I am away and not at home. I have left behind shopping, decorating, making lists, writing cards, planning. I have not pulled out the six Christmas boxes that usually get opened in the first weeks of December – the mistletoe, the tree lights, the wreathes, the mini-sleighs and stuffed angels and candles set in greenery. I have even left my Advent candle set at home – the three purple candles and the one rose candle – that I would ordinarily be lighting at mealtimes. I now wonder if we will have a Christmas tree this year.
In a way I have truly retreated to a desert. It is quiet here by the sea, where my room opens onto a lawn which meets the beach which slides under a pounding surf. We have moved from the cliffs of northern Maui to the Kohala Coast on the Big Island of Hawaii, a good place to retreat, to rest, read, and write.
I miss all of the hustle and bustle at home. I miss the decorations and the Advent candles. But a new reality has slowly come over me, immersed as I am in the Book of Common Prayer daily offices, the four daily Scripture readings appointed for Advent, and the first verses of John I have determined to memorize. And also, I am immersed in the quiet of this natural world.
For the most part these assigned daily readings are full of Isaiah's prophesies, morning and evening, and in my mind I can hear his voice, against the roar of the sea, as I turn out my light at night, his cries into the darkness, his prophetic warnings to Israel… "Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near… Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord…" (6,7) and then Isaiah's glorious words of hope… "For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands…" (12).
The Office of Morning Prayer includes the first chapters of Mark, describing Christ's early ministry. Our Lord Jesus heals and he casts out demons. Crowds follow him, pressing in. As he preaches in a home in Capernaum, "there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door." Four men who had brought a paralytic to be healed and could not enter, uncovered the roof, broke through, and let him down into the room. Christ forgives his sins because of his faith, then heals his body to show he has the power to forgive. It is one of the most dramatic stories in Scripture. It was one of my favorite as a child, although I didn't fully understand it at the time.
We walked a mile up the coast today. The dusty path was steep and took us through parched, dry land with twisted and gnarled trees. The sun pounded and I could see a thin strip of sea in the distance. As I gazed at my wide-strapped sandals, I thought it was perhaps not unlike walking along the Sea of Galilee. In some ways I felt closer to those times than sitting by a fire at home, the cold creeping to the windows, the sweet piercing fragrance of Douglas firs, the world of a northern Christmas.
Here I am surrounded by a world of sea and sky, of black lava and parched earth, of breathless breezes, hot sun. It is a beautiful yet harsh natural world, a world gone wrong but a world redeemed by a baby in Bethlehem.


UPDATE: A former Bandidos motorcycle club member will remain in custody after appearing in Toowoomba Magistrates Court this morning.
Gary Thomas Williams, 53, appeared on two charges of possessing a dangerous drug, two weapons possession charges, obstructing police and an explosives act offence which arose from raids on his Lockrose home and Jellicoe St business yesterday.
He also appeared on charges of affray and disorderly conduct relating to an incident at the Royal Hotel in Toowoomba on November 5.
It is believed Williams resigned from the Bandidos in February this year, however, police yesterday alleged he was a participant in a criminal motorcycle gang.
Williams' defence solicitor Claire Graham did not apply for bail, saying the application would need to be heard by the Chief Magistrate or Supreme Court.
Magistrate Bruce Schemioneck remanded Williams in custody.
His matters are next due for mention in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on December 16.
EARLIER: A man has been charged by police from Taskforce Maxima and the Darling Downs Tactical Action Team after investigations into a disturbance at a licenced premises at North Toowoomba on November 5.
As part of the investigation a search warrant was executed yesterday morning at a Corcet Rd address during which it will be alleged weapons and dangerous drugs were located.
A further search warrant was executed at a business on Jellicoe St where it will be alleged weapons and a quantity of ammunition was discovered.
A 54-year-old Lockrose man has been charged with two counts of possessing dangerous drugs, unlawful possession of a firearm, obstruct police, affray and disorderly on licensed premises, and one count of possessing a category H weapon.
Police will further allege that the man is a participant of a criminal motorcycle gang.
A 25-year-old woman was charged with two counts of possessing dangerous drugs and obstruct police.
Both were expected to appear at the Toowoomba Magistrates Court yesterday.


The Fundamental Movement Vocabulary of Raqs Sharqi is a fully illustrated record of dance technique intended for reference purposes for the study of Egyptian Raqs Sharqi. With over 50 years of research and experience, Morocco (C. Varga Dinicu), has worked to bring Raqs Sharqi from "over there" to all audiences and students around the world. This book is the result of over five decades of diligent research, and education in the fields of kinesiology and Raqs Sharqi. The perfect barre, using almost its entire movement vocabulary. In addition,it is kinesiologically designed to go from the larger, more external muscles to the smaller, more internal ones. While this book is not intended to replace live instruction, it makes the perfect mnemonic supplement to one.
These movements are the "letters", the choreographic phrases are the "words", the dance is the poem – the picture and the arms are the frame: one whole, not isolated or disconnected parts. Breathing is slow and even.
Raqs Sharqi is like water. One move flows into the other, with no emphasis unless the musician or singer makes one, in which case we follow. Because we want to do it perfectly, we tend to over analyze and incorrectly overdo.
Raqs Sharqi is a social folk dance, done mostly to show happiness and the beauty of the music. It is not a gymnastics contest – "bigger, harder, faster, stronger" are not the goals.
Movements won't feel how one thinks they should or the way they look and they are not done by "feel": you "put" the hip (or other part) where it should be. These movements are based on real muscles moving in the natural directions of their striations and not, like ballet and other "artificial" dance forms, working against nature, so they often feel much smaller than they are or appear to you to be.
To "feel" it, you'd have to make the movement too big and it would be incorrect. You also do not "hit", "pop" or "lock" – even thinking of those words triggers incorrect tensing impulses and negatively impacts on the movements and the body.
When done correctly, the slight movement of the body in the direction you are moving automatically/ naturally puts the hip (or other part) back in the position where it needs to be.
FOR YOUR OWN AUTOGRAPHED COPY DIRECTLY FROM THE AUTHOR!!!
*Outside of the USA, postage is too expensive, so I recommend getting it directly from Amazon, which has local printers/ distributors &, therefore, lower postage charges.
Simple directions, sweet illustrations for smooth correct dance movements.Reminding us of essential body posture and dynamics, moving from large muscles to smaller more intricate ones, this book begins with warmups, continues to classic hip circles, and on to those delicious enchanting "walking" steps and full body curvings then on to the killer rhythmic hip articulations which rock the drum beat. Doesn't matter if you're just falling in love with Raks Sharki or have gotten bored and jaded — this book, along with Morocco's other book – You Asked Aunt Rocky – will rekindle your passion for this most joyful dance. Pick it up, it will make you happy.
IT'S HERE!!!!!! I was so excited to have it in my hands — until I turned it over to open the package: that side was all oily with tire treads and footprints on it ——BUT the book inside was in perfect condition!!!!!! Thanks for using such a nice bag!
Perfect illustrations! great descriptions! and, WHAT A LOT OF WORK!!!!! I read it with a smile on my face (not through yet, though) things changed since I learned to dance (1972) and back again – thanks for reigning in all the "pop-and-lockers" and the ones who always are of the opinion that "bigger, harder, faster, stronger" is the way to the best dance. I am very tall, so I had to be reigned in from dancing all over the floor too! I can see that "contest" in the other dances: the Irish Dancers, the Hula dancers, even ballet. Everyone has either forgotten their origins – or believe that the "old" way is not the best – then there is the "fusion" with other dances from other countries!
I first remember hearing the music as so strange-sounding ——then I thought it was the most wonderful music in the world —it still calls to me to dance, even though I have to sit in a chair now ——but now I play middle-eastern percussion and even sing a bit in Arabic and oh I have the memories!!!!!! You look so beautiful on the cover – and I love the inclusion of your dress design for the back!
Now – back to reading! Thank you for ALL your dedication to this beautiful form of expression!
"The Fundamental Movement Vocabulary of Raqs Sharqi" By Morocco C. Varga Dinicu.
First Edition 2016 by RDI Publications Virginia Beach, VA USA.
What were you doing fifty years ago? Had you even been born yet? Fifty years ago, Morocco C. Varga Dinicu was already studying and performing Raqs Sharqi, the dance art of the Middle East. Gathering insight, knowledge and experience from field recordings and interviews, learning from professional performers and at indigenous folkloric celebrations, extensively performing and comprehensively teaching, Morocco has distilled over five decades of experience in twenty countries to present the succinct, the detailed, "The Fundamental Movement Vocabulary of Raqs Sharqi".
In a dance form traditionally disseminated visually – and unlike ballet, without definitive movement vocabulary – identifying component postures and movements can vary across teaching platforms. In this volume, Morocco strives to identify a logical, comprehensive, basic movement vocabulary using insight culled from Anatomy and Kinesiology. Concise and detailed text accompanies clear figure drawings of these often subtle movements. After a warm up description, a compilation of arm movements are displayed then added to the following index of thirty-eight different and distinct hip articulations. Appropriate tempos are suggested for accompanying the movement practice. Discretion is logically explained, for example in Hip Articulation: Up & Down: "Torso and head stay level and do not go up or bounce, either of which would obscure the movement." Although closing with a suggested menu of steps into simple choreography is tempting, Morocco leaves this task to the performer, saying: "These movements are the letters, the choreographic phrases are the words…". Thus the poetic dance expression remains the performer's personal and unique interpretation.
Morocco's voluminous, internationally recognized accolades as a dancer and educator confirm her authority on this subject matter. Although you cannot learn how to dance from a book – a live teacher and correction are mandatory – "The Fundamental Movement Vocabulary of Raqs Sharqi" goes far to serve as a reminder and technique strengthener for students, as well as a fun directory for teachers creating class drills.
How can one put dance on paper? How can a mesmerizing, erudite dancer condense half a century of knowledge in one book? How can she, who has acquired and developed the art of Raqs Sharqi from the "aunties, grannies, uncles & cousins dancing from a place of joy within themselves", expect us to learn anything at all from… reading?
The short answer is: she so can. See for yourself.
If you are new to the dance, this book will make you understand what it is about. If you have been captivated by oriental dance, and have tried your hips at it (as I have), this book will make you understand what it is all about. It is about flow, harmony, passion, humbleness, irony, respect.
That, Morocco has put in her book,and only she could have had the creativity and the stamina to do it.
It is not an easy romp. You can flip through it superciliously, but I have used it as an instructions manual, and it has drawn me in – and drained me out. The descriptions are precise, the method rigorous, the discipline demanding.
Morocco fully captures the implications, at this point in Western history, to require us to use more application and concentration, to read and think, quietly – rather than watch and go along. Thank you for this book, Aunt Rocky.


