text:
348 Musculoskeletal Disorders
348 Blood Components
341 Platelets
Management of Anaemia
152 Systematic Review
1. Effect of Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection vs Sham Injection on Tendon Dysfunction in Patients With Chronic Midportion Achilles Tendinopathy: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Kearney RS, Ji C, Warwick J, Parsons N, Brown J, Harrison P, Young J, Costa ML
Jama. 2021;326(2):137-144
IMPORTANCE Platelet-rich plasma injections are used as a treatment for chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy, but evidence for this treatment is limited. OBJECTIVE In adults with midportion Achilles tendinopathy, to assess the effects of a single platelet-rich plasma injection, compared with sham injection, on the outcome of the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Achilles (VISA-A) score (a single composite measure of Achilles tendinopathy severity). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A participant-blinded, multicenter randomized clinical trial that included 240 people from 24 sites assigned to either a platelet-rich plasma injection or a sham injection between April 2016 and February 2020. Final follow-up was July 2020. Participants were older than 18 years with midportion Achilles tendon pain for more than 3 months as confirmed by ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, or both. INTERVENTIONS A single intratendinous platelet-rich plasma injection (n = 121) or a single sham injection (insertion of a subcutaneous dry needle not entering the tendon) (n = 119). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was the VISA-A score, measured 6 months after treatment allocation. The VISA-A score contains 8 questions that cover 3 domains of pain, function, and activity, analyzed as a composite score (range, 0 [worst symptoms] to 100 [no symptoms]; minimal clinically important difference in score, 12 points). The primary analysis was adjusted for laterality, age, sex, and baseline VISA-A score. RESULTS Among 240 patients assigned to a platelet-rich plasma or sham injection (mean age, 52 years; 138 [58%] women), 221 (92%) completed the trial. At 6-month follow-up, mean VISA-A score values in the plasma-rich plasma group vs the sham injection group were 54.4 vs 53.4 (adjusted mean difference, -2.7 [95% CI, -8.8 to 3.3]). The most common adverse events compared between patients in the platelet-rich plasma group vs the sham group were injection site discomfort (97 vs 73 patients), swelling (56 vs 52 patients) and bruising (48 vs 49 patients). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Among patients with chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy, treatment with a single injection of intratendinous platelet-rich plasma, compared with insertion of a subcutaneous dry needle, did not reduce Achilles tendon dysfunction at 6 months. These findings do not support the use of this treatment for chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy. TRIAL REGISTRATION isrctn.org Identifier: ISRCTN13254422.
2. Platelet-rich plasma versus steroids injections for greater trochanter pain syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Migliorini F, Kader N, Eschweiler J, Tingart M, Maffulli N
British medical bulletin. 2021
INTRODUCTION Greater trochanter pain syndrome (GTPS) is characterized by a persistent and debilitating pain around the greater trochanter. GTPS can be caused by a combination of gluteus medius or minimus tendinopathy, snapping hip or trochanteric bursitis. SOURCE OF DATA Recent published literatures identified from PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Scopus. AREAS OF AGREEMENT Platelet rich plasma (PRP) and corticosteroids (CCS) injections are useful options to manage symptoms of GTPS. AREAS OF CONTROVERSY Whether PRP leads to superior outcomes compared to CCS injections is unclear. GROWING POINTS A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing PRP versus CCS in the management of GTPS was conducted. AREAS TIMELY FOR DEVELOPING RESEARCH PRP injections are more effective than CCS at approximately 2 years follow-up.
3. Effect of Autologous Expanded Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells or Leukocyte-Poor Platelet-Rich Plasma in Chronic Patellar Tendinopathy (With Gap >3 mm): Preliminary Outcomes After 6 Months of a Double-Blind, Randomized, Prospective Study
Rodas G, Soler-Rich R, Rius-Tarruella J, Alomar X, Balius R, Orozco L, Masci L, Maffulli N
The American journal of sports medicine. 2021;:363546521998725
BACKGROUND Patellar tendinopathy is common. The success of traditional management, including isometric or eccentric exercises combined with shockwave therapy and even surgery, is limited. Therefore, it is important to determine whether biological treatments such as ultrasound-guided intratendinous and peritendinous injections of autologous expanded bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) or leukocyte-poor platelet-rich plasma (Lp-PRP) improve clinical outcomes in athletic patients with patellar tendinopathy. STUDY DESIGN Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 2. METHODS A prospective, double-blinded, randomized, 2-arm parallel group, active controlled, phase 1/2 single-center clinical study was performed in patients who had proximal patellar tendinopathy with a lesion >3 mm. A total of 20 participants (age 18-48 years) with pain for >4 months (mean, 23.6 months) and unresponsive to nonoperative treatments were randomized into 2 groups. Of these, 10 participants were treated with BM-MSC (20 × 10(6) cells) and 10 with Lp-PRP. Both groups performed the same postintervention rehabilitation protocol. Outcomes included the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment for pain (VISA-P), self-reported tendon pain during activity (visual analog scale [VAS]), muscle function by dynamometry, tendon thickness and intratendinous vascularity by ultrasonographic imaging and Doppler signal, ultrasound tissue characterization (UTC) echo type changes, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2-weighted mapping changes. Participants were followed longitudinally for 6 months. RESULTS The average VAS scores improved in both groups at all time points, and there was a significant reduction in pain during sporting activities (P < .05). In both groups, the average mean VISA-P scores at 6 months were significantly increased compared with baseline (66 BM-MSC group and 72.90 Lp-PRP group), with no significant differences in VAS or VISA-P scores between the groups. There were statistically significant greater improvements in tendon structure on 2-dimensional ultrasound and UTC in the BM-MSC group compared with the Lp-PRP group at 6 months. Similarly, the BM-MSC group demonstrated significant evidence of restoration of tendon structure on MRI compared with the Lp-PRP group at 6 months. Only the participants in the BM-MSC group showed evidence of normalization of tendon structure, with statistically significant differences between the groups on T2-weighted, fat-saturated sagittal and coronal scans and hypersignal in T2-weighted on spin-echo T2-weighted coronal MRI scan. Both treatments were safe, and no significant adverse events were reported in either group. CONCLUSION Treatment with BM-MSC or Lp-PRP in combination with rehabilitation in chronic patellar tendinopathy is effective in reducing pain and improving activity levels in active participants. Participants who received BM-MSC treatment demonstrated greater improvement in tendon structure compared with those who received Lp-PRP. REGISTRATION 2016-001262-28 (EudraCT identifier); NCT03454737 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier).
4. Treatment of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). A systematic review
Goker F, Grecchi E, Grecchi F, Francetti L, Del Fabbro M
European review for medical and pharmacological sciences. 2021;25(6):2662-2673
OBJECTIVE Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is a severe drug-related side effect mostly seen in the maxillofacial region of patients under current or previous treatment with antiresorptive and/or angiogenic agents. There is a wide range of treatment options explained in literature for the management of this condition, from conservative treatments to surgical procedures of various levels of invasiveness, which are sometimes supplemented with adjunctive therapies. The present systematic review aimed at evaluating the treatment options of MRONJ in terms of successful outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS Medline, Scopus, and Cochrane databases were searched. The search was limited to clinical studies involving human subjects with at least 3 cases. There was no other limitation for language, publication date, and study design for the articles to be included. A hand search of the bibliographies of identified articles was also performed. The evaluation criterion was an improvement in the healing of the treated site after treatment procedures. RESULTS After evaluation of the full text of the articles, 118 articles were selected for evaluation (15 platelet concentrates, 4 teriparatide, 10 laser therapy, 3 hyperbaric oxygen, 2 ozone applications, 9 conservative protocols, and 75 surgical interventions articles). The evaluated articles reported positive improvements in healing/staging of the osteonecrosis sites. CONCLUSIONS Due to the low evidence level and the limited sample size of the studies included, the results of this review must be cautiously interpreted. However, they can be suggestive for evaluating the possible benefits of these treatment options in MRONJ management. Further prospective comparative studies with a large sample size are urgently needed to confirm the results.
5. Comparison of a Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection and a Conventional Steroid Injection for Pain Relief and Functional Improvement of Partial Supraspinatus Tears
Thepsoparn M, Thanphraisan P, Tanpowpong T, Itthipanichpong T
Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine. 2021;9(9):23259671211024937
BACKGROUND Partial supraspinatus tendon tears have frequently been treated using a subacromial corticosteroid injection or surgery. The clinical use of a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection is an alternative treatment method for the condition, despite the paucity of evidence of its efficacy. PURPOSE To compare pain relief, functional improvement, and complications after an intratendinous PRP injection versus a subacromial corticosteroid injection for partial supraspinatus tears. STUDY DESIGN Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1. METHODS A total of 32 patients with partial supraspinatus tears were randomly assigned to receive a leukocyte-poor PRP (LP-PRP) injection or a corticosteroid injection. One patient withdrew from the PRP group, leaving 15 patients in the PRP group and 16 patients in the corticosteroid group. The ultrasound-guided procedures were performed by a single experienced pain physician. Pain relief and functional improvement were evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS) and the Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS), respectively. Treatment efficacy and complications were documented, and the 2 groups were compared at 1- and 6-month follow-up. RESULTS There were no differences in VAS and OSS scores between the PRP and corticosteroid groups at 1-month follow-up. However, the PRP group had better scores than the corticosteroid group had on both the VAS and OSS at 6-month follow-up (VAS: 14.5 ± 15.4 vs 37.5 ± 24.9, respectively; OSS: 16.2 ± 3.9 vs 25.0 ± 10.2, respectively; P < .01 for both). Both groups showed significant improvement in VAS and OSS scores from before treatment to 1-month follow-up (mean difference, 35.67 and 11.47 points, respectively, for the PRP group; mean difference, 29.69 and 11.13 points, respectively, for the corticosteroid group; P < .01 for all). The VAS and OSS scores did not change significantly at 6-month follow-up in the corticosteroid group; however, the PRP group showed continued improvement in both VAS and OSS scores between 1- and 6-month follow-up (mean difference, 15.87 and 7.40 points, respectively; P < .01 for both). There were no complications in either group. CONCLUSION An injection using either a corticosteroid or LP-PRP resulted in a similar reduction in pain and improvement in function at 1 month in patients with a partial supraspinatus tear. However, PRP showed superior benefits over the corticosteroid at 6-month follow-up.
6. Effect of Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections vs Placebo on Ankle Symptoms and Function in Patients With Ankle Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Paget LDA, Reurink G, de Vos RJ, Weir A, Moen MH, Bierma-Zeinstra SMA, Stufkens SAS, Kerkhoffs Gmmj, Tol JL
Jama. 2021;326(16):1595-1605
IMPORTANCE Approximately 3.4% of adults have ankle (tibiotalar) osteoarthritis and, among younger patients, ankle osteoarthritis is more common than knee and hip osteoarthritis. Few effective nonsurgical interventions exist, but platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections are widely used, with some evidence of efficacy in knee osteoarthritis. OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of PRP injections on symptoms and function in patients with ankle osteoarthritis. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A multicenter, block-randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial performed at 6 sites in the Netherlands that included 100 patients with pain greater than 40 on a visual analog scale (range, 0-100) and tibiotalar joint space narrowing. Enrollment began on August 24, 2018, and follow-up was completed on December 3, 2020. INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive 2 ultrasonography-guided intra-articular injections of either PRP (n = 48) or placebo (saline; n = 52). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was the validated American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society score (range, 0-100; higher scores indicate less pain and better function; minimal clinically important difference, 12 points) over 26 weeks. RESULTS Among 100 randomized patients (mean age, 56 years; 45 [45%] women), no patients were lost to follow-up for the primary outcome. Compared with baseline values, the mean American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society score improved by 10 points in the PRP group (from 63 to 73 points [95% CI, 6-14]; P < .001) and 11 points in the placebo group (from 64 to 75 points [95% CI, 7-15]; P < .001). The adjusted between-group difference over 26 weeks was -1 ([95% CI, -6 to 3]; P = .56). One serious adverse event was reported in the placebo group, which was unrelated to the intervention; there were 13 other adverse events in the PRP group and 8 in the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Among patients with ankle osteoarthritis, intra-articular PRP injections, compared with placebo injections, did not significantly improve ankle symptoms and function over 26 weeks. The results of this study do not support the use of PRP injections for ankle osteoarthritis. TRIAL REGISTRATION Netherlands Trial Register: NTR7261.
7. Comparing Intra-articular Injections of Leukocyte-Poor Platelet-Rich Plasma Versus Low-Molecular Weight Hyaluronic Acid for the Treatment of Symptomatic Osteoarthritis of the Hip: A Double-Blind, Randomized Pilot Study
Kraeutler MJ, Houck DA, Garabekyan T, Miller SL, Dragoo JL, Mei-Dan O
Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine. 2021;9(1):2325967120969210
BACKGROUND Hyaluronic acid (HA) and leukocyte-poor platelet-rich plasma (LP-PRP) are 2 nonoperative treatment options that have been studied in patients with hip osteoarthritis (OA). PURPOSE To compare the efficacy of intra-articular injections of low-molecular weight (LMW) HA and LP-PRP in patients with hip OA. STUDY DESIGN Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1. METHODS A total of 34 patients (36 hips) presenting with signs of hip OA were randomized to receive 3 blinded, weekly intra-articular injections of either LP-PRP or LMW-HA. Patients were prospectively evaluated before injections and at 6 weeks and then at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months. The primary outcome, conversion to total hip arthroplasty (THA) or a hip resurfacing procedure, was analyzed along with secondary outcomes including the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score and hip range of motion. RESULTS The final analysis included 33 hips (mean Kellgren-Lawrence grade, 2.73) (LMW-HA: n = 14; LP-PRP: n = 19) in 31 patients (18 male; mean age, 53.8 years). Significantly more patients converted to THA or a hip resurfacing procedure in the LMW-HA group (7/14; 50.0%) (mean, 1.3 years after first injection) than the LP-PRP group (3/19; 15.8%) (mean, 0.73 years after first injection) (P = .035). There was no significant improvement or decline in any outcome scores within the LMW-HA group from before injections to 6 weeks or 3, 6, and 12 months. For the LP-PRP group, WOMAC overall (P = .032), joint (P = .030), and function scores (P = .025) significantly improved from before injections to 6 weeks, and WOMAC joint scores significantly improved from before injections to 6 months (P = .036). When comparing the difference between groups in internal rotation at 90° of hip flexion from before injections to 6 months, the LP-PRP group demonstrated a mean 5.0° improvement, while the LMW-HA group showed a mean 1.5° decrease (P = .028). CONCLUSION Intra-articular hip injections of LP-PRP in patients with hip OA resulted in an improvement in WOMAC scores and hip internal rotation at 6 months and delayed the need for THA or a hip resurfacing procedure compared with treatment with LMW-HA. A longer follow-up is necessary to further compare the effects of LP-PRP and LMW-HA injections in patients with hip OA. REGISTRATION NCT01920152 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier).
8. Intra Articular Injection Of Autologous Microfat And Platelet-Rich Plasma In The Treatment Of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Double Blind Randomized Comparative Study
Louis ML, Gravier Dumonceau R, Jouve E, Cohen M, Djouri R, Richardet N, Jourdan E, Giraudo L, Dumoulin C, Grimaud F, et al
Arthroscopy : the journal of arthroscopic & related surgery : official publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association. 2021
PURPOSE Compare a single abdominal microfat (MF) injection mixed or not with PRP Low Dose (LD) or High Dose (HD) in order to improve MRI parameters and alleviate pain and enhance functional capacity in knee osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS Patients with symptomatic grade 2 to 4 knee OA according to the International Cartilage Repair Society MRI classification were selected. They were prospectively assessed at baseline, at 3 and 6 months of follow-up. The primary endpoint was the change in maximum of value of cartilage relaxation time in T2 mapping sequences (T2max) at 3 months. Secondary endpoints were MRI grade severity and joint space assessment, WOMAC score, pain evaluation, knee range of motion and patient's satisfaction. Adverse events were also collected. The complete cell counts and growth factors content of injected products were assessed to analyze their potential relationship with MRI/clinical outcomes. RESULTS Three groups of 10 patients received a single injection of 10 cc of a mix (1:1) containing either MF-Saline, MF-PRP LD or MF-PRP HD. T2max did not change significantly over the time for any of the groups. All treatments significantly improved knee functional status and symptoms relief at 3 and 6 months. All patients were responders in the MF/PRP HD at 3 months and significantly higher compared to MF/PRP LD. Half of the injected PRP in the MF/PRP LD group displayed RBCs contamination over 8% which was correlated with an impairment of T2max. CONCLUSION A single intra articular injection of MF with or without PRP is safe and may offer a significant clinical improvement in patients with OA.
9. Clinical and Microbiological Outcomes Associated With Use of Platelet-Rich Plasma in Chronic Venous Leg Uclers: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Pires Bmfb, Baptista de Oliveira BGR, Bokehi LC, Luiz RR, Carvalho BTF, Santana RF, Alfradique de Souza P, Renato de Paula G, Teixeira LA
Journal of wound, ostomy, and continence nursing : official publication of The Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society. 2021;48(4):292-299
PURPOSE To evaluate the susceptibility profiles of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains identified in chronic venous ulcers treated with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and petrolatum gauze or petrolatum gauze alone and to quantitatively evaluate the bacterial load and biofilm-forming capacities of the detected S. aureus and P. aeruginosa strains. DESIGN Randomized controlled trial. SUBJECTS AND SETTING The convenience sample included 36 participants; 18 were allocated to the PRP combined with the petrolatum gauze group, and 18 were allocated to the control group, which was treated with petrolatum gauze alone. METHODS Thirty-six patients presenting with chronic venous ulcers were consecutively randomized to the PRP group (n = 18) or the petrolatum gauze control group (n = 18). We followed participants for 3 months during treatment and collected swab cultures from their wounds during weeks 1, 6, and 12 or until the wounds healed. The samples were analyzed using mass spectrometry. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed using disk diffusion. RESULTS P. aeruginosa was identified in 39 (39%) of 100 samples, and S. aureus was detected in only 10 (10%) samples collected over the study period. At the end of the 12-week treatment period, the wound infections reduced in both the PRP (P = .0078) and control groups (P = .01). The microorganisms were susceptible to most of the tested antimicrobials. The PRP did not increase the bacterial load in the wounds. All S. aureus strains identified showed biofilm-forming capacities and were classified as weak biofilm producers. All P. aeruginosa strains produced biofilm, with 17 strains being classified as weak, 14 as moderate, and 8 as strong biofilm producers. CONCLUSIONS The PRP plus petrolatum gauze did not increase bacteriological growth or the microbial load in chronic venous ulcers compared with petrolatum gauze alone and could be a considered as an advanced treatment option for these types of chronic wounds.
Ingenta plc
10. A Prospective Randomized Double-Blind Clinical Trial to Assess the Effects of Leukocyte-reduced Platelet-Rich Plasma on Pro-inflammatory, Degradative, and Anabolic Biomarkers after Closed Pilon Fractures
Zitsch BP, James CR, Crist BD, Stoker AM, Della Rocca GJ, Cook JL
Journal of orthopaedic research : official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society. 2021
Post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) significantly affects patients with pilon fractures even after adequate anatomical reduction, and treatment strategies targeting the biologic mediators of PTOA are needed. This study was designed to determine the effects of intra-articular injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on synovial fluid (SF) biomarkers for patients undergoing open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of pilon fractures. Patients undergoing staged management of pilon fractures were enrolled in a prospective, double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial to determine the effects of a single intra-articular injection of leukocyte-reduced PRP on SF biomarkers. Arthrocentesis of the injured and uninjured ankles was performed at time of external skeletal fixation (ESF) and ORIF. Patients were randomized to receive either autogenous leukocyte-reduced PRP or saline (control) via intra-articular injection into the injured ankle at time of ESF. SF biomarker concentrations were compared--uninjured, injured pre-treatment, and saline-injected or PRP-injected. Eleven patients (PRP, n=5; saline, n=6) completed the study. 21 un-injured, and 11 injured pre-treatment, 5 PRP-treated, and 6 saline-treated SF samples were analyzed. PRP-treated SF contained significantly higher levels of PDGF-AA (p=0.046) and significantly lower levels of MMP-3 (p=0.042), MMP-9 (p=0.009), IL-1β (p=0.049), IL-6 (p<0.01), IL-8 (p=0.048) and PGE2 (p<0.04). This study provided mechanistic data to suggest that a single intraarticular injection of leukocyte-reduced PRP is associated with anti-inflammatory, anti-degradative and anabolic responses compared to saline control. These findings provide the impetus for investigating long-term clinical outcomes after PRP injection as an orthobiologic adjunct to ORIF for mitigating the incidence and severity of PTOA after pilon fractures. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.


