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June 4, 2018 — Long Beach — American Lending Center Arizona has been approved by USCIS as an EB-5 regional center! ALC Arizona is the 12th regional center under Regional Centers Holding Group to receive approval.
RCH is the holding company of these regional center entities and successfully operates its EB-5 business with an experienced in-house team. To date, RCH has completed an impressive list of 70 EB-5 projects located throughout the country and fully recruited EB-5 investors for all projects.
Approval was made possible by the hardworking team at ALC and RCH. Congratulations!
Above: American Lending Center Arizona Regional Center is the 12th regional center under Regional Centers Holding Group to receive USCIS approval.


It all comes down to this. At 9:00 AM, the US Men's National Team takes on Germany with a spot in the round of 16 on the line. There are a lot of scenarios but basically, the US needs to win or draw to move on.
You know you won't be working during these couple of hours so join us at the downtown Casa Mia for the OlySports.com viewing party. The restaurant will open at 8:30 AM and features a breakfast menu including coffee, mimosas, muffins, donuts and an absolutely ridiculously delicious sounding breakfast pizza with a gorgonzola sauce, bacon, onions, peppers, hasbrowns, mozzarella and a fried egg for $10.
Posted on June 26, 2014, in Soccer. Bookmark the permalink.	Leave a comment.


They look great! Thanks, japes!
I propose we move Shredder to On Deck.
I'm guessing that's a Yea from you then, Japes?
With 5 Yeas and it being over 48 hours, this passes. Thanks all!
Very Shreddy. Good to see the TMNT universe growing.
Needs Wave Info. Otherwise good.
My checks look good here.


text:
Q: 2 classes, both have pointers. need them to either point to a type of themselves, or a type of the other I am making linked list of sectors. A sector can either be of type directorySector or userSector. The first sector is always a directory sector, and the rest are not known until run time. How would I link a directorySector to a userSector? I can't have the example code because a sector of type directorySector does not always point to another directorySector. Thanks in advance!
struct directorySector{
directorySector *ptr;
};

A: You can use polymorphism to point to the children class with a pointer of the base class. you will need to make sure you keep track of the type so you don't mess with the types and access an invalid data type. You might need to cast the values to go back to the children class.
class sector
{
   sector* sectorPtr;
};

class directorySector : public sector
{
   /*WhatEver*/
};

class userSector : public sector
{
   /*Whatever*/
};

int main()
{
   sector mySector;
   directorySector myDirectorySector;
   userSector myUserSector;
   mySector.sectorPtr = &myDirectorySector;
   mySector.sectorPtr = &myUserSector;

   return 0;
}

More info:

http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/polymorphism/

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Рато́мский — фамилия. Известные носители:

 Ратомский, Александр Викторович (наст. фамилия Бочков; 1908—1988) — русский советский театральный актёр и режиссёр, народный артист РСФСР.
 Ратомский, Владимир Никитич (наст. фамилия Лаптев; 1891—1965) — советский актёр театра и кино, народный артист РСФСР.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Roger Cole Enterprises
High Flight
About John Magee
The Spitfire & RAF Wellingore
Cumberland Galleries
Henri Gaudier-Brzeska
Henri Gaudier Brzeska's life
Shop categories:
John Magee Memorabilia
Henri Gaudier-Brzeska Art and Books
Your basket Checkout
Chase the Shouting Wind
The only complete biography ever written of the life and times of John Magee. A must have for anybody who wants to know about John Magee's life and poetry. Fully illustrated with information and pictures never previously published. Pre publication special orders.
This collection of poems has not been printed together before which, in its unusual concertina layout, make it a unique and rather curious publication and a real object of interest.
The poems in this unique book were all written by John Magee and the book was first published by him and sent as a present to his girlfriend in England, Eleanor. The poem High Flight, which John wrote later in his life, and is now world famous, is also included in this publication. The book concludes with the poem that Eleanor wrote in her own copy of the book on hearing of John's death.
Collectors of John Magee souvenirs will also want to obtain a facsimile copy in a limited edition of the original book which is available here.
High Flight. Limited and numbered edition of only 500
This book's unique binding, hand bound, replicates exactly the book which John Magee produced during his lifetime. This print is strictly limited to 500 numbered copies. These copies will be sent out on a first come – first served basis.
Pilots Prayer Postcards x 10
This is a stunning full colour copy of the poem 'High Flight' written by John Magee when he came to the United Kingdom to train as a pilot for the Royal Canadian Air Force. The poem was created as a result of his early flight in the Supermarine Spitfire and the Spitfire depicted on the postcard has his unique squadron markings painted on the side.
These cards are collectors items and a vivid reminder of the unique life of John Magee. Size – 150mm X 100mm. 10 cards supplied.
These postcards are ideal to send to friends.
A Pilots Prayer with Spitfire A4 Poster
This is a stunning full colour poster of the poem 'High Flight' written by John Magee when he came to the United Kingdom to train as a pilot for the Royal Canadian Air Force. The poem was created as a result of his early flight in the Supermarine Spitfire and the Spitfire depicted has his unique squadron markings painted on the side.
Smaller versions of this poster are also available as postcards (code 304/09) which are ideal to send to friends.
© Roger Cole 2019