text:
Home Artworks Still Life: Fruit Dish and Martini Bottle
Still Life: Fruit Dish and Martini Bottle
Claude Maurice Rogers (1907 - 1979)
© Estate of the Artist
Claude Maurice Rogers was born in London, spending his childhood between there and Buenos Aires. He studied at the Slade School of Art (1925–28) alongside William Coldstream, Rodrigo Moynihan and others who later became associated with the Euston Road School in the late 1930s. Rogers exhibited his work with the London Group and the London Artists' Association during the 1930s. In 1937 he married fellow artist Elsie Few (1909–80). Rogers taught art in London art colleges including Camberwell (1945), the Slade (1948–63) and the University of Reading where he was Professor of Fine Art (1963–72) and later Professor Emeritus. Major retrospectives of his work were held at the Whitechapel Art Gallery (1973) and the Ben Uri Art Gallery (1992–93).
still life, London Group, apple, lemon, Martini, teacup & saucer, bottle, bowl, cabinet
height: 51.00 cm, width: 61.00 cm
Purchased from Christie's, 11 June 1982
br: Rogers / 1940
Collection of Thomas Jeffreys; sold through Christie's, London, on 8 July 1960 (Lot 84) ; sold through Christie's, London, on 11 June 1982 (Lot 119)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Roomy wet bags, lined with quality nylon and cotton exterior. With the safety and simplicity of a zipper and a handy loop on the side.
Fits a large towel, togs/swimmers and other items you may need while you're out and about. Excellent for soiled clothing, the lining is easy to pull out and wipe down, or can go straight into the washing machine.
DIMENSIONS: 32 x 35 cm | 12 1/2" x 13 3/4"


← CAUTION: Don't Pick Up Plastic Bottles!
The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments posted in a government building is this — you cannot post 'Thou Shalt Not Steal,' 'Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery' and 'Thou Shall Not Lie' in a building full of politicians. It creates a hostile work environment.
H/t my dear friend Bill!
I especially LOVE no. 3. Thank you!


Probably the most secure and weatherproof way to carry your stuff or simply store your helmet(s) while you are parked up. We even have back rests that can be added for that pillion comfort. Our core brand is the leader Givi who also offer such features as one key to fit all cases for convenience and their unique "tanklock" system for tank bags.


text:
Saudi Royal Family Members involved in Murder to Bribery in UK , yet still under Impunity
Posted on May 30, 2013 by Jafria News
JNN 30 May 2013 London : In recent years revelations have been made concerning the involvement of members of Al Saud royal family in scandals in the UK ranging from murder to bribery despite the Saudi regime's efforts to keep the veil of secrecy and the British government's attempts to downplay the controversial affairs for the sake of its petro dollars.
In October 2010, a British court sentenced a Saudi prince to the maximum penalty of life in prison for murdering his servant.
Prince Saud Abdulaziz Bin Nasser, a grandson of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Bin Abdul-Aziz, was jailed for killing Bandar Abdullah Abdulaziz in London's Marylebone hotel on 15 February 2010, after subjecting him to a "sadistic" campaign of violence and sexual abuse.
In March 2013, however, Britain's Ministry of Justice confirmed that the 36-year-old royal flew back to Saudi Arabia after he was granted a transfer to a prison in his homeland.
In June 2010, British Foreign Secretary William Hague also released details of crimes diplomatic staff were accused of, citing staff from the Saudi Arabian mission being suspected of human trafficking and sexual assault.
Moreover, in July 2011, a report showed the number of foreign diplomats and embassy staff in London being arrested over crimes is on the rise, with Saudi Arabia's embassy topping the list.
According to the figures released by the Metropolitan Police, Saudi Arabia's mission has produced the highest number of offenders, with four of its embassy staff nabbed for drink-drive charges and another for shoplifting.
Meanwhile, in July 2012, Saudi Princess Sara bint Talal bin Abdul Aziz claimed asylum in the UK over fears for her safety back home.
The princess went to the UK in 2007 after she fell out with her 80-year-old father Prince Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud.
The political asylum request, which came weeks after the death of her uncle and main supporter Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz, who was an opponent of her father, offered an insight into the tensions within the Saudi royal family.
In August 2012, Britain's Serious Fraud Office (SFO) opened an investigation into allegations that a British defence firm deposited millions of pounds into a bank account in Switzerland belonging to one of the members of the Saudi royal family.
The deposit was reported to have been made to ensure that British Ministry of Defence (MoD) would grant a two-billion pounds contract to GPT, a British wing of European Aeronautic Defense & Space (EADS).
The bribery allegations were first brought to light by Ian Foxley, former employee of GPT Special Project Management, who claimed he was sacked after telling the SFO that Saudi officials had been given jewellery, luxury cars and briefcases full of cash.
In 2004, the BBC revealed that secret slush funds were used by the UK's leading arms maker, BAE Systems, to grease the wheels of the biggest arms deals in British history.
Prince Turki bin Nasser, the Saudi official in charge of the al-Yamamah deal, was found to have been the principal beneficiary of a £60 million slush fund paid through Traveller's World, a West End travel agency.
The UK Serious Fraud Office launched an investigation into allegations of bribery relating to BAE and the Saudi royals. But the UK government stopped the probe, fearing that it could ruin lucrative arms contracts with Saudi Arabia.
The then British Prime Minister Tony Blair said in December 2006 that the fraud inquiry was being suspended as it was putting diplomatic cooperation between Riyadh and London at risk.
In 1985, the British and Saudi governments began negotiations on a series of unprecedented arms contract known as Al-Yamamah. However, allegations emerged that BAE Systems made corrupt payments totalling £6 billion to Saudi royals to secure the arms deal.
Prince Bandar, son of Prince Sultan, the Saudi Defence Minister also played a key role in negotiations for the deal. According to the reports, the deal brought more than $30 million (£15 million) to Bandar's dollar account at Riggs Bank in Washington.
In March 2013, court papers showed Prince Mishal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, a former defense minister, and his son Prince Abdulaziz bin Mishal, were involved in a case of London-based company that allegedly facilitated money laundering.
According to contested allegations in court documents obtained by the Guardian and Financial Times, a brother and nephew of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz are embroiled in litigation with Jordanian businessman Faisal Almhairat over London-registered telecommunications company FI Call Ltd which they jointly owned.
Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Reported Clinically Dead (jafrianews.com)
Policeman -The LeJ KHI Chief , the Target Killer of Prof. Sibte Jafar and atleast Nine other Shia Men Once again arrested
JNN 27 May 2013 The Policeman Constable Tariq Shafi Ansari Alias Doctor who was , also the Ameer ( Chief ) of the Terrorist Ornganisation Lashkar e Jhnagvi , the Terrorist Squad of Sipah e Sahaba Pakistan , was arrested by the LEA's last week , has confessed in his Joint Interrogation Team ( JIT )Report to the LEA personnel that he assassinated the Well Renowned Prof. Sibte Jafar Zaidi , and atleast Nine Other Shia Men. Continue reading →
African Economic Boom , when the Major Western Economies of the World are at Collapse
JNN 30 May 2013 Brussels : The following article is beign written by Shantayanan Devarajan who is chief economist of the World Bank's Africa region. Wolfgang Fengler is the World Bank's lead economist for Eritrea, Kenya, and Rwanda, which tells the Future of the World when the European and US Economies are on the fall at the same time African Economies are rising and shows a positive trend . And with these Positive trends we can surely can Plan for our future generations to come , and can at the same time know that why uncertainty is and instability is being infested by the World leading Economies , as they are afraid that if these Nation will become self sufficient then it will be impossible for them to Rule and Govern these areas. Continue reading →
3 Pakistani Origin Muslim Mayor of England for the Year 2013 -14
JNN 30 May 2013 LONDON – In a major leap for the Muslim minority in Britain, a Pakistani Born Muslim woman Naveed Ikram was named on Tuesday, May 24, as the lord mayor of the district of Bradford. Pakistan born British citizen, Councilor Naeem ul Hassan has been elected as the new Lord Mayor of Manchester, The Mayor of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames for the Municipal Year 2013/14 is Councillor Meena Bond. Continue reading →
U.S. drone strike kills the 2nd in Command of TTP in FATA , Pakistan
JNN 30 May 2013 PESHAWAR – A U.S. drone strike killed the number two of the Pakistani Taliban in the North Waziristan region on Wednesday, three security officials said, in what would be a major blow in the fight against militancy. Continue reading →
Thousands of Bahraini Shia Stages a Sit In , to Protest the Raid on Bahrain's Top Shia Cleric's home
JNN 30 May 2013 Manama : Tens of thousands of Bahraini Men & Women have participated in a sit-in in protest at a raid on a senior Shia cleric's home. Continue reading →
Extremists Budhist torch a Mosque & an orphanage in a fresh wave of violence in Myanmar
JNN 30 May 2013 LASHIO, Myanmar — State television has reported that new violence between Buddhists and Muslims in northeastern Myanmar has left one person dead and four injured. Continue reading →
Nasrallah defends Hezbollah decision to fight Wahabi extremists alongside Syrian forces
JNN 29 May 2013 : Hezbollah Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah has defended the Lebanese resistance movement's decision to fight foreign-backed Wahabi militants in the Syrian border town of al-Qusayr. Continue reading →


