Charm Bracelet Love Heart Vintage Jewelry. Antique Love Heart Crystal Fashion Bracelets. Highly Polished Rhinestone Vintage Charm Beads.
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Charm Bracelets Love Heart Vintage Jewelry.
Love Heart Charm Bead Bracelets.
Double Silver Plated Snake Chain.
High Polished Rhinestone Crystals Beads.
Allow an extra (2cm/0.79") to (3cm/1.18") larger than your wrist size, see specifications.
4 Color Preferences - Pink - Blue - Silver - Green.
Inside Circumference Size Options - 18cm/7.08", 20cm/7.87", 21cm/8.26".
For size options, allow an extra 2cm/0.79" to 3cm/1.18" larger than your wrist size (See size chart images), for example; a 17cm/6.69" wrist circumference will order a 20cm/7.87" charm bead bracelet.
Creating your own designer antique stylish fashion, you are unique, you are special being you.


Posted on 27th February 2012 by Jules.
Our bespoke service evolved as a necessity to translate the creative needs of our high-end clientele into unique design solutions within the automated soft-furnishing sector. The lowly blind has no place in our bespoke service, with integrity of design, conscientious attention to detail and superior quality of workmanship paramount - our ethos is to deliver beautifully formulated, practical solutions of exceptional quality; on time and on budget! Controliss electric blinds are incorporated in to some of the most innovative design projects; whether inspired contemporary new builds or classical, multi-million pound City refurbishments; the Controliss Bespoke range sits regally within the most prestigious development. We are able to tailor seamless integration solutions for all state of the art home automation systems including Lutron, Creston, Rako, Control 4 and KNX. Additionally we are an approved Lutron blinds specialist and consequently able to advise on Lutron product suitability within a project remit. Our experienced team offer the highest levels of creativity, professionalism and discretion, reinforced by in-depth technical and product knowledge across the range. For your next Ultra-Prime, innovative project, why not utilise the production design capabilities accessible to you within the realms of the Controliss bespoke facility. Distinctive creativity, integrity of design, quality craftsmanship and on-going technical support are the core qualities of our bespoke service. When only extraordinary will do, Controliss bespoke window blinds service is the obvious solution!


Spa Shopping Fashion, glitz and glamour, do it in style here in the Turks and Caicos.
You want to relax on your Turks & Caicos vacation and we've got plenty of ways for you to do that. Whether it's the retail therapy of shopping till you drop, or the physical therapy of a rejuvenating spa treatment, you can get your Spa & Shopping fix in the TCI.
For shoppers, there is a surprisingly nice selection of high end shops and boutiques. Several fashion shops can be found in the Grace Bay area with everything from Turks & Caicos T-Shirts to bring home for a friend you left behind, to designer label outfits. There are great beach ware shops as well, in case you need to find that perfect swimsuit. Stroll from Ports of Call to the Salt Mills Plaza to the Regent Village and sample what we have to offer. Many of the resorts along Grace Bay also have their own boutiques to browse through.
Provo is also home to some unique art boutiques, featuring works from the Turks and Caicos and other Caribbean islands. Local art makes a great gift to bring home. Don't forget to look for locally made craft items, too. Baskets, jewelry and art made from interesting materials such as metal can all be found in these quaint little shops. Try the market on the beach between Club Med and Ocean Club East.
Fine jewelry and luxury item lovers will appreciate the selection here as well, with well-stocked shops offering brand name watches, rings, necklaces, sunglasses, perfumes and other items. You may be surprised by the prices, too, as many are duty free imported and you'll find prices competitive, sometimes even better than in North American stores.
Once you have maxed out your credit card, head to the spa to unwind. There are several relaxing spa facilities scattered throughout Grace Bay, some of which can offer you a massage or facial right on the beach. Services range from half day therapy sessions, to couples treatments, to facials, and skin treatments for the entire body. Many spa operators will also come to your room to offer you a private, customized session.


Click the button below to add the Organic Wool Dress to your wish list.
Simply beautiful - The eye-catcher in winter. Thanks to the pure merino wool from controlled organic husbandry, the knee-length dress feels pleasant on the skin and keeps you warm naturally. The rib cuffs at the wrists and knees give it a high-grade look that convinces with its plainness. With side welt pockets, raglan sleeves and twisted neckline.


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3 Ways to Tell It's Time to Take Your Home Off the Market
Boutique Rugs Spring Sale 2022: Up to 60% Off Vintage Rugs and More
Plaza Suite Broadway: How the Plaza Hotel Was Recreated Onstage for the Play | Architectural Digest
Opening night for Plaza Suite on Broadway is March 28, and although the play stars real-life husband and wife duo Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker, scenic designer John Lee Beatty jokes that he really got top billing in the production, which is directed by John Benjamin Hickey. "It's the title of the play. I was laughing with Sarah Jessica and Matthew about it the other day and said, 'You know, I got the title role here,'" Hickey tells AD.
He's really not wrong. The lavishly appointed titular suite (number 719 to be exact) is the sole backdrop for the three-act play-turned-film-turned-play. First premiering in 1968, the comedy written by the late Neil Simon involves three different sets of characters all played by the Ferris Bueller's Day Off actor and the Sex and the City star and all staying in suite 719 at Manhattan's famed Plaza Hotel: a troubled couple celebrating their anniversary, a Hollywood producer reuniting with his old high school flame, and parents trying to coax their daughter out of the bathroom on her wedding day. It's the first time the showbiz couple, who have been married for over two decades and share three children together, has appeared together since the 1995 play How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.
Parker and Broderick perform three different roles each in the play.
Photo: Joan Marcus
For the interiors, Beatty was influenced by the classic Alfred Hitchcock film, North by Northwest, where Cary Grant's character stays in a suite at the Plaza while searching for the man who stole his identity. "I started with the film because it had a certain glamour and a beautiful color scheme that really inspired me," Beatty tells AD. (The 1959 film also marked the Plaza's big screen debut.) A regal, yellow-toned champagne color appears on the gilt-framed damask covered walls, bedspread and tufted upholstery in Beatty's onstage version—he says it is a nod to the fact that the play is "a champagne experience." The two-time Tony Award winning designer also called upon his own memory, recalling a time he won a raffle ticket to stay at the hotel and noticed how tall the room's architecture was.
Like a force of nature: Desforma's fluid, organic furniture | News | Architonic

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


VAT, breakfast, free 24-hour access to wireless internet, resort tax, free use of the full equiped kitchen and mehana.
Payment in foreign currencies is accepted (EUR, USD), and by credit cards VISA, Eurocard, Mastercard, Diners Club, Visa Electron, Maestro!
Discounts are given (on negotiation) for groups, team-building events, and prolonged stay.
All reservations are subject to space availability and confirmation from the guest house.


