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Top 5 UFA Signings in Sharks History
For hockey fans, July 1st and the commencement of free agency is almost a holiday.
However, the grass won't be greener on the other side this month, with free agency paused as we await the re-start of the 2019-20 NHL season.
July 1st hasn't been exactly celebratory for San Jose Sharks fans anyway — the Sharks haven't been the biggest spenders on outside unrestricted free agents over the years. The largest UFA contract they've ever doled out is Paul Martin's four-year, $19.4 million dollar pact on July 1, 2015.
Of course, they've almost caught the big fish, mostly recently as runner-ups in the John Tavares sweepstakes two years ago.
Free agency or not, it's a good time to look back at the top-five UFA signings in San Jose history. We're focused on NHL signings, so sorry Joonas Donskoi (European UFA) and Jeff Odgers (undrafted UFA).
I'm also placing an emphasis on the free agent's performance during the duration of his first contract with the team.
5) Tony Granato
The Sharks took a one-year, $1.5 million dollar gamble on the 32-year-old Granato on August 15, 1996.
Just six months earlier, it was assumed that Granato's career was over after a head collision against the boards resulted in bleeding on his brain, and eventually, brain surgery.
Instead of retirement, Granato potted 25 goals, good for third on San Jose. He was also a commissioner's selection to the All-Star Game and won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for the "player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey." He's the only Shark to ever win the Masterton Trophy and the only San Jose UFA signing to play in an All-Star Game.
"A lot of athletes probably would not have come back," Wayne Gretzky said of Granato, after facing off against his former Los Angeles Kings teammate in the All-Star Game. "Tony works as hard as anyone I've ever played with and he loves the game as much anyone I've ever played with." (McKeon, Ross. "MVP honor makes Recchi awe-struck." The San Francisco Examiner. January 19, 1997.)
Granato completed his career in San Jose, retiring in 2000-01.
4) Mike Grier
"I've been trying to get Mike on my team for 10 years," Ron Wilson said of Grier. "Guys like Mike are glue to a team."
The San Jose head coach got his wish on July 3, 2006, when the 31-year-old winger agreed to a three-year, $5.3 million dollar contract with the Sharks.
Grier was a top penalty killer, regularly pacing all San Jose forwards in SH TOI (Short-handed Time on Ice). His 691:48 on the PK from 2006-09 was over 300 minutes more than any other Sharks forward (Patrick Rissmiller trails with 336:46).
He also ranked fifth among all San Jose forwards in TOI/GP (Time on Ice Per Game Played) in each of his first two seasons in teal, an impressive feat for a squad that won 100 games in that span. Grier was no fourth-liner riding the coattails of a superior squad.
After 2008-09, Grier left the Bay Area for Buffalo, finishing his career with the Sabres.
3) Antti Niemi
Antero Niittymäki was supposed to be the heir apparent.
On the first day of free agency in 2010, the Sharks targeted Niittymäki to take Evgeni Nabokov's mantle as their starting netminder, inking the Finn to a two-year, $4 million dollar pact.
But then, the reigning Stanley Cup-winning goaltender fell in their laps.
Interestingly, it was Doug Wilson's machinations that might have pried Antti Niemi loose. After inking Niittymäki, the San Jose GM offer sheeted Chicago Blackhawks restricted free agent Niklas Hjalmarsson to the tune of a four-year, $14 million dollar deal. Chicago matched, but they suddenly had a lot less salary cap space for fellow RFA Niemi.
Niemi agreed to a one-year, $2 million dollar contract with San Jose on September 2, 2010 after Chicago walked away from Niemi's arbitration award.
"My job is to put the best team on the ice we can here in San Jose and operate within the rules like we did. To connect the two [moves], I'll leave that up to other people to speculate or make comments," Wilson said. "When a player like this comes available and he wants to come to your team, especially on a contract that we feel fits our salary structure and you don't have to give up anything to get him, you just have to make it happen."
Niittymäki, to his credit, didn't back down. He started 19 of the Sharks' first 34 games, outplaying Niemi.
But after December 21st, Niittymäki wouldn't win another regular season game for San Jose. A persistent groin injury hampered him — and might have changed the course of team history:
Niemi finished eighth in Vezina Trophy voting and 10th in Goals Saved Above Average (11.67), leading the Sharks to the Western Conference Finals. In March, he signed a four-year extension with San Jose. Meanwhile, Niittymäki underwent hip surgery and played out the last year of his contract in the minor leagues, before retiring in Finland.
2) Scott Thornton
At 334 games, no Sharks UFA acquisition has ended up playing more games in teal than Thornton.
It took just one playoff series for the front office to commit four years and $6 million dollars to the ex-Dallas Stars forward on July 1, 2000.
"We identified we needed this kind of player," Wilson acknowledged after Dallas knocked San Jose out in the 2000 playoffs. "When Owen (Nolan) and Mush (Bryan Marchment) went down in the series, it showed what we were lacking. If we had him, we might have won the series." (McKeon, Ross. "Sharks score Stars forward." The San Francisco Examiner. July 2, 2000.)
The 29-year-old defied expectations by notching 45 goals in his first two seasons in San Jose, despite averaging just 13:42 a game. Remarkably, the gritty winger paced the 2001-02 Sharks with 20 Even Strength Goals, outscoring the likes of Teemu Selanne, Owen Nolan, and Patrick Marleau in this key category.
Sherry Ross's Hockey Scouting Report declared in 2001, "Thornton matches up against just about any forward in the league when it comes to winning puck battles."
After his initial four-year commitment, Thornton re-upped in San Jose for one more campaign, before closing out his career in Los Angeles.
1) Gary Suter
Wilson was outfoxing other general managers well before he became the Sharks GM in 2003.
Just days before the opening of free agency on July 1, 1998, Wilson, San Jose's then-pro development director, "quietly engineered" the trade of a ninth-round draft pick to the Blackhawks for the impending UFA Suter's exclusive negotiating rights. (Chapin, Dwight. "Sharks snag Suter in nick of time." San Francisco Examiner. July 2, 1998.)
"It was a head start, because a whole different thing happens when eight or nine teams are bidding for a player," Wilson explained.
"I never heard of somebody being traded three days in the middle of summer," the 34-year-old defenseman acknowledged. "That sent a message to me how serious the Sharks were."
"The league did tell me in the future they're not going to allow this," Sharks GM Dean Lombardi noted.
I digress, but this will be relevant once again after this season:
With no early period to commence contract talks for five to seven days before free agency starts, GMs can't get their ducks in a row in advance. We're set to return to the era of frenzied Day-1 bidding wars.
Story from @THNMattLarkin:https://t.co/pKO97fd9ts
— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) July 14, 2020
Anyway, Suter holds the distinction of being San Jose's first honest-to-goodness July 1st signing, agreeing to a three-year, $10.5 million dollar pact on July 1, 1998. He's also the first high-profile UFA ever inked by the Sharks.
In his debut campaign, however, Suter suited up for only one contest because of a season-ending triceps injury. Generously, he allowed San Jose to re-structure his deal, adding another year on top of the original agreement at no extra cost.
Suter rebounded by leading all Sharks defenders in icetime in 1999-00. He could be counted on for over 20 minutes a night and was also the squad's most-used blueliner on the power play over the course of his contract.
Even in the last year of his amended deal, the 37-year-old was still a world-class defenseman, earning a silver medal with the United States in the 2002 Olympics. Suter retired after 2001-02.
All trading card images courtesy Trading Card Database.
Related Topics:Antti NiemiDoug WilsonfeaturedGary SuterMike GrierSan Jose SharksScott ThorntonTony Granato
Jack Han on How Karlsson, Burns & Vlasic Can Stay Elite
Exclusive: Radil on Asking for a Trade, What Went Wrong w/ Sharks


Sometimes a flexible work schedule can be more attractive than money.
Today, accounting job candidates are more likely to ask about programs promoting a healthy balance between work and outside life than they were five years ago, according to 57% of the CFOs responding to a survey of 1,400 executives by headhunter Robert Half Finance & Accounting.
Today, accounting job candidates are more likely to ask about programs promoting a healthy balance between work and outside life than they were five years ago, according to 57% of the CFOs responding to a survey of 1,400 executives by headhunter Robert Half Finance & Accounting. That could explain why some accounting professionals have been moving from public accounting firms with busy travel schedules crammed with billable hours to corporations with more predictable work schedules and often more flexibility on hours and remote work arrangements, says Brett Good, the district president for Southern California at Robert Half.


The lockable thin cat flap door is perfect for any doorway or wall.
An economically priced flap with uncompromising quality. This lockable flap features an easy to use slide lock and is particularly recommended for thin panel doors and screens.
6 1/4″h x 5 3/4″w 6 7/8″h x 6 1/2″w 7 7/8″h x 7 5/8″w Cats to 18 lbs.


An incredible new talent is set to be unleashed on the world – Producer Amy McKnight has announced the release of her debut single, 'Deep End' (ft. Craig Webb).
'Deep End' is an ingenious combination of genres and techniques, sampling and live musicianship.
The infectious falsetto vocals of Craig Webb blend perfectly with guitar riffs and a blood-pumping beat in this alluring and attention grabbing tune. 'Deep End' is catchy in all the right ways.
for release in late 2016.
Remixers include Mite-Kiss, Carpe Diem, Polar Bears Can Dance and Nick235.