Tough Mudder and Under Armour today announced a multi-year partnership that will start in January 2012. The global partnership designates Under Armour as the "Official Outfitter" the 35-event worldwide Tough Mudder series and title sponsor of events in London and Maryland. The Tough Mudder powered by Under Armour events will take place in London, May 12-13, and in Fall 2012 in Maryland.
Under Armour and Tough Mudder will design a new obstacle that will be incorporated into all the 2012 events. In addition, with the help of Under Armour's training specialists, Tough Mudder will develop a custom training program to prepare future participants. The program will be available through the Web sites and Facebook pages of each brand.
Co-branded Under Armour-developed products will be available beginning next month. The products will be geared to perform through the elements and physical challenges that Tough Mudder participants face. The co-branded apparel and in-line footwear, apparel and accessories will be available on ua.com/toughmudder, toughmudder.com and onsite at events. All participants will receive a co-branded T-shirt, and finishers will be awarded a new headband with Under Armour and Tough Mudder logos.


text:
\section{Introduction}

The Magellanic Clouds (MCs) offer us a unique opportunity to study
star clusters that have been formed in distinct
environments -- including age, metallicity, overall gravitational
potential, and formation history -- in comparison with the star cluster system of the
Milky Way, to which we are most familiar with
\citep[see][to trace the developments in the field]{vdb91,dga06,baetal13}.

Star clusters in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds (L/SMC) are spread over many
hundreds of square degrees. In comparison, this area is much smaller than the entire sky
that must be surveyed for a complete census of the Milky Way's
star clusters, but the distance to the MCs and the crowding
from the dense MC field population, make the MC star cluster census
a challenging task, subjected to conflicting constraints --
it requires deep high angular resolution wide-field imaging.

Today hundreds of SMC star clusters are known \citep{bd00,betal08}.
The first star cluster searches in the
galaxy were carried out nearly a century ago.
\citet{sw25} compiled a catalog of non-stellar objects,
and later \citet{k56} realized
that many of them were star clusters.\citet{m35}
reported seven star clusters in the SMC outskirts. Most of the
objects in these early lists are prominent enough to have NGC
entries.

\citet{k56} and \citet{l58} performed special searches
aimed at identifying star clusters in the SMC, and indeed they recognized 69
and 116 objects, respectively. Further lists of star clusters were
published by \citet[][18 objects]{wg71}, \citet[][86 objects]{hw74}, and
\citet[][168 objects]{b76}. The
compilation of \citet{hw77} contained 220 star clusters.
\citet{h86} reported 233 new star clusters, and the major effort by
\citet{bs95} brought the total number of known SMC
clusters to 554 -- the apex of the star cluster searches based on
photographic plates.

The next major step was carried out by \break
\citet{pieetal98},
who utilized the wide field digital imaging in the optical
carried out by the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment 2 \citep[OGLE2][]{p86,udalskietal97}
to search for star clusters within $\sim$2.4\,deg$^2$ near to the SMC centre.
They reported 238 star clusters, 72 of which were new identifications. Most
notably, they applied for the first time an automated
technique based on surface density maps, following \citet{zaritskyetal97}
 who used that procedure to search for star clusters in the LMC. Unlike previous
efforts that were in
effect a simple visual inspection of photographic plates or prints, this method
is objective, and is able to assign probabilities to candidates,
based on how much they exceed the statistical fluctuations over the
background level. Nevertheless, visual inspection of the candidates and their
colour-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) are still desirable, because of star clusters
embedded in gas clouds might exist.
Interestingly, automated methods are much more commonly applied
to identify Milky Way's star clusters:
\citet{ivanovetal02,borissovaetal03,merceretal05,froebrichetal07,koposovetal08}.

\citet{bd00} sumarized the state of the SMC star cluster
census at that time. They listed 719 star clusters in total. This
number included young star clusters with emission, and loose
systems. Later, \citet{betal08} updates the SMC star cluster
catalogue. A finer re-classification of some objects into
star clusters, associations, and shells reduced the number of
SMC star clusters to 498. Their properties (e.g., size, age) vary within wide
limits, but this discussion is beyond the scope of this
paper.

This paper is organised as follows. Section 2 provides an overview of
the data sets used in this study and describes the strategy to identify new star
clusters. In Section 3
we present the new identified star cluster candidates, the procedure to clean their CMDs from
the contamination of field stars and the use of isochrone to determine the
clusters' best-fitting physical parameters. In the same Section we explore the
star cluster observed features in both the optical
and the near-infrared wavelength ranges. We present our main conclusions in
Section 4.

\section{strategy for searching new star clusters}

In this paper we devise a procedure to search for new star clusters in the SMC with the
aim of applying it to the whole VISTA\footnote{Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope
for Astronomy} near-infrared $YJK_s$ survey of the Magellanic Clouds system
\cite[VMC][]{cetal11}. VMC is an ESO (European Southern
Observatory) public survey that is carried out with the VIRCAM (VISTA InfraRed
Camera) instrument \citep{daltonetal2006} on the ESO VISTA telescope
\citep{eetal06}. The main goals of the survey are to reconstruct the star-formation
history (SFH) and its spatial variation, as well as to infer an accurate 3D map of the
entire Magellanic system.  The VMC survey strategy involves repeated observations of tiles across the Magellanic system, where one tile covers uniformly
an area of $\sim$ 1.5 deg$^2$, as a result of the mosaic of six paw-print
images, in a given waveband with 3 epochs at $Y$ and $J$, and
12 epochs at $K_s$. Individual epochs have exposure times of 800 s
($Y$ and $J$) and 750 s ($K_s$). The average quality of the VMC data
analysed here corresponds to 0.34$\arcsec$ pixel size and 0.90$\arcsec$ FWHM.

We chose a 36$\times$36 arcmin$^2$ pilot field located in the South-West part of the
SMC bar (see inset chart in Fig. 1) for which we have available images and
photometry in the Washington $CT1$ photometric system \citep{p12a}.
These optical images and photometry were used for comparison purposes, i.e., in order to know
whether possible new star clusters from the VMC survey were not discovered until now
because of the high reddening, the limiting magnitude, the clusters' sizes and/or the cataloguing
technique. The pilot field is likewise one of the densest fields in the galaxy
and presents noticeable variations in the stellar density and in the interstellar reddening.

\begin{figure}
	\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{fig1}
    \caption{Pilot region chosen to search for new star clusters. Open black squares and
magenta crosses represent previoulsy catalogued and new star clusters, respectively. The
inset panel depicts the spatial distribution of the catalogued SMC star clusters. A
thick magenta-coloured open box delimits the studied SMC field. We used as the SMC centre:
RA = 00h 52m 45s, Dec = $-$72$\degr$ 49$\arcmin$ 43$\arcsec$ (J2000) \citep{cetal01}.}
    \label{fig:fig1}
\end{figure}

The Washington $CT_1$ images of the seleted field were obtained at the Cerro Tololo
Inter-American Observatory 4-m Blanco telescope with the Mosaic II camera attached
(a 8K$\times$8K CCD detector array) and are available at the National Optical Astronomy
Observatory (NOAO) Science Data Management
Archives\footnote{http://www.noao.edu/sdm/archives.php.}.
The 50 per cent completeness level of the resulting photometry is located at a $T_1$
magnitude and a $C-T_1$ colour corresponding to the Main Sequence (MS) turnoff of a
stellar population with an age $\ga$ 10 Gyr. This photometric data set was used
to estimate fundamental parameters of star clusters \citep{p11b,metal14}, to trace the
field age-metallicity relationship  \citep{p12a}, to develop a procedure to clean the
clusters' CMDs from the unavoidable star field contamination
\citep{pb12}, among others.

From the VMC survey, we used the region of the tile SMC 4$\_$3 which fully contains the selected field.
All data used in this work were produced as in the SFH study performed by \citet{retal15}, where
data acquisition and reduction, point-spread-function photometry and artificial star
tests for completeness assessment are extensively described. Those VMC tile SMC 4$\_$3 data
(88\% of completion) were used to trace a reddening map throughout the tile, to investigate the SMC depth along the
line-of-sight, to build a look back time star formation rate and a mass tomography
\citep{retal15}.
The reduced data
for this tile used here (100\% of completion) will be released to the community together with the data
for other tiles as part of data release \#5 which is planned for 2016.
All sources detected are not saturated, so that there are no stars missed at the bright part of the CMDs that may influence the subsequent star cluster analysis, contrarily to what was suggested by \citet{bicaetal2015}.
The 50 per cent completeness level reached in the $K_s$ mag and the $Y-K_s$ colour corresponds
to the MS
turnoff of a stellar population with an age of $\sim$ 6 Gyr old.

We built a list of 68 star clusters located in the region from the the catalogue of
\citet{betal08}.
These catalogued star clusters are not always straightforward to identify in
 deep VMC tile images. This is because they were originally identified
from optical images (e.g. from the Digitized Sky Survey, DSS,
images) which can look rather different compared with their appearance at
near-infrared wavelengths. Furthermore, they were identified using images with
different spatial resolutions and depth than the VMC ones.
Consequently, some misidentification might occur. For instance, single relatively bright
stars might look like  an unresolved compact star cluster in images of lower spatial resolution,
or unresolved background galaxies could be mistaken for small star clusters in shallower
images. Fig. 1 depicts with
open squares the spatial distribution of star clusters catalogued by \citet{betal08} in
the selected
region. Because of the higher surface brightness of the background and the
more populous nature of this SMC bar region, star clusters stand out less, and incompleteness
effects are expected to be more important than in the outer regions of the galaxy.

