text:
/// <reference path="ChangeLinr-0.2.0.ts" />
/// <reference path="ObjectMakr-0.2.2.ts" />
/// <reference path="PixelRendr-0.2.0.ts" />
/// <reference path="QuadsKeepr-0.2.1.ts" />
/// <reference path="StringFilr-0.2.1.ts" />
var PixelDrawr;
(function (PixelDrawr_1) {
    "use strict";
    /**
     * A front-end to PixelRendr to automate drawing mass amounts of sprites to a
     * primary canvas. A PixelRendr keeps track of sprite sources, while a
     * MapScreenr maintains boundary information on the screen. Global screen
     * refills may be done by drawing every Thing in the thingArrays, or by
     * Quadrants as a form of dirty rectangles.
     */
    var PixelDrawr = (function () {
        /**
         * Initializes a new instance of the PixelDrawr class.
         *
         * @param settings   Settings to be used for initialization.
         */
        function PixelDrawr(settings) {
            if (!settings) {
                throw new Error("No settings object given to PixelDrawr.");
            }
            if (typeof settings.PixelRender === "undefined") {
                throw new Error("No PixelRender given to PixelDrawr.");
            }
            if (typeof settings.MapScreener === "undefined") {
                throw new Error("No MapScreener given to PixelDrawr.");
            }
            if (typeof settings.createCanvas === "undefined") {
                throw new Error("No createCanvas given to PixelDrawr.");
            }
            this.PixelRender = settings.PixelRender;
            this.MapScreener = settings.MapScreener;
            this.createCanvas = settings.createCanvas;
            this.unitsize = settings.unitsize || 1;
            this.noRefill = settings.noRefill;
            this.spriteCacheCutoff = settings.spriteCacheCutoff || 0;
            this.groupNames = settings.groupNames;
            this.framerateSkip = settings.framerateSkip || 1;
            this.framesDrawn = 0;
            this.epsilon = settings.epsilon || .007;
            this.keyWidth = settings.keyWidth || "width";
            this.keyHeight = settings.keyHeight || "height";
            this.keyTop = settings.keyTop || "top";
            this.keyRight = settings.keyRight || "right";
            this.keyBottom = settings.keyBottom || "bottom";
            this.keyLeft = settings.keyLeft || "left";
            this.keyOffsetX = settings.keyOffsetX;
            this.keyOffsetY = settings.keyOffsetY;
            this.generateObjectKey = settings.generateObjectKey || function (thing) {
                return thing.toString();
            };
            this.resetBackground();
        }
        /* Simple gets
        */
        /**
         * @returns {Number} How often refill calls should be skipped.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.getFramerateSkip = function () {
            return this.framerateSkip;
        };
        /**
         * @returns The Arrays to be redrawn during refill calls.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.getThingArray = function () {
            return this.thingArrays;
        };
        /**
         * @returns The canvas element each Thing is to drawn on.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.getCanvas = function () {
            return this.canvas;
        };
        /**
         * @returns The 2D canvas context associated with the canvas.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.getContext = function () {
            return this.context;
        };
        /**
         * @returns The canvas element used for the background.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.getBackgroundCanvas = function () {
            return this.backgroundCanvas;
        };
        /**
         * @returns The 2D canvas context associated with the background canvas.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.getBackgroundContext = function () {
            return this.backgroundContext;
        };
        /**
         * @returns Whether refills should skip redrawing the background each time.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.getNoRefill = function () {
            return this.noRefill;
        };
        /**
         * @returns The minimum opacity that will be drawn.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.getEpsilon = function () {
            return this.epsilon;
        };
        /* Simple sets
        */
        /**
         * @param framerateSkip   How often refill calls should be skipped.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.setFramerateSkip = function (framerateSkip) {
            this.framerateSkip = framerateSkip;
        };
        /**
         * @param thingArrays   The Arrays to be redrawn during refill calls.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.setThingArrays = function (thingArrays) {
            this.thingArrays = thingArrays;
        };
        /**
         * Sets the currently drawn canvas and context, and recreates
         * drawThingOnContextBound.
         *
         * @param canvas   The new primary canvas to be used.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.setCanvas = function (canvas) {
            this.canvas = canvas;
            this.context = canvas.getContext("2d");
        };
        /**
         * @param noRefill   Whether refills should now skip redrawing the
         *                   background each time.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.setNoRefill = function (noRefill) {
            this.noRefill = noRefill;
        };
        /**
         * @param epsilon   The minimum opacity that will be drawn.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.setEpsilon = function (epsilon) {
            this.epsilon = epsilon;
        };
        /* Background manipulations
        */
        /**
         * Creates a new canvas the size of MapScreener and sets the background
         * canvas to it, then recreates backgroundContext.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.resetBackground = function () {
            this.backgroundCanvas = this.createCanvas(this.MapScreener[this.keyWidth], this.MapScreener[this.keyHeight]);
            this.backgroundContext = this.backgroundCanvas.getContext("2d");
        };
        /**
         * Refills the background canvas with a new fillStyle.
         *
         * @param fillStyle   The new fillStyle for the background context.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.setBackground = function (fillStyle) {
            this.backgroundContext.fillStyle = fillStyle;
            this.backgroundContext.fillRect(0, 0, this.MapScreener[this.keyWidth], this.MapScreener[this.keyHeight]);
        };
        /**
         * Draws the background canvas onto the main canvas' context.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.drawBackground = function () {
            this.context.drawImage(this.backgroundCanvas, 0, 0);
        };
        /* Core rendering
        */
        /**
         * Goes through all the motions of finding and parsing a Thing's sprite.
         * This should be called whenever the sprite's appearance changes.
         *
         * @param thing   A Thing whose sprite must be updated.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.setThingSprite = function (thing) {
            // If it's set as hidden, don't bother updating it
            if (thing.hidden) {
                return;
            }
            // PixelRender does most of the work in fetching the rendered sprite
            thing.sprite = this.PixelRender.decode(this.generateObjectKey(thing), thing);
            // To do: remove dependency on .numSprites
            // For now, it's used to know whether it's had its sprite set, but
            // wouldn't physically having a .sprite do that?
            if (thing.sprite.constructor === PixelRendr.SpriteMultiple) {
                thing.numSprites = 0;
                this.refillThingCanvasMultiple(thing);
            }
            else {
                thing.numSprites = 1;
                this.refillThingCanvasSingle(thing);
            }
        };
        /* Core drawing APIs
        */
        /**
         * Called every upkeep to refill the entire main canvas. All Thing arrays
         * are made to call this.refillThingArray in order.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.refillGlobalCanvas = function () {
            this.framesDrawn += 1;
            if (this.framesDrawn % this.framerateSkip !== 0) {
                return;
            }
            if (!this.noRefill) {
                this.drawBackground();
            }
            for (var i = 0; i < this.thingArrays.length; i += 1) {
                this.refillThingArray(this.thingArrays[i]);
            }
        };
        /**
         * Calls drawThingOnContext on each Thing in the Array.
         *
         * @param array   A listing of Things to be drawn onto the canvas.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.refillThingArray = function (array) {
            for (var i = 0; i < array.length; i += 1) {
                this.drawThingOnContext(this.context, array[i]);
            }
        };
        /**
         * General Function to draw a Thing onto a context. This will call
         * drawThingOnContext[Single/Multiple] with more arguments
         *
         * @param context   The context to have the Thing drawn on it.
         * @param thing   The Thing to be drawn onto the context.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.drawThingOnContext = function (context, thing) {
            if (thing.hidden
                || thing.opacity < this.epsilon
                || thing[this.keyHeight] < 1
                || thing[this.keyWidth] < 1
                || this.getTop(thing) > this.MapScreener[this.keyHeight]
                || this.getRight(thing) < 0
                || this.getBottom(thing) < 0
                || this.getLeft(thing) > this.MapScreener[this.keyWidth]) {
                return;
            }
            // If Thing hasn't had a sprite yet (previously hidden), do that first
            if (typeof thing.numSprites === "undefined") {
                this.setThingSprite(thing);
            }
            // Whether or not the thing has a regular sprite or a SpriteMultiple,
            // that sprite has already been drawn to the thing's canvas, unless it's
            // above the cutoff, in which case that logic happens now.
            if (thing.canvas[this.keyWidth] > 0) {
                this.drawThingOnContextSingle(context, thing.canvas, thing, this.getLeft(thing), this.getTop(thing));
            }
            else {
                this.drawThingOnContextMultiple(context, thing.canvases, thing, this.getLeft(thing), this.getTop(thing));
            }
        };
        /* Core drawing internals
        */
        /**
         * Simply draws a thing's sprite to its canvas by getting and setting
         * a canvas::imageData object via context.getImageData(...).
         *
         * @param thing   A Thing whose canvas must be updated.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.refillThingCanvasSingle = function (thing) {
            // Don't draw small Things.
            if (thing[this.keyWidth] < 1 || thing[this.keyHeight] < 1) {
                return;
            }
            // Retrieve the imageData from the Thing's canvas & renderingContext
            var canvas = thing.canvas, context = thing.context, imageData = context.getImageData(0, 0, canvas[this.keyWidth], canvas[this.keyHeight]);
            // Copy the thing's sprite to that imageData and into the contextz
            this.PixelRender.memcpyU8(thing.sprite, imageData.data);
            context.putImageData(imageData, 0, 0);
        };
        /**
         * For SpriteMultiples, this copies the sprite information for each
         * sub-sprite into its own canvas, sets thing.sprites, then draws the newly
         * rendered information onto the thing's canvas.
         *
         * @param thing   A Thing whose canvas and sprites must be updated.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.refillThingCanvasMultiple = function (thing) {
            if (thing[this.keyWidth] < 1 || thing[this.keyHeight] < 1) {
                return;
            }
            var spritesRaw = thing.sprite, canvases = thing.canvases = {
                "direction": spritesRaw.direction,
                "multiple": true
            }, canvas, context, imageData, i;
            thing.numSprites = 1;
            for (i in spritesRaw.sprites) {
