The very first Bonus Round Box has been released into the world and my nerdy guy absolutely LOVED this month's Batman VS Superman themed box!
The theme, perfectly correlating with the release of the long anticipated movie, is absolutely perfect in timing and in quality of items.
I had absolutely no idea what to expect with this first box, but I am so thrilled that I was able to get one for my boyfriend. I didn't even open it until he was here and I let him do the honors cutting the tape. He pulled each item out carefully and fanboyed pretty hard if I do say so myself.
The first item was the art print, featuring both Batman and Superman. It was a little creased from being rolled in the box, but nothing a good frame can't fix. He's absolutely obsessed with this and cannot wait to hang it up.
Boyfriend is a huge fan of anything alcohol/beer related so I think that item was the point when the box hit a home run.
But then it got better! Hidden amongst the tissue paper was an amazing Batman Bottle Opener Keychain. He instantly reached for his keys to put it on (before I stopped him and reminded him I needed to take photos), but he loved it so much.
I am useless when it comes to Batman/Superman trivia so I don't know what point in which movie this references but he was so thrilled with it, I don't think it matters.
I will tell you the shirts run a bit big. He's usually a large, so that's what we ordered (also because he refused to be measured), and this is pretty baggy on him. We're hoping it shrinks a bit in the wash, but I think he would have fit perfectly into a medium.
His only complaint wasn't the shirt however, it was that Batman had a 2:1 ratio over Superman in the box and he would have preferred them to be equal for the fans out there who like one over the other.
Regardless he absolutely adored everything included in this box and he is so excited to show off his new nerd gear!
If you're interested in getting your hands on a Bonus Round Box for you or your nerdy guy, click here to grab a future box!


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Tanvi Jeph
Tanvi Jeph is a 14-year-old writer and a poet. Many of her poems have been published on national and international sites. She has also secured the first position in the school state poetry competition and has also received the honor roll award from Times of India NIE (Gold). She has been the winner of Power Poetry emerging poets 2021 and her poetry has been published in their eBook. She is honored and glad to be a part of Polyphony.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Q: "Smart" fast compression for archiving mixed content? I would like to backup a computer folder quickly to an archive format (e.g. tar, zip, 7z, gz, etc.). The folder contains many files:
Some are text files that can achieve a good compression ratio. For example, I know there's one folder consisting of large plain CSV/XML files that can be compressed from more than 1 GB to less than 100 MB.
Others are image and zip files that cannot be compressed further.
Currently, I either pack the whole folder to a tar file, which is very quick on an SSD, and seems to be I/O bound. However, this does not attempt any compression, and based on what I said above about many of my plain text files, is wasting lots of space by wasting the potential for compression.
My other option is use 7z or zip and choose the fastest compression option. I'm happy with the compression, but this is much slower than above and seems to be CPU bound.
Is there a way to achieve the best of both worlds, somehow compress the plain text files, but do not attempt to compress the zip, jpeg, png, etc., to achieve both speed and some compression?
I can definitely write a script to loop through all the files, but I'm hoping for a low effort way - maybe some sort of options to 7z on the command line? Bonus if it only depends on 7zip on Windows.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The Ivie has coordinated working paper number 12 of 2012, published by the BBVA Foundation, "Impact of the Subprime Crisis on Bank Ratings: The Effect of the Hardening of Rating Policies and Worsening of Solvency". This study, along with other papers, is available on the BBVA Foundation website.
This working paper studies the impact of the subprime crisis on the ratings issued by the rating agencies in evaluating the solvency of banks. After ascertaining a significant worsening of ratings after the crisis, the paper hypothesizes the possibility that this worsening is not due exclusively to deterioration in the banks' credit quality, but also to a change in the behavior of the rating agencies. The study designs a methodology to separate the observed change in ratings into two multiplicative components: one associated with the deterioration of the banks' solvency itself and another associated with the change in the agencies' valuation criteria. The methodology is applied to the Spanish Banking System during the period 2000-2009. The results obtained show that the observed rating cuts (13%) are explained (65%) by the deterioration in the solvency of the banks, but also (35%) by the hardening of the valuation criteria adopted by the agencies. This shows the procyclical character of ratings.
This working paper was carried out by José Manuel Pastor (Ivie and Universitat de València), Juan Fernández de Guevara (Ivie and UV) and Carlos Salvador (UV).


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L. Shankar Goes Solo Once Again With Help From Some Friends, While The Intelligent Music Project Releases Album V
Legendary rock violinist Lakshminarayana Shankar, better known as L. Shankar is preparing to release his latest studio effort titled "Chepleeri Dream." For some, the name L. Shankar may not be commonly known, but he has worked with an all-star cast of artists like Frank Zappa, Peter Gabriel, U2, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna and many more. His latest album finds L. Shankar working along side Korn's Jonathan Davis, bassist extraordinaire Tony Levin, Scott Page of Supertramp and Toto, along with many others. The album begins with Davis handling the vocals, on the ambient flow of "In My Heart," which is also the album's lead single. The song's melodic body is a relaxing, electronic progressive rock piece, which introduces you to L. Shankar's all-star band. The album picks up a little more energy with the steady beat of "Faith," highlighted by Page's exciting saxophone solo. World renowned vedic chanter P.N. Sivarama Krishnan introduced us to a deeper, worldly sound with his vocal chants at the beginning of the album's title song "Chepleeri Dream," before returning to the straight-up rock of "Suppose." L. Shankar wraps up his new album with his stellar violin work on the contemporary pop/rock feel of "Ocean Waves" and the gentle floating melody of the instrumental "Emotions." To find out more about L. Shankar and his latest release "Chepleeri Dream," please visit lshankar.com.
The Intelligent Music Project V recently released their new all-star studio album titled "Life Motion." The album features members of Toto, Rainbow, Asia and the River Hounds. It kicks off with the steady climb of classic rock music, as the opener "A Kind Of Real Life" is addictive and energetic and full of progressive excitement. The music gets even more intense with "Don't Let Them Win," with the perfect combination of guitar riffs, harmonies and powerful drumming. The band's rock and roll passion burns on "Letting Me In," before taking the energy up another notch with the aggressive, hard rocker "We Keep On Running." The members grab hold of your heart with the emotions of "By The Side Of The Minute" and "The Final Act," before closing out their new album with the swagger of "Rising" and the graceful power ballad "The Things In Your Mind." To find out more about the Intelligent Music Project V's latest release "Life Motion," please visit intelligent-music.com.
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White Marsh Recreation Council offers a softball program each spring (April to June) for girls in the Clinic (4-6), 7-8, 9-10, 11-13 and 14-18 age divisions. Our program is designed to provide players with a fun-filled atmosphere while teaching each athlete good sportsmanship and fundamental skills necessary to play the game.
Girls in the 4-6 age group play in a clinic-type setting (coaches pitching) before moving up to the 7-8 league where the girls are introduced to "flat-pitch." This style helps to prepare the girls for the "modified fast-pitch" style of play (pitching as fast as one can, but no bunting or base stealing) that they will see in the 11-13 age bracket. Girls in the 14-18 age bracket play the full "fast-pitch" style with bunting and base stealing but are allowed to pitch "sling-shot"(underhand) if preferred.
For girls interested in a more competitive atmosphere, White Marsh also offers "Travel" teams in several age brackets that play in several local tournaments throughout the season as well as fast-pitch leagues during the summer and fall months.