We first overplotted the positions of the catalogued star clusters on the deepest Washington
$T_1$ and VMC $K_s$ images, and visually recognized them in both the optical and
near-infrared regimes. Note that the main aim of this task is to confirm the given star cluster
coordinates in order to properly count the number of stars inside the clusters' radii
from the VMC PSF photometry. Fig. 2 shows the resulting mean stellar densities as
a function of the star clusters' radii -taken from \citet{betal08}- for the catalogued star
clusters in the surveyed region (open squares). The counts were carried out by considering only
stars with magnitude measures in the three $YJK_s$ filters.
The range of values of both quantities -radii and stellar densities- were used as input
information in the procedure of search for star clusters using the VMC data set.

\begin{figure}
	\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{fig2}
    \caption{Relationship between the stellar density and the cluster radius in the studied
SMC field. The typical background stellar density ranges between 0.008 and 0.012 arcsec$^{-2}$. Open black squares and magenta crosses represent previoulsy catalogued
and new star cluster candidates, respectively.}
    \label{fig:fig2}
\end{figure}

The search was performed by employing AstroML\footnote{http://www.astroml.org/index.html} routines \citep[][and reference therein for a
detail description of the complete AstroML package and user's Manual]{astroml}, a machine learning
and data mining for Astronomy package. AstroML is a Python module for machine learning and data mining built on {\it numpy, scipy, scikit-learn, matplotlib,} and {\it astropy}, and distributed under the 3-clause BSD license. It contains a growing library of statistical and machine learning routines for analysing astronomical data in Python, loaders for several open astronomical datasets, and a large suite of examples of analysing and visualizing astronomical datasets.
The goal of AstroML is to provide a community repository for fast Python implementations of common tools and routines used for statistical data analysis in astronomy and astrophysics, to provide a uniform and easy-to-use interface to freely available astronomical data sets.

We used two different  Kernel Density Estimators
(KDEs) from six available in AstroML, namely, {\it Gaussian} and {\it tophat}, and three different bandwidths (the FWHM/2 of the KDE) for each KDE
of  0.23, 0.45 and 0.68 arcmin, respectively, thus uniformly sampling the range of known star clusters' radii (see Fig. 2). A KDE is a non-parametric density estimation technique which alleviates the problem of the histogram dependence on
the bin size and the end points of bins by centering a function (kernel) to each data point and then add them up \citep{r56}. The result is a continuous density
distribution - instead of a not smooth blocky histogram - that allows to extrat the finest structures of it. In our case,
we generated a stellar density surface over the studied region.
In total, we run six different kernel overdensity searches
on a sample of 358578 stars with positions and magnitudes measured in the three $YJK_s$
filters. From the total number of overdensities detected  respect to
their local backgrounds per search, we imposed a cut off density of
0.05 arcsec$^{-2}$ in order to keep only star cluster candidades within the density range
seen in Fig. 2 for the known star clusters.  The typical background
stellar density ranges between 0.008 and 0.012 arcsec$^{-2}$, so that we only keep
overdensities at least $\sim$ 5 times higher. Indeed, we identified all the 68 known
clusters from the VMC data set, which resulted to be overdensities higher than 0.05 arcsec$^{-2}$
(see Fig. 2). Note that the performance of the technique in identifying star clusters depends on
the chosen density cut off, bandwidths and KDE functions. Based on the selection criteria mentioned above, we used the most suitable ones in order to identify the 68 known star clusters and
new cluster candidates as well. We merged the resulting lists, avoiding repeated overdensities from different
runs. We also discarded the recovered 68 known star clusters and visually inspected the star cluster candidates on the deepest $K_s$ image. This is a conservative exploration,  since star clusters
embedded in clouds could exist and no overdensity would come out from this search \citep{romitaetal2016}.
We finally got 143 star cluster candidates.

\section{results and discussion}

The new 143 apparent stellar concentrations found from the VMC data set do not necessarily assure us that
they constitute physical systems.
\citet{pb12} showed evidence that some SMC candidate star clusters are in fact not
genuine physical systems. According to the authors, nearly 10 per cent of their studied
star cluster sample resulted in possible non-clusters. This does not seem to be a significant
percentage of the catalogued star clusters. Indeed, they used the spatial distribution of possible non-clusters in the SMC to statistically decontaminate that of the SMC star cluster system.
By assuming that the area covered by them represents an unbiased subsample of the SMC as a
whole and by using an elliptical framework centred on the SMC centre, they found that there
is no significant difference between the expected and observed star cluster spatial distributions.
However, a difference at a 2$\sigma$ level would become visible between $a$ $\approx$
0$\degr$.3 and 1$\degr$.32  (the semi-major axis of an ellipse parallel to the SMC bar and
with $b/a$ = 1/2), if the possible non-clusters were increased up to 20 per cent.
For the 143 new star cluster candidates, we used their CMDs to infer the existence of genuine
star clusters.

When dealing with small objects or sparse star clusters projected or immersed
in crowded star fields, as those star clusters located in the inner regions of the SMC,
a simple circular CMD extraction around the star cluster centre could lead to
a wrong conclusion, since the CMDs are obviously composed of stars of different stellar
populations \citep{p12a}. Consequently, it is hardly possible to assess whether bright
and young MSs or subgiant and red giant branches trace the fiducial star cluster features.
In order to statistically  clean the star cluster CMDs from the unavoidable field contamination we
applied a procedure developed by \citet{pb12}, which has proved to be useful in previous
papers, among them, from the VMC data sets \citep[see, e.g.][]{petal14b,petal15a,petal15b}.
In short, the star field cleaning relies on the comparison of each
of four previously defined field CMDs to the cluster CMD and subtracted from the latter
a representative field CMD in terms of stellar density, luminosity function, and colour
distribution. This was done by comparing the numbers of stars counted in boxes distributed
in a similar manner throughout all CMDs. The boxes were allowed to vary in size
and position throughout the CMDs in order to meaningfully represent the actual distribution
of field stars.

Since we repeated this task for each of the four field CMDs, we could assign a membership
probability to each star in the cluster CMD. This was done by counting the number of times
a star remained unsubtracted in the four cleaned cluster CMDs and by subsequently dividing
this number by 4. Thus, we distinguished field populations projected on to the star cluster area,
i.e. those stars with a probability $P \le$ 25 per cent, stars that could equally
likely be associated with either the field or the object of interest ($P =$ 50 per cent),
and stars that are predominantly found in the cleaned star cluster CMDs ($P \ge$ 75 per cent) rather
than in the field star CMDs. Statistically speaking, a certain amount of cleaning
residuals is expected, which depends on the degree of variability of the stellar density,
luminosity function and colour distribution of the field stars.
We employed this field star decontamination procedure to
clean circular areas of 1.2 arcmin in radius around the central coordinates of the 143 new star
cluster candidates using both Washington and VMC data sets. Here we took advantage
of the Washington CMDs for comparison purposes, thus allowing us to know from the optical regime
how cluster candidates identified from the near-infrared behave. Note that we do not use
the Washington photometry to infer the object reality.
As a result 38 objects
turned out to have cleaned near-infrared CMDs with features (stars with $P \ge$ 50 per cent) which resemble those of star clusters of young to
moderate intermediate age (log($t$ yr$^{-1}$) $\sim$ 7.5-9.0). Cleaned CMDs without any detectable trace of star cluster sequences were discarded.

The star cluster radii used to extract their
CMDs were taken from a visual inspection of the deepest $K_s$ image, and were meant to
 allow us to meaningfully define
the clusters' fiducial sequences in their CMDs. The number of new star cluster
candidates represents
about a 55$\%$ increase in the number of known star clusters located in the surveyed region, which is a
significant percentage in terms of the currently debateable issues about the star cluster formation
rate, the effectiveness of star cluster dissolution processes, etc
\citep[][and references therein]{getal11,p14b,chandaretal2015}.
Such a number could
be still higher if we carried out a search not as conservative as that developed in this
paper, i.e., not constrained to a range of stellar densities \citep[e.g. embedded star clusters][]{romitaetal2016}.
Note that we do not aim at
building a complete list of star clusters, but rather to devise a method useful to identify
star clusters making use of KDEs and, in turn, to introduce the first star cluster
candidates discovered
in the SMC based on such a procedure. It would be worth to apply the present analysis tools
to search for faint poorly populated star clusters in the Magellanic
Clouds using deep images obtained by, for example, 8-m class telescopes.

Figures 1 and 2 show the positions in the galaxy of these new star cluster candidates and the
relationship between their stellar densities and dimensions, respectively. We have highlighted
them with magenta-coloured crosses. Note that they do not reveal any particular spatial
distribution pattern, but spread over the surveyed field. Likewise, their observed stellar
densities are within the range of those of known star clusters in the region.
This is a expected result, because of the imposed  cut off density limit and the
KDE's bandwidths used. The identification of new star cluster candidates shows that the automatic search
performed here has some advantages over those previous carried out by visually inspecting
photographic plates \citep[e.g.][]{bs95} or by other automatic algorithmic searches
\citep[e.g.][]{pieetal98}. In Figure A1 of the Appendix we present 2$\times$2
arcmin$^2$ $YJK_s$ images centred on the new SMC star cluster candidates, where it can be seen the
environment within which they are inmersed. Note that the
displayed fields are nearly 7 times larger in radius respect to the clusters' sizes.
Although the star clusters are centred on the images, the distribution of
field stars along the line of sight as well as the scale of brightness used to produce
the images might lead the reader to confuse them with groups of bright field stars and/or
clouds of gas/dust. We recall that the new star cluster candidates are identified not only as stellar overdenssities
but also from their field star cleaned CMDs.