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Faith Quote
"Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time."
"What Has 40 Years of Abortion Done to America?"
Please pray for this media event on December 4th in DC. I was suppose to be a presenter but, unfortunately, had to back out because of our Advent retreat this Saturday and the Lumina dinner on the 6th. Allan Parker, the speaker at our dinner is spearheading the event which has some great presenters and hopefully will draw media attention to the harm of abortion.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 28, 2012/Christian Newswire --
On December 4, 2012, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., an impressive and diverse group of experts and witnesses with personal experience of abortion will present a three hour media briefing and background session on the topic: "What Has 40 Years of Abortion Done to America?"
WHO: Experts Including Women Hurt By Abortion
WHAT: Media Briefing
WHERE: National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
WHEN: December 4, 2012 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
ISSUE: The Impact of Abortion on Women, Families, and Society
The purpose of the briefing is to provide access to a broad spectrum of experts, including women hurt by abortion, for news media preparing news stories regarding the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton. All presenters will make their written statements available to be used in any format, without embargo. Presenters will provide evidence, documentation and background material that will assist all reporters in preparing thoughtful analytical pieces that present both sides of the issue of legalized abortion. The event is being hosted by The Justice Foundation.
Operation Outcry is a project of The Justice Foundation and has now collected over 5,200 legally admissible testimonies from women of how their abortion hurt them. Five of these women will present their individual abortion stories showing the diverse range of experiences of abortion and its aftermath. The U.S. Supreme Court has cited Operation Outcry's testimonies for the proof that "some women come to regret aborting the infant life they once created and sustained..." "Severe depression and loss of esteem can follow." Gonzales v. Carhart (2007).
Speakers include: (full bios will be available on www.40yearsafterabortion.org by Dec. 4)
"Abortion Hurt Me Personally and Millions of Others" -- Carmen Pate (Senior Director of Community in Action with Truth in Action) and Operation Outcry Women Hurt by Abortion- Myra Myers, Rebecca Porter, Julie Thomas and Cindy Collins
"Scientific Evidence That Abortion Hurts Women" -- Dr. Martha Shuping, MD, Psychiatrist
"Impact of Abortion on African-American Community" -- Dr. Alveda King, National, Spokesperson for Silent No More Awareness Campaign
"Impact of Abortion on Women's Health, Millions of Pre-Term Births" -- Dr. Freda McKissic Bush, MD, FACOG practicing OB-GYN in Jackson, Mississippi; Fellow in the American College OB-GYN
"Abortion Causes Breast Cancer" -- Dr. Angela Lanfranchi MD FACS, Breast Cancer Surgeon, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and certified by the American Board of Surgery; Co-Founder and President of the Breast Cancer Prevention Institute
"Impact of Abortion on Men" -- Kevin Burke, Rachel's Vineyard Licensed social worker; Co-Author of "Redeeming A Father's Heart-Men Share Powerful Stories of Abortion Loss and Recovery"
"Abortion Has Corrosively Politicized the Supreme Court" -- Allan Parker, Attorney and President, The Justice Foundation; Co-Host, "Faces of Abortion" Television Program; former Professor of Law
Jeanneane Maxon, VP of External Affairs and Corporate Counsel for Americans United for Life
"40 Years of Abortion Has Politicized Medicine and Science" -- Dr. Byron C. Calhoun, MD, FACOG, FACS, MBA; Diplomate Board Certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology in General Obstetrics and Gynecology and in the sub-specialty of Maternal-Fetal Medicine; authored over 70 peer review articles in the Obstetric and Gynecologic literature
"Are We Better Off After 40 Years?" Georgette Forney, Co-Founder of Silent No More Awareness Campaign
"Promises Unkept: 40 Years of Legal Abortion Has Failed to Lower Child Abuse, Crime, and Out of Wedlock Births" -- Michael New, Assist. Professor of Political Science, Master's degree in Statistics and a doctorate in Political Science from Stanford University in 2002
"Abortion in New York (Abortion Capital USA): Painful Lessons" -- Christopher Bell, President, Good Counsel
"Abortion Has Caused Increased Violence Against Women" -- Molly White, Founder and Director of Women for Life International -- USA
"Abortion's War on Possibility and the Beauty of Adoption," Ryan Scott Bomberger, Chief Creative Officer of The Radiance Foundation (exposed the disproportionate impact of abortion in the Black community and the racism of Planned Parenthood; adoptee and adoptive father)
New Reality Show Allows Women to 'Surrender the Secret' of Abortion
On January 22 there will be show on Knock TV named "Surrendering the Secret", a Christian TV show which will follow some women through a bible study in healing from abortion.
I am not sure how I feel about this. I cannot imagine people coming forward for healing for the first time being televised. I think of the desire for forgiveness and acceptance that many experience before healing and the willingness to do anything to repent. I wonder, do they have families, did their families know, have their children, if they have them, had a chance to heal first ? Do the recognize how this impacts children?
"The show is going to show them that abortion hurts women, and if they become pregnant, abortion is not the right choice because of the long-lasting effects."
I pray that these women are not exploited for the pro life movement and that they never feel regret as they continue to heal, for doing this. Post abortive people should be ministered to for no other reason than they are children of God who He desires to heal...praying for these women...
New Reality Show Allows Women to 'Surrender the Secret' of Abortion, Find God's Forgiveness By Katherine Weber , Christian Post Reporter
By lacykitkat on November 29, 2012
"Surrender the Secret", a new reality television slated to premiere on KnockTV in Jan. 2013, takes a fresh approach to the pro-life movement by following the journey of five women as they seek to find forgiveness from God for their past abortions.
The five women – Jill , Vanessa, Courtney, Jane, and Kelly – embark on an abortion-specific Bible study together during the ten episodes of the show's season.
Geoffrey Rogers, president and CEO of KnockTV, a new online Christian television network, said that by "surrendering" their abortion "secret," each woman is allowed to see the forgiveness of God.
"We see them coming to the show with the pain and the grief they have, and we see them come through to the healing and forgiveness of God," Rogers told The Christian Post.
The main message of the show is two-fold, according to Rogers. The first message is to show women suffering from the consequences of an abortion that there is "light at the end of the tunnel," and the second message is to show women of the next generation of pregnancy that abortion is not the answer.
http://lacykitkat.wordpress.com/2012/11/29/new-reality-show-allows-women-to-surrender-the-secret-of-abortion-find-gods-forgiveness-by-katherine-weber-christian-post-reporter/
"Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted in spite of your changing moods"
C.S. Lewis quotes
And Jesus said unto them ... , If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to younder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you.
Dorothy Day & the NYT
There is an article in the New York Times today about the canonization of Dorothy Day. I wrote a letter to the Times in response, but I doubt they will print it since they never print our letters...maybe they will surprise me...
In Hero of the Catholic Left, a Conservative Cardinal Sees a Saint
Dorothy Day is a hero of the Catholic left, a fiery 20th-century social activist who protested war, supported labor strikes and lived voluntarily in poverty as she cared for the needy.
Patrick Semansky/Associated Press
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, of which Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York is president, voted this month to support Dorothy Day's canonization.
But Day has found a seemingly unlikely champion in New York's conservative archbishop, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, who has breathed new life into an effort to declare the Brooklyn native a saint.
Cardinal Dolan has embraced her cause with striking zeal: speaking on the anniversaries of her birth and death, distributing Dorothy Day prayer cards to parishes and even buying roughly 100 copies of her biography to give out last year as Christmas gifts to civic officials including Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.
This month, at Cardinal Dolan's recommendation, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops voted unanimously to move forward with her canonization cause, even though, as some of the bishops noted, she had an abortion as a young woman and at one point flirted with joining the Communist Party.
The rest is here:http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/27/nyregion/sainthood-for-dorothy-day-has-unexpected-champion-in-cardinal-timothy-dolan.html?ref=nyregion
Glorious Expectation
Christmas is so secularized. It is not even Advent yet..I want to slow down..I love the longing of the heart and waiting in "glorious expectation". Allow yourself to wait, so He can fulfill that desire this Christmas..
So now, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith in his promises, we can have real peace with Him because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us." Romans 5:1,
Lumina Dinner
Allan Parker of the Justice Foundation was a guest on Pro Life Fridays this past week..check out the interview with him here http://www.blogtalkradio.com/the-visible-conservative-christians-unleashed/2012/11/23/pro-life-fridays
Allan will be the guest speaker at our dinner on Dec 6th http://postabortionhelp.org/pah/advent-dinner-to-benefit-lumina/
Good for AZ
Good for Arizona..women deserve to know the risks
http://www.azdhs.gov/phs/owch/informed-consent/right-to-know/risks.htm


On Saturday 23rd July 2016, a team of volunteers from the local community took part in a garden clearance activity day at the Memorial Hall in Southminster.
Supported by Maldon and District CVS and the Essex Shed Network the Memorial Hall have been working for the past years to open a Men in Sheds project making use of a disused garage space at the back of their community venue. The space although small has potential to be a social hub for men who in return for the space can help to maintain the outside area with gardening activities for the benefit of the wider community.
The space has been overgrown for years and the work undertaken has begun to create an area for the Halls current users, as well as making the fire escape safer for anyone needing to use, it in case of an emergency.
Whether a Men in Sheds project is able to open at the Memorial Hall is still unknown but one thing that is clear from this weeks event is that there is a great willingness within the local community for a shed project! Watch this space.
The Essex Shed Network will be holding a second meeting at Southminster Memorial hall on Thursday 19th January at 7pm. We will welcome anyone interested in becoming a Shed member or supporter of the new Southminster Shed.
If you would like to be involved in this exciting project please let me know if you can attend. If you can't make this date please do also let me know and I will keep you informed!


I'm not sure, but you might try to match the order of the disks with the extended DOS path.
In your development of this utility and exploration of the DeviceIoControl API, did you come across any available information as to whether the HDD power-on password is set (not to be confused with the several BIOS passwords that can be set)?
No, I don't know how the password is persisted.
It's likely to be some OEM proprietary driver that does that not a windows API.
Hi, Hope you can help out.
I am using a limited user XP account and this seems to be a limitation using WMI.
Can you prgram do this?
The USBs are on a different controller than the HDDs, so the short answer is no.
Try rebuilding it with the latest SDK and make sure you are an administrator.
hard disk's laptop have revision nunber, but haven't serial number. Can you upgrade DriveInfoEx.dll? Thank!
That's exactly what this application does.
can any body tell me in which all cases DeviceIoControl returns 0.
In case of floppy drive , DeviceIoControl method returns 0.
First, let me say thank you for this really good work. You're a great help with my current project.
I'd like to know if there is a way to know what is the drive number when you only know the drive letter from one of the partition on it?
In Vista Business environment 32 bit (after recompiling) returns random information (sometime "null").
somebody below had it working for vista basic 32.
I can't tell what's wrong, I'd try usind other include and lib paths and the vista dlls(not the ones I've included in the binary).
Hi I'm trying to get this working on a Vista Machine. I saw that there was reference that it had to do something with the right dll's en include lib's. I couldn't find it. Can you let me know where I can find it?
function DeviceIoControl() returns non zero value on success, so the '!' operator has to be deleted.
You are right, that's my mistake.
I fixed the code and updated the release files.
Firs of all thanks for this nice solution, but we have a problem about it.
We have Raid disks in use. We also want to get a serial no from these disks but code returns only null values.Any unique number from hardware would be very usefull for me. But software changes shouldn't be an effect on this number.
Do anyone have an idea what can be done for this situation?
can i get real phsical CPU ID with using a solution like this one?
I don't know. Try the WMI solution, but that has to have the wmi service on....if that does not work than you can blame Microsoft.
Every OS starting with Windows 2000 includes WMI, so it's reasonable to assume that most computers your code runs on includes WMI.
The RAID controller usually hides the physical hard-drives from the OS and instead presents a "logical" drive that is made up of several physical drives. This is hardly Microsoft's fault, it's by design and how hardware raids work.
The software from the RAID manufacturer usually sees all the physical drives, including their serial numbers.
Returns (null) on Vista Ultimate 64bit on host and in virtual machine.
Returns right serial number on Vista Home Basic 64bit.
How could I get hard disk serial number on Vista 64bit other than Home Basic?
It's weird that is not working on Vista ultimate, but working on Vista Home.
Make sure you have similar account access rights.
I've already mentioned it before, for 64 bit systems you have to use another set of headers and dll stubs from the SDK, so check your include and linker paths in the project, if you want to be absolutely correct.