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Theater in London – Part Two
Theater in London: Home-grown Classics; Broadway Drama, Comedy, Musicals, and Epics
American theatrical footprints are all over London theater – just as West End footprints are all over Broadway.
Besides American musicals Aladdin, An American in Paris, Beautiful, The Book of Mormon, Five Guys Named Moe, 42nd Street, Kinky Boots, The Lion King, Motown, Stomp, and Wicked, there's a revival of Annie opening in May, the eagerly-anticipated arrival in June of Audra McDonald in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill, and, in September, Young Frankenstein, choreographed and directed by Susan Stroman. On the Town will have a 12-week run in Regent Park beginning May 19.
A production of Cy Coleman, Ira Gasman, and David Newman's 1997 The Life was just presented, but not to the type of reviews that had been hoped for [maybe this show is one uniquely-suited for Manhattan]. [Through April 15, original Tony-winning co-star of the musical Lillias White is headlining the Fats Waller revue This Joint is Jumpin' at The Other Palace.]
Hamilton will open in November in the shadow of Victoria Station and shopping mall at the historic Victoria Palace, undergoing a multi-million pound renovation and reconstruction in anticipation.
Then, there are the American plays, which include Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie; two from Edward Albee, The Goat or Who's Sylvia and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?; and Stephen Karam's Speech & Debate.
One of the problems of being a theaterlover (maybe even a critic) in London is the amazing number of shows by all manner of past and present playwrights presented in limited engagements – when one is loading out, another is loading in. A huge difference in London is the number of daily papers and Time Out, with numerous reviewers and, thus, numerous viewpoints.
Home-grown musicals still do socko business on the West End: Half a Sixpence, Les Miz, Mamma Mia, Matilda,The Phantom of the Opera, and School of Rock.
There's still the official Half-Price Ticket Booth in Leicester Square, but many shows on the board don't offer 50% off. There's a huge amount of confusion on the Square with several unofficial discount ticket sellers. The price of West End tickets has gradually crept up and aren't too far off the Broadway mark.
There's a vibe scene at a number of theatres which have nice lobby spaces for tea, coffee, and drinks and are open during non-performance hours; and post-office, pre- and post-theater restaurants where drinks are available. The small West End Arts Theatre not only has a historic private membership club but a very attractive street level café for beverages and snacks.
Two of the most popular are The Other Naughty Piglet at The Other Palace [formerly the St. James, and now owned by the Really Useful Company; 15 Palace Street, SW1E 5JA] [recently presented there was John LaChiusa and George C. Wolfe's The Wild Party] and the vast downstairs space at the Royal Court on busy Sloane Square. One of the most posh is pre-theater and interval service at the historic Theatre Royal Drury Lane (currently home of the lavish 42nd Street revival).
There's a bit of sad news: Joe Allen's in the shadow of The Lion King at the colonnaded Lyceum Theatre will soon be closing after 42 years at 13 Exeter Street, due to Robert De Niro's purchase of the entire block, which will be demolished. The good news is that it will be relocated "quite nearby." Orso is still just around the corner.
Olivier-nominated Cherry Jones Makes West End Debut
If you've wondered where the heck Tony and Drama Desk winner Cherry Jones has been, wonder no more. She's making her long-awaited West End debut, reviving her Amanda Wingfield in John Tiffany's production of Tennessee Williams'
The Glass Menagerie (through April 29) at the Duke of York – seen on Broadway in 2015. It has paid off handsomely with Olivier nominations for Jones, Best Revival, and co-stars Brian J. Smith [from the Broadway cast] and Kate O'Flynn. Michael Esper is Tom. It had a brief run summer, 2016 in Edinburgh.
Tiffany is having quite a hot London season as he's double Olivier-nominated: for The Glass Menagerie and the Olivier-nominated smash hit adapted from J.K. Rowling's book Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two, arriving on Broadway next Spring at the Ambassador Group's Lyric Theatre (which, on the close of Cirque du Soleil's Paramour) also will undergo a transformation that will not only remove seating but also relocate the entrance to 43rd Street.
The Telegraph's Dominic Cavendish raved, "Although it's often revived, John Tiffany's production casts a greater, more shiver-making spell than most . . . It has been said before that American stage star Cherry Jones is perfect as Amanda, the former Southern belle who frets night and day about her troublesome two [children], clinging to memories of the gentlemen callers who once courted her . . . Hers is a wonderfully animated performance . . . Kate O'Flynn remains an understated, introverted marvel as Laura . . . The late-evening brief encounter between her and Brian J Smith as Jim, her long-time high school crush, begins on a note of tender tragi-comedy, moves into a register of romance as glorious as anything you'll see in La La Land, and ends up with all hopes shattered."
And now to Edward Albee
Edward Albee's The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?, starring celebrated TV star Damian Lewis has become an established hit at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.
Want more Albee? There's the revival of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at the Harold Pinter starring the indefatigable Imelda Staunton (Gypsy revival) as motor mouth monster Martha, Conleth Hill as George. Of the cast, co-starring Luke Treadaway as Nick and Imogen Poots as Honey, "a sabre-toothed pussycat," a critic wrote "It is hard to imagine a cast that could be bettered."
James Macdonald directed the production which is being hailed as "pitch-perfect" and "not only the most affecting and intelligent, but the most enjoyable evening in the West End."
Of this 60s landmark play, Michael Arditti in the Express wrote, "It's a moot point as to who is in the tighter corner: Nick and Honey, the young academic and his wife, invited for late-night drinks by the college president's daughter [Martha] to watch her marriage [to George] unravel. Their discomfort is matched by the audience's delight . . . With the action unfolding over a single night in George and Martha's sitting room, as well as its conscious echoes of Eugene O'Neill, [it] might well be subtitled Long Night's Journey Into Day . . . It's the magnificent Conleth Hill's raw pain and simmering resentment as George that provide the abiding image of the night . . . It offers one of the most intricate and intimate portraits of marriage seen on stage.".
Two of the Bard's lesser characters make a comeback
At the Old Vic, two of the Bard's bit players find themselves center stage as the world's most celebrated tragedy [Hamlet] is reworked by director David Leveaux into an absurdist comedy in Tom Stoppard's "scintillating" Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, which a reviewer noted, "unleashes a coruscating cascade of wordplay and ideas [such as questions about predestination and free will]."
Daniel Radcliffe, "one of the most recognizable young actors on the planet," as Rosencrantz, is partnered by Joshua McGuire as the more suspicious and cynical Guildenstern." Several critics have compared the punkish characters to a cross between Beckett's Vladimir and Estragon in Waiting for Godot, even Lewis Carroll's Tweedledum and Tweedledee.
Early Stephen Karam
Recent runs included Tom Attenborough's production of Stephen Karam's 2006 dark comedy with music Speech & Debate, which featured Gideon Glick (Significant Other) as Howie. There's now a film adaptation starring Sarah Steele [from the original cast], Austin McKenzie, and Liam James with appearances by Kristin Chenoweth, Darren Criss, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
London as Theater
Many attractions are free or ask for a donation. An absolute must is a visit to the humongous V&A Museum (Victoria and Albert). It would take days to capture it all, but you can manage some exciting and eye-catching exhibits in a day visit.
In Trafalgar Square is the huge National Gallery, with floors of coveted masterpieces and sculpture from around the world. Currently, through June 25, is a beyond-dazzling retrospective, Michelangelo and Sebastiano, which not only has dozens of canvases from both artists but also details their long friendship – and sad falling out – in expressive letters.
It's hard to escape theater in London, especially if you wander into the adventure, scents, clothing, and arts and crafts on sale at Covent Garden. There's plenty of street theater.
Adjacent to Covent Garden is the must-visit Actors' Church, St. Paul's, with an array of memorial tributes to the Who's Who of British Theatre on the walls. Nearby, the popular Transit Museum will take you railroading way back into time.
A lesser known area of the city to a majority of tourists is Market Borough [London Bridge Underground station], situated adjacent to the Thames on the remaining bulwark of old London Bridge. Dozens of restaurants and pubs offer great food at bargain prices. You can even find Louisiana gumbo and pulled pork BBQ! Worthy stops are at the Brood, Boro Bistro, and the vastly popular Italian Padella.
Next to the horror that replaced the old bridge is an octagon-shaped three-story building, Globe Tavern. On the second floor above the pub is a theater of food courtesy of young Newcastle chef Luke Hawkins. A great time to visit is on Sundays when he carries on the tradition of Sunday Roasties. Popular choices are the rump of beef and roast chicken – both come with old-fashioned Yorkshire Pudding and gravy.
Nearby is the aptly named Old Thameside Inn, with a large bankside outdoor patio. It sits right across from Sir Thomas Drake's famous galleon, The Golden Hinde II.
Look around and you'll note the lack of residential buildings in the immediate area. One reason might be that mornings and late afternoons historic and vaulted Southwark Cathedral provides a half-hour concert from its magnificent bell tower.
Author Barry GordinPosted on April 10, 2017 April 13, 2017 Categories Features, Uncategorized
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text:
Earth Perspectives
Transdisciplinarity Enabled
Seasonal and spatial factors related to longitudinal patterns of child growth in Bwamanda, DR Congo
Catherine Schwinger1,
Torleif Markussen Lunde1,2,
Peter Andersen3,
Hallgeir Kismul1 &
Jan Van den Broeck1
Earth Perspectives volume 1, Article number: 26 (2014) Cite this article
Studying the influence of geographical factors on child growth is important, especially given the increasing interest in climate change and health in resource-poor settings and the recognized importance of growth faltering as a general marker of population health. We describe patterns in children's weight and length velocity and relate them to seasonal and spatial factors in rural DR Congo. The study setting is a food-insecure area with a majority dependent on rain-fed subsistence farming and expected to be one of the regions most affected by climate change.
We studied the effect of selected geographical factors, i.e. season, village size and distances to hospital, health center, forest, fishing grounds and market on growth of children under two years old. We calculated individual growth velocity Z-scores according to the WHO-2009 growth velocity standards for up to five successive 3-month growth periods. Associations with geographical factors were examined in multivariate mixed effects regression models.
For the study population of 2223 children is characterized by low nutritional status. Age and season were the only independent predictors of growth velocity in the multivariate regression analysis. Mean velocity Z-scores were already low in children aged 0-6 months for weight [-1.34 (95% CI: -1.45, -1.22)] and for length [-0.99 (95% CI: -1.13, -0.84)]. They increased with age, while Z-scores of attained growth gradually decreased. Mean growth velocities were lowest before the main harvest season with a mean improvement of 1.2 and 2.3 Z-scores for weight and length velocity thereafter. A seasonal pattern was not seen in attained growth. No relation to spatial factors was found.
In this rural subsistence economy area, geographical factors relating to distances to food sources and health services are less important determinants than harvest season, which is the major underlying determinant of child growth in these settings.
Experts are highly confident that existing high burdens of negative health outcomes associated with climate will be amplified by the expected climate change over the next decades (IPCC [2014]; WHO and WMO [2012]). Undernutrition, which is still a problem in many developing countries and, not only a major contributor to poor health (Black et al. [2008]), but also associated with long-term consequences, such as cognitive impairment, immune defects etc. (Fishman et al. [2004]; Schaible and Kaufmann [2007]), is predicted to worsen globally, but especially in regions which are already food-insecure.
