Way back, when I was in the third grade, I began to take violin lessons. At the beginning, I was very enthusiastic and would faithfully practice the violin an hour each day. But after a few years, I got tired of practicing the violin. There were so many other interesting things to do – riding my bike with my friends, playing sports, watching TV, reading a book – in fact, almost anything seemed more interesting to me than playing the violin. Weary of the instrument, I started to reduce my practice time. It soon became evident to my parents and certainly to my teacher that I was no longer making progress.
When it comes to the practice of the faith, something similar can happen to us. At some point in our lives, whether we were baptized as infants or discovered the Catholic faith later in life, we may have been very enthusiastic and joyful. Indeed, all of us can probably remember a stage in our lives when we were young in the faith, happy to be a part of the life of the Church, joyful to share in the Church's liturgy and in the Church's works of charity, and ready to learn more about the Bible and the Church's teaching.
But somewhere along the way, we may have grown weary. We found out that it is not as easy as it seems to be a practicing Catholic. To be sure, our first steps as Catholic Christians were easy and consoling but then came the difficulties of putting our faith into practice: weathering the storms of controversy and scandal in the Church, having our attention diverted by various pleasures, pursuits, and worries. Little by little, practicing the faith may have become less and less appealing. We still think of ourselves as Christians and we want others so to regard us, but in fact we may find that we have all but stopped practicing the faith such that we are no longer making progress – we are in fact sliding backwards.
Advent is meant to shake us from our complacency. It does not begin with the tender story of Jesus' birth in a stable but rather with the fearful event that will take place at the end of time and of the reckoning each of us will face when Christ comes again in glory as judge of the living and the dead. Against that backdrop, Jesus warns us against growing weary of our faith, becoming complacent in our sins, and allowing the cares and concerns of daily life to distract us from practicing our faith and living in hope. And so, in today's Gospel, Jesus says to us: "Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of life, that that the day (i.e., the day of judgment) catch you by surprise, like a trap." On the contrary, Jesus warns us "to be vigilant at all times and to pray that [we] will have the strength to escape [those] tribulations… and instead to be ready to "stand up straight" "before the Son of Man" confident that our "redemption is at hand" …Let us ask ourselves: if the Lord were to come again in glory, would we be ready?
Dear friends, the season of Advent calls us to eradicate from our lives two deeply engrained attitudes which threaten to undermine our faith, namely, spiritual laziness or sloth and its companion, the sin of presumption. Both are insidious, hidden enemies of the soul and both must be rooted out if we are to be ready to welcome the newborn Savior at Christmas and to greet confidently our Redeemer and our Judge at the end of time.
Spiritual laziness or sloth overtakes us gradually. We start cutting corners in the practice of the faith. We pray less. We go to Confession less often. We start skipping Mass on Sunday. We put the Bible aside. We stop trying to overcome our vices and to develop virtues. Besides, we may tell ourselves, that we are tired and busy with too much on our plate. Pretty soon, we may stop practicing the faith altogether and simply give in to the world, the flesh, and the devil.
This is where the sin of presumption takes over. Presumption lulls us into supposing that our sins really aren't so bad after all, that we're a good person even without practicing our faith, and that, in any case, God is good so he won't mind if we ignore him on earth – in the end, we'll be happy with him in heaven. This sort of self-deception, as you can well imagine, is very dangerous to our souls.
Living differently means not only practicing the faith but also spreading it and caring about those who also struggle to live their faith. With us tonight are members of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre and representatives and supporters of Bethlehem University – and thank you once again for your presence. You love your faith so much that you work hard to ensure that the light of faith remains brightly visible in the Holy Land in spite of many political and cultural challenges. And if we must struggle to keep the faith alive in the Holy Land, so too we must struggle in the increasingly secular culture in which we live to keep the faith alive in our hearts and homes, in our parishes, and in our places of work and leisure.
And if the flame of faith burns brightly in our hearts, then we shall not fear the Lord's coming but rather watch for it. And we shall not only love the Lord but also long for him. And we shall not only obey the Lord but indeed seek to become like him – the One who came into the world in humility to save us from our sins, the One who loves us like no other.


text:
The ObserverFashion
African fashion is on the rise, says Naomi Campbell: 'And it's about time!'
Hannah Marriott
Naomi Campbell in Lagos last week. Photograph: Roderick Ejuetami
The supermodel speaks from Lagos about inclusivity, her late grandma, and why she flies in a hazmat suit
@maid_marriott
Sun 13 Dec 2020 04.00 EST
Last modified on Sun 13 Dec 2020 12.30 EST
With high-street brands collapsing and the world wearing sweatpants, 2020 has not been a stellar year for fashion. But at Arise fashion week, in Lagos, Nigeria, which concluded on Saturday, there were green shoots of hope, said Naomi Campbell. "There's definitely a few stars here. I'm very impressed. Covid has brought out a lot of creativity in a lot of people."
Campbell flew to Nigeria last week to take part in the African style showcase. "I was going to do it virtually," she said by phone from Lagos, "and then I thought, you know what? I want to go and bring awareness to their great work. It's important on many levels, because Arise gives these young designers a platform to be globally recognised, to be embraced by fashion weeks around the world, and really to be included."
This year's event took the socially-distanced format of a talent search. Thirty African designers aged under 30 were selected to show their collections to a virtual audience, with an overall winner chosen by a roster of judges including American artist Kehinde Wiley and South African designer David Tlale. The shortlist included non-binary sustainable label Lagos Space Programme, ultra-chic MmusoMaxwell and the eventual winner, Kenneth Ize, who showed at Paris fashion week for the first time this year. All received $5,000, while Ize was awarded $100,000 and an extra jolt of publicity in the form of Campbell walking in his show on Saturday evening.
Mentoring was also be part of the deal for the winner, said Campbell. It was particularly important as the wider world slowly woke up to Africa's creativity and spending power.
Models display designs by Weiz Dhurm Franklyn (far left and far right), DNA by Iconic Invanity (second left) and Bibi (third left) during the Arise fashion week in Lagos, Nigeria. Photograph: Sunday Alamba/AP
"There has, in the past, been the wrong perception about the continent and the creativity that comes out of it," she said. "Right about now, everyone's kind of got it, finally – for example, that Nigeria is one of the biggest emerging markets with the under-30s, so everyone is looking in this direction. But we don't want Africa to be considered as a trend.
"These designers are finally getting the notoriety that they deserve – and they are going to keep their notoriety."
Supporting African designers working in innovative and sustainable ways is just one way to propel fashion towards positive change post Covid-19. "People want affordable, sustainable fashion – and that's what we are trying to do here," said the model.
The notoriously white and privileged fashion business must also be inclusive if it is to reset in a positive way. Campbell has been speaking out on this subject for decades, long before the industry's recent outpouring of apologies and diversity strategies in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement.
"It's kind of embarrassing, in 2020, to finally have all of this happen, to wake up to that. You should have been doing that already – that's my opinion. I have not really taken part in any of these discussions because I find them a little bit insulting," said Campbell.
"I've been pushing this thing for so many years, so now, for me, there is no change. What I'm doing is exactly what I was doing before this movement started – and I'm going to continue. It's what I believe in, basically."
Naomi Campbell with her grandma Ruby Louise Campbell Russell. Photograph: @naomi/Instagram
Did Campbell feel these latest pronouncements were significant and real? "We'll see. If they make noise about it, and it's publicly known, you can hold them to it, can't you? But I do believe in action and not words. Still, I try to keep optimistic."
What was exciting, she said, was the global youth movement. "They have found their voices, and they are speaking out and demanding what they want. And they are change."
Campbell has had a strange, sad year, after the death of her grandmother, to whom she was very close. "This time has been tough for people to grieve together," she said, with Covid rules preventing a significant funeral. "She was so loved. Once we get the vaccine, or whatever it is that is going to be the new reset, we will give her a proper send-off."
Otherwise, in lockdown, "I have enjoyed my little cocoon. I've tried not to have any expectations – living within one day and then the other day; learning patience, because this is not going to disappear as quickly as we would like it to; and understanding that being alone doesn't mean you are lonely."
Naomi Campbell: 'It's time to reset'
She has also spent time filming her YouTube show, No Filter with Naomi, learning to rig her own lights and delving into her impressive contacts book for guests; a recent tete-a-Zoom with Mariah Carey was particularly memorable. While filming, she is as partial to waist-up dressing as the rest of the world: "I have really lived in kaftans and sweats. I only get dressed when I have to do No Filter, and then I'm only dressed from the top up, with my slippers on the bottom – happy feet!"
It was on her YouTube channel in July 2019 that Campbell revealed what now feels like an eerily prescient pre-flight hygiene routine, in which she laboriously wiped every surface of the plane that might touch her body with anti-bacterial wipes.
In March, she took this a step further, flying home for the first lockdown wearing a full hazmat suit accessorised with a Burberry cape. The cape has since been donated to an as yet undisclosed museum where it will be presented as a defining object of this bizarre year, but she will fly in hazmat suits for the foreseeable future, including for the journey home from Lagos: "It's nice that no one looks at me like a mad hatter any more."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Shareholders in online travel booking provider Wotif.com Holdings Limited (ASX: WTF) which owns a number of high traffic websites including wotif.com, lastminute.com.au and travel.com.au have seen their shares rocket around 15% today, despite bad press surrounding the company's outlook.
The media reporting has included a call by broking house Credit Suisse that Wotif.com will miss analyst full year consensus estimates and a further downgrade to profit forecasts by broker Moelis.
However it appears the market has decided these negatives are more than factored into the price, with investors wading into the market today to buy. By early afternoon around 11 million shares had traded hands.
It's been a poor financial year so far for listed comparison website companies. Wotif.com, iSelect Ltd (ASX: ISU) and Webjet Limited (ASX: WEB) have experienced nasty falls of 39%, 30% and 38% respectively.
However with Wotif.com's shares trading on a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 13.75, which is below the market multiple of 14.9 times, there could be more upside in the stock yet.
Can robots show us the best stocks to buy?


