2017 is going to be the year of flagships. With Samsung Galaxy S8, S8 Edge and Galaxy Note 8 on the cards, several other smartphone manufacturers will be vying to get their market share with their flagship phones. Looks like LG doesn't want to be left behind and plans to release the LG G6 very soon. With not much happening in the Consumer Electronics Show that concluded on January 8th in Las Vegas, NV, smartphone manufacturers are likely to make interesting announcements at the upcoming Barcelona Mobile World Congress (MWC).
Bixby – Samsung's new AI assistant – will be first introduced on Galaxy S8. Bixby will be significantly more advanced and more contextually aware than S Voice and better integrated into Samsung app ecosystem than the current digital assistant. Sporting a 2K resolution display and featuring 8GB RAM, the Galaxy S8 will have an impressive screen-to-body ratio of about 90%. The phone will make its appearance in April at a special event in New York. Galaxy S8 mass production is all set to begin in March, targeting 5 million units. Another 5 million units will be added for April launch.
That said, LG may also make a significant turnaround in 2017. LG G6 is likely to come with Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, a 5.3-inch Quad HD display with 1440 x 2560 resolution, USB Type-C port and a back panel made of glass. The best thing about LG G6, if rumors are to be believed, is that it's going to be 20% cheaper than its predecessor.


Welcome to the second installment of the Uncanny Magazine Podcast!
This podcast was produced by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Music created by Null Device and used with their permission.
You can subscribe at iTunes or with the RSS feed.
Lynne and Michael are the Publishers/Editors-in-Chief for the three-time Hugo and two-time Parsec Award-winning Uncanny Magazine.
Seven-time Hugo Award winner Lynne M. Thomas was the Editor-in-Chief of Apex Magazine (2011-2013). She co-edited the Hugo Award-winning Chicks Dig Time Lords (with Tara O'Shea) as well as Whedonistas (with Deborah Stanish) and Chicks Dig Comics (with Sigrid Ellis).
Along with being a four-time Hugo Award-winner, Michael Damian Thomas was the former Managing Editor of Apex Magazine (2012-2013), co-edited the Hugo-nominated Queers Dig Time Lords (Mad Norwegian Press, 2013) with Sigrid Ellis, and co-edited Glitter & Mayhem (Apex Publications, 2013), with John Klima and Lynne M. Thomas.


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Mongolia, UPR Report Consideration - 24th Meeting, 30th Regular Session Human Rights Council
H.E. Mr. Vaanchig Purevdorj, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Mongolia to the UNOG (Presenting Additional Information)
Professor Byambadorj Jamsran, Chief Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia (Video Statement)
India, Mr. Reddy Vishnu
Kyrgyzstan, Mr. Ulan Djusupov
Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mr. Xayfhong Sengatara
Philippines, Mr. Enrico T. Fos
Rwanda, Mr. James Ngango
Sierra Leone, Ms. Clarissa Folake Idowu
Turkmenistan, Mr. Atageldi Haljanov
Algeria, Mr. Zoheir Kherrour
Djibouti, Mr. Ibrahim Witti
Estonia, Ms. Eveline Loman
UPR Info, Ms. Piccin Francesca
Federatie Van Nederlandse Verenigingen tot Integratie Van Homoseksualiteit, Mr. Alexander Hammelburg
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development, Ms. Batchuluun Khishigsaikhan
Amnesty International, Ms. Rachel Borrell
International Service for Human Rights, Ms. Sarah Brooks
H.E. Mr. Vaanchig Purevdorj, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Mongolia to the UNOG (Concluding Remarks)
Mr. Mukhtar Tileuberdi, Vice-President of the Human Rights Council (Adoption)
H.E. Mr. Vaanchig Purevdorj, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Mongolia to the UNOG (Presenting Additional Information) 00:01:01
Professor Byambadorj Jamsran, Chief Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia (Video Statement)	00:10:48
India, Mr. Reddy Vishnu	00:18:11
Kyrgyzstan, Mr. Ulan Djusupov 00:19:24
Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mr. Xayfhong Sengatara 00:20:29
Philippines, Mr. Enrico T. Fos	00:22:04
Rwanda, Mr. James Ngango 00:23:35
Sierra Leone, Ms. Clarissa Folake Idowu	00:24:16
Turkmenistan, Mr. Atageldi Haljanov 00:26:26
Algeria, Mr. Zoheir Kherrour	00:28:31
Djibouti, Mr. Ibrahim Witti 00:30:28
Estonia, Ms. Eveline Loman 00:31:06
UPR Info, Ms. Piccin Francesca	00:34:08
Federatie Van Nederlandse Verenigingen tot Integratie Van Homoseksualiteit, Mr. Alexander Hammelburg 00:36:13
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development, Ms. Batchuluun Khishigsaikhan 00:38:19
Amnesty International, Ms. Rachel Borrell 00:40:31
International Service for Human Rights, Ms. Sarah Brooks 00:41:52
H.E. Mr. Vaanchig Purevdorj, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Mongolia to the UNOG (Concluding Remarks)	00:44:07
Mr. Mukhtar Tileuberdi, Vice-President of the Human Rights Council (Adoption) 00:46:28
Panama, UPR Report Consideration - 24th Meeting, 30th Regular Session Human...
Maldives, UPR Report Consideration - 24th Meeting, 30th Regular Session Human...
Bulgaria, UPR Report Consideration - 26th Meeting, 30th Regular Session Human...
USA, UPR Report Consideration - 22nd Meeting, 30th Regular Session Human Rights...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Glenn Adamson July 22, 2019 Art
It's been a long, hard winter for fiber art. At least, that is how it has looked in most of the world, until very recently. The discipline enjoyed a sharp rise in visibility in the 1960s, with exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam; was the subject of numerous publications (most notably those by Jack Lenor Larsen and Mildred Constantine); and earned a widespread popular embrace, fueled by the counterculture. Then, equally precipitous, came the decline. Fiber art was parodied as "macramé"—actually a very specific and useful knotting technique—a genre for hairy hippies. Now, this long period of inattention is coming to a close, with a recent major survey exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, and renewed examination of such figures as Anni Albers, Ruth Asawa, Sheila Hicks, and Lenore Tawney. Spring has finally sprung.
BrownGrotta Arts in Wilton, Connecticut is housed in a barn built in 1895. Photograph by Tom Grotta. All photographs courtesy of BrownGrotta Arts.
All along, one place stood against the prevailing indifference: BrownGrotta Arts. Founded in 1987, when fiber art was at its reputational nadir, the gallery is located in a quiet corner of Connecticut, in a contemporized barn built in 1895. Its proprietors, married couple Rhonda Brown and Tom Grotta, have knowledge of and enthusiasm for international textiles that are simply unmatched. Grotta came to the subject early—at birth, in fact. His parents, Lou and Sandy, were among the country's pioneering collectors of studio craft.
Their interest in the Canadian tapestry artist Mariette Rousseau-Vermette led to Grotta's initial involvement in the medium. Brown, meanwhile, has expertise in publishing, including a law degree, and oversees editorial work at the gallery.
Two pieces by Lilla Kulka, Odchodzacy (Departure II), 1993, on the left, and Co-Bog Zlaczyl (What God has Joined), 1987, on the right.
Over its three decades of existence, BrownGrotta has kept alive the flame for scholarship on fiber art and weaving of other kinds. The business model has always been unusual: in many respects, it resembles a craft-based non-profit—like the Center for Art in Wood or the Clay Studio, both in Philadelphia—more than a commercial gallery. Because it is located off the beaten path, the gallery mounts just one exhibition a year, which is open to the public only for a few weeks. This affords time to concentrate on what Brown and Grotta do best: support research and awareness of the field. They published their first catalogue in 1991—on the Finnish basket maker Markku Kosonen—and have produced numerous monographs and thematic books ever since, typically featuring images by Grotta, who studied photography at the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Red Sash by Jiro Yonezawa, 2018, in bamboo, steel, and urushi lacquer.
The gallery's current exhibition typifies its wide-ranging approach. Entitled Art and Identity: An International View, the show includes artists from more than twenty nations—the opening spread in the exhibition catalogue is a world map—and runs the gamut of techniques. There are, of course, baskets and weavings, but also unexpected processes like folded wire mesh (Jin Sook-So from Korea) and a tapestry made on a digital Jacquard loom by Lia Cook, an American national treasure. Materials are equally diverse, with nails and safety pins, bark, linen and cotton, paper and polyester all making appearances. Some artists' materials are little poems in their own right, such as the 1962 Encyclopedia Britannica pages on poplar in Wendy Wahl's Honey and Hive.
A view into the BrownGrotta Arts space.
Just as important is the aesthetic range of the works. Some recall the shaggy looseness of the countercultural era—which looks really good right about now—while others, like those of the superlative Danish weaver Gudrun Pagter, channel modernist abstraction. Still others, such as a lacquered basket by Jiro Yonezawa, intensify ancient traditions to electrifying effect. Ezra Shales, in an essay published by the gallery in 2015, noted that textile history has never subscribed to narratives of linear progress: "There is no singular moment or manner of bundling fiber, nor any grand revolution that illuminates the night more than any other." Though the field has had its leading lights, there is no canon, nor even necessarily a shared set of references that bind it together.
Birgit Daa Birkkjær's Ode for the Ocean, 2003–2019, sits in front of Data Dots Emotional Intensity by Lia Cook, 2015.
At another time in history, this eclecticism might have made fiber art seem wayward and non-rigorous. In our present multivalent moment, it feels like an ideal state, to which other artistic mediums might well aspire. Despite its relatively modest scale—tiny, compared to the mega-galleries in nearby New York City—BrownGrotta has managed to encompass everything that fiber art has had to offer. The current rediscovery of fiber art has already begun to position the medium differently—not at the center of the art world, as the art world is permanently de-centered, but simply at a level commensurate with its achievements. As this moment arrives, though, it is good to remember that it wasn't inevitable. Someone had to be minding the store.
BrownGrotta Arts is located at 276 Ridgefield Road in Wilton, Connecticut. browngrotta.com
Anni Albersbrowngrottabrowngrotta artsfiber artfield triplenore tawneyruth asawasheila hicks