Undernutrition can be directly affected by climate, e.g. by drought, but also indirectly by a linkage to seasonal changes in weather and vegetation (Maleta et al. [2003]). This is particularly pronounced in rural regions where subsistence farming is practiced and where energy intake as well as work intensity heavily depend on the seasonal cycle of agricultural production. Additionally, a higher morbidity load often coincides with the "hungry season", the season before harvest, when food stocks are running out. A complex of impaired immune system function, peaks of disease vectors in the environment as well as agricultural work competing with child care, adds to the seasonality of malnutrition (Gill [1991]). Vaitla et al. ([2009]) states that most of the world's undernutrition occurs, not as expected during periods of conflicts and extreme weather conditions, but periodically during this "hungry season". With the background that the first years of life are the most important but also the most vulnerable in terms of growth, disturbances of these seasonal factors have the potential to lead to permanent negative consequences for child survival and development.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is one of the regions where the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts a rise in temperature and a shortening of the rainy season (IPCC [2014]). It also belongs to one of the regions in which the emergence of climate signals relative to the natural climate variability will occur first (around 2020–2030) (Hawkins and Sutton [2012]; Mahlstein et al. [2011]) and where the ecosystem is particularly vulnerable to climate change (Mahlstein et al. [2011]). With a majority relying on rain-fed subsistence agriculture this is an alarming issue (UNEP [2011]; Kandala et al. [2011]) and is reason to shed renewed light on the relationship between season and child malnutrition.
Spatial parameters have been found to explain a reasonable amount of the variation in childhood mortality on a large scale in West-Africa (Balk et al. [2004]) as well as rates of malnutrition in the DRC (Kandala et al. [2011]). Despite the improved possibilities available to assess spatial parameters, there is still a scarcity of research including them (De Sherbinin [2011]). In the DRC, where the proportion of malnourished children under 5 years increased to an alarming level with 46% being stunted and 10% being wasted in 2007 (Ministére du Plan et Macro International [2008]), and where continued conflict, land degradation and collapsing infrastructure worsens the capacity to produce and trade food, understanding regional differences in child malnutrition are important to effectively establish interventions and develop nutrition policies (Kandala et al. [2011]). However, there is a difference in scale between the regional inequalities studied before (Kandala et al. [2011]) and the spatial determinants we attempt to analyze in the present study.
In children, who are regarded as one of the populations most affected by climate change (IPCC [2014]), undernutrition is reflected in restrained growth (UNICEF [1998]). Growth can principally be measured with two main approaches: attained growth at a specific age or longitudinal growth over a period of time. Longitudinal growth measured over a short period is considered to have the advantage over attained growth, in that it represents what is currently happening and not, as in attained growth, what has happened in the entire past up to the point in time of measurement. This offers the opportunity to detect faster any unusual growth in children, but also to study associations with potential risk factors while the child is in the actual process of growth faltering and not when the child has already faltered (Argyle [2003]). One method to assess longitudinal growth is growth velocity. The WHO released growth velocity standards in 2009 (WHO [2009]), which scores anthropometric measurements in reference to normal growth velocity in the specific age period. Despite the recognized advantages, these standards are rarely used in research yet.
Although the impact of geographical factors, particularly season, on the nutritional status and growth of children is not a new research questions, some authors advise caution as over-generalizations, due to a wide variation in microclimates and ecologies, can affect causal pathways and the degree of impact of seasonality (Ferro-Luzzi et al. [2001]; Prentice and Cole [1994]). Previous studies on seasonality of nutritional status and growth have been conducted in Asia (Brown et al. [1982]; Carlquist et al. [1999]; Hillbruner and Egan [2008]; Jalil et al. [1989]; Karlberg et al. [1993]; Miller et al. [2013]; Panter-Brick [1997]; Xu et al. [2001]), Africa (Maleta et al. [2003]; Ferro-Luzzi et al. [2001]; Chotard et al. [2010]; Hauspie and Pagezy [1989]; Kigutha et al. [1995]; Loutan and Lamotte [1984]; Rosetta [1988]; Tomkins et al. [1986]; McGregor et al. [1968]; Wright et al. [2001]; Lindtjorn et al. [1993]) and South-America (Marin et al. [1996]), but they report inconsistent findings. Additionally, only one of the above-mentioned studies used the WHO standards to score growth (Miller et al. [2013]). That study finds irregular associations with season depending on the anthropometrical measure used. They argue that even significant differences between seasons were small in absolute terms and should be interpreted cautiously due to possible bias, for example by the state of hydration, clothing etc. influencing weight-based indices. Comparisons of the WHO standards and previously used growth references show that important differences exist in identifying malnourished children, but also in age patterns of growth (de Onis et al. [2011]).
This work aims to contribute to the understanding of growth velocity in children in relation to geographical factors in rural Africa. The objectives of this paper are to describe age- and sex-dependent patterns in weight and length velocity of children younger than two years living in the DRC using the WHO Child Growth Standards (WHO [2009]) and to relate these patterns to selected climatic and spatial determinants, with a main focus on season and distances to sources of food and health care, and with the specific concern to examine the relative importance of those.
The original Bwamanda study
To address our research question, we did a secondary analysis of data collected in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC; formerly Zaire). Research setting and methods of participant enrollment and data collection are described in detail elsewhere (Van den Broeck [1994]). In brief, a dynamic population study was conducted in the health zone of Bwamanda from August 1989 to March 1991. This health zone is one of 16 administrational zones within the Sud-Ubangi district, which is one of four districts in the Equateur province in the northwest of the country. Bwamanda has a tropical climate with two main seasons - a rainy season from March to November and a dry season from December to February. Up until today it is a rural area and over 90% of households practice traditional subsistence farming with maize and cassava as the main staple foods. Subsistence farming is highly dependent on geographical factors, such as soil quality, infrastructure and water availability (UNEP [2011]; Morton [2007]). Diets are rather monotonous, typically consisting of gruels from cassava and maize. The carbohydrate rich staples are to various degrees supplemented with smaller amounts of more nutrient dense green leaves, vegetables, legumes and animal source foods, and we anticipate that the main difference between adequately nourished and malnourished households is found in access to these nutrient dense foods. These factors, amongst others, contribute to the common problem of malnutrition in this community (Van den Broeck [1994]).
Sixteen out of 52 villages in the Bwamanda health zone were selected in a random cluster sample procedure. A preliminary census based on home visits was carried out in August and September 1989 and 4238 children aged 0–5 years and their mothers were enrolled in the study. Simultaneous training of 15 interviewers, holding a secondary school certificate, was done at Bwamanda hospital by a medical doctor. Between October 1989 and March 1991 six surveys were carried out measuring each child at three-month intervals (rounds A-F), all at special under-5 clinics, or, if children were not present at the clinics, at house-to-house visits. In total 5657 children under the age of 5 were enrolled during the study period. Variables recorded in each of the six quarterly surveys included the results of a clinical examination, anthropometric measures (including weight, height or length and mid-upper-arm-circumference), data on interval-morbidity, mortality, harvest and feeding practices, socioeconomic conditions, and environmental information, such as distances from the village to health care and food sources. In addition emigration and temporary absence during the study period was recorded. Data collection was continuously overseen by two medical doctors. Age was obtained using the birthdates documented on the `road to health charts' or the identity papers of the parents. If this information was lacking (in ca. 10% of the children), careful interviews of the mothers were used in combination with a local calendar to estimate the child's date of birth.
Geographical factors
According to the conceptual framework of child malnutrition developed by UNICEF ([1998]), risk factors can be assigned to basic, underlying and immediate level, all of which are interrelated with each other. In Bwamanda, the study area, characteristics reflecting the basic cause level (cultural, political, and economical structures) are considered to be relatively homogeneous. We selected geographical location and season as a proxy for underlying factors such as access to and availability of different sources of food and health care, and a healthy environment due to varying amount of germs and pathogens in different seasons. Spatial factors considered were village size and distance from the village to health center, hospital, market, fishing grounds, and the forest, as a proxy for access to bush foods. Inter-individual differences due to varying dietary patterns and morbidity, the immediate causes, are not accounted for in this analysis as they are mediators of the underlying causes in our epidemiological understanding. Including them would dilute the relationship between underlying factors and malnutrition.
Season in this setting is best described in terms of variation in precipitation, since temperature and daily sunshine hours do not differ much throughout the year. Seasons were defined as rainy season (1st March–30th November) and dry season (1st December–28th February). This definition differs from former analyses on this dataset (Van den Broeck [1994]; Garenne et al. [2009]). The adjustment was performed after analyzing data on precipitation obtained from a local weather station, which were additionally supported by satellite estimates (see Additional file 1), and published precipitation data from a nearby weather station (Franquin et al. [1988]). The classification into pre- and post-harvest was based on information from the original study on harvest of the main food items cassava, cassava leaves, maize, sweet potato, taro, peanuts and bananas in the last two months. Although harvest is possible twice a year for maize and several times for cassava and cassava leaves, we used timing of the first main harvest for the classification of sub-season. This classification was confirmed by informal talks to local farmers and the responsible person for agricultural development in the NGO CDI Bwamanda, which specializes in integrated sustainable livelihood development and has been working in the study area since 1969.
Anthropometric measurements
Anthropometric measurements were taken following a standardized procedure by two experienced observers. Weight was taken with spring scales (Continental Ltd., United Kingdom) to the nearest 100 grams. Height was measured with a microtoise reading to the nearest millimeter while length was measured with a locally built measuring board. Mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) was taken by the same medical doctor with a steel tape measure (Stanley) to the nearest millimeter.
Anthropometric scoring
Weight and length velocity were calculated for each successive 3-month follow-up period. Raw values were scored according to the WHO Child Growth Standards (WHO [2009]) using a macro provided by O'Neill et al. ([2012]). The analysis was restricted to children of the age 0–24 months, because the WHO-[2009] standards are only available for this age range. Weight and length velocity were categorized on the basis of whether and when Z-scores were higher or lower the −2 to +2 normal Z-score range. Growth was defined as "slow" when the Z-score was ≤ −2, as "normal" when the Z-score was > −2 and <2 and as "rapid" when it was ≥2.
In order to compare the velocity Z-scores to indices of attained growth, we also calculated Z-scores for attained weight-for-age (WAZ), length-for-age (LAZ), weight-for-length (WLZ) and mid-upper-arm-circumference-for-age (MUAZ) according to the corresponding WHO child growth standards (WHO [2006], [2007]). Wasting is defined as WAZ < −2 and stunting as LAZ < −2.
For this analysis the original dataset was imported into SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) version 19.0.0 and kept in a secure place to ensure confidentiality. Data cleaning was performed before commencing the analysis. Attained growth Z-scores < −6 and >6 as well as 3-month velocity Z-scores in weight and length of <10 and > −10 were defined as implausible and set as missing. Of a total of 46694 measurements 69 values for WAZ, LAZ, WLZ and MUAZ and eight values for weight and length velocity Z-scores were set as missing.