                if (!spritesRaw.sprites.hasOwnProperty(i)) {
                    continue;
                }
                // Make a new sprite for this individual component
                canvas = this.createCanvas(thing.spritewidth * this.unitsize, thing.spriteheight * this.unitsize);
                context = canvas.getContext("2d");
                // Copy over this sprite's information the same way as refillThingCanvas
                imageData = context.getImageData(0, 0, canvas[this.keyWidth], canvas[this.keyHeight]);
                this.PixelRender.memcpyU8(spritesRaw.sprites[i], imageData.data);
                context.putImageData(imageData, 0, 0);
                // Record the canvas and context in thing.sprites
                canvases[i] = {
                    "canvas": canvas,
                    "context": context
                };
                thing.numSprites += 1;
            }
            // Only pre-render multiple sprites if they're below the cutoff
            if (thing[this.keyWidth] * thing[this.keyHeight] < this.spriteCacheCutoff) {
                thing.canvas[this.keyWidth] = thing[this.keyWidth] * this.unitsize;
                thing.canvas[this.keyHeight] = thing[this.keyHeight] * this.unitsize;
                this.drawThingOnContextMultiple(thing.context, thing.canvases, thing, 0, 0);
            }
            else {
                thing.canvas[this.keyWidth] = thing.canvas[this.keyHeight] = 0;
            }
        };
        /**
         * Draws a Thing's single canvas onto a context, commonly called by
         * this.drawThingOnContext.
         *
         * @param context    The context being drawn on.
         * @param canvas   The Thing's canvas being drawn onto the context.
         * @param thing   The Thing whose canvas is being drawn.
         * @param left   The x-position to draw the Thing from.
         * @param top   The y-position to draw the Thing from.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.drawThingOnContextSingle = function (context, canvas, thing, left, top) {
            // If the sprite should repeat, use the pattern equivalent
            if (thing.repeat) {
                this.drawPatternOnContext(context, canvas, left, top, thing.unitwidth, thing.unitheight, thing.opacity || 1);
            }
            else if (thing.opacity !== 1) {
                // Opacities not equal to one must reset the context afterwards
                context.globalAlpha = thing.opacity;
                context.drawImage(canvas, left, top, canvas.width * thing.scale, canvas.height * thing.scale);
                context.globalAlpha = 1;
            }
            else {
                context.drawImage(canvas, left, top, canvas.width * thing.scale, canvas.height * thing.scale);
            }
        };
        /**
         * Draws a Thing's multiple canvases onto a context, typicall called by
         * drawThingOnContext. A variety of cases for canvases is allowed:
         * "vertical", "horizontal", and "corners".
         *
         * @param context    The context being drawn on.
         * @param canvases   The canvases being drawn onto the context.
         * @param thing   The Thing whose canvas is being drawn.
         * @param left   The x-position to draw the Thing from.
         * @param top   The y-position to draw the Thing from.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.drawThingOnContextMultiple = function (context, canvases, thing, left, top) {
            var sprite = thing.sprite, topreal = top, leftreal = left, rightreal = left + thing.unitwidth, bottomreal = top + thing.unitheight, widthreal = thing.unitwidth, heightreal = thing.unitheight, spritewidthpixels = thing.spritewidthpixels, spriteheightpixels = thing.spriteheightpixels, widthdrawn = Math.min(widthreal, spritewidthpixels), heightdrawn = Math.min(heightreal, spriteheightpixels), opacity = thing.opacity, diffhoriz, diffvert, canvasref;
            switch (canvases.direction) {
                // Vertical sprites may have 'top', 'bottom', 'middle'
                case "vertical":
                    // If there's a bottom, draw that and push up bottomreal
                    if ((canvasref = canvases[this.keyBottom])) {
                        diffvert = sprite.bottomheight ? sprite.bottomheight * this.unitsize : spriteheightpixels;
                        this.drawPatternOnContext(context, canvasref.canvas, leftreal, bottomreal - diffvert, widthreal, heightdrawn, opacity);
                        bottomreal -= diffvert;
                        heightreal -= diffvert;
                    }
                    // If there's a top, draw that and push down topreal
                    if ((canvasref = canvases[this.keyTop])) {
                        diffvert = sprite.topheight ? sprite.topheight * this.unitsize : spriteheightpixels;
                        this.drawPatternOnContext(context, canvasref.canvas, leftreal, topreal, widthreal, heightdrawn, opacity);
                        topreal += diffvert;
                        heightreal -= diffvert;
                    }
                    break;
                // Horizontal sprites may have 'left', 'right', 'middle'
                case "horizontal":
                    // If there's a left, draw that and push forward leftreal
                    if ((canvasref = canvases[this.keyLeft])) {
                        diffhoriz = sprite.leftwidth ? sprite.leftwidth * this.unitsize : spritewidthpixels;
                        this.drawPatternOnContext(context, canvasref.canvas, leftreal, topreal, widthdrawn, heightreal, opacity);
                        leftreal += diffhoriz;
                        widthreal -= diffhoriz;
                    }
                    // If there's a right, draw that and push back rightreal
                    if ((canvasref = canvases[this.keyRight])) {
                        diffhoriz = sprite.rightwidth ? sprite.rightwidth * this.unitsize : spritewidthpixels;
                        this.drawPatternOnContext(context, canvasref.canvas, rightreal - diffhoriz, topreal, widthdrawn, heightreal, opacity);
                        rightreal -= diffhoriz;
                        widthreal -= diffhoriz;
                    }
                    break;
                // Corner (vertical + horizontal + corner) sprites must have corners
                // in 'topRight', 'bottomRight', 'bottomLeft', and 'topLeft'.
                case "corners":
                    // topLeft, left, bottomLeft
                    diffvert = sprite.topheight ? sprite.topheight * this.unitsize : spriteheightpixels;
                    diffhoriz = sprite.leftwidth ? sprite.leftwidth * this.unitsize : spritewidthpixels;
                    this.drawPatternOnContext(context, canvases.topLeft.canvas, leftreal, topreal, widthdrawn, heightdrawn, opacity);
                    this.drawPatternOnContext(context, canvases[this.keyLeft].canvas, leftreal, topreal + diffvert, widthdrawn, heightreal - diffvert * 2, opacity);
                    this.drawPatternOnContext(context, canvases.bottomLeft.canvas, leftreal, bottomreal - diffvert, widthdrawn, heightdrawn, opacity);
                    leftreal += diffhoriz;
                    widthreal -= diffhoriz;
                    // top, topRight
                    diffhoriz = sprite.rightwidth ? sprite.rightwidth * this.unitsize : spritewidthpixels;
                    this.drawPatternOnContext(context, canvases[this.keyTop].canvas, leftreal, topreal, widthreal - diffhoriz, heightdrawn, opacity);
                    this.drawPatternOnContext(context, canvases.topRight.canvas, rightreal - diffhoriz, topreal, widthdrawn, heightdrawn, opacity);
                    topreal += diffvert;
                    heightreal -= diffvert;
                    // right, bottomRight, bottom
                    diffvert = sprite.bottomheight ? sprite.bottomheight * this.unitsize : spriteheightpixels;
                    this.drawPatternOnContext(context, canvases[this.keyRight].canvas, rightreal - diffhoriz, topreal, widthdrawn, heightreal - diffvert, opacity);
                    this.drawPatternOnContext(context, canvases.bottomRight.canvas, rightreal - diffhoriz, bottomreal - diffvert, widthdrawn, heightdrawn, opacity);
                    this.drawPatternOnContext(context, canvases[this.keyBottom].canvas, leftreal, bottomreal - diffvert, widthreal - diffhoriz, heightdrawn, opacity);
                    rightreal -= diffhoriz;
                    widthreal -= diffhoriz;
                    bottomreal -= diffvert;
                    heightreal -= diffvert;
                    break;
                default:
                    throw new Error("Unknown or missing direction given in SpriteMultiple.");
            }
            // If there's still room, draw the actual canvas
            if ((canvasref = canvases.middle) && topreal < bottomreal && leftreal < rightreal) {
                if (sprite.middleStretch) {
                    context.globalAlpha = opacity;
                    context.drawImage(canvasref.canvas, leftreal, topreal, widthreal, heightreal);
                    context.globalAlpha = 1;
                }
                else {
                    this.drawPatternOnContext(context, canvasref.canvas, leftreal, topreal, widthreal, heightreal, opacity);
                }
            }
        };
        /* Position utilities (which should almost always be optimized)
        */
        /**
         * @param thing   Any Thing.
         * @returns The Thing's top position, accounting for vertical offset if needed.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.getTop = function (thing) {
            if (this.keyOffsetY) {
                return thing[this.keyTop] + thing[this.keyOffsetY];
            }
            else {
                return thing[this.keyTop];
            }
        };
        /**
         * @param thing   Any Thing.
         * @returns The Thing's right position, accounting for horizontal offset if needed.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.getRight = function (thing) {
            if (this.keyOffsetX) {
                return thing[this.keyRight] + thing[this.keyOffsetX];
            }
            else {
                return thing[this.keyRight];
            }
        };
        /**
         * @param thing   Any Thing.
         * @returns {Number} The Thing's bottom position, accounting for vertical
         *                  offset if needed.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.getBottom = function (thing) {
            if (this.keyOffsetX) {
                return thing[this.keyBottom] + thing[this.keyOffsetY];
            }
            else {
                return thing[this.keyBottom];
            }
        };
        /**
         * @param thing   Any Thing.
         * @returns The Thing's left position, accounting for horizontal offset if needed.
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.getLeft = function (thing) {
            if (this.keyOffsetX) {
                return thing[this.keyLeft] + thing[this.keyOffsetX];
            }
            else {
                return thing[this.keyLeft];
            }
        };
        /* Utilities
        */
        /**
         * Draws a source pattern onto a context. The pattern is clipped to the size
         * of MapScreener.
         *
         * @param context   The context the pattern will be drawn onto.
         * @param source   The image being repeated as a pattern. This can be a canvas,
         *                 an image, or similar.
         * @param left   The x-location to draw from.
         * @param top   The y-location to draw from.
         * @param width   How many pixels wide the drawing area should be.
         * @param left   How many pixels high the drawing area should be.
         * @param opacity   How transparent the drawing is, in [0,1].
         */
        PixelDrawr.prototype.drawPatternOnContext = function (context, source, left, top, width, height, opacity) {
            context.globalAlpha = opacity;
            context.translate(left, top);
            context.fillStyle = context.createPattern(source, "repeat");
            context.fillRect(0, 0,
            // Math.max(width, left - MapScreener[keyRight]),
            // Math.max(height, top - MapScreener[keyBottom])
            width, height);
            context.translate(-left, -top);
            context.globalAlpha = 1;
        };
        return PixelDrawr;
    })();
    PixelDrawr_1.PixelDrawr = PixelDrawr;
})(PixelDrawr || (PixelDrawr = {}));


