text:
<?php

namespace Contentinum\View\Helper\Microdata;

use Contentinum\View\Helper\Microdata\Parameters;

class ContactGroup extends Parameters
{

    const VIEW_TEMPLATE = 'business';

    public function __invoke($entries, $template, $media)
    {
        $templateKey = static::VIEW_TEMPLATE;
        if (isset($entries['modulFormat'])) {
            $templateKey = $entries['modulFormat'];
        }
        $this->setTemplate($template->plugins->$templateKey);

        $filterDigits = new \Zend\Filter\Digits();
        $html = '';
        foreach ($entries['modulContent'] as $entry) {
            $cardData = '';
            switch ($this->schemakey) {
                case 'Person':
                    $human = $this->view->microdataname($entry);
                    if (1 === $entry->enableImage && '_nomedia' != $entry->contacts->contactImgSource) {
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($this->imagesSource, 'contacts->contactImgSource . '" alt="' . $human . '" />');
                    }

                    $cardData .= $this->deployRow($this->person, $human);

                    if (1 === $entry->indexGroup->enableBusinessTitle && null != ($businesTitle = $this->view->microdataoverwrite($entry, 'contacts', 'businessTitle'))) {
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($this->businessTitle, $businesTitle);
                    }
                    if (1 === $entry->indexGroup->enableOrganame) {
                        $ext = ($entry->indexGroup->accounts->organisationExt) ? $this->organisation->organisationext . '' . $entry->indexGroup->accounts->organisationExt . '' : '';
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($this->organisation, $entry->indexGroup->accounts->organisation . $ext);
                    }

                    break;
                case 'Organization':
                    if (1 === $entry->indexGroup->enableOrganame) {
                        $ext = ($entry->indexGroup->accounts->organisationExt) ? $this->organisation->organisationext . '' . $entry->indexGroup->accounts->organisationExt . '' : '';
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($this->organisation, $entry->indexGroup->accounts->organisation . $ext);
                    }

                    $human = $this->view->microdataname($entry);
                    if (1 === $entry->enableImage && '_nomedia' != $entry->contacts->contactImgSource) {
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($this->imagesSource, 'contacts->contactImgSource . '" alt="' . $human . '" />');
                    }

                    $cardData .= $this->deployRow($this->person, $human);

                    if (1 === $entry->indexGroup->enableBusinessTitle && null != ($businesTitle = $this->view->microdataoverwrite($entry, 'contacts', 'businessTitle'))) {
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($this->businessTitle, $businesTitle);
                    }
                default:
            }

            switch ($this->schemakey) {
                case 'Person':
                    if ($this->address) {
                        $location = null;
                        $addressgrids = $this->address['grids'];
                        if (1 === $entry->indexGroup->enableOrgaddress) {
                            $account = $entry->indexGroup->accounts;

                            if (strlen($account->accountStreet) > 0) {
                                $street = $account->accountStreet;
                                if (strlen($account->accountStreetNumber) > 0) {
                                    $street .= ' ' . $account->accountStreetNumber;
                                }

                                if (isset($addressgrids['accountStreet'])) {
                                    $location .= $this->deployRow($addressgrids['accountStreet'], $street);
                                }
                            }
                            if (strlen($account->accountZipcode) > 0) {
                                if (isset($addressgrids['accountZipcode'])) {
                                    $location .= $this->deployRow($addressgrids['accountZipcode'], $account->accountZipcode);
                                }
                            }

                            if (strlen($account->accountCity) > 0) {
                                if (isset($addressgrids['accountCity'])) {
                                    $location .= $this->deployRow($addressgrids['accountCity'], $account->accountCity);
                                }
                            }
                        } elseif (1 === $entry->indexGroup->enableAddress) {

                            if (null != ($contactAdress = $this->view->microdataoverwrite($entry, 'contacts', 'contactAddress'))) {
                                if (isset($addressgrids['accountStreet'])) {
                                    $location .= $this->deployRow($addressgrids['accountStreet'], $contactAdress);
                                }
                            }
                            if (null != ($contactZipcode = $this->view->microdataoverwrite($entry, 'contacts', 'contactZipcode'))) {
                                if (isset($addressgrids['accountZipcode'])) {
                                    $location .= $this->deployRow($addressgrids['accountZipcode'], $contactZipcode);
                                }
                            }
                            if (null != ($contactCity = $this->view->microdataoverwrite($entry, 'contacts', 'contactCity'))) {
                                if (isset($addressgrids['accountCity'])) {
                                    $location .= $this->deployRow($addressgrids['accountCity'], $contactCity);
                                }
                            }
                        }
                        if (null !== $location) {
                            $cardData .= $this->deployRow($this->address, $location);
                        }
                    }

                    if (1 === $entry->enablePhoneHome && null != $entry->contacts->phoneHome) {
                        $phoneHomeTemplate = $this->phoneHome->toArray();
                        $phoneHomeTemplate['grid']['attr']['href'] = $phoneHomeTemplate['grid']['attr']['href'] . $filterDigits->filter($entry->contacts->phoneHome);
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($phoneHomeTemplate, $entry->contacts->phoneHome);
                    }
                    if (1 === $entry->enablePhoneMobile && null != ($phoneMobile = $this->view->microdataoverwrite($entry, 'contacts', 'phoneMobile'))) {
                        $phoneMobileTemplate = $this->phoneMobile->toArray();
                        $phoneMobileTemplate['grid']['attr']['href'] = $phoneMobileTemplate['grid']['attr']['href'] . $filterDigits->filter($phoneMobile);
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($phoneMobileTemplate, $phoneMobile);
                    }

                    if (1 === $entry->enablePhoneWork && null != ($phoneWork = $this->view->microdataoverwrite($entry, 'contacts', 'phoneWork'))) {
                        $phoneWorkTemplate = $this->phoneWork->toArray();
                        $phoneWorkTemplate['grid']['attr']['href'] = $phoneWorkTemplate['grid']['attr']['href'] . $filterDigits->filter($phoneWork);
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($phoneWorkTemplate, $phoneWork);
                    }
                    if (1 === $entry->enablePhoneFax && null != ($phoneFax = $this->view->microdataoverwrite($entry, 'contacts', 'phoneFax'))) {
                        $phoneFaxTemplate = $this->phoneFax->toArray();
                        $phoneFaxTemplate['grid']['attr']['href'] = $phoneFaxTemplate['grid']['attr']['href'] . $filterDigits->filter($phoneFax);
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($phoneFaxTemplate, $phoneFax);
                    }

                    if (1 === $entry->enableContactEmail && null != ($contactEmail = $this->view->microdataoverwrite($entry, 'contacts', 'contactEmail'))) {
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($this->accountEmail, $contactEmail);
                    } elseif (1 === $entry->enableContactEmail && strlen($entry->indexGroup->accounts->accountEmail) > 0) {
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($this->accountEmail, $entry->indexGroup->accounts->accountEmail);
                    }
                    if (1 === $entry->enableAlternateEmail && null != $entry->contacts->alternateEmail) {
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($this->alternateEmail, $entry->contacts->alternateEmail);
                    }
                    if (1 === $entry->enableInternet && null != ($internet = $this->view->microdataoverwrite($entry, 'contacts', 'internet'))) {
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($this->internet, $internet);
                    } elseif (1 === $entry->enableInternet && strlen($entry->indexGroup->accounts->internet) > 0) {
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($this->internet, $entry->indexGroup->accounts->internet);
                    }
                    if (1 === $entry->enableDescription && null != ($description = $this->view->microdataoverwrite($entry, 'contacts', 'description'))) {
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($this->description, $description);
                    }

                    break;
                case 'Organization':
                    if ($this->address) {
                        if (1 === $entry->indexGroup->enableOrgaddress) {
                            $account = $entry->indexGroup->accounts;

                            if (strlen($account->accountStreet) > 0) {
                                $street = $account->accountStreet;
                                if (strlen($account->accountStreetNumber) > 0) {
                                    $street .= ' ' . $account->accountStreetNumber;
                                }

                                if (isset($grids['accountStreet'])) {
                                    $location .= $this->deployRow($addressgrids['accountStreet'], $street);
                                }
                            }

                            if (strlen($account->accountZipcode) > 0) {
                                if (isset($addressgrids['accountZipcode'])) {
                                    $location .= $this->deployRow($addressgrids['accountZipcode'], $account->accountZipcode);
                                }
                            }