Jack in the box | Please leave out the pickle!
HomeBlogMediaPlease leave out the pickle!
The struggles of a long distance media buyer.
Ever watched a movie and missed twenty minutes of footage because you've fallen asleep? Annoying isn't it? A friend of mine who loves the ballet once told me he received an urgent business call in the first interval of 'Coppelia' and when he went back for the third sitting he'd totally lost the plot. I guess it's about continuity and it's easy for me to see how this fits into most of the corridors of our lives. It is of course a vital part of advertising, despite the fact that most businesses do not consider the issues when they are planning their advertising.
For example, take the media schedule. When, after many months of persuasion, an agency breaks through and gets the client to agree on a planned approach to their advertising, the first thing that gets planned is a media schedule. What takes place next during the presentation is no generalisation. Halfway through the presentation the client starts to take bits and pieces out!
Sometimes it's economies, sometimes it's personal likes and dislikes – such as the client who didn't personally listen to the recommended radio station and demanded it be changed, despite the fact that his target market was some 25 years younger than himself. Then there's the 'chop em up' client who wants to know what an advertisement would look like if it were half a page instead of a full page? I got in serious trouble on one occasion when as a young executive I took the draft advertisment and in complete frustration ripped it down the centre, while advising everyone in the room "it would look like that".
So getting the full picture becomes increasingly difficult but what's really important for all clients to know and understand is this. If you reduce, change or amend a media schedule that's been recommended by a bona fida media person, you can bet your sweet bippie that it'll have significantly greater impact on the success of the campaign than you think. Media buyers don't just want to spend your hard earned budget. They present you with a schedule because it's the best resolution – they researched it and ultimately they use their skill to fashion what will work for what you can afford.
They don't give you a media schedule because it's the first thing that comes into their head, they look at the target, they study the ground results, they access the possibilities and they deliver the complete story.
If you mess with it, and that's your prerogative, don't come back and want to have your ticket refunded because the story didn't make sense and the target market didn't get it.
It may not be what clients want to hear but let me re-assure everyone, it's the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Oh! And just as a parting shot, not everyone watches Master Chef, especially if you're selling fertiliser.


← 'Saying thank you' – a poem for father's day.
Poetry is not a luxury, something we only turn to when more important things have been seen to. Poetry is essential. We need to listen to it, read it, write it, seek it out and welcome it daily into our lives. It helps us think about our world and experience it more fully. It opens us up and connects us to others.
Write the Wrong is the third anthology arising from the collaboration between NewVIc and English PEN. We are delighted with the results and proud of our new voices: Amy, Sumaya, Jamila, Ayah, Francesca, Erica, Princess, Jermaine, Chloe, Sajjad and Nur.
Thank you also to Femi, Rebekah, Mazin, Brett and Louise from English PEN, to Kate and Steven from NewVIc and to everyone involved in working on this wonderful collection.
The young poets in this collection have embraced the poetic form and thrown themselves into it at full speed and the resulting poems are fresh and explosive and I enjoyed them all.
A light for a head, a shadow for a friend.
Surrounded by a world in downfall.
Do I actually live? Or am I just a living shadow?
Not something that should make people cower.
I now know the true meaning of "life is too short". People who are present in all things and grateful for all things are content with all things.
How can we leave a trace of ourselves in the world?
Will I be remembered after my end?
What is so wonderful about this project is to see students developing and refining their voices, working hard to express exactly what they want to say. In the words of Femi Martin: "these young writers fought through doubts, fears and time constraints to put down on paper how they see the world. For many of them English is not their mother tongue but they bent and shaped it to fit their intention".
For me, this poetry work is as functional as any functional literacy we do and I hope we can continue to offer projects like this to our students.
This entry was posted in NewVIc, Poetry and tagged Newham Sixth Form College, NewVIc, Poetry. Bookmark the permalink.
Brilliant project Eddie. And I also loved yr poem to yr Dad. How do we get a copy of the students poems ?
Thanks Richard, I will arrange to send you a copy.


The State Medical Board of Ohio said Wednesday that it intends to determine whether to take further action on the suspended license of a Mount Carmel Health System doctor who has been accused of ordering potentially fatal doses of painkillers for more than two dozen intensive-care patients.
In a letter to Dr. William Husel, the board said it will consider several censure options, up to a permanent revocation, which would invalidate his current license and render him unable to obtain any license in the future.
The letter references the deaths of six unnamed patients, all of whom were given the opioid fentanyl. Five also were given the sedative midazolam, commercially known as Versed.
The board calls the dosages "inappropriate and excessive" and says Husel ordered them, administered them or caused them to be administered.
The board suspended the license of Husel, 43, of Liberty Township, near Dublin, on Jan. 25. The suspension letter references two other unnamed patients, one who received fentanyl and midazolam and one who received fentanyl with the opioid hydromorphone, known as Dilaudid.
Lawyers representing the doctor in the Medical Board matter did not respond to a request from The Dispatch for comment.
Mount Carmel had publicly announced Jan. 14 that Husel was fired Dec. 5 for prescribing high painkiller doses. The health system has said he overdosed 34 near-death patients from 2015 to 2018, with potentially fatal dosage amounts given to 28 of those patients.
All of the patients were at Mount Carmel West hospital in Franklinton except one, who was cared for at Mount Carmel St. Ann's hospital in Westerville.
Along with firing Husel, the system also has fired at least one administrator and placed 23 employees, among them pharmacists, nurses and managers, on paid leave.
The eight patients cited in the Medical Board letters all received dosages of fentanyl of 1,000 micrograms or higher, and all but one also received high doses of midazolam or hydromorphone.
At least four other patients not referenced in the board letters also received 1,000-microgram doses of fentanyl, an Ohio Department of Health inspection report shows. One of them also received midazolam and hydromorphone, but in dosages lower that those cited by the Medical Board.
The inspection report, conducted for the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), shows that a Mount Carmel policy updated Dec. 14 — after Husel's firing — said the usual adult dose for fentanyl is 25 to 100 micrograms.
Husel has 30 days to request a hearing on the Medical Board accusations in both the Jan. 25 letter and the Wednesday letter.


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Shungite is a magnificent gift from Gaia. Its existence on Earth has not been explained. The Shungite sold on this site comes from the Zazhoginsky deposits in the Russian Republic of Karelia, near the eastern border of Finland. We consider every piece of Shungite to be a sacred gift and we treat it as such. We are continually in the process of creating new products, so please check back. Be safe.
There are many sources of Shungite products that have been machined shaped into pyramids, spheres, pendants and other forms. We believe that any time Shungite is processed in this way, the natural energetics of the mineral are lessened. Thus, we only deal with Shungite that is mined but not processed, except the use of Shungite Beads in jewelry.