A bivariate analysis was carried out to establish the associations between growth velocity and the geographical determinants. In addition, multivariate mixed effect regression models, with an unstructured variance-covariance matrix, were developed. These models differed from conventional mixed effect models in growth analysis in that they do not use attained growth Z-scores but instead growth velocity Z-scores in successive periods. Modeling growth velocity Z-scores has the advantage that it accounts for different growth rates at different ages. That is important, because infants grow faster the younger they are, so that the same differences in attained Z-score for a certain period of time has a different meaning for different ages. For example a change of +0.25 Z-scores from age 0–3 months and from 3–6 months indicates a greater change in the older infant, since growth is normally slower compared to the younger infant. However, when modeling attained growth Z-scores this differences of +0.25 would be treated as equal acceleration of growth, when in reality it is not.
Variables for age, sex, birth-rank, mother's age and breastfeeding status (no breastfeeding, exclusive or complementary breastfeeding) were initially taken into the model as covariates, but omitted if they were not statistically significant.
Ethical approval for the original study was obtained by the University of Leuven's Tropical Childcare Health Working Group. This current analysis was approved by the Ethical Committee at the University of Kinshasa (approval number: ESP/CE/008/14).
Of the 5657 children enrolled in the study, 2223 were under the age of two years at two or more measurement points and eligible for growth velocity calculations. The sample was homogeneous in ethnicity (97.7% were Ngbaka) and balanced in sex (49.3% female). Birth-rank ranged from 1 till 15. The age of the mother at the time of child birth varied between 13 and 56 years with a median of 27 years (interquartile range 22–32). Other demographic and anthropometric characteristics are summarized in Table 1. The 16 selected villages had on average about 1600 inhabitants each (between 900 and 2000). The distance from the village to the market was between 200 m and 30 km, to the hospital between 500 m and 65 km, to fishing grounds between 150 m and 6 km and to the forest between 150 m and 15 km.
Table 1 Demographical and anthropometrical characteristics of the study sample (N = 2223) in the different survey rounds
Growth velocity patterns
Mean (SD) velocity Z-scores according to the WHO-[2009] standards were −0.70 (1.55) for weight and −0.87 (1.90) for length for all children included and all five study periods taken into account.
Indices of attained growth clearly showed tracking in individuals, i.e. measurements were strongly positively correlated with consecutive measurements throughout the study period. In contrast, growth velocities varied in consecutive periods, so that velocities in one 3-month period were negatively correlated with the velocities in the adjacent 3-month period, both before and after. These correlations were significant for all periods for length velocity. Weight velocities showed the same pattern, but the negative correlations were weaker and partly insignificant. Growth velocities showed an association with corresponding indices of attained growth, in that they correlated negatively with the attained Z-score in up to four periods before and positively in up to five periods after the velocity measurement.
Growth velocities were categorized as "slow", "normal" and "rapid" growth according to the criteria described in the Methods section. Over the total study period, 16.5% of the 3-month growth periods for weight of all children were within the slow growth category, 81.4% within the normal range and 2.1% within the rapid growth category. For length velocity Z-scores 24.1%, 70.9% and 5% of the periods were within the slow, normal and rapid category, respectively.
Further we were interested to see if children were able to counterbalance slow growth in one period by fast growth in the next period or the other way around, i.e. rapid growth in one period followed by slow growth in the next period. Therefore, we looked at two subsequent assessment periods of growth velocity. For weight it was observed that slow growth was infrequently followed by rapid growth (in 5% of the children). Mostly the second value was within the range of normal growth (82%) or stayed slow (13%). If a child had a normal growth velocity, it was more likely that in the following period the velocity would also be normal (86%), with 13% showing slow growth and 1% rapid growth. And after a period of rapid growth, the children were showing either slow or normal growth in the next period (39% and 59%). In summary, weight did not show distinct catch-up growth, defined as growth velocity exceeding statistical limits of normal growth, after a period of restrained growth. In contrast, length velocities showed more "balancing". After a period of slow linear growth it was more common that children had a rapid length growth in the following period (30%) compared to weight, and periods with rapid length growth were mostly followed by one with slow growth (55%).
Growth velocity according to age and sex
After stratifying according to ages 0–6, 7–12 and 13–24 months, mean velocities were compared (Table 2). Children in the oldest age category had the highest velocity Z-scores for weight and length compared to the two other age categories. The differences in mean velocities were not statistically significant between ages 0–6 and 7–12 for length velocities. Attained Z-scores showed a downwards trends, i.e. the youngest age category had a significantly higher mean Z-score in all four indices (WAZ, LAZ, WLZ, MUAZ) than the older age categories. The two older age categories did not differ except in mean LAZ.
Table 2 Indices of growth in three age-categories and according to sex for all survey rounds combined
Weight and length velocity Z-scores did not differ significantly according to sex (Table 2). Figure 1 shows mean velocities according to sex and age category. Although error bars indicating the 95% CI overlap at all ages, the difference in sex for the age group 7–12 months is significantly different for weight velocity (t =2.622, p =0.009).
Mean weight velocity (A), mean length velocity (B) according to age-category and sex. Error bars indicate the 95% confidence interval. Girls are represented by a red line and boys by a blue line. Age is given in months.
Associations between growth velocity and spatial parameters
There were no significant associations between growth velocity Z-scores for weight and length and the variables indicating the size of the village, and the distances to health center, market, hospital, fishing grounds, and the forest (Table 3). No differences were seen when stratified according to sex and age category. Also the occurrence of catch-up growth did not differ when comparing the quintile nearest to the hospital, market, fishing grounds and forest with the quintile farthest from those points.
Table 3 Correlations between indices of longitudinal growth and spatial parameters
Associations between growth velocity and season
Mean growth velocity Z-scores were lowest in the pre-harvest season, namely between March and July, and improved after the first main harvest in July (Figure 2) with a mean improvement of 1.2 and 2.3 Z-scores for weight and length velocity. This was also seen by a rise in the portion of growth velocity Z-scores categorized as slow growth and a decrease in the portion of rapid growth until the harvest season. Although weight and length velocities showed the same general pattern, mean length velocities deteriorated more markedly than mean values in weight velocity and the increase in mean length velocity at the beginning of the post-harvest season was slower than the increase of weight velocity. Length velocity peaked about two months after weight velocity.
Mean weight velocity (A), mean length velocity (B) according to measuring date and sex. Error bars indicate the 95% confidence interval. Girls are represented by a red line and boys by a blue line.
A seasonal pattern could not be clearly seen in attained growth. No differences in the effect of season on longitudinal growth between the sexes were observable (Figure 2), nor between age categories. There was no seasonality in the occurrence of catch-up growth when defined as growth velocity Z-score > +2.
We built mixed models with an unstructured variance-covariance matrix allowing for random intercepts for each individual child. Velocity Z-scores in weight or length were entered as dependent variables. Independent variables were season, size of village, distance to hospital, health center, market, fishing grounds and forest, age, sex, breastfeeding status, birth-rank and mother's age at birth. This multivariate analysis confirmed our findings from bivariate analysis, i.e. that age and season were the only independent predictors. Breastfeeding was a significant predictor, but did not improve the fit of the model significantly.
The data from the Bwamanda study, which are still of high relevance today, and the newly published WHO growth velocity standards offered a unique opportunity to study longitudinal growth over up to five successive 3-month periods of 2223 children between 0–2 years in relation to seasonal and spatial factors, which are of increasing interest.
In order to study longitudinal growth of children, we described patterns for age- and sex-dependent growth velocity Z-scores for weight and length. We find that growth velocity Z-scores for weight and length were strongly related to season while no index was related to the selected spatial parameters in our sample. The seasonal impact could not be demonstrated in attained growth. This and the fact that a restriction in growth showed much earlier when studying growth velocity Z-scores, argue for longitudinal growth as an important tool in the timely detection of growth faltering. It also points to a limitation of many previous studies of the relation between geographical factors and growth.
Patterns of longitudinal growth
Poor nutritional status was common in our sample, reflected by around 52% stunted and 6% wasted children in each survey round. This was also observable in the percentage of children with velocity Z-scores under what is usually defined as the normal range (Z-score < −2). 16.5% and 24.1% had a slow growth in weight and length respectively. Analyses of child growth in low- and middle-income countries show that growth faltering starts early in life and worsens up to the age of two years (Victora et al. [2010]). In our sample we also see continuous deteriorating indices of attained growth despite increasing velocities with age. This finding underlines the importance of early interventions.
Length velocities of successive periods were more strongly negatively correlated than weight velocities and when looking at two consecutive periods, we found that periods with slow length velocities were more often followed by rapid growth (indicating catch-up growth) and vice versa (catch-down growth) than in ponderal growth. This suggests that length velocity is more variable than weight velocity. Nevertheless, the corresponding index for attained growth (LAZ) still deteriorated over time. Catch-up growth can be defined as growth that statistically exceeds normal growth (i.e. > + 2 Z-scores). The periods with rapid growth following those with slow growth were probably not strong enough, and there were still many more children who after a period with slow growth had growth velocities within the normal growth range and therefore no catch-up growth, as defined above. It has to be mentioned that this description does not take into account any confounding factors and cannot therefore suggest any causes of the longitudinal behavior. Physiological growth is characterized by variation within the normal range in growth velocities in subsequent periods (WHO [2009]), so it is difficult to interpret only a single growth velocity of an individual. It is thus necessary to study further patterns of growth velocity for individual children in consecutive growth periods to gain insight and guidance in the evaluation of longitudinal growth for clinical use and research.
Longitudinal growth according to sex, breastfeeding status and birth rank
When comparing mean growth velocities no differences were seen between boys and girls. After stratifying for age, boys aged 7–12 month had a significantly lower mean weight velocity Z-score than girls. This difference was not observed in the older age group. This could either illustrate a better ability for the boys to catch-up or a survivor bias. But neither mortality nor catch-up growth showed a difference between the sexes in this sample. We do not have any information about intra-household and gender disparities in food and dietary composition for our sample. Olusanya and Renner ([2011]) found in their study sample composed of 658 Nigerian children 0–8 weeks old that male gender is an independent predictor of higher weight velocity. They argue that boys usually have larger growth increments than the same aged girls (WHO [2009]; Guo et al. [1991]; van't Hof et al. [2000]), but since weight and length gains were not scored according to the WHO-[2009] standards, this argument is invalid for our sample.