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Chemistry Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for scientists, academics, teachers, and students in the field of chemistry. Join them; it only takes a minute:
How were silver and gold separated using the salt cementation process?
Gold and silver are often extracted from the same ores and are difficult to separate due to their chemical similarity, which prevents the use of techniques such as cupellation. Acid-based methods were discovered during the medieval period but were too expensive for use, so the main method of gold parting (the separation of gold from other metals) until the C16th was by salt cementation, in which sheets or granules of low-purity gold were heated with salt (NaCl) and/or other other compounds.
I would like to understand how this process was actually used. Wikipedia says the silver chloride (AgCl) produced is 'removed' but does not describe how. It also mentions that AgCl is volatile and the vessel used for the process is sealed to prevent its escape, which seems to contradict the previous statement. At the same time, it mentions the process is kept below 1000degC to stop the gold from melting, which is a long way below the boiling point of AgCl at atmopsheric pressure (although I don't know what pressure would be reached inside the vessel or how that would affect the volatility of AgCl). Furthermore, I thought that upon heating AgCl would normally decompose to silver (and chlorine) anyway, which in a simple, sealed vessel would presumably just remix with the gold. Some sort of alembic arrangement, maybe? I'm pretty sure I've misunderstood something fairly basic here.
I'm then further confused by this 1974 paper by Notton (open access) which seems to describe a recreation of what sounds like salt cementation process but then compares it to cementation (meaning it must differ significantly in some way I'm missing), and also sheds no light on the mechanism for recovering silver, although notes that the alumina plug of the sealed container ends up discoloured by silver salts after heating. Were the silver salts absorbed by the walls of the container, as in lead/silver cupellation?
I am interested in historical (pre-C16th) application of this process, rather than modern solutions.
metallurgy history-of-chemistry
tardigradetardigrade
$\begingroup$ I've read this work before and always found it confusing. I can see that an equilibrium can be formed whereby silver chloride is formed. The silver chloride subsequently sublimes from the gold but that would mean sodium cation remains. I think that instead, sodium carbonate is formed from carbon dioxide and water vapour within the fire; however, this isn't mentioned in any of the literature I've seen. After the process gold could be washed with water, whilst the sublimed silver chloride could be scraped from the sides of the vessel for further purification. $\endgroup$ – user1945827 Jul 29 '16 at 16:03
$\begingroup$ @user1945827 glad it's not just me - many thanks for the comment. From the sound of it the vessel is sealed so I'm not sure there would be enough water present, although Theophilus mentions adding urine. $\endgroup$ – tardigrade Aug 1 '16 at 11:45
This is an old process
M. Berthelot gives it from Papyrus V from the Leyden Papyrus X, in his Introduction à l'étude de le Chimie, des anciens et du moyen âge (Introduction to the study of Chemistry, of forefathers and the middle age). The papyrus is at least from the III° century, the process very probably older. From page 14 (my translation):
"Take piquant vinegar, thicken, take some [lacuna], 8 drachmas of common salt, 2 drachmas of lamellar alum (schist), 4 drachmas of litharge, crush with vinegar for 3 days, separate by decantation and employ. Then add to the vinegar 1 drachma of copperas, half an obole(1) of [lacuna], 3 oboles of chalcite(2), one and a half oboles of sory(3), one silique(4) of common salt, two siliques of Cappadoce salt(5). Make a lamella having two quarters (of an obole?) Submit it to the acion of fire... until the lamella breaks, then take the pieces and view them as refined gold.
1 drachma = 6 oboles
copper ore, such as pyrite
product of alteration of pyrite, which can include both copper sulfate and basic iron sulfate.
silique = third of an obole, a measure of weight
a variety of rock salt"
What about the chemistry?
Berthelot cites the process of départ par cémentation (departure by cemetation) from Macquer's Dictionnaire de la Chimie (1778). From the latter, page 312 (still my translation):
"First prepare a cement composed of 4 parts crushed bricks passed on a sieve, one part green vitriol calcined to red, and one part common salt: mixe the whole very-exactly, and make a firm paste, moistening it with a little water or urine. This cement is called cément royal, because it is used to purify gold, which chemists view as the king of metals.
On the other hand, reduce the gold one wishes to prepare, to lamellas about as thin as billon pieces: at the bottom of a crucible or cementation pot, place a layer of the cement of thickness the width of a finger: stratify the gold lamellas on this layer: place on top a new layer of cement: thus fill the pot, always placing the gold between two layers of cement; and cover it with a lid sealed with sand and clay. Place the pot in a furnace or oven ; heat progressively, until the pot is a dull red ; maintain this level of heat for about twenty four hours: it is very-essential that the heat not be able to melt the gold. After that, let the pot cool down, and open it to remove the gold, which must be separated thouroughly from the surrounding cement: it also has to be boiled in large quantities pure water several times. One can try this gold on a touchstone or otherwise ; and if it is found insufficiently pure, submit it a second time to the process.
The vitriolic acid of the brick and of the calcined vitriol, releases the acid from the common salt during this cementation ; and this last one dissolves the silver alloyed to the gold, and seperates it by this mean.
Berthelot has this to say about the chemistry occuring here, (page 16):
By proceeding thus, the silver and other metals dissolve in the sodium chloride, with the help of the oxidative -- and then chlorinating -- action exerted by the iron oxide derived from the vitriol ; while the gold remains unchanged.
And elsewhere (page 15):
[...] At a stretch, it could be that sodium chloride, in the presence of basic salts of [ferric oxide] [...], releases chlorine [...].
So what I think happens is: the silver reacts with $\ce{Cl2}$ and maybe $\ce{FeCl2}$ (speculation?, b.p.= 1023°C, vapor pressure at 800°C = 0.1bar) to give $\ce{AgCl}$. Then the $\ce{AgCl}$ evaporates (b.p.= 1547°C, vapor pressure at 800°C = 0.1mbar), condensates on the cement, and dissolves in it. It is unclear whether the silver stays in oxidized form. I would bet yes, but I am no inorganic chemist.
Recovering the silver
Macquer also says (page 313):
We can see it is essential to wash thouroughly the gold, after the process is completed, to remove all the disolved silver parts, which would otherwise stay mixed with it.
Concerning this silver, it can subsequently be separated from the cement, by heating it with a sufficient quantity of lead and litharge, and taking the resulting silver containing lead slag and cupelating it to remove the lead."
So apparently you can redissolve the silver in lead, and then remove the lead by normal cupellation.
Food for (even more) thought
Macquer (page 313) also mentions that the process works just as well if you replace common salt by saltpeter. Which is weird because $\ce{AgNO3}$ decomposes at 440°C.
He then adds that you can add both common salt and saltpeter, and not only does the silver still get dissolved, the gold doesn't. Which is also weird because you have all the components of aqua regia, but it doesn't attack the gold. Macquer does acknowledge his low confidence in his sources for this last process.
SCHSCH
$\begingroup$ Thank you very much for this, particularly the second source. I can follow a fair bit of it but would you be able to clarify the actual chemistry occuring here? Green vitriol is (I believe) iron (II) sulphate, but if it's calcinated first the 'red' referred sounds like it would be iron (III) oxide, so I don't understand where the 'vitriolic acid' referred to later would come from - is the author just guessing at a mechanism because green vitriol is involved? From this it sounds like the silver chloride possibly evaporates and condenses on the cement, possibly also decomposing to silver? $\endgroup$ – tardigrade Aug 1 '16 at 11:36
$\begingroup$ I assume conditions are close to atmopsheric pressure - how highly could a clay-sealed crucible be pressurised?) and no higher than about 1000degC, since this source reiterates that the gold must not melt. $\endgroup$ – tardigrade Aug 1 '16 at 11:40
$\begingroup$ I don't really understand why adding lead would help with recovering the silver either - as I understand it cupellation was primarily to remove lead (I may need to ask a similar question about the process of cupellation at some point). $\endgroup$ – tardigrade Aug 1 '16 at 11:40
$\begingroup$ Edited to address your very constructive comments, thank you for that. I retranslated the last part for better clarity, and translated additional bits from Berthelot. Also added my guess at a mechanism. $\endgroup$ – SCH Aug 1 '16 at 13:10
$\begingroup$ Not at all - thank you very much for your effort! $\endgroup$ – tardigrade Aug 1 '16 at 18:34
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Civil Liberties Protection Or Commercial Gain: What Is Google's Objective?
Google has been "cooperating" with law enforcement and security agencies all over the World. To perform its cooperating task more adequately it is making every possible effort to get the relevant data of its users. As a result, the privacy and anonymity of its users is more vulnerable to legal and illegal disclosures. At last Google objected to the omnipresent censorship by Chinese authorities and declared that it would withdraw from China. This situation may also arise at other places of the World, including India. However, the bigger questions are whether Google would cease to operate from China and if it does not cease its operations than whether it would no longer censor the results from Chinese netizens, says Praveen Dalal. If Google does not exercise either of these options than the entire episode would be branded as a "gimmick" to increase "commercial gain" in China and nothing more. Recently, Google was in controversy for showing Indian Territory differently in three different parts of the World. So much so that Indian Government decided to ban Google maps in India. Some observers have remarked that by showing different results in different parts of the World Google is trying to make happy all concerned. This smacks "double standards" on the part of Google and only shows that it is more interested in commercial gains than all other practices objected to by it.
The rules of expression of political thoughts and activities on the Internet are pretty simple and very complex at the same time. You are free to dance the way you like America. Play as long and as much as you want in the fabric of the net but don't brush away national security.
In the Middle East, as in some South American dictatorships and China, the ubiquitous censors monitor every word what you write. In India we are a very sensible and sensitive democracy. We do willy-nilly try to follow the game of golden-mean. Information Technology Act of 2008 gives the following guidelines:
(a) Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has the power to block sites and remove content to maintain "public order," as well as for national security and to preserve friendly relations with foreign states.
(b) It requires companies to have a point of contact to receive government blocking requests.
(c) A committee of Indian officials with representatives from ministries such as Law and Home Affairs would review blocking requests.
(d) The accused party/company would have 48 hours to present a case.
(e) Company officials who don't assist the government when blocking is mandated would face a fine and up to seven years in jail.
(f) India's Penal Code, Section 295A
So far the things are almost running smoothly and there have been no evidence of any major violations from any horizon. However, the recent confrontation between China and Google does make an interesting story.
A worldwide company DIT was founded in 2001 to provide low-cost, reliable Internet services for people living under repressive regimes. DIT's DynaWeb is a constantly updated, free proxy network designed to circumvent Internet blocking. On 15 September, a volunteer working with DynaWeb, observed that Google's Chinese news was giving one result in China and another in the United States. Bill Xia, CEO of Dynamic Internet Technology (DIT) said, "We were able to confirm this report through proxies in China. Search results inside China do not contain news from blocked sites."
Google tried to water down the issue and made the following response: "In order to create the best possible news search experience for our users, we sometimes decide not to include some sites, for a variety of reasons. They may display improperly in our service, or be inaccessible to users. We have not included links to a number of sources that are not accessible to mainland China Internet users."
Xia remained unconvinced. "The Chinese government controls the media and the military and through them, is able to create a 'Matrix' that hides web sites that relate to civil rights and opinions the Chinese authorities don't want people to see. I condemn it and urge the public to demand that Google explains how it's able to justify the practice." Xia also said that he has demonstrated that Google is using geographical differentiation to display different results to different locations.
Baidu. com is a largest Chinese search engine and Google also has a minority share in it. Two years ago, Baidu infuriated many Chinese Internet users as China's censors had installed new filtering software to keep unwanted information out of the country.
Despite the intellectual flexibility and discretion shown by Google it found that the hackers had attacked 33 other companies, including American companies like Adobe and others. The sophistication of attacks strongly suggests that this operation was either launched by the Chinese government's agencies, or was approved by them at the least. US Government still cannot do much about it, as Google is unable to prove the allegation on the 100 per cent involvement of the Chinese government.
Google went for a strong retaliation against these hackers by hacking them right back. There are many more moves that might follow in this cyber war between the titans. Let us see how the Google navigates the Animal Farm.
AUTHOR: NAIM NAQVI
SOURCE: MERINEWS
Posted by Priyanka Sharma at 11:05 PM
Google Hack Code Is In Public
The code used by China-based hackers in cyber attacks against Google and at least 20 other companies has been published on the internet. Code that exploits the yet-to-be-patched Microsoft Internet Explorer vulnerability has appeared on at least one website, according to researchers at security firm McAfee.
Microsoft published a blog post about the vulnerability after it was identified by McAfee researchers investigating the attacks. The public release of the exploit code increases the possibility of widespread attacks using the IE vulnerability, said McAfee chief technology officer George Kurtz in a blog post.
"The now public computer code may help cybercriminals craft attacks that use the vulnerability to compromise Windows systems," he said. According to McAfee, the attack is especially deadly on older systems running Window XP and IE 6, although versions 7 and 8 are also vulnerable. This is the largest and most sophisticated cyber attack in years targeted at specific corporations, said Kurtz. "What really makes this a watershed moment in cybersecurity is the targeted and coordinated nature of the attack, with the main goal appearing to be to steal core intellectual property," he said.
The attacks prove these threats are no longer the stuff of science fiction, and should be taken seriously by the public and private sectors alike, according to security advisors. Hopefully, the attacks will prompt organisations to review their security and perhaps even discover breaches that have remained hidden for some time, said Tony Dyhouse, director of the UK's Cyber Security Knowledge Transfer Network (CSKTN). "The problem is organisations are often unaware they have been infiltrated and do not take seriously threats they cannot see," he said.
SOURCE: COMPUTER WEEKLY
India Is Suffering From Cyber Anarchy: An Open Letter To Government Of India
India is presently plagued by cyber anarchy. Issues like stringent cyber law, good cyber forensics capabilities, efficient cyber security, etc have still not attracted the attention of government of India.
There are growing incidences of exploitation of Indian cyberspace by cyber criminals and foreign powers. Mr. Praveen Dalal, Managing Partner of Perry4Law and the leading Techno-Legal Expert of India has send an open letter to the Government of India including the Prime Minister of India, President of India, Supreme Court of India, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, etc.
We hope the Government of India would do the needful and all political parties would join hands to rescue Indian cyberspace from cyber crimes and cyber contraventions.
This work is analysing some of the suggestions given by Mr. Praveen Dalal to the Government of India regarding the strategic and policy lacunas of Indian Government in the fields of Cyber Law, Cyber Security, Cyber Forensics, etc.
As a result India has not only become a safe heaven for cyber criminals but also a "soft target" for hackers and cyber war criminals worldwide. This work is summarising his suggestions and recommendations (with his approval) and we hope the Government of India in general and the Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh in particular would consider and act upon these suggestions as soon as possible in the larger interest of India.
Labels: CYBER FORENSICS IN INDIA, CYBER LAW IN INDIA, CYBER SECURITY IN INDIA, Dr. Manmohan Singh., PERRY4LAW, PRAVEEN DALAL
Civil Liberties Protection Or Commercial Gain: Wha...
India Is Suffering From Cyber Anarchy: An Open Let...