Rich Custer had a great day on the lanes on 02/15/2015 shooting 300 with his DV8 Ruckus Schizo at Yosemite Lanes in Modesto, CA. He was competing in the Scratch 6 Game Tournament and averaged an impressive 249 for the block. Way to go, Rich!


Prototype: 7 different design German Federal Railroad (DB) and Saarland Railways (EdS) high-side gondolas. Among them, 1 Association Design type Om (Om Breslau) gondola, with a brakeman's cab. 1 type Ommu (Duisburg) gondola, without a brakeman's cab or brakeman's platform. 1 Interchange Design type Om 21 (Om Königsberg) gondola, with a brakeman's cab. 1 type Om 12 (Om Breslau) gondola, without a brakeman's cab or brakeman's platform. 1 type Om 12 (Om Breslau) gondola, without a brakeman's cab but with a brakeman's platform. 1 Interchange Design type Om (Om Königsberg) gondola, without a brakeman's cab or brakeman's platform. 1 type Omm 37 (Duisburg) gondola, without a brakeman's cab or brakeman's platform. The cars look as they did around 1952.
Model: All of the cars have different car numbers. All of the cars have a load insert of real scale-sized coal. The cars have authentic weathering. Total length over the buffers 79.8 cm / 31-7/16". DC wheel set per freight car E700580.


Many parents feel that homeschooling offers the best chance at a terrific education. This is often true, but it is still imperative that you make an informed decision by using the knowledge you have at hand. Read on for some of the most exciting home schooling ideas anywhere!
Plan field trips with other local homeschooling families. Your kids can socialize and have fun doing it. It will also save money through group rates for the locations you visit.
Think carefully about where to hold your homeschooling lessons in your home. Where can they study without distraction? If you do not have an area big enough for everything you need to teach, you can always hold lessons in other rooms of the house as well. You need to watch over your children and make sure they are completing their tasks as well.
Learn your state's homeschooling laws. Homeschooling laws are different in every state, so it's important to find out what applies to your area. Some area require testing, but others are a bit more lax. Some states even make parents sign up under a private school.
Put your crafting talents to use to reduce homeschooling costs. There are many resources that are going to cost money to purchase, unless you take the initiative to make them yourself. You can easily make flash-card or laminated materials. Involve your children in the creation of educational resources and you will find that both teaching and learning become a lot of fun.
Going to a few workshops or conferences before you begin homeschooling can prove very helpful. It can be easy to start to get overwhelmed by the number of things that you will need to do as a teacher. Classes can help you feel more knowledgeable and comfortable when teaching. Even if you've already started homeschooling, taking a refresher course and building your skills never hurts.
Each state has its own homeschooling regulations. The Homeschool Association in your state can tell you what they are. State requirements can vary and cover such items such as standardized testing. Also be sure to make the school district aware of your decision to homeschool so that you don't run into any problems with truancy.
Before beginning homeschooling, take the time to learn your state's laws. Look to the HSLDA website to discover what homeschooling laws are in effect in your area. If you decide to join a home schooling organization, it can help you look more credible to local authorities should you ever be questioned. The help you get will be well worth the cost of joining.
Give your child a place to learn that is quiet and free of distractions. You need to choose a specific area that has nothing to do with where your children play. If you don't have permanent storage, add some baskets or crates to hold studying supplies.
More and more parents feel as though homeschooling is the perfect solution. If you are one of these parents, it is important that you know all there is to know about homeschooling. You can use the above advice to make ideal homeschooling choices.


text:
NEWS - October 4, 2017
Rangers rescue endangered sawfish pups
Malak Malak rangers and researchers from Charles Darwin University have rescued 39 largetooth sawfish pups in the Northern Territory in a muddy mission that has been a boost to the critically endangered species.
The rangers and researchers spent five days in mud removing the sawfish by hand from a dried-out nursery near the Daly River in Darwin and releasing them into the river.
The rangers discovered the sawfish trapped in a small waterhole in a channel off Tyumalagun, about an hour's drive from the Naiuyu community.
"The core area where the sawfish were found was a muddy hole with water only 10-20cm deep," CDU senior research fellow Peter Kyne said.
"In total we caught 39 pups in the waterhole; one died in transit. We also found 16 that had already died in another area."
Dr Kyne said the rescue was a "significant boost" for the critically endangered species, which is thought to be extinct in almost 30 countries, with northern Australia and Papua New Guinea being the last major population strongholds anywhere in the world.
He said Malak Malak rangers patrolled for trapped sawfish as water levels receded at the end of each dry season. They had used a purpose-built fish tank on the back of a ute to help relocate them to the river.
The rescued fish were all aged under 12 months and were tagged for future monitoring and tissue samples were taken for genetic studies.
The post Rangers rescue endangered sawfish pups appeared first on National Indigenous Times.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Week 17: Safety And Security For All Americans
In tributes across the nation this week, we honored the heroic memory of the fallen men and women of law enforcement. We also vowed to honor their sacrifice by ensuring that those who protect and serve have the support, resources, and training that they deserve.
In order to make America safe again we must also restore the tradition of respect and honor that is owed to every member of the law enforcement community in America.
Read more about the President's week below.
Congratulating The Coast Guard Class Of 2017
President Trump delivered a commencement speech at the US Coast Guard academy congratulating the men and women on all their hard work. These fine young cadets are about to take their rightful place on the front line of defense for the United States of America. They deserve not only the congratulations but the gratitude of each and every American. They chose the path of service. They chose hard work, high standards, and a very noble mission to save lives, defend the homeland, and protect America's interests around the world. They chose the Coast Guard.
Standing With Our Men And Women In Blue
President Trump commemorated the hard work of peace officers in the United States. Each May, during Police Week, new names of fallen police officers are added to the National Law Enforcement Memorial. This year, 394 brave souls join the over 20,000 men and women who gave up their lives in the line of duty to protect us. Words cannot express the depths of our gratitude, but President Trump hopes that our actions will show our brave men and women in blue how deeply we care and how strongly we feel about protecting those who protect us. President Trump will always stand strong with you.
Celebrating Women's Health Week
Women's Health Week started on Mother's Day last Sunday. President Trump recognizes the importance of providing women access to the best health information and care. Our President is committed to working with Congress to help mothers—and fathers—have paid family leave so that childcare is accessible and affordable, and to invest in the comprehensive care that women receive at community health centers.
Completing The President's Cabinet And Putting America First
This week, Robert Lighthizer was sworn in as the new United States trade representative. With this swearing in ceremony, President Donald Trump's Cabinet is finally complete. President Trump made a promise to the American people -- to fight for trade that puts America first. And in choosing Robert Lighthizer as the U.S. Trade Representative, President Trump is keeping his promise to put America first.
Strengthening The Asian American And Pacific Islander Communities
Vice President Pence welcomed an outstanding group to the White House to join in a celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. For the better part of our nation's history, the people of Asia and the Pacific have come to America in search of a better life and a brighter future, and now our history books are literally filled with the names of trailblazers. And today, Americans of Asian and Pacific Island descent are the fastest-growing group in America. More than 20 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders now call the United States their home, and they make a difference in the life of our nation every single day.
President Trump is making his first trip abroad as President of the United States to Saudi Arabia, Israel, Rome, and finish in Sicily before returning home.
With the safety, security, and interests of the American people as his priority, he will strengthen old friendships and will seek new partners.
President Trump will ask them to unite for a future of peace and opposition opportunity for our peoples and the peoples of the world.
Team Trump-Pence
Paid for by Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.
By Middletown Insider - May 22, 2017


