The Indian branch ofPriceWaterhouseCoopers(PwC) has beenbanned for two years, effective31st March 2018,by the Indian Securities and ExchangeCommission, the apex regulatorof the Indian capital market.
According to reports, the ban wasas a result of the fraud committed bySatyam Computers in 2009 in whichthe shareholders of the company lostmore than $2billion. This is believedto be the biggest fraud at a listed company.It created a major shock in theIndian IT industry, one of the biggestin the global IT industry.
Price Waterhouse, the Indianarm, PW Bangalore were Satyamsauditors during the periodand ByrrajuRamalingaRaju, theformer Chairman and GMD ofSatyam Computers Services, admittedto embezzlement of the company'sfunds to the tune of aboutUS$2.5billion. He was convicted offraud in 2015.
Recall that the Nigerian arm ofPwC was also the auditor of OandoPlc from 2004 to October 2014, 10years before Ernst and Young wereappointed.
Based on the receipt of petitionsfrom some shareholders of Oando,alleging financial mismanagementand corporate governance issues bythe top management of Oando, theSecurities and Exchange Commission(SEC) of Nigeria conducted aninvestigation last year.
The report of the SEC investigation identified gross insider dealings, misstatements in the 2013 and 2014 audited financial statements of the company, related party transactions and other unwholesome practices. This necessitated placingthe company's shares on technicalsuspension at the Nigerian StockExchange (NSE) and constituting anindependent team of professionalsto carry out a forensic audit of thecompany's activities. The financialinfractions included suspiciousrelated party transactions with directorsand interests of directors ofOando plc.
OandoPlc's annual accountsthrew up disclosures that revealedthat the company engaged in a webof related party transactions, whichran into several billions of nairaannually. These transactions raisedconcerns about issues of conflict ofinterests which was heightened bythe fact that the Group ManagingDirector (GMD), AdewaleJibrinTinubu, featured prominently inseveral of the transactions.In fact, there are over twenty five(25) related identified party's transactionsand below are six transactionsthat clearly stand out betweena period of 4 years (2012 to 2016),where Oando, within 2012 to 2016,paid approximately N300 billion toTinubu or companies related to him.
On 29th November 2012, OandoPlc acquired 100% of the share capitalof Churchill Finance Limited (acompany incorporated in Bermuda).Churchill's sole shareholder was theGMD of OandoPlc, AdewaleTinubu,and its main asset was a BombardierChallenger 300 aircraft. OandoPlcrecognized goodwill from acquisitionin the sum of N2.34 billion from thistransaction, on the date of acquisition(29 November 2012).
The goodwill from the acquisitionrepresented the excess of the"purchase consideration" over thetotal value of the assets and liabilitiesof Churchill Finance Limitedand 32 days after the acquisition (asat year ended December 31, 2012),OandoPlc recognized an impairmentloss of N1.23 billion on thecapitalized goodwill on acquisitionof Churchill. The act of acquiring an asset (the aircraft) from the GMD of the Company (AdewaleTinubu) and 32 days later recognizing a loss in value of the asset raises serious conflict of interest issues and points to a failure of governance structures and internal control. As it wouldappear that the asset may not havebeen worth the value attached to itab initio.
Further impairment losses ofN838 million and N493 millionon goodwill from acquisition ofChurchill were recognized in Oando'saccounts for the years 2013and 2014 respectively.Impairmentnormally occurs when there is asudden and large decline in the fairvalue of an asset below its carryingamount and the impairment write-downcarried out by the companyfrom 2012 to 2016 amounted to approximatelyN202.7 billion.
Payments to Triton AviationLtd, a company incorporated inNigeria whose sole shareholder wasAdewaleTinubu. Triton was paid thesums of N921.8 million, N409 million,N656 million and N8.3 millionrespectively for 5 years between theyears 2012 to 2016 amounting to atotal of N2.83 billion.
iii. Brol Properties Ltd owned byAdewaleTinubu provided facilitymanagement services to OandoPlcat a total cost of about N572.1 millionwithin a period of five (5) years.
TSL Logistics Ltd controlledby the same AdewaleTinubu wasengaged by OandoPlc to supplyproducts and services and was paidthe sum of N67.03 Billion within aperiod of five (5) years. Noxie Ltdcontrolled by AdewaleTinubu alsosupplied various office equipment ata total cost of N10.2 Billion between2012 and 2016.
Lagoon Waters Ltd ownedby AdewaleTinubu supplied petroleumproducts to the companyworth N9.6 Billion within a periodof five years.
There is also the case of suspiciousInsider Trading in the Sharesof OandoPlc by the Company'sDirectors/Insiders. Ocean and OilDevelopment Partners (OODP), amajor shareholder in OandoPlc,sold a total of 1.210 billion units ofOandoPlc ordinary shares worthN21.455 billion at the Nigeria StockExchange (NSE) in six (6) dealsout of a total turnover of 2.406 billion(valued at N38.756 billion in43,374 deals) recorded between thebeginning of the year and the dateof release of the 2014 results of thecompany in October 2015. This represented20.29 percent of the totalvolume sold and 55.35 percent ofthe total value sold within the periodunder review. It is instructive to notethat all the six (6) deals executed byOODP (owned and controlled bydirectors of OandoPlc) in 2015 wereexecuted before the result for 2014(which revealed a loss in excess ofN180 Billion) was released to themarket. The manner in which thetransactions were structured andexecuted would suggest that eitherthe Directors of OandoPlc deliberatelydelayed or took advantage ofthe delay in release of the company's2014 results to dispose of some oftheir shareholdings, by virtue of thefact that, they were insiders and inpossession of material price sensitivenon-public information.
The annual reports of OandoPlc(listed in Nigeria and South Africa)were compared with the annualreports of its major subsidiary, OER,listed in Canada. The Board andManagement of OER within thefinancial years of 2012 and 2015 hadconsistently disclosed in the auditedannual reports, the existence of materialthreats to OER's going concernstatus due to negative working capitaland high indebtedness.
This was not the case with OandoPlc, as its management avoided reportingany threat to the company'sgoing concern status although it alsoconsistently faced the challenge ofnegative working capital. Even afterposting a historic loss for the financialyear end December 31st, 2014,the directors of OandoPlc did notexpress concern about the impactof the loss on its future operations.It was only in 2015 and 2016 thatthe company acknowledged the factthat it's going concern status wasthreatened.
As stated in the note to the Accounts,these conditions, along withother matters, indicate that a materialuncertainty exists that may castsignificant doubt on the company(and Group's) ability to continue asa going concern. Our opinion is notmodified in respect of this matter".
Going Concern is the assumptionthat a company or other entity willbe able to continue operating for aperiod of time that is sufficient tocarry out its commitments, obligations,objectives and so on. Theauditors of Oando are thereforeof the opinion that the company'scontinued survival for at least oneyear is threatened.
And in a situation where the auditorsof a company have expressedtheir concern on the going status ofa company, it means there is a threatof liquidation of such an entity suchthat its goodwill value is gone, worthof any tangible assets is tied to liquidation,and debts are due and mustbe paid in full immediately.
Despite the above listed allegationsof financial mismanagementand corporate governance lapses byOandoPlc and the fact that stakeholdersare anxiously awaiting theoutcome of the forensic audit of theembattled oil firm, it is worrisomethat the forensic auditors are yetto commence their work. Insidersources have confirmed that thecost of conducting the audit, put atN160.0 million, had since been approvedby the Board of the CapitalMarket Development Fund (CMDF).
In addition, the Federal High Courthas ruled that Oando should approachthe Investment and SecuritiesTribunal because the court hasno jurisdiction to hear the matter.Although Oando has appealed thedecision at the Court of Appeal, thematter is yet to be heard thus thereis no order restraining the conductof the forensic audit.Concerned stakeholders in theNigerian capital market are of theview that the management of OandoNigeria Plc led AdewaleTinubumust step aside to allow for theunhindered forensic audit intothe weighty allegations against thecompany. If the company truly doesnot have a hidden agenda and hascomplied responsibly within theprovisions of the laws of the land, itshould allow its books to be lookedinto. They stated that OandoPlc is apublicly listed company with almostThree Hundred Thousand (300,000)shareholders who have the right toknow the current financial status oftheir company.
The forensic audit is the most objectiveand viable option to protectminority shareholders in the company.The forensic audit will alsohighlight the quality of performanceof PwC Nigeria in the auditing of theaccounts of Oando Plc. Has OandoPlc become the Nigerian SatyamComputers Services and AdewaleJibrinTinubu the Nigerian ByrrajuRamalingaRaju?
Indeed, will the acting DG of theNigerian Securities and ExchangeCommission (SEC), Dr. Abdul KemiZubairon, ensure that this audit isconducted? Just how soon can thisit be conducted?