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The Christmas season is full of wonderful things like snow, cookies and hot chocolate, family, friends, parties, creative holiday cards, and time off from school and work! However, finding the perfect gift can turn wonderful into stressful for some, not to mention, it can start to get expensive. We always seem to think we need more, or we need to spend more to make sure the people in our lives know they are appreciated. Turns out, there's , better ways to show your thoughtfulness and goodwill this season. Here are 12 inexpensive gift, ideas for Christmas this year to help save your pocketbook and the spirit of Christmas.
1. Turn on your oven and bake!
Who doesn't love getting delicious cookies, fudge, peppermint bark, or peanut brittle? Pull out grandma's cookie recipes and gather up the kids. Once you've made all your sweet treats, package them in inexpensive tines or wax paper lined boxes.
Now that you've made all these delicious treats, why not put together a little recipe book. It doesn't have to be fancy. Put your kid's smiling faces on the cover and viola, you have beautiful little book to accompany your treats. If you want to use the recipe book as a stand alone gift, try gathering friends and family recipes to compile.
Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a warm place with good family and friends to celebrate with over the holidays. Volunteer at a local food bank or homeless shelter as a family. Give to those who need a little kindness. It's costs nothing and feels great.
Just exchange stocking stuffers only. Fill them with meaningful little gifts. Like nail polish and foot scrub for your teenage niece, fluffy socks and tea for mom, dad's favorite magazine, salty and sweet snacks, etc.
Decide as a family not to exchange gifts, and, instead plan an activity for the day. If it's snowy, build snow forts and snowmen, have a snowball fight and give small prizes to the driest person. Play a game of touch football, go cross country skiing, go ice skating before dinner, have a board game tournament, do whatever it is your family loves to do.
If you have a big family and want to exchange presents, this is a great way to do it. Draw names and set a price limit reasonable for all those participating. Try drawing names at Thanksgiving to give people ample time to shop!
Why pay someone else to do it, if you've got the skills!?
If you are a stellar photographer- take pictures of friends, and family then frame them up. You, can also create family collages of your photos from previous Christmas celebrations.
If you are a knitter, sewer, crocheter extraordinaire, create some scarves, hats, placemats, handmade stockings, etc for everyone.
If you enjoy making cards, why note put together some stationary packs for people? Personalized thank you cards, or blank cards are always great to have on hand.
Sometimes just giving someone your time is the best gift. Give a coupon for a trip to the zoo to your niece and put a date on the calendar. Set a date to take your sister to the museum exhibit she's been wanting to see. These outings will create lasting memories well past the holiday season.
Make a little gift box for people. Try to do something specific to the person's interests.
Download some of your favorite Christmas songs and make CDs for family and friends. Personalize the cover with pictures of you.
Visit, scrapblog.com for, a fun, and easy way to, create mini, photo, books for people. You can add videos and music to make it as personal as possible.
Give to various charities in friends and family's names. You can give as much or as little as you want. Check out global giving for some charitable inspiration.
Christmas doesn't have to break the bank to be meaningful. We hope you found these gift ideas helpful for your holiday gift giving. Happy Holidays! Check out more holiday ideas!


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PANTERA's Concert In Vienna Canceled
Blabbermouth - 26 Jan 2023 02:09
PANTERA's concert in Austria this spring has been canceled following an outcry over singer Philip Anselmo's previous racist remarks. The reformed band -- featuring PANTERA's surviving members Anselmo and Rex Brown (bass) along with guitarist Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) and drummer...
Full Article at Blabbermouth
More Entertainment News