text:
ACCEPTED

#### According to
Index Fungorum

#### Published in
Bull. trimest. Soc. mycol. Fr. 95(4): 406 (1980)

#### Original name
Ustilago beckeropsidis Zambett.

### Remarks
null

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
What Music are you listening to? Discussions Welcome!
Thread starter NormanicGrav
NormanicGrav
Yume no Shima Shinen Kōen
AUKN Staff
I'll start off this thread since I've been listening to one heck of an album.
Many of you regulars will know I'm a huge fan of Gojira's works (genre: Progressive Metal, Groove Metal). Their latest album Magma just got released and I'm loving it. It has a special sound to it that Mastodon also pulled off with their The Hunter album, but it works really well with this. This album is like the calm before the storm in terms of metal (they have done heavy stuff before with most of their albums prior).
Favourite tracks I like - The Shooting Star, Silvera, Magma, Pray
You can check out the album on Spotify in its entirety for free.
Last edited by a moderator: 7 August 2016
I shall continue with perhaps the polar opposite, I realised earlier that Kanye West's The Life of Pablo has finally be made available for purchase via his website. (This was some time ago, but I'm out of the loop.)
Like most of Kanye's recent stuff, it's interesting, if not good. It ranges from the audaciousness of Famous to the more reflective later half of the album, with songs like Real Friends. Parts of it even make you believe Kanye West is an actual human being. And even if you aren't a fan of the lyrical content (and many won't be), Kanye's albums are always interesting from a production standpoint.
My personal favourite song is FML, featuring The Weeknd, but I'm not sure there's a song on the album you couldn't relisten to 100 times and not gain anything new from it.
(N.B. I've linked to Spotify, because Kanye's still being silly about making the album available in places people can share easily.)
gotten into pizzicato five's discography
they're a japanese "shibuya-kei" act from the 80s and 90s and their songs emulate that 60s and 70s (western) sound, so expect lots of references from those decades
a pretty good "album band" for me (what i'd call bands that make albums that sound better when listened to from start to finish as opposed to just picking a song or two then throwing the rest aside), something i can listen to while on the way to work and stuff
st_owly (witch)
Gojira are great. Not listened to them in ages though.
Vashdaman
Za Warudo
Professor Irony
Cursed Image
Youtube suddenly recommended me a YMO album. This pleases me.
qaiz
Five albums I'm currently listening to:
Akiko Yano - JAPANESE GIRL (1976.07.25)
Phenomenal soundtrack from one of my favorite artists of all time, it's also her first ever album.
Stand out track from the album:
[spoilerbutton]
[/spoilerbutton]
Ryuichi Sakamoto - Beauty (1989.11.21)
A mystifying album by the legend himself, the album displays his incredible range and is without a doubt one of his best albums to date.
Mariya Takeuchi - University Street (1979)
A fun, poppy and nostalgic soundtrack that takes a trip down memory lane.
YMO - BGM (1981.03.21)
A fantastic, psychedelic album from the masters of electronic music, YMO.
Psy-S - Atlas (1989.07.21)
A nice album from one of my favorite bands, thanks City Hunter.
qaiz said:
Enjoyed this one in particular. Maybe it's the production, but the vocals are very Bowie-esque.
Man these myspace era Wiley instrumentals were some of his best ever.
Thanks ReLife, this is going to be stuck in my head for days.
Really digging the Illustrated Musical Encyclopedia album lately.
-Danielle-
Oddly enough I've been loving some Selena Gomez stuff.
The new Korn song is AMAZING. I'm also now in love with the Tokyo Ghoul Season 2 OST and need to find out how to get my hands on it!!
WHITE WHALE HOLY GRAIL
Spoiler: Re:ZERO Spoilers for Episodes 1-18
I've been listening to a lot of Lady Gaga, Prodigy and Chase & Status through the day at work to get me through it. Keeps me in a remotely good mood.
IncendiaryLemon
Captain Karen
It kind of passed my by on release but I decided to finally check out Slipknot's latest album. I wouldn't go as far to say I'm a massive Slipknot fan, I love Vol 3. The Subliminal Verses, but everything else has been kind of lukewarm for me. However, I am really enjoying what I've heard so far from The Grey Chapter though. It does seem a little heavier than Vol 3, but it's still got it's more melodic moments. The highlight so far has to be Killpop, which reminds me an awful lot of Vermillion from Vol 3, with a slow and gradual build up to a brutal finale. Other highlights include AOV, The Devil in I and Sarcastrophe.
Discovered these JAM TRIP albums a few months back and I just LOVE this Macross one. I will definitely be getting this CD eventually as it's just too good.
Man, like 80% of what I listen to is Grime, the other 20% is mostly Shenmue music. #Livinthatmanchildlife
Maybe this is why I have problems?
mrclt1994
Vashdaman said:
Don't worry, I listen to 90% Grime/UK Rap and 10% J Rock.
Been banging Dexplicit instrumentals all day long:
Dexplicit - Big Picture < Double S went in on this in that 2007 set by Logan Sama w/ Chip, Dot Rotten, Griminal, P Money etc.
Dexplicit - Steamtrain VIP < Skepta and Ghetts tore eachother apart on this
So I've gone back to listening to The Dear Hunter after discovering their fifth album focused on one long story is about to be released (Act V: Hymns with the Devil in Confessional). Their songs Gloria and The Revival were a great listen.
For anyone wondering, they're a Progressive Indie Rock band with a cool tone to it. I very much recommend giving the album The Color Spectrum a listen, it's a 5 star album in my books. The Color Spectrum is a 9 EP set with 4 songs per EP, with each EP having their own tone to it; for example Black is Hard Rock/Metal, Red is Rock, Orange is more Alternative Rock, Indigo is like Electronic Rock, Violet is Progressive Rock etc.
All of their albums are on Spotify if you have that.
Song examples:
Take More Than You Need (Black)
I Couldn't Do It Alone (Red)
Stuck on a Wire Out on a Fence (Orange)
Mandala (Indigo)
Lillian (Violet)
Lost But Not All Gone (White)


Great article in USA Today for Dec. 5:Â Dr. Jean Twenge, who is featured in Chapter 2 of Millennial Leaders is quoted in the article.
"The education elite have redefined what it means to be 'educated.' If a child is ignorant of facts, dates and figures, no problem. The emphasis now is on self-esteem and 'just being you.' That's much easier than learning".
Pick up a copy of Millennial Leaders to read Jean Twenge's views in Chapter 2..


view mirror switch. 5 20A Power quarter window switch, Audio unit. 6 5A Door lock switch, driver side, Door lock switch, passenger side, Memory set switch, Exterior rear view mirror switch 2010 GMC Acadia Fuse Box Diagram 2010 GMC Acadia Fuse Box Diagrams 2010 GMC Acadia Underhood Fuse Box Diagram. 1 TRLR STOP RT Fuse 10A Trailer Wiring… Locate fuse and relay. Fuse box diagram. Identifying and legend fuse box Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Suburban, GMS Yukon 2007-2014.


North Amercian Release Date: May 14, 2008.
Single Player: Destroy the Mecha Orca.
Single Player: Capture all 3 hijackable vehicles at least once.
Single Player: Burn 50% of infantry in any Zone: Medium or Hard difficulty in one session.
Single Player: Freeze 50% of infantry in any Zone: Medium or Hard difficulty in one session.
Single Player: Collect all of the Flags scattered throughout the game.
Single Player: Complete 3 sequential areas on foot: Medium or Hard difficulty in one session.
Zone Battle: Use all 4 Co-Op attacks, kill 10 units with each: Medium or Hard in one session.
Zone Battle: Complete 6 Zones, each with the help of a different LIVE enabled friend.
Zone Battle: Defeat all spaceships in Areas 29 & 30: Medium or Hard difficulty in one session.
Co-op Campaign: Kill 100 infantry, one player freezes & the other shatters, on Hard in one session.
Co-Op Campaign: Finish all underground areas with the help of a friend: Medium or Hard difficulty.
Co-Op Campaign: Complete all areas on Hard difficulty with the help of a friend.


Stephen (Steven) the cancer patient..
The "retainer" is dead, long live the "voucher"
Have the glory hunters settled down yet?
What do we expect matchday prices to be?
ATTN: Any Clarets In Melbourne.
WHAT DO THE PLAYERS AND SD THINK ?
How can the fans fight back?
Always something to moan about.
Sean Dyche on 'Life's a pitch' tonight.
Any news on the new contracts?
Retainer / Voucher on reflection a€¦a€¦.
Is the real reason behind the "Voucher"
how many cannot now afford to go on the turf?
How many does the JM lower hold?
Dear Mr Hoos,so which is it?
How will BFC opetste the early bird next season?
My money, and my team? a conondrum.
Burnley Glue Sniffers next season?
Who will be top goal scorer at Brazil 2014?
Going to a Championship ground tomorrow..
doesn't recent debacle give the lie..
Pay as you go !!
Ryan Gauld Rumour...will he play the cup final?
Can anyone recommend any good TV series?
world cup competion anybody ?
Who wants to count the number of season tickets left?
Potential way round the retainer/voucher?
Do you think we could win the FA or League Cup next year?
Twenty million pounds 'war chest' for the Clarets.
Looking for Burnley fc (2011/12) hoodie.
HOW WILL SD GO ABOUT MANAGING 5/6 MORE SIGNINGS ?
Should we have signed anyone yet?
City's 50 fine to be given to PL clubs?
New Kit / New Sponsor?
The under 17's show the oldies the way!!
Euro elections - Vote Pirate Party!?
Didn't the Championship Play Offs Final used to be on a Monday?
Do we really want to be compared with Atletico Madrid?
Are we allowed to dicuss the local elections?