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THE PATH Review: "Messiah"
By Jeff Iblings on	 February 7, 2018 3 - TELEVISION NEWS, TV Reviews
It's never a good sign when characters seem to be treading ground they've already covered earlier in a series, but that's just what seems to be happening with Eddie and Sarah these days. They oscillate between two polar opposites of belief, each finding themselves in a situation the other once occupied. Eddie is now a Guardian of the Light, which just last season was a position in Meyerism Sarah laid claim to. At one point it was Eddie who believed the tenants of Meyerism were born out of lies, but now that he's the new savior, Sarah is the one discovering Meyerism to be a farce. These shifts back and forth grow tiring. Not only do the characters seem to be stunted and no longer capable of growth, but it feels like the show is just spinning its wheels. It's frustrating to watch.
For a moment it felt like Sarah was going to make real progress, break free from the beliefs she's been shackled to her whole life, and finally live outside of the lies of Meyerism. What about those texts she found in the cave? Professor Jackson realizes they're earlier drafts of The Rungs of the Ladder Steve was said to have received by divine intervention. The problem is there are two sets of handwriting that seem to have created these drafts. Sarah knows it's the woman, Lilith, from the movie she found of Steve, and this knowledge shakes the very foundation of her lifelong belief. Meyerism, and what they are told about its creation, is a lie. What does that leave her with? She's dedicated her life to this, so if she doesn't have Meyerism what does she have? This realization gives her an excuse to abandon herself to desire, and she ends up sleeping with Jackson. It's while she's in bed with him she misses an important call.
Sarah's father Hank has always been the most understanding and accepting of the Meyerists even when Cal was in charge and the religion was more strict. He secretly visited his daughter, even after she was banished from the cult, and he never shunned Eddie like the others did. His kindness meant a lot to Eddie, which is why he wants to send Sarah's parents to France to oversee the new Meyerism headquarters. It's something nice for them, like a paid vacation to show Eddie's appreciation. Hank's excitement is cut short. He collapses while building a tree house for Summer, and dies of a heart attack. The loss shakes Eddie to his core, but it does something far worse for Sarah. It yanks the freedom to leave Meyerism out from under her. She needs to believe her father is somewhere in an afterlife, like the Garden. If Meyerism isn't true, does that mean Hank is nothing more than a pile of ash? The thought of it all being meaningless is too much for her. She has to believe. She craves for belief again, and begs Eddie to help her find it.
Hawk may be the most fickle character in a show full of them. This kid is all over the place, unsure what he believes one minute, a fervent believer the next, willing to leave Meyerism for a girl one season, in a homosexual relationship the next. It feels like Hawk doesn't have a personality of his own. Instead he changes himself to be whatever the people he surrounds himself with want him to be. Right now Caleb wants him to be his boyfriend, and it looks like Hawk wants the same thing even though his girlfriend is (still?) out of the country on a religious retreat. There has to be a time where this kid figures himself out, finally decides what he wants for once and goes after it, otherwise his subplots continue to be more and more painful to watch.
Mary does something interesting this episode that aligns her almost perfectly with Cal. Still upset her father stole the money she got for selling Harold's championship rings, she buys some heroin, finds her father, and gives him a lethal overdose, killing him. Now she and Cal are both murderers. Cal doesn't know anything about her theft of the rings, but he sure as hell finds out when Harold comes charging back into their lives. Harold is always a ball of tension liable to explode at any minute. He wants Cal to help him track down the rings, and once they do, things get out of hand. The man who purchased them makes a deal with them. He'll give the rings back as long as Harold takes him to a game and out for dinner, but he then says something Harold doesn't like. Harold snaps, nearly killing the man. Cal needs Vera to take care of the problem so it doesn't come back to Meyerism, and she does. In return Cal hands over all proof Steve was a pedophile, thereby losing his leverage over the movement.
There are seven more episodes of this season of The Path, and to be honest I don't know how they're going to use all of that time in an interesting way. The only thing really going for this season is the doomsday cult led by Lilith and Vera eventually coming into direct conflict with the Meyerists. If this plot doesn't have the wow factor it needs to keep The Path interesting, I may have to wander off the path for good.
Cliff on February 8, 2018 12:52 pm
Are you serious? I've been riveted this season. I honestly don't understand people who don't have the patience to see a mystery through. Theres been so much character growth and its all so well observed. I love this season.
Jeff Iblings on February 12, 2018 10:34 am
The only real mystery is Lilith's role in the death cult and her relationship with Steve. The character development is in stasis with Eddie and Sarah switching places, Hawk still being easily impressionable, and Cal basically fighting to get back on top. It's the same thing they've been doing since the first season, and not much has changed, and it feels like the show is just spinning its wheels.


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The Fosters 1x09 "Vigil" Episode Synopsis, Promo, and Episode Stills
Promos and Sneak Peeks
In The Fosters 1×09 Vigil, while Lena tries to process the extent of Mariana and Jesus' lies, Stef and Mike head to Ana's to try and find Jesus. What they encounter lands someone in the hospital and changes the Foster family forever. While the family waits anxiously for news, tensions rise over the secrets the kids kept from Stef and Lena and even Brandon realizes he's to blame for covering for the twins. Callie has a heart-to-heart with Brandon to help him understand the perspective of a foster child and Brandon learns how Callie's mother died. Wyatt calls Callie on her growing bond with Brandon but Callie is all too familiar with the damage that could result from this kind of relationship. David Paymer directed the episode written by Executive Producer Joanna Johnson.
The drastic consequences of Jesus' visit to Ana play out in the episode titled "Vigil," airing Monday, July 29th at 9:00pm ET/PT on ABC Family.


For L2TP, enter the IPSEC preshared key we sent you in the L2TP/PPTP setup email. Do not check the L2TP secret box.
You might be asked to set a password for storage of the preshared key. If so, pick a password. This allows the key to be saved and not require it to be entered each time. Be sure to write down the password for future reference.


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Il Campionato di calcio europeo Under-21 2006, 15ª edizione del Campionato europeo di calcio Under-21 organizzato dalla UEFA, si è svolto in Portogallo dal 23 maggio al 4 giugno 2006. L'edizione è stata vinta dall' per la prima volta nella storia.

Le fasi di qualificazione hanno avuto luogo tra il 4 settembre 2004 e il 12 ottobre 2005 e hanno designato le otto nazionali finaliste. Tra queste il 15 dicembre 2005 è stato designato il Portogallo quale nazione ospitante la fase finale.

La fase finale in Portogallo si è svolta in due gironi all'italiana da quattro squadre ciascuno con partite di sola andata. Le due vincenti ( e ) e le due seconde ( e ) si sono incrociate nelle partite di semifinale. La finale si è disputata il 4 giugno 2006 tra le formazioni dell'Ucraina e dell'Olanda.

Qualificazioni

Squadre qualificate

Stadi
Sono 6 gli stadi scelti per ospitare la manifestazione:

Convocazioni

Gironi finali

Girone A

Classifica

Risultati

Girone B

Classifica

Risultati

Fase a eliminazione diretta

Semifinali

Finale

Dream team UEFA

Classifica marcatori

4 gol
  Klaas Jan Huntelaar

3 gol
  Thomas Kahlenberg
  Nicky Hofs

2 gol
  Bryan Bergougnoux
  Ruslan Fomin
  Artem Milevskiy

1 gol

  Leon Andreasen
  Rasmus Würtz
  Julien Faubert
  Yoan Gouffran
  Rio Antonio Mavuba
  Florent Sinama-Pongolle

  Jérémy Toulalan
  Eugen Polanski
  Rolando Bianchi
  Giorgio Chiellini
  Raffaele Palladino
  Alessandro Potenza

  Gijs Luirink
  Daniël de Ridder
  João Moutinho
  Branislav Ivanović

Altri progetti

Collegamenti esterni

Calcio nel 2006

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Research 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe - Greensboro North Carolina
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Interior - Chevrolet Tahoe
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Powertrain - 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe in Greensboro
Along with the powerful V8 engine, the 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe comes with several options for a powertrain. Rear-wheel drive is standard on two trims, while the second-level trim comes standard with four-wheel drive. A smooth ride suspension systems makes all your rides feel relaxed and enjoyable, no matter how far you're traveling or what type of terrain you are driving on. Regardless of the engine you choose, the Tahoe is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. You can upgrade to a 10-speed automatic transmission instead if you want a more advanced gear-shifting mechanism.
Safety - 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe dealer
When it comes to safety, the 2019 Tahoe does not disappoint. Standard safety features across the board include seven airbags to protect occupants in case of a front or side crash. Daytime running lights, also standard on all trim levels, increase your Tahoe's visibility levels and give it a more stylish appearance. An anti-theft deterrent system is standard, but you can upgrade to a more sophisticated anti-theft system if you want more protection. Forward collision alert comes standard on the top two trims, while front and rear parking sensors are included on the top trim. In the back seats, a LATCH locking system keeps child seats safe and secure. Lane-change alert and lane-keep assist are other safety features offered on the 2019 Tahoe.
With looks, powerful performance, a stylish interior and more, it's easy to see why so many consumers like the 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe. If you're ready to try out this SUV in person, just contact our Greensboro Chevy dealership. It's easy to make an appointment by calling or visiting our website today.
Contact Bill Black Chevrolet for 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe information


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Restyled The 404 And 500 Error Message Pages In Procore (12/5/2016)
Updated Procore Support Menu (10/12/2016)
Updated French Translations In Procore (10/6/2016)
Fixed Date Formatting In Portuguese Dictionary (9/23/2016)
Updated Reset Your Password Page (8/17/2016)
New Procore Login Pages (7/27/2016)
End of Support for Internet Explorer 9 & 10 (6/23/2016)
Below are notable announcements for the Procore platform in 2016.
Restyled the message page that appears in Procore when for the error condition pages that appears for (404) Not Found or (500) Internal Server Error.
Updated the Procore Support menu in top-right corner of the web application (i.e., the question mark (?) icon), to add an rename links to Procore support resources: The current menu options are:
Support Center (previously 'Support Articles')
Quick How-To Training Videos (new menu option)
Deep Dive Training Videos (previously 'Training Videos')
Procore Certification
Updated the French translations for the Procore web application.
Updated Procore's Portuguese dictionary. Prior to this fix, 'Data Iniciada' and 'Data De Entrega' were displaying dates using the mm/dd/yyyy format. This has been fixed so dates now display in the proper International Date format of dd/mm/yyyy.
Updated the Reset Your Password page in the Procore web application to interactively show you which of the password requirements has been fulfilled during data entry (see How do reset an unknown password?).
Deployed new Log Into Your Account, Reset Password, Terms and Conditions, and Procore to Tableau Web Connect pages. This adds new background images and simplifies design. Affected pages include:
Send Reset Password
Reset Password Sent
Tableau Login Page
On June 23, 2016, Procore announced the end of support for Internet Explorer 9 & 10. The end of support date is August 1, 2016. To read the full announcement and learn how to upgrade your browser, see End of Support for Internet Explorer 9 and 10.
End of Support for Internet Explorer 9 & 10