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2018, Action / Adventure, Comics / Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Fiction
Captain Marvel: Earth's Mightiest Hero Vol. 1
Carol Danvers has a new codename and is determined to prove herself the best of the best! She's forging a new future for herself as Captain Marvel, but finds that she still can't walk away from a challenge from her past! It's a firefight in the sky as the Banshee Squadron debut - but who are the Prowlers, and where has Carol seen them before? Witness her in blazing battlefield action that just may change the course of history! Then, the Avengers' new Captain Marvel meets their old one - Monica Rambeau! But what's Monica's problem? Can they resolve it before a threat from the ocean depths attacks? (Summary and cover courtesy of goodreads.com)
This was a random pickup for the second-hand store, but I really enjoyed it! I wasn't familiar with the character of Carol Danvers so it was interesting to see a different one of the Avengers and hear some of the abilities associated with her. I loved that she was a badass heroine with some awesome female mentors in her past as well.
If I had the chance, I'd definitely pick up additional books in the series in the future!
Warning: Contains violence.
Who should read it? Comic book fans!
Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28020956-captain-marvel
2018, Action / Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Romance
Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass #6)
Chaol Westfall has always defined himself by his unwavering loyalty, his strength, and his position as the Captain of the Guard. But all of that has changed since the glass castle shattered, since his men were slaughtered, since the King of Adarlan spared him from a killing blow, but left his body broken.
His only shot at recovery lies with the legendary healers of the Torre Cesme in Antica-the stronghold of the southern continent's mighty empire. And with war looming over Dorian and Aelin back home, their survival might lie with Chaol and Nesryn convincing its rulers to ally with them.
But what they discover in Antica will change them both-and be more vital to saving Erilea than they could have imagined. (Summary and cover courtesy of goodreads.com)
This was a beast of a book, but I didn't find it dragging on or repetitive. There are some parts that perhaps could have been shortened, but overall I enjoyed the character development and the slower pace of relationships building. Chaol and Yrene deserved the time to develop more as authentic characters as themselves rather than the side character they somewhat were relegated to up to this point. (And if you hadn't read the novellas you wouldn't know Yrene at all!). It was a bit of fresh air after the intensity of Aelin and crew in the series as well. I went to an author event with Sarah J. Maas and she actually said she found it therapeutic to have a bit of a different change of pace for her as well!
Two of the things I really liked about the book was Maas' thoughtfulness in the world-building and creating a place that had a taste of authentic history interspersed with the fantasy world. She also made some very conscientious choices in disability representation. Diversity in writing shouldn't be something that needs to be called out and I appreciate that Maas always makes it a matter-of-fact item rather than something that's supposed to be novel and controversial.
All in all, this was a fantastic continuation of the series and I cannot wait for the final book in the series! Considering I wasn't sold on the idea of this "distraction" book, there are a lot of things that are tied together well and set up a lot for the finale!
Warning: Contains repeated violence and sexual content.
Who should read it? Fans of the series otherwise I think you'd be fairly lost
Want to read the whole series?
The Assassin's Blade (Throne of Glass #0.1-0.5)
Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1)
Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2)
Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3)
Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4)
Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass #5)
Untitled (Throne of Glass #7)
Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32802697-tower-of-dawn
2017, Chick Lit, Fiction, Romance
Finding the Dream (Dream Trilogy #3)
In the final novel of Nora Roberts's Dream Trilogy, Laura struggles to mend a broken heart and broken family—until someone from her past makes all of her dreams come true …
Laura Templeton found out the hard way that nothing in life is guaranteed. The daughter of a wealthy hotelier, she had always known comfort, privilege, and security. But by the age of thirty, her storybook marriage had been destroyed by her husband's infidelity. Laura's divorce left her both emotionally and financially devastated—but determined to rebuild her life without the Templeton fortune.
Laura had always defined herself as a wife, a daughter, or a mother. Now, she must finally discover Laura the woman ...(Summary and cover courtesy of goodreads.com)
At first, I thought this was the weakest book in the series, but the finale of the book pulls it through into being just as good. Laura can come across almost like a pushover simply because she lets her strength shine through in a subtler way. With the fallout of all the chaos of her marriage she's forced to face some unfortunate decisions and Mick doesn't see that right away.
Mick drove me nuts before he was able to see a little more clearly and, in fact, I really dislike some of his internal dialogue around Laura. That being said, he's forgiven as he gets quite a few shoves in the right direction from everyone around him. The Templeton family up in the house has their eye on Laura and Mick, for better or for worse, and in that way this book reminded me of the "In the Garden" series by Roberts as well. I think Roberts wraps up the series in a somewhat predictable, but very satisfying way that left me content with the way things turned out.
Warning: contains repeated sexual content.
Who should read it? Fans of the previous two books, if you don't start with those the ending of this book isn't going to fit very well!
Daring to Dream (Dream Trilogy #1)
Holding the Dream (Dream Trilogy #2)
Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/114152.Finding_the_Dream
2017, Fantasy, Fiction, Romance, Paranormal
Heart of the Sea (The Gallaghers #3)
The breathtaking conclusion to the New York Times bestselling trilogy that began with "Jewels of the Sun" and "Tears of the Moon"...
Darcy Gallagher has always believed in the pull of fate, the magic of legend... and the importance of money. She longs to find a rich man who will sweep her away - into a world filled with glamour and adventure, and the exotic life that is her destiny...
A wealthy businessman with Irish blood, Trevor Magee has come to Ardmore to build a theater - and uncover the secrets hidden in his family's past. He thought he had given up on love long ago, but Darcy Gallagher tempts him like no woman ever has. She's gorgeous, intelligent, and she knows what she wants - and he's more than willing to give it to her. But as their mutual attraction flares into passion, they look into their hearts - and find out what happens when you truly believe... (Summary and cover courtesy of goodreads.com)
Darcy is the woman who adds a dramatic flair to the Gallaghers and isn't afraid the flaunt what she has. There's something you have to respect about a woman who knows her own mind and heart and unapologetically goes for it. I think that everyone could handle a little more Darcy in their life.
Trevor on the other hand is so eager to push everyone away that sometimes it seems that he misses what's right in front of him. I like that he has to start to open himself up while also balancing a business around the world. Both of them need to learn what might be hidden in their hearts while also pursuing their dreams.
Who should read it? Romance fans who enjoy a flair of fantasy, but it'll be a bit confusing if you don't read the others in the series first.
Jewels of the Sun (The Gallaghers #1)
Tears of the Moon (The Gallaghers #2)
Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17781.Heart_of_the_Sea


Zephyrhills Shuffleboard Club members Chuck Moulton and Merv Lambe won the Central District Pro/State Amateur Draw tournament championship 2/8 at ZSC.
Chuck and Merv had a tough time getting through many of their five matches. All but one went 3 games and some came down to the last shot.
In the semi-final match, Moulton and Lambe were down by 50 points with only 8 frames to go and were able to pull out the win.
The final match was an exciting nail biter. With Moulton and Lambe up by only five points in the last frame of the 3rd game, Lambe made a perfect high 10 to keep the opposition from scoring on their final shot.


Made in Italy, Valentino is excellence translated into elegance. Their design philosophy is to combine the classic and historic values of the brand with their more contemporary vision.
With an emphasis minimalism and highlighted your individuality, Adidas Silhouette eyewear is designed to enhance your unique look through strong materials combined with an eye for harmonic design.
Frames are fashionable and functional. Available in a large selection of colors and styles. Kate Spade frames are known as appealing to diverse lifestyles, with eclectic colors and prints.
Maui Jim blends quality with inspiration of the Hawaii beach culture. Their designer sunglasses line has been named best sunglasses in 2015 and 2016.
This iconic brand was founded in 1856 by 21-year-old dressmaker Thomas Burberry, all designed in their London studio and assembled in Italy.
Designed to showcase your unique character, Elle frames are known as having a more youthful look, Elle merges a modern look with a unique style.
These incredibly light frames are made entirely from stainless steel to form a strong and resilient piece of eye wear. The frames use a screw less flex hinge to create maximum flexibility for a long lasting, comfortable, and stylish frame.
Marc Jacobs frames are known as sophisticated designer eye wear combining an urban look with a focus on detail. Known for their retro and vintage styles, their frames speak to those that are sure of their own personal style.
Nike's motto "Designed from sport, evolved for life" perfectly sums up their unique product, which melds the technological advances garnered from their vast experience with professional athletes with the needs of everyday life.
A truly unique pair of glasses, Flexon uses a high tech metal that always bounces back into shape & weighs 25% less. If that wasn't great enough, this technology is based on that used by the US Navy as a missile heat shield.
These designer frames adorn the faces of celebrities world wide. Designed with the iconic Oliver Peoples aesthetic in mind, these handcrafted glasses are a genuine fashion statement. A product that speaks for itself.
The Seraphin line of eyewear from OGI is a successful attempt to bring in elements of the past with modernistic influences. All of their eyeglasses are handmade with precision in Japan, and are known for incredible quality.
Ray-Ban is the best selling designer frames in the world. Ray Ban has perfected the use of the latest technological innovations in frame design with unquestionable style. More than just mimicking the latest trends, Ray-Ban has been credited with creating fashion trends.
After years as the creative director of Gucci and Yves St. Laurent, Ford created his own fashion line which is so popular with celebrities that he has become a household name. Designed for the strong, intelligent, worldly man and woman, Ford is distinctive and highly sought after.
ProDesign Denmark consistently produces fresh, funky styles that distinguish wearers with their style. ProDesign is well aware that Danish design is admired for its clean and simple lines, high quality and ability to combine lightness of form with functional strength.
OGI offers bold, colorful and contemporary handcrafted eye wear. Known for their innovative and original designs, quality and value. A worldwide leader in affordable luxury eyewear.
The Gucci eyewear collection is a perfect blend of Italian tradition and luxury with shapes and styles for men and women. Gucci's attention to detail on frames, has never been surpassed and consistently produces high-end designs.
Scandinavian inspired sleek light weight and unique with masculine design and functionality. ÖGA is designed for the self-confident man, seeking strong and contemporary style but unwilling to compromise on quality and comfort.
Schoenbart Vision Care is proud to be the first practice in Long Island to receive the newest frames from Moncler. Known as one of the most iconic Italian fashion brands, Moncler stands out as combining extreme style and design with quality and craftsmanship.
Our optical boutique showcases the latest in designer frames fashion to match your unique style. Our expert team will assist you in finding the perfect eye glasses to match your style and face.
Learn more about the designer frames we carry, such as Charmant.
The first line of eyewear designed by a beauty expert, Bobbi Brown Eyewear has a look made for you.
Inspired by a time where sophistication and romance drove fashion, Seraphin celebrates the glamour of retro style.
Made in Italy, Valentino is excellence translated into elegance.


If you've got a huge table of family or friends for Thanksgiving, you might believe it's impossible to work your Mad Dog magic into the recipes. After all, not everyone can handle the heat.
But, it's this stuffing to the rescue!
Baked separately from the bird, you're going to get a serious bite from the 5 million Scovilles found in every bite without making the weaklings squirm. You know you can convert them to your chili head ways some other time, and you don't need to sacrifice your need for heat at the feast of the year.
Can it get any better than that? We don't think so.
Add the Mad Dog 357 5 Million Scoville Extract to the chicken broth and give it a good stir to ensure the heat blends into the stock. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the celery and onion and cook, stirring as needed, until translucent – about 7-8 minutes.
Add the sausage, salt and sage to the skillet. Stir to combine, then do the same with the bread cubes. Ensure ingredients are well distributed.
Slowly pour in the Mad Dog chicken broth, stirring just enough to combine. Then, cover the skillet with foil and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and stir. Cook, uncovered, for another 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, top with parsley or sage and serve with a stern warning about the Mad Dog heat in every bite.