The short story is that we are many and we are one.
The longer story is that we are a team of 580 specialists, across 50+ offices in the South of England, with a heritage, approach, expertise and customer-first focus that all combine to make us a one off.
Our heritage is steeped in social conscience, meaning we're truly ethical at heart.
Our approach is to offer regional reach across the South East and South West of England, underpinned by local knowledge to offer customers a comprehensive service beyond sales and lettings.
Our expertise and experience are second to none and are delivered by a team that work with passion and purpose to deliver an exceptional experience for our customers.
This approach has driven our continued success since 1946.


Moving on to Jakarta, Indonesia. This indiepop duo Funny Little Dream is cuter than the cute overload website and this sweet song is also entitled Funny Little Dream. It's the second single from their self-titled debut album.
I live in a town in the Netherlands and I ride my children (4 and 6) to school. My 6-year old can ride on his own bike and my 4-year old rides with me. Most of the parents ride their bicycles as it is in the centre of town and you can't park your car anywhere. I don't know when I will let them ride to school on their own as there is a lot of traffic. The school is next to the hospital so there are a lot of taxi's, ambulance and other cyclists that don't pay a lot of attention to the children riding their bike.


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White Pass School District Quality Education for All
Public School Personnel Co-op
White Pass School Board 303 Policies
Director of District #4
The mission of the White Pass School District, in conjunction with our greater rural community, is to provide a quality education for all in a safe and challenging environment.
OUR BIO
The White Pass School District is located in East Lewis County, Washington. It serves the communities of Packwood, Randle, and Glenoma which are located along US Highway 12. The district currently has a student population of around 375 students. The district and schools are named after the mountain pass over the crest of the Cascade Mountains, located at the east end of the district.
The district offers a comprehensive K-12 Education. The district also offers an Alternative High School called, White Pass Learning Academy.
The District is currently in a Sport Cooperative with Morton School District. The combined schools Sport Team is called the Morton-White Pass Timberwolves (MWP). Green, Orange, and Black are the mascot colors.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: how to allow only one active session per user I want to implement a code that enables only one session per user.
I use asp.net with forms authentication .
I read this post:
Limit only one session per user in ASP.NET
but I want to do the opposite, to disconnect all previous sessions.
here is my code:

void Application_Start(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    Application["UsersLoggedIn"] = new System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary<string, string>(); }

when user logs in, I insert a record : username, sessionID.
if the username exists, I just update the sessionID
    void Application_BeginRequest(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary<string, string> d = HttpContext.Current.Application["UsersLoggedIn"] as System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary<string, string>;
        if (d != null)
        {
            if (d.Count > 0)
            {
                    string userName = HttpContext.Current.User.Identity.Name;
                    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(userName))
                    {
                        if (d.ContainsKey(userName))
                        {
                            if (d[userName] != HttpContext.Current.Session.SessionID)
                            {
                                FormsAuthentication.SignOut();
                                Session.Abandon();
                            }
                        }
                    }
}
}

but I get empty HttpContext.Current.User.
I tried also "AuthenticatedRequest", but then I get null Session.
any idea please?

A: If you want to access HttpContext.Current.User and Session, you should use the AcquireRequestState event.

A: If you're in a load balanced situation with multiple servers at place you'll want to persist this in some way, the problem comes when you need to release the user lock (either on termination of the users session or logout).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


On some options of a complete set the motor compartment from below is equipped with additional protection.
In drawing 2.8 the left lateral fastening of the forward shumoizolyatsionny screen is represented. The right fastening represents a specular reflection of the left.
For removal or installation of the forward shumoizolyatsionny screen at first it is necessary to remove or establish lateral bolts.
Forward and back shumoizolyatsionny screens are represented in drawing 2.9 .
For removal of screens at first unscrew bolts And, remove the forward shumoizolyatsionny screen 3.
Then unscrew bolts In, take the back shumoizolyatsionny screen 2 of spring fastenings 1.
Tighten bolts the moment of an inhaling of 8 N В· m.


The legal translation service, shared between the two jurisdictions (Court of Justice and General Court), comprises two directorates, between which the language units are apportioned. The directors share responsibility for 23 language units (Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish).
The Court's translations are established in accordance with mandatory language arrangements and include all the combinations of the official languages of the European Union. The volume of pages to be translated currently exceeds 1 100 000 pages per year.
The texts to be translated are all highly technical legal texts. To accomplish that task, the service employs only jurists who have completed their education in law and who have a thorough knowledge of at least two languages other than their mother tongue.


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David Greene is an award-winning journalist and New York Times best-selling author. He is a host of NPR's Morning Edition, the most listened-to radio news program in the United States, and also of NPR's popular morning news podcast, Up First.
Prior to taking on his current role in 2012, Greene was an NPR foreign correspondent based in Moscow covering the region from Ukraine and the Baltics east to Siberia. During that time he brought listeners stories as wide-ranging as Chernobyl 25 years later and Beatles-singing Russian Babushkas. He wrote the best-selling book Midnight in Siberia, capturing Russian life on a journey across the Trans-Siberian Railway.
Greene later won an Edward R. Murrow Award for his interview with two young men badly beaten by authorities in the Russian republic of Chechnya as part of a campaign to target gay men. Greene also spent a month in Libya reporting riveting stories in the most difficult of circumstances as NATO bombs fell on Tripoli. He was honored with the 2011 Daniel Schorr Journalism Prize from WBUR and Boston University for that coverage of the Arab Spring.
Greene's voice became familiar to NPR listeners from his four years covering the White House. To report on former President George W. Bush's second term, he spent hours in NPR's spacious booth in the basement of the West Wing (it's about the size of your average broom closet). He also spent time trekking across five continents, reporting on White House visits to places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Rwanda, Uruguay – and, of course, Crawford, Texas.
During the days following Hurricane Katrina, Greene was aboard Air Force One when President Bush flew low over the Gulf Coast and caught his first glimpse of the storm's destruction. On the ground in New Orleans, Greene brought listeners a moving interview with the late Ethel Williams, a then-74-year-old flood victim who got an unexpected visit from the president.
Greene was an integral part of NPR's coverage of the historic 2008 election, reporting on Hillary Clinton's campaign from start to finish, and also focusing on how racial attitudes were playing into voters' decisions. The White House Correspondents' Association took special note of Greene's report on a speech by then-candidate Barack Obama addressing the nation's racial divide. Greene was given the Association's 2008 Merriman Smith Award for deadline coverage of the presidency.
After President Obama took office, Greene kept one eye trained on the White House and the other eye on the road. He spent three months driving across America – with a recorder, camera, and lots of caffeine – to learn how the recession was touching Americans during President Obama's first 100 days in office. The series was called "100 Days: On the Road in Troubled Times."
Before joining NPR in 2005, Greene spent nearly seven years as a newspaper reporter for the Baltimore Sun. He covered the White House during the Bush administration's first term and wrote about an array of other topics for the paper, including why Oklahomans love the sport of cockfighting, why two Amish men in Pennsylvania were caught trafficking methamphetamine, and how one woman brought Christmas back to a small town in Maryland.
Before graduating magna cum laude from Harvard in 1998 with a degree in government, Greene worked as the senior editor on the Harvard Crimson. In 2004, he was named co-volunteer of the year for Coaching for College, a Washington, DC, program offering tutoring to inner-city youth. He lives in Los Angeles and Washington, DC, with his wife, Rose Previte, a restauranteur.
AC/DC Returns To Rock The Masses With 'Power Up'
Angus Young and Brian Johnson discuss the band's new album, a tribute to Young's late brother Malcolm and an unlikely comeback from all kinds of loss.
On 'All This And More,' Thao Nguyen Tackles Post-Apocalyptic Omens
Nguyen processes feelings of dread in her new song for Morning Edition's Song Project, written after the skies over San Francisco turned orange from wildfire haze.
Rhiannon Giddens Confronts Emotional Whiplash On 'Best Day / Worst Day'
Giddens explains how the new song she composed for Morning Edition's Song Project series grew from this year's extreme ups and downs.
On 'This Close,' Lori McKenna Draws Inspiration From Family
McKenna's new song for Morning Edition's Song Project series was a family affair — written with her children's perspective of the COVID-19 era in mind, and featuring production from her sons.
Tank And The Bangas Have 'Feelings' On The COVID-19 Era
The New Orleans band says its new song, "Feelings," came out of a need to process the overwhelming input of the pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests unfolding all at once.
Indigo Girls' New Song Is About Patience And Fortitude In The COVID-19 Era
Amy Ray and Emily Saliers rarely write together, but the unique challenges of the pandemic inspired the veteran folk-rockers to try true collaboration for the first time in years.
An Arizona Voter Answers The Question: What Keeps You Up At Night?
We've heard from a diverse group of families and now we make our last stop. A 70-year-old registered Democrat living in Scottsdale, Ariz., talks about why she plans to vote for President Trump again.
Ariz. Churchgoers On What Keeps Them Up At Night
Lena and Joe Crandell, church volunteers who live outside of Tucson, Ariz., talk about what's been keeping them up at night, and why their concerns will translate into votes for President Trump.
It's Been A Hard Year. 5 Families On How 2020 Will Shape Their Vote For President
Arezou Rezvani
The spread of COVID-19, the ensuing economic crisis and the reckoning around social injustice has made 2020 a year like none other. NPR wanted to know how these events might shape political choices.
News Brief: GOP Convention, Deadly Kenosha Protest, Hurricane Laura
First lady Melania Trump addresses the GOP convention. The third night of protests in Kenosha, Wis., turns deadly. And, Hurricane Laura grows stronger as it approaches the Texas-Louisiana border.
Coronavirus News Roundup: A COVID-19 Therapy Makes Headlines
Cases are circulating widely in parts of the U.S. The FDA announced emergency use for convalescent plasma. And when will we have a spit-on-a-stick COVID-19 test?
Southwest Voters Answer The Question: What Keeps You Up At Night?
NPR's David Greene talks to married couple Connie Liu and Chris Hoover, doctors in New Mexico, where many patients are from indigenous communities, about worries that shape political choices.
Terri Wright
Felicia Kautz
Sky Wadel
The Hermit