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Tag Archives: Muse Harbor
Posted on September 26, 2018 by Dave Workman
An Absolute Necessity.
Let's assume that, as aspiring novelists, we have sufficient technical, stylistic and plot-building skills. Meaning we can turn a phrase, can fully frame a story, we trust our characters' various motivations, can discern a verb from a noun, and rarely allow ourselves to dangle a participle. All those crucial factors being securely in place, what then becomes the single, most essential element necessary for writing—not to mention publishing—a truly great novel?
Sorry, but that was rhetorical.
Because the answer is dialogue. For my money, few aspects of novel writing can captivate, motivate or emotionally move a reader as will dialogue. Great dialogue is, IMHO, more important than solid plot structure. More important than a mellifluous voice. Time and time again, as an editor, when I confront slow or unwieldy dialogue I feel my interest in a manuscript begin to deflate like a puffer fish on a salad fork.
But enough preamble. Let's talk about dialogue. While omniscient narration* can lay out much or most of a novel, a writer really can't tell a whole story without dialogue. Can't fully involve the reader. Can't fully reveal a character. As importantly, great dialogue can be a panacea of sorts—a way for the author to instantly develop a rapport between characters (or between a character and the reader), to fill a vacuum or quickly shift gears, to intentionally misdirect or to clarify and, basically, to solve a myriad of plot-thwarting issues—and in ways that a novel without dialogue (or with insufficient or anemic dialogue) could ever hope to resolve. Think of dialogue as being that essential roll of duct tape in our bag of literary tricks.
But more about using dialogue as a problem-solver in a subsequent post. Frankly, it's the sheer joy of creating dialogue that inspires many of us to fill our stories with the witty, astute, finely-honed verbiage uttered by our characters. Problem-solving is merely an added bonus. So let's start with the basics.
Here then, the basics.
First and foremost, one creates good dialogue by replicating those three basic premises necessary to create a great story line. (See Simple But Exciting—Part II.) Dialogue should accomplish one of three specific goals by: 1) Setting a scene; 2) Developing or defining a character, or; 3) Forwarding the plot.**
If having only three options seems restrictive, fear not. Your expressive, expansive wildcard exists in #2: character development. A great deal of seemingly superficial or extraneous dialogue can go a long way to help define a character's personality, motivations, fears and passions, and to ultimately create a very real human being. Two characters, hitchhiking through the middle of nowhere, can fill an otherwise mundane scene with the most tantalizing of conversations—about their fears, their desires, their darkest secrets. Maybe such character chatter reveals little about the plot ahead, but those pages can provide a great deal of insight about the people inside your head, not only relating to each other, but to readers as well.
A quick example of those three options mentioned above:
1. Scene setting. (Two astronauts float within their space capsule, looking out a porthole at the quickly approaching face of Venus, still a thousand miles away.)
…."Don't let its alien beauty distract you, Cameron. That evil planet's scorching hot. You step out of a dome in full sunlight, even in a fully shielded suit, your face plate will melt in a half second flat. Your skull will pop a half second after that. After sundown's no better. Most of the rocks out there are sharp enough to slice you to the bone. One false step can drop you down a thousand-foot crevice or suck you into a sand pit before you get a chance to tug on your G-line. I've seen storms worse than any hurricane on Earth, winds whippin' down offa those western slopes without a moment's notice. You don't keep your eyes peeled 24/7 and you'll be dead before you know you're even in trouble."
2. Character building. (Two young teenagers walk along a sunny beach. They've met only moments before, and they're talking about their parents.)
…."You think your mom's paranoid? Mine won't even let me eat chocolate."
…."That kinda sucks."
…."Totally. She says I'm allergic. I mean like deathly allergic. The thing is, I've never even tried chocolate. So how the hell does she know, right?"
…."I have some chocolate at home, if you want."
…."Really?"
…."Truth. Hey, you wanna share a Snickers bar?"
…."Yeah. Sooner or later, I gotta know for sure. Let's do it."
…."Well, wait—I mean, maybe not. I mean, what if it's true? You don't know for sure it's not. And I sure as hell doesn't want your mom mad at me."
…."My mom doesn't even know you."
…."Even worse. So, no, let's maybe get a Coke or something instead."
3. Forwarding the plot. (A young couple gaze up an aging spiral staircase in a dilapidated old house. A wind howls outside. The lights flicker.)
…."Darling, I'm scared."
…."I'm telling you, this has to be the way in." Ralph held up the antique brass key between his fingers. "This is what I've been looking for my entire life. A way to unlock the attic door. To see once and for all what's up there."
…."But…but what about your grandmother's warning?"
…."About ghosts? Don't be silly, Edith. It's an old attic for criminy sake. Maybe some rats bumping around up there, that's all. But my grandfather, he was worth millions, and he didn't take it with him. What we find up there, I think it's going to make us rich."
…."I don't know, Ralph. It feels wrong."
…."Don't be scared. Granny will be ninety-seven years old come August. She can't even remember my name half the time. She's nothing but a crazy old lady with a strange imagination." Ralph turned and started up the old stairway. "C'mon, I'll show you."
Before I continue—one important note. When I speak of dialogue, I'm referring to both external and internal communication—because both spoken words and internal contemplation share equal importance in a novel.
External (verbal) dialogue:
…."My dear Mrs. Smith, you're looking quite fetching today."
…."Do not attempt to humor me, Mr. Jones," Veronica said crossly. "You're presumptuous to believe that I'll ever allow you to marry my daughter or inherit my wealth. I'm well aware of of your scheming ways, sir. Good day." She turned and continued her stroll down Elm Street.
…or internal (subconscious) monologue.
….Veronica offered the man a tepid smile, well aware of Mr. Jones' intentions. He'll never sway me with his fancy talk, she mused, her gaze unwavering. Her emerald eyes blazed, the voice inside her head oozing with contempt. You don't want to toy with me, young man. I'm well aware of your scheming ways. I shall never allow you near my daughter or her wealth. Without a word, Veronica turned and continued her stroll down Elm Street.
But more about the complexities of internal/external differences later as well.
However, before moving along to Dialogue (Part 2) one reminder (because now it's Rule #30): Create dialogue that (like plotting) accomplishes one of three specific goals: 1) Sets a scene; 2) Develops a character, or; 3) Moves the plot forward.
* Omniscient Narration (a reminder). Typically when writing in third-person omniscient narration provides a pansophic (all-knowing!) perspective that offers information to the reader unbeknownst to your characters. For instance, the following sentence is omniscient narration: Deep in a forgotten cave burrowed beneath Old Hickory Mountain, a storage chest had been buried centuries ago, hiding the bandit Juan LaFortuna's missing treasure—an immense fortune that would prove fatal for most of those on Sal's expedition.
** The 3 Goals when writing dialogue. There exists another imperative (yet elusive) attribute necessary when writing great dialogue. But this essential tidbit is a bit more difficult to explain. For simplicity's sake, I won't delve any deeper until my next post. (See Dialogue Part 2.)
Action vs. Information
Posted on April 30, 2018 by Dave Workman
Action vs. Information:
The Oil & Water of Novel Writing
Years and years ago a prolific pal of mine, author Matthew Pallamary (who teaches a pirate's workshop at Santa Barbara Writer's Conference) uttered one of the most profound adages I'd ever heard. Matt apparently got it from Barnaby Conrad, who may have heard it from playwright/director David Mamet…so I suspect this little gem may have been around for years. But it remains one of the best tidbits of advice that I know. The simple truth is:
Information is the enemy of Action.
Action is the enemy of Information.
Meaning that, as a writer, it's my obligation to choose one or the other concept (action-based or informational) to define each scene I develop. I can either depict (spectacular) action or provide (revealing) information to a reader. But I cannot simultaneously provide both, as the two concepts are inherently incompatible. Action sequences typically rely on external cues; on visual, sensory-heightened but otherwise superficially detailed observations. Conversely, information dissemination tends to internalize, and either through omniscient narration or dialogue provides pertinent revelation, newfound knowledge or secrets unbeknownst to other characters or to the reader.
For example, let's say I'm writing a fictional account of the Crimean War (1853-1856). Midway through my tale, I describe a gallant yet foolhardy British cavalry charge into Tennyson's infamous Valley of Death.* Hidden amid the rocky hills surrounding the valley, dozens of fortified Russian cannon open fire and obliterate most of the advancing horsemen. As the smoke clears, two survivors of the bombardment—brothers, by the way, Niles and Ian—stand bloodied and haunted among their dead comrades. The men talk in a hushed whisper, speaking through tears about the heroism of their fallen comrades, about the enemy they see gathering on the precipice ahead, about the unlikelihood of ever again seeing the lovely Lady Desiree, the woman back home they both love.
The cavalry charge? That's action. I want my audience breathless—so it's all thundering hooves and glistening sabers and a distant blare of bugles whipped away by the wind. Explosions and carnage. Glimpses of both unfettered bravery and agonizing death. Action.
But then—cut to a new scene—the big guns have fallen silent. The two brothers crawl toward each other, dazed and isolated on the body-strewn battlefield. Ian begins to bind Niles' wounds. They speak intimately about life and death and love and—for the reader—that's information. Character-building usually is. The brothers ponder the probability of their impending doom, not to mention Ian's long-overdue revelation of his love for Desiree.
As a writer, I've intentionally separated the frenetic action sequence (a fictive inhalation) from the more serene informational (a fictive exhalation) sequence. (Refer again to Rule #8: Keep your characters moving. Push them toward drama—inhale—or pull them away again—exhale.)
Can action and information co-exist in a scene? How separate is separate? Certainly, these two attributes can occasionally brush together…but brush lightly. Consider, for instance:
Acrid smoke drifts across the now silent valley. Niles suddenly draws his pistol and aims at his brother—but then shoots a Cossack who's crept up behind Ian, ready to pounce with a gleaming scimitar. Ian turns, stares for a moment and returns to his comments, his thoughts once again focused on Desiree.
So, yes—a bit of cross-pollinating is perfectly legit; tidbits of action amidst an informative scene is fine. And, yes, one can intermingle snippets of information amid the action—but avoid attempting to force mass quantities of action and information into the same scene. Because the last thing a reader expects, midway through an exhilarating cavalry charge, is a flashback or a history lesson or a love sonnet. For instance, here's a taboo:
As their horses rush the two men toward certain death, their sun-drenched sabers held high, Ian turns to Niles and admits that he's in love with his brother's fiancée, then demands a frank and earnest conversation about the matter.
….."Now?" Niles shouted incredulously over the roaring wind.
….."Yes, this very instant, I'm afraid," Ian replied. "It's terribly important to me, Niles. And by the way, don't forget that you owe me twenty quid…"
Um… no. Because whatever raw emotion I've thus far developed is now moot, the drama unnecessarily deflated. Sure, Ian may love Desiree, and she may be weighing heavily on his mind—but now isn't the time or the place to bring that particular plot thread to the page.
But what if Desiree is important to the story? What if my entire novel is based on a decades-long love triangle. So where does Lady Desiree belong?
Some writers may believe that she belongs exactly when and where she pops into mind—but consider how her sudden appearance will effect the overall pacing and the reader's emotional quotient. As previously stated, her character certainly doesn't belong here, in the middle of a raging battle. Amid the carnage, poor Desiree's attempt for a modicum of stage presence feels extraordinarily misplaced. The importance of her presence, or her words, may easily become lost as readers gloss over this unexpected, lilac-scented intrusion, eager to learn how the attack concludes.
The simple solution? Alternate action and information scenes. (As in often, throughout the entire novel.) Because a more opportune moment for Desiree to bloom would be during a scene or chapter before the cavalry charge, for instance as she tearfully pens letters in her Wembly Park bedroom for both Ian and Niles—letters that may dramatically change the lives of both men. Or else place her in a scene after the charge, perhaps as a flashback in Ian's memory. Perhaps we see her swoon into the arms of dear Uncle Clive as she's notified by courier of Ian and Niles' status as MIA, both men presumed dead. So allow Lady D. and her thoughts sufficient 'quiet time' to fully engage the reader.
Be aware that the primary advantage of alternating action and information scenes is in potentially increased drama. How delightful, plot-wise, should Ian reveal his affection for his brother's betrothed in the chapter preceding the cavalry charge! How might Niles' thoughts be distracted or tormented as he lines up for the assault in the following scene? Now you've piqued the reader's curiosity—and possibly created a perfect cliffhanger that you'll tie together in an appropriate, upcoming chapter. Might Ian die (your readers will wonder), his love for Desiree forever unrequited? Might brother turn on brother? So, yes, separating action and information scenes has definitive advantages. Intuiting how and when to separate these two crucial elements can nicely turn up the heat in terms of tension and future plot-development.
A basic rule of thumb to follow would be (and not always, mind you, but more often than not):
Scene-setting: Information
Character-building: Information
Plot-building: Action or information (although tread carefully, as building a plot via information may feel like reader-feeder.**) It's normally crucial to show the reader your plot as it unfolds, not tell the reader via conversation. In other words, Ian telling us about the cavalry charge is not nearly exciting—to a reader—as seeing the charge in all it's action-packed glory.
Forward Plot Momentum: Action
For those uninterested in the Crimean War, let's say I'm writing a gently comedic romantic coming-of-age tale. Action can be all about the rampant teenage angst and confusion and turmoil leading up to a first kiss. That slow, undulating tension can be as terrifying as the whole British cavalry charging forward toward certain death. Because what's action if not a sensationalized visualization of dramatic events?
Oh yes, so now it's a rule. Rule #26: Don't mix Action and Information. Keep these two incompatible concepts separate.
And—because every rule has its own #!@$!%?! exception—let's consider dialogue. Dialogue can certainly be action-oriented. ("If I ever see your ugly face again," Sheriff Bob shouted, "I'll shoot you dead where you stand!") But dialogue can also prove informational. ("I'm afraid I've never told you, Penelope, about the letter hidden inside father's wall safe." Bertram slowly swung open the heavy steel door. "I believe it's time you finally know of our nefarious family secret.")
So then, what is dialogue?
…ah, the perfect opportunity for a cliffhanger. (So see Dialogue.)
*The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. It's what people read before Twitter.
**Reader-feeder (a quick guide):
….."Steve, I just got a phone call from the hospital. I'm sorry, but Mother passed away last night." (is not reader-feeder)
….."Steve, I just got that phone call from the hospital we were both dreading all week long. I'm sorry, but our mother, Mary Anderson, passed away last night." (is reader-feeder)
Posted in Rules of Engagement, Sidewords	| Tagged editorial comments, Fiction editing, fiction writing, Muse Harbor, write fiction well	| 2 Replies