                            if (strlen($account->accountCity) > 0) {
                                if (isset($grids['accountCity'])) {
                                    $location .= $this->deployRow($addressgrids['accountCity'], $account->accountCity);
                                }
                            }
                        }
                    }
                    $account = $entry->indexGroup->accounts;
                    if (1 === $entry->enablePhoneWork){
                        if (strlen($entry->contacts->phoneWork) > 1 ){
                            $workPhone = $entry->contacts->phoneWork;
                        } elseif (strlen($account->accountPhone) > 0){
                            $workPhone = $account->accountPhone;
                        }
                        $phoneWorkTemplate = $this->phoneWork->toArray();
                        $phoneWorkTemplate['grid']['attr']['href'] = $phoneWorkTemplate['grid']['attr']['href'] . $filterDigits->filter($account->accountPhone);
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($phoneWorkTemplate, $workPhone);
                    }
                    /*
                    if (1 === $entry->enablePhoneWork && strlen($account->accountPhone) > 0) {
                        $phoneWorkTemplate = $this->phoneWork->toArray();
                        $phoneWorkTemplate['grid']['attr']['href'] = $phoneWorkTemplate['grid']['attr']['href'] . $filterDigits->filter($account->accountPhone);
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($phoneWorkTemplate, $account->accountPhone);
                    }*/
                    if (1 === $entry->enablePhoneFax && strlen($account->accountFax) > 0) {
                        $phoneFaxTemplate = $this->phoneFax->toArray();
                        $phoneFaxTemplate['grid']['attr']['href'] = $phoneFaxTemplate['grid']['attr']['href'] . $filterDigits->filter($account->accountFax);
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($phoneFaxTemplate, $account->accountFax);
                    }

                    if (1 === $entry->enableContactEmail && strlen($account->accountEmail) > 0) {
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($this->accountEmail, $account->accountEmail);
                    } elseif (1 === $entry->enableContactEmail && null != ($contactEmail = $this->view->microdataoverwrite($entry, 'contacts', 'contactEmail'))) {
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($this->accountEmail, $contactEmail);
                    }
                    if (1 === $entry->enableAlternateEmail && null != $entry->contacts->alternateEmail) {
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($this->alternateEmail, $entry->contacts->alternateEmail);
                    }
                    if (1 === $entry->enableInternet && strlen($account->internet) > 0) {
                        $cardData .= $this->deployRow($this->internet, $account->internet);
                    }

                default:
            }

            $html .= $this->deployRow($this->schema, $cardData);
        }
        if (null !== $this->wrapper) {
            $html = $this->deployRow($this->wrapper, $html);
        }
        return $html;
    }
}


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text:
Home » FIERCE Factor: The 'F's given rating system
FIERCE Factor: The 'F's given rating system
"I think it's a really great idea, and, like the Bechtel test, it just sheds light on the overwhelming under-representation of female-driven stories out there. " – Sue Maslin, Producer The Dressmaker
We rate content based on how many 'F's (women in key roles) were a part of the project.
Writer (for screen or stage)
Lead Actor
Key Support Actor
FIERCE look – women in key credited roles including, but not limited, to cinematographers and editors
FIERCE feel – women in key credited roles including but not limited to music/composer, production design, costume design
FIERCE Story -showing female experience or perspective (e.g. true story, based on a book by a woman)
Like when you pick up a pack of biccies at the supermarket and the kangaroo and chart on the box give a quick guide of the percentage of Australian ingredients, our FIERCE Factor measures female input. The more women involved, the more 'F's we give.
An amazing TV series can earn a 5 star or equivalent review (from female Australian reviewers) for being simply brilliant- we don't begrudge that, we embrace it.
If the only female involvement is the cool female support character it is classed as a "1 'F' given, 5 star" review. Add in a female producer and BOOM you're up to 2 'F's given. WOW, it looks fantastic, production design or costumes by a woman? You're up to 3 'F's already. This is simply about transparency, The FIERCE is about celebrating and getting you excited about content, not tearing it down because of who has made it.
Wait, aren't FIERCE story and Writer the same?
We don't' think so, here are a couple of examples why: 'Big Little Lies' is a FIERCE Story based on the book by Australian woman Liane Moriarty, David E. Kelly is the 'Creator' writer transforming those words from the page to TV script. Movie 'I, Tonya' is based on the real lived experiences of Tonya Harding, it's a FIERCE Story as the we know (to an extent from news footage etc) many of the actions and words of Tonya the character have been directly drawn from the real athlete's life, so we give a 'F' for that. The film was written by Steven Rogers, so it doesn't get a 'F' for writer.
What if the individual you're looking to give a 'F' for is transgender or agender?
We give 'F's based on how a person identifies at the time a work was created. The FIERCE has been established to celebrate female-driven and generated content so for now our 'F's are only given to those who identify as female. However, we recognise the sensational and fantastically fierce work being done by LGBTIQ people within the entertainment industry and are considering adding further categories down the track. If it's something you're keen to see in this rating system let us know!
"I love the fact that you've got eight levels, and so there's a number of ways that you can ask audiences to think about what they're looking at, what the story's about and who's been telling that story." – Sue Maslin, Producer The Dressmaker
FilmOcean's 8 (M)
FilmHereditary (MA15+)
InterviewsJenny Cooney: 'The Godmother' of Aussies in Hollywood

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Our coloured crystal is available in a choice of eight colours - amber, solid black, transparent black, blue, green, pink, purple and red.
Pack of 4 coloured crystal octagons.
Pack of 5 coloured crystal squares.
Pack of 3 coloured crystal pears.
Pack of 2 coloured crystal drops.
Pack of 3 coloured crystal spear points.


There are a number of problems with using the Office Development Edition 97 (ODE 97) or the Microsoft Office Developer 2000/2002 (MOD 2000/2002) to distribute a runtime version of your software.
By far the biggest problem is running an Access runtime version with a different version of Access, either retail or runtime already installed on the system. The problem is that both the runtime and retail versions of Access insist on reassociating the MDB file extensions, and others such as MDE, MDW, etc, with the most recently executed version of Access.
One solution is to put the explicit path and file names of the appropriate versions of access to all the shortcuts. For example "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 97\Office\msaccess.exe". Including the double quotes if you have any spaces in the path name which is very likely.
There are some programs out there which will automatically start the appropriate version of Access. One of those is ACCVER Allows you to work with multiple versions of MS Access databases. Detects the version of Access used to create your MDB, MDE or MDA files and either reports the version number or starts the appropriate version of MS Access. I've been using this tool for a number of years. It's worked very well. The author has been prompt with adding my few suggestions to his tool.
Another problem is when the user/client decides to upgrade their version of Access without telling you.
Either way you'll get blamed. <sigh> ODE97: Access 97 Runtime App Uses Access 2000 Executable may be of some assistance here.
One tip that may help sometimes is to stop the runtime versions of Access registering itself http://www.trigeminal.com/usenet/usenet019.asp?1033. One posting a while back stated "The simplest way I found is to install Access97 runtime with the .srg (self register) files blanked. This stops the runtime registering itself and interfering with other versions of Access. You'll have to create a shortcut that opens your access runtime with the full path and name of the installed msaccess.exe and your mdb/mde."
If you have a specific problem try doing a search at the Knowledge Base at Microsoft.
If you are running in a controlled environment, such as a corporation or office, you can likely handle all the problems which will crop up. However if you are looking at distributing to multiple clients at remote locations with unknown configurations then things get even more troubles.
One alternative is to distribute a CD containing multiple versions of the Access runtime. The Setup Switcher is designed to install either Access97 or Access2000-related runtimes depending on what's already on the recipients system. I'm sure this utility can be easily updated to handle Access 2002.
Note however that purchasing the Access 97 runtime may be difficult. You can try eBay and such used software sites. In the past you were able to purchase the MOD 2000 and then ask MS to ship you the ODE 97 for the cost of shipping and handling. See INFO: Getting the Office 97 Developer Editions Tools now that Office 2000 is out for details. However now that Access 2002 is out it is my understanding that you can no longer purchase the A97 ODE in this fashion.
For a list of the problems visit www.sagekey.com. Yes, they are a vendor but they also do point out the short comings.
Create the runtime distribution on the oldest OS you are supporting. So instead of creating on your personal Win2000 Pro or Win XP Pro system create the runtime distribution set on a Win 95 or Win98 system. Note that while Access 2002 runtime might install on Win 95 it won't actually work.
The Access 2002 runtime creates the runtime package using the files from the original Office install without any patches. This also applies to Jet 4.0 Service Packs. The Access 97 runtime happily included the updated files. Thus you will need to either include the following files with your distribution set or depend on the user running Microsoft Office Update to download these files.
The above also applies to Access 2000.
The below Runtime Updates update the Access runtime on the client workstations to the same level as corresponding Office XP Service Pack. These do not update the runtime you, the developer, create on your own system. These updates also do not update Jet. The Microsoft Office Update did identify these as updates to be required.
Shortcut for all users of a Windows 2000 system.
Alter the PrivateGroup setting in Setup.lst to make a package that installs the shortcut for all users on that workstation.
This can be done on a single computer by using removable hard drives containing the OSs, multi-boot software such as Boot Magic (included with Partition Magic). Along with software such as Ghost or Drive Image to create copies of clean OSs and recreate them once they've been dirtied.
An alternative is VMWare or Connectix which allows you to boot up other OSs within Windows.
These solutions aren't cheap but then what about the cost of trustration levels of potential and existing clients as well as your wasted time.
You will be getting version problems with OCXs and such. <sigh> Especially Microsoft controls such as the Common Dialog. It's only a matter of time. Use the free OCX/DLL version checker MDB available on my website for assistance in trouble shooting these kinds of problems at your clients.
CreateShortcut creates a Windows shortcut to almost anywhere you like, including special folders (such as the Desktop, Programs menu, and so on), or any folder.
Sagekey Frequently mentioned in the newsgroups as being reliable and responsive to problems.
Inno Freeware with several scripts on the net. One is here. However these are more work. Support is here but also check the archives.
Note that while the articles may be version specific many of them do contain links to other version articles. The solution is also frequently the same between various versions.


text:
Q: Storing like count for a post in MySQL Is it a good idea to store like count in the following format?
like table:
u_id | post_id | user_id

And count(u_id) of a post?
What if there were thousands of likes for each post? The like table is going to be filled with billions of rows after a few months.
What are other efficient ways to do so?

A: In two words answer is : yes , it is OK. (to store data about each like any user did for any post).
But I want just to separate or transform it to several questions:
Q. Is there other way to count(u_id)? or even better:
SELECT COUNT(u_id) FROM likes WHERE post_id = ?