Today's card uses a template that was shared by Julie Burt on a Demonstrator only Facebook page. Unfortunately Julie does not have a blog or facebook page at this stage, but when she does I will be sure to let you know. I followed Julie's template to cut Thick Whisper White card to create the card base and added Smoky Slate card to each panel. The main panel is decorated with a large motif from the retired Eastern Gold Vinyl Stickers. I also used another of the stickers on Melon Mambo card and cut it out using the co-ordinating Eastern Medallions Thinlits Dies. The Sticker is attached to Whisper white card with the Melon Mambo flower in the centre. The middle panel on the card has a medallion cut from Melon Mambo card using the Eastern Medallions Thinlits Dies with a retired Eastern Gold Vinyl Sticker in the centre. I decorated four of the remaining small panels by cutting Whisper White card using the two smallest circles in the Eastern Medallions Thinlits Dies. Once the Whisper White card is attached to the Smoky Slate card, it is really quite pretty. The last two small panels have been stamped with a small star image from the Eastern Beauty stamp set using Melon Mambo ink. The last large panel has the largest medallion from the Eastern Medallions Thinlits Dies cut from Melon Mambo card. To release this image and create a single piece, I cut around the medallion using one of the Layering Circle Framelits Dies. I stamped "happy birthday" from the Thoughtful Banners stamp set onto Whisper White card using Melon Mambo ink and cut out the greeting using the die in the Stitched Labels Framelits Dies. The greeting is attached to the centre of the Melon Mambo medallion.
To decorate the inside of the card, I stamped the image from the Eastern Beauty stamp set using Melon Mambo ink. I love the way this card stands up like a tri-shutter card but it has that cute little closed card on the left, so you can write a message. The card is a little oversized so you will have to create your own envelope but that is easy using the Envelope Punch Board. So thank you once again Julie for your wonderful template.
This card is for a lovely friend who is celebrating her birthday today. Happy Birthday Gloria. She loves this stamp set, so although I have used some retired product on this card, I know that she will love it.