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The AMS North community will empower students to manage and resolve social, emotional, and academic challenges.
In a safe environment, AMS North supports students to reach their full potential as lifelong learners and critical thinkers.
If children are valued, they will succeed.
Students can best achieve academic success by attending school every day.
Students are innovators and global citizens.
Character is developed through responsibility, independence, and mutual respect.
Technology is an essential element of the educational process.
Collaboration among teachers, students and their families is an integral part of the school culture.
Curricular and co-curricular experiences are critical to educate the whole child.
Matt Hines, Principal
I am thrilled to get the opportunity to work alongside a talented team of teachers and staff at North. I look forward to collaborating with parents to continue the tradition of excellence in Avon Community School Corporation. I have had the privilege of teaching high school mathematics and serving as an assistant principal at both the middle school and high school levels throughout central Indiana, most recently serving as assistant principal at Avon High School. My wife and two daughters are my "why" and are integral supporters of my desire to serve kids and families. Please contact me to collaborate on ways to support the students and staff at North. Let's make this the best year yet!
Meet the Assistant Principals
Ginger Davis
I am Ginger Davis. Being a graduate from Avon High School, I have seen a lot of positive changes in our school corporation, and I am excited about the growth our community has experienced. After graduating from Butler University with my Bachelor of Music, I taught music in IPS and Plainfield Community Middle Schools. While my three boys were in school, I decided to further my education to become a school counselor. As a school counselor, I had the opportunity to come back to Avon and assist with the opening of Avon Intermediate School. A few years later, I continued my education at Indiana University to get my certification in administration. In 2009, I took the opportunity to be a part of opening Avon Middle School North where I have served as the assistant principal for 13 years. My husband and I raised our three boys on the west side, and now we are proud residents of Avon. I look forward to meeting each of you and helping your children be successful here at North and in the future.
Ranesha Lee
It's truly an honor and privilege to serve as Assistant Principal at Avon Middle School North! I am excited to begin my leadership journey with Avon Community School Corporation. I began my teaching career in 2010 after graduating from IUPUI. While at IUPUI, I obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education with a minor is Special Education. My most recent position as a Multi-Classroom Leader has prepared me to support the instructional efforts and impact academic outcomes for our 7th and 8th grade students at AMNS. I have been welcomed with great enthusiasm from the team and am eager to see what the year will bring! I have a genuine passion for advocating on behalf of all stakeholders and providing a high-quality educational experience to the families and students of AMSN. As Assistant Principal, I hope to bring a diverse perspective, unique ideas and solutions, while embodying the mission to ensure that all students and families feel they can belong, learn and grow. I have the heart and dedication to truly engage in this important work of providing your scholar with the tools they need to succeed, the ability to create memorable experiences and guidance that will encourage each scholar to become a life-long learner! Let's connect on ways to enhance the school experience for every scholar, every day, in every way!
Matt Hines
8th Grade Counselor
Andrea Davasher
Allison West
Kerry Tzib
Indiana Academic Links
Indiana Department of Education
Indiana Academic Standards
AMS North School Data


The saguaro (/səˈwɑːroʊ/, Spanish pronunciation: [saˈɣwaɾo]) (Carnegiea gigantea) is an arborescent (tree-like) cactus species in the monotypic genus Carnegiea, which can grow to be over 40 feet (12 m) tall. It is native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, the Mexican State of Sonora, and the Whipple Mountains and Imperial County areas of California. The saguaro blossom is the state wildflower of Arizona. Its scientific name is given in honor of Andrew Carnegie. In 1994, Saguaro National Park, near Tucson, Arizona, was designated to help protect this species and its habitat.
Saguaro Cactus Fruit | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
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This entry was posted in Content and tagged 4th Armoured Brigade, Bonner Fellers, Commonwealth forces, M3 Stuart tank, Sidi Rezegh. Bookmark the permalink.
Although touched upon in the report by Fellers, the low range and high re-fuelling needs of the M3 Stuart far outweighed any advantages gained in speed or manoeuvrability. It was a logistical bugbear that unchecked could have haunted the vehicle throughout it's career in the desert.
It would be interesting to see if it was addressed by the addition of auxiliary fuel tanks at all.
It is described as "USA M3 Light Tank" and identified as T28037. It had been hit several times on the left hand side by 50mm rounds as well as one HE hit and once on the right side of the turret by a 50mm. Its fighting compartment was burnt out but the petrol tanks were intact which would suggest an ammunition fire and not one in the engine compartment.
The final remark states "No bones inside" as with another Stuart examined but three partially burnt bodies were found in T28077. May they now rest in peace.
What exactly is confusing about him saying that as a light tank intended for the roles of a light tank such as recon or force protection the design is mostly sound, but that attempting to use it as a medium to directly engage heavier armored vehicles and artillery in the assault role as the British were for lack of anything better is a fundamentally unsound doctrine? A design can absolutely be sound for it's intended role, but deficient if forced into another.
The Stuart was not to be the main battle tank of the US army by this point. This was after all why the Lee and Sherman were already being designed and built before the US even entered the war (and in fact the later had just started production at this time). Thus it's (in)ability to directly confront enemy medium tanks on a wide open plain is not necessarily a deal breaker, or even a major concern given that the much heavier M4 was in the pipeline for that task.
The fact it was mechanically sound, reasonably speedy, and could be mass produced while being basically protected enough against lighter weapons was sufficient. One would think his mention of employment within a 'balanced tank force' ought to make all this clear enough. There's also the fact that availability and mechanical soundness is CONSTANTLY underrated by arm chair generals and a light tank that's on hand in large numbers and actually in battle is worth more then a bunch of nominally superior tank broken down on the side of the road or arriving at the front in a trickle.
In it's role which wasn't intended to include high intensity direct confrontation with other tanks the 37mm gun being inadequate in a direct battle with medium tanks wasn't necessarily a deal breaker, but the fact it had become obsolescent against current medium tanks was still something to take note of. If a better weapon could've been squeezed in without compromising the vehicles other good characteristics then it's unlikely anyone would've complained, but as with many early war vehicles the ability to easily up-gun the chassis proved limited.
I think that the Honey's greatest drawback in any role, but especially in reconnaissance was its limited range.
What I meant by 'confused' is the 'fundamentally sound' following a listing of issues, internal communications, lack of power traverse, lack of automatic breech block, and insufficient fuel capacity, and a glossing over the insufficient armour to keep the German 50L42 out. So what exactly is 'fundamentally sound'? The suspension? Did it have cup holders? 😉 And fundamentally sound for which job? Apparently not 'assaulting' stronger tanks, which I have some sympathy for. But given that the British didn't have the luxury of maintaining a 200-strong tank force designed not to fight tanks, that rather limits its utility.
Ignore my last comment, I am repeating myself!
Hi Andreas. Could you post the archive references for the Bonner Fellers messages? Or contact me at gershomg [at] gmail.com?
Happy to hear it's been helpful!


FED (Field Emission Display) technology is similar to its cousin: SED. They both produce images using millions of electron emitters that are located only millimeters from a phosphorus coated screen. They also both produce images, color and light when electrons collide with the phosphorus coated screen. The differences between SED and FED HDTVs is how the electron emitters work.
SED electron emitters use an extremely narrow slit several nanometers wide to help guide the electrons to the correct area of the screen. To get around SED's patents, FED manufactures are using other methods such as carbon nanotubes to correctly direct the electrons.
Likely will never happen. The technology has been sold to AU Optronics Corperation and it is unknown if they will mass produce FED HDTVs.


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How to balance 'old hits' and innovation
Internal Audit: Golden oldies or latest tunes? Innovative internal audit groups share how they balance the past and future.
Rock stars and internal auditors have more in common than you might think. That's just one of the insights gleaned from Deloitte's third annual Global Chief Audit Executive (CAE) Forum. Another insight? The internal audit (IA) function can be both a stabilizing influence and a catalyst for change.
Consider the case of a musician with a new album. Out on tour, the performer wants to fill the set list with the latest cuts. But the fans turn out for the old hits. How can the artist send the crowd home happy, while simultaneously remaining true to the muse?
Internal audit functions face a similar dilemma: Their old "hits"—retrospective and assurance-based audits with a focus on compliance—provide reassuring familiarity to their audience of CFOs and audit committee members. But the new "music"—delivering valued advice and predictive, analytical, technology-enabled insights—gets the auditors' blood pumping.
Attaining an equilibrium between tried-and-true and cutting-edge, between a focus on the past and on the future, is critical to keeping both music fans and business executives happy and artists and auditors fulfilled.
Read more How innovative is your internal audit function?


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Q: What does LINQ-to-SQL Table.Attach do? What exactly does the LINQ-to-SQL method Table<T>.Attach() and Table<T>.AttachAll() and what is an example/situation for their proper usage?
Also, please check out this related question: How to detach a LINQ-to-SQL data object from the DataContext's tracking mechanism?

