In recent times, there has been a shift towards the increased acceptance of valuing creativity for all learners. A 2003 TED talk by Sir Ken Robinson discussing this subject reached over 5 million viewers. It discusses how our current school systems suppress creativity. He proposes that our current model leaves little room for divergent thinking.
What are some ways then, as educators, that we promote creativity in our classrooms?
Think of creativity as a skill. Much like resourcefulness and inventiveness it is less a trait and more a proficiency that can be taught. If we see it this way, our job as educators becomes to find ways to encourage its use and break it down into smaller skill sets. Psychologists tend to think of creativity as Big-C and Little C. Big C drives big societal ideas, like the Civil Rights movement or a new literary style. Little C is more of a working model of creativity that solves everyday problems. Both concepts can be included in our classrooms to promote creativity in general.
Participate in or create a program to develop creative skills. Programs like Odyssey of the Mind and Thinkquest bring together students from around the world to promote creativity, design creative solutions, and bring them to competition.
Use emotional connections. Research suggests that the best creativity instruction ties in the emotions of the learner. In the "Odyssey angels" program students can devise a solution to help their local community, such as helping homeless youth. This topic is worthy of more discussion by itself. A blog postby fellow blogger Julie DeNeen gives some valuable information about this type of teaching.
Consider how classroom assignments use divergent and convergent thinking. Standardized tests do a great job of measuring convergent thinking that includes analytical thinking or logical answers with one correct response. Divergent thinking considers how a learner can use different ways to approach a problem. It requires using association and multiplicity of thought. We should design assignments that consider both types of thinking models.
Creativity flourishes in a "congenial environment". Creative thinking needs to be shared and validated by others in a socially supportive atmosphere. Researcher Csikszentmihalyi (1996) coined this term, to explain the importance of reception from others. Others consider how to create social communities that promote creativity to solve problems.
Be aware during discussions. You know that student who often asks the question that goes a bit outside the lecture? Well, engage him. Once a week, intentionally address those questions. Write them down on an assigned space in the board to go back to later. Promote creativity by validating students' creative thinking.
See creativity in a positive light. In his blog in Psychology Today, Eric Jaffe talks about research that suggests see creativity in a negative light. If we are going to promote creativity, we need to embrace it too. Reward students for thinking of problems in varied ways by recognizing their efforts.
Establish expressive freedom. The classroom environment must be a place where students feel safe to share novel ideas. Allow for flexibility and create norms that promote creativity.
Gather outside resources. There are some great resources to read related to creativity. The University of Georgia, provides an array of amazing resources related to how to promote creativity in practical ways. It also gives a list of programs and organizations that can help with the process.
Encourage curiosity.Consider what is important to students. Student interest is a great place to start on what drives their own thinking tank. Find inspiration from their world. Creativity is intrinsic in nature. Try to promote creativity by stepping into their viewpoint to find what motivates them.
Observe a working model of creativity. To get a better idea of how others promote creativity, visit a creative classroom or watch a video about how a creative classroom works. The "Case for Creativity in School" is an excellent video that educators can watch to see how creativity might play out in a classroom. This school adopted a school-wide approach to recognize students.
Consider the work of current experts in the field. Sir Ken Robinson is an internationally renowed creativity and innovation expert. His work is used to meet global challenges, renovating education, business, and government organizations to implement his strategies. His books and TED talks are great places to promote creativity in your own teaching.
Very impressive, very important article. Congratulations on a fine piece of work.
Thank you for the comment! In this article, I tried to tie together the research-based best practices and recent ideas that are emerging in the literature. The information on this topic is so extensive and complex that I was glad to hear that I did a good job. Coming from an educator who has 40 years of experience in the education field, as I saw on your website, that is really an honor. Thank you!
I wanted to briefly consider how creativity came into the limelight with the dedication of E Paul Torrance who was a catalyst for gifted programs. One person asked me in regards to creativity an interesting question: Is teaching creativity a bit of an oxymoron? Well, I think that if we consider gifted programs, they actually promote creative thinking and teach students it's okay to think outside the box. It really is an interesting field and one worthy of much discussion. The discussion on creativity will continue in future blogs.
I'm delighted to read of your interest in developing creativity in schools–in and out of gifted programs. You've given your readers a lot to think about!
This is a very comprehensive article. I love the friendly voice as you gave me the whole picture of the most forgotten set of skills in our classroom. Usable ideas for all. Thanks.
Your articles helped me a lot. I am actually very interested in promoting creativity among my students; hence, I have decided to do a research on this topic.
Thank you very much. I hope you will write something about the importance of literature-based instruction to enhance students' creativity.
I am a Filipino teacher who is teaching in a public secondary high school.
Melvin, I will be interested to see what Miriam says about this. One thought is that your subject "literature-based instruction" is perhaps mis-named. Literature is a fabulous way to get a person thinking creatively. If you read a story, you have to imagine. A good story touches your emotions which are critical to creative thinking and decisionmaking, etc. But "instruction" tends to be antithetical to education. The instruction would be imbedded in acticities where the students talked with each other about what the literature triggered in them, to ask questions, explore other worlds, write their own stuff.
Melvin-Thank you for your interest in my ideas! In my teaching program, I had a veteran teacher of 20+ years suggest creating learning opportunities imbedded in multicultural literature units. Using literature from different cultures is great because it can draw inspiration from diverse cultures and speak to children of all backgrounds.
Literature, if approached as the art that it is, provides ample opportunity for students to create meaning and engage their creative side. Just this week, my daughter's own teacher did a unit on Space exploration, which included a children's novel about visiting the moon and was expanded into a writing and science lesson. My daughter was able to relate this to women's involvement in Space exploration, from her personal experience visiting the NASA museum in Houston. The result was a very engaged child, who really enjoyed learning and brought home an amazing report and story about her school days. I think this is what literature does-it draws us in and makes us want to learn more. It truly explores what children like and want to learn about.
I tend to agree with Rick that the term "literature instruction" can be a bit contradictory at times. As Rick said above, I believe it's about finding "what the literature triggers in them". We want students to find their own meanings in literature, rather than lead them to our own conclusions. I think it is all in the approach and their are great ways to use literature as a creative tool that authentically engages students to find their own meaning. I believe that is what true engaged learning is about, having students find a piece of literature that truly motivates them to delve even deeper into a subject, relate something to their own life, or explore a new world or subject area. I think that this topic is worth further exploration, so I will need to look at it closer. Thank you for reading my ideas and please continue to share!
Avoid negative criticism up on your learners and especially when they give wrong trials.
Teach them how to criticize constructively. The art and science of telling the truth supportively is critical.
I'll have to connect with you via twitter.
Thanks for producing such a high quality blog post!
Thanx for sharing this post. As a teacher, I have been trying to develop creative skills with my teachers for many years. I was thinking in publishing some of my best activities (which engage the most and provide divergent thinking), when found this great article. Congrats, sweet job!
Nicely Done Miriam! To share with your readers: The home for the Osborn-Parnes model you described is the Creative Problem Solving Institute. Many of those you referenced are or have been faculty there. http://www.cpsiconference.com is the conference address. There is also an Excellent Masters in "Creativity Studies and Change Leadership" at Buffalo State University, which can be found here: http://creativity.buffalostate.edu/ About 80% of our folks come from that program, as adult learners, before becoming Associate Partners.
I hope these links are helpful!
This is wonderful and will help art teachers especially "art teachers" to discover and foster creativity in students.
I really like the tips of using tech, not limiting the format and incorporating unconventional learning methods to spur along the creative process. We have access to so much great tech these days that incorporating your tips should be easier than ever!
Correction: Formating was lost when this was submitted, this should be a block quote in smaller font. Please correct. "Much of the blame for a lack of creativity, and therefore innovation, can be traced to our traditional educational systems. Most of the practice of creative methods is being done outside the traditional educational institutions by consulting firms and by persons in companies who have been trained in creative problem solving methods. In universities not much has changed since 1950, when the distinguished psychologist J. P. Guilford in his inaugural address as president of the American Psychological Association stated that education's neglect of the subject of creativity was appalling.
Fantastic information and really shows how multi-tasked a teacher has to be.
creativity in class is a very excellent thing to do as most student become very independent to initiate new things without the reminder of the educator, they are able to create projects and finished it without the educators facilitation and this make students very confident and the class become more interesting.
A very useful piece of information for teachers. Thanks.
Very informative and extensive. Thank you for the informative article.
I don't think it can ever be too late to congratulate you for an enlightening piece like this.I have been a science teacher educator in Nigeria for 35 years. It has greatly simplified my marrying creative thinking roles of a transformational teacher to those of critical thinking. More grease to your 'brain and pen'. We want more. Thomas.
Thanks for reading, Tais! We'll get that link repaired right away. Thanks for letting us know.
I was very interested in your article. This gave me great suggestions to use different ways of creativity in my 6th grade classroom. I liked the suggestions in making my class more active in finding ways of being better learners.
in the end of your article you mentioned an article : "What Would Dr. E. Paul Torrance Do?: A Legacy for Creative Education" but you lik it incorrectly.
by the way it was a great article.
Thxs, so much for ds article. ……………Very informative…….
"Adding Creativity to Your Decision Process." David Hughes, 1998.
I am glad to see the work of these dedicated people in this field is still being spread and used in education.
Really nice ideas to promote creativity.
Amazing article! I totally agree with the author at some points.
Moreover, creativity is also important for your brain – it keeps it "alive" longer.
The more you exercise your creativity, the stronger it gets. … "In my own life, I found that whenever I wasn't sure what to do next, I would go and learn a lot, read a lot, talk to experts. I don't know how … Unless you value complete silence, music can be the thing to give your mood, and your creativity, a boost.
Great article! your all point mention in your article is up to the mark.
Thanks for sharing such nice tips to promote promote creativity. i would like to share this post on my network.
I personally love the way this blog represents information. In my viewpoint creativity is a key to all attainments in life.
Thank you for stopping by, Sunny!
Thank you so much for your interest of this think?
I'd be deeply obliged if you could point me resources that can help me introduce creativity at the Preschool level (for 2 to 6 year olds).
In particular, I'm interested in watching videos of a class in action that promotes creativity.
You could email to me too.
The most important point you discussed is " To allow room for mistakes" .
Thank you for sharing this article very use full information this article.
Lovely Miriam Clifford Thanks for sharing this information please suggest me how to promote my graphic design skill.?
Thanks you so much for this article. Its very simple ways to support creativity, we need simple ways to boost creativity within our education system.