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Local renovation worker painting during the pandemic. Photo: Shawn Gordon
Business, City
Stuck at home, owners decide to tackle renovations
Demand for renovations are unexpectedly going 'through the roof' in the Lower Mainland
By Arrthy Thayaparan , in Business City , on February 18, 2021
Jasmine McNeil didn't buy a house needing renovation work to help her pass the time during the pandemic. But that's exactly what she's ended up doing.
McNeil is just one of many homeowners who have decided to pursue home improvements in the past year. Sales from asphalt shingles to cedar fencing are booming as folks take on projects to fix up their homes and fill up their extra time.
"Everything's been cancelled, plans have derailed and there's no travel — which we like to do a lot of," said McNeil over a cacophony of teenagers, dogs and construction blaring around her at her new house on Vancouver's North Shore. "But we're enjoying the fact that we're doing a renovation. We're totally distracted and it helps to look forward to the finished product."
Renovation boom takes hold
Over the past several months, Lower Mainland renovation contractors noticed a sizeable increase in renovation requests.
Mark Cooper, the president of Shakespeare Homes and Renovations Incorporated and the chairman of the Homebuilders Association of Vancouver, says that the pandemic played a major role in the growth in renovations.
"Suddenly people are home all the time, they're noticing problems with their space and realizing the need to invest in their home's maintenance."
Contractors are not the only ones noticing the sudden interest in home improvements. With the boom in renovation projects, demand for supplies has "gone through the roof," according to Thomas Foreman, president of the Building Supply Industry Association of B.C.
"There has been a spike in revenue in the industry, but what's behind the spike? There's product being bought in unusual volumes [for this time of year] that our industry hasn't seen before. The rational thinking is that it's because of people staying home. They suddenly have more time and money to spend on home projects."
Buying surges show up in odd places
One frequently overlooked set of data from Statistics Canada is an indicator of the renovator trend.
In November 2020, asphalt shingles roofing materials recorded a 97.5 per cent increase in Canada-wide shipping and a 57.6 per cent increase in production compared to November 2019.
Asphalt shingles may seem an unlikely indicator of economic growth in the building supply industry, but Foreman says that there are similar trends in almost every type of supply right now.
"The numbers are substantially higher than previous years," said Foreman, "Looking at roofing specifically, it's quite easy to pinpoint why they showed so much growth. The challenge is do people want others inside their homes [during the pandemic]? No. So it's easiest to do external renovations where social distancing is better maintained."
U.S. events affecting the market
While manufacturing for asphalt shingles increased due to higher-than-usual demand, Rob Davidson, vice-president of residential sales at IKO Industries, knows there's more to the numbers than meets the eye.
"Certainly the demand has increased in the Canadian market, but it's also important to factor the pressure in the U.S. [asphalt shingles] market and how the roofing demand there is flying off the charts," said Davidson.
That's not just because of renovations and new home projects, but also from an increase in storm activity.
According to the United States' National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2020 was a record-breaking Atlantic hurricane season with 30 recorded storms. Of these storms, twelve made it to land in the U.S., of which seven were billion-dollar disasters. Another record with over $95 billion in damages, ranging from patching roofs to reconstructing entire homes.
The need for roofing supplies down south led U.S. manufacturers to focus primarily on their domestic sales — giving Canadian manufacturers the opportunity to expand within Canada's borders.
"Canadian manufacturers have benefited from this change in the market. We suddenly have a lot more opportunity for growth domestically," said Davidson.
Local renovation worker doing carpentry during the pandemic. Photo: Selvakumar Subramaniam
Worries for the future
Despite the sudden growth in revenue, there are some worries over the future of the industry and whether a drop in demand should be expected in the coming years.
"It's similar to walking on ice on a lake — just have to keep moving forward cautiously," said Foreman with an unworried chuckle. "We have to take what we can get from this year and be prepared for the future."
While industry associations seem to be optimistic for the future, local renovation contractors are hopeful for another type of future.
"I can't wait until [the pandemic] is all over. We're trying to get by one way or another," said Shawn Gordon of Gordon Drywall and Painting Incorporated, "Sure, revenue is better than expected, but we could've done better in a normal year and I look forward to returning to that."
From the city comes a new generation of young farmers
Dave Semmelink is part of a new wave of young people choosing farming as a livelihood
Electric trike aspires to revolutionize transportation in Vancouver
Veemo has entered its final phase of testing and is weeks away from being publicly available on campus
Students set up camp for literacy
A tent the size of a small cabin seems starkly out of place in the quiet, carpeted entrance of the…
Owners are placing the needs of their pets first during COVID-19
They are willing to make big sacrifices for their pets.
Police will rely on older tests to check drivers for cannabis
Local police will rely on existing methods to assess cannabis impairment since they say no adequate alternatives are yet available