We estimated reddening values and ages for our 38 new star cluster candidates using the theoretical
isochrones of \citet{betal12} in the Vegamag system (where, by definition, Vega has a
magnitude of zero in all filters), corrected by -0.074 mag in $Y$ and -0.003 mag
in $K_s$ to put them on the VMC system \citep{retal15}, to match the cleaned star cluster
CMDs. We adopted the same distance modulus for all star clusters $(m-M)_o$ = 18.9 $\pm$ 0.1
mag and $K_s - M_{K_s} = (m-M)_o + 0.372\times E(B-V)$, for $R_V = 3.1$
\citep{cetal89,getal13}, since changes in the distance modulus by an amount equivalent to
the average depth for this SMC region derived
by \citet[][see their Fig. 8]{retal15}, leads to a smaller age difference than that resulting
from the isochrones (characterized by the same metallicity) bracketing the observed star cluster
features in the CMD. We chose isochrones for $Z$ = 0.003 ([Fe/H] = -0.7 dex), which corresponds
to the mean SMC star cluster metal content for the last $\sim$ 2-3 Gyr \citep{pg13}. Note that
the $Y-K_s$ colour is not sensitive to metallicity differences smaller than $\Delta$[Fe/H] $\sim$ 0.4 dex, which is adequate given the spread of the stars in the CMDs \citep[see][]{petal15a}.

We found  in general that isochrones bracketing the derived mean age by $\Delta$log($t$ yr$^{-1}$) = $\pm$0.1
represent the overall uncertainties associated with the observed dispersion in the cluster
CMDs. Although the dispersion is smaller in some cases, we prefer to retain the former values
as an upper limit to our error budget.  VMC1, 25 and 37 deserved particular attention.
These object fields have few relatively bright stars with $P \ge$ 50 per cent, so that instead of
deriving
their ages we only could estimate older age limits. As for reddening errors we found a slight correlation
with the derived $E(B-V)$ values which, in some cases, could be related to the presence of
differential reddening. For star clusters with $E(B-V) \le$ 0.35 mag, the reddening uncertainty
is estimated as 0.05 mag while for star clusters with larger $E(B-V)$ values, the uncertainty
reaches 0.10 mag. These reddening uncertainties are thought to mainly represent the overall
dispersion along the star cluster CMD features, rather than a measure of the total reddening
spread. Nevertheless, in most of the star clusters the adopted reddening uncertainties fairly
reflect the observed MS broadness, thus implying that only some star clusters show clear effects of
differential reddening. VMC3 presents differential reddening of $\la$ 0.5 mag, and we used the
lower value $E(B-V)$ = 0.7 mag to match the isochrones. Table 1 lists the adopted central  coordinates, radii, the resulting reddening and age values,
and the number of stars with $P \ge$ 75 per cent. The latter is meant to provide
an estimate of the cluster candidate populousness, although some outliers are included. Fig. A2 of the Appendix illustrates the results of
the isochrone matching for the entire new star cluster candidate sample.

\begin{table}
\caption{Fundamental parameters of new SMC star clusters.}
\label{tab:table1}
\begin{tabular}{@{}lcccccc}\hline
Name & R.A. & Dec. & $r$ &$E(B-V)$ & log($t$) & N$^a$ \\
     & (\degr) & (\degr) & (') & (mag) &    & \\\hline
VMC1 &  11.169& -73.360&    0.15 &    0.90 &   $<$8.4$\pm$0.3& 3\\
VMC2 &  11.468& -73.232&    0.20 &    0.40 &   8.5& 10\\
VMC3 &  11.655& -73.098&    0.40 &    0.70 &   9.0& 55\\
VMC4 &  11.890& -73.158&    0.30 &    0.30 &   8.9& 22\\
VMC5 &  11.895& -73.253&    0.30 &    0.50 &   8.4& 12 \\
VMC6 &  11.982& -73.243&    0.20 &    0.50 &   9.0& 14 \\
VMC7 &  12.045& -73.314&    0.30 &    0.35 &   8.9& 16 \\
VMC8 &  12.090& -73.345&    0.20 &    0.25 &   9.0& 10 \\
VMC9 &  12.106& -73.099&    0.30 &    0.90 &   9.0& 23 \\
VMC10&  12.112& -72.984&    0.40 &    0.25 &   8.1& 25\\
VMC11&  12.133& -73.135&    0.25 &    0.30 &   7.8 & 6\\
VMC12&  12.137& -73.345&    0.25 &    0.40 &   8.7& 13 \\
VMC13&  12.139& -73.392&    0.30 &    0.30 &   8.2& 16 \\
VMC14&  12.146& -73.035&    0.25 &    0.25 &   8.9& 13 \\
VMC15&  12.212& -72.954&    0.30 &    0.25 &   8.9 & 16 \\
VMC16&  12.229& -73.305&    0.25 &    0.20 &   9.0& 11 \\
VMC17&  12.254& -72.913&    0.35 &    0.30 &   8.4& 19 \\
VMC18&  12.267& -73.265&    0.30 &    0.40 &   7.9 & 8\\
VMC19&  12.323& -72.940&    0.40 &    0.35 &   8.5 & 35\\
VMC20&  12.334& -72.995&    0.30 &    0.25 &   8.7& 16 \\
VMC21&  12.338& -72.920&    0.35 &    0.45 &   8.3& 19\\
VMC22&  12.349& -73.165&    0.30 &    0.30 &   8.4& 18 \\
VMC23&  12.427& -73.234&    0.35 &    0.40 &   7.8 & 15\\
VMC24&  12.496& -72.910&    0.25 &    0.20 &   8.7 & 18\\
VMC25&  12.500& -73.408&    0.40 &    0.30 &    $<$7.6$\pm$0.4 & 17\\
VMC26&  12.612& -73.162&    0.40 &    0.20 &   8.1& 18 \\
VMC27&  12.613& -73.311&    0.40 &    0.20 &   8.1& 23 \\
VMC28&  12.650& -73.056&    0.30 &    0.40 &   8.3& 16 \\
VMC29&  12.669& -73.043&    0.40 &    0.30 &   8.2 & 16\\
VMC30&  12.681& -73.261&    0.25 &    0.15 &   8.8& 13 \\
VMC31&  12.681& -73.013&    0.35 &    0.20 &   8.9& 30 \\
VMC32&  12.723& -73.175&    0.30 &    0.15 &   8.1& 12 \\
VMC33&  12.730& -72.915&    0.30 &    0.30 &   8.8& 26\\
VMC34&  12.748& -73.009&    0.40 &    0.25 &   8.1& 27\\
VMC35&  12.770& -73.248&    0.30 &    0.20 &   7.5& 11\\
VMC36&  12.771& -73.085&    0.35 &    0.30 &   8.1& 14 \\
VMC37&  12.793& -73.263&    0.30 &    0.25 &   $<$7.3$\pm$0.5& 12 \\
VMC38&  12.824& -73.180&    0.30 &    0.35 &   8.4& 14 \\
\hline
\end{tabular}

\noindent $^a$ Number of stars within the cluster radius with $P \ge$ 75 per cent.
\end{table}

The Washington cleaned CMDs around the central positions of the new star clusters
allow us to know their observed features in the optical wavelength regime and
consequently, to compare them to those in the near-infrared. By doing this exercise,
we found that most of the star clusters are detectable from a sound Washington
CMD analysis, once the star field signature is properly filtered. We used the derived
reddenings and ages of Table 1, as well as a distance modulus  $(m-M)_o$ = 18.9 and
a metallicity of $Z$ = 0.003, to match theoretical isochrones \citep{betal12} to the
cleaned $T_1$ versus $C-T_1$ CMDs. The theoretical isochrones were properly shifted
by the corresponding $E(C - T_1) = 1.97E(B - V)$ colour excesses and by the SMC
distance modulus $T_1 = M_{T_1} + (m-M)_o + 2.62E(B-V)$ \citep{gs99}. We confirmed our
estimated values of $E(B-V)$ and log($t$ yr$^{-1}$), as illustrated in Fig. 3. As can
be seen, the Washington photometry is slightly deeper than the VMC one and possibly,
due to a relatively low reddening along the line-of-sight, the generally blue
integrated light nature of young/moderate age star clusters makes their MS appear
reasonably well-populated. At the top of Fig. 3 we show the deepest $C$, $T_1$ and
$K_s$ images (from left ot right) of the star cluster field. Note that the star cluster
clearly stands out at the near-infrared image, while it is hardly possible to
recognize it from the optical one without the help of the corresponding CMD analysis.

\begin{figure*}
\fbox{\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{fig3.jpg}} \\
\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{fig3}
\caption{{\it Top:} $C$, $T_1$ and $K_s$ images (from left to right) centred on the new
star cluster candidate VMC17. The images' sides are equal to the star cluster diameter (see
Table 1). North is up and East to the left.
{\it Bottom:} Washington and VMC CMDs illustrating the performance of
the cleaning procedure, where we plotted all the measured stars located within
the cluster radius. The pink, light and dark blue filled circles in the bottom
panels represent stars with cluster membership probabilities $P \le$ 25 per cent,
$P =$ 50 per cent, and $P \ge$ 75 per cent, respectively.
Three isochrones from \citet{betal12} for log($t$ yr$^{-1}$)
  = 8.3, 8.4, and 8.5 and $Z$ = 0.003 are also superimposed.}
\end{figure*}