text:
Open to Opinion
English | Bangla
Why the triumph of RSS is unprecedented
No matter how much the RSS is misunderstood and demonised, whether by left liberals in India and abroad, its contribution to the making of modern India is indubitable.
| 5-minute read | 09-10-2019
Makarand R Paranjape
@MakrandParanspe
Vijayadashami, the 10th day of the India's autumn Navaratri festival in the month of Ashvin, is celebrated all over the subcontinent and elsewhere as the victory of good over evil. However, few among India's intelligentsia are aware that this is also the day of the founding of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
When the Sangh was founded on September 27, 1925, Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, popularly known as 'Doctorji', was still a Congressman. He had already spent a year in jail in support of Gandhiji's Khilafat andolan (agitation) in 1921-1922. He would spend another stint in British prisons during the noncooperation movement in 1930-1931.
Keshav Baliram Hedgewar was still a Congressman when Sangh was founded on September 27, 1925. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
When it was founded however, the organisation he was inspired to create was not even called the RSS; the name was chosen after a vote on April 17, 1926. In fact, Dorctorji became the sarsanghachalak or formal head much later, on November 10, 1929. By the time he passed away on June 21, 1940, he was just 51, but he had established the Sangh on a firm footing.
Hedgewar parted ways with the Congress because he felt straitjacketed by its methods, including the personality cult around leaders such as Gandhiji. Though he respected the latter and had discussions with him, Doctorji believed that fetishising of non-violence as the sole method to throw out the British would be counterproductive in the long run. He was also alarmed at what he saw as the incessant appeasement to the increasingly dangerous Muslim demands, all in the interest of the goal of Hindu-Muslim unity.
He felt, instead, that the best safeguard of the future of India was the unity and empowerment of Hindu society. The Congress could not be entrusted with this all-important task. A new, largely non-political organisation, based on Hindu ideological, cultural, and spiritual principles was needed. Hence the RSS.
Reasons for influence
When Hedgewar started out, the Congress was the mother of almost all Indian political, social, and cultural formations. Today, as the RSS enters its 95th year, the scales of history seem to have reversed. Almost every major political, social, and cultural organisation in India today bears the stamp or influence of the RSS. So much so that the ultimate goal of the RSS, which is Sangh Samaj Banega or merger of the RSS with Indian society, seems within sight. This is how newly released, well-written, and informative insider's account, The RSS: Roadmaps for the 21st Century by Sunil Ambekar begins: "The Sangh does not want to be a separate power ruling over society; it wants to strengthen society, so that it can handle its issues constructively."
Ambekar has been a life-worker of the RSS. A pracharak (propagator) since his childhood, he is today the national organising secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), reportedly the largest student body by membership numbers in the world. Sunil ji, one might say, is almost a born RSS activist. His home opened into the grounds of the RSS headquarters, Hedgewar Bhavan, in Nagpur. He attended the Mohite Shakha or branch of the RSS since childhood.
A soft-spoken, highly knowledgeable and cultivated individual, he epitomises the spirit of selfless service that has made the RSS a mighty "network of networks".
Ambekar's book is a must-read for anyone who wishes to understand the Sangh in today's context. From feminism and LGBT rights, to status of Muslims and the notion of a Hindu rashtra, Ambekar offers a crisp and cogent account of the RSS thinking on most major matters. The book is also a treasure trove of little known factoids. For instance: as of March 2019 the total number of RSS shakhas in the country was a staggering 59,266 (p 32). At the end of the book (p 219), Ambekar offers the RSS's organogram, useful for those who wish to understand its structure.
According to Sunil Ambekar, as of March 2019, the total number of RSS shakhas in the country was 59,266. (Photo: Reuters)
Perhaps, Ambekar's most valuable contribution is to enable us to understand that the unique and distinguishing feature of the RSS is its almost infinite creativity and fecundity. This is manifest in its capacity to create any number of near-autonomous organisations touching almost every sphere of life. As Ambekar puts it, "There is no limit on the number of organisations that can be seeded to support the multiple issues in society that necessitate intervention" (p 145).
The Sangh today
Ambedkar disclaims the moniker sangh srishti for the RSS's phenomenal productivity, attributing the success of the Sangh Parivar to 'India's creations born out of Indian visions'. Yet, there can be no doubt that starting with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which won 303 seats in the 2019 general elections and the party supremo and current Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, both of whom are RSS creations, the triumph of the Sangh has been unprecedented in recent Indian history.
No matter how much the RSS is misunderstood and demonised, whether by left liberals in India and abroad, or even by frustrated heads of state across the border, its contribution to the making of modern India is indubitable.
Today, it is force to reckon with in almost every area of Indian life and society. The real secret of its success, to my mind, are the thousands of fully dedicated workers like Sunil Ambekar, who have given their lives for to make India a strong, stable, and resurgent nation.
Also read: Can the media stop baiting the RSS?
#Vijayadashami, #Sunil ambekar, #Keshav baliram hedgewar, #RSS
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of DailyO.in or the India Today Group. The writers are solely responsible for any claims arising out of the contents of this article.
Makarand R Paranjape @makrandparanspe
The writer is director, Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla. The views are personal.
Like DailyO Facebook page to know what's trending.
More from Makarand R Paranjape |
VARIETY|
Latest of the lot
Sign In with or to comment
@media screen and (max-width: 1024px) { .single-feature-infinite-scroll-container.tu_feature>.on+.hentry:not(.on){ z-index: 9; position: relative !important; top: 0; } .single-feature-infinite-scroll-container.tu_feature>.on+.hentry{ position: relative} }

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
SELECTcerts gets an update with new certificates and some other great features
We're having to update SELECTcerts as BS 7671:2018 +A2:2022 includes an amended version of the Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) which supersedes the one that is currently part of the single Certificate of Construction introduced in July 2020.
The changes come into effect on 9 January 2023 and are particularly relevant for Approved Bodies (AB) and Approved Certifiers of Construction (ACC) registered in SELECTs Certification of Construction Scheme who verify compliance with Building (Scotland) Regulations for work carried out under a building warrant.
The opportunity to make a number of other changes has also been taken and follows up on suggestions for improvements to the certificate from ABs and ACCs using the scheme.
The changes should make the production of the Certificate of Construction simpler, with the drop-down option for adding a new certificate containing an updated version that is clearly identifiable as the '2022 Certificate of Construction'.
Other new features include:
A new table in the body of the Certificate of Construction to enable the AB/ACC to indicate the nature of the work that has been undertaken and how the work has been checked for compliance
Options to choose the relevant supplementary certificates that relate to how the nature of the work has been checked when creating the Certificate of Construction
Options for relevant supplementary certificates, including BS 7671:2018 +A2:2022 model certificates such as the Electrical Installation Certificate and single signature version of the EIC and Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate.
Other new supplementary certificate options include, where relevant, BS 5266 certification for emergency lighting systems for premises other than dwellings, BS 5839-6 certification for fire detection and fire alarms in dwellings, and BS 5839-1 certification for fire detection and fire alarms for buildings other than dwellings.
SELECTcerts is available from Google Play, Windows App Store and the Apple App Store for £240 + VAT annually or a monthly payment of just £20 + VAT. For a free trial, go to www.selectcerts.co.uk/login