A. Why not? you can save count in your post table and increase/decrease it every time when user like/dislike the post. You can set trigger (stored procedure) to automate this action. And then to get counter you need just:
SELECT counter FROM posts WHERE post_id = ?

If you like previous Q/A and think that it is good idea I have next question:
Q. Why do we need likes table then?
A. That depends of your application design and requirements. According to the columns set you posted : u_id, post_id, user_id (I would even add another column timestamp). Your requirements is to store info about user as well as about post when it liked. That means you can recognize if user already liked this post and refuse multilikes. If you don't care about multilikes or historical timeline and stats you can delete your likes table.
Last question I see here:
Q. The like table is going to be filled with billions of rows after a few months.  isn't it?
A. I wish you that success but IMHO you are 99% wrong. to get just 1M records you need 1000 active users (which is very very good number for personal startup (you are building whole app with no architect or designer involved?))  and EVERY of those users should like EVERY of 1000 posts if you have any.
My point here is: fortunately you have enough time till your database become really big and that would hurt your application. Till your table get 10-20M of records you can do not worry about size and performance.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Here we are again, these monthly updates seems to be rolling around quicker and quicker. This is what is new his month with my boy Dex.
There is no change on the teeth front. He still only had the eight at the front and four molars. I've seen no signs of any bulges or pain, so I have no idea when the rest will make their way through.
Dexter has been sleeping like a dream. He sleeps all night from 7pm until 6 or 7am and on my days off he has one or two naps totalling three to four hours. He doesn't nap much when he is in childcare, usually only an hour, but he more than makes up for it when he's at home with me!
He enjoys a vast range of food at the childminders and eats anything. For breakfast he has toast, hot cross buns, porridge or fruit and for lunch and dinner he has pasta, curry, shepherds pie, fish and chips or sandwiches. He drinks only water although I occasionally give him milk on my days off.
We finally have some definite words, the most prominent being 'shoes'. He loves trying to show us he can put his shoes on himself and will repeat the word constantly when he wants to go out. In fact, he's becoming the master of communication by bringing us bottles of water when he is thirsty and trying to get into his pram when he is bored of being indoors. As soon as he is sleepy he goes to find his dummy and bunny and rubs his eyes and when he's hungry he points and reaches for the breadsticks.
He is becoming better at being entertained by us and will now sit and listen to us read to him instead of trying to tear up the pages and will sit quietly at his table while we do a craft activity. Everything is an experiment for him and he will test the reaction to everything. What happens when he opens a cupboard, where does the water go when you lift up the plug in the bath and what happens when you flick the light switch? He is a very tall toddler and is now able to open doors (although not the front door thank god!) and climb up and down off the sofa safely.
Dexter loves watching CBeebies, being read to, playing with his elephant pop toy and trying to colour with his crayons. He has come on leaps and bounds over the past couple of months and you can see he is now able to listen to what is being said and is understanding it too. He is known to have some super temper tantrums. If he is doing something he shouldn't (like reaching for a knife!) and you say, No! he stops what he is doing before having a huge meltdown which can only be rectified with lots of cuddles and kisses. Recently he bit another child at the childminder's and a few days later when he tried to do it to me (completely innocently I might add and not at all in a malicious way), I calmly told him, No! and the tears that came were rather heartbreaking. After being told why it was wrong in a calm manner on his level, I let him have a cuddle to show him I wasn't mad and to be fair to him we haven't had another incident since.
This month has seen him learn a few things such as he is able to spin around and around until he becomes dizzy and falls down. He finds this hilarious and does it quite often. He has also started stamping his feet when he is happy and stamping along while I sing, If You're Happy and You Know It. He loves acting things out and if you mention the word brush or wash, he starts rubbing his hair. He also loves it when you ask him where his nose is and he points to it with absolute glee. He has started to learn how to throw and likes to give a big shout as he tosses the ball or balloon into the air. Finally, he is becoming more adept at using cutlery and will attempt to use a fork during most meals.
What a difference it makes when they can communicate more – it's like a whole new world! Dex is coming on so well, he's a real credit to all of your hard work!


My journalism beat covers tech, digital media and work culture.
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First woman in tech featured in a new video interview series for OwnersMagazine.com.
Q/A with Philly social media agency on navigating what it means to be both an influencer and run influencer campaigns.
Using bit.ly to track content and marketing performance.
Career-pathing guide for women in technology in the Philadelphia region.
I talk with the creators of the #whyIlovePhilly campaign to share my story of leaving NYC for PHL and why I'm here to stay.
Think there aren't qualified women in tech? Here are 1,000 names, including mine. No more excuses.
How-to posts for digital marketers to produce effective, inclusive and accessible content for best-fit online audiences.
Actionable advice as told to The Washington Post for women to successfully advocate for more money, from starting salaries to severance packages.


text:
Toronto December 14, 2017
Woman of the Week: Meg Davis
Meg Davis loves to witness change in a neighbourhood. It's her passion — to watch a vibrant community evolve over the years. As Chief Developent Officer of Waterfront Toronto, Davis gets to see this kind of transformation on a daily basis.
Davis has worked for Waterfront Toronto for the last 10 years, and says the change within the neighbourhood is heartwarming.
"When I arrived here we had a couple small parks and wave decks, which were stunning and beautiful and got a lot of attention, but we hadn't built a building yet," she said. "In the last 10 years we've built an 18-acre park in the West Don lands, Pan Am athletes village, condos in the West Don lands, [and] East Bayfront. People are starting to build down here and one of the things we have started is programming. Cultural events, the sugar shack program, partnering with Luminato — we are really animating the waterfront."
The waterfront, a 46-kilometre stretch of Harbourfront property along Lake Ontario between Etobicoke and Rouge River, is constantly transforming. Waterfront Toronto is a public advocate and steward of this revitalization process. It was created by all three levels of the Canadian government with the purpose of overseeing and implementing strategies to transform the area.
One of the things Waterfront Toronto stresses is the difference between redevelopment and revitalization. Redevelopment, Davis explains, refers to the selling of land to the highest bidder, regardless of what they plan on doing in the area.
"Revitalization means achieving public policy objectives such as reducing urban sprawl, providing transit, reducing carbon emissions, contributing to economic vibrancy, addressing affordability and providing excellent public realm and architecture by leveraging public land," she said.
It's this kind of urban development that Davis is passionate about. Her love of urban planning was encouraged by a geography teacher in high school, whose lesson plans focused on urban affairs. "It really grabbed me. I took as many courses like that as I could," she said.
Her education is mixed. She has an Honours Bachelor degree from Western University in urban development, a Master's in business Administration from the University of Toronto, and recently completed an Executive Leadership Program. She started her career as a junior planner with Bramalea Limited, focusing mostly on real estate. From 2005 to 2007, Davis acted as Director of KPMG Canada, focusing on public-private partnership projects, including $1 billion long-term care facilities and the sale of Highway 407.
"I love the physical aspect of it," she said. "I love to see things come up from the ground and take shape. For me, the use of P3s were a unique opportunity to see how the government and the private sector could come together."
This is especially true of Toronto's waterfront, which Davis describes as essentially "one big P3." Waterfront Toronto is putting a large emphasis on affordable housing within its neighbourhoods, and using that as a foundation for planning.
"You can have affordable housing and expensive condos, [but] if you don't provide the public spaces, it's not a place anybody wants to live," she said. "You can't squander the opportunities – being by the water is unique in Toronto and you have to make it a complete community."
As Chief Development Officer, Davis is responsible for leading the development of all lands controlled by Waterfront Toronto. She is particularly proud of the Pan Parapan Am Games Athlete's Village in the West Don Lands, which was transformed after the games into affordable rental housing, vibrant retail properties, student housing, market condominiums, and public art. Davis says it advanced revitalization of the neighbourhood by over five years.
"We are really animating the waterfront. I think the transformation is huge," she says.
Davis helps co-chair the Women's Leadership Initiative ULI Toronto. They are working on a speaking series that will help promote the voices of women in real estate, which she says is still a heavily male-dominated industry.
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Sustainability April 27, 2017
Rail deck park is still on the table, but how to fund it?
Rail Deck Park is still on the table for Toronto, as the city debates whether the one billion dollar price tag on the 21-acre park is plausible.
Toronto Chief Planner Jennifer Keesmaat moderated an urban planning symposium, held by the Urban Land Institute Toronto (ULI) Tuesday, that discussed the implementation strategy for the controversial park project. In the fall of 2016, the city announced they would prepare a strategy to build a park between Bathurst St. to Blue Jays Way. The Rail Deck would use airspace above the railyard in downtown Toronto and close up a gap that divides the downtown area and makes it less walkable.
The park is controversial because it is incredibly expensive to build, estimated at one billion dollars as a starting point. That price tag doesn't include the cost of purchasing the air rights over the rail deck, which is a necessity. A developer has already signed an agreement for air rights over the space and isn't willing to go down without a fight. The city will have to work hard to obtain the space to create a park in downtown Toronto. It is a worthwhile venture though. It would be one of the city's last chances to create a large green space downtown as open space becomes increasingly rare.
According to a November Forum Research Poll of Toronto residents, 51 per cent of respondents supported the proposed park and 38 per cent opposed it. Not surprisingly, 46 per cent of respondents felt that the space should not be paid for with public dollars. Though there are several issues remaining on how to budget the rail deck park, Keesmaat has confirmed there is already $350 million invested from developers that is earmarked for public space.
The Rail Deck Park is an ambitious, but worthwhile project. Green space in the downtown area promotes healthy tourism and is relatively simple to upkeep. It also provides Torontonians with more outdoor space, and a carbon sink in the middle of an area full of pollution. Hopefully, the rail deck park can become Mayor Tory's legacy, and it will be enjoyed for generations to come. Until then, it will be interesting see if the funding can be found.
What makes a city great?
I doubt anyone could point to just one feature that makes a city a great place to live, instead a great city depends on thousands of small parts that collectively make it a success or a failure. Toronto has some terrific features but also some big challenges. We sit beside a huge fresh water lake, but because of our location climate change has a harsh impact on us — from ice storms to floods — and scientists are predicting that extreme weather conditions will increase. Toronto must look for ways to fortify our city for the weather to come, and for the increase in population that is expected.
But let's get back to one of the small features that cities around the world are using to improve the quality of life for their residents — Trees. Not only do trees improve air quality, produce oxygen, and combat the greenhouse effect, they cool the streets, conserve energy and save water. Given all the positive impacts of having a large and healthy urban tree canopy (over 50% coverage) where does Toronto sit in comparison to other cities in North America?
Below are the top ten cities in North America and their percentage of tree and bush coverage:
1. Atlanta -52%
2. Nashville – 49%
3. Pittsburg – 42%
4. Halifax – 41%
5. Albuquerque – 38%
6. Washington D.C – 36%
7. Minneapolis – 34%
8. Tampa – 32%
9. Austin – 31%
10. Portland – 30%
Toronto isn't even on the list of top ten, but we sit at a measly 26% tree coverage — we can and should do better!
Trees by Joyce Kilmer
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
www.itreetools.org/Canopy/resources/Tree_and_Impervious_Cover_change_in_US_Cities_Nowak_Greenfield.pdf
·http://www.td.com/document/PDF/economics/special/UrbanForestsInCanadianCities.pdf
by Sarah Thomson