Three cluster candidates (VMC\,1, 3 and 9), on the other hand, could not be identified neither by a
visual inspection of their $C,T_1$ images nor from the respective cleaned CMDs.
We found that all of them are affected by reddening higher than $E(B-V)$ $\sim$ 0.6 mag,
so that we conclude that this could be the reason for making them undetectable from
optical photometry. Fig. 4 illustrates this situation, in which the 1 Gyr old
star cluster  candidate VMC9 appears hidden at optical wavelengths. This
example, in turn, brings support to our original motivation for this search, in the
sense that the VMC survey should have imaged those star clusters that are either behind or embedded within clouds in the Magellanic system. According to \citet{retal15}, who
produced an $A_V$ extinction map for the SMC main body, our
pilot field is the most reddened in the galaxy, with best-fitting $E(B-V)$ values
larger than 0.20 mag. Their $A_V$ extinction map was built  by running the StarFISH
SFH-recovery software over a wide-enough grid of distance
modulus and extinction values until the code
returns not only the best-fitting coefficients for the SFH, but
also the best-fitting ($(m-M )_o, A_V$) pair (see their Fig. 11).

\begin{figure*}
\fbox{\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{fig4.jpg}} \\
\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{fig4}
\caption{Same as Fig. 3 for the new star cluster candidate VMC9. Three isochrones from
\citet{betal12} for log($t$ yr$^{-1}$)  = 8.9, 9.0, and 9.1 and $Z$ = 0.003 are
also superimposed.}
\end{figure*}

\section{conclusions}

By using the near-infrared VMC data set we performed a search for new star
clusters in the South-West side of the SMC bar, where the star field is the
densest and hightest reddened region in the galaxy. The search was motivated
by the fact that star clusters not seen in the visible could be dwelling such
regions, as judged by the comparison of optical and VMC images.

The devised procedure for the star cluster search relies on astrophysical information taken
from the VMC PSF photometric catalogues for the known star clusters located
in a pilot field of $\sim$ 0.4 deg$^2$. From the learned distribution of the dimensions
and the observed stellar densities of known star clusters, we designed a strategy for
finding new ones that consisted in using {\it Gaussian} and {\it tophat} KDEs for three
different bandwidths. After perfoming six different runs over an amount of
358578 stars with measurements in the three $YJK_s$ filters, we detected 143 new star cluster
candidates, within a similar range of radius and stellar density to the previously
catalogued star cluster sample.

We applied a subtraction procedure developed by \citet{pb12} to statistically clean the
star cluster CMDs from field star contamination in order to disentangle star cluster features from
those belonging to their surrounding fields. The employed technique makes use of variable
cells in order to reproduce the field CMD as closely as possible. As a result 38 objects
of relatively small size - on average $\sim$ 0.3 arcmin in radius - resulted to have
near-infrared CMD features which resemble those of star clusters of young to moderate
intermediate age (log($t$ yr$^{-1}$) $\sim$ 7.5-9.0). The new star cluster candidates represent
$\approx$ a 55$\%$ increase on the known
star cluster population, which is particularly significant in the light of the current
debates about the star cluster formation rate, the effectiveness of star cluster dissolution
processes, etc.

From matching theoretical isochrones computed for the VISTA system to
the cleaned star cluster CMDs we estimated reddenings and ages. When adjusting a subset of
isochrones we took into account the SMC distance modulus and the mean SMC star cluster
metal content for the last $\sim$ 2-3 Gyr. The derived mean $E(B-V)$ colour excesses are
in between 0.15 mag and 0.90 mag, while their ages are in the range  7.3 $\le$
log($t$ yr$^{-1}$) $\le$ 9.0. This new star cluster candidate sample will be part of the cluster
database that the VMC survey will produce in order to homogeneously study the overall star
cluster formation history throughout the Magellanic system.

When comparing the cleaned star cluster CMDs obtainted from $CT_1$ Washington photometry,
by employing the same star field decontamination method mentioned above, to those from the
VMC survey, we found that most of the new star clusters are detectable, and confirm our
estimates of $E(B-V)$ and log($t$ yr$^{-1}$). Likewise, it is worth mentioning that the
star clusters are clearly visible in the deepest $K_s$ images, whereas it is hardly possible to
recongnize them from the optical ones without the help of the corresponding CMD analysis.
Whenever the star clusters are affected by reddening higher than $E(B-V)$ $\ge$ 0.6 mag, they
could not be recognized from the analysis of Washington photometry, thus supporting
the crucial complementary role of near-infrared bands surveys.

\section*{Acknowledgements}
We thank the Cambridge Astronomy Survey Unit (CASU) and the Wide-Field
Astronomy Unit (WFAU) in Edinburgh for providing calibrated data
products under the support of the Science and Technology Facilities
Council (STFC) in the UK. This research has made use of the SIMBAD
data base, operated at CDS, Strasbourg, France.  We also thank
Gabriel Perren, Omar Silvestro and Roberto Cattaneo for providing
computer-programing support during the developement
of this work. MRC acknowledges support from the UK's STFC [grant number ST/M001008/1]
and from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
 We thank the anonymous referee whose thorough comments and suggestions
allowed us to improve the manuscript.

\bibliographystyle{mnras}

\input{paper.bbl}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


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text:
The iCarly Reference Even The Biggest Fans Missed On Drake & Josh
By Benny Regalbuto/March 5, 2021 1:37 pm EST
While plenty of Nickelodeon shows have been put out to pasture over the years, a few diamonds in the rough have stood the test of time. The two most well-known are probably Drake & Josh and iCarly, both of which feature super catchy theme songs, can be genuinely funny, and star Miranda Cosgrove. On the former, she plays Megan, Drake's (Drake Bell) sister and Josh's (Josh Peck) stepsister with a penchant for pranks. On the latter, which is experiencing a major resurgence of popularity on Netflix, she's the titular Carly, a webcast sensation alongside her friends Sam Puckett (Jennette McCurdy) and Freddie Benson (Nathan Kress). The actress received high praise and widespread recognition for both roles.
Fans may remember that the transition from Drake & Josh to iCarly worked out perfectly for Cosgrove since the first show ended around the same time the second was beginning in September 2007. What fans may not remember — or may not have ever realized in the first place — is that the final episode of Drake & Josh, "Dance Contest," sneaked in an affectionate, blink-and-you-miss-it send-off for the actress (via PopBuzz).
How Drake & Josh said goodbye to Megan and hello to iCarly
Camino Real Cinemas is a real theater in Goleta, California, but on Drake & Josh, it's known as the Premiere. To the titular brothers themselves, it's known as work — more Josh than Drake, though, since the latter only works there for the span of an episode (season 2's "Movie Job"). Viewers also get to know some of the other employees as the show goes on, from Gavin Mitchell (Jake Farrow) to "Crazy" Steve (Jerry Trainor, who would eventually play Cosgrove's older brother and legal guardian Spencer Shay on iCarly).
One of the best parts about the Premiere is the marquee. The set designers make the most of it, spelling out hilarious titles for fake movies such as Daddy Hot Pants, The Sneeze, and Rock Paper Death (via the Drake & Josh wiki). However, PopBuzz noted that in "Dance Contest," the showrunners took the opportunity to use the marquee in a more heartfelt way. Look closely at the bottom of the right half of the signboard and you'll see Now She's Carly, an obvious nod to Cosgrove's new role. The actress herself no doubt appreciated the gesture, but hopefully, Megan didn't see the movie and have an identity crisis!
Fans of Drake & Josh on Reddit found that a few of the other marquee titles in "Dance Contest" hold some degree of significance as well. Four Great Seasons is, for instance, a reference to the four total (and great!) seasons of Drake & Josh. And Thank You Molaro! is a show of gratitude for screenwriter and producer Steven Molaro, who would go on to write several episodes of iCarly (as well as do extensive work on The Big Bang Theory). Makes you wonder how many Drake & Josh references made their way onto iCarly...


A stunning, traditional villa with modern accents ideally located in a quiet area next to Golf Ifach, San Jaime on the Benissa Costa and within close distance to beaches, bars, restaurants and shops.
The south facing villa has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms all on one level with private, secure parking for several cars and plenty of outside space for relaxing, al fresco dining or simply taking in the spectacular sea and Ifach rock views.
The accommodation comprises of a large entrance area leading to the modern fully equipped kitchen/diner and bright living/dining area, The villa has one double bedroom, two twin bedrooms and 2 modern shower rooms (one en-suite).
From the living/dining area there is access to a lovely covered terrace with dining for 6 people. The rear secure garden area has sun loungers, a private pool, outdoor shower, shaded pergola area and many fruit trees including pears, oranges, lemons and a huge bay tree! There is also a large built in barbecue and a pizza/bread oven!
For this accommodation a security deposit of €600 is required. For more information please see our Rental Conditions.


I created this sweet dachshund wedding cake topper with air-dry clay over an armature. These cute dogs are standing on wooden alphabet blocks that say "4EVER". After sculpting the sweet pups & the heart between them, I painted them with acrylics and sealed them for protection. This is a one of a kind original, made with lots of love & care so that it may be displayed and treasured for years to come.


beIN SPORTS' beIN BED campaign was awarded four separate awards at the 2018 Clio Sports Awards. The beIN BED campaign was recognized in the categories of Social Media, Direct, and Integrated Campaign, including a Gold Award for Social Media Multi-Platform campaign, two Silver Awards for both Direct Social Media and Integrated Campaign and a Bronze Award for Social Video.
Launched for the December 23, 2017 match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, the beIN Bed campaign was created to encourage American soccer fans go to bed early in order to wake up in time for El Clásico's unusual 7 a.m. EST/4 a.m. PST start time.
The integrated campaign, created by Y&R Miami together with beIN SPORTS, included sleep-inducing content featuring beIN SPORTS' on-air talent such as Ray Hudson, Terri Leigh, and José Fernandez, aired across multiple linear and digital platforms.


