumper's knee, patella(r) tendinopathy, patella(r) tendinosis, patella(r) tendinitis, patella(r) tendonitis, patella(r) apicitis, patella(r) apex syndrome, patella(r) tip syndrome, patella(r) tenosynovitis and plural forms. The search was restricted to articles in English. Abstracts, letters and reviews were excluded.
Patellar tendinopathy is a chronic condition that has a high prevalence among jumping athletes and often infl uences an athlete's career negatively. Successful treatment of patellar tendinopathy remains challenging. A large number of risk factors have been linked to patellar tendinopathy.
This study is the first to examine the literature concerning risk factors for patellar tendinopathy systematically. Identifying risk factors in this way can help prevention and rehabilitation.
Studies were included in the systematic review if they contained: empirical research that investigated factors associated with PT and a comparison between a group of patients and a group of controls. Studies focusing solely on biomechanics and radiology/ultrasonography were excluded. Of the studies included, factors that were measured radiographically or ultrasonographically were not taken into account. Three authors (HvdW, MvA and JZ) independently screened titles and/or abstracts of the studies retrieved by the search strategy above. When no abstract was available, or when it was not clear if the study should be included, full-text articles were retrieved in order to determine inclusion or exclusion. Reference lists of included or other relevant articles (ie, recent reviews) were checked for additional references.
Data on study population, study design, groups, diagnosis criteria and investigated factors were extracted and summarised from all the included studies. Investigated factors were divided into four categories: demographics; anthropometrics; sports-related factors and strength/flexibility.
Two reviewers (SR and IvdA) assessed the methodological quality of the studies by means of a methodological quality assessment list developed and used by Bongers et al,4 which is based on a list developed by van der Windt et al.5 The list was adapted slightly to make it specific for PT, and contains items on information and validity and/or precision in five categories: study objective; study population; outcome measurements; assessment of the outcome and analysis and data presentation. Separate quality assessment lists were constructed for cross-sectional, case–control and prospective cohort studies. The items of the adapted methodological quality assessment list are presented in table 1. Every item was scored as either 'positive' ('+' for the item being met) or 'negative' ('−' for the item not being met) by the two reviewers independently. When it was unclear whether a study did or did not meet an item, or if no clear information regarding the item was stated, the item was scored 'negative' (−). Results of these two quality assessments were compared, and any disagreement concerning an item was resolved in a consensus meeting. The total quality score of each study was calculated by counting the number of items that were scored positive on the validity/precision items (items 3–16).
▶ Strong evidence: consistent findings (which implies that at least 75% of the studies investigating a certain factor had to report an association) in multiple cohort and/or case–control studies with a high methodological quality score (above 50 on the methodological quality assessment list).
▶ Moderate evidence: consistent findings in multiple cohort and/or case–control studies, only one of which is a high-score study.
▶ Some evidence: findings of one cohort study or case–control study, or consistent findings in multiple cross-sectional studies, at least one of which is a high-score study.
▶ Inconclusive evidence: concerns all other cases, including inconsistent findings.
No systematic reviews or randomised controlled trials could be found on this subject.
The 11 included studies consisted of six cross-sectional,10– 13 16 17 three case–control7 14 15 and one prospective cohort study.9 One study consisted of two parts, the first part with a cross-sectional design and the second with a case–control design.8 In seven of the 11 studies the subjects were volleyball or basketball players, with Malliaras et al13 defining subjects as the number of tendons.10,–,12 17 One study used runners as subjects,15 two used athletes of different sports7 14 and one used students following a physical education programme as subjects.9 Table 2 shows the study characteristics of the included studies.
The scores of the studies on the methodological quality assessment list are presented in table 3. The average score was 41%.
Assessment of the strength of evidence is shown in table 4. Risk factors reported by a single study and not associated with PT in that study are not shown in this table.
None of the demographic variables were a risk factor for PT according to the defined strength-of-evidence criteria. There was no association between age and PT in five studies that considered this variable.8,–,10 12 16 Two studies assessed the link between gender and PT, and neither found differences between men and women in the risk of PT.14 16 Gaida et al12 found no differences in menstrual history (age of menarche, number of cycles in the past 12 months and use of oral contraceptives) between women with and without PT.