text:
Q: MySQL/JDBC Encoding Hell I'm getting into encoding hell by trying to read Strings from a longtext column with MySQL Connector/J. As far as I can tell, the database is fully utf8.
sql>show variables like '%char%'

gives
----------------------------------
|character_set_client     |utf8mb4
|character_set_connection |utf8mb4
|character_set_database   |utf8mb4
|character_set_filesystem |binary
|character_set_results    |utf8mb4
|character_set_server     |utf8mb4
|character_set_system     | utf8
|character_sets_dir       |C:\Users\gek\xampp\mysql\share\charsets\
-------------------------------------------------------------------

The column in question is also utf8:
SELECT character_set_name FROM information_schema.`COLUMNS` WHERE table_schema = "empa" AND table_name = "project" AND column_name = "airborne1Data"

gives
character_set_name
utf8

This is how I connect to the database via JDBC:
Connection con;
private Database() {
    //load Driver
    try {
        Class.forName("com.mysql.jdbc.Driver");

        Properties prop = new Properties();
        prop.put("charSet", "utf8");
        prop.put("user", "root");
        prop.put("password", "");
        this.con=DriverManager.getConnection(
            "jdbc:mysql://" + dbServer + "/" +dbName,prop);
        } catch{...}

So I guess, MySQL Connector/J should also know, that I want to read my strings as utf8, but it won't:
ResultSet sql = statement.executeQuery("Select * FROM project WHERE project.id=" + projectId);
if (sql.first()) {
    System.out.println(sql.getString("airborne1Data"));
}

will fail as german umlauts (ä/ö/ü). They seem to be encoded in latin-1 (analysing the bytes shows that ö=#F6).
I'm by no stretch an expert in encoding and I'm quite surprised that this is still an issue in 2021. My approach until now was simply "Do everything in utf8 and it'll work".
Is there any other place I forgot, where the encoding can be changed?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


"Fractalled" may not be a real word but poetic license should cover it here. Sounds enough like fractured to fit. It's not like a lot of people will know what I'm talking about anyway. But I do love the frost patterns on the windows, and find fractals fascinating.
As frost expands its reach in random, organized array.
When veins of ice express themselves in such a fractal way.