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For the performance of this Agreement, the Parties designate as force majeure circumstances which occur after registering for Art of Teaching, which are caused by events of an extraordinary nature that could not have been foreseen by the parties or avoided by reasonable means.
Force majeure as defined in this Agreement especially includes without being limited thereto, the following events:
Flood, fire, earthquake and other natural disasters, as well as war, civil war; military acts, terrorism, acts or actions of the Government, and other circumstance which are beyond the control of the Parties such as strikes, social conflicts and riots.
The Party which asserts that an event of force majeure has occurred, shall immediately notify the other Party to this Agreement, by Notification, of the first appearance thereof, providing all of the details including the cause or even which provoked said force majeure.
Neither Party shall be considered as in default nor responsible for any delay or failure in the performance of its contractual obligations by virtue of this Agreement, when said performance was impeded by force majeure.
Such delay or failure shall not constitute an event of non-execution of the obligations contained in this Agreement and the times established therein for the performance of such obligations shall thus be extended by a period equal to that during which the event of force majeure existed and the performance was impeded thereby.
In the event of force majeure, the Parties shall make every possible effort to reduce the effect of force majeure on the execution of this Agreement.
"I have been riding for 50 years and have had many riding lessons, especially in Germany. But I have never heard anyone explain the way you do! That is a gift for us who would like to learn from you."
– Barbara E., Illinois
"Jane, you completely changed my riding after decades of feeling I wasn't doing something quite right. I cannot thank you enough for your superb teaching style and perfect delivery of those methods. Your approach should be mandatory for anyone taking on new students and anyone trying to improve their riding."
– Janice G., Maryland
"Your material puts things in simple terms that I can remember! You know you've made it if you can get an Aussie bush girl brought up on stock horses to Grand Prix…"
Gail G., Burekup, Western Australia
"After working with Jane, I now have a horse that is happy in his work and understands what I'm asking him to do. He has gone from being a tense, worried horse to a horse that is relaxed and moves with fluidity. His scores in competition have gone up dramatically. Jane's positive, motivational, and creative teaching techniques have gotten us here. Thank You, Jane!"
Jody K. Vermont
"I really admire what you're doing Jane. It takes hard work and dedication to put sound training information in the hands of riders who really want to learn to communicate with their horses, which creates a partnership of trust with calm, quiet, sound leadership. Thank you, for sharing your knowledge and making this possible for us, the amateur, who really wants to learn. You make my riding fun again and that makes me and my horse very happy."
Jodie B, Virginia
"Jane, you completely changed my riding after decades of feeling I wasn't doing something quite right. I cannot thank you enough for your superb teaching style and perfect delivery of those methods."
Janice Gill, Maryland
"I know good teaching when I see it, and you aren't just good…you are great! You have all the elements: explain in steps, model, repeat and then put all the steps together. Then you give a "practice" to try at home. Superb!"
Shirley C., NY
"Your explanation is soooooo simple to follow and understand! It's so nice you bring everything down to a level that absolutely anyone can comprehend!"
Linda M., CO
"I have a wonderful dressage instructor, but I think you have an amazing way a conveying information that really is unrivaled."
Julie, Texas
"Working with Jane Savoie is an investment in yourself. Jane continually impresses me with her sensible, logical training and clear explanation on how to use the training scale. I walk away from every session with an encyclopedia of information and instruction on exactly how to use that information. I love her positive and encouraging approach. Jane has not only improved my riding, but I have also become a better person as a result of her brilliant insights."
Cindy S.,Vermont
"Art ends where violence begins. Violence begins where knowledge ends."
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The United States' Phyllis Francis (second left) wins the women's 400-metre semi-final ahead of Jamaica's Stephenie-Ann McPherson, during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, yesterday.
Raymond KC Graham: Most attention from a Caribbean aspect will be focused today on the Women's 400 metres finals, as we could see someone from the region going all the way in what is expected to be a cracker.
Andre Lowe: It's a big one, and one that will bring everyone out of their seats. Allyson Felix desperately wants an Olympic 400m gold medal and Shaunae Miller is sure to make it difficult. The Jamaicans, especially Shericka Jackson, look really good as well. This should be fun.
Raymond Graham: As I said earlier in the season, Jackson would have been Jamaica's best hope for a medal at Rio, and she has not disappointed as she looked immaculate in her semis, and it will be interesting to see if she will improve on the bronze medal she mined at the World Championships last year.
Andre Lowe: It will be hard for her. She surprised even herself with that 49.8 personal best, and considering the type of season she has had, with all the struggles and poor times, who knows what she can do here. I think the bronze is her best bet.
Raymond Graham: Felix has shown that she is ready for the gold despite Miller coming to Rio as the favourite. She also has a big advantage here as she is in Lane Four as Miller in Lane Seven will have to run her own race, seeing that the dangers are all behind her and the lane draw here could make all the difference.
Andre Lowe: Felix made a big statement with that dominant win over Miller in the semis. She is ready; she will win the gold medal. Silver for Miller, and after her run yesterday, bronze for Jackson.
Raymond Graham: For the first time, I will agree with you. Based on that run, and with her experience, I do not see Felix losing. The real battle could be for silver and bronze, and I give Miller a slight edge here while Jackson, Hastings (Natasha), and Francis (Phyllis) will battle out for bronze. I like Francis here for the bronze.


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Destitution and Desperation in North Eastern Sri Lanka - An Inevitable Road To Women Being Abused!
It's now well known that people in North-Eastern Sri Lanka suffered wars that lasted over thirty years but are yet to lead a normal and civilised life after the civil war ended some eight years ago. They encountered severe loss of their loved ones, lost properties, livelihoods and harassment and abuse from the massive army occupation of their homes and lands. The fallout from the war is still widely reverberating throughout the North-East.
It may take the hapless civilians in those areas a decade or more (if at all) to put those events to the back burner and to erase them from their memory and to start a normal life again, provided conditions are normalised immediately and they are allowed to control and make decisions about their lives like in any democracy . Time, it is said, is a healer!
In the meantime, the lives lost or people missing from the wars can be quantified, like over 90,000 widows or as the former Catholic Bishop of Mannar, Rev. Dr Rayappu Joseph has computed the number of people who were unaccounted for in his Diocese, based on the government's statistics as 146,679. But there are some other issues which cannot be quantified such as the traumatic suffering, the massive infant deaths, frequent displacement and living in the jungles, hopelessness, lack of promised international help and interruptions caused by the displacement.
As a further dimension to this, according to reliable information shared by a religious missionary/NGO who work in Vanni, people are very poor and desperate and they need money to keep their body and soul together. According to the information gathered, women are being sent to Jaffna to earn money through whatever means they can, even immorally. The moral fabric of our traditional Tamil society is crumbling with the undesirable elements based in our areas corrupting our youth, with drugs and prostitution being rampant in addition to the lack of aid to rehabilitate the war affected by not allowing international and national aid. The war traumatised Tamil masses have been just left to tend for themselves with the little aid that comes from the Tamil Diaspora.
Whilst adversaries would rejoice in disintegration of the Tamil society and culture, this is a sad situation because, in the cherished epic of Mahabharata, it is said: 'A Nation is judged by how it respects its women'. Such activities shouldn't take place in Jaffna or anywhere else which has a rich and cherished culture.
This situation has to change, if we are to become a healthy and respectable society. The missionary exclaimed that if enough industries and projects are started in the North East and in particular, Vanni, people will be usefully employed and they would not have to resort to other means to earn a living or succumb to the toxic plans of external elements.
The idea of starting factories and industries is positive but it needs the backing of the Sri Lankan government, so that the North East provincial government could take full control of developments of their respective areas and receive aid from the international community directly instead of it being blocked by the Sri Lankan government's bureaucrats. At present, the international aid is not reaching the North Eastern Tamil areas, due to concerns that the Sinhala bureaucrats will siphon off funds to the Sinhala south. The Sri Lankan government's actions in blocking and delaying the development projects in the North East add to the Tamil masses' further frustrations.
The issue requires a very urgent united effort from all the local, national and international agencies and governments before the situation gets worse and the sheer frustrations of the young Tamils could lead to a recurrence of old turbulence. The current Syrian debacle provides a gruesome example of how a country can disintegrate when politics and social fabric fail.
These issues have to be addressed with honesty, humanity, integrity and most importantly, urgency whilst ongoing negotiations are held for a lasting solution in the form of a North Eastern federal state where Tamils can control their own lives, control their own destinies, and govern themselves in their homeland.


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Filters: Keyword is Joseph Smith and Author is Charles D. Tate Jr. [Clear All Filters]
Butler, John M.. "The "Author" and the "Finisher" of the Book of Mormon." In The Book of Mormon: Fourth Nephi Through Moroni, From Zion to Destruction, edited by Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate, Jr., 61-68. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1995.
Skinner, Andrew C.. "Zion Gained and Lost: Fourth Nephi as the Quintessential Model." In The Book of Mormon: Fourth Nephi Through Moroni, From Zion to Destruction, edited by Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate, Jr., 289-302. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1995.
Porter, Larry C.. "The Book of Mormon: Historical Setting for Its Translation and Publication." In Joseph Smith: The Prophet, The Man, edited by Susan Easton Black and Charles D. Tate, Jr., 49-64. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1993.
Backman, Jr., Milton V.. "Joseph Smith and the Restitution of All Things." In Joseph Smith: The Prophet, The Man, edited by Susan Easton Black and Charles D. Tate, Jr., 89-99. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1993.
Matthews, Robert J.. "Joseph Smith—Translator ." In Joseph Smith: The Prophet, The Man, edited by Susan Easton Black and Charles D. Tate, Jr., 77-87. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1993.
Anderson, Richard Lloyd. "The Religious Dimension of Emma's Letters to Joseph." In Joseph Smith: The Prophet, The Man, edited by Susan Easton Black and Charles D. Tate, Jr., 117-125. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1993.
Horton, Jr., George A.. "Book of Mormon - Transmission from Translator to Printed Text." In The Book of Mormon: The Keystone Scripture, edited by Paul R. Cheesman, S. Kent Brown and Charles D. Tate, Jr., 237-255. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1988.


1972 House Bill 2223. An Act Regulating The Penalties That May Be Assessed By The Massachusetts Port Authority.
Title 1972 House Bill 2223. An Act Regulating The Penalties That May Be Assessed By The Massachusetts Port Authority.


Free seasonal movies are a part of the McPherson community. Movies in the Park is sponsored by the McPherson Convention and Visitors Bureau during the summer months. A free movies series, sponsored by McPherson Main Street and McPherson Chamber of Commerce, is available during the holiday season at the McPherson Opera House.
For those interested in the latest movies, a commercial cinema is available. B&B Theatres McPherson Cinema IV is open 365 days a year. Be sure to check out special event options including birthday parties, sensory friendly movies, kid summer series, film festivals, auditorium rentals, bulk gift cards and group tickets.


zk.Widget.$(jq('$myComponent')).id; // --> equals "myComponent"
zk.Widget.$(jq('$myComponent')).getId(); // --> equals "myComponent"
zk.Widget.$(jq('$myComponent')).myAttribute; // --> equals "undefined"
zk.Widget.$(jq('$myComponent')).getMyAttribute(); // --> equals "undefined"
How can I access "myAttribute" ?
Note that in myClass.java, I implemented the two methods "getMyAttribute()" and "setMyAttribute(...)", as well as I declared the private property "String myAttribute".
ZK original widget doesn't know the attribute of "myAttribute", you cannot use that way to get the customized attributes.
Thanks to both of us.
- This method invokes java code (server side) through the component wnd.
if you want to access attributes on server side, see the possibility of keeping them in the client side or pass the logic for the server side, this will depend on your needs.
// returns an array of 3 elements with only attributes : "id", "style" and "class"
// I doesn't expose my own attributes, such as "myAttribute".
Any clue on how to perform it ?
I didn't pay enough attention on the xmlns:a="client/attribute" and a:myAttribute="hello" details.
PS : By the way, is there a way to make an attribute accessible both client and server side, sharing both namespaces ?