text:
export default {
  CATEGORY_TAB_SELECTED: "CATEGORY_TAB_SELECTED",
  CLEAR_ALERT: "CLEAR_ALERT",
  CLEAR_ERROR: "CLEAR_ERROR",
  CURRENT_USER_HAS_BECOME_FACILITATOR: "CURRENT_USER_HAS_BECOME_FACILITATOR",
  IDEA_DELETION_COMMITTED: "IDEA_DELETION_COMMITTED",
  IDEA_DELETION_REJECTED: "IDEA_DELETION_REJECTED",
  IDEA_SUBMISSION_SUBMITTED: "IDEA_SUBMISSION_SUBMITTED",
  IDEA_SUBMISSION_COMMITTED: "IDEA_SUBMISSION_COMMITTED",
  IDEA_SUBMISSION_REJECTED: "IDEA_SUBMISSION_REJECTED",
  IDEA_UPDATE_COMMITTED: "IDEA_UPDATE_COMMITTED",
  IDEA_UPDATE_REJECTED: "IDEA_UPDATE_REJECTED",
  GROUP_UPDATE_COMMITTED: "GROUP_UPDATE_COMMITTED",
  GROUP_UPDATE_REJECTED: "GROUP_UPDATE_REJECTED",
  RETRO_FACILITATOR_CHANGE_COMMITTED: "RETRO_FACILITATOR_CHANGE_COMMITTED",
  RETRO_STAGE_PROGRESSION_COMMITTED: "RETRO_STAGE_PROGRESSION_COMMITTED",
  RETRO_UPDATE_REJECTED: "RETRO_UPDATE_REJECTED",
  RETRO_UPDATE_REQUESTED: "RETRO_UPDATE_REQUESTED",
  SET_PRESENCES: "SET_PRESENCES",
  SET_INITIAL_STATE: "SET_INITIAL_STATE",
  SHOW_STAGE_HELP: "SHOW_STAGE_HELP",
  SYNC_PRESENCE_DIFF: "SYNC_PRESENCE_DIFF",
  TOGGLE_HIGH_CONTRAST: "TOGGLE_HIGH_CONTRAST",
  UPDATE_PRESENCE: "UPDATE_PRESENCE",
  USER_UPDATE_COMMITTED: "USER_UPDATE_COMMITTED",
  USER_UPDATE_REJECTED: "USER_UPDATE_REJECTED",
  VOTE_SUBMISSION: "VOTE_SUBMISSION",
  VOTE_SUBMISSION_ACCEPTED: "VOTE_SUBMISSION_ACCEPTED",
  VOTE_SUBMISSION_REJECTED: "VOTE_SUBMISSION_REJECTED",
  VOTE_RETRACTION_SUBMITTED: "VOTE_RETRACTION_SUBMITTED",
  VOTE_RETRACTION_ACCEPTED: "VOTE_RETRACTION_ACCEPTED",
  VOTE_RETRACTION_REJECTED: "VOTE_RETRACTION_REJECTED",
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Ridley Scott's 2001 Black Hawk Down is inescapably an action movie.
Captain Phillips, the seemingly little-embellished new thriller based on a 2009 hijacking at sea, got me thinking about what sort of responsibilities filmmakers have -- and we as audiences have -- when approaching a compressed a dramatized account of true events. You can read that piece over at Monkey See today.


SMS 2017 Thespian: Meet Nur Nadirah Friday!
At first, I joined SMS 2017 because of the prize money to fund a refugee projection. I did it on a whim, but I'm glad I did it. As I went along, I realised there's a lot of learning to embrace.
I love performing because it allows me to step out of my comfort zone. The fact that I'm clad in a headscarf and pushing myself to put on a hat of a character not associated with my identity as a Muslim woman is something I want to do. If I'm directing my own piece, I definitely have the creative ability to do that.
SMS is great and I'm thankful that such a competition exists. When you audition, there's usually always a five minute monologue. I already knew what a monologue was in secondary school when I auditioned for a school play. I actually did an entire script on my own as different characters. You know, I wish this competition existed before I went for the audition, but nonetheless I got the part!
My biggest challenge would have to be my confidence level. I usually direct rather than act. It's easier for me to tell people what to do and work behind the scenes when I'm directing. But the nerves are real when you're on stage! I feel that this whole learning process will actually help with my directing skills because I will be able to understand the actors a whole lot more. I'd be able to see their world from a better perspective, empathising with them and helping them more effectively.
Check out more about The Singapore Monologue Slam on their website here.
In a world filled with chaos & disorganisation, writing is a means of control for Zora to iterate her thoughts and expound on subjects that she left previously unexplored.


text:
By Dawnwriter in Persona Paper March 5, 2015, 12:39 AM 5-03-15
1000 more in the bank!
At first, I thought it is too soon after the 100 posts milestone post but then I thought why not? It is always fun to blow one's own trumpet and tell others about your successes and achievements so here goes: (Drum roll please)
I have managed to earn 5000 coins at Persona-Paper . It has taken me 102 posts (excluding this one) to reach 5000 coins. This translates to $7.5 and 38% Cash Out Progress on bank page. I had written this post about earning 4000 coins on February 2nd, 2015.
http://www.personapaper.com/article/22759-and-then-there-were-4000
So, it has taken me 25 posts and about a gazillion comments on other people's posts to earn my last 1000 coins in about a month.
I am going to challenge myself to earn 2000 coins in month of March and see where I stand on 4th April, 2015. This would be fun.
Dawnwriter
MarchGoals
Image Credit » http://pixabay.com/en/dollar-currency-money-us-dollar-517113/ by geralt
Watching TV...and smiling for a change
Setting a couple of goals for myself
You will need an account to comment - feel free to register or login.
bestwriter wrote on March 5, 2015, 12:46 AM
There is a saying "Slowly, slowly catch the monkey" Don't ask me who said it when, where and why (lol). Congrats on your achievement - I like your spirit.
valmnz wrote on March 5, 2015, 12:48 AM
You are going so well. I'm sure you'll reach your March goals. Setting goals is the only way to make progress.
Kungfu123 wrote on March 5, 2015, 1:52 AM
The earning speed here is too slow, which always discourages me very much.
Dawnwriter wrote on March 5, 2015, 2:01 AM
But is there any other site that is actually paying its members and not scamming them? Look at what CGP Gallery and EV did to its members.
SoundNFury wrote on March 5, 2015, 2:01 AM
That's really awesome! Keep up the hard work! I am at around the same level.
cheri wrote on March 5, 2015, 2:03 AM
That is a lot of hard work! I think it will take me ages before I reach that redemption day. I only have 1000 plus coins not even closer to 2000. Hope I can reach it.
The fun thing it, it does not feel like hard work here. My recipe is, write one post and then comment on 10 posts twice day
Thanks. Challenge yourself to reach 7000 by end March and see how it goes.
trufflehunter wrote on March 5, 2015, 2:33 AM
Well done! I have just written a progress post too. Hope you reach your new goal and more.
peachpurple wrote on March 5, 2015, 3:49 AM
wow, you are slowly getting to the mark already, congrats!
Colibry21 wrote on March 5, 2015, 8:33 AM
That's really great! I hope that you are able to reach your goal. Good luck!
FreyaYuki wrote on March 5, 2015, 12:27 PM
Congrats on your achievement Good luck with reaching your goal.
seren3 wrote on March 5, 2015, 11:02 PM
The earnings are still pretty abstract for me here. I enjoy the community - I am trying to write 4 a day - on the days I get here!
WordChazer wrote on March 7, 2015, 6:21 AM
Good to see things are going well. I've been away from the site a few days with other things going on (mainly writing deadlines and events) and it's good to see the site is moving faster than I can keep up with when that happens.
cheri wrote on March 10, 2015, 1:23 AM
I am raising to my 100 posts here. I am just done with the additional 1000 coins in the bank


text:
Gallery season will range from DIY art to quilts
Jul/24/2012 | POSTED BY Myra Lopez
This piece of artwork is part of an exhibition called "Odyssey" by UMSL alumna Rachel Heim. Her series of handmade quilts will be on display Jan. 23 to Feb. 27 at Gallery Visio.
Do-it-yourself art, large-scale surreal dreamscapes and a series of handmade quilts will be part of the 2012-13 exhibition season in Gallery Visio at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. The exhibits are free and open to the public.
The next season at Gallery Visio will include the following exhibits:
From Aug. 22 to Sept. 19, the gallery will present "Workbook," an interactive live art show. Workbook activity pages will be recreated on the walls of the gallery for show attendees to contribute to and enjoy.
From Oct. 3 to Nov. 14, "Synesthesia" will invite viewers to be a participant in the exhibit, which will feature a collection of vivid and dramatic portrait photography combined with live art elements by UMSL alumna Rebecca Haas.
From Nov. 28 to Jan. 9, "FAB Expo" will feature the most current student work produced by UMSL fine arts majors. The exhibit is a collaborative of Gallery Visio and the College of Fine Arts and Communication.
From Jan. 23 to Feb. 27, the gallery will display "Odyssey." UMSL alumna Rachel Heim will take viewers on a visual journey through her life experiences depicted in a series of handmade quilts.
From March 6 to April 10, Gallery Visio will display "Dream Blisters." St. Louis artist Robert Treece will exhibit a series of large-scale paintings depicting surreal dreamscapes that are said to be manifestations of the unconscious mind.
From April 17 to May 8, the eight annual "International Photo Contest" will feature a juried selection of photographs taken by UMSL students and faculty who have traveled abroad. The exhibition is sponsored by International Studies and Programs at UMSL.
Gallery Visio is a student-run gallery at UMSL. It's located in 170 Millennium Student Center at UMSL's North Campus. The gallery is committed to exhibiting art by undergraduate students and alumni at UMSL, as well as emerging artists. Regular hours are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
More in Events, Home news, News Release Archive, School of Fine and Performing Arts


The Industrial Millwright Technology Program prepares a student for an exciting entry-level career as an industrial mechanic in manufacturing, mining, construction, and the service industry. The student receives technical training in mechanical operations, fluid power, machine tool operation, preventive/ predictive maintenance, electrical theory, welding processes, and industrial heating and cooling.
Completion of the certificate program gives you the option of moving on to the Associate of Applied Science degree in Industrial Millwright Technology.