The German court has told Google that the thumbnails it displays on its popular image search database breach copyright.
In a case that could now be replicated across the European Union, Google has lost two cases on breach of copyright over the thumbnails displayed, with other image search engines such as Microsoft's Live search also likely to be hit with lawsuits.
Google has already fought and eventually won a copyright claim from Perfect 10 over the thumbnails in the US, but the German law courts have decided that the search giant has broken the law.
A Google spokesperson told paidContent, "Today's decision is very bad for Internet users in Germany, it is a major step backwards for German e-business in general, and it is bad for the thousands of websites who receive valuable traffic through Image Search and similar services."
You'd be forgiven for wondering if Google is considering abandoning Germany altogether after also failing to win a case over the use of the term Gmail in the same country.
With a legal challenge in Belgium over the snippets used in Google news also rumbling on, these are troubled times for Google – whose quest to host all the world's information has caused many to question whether copyright is being rendered an archaic notion.


text:
'The Simpsons' Plan Music-Themed Mini-Marathon on FXX
Eight-episode run will air on September 11th to promote upcoming Hollywood Bowl shows
By Ryan Reed
Ryan Reed
New Edition, New Kids on the Block Face Off in 'Battle of Boston' at 2021 AMAs
Olivia Rodrigo Lights Up 2021 AMAs With Powerhouse 'Traitor'
Silk Sonic Kick Off 2021 AMAs With Velvety 'Smokin Out the Window'
View all posts by Ryan Reed
The Simpsons FOX
Last month, FXX celebrated their acquisition of The Simpsons by airing a 12-day marathon of all 552 episodes – destroying the network's ratings records in the process. And now, assuming the country isn't suffering from Simpsons fatigue, FXX is following with a music-themed, eight-episode marathon of the animated series starting at 8 p.m. on September 11th.
As Variety reports, the mini-marathon is connected to the upcoming "Simpsons Take the Bowl" variety shows at the Hollywood Bowl, which will take place from September 12th-14th. Each of the eight episodes (including classics like the Conan O'Brien-scripted "Marge vs. the Monorail" and "Who Shot Mr. Burns? Part 2") all feature a tune set to be showcased during the Hollywood Bowl shows.
"Simpsons Take the Bowl" will celebrate all things Springfield – assisted by a live orchestra, video clips, appearances from Simpsons voice actors (including Hank Azaria) and a number of special guests (including Beverly D'Angelo, Jon Lovitz and "Weird" Al Yankovic). Series creator Matt Groening will be on hand to dish out behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and O'Brien will even join the cast to perform "The Monorail Song" from his acclaimed 1993 episode.
The Simpsons' 26th season will premiere September 28th on Fox with the heavily anticipated Family Guy crossover episode, "The Simpsons Guy."
The complete breakdown of the music-themed FXX marathon is below:
8 p.m. "Marge vs. The Monorail" (Season Four) – Song highlighted at Bowl event: "Monorail Song"
8:30 p.m. "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" (Season Five) – Song: "Baby on Board"
9 p.m. "Homer the Great" (Season Six) – Song: "We Do – The Stonecutters Song"
9:30 p.m. "Two Dozen and One Greyhounds" (Season Six) – Song: "See My Vest"
10 p.m. "Who Shot Mr. Burns? Part 2" (Season Seven) – Song: "Señor Burns"
10:30 p.m. "A Fish Called Selma" (Season Seven) – Songs: "Dr. Zaius" and "Chimpan A to Chimpan Z"
11 p.m. – "Bart After Dark" (Season Eight) – Song: "We Put the Spring in Springfield."
11:30 p.m. "Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious" (Season Eight) – Song: "Minimum Wage Nanny"
FXX,
TV & Movies News
Netflix's Interracial-Dating Romcom 'You People' Is Trying Way Too Hard
CT Jones
Natasha Lyonne on That Accent and How Acid Made Her See Things Clearer
Alan Sepinwall
'It Felt Like a Rape': Pamela Anderson on Her Sex Tape Saga
'The Bear' Star Ayo Edebiri Boards Marvel's 'Thunderbolts' Movie
Marvel Magic
Charisma Madarang
The Sex in 'Passages' Is as Raw and Passionate as Its Emotions
SUNDANCE REVIEW
K. Austin Collins

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


English & Maths homework will be sent home with your child every Monday and expected in the following Monday. English and Maths homework tasks will compliment key skills to enhance our learning throughout the week at school, and make direct links to the schemes of work being taught.
Spellings will also be sent out on a Monday, and children will be tested on these spellings the following Monday. Each week we will follow a spelling rule/pattern, therefore some weeks some spelling may be easy or hard. Securing the spelling rules will develop your children's spelling strategies when writing and will allow them to progress onto more complex words as the year progresses. They will be tested on a SAT's style test each week, where each word which they have learnt, will fit into a sentences. E.g. Television – I watch Television on a Sunday afternoon.
Reading folders and reading diaries are expected to be brought to school every morning and reading diaries will be signed every Monday morning to ensure your children are reading at home 3 times a week. It's crucial children read at home at least 3 times a week and children are encouraged to have their diaries signed 3 times a week. 5 raffle tickets which be awarded for every 3 signatures and clear comments in a child's diary.
Water bottles should also be brought into school every day along with reading folders. Flavoured water will be acceptable and children are given plenty of opportunities throughout the day to have a water break. Bags are now kept in safe lockers within the cloakrooms.
What we will be looking at this year!
In the Autumn term, Year 4 will begin with the year with their British topic: The Vile Victorians! Children will be learning about our Great British Monarch as well as the Industrial Revolution! Children will also be learning about how times in education have changed after being given a 1st hand taster day of a Vile Victorian school day! We will be making varied and valid links between Christmas and the Victorian era; hopefully with the inclusion of a trip to the picturesque Blists Hill Village. Oliver Twist is most certain to be making an appearance in our learning throughout the Autumn term!
In the Spring term, Year 4 will look at the destruction of the Rainforest and how the environment affects this amazing part of the world. Again, children will develop their skills through geographical enquiry, looking at human and physical features of the rainforest and research ways society can contribute to saving the rainforest. Alongside our Rainforest topic, we will also be looking at The Mayans. Year 4 will move on to look at the Mayan Empire. Children will be learn about the rise and fall of the Mayan Empire and the gruesome spiritual sacrifices they took part in thousands of years ago!
Year 4 will begin the Summer term by looking at 'The Powerful Tutankhamun' and what we can learn from The Ancient Egyptians. We will be making historical and geographical links to the Egyptians covering cross curricular areas where appropriate. Children will develop their historical enquiry skills through Art, Design, research and ICT.
This year we will again be using Accelerated reader. This is an embedded system for reading used by all children at Langdale and will ensure your children are reading books suitable for their age and ability. We begin with a short test which gives a reading age for your children and a special ZPD code which corresponds to a section of our school Library. Your children will then be given the opportunity to visit the library and select a book from their given section. Your children will then read their new book and once finished they can login to Accelerated reader (in school only) and complete a short comprehension about the book they have read.
They will then be given a percentage score out of 100% and will earn points which eventually allow them to move on to a new ZPD code, thus making progress. As you can see we will be celebrating 100% success in our online test and therefore highly promote in depth reading at home!