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Wally Walker met with NHL brass
The Sodo arena investor gave the league an update on their progress
By Taylor Made@TheTaylorBartle Jun 9, 2017, 12:39pm PDT
Share All sharing options for: Wally Walker met with NHL brass
KING 5's Chris Daniels is reporting that Sonics Arena investor, and former Sonics forward, Wally Walker met with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly some time Tuesday at the league offices in New York.
The meeting, which was not the first between Walker and the league, was said to be an update on the Sodo arena's progress. It was described by Daniels' sources as "a warm, friendly discussion on the project, and the league's future plans."
The meeting took place in between Stanley Cup Finals games and one day before Tim Leiweke's Oak View Group was named as the developer of a KeyArena renovation and subsequently announced their NHL ownership group of David Bonderman and Jerry Bruckheimer.
It's great that the Sodo group remains in contact with the league (or leagues? We haven't heard any updates about the group's conversations with the NBA), however a more powerful message would be to announce their own NHL ownership group. It's unlikely that Walker would have the means to be an owner. Former Chris Hansen partner-in-waiting Victor Coleman is available again after his Seattle Partners group rescinded their offer to renovate KeyArena.
Since the project has gone fully private, there should be nothing holding back an NHL partner from stepping forward. The project is capable of being NHL first at this point and, if comments from the NBA, Mayor Murray, and Leiweke are to be believed, certainly would need to be. The original MOU made construction of the building contingent on having an NBA team, but given that the Sonics Arena team has offered to tear up that MOU in order to privately fund the project, that should be no issue.
The Sodo project is clearly, ahem, still here and still working. However, there is still much more work to be done. Much to-do was made of OVG's ownership partnership with Bonderman and Bruckheimer, and Sonics Arena would do well to fight fire with fire, or an ownership group with an ownership group.
This certainly looks like the beginning of the end for this long and winding road, but there's still a ways to go until we find out where the final destination lies. Seattle City Council President Bruce Harrell told Daniels that he expects SDOT to forward the street vacation application to the Council this summer. A vote is tentatively scheduled for some time in September. They will then vote on KeyArena in December.


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Posted: Feb 08, 2021 - 12:00am
Join us this Friday, February 12th, at 9:00 am (MST).
Zoom link: https://unm.zoom.us/j/5606881226
Barbara McCrady, Distinguished Professor of Psycology at UNM and former director at CASAA-the Center on Alcohol, Substance Use, and Addictions, will present:
A Woman in Psychology: My Story, Our Story
Abstract: The events of this past summer stimulated a wide range of important discussions in the country, in universities, and in the UNM Psychology Department. Discussions have considered issues of bias, prejudice, and privilege, and what the scope of these discussions should be in a university. These conversations have been difficult and emotional, and both academic and deeply personal. In this talk, Dr. McCrady will reflect on her own career as a woman in Psychology in the context of the evolution of women's roles and opportunities in society. She will talk about her own experiences, their relevance to more universal experiences of prejudice and bias, and "lessons" learned. Dr. McCrady will welcome discussion following her formal presentation.
Dr. Barbara McCrady is Distinguished Professor of Psychology and former Director of the Center on Alcohol, Substance Use, and Addictions (CASAA). Dr. McCrady's research focuses on developing and testing empirically supported treatments for substance use disorder (SUD): (1) effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral SUD treatment program; (2) conjoint treatment for persons with SUD and their spouses; (3) scientific research on Alcoholics Anonymous; and (4) alternative treatment models for women with alcohol and other SUDs. Her current research is focused on mechanisms of change in family-involved treatment, the development of a brief family-involved SUD treatment, treatments for persons involved with the criminal justice system, and behavioral and neurocognitive mechanisms of change in alcohol treatment. Her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 1979 and she also is the PI of an NIAAA pre- and post-doctoral NIH institutional research training grant (2010-2025).
Dr. McCrady has served as president of Division 50 of APA, president of the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA), and Secretary-Treasurer of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. She has received multiple awards for her scholarly and scientific contributions and in 2018 she received the highest UNM award for scholarship, the Annual Research Lectureship