A: LINQ to SQL maintains the state of entities in a DataContext object. Entities that are loaded from the database are associated with a DataContext that is responsible for tracking any changes to the entity so when you save it the appropriate changes are made to the database.
Entities can become detached from the DataContext when they are serialized (for passing to a client for example in an n-tier application). When the client returns the entity back to your DA layer you will need to reattach it to a DataContext before it can be updated or deleted in the database. The Attach method performs this operation.

A: It is really useful in multi-tier applications that serialize/deserialize data to other layers.
Short version:
Attach() tells DataContext the entity is not new (for insert) but an updated entity that is meant to be updated in the DB.
Long version:
You have a DataContext where your entities exist. New entities get inserted, existing ones get updated. Now you need to send some entity to another tier, DataContext then detaches said entity and sends it away.
On the other tier the entity gets modified and sent back to your data layer. Now the former DataContext that had your entity may not exist anymore (eg. if it is stateless) or does not know your deserialized entity so what do you do? You create a new DataContext or use the existing one and use the Attach() method - this way the DataContext knows the entity is meant to be updated and should not be inserted into the database.
The same goes for AttachAll() but for multiple entities.


We are looking for people with a willingness to actual counseling, and building long-term relationships with clients.
Our company uses linearly project management with a flat structure. This approach allows individual approach to our clients while maintaining the benefits of specialization employees. It also supports targeted long-term development.


From Bedrooms to Billions is a documentary feature film that tells the story of the UK Video Games Industry from 1979 to the present. The film was funded via Kickstarter and created through the passion and devotion of filmakers Anthony and Nicola Caulfield. The Amiga Years will be the second film after the success of Bedrooms to Billions and will hopefully become a reality through an already established Kickstarter campaign which we can all back here. At the time of writing this the campaign is at £39,432 with twenty one days to go to reach a pledge of £50,000. Clearly there are a lot of people that want this project to come to fruition.
The Aliens franchise experienced its fair share of ups and downs. To this day I'll never understand why Alien Resurrection made it beyond the first draft. Winona Ryder in Aliens? Really? That was my great debate of 1997. Leaping out of our cryo tube in to the present day rumours of an Aliens sequel continue to ripple across our geek and sci-fi grapevine. Are you excited? I most definitely am especially as Sigourney Weaver may reprise her role as the Ultimate Badass Ellen Ripley. Now, let's take a look back at one Aliens game that I used to loathe but now I adore, Alien Trilogy.


No distance is too short for our residential moving team. JK Moving Services provides professional service for all local moves in the Virginia area.
You've seen our trucks right here in Virginia, and you've heard from friends and neighbors. In Virginia, JK Moving Services is the local expert. We zero in on your needs, effectively managing your move and your stress. Of all the local moving companies you can choose, JK is one that understands what matters most.
Moving in Loudoun County? Welcome to our home.
JK Moving Services is Loudoun County's preferred mover. Just like you, we've made the county our home – establishing our Sterling headquarters in 1993 and building an outstanding reputation with Virginia communities from Leesburg to Ashburn.
We've seen the highly desirable communities of Loudoun County experience nonstop growth, and we've moved hundreds of County residents - and built just as many great relationships.
We know how stressful and complex moving can be, so we have the entire process down to a science. We've been providing moving services in Virginia for more than 30 years from our Virginia headquarters; and once you experience our level of service, you'll be a JK customer for life.
If you're moving in Loudoun County, contact us. We'll come to your location and provide a free, comprehensive estimate on the services you specify. We want you to be as happy with our services as you are with your new home.


I figured that it was about time for another book review on 1WineDude.com, so I'm jumping back into the book review swing of things with my take on Debra & Keith Gordon's Wine on Tuesdays: Be a Serious Wine Drinker Without Taking Wine Too Seriously.
Co-author Debra Gordon is no stranger to wine writing, having penned material for Wine Enthusiast, Wine & Vines, and Wine Adventures. She and husband co-author Keith are also dabbling in blogging.
Wine on Tuesdays reflects the Gordon's writing experience - it's well-written, accessible, and at turns funny and engaging. The tone of Wine on Tuesdays is lighthearted and its target is squarely on the wine novice, which puts it into the now-very-crowded field of wine introduction texts.
Given the tone and overall style of Wine on Tuesdays, If you're a budding wine lover you could do a lot worse than this well-written guide. Whether or not you will enjoy it is largely a matter of presentation - with so many great overall wine introduction guides available in the marketplace, the one best suited to you may really be down to writing style preference and the order of how the topics are presented. If you want to get into wine in a very structured way, starting with grape varietals first, then try Wine on Tuesdays. If you prefer a less structured approach, then there are better options.
It won't replace my current favorite wine intro book, Oldman's Guide to Outsmarting Wine, and it probably won't make its way into my list of Essential Wine Reads, but Wine on Tuesdays is certainly a viable alternative for budding wine enthusiasts - enjoyable, and packed full of relevant and helpful wine info.
Nice meeting you tonight. Looking forward to reading your blog . . . and learning about wine!


Is your designer charging you to redraw your existing floor plans?
You already have existing floor plans of your home from when it was built. But the designer wants to charge you to redraw them … and in 3D? Is this really necessary?
A UA Community member got in touch with me, confused about why she was being presented with this extra fee from every designer she spoke with.
She had great quality drawings of her home from when it was built in 1986. Yet, all the designers she was speaking to wanted to draw them in 3D, and charge her extra fees for it.
This blog outlines the drawings you need to renovate or build your home.
Do free design services exist? These are my 2 warnings about this.
Not sure what to take to your first meeting with your designer? Here's my tips.


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E-governance ensures lifestyle changes but not to hurry
Navanwita Bora Sachdev - September 22, 2021
Digitisation adoption by governments will bring about lifestyle changes in a country like India. But this can include new kinds of exclusion and problems.
Slowly, with paperless transactions, online availability of information, leveraging emerging tech, and partnerships with existing talent, we can expect a lifestyle change in a country. The pandemic has made it only too clear that government efficiency is a necessity that digital solutions can smoothly deliver.
Read more: FM´s Latest Crypto Stance Brings Positive Wave in Indian Crypto Community
Governments around the world are going digital as they realise the merits of implementing technology. In some cases, digitisation means cost cutting, in others, it leads to saving time and increased efficiency.
The pandemic has made it only too clear that government efficiency is a necessity that digital solutions can smoothly deliver
However, in our hurry to digitise, we cannot overlook newer problems that may deprive certain pockets of populations. Governments have to ensure digitisation for all.
Paperless Governance
While eliminating paper from a government office in itself is an attractive proposition, a paperless government can achieve much more. In the US, all government agencies have been directed to maintain paperless records, switching to a digital format by the end of 2022.
In India, in a bid to go paperless, the Ministry of Law and Justice are making Vidhi Sahitya Prakashan's three journals available to the public free of cost in the form of PDF for 75 weeks.
The journals, which consist of the judgements pronounced by Supreme Court and High Courts in Hindi, are currently only accessible with cash or subscription in hard copy. With this move, these will be accessible through a search engine in just a few clicks, a display of transparency.
Paperwork is cumbersome for not just citizens but babus too. They would only be glad to punch in a few numbers instead of collecting reams of printouts
In another recent initiative towards going paperless, the Rural Development ministry launched SVAMITVA, a dashboard for monitoring the implementation of land records digitisation. The aim of the scheme is to provide an integrated property validation solution for rural India. The idea is that citizens leverage property as a financial asset with accurate land records for rural planning.
Further, the scheme is projected to help in deciding property tax, survey infrastructure formation, and GIS map. Government departments can leverage such information, leading to a reduction in property disputes and legal cases.
In a part of Smart City initiatives, the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has launched My Gurugram App that will help guide commuters to the 'right' parking lots in real time. The app has been linked to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) websites.
Paperwork is cumbersome for not just citizens but babus too. They would only be glad to punch in a few numbers instead of collecting reams of printouts.
People-Friendly Civil Services
Even at the state level, digitisation, albeit slow, is seeping in.
The Kerala government has launched a few digital services in the Revenue Department, which includes a mobile application to pay land tax online. In fact, the state has been shifting several government departments online.
Last week, the Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan emphasised the need to digitise government services for 'people-friendly civil services,' a term often incomprehensible in the same sphere as government bureaucracy.
"Online systems are adequate to ensure efficiency and transparency of the government services. The e-services will be further expanded to make people-friendly civil service a reality in the state," ET quoted Vijayan.
Tie Up with Existing Talent
Another step towards achieving e-governance is to join hands with the already talented and eager ecosystem. A recent example is the partnership between state-run Assam Electronics Development Corporation Ltd and Bengaluru technology startup iBus Networks.
Read more: A Global Governance Grid for a New UNSC: Strategic Foresight Group President Waslekar
Both entities have tied up to implement and run digital infrastructure on commercial premises. With the help of this collaboration, connectivity solutions on large campuses, IT parks, hospitals, SEZs and commercial buildings will be offered.
Not to Hurry
Even in systems that have been adopting digitisation, faults appear, which need to be corrected before the blame shifts to digitisation itself. Government agencies have to go forward along with those for whom policies are being placed.
Even in systems that have been adopting digitisation, faults appear, which need to be corrected before the blame shifts to digitisation itself
For example, a recent study supported by the Centre for Internet and Society found that thousands of Indian women were deprived of their share of food rations during the pandemic in the digitised Public Distribution System (PDS). The fault occurred when many women left one family and joined another after marriage, removing themselves from the family Ration Card, which is now linked to Aadhaar.
Such occurrences can cost the country in the long run. A big part of digitisation is digital literacy, the lack of which can leave a huge chunk of the population behind in the race to become digitised.