text:
Sign up for the New Releases newsletter and receive a free eCopy of The Roadrunner Cafe.
Jerkwater "is by turns harrowing, comical, and heartwarming." — BlueInk Reviews (Starred Review)
The Tree Poachers and Other Stories
Everyone's Happier Than You
The Roadrunner Cafe
The Korean Word for Butterfly
The Cloud Seeders
Jerkwater
This Jerkwater LIfe
Jamie Zerndt is the author of THE CLOUD SEEDERS, THE KOREAN WORD FOR BUTTERFLY, and THE ROADRUNNER CAFE. His short story, "THIS JERKWATER LIFE", was recently chosen as an Editor's Pick in Amazon's Kindle Singles store. He received an MFA in Writing from Pacific University and now lives in Portland, Oregon, with his son.
"Interview with James Zerndt, author of THE CLOUD SEEDERS" –Seattle Post-Intelligencer Newspaper
http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/blogcritics/article/Interview-James-Zerndt-Author-of-The-Cloud-5113766.php
"Smoking with James Zerndt" –Smokelong Quarterly
http://www.smokelong.com/smoking-with-james-zerndt/
"Interview with James Zerndt, author of THE CLOUD SEEDERS" – The Writers Life eMagazine
http://thewriterslife.blogspot.com/2014/01/interview-with-james-zerndt-author-of.html
"Author Interview: James Zerndt" – Joystory
http://joystory.blogspot.com/2014/02/author-interview-james-zerndt.html
"Radio Interview for THE KOREAN WORD FOR BUTTERFLY" –Indie Reviews Behind The Scenes: Culture Shock!
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/indiereviews-behind-the-scenes/2014/02/15/indiereview-behind-the-scenes-and-culture-shocked
2009 Atlantic Monthly Student Fiction Contest-Honorable Mention-"This Jerkwater Life"
2008 Playboy College Fiction Contest-Runner up for "This Jerkwater Life"
First Prize for Fiction: Crosscurrents Award for Washington Community College Humanities Association (WCCHA)/"The Tree Poachers"/2013
Featured Author and Speaker as part of Northwest Voices:
http://www.longviewlibrary.org/nwvoices.php
Set in Mercer, Wisconsin, where tensions over Native American fishing rights are escalating, JERKWATER is told from three alternating points-of-view:
Shawna Reynolds, a young Ojibwa woman who doesn't much care for white people to begin with, and who is quickly being pulled in a direction she may no longer have a desire to resist;
© 2020 James Zerndt. Site design by Clockpunk Studios


text:
using strange.extensions.signal.impl;
using VisualiseR.Common;

namespace VisualiseR.Presentation
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Signal to instantiate the <see cref="ShowPresentationSceneMenuCommand"/>
    /// </summary>
    public class ShowSceneMenuSignal : Signal<Player, SlideMedium>
    {

    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: WIN32 Multiple Windows I'm trying to display 3 windows, however it fails to create window 2 of which I am not sure why. It creates the first window and i've done the same for the other two.
Here is the code:
#include <Windows.h>

// Store handles to the main window and application instance globally.
HWND      ghMainWnd = 0;
HWND      ghSecdWnd = 0;
HWND      ghThrdWnd = 0;
HINSTANCE ghAppInst = 0;

//========================================================================================
// WINDOW 1
// Step 1: Define and implement the window procedure.
LRESULT CALLBACK
WndProc(HWND hWnd, UINT msg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{

    switch( msg )
    {
    // Handle left mouse button click message.
    case WM_LBUTTONDOWN:
        MessageBox(hWnd, "Left Mouse Button Click", "Message", MB_OK);
        return 0;

    // Handle key down message.
    case WM_KEYDOWN:
        if( wParam == VK_ESCAPE )
            if( MessageBox(hWnd, "Are you sure?", "Quit", MB_YESNO) == IDYES )
                DestroyWindow(ghMainWnd);
        return 0;

    // Handle destroy window message.
    case WM_DESTROY:
        PostQuitMessage(0);
        return 0;
    }

    // Forward any other messages we didn't handle to the default window procedure.
    return DefWindowProc(hWnd, msg, wParam, lParam);

}
//========================================================================================
// WINDOW 2
//========================================================================================
LRESULT CALLBACK
WndProc2(HWND hWnd, UINT msg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{

    switch( msg )
    {
    // Handle down arrow pressed.
    case WM_KEYDOWN:
        if( wParam == VK_DOWN )
            MessageBox(hWnd, "Down arrow pressed 2.", "Information", MB_OK);
        return 0;
    case WM_LBUTTONDOWN:
        MessageBox(hWnd, "Window 2", "Window 2", MB_OK);
        return 0;
    case WM_DESTROY:
        PostQuitMessage(0);
        return 0;
    }

    return DefWindowProc(hWnd, msg, wParam, lParam);
}
//========================================================================================
// WINDOW 3
//========================================================================================
LRESULT CALLBACK
WndProc3(HWND hWnd, UINT msg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{

    switch( msg )
    {
    // Handle down arrow pressed.
    case WM_KEYDOWN:
        if( wParam == VK_DOWN )
            MessageBox(hWnd, "Down arrow pressed 3.", "Information", MB_OK);
        return 0;
    case WM_LBUTTONDOWN:
        MessageBox(hWnd, "Window 3", "Window 3", MB_OK);
        return 0;
    case WM_DESTROY:
        PostQuitMessage(0);
        return 0;
    }

    return DefWindowProc(hWnd, msg, wParam, lParam);
}

// WinMain: Entry point for windows application.
int WINAPI
    WinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevInstance, PSTR cmdLine, int showCmd)
{

    // Save handle to application instance.
    ghAppInst = hInstance;

    // Step 2: Fill out a WNDCLASS instance.
    WNDCLASS wc;
    wc.style         = CS_HREDRAW | CS_VREDRAW;
    wc.lpfnWndProc   = WndProc;
    wc.cbClsExtra    = 0;
    wc.cbWndExtra    = 0;
    wc.hInstance     = ghAppInst;
    wc.hIcon         = ::LoadIcon(0, IDI_APPLICATION);
    wc.hCursor       = ::LoadCursor(0, IDC_ARROW);
    wc.hbrBackground = (HBRUSH)::GetStockObject(WHITE_BRUSH);
    wc.lpszMenuName  = 0;
    wc.lpszClassName = "MyWndClassName";

    // Window 2
    WNDCLASS wc2;
    wc2.style         = CS_HREDRAW | CS_VREDRAW;
    wc2.lpfnWndProc   = WndProc2;
    wc2.cbClsExtra    = 0;
    wc2.cbWndExtra    = 0;
    wc2.hInstance     = ghAppInst;
    wc.hIcon          = ::LoadIcon(0, IDI_APPLICATION);
    wc2.hCursor       = ::LoadCursor(0, IDC_ARROW);
    wc2.hbrBackground = (HBRUSH)::GetStockObject(WHITE_BRUSH);
    wc2.lpszMenuName  = 0;
    wc2.lpszClassName = "MyWndClassTwo";

    // Window 3
    WNDCLASS wc3;
    wc3.style         = CS_HREDRAW | CS_VREDRAW;
    wc3.lpfnWndProc   = WndProc3;
    wc3.cbClsExtra    = 0;
    wc3.cbWndExtra    = 0;
    wc3.hInstance     = ghAppInst;
    wc3.hIcon         = ::LoadIcon(0, IDI_APPLICATION);
    wc3.hCursor       = ::LoadCursor(0, IDC_ARROW);
    wc3.lpszMenuName  = 0;
    wc3.lpszClassName = "MyWndClassThree";

    // Step 3: Register with WNDCLASS instance with windows.
    RegisterClass( &wc );
    RegisterClass( &wc2 );
    RegisterClass( &wc3 );

    // Step 4: Create the window, and save the handle in global window handle variable ghMainWnd.
    ghMainWnd = ::CreateWindow("MyWndClassName",  "Window 1", WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW | WS_HSCROLL | WS_VSCROLL, 0,   0,   500, 500, 0, 0, ghAppInst, 0);
    ghSecdWnd = ::CreateWindow("MyWndClassTwo",   "Window 2", WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW | WS_HSCROLL | WS_VSCROLL, 510, 0,   500, 500, 0, 0, ghAppInst, 0);
    ghThrdWnd = ::CreateWindow("MyWndClassThree", "Window 3", WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW | WS_HSCROLL | WS_VSCROLL, 0,   510, 500, 500, 0, 0, ghAppInst, 0);

    if( ghMainWnd == 0 )
    {
        ::MessageBox(0, "Create Window 1 - Failed", 0, 0);
        return false;
    }

    if( ghSecdWnd == 0 )
    {
        ::MessageBox(0, "Create Window 2 - Failed", 0, 0);
        return false;
    }

    if( ghThrdWnd == 0 )
    {
        ::MessageBox(0, "Create Window 3 - Failed", 0, 0);
        return false;
    }

    // Step 5: Show and update the window.
    ShowWindow(ghMainWnd, showCmd);
    UpdateWindow(ghMainWnd);

    ShowWindow(ghSecdWnd, showCmd);
    UpdateWindow(ghSecdWnd);

    ShowWindow(ghThrdWnd, showCmd);
    UpdateWindow(ghThrdWnd);

    // Step 6: Enter the message loop and don't quit until a WM_QUIT message is received.
    MSG msg;
    ZeroMemory(&msg, sizeof(MSG));

    while( GetMessage(&msg, 0, 0, 0) )
    {
        TranslateMessage(&msg);
        DispatchMessage(&msg);
    }

    // Return exit code back to operating system.
    return (int)msg.wParam;

}

It doesn't throw any errors, but on the ghSecdWnd == 0 it displays that error message.