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"Women love him, men want to have a beer with him. It's just not clear that it would occur to anybody to vote for him." -- Joey Lucas, 'The West Wing'
TV Keith notes the similarities between the closing couple of seasons of The West Wing and the current primary season in the US: "Its prescience most notably lies in the casting of Jimmy Smits as Congressman Matt Santos, a Latino from Texas - the first Latino to run for President. Sure, he was also a Catholic - just like President Bartlett and JFK - but he was also "the brown candidate". He didn't want to play the race card - but it was an issue in the fictional media. It was an issue for his opponent. It was an issue for his campaign - does he play to that or away from it."
"I don't love it, but I accept it as a reasonable alternative given the constraints." -- John August
Film John August (with surprising honesty) talks us through the process of designing the cover and extras for the Region One dvd release of his film The Nines and how in relation to the image everything is about compromise.
"I think I was wrong, I think you were right..." -- Sheryl Crow, 'The Difficult Kind'
Music Sheryl Crow also has a new album finally forthcoming and this time it's a protest record of sorts. It's got to be better than bloody Wildflower in which sounded like a Celine Dion tribute album. And not in a good way.
"Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana" -- Groucho Marx
Humour A missed opportunity in our year of culture would have been the opportunity to recreate the Grand Central Station dance sequence from The Fisher King on the concourse at Lime Street. It lacks context sure but how impressive would it have been? There will be a Viennese Ball at St George's Hall which should be picturesque but not quite as -- post-modern.
Back at the Grand Central, a group of volunteers have staged the opposite. Two hundred and seven of them infiltrated the crowds then stopped still altogether in whatever position they were in at a predetermined time. Predictably the reactions of the crowd are the best bit of this video, although watch out for the frozen girl eating the banana whose willpower is clearly stronger than most humans. How's it possible to stand with a smell such as that just inches from your nose for five minutes?
Nature The Best: Extinct Animals, From an Elephant Bird to a 10-Foot-Long, Four-Eyed Spider
"That's not how you pronounce my name, Adrian, " -- Christine Bleakley
TV I stopped being able to watch the mainstream of BBC Breakfast months ago. Once I've watched the 8am news headlines it's off to the 8:10 shouting match, sorry interview on Radio 4's Today. It's simply because with the exception of the sadly rarely appearing Kate Silverton, the standard of presentation is appaulling, I mean just awful. A typical example is offered by Suw who gives a blow by blow on a particularly poor interview with Dr Brian Cox on the occasion of his Horizon programme in which they completely fail to ask a single intelligent question and manage to spend much of the time off topic.
It used to be that even in this Breakfast slot there would be an attempt to entertain and educate but apparently thats no longer the imperative, and in cases such as this it doesn't seem as though a researcher has been anywhere near the presenters before the slot leaving Bill and Sian to proceed on their wits with predictable results. The contrast is pretty clear when one of the correspondents, be it weather, sport or business take over with Declan Curry in particular not afraid to ask difficult questions of whichever poor business spokesman has been sent to excuse their company's massive profits. His only missteps have been in relation to internet related companies, but then the whole of the mainstream media is still having difficult catching up to that.
A fair contrast can be found at the other end of the day. The One Show's content isn't all that different and yet Adrian and Christine manage to carry it off proceeding with wit and always seem engaged with the subject, treating it with the requisite seriousness when required. The other night when Beadle's death broke during the programme they were able to break off briefly from script to discuss the subject intelligently something BBC Breakfast always seem to find difficult, even though they're supposed to be amongst other things a news programme. Why should it be up to radio to provide intelligent discussion in the morning or should I just give it all up and listen to Chris Moyles like the rest of the country?
Posted on Friday, February 01, 2008 0 comments Labels: television reviews
"When you see her, say a prayer and kiss your heart goodbye, she's trouble, in a word get closer to the fire." -- Madonna, 'Who's That Girl?'
Art Some of the best exhibitions I've visited have featured but one painting. Manchester Art Gallery once displayed David Hockney's Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy and Leeds Art Gallery offered the chance to see Henri Rousseau's famous Tiger in a Tropical Storm. Both appeared in their own sections or rooms and it is a completely different way of spending time with a masterpiece than in a large room filled with distractions such as other visitors.
The rather wonderful looking Frick Collection in New York are currently displaying Francesco Mazzola Parmigianino's Antea in similar circumstances and it's gorgeous. The Economist has a review and they're awed by it:
"Hanging on a temporary, free-standing wall in the middle of the Frick's Oval Room, a glowing "Antea" beckons to visitors from across the museum's sepulchral Garden Court. Quite who the sitter was remains a mystery. The catalogue, by Christina Neilson, a Renaissance specialist and Frick fellow, reads like a detective story; though not so much a "whodunit" as a "who is it"."
It is a pretty extraordinary work (here's a rather crusty image). At both of the above linked articles there's much about the speculation about the sitter's identity and while that might be of interest to Parmigianino's biographers, some paintings undoubtedly gain from the viewer now knowing its history and intent; thriving on the mystery. Like an unrequited one sided love affair the reality can't possibly live up to our imagination.
"I'm still trying to figure out what the right line is between myself and the people I play." -- Maggie Gyllenhaal
Film Maggie Gyllenhaal is the new Gwyneth Paltrow in that there is a law, or at least should be, that we should all watch every movie she's in. Even the turkeys. More often than not the best thing about the thing. So that you can keep your quota and not fall foul of the film police here's another one, created as part of an online protest connected with the writers strike. It's called Speechless and has some lovely noirish lighting.
Posted on Friday, February 01, 2008 1 comments Labels: gwyneth paltrow
"The subject being copied is terminated." -- T-800, 'T2: Judgement Day'
Communication Steve Tilly is in a spin over really accurate voice mail to text conversion: "What blows my mind is that the technology properly parses, punctuates and capitalizes text, and usually distinguishes names from sound-alike words. I called my own voicemail and left the message, "Hi Don this is Bill. I'm calling about that bill that's due before dawn" and it texted me back with EXACTLY THAT MESSAGE, with the proper punctuation and spelling and whatnot! How is this even possible? What kind of SkyNet A.I. is at work here? Do we need to call Sarah Connor?"
To the Last Man.
TV Sometimes high-brow culture channel BBC Four broadcast Spice World: The Movie last week as part of their season investigating pop music. Having not seen the film since it was released (a sentence which sees me admitting to seeing the thing at least twice in this lifetime) I noticed across the gulf of years that the girls' pregnant non-singing best friend is actually played by our very own Naoko Mori.
According to the imdb and wikipedia, it was only her third screen role but prior to that she appeared in Miss Saigon opposite one John Barrowman, which goes to show what a twisty-turny thing life can be. Of course the first time many of us noticed her was during Doctor Who's Aliens in London. She seemed oh so cool then and turning to a certain discussion board her agency portrait was already being circulated and some of us really wanted to know more about this two scene character, sanguine in the face of a porcine alien threat.
Of course that meant that when it was announced the character of Toshiko would be transferring to Torchwood it was one of the reasons to be excited. She looked oh so cool in those early publicity photos, chique-geek behind her bifocals. Alas, as with so many things wrong with that first series it totally failed to take advantage of the actress or the character largely relegating her to the background save to be insulted by Owen, left her out of the story altogether or most unforgivably having her play second fiddle to the guest star (but what a guest star) in, Greeks Bearing Gifts, the one episode which was supposed to focus upon her. They didn't know what to do with her and only a few late series heroics allowed her to make any kind of a mark, to suggest she was fated to be anything more than a victim and vulnerable, writing messages in blood and whatnot.
New series, new focus episode and finally they've got it right. Whilst the main story in To the Last Man, (superficially similar to Doctor Who's The Girl In The Fireplace and a few episodes from last year) principally took the usual approach to temporal anomalies that we expect from the series – not so much timey-wimey as utterly bollocksy - writer Helen Raynor was clearly more interested in the character beats and on that basis the episode really delivered, offering a very sweet, usefully problematic take on the impossible love affair, with Tosh finally being given the chance to save the world.
From the opening post-titles burst of energy in which Tosh made herself loverly onwards she seemed like a far more rounded character, not simply a one note stuttering nerd. Slow-way time traveler Tommy Brockless was basically just an ordinary lad, not more or less special that the many tens of thousands of young soldiers who died in those trenches. Beautifully played by Anthony Lewis, there was a perceptiveness though, an understanding of time passing. Despite the personally tragedy of outliving his parents he was clearly enjoying the chance of seeing years passing on a daily basis.
As with sleeper alien Beth's plight last week, your appreciation of this episode probably depended upon the extent to which you bought this stuttering relationship. Some have already said that they thought the two lack chemistry but actually it's probably that all too well they captured the desperation of the coupling, the strange inevitability of two people who understand each other but can never be together, nervously skipping a few bases because they simply don't have time for them.
There's undoubtedly some similarity with how the Doctor greeted a century of festive seasons in Paul Cornell's short story The Hopes and Fears of All the Years, but each of Tommy's new days were like Christmas even though he'd simply been seeing the price of beer shoot up within days and become one of the few people alive able to explain to Richard Griffiths that the films don't 'just keep getting better and better' (how annoying is that advert for the showbiz slot on News 24?). As he spun about in Cardiff Bay he wanted to experience everything, and by the end of the episode he probably had.
Except, and this is were the real thematic weight of the episode descended, he was also able to see that men just like war even though history keeps reminding them that it doesn't work in the long run. It's a message which has been repeated time and again across the franchise and although Human Nature/The Family of Blood still has the edge in terms of sheer poignancy, isn't it just refreshing to see Torchwood looking at these ideas and actually spending time over them rather than simply giving them lip service between some shouting and snogging?
After all, what we were seeing here was Tommy being given the opportunity to get his rocks off before returning to the front and certain death. Captain Jack Harkness covered similar territory last year, but then it was largely wrapped up in our Jack's past life and the events which would lead up to him taking his identity, here the treatment was raw and Reithian with the material about shell shock underling how even the apparent 'good guys' did some very bad things when provoked.
You could potentially argue that some of this was undermined by the fact that through another odd bit of business that didn't quite make sense (it's a drug which taking advantage of anomalies allows someone to travel back in time and into a particular human's mind or some other jibberish) future Tommy forgot his future history lesson after stepping back in time, but that meant that for once Tosh could finally shine, convincing her lover to do the right thing, despite the very real cost which had been laid out to her.
Elsewhere, there were certainly chills as the Torchwood crew investigated the hospital their impression becoming ghosts of the past and vice versa, perfectly pitched by director Andy Goddard (clearly relishing a decent script after Countrycide and Combat) with composer Ben Foster in full Bernard Hermann mode. The rehabilitation of the main cast continued apace with Owen showing (shudder) empathy and happy Ianto clearly having dealt with loss of his girlfriend by snogging his boss, despite the fact that Torchwood, as this episode illustrated again, is the one place were Hub-based romances never end well.
There were hopefully intentional laughs too, Gerald and Harriet of Torchwood yesterday clearly demanding a spin-off scripted by Mark Gattis, the kind of Georgian X-Files facing the fantastic with a stiff upper lip, steampunk technology in hand. The other highlight was the trailer for next week, Meat already looking like a classic bit of black comedy with only the potentially poor treatment of Rhys discovering the details of his wife's day job to by the kybosh on things.
On the basis of this early run of episode though, that doesn't look likely. Whilst the approach the series takes to time travel and some fantasy leaves a lot to be desired, it seems far more capable of looking at the real strength of an idea and making the most of it dramatically and in the case of Tosh finally allowing a character to fulfill their potential. I said some very nasty things about the series last year so it seems only fair to be redressing the balance here. Torchwood has turned into the kind of series that's a pleasure to watch rather than because you feel the need to since you're incessantly reviewing it on a website.
Posted on Thursday, January 31, 2008 0 comments Labels: behind the sofa archive, doctor who, Torchwood