Ballibay was originally a horseback riding and visual art camp. Founded in 1964 by visionary artist and educator Dottie Jannone, our open-studio learning format remains a unique opportunity for the serious young artist, and is great for campers of all ages and experience levels wishing to explore the visual arts.
There is a casual, relaxed manner about our art studios, packed with materials, run by an experienced, creative staff. Visiting artists join us every two weeks to teach, inspire, and design unique projects.
Our two studio buildings include studios for painting and drawing, ceramics, hand crafts and fabrics, photography, and printmaking, including a darkroom for photo-silkscreen. The art program also has a dedicated blackbox theater for puppetry, animation, light art, video, and installation.
For campers seeking a 2-week visual arts experience, the Visual Arts Session I & II are an ideal choice. Campers enrolled in the Visual Arts Session programs work as much as they want in the studios with the guidance and assistance of visiting artists and studio staff, and explore the many other activities offered at camp.
Our studios are open to all campers all day, every day. Campers in the 3 and 4-week programs, Rock Music Session I & II, and the Dance Intensive can come into the studios any time their schedule allows, to participate in structured lessons and classes, to begin a new project, or to continue work on an ongoing project. Staff are always available to provide instruction, assistance, and inspiration.
Flooded with light, slightly elevated on an old rock foundation, the painting and drawing studio provides a panoramic view of the campus. At any time of day, there are campers in the studio, some working in concentrated silence, others chatting casually. Our instructors move from camper to camper, offering gentle, individualized guidance.
Often, the camp's animals and natural scenery find their way into the campers' work, inspiring them to ask questions about the skills necessary for representational drawing and painting.
A naturally cool spot on the lower level of a turn-of-the century barn, our rustic ceramics studio decorated with Faux Lascaux drawings is a favorite spot on campus. The fascination with one of the most ancient and most basic of human arts, the creation of a vessel, is particularly intense in children. Our campers will spend many hours working on their clay containers, designing a basic form, creating decorations, selecting and applying glazes. Other campers lean more towards making sculptures with clay, with works ranging from small animal figurines to entire cities.
Our ceramics wheels are busy day and night, scheduled to maximize camper access; while the hand-building table is a constantly shifting group of kids casually chatting and working on a wide range of projects, with a staff person always close by to offer materials and tools, assistance, and inspiration.
In the photography studio, campers learn the basics of traditional 35mm black and white photography: using a camera, developing film, and printing. Campers interested in photography will be seen crisscrossing the campus holding manual SLR cameras in search of subjects for their images. Plants, insects, the star-glazed night sky, frogs and lizards, cats, horses, and their fellow campers; all will be eagerly considered by children thrilled by the magic of photography.
Our excellent printing studio, rebuilt and expanded in 2011, is fitted with the tools and equipment necessary to make silkscreens, linoleum prints, wood cuts, and mono-prints. A popular program, many campers create editions of prints, silk-screened clothing, and fabrics to exhibit on campus, take home, and give to friends.
Our studio for fibers and hand crafts is a joyous jumble of materials, colors, and projects. Puppets, jewelry, clothing, sculpture, found-object assemblage, sewn and embroidered objects, and more are freely explored in this large studio packed with materials. Felt, wool, yarn, wire, wood, leather, beads, and countless other materials find their way into the varied output of this studio, while other media pass through the studio and are transformed: sewn photographs, wrapped objects, painted garments, printed fabric costumes for ceramic-headed puppets.
"Everytime I come into this art barn you inspire me and make me think in new ways. You help me not overthink things and there is a lot to be said for that."


This page describes several miscellaneous tools and utilities that might be of interest to NMR center developers. It is divided into two main sections, Internal and External. The Internal references libraries / classes / utilities that have been developed in-house; the External page lists some pointers and summaries of external tools and utilities.
Offline reconstruction of Siemens raw image data format files. Refer to this page for usage instructions of promasc and mdh_process.
C++ Matrix Library Documentation and Software.
The offline reconstruction software uses this C++ Matrix Library for the bulk of its mathematical needs. This library is GNU Scientific Library (GSL) aware, and can also use the Intel Math Kernel Library (MKL).
Simple Socket Class Documentation and Software.
This class provides a simple interface to UDP-type sockets, both client and server based. The server socket has blocking / non-blocking / timeout features.
Simple Messenger Class Documentation and Software.
This class was originally designed to wrap arbitrary text in a syslogd-style output, ideal for logging purposes. It has several useful features, such as the ability to dynamically switch from standard files to sockets as output sinks, and a built-in timer function.
Direction Cosine (vox2ras) Documentation and Software.
Visualization of recontructed volumes relies on direction cosine vectors. NMR-based visualization tools rely on a vox2ras matrix to define the rotational and translational mapping between logical and real-world volume image coordinates. Although this vox2ras matrix is an integral part of offline image reconstruction, concepts relating to its calculation are applicable to a wide range of applications. Refer to this page for more information about the vox2ras matrix.


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← WikiLeaks, Ukraine & NATO
Carl Bloice: 1939-2014. Good Night Sweet Poet →
Continental Drift: Europe's Breakaways
"Happy families are all alike: every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."
The opening to Tolstoy's great novel of love and tragedy could be a metaphor for Europe today, where "unhappy families" of Catalans, Scots, Belgiums, Ukrainians, and Italians contemplate divorcing the countries they are currently a part of. And in a case where reality mirrors fiction, they are each unhappy in their own way.
While the U.S. and its allies may rail against the recent referendum in the Crimea that broke the peninsula free of Ukraine, Scots will consider a very similar one on Sept. 18, and Catalans would very much like to do the same. So would residents of South Tyrol, and Flemish speakers in northern Belgium.
On the surface, many of these succession movements look like rich regions trying to free themselves from poor ones, but, while there is some truth in that, it is overly simplistic. Wealthier Flemish speakers in northern Belgium would indeed like to separate from the distressed, French speaking south, just as Tyroleans would like to free themselves of poverty-racked southern Italians. But in Scotland much of the fight is over preserving the social contract that conservative Labor and right-wing Tory governments have systematically dismantled. As for Catalonia—well, it's complicated.
Borders in Europe may appear immutable, but of course they are not. Sometimes they are changed by war, economic necessity, or because the powerful draw capricious lines that ignore history and ethnicity. The Crimea, conquered by Catherine the Great in 1783, was arbitrarily given to the Ukraine in 1954. Belgium was the outcome of a congress of European powers in 1830. Impoverished Scotland tied itself to wealthy England in 1707. Catalonia fell to Spanish and French armies in 1714. And the South Tyrol was a spoil of World War I.
In all of them, historical grievance, uneven development, and ethnic tensions have been exacerbated by a long-running economic crisis. There is nothing like unemployment and austerity to fuel the fires of secession.
The two most pressing—and the ones most likely to have a profound impact on the rest of Europe—are Scotland and Catalonia.
Both are unhappy in different ways.
Scotland always had a vocal, albeit marginal, nationalist party, but was traditionally dominated by the British Labour Party. The Conservatives hardly exist north of the Tweed. But Tony Blair's "New Labour" Party's record of spending cuts and privatization alienated many Scots, who spend more on their education and health services than the rest of Britain. University tuition, for instance, is still free in Scotland, as are prescription drugs and home healthcare.
When Conservatives won the British election in 2010, their austerity budget savaged education, health care, housing subsidies, and transportation. Scots, angered at the cuts, voted for the Scottish National Party (SNP) in the 2011 elections for the Scottish parliament. The SNP immediately proposed a referendum that will ask Scots if they wanted to dissolve the 1707 Act of Union and once again become be an independent country. If passed, the Scottish government proposes re-nationalizing the postal service and throwing nuclear-armed Trident submarines out of Scotland.
If one takes into account its North Sea oil resources, there is little doubt but that an independent Scotland would be viable. Scotland has a larger GDP per capita than France and, in addition to oil, exports manufactured goods and whisky. Scotland would become one of the world's top 35 exporting countries.
The Conservative government says that, if the Scots vote for independence, they will have to give up the pound as a currency. The Scots respond that, if the British follow through on their currency threat, Scotland will wash its hands of its portion of the British national debt. At this point, there is a standoff.
According to the British—and some leading officials in the European Union (EU)—an independent Scotland will lose its EU membership, but that may be bluster. For one, it would violate past practice. When East and West Germany were united in 1990, some 20 million residents of the former German Democratic Republic were automatically given EU citizenship. If 5.3 million Scots are excluded, it will be the result of pique, not policy. In any case, with the Conservatives planning a referendum in 2017 that might pull Britain out of the EU, London is not exactly holding the high ground on this issue.
If the vote were taken today, the Scots would probably vote to remain in Britain, but sentiment is shifting. The most recent poll indicates that 40 percent will vote for independence, a three percent increase. The "no" votes have declined by 2 percent to 45 percent, with 15 percent undecided. All Scottish residents over the age of 16 can vote. Given the formidable campaigning skills of Alex Salmond, Scotland's first minister, and leader of the SNP, those are chilling odds for the London government.
Catalonia, wedged up against France in Spain's northeast, has long been a powerful engine for the Spanish economy, and a region steeped in historical grievance. Conquered by the combined armies of France and the Spain in the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714), it was also on the losing side of the 1936-'39 Spanish Civil War. In 1940, triumphant fascists suppressed Catalan language and culture and executed its president, Lluis Companys, an act no Madrid government has ever made amends for.
Following Franco's death in 1975, Spain began its transformation to democracy, a road constructed by burying the deep animosities engendered by the Civil War. But the dead stay buried only so long, and a movement for Catalan independence began to grow.
In 2006 Catalonia won considerable autonomy, which was then overturned by the Supreme Tribunal in 2010 at the behest of the current ruling conservative Popular Party (PP). That 2010 decision fueled the growth of the Catalan independence movement, and in 2012 separatist parties in the province were swept into power.
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's PP is pretty much an afterthought—19 out of 135 seats—in Catalonia where several independence parties dominate the Catalan legislature. The largest of these is Province President Artur Mas's Convergencia i Unio (CiU), but the Esquerra Republicana de Cataluyna (ERC) doubled its representation in the legislature.
That doesn't mean they agree with one another. Mas's party tends to be centrist to conservative, while the ERC is leftist and opposed to the austerity program of the PP, some of which Mas has gone along with. The CiU's centrism is one of the reasons that Mas's party went from 62 seats to 50 in the 2012 election, while the ERC jumped from 10 to 21.
Unemployment is officially at 25 percent—but far higher among youth and in Spain's southern provinces—and the Left has thrown down the gauntlet. Over 100,000 people marched on Madrid last month demanding an end to austerity.
Rajoy—citing the 1976 constitution—refuses to allow an independence referendum, a stubbornness that has only fueled separatist strength. This past January the Catalan parliament voted 87 to 43 to hold a referendum, and polls show a majority in the province will support it. Six months ago, a million and a half Catalans marched in Barcelona for independence.
The PP has been altogether ham-fisted about Catalonia and seems to delight in finding things to provoke Catalans: Catalonia bans bull fighting, so Madrid passes a law making it a national cultural heritage. The Basques get to collect their own taxes, Catalans cannot.
How would the EU react to an independent Catalan? And would the central government in Madrid do anything about it? It is hard to imagine the Spanish army getting involved, although a former minister in the Franco government started Rajoy's party, and the dislike between Madrid and Barcelona is palpable.
There are other fault lines on the continent.
Will Belgium split up? The fissure between the Flemish-speaking north and the French-speaking south is so deep it took 18 months to form a government after the last election. And if Belgium shatters, does it become two countries or get swallowed by France and the Netherlands?
The South Tyrol Freedom Party (STFP) is gearing up for an independence referendum and pressing for a merger with Austria, although the tiny province—called Alto Adige in Italy—has little to complain about. It keeps 90 percent of its taxes, and its economy has dodged the worst of the 2008 meltdown. But some of its German-Austrian residents are resentful of any money going to Rome, and there is a deep prejudice against Italians—who make up 25 percent of South Tyrol—particularly among those in the south. In this way the STFP is not very different than the racist, elitist Northern League centered in Italy's Po Valley.
It is instructive to watch the YouYube video on how borders in Europe have changed from 1519 to 2006, a period of less than 500 years. What we think of as eternal is ephemeral. The European continent is once again adrift, pulling apart along fault lines both ancient and modern. How nations like Spain and Britain, and organizations like the EU, react to this process will determine if it will be civilized or painful. But trying to stop it will most certainly cause pain.
Filed under Europe
3 responses to "Continental Drift: Europe's Breakaways"
Good article Conn. Ireland is another country that has a border that will change. Since the1790's Irish Republicans have sought to establish a United Irish Republic, so it is not an objective that is going away any time soon. While many Irish Republicans such as myself opposed the IRA armed struggle because we were Republicans, it is clear that the Irish peace process has created a new and powerful movement in achieving that objective, the best examples being President Higggins visit GB and if the public opinion polls are correct Sinn Fein will emerge the largest party in the 32 counties. The real key however will be Irish Republicans attitude to the emerging European Empire. After all, Ireland was United in the British Empire, so it would hardly be much of an achievement to have a United Ireland in a European Empire, especially one that seeks only to be part of a US dominated military alliance and engaged in perpetual war, especially if the next one is with Russia. Somebody should tell the current EU elite about what happened to Napoleon and Hitler.
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HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Hubert "Hub" Schlafly, a key member of the team that invented the teleprompter and rescued decades' worth of soap opera actors, newscasters and politicians from the embarrassment of stumbling over their words on live television, has died. He was 91.
Schlafly died April 20 at Stamford Hospital after a brief illness, according the Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Home, which handled the arrangements. A funeral was held Tuesday at St. Mary Parish in Greenwich, where he was a longtime resident.
Schlafly helped start the TelePrompTer Corp., eventually becoming its president and accepting an Emmy Award for the company in 1999 — a few years after winning one himself 1992 for his work in developing the first cable system permitting subscribers to order special programs. He held 16 patents, Gallagher said.
"Hub Schlafly was the cable industry's most innovative engineer and, at the same time, one of its ablest executives," Charles Dolen, the chairman of Cablevision, said in a statement Tuesday. "Whether you were his friend or competitor, he was always congenial and supportive and probably had more friends than anyone."
Schlafly was born Aug. 14, 1919, in St. Louis. He graduated from Notre Dame University, where he studied electrical engineering. He worked for General Electric and the MIT Radiation Laboratory before joining 20th Century Fox in New York City in 1947.
Actor Fred Barton Jr. wanted a way to remember his lines and approached his friend Schlafly, said Laurie Brown, author of the book "The Teleprompter Manual." Schafly conjured an idea and took it to Irving Berlin Kahn, nephew of composer Irving Berlin and vice president of radio and television at 20th Century Fox.
The result — a monitor facing the person appearing on screen and rolling a script at reading speed — was named the TelePrompTer, which made its debut in 1950 on the soap opera "The First Hundred Years," Brown said.
"It revolutionized television and improved the quality of on-air performers," said Jim Dufek, a professor of mass media at Southeast Missouri State University. "It also made the politicians look smarter because they were looking right into the camera."
Every president since then has used the device — now also such a staple of television news that occasional technical glitches can turn a news report into unintentional comedy.
In the 1970s, TelePrompTer Corp. owned cable franchises in 140 markets and served about 1.4 million customers.
A graveside service for Schlafly is planned Thursday in Louisville, N.Y.