Of the strength/flexibility variables, quadriceps flexibility, hamstring flexibility, quadriceps strength and vertical jump performance were factors for which there was some evidence according to the defined strength-of-evidence criteria. Witvrouw et al9 found differences in flexibility between subjects with PT and controls. Controls had a higher quadriceps and hamstring flexibility compared with subjects with PT. No differences were found in hamstring flexibility in another study.14 Four studies looked at differences in sit-and-reach scores, which is a measure of hamstring and low back flexibility. Cook et al11 found differences in sit-and-reach scores between subjects with unilateral PT and controls in women and between subjects with bilateral PT and controls in men. These groups had lower sit-and-reach scores than controls. Gaida et al,12 Malliaras et al13 and Crossley et al14 found no differences in scores on a sit-and-reach test. The ankle dorsiflexion range was found to be smaller in subjects with PT in one study,13 but not in another.14 Crossley et al14 reported that normalised peak knee extensor moment was lower in subjects with unilateral PT compared with controls, but not for bilateral PT.14 Other studies found no differences in knee flexion and extension torques,7 concentric and eccentric strength,12 15 hamstring and quadriceps strength,9 or ankle plantar flexion strength13 between groups. No differences between groups were found in calf endurance,14 speed, endurance and agility11 and the hamstring–quadriceps quotient, which describes the imbalance between knee flexors and extensors.15 Cook et al11 found that women with PT jumped higher than women without PT, but they found no differences in men. A better performance on jump tasks of subjects with PT was also shown by other studies.8 10 Gaida et al12 and Malliaras et al,13 however, found no differences in jump height. Crossley et al14 found no differences on a speed hop test and a distance hop test.
The aim of this study was to review the literature concerning risk factors associated with PT. The number of included studies was low and the studies were heterogeneous in investigated factors: over 40 potential risk factors were investigated, therefore conducting a meta-analysis was impossible.
Although a number of risk factors are considered to be related to PT, no strong or moderate evidence could be obtained for any of the investigated factors. For nine factors there was some evidence for an association with PT: weight; BMI; waist-to-hip ratio; leg-length difference; arch height of the foot; quadriceps flexibility; hamstring flexibility; quadriceps strength and vertical jump performance. For all the other investigated factors the evidence was inconclusive.
Although the exact pathophysiology of tendinopathy is unclear, several theories have been developed,18 the main one being a mechanical theory. According to this theory, because of a failed healing process, micro injuries in the tendon resulting from overload can eventually lead to matrix and cell changes as well as altered mechanical properties of the tendon. All nine identified risk factors influence the loading of the patellar tendon in some way, and could be explained within the framework of a mechanical pathophysiological theory.
The possible association between leg-length difference and PT may be caused by the fact that the longer leg is the preferred take-off leg in jumping more often, as suggested by Kujala et al.7 Crossley et al14 state that the leg-length differences found in their study are too small to be considered functionally important. The differences found by Kujala et al7 are even smaller. Therefore, although there is some evidence that leg-length difference is related to PT, whether this link is clinically relevant remains a question.
A lower arch height of the foot in subjects with PT concurs with a study by Williams et al,20 who found low-arched runners were more likely to develop knee and soft tissue injuries than high-arched runners, who were more likely to develop ankle and bone injuries. They found a greater peak knee flexion angle in runners with a low foot arch, and postulate that greater quadriceps muscle force is needed to prevent further knee flexion. One can hypothesise that something similar happens during jumping.
Quadriceps and hamstring flexibility may be associated with PT because decreased flexibility increases tendon strain during joint movements, and may therefore lead to tendon overload,9 which is in line with the mechanical theory.
Lower quadriceps strength may be caused by atrophy as a result of inactivity brought about by PT, yet it may also be the cause of PT. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine the causal relationship.
There was some evidence that vertical jump performance was better in subjects with PT, which contrasts with the mentioned lower quadriceps strength. This may have two reasons. First, although jump performance and quadriceps strength are related factors, there is more to jump performance than quadriceps strength alone. Second, for both factors only some evidence for an association with PT exists, leaving the possibility of an association for only one of those two factors. Further research into these factors is required.