"Being good isnt always easy, no matter how hard I try..." -- Dusty Springfield
Music Wow. Shelby Lynne's new album features a range of Dusty Springfield covers: "Lynne, who was five albums into her career before she even discovered Springfield, has reinterpreted some of the British legend's classics like "Breakfast in Bed," Tony Joe White's "Willie and Laura Mae Jones" and Randy Newman's, "I Don't Want to Hear About It Anymore." Which song didn't she do? "You don't sing 'Son of a Preacher Man,'" Lynne explains between sips of red wine. "It's her song. You don't cut certain songs. The record's been made. If you can't make it your own or better, then fucking stay home."
Posted on Thursday, January 31, 2008 0 comments
TV Jack Kibble-White, co-author of The Encyclopedia of Classic Saturday Night Telly (reviewed here) offers his memories of Jeremy Beadle: "An untapped national treasure." That's what Jeremy Beadle once called me. In print too. Better than that, it was in a book I'd co-written. A book that Jeremy enthusiastically supported, and once purported in an email to me to have "gobbled up at a sitting".
TV Crikey, Torchwood was good last night. You can read my effusive review here.
"I want to be an artist that everyone can relate to, that's young, happy and fun." -- Britney Spears
Music Pop Justice: What are the people of America listening to? "America is too busy taking Britney's photo to be buying her music, evidently."
Obituary Out On Blue Six remembers Jeremy Beadle: "those legendary LBC radio shows, especially the famous one where he pretended to be making his way around London on foot and challenged listeners to find him (hundreds did, literally stopping the traffic at some points), yet was in the studio all the time and just talking over sound effects. Let's hope some of these finally resurface soon"
Posted on Wednesday, January 30, 2008 0 comments
"Not only is there no God, but try getting a plumber on weekends." -- Woody Allen
Film Woody Allen's typography: fetish or brand identity? "White type on black opening titles rolling on old jazz or classical music became a part of Woody Allen brand."
"People who lead a lonely existence always have something on their minds that they are eager to talk about." -- Anton Checkov
Theatre Tracey-Ann Obermann on relocation Checkov's Three Sisters to Hope Street, Liverpool: "More than anyone, Chekhov and Woody Allen understand that humour is a highly sophisticated defence mechanism (check out the similarities between Zelig and Dr Chebutykin in Three Sisters)."
"Errors of taste are very often the outward sign of a deep fault of sensibility." -- Jonathan Miller
Liverpool Life I've always wondered what the polymath Jonathan Miller was doing before he joined Beyond The Fringe and introduced Peter Cook to Dudley Moore. Not enough that I'd read a biography of the man or even look for it online though because there isn't a substitute for hearing about someone's life from the person who's lived it and I've always suspected that at some point I'd finally get to see Miller give one of his lectures and learn the truth live. This is exactly what happened tonight at Liverpool University as part of a series connected to our culture year. The title of the lecture was 'Under The Influence' and structured some quite complex science around a listing all of the different people who'd influenced him across his life at university and beyond.
It turns out that up until his friend John Barrett wondered into A&E one night to be treated by Miller and suggest that he might be interesting the Edinburgh Festival with a show for a few weeks, the director/writer was going to be a neurosurgeon. From an early age his father had fostered an interested in biology and he was intensely interested in how the brain worked and how we reacted to stimulus. The book which got him on the path was actually by the same Charles Scott Sherrington who gave his name to building we were all sitting in. As he explained, how brilliant is biological development that it would put all of the things which we need to react to oncoming trouble such as noses, ears, eyes and mouth at the front of our bodies?
What's perhaps most fascinating is that in changing his career from science to performance, Miller was still able to apply pretty much everything he'd learned about the human brain to theatre direction, something he says he picked up as he went along. He talked about the influence of John Searle's book Speech Acts in which the Professor of Philosophy explains that human communication revolves not only around what we say but what we actually mean when we say those things. In other words, when an estate agent walking about a property and saying 'This room needs painting' what they're actually saying is 'I want you to imagine what this room will look like when you've bought it and it has been painted'.
In theatre direction, what you're doing is trying to bring the actors to a point in which they're not simply saying the words but understanding and trying to communicate what the character is really thinking through those words. I suppose in film and television some of these things can be cheated through editing and music and lighting and mise en scene but in theatre with the audience watching every word and action, insincerity is magnified. This presumably becomes even harder with material such as Shakespeare which is way out of its contemporary setting and which isn't being derived between the writers and performers.
In the Q&A afterwards, Miller (I'm paraphrasing) said that it was a curious quirk of the past hundred years that we've become obsessed with the writing of dead people, work that's in its 'after life' at the expense of contemporary work, exactly what this material was back when it was originally written. He said that we shouldn't be precious about contemporising material either, especially if it wasn't specifically of its period when it was originally written (making the distinction with 'updating' work – rewriting Shakespeare in modern English perhaps). I asked him about working on the BBC Shakepeare productions during the early 80s (he seemed pleased that I remembered them) and said that he simply couldn't be too experimental there because over half the money came from US investors who were expecting 'traditional' settings all doublets and hoes.
Miller (looking disconcertingly in real life like Animal Magic's Johnny Morris) has presumably told his story a few times before but he managed to keep it fresh and there were plenty of anecdotes about his proto-career in science and how he ended up switching over to the other side. There were injections of poetry by Robert Frost and sections of the writings of Searle and Sherrington, the latter touchingly from the very volume that very volume his Dad had passed down to Miller after using it himself at university, both of their name inscriptions from 1913 and 1955 still visible inside. At the close, when asked if he had an infinite budget what his next project would be, he poignantly suggested that since he would be able to support his family that he would like to take up an unpaid position and complete the training and research which he'd left behind all those years ago.
Updated: The lecture is already available to watch online so you can hear his answer to my question in full.
Posted on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 1 comments Labels: liverpool life
About If anyone's that way inclined I'm selling some old Doctor Who novels on ebay -- the very ones I wrote about here in fact.
Posted on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 0 comments
Elsewhere I began watching a dvd of the BBC Shakespeare adaptation at quarter past seven tonight and since it doesn't look like it's going to end any time soon, here for your entertainment is a review of the new Torchwood Magazine. Ugh!
"Contents subject to change!"
Magazines Since the first series of Torchwood was such a success (at least in the ratings) and with a long running title which has followed the mother series in good times and bad it seems the next logical step to produce a tie-in magazine dedicated to the basement dwellers of Cardiff and perfectly reasonable that Panini, current publishers of Doctor Who Magazine should be the publishers. Unfortunately the license went to Titan; if there's a half successful genre import, the Titan production line has produced a magazine about it; Star Trek, Buffy, Angel, Charmed, 24, Alias, Lost, Supernatural, Heroes even the CSIs and Prison Break, the company has a vast portfolio of official magazines (most of which seem to be advertised inside this one) and as expected this is another of their perfectly functional, well designed but ultimately soulless publications.
All of the regular sections and articles that crop up in these things are present and correct. There's a news page called The Hub ('The latest on the shows, the stars, the stories') with material about the official website, the US launch, the comic strip printed in its own pages and John Barrowman's autobiography. There are interviews with Barrowman, James Marsters, Nikki Amuka-bird & Dyfed Potter (from the episode Sleeper) and Naoko Mori along with a photographic visit to the Hub set with interjections from the designers and a play-by-play on creating the blow-fish make up. The magazine closes with a diary by Chris Chibnall in which the whole process of making the series boils down to six entries, four of which are about jollies he's gone on to sell the series. There's even a comic strip by former DWM editor and Transformer fan god Simon Furman.
None of which is uninteresting; the interview with Marsters throws up some useful tit-bits, including that he wanted to make a prequel series to Star Trek and that he wished Spike had been more evil for longer, and there's far more information in the making of features than usually turns up in Declassified and detailed enough to be of interest to design students. It's also admirable that there's such an emphasis on the series writers and the process of putting the scripts together, particular considering the production problems which dogged the first series in that regard.
The highlight is probably the comic strip, a tight narrative about a scientist from Torchwood One whose experiments have gone a bit awry. Decent artwork from DL Gallant with an old-school Roy of the Rovers influence manages to convey the look of the series and Furman captures the characterization (such as it is) really well. It's the kind of mythology story it would be good to see in the new series, especially after all those hints offered by Captain Jack in his explanation to Gwen in Everything Changes.
The problem is, with that notable exception, nothing has a particular authorial voice. Oddly, none of the articles are credited to a writer (a comment I made the Facebook group for the magazine – they deleted the point rather than answered it). It's impossible not to compare and probably unfair, but in Doctor Who Magazine we've got to know the likes of Ben Cook and David Darlington and the other writers, even hoping that the former wasn't overworking when it became apparent he was authoring most of each issue during the early days of the new series. The writers in DWM and SFX clearly have a passion for their subject and always sound excited and privileged to be doing their job. They're enthusiasts and it shows in every word and sentence.
The copy in Torchwood Magazine reads like it has been put together by advertisers, used to punch up the text, almost every sentence completed by an exclamation mark! There's no sense of fun or more importantly the kind of authority which comes from knowing the subject, of the writers doing anything but a job of work, a commission to pay the rent before moving on to something more 'credible'! There isn't even an editor's note at the front to introduce readers to this new magazine! In the interviews you never get a sense of being in the same room as the interviewee and the questioning lacks bite as though the writer was afraid they'd get kicked off set – c'mon, it's John Barrowman, he can take it! Says John: "We're very like a family. We kept in touch when we weren't filming at the start of the year, even if it was only over the phone." Hooray!
Some of this is to be expected – this is only the first issue after all, everyone's yet to find their groove, and the series only has a single series under its utility belt so there's precious little history to write about (although there are some rather bland character profiles which have all the wit of a wikipedia entry). But if you compare what happens here with the chat with the cast in this month's DWM, Ben Cook's questions coax some rather more complex and analytical answers. Essentially as ever Titan have taken the 'official magazine' label to the hilt, sapping any hint of criticism, and producing the magazine equivalent of those extended film trailers which turn up on Sky Movies. Bottom line: you certainly wouldn't imagine them publishing anything like the infamous Clive Swift interview…
Posted on Monday, January 28, 2008 0 comments Labels: behind the sofa archive, doctor who
"Anyway: it's a bit hard to describe our bear solution." -- Grumblebee
Theatre Grumblebee comments at Metafilter on staging the bear in Shakespeare's A Winter's Tale: "But that does make stuff like the "Winter's Tale" bear challenging. How do you create a bear with no bear costume, no special effects, etc? Sure, you can have an actor act like a bear, and it is a comic moment in the play, but I wanted the audience to laugh with us, not at us."
"On Discord Arising From Excessive Love of a Hat" -- Michael Chabon, 'Gentlemen of the Road' (chapter title)
Books In a similar spirit to yesterday's endevour, Adrian has collected together links to the various chapters of Michael Chabon's new book, Gentlemen of the Road already published on the New York Times website and readable for free.
"Women love him, men want to have a beer with him....
"I don't love it, but I accept it as a reasonable ...
"I think I was wrong, I think you were right..." -...
"Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a bana...
Nature The Best: Extinct Animals, From an Elephan...
"That's not how you pronounce my name, Adrian, " -...
"When you see her, say a prayer and kiss your hear...
"I'm still trying to figure out what the right lin...
"The subject being copied is terminated." -- T-800...
"Being good isnt always easy, no matter how hard I...
TV Jack Kibble-White, co-author of The Encycloped...
TV Crikey, Torchwood was good last night. You ca...
"I want to be an artist that everyone can relate t...
Obituary Out On Blue Six remembers Jeremy Beadle:...
"Not only is there no God, but try getting a plumb...
"People who lead a lonely existence always have so...
"Errors of taste are very often the outward sign o...
About If anyone's that way inclined I'm selling s...
Elsewhere I began watching a dvd of the BBC Shake...
"Anyway: it's a bit hard to describe our bear solu...
"On Discord Arising From Excessive Love of a Hat" ...