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Lilian To Bursary Winner: Giovanni Mata
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Published On: November 15, 2014
Ashton College is pleased to announce Giovanni Mata as one of our four Lilian To Bursary winners for 2014.
Giovanni Mata arrived in Canada in 2012 from the Philippines, where he practised law for 10 years. "When I arrived here, I realized that getting my Certificate of Qualification as a lawyer would be quite tough," he says. "So I set a short-term goal of completing the Immigration Consultant program."
After completing Ashton College's Immigration Consultant Diploma program, he wrote the ICCRC exam and received his licence to practice as an immigration consultant. In November 2012, Giovanni started his own practice.
In 2013, Giovanni had his law credentials assessed by the Law Society of British Columbia, the professional organization that regulates the practise of law in the province, and he learned that he would need to write eight exams to be certified as a lawyer in BC.
"I started writing the exams last year and I've already written five," he explains. "Once I finish the exams I will have my Certificate of Qualification, which means that I have the equivalent to a law degree obtained in Canada. I'll then have to article for nine months, and after that, I can write the bar admission exam."
Giovanni's determination and motivation to advance his career is reflected in his ultimate goal: once he receives his qualification to practise law in Canada, he plans to specialize in immigration law. He's also continuing with his education at Ashton College, enrolling in a program that will further broaden his knowledge and the services he can offer clients.
As a 2014 Lilian To Bursary winner, Giovanni enrolled in Ashton College's International Trade program in October. Although he had originally considered using the bursary to study Human Resources Management, he ultimately chose the International Trade program as he believes it will complement the services he offers through his business.
Giovanni says that immigration and international trade are inseparable. "Every time the immigrant population grows, the trading relationships between the immigrant's home country and Canada increase." He also cites the interconnections of trade and immigration under NAFTA, which allows citizens from the U.S. or Mexico to work here in Canada.
He believes that deepening his knowledge of international trade issues will benefit his career. "In the Philippines, my practice was only limited to Filipino legal issues, but now that I have gained knowledge about Canadian immigration law, if I go back to the Philippines, I can bring these skills with me. And when I finish the International Trade program, I will be able to cover this area within my business as another area of specialty."
As an Ashton College graduate, Giovanni appreciates the personalized learning environment and diverse networking opportunities offered at the College. "I prefer learning within a classroom setting because it allows me to connect with others. Just like here, in my International Trade program, I am getting to know people from China, Japan and Brazil."
When asked if he has any advice for newcomers, Giovanni responds: "Pursue your dreams. Don't lose hope. Decide what you want to be. Set a goal, set a plan and take a step."
Giovanni also strongly believes that a positive attitude can go a long way, "If I didn't have a positive attitude, I would have given up a long time ago. But you know, my kids and my wife are my motivation. I want to be an inspiration, not only for them, but for all of the Filipinos here. Because really, we know that being an immigrant is so hard. You cannot get the job you really want unless you upgrade."


Ever since 2007, Google Street View has been slowly changing the way that we look at our world. What started as a project that included only a few American cities, is now one that allows us to type in an address and see a panoramic view of that location on your computer. Google captures these images by driving fleets of cars around the countries of the world, from Australia to Russia, Japan to Argentina. Each of these cars is armed with 360º cameras that capture everything in view. The final result is amazing. An instant look into any address on the planet.
Well, okay. Not any address. In truth, for all of the more unexpected spots that one can visit on Google Street View (right now, you can "take a walk" through Nuuk, the capital of Greenland), there are some surprising omissions, such as popular Caribbean countries like Cuba, Barbados, and Jamaica, and nearly all of Africa.
Then there are other omissions. Ones that you probably would not think to look for, unless you lived there, of course.
Such as the Faroe Islands.
The Faroe Islands are not very well known. This tiny volcanic archipelago (that means group of islands) is found in the North Atlantic Ocean. It sits between Iceland and England and Norway, and is technically a part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Still, the entire population of about 50,000 operates mainly as their own nation. They have a cool climate with little snow, a history of fishing, a charming culture... and no Google Street View.
This frustrated a Faroese woman named Durita Dahl Andreassen. She works for the Faroese Tourism Board (that's a job where you try to get people to come and visit your country) and was disappointed that her country didn't have Street View. She was convinced that if it did, many more people would want to visit her homeland. But even she had to admit that there weren't exactly a lot of roads to travel on. So she came up with a plan.
The name "Faroe Islands" means "the sheep islands" in Danish. Turns out that this was a good name, because aside from puffins and ponies, this place is run by sheep. There are twice as many sheep as people here. And though the wild rolling pastures and rocky cliffs of the Faroes aren't that great for a car, they are tailor made for the wily hooves of the wooly sheep.
So, the solution? Take the same 360º cameras that Google uses to map out neighbourhoods around the world, and throw them on the back of a sheep or two! Allow Durita to explain it for you, and enjoy the sights of the Faroe Islands while you're at it. Looks like a great place to visit!


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What if conflicts at home, conflicts at work, and conflicts in the world stem from the same root cause? What if we systematically misunderstand that cause? And what if, as a result, we systematically perpetuate the very problems we think we are trying to solve?From the authors of Leadership and Self-Deception comes an international bestseller that instills hope and inspires reconciliation. Through… a moving story of parents who are struggling with their own children and with problems that have come to consume their lives, we learn from once-bitter enemies the way to transform personal, professional, and global conflicts, even when war is upon us.


Unless you've been living under the medical rock, then you must have heard about the FDA's endorsement of the treatment resistant depression medication, Ketamine. The panel went forward to solicit the use of ketamine in the form of nasal sprays for individuals and patients suffering from cases of severe depression. Considering that as reported by the Center for Disease Control, every one in six adults will have had depression at some stage in their lives, this is indeed a step in the right direction. Mental disability as a whole is (however not always), incited by depression and this is seen in the 300 million cases of depression worldwide. However, it's about time the remedy was endorsed and this article is all about the effectiveness and weaknesses of Ketamine.
This is one of the most innovative drugs in today's history, however it was well used for other procedures in the 1970s as a sedative, but today, it's used as a depression remedy. Depression can be caused by multiple scenarios. The death of a loved one, peer pressure, breakups, and lots more. Sometimes something needs to shift from the norm to create such a mental response, other times, it doesn't need an inciting factor. However, as prevalent as depression is, we cannot forget about its siblings in the form of anxiety, psychosis, suicidal thoughts, PTSD, and lots of others. Ketamine is an anesthetic, or you could say a 'calming drug' which is acting as a mood elevator. It is so effective that patients who suffered severe depression admitted to at least feeling 50 percent better after 40 minutes of infusion. A patient admittedly said that he 'went from severe depression to no depression symptoms.' The numbers are great, there's no disputing that, however there are certain restrictions about Ketamine.
Ketamine is very effective no doubt but it comes with an advisory. This being that, apart from being used as an anesthetic for medical procedures, it should only be used on patients suffering from severe depression or treatment resistant depression and as a last resort. In essence, it should not be administered lightly. At least without trying other options first. Presently in the US alone, following the FDA approval, there have been over 3,000 cases of documented Ketamine use for severe depression symptoms in the US and Canada alone.
Dr. Nolan Williams, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences from the Stanford University Medical Center, admitted that there are precise scenarios where Ketamine makes a great deal of sense, and there are others where its role and purpose with respect to what it should be is heavily unclear. He further added that it's not realistic to think Ketamine will be a treatment for chronic or severe depression forever. Other doctors had their own input about Ketamine. Dr. Robert C. Meisner, the medical director of McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical school affiliate said that in the use of Ketamine, 'one must balance clinical necessity with clinical uncertainty as well as the availability of other treatments'. Dr. Meisner who is the medical director of the Ketamine Service in the Psychiatric Neuro-Therapeutics Program at the McLean Hospital said this with good cause.
Ketamine, when used as a severe depression remedy, is highly effective and shows a low risk of being addictive or another source of dependency for patients. It is also really useful for patients that self-harm or are at risk of suicide. Ultimately, for the purpose of alleviating severe depression in simple doses, Ketamine is doing just that.
Ketamine although highly effective comes with certain adverse effects that could either be immediate or after prolonged use. Its immediate side effects include dizziness, high blood pressure, and other dissociative symptoms. However, these effects could be resolved the same day, but for recreational users, when used for long periods and at high doses can lead to bladder, liver and biliary tract complications. Users could even suffer deficits in their cognitive abilities and lastly, the cost of off-label Ketamine treatments are not covered by insurance. In essence, this drug is still under research and to prevent unforeseen health challenges, it should be administered and prescribed by a licensed medical professional.