text:
White Castle announces official opening date for Orlando location
Inside Orlando's new White Castle
Starting Tuesday, residents around downtown Orlando can get the tiny burgers delivered. FOX 35's David Martin is checking out the ghost kitchen making it possible.
ORLANDO, Fla. - The wait is almost over!
White Castle has announced that it will open its highly anticipated Orlando location on May 3, 2021!
The fast-food hamburger chain will debut its new restaurant with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8 a.m.
"The Orlando Castle will be open for take-out, dine-in and drive-through service from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. on grand opening day, then reopen on Tuesday with regular operating hours, 9 a.m. to 1 a.m., seven days per week. At some point in the future, White Castle will operate 24 hours per day," the company said.
MORE NEWS: Gordon Ramsay to open restaurant in Orlando this year
Guests can order a maximum of sixty sliders per visit.
The company broke ground in November on the White Castle restaurant that will be located at the O-Town West near Palm Parkway and Daryl Carter Boulevard. It will be the largest one for the chain and is expected to create over 100 jobs in the Central Florida area.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings joined White Castle executives for the official ceremony.
"We're very excited to bring White Castle into our area," Demings said. "This will be the largest freestanding White Castle in the world that will be located in the number one tourist destination in the world. I look forward to eating the White Castle when they open here in the spring of 2021."
RELATED: White Castle raises permanent sign at upcoming Orlando location
Back in February, White Castle had to shut down its virtual kitchen because of overwhelming demand. But now, you'll be able to get your tiny burgers in person!
Known for its tiny square-shaped hamburgers, the menu also includes a variety of sliders like sloppy joe sliders and chicken and waffle sliders. If you need a side to go with your main entree, you can choose from a variety of options like mac 'n cheese nibblers, chicken rings, corn dog nibblers, and of course, french fries.
White Castle owns and operates more than 375 restaurants in 13 states. View their menu here.


TBO Services Limited will be what's known as the "Controller" of the personal information you provide to us, which means we're responsible for protecting the personal information we hold about you. TBO Services Limited is part of the Verastar Group.
1. WHY DO WE HAVE THIS POLICY?
• information is sometimes collected from outside sources, such as banks or credit reference agencies, to help us with credit-related decisions.
We may also record and/or monitor calls for quality checks and/or staff training. Call recordings may be used to help us detect, prevent or combat fraud. We may provide call recordings to regulators.
as well as any other information (including information about your health) which we reasonably need to operate your account or make decisions about you (including regulatory decisions).
If we need to collect your personal information by law or under the terms of a contract we have with you and you don't provide that information, we may not be able to provide you with the applicable products or services. In this case, we may have to cancel a product or service you have with us but we will tell you if this is the case at the time.
If a debit or credit card provided to us is identified as having been used fraudulently, we will maintain a record of its use for reporting and preventing fraud.
• where we need to in order to perform the contract we are about to enter into with you or have entered into with you.
• where we are permitted to do so by law.
• where it is in the public interest to disclose the information.
• where it is otherwise permitted under data protection laws.
We have set out below, in a table format, a description of all the ways we plan to use your personal information, and which legal bases we rely on to do so. We have also identified what our legitimate interests are where appropriate.
Note that we may process your personal data for more than one lawful ground depending on the specific purpose for which we are using your data. Please contact us if you need details about the specific legal ground on which we are relying to process your personal information where more than one ground has been set out in the table below.
To provide the services you have requested, including operating and managing your account, entering into agreements for goods and/or services or corresponding with you. (a) Identity Data Performance of a contract with you.
To charge for the goods or service(s) we supply to you, such as gas, electricity, water, broadband and/or calls. (a) Identity Data (a) Performance of a contract with you.
To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations in connection with the provision of goods and/or services to you. (a) Identity Data (a) Performance of a contract with you.
(b) Contact Data (b) Necessary to comply with a legal obligation.
To check or confirm your identity if you contact us. (a) Identity Data Necessary to comply with a legal obligation.
To provide you with personalised services (i.e. to deliver relevant website content and advertisements to you and measure or understand the effectiveness of the advertising we provide). (a) Identity Data (b) Necessary for our legitimate interests (to study how customers use our goods or services, to develop our goods/services, to grow our business and to inform our marketing strategy).
To carry out, monitor and analyse our business. (a) Technical Data Necessary for our legitimate interests (to define types of customers for our goods and services, to keep our website updated and relevant, to develop our business and to inform our marketing strategy).
To notify you of any changes to our products or services. (a) Identity Data (a) Performance of a contract with you.
(c) Marketing and communications Data (c) Necessary for our legitimate interests (to keep our records updated and to study how customers use our products and services).
To contact you by email, SMS, letter, telephone or in any other way about our products and services unless you tell us that you prefer not to receive marketing. An unsubscribe option will be included in appropriate communications. (a) Identity Data Necessary for our legitimate interests (to develop our products and services and grow our business).
To search credit reference agencies and fraud prevention agencies – if you apply for one of our services, it is important you read the section below " Credit Reference and Fraud Prevention Agencies ". (a) Identity Data (a) Necessary for our legitimate interests (to prevent fraud, to recover debts due to us).
To identify, prevent, detect or tackle fraud, money laundering or other crimes. (a) Identity Data (a) Performance of a contract with you.
(b) Contact Data (b) Necessary for our legitimate interests (to prevent fraud).
(c) Usage Data (c) Necessary to comply with a legal obligation.
To recover any debt you owe us. (a) Identity Data (a) Performance of a contract with you.
(b) Contact Data (b) Necessary for our legitimate interests (to recover debts due to us).
To fulfil audit purposes, including auditing our Site. (a) Identity Data (a) Necessary for our legitimate interests (for running our business).
To fulfil other administration or operational purposes, including the testing of our systems. (a) Identity Data (a) Necessary for our legitimate interests (for running our business, provision of administration and IT services, network security, to prevent fraud and in the context of a business reorganisation or group restructuring exercise).
Your data may also be used for other purposes for which you give your permission.
The period of time for which we keep personal information depends on how long we are required to keep it by law (in some cases, the law requires us to keep information for a minimum period) or how we use the information. Unless required by law to keep it, we will keep information no longer than we need to for the purpose or purposes for which we collected it.
The Verastar Group includes Verastar Limited, 118777 Limited, Aimera Limited, Clear Business Limited, Clear Business Water Limited, Economy Gas Limited, Sinq Power Limited and The Data Octopus Limited.
• with any individual or entity where we are required to do so by law (for example, pursuant to a court order).
• with credit reference agencies or fraud prevention agencies.
• those at credit reference agencies (CRAs). If you are a sole trader or in a partnership, we will treat your search as a "consumer" search, which means that when CRAs receive a search from us they will place a search footprint on your credit file that may be seen by other lenders. They supply to us both public (including the electoral register) and shared credit and fraud prevention information.
We will make checks such as: assessing your application for credit and verifying identities to prevent and detect crime and money laundering. We may also make periodic searches at CRAs to manage your account with us.
If you are a sole trader or are in a partnership and are making a joint application or tell us that you have a financial associate, we will link your records together so you must be sure that you have their agreement to disclose information about them. CRAs also link your records together and these links will remain on your and their files until such time as a disassociation is successfully filed with the CRAs to break that link.
Information on applications will be sent to CRAs and will be recorded by them. This information may be supplied to other organisations by CRAs to perform similar checks and to trace your whereabouts and recover debts that you owe. Records remain on file for 6 years after they are closed, whether settled by you or defaulted.
If you give us false or inaccurate information and we suspect or identify fraud we will record this and may also pass this information to organisations involved in crime and fraud prevention.
If you do not make payments that you owe us and we are unable to resolve the outstanding debt with you via our usual debt collection correspondence, we may use CRAs to trace your whereabouts and recover debts.
Your data may also be used for other purposes for which you give your specific permission or, in very limited circumstances, when required by law or where permitted under data protection laws.
You can contact the CRAs below who currently operate in the UK; the information they hold may not be the same so it is worth contacting them all. They will charge you a small statutory fee.
We may transfer your information to other countries outside the UK, including outside the European Economic Area whose data protection laws may not be equivalent to those in the UK. If we do so, we will put in place appropriate measures for the protection of your personal information in such countries.
Information provided through the Site is stored on our secure servers or those of any third party we engage to provide our IT platform.
Where we have given you, or you have chosen, a password which enables you to access certain parts of our Site, you are responsible for keeping the password confidential and must not share it with anyone. You are responsible for any actions carried out using your password save where there has been fraud.
Whilst we will have appropriate measures in place to protect personal information you send to the Site, we cannot guarantee the security of the internet, so please refrain from sending us particularly private or sensitive details in free text fields. Please only provide such details to the extent that specific data fields are provided. We limit access to your personal data to those employees, agents, contractors and other third parties who have a business need to know. They will only process your personal data on our instructions and they are subject to a duty of confidentiality.
• Request access to your personal information i.e. a right to be told whether we hold your personal information and, subject to certain exceptions, to be provided with a copy of such information.
• Request correction of your personal information i.e. a right to have any incomplete or inaccurate personal information we hold about you corrected.
• Request erasure of your personal information i.e. a right to ask us to delete or remove personal information where there is no good reason for us continuing to process it.
• Object to processing of your personal information i.e. where we are relying on a legitimate interest and there is something which makes you want to object to processing on this ground because it impacts on your fundamental rights and freedoms.
• Request restriction of processing your personal information i.e. a right to ask us to suspend the processing of your persona information in certain scenarios.
• Request transfer of your personal information i.e. a right to have any information which we used to perform a contract with you transferred to you or a third party of your choice.
If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please do so in writing to: Individual Rights Request, Data Protection Officer, Verastar Limited, Longley House, Longley Lane, Manchester M22 4SY or [email protected] You will not have to pay a fee to access your personal information (or to exercise any of the other rights). However, we may charge a reasonable fee if your request is clearly unfounded, repetitive or excessive. Alternatively, we can refuse to comply with your request in these circumstances. Should you wish to exercise your rights against other Verastar Group companies, you will need to make a separate request for, and direct it to, each Verastar Group company.
We may need to request specific information from you to help us confirm your identity and ensure your right to access your personal information (or to exercise any of your other rights). This is a security measure to ensure that personal information is not disclosed to any person who has no right to receive it. We may also contact you to ask for further information in relation to your request to speed up our response. We try to respond to all legitimate requests within one month. Occasionally it may take us longer than a month if your request is particularly complex or you have made a number of requests. In this case, we will let you know and keep you updated.
Our Site may contain links to the websites of third parties. If you follow a link to any third party website, please note that these websites will have their own privacy policies and that we do not accept any responsibility or liability in respect of the same.
You have the right to make a complaint at any time to the Information Commissioner's Office ("ICO"), the UK supervisory authority for data protection issues. We would, however, appreciate the chance to deal with your concerns before you approach the ICO so please contact us in the first instance.
Please help us to keep your records up to date by notifying us of any changes to your personal details.