Product prices and availability are accurate as of 2019-04-25 09:50:42 UTC and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on http://www.amazon.co.uk/ at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Quadcopter-Drones.co.uk are proud to offer the brilliant Goolsky 1Pair Landing Gear for Dongmingtuo X8 Wifi FPV Drone Quadcopter.
With so many available today, it is wise to have a make you can believe in. The Goolsky 1Pair Landing Gear for Dongmingtuo X8 Wifi FPV Drone Quadcopter is certainly that and will be a excellent buy.
For this reduced price, the Goolsky 1Pair Landing Gear for Dongmingtuo X8 Wifi FPV Drone Quadcopter comes widely recommended and is always a regular choice amongst many people. Goolsky have provided some great touches and this equals great value.
This landing gear set designed for X8 RC Quadcopter, featuring high quality and durable performance, which is the best choice for you to enjoy more flying joys.
Replacement landing gear designed for the Dongmingtuo X8 Wifi FPV Drone Quadcopter.
Efficient to protect your aircraft.
The landing gear set is of high endurance and flexibility for great impact.
Replacement landing gear designed for the Dongmingtuo X8 Wifi FPV Drone Quadcopter. Lightweight and easy to install. Effecient to protect your aircraft. Durable plastic construction provides both lightness and rigidity. The landing gear set is of high endurance and flexibility for great impact.


The Tao of Spiritual Partnership / Gabriella Kortsch, PhD: Does Happiness Continue to Elude You?
When you finally go out to buy that product you've seen touted in magazine ads and TV commercials, or perhaps a friend has also recommended it, you actually go buy it because – or so our marketers tell us – you've seen it or heard about it a minimum of nine times. It's a bit like that when you decide to make changes in your life: you may see the value of doing so when you read an article or a friend tells you, but very possibly you don't in fact do so until you've heard or read about it quite a few times. That is why today I am writing yet another article about happiness … the elusiveness of happiness.
Loving Yourself: This is essential. Without this, nothing else will fall into place. And please, it's not about taking long baths with scented candles scattered around the tub (although that is a great thing to do). What loving yourself is about is the recognition that while you are not in a place of good inner well-being, you are neglecting to do something that shows you that you love yourself. It means that you can choose to take yourself to a better inner place at all times, no matter what the circumstances.
· Do You Like the Person You are Alone With?
· Could Super-achievers be Driven by Low Self-Esteem?
Developing Good Boundaries: This is also essential. How can you possibly be happy as long as your boundaries continue to be transgressed by others? How can you possibly be happy as long as you allow your boundaries to continue to be transgressed by others? Working on having good boundaries shows the inner self that you love it. So this one goes hand in hand with the first point.
· Do Your Relationship Boundaries Contribute to Your Well-Being?
Being Responsible for Yourself: So often people tell me they hate this. If you become responsible for yourself, you can no longer blame anyone or anything. Your external circumstances – no matter how apparently difficult they are – do not mean that you should blame them for how terrible you feel. How you feel is your responsibility. Full stop. What you do – at all times – is your responsibility. How you react – always- is your responsibility. No matter what.
Making Healthy Choices: Guess what? This one is also essential and goes 100% hand-in-hand with the previous one. As long as you make choices that do not benefit you, you haven't much hope of finding that elusive quality you are searching for: happiness. So here's what that means: understand that at every moment of every day you are making choices (even if you choose not to make one). Those choices compose the sum total of your days, your weeks, and hence your life. So it is entirely up to you to make choices about everything that is going on that benefit you. If you find yourself in a terrible bind; a really challenging place, you can choose your thoughts about this challenge. You can choose where those thoughts go and hence you have a hand in deciding how you feel thanks to the thoughts you have chosen. And remember: you always have a choice!
Forgiving: Bet you don't like that one. But here's the thing: if you don't forgive, happiness will absolutely elude you. If you don't forgive, you'll continue to vibrate to past pain. It will eat at you – perhaps only every so often when you think of the past event – but it will corrode your happiness as surely as acid destroys metal. Deciding to forgive; choosing to forgive, is elementary to happiness. Forgiving does not mean condoning. It does not mean you have to love or hug that person that did whatever it was to you. It also doesn't mean that you have to have any kind of relationship with that person at all. You need not even let that person know that you have forgiven him or her. But forgiving him or her is one of the tasks you've set yourself in this life. Without it, your happiness will never be more than partial and temporary.
Being Aware: None of the above will work without awareness. So in fact, all of these elements are so intertwined, that by working on one you will also run face-to-face into the others. Leaving one out signifies that the work you do on the others is incomplete. Being aware means first and foremost standing in an engaged relationship with yourself. It means paying attention to what you're thinking and feeling. It means choosing to make better choices by taking more responsibility for yourself and loving yourself in ways that show you that you love yourself. You'll know when you're doing it because you will feel so good inside, even if just for a moment. Even your body will give confirmation of that fact by how it momentarily feels.
· Do You Vibrate to a tune that Serves You Well?
There are also many articles directly about the subject of happiness both on this blog, my other blog, and on my website with much more information.
Remember: it's up to you whether you are happy, not your circumstances.
Who is Lying to You?
Are You Also a Bit of a Vampire?


Foraying into the high-value cycle market in Europe, world's major cycle manufacturer Hero Cycles on Wednesday announced that it had acquired a majority of stake in UK-based cycle distributor, Avocet Sports Ltd.
"This acquisition marks our entry into the European market and plays an important role in realising our ambition of becoming one of its key players," Pankaj Munjal, chairman and MD, Hero Cycles, said.
Hero Cycles, world's largest cycle manufacturer by volume, is the leader in both the standard and specialist bicycle segments in India, with an overall market share of about 35 per cent. The company is equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure and the most modern machinery.
"We are hopeful that our respective teams will have the opportunity to work together and use our respective strengths to manufacture and distribute world-class products to customers in UK and continental Europe," Munjal added.
Avocet is one of the top three distributors of bicycles, e-bikes, bicycle parts and accessories in UK. The company has existing retail relationships with leading retailers such as Tesco, Halfords, ASDA, Shop Direct, Amazon, among others.
"I am very excited to become a part of the world's largest bicycle company, Hero Cycles. We are proud to become the first acquisition for Hero outside India," Steven Walsh, chairman of Avocet commented on the acquisition.
"I am looking forward to working with the Hero team to develop the UK & European markets together," Walsh added.


text:
Largest flawless blue diamond sells for nearly $24M
Published Thu, May 15 20147:52 AM EDT Updated Thu, May 15 20148:07 AM EDT
Robert Frank@robtfrank
The largest flawless blue diamond ever sold just went under the hammer at Christie's for nearly $24 million.
The 13.22-carat gem was expected to sell for between $21 million and $25 million, so the sale was within the expected range.
The stone was the top lot at Christie's Magnificent Jewels sale Wednesday, where 250 lots were expected to sell for a total of about $80 million.
Source: Christie's Images Ltd. 2014
Last year there were two notable diamond sales. Christie's sold "The Orange"—the largest fancy vivid orange diamond in the world—for $35.5 million.
Then, in November, Sotheby's Geneva auction house sold the "Pink Star" diamond for a record $83 million—$23 million above the asking price. But the auction house was later forced to buy back the gem after the buyer defaulted.
More auction news:
Warhols auctioned for more than $100M
Most expensive Rolex sells for $1.2M
—By CNBC's Robert Frank.