text:
< Prev Post Lydia Wilson Joins STAR TREK BEYOND
Next Post > Happy Birthday, Jonathan Frakes
Celebrating Gene Roddenberry's Legacy On His 93rd Birthday
Celebrating Gene Roddenberry's Legacy On His 94th Birthday
By Alex Bower August 19, 2015 // 9:02 am
Today we celebrate Eugene "Gene" Wesley Roddenberry, also affectionately known as "The Great Bird of the Galaxy", who would have turned 94 years old on this day.
Born August 19, 1921, Roddenberry was a writer, producer, humanist, father, husband, visionary and most famously, the creative mind and force behind the legendary Star Trek franchise.
Ever prolific, Roddenberry continued to develop series and films outside of Trek, some even credited to him post-humously. His invaluable contributions to television, science-fiction and society as a whole have awarded him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, inductions into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' Hall of Fame, and the Science Foundation's Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award, among various other accolades. However, his legacy goes beyond the measure of any award. His vision of a future where the nations of Earth have transcended racial and geo-political prejudice, where technology triumphs over ignorance, and the principles of peace and cooperative exploration reign have inspired countless fans the world over, ranging from children to scientists, actors to politicians, engineers to housewives.
Roddenberry's career in television began during his time as an LAPD officer. Under the name "Robert Wesley", he wrote television scripts for Highway Patrol and Have Gun, Will Travel, as well as having worked on the radio version of the latter. He also contributed to westerns like Boots and Saddles and Whiplash
Ultimately unsatisfied with freelance writing, he decided to develop his own program. His first attempt, a WWII adventure series named APO 293, failed to be picked up by the networks. However, in 1963 NBC greenlit his next venture, The Lieutenant, which ran for one season and featured Nichelle Nichols in the first episode.
Majel and Gene Roddenberry on the set of Star Trek: TNG
For his next series, Roddenberry turned his sights to the heavens. Taking inspiration from old sci-fi serials such as Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon, he described his new project as a "Wagon Train to the stars". Thus Star Trek was born in 1964. After a failed over-budget pilot, NBC allowed for a second, which sparked a three season run. Though the series suffered low ratings and Roddenberry eventually withdrew from direct involvement in the final season, the show found unprecedented success in syndication.
Throughout the 70's, Roddenberry continued to produce and develop new films and series, such as the sexploitation film Pretty Maids All in a Row and three sci-fi TV movies – The Questor Tapes, Spectre, and Genesis II, the lattermost spawning two sequels, Planet Earth and Strange New World.
In 1975, Paramount allowed for a sequel to Star Trek, called Phase II, which instead eventually became the first film, Star Trek: The Motion Picture. He remained the "executive consultant" on the following four films and was an integral force behind the creation of The Next Generation. He is also credited as "creator" on the subsequent series Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise.
Roddenberry with George Takei, Walter Koenig and James Doohan
He also had affection for aviation, flying with the USAAF during WWII and continuing to commercially pilot aircraft for Pan Am after the war, even receiving a Civil Aeronautics commendation for aiding in the rescue effort following a crash in the Syrian desert in 1947.
Roddenberry passed away on October 24, 1991, just within 48 hours of the screening of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, which was dedicated to his memory. His cremated remains were launched into orbit aboard a Celestis spacecraft on April 21, 1997, so that he may rest in peace amongst the stars which he so fondly regarded. He was survived by his wife, Majel Barrett, who sadly passed away in 2008, his two daughters from his previous marriage with Eileen Rexroat, his two grandchildren, and his son, Eugene "Rod" Roddenberry, Jr., who directed the 2011 Trek Nation, a documentary exploring his father's legacy.
In 2013, Rod and his wife Heidi welcomed their son Zale into the world.
Last August, a documentary "exploring the genesis of Star Trek through the personal insight of its creator", entitled The Roddenberry Project was successfully funded on Kickstarter.
Gene Roddenberry changed the world in a very fundamental way, boldly going where no man has gone before. We all wish him a very fond "happy birthday", as well as a sincere "thank you" for all he has brought to our lives and imaginations.
Watch an up close and personal interview with Roddenberry from 1981, hosted by Rod.
Alex Bower
Alex is a writer, actor, and improv comedian living in Southern California. Among his harem of rather unhealthy obsessions are comics, cartoons, video games, Star Trek, Star Wars, horror films, Daleks, and David Bowie. When not desperately attempting to make people laugh, he travels through time with his girlfriend and overweight tabby cats playing practical jokes on influential historical figures and collecting NES cartridges.


— image of unknown origin, permission to reproduce is by this requested.
A small book which is a commentary on the Fukanazazengi [Universal Guide on the Correct Practice of Zazen] by Master Dogen.
The message is essentially: "The Way is fundamentally perfect. It penetrates everything. How could it depend on practice and realization. The Dharma vehicle is free and unhindered. What need can there be for the concentrated efforts of men? In truth, the Great Body is well beyond the dust of the world. Who could think it possible to clean it? It is never separarte from anyone; it is always exactly where you are. Why go here or there to practice?"
Considered to be one of the more pernicious views in that it conduces to lack of striving ... um ... the concentrated efforts of men.


text:
Q: Exploding a dataframe in pandas I have a dataframe like this, where the codes column is currently strings.

Station
Codes

1
1,2

1
1

2
1

2
2,5

2
2,3

3
1

I want to see the count of each code ordered by station. I have tried to use the explode function but the default behavior is to overwrite all strings with only one number as NaN.

Station
Codes
Count

1
1
2

1
2
1

2
1
1

2
2
2

2
3
1

2
5
1

3
1
1

A: print(
    df.assign(Codes=df.Codes.str.split(","))
    .explode("Codes")
    .groupby(["Station", "Codes"], as_index=False)
    .size()
    .rename(columns={"size": "Count"})
)

Prints:
   Station Codes  Count
0        1     1      2
1        1     2      1
2        2     1      1
3        2     2      2
4        2     3      1
5        2     5      1
6        3     1      1

A: df['Codes'] = df['Codes'].str.split(',')
df.explode('Codes').groupby('Station')['Codes'].value_counts().reset_index(name='Count')

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Віроломство () — в контексті військового права, одне з діянь, що порушують міжнародні закони війни. Форма обману, вчиненого у порушення загальноприйнятих норм порядності для досягнення військової переваги. Класифікується як воєнний злочин.

Сутність терміну

Міжнародне гуманітарне право визначає віроломство як дії, які спрямовані на те, щоб викликати довіру противника, примусити його повірити, що він має право на захист і зобов'язаний надати такий захист згідно з  нормами міжнародного права, що застосовуються в період збройних конфліктів, з метою його обману. Забороняється вбивати, завдавати поранення або брати в полон противника, вдаючись до віроломства.
Однак, міжнародне гуманітарне право не забороняє використання військових хитрощів з метою введення противника в оману (маскування, демонстративні дії, дезінформація, імітація тощо).

Юридичний аспект
Віроломство () заборонено Додатковим протоколом №1 до Женевських конвенцій 1949 року, а саме статтею 37. Там же дано сучасне визначення цього терміна. Як приклади наводяться
а) симулювання наміру вести переговори під прапором перемир'я або симулювання капітуляції;
б) симулювання виходу зі строю внаслідок поранень чи хвороби;
в) симулювання володіння статусом цивільної особи або некомбатанта;
г) симулювання володіння статусом, що надає захист, шляхом використання знаків, емблем або форменого одягу Організації Об'єднаних Націй, нейтральних держав або інших держав, які не є сторонами, що перебувають у конфлікті.

Історичні приклади
 Друга світова війна. В ході операції «Гриф» загони сил спеціального призначення Німеччини під командуванням Отто Скорцені діяли в тилу американських військ в американській військовій формі. При полоненні ці військовослужбовці не поміщалися у число військовополонених, а розстрілювались на місці.

Напад Росії на Україну. Листопад 2022р. Україна, Луганська область, с. Макіївка.
Українські військові брали в полон групу росіян більше 10 чоловік.
Під час здачі в полон один з росіян відкрив вогонь, поранивши одного з українських військових. В результаті віроламства зав'язався бій, в якому загинули усі росіяни .

Див. також
 Підступність

Примітки

Джерела

Міжнародне гуманітарне право
Міжнародне право збройних конфліктів
Обман
Військові злочини
Військова термінологія