A: There are two problems: The one you're experiencing, and one with window 3.
Calling GetLastError() after creating the second window (but before creating the third) results in "Cannot find the window class.". Looking at the class setup, you've done the following:
wc.hIcon = ::LoadIcon(0, IDI_APPLICATION);

What you actually need is to set the icon of wc2. Even checking the return value of RegisterClass when you register the second class results in an error of "The parameter is incorrect.", indicating a problem with wc2. It's also an earlier location in your code to catch the error, which is always a good thing.

Secondly, there's a problem with the third window. You haven't set the background brush on it. Add this line to the wc3 setup:
wc3.hbrBackground = (HBRUSH)::GetStockObject(WHITE_BRUSH);

You should always check the documentation to find out what functions do when they fail and take appropriate action. For example, if CreateWindow fails, the return value is NULL, and you can call GetLastError to get more info. You should do this on a per-function basis. Here's an example with the two main functions for Window 2. Keep in mind that others, such as GetStockObject, can fail as well.
if (!RegisterClass(&wc2)) { //returns 0 if failed
    std::cout << "Failed to register class: ";
    std::cout << GetLastError() << '\n'; //or however you want to show it
}

if (!(ghSecdWnd = CreateWindow( /*...*/)) { //or ghSecdWnd = ...; if (!ghSecdWnd)
    std::cout << "Failed to create window: ";
    std::cout << GetLastError() << '\n'; //look at FormatMessage for a message
}

First, looking at RegisterClass, you see under Return value that it returns 0 on failure and states that you can call GetLastError() for extended error information, so I output that. CreateWindow says the same, but it's NULL instead because HWND is a pointer. You can take the error codes you get and check them against the MSDN System Error Codes article, or use FormatMessage with FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_SYSTEM to do that for you.


text:
Home News Taking Back Sunday to release seventh album 'Tidal Wave' in September
Taking Back Sunday to release seventh album 'Tidal Wave' in September
Gabriel Aikins
It's always thrilling when a band announces a new album, but thrilling might be underselling this news. Today, Taking Back Sunday announced (via EW) that Tidal Wave, the band's seventh album, will be arriving on September 16. The album will be the first since 2014's Happiness Is, and will be released through Hopeless Records.
Talking about what to expect from the new album, frontman Adam Lazarra says, "Tidal Wave is a bit of a departure but I don't think it's coming out of left field. We realize anything we do is going to sound like Taking Back Sunday."
While you eagerly count down the days until the new album arrives, be sure to check out our coverage of Taking Back Sunday as they travel this summer with the Taste of Chaos tour.
Previous articleAesop Rock delivers absolutely adorable video for "Kirby"
Next articleBitter's Kiss' initial output bespeaks a bright future for the indie newcomer
Gabriel is a fan of all forms of media. His three biggest loves are music, cats, and food, in that order. Follow him on Twitter for pop culture opinions and lukewarm takes.
Ellie Goulding reveals new video with Juice WRLD for "Hate Me"
K.Flay on changing her frame of mind and embracing the 'Solutions'
Listen to Chain Gang of 1974's remix of pronoun's "run"
REVIEW: BANKS goes for it all on the ambitious 'III'
Ayoo talks Spring Awakening, Midwest music, & new single "Groove Delight"
Words from a Waldman: Mikey Carvajal from Islander helps rank the...
Impactful trio Phraktal talks "Chime," inspirations, and the Digital Age


text:
Gulag Museum at Perm-36 (Russia)
In 1995, in the Perm region of the Russian Federation, a unique memorial museum of the history of political repression was created in the former camp for political prisoners Perm-36. The core of this camp is the only surviving camp complex of buildings from Stalin's gulag era.
For nearly 20 years, the Memorial Centre Perm-36 not only preserved and restored the dilapidated camp construction, but was engaged in research, collecting, exposition, exhibition and education activities.
In 2014, with the political changes in Russia and the change of the governor of the Perm region, Memorial Centre Perm-36 was removed from the museum and all the buildings and the facilities of the former camp, which are state property, were transferred to establish a state institution that has drastically changed the mission of the former site.
No longer is it a museum devoted to the repressive forced-labor practices of the Stalin era, but one that presents the gulag as a vital component of the Soviet victory in World War II.
Despite this change of events, the Coalition continues to work with the original founders of Perm-36, assisting them in enhancing and expanding their work, which is currently focused on the development of a website documenting gulags and sites of detention.
Bulvar Gagarina, d. 10
Perm Russia


If you ever find yourself in need of Canton Bail Bonds, there is nothing to worry about! Bail Bonds Network makes it easy to locate and contact a licensed bail bond agent in Canton, South Dakota. Numerous Canton SD bail bond agents can bail you (or another person) out anytime anywhere in Canton SD. At your request, many bail bonds companies will come pick you up privately. Payment plans are often available depending on case by case basis.
Upon arrest anywhere in Lincoln county, a person is usually processed at the Lincoln county jail. To be released from Lincoln jail, several steps must occur, including being "booked in" and posting bail. Once the bail bond amount is confirmed, a bail bond agent comes to post the bail bond at the local jail. Now the release process starts and typically takes anywhere from 1-2 hours to complete. While cash bonds are permitted, it is usually not commonly used due to it's high expense.