Breastfeeding status was significantly associated with growth velocities, but did not improve the multivariate model. This could be explained by almost universal exclusive breastfeeding up to the age of four months in our study sample and a weaning period thereafter as described previously (Van den Broeck et al. [1996]). Therefore breastfeeding status might not add to the fit of the model as there is too little variation and the mechanism is already captured by the age variable.
Birth-rank was not associated with growth velocity Z-scores and did not mitigate the effect of season in our study. In Bwamanda large household usually divide into three groups during the major meals: (i) children below the age of three, who eat with their mothers and other females in the household, (ii) those children above three years, who eat with other children, and (iii) adult males. A problem could arise in the group of children eating together (group ii), where there is competition and some discrimination against younger children, but for the age span we analyzed (0–24 months) this is not considered to be likely. Even if the younger family members did lose out during family meals, this is likely to be constant throughout the year independent of the total amount of food available and would therefore not affect the relation between season and growth.
Associations with season
The analysis of mean weight velocities shows that Z-scores decreased in pre-harvest and increased in post-harvest season. The same is true for length velocities, only peak velocity lagged by about two months. This lag is also described by Maleta et al. ([2003]) and Xu et al. ([2001]), who find that height gains peaked three months after weight gain. Some authors explained the lag as an effect of wasting on subsequent stunting, i.e. that a certain cut-off in weight-for-height has to be reached before compensatory linear growth appears (Costello [1989]; Walker and Golden [1988]). Although weight-for-height is also associated with weight gain in the study of Maleta et al. ([2003]), it only explains very little of the variation in height gain. Therefore other factors might play a more central role in linear growth.
We could not demonstrate a different impact of season in the age three groups 0–6, 7–12 months and 13–24 months. This is in accordance with the study by Hauspie and Pagezy ([1989]) in Zaire, who saw the same seasonal pattern in all age groups of 0–4 years. Age-dependency is reported by other studies (Maleta et al. [2003]; Jalil et al. [1989]; Karlberg et al. [1993]; Miller et al. [2013]; Rosetta [1988]; McGregor et al. [1968]), but with inconsistent results. The lack of differences related to age in our study might be due to the typical early weaning of children at around four month of age on average, resulting in less protection from environmental vectors and less mediation through maternal health.
Seasonality was not seen in indices of attained growth (WAZ, LAZ, WLZ). Our analysis suggests that it is important to study longitudinal growth and to associate factors when the growth of a child is actually faltering. This is supported by the work of Kismul et al. ([2014]) who find a seasonality in the incidence of wasting and stunting in children under five years in the same area. The lower responsiveness to season of length-for-age in comparison to length gains has been identified by others (Brown et al. [1982]; Miller et al. [2013]; Tomkins et al. [1986]), but not for weight-based indices.
Associations with spatial parameters
Spatial parameters selected for this analysis were village size and distance from the village to health center, to the hospital, to a market, to fishing grounds and to the forest. None of them contributed essentially to differences in growth velocities in our sample, although they differed substantially for individual participants and could be expected to be of importance, especially in areas like the study setting, where only restricted motorized transport is available for local people.
Other studies, have found that population density has a close relationship with child malnutrition, explained by lower market penetration, and more limited access to health facilities and nutrition-related information (De Sherbinin [2011]; Nikoi and Anthamatten [2013]). In our setting, the scale was very different with a relatively homogenous village size, ranging from about 900 inhabitants to about 2000. Nevertheless, accessibility was different with some villages near the main road and local markets and others far off and difficult to reach, due to almost impassible roads, especially during the rains. Nevertheless, the whole region mainly comprises subsistence farmers producing only a minimal portion of cash crops. Therefore distance to market as well as size of village as an indication of connectivity or food availability, seem less important than size of the extended family, forming the working capacity to cultivate the fields. Quantity of cultivatable land is only of relevance if adequate working capacity exist, also having an impact on the quality of the harvested foods.
Low cash income may be one of the reasons why distance to the hospital, which varied greatly, did not have an impact on growth velocities, for even if the hospital was accessible, it is of no benefit if one cannot afford it. Local health centers, which where more accessible for all children and less expensive, did not show any impact on child growth velocities either. From our own experience in this region, health centers have variable resources in terms of medical equipment, medication, and training of their staff. Also the use of traditional healers has not been adjusted for in this analysis.
Similar arguments could be used for the association of distance to fishing grounds, which we were not able to show. Distance to fishing grounds was included in the analysis as a proxy for the availability of fish and therefore a source of animal protein-rich food. Although distance might determine the possibility for fishing, informal talks to people in the area indicated that even if people lived near fishing grounds, the lack of money to purchase fishing equipment stopped them from fishing.
Using distance to forests as a proxy for bush food did not generate correlations. Since fallow fields and other areas may be important sources of nutrient-dense supplementary foods, other measures of access to these resources should be developed.
In addition to the limitations already discussed above, some uncertainties in measuring age, date and climatic data have to be reported. The exact age was documented for 90% of the 5657 children; in the remaining 10% it was obtained through careful interviews with the help of local calendars. Even if some inaccuracy persists in this small portion of the children, it is not expected to substantially influence the results.
Data on the date of measuring was derived from adding the age in days to the birthdate, assuming that every month has 30.43 days. This will add some minor inaccuracies, but measuring date was only used to categorize the timing of measurements into seasons. Season is not a construct with clear borders, going from dry season to rainy in one day, and therefore only a few misclassifications with no substantial effects are expected.
Precipitation data was derived from triangulation of data from a local weather station, satellite data and published data from a nearby meteorological station. Nevertheless, no data for the specific study years were available, only long-term data from 1941–2005 and detailed data for the years 2001–2005. Weather conditions deviating from the normal in the study years could not therefore be accounted for.
The measure of harvest to define sub-seasons also has to be evaluated critically. Data on harvest was obtained by asking the interviewee if they had harvested a specific food item in the past two months. This rather long recall period is susceptible to recall bias. Further the possibility of information bias exists, since only two months of the average 3-month period between survey rounds are covered. However, the estimate still gives a good idea of the timing of harvest, since different households were interviewed every day and the purpose was not to assess the exact amount of harvest, but the timing, which we believe can be adequately recalled for the last two months. In addition, timing was confirmed by informal talks to local specialists. Analysis of the amount harvested compared to the amount eaten or sold assessed with a 24-hour recall, confirmed that it is an adequate indicator of food availability, because neither storing nor selling was common (data not shown).
A weakness in our study is the fact, that we did not include birth weight in our analysis. As mentioned in previous work (Van den Broeck et al. [1996]), the majority of births took place at home with the help of a traditional birth attendant and it was therefore impossible to record birth weight for our study sample. Birth weight deviating from the normal is known to affect early child growth rates, representing catch-up or catch-down growth (WHO [2009]). Births were almost evenly distributed throughout the year in our study, so varying growth rates in early childhood are not expected to change the relationship between season and growth velocities to a substantial extent.
In our analysis, we demonstrate that studying growth velocities instead of attained Z-scores can provide an important perspective concerning the early detection of growth faltering, because even if nutritional status measured by attained growth was deteriorating with age in our study sample, a restriction in growth could already be seen in much younger ages. Looking at growth velocities also revealed a clear seasonal impact on growth, which was not observable in attained growth.
In our study area, a rural subsistence economy, geographical factors relating to distances to food sources and health services seem less important determinants of child growth than harvest season, which is the major underlying determinant of child growth in these settings and is in turn is a geographical factor expected to be influenced greatly by climate change. Having such a negative impact on child growth in a supposedly pre-climate change situation, the perspective of climate changes taking place in this area and thus a change in the seasonal conditions for agricultural success is alarming. Additionally, the term transitory food-insecurity is often used for non-permanent, short-term lack of food (Pinstrup-Andersen [2009]) as in our described setting. But only in a few areas was it shown that weight gain exceeded the reference mean in seasons with less nutritional stress or morbidity burden and children thus maintained a satisfactory nutritional status in the long-term (Loutan and Lamotte [1984]; Tomkins et al. [1986]). In most other areas a further deterioration of nutritional status and long-term consequences are expected from those seasonal variations and therefore the expression transitory food-insecurity might be misleading.
As Wand et al. ([2012]) state, prevention and treatment of restricted growth in early childhood is central to enhancing social and economic development in low income countries, and approaches are likely to be successful if they allow for local factors. Our study indicates that agricultural season is an important factor for child growth, and thus targeting of local strategies to cope with seasonal conditions are crucial, especially in the light of predicted future risk related to climate change.
Additional file
DRC:
LAZ:
Length-for-age- Z-score
IPCC:
Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change
LVZ:
Length-velocity Z-score
MUAC:
Mid-upper-arm-circumference
MUAZ:
Mid-upper-arm-circumference-for-age Z-score
WAZ:
Weight-for-age-Z-score
WLZ:
Weight-for-length Z-score
WVZ:
Weight velocity Z-score
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The original research was supported by CDI-Bwamanda and funding was provided by Flemish Inter-University Council (Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad) the Belgian Administration for Development Co-operation, and the Nutricia Research Foundation. Roger Eeckels and JVdB initiated the original study and were responsible for data acquisition. All authors of this study were employed and funded by the University of Bergen. The funding body had no influence on the study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation of data or in the writing of the manuscript and the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.
Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Årstadveien 21, Bergen, 5009, Norway
Catherine Schwinger, Torleif Markussen Lunde, Hallgeir Kismul & Jan Van den Broeck
now at StormGeo AS, Bergen, Norway
Torleif Markussen Lunde
Department of Geography, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
Catherine Schwinger
Hallgeir Kismul
Jan Van den Broeck
Correspondence to Catherine Schwinger.
CS conducted the analysis and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. TML provided the supplementary material. All authors edited the manuscript and contributed in the interpretation of the results. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Additional file 1: Monthly mean precipitation from observations and satellite estimates in the area of Bwamanda, DR Congo. (PDF 62 KB)
Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits use, duplication, adaptation, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.
Schwinger, C., Lunde, T.M., Andersen, P. et al. Seasonal and spatial factors related to longitudinal patterns of child growth in Bwamanda, DR Congo. Earth Perspectives 1, 26 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40322-014-0026-8
Ecological factors
Growth velocity
Anthropometry