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
'Atlantis' review: A Ukraine-set dystopian fable Coronavirus variant found in Denmark is increasingly common in Northern California Stephen Curry's first name is Wardell. Don't call him that 'Atlantis' review: A Ukraine-set dystopian fable TV audience for President Biden inauguration larger than Trump
Rare 1710 violin stolen from art dealer's Los Feliz home
The FBI is in hot in pursuit this Christmas season of a thief who may have music on his mind: A rare 18th century violin has gone missing from a Los Feliz residence.
The stolen violin is a 1710 Amati, a glossy, curvaceous object made from curly maple and alpine spruce that was crafted by one of the most important violin makers in musical instrument history, Hieronymus Amati II. It's in excellent condition and, according to auction records, sold for just over half a million dollars in 2013 — it would likely be worth more than $700,000 today.
The 310-year-old violin belongs to Rowland Weinstein, who is not a musician but an art dealer who splits his time between Los Angeles and San Francisco. His Weinstein Gallery, specializing in surrealism and abstraction from 1920 through World War II, is based in San Francisco. The violin, which he allowed musician friends and professional violinists to play, was in his white Tesla, parked outside his Los Feliz home, when someone stole the vehicle from his property Dec. 8.
Weinstein said his car key — which automatically locks the Tesla once the driver, key in hand, exits the vehicle — had slipped out of his pocket and landed behind the driver's seat. So the car was unlocked.
Ironically, the reason the violin was in the car in the first place was that Weinstein had moved it from a previous location he felt was not safe enough. He'd intended to leave the instrument in the car only momentarily; when he returned from inside the house, he found the car gone and called the police and then the FBI.
A spokesperson for the FBI, Laura Eimiller, said no suspects have been identified and no one has been charged yet. Neither car nor violin has turned up and it's not certain, she said, that the instrument was the thief's target.
"According to LAPD, a car thief is believed to have been in the area," Eimiller said. "It's possible that the person who stole it may not have known the value and discovered it [later] and may try to pawn it or sell it overseas. So it's critical to get the information to the public so that hopefully somebody who received it, or is offered it, can identify it and return it to its rightful owner."
Weinstein — who is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the violin's safe return — said he is "heartbroken."
"I'm responsible for a piece of history and that piece of history got away from me," Weinstein said. "It's so fragile. My biggest fear is that someone who doesn't know what they have will put it in the wrong environment and it will get damaged or destroyed."
A detail of the Amati violin, which was bought in 2013 by its current owner for more than $500,000.
(Photo from FBI)
Weinstein bought the violin in October 2013 at Tarisio, an online auction house specializing in stringed instruments and bows. According to Tarisio's records, Weinstein paid $507,436 at a London sale. He said he had it insured. Such rare instruments appreciate annually, according to Tarisio director Jason Price, adding that the 1710 Amati would likely sell for $700,000-$900,000 today.
In 2018, another Amati violin, circa 1700, sold at the London-based auction house Ingles & Hayday for $917,453.
Weinstein's instrument was so valuable because it was made during a seminal "golden period" in the history of violin making — 1700-1720 — and because the Amati family is credited with birthing the modern violin. The family crafted string instruments in the Italian town of Cremona starting in the mid 16th century. Two generations later, Nicolò Amati ramped up the family workshop and its profile in the 17th century.
Nicolò's son, Hieronymus Amati II, made Weinstein's violin.
"Hieronymus the second is a very special violin maker because he's the last of the Amati lineage," Price said. "They essentially created the modern violin as we know it — its proportions, its measurements, its tuning and its number of strings."
Gary Green, a longtime violinist and founding conductor of the Los Angeles Lawyers Philharmonic, said the instrument's value cannot be overstated — historically, musically and personally.
"When you play a string instrument — I've had mine 60 years — it's a very personal thing," Green said. "You hold a violin very close, under your chin, you create the sound together. … And an Amati — whoa, what a loss."
Though Weinstein himself did not play the instrument, "I'm the caretaker of it," he said. "I feel extremely close to it because it's a part of history that has touched so many lives. Not just the lives of people who have been lucky enough to play it, but those who have heard it over 300 years."
This is not Weinstein's first run-in with a thief. In 2011 a 1965 Pablo Picasso pencil drawing, "Tête de Femme," was stolen from his gallery, then located near Union Square (it's now in the South of Market area). Authorities recovered the sketch in about 24 hours and Mark Lugo of Hoboken, N.J. — a.k.a. the "Thomas Crown of art thieves," who had casually walked out of the gallery, in broad daylight, with the art work tucked under a newspaper before hailing a taxi — was sentenced to 16 months in prison. The work still hangs in Weinstein's gallery; he doesn't plan to sell it.
"It became part of the lore of my career, it's part of my story," he said.
Weinstein said he's baffled by the coincidence of being targeted, twice, by thieves.
"It's beyond anything I'd ever anticipated," he said. "I just hope the violin has the same happy ending as the Picasso."
A detail of the 1710 Amati violin, which was made by Hieronymus Amati II in Cremona, Italy.
Price was optimistic about the violin's return. The auction house maintains a free database, accessible to the public, of about 60,000 fine musical instruments that includes a registry of stolen ones — both cold cases and instruments that have been recovered. It's considered one of the largest such compilations in the industry, and Price has noticed patterns.
"They go off the map for years sometimes, but then they often resurface," Price said of stolen pieces. "It's really difficult to sell an instrument like this because it's so known and would attract so much attention wherever it popped up for sale. They don't stay stolen long."
Berkeley Law lecturer Carla Shapreau, a violin maker who specializes in, among other things, stolen cultural objects, suspects Weinstein's violin may still be close to home.
"This doesn't appear to be a planned theft, it seems to be a crime of opportunity based on the facts, so it's potentially still in Los Angeles, possibly in someone's home," Shapreau said. "When a theft is planned, there's often a customer for it. When someone sees a car unlocked, they're more likely to try and pass [an item found inside] locally. But it would be difficult to transfer this in the stream of commerce, especially if it's well publicized."
In addition to Tarisio's database, both the FBI and Interpol keep databases of stolen cultural objects, Shapreau said, adding that all three are "essential tools."
"It's hard to sell these things if they're well documented," she said. "But if you don't have a way to track them, memories fade."
The FBI case agent in charge of the Amati violin, Elizabeth Rivas, was not allowed to comment on an in-progress investigation, Eimiller said. Rivas is a member of the FBI's national art crime team, based in the Los Angeles field office.
The FBI is continuing to investigate the case, Eimiller said, and asks that anyone with information call (310) 477-6565.
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Here is a look at a large DEA poster as it came off the printer. This one was for a DEA customer. This poster is 36×36 which is very big in terms of posters. Our printer is a high end Canon wide-format printer designed specifically to work with Photoshop. The printer lays down a ton of ink so customers must be cautious not to touch the surface unless you want your finger-print as part of the design.


Cicero (GNIS FID: 1563085) is a populated place located within the Town of Cicero, a minor civil division (MCD) of Outagamie County.
The elevation of Cicero is 856 feet. Cicero appears on the Nichols U.S. Geological Survey Map. Outagamie County is in the Central Time Zone (UTC -6 hours).


text:
CD3ε antibodies, mouse
Clone REA606 recognizes the mouse CD3ε antigen, a single-pass type I membrane protein, which is a part of the CD3 complex and a subunit of the TCR complex. The CD3 complex mediates signal transduction in several intracellular pathways and has a role in T cell activation and antigen recognition by binding the peptide/MHC antigen complex. CD3ε is expressed on all mature T lymphocytes, NKT cells, and during the development of thymocytes.
CD3e, CD3epsilon, CD3, T3
Antigen: CD3ε
Alternative names of antigen: CD3e, CD3epsilon, CD3, T3
Distribution of antigen: T cells, NKT cells, thymocytes
Available conjugates: APC, APC-Vio770, PerCP-Vio700, PE, PE-Vio770
Splenocytes from BALB/c mice were stained with CD3ε antibodies or with the corresponding REA Control antibodies (left images) as well as with CD4 antibodies. Flow cytometry was performed using the MACSQuant
Analyzer. Cell debris and dead cells were excluded from the analysis based on scatter signals and propidium iodide fluorescence.
145-2C11 ++
500A2 ++
17A2 ++
REA641 ++
Clevers, H. et al. (1988) Characterization and expression of the murine CD3-epsilon gene. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 85(22): 8623-8627
Gold, D. P. et al. (1987) Evolutionary relationship between the T3 chains of the T-cell receptor complex and the immunoglobulin supergene family. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84(21): 7649-7653
Miescher, G. C. et al. (1989) Production and characterization of a rat monoclonal antibody against the murine CD3 molecular complex. Immunol. Lett. 23(2): 113-118
Exley, M. et al. (1991) Structure, assembly and intracellular transport of the T cell receptor for antigen. Semin. Immunol. 3(5): 283-297
Analysis of T cells made easy – Complete workflows improve the isolation and analysis of T cells. Evaristo et al. AAI (2019).
CD3ε-APC, mouse
CD3ε-APC-Vio770, mouse
CD3ε-PerCP-Vio700, mouse
CD3ε-PE, mouse
CD3ε-PE-Vio770, mouse
REA Control antibodies
The REA Control antibody clone REA293 is a universal isotype control that can be used with all ...


Mix the apples with flour, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl.
You may use a wide mouth mason jar ring which works perfectly.
You may pinch the edge of the dough around the top edge of the tin and making a hammock of sorts worked really well. You can then gently fill the crusts with your apple mixture and push the crusts down the rest of the way.
Then take your equally divided butter and put a dab on each pie.
Cover as desired with left over dough.
Brush with melted butter and bake at 400 for 18 to 22 minutes.


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May open, hold and maintain with an Authorised dealer in India a Resident Foreign Currency (RFC) Account to transfer balances held in NRE/FCNR (B) accounts. Proceeds of assets held outside India at the time of return, can be credited to RFC account. The funds in RFC accounts are free from all restrictions regarding utilisation of foreign currency balances including any restriction on investment in any form outside India.