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Office of MIS >
Microsoft Office 365:
Email, OneDrive, Teams, Forms, Flipgrid, Planner, Stream, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc : All staff and students have account
https://login.microsoftonline.com
Staff/Student Login: full district email address
Password: same as in school
Office 365 Beginners Video Tutorial:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY8KQrZd0Tw
Installing Office 365 applications on personal computer
Free installation up to 5 personal computers (PC or Mac)
Microsoft OneDrive (file storage and sharing)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMFYFz-emlw
Attaching OneDrive files to a Schoology assignment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS0bOXqYp58
If you are experiecing issues with OneDrive connection to Schoology, use one of the following articles to help you reconnect your OneDrive using the 'Force Logout' option.
FOR INSTRUCTORS: https://support.schoology.com/hc/en-us/articles/360012485694-Reconnecting-the-OneDrive-Assignments-App-with-Force-Log-Out-Instructors-
FOR STUDENTS: https://support.schoology.com/hc/en-us/articles/360012643734/
Adding the Drawing tab (tools) to Microsoft Word (on a PC)
https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/word/using-the-draw-tab/1/
How to draw in MS Word (on a PC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY8KQrZd0Tw
Drawing on Office 365 Apps (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Onenote, etc):
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/draw-and-write-with-ink-in-office-6d76c674-7f4b-414d-b67f-b3ffef6ccf53#OfficeVersion=iOS
Best Practices for Instructors for MS Teams
How to use MS Teams
Breakout rooms in MS Teams: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMfsilBhW7A
Self Paced Video Course for MS Teams
MS Teams Quick start guide (PDF)
How to create a Microsoft Teams video conference in Schoology
Video tutorial created by George Tsuji, 3rd Grade Teacher at Ridgeway, on how to use the share screen feature of a video conference application with your whiteboard software on your computer. https://livewpcsdk12ny-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/personal/georgetsuji_wpcsd_k12_ny_us/EUPmt-kfVltEojfQQh3j-bcB9EU_M43042j5bP78ga_0Ow?e=6E4T3N (Note: this example works with any video conference application).
Microsoft FlipGrid: allows teachers to create "grids" to facilitate video discussions.
Flipgrid overview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1cOteRWMLU
Flipgrid Screen recorder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQw87tdBzSg
How to use the Flipgrid app on an iPad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erW1dXO7X4E
Adding a Microsoft Flipgrid into Schoology
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpNlgc1ymf4
Flipgrid link is also available in Clever.
Microsoft Forms - create surveys
How to use MS Forms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouFKWHQMxtQ
Microsoft Stream - create, upload, share videos and screen recordings.
How to use Stream on PC or Mac
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oKMXC9xhe0
How to screen record using Stream
How to use the Stream app on Apple iOS
Microsoft Translate with Conversations
https://translator.microsoft.com/ or available as a free app in Self Service or your App Store (Microsoft Translate)
How to use Microsoft translate with conversations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qoHNE55r3M
How to use the Microsoft translator app: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aiqNEQswos
Record Screen in Powerpoint : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCi7z-bJJXw
Microsoft Outlook 365 Email
How to use Outlook 365 email: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDqCFcrMfho
How to create a email distribution group: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HKKEMxKGnY
Setting up Outlook Email app on iPad or iPhone
Download the Outlook app from self service or the Apple app store
Open Outlook app
When prompted, enter your full district email address (include @wpcsd.k12.ny.us) then select Add Account.
Enter your school network password and choose Next.
When prompted if you would like to add another account - select Maybe Later.
Select the options for notifications when prompted.


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1945 – 2019 Founding Partner
Allen Sparkman was a founding partner of Sparkman + Foote LLP. He retired from the practice of law in Houston and Denver in April 2019, concluding a distinguished career that spanned more than 45 years. He was the firm's intellectual strength and guide from its inception.
Allen's practice included selecting and establishing business entities, business transactions, securities, tax, and lawyers' professional responsibility. Well-known nationally, he lectured on these topics extensively, presenting more than 100 papers at continuing education programs for the American Bar Association, the Colorado Bar Association, the State Bar of Texas, the University of Texas School of Law, the Professional Education Broadcast Network, the Practicing Law Institute, the National Business Institute, and others. Mr. Sparkman has been listed in THE BEST LAWYERS IN AMERICA® for both Colorado and Texas.
He served on multiple occasions as an expert witness in Colorado, Texas, and California in cases involving duties of directors, director deadlock, duties of managers, duties of partners, construction of operating agreements, construction of partnership agreements, construction of contracts, veil piercing, and attorney malpractice.
Allen began practicing law in Dallas, Texas in 1973 and moved to Denver in 1984. In 2008, he opened the firm's Houston, Texas office. He earned an A. B. degree in American History with honors from Princeton University and a J. D. degree with high honors from the University of Texas School of Law. He also received a Certificate in Theology and Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary. Allen served on active duty as an officer in the United States Army.
He was a member of the American, Colorado, and Houston Bar Associations, the State Bar of Texas, the Texas Center for Legal Ethics, the Center for Professional Responsibility, and the Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers. For the American Bar Association, Allen was an active member of the Business Law Section and its Committees on Corporate Governance; LLCs, Partnerships and Unincorporated Associations (co-chair, task force on model Series LLC operating agreement, chair, governance subcommittee); Mergers and Acquisitions; Middle Market and Small Business (chair, governance subcommittee); Nonprofit Organizations; and Professional Responsibility (chair, subcommittee on state and local liaisons). He was also a member of the American Bar Association Tax Law Section and Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section. He served as a member of the Drafting Committee on Series of Unincorporated Business Entities of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws as an ABA Section Advisor, ABA Business Law Section.
As a member of the Colorado Bar Association, he was chair of the Business Law Section and a member of its Legislative Drafting Committee, as well as a member of the CBA Ethics Committee. He also was a member of the Colorado Secretary of State's Advisory Committee for Business and Commercial Laws and the Colorado reporter for State Limited Partnership Laws and State Limited Liability Company Laws while those were published by Aspen Law & Business.
Allen's Publications
Allen was the co-author of LLCs and Partnerships in Colorado (co-authored with Herrick K. Lidstone, Jr.) (Continuing Legal Education in Colorado, Inc., 2015), 2016 Award of Outstanding Achievement from the Association for Continuing Legal Education; Second Edition (Continuing Legal Education in Colorado, Inc., 2017); Third Edition forthcoming Spring 2019 (Continuing Legal Education in Colorado, Inc.)
A prolific legal scholar and writer, he also authored numerous articles on choice of business entity and series LLCs, including
Management Responsibilities of Management Persons of Corporations and Limited Liability Companies - (with Adrienne Randle Bond) forthcoming Corporate Counsel Review (Spring 2019)
Information Rights—A Survey - 2 Bus § Entrp & Tax L Rev 41 (2018)
Should Texas Adopt All or Part of the Uniform Protected Series Act? - forthcoming, Houston Business and Tax Law Journal (Spring 2018)
Uniform Protected Series Act—A Welcome Advance in Series LLC Legislation - forthcoming, Houston Business and Tax Law Journal (Winter 2019)
Will Your Veil be Pierced? How Strong is Your Entity's Liability Shield?—Piercing the Veil, Alter Ego, and Other Bases for Holding an Owner Liable for Debts of an Entity - 12 Hastings Business Law Journal 349 (2015-2016)
https://ssrn.com/abstract=267620;
Pick Your Partner Versus the United States Bankruptcy Code - 46 Texas Journal of Business Law No. 2 at 23 (Fall 2015), with Herrick K. Lidstone, Jr.
https://ssrn.com/abstract=286648
Through the Looking Glass: Series LLCs in 2016 - 3 Business & Bankruptcy Law Journal 1
Series LLCs - 53 The REPTL Reporter No. 2 (Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section, State Bar of Texas, February 2015)
The Rescission Doctrine: Everything Old is New Again - 4 Am. U. Bus. L. Rev.183 (2015)
Fifth Circuit Misses Opportunity to Bring Clarity to Series LLC Questions - Business Law Today (April 2014)
Series LLCs in Interstate Commerce and Tax Aspects of Series LLCs - Business Law Today (February 2013); with Adrienne Randle Bond, "The Series LCC: A New Planning Tool", 45 Texas Journal of Business Law (Fall 2012).
Allen was a contributing author to William Schmidt "Preserving Your Wealth: A Guide to Colorado Probate & Estate Planning" (2012) Practitioner's Guide to Colorado Business Organizations (Colorado Bar Association, Allen F. Rozansky and E. Lee Reichert, Managing Editors), and Guide for Colorado Nonprofit Organizations (Colorado Bar Association, Karen E. Leafer, Managing Editor).