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5 Times Women Kicked Ass at the Super Bowl
Can't wait for Queen Bey, part 2!
By Maria Tallarico February 5, 2016
Whether you recognize every play or have no clue what constitutes a first down (nevermind #deflategate), Super Bowl Sunday—for better or for worse—has become a cultural marker. Come for the wings, stay for the spectacle that is the halftime show. This year Beyoncé will take the stage with Coldplay (and maybe Bruno Mars).
Britney Spears, 2001
Looking back, Britney's sweet, semi-virginal performance perfectly encapsulated Bush's pre-9/11 America. She took the stage with the old guard (Aerosmith) and the new (*NSYNC, unofficially led by her boyfriend, Justin Timberlake) but all eyes were on Britney's sexy and non-threatening style, from the crop top to the belly button ring.
Shania Twain, 2003
Our girl Shania was the first act to ever play both the Grey Cup and the Super Bowl halftime show. You had to love that a Canadian country/pop crossover stormed the stage in one of her trademark blinged-out outfits (that rhinestone-crusted bra was trailblazing at the time) and ended her set by being carried away by balloons.
Janet Jackson, 2004
Janet's performance is still one of the most controversial moments in the history of television—and all because of a blink-and-you'll-miss-it nipple shot (with an assist by Justin Timberlake, who ripped her blouse accidentally-on-purpose). Overnight, there was plenty of prudish hand-wringing, moral hysteria and a crackdown on network censorship. While Justin Timberlake skated away without damaging his reputation—we have him to thank (or blame?) for the term "wardrobe malfunction"—it seems that America was never quite able to forgive Janet for freeing the nipple. Ahead of her time, she was.
Madonna, MIA, Nicki Minaj, 2012
She came, she saw, she vogue'd. In a refreshing choice, the NFL put aside its post-Nipplegate skittishness and brought in some exciting performers (sorry Sir Paul, but you were kind of a snooze). Madonna said she trained like an athlete for her halftime show, which incorporated elements of the absurd (dancing with LMFAO) to the effervescent (pom-poms, a marching band) to the juicy cultural homages that have become Madonna's trade (in this case, Ancient Rome complete with a bevy of gladiators pulling her on a chariot).
Beyoncé, 2013
Probably the most hotly anticipated halftime show ever, Beyoncé weathered a pre-Super Bowl presidential inauguration lip-synching controversy by singing the U.S. national anthem live at an NFL press conference, followed by a quippy "Any questions?" The expectations were unreal, but Bey delivered with a 15 minute mini-concert that had it all—balls of fire, a super-size neon Beyoncé, complicated and flawless choreography, Destiny's Child popping up out of the floor and an all-female ensemble. (A few minutes after the performance, the lights went out in the stadium—those wind machines take a lot of power.)