text:
#pragma once
#include <aws/serverlessrepo/ServerlessApplicationRepository_EXPORTS.h>
#include <aws/serverlessrepo/ServerlessApplicationRepositoryRequest.h>
#include <aws/core/utils/memory/stl/AWSString.h>
#include <aws/core/utils/memory/stl/AWSVector.h>
#include <aws/serverlessrepo/model/ParameterValue.h>
#include <utility>

namespace Aws
{
namespace ServerlessApplicationRepository
{
namespace Model
{

  /**
   */
  class AWS_SERVERLESSAPPLICATIONREPOSITORY_API CreateCloudFormationChangeSetRequest : public ServerlessApplicationRepositoryRequest
  {
  public:
    CreateCloudFormationChangeSetRequest();

    // Service request name is the Operation name which will send this request out,
    // each operation should has unique request name, so that we can get operation's name from this request.
    // Note: this is not true for response, multiple operations may have the same response name,
    // so we can not get operation's name from response.
    inline virtual const char* GetServiceRequestName() const override { return "CreateCloudFormationChangeSet"; }

    Aws::String SerializePayload() const override;

    /**
     *
The Amazon Resource Name (ARN) of the application.

     */
    inline const Aws::String& GetApplicationId() const{ return m_applicationId; }

    /**
     *
The Amazon Resource Name (ARN) of the application.

     */
    inline void SetApplicationId(const Aws::String& value) { m_applicationIdHasBeenSet = true; m_applicationId = value; }

    /**
     *
The Amazon Resource Name (ARN) of the application.

     */
    inline void SetApplicationId(Aws::String&& value) { m_applicationIdHasBeenSet = true; m_applicationId = std::move(value); }

    /**
     *
The Amazon Resource Name (ARN) of the application.

     */
    inline void SetApplicationId(const char* value) { m_applicationIdHasBeenSet = true; m_applicationId.assign(value); }

    /**
     *
The Amazon Resource Name (ARN) of the application.

     */
    inline CreateCloudFormationChangeSetRequest& WithApplicationId(const Aws::String& value) { SetApplicationId(value); return *this;}

    /**
     *
The Amazon Resource Name (ARN) of the application.

     */
    inline CreateCloudFormationChangeSetRequest& WithApplicationId(Aws::String&& value) { SetApplicationId(std::move(value)); return *this;}

    /**
     *
The Amazon Resource Name (ARN) of the application.

     */
    inline CreateCloudFormationChangeSetRequest& WithApplicationId(const char* value) { SetApplicationId(value); return *this;}

    /**
     *
A list of parameter values for the parameters of the application.

     */
    inline const Aws::Vector<ParameterValue>& GetParameterOverrides() const{ return m_parameterOverrides; }

    /**
     *
A list of parameter values for the parameters of the application.

     */
    inline void SetParameterOverrides(const Aws::Vector<ParameterValue>& value) { m_parameterOverridesHasBeenSet = true; m_parameterOverrides = value; }

    /**
     *
A list of parameter values for the parameters of the application.

     */
    inline void SetParameterOverrides(Aws::Vector<ParameterValue>&& value) { m_parameterOverridesHasBeenSet = true; m_parameterOverrides = std::move(value); }

    /**
     *
A list of parameter values for the parameters of the application.

     */
    inline CreateCloudFormationChangeSetRequest& WithParameterOverrides(const Aws::Vector<ParameterValue>& value) { SetParameterOverrides(value); return *this;}

    /**
     *
A list of parameter values for the parameters of the application.

     */
    inline CreateCloudFormationChangeSetRequest& WithParameterOverrides(Aws::Vector<ParameterValue>&& value) { SetParameterOverrides(std::move(value)); return *this;}

    /**
     *
A list of parameter values for the parameters of the application.

     */
    inline CreateCloudFormationChangeSetRequest& AddParameterOverrides(const ParameterValue& value) { m_parameterOverridesHasBeenSet = true; m_parameterOverrides.push_back(value); return *this; }

    /**
     *
A list of parameter values for the parameters of the application.

     */
    inline CreateCloudFormationChangeSetRequest& AddParameterOverrides(ParameterValue&& value) { m_parameterOverridesHasBeenSet = true; m_parameterOverrides.push_back(std::move(value)); return *this; }

    /**
     *
The semantic version of the application:

 https://semver.org/

     */
    inline const Aws::String& GetSemanticVersion() const{ return m_semanticVersion; }

    /**
     *
The semantic version of the application:

 https://semver.org/

     */
    inline void SetSemanticVersion(const Aws::String& value) { m_semanticVersionHasBeenSet = true; m_semanticVersion = value; }

    /**
     *
The semantic version of the application:

 https://semver.org/

     */
    inline void SetSemanticVersion(Aws::String&& value) { m_semanticVersionHasBeenSet = true; m_semanticVersion = std::move(value); }

    /**
     *
The semantic version of the application:

 https://semver.org/

     */
    inline void SetSemanticVersion(const char* value) { m_semanticVersionHasBeenSet = true; m_semanticVersion.assign(value); }

    /**
     *
The semantic version of the application:

 https://semver.org/

     */
    inline CreateCloudFormationChangeSetRequest& WithSemanticVersion(const Aws::String& value) { SetSemanticVersion(value); return *this;}

    /**
     *
The semantic version of the application:

 https://semver.org/

     */
    inline CreateCloudFormationChangeSetRequest& WithSemanticVersion(Aws::String&& value) { SetSemanticVersion(std::move(value)); return *this;}

    /**
     *
The semantic version of the application:

 https://semver.org/

     */
    inline CreateCloudFormationChangeSetRequest& WithSemanticVersion(const char* value) { SetSemanticVersion(value); return *this;}

    /**
     *
The name or the unique ID of the stack for which you are creating a change
     * set. AWS CloudFormation generates
 the change set by comparing this stack's
     * information with the information that you submit, such as a modified
 template
     * or different parameter input values.

Constraints: Minimum length of
     * 1.

Pattern:
     * ([a-zA-Z][-a-zA-Z0-9]*)|(arn:\b(aws|aws-us-gov|aws-cn)\b:[-a-zA-Z0-9:/._+]*)

     */
    inline const Aws::String& GetStackName() const{ return m_stackName; }

    /**
     *
The name or the unique ID of the stack for which you are creating a change
     * set. AWS CloudFormation generates
 the change set by comparing this stack's
     * information with the information that you submit, such as a modified
 template
     * or different parameter input values.

Constraints: Minimum length of
     * 1.

Pattern:
     * ([a-zA-Z][-a-zA-Z0-9]*)|(arn:\b(aws|aws-us-gov|aws-cn)\b:[-a-zA-Z0-9:/._+]*)

     */
    inline void SetStackName(const Aws::String& value) { m_stackNameHasBeenSet = true; m_stackName = value; }

    /**
     *
The name or the unique ID of the stack for which you are creating a change
     * set. AWS CloudFormation generates
 the change set by comparing this stack's
     * information with the information that you submit, such as a modified
 template
     * or different parameter input values.

Constraints: Minimum length of
     * 1.

Pattern:
     * ([a-zA-Z][-a-zA-Z0-9]*)|(arn:\b(aws|aws-us-gov|aws-cn)\b:[-a-zA-Z0-9:/._+]*)

     */
    inline void SetStackName(Aws::String&& value) { m_stackNameHasBeenSet = true; m_stackName = std::move(value); }

    /**
     *
The name or the unique ID of the stack for which you are creating a change
     * set. AWS CloudFormation generates
 the change set by comparing this stack's
     * information with the information that you submit, such as a modified
 template
     * or different parameter input values.

Constraints: Minimum length of
     * 1.

Pattern:
     * ([a-zA-Z][-a-zA-Z0-9]*)|(arn:\b(aws|aws-us-gov|aws-cn)\b:[-a-zA-Z0-9:/._+]*)

     */
    inline void SetStackName(const char* value) { m_stackNameHasBeenSet = true; m_stackName.assign(value); }

    /**
     *
The name or the unique ID of the stack for which you are creating a change
     * set. AWS CloudFormation generates
 the change set by comparing this stack's
     * information with the information that you submit, such as a modified
 template
     * or different parameter input values.

Constraints: Minimum length of
     * 1.

Pattern:
     * ([a-zA-Z][-a-zA-Z0-9]*)|(arn:\b(aws|aws-us-gov|aws-cn)\b:[-a-zA-Z0-9:/._+]*)

     */
    inline CreateCloudFormationChangeSetRequest& WithStackName(const Aws::String& value) { SetStackName(value); return *this;}

    /**
     *
The name or the unique ID of the stack for which you are creating a change
     * set. AWS CloudFormation generates
 the change set by comparing this stack's
     * information with the information that you submit, such as a modified
 template
     * or different parameter input values.

Constraints: Minimum length of
     * 1.

Pattern:
     * ([a-zA-Z][-a-zA-Z0-9]*)|(arn:\b(aws|aws-us-gov|aws-cn)\b:[-a-zA-Z0-9:/._+]*)

     */
    inline CreateCloudFormationChangeSetRequest& WithStackName(Aws::String&& value) { SetStackName(std::move(value)); return *this;}

    /**
     *
The name or the unique ID of the stack for which you are creating a change
     * set. AWS CloudFormation generates
 the change set by comparing this stack's
     * information with the information that you submit, such as a modified
 template
     * or different parameter input values.

Constraints: Minimum length of
     * 1.