Looking for Fresno State Bulldogs vs. Boise State Broncos free picks? Week 11 betting sees the Bulldogs taking on the Broncos Friday November 9th at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho. Cappers Picks provides complimentary handicapping picks all NCAA football season long so stay tuned for more FREE college football predictions like this Fresno State Boise State free pick.
This Friday night matchup features a pair of Mountain West foes. The Fresno State Bulldogs play in the Mountain division, while the Boise State Broncos play in the West division. This could certainly be a preview of the Mountain West championship game in early December.
Because these teams are in separate divisions, they do not play each other all that much. Their last matchup came in the 2017 Mountain West title game. The Broncos ended up winning the game 17-14, so the Bulldogs will be seeking revenge and will look to continue their unbeaten record in conference play.
This season the Bulldogs have had a very high scoring offense. They average 40.4 points per game, which ranks at 13th in the country. More specifically, the Bulldogs lean towards their passing offense over their rushing offense. Their quarterback, Marcus McMaryion, has thrown for 2416 yards, 20 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions.
Believe it or not, the Bulldogs have the 2nd best defense in the country when it comes to points allowed per game. They are only allowing 12.3, which sits right behind Michigan. Ranking wise, their pass defense is 15th and their rush defense is 30th. Boise State is a pass first team, so expect the Fresno State secondary to be tested all game long.
The Broncos are in must win mode considering they already lost one conference game earlier this season. They are trying to catch Utah State, who are undefeated in conference play, so they can try and defend their Mountain West title. If the Broncos can pull the upset, they will have the chance to win the division later this season when they face off with Utah State.
The Broncos have lit up opponents' secondary this year and are averaging 318.9 passing yards per game. They rank as the 11th team in the country in passing offense. Led by quarterback, Brett Rypien, the Broncos will need their offense firing on all cylinders if they are going to score on the stout Fresno State defense.
Defensively, the Broncos have played well this year, but they will need to step it up a notch against a high powered offense. They allow an average of 23.7 points per game which only ranks 41st, but if they can hold the Bulldogs to score in the mid 20's they will have a shot to pull the upset and keep their Mountain West title hopes alive.
FRES are 13-2-1 ATS in their last 16 road games.
FRES are 25-4-1 ATS in their last 30 games overall.
Under is 8-0 in FRES last 8 games in November.
Under is 17-7 in BSU last 24 home games.
BSU are 5-15 ATS in their last 20 home games.
Fresno State is on a roll right now and they pick up a much needed win to stay undefeated in the Mountain West conference.
Both defenses have played very well this season, which is why this game will be relatively low scoring and the Bulldogs will be able to cover on the blue turf.
If you're looking for more picks like this Fresno State Bulldogs vs. Boise State Broncos matchup we'll be providing 4* free College football game predictions on the blog all bowl season long, and check out our Experts for guaranteed premium & free CFB Football picks!


Nestled on the edge of the most colorful desert of the world (Rajasthan), Pushkar is a holy city held in high esteem by Hindus. It is situated 11 km away from the city of Ajmer, Rajasthan. It is one of the oldest cities of India. It is believed that it was created by Lord Brahma, the creator of the world. This holy city is also mentioned in the great Hindu Epic Ramayana which says that Vishvamitra (a saint) performed Yagna here.
Every year thousands of devotees come to the city on Kartik Poornima (night of full moon) to take a dip in the sacred Pushkar Lake. It is believed that the water of this lake has the power to wash away all sins. The city is dotted with around 500 temples and ghats.
The Pushkar city is famous around the world for its cattle fair called Pushkar Fair. It is the largest camel fair of the world held in the month of November every year. The fair breaks the monotony in the lives of the people of Rajasthan as this is the time when people leave behind their daily routine to celebrate with fair with great enthusiasm. Apart from the trading of camel and other cattle, the fair is marked with camel races, Mr. Camel competition and brilliant dance and music performances by skilled artists.
Pushkar also houses a temple dedicated to Lord Brahma, the creator of the Universe according to the Hindu Mythology. It is the only place in the world which houses a Brahma Temple.
Visit Pushkar in the winters especially in November so that you can get an opportunity to see the world's largest camel fair.
The Jaipur Airport is the nearest airport located at a distance of 132 km from Pushkar. Flights from Delhi, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Mumbai and Kolkata are available. The nearest railway station is at Ajmer city which connects Pushkar with the major cities of India.


Sweetgum trees growing along the backside of the Horner Park lake dam are still full of green leaves, although some brown, autumn leaves have come falling down and can be seen on the green grass. The roots of the trees help hold together the soil of the dam in the town park just beyond the northern boundary of Lebanon, Ill. Native sweetgums provided American Indians with edible and medicinal products, and some uses still exist today. Its resin, or storax, and sap have been used to make balsams and salves and ointments to treat such maladies as skin rash, itching, chest ailments and more. Processed resin has been taken internally for colds, coughs, sore throats and diarrhea, to name a few. Sweet-flavored little globs of the sap-gum can be chewed, and many consider it better than commercial chewing gum. Sweetgums also provide scent for perfumes and flavoring for candy and soda pop. Less than 50 yards from these sweetgums – but not visible in this evening view – are several others that already are displaying leaves of a beautiful red hue. As in the rest of nature, sweetgum life cycles might not play out the same, even among those living so close to each other.


text:
KGTC-LP (93.1 FM, "KGTC 93.1 FM") is a radio station broadcasting a religious format. Licensed to Oroville, Washington, United States, the station is currently owned by Ruth's House of Hope.