text:
in the Womb
Social Media News Digest: YouTube Ads Upgrade and TikTok's New Talent Feature
16/01/2023 - 3 Minutes
One of the biggest secrets in social marketing is to always stay tuned for the latest trends and updates. GBC Time highlights the biggest news, changes, and tendencies on social media in a weekly digest. So, below you will find new Meta's legal actions, TikTok's new Talent Manager Portal, and the hottest YouTube Ads updates.
Met's new legal actions against data scraping companies
Meta company has a long story with the data on its platforms. At this time, the social media giant announced legal actions against another company for scraping profile data from Facebook and Instagram. According to the official Meta announcement, the company named Voyager Labs illegally tracked personal data from Facebook and Instagram. The main requirement from Meta to the courtroom is to ban the company's access to the platforms.
Moreover, Voyager Labs is also accused of data tracking from Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn as well.
It seems like Meta is not ready to give up in the fight against the collection of personal information of users on the platforms.
TikTok launches a new Manager-Creator feature
Since TikTok has been supporting content creators worldwide, the video platform announces a new feature, which simplifies the work for the manager.
Talent Manager Portal is part of the TikTok Creator Marketplace network, the main task of which is to build a connection between agents and more than 800 000 content creators worldwide. This network is the perfect feature, which satisfies not just the content creators, but celebrities who start creating TikTok videos as well.
TikTok Creator Marketplace was first introduced in 2019, and since then the whole platform has been constantly improving the monetization system for the content-creators from all over the globe.
YouTube Ads analytics upgrade
It seems like one of the main goals for YouTube is the development of the ad on the platform these days. So here are a few upgrades on YouTube that were announced recently.
The first update is related to YouTube Studio, which is essentially a brand-new feature. Thanks to this tool, it will be possible to analyze the effectiveness of each type of content on the audience.
Another important format for the main YouTube office is the Shorts. It seems like this format becomes more and more popular each day, which is why the company decided to update short-video content as well.
YouTube launched a feature, which gives content creators access to deep analytics of the categorized view history. It means that there will be a few categories of video view history for:
Shorts;
videos;
live-streams.
Summing up, YouTube will put all its efforts into the development of such a format as shorts. So, this category is definitely a trend on the YouTube platform.
By analyzing the latest updates and announcements from the platforms, it becomes clear that the short video format is the future of advertising. if you want to talk more about your brand, use short talking points and trending music regardless of platform.
Previous: Markor Technology and FSB agree three-year partnership extension
Next: The Biggest Tournament Returns – Americas Cardroom's Venom Begins January 26th
MGM Resorts scores events deal with NFL Players Association
GiG expands LatAm presence with Joy Enterprise deal
Sands buoyed by return of Chinese tourist market in Macau
Livespins signs content agreement with Gamzix
Entain CEE completes acquisition of SuperSport
Entain accelerates plans to leave unregulated markets
TOP 5 Free Spins Casinos in Norway
The Biggest Tournament Returns – Americas Cardroom's Venom Begins January 26th
Tab NZ misses profit budget again in November
Pragmatic Play agrees deal with Betpoint
Five Popular Streamers Who Are Investing in Their Esports Teams
© 2023 in the Womb


Nadeem Ali, Abedullah Bhat, Firdous Ahmad Bangroo, Ajaz Hamid Wani, Shivani Kalhan, Manjeet Singh Dhanda.
Rice bodies are most of the times encountered in rheumatological disorders. They have also been seen in tuberculosis, though rarely. With tuberculosis, rice bodies are usually associated with bursae and tenosynovium and very rarely with large joints. We report a rare case of intra articular rice bodies associated with tuberculosis of the knee joint that was managed by joint lavage, debridement and anti tubercular therapy.
Key words: Rice bodies; Tuberculosis; Rheumatoid arthritis; Synovium.
2. SankaranB. Tuberculosis of bones and joints. Ind J Tub 1993;40:109-18.
3. Kuo CC, Uang CC, Hsu CJ, Hsu HC. Tuberculous bursitis with rice bodies. Mid Tiwan J Med 2004;9:124-9.
4. Reise H. Die Reiskorpschen in tuberculserkrankensynovalsacken. Deutsche Zeitschrift fr Chirurgie, vol. 42, p.1, 1895.
15. Suleman FE, Velleman MD. Intra-articular rice bodies: Imaging for persistant joint pain. SA Orthop J 2011;10(4):80-2.
16. Muangchan C, Nilganuwong S. The study of clinical manifestation of osteoarticular tuberculosis in Siriraj Hospital, Thailand. J Med Assoc Thai 2009; 92(S):101-09.


text:
Travel to Angels' Rest
Use the map or read the Travel Instructions below from popular starting points.
2 hours from Boston, MA 1 1/2 hours from Hartford, CT
2 1/2 hours from Albany
3 1/2 hours from New York City
25 minutes from Bratleboro, VT, 35 minutes from Northampton, MA.
Angels' Rest is located in the town of Leyden, Massachusetts, which is roughly 9 miles from I-91 in Greenfield and 5 miles from the Vermont border. It is a rural town of 800 people, and the town center consists of a town hall, a church and a small library.
By Bus: Peter Pan Bus Lines goes to Greenfield, Massachusetts. From there you can take an Ace Cab at (413) 773-9063 to Angels' Rest at 63 North County Road in Leyden, MA or call the retreat center 413 772 0648 to arrange pickup in advance.
By Train: Amtrak goes to Brattleboro, VT, which is 20 minutes from Angels' Rest. From there you can take Brattleboro Taxi at (802) 254-6446 to Angels' Rest at 63 North County Road in Leyden, MA or call the retreat center at 413-772-0648 to arrange pickup in advance.
By Airplane: The closest airport is Hartford, Connecticut (Bradley International), which is a lilttle over an hour away. Valley Transporter does airport transfer for @$55 one-way and is available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST at (413) 253-1350 or (800) 872-8752. Have them take you to the Rodeway Inn (in Greenfield, MA). From there you can take an Ace cab (773-9063) directly to Angels' Rest for @$20 or call the retreat center 413-772-0648 to arrange pickup in advance.
From New York City area and South: Take 95N or 15N (Merrit Parkway) to 91N towards Hartford. Then follow directions below*.
From Albany and West: Take 90 Mass. Pike to 91N (exit 4). Then follow directions below*.
FROM 91N: Proceed east to intersection of 91 and 2W, exit 26 "Greenfield" (Massachusetts, not Connecticut). At the rotary, take Route 2 east (business) to Conway Street (@1 mile). Turn LEFT. Follow Conway Street which changes name to Leyden Road as you cross over 91. Follow Leyden Road for 8.8 miles. Stay on main road and do not take any right forks. Towards the end of this ± 7 miles, you'll pass a graveyard on your left and you'll come to a choice of straight on Mid County Road or following the road as it road curves to the right. Proceed STRAIGHT up the hill on Mid County Road. Follow Mid County until it ends at a stop sign and the road turns into West Leyden Road. Follow West Leyden straight up the hill until you turn RIGHT on North County Road. Proceed .3 miles until you see the Angels' Rest sign. Park IN the driveway following the directions below.
FROM 91S: Take Highway 91 to exit 1, Brattleboro, VT. Go west/south (right turn) on 5 towards Guilford (1 mile). Turn right just after the Guilford Country Store at Guilford Center Road Follow this road 1.7 miles . Turn left onto Weathershead Hollow Road. Go 7.4 miles. Turn right on Zimmerman Hill Road. Go up the hill. Turn left at the T towards the little Leyden triangle (a few yards only). At the triangle, turn right towards Colrain and West Leyden Road. Continue 3/4 mile, following the sharp hairpin turn to the right. Go up the hill and take your first right onto North County Road. Go .3 miles to Angels' Rest sign on right and enter drive, following parking directions below
FROM Route 2: Follow route 2 going west past Turners Falls. Follow signs for 2W. Exit at "5 and 10 Greenfield" and turn left off exit. Turn right at first light onto Silver Street. Go to end and turn right onto Leyden Rd. (left is Conway St.). Follow Leyden Road. Stay on main road and do not take any right forks. Towards the end of this 7.1 miles, you'll pass a graveyard on your left and you'll come to a choice of straight on Mid County Road or following the road as it road curves to the right. Proceed STRAIGHT up the hill on Mid County Road. Follow Mid County until it ends at a stop sign and the road turns into West Leyden Road. Follow West Leyden straight up the hill until you turn RIGHT on North County Road. Proceed .3 miles until you see the Angels' Rest sign. Park IN the driveway following the directions below.
SNOW (NO 4WD): After the graveyard, Greenfield Road curves to the right. Don't go up the hill on Mid County Road (which can be icy). Bear right on the same road and continue to the very top of the hill where there's a little white and black sign that points towards "West Leyden" and "Colrain." Turn LEFT here. After this turn, you'll see the Leyden Town Hall on your left and a white Methodist church on your right. Continue 3/4 mile and turn RIGHT at the hairpin curve ("Leyden" sign). Go up the hill and take you first RIGHT onto North County Road. Angels' Rest is .3 miles on the right. Park IN the driveway following the directions below.
PARKING INSTRUCTIONS: On the left side of the driveway, please park perpendicular to the side of the driveway facing into the woods . On the right side of the newly expanded driveway, cars should be parked along the hillside. Please keep in mind that there must be room for an emergency vehicle to access the buildings via the driveway. Thanks!
For the sake of our pristine environment, please carpool whenever possible.
© 2004-2019 Angels' Rest Retreat, LLC. All Rights Reserved.