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in airline safety, DHS, flight 253, lieberman, terrorism
DHS gaffe nearly results in Christmas air disaster
In what could have been a Christmas day horror, Customs and Border Protection officers apprehended a suspected al-Qaeda terrorist who boarded a Northwest flight bound for Detroit from Nigeria with a stop in Amsterdam. The suspect, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, ducked security in Amsterdam by carrying the explosives on his person, possibly sewn into his clothing.
Passengers on flight 253 claim the suspected terrorist began to act suspiciously as the plane commenced its decent into the Detroit region. When travelers heard a popping noise similar to firecrackers and saw flames they wasted no time in subduing the alleged- Nigerian terrorist, holding him down until the plane landed in Detroit.
Former Northwest airline pilot and aviation security expert for the airline, Glen E. Winn explained it was sheer luck this plane didn't blow up. "This plane was at a critical mode upon the final approach phase where the air inside the aircraft was very unstable. The pilot and crew should be commended for getting the plane onto the runway in one piece." He goes on to place the blame for this Christmas day incident squarely on the American government. "The system broke down starting with the terror watch list and continued at every check point from Nigeria through Amsterdam."
"This alleged attack on a U.S. airplane on Christmas Day shows that we must remain vigilant in the fight against terrorism at all times," Attorney General Eric Holder said. "Had this alleged plot to destroy an airplane been successful, scores of innocent people would have been killed or injured. We will continue to investigate this matter vigorously, and we will use all measures available to our government to ensure that anyone responsible for this attempted attack is brought to justice."
It is also worth pointing out that President Obama has failed to make an official statement regarding this national security failure. While he and his family vacation and enjoy the beautiful Hawaiian weather, he has chosen to let his senior cabinet members make statements about this incident drawing the ire of many Americans who remain scared to fly as the holiday season winds down. It appears a notable new pattern is emerging with Obama regarding his silence where terrorist activity is concerned though he has shown no hesitation to address any other issue inane or otherwise and regularly requests camera time something his predecessors did not do.
Despite a Nigerian man being able to board a Northwest airliner with explosive chemicals (PETN or pentaerythritol similar to what shoe bomber Richard Reid used) headed for Detroit which is home to the largest concentration of Muslim population (Dearborn-located within minutes of airport) in the country, Secretary of Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said, "The system worked."
However, the alleged terrorist threw up many red flags along the way and the result was the U.S. failed to connect the dots; he paid in cash, had no baggage and was recently placed on a terrorist watch list. All this intel should have caused red flags, but the era of "political-correctness" allowed Abdulmutallab to slip onto an American bound airplane says Steven Emerson a terrorism expert who has written multiple books about terrorism.
Making the rounds on the Sunday morning shows, Napolitano stated that it was important to remember, "Once the incident happened, everything that was supposed to happened, happened. The passengers reacted appropriately, the crew acted correctly and within an hour to 90 minutes all 128 flights in the air nearby were notified. The system has worked very, very smoothly," she explained.
According to Janice Kephart of the Center for Immigration Studies, "Secretary Napolitano has a substantially narrow definition of 'system'- she is simply referencing the airline doing its job alongside FAA once the incident occurred- rather than recognizing that the 'system' includes our immigration, intelligence and detection systems which all utterly failed to connect the dots and assure a revoked visa, a no fly listing and a substantial cache of intelligence from the terrorists father and the British intelligence service, both of which should have held high credibility with the U.S. and heightened the alert for this young man."
"This terrorist is evidence of terrorist travel 101; abusing the loopholes in our ability as a government to properly screen identity, intelligence and a person prior to boarding a plane in a foreign country. There is no excuse for this. The 'system' failed miserably and having our Homeland Security Secretary indicate otherwise leaves us nowhere other than Bin Laden and the Taliban laughing at our government's sheer stupidity. I suggest she read the 9/11 Commission monograph on Terrorist Travel. This terrorist's story is an even worse failure than the 9/11 immigration story. And she needs to own up to it before the next one succeeds."
Responding to the latest terrorist attack, airlines quickly put in place new rules; they will no longer hand out blankets and passengers will not be able to leave their seats one-hour before landing.
"The airline response is absurd," Kephart said. "This is a problem of the no fly list- I believe does not directly check the FBI terror watch list; and that TSA either wasn't doing its job or the equipment wasn't sufficient (remember the TSA manual was available to download a few weeks ago and that tells the world exactly what TSA equipment will pick up and what it won't). This sounds an awful lot like the 9/11 failure of government agencies to connect the dots. There is a whirlwind of government failure here," Kephart finishes.
When the topic of terrorist attacks arise it goes without saying that the 9/11 surviving family members will have something to add and this incident was no different. Peter Gadiel, of the 9-11 Families for a Secure America stated this latest attack proves the "continuing incompetence of the U.S. government shining through. The government is not functioning and this event is a result of their failure to take this problem seriously. The American people need to wake-up to the fact that all this supposed security is just window dressing."
When asked about the upcoming hearings that will investigate this matter, Gadiel said this was nothing more than a kangaroo court. "Until we enact Secure ID and figure out who is in this country, these hearings will be nothing more than reshuffling of the chairs."
Near disaster impacts border expert & family
The handling of this event was of little comfort for the family of border security expert Andy Ramirez who were traveling to Detroit at the same time as the incident on Northwest flight 253. His family was en route to Michigan to visit with family over the holidays. They had spoken upon arriving safely in Detroit a couple of hours after the flight from Amsterdam had landed.
Ramirez said when he contacted his family to discuss what happened; they were surprised having been unaware as to what had taken place prior to their own landing.
"I talked with my family after I saw this come on the news and this hit home for us. They are very nervous about their flight home given the fact that this incident just happened. We are all also concerned that this incident could have been a probe by the terrorists. Outside local Detroit media (and this reporter) nobody has factored in the Dearborn Islamic enclave and the potential for moles to be on the ground. Dearborn is within mere minutes of Detroit Metro airport. Since 2004, I have told my family that when traveling to always be aware of what is going on around them and remember that terrorists do not take days off," said Ramirez.
"What has hit us is the fact it could have been their flight, and our family. Nothing prepares you for such things because when you travel frequently, you tend to take things for granted. It is a reminder of how little is being done to secure our nation and how our government has left our people at risk. All these years after 9-11, we've been reactive, never proactive in addressing security."
When Ramirez was asked his opinion of the incident, he replied that the biggest surprise is not the incompetence of this terrorist being on the aircraft given the fact our Homeland Security is a complete joke led by incompetent bureaucrats who got their positions due to cronyism and participation in sex-rings.
Detroit also has a number of key terrorist hard targets such as; the Big Three or the automotive industry headquarters, high-profile high-capacity sporting events including "the Big House" (University of Michigan Stadium); where on any given Saturday in the fall more than 104,000 spectators are cheering on the home team. Ironically the suspected terrorist was treated at University of Michigan Medical Center for burns he received from the explosive device.
"I've been identifying internal corruption, incompetence, and security breakdowns for more than five years and have testified as to those very facts before Congress. Rather than investigate the indisputable facts that have been presented and demand accountability from the Executive Branch, Congress has given the American people lip-service and bulls**t hearings about steroids in baseball and the Bowl Championship Series. Let's not forget that DHS has failed countless security audits and experienced personnel that were purged by the agency or those in the know were required to take early retirement. What will it take for someone to get off their butts in D.C. and do something about it? Or do we have to bury more Americans, perhaps families like mine, to fix problem that will continue beyond flight 253. The blood of Americans lost will be on their hands," concluded Ramirez.
Terror attacks on the rise
Some contend the rise in terror attacks this year are in direct response to the Obama Administration's luke-warm reaction to terrorists in general. In the first days of the Obama presidency, terms like "terrorist" were banned from press releases and press briefings. "Terrorism is real and the Obama Administration has downplayed terrorism and did away with the word," explained Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI).
However, Senator Joe Lieberman (I-Conn) said the dozen attacks so far this year are reason for concern. "Most were prevented due to diligent law enforcement work; Three attacks were successful, the Army recruiter who was murdered in Little Rock, Major Hasan's murder spree at Fort Hood and this current one."
Lieberman continued to explain, "The fact that this guy made it through screening is alarming." He also questioned the fact an alleged Nigerian terrorist's inclusion on a watch list didn't ring any alarm bells.
Security expert Winn also pointed out the fact that there have been at least 15 major terrorist attacks around the world, not including the obvious ones taking place in the war-torn Middle East.
It has also been reported by Newsweek that Abdulmutallab was recently declined a visa from our close ally England and was allowed to keep his multi-entry visa for the United States even though his own father, a well-respected banker in Nigeria, reported to U.S. State Department officials that his son may want to inflict harm to Americans.
In a joint statement from DHS and TSA Napolitano said; "I am grateful to the passengers and crew aboard Northwest Flight 253 who reacted quickly and heroically to an incident that could have had tragic results. The Department of Homeland Security immediately put additional screening measures into place- for all domestic and international flights- to ensure the continued safety of the traveling public. We are also working closely with federal, state and local law enforcement on additional security measures, as well as our international partners on enhanced security at airports and on flights."
The federal agencies encouraged American people to continue their planned holiday travel, but to be observant, aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious behavior or activity to law enforcement officials immediately.
Many security gurus suggest full- body scans would have prevented anyone from boarding a plane with explosives attached to their bodies. There are approximately 40 of these machines in use in the United States, but the cost is still too high to add the body scanners to all U.S. airports. Conversely, opponents feel the full-body scan is too revealing and imposes possible complications if the scan is somehow released to the public at large and explained the use of these machines was not worth it.
Senator Lieberman disagreed and pointed out that Iraq was yesterday's war, Afghanistan is today's war and if the U.S. does act now to preempt in Yemen, it will be tomorrow's war. (Earlier this year the Obama Administration released six Gitmo detainees to terrorist-safe haven Yemen.)
Republican lawmaker and ranking member of Department of Homeland Security committee Rep. Peter King (R-NY) says he will ensure this attempted terrorist attack is taken seriously. "When something like this happens it's important to go back and take a look at it and learn our lessons," he said.
Considering President Obama's stance on terrorism, it shouldn't come as a surprise that this incident will be treated as any other law enforcement issue. The mere fact that the Nigerian was read is rights and assigned an attorney will negate any form of interrogation and American's will not gain access to who, what and why this individual tried to blow up a U.S. airliner or if he was working with al-Qaeda cells in Yemen. "The fact we are not treating these guys as enemy combatants is a mistake, they are at war with us," says Winn.
Bill Kristol of the Weekly Standard concurs, "We are not treating this like an enemy-combatant and now he's (suspected Nigerian terrorist) lawyered up and we will never know any of the important details." He further explained the PR-arm of the White House is in full damage-control mode which spotlights the President's inability to grasp that terrorists want to do harm to America, even under the helm of a new "global president."
Former CBP Commissioner Ralph Basham also made a statement regarding this latest incident. "Is this troubling- yes? Shocking, no." He explained that the CBP has dedicated employees, but they need the right tools in order to accomplish their jobs; first they need good intelligence and second the latest technology (body scans).
As far as the terrorist watch lists, they are only as good as the information contained in them contends Basham. "This time the information contained in them wasn't sufficient enough to deny entry and the break down (in communication) continues," he said.
Basham's comments raised the ire of border expert Ramirez. "Former Commissioner Basham is once again talking out of both sides of his mouth and he damn well knows this is not shocking because he is partly responsible for doing nothing to correct these problems during his tenure at CBP. He is an incompetent 'yes man.' How can CBP get the right tools needed when they refuse to train their officers properly and promote America's best up the chain of command. What they did is force the best into early retirement and compromised public safety in the process. Their emphasis has been reducing wait times and turning law enforcement officers into a customer service clerks."
According to Ramirez, over the next few weeks and months were going to see a lot of dog and pony shows and knee jerk reactions, however, a false sense of security will continue and will do nothing to ease travel worries or God forbid the anguish that the country may be burying loved ones after the next successful attack.
Administration officials admitted that Abdulmutallab's name was added to the Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment (TIDE) list in November; however this list contains more than 500,000 names with minimal details and it is painfully obvious that this system does not work as it should.
The current investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Joint Terrorism Task Force. According to AG of DOJ Holder, the Justice Department reminds the public that criminal complaints contain mere allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. This is an insult to the brave passengers who subdued the alleged terrorist.
Lieberman concluded by referring to the 9/11 Commission report in which they believed the U.S. failed to connect the dots. "9/11 happened because of a failure of imagination."
For more stories;
Acting Customs and Border Commissioner Ayhern to retire leaving a stained legacy
http://www.examiner.com/x-/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner~y2009m12d8-Acting-CBP-Commissioner–retires-leaves-stained-legacy
National security breeches include discovery of missiles and bombs
http://www.examiner.com/x-/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner~y2009m12d10-Breakdowns-at-US-Port-of-Entry-continue
Planners of 9/11 terrorist attacks to plead not guilty
http://www.examiner.com/x-/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner~y2009m11d23-Planners-of-911-terrorist-attacks-to-plead-not-guilty-in-New-York-City
Al Qaeda spouts more propaganda on bio attacks
http://www.examiner.com/x-/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner~y2009m6d4-Al-Qaeda-spouts-more-propaganda-on-bio-attacks-resurrecting-Mexico-border-fears
Screw up; move up in play again at Customs and Border Protection
http://www.examiner.com/x-/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner~y2009m12d16-Screw-up-move-up-in-play-again-in-Customs-and-Border-Protection
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
in filibuster, health care reform, lieberman
Lieberman to filibuster health care reform with GOP
In an announcement after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid-D proposed a public option plan, Lieberman said he would join the GOP in standing against the embattled Democratic Party health care reform efforts.
Lieberman, an Independent, caucuses with the Democrats while touting his fiscal responsibility to the American people. In a report from Politico, Lieberman said he would oppose any reform bill that included a public option even if the states can opt-out.
"We are trying to do too much at once," Lieberman explained.
His reasoning behind splitting from the Democrat Party stems from the fact the country simply cannot afford another entitlement program where the taxpayers are on the hook.
With the defection of Lieberman, the Democrats are unable to beat a Republican filibuster. It looks like it will be back to the drawing board for the Obama Administration and their quest to change the health care delivery system.