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Tag: Verdi
Around Town: Musical events for the calendar
North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie . (photo courtesy of North Shore Center for the Performing Arts)
COVID protocols are making it possible to hold events at the Lyric Opera, Symphony Center and North Shore Center for the Performing Arts. So, when winter needs a mood changer, try Verdi, jazz, Debussy or Music of the Baroque.
Lyric Opera
"Verdi Voices" brings joins soprano Tamara Wilson and tenor Russell Thomas with conductor Enrique Mazzola and the Lyric Opera Orchestra to perform favorites from La Traviata, Aida, Otello and some less familiar arias and duets on Feb. 6 at 2 p.m. at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago. For tickets and more information visit Verdi Voices or 2021|22 Season | Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Symphony Center
From jazz and the CSO At the Movies (Casablanca) and from Prokofiev to Rachmaninov, there is a lot going on in different musical genres at the CSO"s Orchestra Hall in February, 2022. Check out the calendar at Symphony Center concert listings.
Music of the Baroque
"The Chevalier," a concert drama about the first major Black classical composer, Joseph Bologne, (Chevalier de Saint-Georges), will be at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. Written and directed by Bill Barclasy with music by Joseph Bologne, the concert drama was commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 2018. For tickets and mor information visit North Shore Center/event.
Author Jodie JacobsPosted on January 11, 2022 Categories concerts, Events, Music, OperaTags Lyric Opera of Chicago, North Shore Center for the :Performing Arts, Symphony Center, VerdiLeave a comment on Around Town: Musical events for the calendar
Verdi romantic revenge opera at Lyric
Luisa Miller at Lyric Opera of Chicago. (Todd Rosenberg photo)
Love, lust, and quest for power lead to despair and death in Giuseppe Verdi's "Luisa Miller," directed by Francesca Zambello at Lyric Opera of Chicago.
The seemingly outlandish story based on the play "Kabale und Liebe" (Intrigue and Love) by Friedrich von Schiller, none-the-less may resonate with modern audiences familiar with such television programs as "American Greed" and "Dateline" that often have devious plots designed and perpetrated by individuals to preserve financial power or exert influence over those they purport to love.
In this case, Rudolfo (Joseph Calleja), the son of Count Walter (Christian Van Horn) falls in love with the peasant girl, Luisa Miller, (Krassimira Stoyanova). However, Count Walter's aide-de-camp, Wurm, (Soloman Howard) also has designs on the local beauty resulting in love triangle number one.
Luisa's father (Quinn Kelsey) feels there is something odd about Rudolfo who has been hanging around the village under the pseudo name Carlo.
Meanwhile, knowing that the Count was planning to wed his son to the local Duchess Federica (Alisa Kolosova) who has just inherited a fortune after her father's death, tattletale Wurm tells Count Walter how Rudolfo has fallen in love with a common village girl.
The alliance between Rudolfo and Federica would increase the power and influence of the family, and secure his son's future, resulting in love triangle number two.
The Count orders his son to marry Federica while Wurm imprisons Luisa's fathe. Then coerces her into signing a declaration stating that she never loved Rudolfo but instead loves Wurm in order to gain her father's release and save him from death.
In her despair, she begins to write a letter to Rudolfo suggesting that he meet her at midnight when the two will die together rather than submit to the unhappy fate that has been thrust upon them.
Finding the letter, Luisa's father, persuades her that in the morning the two of them will simply leave town together because the death of his daughter, and seemingly only offspring, would cause him too much anguish.
During the night while her father is asleep, Rudolfo comes to Luisa whom he tricks into drinking poison. He has taken it as well out of revenge for her recanting her love. Thus is the murder suicide that actually fulfills Luisa's original plan for them.
The couple reconciles and Rudolfo manages to curse his father and mortally shoot Wurm before the poison takes its full effect.
There is little to say about the spectacular quality of the entire ensemble except to add that Stoyanova as Luisa delivers at every opportunity.
Perhaps part of the popularity of Verdi operas is that they are very accessible to the general public because the music is not overly complex. Though this opera does not have any of the popular famous arias such as "La donna e mobile" or "Celesta Aida," it follows musical lines that are familiar to the ear.
If you are a lover of mid-century American musicals, I think you will find the structure of Verdi's operas to have a familiar form.
Reflective of opera's romantic period which introduces more theatricality into the productions, we can enjoy how the composer uses what have become traditional musical dynamics to convey the emotions of the characters in their over-the-top dramatic situations.
For the singers in this production, it is something of an athletic event as they have very little rest and are seemingly on stage all of the time. They are often performing complex imbroglios that at times seem akin to a wrestling match or singing competition.
It has been said that Verdi hoped to break out of the imposed traditional operatic format that for instance dictated that the production begin with a chorus number.
Interestingly, it was my impression that the opening of "Luisa Miller," though entertaining and important in terms of setting the context and introducing the characters, has an obligatory quality that seems out of place when compared to the more intimate aspects of the rest of the production.
Perhaps, like the audiences in Verdi's day, we might feel cheated if we did not have an opportunity to hear, in this case, the exceptional Lyric Chorus. They do appear again but actually each time it seems a bit out-of-step with the story.
Of course part of the reason to visit Lyric Opera Chicago is the opportunity to experience their fine orchestra conducted by Enrique Mazzola and led by Music Director Sir Andrew Davis. It is possible that the overture alone is worth the price of admission.
The scenery, painting, construction design and costumes used in this production are the property of the San Francisco Opera.
The primary scenic element, a large painting suspended from a crane in front of a curved panoramic modular background has an overall post-modern quality even though it is in a muted-toned, 19th century pastoral landscape style.
A standout for the costume department was a dramatic profusion of red riding apparel for the equestrian scene as well as the variation on a theme of green uniforms provided to the gentlemen of Count Walter's court.
Details: "Luisa Miller" is at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Dr., Chicago through Oct.31, 2019. Running time is about 2 hours 45 minutes with one intermission. For tickets or other information call (312) 827-5600 or visit lyricopera.org/Luisa .
Reno Lovison
For more shows visit Theatre in Chicago
Author Jodie JacobsPosted on October 14, 2019 Categories Guest Reviewer Reno Lovison, Music, Opera, ReviewsTags Luisa Miller, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Theater In Chicago, VerdiLeave a comment on Verdi romantic revenge opera at Lyric
Shagimuratova worth the ticket to 'La traviata'
L-R: Giorgio Berrugi/Alfredo, Mario Rojas/Gastone, Albina Shagimuratova/Violetta — in La Traviata at Lyric Opera of Chicago. (Photo: Todd Rosenberg)
Giuseppe Verdi's music always gets four stars and played by the Lyric Opera orchestra conducted by Michael Christie, the popular La traviata, certainly is no exception.
The music and Francesco Maria Plave's libretto beautifully express the emotions of fun-loving, delightful, but doomed (think Camillia ) courtesan Violetta.
Gloriously sung by Russian soprano Albina Shagimuratova, her "È strano! … Ah, fors' è lui…" ("Ah, perhaps he is the one") and her famed, declared choice of freedom "Sempre libera" ("Always free") are opera highlights. Just hearing her is worth the trip.
La traviata also has one of opera's great drinking songs. Alfredo Germont, who loves Violetta toasts her with the crowd at her party in "libiamo ne' lieti calici" ("Let's drink from the joyful cups").
Italian Giorgio Berruci making his Lyric debut as Alfredo, is OK, but he doesn't have the full, soaring voice of other tenors who have played the role. However, as the opera ends and the lovers are reunited though Violetta is fading away, their "Parigi, o cara, noi lasceremo," ("We will leave Paris, O beloved") and their "Gran Dio!…morir sì giovane" ("Great God!…to die so young") are beautiful and touching. Continue reading "Shagimuratova worth the ticket to 'La traviata'"
Author Jodie JacobsPosted on February 18, 2019 February 18, 2019 Categories Opera, ReviewsTags La traviata, Lyric Opera of Chicago, TheatreInChicago, VerdiLeave a comment on Shagimuratova worth the ticket to 'La traviata'
Superb voices meet Verdi's 'Il Trovatore' challenge
Tamara Wilson (Lenora) in Il Trovatori at Lyric Opera of Chicago (Todd Rosenberg photo)
Thanks goodness, the Lyric Opera of Chicago's "Il Trovatore" has much more going for it than the famed "Anvil Chorus" ("Vedi le fosche notturne") in which some of the workers overdo their loud clangs, forgetting that the gypsies are singing to Verd's music and the anvils ought to be an interesting accompaniment.
This production is an opportunity to hear Soprano Tamara Wilson, making her Lyric debut as Leonora . Wilson lets the audience know right away that she was well chosen as the doomed heroine with her "Tacea la note placida, a beautiful cavatina with its high c, and the passionate "Di tale amor che dirsi" aria made even more impressive by its trills.
It is also an opportunity to hear mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton, last heard at the Lyric in as Giovanna in Donizett's Anna Bolena in 2014. Continue reading "Superb voices meet Verdi's 'Il Trovatore' challenge"
Author Jodie JacobsPosted on November 20, 2018 Categories Music, Opera, Reviews, TheaterTags Il trovatore, Lyric Opera of Chicago, TheatreInChicago, VerdiLeave a comment on Superb voices meet Verdi's 'Il Trovatore' challenge
Two concerts preview coming theater season
Jay Pritzker Pavilion is a concert venue in Millennium Park designed by Frank Gehry.
Hear the voices from the Broadway and opera stages at two free concerts in Chicago's Jay Pritzker Paviion at Millennium Park
First, and this comes quickly on the calendar, is the Broadway In Chicago Summer Concert, Aug. 13 at 6:15 p.m. So grab a blanket for the grass or get there early for a seat to hear songs from the following shows on the Broadway tour:
"The Book of Mormon," "Hello Dolly," "A Bronx Tale: The Musical," " Ronald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "Heartbreak Hotel," "Dear Evan Hansen," "Anastasia," " Miss Saigon," "Fiddler on the Roof," "Cats," " Falsettos" and "Come From Away."
Hosted by ABC 7 Chicago entertainment reporter Janet Davies Pre=Broadway "Tootsie" star Santino Fontana, the concert is sponsored by Channel 7 and presented by the City of Chicago department of cultural Affairs and Special Events.
The Jay Pritzker Pavilion is at 201 E. Randolph St., Chicago but it's a can't miss venue because of its billowing steel ribbons topping The Pavilion was designed for Millennium Park by award-winning architect Frank Gehry. For more information visit Broadway In Chicago. Continue reading "Two concerts preview coming theater season"
Author Jodie JacobsPosted on August 7, 2018 Categories Events, Music, Opera, TheaterTags Broadway In Chicago, Cats, Fiddler on the Roof, La boheme, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Miss Saigon, Mozart, Puccini, Tootsie, VerdiLeave a comment on Two concerts preview coming theater season
Dazzling voices seduce Lyric audience
Bitterness, love, seduction, revenge and sorrow seldom have sounded so magnificent as they did Saturday during Lyric Opera's opening night of "Rigoletto."
With baritone Quinn Kelsey as jester Rigoletto, tenor Matthew Polenzani as Duke of Mantua and soprano Rosa Feola as Rigoletto's daughter, Gilda, the only thing that could match the memorable experience is to have a recording to play their performances over and over.
Rigoletto (Quinn Kelsey) center, Duke of Mantana (Matthew Polenzani) right of Rigoletto and couriers in Lyric Opera production of Verdi's Rigoletto. (Todd Rosenberg photo)
However, opening night, Oct. 7, was on radio (for anyone to record) and there still are seven more performances through Nov. 3, 2017.
The opening night audience didn't wait for the famed "La donna è mobile" sung by the Duke or the beautiful "Caro nome" by Gilda to yell an emphatic "Bravo." Enthusiastic applause followed all arias of these virtuoso performers and at the quartet near the end.
Written by Giuseppe Verdi in the mid 1800's, "Rigoletto's' music and drama has been appealing to opera lovers since its premiere in Venice in 1851. Melodrama might be a better description but then, many operatic themes fit that category.
To quickly recap, Rigoletto, with a libretto by Francesco Mavia Piave, is based on Victor Hugo's somewhat scandalous "Le roi s'amuse." Verdi substituted a licentious duke for the king.
The character Rigoletto is a bitter, hunchbacked jester who dislikes his position, makes fun of the Duke's courtiers he is supposed to entertain and is disliked in return.
His only love is for his daughter, Gilda whom he tries to keep from harm by not allowing her out except for church. Because she had fallen in love with the Duke when seeing him stare at her in church, she is happy he comes to the house where her father has been keeping her.
Gilda is abducted by the couriers who mistakenly believe she is Rigoletto's mistress and she is brought to the court where it is assumed the Duke ravishes her.
Her distraught father plots revenge using Sparafucile (Alexander Tsymbalyuk), an assassin he met earlier. Gilda who is supposed to dress like a boy and meet up with her father in Verona, overhears the assassin's plan to stab the Duke.
Even though she felt betrayed by the Duke who fell for the assassin's seductive sister, Maddalena (Zanda Svede), Gilda still loved him and deliberately stepped into Sparafucile's house to be murdered instead. She had heard Sparafucile agree to kill the next person who walked in because he needed a body and Maddalena had pleaded for the Duke's life.
The tragedy is blamed on a curse by Count Monterone (Todd Thomas) who had cursed the Duke and Rigoletto after his own daughter had been seduced by the Duke, encouraged by Rigoletto.
Directed by E. Loren Meeker, conducted by Mario Armiliato with stylisticly simple but dramatic back drops by Michael Yeargan, this new-to Lyric production should match opera aficionados' expectations and attract new opera goers.
DETAILS: "Rigoletto" is at the Lyric Opera House (also called the Civic Opera House), 20 N. Wacker Dr., Chicago, now through Nov. 3, 2017. Running time is 2 hours, 33 minutes including one intermission. For tickets and more information call (312) 827.-5600 and visit Lyric Opera Rigoletto. For Lyric season visit Lyric.
Author Jodie JacobsPosted on October 8, 2017 October 8, 2017 Categories Opera, ReviewsTags Lyric Opera, Rigoletto, VerdiLeave a comment on Dazzling voices seduce Lyric audience
Lyric tempts with glorious preview and seals the deal with exciting season
The Lyric Opera of Chicago starts its next season Sept. 23, 2017 but you can get a sneak peek on Sept. 8 at 7:30 p.m. with Stars of Lyric Opera at Millennium Park.
Millennium Park hosts Lyric Stars in the Pritzker Pavilion. Photo by Jodie Jacobs
A free concert in the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, 201 E. Randolph St., Chicago, the preview includes arias from 'Orphée et Euridice,' 'Rigoletto,' 'Die Walküre,' 'The Pearl Fishers' and 'Faust,' among others.
Led by Maestro Andrew Davis conducting the Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chorus, the program features such stars as Andriana Churchman, Dmitry Korchak, Eric Owens and Matthew Polenzani.
The concert will also be live on 98.7WFMT and at WFMT.com
For more information visit Lyric Opera and the Lyric Stars on Facebook.
The operas listed for the preview offer just a glimpse of the Lyric's exciting 2017-18 season. The complete opera schedule exhibits a wide range of styles, moods and composers from Bizet and Mozart to Verdi and Wagner.
'Orphée (Orpheus) and Eurydice'
'Orphee et Eurydice' opens Lyric Season. Lyric Opera photo
By Christoph Willibald Gluck, the opera features The Joffrey Ballet, Sept. 23-Oct. 15, 2017. This is the Paris version directed and choreographed by John Neumeier. It is about the mythological Greek musician/poet, Orpheus, trying to bring back his wife, Eurydice, from the Underworld.
'Rigoletto'
By Giuseppe Verdi, Oct. 7-Nov. 3, 2017, the opera centers on the revenge-bound, tragic court jester, Rigoletto, daughter Gilda and the evil Duke of Mantua. Opera goers will recognize Mantua's "La donna è mobile," Gilda's "Caro nome" and the opera's famed quartet.
'Die Walküre'
By Richard Wagner, Nov.1-30, 2017, the opera continues the Lyric's Ring cycle which started in 2016 with 'Das Rheingold.' Wagner's powerful music exemplifies the strong emotions and character traits of Siegmund, Sieglinde, Brünnhilde, Wotan, Fricka and Hunding.
'The Pearl Fishers' (Les pêcheurs de perles)
By Georges Bizet, Nov. 19-Dec. 10, the opera includes this writer's favorite duet for tenor and baritone. The opera takes place in Ceylon where two friends fall in love with priestess Leila.
'Turandot'
'Turandot,' a fairy tale set in a fantasy version of ancient China is offered by the Lyric in the middle of the 2017-18 season. Lyric Opera photo
By Giacomo Puccini, Dec. 5, 2017-Jan. 27, 2018, the opera is a fairy tale that takes place in China where the princess asks suitors to answer three riddles. Incorrect answers lead to execution. The opera features the popular aria, "Nessun dorma."
'I Puritani'
By Vincenzo Bellini, Feb. 4-28, 2018, is a bel canto opera calling for exceptional technique as it tells the story of lovers in a England divided by the 1600's civil war.
'Cos fan tutte' (The School for Lovers)
By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Feb. 17-March 16, 2018 the opera is a delightful light treat that works well on the heels of 'I Puritani's' high drama. Mozart's tale delves into intrigue worthy of Shakespeare's comedies.
'Faust'
By Charles Gounod, Mar. 3-21, 2018, the opera revolves around the consequences of selling one's soul to the devil. A popular story told in the Grand Opera style, it includes Marguerite's "Jewel Song" and an exceptional final trio.
'Jesus Christ Superstar'
By Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jim Rice, Apr. 27-May 20, 2018, the season ends with what has become a Lyric tradtition – a Broadway musical production. This season the show is Webber's rock opera,
The Lyric Opera is at the Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Dr., Chicago. For additional programs and ticket information visit Lyric or call (312)827-5600.
Author Jodie JacobsPosted on August 28, 2017 August 29, 2017 Categories Dance, Music, Opera, Theater, UpcomingTags Andrew Lloyd Webber, Bellini, Gluck, Gounod, Joffrey Ballet, Lyric Opera, Mozart, Puccini, Verdi, WagnerLeave a comment on Lyric tempts with glorious preview and seals the deal with exciting season