text:
The plot of the Jetsons cartoon "Private Property" revolves around a set of blueprints that look exactly the same facing two different directions. So how is anyone supposed to be able to read them properly?
I remember that going through my head as poor George Jetson gets unfairly blamed and verbally abused by Mr. Spacely throughout the cartoon, yet still wants to work for him. And Spacely demanding personal property (theatre tickets) of Jetsons? Evidently they didn't have H.R. departments in this version of 21st Century corporate America.
Ah, well. Not exactly my favourite Jetsons episode (even the title is weak). But it has given me an excuse to clip together this pan shot.
Here's another shot of Jetson's office.
Someone like Howard Fein will be able to tell you who animated what in this cartoon. Ken Muse did some of the animation but he receives no credit. Neither does Jerry Hathcock. Parts of this cartoon were subcontracted out to Grantray-Lawrence as Grant Simmons, Ray Patterson, Irv Spence and Don Lusk receive screen credit. Here are some shock drawings of George, who has a long, thin nose.
George races from the scene. The animator draws outlines. I like the little stardust plus-signs that the characters leave behind in their wake. Very '60s.
And outlines of Cogswell.
Bob Gentle has the sole background credit on this cartoon. Here are some exteriors and interiors. There are a couple of interiors I'd have liked to have snipped together but the colour isn't consistent on the DVD frames.
Howie Morris shows up as Harlan. Howie makes me smile every time I hear him on this show.
Anyone know who's doing Miss Asteroid? Gerry Johnson wasn't at Hanna-Barbera that early. Variety reported on March 27, 1963: "Gerry Johnson checked off KNXT's "Panorama Pacific" for vocal assignments with Hanna-Barbera cartoons." This cartoon appeared February 24, 1963 and the voice track likely would have been made some time in 1962. It's not Janet Waldo. That leaves Penny Singleton.
Best pun: "Oooh! Isn't that a Christian Di-Orbit?"
Spacely's impression of Cogswell sounds more like a Flintstones bird-with-a-record-needle-beak than Cogswell.
Anonymous 8 August 2015 at 08:57
The other animator is Jerry Hathcock.
rodineisilveira 8 August 2015 at 10:37
Kenneth Muse and Jerry Hathcock animated this Jetsons episode.
top_cat_james 8 August 2015 at 13:47
This episode's scriptwriter,Tony Benedict re-used the boundary dispute plot line for the Flintstones the following year ("Room for Two").
Howard Fein 13 August 2015 at 18:54
Barry E. Blitzer wrote this episode, not Tony Benedict.
J Lee 9 August 2015 at 07:01
This was probably my least-favorite episode of the series simply because while we expect George to be harassed from all angles during the show, this was pretty much a 30-minute non-stop beat-down with a depressing ending (which might have had more 'real world' entertainment value coming at it from an adult view of the world, since The Jetsons was supposed to also appeal to adults. But watching George take it for the entire show and then have the punchline that he's screwed things up again with the property line map just didn't leave a good taste in your mouth at the finish).
Chris Sobieniak 10 August 2015 at 16:55
It does seem like George gets it over and over and over here Even after thinking he had everything planned out to a T with getting Spacely to sign a contract to not fire him again, he ends up as Spacely's private slave for thinking he did the right thing in explaining a bit of fact he discovered about the other building.
In the end, I wonder if making the building several inches tall was all Coswell's idea of bilking some hard-earn cash from Spacely anyway. Clever d--kmove if any to build a skyscraper to be purposely not up to code and leave Spacely holding the bag.
Georgi 9 August 2015 at 15:47
Miss Asteroid was (maybe) either Ginny Tyler or Nancy Wible. She sounds like one of the carhops in The Flintstones' "The Drive-Inn". Must admit I can't quite remember which one.
I think Penny Singleton did the voice of Miss Asteroid at a slightly higher pitch and accent than she uses for Jane.
RobGems.Ca Wrote:
My favorite line since seeing this from childhood:
"One Mr. Spacely is bad enough, but SIX is positively sickening!" Other than that, I do feel sorry for poor harassed George in this episode. Remember, quite a bit of the George vs. Spacely battles were borrowed from the battles between Dagwood Bumstead vs. Mr. Dithers.
I'm sure the writers were inspired by that sort of rivalry.
Pokey 10 August 2015 at 08:10
Somehow, this one closed as if it had been an entire flashback, right before George resumes in progress shining Mr.Spacely's shoes. Georgi, good giess as to Miss Asteroid's voice..
Very funny Cogswell line:
"Upside down..which is EXACTLY the way thatr YOU (Spacely) YOU've been ruinning your whole BUSINESS..UPSIDE DOWN!"LOLSC
Somehow, this one closed as if it had been an entire flashback, right before George resumes in progress shining Mr.Spacely's shoes.
The use of that out-of-focus transition is a little awkward as I thought that way as well. I suppose the "Spin Cut" had yet to become a standard in sitcoms at this point.
But I wonder why we don't SEE George relating it at the beginning as he talks to the camera at the end....:)
I think the entire first act of the episode, through Jane bursting into tears about not going to show, was animated by Irv Spence. His style is very similar to that of Ed Love. The rest of the episode alternated (rather jarringly) between Hathcock and Muse.
If not Spence- or entirely by him- the first scene may have also been animated by any combination of Ray Patterson, Don Lusk, or Grant Simmons. All four were teamed on numerous other JETSON episodes and seem to have very similar styles to Spence and each other. But it was unusual to see any of them working on the same episode as Hathcock and Muse. Maybe because it was nearing the end of the show's production, animators were taken out of their usual units to finish up the last episodes.
Nottingham and Yeggs Storyboard
The Tony Benedict Documentary
Snuffles the Model
Snagglepuss in Arrow Error
Flintstones Comics, August 1965
Hoyt Curtin Scores
Psst! Wanna Buy a Lawman Horse?
Today's Health Advice
Yogi Bear Weekend Comics, August 1965
A Plan of Success Through Planned Animation


text:
Going forward, streamlined government press releases will deliver more impact and less jargon
Forbes magazine apologises for article describing Irish president as gay
Times royal baby souvenir issue achieves biggest national press circulation boost
News UK titles claimed a circulation victory yesterday with both The Times and The Sun outperforming their nearest rivals.
According to estimates from News UK, The Times saw its circulation increase by 14.5 per cent from its base sale yesterday with its souvenir royal baby edition – which included a cover-wrap picture front. This would have lifted its circulation to more than 450,000.
According to The Guardian, its sales increased by 5 per cent, which was around the same percentage increase as The Daily Telegraph and The Independent.
It also reported that the Daily Mail's circulation rose by 2.5 per cent and the Daily Express by 4 per cent.
The Sun, meanwhile, claimed a 5 per cent increase (according to News UK), and is thought to have outperformed its rivals, the Daily Mirror and Daily Star. The Sun changed the name on its masthead yesterday to The Son as a tribute to the royal birth.
Looking at digital figures for Monday supplied by Experian Hitwise, the Express website saw the biggest increase of any UK national newspaper website – up 40 per cent on the previous week. The Mirror, meanwhile, saw a 32 per cent increase and the Telegraph is believed to have had a 29 per cent rise.
The Guardian, which introduced a 'Republican?' button on to its website to let readers screen out Royal baby coverage, saw a 22 per cent increase in traffic on Monday according to Experian.
Elsewhere, the UK's biggest newspaper website, Mail Online, saw a 12 per cent surge in traffic, the Evening Standard's rose by 16 per cent and the Metro, Sun and Independent websites all saw traffic increases of 6 per cent.
First post-paywall figures reveal slump in Sun website market share
Regional ABCs: 25 weeklies increase sales
Regional ABCs: 90% of paid-for weeklies drop circulation


Whether you have just purchased a property at auction, you have had a tenant do a moonlight flit, or a relative has just died, we are here to help. if you are in need of a house clearance in Sydney, then this is just one of our many professional junk removal services that we provide across Sydney. We provide house clearance services in Sydney, and all over Sydney, taking the big job off your hands.
We not only clear all junk and rubbish from the property, we also remove and dispose of furniture, strip-out carpets, strip-out kitchens, and can even clear the garden and shed too. No matter how messy or daunting the house clearance job looks to you, we deal with this sort of thing on a near-on daily basis, and have the knowledge and expertise to get the job done efficiently, leaving you with the empty space you need.
Because of our wealth of experience in house clearance, we are able to carry out this job effortlessly, and safely, being mindful of power supplies and any other risk factors. We also have the experience and the man power to carry out this job at speed, and so it will be done for you when we say it will be done.
After clearing out the property, we will load up our specialist vehicles with the rubbish and remove it all completely from your premises. We will then dispose of it under the correct district regulations for waste disposal. Whether you are a company, a commercial outfit, or a homeowner, be sure to get in touch with us for all your Sydney house clearance needs.
Get in touch with us by phone or email, and our friendly customer service staff will be able to advise you on a price and a time that is suitable for us to clear your Sydney property. We always aim to work within the customers specified deadlines, and hold customer satisfaction as paramount, so please just get in touch.


text:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<RaiseFault async="false" continueOnError="false" enabled="true" name="return-generic-error">
    <DisplayName>Return Generic Error</DisplayName>
    <Properties/>
    <FaultResponse>
        <Set>
            <Payload contentType="{contentformat}">{soapresponse.body}</Payload>
            <StatusCode>500</StatusCode>
            <ReasonPhrase>Server Error</ReasonPhrase>
        </Set>
    </FaultResponse>
    <IgnoreUnresolvedVariables>true</IgnoreUnresolvedVariables>
</RaiseFault>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Ambient Orbs, Chumby, PS3 Dashboard, and the 1st Gen Xbox Interface are inspirations for Colossus. Colossus builds upon the idea of a dashboard with an enhanced IoT twist--you can track information that's important to you (i.e. biorhythms, calorie counter, medication reminder, stock tracker, etc...) and have it display or have a server calculate an answer for you and display the answer on an Colossus' LCD or have Colossus interact with you once it detects that are close-by via a proximity sensor.
Colossus is an enhanced IoT device that reports info that's important to you--using either leds, lcds, or sound. The key to Colossus is that it should physically look sleek and elegant. It's more like an organic modern art piece--while remaining simple and intuitive to use.
Colossus won't be a "glass slab" but rather an enhanced IoT device that displays information in a way that is meaningful to the owner/operator of the enhanced IoT device.
I'm working on the 3d printed case, and it'll house a Particle unit that's either connected to lots of leds or a few lcds.
I learned much more about the Particle platform, and more about hardware design.
Ben has talked to a children's hospital about the possibility of using Colossus as a broadcast or signal light--we be making a simpler LED or 1-8 NeoPixel version for the children's hospital implementation of the Colossus Project. Advanced members of the team can still work on the lots of leds version--as there are still bugs to work out on that implementation.
The visual design of a new product is a challenging topic for designers/engineers/companies... Industrial designers want to go in one direction and engineers want to go in the exact opposite direction. If too many compromises are made on product design--the overall product is somewhat akin to vanilla flavored ice cream--bland/boring/cautious--the design should've/could've been more like Cold Stone Creamery's Strawberry Blonde or more like Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough---just super awesome.
How do we go from vanilla to super awesome? Why not tap into comic book cool of course! During the dot com era besides designing web pages, I picked up a lot of comic book work-inking/coloring/lettering/penciling/editing/etc..-great books had talented writers/pencilers/inkers/colorists/editors/etc.. And bad books didn't start out aiming to be bad--they were books where either the writer/editor/management had lacked a comprehensive vision for the title. If the artwork was subpar-the writing would really be the glue that held a comic book together. If the writing was bad--then the artwork had better be spectacular. If the writing and art were both really awful then the title was doomed to fail.
Tonight, I'm rethinking my visual design for the Colossus Project, and I'm thinking of it from the vector of injecting some "Comic Book Cool" into the visual design. I'm asking myself questions from back when I worked in the comic book field--questions like what should a signaling device that (insert your favorite super hero name here--Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman/Walker/etc..) would use?
Nord East Makers is an awesome Maker Space! Whenever I need access to industrial/fab lab styled tools--they offer hands down the best Maker Space/Industrial Equipment/Maker Tools/Experience ever! They have not 1--but 2 cutting lasers! NEM recently acquired a 36" by 48" bed w/ 100 Watt CO2 laser. Making this a Big @#$%ing Laser!
Thanks Code 42 & Particle!
Ben and I picked up some Particle Photon Dev Kits from Particle! Ben was really impressed by the small form factor!
Since we'll be at the hackathon for around 13+ hrs--12hrs for the hackathon--+30min showing up early +1 hr Audience Voting +30min-1hr tear down,etc... I'll be carbo loading--my tuna/chicken salad lunches be damned!
I've managed to get the used Particle Photon to work by reinstalling the firmware from the CLI interface by forcing the install through the USB cable--for some reason the used Particle Photon wouldn't see my Wi-Fi network--and now after the new firmware install--everything is work out really well.
I noticed that the Colossus project is cited as an example for how to recruit a team, and seeing how some teams need help recruiting--this is a quick guide to how I like to put together my teams for every project that I am involved with--I work hard to build successful projects and teams, and this guide works out well for my projects. Also please note that the only wrong step you can do is to not actively try to recruit team members.
A-Players are the-best-of-the-best-of-the-best. I really believe that A-Players like to work with other A-Players. They like the energy of solving complex problems and tasks. They feed off of the feedback and interplay between each other. A-Players tackle problems and have a ton of fun at solving problems. This isn't to say that A-players don't make mistakes or have bad days/etc.. Or that all A-Players get along with each other swimmingly--rather A-Players have a mutual working respect for one another and bring other A-players to the team. At times A-Players agree to disagree-but when under pressure they can collaborate well enough together to come up with an innovative solution or creative answer.
The first step I did to recruit A-players was figure out which skill sets I needed badly--since I'm a front end designer--I didn't contact every A-Player that had a front end design background. I also didn't contact A-Players who I thought would submit projects--since this would seem sort of embarrassing--actually quite a few A-Players I had contacted also submitted projects in for IoT Hackday a few days after I had contacted them :) So it's totally okay to contact people you'd love to work with--call them personally or send out a personal email to A-Players and tell them about the IoT Hackday competition.
If you are a shy guy like me--write a personal email--if you've met the person before--write a reminder about where you have met them before--maybe you met them at the same MeetUp group. If you've never met the person before tell them about your project and why you think they would like to join your team. If you know the person pretty well--set up a meeting with them--a phone call or meet up in person over lunch/coffee/etc... and talk to them about your project. Thinking about this a little more--tell everyone about your project too! Helpful people can put you in touch with other people who have the same interests.
Don't be afraid of rejection--as the worst thing someone can say is--"No." And hearing "No" isn't totally devastating in real-life. For example, at college I remember that my term papers would be docked to a "C" if the cover page was crumpled in my backpack by accident or a "D" if the professor didn't like my paper--real-life is totally different--banks take my accidentally crumpled client checks (I know same bad habit from college of shoving papers into my laptop bag) with a big smile on their faces and they would always tell me "Thank You for your Business." Also, for every client that didn't like an idea we had--there would be at least 2-3 other clients who would kill for that same idea--and when they saw how we executed that idea for our other clients--there would be a 30% chance that we'd come back to implement an originally rejected idea. Embrace rejection--a running joke in the advertising business is that, "We've been thrown out of better buildings than this one."
If you are leading a team--you really, really need to like people. This is sort of a problem in the tech field--some tech guys lack social skills or they really have a casual disregard about other people's feelings. To lead a team of A-Players--you have to love working with people and care greatly about them.
If you aren't a team captain and are looking to sign up for a team--please let me know-I know that we're a large team and we can work things out to make things work out-I'd love to have you on the Colossus Project!
I was in Iowa this past weekend for a wedding, and I didn't quite realize it until I had left Minneapolis--but the Twin Cities is a significant tech hub! When I'm here in Minneapolis/St. Paul--presenting ideas to friends/clients/business partners--things just never seem to be good enough because we are all in a constant non-stop cycle of innovating--the ideas/visions we have can lifted to the next level--which is what makes our region such a unique tech hub. For example, I presented a Pan/Tilt Timelapse camera project at the Makerfaire and shared the designs with fellow Makers--everyone felt that the design could be much, much better with either a Bluetooth connection or with a touch screen LCD.
The same is true with my clients--I can build them an Android App, and they would want an iOS App, once the iOS App is completed--I'd win a contract for making the website responsive--or they'd need a Facebook campaign, etc... Essentially--I could wheel in a Dr. Who-Styled-Police-Phone-Booth-Box, a "Time Machine" into their office and plug it into the wall outlet and say something like, "This is a 'Time Machine' we can travel back in time--the range is 1-5 days for traveling back in time. Ready to fire up the 'Time Machine' portal and step back in time 1-5 days?" And my client would say, "Wouldn't it be better if the 'Time Machine' ran on batteries--please come back when it runs on batteries/solar cells/etc..."
I'm starting to pick up a few items for the Colossus project, and I really do enjoy picking up my parts locally if possible. I know I can get a better deal on parts by mail order or on sites like eBay or Aliexpress, but by picking up my parts from local vendors--I support my local economy/businesses and they help me out when I need a part in a pinch--rather than waiting half a month for something to ship from China.
NeoPixels run on 5V and the Particle Photon runs at 3.3V, so we might need to pick up a a logic level shifter such as a 74AHCT125 or a 74HCT245.
The Uberguide states that, "If you are powering your NeoPixels with 3.7v like from a LiPoly, a 3.3v data signal is OK." This might also be true for the Photon--or maybe is true for the Photon running a few NeoPixels.
H.A. Ray wrote "The Stars" around 50 years ago--simplifying how star constellations can be viewed and envisioned. Compared to other astronomy books--Ray's book was easy to understand and an intuitive method of star gazing.
Today, LEDs can be used to convey information, and we can either use a mesh network of a bunch of LEDs into a matrix and display alpha numeric characters or entire words or we can used a system that uses fewer and more meaningful LED beacons. From a manufacturing stand point--a mesh of LEDs could be time consuming or expensive to produce. If we can figure out a method like H.A. Ray and come up with an early "Palm Pilot Graffti" way of conveying/signaling information we can produce more IoT devices with fewer LEDs.
Needed Software: Someone on the Android side of the coin. Backend tools. Restful API skillset/experience.
Needed Equip: Server for HomeKit--Maybe a Raspberry PI could run Apple Homekit?
Wow! There's 7 of us! It's like the Magnificent Seven or Seven Samurai or Fast 7!
Also, it would be really awesome if we could meet up in person a few times before the hackathon.