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Kollaps is the first official LP by Einstürzende Neubauten, released in 1981 on German label ZickZack as #ZZ 65. The songs are a mixture of rough punk tunes as well as industrial noises obtained from self-made music machines, electronics, and found objects such as metal plates. The album was reissued in 2002 with Stahldubversions, originally released in 1982. Blixa Bargeld, N.U. Unruh and F.M. Einheit appear on the album. "Jet'M" is a cover of the Serge Gainsbourg song "Je t'aime... moi non plus". Track 15 of many CD versions of the album is a live recording of "Negativ Nein" from 26 June 1987 at the Tempodrom in Berlin.

Reception

Trouser Press described Kollaps as "one of the most shocking visions ever committed to vinyl." The album is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Track listing
 "Tanz Debil" (Debility Dance) – 3:19
 "Steh auf Berlin" (Wake Up Berlin) – 3:45
 "Negativ Nein" (Negative No) – 2:24
 "U-Haft-Muzak" (Detention Muzak) – 3:47
 "Draußen ist Feindlich" (Outside is Hostile) – 0:47
 "Schmerzen Hören (Hören mit Schmerzen)" (Hearing Pain (Listen with Pain)) – 2:32
 "Jet'm" (Serge Gainsbourg) – 1:24 (appended to many versions)
 "Kollaps" (Collapse) – 8:03
 "Sehnsucht" (Desire) – 1:21
 "Vorm Krieg" (Before the War) – 0:20
 "Hirnsäge" (Brainsaw) – 1:55
 "Abstieg & Zerfall" (Descent & Decay) – 4:28
 "Helga" – 0:11
 "Schieß Euch Ins Blut" (Shoot Yourself in the Blood) – 3:06 (appended to many CD versions)
 "Negativ Nein" (live) – 4:37 (appended to many CD versions)
 "Rohrbombe" (Pipe Bomb) – 1:02 (from Stahldubversions, appended to the 2002 re-release)
 "Futuristischer Dub" (Futuristic Dub) – 1:03 (from Stahldubversions, appended to the 2002 re-release)
 "Sado-Masodub" (Sadomasochistic Dub) – 3:11 (from Stahldubversions, appended to the 2002 re-release)
 "Liebesdub" (Love Dub) – 1:29 (from Stahldubversions, appended to the 2002 re-release)
 "Spionagedub" (Espionage Dub) – 2:12 (from Stahldubversions, appended to the 2002 re-release)
 "Mikrobendub" (Microbes Dub) – 1:46 (from Stahldubversions, appended to the 2002 re-release)
 "Gastarbeiterdub" (Guest Worker Dub) – 2:47 (from Stahldubversions, appended to the 2002 re-release)
 "Rivieradub" – 2:46 (from Stahldubversions, appended to the 2002 re-release)
 "Lünebest" – 1:58 (from Stahldubversions, appended to the 2002 re-release)

Personnel
Einstürzende Neubauten
 Blixa Bargeld – lead vocals, guitars, noises
 N.U. Unruh – percussion, vocals
 F.M. Einheit – percussion, vocals

References

External links

Kollaps (Adobe Flash) at Radio3Net (streamed copy where licensed)

Einstürzende Neubauten albums
1981 albums

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Clean, clear and beautiful skin is a natural desire of every one. Accumulation of dirt, dust, pollution and skin damage from the sun's ultraviolet rays are some common causes behind dull, rough and uneven skin texture.
First of all remove all kinds of make up and then apply a good natural cleanser on your face and neck and cleanse your skin.
Now according to your skin type(Oily, Dry or Sensitive) apply a good scrubber by gently massaging it into the skin and let it dry.
After drying use the face steamer to steam your face to open skin pores. Steaming hydrates and softens the skin to remove dirt and blackheads.
You can also steam your face at home simply cover your head with towel fill a sink or wash basin with hot boiling water and steam your face about 20cm away from the boiling water.Steam your face and neck at least for 5-10 minutes.
Now after steaming cover your fingers with tissue paper and gently remove blackheads. You can also remove the blackheads either with blackhead removing lotion or you can also use salt and soap and apply on the affected area.
Now to close skin pores apply ice-cubes or wash your face with ice cold water to close skin pores. Now finally pat dry your skin with help of soft and clean towel or tissue paper.


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Volt je jednotka elektrického napětí, resp. potenciálu v soustavě SI, značí se písmenem V. Je pojmenován podle italského fyzika Alessandra Volty, vynálezce elektrického článku (1800).

Definice
V soustavě SI patří volt mezi odvozené jednotky. Je definován jako taková velikost elektrického napětí na vodiči, kterým prochází konstantní proud 1 ampér, při kterém se na tomto vodiči rozptyluje výkon 1 watt.

Volt by také bylo možno definovat jako takové napětí mezi dvěma body, při kterém by pro přemístění elektrického náboje o velikosti 1 coulomb mezi nimi byla konána práce 1 joule. V jiných jednotkách SI lze tedy volt vyjádřit následujícími vztahy:

Rozměr v základních jednotkách SI je:
V = m2·kg·s−3·A−1

Násobky a díly
V praxi se velmi často používají násobky a díly této jednotky, např.:
 μV – mikrovolt (1 μV = 10−6 V)
 mV – milivolt (1 mV = 10−3 V)
 (V – volt)
 kV – kilovolt (1 kV = 103 V)
 MV – megavolt (1 MV = 106 V)

Reference

Související články
 Ohmův zákon
 Galvanický článek

Externí odkazy

Odvozené jednotky SI
Elektrotechnika


In the Yachtmania club you will find new friends, support, love, kindness and understanding.
We have an obsession for yachts.
Not only yachts, but sailing yachts.
And not only sailing yachts, but sailing.
And not only sailing as a sport, but sailing as a feeling, love and freedom.
Sailing is a symbol of the sea, the sun, the wind, the silence, the infinity, the breadth, the space,…the FREEDOM!
And the obsession is a diagnosis.
to spread the 'YAHTMANIA' phenomenon in order to attract the curious and the brave, to train and have profound respect for element, respect for nature, responsibility to man and love for the sea.
We will continue to develop the mission of the 'YACHTMANIA' club over the years with you and with all future club members.
GFN have been our partners for more than 10 years. The members of the Yachtmania club have a discount when purchasing their products.
Yachtmania are outstanding representatives of Planofil for Bulgaria. They offer high quality materials, produced in Switzerland.
I am a sailing maniac. But not because I have a sailing yacht. I had been such a maniac long before I bought a yacht. How did I find out? This is a relevant question.
Why I am a little crazy about sailing? Some nice moments remain in our life, we don't have a moment's peace, everything is done in the fast lane.
The sea is a symbol! The sea is a memory! The sea is an ending! The sea is life! Once if you allow it to enter into your heart, it will stay there forever.
My love for the sea flows through my veins and before you think 'How trivial', I will hurry to tell you how my innate love for the sea and yachts turned into yacht mania.
The sea makes me dream.
The wind makes me happy.
The sun fills me with energy.
The sea has always attracted me. When you're under the sails and grab the wind, you know that you could go further – the sea power is infinite.
© 2019 Developed By AB Studio. All Rights Reserved.


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Worcester Polytechnic Institute launches smart medical devices program
July 21, 2017 By Danielle Kirsh
Physicians at Brigham and Women's Hospital perform a biopsy using WPI's robot. [Image from Worcester Polytechnic Institute]
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has announced the launch of its new PracticePoint program that is designed to bring research, development and testing of medical devices under one roof.
PracticePoint, with $17 million in initial funding, will focus on creating smart and secure medical devices that can interact with the physical world and improve patient-centric care.
"Technology is changing medicine, and PracticePoint is designed to help ensure our Commonwealth stays on the cutting edge of this important field to advance economic prosperity, but, more important, to advance health in our communities," said WPI president Laurie Leshin, in a press release. "When we bring together creative engineers, scientists, clinicians, companies and entrepreneurs to work together in a novel setting like PracticePoint, I believe the results will be extraordinary."
The PracticePoint program received a $5 million capital grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative to help build the facility that will be located at Gateway Park. GE Life Sciences matched with a $2.5 million capital and imaging equipment grant. WPI has also contributed $9.5 million for facility, faculty and staff and operational support. UMass Medical School and MITRE, WPI partners, have also pledged faculty or staff time and research support.
This new innovation center is a membership-based research, development and commercialization alliance that is designed to create innovative technologies and launch medical cyber-physical systems. The facility will mimic point-of-practice environments that are associated with advanced manufacturing and testing equipment.
Teams will be able to work together under one roof to get smart medical devices from prototype to product quicker and more effectively.
"We will take the technology and innovation we develop here and scale it across the world to solve some of the toughest challenges we face," Leshin said.
WPI has done significant research in robotics, sensors, data science, cybersecurity and systems engineering. The launch of PracticePoint allows each stage of product development to be reached.
"Developing medical devices is challenging," said Greg Fischer, an associate professor of mechanical, biomedical and robotics engineering and the director of PracticePoint. "This is particularly difficult when you start working with smart medical devices."
Smart and secure medical devices are important for patient protection. Some devices can monitor vitals, diet, hydration and send that data to clinicians. Other smart devices are surgical robotic systems or other assistive devices that help surgeons perform minimally-invasive surgeries with precision.
"By putting a manufacturing facility side-by-side with a clinical environment, we can go back and forth between development in a machine shop or an electronics lab, develop the technology, test it, evaluate it and bring it to the clinical setting," Fischer said. "We can significantly accelerate the timeline of launching a product."
The design of the facility is going to mimic facilities that officer patient-centered care. It will include four testing suites that have a surgical/imaging area, a controlled-care setting (like an emergency room or ICU), rehabilitation/assistive care center and a residential setting that will act as a private home or nursing home. The equipment in the PracticePoint facility will test for cyber vulnerabilities and provide big data collections for relevant populations.
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Danielle Kirsh
Danielle Kirsh is an award-winning journalist and senior editor for Medical Design & Outsourcing, MassDevice, and Medical Tubing + Extrusion, and the founder of Women in Medtech and lead editor for Big 100. She received her bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism and mass communication from Norfolk State University and is pursuing her master's in global strategic communications at the University of Florida. You can connect with her on Twitter and LinkedIn, or email her at dkirsh@wtwhmedia.com.
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The Lab QC Inspector applies quality control experience and knowledge of process review into practical quality solutions for the company. The Lab QC Inspector evaluates, monitors, and systematically recommends corrective actions of procedures and processes. Professionally conducts reviews with a high level of communication that yields quality results.
Provide Quality Control (QC) documentation support to operations.
Perform QC review of run binders, paperwork, report tables, data tables, and cut point determinations.
Actively participate in QC educational programs: in-house workshops, presentations on current QC issues and trainings.
Participate in QC and company staff meetings and discuss findings and recommendations for resolving non-compliance.
Work in conjunction with Q² Solutions operations and individuals to improve quality systems.
Manage all assigned quality control projects with minor assistance from coworkers and manager.
May track and report deviation trends to management.
Evaluate all systems for gaps, recommend actions, and professionally communicate to management the analysis to continually improve quality.
Complies with Company SOPs and participates in the implementation of new SOPs.
Knowledge of word-processing, spreadsheet, and database applications.
Knowledge of GLP regulations and guidelines and basic quality review techniques.
Effective organization, communication, and team orientation skills.
Ability to initiate assigned tasks and to work independently.
Familiarity with common inferential and descriptive statistical methods and the interpretation of their results is preferred.
Ability to work on several projects at once while balancing multiple and overlapping timelines.
Ability to assess workload and suggest prioritization to senior staff.
Careful attention to detail and accuracy.
Bachelor's Degree and 1 year of relevant experience in a quality / laboratory environment, including GLP and/or Quality Assurance experience; or equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
Extensive use of telephone and face-to-face communication requiring accurate perception of speech.
Extensive use of keyboard requiring repetitive motion of fingers.
Regular sitting for extended periods of time.