Pattern:
     * ([a-zA-Z][-a-zA-Z0-9]*)|(arn:\b(aws|aws-us-gov|aws-cn)\b:[-a-zA-Z0-9:/._+]*)

     */
    inline CreateCloudFormationChangeSetRequest& WithStackName(const char* value) { SetStackName(value); return *this;}

  private:

    Aws::String m_applicationId;
    bool m_applicationIdHasBeenSet;

    Aws::Vector<ParameterValue> m_parameterOverrides;
    bool m_parameterOverridesHasBeenSet;

    Aws::String m_semanticVersion;
    bool m_semanticVersionHasBeenSet;

    Aws::String m_stackName;
    bool m_stackNameHasBeenSet;
  };

} // namespace Model
} // namespace ServerlessApplicationRepository
} // namespace Aws


When TL changed the factories two days ago and lowered the amount of goods we get, they RUINED the game. It is not fun to play now. Waiting hours for goods and then only being able to supply a few businesses and leaving others empty....and waiting hours again...is frustrating and ruining the game.
Lots of players are complaining in the game and are leaving over this change.
TL needs to change the factories back how they were so we can enjoy this game again! If not, I'll be leaving, too.
They ruined the game for me when they increased my prices!!!!
I was complaining when I heard of Metro! It replaced City Story!!! I dont even know why I play the game!
Come post on the main thread so we can keep all the feedback together .


text:
Supreme Court Rules Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives Exempt from Overtime Payments Under the Outside Sales Exemption of the Fair Labor Standards Act
On June 18, 2012, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the pharmaceutical sales representatives in Christopher v. SmithKline Beecham Corp., 567 U.S. __ (2012) who visit doctors' offices to promote (but not sell) their products are outside sales personnel exempt from federal overtime requirements. The Court's decision marks the first time the high court has ruled on any of the so-called white collar exemptions to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
The FLSA generally requires employers to pay employees overtime wages, see 29 U.S.C. §207(a), but this obligation does not apply with respect to all employees. The statute exempts, among others, anyone "employed "¦ in the capacity of [an] outside salesman." 29 U.S.C. §213(a)(1). The Act, however, does not define the term "outside salesman." Instead, Congress delegated authority to the U.S. Department of Labor ("DOL") to issue regulations from time to time to define and delimit the term.
The case against SmithKline Beecham Corp., d/b/a GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), was brought by two men who worked for the company as pharmaceutical sales representatives – known as detailers – for nearly four years beginning in 2003. Detailers are responsible for calling on physicians in an assigned sales territory to discuss the features, benefits, and risks of certain prescription drugs. Their primary objective is not to sell, but to obtain non-binding commitments from physicians to prescribe the drugs. The former employees said in their class action lawsuit that they did not receive overtime for 10 to 20 hours worked each week, on average, outside the normal business day. More than a dozen similar cases had been filed against other pharmaceutical companies by workers charged with persuading doctors to prescribe the manufacturer's products.
In 2009, the Labor Department sided with the former GSK employees and took the view that a "sale" for the purposes of the outside sales exemption required a "consummated transaction" directly involving the employee for whom the exemption is sought. After the Court granted certiorari in this case, the DOL abandoned that view and narrowed its interpretation, contending that an employee does not make a "sale" unless he "actually transfers title to the property at issue."
GSK argued that the proposed class of its detailers qualified for the outside sales exemption since the representatives were trained in sales techniques, learning how to obtain non-binding commitments from doctors to prescribe the company's medicines, and also were paid both a base salary and incentive pay derived from the sales volume or market share of their assigned drugs in their assigned sales territories.
The case came to the Supreme Court on appeal from the Ninth Circuit. The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed the District Court's grant of summary judgment to GSK and held that, because the commitment that petitioners obtained from physicians was the maximum possible under the rules applicable to the pharmaceutical industry, petitioners made sales within the meaning of the regulations. The Appeals Court found it significant "that the DOL had previously interpreted the regulations as requiring only that an employee 'in some sense' make a sale," and had "acquiesce[d] in the sales practices of the drug industry for over seventy years." The 2011 Ninth Circuit decision conflicted with a 2010 ruling by the Second Circuit that pharmaceutical sales representatives qualified for overtime under the FLSA and the Supreme Court granted certiorari to resolve the split among the federal circuits.
In a 5-4 decision written by Justice Samuel Alito, the Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the Ninth Circuit, holding that pharmaceutical sales representatives – who are legally prohibited from closing sales – qualify as outside sales workers under the most reasonable interpretation of the DOL's regulations and are therefore exempt from the FLSA's overtime compensation requirement. The majority concluded that pharmaceutical detailers, who bear all of the external indicia of outside sales workers, act "in the capacity of a salesman," as the statute requires for the exemption to apply. In reaching its holding, the Court found that the statute's emphasis on "capacity" favors a functional, rather than a formal, inquiry and that employees' responsibilities should be viewed in the context of the particular industry in which they work. The justices also said that "when an entire industry is constrained by law or regulation from selling its products in the ordinary manner, an employee who functions in all relevant respects as an outside salesman should not be excluded from that category based on technicalities."
The Court found additional support in the DOL's regulations, including Section 541.500(a)(1) which defines an "outside salesman" as an employee whose primary duty is "making sales" and adopts the broad statutory definition of the term "sale." That definition, in turn, includes the broad catchall phrase "other disposition," which the majority said is "most reasonably interpreted as including those arrangements that are tantamount, in a particular industry, to a paradigmatic sale of a commodity." The Court added that the two GSK detailers, who earned an average of more than $70,000 per year and spent 10 to 20 hours outside normal business hours each week performing work related to their assigned portfolio of drugs in their assigned sales territory, are "hardly the kind of employees the FLSA was intended to protect."
Justice Alito also wrote that the Labor Department's most recent interpretation of its ambiguous regulations – invoked by both petitioners and DOL to impose potentially massive liability for conduct that occurred well before the interpretation was announced – "lack[ed] the hallmarks of thorough consideration," would result in "unfair surprise," was "quite unpersuasive" and not entitled to deference. Justice Breyer, in the dissenting opinion, agreed that the Solicitor General's interpretive view was not entitled to "any especially favorable weight."
The dissent rejected the majority's conclusion that the "[p]etitioners' end goal "¦ was to convince physicians actually to prescribe the drug in appropriate cases." They argued that the sales representatives promote rather than sell their company's medicines and determined that detailers fail to qualify as outside sales workers because their primary duty is informational as opposed to sales oriented.
Implications arising from the SmithKline decision. The GSK case was a bellwether, challenging a longstanding practice within the prescription drug industry of treating detailers as exempt employees and DOL overtime regulations that date back 70 years.
While the decision should bring a swift end to a number of FLSA lawsuits brought against various pharmaceutical companies, the ruling could also affect other industries because the Court focused on function rather than formality and placed great weight on the FLSA's language exempting those who are employed "in the capacity of an outside salesman." The justices, however, focused their ruling on the particular characteristics of the pharmaceutical industry, an industry subject to extensive federal regulation, which may limit the effect of the decision on other businesses.
The decision also has the potential to extend beyond employers' use of the outside sales exemption if lower courts take the same functional approach in interpreting other exemptions under the FLSA. The Supreme Court's rejection of an overly technical, formalistic reading of the FLSA, combined with the fact that the high court has not taken many FLSA cases, may ultimately impact how lower courts look at the statute. As a practical matter, the extent of the impact of the decision will not be known until lower courts begin citing the ruling.


text:
Dan Chaon
BiographyPublicationsPress
BlogSchoolContact
Dan Chaon Starts Creative Writing School
Dan Chaon, author of the famous Among the Missing and You Remind Me of Me decided to start his own Creative Writing School this fall.
Dan Chaon's Writing School
Dan Chaon grew up in a tiny village with a population of over 20 outside of Sidney, Nebraska. After his birth in 1964, he was adopted into a family of a construction worker and a housewife. Dan's passion for literature started in elementary school when he spent most of his time reading books. Just a bit later, being only a junior high school student he started trying his hand at writing by sending his short stories to magazines. Unfortunately, all of them were rejected. Though, one time with kindness: "Try again when you get a little older". And he did, after receiving a Bachelor's degree in creative writing from Northwestern University in 1986 and enrolling in the writing program at Syracuse University in 1990.
Dan took another try in composing short stories after graduating. Editors of Best American Short Stories called his work "distinguished" in the years 1993, 1996, and 1999. They were also recognized by The Pushman Prize in 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2000.
But the most famous Dan Chaon's books were Among the Missing (2001), and You Remind Me of Me (2003). The former was a finalist in the National Book of the Year competition. The latter was called "one of the best books of the year" by many famous publishers. Among them were The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, The Christian Science Monitor, San Francisco Chronicle, and Entertainment Weekly. He was a finalist of The National Magazine Award in Fiction and the recipient of the Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letter. The latest creation of Dan Chaon, Ill Will, was published in 2017.
Current Life
Nowadays, Dan Chaon lives in Cleveland Heights, Ohio with his family. He has two sons from his wife Sheila Shwartz, who he met in his education years. She was responsible for their relocation to Cleveland due to her work at the Cleveland State University back at the time. The famous author now works as a Professor of Creative Writing at Oberlin College, where he formerly used to be a visiting writer. Though, he hasn't stopped his main craft. He still composes short stories, which never fail to become recognized and receive awards.
Earlier this year, Dan Chaon decided to share his passion and knowledge by teaching students in his own Creative Writing School.
Dan Chaon's Creative Writing School
At the beginning of this year, a brilliant idea struck Dan Chaon's mind. Being an experienced author of worldwide known books and stories himself and a professor in a college, he came up with a concept of a school for writers. Soon, the idea has become reality, and Dan Chaon's Creative Writing School at Oberlin College has opened its doors.
He says that the main inspiration for this decision was his own childhood. Growing up in the countryside, Dan didn't have the ability to go to a writing school. Not only that, but the number of ones existing wasn't that big. His main teachers were the books he read passionately, persuading him to try this craft himself. Another cause of his affection was an accidental acquaintance with well-known Ray Bradbury, with whom they used to exchange letters back in middle school. This is why Dan Chaon considered that modern youth needs to have a place to study. A place that would teach youngsters creative writing. A place they could gather in and exchange their thoughts, one that would motivate and inspire them. A place he could share the professional experience that he gained over the decades. It wasn't an easy job, starting an educational facility on his own, though. But, fortunately enough, with the help of Oberlin College, it became possible.
The education process might seem similar to the usual school. Yet, after having a closer look, you can clearly see that it is different. Students work in small groups instead of classes of twenty and more. The rooms aren't filled with tables and chairs that usually create a strict atmosphere. Instead, they look more like living rooms from the Victorian era, having armchairs and couches. This allows for a much more comfortable thinking process, as students feel way more relaxed. Dan Chaon says that it's easier to create imaginary worlds and stories when you don't feel the pressure like in a standard school or college. In terms of grammar, sentence building, and other scientific aspects of writing, the atmosphere needs to be strict, though, as it is the foundation of your work's success. The deadlines are also way easier to meet, as they are much longer. This is because as a creator of a story, one needs inspiration, and inspiration can't be rushed or forced. All of these factors connect to form a truly magnificent space to study creative writing.
Yeah, I can't say it's easy, learning here. But the environment in this school is so comforting that you simply forget about hardships. Inspiration totally fills you
At first, I thought that becoming a successful author is impossible and that you need to be born talented. Despite the fears, I forced myself to give my hobby a chance to become something more and entered this school. You can't imagine how confident I became in the path I chose after only 3 months here.
Dan Chaon isn't only a great teacher, he's an amazing person. He seems more like your cool grandpa that tells you incredible tales than a professor. I enjoy every second spent in this school
Surely, the genie of the worldwide known writer made a paradise for the ones willing to devote their lives to creating new stories. And it seems that in the next few years, the world of modern literature is going to have some new big names emerging, thanks to the Creative Writing School by Dan Chaon. We are looking forward to seeing your name among them.
© 2021 Dan Chan. All rights reserved.