text:
Ochetorhynchus andaecola е вид птица от семейство Furnariidae. Видът е незастрашен от изчезване.

Разпространение
Разпространен е в Аржентина, Боливия и Чили.

Източници

Ochetorhynchus

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Back in March when he announced his resignation, lots of my readers were shocked reporter Kevin Quinn was leaving the abc13 KTRK airwaves after covering the news at the Disney–ABC Television Group owned stations since 2003.
Last Friday was his official last day.
And the mikemcguff.com roving camera sneaked into his Quinn's goodbye party Saturday night which was thrown by colleague Miya Shay at Union Kitchen on Washington Avenue.
"I have accepted a full-time position as a spokesperson with the Constable for Precinct 1 in Harris County, Alan Rosen," Kevin announced. "I'll also be working some as a media liaison for Houston Crime Stoppers. I'm excited about these new challenges and I look forward to what's to come."
As you will see in the photos, Constable Rosen was at the party and spoke very highly of Quinn.
Clearly Quinn will be missed in the TV newsrooms. Lots of people from all sides of the camera and from various stations showed up to say goodbye.
But don't worry, he'll still be dealing with the media, just in a new role!


You can also download this PDF for easy access!
Students taking Ballet/Tap (ages 3-6) or Ballet/Jazz (ages 3-6) classes may wear any colored leotard with ballet pink tights and an optional skirt; girls ages 3-4 need to have the skirt attached to the leotard. They will need both pink leather ballet shoes and black jazz/tap shoes. Boys will wear black ballet shoes instead of pink. For Hip Hop/Tumble (ages 5-6), students may wear sweatpants or stretchy shorts with a fitted shirt. For ages 7+, stricter dress attire is expected; you can view our full dress code here for more details on other styles and ages.
Where can I buy dancewear and shoes?
Through our online store, we are able to provide high quality dancewear and shoes at special discounted rates! These items have been handpicked and are used by many of our staff and dancers. Our online store has suggestions depending on which class students are taking. If you are uncertain of sizes, you can often find shoes for little ones at Payless or Target (Target also generally carries leotards, tights, and skirts for low prices), but our online store also has very dependable sizing charts. If you're looking for a local dance store, try The Dancer, which would also work for larger sizes or girls ages 11+. Be sure to tell them you're from AODA! For pointe shoes, you must speak with your teacher beforehand.
How should their hair be fixed?
For students ages 3-6, we ask that their hair is pulled back from their face; hair should not be left down. We would prefer no part-ups or pigtails, but buns, ponytails, and braids are all acceptable! For ages 7+ hair must be pulled back in a bun for all ballet classes; other classes have different requests. See our dress code for full hair guidelines.
Students ages 3-6 who are taking Ballet/Tap and/or Ballet/Jazz classes should bring both pairs of shoes to each class, as they will switch styles halfway through the class. PLEASE LABEL all belongings! It's easy for shoes to go home with the wrong owners.
If students need to bring water, ensure it's in a non-spillable bottle. We suggest not letting students ages 3-6 bring snacks, as they are not allowed to eat in the dance room and it can cause distraction. If necessary, students 7+ who are in back-to-back classes can eat in the main studio waiting area during their class break (we have water and great snack options for sale!), but please make sure snacks are non-messy and non-greasy, such as granola bars, small crackers, etc.
We recommend coming about 5-7 minutes early, as that allows children enough time to get their dance shoes on and not feel rushed getting into class. Please do not come earlier than 15 minutes, as too many people in the waiting room can cause distraction to an ongoing class.
Should I or can I stay at the studio during class?
We do not require parents to stay during the classes — in fact, students ages 3-6 actually do better if their parents are not present, so feel free to drop them off at the start and pick them up at the end (see above for guidelines). Our teachers and assistants will help with changing shoes and any bathroom breaks. Just remember that the classes are 55 minutes long, not a full hour. If you would like to stay one week (or if grandparents are visiting and want to watch), our waiting room is designed with windows so that you can watch the class without distracting the students.