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Home Blog 2021 October 06 RADIO TALK SHOW ABOUT THE SITUATION ON RIGHTS OF PLWDs IN UGANDA
Blog, News, Uncategorized
RADIO TALK SHOW ABOUT THE SITUATION ON RIGHTS OF PLWDs IN UGANDA
WHAT IS DISABILITY?
A physical or mental condition that limits a person's movements, senses, or activities.
A disadvantage or handicap, especially one imposed or recognized by the law.
DISABILITY SITUATION
According to the Joint Study entitled ―Chronic Poverty and Disability in Uganda, carried out for Action on Disability and Development, LOSCO established that, exclusion of people with disabilities in Uganda was noted to happen in three different ways: economic, social and political.
In Studio with the CEO Disability Sign World (DSW)
Worldwide, fifteen percent (15%) of the world's population or one (1) billion people live with some form of disability. In Uganda, (UBOS 2016) 12.4% of the Uganda's population lives with some form of disability approximately 4.5 million Ugandans are persons with disability hence a development concern and Kawempe division accounts for (22.6%) of all persons with disabilities living in Kampala district. 10% of an affected population [by disaster] will develop serious psychological trauma. 80% of people with disabilities live in developing countries, and there, make up 20% of the poorest of the poor, living on less than $1 a day. This Report showed that disability was more prevalent amongst women (15 per cent) than men (10 per cent); higher in rural areas (15 per cent) than in urban areas (12 per cent). This nearly correlated with the World Health Organization Report of 2010 which put the global disability prevalence rate at 15%.
The Uganda Population and Housing Census indicated that the total population of all children aged 18years and below was 57.2% (19,874,000) of the total population. Considering that 5.82% of Ugandan Children are estimated to be children with disabilities, this translates to 2,027,148 children with disabilities (1,052,000 boys and 974,488 girls), (National Action Plan for Children with Disabilities 2016/17- 2020/21, MGLSD). This is comparable to the estimated a prevalence of about 13%, that is, 2.5 million children living with a disability (UNICEF, 2014).
Uganda is overall on track towards achieving education for all, with a net enrollment rate of 93% boys and 96%girls (Ministry of Education and Sports, 2016/17). The Uganda National Population and Housing Census data 2014 shows that, 605,380 (304,270 males and, 301,110 females) were persons with disabilities aged between 6-12 years and rightly contributing to the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in primary education.
However, enrollment and completion of Children with Disabilities in primary and secondary schools is significantly low. Only 9% of Children with Disabilities of school going age attend. 0.81% (820) student with special needs out of 101,186 students sat Uganda advanced Certificate of Education Examinations (Uganda National Examination Board, 2017).
SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES IN THE REPORTING ABOUT THE SITUATION OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
The major challenges for these children not adequately attending school are; inadequate financial resources provided to responsible institutions at national and local level, insufficiently trained staff, inaccessible physical environment, (disability-unfriendly classrooms and latrines) communication and information means ( e.g. Lack sign language and Braille) as well as a shortage and unaffordability of assistive and mobility devices .(UNICEF, 2016:p9).
For disabled children, every day is a struggle. The multitude of barriers limiting their access to education and the weight of what other say about their condition are obstacles to their well-being and fulfillment. No matter what physical or mental condition the children are living with, they all are entitled to an environment that will promote their development – whether to go to school to learn about cultural activities or to have fun. Health care interventions, education, rehabilitation and sustainable livelihood development are the aspects to be taken care of.
Disability is just as much or more about how society puts up barriers that exclude and disadvantage people with impairments by not recognizing their rights, needs and potentials, prejudice towards persons with disabilities. These barriers include poverty, lack of education, gender, religion, age, social stigma and geographic isolation.
The changes need to be brought from the policy level that would make every public institutions accessible to the people living with disabilities, develop education materials for the people with disabilities and make it accessible to them, make provisions for their independent living in the community as well as support need to be provided by other funding bodies as well the government entity for responding to emergencies and natural disasters and for disaster preparedness for everyone including the people living with disabilities to control the risk. Also, a social culture should develop that accept every individual in the society equally without discriminating in any of the ways.
Economically, exclusion centered around obstacles to participation in livelihood activities, especially those of an income generation nature. Access to financial resources was noted to be a major factor in this regard. While there was no evidence of official policy by financial institutions to exclude disabled people from accessing loans, most disabled people were on record for having been denied credit facilities in nearly all such financial institutions simply because managers thought they had no ability to pay back. People with disabilities were also excluded from joining credit groups by able-bodied group members. In such instances members of the groups feared that if allowed, disabled people would never be able to pay back their loans. In certain instances it was clear that able-bodied community members sympathized with the condition of disabled persons to the extent that they pitifully excluded them.
Evidence from the United Nations Agencies shows that ethnic groups are scattered across Uganda, live in rural areas and are largely disadvantaged. Ethnic minorities women with disabilities tend to experience triple discrimination, are marginalized, have very limited access to property and majority are never included at decision making levels both within their structures and mainstream.
LEGAL PROVISIONS AND FRAMEWORK
Uganda is one of the few countries in the region that boast of comprehensive legal provisions for inclusion of people with disabilities in the country's development process. The main framework for this is the 1995 Uganda Constitution which enshrined in it specific provisions on disability. The Constitution emphasizes achievement of:
(a) Fair representation of marginalised groups (including disabled persons), and
(b) Recognition of the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.
Disability is currently recognized as a development concern which requires inclusion as pointed out within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs; the National Development Plan (NDP II) 2015/16 – 2019/20; the Social Development Sector Plan (SDSP1) 2015/16-2019/20. Uganda had earlier demonstrated its commitment to protecting and promoting rights of persons with disabilities through the 1995 Constitution with pro -active provisions in the State and Policy Objectives XV1 on Recognition of Rights of Persons with Disabilities to respect, Objective XX1V on Development of Sign Language, Article 32 on Non-discrimination on basis of disability ,among others, Article 35(i) and (ii) stipulates the Right to respect and human dignity and; Taking appropriate measures to ensure their full mental and physical potential respectively, amongst others.
The Persons with Disabilities Act, 2006, makes provisions for the elimination of all forms of discriminations against people with disabilities and towards equal opportunities. The Local Government Act, 1997, Parliamentary Elections Statute, 1996, and the Movement Act, 1998. These laws aim to increase the representation of disabled people in the public sphere. Traffic and Road Safety Act, 1998, prohibits denial of a driving permit on the basis of disability. Uganda Communications Act, 1998, provides for the promotion of research into the development and use of new communications techniques and technologies in favor of persons with disabilities. Workers' Compensation Act, 2000, provides compensation to workers who are injured or disabled through industrial accidents. The National Council for Disability Act (No. 14), 2003, monitors and evaluates the rights of persons with disabilities as set out in international conventions and legal instruments, the Constitution and other laws. The Business, Technical, Vocational Education and Training (BTVET) Act, No. 12, 2008, promotes equitable access to education and training for all disadvantaged groups, including disabled people. National Policy on Disabilities, 2006, provides a human rights-based framework for responding to the needs of persons with disabilities. The Equal Opportunity Act, 2006, and the Employment Act (No. 6), 2006, both prohibit discrimination of persons in employment based on disability. The Universal Primary Education Act makes it financially possible for families to send their disabled children to school by providing free primary education to four children in every family, including disabled children. The Uganda Vision 2025 and the Poverty Eradication Action Program (PEAP), provide a long-term development framework and initiatives aimed at sustaining rapid economic growth and tackling poverty.
In addition to the above; Uganda, on 25th September, 2008 ratified the UN convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities whose purpose, according to Article 1 of the Convention, ―… is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.
All the above attest to the government's will and some degree of commitment to improving the quality of life for the disabled community in Uganda. Therefore, it could be argued that there are no deliberate efforts to frustrate the participation of disabled people in social, political and economic mainstream community programmes.
Data on disability inclusiveness is expected to be collected by the LC 1 vice chairperson who is responsible for the children with disability in the village, the secretary for Persons with Disabilities in the village, The parish chiefs who are government employed personnel to implement government development programs in the parish, Community development officers at Sub county levels who are technical officers responsible for the overall social development activities and programs in the Sub county and the District Community Development Officer who receives these reports and sends them to the respective Ministry. However, this in most cases
In addition, National council for Disability is mandated to monitor and make reports to parliament through the same decentralization system because it is expected to have District Councils and Sub County Councils for Disabilities as per the National Council for Disability Act (2003).L
NGOs and CBOs concerned with issues of disability also make reports to their umbrella organizations and to their development partners and to the relevant Ministries.
Their Issues are also seen accessibility to Classes, Hotels, Storied Buildings, Among others
CHALLENGES IN THE DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING SYSTEM
The availability of the data collection and reporting systems in the country is hindered by the following challenge;
Negative attitude by the technical officers, leaders/politicians towards the issues of disability inclusiveness and tendency to refer to disability inclusion as an expensive venture
Lack of awareness about the rights of persons with disability, need for disability inclusive reporting and limited knowledge on what to be reported.
Financial and human resources which are not aligned to meet this challenge at all levels of governance which makes it rather hard to come up with real data on disability.
Multi- sectorial coordination for disability and development which is weak
Exclusion of persons with disability in the planning, implementing, monitoring. Evaluation and reporting on programs and activities to bench mark the issues of disability inclusiveness.
Finalize, review, operationalize and report on performance of major policy and legal frameworks such as, Persons with Disabilities Bill 2016, National Policy on Disability, 2003, Draft National Inclusive Education Policy, Mental Health Bill, National ICT Policy on Persons with Disabilities, among others, in line with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and 2030 Agenda.
Mainstream disability in the five thematic areas of the Sustainable Development Goals framework, MDAs and Local Governments as cross cutting issue to be tracked from planning, implementation monitoring and evaluation and develop specific indicators for their reporting.
Establish development funds to cater for unique needs of Persons with disabilities if they are to move along with others.
Popularize guidelines on Disability such as; Guidelines on Disability 2012 and National Disability Inclusive Planning Guidelines 201 which are in line with Sustainable Development Goal and, CRPD Provisions
Rejuvenate and scale up the Community Based Rehabilitation Program to raise awareness, build capacity and promote rehabilitation and rights of PWDS, among others.
Strengthen and build capacity Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Local Governments and Monitoring Bodies to plan, implement, monitor, evaluate and report on disability inclusion.
Include disability in Social Protection Programs especially with particular focus on those with severe and multiple disabilities
Establish and mainstream Disability Information Management Systems across sectors strengthen and National Council for Disability to compile as a source
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Yes, yes, St. Patrick's Day is all about green beer. And 'tis goodly true that a Guinness is a full meal in itself for the toughier folk, while a single, lighter lager with some food colouring in it will allow for a proper celebration of Ireland and its beloved patron saint, yet leave enough room in the belly for a burger, and a brighter morning after.
But St. Patrick's is also a time when many of our local institutions invite you to tea or a giant breakfast. On Sunday, there's brunch at Beulah United in Ayer's Cliff. On Saturday, celebrations at the Hut and a Girl Guides coffee party at the United Church in Lennoxville. And that's just a partial listing (check out the listings in your community paper, on Facebook, or posted at your local community bulletin board).
Also on the 15th, there's Irish coffee (and stew), at the Royal Canadian Legion on Galt East in Sherbrooke, from 11 a.m.
And what will you be drinking that in? The porcelain teacups that we love so well are "usually slightly fluted and with a delicate handle… a derivative of the ale tankard which was often used for imbibing the proverbial hot toddy," according to fiction writer Laura Childs.
Tea! There's a traditional (British) cream tea on Sunday (sorry to impose, Ireland!) at Uplands on Speid Street (from 1 p.m.).
Those who know you must pour the hot water onto the tea (and not vice versa) will enjoy Laura Childs' cozy mysteries, in which the owner of the Charleston, South Carolina, Indigo Tea Shop finds her life to constantly be steeped in theft, death, and cute dogs.
Shades Of Earl Grey (2003) is the third in the series, and it's full of history, biscuits, rooibos and chamomile. It begins with an engagement party that ends in the sudden, horrific death of the groom.
But Theodosia Browning finds the accident's circumstances rather odd, especially as a stupidly expensive ring has been "lost".
Browning is quite concerned with protecting the impressive exhibit on display at her neighbourhood Heritage Museum. Like Lennoxville, Charleston cares about its history. Childs' Lady Goodwood Inn features a large tapestry, which "came all the way from France. I think it might have been hand-loomed by cloistered nuns, or something," notes one wag.
Older tapestries, from the 15th and 16th centuries, say, were indeed hand-loomed. Some of the most famous feature the virgin's seduction of the unicorn, which is then entrapped and killed. The seven so-called Unicorn Tapestries hang at The Cloisters in New York City. But if you can manage to go farther afield, Paris is worthy. At the Musee de Cluny, you'll find a six-pack known as The Lady And The Unicorn. The virgin seduces the horned beast, and there's not a hunter in sight.
Tracy Chevalier's delightful (and bawdy) novel The Lady And The Unicorn (2004) weaves a marvelous tale around the creation of the tapestries. Each chapter has a different narrator, beginning with the artist, a ladies' man who, discovering that he's gotten a fling pregnant, throws a few coins at her and hopes to never see her again.
Nonetheless, Nicolas des Innocents can be quite charming (if you're a woman of a better class than a mere indentured servant). Men and women tell their medieval tales in turn, as we follow through the years that go into the making of these masterworks. Much research went into this engaging read.
Here's one more book that brings dusty exhibits alive: Kate Atkinson's Behind The Scenes At The Museum (1995). It begins in 1951 at the very moment of conception, when teeny tiny little Ruby Lennox begins to talk – and talk and talk and talk. The precocious chatter about her life is interspersed with "footnotes", further tales built around a single object – a rabbit's foot, a photograph. Every item at the museum has a story. Just as every family gathering is a snapshot of history, secrets and brutal truths.
Behind The Scenes At The Museum is a Whitbread winner, as chosen by the Booksellers Association of Great Britain and Ireland. It's funny, fast moving and tinged with tragedy. A recommended read.
And the cover's sorta, kinda green-ish. You know, for St. Patrick's Day.