There may be several reasons for not finding strong or moderate evidence for any of the investigated factors. First, the number of studies was low, as was their overall methodological quality. Furthermore, and this may be related to the former, results were often conflicting. Also, most studies used univariate statistical techniques to test for differences between groups, often even without correction for multiple testing. Using more sophisticated statistical procedures such as multiple logistic regression helps to identify risk factors while accounting for other pertinent variables. Finally, PT is likely to have a multifactorial aetiology, therefore identifying risk factors may be more difficult.
The nine identified risk factors could potentially be relevant for prevention and rehabilitation. With the present evidence, reducing weight (which is associated with BMI and waist-to-hip ratio) may be a beneficial intervention in the case of overweight. According to Kountouris and Cook,21 addressing dysfunctions in the muscle/tendon complex and in the pelvic and lower limb kinetic chain are an important part of tendinopathy rehabilitation; the present study suggests that upper-leg flexibility and quadriceps strength may be important factors to focus on in such an approach. They also suggest that foot arch height may be addressed by orthotics to influence the lower-limb absorbing function; this may also be an option for leg-length differences. However, when applying the present findings for prevention and rehabilitation purposes one should bear in mind that the evidence for the nine identified risk factors was limited.
A limitation of the review is that when studies were assessed for strength of evidence, results were not split for each subgroup. A positive association for a subgroup (eg, subjects with unilateral PT) was taken as a positive association for the whole study. This was done because evidence for most investigated factors was scarce and a splitting into subgroups makes it even harder to identify risk factors. The evidence for differences between men and women and between bilateral and unilateral tendinopathy is also limited.
Further research into risk factors for PT is required, as no strong or moderate evidence was found for an association between PT and any of the investigated factors. Future research should at least include the nine variables for which some evidence was found. Ideally, these studies should be prospective and use multivariate statistical techniques. Most studies in this review used elite-level athletes, therefore future research should also include recreational athletes to make the results more generalisable.
We studied risk factors for PT that have been described in the literature. The number and overall methodological quality of the included studies was low. The aetiology of PT seems to be multifactorial. Nine factors—weight, BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, leg-length difference, arch height of the foot, quadriceps flexibility, hamstring flexibility, quadriceps strength and vertical jump performance—were identified as possible risk factors for PT, although there was only some evidence. There is a clear need for high-quality studies that are prospective and longitudinal and that use more sophisticated statistical methods in order to identify the exact risk factors associated with PT.
. Prevalence of jumper's knee among elite athletes from different sports: a cross-sectional study. Am J Sports Med 2005;33:561–7.
. Long-term prognosis for jumper's knee in male athletes – a prospective follow-up study. Am J Sports Med 2002;30:689–92.
. Are psychosocial factors, risk factors for symptoms and signs of the shoulder, elbow, or hand/wrist?: a review of the epidemiological literature. Am J Ind Med 2002;41:315–42.
. Occupational risk factors for shoulder pain: a systematic review. Occup Environ Med 2000;57:433–42.
. Psychosocial risk factors for neck pain: a systematic review. Am J Ind Med 2001;39:180–93.
. Factors predisposing to patellar chondropathy and patellar apicitis in athletes. Int Orthop 1986;10:195–200.
. Characteristics of the leg extensors in male volleyball players with jumper's knee. Am J Sports Med 1996;24:380–5.
. Intrinsic risk factors for the development of patellar tendinitis in an athletic population. A two-year prospective study. Am J Sports Med 2001;29:190–5.
. Performance characteristics of volleyball players with patellar tendinopathy. Am J Sports Med 2003;31:408–13.
. Anthropometry, physical performance, and ultrasound patellar tendon abnormality in elite junior basketball players: a cross-sectional study. Br J Sports Med 2004;38:206–9.
. Are unilateral and bilateral patellar tendinopathy distinguished by differences in anthropometry, body composition, or muscle strength in elite female basketball players? Br J Sports Med 2004;38:581–5.
. Association of strength with patellar tendinopathy in female runners. Isokinet Exerc Sci 2007;15:217–23.
. Jumper's knee: an epidemiological study of volleyball players. Phys Sportsmed 1984;12:97–106.
. Anthropometric risk factors for patellar tendon injury among volleyball players. Br J Sports Med 2007;41:259–63; discussion 263.
. Adiposity and tendinopathy. Disabil Rehabil 2008;30:1555–62.