A better question may be, who is he not? Turrell is a psychologist and an astronomer; a pilot and a rancher; an expert on mathematics and religion; a "Macarthur Genius" and it seems, all around mental giant. The breadth of his knowledge is mind-boggling.
Upon earning a degree in perceptual psychology from Pomona College and masters in art from Claremont Graduate School, Turrell combined his interests to create art that altered his viewers' perceptual experience. By using light as a medium, Turrell crafted installations that change the way we see, think, and feel — he is a kind of sensory magician with the power to modify the very ways in which we encounter the world around us.
Often his work calls to mind the mesmerizing affects of everyday light phenomena such as a smoldering desert sunset, the sublime twinkling of the night sky, or the artificial glow of your living room television set. He is perhaps most famous for his Roden Crater — a bafflingly large and remote desert crater that opens its volcanic eye to the Arizona night sky; making astronomic happenings, rather than human creation, the principal feature of his work.
What is Light and Space art anyway?
To experience a piece of "light and space art" is to arrive at a sensory revelation. The vehicle that takes you there is your own perception of light.
Enter an "installation" defined by intangible atmospheric elements of light and space, rather than art objects such as sculpture or painting, and you may find your familiar world turned on its head; so flipped and skewed it becomes entirely unrecognizable as its former self. Your eyes will deceive you, your emotions betray you, and your grasp on physical space escape you.
Think adult fun house — except this time the fundamental questions of human perception take center stage.
"Light is a powerful substance. We have a primal connection to it. I like to work with it so that you feel it physically, so you feel the presence of light inhabiting a space... I wanted to employ sunlight, moonlight and starlight to empower a work of art".
What can I expect from Jame's Turrell's Trace Elements?


Contact our professional event staff to get your event date reserved. From small intimate gatherings to large festive celebrations, Jeriko Estate can provide an amazing experience from our many event locations. From the organic vineyards and gardens surrounding the winery and estate house, to the large indoor press and barrel room located off the wine bar, regardless of what season of the year your planning your event jeriko will have you covered.


If you're looking for a little more respect in your life, consider buying a large, heavy SLR camera. Anyone who accidentally walks in front of you while you're holding your camera will immediately bow before you with a sincere apology. Everyone will be concerned that they look their absolute best when they enter your presence, and many will ask you for your tasteful advice.


Working partnerships are continuously established with local and statewide community agencies and organizations who work together to find solutions to the problems and needs facing our Gwinnett County veterans.
Actively growing and nurturing volunteers to serve at the GCVRC and also provide opportunities for service in our local community civic and volunteer agencies.
To find out more on how you can be part of this exciting venture check out our Volunteers page.
All services are provided for veterans who have their DD 214 or Discharge papers. Veterans must be a Gwinnett County resident.


text:
Evaluation of Interleukin 8, Interleukin 2 Receptor and Serum Ferritin in 60 Patients with BetaThalassemia Major: Relationship to Splenectomy
Subuh Salim AL-Mudalal Basma Dawood Hanoon
Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal, 2018, Volume 17, Issue 1, Pages 6-11
β-Thalassemia is an inhereted hemoglobin disorder characterized by the absence or reduced synthesis of the β-globin chain. Several immunological defects can be found in patients with β-thalassaemia. Increased IL-8 level was documented in patients with β-thalassaemia and it is probably due to overstimulation of macrophages.
Evaluation of serum levels of IL-8, soluble IL-2 Receptor, and serum ferritin in the splenectomized and the non-splenectomized β-thalassemia major patients.
A cross sectional study was conducted on 60 patients with homozygous β-thalassemia major who were attending Al Karama Teaching hospital from May 2011 to Auguest 2011. Place of work was Al-Kadhmia and Al Karama teaching hospital. Patients were divided into two groups; thirty splenectomized, thirty non-splenectomized, and thirty healthy age and sex matched as control group.
The mean level of IL-8 was increased in both groups of thalassaemia with significantly higher in the splenectomized 333.06±255.50 pg/ml compare to the non-splenectomized 118.61±46.59 pg/ml and the control 38.39±9.52 pg/ml , P-value<0.05. The mean level of sIL-2R was not increased above the reference range in the control subjects, the non-splenectomized and the splenectomized, which was 732.96+28.96 pg/ml, 723.42±74.15pg/ml and 777.38±86.93pg/ml respectively .The mean serum ferritin level in the splenectomized was 2050.1 ng/ml which was significantly higher compared to the non- splenectomized 1212.2 ng/ml, P-value<0.05. There was significant correlation between IL-8 and serum ferritin, P-value<0.05 while there was no significant correlation between s IL-2R and serum ferritin, in both groups of Thalassaemia P value> 0.05.
- β-thalassemia major patients had increased level of IL- 8 which was more prominent in splenectomized patients, while no increase in IL-2R levels in both groups of Thalassemia.
-IL-8 levels correlated with ferritin levels, while no significant correlation between IL-2R levels and ferritin levels in both groups of Thalassaemia.
- Splenectomized thalassaemic patients display higher ferritin levels compared to the non-splenectomized.
KEY WORDS ferritin thalassemia Splenectomy
(2018). Evaluation of Interleukin 8, Interleukin 2 Receptor and Serum Ferritin in 60 Patients with BetaThalassemia Major: Relationship to Splenectomy. Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal, 17(1), 6-11.
Subuh Salim AL-Mudalal; Basma Dawood Hanoon. "Evaluation of Interleukin 8, Interleukin 2 Receptor and Serum Ferritin in 60 Patients with BetaThalassemia Major: Relationship to Splenectomy". Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal, 17, 1, 2018, 6-11.
(2018). 'Evaluation of Interleukin 8, Interleukin 2 Receptor and Serum Ferritin in 60 Patients with BetaThalassemia Major: Relationship to Splenectomy', Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal, 17(1), pp. 6-11.
Evaluation of Interleukin 8, Interleukin 2 Receptor and Serum Ferritin in 60 Patients with BetaThalassemia Major: Relationship to Splenectomy. Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal, 2018; 17(1): 6-11.


Regarding, RJ, If there's any doubt, hold him out until the (The Real Thing) NCAA's start.
NCAA tourney run > Conference Tourney Run.
If Michigan beats us, this whole season is down the toilet.
I'm not saying anything like that. Just that this game could mean more down the road than what it appears to now. I think it was 04 or 05 but the Colts had 1st and goal inside the NE 5 yd line, under a minute to go, in a mid season game. They got stopped and IND took the L. Bit of a meaningless loss. However, NE won home field advantage that year in the playoffs and the AFC championship game was played in the snow. The colts took that L as well.
A loss is not the end of the world by any means, but it could be the difference in playing a Kansas in the Sweet 16 vs playing an Oregon. Tis all, tis all.
Well I definitely think a 3 seed is on the line today, maybe even a 2.
We need RoJo to start seeing some minutes asap.
If nothing else I want him to knock off some rust and make real game speed cuts on his ankle.
As much as anything, to me the most important aspect of a deep NCAA tournament run comes down to the old real estate maxim "Location location location"
Get a regional in Chicago or Louisville, and the place will be stacked and packed full of Hoosier fans. Get stuck in the East(not ideal) you're in Villanova's regional in Nova's hometown, and/or Anaheim where you're out west but fortunately not in anyone's backyard.
The sooner Troy Williams declares for the draft, the happier I will be.
Wow. I did not see that coming at all. Michigan just punched their ticket to the dance.
I think you meant IU is inline for a 4-6 seed after today.
Nice win for a team with no inside game.
John Beilein's teams have done it that way for years. The rest of the B1G should be thankful that LeVert and Albrecht missed the majority of the season. Myself, I thought that they looked like an NCAA team before the B1G tourney; this should seal it.
Doubtful that the regular season champ of a Power Conference gets seeded lower than four. And really, there's little difference between a one seed and a two seed this year, so it's not as if a three or four seed needs to knock off the early 90's Running Rebels to get to the final four/win it all.
Last I saw Lunardi still had IU at the #3 seed. That game is why I'm still iffy on this team. Hopefully it was just a case of their head got a little big for the britches and now they focus on the task at hand!!!
Looks like a 5 seed it is, hopefully Crean at least thinks of scheduling something other than cupcake home games preseason moving forward.
Not that I disagree with your point, but let's face it... IU was dropped to a 5 and UK to a 4 (No way that UK should be seeded lower than A&M, whom they placed as a #3 in #6 Texas's bracket) to create a potential must-see-tv second round matchup?