text:
History Science Innovation Arts & Culture Travel
SmartNews Keeping you current
41% of Water in the US is Used for Power Generation
The Union of Concerned Scientists describes how warming and drought can cause problems for power generation
"The Energy-Water Collision" (Union of Concerned Scientists)
By Colin Schultz
The US uses more water to generate power than to grow all our food (and, in the case of ethanol, fuel). In a year plagued by a drought that, in a climate-changed world, represents the "new normal," that's a liability. So the Union of Concerned Scientists created an infographic to explore the issues that will arise as energy, food, city dwellers, farmers and frackers fight over a limited supply of water.
The group decided to highlight what they call "collisions." For instance, when water is used for drinking or agriculture and drought or development means there's not enough left behind to cool power plants. As a result, these under-cooled plants cut back, limiting energy supply.
(Union of Concerned Scientists)
Though not a perfect parallel, the recent massive blackouts in India were at least partly motivated by water supply issues. For a more nuanced view of the stability of the US' energy grid, Maggie Koerth-Baker, who recently wrote a book on the issue, has two columns: "Blackout: What's wrong with the American grid," and "Meet the people who keep your lights on."
The Union of Concerned Scientists' graphic also maps regions around the US that have already ran into power production/water supply issues, and shows how they think we can avert similar future problems by increasing our use on means of energy production that aren't reliant on external cooling.
(hat tip to Heidi Cullen)
More from Smithsonian.com:
Catching a Wave, Powering an Electrical Grid?
About Colin Schultz
Colin Schultz is a freelance science writer and editor based in Toronto, Canada. He blogs for Smart News and contributes to the American Geophysical Union. He has a B.Sc. in physical science and philosophy, and a M.A. in journalism.
Read more from this author | Follow @_ColinS_
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Jamie thought she had a love of drinking. For her birthday, she got naked and realized there was no love lost between her and alcohol.
On September 26, 2017, I woke up in a hotel room in a foreign city. I felt like I'd been poisoned. It wasn't rock bottom, as most people would define it. I'd certainly blacked out before and the feelings of dread, confusion and humiliation were all too familiar.
I wasn't losing my job, family or friends, but that particular morning, I reached through the fog of a blistering hangover and cemented the realization that I'd had enough and needed to change. It was my birthday.
That night, I was scheduled to attend another event, one I'd been happily anticipating: dinner, drinks and entertainment served up in an ancient castle. I imagined celebrating my birthday during a fancy, sophisticated party. Instead, I was limping through, suffering.
After downing my third frosty flute of pink fizz and realizing that the hair of the dog was failing me — I neither felt better nor managed to catch enough of a buzz to forget that I felt like rubbish — I headed back to the hotel and started researching. I couldn't remember what had happened the night before, but I knew I was unwilling to live through another morning like that one.
I'd never tried to quit before. This is partly because I thought I had a love of drinking; partly because I knew the traditional models didn't make sense for me; and partly because the only thing that scared me more than drinking myself miserable, was failing to stop.
When I stretched out onto my hotel bed and cracked open my laptop, I was looking for a different way to abstain. My love of drinking had undoubtedly lost its luster and fear of failure was no longer a viable roadblock, so I had just one thing left to tackle – the method.
AA was a tricky concept for me. A couple of ex-boyfriends had suggested I give it a go even before I felt ready to quit. Although I might not have been able to identify why…..I knew that the twelve steps were not for me.
The religious aspects were problematic. Although AA insists that their references to God can be personally interpreted to fit any spiritual approach, when I read about the method, to me, it is so steadfastly built around the concept of a Judeo-Christian god, that I was unable to divorce the religious trappings from the necessary steps.
I did not feel powerless against alcohol. I stopped entirely twice, when pregnant, and a few other times while trying to conceive. No cravings, no temptation, no problems. And my life was not unmanageable. Outside of the occasional out of control night, I was managing things exceptionally well and had been for a long time. I hated myself for the rotten nights, sure. But I was not failing to manage the rest, which represented the vast majority of my life.
AA has a lot of focus on moral inventory and admitting wrongdoings and being humble. If anything, I was already spending far too much time harshly judging myself and my value. My husband was sick of my apologies and I was sick of hearing myself outline what I did wrong. I was mentally pummeling myself on a daily basis for my love of drinking. The thought of signing up for a set, sanctioned program where I criticized myself further was unbearable. If I got any more humble, I'd be a hole in the ground.
While I didn't feel powerless, I also knew that I did not want to rely on willpower alone. I didn't want to carry the stigma of a recovering alcoholic – not because I think the stigma is valid (it isn't), but because it simply did not match the person I am.
Knowing I didn't need to white knuckle through sober pregnancies, I was refusing to sign up for an entire life of temptation and deprivation. On some level, I knew what I needed was to renovate my mindset and I was seeking a guide.
I don't remember how, exactly, I read about This Naked Mind, but once I did, I was certain the concepts were exactly what I was trying to find. The book would answer my question about how to unlush my life. However, for sobriety really to stick, I knew I'd need to do more than just crack open the book. I needed to lose my love of drinking.
About fifteen years ago, I accidentally quit fast food. I didn't eat it too terribly much — a Happy Meal about once a week for lunch and of course, Taco Bell to feed a hungover. It wasn't ever something I planned to give up, but then I watched Supersize Me. The entire movie is anti-fast-food propaganda, but it didn't entice me to give it up until the credits.
The filmmaker runs an experiment demonstrating how slowly super-preserved fast food rots, interspersed with various facts about how the ingredients are sourced. One of those facts was that the meat that makes up a single fast food burger can come from as many as 200 cows. I don't know what it was about that particular fact, as the entire film is filled with vaguely disgusting trivia, but the 200 cows turned my stomach and that was it. Just like that, I gave up fast food for good.
Later, I realized it likely wasn't that particular fact that turned me off, but rather, that the information came on the tail end of a 2-hour onslaught of anti-fast food propaganda. I knew I'd been manipulated by the media, but because I believed the manipulation resulted in a healthier outcome, I rolled with it. And so, I decided to replicate the experience for my dependency on alcohol.
I went about this in what might be a weirdly meticulous way. First, I told my husband my plans (not sure he believed me), then I had my last drink at a small house party on September 29, 2017. I didn't feel the need to drink that night. On some level, I was already done. The host was someone I only knew professionally and she had been talking for weeks about how excited she was to have some wine with me, to let our hair down and relax. It felt like it would be a bigger deal to abstain than to just have a glass of Prosecco.
Leading up to that night, I focused on how much I desired to change my relationship with alcohol. While I intended to enjoy my last drink, honestly, I just wanted to get it over with so I could start my sober life. I meditated, cleared my schedule as much as possible (not very much) and the next day, I started reading This Naked Mind.
And it worked. I read the book slowly – before bed, on my commute, during lunch. I allowed myself to reread chapters or pause and reflect, to let the lessons sink in. Unlike fast food, there was not one single fact that flipped the switch, but two concepts fundamentally changed my point of view.
Are you over your love of drinking? Start reading This Naked Mind and unlearn all you knew.
I fell deeply in love with the possibility of freeing myself, entirely, from the emotional labor of drinking. I'm a mother of two relentlessly active toddlers. I have a demanding, full-time career, and I'm building my family's lives as ex-pats in a foreign country with no nearby family support. I maybe even squeeze out a little time to pick up a hobby (I wish) or date my husband (not nearly enough). My life is overwhelming by definition. It had never occurred to me, the benefits of simply removing the taxing mental and emotional work behind multiple, daily decisions determining whether or not to drink and how much. The freedom promised was, forgive the pun, "intoxicating".
The assertion that locked my newfound resolve into place was that alcohol is poison. Like the 200 cows, it's a little mysterious why this particular fact resonated with me so much — it's not like I was previously ignorant to what alcohol is and how it affects people who drink it. But again, I decided to lean into my natural aversion equivalating alcohol with poison and even now, when I see wine poured into a glass, I visualize the bottle with a dirty, toxic label and imagine that the liquid is dark, viscous and poisonous. Sometimes it even looks a little sludgy. My love of drinking is gone, and has been for a long time.
For my quitting story, the quitting was the easy part. I made a plan and it worked, so I stuck with it, and I've never questioned that I'm better off and want to keep going. For me, the hard part was learning to live as a sober person, and that's another story, but until I discovered This Naked Mind, I never dreamed that I'd not only quit for good, but that I'd do it painlessly, without the plague of temptation and stigma of relapse. But I did it, one year ago on September 29. It has been both shockingly easy and deeply difficult, a sober paradox that is occasionally confusing but ultimately, richly rewarding, day after day.
Follow Jamie on instagram to see what life can be like when you lose your love of drinking. Please share your story to help others!