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The State of Sours: An update on Minnesota's funkiest beers
Boom Island Brewing Company
Boom Island Brewing's Kevin Welch pours Oude Funk, Photo by Brian Kaufenberg // Growler Magazine
The first beers ever made on earth were spontaneously fermented. Long before humans discovered that microscopic bacteria and yeast were responsible for alcohol, they knew that some ambient force was turning their sugary grain water into delicious ale. Even now, brewers of Belgian lambics rely on the native microflora of the Zenne valley to inoculate their beer.
Boom Island Brewing's Oude Funk, the first in the brewery's Spontaneous Series released back in September of 2015, was reverent (though not beholden) to that tradition, using an abbreviated open-fermentation with two different "cocktails" of yeast and bacteria, including one that head brewer Kevin Welch cultured from the yeasts native to his neighborhood in Minneapolis.
"Day two, day three, the fermenter's left wide open so it does experience an open-fermentation because it didn't necessarily get that in a coolship," Welch explains, of the method for Oude Funk. "Open-fermentation is about four days and then it went into the barrel from there and that's really where the important part of fermentation goes."
Oude Funk is not a Lambic—for one, it's not made in Belgium, but it also uses prepared cultures instead of ambient microflora. Still, his process would be familiar to a Lambic- or gueuze-maker. Oude Funk is a blend of three-, two-, and one-year-old oak-aged beers. The porous surface of oak helps the microbes strike a perfect, if precarious, balance. It gives the microflora a surface to burrow into and just enough oxygen to help them breathe.
"It for sure does continue to mature in the bottle because there are still living microbes in there," Welch says. "In fact, the regular brewer's yeast that was used for the re-fermentation in the bottle, what will happen is that yeast will autolyze and it will decay, and then the bacteria will start to eat that yeast."
Boom Island released the second beer in the Spontaneous Series, Triple Brett, in May 2016. As the name implies, Triple Brett was fermented simultaneously with three different strains of Brettanomyces yeast, then aged for 10 weeks in French oak red wine barrels. As noted in our first taste of Triple Brett, the flavor is mild and mellow, with a deep mahogany color and a sip full of dark fruit and floral notes that finishes dry and clean.
Oakhold Farmhouse Brewery
The site of Oakhold Farmhouse Brewery // Photo courtesy of Oakhold
It might be tempting to call the upcoming beers at Oakhold Farmhouse Brewery "wild" ales, but as we've learned, the terminology in this area doesn't tell the whole story. "Wild" implies that you don't know what you're getting. At Oakhold, it's a little more precise than that.
"It's not magic, it's truly not. It's about figuring out the organisms," says Caleb Levar, Oakhold co-founder. "The magic of yesterday is the science of today. I don't want to give the false impression that we understand it all, or that there's never bad batches. But instead of throwing up your hands and hoping, you try to understand the variables better in the pursuit of making better beer."
Levi Loesch brewed his first beer, an oatmeal stout, with his dad for a 21st birthday present. He met Caleb Levar through a mutual friend a few years later, and a couple of Levi's fruit-based sour beers made it to a tasting at Caleb's apartment.
"I was under the impression that only Russian River and Allagash can do these well," he recalls. "This idea that you can do it well as a homebrewer was amazing." Caleb graduated with a microbiology degree (perfect for culturing and understanding those bacteria) and has gone on to assistant brewership at Fair State Brewing.
Oakhold is in the process of building an entirely mixed-fermentation brewery in Northern Minnesota (check out their first journal entry on the subject). Their goal is to strike a middle-ground between the terribly funky sours and the clean, approachable kettle sours. Their normal process will involve a primary fermentation with standard brewer's yeast (Saccharomyces), and then barreling in American oak with a wide range of other funky microbes. A rye saison will be their primary brew to begin with, because of its potential for variation.
Oakhold will be growing wheat and barley on their property, eventually planning on making an "estate" beer, probably in the Lambic style. They're also growing apricot, raspberry, plum, pears, cherries, and strawberries on the property to experiment with as well.
Next page: LTD, Bent Brewstillery, & Surly
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Schell's Noble Star #4: Black Forest Cherry Fair State Mixed-Fermentation: Bricoleur #2 and Lichtenhainer Blacklist Brewing Imperial Hefe First Taste: Schell's Apparent Horizon Rye Berliner Weisse