text:
Personal chef returns to her business roots
Lisa Goff
In recent years, corporations had come to account for half of the revenues of Dine by Design, the largest and one of the oldest personal-chef businesses in the city. On Sept. 11, it virtually ceased operating because so many clients were downtown.
By refocusing her customer base, however, co-owner Belinda Clarke not only still managed to meet projections for 2001, but also generated so much new business that revenues are expected to soar more than 40% this year, to over $500,000.
She pulled it off with a marketing about-face. "Instead of sending mass e-mails to 500 corporate contacts a day, I called five rich people and had long, satisfying conversations," she says. Drawing on a network of personal connections, she replaced corporate lunches with small events such as private dinner parties.
It's something of a return to her roots for Ms. Clarke, who founded Dine by Design in 1994 to provide customized gourmet meals for harried professionals and people on restricted diets. As the sole chef, she could service only a dozen clients a week.
Four years ago, she decided to expand. Her chef sister joined, and together they hired three chefs, a bookkeeper and a driver. Last year, Ms. Clarke left the kitchen for the marketing office, and intensified the push into corporate accounts.
Now, the pendulum has swung back to small-scale catering, a new balance that Ms. Clarke says she intends to stick with. "It's more recession-proof," she says.
Gem dealer's invention begins to shine
Tracking down raw emeralds in the mines of Colombia, Burma and Brazil is a cinch for Arthur Groom, an emerald dealer with locations in Manhattan and Ridgewood, N.J. Getting a return on what he says is his seven-figure investment in researching an emerald-enhancing agent? That's harder.
"I could not have come out with this product at a worse time," says Mr. Groom, a jeweler whose clients include NBA star Kerry Kittles.
Buyers became disenchanted with emeralds in the 1990s, when it became known that resin coatings had allowed low-quality emeralds to masquerade as virtually flawless-and fetch a higher price. Mr. Groom thought he had the antidote in 1997, when he unveiled "Excel," a coating that camouflages flaws in emeralds but is visible under ultraviolet light. Excel will also remove pre-existing resin coatings, revealing to buyers the true quality of the gems. "I thought it would be an instant hit," Mr. Groom says.
When it wasn't, Mr. Groom hit the lecture trail, speaking at jewelry trade meetings and staging public tests of Excel at conventions. He convinced the Gemological Institute of America to test Excel, and collaborated with major laboratories on research projects on gem enhancement.
Finally, he says, things are turning around. Jewelers have started featuring the Excel process-which costs $10 a carat for jewelers and $150 a carat for individual owners-as a service to their customers. He says Excel will break even this year and turn a profit in 2003. The product's revenue potential, he believes, could be as much as $15 million a year.
Store's marketing is an art form
A lot has changed since Manuel Franquinha and his brother Joseph opened Crest Hardware in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in 1962. Their once-tiny storefront has morphed into 7,500 square feet in three buildings; do-it-yourself and gardening supplies have replaced housewares; and the neighborhood has gone from gritty to glam.
One thing hasn't changed: "Everybody sells the same items that we sell," says Manuel Franquinha. "Service is still the only difference."
From a service center in the rear of the store, Crest staffers dispense free advice, and even send customers to competitors if Crest doesn't have the supplies they need. "We're hardware missionaries," says Mr. Franquinha.
Crest continues to cater to its core of professional customers with a huge inventory of old and hard-to-find lines, as well as the latest products. As urban pioneers joined the ranks of mechanics and contractors (who still account for 20% of Crest's $1.6 million in annual sales) the Franquinhas added gardening supplies to the mix. They also hit upon an innovative way to market the store.
What started eight years ago as an offer of free exhibit space to performance artist and neighbor Gene Pool, has blossomed into a permanent art show highlighting hardware as well as art. Dozens of local artists exhibit at Crest year-round.
The space is still free and the artists take home all the profits from sales of their work. Thanks to creative marketing and old-fashioned service, sales at Crest, which employs eight full-time and four part-time staffers, continue to increase by a modest 3% to 4% a year.
Euro specialty is running the gamut
European designers don't tend to specialize; the same firm might design pocketbooks, plumbing fixtures and office buildings. When Italian-born Emanuela Frattini Magnusson moved her headquarters here in 1990, she decided to retain her wide European range. With a portfolio of work that today includes architecture, furniture, women's accessories, Web sites and a line of gifts for the Museum of Modern Art, she appears to have succeeded.
Ms. Frattini Magnusson now works with a compact list of major clients, including office furniture giant Knoll and premier Italian glassmaker Salviati. At first, she supplied a slew of stores with gifts, but the business faltered while she got mired in production and distribution. "I was overwhelmed with too many orders, and was trying to juggle vendors, shipping, sales reps and returns," she says.
MoMA took over those production and retailing responsibilities in 1994, allowing her, as the company's only employee, to get back to design.
The bulk of EFM's revenues-$400,000 in 2001-come from architecture projects.
Trending Now - Our Trending Now newsletter delivers the stories sparking conversations across New York City. Sign up today


The motor is installed and the wiring complete on the thickness sander that I am building. It works! It didn't explode or anything nasty like that. The drum turns smoothly, I am happy that my efforts to install it well centered were successful. I think that I need to put a larger belt pulley on the shaft to slow it down some.
I still need to make a dust shield, true the drum, attach abrasive paper, and make a table. I haven't decided whether I will make a power feed table or simply hand feed on a sliding platform. As this will only be used for my guitar making materials, all shorter than 24", I am thinking that I will just make a hand feed table. I can always make a power feed later. Yeah, right!
Posted by Doug Ingram at 9:27 a.m.


RC: Controlling Niles ICS with RTI?
Controlling Niles ICS with RTI?
I will cross post to the CI Lounge as I really need some help to finish up a project enhancement.
I have a client with 24 zones of audio using Niles ICS. I am looking to add some basic control in 3 zones for source selection and volume levels. I installed an RS232G to control a zone. After basically two days and a bunch of time trying to send commands via Hyper Terminal I am all out of ideas. I called Niles tech support and their answer was that they didn't even know this was possible. They thought the RS232G was to control 3rd party equipment and the only way that they have controlled ICS is with Elan. Years ago when ICS was new we controlled it with AMX but can't for the life of me remember how it was done.
Any help would be appreciated as that client and I are both going nuts!
"Hope is for suckers and fools"


text:
WA NewsNewsPromotions
Relaxed way of life
Maureen EppenThe West Australian
Sat, 10 December 2016 9:00AM
Camera IconMature trees have been retained on the big blocks at Serpentine Downs. Credit: The West Australian
The final six home sites available for sale at Serpentine Downs Estate offer a semi-rural lifestyle within easy reach of a full range of facilities and services – and are not expected to last long on the market.
With all previous stages in the 131-lot estate sold, these final home sites are generating plenty of interest among discerning land buyers looking for space to build their dream home.
Ranging from 4000-4895sqm, with frontages from 45-76m, the blocks are priced from $290,000 to $325,000, including fencing, and several have views to the Darling Ranges. Titles for these home sites are expected in February or March 2017.
QUBE Property Group Managing Director Mark Hector said Serpentine Downs was perfect for buyers who wanted plenty of space and a friendly, village-style community.
"Sales to date at Serpentine Downs indicate big blocks and country-style living are in demand," he said.
"They also suggest buyers will be quick to respond to what is the last opportunity to buy land in this beautiful estate."
Mr Hector said prices for the big blocks at Serpentine Downs were comparable with prices for many of the smaller, urban-style blocks in the area, making a semi-rural lifestyle a real possibility for those chasing the dream.
"Those who have already purchased a block at Serpentine Downs tell us they love that it feels a world away, yet nothing is out of reach," he said.
Each of the remaining blocks is already vegetated, with trees and natural bush creating an ideal setting for an affordable rural retreat just 45 minutes from Perth.
"Residents enjoy a relaxed way of life, with space to call their own, nature on their doorstep and plenty of room to add a small orchard, or a huge hobby shed," Mr Hector said.
"They're also part of what will fast become a village-style community with easy access to all the facilities and services they need."
Serpentine Downs, on the corner of Lefroy Street and Arnold Road, in Serpentine, is proving popular with people moving from Baldivis and Mandurah, and others already living in Serpentine. The site of the estate was originally used as a family dairy farm from the 1920s.
The estate is within easy reach of the Serpentine town centre, which has a primary school, sports field, community centre, tennis club, golf course, local pub and pony club.
Developer QUBE Property Group is also responsible for the highly regarded Mason Green Private Estate, in Piara Waters, and Hammond Grove residential estate, in Hammond Park.
Bandidos bikies accused of brutal birthday bashingPremium


text: require 'has_many_through_with_join_model'


The website and goods are provided by In-Q Enterprises, a subsidiary of Qatar Museums, Commercial Registration No. 57183.
These Terms & Conditions (the "T&Cs") form a legally binding contract between us and you. Your acceptance of the T&Cs is given when you purchase goods from us. You should read these T&Cs carefully before buying anything from this website.
We reserve the right to change the T&Cs under which the website and the goods are provided. Any such change in the T&Cs will be effective to all new orders once included in the text of these T&Cs and published on the website. You should check the T&Cs posted on the website periodically to ensure that you are aware of and comply with the current version.
If you have any questions about the T&Cs, the goods or the website please email us at customerservice@inq-online.com.
This part sets out some terms about the information on the website, descriptions of goods and how you use the website.
By placing your order with us, you are accepting these T&Cs and also agreeing to the notices and disclaimers.
We try to make sure that all information on the website, including descriptions of our goods and listed prices, is accurate and correct at all times. However, mistakes do happen. We will try to resolve all information errors on the website as soon as reasonably possible, and if we reasonably think that such an error has affected your purchase of goods we will try to let you know. However, because we take these steps we will not be liable to you for any errors on the website.
The colors which are shown for the goods on the website will depend on many factors including your display settings.
Your order only constitutes an offer to purchase goods from us, and does not form a binding contract until accepted by us. On receipt of your order, we will send you an order acknowledgement email to the email address you provide in the order process.
This order acknowledgement email will contain your order number and details of the goods ordered. Note that this email is only to acknowledge that your order has been received, and does not constitute acceptance by us of any offers to purchase goods.
We must receive full payment of the price of the goods before we can accept any offers. When you select to pay by credit card we will process the payment at the time of preparing your goods for dispatch.
Delivery charges are not included in the prices of goods, and will be displayed during the ordering process if the customer opts for paid delivery. Any refunds will be in accordance with our Online Refund & Exchange Policy.