Moving on from the Buffalo Plaid tablescape, I set a pretty silver and pink table. No one says, you have to have the traditional colors. A more girly table is showcased here, complete with silver sleds full of candy.
I love this pretty pink tablecloth. Very feminine and frilly. The pink Christmas trees add some balance to the pink and silver theme.
You can see the intricate pattern of this lovely tablecloth here.
Gotta love the pink nutcracker too, flanked by a cute cupcake in a mini cloche.
The cake stand is a vintage looking stand.
I created the napkin rings to match this theme. Using the pvc pipe, my husband cut into pieces, I wrapped them with decorative silver duct tape. I bought the pink and silver jewels on clearance from JoAnn's. I also wrapped the candles to match.
Silver- gray pillow cases cover the chairs nicely with a pretty pink sash.
I always dress our chandys to give a glamour look to the rooms.
I am using our Horchow pink dinner set with pink goblets. The pink candleholders are also from Horchow on sale.
We had a wonderful visit with my older son and his wife. I made lasagna, salad and bread for dinner.
Before they arrived, I baked up some goodies. Nanaimo Bars, Magic cookie bars, Lemon bars and shortbread. Naturally I sent lots of goodies home with them and also my younger son.
They loved the Glam bedroom.
Happy Holidays. I am sharing at the following parties.
Pink and silver go SO beautifully together. I never realized before. And I love those bottle brush trees and the Nutcracker.
So pretty Linda! I am a huge pink fan, and this is gorgeous! I can't believe you even have pink bottle brush trees and a nutcracker! Have a very merry week!
Linda, this is so pretty! It's fun to see something different for Christmas. Love the idea of the silver sleds filled with candy.
What a lovely table and accessories. I love anything pink. It is my favorite color.Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year.
This is so pretty Linda. Takes me back to when I was a child and my Mom got a soft pink Christmas tree for our family room. There were ornaments with silver accents! Love the pretty pink candlesticks, cloche and trees! I've always been a fan of Nutcrackers so I love him too! The napkin ring idea turned out so great- I never would have thought of that idea! Everything is so festive and pretty- love it!
Wishing you and your family a wonderful Christmastime, filled with Joy and Love and Peace!
Linda, I love pink...your table is so pretty! The pink nutcracker is too cute...love all your pink details! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Hi Linda, what an incredible pink tablesetting. Everything about this is charming and so beautifully done like only you can do. Your talents are amazing. Love the pink nutcrackcer!!I was thinking I might go in this direction next Christmas styling white and silver with a pop of pink.
Hi Linda, wow this is another gorgeous table setting and I love the pink theme. Thanks for sharing at C&C with J&J. Enjoy the holidays.
It's very posh and beautiful. I did pink last year. It was so much fun. Thanks for linking up to Monday Social.


if you would like to be considered for an internship.
Compensation for interning at Morganic farm is based on productivity of enterprise(s) interning for. All of enterprises (pork, poultry eggs, poultry meat, half-acre garden, dairy and meat goats) have a labor budget and you will receive that labor compensation at processing/harvest and for some enterprise markets (multiple CSAs for example) during the season. For the latter there are commitment and expansion incentives built in to insure completion and to maximize pay for interns. All labor payment amounts vary based on the labor needs of that enterprise. The rate of pay equivocates to $8-$10 per hour. Please contact us for details. All meals provided with organic and non-gmo product from our farm and others. Camping available on property. Work week is 50 hours over 5 to 7 seven days.
← Time to Sign up for your CSA!


text:
Q: Why is $2^x>2x$ when $x>2$? I came across this inequality while trying to prove that a function was increasing for $x>2$. I checked it graphically and it's true but I don't have a particularly good proof of it.
So, can you tell me why $2^x>2x$ when $x>2$?

A: You can just take the derivative:  $\frac d{dx}(2^x-2x)=2^x \log 2 -2$.  For $x \gt 2$ we have $2^x \log 2 -2\gt 4 \log 2 -2 \gt 0.772$

A: You could use proof by induction if x is an integer.
Base Cases: $2^3=8>6=2(3)$
Inductive Step: Assume that $2^{n-1}>2(n-1)$ where $n-1\ge{3}$. Then, $2^{n-1}+2^{n-1}>2(n-1)+2^{n-1}>2(n-1)+2=2n$. Note that $2^{n-1}+2^{n-1}=2(2^{n-1})=2^n$. Thus, $2^n>2n$.


People are seriously injured or killed by the negligence of another in the state of Florida every day.
If you or your loved one have been a victim of nursing home abuse, you may be entitled to compensation.
Florida real estate laws are quite complex in nature, which is why you need Florida real estate lawyers who stay on top of legal changes.
LLG works for you, and we're always available when you need us.
Always know what's going on with your case, and how we plan to move it forward.
Ready to fight for your rights in the courtroom and out.
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Our goal is to give you an estimate of the value of your accident claim. Use the calculator below by submitting answers to the required information and you will be guaranteed to better understand what your claim is potentially worth.
Nicolas graduated from the City University of New York, then moved to attend the prestigious St. Thomas University School of Law in Miami.
Joshua is a dedicated, passionate attorney who diligently fights to protect the rights of his clients.


THIS EVENT IS FOR WOMEN ONLY AND IS PAY WHAT YOU CAN and goes on approx 2,5 h.
SIGN UP: info@authentic-flow.com, or info@studioflow.se 👉🏽 TEMPLE Sign-ups are binding because of the nature of this event.
Lie down on some soft pillows with a bowl of small fruit pieces, and make sure you are comfortable. Allow a few soft sighs and let one hand rest on your belly. Relax into whatever is here for you in this moment. Imagine a warm, red field of energy surrounding your body, as if you were wrapped in a silk sarong. Let your hand float up from your belly and gently make its way up your chest, face and hair. Make a few soft sounds. Relax deeply and have a juicy piece of fruit.
All our practice is based upon being present in the body, so we spend a lot of time with rituals, sharing stories, doing yoga, dancing and moving etc.
Satu (ERYT500, reiki master, Embodied Flow mentor/teacher) is a practitioner of devotional contemplative tantrism and has also studied to be a facilitator of Womens Temple Groups with the Awakenin Women, and is excited to share it with the community in Gothenburg.
In our event in Stockholm, we had almost 40 women and it was so beautiful and very needed!
Healing hugs and kisses! See you soon!


Ceramic objects have held an integral role in daily life throughout human history. Whether actively used or simply admired, we as humans have developed different associations and memories with these objects. In my work, I strip utilitarian forms down to a three-dimensional line drawing, creating objects that are familiar but lack surface information. The resulting work draws upon the memories and associations of the viewer.
Through this work I am considering my relationship with ceramics, not only with the objects that I use but also through my heritage. Utilizing extruded pieces of bone-dry clay, I assemble scaffolding-like structures into "silhouettes" of traditional Korean ceramic forms. The resulting vessel becomes a self-portrait. By creating a Korean ceramic form that is devoid of surface information, it becomes a visual metaphor for my growing up Asian American without Korean language or culture. I want the viewer to look at the vessel and consider what they don't know about it. Much like meeting a new individual, there is more to understand beyond appearance.


text:
"use strict";

var chai = require('chai'),
    util = require('../helper'),
    Promise = require('bluebird'),
    sinon = require('sinon'),
    chance = require('chance').Chance(),
    should = chai.should(),
    accessTokenController = require('../../controllers/access-tokens');

describe('AccessTokensController', () => {
    var currentApiKey, currentApiKeyConfirmed,
        currentUser, currentUserConfirmed,
        proxySend, req, res, next,
        controller = accessTokenController,
        userTemplateConfirmed = util.getFixture('User');

    beforeEach(() => {
        proxySend = sinon.spy();
        res = {send: proxySend};
        return Promise.resolve()
            .then(() => {
                return util.mongoose.connection.db.dropDatabase();
            })
            .then(() => {
                return util.mongoose.model('User').create(util.getFixture('User'));
            })
            .then((userObj) => {
                currentUser = userObj;
                return util.mongoose.model('User').create(userTemplateConfirmed);
            })
            .then((userObj) => {
                userObj.confirmUser();
                currentUserConfirmed = userObj;
                return util.mongoose.model('ApiKey').create({user_uuid: currentUser.uuid});
            })
            .then((apiKeyObj) => {
                currentApiKey = apiKeyObj;
                return util.mongoose.model('ApiKey').create({user_uuid: currentUserConfirmed.uuid});
            })
            .then((apiKeyObj) => {
                currentApiKeyConfirmed = apiKeyObj;
            });
    });

    before(() => {
      return util.init();
    });
    after(() => {
      return util.tearDown();
    });

    it('authenticates with api key credentials', () => {
        req = {
            body: {
                key: currentApiKeyConfirmed.key,
                secret: currentApiKeyConfirmed.secret
            }
        };
        next = () => {
            proxySend.calledOnce.should.be.true;
            proxySend.calledWith(201);
            let token = proxySend.args[0][1];
            token.api_key.should.equal(currentApiKeyConfirmed.key);
            token.hours_valid.should.equal(1440);
            token.token.length.should.equal(256);
        };
        return controller.post(req, res, next);
    });

    it('authenticates with login and password', () => {
        req = {
            body: {
                email: currentUserConfirmed.email,
                password: userTemplateConfirmed.password
            }
        };
        next = () => {
            proxySend.calledOnce.should.be.true;
            proxySend.calledWith(201);
            let token = proxySend.args[0][1];
            token.api_key.should.exist;
            token.hours_valid.should.equal(1440);
            token.token.length.should.equal(256);
        };
        return controller.post(req, res, next);
    });
});

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: How can I copy one element to another with angular legacy? Lets say I have 2 divs side by side. (for the sake of argument using bootstrap lets say they are both 6 columns each)
If I drag an object into the column on the right, and then click a button below that column, I want the column on the left to mirror the one on the right. (so they are now identical)
I know we can do this with 2 way binding in real time, but I am wondering if it is possible to invoke 2 way binding on a click event? I also looked into angular copy, but there is very little documentation on this that i understand.