MAUNAWILI, HAWAII (HawaiiNewsNow) - Warning signs will be going up to alert hikers about the potential for unexploded ordnances at several popular hiking trails in Maunawili Valley.
The notices will be installed on Monday, Feb. 7 at the Pali hairpin turn trailhead, the Maunawili Falls connector trailhead and the Waimanalo-end trailhead -- sites that were all once part of a former military training camp in Windward Oahu.
The signs warn and inform hikers about the possibility of unexploded ordnance, also known as UXO, in the area and what they should do if they come across any.
Management of the one-time Maunawili Valley Defense site has been taken over by the the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Their Defense Environmental Restoration Program identifies areas across the state where UXO are potentially present and need to be removed.
The total area of concern within the former Pali Training camp stretches 900 acres and the last time officials did a removal sweep in 2011, they cleared 26 munitions and explosives, but this is not the only site the Army Corps of Engineers is surveying on Oahu for potential hazards.
Another spot on Windward Oahu is the Heeia Combat Training Area. The site included ammunition storage facilities, along with pistol and grenade ranges covering more than 2,200 acres within Waihee and Kaalaea Valleys and Kahaluu.
Other sites include Waianae, where propellant grains from the World War II era are washing shore at Maili Beach Park; the Waikane Valley Training Area, where officials have discovered high explosive grenades, mortars and rockets; and the former Pacific Jungle Combat Training Center, which covers approximately 2,500 acres in the Punaluu and Kahana valleys. UXO recovered at that site include 75mm armor piercing rounds, hand grenades and high explosive mortar rounds.
Many of these areas are largely undeveloped, but they do have pockets of residential, agricultural and recreational areas -- specifically popular hiking trails, which is why the warning signs are being installed.
The information included in the notice is based on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers "3R" safety program: Recognize, Retreat, Report. Officials say anyone who recognizes a suspicious item be sure to remember its locations, then retreat without touching or going near it -- and lastly, report it by calling 911.
UXO come in many shapes, sizes, and types -- everything from bombs to guided missiles.
Officials warn that even very old or small UXO can still injure or kill someone, so they need to be treated with extreme caution.


A simple, casual dinner with friends provided a great opportunity to check in on a few wines from Piedmont's 1967 vintage. We were fortunate, as all of these wines were terrific. If well-stored, the 1967s can still keep and drink well for at least a few more years although the potential for further development seems exhausted at this point.
We started with a pristine bottle of Bruno Giacosa's 1967 Barbaresco Riserva Speciale Asili. The fill on this bottle was unreal considering its age, so I was not terribly surprised that the wine was initially firm and fresh. With time, the wine softened and the inner Asili sweetness emerged in a compelling display of elegance and power. In 1967 Giacosa had been bottling wines under his own label for less than a decade, but the wines from this early period already show a prodigious talent in bloom. Today Giacosa's Barolos and Barbarescos from the 1960s are exceedingly rare and are always a privilege to drink. Gaja's 1967 Barbaresco was denser in texture, with surprising depth and richness, if not the complexity or freshness of the Giacosa. It too was a superb example and an absolutely delicious wine. The Gaja winery was already well-known to discerning consumers forty years ago, and with very good reason, as this and other bottles have amply proven.
Giacomo Conterno's 1967 Barolo was awesome. It was similar to the Gaja in the depth of its fruit, but with a more balsamic profile of mint, leather, spices and tar. During this era Conterno sourced fruit from Monforte and Serralunga, and this Barolo revealed the heft that is the hallmark of those villages. Notwithstanding the wine's masculinity, the finish was sweet, long and sublime. This was an exceptional bottle.
Towards the end of the night, I opened Emidio Pepe's 1967 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo as a ringer, and it showed beautifully, with signature notes of autumn leaves, tobacco, earthiness and spices. Tasting blind, everyone placed this as Nebbiolo and I probably would have done so as well, as the textural qualities were very much in line with those of the previous wines.
Bruno Giacosa's 1978 Barolo Riserva Speciale Villero was simply monumental in its profoundness. A fabulously scented Barolo, it flowed with tons of dark fruit, sweet spices, leather and minerals on a layered, powerful frame. This was a sublime and totally breathtaking bottle that was among the finest examples of this legendary wine I have had the pleasure to drink. At a minimum this wine has another decade-plus of very fine drinking ahead of it. Bruno Giacosa's 1978 Barolo Riserva Speciale Villero remains a benchmark wine capable of holding its own with the finest wines from anywhere in the world. Readers fortunate to still have a few bottles from this stellar Giacosa vintage in the cellar should be thrilled.


Had enough of generic ads with no substance? You deserve a great quality television ad that appeals to your audience. At Hightower, our advertising videos set the pace. Besides just producing videos, we sell your brand. Working with creatives and analytic experts, we will promote your business' values.
A unique story that breaks the mould. For almost 10 years, we have brought SMEs in Wealdstone closer to clients through crisp clear video commercials. Television advertising offers a massive platform to communicate with your audiences every day, so make the most of it.
To make your television advertising stand out, you need a professional video company. Our services are comprehensive, ranging from scriptwriting to acting, voiceover, editing, animation, rendering and distributing. Concerned about government ad censor reviews? Don't be, we have a history of producing Clear cast-compliant video ads that communicate the message. Hightower's professional video team will drive the message home to your audience whether you are launching a new product or promoting a sales drive.
If you've got a brief for a video- send us an email or call us directly Your video project will be given to a creative director to commence production Next, the creative director (CD) will think of a big idea to fit your video brief. The big idea will meet the goals of your business brief. The AD will contact a scriptwriter to start with some scripts for the video project. After scripting, you will be asked to select the script with the most corresponding message for your business. Having selected a script, a storyboard artist will draw the plot on a visual board. Animating your project makes it easier to develop on video. From storyboarding, the producer starts on the timetable of events and draws up a budget.
The post-production team will receive the raw-footage for final rendition. From the raw footage, the editor will design a narrative for the ad. Their work includes producing a well-rendered, crisp quality finished piece. The next stage "finessing" is then completed by the graphics and animation unit. The sophistication of graphics is usually contingent to your budget size, product-type and business preferences. We have a solid music library for your sound score. We'll legitimately purchase the most suitable sound for your video. But we can also create an original score, based on your choice. Finally, we will get an amazing voice-over talent to narrate your ad in a manner fitting of your brand. If you want high definition quality, we doubt you would find any in Wealdstone as crisp as Hightower videos. Furthermore, if you are looking to make great returns on your investment, our videos deliver. Looking to make a TV ad that will keep your lines busy? Send us a message today.
Sure, as long as your budget is sufficient. However, it is worth noting that the right celebrity fit for the message is necessary for a successful video. Although a celebrity is liked by many people, some personalities could be incompatible with your brand. Working with a lesser known, but more suitable talent, can is affordable and effective.
We use our own equipment to deliver top innovation and production services. Therefore, we don't need to employ third-part contractors. At Hightower, we take complete control of our projects, so you can maximise your budget. In Wealdstone, we've built a reputation for producing world-class videos and TV adverts. Our list of clients includes Hitachi, Aecom, Tesco, Maxell, SanDisk, Santander and more. Visit our work tab to see some prize-winning television adverts.