References

External links

GTC-LP
GTC-LP
Radio stations established in 2007
2007 establishments in Washington (state)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
NARA floats plan for storing records about IT systems
A draft proposal from the National Archives and Records Administration would establish set lengths of time for maintaining records about the development, operation and maintenance of federal information systems throughout the government.
The plan, which is modeled after an information technology records management blueprint used by the state of New York, would replace rules that let agencies determine how long they want to maintain such records as billing information, systems documentation, help-desk files, data dictionaries and source code. It would cover only records common to most federal systems, requiring agencies to account separately for records pertaining to unique, mission-critical systems.
"It's a totally new approach," said Michael Miller, director of Modern Records Programs with NARA and head of the Electronic Records Work Group, which developed the policy. "We're tossing this out to see if it's going to work."
The plan is part of a larger proposal for managing electronic documents that is designed to replace General Records Schedule 20, which provided the rules for maintaining and destroying most computer records. A federal judge ruled last fall that the rule was invalid, in part because it lumped e-mail and word processing documents containing substantive information about agency programs together with files that were unlikely to be needed long term. The government is appealing that ruling.
NARA has circulated the proposal governmentwide and has not released it publicly, but FCW obtained a copy last week.
While most of the debate over the preservation and destruction of computer-related records has centered on documents about policy decisions of interest to journalists, researchers, lawyers and historians, routine systems operating records are unlikely to have much historical value, said Page Putnam Miller, director of the National Coordinating Committee for the Promotion of History. Miller said this part of the plan was significant mainly because it distinguishes these run-of-the-mill reports from more valuable documents.
According to current and former federal IT managers, there is little consistency across the government in how agencies retain files on systems specifications, operations and management.
Under the NARA proposal, agencies would have to start keeping files, depending on their content, for up to three years after the systems, files or procedures to which they pertain are upgraded, replaced or otherwise obsolete.
Some agencies have "a pretty decent records-management program," said Bob Woods, a former federal IT executive who is now with Federal Sources Inc. "But there are some that have been ignoring this area for years, and that's probably more the case than not."
Woods said agencies need some concrete standards for managing their IT records "to ensure the corporate investment is maintained...but you have to have something that guards against the pack rats" who keep records they no longer need or can't find.
Not everyone agrees, however. One civilian federal IT manager, who asked not to be named, said the proposal seemed to be "overkill" because not everything mentioned in the proposal necessarily needed to be maintained.
"This will be like the accounting rules and the computer security rules and some other things...that are all worthwhile to do, but the resources are just not there to do them," said Jim Kerrigan, a former federal IT manager who now runs the market research firm Colmar Corp. "It's not because agencies are antagonistic to it. They have more important things to worry about."
Rich Kellett, director of the General Services Administration Emerging Policies Division, is examining governmentwide electronic recordkeeping issues.
He said the proposal "looks reasonable," but that "it should leave more discretion to agencies" to tailor their plans to their systems. "Things are changing very rapidly," he said. "Some organizations don't even last a year or two."


I think Hone Tuwhare's poetry is accessible to those who don't normally have any interested in verse. I think his style is so varied that it can appeal to everyone. He can be rude and colloquial, learned and lofty, romantic and prosaic. Just have a look at these two and then buy the book.
If Rugby be they name.


Babymoon's are one the newest trends in travelling. Except they're not really, it's just their name that is. For a long time, parents-to-be have been taking romantic or relaxing breaks before their baby is born. Often women decide to travel while pregnant in order to enjoy a last holiday before their newborn baby arrives and puts their travel plans on hold. However many wonder if it is safe to travel while pregnant, whether travel insurance will cover them and what they should pack in order to make themselves comfortable. There's a lot to consider, so we've put together a guide for soon-to-be-parents going on their babymoon. It covers everything from what you should to talk to your doctor about plus handy advice on packing, foods you should avoid while abroad and tips to help you stay comfortable.
Best Time To Travel: When it comes to travelling while pregnant, the sweet spot is between 13-28 weeks. Not only has the nausea subsided but your energy levels also increase meaning you'll feel up to the trip. The first 12 weeks generally bring the worst of the morning sickness and make you feel quite tired whereas the last 11 weeks are much more comfortable and far safer to be spent at home. Not only is the risk of pre-term labour higher but there are also few travel insurers willing to provide cover for the last trimester.
Choosing Your Destination: Your decision on where to holiday should be based on some important considerations including easy access to medical care, comfortable climate and familiar food. Typically the safest option is to explore your own backyard and holiday around Australia at popular spots like the Queensland Islands. Still if you'd prefer to travel abroad New Zealand is a breathtaking destination with a similar standard of medical care. Fiji is another holiday destination popular for babymoons because of its beautiful beaches and relaxed vibe. Similarly, Hawaii is another great option for something a little more exotic and is only 9 hours by plane.
Travel Insurance: This is an essential part of any holiday, but travel insurance becomes non-negotiable when travelling while pregnant. Be sure to find a policy which offers cover specifically for pregnancy and be sure to read over the terms carefully to make sure they cover your circumstances. Check key clauses such as how many weeks of pregnancy are covered as well as whether the policy covers multiple pregnancies, any complications that could exclude you from being covered, if it covers IVF pregnancies and any other emergencies it may cover.
See Your Doctor: Always get antenatal checks before you decide to travel anywhere and discuss with your doctor your medical history as well as any potential risks of the destination you have in mind. Be sure to get approval for travel from your doctor or midwife along with any other advice and vaccinations for health risks such as Dengue Fever, Malaria and other viruses.
Check Company Regulations: Check the regulations outlined by your airline, cruise line or tour company to ensure you can comply. You may be required to produce a letter from your doctor or midwife outlining your due date as well as any medications you may be on and any risk of complications. Typically, most airlines allow you to fly up until 36 weeks for a single pregnancy however if you're having twins most airlines will only allow you to fly up until 32 weeks.
Suitcase: Pack as light as you can so that you don't have to lug a big heavy suitcase around. Pack light clothing as well as your most comfortable clothes. Anything soft and stretchy like leggings will ensure you are comfortable. Pack flat comfy shoes, we recommend one closed in pair of shoes such as ballet flats for enjoying dinner at the restaurant and a pair of sandals or thongs for relaxing around the resort. Don't forget your bump band!
Carry On: Perhaps the two most important pieces to pack with you on your carry on are compression socks and a pillow. These should help to keep you comfy on the flight. It's also a good idea to keep your prescriptions or medicines with you at all times and throw in some healthy snacks to keep you satisfied. You should also carry your letter from your doctor confirming your due date as well as the emergency assistance number for your travel insurance provider. It's also a good idea to look up the contact numbers and addresses of the closest local doctor or hospital where you're travelling, just in case.
On a Plane: The easiest way to stay comfortable while flying when pregnant is to stick to shorter flights. Depending on your holiday destination this may or may not be doable. Regardless, there are some things you can do to make the plane trip more enjoyable including moving around the aircraft and doing in-seat exercises every hour or so. Stay hydrated and drink plenty of water which offers the added bonus of making you need to use the bathroom regularly which will help to keep the circulation moving. Just make sure you book an aisle seat for easy, unobstructed access to the bathroom.
On a Cruise Ship: Even if you don't usually get seasick, the added nausea that pregnancy can bring may make you more susceptible so talk to your doctor before you leave for any advice they may have for avoiding or treating sea sickness. If you request a cabin located in the middle of the ship, this will cut down on the amount of motion you feel. Be wary of slippery floors and avoid germs by staying away from the buffet and washing your hands regularly. Take advantage of some of the light exercise options offered onboard the ship and when all else fails, take refuge in one of the relaxing adults only areas for a bit of timeout.
On a Road Trip: The best thing about a road trip is that you can travel at your own pace and take time out whenever you feel you need to stretch. Pack some healthy snacks to take in the car and keep an eye on any road signs for bathroom facilities, you don't want to miss the last restroom for 50km! It's also a good idea to have a list of emergency numbers just in case there are any unforseen problems between your destinations.
Food: When travelling while pregnant it's best to avoid many of the same foods you should avoid at home including rare meats, pates, soft cheeses, fish and any food that could be contaminated including anything that may have been washed in local tap water.
Drink: It's important to stay hydrated while travelling and your safest option is to drink bottled water. Avoid drinking the local tap water along with any drinks that have ice in them. To be completely safe, you should even use bottled water to brush your teeth.
Activity: Although a babymoon is your last chance to relax and enjoy a holiday before bub comes, keeping active with light exercise will help you to feel better while on holiday. You don't need to do anything too strenuous to stay fit – yoga, walking and swimming are all fine ways to stay moving.


I just found this unreleased copy of a cassette album,'909' recorded in 1986, just after my move to Austin in 1984.The Daddycats here are Leo King, Harmonica and electric guitar, Larry Allen on bass, Deb E. Dee on piano, keys and guitar, and all vocals, and Noah Ramirez on drums. It was produced by me(Deb E. Dee) and David Johnson, the recording engineer. I had thought it lost forever after the original analogue 16 track master tape disintegrated during a last ditch effort to save it, and I thought all was lost, but what should turn up but an old cassete in the Austin Salvation Army Thrift Store bin, and here it is, digitalized. It sounds a little funky due to the source, but I would like to explore some modern technology to bring it as close as possible to the original sound. It was recorded at Keylight Studios in a garage in South Austin. I had originally tried to release it on vinyl, but the vinyl did not turn out well, and my master tape was held hostage for a year, as the major labels tried all the wrong ways to get my attention. When I finally recieved the vinyl, it was slowed down, speeded up and had had all the eq removed, totally,and the vinyl test copies I sent back for correction were returned to me unaltered with the same mark on the label I had placed there when I sent them back, ( I had provided a well mixed master tape to the manufacturer), so it was never released, thought I did make a few tapes.This was the Album that Paul Sessums of Austin's famed Black Cat had said 'This is the best album to come out of Austin that year (1986). Twenty years later, I prepare to release it. The release date details to follow! This song came to be from the impressions I got walking around downtown Dallas with my lover, a wild skateboarder and conspiricy theorist par excellance, at about three in the morning, after performances at the Twilite Room on Commerce, an avante-garde/punk venue . The deserted city came to life for us in an erie, ghostly kind of way, as we looked up at all the towering glass and steel with not a soul in sight. It was as if the whole city was ours, and we were in love.


text:
Malaysia's Censor Partially Blames Bill Condon for 'Beauty and the Beast' Imbroglio
"Maybe if Condon had not mentioned the 'gay element,' people wouldn't be so curious and we could let it go with a potentially minor cut," the country's top censor said in an interview.
By Patrick Brzeski
Patrick Brzeski
Asia Bureau Chief
More Stories by Patrick
China Retains Global Box Office Crown With $7.3B in 2021, Down 26 Percent From 2019
This Year, Hollywood's China Relationship Finally Unraveled
Laurie Sparham/Disney
Disney's Beauty and the Beast opened to a huge $350 million at the worldwide box office over the weekend. But it was conspicuously absent on movie screens in Malaysia.
Last Thursday, it emerged that Malaysia's censorship board — known as the LPF — had demanded that material be cut from the film, including a brief, three-second "gay moment."
Disney responded by saying the film "has not been and will not be cut for Malaysia." The studio postponed the movie's release by one week, in case the Malaysians decided to reconsider their demand for cuts.
In a lengthy interview with the New Sunday Times published Sunday, Malaysia censorship board chairman Abdul Halim suggested that his organization's hand had been forced by director Bill Condon's recent remarks clarifying the fact that Josh Gad's character in the film (Gaston's sidekick LeFou) is gay.
"Maybe if Condon had not mentioned the 'gay element,' people wouldn't be so curious and we could let it go with a potentially minor cut," Halim said in the NST interview. "And this whole thing may not have been an issue. We at LPF want to preserve films as much as how they are intended by the director, but the moment the 'gay element' is thrown into the mix, we had to protect ourselves."
"Malaysia does not recognize the LGBT ideology," he added. "So we have to be extra cautious in our work. We have our responsibilities to the country, the people and our constitution. If we let these scenes pass, people will wonder if Malaysia recognizes LGBT."
Malaysia has strict laws against homosexuality. Sex between men is illegal in the country and gay characters are allowed to be depicted on screen only if they show repentance or are portrayed in a negative light.
Halim said the censorship board deemed "three parts" of the film in need of elision: the first "during the performance of a song where a male character (LeFou) hugs the other (Gaston) from behind. Secondly is the suggestive song lyrics with sexual innuendos and the third is a scene that takes place at the end of the movie."
Some chance remains that Beauty and the Beast will yet screen in Malaysia. The country's Film Appeals Committee, which has the power to reverse the censorship board's ruling, is scheduled to meet Tuesday to screen the film.
China Box Office: 'Beauty and the Beast' Opens to $45M, With Gay Moment Uncut


text:
<?php

namespace Drupal\form_test\Form;

use Drupal\Core\Form\FormBase;
use Drupal\Core\Form\FormStateInterface;