Last weekend, America witnessed a repugnant display of hatred, bigotry, and vitriol organized by white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and Ku Klux Klansmen, who convened in Charlottesville, Virginia to protest the removal of Confederate monuments and memorials from public spaces.
Washington -- At tonight's full committee markup of the FY18 Transportation-Housing and Urban Development (T-HUD) Appropriations bill, Ranking Member David E.
Washington – Congressman David E. Price (NC-04) released the following statement on the two-year anniversary of the adoption of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran Nuclear Agreement.
Washington – Congressman David E. Price (NC-04), Ranking Member of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (T-HUD) Appropriations Subcommittee, gave the following opening statement at this evening's subcommittee markup of the Fiscal Year 2018 T-HUD Appropriations bill.
Congressman David E. Price (NC-04) released the following statement about the Senate Republican ACA repeal proposal.
Washington – Last night, Congressman David E. Price (D-NC) and Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL) introduced the Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act alongside Senators Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Marco Rubio (R-FL).


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Opera Santa Barbara, 2007
Masked Feelings
Originally published 12:00 p.m., March 1, 2007
Updated 05:11 p.m., March 5, 2007
Opera Santa Barbara presents Verdi's A Masked Ball
By Charles Donelan
The Opera Festival continues this week with A Masked Ball, considered to be one of Giuseppe Verdi's masterpieces and contains some of his most elegant and powerful romantic duets. Yefim Maizel returns to Santa Barbara to direct A Masked Ball. In his previous engagements here, Maizel has directed Madama Butterfly and Lucia di Lammermoor. Maizel spoke with me last week about the upcoming show.
What went through your mind as you studied Un Ballo in Maschera [A Masked Ball] in preparation for this production?
I was driven by a desire to get at the composer's intention. Originally, Verdi was writing about the recent assassination of Gustav III of Sweden, which had taken place at a masquerade ball. Because of censorship in Italy, the setting was changed to Boston, and the character's role was shifted from king to governor. I have updated the setting from colonial times to the Victorian era in pursuit of a stronger connection with Verdi's original impulse, which was to dramatize the assassination of a national leader.
How much did Verdi know about colonial Boston?
(Laughs) It's likely Verdi had little idea of what colonial Massachusetts was like, or of what had gone on there. But that was not the point. He was asked to move the story out of Europe, and he did. Some contemporary productions even revert to the Swedish setting. I chose to leave the action in Boston, but to move the time to the late 19th century because I saw this change as irresistible. It does so much for the story.
Could you describe what you mean by that?
The two operas in the festival are being presented within a proscenium frame that is the same for both. This put tremendous pressure on the people doing the costumes and lighting to find ways to differentiate them. With Rigoletto in traditional costume, I wanted the Masked Ball costumes to look distinctive and modern. At first I actually proposed a film noir setting in the 1940s to the opera board, but the Victorian era is what we decided on in the end. It allows the manners and etiquette to be much more modern and closer to the way they are now. There are no court intrigues or powdered wigs to distract the audience from what is relevant and passionate in the action.
When you choose a design, where does your inspiration come from?
Always from the music — that's how it has to be. You are working on finding a truthful way to visualize what is already there in the score.
How do you feel about these characters?
I like Riccardo, the governor of Boston. Where the duke in Rigoletto is a flashy Don Juan type, the governor is a fuller human being, someone with a spiritual side. That's where the excitement in this role comes from for the tenor — in the conflict between the physical and the spiritual.
What about the masked ball itself? How are you approaching the finale?
There are disguises in use throughout the opera — Amelia in her veil, the fisherman's outfits the men use to visit the fortuneteller, Ulrica — and there is also the theme of hidden feelings, which can be even more disruptive than hidden identities. The governor must hide his feelings for his friend's wife, and yet what he doesn't know is the conspirators around him who are pretending to be his friends are also hiding their feelings from him. So the finale is very much in keeping with what has come before. When the characters put on their masks, that's when the real facts of the matter come out. Of course, the final truth is death, as the governor learns to his distress.
Thanks so much for speaking with me. I look forward to the production.
Thank you; it was my pleasure.


A Golden Age of humanity has passed into history. A time with mankind advanced implacably and unopposed through the starts has gone beyond the living memory.
Thinly spread and underdeveloped, they are pale shadows of mankind's former glories.
unrivalled in the history of our race, united by a common purpose - Reconquest.
an odyssey through the stars towards a distant and glittering goal - Earth.
Dropzone Commander (DzC) is a 10mm scale sci-fi tabletop wargame, devised for mass battles between two or more players. The rules are designed for efficient and dynamic games which can be played on a standard 4'x4' table (although larger tables work well also!).
For additional information, head on over to the Hawk Wargames site.


Two Eastern European men are to stand trial in connection with the discovery of a €360,000 cannabis growhouse in Co Longford, it was revealed this afternoon.
Lithuanian nationals Darius Raudonis (45) and Vaidus Budrys (38) both of 7 The Old Mill, Naul, Dublin appeared at a sitting of Longford District Court before Judge Seamus Hughes.
Mr Raudonis, also of 45 College Vale, Mullingar and his co-accused, previously appeared at court sitting in January after gardaí swooped on a property at Toneymore, Abbeylara on January 18 2018.
That coincided in Section 17 cannabis cultivation charges being handed down on foot of State evidence that 446 cannabis plants had been recovered as a result of the operation.
At today's court sitting Garda Yvonne Glackin gave evidence of having put fresh Section 15A sale and supply charges to both men.
The court was told the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had consented to sending forward the pair for trial on indictment.
The State registered no objection to bail with Judge Hughes remanding both men to appear back at sitting of Longford District Court on July 20.
It's at that sitting the prosecution is expected to serve a Book of Evidence on both individuals.