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Chris Biscoe Profiles Quartet
Chris Biscoe: alto sax, alto clarinet
Tony Kofi: alto sax, tenor sax
Larry Bartley: double bass
Stu Butterfield: drums
Recorded live at Campus West, Welwyn Garden City by Veryan Weston on January 30th 2011. Concert promoted by Herts Jazz.
Special thanks to Clark Tracey.
Mixing, mastering and design by Andrew Cleydert
Cover painting by Anthony de Jong Cleyndert
Produced by Chris Biscoe
Trio Records TR591
The quartet with Tony Kofi, Larry Bartley and Stu Butterfield set out to explore innovations brought to jazz by Eric Dolphy, a remarkable virtuoso who combined many of the virtues of bebop and earlier jazz forms with an open-mindedness matched by few other musicians. His interest in using natural sounds and the inspiration he drew from music of different cultures has become increasingly accepted by succeeding generations of musicians.
Our repertoire draws on Eric Dolphy's own compositions, which give a clear insight into his rhythmic and harmonic approach, a selection of pieces drawn from his recordings with other bandleaders (Oliver Nelson, Charles Mingus, John Coltrane), and tunes such as Jitterbug Waltz reflecting Dolphy's Catholic tastes.
The Quartet is also the core of the Mingus Profiles Sextet. As the band has developed we have incorporated material from the Sextet's Mingus repertoire and now perform as the Profiles Quartet.
On this CD recorded at a club gig for Hertford Jazz in 2011 you can hear some tunes (Les, Out to Lunch, Potsa Lotsa) which are also on our studio CD Gone in the Air. These versions are longer and more varied in texture, reflecting our experience of working together and the freedom of performance which comes with live performance.
I play the theme of Something Sweet, Something Tender on unaccompanied alto sax as an introduction to Out to Lunch and Potsa Lotsa. These three pieces are played without a break, although they have different track numbers. Out to Lunch finishes with a bass solo by Larry Bartley based on melodic motifs from that tune, which he then transforms into the opening riff of Potsa Lotsa, at which point I join him on alto clarinet.
Fables of Faubus is a great Charles Mingus piece that Eric Dolphy played on many live performances with Mingus and on the remarkable studio record Mingus Presents Mingus.
Eric Dolphy was an admirer of Thelonious Monk, dedicating Hat and Beard (from Out to Lunch and also heard on our first CD) to him. He played Epistrophy when working as a soloist with various bands and it appears on the radio broadcast at the end of his life which was released as Last Date.
Open Book and The Man Who Never Sleeps are played as one piece, but have separate track numbers on this record. Open Book starts with a transcription of the first part of Booker Ervin's solo on Open Letter to Duke, from Mingus Ah Um. Stu Butterfield's drum solo leads into The Man Who Never Sleeps, a Mingus self-portrait which features Tony Kofi on tenor saxophone.
Tony Kofi, Chris Biscoe, Larry Bartley, Stu Butterfield
Photos Peter Symes ©
Peter Symes
Peter Symes (1934-2011) was a lifelong jazz fan who travelled to Paris to see Sidney Bechet in the 1950s and followed the music with continuing enthusiasm through to his encounters with Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman and many other legends of jazz. He was always keen to know about developments and emerging talent, while retaining a keen sense of jazz history. Peter contributed photographs to many jazz publications and record sleeves and acted as advisor for books and television programmes.
Peter was a great chinwagger and raconteur whose morning phone calls would invariably start with "Just a quickie", at which time I knew I should find somewhere comfortable to sit.
Much missed.
Chris Biscoe
1. Les (Dolphy)
2. Epistrophy (Monk)
3. Fables of Faubus (Mingus)
4. Open Book (Biscoe)
5. The Man Who Never Sleeps (Mingus)
6. Something Sweet, Something Tender (Dolphy)
7. Out To Lunch (Dolphy)
8. Potsa Lotsa (Dolphy)
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Gone In The Air
Chris Biscoe Quartet
Saxophonist Chris Biscoe has already made a fine homage album to Charles Mingus, and here he turns his formidable technique and musical intelligence onto great free jazz innovator Eric Dolphy. It's an austere listen with no harmony instrument in the quartet, and the richness of Mingus's The Man Who Never Sleeps suffered somewhat. But it's an invigorating listen, as Biscoe and fellow reedsman Tony Kofi relish the challenge of capturing Dolphy's complexities in just two melodic lines.
Ivan Hewett, Daily Telegraph
The English saxophonist Chris Biscoe follows up earlier album projects on two of his abiding obsessions, the music of Eric Dolphy and Charles Mingus, with this live set combining material by or associated with both musicians. The Profiles Quartet features Biscoe on alto saxophone and alto clarinet alongside Tony Kofi on alto and tenor saxophones (both show clear Dolphy influences in their approach to alto), with Larry Bartley well featured on bass, and Stu Butterfield on drums.
They form a cohesive, highly energised unit, but allow themselves ample freedom to explore the material, which includes compositions by Thelonious Monk and Oliver Nelson associated with Dolphy. Lengthy investigations of Monk's Epistrophy and Dolphy's Out To Lunch and Potsa Lotsa are among the highlights of the set, recorded at the Welwyn Garden City venue Campus West in 2011.
British multi-instrumentalist Chris Biscoe began playing the alto saxophone in 1963, just one year before the death of Eric Dolphy. On Live At Campus West Biscoe and his Profiles Quartet pay tribute to Dolphy's legacy with new arrangements of tunes associated with Dolphy as a composer and player, drawing on music from the American's brief but stellar career and once again placing it firmly center-stage.
Live At Campus West was recorded on January 30th 2011 and features four of Dolphy's compositions alongside Charles Mingus' "Fables Of Faubus" and "The Man Who Never Sleeps," Thelonious Monk's "Epistrophy" and Biscoe's "Open Book." Partnering Biscoe in the Profiles Quartet front line is fellow reeds player Tony Kofi. The pair both double on instruments - Biscoe on alto sax and the relatively unusual alto flute, Kofi on alto and tenor saxophones - and make excellent use of the different combinations on offer.
Biscoe and Kofi may grab the lion's share of the spotlight, but their success is due in no small part to bassist Larry Bartley and drummer Stu Butterfield's sterling rhythm section playing. The four men thrive on each other's energy, respecting the compositions while investing them with terrific verve and enthusiasm. The result is a fiery display of musical skill, dynamics and almost telepathic understanding between the players. There are sensitive moments too, most notably Biscoe's unaccompanied alto sax on "Something Sweet, Something Tender" and the interplay between Biscoe and Kofi on "The Man Who Never Sleeps."
Although the excellent sound of this recording readily brings to mind images of smoky jazz cellars, the Campus West referred to in the album's title is not a glamorous Californian nitespot from the glory days of Dolphy, Mingus, Monk and the rest. It's in the marginally less glamorous Welwyn Garden City, a few miles north of London - but on the evidence of Live At Campus West it was for at least a few hours one January night a place where the spirit of those great players one again burned bright.
Bruce Lindsay - All About Jazz
Some of the most exciting contemporary live jazz – Alex Bonney's Albert Ayler-inspired gigs, Dog Soup's viscerally exciting take on electric-period Miles Davis, Liam Noble's Brubeck interpretations spring immediately to mind – involves musicians revisiting the music of figures who have inspired them, and this Chris Biscoe Profiles Quartet performance, which centres on music composed by or associated with Eric Dolphy, is right up there with the best.
There is something uniquely exhilarating in Dolphy's overall sound and approach, his music seeming to stream out of his bands in a joyful, intoxicating rush, and Biscoe's quartet – completed by alto player Tony Kofi, bassist Larry Bartley and drummer Stu Butterfield – perfectly emulates the great master in this respect, the front-line horns meshing in a wild, exuberant wail that immediately brings the great man's music to mind.
Biscoe must be one of the most underrated figures in UK jazz, his unassuming, learned demeanour belying a soloist of passionate (and unfailingly inventive) intensity, whether he's playing alto or alto clarinet; Kofi, as he proved so memorably in his Monk-inspired album, All is Know (and there is an impressive performance of Monk's 'Epistrophy' here), is a past master at applying his pleasingly astringent tone and urgent improvisational fecundity to classic bop and post-bop jazz, so their combined force is considerable, and in Bartley (one of the steadiest yet most subtly propulsive bassists currently operating in this country) and Butterfield (all buoyancy and spring) they have the perfect rhythmic foils.
There is some duplication of material ('Les', 'Out to Lunch', 'Potsa Lotsa') from the quartet's 2008 studio album, Gone in the Air (Trio TR578), but the eight-minute visit to the Mingus classic 'Fables of Faubus' is worth the price of admission alone, and this hour-long Herts Jazz concert, recorded in 2011 at Welwyn Garden City, documents a first-rate performance from a polished but wonderfully vibrant band.
Chris Parker - London Jazz News
The CD 'Live at Campus West' is available again, this time as a CD with free download and unlimited streaming, or as a download only. Release date May 1st
https://chrisbiscoe.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-campus-west
100% of receipts to www.refuge.org.uk
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Flavia Andrews provides clever home organization systems and ideas, as well as time management techniques to help frazzled women find balance in their lives.
Hello! What's your background, and what is your blog about?
I'm Flavia Andrews and I received a BS degree in Industrial Engineering in my native country, Colombia, and moved to the US at the age of 25. After several years working in the construction industry, I decided to open my own graphic design and event styling business. Having a business I could call my own, was -and still is- surreal to me. I have my own mini-plant where I manufacture goods and control all the processes.
I started the business when online marketplaces were taking off, and I was able to use that as leverage to grow my business in less than 2 years. This led me to start my first blog in order to promote my products and interact with customers at a much personal level.
Blogging took a turn for me when my work started being recognized by the media, and I was hired as a writer/contributor for the popular eHow. Later on, Neat House. Sweet Home™ would be founded.
I created Neat House. Sweet Home™ to promote and provide clever home organization systems and ideas, as well as time management techniques to help frazzled women find balance in their lives.
Our primary audience is 25-45 years old women, most of the moms of young children. They look for daily inspiration for quick and practical solutions to everyday hiccups and setbacks at home. Our main goal is to help them get organized in their homes, while setting new habits and routines that will also bring order to their minds.
I dedicated the first two years to write content and build an audience. Even though I started to monetize since the very first day I published my post, my revenue was only, literally, cents a day! With time and effort, I built a good list of subscribers who kept coming for more. I was also lucky to have a great amount of organic traffic daily.
My total of income in 2015, my first year blogging, was $176 (for the entire year!). In 2016 I made $4,000. This year, my monthly average income is $1,500.
What motivated you to get started with the blog?
Before my son was born, I seemed to have our household under control, as well as a good routine in place to work on the books for our family business. It's no lie when they say having a child changes your life. All of a sudden, hundreds of things to- do, slipped my mind and I felt like I was constantly putting out fires.
The idea of writing Neat House. Sweet Home™ dawned on me when my son started to attend preschool. I realized that if I did not start an organization system for all those first drawings he proudly brought home, I was going to lose my mind watching them pile up quickly on my kitchen counter.
At the same time, I was running my own graphic design and events business and I was struggling to keep up with work and homemaking while raising a preschooler. Developing time management techniques was a priority for me.