A few months ago, I wrote about an amazing story and a memoir called Let It Go by Chris Williams.
Thanks to Deseret Book, today I get to give one of you a copy of it!
and I'll announce the winner when it's over.


text:
Sovkhozny () is a rural locality (a settlement) and the administrative center of Pobedenskoye Rural Settlement of Maykopsky District, Russia. The population was 1483 as of 2018. There are 29 streets.

Geography
Sovkhozny is located 4 km north of Tulsky (the district's administrative centre) by road. Udobny is the nearest rural locality.

References

Rural localities in Maykopsky District

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Sony has unveiled its flagship device for 2014, the Xperia Z2. The Sony Xperia Z2 is the latest member in the Xperia series, and comes with some considerable changes.
Sony Xperia Z2 has borrowed alot from its already available smartphone, Xperia Z1. Talking about the specs, the device sports a 5.2 inch full HD Live Color LED Triluminos display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The Xperia Z2 is powered by a 2.3 GHz Quad-Core CPU and Snapdragon 801 chipset and runs on Android 4.4 KitKat. The device is packed with a 3 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage with expandable memory via MicroSD card.
Talking about the camera, Sony Xperia Z2 sports the same camera as we have seen on the Xperia Z1; a 20.7 MP Exmor RS camera. However, the same camera brings different features, as the new Xperia Z2 will record videos in 4k resolution and will also be able to record slow motion videos at 120fps(720p).
Further in, the Xperia Z2 is packed with a 3200 mah battery which seems fair with these boosted specs that we see. No price information is available yet, but we will update you once we hear more.


text:
Student, 21, left 'with nothing' after fake 'Royal Mail' scammers stole £2,500
The woman was contacted by scammers pretending to be from Royal Mail (Image: PA)
A young student has been left "with nothing" after scammers using a fake Royal Mail email address stole £2,500 from her bank account.
The 21-year-old from Horfield, Bristol, said she was "caught in a moment of weakness" while her account was being maxed-out.
The woman, who does not want to be named, said she received an email claiming to be from Royal Mail on November 13.
In the email, she was asked to pay £2 in order for her package to be redelivered, Bristol Live reports.
She paid the money as she thought the email looked "legit" and found no reason to be concerned about it.
The fake Royal Mail email with a link requesting payment
(Image: BristolLive/BPM)
Get the day's biggest stories to your email – sign up for the Mirror newsletter
All the bills you can claim money back from as a result of the pandemic
But when a few days later her mum sent her a news report about a "Royal Mail" scam, she immediately contacted her bank to cancel her card.
She said later that evening she received a call from a telephone number claiming to be a member of the fraud team – who informed her that £1,500 had been withdrawn from her account.
She said: "They told me to transfer all of my money to a safe account so I told them that I didn't trust this and that I was going to ring my bank as I've cancelled my card."
She said she was quickly reassured that it was Lloyds Bank and after checking the back of her card she noticed that the unknown number matched that of the bank.
She said: "They told me to transfer all of my savings to my normal account and then transfer everything that I had into what I thought was a safe account – including an £800 overdraft.
"They were even sending me text messages from Lloyds Bank so I trusted it.
"I was caught in a moment of weakness and they completely cleared me out," she said.
The text messages from scammers apparently phoning on the bank's number
She said the scammers even locked her out of her account and told her she had to wait 24 hours before she could access it.
After the call ended she started thinking that she may have been scammed so she alerted her bank, which confirmed her worst fear.
She said: "It doesn't matter if there was £100 or more – I was left with nothing."
The 21 year-old student added: "They were very persistent and rang me three to four times and just wouldn't leave me alone."
Several days have now passed and she has yet to regain access to her account.
Looking back she said: "It's a bit naive of me to be that trusting with someone, It has completely ruined my life.
"I was left in my overdraft – they maxed-out everything.
"I didn't know what I was going to do financially – I was completely floored.
"I'm 21, I'm young and I don't have that much savings."
She said although the situation could have been much worse, she is worried how badly the incident could have impacted people in a more financially vulnerable position.
"If this affected a family, it could have done more damage to them than me," she said.
She now wants to warn others to be aware of scammers and not to be as naive as she was.
"Always trust your gut and never give any details through an email if you don't trust it – speak to your bank instead," she said.
Following the incident, a spokesman for Lloyds Banking Group said: "Helping keep our customers' money safe is our priority and we have a 24/7 team behind the scenes using cutting-edge technology to fight against fraud.
"We have a great deal of sympathy for the victim of a scam and we fully investigate each individual case.
"Fraudsters are using every trick they can to catch people with their guard down and it's easy for them to disguise themselves using fake emails as companies, organisations and service providers that people recognise and trust.
"Scammers are ready to disappear as soon as they've got their hands on your cash, so it's more important than ever to treat every email, message and call that you're not expecting with caution.
"Your bank will never contact you out of the blue and rush you to make a payment or ask you to move money to another account – even if the phone number looks like it's calling from the bank.
"The best thing to do is hang up and ring your bank back later on the number on the back of your card, ideally from a different device as fraudsters can keep the line open.
"Even if you think you know the sender, don't reply to a text or email message if it seems odd and never enter your personal information.
"If you're not sure, phone the company on a number you trust or visit its website by typing the web address directly into the address bar at the top of your screen."
Sandie Shaw finally forgives husband for 'losing her fortune and leaving her in caravan'
I'm A Celebrity 'fake' row after trials 'filmed in studio away from castle'
Australian Open: 72 players now forced to comply with strict 14-day hotel quarantine but organisers reject talk of tournament delay
Jack Leach and Dom Bess are overcoming hurdles Swann & Panesar, or Lock & Laker, never faced
Rio Ferdinand details how Sir Alex Ferguson used to mock Liverpool in his Man Utd team talks


The announcement of a net zero emissions target for NSW will have far reaching, positive impacts on the state's economy and environment, TEC said today.
"It will need a wide range of concrete and specific programs across key pollution sources such as land clearing, energy production and urban development. A number of major policy areas are already in flux and will need to be brought into line with the new target,'' said Jeff Angel, Executive Director of Total Environment Centre.
''The credo for a 21st century state is to be green and resilient in the face of climate change and play its part in global efforts to thwart dangerous climate change. We look forward to examining the government's detailed plans," Mr Angel said.


Product prices and availability are accurate as of 2019-04-22 07:21:51 UTC and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on http://www.amazon.com/ at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
We are reluctantly selling the extremeley popular Versacarry Inside the Waistband Ambidextrous Gun Holster for 9-mm Barrels, Black, 3.8-4.00 Inch for a reduced price. Don't pass it over - buy the Versacarry Inside the Waistband Ambidextrous Gun Holster for 9-mm Barrels, Black, 3.8-4.00 Inch online today!
VersaCarry is an advanced new inside the waist camouflage holster unlike anything else you've ever before seen. It uses a brand-new patent pending layout that brings the firearm by the inner barrel size. This layout allows for unlimited bring opportunities, while continuing to be one of the tiniest bring devices worldwide. Its ambidextrous trigger guard features a self-locking layout. A Versacarry holster is readily available for nearly every semi-automatic pistol readily available as well as they deal with many devices (like under the barrel installed lasers as well as flashlights). With its easy on/off layout as well as 75% much less holster mass; the Versacarry is wonderful for deep camouflage. With the new Versacarry you have the choice to choose any type of gun you desire to bring, in any type of accessory combination for sturdy, inside-the-waistband camouflage. Versacarry is made to be marginal, fast to use, as well as extremely reliable at suiting a variety of firearm arrangements.