/**
 * Defines a form for testing form element description display options.
 *
 * @see \Drupal\system\Tests\Form\ElementsLabelsTest::testFormDescriptions()
 */
class FormTestDescriptionForm extends FormBase {

  /**
   * {@inheritdoc}
   */
  public function getFormId() {
    return 'form_test_description_display';
  }

  /**
   * {@inheritdoc}
   */
  public function buildForm(array $form, FormStateInterface $form_state) {
    $form['form_textfield_test_description_before'] = array(
      '#type' => 'textfield',
      '#title' => 'Textfield test for description before element',
      '#description' => 'Textfield test for description before element',
      '#description_display' => 'before',
    );

    $form['form_textfield_test_description_after'] = array(
      '#type' => 'textfield',
      '#title' => 'Textfield test for description after element',
      '#description' => 'Textfield test for description after element',
      '#description_display' => 'after',
    );

    $form['form_textfield_test_description_invisible'] = array(
      '#type' => 'textfield',
      '#title' => 'Textfield test for visually-hidden description',
      '#description' => 'Textfield test for visually-hidden description',
      '#description_display' => 'invisible',
    );

    return $form;
  }

  /**
   * {@inheritdoc}
   */
  public function submitForm(array &$form, FormStateInterface $form_state) {
    // The test that uses this form does not submit the form so this is empty.
  }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Armstrong Metalldecken AG, a subsidiary of Armstrong World Industries Inc., sold its subsidiary Phonex-Gema AG, a leading Swiss service specialist for ceiling systems, to its management for an undisclosed purchase price.
Lenz & Staehelin advised Armstrong in this transaction. The team included Beat Kühni, Maja Baumann and Stefano Bernasconi (all M&A, Corporate), Heini Rüdisühli and Nathanael Frischkopf (both Tax).


text:
De Great American Biotic Interchange (Engels voor: grote soortenuitwisseling tussen de Amerika's) was een gebeurtenis in het Plioceen (rond 3 miljoen jaar geleden), die de fauna van zowel Noord- als Zuid-Amerika drastisch veranderde. Door de vorming van de Landengte van Panama werden de twee continenten met elkaar verbonden en konden soorten dieren (zowel op het land als in zoet water levende dieren) van noord naar zuid en andersom migreren.

De vorming van de landbrug tussen Noord- en Zuid-Amerika had belangrijke gevolgen voor de flora en fauna van beide continenten, hoewel de overgang in Zuid-Amerika drastischer is geweest. De Zuid-Amerikaanse inheemse fauna, gekenmerkt door buideldieren, bleek in veel gevallen niet in staat te concurreren met de Noord-Amerikaanse indringers. Dit leidde tot massa-extinctie van Zuid-Amerikaanse soorten. De uitwisseling betrof vooral zoogdieren, maar ook vogels, geleedpotigen, reptielen en amfibieën migreerden over de nieuwe landbrug.

De megafauna die door de uitwisseling op beide continenten ontstond, zou later grotendeels uitsterven tijdens de Pleistocene massa-extinctie. Desondanks is de gebeurtenis goed terug te zien in de huidige biogeografie van de twee continenten.

Situatie voor de uitwisseling

Zuid-Amerikaanse fauna
Zuid-Amerika is rond 160 miljoen jaar geleden, in het Jura, van het paleocontinent Gondwana losgekomen. Tot de vorming van de Landengte van Panama bleef het continent gedurende vele miljoenen jaren geïsoleerd omringd door oceanen liggen, vergelijkbaar met de huidige situatie van Australië. De evolutie kon daardoor in Zuid-Amerika onafhankelijk van andere continenten verlopen, waardoor een unieke fauna ontstond.

De endemische zoogdieren waren buideldieren, daaraan verwante Sparassodonta (een uitgestorven groep die wel tot de Metatheria behoort maar niet tot de buideldieren), Xenarthra en Meridiungulata (een groep die alle Zuid-Amerikaanse hoefdieren bevat, bestaande uit de Notoungulata, Litopterna, Astrapotheria en Pyrotheria).

Sparassodonta waren predators, een voorbeeld is de uitgestorven sabeltandkat Thylacosmilus. Andere belangrijke predators waren de schrikvogels, een uitgestorven groep loopvogels waarvan de grootste soorten meerdere meters hoog konden worden. Er leefden ook krokodillen (bijvoorbeeld Quinkana) en roofvogels (de naar huidige maatstaven gigantische Teratornithidae) in Zuid-Amerika die elders niet voorkwamen.

Xenarthra zijn een groep die gordeldieren, luiaards en miereneters bevat. Daarnaast bevat deze groep ook de uitgestorven groepen Pampatheriidae en Glyptodontidae - grote gepantserde dieren die wel op gordeldieren leken, grondluiaards - waarvan de grootste (Megatherium) zo groot als olifanten konden worden. Thalassocnus was een in het water levende soort luiaard.

De Zuid-Amerikaanse hoefdieren (Meridiungulata en Litopterna) verschenen in het Paleoceen en zijn waarschijnlijk nauw verwant aan de Condylarthra. Beide groepen stierven tijdens het Pleistoceen uit. Ze leken niet op groepen hoefdieren elders ter wereld. Macrauchenia had bijvoorbeeld een kort slurfachtig reukorgaan. Sommige groepen vertoonden een convergente of parallelle evolutie met groepen op andere continenten. De eentenige Thoatherium had poten vergelijkbaar met paarden, Pachyrukhos leek op een konijn en Trigodon op een neushoorn. Zowel de Meridiungulata als de Litopterna stierven tijdens het Pleistoceen uit. De Astrapotheria en Pyrotheria verdwenen al eerder.

Noord-Amerika
Noord-Amerika was met tussenpozen wel verbonden geweest met andere continenten, zowel met Siberië (via de Beringlandbrug) als met Europa (in het Paleogeen, toen de noordelijke Atlantische Oceaan nog niet zo breed was als tegenwoordig kon soms tussen Groenland en Scandinavië uitwisseling van soorten optreden). Daarom verschilde de fauna van dit continent niet zo veel van andere continenten als in het geval van Zuid-Amerika.

De fauna van Noord-Amerika werd voor het plioceen gekenmerkt door Boreoeutheria, een wijde groep zoogdieren die wordt onderverdeeld in Laurasiatheria en Euarchontoglires, aangevuld met slurfdieren (Afrotheria).

Eerdere uitwisselingen
Buideldieren komen zowel in Zuid-Amerika als Australië voor. Deze groep dieren moet tijdens het krijt (tot 65 miljoen jaar geleden) of Paleoceen (65 tot 55 miljoen jaar geleden) van Zuid-Amerika over Antarctica naar Australië gemigreerd zijn, toen deze drie continenten nog dicht bij elkaar lagen. Eén Zuid-Amerikaanse soort buideldier, de monito del monte, lijkt echter nauwer verwant aan de oudste Australische fossiele soort, Djarthia, wat kan betekenen dat sommige soorten van Australië terug naar Zuid-Amerika migreerden. In Patagonië is een 61 miljoen jaar oud fossiel van het cloacadier Monotrematum gevonden, een soort die verder alleen uit Australië bekend is en dus op vergelijkbare manier naar Zuid-Amerika kan zijn verspreid. Van loopvogels, een andere groep dieren die op beide continenten voorkomt, wordt aangenomen dat ze rond diezelfde tijd van Zuid-Amerika naar Australië trokken.

Ook in de tijd tussen het Paleoceen en Plioceen, toen Zuid-Amerika geïsoleerd lag, kwamen af en toe invasies van migranten van andere continenten voor. Dit wordt verklaard met het idee dat heel af en toe kleine dieren op stukken drijfhout de oceanen oversteken, een gebeurtenis die door biologen een rafting event genoemd wordt. Om voor succesvol nageslacht te zorgen hoeft maar een zwanger vrouwtje levend de oversteek te overleven, maar in losgeslagen stukken mangrovebos kunnen ook kolonies kleine dieren ineens de oceaan oversteken. Een andere theorie is dat nieuwkomers stapsgewijs via eilandgroepen de oceaan overstaken (eilandhoppen) en zo Zuid-Amerika konden bereiken.

Naar Zuid-Amerika vanaf andere continenten
Waarschijnlijk minstens 31,8 miljoen jaar geleden is de voorvader van alle Caviomorpha (Zuid-Amerikaanse knaagdieren) de Atlantische Oceaan overgestoken, van West-Afrika naar Zuid-Amerika. Niet alleen was deze oceaan in die tijd nog beduidend smaller, de westwaartse zeestroming op die plek kan bij de oversteek geholpen hebben. De migranten gedijden goed in Zuid-Amerika: alle Zuid-Amerikaanse knaagdieren (capibara's, chinchilla's, viscacha's, boomstekelvarkens enz.) zijn hun nakomelingen. De explosieve adaptieve radiatie van Caviomorpha ging ten koste van inheemse kleine buideldieren.

Later (ten minste 25 miljoen jaar geleden, tijdens het late Oligoceen) volgden primaten, ook uit Afrika. Om de oversteek te hebben kunnen overleven moeten dit kleine dieren zijn geweest, maar door gebrek aan concurrentie konden ze zich in Zuid-Amerika snel verspreiden, om de voorouders van alle apen van de Nieuwe Wereld te worden. Rond dezelfde tijd verschenen de eerste schildpadden (van het geslacht Kinixys) in Zuid-Amerika, waarschijnlijk uit Afrika.