To stay organized and manage my time better, I started creating lists and templates for everything I did. It was easy for me to create them thanks to my expertise in graphic design.
Two of my first blog posts featured a free printable to-do list with daily goal-setting, and a free printable Weekly Meals Planner. To my surprise, they became viral and were shared over and over again. Right there, I started to build an audience of moms like me, frazzled and desperate to have some order in their homes, and life.
In my first few years working in the engineering field, I went from marketing director to quality control engineer, to logistics manager. I was always involved in creating methods and systems to improve processes and increase productivity.
With my blog, I want to help women optimize the difficult and often underestimated process of homemaking. Just like in a complex organization or factory, when you remove resources that do not generate value, you see great results.
Each day, I teach myself and other women how to eliminate waste of time, money, materials, and other resources, to improve the most important areas of our lives: personal growth, homemaking, and parenting. I am currently writing my first book: 'The Essential Guide to Home Organization' which is a thorough step-by-step guide to get homes decluttered and organized without the overwhelm.
I am also working on a printable planner for bloggers, where they can jot down ideas, set goals, keep track of their work, and record their stats, in order to stay focused on the task on hand. Blogging can be overwhelming and chaotic if you don't know how to plan and utilize the resources we have available. This planner will be packed with templates to help bloggers manage their time and – most importantly- succeed. The Neat Blog Planner™ will launch on December of 2017.
I have had a fair year. I had a goal to duplicate my monthly earnings in 2017, and I triplicated them, so I consider myself on track. The biggest drawback for me, is time management. I have yet to convince myself that blogging is like any other job, I need to report daily and put in the hours in order to see results.
What is the revenue model for the blog?
I am currently earning money through affiliate marketing, sponsored content, ads, and direct sales of my products and services.
I started monetizing my blog since the very first day I published my first post. I had no experience in the area, but I knew of bloggers making money through Google AdSense and I jumped in and placed a few codes on my pages myself.
Easier said than done. If you don't have enough traffic, the revenue through Google AdSense is minimal. In my first year blogging, I made a whooping total of $176, 50% of that income was through Google AdSense.
By the end of 2015 I landed my first sponsored campaign through Social Fabric, a network that connects social media influencers with brands. This gave me a boost of confidence, so I started creating more content which brought me more monthly traffic.
Once I reached 60K monthly pageviews, I was able to apply to an ad network that taylor made and implemented ad codes for my site, giving me a better RPM (revenue per thousand impressions). My earnings through ad impressions triplicated in the first 6 months.
I also created content that I could tie to products that I could sell (directly or via affiliate sales) to my readers. My earnings through affiliate marketing and sales of my own products increased in 2016, and I have triplicated that in 2017.
Today, my blogging earnings average $1,500 per month. I am amazed how I am able to have this income (90% of it passive) while I dedicate my time to create new products that will bring even more income in the long term.
Posting regularly is key. Google algorithms search for fresh, hot off-the-press content. By posting regularly, you are giving your potential readers the chance to find your content. The more you publish, the better chances you have to appear -organically- in search results.
If you are passionate about something, coming up with content is not hard. The hard part is to convince yourself that what you have to say matters. It's easy to think that hundreds of bloggers have posted about the same topic well before you. But the truth is, there will always be one person out there interested in reading what you have to say, after all, your perspective is unique.
I learned the hard way. Whenever I have let the guard down, I have seen my traffic drop drastically and I have to remind myself that my content is not gonna please everybody, but if it pleases one person, it will be well worth the effort.
In two words: Keep. Writing. Time will pass after all.
What are some strategies you have used for building up the traffic?
I received initial traffic by promoting a free printable resource. Once I saw how this was a great way to attract readers, I created several more printables designed along the same lines, that complemented each other.
How have you grown your email list?
I decided to make one of those printables a sign up incentive and, to this date, it's my best performing lead magnet to capture email addresses. In order to do this, I moved my then small list to ConvertKit, a leading email marketing platform for bloggers.
With Convertkit I have been able to capture three times more email addresses than I did before, thanks to all the automation tools they offer. I have also been able to A/B test newsletters, a great way to measure email opening rates. As of today I have an email list of 3,000+ subscribers.
I send a newsletter every time I publish a new article on the blog. Since ConvertKit allows me create different subscription forms tailored to each type of reader, I don't necessarily send the email to all of my subscribers. It is important to me to send relevant content to my readers, so if a reader is only interested in home organization, and time management, I do not send them a newsletter containing blogging tips.
How you write great content that performs well?
My best content comes from my daily grind. Since my main focus is homemaking and time management at home, I face all kind of challenging situations daily.
A perfect example would be this: I have been struggling to teach my 7-year-old boy how to use his time constructively. I decided to create a weekly schedule on a magnetic board to teach him that sometimes we have to compromise, we can't do it all.
This is a tutorial that I know my readers will enjoy and it will not only spark creativity, but hopefully it will also help other mothers that are facing the same situation in their homes.
When it comes to SEO, copywriting, grammar, and even storytelling, I trust my good old friend Google. A quick search of terms and topics I am looking to write about, yields an infinite amount of ideas. I look at the number of results and try to pick the terms that yield the least amount of results.
Your blogging success lies on writing compelling and well structured content. I have put a lot of time into learning about SEO. Every other blogger will tell you that they use the YOAST plugin, which is an excellent tool geared to help you build optimized content that will perform well. YOAST is very straightforward, it gives a complete analysis of the post, and tells you if your SEO is in red, yellow, or green. I do not publish one single article without having a green light on SEO.
One factor that can not be underestimated when producing content, is creating great graphics and images for all posts. With powerful marketing platforms like Pinterest and Facebook, your blog posts need to have at least one image to convey your message.
You don't need to be a professional photographer (although it helps if you blog recipes or DIY projects) to have great photography on your blog. There is an infinite amount of websites where you can buy stock photography, and many others where you can download free photography to use in your posts. The key is to choose an image that will entice people to click and share.
Three things my best performing posts have in common: unique photography with alt text using the focus keywords, tutorials or lists with numbered items, and a free -or paid- product that my reader can purchase or download directly without leaving my site.
What are the biggest challenges you've faced and obstacles you've overcome with your blog? If you had to start over, what would you do differently?
If I could start over, I would dedicate all my time and focus all of my efforts in creating a good amount of content first. In my first year blogging, I was too hung up on the little details such as adding widgets to my sidebar, applying to affiliates programs, placing banners, and watching my social media numbers.
I kind of missed the point. First, you create content and everything else will start falling into place. Your content will lead you to look for resources (affiliate links) that you can promote with total transparency. Later on, you can place those special widgets and banners along the side of your content, in order to have a cohesive relation between your content and the products you want to promote.
First, you create good content that you can share on social media and if it's good enough, and people can relate with you and your blog, your follow will slowly but steadily grow. Patience is key. I did not have patience in my first year. I got over it.
Have you found anything particularly helpful or advantageous?
The first book I read on blogging was How to Blog for Profit Without Selling Your Soul, by Ruth Soukup. It gave me the foundation to think of my blog as a business. I didn't see the potential that was hiding beneath what I thought was just my humble opinion put into a blog post. This book opened my eyes, and showed me that behind every blog, there's an entrepreneur.
Another great decision I made was to join the Elite Blog Academy which is – by far- the best investment I've made in my blogging journey. In a world where blogging has become popular, you need to have a formal education that will give you that much needed competitive advantage. Elite Blog Academy has an structured curriculum that helped me focus on one thing at a time.
I admit I am obsessive and a perfectionist, especially when it comes to the little details. I spend hours creating the best possible photography, graphics, and printables. I spend hours reading my drafts, making sure I am using the right words to convey the right message. I spend infinite hours creating one product or tutorial. Some will consider it a weakness, and yes, it might work against me sometimes but not always.
My work has been featured on several other blogs. I have worked with brands that have used my content and pictures to promote their products on Facebook Ads. This has translated into a great amount of traffic sent my way, and I believe that it has a lot to do with the great thought, heart and sweat I put into each post.
A little luck, yes. I have been lucky too! For some reason Google algorithms like some of my content and I have quite a few articles ranking #1 in search. When I go back to those articles, to see what did I do right for it to rank well, I still can't figure it out. There is not a perfect formula. I believe is just the combination of good keywords, well structured content, and social shares.
What's your advice for bloggers who are just starting out?
In blogging, just like almost everything in life, you need to see the big picture. It is important to set goals and focus on them, hence my idea of creating a blogger's planner.
Aside from setting goals, I like to set standards. This is such an important part of business, and life! I set my levels of quality, and stay focused on meeting those levels every single post, every single time. If it doesn't meet my standards, it does not get published. I set my bar pretty high, but I am OK with that.
I like to do backwards planning to achieve my goals. Basically, you take your goal and start deconstructing it down to all the steps you need to take to get there. So, if my goal is to publish a guide for home organization, I need to have a portfolio of organization projects developed with tried and true systems, as well as good pictures. Then, I can use them as a reference when writing my story. That's what I do every day, and each day, I am one step closer to reaching my goal.
If I have to point out one mistake I see that newbie bloggers often make, it would have to be 'being impatient'. I can understand how you want to have a successful and profitable blog, and it's quite difficult to take your mind off income and traffic stats. But time will pass anyway, so spend it wisely.
My advice to those who want to start a blog is simple: Start by creating great content, great content brings traffic, and traffic brings income. There's no other way around it.
You can head over to my blog or connect with me via Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.
Enter your email below and enroll in my FREE 9 lesson course that has helped 2,500+ people turn their blogs into successful online businesses.