As if underscoring how little the print media understand the Interwebs, the NNA's announcement of nominees (and most stories that followed that announcement, including all the ones listed above) included no links to nominated stories and photos.
Other papers, including the National Post, Journal de Montréal, Le Devoir, Vancouver Province and Halifax Chronicle-Herald, were left out entirely, either because they did not enter or their entries didn't get nominated.
*Congratulations to Martin Mittelstaedt for getting his name misspelled in his NNA nomniation announcement.
The awards will be handed out May 22 in Montreal.
Mind you, next to story-that-writes-itself Tony Proudfoot, who was also inducted, Herb took a back seat in non-Canwest stories about the inductions (where such stories even existed at all).
But the honour was absolutely deserved. Like his compatriot on the hockey side Pat Hickey, Zurkowsky works like crazy churning out copy on a daily basis (and in many cases, two or three stories a day). But while there are hockey games every couple of days, there's only one game a week for the Alouettes, so Zurkowsky has to dig deep to find stuff to write about. That usually comes in the form of feature stories about the individual players.
But what I like more about Zeke Herbowsky is that he's not afraid to be a troublemaker. The players regularly get pissed off at him. General manager Jim Popp, who Zurkowsky heavily criticized last year when he was head coach, refuses to talk to him. And yet, Zurkowsky always has the scoop on the team, knows what management is thinking and what the players are doing. His access to the team, even having alienated the GM, is the envy of whoever else is left covering CFL football in Montreal.
Don't worry though, Zurkowsky isn't letting the award getting to his head. He's not being a diva or anything (I'm kidding, of course – besides, he has some backup there).
Besides, his novels are long enough as they are. Last thing we need is him thinking he's some sort of reporter superstar and start filing 1,500-word articles.
This week, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, which represents non-CBC radio and television broadcasters across Canada, awarded its annual Gold Ribbon Awards for "excellence" in broadcasting.
Looking at the list of finalists and especially the winners, it's clear that Quebec is vastly under-represented here, both on the anglophone and francophone sides. In fact, only one Quebec-based broadcaster won an award, and that was the one specifically for French-language broadcasting. CKMF won the "Humour – French" category for its insanely hilarious Les 2 minutes du peuple.
* Stupid Lloydminster. Pick a province, we're at war.
So Quebec's seven non-token nominations rank Canada's second-largest province about on par with Saskatchewan, a province with 1/7th our population. Does that sound right?
I'm not including pay and specialty channels here, because Montreal is fairly well represented here through MétéoMédia and Astral Media's Canal D, Canal Vie, and Ztélé, all based out of Montreal. Astral media ended up winning awards here (two for Canal Vie and one for Ztélé), which I think shows how little original programming Canadian specialty TV contributes.
XM Canada wants the world to know that it's sponsoring a music awards show with a whopping two categories, and investing a grand total of $50,000 in prize money. For the mathematically challenged, that's $25,000 apiece, or enough to cover airfare to the ceremony.
The awards will be given out in September, and rather than judge them based on merit, they're putting it to a popularity vote.
Between this and the Junos, I think it's safe to say that Canadian artists are well cared for.
The nominations for the Gémeaux awards came out yesterday. Included is a new category for web video series, and the obvious ones are nominated.
Les Lavigueur, la vraie histoire dominates with 15 nominations, followed by TVA's Le Négociateur with 14.
TQS's Flash got a nomination for best cultural magazine show. It's the only nomination I could find for a TQS show.