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Q: VBA Removing duplicates in an array I have a string that looks like "apples//apples//oranges//" I'm getting an error "subscript out of range" when I try to remove duplicates.
I want my end result to look like "apples//oranges//"
Dim duplicateArray() As String
Dim programsArray() As String

duplicateArray() = Split(Sheets("Sheet1").Cells(1, 12).Value, "//")

For j = 0 To UBound(duplicateArray)
    If UBound(Filter(programsArray, duplicateArray(j))) > -1 Then

    Else
    programsArray(UBound(programsArray()) + 1) = duplicateArray(j)

    End If

Next j

    programElement = Join(programsArray, " // ")
    Sheets("Sheet1").Cells(1, 3).Value = programElement

A: To dynamicaly resize an array:

ReDim [ Preserve ] name(boundlist)

Use Preserve to keept previous data stored in array
Dim duplicateArray() As String
Dim programsArray() As String

duplicateArray() = Split(Sheets("Sheet1").Cells(1, 12).Value, "//")

For j = 0 To UBound(duplicateArray)
    If UBound(Filter(programsArray, duplicateArray(j))) > -1 Then

    Else
    redim preserve programsArray(UBound(programsArray()) + 2)
    programsArray(UBound(programsArray()) + 1) = duplicateArray(j)

    End If

Next j

    programElement = Join(programsArray, " // ")
    Sheets("Sheet1").Cells(1, 3).Value = programElement

A: Consider:
Sub DeDup()
    duplicateArray = Split(Sheets("Sheet1").Cells(1, 12).Value, "//")
    Dim c As Collection
    Set c = New Collection
    On Error Resume Next

    For Each d In duplicateArray
        c.Add d, CStr(d)
    Next d

    programsArray = c(1)
    For i = 2 To c.Count
        programsArray = programsArray & "//" & c(i)
    Next i

    Sheets("Sheet1").Cells(1, 3).Value = programsArray
End Sub

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


London Undeground's headquarters at 55 Broadway has been upgraded to Grade I listed status.
Tottenham's plans for the Olympic stadium involve dismantling much of it and moving bits to Crystal Palace. This probably won't help their bid much.
RMT members on the DLR have voted for industrial action.
Boris Johnson has been busy planting trees in Roding Valley Park.
Ex-player Dougie Freedman appointed manager of struggling Championship side Crystal Palace.
London's councils have spent nearly £30 million over three years in office refurbs.
Essential reading: Iain Sinclair on the Boris bike.


Authorities are investigating Sunday at an apartment complex in Ypsilanti Township after a man was shot and killed.
Officials said the 50-year-old man was found shot within the complex.
A trail of blood led to another building off Grove Road just outside the complex, where police set up a second scene, officials said.
Officers got a call about shots fired, and they arrived shortly thereafter to begin the investigation.
Not quite the future we expected.


Orem, Utah-headquartered Neovest takes home the title for the best buy-side commodities trading platform from this year's BST Awards, thanks to its array of commodities trading applications. Its suite of tools are futures commission merchant-neutral and provide single-click execution on worked (care) orders, direct market access and algorithmic trading routes. On top of that, Neovest provides intra-day allocation and clearing reporting to sell-side merchants on behalf of its buy-side clients. This helps support their daily margin requirements.
According to the company, its "secret sauce" has been continuously releasing new tools to streamline the complexities of trading unique to commodities as an asset class. It has signed up 45 new clients since June 2017 and tracks more than 3,100 active logins per day.
In the last year, it released specialized execution and monitoring tools to support trading on the London Metal Exchange (LME), featuring single-click order execution functionality with LME market data and contract-date calendars. Using Neovest, clients can create unique LME order tickets and manage those orders efficiently, and on-demand. "From the LME market data, we incorporate their calendar schedules for one-day, cash, three-month, single, and third-Wednesday contracts in both outrights and calendar spreads," Neovest officials say.
Neovest's LME monitor systematizes metals, contract types, and expiry dates in a structure that updates as expiries and rolls occur. Apart from this, its calendar-spread matrix module provides commodity traders with a view into top-of-book and depth-of-book data to monitor exchange-supported calendar spreads on all exchanges. Neovest has connectivity to 44 futures exchanges and therefore has access to market data from all those exchanges.
"This unique matrix provides spread pricing and depth at each contract intersection for both spread-exchange pricing and outright contract implied pricing. We've again integrated our single-click trade technology in the matrix for calendar spreads and out-rights to lift bids/offers, and launch tickets and depth," the company says.
Meanwhile, the firm's inter-commodity spreading utility incorporates its exchange data. This provides traders with tools to create and price spread trades for arbitrage opportunities across commodities and exchanges. It has integrated brokers' inter-commodity spread algorithms in the module for buy-side clients, which allows them to route legs, a strategy where traders combine multiple options or futures contracts to hedge a position, arbitrage, or profit from a spread. This allows clients to better manage leg risk, the risk of not being able to fulfil a particular leg of a strategy at the price required, as well as price risk.


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School – Faculty
The School Faculty is composed by:
Sabina Alam is the Editorial Director of F1000 Platforms. After completing a PhD in neuroimmunology from the University of Bath, and then a postdoctoral position in neuroscience at the School of Pharmacy in London, Sabina moved from research into scientific open access publishing in 2008. After a few years handling the peer review process on a number of BMC series journals, she joined F1000 where she oversees the editorial, peer review and publishing service for all submissions to the open research F1000 platforms.
Christna Chap (PLOS, UK) is a Senior Editor, Team Manager at PLOS ONE where she is responsible for the Medicine and Public Health division of the journal. Prior to PLOS, Christna was Senior Executive Editor at BioMed Central, handling peer review for several BMC-series journals. She studied Biotechnology at the ENSTBB in Bordeaux and has a PhD in Molecular Biology from the Humboldt University in Berlin.
Ana Marušić (University of Split School of Medicine, Croatia) is Professor of Anatomy and Chair of the Department of Research in Biomedicine and Health at the University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia, and holds an Honorary Professorship at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. She is the Co-editor in Chief of the Journal of Global Health and President of the European Association of Science Editors.
Duncan Nicholas (DN Journal Publishing Services, UK ) is the Director of DN Journal Publishing Services, providing independent editorial consultancy and training courses to publishers, researchers and the wider scholarly community, most recently contributing to the development of the Publons Peer Reviewer Academy. He has over 14 years' experience in journal editorial management, and currently holds positions at two academic publishing organisations, as Vice-President for the European Association of Science Editors (EASE), and Chair of the Conference Organising Committee for the International Society for Managing and Technical Editors (ISMTE).
Tony Ross-Hellauer (Know Center Austria) is Senior Postdoctoral Researcher in the Social Computing research group at Know-Center, Graz, Austria. He has a PhD in Information Studies (University of Glasgow, 2012). Formerly Scientific Manager for OpenAIRE, Tony is an enthusiastic advocate of Open Science whose research interests include Open Science models and infrastructures, science policy, alternative models for peer review, and philosophy of technology.
Flaminio Squazzoni (University of Brescia, Italy) is associate professor of economic sociology at the University of Brescia, where he leads the GECS-Research Group on Experimental and Computational Sociology. He is the former President of the European Social Simulation Association (Sept 2012/Sept 2016) and now chairs the COST Action PEERE.
Jon Tennant ( Open Science MOOC, Germany) completed his PhD at Imperial College London in the Department of Earth Science and Engineering, where he won the prestigious Janet Watson award for research excellence. He is currently working on paleorXiv and the Open Science MOOC, is a PLOS Paleo Community Editor, freelance science writer and consultant. He is an ambassador for the Center for Open Science and ASAPbio, and a member of the Mozilla Open Leadership Cohort.


NEWS CENTER - Danish extreme right Strass Kurs leader Rasmus Paludan burned the Holy Quran at the time while Muslims were performing Friday prayers.
Danish extreme right Strass Kurs leader Rasmus Paludan burned the texts of the Holy Qur'an to protest the Friday prayer held in front of the Danish Parliament.
Muslims in Denmark protested the crusade terrorist attacks against two mosques where 50 Muslims were martyred in New Zealand last Friday.
Muslims living in the country performed Friday prayed in front of the Danish parliament.
Meanwhile, an anti-Islamic group wanted to prevent the prayer by making noise with air horns while carrying the zionist terror gang flag.
Racist Rasmus Paludan, the leader of the anti-immigrant and anti-Islamic movements, tried to incite Muslims by burning the Holy Qur'an.
The Danish People's Party lawmaker Martin Henriksen toured the area where Friday prayer was held and verbally harassed Muslims.