Uitwisseling tussen de Amerika's voor de vorming van de Landengte van Panama
De eerste zoogdieren die van Noord- naar Zuid-Amerika overstaken waren kleine beren rond 7 miljoen jaar geleden (late Mioceen). Ze evolueerden vervolgens in de op een hond lijkende Cyonasua, en vervolgens in de op een beer lijkende Chapalmalania. Beide soorten zijn uitgestorven. De kleine beren werden gevolgd door de knaagdierfamilie Sigmodontinae, pekari's en varkenssnuitskunks. Rond 9 miljoen jaar geleden waren bepaalde soorten grondluiaards andersom, van Zuid- naar Noord-Amerika, gemigreerd door eilandhoppen. De familie Megalonychidae had de Antillen al gekoloniseerd rond 20 miljoen jaar geleden, in het vroege Mioceen.

Fossiele vondsten in de Culebra-kloof in het bekken van het Panamakanaal en de Curré-formatie in Costa Rica tonen aan dat diverse Zuid-Amerikaanse groepen - kaaimannen, breedneusapen en tandarmen - al in de loop van het Mioceen de oversteek naar zuidelijk Midden-Amerika wisten te maken over de Centraal-Amerikaanse zeestraat, die destijds 100 tot 200 km breed was.

De vondst van fossielen uit het Laat-Mioceen van de evenhoevige Surameryx, het slurfdier Amahuacatherium, tapirs en pekari's in het Amazonebekken gaf aanleiding tot de "Baudo Pathway"-hypothese. Volgens deze hypothese vond er al uitwisseling van fauna tussen Noord- en Zuid-Amerika plaats in het late Mioceen over een landverbinding vanaf de huidige Panamakanaalzone via de Caribische Serranías de San Blas en vervolgens de Pacifische Serranía de Baudao naar de noordwestkust van Colombia. Van 10 tot 5 miljoen jaar geleden was deze route volgens de hypothese met onderbrekingen als gevolg van zeespiegelstijgingen aanwezig en vanaf 5 miljoen jaar geleden permanent. De eerste zoogdieren die Zuid-Amerika vanuit het noorden bereikten, waren waarschijnlijk vormen van het tropisch laaglandregenwoud.  De verdere verspreiding over tropisch Zuid-Amerika vanaf noordwestelijk Colombia werd deels geblokkeerd door de Cordillera Occidental en Cordillera Central. Zuidwaartse migratie was wel mogelijk en via het "Pacifische Portaal" bereikten de noordelijke immigranten Amazonia. Dit "Pacifische Portaal" verbond het Pacifische laagland met het Amazonebekken voordat vanaf 9 miljoen jaar geleden de Andes in Ecuador zich vormde. Er zijn echter twijfels over de ouderdom en classificatie van de voorgenoemde hoefdieren en slurfdier uit het Amazonebekken.

De Great American Interchange
Rond drie miljoen jaar geleden vormde de Landengte van Panama zich en raakten de Amerika's verbonden. Dit veroorzaakte de grootste uitwisseling tot dan toe.
Deze uitwisseling bereikte zijn hoogtepunt tijdens de Noord-Amerikaanse stratigrafische etages Blancan (boven) en Irvingtonian (onder) en de Zuid-Amerikaanse etages Chapadmalalan en Uquian.

In het begin ging de migratie in beide richtingen gelijk op, maar de neotropische Zuid-Amerikaanse soorten bleken veel minder succesvol in Noord-Amerika dan de nearctische soorten in Zuid-Amerika. Neotropische soorten die naar Noord-Amerika trokken konden daar vaak de concurrentie niet aan met Noord-Amerikaanse soorten die dezelfde niches bezetten. De neotropische soorten die desondanks in staat waren een blijvende plek te veroveren zouden vervolgens niet erg sterk diversifiëren. Omgekeerd lukte het nearctische soorten wel zich in groten getale in Zuid-Amerika te vestigen om daar te diversifiëren. Een significant deel van de Zuid-Amerikaanse fauna werd door de nieuwkomers verdrongen en veel soorten stierven uit. In Noord-Amerika is geen enkel uitsterven bekend dat aan de komst van nieuwe soorten uit het zuiden geweten kan worden.

Zuid-Amerikaanse migranten
De schrikvogels waren aanvankelijk in staat zich in Noord-Amerika te vestigen. Er is bewijs dat ze zich al vijf miljoen jaar geleden, voor de vorming van de Landengte van Panama, door eilandhoppen naar Noord-Amerika hadden verspreid. Dit succes was echter tijdelijk. Zowel de vleesetende loopvogels als vleesetende buideldieren uit Zuid-Amerika zouden uiteindelijk op beide continenten verdwijnen.

Ook de Zuid-Amerikaanse hoefdieren hadden grote moeite met de concurrentie uit het noorden. Alleen een paar grotere soorten, zoals Macrauchenia en een aantal Toxodontidae, zouden de uitwisseling overleven. Onder de Notoungulata zouden de families Mesotheriidae en Hegetotheriidae tot in het Pleistoceen overleven.

De Zuid-Amerikaanse buideldieren en de Xenarthra deden het echter aanzienlijk beter. De knaagdieren en primaten die oorspronkelijk uit Afrika waren gemigreerd konden de concurrentie met de nieuwkomers goed aan, hoewel vrijwel alle soorten uit de familie Dinomyidae, de grootste Zuid-Amerikaanse knaagdieren, verdwenen. Met uitzondering van het Noord-Amerikaans boomstekelvarken en enkele uitgestorven soorten stekelvarkens en capibara's zijn er echter geen soorten geweest die zich blijvend in Noord-Amerika konden vestigen.

De Great American Interchange verklaart waarom tegenwoordig stekelvarkens, opossums en gordeldieren in Noord-Amerika voorkomen. Opossums en stekelvarkens waren succesvol: ze komen tot in Canada voor. Van de Xenarthra vestigden de meeste groepen zich succesvol in Noord-Amerika. De reusachtige grondluiaard Megalonyx kwam zelfs voor tot in Alaska en Yukon. Aan dit succes kwam een einde met de Pleistocene massa-extinctie rond 10.000 jaar geleden. Tegenwoordig is er in Noord-Amerika van de Cavimorfa, Xenarthra en buideldieren elk een soort overgebleven.

Noord-Amerikaanse migranten
Vanuit Noord-Amerika migreerden hoefdieren (waaronder lama's, tapirs, hertachtigen en paarden), slurfdieren (van de uitgestorven groep Gomphotheriidae), roofdieren (katachtigen zoals de poema, echte sabeltandkatten, hondachtigen, marterachtigen, kleine beren en beren) en sommige knaagdieren naar Zuid-Amerika.

Ondanks enkele Zuid-Amerikaanse successen waren de Noord-Amerikaanse migranten in Zuid-Amerika veel succesvoller. De migratie en daaropvolgende adaptieve radiatie van Noord-Amerikaanse knaagdieren (Sigmodontinae) in Zuid-Amerika was zowel in aantallen als in aantal soorten succesvoller dan alle Zuid-Amerikaanse migranten in Noord-Amerika. Onder de succesvolste migranten naar Zuid-Amerika zijn de hond- en hertachtigen. Zuid-Amerika is tegenwoordig het continent met het grootste aantal soorten hondachtigen.

Factoren bij succes

Voor het feit dat de Noord-Amerikaanse soorten veel succesvoller waren dan de Zuid-Amerikaanse zijn twee factoren aangewezen, die beide met geografie te maken hebben. De eerste factor was het klimaat. De klimaatzones in de Amerika's waren in het Plioceen ongeveer gelijk aan die van tegenwoordig. Elke soort die bij de Landengte van Panama aankwam moest dus kunnen overleven in een vochtig en warm tropisch klimaat. De soorten die verder naar het zuiden migreerden zouden daarna in gebied komen waar het klimaat niet veel verschilde van dat in Panama. Soorten die naar het noorden migreerden zouden echter steeds drogere klimaatomstandigheden tegenkomen zodra ze bij de Trans-Mexicaanse Vulkanengordel aankwamen. Soorten die waren aangepast aan natte klimaten zouden dus weinig kans hebben verder noordelijk dan Midden-Amerika te migreren, behalve als ze zich eerst aan drogere omstandigheden aanpasten.

De tweede, belangrijkere factor die de mate van succes van migranten beïnvloedde was de grootte van het landoppervlak waarin hun voorouders evolueerden. Zoals gezegd lag Zuid-Amerika tijdens het Cenozoïcum (van 66 miljoen jaar geleden tot heden) geïsoleerd en omringd door oceanen. Noord-Amerika was verschillende keren met Azië verbonden. Er waren verschillende invasies over en weer tussen de twee continenten geweest, zodat de fauna zich goed kon mengen. Op dezelfde manier was Azië met tussenpozen verbonden geweest met Afrika en Europa, zodat de voorouders van Noord-Amerikaanse soorten in totaal een ongeveer zes maal zo groot landoppervlak ter beschikking hadden als de voorouders van Zuid-Amerikaanse soorten. Door grotere competitie waren Noord-Amerikaanse soorten competitiever: ze waren bijvoorbeeld gemiddeld genomen intelligenter en evolutionair gezien efficiënter. Vooral bij hoefdieren en grotere predators waren deze voordelen duidelijk merkbaar: de Noord-Amerikaanse indringers verdrongen op den duur de inheemse Zuid-Amerikaanse soorten helemaal.

De Xenarthra waren een uitzondering op deze regel. Door hun pantsering of scherpe klauwen waren ze goed in staat zichzelf te verdedigen tegen de nieuwe predators. Ze hoefden daarvoor niet snel of intelligent te zijn. Het kan zijn dat Xenarthra deze overlevingsstrategieën ontwikkelden door hun langzame stofwisseling, de langzaamste onder alle Theria. De langzame stofwisseling brengt ook een evolutionair voordeel mee, omdat ze zich niet hoeven toe te leggen op bepaalde soorten voedsel.