text:
The Host - Theatrical Review
12:02 AM David Weaver No comments
'The Host' is surprisingly just mediocre but still dramatically inert.
Theater: AMC 30 at the Outlets of Orange
Time: 9:00 pm March 28, 2013
Film Rating: PG-13
Film Runtime: 2 hr 5 min
Studio: Open Road
Loves: World invasion movies where the world is already taken over
Likes: Saoirse Ronan
Neutral: Future worlds that make very little sense
Hates: Stephanie Meyer's incestant need to put a love triangle in everything
Get ready for more: This is apparently a planned trilogy
Earth has been invaded by aliens...and we have lost the war. Parasitic alien lifeforms known as "souls" have colonized the planet by using humans as their vessels, their hosts. Outnumbered a million to one, the last remnants of humanity have retreated to the deserts in hopes of either outlasting their enemy or finding a way to vanquish them. Their hopeless fight for survival is given an extra boost however when one of their own, a girl named Melanie (Saoirse Ronan), is taken captive and has a soul implanted into her by the name of The Wanderer, a soul that has lived for over a millennium. While most souls usually take complete control of their host, Melanie won't go without a fight and forces her subconscious to influence The Wanderer to do her bidding. Soon Melanie has forced her occupier to leave the city in search of her family and when they arrive it sparks a whole new beginning for mankind and the possible downfall for the alien race that has driven them into hiding.
While there are plenty of other film series out there that like to pretend to be the next incarnation of Twilight (as if that is something to aspire to), writer/director Andrew Niccol has the dubious honor of making the true follow up to that infamous series written by the Twilight saga scribe herself, Stephenie Meyer. His new film "The Host" takes the tween romance angle we all love to hate, removes the supernatural elements and replaces it with a sci-fi hook.
With the help of seasoned sci-fi director like Niccol ("Gattaca") at the helm and a cast of young twenty-somethings that unlike Meyer's previous series seems to have a grasp on that little thing called acting, this "new" direction for her tried and true love triangle formula isn't nearly the train wreck most were expecting it to be, but don't take that as this being anything more than a mediocre endeavor at best.
The first and most significant change is how the invading alien souls are represented as these passive creatures that can only be introduced into a human host in an almost loving or nurturing way. It may sound a little hokey (which it is), but Niccol finds a way to sell it with it ever becoming too silly a concept. The first time we see a soul implanted into a human host is an extremely tranquil experience. Not only are the souls themselves these fragile creatures that fit in the palm of your hand, but they aren't completely without remorse. They aren't so much interested in the destruction of mankind as they are in living in a symbiotic relationship with their human host that from their perspective is what the constantly waring human race needed.
The only actual threatening force the aliens have at their disposal are their own form of police called "Seekers". These special hosts are given the arduous task of locating any and all human refugees so that they may be become host to a soul. With souls showing up through their nifty traveling system all the time, they are always in need of new hosts and the seekers are the only ones on the job. Their jobs are not to inflict pain or harm, but to capture and retain. Only when the one particular seeker (Diane Kruger) chasing Melanie shoots down one of her own on accident do we realize how adverse to violence they really are.
All of this actually begs the question then of how these aliens were ever able to take over our planet if they don't seem inclined to use violence to win their battles. It's even more perplexing when you learn that these tiny glowing tentacle-like creatures have conquered over 12 other worlds prior to Earth which seems rather unlikely given the evidence provided. How they took over Earth isn't really a major concern though, just a nagging oversight brought on by the relative obtuse nature of the aliens themselves.
Where it all comes crumbling down however is a mixture of Meyer's incessant need to inject this forced love triangle into the mix, a total lack of dramatic weight and a lot of unintentional laughter brought on by some extremely awkward moments. Twilight had its share of problems and has taken an inordinate amount of punishment from its detractors for its poorly constructed love triangle, but that film series was about one girl and the two idiots who loved her. Here there is more at stake than just one girl, the alien called The Wanderer who possessed her (who they refer to as Wanda) and the two ridiculously handsome young men, Jared (Max Irons) and Ian (Jake Abel) who fawn over both of them.
The human race is going extinct and even though Melanie/Wanda is the catalyst for instigating change (which the ending reveals was never as unique as it was made out to be), Melanie/Wanda's personal relationships, while needed in some capacity, should never take center stage as often as they do. Meyer's should get some credit though for not making the entire film about those relationships and even an accolade or two for how she mixes her own formula up during its final moments, but until she realizes that relationships in these larger than life stories are there to support the characters and give them purpose instead of it being the other way around, her stories will never reach their true potential.
There is potentially fascinating material to be mined here with our world under control by these creatures who want to act like us, use our machines, build our world and make it better, but it all plays second fiddle to the love story which is a shame. The more we learn about these creatures the more interesting they become, like how they apparently never lie to one another for instance, but instead we are treated to a scene such as when Jared and Ian need to discover who is currently in control of Melanie's body by using a kissing game which is likely one of the silliest scenes in recent history.
All of this can be forgiven or at the very least accepted though. As painful as the poorly scripted dialog can be, as banal and uninteresting as the relationships can be, it all pales in comparison to how horribly realized the voice overs are for Melanie. Since Melanie's body is under the control of Wanda, only Wanda has the ability to speak and only she can hear Melanie in her head talking to her. However, we the audience are privy to the constant stream of poorly delivered voice over by Melanie. Saoirse Ronan is a fine actress but as Meyer's writing often does, it makes a good actor just look bad.
Voice overs are usually a reliable storytelling device but only when used in small doses. Here it is an often grating experience that lasts throughout the entire movie. It is made even worse whenever Wanda is in the middle of a romantic situation and instead of being in the moment, the audience is ripped right out it as soon as Melanie's annoyingly shrill voice comes through the speakers and says such compelling dialogue as, "No, don't you go there!" in regards to Wanda kissing the wrong boy.
The Host isn't as bad as the Twilight movies but it is still a far cry from a satisfying film. It's few positive features such as the unique alien creatures, the battling duality between host and alien and the surprisingly strong cast are outweighed by some nagging issues with the films mythology, far too much time focused on who loves who and one of the worst implementations of a voice over in recent film history that often results in unintentional laughter or total indifference. There was plenty of potential with the concept but with Meyer on writing duties there was never much hope that potential would ever be met.
Regardless of your feelings towards Meyer's work though and her inclination to appeal to teenage girls around the world by using genres we geeks hold close to our hearts and desecrating them with a total lack of respect for their roots, her newest creation at least demonstrates that she is learning that maybe not everything in a story should be about a young girl having two hot dudes fighting over her. While those tendencies still show up every now and then to derail the film's momentum and render it dramatically inert, this is still a moderately entertaining film filled with intermittent moments of eye rolling followed by a resounding sigh.


He's been a little bit of enigma Judi bola . It has now been some 20 months since he won a race, and I must admit he's been a little bit of a disappointment given what I thought he was going to be early on his career.
A genuine frontrunner, he can often be overly fierce when leading, sometimes his own doing, sometimes his hand has been forced by a rival, and sometimes it's been a mistake by a jockey. All of it has led to him being a "win or run nowhere" type, with only two placings behind his eight wins.
He has been building nicely this preparation under big weights. First up he was only run down late to be beaten a length. Second up he held on OK behind Pecans at Hawkesbury after setting a solid pace. Then third up, in the Goulburn Cup, his main rival Interlocuter, who he gave 4 ½ kilos to, had the perfect sit behind him and got to him with about 200 metres to go. I really thought Fabrizio fought on bravely when he was arguably entitled to lose by much further.


text:
JG2LAND: THE OFFICIAL BLOG OF JAMES GREENE, JR.
Writer, humorist, weirdness enthusiast. Yes, I wrote that Misfits book. Hit me up: jgreenejr [at] gmail [dot com].
Tag Archive | Letterman
in Hollywood, Shit That Can't Be Real Yet Somehow Is, Shout Outs, Tales From My Youth, The Boob Tube
"Space Ghost Coast to Coast" put me in absolute shock the first time I saw it. I couldn't believe a tv show so fluently spoke to the cultural car crash in my head. A fusion of "Batman '66" and Letterman and punk rock; a post-modern quasi-cartoon rewriting the rules of kitsch; a reverse Roger Rabbit where our dimension is the tiny portion of a surrealist animated landscape populated by exhausted and agitated characters who couldn't give a tinker's dam about what anyone else wants, let alone a human. A show about a retired super hero entering the late night wars with two sidekicks he's imprisoned in his garish studio on an otherwise barren planet.
No other entertainment makes me laugh as hard as "Space Ghost." It's so elastic. Clever and cutting one moment, beautifully stupid and nonsensical the next. Long stretches of nothing, then dense clusters of joke upon joke upon joke, like a swarm of bees. Total reverence for a guest that quickly washes into contempt and sarcastic quips. And the full visual trip of live action celebrities being forced to interact with repurposed '60s animation—what an addictively weird atmosphere.
An enormous piece of the show's creative heart was animator and voice actor C. Martin Croker, who passed away last weekend. Croker brought to life the titular host's enslaved sidekicks, band leader Zorak and producer Moltar, who as the show progresses transform from standoffish super villains into disgruntled everyman employees hilariously nonchalant in their burning hatred for Space Ghost. Zorak and Moltar savor each moment their captor stumbles and find themselves in a quiet pain when he succeeds. Naturally, these two have their own issues: Zorak is a pathological liar and cannibal while Moltar seems to be covering up an unsatisfying marriage.
How could I not be in awe of Croker? He drew this amazing show, voiced incredible foils for the main character, and his name's stately as hell. This guy's a legend. Everything I've read about him away from his work suggests he was cool, generally willing to share a laugh with admirers or do the Zorak and Moltar voices. It's devastating that he's gone at only 54 (cause of death currently undisclosed) but I'll always be thankful for experiencing his talent. It affected me deeply to see that television as bizarre and lawless as "Space Ghost" could not only exist somewhere but thrive. That's inspirational.
So thanks, Clay Martin. We'll miss you.
in Complaints, Shit That Can't Be Real Yet Somehow Is, The Boob Tube
Q: Where's The Rant About The Latest Talk Show Turnovers?
A: I'm a little embarrassed by my previous investment in the Late Night Wars™. Part of that involves my favorite guys not fulfilling whatever weird prophecies I envisioned. More of it has to do with talk show fatigue. The format has become so devalued, and yet at the same time remains so oppressive. Anyone can get a talk show, but anyone who tries to de or reconstruct what we believe a talk show should be (Jeselnik, Kamau Bell) ends up with a pink slip. In that sense, Jimmy Fallon is the perfect choice to host "The Tonight Show." He's never been trouble.
To paraphrase Howard Cosell, Jimmy Fallon rhapsodizes about everything, I'm sure he'll have a fine career.
Seth Meyers on "Late Night" I have a harder time understanding. Did that guy really spend fourteen years on "Saturday Night Live" with the end goal of hosting a twelve-thirty weeknight show? Granted, it's a spot that once belonged to Letterman and Conan, but neither of those guys did any one job for fourteen years before "Late Night." That is to say, Letterman and Conan were not defined by anything before their "Late Night" stints. Does NBC really think a guy who spent fourteen years on "Saturday Night Live" is the right kind of person to be hosting "Late Night?" Jimmy Fallon was only on "SNL" for six! Fourteen years is even longer than Tim Meadows' oft-joked about stint. I guess NBC's impressed by Seth's loyalty.
Personally, I'd love to see Tim Meadows host "Late Night." "Late Night w/ Tim Meadows" is definitely some shit I'd watch. Shout out to all my Lionel Osbourne fans (Lionel Osbourne is a talk show character Tim Meadows used to play in ancient times, long before any of us were ever born).
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BRAVE PUNK WORLD
My second book is called Brave Punk World: The Internat'l Rock Underground From Alerta Roja to Z-Off and it is now available for purchase. It's about the development of punk rock in other countries. All the info you want / need about it is right here (click here!).
Star Wars Ruined My Life: A Failure By JG2
Now for your downloadable pleasure, the 48 page story of the Star Wars book I couldn't get published a decade plus ago. Included are portions of the original manuscript, several new Star Wars essays, and original artwork by dear friends. GET IT HERE!
The Misfits Book
The soft cover of This Music Leaves Stains is available here. Get that sucker and learn all about New Jersey's greatest punk band! Click here to look at the corresponding photo tumblr and click here for the official F.A.Q.
JG2LAND'S TOP HITZ
Misfits Allegedly Had Weight Lifting Requirement For Singer
"Match Game" Observations
"South Park" Finally Addresses Dr Pepper, Declares Popular Beverage To Be Agnostic
Unsolicited Bartokomousin' Across Eight Seasons Of "Perfect Strangers"
Pow! Bam! Zok! An Unsolicited And Sadly Thorough Review Of "Batman '66" Season Two
Dr Pepper Cans Still Popping Up On "South Park"
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What is HEPTA(Hands-on Education Program for Technical Advancemet)-Sat?
HETPA-sat is a training tool developed by Prof. Yamazaki from Nihon University in Japan for hands-on study of satellite-engineering. By taking a course with this kit, students can learn the basic subsystems of satellite including structure, electrical power supply, command and data handling, communication, ground station, and sensors as well as learn how to integrate those subsystems to create a working satellite as a whole.
Each components can easily be taken apart and reassembled, allowing users to practice integrating many times.
All the hardware and software are modularised into a reusable system so that users can focus on integration and make full use of a short lecture time.
System with high extendibility, allowing users to add on to the system to test their own mission that they design.
Includes a textbook that covers a wide range of knowledge necessary for satellite engineering.
UNISEC offers an educational program using HEPTA-Sat as a training material.
HEPTA-Sat hands-on training course puts it focus on establishing the knowledge of system engineering by going through the whole process of system integration. During this course, students will learn how a system is designed to satisfy a mission, how system's function is broken down into different subsystems, how to integrate those different subsystems into a fully functioning system, and how to test/debug it once it has been integrated.
This course is for all people who are interested in space engineering from those want to practice their skill on electronics to those who want to deepen their knowledge of system engineering.
The length and content of the course can be adjusted by your needs. Please feel free to contact UNISEC office if you are interested in the training course.