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Chance the Rapper to Host 'Punk'd' Reboot
The Quibi series will see Chance taking Ashton Kutcher's place
Photo: Rick Clifford
By Allie Gregory
Beloved early-2000s MTV prank reality show Punk'd is officially being revived.
Mobile streaming platform Quibi and MTV have inked a deal with Chance the Rapper to take over the host role previously filled by merry punk'dster Ashton Kutcher.
"Punk'd is one of MTV's most iconic franchises," said Chance a statement. "I grew up watching this show and it's surreal to be in the driver's seat this time around on Quibi."
In the series trailer, the show appears to pick up exactly where it left off. Lucky celebrity guest Megan Thee Stallion appears as the first subject in the teaser — and seems to be Punk'd into believing that a live gorilla has escaped off the back of a truck.
The show's original iteration premiered in 2003 and featured hidden cameras that filmed celebrities as they were brutally pranked by Kutcher. The series ended officially in 2007. Various reboots of the series, including one helmed by BET, have launched and fizzled out over the years.
Here's hoping Chance can keep the show going this time around.
Quibi is a tech and entertainment startup in Hollywood that plans to deliver mobile content from industry heavyweights like Steven Spielberg, Steven Soderbergh, Don Cheadle, Idris Elba, Will Arnett and more for a monthly fee. The platform plans to deliver 7,000 pieces of content a year following its North American launch this spring. So far, Walmart, PepsiCo and P&G have all signed on as brand partners.
The platform launches April 6.
Watch the trailer for Chance's Punk'd below.
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text:
Marketing the future
Primary producers embrace different approaches to ensure that all food produced can be sold, and at a price that reflects true production value
DAVID Gibbs runs Sussex Farm Vealers at Red Hill. The boutique operation turns out a limited number of vealers during the month of December, which he sells over the hooks to Cardinia Meats.
News, Southern Farmer, marketing
For small scale farmers who have employed more labour intensive models of farming focusing on best practice, it is often difficult to demand the prices necessary to sustain their endeavours.
Selling direct to consumers usually means lower costs and overheads and a lower number of restraints.
However, with these benefits there exist risks that can easily derail a farm business trying to get their share of that lucrative retail dollar.
Demand for products may fluctuate more frequently than the wholesale market, and typically the volume of products sold is lower overall.
A Department of Agriculture study found more time needs to be spent by farmers on marketing and distribution, and often farmers need to increase their income by value-adding and identifying various possibilities of farm-related enterprise to add to their portfolio.
With agri-tourism being one push from state and local governments, the endeavour is to help farmers stay on the land and give them strategies to grow and improve the resilience of their business.
Studies indicate that an urbanised population is increasingly wanting to connect with growers and rural landscapes, and this benefits those wishing to establish a farm gate or sell at a local market.
The Victorian Farmers Market Association attempts to support local producers by requiring the stall holder to have either grown, reared, caught or processed the produce.
The objective is a fair marketplace selling fresh, wholesome and locally grown produce not compromised by resellers.
However, with 22 per cent of Victorian farmers selling direct to the public in some capacity, the question arises as to why more farmers are not taking advantage of the better profit margins offered by direct sales.
Small diversified farms are key contenders for selling direct to the public, with many choosing this option as the only viable income stream that reflected true production costs.
However, according to the Australian Government Department of Agriculture the percentage of farmers who actually made a profit from selling direct to the public via farm gates was only 50 per cent.
Furthermore, only 21 per cent overall managed to earn more than 90 per cent of their income via these means.
This struggle results in farmers having to find off-farm work in order to survive, and hinders their ability to improve techniques and upgrade infrastructure.
PRIMARY PRODUCER: Anna Kelly of Plains Paddock Lamb
Anna Kelly of Plains Paddock Lamb sold her meat at markets for nearly a decade.
It was the drought and the cost of production that forced her to walk away from her market enterprise.
Unable to pass on the cost she refused to pay for feed and just had to reduce her stock numbers.
Based in Kyneton but farming on the family farm in Deniliquin also made the weekly kilometres to service her market commitments difficult to sustain.
Markets had also changed over the years, and with the price of booking a stall at a market increasing, compounded with the additional costs of insurance, fuel and labour, stallholders had become a little more stressed.
"In the beginning it was the best place to be," Anna said.
"All the other traders were willing to share their experiences.
"They would stand in your stall.
"They would set up your tent with you.
"Everyone was happy and there was a lot of love.
"It was a fun place to be.
"But over the years more people started trying to get that retail dollar, a lot more farmers wanting to get paid properly for their produce, it became more competitive… and I don't know if you're getting that many more new shoppers."
There has been an explosion of markets and stall holders, however, shopper demand has not necessarily risen at the same rate.
"We need more people, we need more customers," Anna said.
"I would go back to the markets, if I could pick the good ones.
"In the early days I sold to the restaurants, to a few butchers.
"There were the markets, and then later on there was a food stall, value-adding with lamb burgers.
"As money goes, the food stall was the best profit margin, and I was able to use all my product.
"On a personal level though the markets gave me the most satisfaction.
"It wasn't a monetary thing, it was a relationship thing.
"Getting the feedback was always great, it would inspire you."
It is also the feedback that continuously inspires David Gibbs of Sussex Farm Vealers, in Red Hill.
David sells over the hook to Cardinia Meats and they sell direct to the butchers.
David does inspect every single carcass with the buyers, to get a sense of how the animals are presenting at kill.
The feedback is invaluable for monitoring progeny and improving his farming practice.
"I occasionally go to the butcher shop with the carcasses that are identified as mine and I talk to the butcher about how the meat is cutting," David said.
"I follow the supply chain one more step.
"The butchers are often a little bemused by my question.
"It's cutting fine, has been the response."
Although Sussex Farm is a boutique operation, turning out between 20 and 30 vealers during the month of December, the nature of his product dictates marketing choices.
Markets and farm gates are not an option, and restaurants need a continuous supply of meat.
David has found that it is too hard for both butchers and restaurants to do point of sale marketing for just the month of December.
So while it is a quality product from a small acreage farm, the enterprise does not lend itself to any sales direct to the public.
"You can get my meat only in December never leads to any sales," David said.
Sussex Farm instead positions itself under the banner of Mornington Peninsula Produce and its reputation for first class agricultural practices and produce, and this commands David a better wholesale dollar.
HARVEST: Tim Wyatt of Angelica Organics harvests the crop 24 hours before delivery so all produce is fresh and premium quality.
Reputation has also proven important to Tim and Deri-Anne Wyatt of Angelica Organics in Glenlyon enabling them to evolve from weekly vegetable boxes to selling at markets to finally settling on Community-Supported Agriculture(CSA).
This model directly supports labour intensive small farms, with a guaranteed income from the start of the production year – from seed purchasing onwards.
In this farm share program members purchase up-front a share of the annual season's harvest, and in return receive a weekly supply of fresh, premium quality, organically grown vegetables.
It is based on not only sharing the rewards of organic or agro-ecological farming but also the risks, and allows the farmer to plan and budget for the agricultural season.
"We initially started off producing boxes but we didn't have enough practical experience in farming to make it a viable farm business," Tim said.
"Putting the weekly boxes on indefinite hiatus we focused on farmers' markets, restaurants and shop supply.
"We really loved farmers' markets, really loved connecting with other people.
"It definitely helped build our business.
"But I just got to this point in life where going to the markets every weekend, and doing deliveries on Friday as well, was physically killing me.
"Then there was one market that was not paying for itself.
"We'd been told about CSA from a lady who was doing pigs, and so we did a trial over that autumn and winter and it went really well, and it just progressed from there."
The CSA system has changed the way that the Wyatts farm, creating a more stable farm model and income.
"If we have a crop that fails the subscribers just don't get it," Tim said.
"We try and make it up somehow with other stuff.
"However, if it's just Mother Nature, we all take a hit, instead of just me the farmer taking a hit."
It has also given them access to a demographic who want quality organic food but can't get to the farmers' markets.
Farmers' markets have been the best and most easily accessible market for many small-time producers for the last decade.
However, as models of food production and distribution adapt to accommodate changing time and lifestyle restraints for farmers, many need to look to alternatives to market their produce.
Many farm gates like Ravens Creek in Moriac sell all the produce grown on farm directly to the public, and strategically value-add with a café on-site.
This model works for a small biodiverse farm wishing to make its entire living off 90 acres.
However, this model does not suit such producers as David Gibbs or Anna Kelly.
In chasing the elusive retail dollar, the growing public demand to know where their food comes from and how it is grown may be the farmer's best means of marketing their future.
More farming news and stories can be read in the August, 2019 print edition of The Southern Farmer or click here to access digital editions.
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Sher Wagyu is a boutique operation →


TORONTO -- A supplement of 400 international units of vitamin D each day is enough to ensure an infant's health for at least the first 12 months of life, Canadian researchers have determined after testing out several dosage levels in babies.
Their study, published Wednesday in a special child health issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, found 400 IUs daily is as good as doses of 800, 1,200 or 1,600 IUs at preventing rickets and promoting bone health.
"Right now the dose that we're recommending is the 400 and that's to be given every day until the baby can achieve that amount from other foods, and typically we consider that more at one year of age," said co-principal researcher Hope Weiler of McGill University in Montreal.
Vitamin D is needed for healthy bones, and it's crucial that babies get enough during the first twelve months of life when bones are growing rapidly, said Weiler, a professor in the School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition.
Health Canada and the World Health Organization recommend giving infants a supplement of 400 IUs daily, while the Canadian Paediatric Society advises raising that to 800 IUs during the fall-winter months when there is minimal sunlight.
Pediatric societies in the U.S. also recommend 400 IUs, as does the Institute of Medicine -- although that body has set an upper limit of 1,000 IUs for babies. In France and Finland, the recommended daily dose for infants is 1,000 IU.
"There's sometimes a feeling that more is better," Weiler said. "But until now, no one had compared the popularly recommended daily doses of vitamin D to see what will result in optimal health for infants, so we were very glad to be able to do this."
The researchers followed a group of 132 infants who were randomly assigned to receive one of four daily doses of vitamin D -- 400, 800, 1,200 or 1,600 IUs -- over a period of 12 months. Most were breastfed at the beginning of the study, though that proportion had dropped significantly by the time the babies were a year old.
Tests repeated every three months measured how much vitamin D was in each infant's blood. That test provides a biomarker for how much vitamin D is stored in the liver, where it is converted to an active form that can be used by the body.
Researchers discontinued the 1,600 IU dose part way through the study because the blood levels were thought to be unnecessarily high, potentially putting infants in that group at risk for hypercalcemia, an excess of calcium in the blood.
The team also measured babies' weight, length and head circumference, and used low-dose X-rays to look at skeletal growth and estimate mineral composition of the youngsters' bones.
"When we looked at growth, we were very pleased that our healthy, full-term babies were growing very well over the study," said Weiler.
Researchers found, as early as the three-month mark, that there was no extra benefit from higher doses of vitamin D and that 400 IU per day was sufficient.
Weiler said it's not known how much vitamin D a baby has received in the womb through maternal-fetal transfer or how much an individual mother supplies in her breast milk.
"So the recommendation is that the baby will get vitamin D from a supplement in addition to what they have already received," she said, adding that babies should continue the supplement even after starting formula, which has some fortification with the vitamin.
Weiler said there are questions about vitamin D that still need to be answered, including whether there is an optimal dose for bone health and whether the nutrient has beneficial effects on the immune system that could play a role in the prevention of some cancers and diseases like multiple sclerosis and Type 1 diabetes.
Larger studies are needed to provide scientific evidence, she said. As well, those studies should include a higher proportion of darker-skinned mothers, who do not absorb as much UV from sunlight, to assess the optimal vitamin D dosage for their infants.
"For the newborn baby, national surveys are quite lacking and we need to work a little bit further to know how is an infant starting out life; how much vitamin D is in their (liver) stores; and how important is it for their growth.
"We know very well if you don't have enough vitamin D that you can develop rickets as a young infant and a child."
In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Steven Abrams of the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston said that until larger studies are conducted, clinicians can be reassured by the Montreal findings, which he said provide "important dose-response information."
Does your birth month affect the risk of developing MS?