Are you looking for the right SEO Company? Perhaps you have no idea on how to choose the same or you are just doing it the first time. Fortunately, you have found an insightful page that will give you some of the awesome tips on what to look for in an SEO company. In fact, there are many SEO companies on the market but the difference comes with their distinctive services.
When looking at the experience, two things are involved. First, you need to know the history of the company or the length of time they have been in operation. The history of the company is very important, as it will give you an insight that will help you to reflect on their reliability. Another thing to look at here is the experience of its personnel. A company that keeps on switching or firing its personnel every time is questionable.
The status of the company is just but the reputation or the image of the company. In this case, a good agency has an outstanding reputation on the market. Therefore, getting to understand the reputation of the company before making any move or decision is a wise way to go. Therefore, look for an agency that has a good image on the market and there are several ways that you can fetch the same. One of the ways is by talking to the clients and the different people who may have got the information of the company.
This is an inevitable thing to look at before you can hire any company. That means you should not have to be ignorant of the different prices or costs from different companies. In this case, the best company is the one that offers competitive packages in terms of prices or costs. Therefore, you need to do some little research to compare the prices but you should take the necessary precautions to ensure that you do not just fall for the cheap. Remember, cheap sometimes becomes expensive and therefore, the services should be worth their costs.
Maintenance is a must activity that you will require from time to time. Ideally, SEO practice is not a one-time exercise but a continuous process. Therefore, you should not have to lose attachment from the agency of your choice since you may require the services from time to time. In this case, you should consider a company that offers maintenance services rather than going for the one that has does not offer the same.
The customer reviews are always the fundamental insight on getting to know the inside services and the company itself. In this case, you can find the customer reviews on the website of the company. Read a number of the same and look at the rating that the clients are giving. Indeed, this will for sure help you to make the right choice. If you find that majority of the clients are complaining about the services that is a red light and a warning for you to look for a better agency.
Therefore, for you to succeed in your quest for enhancing your SEO practices or online marketing for your business or website, you need to be informed so as to make the right choice in choosing the right company that will give you the desired results.
This article has been contributed by BestemsGuide. A site that does product reviews aiming at providing the best and reliable information to its readers.
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Those are the gentlemen I have been dealing with at Basa since day one. I have purchased 7 boats in 10 years from Basa Marine. I started with a 17 footer and have built up to 31 foot. The purchase I'm planning in 2011 should get me to 33. So yes I have 2 footeyetis. I have purchased new boats and used boats from Basa. Any warranty issues were covered with ease. On the used boats I purchased, I knew the service department went over the boat with a fine tooth comb.
Any problems that did come up, were taken care of immediately by the service department. And with the season being so short, getting service quickly is hard to find. But that is what I have come to expect with the service department at Basa. Scott the service dept. manager is the best out there. The mechanics are all top notch, and go beyond expectation. They have serviced my boat at the Chain and on Lake Michigan in two locations. My home port Hammond, and when I visit New Buffalo.


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Mega Millions Winner: Here's Who Won The $31 Million Jackpot
A single ticket sold in Massachusetts won the $31 million Mega Millions drawing on Tuesday (January 25), marking the first time ever that the jackpot had been won three times during the month of January, according to MegaMillions.com.
The Mega Millions jackpot had already reset twice this month after one player in Maine won the estimated $1.35 billion drawing on January 14 and another player in New York won the following $20 million drawing on January 17.
Results from Tuesday's Mega Millions game are listed below:
NUMBERS: 33-41-47-50-62
GOLD BALL: 20
MEGAPLIER: 4x
The January 14 Mega Millions drawing was the second-highest in the game's history and offered the fourth-largest jackpot in the U.S. lottery history.
The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are reported to be 1 in 302.5 million, according to MegaMillions.com.
The Mega Millions jackpot has exceeded the billion mark four times in its existence. In October 2018, a ticket was sold in South Carolina winning $1.537 billion ($878 million cash value), which is the world's largest jackpot for a single ticket and the largest cash value for a single ticket.
The Mega Millions and Powerball games offered a combined jackpot of more than $1.7 billion in 2021.
Mega Millions' jackpot reached $1.05 billion, with a cash option of $776.6 million on Friday, January 22, 2021, before a player in Michigan matched all six numbers. The jackpot was the second largest cash value ticket in lottery history.
Powerball's jackpot reached $731.1 million, with a cash option worth $546.8 million on Wednesday, January 20 2021, before a player in Maryland matched all six numbers. The jackpot was the third largest cash value for a single ticket in lottery history and the fourth largest in Powerball history.
Both jackpots increase during each following game until there's a winning ticket matching all six numbers drawn, which includes the additional Mega Millions "gold ball" or Powerball in each respective game.
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4 Sales Call Rapport-Building Techniques That AI Can't Yet Do [VIDEO]
April 12, 2018 /0 Comments/in Telemarketing /by Katrina Chua
By 2050, machines will take over half of all jobs.
… and telemarketers will be the first ones to go.
An Oxford study says
there's a 99% chance
AI will replace human telemarketers soon.
But until AI learns how to build genuine rapport,
sales calls will remain a person-to-person interaction.
That's because there are four building blocks of rapport
that only we humans can do for now.
#1 Listening and Empathy
Talking about oneself releases feel-good chemicals in the brain.
It's even more rewarding with a person who's really listening.
How Not to Sound Like a Machine:
Start with an open-ended question;
let them share a bit about themselves.
#2 Being Authentic
People do business with people they like.
No matter how well AI mimics human speech,
there's nothing like the real thing.
Let the conversation flow naturally and show genuine interest,
but don't overdo it.
#3 Finding Common Ground
AI knows more about your prospects than you do.
But only people can connect and find common ground in a conversation.
Bring up interesting tidbits that prospects can relate to.
Build on these points at different moments in the call.
Related: Telemarketing: Why Singaporean Prospects Turn You Down
#4 Creating Shared Experiences
The secret to building rapport is creating shared experiences.
Whether it's defining the prospect's problem or identifying a solution,
working together brings people closer.
Turn sales calls into collaborative brainstorming sessions.
Use "we", "our", and "us" in the conversation.
Rapport is a two-way connection between people.
It's going to stay that way unless machines master these four skills.
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Telemarketing in Singapore: 7 Best Practices for Sales Prospecting Calls
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How Effective is Telemarketing in Singapore and APAC?
https://www.callbox.com.sg/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/How-Effective-is-Telemarketing-in-Singapore-and-APAC.jpg 450 800 Katrina Chua https://www.callbox.com.sg/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/callbox-logo.png Katrina Chua2019-07-04 08:00:022019-07-04 13:50:33How Effective is Telemarketing in Singapore and APAC?
Cold Call Scripts That Land Meetings with MSP Buyers [Free Download]
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https://www.callbox.com.sg/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/4-Sales-Call-Rapport-Building-Techniques-That-AI-Cant-Yet-Do-VIDEO.jpg 352 800 Katrina Chua https://www.callbox.com.sg/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/callbox-logo.png Katrina Chua2018-04-12 08:00:352019-04-30 11:33:134 Sales Call Rapport-Building Techniques That AI Can't Yet Do [VIDEO]
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Founded in 2004, Callbox has evolved into a specialist provider of Multi-Touch Multi-Channel Marketing solutions for businesses and organizations worldwide. Its core competencies include Lead Generation, Appointment Setting, Lead Nurturing and Database Services, delivered through its proprietary marketing automation platform, the Callbox Pipeline.
Callbox enables companies gain a foothold in their priority markets by initiating conversations with prospects through the efficient and intelligent use of targeted touchpoints over six channels: voice, email, social, chat, website and mobile.
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