{{master}}

{{source}}

        <button class="btn btn-primary" ng-click="update()">Submit Changes</button>

    angular.module('app', ['ui.router'])

   .config(['$urlRouterProvider', '$stateProvider',
      function($urlRouterProvider, $stateProvider){
      $urlRouterProvider.otherwise('/');

$stateProvider.state('homepage', {
    url: "/",
    templateUrl: "templates/homepage.html"
  })
}])

.controller('swap_ctrl', function(){
$scope.source = "can it work?";
$scope.update = function() {
    angular.copy($scope.source, $scope.master);
};
  });

I know the code above doesnt work. It was just an attempt at trying to understand angular.copy. But it should give you an idea behind the structure. I was just going to use dragula to handle the dragging of objects to the right column.

A: I don't know how your actual code looks like, but let's assume you have two arrays that represent your columns:
$scope.columnsLeft = [...];
$scope.columnsRight = [...];

And view markup looks like this:

The ng-click could be inside the div element and it could be applied to the button. Then the method copyColumnToTheLeft which will copy our column could look like this:
$scope.copyColumnToTheLeft = function (column, index) {
   $scope.columnsLeft[index] = angular.copy(column);
};

Using angular.copy will create a copy of the column passed to the method, so changing the column (in right array) in future will not immediately show the changes on the left panel, since it would be a different object.
Hope this helps.
UPDATE: In your particular case, you are going to have 2 arrays, one is master and second one is source:
$scope.master = [...];
$scope.source = [...];

If you are going to modify source array using dnd then your update method could look like:
$scope.update (){ $scope.master = angular.copy($scope.source); };

Anyway a good example of how it works is on the official docs page.


text:
HomeChristianityWhy Doesn't God Destroy Satan?
Why Doesn't God Destroy Satan?
By School Of Life Christianity, Jesus 0 Comments
Upon hearing the news of yet another senseless tragedy, I sometimes lose heart. I even admit to struggling with ill-will feelings towards God. God, why don't you just destroy the forces of evil already?!
I can go on and on when it comes to the sin which abounds here on earth: the Parkland, Florida shooting; bombs which kill innocent civilians in countries like Syria; and the horror stories of young women caught in the insidious web of sex trafficking.
I raise imaginary fists at God. Why aren't you doing anything, God? Why does suffering continue? Do you even act on our behalf?
But then I stop to think: What about friends and families and strangers who haven't yet heard the miraculous Good News? What about backsliding saints? What if God wants to develop your faith for times like this?
Our Adversary's Origin
Before God fashioned and formed humanity, our adversary existed. Isaiah 14:12 reads, "How art thou fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!" Lucifer means "bearer of light" or morning star.
In heaven, Satan was an angel of splendid beauty and intelligence, he held a powerful position. It is no wonder the downfall of mankind had and has much to do with subtle idolatry today. Christians aren't exempt from what taints non-Christians. Our own hearts can covet: ruthless ambition, position, even the desire to control or manipulate. And sadly, those desires of the flesh are where our adversary operates.
Why Satan Was Banished from Heaven
Old Testament prophet Ezekiel told of Lucifer's fall: "You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden the garden of God. (Ezekiel 28:13)
"You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you." (Ezekiel 28:15) These verses speak to how Lucifer originally was a created angel.
Power and ambition were the very things which led to Lucifer's banishment from Heaven: "you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more forever." (Ezekiel 28:19) Revelation 12:4 tells us that a third of Heaven's angels rebelled with Lucifer as well and were expelled to earth and became demons.
Man and Satan's Shared Desire
This section of Ezekiel was written about a king of Tyre, who really existed and embodied similar satanic qualities.These scriptures carry spiritual and symbolic references, and Theologians look to this book today to understand the origins of Satan. Sadly, mankind struggles with the same desires which led to the Devil's downfall.
Where Satan Operates Now
Today, Satan operates through avenues such as mass media: television, horror movies, unwholesome literature, and other forms of entertainment like video games. His deception has fueled the pornography industry. He revels in violence, and unfortunately, this same violence has made its way into video games.
He also operates through our weaknesses: pride, unforgiveness, indifference, and anger.
Blinded to the Light
He directs the spiritually-blind, people who haven't encountered Christ's salvation. II Corinthians 4:4 tells us, "Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News."
A very powerful satanic network operates in the world, but it's a subject Christians sometimes feel uneasy discussing: the occult. Today, Satan operates through witchcraft. In the guise of fortune-tellers and seemingly innocent horoscopes.
Consequences Seen in my Culture
As a woman of Caribbean origin, I witnessed my ancestors flirt with evil. Various idols decorated my grandmother's home, and today I truly believe the consequences of flirting with the dark arts had dire consequences in my life: untimely and tragic death, alcoholism, adultery, drug abuse, sexual immorality, as well as various forms of verbal and emotional abuse.
Although I'm proud of my cultural heritage, sound biblical doctrine opened my eyes to how demonic activity infiltrated and attacked the matrilineal side of my ancestors. Today, a seemingly harmless form of magic called Santeria is practiced in certain areas of the Caribbean.
Is White Magic Harmless?
Some people assume that white magic is harmless and that it only brings good fortune. Followers chant and dance with spirits for power. But in actuality, they are opening up their soul to Satan and a myriad of demons.
Leviticus 19:31 warns, "Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God."
Magic is magic is magic. But people assume there's no harm in buying their children books which include characters involved in wizardry.
Don't believe me? Wander around the bookstore aisles today, how many books can you spot with occult undertones?
Satan operates as "an angel of light," and this is one of the reasons we live under the subtle influences of Satan: we don't realize we're buying books marketed as "good."
Modern Day Babylon
Long ago, the city of Babylon revelled in sexual immorality and ritual child sacrifice through the worship of a deity called Baal. It displeased God that the Israelites had turned from his commandments to embrace pagan rituals.
Apostle John understood that Romans had struggled with similar sin: "By your magic spell all the nations were led astray." (Revelation 18:23) But a "Modern-Day" Babylon exists in most parts of the modern world. Child sacrifice hasn't gone away; it's just been given a classier name: The Pro-Choice Movement.
God Will Destroy Satan
It is biblically unsound to assume that evil will continue forever. The study of eschatology is theology concerned with the final destiny of a human's soul and the end of the age.
Scripture tells us that Satan will be destroyed:
"When the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations,…and they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown in the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever." (Revelation 20:7,9)
We have guaranteed hope that God will destroy the forces of darkness. Every act of evil will face judgment: "No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him." (Revelation 22:3)
Our Guaranteed Hope
So long as we live and breathe on planet Earth, opposing forces of darkness will try to infiltrate the good in our lives. But take heart! The redemptive work of Christ, thousands of years ago, has power today.
John 4:4 states, "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." God has more power than Satan.
Never forget it! Scripture is alive! Scripture is a weapon! At the cross, God outwitted Satan. At the cross, Christ willingly accepted the sin of mankind and died for us. We are blood-bought saints passing through a temporary place. Thanks be to God that we have the resurrecting power within us. And that Christ's shed blood is no match for the evil we continue to see today. It won't always be this way, saints. Hang on and keep the faith. Because one day, we will taste and see that that Lord is good!
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On July 23, US Bank generously donated $15,000 to the Dean's Art Fund for Excellence. And what made the event especially significant was that Steve Martinez, US Bank's South Bay District Manager and Dave Lompa, US Bank's Aptos Branch Manager, stopped by UC Santa Cruz and delivered the check in person to Acting Dean of the Arts, Martin Berger.
"U.S. Bank is committed to supporting arts and cultural programs across the country, and right here in Santa Cruz," said Steve Martinez. "Minds are enriched when art is embraced, and we applaud the university for inspiring young minds and developing talents in the creative space."
key programs, including Shakespeare to Go, The Arts Dean's Lecture Series, the UC Santa Cruz Opera Theatre, the UC Human Rights Fellowship, and programs that directly relate to providing free UC Santa Cruz Arts Division-events tickets for low-income students.
"We're honored to partner with US Bank and salute their long-term commitment to the arts," said Martin Berger, Acting Dean of the Arts. "Their generous support has allowed us to bring musical and theatrical performances to UC Santa Cruz undergraduates and local high school students."
California Metro, area has been the guiding force in the decision to support the Arts at UC Santa Cruz over the past four years. He also has been responsible for identifying community advocates, such as Steve Martinez, so that the partnership grows and remains strong.
Darrell Brown, US Bank's Senior Vice President in the Greater Los Angeles area, serves on the Arts Dean's Leadership Board, and has been an advocate of the arts at US Bank and in the Los Angeles area for many years.
million customers. Their Santa Cruz branch is located at 110 Morrissey Blvd. and offers student financial services, including free checking with no minimum balance requirement.


Gili Lankanfushi™, Maldives is an intimate coral island in a sparkling lagoon, with jetties threading across the water out to spacious villa accommodations. Everywhere you look, marine life abounds. And the gleaming waters beckon.
This 5-star resort is set on the private tropical island of Lankanfushi in the Malé Atoll, one of the 19 atolls that stretch over 800 kilometres through the Indian Ocean. It is one of the 1190 islands that make up the Maldives.
At Gili Lankanfushi, we are very sensitive to the environment. The utmost care has been taken in developing the island with respect to its ecological balance.