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Kościół świętego Michała Archanioła w Siemianowicach Śląskich – rzymskokatolicki kościół parafialny parafii św. Michała Archanioła, znajdujący się przy ulicy Kościelnej w Siemianowicach Śląskich, w dzielnicy Michałkowice. Neoromańska świątynia powstała w latach 1902–1904, a konsekrowano ją 12 czerwca 1910 roku. Autorem projektu świątyni jest architekt Ludwig Schneider.

Historia

Decyzja o budowie nowej świątyni została podjęta w 1899 roku przez ówczesnego, nowo mianowanego proboszcza, ks. Maksymiliana Gerlicha. Świątynia została zaprojektowana przez architekta Ludwiga Schneidera z Opola. Pierwotny projekt zakładał budowę kościoła wzdłuż obecnej ulicy Maciejkowickiej, lecz po trzech próbach zmiany lokalizacji bryły kościoła na istniejącej działce, zdecydowano o budowie świątyni na osi północ-południa. Prace budowlane zostały rozpoczęte 1 października 1902 roku. Kosztującą około 200 tysięcy marek budowę ukończono w 1904 roku. Prace murarskie zostały wykonane przez Teodora Wieczorka z Królewskiej Huty (obecnie Chorzów), natomiast malowidła wewnątrz artysta Richter. Uroczystej konsekracji świątyni dokonał wrocławski biskup – ks. Georg Kopp 12 czerwca 1910 roku.

W wyniku ustaleń soboru watykańskiego II w dużej części zostało zdemontowane oryginalne wyposażenie świątyni. W 1973 roku świątynia otrzymała wystrój zaprojektowany przez inż. arch. Krystiana Laskego z Katowic. Został usunięty ołtarz główny z wizerunkiem patrona świątyni – św. Michała Archanioła, ołtarz boczny, a także zostały zdemontowane balaski – tym samym zostało przebudowane prezbiterium. Witraż został zastąpiony nowym, natomiast w ołtarzu głównym została zamontowana metaloplastyka. Przez ostatnie kilkanaście lat kościół przechodził szereg remontów i restauracji. Zamontowano ogrzewanie podłogowe i kanalizację, wymieniona cały dach wraz z remontem wieży, położona nową granitową posadzkę i przemalowano wnętrze.

Architektura i wyposażenie
Świątynia została wzniesiona w stylu neoromańskim, na planie krzyża łacińskiego z półkolistą absydą zamykającą prezbiterium. Nad wejściem znajduje się wieża, na szczycie której znajduje się ośmiograniasty hełm ze zwieńczeniem zakończonym krzyżem. Po obu stronach wieży i przy prezbiterium znajdują się aneksy. Dach jest dwuspadowy, kryty dachówką.

Pierwotne wyposażenie kościoła stanowiły m.in.: ołtarz główny, ołtarze Św. Rodziny, ambona, stacje Drogi Krzyżowej, figura św. Antoniego i chrzcielnica. W środkowej części ołtarza powstał obraz Juliana Wałdowskiego w Wrocławia przedstawiający św. Michała Archanioła. W prezbiterium zamontowano witraże ufundowane przez Petera Morskiego – właściciela browaru w Roździeniu (obecnie część Katowic) i brata Paula, który był właścicielem siemianowickiego browaru. Na wieży umieszczono cztery dzwony: Michał, Maria, Józef i Jan.

Do dnia dzisiejszego z dawnego wyposażenia zachowały się: neogotycka chrzcielnica, ambona i organy wykonane przez firmę Berschdorf z Nysy. Ks. proboszcz Eugeniusz Kurpas postanowił przywrócić pierwotny wygląd nadstawy ołtarzowej, zbliżonej do oryginalnej. Prace projektowe prowadzono w oparciu o oryginalny projekt autorstwa Carla Bühla. Część oryginalnych elementów zostało zachowanych – zostały one zamontowane w zrekonstruowanym ołtarzu.

Przypisy

Bibliografia

Michała
Siemianowice Śląskie
Siemianowice Śląskie
Siemianowice Śląskie
Michała
Siemianowice Śląskie

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Ebook Free Pdf Twenty-four Italian Songs and Arias of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries for Medium Low Voice (Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics, Vol. 1723) (English and Italian Edition) sirio gpe 27 5 8 pdf 24, 26, and/or 28 Italian Songs & Arias, etc. etc. etc... - All of these editions are collections of (largely) the same Italian songs. Most of these were originally written to be part of early Italian operas (many of which are now lost to history).
24, 26, and/or 28 Italian Songs & Arias, etc. etc. etc... - All of these editions are collections of (largely) the same Italian songs. Most of these were originally written to be part of early Italian operas (many of which are now lost to history).


Chapel Cottage is a delightful renovated home which just exudes appeal, from its traditional sandstone exterior to its landscaped gardens and panoramic views.
It is located in a friendly village with an Ofsted-rated outstanding primary school and sought-after pub and a charming rural ambience yet only five miles from the M6.
Highlights of the restored and upgraded home include underfloor heating in all ground-floor rooms, a snug with engineered wood flooring and wood-burning stove, contemporary kitchen and triple bifold doors from dining area to garden.
There are three bedrooms with vaulted ceilings and exposed beams, the master featuring en-suite shower room while the main bathroom is luxurious with double-ended bath and heated floor.
Grade II-listed Chapel Cottage, in Skelton, near Penrith, is for sale at £465,000 from Eden Estate Agents, tel. 01768 869000.