Installing a Drain and Drainage Pipe.
The homeowner is noticing water seepage through one of the walls of his home. Saber doesn't perform waterproofing.
Saber does install Drainage systems. This home had a drainage issue. Saber properly graded the yard, installed Drains, and Drainage pipe. There is no more seepage through the wall.


text:
Modern trains
Maglev trains
Modern trains A-Z
History of trains
Steam trains A-Z
You are here: Technology > Trains > Steam engines
Steam engines. (2013). In Q-files Encyclopedia, Technology, Trains. Retrieved from
https://www.q-files.com/technology/trains/steam-engines
"Steam engines." Technology, Trains, Q-files Encyclopedia, 11 Sep. 2013.
https://www.q-files.com/technology/trains/steam-engines.
Steam engines 2013. Technology, Trains. Retrieved 19 January 2020, from
Technology, Trains, s.v. "Steam engines," accessed January 19, 2020.
Boulton and Watt steam engine (1796) at the National Museum of Scotland
Boulton and Watt steam engine (1796)
An engine is a machine that converts the energy stored in fuel into energy for operating other machines. In a steam engine, burning fuel heats water in a boiler, turning it to steam, which builds up in the boiler. The pressurized steam is used to operate the moving parts of the engine. In the 1st century AD, Greek inventor Hero built a device that was turned by jets of steam, but it was a curiosity rather than a useful machine. The first locomotive powered by a steam engine was built in 1804 by English engineer, Richard Trevithick. Steam engines were used to power trains until the 1950s and 60s, when they were replaced by electric and diesel-powered locomotives.
Otto von Guericke's experiment demonstrating the principle of the vacuum
Demonstrating the principle of the vacuum
The first steam engines made use of the results of a simple scientific experiment carried out in 1606. Giovanni Battista della Porta (1535–1615) of Naples showed that when a flask full of steam was cooled, water could be sucked up into it as the steam condensed (turned back into droplets of water). Della Porta had created a vacuum, a space containing no air, inside his flask. The weight of air around it, called atmospheric pressure, forced water up into the empty space.
Savery's engine
In 1690, having witnessed the mechanical power of atmospheric pressure, French inventor Denis Papin built a model of a piston steam engine—the first of its kind. He later (1704) constructed a ship powered by his steam engine, mechanically linked to paddles. This made him the first person to construct a steam-powered vehicle.


For sale is a lovely vase made by Loetz Klostermuehle of Bohemia which is now the modern day Czech Republic. The pattern is called "Diana Cisele" and the form is a "Jack in the Pulpit" bud vase. The vase has some size to it as it stands 13 1/2" tall and 3 3/4" in diameter at the bulbous bottom.
The vase displays a Flower form shape similar to a Jack in the Pulpit Flower. The vase starts out with an elongated bulbous bottom with a long narrow cylindrical stem that rises up. There are two sides at the top lip that are pinched up and the opposite sides remains flat. The base glass is a translucent light lime green in color with slightly deeper green elongated oil spots throughout. The glass has a very fine vertically grained exterior surface finish. This style of glass was called "Diana Cisel�" or "Green Spots" in the Loetz catalog pages. There is also an iridescence exterior treatment that is soft and not over powering throughout the vase. This vase is very European in design and shape.
The vase is considered to be in excellent condition as there are no cracks, nicks, chips or dings. This is some minor cloudiness as this vase was used by its previous owners. This vase is considered to be quite rare with this decor and the top lip forming a Jack in the Pulpit Flower or floriform shape. I search the internet as was unable to document this same shape. There is no doubt hat this vase was made by Loetz and can be documented on the Loetz.com website. I will attach a link for you to view. This will be a new shape for the website as it is that rare. The vase does display a fire polished and rolled top edge as well as having a counter sunk polished pontil. This is the finishing sign of a quality piece of mouth blown art glass.
This is a lovely rare vase that is not so commonly in this form. This is also the largest version of this Decor in Loetz that I have been able to document over the past 10-15 years. You Loetz collectors will welcome this fine addition into your collection. This vase was made circa 1899.
http://www.loetz.com/decors-a-z/diana-cisele Click on highlighted link to view documentation of this decor.


text:
Beaver Springs Fishing Park has found a new sidelight that harmonizes with its fishing park and horseback riding stable enterprises-a Public Aquarium exhibit. The Aquarium exhibit is in a new building 32 x 90 feet and has more than 50 species of fish in about 10 display tanks and ponds.
Construction started in March 1997. The Beaver Springs Public Aquarium exhibits opened three weeks ago but is still in transition, with more exhibits to be added and remodeling yet to be done.
Beaver Springs Public Aquarium is the only private facility in Wisconsin that has lake sturgeon. You can't buy these in Wisconsin, it is illegal, so Beaver Springs Public Aquarium received permission from the Department of Natural Resources approval to buy and display lake sturgeon. The lake sturgeon featured at the Beaver Springs Public Aquarium came from the Department of Ministry in Canada.
University and state researchers are concerned the population of lake sturgeon may decline to almost nothing because the fish take so long to mature enough to repopulate the species.
Golden trout, which also required DNR approval, have been popular so far with visitors to the exhibit. Open All Year Round! Wisconsin Dells!