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A Slight Turn of Events
Jaylin Lara
Halloween falls on October 31st, where people are allowed to dress differently from other days. People, such as Juniors Jeidy Garcia and Mayra Aguilar engage in this holiday, although previous occurrences alter their perspectives.
"I may go out trick-or-treating, but I may stay home instead to do homework," said Garcia.
Garcia believes that more dangers arise on Halloween due to many people who go trick-or-treating. The amount of people who participate may create large crowds that can easily be targeted.
"People become unrecognizable due to their costumes, so the night becomes more frightening — usually not in an unexpected manner," said Garcia.
Aguilar believes that everyone should enjoy Halloween, as she does. However, she still has doubts with regards to safety.
"My mom always checks mine and my sister's candy when we go trick-or-treating, and she throws out the open ones. We have to keep the sealed ones," said Aguilar.
Aguilar's plans don't change due to the possible dangers, but her view on this holiday does.
"I've experienced a gang shooting near my neighborhood, but it does not stop me from enjoying the night," said Aguilar.
Although possible dangers may occur, people still carry on with their plans.
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Several months ago, my friend Hannah came to me and told me she wanted to do a fairy themed photoshoot which of course I was down for it in a second. The soft colors and natural vibes of fairies has always been appealing to me which made me super duper excited for this one. As a lover of mythological creatures and Disney movies, I cannot think of a more fitting theme for Hannah's photoshoot. We took a modern spin on the classic fairy with a tiny touch of vintage and created a natural look that was uniquely Hannah. All it took was a little bit of makeup, a gorgeous pink skirt, a vintage looking journal, and a little bouquet of Baby's Breath. I absolutely love when people come to me with a vision that represents what they love and who they are. Photoshoots that reflect the essence of the individual are truly some of the most rewarding.


During the fourth year of the Airport Carbon Accreditation scheme, 84 airports in Europe and Asia saved a total of 170,164 tonnes of CO2 emissions – enough to power 71,000 households for one year. The airports now certified under the scheme represent 22% of global air traffic.
Many of the world's airports have embraced the need for greater energy efficiency to reduce damaging emissions, environmental impact and costs. In the past, airports have dealt with these issues on an individual basis. The need for better results, however, has driven them towards collective action and Airport Carbon Accreditation is the tool that empowers this growing action plan.
Airport Carbon Accreditation independently certifies airports' efforts to manage and reduce carbon emissions through four levels of certification: mapping, reduction, optimisation and neutrality. Launched in 2009 by the European region of Airports Council International and endorsed by the European Commission, International Civil Aviation Organization and United Nations Environment Programme, airports have been quick to join the efforts to achieve greater global reductions.
By February 2014, 79 European airports in 24 countries were certified at one of the four levels of the programme. Extended to the Asia-Pacific region in 2011, there are now 12 airports in 7 countries that have achieved certification. In June 2013, the first African airport – Enfidha-Hammamet in Tunisia – brought another continent to the global effort and more are expected to follow in the near future. The programme was named one of the top three low carbon initiatives in the European Union in 2013.


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Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting (https://kycir.org/2017/03/28/u-of-l-foundation-ends-controversial-pay-plan-limits-spending/)
U of L Foundation Ends Controversial Pay Plan, Limits Spending
By Kate Howard | March 28, 2017
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University of Louisville's Grawemeyer Hall
University of Louisville Foundation leaders put an end Tuesday to a controversial deferred compensation plan that doled out an extra $20 million to U of L administrators.
The U of L foundation board voted unanimously to kill the plan. A replacement plan cannot be created for at least three years, according to IRS rules.
The supplemental pay plan was available to only the top echelon of U of L leadership and included "retention bonuses" as well as annual grants. It had no defined rules for how much or how often employees would get the extra money. The foundation also paid extra to recipients to cover their taxes on these perks.
The cuts mean less money for fundraising operations and foundation-supported academic initiatives.
"We need to start a clean slate here and just draw a line in the sand," said board chair Diane Medley. "Anyone who's in it and vested will get their money, but going forward, we think it needs to be rethought in its entirety."
As of last month, the foundation owed about $600,000 to seven people. Any future money promised, but not yet vested, will not be paid out. (Read "Amid University Uncertainty, U of L Leaders Cashed Out Big Perks")
The pay shift was one of several belt-tightening measures the foundation board took on Tuesday. A revision to the spending policy means millions less will flow to the university in the next fiscal year.
The university's nonprofit fundraising arm expects to allot about $40 million to the school in program support next year — $30 million less than it did last year, and about $13 million less than it would have if the policy wasn't amended.
The foundation will no longer spend more than its investments bring in, and calculations that effectively inflated spending have been abolished, said interim executive director Keith Sherman.
Until now, the foundation's policies allowed for a total spending rate of nearly 8 percent of its endowment each year, a number financial advisors have called abnormally high and unsustainable.
"We've cut it back to be more in line with what our investment advisors believe we are going to see in the market," Sherman said.
The change comes at a time of revival for the foundation, which is struggling to remake its image with new leadership and bolstered thriftiness following a series of financial scandals.
Aaron Vance, U of L student body president, said the changes are a sign that the school is working through its problems — and he hopes future students won't have to deal with more of the same.
"The deferred compensation plan is something that definitely brought a lot of ire to the student body, especially when we've been talking about tough budget times," Vance said. "With changes in governance, changes in spending policies, and more transparency, we will get to a point where this will never be a problem again."
Last year, the foundation spent more than $71 million, which was its highest level of expenditure in at least the last decade.
In the past, U of L departments carried over unspent endowment money. Board members said they intend to change the practice and require unspent money to be reinvested in the fund.
The new foundation spending rate is 5.51 percent, which includes academic support, discretionary spending and the cost of the university's fundraising operation. Before the change Tuesday, the foundation spent 5.5 percent on academics alone, and the total spending rate was almost 8 percent.
The foundation on Tuesday also voted to formally bar U of L's next president from serving as president of the foundation.
The change was enacted after the departure of former president James Ramsey, who led both the university and foundation for more than 15 years. The shift was sparked by criticism of the dual role from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which put U of L on probation last year.
Kate Howard can be reached at khoward@kycir.org and (502) 814.6546.
Disclosures: In 2015, the University of Louisville, which for years has donated to Louisville Public Media, earmarked $3,000 to KyCIR as part of a larger LPM donation. University board member Sandra Frazier and former member Stephen Campbell have donated.
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About Kate Howard
Kate Howard is KyCIR's managing editor and a veteran investigative reporter. She worked at The Tennessean, the Florida Times-Union and the Omaha World-Herald before coming to Kentucky.
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University of Louisville May Sue Its Own Foundation
The University of Louisville is considering suing its own foundation in the wake of a damaging audit and months of talk about recouping misspent money, according to leaders at the U of L Foundation. Earl Reed III, chairman of a U of L Foundation subcommittee, said in an affidavit provided to the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting that the foundation's threat of being sued by U of L "is substantial" but could be avoided if the two entities reach agreeable terms.
The foundation created the affidavit in response to an open meetings complaint from KyCIR about two executive session meetings held on Oct.