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Haiti, a country in crisis
by Els Hortensius | Oct 21, 2021 | Articles from COEH, Topics
International community is supporting a corrupt and incompetent government
An assassinated president, a massive earthquake followed by a tropical storm, and thousands of migrants seeking a better life stopped at a border. Armed gangs that control much of the capital. And now number one on the list of countries with the most kidnappings per capita. Haiti is having a hard time. And yet there are people who believe there is a future.
On October 15, members of the United Nations Security Council met to discuss their involvement in Haiti. The mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, BINUH for short, which started in 2019, expired that day. The fifteen members of the Council unanimously decided on a nine-month extension, with the remark that an assessment should be done within six months to look at how the Bureau can operate more effectively. And how BINUH can support cooperation between the Haitian authorities, civil society and other stakeholders, as well as strengthen the rule of law and promote respect for human rights.
Turbulent year
All parties are called upon to participate in a national dialogue that should ultimately enable peaceful, fair, free and transparent elections, preferably as soon as possible. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, representative to the Security Council on behalf of the United States, said that Haiti had had a particularly turbulent year, and that the resolution now adopted would help the UN continue its important work in Haiti. "Now is not the time for the Security Council to walk away," but to ensure that Haiti receives the support it needs.
In Haiti, this UN decision will have been met with skepticism. If they have even paid attention to it. Because the Haitians have something else on their mind. Parliament has been dissolved for nearly two years, the president was assassinated in July, a massive earthquake caused death and destruction in the south-west region of the country, and armed gangs are making life impossible.
Hundred thousand dollars
At the moment, Haiti is one of the most unsafe countries in the world. According to the British consultancy Control Risks, cited in The Washington Post, there are currently in absolute terms more kidnappings in Port-au-Prince than in the much larger cities of Bogotá, Mexico City and São Paulo combined. There have been six times as many kidnappings this year as in the same period last year. There were 395 kidnappings in the first six months, and a staggering 117 in September. And no one is safe: doctors on their way to work, pastors delivering sermons, a bus full of passengers, and even patrol officers are being kidnapped for amounts ranging from a hundred to more than a hundred thousand dollars. And as I write this, there is news about yet another kidnapping: of a bus with seventeen American missionaries, who were on their way to the airport after visiting an orphanage.
Analysts blame the surge in kidnappings on the growing desperation in the country, rising police corruption and increasing gang violence amid a political vacuum. Haitian gangs are said to team up with influential politicians and businessmen. According to The Washington Post, some analysts suggest the wave of kidnappings is linked to broken deals and shifting alliances after the murder of Jovenel Moïse.
Whatever the reasons, it is clear that the UN Bureau has not come close to achieving any of its objectives (strengthening the rule of law, increasing respect for human rights, supporting the police and authorities). Haitians have long since lost faith in the international community.
Daniel Foote: Leaders have "raped" the country
But while it should be clear to anyone involved in Haiti that current UN policies are not working and are actually making the situation worse, it remains impossible to convince that same international community, with the US leading the way, to change their policies. Voices from within, such as US special envoy to Haiti, Daniel Foote, are also being ignored. Foote was appointed in July following the assassination of President Moise, and resigned following the US government's decision to deport thousands of Haitians, trying to cross the Texas border from Mexico, back to Haiti. This despite the unsafe situation outlined above. He recently explained his decision in a conversation with members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives. The US has decided that elections should be held in Haiti, and has anointed and supported political leaders who have "raped" the country, he told the committee. "Our political interventions have never worked. We have always prioritized stability, rather than looking for the causes of the instability." Foote is no longer able to defend US policy on Haiti.
He is not alone in being critical of President Biden's policies. Within the Democratic Party, there are more opponents, such as Andy Levin, Michigan State Representative and member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. But in addition to all the misery, Levin also identified a new development in the conversation with Foote, a ray of hope. He even called it one of the most important developments in Haiti since the fall of the Duvalier dictatorship in 1986. Levin is referring to the agreement of 30 August last reached during the Conférence Citoyens pour une Solution Haïtienne à la Crise, organized by the Commission for the Search for a Haitian Solution to the Crisis. The agreement concerns a detailed plan to get out of the crisis together and has since been signed by more than 650 Haitian organizations. Among them political parties, trade unions, peasant organizations, the Haitian Bishops' Conference and the Federation of Protestant Churches, women's and human rights organizations. In short, a broad representation of Haitian society.
The first priority of the agreement is to create national stability, a precondition for a return to a normal constitutional situation and the restoration of democratic order. This is easier said than done, but what follows is a detailed roadmap for a two-year transition period, with proposals for its organization and how the executive power should be monitored during that period. A National Transition Council (CNT) has already been appointed and consists of twenty-seven representatives of social organizations and twenty-five representatives of political parties. The transition period will start with the installation of a temporary government, which should at least ensure that people can walk safely on the streets again. The armed gangs, who control an increasing part of the capital Port-au-Prince, must be stopped. Security is an absolute precondition for free elections that will form the final part of the transition period.
One political party is excluded from participating in this national agreement: the party of the murdered president Jovenel Moïse and of his predecessor Michel Martelly, PHTK, as this party is held responsible for the problems of the past ten years. Most Haitians therefore agree that the current prime minister, Ariel Henry, who belongs to the PHTK, cannot be part of the solution. Foote, the former Special Envoy to Haiti, also emphasized this during his conversation with the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives.
Several prominent Haitians are calling for attention in the American media for their country in crisis. Internationally renowned film director Raoul Peck (known for the film I am not your Negro about the life of James Baldwin) wrote on the Just Security website about the August 30 agreement and that he had not seen this kind of positive energy since the fall of the Duvalier regime. He has attended Commission meetings through Zoom, and by commenting on documents and sharing his own suggestions, he and many other Haitians have participated in the formulation process of the August 30 deal. He is emphasizing that the time has now come for the US to recognize the historic achievement of this new civil society agreement, to stop standing in the way of its success and end support for the "current corrupt regime."
American missionaries
A very personal testimony appeared last month in the American newsmagazine Newsweek, where Pierre Espérance, director of the Haitian human rights organization RNDDH, describes how he grew up during the dictatorship and how his first introduction to democracy came through encounters with American and European missionaries. They explained that there were other ways of life than under a dictatorship. "I understood what democracy meant because Americans and others told me. I understood the rule of law because I heard about it from Americans. Since then I have spent my career fighting for human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Haiti."
Then it hurts to see Haitian migrants denied entry to the US. And it feels like betrayal, because the reason they left their homes is the American policy that is destroying the democratic institutions in Haiti. "The US chooses to support people in power, no matter how corrupt or incompetent, in the name of stability. But the result is that such support destabilizes Haiti and leads to migration," Espérance writes.
My name is Peter Hope!
"In Haiti today, you have to check the radio news and Whatsapp to figure out which road to take to the market… There is rarely electricity and you have to wait in line to get fuel to power a generator or drive a car. Hospitals, clinics and schools have closed because of the danger." Espérance describes how the armed gangs control almost half the country. "If the US and other countries cut off the ruling party PHTK, the gangs would lose considerable power."
Espérance ends his plea as he began, how he was inspired by democratic countries like the US. "I still am. I just hope that American officials don't see these ideals as reserved only for their own people. I hope they foster these ideals when they set foreign policy in my country, too — and when people from my devastated country on the American border come pleading at the US border for protection."
I have known Pierre Espérance for over twenty years and have talked with him countless times, here in the Netherlands and in Haiti. I often accompanied him in the Netherlands on visits to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or during meetings with journalists. There was always the question: "How do you keep up with this work, under these circumstances? Where do you see a ray of hope?" His answer was invariably: "What else can I do? There is always hope. My name is Peter Hope!"
This article is written in a personal capacity and has originally appeared at www.lachispa.nl


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The Calling of History
A leading scholar in early-twentieth-century India, Sir Jadunath Sarkar (1870–1958) was knighted in 1929 and became the first Indian historian to gain honorary membership in the American Historical Association. By the end of his lifetime, however, he had been marginalized by the Indian history establishment, as postcolonial historians embraced alternative approaches in the name of democracy and anti-colonialism. The Calling of History examines Sarkar's career—and poignant obsolescence—as a way into larger questions about the discipline of history and its public life. Through close readings of more than twelve hundred letters to and from Sarkar, along with other archival documents, Chakrabarty demonstrates that historians in colonial India formulated the basic concepts and practices of the field via vigorous—and at times bitter and hurtful—debates in the public sphere. He shows that because of its non-technical nature the discipline as a whole remains susceptible to pressure from b
REVIEWING ASHOKA: Breathing Life Back into an Emperor
The buzz around Nayanjot Lahiri's new biography of Ashoka (Permanent Black and Harvard University Press) is growing into a clamour. Professor Kumkum Roy, historian at JNU, writes: The Mauryan emperor Ashoka has attracted the attention of scholars and laypersons with access to formal education for nearly two centuries since his 'rediscovery' in the 1830s. Nayanjot Lahiri's work is the latest in a long, rich and diverse series of biographies of the ruler. It is significant as being the first major reassessment of Ashoka by a historian of ancient India in the twenty first century, also because it is explicitly meant for a general audience, and attempts to move, remarkably successfully, beyond a dry academic narrative. And if you read this excellent review below, it'll be clear why. REVIEW OF Ashoka in Ancient India by Nayanjot Lahiri Steve Donoghue As University of Delhi history professor Nayanjot Lahiri


BIG CITY is a Norwegian melodic heavy metal project. The members are between 30 and 47 years old and have tons of experience in the music industry. They have been playing or still play in extreme bands as Satyricon and Blood Red Throne, but also the up and coming prog metal band Withem and many other bands. The reason for Big City is songwriter Daniel Olaisen and his ideas throughout the last 10 years. He wanted to put his 80's heavy riffs in a band and find suitable people to join him. Bandmate, Frank Ørland, also played with Daniel in Scariot (1999-2005, prog/thrash/heavy band featuring Communic members) and was an obvious choice to bring to Big City. Frank Nordeng Røe (Withem, Marathon, session drummer for Circus Maximus) on drums, was found when searching on internet. The band was completed with Jan Le Brandt on vocals and Geir Inge Olsen on session bass guitar. The debut album, Wintersleep, was recorded and released digitally through Mayhem Music. Some promo CD's were printed by the band and distributed worldwide, but never officially released as an album.
Big City never did any live shows, but continued to write material for another album. Miguel Pereira (Withem) was recruited as their new permanent bass player. Meanwhile, Greek label Rock of Angels wanted to sign the band and release the new album & Wintersleep as bonus on a double CD. This release is expected in summer 2018 and the band is now planning to perform live in 2018 for the first time!