. Arch structure and injury patterns in runners. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon) 2001;16:341–7.


text:
Aleksandrs Miezītis (6 June 1890 – c. 1946) was a Russian Empire wrestler. He competed in the featherweight event at the 1912 Summer Olympics.

References

External links

1890 births
1940s deaths
Olympic wrestlers from the Russian Empire
Wrestlers at the 1912 Summer Olympics
Sportspeople from Riga

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Today is one of the calmest weekdays I've had in a very long time. I'm at the office writing my blog post for the day and completing a few things while everyone else has left to attend the departmental breakfast at the head office. While I don't fancy the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, I will definitely appreciate the next 2 days that I'll be able to take it down a bit and spend some extra time with close friends and family. I will also be taking a break from my blog posts until next week Monday, so to everyone out there, thank you for supporting my blog and reading my content over the past couple of months and I wish you and yours a wonderful, fruitful and blessed Christmas.


text:
Now Hear This
Michael Phelps finally explained why he kept his marriage a secret, and we get it
Natalia Lusinski
C Flanigan/FilmMagic
In a Facebook Live video Michael Phelps posted on October 27th, the Olympic swimmer revealed a secret: He and Nicole Johnson secretly got married earlier this summer.
Whaaaaaaaaaat??
HBO / giphy.com
Yep — we know, we know.
And now we know why it was kept under wraps, but here's a bit of backstory first.
On June 13th, Michael and Nicole wed in Paradise Valley, Arizona, according to their marriage certificate, reported CNN. And, ICYMI, the couple had been engaged since February 2015 — and are ~super~ cute.
"I've been married for a while, a couple months," Phelps said in the video, reported Entertainment Tonight. "I had to keep it hush-hush from you guys. But Nicole and I are married, we are officially married and now we are getting the chance to just kind of kick it and hang out now."
Also on June 13th, Nicole had posted this picture on Instagram, reported CNN — and perhaps the caption referred to the secret wedding?!
We're impressed that it stayed a secret so long, amirite?!
But why the secrecy?!
"Just because," Phelps said in his Facebook comment section when asked about the (huge!) secret, reported People.
We. Are. Intrigued. And we also get it. Think about it: Michael's in the public eye all the time, so why not keep certain things private? Well, private for as long as possible anyway.
To confuse us even more, or perhaps to throw us off track (!), Michael talked about marriage back in August to People.
He said, "I really can't wait to get married. It will be a small destination wedding later this year. It's the next big milestone I'm looking forward to."
Hmmm. So will there be another, more formal wedding?!
Phelps also dropped another bombshell in the same Facebook Live video, saying, "Baby number two may be coming soon. Who knows, though?"
Michael! Tell us more! (Though we know that secret would probably be harder to keep!)
CBS / giphy.com
Of course, we are ~huge~ fans of Baby #1, Boomer, who was born in May of this year. ICYMI, he even has his own Instagram account — and is up to 756,000 followers as of rn. And if you're not following it, you're missing out on a boatload of cuteness.
Could he be any cuter?!
And it looks like being athletic may run in the family.
It also looks like he's all set for Halloween.
Awwww.
And you can check out the Facebook Live video and hear the Michael-Phelps-is-already-married news for yourself here. You may also want to read the comments — maybe you'll even discover more explanations from Phelps!
Posted by Michael Phelps on Thursday, October 27, 2016
By Natalia Lusinski


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MekaMon robots battle in augmented reality so you don't have to clean up carnage
By Kyle Wiggers	 November 23, 2016
MekaMon
Kyle Wiggers/Digital Trends
Judging by the popularity of Comedy Central's BattleBots, the BBC's Robot Wars, and TLC's Robotica, mechanized combat remains one of the most engrossing — and enduring — spectator sports on television. Something about mechanical monstrosities fighting each other to the death still manages to engross a massive cross-section of the TV-viewing populous. But unlike, say, football, soccer, tennis, or any other sport, robot battles are an event that's remain relegated to the realm of TV: the logistics engineering a 'bot, finding a worthy competitor, and safely facing off against one another presents an insurmountable challenge to even the sport's most ardent fans. Or, at least it did.