Zie ook
 Nearctisch gebied
 Neotropisch gebied

Plioceen
Biogeografie


Photograph by Richard Avedon. Dovima with elephants, evening dress by Dior, Cirque d'Hiver, Paris, August 1955.
By the early 1950s, Harper's Bazaar was well into what Christian Dior would refer to as "the golden age" of fashion. It was an era that Dior himself helped jolt into being with the unveiling, in February 1947, of his "New Look." "Swirling skirts. Pleats and pleats. Dior makes a skirt 45 yards wide," Bazaar raved in the October 1947 issue, marveling at Dior's quasi- libertine use of material, coming as it did on the heels of wartime fabric rationing. It was a boon for couture, as Paris reclaimed its place as the seat of high fashion; the houses of Balenciaga, Balmain, and Fath were all flourishing. And more designers were following in the footsteps of Chanel and Schiaparelli, and branching out into fragrances, boutiques, and licensing deals.
Back in the United States, the country was awash in a wave of prosperity. But in the wake of World War II, a lot of the old mythologies about what to desire and how to live were breaking down. There was also a burgeoning interest in the existentialist writings of Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, and Albert Camus, and the American Beats like Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs. Nuclear weapons were being developed, the Cold War was brewing, a counterculture was forming, and McCarthyism was in full force.
Bazaar rebounded from the uncertainty of the war years with a vengeance. Carmel Snow's cool eminence, Diana Vreeland's wild imagination, and Alexey Brodovitch's creative genius are all by now the stuff of lore, and the magazine they made together was once again the definition of fashion. But they didn't do it alone.
Fred Astaire (right) with Richard Avedon in the Tuileries, Paris, 1956, photographed by David Seymour.
Richard Avedon was fresh out of the Merchant Marine when he came to Bazaar in 1944. When he had enlisted, his father, Jack, gave him a Rolleiflex camera as a going-away present, so he applied for a job in the photography department and was assigned to a post in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, where he fulfilled his service by taking pictures of events on the base, shipwrecks, and autopsies.
After leaving the Merchant Marine, Avedon resolved to get a meeting with Brodovitch. He took classes that Brodovitch taught at the New School and made, by his count, at least 14 appointments with him, all of which were canceled. But Avedon was dogged: "I knew where he lived, and I left my work at his house." When Brodovitch finally agreed to a meeting, he quickly zeroed in on a picture Avedon had shot during his time in the Merchant Marine of a set of twins, with one rendered clearly in the foreground and the other out of focus in the back. "He wanted me to apply that experiment to fashion photography," Avedon said.
Avedon's photographs soon set the visual tone for the magazine. The women in his pictures weren't statues or seraphs—they were living beings who danced and leaped and longed and moved in blurs. There was a searching in his images, an ephemeral quality.
Suzy Parker with Robin Tattersall and Gardner McKay, evening dress by Lanvin-Castillo, Café des Beaux-Arts, Paris, August 1956, photographed by Richard Avedon.
He was drawn to subjects who had some road under their feet. Two of Avedon's favorite models at the time were Dorian Leigh, a mother of two in her late 20s who lied about her age to get work; and a statuesque brunette from Queens named Dorothy Virginia Margaret Juba, who'd rechristened herself "Dovima" after the name of an imaginary friend she conjured when sick with rheumatic fever as a child. Later, Leigh's youngest sister, the willowy redhead Suzy Parker, whom Avedon initially deemed too conventionally pretty, would come alive in front of his camera to become one of the most successful models of the 1950s. Parker also made forays into acting, appearing in a cameo in the 1957 film Funny Face, starring Audrey Hepburn.Incidentally, the movie fictionalized Avedon's relationship with his first wife, the model Doe Avedon, played by Hepburn, another subject the photographer would shoot for a range of Bazaar covers and fashion sessions.
Truman Streckfus Persons first arrived in New York in 1933. Born in New Orleans to a salesman and his teenage bride, Truman was dispatched to live with family in Monroeville, Alabama, before his parents divorced when he was seven. His mother later remarried and was living in Manhattan, so she sent for her son. Her new husband, a well-off Cuban-born textile broker named Joseph Capote, adopted him, which is how he came to be known as Truman Capote. In New York, the young Truman attended an Upper West Side private school before deciding, at age 11, to become a writer.
A young Truman Capote in New Orleans, photographed for the November 1946 issue by Henri Cartier-Bresson.
Capote's debut in Bazaar came a little less than a year after Avedon's, in the fall of 1945. The magazine's fiction editor, Mary Louise Aswell, spotted a story Capote, then just 20, had written called "Miriam," in Mademoiselle (where Bazaar's combustible former literary editor, George Davis, was overseeing the fiction department). Aswell tracked down Capote and, after reviewing some of his manuscripts, decided to publish a story called "A Tree of Night," about a 19-year-old college student named Kay who encounters a mysterious couple on a train. "As Kay watched, the man's face seemed to change form and recede before her like a moon-shaped rock sliding downward under a surface of water," Capote wrote. "A warm laziness relaxed her. She was dimly conscious of it when the woman took away her purse, and when she gently pulled the raincoat like a shroud above her head." "A Tree of Night" ran in the October 1945 issue and would serve as a cornerstone of Capote's first collection.
Capote's fascination with wealth, fame, glamour, conspiracy, secrecy, and the gleam of high society and movie stars—all of which found their way into his other writing for Bazaar—was apparent from the start. With it came a foreboding sense of the tragic that never seemed far beneath the surface. He could be tart, petulant, self-pitying, and even cruel. Robert Linscott, Capote's editor at Random House, once famously described the writer as shrouded in the "stigmata" of his own brilliance. But his volatility at times seemed more deeply embedded. When Capote was a child, his mother readily admitted she felt ill-suited to motherhood; years later, after Joe Capote's conviction for embezzlement, she took her own life by consuming a handful of sleeping pills. In Capote's life, as in his work, things often didn't end well.
The friendship that developed between Capote and Avedon was of mutual admiration—with a degree of distance. For most of the 1950s they ran on parallel tracks, each of his own devising. To say Avedon changed fashion photography is by now a truism, and in Capote Bazaar helped launch one of the most prominent—and polarizing—literary icons of the mid-20th century. But their work for the magazine illuminated something essential about what Avedon would later characterize as the "performance" of living—or what Capote, in discussing fiction, once referred to as "the truth inside the lie." In the artifice of fashion, Avedon said, he found "a kind of grace without the pressure of belief." In a world that was very much about keeping up appearances, he and Capote also found art and salvation.
Marella Agnelli, New York, December 1953, photographed by Richard Avedon.


A partner in Baker & McKenzie's Ho Chi Minh office, Ms. Nguyen's practice involves a wide range of corporate and commercial issues, specializing in labor and employment, merger & acquisition, and foreign investment law. She also worked in the Barcelona and London offices under the firm's Associate Transfer Program. Ms. Nguyen graduated from the Institute for International Relations (currently the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam) majoring in international law (2003) and received her LL.M. on International and Comparative Law from Southern Methodist University's Dedman School of Law (2006) and Master of Business Administration (Vietnam Executive Program) from the University of Hawai'i Shidler College of Business (2010). Ms. Nguyen is admitted as attorney at law at the State of New York (2009) and Vietnam (2010). She speaks fluent English in addition to her native Vietnamese, some French and Spanish.


A review round-up for An Ideal Husband at the Vaudeville Theatre, London.
Real life father & son Edward & Freddie Fox play fictional father and son in the West End production of Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband.
Overall reviews have praised father and son Edward and Freddie Fox for their comic roles in the West End production of Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband. With star ratings ranging between two and four The Stage criticised members of the cast for being overstretched, with the Guardian in opposition impressed by the depth of casting.
The production forms part of Dominic Dromgoole's Oscar Wilde season at the Vaudeville Theatre and is directed by Jonathan Kent.
Wilde's comic play of blackmail and political corruption also stars Frances Barber as Mrs. Cheveley. Best-known for her role as Caroline Warwick in BBC series Silk, her many screen and stage credits include Mr. Holmes, Vicious (ITV), and Death in Paradise (BBC).
"Wilde's dandies and fat cats verge on the preposterous.
Nathaniel Parker plays Chiltern as a man aggressively unapologetic for his youthful ambition but faintly comic in his later adoption of a high moral tone.
Even when the play verges on the preposterous, as in the farcical shenanigans of the third act, the production openly acknowledges Wilde's recklessness.
There is strength in depth to the casting, with Susan Hampshire brilliantly turning the gossipy Lady Markby into an unquenchable social gusher and Tim Wallers making Goring's valet a figure of lugubrious gravity.
"Edward and Freddie Fox create a delicious double act.
Oscar Wilde's comedy gets a shrewd, enjoyable revival from Jonathan Church.
Freddie Fox was brilliant a few years ago as Oscar Wilde's nemesis, Bosie…Now he's back in Wilde country, giving an enchantingly comic performance as Lord Goring, Bosie's temperamental opposite, in this shrewd, very enjoyable revival.
Fox's performance beautifully shows you the generosity and lack of self-importance with which the character makes light of his hidden depths.
You emerge, rather, marvelling at the golden good humour and delicious sense of the absurd that never left Wilde even in times of extreme stress.
Frances Barber plays the melodrama to the hilt as the adventuress Mrs Cheveley.
"Jonathan Church's An Ideal Husband feels like it's going through the motion. It's capably played for the most part but has barely any perceptible pulse.
Edward Fox doesn't have a huge amount to do though he's immensely watchable when on stage. The role of Goring is far larger and Freddie Fox eats it up. He's on fine form here. He wakes the production up whenever he's on stage, but it never feels as if he's stretching himself.
Barber plays Mrs Cheveley like a purring panto villainess in a series of gorgeous gowns.
The safety curtain descends (slowly) during scene changes and there's some inoffensive violin playing. Simon Higlett's gilded set, all gilt and velvet, shimmers prettily while also looking rather flimsy.
"Fantastic Foxes team up for a Wilde West End delight.
Jonathan Church's production triumphs because it skilfully balances Wilde's light and shade, rather than overdosing on epigrams and skimping on emotions. It's light on its feet but also profound; witty but, when it really matters, true.
Edward Fox's vowel sounds are now a national institution, but it's Fantastic Master Fox who steals even more of the plaudits.
"Fantastic Mr Foxes are an ideal match for Wilde's comedy.
Freddie Fox is triumphant as the dandyish Lord Goring. There's never a dull moment when he's onstage. He wiggles around the gilt set with freshness, energy, intelligence and aplomb.
It's a shame that Frances Barber, the powerful actress playing femme fatale Mrs Cheveley, is miscast, and sometimes seems shouty and hoarse.