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Role of sacred space: A conversation on places of worship
September 2, 2019 by hsvbahais
Religious leaders, students, scholars, and others recently met at the Baha'i House of Worship in New Delhi, India, to explore the role that sacred spaces play in contemporary Indian society.
NEW DELHI — A diverse group of participants in India's capital city explored the role that places of worship play in contemporary society.
Held on Thursday on the grounds of the Baha'i Lotus Temple, a well-known place of worship in India and abroad, a symposium organized by the country's Baha'i community brought together about 80 people, including religious leaders, students, scholars, and others. Participants examined how temples, churches, mosques, and other sacred sites can aim to unite people and stimulate deep contemplation on spiritual reality as well as life's foundational questions.
This conversation has particular significance in the country, where religious coexistence is a prevalent topic of discussion, organizers explained. Some speakers noted that places of worship are vital for collective religious experience. The symposium gave speakers an opportunity to reflect on how these sacred spaces can be more inclusive and create a unifying dialogue.
"These places of worship offer opportunities for creative transformation of individuals and communities," said Bindu Puri, the chair of the Center for Philosophy at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. "They can create spaces where people come together across religions."
Bindu Puri, chair of the Center for Philosophy at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, discusses the role of places of worship in society.
Nilakshi Rajkhowa of India's Baha'i community explained: "Sites for worship have been a mainstay in the spiritual life of the individual as well as the community. Therefore, it seemed timely to begin what we hope will be an ongoing conversation from which to glean insights about these sacred places."
Participants explored the concept of a House of Worship in the Baha'i writings, which explain that such structures should be open to everyone, regardless of religion, background, ethnicity, or gender. Several speakers expressed their particular appreciation for the Baha'i House of Worship in New Delhi; the thousands who visit the lotus-shaped structure daily see it as a haven in which to pray and meditate. The Temple is also a catalyst for service in the surrounding neighborhood, providing space for and stimulating participation in a dynamic educational process that involves people of all ages in systematic study and action aimed at uplifting their neighborhoods spiritually, socially, and materially.
"This is a beginning of a series of conversations about the role of places of worship in society," said Carmel Tripathi, with India's Baha'i community. "Most of the participants expressed that they really needed a space like this to share their thoughts, and we are eager to organize more gatherings about this topic with the media, students, and others."
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Over the last several decades, archaeological discoveries across northern China have brought to light unexpected works of historical significance and extraordinary beauty. Unearthed presents recently excavated artifacts from Shanxi and Gansu provinces, many of which have never been exhibited outside China. These objects range from fantastical tomb guardian beasts to luxury goods, from religious and ritual relics to a magnificent house-shaped sarcophagus. They express the dynamic social and cultural changes taking place across northern China from the fifth to the eleventh century—consequences of the thriving trade along the Silk Road and the military and political ascendance of nomadic tribes—and help redefine our understanding of ancient Chinese cultures.
Unearthed was organized by the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute in association with Art Exhibitions China and is supported by the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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Uniquely Durable Ross will be Missed
Leinster boss Leo Cullen has paid tribute to Mike Ross following the tight-head's decision to retire from the game at the end of the season.
Ross joined Leinster in 2009, going on to win 151 caps for the three time European Cup Champions. He was also an integral part of Joe Schmidt's back-to-back six nations winning Ireland team. Ross amassed 61 international appearances over a seven year period where he became indispensable.
When asked of his career highlights he points to one particular Leinster game:
"Definitely the final whistle in 2011 in the Heineken Cup (Final v Northampton), the depths of emotion that we were at at half to the elation at the end of it, I think that takes some beating."
His current Head Coach and former teammate, Leo Cullen, was effusive in his praise for the Leinster man:
"He's been a huge part of the success of this team, that's the beauty about the game, you rely on so many different facets, so many different types of people, and Mike has been a huge part of that."
The 37 year old starts against The Glasgow Warriors tomorrow evening in what will be one of his last in the blue jersey.
When asked how he'd like to remembered as a player he gave a typically nuanced response.
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Chefs have been developing recipes such as this Fricassee of Harome pheasant with Bramley apples, prunes and Ampleforth cider cream by Andrew Pern at The Star Inn
Investment in Bramley cooking apple contracts despite love affair with iconic variety
Caramelised Bramley apple tartlets at The Old Vicarage
While red roses and chocolates dominate the retail shelves this week, the iconic, British Bramley apple is adding flashes of green to the ubiquitous Valentine's Day blitz thanks to Bramley Apple Week coordinated by English Apples and Pears (EAP). Despite the push, many English growers are choosing not to invest in this popular and tasty cooking apple because of poor returns. Produce Business UK assesses the challenges facing the iconic variety and finds out how promotions are helping to stoke both consumer and chef passion
Declining production
Running on February 8-14, Bramley Apple Week 2016 is seeking to titillate our taste buds like a soporific Valentine's Day meal via various mouthwatering Bramley recipes – created by some of the country's leading chefs – that are being uploaded onto various websites and social media channels.
Both chefs and the British public appear to love Bramley apples thanks to their versatility and unique eating experience. Already, chefs have responded enthusiastically to the week-long push, which builds on the positive steps made by the ongoing campaign coordinated by promotional body English Apple and Pears (EAP) since autumn.
However, despite hefty investment in the crop by growers in Northern Ireland, statistics from EAP show that the number of Bramley orchards in England is swiftly shrinking. This season (2015/16), a total of 1,594 hectares of Bramley were under production – compared with the 2,200ha during the 2006/07 season. This represents a decline of more than 600ha in less than a decade.
Adrian Barlow, EAP's outgoing chief executive, explains: "There is a rising trend of growers grubbing orchards and the primary problem is that the returns to growers are not sufficient. You have got this preposterous situation in the retail market where you have low prices being paid [to growers] by most of the major multiples and the reason for that is they are under attack the whole time from the hard discounters."
Barlow urges buyers to find out from their suppliers what returns growers need so they can ensure there are adequate Bramley supplies in the future.
He says: "Retailers will have to determine what their consumers want. If they decide their customers do want Bramley then they need to be discussing with their suppliers in order to ensure supplies in the future. Growers will not grow it for nothing. It's like suggesting to a buyer that he should work for nothing for the good of the business."
Winning the hearts of chefs and consumers
The impact of current competitive market conditions on growers' returns adds to a history of bad luck for the cooking apple variety. Around four years ago there was an insufficient volume of Bramleys to meet supply and, after a few seasons of low volumes, demand for the variety slumped and processing prices were affected.
However, although the variety has struggled recently, the volume of fresh sales through the multiples actually rose by 25% last season (2014/15). As Barlow says: "When demand for a product is declining what's required is strong promotional activity."
Bramley Apple Week 2016 has invited the country's top 1,200 chefs (according to The Good Food Guide) to show their support by sharing their signature Bramley recipes. And the interest in the classic cooking apple is palpable.
"Some of the responses we've had so far have been fantastic," reveals Barlow. "We are putting their recipes onto websites and social media with a view to persuading consumers to cook these dishes – all of which are being uploaded onto the Bramley website, as well as on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (#LoveBramley and #BramleyAppleWeek)."
Consumers and bloggers are being asked to follow the chefs' lead by picking out their own favourite Bramley dishes and posting them online. "Chef Mark Poynton is going to make a selection around February 20 and the winners will receive hampers of cooking goodies," Barlow reveals.
So far, this week's most seductive-looking recipes include: Fricassee of Harome pheasant with Bramley apples, prunes and Ampleforth cider cream by Andrew Pern of The Star Inn, Bramley apple pâté by Gareth Fulford at Purslane, and Bramley apple, cinnamon cheesecake by Chris Exley at The Inn at Welland.
Top chefs clearly enjoy Bramley's versatility, notes Barlow. "People in the catering sector are being adventurous with Bramley," he says. In fact, Bramley recipes have been featured in the media since the autumn as part of EAP's ongoing campaign. During December alone, for example, Bramley recipes were featured in newspapers and on TV programmes including George Clarke's Amazing Spaces, James Martin's Home Comforts at Christmas and Saturday Kitchen, to name but a few.
The week-long campaign is also designed to highlight the fact that Bramleys provide an eating experience that Barlow describes as "unequalled". "We are highlighting that superiority," he points out.
Bramley apple and cinnamon cheesecake
by Chef Chris Exley at The Inn at Welland
The increase in supermarket sales of fresh Bramley apples in 2014/15 suggests EAP's strong promotional activity can reap positive results for the traditional variety and successfully drive consumer demand.
This season, however, Bramley apples could be facing further troubles because the crop is likely to fall short. Barlow says: "The crop is at the same level as 2012/13 when there were shortages in the mid- to late summer because we just did not have the volume of fruit necessary to meet consumer demand.
"So we have to bear in mind that this season we are likely to be looking at a similar situation in that there will not be sufficient fruit to meet consumer demand right through to the end of the season – and that's very unfortunate."
A grower's view on a sensitive fruit
Kent-based topfruit grower Peter Checkley explains that Bramley is a particularly sensitive apple variety, which is why it's prone to crop fluctuations.
"Bramleys are fickle things," he admits. "They have three full sets of genes so their pollination requirements are higher – they are triploids, whereas Cox and Gala [for example] are diploids. When it's cold and the bees are not flying as much it's likely you are not going to have a very good crop. Bramleys are very sensitive."
Checkley also points out that even though it's tricky to grow and many orchards are being removed, Bramley production still has a place in the British topfruit-growing calendar.
He says: "We cannot grow only one variety because you need a season that's long enough to support the harvest team [the pickers]. For example, if you just grow Gala – which is picked around the third week of September – you finish by the first or second week of October, which is a small picking window. Because Bramley is harvested before Gala it expands our season – just as Braeburn does the same at the end [of the season]."
Checkley adds that he has actually invested in a new Bramley orchard. "In the 12 years I have been here on Broadwater Farm we have dropped our [Bramley] acreage by let's say 60 or 70 acres [24ha to 28ha]. But they were orchards with old trees that produced biennial crops. What we have left now is much more consistent, younger trees.
"Last winter we planted a new Bramley orchard on the much more modern trellis system that supports mechanical thinning and pruning. What we have attempted to do with our new Bramley orchard is to reduce the cost of growing the variety. If we are going to receive less money – which we do seem to every year – we've got to produce apples for less."
But, as Barlow says, English growers first need to be paid sufficient returns in order to invest in such modern growing systems.
"[Bramley] It's a thoroughly British thing and it's loved by huge amounts of people – it would be sorely missed if it's gone," Checkley concludes.
Bramley apple pâté by Chef Gareth Fulford
at Purslane Restaurant
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In this paper, explicit formulas are developed for representing a uniform bicubic spline surface that passes through an array of data points. The interpolated surface in the closed case is topologically equivalent to a torus. Open surface cases are reduced to closed surface cases by introducing one or two rows of `free points' such that the spline surface wraps around its boundaries. Ordinary interpolation surfaces in open cases can thus be constructed with the same formulas. It turns to be more intuitive and effective to control and modify the shape of the resultant surfaces by adjusting `free points' than by the usual derivatives and twist vectors. The interpolation surface is obtained in a two step way and the procedure is very easy to implement. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed formulas are practically useful.