Burn Unit is Atlanta's finest b-boy/b-girl crew.
Diverse in age, ethnicity and gender, Burn Unit has a distinct style of dancing that separates them from most b-boys and b-girls with raw and edgy movements reminiscent of house dancing, Capoeria, gymnastics, Cirque du Soleil and animalistic influences.
Burn Unit has represented in a multitude of battles, competitions and shows. Clients include Microsoft, WNBA, Cartoon Network, Red Bull, MTV, the High Museum of Art and the Fox Theatre.
Burn Unit Performs for the WNBA from ShadowGEIST on Vimeo.
The crew has competed across the U.S. as well as international events in Australia, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore and Europe. Burn Unit has also organized numerous, influential events and battles in Atlanta since the early stages of the Hip Hop scene.
All Targets Leveled 2008 Highlights from ShadowGEIST on Vimeo.
Burn Unit has been a leading crew in the Atlanta b-boy/b-girl community for nearly two decades and continues to represent Atlanta both on a national and international level of b-boying and b-girling.
Click here to contact Burn Unit.


text:
Q: Aasorting in jQuery based on filters I have a datatable style in which I want to disable/enable the initial sort based on some filters in aspx.
The setting has a aasorting property, lets assume I have a global variable "isDefaultSortingEnabled" and based on this variable I want to perform the sorting. I tried using if-else, but we cant write it inside the style setting.
                var objDataTableSettings = {
                    "bPaginate": false,
                    "bFilter": false,
                    "aaSorting": []  ,       // manipulate this sorting based on a global variable
              //  "aaSorting": [[1, 'asc']],
                    "bProcessing": true,
                    "aoColumnDefs": [

A: You can use a ternary expression within the object to set the aaSorting property based on your global variable. Try this:
var objDataTableSettings = {
    "bPaginate": false,
    "bFilter": false,
    "bProcessing": true,
    'aaSorting': isDefaultSortingEnabled ? [] : [[ 1, 'asc' ]];
    // other settings...
}

If you prefer to use a full if/else statement, you would need to first create the object, then change the property as required:
var objDataTableSettings = {
    "bPaginate": false,
    "bFilter": false,
    "bProcessing": true,
    // other settings...
}

if (isDefaultSortingEnabled) {
    objDataTableSettings.aaSorting = [];
} else {
    objDataTableSettings.aaSorting = [[ 1, 'asc' ]];
}

The former is preferred due to its brevity.

A:

if (isDefaultSortingEnabled) {
    aaSortingdData = [];
} else {
    aaSortingData = [[ 1, 'asc' ]];
}
var objDataTableSettings = {
    "bPaginate": false,
    "bFilter": false,
    "bProcessing": true,
    "aaSorting": aaSortingData
}


text:
Eagles Add Dates to 'Hotel California' 2021 Tour
Not only are the Eagles one of the first big rock bands getting back to touring after the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic - they're also adding more dates to their next trek.
The group's Hotel California tour, initially planned to kick off in September 2021 (after being delayed from 2020), will now start this August with six newly-announced dates in New York, Boston and Washington, D.C. Fans can expect the group - founding member Don Henley, longtime bandmates Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit, country star Vince Gill and the late Glenn Frey's son Deacon - to play two sets on this trek: a full-album performance of the band's beloved Hotel California album (complete with a choir and orchestra!) plus a set of other classics from their discography.
Tickets for the new shows are on sale Friday, June 18 at 10 a.m., with presales offered to American Express credit cardholders starting Monday, June 14, at 10 a.m. local times and running for a week before the general sale release. The full itinerary is listed below, with new dates in bold.
Aug. 22: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Aug. 27: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Aug. 31: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.
Sept. 1: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.
Sept. 16: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Sept. 21: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Sept. 24: Talking Stick Resort Arena, Phoenix, AZ
Oct. 1: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN
Oct. 15: The Forum, Inglewood, CA
Oct. 22: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Hotel California tour


text:
Brabus transforms Mercedes G-Class into gnarly, dune-sending SxS
Brabus turns the Mercedes-AMG G63 into an off-highway desert buggy
The Brabus 900 Crawler's floating carbon roof provides shade and a home for the LED lights
With its portal axles, sand-ready 40-in off-road tires, underbody skid protection and more, the Brabus 900 Crawler is ready for desert adventure
Inside, Brabus combines Mercedes digital equipment with an add-on off-road navigation system
Brabus celebrates 45 years with one of its most intensive and extreme Mercedes mods yet
The rear roof wing adds a little extra sporty flair
After losing more than 1,000 pounds, this G-Class buggy is ready to air out
Brabus mounts a spare wheel to the rear
The Brabus 900 Crawler shows what it can do with its 888 hp
While it stripped the body and interior down, Brabus did build up the engine into an ultra-powerful centerpiece
The Brabus 900 Crawler gives the co-pilot navigation duties
The front-end is the one thing linking the 900 Crawler to its previous life as a G63
Going big ...
Brabus adds specially trimmed racing seats with harnesses
Brabus drops the doors and windows and cages its cabin
Dual exhaust tips run below the running boards just in front of the rear tires
Brabus does something a little different to celebrate its 45th anniversary, stripping the Mercedes-AMG G63 into a downright evil off-road buggy that looks plucked straight from the side-by-side market. In fact, the Brabus 900 Crawler is a literal off-highway vehicle that's no longer street-legal in the least. Brabus doesn't abandon its bread-and-butter entirely, dropping in a few hundred extra horses, portal axles and other large-than-life upgrades.
Some people like to take the day off for their birthdays, but Brabus rolled its sleeves up and worked harder than usual, developing its own in-house chassis and buggy-style body for one of its super-vehicle builds for the first time. That bright Brabus-red tubular steel frame is quite an impressive swap, too, leaving the G63 looking more like a Polaris RZR as it extends up and around the cabin to create a proper roll cage. The carbon roof that floats up high gets topped by a prominent red wing in back and LED lighting up front.
Brabus has grown rather fond of portal axles, and it reaches for them once again in order to lift the Crawler up off the ground for a full 20.9 in (53 cm) of clearance. That's helped along by the 40 x 13.50 R20 off-road tires clung to Brabus Monoblock HD forged wheels cushioned by independent front and beam axle rear suspension with four way-adjustable Brabus struts offering 6.3 inches (16 cm) of travel.
Brabus clads its red tubes in aggressive carbon fiber, leaving the doors and window line wide open for naturally breezy off-roading. The high-rise flared fenders connected front-to-rear by broad rocker panels offer room for the 40-inch tires and then some, leaving much of the lower chassis and suspension components exposed for all to see.
Essentially the only thing left to jog one's memory about the Crawler's G-Class roots is the rectangular face with sunken round eyes slapped at the ends of the vertically slatted central grille. There's no mistaking that mug for anything but a G-Class despite the "B" that pushes off from the middle in place of the three-pointed star. Look up, though, and you're drawn right back into deep Brabus territory with the multi-stacked hood that hints at the juiced-up, rumbling V8 below.
Brabus increases engine displacement from 4.0 to 4.5 liters, swaps in its own turbochargers, adds high-pressure fuel pumps and a ram-air intake system, swaps in other upgraded components, and jacks available output to 888 hp at 6,200 rpm and 774 lb-ft of torque (1,050 Nm, electronically limited). All that torque gets sent out to the wheels through Mercedes' nine-speed automatic transmission and permanent AWD with electronic locking differentials.
Despite its imposing size, the high-powered Crawler sprints like a sleek desert cat, pushing 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.4 seconds. That's more than a second under the pace of the AMG G63 itself, in no small part because the Crawler loses nearly 1,300 pounds (590 kg) of curb weight as compared to its highway-friendly DNA donor. It also measures in about 10 inches (25 cm) shorter in length, which clearly helps improve the departure angle. Top speed is electronically limited at an even 100 mph (160 km/h).
Brabus keeps the interior as colorful as its frame with four racing seats trimmed in bright-red Silvertex fabric borrowed from its marine line. The material is built to hold up against sun, grit and water, making it ideal for the open, desert-bound cockpit of the Crawler. Brabus also wires up an intercom system for driver/passenger communications and a rally-style off-road nav system.
Brabus plans to stagger its limited 15-model Crawler run at a pace of five deliveries per year starting later this year and running through 2024, selling each example for a base price of €749,000 (approx. US$789,650). That's a few (hundred thousand) bones more than a Polaris RZR Pro R, but unless the Crawler owner is unlucky enough to run into one of the 14 other buyers in the middle of the desert, he'll be autographing the sand with something truly unique on every trip. Or he'll at least have something that stands out next to the innumerable blacked-out urban SUV and flamboyant hypercar tunes that fill the remainder of his vanity garage.
This one's fun to watch.
BRABUS CRAWLER - More Extreme than Ever
Source: Brabus
AutomotiveSide-by-sideBrabusMercedes-BenzMercedes-AMGOff-road
claudio May 9, 2022 05:08 AM
Nice toys for rich boys and girls. I'm pretty sure they'll make a gold plated one, for the ultra-rich
Steve Jones May 9, 2022 05:12 AM
How much Mercedes content is left in that thing?
Also - Crawler - not a fitting name.