Save Kent Libraries is an online based group that operate from Twitter, Facebook and its very own website at www.savekentlibs.yolasite.com. It was founded in February 2011 by James Dixon, a former KCC Libraries employee, who feels very strongly about how closing libraries would affect a wide range of people.
Our Mission is pure and simple; to secure a library service for the people of Kent that is fit for the 21st Century; one that will support the generations to come and not widen the educational gap between rich and poor.
The Big Read is being organised by Save Kent Libraries and will be happening in all of the KCC operated Libraries on Saturday 5th March. We are asking people to go along to their local library for as little as 5 minutes on 5th March and take out 30 books (the maximum) as this will prove to KCC that the libraries are used as they are looking at issue figures to support their closure proposals. This is more significant for the smaller libraries. We need to use our libraries or we will lose them!
I appreciate this is very brief, but we will be putting more info on our website at www.savekentlibs.yolasite.com in the coming days.
Or please feel free to email me at jamesdixon.skl@gmail.com for more information regarding 'The Big Read' and 'Save Kent Libraries'.
On Thursday we will make a decision where we will be sending the SKL team on Saturday, so if you would like to know what library we will be using as our 'main' vocal location please could you send this in a request to jamesdixon.skl@gmail.com as we will be giving this information out in the strictest confidence.
We are looking for companies/news stations and individual presenters to support us by allowing us to mention their support on the homepage of our website and on our flyers, if you would allow to us doing this please again send your details to jamesdixon.skl@gmail.com and we will arrange this for you!
James Dixon – Founder, Save Kent Libraries.
This entry was posted in news and tagged campaigns, read-in on February 28, 2011 by Bethan.
There are many ways to get involved. CILIP have a great sliding scale of actions, suggesting how you can use whatever spare time you have to get involved.
Libraries around the country are also planning-ins. Read-ins are a way of demonstrating the need for public libraries, and we have some information and advice on holding or attending read-ins here. If you're attending a read-in, why not let people know by signing up for the event on Facebook?
Phil Bradley has created a fantastic set of library posters, based on WWI posters, which you can use to show your support for libraries.
Planned Read-Ins (contact us with details if we don't know about your event). You can also see a map of planned events at the Guardian.
Brentford Library, 12.00. The broadcaster Anna Ford and actress Susan Penhaligon, who are both Brentford residents, have agreed to take part.
Arbury Court Library in Cambridge, Read-In event on February 5 (from 2-3pm).
Churchdown LibraryLibrary fun day (10:00 – 4:00).With story-time, fancy dress and a 'craft corner', plus novelist and playwright Alice Jolly will be holding a creative writing workshop for older teens and adults (time TBC).
Charlton Kings Library (with some activities to take place in the Stanton Room next door)'Love your library' (10:00 – 4:00)Activities will include badge-making, a library treasure hunt, a library quiz for older children and adults, the creation of a memory scroll, and a free prize draw. At 12:30 a celebration 'cut the cake not the library' cake will be shared in the Stanton Room, and from 2:00 published novelist Jane Bailey will be holding a creative writing class for those who dream of putting pen to paper.
Cheltenham LibraryPoetry day (10:30 start)All are welcome to come along and have a go at writing their own poems, or take part in a read-athon of their own work or favourite pieces of poetry/prose. Encouragement will be on hand from local poets, who will also be performing their own work.
Cinderford Library'Kids for Forest Libraries' (1:00 – 3:00)Cinderford will receive a visit from children's author John Dougherty as part of the 'flying authors' tour (estimated landing time – 1:15). At 2:00 there will be the opportunity for kids to 'Hear a Story and Learn to Draw' with acclaimed children's author and illustrator Shoo Rayner.
Hesters Way LibraryLibrary fun day (10:30 start)At 10:30, Hannah Shaw, the author and illustrator of popular children's books 'Evil Weasel' and 'Erroll' will be holding a story and poster workshop for kids of all ages, plus we will be receiving a visit from children's author John Dougherty as part of the 'flying authors' tour (estimated landing time – 11:50).
Lydney Library'Love Lydney Library' (10:30 – 2:00)Story-time sessions will start at 10:30 and 12:00, and there will be the chance to create a Chinese New Year-themed mask and add your brushstrokes to a 'Love Lydney Library' mural.
Mitcheldean Library'Kids for Forest Libraries' (11:00 – 1:00)At 11:00 there will be the opportunity for kids to 'Hear a Story and Learn to Draw' with acclaimed children's author and illustrator Shoo Rayner, plus we will receive a visit from children's author John Dougherty as part of the 'flying authors' tour (estimated landing time – 12:45).
Moreton-in-Marsh LibraryRead-in (12:00 – 2:00)All ages welcome, and with a free family storytelling performance by Chloë of the Midnight Storytellers.
Hucclecote Library – 3:15Check http://foclibrary.wordpress.com/ for information.
Barnet: Between 10:30 and 12:30 there will be a stall outside TheBroadwalk Shopping Centre, Edgware promoting the Save Barnet Libraries Campaign, Unsion's Love Your Libraries Campaign and The Campaign for the Book.
Battersea: Roman mysteries author Caroline Lawrence will be doing a Read-In at York Gardens Library in Battersea on Feb 5 along with other local authors. Do please come along from 1.00 -3.00pm! Other authors attending this Read-In so far are : Sophie Bennett and Nadifa Mohamed! Brixton: Friends of the Tate Library, Brixton, London will joining in with the day and will be collecting signatures and testimonials in support of Lambeth Libraries on the 5th Feb.
Brent: Kensal Rise Library in Brent will be holding a Read In on Sat 5th February. We will be having readings for children, a children's entertainer, Quizzes Balloons etc Hoping to raise awareness of the benefits of our library and of the many libraries threatened with closure nationally.
Sly and Reggie are performing to help and spice up the Lewisham read-ins. They've even composed a song especially for use by libraries campaigners! And a plus is, they reckon they can attend all five participating libraries. Attendance at New Cross is already confirmed.
Brixton Library – from 12 noon.
Ealing Central Library: 12:00. Bring or select your favourite book to read aloud from.
Stony Stratford Library 11.00 – 12.00. Best selling author (and Milton Keynes resident) Carole Matthews is coming to open the event, also local writer Mark Neil writing and reading out a poem. The Read in will be aiming at children there will be several story sessions plus cakes/biscuits and juice for refreshment.
Woburn Sands 10.30 to 12.30, read-in at Woburn Sands Library, which is threatened with closure by Milton Keynes Council along with Stony Stratford Library. We've already had over 1000 signatures against the proposal to close the library, and we're also planning to drop letters, leaflets and petitions around village on Saturday 29 January, encouraging as many people as possible to write to the Council, and to respond to the Budget Consultation for Milton Keynes which includes the proposed library closures and closes on 4 February. Facebook page is here.
Bentham Library in North Yorkshire on Saturday 5th February 2011. Local people are planning to have people read passages from their favourite books or poems through the morning. They are contacting the school and are hoping to have children dressed as their favourite storybook characters and also do some reading.They are inviting national writers to contribute if possible.They are contacting local and national media about this proposed closure.If Bentham closes, the nearest Library would be 12 miles away and there is no public transport to get there.
Beeston Library Read-In, 11.00. More info on Notts SOS site.
Stapleford Library 'Read-out' – 11.00 onward. Day of action against the library cuts, storytelling.
Shepton Mallet and Glastonbury, Somerset, will both be doing a Love Our Library Day on the 5th Feb. That will be followed by a meeting to which all Somerset Campaigners are invited to a meeting to review the progress of the campaign, a screening of Independent film-makers Garfield Kennedy, Ken Kutsch and Kevin Redpaths film and a social.
This entry was posted in campaigns and tagged read-in, savelibraries on January 30, 2011 by VftL team.


text:
Points lost for seat belts
SOME 29.65 percent of fines in the Balearics carrying loss of points from the driving licence have been imposed for driving without a seat belt.
In total this has claimed 177 points from the licences of those drivers caught.
Balearic Traffic Police sources said yesterday that up to July 5 a total of 199 infractions had taken place, which meant a loss of a total of 657 points. Some 17.59 percent of penalties imposed on the islands were for speeding, which claimed 86 points from those committing this offence, if the fines are confirmed. The number of penalties imposed up to now for driving without a seat belt is 59, and there have been 35 for speeding.
Driving while over the limit for alcohol was responsible for 14.57 percent of penalties up to July 5, a percentage similar to the fines imposed on drivers using mobile phones while at the wheel, which was 14 percent. By gender, 81.9 percent of the offences were committed by men, while young people under 25 committed 12 percent of the infractions. Other infractions committed were illegal overtaking and ignoring traffic priorities, for which six drivers received penalties. Also, twelve motorcyclists were fined for not wearing a crash helmet.