MekaMon, the product of startup Reach Robotics, is in many ways the embodiment of battle robot fanatics' dreams: a fully articulated, remote-controlled robot that engages enemies in combat. Unlike the robots on TV, though, the "losers" of battles escaped unscathed. And combat's just the start of what they're capable of.
Thanks to infrared camera arrays, robots react appropriately when shot.
Reach Robotics is the brainchild of Silas Adekunle, a 25-year-old Nigerian who immigrated to the United Kingdom at the age of 11 and taught himself robotics. It's already attracted impressive venture capital pedigree — the team of engineers, game designers, computer vision Ph.D.s, and experts from Airbus and Aston Martin have attracted the backing of firms including London Venture Partners, Qualcomm Ventures, Passion Capital, Techstarts, Hardware Club, and Iglobe Partners. That early momentum means that MekaMon, Reach Robotics' first product, won't go the traditional crowdfunding route — rather than launch on Indiegogo or Kickstarter, it will ship directly to customers in the coming months.
MekaMon robots, the result of more than three years of research and a 27-stage iterative development process, are insectoid in appearance. Put simply, they look like giant plastic spiders that'd give any arachnophobe nightmares for weeks. More than 10 individual motors drive the four "legs," each capable of 30 degrees of freedom, that facilitate forward, backward, and diagonal movement. They do more than just move: A customizable range of parameters let the MekaMon robots trot, crawl, waddle, and perform dozens of canned taunt animations designed by a former Industrial Light and Magic animator who worked on the Transformers film series.
One of the MekaMon's headlining features is a battle mode, Last Man Standing, that pits up to four of the 'bots against each other. Before the match begins, contenders select offensive and defensive abilities via the MekaMon companion app, using a smartphone. Then, they swap their bots' snap-on physical armaments — a railgun for a laser, for instance, or a shield for a weapon — to their liking. Finally, once the battle begins, they fire at will, maneuvering their MekaMon robots behind chairs, tables, and any other real-world objects that present an opportunity for cover.
Thanks to infrared camera arrays, robots react appropriately when shot, fidgeting after sustaining a blows from barrages of bullets and mimicking electrocution when zapped with an energy beam. When a victor emerges — when an opponents' in-app health bar reaches zero, that is to say — the losing robots' mechanical legs fall limp and twitching to the ground.
"We're bringing back a childhood curiosity."
For those who don't have MekaMon-touting friends handy, there's a single-player campaign driven by a nifty bit of augmented reality. The mode tasks MekaMon pilots with destroying an invading force of aliens visible in the smartphone app. As they progress through waves of enemies, they earn points and upgrades they can spend on special abilities and digital items that fortify health, improve recovery times, and boost weapon damage.
The team's already hard at work on peripherals and add-ons. But they insist MekaMon won't become a battle of pocketbooks, so to speak, rather than skill. "It's not pay to win," Adekunle told Digital Trends. "We're giving players more options."
And he stresses that the 'bots do more than battle. "We're bringing back a childhood curiosity," Adekunle said. "It harkens back to a time when kids played with sticks and turned the living room duvet into a fortress. I think we've lost that in the digital age, and we're basically trying to bring it back." To that end, the Reach Robotics team is finalizing a software development kit (SDK) that will let amateur roboticists to program their own routines.
"We want people to be able to learn to program with this," Adekunle said. "We want to make the experience educational." He expects it to become available later this year.
"At the root of everything we build is the premise that gaming is an experience that goes beyond a screen. We imagine a world where things come to life in front of you," said Adekunle. "Our inspiration came from building robots in STEM classes with underprivileged students in the U.K.."
MekaMon starts at $330, up to $600 for a pack of two. They last an hour on a charge, weigh about 2.2 pounds, and are expected to begin shipping in January.
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text:
China Doesn't Just Want to Control Hong Kong
Read More at The New York Times
Beijing says it wants to safeguard "one country, two systems," the principle that supposedly guarantees Hong Kong's semiautonomy from the mainland. In reality it is weaponizing the policy to crush the city's freedoms.
On Thursday, the Chinese government announced a plan to pass national security laws for Hong Kong. It has long been after something like this, though previously it expected the local authorities to do the job. Not this time. This law would be ratified in Beijing — at worst, as soon as next week.
This sinister move caps several weeks of mounting acts of repression in Hong Kong, in almost all spheres of public life — politics, law, education, the media.