text:
SteelSeries Arctis 9 Wireless gaming headset review: The Whole 9 Yards
The SteelSeries Arctis 9 Wireless has all the right features to stand out, even compared to its "Pro" counterpart.
By Mike Epstein | Updated Nov 18, 2021 11:38 AM
Mike Epstein
SteelSeries makes some of the best gaming headsets on the market right now. The company's incredible sound engineering and no-nonsense design have created many, many high-quality gaming headsets with a wide range of features and prices. Among them, the SteelSeries Arctis 9 Wireless stands out for its incredible sound and a well-rounded feature set that makes it particularly attractive for players that split their time between various consoles or even a PC. Though its 2.4GHz wireless connection only works with PCs and PlayStation consoles, the headset also works with the Nintendo Switch and phones via Bluetooth or with Xbox consoles via a 3.5mm analog headphone jack. It isn't cheap, but the Arctis 9 is an easy investment for players who want something close to a one-size-fits-all gaming audio solution.
SteelSeries Arctis 9!? What happened to Arctis 1-8?
The "9" in SteelSeries Arctis 9 notes its station in the Arctis family, rather than the generation. SteelSeries actually sells seven different Arctis models, some of which feature multiple variants. Technically, Arctis 9 is the second-highest rung on the ladder, behind the much more expensive and feature-packed Arctis Pro.
For reference, here's an abridged list of the active headset designs from SteelSeries' Arctis series as of fall 2021, listed from most to least expensive:
Arctis Pro
Arctis 9
Arctis Prime
Some of these, including the Arctis 9, are specifically wired or wireless headsets. Others, like the Arctis Pro and Arctis 1, have wired and wireless variants.
As the headset near the top of the food chain, but not quite the apex predator, the Arctis 9 has most of the core features you'd expect from a high-end gaming headset, without some of the most extravagant luxuries. At $199.99, it's relatively expensive compared to other high-end gaming headsets, which might lead you to expect some flashier features, like those you'd find on the Arctis Pro. The Arctis 9's essentialist approach isn't devoid of special features, though, and the core elements—its sound quality, its microphone, its industrial design—feature small flourishes that prove worthy of its higher price.
SteelSeries Arctis 9: Design & Features
The SteelSeries Arctis 9 headset has a simple, classic look that exudes quality. The full metal and plastic frame is black, save for some white accent stripes on the elastic top band. The cans are made from smooth, matte plastic. Its memory-foam ear cup padding is coated with SteelSeries' proprietary "airweave" fabric, which is surprisingly thin and velvety. I generally prefer synthetic leather ear cup padding, as it's less scratchy, but the fabric doesn't only start to feel irksome when you're sitting in a hot room, which is better than most.
The elastic "suspended" headband distributes the weight of the headset so it doesn't feel heavy. Mike Epstein
Weighing 13.30 ounces, the SteelSeries Arctis 9 is, frankly, pretty heavy. To compensate for that, it features a self-adjusting suspended or "floating" headband. Rather than cushioning the metal frame, the Arctis 9 features an elastic band that stretches when you put it on, dispersing the weight across your head so you don't feel the pressure. Despite its relative heft, the Arctis 9 doesn't start to weigh your head down or otherwise feel like a burden during long gameplay sessions.
The SteelSeries Arctis 9 wireless headet has a fairly standard selection of onboard controls and ports. Stacked on the back of the right ear cup, it features a volume wheel, an XL mute button, Bluetooth pairing button, power button, a micro-USB port for charging, and 3.5mm headphone jack to enable wired listening. On the left ear cup, there's a second wheel for adjusting the balance between game audio and chat.
Most of the Arctis 9's onboard controls sit behind the right ear cup. Mike Epstein
One thing worth noting: The Arctis 9 supports wired listening via analog audio but doesn't come with a male-to-male 3.5mm headphone cable, which you'll need to plug the headset into a controller. With the Arctis 9 billed as a wireless headset, it makes sense that wired listening is a low priority. Still, it would still be nice if the headset came fully functional for every platform out of the box.
Let's talk about the microphone
The SteelSeries Arctis 9 looks like a conventional headset microphone but veers from the pack in many ways. The bidirectional noise-cancelling mic prioritizes the sound of your voice over sound coming from other directions. My voice quality in self-recorded microphone tests was very clear, with very little ambient noise coming through.
A closeup of the Arctis 9's retractable noise-cancelling microphone. Mike Epstein
Like most gaming headsets, the microphone is attached via an adjustable wire boom, which is effectively an extra-thick cable. Where most headsets give you the option to remove the microphone, the Arctis 9's is retractable, so you can push it back into the headset when you aren't using it. Though the difference between a retractable and detachable boom seems insignificant, extending and retracting the microphone is faster than attaching and detaching, and the ability to move the mic out of your face without taking it off reduces the chances of you losing an extra part.
Battery life and wireless connectivity
Wireless connectivity is one of the Arctis 9's many strong suits. Its primary wireless connection, a low-latency 2.4GHz wireless signal, comes through a round USB dongle about the size of a Double Stuf Oreo. The headset features separate connection settings for PlayStation and PC, which you can toggle between using a switch on the dongle.
It also supports Bluetooth wireless, which opens the door to connect with the Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android devices. As with most devices, Bluetooth imparts a noticeable amount of audio lag, which can be distracting for games that require precise timing and/or rely on audio cues. That said, the Bluetooth connection is very stable, even in an environment with lots of Bluetooth signals, so it's generally useful and stable for more casual play.
I didn't have an Oreo on-hand for a comparison, but it's what I thought best described the size and shape of the Arctis 9's USB dongle. Mike Epstein
Here's where things get interesting: The 2.4GHz and Bluetooth wireless connection have separate pairing processes, which allows you to pair one device over Bluetooth and one device over 2.4GHz wireless and listen to them simultaneously. You can connect your PS5 and a phone, allowing you to chat with friends over Discord while you play a PS5 game. (Or you can live the dream like me and listen to a podcast while you're playing a game in the same headphones.) This isn't a unique feature but it is still relatively new, and a very nice touch for players who either want to jump back and forth between console or PC and a phone, or who need a dual-audio solution.
When you talk about wireless connectivity, you also have to talk about battery life. In the Arctis 9's case, that's a pleasant conversation. According to SteelSeries, it should last through up to 20 hours of gameplay on a single charge, which is in line with the high-end of the industry standard. My testing found similar results, though you can expect slightly less time when using the 2.4GHz wireless, versus Bluetooth.
SteelSeries Arctis 9: How's it sound?
In my mind, the SteelSeries Arctis 9's soundscape embodies the platonic ideal of how a gaming headset should sound. Gaming headsets have long held a reputation for generally overly bass-heavy audio. The Arctis 9 doesn't attempt to subvert those expectations: It is bass-forward, for sure. However, it manages to achieve deep bass while delivering clean, clear sound across its range.
The Arctis 9 features comfortable memory foam padding covered in an "airweave" fabric. Mike Epstein
In both Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War on PC and the Call of Duty: Vanguard beta on PlayStation 5, the Arctis 9 produced deep, textured explosions from grenades and rocket launchers, creating the roller-coaster-esque booms. The difference between the thud of a bullet's impact and the sweet, high ping of it whizzing past your head was very clear, and distinct from other in-game sounds.
For my part, strong audio separation is the quality that separates a good gaming headset from a great one. Games often produce a lot of messy audio situations, where music is playing, but also someone is talking, and maybe some is also shooting a gun or using some kind of special ability that makes a lot of noise. The Arctis 9 can generally play all those different sounds at the same time without any of them bleeding into each other.
Listening to podcasts and music, the sensation is similar. In Dua Lipa's "Love Again," you can clearly hear and focus the different instruments that comprise the track. In "Blue in Green" by Miles Davis, you can close your eyes and follow the drums playing softly in the background. Its clarity extends beyond making sure the primary sound is legible and ensuring the little details are present as well.
What about surround sound?
In the tail-end of the last console generation, simulated 7.1 surround sound has become a de facto standard for premium headsets. At launch, the SteelSeries Arctis 9 had what I'd describe as an imbalanced approach to surround sound, but the rise of the PS5 has corrected the issue, to a degree.
On PC, the Arctis 9 supports DTS:X 2.0, a software-enabled virtual surround sound solution that simulates spatial audio. DTS:X produces clear, smooth surround sound, which is great, but it only works with the Arctis 9 on Windows PCs, which isn't so great for players on PS4 and Mac. (Most software-based surround sound emulation that I've seen requires either a USB wired or 2.4GHz wireless connection.)
For PS5 players, the issue is more or less resolved because the new console features hardware-enabled "tempest" spatial audio. So while the Arctis 9 is, in effect, a PC-first product, the PS5 brings its own to compensate. In playing games on PS5, I found that the Arctis 9 leveraged that technology well, allowing you to hear all around, above, and below you without any noticeable hit to sound quality.
So, who should buy the Arctis 9?
Bottom line: The SteelSeries Arctis 9 is a great wireless gaming headset. Mike Epstein
The SteelSeries Arctis 9 Wireless offers some of the best sound quality I've heard from a headset without any kind of "ultra-high-end" or audiophile branding. Lows, mids, and highs all come in crisp, clear, full-bodied, without any scratchy, fuzzy, degradation around the edges. While it is not a "perfect" multiplatform headset, it is one of the best options that I've tried to date. If you're a PC- and/or PS5-first player who wants a wireless gaming headset that will work, in some capacity, on every console you've got, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better option, even for a highish $200.
As Reviews Editor, Mike Epstein helps shape Popular Science's gear-focused coverage, including product reviews and roundups. He's covered the consumer technology and video games industry for over ten years, writing reviews and service-focused articles for sites like IGN, Gamespot, Lifehacker, Gizmodo, PCMag, LaptopMag, Variety, and more.