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digital audio files
If this isn't something you want to do, consider converting the WMA to a different audio format. It also refers to the sequence of discreet samples that are taken from an analog audio waveform. Sony's NW-A105 Walkman MP3 player has all the bells and whistles that you're looking for: excellent audio quality, support for a wide array of audio files, expandable storage, intuitive touch screen interface, and Wi-Fi connectivity. It is completely free and offers many features to edit the metadata of different audio files. Between February 10 and 25 March 2005, Shae Spencer Management, LLC of Fairport, New York filed a trademark application to register the term "podcast" for an "online prerecorded radio program over the internet". The FiiO M5 delivers all the essentials in an impossibly tiny package. Why trust us? We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links. A high-end MP3 player will also improve the quality of sound from your high-impedance, investment headphones. The NWE395 has a built-in FM radio and Apple iTunes integration. The Basics Digital Audio at it's most fundamental level is a mathematical representation of a continuous sound. Even the recordings take place as digital files. Keep in mind the audio quality won't match that of a more expensive cassette tape player. It's elegant, easy to use, and more affordable. It was a show focused on chronicling his everyday life, delivering news, and discussions about the development of podcasting, as well as promoting new and emerging podcasts. Master your understanding of the trade offs between audio file types to optimize specific audio file libraries. Apple's latest iPod touch is equipped with the same A10 Fusion chip as the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, a 4-inch Retina touch screen, an 8 MP camera, and Apple iOS, the device can do a whole lot more than play your MP3 collection. I tested the player and enjoyed rocking out to Hi-Res Audio albums I downloaded for offline use from Qobuz. The tech giant's mobile platform will give you access to a vast selection of high-quality apps and games, including access to all major music and video streaming services. They play high-resolution audio, have impressive battery life, and are small enough to slide into a pocket. If you own a lot of music in lossless file formats and don't want to compromise on audio quality, consider getting an MP3 player with advanced DAC (digital-to-analog converter) and circuitry inside it. [33], An enhanced podcast includes links to images which are synchronized with the podcast, turning it into a narrated slide show. However, this couldn't be further from the truth. Dead End Days, a serialized dark comedy about zombies released from 31 October 2003 through 2004, is commonly believed to be the first video podcast.[39]. We highly suggest that you avoid the entry-level one. [46] A small, yet efficient number of listeners are also podcast creators. As more people learned how easy it was to produce podcasts, a community of pioneer podcasters quickly appeared. ", "It's boom time for podcasts – but will going mainstream kill the magic? Web television series are often distributed as video podcasts. Profiling Podcasting as Radio", "The man who accidentally invented the word 'podcast, "ipodder-dev : Message: How to handle getting past episodes? [24] Lawyers for Apple contended that the term "pod" has been used by the public to refer to Apple's music player so extensively that it falls under Apple's trademark cover. This guide will show you how to add album artwork (the album covers) to your digital music files such as MP3 or FLAC files using a program called Mp3tag. Overall, the device is both high tech and elegant. More: Why You Need a New Pair of Noise-Canceling Headphones. Each audio file type has unique benefits and drawbacks. You should either consider a product with ample built-in memory or one with a built-in microSD card slot for easy expansion. ", "Create your own podcast: What you need to know to be a podcaster", The Evolution Of The Podcast — How A Medium Was Born, "How Podcasting Works § Podcasting History", "Matt Schichter Interviews by Scared Goose Productions on Apple Podcasts", "With "pod" on lockdown, Apple goes after "podcast, "Podcast Ready Receives Cease & Desist from Apple Computer", "Apple's Legal Team Going After 'Pod' People", "Copy of the letter from Apple Trademark Department", "System for disseminating media content representing episodes in a serialized sequence", "Podcasting Community Faces Patent Troll Threat; EFF Wants to Help", "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Adam Carolla's Settlement with the Podcasting Troll", "How the government just protected some of your favorite podcasts", "Podcasting Your Novel: Publishing's Next Wave? Essential data is lost when you listen to music via MP3 files because of the lossy compression that makes these files smaller. Also note that the MP4 is sometimes referred to as a video file instead of an audio file. The MP3 player has no built-in storage, so you'll need to get a microSD card for it. You can use the product as a desktop DAC as well. The company amended their application in March 2006, but the USPTO rejected the amended application as not sufficiently differentiated from the original. The first application to make this process feasible was iPodderX, developed by August Trometer and Ray Slakinski. The iPod touch has a standard audio jack, and it comes bundled with Apple's iconic EarPods. Creating a podcast is reasonably inexpensive. Determine which one is best for specific tasks or situations to save time and reduce stressful errors. In addition to the ability to play every digital audio format out there, the player also comes with access to virtually every music streaming service. Music download software like Apple iTunes use M4A instead of MP3 because it's smaller in size and higher in quality. I like that Sony also bundles the device with a pair of earbuds. [47], This article is about the media format. [37] Podcast novelists have commented that podcasting their novels lets them build audiences even if they cannot get a publisher to buy their books. The two are completely different and the similarities come from their namesake rather than their functionality. [30], In October 2013, the EFF filed a petition with the US Trademark Office to invalidate the Personal Audio patent. But if you're simply looking to untether your music library from your smartphone, a more affordable model should fit the bill just fine. Weighing just a tad over an ounce, the M5 has a tiny touch screen with ultra slim bezels. As a consequence, most modern audio players cater to digital audio formats. When you consider that audio files are shared often, this can make for quite an inconvenience to each new user who receives one. [17], By February 2007, there had been 24 attempts to register trademarks containing the word "PODCAST" in the United States, but only "PODCAST READY" from Podcast Ready, Inc. was approved. Download Mp3tag from HERE and then install it. In November 2006, the application was marked as abandoned. The Sony NW-WS413 earphones have an integrated MP3 player with 4 GB of storage and a fully waterproof body, which allows you to take the headset player for a swim — even in saltwater. The MP3 is probably best used for extensive audio file sharing due to its manageable size. However, you should be mindful that streaming wireless content over Wi-Fi, checking your email, and using Android apps will have an impact on the battery endurance. [20], In June 2005, Apple released iTunes 4.9 which added formal support for podcasts, thus negating the need to use a separate program in order to download and transfer them to a mobile device. Though not the highest quality, it has enough other benefits to compensate. Compared to the Sony NW-A45, the M6 has less battery life (up to 13 hours) and considerably less built-in storage (only 2 GB versus 16). Its high quality keeps it relevant, as users who need to hear distinct sounds on audio files will need this over more common file types. While this made access to podcasts more convenient and widespread, it also effectively ended advancement of podcatchers by independent developers. You just plug the converter into your computer, and its accompanying software does the job. Concurrently, CNET, This Week in Tech, and later Bloomberg Radio, the Financial Times, and other for-profit companies provided podcast content, some using podcasting as their only distribution system. Most podcast players or applications allow listeners to skip around the podcast and to control the playback speed. A number of podcasts are recorded either in total or for specific episodes in front of a live audience. Additionally, Apple issued cease and desist orders to many podcast application developers and service providers for using the term "iPod" or "Pod" in their products' names.[21]. Because podcast content is often free or, at the very least, affordable for the average podcast consumer, podcasting is often classified as a disruptive medium, which is adverse to the maintenance of traditional revenue models. The point of this article is to clarify how digital audio works without delvi Play Video WAV files are usually uncompressed audio files, though it's not a requirement of the format. [3], Podcasts can be produced at little to no cost and are usually disseminated free-of-charge, which sets this medium apart from the traditional 20th-Century model of "gate-kept" media and their production tools. Other highlights of the product include Bluetooth connectivity and the ability to work as a USB DAC on your computer. It requires just a microphone, laptop or other personal computer, and a room with some sound blocking. Podcasting is very much a horizontal media[4] form—producers are consumers, consumers may become producers, and both can engage in conversations with each other. A WAV audio file is a Waveform Audio File that stores waveform data. It has a cool design, impeccable craftsmanship, and the ability to consistently deliver an uncompromisingly superb sonic experience. This compression makes the MP3 very popular for all mobile audio-playing devices, particularly the Apple iPod. Discussion and content within a podcast can range from carefully scripted to completely improvised. Sony's NWE395 is among the best budget-friendly MP3 players out there, thanks to a rather superb 35 hours of battery life, up to 16 GB of non-expandable storage (4 and 8 GB variants are also available), and a 1.77-inch color display with an intuitive interface. [36] On occasion such novelists have secured publishing contracts to have their novels printed. It has never been one of the most popular audio formats, especially when it comes to music files, but the AAC does still serve some purpose for major systems. Despite its low price tag, it comes with a pair of earbuds in its retail package. A podcast series usually features one or more recurring hosts engaged in a discussion about a particular topic or current event. The MP3 audio file is an MPEG audio layer 3 file format. Determine which one is best for specific tasks or situations to save time and reduce stressful errors. You can expect up to 26 hours of audio playback from the NW-A105 Walkman. These audiences then make it easier to secure a printing deal with a publisher at a later date. A community podcast can also allow members of the community (related to the podcast topic) to contribute to the podcast in many different ways. The FLAC audio file is Free Lossless Audio Codec. If you're a Windows user, simply double-click any WMA file to open it. Trusted Reviews also praised the headphones for their superb fit and functional waterproofing. The episodes may be delivered automatically via RSS or through a website, blog, or other syndication method. I like that the gadget uses a futureproof USB-C connector for charging. This method was first used for a series of podcasts hosted by the Regional Educational Technology Center at Fordham University in 2005.
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digital audio files 2020